Raven's song

One for sorrow In history, there have very rarely been times when magical beings have been shaded by a Great Entity. It was more the prerogative of humans, and it was usually in them that the powers of the Greats found a home. The soul of humans was... empty. It was easy to change, to stretch and crumple. It was soft, so it was easier to hide divine powers. So it was even stranger that Technoblade became one of those vessels. He was a piglin - his soul was hard and sharp, but it was still able to dissolve the power of Raven himself, the essence of Death within him, marking him as a follower of one of the Greats. So when he was born, there were wrinkled little wings on his back, not yet covered with feathers, but already clearly indicating the presence of other forces in the newborn body. If he had been human, people would have been happy. But he was a piglin, and his kind were certainly not happy to have a Raven in their midst. They thought he was born with a too soft a soul for being chosen to carry such a power, and they'd been very clear about it since his early childhood. The kids didn't want to play with him and occasionally tugged at his little wings, which were slowly gaining silky black feathers. The adults would slap him and growl in his direction, thinking that he should live with the same pathetic people who got such powers. Techno did not understand what he had done wrong. His peculiarity manifested itself only in having useless wings behind his back that couldn't even lift him yet and a tugging sensation somewhere inside when he felt someone was going to die. He was drawn to death. Drawn to blood and cooling bodies. He sensed the dead men with little time left and followed on their heels as silent shadow, breathing in the death that hung in the air. Perhaps that was what frightened them. The piglins usually snarled and spat a single word right in his face when they saw him near them. Raven. Techno didn't know what to answer them on that. He knew that many didn't like to feel his presence around them. And all living things died when he touched it for too long. Striders didn't survive a day's ride somewhere with his hands on their skin. He had to wear gloves and hide as much skin as he could behind his black robes to avoid it. The piglins still didn't accept him, even when he tried to change things to please them. But he decided he wouldn't care about that. The incarnation of death doesn't need friends and support. His wings grow strong and he picks up weapons. He is bloodthirsty and always ready to join a fight. He has no other occupation anyway. And, for some reason, the piglins like it. They're not getting warmer toward him, but there's faint respect in their eyes now. They like the way he handles his weapons. Techno likes the presence of death. He likes to feel it. So he deliberately seeks out enemies, seeks out those who can be killed, those who will allow him to feel again that invisible presence of Raven's powers that have been pleasantly cold somewhere inside, being in their element. No one dares to cross him, and most of his time consists simply of senseless killing, which is what has built his reputation as the Blood God, one who can stand almost on a par with the Great Ones. And he remains silent and only grips his weapon tighter, choosing his new victims.   Two for mirth And then he is taken by another Raven, Phil, king of L'Manburg. After hearing rumors of the Great One's power carrier appearing, he traveled to the Nether and sought him out, taking him to the Overworld and introducing him to his sons, also Ravens. Wilbur was Phil's own son, who had inherited the Raven power through his father, and Tommy was taken and adopted by him just as he had done with Techno himself. They were loud, cheerful... complete opposites of piglin. Techno doesn't understand what he's doing here. He's drawn to death - he wants to kill. Phil won't let him. Piglin wanders around the palace, not knowing where to put himself, and can barely contain the trembling in his hands from how much he wants to feel the presence of someone's near death again. He tries to disobey Phil, but it is as if the man is always there, always watching and not letting the shadow of death appear in his house. Technoblade wants to growl and throw himself at everyone. He avoids Wilbur and Tommy and tries to escape the gaze of the elder Raven himself, but he has lived for centuries - he has experience in how to deal with someone like him. The privilege of carriers of the power of the High Ones is that until you yourself decide it's time for you to leave, no one and nothing can make you leave the world of the living. You become... almost immortal. Almost. Phil is patient. He creeps under his skin little by little, settles into his heart, and stays there. Becomes his father. It takes more than a year, but the older Raven is stubborn and determined. He doesn't stop until Techno accepts the fact that he has a family. Tommy accepts him as a brother first. The youngest Raven is just a ball of inexhaustible, loud, and annoying energy, but for all that, he was a devoted friend and also a little asshole who really wanted to have the Blood God himself as his brother. Techno eventually gets used to him and sees him as his little brother as well. With Wilbur, we have to wait a little longer. Despite all his friendliness, he was much more suspicious, and it takes him a long time to understand why his father took him into their family. At first, he feels like an outsider, just as he felt in the Nether, but over time they get used to each other and try to be a family. They all teach Techno about the value of life, that mortals should be left alone, that it is better to wait for death to come for them instead of speeding up the process by killing them. They teach him patience and what it's like to live with someone who can support you and give you a hand when you fall. They teach him how to restrain his impulses to kill and when, conversely, he can stop holding back. Technoblade learns that all Ravens in this little family had this attraction to death. Phil had to deal with it himself and for almost a hundred years he killed left and right until he was finally able to control this urge. Wilbur was born as a mage with a musical predilection, and for the first years of his life, he killed with his singing, almost like sirens. Well, as for Tommy, with his explosive temper, he mostly just pounced on people, pushing them off rooftops or driving them mad with his tricks, and when they lost their heads he killed them up close. But he, too, was eventually able to cope with Raven's power and, under Phil's keen guidance, became a normal teenager. Well, almost. They all wore gloves and robes that completely covered their skin so as not to affect the living so much, and their black wings brought awe into the hearts of humans and magical beings. Techno accepted that he was no longer alone, that he had a family - father and brothers who would be at his side no matter what. And standing beside them, he realizes for the first time that he no longer feels like a stranger.   Three for a wedding Months become years, years become decades, the world around them changes, and they remain the same. People continue to tremble before them and their power. Phil rules, Wilbur perfects his magic, Techno leads the warriors, and Tommy finds and lets go of his friends. The younger Raven is closer to the humans than any of them - he's not afraid to make friends and then watch them grow up, grow old, die... without him. In that aspect, he's the most fearless of their family. Phil encourages this, wants his sons to socialize rather than live in a social vacuum, but other than Tommy, no one in their family does such a useless thing as communicating with mortals. They're going to die anyway - what's the point of getting used to them? Technoblade doesn't waste any time on that. He leads troops into battle, he conquers territory, and he revels in the feeling of death on the battlefield. He's always been the best at taking lives. That's probably why he misses the moment when Wilbur falls in love. He's been at war for almost two years, an awfully short time for immortals, and when he returns home he learns that his brother is marrying some girl - Niki, a mage with a focus on healing magic. But she bears no trace of the powers of the Great ones - she's mortal. And it seems to Techno that Wilbur is making a huge mistake. The lives of mortals are so fleeting... Not to mention the fact that his brother can hardly touch her unless he wants to hasten her death. They cannot allow themselves to love someone who will not withstand their powers. But Wilbur won't listen. He is happy, he is in seventh heaven, and he is ready to carry his beloved in his arms, to give her the whole world and even more if she asks. He sings his tenderest songs to her, chases away her bad dreams with his lullabies, does his best to make her happy. And it takes Techno's breath away when he sees this Niki returning the favor. They are both madly in love, running off on moonlit dates, walks by the lake, and picnics in the woods. That's why the piglin doesn't tell him anything. Though perhaps he should. On their wedding day, when Phil wipes away his tears with a tissue, dreaming of this moment all his life when Tommy whistles from his seat and shouts congratulations when Niki literally glows with happiness at the altar in her white dress and translucent veil when Wilbur cannot stop smiling as he looks at his bride... Techno lets himself forget his worries and rejoice for his brother like everyone else. He watches as they are announced as husband and wife, as Wilbur circles Niki in his arms, embracing her with his black wings, as the girl's parents smile, carefully concealing the anxiety in their eyes for their child... And he smiles too. There is no need to look into the future so early. They have here and now. For the sake of those happy moments, they can afford to be carefree. Niki laughs as Wilbur lifts her into his arms and they both look so happy that you willy-nilly begin to pick up their mood yourself. The guests are ecstatic, they look at the beautiful bride with admiration, and at Raven's power bearer with awe. When Niki throws the bouquet, the girls almost fight over who will catch it, believing that it will definitely be a lucky bouquet that will bring them good luck in their marriage, but even in this, too, there is some happiness, some part of the general merriment that is transmitted through the air on this day. This is a day Techno will always remember as one of the happiest of his life.   Four for a birth Niki was simply a miracle. She easily fit into their lives, got used to their characters, and most importantly, she was not afraid of them. Her kind character, affectionate eyes, and touching disposition endeared her to anyone, and she quickly became their friend. Wilbur looked very happy with her. Techno was glad for his brother, and though he himself preferred to remain silent in the presence of his wife (which had frightened her a little at first), he was relieved that his brother had chosen such a partner. Phil adored her, and Tommy loved her, which was an indication of how easily she was able to fit into their family. And not long after their honeymoon (which lasted nearly three months), it turned out that Niki was expecting a baby. Wilbur was so happy the day he found out. Yeah, there's nothing to say - everyone was happy. At first. And then it all went downhill from there. Niki was having a very difficult pregnancy, and the doctor just shook his head, saying that the chances of either of them dying were very high. It was either Niki or the baby. Like a child conceived with the seed of Raven's power bearer, he was killing the woman from within, little by little causing her organs to fail and thereby depriving himself of any means of survival. They could have tried to take it from the womb earlier, but again, the chance of either of them dying was incredibly high. And there was nothing the healers could do. The situation was made worse by the fact that Niki believed to the end that she and the baby would make it and survive when all the Ravens in the family could clearly sense death already invisibly present in their home and choosing who it would take with it. And it may well choose two at once. Wilbur ran like a madman all over the kingdom, trying to find something that could help, and invariably came back empty-handed. No mage had yet devised a spell that could withstand the power of the Great Ones themselves, and it condemned his wife and child to death. His brother paled, neither sleeping nor eating, sinking more and more into the abyss of despair at the realization that he had contributed to the fact that his wife and child would most likely die. Techno only sat silently beside him, hugging him with his black wing and leafing through all kinds of folios, searching for a remedy that would give them time. Only a miracle could help them now. Wilbur held on only for Niki's sake, pulling a smile on his face and reassuring her that everything would be all right, but his own hope crumbled right before his eyes as he watched his wife fade, slowly dying. Tommy sat constantly beside her, ready to snap at her every request to bring what she wanted and trembling almost all the time, too, feeling the presence of death and dreading what would happen after it finally took away the one whose time had come. Phil sat in the ritual hall most days, trying to summon the Great Ones and ask them for a miracle, but the shadows who came to his call only shook their heads and said that without the Phoenix, the personification of life and the opposite of death, nothing could be done here. The only catch was that the Phoenix was long gone, disillusioned with the world, and there was no one left who carried his powers. So all they had to do was silently wait for the reappearance of their friend who had been by their side all their lives. And this was probably the first time they had all been so opposed to its arrival. They didn't want to see death in their home. But it didn't ask their opinion at all. The agonizing wait lasted a long time. And it was the hardest fight Techno had ever had in his life. He could fight hundreds, thousands of creatures, but there was no way he could stand against time. Waiting for trouble was far more painful than receiving any wounds. That waiting, when you're sure something will happen soon, but you don't know from which side it will come, it presses you down, pulls you down into the abyss of despair, where you can't get out and see anything. Not a glimmer of light. They all sat there like on pins and needles, looking for ways to help, knowing in advance that it was all useless. Against the powers of the Great Ones, almost nothing worked. Wilbur sang his most beautiful songs to her, pouring all his magic into them, but it didn't help. They performed supporting rituals, but they were of no use. Everything they did was for nothing. They had no chance of saving them both. And at some point, it became clear... that it was too late. That day, Techno awoke to the fact that he no longer felt the presence of death. Terrified, he jumped out of bed with his wings tangled in the blanket and dashed out into the hallway, not even thinking to put on any decent clothes, and rushed to Niki and Wilbur's room, waiting for disaster to strike. He had to figure out exactly who was taken by death and make sure his brother didn't do anything stupid. He burst into the room like a hurricane, gave it a quick glance, and then froze, keeping his ruffled black wings up. Niki was sitting on the bed, smiling at the tiny girl in her arms, and Wilbur was beside her, sobbing, gently holding his daughter's little hand. And... they didn't look like they were dying. The baby, though too small due to being born slightly premature, looked strong, with a good complexion, able to survive. Niki, in her turn, was looking good too - the hollowness of her face had disappeared somewhere, she no longer seemed gray and there was that lively gleam in her eyes again like before this whole story with the baby killing her from within and dying itself. "How..." "It's a miracle!" Still sobbing, Wilbur exclaimed "A real miracle!" Tommy stood beside him, first staring shocked at Niki alive with the girl in her arms, and then jumping up to his niece with a broad smile, literally trying to stick his nose into the little blanket to look at her. "But... that's impossible." Techno said quietly, unheard by them. Phil put his hand on his shoulder, coming up behind him and smoothing his ruffled black feathers a little. "If it happened... it's possible." His father said, looking at the still sobbing Wilbur, who was afraid to even properly touch the girl, probably thinking she would crumble to dust if he touched her "Maybe the universe itself wanted them both to survive..." He smiled and quietly rustled his wings as he left the room, leaving his son alone with his happiness. Piglin looked at Wilbur and Niki, at their little daughter, at Tommy, who was trying to annoy the little child with his questioning and teaching her swear words from an early age, and decided that he too should leave. Before he left, however, something bright suddenly flashed in the periphery of his vision. Techno frowned, noticing something at the window. He crouched down and drew a feather from under the curtain. But it wasn't black. In the palm of his hand was the fiery bright feather of the Phoenix. What the...?   Five for silver Dream wrapped himself tightly in his tattered cloak and ducked his head lower, hiding it in his deep hood. He nervously clenched his palms into fists, trying to figure out what to do next. He felt that he would soon drive his body to depletion again, considering how much energy he had expended on the little royal heiress and her mother. It cut his time almost in half since with them he could live comfortably for another year, well maybe less, considering the people who were always touching him, taking his energy. But he couldn't help himself. He was drawn to birth, to the emergence of life, and he often caught himself looking at those who were preparing to produce life, and almost following little children, wanting to make sure they were happy. He sighed and rubbed his face with the hard leather of his gloves, trying not to fall asleep. He had yet to find even the shittiest pub that rented out rooms to get some rest. He didn't want to exhaust his body any further, considering he already felt like it would soon be time to burn himself out again. Dream grimaced under his mask. He'd been living from rebirth to rebirth lately, not even having time to do anything before people were already completely draining his powers. He couldn't settle down anywhere, couldn't have time to save money, couldn't find someone he could rely on, couldn't sleep soundly knowing that at any moment he could literally be drained by simple touches and have to be reborn again, burning his body, which was a hellishly painful act, making him only dream of dying soon, but always knowing that it wouldn't come for him. It made him want to cry just thinking about it. He exhaled tornly and walked down the dark night streets, hoping he wouldn't encounter any more scumbags. It took energy to deal with them, which he almost didn't have, and he didn't want to bring the day of his burnout that much closer. The wings tugged unpleasantly, pressed against his back with tight bandages, but he couldn't pull them out. They attracted too much attention, especially from mages who tried to get feathers or a bit of power from him. Besides, wings like his would only make things worse. Sometimes he wondered why the Great Phoenix had decided to make him its power bearer. Why couldn't he be a simple man? A simple mage? Anything but a bearer of the power of the Great Ones! No, he knew it was a great honor and he knew he had to keep and increase some of those powers, but sometimes he just wanted to sleep and forget all about it, as if the Great One had never bestowed his powers on him and he could stay with family and friends who would not so greedily drain him and even then sell his power. If he didn't have it, would he have had to run away at all then? Honestly, he really wanted to stay, but after his family completely stopped understanding that burnout was hurting him and made him go through it almost every month to get money... He just couldn't take it anymore. Maybe it was cowardly and he needed to talk to them, but he was so scared, he was in so much pain, he wanted to be somewhere far away from there... Dream slipped his hand into his pocket and fumbled for a pair of silver coins. Well... That should be enough to last him another night or two. He'd have to go back into the woods and get some ingredients to sell later. Once he was burned, he would do just that. Resolutely clutching the coins in his palm, Dream raised his head and looked at the sign of some filthy pub he found himself in front of. "Asfodel's Flower" he read and pushed open the door, immediately cringing at the disgusting smell that wafted inside. Bowing his head, he approached the bartender and asked in the huskiest voice he could "How much for the room?" The bartender looked him over from head to toe, noting the tattered cloak, the compressed figure, and the hood that covered his face, and with a lift of his chin, he dryly replied: "One silver coin for the night." Carefully placing the coin on the bar, he nudged it with just his fingertips, yanking his hand away immediately as the bartender reached for it. The man raised an eyebrow questioningly and placed the key in front of him. Just as carefully, Dream took it and nodded, glimpsing the number seventeen on the keychain. Shadowing past the drinkers, he made his way quietly up the stairs and quickly across the hall, locking himself in the room he'd been given. After looking around and not noticing any open windows or extraneous personalities, he relievedly made his way to the bed, practically tearing off his tired clothes and bandages, finally spreading his bright fire-like wings. Occasionally sparks flashed across them in fiery bursts, a reminder that it was soon time to burn himself. They lit up the room softly, and Dream exhaled in relief, letting the warm feathers warm his frozen skin. In a couple of hours, he would have to cover them with bandages again, cover them with the heavy and cold fabric of his cloak. But that would be later. Right now he could at least relax a little bit, wrap himself in his wings and give himself the sense of security he'd been missing so much. There was a rumble and laughter of drunken people outside the door, and Dream wrapped his arms around his shoulders, trying to become as small as possible, to disappear from this world, to never feel anything ever again. Never to worry about anything, never to be afraid of anything... He doesn't want to live in constant fear, as he does now. He wants to live somewhere safe. The rumble came again and Dream clutched his head in his knees. Only there is no such place. There is nowhere he will ever feel safe.   Six for gold Techno was sure his father was wrong and there was one Phoenix power bearer after all. There was no other way to explain the fiery feather in his palm and the miraculous survival of Niki and her and Wilbur's daughter. But where had it come from? Phil had said that the Great Phoenix had left this world a long time ago. Where had another bearer of his power come from? And most importantly, how to find him again? Judging by how quietly and stealthily he'd done all this, it clearly wasn't someone easy to find on the streets. It was someone who didn't seek attention and was compassionate enough to help them without demanding anything in return. Techno didn't even know if he should have been searching for him. After all, he had done what they so wanted - he had saved Niki and her little girl, what should he tell him? That they were grateful? Piglin was sure that Phoenix already knew that. He also knew that he didn't need gratitude. Otherwise, he wouldn't have done it so stealthily. Techno sighed and rubbed his face. It was a miracle. Something that only happened once in eternity, but he couldn't help thinking that if he caught him, if he recruited him to their side, if he kept in touch with him... He could be called to remove the influence of their powers from Niki and the child, so that Wilbur could touch his family more often, so that he would not fear that they might die from his touch. The phoenix would provide them with immortality and his brother wouldn't have to watch his loved ones age and die - with that source of life, it wouldn't be a problem. The phoenix is the very embodiment of life - it wouldn't be hard for him to do that. If only Techno or the guards had caught him in the night... He'd be able to convince him, and if not, then Wilbur would do it, Tommy would do it, Phil eventually. The Power bearer would have agreed to stay and help them, he's sure. But he isn't here. The phoenix came silently and just as silently slipped away, not letting himself be caught. He shook his big black wings and, fixing his mask on his face, left the palace, heading for the streets of their city, watching as the people in reverence and awe parted before him, respectful but not daring to come close, knowing full well the effect that haunts all Ravens. Everyone knew - their touch kills. Maybe not immediately, but it kills. Techno was already used to these whispers following him behind his back. They fear him because he is a Raven. They fear him because he is Piglin. They fear him because he is the most bloodthirsty of his family, because he is a warrior, because he kills more often. And he is not ashamed of it at all. On the contrary, actually. He is proud. But along with fear comes respect. People like the fact that he brings new territory to their kingdom, they like the fact that he leads troops and always comes out victorious. Their attitude is ambivalent, but such is the nature of mortals, and he no longer even pays attention to it. He walks sedately through the streets of the city, breathing the air and searching for the familiar feeling of death. Trying to figure out which of these mortals will die next. Techno doesn't kill them, no. It's just that he, like everyone in his family, is drawn to death and sometimes they allow themselves to walk through the city, treading silently behind those whose time is already counted. Wilbur does it, Tommy does it, he does it himself. And so does Phil, even though he's trying to get over it. He raises his head sharply, and the black wings flutter behind his back as he finally feels it. Death is here, silently following some guy holding his stomach and breathing heavily. He's dragging some kind of sack on his back, something rather heavy by the looks of it, but there's no one around him, and Techno assumes it's one of those people usually call single mothers. He's probably due to give birth in a couple of months. Well, he should. But death is near, and it knows it's not going to happen - it's going to take him sooner. Techno takes a step toward the guy, drawn by the feeling of near death, but at the same moment someone crashes into him, and if he himself remains standing straight, like an unshakable wall, the one who flew into him fell to the stone sidewalk and the torn hood flew off his head, revealing to the world golden hair and an unusual white mask with a crooked smile and two dots replacing his eyes. Techno's gaze immediately fixed on the hair. Most of the time he managed to keep in check the strange urges that his piglin nature dictated, but sometimes they still broke through like this, which could make him just freeze until his brain was able to function again. "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, I... " A soft, pleasant voice suddenly broke off, and then sounded much more hoarse, as if whoever was speaking remembered that he shouldn't be doing this at all "I'm sorry." The unknown man began to rise, and Techno was finally able to pull himself out of his stupor to give him a hand. However, to his surprise, not only did the man not accept it but also recoiled as if he feared a blow. Even though he wore gloves. The man didn't explain, seeming embarrassed by his reaction. "Sorry again, I... I don't know what came over me." Techno didn't like that husky voice. The previous one was much better. Somehow that's what compelled him to answer. "It's all right." He spoke slowly and monotonously, looking down at the unknown man. The fact that he was a piglin made his figure much taller, broader, and well... more massive than mortals, so the guy standing in front of him was almost a head and a half shorter than him. "I didn't really look where I was going either." The guy's not from around here, that's for sure. Probably a refugee. Tattered clothes, the fact that he didn't recognize him... At that moment, Techno was surprised with himself because instead of separating and forgetting about each other, he said "May I ask where you're from?" Even despite the mask, Techno could feel the man's surprise with his skin. "I'm from..." He looked around at him as if hesitating to say anything at all, and then continued in the same husky voice "The Valley of the Dark Mirrors." This time it was Techno's turn to be surprised. Well... it was farther than he thought. Much farther. Strange that the refugee had fled to their kingdom and not to the neighboring ones, the ones that were much closer to where he lived. As far as he remembered this Valley had grown several kinds of algae in the lakes, making them seem very dark. That gave them the inspiration for the name. "And what brought you all the way out here?" This time the man's confusion was so palpable that it seemed like it could be touched in midair. He stood for a while, twisted his head as if trying to find an answer, and then shrugged his shoulders uncertainly. "Uh... life?" Saying that he flinched strangely and became worried, seeming to remember something. But before Techno could ask what had happened, the stranger began to back away, already reaching for his hood to pull it back over his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to go... yes... uh, goodbye?" And in the next instant, he was disappearing into the crowd, only his golden hair flashed one last time. For some reason, Techno felt cheated. Shaking his head, he was about to follow the feeling of death near that pregnant mortal, but found neither him nor death itself, for the first time in his life.   Seven for secret never to be told What brought him to this stranger again? Oddly enough, death again. He simply wandered the streets, looking for his old friend, and it led him to some dark alley, where five mortals were clamping down on someone. "Please go away..." Someone was sobbing, and looking over the tops of their heads, the huge piglin figures easily allowing him to do so, he was surprised to spot his familiar stranger from the Valley of the Dark Mirrors. Normally, on such occasions, he did not interfere. He liked the feeling of death, and he wasn't going to deprive himself of it voluntarily. But now, for some reason, he didn't want to leave the guy with the golden hair to fend for himself. Damn piglins and their obsession with gold... "What's going on here?" He asked menacingly, fluttering his black wings behind him. The mortals were too afraid of the carriers of the power of the Great Ones, and of Ravens in particular. These are not Owls, capable of watching mortal memories through their touches, and not Doves, capable of soothing any emotion. They are the embodiment of death itself, and their touches take lives. No one dares to contradict them. So Techno wasn't surprised when the belligerent mortals first turned toward him, intent on getting rid of the one who had dared to interfere, and then, freezing, they all fell to their knees, begging him not to touch them. Almost all of them, to be exact. The stranger from the Valley of the Dark Mirrors was still standing there, clutching his head, sobbing and muttering. And the piglin was surprised to realize that he could still feel death in that alleyway. His intervention didn't change anything, and someone had to die. The only question was, who exactly and why? He took a step toward the guy with golden hair, now hidden under the tattered hood of his cloak, ignoring the other mortals still begging for mercy as the man screamed, swayed, put his arm out in an attempt to stop him and keep him from approaching. "Go away, please, you must go away..." But his pleas were useless, for before Techno could even do anything (again) there was a smell of something burning in the alley, and the fabric of the cloak on the stranger's body began to smolder, catching fire. It all happened fast - no one had time to understand anything. One moment there was a shrunken figure in a tattered and filthy cloak, and the next it burst into flames, burning like a match, causing the clothes to slowly melt, and with them the body beneath. The man screamed, howled, sobbed, burned alive, and Techno watched in amazement as the burnt cloth stopped hiding the stranger's fiery wings and the symbols on his skin as if illuminated by the flames from within. It took him two seconds to become aware of the situation and rise into the air. Mortals were less fortunate. The flames of the Phoenix were spreading, consuming everything around them to rebirth it all into a single shell - renewed, strong, resilient. If the books weren't lying, that's not usually how it was supposed to be. Phoenixes sensed their burnout coming, and made special bonfires to keep the flames from getting out of control, but here it must have been too spontaneous. In addition to the stranger's cries for help and the screams of the mortals, Techno could see for the first time how the Phoenixes were reborn. The mortals burned awfully fast. Turned to ash in just a few minutes, while the bearer of the powers of the Great Ones himself, continued to thrash in agony, slowly melting in the tongues of his own flames. And it was... it was hard to watch. No, he had seen people burned before - at times he even enjoyed the spectacle, after all, the pleasurable sensation of death nearby drowned out any morality, but now... it felt very different. No mortal ever burned the way Phoenix did. He wept as his body, covered in the symbols manifested by the power, slowly melted away, blackening, howled in pain as the flesh fell from his bones in chunks, turning instantly to ash that was immediately consumed by the greedy fire, tearing his throat as his body disintegrated and burned to the ground. It was pain at its purest. Techno watched as flesh and skin drained from his skull, falling heavily into the fire and immediately crumbling to ash like everything else. Somehow the thought came belatedly that there was no smell of burnt flesh, as there was with mortals when they were sent to the bonfire... The raging flames still roamed the alleyway, searching for nourishment, but finding nothing, they slowly built up and subsided, disappearing completely after a few minutes, leaving behind a pile of ashes. After hesitating a bit, he decided to go down and landed carefully in the alley, folding his black wings behind his back. He didn't know how long the rebirth took, but probably not as long as he initially thought, as after a while the ash began to move a little as if something or someone was underneath it. Techno watched curiously as one arm emerged from the ashes first, its black skin falling off like husks as the body slowly formed and tried to pull itself out of limbo. The Phoenix was picking itself up bit by bit, absorbing what the flames had managed to gather for him, creating a new shell. Hmm... It turns out that even being the very embodiment of life had its disadvantages as well... The ashes were slowly disappearing, completely absorbed into the almost finished body and the piglin once again saw the golden crown of his head that emerged from beneath the layer of soot. The stranger lay on the ground, shrunken, completely naked, with wings of fire seemingly protecting him and slowly disappearing symbols on his skin. Techno had them, too, when he put more death power into his touch and killed with a single touch - it meant that the body was concentrating more of the Great Ones' power at the moment. He stepped closer and squatted down, placing a hand on Phoenix's shoulder, checking to see if he was alive. The stranger shuddered and squirmed harder. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." The man was silent for a few more minutes. "You..." Yes, he certainly had a pleasant voice when he wasn't trying to sound like a drunken old man "Why... your touches don't soak up life?" Phoenix asked, a little hoarse and confused, while still recovering from his rebirth. "I am a bearer of the Great Ones' powers. As you are. Our powers have no effect on our kind. Didn't you know that?" The man turned his head toward him tiredly, wrapped in his wings and covering his nakedness with them. Techno was definitely not stunned when he saw those green eyes. The mask had apparently melted into the fire because Phoenix hadn't had time to make a bonfire, allowing him to see the soft facial features and haggard expression. And Technoblade finally got it. The price for life was death. And he thought in vain that the Phoenix's ability was a gift, a blessing from all the powers of the Great Ones. It was as uncontrollable of a curse as any of them had. "If I'd known, I would have gone to the Sparrows a long time ago..." The blond man muttered, getting up on his trembling hands and almost falling back to the ground. Sparrows were notorious for living in groups and sensing other people's emotions. There were many of them, and they built themselves an entire city, separate from all the mortals who annoyed and frightened them with their outbursts of emotion. Piglin sits down and gives him a hand. "I'm Technoblade." The stranger hesitates, but finally accepts his help after all, and stands up on unsteady legs. "Dream." The blond looks around and still covers his body tightly with his wings "Shit." Yes, Techno agreed with him. The prospect of being left completely naked, without any belongings, and also weakened after his own combustion was not too appealing... He took off his cloak and handed it to Phoenix, who was trying to keep warm in the heat of his fiery wings. The warm seasons were over - the cold was coming, and the piglin had absolutely no desire to watch someone freeze themselves their... everything. Dream gave him a suspicious look and timidly accepted the cloak from his hands, waddling into it. The fact that he was essentially a carrier of the fire creature's power clearly didn't save him from the cold. "Come with me. I'll help you." The blond man grinned sourly. "And what is the price of such a generous offer? To be a shared battery again? Thank you, I'm fine on my own." Techno pushed the thought he first wanted to do to just that in the back of his mind. "No one will touch you. You have my word. You can leave at any time." Dream didn't look like he believed him. "Well, it's my business to offer." Techno shrugged "But if you'd rather freeze your naked ass off outside..." He shook his wings and turned to leave the alley. "Wait." Techno twitched his pointed ear, listening but not turning around yet. "If... if I go with you... You won't lock me up somewhere? Consider that I might burn your whole house down, and you along with it." Piglin was even amazed at such naivety, despite the threat Phoenix might well have made. Although... perhaps it wasn't naivety, but simply a lack of other options. Where would he go looking like that? He nodded, and after a couple of seconds, Dream approached him, still unsteady as he walked. Well... it seems he's going to bring Phoenix to their house after all.   Eight for a kiss Phil's face should have been seen. He was staring at Dream as if he were the eighth wonder of the world, so intently that he had to be pulled out of his thoughts because Phoenix was clearly beginning to regret his decision to come here. But he pulled himself together quickly enough. He thanked him for saving his son's family, was ready to give him anything he asked for in return, but the blond man only shrank shyly from his enthusiastic words and actions. And judging by his father's face he was clearly surprised by such behavior. There were still stories and pictures of former Phoenix power bearers in the archives, and... they were much brighter. Bolder, more confident, they proudly led the people, lighting the way for them with their flame. Their territory was the richest, most prosperous when they still walked the earth. This one... he was more like the faded shadow of the most half-dead of them all. How he'd managed to stay alive if the Great Phoenix had personally wrested his fire from all the carriers of his power, frustrated by the greed and selfishness of humans, was incomprehensible. He had killed all those who had once carried a part of him within them and left this world, seeking other, more peaceful, and pleasant ones. Phil didn't dare ask, though. He gave the Phoenix some of the best guest quarters, and while he timidly looked around, obviously not used to such huge rooms, the elder Raven led him out of the rooms and began to inquire how he had found this revived legend in the first place. Albeit a terribly shabby one. "Outside." Technoblade smiled at his father's impatience "Like a stray kitten. He didn't have time to make a bonfire and burn a couple of mortals, and all I did was come to the sensation of death." "Amazing." Phil exhaled, twitching his wings "Great Raven, we really do have a Phoenix!" Yes, the news was indeed astonishing. And so was the bearer of the Great One's powers. Something rattled through the door, and the piglin opened it to reveal a disheveled blond man with menacingly unfurled wings of fire, who was cowering in a corner, hissing at the very confused-looking maid. "You said no one would touch me!" He shouted accusingly as soon as he saw him. Phil gave an understanding chuckle and, with a sly glint of his eyes, vanished into the shadows of the corridor, leaving Technoblade to deal with his guest himself. Piglin shook his head and went into the room, beckoning the maid to leave. "She wouldn't have touched you." he said, approaching the obviously aggressive but certainly shivering man "Servants touch us with magic, so as not to become the center of influence of our powers. She was just going to offer you a bath." Dream began to look a little confused and even guilty. But cute. "I... I... can manage it on my own." Techno raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Even with wings?" "Yes." Piglin didn't try to dissuade him. "You'll be called to dinner in two hours. Follow the maid. Only... no shouting this time." He smirked as he saw the embarrassed blush on Phoenix's face. Well... And that was how they got a new winged inhabitant into the house. Dream was timid, shy, wary of any touch, and incredibly quiet. If Technoblade hadn't tried to pay attention to him, trying to get him to stay in the palace a little longer, he would have forgotten all about their guest, so inconspicuous he was. Forever hiding in the shadows, covering his face and wrapped in black robes that hid his wings tightly pressed against his back, which must have felt painful enough. Piglin knew from experience that their wings loved freedom, and keeping them in that state all the time could have hurt them. The truth was that Dream didn't seem to care about that at all, since his life span used to be so short that before he could even get used to his "almost-broken" wings, he had to burn himself out again and everything was back to normal. This was the reason for their first altercation. Phoenix in no way believed that he was safe and no one was going to touch him and refused to open his wings, and it was already almost physically painful for Techno to watch. Techno threatened him that if he kept doing that, he would make sure he didn't have any more clothes to pin his wings on, and Dream wasn't going to stand for such blatant interference in his life. Word by word, and they began to quarrel, and then the piglin saw for the first time the very brilliance of the phoenixes that the archives spoke of. The bearer of the Phoenix's power was shedding all that timidity and fear as husk in a burst of anger, revealing a perky personality carefully hidden beneath, one that wasn't at a loss for words. He was no longer like a silent shadow, but like the flame itself - uncontrollable, raging, ready to burn you to a cinder at the snap of his fingers. But it was incredibly exciting. No one had ever dared contradict him before, and here they both argued until their throats were hoarse. Techno's stubbornness proved to be more tenacious than Dream's anger, and he managed to convince Phoenix to do as he wanted, something he's proud of to this day. Which didn't stop him from occasionally asking himself how exactly they'd managed not to kill or burn anything that day. Then things seemed to calm down. Even though Dream tried to leave, he somehow managed to keep him staying for a while longer. Especially since Phoenix, even without being asked, was going to spend time with Wilbur's little girl, infusing her with life and temporarily protecting her from the Ravens' influence. As Phil had explained to him, who had read a little information about the carriers of the Phoenix powers, they were drawn to the natural manifestation of their powers, too. That is, if Ravens were drawn to death, Dream was drawn to birth, to pregnant people and young children. Techno saw that when he was allowed to play with the little heiress he began to look very happy... Also, Dream was incredibly touch starved, even if he was afraid to trust someone to approach him with it. For the most part, he just tried to touch Niki and Wilbur's little girl as often as possible, even though she "drank" his strength (though with his new clothes, much better quality than the ones he had before and which could not protect him from other people's touch at all, it was not such an acute problem anymore) and, oddly enough, Techno himself. It seemed the first impression that his touch wasn't taking its power was strong enough, and so Dream tried to be around him as much as possible, timidly trying to find an excuse to make the way he gently touched his hands look less strange. It seemed as if Phoenix was doing everything at times to get Techno's approval, though he never understood what for. But as long as all of his actions seemed so cute, and the gentle touches were pleasing, the piglin was willing to turn a blind eye to it. Who knows how many years he couldn't touch anyone? Techno wasn't about to deny him such a little thing. He shook his head, banishing unnecessary thoughts, and stared at the sheets of paper in his hands. The official papers the ambassador from the Shadow Kingdom had brought. They were clearly worried about going to war with them and reported that they were willing to make concessions. Techno hated those documents. But Phil had put him in charge of all military affairs, which meant that petitions for peace had to go through him as well. Even though he was ready to howl at the amount of time he wasted on this useless action. It was now to be seen how much they could get from the Shadow Kingdom, and what good would come of it. There was a soft, quiet rustling behind him, and Techno was about to hear another lecture from Phil about all this bureaucracy, but instead, someone sat on the armrest of his chair, showering him with a wave of pleasant warmth. Dream's bright, green and mesmerizing eyes stared at him softly as he looked at the line about an agreement to provide military supplies to their army if they signed a peace treaty. "You have an amazing family." He said, gently taking the documents from his hands and giving them a quick glance. Who's he calling amazing? That little gremlin, Tommy? "And I also have some extra chairs, which are pretty vacant at the moment." He said it with a hint, but Dream didn't even shift. Phoenix read, twitching his wings now and then, and finally, he frowned slightly as he pointed to one of the lines. "Their army's rubbish - all the armor they can send you is from leather. And they have huge mines in their territory, where they mine crystals for storing magic and for creating teleportation artifacts. What they're offering isn't even a hundredth of what they have every year. They want to trick you and get away with very little." Techno looked at the Dream's face, who returned the papers to him and smiled. "How do you know that?" Phoenix smoothed his feathers and tilted his head. "I've been there." He shrugged "I lived there for a couple of years, I mean..." Dream hesitated and wrinkled his nose a little. "...was a nomad." Technoblade grinned. "The homeless little teletubby finally admitted he's homeless?" Dream pouted adorably and slid off the armrest, taking with him the feeling of warmth from his wings. "And I hear that from a piece of bacon!" Still pouting, Phoenix said, but that didn't take away from the fact that he was starting to smile, too. Ignoring the chairs again, Dream leaned his hips against his desk, right in front of him. "So... why are you so excited about my family?" The blond man hesitated a little, as if unsure if he should say what he wanted to say. "They're..." he started quietly. "They're good friends. I've never had friends like that before." Techno frowned. Considering his timidity and intimidated state when he first found him, it wasn't surprising. People liked power and strength, and mages liked it even more. So it wasn't surprising that Dream had no friends or family for so long - if all they wanted from him was the immortality he was capable of giving them it became hard enough to start trusting anyone in such a situation. "Stay with us." Techno began this conversation again, knowing that Dream was still planning to leave "You're our friend too, and there's enough room here that we don't feel crowded... We would only be glad if this became your home too..." Phoenix smiled softly and shook his head. He leaned in and his face was so close that Techno could count each of his eyelashes. "I can't." Dream moved forward and pressed his lips to his cheek, causing him to freeze in shock and open his eyes wide "That's why I can't." And without further ado, he straightened up, gave him one last look, and left the room, disappearing into the shadows of the corridors once more.   Nine for a wish To say he was shocked was to say nothing. Phil, to whom he had come to ask questions, was only surprised that Techno hadn't realized it sooner. Dream was in love. And he was just so oblivious that he didn't even notice it, even though his whole family already knew about it. Phoenix's emotions and feelings were like an open book, so pure and obvious, like those of people who had managed to retain that naivety about relationships and who had never yet experienced such feelings or burned themselves on bad decisions in that regard. And his infatuation was so... soft, so tender and evident, that the piglin kept asking himself how he could not have noticed it. Phil only shook his head at his revelations, and Tommy laughed his ass off when he heard about it. Even Wilbur allowed himself a few chuckles as he looked at his brother's utterly confused face. Needless to say, Niki and their little girl were smiling broadly at his shocked state, too. But remarkably, each of them felt it their duty to come up to him a little later and warn him not to even think about hurting Dream. Even Tommy promised him in all seriousness that he would pull out all his feathers if he saw Phoenix getting hurt because of him. Phil thought for nothing at first that this Phoenix wasn't bright. He just needed a little time to reveal himself. And he wasn't like all the other Phoenix force carriers described in the archives, no. He was bright, but not loud, he was so soft and affectionate that he was ready to warm everyone around him with the warmth of his wings. And Techno suddenly realized that he might lose him, and most likely forever, if he did leave. And he wasn't ready for that. Absolutely not. Just the thought of his life becoming an endless series of wars and victories again, without the soft green eyes and the sweet face waiting for him at home, and somehow everything became terribly empty. Who would he argue with to the point of hoarseness, count the timid touches when Dream thought Techno couldn't see, discuss anything and everything, and more? Had he really had enough of this empty life before? Had he had enough of other people's deaths? Because now it seemed incredibly insufficient. And he didn't want to go back to that life. He wanted to be with Dream. That's why he was standing at his door right now, gathering his thoughts. He knocked and clenched his palms, mentally setting himself up for honesty. He didn't have some kind of speech or anything. Techno just knew he couldn't let him go. He needed Dream. As a friend, as a support, and, if he accepts him, as a partner. He didn't care in what role - piglin just wanted him near. It was quiet outside the door, and after standing in silence for almost a full minute, it suddenly occurred to Technoblade that Phoenix might have already left and he should have flown to find him instead of standing there like an idiot. Pushing the door open, the piglin stepped into Dream's quarters and looked around. There was a small packed backpack on the bed, probably ready to go by now, but the owner himself was gone, and the anxiety in his chest was only beginning to grow stronger. He almost broke into a run, looking around the room, closets, and balcony for the blond, and just when he was about to start panicking he literally kicked the bathroom door open, immediately met with a surprised look in those incredibly green eyes. "Dream, I..." At this, he stammered, finally realizing what a situation they were in. The phoenix was in the bathtub, its wings of fiery feathers hanging down either side of him, damp and still untouched by anyone but himself. The water was foamy so the piglin couldn't see much, but the dainty, graceful shoulders of Dream, which were not hidden under the water, were enough. He traced with his eyes how the water flowed from the wet hair down the delicate neck, then down his collarbones, and finally disappeared into the foam. Slightly backing away from the Techno's sudden appearance, Phoenix slid down a little lower, much to the piglin's regret, almost completely hiding the view of the exposed parts of his body. The blond man was still silent, not knowing what to say, and Techno opened and closed his mouth, unable to find the words. "I..." his wings hung limply behind him, showing his confused state, and Raven mentally forced himself to pull himself together. He had to if he didn't want to lose Dream. Taking one wide step to the tub, Techno sank to the damp floor under Dream's now concerned gaze and gingerly took his hand, noting how he twitched habitually, still not too used to being touched. "Don't go. Please don't. Stay. I... I can't... I'm drawn to you... I'm so... so infatuated with you... I..." He lowered his gaze, staring at the small palm of the blond's Dream in his own. There was a quiet splash and the wet delicate fingers of Phoenix's other palm gently tucked a strand behind his ear. "Techno..." he called softly, pressing his palms to his cheeks "I can't give you anything in return. I have my power, but you are immortal-you don't need it, and I have no other things I could offer..." "Great Raven, Dream! I don't need your power! I need you. Only you." The piglin looked up to see the confused yet loving glare from the Phoenix, and it took his breath away. How could he not have seen it before? "And... you will accept me... like this?" The blond man asked uncertainly, arching his eyebrows. "I never dreamed I'd have such an amazing partner." Technoblade assured him as he watched the gentle smile bloom on Dream's lips. He reached for him, kissing him gently, letting Phoenix pull away, but he didn't, still keeping his palms on his cheeks and smiling into the kiss. "Will you... stay with me?" Dream asked as they pulled away and the piglin was about to leave Phoenix to continue the ablutions he had so tactlessly interrupted. "But..." "Take a bath with me! Please!" He asked and... well, how to refuse those bewitching green eyes? Techno slowly undressed and folded his clothes on the floor and cautiously climbed into the bathroom in front of Dream, trying not to let his thoughts go in the direction they really wanted to go. "Will you help me with the wings?" Dream slowly turned around, sitting down with his back to the piglin and gently lifting his wet wings. There was no way Raven would admit how much blood rushed to his crotch at the sight of the neat and flowing lines of his spine and the waist he showed for a few moments... Nevertheless, still keeping himself in check, he reached for the washcloth and began to run it gently over the fiery feathers, gently running them between his fingers and listening to the quiet exhales of pleasure that were escaping from Phoenix and that did not help at all with his arousal. It was obvious how sensitive he was, after so many years of avoiding any touch. Techno wondered what would happen if he tried to run his hands over his skin and not just his fiery feathers. Putting the washcloth aside, he gingerly reached out and ran his palm over Phoenix's protruding vertebrae, thinking aloof that he would need to feed him more in the future. As he supposed, Dream twitched sharply and exhaled noisily, not expecting such a touch. But he said nothing, and the piglin decided that this experiment deserved to continue. Leaning forward slightly, he stretched out his arms, along with his already wet black wings, and gently wrapped his arms around the blond's waist, resting his head on his shoulder. He twitched again, but after a while he relaxed, allowing himself to lean his back against the piglin's chest, dropping his wings down. The moist skin felt incredibly soft under his fingers, and Techno almost rumbled, deciding that he liked the feeling of holding someone like this. Dream ran his hands through his hair, stopping just inches from his wet braid as if he wasn't sure if he could. "You can do whatever you want. I like your touch." He reassured him, pressing his lips to the back of his neck for a moment. Dream flinched again and hurried to occupy his hands with his hair, unraveling it and playing with the damp ends to distract himself and ignore the heat that rushed to his cheeks. "And you'll... show me... What it's like?" Phoenix fidgeted and turned to face him, splashing the bathwater a little "When you're touched? But not in a way that hurts... But the way they show it when they love someone?" he timidly pulled Techno's hands and guided them to his hips "I want to feel that." Techno looked at Dream, whose expression was full of some hope, uncertainty, and tenderness. And the piglin suddenly realized that if he agreed now... would he be Phoenix's first? If no one had ever touched him like that before... Great Raven, how many years has he lived like this, untouched by anyone? "Are you sure? I don't want to rush you, and I almost lost you just now..." He looked away, and Phoenix snuggled against him, gently, obviously enjoying the warmth of his body. "I'm sure. So I can at least offer you my body if I can't anything else..." Piglin sighed and took the blond's face in his palms. "Dream, you don't owe anything to anyone. If you want to do this, I want it to really be your own desire, not one dictated by your thoughts that you're not enough. Yes, I admit, it took a long time to get to me, but I'm sure if you hadn't come to me, I would have fought the whole world just to get at least one look from you." Enjoying the way Phoenix's face began to scarlet again, Techno reached forward and left a light kiss on his forehead. "So think again. Do you want it because you're ready to trust me, or because you feel like I'll only be with you if you give me something in return?" Dream squirmed a little and hid his face in Techno's neck. Piglin sighed - he would have to work on his self-esteem in the future too. "I... I want... I trust you." Phoenix muttered almost inaudibly, his breath tickling his rough skin. He tried to leave a kiss on his neck, just as the piglin had done earlier, but even that simple action was incredibly innocent of him. Raven would have to be very careful if he didn't want to scare Dream away. "I want you to show me this. So I can see what it's like to be loved by someone who adores both soul and body." It was all the consent that was needed. With the utmost care, Techno pulled Phoenix's slender body closer to him, forcing him to sit on his lap and placing his arms around his neck to help him get comfortable. Dream looked at him confused, unsure of what he should do next, and his heart literally ached with tenderness. He reached out and left a quick kiss on the corner of his lips, not pushing too hard yet and letting him get used to the constant touch. He still twitched occasionally when Techno dared to stroke his waistline or run his hands over his tempting thighs, which beckoned to leave a few bruises in the form of his palm prints. But not yet. He could save the sharper movements and displays of desire for another time when Dream was a little more used to it and he could be a little bolder without fear of frightening the timid Phoenix with his assertiveness. "Don't be afraid, let me lead today." The blond nodded and fidgeted again, trying to sit up higher and engaging his already fully erect cock, which throbbed impatiently, concentrating the greatest amount of arousal that was currently burning flames flowing through his blood. Techno slid his hand between their bodies and found Phoenix's labia with his stiff fingers and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "So you..." Dream tilted his head, twitching his heavy, wet wings. "I am a bearer of the Phoenix's powers, and we are supposed to give life. Both literally and figuratively." He looked up at him with his mesmerizing green eyes, arching his eyebrows in confusion. "Is something wrong?" Phoenix asked uncertainly, and before he could think of anything, Techno pulled him closer, immediately occupying his thoughts with his kisses. "Everything is absolutely wonderful." The piglin smiled at him as he gently continued to run his hands over his body "You're perfect..." He rumbled as he moved down to his neck, tracing it carefully with his lips, making sure not to bruise the delicate skin with his tusks. There was no hurry with that. Dream blushed and shuddered again when he felt Raven's fingers between his legs, gently tracing his cunt. Unused to this kind of touching, he was incredibly sensitive, and Techno would have been lying if he'd said it didn't blow his mind. Gently slipping one finger inside, he watched as the blond literally disintegrated in his hands from such touches, twitching and splashing water with his wings, which opened uncontrollably, and kept trying to start flapping. Dream leaned against the piglin's chest, instinctively pulling himself a little higher and pressing Techno's head against his neck, burrowing his fingers into the long pink hair and almost bursting into a soft, quiet moan at his ear. Taking this as a sign that he could move on, Techno slipped another finger through, comfortingly coating his collarbones with kisses as Phoenix twitched and hissed barely audibly at the new sensation. Nevertheless, Dream remained silent, playing with his hair, and the piglin decided it was all right for now. "You're so good, you're doing so well for me..." he whispered to him, stroking his back with his free hand. Techno knew his hands were rough - after centuries of fighting and griping at weapons, they couldn't be any different. But Dream flattered at his touch, as if he couldn't get enough of it, and squinted contentedly when he managed to prolong it. And just as the piglin tried to take his hand away, he made little needy noises, forcing him to keep touching the Phoenix's soft, delicate skin. Moving his fingers, he slowly pushed the tight walls of the blond's cunt apart, listening to his quiet exhalations, almost on the verge of sobs, and continuing to whisper sweet nonsense to him. Dream in turn slowly relaxed, letting the piglin do whatever he wanted with his body, and at one point his hands reached for the black, wet wings, burying their fingers in the silky feathers and making their owner shudder at the unexpected touch. It... felt good. It felt almost too good. Techno groaned and reached forward for Dream's lips, leaving tentative kisses on them and feeling Phoenix's timid attempts to respond. Seizing the moment, the piglin pushed a third finger just as gently inside, and the blond squirmed, tensing again. "It's okay, don't worry, I won't hurt you." He whispered softly to him and judging by the way his fingers stopped squeezing his feathers so tightly, Dream trusted him. His body was soft and pliable under his palms again, and he seemed to be trying to show some initiative, albeit timidly. Phoenix was reaching for his lips, leaving clumsy and awkward kisses, but it was so sweet and gentle that Techno could literally feel his cock throbbing with excitement, pressed against his stomach. And just the thought of how much he could teach him in the future made his eyes literally cloud over, and he was sure that any push could send him over the edge of orgasm. But Dream was so... so sweet... innocent... mesmerizing... It was impossible to contain the wild thoughts. "My pretty little one..." Techno cooed, softly responding to Phoenix's timid kisses "Great Raven, I am the happiest creature in all the worlds if they sent me you..." The blond man trembled and his face flushed again. He didn't yet understand how to respond to all of these words, so he just went at him with kisses, trying not to spare an inch and give him as much pleasure as he could, too. Figuring he was stretched out enough, Techno pulled his fingers out, hearing Dream whimper with the sudden emptiness inside, and stroked his thigh, dropping his lips to his chest and allowing himself to bite his skin quite lightly. Carefully picking him up in his arms, he swapped places with him, settling Phoenix at the edge of the wide tub and himself hovering over him, examining him as if he were ready to worship him and the ground he walked on. Phoenix looked so small and fragile under his hands... He wanted to possess him... in every way imaginable. "It can be unpleasant at first." Techno warned him "So I want you to tell me when I can move and when I have to stop and wait, okay?" Dream nodded, trying to pull him closer by the neck. "Darling, I need words." "Yes, yes," the blond man mumbled, clearly barely able to comprehend anything because of the vividness and intensity of his unfamiliar sensations, "I want... I-I... really want to..." he hesitated, still not understanding his own desires. Techno laughed softly and kissed him again. "Don't be afraid, I've got you." He placed the head of his cock against his cunt and pushed gently inside, freezing as soon as he heard Dream's labored, pained exhalation. The water around them stirred with their movements, washing over their bodies in small waves. Techno didn't move, completely frozen, watching the expression on Phoenix's face intently. He squinted and barely held back tears, but still reached for his kisses. "Move. Please..." the blond sobbed, trying to do something about the wave of sensation his body was feeling. Just as gently he continued to enter him, he was soon able to penetrate him fully, so that they were as close together as possible - skin to skin and breath on another's lips. After waiting a little longer to be sure, Techno finally began to move. Slowly, sliding between the tight walls of Phoenix's cunt and driving them both crazy at this rate, but for some reason he wanted Dream to remember his first time like this - vivid, overwhelming, not allowing a single intelligible thought to enter his mind. The blond clung to him like a lifeline, snapping into loud and lingering moans and hiding his face in his neck, trying to keep covering it with gentle and soft kisses, pulling him closer with his arms and legs and even his wings, which twitched violently behind his back, responsive to his every sensation. The water sputtered from their movements, leaking over the sides of the tub, but they both didn't care about that at all. The only thing they cared about at that moment was themselves and the pleasure they were trying to bring to each other. Techno reached out with his palms for the fiery feathers, burrowing into them at the very base and almost tearing a long cry out of Dream's throat - surprised, but full of pleasure nonetheless. Encouraged by this response, the piglin began to rub the feathers more boldly, sometimes stroking them with his fingertips, sometimes allowing himself to clench them in his fist and feel them slide between his fingers. Phoenix was thrashing under him, whimpering and moaning from so much sensation, from the slow rhythm Raven had set, from his scalding but so pleasurable and desirable touches. He could no longer contain his voice and moaned almost without interruption, but he did it so sweetly that Techno had to remind himself several times that he didn't want to break into a harder tempo. The temptation was great, though. Dream looked so desirable, with his eyes tinted in a haze of lust but still glowing with love and tenderness, with his mouth ajar, making enchanting and stunning sounds, with his wings ruffled and his lips swollen from so many kisses... Techno was honestly amazed at his self-control. He pushed slowly inside, forcing Dream to lose any awareness of what was happening, bit by bit, and leaned in again to shower his face with kisses. Sometimes Phoenix was so lost in this ocean of pleasure that the piglin had to hold him back so he wouldn't go underwater. "Oh, Great Ones..." With a moan the blond man exhaled, kissing under Techno's chin and moving his lips lower to his neck and shoulders. He trembled uncontrollably and was completely unable to gather any thoughts in his head as those were successfully knocked out by Techno's thrusts into his body, his touches to his wings, his kisses that were hotter than any fire he had ever burned in, but not at all scorching. Dream ran his hands over the strong, scarred body of the piglin, so... so stunning... Steel muscles rolled under his skin as he moved, and just the sight of his broad shoulders made Phoenix's mouth fill with saliva. And he had done so before... Sneakily watching Raven from the shadows, dreaming of being someone who deserved his touch, who could touch him whenever he wanted because he would be allowed to... And how he bit the edge of the pillow afterward, trying to hold back the tears and banish from his mind the thought that it would never be true. Techno had everything - an incredible family, power, money, subjects, and the people of the country who worshipped them. Dream had nothing to offer him. Other than his broken feelings, twisted by the fear that followed him around for decades, and immortality, which he needed for nothing, he didn't have something to offer. All the more surprising for him was that Techno accepted him anyway. Even despite the emptiness he dragged inside and behind him. Dream saw nothing in himself that anyone could love him for, but the piglin found something in him that he himself hadn't noticed, and despite everything, convinced him that he was beautiful, that he was charming, that he was perfect for him. And he wants to believe it. And under Techno's affectionate touches like that, it's very easy to do so. Raven runs his hand over his face, tucks a damp strand behind his ear, and smiles. His face is so close that Dream can count every crack on his weathered lips. Every shade in his bloodshot eyes, every drop of water and sweat on his temples. And it's all too much, and Phoenix can't catch the words on his lips in time. "I love you." He blurts out, gasping for air between rhythmic but so slow and maddening thrusts that he's sure to lose his head. Techno freezes for a moment, and then smiles wider, leaning in and pulling off another dozen kisses, practically not letting him breathe. Dream thinks that if he manages to die from it, he won't mind so much... "I love you too." Piglin whispers softly to him, stroking his fiery feathers. "I can't believe I almost missed out such a treasure, like you. Dream was tired of counting the number of times he'd blushed that day. But in the next moment, he can't think about it anymore. He moans, panting again and trying to stay afloat while Techno literally takes him to heaven with his movements. The orgasm feels bright, like a flash, like the suddenness of his own combustion, but it is not painful, but instead so pleasurable that Dream screams, clutching at the piglin's cock and breathing heavily with his mouth open, unable to close it. Techno follows him in a couple of minutes, literally bringing him to tears from how sensitive everything felt and making him almost break his voice with cries of pleasure. He cums inside and Phoenix moans again at how overwhelming it feels. He feels like he's about to burn out, but not because he doesn't have the energy left to keep him alive, but because there's too much of it. It's mixed with love and tenderness, and it's literally bursting from inside him. Dream can't remember ever feeling this good. "Will you stay with me now?" Techno asks and pulls the blond to his side so that he's lying on his chest. Dream prefers not to answer. He just settles more comfortably on the piglin and almost rumbles with pleasure and happiness rolling over him in soft waves. It's clear even without words.   And Ten for a bird you must not miss They stand on the balcony. The people below are shouting something, greeting them, almost worshipping them. Techno watches this with barely concealed irritation. He remembered hating having to attend such ceremonies and standing dumbly on the balcony so that people and visiting mages could gawk at the carriers of Raven's power. But this time it was different. Because there is the faint rustling of someone else's feathers nearby, and a wave of soft warmth hits piglin, indicating the presence of his husband next to him. Dream takes him affectionately by the palm of his hand, shining with his mesmerizing bright eyes, looking softly and still as in love as he did when he almost disappeared from his life a few years ago, having decided he had nothing to offer. Techno smiles at him runs his thumb gently over his hand and barely restrains himself from kissing him. Still, they both value privacy, and they didn't want to give nosy mortals a reason to try and pry into their family. The people below, seeing the carrier of Phoenix's powers, shout even louder, hoping to attract attention, to gain the blond's approval and with it a little of his powers that will prolong their lives, cure them of their illnesses, be used for artifacts... As if the Techno would let them get to his treasure so easily... It had taken him several years to accustom Dream to their touch, that he could have no fear of being "drained" when he slept or when he was caught unaware, and the one servant who had dared to disobey his orders and thought it would be all right if he took some strength from the blond, hung as an example in their yard, dead and devoured by ravens. Techno wasn't going to forgive the actual attempt on his husband's life, and he made it clear to everyone in the castle what would happen if they tried. The only people he touched willingly, giving some of his powers away, were Niki and his and Wilbur's daughter, Katheline. Even though Dream could not die, his burning days remained to this day the hardest sight the piglin had ever had to see. He turned to his husband, looking at the as yet not too noticeable belly where their own child was growing, and smiled at him, watching Dream's face lighten in response. He couldn't even believe he could have missed it all... Dream is dressed in the ceremonial robes of the Phoenixes when there were still many of them. The fiery light fabric with feathers on it looks like a toga and accentuates every line of his husband's body so seductively that he has to make a new one every year. Techno just doesn't have the patience to let Dream take it off neatly. Which results in piglin just tearing it apart every year, pinning the blond to the walls as soon as they return to their chambers, and tearing any fabric off him so sharply that not a single cloth is left intact in the end. In his excuse, Dream had burned quite a few of his clothes, too, when he was losing his head in pleasure and his powers were getting a little out of hand, releasing sparks. Techno yanked back the edge of his black cloak, the Ravens' ceremonial garment, and looked out onto the balcony opposite, where Wilbur and Niki were out with their daughter in their arms. His brother covered them majestically with his black wings as if to protect them, and the people below shouted, welcoming the outgoing family. Phil and Tommy were the last to go out onto the center balcony, and again there were rapturous cries below. The bearers of the Great Powers opened their wings wide in mute greeting, but Techno's eyes returned to his husband anyway, instead of the pesky mortals. When Dream allowed himself to be shown in all his glory, it was simply impossible to look away from him. His fiery wings, his brightness, his pretty face, and his golden hair made him look almost like a god. Techno thought that if he had been as mortal as these people below, he would have screamed, too, trying to get his attention. The very presence of the Phoenix in their lives, after there were none left, was already astonishing, both to the people and to Techno himself. He couldn't believe he could have overlooked such a miracle in his life. But the universe and the Great Ones were merciful to him, and now Dream was his husband, smiling at him lovingly, gently holding his hand and warming him with the heat of his wings. Techno lifted his wings and intertwined his black feathers with the bright fiery ones, smiling slyly as the blond blushed, having still not managed to break his habit of being embarrassed by his actions when he began publicly giving him hints of a soon-to-be continuation... And he'd be lying if he said he didn't find it charming... Dream squeezed his hand a little harder, smiling and Techno mentally sighed, thinking that he would have to endure a few more long hours before they could be alone together... But if it meant that Phoenix would reward him later with his sweet moans and scalding kisses... So be it, he's willing to endure.