Chapter Text
Technoblade followed behind the little family warily. He couldn’t just tell them he didn’t want to go back to his “family”, he didn’t know what they’d do with him then, but he also didn’t want to go back to the people who’d put him into that situation in the first place. They had given him away, fully knowing what it entailed, yet they still willingly went through with it for money. Could anyone really blame him for not wanting to go back?
Tommy was the only comforting presence, holding onto his finger lightly as they walked down the street. He was absolutely ecstatic, cheering, “We’re gonna meet Techie’s family, and his mom, and his dad, and we’ll see his house, and they’re probably gonna be so nice and they’ll take me too, and then, me and Techie can be like brothers, and-“
Techno was happy that Tommy was excited, but he knew it was only a matter of time before his hopes were crushed.
In all reality, Technoblade was more than wary or nervous, he was terrified. If he did have to go back and stay with them, who's to say they won’t do the same thing again.
Techno squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push the image of them selling him off out of his brain. He couldn’t remember their faces, but he remembered that moment perfectly. The first in a million traumas.
“Mommy, who is that?”
“These are your new parents.”
“But what about you guys? I have you guys and you’re the best mommy and daddy in the world!”
“Well now, you won’t have us. You have them.”
“Do you have the payments we discussed?”
“Absolutely. Two thousand, in cash, right here.”
“Good. Here’s the brat. And brat, I better not see your face ever again.”
Rough hands, smirking faces, Father counting the money in his hands, and then his world went dark.
That betrayal is something that still stung to this day. That ate away at his insides. Was he really so unlovable that his parents sold him off for two thousand dollars?
Techno could feel tears prick the back of his eyes, and he felt well on the verge of having a panic attack, but then they arrived at that wretched place, and Techno was forced to bury his emotions.
He was terrified.
—(—<->—)—
Phil knocked on the door, being met with Emilie Viper, wringing her hands on a dish towel.
She had brunette hair cut in a pixie cut, deep, cold blue eyes, and her skin was deathly pale.
Her husband, Jude, came up beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He had brown hair as well, although his was more of a light brown, and he had eyes so dark, they looked black. Their eyes widened. “Oh! Your majesties!” They greeted, scrambling to bow. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”
“Oh, nothing,” Phil replied smoothly. “We have been working on a case, and we found someone we think you might wanna see.” He gestured for Techno to step up.
Techno took one fearful step forward, standing next to Phil. What were they going to think of him now?
They looked at him in confusion for a second before realization dawned on Emilie’s face. She took a step forward, whispering, “Technoblade?”
Phil smiled. How sweet.
In the next moment, the woman reared her hand back and smacked the teenager across the face, eliciting a yelp from Tommy.
“I told you not to show your face ever again! You aren’t our problem anymore!”
All of the color drained out of Phil’s face. Not their problem anymore? What the heck did she mean?
“Ma’am, what do you mean by that?” He asked, and Kristin pulled Technoblade away to stand with her, wrapping him in a comforting hug.
“What don’t I mean?” The woman retorted, all gentleness lost from her tone, instead taking up a tone of annoyance. “The kid was a whiny stupid brat that was always begging for attention. Some people offered some money, told me what they’d do to him, and took him away after I gave him willingly. He is not mine anymore.”
Phil could feel his blood boiling beneath his skin. “You did what to your kid?!” He shouted in anger.
“Why do you care? I pushed him out of my own body, I decide what happens to him! And you have a kid too, you should know how good of an opportunity that was!”
Phil was beyond angry. This evil woman willingly put her son through ten years of torture starting at age six so that she could make a quick buck, and her husband was either spineless or completely on board, but either way, he was just as bad.
Phil slapped her as hard as he could, sending her to the ground. “Listen here, mate. As a father, I couldn’t be more appalled that you put your own child in the hands of people who tortured him for ten years and you don’t care. As a king, I am beyond mad that you put one of my subjects in danger- the very age demographic that I worry and fret over the most- and you’ve set a bad example for all of my people. So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re gonna die.”
The looks of blatant fear on their faces was kinda satisfying.
Phil dragged them in the house and closed the door behind him. Jude dashed down the hall, leaving his bride in Phil’s grip. Phil smirked, before making quick work of her. He, very much like his wife tearing out the scientist’s throat, settled for tearing out Emilie’s heart. She screamed, and then she was dead. Oh well.
Phil let out a low whistle, menacing and eery. He was probably playing into this too much, but he hated people who put children in danger on purpose. He didn’t want people like that in his territory.
He found Jude hiding in a closet like an idiot. He was more of an idiot because he was facing the back wall, leaving his back open.
Rookie mistake.
Phil stuck his wing out, penetrating the man’s skull with the tips of them. Blood soaked into his wing, and he watched with satisfaction as the man’s form slumped over.
The Vipers were dead.
One thing about Phil’s wings is that they are super strong. They’re basically as firm as metal, and that makes them lethal if enough force’s put behind them.
Phil wiped his hands on Jude’s shirt tail, getting rid of the blood in it. He turned around and walked straight out the door, immediately finding his group waiting for him. Wilbur had Tommy, who was staring at Techno worriedly. Kristin was still holding Techno, who looked like he was having a panic attack.
Phil rushed forward, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. Techno flinched, tears in his eyes. “It’s okay, you’re okay…” Phil soothed, comforting the poor boy. Techno looked at him, clear vulnerability shining through his eyes. “You don’t have to stay with them, you don’t have to worry about them anymore.”
He and Kristin shared a look, and Kristin nodded. “Would the both of you like to come home with us?” she asked, directing her questions to both Tommy and Techno.
The two of them glanced at each other. They both looked beyond exhausted, and Phil could see how Techno slumped into Kristin. Techno nodded. “Yeah. That would be nice…”
Phil bobbed his head. “Okay then. Follow me.”