one of the most important things in the horrible/happy au is that dream, in the prison and even in the club, has this thought of 'i'll remember this person, i can get revenge'. it's hard to cling to, sure, but he needs something.
and when techno and phil rescue him, they're angry. they're fuming about what was done. he hears them talk about how they want to tear the whole thing down but... they don't. it's not important right now. what's important is taking care of dream, even if they don't know it's him at this point. techno's whole shtick is destroying abusive regimes and dream knows it but all techno seems to care about is making sure dream is okay.
it hits dream hard, y'know? it's one of first turning points he has onto the path of healing.
I keep finding art XD One of the scenes I immediately saw in my head when I was reading.
***
“There, look at us. Friiiends. Chat settle down I’m not being mean to him anymore.” Dream scowls into the fireplace. He quells his frustration over Techno’s conversation with the voices in his head and tries to guess what his chances of successfully escaping are. The odds are not in his favor. He sighs and settles for wriggling one hand free to reclaim his hot cocoa.
“Are you gonna let me go?” he asks between sips.
“Nah. I have an obligation to heal your bruised ego.” Dream gives up. Apparently, he lives here now. This is his life, he’s Technoblade’s teddy bear. Whatever. He goes back to writing.
After a few minutes, Techno puts his chin on his shoulder and sighs.
“M’tired,” he mumbles. “’ve been enchantin’ and fixin’ tools all day.”
“Then take a nap,” Dream tells him.
“Naps are for the weak,” he says. Five minutes later he’s fallen asleep. Dream lets out an exasperated laugh. He’s actually being used as a teddy bear right now. He should probably be less okay with this.
After months of solitude, sometimes the simple joy of company leaves him breathless. Dream takes in Technoblade’s sleeping face and reminds himself to breathe through the pangs of fondness.
pretty obsessed with the idea of 'somewhere on the aroace spectrum' c!techno who has been around for a long time and never had anything more than a deep (q)platonic love for c!phil meeting c!dream and going 'phil, i think i might be in love' and phil just. pointing at dream like 'that? really? him? of all bloody people?'