Chapter Text
Tommy has never felt fear like this before. The wound across his chest aches and stings, and the rapier pointed at his throat, stained with his blood doesn't help the situation.
The whole crew crowd around Tommy, the Captain holding the sword at Tommy, who balances on the edge of the ship with desperation but shaky legs. He'd only lasted a month with this crew before they turned on him, a whole new low for him. Usually he'd last longer before he was blamed for the misfortunes upon deck, and seen as a curse.
Crews also usually wait till the nearest port to get rid of him, having at least some sympathy for the kid.
Tommy knew he was taking a risk with this crew though, there was a certain look in their eyes that spoke of an uncontrollable bloodlust, and the captain, Bad, seemed like a right wrong'un who spoke to thin air.
Bad and his crew have no sympathy for Tommy however. All it took was some rotten fruit, a close call with the navy, and the Captain's compass being dropped in the ocean for Tommy to find himself where he is now.
A sword at his throat, blood already soaking his clothes from the shallow slash over his chest, the whole crew vying for his head and the open ocean at his back.
Tommy would rather drown than be torn apart by these fuckers.
So when Captain Bad opens his mouth to no doubt start lecturing Tommy about some bullshit, Tommy takes a deep breath, and throws himself backwards.
The icy ocean swallows him whole.
Tommys breath leaves him instantly upon the cold shock, his lungs burning as he slowly begins to sink.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck–
Tommy never learned how to swim.
Lungs burning, Tommy begins to flail around desperately, doing anything he can to try and swim to the surface, but he only ends up falling and falling, his lungs aching even more.
It hurts. It hurts so bad, his lungs crying out for air and the salt water stinging his eyes.
He can't do this.
Tommy gasps, his mouth filling with sea water instantly. There is no relief as he breaths, just water filling his airways as he begins to struggle even more, salt stinging his insides.
Fuck he can't breath he's going to fucking die.
Oh you sweet thing .
Oh great. Now he's hallucinating.
So young, so sweet. You don't want to die, do you child?"
No. No he really doesn't. Tommy wants to live. He wants to be known. He wants to be loved.
Such an innocent wish. I can do that for you, child, just close your eyes and let the ocean swallow you whole.
Tommy doesn't really have much damn choice. He's dying, slowly, and the melodic voice in his ear is so sweet, so soothing. He–
Tommy stills, the water in his lungs burns and everything hurts, but he has no fight left. The light of the surface slowly fading, as Tommy falls into the depths.
For a moment, Tommy dies. He's sixteen and his life is already over.
For a moment, there is a shift under the waves. Magic older than time itself, eldritch and unknown, ripples in tiny, unnoticeable waves from an unknown source.
For a moment, Tommy breaths.
***
Techno has been living in exile for centuries now. He's alone, and that's the way he wants to be.
The shame of his failures hovers over him like a constant looming weight, always threatening to crush him under the pressure.
Technoblade is alone, and that is how he always should be.
Technoblade is also old, and he has felt the coming of many different magics over the decades. The one he feels rippling over his skin now, like a thick oil, is old.
So old, Techno has a hard time recognising it.
Not letting himself waste another moment, Techno darts out of his den, not even bothering to get a pack or a weapon as he sets out to find the source. He is deadly enough with his claws and teeth and pure strength to not need the weapon, but he does wish he had the forethought to grab any supplies.
There has not been a turned mer in millennia, Techno has no idea what condition he might find them in.
Nevertheless, Techno swims through the water with a speed someone of his size should not be able to achieve. The only thing on his mind finding that mer.
After what might be an hour of swimming, Techno finds them and feels his heart drop .
It's a pup.
A tiny little mer baby, unconscious and shivering as they slowly sink down and down.
A pup this young shouldn't even know of the world outside it's den, let alone be so far out in the open ocean. In such cold temperatures too
Once, Techno was happy his place of exile was far north, as most merpeople preferred the tropic waters. Now, Techno curses himself as he swims up to the pup and cradles their tiny, shaking form in his arms.
Baby mer have no ability to thermoregulate, and judging by how cold this pups skin is to the touch, they were not far away from freezing to death.
Techno will have no more blood on his hands.
Once again, Techno finds himself swimming through the water at speeds he'd never thought he'd reach, the only thought on his mind getting this pup somewhere warm.
The oily magic coating Technos skin thankfully fades as soon as he picks the pup up, an unnatural current propelling him forwards, Techno manages to make it back to his den in forty minutes.
Techno needs to get this pup somewhere warm and safe, and he promises to himself and the tides that he will keep them safe and cared for in his nest until they are fully grown.
***
Tommy would like to backtrack. He'd much rather be pulled apart by Bads crew than drown.
The phantom pain in his lungs lingers, his neck stings and oddly enough his legs are numb.
Groaning unhappily, Tommy twists to his side, the air around him feels heavy and thick, but he's so warm and comfy where he lays that he doesn't even want to question whatever afterlife he's in.
Tommy is dead.
Isn't he?
He still feels pretty alive now that he thinks about it actually. What with all the pain he still feels, and the rise and fall of his chest with every breath.
Hesitantly, Tommy cracks an eye open, and is met with darkness. Shadows so thick around him he can't make out a damn thing. He knows his eyes are open, but there is simply nothing around him.
A gentle rumbling noise starts up behind him, and some new part of Tommy's mind cries out in joy and relief at the sound of it.
"Settle, pup," a deep voice mutters.
"Where– where the fuck am I?" Tommy gasps the question out last his aching throat. "Who are you?"
"My name is Technoblade, and you need to be resting."
"That's a shit name," Tommy mumbles, but the mention of sleep suddenly makes him drowsy. A nice, quick nap sounds great actually.
Tommy's eyes slip shut, but the world is dark around him already, and he falls asleep easily.
***
When Tommy awakes again, his eyes open to dim and blurred colours. It feels like his eyes have a film over them, leaving it impossible to see past the haze.
At least now, he can make out the vague figure of the person sitting across from him.
Tommy's body hurts a lot less now – leading him to think maybe his nap wasn't all that quick – and he pushes himself to a sitting position, whatever he was laying on feels smooth and almost slimy to the touch.
"Easy pup," the same deep, rumbling voice from before soothes. Technoblade, a part of his mind supplies.
"Fuck you," Tommy spits on instinct. "Where the hell am I? Why can't I see shit?"
"The eyes are always the last thing to adjust. You should be able to see again soon."
"What the fuck do you mean adjust ?" Tommy questions vehemently, trying to move his legs to properly face the direction of Technoblades voice, but it doesn't quite work how it should.
Both of his legs move, but that's not quite right because the movement feels different.
Tommy reaches down to prod as his thighs to maybe gain some insight into the situation, since he can't fucking see right now, but instead of his hands meeting flesh, they meet scales.
"The fuck," Tommy mutters to himself, as he starts feeling around more, hoping to gain more answers.
Technoblade is quiet during Tommy's investigation, not that Tommy notices of course, because he's too busy trying to figure out why his legs are covered in scales.
Then he reaches down where his feet should be. And instead there are fins.
Tommy's breathing stops.
He… he has a tail. The air around him is thick. When he finally inhales again, air does not come in through his nose or mouth.
"Fuck." Tommy says, words failing him at this moment.
"I suppose now is as good a time as any to finally ask your name," Technoblade says dryly, breaking Tommy from his trance.
"Who the hell are you? " Tommy screeches. "What the fuck did you do to me?"
Mustering all the strength he has, Tommy tries to throw himself forward to where he sees the faint outline of Technoblade, only for a big warm hand to push on his chest, and easily press him back down to what he had been laying on before.
"Easy, pup," Techno repeats in that same soothing voice. " I didn't do anything to you. The ocean chose you."
Tommy grape and claws at Technos hand, doing his best to try and get back up, but Technoblade is just so terrifyingly strong, he easily keeps Tommy pinned with one hand.
"The fuck does that mean?" Tommy asks, panting for breath.
"No one is really sure. But you were human, and now you're not. There hasn't been a turned mermaid in… a long time."
"You're just talking in riddles man," Tommy whines.
"I really can't be any more clear," Techno huffs. "What do you remember then?"
"I was traveling with a dodgy crew," Tommy sighs. "And I guess they didn't like me much because I had to jump overboard to avoid getting gutted."
Another rumbling noise shakes the air– the space around Tommy, but this one doesn't feel comforting or safe like the others did.
It feels like a threat.
Technoblade coughs, and the rumbling stops.
"Continue," he says, and hesitantly, Tommy does.
"I never learned how to swim and so I drowned. But there was–" a voice. "Uhhh, and then I woke up here."
"Interesting," Techno hums, and Tommy can almost picture him stroking a long grey beard as he says that. "You don't happen to know the name of the ship you were on before, do you?"
Tommy shrugs. "I think it was the Eggpire, or something pretentious like that."
"Big word for you," Techno jokes.
Tommy has never been so offended before, not even when Bad pulled a sword on him.
"I'm going to kill you." Tommy hisses.
"Sure. But first, what is your name?"
And, well, since Tommy is probably going to be stuck here with this weirdo until he gets his vision back, there can't be much harm in it.
At least he knows for sure Technoblade isn't a fae or something scary like that.
No he's just a plain old mermaid , something Tommy always thought was myth until now.
"Theseus, but I prefer Tommy." He answers honestly.
Technoblade grins . "Wonderful name."
***
It takes two more days for Tommy to get his eyesight back.
He thinks it's two days at least, it's hard to be sure when he's stuck in an underwater cave with no vision.
But Techno has fed him six meals – all of which being raw fish and an odd mix of random sea herbs – and told him to go to sleep twice.
So when Tommy wakes up on that third day to his vision clear and bright, he wants to jump for joy.
Not that he can fucking jump anymore.
He pushes himself up and takes a moment to fully survey his surroundings. The walls around him are smoothed stone, and the bed under him seems to be a mix of soft nods and seaweed.
It's surprisingly comfortable.
He's obviously in a cave. Underwater at that. The bed he's sat in pushed into the far corner or a raised platform, giving him a perfect view of the space around him.
Across from the bed, there are shelves cared into the stone, housing all sorts of shiny things and trinkets Tommy wants to poke at, and further along that wall there is a fireplace with runes carved into it, and a raging fire in the hearth.
Between the heat from the fire and the soft blanket Tommy has wrapped tight around him, he would expect to feel way too warm, but instead he just feels comfortable in the overwhelming heat.
There's something missing though…
The hulking presence of Technoblade is nowhere to be seen or felt. Tommy is completely alone in this small cave.
Thank fucking prime.
Tommy shoves the blanket off of him, feeling a sudden chill wrack down his spine, but that's the last thing he's thinking about as soon as he catches sight of his tail.
It's bright fucking red, fading out to a shimmering gold and white by his fins.
When he reaches out to touch it, he sees he now also has red and whte and gold fins on his arms too.
It doesn't feel right to see himself like this. It feels uncomfortable and wrong and he wants to be able to kick his legs, but when he tries his tail just flaps uselessly.
Fuck this sucks.
But he can't waste anymore time.
Tommy pushes himself off the bed and moves his arms and tail around randomly. He just needs to get out this stupid cave, and then he can try and figure out the swimming thing later.
It doesn't quite go to plan however.
As soon as Tommy pushes himself up, he falls to the stone floor in a tangle of limbs and flails around uselessly.
"Theseus!" Technos voice yells suddenly and Tommy whines loudly in frustration.
Thick, warm arms pick him up a second later and gently place him back on the bed, and Tommy gets his first good look and his… captor? Friend, hopefully.
Technoblade is big. With wide shoulders and thick muscles, his tail is long and scarred and a darker red fading to a pink at his fins.
He also has very long pink hair, pulled into a tight braid that floats around his head, and piercing blood red eyes.
"Are you okay?" Techno asks, looking extremely panicked.
"I'm fine bitch, chill out." Tommy huffs and rolls his eyes. "I'm just a big man with places to be, you know."
Techno looks less panicked now, but his jaw is set and there's a certain gleam in his eye Tommy can't place.
"You need to rest longer, Theseus. I'm guessing your sight is back now, but you're still weak, and extremely vulnerable."
"Fuck you! I'm not weak or vulnerable!" Tommy spits.
Technoblade just sighs and rolls his eyes, sitting on the edge of the bed and placing his hand on Tommy's chest, pushing lightly and forcing Tommy to lay flat, instead of slightly upright.
"How old are you, Theseus?" Techno asks.
"Sixteen," Tommy grumbles. "And stop calling me that. My name is Tommy."
"Mer pups are considered children until they are eighty , Tommy. You are practically a newborn right now. So yes. You're weak and you're vulnerable, but I promise you, on my life, I will protect you and care for you."
Tommy's face turns sour at that. He's not some baby who needs to be looked after or cared for. He's basically an adult. Who'd dealt with more in his life than Technobitch probably had. He doesn't need this treatment, nor does he want it.
Even if some small part desperately wants to let Techno care for him, and to wrap him up in soft blankets and keep him fed and warm. Tommy ignores that part of him and tries to wriggle away from Technos grip.
"Theseus," Techno huffs with an achingly fond sounding sigh. "I know you might not agree, but what you need to realise is you're not human anymore, whatever you might have thought about your maturity doesn't matter now."
"Fuck you!" Tommy screams and snaps his teeth in Technos direction.
"Well if you're hungry you could have just said," Techno jokes, and pulls away from Tommy, swimming to the other side of the cave, near the entrance, where there looks to be a raised stone platform, and more shelves carved into the walls, placed in a way it seems reminiscent of a kitchen.
Curious, Tommy slowly sits up again, and watches Techno work.
The mer pulls shells and fish off the shelves and out of a satchel at his side and begins to prepare them – through, prepare seems generous for what Techno is doing.
He simply cuts the head off of the fish with a suspiciously human made looking knife and opens up clam shells. Then swims back to Tommy and holds it all out in his hands.
Tommy looks up at Techno, unamused.
"You have to be joking me."
Techno just rolls his eyes. "What? You want it cooked or something?"
"Preferably yeah!"
Techno gives him a deadpan stare. "Theseus, you're a mer now, you don't need to waste your time with silly things like cooked food."
Tommy frowns, dread slowly creeping in and hanging like a weight across his shoulders. He gingerly plucks one of the muscle shells from Technos outstretched hands and fiddles with it for a moment as he tries to find the words.
"When– when you said there hasn't been a turned mer for centuries, what does that mean?"
Techno looks surprised at the sudden question, but moves to sit next to Tommy. "Mer have been around for a long time, a lot longer than humans have," Techno begins as he idly munches on one of the muscles, Tommy following suit as he listens.
"We also live a lot longer. There are many mer civilisations and cities around the world, deep under the sea and inaccessible to humans. Mer are able to have children, but there is really nothing special about a born mer."
"So I'm special?" Tommy interrupts. "How so?"
Techno regards him for a moment, biting his lip as if he's thinking before gesturing for Tommy to eat more.
Only when he takes a bite of the fish does Techno continue.
"Yes, you are special. The magic that made you mer still courses through your body, and it has a chance to give you certain abilities as you mature."
"Holy shit!" Tommy says, mouth still full of fish he had been halfheartedly chewing. "Are you saying I'm fucking magic now bigman?"
"Potentially, yes."
"That's so poggers!"
So excited by the news, Tommy happily continues to eat, the end of his tail flicking as if Tommy were happily kicking his feet.
Eventually, the food is finished and Tommy has a whole new round of questions.
"Are we in one of those mermaid cities now? Are there more people around I haven't met?"
At the question, Techno gets kind of an odd look on his face.
"No, it's just me, pup."
"Can we go see one of the cities? No offense big man but this is kind of boring."
"No." Techno snaps and pushes off of the bed to hover by the fireplace.
Deciding to push his luck, Tommy continues on with his questions. "Why not?" He asks.
Techno turns to face him again, his face carefully blank. "Because I'm in exile."
"That's not pog. Why?"
"You really are a child," Techno mutters, a fond smile on his face, and he continues on before Tommy can protest. "Because I– I used to be a general for the king. And there was a war. We won but– I made a mistake, and it cost many, many innocent lives."
Tommy frowns at that. It makes sense Techno would be a general, he certainly looks like someone who can fight, and the way he hunches in on himself as he talks about his past…
Maybe Technobitch has had it worse.
Tommy can't even comprehend war, let alone the weight of all those lost lives on his shoulders.
"That sucks man," Tommy says awkwardly, unsure about what to say, getting interrupted half way through as he suddenly yawns.
Techno just hums. "You need to get more rest, Theseus, you're a growing pup."
Tommy wants to argue on that, but he really does feel so tired all of a sudden, like he really had just woken up only for food and needed to go back to hibernating.
So Tommy just nods, and lays back down, drifting off almost instantly.
He can explore tomorrow, surely.
***
It has been about a week, maybe longer, since Tommy had that conversation with Technoblade, and he's starting to realise he's really not getting out of this nest any time soon.
At first, it wasn't so bad. Tommy was never really awake long enough to get stir crazy, only waking up so he could get food, just to pass out again.
But lately, he's been able to stay awake longer and longer.
Technoblade is noticing that too, and the other mer seems much more on edge now.
Tommy wants to explore and to move, and to be free, and Techno seems to know that too.
But for some reason he seems very against it.
Tommy doesn't even want to ask about getting to explore outside this room. He's scared to even move a fin off of the bed.
So instead, he waits. He watches Techno and tries to figure out his schedule, and he plays the docile little house let, eating when asked, sleeping when tired, joking with Techno when he's still awake and bored out of his goddamn mind.
In the end, it's luck that Tommy manages to wake up while Techno is still out hunting.
He cracks an eye open and yawns, looking around the cave for a moment, confused when he finds it completely empty
And then he realises.
Holy shit he's alone. Finally.
Tommy rolls out of bed, landing harshly on the stone floor below, wasting no time as he tries to wriggle forward, desperately trying to get his stupid tailt to work.
He ends up having to crawl, cursing the fact he never learned how to fucking swim the whole way there.
Seriously. He might have never been in this fucking situation if he ever thought to learn to swim before becoming a pirate.
That simple thought makes him want to cry. It makes him want to curl up into a ball and hide from the world and just cry and rot on that stupidly soft moss and seaweed bed so Tommy decideds to simply not think about it anymore.
Tommy continues to wriggle and crawl, making it all the way to the cave entrance eventually, where he decides to sit for a minute and catch his breath, feeling so, so tired all of a sudden.
He probably shouldn't sit still for too long though, he has no idea when Techno will get back.
As soon as he thinks about it, Tommy feels a looming presence over him.
Fuck. He didn't even get to look past the goddamn entrance.
"Theseus." Techno growls, and something in Tommy snaps.
No tears well in his eyes, but they burn like he is crying, and Tommy sobs.
He doesn't even notice Techno getting closer until suddenly he's in his arms, head in the crook of Technos neck, wailing and panting as he tries to cry but can't.
"It's alright pup," Techno soothes gently, and Tommy never really realised just how small he is compared to the mer.
Techno is huge, cradling Tommy close to him like he's little more than a newborn kitten, and something in the back of his mind purrs at the thought of being so safe and warm and protected in Technos arms.
"You're alright, you're not in trouble right now," Techno whispers, and Tommy honestly doesn't have the energy to think about the lingering threat.
His sobs die down, and exhaustion sets in deep into his bones. Tommy finds himself drifting off, held in Technos arms like he's the most precious thing in the world.
***
Tommy ends up getting the longest lecture of his goddamn life for "that little stunt." As Techno said.
Overall, Tommy has had worse punishments for breaking lesser rules. Techno doesn't even yell at him, but somehow Tommy feels so much worse about it than he would if Techno had just hit him.
It sucks but it doesn't discourage Tommy from trying again, it just motivates him to not get caught next time.
So once again, Tommy lies in wait. Playing the docile pup that Techno expects him to be for some reason, and he keeps his complaints to the minimum and he watches.
Now that he doesn't have to take a goddamn nap every five minutes, it's easier to figure out what Techno schedule is, though the mer definitely seems to be leaving less and less since, once again, Tommy doesn't need to fucking nap even five fucking minutes.
He's not happy about that. Because he's not a fucking baby, no matter how much Techno insists he is now.
Bitchass.
But speaking of Technoblade, Tommy has really gotten to know him more now. He knows his humor is dark and his delivery is dry and deadpan, he knows Techno is a huge fucking nerd despite being a general before, and he knows listening to him tell stories puts him to sleep faster than even a bottle of rum and a kick in the head could.
Techno, despite being an absolute wrong'un, is actually a pretty chill and really fucking cool guy.
Under any other circumstances, Tommy would have loved to meet him, and gotten to know him and maybe they could have been friends.
But the reality is, Tommy's about to pull his hair out of his skull from boredom, and Techno is the one thing standing in the way of freedom
Techno had taught Tommy how to move his tail a little, just enough that he's able to get around the cave a little easier, but not very far without his help, and Tommy has been practising while Techno is away, learning how to flick his fins and angle the ones on the side and the back of his tail to give him more direction.
He managed to make it to the cave entrance again while Techno was out, peeking outside to find the dark and open ocean out there, not even a hint of sunlight reaching this deep, and the sight unsettled Tommy even more than he'd like to admit.
The ocean is, quite frankly, terrifying. And Tommy has scrambled back to the nest desperately, doing his best to act like nothing happened when Techno came back a few moments later.
But the time has officially come for his real escape. He can finally fucking swim now, and while whatevers outside might be scary, it'll be a hell of alot more fun than spending another goddamn minute in this cave.
Techno has just left for his, now weekly, hunting trip, so he should be away fro awhile while he gathers all the supplies they will need, leaving Tommy more than enough time to get the fuck out.
Tommy makes it to the entrance with minimal effort and he takes a quick deep breath before pushing himself forward, keeping his eyes locked upwards as he flicks his tail somewhat clumsily and makes his way up.
He hates to admit it, but he feels like a child afraid of the dark again as he swims through the open ocean, nothing but void around him as he goes up and up and up and holy Prime how deep down does Techno live.
A chill wracks down his spine, and Tommy wraps his arm around himself in an attempt to conserve heat, still swimming upwards.
Damn he's tired. And he's so cold .
Disheartened and shivering, Tommy almost wants to go back and cry into Technos arms.
He's never been so dependent on someone before, not to mention needy and scared of the goddamn dark.
He… he feels like a goddamn toddler , with this new body and confusing instincts.
Tommy brings a shaking hand up to his face, trying to blink the burning feeling behind his eyes away. Even if he can't cry anymore, he feels fucking close to it.
Maybe he should just go back. Techno probably isn't home yet, and Tommy can just act like nothing happened, and he can be safe and warm with the other mer.
As soon as he thinks that, Tommy looks upwards and sees a slight glimmer, like sunlight reflecting off the ocean surface.
All thoughts of running back to Techno with his tail tucked between his legs promptly vanish and with renewed vigour Tommy desperately starts swimming upwards again.
He's so cold, full body shivers wracking through him, but it doesn't matter because the surface is so close . It doesn't matter that the closer he gets, the colder he feels because surely once he reaches the sun he'll begin to warm up.
Tommy is almost within reach of the surface when something wraps around him and drags him down.
Tommy shrieks and thrashes in the hold, barely registering that the warmth he's suddenly trapped against must be Techno because he was so fucking close and he just needed–
A low, threatening growl reverberates through the water around him, and Tommy is suddenly aware he fucked up big time.
Stupid instincts make him go lino it Technos hold, water rushing past them as Techno swims so much faster than Tommy.
The sight of the cave is the last thing Tommy sees, as between the warmth of Techno finally melting the ice in his bones, and the general exhaustion of his escape drag him into unconsciousness.
***
Returning home from a rather successful hunt, only to find the cave empty, Techno feels a furious panic he's only ever felt once before.
Back when he was a general, leading his king's armies to war, Techno had been so foolish as to think Dream wouldn't abuse their obvious weak spot, and invade the city though the nursery. No mer would be so heartless as to kill children, to slaughter babies , over a silly territory dispute.
Techno had been wrong.
He had been friends with Dream, once. A long time ago before the prince became king of the southern waters. But on that day, as Techno rushed from the battlefield back to the city, a bone deep panic and terror like a weight in his gut that made him want to vomit, to find the nursery ravaged and bloodied, and the city almost destroyed, he declared Dream dead to him.
If only the mer was actually dead.
On that day, Techno had failed. He failed his king and brother, Wilbur and he failed his people.
So he was exiled, and has since lived with the shame of his failure in solitude for years.
This time, Techno will not fail.
He takes off after the faint scent of Tommy in the water, hoping to feel a pull of any of his magic that will lead him more steadily.
The further towards the surface he swims, the more Techno panics.
Trying to breath air at such an early stage in his transformation could do some serious damage, or worse, kill him.
Pushing himself to swim even faster, Techno feels a faint brush of magic against his skin and he homes in on it.
Tommy is almost at the surface, reaching out for it like it's some saving grace and Techno wastes no time hooking an arm around his torso and dragging him down, ignoring how the pup yells and squirms in his grasp, he gives a warning growl that stills him, and holds him close to his chest the whole way back to the cave.
The pup is so cold in his arms and completely passed out, like he was when Techno first found him.
The minute they're back in the cave, Techno is wrapping Tommy up tight in seal fur blankets and placing him back in the bed.
Now that he knows his pup is safe once again, he tries to let himself breathe and relax, but there's still a nagging feeling at the back of his neck.
Tommy has tried to escape before, and Techno was lucky enough to catch him at the entrance, but this time it was a much closer call. What is there to stop Tommy from trying again and getting himself killed?
Techno hesitates for a moment. Tommy will surely hate him, but Techno tells himself he can live with that, as long as the pup is safe.
Moving to a half rotted wooden chest at the end of the bed, Techno keeps his eyes on Tommy as long as possible, like the pup will vanish if he looks away for even a moment, but eventually looks down to look through his belongings, eventually finding what he's looking for.
A steel manacle rests in his hands, a long chain attached to it that ends in a weighted spike.
Techno moves over to his work bench, grabbing some etching tools off of his shelf, and under his breath thanks Phil for teaching him runes as a kid before etching on a curse of binding to the manacle.
The rune glows dimly as Techno doesn't have enough inherent magic for it to keep long, but hopefully it will be long enough for Tommy to realise what's best for him.
When he attaches the manacle to Tommy's right wrist, the rune glows again, slightly brighter, and settles again, and Techno releases a slight breath.
He sets about hammering the other end of the chain into the wall by the bed, and reassures himself that this is the best option.
Tommy doesn't seem to agree when he wakes up a day later.
"Techno!" What the fuck is wrong with you!" The pup yells, a fierce anger burning in his eyes.
"I warned you once before Theseus," Techno shrugs. "This is what we like to call consequences of our actions."
This explanation doesn't seem to placate the pup at all.
"Why can't I leave? What's the big fucking deal?"
"Theseus– Tommy, I know you're still holding onto your human idea that you are some form of grown up, but you're a mer now, and there's nothing you can do to change it. As much as you hate it, you are a kid now and I need to protect you."
"No you don't!" Tommy screams, yanking at the chain harshly. "Fucking, let me go you psychopath! I don't wanna be here!"
"And where do you want to be, Theseus?" Techno asks calmly.
"I want to– I wanna go home."
Techno slowly moves to sit on the bed next to Tommy, ignoring the way Tommy flinched harshly. "Where is your home Tommy, on the surface where you bounced between pirate ships? On the surface where your biological parents left you at the doorstep of the orphanage?"
Tommy says nothing, his head hung low and his arms wrapped tight around him.
"Or is your home here," Techno continues. "Where you are cared for and safe. Where you are loved and wanted."
Tommy doesn't say anything, just shakes as if he were crying and holding himself tight. Techno waits with him, trying to be a comforting presence but not reaching out to touch him.
Eventually, Techno slinks away to start preparing food, and they eat together in silence.
They spend the whole day in silence.
***
Tommy awakes to voices.
His eyes are heavy and his body is sore, but when his sleepy brain registers there's a voice other than Technos in the cave, Tommy shoots upwards, eyes blown wide.
There's someone outside the cave, but they're hidden behind Technos massive frame, Tommy can't make out anything other than the flashes of a forest green tail.
"–he needs to come to the Empire, he'll be safer there." The new voice says.
"I'm not leavin' him." Techno rumbles. "I can protect him just fine."
"Techno–"
"Phil." Techno growls, and a minute later sighs heavily. "Please, I need to redeem myself. Don't take him from me."
There's a moment of tense silence, and Tommy holds his breath, too scared to even breathe wrong.
"Come with us," this Phil guy offers.
"But Wilbur–" Techno argues, sounding confused and surprised.
"I'll talk to him. You've taken care of Tommy this long, and you're obviously bonded. Perhaps it's time for you to come home."
Tommy gasps at the sound of his name, and huddles under the blankets when Techno looks back at him.
The other mer peeks over Technos shoulder, and Tommy sees an older looking man with long blond hair.
"Heya mate," Phil greets with a cheery voice. "How would you like to go on an adventure?"