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Techno still didn't believe it had happened most days. He just stayed cooped up in his room, occasionally leaving to go make himself food, but the doors were locked, and he hadn't seen anyone but Steve, his polar bear in days. He didn't even really do anything. He just laid in bed, either sleeping or staring at the ceiling. He supposed it was good that it was technically hibernation season for him because that was the only way he could get through this.
Phil had messaged him a few times, but even just responding to that felt like a chore some days.
They were all coping over Ranboos' death in their own ways. Techno was pretty sure that Phil had dealt with it as he had Wilbur, ignoring it until he physically couldn't any longer. Niki was constantly baking, trying to forget it happened. The only reason he knew that was sometimes he'd find food in his house that he knew wasn't there before. No matter how many times he locked the door, it always showed back up.
Techno… had just fallen into some state of depression. It was a little like how he reacted when Wilbur died, but ten times worse because while Wilbur was a friend of his, Ranboo had been his mentee. The kid he was supposed to teach about the ways of anarchy and how to war with someone without violence and use only your words.
Ranboo had been like his kid in some respects. Something he'd never expected to happen, but it had, and now he was paying the price. It's part of the reason he'd only let himself get attached to Phil because neither of them were going to die. At least for a while.
He'd nearly forgotten that people aren't permanent and that they can die. Techno had watched it happen, and there was no one to blame but himself. Well, there was Sam, but maybe if Techno had complied, Ranboo would still be here.
Techno forced himself to get out of bed. It was nearly evening, and he hadn't gotten up once, just stuck staring at the ceiling thinking over that day again. It probably wasn't healthy to just wallow here like this, but he'd effectively barred his friends from entering, so it wasn't like they could stop it from happening. If they called him to help him, he'd just hang up. Simple as that.
He went down to the kitchen and found another pie in it. He really wasn't sure how Niki was getting in, but he saw that she was trying something new again. It looked like some sort of either strawberry or cherry pie. He couldn't really tell, but he cut himself a piece regardless.
It was a small piece, and he was barely able to eat it, but he did anyway. He didn't really want to eat it, but he knew he had to. The taste told him it was a mix of strawberry and apple, and goddammit. Niki had used golden apples. She'd tricked him into caring for himself, at least a little.
The healing properties in the pie helped him at least feel physically better, even if it wasn't mentally. The mere idea that someone had cared enough about his well-being while he isolated himself away from everyone else and rotted away to the world to use up valuable resources was insane to him. Yet, Niki had, and he was grateful for her.
He ate another slice just for the hell of it. Before putting it in the fridge, a fourth of it had already been eaten. Niki knew how to make good pies.
Techno went back to his room after that and crawled under the covers, wrapping himself in the warm furs and the feeling of isolation.
Grief was never a fun thing, and Techno hadn't really gotten attached enough to a person to properly feel it. Now, as it was hitting him full force, he understood why people had mental breakdowns over hearing it. His pseudo kid was gone, and he still wasn't sure what he was going to do.
He couldn't try to bring Ranboo because he didn't have the capabilities, and he couldn't just rot here forever no matter how much he tried to. Someone would come for him eventually and force him out of the house. So, he should at least look like a functioning person rather than a husk of piglin that had just spent hours doing nothing and sleeping.
Techno sighed and got up once again ten minutes later. He meant to do this earlier, but it had taken a long time to build up the energy to get up and add logs to the fire. It was such a small thing, and yet he could barely do it. He got the feeling that this is what Tommy had described happening in exile.
He laid back down in bed, contemplating all of his life's decisions leading up to this one to stay in bed forever. Then his communicator buzzed rapidly, and he reached out of his blankets to grab it and glance at the screen. Phil was calling him. He accepted the call and put the communicator next to his head.
"Hey mate, how are you feeling?" Phil asked him.
"The same." Techno murmured.
"It's gonna be alright, Techno. I actually made some extra food tonight. Do you think I could bring it over for you?" Phil asked.
Techno blinked. He'd forgotten that Phil was this nice of a guy. He thought about it for a moment.
"I'm alright, thank you, though." Techno muttered.
"Alright, let me rephrase this. Techno let me into your house so I can take care of you or I will break down your door." Phil said.
"I'm fine, Phil."
"You aren't, I haven't seen you in three weeks. Techno, you've got to come out of there eventually." Phil said.
Techno knew he did, but that day was not going to be today if he had anything to say about it. He clicked the end call button, knowing he'd likely just succeeded in upsetting Phil and put his communicator back on his table. He rolled over and re-buried himself under the blankets. He knew that he needed to get out of here. He was probably growing into the bed at this point, but that day was not going to be today. Probably not even this week either, even with the holidays coming up. Techno just couldn't bring himself to care about them.
This desolate isolation of his was just going to have to continue a little longer.