This was supposed to be a oneshot, that accidentally turned into a threeshot. Hybrid headcanons go brrr

Technoblade didn't hide the fact that he hibernated so much as it was just something that rarely popped up in everyday conversation.

What would he even say? 'Hey, if you happen to not see me for weeks at a time that's probably because my body decided to slow down my metabolism to a crawl and plunge me into an unconscious state of deep sleep for a while. Maybe try coming back next month?'

No, that wasn't the kind of thing you shared with strangers or acquaintances. Friends, maybe, but Technoblade didn't have a lot of those.

Phil knew, because Phil knew everything about him – at times probably better than Techno knew himself. And that was where the list started and ended. It hadn't even been on purpose that Phil had found out, Techno hadn't told Phil. Phil had the lovely experience of walking in on Techno already sleeping, with his body temperature reduced to a slimmer of its usual heat and his breathing gone all shallow, and then Phil had spent a good ten minutes panicking thinking he had died before being able to wake Techno up.

(Which obviously wasn't fun for him either. He felt groggy and had a persistent headache for days after)

But since Phil did know, it made some things easier. Techno could indulge in his instinctual desire to hibernate a bit more often when he knew Phil would watch their base and keep the pets fed and healthy while he slept. And if anything seriously bad were to happen, Phil could wake him up. Techno probably wouldn't admit it that candidly, but he knew how much of a difference it made to have the assurance of knowing somebody was looking out for him while he was conked out, making sure he was comfortable and safe.

It was almost as great as having Phil hibernate with him.

Because piglins were inherently a pack species. Many of their habits and culture revolved around their sounder and its inner relations. Hunting was a pack activity, eating was a pack activity, and hibernation was very much a pack activity too. Techno could do it by himself - he used to just postpone hibernating until he felt ill with it and too tired to function, crawl into bed, and try not to mourn how wrong it felt without a proper nest or the feeling of other warm bodies snugly pressed against his own - but it just wasn't the same.

When Phil found out he had offered to join Techno. Avians weren't able to hibernate, but they could go into torpor if they wanted to. And when they did, it was similar enough to work for their intended purpose. Techno had enjoyed the few times Phil joined him, remembering the cozy warmth of their bodies pressed together. Techno nudging into Phil's chest to hear him chirp softly in his ears, Phil's hands sleepily playing with his hair as they fell into slumber pressed close together. It was nice in a way he couldn't really describe.

But it was also clear that Phil got a bit too jumpy afterward, his body needing to catch up with the sudden changes in his circadian rhythm. He would fidget a lot, go on long flights that stretched from sunrise to sunset just to center himself again and which would mess up his wings. Phil might say he didn't mind, that it was a small sacrifice to make compared to how much it meant to Techno, and how much Phil enjoyed the physically affectionate aspect himself. That didn't mean Techno had to accept it, hating the thought of doing anything that left Phil that antsy.

Phil insisted on it anyway, reminding Techno how bad it was to ignore his instincts like that. It certainly couldn't be healthy to cast your inborn compulsions aside all the time. The avian knew from experience, he had his own set of hybrid-related behavior to deal with after all. In the end, they settled on Phil joining him only on rare occasions, and Steve was more than happy to pick up the slack.

The polar bear came sniffing as soon as he started laying out the blanket on the floor, growling softly as he pawed at the fabric. "Don't be impatient," Techno told him simply. The exhaustion had been sneaking up on him for days, he had only just decided to give in.

Ignoring him spectacularly, Steve sat down on the base of his nest, forcing Techno to continue building the rest around him. He started by getting some chairs and putting them in strategic places around the floor blanket. Throwing pillows onto Steve until he was satisfied, Techno didn't even notice when Phil came in.

"It's that time of year again already, mate? Didn't you just wake up the other day?" he asked, and Techno chucked a pillow at him too for good measure.

"Are you calling me lazy, Phil?"

Phil laughed in response as he made his way over to the ladder that led downstairs. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Techno rearranged the four blankets he had scoured from all around the house, draping them over the chairs and tugging them in along the sides, no thanks to Steve who refused to scoot over because he was a polar bear and didn't care about being helpful. When he was done, Techno gauged his finished attempt, trying to judge if he was satisfied with it. Something felt missing.

He turned to Phil, who was just returning from the basement. Techno stared at him, Phil stared back. Neither of them said anything.

Phil caved first. "Ugh, fine." He rolled his eyes as he tugged off his thick winter coat, handing it to Techno to add to his nest. "There better not be drool on it when I get it back this time."

"I make no such promises," Techno answered as he crawled into his construction. Steve shifted, pressing one paw against his back. Folding the coat up, Techno knew it would make a perfect pillow since he had used it as such before. It smelled vaguely of Phil, pine trees and fresh winter snow, satisfying some innate need to be surrounded by his sounder even when Phil wasn't physically there.

While he was still busy rearranging, the door opened again and this time it was Ranboo who stepped inside. He already had his mouth open with a greeting halfway into forming when he seemed to do a double-take.

"Is… is that a pillow fort?"

Phil burst out laughing while Techno poked his head out. "Ranboo, I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."

Ranboo crouched down to peek inside the nest. "I'm pretty sure I want to stay for this, actually."

"Are you? Because you're going to be stuck for two to eight weeks," Phil snorted, making Technoblade sputter in indignation.

With a little flick of his tail, Ranboo straightened his back again. "What?"

Techno groaned and rolled over while Phil did the whole hibernation spiel for him, too tired to deal with it honestly. And too embarrassed too. Just because it was natural didn't mean he couldn't dislike it. He distracted himself by threading his fingers through Steve's fur, making the bear hum deeply in the back of its throat. Steve nuzzled his snout on the top of his head.

Then Ranboo did say something that caught Techno's attention.

"Oh yeah, I think endermen do that too? Or something similar at least. Though I've never tried it before."

"Really?" Phil asked. The way his voice tilted upwards was a clear indicator Techno wasn't going to like whatever would come out of his mouth next. "You should try it now! I'm sure Techno would appreciate the company."

And there it was.

"I really wouldn't," he cut in quickly. "I hate company. I abhor company so much, Phil."

Ranboo was protesting too, letting out a nervous thrill. "I don't know if that's-"

He didn't get to finish the sentence when Phil physically shoved him into the pile of blankets, cushions, a disgruntled polar bear, and also Techno who ended up getting smothered by like eight and a half feet of enderman hybrid. Ranboo fell on top of him with the grace of a fish flopping out of the water - that is to say none at all - and Techno wheezed when an elbow hit him in the stomach. He pushed Ranboo off, who landed on his face in the floor blanket and didn't move. "Oh, that's quite nice actually," he said, muffled by the fabric. Techno couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. "It's warm." Ranboo made a sound that was almost a sigh.

"It is." Techno rolled over onto his back, suddenly very aware of how Ranboo's entire body was basically pressed against his side and over his arm. "So are you going to get up now or...?"

A short beat of silence, followed by an exhale. Ranboo sounded tentative. "Do I uh… have to? I mean, I can leave if you want. Sorry, I should probably leave, right?" He still didn't actually move.

Technoblade bit his tongue to keep from doing something stupid. Like beg Ranboo to stay maybe, so he didn't have to hibernate by himself. Yeah, that'd be stupid.

(Don't tell your sounder to leave, was what his mind yelled at him. And Techno would have been affronted if he hadn't been too busy wondering since when he had started to consider Ranboo as part of his sounder at all)

He schooled his voice into neutrality. "Nah, you can stay. I don't really care."

(He cared a lot, actually)

Ranboo shifted too. "I suppose I could take a nap then? If I don't like it, I can always leave later."

"Great, have fun you two!" Techno had forgotten Phil was there, but was reminded now by an uncontrollable desire to punch the avian for pulling such a dirty trick on him. There was no way Phil didn't know exactly what he had been doing. He settled for groaning his displeasure instead, though Phil left too quickly to hear him.

And then it was just the two of them alone. Ranboo, lying there as stiff as a board in the most unnatural position imaginable. Techno, who was trying hard not to notice how glad his instincts were about the current situation, tucked in and safe surrounded by his packmates.

At this rate, he was not going to be able to fall asleep.