They fell asleep in that position, Ranboo leaning first the side of his head and then gradually his full weight against Techno's shoulder.

It was comfortable. Technoblade ran warm - Phil used to take advantage of it all the time back in the arctic. Said it was due to him being Netherborn, natural heat running through his veins. When you stood close enough it was almost the same as standing near a recently extinguished fire, residual warmth from the flames flecking across your skin. Still, when he woke up Ranboo found the blanket draped carefully over his shoulders, protecting him from the colder stone wall they were both sitting against.

Techno was not awake yet, chin tilted forward against his chest which rose and fell with steady, labored inhales. Ranboo was relieved simply by the calming sound of his breathing. Techno didn't look half as pale as he had the day before either.

The health potion must be helping.

Ranboo got up carefully, noticing the glass vial had stayed where he had left it on their small wooden table. He'd ended up not diluting it but there was still plenty inside so he carefully put it back in his chest for safekeeping. Techno had said no more stealing, but Ranboo couldn't help it that when he looked over his loot it didn't feel like enough at all. Besides the two potions for emergencies, he'd only stashed half a golden carrot and a handful of normal apples that were starting to develop rotten brown spots. He picked one up to eat, knowing he'd prefer it over the tasteless oatmeal they'd be getting for breakfast.

Before he could so much as take a bite though, there was a commotion in the hallway outside. Ranboo froze, waiting for a moment before pushing himself up against the door to try and listen. Two people were talking, voices too distanced to be understood over their own heavy footsteps. But they were coming in this direction.

Something which worried Ranboo because it was morning and the lights weren't even on and morning was supposed to mean no fights so why were they coming to their cell if there were no fights-

He sprung back when the door was thrown open.

It wasn't Mel – kind sea-green eyes, gills along his throat, almost but not quite stood up for them though Ranboo still liked him despite it. But nope, it was the blond man who had taken them, sold them to the arena. There was another nameless handler with them who Ranboo recognized from the armory.

Technoblade had been woken up by their noise, blinking a few times and rubbing sleep from his eyes. His hand was reaching out to the spot beside him and Ranboo briefly felt guilty about moving and getting up. He kinda wished he'd just stayed put. At least it meant the potion was out of sight.

"You, come with me." The handler hadn't even glanced at Ranboo.

Slower than usual to react since he'd been asleep barely a minute ago, Techno started to get up. Ranboo took the opportunity to insert his concerns. "Why? There are no fights this early, right?"

The blond man was quick to anger and when they moved forward Ranboo instinctively shrunk back, phantom pain of them grabbing him by the hair the day they arrived too vivid in his memories for him not to react. There was no need though, the other handler was faster. He grabbed the man around the wrist and stopped them.

"Give it a rest, yeah?" The handler grunted, tone heavy with fatigue. If Ranboo had to guess he hadn't been awoken too long ago either. The blond man scoffed and reluctantly pulled their arm back to their side, but they did not attempt to hit Ranboo again. The handler looked at them – Ranboo still standing curled inwards and Techno now up on his feet next to him. "I've been asked to prepare you for a special event. You've got your first challenger."

Techno snorted, laugh half subdued by how tired he sounded. "Took them long enough."

"Challenger?" Ranboo repeated, angling for an explanation.

The handler opened his mouth to respond but the other man cut in before he could. "Somebody personally requested to fight the pig guy." Their grin grew, twisted with minacious glee. "It's good money, these private events. So we're happy to grant them a special time slot. Whenever they want, we provide."

"Big shots, huh?" Techno grinned slightly. "Should I be honored or what... Sadly I'm a bit indisposed at the moment."

If their smile had fallen away any quicker Ranboo would have been sure it must have hit the floor. "What?"

"I don't know if you missed it but I was lowkey skewered by a guy on the pitch last night. I mean, come on, if he'd put his sword any further through me I'd practically be a shish kebab." Technoblade gestured at his chest with his hands, the bandage peeking out from beneath his shirt where it was wrapped around his shoulder.

Ranboo nodded to himself in agreement. This was fine, this was perfectly fine. They wouldn't make Technoblade fight the very next day after he barely made it out of the infirmary alive, surely.

The blond man's next words made that hope fall apart. "I don't see why that's our problem," they hissed, viciously

Techno frowned, sounding a little sharper when he answered. "It should be your problem unless you want your favorite high rollers to be disappointed when the match falls apart within seconds because you put injured fighters out on the field. Pretty sure that's frowned upon actually."

"There's no need to play coy. You've proven you can deal with the occasional disadvantage, they want to push that luck," the handler said almost good-naturedly. "With your track record, this might even out the odds more than it disrupts them."

"Great. I'm still not fighting like this though."

And this time when the blond man advanced on them Ranboo didn't feel the need to shrivel up and hide himself. Not with Technoblade standing beside him, spine perfect-straight and jaw set firm despite there probably still being a literal hole in his lung - or at least the side effects of having one the day before. Not with Techno refusing to so much as flinch when the man got in his face.

Ranboo had admitted yesterday to being scared. He wished he could take it back. He wished he could be brave enough to not feel fear seize his entire being when those pale eyes settled on him next.

"Fine. Guess this one will have to fill your spot then."

Their hand curled around his wrist, vice-tight and cold fingers digging into his skin. Ranboo stopped, felt his entire body go rigid and ready to be dragged along like a rag doll if he couldn't snap out of it quick. When they tried to pull him he did jolt – hissed and clawed at their hold on him. His nails found flesh to burry into, to rip at. Their blood was much warmer than their touch and even if he only managed to shred the surface he felt satisfied all the same.

Only for a moment though. Then they screamed and lashed out with their other arm, their fist catching Ranboo on the side of his skull – right against his temple. He stumbled back and everything happened too fast. Technoblade said something but his attempt at moving forward was stopped when the handler pulled out his sword and aimed it at Techno's throat. The man was still shrieking – anger and poison and Ranboo was scared, frightened, he couldn't stop being scared in this place. The first kick landed in his stomach and the second hit his shoulder hard enough to smash it into the ground. They raised their boot to bring it down on his fragile clavicle.

"I'll do it!" Techno yelled, trying to step in only to find the sword barring his way yet again. He pressed on with more urgency. "Leave him alone and I'll do it! Whatever you want."

Their foot hovered over Ranboo a moment longer and he was afraid they would still snap his bones clean in two. They were malicious enough to do it, senseless enough. They hurt him because it was easy and Ranboo might never have wanted to hurt someone back as much as he did then. Their flesh stuck under his claws but it was not enough - it would never be enough.

Deciding against it they sneered, looked down on him with nothing but disdain before turning around and stalking off outside. The handler watched them go, not surprised by their outbursts but clearly disapproving of it. Ranboo knew some of the handlers – maybe most of them – had been fighters once too. It might be why they felt an ounce of sympathy from those send into the ring.

But at the end of the day, they were people while Ranboo and Technoblade were only slaves.

"Let's go," he said simply, putting his weapon away and nodding at the door. Technoblade exhaled, curled his fists and followed.