Not a request this time, just me messing around with piglins and their reaction to soul fire. Also, I wanted to subject Techno to a dissociative stress reaction, since I tend to get those a lot-

Technoblade wasn't scared of soul fire. Not rationally anyway, how you would be scared of something because you know from first-hand experience the harm it causes.

This fear was more instinctual - dug in deeper and engraved into his bones. It was every fiber of his being recoiling from blue flames, it was his core shrinking away at the insistence that it would burn most fiercely. This blind panic had a hold on him that even the voices did not, drowning them out and overriding his common sense.

Soul fire scared him with primal urges.

The thing about Technoblade, however, was that he had gotten quite good at ignoring those. He had been in the Overworld now longer than he had ever lived in the Nether, a lifetime spent adjusting to human habits and quirks. He remained undeniably piglin, but had learned to smother some of the more troublesome impulses being a hybrid caused in him.

(While he loved gold probably more than he should, insisting it was objectively one of the better metals for things to be made out of, he could still dismiss its shiny allure easily, or refuse to barter for it)

And surely he could choose not to be scared of soul fire either.

"This is fine, chat. It's only a little distance. Like what, three steps?"

If he were being honest, Technoblade would have to judge the plain of soul sand between himself and the portal to be closer to two hundred steps, maybe three hundred if he wasn't counting right. Lying to yourself was supposed to have a calming effect though, right?

This wasn't the first time he had to get uncomfortably close to soul fire anyway. Even if usually, it was just the barest little flicker. A few isolated patches that had ignited, or a lit campfire that he could walk around in a wide circle. This was a whole stretch of blue hellscape he had to cross.

Chat was split between trying to be supportive and heckling him over his reluctance. They were probably laughing at his expense but Technoblade could hardly find it in himself to care. Not with the way his heartbeat accelerated at the prospect of what he needed to do. He put one foot forward to take a step, then pulled it back again when panic came over him instantly. His skin felt itchy with a desire to leave.

"Come on. Come on we can do this." He was hyping himself up and the voices were kind enough to help at least. Their constant thrum didn't calm him down at all but he could appreciate the effort.

He tried again, not giving himself the chance to retreat this time. Technoblade felt his hands clench involuntarily as he kept walking, the flames creeping in from all sides. His brain was basically a litany of 'this is fine' by this point, only undercut nominally by the current of pain where his nails dig in deep enough to draw blood from his palms.

He couldn't breathe.

Because the fire was everywhere around him – enclosing him, burning him. He wanted to run or hide or freeze and not move at all. Instincts pushed away to the back corner of his mind. Ignore them, ignore it, it's fine, you're doing fine.

Those three hundred paces felt like several miles of horrifying fear.

Then his hooves hit the edge of the portal and Technoblade stumbled as he fell through it, almost landing face first in the snow beyond. He was embarrassingly lightheaded, still short of breath. Everything seemed to be intent on spinning around him to an annoying degree and he blinked several times to get his vision to clear.

See, all fine.

His hands were shaking as he checked on his gear, making sure it was all there. He really didn't want to need to go back for anything.

Satisfied and trying not to think about how high-strung he still was, thoughts floating somewhere far outside his own body, Techno started the trek home.

When Ranboo got back, he was surprised to find Technoblade standing outside his house.

Or not outside his house exactly, but kind of in the empty space between his shack and the cow farm. which was already a bit strange, there wasn't really any reason for Techno to be there as far as Ranboo could tell.

But it wasn't until he was walking over to greet Techno and ask what he was up to that alarm bells started ringing in his head.

And it was hard to pinpoint at first why that was before Ranboo realized how… static Techno was. Not moving much beyond the odd shuffle of his feet, head tilted away to stare off into the distance.

Technoblade was always moving. Even when having a conversation he was constantly walking around, fidgeting with anything he could get his hands on or gesticulating. Seeing the piglin standing there as he was now, Ranboo could only describe it as unnerving.

He took a wide berth in approaching, not wanting to startle Techno should he be lost deep in thought. Ranboo couldn't imagine that ending well for him.

"Uh… hi there. What's up?"

Technoblade turned his head to look at him. Or not look at him, but through him. He hummed absently.

Ranboo clicked his tongue nervously. "Are you alright, Techno?"

No answer, just a slow nod.

"Let's get you inside," Ranboo decided, concern growing by the minute. He started off towards his shack but stopped when Techno didn't follow. "Uhm… oh. Okay. Okay, let's see."

He carefully grabbed Techno's hand, trying not to spook him. Ranboo didn't have a clue about why this was happening, but at least had the vaguest sense of what was happening. it reminded him of something important.

It reminded him of himself.

If Techno was going through what Ranboo thought he was going through, he had a fair idea of how to help.

Inside the shack he kindled the fire, knowing warmth would be a great idea. He kind of pushed Technoblade down so he'd to sit in front of it, which was surprisingly easy since he didn't put up any resistance, and threw a blanket over his shoulders. Plucking Enderchest from his bed, Ranboo plopped her down in Techno's lap. The cat meowed grumpily about the disturbance but settled down when Techno started stroking her fur automatically, not really seeming aware he was doing it.

Ranboo smiled. Animals always made him feel better too.

He prepared hot chocolate for two, using the milk he'd hauled in that morning. It had been simmering on a low heat all day, which meant it should be ready to use. Not sure how Technoblade liked to drink his – or if he even drank hot chocolate at all really – Ranboo decided to just make it the same as his own. He had good taste, so it should be fine.

When he sat down next to him, Techno seemed to have become a little more aware. His nose scrunched up in confusion, he blinked at the fireplace. "Ranboo, what am I doing in your house?"

"You tell me. I found you kind of spacing out for no reason," Ranboo answered as he handed Techno the mug. "Do you remember what you were doing?"

"Not at all." Techno took a sip, and since he didn't appear to be disgusted at the taste Ranboo was going to count that as a win. "That's a bit concerning."

"A little. But it's not like it happens all the time so..."

"So should be fine," Techno decided. Ranboo laughed.

"Yeah, so long as you don't need to start writing everything down to remember it you should be good."

Techno nodded. "That sounds horrible."

"Agreed."

They finished the rest of their drinks in silence, not needing conversation to carry them through. Techno clearly didn't want to talk about it and Ranboo definitely wasn't going to ask.

And if the next day, a few extra emeralds had magically appeared in his chest as a wordless display of gratitude, he wouldn't ask about that either.