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“Hey nerd. You should eat, before the potatoes rot” Techno said to the man across the cell.
“No” Dream said flatly. Techno sighed. He noticed that Dream was getting moodier lately, probably because he refused to eat. Not that Techno blamed him. Eating only raw potato day after day got old real quick.
“Seriously Dream, we don’t know when we’re going to get more” Techno tries again. “You need to-”
“What do you care?” Dream cuts him off.
“I’m your friend” Techno says in a playful voice, trying to lighten the mood.
“No, you’re not.” Dream scoffs, shooting Techno a glare. “Stop staying that. You don’t mean it” he continues, voice full of frustration and a hint of sadness.
Techno sits up straight and turns to meet Dream’s eyes. “I do mean it. I am your friend Dream” he says seriously.
“Who would want to be my friend? I’m a monster” Dream says, voice breaking. He turns away.
“No you aren’t” Techno says firmly. “You’re a person.”
“Y-you don’t know what I’ve done” Dream rambles, breathe shaky. “If you knew, you wouldn’t want to be my friend. You wouldn’t want anything to do with me.”
“I may have been retired but I’m not an idiot Dream. I have a pretty good idea what you’ve done” Techno says.
“And you still want to be….” Dream looks back up to Techno. Seeing the sincerity on his face, Dream trails off sounding surprised.
“Yes, nerd” Techno says with fond exasperation.
“….okay” Dream says cautiously. He turns from Techno, but not before Techno sees a smile on the other man’s face. The first truly happy smile he’s seen from Dream since he got to the prison.
“Good” says Techno. He's glad that he finally seems to be breaking through Dream's walls. The man had been alone for so long, Techno knows that he does not trust easily. He smiles to himself as they settle down again.
“Now, are you going to eat?”
“Ugh, fine” Dream rolls his eyes, taking a bite of potato.
