Work Text:
Philza sighed as he left Techno's brand new house, whipping his hands matter of factly and kicking the door close on his way out.
"I think that's the last box."
"Great, now let's make slushies."
"I'm sorry what?" Phil laughed out at the piglen man.
"I don't see any issue here. I simply want to make slushies."
Phil laughed as he clasped his hands together.
"I really don't understand what's so funny about slushies Phil. Wait, you do do know what slushies are right, I mean you are pretty old Phil"
"I'm not that old you little shit!"
"Cool, cool, so anyways let's make slushies. Come on, before mobs start spawning."
"Jesus fuck what is with you and slushies?"
Techno just glared at Phil as a response, startling the old man. It was unusual for Techno to glare at him. Not as a joke or due to embarrassment, but an actual glare. What had he said that hit a nerve?
"Alright fine, we'll make slushies."
Satisfied with his friend's answer, Techno passed his friend a bucket before heading into the forest behind him. Phil of course followed right behind him, precisely placing his small feet in the footsteps of his larger friend, he was not wearing the proper attire for the arctic which was becoming more and more obvious as the darkness neared.
And so that was how the next hour went, Techno stopping at every bush and tree to collect its fruit while Phil trailed behind with a bucket. By the time they got back to the house the bucket was heavy with fruit.
"So what now?"
"Now we play Fruit Ninja Phil."
Phil struggled not to drop the bucket on his feet with laughter as Techno drew his sword.
"Mate, the snow's gonna absorb all that juice and someone's gonna end up with a black eye the size of an apple!"
"Good thing it's not gonna be me" Phil was forced to dodge as an apple was thrown at his face, producing a low squawk from the winged man.
"NOT COOL DUDE!"
"PHIL! WATCH OUT! AHHHHHHH!"
Phil was gently thrown out of the way as Techno made quick work of the baby zombie behind him. Phil laughed from his spot on the ground as his piglen friend huffed in front of him.
"We should fill the buckets with ice before more mobs spawn."
"Right right."
"So you're really not gonna tell me why you wanted slushies so badly?"
Techno glared at him again as he whipped a bit of berry and apple slushie off his tusks. Phil quickly fixed his widened eyes and took the surprised look off his face as techno bent down for another drink from his bucket.
"Sorry, didn't realize it was that private."
Techno cast him a side glance as he drank, an eyebrow raised.
"I'm not gonna force you to tell me anything dude." Phil responded to the piglen's non-asked question as he raised his own bucket towards his lips.
…
"Piglen skin can't feel temperature, Phil"
Phil paused, bucket raised, as his eyes wandered over toward his friend. His demeanor had changed. His once cheerful and sarcastic friend had quickly gone from mad and confused to, oh how would you describe it, sad? He sat stiffly, his head bowed, arms resting on his lap, his slushie in a bucket laid down by his feet. He sat silently as the cogs turned in the winged man's head.
"Oh Techno." Phil said as he turned toward his friend, pity written all over his face, wait no, not pity, sympathy. His friend didn't pity him, didn't look at him like he was a freak or a lesser being as others had done in the past. No, his friend actually cared, and he quickly showed it as he wrapped Techno in a hug of fabric and feathers. The man radiated warmth, even if Techno couldn't feel it. The message was clear. Phil still loved(PLATONICALLY/LIKE A SON THIS IS NOT A SHIP, I REPEAT NOT A SHIP) and cared about Techno no matter what, it didn't matter what was wrong with him, the man still had no intention of leaving, he would continue to give him more than he deserved.
"There is nothing wrong with you Techno, no matter how different you may be from the other people around, if anything that just makes you more special. Now don't you dare think less of yourself because of something you can't control you little shit! I won't rest until you get into your head that you deserve all the things you have, except for the arrest warrant, alright?!"
Phil always seemed to do that. Saying exactly the right words that you needed to hear, as if he could read your mind. Techno's face played a small smile on and off as he leaned into the embrace, finally letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, along with it left the fear of judgment over his weird piglen trait that he hadn't been aware had collected over the years.
And so that's how they sat for the rest of night. Techno eventually drifting off into sleep and Phil doing the same moments after. No mobs dared to bother the duo that embraced on a log, fast asleep as Mother Nature tucked them in with a blanket of snow, and the slushies between their feet quickly forgotten.