This was a terrible idea.

You had spent weeks trying to convince yourself that you weren't scared of Technoblade. Sure, he'd taken one of your canon lives. Sure, he was an unstoppable blood god who could wipe out entire armies without breaking a sweat. But that didn't mean you were afraid of him.

...Right?

So naturally, in an attempt to prove this to yourself, you'd marched all the way to his cabin in the middle of the frozen tundra.

The moment Technoblade opened the door and saw you standing there, something in his eyes lit up.

And that's when you knew you'd made a mistake.

Now you were sprinting through the snowy forest surrounding his home, boots slipping on patches of ice as your lungs burned.

Behind you, footsteps crunched steadily through the snow.

Not running.

Walking.

Casually.

As if this was all a game.

Technoblade's voice echoed between the trees.

"Did you know that humans used to hunt like this?"

You nearly tripped over a root.

"What?!"

"They'd chase their prey for miles." His voice sounded closer than it should have. "Persistence hunting. Humans are actually pretty bad at most things physically, but they're good at not stopping."

Your heart pounded against your ribs.

"TECHNOBLADE, I'M NOT PREY!"

"I don't know, Quackity." His tone was almost thoughtful. "You seem pretty prey-shaped right now."

You swerved around a snow-covered pine, desperately trying to put distance between the two of you.

Branches whipped against your face.

The forest seemed endless.

And somehow...

He was still gaining on you.

"Fun fact," Technoblade continued conversationally. "Most animals eventually collapse from exhaustion."

"STOP TELLING ME FUN FACTS!"

"Another fun fact—"

"NO MORE FACTS!"

Spotting a massive pine tree ahead, you dove behind it, pressing yourself against the trunk while desperately trying to quiet your breathing.

Silence.

Only the wind.

Only the distant creaking of branches.

Maybe you'd lost him.

Maybe—

Crunch.

A single footstep.

Then another.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Getting closer.

Technoblade's voice came from somewhere among the trees.

"Y'know, Quackity..."

The forest suddenly felt much, much smaller.

"I can hear you breathing."

Silence.

Then—

"Found you."

A red cape emerged from between the snow-covered pines.

And Technoblade smiled.