Chapter Text
Quackity’s mind is in shambles, what is he doing here?
This is his safe place god damn.
His slow walk to avoid being detected is changing without his awareness into a full blown sprint, before Quackity even noticed he’s far, far from where he was what felt like just a moment ago. It doesn’t feel far enough. He hasn’t looked back once since he started his escape.
He just wants to get away from this, so he runs and runs till his legs start to feel numb from overexertion. He can hear his labored breaths.
Quackity runs ahead without checking where he’s going, stumbling from his panicked rush over the overgrown path in the forest, it doesn’t matter anyway, does it? This is a dream, a nightmare.
This is a nightmare, Quackity can feel sudden laughter bubble out of his mouth, making him finally stumble one last time before his legs give out and he lands right on the grass beneath. He barely feels the burning sensation on his knees from impact, he’s still laughing and gasping for air.
So now, of all the times his mind is plagued by nightmares? It’s not even scary! His brother hasn't even chased him, he didn’t turn around just in time when Quackity thought he could get away. He hasn't chased after him, screaming he’ll kill him, get rid of him, or capture him for the federation.
He’s still in the same forest he was before, if only a bit more overgrown, it’s nothing like what he can distantly remember his nightmares being like in the past, no white sterile environments with stupid smiling bears in sight, no cold dark pools, or windowed cages.
There's still no people nor animals around him, it’s quiet, even with his pounding heart and labored breaths, laughter slowly dying in his throat, he wraps his hands around himself while trying to control his breath. There’s nothing abnormal with anything except seeing his brother far away somewhere for no reason at all, maybe it was a hallucination? He didn’t move an inch as far as he’s aware, grumbling with annoyance at being too scared to look back to see if he was found out or not. So maybe it only looked like it was him, but in reality it was only a tree trunk or weirdly shaped bush. Other then…that, there’s nothing unusual about this dream that would point to it being a nightmare.
Or maybe that's why it’s a nightmare, his safe place, his safe haven with nothing attached to the federation, with nothing hurting him, is infiltrated by the one person he’s the most conflicted about in his life.
That’s alright then, this is a nightmare, a lookalike of his safe haven. So in no time he will wake up, and next time he’s dreaming it’s going to be the real thing, not this stupid impostor of a world.
It’s alright, it is.
Quackity can distantly feel himself scratching his arms with his nails.
He got so used to those nice dreams, getting a slightly bad one made him panic so much, it’s almost embarrassing if Quackity was honest.
Perhaps he should stop sleeping so much, losing a dream shouldn’t make him panic so much, it’s such a trivial thing to panic over, isn’t it? He got too comfortable here.
Quackity has to change something.
In the forest
“Alright, I'm done we can start getting back to the cave.” Multi said, looking at the boy sitting by the tree. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand while walking up to him.
Multi huffed a small laugh at the sight before him, Quackity was fast asleep against the tree behind him, he was drooling a bit, which Multi found disgustingly endearing to his great demise. He thought about letting him sleep for a bit longer, but it was getting darker slowly, he has no desire to encounter any monsters on their way back, thank you very much. He's already exhausted, and to be honest, he really wants to take a shower after all that sweating. He’s so jealous of Quackity, who barely broke a sweat.
He sat next to his friend on the grass and reached his hand towards Quackity’s shoulder.
“Quackity, Quackity! Wake up! We can go now.” He spoke loudly while shaking him.
He left his hand on Quackity while his eyes flickered open, a confused stare meet Multis fixed gaze right into his eyes.
"What the fuck?" He grumbled, raising a hand to rub his eyes and yawning right after. Multi gave him a second to get sorted out before speaking again, not missing how vacant his stare seems to be, he stored it in his head for a bit later to ask about.
He squeezed the hand still on Quackity’s shoulder, making him look at Multi before he spoke again.
“I’m done already, it’s getting dark soon, so we should start getting back.” Multi said, taking his hand from his shoulder.
“Oh, okay, give me a second, alright? I just woke up, man.” He said, yawning again while stretching. Jesus sleeping like that is a torture for his neck and back, wow who would have thought.
Multi nodded and started to pack their things so they could go right away. He glances at Quackity, who stopped his stretching for the sake of staring at his palms, he seems rigid. That’s strange, he was in good spirits before.
“Multi? You work on energy, right?” Quackity suddenly inquired.
Multi felt his pulse quickening at the sudden question. That's so out of nowhere. What could this be about?
“…” He slowly nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a few energy drinks lying around, would you?”
“…What?“ he sputtered, what the fuck? That’s the last thing he expected like ever.
“I-i just thought that i should cut down on sleeping so much, you know?” Quackity spoke a bit unsure.
“Oh yeah, i guess,” he spoke, confused as fuck. “Didn’t you say you, uh, love to sleep though?”
“Hey! I do love it, alright? But i shouldn’t sleep so much, i’ll just sleep...a normal amount of sleep. A good habit, it sounds good, doesn’t it?” The raven said while stretching his arms up towards the doctor, he sighed and, with a slight problem, which he does not admit to, helps him to his feet.
He ignores the knowing smirk on Quackity’s face.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” he remarked. “Why the sudden change though? You were just talking about how much you love it, like, two hours ago?” He asked, a bit confused, while they started walking back. Something still wasn’t right.
“Oh, I don’t know, i just, you know, I've been sleeping so much lately that I even fell asleep now!!” He spoke while waving his hands around, clearly irritated.
“Makes sense.” Multi nodded.
They walked in comfortable silence, Quackity still stretching and yawning once in a while.
“I only have coffee.” Multi spoke offhandly.
“What?”
“You asked if i have any energy drinks.” Multi explained and then continued. “Well i don’t, but i have coffee.”
“Ooo, will Doctor Multi make me a coffee?” Quackity snickered.
“Yeah, I will, the fancy shit, not the instant bullshit.” Multi proudly said.
“The fancy shit?” Quackity questioned him with a raised eyebrow.
“Yup, got myself a whole coffee machine and all that stuff.” Multi explained proudly. “With how much I'm drinking it while working, i might as well get the good stuff. There’s only so many times a day i can drink those instant coffees before it makes me puke.”
“Yea i guess it makes sense,” Quackity laughed and then tried and failed to muster a serious expression. ”It would be an utmost honor to try your fancy coffee Doctor Multi.”
Both of them laughed at the fake obnoxious voice Quackity tried to use and continued to walk ahead on the path towards the Polish cave.