Chapter Text
The cyclops clung desperately to the edge of the platform, panting as he tried to scramble back up and away from the TV static that was creeping up and threatening to consume everything in its path. “Penny!” he cried, “Gumball! Where are you!?” His eye searched frantically, before falling on the two standing on top of a rooftop, clinging to each other. He was more focused on them, but he could hear their families calling for them, urging them to jump to safety.
“Guys!” he yelled, finally getting up on the platform and away from the static. “Guys, you have to jump!” Why weren’t they moving? Why were they staying still when they were clearly in danger!? A creak made him look down and see the reason - the static was creeping right under the house. “GUYS!” he yelled again, but it was already too late.
The house shifted violently, making the fairy and cat cry in alarm, before fully plunging towards oblivion. “ROB!” he heard them yell. He opened his mouth, and -
--
He jolted awake at feeling a hand against his cheek. “Rob - hey,” came the soft voice to his right, Panting and afraid, he snapped his attention over to see Penny, brows raised in concern. His eye searched her for a moment before he seemed to register that what’d happened was a bad dream. “Are you okay?” she asked quietly.
He exhaled, leaning his head into her touch slightly, eye closed before mumbling a small ‘mhm’.
“You sure? Because it sounded bad.”
“Why, was I muttering?”
“No, but you did kinda punch Gumball by accident”
His eye opened and blinked, then glanced over his shoulder at the boy behind him, who looked back at him with a slightly unimpressed expression. “Oh.” Rob gave a small awkward laugh, then grimaced. “Sorry.”
“Yeah - good morning to you too,” Gumball joked, flashing a smile to reassure the other he wasn’t mad. He then shifted onto his stomach and elbows, and asked, “What was it about anyway?”
“Uh, n- mm.” He knew he couldn’t say ‘it was nothing’, but he wasn’t exactly eager to share it. “It was just...bad,” he murmured. Gumball and Penny exchanged a concerned glance, but didn’t press him.
“Well,” Penny said, wrapping an arm around him and leaning her head on his shoulder. “We’re here if you need to talk.”
“I know,” he flashed a smile, “Thanks.” He then glanced around at the tent, having only realized it was morning. “...What time is it?”
“Eh, it’s Saturday,” came Gumball’s response. “Who cares?”
“Normally I’d agree with you, but I kinda promised St- Mr. Small I’d do something with him.” It was a lie - and he felt bad for it - but Mr. Small was the person he felt most comfortable with when it came to discussing nightmares, and he definitely wanted to speak to him while the dream was fresh in his mind. Not that it’d leave him mind any time soon.
“Alright,” Penny said, sitting up.If she knew he was lying, she wasn’t showing it. “But at least have some breakfast before you go.” Rob raised his brow, wondering why she’d say that when she knew at this point that eating was no longer a necessity for him. “Mom still doesn’t know,” she replied, answering his unspoken question.
“Oh, that’s right, isn’t it?” The girl gave a small laugh which earned a bright smile from the cyclops.
“C’mon, you two - let’s go.” The fairy and cat left the tent, but Rob hesitated, recalling the nightmare for another moment, and shuddering. What a bad way to start a morning after a good night.