Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tubbo knew that the election was over, it had been for days now, but Tubbo still couldn’t wipe the memories from his mind. They followed him everywhere, permanently scorched into his brain with an imaginary brand.

He could distinctly recall the horror-stricken look on Tommy’s face when Schlatt revoked his citizenship; how his features twisted into one filled with bewilderment when Schlatt called him up to the podium, and how it morphed into a look of anguish and betrayal when Tubbo accepted his newfound position as Secretary of State.

Tubbo could feel tears swelling behind his eyes. He had wanted to cry so badly when Tommy was banished, but he couldn’t. Not in front of the people who cheered as Tommy fled.

He supposed that it did him no good to try and hold them in now. He was in the privacy of his bedroom, as unfamiliar as it was. Schlatt had insisted that he move into one of the many vacant rooms of the White House once the election was over. 

Tubbo let out a strangled noise as he felt the tears he tried so hard to contain well up in his eyes, his breaths coming out uneven and short. 

Oh, Gods, he’d never see Tommy again, would he? His best friend, his brother, was gone forever and there was nothing he could do to get him back. Why didn’t he follow him, run to safety with him? Alone they might’ve been, but at least they would be together.

Thick, globulous tears ran down his face in rivers, leaving dark streaks in their wake. He choked and coughed as mucus dribbled from his nose, turning it a ruddy pink. 

He has always been an ugly crier. 

Knock. Knock.

Tubbo’s breath hitched at the sound of knuckles against his door. Who could be coming at this hour? The sun had long since set and the moon was high in the sky, no one should still be awake. 

Knock. Knock.

Tubbo frantically tried to wipe the snot and tears onto the sleeve of his revolutionary garb, it’s not like he had anything else to clean himself up with, but to no avail. If anything the tears seemed to come down harder, faster.

Knock. Knock-

“Is that you, Tubbo?” A familiar voice asked from the other side. 

Quackity . 

Tubbo inhaled sharply, nearly choking on air.

“No.” Tubbo sniffled weakly. In hindsight, he probably should’ve come up with a better lie. Then again, he’s always been bad a lying; it had always been more of Tommy’s thing. 

The reminder of Tommy caused an uncontrollable sob to breach Tubbo’s throat, causing the boy to swiftly cover his mouth with his hands in a futile attempt to muffle the sound. 

“I’m coming in, okay?” Quackity said from behind the door. Tubbo could see his doorhandle jiggling as he turned the knob. He had never felt more helpless than he did now. 

The door swung open, revealing a suit dressed Quackity. His lips were turned downwards into a worried frown. Even the beanie he always wore atop his head looked tilted and disheveled. 

“You good, Tubbs?” Quackity questioned, his brows furrowing as he awaited a response. 

“Y-Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks for asking.” Tubbo stammered, hating how his voice shook. 

Quackity simply stared at him blankly. It was clear that the man didn’t believe him. Not that Tubbo could blame him. Tear streaks still stained his face, and he was sure that there was still a hint of mucus lingering at his nostrils. He probably looked like such a wreck. 

“Hmm. Y’know I’m not sure if I believe you, bud.” Quackity stated as he strolled into Tubbo’s room, plopping down on the bed beside Tubbo. “Want to talk about it? I mean- we don’t have to if you don’t want to, but we could…” Quackity trailed off awkwardly, looking at Tubbo expectantly. 

Now, Tubbo was by no means stupid, and he knew well that he shouldn’t trust Quackity. The man had sided with Schlatt, after all. But Tubbo could see the genuine concern in the other’s brown eyes, so maybe it wouldn’t be so bad?

“It’s just that- that…” Tubbo started, desperately trying to force the words out. He could feel Quackity rub a hand along his back encouragingly. “I miss Tommy, Quackity.” He finally choked out. 

Quackity simply closed his eyes with a thoughtful hum, continuing to glide his hand along the boy’s back. 

“And I-I,” Tubbo continued, feeling fresh, hot tears start swelling up once more. “I want him back, Quackity. I want him home .” He whimpered. Tubbo felt ashamed for admitting it. He had never felt more like a child than he did at that very moment. 

Quackity opened his eyes, gazing at Tubbo in contemplation and, if Tubbo looked hard enough, sympathy. 

“You two were pretty close, huh?” Quackity began, a certain melancholy to his voice that Tubbo had never heard on the normally cheerful man. “Can’t blame you. I’d be upset if someone banished my friends too.” 

Tubbo blinked at the statement, causing the tears that were in his eyes to softly cascade down his cheeks, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he focused on the older man’s statement. 

It wasn’t like Tubbo thought that Quackity had no friends. In fact, the man seemed to get along easily with everyone, until he sided with Schlatt, of course. 

“My old friends haven’t spoken to me since the election. Sometimes… I miss them too.” Quackity confessed, his brown eyes burned into Tubbo’s blue ones. “But I made my choice, and they made theirs. So I try not to dwell on it too much.” 

Tubbo tilted his head in confusion, preparing to ask what the meaning of it was, but it seemed that Quackity wasn’t quite finished yet.

“But I can see just how close you two were, so… ” Quackity trailed off, looking around the room quickly as if whatever it held could help him during he said next. “So, I’ll see what I can do. Regarding your friend, that is.” 

Tubbo jaw fell open slightly, he couldn’t help it. Quackity, a man that had inadvertently led to the exile of his best friend, was now offering help to get him back. Tubbo must have been dreaming. 

Quackity gave him a pat on the back as he stood back up, smiling softly all the while. He walked to the door preparing to leave for the night when-

“Quackity wait!” Tubbo yelled, causing the other man to turn around to the boy. “ Thank you, ” Tubbo said earnestly, sporting a half-hearted smile of his own.

“It’s no problem, Tubbs.” Quackity giggled before leaving, closing Tubbo’s bedroom door with a soft click. As he left, however, Tubbo could see the fondness in the other’s eyes. 

Maybe Quackity wasn’t so bad after all. 

Chapter Text

Warm sunlight shined through his chamber window, landing on Tubbo’s face and highlighting his features. 

The brightness caused Tubbo to blink open his eyes blearily. It was time to get up soon, he knew. He had duties that Schlatt most likely wanted him to perform, and Tubbo had a feeling that the man wouldn’t appreciate tardiness. 

With that decided, Tubbo steadily rose into a sitting position, rubbing away the sleep from his eyes with a loud yawn. Seemed that he and Quackity stayed up longer than intended. 

After a few minutes of passed, Tubbo eventually got out of bed, instantly wishing to be back under the comforter as his bare feet touched the cold floor. The White House was always kept dreadfully cold. Apparently it ‘kept away the germs’ as Schlatt said, the man was a germophobe, Tubbo swore. Though you could draw it up to the man’s fading health, he supposed.

He slowly made his way over to the dresser, pulling out a plain green button-up and jeans. Tubbo knew that he wouldn’t be able to get away wearing such clothing forever, but he had an excuse. That being how he simply didn’t own any suits, something that Schlatt would undoubtedly seek to rectify soon, but Tubbo would enjoy himself until then. 

His thoughts drifted to his conversation with Quackity as he peeled off the L’Manburg uniform he had fallen asleep in. Even now, Tubbo couldn’t believe the man had offered to help him, though he couldn’t imagine how. Schlatt never really liked sharing power, so he doubted that Quackity had much said in the matter. Still, Tubbo appreciated the help, regardless of what side Quackity may be on.

Throwing on his casual clothing, Tubbo exited his room, slowly making his way over to the White House’s kitchen. ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ Wilbur used to say, and Tubbo didn’t plan on missing it now.

Once in the kitchen, Tubbo made himself a quick breakfast. It was nothing special, just a small bowl of cereal and milk with some toast on the side. Normally, Tubbo would have more… extravagant breakfasts, but Niki had stopped baking for everyone sometime after the election. 

Tubbo dipped his spoon into the bowl, scooping up a handful of the cereal before shoveling it into his mouth. It wasn’t very good, it was actually quite bland and-

“Tubbo.” A cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He hated how he quickly he was able to identify the speaker. 

It was no other than Schlatt, of course. Because Tubbo’s day was going so well, and the Sky-Gods clearly didn’t like it. 

“I need you to visit me in my office as soon as possible.” Schlatt continued, looking at Tubbo with an unreadable expression. Tubbo also disliked that about him. An impassive man was a dangerous one. 

“Yes, Mr. President,” Tubbo replied once he swallowed down his food, preparing to throw the rest of his uneaten meal away, only to be stopped by Schlatt, who held out a hand in front of him. 

“There’s no need to rush, Tubbo. Eat your food, then come drop by my office. Understand?” Schlatt asked, staring at Tubbo with a raised eyebrow. 

Tubbo simply nodded in response and continued eating, though at a much faster rate than before. It wouldn’t do him good to make Schlatt wait. 

Schlatt, seemingly satisfied, left the boy to his own devices. Presumably heading back to his office to fill out paperwork as he awaited Tubbo’s arrival. 

Tubbo finished his cereal not too long after Schlatt left. He stuffed his toast into his mouth and started his trek to Schlatt’s office, chewing it as he walked. He was swallowing the dry bread down by the time he approached Schlatt’s office door. 

Tubbo raised a fist to the heavy oak door, rapping his knuckles against the wood.

Knock. Knock.

His knocking was answered by a curt ‘Come in!’ from Schlatt.

With that, Tubbo pushed open the door and entered Schlatt’s office. The man in question sat in a leather chair at a polished rectangular desk, grinning at Tubbo widely, showing off way too many teeth for any normal person. He felt dread built up in his stomach.

“So, Tubbo, it’s been brought to my attention that you miss Tommy! Is that true?” Schlatt inquired. Despite his smile, the man gave no indication of how he was feeling. 

Tubbo thought about lying, he really did, but Schlatt was a master con artist for a reason. He would see through the boy like glass. 

“Yes, Mr. President-”

“Just Schlatt will do fine. We’re all friends here Tubbo.”

“Uh- Yes, Schlatt. I miss Tommy. Greatly, in fact.” Tubbo responded nervously, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his pants. 

Schlatt cocked his head slightly, humming as he did so. He stared at Tubbo carefully, seemingly calculating what to say next as he processed the information. Tubbo could feel oncoming goosebumps along his skin under the man’s scrutiny. 

“I see…” Schlatt finally said after a moment of silence. “Tubbo, do you know why I exiled Wilbur and Tommy?” 

Tubbo shook his head. 

“I exiled them because I know Wilbur, Tubbo. That man would rather let the world burn than letting it live without him. He’s a manipulator at heart.” Schlatt explained. 

Tubbo wanted nothing more than to tell him that he’s wrong. Tell him that Wilbur was a good man, yet he couldn’t. In truth, some part of him has always known that Wilbur was manipulative in more ways than one, he made children fight in a petty war after all, but what he couldn’t understand was Tommy. 

Tommy was nothing like Wilbur, so why banish him too?

Schlatt smiled a bit. “I banished Tommy because I knew he couldn’t live without Wilbur. It would’ve done more harm to separate them than good.” Oh, guess he said that out loud. 

“Okay...” Tubbo started, pausing briefly to put his thoughts in order. “So why split Tommy and I apart then? Why not just exile us together?” Tubbo questioned. He truly didn’t understand the man’s motives. Did he think that Tommy was closer to Wilbur than he was Tubbo? Okay, maybe that was true, but still- Tubbo and Tommy were practically brothers. Almost the entirety of L’Manburg knew that.

Schlatt’s smile dropped into a frown as the question, making Tubbo anxious. He wanted to avoid making the older man angry is possible. Tubbo prepared to say something, anything, to break the silence before Schlatt started speaking again. 

“Because, Tubbo, Tommy was too far gone. You, on the other hand, could still be helped .”

Now it was Tubbo’s turn to frown. He didn’t think that he needed helping, nor did Tommy. Especially not from Schlatt of all people. 

Something in Schlatt’s expression softened as he noticed the boy’s frown. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with a thumb and index finger. “Look, Tubbo, I’ll cut a deal with you.” Schlatt began, causing Tubbo to raise an eyebrow. “If you can really, and I mean really, convince Tommy to ditch loverboy back there, then I’ll let him come back.”

Tubbo, as naive as he could be at times, wasn’t stupid. He knew good and well that deals with Schlatt were unwise, dangerous even. 

“And if I can’t?” Tubbo probed. 

“Then he isn’t allowed back, simple as that,”  Schlatt said plainly, reaching a hand over the desk towards Tubbo’s. “Do we have a deal?”

Tubbo took the older man’s hand with little hesitation. He and Tommy were friends, and friends understood each other. He was sure that he could convince Tommy to join him in Manburg, the other would understand. Right?

“Deal!”

Chapter Text

Tubbo sat in his office idly, absentmindedly signing papers without giving them so much as a glance.

He didn’t know why Schlatt always insisted on giving him so much paperwork, the boy had never bothered to read through them anyway, and even if he did, his mind was currently far too preoccupied to worry about such trivial matters. 

His thoughts constantly drifted to his deal with Schlatt. 

It had sounded easy at the time. Just get Tommy to leave Wilbur and stay with him in Manburg instead, but the more he thought about it, the harder he realized it would be. 

Tubbo and Tommy were best friends, yes, but Tommy’s relationship with Wilbur went far deeper than what they had. Wilbur was practically Tommy’s older brother, maybe even father in some cases, and Tubbo… Tubbo just couldn’t compete with that. How many times has Tommy gone against Tubbo’s wishes in favor of Wilbur? Too many times to count, it seemed. 

Tubbo felt a pang of hurt bloom in his heart like a thorn-covered rose. Maybe Schlatt was right, maybe he couldn’t convince Tommy to join him in Manburg. 

Maybe, he was too far gone.

Tubbo quickly shook his head, willing the thoughts away. It did him no good to think like that. You couldn’t help someone if you didn’t believe they could be helped. He just had to find and talk to Tommy, something easier said and then done. Tubbo didn’t even know where to start looking for the blonde, he hasn’t seen a trace of him ever since the election. 

The memory of the election made Tubbo wince. He could remember Tommy’s pitiful ‘Tubbo?’ when he stepped up to the stage all those days ago. Tommy probably thought he was a traitor, didn’t he?

Tubbo ran a free hand through his hair with a sigh. This deal got more and more complicated the longer he dwelled on it. He just had to focus on finding Tommy, anything that came after? Well, that was future Tubbo’s problem.

Ding! A bell rang out throughout the White House, cutting off Tubbo’s train of thought.

Looks like lunch break had finally come around the corner, much to Tubbo’s relief. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could pretend to do paperwork for. 

Growl .

Not to mention that he had decided to skip breakfast today, a choice that he was really starting to regret as his stomach rumbled. 

With a relieved sigh, Tubbo hopped up from his chair and started making his way to the kitchen, eager to get his hands on some food. 

Upon arrival, however, he was disappointed to find that the lunchbox he normally brought with him daily was nowhere to be found.

He narrowed his eyes, trying to remember where he might have left it before-

Oh, wait. He didn’t pack himself anything today. Stupid Tubbo.

The boy facepalmed as he mentally chided himself. He had been in such a rush this morning that he had completely forgotten to make himself anything. 

With a tired sigh, Tubbo made his way to the kitchen’s refrigerator, opening it up to peek at its contents. He wouldn’t be able to make himself anything fancy, his lunch break was far too short for that, but any food was better than none in Tubbo’s book. 

“Tubbo!” A cheerful voice rang out across the kitchen, Tubbo could hear the light footsteps of someone approaching. 

Whipping around to face the source, Tubbo wasn’t surprised when he met the smiling face of Quackity. They shared the same lunch break, after all. 

“Hi, Quackity! How are you?” Tubbo asked, sporting a matching grin of his own. Quackity always seemed to light up whatever room he was in. It was almost enough to make Tubbo forget about his growling stomach. Almost . 

A pulse of hunger caused Tubbo to turn back to the still open fridge, continuing to scan through the shelves looking for a quick snack.

“Good. You?” Quackity replied as he walked to the kitchen counter beside the fridge, grabbing the brown lunch bag that sat atop it. 

“I could be better,” Tubbo responded honestly, pulling out some sliced cheese and ham from the refrigerator door.

Quackity quirked a brow, leaning over to see over the boy's shoulders. “You forget your lunch or somethin’?” 

Tubbo’s sheepish smile was the only answer he received. 

Quackity let out a sigh, playfully rolling his eyes as he snatched the cheese and ham from Tubbo’s hands.

“Hey!” Tubbo yelled. “That’s mine!”

Quackity raised the product above his head, far from where Tubbo could reach, and walked back to the counter where his lunch bag sat.

“Calm down, Tubbs! I’m makin’ your lunch.” Quackity exclaimed, the smile on his face growing wider. 

The sheer bluntness of the statement caused Tubbo to blink dumbly. Quackity was no stranger to spontaneous acts of kindness, but Tubbo just couldn’t understand why now of all places. Why him? 

“You really don’t have to do that Quackity. I’m fully capable of making it myself-”

“Nonsense, I gotcha, fam!” Quackity interrupted, dismissing Tubbo with an idle wave of his hand.

He reached an arm up to the cupboard and swung open the door, feeling around blindly for the bread. Quackity grinned triumphantly as his fingers brushed against the soft loaf.

He sat the loaf on the counter, moving his hands to his back pockets to pull out a small dagger, which he promptly used to slice off two thin pieces of bread. He unwrapped the cheese and ham from their packaging and delicately placed them on the bread slices with a sort of practiced ease, he must do stuff like this all the time. For Schlatt, perhaps?

Quackity then placed the newly made sandwich into the furnace nearby, lightly turning up the heat. 

“So,” Tubbo started awkwardly. “Do you normally make meals for people?” 

“I make food for Schlatt sometimes.” Quackity hummed. Guess that answered his last question. 

After a minute had passed, Quackity quickly pulled out the toasted sandwich and held it out for Tubbo. The bread was tinted a golden brown, the meat was warm, and the cheese had melted slightly, causing it to stick to the bread. 

Quackity smiled and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. 

“It’s not much, but it’ll tie you over.”

Tubbo took the sandwich, blowing lightly on it all the while in an attempt to cool it down. The bread burnt his fingers slightly. 

He held it up to his lips and took a bite. It wasn’t much taste-wise, but that was to be expected. The toasted bread wasn’t bad, however, one might consider it sweet. 

Good or not, Tubbo tore into the meal. His hunger returning with vigor. 

Quackity giggled lightly as he watched, then turning to grab his own lunch bag and pulling out a small piece of wrapped chicken breast. 

“Glad you like it so much, Tubbs!” Quackity chirped before taking a bite out of his own meal. 

Tubbo could feel his face turn pink in embarrassment. He had momentarily forgotten about Quackity in his hunger. 

“Thank you, Quackity. For the meal, I mean.” Tubbo stammered. He had never felt more like a child than at this moment. It made him remember all those times his parents used to make little meals for him years ago.

Quackity didn’t even look up from his own food. “It’s no problem, Tubbs. If you’d like, I can start packing lunches for you.” He said nonchalantly like it was the most normal thing in the world to pack lunches for a sixteen-year-old . 

If Tubbo didn’t already feel like a child, he sure did now. 

“That’s really not necessary, Quackity-”

“Great! I’ll start tomorrow!” Quackity cut in, smiling at Tubbo briefly before returning to his meal.

Tubbo sighed quietly. He just couldn’t win. 

Though, he couldn’t help but smile nonetheless. There was something nice about someone making food for him. It made Tubbo feel like someone cared about him. Not that Tommy and Wilbur didn’t, but he couldn’t recall them doing something this nice for him in a long time. 

Maybe feeling like a child wasn’t that bad.

Chapter Text

Tubbo was standing up at the podium. The same podium that Schlatt had stood up against the day of his election. There was a sea of people in the crowd below him, all cheering unintelligible words that blended into a cacophony of noise. They were dancing and pumping their fists in the air like Tubbo had done something amazing.

Why was he up here, again? He couldn’t remember. He wondered if he ever knew in the first place.

Tubbo couldn’t make out the faces in the crowd. All he could make out were blurry silhouettes. 

In his peripheral, he could see the figures of Schlatt and Quackity off to the side. Unlike the crowd, Tubbo could see them clearly. 

The pair were looking at Tubbo with tender, loving smiles on their faces. Quackity was clapping encouragingly, silently mouthing something that Tubbo couldn’t decipher, yet some part of his brain somehow knew that the words held warmth. 

Schlatt, unlike Quackity, wasn’t clapping. Instead, his hands were clasped together in front of him. Tubbo could see a mixture of emotions flicker in the older man’s brown eyes, something mixed with fondness and pride. It made Tubbo’s chest bloom with something unfamiliar.

Tubbo could feel his lips moving, forming words that didn’t reach his own ears.

What was he saying? Why couldn’t he hear?

Cruel, deranged laughter suddenly rang throughout the crowd. Wilbur’s form flashed amongst the people. He wasn’t blurry and could be seen clear-as-day. 

Wilbur looked wild and disheveled. He donned a torn dirt-covered trench coat. His hair was matted to his forehead and held an oily sheen. He was smiling widely, his lips were stretched tightly around his teeth. His smile was too wide to be considered human.

“Let’s blow this motherfucker to smithereens!” Wilbur shrieked, pulling out a small red button from one of the pockets of his trenchcoat. 

Tubbo felt his throat constrict tightly. What was happening?

His thoughts were cut off by the presence of heat against his back. It was comforting for a brief moment, almost like a hug, but it quickly turned into a painful burning. It started at his back before encompassing his entire being in a fiery ball of agony. 

Oh, Gods, it hurt so much.

He felt the stage collapse from underneath him, burying him in the burning rubble. Tubbo saw Quackity and Schlatt running off somewhere, surely shouting something that Tubbo couldn’t hear. 

Tubbo’s ears were ringing. He didn’t know what was happening. He wanted to go home. He wanted the burning to stop.  He wanted-

Tubbo’s eyes shot open. He clawed at his throat, a raw scream ripping its way out of it. 

He spasmed and kicked the sheets off the bed. His body was drenched in sweat. He may have not been truly on fire, but at this moment it sure felt like it. 

Tubbo felt frantic, hysteric tears stream down his cheeks. His breathing came out in quick, short breaths. He wrapped his arms around himself in a futile attempt at comfort, but it did nothing to soothe his frayed nerves. 

Fire swarmed his vision. It all had felt so real that Tubbo wasn’t sure if this was just another nightmare. 

Tubbo was so lost in his delusion, that he paid no mind to the door of his bedroom bursting open. Paid no mind to the man that ran up to his bedside, staring at him with wide, panicked eyes. 

“Tubbo! Kid!- Goddammit- are you alright?!” He asked, putting a hand on Tubbo’s shoulder and shaking him. His nails dug into the fabric of his pajamas. 

Tubbo blinked and shook his head, willing the illusion away. As his vision focused, he was met with the concerned expression of Schlatt. 

“Tubbo, are you alright?” Schlatt repeated again, softer this time. 

“I think so…” Tubbo breathed, still trying to ground himself. 

“Why were you hollering in the middle of the night?”

Tubbo bit his bottom lip anxiously. He didn’t want to talk about his nightmare, especially not to Schlatt of all people, but Niki had once told him that it was better to talk about things than bottle everything up. 

“I had a nightmare,” Tubbo confessed, notably avoiding Schlatt’s gaze. Now that he said it out loud, he truly felt childish. What esteemed Secretary of State cried over some bad dream?

Schlatt hummed, “What was it about?” 

The reply was, much to Tubbo’s surprise, caring. He had fully expected Schlatt to belittle him for it.

“It was about Wilbur, he-” Tubbo stuttered, he didn’t want to relive that God-awful nightmare. 

Schlatt must’ve noticed his hesitance, as the hand on his shoulder tightened in response. 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Schlatt told him softly. The man’s features softened in a way that Tubbo had never seen before. It almost gave Schlatt a sort of parental air around him, one that held nothing but warm tenderness. It reminded Tubbo so much of his own parents from long ago that he couldn’t help but feel comforted. 

He could only imagine what Tommy would say if he saw him like this, sucking up to the enemy, but he just couldn’t help it. Tommy always had Wilbur, but Tubbo - Tubbo had no one. Was it really that bad if he let himself have the comfort he had been denied, even just this once?

“No, I want to talk, just-” Tubbo cut himself off his a shaky exhale, steadying his thoughts. “It was about Wilbur blowing up Manburg. He blew it all to hell, Schlatt. Made sure it was all gone.”

Tubbo felt something catch in his throat, but he swallowed it down. He already felt ashamed, best not to make it worse by crying even more.

“He killed me, Schlatt. He killed me and then he laughed and laughed and laughed- ”

“Tubbo.” Schlatt interrupted, stopping the boy in his tracks. “That won’t happen, I won’t let it happen.” He said, Tubbo could make out something deadly in his tone. 

Tubbo knew he shouldn’t press further, but the child in him still desired assurance, desired comfort. 

“But what if it does?” Tubbo whispered. Though he knew that Wilbur would never blow up Manburg, why destroy the nation you helped create, after all? But some part of Tubbo doubted Wilbur; the part that grew from the seed Schlatt had planted in his brain so many days ago.

Schlatt’s horizontal pupils met Tubbo’s.

“Then I’ll kill em’,” Schlatt said with a sincerity that Tubbo was unaccustomed to. The response was cold, painfully so, and sent a chill crawling down his spine. 

Tubbo hoped that it would never come to that. 

Suddenly, Schlatt dropped his hand off Tubbo’s shoulder and smiled, tilting his head innocently at Tubbo. 

“Did that ease your fear, Tubbs?” He asks as if he didn’t just threaten Wilbur’s life. 

Tubbo nods. As much as he hated to admit it, it did make him feel a bit better to know that his country, his home, was safe. 

“Good, good,” Schlatt says, watching as Tubbo rubs his eyes tiredly, a small yawn escaping the boy. It was no shock that Tubbo would be tired, it was quite late, and there was no reason for him to stay up any longer now that his nightmare has been soothed. 

Schlatt stands up, walking over to the bedroom door. 

“Goodnight, Tubbs,” Schlatt said gently, already preparing to shut the door behind him when he hears Tubbo’s quiet, sleepy, almost inaudible reply:

“G’night, Dad.” 

Schlatt would never admit how those words made something flutter in his chest, nor how much they pleased him. 

Chapter Text

Despite not having much, the White House’s garden was truly a mesmerizing sight. 

It was made up of a long, narrow cobblestone path that led to a lone wooden bench at the trail’s end. Along the path laid clusters of peach-hued gerbera daisies mixed together with gardenias, whose white petals shone like pearls in the noon sun. Sitting behind the flowers were rows of thin trunked trees, all sprouting violet lilacs from their buds. There were other wild flora that mingled with the flowers, but their beauty hardly compared to those flowers in particular.

All the way at the garden’s end sat Tubbo, resting quietly atop the creaky old bench; years of rain had weathered down the wood considerably. 

His eyes were closed and he was humming a soft tune, absentmindedly letting the sun’s rays shine against his hair and face. 

It wasn’t often that Tubbo got to come out to the gardens anymore, it seemed that he was always swamped with paperwork or had some errand to run for Schlatt. Though, as curious as it is, the man in question had noticeably lightened Tubbo’s workload. He figured that it had something to do with him calling Schlatt ‘Dad’ only a day ago. Tubbo felt his face turn a light shade of pink at the memory. 

He couldn’t believe that he called Schlatt ‘Dad’ of all things! Tommy would most certainly wring him if he ever found out. But despite that, Tubbo didn’t exactly regret it. He was embarrassed, sure, but it was true, even if he loathed to admit it. 

Schlatt had been more family than Wilbur had ever been, more caring towards his needs too. Schlatt may have been cold, cruel sometimes, but he had somehow earned the title of a father in Tubbo’s heart. 

And Quackity! How sweet of a man he was! While Tubbo may have not considered him a father, he was still held close to the boy’s heart. In fact, Tubbo would dare say that if Schlatt was his dad, then Quackity would undoubtedly be the mother. He had been nothing short of kind to Tubbo. 

He wondered how the two would react if they knew just how highly Tubbo valued them. Schlatt technically already knew, but Tubbo had said that when he was half-asleep, so the older probably didn’t think much of it. Not that he knew what Schlatt was thinking, the two haven’t brought it up the incident since it happened.

How would Quackity react? Would he be offended that Tubbo thought of him as a parent, and a mother no less? Knowing Quackity, he’d most likely just laugh it off, treat it like some joke, but it wasn’t a joke, not to Tubbo at least. 

Tubbo groaned and dropped his head to his hands, his temples throbbing with a slowly forming headache. 

Why did this have to be so complicated? Why couldn’t he just hate the two men like everybody else in Manburg? It’d make life easier, that’s for certain. But no, Tubbo just had to start liking them, start caring about them. Wilbur and Tommy would most certainly brand him a traitor if this ever got out-

A rustling in a nearby patch of gardenia bushes snapped Tubbo out of his thoughts. The noises of movement amongst foliage wasn’t an uncommon thing for the garden, animals came in and out all the time, but this, whatever it was, sounded big. 

He turned his head to face the bushes, his shoulders tensing. 

When Tubbo saw was creeped out of the underbrush, he was shocked. He had been expected an exceptionally large fox or a wolf, not Tommy fucking Innit.

“Tommy, what are you-” 

“Shhh!” Tommy hissed, punctuating the words with a sharp cough right after. 

Tubbo simply blinked, bewilderment written across his face. He knew that seeing Tommy again was inevitable, but he wasn’t expecting to see him again so soon. 

“I can’t stay long Tubbo, I’m not even supposed to be here.” Tommy started, his voice dry and breathless, almost as if he ran here. “But I had to see you again. Had to know that you were okay.” 

Tubbo smiled slightly, Tommy could such a softy when he wanted to be.

“I’m alright, Tommy. Are you okay?” Tubbo asked, gesturing his index finger at Tommy’s body.

Tommy looked… rough, to say the least. His form, once stocky and tall, had shrunk considerably. If one looked close enough, you could see the outlines of ribs through his dirt-matted t-shirt. His blonde hair had leaves, mud, and twigs stuck in it and looked like it hadn’t been brushed in weeks.

The other was almost unrecognizable to Tubbo; the only thing that hadn’t changed was Tommy’s eyes, which shined a baby-blue and as fiery as ever.

“Yeah, I’m okay big man. Times have been tough on Wilbur and me, but we’ll get through it! In fact, we’ve already devised a plan to get Schlatt out of power, and we need your help for it!” Tommy said excitedly, his mood changing in an instant.

“Really, what do you need my help for?” Tubbo questioned, his voice remaining neutral. He didn’t want to give away any of his feelings for the president.

Tommy continued, oblivious to the boy’s uncharacteristic apathy. “We need you to be a spy, a double agent of sorts. You don’t like Schlatt, right? So it’d be a win-win for everyone!” 

A minute of awkward silence passes between the pair, making Tommy frown.

“You don’t like Schlatt, right?” Tommy repeats, an unidentifiable emotion edging into his tone. 

“Tubbo?” Tommy tries once more, his voice wavering. It was almost enough to make Tubbo feel bad. Almost.

“Tommy, I- Schlatt he-” Tubbo stuttered, desperately trying to get his thoughts together. He could still recall Schlatt’s deal like it was yesterday. He just had to make Tommy understand. 

“Schlatt said you could come back as long as you promise to not cause any trouble. Me and you can live in Manburg together, and we can be happy. We don’t have to fight anymore, Tommy! We-” 

“What about Wilbur?” Tommy interrupted, his expression held a steady impassiveness, but his voice was painfully cold. It nearly made Tubbo flinch.

Despite the less than enthusiastic reply, Tubbo was surprised. He had fully expected Tommy to shut him down as soon as the words left his lips, but it seemed like he was actually considering it, if only out of courtesy.

“Wilbur can’t come back, Tommy. Schlatt said it himself, Wilbur’s a manipulator at heart.”

Tommy’s face turned into a snarl at the words, opening his mouth to say something before shutting it abruptly, his features softening in misplaced sympathy. 

“Oh, Tubbo, what has Schlatt done to you?” Tommy whispered sorrowfully, dropping his head to stare at the ground. The betrayal and hurt in Tommy's eyes nearly made Tubbo take it all back right there. Tell the other that it was all some poorly made joke just to see Tommy smile again.

Suddenly, something in the blonde’s eyes sharpened, and he snapped back up suddenly with renewed vigor. 

“I don’t know what he's done to your brain, but I promise that I’m going to fix it, then we’ll take him down together!” Tommy stated, turning heel and running back to the bushes and into the woods. 

Tubbo wanted to tell him that Schlatt hadn’t done anything; that he wasn’t as bad as everyone made him out to be, but Tommy was long gone by the time he could speak again.

Oh, Tommy, what has Wilbur done to you?”

Chapter Text

Tubbo was sitting in one of the finely cushioned chairs at the dining room, tapping his finger against the oak table in no particular rhythm. 

The conversation he had with Tommy only a few hours prior buzzed in mind like a swarm of angry bees. 

Tommy had been so close to coming back. Tubbo wonders if he would’ve accepted the offer if he lied, told him that Wilbur was allowed back, maybe then they would’ve finally been able to have peace. It wouldn’t have lasted long if he did, Tubbo reminded himself. Tommy was bound to figure out that Wilbur wasn’t coming back eventually, and he would absolutely hate Tubbo for lying to him. 

He supposed that Tommy thinking that he was some poor, brainwashed servant of Schlatt was the better outcome. He didn’t despise Tubbo, and that gave him the opportunity to try and convince Tommy that Schlatt wasn’t so bad. Sure, he might lose Wilbur as a father figure, but then Tommy would have the chance to find a new one; one in the form of Schlatt, or even Quackity. 

But what if you don’t want that?

The obtrusive thought made Tubbo blink in confusion. 

Of course, he wanted Tommy in Manburg, why wouldn’t he?

‘Because you’re afraid that they’ll leave you. Afraid that Tommy will take the spotlight off you.’ His unhelpful brain supplied. 

Well, that didn’t make any sense. Schlatt and Quackity wouldn’t ditch him on the spot in favor of Tommy. Sure, Tommy may have been smarter, faster, and stronger than Tubbo could ever hope to be, but they wouldn’t just leave him.

Right?

To be fair, it’s not like they knew just what Tubbo thought of them. They really had no real reason to stick around. 

Tubbo’s hand raised to his hair, pulling lightly on the locks in an attempt to distract himself. 

He could hear Quackity humming a room over, echoing from the kitchen into the dining room. The other was making Tubbo lunch, as he insisted on doing days prior. 

He didn’t think he could ever comprehend the man’s kindness towards him. Tubbo didn’t think he could handle losing Quackity just because he saw the other as a parental figure. It was never good to bottle things up, but Tubbo concluded that he’d rather keep that bit of information to himself. He’d rather just indulge in the other’s company quietly. 

The sound of dress shoes clicking against the tile floor rang throughout the dining room as Quackity started making his way towards him. 

“Aye, Tubbs! I gotcha some lunch!” Quackity exclaimed cheerfully, walking into the dining room with two small brown bags in both hands. Once at the table, he sat down one of the bags in front of Tubbo and pulled out a seat beside him, setting down his own lunch bag. 

Tubbo’s mood lifted and he squashed down whatever sadness may have lingered, he didn’t want to burden Quackity with his problems. Let alone problems about the man in question. 

“Thanks, Big Q! You’re the best!” Tubbo responded in an equally joyous manner. If one didn’t know any better, then they probably would’ve missed the underlying sorrow in his tone, but Quackity wasn’t one of those people. 

He quirked a brow at Tubbo as he pulled out a small chicken sandwich from his bag. 

“Somethin’ wrong, Tubbs?” Quackity asked. 

Tubbo unwrapped his bag and pulled out a sandwich, it had been cut into a tiny triangle. Quackity even cut off the crust, that sap.

“Nothing’s wrong, Big Q. I was just thinking.”

“Thinkin’ about what?” 

“It’s nothing important.” Tubbo replied, taking a bite out of his sandwich. He hummed in contentment as he did so, letting Quackity know that his food was appreciated. 

Quackity simply stared at Tubbo for a bit, as if staring the boy down would make him spill his secrets. After a minute, he shrugged and went back to eating his own food. If Tubbo didn’t want to talk, then Quackity wouldn’t make him. Not now, at least. 

“Alright, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.” Quackity started, using that same lecturing tone that his parent’s used to use.

“It’s fine, Big Q, really-”

“Schlatt’s also here for you, even if he’s a bit distant and cold sometimes-”

“Quackity! It’s okay.” Tubbo interrupted, sighing as he did so. He wasn’t truly mad, no he could never be mad with Quackity, but it always surprised him just how much Quackity cared. It was almost tiring, but Tubbo appreciated it nonetheless. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but I just want you to know that we care about you.” Quackity told him, looking Tubbo straight in the eyes. His tone had sounded so sincere that Tubbo couldn’t help but choke up a little, though he hid it from Quackity. 

“Thanks D- Quackity.” Tubbo said, feeling a slight blush creep onto his cheeks. He almost called Quackity ‘Dad’ , it was his incident with Schlatt all over again.

Thankfully, Quackity didn’t seem to have noticed, as he just smiled and gave Tubbo a quick “You’re welcome.”

Despite the conversation seemingly ending, Quackity still held a perturbed look on his face, occasionally glancing in Tubbo’s direction. He knew that Quackity wanted to know what was bothering him, but he’d die of embarresment if it ever got out. Tubbo just flashed Quackity a small smile at the looks. 

He didn’t need to know Tubbo’s thoughts.

Tubbo was, as per usual, stuck signing papers in his office. At this point, he would rather have Schlatt send him on a suicide mission to the nether then be sitting in a chair all day. At least he’d have something to do then, short lived as it would be… 

It was a quiet, almost tentative knock that broke Tubbo out of his stupor. 

With a slight shake of his head, Tubbo let out a curt “Come in!”, quickly scrambling around to put his papers in order. He had to make things look relatively neat for Schlatt’s untimely arrival.

Shockingly enough, instead of the horned man Tubbo had expected, he was instead met with Quackity, who had on the same nervous expression he had earlier that day.

“Hey, uh, Tubbs. I noticed you were looking kind of down earlier—”

Tubbo interrupted Quackity with a lighthearted sigh. “I told you it was fine didn’t I?” 

“Well yeah, but I just wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to the river? Y’know, the one that flows through Manburg a little ways from here?” Quackity asked quickly, his eyes darting back and forth. It’s like he was afraid that Tubbo would reject his offer. 

The thought alone made Tubbo smile. Why would he ever reject something from Quackity, especially since he’s been so kind to him so far? It was a silly thought, really. 

“Of course I’ll go with you, Big Q!” Tubbo said cheerfully, a grin encompassing his face. 

Quackity broke out into a matching grin of his own at the statement. “Really? That’s great, we’ll head down there tomorrow!” Quackity chirped, his eyes twinkling in excitement. 

Quackity then turned around, talking as he headed for the door. “Oh, and make sure to bring your swimsuit!” He remarked, swinging open the door and preparing to leave for the day when an idea suddenly struck Tubbo. 

“Hey, Quackity?” Tubbo started, watching as Quackity stopped and looked at Tubbo from over his shoulder. “Could we— If you’re up for it, that is— invite Schlatt too?” He asked as he slowly approached Quackity, gauging the other’s reaction carefully. Tubbo wasn’t sure what terms Quackity and Schlatt were on, or if Quackity had just planned this out to be just a him and Tubbo thing. Either way, Tubbo didn’t want to accidentally offend Quackity by any means. 

Quackity just blinked, thinking hard for a moment. “We could try? I’m just not sure if he’d be interested in that sort of thing, the guy can’t exactly swim y’know.”  

“I know, but—” Tubbo paused, looking for some excuse as to why Schlatt should go. It’s not like he could just tell Quackity that he just wanted to spend time with them both, his pride simply wouldn’t allow it. “We could teach him.” Tubbo finished, though it sounded more like a question than a statement. 

Quackity just shot the boy an amused, knowing look, seeing straight through Tubbo’s facade instantly. 

“Whatever you say, Tubbs.” Quackity teased, reaching up a hand to ruffle Tubbo’s hair with, making the other flush. “But yeah, I’ll ask Schlatt, no promises though.” He relented, smiling at Tubbo slyly. 

“Thanks, Big Q!” Tubbo laughed. 

Quackity offered no reply, simply slipping out of Tubbo’s office. He didn’t need to, as Tubbo could hear Quackity‘s laughter ringing throughout the White House as he left. 

Tubbo, now content, went back to sit at his desk. Rummaging through his paperwork with a bit more enthusiasm than previously.

He couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Tomorrow came around quickly, much to Tubbo’s pleasure.

He was already sitting at the riverbank’s edge, playfully lifting up handfuls of sand and letting it sift through his fingers, watching as it fell back down quietly. Occasionally, he’d get a small shell or two, maybe even a shiny pebble, which he’d promptly place into a pile beside him. Then, he’d repeat it all over again. 

Tubbo was dressed in nothing but a pair of pale yellow swim shorts with thin black stripes that lined the edges. He had previously contemplated swearing a shirt to match before coming, but the air had been warm enough to not need one. 

In fact, the temperature outside was perfect for swimming in. There was a nice, dry heat that was just hot enough to be comfortable without making him wish he could take off his skin. 

The river itself only proceeded to compliment the nice weather further with sky blue hues and turquoise steaks dancing across the water’s surface. Even the sand seemed to sparkle white in the sunlight. 

“Tubbs, over here!” A familiar voice yelled, stemming from behind him. Tubbo whipped around to face the newcomer, a grin on his lips. 

“Big Q!” Tubbo chirped, standing up with a soft huff before running over to Quackity, taking care to prevent rocks from sticking to his bare feet. 

Quackity was, unsurprisingly, dressed in a similar fashion to Tubbo. He wore long, light blue swim shorts and had no shirt covering his chest, much like Tubbo. In one of his hands, he clutched the handle to a finely woven picnic basket. 

What was surprising, however, was the flecks of yellow that dotted Quackity’s upper arms, all clustering into tiny yellow fuzz that culminated at his shoulders. To make matters stranger, the other had two small wings of the same color sticking out from his shoulder blades, folded neatly against his back. 

Tubbo blinked dumbly at the protrusions. Has Quackity always had wings? It’s not like he ever saw them before, but then how did he Quackity even manage to hide them? Was Tubbo really that inattentive? 

Quackity only cocked his head at Tubbo’s prolonged silence, evidently just as confused as he was. 

“Have you—uh, always had wings, Big Q?” Tubbo asked tentatively, making small semi-circles in Quackity’s direction with his hand. 

Quackity squinted at Tubbo, his nose scrunching up as he processed the question. After a moment, the man suddenly reared back, his mouth forming into a slight ‘Oh’ of realization. 

“Ah, I totally forgot that you didn’t know, Tubbs,” Quackity said with a sheepish grin, rubbing a hand along his nape. “I’m not sure why I thought I told you, guess I just got too comfortable.” 

“How did you hide them?” Tubbo questioned, he had no idea how the man managed to hide such ridiculously tufted plumage.

“I normally just stuff them into my suit. Kind of uncomfortable, but it’s a necessity.”

It was Tubbo’s turn to cock his head, “Why do you need to hide them?” 

Quackity looked around nervously, pointedly not looking at Tubbo and rubbing a hand along his nape. How should he approach this?

“Well, ya see Tubbs, not everyone likes hybrids, so it’s just easier to hide them,” Quackity explains plainly. There were certainly more gruesome aspects to it, but it wasn’t something he needed to burden the kid with. 

“Okay…” Tubbo starts, his voice still laced with apparent confusion. “If it’s easier to hide them, then why doesn’t Schlatt hide his horns?” 

Quackity just hummed thoughtfully, idly moving a hand up to tuck a few strands of loose hair back under his beanie as his eyes darted every which way. A nervous tick, Tubbo noted. 

“Well, Tubbs, Schlatt’s just more confident than me—more confident than I’ll ever be, that’s for damn sure…” Quackity told him, trailing off at the end with a voice laced faintly with woe and— for just a moment—Tubbo would dare say that the man was even sad. Tubbo had never seen Quackity truly upset, not even once. He could hardly comprehend the thought of Quackity being sad, it just wasn’t something feasible, but yet there it was.  

Tubbo, with a small frown etched into his features, opened his mouth to say something. He wasn’t sure what it was he wanted to say exactly, but anything would’ve been better than seeing his friend upset. Perhaps he wanted to offer words of comfort, or maybe even ask what ailed him, but it went unsaid as Quackity quickly started speaking again. 

“Honestly though, how would he even hide them? The tips of that man’s horns are so sharp they’d probably rip through any hat he tried to wear!” He joked, a smile returning to his face in seconds. His yellow feathers ruffled up as he brushed past Tubbo, walking to the river’s bank to set down the basket.

And just like that, the moment was over. Tubbo made a mental note to ask Schlatt about hybrids later. 

He turned towards Quackity, starting to make his way over to the man when a new, though familiar, voice called out from the forest thicket. Tubbo didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. 

“You assholes started without me!” Schlatt yelled as he aggressively pushed his way through a bush, kicking off the spare leaves and mud stuck to his hooves. 

The horned man hadn’t even been here for a minute and he already looked miserable. 

The cream-colored fur lining his legs had small twigs tangled in the fur, and Tubbo could even make out clumps of dirt and debris hanging off some of the longer hair tips. His hair, normally gelled and combed suavely to the side, was jutting up unevenly at odd angles. That, however, wasn’t even the oddest part. In fact, the weirdest part was that Schlatt wasn’t wearing a suit! Instead, the man had opted for dark red swim shorts, lined with white and pink stripes alongside each other. 

Honestly, Tubbo didn’t even know that Schlatt owned anything other than a suit, let alone a bathing suit of all things. Just one more thing to add to the ever-growing list of things he was learning about Schlatt. 

“Ayy, Schlatt!” Quackity beamed from the bank as he slowly unpacked a large red and white checkered blanket from the picnic basket, laying the blanket out and spreading it generously along the sand. “You told me you weren’t coming! What changed?” 

Schlatt just huffed as he stomped over to the bank, Tubbo following suit. “Well. I managed to make some room in my schedule—“ 

Quackity’s loud, audible gasp cut off the other as he grinned widely as if struck with a wonderful realization. “Wait, are you telling me that you actually—“ Quackity faked a sniffle, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye and placing a hand dramatically on his forehead. “ Wanted to spend time with us!” 

Schlatt reared back as if he had been hit, frowning with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes. For a moment, he actually looked thoughtful, as if he hadn’t considered that a possibility, only for it to dissipate in a second. The look quickly replaced with a scowl. 

“Hah! Me, wanting to spend time with you, ridiculous!” He snorted, hooves sinking slightly in the sand as he padded to the blanket Quackity was setting up. 

Tubbo followed, sitting down crisscrossed beside Schlatt, smiling at the pair's banter. It was nice just bickering back and forth, not a suit or document in sight. Why not join in on the fun? 

Tubbo mocked Quackity’s gasp from earlier, doing his best to seem hurt. “I thought you liked spending time with me, Schlatt?” 

Schlatt let out a strangled sound and spun to face Tubbo, ears twitching wildly. 

“I do like spending time with you Tubbo, it’s just that—“

“So you admit it!” Quackity interrupted, grinning all the while.

Schlatt’s face curled into a snarl and he stomped angrily, kicking up sand. “No! I just—“ 

He was cut off again, this time by Tubbo’s laughter. The boy couldn’t help it, it was actually kind of fun to rile up the esteemed president of Manburg. No wonder Quackity did it so often. 

Schlatt’s face softened at the sound. “I hate you both.” He huffed, though there was no real bite behind the words. 

The trio settled into a comfortable silence for a moment, one that was swiftly broken by Quackity.  

“So… Now that we’ve gotten our greetings out of the way, why don’t we get swimming!” He bubbled, standing up and puffing his wings out, shaking sand from the feathers. 

“That’s fine with me!” Tubbo exclaimed, a grin spreading across his features. The sun was high in the sky, and he could feel the temperature rising with each passing second. Now was ample time to get wet. 

Quackity replied with a short but excited ‘Hell yeah!’, and the two started making their way to the river, Quackity in the lead. 

Tubbo, however, didn’t hear the familiar sound of a third pair of footsteps following after and turned to face his superior, confusion written on his face. 

Schlatt, instead of following him and Quackity, was languishing on the blanket and lavishing in the warm glow of the sunlight. Tubbo was tempted not to disturb the man, it was by far the most peaceful he’s looked in… well, ever, but curiosity won the better of him. 

“You coming, Schlatt?” He asked, peering at the older. 

Schlatt yawned, lazily opening an eye to look over at Tubbo. “Nah, you two go ahead. I don’t like swimmin’ anyways.” 

“Then why are you wearing a swimsuit?” 

“Tubbs, how do you think I got this gorgeous tan?” Schlatt grinned, sprawling himself further out on the blanket. He looked like he was preparing for a nap. 

Taking the hint, Tubbo left the other alone, opting to make his way over to Quackity instead, who, in the brief amount of time the conversation took place, had already made himself comfortable in the water. He was playfully splashing around, wings splayed for the world to see as he swam in small, slow circles in typical duck fashion. The man had never looked more in his element. 

Tubbo began his own journey into the water, wading into the slowly moving river steadily, taking care not to trip on any straw rocks. Thankfully, the water was pleasantly warm against his skin and made the descent easier. 

Quackity had swum his way over to him by the time he was waist-deep into the river, humming a tune as he went. 

Initially, Tubbo paid the other no mind, instead choosing to focus on getting deeper into the water, but a conspicuous movement of Quackity’s arms caused him to look curiously at the other. 

“What are you doing?” Tubbo questioned, squinting his eyes at the other man. 

Quackity just giggled, keeping both hands behind his back in a display of faux innocence. “Nothing~!” He chirped, not looking directly at Tubbo. 

“I somehow don’t believe you.” 

“Well, if you don’t trust me so much, why don’t you come closer and find out, hmm? ” 

Now, Tubbo could recognize clear bait when he saw it, but alas, his curiosity got the better of him once more. He really had to learn that curiosity killed the cat. 

Once in range, Quackity suddenly swung his arms forward, using the momentum with the help of his wings to send a surge of water splashing in Tubbo’s direction, quickly drenching him in water.

Oh, so that’s how he wanted to play. 

Tubbo sent some water flying at Quackity in retaliation, giggling triumphantly when it hit his chest. 

The hybrid then ducked into the water, submerging himself into its murky depths seamlessly. 

Tubbo’s eyes swiftly scanned the water’s surface. They weren’t too deep in the river yet, so Quackity was bound to cast some sort of shadow, though the water’s cloudiness made it hard to make out.

Eventually, his eyes landed on a large circular spot to his side. 

Got him.

Smirking, Tubbo slowly made his way to it, doing his best not to disturb the water around him, lest he alert Quackity. Slinking over, Tubbo got as close to the shadow as possible, raising his arms up as he prepared to tackle the other and—

Wait, what? 

Whatever Tubbo was holding didn’t feel like a person at all; it was hard, rough, and—

It was a rock. He mistook a rock for Quackity, which was certainly not going to end well for him. His fears were confirmed as he heard the dreaded sound of someone emerging from the water behind him. 

“AH!” Tubbo squealed as a small wave of water suddenly hit his back. Spinning around the boy was met with the smiling face of Quackity, who was giggling to himself hysterically. Tubbo prepared to hurl water at the other, but Quackity had quickly retreated back into the depths as Tubbo swung. That fiend. 

This was going to be a long day.

Schlatt had watched the pair play in the water for a while, gazing half-lidded through his eyelashes as his mind wandered elsewhere.

He was loathed to admit that he had grown some sort of affection for the two, something that Quackity had helped him realize earlier that day. After all, why would he clear out his schedule just to hang out with them? It’s not like he even had the time for it, with all that paperwork he had been taking on. Technically, he could’ve just gotten Tubbo to do it, but he had seen just how much the kid hated doing it and-- 

Oh, Gods, he really was becoming soft, wasn’t he?

Huffing, Schlatt rolled over onto his stomach, resting his head on both his folded arms. A nap would do him some good, clear out his head. Besides, Tubbo and Quackity were distracted, he had no paperwork in his midst, and the sun was washing over him like a warm, cozy blanket. What would be the harm in simply drifting away for a while? 

Everything, apparently.

Schlatt was rudely awoken by something large, cold, and wet pressing insistently into his side, as if whatever it was trying to claw its way inside him through his hip. 

He let out a curt warning growl, not in the mood to deal with people after he’s been woken up. The pressing stopped momentarily before immediately starting up once more, the figure somehow more persistent than before. 

Cracking open an eye, Schlatt craned his head back to face the figure, fully intending to verbally bite their head off, only to be met with the bright blue eyes of Tubbo staring back at him, blinking innocently as he shuffled fruitlessly into his side. 

“What the fuck are you doing, Tubbs?” Schlatt asked, voice still groggy from sleep. “You act like you’re trying to steal my kidneys.”

“Cold,” Tubbo answered, and only now could Schlatt hear the boy’s teeth clicking quietly together.

Schlatt sighed heavily, reaching a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Well, why don’t you get a towel?”

“Quackity didn’t bring any.” 

Schlatt shot a look at Quackity, who was standing beside the two, smiling nervously. “Quackity,” Schlatt started, smiling sweetly with barely contained annoyance. “Why didn’t you bring towels?” 

Quackity gulped and shuffled in place before replying. “Ducks don’t really need towels, since water just kind of falls right off them, but I—uh,” He paused, reaching to tuck in stray hairs back into his beanie, making sure to flash Schlatt his most award-winning smile as he did so. “I may have forgotten that Tubbo was not a duck…”

Schlatt flashed a quick glance at Quackity before looking back at Tubbo's shivering form with another long-winded sigh. “ Fine, you can stay till you're dried off.” He told him, doing his best to ignore Quackity’s cooing. 

Tubbo gave him a small smile as he burrowed into his side once more, trying to tuck himself under one of the man’s arms. 

Closing his eyes, Schlatt tried to ignore the freezing ball resting at his side and drift back off to sleep.

Abruptly, he felt something fluffy brush against his side, the one Tubbo wasn’t laying against, only to move up and lay across his back instead. Snapping open his eyes, he looked over to where he felt it, only to be greeted with a yellow wing draped across his back with Quackity resting to his other side. Schlatt stared at his Vice for a moment, hoping that looking at him long enough would provide him some answers as to what he was doing, but Quackity didn’t even bother to look at him, instead opting to hum a soft, foreign tune. 

Realizing that the bastard wasn’t going to tell him anything soon, Schlatt just laid his head back down. He’d probably scold the two later, as they were government officials and  not family—

But he’d let it slide for now.