Chapter Text
He woke up, tears streaming down his face and his voice raw with sobs. Schlatt’s name left his mouth in a pained breath. His nightmare plagued him in the conscious world, his ex’s hands ghosted over his skin, reminding him of years of hidden bruises. He felt something shift beside him, sparking a jolt of terror to run through his bones. He clambered out of bed, ripping off his beanie in his rush to the bathroom.
Karl and Sapnap awoke, their eyes clouded with confusion and sleep. Glancing at the empty spot in the bed, they looked at each other understandingly. Both worried for their partner, they left the bed to look after Quackity.
Quackity was curled on the bathroom floor, knees to his chest and heart to the floor. His hands yanked at his inky black hair, ripping at the strands in an attempt to focus his mind. That was why he always wore his beanie, a form of protection against himself. The beanie was like a netherite helmet, a semblance of reassurance. It hid his hair from prying eyes filled with pity. The raven locks were in a constant state of chaos, pulled into tangles that pointed in all the wrong angles.
A knock interrupted his suffering, followed by a timid voice asking if he could come in. Quackity immediately shook his head; despite wanting his fiances, he didn’t want to spread his pain to them. Hushed whispering filtered through the door at the silence, he’d forgotten that they couldn’t see his face.
“Quackity, we’re coming in.”
The door handle rattled slightly; Quackity had forgotten how good Sapnap was at picking locks. The door opened, exposing the bathroom to the dim bedroom light. Quackity’s face was still buried in his arms, his hair in messy clumps that framed his eyes.
Karl spoke up, his voice quiet and questioning; “Is touch okay?”
Quackity whimpered, his voice a high whine, as he retreated further into his hoodie. Karl reached a tentative hand towards his shoulder, only to cause Quackity to scramble away. They stayed silent for a moment, all three fiances crowded into the small room. A second later Quackity was wrapped in a pair of powerful arms. He froze in shock before trying to squirm away in fear.
Sapnap’s rumbling voice stopped him, “just tell me if this is uncomfortable and I’ll let go.”
Quackity hesitated. The warmth of Sapnap’s chest soothed the fear in his heart and calmed his racing mind. It meant everything that Sapnap had given him the chance to choose. He had the option to ask to be left alone or to be held, something he’d never received from Schlatt. Quackity responded by burying his face in the crook of his fiance’s neck, allowing his tears to flow freely. Karl joined the hug, one hand wrapped around Sapnap’s waist and the other in Quackity’s hair. His thin fingers ran through the obsidian knots, carefully untangling them in a well-practiced motion.
“We love you Q,” Karl murmured.
“Very much,” Sapnap added in a voice reserved for the three of them. Quackity didn’t trust his voice, instead he let out a breathy sob and threw his arms around his partners. They stayed like that for a while, Sapnap softly stroking the feathers on Quackity’s wings and Karl running his hands through the tangles of hair.
Quackity began to fall asleep, wrapped in the warmth of his fiances and the cold of the bathroom floor. He was only half awake when he was picked up, carried to bed, and wrapped tightly in the comforter. Too drowsy to pay attention, he missed the quiet whisperings of comfort. He simply slipped into a deep slumber.
<>
He woke up late, the sun was already shining through the wispy curtains and the house was filled with the clanging of work. He slipped out of bed, tugging on his beanie and padding towards the kitchen. He froze when he heard voices, their low voices filtering into the hall.
“Do you think we should have stayed with him?”
“We kept watch all night, I think he should be okay.”
“He doesn’t usually sleep in this late. Maybe I should go check on him again.”
“It’s alright, Karl, I think he just needs rest. I’ll reheat breakfast when he comes down.”
The pair fell silent, giving Quackity the opportunity to make his entrance. He was feeling even worse knowing that the two had stayed up all night to watch over him. He hated making them worry.
Still, he threw on a smile and sauntered into the kitchen. Happiness and jokes were a wonderful mask for pain.
“What’s this then,” he grinned, “my two favorite people having breakfast without me?” Fake it till you make it, right?
Karl lit up, immediately leaping from his chair to grab the Quackity in a bear hug. Sapnap followed closely behind, pressing a soft kiss on the mexican’s beanie. Quackity sank into their touch, his mood growing with every second.
Sapnap was the first to pull away from the hug, gesturing dramatically to the kitchen. “You were asleep for ages,” he jokingly complained, “I’ll have to reheat breakfast.”
Quackity grinned and shook his head, “I’m perfectly happy with cold eggs and toast.”
Karl shook his head adamantly; “Sapnap made pancakes!”
The beanie-clad man lit up, his heart warming at their thoughtfulness. Pancakes were Sapnap’s specialty and happened to be Quackity’s favorite food in the world. They were only made for special occasions; it was a treat to have them on an ordinary sunday. He noticed that the table was set with pristine cooking ware, untouched by the pair before him. He felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of making them wait to have breakfast.
Karl seemed to read his mind as he said “don’t worry, we didn’t wake up long before you anyhow.”
Quackity knew this was a lie, he’d heard them discussing how they’d stayed up all night to keep watch. Still, he felt comforted by Karl’s reassuring words.
Pancakes were ready in a heartbeat and Sapnap bustled into the kitchen with his arms laden in platters. Quackity immediately moved to help, taking the bowl of strawberries and whipped cream from the younger’s elbow. Sapnap smiled in thanks before dropping the plates unceremoniously onto the kitchen table.
The trio gathered around to eat. Soon their plates were stacked with pancakes drenched in maple syrup and nutella. They had never been ones to shy away from junk food. With his hunger satiated and his mood lightened, Quackity felt the night’s guilt lessen. He owed his happiness to the two men sitting in front of him and vowed to never give them up.