Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

quondam

/kwändəm/

(adj.) once but no longer; former

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Pounding footsteps. Labored breathing. Loud heart beats. 

Quackity tried focusing on anything but the silence. The heroes just beyond the dumpster he was hiding behind were seeming to get frustrated. They’ll give up soon , he thought, they always do. He watched Blaze sigh before talking into his comm.

“They got away again, Rewind.” He said, irritation clear in his voice. “We’ve got to get this person, dude. They can’t keep getting away with this.”

Quackity waited until he couldn’t hear the man’s footsteps anymore before he left his hiding spot. The money he’d stolen felt heavy in his bag and he couldn’t help but feel guilty. 

No, he reminded himself, you’re doing this for him. There’s no other way.

After stopping at the store, he made his way back home. The house wasn’t much. There were several leaks, the oven hardly worked, a few of the windows were broken, and some of the wood was rotting. But it was what they had. Plus, they needed the money for food and couldn’t afford all that maintenance. He would call his dad but…he doesn’t know if he’d want to see him again. Not after what happened when he left.

He opened the door quietly, knowing Purpled was asleep in their room. Quackity began putting away the groceries. He stuffed the small freezer with microwave dinners and pretended not to notice their nearly-empty fridge. 

He sighed and closed the fridge door, instead choosing to take in the room around him. Quackity didn’t want to live like this, but at this point, it was a means of survival. This was what they had, and he was going to use it. 

One day, they’ll get out of this dump. He knew it. If not for himself, for Purpled (and Tubbo. His poor, sweet little Tubbo).

Quackity sighed once more and walked through the small living room into the bedroom they shared. Relief flooded his body when he saw his son was still there. His chest rising and falling with every breath he took.

He smiled and made his way to the queen-sized bed. Quackity took off his beanie (surprised?) and snickered as he pushed it over his son’s head, mindful of the antennae sticking out. 

The kid had only recently started getting his powers, and Quackity was shocked to see a total of four eyes on his kid’s face. He also apparently had two extra pairs of arms he could manifest if he so pleased (he joked that Purpled was an alien from outer space).

Quackity himself was a shapeshifter, which came as a shock to his bio parent, who both decided to kick him out once he changed into something one could only have nightmares about. Then, he was taken and—

Whatever. Either way it doesn’t matter, he’s not shifting again. Not unless Purpled’s life depends on it.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

When Quackity woke up the next morning, it was to Purpled’s insistent poking and complaining.

“Daaaaaaad!” He whined, “Get uuuuuuup!”

Quackity groaned and threw a pillow at him. “Shut up, kid, I’m tired.” He said.

“You have to take me to school.” 

Fuck. That’s right.

He sat up slowly, squinting in the sunlight. Quackity looked pointedly at Purpled, “School, you say?” He said.

“Yes, school.” He rolled his eyes. “If I don’t go to school, how will I learn to be as smart as The Blade?” 

Ah, yes. The Blade. His son’s favorite superhero. He also happened to be the one that gave Quackity the long scar on his face. Fucking traitor. 

“Right, right, of course.” He said. Listen, just because he hated The Blade didn’t mean his kid had to. “You’re gonna learn everything you possibly can and we’re gonna get you into the Academy.”

Purpled’s eyebrows furrowed. “But the Academy costs money, Pops.” He said, “We’re tight on money as is, I’m not gonna make you waste it because I’ve got some stupid dream.”

Quackity huffed, “It’s not wasting if it makes you happy, kiddo. Besides, by the time you’re old enough, we’ll probably be loaded. And you’ll be so smart and talented that they’ll be practically begging you to go to their school.” He snatched the beanie from Purpled’s head and put it on his own.

He blushed, “Shut up, Dad. There’s tons of kids at school who’re better than me.” Purpled muttered.

Quackity spun around to face his son, “What are you talking about, Purp?” He was hit with a sudden realization. “Has someone been telling you that? Who’s ass do I need to kick?”

Purpled chuckled, “No one’s, Pops. Just someone from my last school that wouldn’t leave me alone.” He said, “But don’t worry about it, I can handle it.”

Quackity softened, “You don’t need to take care of everything on your own, kid.” Purpled had always been like this. Always trying to take on everything by himself. “Don’t feel like you always need to be the hero. You’ve got people who are willing to help if you let them.”

Purpled rolled his eyes, “You’re such a hypocrite, Dad. Like, it’s terrible how bad it is.” The kid picked up his, you guessed it, purple hoodie and pulled it over his head. “If you let me get a job—“

“We’ve had this conversation before, Purp. You need to focus on school. I can handle the financial stuff.” They walked into the kitchen; Quackity poured a cup of coffee and Purpled got himself a bowl of Cap’n Crunch (get it lol). “Now, hurry up and finish that, we have to find a taxi before all of L’manberg decides they also need a one.”

The duo clambered out of the house and Quackity locked it behind them. He watched Purpled as he adjusted his worn out backpack and frowned. The kid had had the same backpack since they got out, and he was in eighth now.

“We gotta get you a new backpack.” He said, taking a sip of coffee. “That one looks like it’s about to turn to dust.”

Purpled smirked, “Only if you let me use my own money.” He said.

Quackity scoffed, “You don’t have any money, Purp.”

“I would if you let me get a job.”

“You are not getting a job, Lavender.”

“Ugh, I hate when you call me that.”

“Get over it.”

“Will you please let me help? It doesn’t even have to be, like, a real job! I can, like, mow lawns or walk dogs or something!”

Quackity pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “If I let this happen, you have to promise you won’t waste your money on dumb shit. Obviously it’s your money and you can do whatever you want with it, but—“

“Dad.” He said, cutting his father off. “I get it. I won’t use my money on dumb shit. In fact, I’ll save up for the Academy.”

Quackity smiled gently, “You’re a good kid, Purp.” He said softly, “You know that, right?”

Purpled blushed, “Of course I know. You tell me everyday.” He scoffed, refusing to make eye contact.

Quackity grinned and called a taxi. “Good.” He said. Was it a possible flaw in his parenting skills to inflate his kid’s ego? Maybe. Does he care? Not really.

When they finally reached Purpled’s school, Pogtopia Middle, he put his hands on the kid’s shoulders. “You remember the rules, right?” He asked quietly. 

“Yes.”

“Repeat them.”

“If someone kicks my ass, kick their ass right back because fuck the rules. If someone tries to roast me, fucking obliterate them because our family doesn’t take shit from anyone. And…if I see anyone that looks like or has the same name as Tubbo, tell you immediately.”

Quackity took a deep breath. “Good.” He saw the look in his eye. “We’ll find him, mi corazón. ” 

Purpled looked at the ground. “I sure hope so.” He watched as the kid composed himself. His back straightened and he gripped the bag straps with newfound determination. “I got this.”

Quackity nodded. “You got this.”

“New school, no problem.”

“Yup.”

“I just gotta prove I’m super cool and awesome.”

“That’s right.” Quackity pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head. “Love you, now go.”

Purpled rolled his eyes (for the third time), “Love you, too.” He murmured. 

“Alright. Have a good day, kiddo, I’ll pick you up at 3.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“They’re on the run again, Rewind!” Quackity heard Blaze yell into his comm. Fuck, he was really cutting it close tonight. “Dude, stop! C’mon, we don’t want to hurt you!”

He scoffed and turned a sharp corner, hoping to lose the hot-headed hero. He could hear the jingle of Rewind’s jewelry as he caught up with his partner.

◁◁

...

 ► P l α y

“They’re on the run again, Rewind!” Baze shouted into the comm. Quackity felt a strange sense of deja vu.

Suddenly a hand was wrapped around his upper arm. “Got him!” He shouted. Quackity’s eyes went wide and he pulled against the hero, who was surprisingly strong.

Blaze skidded around the corner, a victorious smile gracing his features. “Woo! Nice one, Rewind!” He said.

Quackity was still squirming against him in a vain attempt to get free. “Let me go you fuckin’ bastards!” He shouted, using his ability to change his voice.

Blaze smirked, “Sorry, man, but we gotta drop you off at a holding cell.” He said, clearly not sorry at all.

Shit. Purpled.

His eyes went wide and his frustration turned into genuine worry and fear. “Listen, I seriously need you to let me go.” He said, no longer pulling against Rewind. “There’s something super important I need to take care of.”

Blaze had the audacity to laugh! What the fuck, dude? “Yeah, no. We’ve been chasing you for months now, dude. No way in hell are we letting you go.” He said.

Rewind sighed, “How do we even know they’re—“

“He.”

“Oh, ok, thanks. How do we even know he works with Manberg?”

Oh, god. That name sent shivers down his spine.

He glared at Blaze, “You think I’m working with them? ” He asked, voice laced with venom. “As if I’d ever associate myself with those assholes. In fact, I will willingly give you everything I know about them!”

Rewind and Blaze glanced at each other, clearly not expecting the outburst. Rewind lessened his hold on Quackity’s arm. “You’re serious?” He asked.

“C’mon, Flatty Patty, lighten up a little! You’re so hung up on the little stuff. The kid’s gonna be a great addition—“

“As a heart attack.”

Rewind grinned and turned to his partner. “This is great! We didn’t even have to use 404 or Charm!” He exclaimed.

“But you have to let me go.” Quackity said, pulling his arm free and crossing them. “Otherwise I’m not telling you shit.”

Blaze’s jaw dropped. “Are you fucking—“

They accepted.

Now, he was sitting in their little homebase at a rectangle table, drinking a small cup of tea. “Now, where do you want me to start?” He asked.

Rewind interlaced his fingers, “Just tell us everything you know from wherever you want.” He said.

Quackity huffed a laugh, “Wherever I want, huh?” Now, he wasn’t about to share his trauma with these random ass heroes, but he supposed he could give them the general idea. “Let’s just put it out there that I was married to J. Schlatt himself.” He said nonchalantly.

Both heroes spit out their tea, which was definitely a plus. Blaze’s eyes were comically wide, “ You’re Alex Quackity?” He asked.

He shrugged, “In the flesh.” Rewind seemed to be having some sort of inner turmoil. 

“Now, do you have an actual place you want me to start, heroes ?”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Purpled wasn’t an idiot. This was something he had always known. In fact, he’d go as far as calling himself a genius. Purpled has always gotten straight A’s and doesn’t usually make stupid decisions.

So why, oh why, did he attempt to follow this vigilante and not expect to get caught?

Oh, wait. He knows why. It’s because this mother fucker looks and sounds exactly like him . His vigilante name even sounds like something he would come up with! BeeKeeper.

Which, also, is just a dumb as fuck name. Out of all the things you could’ve chosen, you pick ‘ beekeeper’ ? Purpled honestly didn’t understand. 

“What do you want from me?” BeeKeeper asked, glaring at him. A black mask covered the bottom half of his face. “Why were you following me?”

Purpled wasn’t really scared. He was more annoyed, if anything. “Well, first of all, I have a feeling we know each other and you are just having a hard time recognizing me because I look a bit different—“

BeeKeeper cut him off, “What the fuck are you on about? I have no idea who you are!” He said defensively. Purpled raised an eyebrow.

“Well, in that case, my name’s Purpled.”

And he really wished he had a camera, ‘cause holy shit his reaction was hilarious.

BeeKeeper seemed to struggle to keep up his vigilante persona. “Tha-that name means nothing to me.” He said, crossing his arms like a child. Ok, this was just getting annoying now.

“Oh, I’m sure it doesn’t, Tubbo.”

Chapter Text

“Tubbo, what is he talking about? How does he know your name?”

Tubbo wanted to walk into the ocean. Why has God forsaken him in this way? He just wanted one(1) resource run without any trouble. Is this a sign that he shouldn’t make bombs?

Nah. He should definitely make bombs.

“Tubbo. Answer me.”

Oh no. Ranboo’s using his Lecture Voice.

“Give me a minute, Big Man.” He mumbled into the comm. 

Purpled looked unimpressed. “So, you’re a vigilante now, huh?” He said, crossing his arms. 

Tubbo scoffed, “Again, I don’t know who you ar–“

“Cut the bullshit, Tubbo.” 

Oh shit.

Purpled glared at him, “We both know you’re lying right now. Drop the act and talk to me.” He said, taking a step forward. “Is this really how you’re going to treat your brother, who, might I add, you haven’t seen in five years ?”

“When you get back we are going to have a long talk.”

“I just joined in, what’s happening, Ranboob?”

“Don’t call me that, Tommy–“

Tubbo shut off the comm. He could deal with their anger later. This was more important right now.

“Do you have somewhere we can talk that’s a little less…public?”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Purpled couldn’t believe this was happening.

He was walking with Tubbo, his long-lost brother, to the house he had been living in for just over a year. What was his life?

“So…” Tubbo started, looking just as awkward as he had in the alleyway. Only now he was out of that dumb costume and wearing actual clothes. “How’ve you been?”

Purpled deadpanned, “Oh, ya know, I’m doing fantastic . Dad’s doing great, in case you were wondering.” He said sarcastically.

Tubbo looked severely uncomfortable. Good. 

“Who’ve you been hanging around, anyway? You sound British.”

“Oh, uh, just some friends. Fellow vigilantes, if you will.”

Purpled held back an eye roll. “Right, right. The ones you left us for.” He said.

Tubbo glared, “Don’t do that. It’s not fair.” He said. “You know I didn’t want to go.”

“But you did anyway.”

“I had to.”

Purpled only huffed and turned a sharp corner onto the walkway up to their house. He could feel Tubbo’s hesitation. Sighing, he turned and motioned for him to follow.

“This is where you guys live?” He asked quietly, almost disbelieving. 

Purpled scoffed, “Yeah, not exactly the height of luxury, is it? Money’s been tight. Dad can’t find a job, and I have a feeling he’s been—you know what? Nevermind. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.” He said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a granola bar.

Tubbo awkwardly took a seat at their small table. “Can we talk? Please?” He suggested.

Purpled took the seat across from him, setting in the poker face he no-doubt learned from Dad. “We can, but you have to promise to listen and I will too.” He said, taking a bite of the granola bar. Tubbo took a deep breath. 

“Ok.” 

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“What do you mean Schlatt’s dead?” 

Quackity absentmindedly picked at the purple nail polish he let Purpled put on him. “I mean he’s dead .” He said, glaring at Blaze. “The fucker died from a heart attack five years ago. I watched it happen.” 

Rewind put his head in his hands. “All this time it was just bullshit excuses from petty criminals.” He said, “They told us it wasn’t their fault, that Schlatt made them do it. We should’ve known better.”

Blaze was in a similar state of disbelief. “So all those leads they gave us were lies? What the fuck?” He groaned, banging his head on the table. “I’m so sick of everything.”

Quackity snickered, “You guys are too cute,”—Both heroes’ heads snapped up—“of course they were lying! God, it’s like you’ve never met a criminal. All they do is lie! You’d think you heroes would know this by now.” He said, leaning back and kicking his feet up.

Blaze looked flustered, “Why do you hate us so much, man? All we do is help.” He said, earning a nod from an equally flustered Rewind.

“Oh, please. The most you’ve done to help is stop ‘super villains’ from committing massive crimes. You’ve never even caught them!” He said, gesturing wildly with his hands. 

“We’ve done so much for the city! We’ve put away so many criminals—“

Quackity stood abruptly. “Then how come you never came to save the innocent people suffering under Schlatt’s rule.” He growled out.

Rewind’s eyebrows furrowed, “What—“

“November 16th. The day heroes stormed Manberg’s hideout.” He said, “I watched several members of your crew kill and injure so many innocent people without showing any mercy. I watched people die at the hands of someone I trusted. I watched as you took children away from their parents, who wanted nothing more than to escape Schlatt’s tyranny. I watched as you nearly blew up my own goddamn children!” Quackity was yelling now, tears threatening to spill.

Rewind and Blaze sat in shock as he dropped back into the uncomfortable metal chair. They could do nothing but stare in silence.

“So you can probably understand why I have a small grudge against you.”

The heroes shared a look, Rewind leaning forward, almost as if he wanted to reach out to Quackity. “I hope you know that me and Blaze weren’t involved in the bombing or killing. We were helping move civilians and other people who could’ve gotten hurt.” He said softly, “You said you have children? Are they ok?”

Quackity stiffened immediately, “Why the hell would I tell you about my kids?” He snarled, putting up a defensive wall. “You don’t get to act like you know me because I told you a little bit of what happened back in Manberg.” He’d hardly told them all of it, at least, he hadn’t told them the personal parts.

“You don’t get to boss me around, Quackity.”

“Schlatt—“

“I’m in charge around here, got it!? If the boy didn’t want to get hurt, he should’ve stayed out of the fucking way!”

Blaze sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We just want to help you, Quackity.” He said, using that same, soft tone Rewind had. “You’ve made it clear that living with Schlatt was…less than comfortable.”

Quackity scoffed, he opened his mouth to snap back at him, but was cut off by a buzzing in his pocket.

Fuck. Purpled.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“Let me get this straight,” Purpled said, rubbing his temples. “For the past five years, you’ve been running around L’Manberg as a crime-fighting vigilante named BeeKeeper with two other vigilantes, and you never got in contact because you were scared of Dad?”

Tubbo nodded, hands clasped tightly on the table in front of him. And if he weren’t so scared of Purpled’s abilities, he would’ve thought his brother was getting choked up.

“I can’t believe you found a way to put all that…training…to good use.” He said, incredulously. “I just managed to convince Dad to let me get a job.”

Tubbo’s eyes went wide, “Could you…tell me how he’s doing? Please?” He asked, “After everything that happened in Manberg—“

Purpled put a hand up, “Yeah, I know, Tubbs.” He said, nickname slipping out. “Why don’t you just talk to him yourself?” 

“I, uh, I don’t know.” He confessed quietly. “I don’t think he’d want to see me.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” 

Tubbo looked up in shock.

Purpled laughed hysterically, “He’s been driving himself up the goddamn wall trying to find you! Hell, I’ve been doing everything to find you! Why do you think I went after you?” He said.

He was at a loss for words. All this time he’d thought they wouldn’t want to see him, not after he ratted them out to the heroes. Tubbo knew it wasn’t his fault they’d destroyed anything and everything, but he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“That’s it, I’m calling him.” Purpled said, pulling out his phone. “I’m kinda surprised he’s not here yet. He also didn’t pick me up from school.” A feeling of dread settled in Purpled’s stomach. 

Ring

Ring

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Buzz

Quackity picked up on the third buzz, ignoring the looks the heroes gave him. Purpled was way more important than this right now.

“Purpled? Kiddo, I’m sorry I couldn’t pick you up from school today—“

“Tubbo’s back.”

Time seemed to stop. Quackity’s eyesight blurred. No words seemed to come from his mouth.

“Hi, Dad.”

Chapter Text

Quackity’s world came crashing down on him. The voice on the other line was definitely his. He stood with so much force his chair hit the floor with a loud clang. Willing his tears away he grabbed his jacket from the table and made his way towards the exit.

“Tubbo, oh my god. Bumblebee, where have you been? Are you ok? Are you hurt at all?”

Blaze stood as well, following quickly after him. “Hey, wait, we’re not done here—“ He said, grabbing his arm.

Quackity snatched his arm away and glared at him, “I think we are. Fuck off.” He ran from the building and off towards his house.

“Who are you talking to?” The boy—his son , his Tubbo—said. His voice was like music to Quackity’s ears.

A small smile made its way to his face, “No one important, Bee. Are you at the house? Is Purpled with you? Are you guys ok?” He asked, bumping into someone and flipping them off. 

“ We’re alright, Dad. But there are some things I need to tell you when you get here.”

“Why can’t you tell me now?”

“It’s better if we talk in person, I think.”

This only made Quackity more nervous, and with the power of 15 PTA moms, he got to the house in record time. When he reached the door, he nearly tore it off its hinges.

There he was.

He was really there. This wasn’t a dream. Quackity wanted to pinch himself just to be sure. His little boy was all grown up.

He was taller, though not as tall as Purpled, and his brown hair fell like a curtain over his eyes. The scars of their past were still as prominent as ever; they harshly capered across his face, disfiguring his otherwise perfect skin. 

But he was still Tubbo. He was still Quackity’s little Bumblebee.

“Oh, dear.” He breathed out, rushing forwards and capturing the boy in a tight hug. “Oh, cariño , you have me worried sick . I thought you might’ve died or gotten kidnapped or—“ He stopped short as Tubbo’s arms came up and wrapped around him.

“I missed you guys so much.” Tubbo whispered, voice cracking. Quackity made eye contact with Purpled over his head. He smiled softly and motioned for him to join. “It was so scary when I left Manberg alone. I thought I’d never see you guys again.”

Purpled joined the hug, wrapping his arms around Tubbo from behind as he sobbed into Quackity’s jacket. “And I was so scared to come back ‘cause I thought you would hate me for leaving and—“ His breath stuttered and Quackity cautiously let him go, placing his hands on his shoulders.

“Hey, hey, hey, I could never hate you.” He looked at Purpled, putting a hand on his shoulder too. “I could never hate either of you. You’re my kids. Nothing is ever going to change that. Doesn’t matter if we’re biologically related or not.

“We don’t give up on each other, you hear me? You are Purpled and Tubbo, you are the baddest bitches in the universe, and I am the luckiest person on the planet to be able to call you my kids.” He said, placing a hand on both of their cheeks, then patting them lightly and standing up straight.

Quackity furrowed his eyebrows at Tubbo’s bangs and pulled a clip from his pocket. He carefully grabbed a clump of hair and pushed it back and out of his face, pinning it back with the clip. His son’s heterochromia was now on full display and he smiled brightly. 

“There they are. Your eyes are so beautiful, Tubbs, why do you always hide them?” He asked softly. Tubbo shrugged, like he was a five-year-old kid who just got caught stealing cookies. “Whatever, doesn’t matter. Where have you been for the past five years?”

Purpled almost laughed, “Yeah, tell him Tubbo, come on.” He said, poking his brother in the shoulder. “Tell the man what he needs to know.”

Tubbo groaned and his shoulders sagged slightly as he avoided eye contact. “I’ve been a….” Quackity quirked an eyebrow.

“Sorry, can you say that last bit again?”

“I’ve been a vig…..”

“What?”

“A vigilante!”

The shock of the answer sent Quackity’s mind reeling. His son was a vigilante ? The fucking wannabe heroes? The ones that act all edgy and mysterious and cool when in reality they’re just young, self-sacrificing little twats? That was his son?

“Well…not that I approve…but what’s your vigilante name?”

Purpled looked scandalized. “Dad!” He shouted, slapping his arm.

Quackity laughed, loud and annoying, “Oh, c’mon, Purp, it’s a valid question!” He said.

Tubbo glared at Purpled, then turned back to his dad. “It’s BeeKeeper.” He murmured, looking embarrassed. And, despite himself, Quackity bursted out laughing. Tubbo glared at him. “Don’t laugh at me!”

“No, no, no, kiddo, I’m not laughing at you—“ He said, struggling through a laugh. “It-it’s just I wasn’t expecting that! I mean, it sounds like a comic villain name! I mean—“

Tubbo held up a hand, pretending to sniffle. “I’ve heard enough. I never should’ve shared it with you.” He sighed dramatically and fell into a chair, pretending to faint like a damsel in distress.

Quackity snorted, “Ok, drama queen, why don’t you and Purpled take a seat. I can make some spaghetti tonight.” He said, grabbing the pot from the cabinet. 

“Uh, well, actually, my friends are probably worried about me? Um, I kinda just left the call over the comms and I have a feeling they’re not gonna be too happy with me…”

Quackity waved a hand, “Nonsense. Invite them over, I’d love to meet kids you’ve spent a lot of time with. I’m sure they’re lovely.” He said, not knowing the Pandora’s Box he just opened.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Ranboo was nothing if not a worry wart.

In the wise words of the great Ryan Steven Bergara, “I don’t have a nervous system, I am the nervous system”. These are the words Ranboo eats, sleeps, and breathes by. They’re his daily motto.

So, picking up on a random voice over the comms that wasn’t Tubbo or Tommy had him extremely worried. Even worse, the voice seemed to know Tubbo and Tubbo seemed to know the voice! Ranboo’s brain was going a mile a minute, trying desperately to put a face to the voice but to no avail. 

“Tubbo. Answer me.”

“Give me a minute, Big Man.”

Now, Ranboo couldn’t hear much, but from what he understood, this guy was Tubbo’s long lost brother? What? Wait, no seriously, what? Since when did Tubbo have a brother?

“When you get back we are going to have a long talk.”

Tommy’s voice crackled to life over the comms. “I just joined in, what’s happening, Ranboob?” He asked.

Ranboo pinched the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he felt like he was the only sane one in this group.

“Don’t call me that, Tommy, you know it irritates me.”

“Yeah, that’s why I say it.” There was silence for a moment, then: “Woah, wait, why did Tubbo go offline?”

Ranboo’s head snapped back up. Sure enough, the green circle that indicated their status was now a dull gray. “Dammit, what is he up to?” He asked rhetorically.

“What were you two talking about anyway?”

He sighed, “I think Tubbo’s been lying to us about his family.” He said truthfully. “He was just talking to this guy who claimed to be his long lost brother.”

“What!? But Tubbo said he didn’t have any siblings and that his parents died in a car accident.”

“Yeah, well, believe it or not, Tommy, people can lie.” He said sarcastically. “I’m worried about him. He seemed to actually know who the guy was.”

“Hold on, I’m making my way back to the apartment .”

Ranboo huffed, turned off his comms, stood, and face-planted onto the couch that was hardly long enough to fit him on it. His feet dangled over the armrest uncomfortably and he internally cursed the Tall Gods.

As he waited for Tommy to arrive, he contemplated his life and what led up to this point. What would’ve happened if he’d never met Tubbo and Tommy? Would he have continued to be the anxious, push-over, people pleaser who was often stuck with restocking duty ‘cause he couldn’t talk to actual living people without completely shutting down?

Well, he knows one thing for certain: his life would be way too boring without them.

The door slammed open to reveal a slightly frazzled and crazed Tommy. The man himself. “So, Tubbo’s got a family then, yeah?” He asked, shaking the dirt from his hair and pulling off his gear. “That’s a bit confusing, innit?”

Ranboo sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day and sat up. “Yeah. I don’t feel betrayed or whatever, just mostly confused?” He said, gesturing vaguely with his right hand. It had become sort

of a routine to tell the others exactly how you felt about a situation to avoid emotional conflict. 

(Tommy had said he’d seen enough relationships end on TV because of shitty communication and was on a mission to end the cycle. He was the one that would march into the room and shout to the world that his stomach hurt or that he needed a juice box.

Eventually he convinced Ranboo and Tubbo’s emotionally constipated asses to open up with ‘I feel/felt’ statements. Ranboo had initially embraced the idea; the idea of knowing how people felt eased his anxiety a bit. 

Tubbo had been less eager to come around and had a habit of mumbling his ‘I feel/felt’ statements, but Tommy said it was a good start. And, slowly but surely, the three just began sharing their exact emotions on certain matters. Didn’t matter if it was burnt pancakes or gut stabbings.

“I felt disgusted and appalled at the smell and look of those pancakes, Ranboo.”

“I feel helpless and scared for you, Tommy, and I’m worried you might get yourself killed in the future.”

They were always open.)

Tommy made a face, “Me too, I think. I don’t like that Tubbo lied to us and it kinda hurts, but at the same time I understand where he’s coming from.” He said, taking a seat next to Ranboo. They leaned back against the cushions, Tommy’s head falling on his shoulder. “Maybe he was trying to escape his past and start a new life. Or maybe he was too scared to face something that he had no control over.”

Ranboo smiled a bit. Tommy could be overly wise when he wasn’t screaming about anything and everything. But he was also right. If there was one thing they knew about Tubbo, it’s that he liked to know if he had the upper hand in a situation. He liked to know whether or not he had the high ground. And, apparently, when it came to family matters, he didn’t.

“Yeah. He’ll be ok.” Ranboo whispered, leaning his head on top of Tommy’s. “Tubbo will tell us when he’s ready. We just have to wait for him to come to us.”

“Like that one time we tried helping that injured cat. Little bitch scratched the fuck out of me.”

“Exactly.”

They sighed in sync and laid there for a bit before Tommy decided he was starving and hopped off the sofa. He marched toward the kitchen and opened the fridge. 

Ranboo slumped half his body down the couch, as if Tommy leaving had caused his body to turn to jello. “Tommyyyyyy.” He whined, “I’m dead. ” He heard the fridge door close.

“You’re not dead , Ranboob, you’re just lazy.”

“…why you gotta do me like that.”

“Can’t hide from the truth, bitch boy.”

Ranboo groaned, “Must you insist on the nicknames?” He asked, glaring at nothing.

“It’s part of my brand, dickhead, how can I not?”

“Simple. Don’t say them.”

They continued to argue back and forth until Tommy came back to the couch, empty-handed. He grumbled, placing his head in Ranboo’s lap and closing his eyes. Ranboo absentmindedly combed out the knots with his fingers.

“I guess we need to go to the store?” 

Tommy only grumbled again and nodded.

“Jeez, Toms, how many knots do you have?” 

The next few words he said were impossibly incoherent and Ranboo supposed he was just going to have to interpret what he said.

Then, the comms buzzed. It was Tubbo.

The duo sprang up and raced towards the monitor. Ranboo turned on the mic.

“Hello? Tubbo? Are you ok? What happened?”

“I’m fine, Ranboo, just…a bit of a family issue. But it’s cool now and I was wondering if you’d like to come here for dinner? My, ahem, dad offered.”

Ranboo and Tommy shared a look.

“Sure. I don’t see why not.”

Chapter Text

Ok. 

Tommy had to admit he wasn’t expecting this. 

“This” was a dingy little house (that could rival the state of their own living arrangements) and a sassy alien teenager with his former-husband-of-the-most-famous-supervillain dad. 

Tubbo had quite a bit of explaining to do.

The teen in question smiled tightly at them. “Hey, guys…” He said, holding out both words for an unnecessary amount of time. “Welcome to my very much not planned family reunion.”

Tommy glanced at Ranboo, who was too busy staring at Tubbo’s brother to notice. Oh, yeah, that kid was on the same level of weird as Ranboo, huh? His extra eyelids and antenna could rival Ranboo’s split-down-the-middle half black, half white skin tone thing he’s got going on.

The alien guy popped some gum, “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” He said, immediately causing Ranboo to look away in shame.

Tommy glared, “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, bitch—“ He started, only to get cut off by Tubbo.

“Tommy just—“ He sighed, rubbing his eyes. “just don’t.”

Ranboo cast a worried look at Tubbo, who shook his head and turned away. “Take a seat, I’m sure Dad’ll have it done soon.”

Ah, yes. ‘Dad’. Aka Alex Quackity. Aka the Harley Quinn to Schlatt’s Joker. Aka Reform, L’manberg’s most feared villain.

Well, at least he used to be.

The man now wore a worn-out beanie, a dark blue hoodie with sweatpants, and an apron that said ‘mess with my kitchen and you’ll get a melon baller in your eye socket’. How lovely.

Tommy couldn’t help but wonder what happened. Obviously Schlatt had fallen a while ago, but where did all those under him go? Did the heroes arrest them? And what did this make Tubbo? Was Tubbo some sort of criminal in his past?

He looked at him now, as he got bowls from the cupboard (they were all different in color and material). Tommy had always thought it was strange that he had an unusual amount of fighting experience for a 14 year old. That and the scars. Tubbo had said they were from the car accident, but now that he knows that was a lie, what are they really from? And did he always cover his eyes with his bangs? Since when were they two different colors?

Tommy had a lot of questions, but he kept quiet for the time being. 

Quackity announced the food was ready and let them all get some before taking what little was left for himself. Tommy noticed Purpled glancing at Ranboo and himself throughout dinner. God, this family was weird. By the end, when Quackity and Purpled were washing the dishes and talking amongst themselves, Tubbo finally, finally , talked to them. 

“So…you guys probably have a lot of questions, huh?”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Sapnap couldn’t believe his luck. 

First, this guy shows up out of nowhere and manages to escape every single time. Then, when they finally do capture him, he makes a deal that essentially guarantees his release. Not to mention this ‘random guy’ turns out to be the ex-villain Reform! He tells them Schlatt is dead and that Manberg has fallen, effectively ruining every almost-arrest they’ve ever made when the criminals would beg on their hands and knees to spare them. That Schlatt was making them do it.

Maybe they were idiots.

Now, Sapnap stared at the open door that Quackity had left open in his hurry to get home to what he can only assume are his kids. Karl sat at the table, with his head in his hands, looking exactly how Sapnap felt. That is, until he started laughing.

Yup, definitely idiots.

Sapnap scowled, “What’s so funny, Karl? We just lost the guy we’ve been chasing for months!” He said, gesturing to the open door. “Dream and George are gonna kill us.”

Karl smiled widely up at Sapnap, “I just think it‘s kind of ridiculous that we had him right there . Literally sitting at our table and he still managed to get away!” He laughed loudly, “We really are awful at our job.”

Sapnap sighed, dropping in his seat. He thought about what Quackity had told them, trying to match it up with what they already know. Could Schlatt really be dead?

Karl stood, looking at something on his phone. “Well, let’s go get him back then.” He said, pocketing his phone and walking towards the door. He turned halfway, “You comin’?”

Sapnap furrowed his brows. “He’s long gone by now, Karl, what do you mean?” He said, standing and fiddling with his gloves. “There’s nothing we can do. Let’s just get back to HQ and try to explain the situation to Dream. Or maybe Phil instead, he might be lighter on us.”

The man in front of him seemed to weigh his options, then sighed. “I guess you’re right. Also, we definitely should not go to Phil, he will tear us a new one.” He said, shuddering at just the thought.

His partner winced, “Yeah, you’re probably right. At least Dream can’t sic The Blade on us.” With that, Sapnap grabbed his phone and followed Karl out of the door.

This was going to be a bitch to explain.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Tubbo sat rigid in his chair at the small dining table, melting under their gaze. He knew they probably felt betrayed and lied to, which was valid considering he had lied about his entire life. He picked at the wood on the table waiting for one of them to start.

Tommy took one for the team. “I guess I…” He trailed off, glancing at Ranboo, “I just want to know why you lied? You know we wouldn’t have judged you.” He said.

Tubbo scoffed, “You say that now, but back then you would’ve left me in seconds flat.” He said, “I lied because I wanted to start anew, I guess. It was a once in a lifetime chance where I’m from.”

“Where are you from?” Ranboo asked softly.

Here goes nothing , Tubbo thought. 

“I’m from Manberg.” 

You could hear a pin drop. Quackity’s head snapped to the boys sitting at the table and Purpled started scrubbing the plate harder, refusing to look up. Ranboo’s hand slowly made its way to his mouth and Tommy was staring at Tubbo with mild shock.

A shattering sound broke the silence. Purpled had broken the plate.

Quackity turned around, taking the scrubber out of his hand and bringing him to sit at the table. He looked at the four of them, “Maybe this is a conversation we should all take part in.” He said calmly, moving back to the kitchen and pulling down the first aid kit from the top of the fridge. As he wrapped Purpled’s hands, he began to explain to Tommy and Ranboo, which Tubbo was grateful for.

“All three of us met in Manberg, actually.” He said, using that same calm voice. “Tubbo had been there the longest, though, being Schlatt’s son.” Two gasps rang out in the quiet room. 

Tubbo gripped his biceps, curling further in on himself. “I promise I was going to tell you guys I just…I was scared.” He said, refusing to look them in the eye.

Tommy huffed, “As if that would ever change how we view you, bitch boy.” He said, leaning on his hand. 

Ranboo smacked him upside the head but nodded nonetheless. “Tommy is an idiot, but yes, we would never treat you any differently. You’re still Tubbo.” He said as if he hadn’t just rocked Tubbo’s whole world.

Tubbo’s lips quivered and his eyes watered. He gripped his sleeves, “You guys…” He said, voice cracking. 

Tommy’s head snapped up and he stood abruptly. “Tubbo—oh, god, we said something wrong, didn’t we? Tubbo, please don’t cry—“

Tubbo laughed, wiping his eyes, “You guys said nothing wrong, in fact, you said everything right.” He muttered, smiling as the weight was lifted from his shoulders.

His friend settled back in his chair, grinning. “Of course I did! I’m Big Man Tommy Innit! I’m always right!” He leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the table. Purpled and Tubbo winced involuntarily at Tommy’s unspoken death wish. 

Suddenly, his chair fell all the way back and everyone flinched, Ranboo immediately checking if he was ok. Quackity was unphased, crossing his arms and leaning against the back of his chair, muttering something along the lines of ‘that’ll teach you to put your feet on my table’ under his breath.

Tommy stubbornly ignored Ranboo’s concern, face red with embarrassment, as he fixed his chair and sat like a normal person. He eyed Quackity nervously and ‘subtly’ shuffled his chair closer to Ranboo.

Quackity glanced at Tommy and continued on. “Anyway, as I was saying, we met in Manberg when they were no older than eight, I believe.” His face took on a look Tubbo could only describe as ‘bittersweet’. “Tubbo had already been through enough to last a lifetime; trained as an assassin, hours upon hours of nonstop testing and teaching, and on top of that, enduring Schlatt’s bullshit.” A few snickers sounded through the room and Quackity smiled softly.

“Purpled came a month or so after me, immediately being put in the same training classes as Tubbo. They got close because they were similar in age, I think, and Schlatt didn’t care who Tubbo talked to.” He sat up straight, looking pointedly at the table. “As soon as I arrived, I was appointed as designated babysitter,“—Purpled slapped him—“it’s true! I was like 18! I didn’t wanna take care of kids!”

Ranboo startled, “You were 18 ?” He whispered in disbelief, then louder, “How old was Schlatt?” 

Quackity rolled his eyes, “He was like 24? 25? I don’t know, but don’t get you panties in a bunch. Contrary to popular belief, I was not an idiot and Schlatt was not my sugar daddy.” He glared at Tommy and Ranboo, years of built-up irritation over the rumors directed at them.

“Either way, Schlatt was a dickhead who really only wanted us for his own benefit.” He snarled, “The bastard is dead , thank God, otherwise I would’ve killed him myself.” 

Tommy, against his better judgment, asked a rather intrusive question. “So, how did you even, like, become a villain if you were so against everything?” At least he had the decency to look regretful.

Quackity snorted, “That's the thing about manipulation, kid…” He trailed off as if he didn’t quite know what to say. “I was told that…bad things would happen to my kids. So, I just had to suck it up and go along with him. Better me than them. ” He recited.

Ranboo wiped at a tear that had escaped his eye, wincing. “I’m sorry about that, sir.” He said quietly.

He grinned, a practiced one Tubbo was sure he’d seen before, “There’s nothing you could’ve done, kiddo. And don’t call me ‘sir’,” Quackity grimaced, “makes me sound old.” Then he stood and went to the kitchen. “You can call me Big Q; it’s what those two called me for a while.”

Purpled smirked, “But you are old, Pops.” He said, tapping the table.

Quackity let out a scandalized gasp, “You little shit!” He yelled, “You are so lucky your my son, I would’ve strangled you!”

Tommy let out a cackle, “You sound like Phil!” He said, falling against Ranboo, not noticing the way Quackity tensed. “He says the same kind of shit!”

Tubbo’s father didn’t laugh or shake his head in mild disappointment. He stood still, frozen like a lake in the dead of winter. Silent in a bone-chilling way that Tubbo found frighteningly unfamiliar. He turned slowly, not meeting Tommy’s eyes, holding his breath. 

“You wouldn’t happen to mean Phil Craft, would you?”

Chapter Text

Karl was right, of course, Dream turned out to be the better option. He was obviously upset, and definitely made them both feel very guilty, but at least he wasn’t scolding them like a parent would. Sapnap couldn’t help but feel bad for Wilbur and Techno. They had to deal with that every day.

Dream had just finished his tirade and was slouched in his chair. “It’s honestly just unbelievable how bad you two are at this.” He said, eyes unfocused as he stared at the random rubber duck on their desk. “I mean, it’s like you don’t want criminals to be caught.”

Sapnap cleared his throat, “We catch them sometimes—“

“Yeah, sometimes being the key word here.” Dream sighed, “Just—maybe you two should take a break for a while. Go to a spa, have a picnic, I don’t know. Just take the week off to do what you want.” He said, waving a hand at them.

He began to protest, but Karl stopped him. “Maybe he’s right, Sap.” He said, awkwardly avoiding eye contact. “I mean, it’s not like we’re helping any. Plus, it might be nice to get away for a while, yeah?”

Sapnap stared at him for a moment then sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt—“ He mumbled, rolling his eyes when Karl cheered excessively.

Dream snickered at them, “This is all coming from a place of love, guys.” He said, “Everyone knows you guys are more ‘search and rescue’ than anything.” 

Deep down, Sapnap knew he was right. Karl had always been more of a pacifist, and he was never one to make Karl upset. Even though Sapnap had a more aggressive power, he had learned to control it. The fact that he was fireproof meant he was able to save people from house fires and the like. The two had become the designated civilian-work heroes. Basically, they did everything police officers were supposed to do, but better.

Didn’t mean his pride wasn’t a little bruised.

They bid their goodbyes to Dream, changed out of their costumes, and left HQ. Sapnap didn’t really know where to start. His whole life revolved around his job as a hero.

“Let’s get ice cream.”

Thank god for Karl.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Quackity was absolutely mortified .

Hearing the man’s name nearly sent a chill down his spine. He stood, stock still like a deer in headlights, listening to Tommy’s only slightly annoying voice ramble on about Phil. Quackity didn’t hear any of it, too busy trying to get his memories under control.

“Quackity, mate, we’re here to help.”

“Don’t pull that shit with me, Phil.”

He gripped the sink’s edge, attempting to regulate his breathing and keep his composure. It had been years since he’d last seen the old fucker; nearly a decade. The last thing he expected was to hear some loud-mouthed teenager compare the two of them. 

“..ad, are you ok?”

Quackity turned suddenly, the fog in his mind clearing only slightly to come up with an excuse for his son. His mouth struggled to find the words, instead he stood there, mouth opening and closing like a codfish. He took a shuddering breath, turning back to the counter and squeezing his eyes shut, chest constricting.

“I’m fine, kid.” He gritted out, though he was clearly the opposite. “Just…less than pleasant memories are deciding to make themselves known.”

The silence was deafening and Quackity was all but  drowning in it. He needed someone—anyone—to say something. The fog in his head building. An insistent pounding in his temples that nearly made him sway on his feet. The whitening of his knuckles as he clung to the sink like a lifeline.

He could feel the kids’ eyes on him. They were smart, which Quackity found himself resenting. Too smart for their own good. Tubbo’s friends, too. All of them. Maturing too quickly. Much too quickly. They were kids, goddamn it.

“They were so young. Too young.”

Too, too, too, too. Too much. It was all too much.

“It’s too much, [REDACTED], I-I can’t think—“

It was like his brain was on fire . Going 1000 miles per hour. Too much input. 

“It’s called post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short. It happens to some people when they experience a highly traumatic event. It can cause hallucinations or flashbacks and extreme panic.”

Quackity saw flashes of memories from behind his eyelids. Snapshots of his pain racing far too fast for him to even process. Distantly, he heard fantic talking, the voices slowly morphing into ones he never thought he’d hear again.

“He’s a monster ! My son is a monster !”

“Get out. Get out before I put an end to you right now.”

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and a gasp escaped his lips. His chest heaved up and down as he breathed heavily. Quackity looked to see Ranboo, who had stepped a little ways away.

“What—“ He rasped, “What did you do?”

The boy fidgeted, “I’m sort of an empath? Like, I can transfer how I’m feeling to other people, and vice versa. Not, like, we’re trading emotions, more like sharing —“ He started rambling.

Quackity coughed, waving a hand at him, “Yeah, yeah, I got it, kid.” He took another deep breath, leaning his head back to look at the ceiling. “Whew, that was…rough, to say the least.”

Purpled and Tubbo’s eyes shined with unshed tears and Quackity suddenly felt very, very guilty. His boys didn’t deserve to see him like this. He was the parent; the role model. He was supposed to help them, not the other way around.

He hesitated, “I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have to see me like that.” He said quietly. Quackity turned to Tommy, “It wasn’t your fault either, kid, don’t blame yourself. I just…happen to have known Phil. But that’s something I’m not going to get into with a gaggle of kids .” That’s right. They’re kids. He can’t vent to them. He has to stay strong.

Purpled stood from the table silently, surging forward and wrapping him in a hug, refusing to lift his head from his father’s shoulder out of pure embarrassment. Quackity stumbled a bit but slowly hugged him back. Soon, Tubbo joined, and Tommy after muttering ‘ah, what the hell’. Ranboo, unable to help himself (maybe it was part of being an empath), joined in too.

Quackity closed his eyes tight, pulling his kids just a little closer, wishing, hoping, praying that they would be alright. That they can get through it. That—maybe, just maybe—they’ll be ok.

(If not him, at least his kids. God, please, let his kids make it.)

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

He was tired. No, he was more than that. He was exhausted. The night was cold and his room was even colder. The gentle glow of the computer screen was his only light; it reflected off of his glasses. 

He was on his, what, fifth cup of coffee? The man was certain he had built up an immunity to it. But, he couldn’t stop now. Not when he was so close . He heard soft laughter from the other room and he longed to be with them.

No, he thought, you don’t deserve it. Not while he’s still out there .

In the dark, the man searches and searches and searches. In the dark, he grows tired and dreary. In the dark, his small light of hope begins to dim.

In the dark, Techno searches for a long lost friend.

Chapter Text

One day later

“You!”

Quackity’s head snapped up. Standing a little ways away were two men that looked to be around his age. One with black hair and a bandana and the other wearing a hideously colored hoodie. They were strangely familiar…

…

Oh, they were pointing at him.

He cast a quick glance behind him and turned back to see the brightly colored one smack the back of the other’s head. They seemed to have a silent conversation and Quackity took that as his cue to slip out of the sandwich shop.

“Hey, wait!”

He took a deep breath and turned back around, seeing the two men dart out of the shop after him. They came up to him and it took everything in Quackity’s body not to run away. He did not need to deal with crazy people today.

The bandana guy gave him a nervous grin, “Sorry for yelling at you, I just, uh, thought you were someone I knew.” He said, wringing his hands together.

His friend smiled a little, “ Buuut ,” He said, holding out the word, “we were also wondering if we could get your number?” They both gave hopeful grins.

Quackity felt heat rush to his face. He hadn’t been in the dating scene since he met Schlatt, and we all know how that ended. Maybe he could give them a shot…

“I don’t even know your names.” Is what came out instead. He groaned internally, what the fuck is wrong with you? Can’t you just talk normally to people?

The two flushed, “Oh, uh, I’m Karl and this is Sapnap.” The bright one said, laughing nervously. “What’s your name?”

“Karl has a first aid kit in his bag.”

“You don’t seem very dangerous. Right, Sapnap?”

“Uhhh, hello?” Sapnap said, waving a hand in front of Quackity’s face.

He shook his head, looking back at them. “Uh, you can call me Q.” He said, knowing they would recognize his name. The last thing he needed was two cute guys ditching him when they realized he was a villain. 

Karl’s grin was impossibly bright, “It’s nice to meet you, Q!” He said happily, “So, what are you up to?”

“Oh, I’m just running some errands…” He trailed off, an awkward silence hanging heavily in the air. “I’ll just give you my number and you can text me when you want to hang out.”

He wrote down the number on a small piece of paper he had procured from his pocket and handed it off to them. They waved goodbye and Quackity went on his way. 

No, he did not blush and smile like a schoolgirl when he heard Sapnap let out a small ‘whoop! cute guy’s number!’, you’re crazy.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

The two teenagers sat in an awkward silence, waiting for Quackity to get back. Tubbo had spent the night, and he had asked Tommy and Ranboo if they wanted to stay too, but they declined. Tommy insisted that they needed to do some ‘family bonding’.

“So…” Purpled started, dragging out the ‘o’. “You think Dad would mind if we went through that old photo box he keeps on the top shelf of his closet?”

Tubbo made a weird face that implied something like ‘this is definitely a horrible idea and I’m shocked you even brought it up, but holy fuck am I curious’ . His eyes darted around the room then gave his brother a shit-eating grin.

“I won’t tell him if you don’t.”

Immediately, they sprinted to the closet.

Purpled stood on his tiptoes to reach the box that was shoved all the way in the corner. He just barely grazed the box and managed to snag his finger on the hand-hold. He dragged the box out and caught it with both hands as it fell from the shelf. He turned to Tubbo with a self-satisfied smirk. His brother grinned and together they walked back to the table, sitting down next to each other and opening the box. 

Quackity’s past, his past before Schlatt, had always been a mystery. He never talked about it, brushing the boys’ questions off with a laugh and telling them it was boring and irrelevant. They had accepted the answer, but it never stopped their questions. And here it sat, right in front of them, in the form of pictures and newspaper cutouts.

Tubbo took the initiative and pulled out a handful or so of pictures, ones from his time with Schlatt. In a few, Purpled saw the two of them, laughing or posing. Memories frozen in time. Schlatt had only allowed them to have one camera because he was paranoid of someone hacking into a phone (though the camera was expensive and high quality).

Purpled dug around through the many photos of him and Tubbo as kids until he found a wide envelope labeled ‘Photos from home’ . He nudged Tubbo, who was eagerly showing Purpled pictures of them looking like idiots.

“Tubbs, look.” He said, pulling out the envelope. It wasn’t sealed and Purpled easily flipped it open to find a good number of photos. “Holy shit. There’s so many in here.” Tubbo gingerly took a few out and Purpled felt his breath hitch at the sight of the first one.

It was Quackity, albeit younger, grinning with his arm around some guy with long pink hair. He still wore his beanie, dark hair spilling out from under it. The boy next to him had his arms crossed as he was pulled down, a small smile on his face. He had small scars along his face, but nothing too crazy, and rectangular glasses. Their father was wearing a navy blue track jacket and black sweatpants, not dissimilar to his style now. Pink Hair was wearing fancier clothes—a black turtleneck, dark beige colored pants, black belt, and some sort of trench coat situation. 

But perhaps the most shocking thing was the lack of a scar on his face. 

“Oh, jeez,” Tubbo muttered next to him, and Purpled couldn’t help but agree. “He looks so… happy. ” 

He took the photo from Tubbo, flipping it over to read the back. “It says, ‘Me and Bacon Bits, celebrating two years out of the hell hole’. What the fuck?” He set the picture down, peering over Tubbo’s shoulder at the next one. “Who is ‘Bacon Bits’?” His brother shrugged unhelpfully, but tilted the next one so he could see it better. 

The one was of ‘Bacon Bits’, Quackity and some other guy with curly brown hair and round glasses. All three were wearing high school graduation gowns and holding their diplomas, smiling widely at the camera.

Tubbo flipped it around, reading the back, “‘Quackity, Tech, and Wil: Graduation Day’.” He said, flipping it back to the front. “I guess the bacon guy’s name is Tech. This is weird.”

The next photo was of Quackity and ‘Wil’. They were both wearing what looked like a girl’s school uniform, stifling laughs at whoever was behind the person holding camera. Wil had a hand clamped tightly on his mouth and Quackity stood with his shoulders raised and cheeks puffed like he was holding his breath. In the background was a girl with pink hair laughing. The back said ‘Feathers and Wil, getting in trouble with Phil. I had nothing to do with it. (P.S. Niki was the one that helped them.)’.  Purpled assumed it was Tech who wrote it.

Tubbo sighed, “Maybe we should put this stuff away.” He said and Purpled nodded.

…

Ok, maybe a little bit more.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“Techno, if you don’t get out of that room, I swear to God , I will—“ 

The man in question groaned, “Yeah, yeah, I got it Wil, just give me a second.” He said. His brother started complaining from behind the door, going on about how he ‘hadn’t left in days’ and that ‘he was worrying his family’. Wilbur went quiet and Techno let himself have a few moments of blissful silence and hope that he had left. 

There was a bang and the door crashed open with a yelp of pain from his brother. Techno snorted and squinted slightly at the sudden brightness of the hall light. Wilbur muttered a string of curses and hobbled into the dark room.

“ Prime , Techno, you look like complete and utter shit.” He said with no remorse. Techno glared half-heartedly at him with tired eyes. “Oh, god, look away before I catch your ugly!”

He stuck out his tongue, “Already have, dipshit. Have you looked in a mirror lately?” He retaliated, turning back to his laptop, frowning at the low battery notification and reaching for the charger.

Wilbur sputtered, “Says you. Have you even been in a bathroom in, like, a week? I don’t think I’ve seen you leave for the bathroom in literally a day. Oh my god, Tech, did you piss in here? Is that why it smells so bad—“ Techno threw a pencil at him, huffing in annoyance. “Ok, Prime , no need to get violent, Porky Pig.”

“Sorry, Wil, I just—“ He rubbed his eyes under his glasses, resting his elbows on the desk, “I just need a win. Just one. I need to know he’s ok.” Guilt had been eating him alive, tearing him apart at the seams. He needed something .

Wilbur sighed and moved further into the room, leaning against his desk, giving Techno a sympathetic smile. “How about you take a break? Eat something, take a shower, get some rest, and come back tomorrow. You’re not any use to Q—“ He stopped himself, “Any use to him if you can hardly stand.”

Techno clicked his tongue and sighed. “I guess you’re right.” He muttered, closing his laptop and pushing it back. “I’ll shower first, then.” 

Wilbur grinned, “Great! I’ll go make some spaghetti!” He wasn’t the biggest fan of spaghetti, but it was one of the only things Wilbur could make without burning the house down. “I’ll braid your hair once it’s dry, too.” With that, he left, leaving the door open behind him.

Techno stared at the doorway, considering shutting the door and getting back to work anyway. But he knew better. Wilbur wouldn’t hesitate to use his power on him the second time around.

Forcing himself upward, Techno made his way to his dresser, pulling out some comfy clothes to put on after the shower. He left for the bathroom, glancing at the guest room that was slowly becoming home to a certain loud and annoying blond teenager. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head at memories of the boy's antics, and hopped in the shower.

When he got out, he could faintly smell garlic bread from the kitchen. His stomach grumbled in hunger and he hurried to fill it. Wilbur stood in the kitchen, dancing to imaginary music in his head as he stirred the sauce.

Techno laughed silently and took a seat at the island. “Nice dance moves, Wil.” He said, sending him a shit-eating grin when he yelped, getting a small bit of sauce on his sweater.

Wilbur groaned loudly, “Techno, what the fuck, man?!” He exclaimed, setting down the spoon and getting a wet paper towel to wipe it off. “This is one of my good sweaters, too.” He whined.

“Maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings, Charm .”

Wilbur scowled and raised the pitch of his voice, making a small mouth with his hand. “ Maybe you should pay attention to your surroundings, meh meh meh. Fuck you, Techno, fuck you.” He said, stirring with a touch more vigor.

Techno was about to respond when the door slammed open to reveal an annoyed and sopping wet Tommy. He waltzed in, shutting the door behind him and kicking off his shoes.

“What’s up, fuckers!”

“What are you doing with my hoodie?!”

“Fuck you, that’s what!”

Wilbur threw a plastic spatula from the utensil jar at the boy. “When the fuck did you take that from my room?” He asked, taking the sauce off the heat and pulling bowls down from the cabinet.

Tommy plopped down next to Techno, “When you were busy doing pussy things like a pussy, I snuck in and stole it. And guess what?” He asked with a smirk, nudging Techno.

Techno smirked back, “What?” He asked.

“I knew it was gonna rain. That’s why I took it.”

“Hey!”

Techno snickered and accepted the bowl from Wilbur with a small ‘thank you’. Tommy saw what they were eating and groaned. Wilbur questioned it.

“I had spaghetti last night, I’m sick of it.” He said, slumping in his chair. “Don’t you have anything else?”

Wilbur rolled his eyes, taking his own seat at the island. “If you want something else, make it yourself. I’m done cooking for tonight.” Tommy groaned loudly again. 

Techno hummed, “Did Ranboo make it again?” He asked, mainly just to make small talk. To get his mind off things.

“Nah, Tubbo’s dad did.”

Wilbur choked on his spaghetti, “Tubbo has a dad?” He asked, incredulous.

Tommy straightened up, “I know right! Ranboo ‘n me were shocked, too. Turns out he has a brother also, can you believe it?” He gestured wildly. “But, like, Purp and Big Q were cool, so I guess it’s fine—“

Techno shared a glance with Wilbur. “Big Q?” He questioned, a spark of hope igniting in his chest.

Tommy huffed, picking at something on the table. “Yeah, his name is Qua—“ Techno’s chair clattered to the floor as he stood.

“Quackity?”

The teen looked between him and Wilbur. “Uh, yeah? You know him?” He shuffled a little, “You alright, Big Man?” Techno took a deep breath. 

“Tommy, I need you to show me where he is.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

It was late when he got the call. The call that shattered his world. 

(“We know where he is.”)

Hope was a hard thing to come by these days, and he knew that most of the time it was useless to hold onto it. But some days, it was the only thing that kept him going. He never lost faith in his son.

(“Sam?”

“I’ll be there soon.”)

God, he just hoped Quackity hadn’t lost faith in him.

Chapter Text

Listen. Quackity was a reasonable man. He had looked over many of Schlatt’s deals and transactions. He was logical and analytical, while still being sympathetic and…well, he wasn’t kind , per se, but his heart was in the right place. A perfect mix of left and right brain.

But, this? This might just cause him to lose all sense of the word ‘reasonable’.

Not only did Quackity come home to his kids snooping through his things, but what they were snooping through was incredibly personal. He had promised himself he would never let them know. That he would never look back.

Purpled and Tubbo had twin looks of guilt and discomfort when he walked in the house to find them sitting at the table, old photos scattered all around them. He recognized the box immediately. It was the one he had shoved to the very back of his closet, as he couldn’t bring himself to actually throw them out.

“You have 30 seconds to explain yourselves.” He said sternly, closing the front door with an aggressive click. The two immediately tried to justify their violation of his privacy.

“Well, it’s just that you never talk about—“

“—and how were we supposed to know you would be upset—“

“—and we were curious! That’s all!—“

“—it was just supposed to be a little look, nothing more but then—“

“—never tell us anything—“

“—and now we have so many questions—“

“Boys!” He exclaimed, hitting the table lightly. The two froze and Quackity found himself sighing. “I didn’t want you to learn this way…” He muttered, slumping into a chair. The itch for a cigarette scratched at the back of his mind; something that hadn’t happened for a while.

He rubbed his eyes and looked up to meet their eyes. “I’m not mad,” He paused, “ok, no, I am mad. Furious, even. But more at myself than you two.” The boys exchanged looks, but focused on him once more.

Quackity leaned back in the chair, staring at the cracked ceiling, as if it had the answers he was looking for. “I should’ve known it was inevitable that you two would find out. I had just hoped it wouldn’t come so soon. Especially with you being back, Tubbo.” He said, sitting up straight. “I never wanted to keep anything from you guys, but it was safer that you knew nothing about the person I was.” 

Purpled cleared his throat, “None of these pictures suggest anything bad, though. You look, dare I say, happy.” He said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Quackity huffed a laugh, “There was a time before those, believe it or not, and the picture isn’t pretty.” He picked up a picture of him and Techno, tracing a thumb over his scarless face. Hard to believe there was a time when he was more than a jumbled mess of scars, PTSD, trauma, and relationship issues. “I won’t get into that with you, though, it’s not for kids.”

Tubbo rolled his eyes, “I think we’re hardly kids at this point, Dad.” He said, scornfully, though it wasn’t aimed at Quackity. “From being raised by Schlatt to being child soldiers for him, I think we can handle what you throw at us.”

“I’m not going to tell you about it.” He said, sending Tubbo a look, “I can tell you about these photos though.”

Oh, thank god , He thought when they smiled, I don’t think I would’ve lasted under those eyes . He watched with mild amusement as they picked out several photos.

“Ok,” Purpled said, tapping the stack on the table to line them up, “we’ve decided on these, because they are the most confusing.”

Quackity took the stack from him and laughed at the first one. It was the four of them, Wilbur, Niki, him, and Techno. Wilbur was wearing Niki’s clothes, which were much too small, and Niki was wearing Wilbur’s, which were much too big. He himself was wearing a clown outfit, frowning, and Techno just stood there, smiling smugly. He flipped it to the back where it read ‘Wil and Q being idiots, Niki and Techno being cool’.

“I understand why this would be confusing.” He said, grinning at them. “Me and Wilbur lost a bet, and these were our punishments. I had to walk around town like that, asking people if they’d heard of ‘our lord and savior Jesus Christ’. Wilbur was forced to perform a gig in that.” 

Purpled snorted, “What was the bet?” He asked.

“Well, there was this—“ He was cut off by a knock at the door. “You guys expecting someone?” They shook their heads. Suspicious.

Quackity frowned, slowly making his way to the door, grabbing the baseball bat that leaned against the frame. He motioned for them to get behind him, and slowly he unlocked the door. The door creaked open and he caught a glimpse of the person(s) outside. 

He immediately shut the door and locked it.

“Dad?”

He turned to them, “Go to the bedroom and lock the door. I’ll deal with this.” He whispered. The boys hesitated but obliged. With a deep breath and a heavy heart, Quackity unlocked the door again.

There stood his old family. Techno, Wilbur, and…. Sam. Sam was with them. He couldn’t help but wonder where Phil was.

He rested the bat on his shoulder, ignoring the whitening of his knuckles as he gripped the door handle. “What are you doing here?” He growled, glaring viciously at them. “How the fuck did you find me?”

There was a bit of shuffling and Tommy emerged from behind them, looking sheepish and guilty. “I didn’t know, honest.” He started, wringing his hands. “I was just telling them about—“

He sighed, “It’s alright, Tommy,” Quackity looked up at them, “they would’ve found me eventually.” 

Techno bit his lip, “Quackity, can you at least hear us out?” He asked quietly, hurt evident in his tone.

He nearly laughed. Hear them out? Yeah, right. “You expect me to trust you? After everything that happened?” He scoffed, slamming the end of the bat on the floor, making them flinch. “You can’t honestly think you deserve a second chance, right?”

Well, maybe Sam deserved some ‘hearing out’. He hadn’t necessarily done anything wrong. Quackity looked at his father now, taking in the bags under his eyes and the unruly hair. His glare softened when their eyes met, his grip loosening.

“Hi, Sam.” He whispered. 

His dad gave a wobbly smile, “Hey, kiddo.” He said, tension leaving his shoulders. “It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

It has , Quackity wants to say, it’s been too long. I miss you. Why did I ever leave?

“Yeah.” Is what he says instead, gaze trailing back to the Crafts. “I will let you in, but just know you aren’t welcome. Don’t make yourself at home.”

He opened the door wider, stepping aside to let them in. The group wandered in, standing awkwardly in the small living room. Quackity left them there to get Purpled and Tubbo.

He knocked on the door, “It’s Dad. You can come out now.” He said. There was a bit of shuffling inside and he heard the door unlock with a soft click. It swung open, Purpled standing there with a look of confusion, Tubbo’s matching. “The people from the photos are here.”

With that, he turned and found the others talking amongst themselves. Tommy immediately moved to Tubbo’s side, ignoring the noises of protest from Wilbur and Techno. Quackity heard the three kids talking quietly and moved closer to the ghosts from his past. His eyes found Techno’s and for a moment they stood there, staring each other down.

Sam cleared his throat, earning everyone’s attention. “So,” He started, “you have kids now?” There was a certain pain in his eyes that Quackity knew he caused. 

He broke their eye contact, staring at the floor, like he was a kid again. “I’m sorry for the last time we talked. I was being irrational and—“ He cut himself off, finding Sam’s gaze again, “and I should’ve contacted you again.”

Sam’s eyebrows creased, “No, no, kid, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you. You weren’t…ready.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I just wanted everything to be ok as soon as possible. And about contact, I should’ve been the one to reach out, it’s sort of my job as a parent to take the initiative.” 

The silence weighed heavy on the adults in the room, leaving the three kids confused behind them. He turned around to face them, “Can you three go to the bedroom, actually? This isn’t a conversation you want to see.” Quackity watched as Purpled went to protest but Tommy sent him a look, and (albeit, reluctantly) they left.

Techno took a deep breath, deciding it was his turn. “Quackity, I—“ He paused, “I’m sorry. For everything.” He glanced back at Wilbur, who nodded, “You probably hate me at this point, and, to be honest, I don’t blame you. What happened that night, it was…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Quackity slumped on the couch, taking a deep breath. These guys would be the death of him. He gestured for them to take a seat, Techno immediately sitting on the couch with him. Sam pulled a chair over from the dining table, and Wilbur sat next to Techno on the other side of the couch.

“In the end,” He started slowly, refusing to look at his old friend, “you were right, of course. About Schlatt. Obviously, that doesn’t mean I forgive you for that night .” He gritted out, “You hurt me, you hurt my family , and you hurt other people, even though you were trying to save them. Trying to save us .” When Techno stayed silent, he trudged on. “Having good intentions doesn’t erase bad actions. While I admit I wasn’t completely in the right either, I’ve done what I can to make up for it. By saving those boys.”

Techno leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m sorry I hurt them. I will do anything to make it up to you.” He said after a while, looking at Quackity, “I just want to be your friend again. You can’t not try, after all we went through together.” 

“How am I supposed to forgive and forget when there’s a giant reminder on my face?” His voice was scarily monotone. “You know, even my powers can’t get rid of the scar. I’ve tried.”

“Q—“

“My kid loves you, by the way.” He said suddenly, “Purpled. He wants to be just like The Blade . Maybe I ought to tell him just who left me half blind and my face mangled. Tell him just who left the explosion scars on Tubbo’s face.” Techno’s body went rigid. Quackity knew it was a low blow, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Maybe he should’ve thought twice before blowing up Manberg. 

“Tell me, Techno, why do you think I should forgive you?”

They had a bit of a staring contest before Techno broke and looked away. “You don’t have to forgive me.” He said slowly, “But I miss you. A lot. And I know how much you hate holding grudges, and I can never stay mad at you, no matter how hard I try. We were family , Q. It was just us, for the longest time, how can we throw all that away?”

Quackity’s breath hitched and covered his mouth with his hand. “You’re so stupid .” He sobbed, trying desperately to wipe his cheeks. “ Fuck. We both know I can’t stay mad at you either.” He whispered, staring at his hands. “But it’s like my brain is on fire . There’s too much happening all at once. First with Tubbo and now you guys, it’s like—“

Sam spoke up the first time in a while, “You’re stressed, Q.” He said softly, “Your brain is probably just struggling to keep up. I remember this happening on your first day going back to school. You need to take a break.”

Quackity shook his head, “I can’t. I don’t have time for a break.” He said, “I need to support the kids and-and take care of them and find a job and—“ He screamed into his hands. “I don’t have time. ”

Sam sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You can’t expect yourself to be able to carry so much after everything you went through. You’re only hurting yourself.” He took a deep breath, “If you want, I can help watch your kids. I will help you in any way I can, you just have to let me help you.” 

Quackity sniffed and wiped at his eyes. He looked around the room at all of them, finally landing on Techno. He cracked a small smile, “So,” He started, bumping their shoulders, “how’s life as a superhero, Bacon Bits? Are you finally teaching others about wearing masks?” Techno’s eyes watered in relief.

“You know it, Feathers.” He whispered. Both ignored the crack in his voice.

Quackity looked back to Sam. “I’ll have to talk to them about it before I do anything else, but I’ll let you know.” He paused, thinking about Karl and Sapnap. “I might have to take you up on that offer very soon.” Everyone deflated with relief.

Everything would be ok. For right now, Quackity would be ok.

Chapter Text

“You know, he kinda reminds me of someone.”

“Who?”

“You remember that kid we found? In the alleyway?”

Karl made a face, “When we were like, what, seven?” He took a sip of his Monster. “The one that was crying?”

Sapnap nodded, crossing his arms. “Maybe that’s him. I mean, just think about it. They look really similar, right down to the beanie.” He started pacing, “And-and the kid said something about being able to change into something, right? And Quackity’s whole thing was shapeshifting.”

“Sap—“

“May-maybe he was taken in by someone. And given a home or whatever. Maybe that’s why he was gone when we went back.”

“Sapnap.” Karl said, crossing the dining room and placing a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t actually think he’s still around?”

He shrugged, bringing a hand to his mouth. He chewed on his thumbnail. “I mean…he could be. Karl, think about it. You remember that one news story? About the underground gladiator-type fighting ring? How they would take kids that were vulnerable and force them to fight?”

Karl nodded, then realized what he was saying. “Sapnap, you don’t think—“

“What if he was one of those kids?” He said, staring deep into Karl’s eyes. The swirls of purple nearly hypnotized him. “What if…what if he got out? Like Phil’s son did.”

“He still ended up being a villain, Sap.”

“Looking back,” He said, tearing his eyes away from Karl’s. “he never really looked happy during those Manberg raids. There was one time,” Karl gently pulled him towards the couch. “It was during a fight with Manberg. I had been sent to work with Dream and Captain to take down the group of villains attacking a bank.”

Sapnap could hear Schlatt’s cruel laughter from outside the building. He peeked in through the window, seeing him and Reform standing there. A little ways away were two boys, no older than 10, talking quietly with each other. The brown haired one kept glancing at Schlatt fearfully, as if he would snap any second.

Reform stood stoically, eyes never leaving the floor. Bright, yellow wings hung from his back, nearly dragging on the floor. Sapnap suspected they were there for a last second get away, if need be. Dream was across from him, at the other side, also looking in the window. They were waiting for the Captain’s signal.

“So!” Schlatt exclaimed, clapping loudly. It made the brown haired boy flinch. “You lovely hostages are now new members of Manberg! We’ll just round you folks up, shimmy on over to Manberg and drop ya off! How does that sound?”

There was silence.

“I said how does that sound?!” Schlatt snapped and immediately people started clapping. He laughed, throwing an arm over Reform’s shoulder. “Hear that, hon? It’s like music to my ears!”

Even from his spot outside, Sapnap could feel Reform’s discomfort. It took everything in him not to burst in and burn the whole place down. But he had a job to do, and people to save.

Suddenly, Reform pulled away. He shook his head and started walking towards the boys. Sapnap watched and Schlatt’s grin fell and he glared at his partner’s back.

“Sugar Pumpkin,” He said, and Sapnap never thought a pet name could sound so menacing. Reform froze on the spot. “Let’s not go there again. Not with an audience.”

The two boys shook their heads but Reform only sighed and turned back to Schlatt. That’s when Captain gave the signal, and he and Dream ran in.

“I don’t know.” He muttered, taking his head in his hands. “I just…what if he was forced into the whole villainy thing? What do we do then?”

Karl squeezed his shoulder. “That’s a question for Phil, I think.” He stood abruptly with one last pat, “Now c’mon, you sad sack, we’ve got a date to plan.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“Be safe, you little shits.” Quackity growled out, holding both Purpled and Tubbo in place by their shoulders. “If I hear anything, and I mean anything, about you two fucking shit up, I will pound you into the earth so hard you’ll meet Satan himself.”

“Jesus, Dad, we get it.” Purpled said, pulling a weird face that said something like ‘you are way too intense right now’. “Don’t you have a date to get to?”

Tubbo crossed his arms with a sneaky grin that Quackity didn’t trust in the least. “Yeah, Dad, don’t you have a date with two hot, sexy me—“

He slapped a hand over his mouth, glaring. “You shut your face hole, dickwad.” He whispered violently. Then he sighed, pulling his hands back and into his pockets. “You two are going to be the death of me.”

Sam chuckled nervously from the door. He hadn’t moved houses since Quackity left, which was only somewhat shocking. “They’ll be fine, Q, I promise.” He said and, surprisingly, Quackity found himself believing him.

“You’ll be safe with me, I promise.”

A warden’s promise. A guardian’s promise.

Quackity smiled at him, “Thanks, Dad.” He took a deep breath and looked back at his kids. “Ok, you two know the rules, and if you don’t…well, just listen to Sam. I love you both so much—“

Purpled cut him off, “Yeah, yeah, we love you, too.” He patted his shoulder and Tubbo straightened his blazer. “Go get us two new dads, you loser.”

“But if they’re creepy, you can always taser them.”

“Good point, Tubbs. Please use Tubbo’s taser ring if they end up being creepy.”

“Never underestimate the power of a good taser ring.”

“And I put a spare blade in your boot just in case there are muggers—“

“—and your necklaces double as handcuffs for that too, or ya know, if things get a little—“

“Alright!” Quackity exclaimed, flushed, “That’s enough, I get it. I’m leaving now, you two be nice to Sam, he’s being awfully kind.”

“Ah, it’s no problem, really.” Sam said, leaning against his door frame. “I’m sure they’ll be no trouble at all.”

“You say that now.”

With two last kisses to his boys’ foreheads, he left down the sidewalk and towards the restaurant they asked him to meet them at. He took a few deep breaths. He could do this. It was only his first date since meeting Schlatt. Which was…wow was that really seven years ago? 

“Mother of Christ…” He muttered.

This was going to be a long night.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“So,” Sam started, pulling a pot out of the cupboard. “Do you two like spaghetti?” The two boys groaned. He chuckled, catching a glimpse of their faces and putting the pot back. “I’m gonna take that as a no.”

Tubbo shoved his face in his arms. “That is literally all we ever eat.” His voice was muffled by his sleeves.

Sam leaned on the island, smiling at them. “What do you want to eat then?” He asked, then an idea sparked. “Oh! Have you two ever had enchiladas?”

“Uh, no.” Purpled said at the same time Tubbo said, “I think once?”

Sam hummed and began pulling out the ingredients. “That’s sort of shocking. It’s Q’s favorite, you know.” He said, a bittersweet smile on his face. “It was one of the few things he remembered from his biological parents, so he would always ask me to make them for him.”

“Did you?”

“I made them practically every night.” 

There was hesitation in the silence.

“I made them when he left, too.” He could hear the two shuffling awkwardly and took pity on them. “Your father was never one to back down from a challenge, you know?” Sam casted a glance over his shoulder, smile growing at their faces. “He always taunted Tech and Wil when they would even hint at not partaking in a fight or argument.

“He had dreams of becoming a lawyer and planned on going to college for it. There was one time, I remember it so vividly, he and Wilbur had gotten into an argument over something stupid. Anteaters, I think it was?” He shook his head and continued prepping the chillies. “Anyway, he gathered his classmate’s opinions and compiled a whole pie chart among other things. It was way overboard and totally insane. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Techno laugh that hard.”

“You…” Sam turned to Tubbo. “You really missed him, didn’t you?” He asked, and he had a feeling there was some sort of guilt there.

Sam smiled sadly and huffed, “I missed him everyday.” He turned his back again, refusing to let them see the few tears slipping down his face. “My little duckling had fled the nest without even a goodbye. He was never really ‘mine’ to begin with, I guess, but that doesn’t mean he’s not my son. I would give anything to go back and fix what had happened.”

“I…I never really thought of it that way.” Tubbo whispered. “How do you even become that attached to someone after only a few years?”

Sam chuckled, “Our closest friends and family have a way of quickly worming their way into our hearts. When you click instantly like that, it’s…that’s just how you know you can’t let them go.” He looked back at them, “I bet that’s how he felt with you two.”

He looked away once more, sort of nodding to himself. His duckling always had a magnetic personality, pulling people in whether they liked him or not. Sam snickered silently to himself. The arguments that kid could get himself into with just random people on the street.

Yeah. He’d missed him.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Karl was bouncing with nerves. He and Sapnap had been worried Q wouldn’t agree to go out with them, but he had. And even said he was excited to get to know them! Sapnap sat at his left in the booth they’d picked, fiddling with his cufflinks. 

He bit his lip. Was this restaurant too nice for a first date? Where had he taken Sapnap on their first date? Was it this fancy? No, it was the arcade down the road from their high school. Because they were in high school. And had known each other since kindergarten. Right.

“Karl, babe, I can hear your thoughts from here.” Sapnap muttered, taking his hand gently and squeezing it. “Take a deep breath, it’ll be ok.”

“I know. Sorry, I guess the nerves are getting to me.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

There was movement out of the corner of his eye and he looked up to see the hostess leading Q to the booth. He straightened up smiling politely at the two of them. Q smiled back, nodding to the hostess and taking a seat across from Karl. The hostess left and a slightly awkward silence fell over them.

“So,” Q started, folding his hands on the table. “How are you two?”

“Pretty good.” 

Silence.

Q huffed a small laugh, massaging his temples. “Sorry, I—“ He fiddled with the rings on his fingers. ”It’s been a while since my last date.”

Sapnap snorted, taking a sip of water. “Oh, c’mon, it can’t have been that long.” He said with an easy smile.

Q smirked, “Oh, yeah, only seven years.” He said, and Karl was certain he wasn’t joking. Sapnap seemed to think so too, seeing as he choked on his water and began coughing. “Oh, shit—“

Karl patted his back, holding back loud and obnoxious laughter. “Sap—“ He giggled into his hand, “Sap, are you ok?” 

“Yeah—“ He said, though it came out hoarse and hardly intelligible. “Yeah, I’m alright.”

Q chuckled softly and Karl wondered how this man could’ve ever been a villain. “You don’t sound alright.” He joked, “Sorry, though, I didn't mean to shock you.”

“Seven—seven years?”

“Ah, yeah.” He said, messing with his rings again. “Sorta got out of a…very long term relationship.”

“I’m sorry about that.” Karl frowned. 

Q waved a hand, “Nah, don’t feel bad.” He said dismissively, opening the menu. “I, for one, am glad to be out of it.”

“Then good for you, I suppose.”

He flashed them a smile. It was shark-like but in a sort of endearing way Karl is certain only he could pull off. He knew he was falling for this guy, and he knew Sapnap was too, with the way he was looking at him.

They continued on with dinner, laughing and joking and overall having a really good time. It was shocking how much in common they had and how well they clicked. Q felt like a missing puzzle piece they’d found under the carpet after missing it for weeks. He felt nostalgic, but in the best kind of way. Nostalgia that makes you laugh and grin up at your ceiling. It felt like they’d known each other forever.

Q had made Karl laugh so hard, his drink shot out of his nose. He’d made Sapnap so flustered, he had to leave the booth to splash water in his face. He’d made the two of them feel lighter than they had in a while. It felt like they were whole.

(Quackity felt the same way.)

At the end, outside of the restaurant, away from the glaring employees, the three started their goodbyes.

Q was still snickering at a joke Sapnap had made about one of the waiters. “You two are cute.” He said, his blazer folded over his arm, sleeves rolled up past his elbows. “I would love to go out again, if you want.”

Karl grinned, “We would love to!” He exclaimed, grabbing and shaking Sapnap’s arm. “Tonight was so fun.”

“It really was.” Sapnap agreed. “Should we plan another time?”

“Uh, maybe at a later date, I,” He paused, “I’m quite busy. I promise I’ll text you though.”

Karl nodded, “Of course, of course. Mr. Hotshot has to talk with his receptionist about making time for us lowlifes.” He joked, poking Q’s shoulder.

He laughed, “Shut up, you nimrod.” and poked him back. “For real, I will text you when I’m free next. Thanks for dinner, I had a great time.” 

With that, he turned and left, leaving two lovestruck fools in his wake. 

Chapter Text

Ranboo kicked the small rock in front of him, not quite knowing what to say. Tommy opened his mouth to speak, but only bit his lip and shook his head. They stared at the ground, shuffling awkwardly.

“So…”

“So…”

Ranboo inhaled through his teeth and then pressed his lips into a line, better known as the ‘white person smile’. Tommy made a clicking noise and whistled a bit, rocking back and forth on his feet.

“Tubbo is Schlatt’s son.”

“Yup.”

“He has an adopted brother who was known as the Mercenary to those who lived in Manberg.”

“Mhm.”

“And his dad was literally the most feared villain in all of L’Manberg.”

“Yeah,” Tommy sighed, “That adds up.”

Ranboo groaned and kicked another rock, a little harder than last time. It hit a cat in the face. He winced when the cat immediately looked in his direction. Tommy snickered evilly at his misfortune and laughed a little harder when the cat began trotting towards the duo. He yelped and ducked behind Tommy when the cat got close enough. 

“What? Scared of a little pussy?” Tommy laughed far too hard at his own joke and then started making noises at the devil cat. “C’mere kitty!”

The cat looked old. It was scraggly and dirty, probably from living on the streets for a while, but it also had a look about it that just felt old to Ranboo. You could see the outline of its spine through it’s skin, and it clearly had some sort of pain in it’s back right leg.

“It looks hurt, Boo, we should help it,” Tommy frowned and picked it up when it decided to trust them. “For now, your name will be…Clementine! C’mon, Clem, away to Niki’s Bakery!”

Ranboo’s half-hearted protests of the cat hating him died in his throat when he saw the cat curl into Tommy’s red cardigan. He teared up a bit and cooed at her, falling into step beside his partner as they began the familiar trek to Niki’s Bakery.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“Oh, c’mon, Tubbs!”

Tubbo laughed maniacally as he scooped the poker chips in his arms and pulled them towards him. “I won again! Suck it, losers!” He yelled, sticking his tongue out at Purpled. 

Sam laughed and stood, placing cards on the table, “You two are way too good at this game,” He said and made his way back to the kitchen to take the brownies out of the oven. 

Purpled scoffed, “We learned from the best, old man,” He said, Tubbo nodding frantically next to him with a cookie hanging out of his mouth. “Dad knows how to play a mean game.”

Sam smirked, “Oh? And just where do you think he learned that?” He asked, a smug grin on his face.

Tubbo rolled his eyes and took the cookie out of his mouth. “Dere’s no ‘ay,” He spoke around the chewed up cookie in his mouth. “I jus’ ‘eat ‘oo li’e fibe million ‘imes!” (translation: There’s no way, I just beat you like five million times) .

“I was holding back, to not make you feel bad.”

Tubbo huffed and shoved the rest of his cookie in his mouth, swallowing near instantly. “I demand a rematch, gramps! You better play well!” He exclaimed, punctuating his sentences with a hit to the table.

There was a knock at the door.

Sam laughed and shook his head, moving to answer the door. “Maybe another time, kid,” He pulled the door open and froze at the sight of his son, who had a swollen lip and a bloody nose and various cuts on his face and arms. “Quackity! Wha—“

His son glared and pushed past him, “Don’t,” He grumbled, “Kids, let’s go. We have to leave this god forsaken fucking city.” 

Sam placed a hand on his shoulder, a wave of relief flooding through him when it wasn’t immediately shoved off. “Q, what’s going on?” He asked, taking note of the tears building in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, clearly trying to stay strong for his kids, but his hands were shaking and his body was trembling. Quackity glanced at Purpled and Tubbo now, who were showing their concern in one way or another. Tubbo was stood at the table, leaning forward, eyebrows creased with worry, but his brother sat stock-still, glaring at the table, ready to pound whatever shit stain had rattled his dad this badly into the fucking dirt .

Quackity looked back at Sam, a deep set fear behind his one chocolate brown eye. His hands begane sweating with anticipation and anxiety. What had happened?

“Schlatt’s back.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Dream paced, waiting anxiously for Karl and Sapnap to show up so he could begin the meeting. Phil talked with Techno and Wil quietly in the corner, face pinched in confusion and worry. George sat at the table with his head resting on his arms, tired from a day of interrogating people.

The door slammed open and the couple stepped in. The dress clothes they wore were soaking wet from the rain outside, but it didn’t seem to bother them. Dream sighed with relief, and motioned for the Syndicate to join him at the table. Everyone took their seats and he finally began.

“We’ve gotten reports of Schlatt being back,” He said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Even after confirming with Karl and Sap that he was dead . I even checked, and sure enough, there was a grave labeled ‘Jonathan Schlatt’.” 

Sapnap gaped at him, “But he was…” He trailed off, turning abruptly to Karl, “We knew he was dead! One doesn’t just come back to life !”

Dream slumped in his chair, a headache forming behind his eyebrows. “Yes, I know, Sapnap,” He said roughly, “How he did it, I don’t know, but he’s back. Our sources are trustworthy. We need to stop him before it gets out of hand again.”

George groaned, finally lifting his head, “But who would know Schlatt well enough to find him that quickly?” He asked.

Dream watched The Syndicate share looks. Techno sighed and bit the inside of his cheek. “I know someone, but you have to promise not to freak out,” He said. “I also don’t know if he’ll agree, but…”

Dream cut him off with a wave of his hand, “We’ll take what we can get,” He said simply, “This is Schlatt we’re talking about.”

“It’s Alex Quackity.“

“What?!”

George jumped so hard he toppled out of his chair. Karl had stood so quickly from his seat, the spinny chair had fallen backwards. Sapnap was in a similar state of shock, but the family of three just looked confused.

Karl stuttered, “You guys know him?” He asked.

Techno huffed with laughter, “ Do I know him ? I grew up with the pipsqueak.” He said, gesturing widely, nearly hitting Wilbur in the face.

“Techno,” Dream started, already feeling his headache grow, “You grew up with the villain Reform, and didn’t say anything ?”

Techno raised his hands in mock-surrender, “I was told to keep personal and work life separate,”—Dream felt his brain cells dying— “and we haven’t exactly been all buddy-buddy lately.”

George made a face as he pulled himself back into his seat. “But you were ‘buddy-buddy’ with him?” He asked, picking at his nails.

Techno rolled his eyes, “ Before he became a villain, we were really close, and then something happened and we fell apart until recently.” He looked back to Dream, “But he would know where Schlatt would go. He’s the only person Schlatt told everything to.”

Dream weighed his options. This was his best bet. It was either associate the Hero Association with an ex super-villain or spend months, maybe years, searching for a thought-dead one that could still cause harm.

“Let’s give him a call.”

Chapter Text

“Why’d you bring a cat in here, Tommy?”

Tommy rolled his eyes and held the cat closer, “‘Cause you know animal shit!” He reasoned. Ranboo stood awkwardly at his side, shifting from foot to foot. 

Niki scoffed good-naturedly and then sighed, “Come to the back, then, I don’t have all day,” She said, motioning for them to follow. “You’re lucky today has been slow otherwise I would’ve kicked you out.”

“You wouldn’t do that to us,” Tommy said, setting Clementine on the counter. “You love us.“

Niki only shook her head, “Correction: I love Ranboo ,” She dug around in a cabinet until she pulled out a small metal box. “You and Tubbo are little moochers that sucked Ranboo into your devious little lives.”

Tommy gasped, “I’ll have you know that me and Tubbo are a fuckin’ delight to be around!” He exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the woman.

“Yeah, yeah, even the cat’s giving you a look .” 

He turned to Clementine, who was giving him a dead stare. He glared right back. She looked away, seeming to brighten up as Niki got closer.

“Oh, she’s an old girl, isn’t she? Hey, sweetheart,” Niki said softly, scratching behind her ears. She purred loudly. “Mind if I check that leg of yours?”

Tommy and Ranboo decided to take a step back and let Niki work. They chatted quietly—well, as quiet as Tommy could get, which wasn’t very.

Niki gently prodded the back leg, wincing when the cat growled, “I know, I’m sorry,” She muttered then pulled out some antiseptic and began cleaning the wound she’d found after moving the fur a bit. “I’m almost done, I promise.”

Clementine chittered softly, as if she understood. 

Niki glanced back at the boys, “Do you know if she has an owner?” She asked, finishing up the wraps. “If not, we can take her to the vet and ask to check for a microchip.”

Tommy shrugged, “We didn’t see anyone and we assumed she was just an alleycat with how rough she looks,” He said. 

Ranboo nodded, “Yeah, I sorta accidentally kicked a rock at her?” Niki sent him a look. “It was an accident, I swear!”

Clementine huffed through her nose, like she was laughing.

A dejected look stretched across Ranboo’s face. Tommy pat his shoulder, “It’s alright, Big Man, she’ll come around,” He said sympathetically.

Ranboo only frowned more.

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“What?” Sam gripped the doorframe, nearly strong enough for it to snap. Anger flooded his veins; smoke poured past his lips and out of his nose. “I thought the bastard died .”

Quackity scoffed, handing the boys their shoes. “We all know Schlatt doesn’t know when to stop,” He muttered, “We’re going to the house to pick things up and then we’re leaving .”

Tubbo seemed conflicted, “Shouldn’t we help fight—“

“No!” Quackity said sternly, hitting the table and sighing when Tubbo flinched. “Sorry. No, we’re not. Those fucking heroes can do their jobs for once. We’re not gonna let Schlatt get the fucking chance to hurt us.”

“Dad—“

“Tubbo. You’re not going.”

“I can help—“

“You’re going to get hurt—!”

“I can’t leave Tommy and Ranboo—“

“They can take care of themselves! What would happen if Schlatt got his hands on you?”

“I’d kick the shit outta him!”

Quackity laughed humorlessly, “He’s stronger than us and you know it,” He said.

“He’s not stronger than you!” Tubbo countered, “You can defeat him—!”

“Don’t you think I haven’t tried?!” He yelled back. Tubbo’s mouth snapped shut with an audible click. Purpled gazed at his father in disbelief. “Do-don’t you think I didn’t try taking him down from the inside?” 

Sam took a step forward, “Q—“

“Not now.” Quackity slumped into a seat at the table. “That man gets into your head, Tubbo,” He said, looking deep into his son’s eyes. They glistened with tears. “He pulls out the fears deep in your mind and resurfaces them. He doesn’t stop until you’re begging on your hands and knees for him to let you go.

“ I ,” He emphasized, hitting the table with his pointer finger, “ I begged for him to let me go. I pleaded with him to let me take you away,” Quackity looked away, staring at the wall, “There was a night, some time before the heroes attacked, when I almost went through with it. With killing him.”

Tubbo shared a look with Purpled, “…What happened?” He asked.

“I couldn’t do it,” He whispered. “I hated him but part of me still loved him. God, I should’ve just done it.”

Sam took the seat next to him, “Well, what happened, happened,” He said, “You can’t change that. But for right now, I don’t want you three going out, especially not at night. You can stay here in the meantime, I have more than enough space.”

“He’ll find us, Dad.”

“He can try.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” George asked, arms crossed and looking nervous. “This is Reform we’re talking about. How do we know he’s not going to go back to him?“

Techno glared at him. “Trust me, that is the last thing Quackity wants to do,” He said, pulling out his phone. “I’m pretty sure he’d rather someone pull out his teeth than talk to Schlatt again.”

“How can you be so sure?” George challenged, leaning forward. 

Techno’s glare hardened, “I think I know my best friend, dipshit,” He said, “Don’t question me, 404, or we’ll be having some serious issues.”

Phil cleared his throat, “Boys,” He said sternly, “Let’s not turn against each other, especially not now.” He looked at George, “And you, don’t go being skeptical of everyone. I knew Quackity, too, he’s a good kid who’s…had a bad run.”

Wilbur scoffed, “That’s one way to say it,” He mumbled.

Techno stood from his seat as soon as he hit the call button, moving away from the table with his back turned. Quackity picked up on the third ring.

“I’m assuming you’ve heard?”

He huffed, “Hell yeah, we’ve heard,” He said gruffly, “I can’t believe the shithole’s back.”

“You and me both, bud,” Quackity paused and then sighed, “You probably wouldn’t call without a reason. What do you want?”

“I…” He hesitated. Could he really put Quackity through that again? “The team needs your help. Finding him, that is.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“…I’ll be there soon. Send me the HQ’s address.”

Techno sighed with relief.

“Thank you.”

There was no response.

^><^

Quackity arrived in the office just over fifteen minutes after the call, face stony and eyes alight with distrust. He kept his eyes on Dream the most, and Techno dared to say the man looked nervous.

“So,” He started, “You dickwads want my help, huh?”

Techno pinched the bridge of his nose, “Quackity, please,” He said, already getting a headache from the argument that has yet to come.

Dream stood, “Trust me, if I had it my way, you wouldn’t even be here,” He said, glaring daggers at him.

Quackity rolled his eyes, “If I had it my way, I wouldn’t be here either.” He leaned against the table, “But I guess we don’t all get what we want, do we?”

Phil stood, “Alright, alright,” He said, “We’re all on the same side here, let’s cooperate.” He looked to Quackity, who was gazing at him with an emotion he couldn’t place, “You got any ideas?”

“One,” He said, pulling a slip of paper from his back pocket, “And it’s not an idea. I know where he is. He always thought he’d outlive me, or if anything happened and I were to betray him, he’d just kill me. So, he told me everything. Including where he’d go if he had to hide away; if he were to get caught.”

He opened the folded paper, held it between two fingers and passed it to Sapnap. “He’s underground, some panic room he built when he was paranoid about everyone betraying him. I was the only one he trusted enough to tell.” Quackity sighed and sat down, “That, or he was gonna kill me sometime soon.”

Once Dream finally got the paper, he immediately marked down the address on his holographic-wrist- device-thingy (you guys know what i mean, right? like everyone draws him with it). He closed the screen and sat back down, motioning for everyone to listen up.

“Alright, we have a location and now we need a plan,” He said, looking directly at Quackity. “We’re gonna need you to meet him.”

Quackity snarled, “I wouldn’t touch that sick fuck with a 60 and a half inch pole,” He leaned back against the chair, “You’re gonna have to come up with something else.”

Dream exhaled loudly through his nose, “Well, if you’ve got something better—“

Quackity held up a finger and pulled out his phone, “Pause,” He said then lifted the phone to his ear. “Purpled? What’s wrong?”

Silence.

“ What?”

More silence.

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t try to be a hero. He will tear you apart. I’m on my way, stay on—“

A barely audible scream was heard from the device and all the color drained from Quackity’s face.

“Purpled!? No, no, no, no,” He stood up, yelling desperately into the phone until he stopped suddenly. “You absolute bastard , you sick fucking animal, I’m going to tear you to 🆂🅷🆁🅴🅳🆂 ｙｏｕ ｍｏｔｈｅｒf̶̭͋̇̂̋̇̈́̋ú̵̠̺̫̹̫̊̍̅͑̕͜͝c̸͍̭̟̯̽̇͂̄͆̾͋͜ǩ̷̢̧̤̭̟̳̳̹̖e̴̢̥̩͎̙̞̦̤̊͐̏͜͜r̴̘̜̮̂͒̅͝— “ He stopped and threw his phone into the ground, his pupil becoming a thin slit and his teeth sharpening.

There was something forming under his skin, low on his back. Grotesque cracking and popping noises made the whole scene much, much scarier. Dark, blue-ish black wings sprouted from his back in a flurry of feathers and long, sharp nails—talons, really—grew from his fingertips. Quackity stared at them, eyes wide with horror and grief and so, so much white-hot fury, Techno swears Wilbur pissed himself.

“ I’m going to fucking destroy Schlatt,” He grumbled, voice distored and angry. He sprinted towards the window and busted through it. For a moment, it seemed he’d fallen to his death, but soon enough he soared up past the window, faster than any of them had seen Phil fly. Techno ran to the now broken window and watched him fly off.

George stood, mouth agape like a codfish, “So,” He said, voice hoarse, “That’s Reform, huh?”

Techno chuckled darkly, hand resting on the hilt of his blade. “That’s not Reform, no,” He said, turning towards them. “That’s the Angel of Death.” He marched towards the door, an old feeling of bloodlust settling in his soul. It felt like an old friend.

“And I’m about to become the Blood God.”

Chapter Text

Quackity dropped to the roof of an abandoned building, cracking the cement under his feet. He stared down the man across from him. A man he hadn’t feared in a long, long time. Beside the man were two boys— his boys. They sat slumped against each other, tied up. He could feel his heart pounding in his head, anger building.

“Ah, Quackity!” Schlatt called, spreading his hands like any good businessman would. “How lovely it is to see you again, Sugar Pumpkin.”

Quackity glared, “Don’t fuck with me right now, you bastard,” He yelled, flaring his wings. “I will rip you to fucking shreds!”

His ex-husband cackled, holding his stomach as he leaned backwards. “I’d like to see you try, sweetheart!” He yelled, voice filled with amusement. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his slacks, feigning nonchalance. But Quackity knew. He could see the vein popping in his neck, and the twitch in his eyebrow. 

He smirked.

“So, Honey, ” He crooned, taking a step forward, watching Schlatt’s left foot move ever so slightly. With every step he took towards the man, his confidence grew. “You wanna see me try , do you?”

Soon, he had reached the man. Quackity grabbed Schlatt’s tie and yanked him down. “You and I both know what I’m capable of. Do you really wanna go there?” He whispered, eyes not once leaving the harsh yellow of his ex’s. Schlatt, stubborn as ever, gave a cocky smirk and leaned down a bit, so their noses were almost touching.

“Go for it, sweetheart.”

Immediately, Quackity shifted his hands to the sides of his head, threw his own head back and bashed it into Schlatt’s nose. This threw the other off guard and he stumbled backwards a bit, lifting a hand to touch his nose.

He glared, wiping blood from his lip, “You bit—“ He started, but didn’t get to finish as Quackity swept a leg underneath him and he fell on his back. There was a sickening crack and loud groan from the man. He watched as Schlatt’s eyes turned a hateful red. “You-you’re gonna regret that,” He mumbled, picking himself back up.

Intimidation rolled off him in waves, and Quackity felt fear pick at his skin. He shook it off. “Nice try, baby girl,” He grinned, showing off two rows of sharp teeth. “But you’ve used that trick one too many times with me.”

Schlatt’s brows somehow furrowed further, and he charged forward. Quackity easily sidestepped him, grabbing him by the face as he ran past, picking him up, and slamming him into the ground. Blood pooled in a small puddle under his head, but Quackity refused to relent. He gripped Schlatt’s face, nearly laughing as the man reached up to grab Quackity’s arm, muffled curses pouring out from under his hand.

“Oh, Schlatt,” He said, squeezing harder, “You never quite know when to stop, do you?” He picked up his head again and slammed it back into the ground. “I hope you know this is revenge. For everything you put me and countless others through.”

Schlatt let out more muffled words, eyes wide with visible fear. He smiled, no doubt looking absolutely batshit out of his mind. “Oh, no, no, no, don’t try begging for forgiveness now,” He said, shaking the man around a bit. “It’s much too late for that.”

“Hey!”

Quackity turned, seeing several masked men with guns across the roof. He rolled his eyes. He had forgotten about Schlatt’s loyal cronies. He looked back at Schlatt, who’s eyes had started to flutter closed, “Don’t go anywhere, hun,” He whispered, and forcefully shoved his head back into the cement.

“Hand over the boss!”

Quackity sighed and stood, turned and raised an eyebrow. “You really wanna do this, guys?” He asked, gesturing to Schlatt. “I mean, c’mon, let’s be honest here. Do you really wanna end up like this bas—“

A bullet pierced through his shoulder, flying out the other side and through his wing, hitting the ground with a soft clatter. Blood gushes from the wound, seeping into Quackity’s dress shirt. Ah, He’d forgotten he had been wearing that. He’d have to buy a new one.

He looked up at them with a bored expression. Quackity allowed the wings he’d formed to poof into nothing but a pile of feathers. He shortened his nails and rounded his teeth. He shrunk a bit more to his normal height and sighed. “You’re really, really going to regret that,” He said, frowning dramatically.

Slowly, he shifted, allowing his bones to crack and grow and his hair to shorten and lighten in color. Horns sprouted from the sides of his head and his eyes turned into that sickly yellow. He grew about seven inches and fuzzy facial hair grew on his jaw.

One of the men took a step back, hold on his gun faltering, “W-what the fuck!?” He yelled, scrambling back even more as Quackity smirked with Schlatt’s face. “How the hell—“

He activated Schlatt’s power, watching as the poor souls immediately dropped their weapons, cowering in fear. Some froze, shaking and begging for him to spare them. Quackity laughed, and it sounded like his ex’s cackle. 

“You must really hate what’s happening right now, huh?” He said, voice octaves deeper and much, much more sinister. “Your precious leader was defeated so quickly. And, yet, you did nothing to help. Not until it was too late.”

One of them, a rather brave one, glares, though his hands still shake. “Just who-who the he-hell do you thi-think you are?” He shouted, flinching back when Quackity’s glare shifted to him.

He stayed quiet as we walked in front of the man, dress shoes clacking against the ground. “Who do I think I am?” He repeated, tilting his head. Quackity leaned down, his lips next to the man’s ear. He sharpened his nails and drove his hand into the man's stomach. He held the man’s head to keep him upright. 

“I’m the Angel of Death.”

And he pulled his hand out. It made a gross sound, sort of like biting into a watermelon, or stirring mac n’ cheese. Quackity watched as the man slumped to the ground and then looked back up at the rest of them.

“Anyone wanna go next?”

They scrambled towards the exit, but Quackity knew they wouldn’t get far. Not with the Blood God waiting for them. He shrugged to himself and took a step back, shaking the blood off his foot. He made his way back to Schlatt, shifting back into himself as he went.

Quackity crouched by his head, though the guy was barely conscious. “Aw,” He muttered sarcastically, brushing his head back as Schaltt choked on something. Probably his own blood. Or spit. “You really thought you had a chance, did you?”

Schlatt sputtered helplessly.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Goodbye, Schlatt. For good this time.”

He stood, stomped on his stomach for good measure, and then hurried over to his sons, who were slowly waking up. Purpled blinked up at him, “Papa?” He whispered, sounding like a little boy again.

Quackity felt himself return back to normal, tears forming in his eyes as he smiled at him. “Hi, cariño, ” He whispered back, bringing his non-bloodied hand to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you two. And your grandfather.”

Purpled slumped forward, resting his head on his dad’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” He said as Quackity untied his hands and feet. “Sam tried his best to keep us safe, but he can only do so much as a creeper hybrid with no powers.”

He hummed, moving on to Tubbo, who was blinking blearily. “Sam’s strong, I’m sure he’s ok.” He squeezed Tubbo’s shoulder, “C’mon, bud, wake up. We gotta get home.”

“About that…” Quackity turned to see Phil and Techno, the former looking rather nervous. “Schlatt must’ve figured out where you lived, because the house was in ruins when we got there.”

He felt his throat close up. “Fuck,” He whispered, voice breaking. His sons leaned against him. “Did anything survive?”

Phil stepped forward, Techno following behind. He took a seat in front of them, “Just this box of pictures,” He said with a knowing smile. “I’m certain I’ve seen this box somewhere…”

Quackity snatched it out of his hands, laughing nervously. He didn’t seem to care that he was smearing blood all over it. “Right, right,” He said, clearing his throat awkwardly. “So, where are we supposed to stay then?”

Techno coughed, “Well, Sam’s place has been ransacked and basically left in a similar state to yours,” He explained, “Sam’s okay, by the way. Medics got to him in time.”

He sighed with relief, squeezing Purpled’s hand. “Thank god,” He muttered. 

His friend continued on, “And about the living situation,” He hesitated, “You could stay with us for the time being, if you want. We’ve got another guest room, one that Tommy isn’t staying in, that you could use. If the three of you don’t mind sharing a bed, that is.” 

Quackity smiled, “We don’t mind,” He said, then, “Thank you. I’m glad we're friends again, Tech.”

Techno smiled back.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks that passed were mostly uneventful, other than the rebuilding of Sam’s house and the realization that Sapnap and Karl were, in fact, the heroes that had been chasing him down for months on end. They were just lucky Quackity thought they were cute.

Quackity sat in the lobby of the medical wing in the heroes’ HQ, exhausted and waiting for his boys to get done. He had already been treated for the bullet wound in his shoulder and had nothing to do other than sit and wait. Techno and Phil had left to help Dream and George with the public and just how they were going to tell the story. Quackity had offered to help, but they told him they would call if they needed. 

“Hey, Q!”

He looked up, eyes falling on Karl and Sapnap, who were breathing heavily as if they had run up several flights of stairs. Karl even leaned against Sapnap for support.

Against his better judgment, he smiled at them. “Hey, you two,” He said, “Why are you here?” They took the seats on either side of him, Karl turning towards him, while Sapnap took this as an opportunity to man-spread and slouch completely. Had he not been so exhausted, he probably would’ve teased the man for it, but instead he just laughed and leaned back too.

Karl bit his lip and shifted his gaze away from Quackity. “We’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” He said and a large pit formed in his stomach. This was it. They were breaking things off. “It’s nothing bad! Well, I guess it depends on how you take it.”

Sapnap jumped in, “But, we’re both really hoping this doesn’t change how you feel about us!” He said, looking a lot more nervous than he did a few seconds ago.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” He reasoned, “I mean, c’mon, you’ve seen what I’ve been through.”

Karl glanced at Sapnap, who nodded. “We’re superheroes,” He said and Quackity was shocked that all he felt was relief. “Specifically Blaze and Rewind.”

“We promise we weren’t dating you just to get you…!” He paused, “Well, at first that was kind of the plan, but I promise it changed when we actually got to know you!”

Quackity sighed, but he was smiling. “You two are idiots, you know that?” He laughed a bit at their confused faces. “I don’t care, you nimrods. I had my whole character arc, you know? To be honest, a pair of heroes is exactly what I need right now.”

Introducing them to his kids was probably one of the hardest things he’s ever done, and he’s been forced to kill people! Luckily for him, Tubbo and Purpled seem to like them ok, even if they spent the majority of the meeting glaring daggers at them.

Oh, and speaking of kids, right now he was on the lookout for Tommy and Ranboo. Techno had volunteered to come with him and he decided ‘why not?’. An homage to old times, it seems.

They came across a bakery called ‘Niki’s Goods’ and felt the familiar churn of nostalgia in their guts. There was no way it wasn’t their Niki. Not when their pink-haired friend had gushed to them about wanting to open her own bakery after she graduated, and constantly had them taste-test her newest recipes. They shared a look and decided it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

They entered the shop and were immediately hit with the smell of freshly baked bread with a hint of lemon. A sign on the counter read ‘be back in a few minutes!’ peaked their interest. She couldn’t have left, considering the door was still unlocked, and her sign said ‘open’. Plus, Techno heard noise come from the back of the shop.

And the sound of a familiar annoying teenage shriek. 

“Tommy,” They said simultaneously and began walking towards the back of the bakery. Quackity turned the corner first and nearly laughed out loud at the sight in front of him. 

Tommy held a cat out in front of him with a bleeding scratch on his face. Ranboo stood in front of him looking both confused and amused. And Niki (they were right! She was their Niki) was laughing freely and Tommy’s struggling.

Quackity coughed, interrupting Tommy’s incessant cursing. Three heads snapped in his and Techno’s direction. “So,” He started, “Do I wanna know?” He asked, smirking.

Niki’s face broke out into a wobbly grin, “Quackity!” She cried, launching herself at him and squeezing him tightly. “And Techno! Get in here, you socially awkward freak!” Techno rolled his eyes but joined the hug nonetheless. 

When she pulled away, she was still grinning. “I can’t believe you’re here! I saw your story on the news,” She said, “I’m glad you’re back with us.”

“Glad to be back,” He responded.

“Clem, no!”

Without warning, Quackity was suddenly getting a face full of cat. The cat clung to his beanie, struggling to stay upright. He yelped, quickly plucking her from his face and spitting out fur. He glared at the cat, who seemingly rested smugly in his arms.

“Wait a minute,” He muttered, then leaned slightly closer to look in her eyes. “Oh my god. Guys.”

Techno leaned over his shoulder and Niki sent him a weird look. 

“It’s Tiger .”

“HEH?!” Techno bellowed from behind him, nearly destroying his eardrums. “I thought she had, like, died or something.”

“Oh, jeez,” Niki muttered, chuckling lightly, “I can’t believe she was just running around the city.”

“Tiger, what the fuck, man?” Quackity pouted, “You could’ve found me at any point and instead you ditch me for the alleys again?”

She meowed, swatting at him.

“Not cool, bro.”

Tommy stared at him, only slightly confused. “Wait, so this is your cat?” He asked.

“Yes,” Quackity answered, “Me and Tech found her in an alleyway when we were younger.”

“Damn it! Where am I supposed to get a cat named Clementine now?”

Ranboo patted his shoulder, “We can always check out adoption agencies. Or those shelters that put them down if they don’t get adopted,” He suggested.

Niki smiled, “That’s a great idea, Ranboo,” She said. “How about we do that?”

Tommy thought for a moment. “Hmm,” He paused, “Alright, but only if the cat is as cool as I am. Which is going to be difficult, so we can settle for, like, a third.”

“Tommy, that doesn’t make sense.”

“Yes it does!”

Quackity chuckled at their bickering as they walked out of the shop. He scratched behind Tiger’s ear and she purred, leaning into his hand.

“I can’t believe she’s actually here,” He said, “You’re so old now, Tiger.”

“She’s not old , don’t be mean,” Niki said, petting her as well.

Techno huffed, “She is old, Niki, she’s probably got brittle bones.” He snickered at his own joke, but was cut short by a swat from Tiger. “Calm down, cat, I was just joking.”

“She still doesn’t like you, Tech,” Quackity teased, “I guess some things never change.”

☂︎︎☹︎☂︎︎

Two years later…

“Tubbo! Purpled! Food!”

The sounds of socked feet thundered down the steps along with lazy arguments and taunts thrown between the brothers. Quackity laughed and shook his head, taking plates from Sapnap and setting them at the table.

Purpled came barreling in first, though Tubbo was not far behind. He shoved him, “No fair! You cheated!” Tubbo cried, sticking his tongue out at him.

“I did not! You just happened to slip on that shirt.”

“Yeah, you’re shirt.”

“Uncle Techno would’ve called it a ‘tactical advantage’,” Purpled said proudly. Tubbo rolled his eyes.

“Dad, make him stop being a complete doofus,” He complained, taking his spot at the table. 

Quackity set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table. “Purpled, stop being a doofus,” He said, purposely making it look like he didn’t care.

“You’re just mad I’m the Blade’s favorite,” Purpled flaunted, taking a seat across from Tubbo. 

“We both get lessons from him, stupid!”

“It’s obvious he likes me more, though,” He said, then turned to Quackity. “Right, Dad?”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure Ranboo is his favorite.”

“ Ranboo?! ” They shouted in unison.

Quackity chuckled and turned, ignoring their growing argument. Karl handed him the salt and pepper shakers with a smile. “Those two at it again?” He asked.

“I swear my migraines are from them and not the scar.”

Sapnap took the shakers from him and kissed his cheek. “Yeah, yeah,” He said, “You love them, Q.”

“Ugh, you’re right. Why do I love them again?”

“Hey!”

“We heard that!”

The doorbell rang and Tubbo immediately stood up. “I’ll get it!” He called, already out of the dining room.

There were light-hearted greetings heard from the door, and Quackity knew everyone else had arrived. Tubbo and Tommy raced into the kitchen while Ranboo followed more timidly behind. Techno came in after them, holding scalloped potatoes. 

“I know you already have potatoes, but I couldn’t resist,” He said, placing the dish on the table. “Phil brought soup, too.”

Karl grinned, “Oh, good! He can set the pot on the stove,” He said happily.

Phil and Sam trailed in, with Niki and Wilbur behind them. “Sorry we’re a bit late, someone had an issue with their hair,” Phil joked, laughing.

To his surprise, Techno rolled his eyes. “It’s hard keeping this much hair maintained. Especially this color,” He argued, taking a seat next to Ranboo.

“I called it,” Quackity whispered to his fiancés. The two chuckled.

“I brought two pumpkin pies,” Sam said, placing them on the counter. “I know they’re your favorite, kiddo.”

“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore.“

“Of course you’re not.”

Niki set down her basket of freshly baked bread on the table. “I took them out of the oven right before I left, so they’re extremely fresh.” She unwrapped the gingham style towel from the bread and the smell wafted up.

“Thank you Lord for blessing us with Niki’s bread,” Tommy muttered, the other three kids following suit, including Wilbur. 

Quackity shook his head and joined his fiancés in the kitchen, leaving his family to their shenanigans. Karl and Sapnap were talking and joking quietly with each other on the patio just outside the kitchen door. He smiled and went outside.

They turned and smiled softly at him from their spot on the steps. Karl had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and opened it, motioning from Quackity to join them. He did, chuckling slightly when Sapnap bumped their shoulders together. 

“I can’t believe we’re here,” He whispered after a moment in the lovely evening quiet. “I never thought I’d get here.”

“Here?” Karl questioned.

“With you,” He responded, “With them. Without you-know-what.”

Sapnap bumped their shoulders again. “Well, I for one am glad you’re here,” He said, Karl nodding in agreement.

He chuckled, “I’m glad I’m here too.”

Quackity felt at peace. Quondam were the old memories, and he was ready to make new ones.

Chapter Text

words can’t even begin to describe how i’m feeling. he inspired so many people; was loved by literal millions. no one EVER did it like him. and no one ever will. no one will make us laugh, cry, scream, cheer, or anything else like he did.

be respectful to his family and people that were close to him. don’t spam twitch chats with comments about him or his death. give them time to grieve.

rest easy, blood god. you were absolutely incredible.