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A quiet morning.
That was… uncommon. It felt unfamiliar. For a while he had gotten used to quiet mornings. It took awhile after living with two fiances for so long who were always loud and talkative.
Building his city had forced him into a pit of silence most mornings- and nights. And it should have stayed that way.
Key word, should have.
At this point Quackity isn’t sure if he’s grateful or irritated by the constant noise in the morning that was caused by a certain ex-nation leader who was revived and seemed to have made it a personal mission to bug Quackity every step in his life.
He always acted irritated by the nation leaders talking, asking, offerings- he always told himself that it was annoying and he’d just wish for it to go away.
But usually Wilbur was around by now. Calling Quackities name from below the balcony to ask if he’d like to go on a walk, or offering up deals so Wilbur could advance in whatever he had going on in his brain.
The slightest breeze had Quackity perking up, thinking it was Wilbur for a split second before slumping in his chair.
Before Quackity would have rolled his eyes, maybe tell himself he was glad the annoyance of Wilbur was gone.
But the silence was killing him. Not having the man there to call out his name till he finally let him inside just so the man could then pester him about what papers he was working on, or what blueprints he had for future buildings.
Quackity had enough by now, he couldn’t focus. He had read the same page three times and not a single word stuck as his brain remained on Wilbur. That stupid ex-nation leader who wormed his way into Quackities life and somehow managed to make him become so dependent on his presence to even just focus.
So he did the only thing he could think to do and marched his way outside, determined to find Wilbur himself.
He was so angry and so determined to find the man that he always passed him if it wasn’t for the smell of cigarette smoke and the tell tale whistle from the man as he laid eyes on Quackity.
``Hey there gambler, miss me that much?`` Wilbur had his usual side smirk, cigarette between his fingers near his mouth.
Something was wrong as Quackity looked at the man before him. He stood too rigid, too forced, too fake.
The Wilbur that stood before him was nothing like the usual cocky man.
``What's wrong with you? You look dumb right now.`` Quackity crossed his arms, walking over to the man and leaning against the wall with him as he waited for the lanky man to answer.
Wilburs face dropped for a split second before smiling that usual cocky grin again, ``Not sure what you mean big Q.``
``You know damn well what I mean. Now talk or I’ll send you back to the dead.``
Wilbur stiffened at the mention of the dead. Was that the wrong thing to say?
``Whatever Big Q, even if I die, I’ll just come back.`` He tried to sound cocky, arrogant, like he was confident in the fact that he would always be around, but he sounded smaller, not quite scared but… unsure.
``Wilbur?`` The mention of his name is what made the man look down to Quackity. Giving him full view to Wilburs eyebags that looked worse than usual. The man himself looked worse than usual.
``Just talk you dumbass, I don’t have all day, I have work to get done.`` Quackity continued, sliding down the wall to sit in the grass.
Wilbur was silent for a while, enough so that Quackity was about to speak up again before a sigh rang out and Wilbur was leaning more heavily on the wall.
``I had a nightmare okay? They aren’t common- but I always wake up back there. Back in the station, alone and everything is too quiet, and then I see him , Ghostbur and everyone loves him- everyone wants him, they all laugh around him, they feel safe around him-
They look at me as if I’m a stain, they want me gone and Ghostbur back, but what they don’t realize is that I’m the one who suffered-
I’m the one who spend a decade in practical hell and they’d rather send me back just to see a fraction of myself so they can ignore the rest of my issues?
But what do they know? I AM Ghostbur, they don’t realize that- No one did.
No one noticed the way I looked at la manburg, they never noticed why I always had so much blue.
I see it all, I hear what they said about me to me, they treat us like separate beings because they favor one side of me-
Tommy especially- My own brother hates me. Hates what I did.
And maybe he should. I don’t blame him, I could live with that. But he loves a past version of me. A version of me that people don’t think I have. Yet-``
``Wilbur,`` Quackity put a hand on his shoulder, Wilburs breathing had started quickening and he was staring at his hands, his speech had gotten faster and he was venting everything he had felt thus far, but Quackity couldn’t let Wilbur send himself into a panic attack over everything.
``Breathe.``
He wasn’t great at comfort- he was actually horrible with it, but this was the least he could do.
``I don’t know what you want me to say- but it will take a while and more than just words for people to accept you. Now stop sulking out here smoking and do something about it all instead.``
Wilbur’s cocky smile showed up as stared down at Quackity as he gave Wilbur genuine advice. ``I could just kiss you right now.``
Quackity physically jumped away from Wilbur, ``EH?-``
Wilbur erupted in a laugh, ``You should see your face Big Q- princless!``
``You ass- Remind me to never care about you again.`` Quackity turned away, ready to leave and get back to his work now that he at least had spoke to Wilbur when his voice stopped him for a split second.
``Thank you,`` Wilbur looks genuine, a real smile that was relaxed and now one of a man who still felt like taking on the world.
``Your welcome,`` Was all he said before going back to his office to finish what he couldn’t before.
He’ll make a note later to ask how Wilbur is doing every so often.