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Quackity wasn’t supposed to wake up.
Not too long after Karl disappeared through the vortex, Sapnap came back to the house. There, he found Quackity sitting up, clearly just as shaken as Sapnap and Sam were. Bandaged and bloodied and weak. Of course, he wasn’t shocked to see Karl gone. (But it wasn’t like he wanted to see Karl gone, either. There was an apologetic look on his face and he opened his mouth, only to shut it when Sapnap closed the door behind him, clearly alone and distressed. He’d just opened his arms and Sapnap went to him.) Sam went off to tell the others, to tell everyone that they needed to look for their resident time traveler.
Somewhere, deep down, Sapnap knew they weren’t going to find him. Not for a long, long while. And even when they did…Sapnap wasn’t even sure he wanted to see Karl. Not if it meant that he would see his fiancé in the same state as he had been the night when Quackity…got hurt. It just…something tightened in his chest. If that happened again…Sapnap wasn’t sure he would be able to handle that. Not this time.
So, there he was, sitting with Quackity and holding his fiancé’s hand. Quackity inhaled slowly. Looked down at their linked fingers. “What happened?” He asked. Looked back up. “What did Karl do to you?”
“He…he left.” Sapnap admitted. Kept his gaze on Quackity’s hand and not his fiancé’s gaze. He couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Not for then.
Quackity dropped into a lapse of silence, kept the conversation open.
Sapnap didn’t have the heart to continue it.
The sun crawled, golden and harsh, across the dark cherry-wood planks of their living room’s floor. They had picked them out themselves when they were building the house, picking between different packs that would allow them to have that effect properly. Cherry was some kind of special sort of oak, if he remembered right, added in by some experts who could work some sort of magic with the servers. Something like what Karl could do, but different altogether.
Eventually, throat dry, Sapnap pushed himself up. “I should go make dinner. Chicken pot pie alright?” Quackity nodded without a word. “Alright. Maybe…” Sapnap swallowed, looked away at the kitchen breakfast bar with the three stools. Blinking, ignoring the pain scratching his throat and chest raw like a little frightened animal clawing at the furniture during a thunderstorm, he continued, “maybe just lay down and get some rest. We’ll…figure out what to do later.”
“Okay.” Quackity whispered softly. Sapnap ducked into the kitchen. Tried not to think as he grabbed the ingredients.
Of course, that was kind of impossible. The three of them had been in the kitchen time and time again. Laughed as they made cookies with all-purpose flour and butter and baking powder. Setting them aside, Sapnap yanked open the cabinet doors, looked around. Don’t think. Don’t think. Stop thinking about him. He picked to leave.
Staring down at the salt bottle in his shaking hands, Sapnap stalked across the kitchen and dropped it down on the counter with a sort of deliberate but controlled anger. He left. He decided to leave. He left us. Both of us. Don’t we mean anything to him anymore? Doesn’t what we said mean something?
Turning, Sapnap leaned against the counter. Felt it press just above his waistband. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. I’m not crying. I won’t. He picked to leave. Quackity chose to leave him. I have to be the one who stays. For both of them. That’s my job. He took a slow breath. The way Bad had taught him again and again and again. Running his hands down his face, he tipped his head back. Fought back burning tears threatening the corners of his eyes and the familiar heat in his nose and cheeks. Stared at the flickering light in the middle of their kitchen ceiling. Karl was supposed to pick up more lightbulbs while he was out at the store. He had promised. I guess I’ll have to pick up the pieces. Again.
Going to the fridge, Sapnap yanked open the door. Pulled out some chicken and more butter and carrots and…fuck, what else did he need? Where was the cookbook?
Turning, he pulled it from the counter. Flipped to the page with Bad’s recipe for pot pie. He had gifted the whole book to them for after their wedding. Said it was something that might be useful. It was something he and Quackity had opened again and again, pages faded and worn and marked with Sapnap’s sooty thumbprints and a couple of Quackity’s feathers working as bookmarks. Running his finger down the yellowed page, swallowing past the lump in his throat at the familiar ache of yet another dinner with one fiancé and not the other.
Setting the book against its little stand on the counter, he gathered the other ingredients. Went about putting them together. Of course he ran into issues. The world just couldn’t hate him and his family enough right then, could it? The carrots weren’t peeling or dicing properly. He couldn’t find any black pepper until he went to the spice cabinet and found that someone had left it disorganized and shoved to the brim so he got knocked on the head with onion powder. He cut his finger trying to mince some of the garlic.
Growling, he shoved the knife down into the onion in front of him. It wasn’t working , his eyes were burning. Why did he have to do it? Quackity would have been fine. We could have worked this out. Sniffing, he rubbed at his eyes with the back of his wrist. We could have worked together. But no, no, he just had to go and run off again!
“Sap?” A gentle hand settled on his arm. Opening his eyes, Sapnap turned to see Quackity right beside him. Tilting his head slightly, face a mask of worry, Quackity murmured, “You’re crying.”
Sniffing, Sapnap set the knife down. Rubbed his face with the back of his wrist again. “I—It’s the onions.” He lied. Waved his other hand in the air flippantly, added, “Onion. Stu-stupid things. You know how they are.” Quackity’s hands wrapped his, gentle lips pressed to his knuckles. Turning, Sapnap met his gaze. Quackity kept looking at him. Sniffing, Sapnap looked back down at the food. “Why did he have to leave ?”
“I don’t know.” Quackity whispered back. Leaned his head forwards and rested it against Sapnap’s shoulder. Tipping his own to the side, Sapnap rested his cheek against Quackity’s hair. They stayed like that for a moment. “Come on. Let’s…try and do this together.” There was a tiredness to Quackity’s voice.
They were both tired.
Still, there was an odd, macabre sort of soft domesticity that the two of them shared. Quackity lightly tossed some flour at Sapnap, like he would have when they were making cookies with Karl missing yet another date night. There wasn’t the same heart to it, nor was there to Sapnap’s laugh and following reply of also throwing flour. That didn’t matter, though. It wasn’t the same as gentle touch to the terrified little thing clawing up Sapnap’s chest, it was a plaster on a gaping slash, but it was better than nothing. They made the dough, tucked it in the freezer and then the fridge according to the recipe.
While the chicken was baking, Quackity pulled Sapnap close, linked the fingers of both their hands together and stepped closer. “Come on, might as well dance while we’re waiting. You still know the steps?” Quackity asked, looking up at him. Laughing, Sapnap shot him a look and spun him around, caught Quackity against him and tipped back so that his fiancé had to trust him.
“I don’t know, do I?” He asked, grinning and letting Quackity back up. Quackity grinned at him.
They did manage to make their dinner without burning the house down. As for the outside of the crust…well, that didn’t need to be talked about. Nope. Not at all.
“Sap, you’re going to burn your mouth. At least drink some water or something before you just go crazy.” Quackity scolded lightly, kicking him under the table. The empty seat was still there, a haunting reminder of what they had lost. Sapnap shot him a look. There was an unsteady gap. Quackity glanced the empty seat’s way, mouth already open to joke about Karl being weirdly quiet. But the seat was empty.
No one was there.
Blinking, Quackity looked down at the food. Picked at it quietly. “Ah.” He whispered. “Right.” Sapnap swallowed. Dropped his gaze as well and took a drink. Both of them sighed. Ate quickly and quietly, though not in the contentness of someone who was actually enjoying their meal. The heat was nice, but the crust tasted like sand and dirt.
Eventually, Sapnap finished and so did Quackity. Pushing himself up, Sapnap collected the plates and dishes. Went to the sink and dropped them in. Going back to Quackity’s seat, he smiled down at his fiancé. Held out a hand. “Come on. Let’s go watch a movie or something.”
Quackity looked up at him, smiled gratefully, and took his hand, letting Sapnap pull him upright.
+++ Six Months Later Because This Was Planned in May and I am a BITCH HAHAHAHA +++
It had been six months when suddenly Bad and Skeppy noticed a disturbance in the Badlands.
Hopping on their horse, they rode towards said disturbance. Bad’s hands stayed settled on Skeppy’s hips the whole time, legs kicked to one side as he rode sidesaddle. Skeppy leaned close to the bay gelding’s neck, whispered to the horse as they galloped onwards over rough reddish terracotta stone. “What do you think this is?” Bad asked, already messaging Dream and George to be ready to go to Sapnap if need be. Skeppy glanced back, goggles pushed down over his eyes to keep them clear of dust.
“I don’t know. Hold the reins?” Bad nodded, took the reins. Slipping under them, Skeppy hooked his legs on the other side of the horse. Leaned back under he could stretch a hand out. As Bad steered the horse along the path, tumbleweeds whipping by at full speed, Skeppy rolled his blue flannel’s sleeve up, exposed the pale blue diamond of his skin to the sunlight. It sparkled and glittered. He let his fingertips graze along the rough, red rock. Closed his eyes and focused. Bad kept his gaze on the land ahead. Suddenly, Skeppy gasped. His eyes flew open. Bad reached down, their fingers locked together, and Skeppy was pulled back up and able to take the reins once more.
“What is it?”
Skeppy leaned closer to the horse’s neck again. Spurred him harder. “This isn’t going to be fun. Something’s wrong.”
“Do you know what it is?” Skeppy glanced back at him. Then, he nodded. There was a frightened glaze to his face. “Well?”
“It’s Karl.”
+++
Sapnap woke up at ten thirty to his husband wrapped all the way around him, wings and arms and legs.
Smiling softly, he ran a hand up Quackity’s back. Heard a soft mumble and felt a cold nose press into his neck. “Morning.” He whispered. Kissed the side of Quackity’s head. “Come on. Time to get up.” Quackity inhaled slowly. Sapnap knew what was coming, rolled his eyes in advance. “Come on, Quackity. I’ll make you breakfast…” He hummed and then gently started kissing Quackity’s hair.
“Mmmmm…pancakes?” Quackity tipped his head slightly, let Sapnap keep kissing him and smiled softly. Let himself get pressed into the pillows. “Fiiiiiinnnnneeee. I’ll get up.”
“Good.” Quackity laughed when Sapnap gently kissed his cheek. “You want water, coffee?”
“Hot chocolaaaattteee pleeeeeeeeeeeaase.” Laughing, Sapnap shook his head. Went into the kitchen. Eventually, he heard blankets and feathers dragging along the ground. Gentle hands wrapped around his waist and he swayed gently. Felt Quackity sway with him as he stepped back and set up two plates of blueberry pancakes.
He walked around, Quackity eventually deciding to let himself be piggyback-carried around the kitchen with his wings and the blankets mantled around them both. Resting his chin on Sapnap’s shoulder, Quackity kissed his ear and started talking softly in Spanish, mostly compliments until he started listing off the ingredients for tomato soup and mentioned cheese crackers. Then, he put the plates on the table, spun around and then gently deposited Quackity into his seat. Sapnap settled down in his.
“Oh my gosh, this smells like heaven.” Quackity whispered softly, waving some of the aroma into his nose and closing his eyes. Laughing, Sapnap proceeded to drown his pancakes in maple syrup.
They went through their usual song and dance, and of course Sapnap had to just bug Quackity as he cleaned the dishes. Using the extra chair they kept shoved in the corner, no longer a part of the table and usually collecting dust after the first month (they had dusted it for the first couple weeks, then gave up), Quackity tucked some of the plates into the upper cabinets where they belonged. Then, he sat back. Sapnap caught him with his shoulder, hand wrapping around Quackity’s legs to hold him steady before they exchanged a glance. He laughed softly, and Quackity shifted forwards and delicately made his way down to the floor. Turning, he settled his hands on Sapnap’s shoulders. Looked at him.
“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Quackity sighed, one hand going to Sapnap’s so that their fingers locked together and then they rocked back and forth in a little dance. Smiling, Sapnap let them rock back and forth. Hummed softly.
“And you for me.” Sapnap replied. Quackity smiled and giggled lightly. Leaned a little closer.
Someone knocked on the door.
Then, in true Dream and George fashion, George kicked the door in and then strolled into the kitchen. Pointed at them both as Dream yelled that they would repair the door. “You two, sleepy lovebirds. Get dressed.” Quackity and Sapnap glanced at each other, then back. “We found Karl.”
“What?”
+++
Karl was…not exactly in the state to talk when they got to where he was.
Bad and Skeppy immediately turned when they saw Sapnap and Quackity sprinting up, Quackity still buttoning up his shirt after having grabbed Sapnap and flown at top speed. Quickly, Skeppy grabbed Quackity’s arm. Bad rested his hands on Sapnap’s shoulders, gaze down. Swallowing, he said, “You…you might not want to see this.” He whispered. Swallowed again.
“Forget that. Where is he?” Quackity demanded, brushing by Skeppy. Glancing over, Skeppy met Bad’s gaze. Bad stepped away, just pointed towards the room that had suddenly appeared in the Badlands.
Quackity’s fingers locked with Sapnap’s, and he slowly pulled Sapnap after him. Slowly, they slipped through the open doorway.
They entered into a room made almost entirely of blinding white quartz. Carved mosaics in the wall followed some sort of story, about someone with a shining blue stone in their chest. Whatever the hell they meant, Sapnap didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure he cared, either. Because that wasn’t what mattered in the room.
In the middle of the room, floating, was Karl.
He was on his back, apparently unharmed. Well, “unharmed” meaning he wasn’t bleeding or bandaged. His usual hoodie and jeans and sneakers had been replaced by robes that were bleached to the extent of being blindingly white, with pale blue threading at the seams and embroidery at the chest in a diamond shape. Mouth and eyes open, Karl didn’t seem…there? At all. His eyes were shining bright white, the same color coming from his mouth like he had swallowed fire.
Quackity dropped to the ground, knees buckling beneath him and hand dropping from Sapnap’s as it joined the other in his lap. Wings splaying around him, he shook slightly. Took an uneven breath. Sapnap stared at his fiancé, one hand going to his husband’s shoulder. There were people walking up behind him. Turning, he met Bad’s gaze.
“What the fuck happened?”