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Tying the hair off the back of his neck, Quackity could feel the sweat built up from the day. All he wanted to do was fall face first into his bed, but for now he had to put Tilin to bed.
"Hey, hey, come on now, it's time for bed," he exclaimed. He reached out for Tilin, but they struggled against him. "Tilin- Tilin. It's fucking late, alright?"
At that, their demeanour changed. Facing towards the ground, they glanced away in shame. Quackity was then filled with his own guilt.
"No, no, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he spoke quickly, the words tumbling out of him. This time, he successfully scooped them up into his arms without as much pushback. "I didn't mean it, I'm- I'm just tired, alright?"
Tilin shuffled around in his arms, eventually turning back to him. Quackity swore he felt forgiveness in the movement.
"I- It's just hard, being a single mother and all, you know? I- I didn't mean to take it out on you. I just wish your father would fucking show up, whoever the fuck he is..." he scoffed. "Let's- let's just get you to bed..."
Finally, after fighting with Tilin to get some sleep for the both of them, Quackity slipped them into bed. He kissed their forehead gently.
"Alright, goodnight now, I need my own sleep." For a moment, he was held back at the look in Tilin's eyes. "Don't look at me like that, what do you want? A bedtime story?"
They nodded. Quackity sighed.
But before he could either decline or let his sleep deprived brain create one on the spot, a knock came at the door.
"At this fucking-" he cut himself off with another sigh. If he got any proper sleep that night, he would be surprised. He walked over to the door, almost tripping over his feet, and swung open the door.
"Hey, hey, now's not the fucking time, it's basically the middle of the night, could you come back-" Quackity finally looked up at the person in front of him and cut himself off. "Oh, hey," he said flatly.
"Hi," Wilbur waved awkwardly back at him, "Could I come in?"
Quackity looked back at the mess behind him, Tilin's toys sprawled across the floor and a half-ripped blanket thrown into the mix, "Uh, sure."
He couldn't tell if this was a blessing from the heavens or his worst nightmare. Even though he had wished for somebody to help put Tilin to sleep, Quackity had no idea how to feel about his... partner? showing up now, right when he least expected it. Giving him no time to prepare, not even a quick message, it left him frazzled.
"Don't- don't mind the mess, please. It's- uh, been a long day," Quackity scratched his head, still standing embarrassedly in the doorway. Wilbur had slipped past him, inspecting the room.
"Oh, yeah. Uh- I can imagine."
A beat of silence.
"I didn't think you'd be back, at least this soon," he commented.
Wilbur seemed to stop at that for a second, "You didn't? I- I know I can be unreliable, but- uh, well, I was hoping you'd have a little faith in me," he laughed sheepishly. "So- anything happened while I was gone?"
"Well, this- this is Tilin," he answered, pointing to them sitting up now in the bed, "a dragon egg, but they're pretty emotive."
"Wait- hold on, did you say dragon egg?" Wilbur queried with heavily furrowed eyebrows.
"Yes, and if you were here, you'd know why," Quackity replied snappily. "But- uh, we were given partners. I ended up alone, but- but I think I was meant to be paired with Luzu or you."
Spinning faster than Quackity has ever seen him do it before, he met his eyes. He stared at him with intensity, while Wilbur looked back with shock.
"I- wait, so- hold on, that might be my kid?"
Quackity took in a deep breath, "yep. That- that might be yours, Wil."
Wilbur processed the information, flickering his sight from Tilin to Quackity to Tilin again. He crossed his arms in anticipation, Quackity felt a little like he was going to vomit. What if Wilbur was just going to walk out the door and leave this time for good?
"Oh. I- I see why you seem a little upset now. I- wow- is there anyway you can find out for sure?"
"I mean, if we did a DNA test, then probably. I- I just want Tilin to have someone else around though, it's- taking care of a child is harder than it looks," Quackity admitted.
Looking over at Tilin, Wilbur agreed, "yes, I can imagine." But when he turned back to him, he could see the realisation of what Quackity was saying in his eyes. It was can you stay? Is this enough for you?
Quackity thought he looked bewildered by the request. It made that anchor in his stomach swirl around, as if it was treading a stormy sea.
"I should probably put Tilin to sleep. Uh- you can go, if you want," Quackity finally said, walking past to go put them to sleep, but a quick hand on his shoulder stopped him.
His head snapped back, and he reckoned Wilbur did not even realise why he had done it.
"I’ll stay, if you want."
If you want. Subconsciously, Quackity's shoulders drooped in relief, like a flower sapping up the sun. Was that what he wanted deep down? ...But it felt right, so he didn't try to shrug off his hand or push him away again.
"Okay, okay, uh, cool," he grinned genuinely. "Do- do you know any bedtime stories then? Tilin here was kind of wanting one."
"Yeah, I- I could tell a few from when I was away, interesting stuff always happens on the road."
"I swear to God, if you tell Tilin about some hook-up, or-"
"No, no, no, no," Wilbur quickly denied, "of course not, never in a million years."
He walked over to the bed, settling into a seated position on the sheets gently while Quackity watched standing. His head flicked back to him, Wilbur's eyes alit with confusion.
"Uh, hey, Tilin," Quackity started, moving to the opposite side of the bed as Wilbur, "this- this is, uh, one of your potential fathers I was telling you about." Tilin picked this up, turning to Wilbur with acknowledgement. "He's got a bedtime story for you, is that good?"
They nodded, tiredly but enthusiastically too.
"Hi there, sorry- sorry for not being around," Wilbur expressed. "But, I'm here now, and somebody told me that you wanted a bedtime story."
At that, Wilbur told his story. Of a stage and flashing lights. Quackity found himself listening intently, even if the story was not originally intended for him. He must have been dozing throughout though, some of it did not line up, but he knew he could always ask what else happened in the morning.
Eventually, his words had put Tilin and almost Quackity to sleep.
"Thank you, by the way," Quackity told him once he had finished.
"Oh- oh, it was nothing, Tilin's an angel."
There was a moment of quiet, where Wilbur stared at him in the eyes and he could only wonder what the man saw in him.
"You- you probably don't want to leave this late, so you could just stay here tonight," he offered, trying to make it sound casual without his heart bleeding through. "And- and it's also probably too late to bother and craft your own bed, so we can just share mine."
Wilbur's grin grew in the darkness, "Quackity, am I hearing this right? Are you offering to sleep with me?"
"Not like that, asshole," he scoffed. "But literally? For tonight."
"Thank you too then, it's much appreciated," he smiled back at him. "I'll see if I have comfier clothes in my backpack, you can head off to sleep without me."
"Okay," Quackity said, who was already prepared to go to sleep since he had planned to be in bed an hour before.
While he heard Wilbur shuffling with his own clothes, he slid into the bed. Quackity decided to face the wall to give him privacy. The ruffling behind him stopped for a moment, and he felt the bed under him be pressed down with weight.
Quackity could hear the crickets chirping from the outside, a calm melody in the night. He rolled onto his side to face Wilbur, but the other was facing his way too. They locked eyes in the dark and Quackity gathered the courage to ask what he had been wondering now.
"Why did you choose to stay with me?"
He bit his lip in thought before replying, "I don't know, Quackity, I don't have much here. I had y'know- my little communist village in the wall, but then Spreen, and Roier, I guess, invaded my home. I- I guess I'm just looking for a home now," Wilbur answered with sincerity.
"...Do you think I could be that home?"
His eyes scanned over him, honesty shining through them.
"I think so, you're- you've always been someone I can rely upon."
"You mean that?" he asked, with hope lighting up in his heart.
"Yeah, I- I do."
Quackity leaned forward to rest his forehead against his, while Wilbur brought his hand up to caress the side of his jaw. The motion was sweet and touching, he leant into it and the pillow beneath him. Slowly feeling himself slipping into a deep sleep, he yawned. He swore he could see a smile spread across Wilbur's face in the dark too.
"I'll get up early in the morning for Tilin, so you can sleep in," he spoke softly.
"But you were the one who got here so late in the fucking night, I'll-"
"You're the one who's been working his ass off for his kid. It's time I take the load," Wilbur interrupted. When Quackity didn't reply, a sweet kiss was left on his forehead. "Get some sleep, alright?"
He decided he was too tired to fight back, and Wilbur was warm like the sun. He cuddled closer to him.
"Alright."