Work Text:
Multi was always busy with something. He spent long days shut away in his underground reactor and secret laboratory, cut off from the world. It was one thing that he enjoyed such loneliness – surrounded by cold rocks, he felt at ease only in his own company – the other thing is that there was always something to do. New experiments, new inventions, new improvements and enhancements – Multi's head was full of new ideas, the sketches of which covered his entire desk, forming a chaotic, completely disorganised pile of papers which, by the way, somewhat reflected what was going on in his head. Chaos, but a chaos in which, in some strange way, a certain order could be found.
This time, Multi spent hours – well, days – creating further doses of the medicine that would help heal the severe effects of radiation sickness, a condition that was beginning to affect more and more of the island's careless inhabitants, who were sneaking into the reactor in search of adventure. When another handful of snow-white iodine tablets was finally ready, Multi decided to leave the reactor.
Once he was outside, the setting sun painted the sky with a pink glow, hiding behind the horizon, its orange rays dissolving in the reflection of the clear water just beyond the entrance to the Polish Cave. Multi stood on the docks and watched the setting sun for a moment, its rays stinging his pale face, unused to daylight. A gentle whiff of warm, summer breeze brushed against his porcelain cheeks.
Multi turned away, intending to return to his work. He still needed to carry out a few tests to ensure that the new batch of pills was safe and ready for use. He still had to prepare a few new mechanisms for his radar tower, he still had to repair a broken camera in his office and…
Then a familiar voice echoed in his head.
“Please, promise me.”
Multi paused, then turned his face once more towards the setting sun, allowing a few of its last rays to illuminate his face for a moment longer. He waited a minute, then closed his eyes and took a calm, deep breath.
For a moment, he felt exactly as he had back then.
Like that day, when a caring hand gently combed through his black-and-green hair, softly stroking his head.
“Multi,” Quackity broke the silence, without stopping to play with his hair. Multi had his eyes closed, and his head, weary from a full day's work, was resting on Quackity's lap as they sat in some odd position on the sofa in his office, onto which he had collapsed as soon as he entered the room. Into the room where Quackity was already waiting for him, knowing full well that even someone as remarkable as Doctor Multi needs a moment's rest now and then.
“Hmm,” muttered Multi in reply, not bothering to open his eyes.
“I know how important your work is to you. I know you have all these plans you need to carry out. I know you feel that only you can save our world, and that's probably true. But that's exactly why you shouldn't overwork yourself like this. Me, Nexe, Graf, Ewron, or anyone else – we can dig the stone, we can build more reactor chambers, we can even try to conduct experiments, but only you, you and that sexy brain of yours, are capable of doing it properly, correctly. So if you overwork yourself, no one will be able to save the world anymore”.
“That's why, please, promise me one thing. Once every three days… All right, once a week – by the end of the week, let's say on friday – promise me you'll step out of the reactor into the fresh air. That you'll take a deep breath and let the sun dance on your flawless face. And then, once you've done that, when the sun goes down – you'll come to the Dutch's bar, where I'll be waiting for you. Where we'll get drunk on fucking piña coladas, dance to Justin Bieber's songs and sing out Pitbull's lyrics. And later we'll go home, wrapped in the glow of the night, and fall asleep in each other's arms, so I can be sure that at least once a week you'll get eight hours’ sleep.”
Multi opened his eyes and looked at the serious expression on Quackity's face as he gazed down at him. His black hair fell across his face, covering his eyes - calm and sweet, yet dark and mysterious as a stormy night.
“Is it really that important to you?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Yes! You have no idea how much,” Quackity replied immediately.
“In that case, fine. I'll do it. I promise,” Multi agreed without hesitation.
Quackity raised the hand that was resting in his hair, “Pinky promise?”
Multi laughed briefly and quietly, and that indescribable warmth, which he had been feeling inside himself more and more often lately, flooded his heart once again.
“Pinky promise,” he repeated, interlocking their fingers in the characteristic gesture.
Multi opened his eyes as the warm rays of the sun disappeared from his face. The orange-pink sky gave way to a dark blue, cloudless canvas that covered the entire island.
It was friday, and the sun had just set. Multi sighed briefly and helplessly, fighting the smile that involuntarily threatened to appear on his face. He knew full well what he should do now. And strangely enough, this time it had nothing to do with the reactor.
***
The loud thumping of the music could already be heard from outside. Without a moment's hesitation, Multi stepped inside the Dutch’s bar, which on this day was packed to the brim with the island's inhabitants, lost in the dance. Multi closed the wooden door behind him and stood for a moment in the doorway, going completely unnoticed. He looked down at his white lab coat, the sleeves of which were stained with several bright green marks that were now impossible to wash out – it didn't seem like the best outfit for a party. Multi quickly stripped off his lab coat, tossing it into the bin standing nearby, and was left in a plain black tshirt. Today there was no place for Doctor Multi, for the eccentric scientist hiding in the deafening silence of his underground lair. Today he was simply Multi. And to be simply Multi, he needed just one thing.
He started walking forward, without hesitation. The partying crowd was large, but, for some reason, he didn't even have to push his way through it too much. A dancing crowd seemed to sense subconsciously that they should move aside, clearing a path for him to the centre of the dance floor. The bass of the song thumped in his ears, blood began to pulse through his veins, and a faint blush finally appeared on his pale cheeks. The people around him were dancing, arching their sweaty bodies, bouncing to the beat of the music, singing loudly and out of tune, raising their hands and beer cups, shouting and squealing with joy. But Multi couldn't hear any of it anymore.
In an instant, everything fell silent and seemed to be frozen in time.
And suddenly there – there, where always.
In the middle of the dance floor, the centre of attention – right where he always was.
Smiling, with a relaxed expression on his face – just as always.
Radiating an unexplainable glow – just as always.
In a top that was a bit too short, revealing a silver of his smooth, tanned skin; in tight trousers that emphasised his figure. With black locks of hair tousled by the wind and the dance. In the colourful glow of the flashing lights.
Quackity.
Multi picked up the pace, striding confidently.
It's all 'bout you
When the music makes you move
Baby, do it like you do
And when he was right beside him, Quackity noticed him. Giving him the widest, most sincere smile, looking at him with those beautiful, alluring eyes which, just by looking at him, sparkled with thousands of stars stolen from the deep blue, cloudless sky of a summer night.
The world moved again, but this time to their rhythm.
Quackity threw his arms around his neck, pulling him close. Nestling against him to breathe in the pleasant scent of his earthy perfume. Multi's arms naturally found their place around Quackity's waist, wrapping him in the reassuring touch.
“You came,” Quackity whispered in his ear, a broad smile never leaving his face.
“Yes, just as I promised,” replied Multi, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Another song blared from the speakers, just as fast, energetic and loud as every one before and every one to come. Quackity cupped Multi's face in his warm hands, gazing at him with a tenderness that was hard to find in any other look he ever gave. Then he tilted his head forward slightly, so that their noses touched. Multi looked at him as if he were the embodiment of all the stars lighting up the night. As if he were the answer to all his questions, the solution to all his problems, his sole purpose. Quackity couldn't stop smiling, chuckling sweetly, filled with a joy he'd doubted he'd ever be able to experience again.
Suddenly, at that moment, everything seemed so simple. Just their gazes, just their breaths mingling, and just the sounds of the music setting the whole place in motion.
I want to show you all the finer things in life
So, just forget about the world, we're young tonight
“You're a dream, Quackity. A dream I wouldn't dare to dream,” he whispered into the space between them, but Quackity heard him clearly. His words travelled straight to his heart, as if they already knew the way.
“I'm so glad that, just this once, you let yourself dream,” replied Quackity, planting a quick kiss on his nose. Multi wrinkled his nose in response, pulling him even closer to kiss him on the neck. Quackity let him do so, then pulled away and returned to the dance.
Multi watched him as he let his body move freely to the rhythm of the music, rocking his body from side to side with little effort, swaying his hips and throwing his arms into the air. Multi joined him without hesitation, and together they lost themselves in the dance for the next carefree minutes.
B-b-beauty, beauty and the beast
Beauty from the East
Beautiful confessions of the priest
Beast, beauty from the streets
Beat will get deceased
Finally, the rhythm changed and Quackity grabbed Multi's eternally cool hand, dragging him towards the exit. Multi didn't protest, letting Quackity lead him wherever he wanted. If the boy had wanted to, Multi would have followed him to the ends of the earth, which is a very bold statement, given his constant desire to be in control of everything. Quackity, however, was the only person Multi allowed to take control. And, though the very thought always seemed terrifying to him, he wasn't afraid for a single moment. It always felt right – to let go like that and allow himself to be led by that slender hand, held in his firm grip.
Outside, a gentle breeze of cool night air blew, cooling their heated bodies and flushed cheeks. They walked in step, still holding hands, which Quackity swung back and forth again and again, hopping happily.
It was late now; the dark sky still shrouded the entire island in its black veil. There was not a single cloud in the sky; scattered across the smooth canvas were solitary stars resembling tiny, glittering sequins. Yet on that night, none of those stars shone as brightly as Quackity. Like Quackity, who had finally, after so many years of wandering, so many years of pain, found his place on earth. Here, under the starry sky, in trivial moments like this, beside the only person in his life whom he could fully trust – to whom he had long since entrusted his entire life.
After a moment, carried by the wind, Quackity began to run, dragging Multi along behind him towards the colourful gates of the amusement park. It wasn't even closed for the night, so they quickly went inside and immediately dashed along the path, their minds synchronising on their chosen destination.
Without hesitation, they boarded the Ferris wheel, taking their seats in one of the colourful capsules, which after a moment rose upwards, allowing them to view from above the panorama of the city's bright yellow lights, which, seen from a bird's-eye view, formed nothing but incomprehensible glowing patterns. Quackity looked out the window for a moment, marvelling at the magical view, which evoked an inner calm as well as a vague sense of nostalgia. He quickly looked away, however, focusing his gaze on Multi, who sat upright in the soft seat. The capsule came to a halt at the very top, but Quackity no longer cared about the views. He approached Multi and unceremoniously sat down on his lap. Unfazed by this gesture, Multi wrapped his arms around Quackity's body, pulling him closer to his chest so he wouldn't fall. Their eyes met again – one pair as black as a summer night, twinkling with a thousand lights; the other, deep blue and calm as the ocean after a typhoon. They smiled gently at each other, then their lips met in a sweet, tender kiss, as at the same time they clung to one another, trying to convey to each other everything that beat in their hearts to the rhythm of each joyful song, and only such songs, for there was no longer any room for sad melodies.
As they strolled so carefree and aimlessly, walking on the soft, green grass, wandering amongst the colourful flowers, the night slowly drew to a close, and its darkness began to fade, giving way to the warm hues of dawn.
Multi and Quackity sank down onto the grass, lying on it as if on a forest carpet, gazing at the fading stars.
Quackity sighed briefly, then smiled again, turning his head towards Multi and fixing his gaze on his peaceful face.
Multi, sensing the gaze resting upon him, also turned his eyes away from the night stars to focus them on the only star that had ever mattered to him and still did.
And Quackity looked like a dream again. Like a dreamy vision appearing on a certain summer morning, when a cool breeze blows and a short night blends into a long day. A dream he had never dared to dream. A wish he would never have dared to utter. Smiling broadly and sincerely. Feeling as carefree and safe as nowhere else.
In moments like these, everything made sense, and the world regained its faded colours.
'Cause all I need
Is a beauty and a beat
Who can make my life complete
It's all 'bout you.