Two to remain, one to fall

Chapter 1

Sapnap wasn't talking to me.

He didn't crawl into bed with me last night like usual, didn't smile at me or so much as give me a nod when I walked by. He didn't even acknowledge my very existence. That alone caused an ache in my chest, a lump in my throat and my cheeks to feel hot. But the worst part about it was I didn't know the reason as to why.
I'd never seen that look before, the look of anguish and disdain all in one. It left me wondering what I could have done to cause such a reaction from the normally soft and gentle man with me. What had I done?
It was nothing I could recall. I played yesterday's events through in my head.
~~~
Sapnap, like usual, had made breakfast for the two of us since I couldn't cook to save my life. It was domestic, soft and peaceful, a nice distraction from what I was supposed to do. We ate and chatted just like we always did.
I'd woken up with a nasty headache, and talking to him made the irritation of the pounding in my skull fall away. It was always calm when I was with him, I didn't have to worry about the pasts, futures or presents. Just us. Only we were missing something. Or, someone.
The day passed by, a repetition of yesterday, as it was expected to be at first. But during the light of noon, we became aware of a visitor who Sapnap looked relieved to see. His face was blurred in my mind, but I felt a warmth in my belly that didn't stay for long.
Eventually, the comfortability I settled into dissipated and I shut down. I was vaguely aware of muffled shouting, but I was submerged in darkness. I had no idea what was going on, if I was even conscious at that point.
A sudden lurch and I was back, blinking up at the sky above me. I surveyed the area and found Sap standing over me, and before I could open my mouth to question what had just taken place, why tears were brimming his eyes and sizzling away when they rolled down his cheeks, he was gone.
He turned and left, stalking back into our kingdom while rubbing furiously at his eyes.
I was left baffled and confused on the floor.
~~~
The hours ticked by agonizingly slow, my time spent sitting in my study in hopes to distract myself from the the thoughts gnawing at me but the attempt was futile.
I decided to skip dinner, I didn't have the heart to eat knowing that the food made for me by the man I loved would, for the first time, be a chore and not something he enjoyed. Any sounds fell deaf to my ears as I walked down the corridor to our shared room.
I crossed the threshold to an empty bed, neatly made from this morning and not a hair out of place. He hadn't even been in here. My eyes filled as I weakly peeled off my clothes to dress into something more comfortable. I tucked into bed, the tears continuing to fall and soak into my pillow that felt so cold against my cheek.
My entire body was chilled without Sapnap's natural heat radiating from beside me, enveloping me in warmth and chasing away my nightmares that might have dared to interrupt my sleep. He was my knight in shining armor, someone who I could trust and rely on to be there for me when I needed him.
But right now, when I needed him more than ever, he wanted nothing to do with me.
I don't know how long I cried, how many hours had passed until the moon was high in the sky, casting a faint glow through the curtain of my room before my tears ran dry. My eyes were too heavy to stay open, my heart like lead and my head fuzzy. Tomorrow would be another day, and hopefully I would speak to my lover to find out where I had made a lapse in judgement.
I let the call of exhaustion take me into her arms and it wasn't long before I fell into a restless slumber.
~~~
Shouting. What was big Q doing here?
I couldn't figure out why he was yelling at me, why Sapnap looked so mortified and was telling me that the joke wasn't funny. What joke? Another voice, vicious and accusing became present in my ears. I wanted to look around to find the source but I remained still, as if someone was forcing my head to stay locked in place.
My throat began to hurt, and that's when I realized that I had been the one screaming. Quackity's hand flattened against my chest and I reeled, falling back. And I didn't stop.
~~~
I bolted upright, a gasp tearing from my throat.
A memory. That was what I was missing from yesterday, the sudden gap in memory! The sun hadn't risen yet, so it must have been early in the morning.
Oh gods, I said all those awful things! I couldn't get his angered and perplexed face out of my mind, knowing that I was the one who caused that expression. I might have just singlehandedly torn us apart forever. I couldn't live with that.
I looked at my hands, clenching my fists and accepting the fact that my travels were hurting more people than just me, people who deserved explanations. Explanations that I would give.
I shot out of bed with an intention in my heart and a destination that I was determined to get to.
I know what I have to do.