The Darkness

Chapter 1

A shadow appeared over Quackity’s desk, tall but articulate in it’s movement. The shadows hand reached out over to his pen, picking it out of his hand and setting on the polished mahogany.

“Hey Q…”

His smooth voice wrapped itself around Quackity, lifting his head to stare into the tall figure’s eyes.

“Dream!” A small smile returned his excitement as he enveloped him into a hug.

Once they had both pulled away from each other, Dream’s face changed, becoming much more serious, something that Quackity had become afraid of in recent days.

“What happened with Tubbo?”

Quackity’s heart dropped to his stomach. He didn’t want to discuss his relationship with his son in this scenario when he knew all too well that it would only cause strife.

“Well, I talked to him. He knows you’re mad.”

Dream sighed.
“Are you at least repairing your relationship?”

“Yeah I think it’s going better. He’s talking to me now.”

Nodding slowly, Dream stood up and sat on the leather sofa across the room, fiddling with the buckle on his belt.

“I still have to punish them for destroying my home.”

“You don’t have to… Why do you still need to?”

“Why shouldn’t I feel like this? They destroyed my only home. You said you’d be fine with this Q.”

“I never said you could kill them though.” Quackity’s voice became firm, resisting Dream’s violent nature towards his adopted son.

“Fine. Ruin them mentally then.”

The tension in the enclosed office thickened, wrapping them up as if to squeeze out their very souls.

“He was drunk and confused Dream. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“That excuses nothing. You said you’d support me.”

“I want them to like you, that’s all. Now you’re my partner, it seems wrong to have my son and partner prepared to rip each other apart for revenge.”

Dream’s eyebrows furrowed, his jaw setting and fingers curling.
“I don’t care if they don’t like me. They aren’t worth anything to me.”

“And what about me? They’re still my son.”

“Well I love you, of course, but they- Do you even care about how this has affected me?!”

Quackity’s fast temper fought to be let loose, but it calmed when he heard those three words.
“Love?”

Dream also paused, his anger disappearing.
“I- I never said that.”

“Of course not…”

The room quietened once more, both men trying to grab and organise the swirling thoughts in their mind. Quackity was the first to speak up, muttering quietly.

“And I do care about how it affected you.”

“No, you don’t, or you’d let me take my own revenge,” Dream spat.

“What will revenge do for you?! What will you do? Blow you up his house? Or his mental health? How is that going to help anyone?!”

“It will help! It’ll make sure he stays out of my way. No one does that sort of thing without wanting to purposefully hurt me. If I don’t take the next hit, he’ll just return!”

Quackity fell back into his chair, exasperated with him.

“Look, can we just continue this another time?”

“No, I think you just don’t want to admit you would rather take that traitor’s side than your partner’s.”

The casino owner rested his head in his hands, taking deep breaths, and then talking.

“Ever since I opened this place, the only people I’ve cared about was my kids. After Karl and Sapnap, I just didn’t want anyone else, or any more pain. My kids are default for me, those I will always want to protect.”

“So I really am of no concern to you then?”

“I didn’t say that Dream.”

“Then what are you saying Quackity? Because all I’m hearing is that you don’t care.”

“I’m just not used to having someone else, okay? Be patient with me, please.”

Dream pushed himself up off the sofa and walked to the door, the metal on his clothing bouncing off his weapons. 

“You know what Q? You don’t have to get used to it again.”

With that he strode out of the office, slamming the door and rattling the ornaments lined on Q’s wall. Quackity looked up, noticing the crack in his wall had become larger, a door swinging open, inviting him into the darkness. He stood up and stepped up to it, pushing it shut and then went after Dream.