Dilemma [Pumpkin Duo]

6: I'm in trouble and in love again

Schlatt walked the streets of Las Nevadas, exhausted. He couldn't face Dream like this; he could slip up and say something wrong or something, he was just so tired, and his back hurt from sleeping on Quackity's office chair and his eyes hurt because he'd only got a good two hours sleep, possibly not even that. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to improve his vision. And now he has to speak to Dream. Surely Quackity wouldn't really mind if he borrowed that one skeleton horse, right?

A few hours later, Schlatt found himself in front of L'Mancrater, not turning as Dream walked and stood next to him.

"Schlatt."

"Dream," Schlatt said, his hands on the lapel of his suit.

"He brought you back." Dream said, strands of blonde hair falling over the top of his white mask. Schlatt didn't need to see his face to see the irritation behind the mask.

"He did. And about that... Dream, Quackity wants to use me as some sort of... political tool, and Dream, let me be real with you, after what happened in the White House I don't know how much I trust working alongside him again," Schlatt said, staring at the crater of what used to be his country.

Dream nodded. "So what do you really want, then? Your ex-lover gave you life again and now you're pissed off at him so you're deciding to team with an enemy over a feud that happened years ago?" Dream said, his tone still angered.

Schlatt didn't hesitate. "It was your book. You gave me life." Schlatt pointed out.

Dream hesitated, but ended up not replying, but instead, he turned to face Schlatt. "Put out your hand." He ordered, and Schlatt obliged, before Dream pressed his thumb into the palm of Dream's hand, before kicking the back of his knee, and all of a sudden Schlatt was dangling into the crater of L'Manburg, held onto his second chance at life by Dream's grip on his hand.

Schlatt gulped but didn't show his distress in any way other than that. He met the cold gaze of Dream's mask, fighting to keep a smirk on his face.

"What is it, Schlatt? Wouldn't it be ironic if you fell into the ruins of a country that once served under your own name?" Dream said patronisingly, his grip loosening. Schlatt pictured Quackity, the skull and the golden feather, the expression that would pass over his face when he found out Schlatt had 'tripped and fallen into L'Mancrater'. Ashamed, he glanced down at the bottom of the crater, spotting a golden patch of sand in the corner of his eye, which made him feel sick. Or maybe it was the height, of the blood rushing around his body at inhuman speeds.

Schlatt closed his eyes and braced himself for the feeling of falling, falling and falling into the ruins of L'Manburg, into the sand; as if sand could break his fall-

But then he was standing up, facing Dream as if he'd never been hanging onto his hand for dear life.

"Dream?" Schlatt's voice was shaky and his fists were clenched. He could almost tell Dream was smiling under his mask. "That was fucking mean."

"It was a test. And you passed," Dream said, staring wistfully at Schlatt, or in that general direction. This made Schlatt realise he found the mask mildly irritating.

"Alright," Schlatt replied sakily.

"Yes, it is. Right, I want you to make Quackity open the doors of Las Nevdas to everyone on the server. Host a gathering, if you will," Dream explained. "Walk Prime Path with me, Schlatt."

As the two began walking, Dream continued explaining to Schlatt his plan: "See, if Quackity lets the world into Las Nevadas, he will be letting his guard down. Now, all you've gotta do is make him do that, and then I'll manage the big shit."

Schlatt blinked slowly. "Alright, I s'pose." He paused though, after a moment. "Quackity won't be hurt, right?"

Dream smirked. "Not necessarily. He might get a bit pissy at you for letting everyone into Las Nevadas... But as long as we keep a close watch on every player who steps in here, and you play your cards right with Quackity, he shouldn't get hurt." Dream continued, and stopped walking when Prime Path met the wide road that led towards Las Nevadas.

"Alright," Schlatt responded. Well, now he didn't know what to do. If he told Quackity Dream's plan, he couldn't just not let people into Las Nevadas in suspicion of them being an arsonist.

...

"Quackity, Dream wants you to open Las Nevdas' doors," Schlatt said, back in Quackity's office that evening. The bird's skull on the desk was staring back at him.

"What?! What do you mean he wants us to let people into Las Nevadas?!" Quackity looked away from the bird skull on his desk. He was annoyed by Schlatt trying to give him such an order. And it all seemed too sudden. Las Nevadas should not have many visitors... Especially these days, when the situation in this city was still volatile.

"I know, I know. But you can't just... not let people in, right?" Schlatt asked. "You can just not let Dream in, surely?" Schatt said, his tone more intense. "It's better worth than putting the country into lockdown."

"Of course, I'm not gonna let Dream in. He can stay the hell out of our territory." Quackity hissed, his tone angry, but Schlatt wasn't following.

Our territory?

"You okay, Schlatt?" Quackity asked, and Schlatt blinked a couple of times.

"Yeah," He replied, glancing between the bird's skull and Quackity. "What... What am I to you?"

Quackity had fallen silent. Schlatt marvelled at how much he would want to smooth Quackity's expression, to see him smile, and seriously smile, like how he did when he was happy.

To Quackity, that question felt like a knife in his gut. He did not know how to answer the former president. Schatt's expression was soft and gentle, and although they didn't always get along, though Quackity could see a future where they understood each other more. What was Quackity supposed to answer? Friend? Collegue? Lover? But he still couldn't think of an answer, and the time seemed to stop.

"Quackity?"

"Hm..?" Quackity replied, still avoiding eye contact. His cheeks felt really hot. Why was this happening? He thought he should at least be able to have a nice talk with Schlatt, without feeling uncomfortable or... Shy. He wanted everything to be natural, and easy, to get along without any kind of drama or awkward situations. But, this feeling... it was different. He wanted to be outgoing like he was in Manburg.

Schlatt's eyes widened, and he realised the discomfort in Quackity's expression. "Sorry- You don't have to answer, sorry, I know you're busy. I can get into contact with Sam and tell him to not let Dream in. Sam could try put him back in prison if you want, you have enough money to try-"

"No, no... it's fine, I-" Quackity looked at him and couldn't find the right words to express himself. He didn't know what to say and started to feel embarrassed. He was afraid to answer that question. He wanted to reply, he wanted to know where they stood, especially after their night together, but was afraid to give the wrong answer and end up hurting Schlatt in the process. He didn't really know what role he played in his life or in their relationship, meanwhile being a nervous wreck surrounding the Dream fiasco.

Schlatt saw Quackity's conflicted expression. "Shit, sorry for making you uncomfortable. I just felt that after last night..."

"Yeah. Yeah, I get it, it's okay." Quackity replied, but his response sounded a little defensive. It was true that Schlatt had been a little... intense, during their evening together, but that was probably normal, right? Quackity was too; as Schlatt said, it was both their fault. Quackity wasn't the kind of person to get involved in intimate relationships, and didn't even have enough experience to know how to handle this situation. He tried to smile but failed completely.

"It's okay." He tried again and failed again. Was he really that bad at hiding his emotions or something? Usually, his acting skills were much better; it was starting to get obvious now. It wasn't so complicated, but he didn't want everything that happened between them last night to get too serious. Especially since it was just one night. Right? That didn't mean things had to change between them. He was completely overthinking this... and it was stupid. Currently, Schlatt was the closest thing he had to a friend, and he couldn't fuck it up.