Blood and Lust

Chapter 9

Quackity's POV

He wakes up uncomfortable. It takes a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the room, but he does eventually.
He's in a gothic-style room with plush, patterned chairs and a chamber bed. A broken mirror lies on the wall, and there's a boy there. He vaguely remembers this kid from somewhere- Oh! He's the one that gave him the scratches on his face!
The boy is looking at him enthusiastically, an expression of curiosity on his face.
"Wilby! Dad! I think the duck man has woken up!" he yells to downstairs. Turning to Quackity, he says, "Hi!"
Quackity tries to get off the chair he's on, but finds he's tied up.

"Where am I?" Quackity asks groggily, squinting his eyes.
"You're in our house! This is my room!" the boy says happily. "I'm Tommy, I don't know if you remember me. I was the one that-"
"Gave me the scratches, yeah, I remember you. I just kinda forgot your name," Quackity says annoyedly. "Now let me go."
"Sorry, Wilby said I can't let you go," Tommy says, "but I bet his friend will have fun with you!"
"Friend?"
"Oh, I don't remember his name, um, the guy with the muttonchops and the suit! He smells of wine," Tommy says, and you can clearly tell he doesn't like Schlatt.
"Oh, Schlatt. Right, OK, so he's here?"
"Yeah! He's downstairs, should I go get him?" Tommy says.
"No!" Quackity says, then clears his throat awkwardly. "I mean, um, no, I'd like if if you didn't."
"Why?"
"Well, this guy just kidnapped me, so..."
"Yeah, but you should always give people second chances!" Tommy says, smiling.
"I don't. They fuck up, they've fucked up for good. I don't like your optimism, kid," Quackity says rudely, sneering at him.
"Do you want me to give you more of those?" Tommy asks, pointing to Quackity's scratches and casually flexing his nails. He's still kept the happy tone, even when he's threatening Quackity.
"No," the human gulps.
"Great!"

Wilbur comes into the room, grinning.
"You're up, then?" he asks. "Took you long enough."
"Shut the fuck up and let me go," he says annoyedly to Wilbur.
"Nah. I wanna mess around with you," Wilbur says. "Recognise these?"
And he holds up two very familiar rings with S and K engraved on them.
"Wh- Leave those alone! Leave Karl and Sapnap alone! Give them back!" Quackity sputters indignantly, close to crying.
"Come get them, then."
Wilbur dangles the rings a few inches away from Quackity's face- the latter's hands are bound but he can still use his mouth.
He tries to get the rings in his mouth but they're, tantalisingly, a few centimetres away from his face. Just out of reach.

"Look at you. You look like you're just some dog, trying to get something in your mouth," Wilbur laughs at him.
"Shut up and give me my goddamn rings back, asshole."
"Nah. I'm gonna go get Schlatt."
"Wait, no-"
It's too late. Wilbur's already headed downstairs.
"Wait, what floor am I on?"
Translation: "Would I survive if I jumped out of the window in here?"
"We're on the third!" Tommy says, launching himself onto the bed and landing with a bounce. He giggles.
Quackity hates this kid's guts, but he has to admit it- that was adorable.
"Oh."

They lie in silence, Tommy's tail wagging through the whole thing.
This kid's optimism and positivity throughout everything is honestly impressive- how does he manage it?
To be fair, Quackity's basically lived his whole life in fear. Killing when he needs to. Watching coworkers, friends, lovers... die.
Tommy's probably never had this. He lives in a luxurious mansion, immortal and with a loving family. He's able to protect himself whenever he deems necessary. Of course he'd be optimistic.

Wilbur comes back with Schlatt, and Quackity gulps in anticipation.
"Hey, sweetheart," Schlatt says, bending down to his level. Since he's on a chair, it's a lot less than his average height.
"Fuck off," Quackity says defiantly.
"Now, now, that's no way to talk to the person who decides if you live or die, is it?" Schlatt asks tauntingly, gripping his chin and forcing it upwards. Quackity works up a ball of saliva in his mouth and spits it in Schlatt's face- familiar from the time he did that to Wilbur.
"Oh, you wanna do me dirty like that, huh?" Schlatt growls. "Really?"
"Yes. Fuck off and let me go."
"Oh, but it would be a shame if I drank from that pretty neck of yours and turned you into one of us, wouldn't it?" Schlatt murmurs, grinning.
Surprisingly, Wilbur intervenes.
"Schlatt. No. We talked about this, we only turn him when I say we turn him," Wilbur says, putting a palm out.
"Who made you the leader?"
"This is my house. I can gladly kick you out," Wilbur says, crossing his arms and frowning.
"God, okay, I won't turn him yet."