Quackity POV:
As he had predicted, Sapnap had gotten away. Niki and Ranboo had circled back shortly after, arriving empty handed.
"He must have had a boat out that side. He's gone." Ranboo said, as he sat down where they all sat, just inside the trees a bit.
"We'll, it's no use going after him now. We know where he's headed." Quackity sighed.
Niki nodded in agreement. "It's getting dark. We should camp here tonight, and then..." She trailed off. None of them really knew what tomorrow would bring, and what their next move would be.
Quackity supposed it was his call, but he didn't offer any decision to the group yet. He sat close to Wilbur, his hand resting on the man's arm. Just to be touching. Just to know that he was really there.
Right now, he really didn't want to think about tomorrow, but he could tell the others were waiting for an answer.
Quackity stood up. "If we're making camp here, I guess I'll go see what firewood I can scavenge." He said simply. He turned and took off walking in a random direction further into the woods. The wood was mostly wet from snow, so he had to walk further in where the trees were thicker and denser and kept more snow from the ground. This was a good excuse to get away from the group anyway, just to buy himself some time to think.
But as he gathered a few stringent pieces of wood, he heard twigs snap behind him and sighed.
"You followed me." He said, turning to face Wilbur, who was leaning against a tree.
"Of course I did." Wilbur replied, crossing his arms. "To be honest, I wasn't sure if 'getting firewood' was code for us to go make out in the woods." He added.
Quackity scoffed and turned back to his pitiful pile of sticks.
Wilbur leant away from the tree and moved over to Quackity, his arms uncrossing.
"I'm kidding." He said gently. "I know you're trying to decide how to tell the others that you're going to go after Dream."
Quackity turned back to face him quickly, about to protest, then sighed. "I've already dragged them into danger enough already. This fight is between me and Dream, it was always going to be that way eventually. And now that he's got the book- or, is going to have it, well..."
Wilbur nodded. "I see. And what about me?"
Quackity stared at him. "Are you crazy? You think I'm going to let you out of my sight again?"
Wilbur chuckled. "Good. I was coming anyway. And the others... Do you really think they'll let you go alone? They've followed you this far."
Quackity sighed. "I don't want any more blood on my hands."
Wilbur frowned at this. "No one does. But look at me! I mean, all my blood is on the inside where it's supposed to be, now! So don't feel guilty on my behalf. I chose to do what I did, and y'know I'd do it all again." He cupped Quackity's face with his hand gently.
"And don't you dare feel guilty for deaths that haven't even happened yet." He added exasperatedly.
"But-"
Wilbur kissed him before he could argue more, and it successfully shut Quackity up.
Wilbur broke away softly, kissing Quackity's forehead and keeping him close.
Quackity glanced away before he met Wilbur's eyes again.
"I'm not the same person you left." He murmured.
"I know. It's ok."
"I fear my grief has made me cruel." Quackity admitted wretchedly.
"You? Never."
The king smiled, resting his head on Wilbur's shoulder. He had needed to hear that so very badly.
"It seems so far away now, the people we were before. We were so young and foolish, weren't we?"
Wilbur tilted his head. "Yeah. But we're still young. And, I can say for myself at least, still quite foolish." He grinned. "And I still love you."
Quackity kissed him again.
"I love you too." He whispered.
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Quackity POV:
They returned to the campsite and Quackity dumped his pile of wood onto the snow, as everyone else turned to him.
"Tomorrow, we set off for the Dreamsmp castle. We're going after Dream." He announced. "You all don't have to come, unless you wish to."
The others received this news as if they had been anticipating it, nodding solemnly.
"Alright." Said Niki. "Then let's make a plan."
Quackity felt a wave of relief and a surge of affection for his friends as he saw them all agree with Niki. He wouldn't have to face this alone after all.
They made up the fire and talked into the night, formulating the beginnings of a plan.
Even though it was an even more dire mission than their original one, in the firelight that night, surrounded by friends, it didn't seem impossible.
When they finally retired to their respective beds on the forest floor, Quackity felt even somewhat confident about the day ahead.
Wilbur stayed close to him, an arm wrapped around his side, his big coat keeping them both warm.
And for the first time in six months, Quackity wasn't afraid to fall asleep.
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The fog had begun to lift.
There was grass now partially visible beneath Quackity's feet. Wind blew it in every direction.
He looked forward, searching for the blue light, but what he saw was the crest of a hill, and someone sitting on it. Sunlight poured over the hill, shredding the mist like morning light.
Quackity walked forward, slower than usual. He looked around at the open fields, empty except for the long grass and expanse of sky.
Wilbur looked up as he approached. Not his Wilbur, but the blue boy with white eyes. His bluebird sat on his shoulder calmer than normal.
Quackity sat down, and looked at the rising sun. Or was it setting? It was hard to tell.
They didn't say anything. Neither boy spoke now, even when the silence allowed it.
There was no need.
Finally, Quackity looked at him.
"This is it, isn't it?"
As if in answer, Wilbur smiled at him. It was the first real emotion that had ever broken the boy's vacant expression, and Quackity couldn't quite decide the way it made him feel.
Quackity turned back to the sky, and so did the boy beside him.
A bluebird flitted across the horizon in front of Quackity's eyes. He looked around, but Wilburwas already gone.
He had faded away into the fog, and the grass, and the sun. Into the Nothing around them.
He was gone, and Quackity knew then that he was gone for good, and the king would never come here again. Not for a long time yet.
He stood up.
YOU ARE READING
ASSASSIN 2~ 𝓗𝓪𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭
Fanfiction"It, [Death] goes hand in hand with love. Because when someone that you love dies, they cease to exist, and you start a grieving process. You miss them, you want them to come back, but its the acceptance that something is gone forever" ...
