Broken Souls

Chapter 14

"But I am supposed to be the guardian. Why can't I shield them?" Dream stomps his foot in frustration then flinches hearing himself.

"Because I fucked up when I froze you in stone you haven't developed emotionally much past your early teens. You are just as smart as me but you just make emotional decisions in the moment. You have grown up a lot in the last few years, but you are always going to be my baby brother." Nightmare pulls him into a tight hug just as QuantumTale Gaster yells that the portal is about to open.

"Don't worry about me, I will let your boys help me. Take care of yourself." Dream hugs him back, grateful to have this with Nightmare at last.

Nightmare nods letting him go, "I will. Stay out of trouble and make sure the boys stay in counseling."

Geno absently chases Reaper away while watching the twins parting. "It is good to see the twins getting along better. Maybe when Nightmare comes back with Error, Dream can perform the wedding?"

Lust watches, "you sound sure they are coming back there are rumors going around that Nightmare won't even try to bring Error back."

"He is Error's soulmate; he will do what is best for him. I just believe coming home is better for him than setting back and letting the multiverse die and having to live with it." Geno shrugs, "but I might be, being selfish I want my brother back."

=JR Headquarters Grail's Office =

"So brother, you are taking Stavrós on a mission?" Efiáltis eyes Grail in amusement at the little wing flutters and golden blush that are happening.

"Yes we will be surveying a sylvan AU this afternoon we should be back after dinner we will take our meal with us." Grail tries to act business like but the larger picnic hamper is not helping his case.

Error shakes his head, "so you are going on a picnic in the woods and will be home late? Fine, have fun, just don't hurt my chocolate supplier or get him pregnant before the wedding."

Efiáltis giggles and just waves a garden shovel at Grail, having a blast playing big brother. "I would give you the talk but Error is doing so well."

Nibs snorts, "the real question is not about the bird's intentions, it is if Stavrós will figure out it is a date."

Grail frowns and drops his face into his hands, "does it even matter at this point? Really? He is just coming because I called it a mission."

"Well you could try asking him out for real. You really are like Nightmare no sense of how to date. I at least borrowed Blue's dating manual." Error snorts and settles on the couch Efiáltis added to Grail's office.

Efiáltis tilts his head looking at Error, "why did you do that if you and Nightmare never dated?"

Nibs who had rapidly grown used to Error's rather empty way of expressing affection laughs. "Have you not listened to him? He talks about Nightmare, at least once an hour. He may not be able to feel it but he wants to date him the way humans want to breathe."

Error shrugs not refuting Nibs's claim. "My body may not know what to do with food, I may not be able to stand direct touch, I may only be half sane on bad days, but my soul knows where it belongs and with whom. Even with half my emotions stripped away. I am not that broken yet."

Grail mantillas his wings looking ill. "If we have anything to say about it you will never be that broken."

Error frowns setting forward, "fortunately that will never be your choice to make. When Night comes for me I am leaving. I may have jumped but I still have a duty and a family to protect."

Efiáltis winces at the waves of anger, frustration, and self loathing washing off of Error before he clamps down on his aura. "If he can get here you can retrieve your family. Does the rest of the multiverse deserve your unending service?"

Grail grabs the trash can under his desk retching as Error's heavy negativity washes over him.

Nibs shakes his head, "you guys are too focused on your need to protect him. What about his need to do what he was made for? It is like people rescuing Bitties. You get focused on saving bitties and you forget that sometimes what the Bitty needs is to save themselves or you."

The conversation is dropped as a crashing boom rattles the castle and a wave of darkness and negativity sweeps through the AU out in the hall running and screaming can be heard along with sobbing and wails of despair.

Error stands every joint and bone creaking and popping. "Looks like Night really is keyed up."

Efiáltis hums, opening the door to look out in the hallway, "why does that feel good?"

Grail heaves again, wiping his face and mouth with tissues and staggering to his feet, wings opening wide and glowing as he sends out a pulse of positivity to try and counter the heavy negativity. "Because you are the guardian of negativity? Maybe it feels awful to me."

Nibs shudders and clings the Error's coat collar. "Gods what is that? It feels like the worst year of my life packed into a moment only it keeps going."

Error walks past Efiáltis out the door, "that is Nightmare using his aura to pacify the AU so he can proceed without resistance. I told you all he would act like it is enemy territory until he knows otherwise."

Efiáltis blinked, steadying Grail as they followed Error, "you weren't joking when you said we could bring an army to its knees?"

Grail staggers leaning on Efiáltis, "since when do we have that kind of power, and how the hell does my counterpart handle this?"

Error looks back at him with a frown, "practice and Nightmare rarely goes all out in an AU Dream is in he wouldn't risk his little brother like that. Why don't you stay here while I find and calm him down?"

"No can do, these are our people Error we need Grail to balance out your Nightmare before someone gets hurt too badly." Efiáltis shakes his head and picks his slightly taller brother up catching up to Error.

Stavrós and Láthos stumble into the hallway dragging Cyan and Meláni with them, they seem to be doing better than the rest of the JR staff.

Stavrós let's Cyan go to take Grail from Efiáltis, "what is happening, why does it feel like someone took Efiáltis's aura when he is having a bad night and super charged it?"

Láthos keeps his strings tied to Meláni but hugs Efiáltis tightly. "Are you okay?"

Efiáltis nods holding Láthos, "I am fine Error saying Nightmare has arrived and is using his aura to suppress the AU Grail is trying to counter it but it doesn't appear to be working."

Nibs pants huddling as close to Error as he can without risking touching him. "Grail needs to stop the pulse thing he is doing, it just makes it worse by jerking us back and forth."

Cyan leans on the wall, "well this sucks why didn't you tell us he could do this? I thought we just had to avoid him or get our asses kicked."

"Skeletons don't have asses." Meláni just stands there looking bored making Error shudder.

"How was I to know Grail and Efiáltis hadn't used this ability before? It is a very effective non-lethal way of subduing large groups." Error shrugs heading for the main hall where loud banding could be heard.

There is a break in the banging and the sound of an axe takes its place.

"So you think he is just being dramatic or did someone hit the emergency locks in security?" Stavrós adjusts Grail to a princess carry position.

Grail clings to Stavrós looking ill, "the locks there is, too much anger to just be drama."

"Then maybe we should unlock the door so he calms down?" Nibs slides down Error's coat and into his pocket.

"Do I get to fight him if we don't?" Meláni looks around with mild curiosity.

"No you fucking Squid imitation you try and I will throw you into the void myself." Error glares at Meláni reaching for his own strings.

Efiáltis laughs, shaking his head, "Meláni, why are you like this? Why antagonise a god when you don't have to?"