Written: Aug. 29 - Sep. 1, 2021
Edited: Sep. 1, 2021
So sorry, this one jumps around a lot.
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Two months. Two long months, and Dream and Error hadn't spoken to each other at all since the incident with Nightmare.
Error had tried to do as he had always done, though it never felt the same. Dream continued to do what she had always done, but it didn't feel right. She could feel Error's negativity and guilt, no matter the distance they had.
But she ignored it.
One day, Error had had enough. The guilt he would never admit to was eating him up inside and he had had enough. He kicked a rock and teleported to Outertale, to the same cliff he and Dream had so often visited together.
He thought about everything that had happened at that spot. He thought of Dream.
Dream could feel the negativity he was giving off. Maybe ignoring it wasn't going to work anymore for her.
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Dream had intentionally ignored Error's negativity. She didn't want to talk to him, and she had been busy with other things anyway.
But today...she was tired and just wanted this whole thing to be over. She hurried to her room and got dressed, then grabbed a sticky note and pen. She wrote a note and gently folded the paper in half, holding it firmly in her hand.
Dream opened a portal to Outertale, where she had sensed Error to be, and peeked through. She saw him hunched over at their usual spot, his arms around his knees as he looked out in front of him at the stars.
He looks so lonely...
She shook her head and dropped the note some distance on the ground in front of her. She noticed Error turning around, no doubt feeling the positivity natural to her presence. She closed the portal and slid down her wall.
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Error held the crumpled note in his hand gently, feeling that if he opened it to quickly it'd simply burn right then and there. He unfolded the top and smoothed it out, reading the three simple words to himself almost breathlessly:
I forgive you.
He stared at the words. He read them again. I forgive you. I forgive you? I...forgive....you...
"Sh-she forgives me...? So could she still...?" Error trailed off, his mind racing as he subconsciously had a smile forming on his face.
"Error."
He turned around, quickly stuffing the note in his pocket as he met with Killer's hollow eyes. "What's up?" Error asked casually.
"The Majesty says there's a new AU gone down, time to clean up," Killer stated, a massive grin plastered to his features. He pulled out his knife and held it up. "C'mon. Just follow me."
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Ink knocked on Dream's doorframe and walked up, her hands fiddling behind her back nervously.
"H-hey Dream?" she started nervously.
"Yes, what is it?" Dream stood up from her spot on the floor and dusted her robe off.
"So...you remember how you told me to not encourage another weak AU idea?" - Dream looked mildly concerned – "W-well I may or may not have done the opposite. And Nightmare may or may not be at one right now like...give it a...um, not so great time."
"Ink I swear do you ever listen...?!" Dream sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Ink only stood there with her head down. Dream grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward, opening a shortcut. "Alright let's go then. Can't have them destroying it, now can we?"
The two found their way to the others, Blue was already there, seemingly waiting for them. Dream stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest, taking a glance around to see who was there.
Error hung at the back of Nightmare's group, his eyes flitting up once Dream arrived. He glanced to Ink, then locked eyes with Dream for only a second before looking away, a slight blue hue dusting his cheeks. Dream swelled with hope in that moment, a light gold dusting her cheeks as well.
Blue tapped Dream's shoulder, grabbing her attention as she pointed to Ink. Ink seemed to be staring in Nightmare's direction, her face subtle and calm, yet thoughtful and slightly excited.
"Ink are you alright?" Dream asked, waving a hand in front of Ink's face. Perhaps she didn't want to fight? Afterall, they hadn't fought the crew in a while due to being on relatively good terms.
"Of course I'm fine! Now c'mon, we're wasting time!" Ink burst out, startling the other two.
Ink darted forward to Nightmare, the two looking thrilled over the fresh battles to ensue. Blue nodded quickly to Dream and sprinted to the woods, looking for survivors or to fight the others, Dream didn't know which.
Dream pulled out her bow, knocking it with an arrow as Error took a battle stance not far away from her. He pulled bones from the ground, creating a sharp hill as they ran at her. Dream jumped out of the way and shot her arrow, missing him, though throwing him off.
She darted behind a nearby boulder and looked out to the others. Maybe I'm crazy, or maybe I'm perfectly sane, but they don't seem to be giving it their all, she thought as she watched Nightmare shoot a tentacle at Ink, only for it to miss and lodge itself into a nearby tree. Something seems to be up...
The boulder shattered and crumbled, a searing heat flashing on Dream's back. She whipped around quickly and got up; Error had shot the boulder with his blasters. I thought I forgave him?! Why is he attacking me like this?!
She pulled up her bow and knocked another arrow, aiming it at his leg to slow him down. Before she could move a muscle (*heh), someone had thrown a snowball at her face. She froze (*heh) and wiped the snow from her face, looking to see Error packing another snowball. Why the heck-?? SNOW?! Do you really expect that to kill me??
Dream hid behind a tree quickly, not wanting to get hit again by his childish behavior. She couldn't hear sounds from him anymore though; no heavy breathing, no crunching footsteps from the snow, nothing.
Ah, I know how this is going to go. He's going to appear in front of me when I look back, right? The question though, is he going to kill me...? Or does he have some sort of different objective I don't know about?
Dream looked behind her, then turned back in front. And sure enough, Error stood in front of her, quickly pressing both his hands on the tree on either side of her head, keeping her from escaping safely.
She looked down, gripping her bow tighter as she felt her face become hot. Why now? Why was she feeling this now? The timing was horrible. This needed to stop. It was so embarrassing.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm all the emotions that wanted to pour from her. She couldn't cry from frustration or guilt, not here, not now, not in front of him. Her bow disappeared. She rubbed her eyes roughly, a single word falling from her mouth with a slight crack, "E-Error...?"
She heard him sigh. Then... he embraced her. Dream's eyes widened, her arms still protectively in front of her chest as Error buried his head in her neck, his breath coming in short, ragged breaths.
Dream quickly hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him as close to her small body as she could.
"I-I'm s-so sorry, Dream..." Error whispered, grasping desperately onto her cape. "I-I'm sorry...I was a-an idiot I should've tried t-to explain be-better a-and to help y-you instead o-oOf hiding o-Ou-T like a Co-OWARD..."
"It's ok, Error...I forgave you, didn't I?" She breathed softly, stroking his back as he trembled and continued to mumble apologies.
"Y-yeah but..."
The two were interrupted suddenly by a loud, girly shriek of excitement. Dream pulled back slowly, keeping her hands on Error's chest for fear if she stopped touching him, he'd break.
Ink and Blue were hugging and laughing, stealing glances from Dream and Error, then to each other. Gray threw a flower or two in the couple's direction and walked off to be by Dust's side, who also threw a flower.
Dream turned back to Error, quickly removing her hands from him, and letting go of the hug as he did the same. They looked to the ground, both trying to straighten their clothes and wipe their tears.
She looked up to see the other smiling to himself. Genuinely smiling. She laughed softly at their predicament, Error following and laughing as well. His strange, multi-octave laughter somehow calmed her, making her happy to know he was happy again.
Things worked out, it seems.
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Posting today because I got it done and I feel bad for not updating more often. I'll update on Saturday or Sunday still ofc.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
(lol me posting before school-)