I must've been lost in thought longer than I thought. Dust came over to me and took me out of the house completely. There were some newly painted trees nearby to imitate a forest. He pulls me behind a tree, causing me to get out of my thoughts.
"Dude, I'm serious. You gotta tell Ink, before someone else does. Ink truly cares for you a lot, but I don't think your attempts to friendzone yourselves is helping that. Ya gotta tell him before it's too late."Dust says
"Ya, eAsY f0r yOu tO sAy. I'lL lIStEn t0 yOur AdViCe wHen YoU fInAlLy fEss uP t0 BlUe."I tell him, looking away.
"Alright, suit yourself. Good luck with the visitor then. Let's go back inside."Dust says, dragging me back inside
Inside was everyone. Cross was talking with my brother. Ink was sketching away while sitting on the couch. Dream was getting the tqcos Blue left behind out of the oven. But there was another skeleton that I didn't recognize leaning against the wall. And they were staring at Ink. Dust went off to do something about the tacos. The stranger noticed me and came over.
"Heya, bruh. Cross has told me about you! You're Error Sans, right? And you made a truce over creation and destruction, ya? Thanks for not destroying my AU! But can I ask ya a question?"They say
"Y0u aLrEaDy AsKeD mE tHrEe bUt OkaY. YeS, I'm ErRoR aNd I dId mAkE thAt tRuCe. WhAt'S yOuR qUeStIoN?"I say
"Who's the dude sketching on the couch and are they single?"They ask
I was baffled. How could someone not know Ink of all people? Thoughts were whizzing through my head. Was this dude seriously trying to get with Ink even though they don't even know him? I shake my head to get out of my thoughts.
"YoU gOtTa Be JoKiNg! ThAt iS InK SaNs!"I tell them, trying to keep my voice low.
"Ah, the other bruh in the truce. A Star Sans. I'm guessing he's single then."They say
Is he seriously assuming that because he's a Star Sans? Who even is this dude?
"WhY d0 YOu sAy tHaT? Wh0 eVeN aRe yA?"I ask
"I'm Epic Sans. Well, with the dangers that they deal with, I doubt anyone would want to be with them. Well, besides Cross. He's into Dream ya know. But the Star Sanses each have stupid flaws, bruh. Dream has family issues. Blue's too innocent that it makes him stupid. Ink has no real emotions and is said to be forgetful as heck. The frisk can always become a Chara. So stupid!"they say
He did not just call the Star Sanses stupid. He did not just insult the ones keeping his AU safe. He did not just insult my buddies Ink and Blue. He didn't.....He did.
Dust overheard and came over, standing beside me with his arms crossed. I narrow my eyes at Epic.
"What kind of ungrateful AU character are you man? Coming into the protector's house and talking dirty about them! They protect your AU all the time and all you seem to do is inult them. You do not call Blue and his friends stupid. Wrong move, man. That's your flaw."Dust growls
"Bruh, I didn't mean it like that. I-"Epic begins
"ThEn WhY'D yA sAy It? Ya KnOw iF yOu hAvE NoThInG nIcE t0 sAY, DoN't sAy aNyThInG! YoU dOn'T iNsUlT ThE pEoPlE pRoTeCtInG yA! ThAt's wHaT yA CaLl StUpId! Ya kNoW whAt? I'M oUt! I'lL mAkE aN eXcEpTiOn tO tHe tRuCE!"I cut him off, opening the portal to EpicTale
"Woah! Hey! Bruh! No need for that! We can talk about this!"Epic exclaims
"YoU'Ve g0T 5 sEcS."I state
"Ok, I'm sorry. I won't speak like that of them again. I'll be grateful, bruh. I'll be nice. I-"Epic explains
"TimE's uP. Go0d t0 hEar. BuT iF yOu eVer sPeaK bAdlY aBoUt tHeM agAin or, fOr gO0dnEsS sAke, tHey hEaR yOu tAlK lIke tHat oF thEm aNd fEel hUrt, I wilL nOt ThInK tWiCe."I tell him as the portal shuts
Epic nods and runs off to join Cross. Dust looks at me and grins. I grin back. We both knew what we were thinking. Get dunked on.
I decide to try to go to my anti-void. I open a gateway there and step through. I use my strings to search for any hiding gang members or Ink's bro but thankfully did not. I begin to twist and fold my strings across the anti-void, forming unescapeable trabs for any who enters without me knowing. My fingers will get a tug as soon as someone gets caught, alerting me of the intrusion. I smile proudly of myself. I get into my usual string hammock and nap.
When I awoke, there was still no engaged traps. I begin to look through my puppets and decide to finally destroy any lingering souls I had tied up in this anti-void. Blue does stuff like this all the time, though not with souls. He says it's known as spring cleaning, though often it isn't even spring. Besides, I'm not destroying entire AUs, just cleaning out my anti-void. Once I was done, I took the Ink puppet out and gaze at it. As usual, I couldn't tell if a lot of time has passed or not. But all that came to mind was Ink. I hoped he was well. I hoped he was happy or having fun or at least safe with whatever was going on for him, wherever he was. Whatever he was doing, I hoped the best for him. I sigh, these thoughts were repeating in my head. I'm being stupid thinking about him. I know I have feelings for him but come on! I can't be thinking of him all the time like that! I'll lose my mind and get nowhere then! Quick, watch some UnderNovela!
I quickly open a view to UnderNovela. I watch it and feel all my thoughts or worries drain away. I enjoy this. But then, I felt the tug on one of my fingers. Someone has come. And based on the tugging, they were struggling in the trap. I smile, glad the trap worked. Nobody's catching me off-guard! I shut my view of UnderNovela and let my strings lead me to the trap.
At first, I was surprised by who I found. But then that feeling quickly melted away as I was filled with joy. I chuckled at watching him struggle in my strings.
"Ya sEem a lItTle tIeD uP theRe, sHoRtIe!"I tease
"Shut up! How was I supposed to know you set string traps up?"He replies
It was Ink.
"HeH, oK, y0u gOt a pOiNt, sHorTiE. I'm juSt gLad iT's yOu aNd nOt sOme iDiOt oF thE gAnG. GiVe Me a sEc t0 reLeAse yOu, InkY."I chuckle
"I told you to stop calling me shortie! Did you forget what happened a few months ago? Cause I haven't! You didn't like being called shortie either!"Ink stubbornly tells me
"W0aH, tHaT mUcH tImE hAs PaSsEd AlReAdY? WoW. TrUe, bUt thEn aGain....It's aLwAyS enTerTaInInG tO sEe yOur rEacTiON!"I say, releasing him from my strings
I notice a crack around one of Ink's eyeholes. It kinda looked like Epic's cut by his, which was strange. Except, Ink's was deeper and went upward, ending at where the top of his skull begins. It was like a slash mark. It seemed fresh, too, but Ink hardly seemed to notice besides the fact that he kept that eye closed. I come close to him and lean forward to examine it further. His face went rainbow quickly and he gazed back at me confusedly, his one shown eye-light a question mark. I place my hand softly and hesitantly on his face. The bright rainbow blush on his face intensified.
(I drew this myself)
"W-What are you doing?"He asks
"ChEcKiNg sOmEtHiNg. H0w lOng hAvE yoU hAd tHiS crAck thrOugH yOuR eYe? Do y0u KnOw hOw y0U gOt iT?"I reply, feeling the cut as gentle as I could.
"What crack? I never had one by my eye befo-OW!"Ink explains, yelping in pain and stepping back, his hand flying up to feel and cover his eye
"ThAt oNe. It sTiLl huRtS sO iT's ReCeNt. WhAt HaVe YoU bEen dOiNg bEfOre CoMiNg hErE?"I ask, worried for what could've happened
"I....I had fought Nightmare's gang with Blue and Dream to save an AU as usual over the past few weeks.....Oh! Just yesterday ago Blue went to check on his own AU while Dream went for a stroll with Cross. Dust, Epic and I hung out at my place. Your brother came to visit and we talked. I then saw my brother lurking around but he left before I could do anything. I went to my room and rested after that....Then I woke up today, feeling some stinging from my eye strangely but ignored it. I came downstairs and talked with your brother, Dust, Epic, Dream and Cross. I then came here. I guess that stinging was from the cut."Ink explains
I nod, taking in the info and thinking. I certainly had three suspects at most, one of them being a group. The culprit could either be a member of Nightmare's gang, the unpredictable lurking brother of his:Ink!Pap, and the hardly known Epic. I knew Dust and Cross wouldn't hurt Ink. Dust may be a former member of the gang, but he's Ink's friend now and knew Blue would be upset with Ink hurt, which Dust never wants Blue to be. Cross knew the same with Dream and I don't believe he would try that even though he's still a member of the gang. And I couldn't see my brother doing such a thing. I sigh, trouble really did seem to come.
"WeLl, I dOn'T kNow wHat tO d0 abOuT tHat rIgHt nOw, bUt I knOw h0W to helP tHe pAiN."I say, tucking an arm behind my back as I approach him again
Ink gazed at me curiously and hesitantly lowering his hand from his eye. His face was still a bright rainbow. He didn't know it, but I was quickly creating something with my strings for him behind my back.
"And how's that?"Ink asks
"ThIs sHoUlD hElP hEaL iT oR aT lEaSt gIvE iT TiMe t0."I say, carefully placing an eyepatch on him
The patch securely and softly on the crack and eye. Ink tried to back away at the pain of the contact but I used my other hand around his back to keep him there and still. His face lit up even more. I took a closer step. My hand still rested on his face. I gaze down at him. His question mark eyelight turned into a heart and he gave me a smile. It felt comforting. I feel my face warm.
(I also drew this)
I lean in close but then realize what I was doing. I panic and swing my head back before it got too close. I look away and lift my scarf to hide my face again.
"So whAt bRiNgS y0U hEre, aNyWaY?"I ask, trying to change the topic and hope he forgets what I just did.
"Well, when your brother visited, we talked for a bit. He then told me that he remembered your birthday was yesterday's tomorrow, er, today. So, I wanted to make ya something and give it to you."Ink explains, digging through his huge scarf that I realized had a knot at its end for once
"Wait, I hAvE a BiRtHdAY? HeH, PaPs aLwAyS sEeMs To ReMeMbEr The SpECiAl tHiNgs t0 hIm."I say in surprise
Stupid as it sounds, I had forgotten I had a birthday. A creation day, whatever ya wanna call it.
Ink dug through his scarf until he got the knot open. Within it was a small box with a blue bow tied on top. He smiled as he handed it to me. I unwrap it to find a card and a clock. It looked like a typical alarm clock, rectangular and showing the time and date: April 4th and 1:30 PM.
"I needed to get help from Blue to make the clock and Science to make the calculations. It can show you times of other AUs like OuterTale, UnderNovela, UnderSwap, etc. I set it to have an alarm to tell you when a new UnderNovela timeline starts. All with a single button. I hope ya like it."Ink explains
I look and find a button. Little branch like stems lift from them and smaller, labeled clocks appear. UnderNovela was July 12th at 4:50 PM. UnderSwap was May 8th at noon. Ink's place was also labeled as April 4th and the current time. Wait, that means his place has the same time speed as my anti-void! Oh yeah, he lives by the doodlesphere which also used to be another anti-void!
I press the button and it all folds in and away again. I look at the card and read it. I smile. I look at Ink.
"ThaNkS InKy."I say happily
He smiles and sat beside me.
"No problem. Any plans for your newly found birthday?"Ink tells me
I pause, I haven't even thought of that. I smile as I think. I get an idea. I wrap my arm around him.
"I d0n't eXaCtLy kNow. MaYbE sPeNd tHe dAy wItH mY fAvOrItE InKy."I claim
"I'm the only Ink you know, silly! Unless you mean your puppet!"Ink points out.
"ThAt'S mY pOiNt, InKy. It'S yOu."I say, chuckling at his annoyed expression
Ink looks at me and smiles.
"Good, cause I ain't losing to a puppet of myself that you made. You on the other hand..."Ink teases, lifting his puppet of me
"Hey! Y0u gOttA Be KidDiNg Me! YoU sAiD yOu l0Ved mE!"I snap
Ink laughs nonstop. When he calmed down, he hugs the puppet.
"Guess I wasn't specific. Why? Jealous?"Ink teases again
I use my strings to lift the puppet away from Ink and outta sight. He yells at me, but I don't care. I pull him now with my strings close to me.
"My InKy."I hiss
"Oh my stars, you are jealous! Of a puppet of yourself! What? Do you love me or something?"Ink chuckles with snorts that were adorable
I feel my face light up again.
"Me? JeAlOus? No! NEvEr! I JUsT dOn't wAnT tO bE dEfEAteD bY a PuPPeT oF Me. JUsT lIkE yOu."I state
"Ah, I see."Ink says
"SpEAkInG oF lOve....cAn I aSk yA abOuT iT??"I ask
"Ask away, Birthday Glitchy."Ink says
"WhAt dO yOu wHen yOu gEt fEElInGs fOr SoMeoNe? But iT's yOur FiRsT tImE fEelInG liKe tHaT aNd yOu'Re sCared aNd dOn't knOw hOw tO handLe iT. YOu fEaR sOmEtHinG gOinG wRoNg oR mEsSiNg uP.What d0 yOu dO aBOUt iT?"I ask, looking down at my hands
"Well, I'd...I'd try and get any building stress out through a favorable activity! Then I'd try to make sure that the feelings were real. Then, I'd try to tell whoever they are. But if I'm too scared or nervous, I'd make a way to tell them. But never using a friend to tell them for me, they'd make sure to embarrass me, knowing any of them. Then, I'd see where it goes and get through it with the beloved one. Love is a two way street and it requires at least two people. But if they cause issues or red flags, leave em and find someone worth spending your time with. That's what I would do at least." Ink explains
I repeat it in my mind a few times, then nod.
"ThAnKs, InKy."I say
"Anytime. Now, I just find this amazing. At least a year ago we were enemies, fighting constantly for the sake of the multiverse. And here we are now, with a truce and friendship giving advice to each other. I like it."Ink says
"TRuE. As Do I."I agree.
I see his eye become an exclamation mark. He grips his brush and before I could say anything, he slashed some paint upward behind me. I turn to see a shielding wall just to the left of me. Ink dove forward and knocked me behind it. He was on top of me now with my skull against the shield. I feel my face glow. I was confused on why he acted so alert and protectively. But my question was quickly answered when a Gaster Blaster was heard firing and the blinding blast of it hit the shield, crawling around and hitting where we once were.
Ink....saved me!
I was in awe again and grateful to Ink. Then I realize our position with him on me, his arms wrapped around me protectively. I felt my face light up and I look at him awkwardly. His eyes were shut tight, his face a rainbow, and he was trembling with his head on my shoulder. I felt my finger get tugged by a string, meaning a trap had caught someone or something else was caught. I wasn't sure what to do or say in this moment. I slowly wrap my arm around him nervously rubbing his back to calm him down.
"T-T-ThaNKs fOr sAvInG mE, InKy. N-N-Now leT's sEe iF wE cAuGhT tHe c-c-cUlPrIt."I say, looking away when I notice my stuttering
Ink nods and releases me. I stand up as he does, quickly grabbing my arm. I smile nervously and let my strings lead us to the trap. Ink tightens his grip. It was one of the suspects. Ink!Pap.
"WhAT ArE yA dOiNg hErE?"I ask
"How'd you survive that?"Ink!Pap asks
"WeLl, ThAt AnsWErs mY qUeStI0n iN a WaY. YoU wAnTed t0 KilL mE. AnD weLl..."I say
"I shielded him with some paint. You really didn't hide your attack."Ink states
"Ugh. Another failed attempt to get you both apart. Dang it."Ink!Pap mutters
"Why can't you just accept Error and I being friends, brother? Why must you attempt to ruin that?"Ink asks
"Cause I know his past and reputation. Once a destroyer, always a destroyer. He'll crack and break the truce, or even you. I just don't want to see your hurt in any form. I don't trust you, Error."Ink!Pap snaps
I look away, he had a point about my past and reputation. Could he be right about me? No, I'll never break the truce or hurt Ink. If I ever did, I'd never forgive myself. I look at him carefully, searching for any tools that could've damaged Ink's eye. Nothing. Just paints. Plus he seems too protective of Ink to actually hurt him. One less suspect.
"Well, he's changed. He's my friend and good, unlike what you seem. I don't care what false things you think of him, it's in the past. You will never get us apart. So much for being a good brother."Ink claims
"I won't stop until I prove my point. I'll take my leave. Toodles!"Ink!Pap says, opening a portal below himself, turning to ink and slipping through my strings into the portal.
I shut it quickly and reset the traps. I look at where Ink stood to find him gazing upward. I look up and see our puppets sitting on a string together. Heh, guess I put them there without realizing as I reset the string traps.
I look back at Ink to see two hands reaching through a portal from the ground below to grab him. He didn't see. I quickly shoot my strings at him and leap up to the strings above, pulling him to me. I catch him and hold him protetcively, now in my usual string hammock. He gave me a confused look and I point to the hole with hands feeling around the blank ground where he once stood. He looks at me and nods, understanding my action now.
"We'Re EvEn agAiN nOw."I say
He chuckled and thanks me. Now that I had a grip on him and we were safely in the hammock, I untangled him from my strings and shoot the strings at the mysterious pair of hands. I yank the strings back to pull the owner of the hands in. I facepalm once I achieved doing so.
"DuSt, wHaT wErE yOu dOiNg aNd wHy?"I snap
He freaking thought that someone was trying to take Ink or Ink!Pap was already up to something!
"Sorry, I just felt like being sneaky. Plus, it'd be funny to see your scared reactions. Ink, Epic wants to speak with ya, so he sent me to get ya."Dust explains
Ink looks at me and sighs. His eye-light became a water drop shape but quickly a triangle in a blink. He looks at Dust. All I could do was sit and wonder. Ink didn't seem too keen on meeting with Epic. What could Epic want with Ink?
"Okay, I'm coming."He says, leaping down and hopping through the portal.
Dust shut it behind Ink. I climb down as he gave me a look that said he wanted to talk. It was clear that he didn't want Ink to hear since he didn't hold Ink back or go with him. I cross my arms.
"So, whAt'S tHe iSsuE? Y0u hAve aN eXpReSsIoN saYiNg sOmeThInG iS wrOnG."I say
"What? How can ya tell?"Dust exclaims, shocked.
"DuDe, I'Ve kNowN y0u f0R yEaRs. YoU'Re bAsIcAlLy aN oPeN bO0k."I tell him
He chuckles and agrees with my statement.
"The issue is Epic. He went from a full on hater to a complete supporter of the Star Sanses."Dust states
"WhaT's wRonG wItH tHaT?"I ask
"Well, he's become quite the fan of Ink. Whenever he visits, now rarely with me or Cross, he will run to Ink, asking hundreds of questions while in his face. There are times where he'll hug Ink for NO REASON and for waaay too long. And when he isn't hugging Ink, he'll be breaking his personal space one way or another. I've even caught him in his room stealing stuff like his books or scarf. Once, your brother came over and had to literally put himself between Epic and Ink because he was too close and Ink was clearly uncomfortable. Just yesterday while we were alone at Ink's place, Ink decided to put some movies on. Epic kept cornering Ink on the couch throughout the movies that I put myself between him and Ink because, once again, Ink was uneasy. Ink turned in early and went to bed after that. I could've sworn I saw Epic follow him...I just have a bad feeling about him."Dust explains
I listen and nod, taking the info in. Then I realize something. Dust's explanation fits in with what Ink told me. So there's more to the timeline that led to the mysterious cut, making Epic more and more of a suspicious suspect. But I couldn't rule Nightmare's gang out yet, they're still unknown besides their hate to the Star Sanses.
"Ok, tHaNkS foR teLlInG mE, DusT. KeEp aN eYe oN hIm pLeAsE."I say
He nods.
"Oh ya, your brother told me your birthday was today so Blue and I made ya something. Here, and I made sure it was potion-free."Dust says, handing me a pie with tiny tacos on top.
It kinda looked like the pie was cake-formed and the tacos was like icing reading Happy Birthday Error! I smile, accepting it.
"Thank y0u."I say, holding it
"Can I ask you something?"Dust requests
I nod.
"What was with the eyepatch on Ink? Did something happen?"Dust asks
"He cAme hErE wiTh a CrAcK thRoUgH oNe oF hIs eyEs. He sAyS hE wOkE uP wItH iT hUrtInG tHiS mOrNInG bUt dIdn'T kNow iT waS a cUt. It waS nEw sInCe It sTiLl hUrT hIm. So, I pAtChEd it uP wIth aN eYe-PAtCh tO heLp hIm."I explain
Dust got this alarmed expression on and quickly nods.
"Woah! Ok, I gotta go now! Blue wants to meet me!"Dust told me quickly
I was confused on his sudden rush but opened a portal to Blue. He hops through and I shut it. I thought for a few moments and decided there was someone I had someone to meet as well. I take my phone out and make a call.
"HeY, cAn yOu coMe mEet mE iN mY vOiD? I neEd tO taLk tO y0u."I say
"Sure, I'm coming!"He says