Dust had joined the snowball fight. Lust and Cross were being sent running for their lives as snowballs rained down from above. Blue was giggling next to Dust as he watched. Ink had gone off to see Error, basically switching himself out for Dust. Cross laughed as he ducked inside an empty tent with Lust.
His laughter was stopped as he felt a sudden ache in his chest. Right in his SOUL. He trembled and raised a hand to his chest, his eyes wide. Lust seemed to notice and was at his side, kneeling down as Cross slowly sank to his knees. "Cross?? What's wrong??"
He got up and went outside. Cross could faintly hear him yelling and the childish excitement he'd felt earlier, soon disappeared into concern and worry and alarm. Cross looked up shakily as Blue came hurrying in with Lust. Dust stayed back by the door, watching with narrowed eyes.
Cross inhaled shakily, tears already starting up. That hurt bad. It wasn't even physical pain, which he could've handled a little better. No, it was emotional pain. Everything hurt. Tears began to run down his face and Blue cried out in alarm, begging him not to cry.
Lust wanted to know what was wrong. Cross jumped as both the skeletons' SOULS lit up purple and they were dragged away from him. Cross looked up to see Blue talking to Dust. He seemed to understand what Dust wanted and darted off. Lust was sent away as well and Cross shuddered as Dust turned to him with those unpredictable, glowing eyes.
Hadn't Killer told him to watch out for this monster and not be left alone with him? Dust blinked, seeming to focus on something behind Cross, but when he turned to look, nothing was there. He turned back, only to inhale sharply. Something was forming in front of him.
A ghostly skull with two floating hands on a red scarf. It was forming slowly, fumes of magic floating off of it. It was coming from Dust, who watched from the doorway. And it reeked of pain. Cross felt like his SOUL was being crushed. His eyes widened and he grit his jaws, his body shaking. He felt his vision flicker before it went black.
Cross came to as Reaper appeared in front of him. He lifted Cross and started bringing him out of the tent. Dust had disappeared and Cross was thankful. He could feel his breathing being cut short. He hated it. "You okay?" Reaper asked. Cross managed to nod and tug away from him. "What's the problem?"
Cross blinked as Reaper guided him toward the side of another tent and set him down. He drifted in front of him. "What's wrong?"
"I-It's nothing..." Cross said, avoiding his gaze. Reaper seemed unconvinced. Cross could feel doubt and a little bit of concern coming off of Reaper. Lots of worry. "You don't have to worry about me... It's not something the Medical Tent can fix..." He felt a bit of shock and confusion pulse off of Reaper.
The other drifted closer. Cross sighed. He looked up and yelped. He could feel a dark feeling coming over Reaper. The other had summoned his scythe, the blade digging into the ground.
"I was the one who healed all your scars, remember? Your misaligned ribcage? The scratch marks scoured into the side of your skull? The abrasions around your neck?" The other looked up at him. Cross, even though he was a skeleton, somehow went pale. He instinctively covered his neck. "There is a reason you're here. We are a family. What happened to you, Cross?" Reaper asked, sitting.
Cross trembled as he stared at him. He... How could he...? He gulped. There had been horrible scars on the entirety of his skeletal body. "I... I ran away..." He admitted. He felt understanding ripple out from Reaper. Reaper nodded and beckoned for him to continue.
"He just got worse... my father... he took his anger out on me! I tried to hide! To talk to him! But he wouldn't ever listen! So I ran away! I don't want to be hurt anymore!" Cross' voice was choking up. He was shaking. He felt relief from Reaper and looked up.
"I glad you ran. Because you're here now... with a real family. You won't get hurt here..." Cross blinked. He shook his head and felt confusion leak from Reaper.
"No... I still hurt... I-I can feel... other's pain... and emotions... Like... the confusion you feel right now... I don't know how. And I don't know why, but I do." He could feel surprise from Reaper. Then, it faded into sympathy. "This whole place... almost all of it... it's shrouded in pain... Something's wrong..." He trailed off.
He blinked as he felt dark understanding before it seemed to be forcibly replaced with amazement. He looked up. Reaper was smiling, a brow raised. "You feel things, Cross? The things others do?" Cross nodded.
Reaper chuckled. "You're a strange guy... but good strange. I know the circus is full of pain... but not me. I'm not in pain. Geno, for the most part, is not in pain. You can always come to the Medical Tent and we'll try to cheer you up. Okay?"
Reaper grinned and Cross blinked. He stared at him for a second before trembling, covering his mouth and laughing weakly. His laughter was quiet and relieved. He felt surprise, then joy from Reaper. He nodded.
"Yes... Thank you, Reaper." He said, grinning. The other smiled and drifted up, nodding. The other grinned and Cross grinned back. "There he is! Now, where are you going? I'll take you!" He said. "It's nice to be outside for a change!"
Cross blinked. He should probably find Killer. Killer would be in the Costume Tent about now. He always was around this time of day and he would usually have Cross wait outside. Cross told Reaper and Reaper nodded. "Yep! Let's go!" Reaper pulled him up and drifted alongside him. The snow crunched under Cross' feet.
They reached the Costume Tent. Cross peered inside and sure enough, Killer was there. He blinked. So was Lust. He seemed to be trying to comfort the other. He was handing him something. A pair of golden gloves. Killer tucked them into his pockets. Cross followed Reaper as they slipped inside and waited by the entrance to be noticed.
Inside, Cross almost choked on the numb feeling clouding Killer. Dismay and pained nostalgia was coming from Lust. He stopped and backed up, his breathing becoming rapid. The darkness was pressing in.
"Cross..." He heard Reaper's voice and felt someone grab his shoulders. He tried to focus on Reaper. "Cross, listen. I'm going to ask Killer if I can just take you back to the Medical Tent with me. I'll be fast." He turned, but stopped as Cross spoke shakily.
"Why... do they feel like that...?" He whispered in horror. Reaper blinked. He furrowed his brow, his scythe still spinning slowly in his hands. "Lust... feels pain and dismay for Killer. Killer... is letting out... so much... hatred and pain... I can't breathe..." He took another shuddering breath. "It feels like the air... is being sucked out of my lungs..."
He was shaking. He blinked. Reaper seemed confused. He turned to look at the others before turning back to Cross. He looked down. "I'll ask. You focus. Breathe. I'll take you back to the Medical Tent. Okay?" He said firmly.
Cross gulped and nodded, trying to focus on breathing. He felt Reaper pull him over. The two looked up and immediately, he felt alarm and concern from Lust. "Cross?! There you are!! What happened?! What's wrong?!" He cried out, turning to him. "Are you okay?! Why did you collapse during the snowball fight?" Cross shuddered and shook his head, closing his eyes as he tried to focus on breathing.
He felt a dull feeling of alarm pulse out of Killer, consuming his other feelings. "What's wrong with him?" He heard the other's voice. Reaper squeezed his shoulder and Cross continued to focus on breathing. It was hard.
"No. What's wrong with you?" Reaper asked quietly, raising a brow. Killer inhaled sharply, a moment of shock sparking before the darkness became almost twenty times more crushing. Killer started to state he was fine. "No, you're lying." Reaper stated. Cross shuddered. He opened his eyes. Shock came from both Killer and Lust. Then, a suspicious feeling.
"Cross tells me you are not fine. And I believe him. So what's wrong?" Cross backed up as Killer suddenly turned to him and he felt coldness. Not the same as Nightmare. This was an angry cold.
"What do you know?" He asked, scowling. Cross started to choke and Killer furrowed his brow. Reaper sighed and turned to Cross, holding his shoulders.
"Breathe, Cross. Breathe." Cross nodded, trying to zone in on Reaper's calmness. Killer was staring at him, along with Lust, who seemed alarmed for him. Reaper turned back to Killer. "Cross didn't tell you, I assume?" He felt sudden suspicion from both Killer and Lust. They were both uneasy.
"What did he not tell me?" Killer asked.