Chapter Text
The next day, Killer, Dust, Horror and Cross decided to do something together, all sitting in front of the couch and in the middle of a game, while Nightmare, who had joined after finishing his paperwork, was silently reading a book. The cat seemed to have decided to go wander somewhere without causing mischief, for now.
They were beginning to argue and become loudly when a glitching portal opened in the middle of the living room, Error soon stepping through it. The guys cheered, still kicking each others asses in the game.
“Error!”
Even Nightmare, put his book down. “Welcome back. How has it been?”
Error made himself at home on the couch behind the others and next to Nightmare. “WelL, I guEss BettEr thAn wHat I waS ExpeCtinG. InksTain waS alOne For oNce.”
That made Nightmare raise a brow. “Dream wasn’t with him?” If there was a hint of concern in his tone, no one mentioned it.
“NoPe. NeVeR shoWed up DesPite ThE riSe in NegAtivitY.”
“Maybe he was occupied somewhere else? It wouldn’t be so weird if he just didn’t showed up once, right?” Killer tried to reason. They all looked at Nightmare, who was trying to not show anything.
“Well, I guess it makes one less person to hurt you. And Dream is an adult, he can very well take care of himself alone.” They all knew that he was trying to convince himself more than anything else, but they couldn’t blame him. They all had a brother once and even if the twins are enemies now, they all know how it is to be worry.
Trying to change the conversation, Error looked around and his gaze landed on the shredded curtains above.
“You deCideD to cHanGe the decO aroUnd?”
At that, Nightmare heavily sighed, looking done with everything in the world, while the others were snickering. Between two fits, Dust said “Pretty sure he wasn’t the one who decided that.”
That just served to confuse Error. He looked between all of them, still waiting an answer. That’s when Cross said “I’m gonna try to go find it!”, and exited the room with no further explanations. The others resumed the game as Nightmare just watched Error still confused face.
“You will have your answer soon, don’t worry.” Error grumbled a sarcastic comment and looked to where Cross had disappeared. It wasn’t long before they heard a yelled “Wait don’t-”, followed by a loud crash and then an orange-gold thing bolted full speed in the room, so fast Error didn’t even had time to realize what it was.
When Cross made his appearance in the doorway they all looked at him, expecting an explanation. “We will have to fix another curtain rail. Where did it go?”
Nightmare just rolled his eyes as the others went back to laughing, Horror shrugging his question. Nightmare looked around in time to see the fluffy abomination they decided to adopt perched itself on the backrest next to his head, at the side where he has his valid eye.
Error looked in that direction, noticing the thing next to Nightmare’s head but unsure of what exactly it was. He put on his glasses and finally was able to see the golden furred cat.
“Wha-? DiD yoU guYs seRiousLy goT a Cat?”
Cross exclaimed “Yeah! And it’s awesome! It’s so fluffy and cute!”
“And demonic.” Nightmare added, while running a hand through the cat’s fur. It arched its back, tail high and faintly purring.
Dream let himself be caressed by his brother, slowly lowering himself to lay on the backrest. He wasn’t really surprised to see Error here, it was pretty known that he and his brother were allies. He frowned at the injuries he could see where Error’s clothing were torn, meaning he certainly had had an encounter against Ink. He hoped his friend was fine and hadn’t suffer too much of the fact that he hadn’t been there.
Now that he thinks of it, he hadn’t had the chance to inform Ink of the situation and his kind of forced stay at his brother’s place. Ink and Blue will certainly be worried but he was more concern of the Council reaction. He hopes those idiots won’t lash at Ink for him not being there, especially Blue’s brother. Stretch was always the most vehement and first to remind them of their failures. He wouldn’t be surprise to hear that the orange clad Papyrus just want to overthrow the two of them to take over the Council and assure the gang’s disappearance.
Dream frowned as much as he could to the thought, tails swishing angrily. He wouldn’t let that happen. He shook the thoughts out and looked up, seeing Error look at him expectantly, but not moving.
Does he want to pet me? Well, I have been pet by my brother, what could go wrong by being pet with the World Destroyer? Dream moved himself from the backrest and jumped, gracefully landing on the ground and strode over to Error, who was watching his every move.
This isn’t stressful at all… He slowly came to a halt in front of the destroyer, looking at him as he lowered his hand to him. It hesitated just short of his head, and Dream could feel distant fear at this short range. He wasn’t sure why but he still looked at the destroyer and saw how he tightly shut his eyes and then put the hand on top of his head. It didn’t move for a time and he watched as Error opened his eyes back, and beamed at Dream while petting his head, fears all gone.
Was he afraid of me scratching him or something? He had the answer to his question with Killer.
“Wow, your haphephobia hasn’t triggered! How you feel?”
“It’S NicE. AnD fLuFfy.” Error had a smile on his face, still running his hand through the fur. All the others were smiling knowingly.
Dream was still, trying to rationalize it all. He hadn’t known Error had haphephobia. It’s not illogical since he generally is a distant fighter but he was often seen in close combat with Ink and never once showed anything close to a phobia due to it. He didn’t even felt the fear of it in battle.
Why would someone even fight with such a fear? It should be a deterrent or something if you know that you will be in pain, no matter how insane one can be. Or else… Dream knew he shouldn’t think that, or even consider that line of thought but… Is there really a good reason for them to do this? Dream tried to shake that thought. As much as he would really want, there is no good reason that can justify the death of innocents.
He was too lost in his thoughts to actually realize that Error had retreated his hand and was patting the couch. Understanding the message and not against a nap for now to stop thinking, he jumped on the couch and made his way to the destroyers knees. When he looked up and saw no sign that he was going to be push away, Dream curled in on himself and settled there, letting the hand ran through his fur as he drifted to sleep. He would cause mischief later.
He didn’t even had time to fully drift off that he heard Cross exclaimed.
“Guys! I realized we missed something important!”
“ThE New EpIsoDe of UnDerNovElA?” That got a lot of rolled eyelights in the room. Everyone looked at Error then Cross, not really knowing where he was getting at. Killer quipped back at Error.
“Dude there’s not only Undernovela in life, you know?”
“ThAt JusT MeAns You DoN’t KnoW wHat LiFe iS.”
Dust look at him, deadpanned. “Really?”
Cross widely gestured, trying to get their attention. “No, no, guys it’s not that!”
Horror lightly laughed. “ ’Course it’s not…”
“We didn’t give the cat a name!”
At that, everyone stood at attention, even the cat seemed to have perked up both its ears, head on his paws and listening. Killer said “Oh yeah! Since we keep it, we should name it!”
No one saw how his tail began to lightly tap against Error’s femurs, a clear sign of annoyance. I’m afraid of where in the stars this is going. Please not a stupid pet name. And I swear, if they try to put a tag on me, I’ll find a way to burn the whole castle to ashes.
“PfF SiMplE! CalL iT ‘AbOmmiNatIon’.” Predictable…
“Fluffy destroyer is suitable.” Really Nightmare?
“Sunshine?” Way too girly…
Dust butted in. “Nah, that reminds me too much of Dream” How a girly name reminds you of me?! Dream felt his fur bristle on his back. Don’t claw at Error’s legs, don’t claw at Error’s legs…
And that’s the moment Killer chose to kicked in “Then how about we call it Dream?” Wha-?
Horror looked at him dumb struck. “Why… propose that?”
“To annoy Nightmare? Imagine him yelling at the cat! ‘Dream! Come back here, you have to take your bath, you fluffy destroyer!’” Killer said that with the best worst imitation of Nightmare’s deep voice he could do. Dream internally laughed. Okay, now I have the image and it’s actually funny in it’s stupidity.
Nightmare glared at him as Dust and Horror laughed at Killer’s impersonation. “There is no way I’m naming our cat by my brother’s name. Find something else!”
That’s when Cross exclaimed. “I know!” He didn’t even wait for the others to look at him before adding. “How about… Goldenheart?”
They all look at each other, even Dream raising his head from where he was glaring at the three idiots. That reminds me something but I have no idea where that comes from…
Nightmare shook his head with a found smile. “You read to much.”
The grin Cross was sporting could have put the Cheshire Cat to shame. “I know but that suits him with the strange nearly-yellow-gold markings on his heads and paws and that vaguely heart-shaped mark. So?”
“Sounds cool to me!”
Horror nodded. “Yeah… It’s nice…”
Nightmare nodded in approval. “I agree, it is fitting. Then Goldenheart it is. Way better than naming it Dream anyway.”
Error smirked at him. “AnyThinG wOulD haVe bE in Your oPiniOn anYwAy!”
The comment made Nightmare rolled his eyelight “Obviously.”
Goldenheart uh? Well, I guess that could have gone worse regarding the first propositions. And I admit it’s cool. Dream unintentionally let his tail curl slowly in contentment. Of course, Killer was very please to again destroy that.
“Now I propose we buy him a collar with a little bell so we always know where it is!” The others looked at him in various degrees of glare, Dream being champion of the match. I’m going to burn down this castle, I swear…