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(Starting from AFTER chapter one)
Error went for a walk after school. It was normal. He usually did that. He had to break the cycle of depression somehow. Writing helped, but sometimes it didn’t.
Walking helped more. His therapist told him to do it. He wasn’t even sure if he was going to walk today, but… he just couldn’t get things off his mind.
Especially Ink.
Who, speaking of which, was walking to the same park. With his two best friends. And Nightmare, who had insisted on going.
Error wasn’t looking where he was going. He knew he was on the park’s sidewalk, but he was listening to music. He was distracted, humming to his dance music.
He didn’t notice when Ink walked by. He barely noticed when Ink bumped into him.
But he did. And Ink did.
Ink spun around while Error took his earbuds out.
“Oh, shit- sorry!”
Error shook his head. “No, no it’s fine. It’s my fault.”
“Wait, you’re Error, right? The kid I talked to today!”
“That’s… not exactly specific, but yes.”
Ink processed.
“Shit, you don’t like being touched, right? You’re a haphephobe?”
Error nodded, kind of scared.
“I’m… really, really sorry! For touching you, that is. I’m kind of a dunce at times. I have a shit memory. But! That’s no excuse for me to touch you. I’m sorry.”
Error was flattered.
“I… thank you.”
“What. Has nobody apologized to you?”
“Not like that, no.”
“Holy shit, you poor thing.”
“What?”
“Nobody deserves that.”
“I deal with it.”
“Well, you shouldn’t have to! Nobody deserves it. Well, except transphobes. Transphobes can suck my dick,” Ink laughed. Then, he snapped his fingers. “Hey, y’know what? You should come with us! Come to the party with us.”
“What?”
“Come with us!! We’re going to a party! You’d have fun.”
The way Ink’s eyes sparkled when he suggested Error come with them made Error’s heart burst. He just… had to say yes.
“Uh, sure, I guess?”
“Hell yes!”
The party went well. Ink and Error hung out for the entire time. They didn’t drink. Dream and Nightmare ended up going home early, along with Blue.
The two talked. And talked. In fact, Ink talked so much, he walked Error home. They talked there, too. They told each other secrets.
Error found out that Ink was his favorite commenter.
Over the course of the rest of the year, Error and Ink became closer. Error started to let Ink touch him (and even actively tried to hug or touch Ink when possible), which Ink greatly appreciated and was proud of. Ink respected Error’s boundaries when needed. Error did the same.
They grew closer. And closer.
They started holding hands sometimes.
Blue and Dream watched and laughed. Nightmare and his crew glared. A lot of people stared.
Ink dragged Error to the band room at lunch. Error dragged him back to the computer science room. They had fun in both rooms.
They had a lot of fun when they together.
One day, Ink said it.
“Error, will you go on a date with me?”
So they did.
They went on a date.
It was awkward. It was weird.
It was an uncomfy awkward.
“I feel like we’re both trying to be someone we’re not. We should just be the people we fell in love with, y’know?”
Ink gives good love advice. And good advice in general.
They did what Ink said.
It changed.
The atmosphere got lighter. They laughed a lot more. They went to a movie, got some food, and generally had a great time.
The date went great.
Error went home that night blushing and being really, really flustered. His mom asked what was wrong. He couldn’t answer.
His mom smiled. She knew what happened.
At the end of the date, they had kissed.
More weeks passed. Dream’s glares at Error softened. Nightmare’s torment softened. Everything around them softened, like how a bed seems to soften whenever you jump on it after a long day.
Even more weeks passed. The two, to Dream and Nightmare’s dismay, got more lovey-dovey in public.
They were happy together.
The school years passed. The two went to prom together. Well, Ink, Error, Nightmare, Dream, and Blue went as a group. They graduated together. They danced, they sung.
They went to college together.
They lived life together. They lived out their dreams together.
Ink became a popular artist. Error became a computer tech. A good one. They both got their dream jobs.
Years later, the high school sweethearts got married.
It wasn’t a huge wedding. Rather small. Only close friends and family. But it was pleasant. It was decorated nicely. Flowers, glitter, lace, the works. It was soft.
By that time, Ink’s dads had grown older. As had Error’s mom. Grey hairs had been starting to weave into their own, colorful heads of hair.
Even years after that, when they’d adopted kids and lived a lot of their lives, tragedy struck.
Aster fell ill. Gaster spent every moment possible with him. He barely ever left his partner’s side. Ink visited as much as possible, as did Error.
It wasn’t enough.
Aster died.
Gaster fell into a deep despair. Ink almost did. Hefell into a deep, deep depression. They sobbed together. They cried.
A week after his husband’s death, Gaster’s heart broke. It stopped working.
Ink sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed. He could barely get out of bed.
Error hated that sight. He hated seeing his husband cry. He hated how he couldn’t do anything about it.
Error tried everything. He tried to squeeze the sadness out of him.
He tried baking. Almost burnt down the house.
He tried everything he could think of.
Nothing he tried worked.
Their kids tried everything.
That didn’t work.
Eventually, Ink healed slightly. It took time. Ink got up and running again. But not at the same rate he used to go. He became less productive.
Error got Ink to start therapy. It helped.
Not enough.
They started walking more. It helped.
Still not enough.
Ink tried everything.
It never really was enough to heal fully.
The same happened to Error. His mom died. The first person to ever show him kindness. The woman who raised him on her own.
His mother.
The person to first encourage him for anything. The first person to tell him to write, to express his feelings.
He fell into a similar pattern and cycle as Ink did.
Nothing worked for him, either.
Their baby birds left the nest. They flew off to college. They went on to have partners and their own children.
They got to see their children’s weddings. And their grandkids’ birthdays.
The two sweethearts got old and grey.
They grew old. They got the retirement home they had been hoping for. Their kids came to visit.
It was never enough.
Error lost his brothers, too. They were driving. It was a freak accident.
Their deaths weren’t quick.
Error cried with Ink that night. They had cried a lot.
Ink was the last one Error lost.
He died quickly. It wasn’t painful.
The last face he saw was his husband’s.
“Live on for me, Error, okay?”
Error sobbed. He sobbed. And sobbed. And couldn’t stop. He’d lost almost everyone. Yet, he had to live on.
For Ink.
He only lasted a week.
When he died, he saw his husband’s face again. And his mother’s.
He was with a lot of the people he loved again.