Chapter Text
The ERROR wanders into the grand hall, many heads turn his way but he ignores them as he continues on, moving towards his mate- the crowd parted ways for him to move with ease.
As he nears the centre where he knew Ink would be, he notices that while he was surrounded by many, right beside him was Dream. They stood shoulder to shoulder. Every now and again the pair would catch each other's eye and smile brightly.
Error halts in his tracks.
{*they look good together. the only reason they are not together is because of you. ink is only your mate to stop you from destroying. you are staying in the way of their real happiness. of course. they planned for this. so it makes sense they allowed you to-}
The ERROR's happy expression from the thought of seeing his mate drops and instead of going closer, he chose to move away.
The one who was speaking continues on.
He swore an oath not to destroy any universes in exchange for Ink's hand in marriage... It started after he was wed to Ink.
The Star Council rose up against him and there was a huge battle which the Destroyer won and Ink stepped in and agreed to his terms, shocking everyone, apart from Dream and Blue.
That had been years ago. Error and Ink were 'happily' married with two offspring, 'Gradient' and 'Paperjam'. Gradient his eldest was a lesser skeleton, while Paperjam was a skully.
Normally skeletons do not breed while raising their current offspring. They should have waited until Gradient was a lesser skeleton, to begin with before having Paperjam.
Then the voice began.
Not a 'Voice'.
No.
The 'Voices' had not appeared in years thanks to Sci meds he had given Error. Those drugs blocked out the sound of the Voices... yet made one voice raise up.
'*yeah. yeah. i hear ya.' Error thinks as he glares at the blurry and glitchy image that was forming, that was something that had happened while brewing Gradient, 'i'm not paying attention tho.'
It appeared one night while he was learning how to sleep.
A white figure.
A slash across its ribs, soaking the white jumper and white jacket, dripping to the floor. The sound of light static a little different from his own. Over the whole face was white glitches, the only thing he could see was the lower chin, slightly, which also drips with blood.
The ERROR remembers staring at it the whole night, not even trying to move. When the morning came he blinks his sockets open and realized he had dreamt the whole thing.
At first, he blamed Dream, however, Ink protected him, claiming that the golden skeleton would never do that. But Dream never confirmed nor denied if he was the cause.
The meds were readjusted while brewing... nothing worked.
It got to the point where everyone around him was staring at him strangely; like he was a bomb ready to go off.
That may be the cause, he had the power to destroy universes.
And here they all were, trying to play the friendship game with him.
For his offspring's sake, he decided not to tell anyone about the voice anymore. Nor the strange dreams.
The ERROR really did not want trouble, for himself nor Gradient, who was a glitch like himself. Paperjam whom Ink actually brewed, was mostly made up of liquid and Error could barely stand touching him.
There were so many reasons not to listen to the words of that voice, that figure, his love for Ink, his love for his offspring and his vow.
Error's oath could only be broken if he breaks it by destroying... and vows to Ink can only be broken if one of them has an affair...
Both things the voice told him were already violated.
'*just continue on. don't listen to it.' Error told himself firmly shaking his skull and forces a smile on his jaws, then makes a move once more, heading towards his mate.
The whispers continued on, more urgently than before.
Signalling him not to Ink and Dream clear love for each other, but the newcomer to the party.
This glitchy figure was meant to be a product of his mind. At least from what Sci had told him; So how did it know when he appeared.
Then again, the ERROR himself had always been conscious of whenever he appeared. DEATH.
Grim Reaper.
Reaper Sans.
Reaper.
This deadly skeleton Error had always been aware of but rarely crossed paths with.
Only after he married Ink did he meet this one.
And that voice went crazy.
Appearing seemingly from nowhere and made him sob in deep sorrow.
Error hurries over to Ink once more trying to block out that noise. He wished they would stop; if they did he could enjoy the new lease of life he had been given as Ink's mate.
Ink looks to him as he near and smiling went over. Error quickly hatches onto Ink's arm and leans his skull onto the shorter skeleton', closing his sockets as he once more prevents the noises from entering into his heart.
Error grips tightly onto Ink's arm and he felt Ink moving, half opening his sockets he sees Dream leading them away from the middle of the hall and going off to one side. Error peers at his mate's face and sees the disappointment there from leaving the centre of attention.
Suddenly they were sitting down on one of the long stone benches that were all over the palace of the Star Council, in fact, they were not even in the grand hall anymore.
"*Are you okay now?" Dream questions softly, trying to keep his voice kind.
{*he belongs with ink and you know it. if you had not come along they would be happy together-}
Those words cut off and Error raises his skull to look at Dream standing in front of him, then Ink who was beside him. Then he notices the reason why.
Reaper Sans was near and the glitched up bloody thing was standing next to him. While he could not see the face through all the glitches, Error knew that it was staring at the black-robed skeleton.
"*yeah." Error says forces a smile and cuddles up next to Ink, "just fine."
However, he knew it was not fine. Because soon it started again, louder this time, those whispering words coming out hasher and faster.
Error rubs his cheek against Ink's cheek, trying to get some comfort. Some kind of love or warmth from the other.
The mega-glitch knew what he had been getting himself into when he first fell in love with the SOULless creature and had held up well with the idea that his mate would not truly be able to love him back.
Error realizes that now his thinking was too narrow. Memories and personality factor in how a creature felt. And while the Destroyer and Protector had a lot of history together, it was a different kind from the two best friends.
Error was sure that Ink did not know that when he took his paints that inspire love and affection, he would seek Dream out. Even saw a flicker of those heart-shaped eyelights.
"*Are you alright now?" Ink questions roughy as he glances to the main hall, which was clear he wanted to be there.
"*Ink!" Dream snaps at him, shaking his skull with a frown. The Artist only grins his way and then returned to stare, "Error look. There's Gradient."
Error turns to see his eldest son hurrying over to them, on reaching the three adult skeletons he sits down on the other side of his mother. Ink wiggles slightly and the mega-glitch sighs and lets him go then leans over and hatches onto the lesser skeleton's arm instead.
Ink and Dream move away, with the Artist dragging the Keeper back to the party.
Leaving mother and son alone.
It always seemed that Gradient did not mind spending time with his mother when he had gotten like this in the past, however, now that he was a lesser skeleton, Error was sure that his son would rather be with his friends.
Glancing to the other black skulled skeleton's face, he notices his son's bored expression...The whispers had been right.
Slowly he unhooks himself from his son's arm and moves away.
"*mother?" Gradient asks him with a slight frown.
"*go play with ya friends." Error says smiling at him sweetly, "i know ya much rather do that."
"*no i-" Gradient stops when he sees the knowing smile on his mother's face, "ok... but will you be alright?"
"*fine." Error told him kindly, "i'll be fine."
Gradient smiles brightly and quickly stood up then hurries away.
Error had learnt a long time ago that Ink would send his offspring to care for him when he was having a panic attack, clinging onto him or just wanted to leave the room. And it worked.
...those whispers start again.
"*i'm sorry. but i'm not going." Error told the siren that begged him to follow, to lead him off into the unknown...
{*they didn't go back to the party. they went elsewhere. come with me.}
"*not going." Error replies again, shaking his skull.
The ERROR had built up a family, a small group of friends and a life. There was no way he was going to risk it all just because of some rumours and what that voice said.
{*they did something. you know they did. do you really think you love him. think about it. it was so sudden. the guardian's paints. made you fall for him-}
"*but ink's paints don't work on anyone other than himself." Error utters out grimly, then looks to see the glitching thing still looking at the Grim Reaper who was floating above the archways, seemingly napping.
{*sci. had to be. think about it. you're a scientist too. if they managed to get ahold of your magic. tailor it to use on you. what then?}
Error had thought about it many times... if this thing was something stemming from deep within his mind, then it could only say what he already thought or felt. ...yet there had been other things it said but made the mega-glitch wonder if this was the case.
{*the drugs. after they made you fall for ink. the drugs are keeping you in love with him. and your power level has been dropping. ...don't you think i'm getting stronger? they are doing something much more than just keeping you on a ball and chain with the 'love' you have for your 'mate'.}
Error turns his gaze to the glitching thing and then looks beyond to where Reaper continued to 'nap'.
{*yes. reaper would most likely be in on it.}
The glitching thing echoes Error's own thoughts.
{*he seems to be his turns to keep an eye on you.}
Error lowers his eyelights to the ground, wondering what to do.
The Destroyer was done with destroying, that life was a thousand lightyears away.
{*please. follow me. if we catch them in the act. then the oath you made. the vow you made. will no longer hold any meaning.}
"*i can't. i'm sorry. i can't." Error told him softly, lowering his skull and curling in on himself, "i had my life. this should be my happy ending. it has to be my happy ending. i don't want a new one."
{*no. sweetheart. your happy ending is not here. if you keep following me. i will lead to a real happy ending. i promise you. come with me. you have to see it for yourself.}
Error sees a bloody hand in front of him, glitching slightly. With a sigh, he stands yet does not touch the hand.
The bloody glitching thing does not take offence to this, it just turns and drifts away. The ERROR follows behind.
Error walks and walks until they come to the rose gardens.
The glitching thing floats on faster going further and further, so he had to quicken his pace. He sees the thing hovers near some tree... even though he could not see its expression, he somehow knew they were grim.
The ERROR goes to the trees and peers into the unknown.
Then just stares.
The shock almost made him crash but he failed to do so, had been failing since he learnt how to sleep. Now he silently begs for a crash to come and wipe his memory of this scene. A single tear falls down his cheek.
And suddenly someone's hand was covering his sockets. Not actually touching him, he had his glasses on, so they were just hovering the hand in front of them.
Blinking he turns to see who was with him.
At first, he thought it would be the glitching thing or even Gradient. But the boney hand had been a pale grey white.
Death stood there, staring at him with empty sockets and a forced grin on his jaws.
"*come with me." Reaper says in a small voice, barely heard. For some reason, it was like Error he had been waiting for those words his whole life. A black mist appears and Error follows the Grim Reaper into the unknown realm.