Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(Unlike the original version, I won’t glitch out Error’s voice. He will only start glitching when he gets really enraged.)

Error didn’t remember much of his past but that hadn’t ever bothered him. His life, his whole world, revolved around his current life, his current day to day activities. 

Blue strings covered the sky of his home. The Antivoid. His home didn’t really have a sky, it was just white emptiness forever, but he called it a sky.

To most monsters, the strings probably seemed halfheartedly placed. To most monsters, Error's section of the Antivoid was one big mess. To Error, it was his home. It was the first thing he remembered and it was the only home he ever knew.

Wrapped in a cocoon of blue strings, Error was barely visible, only his face being seen and even then it was overshadowed by loose strings that dangled in front of his eyes. When one would get closer, they would learn that Error seemed content in the blue strings. In fact, at this moment, the destroyer seemed rather annoyed and impatient, sinking into his cocoon.

“When is that idiot getting here? It’s been an hour since he promised to arrive,” the destroyer grumbled to a puppet that looked almost identical to his best, and only, friend. He didn’t hear the portal when it opened. He only noticed the portal when he saw his own friend standing in front of him.

“Is that any way to speak of your great and magnificent friend?” the blue scarfed figure teased as he smirked at the cocooned destroyer. Error grinned before slowly trying to break out of his cocoon. He reminded himself to try and calm down before moving forward to greet his friend. He realized, halfway through his approach, that he was still up in the sky. Blue strings still surrounded him, keeping him in the air. With an awkward smile, Error began to slowly lower himself to his dear friend.

“Happy birthday Blue,” Error allowed a grin to bypass his mental guards. With that grin, Error showed his friend a bit of the emotions he was usually uncomfortable sharing.

“Heh. Thanks, my magnificent friend!” Blue twiddled his fingers, practically vibrating with pent up energy. Error recognized that energy and took a deep breath. Blue desperately wanted to hug his glitchy friend, but he knew his affection could do harm.

“It’s nothing. Most friends would celebrate one another’s birthdays,” Error watched Blue closely, noticing each clench and unclench of the swap sans’ fists. Error took a deep breath, an idea coming to his attention, as he desperately tried to calm his glitches. Blue watched with interest for a moment before his sockets widened.

“This is a one-time thing okay? It’s your birthday. Think of this as your gift.” Error slowly raised his shaking arms up in the motion for a hug. Blue’s breath hitched and he came running forward, hugging Error tightly. 

The haphephobia plagued skeleton began to shake and glitch but continued to hug his friend. Blue nearly sobbed when Error hugged back and soon the pair were hugging in silence, neither wanting to speak or break up the moment.

“Best birthday present ever,” Blue whispered. 

Now usually, Error could have at least chuckled. He enjoyed Blue’s humor. This wasn’t usual, not in the least. Now, Error was zoning out. He hadn’t exactly crashed but coding flashed across his sockets and he seemed distant.

“What is this?” Empty eyes looked up at him as he tightened his grip.

“It’s called a hug.” He explained and the destroyers faced scrunched up.

“You are very strange Creator.” He whispered.

“Please. You know me already. You can call me-“

Blue waved a hand in Error’s face, having pulled away from the hug a few moments prior. Error seemed to finally snap out of it. His face almost fell with a bit of heartache when he realized that he was no longer hugging his friend. Blue seemed to notice his sad expression and smiled.

“You were glitching out. Like really bad. I can hug you again later okay? When you’re feeling better and calmer,”  Blue hummed, smiling at his friend. Error wanted to say more but his brain returned to what he saw.

 He couldn’t remember the face he was looking at but it reminded him of home. When he thought back to it for a moment, it made him feel sad. Not a heartbroken kind of sad. It was closer to a melancholy ache that he couldn’t understand. He missed whoever that face belonged to, that much he understood.

“Error?” Once again Blue was waving a hand in Error’s face, a worried smile just barely gracing his features.

“I’m okay,” Error grumbled, giving a small smile to his dearest friend.

“That’s good!” Blue hummed, leaning back for a moment. The antivoid quickly fell back into silence, the pair both content to just sit next to each other. After about thirty minutes, Blue’s ‘stomach’ growled.

“Uhh,” Blue mumbled and Error smiled.

“I could use some food. Muffet's?” Error asked and Blue grinned. He stood up from where he had been sitting and nodded.

“Yes!” Blue watched as a string wrapped around his wrist promptly after. It was Error's way of holding hands most of the time. When the portal opened, Error walked in first and Blue happily hopped through after him. The string stayed there to connect them until they were seated at the dinner. 

The pair of friends, more like brothers in many ways, both sat and talked, happy with their day so far.

Chapter Text

Ink didn’t understand the big thing about birthdays. His confusion may have been from not having a set birthday himself, but he never understood celebrating them. That was partly the reason that he wasn’t bothered at first to throw a party. It took Dream nearly a week to convince him and even then he barely cared.

That was probably why Ink didn’t seem bothered when Blue still hadn’t shown up on time. It was his birthday party, after all, Blue could show up a bit later. He wasn’t even bothered when two hours had passed and yet Blue still hadn’t shown. Ink knew that the smallest of his friends was very popular and well-loved by most of his au. Ink knew that the people from UnderSwap had held Blue back in the past, it wasn’t anything new.

What was new? That would be the panicked look on Dream's face after he told Ink that he wanted to go searching for Blue. That had been both surprising and worrying.

“Ink,” Dream whispered, his eye sockets wide with some unknown horror.

“What is it, Dream? What’s wrong?” Ink began to feel something strange building in his chest, an emotion he had yet to determine from his paints. Ink was pretty sure it was worry.

“Ink, Error is in UnderSwap,” Dream whispered. That sent warning signs through the Creator's mind. That wasn’t good.

“What?” Ink quickly reached forward and grabbed Dream’s arms. The guardian of positivity had begun to cry, tears rolling down his face. 

“What if that’s why Blue is late? What if Error hurt him? It’s been two hours.” Dream had begun to shake, his hands balling. Ink didn’t have any second thoughts when he opened a portal, rushing through into UnderSwap, nearing Error’s magic signature.

“Error? Are you doing okay? You acted really weird when I hugged you and you’re still acting strange… I’m sorry if I did anything,” Blue whispered to his friend. Error had been staring at his hands, eye sockets wide, for over five minutes now. 

“I… I honestly don’t know, Blue,” Error whispered and Blue nodded. Neither seemed to notice the portal that opened up behind them. They continued to talk, not noticing the portal until they heard Ink and Dream speaking. In a second, Error had dropped below the table and the string attached to Blue had dragged him under as well. Right after Ink flew past the building. Blue held his breath for a moment before noticing Error's expression. A frown was now gracing the destroyer’s face, eyes focused on Blue.

“Ru?” Blue whispered and Error sighed, looking down.

“Go find your brother. It’ll be safer if you aren’t here for this battle.” Error whispered, his expression morphing into serious and cold.

“Oh- heh. I am with one of my brothers right now. I thought you knew this. I’m gonna stay here, with you, because you are one of my brothers.” Blue smiled and Error couldn’t help but grin back at the excitable monster before standing up, strings escaping in attacks.

Before he knew it, Error was on the ground. He could feel the marrow from his bones leaking out around him slowly. Blue had begun to cry, dropping down next to his friend. Before he could even attempt to heal the destroyer, he was dragged away by Ink. Blue began to scream, and yell as Ink pulled him away and into a portal. Error watched him go before smiling softly to himself, his hands balling slightly in pain.

Dream had decided to stay behind after the other two left and began to slowly heal the injured skeleton in front of him.

“Thank you for not hurting Blue today. I’ll make sure to tell him when you’re all healed up. He should be happy.” Dream smiled. Error should have felt grateful but only one thought was on his mind. He didn’t even know why it was bothering him but it was.

“Does Ink hate me?” Error whispered, his tone lingering on heartbroken. He didn’t know why but the thought of Ink hating him made his soul ache. He hadn’t ever worried about Ink hating him before but since that hug, the face in his ‘dream’, it bothered him. Dream froze for a second before raising a brow bone, smirking.

“Why, pray tell, does that matter?” Dream asked, his voice hinting towards teasing. Error shot the guardian of positivity a glare.

“I just wanna know. It’s been something I’ve wondered about for a while,” Error grumbled, his cheeks lighting up with a bright blush.

“Well, I don’t think Ink hates you. If he does, he never made a point of it,” Dream hummed and Error couldn’t help but sigh with relief.

“That’s… that’s good.” He whispered, ignoring Dream's dumb grin. Error took a final glance at him before turning away, opening a portal back to the antivoid. Before he could do anything else, more memories flashing in front of him, his whole body tipping forward until he fell unconscious on the ground.

Dream burst through the portal. He was buzzing with excitement as he threw the door open to the Star Sans' base, and home, his eyelights sparkling with delight. Ink jumped when the door opened.

“What’s going on with you?” Ink huffed from his spot now nestled in the corner of their couch.

“Well, when I was healing Error-“

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand why you do that.” Ink frowned. Dream watched him for a second.

“Well… anyways, he asked if you hated him. He was acting all worried and when I asked why he was blushing like mad. Then I told him you didn’t hate him and-“

“Wait… how do you know that’s true? Why do you think it’s true?” Ink asked.

“Well, obviously you don’t hate him. Anyways, he got really happy when I told him that!” 

“And what does all this mean?” Ink asked, tilting his head.

“Wait… Dream! You don’t mean what I think you mean?” Blue, who had been cooking, asked while giggling.

“Yes I do, Blue. I think that Error likes Ink!”