Work Text:
“What d’ya think Error would like?” asked the Protector in passing whilst ducking under a white sheet of paper. He strolled leisurely through the Doodlesphere, a standard procedure of Ink’s, and today Dream accompanied him as they leafed through the pages of AU’s.
The beacon of positivity stilled upon hearing his question. “Huh?”
“Well, I was just thinking.” He pressed his fingers together. “It should be Valentine’s Day in your universe right about now.” Ink double-checked in the scrawl of his scarf’s notes. Tracking time in the multiverse was wonky at best, and most outcodes opted to use Dreamtale as a central time source since it had no timelines or human to Reset and was widely known.
Dream’s jaw set. “What? Wait. You want to give Error a Valentine’s present..?”
“Yeah!” Ink grinned. “But I don’t know what to get him.”
“Okay, um. Maybe you should ask Blue. He’s better at that stuff than me.” Dream half-shrugged. “But why do you want to give Error a present? He’s… erm, I doubt he’d be very appreciative.”
Ink’s gaze drifted to one of the hanging papers dreamily. He was bored and provoking Error never got old no matter how many times he did it. What better reason could there be? “He never even accepts my proposals to be friends. I wonder what his reaction would be?”
The logic sounded rather inane but Dream didn’t mention it. “Okay, well, if it turns out badly give me a call.” He paused and quickly added, “Or if it turns out good somehow?”
“Will do!”
Ink visited Underswap with a mission at hand.
“A VALENTINE’S PRESENT FOR ERROR..?” Blue fidgeted with the teacup. “OKAY, UH, DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE LIKES?”
“Oh! Hmmm…” Ink leaned back in his chair, brows furrowed and considering. What did Error like? He liked… well, destroying stuff, but he can’t just allow him to destroy an AU. Although, it would be funny to see how’d he receive it. “He likes… Chocolate?”
Blue smiled widely. “NOT VERY ORIGINAL BUT IT SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH.” He daintily sipped the peppermint tea, “BUT WHY DO YOU WANT TO GIVE ERROR A VALENTINE’S GIFT ANYWAY?”
“For funsies, mostly.” He stood hastily and the chair screeched across the floor. “But thanks, Blue! Oh, thanks for the tea too.” He chugged the rest and hopped through the same puddle of paint he came through in a whirl.
The teacup was cracked on its side. Blue sighed. “IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. GOOD LUCK…”
Ink snuck into the Anti-Void, desolate aside from the Destroyer’s distasteful ceiling decorations.
He walked about the vast nothingness, frowning. He never could remember exactly where to teleport… This far out, the threads were far and in between. The grip on his paintbrush tightened as he closed his eyes and summoned a deep breath, holding it in, and then looked skyward.
He imagined Error’s reaction to keep his mind occupied as he blindly followed a random trail of hanging strings. Would Error be elated? Or enraged? The latter most likely, for it seemed his existence alone was the bane of Error’s, let alone his presence. Actually, did he even have the gift yet?
After he didn’t even know how long, the sparse blue web of threads began to gather and condense. He brightened upon seeing a speck in the distance and stashed the brush away, tip-toeing closer just to find his living quarters abandoned. He was not here. Ink frowned again.
Error wasn’t destroying an AU, he’d know, so If he’s not here… It was probably Outertale.
A devious smirk crossed Ink’s face when he noticed his mini-fridge. He’d been contemplating how exactly to find Error’s favorite spicy chocolate. He couldn’t stoop to Error’s level and steal them from Fell… Outrageous.
But this? Completely different. Reuse and recycle! He pranced to the fridge and slung the door open. The neat stacks of chocolate bars trembled and he gasped, snatching his hand back before he did any more damage. Whoops, he thought, carefully grabbing one after they settled down, trying his utmost to not cause any more tremors. Knowing Error… He’d probably notice and have a fit. He slowly shut the fridge door.
Present successfully attained.
He slunk through another portal of paint, into one of the starry universe’s dead timelines. Only the top half of his skull materialized out of the puddle on the craggy ground.
Error’s back faced him, sat by the edge like he usually did, a crochet needle probably in hand. The arms of his red glasses were taped to his black skull. For a moment, Ink felt unable to peel his eyes off of him. He looked… calm. Serene, even. Ink quietly inhaled before he climbed the rest of the way.
Error’s expression twisted into annoyance after the initial surprise. “What do you want, ink stain?” he grated, his frame tense. “I don’t wanna hear it if you came here to—”
“I'm not here to pick a fight—or argue!” Ink raised his hands up, wiggling his fingers for emphasis on the empty as if to pacify an angry, rabid animal. Error regarded him with a tight scowl before he grumbled his exasperation and looked the other way. Ink smiled and eased down beside him.
The glitch glanced at him scooting further away. He picked up the crochet hook and frowned in concentration, or at least trying to be. He was so clearly determined to ignore him, but Ink could tell it wasn’t all that.
Ink slid closer, dropping into a whisper. “I got you something.”
Error threw the needle on his lap, but there was a small, intrigued smile on his face. “And why is that?”
“For Valentine’s Day!” Ink beamed. He fumbled the chocolate out of his pant pocket and thrust it in Error’s face, who immediately ducked out of its way.
“…You got me a present.” Error squinted at him, incredulous eyes tearing apart his every fiber as if the answer was hidden inside. “For… Valentine’s Day.” He looked utterly baffled, and he was, if the sudden glitching was anything to go by. Ink stopped himself from snorting, rather swallowing thickly.
He left the chocolate bar beside Error when he made no signs of taking it himself and patted it with a lopsided grin. “Eeyup.”
Error glanced petulantly at the familiar red with black wrapped bar before gazing back at him. “You do realize I have like... an unlimited supply of these, right?”
Ink laughed bashfully. “Well—It's the thought that counts…right?”
“And exactly how much thought went into this, then?” Error responded sharply. He stilled when his eyes caught on the little gift by his coat again. Quickly, Error diverted to the stars instead. He continued, “How is getting me a present I already have fifty of, thoughtful?”
Ink cupped his chin, following Error’s gaze. “Hmmm… But you had to steal all that,” he pointed out, Error grunting dubiously. “Doesn’t it feel nice, maybe, to receive instead of take?”
When the glitch didn’t immediately respond, Ink’s gaze wandered back to his slumped figure after the drags of silence. A tiny, pleased gasp escaped Ink. A touch of sapphire dusted Error’s cheekbones, stark against black. The corners of Error’s frown quivered like he wanted to smile but refused, rather huffing and resting his jaw in his palm as if he could hide it. But it was too bad for Error, for Ink wouldn’t forget this one. …Once he wrote it down.
Error glanced at Ink in his peripheral and jolted when he saw Ink already staring blankly back at him. He tried his hardest to deadpan in turn, but he was blushing a smidge too hard now for the intended effect, Ink thought gleefully.
“Why are you looking at me like that! Watch the stars or—or something,” he growled, fidgeting with the hem of his lapis scarf. The yellow tips of his fingers thumbed through the crochet stitching.
Ink’s eyes lingered before he obliged. Star gazing was supposed to be romantic, wasn’t it? They silently observed the starry sea, twinkling brightly against the surrounding dark. Once he became bored of it, Ink scribbled more chicken scratch on his beige scarf. Error glanced at the noise with open curiosity before remembering that he didn’t—wasn’t supposed to, care.
They continued to sit quietly. The universe remained hushed with the exception of an occasional gust of wind whirling through, ruffling their clothes with a cool breeze Ink rather enjoyed. Although, he would agree viscerally that he enjoyed the frazzled, wobbly unfocus of Error’s dimming eyelights even more. They kept glimpsing at him every few seconds as if he wouldn’t notice. He scribbled more.
But it’d seem the Destroyer had enough, very unfortunately. He fixed a typical scowl upon his face and glared down at the Protector. “Did you just decide today was Valentine’s Day or what?” he huffed, except his voice was laced with something… something slightly gentler than Ink was used to, or, as much as it could be when directed at himself. Ink smiled despite Error’s seemingly rough tone. It felt almost as though he was prying into the tough crust of homemade French bread and then rewarded with the delicate softness within. Yum! He’d have to pick up some later.
“…I used bread as—Dreamtale, er, I mean, as a reference.” Ink smiled crookedly at the slip-up, his legs swinging over the edge like a nervous school boy. Error didn’t appear weirded out in the slightest however, and he wasn’t sure whether he should be offended by that or not. “So, uh, you can’t really argue with that, okay?”
“Really? So that’s it then? You just wanted to give me this,” Error asked skeptically and swiped the chocolate bar from the ground. He inspected it, narrowing his eyes like he poisoned it. Ink refrained from pouting.
“Basically,” he smirked instead. “Don’t tell me you were expecting a card with it too?”
“No?” Error replied easily, before shoving it in his coat pocket. “It’s just… weird. But I guess that’s none too surprising, considering it’s you.”
Ink sprawled on the ground, legs still dangling off the cliff, his cranium resting in his arms. “Weird, okay.” He glanced to the other, “But you like the gift?”
“Absolutely not. Why would I want a gift from you, of all people,” Error spat accusingly. “On a…” His jaw clenched. “Romantic holiday.”
“Why not? Everyone likes gifts. Maybe I was just in the gift-giving mood and it just so happened to be Valentine’s Day. I’ll be looking forward to mines next year, by the way,” Ink added, to which Error arched a brow.
“I’m not getting you a…” Error shook his head. “You’re such an idiot. We’re supposed to be enemies. I don’t know why you even thought to get me one anyway.”
“I dunno. Felt like it. You’ll never know.” Ink winked playfully. “Besides, you know we’re friends! Don’t deny it with all that enemy or arch-nemesis business or whatever.”
“Hah, you couldn’t be my arch-nemesis if you tried.” Error clicked his tongues. “And… We’ll never be friends. Stop trying.” They fought too many times over the matter, every time instigated by Ink and his infuriating little schemes. “I think you’ve really got hit on the head. Did you get anyone else a gift?” He sighed.
Ink grinned cheekily. “Nope. I couldn’t let you get too jealous.”
“Oh, shut up. See this is why…” Error grumbled something unintelligible and stood up. “You never know when to quit.” He dusted his backside and opened a glitched, stark white portal. The Anti-Void.
Ink shot up. “You’re leaving?”
He stepped through and glared at Ink as he zipped it back up from the other side. “Yes. You're annoying me. Don’t follow me.”
And then he already was gone, leaving nothing but the glittering galaxy behind.
“Ah, well.” Ink stretched, his bones popping satisfyingly, but he didn’t feel quite pleased. “That was quick.” He grabbed his paintbrush and splattered some paint on the ground. He stopped to glance where Error was previously before he hopped into his own portal—which may or may not’ve led to a bakery.
Error glanced at his beanbag, considering, but decidedly climbed into his hammock.
The glitch lay there, absently staring skyward, the encompassing white whispering quiet nothings.
He yawned and shuffled on his side. The rim of his glasses pressed against his nasal ridge, his eyes hooding irritably before he snatched them off and shoved them in his pocket. His fingers stilled when grazing against a particular chocolate bar sitting complacently, greeting him with a meager ‘hello’ as his phalanges drummed uncertainly on the rectangular treat.
Gingerly, he fished the chocolate out. His sockets narrowed. That bastard was always up to something.
Still, his gaze lingered on the glossy wrapping, the reflective light fluttering as he rotated it in his hands.
Truthfully, he couldn’t remember ever receiving a present. From anyone. It was his own fault, he knew that. He also didn’t particularly care. The job came with certain drawbacks and he was fine with that. Not even drawbacks, really—more of a perk. He welcomed the solitude. Gifts are dumb, and this one especially was. Anything that idiot did was equally as idiotic.
Therefore, that wasn’t the reason he tossed and turned in the hammock. And he certainly didn’t do it giddily. Eugh… Maybe he ought to just throw it into some volcanic-based universe.
…Anyway. He strung the offending item to the un-ceiling instead, the treat zipping up out of his grasp. This wasn’t for a stupid reason, like wanting to save it. It was just probably… drugged or something. Better to be safe than sorry, knowing Ink.
His restless gaze strayed upwards again, unconsciously searching through his fuzzy eyesight for the new addition. It was somewhere up there, dangling with the various dolls and Souls. How frivolous. He huffed and tore his eyelights away.
What was the freaky feeling unsettling his Soul? Clutching the red fabric of his shirt, he pondered the question. It was fizzling and aching and heavy and unlike the endless sear of glitches he constantly endured. He wished it’d end already. He wished he didn’t care about something so stupid.
Drawing in a long breath, he squeezed his eyes shut, surrendering himself to the soothing chatter of the Anti-Void, allowing it to block out the incessant thoughts plaguing his corroded mind. Soon enough, the rise and fall of his chest slowed as he drifted off to sleep.