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Chapter Text

The air was still. Forest quiet as Error sat near the edge of the cliff, not dangerously close. He didn't want to fall into a void again. Wait, had he ever fallen in a black void? Error shakes his head, clear the memories to blurred and jumbled to even be that. Maybe he should've just gone back to the anti-void after all.

The voices were surprisingly quiet today. The quietest they've been in what felt like forever. He wanted to be happy about it, enjoy it while it lasted before they all inevitably came back with too much noise. But he couldn't, the silence left him uneasy.  He glances down at the broken rib in his skeletal hand, he should reattach it. With a glitched sigh Error hiked up his sweater with one hand and used his free hand to maneuver the strings. Having them attach the broken rib where it was meant to be. Pain shot through him as he took damage. He fixes his red sweater and holds a hand over his chest, his health bar glitching and the number ever changing like a roulette. He watched the bar fill again before relaxing, reaching his hands into one of his pockets to grab his red rimmed glasses, sliding them onto his face before he looked up at the star covered sky.

The sky was always better in Outertale, out of every au he's visited and destroyed, Outertale was one of his favorites, of course the classic au always beat any one of the others. It was his absolute favorite after all. He frequented this one au so often though, no one really bothered him.

A few monsters here or there pass by with a small almost tense smile, but they never did anything to him and he never did anything to their home. Outer, the sans of this au, always showed at some point of his stay, but he never attacked. Outer had stopped getting so unnerved around Error, growing eased with how he never harmed anyone or thing while there. Well besides when the Star Sans show up at least.

The air shifted next to Error, feeling the prickling of familiar magic. Error didn't move his gaze from the sky as Outer appeared at his side, having used a short cut. "Here again?" The star speckled skeleton asked with a hum, standing next to the God of Destruction. The glitched hum he got back had his gaze land on the black skeleton, just sitting there staring at the never ending space that was Outer's sky. "I didn't know you had glasses." He murmured, tensing when Error's multi colored gaze shifts to him.

"I don't wear them often." Error responded simply, words glitching like the rest of him. Outer took in a slow breath and nodded. Was it bad he kinda found that cute? Outer sat down, deciding to drop the topic for now, letting silence over take them once more. It was peaceful, content.

Not for Error though, who was growing increasingly unsettled with the silence. It just felt.. wrong.

Just wrong.

He glanced down at his fingers, besides the normal glitching, they shook. Not a lot. Only to the point where error could notice. It was like addiction.. the urge to destroy. Not something he wanted but needing it to calm himself, the voices, the urge. It was always thrumming under his bones, making itself known with each beat of his soul. He wanted it to stop. Wanted it to be before that voice invaded his mind when he first woke up in the anti-void... that memory was fuzzy too. His hands had still been white then.. he thinks.

He closes his hands tightly before glancing back up to the sky covered with stars. He takes in a steady breath, letting it expand his rib cage before leaving his mouth. He could feel Outer's curious gaze on him, but he didn't acknowledge it. He didn't need Outer's pity. He didn't need anyone's pity. He clenched his jaw, waiting for the other monster's eye-lights to leave him. When they did, he let out a quiet breath, forcing his self to relax his jaw. He didn't need that broken again.

A meteor flew across the space overhead, making the tension melt from his figure as he stared at the sight.

It lit the sky brightly.

Chapter Text

Outer-tale, august ##, ####

    Error stared in awe before the light the meter or gave off only seemed to grow brighter, like staring into a sun. He had to close his eyes and look away before it could fully take over his vision. After a few moments of slight cowardness toward the light, he lowered his arm and opened his eye sockets once more. Confusion quickly taking over as he looked around. Outer was nowhere to be seen, not only that, but he wasn't even in Outertale any longer. He was back in the Anti-void.

Error sat there gazing into the never ending white. It was clearly his with his strings carrying souls above him. But how had he gotten there? He hadn't teleported, at least he didn't think he had. Error gave a small noise close to a groan, laying back on the white floor. "I should probably figure out how this happened." He muttered to himself, but he made no move to actually get up. That is until a high screech boomed through the space.

"WHY ARE YOU JUST SITTING THERE?!"

Error jolted up right, practically glitching out of existence for a second. A millisecond later voices flooded his head.

"Yeah! Why aren't you doing something?"

"Do something!"

"Be entertaining, I'm soooooo bored!" Each and every voice was talking over one another's, mixing together and only giving the god of destruction a headache. He rubbed the front of his skull with a glitched sigh. 'course the peace wouldn't last.' He thought, taking his glasses off and tucking them back in his pocket. At least he had some quiet for once, even if it had been tense and just waiting for them to come back, like now.

He lowered his hand, only to pause. His bone brows furrowed slightly, a red string was tied to his pinky. But it didn't seem to actually go anywhere. He reached out with his left hand, trying to grab it, yet his hand just passed through it. He scowled in frustration, glaring at the poor red string. What was it? Why was it attached to him?

"You should destroy."The voice was sweet yet devilish. He tensed immediately his hand curling into a fist, forgetting about the red string as his magic thrummed under his bones, his soul beating loud in his rib cage. The urge was back full force, hands trembling. He needed to get rid of an au. To get the urge to stop. For the good of the multiverse. Error released a shaky sigh, throat feeling all suddenly dry. The reasoning was starting to sound dull, even to himself now. He ignored it, pushing himself up and swiping a hand across the air in front of him, creating a glitching portal to a random au.

The snow crunched under his slippers. Portal glitching closed behind him. The air was still and smelt of monster dust. He started to walk, following the path this universe's frisk had seemingly only moments ago. The human's tiny footprints still crushed into the snow. He follows them. It must be the start of a run if the snow hadn't covered the path already.

The gruff voice of a fell sans reached his nonexistent ears. Him and Frisk must be first meeting than. Error didn't think much of it and sent some of his blue strings forward, catching a soul within them and crushing it without a thought. A body thumped to the snow covered ground, and passing the wood bridge error was greeted with the fell frisk laying still on the ground. A stunned Fell sans standing next to the child's body.

Error flicked his strings at the other skeleton as well, dusting him easily. He continued on, dusting monsters left and right without issue, only pausing for a second when face to face with the papyrus, who glared at him, armed with a bone attack. He shook off the feelings deep within his soul and shot strings at Fell papyrus, sending more when the skeleton cut them away with the attack. The strings coiled around the papyrus's soul and crushed it before there was so much as a word leaving him.

Finishing off the fell Asgore was easy enough, the universe starting to tremble with no original being left. He left the au as it crumbled within itself. Landing in another au, another forest, he released a sigh. Glancing at his glitching hand, the trembles were contained again. Good. Error looked up, eye lights shifting over his surroundings.

The air was clean, fresh almost, unlike the last one. Where was he? He decided to wonder. Following the path the Frisk had yet to pass through. Snow to wood and back to snow. Stopping at the stationed post, a papyrus sat there, and they made eye contact. Error stared. The papyrus in orange stared back. No one made a move. Until the papyrus did.

"I don't think eye seen you around before." The orange skeleton said, the joke was horrible, and he grinned lazily, almost as if he was proud of it. Error squinted at the papyrus before a glitch chuckle fell from his mouth involuntarily. The papyrus's eyes seemed to shine at the laugh. "You're not from here are you?" He asked, relaxed. Because if anyone could laugh at a bad joke, then they couldn't be dangerous.

"No. I'm not." Was the glitchy response.

"I'm Papyrus, what's your name," Papyrus hummed, curious. This wasn't the kid he always had to deal with. It was someone new, someone who felt important for some reason.

"Error." He said, turning to face the papyrus. Either this au was new, or Ink and his band of sans' hadn't reached here yet. That made a feeling he didn't recognise settle in between his ribs.

"That's an odd name,"

"Is Papyrus not odd?"

"Alright, fair." The orange skeleton chuckled. "What brings you?" The black skeleton gave a shrug, making the other raise an amused bone brow. For some reason he felt his brother would like this odd character. "My brother is further down the path, play along with his puzzles, yeah?"

Chapter Text

Underswap #604

The Sound of snow crunching under his feet was oddly comforting. Especially with this sense of dread that had settled between his ribs. He wasn't sure why, it's not like this universes' sans would attack. If anything he'd probably proclaim him to be his friend.

He wasn't sure why meeting eyes with the small blue skeleton had his chest feeling so tight, or why a feeling of..guilt? Seized his breath as the armored one gave a large curious filled smile. He wasn't sure for how long he stared, how long he was frozen in place as thoughts, for once, drowned out the voices that rarely gave him time to think.

All he knew was that the blue sans was suddenly in front of him, looking worried, and reaching forward, saying something that Error couldn't hear despite him being right there. He practically scrambled back, out of the others reach. Error took in a shaky lungful, sounds suddenly too loud. Oh. He was panicking wasn't he? Error closed his sockets and swallowed, taking a moment to go through his breathing steps.. steps Swap had taught him back in the anti void. The thought only made his soul seize for a moment with emotions he didn't even wanna go through.

"Are..are you okay friend?" The soft voice, ever so slightly louder than a normal sans would be, brought him from his own mind. Error opened his sockets and gave a stiff nod.

"I'm fine." The sans blinked, eyes lighting curiously, examining the darker skeleton.

"I'm Sans! Who are you friend?"

"Error." He grumbled, maybe he should've just gone back to the anti-void after the first au.

"Neh he! What a wonderful name! Not as wonderful as Sans, but next best!" Sans beamed hands on his hips, looking very proud of himself. It made that guilt twist, yet.. his soul felt warm. It wasn't his swap. He had to remember that. They may look almost identical, they may be so so close to the same, but they aren't. And he wouldn't try to replace swap let alone try and shape an Underswap sans to be his swap.

Despite himself he gave a small weak smile and gave another nod. "Right. Your brother told me you had some puzzles to catch a human?" He asked, voice surprisingly quiet and soft, to the point where a few voices decided to comment. "Eeewww!" "What's with him?" "Oh who cares! Do something!". He ignored them though. Let him have this. He hasn't seen his swap in.. so long. Just let him have this.

The high pitched squeal of excitement was enough of a comfort that he barely paid attention to the hand tugging him along, or his more than normal glitching.

Sans had rambled for hours, Error sitting on a rock listening as 604 sans explained his puzzle and demonstrating. Error was far from bored, having been suggesting things to help the traps- puzzles catch humans better. It had been a steady flow of conversation, enough so that it dulled his focus on his mind, on the voices. They were like a numb buzz compared to 604 sans's obnoxious chatter.

They found out it had been hours when Papyrus had headed back from the stationed post, seeing them still at the puzzles instead of at their home in Snowden already. "You're still here?" He had blurted out, surprised, catching both skeletons attention.

"Papyrus! I'm definitely going to catch a human now! Error has been such a great help!" 604 Sans bounced over to his brother. Papyrus blinked, he had said to entertain him, but he wasn't expecting the black skeleton actually would! He guessed his feeling on Sans liking error was true.

"Oh yeah? That's good." Papyrus said, glancing at the tall dark skeleton as he stood and brushed snow from his lap. "Why don't we head home, huh?" Sans had gave his signature laugh and led the way, claiming that was a 'spectacular idea' and claiming he shall make tacos for Error to taste. Error had stilled, looking at Sans with a blank expression. He was expecting to split ways, but it seems Sans had decided that no, they were not parting.

Error followed behind Sans, Papyrus next to him.

"Seems my bro likes you." He grinned at the shorter skeleton. Error gave a nod in response, not quite saying anything yet. "When I said entertain him, that didn't mean for real," he said, glancing ahead where Sans led the way with great enthusiasm.

"I like it." Error stated, catching papyrus's gaze on him again, watching the other with renewed interest and a warmth his swap's brother had never even considered with him. He was a monster, a monster in the human sense of the word. Someone not worthy of chance. The god that kidnapped Carrot's older brother. It stirred something bitter deep within.

The rest of the walk was silent besides Sans's enthusiastic 'tour guiding'. Sans walked into the house first, and because Papyrus wasn't moving second, error did, then followed closely by papyrus. Sans hurried to the kitchen to whip up some tacos, Error deciding to join him, because that sad comfort was better than the bitter sour feeling with Carr- with Papyrus.

Error sat on a stool, watching the version-that's-not-his-version of swap make tacos. Listening to 604 sans drone on with instructions and explanations. He.. liked this. This domesticity that his life as destroyer has kept him from.

Until the glimpse of a red string on sans's finger as he was taking the oven mitts off his hands caught Error's attention.

Chapter Text

Underswap #604

Everything froze, Error’s attention singling on the red string. His hand shot forward, strings capturing the sans before him who yelped in surprise. The sound of hurried feet came from Error’s left but he ignored it, bone brows furrowed as his blue strings curled tightly around the blue skeleton. Forcing the right are out, maneuvering his, not his, swaps hand different ways, looking for the pesky red string that had vanished.

“Error, let him go, yeah?” Papyrus said, voice cautious. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, having come running when he heard his older brother’s yell. Error blink, straightening and looking at the orange skeleton. Only than did he realize he was towering over Sans, his strings tightly around the other skeleton, who was unharmed and wasn’t struggling. He had gone basically across the whole kitchen without even realizing it. All because of that damn string.

Error Stepped back quickly, strings falling as if a puppet's strings were cut. His chest felt tight, his hand curled into tight fists at his side. He wasn’t panicking. Seriously, he wasn’t. Believe him. “sorry..” His voice came out quiet, and far more glitched than usual. He had fucked up didnt he? He ruined this warmth he had just got. Something that had been ripped from him once, and now he ruined it himself.

Sans was quick to step forward, hand going to reach for error, only to just hover when when the taller skeleton flinched away.

“Error it's okay, What’s wrong? What happened?” Sans asked, his voice softer, no longer his signature loud blabbering.  Error shut his sockets tightly. “Breath with me Error. Breath in, 1.. 2.. 3.. Hold. 1.. 2.. 3.. Now out.” Error followed the memory, breathing in and holding before slowly letting them out, and repeat.

“There was..” He swallowed, opening his sockets. “A red string on your finger. It vanished though.” He said, Sans’s concern turning to curiosity that filled his round eyes. Error saw his string? Papyrus seemed to have the same thought, his bone brows furrowing and head tilting, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. There was no harm, he didn’t need to be cautious.

“It vanished?” Papyrus asked, pushing off the doorway and moving to lean against the island that error had been sitting at before this whole string fiasco. Error gave a nod.

“It was there, when Sw- ah,Sans was removing the oven mitts. It was gone when I looked.” He muttered, a frown taking over his expression as he looked away, crossing his arms as well. The two reasons very much different between the orange and black skeleton.

The two brothers shared a look before Sans’s expression was overtaken with joy. Red strings weren’t something new, but it seems the Black skeleton was oblivious to what they actually were. It’s okay, Sans would help his new Best friend. He had proclaimed they were such, so they were. It’s not like Error denied it, that he rejected it. So they were best friends.

They stood in a short silence before the small timer on the counter started its obnoxious cry, startling the two taller skeletons while Sans’s attention left the string issue. Sans clapped his hands excitedly before turning and grabbing his mittens again, pulling cooked Taco shells out of the oven and setting the tray on a towel set on the counter. When sans removed the mitts, there was no red string this time. For some reason a feeling close to dread settled in the pit of Error’s nonexistent stomach.

Staying here was a mistake. Already so many emotions that he hated feeling had coiled around his soul and made him feel them. It wasn’t fair. He should leave. The brothers didn’t seem to hate him, yet. But they would eventually. It was only natural, hating him. It was how things went. A beloved creator, and a hated destroyer.

Papyrus walked over to his older brother handing him some sour cream as Sans worked on filling the cooked shells. When Sans turned to present his favorite dish, Error was gone. And no searching would turn up his new best friend.

Chapter Text

Underswap #604

Sans stared where his new best friend had just been standing only moments ago, hands tightening on the white glass rims of the plate with his prized dish. He heard the crack like a dull screech. His eye lights finally leaving the spot his best friend had vanished from to look down at the white shards the edges of the plate had been crushed to in his hands.

His jaw was clenched, had he scared Error away? Had Error noticed how despite his surprise, the strings were far more than comfortable? He took in a slow calming breath, turning on his heel as his younger brother hovers, concern clear. Sans set the broken plate on a few pieces of paper towel, scooping the larger pieces into his hands and dropping them in the trash can next to the fridge.

It's alright. He was sure Error would come back when he was ready to. He had something Error wanted after all. He saw how Error looked at him. He wasn't stupid. He liked how Error looked at him, even if there was such underlying guilt.

He had an idea as to why, but he would find out for sure, and make that guilt stop. Error was clearly traumatized, he'd help him heal. And if dependency seemed to miraculously grow, he'd welcome it. After all, Error seemed like he needed to be taken care of. And the Marvelous Sans was perfect to take care of him. If the very thought made him smile, he ignored it, running water over his hands to rid it of any mini shards sticking to the bones.

"Papyrus, We will be needing another plate." Sans hummed, turning the faucet off, flicking little droplets of water from his fingers with a shake of his hands over the sink.

"Right." Papyrus muttered, watching his scarily calm older brother for a minute longer as the shorter dried his hands with a hand towel. Finally moving over to the fridge to write down 'plate' on the mini wipe board they had on the large metal cooling box. Sans had stuck stickers to it when they first got the board, puppies and kittens. Oh and one taco sticker Sans managed to find somewhere.

A somewhat settled silence fell over them as they both did their own thing for a moment. "Did you happen to see where Error went?" Sans asked almost casually, glancing to the side at his brother who gave a slow shake of his head.

"He probably used a shortcut." Papyrus answered absently, pushing the washable marker into place on top of the small pink wipeboard. Sans gave a nod, reaching for another plate and placing a taco upon it handing it to Papyrus.

"Dinner, Brother." He gave a smile despite the small irritation prickling in his soul at not knowing where his new best friend was. Having to remind himself of a fact he knew was true, that Error would be back. He would be.

Papyrus gave a small hum and nod of thanks, taking the given food and sliding into a seat on one of the stools. Watching his brother almost carefully as Sans cleaned up. He wasn't sure what was going on in his older brother's head, especially now that his soul mate, given the ability to see the string even if temporarily, had shown up then vanished. He didn't want Sans to be upset, yet the shorter skeleton didn't seem to be. Acting mostly the same. Should he go looking for Error? He wasn't sure if that would be a good idea though, there was no pop of magic to signal a shortcut, so there wasn't even a given that Error would still be in the Underground, let alone the Au if Error was one of the few who could visit other worlds without the assistance of another talent or a portal.

Decisions, decisions. What to do. Papyrus gave a sigh and leaned back, running a boney hand over his skull before starting to eat, letting Sans leave the kitchen and make his way up the stairs to his room. Sans was really calm, it didn't quite seem right to papyrus in this situation. He never did understand his brother's mind the way he probably should, that a little brother probably should.

Sans closed his door behind him quietly, walking over to his normal bed. He had gotten rid of that old race car one Papyrus still thought he had. It was far too childish for Sans.

He sat on his bed and reached down, pulling out a box with quite a few stuff from other universes and began to rummage through it. Looking for something. He wasn't as oblivious as Paps liked to believe. He knew everything that happens in their au, knew about Chara, and the other frisks of the other many aus.

Picking the small flip phone he was given by Science sans to be connected to the universe web. The light feel of the light blue metal made him cock his head. He hasn't used it more than once, when Sci showed him how it works. He'll have to figure it out by himself than. It can't be that hard. It was an electronic, he was already good with those.

The main thing he needed right now was information. As much as he could get. Sci, Dream and ink did like talking. But who else in the star council? That other version of him? No, the other swap sans didn't seem to like him so much, maybe it's because they could possibly be more alike than either of them wanted to admit.

He'd drag information out of Sci first, Dream and Carrot next.

They always did fall for his innocent act so easily.

Chapter Text

ScienceTale, underground labs

The lab was quiet besides the light scribbling from Sci's pencil. Safety glasses on as his gaze went from squinting at the microscope then at his writing. He gave a heavy sign, this experiment has been tiring. He set the clipboard down on the white counter, leaning back and letting his head roll to the sides in a low effort to crack it.

He leaned back forward lifting his safety glasses to rub his sockets before being startled by the ringing of his multiverse phone at the other side of the sterile lab. He pulled the safety goggles off and slipped his glasses on from his lab coat pocket walking over. Giving. Small frown when it read "Underswap 604". His mind was muddled so he couldn't help but wonder who it was. Surely it was someone he knew if they were in on the universe web.

He grabbed the flip phone from the place he had created for it on the wall and flipped it open, holding it to the side of his skull.

"hello?" He grogled tiredly.

"Sci! Hi, it me swap sans, from underswap 604." The voice was clearly smiling, it made Sci smile as well despite his exhaustion.

"Hi 604, did you choose an actual name yet?" Sci hummed walking back over to his lab set up, holding the phone between his shoulder and skull.

"Ah- no, Neh he, it'd be easy just to be called Swap, Y'know?" The other skeleton gave a dramatic sigh that had Sci chuckling.

"Yeah but Swap is already taken bud, what about blue? Your brother is going by Orange since Carrot is taken."

"I don't see why he didn't go with pumpkin, it's much cuter." 604 huffed and the shuffling on the other end gave the idea he was laying down. Sci gave a hum of agreement, glancing down at his pinky. If only he knew his soulmate.. if only 604 could be his soulmate. It'd make things so much easier. He was cute, and funny.. and well.. Sci's type. Even if it was a risky thing among the multiverse variants.

"Whet else were you thinking if not blue?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind blue, but it is kinda.. bland. Not something fit for the marvelous Sans!" Sci gave a nod despite the other skeleton not even being able to see it. "Hydrangea maybe?" He hummed.

"That is.. a great name." The flowers were beautiful, Sci would say that it does fit the other skeleton.

"It is, isn't it?" It had seemed there was something left unsaid but Sci didn't push despite his curiosity. "But I'll probably just go by Blue, to make it easier on everyone. Say, is there a Sans named Error?" Sci stiffened, he was sure he had told 'Blue' of the destroyer the first time Ink brought him in.

"There.. is. Or was. He vanished from the original Outertale some years ago and hasn't been spotted since." Sci sighed, at least that was the last he heard of the destroyer, he hadn't heard anything new from the star council. Outer had been the last to see him, apparently, told ink he was watching the black skeleton from afar before he had seemingly.. Glitched out of existence. Outer had freaked out as the glitching was so bad it affected his au, only going away without a trace of error.

Blue was quiet for a moment, thinking. "I see. And.. no one has seen him since?" He asked, and

if Sci wasn't in his right mind he would've thought Blue sounded.. pleased? No, it was something deeper than that. Sci shook his head, he must really be tired.

"Yeah, no one from what I know. Why the sudden interest?

"Oh I was just thinking back about when ink had talked about him when we first met." Sci gave a slow nod, pushing his glasses up to rub his sockets again.

"Right,"

"Oh do you know how much strength was behind his string?"

"..No. I haven't been close enough to him to ever find out, thank the gods for that."

"Mm, alright. How did he get to different au's?"

"He could glitch the codes, bend them or, well, tear them to create a portal. I've only seen it from afar, and heard about it from the others, Ink, Swap, Dream.." He listed, thinking of the close combat fighters who have survived a fight with the God of Destruction. Now that he was thinking about it, it really wasn't a lot, any who have that weren't the main three had been spared for some unknown reason.

"Really? That's so interesting, you know so much Sci! So smart!" Blue gushed cheerfully, a blush creaking up Sci's cheeks as his smile grew wide at the compliments.

"Ah- Thanks Blue,"

"Is there anything else you can tell me about him?"

"uh.. he liked puppets im pretty sure, was told he liked making them.." Sci thought hard, beginning to mansplain all information he knew about the glitch to Blue, which.. lasted a few hours.

Sci gave a long sigh when the call ended, flipping the phone closed. He was tired, but he needed to finish this experiment. At least he had a break talking to Blue. It was fun.. even if he was embarrassed by how he had talked so passionately about the information he knew from his years of observing and collecting people's experiences with Error. He fixed his glasses and slid the phone into his lab coat pocket, getting back to the experiment he was supposed to be focusing on.

Only for his phone to ring again in his pocket, he gave an annoyed groan, pulling it out and glancing at the caller id. Dream? He only called when all the council was being summoned due to large news.. and that hadn't happened since the news that Error vanished, died? He shook his head and answered.

"Hey Dream-"

"Yes, Hi Sci, but there is no time. All star council members are required to come to the council building immediately. An au has been destroyed. Ink is convinced it might be Error, or someone just as powerful." Dream surely add the last part himself, he was also pretty sure Error was dead somehow, even though Ink hadn't let it go.

Chapter Text

Judgetale, Council building 4, 12:01 am

He wasn't pacing. Don't try telling him what he's doing.. Okay he was pacing. The balance between positivity and negativity have shifted, and not for the good. Dream was pacing in one of the side rooms, yellow flip phone in one of his hands as he paced in circles. Negativity had spiked, he had felt a small shift earlier yesterday morning before ink came barging into his house in Judgetale, due to one of the star sans main three having to stay in the au at all times unless there was a large threat.

Dream sighed, after calling so many people, positivity plummeted even more. He really needed to ask Sci to add a multi call feature, calling one by one is really time consuming. He could feel the souls that were piling into the au, far from happy. It was making him feel nauseous.

Was there anyone else he needed to call? He can't remember right now. He walked over to the chair, plopping down and closing his sockets, rubbing his forehead. He was feeling so weak with so much negativity slipping into one au. Nightmare was probably getting a boost of power. He'd brag about that the next time they face each other.

Ugh, just thinking of the pompous self centered trash his brother had become makes him irritated. If only he could figure out how to reverse the apple's effect. All his experiments haven't been doing great. Just another task left to him to help the multiverse, yay.

The knock on the door made him groan before looking up as Swap popped his head in; he had returned from his small vacation with Carrot as soon as Dream called about the disturbance. Dream gave a small smile, Swap cared, a lot more than Ink did. It was as if Ink only cared about his own interests and popularity. To be honest Dream wouldn't think ink would protect the au's if he didn't get anything out of it. Fame, friends, entertainment.

Dream shook his head before waving Swap in. "Hey swap, how was hawaii with Carrot?"
"It was good, are you doing alright? Do you need me to do anything?" Swap asked with a small frown. He could tell his friend was overworked and exhausted. He walked over, pushing himself up onto the desk, looking at the god of positivity in the seat before him.

"I.. I'm gonna need your back up when it comes to the meeting. Ink is convinced Error is back, but he's been gone for the last five years." Dream sighed, rubbing his sockets. Swap gave a small hum and slow nod. Swap probably hoped it was Error, Dream knew he had gotten close with the glitchy skeleton when he kidnapped him two years before the red string takeover, Swap was probably the one person who knew Error best. Ink barely actually knew Error despite what he claims. Ink doesn't even remember half the things he does learn.

"Yeah, of course. I'll back you up with some other possibilities. But Dream, ink did say that the au wasn't suffering for long, it was quick,the au crumbled within minutes of the sans dying." Swap said, hugging his arms around himself. What if Error was back? What could've been the reason for his disappearance? Error loved attention, everyone knew that. No one else would be able to destroy aus so efficiently and quickly, there have been attempts. Like by Nightmare, an enemy, and Fresh who was neutral. But other than not being able to fully destroy the au, it was never like it was with Error.

"Yeah, but I just don't get why he would disappear. He was just claiming he'd 'destroy all the anomaly's' the day before he vanished."

“Maybe it was..not on purpose? Like maybe he was taken?" Swap offered.

"By who? Ink has trouble with just fighting him most days."

"Nightmare?"

"Weren't they on good terms last time they fought together though? Error broke my right arm to stop me from shooting my positivity arrows."

"Maybe they had a falling out? It was like a week before after all. And you know how your brother is now."

"You know I'm trying to fix him, Swap." Dream glared, Swap held his hands up in surrender making Dream sigh. "Sorry, I don't mean to get mad at you." He murmured, looking away.

"I know. You're irritated, it's understandable, Dream. You could've called me back earlier, you know I would've come."

"No, you were taking a break, both me and Ink said we'd take care of it while you relaxed with your brother and Chara."

"Yeah, but you can't keep doing everything yourself."

"You're here now though, so let's focus on what's going on now." Swap frowned but conceded.

"Everyone should be here now," Swap said, looking back at the closed door for a second. Dream gave a small nod.

"Yeah alrighty, let's go then." He pushed himself up, waiting for Swap to get down before heading to the door, holding it open for the blue skeleton. The two walked side by side down the hall to the court room where voices could already be heard from the closed doors. Dream nodding politely to the security monsters at the doors as they passed.

This was going to be a long meeting. At least Swap was with him.

Chapter Text

Judgetale, 12:23 am

Swap pushed the double doors open and stepped to the side, waiting for Dream to pass him before shutting the doors and following after a step behind. The room was packed, each seat taken and even quite a few sans, papyruses, and some other monsters having to stand. The room had been drowning with noise that filtered out slowly as Dream took his spot in the middle of the room where a podium had been placed. Swap took his own spot to Dream’s right, a few steps back. Hands crossed neatly behind his back, head held high. He was a professional royal guard, has been for the last six years, fully fledged at least, and the intense training stuck.

Eye lights focused on Dream who looked just as royal as always. Powerful, kind, and graceful. Maybe that was why Swap fell into his training so easily with Dream. Swap turned his gaze away from the god of positivity, looking over the sea of familiar faces. They were all looking at Dream for guidance. They had all been summoned here for news that could jumble their entire lives. Maybe Swap should be more scared like everyone else, maybe he shouldn’t let that warm feeling in his chest linger at the possibility of Error being back.

Error was a monster. He knew that, but it didn’t erase the memories of their time together in the anti void. Error had always been erratic, but he was trying with Swap then. Whatever happened though.. it had changed him, long before he disappeared. Swap sighed and shook his head to clear it of the thoughts of the short destroyer. Snapping back as Dream spoke.

”Everyone, Thank you for coming on such short notice. Ink couldn’t be here with us unfortunately as he was caught up with trying to investigate with what little is even left.” Dream said, a.k.a Ink locked himself in the Doodlesphare obsessing over things. Dream’s voice swam through the large room for everyone to hear but he wasn’t yelling, not even close. “The news I had spoken to each of you on the web phone had been real. UnderFell #1306 on a neutral run had been destroyed November 24th at 4:09 multi-verse time.” Dream said, a very few amount of gasps came from around the room. Everyone else looked sullen, or mad, or just normal. It hadn’t been a shock from the news that had gotten them there. Dream rarely overdramatized things. He tended to play things down if anything. So they knew they could trust his judgement more than the Star council’s first ‘leader’ Ink.

A hand shot up in the back,waving wildly to be seen over the heads of two papyruses. “How do you know it's Error? IS THERE PROOF?!” A younger sans, in his early teens asks eagerly, standing on his tippy toes to be seen just a bit pass the two sitting adult papyruses. They leaned away when the sans yelled his question, looking between the little version of their older brother holding a little clipboard than at Dream, who paused for a moment.

The teen sans hadn’t been around when error was around, so it had been a bit of a.. obsession? Hyper-fixation for him, it's all the boy asked about, ‘What was Error like? Was he really a villain? What if he was misunderstood? What were his strings like? How did he really fight? Was it true Ink had a hard time fighting him? Why did he disappear? What was his motivation for destroying aus?’ etc. It was like a kid who loved dinosaurs, wanting to know everything about the extinct creatures, drawing pictures and writing papers to post in the Uni-Web newspaper. It was fascinating, the awe the kid had for the deranged man. But people indulged him sometimes, telling them the little they knew to get the kid to leave them alone, though it rarely ever actually happened. Because if they knew a little, they could know more.

“We are not actually positive the incident was caused by Error, or If he's even back.” Dream said, taking a small breath. “It’s just speculation. Ink is adamant on it being Error’s doing but currently there is no proof with what little there is to go by.”

“But if it wasn’t Error, who was it?” A papyrus asked to the right of Swap, who narrowed his eyelights at him.

“We’re still not sure. We are investigating-”

”How are you going to fix this?” Someone in the back yelled, which in turn caused a few more to speak up with questions too fast and all over one another’s that it was starting to overwhelm the Yellow royal.

“Well-”

“I-”

“if you would just-” Dream’s head turning this way than that to try and see who was asking what. But a single voice boomed above the rest suddenly, silencing the entire room.

”SILENCE!” Dream looked to his right, all eyes now on Swap who was looking a bit pissed off. It was a bit intimidating, how stern he looked. But it sure was professional for a royal guard working directly for Queen Toriel. Swap’s jaw was clenched, his hands gripping each other tightly behind his back as he kept his stance. This was getting ridiculous, did they seriously expect Dream to be able to answer all their questions without giving him time to? Swap to a in a breath that expanded his chest before looking at dream and giving a small nod, a grateful smile spreading over Dream’s face.

“As I was saying, We don’t know who was the cause or if it had just crumbled in on itself. But when we know, you all will too. In the meantime, please keep your Web Phones on your person at all times going forward. And if you see anything suspicious in your au, let the star council know.” Dream said after clearing his throat, letting out a breath and offering a smile to the people around.

There was a bit of muttering but quite a bit more of nods. People were starting to understand now. Swap hardly cared if they were hurt or offended, they shouldn’t have spoken out of turn like that. No one would be messing with his friends while he was around. 

Chapter Text

Anti void, ####

“What are you making?”

”Yeah, is it a doll? Why would you make that?”

”It's actually kinda cute guys.”

”You should infuse a soul with it to see what happens!” Error gave a small hum at the suggestion, pausing in what he was doing to look up at the supposedly never ending ceiling that many dark blue strings hung from, souls of many different kinds, both human and monster alike, strung up on display. He shifted back into his beanbag. He had to steal another, it wasn’t here when he looked around after returning. Since then though, the voices had mellowed out, seemingly calmer. He hasn’t heard the loudest most deafening voice since first ‘waking’ in the anti void again.

Usually it was the main voice giving it's coin in a well, wishing misfortune. But since spending time with version-that-wasn’t-his-version of swap, they had been dull, numb almost. He wasn’t sure what had calmed them, but it was refreshing. It had been a few days if the clock he stole from a Sciencetale was correct.

“It’s not a doll, it’s a puppet.” Error murmured, correcting the voice’s mistake. He didn’t know what happened to all of his puppets but they were just gone, so he’d have to remake them all. It gave himself something to do, other than focusing on the tremors in his hands or the lap of need itching under his bones and pooling in his stomach.

“Pupppet-Smappet, whatever, nerd.” A voice huffed, though it was far from the words he was use to. Had they grown soft? Or was his subconscious giving him a break? Either were unbelievable.

“Puppet and.. ‘smappet’? That isn’t even a word?, nor does it even rhyme!” Another voice shot back at the other. It made Error release a small scoff like chuckle.

“So? You got a problem foureyes?!”

”I don’t even wear glasses!”

”How am I supposed to know that? Either way you seem like a four eyes.”

Error’s bone brows furrowed slightly, setting the puppet halfway done down on his lap as he listened. It was like a k-drama..

”Shut up you two, I wanna know about the puppet!” A new voice spoke up, making the two previously fighting huff and grumble but ultimately stop. “Now, is that Swap?” The question made Error go ridged, because no.. it wasn’t? At least he wasn’t trying to make Swap, but now that he was looking at it closer.. it had the underswap sans signature armor. No. He wouldn’t make Swap.. He’d make 604. Because they were different. Very differently. So different, Error didn’t have to remind himself of what happened when he subconsciously started thinking they were similar.

“..no. It’s a sans I met recently. 604.” He said finally, clearing his throat. A few ‘oooo’s and ‘aww’s washed through the white space making him frown. Why would they make such sounds? It was like that one time Swap had seen a kitten Error had reluctantly brought into the anti void to keep the other company while he was away. He had placed the Kitten in Swap’s au when he removed Swap from the anti void. The memory still left a bitter taste on his tongue. He had gotten used to the feline, it always watched him curiously, even only ever settling slowly on him when it wasn’t in Swap’s grasp. He’d glitch like crazy but it would calm before a reboot.

Swap had named it Loop, for whatever reason. Error didn’t pay the cat any attention before it started clinging to him, having only provided what it needed to keep Swap happy, but it did grow on him after a while. Stupid thing it was. Error sighed, reaching a hand to rub his eye sockets, pushing his red rimmed glasses up in the process. Error let his hands and the half finished puppet of 604 rest in his lap as he leaned his head back against the plush of his beanbag. He let his sockets close, just listening to the voices’ nonsense.

Until the sound of roller skates and the distant hum of 90s music popped in out of nowhere, making Error alert immediately.

Chapter Text

Anti-void

Error shot up immediately at the familiar sound of the 90s which always meant.. Fresh. Just the thought of the colorful skeleton made his skin crawl, heh skin. He sent the puppet away, up with his other strings for safe keeping. He didn’t want it to get ruined in a fight.

Error’s multicolor eyelights flickered across the expanse of the white space. But there was nothing, no colorful skeleton with sentient glasses, no furbie bomb, not even a skateboard. He knew he wouldn’t imagine hearing the tell tale signs of Fresh, he wasn’t that crazy. Right?

After a few moments of literally nothing happening Error reluctantly lowered his hands which he had readied with strings. After a little more just waiting, staring, and on alert, he slowly relaxed. Turning around as he was debating weither or not he was more nutty than he originally thought. Only to be face to face with a large grin, and glasses that read “BO-O!”.

Error didn’t scream, and anyone who says he did is lying. Because he most certainly didn’t jump back and fall over his red beanbag, he didn’t end up on the floor and crash. He just didn’t!.. or maybe he did.

Error stared up at the white ceiling, ignoring the colorful individual crouched next to him. Error forced a deep breath to be taken into his lungs before letting it out in defeat.

“Ya good brah?” Fresh asked chin resting in his hand which rested on his knee, looking down at the skeleton that has been gone for five years. His glasses reading “oo-ps”. His smile widening slightly when Error’s eye twitched, he had many questions to ask but decided against it. It was only three days ago rumors of the destroyer being back reached Fresh, and only last night, or an hour ago really, that Fresh had cornered Ink in the doodlesphere and asked about it. The protector had been very adamant on the beloved glitch being back. It’s a wonder why he didn’t just come to the anti-void like Fresh.

“What do you want, freak.” Error scowled with a glare, not much hiding how he scooted away. Fresh’s smile doesn’t falter, just watching the familiar yet different destroyer. Was Error taller? Fresh would have to stand next to him to figure it out, but Error looked taller than before. Longer legs.

“Just checking up on my broski.” Fresh said, glasses blank. Error rolled his eyes with a scoff. Still the same lovable personality it seemed.

“Yeah right. Get the [funk] out of my anti-void!” Error snapped, recoiling when Fresh reached out to touch him.

“Un-cool brah.” Fresh said, referring to the swearing he censored. Glasses reading “not-cool”. Error looked about ready to flip a lid, eye twitching while he glitched a bit more prominently than usual. Fresh always enjoyed this, messing with Error. No one else was so.. entertaining. it's been a bore without his favorite skeleton to mess with around. He should figure out why he was gone. “Say, where’ve ya been?” Fresh hummed casually, getting a confused and suspicious look from error who pushed himself off the floor, making Fresh look up at him from his crouched position.

“Like I’d tell you.” Error scoffed, crossing his arms. Fresh gave a frown before standing up as well, now looking down at the dark skeleton. Error really was taller than he remembered, but Fresh was still close to a head taller. Fresh’s glasses charged again, reading “why not?” Making Error glare.

“How’d you even get in here again? I thought I coded against that.” Error said. Error’s many attempts to keep the parasite out always seemed to fail, Fresh coming and going as he pleased, until Error finally found something he could change in the messed up code of the anti void. That had kept fresh out, until now apparently. He was starting to think something was wrong here. His puppets had been gone, his chocolate stash too, even his bean bag. Now Fresh could get in? Something was suspicious.

Fresh raised a brow, and gave a shrug. “Just could, brah. An’ keep me out? Not rad.”
Error huffed and rolled his eyes, eyelights shifting to just below the other skeleton’s glasses, at his cheek. His bone brows furrowed, annoyance flaring once more. “And what is with that?” He finally snapped, making Fresh freeze, glasses blank for a moment before filling with question marks.

“What’s up Broskie?” Fresh asked, straightening slightly, was his host already starting to die? No, he had only gotten it a few days ago and the soul was beating strong.

“The stupid strings, what’s with them?”

”..Strings?” Fresh lifted a brow, error’s strings? No he wouldn’t be so annoyed if they were his. Fresh tilted his head, watching the clearly agitated skeleton across from him. Was it just because he was here? Or was it caused by other means.

”Yeah, a Sans i met had one around his pinky, it vanished before i could get a better look, now you have one, what, tied to your glasses?” Error scoffed, crossing his arms as he watched Fresh with an annoyance that hasn’t ever looked better on him. “some kind of new fashion statement? Freaks.”

“What color?” Fresh hummed curiously, eyes wide behind his blank sunglasses, his own parasitic soul feeling strange and he felt the distant fear that it may be something harmful. But he paid more attention on Error this time than the fear.

Error’s bone brows furrowed. “Red. Both yours and sans’s.” He huffed, did fresh not know the color of the string he himself put there? Fresh stared, glasses still blank for a few moments longer before they shifted to “Wo-ah” briefly. How curious. Could error just see the strings or could he share multiple bonds..

Fresh’s gaze shifted from the shorter skeleton’s pretty multi-color eyes, landing on the hands that held crossed over the skeleton’s chest. Just as he was searching for, a red string, loose, and glitching, shifting in and out of existence, hung on the destroyer’s ring finger. A pleased feeling, new, settled in Fresh.

”Tubular fashion.” Fresh said with a nod. Error would figure it out. Eventally. It probably wasn’t best for one of Error’s largest fears to bring such a thing up anyways. It could end up badly. Sure fresh could hold his own well, and he had gotten lucky a few times to overpower or skill Error, but there was no saying if he’d be one with Lady Luck for such a thing this time. Fresh decided his answer had been the right choice as Error rolled his eyes and turned away, looking for something. But not showing any emotions of fear besides the suspicious, almost cautious glance his way every now and then.

Perhaps he should get a totally rad couch in here for Error.

Chapter Text

Anti-Void, ####

Fresh had left saying he was “Unradically Busy”, leaving Error to his voices.

“He was rather unpleasant.” A pompous sounding voice spoke up, making Error huff in agreement. At least he wasn’t the only one that disliked Fresh. He was far too dangerous. If he could’ve killed Fresh long before, he would’ve. He didn’t need a parasite who could do what Fresh did around.

“Whatever.” Error grumbles, turning back to his red beanbag. He stares at it for a moment, not feeling like sitting back down. His tailbone hurt from fall- from totally NOT falling earlier. Error frowns, rubbing his lower back.

“Aww.. what are you gonna do if not work on the puppet?” A whiner voice says when Error turns to the side, thinking. After a few seconds he glances down at his hands, annoyance flaring up again at the sight of the string. Fresh had said it was fashion.. but why would he have one? It’s stupid. It's not like the string even went anywhere. The first time he had noticed it, it had headed toward the ground of the anti-void, now it was going forward, as if connected to something further along the anti-void.

“Follow the string I guess.” He sighs, starting to walk. He wanted it off, he didn’t know what it does or how it got on him. Maybe if he found where it ended he could get rid of it.

“Ooo! Yay!” A voice laughed joyfully, as if it knew something he did. Well, they often did know something Error didn’t. The further he went, the longer he walked, the more the never ending white continued. His blue strings had started to appear further apart, less and less showing up.

Was there a whole other part of the anti void he hadn’t visited? Well that’s a stupid question, it never ends.

The string kept going.

Error kept walking.

Some of the voices had started to complain that they were bored while others were telling him to keep going. After wandering for, who truly knows how long, he was surrounded by pure white once more. Even he was starting to consider turning back.

Ink would really hate this. But Error wasn’t that squid, so walking through the place he had set as his home was far from difficult. White, white, more white, then white, and white and black. He paused when noticing the figure curled up on the floor. It looked fuzzy from here. Error squinted, before pushing his glasses on and walking closer. The fuzzy blob shaped with the help of Error’s glasses, a fluffy hood, smooth and black color scheme, and a large, broken, knife laid a few feet away on the ground. The string lead there, no not just there, it also threaded off to the floor of the anti void, like a two way road.

“Cross?” Error called out, confused and annoyed at the curled up sans a part of nightmare’s gang. Cross looked up quickly, red and white eyelights small and panicked. Sockets sunken. How long has he been here?

“Error?..” Cross asked hesitantly, small glitches appearing every so often. Not even close to how Error glitched. Not too long. Error frowned, sockets narrowed down at Cross. “You’re.. You’re alive?”

“I have been since you last saw me. Last Wednesday.” Cross stared, eyes wide and disbelieving. Was Error being alive when he just saw him last week so crazy?

“N-no.. no, you’ve.. you’ve been gone for so long..”

“Alright, how long have you been in here?” Error huffed with an eye roll, raising his hand and picking cross up with his strings. Not forgetting Cross’s, now broken, signature weapon. “How did you even get in here?” He grumbled, opening a portal and walking through, dragging Cross and the broken weapon with.

There was no snow where he walked, just black soil and fallen leaves in the dark forest of the eternally dark au. He walked the familiar path, hands in his jacket pockets as he walked up hill. Coming to a large metal gate, dark bricks creating a barrier around a large castle atop the hill. He jumped onto the wall before falling down on the other side, bringing a quiet cross, who thought he really was going crazy, with.

He didn’t knock, who did anyone think he was, he didn’t have the manners or the care for that. Instead he summoned a Gaster blaster and blew up the large front doors of the castle, as he had a few times before. He walked through the rubble, cracking his neck as he looked around. A shocked Horror stood right in front of him, working red eye wide as he looked down at the ever so slightly shorter skeleton. A plate in hand where a string also tied, and again, split off to somewhere else.

“Err..or..?”

Chapter Text

Anti-Void, ####

White. Still only white. The only color he was even given was the black parts of his clothing. How had he faced this before? Right, Chara had been with him.. how long has he been here? Chara would know, he would’ve kept count as soon as they were thrown in here. But chara isn’t here with him now, he had stayed back at the manor when Cross had left to see Ink.

Why had he even trusted Ink again? It was stupid of him.. Chara had told him not to go but he did anyways..

“Cross, you’re here! You’re looking great. Now I need you to do one thing for me” The sinister voice replayed in his memory once again. Ink’s smile was large and very fake, not the fake that came from his artificial emotions, fake that came from actual meaning. It had felt off when Ink had asked for him to visit the doodleshpere, but he hadn’t thought much of it. Now he was stuck here, surrounded by white again.

He pulled his knees up to his chest again, flipping up his hood as he stared at his broken weapon. It had broken in the scuffle with ink when trying to stop this from happening. He didn’t know what to do he couldn’t get out, and he’s pretty sure he could hear voices starting to whisper at him.. is this why Error used to talk to himself? Because he could actually hear voices? The thought made him shudder.

He glanced at his hands after feeling them tingle, is red string was still there.. thank the gods, but his hands.. no not just his hands, his entire body was slowly starting to glitch. It was.. painful. Was this how glitching felt? What Error had felt all the time? No it would’ve been worse, wouldn’t it? The very thought of this small amount of pain from this little bit of glitching being on the level Error would’ve felt.. it makes his soul squeeze hard in his chest, painfully. How had Error last as long as he had? Any lesser monster would’ve failed far before, because even Cross could barely handle even a little bit.

Cross sighed, burying his head in his knees, hugging them. He wanted to leave.. he needed to leave. He needed someone to come save him, he needed a knight in shining armor.. like the story Ink had told him about once. A princess locked in a tower, and a knight to save her from her prison..

He clenched his jaw, tears welling in his sockets that he closed tightly. He couldn’t cry yet. He had to hold out. Nightmare was probably looking for him by now. No, he definitely was. Nightmare would find a way.

“Hey boss, why don’t you ever just bring error to these meetings, you now if you ‘asked’ him you could get him here.” Killer mused, grinning as he flipped a knife in his hand, leaning against the large circular dark oak table. They had been forming a plan, but they needed Error’s help, he had refused them though..

”Because Killer. I can’t enter the anti-void, where he calls ‘home’. I appearently don’t meet the requirements.” Nightmare had scoffed, seemingly more annoyed at not being able to stalk Error in the void than at Killer’s stupid questions.

Cross felt dread settle in his chest. That’s right.. Nightmare couldn’t get in the anti-void. Only a few could unless brought by someone who could enter. Error, obviously. Then Fresh, he’s pretty sure, and Ink, it's how Cross even got here in the first place. He wasn’t sure who else had access, but Nightmare sure didn’t. His hope for rescue was quickly diminishing. He was here alone, with no one to talk to, no one to keep him sane. This wasn’t how he was expecting to die!

A pull at his soul reacted to his string, but he huffed, believing it was just another glitch. Until he heard slippers scuff against the ground-not-ground and stop in front of him, He ignored it, thinking it was his imagination, until a familiar glitchy voice spoke up.

”Cross?” Cross’s head shot up, looking at a man that was supposedly dead. Was he dead and in heaven? His soul beat loudly in his chest. Error was scowling at him, looking overly annoyed with Cross, probably for just existing.

“Error?..You’re.. You’re alive?” He asked despite himself, despite knowing his answer would be a negative. But Error just looked confused for a moment before pissed.

“I have been since you last saw me. Last Wednesday.” Error frowned and Cross had no choice but to do so as well. What did Error mean? Last Wednesday? Error had been gone for 4 years and 7 months, and two days. Well that was Cross’s count before getting thrown in here.

“N-no.. no, you’ve.. you’ve been gone for so long..” Error looked like Cross was the insane one, the one that disappeared for almost 5 years without a trace.

“Alright, how long have you been in here?” Error huffed rolling his multi-color eyelights. Cross watched as Error raised a hand and flung blue strings at him, only catching sight of the red string tied around Error’s ring finger briefly before Error was turning and swiping a hand over the air creating a portal after having tied cross and his weapon up tightly.

“How did you even get in here?” Error grumbled under is breath, walking through the portal he had created and dragging Cross and the broken weapon with. Cross really did forget how amazing Error was, he was a dream.. It seems like Cross got his glitching knight in slippers and scarfs. Cross really had taken Error for granted before, now he’ll definitely show his gratitude. If this was even real and he wasn’t just hallucinating as he got crazier. The trip to where ever Error was bringing him to was a blur, but he couldn’t really get himself to worry, not when he was debating whether or not he was crazy, and the warm feeling that filled his chest keeping him calm. Just being near Error was calming, despite Error being the god of destruction, he had always brought a certain peace over the manor.

Thunder cracked overhead, before the sound of a gasterblaster brought him back to the present. Oh fuck, the doors. Error just blew them up like it was nothing! Cross felt the color drain from his face. Horror mirroring him but for a very different reason. The doors…

“Err..or?” Cross blinked back to it, ah right shit- Horror was one of the ones hurt the hardest at the news of Error’s supposed death…

Chapter Text

####, ##

The castle rattled with the sound of a Gaster blaster, then the sound of a glass plate shattering rang through the halls. Nightmare was pulled from his study at the quick waves of negativity overtaking the quiet peace that had finally settled over the manor with just him and Horror occupying it at the moment. He had been working with X chara to retrace Cross’s whereabouts, Cross was too useful to lose after all. He had come up with little and was brooding in his study when the strong emotions washed over him followed by the sharp sound of glass breaking the level below.

Nightmare stood and walked out, closing the door behind him with a tentacle. Whoever had broken into his base didn’t come to fight if the now silence that stretched had anything to say. He moved along, a boney hand trailing along the dark oak railing as he made his way to the staircase. He was met with the sight of his tallest follower still at the stairs below, and across from said follower, the man he’s been ‘pining’ for since meeting who had disappeared five years and two weeks ago. Error raised his gaze, looking at Nightmare almost lazily, like he hadn’t just reappeared in Nightmares life after five years of brooding and killing and making his emotions everyone else’s problem.

“Forget something?” Error’s glitchy tone rang out over the silence that settled. Error raised a bone brow, strings dropping a slightly glitching Cross and his weapon. Cross had been in the anti-void. The knowledge hit him, it was always a possibility but he couldn’t access it to check. He knew the effect the anti-void had on people in it for too long, he never knew how Error could live in a place like that.

“You found him.” Nightmare stated dryly, watching Cross for a moment before shifting his gaze back to the other god.

“I did. You're welcome.” The Black and blue skeleton huffed, crossing his arms and looking away. Ah, yes, his darling did like attention, being credited where credit was due.

“Thank you, Error.” Nightmare said finally after the silence seemed to settle again. Error raised a bone brow, sparing him a second glance before turning away, seeming to intend to leave. Nightmare wouldn’t let him go just yet. It’s been far too long. He shifted into the shadows below his feet, reshaping in front of Error. He tilted his head up slightly, just so he could look down at Error. That used to be easy, looking down at him, but for some reason Error was taller. Perhaps he should make him slouch some.

Error scowled momentarily, taking a step back to put more space between them. Still feared touch. Good. “Leaving so soon, Error?” Nightmare hummed, lifting a brow as his eye light stared into Error mismatched ones. They were.. prettier than Nightmare remembered them being. Easy to stare into, even while narrowed in what could be disgust or hate. The emotions that seeped from those expressions were delicious to him, so much so he had to hold back a grin from growing, even if it would bring him more of the taste that stuck to his tongue and felt like silk down his throat. Error always had that never ending sorrow kind of emotion stuck to him, like it was embedded in his soul. It was what made Nightmare want him a round more, what had made him tolerable at first despite Error’s superior fighting skills. Error now though.. It was different, but so much better. The negativity draped itself over him, despite him appearing fine.

Nightmare clenched his jaw slightly, his soul practically purring at just being so close to the object of his twisted affections. He wondered what Error had been doing, where he had been, why he had come back with worse, better tasting, emotions. But Nightmare wasn’t afraid of being blunt. “Where have you been.” He demanded, watching Error glare, annoyance flaring on Nightmare’s tongue.

”Why is everyone acting like I have been gone? Fresh, Cross, now you? Again, You saw me last Wednesday, when you demanded I appear for Killer’s birthday.” Error scowled, making Nightmare lift a bone brow as Horror, who had moved over to Cross to help him up, shared a confused look with Cross. Killer had invited Error to his recruitment day, which killer had every time it was coming up since Error first actually tolerated them. Error never showed though, but he had given Killer a scarf for his recruitment day two years before Error’s disappearance.

“Perhaps you really are starting to lose your memory by staying in that void. Really you should just start staying with me, Error.” Nightmare said with a sigh, stepping closer. “It’s for your own good, really.” He purred, grinning devilishly. Error growled, a sound that licked up Nightmares spine.

“As if. Not. Happening.” Error glared, head tilting slightly as his hands twitched at his side. He was thinking of killing Nightmare, and for a twisted reason that only pleased the God of Negativity even more. He liked that Error’s emotions so easily belonged to him. Even more so now that he was back, and changed. Nightmare would figure out each little difference, find what changed. This wasn’t the Error he was used to, he could tell, but it would be his Error.

“Why not? It clearly is not good for your health, Error.” Nightmare smirked, taking another step, which Error finally relented and stepped back himself. He was tempted to touch him, see how he’d react now. He reached with a quick tentacle around Error’s ankle, catching him off guard with a large glitch as he glanced down, before Nightmare grabbed Error’s jaw. He watched in sadistic pleasure as Error glitched horribly, trying to pull away without making more contact as he got close to crashing. Nightmare’s joy was stamped as Cross yelled at him.

”Boss! Stop!” Cross shouted at Nightmare, making the goop covered skeleton side eye him, grin falling. ”i-it really, really hurts!” Cross exclaimed, making Nightmare raise a brow, how could Error glitching hurt Cross?

“What does Cross.” Nightmare huffed, hand tightening on Error’s jaw who had gone limp.

”Glitching! I-it’s bad.. it hurts.. so much..” Cross said tears slipped from his sockets as his worried tearful gaze shifted between nightmare and Error, who the god of negativity was basically torturing. Error had crashed and went limp long before Nightmare looked back at him, large blocks of code glitching in and out, covering his fully blue sockets as his body twitched and glitched heavily.

Nightmare gave a considering hum, watching Error with a new spark of interest. He scooped Error’s limp body up with a tentacle. “Looks like he'll be staying in the manor tonight.” He hummed casually, turning away and walking up the stairs as his two horrified followers watched. They couldn’t do anything. They just watched Error, who had been gone for so long, be basically tortured as soon as he got back, after saving Cross.

Chapter Text

Doodlesphere

Ink stared blankly at the white and black chara demanding answers as to a certain naive skeleton’s whereabouts. Chara’s face was starting to redden in anger as he yelled at Ink, who remained silent and emotionless. Chara had stalked him, he knew that. Chara used his ink splash when he teleported from Underswap to the Doodleshpere, jumping in just as the ink was drying up. Now he was here.

“Just tell me where he is Ink, I know he came to see you the day he vanished! He told me before leaving.” Chara had glared, a scowl on his lips. Tsk snitch.

“I don’t know, Friend. I told you, he left after I showed him a new au.” Ink huffed, rolling his white eyelights. Hand shifting over Broomie, other hand resting upon his hip.

“Which au, Ink? He’s been gone for basically six months! What did you do?!” Chara yelled, hands clenching tightly into fists at his side as he fought from pulling his knife out. If it resulted in a fight, he’d be at a disadvantage.

“Why does it matter? Don’t you have better things to do, like play dolls perhaps?” Ink scoffed, bone brows furrowing as his eyelights flashed a light green.

Chara flinched back slightly, despite not fearing Ink much there was still more ink could do in this situation than him. He needed to choose his battles. The familiar sound of a scripts rustling and crinkling made Ink turn his gaze to the side, surprised. Black tar like goop seeped from one of the many scripts on one of the many islands, dripping in globs onto the tan grass with soft crunches. Ink’s eyelights stayed a light green, annoyance clear. The goop shifted and shaped into the God of Negativity who grinned lazily, hands in his old jacket pockets. He had thrown it on before coming here.

“Nightmare. Why are you here?” Ink not so subtly demanded, he’d call Dream here if Nightmare tried to start a fight.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here for you.” Nightmare rolled his eye light, the gall Ink had to always assume everything was about him always made Nightmare irritated. “We got him back at base.” Nightmare hummed, shifting his eye light to Chara who stiffened for a moment before giving a nod. Chara jumped across the gap, landing next to nightmare as Ink stared with a blank expression, sockets ever so slightly widened. They found him already? How? Had he become like Error and got out himself, or had Error gotten Cross out? It made his annoyance shift to a twisted joy, it felt real, actually real. Like he had produced the emotions himself.. even though he couldn’t physically do that without his paint vials.

“But- how? Where was he?” Chara asked in a not so quiet whisper, gaze on the taller man. Shutting his mouth when Nightmare’s gaze landed on him again with that warning look.

“He was in the anti void.” Nightmare said, staring back at Ink whose gaze had shifted to an almost anxious purple. “Someone got him out for us.” He said staring at Ink a moment longer to watch the other’s expression tighten before he curled a tentacle around Chara at his side and disappear into a pile of goop that dried and vanished from the place on the tan grass

Ink stared long after the god and human disappeared from sight. Nightmare had practically proved what Ink already knew. Error was alive. He was thrilled, he could shove it into Dream’s face for his doubt in him. His eye lights changed to a yellow diamond and star to showcase his excitement. Error was back, alive, just as he always said he was.

Ink had to tell Dream. He had to tell swap, no he had to tell everyone! Error was back! Their rivalry could continue! People would still need him, need his protection. He wouldn’t be forgotten. He’d stay the hero.

Chapter Text

Judgetale, December 4

Dream stepped along the path, a small smile on his face as he held a warm cup of hot chocolate, still steaming. A soft yellow hand made scarf around his neck, he didn’t quite know how he got it, but it had shown up in his home a few years ago. The snow had started to fall a few days after the meeting he had held here in Judgetale. The soft white covering everything in the city. He was heading back to his small home after going to his favorite cafe for a small treat. Admittedly he had chickened out and just got the amazing hot chocolate they had.

The snow was still light and crunched softly under his boots as he turned down the path to his house. He shifted the cup into one hand as he searched his pockets for the keys with his other, getting up the steps while still struggling with his coat pockets. Finally fishing said keys out, he unlocked his front door and pushed it open, gently closing it with his hip as he placed his keys in the small bowl at the door. Shuffling out of his boots, one handed, as he split his attention between the action and keeping his cup from spilling.

He shimmied his coat off, keeping the scarf on, and made his way to his kitchen, pausing when he spotted Fresh leaning back against his dining table, hands in his colorful pockets as if he had been waiting for Dream. Dream swallowed before managing a kind smile. “Fresh, what brings you?” Dream asked softly, moving into his open kitchen, setting his cup down on the counter and he started to rummage through his cupboards, looking for his stash of tea to serve guests.

“Things. No need, broskie, won't be long.” Fresh grinned, glasses decidedly blank as he watched the god. Dream looked back over his shoulder before slowly closing his cupboards and turning back towards him, taking his warm cup back as he watched the intruder.

Before Fresh could get on with what he was going to bring up, a splash of ink appeared on Dream wood flooring, Ink popping out with a large grin which faltered slightly as confusion briefly took over at seeing Fresh. “Oh hi Fresh.” Ink greeted, with a small awkward smile before shifting his gaze to Dream, pushing Fresh’s presence to the side of his mind. “Dream! Error is back!” Ink bounced on his toes, grin wide and eyes filled with stars. Dream didn’t seem as pleased with Ink’s ‘reveal’ as Ink was. Frowning instead and looking a bit displeased.

“Ink, we’ve talked about this. He’s not back, not until we actually have proof.” Dream sighed, holding his warm cup in his boney hands. Fresh watched curiously between the two star sans.

“No, No, but I do have proof!”

”Do you now?”

”Yes! Nightmare said so.” Dream took in a deep breath, he could already feel annoyance simmering in his soul.

“Ink, did Nightmare specifically say Error was back?” Ink paused at that, blinking at Dream.

”Well, no but he hinted-“

”Ink, He’s done that before. On multiple occasions to throw us off.”

”I know.” Ink huffed, crossing his arms with a disgruntled expression. “But listen, I was talking to X chara, or well he was yelling at me. Which was very rude by the way, and he was wondering where Cross was, and nightmare came and said someone found Cross in the anti void.” Ink recalled the previous meeting just moments before showing up in dream’s home. Dreams brows furrowed, a flash of confusion taking over his expression. Cross had been missing? Why hadn’t he known that? Why would Chara yell at ink for that.

“First off Ink, why was Cross in the anti void? And second, You do know Error, and you, aren’t the only ones that had access to the anti void. Fresh here does.” Dream said, setting his cup down and crossing his arms, expression hardening. He felt Ink was at fault here.

Ink paused at the question, before glancing to the side where Fresh was watching, glasses reading “wo-ah” from the, what he really could only describe, fight. “Ah- i- im not sure,”

”Also, why was X Chara ‘yelling’ at you to try and figure out where Cross was?” Dream asked, raising a brow as he watched Ink sputter, trying to come up with an excuse.

“Well, I said I would help look for him.” Ink decided after a slow moment of thinking. Dream didn’t look very convinced.

“Right. Well, you may be convinced, but I will not believe Error is back until I see him myself.” Dream said, watching Ink’s expression as it shifted from nervous to anger flashing by quickly before he settled on being disgruntled. Ink clicked his tongue and looked away, very much pouting. Dream really couldn’t bring himself to care, so he shook his head and turned his attention back to Fresh, his first home invader.

“Fresh, what was it that you needed?” Dream hummed, finally taking a sip of his slightly cold hot chocolate. It was still good despite being lukewarm. Fresh turned back to Dream, having been watching ink pout childishly.

“Just wanted ta talk brah.” Fresh hummed, and how he said it gave Dream the feeling that Fresh was meaning to speak to him in private, and while he wasn’t exactly comfortable with being alone with fresh, he knew fresh, probably, wouldn’t try anything against him.

Dream gave a small nod, glancing back at Ink who was still acting upset in an attempt to get Dream to go coddle him like the first few years of their friendship. “Ink, I think you should go.” Dream said, taking another sip of his chocolate drink. Ink stared at him, sockets going wide in clear surprise. He looked between Dream and Fresh for a moment before huffing and turning away, swiping Dream’s wood floor with more black ink and falling into it, leaving Dream’s home.

As soon as Ink was gone the remaining two turned back to each other. “Your Radical Brah has mega news” Fresh stated with a large grin, gold tooth glinting in the soft light of Dreams lamps.

Chapter Text

“Dream.” The voice glitched as it called out, deep and firm, yet somehow soft to the yellow skeleton’s nonexistent ears. Dream swallowed nervously, turning his head away as the other leaned close. He hated being so close to people, yet still he pinned Dream to the counter. Not touching, never touching, not yet. Multi color hands on either side of the Royal’s hips, holding the counter’s edge. Dream shivered, feeling the warm breath, of who was suppose to be his enemy, against his neck. The only soft light coming from his living room where his fireplace was lit and the Christmas tree was shining bright. Yet the tree’s lights couldn’t compete with the colors of the others eyes when Dream fought the cowardness and finally look back at the ever so slightly shorter skeleton. His breath hitched, the other watching him intently.

”Why d0 you f1ght whether or n0t to accept me? Y0u l1sten and let m3 in, yet figh7 me wi7h such aggress1on.” He said tilting his head slightly. Dream’s throat felt dry. “Why d0n’t you just p1ck? Make up y0ur mind?””i.. I can’t. It’s not that simple..” Dream admitted breathlessly, eyelights falling to the others mouth when he least wanted them to. He shook his head forcing his eyes back up. The other skeleton seems amused.

“Because 0f Ink?” Dream’s soul seized, his own hands holding the edge of the counter tightening, if his knuckles hadn’t already been white, they would be now. His voice was bitter sweet, resigned, like he knew or could guess what happens next.

“T-that’s not fair..” Dream said shakily, the weight of emotions he didn’t wanna sort through and the bitterness or even sadness from the other man weighed down his shoulders.

”N0, It’s not.” He didn’t seem liked he cared whether or not if it was ‘fair’. “Y0u’1l alw@ys p1ck him.” Dreams breath left him, feeling his soul squeeze painfully. The other man stopped him from speaking first. “We b07h know you cho0s3 him.” Dream took in a breath, a crazy idea taking over his mind. Before he could stop himself he was reaching forward, cupping the dark cheeks and clinking teeth. The sound of static following.

Judgetale, December 5, 4:05

Dream shot up with a gasp, gripping his sheets. His cheeks quickly warmed, embaressment flooding him as his mind replayed.. and replayed. Dream hugged his knees, burying his face. ‘God im so stupid.’ He internally berated, cheeks a bright yellow. He rested his chin on his knees, his bedroom dark and cold. His finger tips brushing against his teeth briefly. He had left his bedroom window open, a small pile of snow on his floor in front of his window, the curtains fluttering with the little wind.

Dream looked to his nightstand, where he had placed the yellow scarfs. He knew how he got it. Remembered when he got it. He had always denied knowing, always said it just showed up, and despite it being half true, the scarf hadn’t come alone all those years ago. Swap had looked at the scarf when he first wore it as if it was something that was stole, like it hadn’t belonged to Dream and he was trying to figure out how it got into the royal’s hands. He couldn’t tell anyone, especially not Swap.

Dream took in a shaky breath as he leaned over and grabbed the yellow fabric he slept with on his nightstand every night without fail for the past five years. He’s tried his hardest to let go. He can’t. He rubbed his thumb against the slightly worn but good condition fabric. That dream.. no.. he hasn’t thought of that night in so long, he hadn’t wanted to think about it, about him. But Fresh just had to go and confirm things to him.

“Well, what’s the news?”

“Turns out brah, our radical broskie Error is bad, and changed. But back.” Fresh had grinned, stepping closer and leaning in, glasses sliding down ever so slightly, gaze intense on the royal. Like he knew Dream’s darkest secrets. It had made Dream stiffen and gulp, because it wouldn’t be all that far fetched if Fresh did know. Fresh knows many things he shouldn’t.

“You..saw him?” Dream had asked, he had to know. Fresh was telling him this for some reason, and wouldn’t lie about this. Fresh gave a nod, straightening.

“In his not so rad home. Maybe some uncool memory damage?” Fresh hummed leaning against the counter watching Dream’s expression.

“Wha- was he hurt?” Dream asked hands tightening around his cup.

“Nah, didn’t look it. Buuut actin’ a bit funky is all. He’s taller too.” Fresh said almost casually, yet it left the hint he had been admiring the new height.

Fresh had not been much help with all the stress Dream had already been feeling. Already worried for the multiverse he has to protect and now Error being truly back.. He shouldn’t feel the small warmth that tried sprouting like a flower in the creaks of concrete. But he was glad Error wasn’t dead.. Even if hell have to hear about it from Ink for as long as he’ll remember it.

Dream sighs, wrapping the yellow scarf around his neck as he slips out of bed, walking barefoot to his window to close it. He’ll clean the snow in the morning, or rather later as it was already four.

He sat back on the edge of his bed, hand going to the scarf around his neck, just holding it even though on a technicality it would be hugging him. He should get up and get readuy for the day. At least to get his mind off things. Of the man invading his mind and all the memories the thought of him brought in. Who was he kiddening when he led himself to believe he’d even be okay with Error disappearing? His soul just felt empty where he wanted it to be whole for once, and he could finally tell himself why it felt empty. finally acknowledge what the Destroyer had meant to him without ultimately being ashamed of it.

Swap was going to kill him.

Chapter Text

It was dark, not sufficatingly so, but it's been some time since Error had last woke up to darkness. He stared up at the intricately carved ceiling with the small sliver of light that pooled in from the moon fighting against the heavy curtains into the room. He wasn’t sure how long he stared, but it was quiet. Mostly so. A figure loomed to his left, standing next to the bed he was in.

Why was he here? The memories were blurry. He remembered.. bringing cross back to the castle, nightmare being an ass, then everything else gets staticky. Because of Nightmare. Error shifts his gaze to his side to look at the other, being met with a red eyelight that glowed dimly in the darkness, enough not to have fought the moon had the curtains been opened but bright enough it gave a red hue to nearer objects.

Error stared, Horror stared back. Neither making a move as Horror’s gaze remained unblinking. Error turned his gaze away first, pushing himself to sit. He was in a large bed, the sheets heavy but clearly of good quality. Error squinted, glancing around the room after noticing his jacket was no longer on his person. In his red sweater and basketball shorts. His slippers, on further examination, laid on the floor by the bed.

Horror finally moving caught Error’s attention, glancing at the larger skeleton who continued to stare. He held something in an outstretched hand, and Error reached for it, recognizing the shape and color of his glasses.

”Thank you, Horror.” Error muttered as he slipped the red rimmed glasses on, ignoring the intense stare. He glanced back up at the large man, examining him more closely. Horror’s cracked skull was worse than Error remembered it being, bigger with a creak going down to his working socket. “Have you been here the whole time?” Error simply got a firm nod. He gave a small hum back, shifting to the other side of the bed and grabbing his slipper’s from by Horror’s feet with his strings.

He had just slipped them on and stood when horror popped in front of him with a quick zap of magic. He plopped back down onto the edge of the bed, staring up at Horror blankly. Horror always had towered over most, including him. Especially right now. His mismatched eyes narrowed at Horror, a scowl taking over his expression.

“No..leave..yet.” Horror grumbled, own sockets narrowing, stance firm and intimidating. Horror has always been sort of.. odd, scary to the other more normal sans, he’s never threatened Error before. Error was at least pretty sure that was a threat. Or we’ll a demand at least. He wasnt in the mood to deal with this but he couldn’t leave without his stuff, or well he didn’t want to leave without his stuff. Who knows what nightmare might do to it, especially when he seemed worse then before. The thought made a disgusted shutter run through Error.

“Horror, move.” Error demanded, fingers twitching as the urge to just move the larger skeleton himself itched his fingertips.

“N..o.” Horror stood firm, his own lour less venomous but a lot more intimidating then Error’s scowl.

The creak of the large door shifted both glaring occupants’ gazes. Killer stood in the door way, same cocky grin as always. The target soul still bright in the middle of his sternum. “Well well, guess our special guest really is back. Trying to ditch us glitchy?” Killer tilted her head a slight bit to the side, black sockets crescenting as his grin widened a bit more. “Have fun without us?”

Error scoffed, rolling his mismatched eye lights. He was starting to get annoyed with whatever prank everyone else seemed to be in on. It was childish.. just not when he pulled pranks of course.

“Fun? With what Killer?” Error huffed, crossing his arms head turned towards the shorter of the two gang members, the taller one still planted in front of Error, staring down at the black skeleton once more. Error ignored the stare that was basically trying to burn a hole in the side of his head.

“Who knows glitchy, New friends?” The way killer said it almost sounded like an accusation, almost condescending, mocking? Error glared.

“Stop calling me that.” He scowled, on alert. Did they already know about 604 sans? He only met the other like. A week and a half ago by now, and only once. “And what friends?”

”Right, you’ve always been hard to like.” Killer snickered, ignoring the grumble of disapproval from his gang mate. Anger flashed in error’s soul despite him knowing Killer was right, maybe that’s what splashed the fire out so quickly.

“Whatever. Where’s my jacket?” Error said with a sigh, bone brows furrowing slightly when killer paused, expression blankening, seemingly surprised by the glitches reaction. As if he had been expecting something else. He recovered quickly though.

“Noooo idea.” Killer hummed turning on his heel and leaving Error and his watch dog in the room once more.

Chapter Text

The sudden blast shook the floor under Horror’s boots, making the plate in his hand tremble and the chandelier above him clink together with the sounds of fragile glass. The wood and concrete crumbled to debris, blocking the view of the intruder with the dust that shot up and filled the air. Horror watched in mild fascination, there weren't many who could get into the au without Nightmare, let alone who knew about it.

Horror seized Horror when the dust cleared and a familiar red slipper crushed some concrete under it as a figure stepped closer. Multicolor eye lights glancing around lazily as if nothing had happened. Horror stared, shock taking hold of his soul, his grip on the glass plate loosening and the food he had made falling to the stone floor where it shattered, ruining his meal. He hated wasting food. But he wouldn’t eat that, Nightmare had shown disapproval at such things as eating food of the ground before. He’d just bring an extra plate up to Papyrus later.

But right now, his focus was on Error, and Cross apparently. He paid little to Cross though. Red eye light focused on the man he always made sure to cook extra for so he wouldn’t go without. The man who had disappeared and Horror’s and his brother’s fragile family went with. He only snapped out of his narrowed focus when his boss spoke up. Nightmare and Error holding a conversation easily, with animated emotions from the non-goop covered black skeleton. As Nightmare walked down the stairs Horror made his move, getting to cross’s side where the shorter man had been dumped on the floor unceremoniously.

Horror was watching with a small frown as nightmare began pestering Error who had just got back, one hand out for cross to hold to steady himself, other around but not touching cross. Providing support. A soul crushing terror struck him when nightmare held error, that sadistic grin and wild look in his boss’s eyelight making him feel sick. He and cross watched nightmare drag error away, most likely to place him in a unused but clean room.

Horror said nothing as he helped cross back to his room, even as cross began to ramble beside him, talking about how it was cruel what nightmare had done. What was horror supposed to say? Nightmare has always been cruel, it was seemingly in the gods nature. He checked for injuries, finding a few scraps and fractures, in Cross’s bathroom. He’d have to get the medic up here later. But there was nothing immediate or too worrying. So he let Cross wash up and left to check upon his brother.

Papyrus was in his room directly next to Horror’s, fiddling with some craft with supplies Dust had given the papyrus some time ago. Papyrus glanced up at the small creak of the door, smiling widely with his ragged teeth. Horror sat next to Papyrus in silence, unsure what to say, if he should tell his brother of Error’s return, of Nightmares cruelness despite his generosity towards him and his brother? Horror wasn’t sure. So he sat in silence as his brother rumbled quietly about his craft.

He was pulled from his time with his brother by Nightmare’s call. Meeting the God in his study. Given the task, which he happily accepted, to watch over Error due to being the only member there that was uninjured. He took to Error’s side immediately, though he would’ve anyways even if he had not been ordered. He only hadn’t as Nightmare had been with him, clearly not wishing to be disturbed.

He watched in a calm silence as Error laid in the dark sheets unmoving for time Horror didn’t care to check. A peace had filled his soul once more at just watching the other. When error awoke and just stared at the ceiling, not yet acknowledging Horror’s presence, the breath he held was instinctual. His gaze unblinking when Error’s gaze did land on him. When Error squinted and glanced around, something he didn’t do often do to it proving weakness, Horror was quick to offer the red glasses he had taken from the black skeleton’s jacket in Nightmare’s study before coming. His soul jumping with a rush of warmth when error thanked him, only to harden when Error attempted to get up. No. He couldn’t have that. Error had only rested for a few hours, he needed more. Horror would watch over and protect him again. If the harsh panic that seized him had anything to say, he pushed it away. He didn’t want Error out of his sight. Not even when Error grew annoyed with him.

He could tell Error was fighting moving him physically when he refused to budge, but Killer interrupted. He glared at Killer. Of course he’d head here as soon as he was done with a mission. Dust probably would just check Error later if Killer was already back. It made an irritation he didn’t feel often flare. When killer called Error ‘hard to like’ Horror had to refrain from pulling his axe out. No. He couldn’t harm killer, not in front of error at least. Perhaps in a spar? Error didn’t raise to the bait though, just changed topic. It made Horror slightly proud. Watching killer still before playing off his confusion and leaving. He watched Error scowl and huffed, rolling his eye lights before looking back up at Horror. He glared while Horror stared, unmoving. He knew Error would refrain from harming him, despite Error being.. different, it was still Error. Where his string ended. It was like a dream, Error returning and being where his string had led this whole time. He didn’t have more than one like some. Just Error.

Just Error.

Chapter Text

Killer left the room feeling.. complicated. Shutting the door behind him and just standing in the hall in front of the dark oak for some time. Feeling was difficult under Nightmare’s rule, but messing with Error, spending time, cracking jokes, trading insults, they had all been fun, happy memories in this manor and out in the wild. With Error. They had all been with Error. Sure he got along with the other members fine, but it wasn’t the same. He hadn’t been forced to tolerate Error like he had the others. Maybe now he was friends with the others, but he had a choice when it came to liking Error. There had always been a pull towards the God of destruction. Like maybe.. maybe he wasn’t suppose to be under the God of negativity’s rule. If he had a choice, and if Error had started a cult- sorry, gang, like Nightmare had, he would’ve joined Error in a soul beat.

When Error had first tolerated their ‘gang’ Killer used any time he was allowed to mess with Error. He loved the God’s reactions, annoyance, anger, sometimes, rare sometimes that always made Killer skip a soul beat, he would smirk, or hell even give a chuckle. It always left Killer feeling proud, accomplished. Like a mortal watching their deity accept their offering. Always made him melt internally when Error would smile a genuine, warm smile, or laugh at a dumb joke or pun.

Error’s jokes were always horrible, worse than even Killer’s, but still, it had always drew a laugh from the target soul skeleton. Because Error rarely joked, and they were so bad that it was hilarious, more so Error’s pride in his joke than the actual joke. And when Error started showing more often, Killer had popped the question. No not for his hand in marriage, but if he’d come to his recruitment day. It was something that Horror had started when celebrating Paprika’s birthday, noticing how no one celebrated their own. So each of them chose a day, either the day they were recruited or near that time, to be a day of celebration in place of a birthday.

He asked every time since Error started tolerating them, he never came though. Only one time had he given Killer seven years ago a red and white striped scarf he had made himself. Killer keeps it in a box, hidden under his bed to keep it safe. The only one of the gang who knows he has it would be Dust, who had been there with him when he was given it.

Speaking of, Dust stood outside his door. Hood up, hands in his pockets, speaking to himself like usual. Killer approached, giving his classic smile.

”Dusty, there you are.” Dust glanced back at Killer, his eyelights shining through the darkness of his hood and the dimly lit hallway. He gave a small hum, acknowledging the other skeleton. “Takling to yourself again? Oh, right, you’d prefer Papyrus wouldn’t you?” Killer snickered, watching who he’d call his best friend roll his eyelights.

“What do you want?”

”Just wondering what had you just standing outside my room.” Dust clicked his teeth in a show of annoyance that had killer chuckling. Dust glanced up and gave a small grimace, stepping back. Killer tensed slightly at the presence behind him. He turned, coming face to face with Paprika who was slouched forward slightly, giving Killer a smile with the jagged teeth of his. Killer held back a shiver. If he upset Paprika, Horror would definitely have his head.

“Hey.. paps.” Killer muttered turning and stepping back, closer to Dust who was muttering to himself again. ”need somethin’?”

Paprika tilted his head, stare just as intense as Horrors could be at time, if not even more so. “Err..or?” He grumbled softly. Killer shared a glance with Dust who shrugs. Had Horror told him? Killer was sure horror would’ve brought Paprika with if the other knew Error was here.

“He’s resting. Down the hall.” Dust speaks up, nodding his head to the left where Killer had just come from moments ago. Paprika gave a nod and turned, stalking off towards the room that housed the god of destruction.

Killer released a breath, turning to Dust who tilted his head toward Killer’s room. The target skeleton gave a nod and pushed his door open, dust following close behind.

Chapter Text

“You came! Amazing,” White eyelights making the feel of ice cubes settle in his stomach. He steps back as Ink pushes forward.

“You’re looking great cross, now I called you here for a reason. Think you could do something for me?” His soul rapid in his rib cage, everything feeling so small, too close. Hands grabbing him from every direction. Black ink dragging him to their depths, submerging him slowly as ink rattled on and on above him. But no words reached him, not as he was fighting, thrashing, breathing coming out fast and heavy. Ink pouring into his mouth, sliding down his tongue and filling his throat, his nose, his eyes. Everything was wet, yet so solid, hard to move, hard to breath. He was dying. All he wanted to do was scream yet nothing surfaced, black liquid seizing any sound before it could be made.

This time, when he screamed it wasn’t held back. The sound ripping through the damp air of his room. Ringing back as he panted. Sweat slick against his bones, drenching his sheets. His soul hammering against his ribs, leaving little room for actual air. All he could do was cough, the feeling of the ink not leaving, stuck in his throat. His vision white. Never ending white. Pain trembled through his limbs, his screams echoing into his own ears, drowning out any other sound beside himself. He thrashed, fighting when he was grabbed, but the strong arms held him firmly. His shoulders shaking as glitches shook his body with shots of pain. The warmth of the chest he was pressed against calmed him. There wasn’t warmth before. Just ice cold white. Making him remember, making him breathe.

His vision went dark, sockets closed tightly. His throat ached, shaky breaths leaving his mouth. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t alone. Error saved him. He was back. At the manor. The pain settled, numbing. Who was with him? Error would never hold him like this, even if he wanted it. He stayed unmoving, letting the warm surround him with safety, to drive out the blinding nightmare that clenched his soul.

He took his time, the other holding him didn’t complain, just keeping his grip firm. Solid. He raised his head, opening his sockets and looking up at the skeleton holding him. Nearing jumping out of his bones with a soundless scream and passing out then and there after seeing the scruffy face of one of the only papyrus allowed within the manors walls. Paprika watched, blinking and tilting his head as Cross went limp in his arms and practically foamed from the mouth. Paprika gently shook the smaller version of his brother, watching with worried interest. He hadn’t meant to scare Cross, he only wanted to help. He lifted Cross, fixing the skeletons' sheets before laying Cross back down. He fixed the blankets along Cross and gently patted his head before standing again and stalking out of the room, heading back to his own.

Cross caught his breath, hands gripping his sheets. Staring up at the dark ceiling. He had accidentally upset Paprika hadn’t he? He’d apologize in the morning, the papyrus didn’t deserve that. He was already treated with caution by the others even after years of living at the manor. Cross turned his head, catching the glimpse of the shadows shifting in the corner of his room.

The shadows seemed to move, a glow of teal staring at Cross from the darkness. Nightmare. What was he doing here?

“I must say Cross, your screams have never tasted so good.” Nightmare purred, stepping from the corner, the room only lit by the dim nightlight across the room by the bathroom door. “It seems Ink really did a number on you.” He grinned, the action close but not quite as sadistic as when he finally got his hands on Error. It made Cross tense, an anxious feeling pooling in his non-existent stomach.

Chapter Text

Judgetale, December 5th.

Morning sun came, invading the cosy home with it's soft rays. Swap stood in the open kitchen, portioning two cups with some hot coco mix he had stashed at his best friend’s place some time ago. He had come to check on the yellow royal, given the time apart. He’s been busy with Carrot and his own au, keeping everything in order and taking up most of the tasks Ink dropped and the ones he figured Dream was to stressed to do at the time. Letting Dream focus on his royal duties and just stay in Judgetale to relax.

Dream already had so much on his plate, especially with Nightmare gaining more and more power which was throwing off the balance between the emotions. Swap knew he had to do something to help Dream decompress some, specifically with rumors of Error being back. His heart ached at the thought, if only they would be true. But he can’t, he can’t indulge those fantasies. For himself and for the others. For it would only bring more pain to them than happiness to him. A possibility.

The creak of the door came as Dream left his bedroom, having went to change after Swap showed up unprompted. Rubbing his skull and yawning as he took a seat at his table, pulling the yellow scarf he tended to wear around his neck. Swap stared at him for a moment, at it. It was made by Error. He knew it was. Even if Dream said he didn’t know how he got it, that it just showed up, Swap knew Error was who knit it. He’s seen, watched, Error craft many things. He knows something made by Error with just a glance. Especially after all that time he had spent with the Destroyer.

He averted his gaze before Dream caught him staring again, filling the cups with warm, bordering on hot, water. He mixed them and brought the cups over to the table, setting one in front of Dream and sitting beside him.

“So, Dream, are you doing alright?” He asked, gaze down at his cup for a moment before dragging it up to the Yellow royal, watching him as Dream fidgeted with his cup, avoiding eye contact like he tended to do when he felt guilty about something. “You seemed a little off when I got here.”

”ah, yeah yeah no im fine. Just a restless sleep is all.”

Swap stared at him, tilting his head as his blue eyelights bore into the other who refused to look back at him.

“Nightmare?”

”the thing or my brother?” Dream gave a small humorless smile. “But either is incorrect. I.. wouldn’t classify the dream i had last night to be a nightmare, more.. eye opening than anything.” He sighed, straightening his spine and closing his sockets as he rolled his neck.

“Eye opening? Did you come to a realization, is it about your brother, or Error?”

“Well, it was about one of them.”

“Which one Dream.”

“Doesn’t matter. What brings you, just checking in on this poor old skeleton?” Dream takes the cup of newly made coco and takes a sip, letting the warmth seep into his bones.

“You may be old, but you are far from poor Dream.” Swap scoffed, rolling his blue eyelights and lifting his own cup. “And you rarely spend anything. You rather get things handmade, right?” Swap hummed, stare subtle from the corner of his socket. He watched as Dream stilled, tensing in his chair and staring down at the cup in his white knuckle grasp. He watched in real time as his best friend tried coming up with an excuse.

“Y-yeah. Handmade things are always made with care Swap.” Dream cleared his throat, bringing the white mug up to his mouth, taking another drink. Swap gave a small nod. Error always took care in what he was making of it was a gift.

“Right. Well, anything you wanna tell me?” Swap set his own mug down, looking at Dream who shifted nervously. “Y’know, about your time off? Anything interesting?” He smiled. For some reason he didn’t feel bad for keeping Dream on edge like this, despite him being his best friend. But the bitter feeling in his chest built every time he saw Dream wear that scarf, a scarf he knew Error made. Lying to his face about it is only the whip cream on the pie.

Dream let out a quiet sigh, taking a quick glance up at Swap. “Uh, well.. Ink visited, so did Fresh. But other than that, everything has been normal.” Dream murmured, keeping his warm mug between his boney hands. Swap raised a brow.

“Did Ink bug you about Error being back and spew a long story at you too?”

“Mhm.” Dream nodded.

“Why did Fresh visit?”

“To confirm Error was back.” Dream said it so.. matter of factly, leaving no room for doubt. Swap could feel the whole universe stop, staring at Dream openly, sockets wide and eye light pinpricks in shock.

“What?”

Chapter Text

The silence of the doodlesphere was new. Usually Ink would be doing something too rid the empty feeling. To busy himself with things and people, yet, he had nothing to do. There was no one he could focus on, he had tried Swap’s place earlier but Carrot had said he was out just as he himself was about to as well. So he hadn’t bothered sticking around. Dream didn’t want to see him, or at least he got the impression of such when he had left yesterday evening, so that rules him out. And it’s true he could interact with many of the others, but which and would they even get his focus off of the probing questions that have been on his mind since his talk with Nightmare. About Error of course. His mind was usually full of Error.

The brown tail of his scarf was pulled into his lap as he stared at his rusted writing, having hurried to write it all down before leaving for Dream’s. Though, admittedly he just stared down at the name of his rival, the man that had taken up so much of his life aside from the last five years. It was hard to forget someone like that.

His eyelights white, the empty feeling staying despite having taken his paint vials upon waking. He still had a purpose, he knew that. It was just.. it wasn’t the same. Error is never at the anti-void when he visits, not like usual. Just empty white.. he couldn't stand to stay there longer than a quick look around. When he visits an au in crisis, Error is never there laughing maniacally in need of being stopped. Error was apart of his purpose. How was he ever suppose to be the protector of the multiverse if his destroyer wasn’t around?

Every Hero has a intimate relationship with a villain. It’s why the hero never actually truly stops the villain, so they can stay together forever. And his villain was gone, just gone. He can't be a proper hero without his villain. Maybe that’s why he threw Cross in the anti-void. Either he finds Error, or he becomes the next error. Either way there, he’d be the beloved hero once more protecting the multiverse with the Star Sans. With a villain. His villain.

Maybe he could focus on finding Error again if his Cross replacement plan failed. To be fair though, he never did stop looking for Error. Still went to the Au’s he remembered Error liked. Like Outertale. But Outer hadn’t really said anything to him whenever he went, always just standing at the farthest most cliff and staring at the sky for some time before walking away, leaving Ink in the field of blue. Then there was a few others that held no sign of him either.

He should check with Classic. Yes, he was suppose to wasnt he? Ink turned his scarf this and that way, looking it over and skimming the words written onto the fabric. Ah, I was. Ink hummed to himself pushing up as his eyelights brightened and turned yellow as his focus changed to something he was suppose to do two weeks ago and had forgotten about. He jumped into a newly made puddle of ink and was spit back out in the original au, in front of a surprised Papyrus.

“Oh, Are you okay Ink?” The taller skeleton asked stareing down at the excited protector. Ink bounced back up to his feet, not bothering to brush any snow that stuck off.

“Yes! Where is Classic?”

“Sans? He should be at Gillby’s, that lazy bag of bon-” Papyrus sighed shaking his head. Ink’s smile didn’t diminish as he turn and ran off before Papyrus could finish his sentence. He stood hands on his hips watching the protector run further into Snowden, a displeased frown on his face.

The bell above the door rung as ink swung the door open and entered Grillby’s, most conversations paused as everyone but two turned to look at the short man glancing around. Once Ink found his target in a stool at the bar, he approached and conversation slowly filtered back into the establishment. Grillby was wiping a glass cup, and Sans, or Classic, was nursing a bottle of ketchup, seemingly the usual. Ink smiled, standing next to Sans who spared a small glance of his eyelights at the protector.
“Sans! I am here, what was it that you needed?”

”Don’t anymore Ink. Took care of it.” Sans replied, taking a sip of the ketchup from the red bottle. Ink paused, tilting his head, watching Sans curiously.

“Oh, uh, well is there anything else you need my help with?”

“Nope. All is dandy.”

”are you sure? There isn’t anything I can help with?” Ink prodded, leaning closer looking at the taller skeleton who sighed.

“There isn’t anything wrong now Ink, we took care of it two weeks ago when you hadn’t shown up.”

“Oh.” Despite there being no actual accusation in Sans’ tone Ink still felt that there was. He had forgotten, and it seemed Sans had predicted he had. “Well, contact me if you do need me then.” Ink muttered, turning away and making his way out of Grillby’s, while other monsters stole glances at him. He paused outside the establishment and pulled out broomie, swiping the oversized paint brush against the white snow and dirtying it with a black puddle which he used to exit the original Au. It seems he’d have to find someone else to help if Sans hadn’t needed him.

Chapter Text

Fresh had wandered for some time after he had left Dream’s. He had felt.. enjoyment in the chaos he knew he caused the god, but now that it's been some time since, his thoughts, which had admittedly already been on the glitching skeleton, had returned to Error. Oooo and that couch he was thinking of giving him. What color should it be? He’d totally get a rad couch of colors if Error wouldn’t throw it out, but he knew the other man would. So something more ‘senseable’, whatever that was supposed to mean. Maybe a blue one? He was pretty sure Error’s beanbag was Red, would it clash? Should he get something else?

Fresh walks up and down isles, looking at the different options that come with couches. The variates in the colors, trying to decide. The white, blue, and yellow of the large store mixed with the calming music over head making Fresh forget how long he’d been there for. Surely not that long, all he’s been doing is looking at couches after all. The steps to his side have his glasses blanking for a moment before taking on the word ‘Hi??’ at the sans giving him a very customer service smile. The sans was shorter, having blue and yellow eyelights, and wearing a yellow uniform striped blue.

“Anything I can help with?” Kea asked, looking up at Fresh with the classic, albeit more nervous, smile. Gesturing to the couches on display. Fresh stared for a long minute before his totally rad smile spread across his skull.

“That’d be dope! Y’ see im lookin’ for this totally radastic couch for a buddy of mine,” Fresh grinned, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Just can't seem ta choose the right one.”

The Ikea sans thought for a moment, looking back at the couches and scratching his skull. “Something specific you looking for in a couch?” He asked, waving his hand over the many different accessible couch options. Foldable ones, rearranging ones, bed ones.. etc. Fresh seemed to zone out for a moment, becoming unresponsive for a minute or two before his cheek bones dusted a soft red.

“Oh uh.. somethin’ deep blue.” He muttered, clearing his throat and ‘fixing’ his hat. Shaking off whatever thoughts invaded his mind, letting his cheeks return the pristine white. Kea stared as he gave a slow nod. Right, blue then. “And.. maybe something that’s foldable.”

”Right, well, there is a few that would fit that description, I'll help you look.” He offered with a smile, leading the way.

*

Fresh wheels in his new purchase, large grin on his lips as the navy blue shies the bright white of the anti void away. Now he just has to figure out the best place for it on the terms of Error’s already made pile of things in the spot he tended to relax in.

He spends an undisclosed amount of time moving the couch around the large white space taking into account Error’s preferred conditions and spots, making sure not to move anything too much. He knew Error would be on his ass, not in the good way, for such an offense.

Fresh’s grin widens as he steps back, looking over the place meant, just slightly to the side behind the red bean bag, for optimal viewing of the ‘screen’ he knew Error made with portals to watch aus such as Undernovela. It was out of the way of the beanbag, but not too far as to be social distancing. A silly concept really, especially when Fresh didn’t believe in other people, *cough* Error *cough*, having personal space. Now that he thought about it, where was Error? He hadn’t seen him in a few days. Should he go search for him? What if he wandered off again after just recently getting back?

Fresh frowns at the thought, glasses blank once more as he turned and wheeled forward on his skateboard, shifting out of the space between the aus.