A Tiny Error

Chapter 22

Ink was full-on crying now, streams of rainbow tears running like iridescent rivers down his grief-stricken face. His voice cracked at the mention of giving his love to Error, and his attacks slowed down to barely anything. He collapsed to his knees, sobs racking his body as he cried his soul out.

Error stared down at Ink as he broke down, the guilt feeling heavier than anything he's ever lifted. He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around Ink, to tell him he was sorry, to embrace him, to kiss him, to love him as he had done only a day ago.

But he held himself back. Fresh would most certainly find out one way or another that Error wasn't doing as he was told, and then what would Fresh do? Probably take over the body of one of Error's friends.

He could take Ink.

Error could not allow that. No matter how much it hurt to be Ink's enemy, if Fresh ever got hold of Ink, they would still end up fighting. Error felt trapped, used, hopeless about the situation, and yet he couldn't stop staring at Ink. Finally, he backed away, continuing his path of destruction as the guilt and sorrow festered in his soul.

Ink closed his eyesockets, then opened them, watching as Error walked away. The creator stood up, a look of hatred marring his face. He picked up his paintbrush and retreated into the Doodlesphere, starting a creative spree that seemed almost destructive with which AUs he created. All of them were filled with anger, betrayal, hatred, and misery, which caught the attention of both Dream and Nightmare.

Dream entered the Doodlesphere apprehensively, the dark energy around him making him feel uneasy.

"I-Ink?" he called out, shivering from all the negativity. "A-are you here?"

He gasped when he saw the creator. Ink's eyelights were an unsettling white, his expression devoid of emotion. Dream had never seen Ink like this, and it made him nervous.

"Ink? Are you ok?"

The creator looked away, his eyelights flickering from dead white to a blue teardrop and a red crosshair, but returned to dead white just as quickly.

"..... Hey."

Dream put a hand on Ink's shoulder, and the creator looked back at him.
"Ink, what's wrong? What happened? Why are you creating so many negative AUs?"

Ink blinked and looked down, his expression never changing.
"...... Error's an asshole."

Dream gasped. "Wh-what?! How could you say that?!"

"BECAUSE HE BETRAYED ME!!!" Ink suddenly screamed, his emotionless expression cracking to reveal his volatile rage.
"I trusted him, Dream. I thought he could change, that he was better than a destroyer, that he wasn't a bad guy! But.... I guess I was wrong. And I'm the one who's paying for my idiocy."

Dream looked down, trying to think. Why would Error turn his back on Ink like this? Surely there was some logical explanation for his behavior, right?

"Hey, you!"

The two Stars looked to see Nightmare storm up to them.
"The hell is wrong with you?! I thought you and Error agreed no more destruction, and no more creation!"

"Yeah?!" Ink spat back. "Well, that was before he started destroying, again!"

Nightmare was taken aback. Error doesn't go back on his word, so what kind of bullshit is Ink talking about?!
"Error would never go back to that! He hated destroying, so what makes you think he'd willingly return to a job he loathed?!"

Ink groaned in annoyance and pointed up at the AUs being destroyed.
"Just look at what he's doing! I tried to stop him, but he ignored me! So tell me, Nightmare. Is this what your so-called 'friend' would do?"