Redefining Expectations-Insomnia Sequel

Chapter 7: Tradition and Home at Last

That's my nickname...Error's glitchy voice has to be what they mean...Is this a trap for a stranger to learn which bed has me or the aura's source? They seem so concerned...

"What exactly have you come for?"

"I've come for the match to my pair of shining yarn. Does your earring look like a sun with blue yarn at the center? I think your brother told me to find you."

"B-Brother..?"

If my other self is a girl here, then wouldn't Nightmare be a sister here? Unless that's a poor assumption...Or I'm getting brought back home and this is...

"Yeah, he may not look like himself but he's probably fighting his way off of a green float and smack anyone who tries to get in his way with a few tentacles. Your other brother is holding things together and wants you back safe."

Obscuro? Holding things together? Nightmare was put in the parade? Yep, those tentacles are probably swinging furiously. But can this be...Error? The voice is so soft...Wait...

"Umm, if you were to be disguised in Greek mythology, who would you be disguised as?"

"...Ares. Do you have the earring I described?"

I shift to the end of the bed where the silhouette is after hearing the right answer. Could it be? Hmm, I want to be sure I'm not giving it away so easily. It is far too valuable to lose...holds a lot of meaning...

"Can you show me yours?"

A single hand reaches through the curtain and I carefully observe it. Black as obsidian yet fading into red with nails painted yellow. In the palm of the hand is the matching earring. I grin, feeling relieved for a moment and taking it as confirmation that Error is on the other side. Then I consider the obvious change in his appearance since it isn't a skeletal hand reaching through. Could he have been changed when he got here? By how much? My mind tries to fill in the details hidden by his silhouette and I can only confirm that he isn't glitching visibly. I shake off my thoughts, recognizing that it's also him since his soul isn't reacting to my aura. I hope he isn't too unsettled when he sees that I've been changed...

"Do you look like yourself?"

"Umm, not exactly..."

"Should we go now? Is it okay to go now before my brother hurts someone?" I ask loud enough for those around us to hear.

His hand with the earring retreats back through the curtain.

Maybe that will be a good excuse for them not to stop us from leaving.

"Yes, we should. Shall we go find him?"He says

I brush the curtain aside, sliding off the bed and pause for a moment seeing Error as he clips his earring back on. He's covered in scales looking the same color as his bones and a tail slowly swishes at his heels behind him. He has blue freckles mimicking the pattern of his tear marks and the earring easily gets tucked behind long strands of curly hair with blue bands braiding them. He wears a blue sweater and long black pants.

This may not seem like much to others but to me, he's beautiful. Then I notice people entering the room and pausing to stare at Error out of his line of sight. Grins appear on their faces as they seem to admire his looks, yet their auras were more telling about their desires. They were admiring him but some wanted to touch him, to get him, to have him. Some specifically want to slap him because he's looking so good even though that doesn't make sense. I was disgusted by those desires specifically but felt a weird sense of anger overcome me at the people admiring him with all these desires. I didn't think before I grabbed Error's twitching hand and pull him out of the room. It was an impulse from an emotion I didn't recognize having before. I pull him down the hall, passing the long line and only seeing it grow as well as their overwhelming auras, making me panic for a moment. I quickly duck into a smaller room, locking the door behind Error.