Compelled Fate

Chapter Twenty

(Warning for manipulation and degrading! Not exactly sure If this is needed, but better safe than sorry, right?)

"I don't get it" Ink huffed out, dropping the knitting needles into his lap. A warm chuckle came from the skeleton beside him, making Ink glare at the other. "It's not funny" Ink whined, kicking his feet back and forth.

Crochet looked down at Ink with a smile on his face. "You've only been doing this for ten minutes Ink, You shouldn't give up so easily" Crochet chided. Ink looked into the blue and white heterochromatic eyes of Crochet, and glared at him, "It has not been ten minutes" Ink argued.

Laughter, then, "Okay, okay, sure" Crochet agreed. Crochet grabbed the knitting needles from Ink's lap, as well as the tangled, blue string connected to it. "How about we go back to Bringer and Breaker, huh? I'm sure that will be more fun" Crochet offered to Ink.

Ink looked away in thought, "I shouldn't give up though" Ink said frowning. Crochet shook his head, smiling, "Don't think of it as giving up Ink" Crochet told Ink, "More so as taking a break" The light-grey skeleton explained.

Crochet fiddled with his glasses. "I remember being just as frustrated as you are now when I first started this" Crochet stood up, shoving the knitting needles into the pocket of his white jacket. "Really? you were?" Ink questioned, marveled. "Of course! I didn't just wake up one day and know how to do this, Ink." A pause. "Just like how Daybringer didn't wake up and know how to play those songs you love on his flute, that's not how it works" Crochet spoke, grabbing Ink's hand. 

Ink frowned, and followed Crochet. "But I did" Ink responded, slightly confused. Crochet stopped moving for a moment, and glanced at Ink with a look Ink couldn't recognize. "Well..." Crochet seemed to think for a second, "you... That's a bit different" Crochet decided to say.

Ink felt Crochet squeeze his hand slightly. "Different?" Ink then added, "What do you mean?" He didn't budge when he felt Crochet pull his hand. Sighing, Crochet muttered, "Ink..." The Eighteen year-old found himself unable to answer the question Ink had asked him. "Chetty" Ink replied, grinning.

Turning fully to the kid, Crochet then said, "Well, It's just a different situation. It'd been unfair to compare them" Crochet vaguely stated. "Forget about it though Ink, don't you want to go and see the others?" Crochet asked Ink. Ink nodded excitingly, "yeah! Partial said He wanted to show me something cool!"  Ink exclaimed suddenly, as if he just remembered that fact. Crochet sighed, then laughed lightly. "Yeah, come on" Crochet smiled. 

Crochet paused, before grinning at him, "Oh, before I forget" Crochet grabbed something out of his pocket. The skeleton then put the item in Ink's hand, "Happy birthday Kiddo" Crochet said, patting his shoulder.

And then, Fire.

Ink woke up with the feeling of fire on his bones and ash in his mouth. Ink let out a shaky breath, relaxing as the ringing in his ears slowly faded. Groggily, the skeleton looked around his room, finding himself slightly surprised at the usual view of his concerningly messy room.

Ink stood out of his bed, and decided for the sake of his sanity that he wouldn't ponder on the feeling that he should of been somewhere else. Ink looked down at his feet, and saw his cat, who was staring at him unmoving.

The cat blinked, and Ink went to reach down to pet him, finding himself smiling at the familiarity of the action. Whiskers meowed softly, before running off, sliding his body through the small gap in the door. Sighing, Ink stood straight, looking around the room tiredly before grabbing the work belt that had lazily been dropped onto the desk by his bed, and drinking his paint.