Changing Errors Destiny

...Sorry Firefly... Ch. 18

WARNING
CUSSING
ABUSE
SADNESS-

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN START
PLEASE ENJOY
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3rd POV

"-when I was born, I looked just like Geno except as a baby of course. My dad loved me. At least he said he did. In the pictures he looked so happy. I was his second kid but his first one had ran away before I was born-"
"The papyrus right?" Ink asked.
"Yeah," Error responded.
"Oh,"
"Well, we grew up really happy together. Everything was great. But eventually 404 started to grow distant and spent a lot of time in the lab. He would rarely ever come out. He showed me the garden. He said it was special to him. His father was the Gaster of this Au, we were the third Generation. One day, though, I overheard him talking to someone. He was talking about his current project that he'd been working on. I was curious and wanted to listen considering anytime we would go in the lab the project was gone. I was hiding behind the door.
'I wonder who dad is talking to. He's been so secretive lately and never lets us see,'
"After, what are you doing?"
"W-what?" He asked as he looked up to see his dad, in front of him.
"What did I say about spying?"
"N-not too,"
Within the blink of an eye, After was on the ground.
'W-what happened' he thought to himself.
He looked up at his dad, it looked as if a shadow had looked over his head.
"D-dad?" After asking.
"I told you not to disturb me,"
"I-I'm sorry! It's just, I'm so curious about what you're doing in there!"
"Are you raising your voice at me?" 404 asked.
"N-no," After said.
"Get up," 404 commanded.
After did as he was told.
"Listen to what I say," 404 said coldly as he slapped After, he was pushed into the wall from the hit.
"D-dad?" After shuttered.
404 turned away and slammed the door shut. After wondering what he did wrong for his father to hit him like that. He thought it was unlike him. After wanted to give him space and of course... he forgave 404. After walking to his brother Geno and hugged him.
"What's this for?" He asked.
"Just needed a hug," After said as he let go.
He suddenly got an idea and grabbed Genos hand. Even though they looked like twins they weren't the same height. Geno was a lot taller and bigger then After. After quickly started to drag Geno. Geno was quite surprised by Afters strength.
    "Where are we going?' he asked.
    "To the garden!" After cheered.
Geno smiled as he started to run in unison with After. Once they made it, they entered through the door and sat down on a bench. After looked out upon the garden while Geno looked at After.
    "Who gave you that mark?" Geno asked.   
    "O-oh, n-no one," he answered.
    "After," Geno said.
    "Fine! I-it was... dad," he whispered.
    "Dad hit you?" he asked.
    "Y-yeah,"
    "Why?"
    "I was looking through the door when he was working on that mystery project," After said as he looked down.
    "Oh, After... I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked.
    "Because..." After saying as he looked to the floor. He promised that his brothers would never see him cry.
Ever.
"Has he hit you before?" Geno asked.
"N-no," After whispered.
"Hey!" After said quickly to change the subject.
"What?"
"Do you think anyone will ever fall through that hole instead of the other one?" After asked.
"Maybe," Geno said.
"That'd be cool!" After cheered.
"It would, wouldn't it," Geno replied as he looked up at the hole that let the sun in on the garden.
"Do you think dad might hit me again," After asked.
"I don't know," Geno replied.
After that conversation they eventually left to do whatever. Later on though the abuse continued. After would always get hit for doing mostly small things like tripping over something or bumping into someone else or an object. 404 had started to limit his food. He was allowed to eat three times a week. It had been a year since the abuse started. After was sitting in the garden as he watched the birds swoop in and out of the hole. Something caught his attention though as dirt started to fall over the side, only a little bit though. Suddenly something fell through.
"H-huh?" After said as he quickly stood up. He walked over to where whatever it was, fell.
"A-a... HUMAN?!" He yelled as he looked over them.
He quickly ran out of the garden.
"FATHER! FATHER!" He yelled.
"WHAT?!" 404 yelled.
"A HUMAN FELL INTO THE GARDEN!" He yelled
"What? Take me to them," 404 demanded.
"Y-yes sir," After said quickly.
He started to lead 404 to the garden, and to the human as they walked in.
"H-here," he said.
"How... that's not how this Au works," he whispered.
"Huh?" After asked.
"Nothing," 404 said coldly.
Both of their heads snapped towards the human as they sat up.
"Did you fall?" After asked.
"What else would they do?!" 404 asked sharply.
"Jump," After replied as he looked at his father.
"I-I... what?" 404 asked, confused.
"What?" After asking.
"How do you k-"
"Who are you," the human.
404 jumped.
"How unusual, they aren't following dialogue either," he whispered.
"That is weird," After said.
"How do you know about that?" 404 asked.
"I'm not dumb. I remember every time I died, and the world reset," After replied.
"Everytime?" 404 asked.
"Yep... every time," he said darkly.
"I-I... After,"
"It's okay! I forgive you!" He chirped.
After yelped as 404 hugged him. After started to cry. It was the first time in a year.
"D-dad," After said.
404 started to cry too.
"I'm sorry for all the abuse...but I don't have a choice," he whispered.
"Are you guys okay?" The human asked.
"Right! The human!" After said quickly,
404 let go of After and turned to the human.
"Sorry about that, what's your name?"
"Cidic, yours?" They asked.
"404, and this is After, I have two other sons inside too. Would you like to join us for dinner?" He asked.
"Sure. Thanks," Cidic said blankly.
"Follow me," he said.
The human got up, somehow unharmed and followed 404. After soon walked out and walked to his room. He wasn't allowed to eat in Tuesday's anymore. He sat down on his bed and grabbed paper. He started to draw.
"After?" 404 asked as he opened the door.
After quickly put the paper away, but 404 saw it.
"What was that?" He asked.
"J-just a drawing," After said.
"Let me see it,"
"I... okay... p-please don't rip it up tho?" After asked.
"It's good," 404 said as he looked at it.
"R-really?"
"Yeah...Now come for dinner,"
"B-but I'm not allowed to eat on Tuesday's," After whispered as he looked down.
"I'm allowing it," 404 said.
"Really!... just this once?" He asked.
"Every Tuesday," 404 repleid.
After started to cry.
"T-thank you..." he whispered.
"Come on," 404 said as he wiped After's tears.
They soon came out of After's room and made their way to the dining room.
"After!" Fresh yelled.
"But what are you doing? What about..." he started to ask.
"Dad said I can eat on Tuesday's now," After whispered back.
"Cool!" Fresh and Geno yelled at the same time.
They all sat down and After sat down next to Cidic.
"So Cidic, how did you fall?" Fresh asked.
"I was walking and didn't see it. I wasn't really paying attention," they replied.
"Oh. Well, are you okay?" He asked.
"Yes I am," they replied again.
"I'll have to take you to liana," 404 said as he placed the food down.
"Who's that?" They asked.
"They will take care of you, sadly I don't have enough space,"
"Is there any way I can get back?" They asked.
"Well... yes but I'd rather not prefer it. It's not worth it," 404 repleid.
404 walked over to After and bent down to his ear.
"Do your brothers remember everything too?" He whispered.
"Not that I know of," he whispered back.
"Okay," he said as he stood up and patted Afters head.
After giggled. 404 placed food on everyone's plate and sat down to eat.
"Thank you!" The boys said in unison.
"Thank you," Cidic said.
"I'd take the credit but Fresh made all of this," 404 said.
"Thank you, Fresh!" The boys said.
"Thank you, Fresh," Cidic said.
They all started to eat. After dinner, After cleaned off the table and went to grab the step stool to do the dishes.
"What are you doing?" 404 asked.
After jumped and turned around.
"O-oh... I was g-going to do the d-dishes," he stuttered as he looked at his dad.
"I'll do them," he said.
"W-what?"
"I'll do them,"
"B-but I ate tonight too, s-so it's my j-job," After said as he looked down.
"Yes, but you do them every day," 404 repleid.
"A-are you sure?"
"Yes, now go play with your sibling," he said.
"T-thank you sir," he said.
"I-I... your welcome," 404 said sadly.
After the walked off and accidentally looked for his brothers. He walked through the hall and came to Fresh's room.
"I miss After, but he's always sad..." Fresh said.
"I know, but we should try our best to make him happy,"
"I-I like hanging out with him, but dad always ruins it by yelling at him,"
"That's not Afters fault," Geno said.
"I know, I just don't want to get interrupted while playing,"
"I get it, but if After wants to play we need to let him,"
"Okay,"
After felt like he shouldn't bother them and walked away. He came upon his room and sat down on the floor. He grabbed the drawing and started to draw. Suddenly the door opened.
"Firefly? Why aren't you playing with your brothers?" 404 asked.
After wondered why 404 used his nickname again. He hasn't said it in a year.
"I didn't feel like I should've intruded," he said as he sat up and looked down.
"You can play with them you know, why did you feel like that?" He asked.
"B-because they said that they like playing with me, but it's always ruined because I get in trouble. That's my fault though," he whispered.
"That's not your fault, that's mine," he said as he sat down next to After.
"B-but-"
"After, it's not your fault,"
"O-oh," he whispered.
"I miss you,"After said.
"You see me everyday?"
"I miss when you were nice to me... is... what I mean," he responded.
"I-I-"
"The first time you hit me... was it because I looked into the lab? I didn't hear anything you even said or saw what you were working on," he said sadly.
"I-I'm sorry,"
"It's okay!"
"You're so sweet sometimes," 404 whispered.
"Huh?"
"Nothin, hey I want to give you something,"
"What is it?" After asked.
"Here," 404 said as he took a pendant off from under his shirt.
"W-wasn't this from mom?" He asked.
"Yes, she gave it to me before she passed. She told me to give it to you when the time is right. It's a key to the garden, so when it's closed you can go in whenever," he explained.
"But it's never closed?"
"In case it ever is though,"
"Oh...okay!" after chirped.
"Here, let me," 404 said as he put his hands out.
"O-okay," after scooted closer to 404.
404 placed the necklace over After's head and onto his shoulders.
"I promise to keep it safe," After whispered.
"Thank you," 404 repleid.
"I love you dad, no matter what," After said as he looked down.
"I love you too, but I can't promise that I'll stay this way. I have a problem and end up not being able to control what I do... I'm so sorry son,"
"I know... and it's okay,"
"Have you bandaged any of the wounds I gave you?" He asked.
"S-some of them... some I can't reach and I don't want to b-bother Geno," After whispered.
"Let me help," he responded.
"R-really?"
"Yes,"
"O-okay," After replied.
He turned around and took his jacket and shirt off. He had multiple cuts and bruises on his back. Some were bigger than others and still bleeding.
"I-I... I'm so sorry After," 404 said quickly,"
"It's okay. I forgive you!"
"You're just like Hahmi, you know that?"
"That's my big brother right?" He asked.
"Yep, he was always so forgiving to people who wronged him. I miss him," 404 said.
"O-oh... Will I ever meet him?"
"I don't know, I don't even know where he is. He was smart, you know? He probably traveled to another world,"
"That's specific,"
"Well that should feel a bit better,"
"You're done already?"
"Yep!"
"T-thank you," After said.
At first he put his arms up to hug 404 but put them down quickly.
"S-sor-"
He was cut off as 404 hugged him.
"I'm so sorry... I'm sorry... I love you son,"
"I-its o-okay, I-I love you too," he said as he patted his fathers back.
404 shed a tear because of what he did to After without even realizing. See 404 has blackouts quite often for long periods of time too, they're supposed to get worse, longer, as he gets older. It causes him to do things that he wouldn't do when conscious. As he gets older he shouldn't be able to come out of that state almost at all.
"Okay, time for bed,"
"Aww,"
"Sorry firefly,"
"Love you dad," After said as he crawled into his bed.
"Love you too firefly," he said as he tucked him in.
He bent down and kissed his head.
"I'm sorry that the past will repeat," he whispered as he walked out of the door and shut it quietly.
"It's okay," After whispered back. He soon fell asleep.

(The morning)

After had woken up. He wondered if his father was still the same as last night. He knew of his fathers condition already. He got up and walked out of his room and to the kitchen. He noticed that 404 was sitting at the table.
"What do you want for breakfast sir?" He asked.
"My usual," he responded.
"y-yes sir," he said as he walked to the fridge.
He pulled out all the things that 404 normally has for breakfast. After about ten minutes he was done.
"Here sir," he said as he set his plate down.
"Mhm," 404 said as he looked away from his paperwork and started to eat.
After went back to the kitchen and started to make food for his siblings. Once he was done he set it down on the table and went to go wake them. He came to Genos' room and opened the door gently.
"Hey Geno," he said.
"Hey,"
    "Breakfast is ready,"
"Okay,"
He walked out of the room and went down the hall to Fresh's room.
    "Wake up," he said as he lightly shook Fresh.
    "Okay," Fresh groaned.
He got up and hugged After. After hugged back and they both walked out of the room.
    "Go to the table," After told.
Fresh nodded his head as he rubbed his eyes and walked off. After soon walked down the hall again and into the living room.
    "Hey Cidic, do you want something for breakfast?"
    "Egs please?" they asked.
    "Of course. You can go into the kitchen and sit at the table. It should be done soon," he explained.
    "Okay,"
    "AFTER!" 404 yelled from the kitchen.
    "Coming sir!" After said quickly as he rushed to the kitchen.
    "What the fuck is this?" he asked
    "W-what is it?" After asked.
    "Did you put meat in this?!" he yelled.
    "N-no," After whispered.
Suddenly 404 slapped After. He fell to the floor. He looked up at 404 as he held his cheek.
    "Disgrace," he scoffed as he walked away.

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN END

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