An Unexpected Surprise |Inkmare|

Chapter 11: family get together and betrayal

* [image above]

Ink protested as time dragged on. Beads of sweat glistened and streamed down his skull.
He gazed at the sombre mood of the room he and his friend was in. Dream was sat a few inches away at the end of the couch reading a book while Ink was left with his sketchbook in his left hand and a ballpoint pen in his right. The paper was blank and intimidating. Ink looked around the room for inspiration. The book dream was reading: Alice In Wonderland. Ink knew that story; he had seen movies about it before, though, they never really held his attention long enough to find out the ending.
*
"Ink?"
Ink's head turned sheepishly as he took his pen off of the sketchbook. "Could you tell me the time please?" Dream didn't take his eyes off his book. The artist looked at the golden clock on the white mantelpiece. Embarrassment flooded his face when he realised that he didn't know how to tell the time on a traditional clock, so he guessed.
"Ten past eleven?" He asked, biting his lip.

Dream closed his book with a slam. He turned to the clock.
"Forty-five minutes past twelve." He corrected. Putting the book down, the Prince stood. "Best get going to under-swap's park." He declared coldly.
Ink gulped. He felt his heart trembling against his ribs...well, he would.
Anxiety rose as his stomach churned.

"I- I feel sick.." he mumbled.
The Prince rolled his golden eyes and told the artist to hurry up. Ink sat still to regain his composure before he complied. As he stood, a sudden wave of nausea and fatigue hit him like a wall.
"I feel sick." He said again, this time more loud and panicked.

Dream growled at this. "You are fine." He announced with spite. "I won't take any of your familiar excuses, Ink." Resentment laced every word and lashed Ink.
"I'm sorry." The creator mumbled, a sharp stabbing pain hit his pelvis but he decided it was best to ignore it.

Dream opened a golden portal to where the two needed to go. Ink frowned and was the first to walk through.

The park was quiet. Ink could tell this was the under-swap's surface, but he couldn't spot his lover.
Birds chirping, children playing and the chains of the swings were enough to bring a smile to his face. His hand gently reached and traced his stomach as he thought to himself. "Soon, maybe I can bring you here with your father."

The familiar sound of a portal closing caught Ink's attention.
"By the texts, he should be over by the picnic area." Dream claimed. He didn't look at Ink as he walked towards where Ink assumed the picnic space was.

With each step, Ink felt sicker and sicker and his stomach ached. "Please can we walk slowly?" He huffed, failing to catch his breath. He wasn't that pregnant, it had only been a month or two.
"No." Dream spat. Ink could have sworn he walked faster than before.
"Dick." He whispered.

Ink felt his ankles hurt from walking, but soon, he finally found the king sat on a small picnic bench with a small basket in front of him on the
table.

"Excuse me." Dream growled to his brother.
Nightmare looked up to Dream and then to me.
"What are you doing here?" He asked Dream.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing, or are you just waiting here to seduce Ink, kidnap him, manipulate him and then take over the multiverse?" The Prince sneered.
"What?!"
"What's in that basket then? I bet it's poison!" Dream growled as he attempted to snatch the basket.
Nightmare stopped him and threw him back.

"You can't ever just leave me the fuck alone, can you?!" Nightmare towered over his collapsed brother. Four tentacles pinned Dream down to the muddy grass, stopping him from moving.
"Ink!" Dream gasped for help.

"Nightmare let him go." Ink said calmly as he walked over to the bench to sit. He felt tired.
"How much does he know?" The king muttered to Ink.
"I'm not sure." The creator frowned.
"I know that Nightmare has been manipulative and evil." Dream yelled, trying to break free from the slimy restraints.

"Oh, Dream," Ink put a hand to his forehead and closed his heavy eyes. "Give it a rest." He scowled. "I just want to leave."
"Then leave!" Dream barked at his friend's betrayal.
"Fine!" Ink yelled back. He grabbed the small picnic basket and angrily told Night to leave Dream there.

Nightmare complied angrily and opened a portal for him and Ink.
The two ended up on the cliffs of outertale. The stars looked beautiful.

"What's in the basket?" Ink asked.
"I was wondering if you were craving anything, so I bought as many different foods I could get."
"You stole as many foods."
"Sh."

The two settled on a spot of grass, opening the basket.
"I got avocado, chips, cheese, beans, watermelon, chocolate..." Night mumbled, looking through the comically small carrier.
"Well, I can't have too much cheese; I'm lactose intolerant." Ink smiled.
"You are?"
"Yep, it's because my body doesn't have a soul and can't properly process it, but do you have any nuts?"
"No, can't touch them." The king scoffed.
"Why?"
"Allergic." Night explained.
"What?!" Ink kneeled over Nightmare. "How?!- Dream isn't!"
"Yeah?! Dream is a fuck boy!" Nightmare growled.

"Anyway." He smiled. "I wanted to give you this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver and purple ring.
Ink looked in awe, he studied the pastel-toned purple swirls that interlocked with the sliver.
"Where did you.."
"Me and Dream are both given these at birth. Dream's was gold and cyan, mine purple and silver. It's supposed to be for when we engage with our one true love. Dream has foolishly given his away already." He smiled and turned towards Ink.
"Ink sans," he smiled. "Will you marry me?"
"I've already agreed." Ink chuckled as he let the taller put the ring onto his finger.

The artist cringed at his stomach's pain. Nightmare frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"My stomach has been hurting."