The Stars and Us [ by Midnight-Drawz ]

Chapter Thirteen: Sidelined Thoughts

[ Posted on August 2nd, 2021 ]

The skeleton stood apart from the others, thinking to himself as he could hear the voices of his friends... and Error.

He could remember the details, down to the crisp feeling of the air in his home town along with the burning smell of dust in the air... the horrid sound of screaming and the taste of smoke from fires and fired blasters.

The glitch had been ruthless that day.

Yet here they all stood in the same room. Talking like all was forgiven- like all was forgotten.

...well he didn't forget. Forgive, maybe... but he could never forget.

His brother was gone. His mentor was dusted, and his only living friends were now multiversal alterations of himself...

Why did no one consider the dangers of having Error in the room...?

He knew he was different. He knew Ink helped him change, but... The skeleton could never give Error the trust the others gave so easily. So willingly.

And so he soon turned to leave, opening a portal and heading through to go to his 'home'. Or rather, one of his homes.

He lived in many places, including the Omega Timeline, OuterTale, and others. He visited Geno and talked with Reaper, creating friends across the multiverse and yet-...

He felt so alone. So empty.

No matter how hard he tried, no matter what he did... he would never truly fit in.

" What do we have here..? " A familiar voice brought the skeleton out of his thoughts, quickly turning away from the cabin he was used to staying in, sighing briefly.

" Really don't feel like having you breath down my neck right now, Nightm-"

" I'm not here to nag. Dream sent me." Nightmare said, " He's worried for you and is dragging me into this." He said, his eyelight settling on the other, his tentacles swirling behind him idly.

The other frowned, " And you actually came?" He asked.

Nightmare shrugged, " I'm considering turning over a new leaf. " He said sarcastically, though his tone was reluctant and nearly forced. " Anyways, what's bothering you...?" He asked, going over carefully and sitting beside the skeleton.

"...nothing. I'm fine. Go away." The skeleton said stubbornly, narrowing his eyes and turning his head away.

Nightmare could tell he was lying, breathing his own sigh, " Don't make this more difficult then it already is. I can tell you're lying and that SOMETHING is wrong... now talk to me, or go to my brother." He said, a few tendrils reaching out around the two of them, as if hovering to make sure they didn't fall over- even though they were sat down on a bench.

" Listen, you can't just barge in our lives after the truce and pretend like nothing happened. I'm a pretty forgiving person, but neither you nor your team are getting my trust as easily as you'll get my forgiveness. That's something you earn. Now, please.... Leave me alone." The skeleton insisted, irritated by the presence beside him. He was patient, but... well, he was sick of it. Sick of being the strong one, the happy one, the one to lift everyone up after a negative situation.

He wanted... a break.

He wanted time to process, time to grieve. He was tired of things being rushed through on him as if none of the others cared.

He knew the multiverse didn't revolve around him- he knew he wasn't the center of attention, but he just-... he wanted time. Now that the truce was made and everything had calmed down...

The skeleton wanted to process. He wanted to stop rushing himself and pushing himself to be able to do things he couldn't do otherwise..

" You're grieving." Nightmare stated the obvious, "...I'll leave. But just... don't coop anything up. If you truly believe my brother and Ink are your friends... go to them for support. " The goopy skeleton said before he disappeared into a pile of goop, which then evaporated after him.

And once again, there was silence... He was alone, stuck with his thoughts and pain as he gripped his arms a bit tightly.

"...I miss you, brother..." He said quietly as tears welled in his eyesockets, " Things were so much easier when I could come home to you..." He said, glittering bits of the all-too-familiar liquid magic streaking his face slightly as he sniffled, "...I don't know if I can do this..."

" I don't know if I can stay strong anymore..." He mumbled to himself, " For Ink... for Dream... for anyone..." He said, gazing out at the stars as his soul let out the pain he'd been holding back for so long, "...I'm so tired... I want to go back to being happy. I want the pain to go away, I-..."

" I want to be vulnerable for once... I want to be the one being helped- being held... but I push everyone away and act like everything is fine..." He said, "...it's not..."

"...I want to go home..." He mumbled, " Just one more time...- for one more day... I want to be with you again..." He mumbled.

And so, he sat there, crying to himself on matters that hurt his soul to deal with, feeling useless and ignored. He was extremely lonely, burdened, and just-... in pain.

The skeleton was so broken, yet the only one who seemed concerned enough to come without someone telling them to was a certain hooded skeleton.

He had gotten there not too long ago, standing by as he wasn't sure when he could step out.

It took a few minutes of hearing and seeing the other cry to coax him out of the treeline, silently sitting beside the other and hugging him simply, well aware the other needed it.

"...let it out... " He mumbled to the other, causing him to freeze slightly as he realized what was happening, tears still running his face, " You deserve to let yourself hurt for a while... " The smaller didn't have much of a choice. The negativity was too strong in his soul, and he just-... cried. He cried into the others chest as he sobbed occasionally, causing the jacket to dampen as the smaller of the two grieved.

"...I'm not going anywhere... not until you feel better..." He mumbled, rubbing his back a bit.

And, before he knew it, his exhaustion caused him to doze off in the others' hold, too exhausted to be able to teleport or use magic to get away.

All he could do was hope that the other wouldn't hurt him..

" I've got you, Blue..." He said quietly, rubbing his back, " I've got you..."