Avid Adopter

39 - Frightful

"Dad!" Error shook me from what had previously been a peaceful rest; his emotions betrayed fear..I wondered if he had suffered a bad dream.

"What is it, Error?" I yawned.

"I-I'm scared!"

"Why are you afraid?"

"I don't know.." Error gave a small whimper.

"Hm.." I thought for a moment, the present date lingering in my thoughts matched with a recent birthday party. "Have you been near Dust's room?"

"Yeah..?"

"His aura must be forming..can you sleep?"

"C-can I sleep with you?"

I let a small smile fit my expression. "All right, come here."

"Thanks!" 

Error climbed into my bed and snuggled himself next to me, hugging a tentacle tightly as he drifted off to sleep. It had been about a year since Dream had been in our home, and many improvements concerning my boys' guardianships had been made; namely, they had improved greatly in their emotional powers. Error had been exempt, of course, but the rest of my boys had mastered emotion sensing, and Killer and Horror had made great improvements concerning their auras; untimely feelings of extreme hunger were no longer a problem except during meals, since Horror felt that it was his duty to ensure that everyone was hungry at the correct times. Dust had recently turned thirteen, which meant that I had been on the lookout for his aura's development, and I believed that it had just come in, with Error's actions. I would have to get to work quickly in order to get his aura under control; feelings of hunger were one thing, but fear was something entirely different. I was going to have to teach Dust how to control his aura sooner rather than later. When morning came, I found Error sleeping soundly, but I had to get up in order to make breakfast..

"Nightmare, you're an utter idiot, but idiocy is genius." I spoke to myself, silently smiling at my youngest, who was still sleeping peacefully in a nest of my appendages; it was moments like these when I wished I had a camera. 

After making sure that Error wouldn't stir with movement, I made my way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. After an hour in the kitchen with only a sleeping Error to keep me company, I became a bit worried..Killer usually woke up around this time; I hoped he wasn't ill. Before I finished breakfast, my youngest son woke up, and he decided that he enjoyed the nest I had made for him, using it as an excuse to be taller than everyone else for a while..but nobody came. Error seemed concerned for his brothers when I completed breakfast, since there was still no sign of them. In light of the fact that breakfast would become cold if nobody was present to eat it, the two of us decided to find out what was going on with the others, but it was made clear when Killer was curled up, whimpering outside of Dust's room; the aura had stopped him in his tracks on the way to Horror's room, obviously, since he always woke up Horror first, then Dust, then Cross, and lastly, Error. When we came close enough to Dust's room, the aura struck us, as well, and Error began to shiver; I was, thankfully, able to ignore the aura for the most part, since fear was within my jurisdiction, it being a negative emotion. 

"Killer, it's all right." I softly comforted my eldest, who latched onto me as soon as he noticed my presence. "It's only an aura; Dust is going to begin his aura training today."

"Wh-why's it s-so strong?" Killer refused to release his grip, which I was fine with.

"Some auras are stronger than others; sometimes, only a small aura can have a very prominent effect. It's time for breakfast; can you wake up Horror and Cross? I can get Dust."