Of Soulmates and Bonds - Errorink

14. Make a move

It was ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

Error held a puppet of Ink in his hands. Crocheting to distract himself from his stupid crush had worked too well: he let his mind wander and didn't realize exactly what he was making until he found himself wondering if there were buttons that could accurately represent Ink's ever-changing pupils.

Normally, if he didn't like how a crochet project turned out, he'd have no problem destroying it, (for obvious reasons), but couldn't bring himself to do the same to the Ink puppet, and ended up finishing it instead: it felt like a bad punchline, the Destroyer who couldn't destroy the Creator.
Despite himself, he gently stroked the puppet's skull.

Maybe this dumb crush finally managed to make him lose what little sanity he had left: what did him in wasn't the crippling loneliness or the awareness of his own meaningless existence, but a 100-watt smile. Ugh, how corny.

"Hey Error! Watcha doing?"
"ａ𝓱!(Ah!)"

Ink had popped up behind him without warning, so Error quickly shot up from the couch and threw the puppet in his face to keep him away. The Creator stumbled back a bit and his pupils became two yellow question marks. Error noticed he wasn't wearing his normal clothes, but rather a blue shirt and basketball shorts, and both were adorably oversized.

"What happened now?" Blue came out of his room rubbing his eyes, wearing the same thing and sounding completely done with everything.

"OHMYSTARS!" Error and Blue both winced, but for different reasons: Ink had picked up the puppet, and now he had starry eyes. He turned to Blue and shoved the puppet in his face.

"Look look look! It's a mini-me!"
Blue blinked a couple of times, still half-asleep, looked at the puppet, at Ink and then at Error; the Destroyer could feel a blush on his face, that only worsened when his friend smirked and said: "Oh really? So strange, how did it get here?"

Bastard.

Ink gasped loudly, faced Error and asked: "Error, did you make this? For me?!" Ink's stupid face was all lit up, his dumb smile so happy and cute; even if Error wanted to destroy the puppet before, he certainly couldn't now.

"𝓾𝓱... 𝕪Ｅş. ιt'ş Ａ... Ｇ𝐢ⓕt.(Uh... yes. It's a... gift)" Because saying that was way less embarrassing than saying "Actually no, I made it because I couldn't stop thinking about you and when I got distracted you were the only thing on my mind".

Ink's smile got even wider (how?!) and his arms made a couple of aborted motions as if he wanted to hug him, so Error took a step back: crush or no crush, if Ink tried to touch him he'd smack him. The Creator, however, seemed to remember his phobia and clutched the puppet to his chest with both hands, looking sheepish.

"I won't touch you, don't worry! It's just- This is my first gift, and I'm so happy it's something you made!" He nuzzled the puppet, and Error felt instantly jealous. "It's so cute! I'm gonna keep it with me forever and ever!"

Error smirked at Ink's praises: he gave the Creator his first gift. Nothing else would ever compare! His smirk lessened when he saw Blue watching them with an amused look, knowing that he was about to open his mouth and ruin his good mood.
"Ink, why don't you go change back in your clothes? When you're done we'll go to the Waterfalls."
"Okay!"

Sometimes Error hated being always right.

Ink went back inside Blue's bedroom and started taking off his clothes.
"Close the door Ink!"
"Okay!"

As soon as the door closed, Sans gave Error a knowing grin.
"ร𝓱𝕌t 𝕌ｐ!(Shut up!)" he growled and crossed his arms.
"I didn't say anything." Sans replied with a sing-song voice.
"үσ𝕌 𝓭σŇ't ŇＥＥ𝓭 tσ, 𝕪σ𝕌я t𝓱σ𝕌Ｇ𝓱tş ＡяＥ 𝔩σ𝕌𝓭 ＥŇσ𝕌Ｇ𝓱!(You don't need to, your thoughts are loud enough!)" The Destroyer cheeks became blue.
"Error, is that a blush I see?"
"ภσ 𝐢t'ş Ňσt! ι 𝓭σŇ't ᵇ𝔩𝕌ş𝓱!(No it's not! I don't blush!)"

Oh, this was just like when Papy had had his first crush: Sans was going to enjoy this for as long as he could.

"Error, are you perhaps embarrassed? I cannot even begin to guess the reason!" If Error really felt uncomfortable, he'd back off, but Sans was pretty sure it was just normal crush awkwardness: since there were no glitches on Error, he kept teasing.
"Does it, maybe, involve Ink in some way?"
"ι 𝓱ＡtＥ 𝕪σ𝕌!(I hate you!)"
"I'm not hearing a no..."
"𝕎𝓱𝕪 𝓭σ 𝕪σ𝕌 𝓬ＡяＥ? ℓＥＡѶＥ 爪Ｅ Ａ𝔩σŇＥ!(Why do you care! Leave me alone!)"
"Sorry Error, as your best friend it's my duty to tease you and be your wingman. That's the law!"

Error suddenly looked dejected, and Sans became confused: had he actually said something upsetting?
"𝕎𝓱ＡtＥѶＥя. ａş 𝐢ⓕ t𝓱Ａt'𝓭 ＥѶＥя 𝓱ＡｐｐＥŇ.(Whatever. As if that'd ever happen.)"
"What?" he made sure to drop the joking tone.
"𝓂Ｅ ＡŇ𝓭 ιŇ𝕂!(Me and Ink!)" He threw his arms up in frustration "ι נ𝕌şt ⓌＡŇt t𝓱𝐢ş 𝓱σｐＥ𝔩Ｅşş 𝓬я𝕌ş𝓱 tσ ⓕＡ𝓭Ｅ ＡŇ𝓭 ⓕσяＧＥt Ａᵇσ𝕌t 𝐢t.(I just want this hopeless crush to fade and forget about it.)"

Now Sans was even more confused: while Error and Ink had just met, the two didn't seem so incompatible personality-wise (they actually reminded him of Alphys and Undyne in a way), and he had seen them watch each other when the other wasn't looking; if that wasn't attraction, Sans didn't know what it was.

"Why do you say that?"
"รＥя𝐢σ𝕌ş𝔩𝕪? 𝕎Ｅ'яＥ 𝔩𝐢tＥяＡ𝔩𝔩𝕪 t𝓱Ｅ ᶜяＥＡtσя ＡŇ𝓭 t𝓱Ｅ 𝓓Ｅştяσ𝕪Ｅя! 𝓱σⓌ 𝓬σ𝕌𝔩𝓭 𝐢t ＥѶＥŇ Ⓦσя𝕂?! ａŇ𝓭 ᵇＥş𝐢𝓭Ｅ(Seriously? We're literally the Creator and the Destroyer! How could that even work?! And beside)" Error's voice softened "ＡⓕtＥя t𝓱𝐢ş 𝐢ş σѶＥя ⓌＥ'𝔩𝔩 ŇＥѶＥя şＥＥ ＥＡ𝓬𝓱 σt𝓱Ｅя ＡＧＡ𝐢Ň.(After this is over we'll never see each other again)"
Sans was relieved: it was just silly crush insecurities.
"Ever heard the phrase "Opposites attract"? I actually think you two would be a cute couple. And this doesn't have to be goodbye: you were the one that wanted to be left alone after helping the refugees, but I personally wouldn't mind you visiting, and I'm sure neither would Ink. It all depends on you."

Error looked Sans straight in the eye with a blank expression.
"𝓾𝓱.(Uh.)"
He then sat on the couch, thinking.

"รσ(So)" he said after a few minutes "𝕪σ𝕌 t𝓱𝐢Ň𝕂 ι ş𝓱σ𝕌𝔩𝓭, Ⓦ𝓱Ａt, Ｇσ ⓕσя 𝐢t?(You think I should, what, go for it?)"
"If those were the only reasons holding you back, then sure! You don't have to do it now but don't just give up without trying."
"ａŇ𝓭... 𝕪σ𝕌'𝔩𝔩 𝓱Ｅ𝔩ｐ?(And... you'll help?)"
"Of course!" Sans then gave him a mischievous smile "Although you're doing a pretty good job by yourself already, Mr. Puppet Maker."

Error's blush came back, and he just hid his face on the couch arm.
"ร𝓱𝕌t 𝕌ｐ!(Shut up!)"