Under The Mask

Chapter 12: The Spiking

Error grumbled softly. "I hate you."

"You're my best friend for life as well, Error." Nightmare grinned at him. He knew Error was excited, he just didn't like to show it because it was illegal.

"They're going to ask for an ID, Nightmare."

"Uh, no? This shop smuggles minors drugs, alcohol, other adult items, etc."

"You're an idiot."

"You're just upset because you're a lightweight."

"And you aren't?"

"You'd be surprised."

They entered the shop, it was pretty small, perfect for smuggling items to minors. There were also several shelves full of necessities for cover of what they actually did. That's where Error noticed familiar white and red eyes.

"Isn't that the mute kid?" Nightmare followed Error's gaze and his eyes fell on Cross.

He looked extremely exhausted. When did he last sleep? On closer inspection, Are those scars?! How does he have so many?!

"Yeah, let's go." He headed towards the other side of the shop from where Cross was for the drinks. Error shrugged Cross off and followed him.

Nightmare, however, did not.

God, what happened to him?

Those scars look new.

They also look kind of attractive- NO!

Just then, something else occurred to Nightmare, if those scars are on his face then...

...WHO HURT HIM?!

He turned on his heels, not once taking his eyes off Cross, who was picking up different brands of bandages and medicines, inspecting them. He placed a few back or in his basket. Nightmare began to approach him. Error turned around. "Nightmare?" He couldn't bother looking back at his friend. Error was completely irrelevant to him.

His footsteps got louder as he got faster. Cross didn't acknowledge them until he realized they were going towards him. He turned his head lazily, and was shocked to see Nightmare approaching. He immediately turned away and tried to hide his scars, not knowing Nightmare had already seen them. His hair fell over his face and he put on a skin tone bandage that he found in the attic where XGaster would sometimes do experiments. He had shoved it in his pocket earlier.

Nightmare made it to Cross and tapped on his shoulder. "Cross?" He turned to face the other. He was slightly shaking as he looked up at Nightmare. He knew he had hid the scars somehow. He brushed his hair back to reveal a few on his left cheek. Cross turned away from his touch with his eyes closed shut.

He pushed his hand away and recovered his scars. He wrote something on his notepad and showed it to Nightmare.

'Hi?'

"Cross where did you get those?"

Cross flipped to a page and showed it to him.

'I had a sword fight with a sick man in a parking lot for 20 bucks.'

Nightmare raised an eyebrow. "Really? A sword fight?" Cross was confused for a moment and looked at his page. His face shifted into realization and flipped to a different page.

'I got attacked in an alleyway outside of a convenience store..'

He then spoke up. His voice was sore. "This one I showed to my dad. The one before was for my brother so he'd laugh and not worry."