Tales From the Orchard

Paring knife

A/N: Oh hello. My crippling depression has made another grand appearance and, so, everyone else gets to suffer with me. This is gonna be... well, it's gonna be a rough chapter.
Based on the Bad Apple End for those who are curious.

TW for talks of (and to) death, referenced suicide, self-harm, and general bad times to be had.

Enjoy(?)

Ink had been irritated when Error had disappeared with Dream, as neither of them had taken the time to unravel him before they left. Blue had stayed behind to help Ink out of Error's tightly wound threads, though he seemed bothered by the encounter.

"That felt strange, don't you think?" The small swap monster ventured after Ink brushed himself off. "Error looked so upset and Dream... just went willingly with him. And all that stuff about Nightmare dying? I feel... really worried, Ink." He looked up at the other as Ink rested a hand on his shoulder. Blue could tell the other wasn't too concerned about everything that had happened, but Blue felt he really should be.

"Ah, that's just Error being Error. He's always been a little dramatic." Ink insisted, but Blue didn't look too sure of that. He allowed Ink to lead him inside the base regardless, flopping against the couch as Ink flitted by. Something just wasn't adding up to Blue, however. From the hysterics he had found himself locked into before Dream helped him, to Error and Dream's strange behaviours... he felt like he was missing something.

"Hey... Ink?"

The artist hummed as he peered back at him from the archway to the kitchen. Blue was staring at the carpet with a furrowed browbone, looking deeply in contemplation. "Your face is gonna get stuck that way." Ink remarked at the intense look he had.

"What would happen if Nightmare did die?" Blue pressed on, ignoring the other's teasing. Ink tilted his head slightly at the question, but his grin didn't falter at all.

"Psh, he can't die, Blue. The only one who has the ability to kill him is Dream and uh, I don't think that's happening anytime soon." Ink assured with a wave of his hand.

Blue frowned as he glanced back up at him, searching his face a moment. "That's not what I asked, Ink. What would happen?" He continued to question, watching a quick flash of... something pass over the creator's face.

"We don't have to worry about that because it's not gonna happen." Ink assured as he perched on the armrest beside him. "Dream's not going to have the willpower to kill Nightmare, and we've kept Dream protected this long. Hell, even Nightmare has been too weak and soft to kill him up to this point." He insisted as he patted the other's back.

"I don't know Ink... I have a really bad feeling..."

Ink dragged the other up on his feet, interrupting his worried spiel. "Well, stop!" He instructed him. "You're worrying too much over nothing, Blue." He assured him as he began dragging him along. "You just need a good distraction! Let's make something and it'll get your mind off of it! Plus, maybe it'll cheer Dream up too when he gets back." Ink continued to drag him along until they were both at the kitchen counter.