The ABC's of Mr. Erratum

Nightmares of the waiting, Uncertainties stem from hope

Nightmare watched the soulless freak in front of him disappear through the dark portal, it closing not even a second later. 

He would've thought he had died, if Nightmare wasn't aware of the fact that Ink couldn't. Magic shouldn't disappear that quickly. It only ever did if the person had died. Or, if they travelled multiverses, so it would seem.

Nightmare couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. It wasn't a nice smile- all crooked and over all very nasty, but it was a smile. A smile of relief, a smile of excitement. It had been months since Nightmare had smiled like this. It felt unnatural now, as if it shouldn't exist on his face.

It didn't leave, however. It stayed because Error was alive and he had just fooled the squid into going after him. It stayed because Ink had practically just admitted that yes, Error wasn't dead, and the fool had gone after him. 

(It stayed, because despite all of Nightmare's troubles with Ink, Nightmare knew he was persistent)

(It stayed, because Nightmare actually had a chance at seeing the man he viewed as his brother again.)

The somber mood of the castle was nothing new to it's inhabitants.

In fact, after the incident, the castle was more sad than it was alive. Despite the fact that there was six people in the castle, it always felt empty and hollow, reminding Horror much more of the pathetic attempts of graveyards he had seen in his old AU. 

He knew it felt like that because of the fact that there was six of them. It felt empty despite six people living here because seven people where meant to be here. Not six.

One of them was dead. And now the castle felt so much more quiet.

Horror didn't know how to feel. He had long gotten used to watching the people he cared about die when he lived in his AU. He was long used to watching others break down around him- whether that be from hunger, madness, or grief. He shouldn't be affected by this. Yet somehow he was.

Watching Killer become despondent and watching Dust lose himself further in his hallucinations hurt. Watching Cross leave and very rarely ever return hurt, and watching Razz lash out angrily before becoming dumb and unfeeling for weeks after hurt. Watching their boss- watching Nightmare- trap himself in his office and never talking hurt. 

It shouldn't. Horror should be used to this. It was somehow different with them though. Watching them break down hurt far more than watching anyone from his AU do the same thing. 

(He hadn't realized they had become more important to him. When had that happened?)

(Why did he only realize after Error died? Why couldn't have it been before?)

Horror however? He felt- well, he wasn't reacting as badly as the rest of them. He wasn't closing anyone out, or losing his mind to grief. He wasn't breaking down or loosing all feeling. Compared to everyone else around him, Horror would've called himself okay.

(He wasn't. He really wasn't. He missed him- He missed Error so much-)

The others must've noticed this, if the violent screams and sobs Dust was throwing his way was any indication. 

The sobs were dry at this point- ripping through Dust's voice in a way that made Horror wince. It couldn't've felt good- sounded painful, even. He just kept screaming at him, accusing him of not caring, shouting every and any word Dust could think of as accusations of grief were thrown at him.

Killer and Cross (-and he was actually here, how shocking-) stood to the side, eyes dark and low. Neither said anything however- neither of them told Dust to stop. It was obvious they agreed with what Dust was saying.