[𝙍𝙐𝙉]

[5]

Chapter Five.
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Error lowered the volume of the music echoing in his skull as he took off his headphones.

He didn't need to take his eyes off the shelves he was observing to recognize those messy and anxious steps.

"Hi, Error! Funny meeting you here... at a pet shop. Didn't know you were planning to buy an aquarium"

He hummed as if to tell him he was listening as he  picked which corals to take home.

"You know.. i was wondering if you..."
He paused hesitating.

"Continue"
That seemed to do it because he then took a deep breath and puffed his chest as if to appear more sure.

"Ifyoucouldletmeuseyourpartofbeachtomakemyresearches?"
In the end he ended up saying it all in one breath.

"I take it back, ignore what i-"
"Sure"
He interrupted him, if he wasn't going to enjoy the sea anymore he should at least let someone else with a similar passion do.

"Really!?"
Error looked him with a gaze that said 'don't make me nor repeat it nor regret it'.

"Thank you very much!"
He stretched his arm for an hug but Error took a step back. He visibly faltered about that.

"It's nothing personal, nerd, it's just my haphephobia"
A look of realization crossed his face.

"Oh! Sorry... didn't know about that"
He scratched his neck embarrassed.

The rest of the shopping went like normal, Science explaining all about his passion as Error listened patiently as he picked what to bring home.

He didn't hate his presence, he usually listened to him ramble about his researches when at the bar as he was one of the only people Science approached without them ignoring or mocking him.

In the end he brought a big plastic cave, some corals and a couple of clownfishes all different to each other, thanks to Sci saying that if they look different they might be less territorial and aggressive to each other.

After he was done he waved a goodbye to Science and started organizing his tank, it was already filled with sea water, now all it needed was some life forms.

He used the rocks attached to the corals to build his tankmates a safe spot before placing the plastic cave on the other side of the tank and freeing the fish.

He was trying his best to ignore the instinct to go back to the sea, he closed all curtains and turned around all photos about the ocean.

Days passed and once again Error wasn't going out of his house at all.
Science knocked at his door a few times before noticing it was unlocked.

He was there to tell he was going to start his researches and wanted to warm him so that he didn't get jumpscared once he went out to dive.

He walked in the house, meekly looking in the rooms to see if he could find him, he repeat this action until there was only one door left to see inside, it was almost closed and he was hesitant to open it.

He took a peek inside and froze. Eyelights disappearing at what he saw.

There was Error, in his merform, resting at the bottom of his enormous tank as he hummed soothing tunes.

He didn't even recover from his shock once an hand landed on his shoulder.

"Hey, kid, what's wrong? What do ya see?"
Skull asked, he had come to have a little chat with his sweetheart when he noticed that the door was open wide, he had been worried there were robbers but there was just the skeleton that usually talked to Error.

He was getting concerned about the other as he didn't respond even when he slightly shook him.
He then placed an hand on the handle of the door and completely opened it.

His jaw almost fell off at what he saw.
"Wha- what the fuck?"
He said a bit loudly and that seemed to be all it took for Error to wake up form his half-nap and open his eyes.

He stretched his arms before freezing once when noticing the two, quickly some water began spilling from the top of the tank, shaking at the rhythm of his trembling eyelights, before it took an arm-like shape and splashed the door close.

Splashing and tuds could be heard as Error locked the door in just mere seconds, probably having teleported.

"Wait- sweetheart!? Open the door! There's nothing to be afraid of!"
He tried using brute force to break the door but it seemed that magic was acting as a way to make it more sturdy.

"A-a merperson. I just saw an actually real merperson"
Sci was still in shock but he was slowly getting better.

Error was about to have a fucking panic attack, not only had he received a mini heart attack, but now he was found out both in sea and land.

Why the fuck do this things always happen to him? Is he going to go back being treated like when he was a destroyer? Or worse, was he going to become a damn plaything or experiment to some rich fuck!?

Why the fuck was he even panicking so much? It wasn't normal of him! He was used to feeling numb, not this...
Just what was happening to him?
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