Inky Path

3

"What do you mean? Was your AU part deleted part still functional?" Ink was curious, his eyes constantly changing forms.

"Not that. My AU should still exist, but I do not know the current status of the AU." Canvas takes his hand away from Ink, not that it is because of shyness but from the strange feeling Ink is giving him. The feeling that Ink would question him more and more with time.

Canvas looked at Outer, who was sneaking away once again. "Outer. May I live here for some time?"

Outer slowly turned his head towards Canvas, forcing a smile and a dark aura showing his wish not to be there.
"Sorry, Canvas, but no way. I want to have nothing to do with this, please." Canvas then looked at Ink, who was giving him a nervous look.

"So? May I live with you?"  Ink looked away, dodging any eye contact he could have.

"Hahaha... Does it have to be me..? Maybe you can live with Dream! Yeah! Dream is usually alone. He wouldn't mind." Ink quickly opened a portal, grabbed Canvas, and left with him.

He didn't have much of a saying, so he just stayed quiet while being dragged away. He greatly doubts that Ink will kill him for asking such question.

Ink and Canvas were in a palace, golden and silver surrounding every painting and piece of furniture.

'I see that Boss is richer in this multiverse.' Canvas was looking at every painting and furniture, noticing that most had an apple or sun detail.

"DREAM! WE GOT A PROBLEM!" Ink was screaming for no reason. There was no way in heaven Dream would hear Ink in this giant place.

"Ink, I do not think Boss can hear you. You should not scream at your boss too." Ink gave a quick look at Canvas, his expression saying, 'Of course I know that,' but surprisingly, a gold and black dressed skeleton came, but there were no golden wings or back attachments, and their aura was weaker too.

"Yes, Ink? Is there anything I can help with?" Dream gave a polite smile and walked closer to Ink.

As a habit, Canva just kneeled, waiting for any instructions from Dream, not daring to look at Dream.

"Yes! So this guy doesn't have a home, Outer didn't want to give him a home, AND I can't have him in the doodlespere." Ink pointed at Canvas with a happy smile. Dream just glanced at him and proceeded to ignore Canvas.

"Is that so? Maybe he can go to the Omega timeline. They would be more than happy to have another guest." Dream looked at Canvas with a somewhat confused face.

"Yea, I know. I do believe that we shouldn't put that guy there. I just have the feeling something will happen if we do that." Ink placed his hand on his chin, closing his eyes and pretending to think deeply.

"You forgot his name, am I right? You just called him 'guy' twice..."

"Yup. I do believe his name was something like mine! Like, really close to mine! I just can't put my finger on it!" Ink looked at Canvas, who was still waiting for instructions from Dream.

"Is that so? Well, hello there. May we know your name, my lovely guest?" Dream looked at Ink, who was still looking at the ground. 'Is the floor unclean? Does he have an injury and is holding his voice in pain?'

"My name is Ink, renamed Canvas for the time being." Canvas still glued his eyes on the floor like it was the only thing that interested him.

"I see. Would you like to go to the Omega timeline? There are very kind people there who will treat you with love and respect." Dream extended his hand to Canvas, expecting him to accept it and make Canvas look at Dream.

"I believe it would be best if I stayed here, please, if you permit me." The hand was clearly rejected and pulled back. 'It should be easier to get information for Boss. Hopefully, Blue isn't causing problems.'

"Maybe he can help us with something! Like cooking! No offense to you or Swap, but your cooking is not the tastiest or good looking." Ink looked at Canvas, giving him a nervous smile, mainly avoiding looking at Dream.

"That is no offense to me. If Canvas is alright with this, he can cook for us and stay with me." Dream looked at Canvas with a kind smile. 'I have the feeling that I will regret this decision... Just slightly.'

"Understood. I will perform the cooking and cleaning of this domain." Canvas was still kneeling, and Dream was getting nervous from it.

"Canvas, you can rise." To Dream's surprise, Canvas quickly rose and looked at Dream, giving him Canvas's full attention.

"Well then. Thank you. I will prepare a room for you in some minutes."

"There is no need to do so. A prepared room would be unnecessary. I could take any space." Canvas placed his hand on his chest, ignoring the presence of Ink in the place.

"I see... Canvas, could you go to the kitchen and please prepare something for me? It can be anything. You are free to choose."

Ink started to look between Canvas and Dream, noticing that Canvas was already away.

"Uh... Dream, he doesn't know where the kitchen is..." Ink gave Dream a nervous smile, and Dream realizing his mistake, quickly looked in the direction Canvas went.

"OH DEAR CREATORS! I FORGOT ABOUT IT!" Ink and Dream started to run in the direction Canvas went, expecting him to be looking at the multiple paths he could take.

Dream and Ink couldn't even hear the footsteps of Canvas. No trace of Canvas was evident.

'Maybe he just took one of these paths... WAIT, THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS A DIRECT PATH TO MY ROOM!' Dream started to look at Ink, nervous about something. "Ink, I will take the right path. You take the second on the left." Dream pointed at the paths as if it was a trigger. Ink started to run in the direction that Dream pointed.

"Fuu... I hope Canvas did not take this path. That would be a disaster. Why is my house so big too?" Dream started to run to his room.

When he got to the room, there was nothing there, no sign of Canvas or any life inside. 'Is everything in place..?'

Dream started to observe everything in his room, from the curtains to under his bed.

'Ok. Everything it's in its place. This hall only takes to my room, so he didn't go here.' Dream then proceeded to walk calmly back, not worrying about anything.

Then he heard the clack of some shoes. It wasn't his shoes for sure, Dream was someone surprisingly quiet.

'Is it Canvas? He was very subtle before. Maybe he is more relaxed now!' Dream smiled happily, fast walking to Canvas's side.

Coming closer, he noticed it was certainly Canvas. "Hello there!"

"Greetings, Boss." Canvas was once again kneeling, a tray with a teapot and tea cups present in his hands.

"You may rise, Canvas. How did you find the kitchen?" Canvas followed Dream's order, looking at Dream with a business expression.

"By sheer luck and the slight heat, burnt biscuits were inside the oven."  Dream looked to the side, avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment.

"I see. Oh, what type of tea is this?" Dream's eyes turned into stars, looking inside the teapot there was a white liquid and a sweet smell of something unknown.

"This is white tea. There were some bags of it just after the cupcake tea bags." Canvas gave Dream one of the cups of tea. 'This Boss is more childish than my own. I guess that I should be careful about any trauma or trigger that he might have.'

Filling the cup, Dream noticed that Canvas was doing it with one hand and that they were in the middle of the hall, totally forgetting that Ink was still searching for Canvas.