When porcelain is rebuilt

Chapter whatever

Cross wouldn't let Ink go anywhere alone.  Not sleeping, not changing his clothes, hell, not even to go to the toilet. He was monitored every second of his life.

It felt a little like the dungeon, where he never knew if there was a camera or someone in the shadows, but there was always dread of being watched. Here, he knew he was being watched. But he always shook those thoughts out of his head when he had them. There was a difference.  Here they were making sure Ink was safe.

They kept Ink in the hospital for now. They felt like he wasn't mentality there anymore, plus his still healing marks. Honestly the hospital was the best place for Ink.

"Shh" Swap tried.

"No! i want to go home!" Ink cried. "Why get me out if you're just going to keep me hostage again!?"

"You're not a hostage. You can leave. See." Medic opened the door open and shut twice.

Then Dream had an idea.

"Let's go to the gardens, Ink." Dream smiled down at him, squeezing his hand through a glove.

No one wanted to dress differently or more casual for Ink. Ink liked attention, but he didn't like it at the expense of others.  So they knew not to dress any different then normal. Especially since Ink would think  something was off.

Ink sniffled and put on an oversized sweater Cross had gifted him and some old pants of Swaps that Carrot had found in the basement.  No, Ink isn't much smaller than Swap, but they can't comfortably share clothes aside from pyjamas.

Speaking of Carrot, he seemed to flick a switch when it came to Ink. Instead of hating the ink skeleton for his attitude and selfishness, he began caring for him since he was his brothers boyfriend.  Admittedly a little more than that. He felt bad for all the times Ink was kidnapped and hurt. Sometimes he saw Swap in Ink. It wasn't the fact they were both practically the same person in looks, but more the sense of justice within them. It could have just as easily been Swap that they took. And Carrot will never forget that.

Ink stopped at the garden gate, starting to panic. He hadn't been outside in so long and ...

"how about we sit here?" Medic asked, pulling a chair from thin air and putting a fair bit away from the door. Ink shook his head no, it still being too much.  So they walked back to his room. Ink couldn't help but look at everyone else in their rooms. Either very sick or happy with family.

and it dawned on him.

He was neither.