When porcelain is rebuilt

Chap 12 (i think)

Ink was brought back to his room, having a pit in his stomach. He had just realized he was no longer happy with his family, but what should he do about it?

Dream wrapped Ink in a blanket and kissed his head.
"Sleep well, honey." He smiled and left the room with the others.

He could slightly overhear the whispering in the hallway.
"Why isnt he getting better?"
"It takes time"
"But there is zero progress!"

Ink sunk back into the pillows and closed his eyes, trying to go into his dreamscape.

timeskip

Swap was sitting with him and showing him how to do needlepoint. A craft to help with his 'recovery.' Or maybe Swap wanted some time with Ink alone. 

Ink was trying, emphasis on trying to cross stitch a flower, but it ended up looking like a tangled mess.

Swap chucked on took it, putting his embroidery down. Ink stared out the window while Swap fixed his stitches. Should he do it now? should he break off the relationship? A pit formed again in his stomach only to be released when his hoop was handed back, with the stitches fixed.

He soon forgot about the relationship issues and focused on destroying the fabric on his hoop as he tried to make the little x patterns. But soon there was a hole in his fabric and he threw it across the room, it hitting the window and altering Dream who was working on Inks recovery plans with Medic behind the curtain. He came out and gave Ink a disappointed look, before picking up the hoop and giving it to Swap.

A loud sigh was heard and it was a surprise to himself who it came from. Ink touched his mouth and sighed again. Great, his body was doing things without his permission.  Everyone seemed to be doing that now a days anyway. Doing things without his permission, that is.

Ink slammed his body back into the bed and screwed his eyes shut, trying to sleep. It was clear he wanted to be alone, but everyone knew ink didnt like being alone. So there they were, at a cross road.

Swap slipped his hand into Inks, making his face and body relax. He didnt want them there, but for some reason, he loved them being there. His emotions were complicated and a mess and he didnt understand. 

He sighed again and pulled Swap onto the bed, cuddling into him as day dragged into night. The others tried to make Ink eat or something but he refused, just wanting to cuddle Swap. Maybe he didn't want to leave Swap, Cross and Dream.  Maybe he was having one of those episodes that Medic was talking about. But he wouldn't ask. That would alert everyone to his plans or whatever it was he had.

Soft snores came from Swap soon. Ink finally opened his eyes and looked at him. Exhaustion coated his face. Bags that looked like bruises adorned under his eyes, and a tinge of stress made up his face tonight. Or maybe every night, but Ink didnt care to notice.

That's when it hit him. He had been so selfish. Yes, he was a victim, but at the same time, his lovers were doing everything they could for him. He felt so awful. Why couldn't he see it before? Dream staying up all night to make sure there was no nightmares, Cross always trying to feed him a d Swap always trying to entertain him. It seemed like such small things at the time, but now? Ink knew he was a selfish person.

Someone wiped tears away from Inks cheeks. He opened his eyes to see Cross.

"Dream asked me to stand guard while he got something to eat." He cooed, running a hand over Inks head.

"You guys.. dont have to be so nice." Ink muttered

"Nice? we are just loving you." Cross replied

"But.. what if I dont love you back?" Ink looked down.

He expected screaming, crying or anything,  but instead, he got a soft hand on his cheek and reassurance. 

"Then we will have to love you twice as hard until you can love us again."