The Divide Between Us | Book Two of The Judgement series

Chapter 21

Ink's Point of View

I scooped the small skeleton up in my arms and took him to the bed that I painted for Coraline. Coraline... She's been missing for two weeks. There's no doubt in my mind that Nightmare and his group has her. We need to get her back before her next 'episode.' As much as I dislike all of those skeletons, that doesn't mean I wish death by Cora's negativity upon them. 

"What are we going to do, Ink?" Dream rested his hand on my shoulder. "The kid said he was looking for you." 

"We take care of him. Once he's awake, we'll need to get any information we can from him." 

"What if he doesn't wake up," Blueberry muttered the question sadly. "Look at his bones. They're so thin. Both is left radius and right ulna broke from that fall. It's a miracle that the breaks were on separate arms but that just shows how fragile he is. It's like he hasn't eaten anything in months." 

"Blueberry," I hugged my close friend and ally. "He'll be okay. I just know it." 

"We should check the database to see who he is." Dream sat on the bed, next to the kid's feet. "And see about getting him some real clothes and something to eat." I felt myself smile.

"Good idea, Dream. Do you want to make some get better tacos for the kid, Blue?" At the mention of tacos, the little blue skeleton was back to his normal, hyperactive self. I chuckled at his antics and opened a two portals. One to Dancetale and the other to NAJ. "You might want to make some for everyone there. We're going to have a meeting about how to get our girl back." 

"You got it, Ink! Mwehehehe!!" Blueberry jumped through the portal to Dancetale, presumably to tell the smaller group about the meeting. I felt my shoulders heave with stress as soon as Blue was gone. I had to keep up a façade for his sake. I know that Dream sensed my negative emotions because he hugged me from behind. His phalanges started rubbing my ribs through my shirt, causing me to jump lightly. 

"Do you need to relieve your stress," he whispered in my non-existent ear. 

"Dream," I took his hands in mine. "I thought we talked about this." 

"I know but-" 

"We have more important things to take care of right now. My stress isn't a priority." I cut him off. He went silent and I sighed. Turning around, I gently held his face. "You're my best and most important friend. I told you that after the last time, I didn't want to use you for that. You must understand that, don't you Dream?"  He slowly nodded and I pressed my teeth to the top of his head. Dream wrapped his arms around me and we stayed like that for awhile. I don't know how long it was until we heard a loud noise. 

Bang! 

Bang! 

Bang! 

"L-l-LeT mE i-I-iN, iNk!! i Ne-E-eD tO tAlK t-T-tO yOu!!" 

"Error?" What is he doing here? How did he even know where 'here' is? "Dream, hide the kid. I don't want the kid to get hurt if Error and I battle." Dream nodded silently and scooped up the kid and jumped through the portal to Dancetale. I closed both portals and willed part of the Doodle Sphere to open up to Error. The dark-boned skeleton hopped through the opening. 

"cLoSe It! ThIs Is ThE oNlY pLaCe He CaN't FiNd Me!" 

"Already on it." The hole in the Doodle Sphere wall closed quickly. Error's labored panting was the only thing heard over the sound of the AUs' song. "Why are you here? No, the better question is how did you find this place?" 

"If YoU tHiNk I dOn't Sp-P-pY oN mY eNeMy ThEn, Yo-O-oU'Re WrOnG." I felt my face slacken but my body go rigid. 

"Spy!? What? When? How long have you been spying on me!?" 

"lOnG eNoUgH tO kNoW aBoUt YoUr ArRaNgEmEnT wItH dReAm BeHiNd BlUe'S bAcK aNd LoNg EnOuGh To KnOw AbOuT dReAm'S pReDiCaMeNt." 

Of all the things this skeleton could know about. Wait. "Dream's predicament?" Error let out a glitched laugh. It sounded...sad?

"Y-y-YoU hAvEn't NoTiCeD?" I was confused and Error knew that. "i'Ll LeT hIm TeLl YoU.' 

I stared at him blankly. He looked so sad but, I couldn't pinpoint why. He let out a sigh and started fiddling with his strings, a nervous habit of his. It wasn't often I saw it but whenever I did, I could never ignore how adorable it was. "You know," he looked up down at me. After all, he is the taller one. "you never told me why you were here." 

"o-Oh," Error looked around. "I-i-I nEeD tHe KiD, iNk." 

I was caught off guard. This damned, sexy skeleton waltzes into my home and workplace and demands a kid that I just recently helped. I already made up my mind when I had Dream take the small child. He was my responsibility and I'll protect him just like he was my own son. 

"What, kid?"  

"YoU'Re ReAlLy DoInG tHiS?" Error raised a brow bone at me. 

"I don't know what and who you're talking about, Error." 

"yOu'rE l-L-lYiNg." 

"What makes you say that?" Error walked up to me and I backed up. 

Closer...

Closer..

Closer.

And then there's the bed. "Oh, fuck me," I whispered under my breath sarcastically. 

"ThAt CaN bE ArRaNgEd." Error smirked and trapped me between his arms. I felt my cheekbones flush rainbow. 

"R-RuRu. W-Why are you doing this?" As soon as his nickname left my mouth, his cheekbones flushed light yellow. 

"KiKy..." The tips of Error's phalanges brushed my cheekbone softly, like he was caressing my cheek. He leaned his head down and if we had lips, I knew they would be brushing. "TeLl Me WhErE jAmMy Is." Error pulled his other hand from behind me and between his skeletal fingers rested a small, wooden paintbrush. 

"I gave that to Coraline!" I reached for it but Error held it above his head. 

"If YoU tElL mE wHeRe JaMmY iS, i'Ll TeLl YoU wHeRe CoRaLiNe Is." 

I felt myself freeze at the offer. An exchange of information? Why does Error, the destroyer of Alternate Universes, want to find this kid? Why reason could there possibly be? I looked Error in the eye sockets. "You're willing to give information to me, your long-time enemy, in order to find a kid? Why?"

He stayed silent. It was almost as if he didn't know why. An expression of sadness flit across his features and he backed away from me. "DoN'T a-A-aSk."

"I have to, Error. This isn't like you. You haven't been acting like yourself recently. First, you damn the balance. Then, you make out with me and now, your willing to give up the location of one of yours and Nightmare's greatest adversaries for a child. What is going on with you?" The taller skeleton turned away from me, his gaze downcast.

"He-E-e's SoMeOnE iMpOrTaNt To Me," Error's voice trailed off, "A-a-AnD tO yOu." My watch dinged at that moment and a message from Dream played out.

'Is everything okay, Ink? Is Error gone? I'm worried about you. The kid is awake and asking about you. What should I do? Should I take him back to the Doodle Sphere or keep him here? Get back to me when you can. Dream, out.'

I felt myself sigh and sat on the bed in a more comfortable position. My head tilted from side to side as I weighed my options. On the one hand, we could get the information we needed about Cora and, potentially, Nightmares plans. On the other, Error could get angry and reveal to Nightmare information that'll surely get me killed, since Nightmare still possesed his older brother instincts.

"Do We HaVe A dEaL?" Error held out his hand to me and I felt extremely confused.

"I thought you had haphephobia?"

"y-Y-yOu'rE tHe ExCePtIoN." His dar cheek bones flushed light yellow at this statement. He said the statement so fast. It was almost like his brain didn't register it before he spoke.

I took his hand in mine, "We have a deal on one condition."

Error's smile put the Anti-Void's brightness to shame. I felt my cheeks flush again. This was the first time I've seen him smile like this. To be honest, it was absolutely breathtaking.