Forbidden Friendships

Night Terrors

By now, the lights had been dimmed for a few hours and all seemed quiet and peaceful.

Like the night before, Error decided to let the other sleep cuddled up beside him. It seemed to work when it came to keeping Ink calm and easing his nightmares, and the destroyer decided he didn't mind it much either. He'd swear he'd gotten use to it.

Presently, both were sleeping peacefully. That was until a small sobbing was heard by the destroyer.

Error attempted to ignore it at first.

It's nothing... Just your imagination. He told himself.

He kept telling himself that until the sobbing grew louder and he felt a tear fall onto his shoulder. The destroyer opened his eyes slowly and looked to his side to see the creator crying, again.

It ended up happening earlier that evening too with the creator having a night terror.

God damnit! Not again... Thought Error. His nightmares seem to just be getting worse.

Error momentarily watched the saddening sight beside him, watching Ink as he cried in his sleep, unable to wake up from his nightmare. Tears by now we're consistently and smoothly rolling down the artist's face.

The destroyer couldn't stand to watch it for much longer. It made his soul sink.

He reached his hand closest to the artist, placing it on the other's shoulder, shaking the creator lightly.

"Ink, wake up." The destroyer whispered.

He got no response.

Now what?! That worked last time! Thought the destroyer.

Error then turned himself towards the other and held the creator by the shoulders, one hand on each shoulder. Error lightly shook Ink, trying to awaken him once more from his trauma based nightmare.

"Ink, please wake up. It's me- It's Error." The destroyer pleaded. "Just, open up your eyes, please!"

The creator's eyes suddenly shot open as tears continued to pour from them like a flowing waterfall.

Error couldn't help but smile a little.

"S-See, you're okay." Error told Ink, moving his hands so they rested on the artist's cheekbones, as he wiped away the tears with his thumbs soothingly. "Everything will be okay."

In the dimly lit room, a small rainbow of blush could be seen appearing on the artist's face. Both the skeletons felt their souls flutter, if only by the tiniest bit. To them, this moment, this event, felt different.

Ink suddenly dove into the other's arms, hugging the destroyer tightly as he continued to sob quietly. Error hugged him back, rubbing the other's back slowly and soothingly with one hand.

"Everything is going to be alright. Whatever you just had a nightmare of, it won't happen. Not now, and hopefully not ever." Error whispered into the other's "ear" soothingly.

He noticed the other nod. The creator couldn't help but smile a little. He couldn't lie, he felt safer now in the other's arms.

"J-just... Just pl-please, don't l-leave me alone in this place... Pr-promise..?" Asked the artist, in between tears and quick sharp breaths.

"Promise." Replied the destroyer carefully, his voice still just a whisper.

He hated making promises, but he felt as if he had to make this one, no matter what.

Minutes continued to pass and Ink finally broke away from the hug, drying the last of his tears with his scarf. He had stopped crying and appeared to have calmed his nerves. This brought Error some relief. The two now sat next to each other, their backs to one of the walls of the cell.

The creator felt the beating of his soul slow back down to its normal pace and he sighed quietly to himself. He was tired, but feared falling asleep again due to his nightmares. They just seemed to get worse and worse and he couldn't seem to control it or wake up from it.

Ink continued to force himself to stay awake despite his exhaustion. He glanced over at the destroyer who sat beside and appeared to be already asleep. Ink then glanced back out in front of himself at the empty room.

He then felt an arm wrap around his shoulders and seem to pull him closer. Error opened his eyes and looked at the artist who he had pulled closer to himself. The destroyer grinned.

"Don't continue to force yourself to stay awake. That won't help you." He said, closing his eyes again.

The creator gave a small nod in reply and snuggled up to the other, getting comfortable. He then felt himself drift off into sleep.