Book 2: The First Fallen Human

Joyful Sorrow

Cross blinked as Ink left his empty space. He stared down at the Scooter doll in his hands with wide eyes. He was quiet, sitting crisscross next to his blade. He blinked as Chara materialized next to him. "Guess she got what she wanted, huh?" Chara mumbled a quiet agreement. They seemed down. Cross blinked and turned to them. "What's up?"

Cross turned to face them. "I was really excited... It's been so long since I've seen a human other than me and Frisk." They admitted, sighing. "And geez, an ADULT! I never thought I would miss seeing ADULTS!" Cross blinked. He'd never really thought about that. Chara was just a kid. No doubt they hadn't seen an adult ever since their AU went to shit, maybe even before.

"I take it you miss the human world sometimes." Cross said softly. Chara scoffed and flopped on the ground.

"Like you wouldn't believe, bone boy." They said, staring up into the blank nothingness. Cross nodded. He could've gone off on an absolute TANGENT about how HE missed HIS world, but he decided against it. He turned his attention back down to the Scooter doll.

"Error doesn't play around when it comes to making dolls, huh?" He said quietly, almost to himself. Chara blinked.

"Has the ribbon?" They asked. Cross affirmed it quietly, his skeletal finger pressing the pale pink. Chara nodded. They propped themselves up against the blade. There was a noise and Chara opened one eye before sighing. "It's for you." They said before fading away. Cross blinked and turned.

Dream stood there quietly. He closed the portal behind him. His face was trembling and Cross knew that look all too well. "Oh no." He got up and quickly moved over to Dream, pulling the smaller into the fluff of his coat. Dream hugged him and began to cry quietly. It broke Cross' heart to see Dream like that. He hugged the other back. He knew exactly why Dream was crying. He'd, no doubt, had a closer bond to Scooter.

After Dream calmed down a little, Cross sighed and led him back over to the large knife, where he sat down with Dream. Cross leaned back against the blade, Dream leaning against his shoulder. Usually, Dream was happy and bubbly, but Cross figured this must be difficult for him. The only way to make a person happy being if they died. Dream hated death. Cross wrapped his arm around the other's shoulders and Dream immediately seemed to accept it.

Dream was trembling. Cross felt bad he couldn't provide anything else, but then again, it wasn't exactly his fault, seeing as his entire world was gone. After a few moments of silence, Cross realized something. "She was the first person I think I've willingly showed my SOUL to without proving a point." He mumbled. Dream blinked and sat up.

"You showed her your SOUL?" He asked, blinking in surprise, golden tears still running down his face. Cross nodded.

"I never met someone who had a problem like me with their SOUL." Cross said, leaning his head back against the side of the blade. "I guess she never met someone like that either." He pondered that quietly. Dream blinked.

"Is that why Nightmare showed his SOUL that time you were all together?" He asked, wiping his eyes. Cross thought back before nodding. He jumped as a golden glow lit up in Dream's hand. He had his SOUL out. It was golden and glowing, as always. Cross blinked.

He held out his hand next to Dream's and his own mismatched SOUL appeared. Dream blinked, staring at it. "It hasn't changed a bit..." He said softly. Cross chuckled.

"Neither has yours." He pointed out. Their pinky bones were touching, their hands were so close. The glow from each SOUL was mixed together. Cross blinked. What would happen if...? He didn't dare move his hand another inch. But he was dying to know.

Cross blinked and quickly pulled his own SOUL back to his chest. He glanced at Dream apologetically, hoping he'd understand. Dream seemed to get it and quietly retracted his own SOUL. It disappeared back into his chest. Cross pulled his knees up to himself. Dream leaned against his side. It was quiet for several minutes. Just them existing in each other's company. Cross felt the question burning in him.

"Dream...?" He said quietly. The other lifted his head, his crown crooked. Cross snorted and helped move it back into place. Dream blushed in embarrassment, his cheeks yellow. "What WOULD happen if SOULS touched...?" Immediately, Dream's entire face went bright yellow as his eyes widened and he jolted back. Cross jumped, not having been expecting that reaction. He blushed red himself and shook his head. "N-Never mind! Sorry!" He said quickly.

Dream covered his mouth with a gloved hand, turning away from Cross. Cross stared at him in dismay. "A-Again! I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything weird by it!" He tried to explain. He groaned and pulled his hood up, burying himself in the fluff. "Shit!"

He covered his own face. Finally, he felt Dream tug his arm and he faced the other. His entire head and face was still buried in his hood. Cross blushed as Dream's hands slipped past his head, pushing the hood back. "Seriously! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be weird!" He apologized again.

When there wasn't any response, he blinked open his eyes. Dream was bright yellow as he mumbled that it was okay. "I mean, from the way you said it, I figured out that you genuinely didn't know." Even Dream stuttered to explain himself. Dream sat back on his knees. "I thought you already knew..." The smaller rubbed his arm awkwardly and Cross blinked.

"Why'd you think that?" He asked, baffled. Dream blinked and looked away, seeming ashamed. He mumbled something and Cross blinked. "What?"

"B-Because of Nightmare..." Dream spoke up, screwing his eyes shut. Cross stared at him. He blushed red and looked down. That made sense. Dream seemed worried that he'd said something awful and stared at Cross in dismay. Cross shook his head.

"Nightmare hasn't gone for my SOUL. Like, I know he's pretty touchy-feely with me, but he hasn't tried that." Cross admitted. Dream seemed relieved by that. He shuffled before standing.

"Thanks for letting me cry... I'm sorry you had to deal with it..." Dream said, dipping his head quietly. Cross blinked in surprise.

"Don't be sorry. Just want you to feel happy and comfortable, okay?" Cross said, grinning. Dream stared at him before nodding quietly.

A soft blush remained on his cheeks as he spoke. "Okay."