The Bloody Night Calls

Chapter Twelve

Error shifted in bed.

He was cold and hot at the same time, with the urge to flip his pillow over to get to the cooler side and the urge to curl deeper into his blankets hitting him equally hard.

Nightmare sat and read with him and talked to him for most of the day, and the gang dropped by often as well, but at night, Error was on his own. He ccouldn't other the others- not when they were already giving so much up for him! They needed to rest more than he did.

So here he was, alone with his thoughts again.

The urges to destroy had been constantly nibbling away at his skull lately. The voices would come back any day now, he just knew it.

Memories flashed through his vision of Nightmare, holding him down during a panic attack set off by the voices.

He felt a tremor go through his bones.
That couldn't happen again. What if he hurt Nightmare? Like, badly hurt him??
He would play it off as no big deal, but it would be so much more than he would ever admit to Error's face. Nightmare never wanted his sons to worry or be hurt because of him. He was the perfect father.

And Error didn't deserve him.

All he did now was weigh them down. Nightmare wasn't built for destroying AUs- his magic was not like Error's. Although both were destructive, destroying AUs took a toll on Nightmare's magic supply and overall vitality.

Which meant that if Error didn't get well enough to start destroying AUs again soon, Nightmare would start basically killing himself with the effort.

That couldn't happen. Not to any of the gang.

Nightmare had found Error ages ago in the Anti-Void, right after a heated battle between the Creator and the Destroyer. Error was heavily injured, and in his blurred consciousness, he was absolutely sure that he would be pummeled within an inch of his life at the very least, or maybe even taken captive by the feirce Guardian of Negativity. Error had seen Nightmare battling Dream and Ink, and he seemed to be absolutely merciless to his opponents.

But to his surprise, at his panicked pleading for Nightmare not to hurt him, the terrifying black skeleton actually backed off.

He didn't leave, however, instead sitting down about twenty feet away, and Error was scared he might become offended if he asked the other to leave.

After about five minutes, Nightmare started activating his aura. It scared the living Soul out of Error at first, thinking it was a sign of aggression, but after a bit he reaized that Nightmare wasn't going to get up and attack him. The aura was mildly comforting for some reason, and Error stayed quiet, refusing to meet Nightmare's calculating gaze with his own pained eyelights.

Eventually, Nightmare got up on his own, forming a portal to a dimly lit bedroom and reaching a tendril through, grabbing a black box and pulling it out of the portal, sliding it towards Error.

It was a medical kit, fully equipped. Error stared at it for a few seconds, then turned back to Nightmare.

Both the portal and the intimidating stranger were gone.

Nightmare returned periodically after that, giving Error medical supplies and food when necessary. Eventually, they began to talk, and Error started trusting the black skeleton.

After about five years of this strange friendship, Nightmare offered to let Error have a place in his gang. Error readily accepted once he realized that Nightmate would let him go as he pleased- he wouldn't be confined to the hideout, and he would be safe.

Nightmare was like a father, a mentor, the best friend Error could ever have. He had Error's complete trust.

The thought of Nightmare being hurt trying to do his job was unbearable.

This was all his fault. If only he had been more careful. If he had been a better fighter.

He got himself into this mess. Nightmare was simply helping him out of it. He didnt need to.

Why did they help him anymore? How many times was too much?

This time. You're going to kill them!

Error held a hand to his head. "N-no, that's not-"

Nightmare is going to kill himself trying to protect you! He's going to DIE and it's going to be your fault!

"N-nO, that can't haPpen! It wOn't!" Error's voice cracked weakly, trying to defend himself. "He's goinG... he'S gonNa be finE..!"

You coward! You could save him the pain if you just killed him now, you know.

"NO-0o¡!" Error screamed, holding his head, digging his fingertips into the bone.

If you wanna save him that badly, then DESTROY!

DESTROY!!

DESTROY!!!

"ST0P 1T!!¡!"

Error let out a hoarse scream, digging his phalanges deep into the scars and bandages on his skull, barely feeling the marrow and dust trickle down the side of the bone, staining it a pained red.

He curled up tighter, ignoring the burning protest of his bones, trying to shut out the madness.

DESTROY!!!

Coughing sobs escaped the trembling skeleton, gasping for breath that wouldn't come, panic surging through his Soul.

there was a hand on his shoulder. When had that gotten there?

That same hand carefully began to pull Error's claws away from his bleeding skull.

"N0-oO, l3aVE M3 AloN3!!!" Error struggled desperately. He ddidn't ant to be hurt worse....!

The hands were cautious but firm, and Error stopped struggling for a few seconds after the pain didn't get worse. ...Were they not going to hurt him...?

"......Err. It's gonna be okay."

That was Nightmare's voice. Nightmare was safe...

Tears began to flow freely from Error's eyesockets. Had he hurt Nightmare again because of the Voices?

"Ssh, no, Error, it's alright. It's okay."
Nightmare placed his hands on Error's skull, using his magic to heal the freshly reopened wounds in the bone.

Error could feel himself drifting off to sleep, his body forcing him to rest in response to the healing magic.

The voices couldn't get to him in his sleep, right...?

Dad... i'm so sorry....!

A/N

it's been ages afuhsrhuioh here you go