Afterdeath/Poth Story Pile (Complete)

Promising for a new tomorrow

    There's something nice about sitting up on the roof. Staring at the sky above, just thinking. Which was what Palette was doing now. He'd been thinking an awful lot lately. About his relationship with Dream... The impact... Rather Dream knew how to help or not... Palette doubts that he does. This isn't something a simple sorry can fix. This was a good ten years not knowing if you actually belonged to a family. Not knowing if maybe- maybe it was you who was wrong?

   Palette had a lot of expectations that he never was able to meet. He couldn't fix AUs like Ink, couldn't solve people's problems like Dream, wasn't as strong, nor as capable of fighting... It seemed to him that everything he could've- no should've been, he wasn't. Maybe that's why he was left alone, maybe it was becuase Ink and Dream could see how useless he was. He wasn't, and will never, be good enough.

   He stares at the sky, tears slipping down his face, it made sense to him. People always left when they realized he wasn't as great as his parents. They never actually wanted to be his friend, they only wanted something out of him. Except for... Except for Goth. Goth had been with him through thick and thin... Always trying to help him... Palette knows it's just melancholy speaking for him... But was he actually helping him in return? Then it began the whole new rabbit hole.

    Goth and his parents had done a lot to help him... But it felt so redundant in the end. He couldn't make it up to them, could he? He was just this burden on their backs. The thought makes him tremble and sob. Now he was laying on the roof top crying. He forgot how long he'd been up there, but when the sun finally rose, he sat up, taking harsh breaths. Trying to wipe the tears from his face. He realizes that he should probably head back inside. He walks to the other side of the roof, and uses the fence to get down.

   Walking into the house, he makes his way to his room, making sure to be quiet. He closes his door and falls flat onto his bed, and surprisingly enough, he isn't tired. In fact he's wide awake. He turns over to stare at the roof, the thoughts never leaving his head. He thinks of all the times he's messed up, they all leave a pit in his non existent stomach. Why was he such a fuck up? Why couldn't he just be like his parents? He wanted to be something great, something his parents can be proud of... But he isn't... It almost makes him cry again, but Palette doesn't think he's got the energy to cry anymore. There's a knock on his door, he looks at the door, but doesn't say anything. He already knows it's Dream. Who had opened the door anyways, he watches as Dream sits on the foot of his bed.

  He clears his throat and smiles, looking at his son "I know I haven't been the best parent to you... And I'm sorry. I can feel your sadness; your anger. And I think- 'what could I have done better' and I know there's a lot I could have done better..." Dream looks at his hands, before back at his son, "Ink and I made a mistake leaving you behind. But I wanted you to be safer, I wanted you to grow up and live! But... We lost track of time-" "So you just forgot about me?" Dream realizes what he just said. And he swallows, "well- I didn't- but Ink did- but we-" Palette once again cuts him off "Why are you even telling me this?" Dream looks at his son, "Because, it'll maybe make you feel better-" "but how? How is telling me that you both forgot me there, going to help me? What exactly does that help?" This time Palette sits up, Dream looks at Palette, and realized, there isn't a way that'll help. But it was the truth. "Because it's what you need to hear-" "No. I know that you two left me all on my own. Left me there and forgot, i didn't need you to add the reminder" Dream sighs, "You don't make this easy-" "why should I? Because everyone else forgives you so easily? Because you're so perfect and innocent to everyone?" "Palette-" "Why should I forgive you?" The room falls silent.

   There's a part that wants Palette to take it back, but at this point, what's he got to lose? His only parent? If he even wanted to call Dream that... "Because Palette, I'm trying to help you. Don't you see that?" There's something about the statement that only makes the younger upset, he looks Dream in the eyes,  "You were out helping other people when I needed you the most. You left me alone. You constantly tried to 'fix me' by trying to use your aura against me. You 'tried to help me' when I am already here, at rock bottom. So how can you help me?" Dream freezes, the statements are spoken with no anger, like Dream can feel. He knows Palette is angry, but his son is also just as equally depressed. Was that holding him back? Dream assumes so, but he figures, he should actually listen this time. And he does, "You're right, I shouldn't have put strangers before you, I should have checked on you. But Palette, please understand, I was afraid. Afraid that Nightmare would find you. And I let that fear guide me. Like you've been letting your hurt guide you. I should've been there, Ink and I should've been there. But when I went for you, I found out he had moved on. And I had no idea where you went...." Dream took a deep breath, "Looking for you, I found so many timelines where Ink and I still loved each other, where you were happy... And I hoped I could make you happy. But I failed to do that. I failed to make you happy" there's a sense of intense hurt now, Dream understands he's opening old wounds.

  But he wants to do this right, he can hear soft hiccups, and he looks up to see his son shake with a sob, Dream feels himself tear up as well, pulling him into a hug. "We shouldn't have left you. I shouldn't have been so ignorant and think I could change the way you feel. But I can't. And that's ok. You have every right to be mad at me, I'm done trying to make this work. You aren't one of those people, and I can't afford to make the same mistake I made so long ago." Dream pulls away, looking at Palette, and he wipes the tears, feeling the years of hurt pour out. Tears of his own slip from his face. Dream smiles, "I promise you, I'm done trying to rush fixing things. We'll work on getting you better ok?" His son nods, Dream sighs. "You should get some sleep ok? Then when Cross and I get back, I'll talk to Geno, and this time I'll listen. And we'll see what we can do to get you help, does that sound good to you?" Palette nods, sniffing, "yea... Thank you.." He nearly starts to sob again, Dream shakes his head, "No Palette. Don't thank me. This is something I should have done in the first place. Now get some sleep." The younger skeleton nods. And lays down, Dream smiles. And makes sure that his son is asleep before leaving. Promising for a new tomorrow.

  //hmmmm. Ok, I wont lie, almost cried writing this haha. But I wanted to write something kinda happy. Because most of my ideas involve the poor kid suffering. Like always. But yea. [Edit: forgot to change the name sorry lol, stayed up all night playing DnD so my brain did a forget haha]//