17th Birthday Special (all undertale stories)

Crinkled Paper and Coffee Cups

Enjoy an ErrorInk oneshot from said ships oneshot book on Archive

Ink watched the world pass from outside his art studio’s window. He finally had a day off from college, studying to teach art, and he had put extra work into his projects. Sadly, he had run out of ideas 20 minutes into this.
“I probably need some coffee.” He turned to the cabinets just to let out a loud groan. He was out of coffee. “I guess that’s what I get for living on coffee instead of sleep.” He sighed and went to the door, slipping on shoes and a coat before leaving for the cafe he used to go to nearly daily as a freshman.
“Finally getting up and actually leaving that room?” Blue, Inks friend, asked from a different studio room where he had been working with his guitar. Ink rolled his eyes and looked towards his friend again.
“Yes. Yes I am.” He responded calmly. Blue smiled and began laughing before ducking his head back into his studio to stop his recording.
“Can I join ya?” Blue asked and Ink nodded before stopping to wait for his friend. Blue darted out a couple minutes later and stood happily.
“Ready?” Ink asked and Blue nodded. Suddenly, as they were leaving the building, Inks' phone buzzed. He pulled it and sighed.
“Who’s that?” Blue asked and Ink showed him.
“The boyfriend. Probably wondering if I’ve eaten yet today.” He hummed before answering the call from his boyfriend who he had been dating since he started college.
“Inkkkkkk.” His boyfriend whined. Ink giggled. He had met his boyfriend only 4 months after he and his ex split because they were going to schools across the country from one another. Originally Ink had put forward that he might never have a full relationship but his boyfriend never minded.
“Dreammmmm!” Ink cooed and Dream hummed.
“You didn’t call me last night! Are you at home? Have you eaten yet? Are you taking care of yourself?” Dream began to ramble and Ink laughed.
“I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow dumby. Today is my day off. Me and Blue are heading to that coffee shop we had our first date at.” Ink explained and Dream hummed in understanding.
“I gotta get going. Love ya Inky!” Dream chirped and Ink smiled softly. He felt that familiar pang of guilt and heartache he always felt. His ex, who he would have still been with if they had gone to closer schools, had called him that.
“Love ya too Dream.” Ink hummed before hanging up abruptly. Blue, who had gone to high school with Ink, stared at Ink for a moment as he reached to hold the sweetheart necklace he shared with his ex.
“Did he call you Inky again? You do know you can ask him to stop calling you it. He may seem scary but Dream is anything but,” Blue hummed and Ink shrugged.
“Let’s just go. Wanna walk or should I drive?” Ink asked and Blue smiled.
“Let’s walk. It’s only about a ten minutes walk from here so it’s not a big deal.” B,he took Inks hand and began to drag him towards that old coffee shop they loved.

Ink watched Blue talk excitedly. Somehow he felt empty again but Ink didn’t have a clue why. He just decided not to think about it. He focused on Blue and nodded along to whatever he said.
“And- Ink… your eyelights are blank.” Blue froze but Ink shrugged.
“I’m just tired. Let’s get some coffee.” Ink hummed and after a moment of consideration, Blue nodded and went back to cheerfully chatting. Ink enjoyed his life in college. He didn’t feel the same dread he felt everyday of high school but he also didn’t feel the same joy or love.
“Here we are!” Blue chirped and Ink nodded. Of course Ink loved Dream but he still felt that sliver of his ‘soul’ holding onto his ex. He told Blue once but he said that it would fade with time. Three years into college and it still hasn’t.
They walked into the coffee shop but Ink was still too focused on his inner thoughts to hear Blues sudden gasp or the dropping of a glass coffee pot.
“Ink! Oh god! Ink snap out of it!” Blue shook Inks arm and Ink looked back at him. He tilted his head but Blue pointed to the counter where a dark bones skeleton stood in shock, red rimmed glasses sitting askew in his nasal bone like they frequently had in high school whenever he moved fast. His ex, his first love, was somehow working at his favorite cafe.
“But you moved across the country…” Ink stared at him before Error fixed his glasses and apologized to what looked like the manager. He turned and left the counter to get closer to Ink.
“Ru- you moved across the country for your dream college. How are you here?” Ink asked and Error laughed.
“I dropped out last year. I couldn’t stand being away from my home, dream school or not.” He hummed and Ink nodded.
“But the cafe-“
“This is our cafe Inky, remember?”
“Ru I’m-“
“Dating someone else, I know. You keep in touch with my brothers.”
“Then why-“
“I needed to be close to you without getting in your life.” 
“But ru-“
“Inky, this was our cafe. Remember? After freshman homecoming? Almost everyday during lunch? They even made our regulars a special meal because we came here so often.” Error laughed.
Yes Ink remembered. He remembered very well. Those memories were half the reason he stopped coming to the cafe.
………………………………
They both liked each other but both were too afraid to ask the other out. They stayed awkwardly friends until homecoming of their freshman year. 
Error had originally asked Ink and Blue to go as a group with him but Blue got sick the day before. Geno, Error's older brother who was a senior at the time, drove them there before leaving them to go hang with his boyfriend who he was marrying once Error and Ink had graduated college.
By the end of the dance Ink and Error kissed. They ended up going to the cafe when Geno ditched early to go do who knows what with his boyfriend. They spent about an hour flirting and just sitting in joy.
That cafe was their first ‘date.’