Chapter six:
Inky is sitting on the couch texting his friends while Error reads a book, and Blue watches the news. He is now fifteen.
Blue turns to look to his son. "Inky. How are things going?"
Error looks up from his book at this.
"Palette and Goth are dating now." Inky looks to his mother meeting his eyes. "I mean we were all expecting it. They weren't exactly subtle about their attraction to each other."
"Oh that's nice." Blue does admit that he also saw the attraction between the two. "Have you become interested in anyone lately?"
Error puts his book down and stares directly at Inky. "You a-aren't allowed to d-date." His words being his families attention to him. He knows that Blue especially can see the protective murderous glint in Errors eyes.
"Dad!" Inky stuffs his phone in his pocket. "I'm fifteen! I can make my own decisions!" He is starting to feel the fumes of anger at having heard what Error had told him. He can't believe his dad would say that.
"You a-are still a c-child!" Error counters. "You h-have to listen t-to us!" He meets his sons eyes as they glare at each other.
"Now now." Blue raises his hands trying to end the confrontation between the two. Though his words seem to go unheard.
"I am not a child!" Inky leaps to his feet staring at Error. "Dad. I don't want to fight with you. I just believe that I should be allowed to date." He informs Error who gets to his feet.
"Y-You think I l-like arguing with y-you? Cause I d-don't." Error tells Inky staring at him as he stares back. "I'm t-trying to protect y-you!" He adds as he points at Inky as though trying to make a point.
"Stop it!" Blue raised his voice jumping to his feet in between them. He holds out his arms so his palms are facing one of them each. He has his eyes closed tightly and he opens them as the two don't say a word. "No more fighting over this. Inky your father and I will talk about it okay? Well keep it fair to you I promise." He looks to his son who huffs slightly in acceptance.
Knowing it's the best he's going to get at this moment. "I'm going to go out with my friends for a bit." He heads off in a slight storming off fashion still a bit angry.
"B-Blue!" Error calls his mates name in disbelief as the other lowers his arms. "I-Inky can't d-date! No way a-am I going t-t-to-"
"Let someone take him away from you again?" Blue finishes Errors sentence with what he knows his mate is secretly thinking. His eyes meeting his mates own surprised ones. "Error I know you're scared of what's going to happen when Inky finds someone he likes. As much as we want him to, he can't be our little baby forever. He's got to figure out his life." He sees Error glance away to look to Inks scarf that they still have. He can see some sadness glinting in his eyes. He turns his gaze to the scarf as well. "One day he'll be all grown up as an adult." He flickers his eyes back to Error who continues to stare at the scarf. "We can't stop that. It may be hard to give him up one day to someone else. We just gotta trust he'll know when he's actually ready and takes that step. We'll be there for him every step even if it all goes wrong." He places his hands on Errors shoulders who slumps them; with his mates hands following. He gives the other a kiss on the cheek and gets one in return. "I promise to you Error. No matter the outcome we will be supporting Inky. But if we want him to be open with us we shouldn't try forbidding him of love. He might hide it then how will we know what's happening?"
"I g-guess you're r-right." Error sneaks another peek at Inks scarf. "He d-does have t-to spread his w-wings and fly. I-I'm just scared a-about if things g-go wrong."
"See?" Blue smiles at his mate. Happy that Error has seen that this is a way better idea. He had been hoping that the other would say yes to his plan. "When Inky gets back we can tell him."
Inky groans sitting down on a hill by a field next to Lunar. He draws his knees to his chest wrapping his arms around his legs. "My dad still seems to think I'm too young for a relationship. Like I can't make my own decisions." He lays his chin on his knees with a huff. "I should be allowed to date. I'm old enough to make the choice myself. I don't need my dad butting in on my love life."
Lunar reaches over placing a hand on Inkys shoulder. "Your dad has always been one to worry about you." She points out in which the other glances to her. She gives him a sweet smile which he softly returns. Her dark grey crop top shifts as she moves closer to hug the other. Her skinny jeans rubbing the grass with each movement. "He probably thinks he's looking out for you. That's probably all it is."
"You always know what to say." Inky smiles wider at Lunar who pulls back with a giggle. "Thanks so much Lunar."
"It's no problem there Inky." Lunar shares another smile with the other. She wonders if he can feel the sparks as well.
"Lunar!" Killers slightly distant voice causes the two to turn towards the opposite side of the hill.
There are some homes back there including Lunars family home.
"Come on in for lunch!" Killer adds clearly looking for her from the backyard.
"Coming mom! I'm bringing my friend!" Lunar gets to her feet. She finds she can see her home easier than before, since her and Inky were sitting a little below the top of the hill. She turns her attention to Inky. "You coming?" She asks in a more indoor speaking voice. Since she isn't calling out to her mother.
Inky nods and stands up. He follows after Lunar as they head towards her families back gate. "Hello Killer." He greets politely as his mother had taught him to do so. He even offers a friendly wave.
"Hello there Inky." Killer greets back and lets Lunar lead the way into the home. He takes up the rear.
Nightmare turns as the three come over to the table, Killer grabbing an extra plate and cutlery. "One of your friends over for lunch?" He questions his daughter as he watches the tow sit side by side.
"I thought it would be okay for him to have lunch with us." Lunar replies not really wanting to put Inky in the friendzone. She has to know his feelings first.
"It's fine. You are allowed to have friends." Nightmare turns to his mate who places his hand on the others own.
"Go ahead and dig in." Killer encourages letting the teenagers pick out their food. He had made sliced chicken, a salad, potatoes, and veggies. He and Nightmare get dished up after the two. He does watch for their reaction when they try eating his food.
"This is quite delicious." Inky comments as Nightmare hums in agreement.
"You really outdid yourself this time mom." Lunar adds only to then smirk a little, her smirk looking like her mother's. "How are you going to beat this?" She tilts her head feeling rather curious to know.
Killer smirks and places a finger in front of his mouth. "That's for me to know and you to find out." He informs his daughter who just accepts it as an answer.
After dinner Inky politely helps to clear the table. He ends up in the kitchen alone with Nightmare who approaches him. His eyes meeting with the other who is giving a rather stern stubborn expression. "Is everything alright?" He starts to wonder if he had done something wrong.
"I just want to make something clear here." Nightmare informs Inky still staring right at him. Almost challenging. His arms crossed on his chest. "You are her friend. And that's completely fine." He slightly leans closer to Inky before continuing, his visible eye narrows. "But if you think about touching my daughter. You deal with me."
"Dad!"
The two turn to see Lunar standing by them fists on her hood and an unpleased look.
"Look. I promise that I understand that you are just looking out for me. Just please don't do it this way. At least talk things over with me included."
Nightmare straightens letting his arms fall to his sides. "Lunar, my dear moonlight." He greets his daughter offering a smile. "I just don't think you're ready for this kind of stuff."
"I promise dad I'll be okay. I trust my friends. Plus you know their parents. Remember?" Lunar points out and Inky slightly glances away as the two discuss it.
Inky thinks about how well Lunar seems to do with her parents. He can tell that they all hold respect for one another. He can even see it in when they have a disagreement about something, the same something he had a fight over with his father. He begins to think about his confrontation with his father a little more. He starts to wonder if there is something he missed in his anger. He remembers the scarf that seems to hold high value to his parents. He wasn't allowed to touch it as he grew up. He knows that monsters dust when they die, it's taught in school, so what if that scarf was from someone lost? He knows his parents kept telling him they'll tell him when he's older. He at first thinks that surely this doesn't relate to the argument about him dating. Though he is questioning that as knows it's super important to his parents. He however knows that he isn't going to get any answers in his own head. He glances back to the two to see if they are done.
"Well I suppose it's alright if it's like that. Just know that I'll be keeping an eye on things." Nightmare then glances to Inky with a warning glare before leaving the room.
"Sorry about my dad." Lunar moves closer to Inky meeting with his eyes. "He just wants me to have a good life. He gets worried about something going wrong. Hurting me."
"It's okay." Inky offers the other a smile. "You know you seem to see better in situations that others might have a little trouble."
Lunar giggles smiling at this. "Dad says that I got it from mom." She tells him referring to Killer who had given birth to her. "Mom saw the good in my dad when others saw evil. Stuck by him through everything that happened. Refusing to let dad push him away until they began growing closer."
"Well that is a pretty nice thing your mom did for your dad." Inky comments in which Lunar blinks at him with a large smile on her face.
"It is."
The two head out to play some games in the living room for a bit, before Inky decides to head home.
Inky pauses at the front door to his parents home. His home. He hopes that his own father still isn't upset. He takes a breath and heads inside shutting the door behind himself. "Mom? Dad? I'm home!" He calls only to hear hurried footsteps, followed by his parents hurrying over to hug him. Though surprised at first Inky returns the hugs to his parents.
"It's good to have you back home." Blue tells Inky as they pull apart from the hug.
"You know I've calmed down." Inky admits switching between gazing Error then gazing Blue. "Dad. Mom. I know that this is a bit of a sensitive subject. But I think I'm old enough." He takes a breath. "Can you tell me about the scarf now?" He spots both his parents tense and his mother look worriedly to his father.
Error sighs softly closing his eyes for a moment. He opens them halfway before responding. "W-Well. I suppose t-t-that you are o-old enough." He admits then glances in the direction of the scarf. He turns back to Inky with a sad look.
Blue moves closer and puts an arm around Error as Inky listens to what is going to be said.