Chapter two:
Ink has kept himself locked in his home for a week. He keeps his sash off just wanting to block out the pain. His body recovering as the days go by. He's currently sitting curdled up on his couch. His phone resting on the couch beside him. His gaze just staring straight ahead. He turns as his phone goes off. He shakily reaches towards it then checks it. Hoping it isn't Dust.
Error has messaged him.
Hey. How are things going? Did you get too distracted with a painting project? No one has heard from you.
Ink thinks of how if only that was it. He sends a message back to Error trying to steady his hand.
No. I felt a bit sick. So I stayed home. I'm feeling better now.
Ink sends it and brings his hand back to curl around his legs. He has his legs to his chest along with how he's sitting on his couch. He turns back to the phone, he put back to be next to him again, getting a rather quick response. He checks it.
Oh. Well it's good that you're feeling better. Say why don't you come hang out? Me and Blue are gonna tell our closest friends at a big get together. If you're feeling better enough to come.
Ink lets out a breath. He will have to leave his home at some point. He can't keep hiding from them.
Sure. What time?
Ink knows he can't let anyone know that something happened. He has to act normal.
Three pm.
See you then.
Ink checks the time and realizes he has to start getting ready if he is going to make it. He turns to look to his sash. He really doesn't want to put it on even though he knows he has to. He takes a breath then gets up. He hesitates as he stands over where his sash lays on the floor. He stares at it for a few moments before finally picking it up. He puts it on and a wave of emotional pain sweeps through him. His legs feel like they've become jello. He collapses to be sitting on his knees. He takes a shaky breath before forcing himself to get up. He puts on a calm mask. By shoving the pain as deep inside of himself as he can. He makes sure that any possible trace of, mostly healed, bruises and marks are covered. He runs past the place where it happened. He closes the door with a sigh of relief. He locks it then heads to go to Errors home. He offers others forced smiles doing his best to make it look as real as he can. He sees others he passes by aren't catching on that he's in emotional pain. So he must be doing a good job at hiding it. He makes it and knocks on the door as he arrives.
Error opens the door and grins to his friend. "H-Hey! Ink! C-Come on i-in!"
Ink steps inside as Error lets him do so. He tries to hold back from becoming tense when he sees Dust.
"You a-arrived just after D-Dust." Error tells him closing the door.
Ink avoids looking at Dust. "That's okay." He barely manages to keep his voice from shaking. He heads straight to the living room where he finds Blue sitting on the couch. He joins the other on the couch. He jumps as Blue hugs him.
"It's so good to see you Ink!" Blue then pulls back letting Ink go. "Sorry about suddenly hugging you and scaring you."
Ink forces himself to relax trying to lock away the memories. "It's okay. You just surprised me." He assures Blue who looks relieved. "How have you been?"
"I've been great! How have things been with you?" Blue inquires to Ink smiling widely at his friend.
"Better now." Ink can feel Dust look to him sending a small shiver up his spine. "I was feeling a little sick for a few days. But I'm okay now."
"Well it's good that you're feeling better." Blue tells him showing the relief in his eyes. "I'll admit I am a little nervous. We already told you and Stretch. But no one else." He mentions his brother Underswap Papyrus that they call Stretch.
"I'm sure that they'll be happy that you two found happiness." Ink assures Blue placing a hand on his friends shoulder.
Blue looks better at hearing this. "Thank you Ink."
Soon enough every one of their skeleton friends, and family members save for the youngest, has arrived.
They have just the skeletons over, since there's plenty of monsters in one place with just them.
Reaper, Geno, Killer, Nightmare, Dream, Cross Xtale Sans, Lust, Blood, Farm, Edge Underfell Papyrus, Red Underfell Sans, Classic Undertale Sans, Basic Undertale Papyrus, Black Swapfell Sans, Slim Swapfell Papyrus, Outer Outertale Sans, and Science Sciencetale Sans.
Unfortunately Sugar, Horrortale Papyrus, died of starvation before Horrortale was found. His starvation caused as everyone else died from it, trapped in the underground.
Blood was the sole survivor starving as well when Horrortale was found. He joined Killer and Dust in living with Nightmare, in one of the worlds at the time.
Thus they became such good friends. Their friendship staying even when the worlds became one.
Ink is still in the living room listening to some of the conversations. He is trying to keep his distance from Dust without making it obvious.
Luckily Blood wanted to make sure that there was no hard feelings.
Though Ink hears Dust assure Blood that he's not mad anymore, he knows that it is a lie. He turns his attention to another conversation.
"Hey Geno!" Error greets the skeleton he sees as a brother; they heard that it seems they have the same creator. So he along with the other labeled each other as brothers, though Geno is the oldest and they are only honorary brothers really. "How are things with Fresh?"
Fresh is still a very young baby. He is the littlest honorary brother of Error and Geno.
"I got someone else to watch him for a bit. While we came here." Geno tells Error as he and his husband Reaper have been watching the little skeleton. "He'll be fine. He's been in good moods recently."
Ink glances to the snacks on the coffee table but he doesn't feel hungry.
Blue steps forward and clears his throat causing everyone to turn to him. He smiles more as Error joins him. "We wanted to tell you all something." He tells them sharing a quick smile with Error before turning back to the others. "Me and Error have decided to try dating."
The others erupt in calls of congratulations with some circling the two happily.
Ink turns as Dream sits down next to him.
"Heh. I wonder who will be next. Maybe it could be you." Dream nudges Ink with his elbow and has a smile on his face.
"Probably not." Ink shrugs glancing to the crowd around the two new boyfriends. "I'm not really interested in anyone."
"Really?" Dream blinks at this. "Well maybe one day you'll find someone you really like."
"Maybe." Ink just agrees with Dream wishing this conversation could be over. "How have things with you and Cross been?" He brings up Dreams boyfriend to try to distract him.
"Oh! We got engaged!" Dream shows Ink the beautiful ring on his finger.
"Congratulations!" Ink mentions looking up from the ring. He gives his best happy look to the other.
"Thanks! We haven't decided when to spread the news. Or if we should just let them find out when we send out wedding invites. But I know Cross won't mind me telling a few. Like you. Since you're my very good friend."
"Well whatever you two decide I know everyone will be happy for you." Ink tells him and Dream grins widely at him.
"Thanks Ink!"
Dream goes off on telling Ink of how Cross proposed to him under the stars.
Ink is only half paying attention. His eyes nervously sweep everyone there. He does so as Dream is wrapped up in the memory of the story.
Blue and Error are talking with Reaper, Cross, and Geno.
Stretch is with his boyfriend Edge, Red, and Reds husband Black.
Science is sticking by his boyfriend Outer as they talk to Slim, Nightmare, Killer who is held close by his husband Nightmares goopy tentacles, and Lust.
Blood is talking with Basic, Classic, Dust, and Farm.
Basic has been dating Slim for over a month now.
Inks eyes stop as they land on Dust. He feels some relief that Dust isn't too close, and isn't paying attention to him. He would feel sick if he was. He quickly turns away to look to Dream again instead. He realizes the other just finished the story. "That sounds romantic." He guesses what to say based on what he had heard.
"It really was." Dream places his hands on his blushing cheeks as he closes his eyes.
Ink can feel the good aura coming from Dream as it grows from Dreams own happiness. He lets himself feel it hoping to help push away the pain. He talks with a few others during the get together. He keeps away from Dust by pretending to want to talk to others if Dust gets close. He leaves the get together after Geno, Reaper, and Lust end up heading off. He heads home. He doesn't want the memories but he wants to take off his sash. He feels like he can only do that at his home. He pauses swearing he hears footsteps behind him. He turns to look behind himself. He sees Dust casually following after him. His eyes widen and the other reaches him before he can run.
"Act normal." Dust quietly hisses at him and out of fear Ink forces himself to relax. He takes Inks arm taking him to Inks home shutting the door behind them.
Ink jolts away and steps back in terror as he faces Dust in his own home again. "W-What do you want?" He shakily demands unable to hide his terror. "You g-got what you wanted." He doesn't want to think about what could be coming next.
"I have to make sure that you won't just recover from this." Dust lunges pinning Ink to the wall by his neck. "I don't need to do what I did before. I just gotta hurt you. Plus this will speed up the process." He hisses to Ink almost choking the other. "Then they'll see you're upset but you refuse to talk to them. Oh how glorious it'll be. As all they can do is watch you go into a downward spiral." He tosses Ink sideways to the ground.
Ink gasps then groans as his shoulder that hit the ground aches. He tries to curl up only to freeze when a foot is stomped on his ribs.
"I must say you look good down there. Whimpering beneath my feet." Dust chuckles darkly. "However you must be sacrificed. It's a good thing you only look good as my victim. Ah. I miss straight up murdering others sometimes." He moves his foot off of Ink.
"Please..." Ink pleads with a sob not daring to get up or move much.
Dust crouches next to Ink staring at the skeleton who is in the fetal position. "I've done my work for the day. Don't you dare forget to not tell anyone the truth. Just let them watch you get worse and worse." He gets up and leaves as Ink cries on the floor.