Chapter seven:
It's been two weeks.
Ink has been able to move more, and the doctors have been working with him on his movements. He can't walk yet but he can sit up on his own now. He was told his body had a big shock as he almost died, so he'll have to work on moving and walking.
The bed does get shifted up so he doesn't push himself, or if he gets too tired of doing it on his own.
Blue went out with Lust, and Classic.
Dream and Cross went home for a little alone time.
Blue, Dream and Cross all promising to be back later.
Error is sitting alone with Ink in the room. He looks to Ink who looks away. "I-Inky." He begins then stops himself as Ink speaks quietly.
"Only you."
Error leans closer putting his arms on the bed to lean against it. His soul beats with hope that Ink will tell him who finally. He doesn't say anything as he waits for Ink to speak again.
"It was D-Dust." Ink seems to have to force that name out. His words surprise Error then enrages him.
Error can't believe he promises to protect Ink, only to let the one who hurt him close to him. He tries to reason that at the time he had no idea it was Dust who caused this. "I-I won't let h-him anywhere n-near you anymore." He assures Ink and moves onto the bed to hug him as Ink sobs. He remembers the get together of the skeleton friends to celebrate Ink getting better.
Farm and Blood have decided to hold it at the farm tomorrow.
Error had planned to stay with Ink. Now he has an idea of how to make sure everyone finds out. He refuses to let Dust get away with this. So he knows the others have to know the truth, and what better way for them to learn than from Dusts mouth. He just needs to have someone stay to keep Ink safe and okay. "I'm g-going to t-take care of h-him tomorrow." He then remembers Dream and Cross wanted to stay with Ink too tomorrow. "Dream a-and Cross will p-protect you. P-Promise." He sees Ink look worried to him. He smiles to try to assure him. "D-Don't worry about m-me. No w-way in hell Is h-he going to k-kill me."
Ink nods softly knowing that there's no going back. "He wanted me to die to hurt Blood and Farm. So he... Did what he decided he had to do... Then he just hurt me physically turning to more emotionally... Until I couldn't take it anymore. He kept threatening me about if I told anyone the truth." He tries to hold back a sob as he pushes for a moment before he continues. "He wanted you all to watch me go into despair without me being able to tell anyone." He cries a bit then forced out the last bit before he'll fall into just sobs. "He used me hiding my feelings to you against me. Telling me how he'd reveal it and make you leave me because of it. I was already convinced that something bad would happen if I said my feelings. He just seemed to confirm it." He can't get any more words out as he just sobs. He just couldn't hide it from Error any longer. Plus he knows that if Error is to know it's Dust he should know the story. He is anxious about how Error will react.
Error holds onto him to comfort him. "I-It'll be okay. H-He will never h-hurt you again. W-We all will b-be here for y-you. Especially m-me. You c-could have told m-me your feelings. I-I would never let that b-be why I leave you. I-I'd do what I-I could to help a-and support you. I c-care about y-you so much." He continues to comfort him.
Ink manages to settle down after a little bit. He is relieved that Error really has no intentions of leaving him. He has been able to admit to Error that he loves him, and the other is still here comforting him. He does feel like part of the weight he's been carrying be lifted. He has told someone he really trusts the truth. He doesn't have to carry that secret anymore. He isn't alone in all of this.
Error turns as Dream and Cross come back. He glances to Ink. "I-I have to t-tell them. So they c-can protect you." He whispers and at first Ink looks worried. "T-Tomorrow I'll m-make sure e-everyone knows. S-So he can't h-hurt you again." He sees Ink just give up then nod. He nuzzles Inks skull then goes to the other two. He pulls the two to a corner of the room by the door. "T-There's something t-that you need to know." He tells them as they listen curiously. "A-Also I need y-you to stay t-to protect him tomorrow."
"Protect him?" Dream questions confused only to go quiet to listen.
"This m-might be a s-shock. But I-I wasn't going t-to say anything. Until I-I got some information t-that he just gave m-me." Error gestures to Ink who won't look to them. "T-The reason he t-tried to kill himself." He sees their interest spike at hearing that he knows. "Y-You see someone h-has been hurting h-him. Even in t-the worst way."
"Y-Y-You don't mean... Rape...?" Dream can barely get the word out as he begins to shake.
Cross has to hold Dream close so he doesn't collapse.
"I-I'm afraid so. O-Once as far a-as I know." Error confirms and Dream goes limp in Cross's arms sobbing. He continues as Dream quiets down to listen. "T-Then he would use p-physical and emotional h-hurt to beat him d-down." He sees Dream trembling hard and Cross looks angry. He wonders if he should stop right now.
"K-Keep going." Dream pleads to Error so he does as pleaded. He looks horrified about what happened however he has to know it all.
"H-He wanted I-Ink to not t-tell anyone. To j-just go into despair a-as the rest of us w-watched. As h-he refused to t-tell us why."
"The rest of us?" Cross questions making Error pause. "You don't mean it was one of our friends do you?"
"I-It is." Error hears Dream gasp looking even more wide eyed. "It is D-Dust." He sees surprise from them both. "H-He did it t-to get r-revenge on Blood and F-Farm." He explains further. "H-He was using I-Ink by hurting him a-as a tool for h-his plan. I-Ink didn't tell a-anyone he liked m-me when I started d-dating Blue. He used it a-as extra assurance that I-Ink wouldn't talk. L-Luckily I was a-able to slowly w-work Ink into telling m-me." He sees he twos surprise turn into anger towards Dust. "I-I'm going to f-force Dust to tell t-the truth in front of e-everyone. Tomorrow. I-I also plan to t-take care of him. I h-have to do it t-this way so he c-cant hurt Ink e-ever again."
"We will protect him while you take care of Dust tomorrow." Cross promises with Dream nodding in agreement. He lets his fiancée go so the other can cuddle Ink to comfort him.
"I-I know h-he'll be in g-good hands with the two o-of you." Error nods then he and Cross join Dream to be at Inks side.
The next day Error prepares to head on out. He made sure to get some good sleep so he's not tired for the confrontation.
Dream and Cross are staying close to Ink. They want to make sure that he knows that they will not let anything happen to him.
Blue went to the get together early. He wasn't told of the plan as they don't have time today.
"C-Come back alive." Ink pleads to which Error turns to him.
Error offers Ink a smile. "H-He may have t-threatened t-to kill anyone y-you tell. B-But don't f-forget that he is n-not going to k-kill me." He tells Ink and shares a hug with the other. "I-I promise you that n-no matter what I-I will return a-alive." He wants to make sure Ink is assured of that. He pulls away letting Dream take over comforting Ink. "See y-you later." He heads through a portal arriving to the get together. He doesn't pay attention to the portal as it closes behind him. He sees that everyone else is already here. He spots Dust talking with Blood and he growls his eyes narrowing. He stalks towards Dust. "Y-You!" He shouts causing everyone to turn in surprise to him. He leaps at Dust in rage knocking him down. He is pulled off by Blood. "H-How dare you! Y-You're nothing but a-a pathetic monster!"
"Error! What's gotten into you!?" Blue demands as everyone, who is unaware of the truth, wonders the same thing.
Dust and Error glare at one another.
"Y-You know w-what you did." Error hisses to Dust and doesn't struggle against Blood. He has to make sure everyone knows the truth.
Dust gets to his feet and stares calmly at Error.
"I-Inks in the hospital b-because of y-you! Y-You abused h-him to try t-to force him t-to commit suicide! W-Which is what h-he tried t-to do. M-Making him a-almost die!" Error hears gasps of shock and mummers with glances to Dust. He is even let go of by Blood in shock.
Dust's eyes narrow then he glances around before glaring to Error. "So what if I did!?" He approaches Error as the two tense ready to fight. He can feel all eyes now glaring in hatred and shock at him. He knows that he can't hide it anymore.
Error has forced him to admit the truth.
"Ink should have died. He wasn't supposed to live." Dust hisses to Error.
"Why!?" Blood questions catching Dusts attention. "Why would you do such a horrible thing!?" He has tears appearing as he shakes with Farm hugging him.
"To get revenge for you just leaving me like that." Dust tells Blood causing Blood and Farms eyes to widen. "I couldn't get Farm alone. Then I saw a chance with Ink. As he tried to hide that he loved Error after Error started to date Blue. I knew he was a friend to all of us. I figured it was the next best thing. To watch him go into despair and I threatened him to not have him talk. Clearly I didn't do a good enough job if he told Error. I was so hoping he'd just die before it came to this moment." He clenches his teeth looking angry. "And to think. All it took was one session for me to force myself on him, then to just physically and emotionally abuse him until he tried to kill himself." He hears growls and snarls. He prepares to teleport away as even a tearful Blood seems to want to kill him. "He was too easy to break!" He chuckles at this pausing when he is surrounded by everyone. He finds every eyes he meets has rage and hatred in them. He shares a final glare with Error then teleports away.
Blue hugs Error stopping him from chasing after Dust. He has tears in his eyes and is shaking.
A bunch of others from the get together hurry away to try to go after Dust to take him down.
Error hugs Blue wanting to help find Dust. He just also needs to comfort Blue who needs him. He is surprised as Blue suddenly pulls away. He looks to the teary eyed Blue.
"Go my love." Blue encourages to Error. "I'll go to the hospital. To help in protecting Ink."
It is easy to know that Dream and Cross are still at the hospital to protect Ink, since neither of them are here.
Though Blue seems to think he'll be better in backing them up than to hunt Dust.
Error nods then dashes off as Basic, who decides to join in protecting Ink, and Blue hurry to get to the hospital.
Everyone else who stayed back from the shock all also join Error to join the search.
Basic and Blue go into the hospital room then hug Ink no longer crying. They pull away and share a look with Cross and Dream to say Dust teleported; plus that the others are out to look for him to take him down. They stay by Ink promising to not go anywhere so Ink will be extra protected.
Error checks an alley way as he tried to teleport to Dust. He found himself in this alley. He walks slowly by an abandoned house. He sees the grass is tall enough that someone could hide in it. He pauses looking and listening for any movement.
The house looks to be ready to fall apart by the slightest breeze. It's unlikely anyone would go inside.
Error feels someone's eyes on him. "C-Come out!" He demands as he calls out to his watcher. "Y-You won't b-be getting away with t-this Dust! There's n-no AUs f-for you to hide in. E-Everyone is h-hunting you. Even t-the other cities w-will find out!" He does plan to get the news to spread if they don't find Dust.
Dust must be stopped if Ink is to be safe and to recover.