Error's POV a month later

"Error! So good to see that you've made it to the meeting!"Kyle cheers

"Of c0urSe n0t. I aM hApPy tO jOiN yOu."I say, sitting in my reserved seat.

The past month I've attended meetings with the prison group I met. These kids have formed three fan clubs, one each for Horror, Killer, and I. All members of the three clubs come together when they know that I'm showing up to one according to their social media announcements. It's adorable to see them react when I walk in or spend time with them, seeming so happy. We'd often just chat, though they did more of the talking to or about me, or they'd show me accomplishments that they've made recently. Or they'd have me teach them something like puppet-making or crafting. I liked how eager they got and their blunt comments. It's always fun. Last I checked, the Multiverse Police has completely fallen apart and their station is now an abandoned building so there isn't much to worry about for them. They might be using their building as the meeting center as the biggest sign of triumph or revenge against the former authority power. They turned the interrogation room that I adopted the boys inside into a pizza room which makes me chuckle. 

"We have a new member too! Meet Probe!"Kyle says, pointing to Probe in a folding chair

He waves shyly and I smile, happy to see that he found a community.

"Let's begin! We all know the plan for today! Practice making scarves!"Kyle says

Everyone gets their supplies out and looks to me for guidance. I smile, giving them direction and walking around to individually help anyone in the rows.

One long enjoyable meeting later, I open portals for kids to get home. As usual, they take selfies with me and a group picture to savor this meeting. They'll never show these to their families or they'll never get back to a meeting again. This club is their guilty pleasure. Yeah, telling Mom that they're a fan of the AU destroyer isn't the best idea. I am in no rush so I go for a walk in the surrounding land of the AU, finding Probe beside me and chatting.

At least we were until Destinia and Romancia arrived.

"Error, what are you doing?"Destinia asks

"What happened to the romance? You're supposed to be happy at your husband's side."Romancia says

"I aM sPeNdiNg tiMe wiTh fRiEndS. WhY? SiNcE wHeN dId yOu sToP tRYInG tO rUiN oUr rElAtIoNsHiP t0 mAkE a pOiNt."I snap

"Destinia made me."Romancia says

"We have laid out a plan for your future to go just as you wrote, yet your actions threaten it. Your current state and behavior away from him make the future shaky. You've hardly been married for two years yet, it's in two months, remember? So what have you done to ruin the plan? The distance between the couple and Romancia can tell that you both hit a rough patch. You should know better."Destinia says

"ME? I'vE gIVeN nIgHtY tHe sPaCe hE wANTs! He hAs fr0z3n mE oUt! EvEr tHiNk tHaT mIgHt cAuSe An iSsUe? WhY aSsUmE iT iS mY fAuLt?"I snap

"It has to be since you're the one aware of our plans. And the one who always ruins our plans, so this must be punished. You must've done something to make him so distant after all."Destinia says

Destinia reaches for me but gets blocked by a wall of code that burns their fingers off. I hear them scream in pain, then feel a hand tug me backward as Probe raises the virus wall higher above him.

"Ⓓⓞ ⓃⓄⓉ ⓣⓞⓤⓒⓗ ⓗⓘⓜ! Ⓗⓔ ⓗⓐⓢ ⓐ ⓟⓗⓞⓑⓘⓐ ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓘ'ⓜ ⓝⓞⓣ ⓛⓔⓣⓣⓘⓝⓖ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓕⓞⓡⓒⓔ ⓗⓘⓜ ⓣⓞ ⓒⓡⓐⓢⓗ ⓕⓞⓡ ⓞⓝⓔ ⓣⓗⓘⓝⓖ! Ⓢⓔⓒⓞⓝⓓ, ⓗⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓝⓞⓣ ⓣⓞ ⓑⓔ ⓟⓤⓝⓘⓢⓗⓔⓓ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓘⓓⓘⓞⓣⓢ! Ⓗⓘⓢ ⓛⓘⓕⓔ ⓓⓞⓔⓢⓝ'ⓣ ⓡⓔⓥⓞⓛⓥⓔ ⓐⓡⓞⓤⓝⓓ Ⓝⓘⓖⓗⓣⓜⓐⓡⓔ ⓐⓝⓓ ⓗⓔ ⓓⓞⓔⓢⓝ'ⓣ ⓗⓐⓥⓔ ⓣⓞ ⓦⓐⓘⓣ ⓕⓞⓡ Ⓝⓘⓖⓗⓣⓜⓐⓡⓔ ⓣⓞ ⓢⓣⓞⓟ ⓒⓞⓢⓟⓛⓐⓨⓘⓝⓖ ⓐⓢ ⓐⓝ ⓘⓒⓔ ⓒⓤⓑⓔ ⓣⓞ ⓗⓐⓥⓔ ⓐ ⓢⓞⓒⓘⓐⓛ ⓛⓘⓕⓔ! Ⓝⓘⓖⓗⓣⓜⓐⓡⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓐⓣ ⓕⓐⓤⓛⓣ ⓐⓢ ⓜⓤⓒⓗ ⓐⓢ ⓗⓘⓜ! Ⓑⓤⓣ ⓢⓔⓡⓘⓞⓤⓢⓛⓨ? Ⓐ ⓢⓞⓒⓘⓐⓛ ⓛⓘⓕⓔ? Ⓞⓗ ⓝⓞⓞⓞ! Ⓞⓤⓡ ⓢⓒⓗⓔⓜⓔⓢ ⓐⓡⓔ ⓓⓞⓞⓜⓔⓓ! Ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓘ ⓓⓞⓝ'ⓣ ⓑⓛⓐⓜⓔ ⓗⓘⓜ ⓕⓞⓡ ⓝⓞⓣ ⓦⓐⓝⓣⓘⓝⓖ ⓣⓞ ⓑⓔ ⓟⓐⓡⓣ ⓞⓕ ⓨⓞⓤⓡ ⓒⓡⓤⓔⓛ, ⓢⓣⓤⓟⓘⓓ ⓟⓛⓐⓝⓢ ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓐⓡⓔ ⓣⓞⓞ ⓘⓓⓘⓞⓣⓘⓒ ⓣⓞ ⓣⓗⓘⓝⓚ ⓣⓗⓡⓞⓤⓖⓗ! Ⓐⓝ ⓘⓝⓓⓔⓟⓔⓝⓓⓔⓝⓣ ⓛⓘⓕⓔ ⓘⓢ ⓒⓐⓛⓛⓔⓓ ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓕⓞⓡ ⓐ ⓡⓔⓐⓢⓞⓝ ⓢⓞ ⓗⓞⓦ ⓐⓑⓞⓤⓣ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓑⓐⓒⓚ ⓞⓕⓕ?!"Probe snaps at them

The pair look at him in shock.

"Who the heck is that...? He doesn't have Fate's red strings on him..."Romancia says

They look even more scared by that fact. Then they turn away, fleeing.

"It's an outlier!"They shout, running away.

Probe chuckles, lowering the wall of viruses. Then he glances at me.

"Tha-"I begin

"Ⓓⓞⓝ'ⓣ ⓣⓗⓐⓝⓚ ⓜⓔ. Ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓦⓐⓢ ⓝⓞⓣⓗⓘⓝⓖ. Ⓢⓞⓜⓔⓓⓐⓨ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓦⓘⓛⓛ ⓗⓐⓥⓔ ⓢⓞⓜⓔⓣⓗⓘⓝⓖ ⓦⓞⓡⓣⓗ ⓣⓗⓐⓝⓚⓘⓝⓖ ⓜⓔ ⓕⓞⓡ ⓘⓝ ⓒⓞⓜⓟⓐⓡⓘⓢⓞⓝ ⓣⓞ ⓐⓛⓛ ⓨⓞⓤ'ⓥⓔ ⓓⓞⓝⓔ ⓣⓗⓐⓣ ⓒⓗⓐⓝⓖⓔⓓ ⓜⓨ ⓛⓘⓕⓔ ⓕⓞⓡ ⓣⓗⓔ ⓑⓔⓣⓣⓔⓡ."He says

He has no idea what he saved me from.

I shrug it off, seeing how humble he has been mixed with how grateful he is for everything. He's the kind that lives every day like his last and is grateful for every minute.

His smile turns to a worried gaze.

"Ⓘⓢ ⓔⓥⓔⓡⓨⓣⓗⓘⓝⓖ ⓞⓚⓐⓨ ⓑⓔⓣⓦⓔⓔⓝ ⓨⓞⓤ ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓝⓘⓖⓗⓣⓜⓐⓡⓔ?"He asks with concern

I shrug.

"He iS jUst sUp3r diStAnt. I'm jUsT h0piNg iT iSn'T liKe tHis oN oUr aNniv3rsAry oR aCt liKe eVeryThInG iS oKaY eiThEr."I say

His wrist buzzes.

"HAvE t0 g0?"I ask

He nods, leaving shortly after.

I return to the castle, finding the gang either in the training room or in the living room watching movies. I join Horror in the kitchen as he feeds his pets and microwaves popcorn. He glances at me and tilts his head.

"You okay?"He asks

I shrug. 

"Nightmare's still going around like a robot on a schedule and coldly quiet if we catch him slipping up. I had to kick him out of the kitchen yesterday since he nearly cut his hand off cutting a tomato. A tomato!"He sighs, shaking his head.

"I s3e..."I say

"Wanna talk?"He asks

I nod and he nods, his animals scurrying away. He brings the popcorn away before returning, bringing me to his room. He shuts the door and we plop down on the bed.

"I d0n't kNoW iF hE iS oKaY aNym0re. He sAYs hE iS bUt hE d0eSn'T aCt liKe iT. I gAVe uP oN aSkInG 0r tRyInG tO gEt tHrOuGh t0 hiM. If hE wAnTs t0 tAlK, hE wiLl."I say

"That doesn't stop his icey approach from hurting, right?"He says

I nod.

"I d0n't cAr3 wHaT iT iS, I jUsT wAnT t0 kNoW aNd h3lP. BeInG iN tHe dArK sCaReS m3. I m3an, I mAdE hiM a pr0miSe n0t t0 ke3p hArMfuL s3crEtS fr0m hIm aNd n0w h3 do3s tHiS? Do3sn't hE trUsT m3 oR aNy oF uS wiTh iT? It jUsT d0eSn't mAkE sEnSe."I say

He nods, understanding.

"AnD n0w tHe tWo aSsHoLeS DeStIniA aNd RoMaNciA hAvE cAUgHt On aND bLaMe mE f0r  rUiniNg iT aS tHeY s3e iT s0 tHaT f3eLs grEe3aT!"I say, shaking my head.

He leans against me and I rest my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me, hugging me. I smile, this being the first time in a while I've been cuddling someone.

"ThAnKs hORr0r..."I say 

"No problem."He says

Though we weren't aware who was listening on the other side of the door.

Killer's POV some time later

Okay, the week is up and no changes. Time to face Nightmare!

BAM! SLAM!

I check the door to see the locks and two hinges on it broke off. I shut it behind me and find Nightmare laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. His tentacles hang limply, not even reacting to the intrusion.

"Well, this is better than the last time I got in here. You're not shutting people out, making Error's soul crack, and hiding in the library. I gave you a week to fix things but enough is enough after three months of this."I say, sitting on his desk

He slowly sits up with a groan. Then he frowns when my words sink in. I glance over, seeing a letter from Dad. I frown, seeing that it sits there untouched and obviously he hasn't been at his desk recently to see it.

"Error found ways to relieve his stress with his support network...That somehow has to jump over his own husband. He tries to help you, even throwing you into therapy instead of snapping at you out of frustration! We're all here but you're not! Now, I'll admit that I am happy that you're not locking yourself away in your room but COME ON Nightmare! You're still being distant and harmful to those of us that care about you! And you're married now, meaning you're closer to someone who cares deeply and gets hurt more from your actions! Come on, Nightmare! The fact that I know that is scary! But that's a different point! You can't shut down or close yourself from his own family about his problems and can't expect them not to worry. Your odd behavior is worrying everyone."I tell him

I glance down at the letter.

"Have you read the note from Dad?"I ask

"Noo....."He says

I walk over, handing him it.

"I think Error puts all my points in that note. You have to COMMUNICATE. Cuz shutting down and putting a smile on is just even more concerning. We're your family and it hurts to see you go through this and hurts worse that you put your walls up as if we're a threat you have to guard yourself from. We want to help you. You're not doomed to suffer alone. It's not weak to look for help, Mr. Tough King of Negativity. So what is wrong?" I say, glaring at him

He stays quiet. I frown for only a moment, before grinning.

"Fine. The hard way it is then. You're not getting out of this, Nightmare."

I summon Nightmare's soul and take out a ball of Error's yarn made from his strings. I tie NM's soul and tie the other end to the bars for the window's curtains. Then I tie his tentacles together so he cannot use them to untie his soul.

"You are not going anywhere until you open up, then. Error may not have had the soul to do this to you but I do. Enough beating around the bush, Nightmare."I tell him, plopping down beside him against the pillows.

He glances at me in shock.

"What? You should've expected this from me. I'm literally the chaotic child. Take your time, I'll wait. Neither of us is going anywhere anyways."I say with a grin

TBC