Error's POV

"Hello, darling.~ I'm just counting the wounds to heal."Reaper coos, clearly forcing a smile

I can see that he's nervous or worried, one of the two. I smile slightly at this. The fact that he's worried about me and remembered our code after all this time is very sweet...If it weren't for the thorns gripping my soul, it'd probably be beating a bit faster to indicate this.

"Hey, Error! That's a new look! Why are you strung up like that?"Nightmare asks, making himself known down below.

I roll my eye, shaking my head.

"ThAnK yOu, NiGhTmArE! I hAd nO iDeA tHaT tHiS iS diFfErEnT wiTh fLowErS gRowInG ouT of mE! ThAnK yoU fOr yOuR AsTuTe oBseRvAtiOn!"I say sarcastically

"Point taken...But how did you get stuck like that?"He asks

"WeLl iT's pReTtY sImPlE if yOu wAnT tO dO tHis tOo. AlL yOu hAvE tO dO iS pIsS fAte oFf eNoUgH bY hAvInG coNnEcTiOns oR CoNflIcTs oF IntEr3sTs aS tHey cAlL it aNd b3c0mE a Th0rN iN tHeIr sIdE. GeT cAuGhT aNd tHen iT iS a t0taLlY pAiNlEsS pRocESs of geTtIng tOrN aPaRt aS thEy s3e fIt aNd pLanTs cOnsUmIng yOur bOdY. BoNuS poInTs iF yOu'rE lAyiNg dOwn rOoTs tHaT yOu sHouLdn't bE fOr yOuR rOlE."I say sarcastically

"What roots?"He asks

"Oh yA kNoW, tHe uSuAl OnEs. HaViNg a HoMe oR aNyOnE yOu cOnsIdEr cLoSe aNd FaMiLy. As a d3stRoYeR, tHeY d0n't tHinK i sHoUlD bE aBl3 t0 haVe e1tHer oF tHosE tHinGs. ThEy tHiNk tHaT I shOuLd aLwAys bE oN tHe mOvE gEtTINg rId oF aUs oR fIghTInG INk oR eLsE i tAkE ALl THe fUn oUt oF mY rOlE foR tHem. AnD aNy cOnflIcTs oF inTeREsTs aKa fRiEnDs aNd kIdS cOuLd cAusE mE tO bE rEluCtaNt t0 dEstRoY iN fAvOr oF tHem oR oTheR pRioRitIes. S0o, I aM bAsIcAlLy StUcK hErE t0 tHiNk oF wHaT i dId wiTh vErY oBvi0us rEmIndErS bEf0re tHey dEciDe I caN d0 mY jOb aGaIn. BuT i wiLl pROBaBly bE sTuCk wItH tHeSe tHoRns s0 tHaT tHey cAn kEeP mE fRoM mAkInG cLosE cOnNeCtiOns aGaIn."I explain

Reaper frowns when he hears this.

"Pfft, so you're in time-out?"Nightmare asks

"i'M sUrE yOu'D bE lAuGhInG iN mY pOsiTiOn tOo."I groan, rolling my eye.

"Well, let's get you down from there."He says, raising his tentacles.

He slashes and slices his tentacles through the web and I feel a weight get lifted, freeing me from the web. Then before I could drop down, Reaper catches me in his arms, hugging me close to him.

"ReApEr...?"I say, a bit surprised that I'm not glitching in his arms.

"How are you feeling, Error? Still sick from Ink's crap?"He asks softly

I shake my head.

"Sc1 fix3d tHaT crAp."I say

"Good."He says

"BuT sOmE ThInGs aRe bLuRrY tO rEcAlL fr0m wHeN i WaS sIcK..."I say

"That seems normal given what was used on you. But you look beautiful, Error."He says softly

"YeAh RIGhT."I say, rolling my eye

"I mean it. Your roses look so pretty. I haven't seen such colorful flowers before."He says

"RiIiGhT."I chuckle

"Have you ever seen three-colored roses before? But they're special because they're yours, Error."He whispers

"WhY d0 y0u aLwAyS mAkE tHEsE cOmMENtS wHeN I'm a mEsS?"I ask

"Because you are beautiful, Error. You are wonderful or any sweet terms I may use for you. I tell you that even when you think you're a mess or when things are wrong so that you know and don't forget. I don't want these bad times to beat you down or convince you that you aren't as lovely as I know that you are. I don't want it to ruin your confidence and happiness. But don't worry right now. If it annoys you so much, I have plenty of compliments to give you when you're all better, and will say it more frequently.~"He tells me, cooing to me softly

My face starts burning again when he says that, especially hearing him coo to me. It was just so sweet and I loved hearing it. Yet I see him frown.

"Looks like that fever came back. Your face is yellow again. Don't worry, I'll take care of you."He says

What is he talking about? I'm not sick...But that would mean that I'm...nope! Not telling him that I'm blushing!

Reaper smiles as he lowers us down to the ground, and hugs me close to him. I hesitantly grab onto him, even more surprised that I don't crash. Then again, I just had a streak of crashing and rebooting issues thanks to Fate so maybe it's taking longer to crash again. Maybe I'm building a tolerance to being touched.

"So, what's the plan? Where do we take you where you won't be found by Fate? Certainly, they will come looking for you once free from the web and cause trouble. And they'll go for your routine locations first."Nightmare asks

"I know just the place! I can take him there while you go to update everyone, Nightmare! That is...if you want to go with me, Error."Reaper says

I glance up at him curiously. He really knows a place to go? One Fate and Fate's helpers won't look for? He certainly has my interest. I nod and he pulls me closer, his wings stretching out. I notice that he hides his hands in his sleeves so that he doesn't directly touch me.

I smile up at him as he flies away through a portal. He lands at a house and snaps his fingers, having a pair of keys open the door. He walks in, setting me down gently.

"Welcome to my secret home! Nobody really knows that I have this home, not even my own AU. They think I still live with my brother. I'll make it as comfortable as possible!"He says

"WhEn diD yOu mAkE tHiS?"I ask, glancing around at the warm, cozy environment that the room has.

"Umm...After you told me about Goth's development...Once you dozed off, I got to work preparing a home for us. I wanted it to be safe and a nice surprise for you. I was even trying to figure out how to get you out of the Save Screen, setting a life up for us. But then a month later, they gave us a ridiculously long list and demanded that I leave after I promised that I would come back to you...Then all this unfolded from there..."He says, tearing down a decoration labeled Geno.

I smile at him, glancing around. I see a nearby high chair for a baby with a table attached, holding a bib with Goth's name.

He was really setting up a life for us...before it fell apart...We're together...And after all this time, I thought he left us without looking back. It's the complete opposite...Reaper...

He leaves the room after removing the bib, working to fix things up. Then he sits beside me, relaxing.

"So, tHiS iS y0uR sEcReT?"I ask

"Yep, not even my brother knows about this place."He says

"WhY n0t?"I ask

"He'd just snitch to our dad or...creator...Gaster. And let's just say that you're not the only one with a conflict of interest for a role. The last thing I want is for any of you to be in danger."He says

I glance at him and he sighs.

"Death cannot love. Death cannot create life. Death cannot enjoy life or else that could create a conflict that may keep Death from completing lists and reaping souls. That's all I hear. So, if they heard that I have kids and a lover outside of the family he created, there'd only be trouble. They were getting suspicious of my behavior around you...They wanted to ban me from seeing you after a while so that I didn't get attached or weak. Then they gave me an extra long list and said that if I'm caught distracted or slacking off in the slightest, he will eliminate anything and anyone that he considers distractions...I still want to keep it hidden to avoid the risks..."He explains

I frown, realizing that things are making sense now. His disappearance wasn't abandonment, it was protection. He didn't reach out so that there wasn't a threat. He looks so upset.

Man, I wish the unknown could've been known sooner...I snapped at him because of what I didn't know and how that hurt...But how much did it upset HIM? Hurt HIM?

I frown, glancing at him. He slumps back in his seat and frowns, an emptiness in his gaze.

Hmm...

I slip my hand closer to his, carefully intertwining my finger with his. He glances over at me and I smile at him slightly. I'm glad that my training with Nightmare is helping me to do this. Even if it's minor.

"I gU3sS w3 b0tH d0 whAt w3 hav3 t0 s0 w3 c0ulD pr0t3cT g0tH. BuT h3y, y0u c0ulD pUt tHAt cHaiR t0 uSe wiTh sH1n0. It's 0kAy n0w."I say

He smiles at me, nodding.

"You're holding my pinkie?"He says

"TrYiNg n0t t0 puSh iT."I say

But that alone seemed to make him so happy. He shifts closer to me and I smile at him. We sit in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the moment together.

Then his phone rings, cutting in and ruining it.

"Hello?"He says, gently squeezing my finger in my pinkie.

His smile fades as whoever is calling talks.

"What..? They're doing WHAT? I'm coming!"He says, his face getting shadowed with rage as he summons his scythe.

Then he hangs up.

"That was Palette. I'll be right back."He says

I nod as he zips away. Then I frown as different thoughts enter my head, recalling the things that I saw while paralyzed and sick...

He did so much...put up with so much...for me...our family. And he still has been doing so much...But what if it isn't enough? What if I'm not enough? What if I've changed too much for him? His sacrifices shouldn't go to waste. But can things really be the same anymore? Will things be better this time or will it just be too much trouble? How do I even feel?

I shake my head, feeling my face burn as my thoughts whizz around.

Uggh, that moron...Fever my ass...

TBC