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Chap 11 - Not-So-Secret Anymore

(Ink)

Razz and Slim made sure I was settled before leaving. One or both of them would drop by sometime tomorrow to check up on me. As they left my apartment they held hands, the tension from before gone. A small smile twitched on my lips: they never really fought for long.

But now I was in a predicament. Normally while I was alone in my apartment I'd work out or paint or sculpt. With one leg out of order, I couldn't sit on my stool or work out. I practically had nothing to do.

Boredom is not something I'm used to.

I tried to watch TV but it didn't hold my interest long enough. I've watched all my movies at least three times, so watching them again would be futile. Stranded on the couch, I couldn't work on any of my big projects. None of my canvases or even my large sketches. I only had access to my sketchbooks and idea journals. Most of them were full of basic ideas and start-up or test sketches for my bigger projects or commissions. Only my special sketchbook had any proper drawings in it, other than my travel books.

Being in one spot and bored, I took a lot of naps just to pass the time. Ugh, this accident is going to make me fat and lazy... Can't work out, can't do my work, can't even cook by myself...I'm stuck watching nonsense and eating snacks...

Thus, I found myself working on my special sketchbook, day after day, in between naps.

Boredom is NOT something I'm used to...

(Error)

After less than a week of having the same fight over and over, Geno gave up trying to make me take my medication on the premise that if I had another attack within the month I'd take it. He and Reaper left me alone in my apartment after a few days without meds so Geno could keep an eye on me.

Since I was fine, Geno ran out of excuses to haunt my apartment. He really acted over-protective sometimes.

A day after he left I realized how quiet I'd become. Without anyone to talk to, I returned to my old silent habits. But now they felt...odd, being so stretched.

After some build-up of my self-induced silence, I picked up my phone. It had been over a week since the accident and I hadn't spoken to Ink since he was in the hospital.

I was going to text him, but I wanted to hear his voice. So I dialed his number.

It rang a few times, making me think he wasn't going to answer, when he picked up.

"Error!" he said in greeting, far too excited for someone with a broken leg.

"Hey, Ink," I said, smiling already at his bright voice.

"I'm sooo glad you called! I have been so bored...I'm stuck with nothing to do..."

"Are you still at the hospital?"

"Heck no! Some friends of mine-slash-former colleagues picked me up and took me home. They stop in every now and then to make sure I'm okay, but they never stay for long."

"That sounds actually really boring..."

"You have no idea..."

We went silent for a while, out of conversation topics.

"I miss you..." Ink said softly.

"I miss you, too, Inky."

"You know, you can come over anytime. I nap most of the time so I have no sleep schedule. If you want, you could stop in. I'd really appreciate some company..."

"Isn't your door locked? How would you answer it if your leg's broken?"

"Well, for one I have crutches. For another, I have a hidden spare key outside my door. I've accidentally locked myself out one too many times not to have one."

I chuckled, "How do you lock yourself out of your apartment?"

"Leave your keys with your best friend or at work. One time I," he laughed, "I actually left them inside my apartment and only realized I was keyless when I got home," he laughed embarrassedly. 

"Well, I guess I'll stop by," I said, smiling, "I'll text you when I get there. See you soon, Ink."

"See you soon, Error!" Ink said jovially, hanging up.

I sighed in content. Just listening to him reworked all of my stretched out silence.

With a small smile on my face, I stood up from the dent I had formed on the couch. Glancing at it, I saw a perfect shape of my body and briefly wondered how long I sat in one spot.

Shrugging, I went into my room to dig for some nice clean clothes. Finding a pair of clean shorts and nice-ish t-shirt, I stood up and remembered that Ink's clothes were still here. I picked up the old clothes, feeling some slight stiffness I did not want to know the origin of. Jogging down to the building basement I tossed his clothes on the quick wash cycle and ran back upstairs. The waiting would kill me, so I decided to take a shower. Ink liked my charcoal body wash anyway.

Dressing in my new clothes after my shower, I jogged back down to the basement. Five more minutes. Damn. Why do washing machines take so long?

Sitting on a chair in the laundry room, I settled in for a wait.

When the machine went off, I stood up only to remember that I had to dry it. 

"Ugh..."

-----

Twenty minutes later I finished folding Ink's clothes, chuckling to myself a bit at the colorful clothing. Each garment had his name on the tag, like a kid's mom would put on so he wouldn't lose it. But it was in his casual scrawly cursive.

He did it himself, heh...

 Honestly, Ink is adorable sometimes...

I feel so lucky...

(Ink)

Five minutes after he called me I fell asleep, still 'working' on a picture in my special sketchbook.

A loud knock woke me up and I jerked, sitting up and looking around.

"What?" I said sleepily, momentarily forgetting my invitation to Error.

Boom, boom, "Ink, it's me, Error."

"Huh?" I checked my phone. 'New Message from: Error Love'

Error Love: be there in a sec. just got here

"Oh..." I mumbled.

More knocking, "Ink?"

"Coming!" I flung my leg over the edge of the couch, grabbing one crutch and half-hopping, half-walking to the door.

With a grunt, I pulled the door open, leaning on my crutch as I scooted back. Error stood there, smiling and holding a bag from the cafe on the corner. He shook it in front of me, grinning.

"I bring cookies!" he said happily. He held up a grocery bag, "And clothes!"

Chuckling, I grinned at him, "Thanks. I totally forgot about those..."

Stepping back I hobbled over to the couch as Error shut the door behind us. With a grunt I flopped onto the couch, leaning my crutch with its twin as Error settled next to me.

He tossed the bag of cookies on my lap and I laughed, opening it up to reveal chocolate cookies with rainbow sprinkles.

"You got my favorites!" I said, grinning as I pulled one out, "How'd you know?"

"Give me some credit. I am your boyfriend, as you've pointed out," he chuckled.

"Oh, Error," I sighed in content, "You're the best boyfriend I've ever had."

He blushed faintly and chuckled, "Heh heh, you, too, Inky..."

Smiling at him I tossed a cookie his way and munched on one myself. I considered him for a while, eating my cookie with my head tilted to the side. He needed a nickname. He already had a nickname for me. Now he needed one.

Error, Error, what to do with Error... er...R...hmm...

(Error)

Although I felt his eyes on me, I couldn't look him in the eye. My attention was drawn to a sketchbook on the floor, open to an interesting page.

It was me. In the picture I smiled softly, my eyes shadowed expertly as I looked into the observer's face. As if I was peering into their heart. A few stray hairs littered my forehead. All the detail was meticulous and perfect.

Leaning down I picked it up, looking at the picture closer. Ink stiffened beside me but I didn't notice. Curious, probably too much so, I flipped through a few pages. It was full of drawings of me, getting riskier and more detailed as I went on. A blush crept up my cheeks as I saw drawings of Ink and me doing various activities. Holding hands, hugging, cuddling, even kissing.

I found a picture with a title. Barely any of them had titles so I paused. It was called 'The Dream' in Ink's neat cursive lettering. It depicted me and Ink making out while naked- or at least shirtless. He hung on my neck, cupping my head as I hugged his waist tightly, my fingers digging into his sides. He had even drawn in his tattoos and some of the scars on my hands. My face was hot as I studied the picture, surprised and embarrassed but unable to look away.

Ink shifted, pulling up his good leg to hug it as he looked away. "You weren't supposed to see that..." he said softly. My head whipped to him and I blushed hotly, seeing his cheeks aglow with red.

"It was a secret..." he said, still hugging his good leg.

After a stiff silence, I laughed. He looked at me, shocked, as I continued to laugh, setting the book down. I laughed for a little while as Ink stared at me, clueless.

"What's so funny?" he asked, sounding slightly offended. I shook my head, fighting back the laughter.

"I've had almost the exact same dream!" I said, making his blush deeper, "Only, you know, not as intimate because I literally know nothing about touch...the panic woke me up before we got to the good part. My dreams always end before we kis-" I stopped talking, realizing just how much I'd said. Ink stared at me, his face twitching slightly as he tried not to smile.

I handed him his sketchbook and he closed it, letting a little sigh, "I'm glad you stopped halfway..." he said, looking at it in embarrassment again.

"Hey, I'm sorry for looking at it without asking. I just saw it on the floor and got curious," I said nervously and he waved me off.

"You were bound to find it someday," he said, resigned. He rested his head on his knee.

After some time of more silence, I looked down, "Do you...do you really think that way about me?"

He turned to me and smiled gently, "Yes. But don't think this means you have any obligations. I'm perfectly happy with just being this close to you."

I let out a small, relieved breath, nodding to myself. Even without my phobia, I was still a virgin. My phobia kind of prevented me ever getting close enough for stuff like that to happen, not to mention I'm gay too. It made me nervous to even consider intimacy or any other kind of sexual contact.

Ink yawned, stretching, "I'm so boooooreeeed..." he whined, laying down on his side, "It makes me sleepy..."

"You can go ahead and sleep," I said, making motions to get up.

"No! Don't go, stay, please..." he yawned widely, hugging a pillow to his chest, "I'm tired of waking up alone..."

Now I was conflicted. It would be awkward to stay while he slept without doing anything but I didn't want to make him unhappy. I felt bad enough he was injured in the first place.

He pat the couch, "Sit! I'll get you the remote and you can do whatever. Just, don't leave, please?" he gave me wide, puppy-pleading eyes.

Now I couldn't say no. With a grin, I nodded, "Whatever you say, Inky."

"Thank you..." he yawned again, laying down mostly on his side with his leg propped up. "Night-night, baby..." he said sleepily, drifting off almost instantly. He didn't see the hot blush on my face as I stared at him. 'Baby'?

Chuckling to myself, I looked around before sitting down. Ink's massive teddy bear was behind the couch and I picked it up, setting it next to Ink. His arms stretched out sleepily and he hugged part of it to his chest, resting his head in its lap. I smiled at how peaceful he looked and sat down beside the teddy bear, turning on a random show to pass the time.

Leaning on the teddy bear watching nonsense, I felt my eyes grow heavy and yawned.

Maybe I could take a nap, too... the thought sounded so attractive I yawned and settled more into the teddy bear's arm. Ink made a sleepy groan and shifted. Sliding down to lay down, I rested my head against the teddy bear and put my arms above my head, making myself comfortable.

Blinking slowly, watching the show without much interest, I yawned again.

Maybe just a short one...

(Ink)

Blinking my eyes open, I felt something in my hand as I woke. Looking over sleepily, I saw Error asleep across from me, my massive teddy bear between us. His hand loosely gripped mine, an unconscious action seeking comfort. He wasn't even aware we were touching.

Smiling to myself, I gripped it, only our first three fingers hooked together gently. I savored the contact, resting my head on my other hand as I looked at Error. Subconsciously I rubbed small circles on the back of his hand with my thumb, a calming gesture my mom used to do for me.

A small smile twitched on his sleeping face and his fingers curved tighter on my own.

"I love you, Ruru~" I cooed quietly.

Error groaned and I took my hand out of his. I didn't want him to freak out when he woke up.

He blinked at me and closed his fist, pushing himself up. "How long did we sleep?" he asked tiredly. I shrugged, glancing at a clock only to remember I didn't check it before I fell asleep.

"Not sure," I said honestly. Error rubbed his hair, probably trying to straighten it but only making it more untidy.

"Huh..." he blinked a few times, turning to me, "Well....wanna watch a movie and get some take out?"

"Is this your way of asking an invalid on a date?" I teased, seeing him blush slightly.

"I owe you something for passing out in your hospital room," he said as a way of an excuse. Chuckling, I nodded, sitting up more.

"Sounds fun, except I've seen all the movies I own three times," I told him, "I know them back to front."

Error stood up, stretching, "Then I'll go get some new ones and pick up some food."

"Oh, you really don't have to..."

"Nah," he shrugged his jacket up his shoulders, smiling at me, "I'll get a host of movies and some good take out and we'll have a slumber party!"

"We're grown men..."

"Does that mean we can't have a slumber party?" he said slyly, smirking at me, "C'mon, Ink, you're the fun one! I thought you'd jump at the chance to be thirteen again!"

I had to smile at him. He seemed really into this idea. "Fine, let's be thirteen again. But that means you have to get me ice cream, popcorn, and licorice."

Error waved his hand in the air, smiling, "It shall be done!" He started walking to the door and I called him back.

"Wait, Error, take my keys," I told him, pointing at the bowl I kept my house keys and change in. He looked down, "The set with the skittles lanyard."

He grabbed it, shaking them at me, "I'll be back in about an hour, okay?"

"Okay," I chuckled, "See you soon!"

"See ya in a bit, Inky!" he called, leaving.

Chuckling slightly, I hugged my knee and sighed like a fool in love. 

I'm so lucky to have him...


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