A loud bang makes Error jump, though he'd never admit it. That sounded suspiciously like a knock on the manner door. No one knocks on the door of the Nightmare King. Hardly anyone even knows that this AU exists, never mind that fact that a troop of murderers call it home. Error has made sure of it. He protects those that accept him for the lot he was given. Nightmare appears so suddenly and quietly at his side that Error didn't even notice him cross the room.

"Stay out of sight with Cross and Soul," Nightmare snaps, frowning. "I have a bad feeling that your little addition has attracted attention." Nightmare knows that he's suspicious and untrusting by nature, but paranoia has served him well for many years. He has a good guess as to who might behind that door. Nightmare is extremely good at passively sensing negative emotions around him. When he's actually looking for it, many monsters can be identified by patterns in their emotions. Nightmare has come to recognize that lull of resignation and subtle loneliness. Even if he didn't, listening to Soul explain more about himself has lead Nightmare to one conclusion: Soul isn't supposed to exist.

Error grumbles, preferring to simply dust whoever is outside, but gives in and and remains out of sight from the front door. He lurks just around the corner to listen. Soul is standing right at his shoulder, very close to Error, but being careful not to touch him. Cross has stationed himself further away. He keeps very quiet as he tries to listen to the conversation at the front door.

Nightmare doesn't waste time with precautions. He's pissed that someone is in his AU. His tendrils twitch in agitation. Nightmare throws open the door and bestows a hostile look towards the monster on his doorstep. Reaper doesn't flinch. He looks up with a deadpanned expression, also displeased with being here. Reaper is one of the few true neutrals on the Multiverse. He doesn't care about much of anything except for collecting the souls of the dead.

"What do you want?" Nightmare asks, glowering.

"Be happy I knocked," Reaper says, a knowing smirk on his face. "Need I remind you of my role? There's someone here that should've died a long, long time ago. Funny that I only sense them now. But you already know that, don't you?"

"YoU're leaVing," Error mumbles quietly. He yanks on Cross scarf to pull him further from the door, and Soul jumps and rushes after them. Error opens up one of his glitchy portals once he' sure that they can't be heard from the door. He practically shoves Cross through.

"H-Hey! What was that for?" Cross stumbles over his feet and barely avoids falling on his face. Error makes shooing hand gestures at Soul, and after a moment, Soul reluctantly steps through the portal as well.

"ThiS AU wilL reseT in thirTy secOnds. I'll retrIEve Cross frOm X-taLe after the reset, and I'll come fiNd you latEr, Soul," Error explains. He keeps glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Nightmare is keeping Reaper busy at the door.

"Wait-," Cross starts to protest, hating the thought of getting chucked back to a white void, but Error is already snapping the portal closed.

Nightmare watches Reaper pause in the middle of a sentence, his head tilting to the side. "An Outertale copy?" Reaper mumbles, and then "No. Gone again."

"I don't know what you're blabbering on about," Nightmare hisses, making a show of bravado.

Reaper smiles again with that smirk. "Hey, I'm not one to complain about less work," he hums, "But nothing escapes death forever. If Error really cares, he'll do something about it before I find them again." Reaper turns around and the spot and saunters back down the path. A chill runs down Nightmare's spine. There is no reason that Reaper could know those details. Nightmare let's the heavy door slam closed again.

True to his word, Error waits 30 seconds, and then opens another portal a few feet from the ground. Cross falls through and ends up on his face. Error holds back a snort, pretending not to have done that on purpose.

"I am never doing a personal favor for you ever again," Cross wines. He sits up and rubs at a bruise on his face.

"Is SoUl gone?" Error asks. After making him leave in such a rush, Error wants to go find Soul to make sure that he's okay. Despite what happened in Candytale, Error's anger has already receded. He doesn't know why he can't still be mad. Error's dusted monsters for less. Error doesn't want admit how deeply he actually cares about Soul. The last person he trusted so completely betrayed him. After Cross confirms that his temporary passenger is gone, Error turns to locate Soul when Nightmare rounds the corner.

"Error. We need to talk," Nightmare says, wearing a strange expression. After a moment of hesitation, Error relents and follows Nightmare through the manor and into the library. The doors close behind them with an ominous thud.

"I doN't neeD a leCturE abouT how 'sUper SEcret' your base is, NighTmaRe," Error glowers, "Soul doEsn't haVe anyOne to telL."

"The god of Death was just here looking for your friend. My lectures should be the least of your concerns. Reaper knows you two are connected."

"ReAper stiCks his noSe inTo a lot oF plaCes he doEsn't beLong. I've got it handLed. Reaper caN't track Soul when he's hiDden in soMeone else." Reaper only noticed Soul today since he was distinctly not part of Cross. Becoming his host is what keeps Soul safe. In the meeting hall, Dream didn't notice anything wrong with Red until Soul started acting out.

"And how long do you think that will keep working?" Nightmare asks, "Soul's condition isn't exactly stable."

"NeitHer am I," Error counters. The static and glitches on his body fizzle louder for a moment as if in emphasis.

"It's not the same," Nightmare hisses. He's starting to get annoyed as Error refuses to see his point. Does Nightmare have to spell it out for him? "From I understand, Soul is changing. You're changing him."

"So wHaT? EvErythInG cHaNgeS."

"Your parasitic friend is starting to stand out," Nightmare finally says. "From what I heard, a couple months ago he didn't even realize that he existed most of the time. Soul's presence has been noticed more and more in the Multiverse as he has been recalling more of himself. If this continues, he won't be able to hide from Raper at all. I'm sure that Ink and Dream are also out to crush him after the villains of the Multiverse showed him favor."

All the miscellaneous details have been present in Error's mind, but he's been refusing to put it all together or act on it. He hates that Nightmare has confronted him will all of it. Error might have been able to pretend everything was alright for a while longer if he ignored the issue.

Everything is not alright. And Soul doesn't realize it.

"ANd wHat woUld you hAve me do?" Error snaps. He doesn't want to be apart of this conversation. He doesn't want to talk about Soul being in danger. Error turns away to storm out of the room.

"My advice?" Nightmare says, "I'd leave him be. Going on playdates with the Destroyer of Worlds is out of character for any one of his possible hosts. The best thing that you can do for Soul is leave him be."

Error freezes. His thoughts and movements grind to a halt. Nightmare's words feel like punch to the gut because they're so achingly true. Error could leave Soul alone. Soul would panic and might be sad for a while, but then he would forget all about Error and fall back into the woodwork of the teeming masses. Soul would be forgotten by the ones that could do him harm. He would forget himself.

Nightmare watches the barely visible twitch in Error's clenched fists. The King of Negativity doesn't find joy in being so harsh with Error, but Nightmare knows that Error will have to make a choice. What does Error value more: Soul's friendship or his life? Nightmare knows without a doubt that it will come down to those two options if nothing changes. Even if Reaper doesn't claim Soul's life first, people are afraid. Nightmare can feel it. Soul could be anyone anywhere. He can steel a monster's greatest secrets and leave them none the wiser. Nightmare doubts that his soft-hearted brother would want that outcome, but the originals of the universe will demand action.There are no good answers. Error refuses to give one. He ignores Nightmare and makes a portal before stepping into the Anti void. Thinking about the real issue is too much right now. Error just wants to find Soul.

The Destroyer stops for a moment, standing still in the emptiness of the void. What a fool he is. Error is a fool for letting himself care. Hasn't he learned better by now? After the heartache and betrayal? Fate enjoys watching her creations suffer. She took away the one thing that Error had faith in and left him alone in this Multiverse. After hundreds of years, Error has finally begun to reach out, to Nightmare and the other villains, and Soul lands right in his path. Fate is laughing as Error is screaming. Soul has slowly been smoothing the cracked and bleeding edges of Error's mangled heart. And now Error will lose Soul. Just like-

On the brink of a meltdown fierce enough to level entire AU chains, Error calls out for help. He receives a shaky echo almost immediately in reply. Error makes the portal before he even checks the AU. He's reading the brief details the code even as he stomps through the snow. AnxietyTale. An original. It looks like Ink created a new AU. The thought leaves a bitter taste in Error's mouth.

The house looks empty, but Error isn't fooled. He kicks open the door and walks through the living room and up the stairs. He opens the Sans's bedroom door only a little more gently and plops himself down on the floor, back leaning against the side of the raised bed. Several moments pass in silence before a shaky hand reaches out from the darkness under the bed and grips Error's wrist.

Soul regrets following his curiosity and entering this AU. He didn't recognize the name. He feels horrible about scurrying under the bed and ignoring Papyrus until they had to leave. These crippling feelings are hard to fight through. It gets a little better as Error allows Soul to hold Error's hand. Lately, the only time that Soul feels content in when Error is near.

The two of them sit in silence. Despite the AU's prompting, Soul never leaves to face the human in the Judgment Hall. Error does not move when he senses another AU copy being created, despite the jolt of pain in his chest. Error and Soul sit in comforting silence until the AU resets.

A/N Anxietytale is a newer AU created by heisaUwU on DevianArt