Chapter 18: Truths Come Out

                                    

                                          
A few months later, NM's pov
Everything has settled down now. We've all fallen into a regular routine again, Error and I recovering together. Triton has been escorting me to our visits and Jay even brought me over once, asking for my blessing along the way. Of course I gave him it and even encouraged him, seeming to calm his nerves with his plans for Triton. I broke the news to Triton and Jay and they were shocked. But then they were happy and said they'd help if anything is needed. Triton told me to keep him updated. Dream eventually caught on to the hints that I dropped him and he grew very protective and careful with me, taking me to a trusted doctor in another AU just to be safe. I did the same for Error as things went on. Our friends seemed to catch on and were keeping a close eye on the two of us. 
I was just trying to find the right time or way to break the news to Killsy. I kept wearing oversized hoodies or other clothes to stay warm or hide it the best I could in the meantime. The soul was developing gradually.
Currently I was wearing a sweatshirt and Killer's jacket-he wanted me to wear it-while laying under blankets on the couch and Error was laying in his string hammock above me. Our friends were sitting in a circle playing Truth or Dare. Yet it seemed that out of all of them, they came to an unspoken agreement to hit Ink and Killer with the hard ones in the game.
"Ink! Truth or Dare?"Blue asks
"T-Truth."Ink says
"WhAt iS yOuR RelAtIoNsHIp wiTh mY bRoThEr aNd hOw dO yOu fEeL tOwArDs hIm?"Error's brother asks
"I'd say we're close friends. I love getting to know him better but I feel bad that I took part in hurting him without knowing. Love ya, Error!"Ink says
I see Error's face burn a bright yellow. I understood why, given that Error hasn't told Ink the news yet either, nor did he tell anyone other than his brother. Plus he is a bit more sensitive to affection after everything he's gone through, so Ink probably struck his soul with his words. I see the strings slip from his hands and the hammock come undone. He fell onto the couch with a glitched oof!
"Are you okay, Error?"Ink asks
Error nods and I pull him under the blankets with me.
"I hOpE yOu doN't tUrN oUt tO tReAt hIm liKe tHaT oTheR yOu."E!Pap says
"Wait, there's another me?"Ink asks
"You didn't tell him?"Cross asks Error
Error grumbles and buries himself under the blankets, his way of saying no and to leave him alone.
"Tell me what?"Ink asks, sounding genuinely concerned
"Ink, a corrupted version of you took Error and teamed up with the freak that took Nightmare to put them through living hell."Dust says
Ink's eyes went to small dots at the news. Then they turned red.
"Do we know where they are?"He asks
"The council got them to flip on Shattered for the return of their worlds and loved ones, which was what set them off to do all that in the first place. Now they're working to track down Shattered."Horror says
Ink grabbed his brush and disappeared through his paint portals things.
"Welp, that other him is dead."Dream says
Error looked astonished to see Ink react like that over him. E!Pap looks at him, then where Ink was and grins.
"I sHiP iT."He says
"Now that's done, who is next?"X!Chara says
They all looked to Killer with these grins as if they all decided on their next target.