I now have plot besides 'hm there's an idea let's mess around with that'

They have all the gays-

Ink's POV, 1st person

"DUST! GIVE IT BACK!"

Dust just laughed and ran away with my sketch book Error got me for my birthday.

Though how he knew my birthday since I just kinda appeared in the Anti-Void a few years ago I dunno.

"GOTTA CATCH ME FIRST!" Dust cackled as he ran.

I ran after him.

We passed Cross and Nightmare talking the hall. They jumped out of the way as Dust plowed through them.

"Make out somewhere else!" He called to them, not stopping.

I don't know what 'make out' means, so I ignored it and kept running.

I was gaining on him!

"I'm gonna catch you!" I yelled. "Give it back or face my tickle torture!"

Dust just grinned at me and sped up.

"Aw, come on!"

I ran faster.

Then I tripped on my scarf.

"OW-"

Dust stopped when he heard me. He turned back, hardly breaking a sweat. "You alright, kid?"

I glared at him. "'S not fair. You're bigger than me. I can't run as fast."

Dust chuckled. "Haven't you ever played keep-away? That's the whole point."

I stood. "It's a game?" I asked.

"Yep. You lost, by the way."

I ran at him.

I grabbed the first thing I found in his pocket-something plastic and smooth-and ran away.

"Then it's my turn!" I laughed.

Dust checked his pockets.

"...You little shit," he growled.

"No magic!" I called when his eye light started to glow. "That's cheating!"

Dust ran after me.

I ran, not looking at the thing I was holding.

Dust's POV, 3rd person

That little heck just stole the chocolate he stole from Cross.

At least Paint didn't look in the other pocket, where his knife was.

That would've been bad.

Dust ran after the former creator, feeling handicapped now that Paint said he couldn't use his magic.

Dream's POV, 3rd person

It was strange.

Error knew that Ink had been missing for a few years now. Yet...He was hardly seen. He only destroyed maybe one AU every other day.

It made no sense to Dream.

It was almost like Error was on vacation.

The multiverse got used to this.

They weren't as scared of Error.

Still, without Ink to create more AUs, the multiverse will eventually be empty.

It will take years, if not a decade or so, if Error keeps going at this rate.

Was that his plan? To lure them all into a false sense of security? But why? What's the point? He could easily destroy everything with a flick of his wrist. Why make it seem like he's hardly a threat?

Dream decided he was going to try and talk to Error.

Stupid idea, he knows. But if Error really was more passive, then maybe he'd be willing to answer Dream's questions.

"L37'5 533..."

Dream watched Error from a distance, having chickened out of talking to him. He could settle on eavesdropping.

"...Huh. N0 AUs 4r3 cl053 70 70uch1n9?"

Dream furrowed his bone brow. Why would Error be concerned about that? AUs don't touch.

...Right?

Error, still oblivious to Dream's presence, looked delighted.

"3x73nd3d br34k!" He quietly cheered. "1 c4n 90 70 47 4 cr4f75 570r3 4nd 937 50m3 5h17 f0r my d0ll5." Error then chuckled. "M4yb3, 1f 1'm lucky 4nd d0n'7 run 1n70 4ny0n3, 1 c4n 937 7h3 k1d 50m3 0f 7h053 p3nc1l5 h3 w45 45k1n9 f0r."

Dream inhaled sharply.

Error was taking care of a kid?

Who are they? Where did they come from? Did Error kidnap them? Who are their parents?

Then another thought.

Did Error actually have a kid with someone???

The fuck?????

Error's POV, 3rd person

Error had gotten so used to only having to 'work' every other day that he was actually excited to have an extra day off.

Well, be on call. He'd have to keep an eye out in case something did happen, but hey; he wasn't complaining.

He opened a portal to a random store and walked through, still ignoring the feeling of being watched. Thankfully, as soon as the portal closed it went away.

"...wh04."

This store...

...Was huge.

"5w337," Error grinned. "7h15'll b3 fun."

And so, he began his shopping journey.

...Shoplifting. Whatever.

He got some buttons for his doll's eyes, some colored thread since he couldn't change the color of his own, and some cotton stuffing.

Once he'd gotten everything, he checked the time.

He had about ten minutes left to screw around, before he had to go back to Nightmare's castle and pick up Paint.

A small smile grew on his face.

He'd never thought he'd ever look forward to seeing Ink, but Paint was a good kid.

He never would've imagined Ink's transformation would be permanent; or at least, irreversible, but he honestly didn't mind.

Paint was practically his son.

Which was still weird.

Error mentally smacked himself, and examined the colored pencils.

Which was the kind Paint wanted again...?

Error tried to remember. It was a yellow and green box...

Crayola! That was it!

Error picked up a box of Crayola colored pencils, then wondered if he should get some graphite pencils, too.

Paint was always loosing them for some reason.

Once all of his required materials were in hand, Error snatched a plastic bag from the cash register and teleported out of the store.

"1'm b4ck," Error called.

"Error!"

"ERROR TELL YOUR KID TO GIVE ME BACK THE CHOCOLATE I STOLE!"

Error blinked.

Paint, somehow, had managed to get himself up into the rafters, and was grinning and holding onto the wooden beams for dear life while Dust tried to get him down with his magic.

Judging by the discarded bags of Skittles, bribery hadn't worked.

"P41n7," Error said, "937 d0wn."

Paint pouted. "But-"

"K1d."

Paint sighed, and let Dust bring him down to the floor. He gave the crazy Sans the chocolate.

"Thank you," Dust grumbled. "Right; how about we don't play that game again?"

Paint kicked the floor. "Okay..."

Dust sighed. "C'mere, Skittle Head." He pulled Paint into an affectionate headlock and nuggied him.

"Don't!" Paint complained, trying to get out of it. "You know I don't like that!"

Dust chuckled. He was definitely the best uncle.

While Moonfur is on the subject, Horror, and Killer are Paint's other crazy uncles.

Cross was his fun, enabling uncle.

And Nightmare was 100% the mom, even if he denies harder than Santa's existence.

"Anyway," Dust said, letting go of Paint, "how'd it go? And what's in the bag?"

Error brightened. "1'm 3ff3c71v3ly 0n c4ll," he said cheerfully, "50 1 570pp3d 4nd 907 50m3 57uff f0r my d0ll5." He pulled out the pencils he got for Paint. "1 p1ck3d up 7h353, 700."

Paint gasped. "For me?!?" He asked excitedly.

"Y3p."

The child squealed in delight, taking the art supplies and jumping in place like...well, like a happy kid.

He ran off, calling "I LOVE YOU, DAD!" before he turned a corner and disappeared.

Dust chuckled. "Y'know, you really spoil him."

Error shrugged uncomfortably. "45 much 0f 4n 455h0l3 45 1nk w45, h3 n3v3r h4d 4n 4c7u4l ch1ldh00d."

"You didn't either," Dust reminded him.

"M4yb3," Error said. "B351d35, h3 wh1n35."

Dust laughed.

Error joined him.

Blue's POV, 3rd person

"Papy," Blue called, "I'm going out!"

His brother, Stretch, waved. "Just come back before midnight," he said.

Blue exhaled.

Since Ink vanished, Stretch had become even more overprotective than usual. Once it became clear Error wasn't destroying everything, though, he'd actually become fairly lenient.

He simply required that Blue keep his phone on him at all times so he could text him if he was in trouble.

Little did he know, Blue was often helping Nightmare and his gang either take care of Paint or cause serious chaos in an AU.

Ah, good times.

"Greetings, fellow skeletons," Blue announced, appearing in the living room. "I have escaped once again."

Cross, who Blue was pretty sure had a crush on him, gave him a warm smile. "Hey, Blue! Error just got back, if you wanna go see him."

"Already?" Blue asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah," Cross said. "He didn't need to destroy anything. He 'bought' his kid some pencils while he was out."

Blue sat next to Cross on the couch. "Well," he said dryly, "knowing him, he'll figure out I'm here pretty quickly."

Cross snorted. He knew Blue was right.

Right on cue, Error walked in.

"H3y, Blu3. Wh47'5 up?"

"Freedom," Blue stated. "You?"

"N07h1n9. 175 w0nd3rful."

Blue chuckled.

"Is that Blue?"

Blue turned to look over the back of the couch. Little Paint was standing in the doorway, looking very pleased with his day, holding his brand-new colored pencils and his sketchbook in hand.

"Hey, Paint. How's your day been?"

Paint skipped over happily and jumped onto the couch.

"Error got me some new pencils!" He chirped. "The same ones I wanted, too!"

Blue noted that they were Crayola. Simple child, Paint was.

"Cool!" Blue said. "Have you dream anything with them yet?"

"Not yet," Paint admitted. "I just got them. I'm about to, though!"

With that, Paint opened his sketch book, retrieved a pencil from one of his many pockets (a brand-new one, at that), and started sketching.

"Hey, Blue." Dust said casually, coming in.

Cross seemed to deflate slightly, although Blue was pretty sure he was the only one who noticed.

You know what's funny?

Everyone thought Cross and Nightmare were secretly a thing. Everyone thought he and Dust were into each other, too.

It was like Blue was the only one who could see that Nightmare was much more interested in Killer than his best friend, or that Dust had zero interest in anyone, least of all Blue, or that Cross was very obviously gay for Blue and didn't know it.

Not that Blue minded Cross trying to figure out his feelings. He was waiting for Cross to realize it and have a Gay Panic before he said anything, though. It was so cute.

"Hey, Dust," Blue said.

"Has anyone seen Killer?" Dust asked. "I need to talk to him about something."

Cross shrugged. "Last I knew, he was doing something for Nightmare. But that like an hour ago?"

Blue frowned. "Should we look for him?"

"M4yb3 wh473v3r 17 w45 15 ju57 74k1n9 4wh1l3?" Error suggested.

"Or he actually did the thing," Dust muttered, "And he's 'occupied.'"

It was in that moment Blue realized.

He had a fellow shipper.

Which could only mean one thing.

He was going to need more Killermare t-shirts.

...Oh, also Blue needed to talk to Dust so they could start the shipping club Blue had been wanting to do since forever. That was important too.