Dream's pov

"AAaaaAaAaaA-!!!"

*Beeeeeeeep...*

"DID YOU HEAR THAT DREAM?"

Blue says, back in his usual loud voice.

I nod in response.

"I think Error was awake but crashed. Wanna see what happens through the security camera?"

"YEAH!"

Blue scoots closer and I turn my phone on, then type in the password. I then open the app linked to the security camera, and we begin to watch what's happening.

Ink's pov

He flops back down onto the bed; error signs covering his eyes, and there is a large button over his head. It reads:

Reboot?
Yes No

I press "yes".

A metre replaces the reboot option button, and a number appears above the metre. It says:

Rebooting Error.exe... 2%...

Welp. Guess I have to wait now.

I climb onto the single sized bed and sit on the edge. When he sits up he'll see me, and his reaction won't be as drastic.

I twiddle my thumbs. The thumb twiddling turns into playing with my finger tips.

I then look at the reboot metre above his skull.

Rebooting Error.exe... 35%...

I sigh and summon a sketchbook and my art supplies.

I begin to sketch a cat chasing a rolling onion. Quality art amirite?

I finish the sketch, now I need to make the lineart-

"Error.exe has successfully completed the reboot process. Loading files..."

Oh. Yay. Finally. I de- summon my art supplies and sketchbook.

He let out a groan and sat up, but then clutched his skull and shut his eyes.

"You okay there glitchy?"

I asked him with concern evident in my voice. He must have a headache from me beating him up.

His eyes snapped open and as he looked at me, his eyelights dilated. Uh oh.

His breath hitched as he looked around, taking in his surroundings then back to me as his face twisted into shock and anger and fear.

"WHÉRË ÁM Ī?!"

He shouted. I shrugged. He growled at my answer and tried to summon his strings by grabbing his tear-marks, but realized he couldn't. Nothing came from the tear-marks.

He looked down at his hands and noticed the cuffs. His eyelights were suddenly replaced by error signs.

"w...wHâT tHê h-HêŁł...?!"

He said, glitching very badly. He then tried prying the cuffs off, which would hurt his wrists. I leaned forward and grabbed his arms, and he let out a glitchy squeak of surprise.

"Please don't do that, they won't come off and you'll hurt your arms. This is for your own good Error, and for the sake of the multiverse."

I said with a serious but calm tone. He jerked his arms away and shot me a wild glare, and bared his teeth at me.

"DØŃ'T TŌÜĆH MÉ!"

He yelled. I can't help but smirk; I think I just found the first step to helping him and showing him who's in control.

"Heh. Step one... haphephobia.~"

I reach over and grab him gently, pull him over to me and cradle him in my lap. One arm rests on his upper back and my elbow behind his neck, and the other arm holds his legs up from behind his knees.

It takes a moment for him to process what just happened. He then begins to squirm, and tries to push me away by putting his hands against my ribs, arching his spine and twisting his body away. I don't let him escape though. I keep my arm wrapped around his back and pull him closer.

"ł-ŁéT mÊ gØ-!"

"Nuh uh~"

His glitching doesn't die down, and he continues to struggle. My patience is growing thin. I snaked my hand from under his back, moved it to his ribs, jabbed a finger on his sore ribs, and he let out a pained noise. He stopped struggling for a moment, and when he continued his movements were slower. The pain must've slowed him.

Five minutes later of him trying to get away, he finally stopped. His bones seemed sore, so his struggles were very weak, making it easier to hold him down on my lap.

Soft glitchy whimpers replaced the growls and angry shouts that came from his mouth five minutes ago.

As I held him, he continued to whimper and he looked like he was about to cry. It hurts me to see him like this because of me... but why? He's done so much to hurt me... no. He didn't mean to. He's just not in the right state of mind. Even if he's killed so many innocents... even if part of me thinks he should pay... I'm not giving in to that side. Two wrongs don't make a right. I'm not going to let him go; I want him to lose his haphephobia. However, I will comfort him. If I give him reassurance that I won't hurt him, it'll definitely help him with his phobia.

*ACT

COMFORT                      INSULT

*Ink chose COMFORT.

"Hey... it's okay Error... I'm not going to hurt you... I only want to help you."

I said softly as I looked at him with a warm smile.

He looked up at me with error signs clouding over his eyes, and his eyes were somehow watery.

A tear slipped down his cheek, and I brushed it away with my thumb. He whimpered and I hushed him; gently rubbing his cheek with my thumb. Little glitches quietly crackled where I touched him, and he relaxed a little; seeming to like the soft caressing motions on his face.

His glitching died down, but his phobia still isn't gone. It's going to take awhile to get rid of his haphephobia.

"p-PłEaŚe pÙt m-mÉ dØwŃ..."

I give him a sad look. His voice sounds so sad and desperate. I sigh and shake my head.

Error's pov

When I finished rebooting, pain throbbed throughout my skull. My eyes had a dull pain too. I grabbed my skull, hoping for the pain to go away. Wait... what am I sitting on? Nothing but my beanbag is this soft in the anti-void... but this is softer than my beanbag...

"You okay there glitchy?"

That voice... I snap my head up, and see Ink with a concerned look. That little shit... wait where am I?!

I look around and take in my surroundings. The room is a dark blue, there is a desk over there... a-are those chains?! What the hell is Ink thinking?!

I look back at Ink.

"WHÉRË ÁM Ī?!"

I shout with my teeth gritted and my fists clenched.

The stupid idiot just shrugged. THAT LIAR! HE KNOWS WHERE WE ARE!! IF I TIE HIM UP, HE'LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO ANSWER!!

I try to rip strings from my face, but nothing comes out of my tear-stains.

I looked down at my hands, and was met with cuffs on my wrists. No wonder I can't use my magic...

The shock from my lack of strings and the cuffs caused error signs to flood my vision.

"w...wHâT tHê h-HêŁł...?!"

Is all I can mutter. This can't be happening. I won't let this happen. I won't let Ink win.

I try and pry the cuffs off. They don't budge.

Suddenly, a pair of arms grab mine and pull them away from the cuffs causing me to squeak.

"Please don't do that, they won't come off and you'll hurt your arms. This is for your own good Error, and for the sake of the multiverse."

He said in a stern but calm voice. I began to panic the longer he held my arms. I ripped my arms out of his grasp, and tried to control my glitches. He can't see me like this! I won't show him I'm weak! Stupid Ink!

I growl at him and bare my teeth, trying to look threatening. This usually makes him back off.

"DØŃ'T TŌÜĆH MÉ!"

I yell angrily, hoping to scare him like it usually did.

But instead of his normal nervous expression... a smirk crosses his facial features. I don't like it... why can't I intimidate him like I used to...?

"Heh. Step one... haphephobia.~"

Is what I hear before everything goes fuzzy as I am suddenly grabbed, laid down and pushed against fabric.

It takes me a moment to get over my shock. Panic and anger floods through my head.

I try and push away from the chest I'm tucked into, only to be grabbed again and pushed closer to Ink's chest. When did he get this strong-?! It was hard to go away from him with him holding my legs the way he is. My injuries hurt, but I won't let him take control of me!

I continued to thrash about, until he pressed a finger against my injured rib. Pain flared throughout my chest, and it weakened me, but I still thrashed. I soon got really tired, and stopped struggling. I could barely even move. My head fell against Ink's chest.

I can't escape... no... Let me go... I'm not weak... I'm not... I... I'm scared... why... why am I whimpering... stop it... shut up...! Everything's going blurry... wait... those are tears... nonono I can't cry in front of Ink... I won't...! Stop it! I... I can barely see... no... stop glitching out... you can't be weak...

"Hey... it's okay Error... I'm not going to hurt you... I only want to help you."

Ink said with a warm smile. I let a tear slip. Nonono... then... he brushed it away with his thumb. Why is he being so kind...? He then began to rub his thumb over my cheek. It feels... nice... but... I don't want to be held... even if it feels nice...

"p-PłEaŚe pÙt m-mÉ dØwŃ..."

Ink looked at me with a sad expression, sighed and shook his head.

I feel helpless. Voices began to flood through my head and made my headache worse-.@,97;97(97;97;937),!&5(?...eRrOr-;.6(

"You can't even escape Ink?! Ha! Pathetic!"

"Looks like the terrifying destroyer is getting tamed by the squid~!"

"LOSER!!"

"shUt uP..."

The static began to get louder...

"Bu... I... didn... s...y ...ny...thi...g...?"

"You couldn't even beat Ink in battle!"

"You're stuck here forever~"

No...

"Nobody cares about you!"

"Go die!"

You'll never be free again! You've ruined your life!"

No

"E...r...or... y...u... o...ay... bu...dy...?"

"You're all alone!"

"Ink will NEVER let you out!"

"You're weak. You cried in front of Ink, couldn't escape his grasp, let him knock you out and capture you, hell, he's STILL holding you!"

No!

It hurts...

"WEAK LOSER!!"

"INK'S PET!"

"PATHETIC!"

"MURDERER!"

"GLITCH!"

"MISTAKE!"

"YOU'LL NEVER HAVE FRIENDS OR FAMILY!!"

NO!!

"ŠHÚT ÙŪÚÛŪÙP!!"

The sound of my ragged breathing. The static. The pounding. I can't breathe. A... nice voice... so soft...

...
...
...

...everything goes black.