Slave To Torment

Undone

After a couple of hours of being dozed off, Dust heard the door open to Horror's room and woke himself up. Slowly he sat up, looking at the now illuminated doorway at the top of the staircase. He saw someone walk down, not knowing who at first. Squinting a little, Dust saw it was Ink. Swearing to himself a little for still being down there when Ink got there, Dust sat up.
"What are you doing down here?"
Ink almost immediately questioned, Dust groaning.
"Watching over Horror-"
"Sure, and why are you missing a shirt?"
"I'm- um..."
Looking down at his bare bones, Dust didn't really know how to explain that but tried his best.
"I was um...hot..."
"You were hot?.."
"Ya...your here to help Horror one last time right?"
"Yes...he seems to be sleeping though, wonder why that is..."
Dust rolled his eyes, getting out off of the couch and going over to Horror.
"What are-"
"Waking him up for you, he's had a rough couple of days."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Dust knew why Ink was being snippy with him, he did technically threaten him the day before... So even though he hated to admit it, this was reasonable to some degree.
"Look Ink I'm not a bad guy, I didn't mean-"
"To threaten my children? Seemed like you did..."
"I know... But I-"
"AAAHHHHHHH!"
Horror screamed, shooting up from his covers in terrified sweat, startling Dust. Ink jumped a little two, but hearing that scream...it sounded familiar...to familiar actual...
"It was you..."
Ink said, looking over at Horror who was shaking while looking back at him. As Ink stared at Horror, he noticed that Dust's jacket was for some reason on his body...making him assume something bad...
It didn't even take a second for Ink to go at Dust, pinning the weaker against a wall by his neck.
"What did you do to him!?"
"I-I didn't- Gahk!"
Choking a small bit Dust coughed.
"Don't lie to me!"
"Sorry I'm not in a very good position to lie right now!"
The two kept yelling at each other, slowly snapping Horror out of his terrified trance. When he saw Ink do this, he started to yell.
"No Ink! Don't hurt him-"
"You don't have to defend him, he clearly did something to you. Probably even had a hand in what happened yesterday and more!"
"No! He didn't-"
"What!?"
Ink's head turned to look over at Horror, who had some depressed look stuck to his face.
"He...he isn't the one who's been hurting me..."
"He isn't?.."
Gently letting go of Dust, Ink went back over to Ink.
"Then who-"
"Everyone else...they use me like some toy, beat me and do other horrible things for their own pleasure..."
"...And who burned you?.."
Horror was reluctant to speak, he knew about Dream and Cross...and was scared what might happen to him if he told the truth, his former friends not even being the thing we was most scared of...
"Tell him Horror...please..."
Dust begged, walking back over to Horror and slumping over on the bed.
"Tell him..."
Horror took a deep breath, this is it...it'll be ok after this...
"...C-Cross..."
Ink sighed, looking down at the ground
"Damnit..."
"I'm sorry, I-"
"No Horror don't apologize, if anything I should thank you for telling me... I let that thing around my kids...around Dream...I should've known-"
"The only reason he was there was to make sure you guys didn't figure out was happening..."
Dust interrupted, Ink pausing for a moment before asking-
"Him and Dream dating?.."
"Not part of the plan...but Nightmare didn't stop him, thought it'd just make it easier to keep you guys under wraps..."
"*Sigh* Ok...Ok...thanks for telling me that...all of that...and sorry about slamming you against a wall..."
"It's-"
*CREEEKKKK*
A loud a scarily familiar creek came from close by, scaring the three in the process. They looked over at the old staircase but saw no one.
"Ink...did you remember to close the door?.."
"I...I don't reme-"
*TUNK*
Ink fell to the floor after being hit on the back of the head. Horror screamed, Dust internally freaking out until he started to let his fear show. Cross was standing there, a crazed look on his face.
"Now we can't have him telling Dream about that~ And we definitely can't be having you two spilling anymore~"
"I-I wasn't- We weren't-"
"There's no use in lying now when everyone heard you, you should just except your fate~"
The two screamed, Cross easily being able over power Dust and get ahold of Horror. It was terrifying, they knew...they were going to kill them- Maybe something worse...what Horror feared... But that couldn't be that bad... Right?..
Ink slowly woke up in a daze, his head rocking every few ways before he opened his eyes, a fog having taken over them. Horror was leaning on Dust, both of them having terrified looks and bound limbs. At first Ink tried to go to them, but failed due to his legs and arms being bound.
"D-Damnit..."
"No need to swear Ink, we're still friends~"
Ink groaned, looking and seeing Cross standing behind him.
"Error tied your hands-"
"I noticed..."
"Would think, I know your not stupid"
Again Ink grumbled
"I tried to help you Cross...I really did... But I guess your hopeless."
"I never needed your help!- I was doing ok on my own..."
"Clearly..."
Cross started to get mad again, and was no longer bothering to try and hide it. He grabbed Ink by his neck and picked him up. Horror beginning to freak out, screamed at him.
"Stop! Don't-"
"Quiet!"
Getting yelled at Horror stopped, shaking and tried to hide in Dust more. Cross satisfied turned his attention back to Ink.
"Those are Error's strings, you can't get out so I wouldn't talk back like that!"
"...You won't hurt me..."
"I could an you know it!"
Ink's body began to shake, the grip on his neck getting tighter.
"I was told to watch you until the others are ready, but that doesn't mean I won't hurt you! So don't test me!"
"Or what!"
"I know about the threat, or less the 'threat' and more the comment Dust made to you."
"Ok and?.."
"Then it was fake to keep you away, maybe even safe. But now I can make it true, your children...they love me, they wouldn't suspect-"
"They're kids Cross! My kids! Don't hurt them!"
Hearing Ink snap made Cross laugh
"You know what I did to him!- Don't doubt-"
...*THUD*
Ink's body was abruptly let go of, Cross stumbling backwards.
"What? You can't-..."
Ink was speechless seeing a glowing teal arrow sticking out of Cross's arm. Very faint footsteps followed after the swift shot, an intense flash of yellow from a cape being first thing to be seen before Dream came into view. His bow was drawn with another arrow already inside, his face contorted into a serious look.
"Let them go..."
"Dreamy-"
"Don't!-...Don't call me that... Let them go, or I'll do something more permanent..."
Cross was shocked, hearing Dream say that to him. Even so, for some reason his response was to laugh.
"Dream you won't hurt me...you love me, and I-"
"Do not give me that either...I'm not an idiot..."
"... But you did love me, I saw it, that hungry look you got when we were close... You can't tell me that was all fake, when it clearly wasn't~"
Cross started to step forward, Dream beginning to shake but keeping his grip on his bow tight.
"You won't shoot me again, I know it"
"How would?-"
"Because you would've already damnit!- Besides you'd be messing with a universe-"
"One you seem to love and hate just as much as you do me..."
"Please! Of course I still love you-"
"I don't-"
"Then shoot m-!...Guhk..."
In a flash of blue magic, an arrow had been shot straight through Cross's soul. Cross began spitting up blood, standing for only a few seconds longer before his doomed body collapsed backward onto the floor, only twitching some as his life started to drain.
"I don't care..."
Was all Dream could say as he shackily let his bow down, his breath a few small quivers, his eyes barely holding in tears. Yet he got ahold of himself, getting down and cutting Ink free.
"Dream-"
"Help me get those two and we're leaving..."
"...Ok..."
Dream helped Ink get up, and together they set Dust and Horror free. Getting up, Dust look over at the barely living Cross.
"What about him?.."
Ink didn't say anything, looking to Dream so he could answer. The serious look from before was back, any hint of remorse already having left his body.
"Leave him...he deserves this..."
Was the last thing Dream said in front of his former, dying lover as he turned away to leave. The other three slowly did as well, deciding to ignore Cross like Dream had said. They had to focus on escape right now, that was the most important thing that they weren't even sure was going to happen, but hoped would.