CRYPTOMNESIA // Eret x Reader

Fifteen

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

"BLAH, BLAH, BLAH," Zalkhain's voice rang out in the hall hours later, waking you and Eret near instantly. She shot up and instantly grabbed for his sunglasses, covering their eyes as quickly as possible. "SHUT UP."

"OH MY GOD, I'M ZALKHAIN AND I'M IN LOVE WITH WILBUR SOOT! I CAN'T KEEP MYSELF MENTALLY HEALTHY, I MAKE EVERYONE'S PROBLEMS MY PROBLEMS, AND I TRIED TO KILL ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS THE OTHER DAY!" Tommy shouted back, obviously angry.

You groaned and clung tighter to Eret, who wrapped her arms tighter around you and lifted you from the bed. You buried your face into the crook of his neck and sighed as they started from the room.

"Tommy, shut up," Zalkhain said again, this time at a significantly lower volume. They seemed to notice you and Eret based on the volume change, but didn't acknowledge you otherwise. "I'm sick of this argument. None of this was my fault, Tommy. You weren't kidnapped by Kid and Ellis because of me, and you know it. You just wanna point a finger at someone, and for some stupid reason, you decided it had to be me!"

"IT IS YOUR FAULT TUBBO AND I WERE KIDNAPPED!" Tommy shouted back. Eret tried interrupting him, but he just plowed on. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, ZALKHAIN! YOU DIDN'T TRY AND SAVE US! YOU DIDN'T EVEN GET ENOUGH OF THOSE WEIRD FLY-Y THINGS!"

"Hippogriffs." Zalkhain corrected quietly, but Tommy didn't acknowledge it.

"ZALK, YOU—" Tommy shouted, before taking a low, shaky breath. "You weren't even the one who came to save us. Y/N was, Eret was. Those are two people who know less about us than you do."

"I know, Tommy," Zalkhain sighed, and a footstep followed. "Tommy, you don't get it. I wanted to come and save you, but—"

"But what, Zalkhain?" Tommy asked, infuriated. "BUT WHAT?"

"BUT I WAS SCARED!" They screamed back, voice shaking slightly. "I WAS SCARED, OKAY? I ADMITTED IT, I WAS TERRIFIED! Kid— They— We have a long history; longer than even mine with Rose. I met Rose through Kid and Ellis, okay, Tommy?" They sighed, and you turned away from Eret to look at them.

Zalkhain crumpled to the ground, shaking. "Kid and I were best friends! They were the reason I believed in myself. Then Rose and I left the fortress and created an entire kingdom without them. They were infuriated. Then, two days ago, when they showed up and destroyed Ensidione? I wanted to go back and confront them, but... the look in their eyes was something downright malicious, Tommy."

"I knew they wanted me dead, and wouldn't stop until they got that."

Tommy stepped forward, eyes widened and somewhat afraid. "Zalk, I—"

"Don't you dare apologize to me, Tommy." Zalkhain responded, eyes furious. "Do not do that right now, I will not allow it."

The blonde kid gulped and nodded, kneeling down in front of his brother's partner. "Just come 'ere, Zalk," he muttered, holding his arms out. Zalkhain collapsed into his arm, body wracking with silent sobs.

Eret sighed and slowly lowered you towards the ground. You dropped like a rock, but somehow stuck the short landing, then started down the hall away from Zalkhain and Tommy. Eret hesitantly followed, not wanting to leave you alone quite yet.

"Y/NNNN!" Fundy's voice came from further down the hall, obviously cheerful. Soon, you reached each other, and he threw himself into your arms. "Y/N! Hi!"

"Hi, Fundy," you laughed, knowing that the joy you presented was fake. "How are you, buddy?"

"'M good! Bunz and Charcoal get along really well! And dad's been a bit depressed... Ooh, ooh! But, but, Tubs and Uncle Toms are back! Just like you promised!" He exclaimed, hugging you tighter. You squeezed back and smiled. "Thank you so, so, so, so, so much!"

"Of course, Fundy! I told you we'd bring them, didn't I?" You professed, smiling wider, the feeling genuinely reaching you inside. "Besides, Eret was the one who carried Tubbo. They did more of the heavy lifting than I did!" Eret blushed in embarrassment when you smirked over your shoulder at her.

"Thank you, Eretttt!" Fundy sang, face somewhat mischievous. He swiftly pulled out of your grasp at the distant sound of Charcoal barking and turned back towards where he'd come from. "That's my... uh... that's my calling! I gotta go! Have fun, you two!" With that, he was off. He silently slipped away just as quickly as he'd come.

"Well that was an odd string of events," Eret pointed out, putting his slender hand on their hip. You stood and nodded in agreement, staring after the child's departure.

"Hey, Eret," you spoke softly, eyes blurring slightly. "What if I hadn't thought to call for Zalkhain? Would they still have known we needed help? Or would we be dead right now?"

Eret sighed and stepped nearer to you. "I'd rather not think about that right now, you know?"

"Yeah," you whispered and stretched your arms behind your head. "Yeah, I know." You both sat there for a moment, reveling in the silence, before Eret let out a small gasp. "What? What's up; what's wrong?"

"Sapnap," she replied, voice worried and overwhelmingly darkened. "He's still with them, Y/N. We left Sapnap."

"We have to go back," you insist instantly, subconsciously tightening your belt further. Eret nodded and adjusted his sunglasses, shaking their head slowly.

"First, we may have to get some help. Luckily, I know a guy around here," she insisted, taking his crown from their head, and throwing it across the room to the ground. You nodded and rolled up your sleeves, following them from the broken pieces of the (now-realized) fake crown.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔