Hiraeth (Ink x Error)

Incipient

Incipient(adj.): beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage.

Ink painted into life some sparklers and a lighter. Outertale seemed quiet at the supposed nighttime. Everyone asleep and no one in the town. But it never really was daytime as the suns distant and far away looked like sprinkled powdered sugar. All organized in a scattered mess.

"Are we burning stuff? Let's burn an AU." Error chuckled maliciously.

"No, Error." Ink sighed and gave Error one.

"What's the occasion though? Is it your birthday? Should I've gotten something?" Error asked, slightly worried.

"Nah, even if it was my B-day—I wouldn't really want anything." He completely got sidetracked. "But...It's New Year's! Have you got no sense of time?"

"Time doesn't exist in the Anti-Void." Error lit a sparkler on fire, and it immediately spooked him and he dropped it. Ink was cracking up. "Fuck." He cursed trying to stomp the sparkler out. "It's not going out! Ink don't laugh at me!"

"Oh, Error—scared of firework sticks." Ink teased. Error glared at him and Ink splashed some paint on it and it ceased immediately. Ink put his on fire and waved it around. "I just realized, there are so many Christmas songs but there are not many New Year's songs."

"Hmm," Error sat back down and leaned into Ink. "They're nice when I'm not the one holding it." He was looking at the sparkler. Ink drew it closer to him, "Ok, now you're being an asshole Squid."

Ink laughed, "I'm sorry, I can't help it."

"Being an asshole?"

"Mmhm."

"Oh well, guess it's the best Squid can get." He paused for a moment, "Unless you're talking about sushi..."

"What's better? Me or sushi?" Ink asked almost impatiently. Error looked like he was comparing his two options. "Oh, c'mon! You have to think about it?" Ink said sadly.

"No, I'm kidding—I know who my favorite squid is." Error paused for a moment. "It's, of course, the sushi." Ink moved the sparkler towards him, threatening him. "I'm joking! I'm joking! I love you!" He laughed.

Ink laughed too. It was a harmony to Error, even still singing in his head after it stopped. It made him want it more. But as Ink's laughter ceased, his smile did too. "It's still funny hearing you say it." Ink smiled, but it was a little sad.

Error tilts his head, "What do you mean?"

"When you say you love me. It's not that I don't believe it, I just..." He exhaled. "It all feels...I don't know, a little strange." He looks at Error, "The creators need more content—they want us to go back and fight again. You know how they are."

"Yeah, but do we really have to follow them? Me, I feel used. To be fated to fight you for eternity and be the bad guy in every situation." He looked out into space. "They probably helped you, but they tortured my mind and made me..." He pulled a string out from his eye socket. "This."

"Well, that makes two of us. Two of us broken because of the creators' plans for our stories." Ink leaned into Error. "It's not like I've always trusted them, it's more like what choice do I have? They seem superior over our lives, while I feel...inferior."

"Ink, they aren't and higher than us, and they aren't any lower."

Ink laughs, "I-It's kind of cowardly...that I'm afraid of things I can't even see." Ink tried to wipe away a small tear that escaped.

Error took Ink's face with a hand, gently pushing the tears from his face away, "Well, maybe we can break from the cycle. I want to, at least."

"I want to too. I want to be with you." Ink smiled, his face felt Error's press both their cheeks together. "But none of this would've happened if it weren't for those events." And he paused, "And another creator..."