One-shots [Reqs: 5]

Books(That One pt2)

Error sighed, watching as Cross whined and protested. Nightmare only continued to unpack his boxes.

With each stack of books, Cross would groan and mutter in shoddy English that he was unhappy. Error shushed him, for the fifteenth time, before he turned to Nightmare. "Night, maybe we should start easy. You can't expect Cross to go through every single one of these books so soon." Nightmare ducked his head, sheepishly mumbling apologies. "I may have gotten overzealous." Error laughed softly, shaking his head as Nightmare started putting away books.

Cross calmed, although pouting when a small stack of books was still left. He pointed at it, glaring at Nightmare as he harrumphed. "Forget this you." Error gently corrected the child, "You forgot this, Cross. Not forget this you." Cross huffed and repeated what Error said. "You forgot this." Nightmare chuckled, nudging the pile towards Cross, "Come now, it won't be so bad. This is much more preferable than sending you to one of those pathetic schooling houses."

Error ushered Cross towards the low table, encouraging him to kneel. He sat beside him, taking a book and opening it. He frowned at the first words. Engineering is the application of science and math to solve problems. "Nightmare, this is too advanced for him." His husband peered over at the book, scanning the first few sentences. "Oh. Uh, let me just.." Nightmare shifted away from the table and rummaged through his boxes. He came back with a brightly colored book. "What about this?" Error grabbed it and flipped through it, a smile growing. "Perfect."

Nightmare relaxed, moving to sit on the other side of Cross. The boy stubbornly glared at him, still upset that he was being forced to learn how to read. Error placed the open book in front of Cross, pointing at the first word. "Apy le Lo hu?"(Can you say this?) Cross, still pouting, squinted at the large word. "Iyelleyewo? Sbip es jhu??"(What is this?) Nightmare laughed at Cross's confused expression. Error hissed at him to hush before answering Cross. "Et keik amaril. Piek jhu, yellow." (It says yellow. Like this, yellow.) "Iellowa." Error nodded, "Uptalg. Tri uhage."(Almost. Try again.) Cross furrowed his brow, repeating himself. "Iellow."

The afternoon went by quickly. Cross learned how to pronounce a few colors. He struggled the most with pink and orange.

"Poagreyk?"
"Pink."
"Pagrek???"
"Pink."
"Pangrik??"
"Pink."
"Printk."
"Nearly there. Pink."
"Pingt."
"Puh-in-k."
"Puh-ing-ke."
"Pink."
"Ponk."

Nightmare had to leave after that.

"Ee, Cross. P-ee-nk."
"Peenk."
"Yes, now try again. Pink."
"Pink."

Orange was just as difficult, if not harder.

"Arnighmee."
"What- No. Orange."
"Oaah-rn-ig-mee."
"Cross. Orange."
"Arrnigee."
"Orange."
"Arr-"
"Oh. Oh-range."
"Orranigep."
"Where did you get a p from?! Orange, Cross! Orange!"
"Orrangie?"
"Yes! Yes, almost! Orange!"
"Arrnnig!"
"No!"

Cross had a problem of looking at the word and trying to read it on his own instead of listening to the way Error was saying it. After he could say it properly, Error put the books away and led Cross to the dining room. Nightmare sat there, reading one of his books. He looked up when Error and Cross appeared, smiling and closing his book. "Hello. How'd it go?" Cross giggled, "I say arrringge and mama not happy. But can say orange!" Error froze, startled.

Nightmare choked on nothing, coughing in surprise. "I- Mama?!" Cross blink, confused, "Yes? Error mama! You papa! O-or no?" Error shook his head, "NO- I mean, yes. You can call us whatever you like." Cross beamed, skipping over to his chair. Nightmare had bought one that was much taller, since Cross was a child.

Later, when Error took Cross to his bedroom, he was completely horrified when Cross shouted something and lept onto his bed with an overjoyed squeal. "GARA!! LE YOPPAL MEH!!"(Chara! You found me!) On the boy's bed, there was a doll. It was clearly handmade. The pair of black beady eyes left Error feeling queasy as Cross giggled and hugged the doll. He hesitated before he started forward. "Cross. Yp le theps jhu oll?"(Do you know this doll?) Cross nodded happily, nuzzling the doll as he answered. "Ete Gara! Gara es mey oll, wrop mey giillpa! Meh ateo yer!"(It's Chara! Chara is my doll, from my village! I made him!) Error nodded slowly, internally freaking out. Cross had a doll, that somehow made it to Cross's room from his village, and it's name was Chara. "Jhete...hosp."(That's...nice.) The doll's eyes glinted in the light. Nightmare needed to see this.