Work Text
Ink sat on the edge of a cliff in Outertale, taking out a small box out of his pocket from his hoodie he decided to wear tonight. He examined it with a small smile until he heard a familiar voice."Ugh, you're here." Error says with a groan. Ink rolls his eyes and looks over."You can go somewhere else if you really want to get away from me." Ink states bluntly. Error just stood near the edge and stared at all the stars. "Besides," Ink continues. "You'll not have to deal with me soon anyways. You know that, right?"Error rolls his eyes. "Then die faster already, you fucking anomaly." Ink shakes his head and puts the box back in his pocket."Nah. Got something to do first." He says as he gets up. Error glares as he watches the other, but doesn't move from his spot. Ink waves before disappearing from the scene without a trace."Hope you die too soon."Ink had soon popped the question and earned a yes out of it from Template. Life proceeded as Ink's coughing and ink gunking state got worse. Not too long after their wedding did Ink tell Template about his problem with his ink taking over his body. Template was of course upset but just tried his best to take care of Ink.The guardian met Error at random times when he went out, mostly in Outertale of course, but it was mostly the glitch being annoyed to all hell. Once Ink was stuck in bed with occasional coughing fits and without a voice, he didn't see Error. Doesn't mean he wouldn't ever see him eventually anymore."Why are you still dying?" The glitch spoke with a low growl of frustration. Ink just did his best to give him a shrug as an answer. Error examined the other for a moment before looking at the bedside table that had Ink's vials of liquid creativity on it. He stared at them as silence filled the room.Ink just watched him for the moment but quickly noticed strings strapping his arms down so he couldn't move them. Error grabbed the blue vial before looking at Ink again. This time with malicious intent."I can just make you die faster then." Error mutters before forcing the other to chug down the vial. It was almost a struggle to make it happen with just strings until Ink was coughing badly and break down crying in pain. Error was very satisfied with the other's wailing, sounding like gurgling almost because of all the ink as his voice tried to break past it as if to alert someone. "You'll just die alone, leaving the trash up to me." Error adds. "Goodbye, garbage hoarder."Error was gone as soon as he came, Template soon replacing him by the bed. He never noticed the missing blue vial at first but he could definitely tell something was wrong with his husband. For now he just calmed down Ink as best he could manage and let him cry it all out. By the end of the day, Template was explaining his adventure out protecting Aus was like this time. After the newbie guardian was done explaining, Ink decided to mention something else while his tear tracks still stained his skull.He grabbed his sketchbook and wrote, 'I don't want to die alone'. Template stares at the writing with a frown. He didn't know what to say at first."Hun... You won't die alone... I'll be here until he go..." He mutters, watching Ink's pale blue eyelights tremble. "I promise I'll be here, okay?"'But after that, I'm alone. And you're alone.' Ink wrote with a shaky hand. Template looked away, trying to hide the fact he had tears forming in the corners of his eye sockets."Ink... You'll be fine..." He mutters, but doesn't look over. The painter didn't seem so sure though, tearing up a bit himself from his emotional overdose. Template wipes away his own tears before looking at the other to wipe away his as well. "I'll... Find something. I'll think of something so you're not alone, okay?"Ink gives a nod, though he couldn't smile with the ultimate and overpowering feeling of sadness. Template didn't press for it anyways, nor did he want to add to Ink's problems. He just went downstairs for the normal house chores.Template treaded up the stairs solemnly with a pill bottle in his hands. It's been a few days since he had to think on what Ink said. The fallen guardian had more breakdowns in different emotions each time Template wasn't there. It made him worry, but there was nothing he could do besides stay home and try to catch what's happening. Ink may be overdosing emotions himself since he wouldn't like to suffer, but the bottles disappear each time.Template finally decided both him and Ink had enough.He set down the pills on the bedside table, making the rattling catch Ink's attention. It was set near the glass of water put there each morning. Ink's eyelights we're pale, but with multiple colors as he blinks. The missing vials were replaced with new, makeshift ones so he could live as normal as he could manage while the creativity was replaced as well."Hey Ink... I think I have an idea..." Ink watches Template speak in curiosity. "It might ensure we're never apart..." A ghost of a smile appears on Ink's face as his eyelights both change to a pale blue.'You're gonna come with me?' He writes out on his sketchbook with a shaky grip. Template nods and sits on the bed while grabbing the pill bottle plus the glass of water."I'll go first, just so you believe me, okay?" Template says as he opens the bottle. Ink nods and watches. He reaches to grab Template's arm as the other takes the pills. It then becomes Ink's turn and he does the same, writing in his sketchbook as he swallows.'Thank you and goodnight.' Template smiles and moves to give one last kiss."Goodnight, love." He mumbles and wraps his arms around to snuggle close to Ink. The painter seemed happy yet sad as he did the same.'I'm sorry we couldn't live longer together.' Ink lets out a small sniff before putting down his sketchbook."It's okay." Template says with a kiss to the top of the other's head. "I just want to be with you..."Not too long after they fell asleep, they were gone just like that. Error stared at the dust on the bed, clearly from two monsters, before teleporting away as quick as he came.This was not what he was expecting, but it was effective on stopping the protection of AUs. Even the pathetic positivity guardian Dream would be stopped for a while even if just a disappointment to begin with.