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At last, the void was shining and the day was new. Gradient had finally left the nest. It was hard leaving his family. He loved everyone so dearly. He was going to miss having meals everyday as well as Splatter’s annoying voice and Flip’s outbursts. Now he had a calmer life to look forward to. Although he wasn’t 18 yet he was quite responsible! He helped around with chores and took care of the kids when his dad couldn’t. Even going on errand runs when they were low on food.
Besides it’s not like he was moving far anyways. His new home was a fresh new apartment! Though, ‘new’ was a bit of an overstatement, he was over the moon to have a place of his own. Honestly, he was kind of glad he didn’t move too far from home. It was reassuring knowing he always had a place to go back to. With his room keys jingling in his hand, he kept a steady pace, practically skipping while hauling along his luggage to his new home.
The door was a simple and worn dark brown with a dull and scratched handle. He inserted his key that had his room number dangling from a chain (sort of dangerous but okay…) and twisted, imagining the wonders that awaited him. With his head held up high, he smashed his face into the door. It didn’t even budge. Oh great… His door was stuck or something. He jiggled the doorknob again. And again. Still nothing. He took a brief look around before aggressively trying to jam his door open. He grabbed the doorknob and planted his feet on the wall. Using all his might, he PULLED.
Throwing his head back, he made eye contact with who he assumed was one of his neighbors. Instantaneously, he stood normally, attempting to shake off his nerves. He totally didn’t look like a hobo who was trying to break into someone’s apartment.
“Er- Sorry I’m just having trouble with my door” He chuckled nervously as they blatantly ignored him and sped away. What a wonderful first impression. He smacked his forehead before leaning on his door. The wood felt anything but smooth, in fact he could have gotten a splinter from how badly busted up it was. And wouldn’t you know it? It swung right open! It could have just been oiled with how quickly it opened is what he would have said if it didn’t screech loudly as it did.His head slammed against the cold tile floor, leaving him dizzy for a moment. Perhaps he should have chosen a fully carpeted apartment. As if- he knew that was a stupid choice. Can you imagine how hard it would be to vacuum all the time? He sat up briefly then realized he had opened the door! He threw his hands up in triumph despite the fact that the door had technically won by smashing his head into the floor.
He snatched his suitcase from outside and admired his new living quarters. It was a humble place. Meaning it was incredibly small. It had a kitchen, a living room that doubled as a dining room, a bedroom, and a tiny bathroom that would never fit a grown man so thank the stars he wasn’t. It was something he would have to get used to.
He walked through the unfamiliar environment and peeked into the bedroom. A twin bed that had been dusted off from Gaster’s attic had been placed there just for him. He smiled at his dad’s way of constantly finding time for every one of his kids which one would think is impossible considering he has nineteen children. Gradient wasn’t exactly a person you could call athletic so having his Gaster help furnish the place before he even got there was a huge help.
His multicolored fingertips brushed against the old fabric that covered the twin bed. Sleeping without Flip's loud snoring was going to be incredible. He hopped onto the soft bed and took a look at his bank account. His father had given him a small allowance for treats or just anything that would bring him joy. Preferably food though. As he began to scroll mindlessly on his phone, he came across an ad. Normally he could just skip it but it was a pet ad! Who would want to skip something like that?
A few bitties popped up, all lined up in adorable clothing. The one that caught his attention was the Dream bitty. He had heard they were the perfect starter bitty. They were friendly, kept people's moods up, and were very manageable. They were perfect for beginners! Gradient had always wanted to have a pet, but since he lived in a household with MANY kids; it was impossible to have a pet just for himself. He always had to share with Splatter which was… Not to say it was a difficult task but it wasn't ideal. Most people would say having a kid look up to you was the greatest honor, not for him though.By clicking on the ad, it took him to a somewhat sketchy looking site. Pop up ads were everywhere and people from only a few miles away wanted to meet him. Gross. However it did have Dream bitties for a surprisingly low price which was usually hard to find since they were so popular. After placing a Dream bitty in his cart he thought to himself. Surely, it's a bad idea to take care of a pet in a compact apartment without any materials or knowledge to properly take care of it…
Cha-ching! The site chimed as his order processed through their very faulty system. It would take about a day or so to ship according to the website which left him with plenty of time to organize his things and rest. Although all he wanted to do was rest. Getting a little shut eye never hurt anyone, he reasoned with himself. He placed his phone down onto the mattress, taking his shoes off in the process. They thudded on the ground but he didn't mind (but his downstairs neighbor might). Peacefully, he let his eyes flutter shut. His body went limp as he allowed himself to relax. Sleeping was peaceful when he didn’t have anyone else bothering him. It was weird not having that white noise for him to fall asleep too but he was sure he wouldn't miss it. But, little did he know that peace wouldn't last very long.A rapping on his door shocked him awake. His headphones that he slept with flung off of him at a speed that he was almost certain he had broken them. Luckily they were unhurt when he carefully checked their sorry state. He took a quick look around his barren room, taking in his surroundings. Birds chirped in the distance as light seeped in through the shades making sure to highlight the suitcase he failed to unpack yesterday.Crap! He had so much to do today! He hopped out of bed, almost tripping over his shoes that he left scattered on the ground. In his hurry, he left his phone on his bed which he needed to confirm the package waiting for him was his. The door was almost torn off its hinges from how much force he used to crack it open yet his face morphed into one of bewilderment. There was nobody at the door. Usually when delivering a pet especially one as delicate as a bitty; You would think there would be a mailman waiting for you to sign your package. They must have been too lazy or irresponsible! Gradient didn't mind much though, he'd rather avoid unnecessary awkward conversations.Hastily yet carefully he snatched the box from his doorstep. His new pet was quieter than he thought it would be but he knew better than to shake the box. He began to inspect the box a bit but there wasn't much to observe. It was a regular cardboard box with mountains of tape on it with a few breathing holes on the top obviously. To put things simply, it looked like a first grader assembled it. I mean seriously what kind of horrible job was this! There was no way that whatever worker wrapped this was getting paid enough or anything for that matter.
Gradient opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out what looked like the dullest knife known to man but it was better than accidentally stabbing his bitty with a sharp knife. He worked around the tape with a steady hand, determined not to make a bad first impression. He could already imagine all of the fun things that they could do together. Peeling back the flaps of cardboard he revealed a small black bitty sleeping peacefully in a corner of the box.
Wait. What.BLACK!? There had to be some sort of mistake. He didn’t order whatever this was! He had tiny glitches all over him and had the ugliest outfit. Maybe raggedy was a better word since his clothes looked like they were decomposing by the second. And good lord the smell was atrocious! He poked the creature with his index causing it to stir awake. It looked dazed and disoriented. With a quick shake of its head, it came to its senses. Instantly, it HISSED at him! He drew his finger back in fear of it being scathed by the little guy.
What a friendly way to greet his new owner. It looked feral in a way which honestly made him worried for his own health. I mean what if it had a disease or something?! At closer inspection the blue streaks under its eyes let Gradient conclude that it must be an Error bitty. Probably the worst one you could get. They were bitter and cold to their owners even to the point of bossing them around. They wouldn't do anything if they didn't want to. Another thing they were known for was their destructive habits. Anything these little guys got their hands on they would rip apart regardless if the item had significant meaning or not.
Now he understood why the site specifically stated there didn't do refunds. Was he really stupid enough to fall for a scam like that?! He slapped his own forehead, dragging his hand down his face. He can’t let him out of the box just yet… Who knows what he would do to his new apartment? In one swift movement, Gradient closed the cardboard flaps and placed one of his many books atop it, entrapping the Error bitty once more. The bitty began to thrash around in the box panickedly. The holes that allowed him to breathe were now blocked by Gradient’s book!
A muffled voice cried out undoubtedly more whiny than he thought it would be, “H-Hey! Are you trying to suffocate me or something?” He banged on the rough walls of his confinement. The darkness that consumed him wasn't very pleasant either. It was like being in a coffin, he conjectured.What to do. WHAT TO DO.Gradient paced around the kitchen ignoring Error’s cries. He needed to find a way to fix this and fast. He can’t take care of an Error bitty! For god's sake he can hardly take care of himself. He was such an idiot to even order off that sketchy website. I mean how stupid can you be!? He wanted to curl up in a corner and cry. He didn’t even have his dad here for guidance. What was he going to do…Another shrill cry pierced through his self deprecating train of thought. “I’M GONNA DIE IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT!” he screamed, thinking about how he would spend his final moments trapped in a cardboard box. Then light cracked through the holes in the roof. He couldn’t see it clearly due to his glitches that now covered his sight. He was trembling and retreated to a corner of the box as he saw the light begin to shine through a lot more.
Gradient hesitantly reopened the cardboard flaps, shedding light on the small bitty. It was shivering in a corner and glitches covered him from head to toe. Poor thing… “I’m really sorry about putting a book over you… I honestly thought you were dangerous– or feral.” He blurted out, reluctantly offering his hand.
Error flinched at the offer instead scratching at the walls of his confinement; A pitiful attempt at running away. Obtusely, Gradient nudged the unstable bitty with his finger, almost shoving him. In return he got a very well deserved bite. Error’s teeth sunk into the boy's fingertip, mercilessly trying to draw blood. Frantically, he tried to wave the little creature off of him. He flailed his arm around aimlessly until Error couldn't hold on any longer. Once he let go, he went FLYING; He immediately hit a wall and dropped onto the tile floor.
Weakly, Error got on all fours and scurried around to find anywhere to hide. To his luck, Gradient was too distracted by his mildly hurt finger to notice he was mindlessly running about. He felt around with his hands, using what little vision he had to find a dark place to camp out in till his glitching calmed down. What he managed to find was a dark hole deep enough to house him for the time being. Lady luck always seemed to be on his side when he needed her.
Gradient sighed in relief after assessing the damage done. It was a tiny bite that didn't even manage to draw blood. He got a bit of second hand embarrassment from how badly he freaked out. Maybe having a pet just wasn't for him. Speaking of which, where was the little guy? His eyes drifted across the room but there was no sign of the bitty. No no no no NO! There was no way he actually lost him right? This was a tiny apartment so he couldn't have gone far…“Um… Error? Where did you go?” He called out, cautiously watching his step so he didn't accidentally crush him. “You can come out now… I won't hurt you I promise!” He whispered gently. Yet, no response. Why would he respond with the way that he treated him?
So began the search, Gradient tried to do all he could to find Error. He searched up what Error bitties liked to find out what they were fond of. He ended up finding that they loved chocolate and used that to try and bait him with it with no success. He searched in small cabinets just in case he accidentally got stuck anywhere. Even squeezing into any nook and cranny to find the little guy. Eventually, Gradient laid on the cold kitchen floor in defeat. “Fine, you win! Can you please come out now?” he desperately shouted, splayed out on the ground like he had run a marathon.In his small hideaway, Error sat firmly as his glitches fizzled away. Peeking his head outside of the hole, he stalked the boy. Watching him sprawled out on the frigid floor, he debated to himself. Should he give him a chance? He practically almost killed him by putting that book on top of his breathing holes and cut off the oxygen. Not only that but the idiot pushed him! He deserved this…So why did he feel guilty about leaving him there like that? This kid hardly looked above the age of 12 but maybe he was exaggerating. Those weird middle years were always hard to tell. Why would anyone in the right mind leave this kid alone? Maybe his parents were out? Also was he… crying? Gradient covered his face, wiping away any tears that threatened to spill. He was horribly disappointed in himself. He wasn’t even smart enough to tell that he had been scammed.
A wave of warmth rushed to Error’s cheeks. How was he getting embarrassed for this boy he didn't even know!? A tapping sound echoed in the walls of the apartment as his leg rhythmically drummed on the ground. He was going to live with this kid? HAH! It was almost laughable. He probably couldn’t even cook his own meals. Much less take care of him! At least he was dumb enough to fall for his boss’s scam so he could finally be free. Imagine thinking you're getting that great of a deal for a Dream bitty?! What a loser…His eyelights drifted around, attempting to find a way out of this slummy apartment. There he laid his eyes upon two bright red orbs staring directly into his soul. Whiskers tickled his face as a pink stubby nose sniffed him eagerly, letting the large albino rat come into full view. It squeaked quietly, curiously arching down towards the bitty. Fear stunned him; This rat towered over him. It looked as if it was two or maybe even three times his size.
His eyes widened before taking a mad dash out of the hiding place that he now realized was a mouse hole. He scampered over to Gradient, hopping on his chest and quickly making his way up to his turtleneck’s collar. Error was able to snugly sneak his way into Gradient’s sweater just before Gradient’s hand narrowly grabbed at him. The teenager got to his feet instantly, feeling the bitty’s claws on his inner ribs. It tickled in an odd way. A VERY odd way.
Gradient’s entire body jerked erratically, his face becoming a deep green knowing how close Error was to his soul. His tiny body fearfully hugged Gradient’s pitch black sternum which differed from his many-hued ribs. Gradient’s soul shone brightly in his chest, attracting the attention of Error’s grubby hands. Eagerly, he reached for the sensitive object; Every swing brought him a tiny bit closer he could almost feel it. After a few attempts of having his arms outstretched towards his soul he decided he should take a leap of faith. One… two.. THREE! He jumped atop Gradient’s soul, a homey warmth made him want to sleep right there and then. Or perhaps it was the fact he spent a lot of energy already.
A pounding sensation filled Gradient’s chest as Error’s small body latched onto his soul like a leech. Heat traveled through his thorax and straight to his pubic bone, making him weak in the knees. It even felt hard to breathe! He gasped as he haphazardly threw his jacket aside, striping his layers off. Lifting his sweater up, he exposed the little bastard holding onto his soul for dear life. He pinched by its tattered shirt and tore the beast off his glowing soul.
“What’s wrong with you?!” His face red from anger and something else. Without letting Error explain, Gradient tossed him into the box he came in, wildly grabbing some tape to seal the top.
“Wai-”
SLAM
He was sure he hit every inch of the cardboard as he was hurled across the room. Terror overwhelmed his mind. He dug his claws into the semi-hard cardboard underneath him. Everything was still for a moment. The only thing he could hear was his own unsteady breathing and his heart hammering in his chest. What was wrong with this crazy kid? Of course he got cursed with someone just as bad as the boss. He shivered just thinking about him. Things would be different this time around he convinced himself. How foolish he was.
Stomping interrupted his thoughts. He peeked through the tiny breathing hole that kept him barely alive during transit. Gradient made his way to his room, past the box that kept his new pet at bay. Hopping onto his bed, he flusteredly grabbed a pillow to his chest. Stupid bitty got him all riled up! No one has ever touched his soul. Who even does that anyways?! He never expected it to be so sensitive… His whole body was swelteringly hot. He exhaled deeply and began to grind against his pillow, trying to expel those feelings from his body. He bit his tongue strongly to not emit any noise. Stuff like this was going to become much harder to do with a new ‘roommate’ around.
Error’s tense body relaxed as he heard the footsteps fade away. He cautiously rubbed the back of his head where he had hit it. His mind felt foggy and his stomach rumbled softly. When was the last time he ate? Boss didn’t even feed him before shipping him off. He should rest to save energy. Tomorrow will be better. It was a lie but it made him feel better. It's how he survived until nowadays. Usually he would throw a tantrum but he knew he wasn’t the one in power here. His small body curled up on itself, wrapping his tailbone in between his legs to preserve some heat. Shutting his eyes, sleep was one of the few things that comforted him. Surprisingly, luck was on his side as he quickly drifted off into sleep. Or perhaps it was the fatigue. He didn't really care as long as he slept.