Error liked to visit Outertale to clear his head. Looking at the stars helped him think, when Cross and Nightmare were being too loud in the house - besides which, the AU was pretty. There was a small snowbank surrounded by trees that overlooked the drop into the starry void, isolated enough that he didn’t need to worry about being seen or recognised.
Being a criminal just for being Nightmare’s friend... well, admittedly he’d done his fair share of stealing, but that was to help his friends too. Not that he would give it up - Nightmare and Cross were the best things he could remember happening to him, especially after Blue - but still, sometimes it weighed on him. The running, hiding, never feeling safe in public.
It was nice in Outertale. Quiet.
Until he heard crunching snow, at least. Error froze, but only for a moment, scrambling back to his feet and gaze flicking between the trees.
“Error?”
He didn’t think. At the sound of Blue’s voice magic strings darted into the forest. In seconds the strings found their target and coiled around, but a sharp tug made Error stumble forwards, his own strings wrapping him in interweaving blue a moment later.
“How-!?” He flailed, pulled upside down by his strings as Blue stepped into sight around the shadow of a tree, cyan scarf standing out brightly, magic threads in hand.
“Let me go and f*ck off!” Error hissed before the other could speak, but Blue just gave him a chiding look.
“Really, Error, you’re the one who attacked me. I’m just defending myself.”
“I said f*ck off.”
“And leave you tied up all alone here? Of course not! That would just be asking for Justice Reigns to find you, wouldn’t it?”
Error squirmed again in the strings, feeling his glasses start to slip off.
“Is that a threat?” he snapped, jerking and swaying back and forth as Blue took a step forwards, giving him a pitying glance.
“Of course not! I wouldn’t threaten you, but I do understand being on the run has made you paranoid... You know I want to help you, Error.” His voice was infuriatingly patient. Humouring.
“Shut up!”
Blue was closer, crunching lightly across the snow, within arm’s reach if Error’s arms hadn’t been strung to his side. A hand reached out and Error shook his head furiously to deter him.
The red glasses slid off and landed in the snow lightly. Slowly, Blue crouched and gingerly picked up the red frames, examining them as if he hadn’t seen them a hundred times before. Error hung still with his vision blurred, struggling to make out the other’s expression as his gaze landed on him again.
A hand brushed the blue marks on Error’s cheek, making him hiss and flinch back. Glitches sparked at the touch as Blue lightly rubbed his jaw, blue eyes set on his even as Error twitched uncomfortably. Error could feel his breath. Very slowly Blue leaned closer, almost touching, but hesitated. Error jerked back, glitches crackling across his face. With a quiet sigh, the contact was gone and Error found his glasses slotted back on his head. As he got his breath back Error watched Blue vanish between the trees, yelling after him but receiving no reply.
The strings slackened and Error fell abruptly, sprawling into the snow and breathing heavily, almost considering running after Blue. He huffed and shook his head, righting his glasses as he got to his feet, then escaped quickly through a portal.
