Heres a prompt! Ink is dying and template has no clue on what's happening (ehehe im evil)
“Ink, your eyes seem lighter than normal, what’s with that?” Template asks, tilting his head. Ink laughed it off lightly and shrugged.
“Must be running low, sorry. I’ll refill soon.” Ink answered, giving a weak smile to the other. Template thought about it for a moment, but smiled and headed up the stairs of their home.
“If you say so!” He shouts as he runs up. He was getting something from his room, and very excited about it. Template of course seemed to love everything about this house, that they did, and just Ink and him in general. He’s the happiest he’ll every be.
Yet, Ink knows it can’t stay that way forever. He coughed a bit, before heading to the downstairs bathroom with a hand over his mouth. The ink drinking skeleton groaned, before lifting up his shirt to reveal his cause of unwellness. Ink was clogged in his ribcage, somewhat leaking to trail down his ribs in some spots. It was so cluttered and thick, and it hurt so bad. It took up all he had, and was going to take him over one of these days, already leaking out his mouth when he coughed.
The more ink clogging his system, the more it hurt to move and breathe, coughing worse than both. The more it ached from just simply being awake. It was all because he was drinking emotions desperately to feel, and with no where for the ink to go, some got stuck and started clumping. He couldn’t use all of his ink up, it always stuck to him. Now he wishes he could sleep, but he can’t leave Template behind. That was unfair, the black skeleton would tell him that at least.
So he tried spending as much time as he could with Template. It hurt, but it was for him. Just as it always has been for a long time now. Template tried, and Ink admired that at least, unlike himself who… Really didn’t. He just found it admirable how Template tried to be better than what he found the worst, even if not morally the best always, he worked for it.
Ink loved that about him. It was interesting, and almost sporadic. He came to always be interested in finding how Template would handle a situation, eventually amazed by the other and finding themselves glued. Then they were together after a bit, and then they were living together, happily. Ink eventually realized what was wrong with him guzzling down ink to feel more, and then did the opposite, halving what he usually took.
Template had barely caught on, mostly bouncing around the house because he will always be excited about it and decorate it more somehow, mainly with art. Ink was good at faking his emotions at least anyways. The practice eventually allowed him to keep Template unknowing, even if it will hurt in the end when he is told, Ink felt it was best to allow him to just spend their days normal. He’ll make sure they’re the best days he can manage.
With that, he slipped down his shirt after strengthening his resolve, and took a sip of his vials before moving on. This is how it would be for a few more days, his expiration day expected to be some time next week. He had a plan for how he hoped to go, and hopefully it’ll help Template move on easier. Hopefully it’ll ease his partner’s mind.
Ink stood in front of the couch and played with a box in his jacket pocket, yes still using the pockets even when tied around, for it still worked with the way it was being tied around. Maybe not so much for fast paced things, but at home was a good place. Either way, Ink worked over the courage to call Template back down the stairs.
“Temp!” Ink called, looking up a bit and at the stairs. “ I got something for ya!” The skeleton cracked a small smile, heading Template running down as he called out that he was coming. Ink waited with patience, watching his lover hop infont of him and smile bright.
“What’s up?” He asks, hands behind his back as he bounces on his feet a bit happily. All of this excitement from the move in, which actually wasn’t too long ago, though the idea was.
“I have a question for you…” Ink starts, mumbling somewhat. He fidgets a bit more with the box in his hand, before pulling it out of his pocket and opening it up. It was then Template let out a loud gasp, louder than when they first met. “Will you perhaps marry me?”
Template’s answer was quick nodding of the head, tackling Ink into a hug to make him fall back on the couch, a yelled reply of “Yes!” Ink laughed, before coughing a bit and wiping his mouth. Template gave a small look of concern, but when Ink smiled it off so did he. Instead he pulled Ink into a surprise kiss, yet pulled away as quick as it happened.
The black skeleton seemed surprised before asking. “Why does your mouth taste funky?” Ink almost laughed at the question, that clear to Template with his widening smile.
“Sorry, did almost throw up earlier, must be that.” Ink chuckles anyways, to play it off, and Template smiled. “Let’s save mouth kisses for later.”
“Alright! If you say so!” Template giggles with, before offering his hand to the other. The ring slipped on nicely, making Template almost squeal from it. He was extremely excited, hugging Ink tight. “I love you!”
Ink chuckles at how excited and loud he was now being. “I love you too.”
Ink was stuck in a coughing fit when he sat up from his bed, covering his mouth as he practically sprayed out ink. Maybe it was time for him? He didn’t know, but found himself walking around in look for Template. He found the other in his bed, doodling away in a sketchbook Ink had gave him once when he wanted to try drawing traditional like Ink.
The thought made him smile, but his next cough knocked both skeletons out of their thoughts. Template looked over with a blink, but then patted the bed next to him. Ink moved over to sit down, coughing a bit more. Template casted a worried glance at him.
“Are you sick?” Template asks, getting just a nod from Ink. Template pauses, but wraps an arm around him to bring him close. This might be a good time to say, or imply at least.
“I… Feel like I’m going to die soon…” Ink whispers, voice seeming to be dying somewhat. The skeleton closed his eyes slowly. Template almost took it as a joke, finding him only sick with something minor.
“You should be fine, Ink, I believe you’ll get better.” Template mumbles in encouragement. “Do you want to lay in my bed for a while?” Ink nods slowly, making Template smile a bit. “It will be nice to wake up tomorrow and see you first on the day of our wedding.” Ink smiled a bit.
That was tomorrow, wasn’t it? He totally forgot, even if they had done a while of planning for it. Ink didn’t know who Template decided to invite, but he guessed he’ll find out tomorrow. For now, Ink was slowly lulled to sleep by the sounds of pencil scratching on paper in the otherwise quiet house.
It’s been a week since they got married, and Ink has been lasting longer than he expected. Maybe that was helped by him taking less of his vials. Occasionally, he just laid in bed blank with Template, which was allowed since it was a lazy day of theirs. They had a way to monitor if AUs were being attacked or not, so since things seemed calm, a break was allowed.
If anything, it would be used to make up for all the emotions used on their day long honeymoon they had. It was short, but a fun dance through AUs still. Ink sacrificed a bit, even after his expected expiration date, just for Template and so he can enjoy it.
Yet today, Ink was run down with a fever now. Template kept him in bed and helped him with anything Ink needed to do. One of the times Template gave him food in bed, Ink stopped him from leaving. As stressed as Template was getting over him because how long he’s been at least coughing, he felt the need to tell Template the truth.
“Temp, I, uh…” Ink coughed, watching Template grow in worry. “I gotta admit some thing…” Template nodded and listened as he sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing Ink’s hand.
“Say whatever you need to say, honey.” Template mumbled out in response. Ink closes his eyes, thinking, for a bit, before removing the blanket and lifting up his shirt. Template was instantly shocked, and Ink could tell when he opened his eyes.
The ink was even more clumped within Ink’s system, trying to go up his neck and arms, as well as even down his spine. It was getting worse, taking over more of his body progressively. Ink opened hhis eyes to his lover crying silently over it. “It’s been this way for a while with the more emotions I take… I dunno what it’ll do to me in the end… I just expect to… Ultimately die…”
Ink coughs a bit more as Template thinks of a response. “I’ll be here as long as I can manage, because I love you.” Ink smiles weakly and pulls Template’s head closer to his own, by a hand to the back of the other’s head, closing the gap for a kiss.
It wasn’t a long one, for Ink had to pull away to cough, but it felt like the start of a new routine. Ink would take less than a sip three times a day, even if Template told him to not to make his last time too long and painful, but Ink decided to do it for him. He was restricted to bed, but Template tried to make it as nice as possible. He would serve him food in bed, learning more cooking skills from Hakase, who taught him how to cook in the first place. He practically spoiled Ink.
Friends came to visit or Template allowed Ink to watch an AU of his choice when his friends visited, like Dream, Gin, Kin, Hakase, and even Pale, they would take care of him and try their best to help him. Yet it still didn’t work, nothing did. Not even a bath made it separate. It was a clump of empty creativity. Hakase couldn’t even find a way to rip out the gunk.
Dream and Pale always came together. At first Dream was worried the same would happen to Pale eventually, she Pale asked maybe too many questions. One time Dream was even found clinging to Pale most of the day, more than his usual help he was requested of emotional wise. Eventually Ink told Dream that they’ll find something by the time it may happen to Pale in order to just calm Dream down. It even calmed Pale a bit, since his question spree kind of scared him too.
By the end of the day, Template held Ink close and talked with him, about all kinds of things. It was the calmer part of Ink’s day, and Template’s rambles would lull him to sleep. Eventually Template would notice in the middle of a new topic that what Ink feel asleep on, and headed to bed himself right next to the other. Even if Template already rambled on a topic and forgot, it still put Ink to sleep each night.
Then Ink eventually lost his voice. The substance started to take over his throat, clear it was starting to die, and eventually it took over thr back of the inside of his skull. That’s what ultimately killed Ink’s voice.
Once they noticed his voice dying, he stafted to write his thoughts in his sketchbook. He wrote a love letter a day to Template, and if he ever wanted to contact anyone else, he would make a letter for them and send it through Template. Sometimes he expressed through drawing, but kept that in the sketchbook. At one point, Template just got him a notebook so he didn’t tear out most of the pages. Template kept the love letters in the nightstand, but made Ink keep his drawings for Template in his sketchbook.
Soon enough, Ink was on his final day. He was trembling badly, with friends surrounding him. Template had them over quickly when Ink could barely move. Dream and Pale had flowers ready and set them on the nightstand, while Hakase tried to ease any pain. That worked at least a bit, thankfully.
Ink would still let out wheezes, attempts that replaced his coughs, just bringing him obviously closer to his end. Template laid by his side and held his hand, feeling Ink squeeze it tight as he wiggles with the last of his strength. It was all he managed to have left, all he had managed to live with in his end. He wasn’t going to have a peaceful end, and that hurt Template more than anything. If passing away sooner meant less pain, he prefered it, so he decided to whisper living words to Ink. He whispered whatever came to mind.
He did it until he felt Ink’s body start to limp and his grip weakened. Template let out his tears he was holding back, waiting for the moment he would start to dust. It took a bit of time, but eventually Ink was starting to dust away. He probably fell out of conscious before actually dying. Template just silently cried, hugging himself. It wasn’t until Dream put a hand on his shoulder that he moved from that position, looking at the other as he wiped his eyes.
“We’ll be moving in soon, I hope you don’t mind, we just don’t want you to be alone…” Dream glances at Pale, who perks up from his otherwise sad state. That was pretty much the mood of the room, but Pale walked himself over to his guide. Template thinks on what Dream says as he watches Pale, before nodding slowly and giving a weak smile.
E in diwndudbdjbdd this took two days of me being a lazy crap but!!! Holy cow!! Well more than twice as long as my last two drabbles, but an idea I feel I can still add to with an aftermath of the effects, I just wanted to end it cause uhh its getting long lmao. Maybe ill write more on the idea if prompted?
Hope y'all angsty children liked this though, cause oof it was a fun ride to write, and a long one.
But oof I got like, 3 more ideas of things to write thanks to a friend, guess in doing that *wipes sweat away* úwù
