It was really hard to focus. Each time I saw something that caught my interest I wanted to go back to being a child and mess around. I enjoyed the small moments of showing Dust and Geno something even though we were technically adults. 

Did I like being small? No. But it's hard to ignore that fact that in my human years, young childhood was the best. Back when the world seemed bright and my imagination of the future could run wild with no limits. To be able to run for what felt like an endless amount of time. Jumping off things and falling only to easily bounce back up perfectly fine. 

Things back then were so much better, easier, more fun. If I had know tumbling around and trying to do tricks when I was younger would've set me on the path I ended up in, I would've tried to avoid it. But of course being a child I couldn't resist showing off a new trick for praises. 

But back to the current issue we couldn't find anything and sat down on a colorful mat with different colored squares. 

"Well that was a waste." Dust said and crossed his arms.

"I'm sure we'll find what we need to. It's usually simple, right Error?" Geno looked towards me with hopes for a good answer.

"Yeah, it usually is. Although, that was with my multiverse so it's possible that the rules are different here. I doubt it is but it's just a possibility... man it is harder to say that in this smaller body."

"So... not to be that one, but where's Fresh?" Dust asked causing Geno and me to shrug immediately.

"No idea," we said at the same time. We've gotten used to Fresh just disappearing so it was a natural response to that question.

"Ugh, don't do that. That's a bit freaky." Dust said and I chuckled.

"What? Can't handle us talking at the same time?" I asked with a bit of a smirk finding his reaction amusing.

"It's just weird." He said glancing away from us.

"You have weird ticks," Geno said which caused Dust to snap his attention to him.

"I do not." 

"Do to."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Oh geez not this," I said remembering these kinds of back and forths when I was younger. It was never ending and could be over anything. I looked at them going back and forth, not bothering to try and stop them, until a new voice interrupted us.

"You two better not be arguing. I'm sure you can think of something more fun to do than argue." I looked over and saw someone. I wasn't sure. I knew it was another ship child but I couldn't remember which one. Well thats a lie. Based on their darker colors, the blue marks on his face, a moon on his head, and his overall look I knew which ship child he was. Nightmare and Killer. But for some reason his name just wasn't coming to mind. It's like my brain decided to stop working right when I needed it.

He had the same kind of clothes that Pj and Gradient had on that just seem a bit looser on his frame. He had a cleaning rag drapped on his shoulder which covered up his name tag. Darn. 

"Sorry./My bad." Geno and Dust said a bit quiet while lowering their gaze. The taller being sighed before giving a small smile. 

"You guys are fine, I'm not upset. Since you're here would you like to read or for me to read to you guys while you wait?" Hearing his question we looked at each other unsure of how to answer.

"Well, we do have to wait..." Geno tried to reason. We couldn't really leave without Gradient and Fresh and one decided to run off. 

"...I'll take a book." Dust said caving first.

"Me too." Geno said raising a hand and I nodded in agreement.

"Me three," I said. 

"Ok, sit tight you three." He said before walking away. Then other two looked at me and I blinked at them.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? Who was that one?" Dust asked and a look of understanding crossed me.

"Oh right... I don't know."

"You don't know? How?" Geno inquired.

"His name tag was covered so I don't know his name but I'm pretty sure his parents are supposed to be Nightmare and Killer." I saw the two blink after hearing what I said and Dust looked not ok with that information.

"The boss and that idiot? No way." He shook his head denying that possibility and I just chuckled.

"It's true."

"Really, Nightmare though?" Geno asked in disbelief and I didn't blame him. 

"Yep. I mean if Ink and me could then why wouldn't others be able to?"

"But still... it's Killer," Dust said and I shrugged causing him to groan.

"What's wrong Dust?" Geno didn't understand why Dust didn't seem to like the idea.

"If Killer finds out about this I'll never hear the end of it. He already latched to Gradient fast, god forbid he finds out about this being a possibility."

"Eh, true." I said with a shrug understanding Dust's thoughts just as the individual we were talking about came back with some books. 

"Alright you three, pick what you want and let me know if you need help ok? I need to get back to cleaning." He placed the books down and I saw his name tag wasn't covered up. Crescent, I felt dumb for forgetting that since that moon on his forehead should've been an obvious clue. We crowded the books seeing if there was anything that we could read that would entertain us since our minds weren't exactly at a child's level. 

I saw some Dr. Suess, a few David books, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom which I'm pretty sure was an alphabet book. I pushed those to the side and kept looking. I also saw Charlotte's Web, Corduroy, and Where the Wild Things Are as well.

At least there was variety here but none were really interesting to me. I ended up finding a magic tree house book and sat in my colored square with my choice of literature. 

The three of us were pretty quiet. Occasionally however we would hear sounds of running and here voices hurrying about. Fresh was really giving these people a tough time for his own amusement. I didn't mind since he was burning energy in a non harmful way. Well to him it was non harmful. I'm not sure how the other grown ones were handling it. 

After a bit of just experiencing another period of silence I felt pressure next to me and looked over seeing Fresh's head on my shoulder. He was really just leaning his weight into me and I could feel his deeper breaths against my arm.

"Did you get bored or are you tired?" I asked him tilting my head a bit to actually look at him.

"I got tired brah. There's only so many hiding spots I can go to before zipping back and forth like a dozen times drains my batteries." 

"Well you should rest then. We're just reading at the moment." I moved my book a bit and saw his head turn just enough to look at the open pages. 

"What'ca readin' broski?"

"Just some book about a magical tree house." I heard him hum in response getting some energy back, not a lot.

"That sound radical... I wanna tree house..." Fresh started getting heavier and before I realized it he slumped onto my lap. He must've really burned himself out this time. I didn't really want to move him so I had adjusted my legs before putting my book on him to keep reading.

"What would you do with a tree house?" I asked him since it really wasn't the weirdest thing for him to want and I was just curious.

"Dunno' but it'd be awesome... like a club house... all super secret like..." Fresh said getting quieter. When his breathing evened out I leaned over him slightly but kept reading. He had fallen asleep. I glanced up seeing Geno scoot closer looking over at Fresh and Dust looked up seeing everything was fine before he returned to his story. 

"He's just tired," I told Geno and he nodded.

"I thought so, I've never seen him tired before. It's kinda weird... but nice."

"Yeah," I stayed leaning on Fresh mainly because of shared warmth and weighted resting habits with Horror. Horror always leaned on me or pulled blankets on me when I started to drifted off around him. Mainly during those times when we had movie nights. 

I wasn't sure how much time passed but eventually Gradient and Pj wandered over. 

"There he is. See, I told you he was fine." Gradient said sounding a bit winded from chasing Fresh around.

"He was all over the place. We need to keep a better eye on them." Pj said a bit breathless as well, probably joined in the chase/search at some point. I looked over at them and shushed them.

"Shh... he's napping, and we're reading." Pj seemed to straighten up a bit surprised at the sight he was registering but rose his hands looking apologetic.

"Sorry Error, we'll let you guys read. Are you ok with Fresh on you like that?" Pj asked sounding concerned.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? Fresh is tired." I wasn't going into more detail than that and instead just made it seem like I couldn't be bothered moving him. He wasn't really touching me directly anyways and I was getting more comfortable with touch as the days went on. 

"Alright, just making sure. You got this Gradient?"

"Yeah, no problem. Sorry for pulling you away like that." Gradient said and Pj waved him off before walking away. I saw Gradient sighed and sit in a small chair. 

"Geez, watching an energetic kid is a lot of work."

"Yeah... lucky for me you weren't like that." I said with an amused expression as Gradient gave me a look.

"Yeah yeah, read your book. Did you guys find anything?" He asked and Dust answered.

"Not yet, but we figured sticking together to look might be better so we don't leave someone behind."

"Fresh was a good distraction, gave us enough time to wander on our own for a bit," Geno said. 

"Well I had to chase him since I'm an adult now. I can't wait to go back to being younger." Gradient huffed and just observed us as we read. Now we just had to let Fresh rest since we didn't need a tired Fresh making decisions. 

Author note: I'm not familiar with Crescent's behavior so, sorry.