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Bare metatarsals run through the empty streets that are poorly lid by the street lights. A small wounded skeleton monster covered in just a stolen jacket and a metal collar is trying to run away from his problems. Running away to leave it all behind. Oh and he was also running to try and escape his pursuers, which wasn’t as easy as he had hoped.
The noise of bones hitting the hard footpath echoing loudly wasn't the only noise in the cold night. The skeleton monster looked over his shoulder, seeing humans following him. It would have been better if the humans would yell or scream at him to stop. But they were eary silent, the only sounds they made was their shoes and boots hitting the streets, which was in a way even worse. They held weapons, but were not planning to use them since they wanted him alive and one wrong move could kill him. They wouldn't use their weapons to hurt him no, they would use their own bodies. Weapons had killing intents, which would just kill him. But if they would hit him with their fists with no killing intent behind it? Now that would hurt him without killing him. They had been very careful with him since he only has 1 HP.
The skeleton swallowed as he looked forwards again, trying to come up with a plan to escape. A way to get out of here. Normally it would not be an issue. In these kind of situations he would just use his magic to teleport away. Or shoot some warning shots to make the others back off. But ever since he had the metal collar around his cervical vertebrae, a magic damper, he had no way to use his magic. The only thing he could do was run and hide, hoping to escape. Alto he was pretty sure the collar also came with a tracking device. So even if he escaped, they could easily track him down again.
He has no magic to escape, has a wounded body and is also almost out of stamina. Only his stubborn will was keeping him going, keeping him from giving up. He knows no human or monster would help him. In fear of being caught as well, if not killed. Being killed was more merciful then being caught, the skeleton knows this all to well. And besides, at a time like this not much would be awake or outside.
The people after him were from an organization that called themselves the Anti Monster Department, AMD for short. An organization that just happened shortly after monsters started to roam around the earth years ago. Unlike the FBI or CIA they were not legal, but that didn’t stop them. They were almost like a secret cult. Everywhere at once but untouchable at the same time. It started with weak monsters disappearing so now and then, never to be seen again. The few turned slowly into a lot. And they started to go after the strong monsters as well. Technically no one was safe anymore. And yet everyone lived their lives like nothing was going on, like nothing was wrong. Because the AMD technically didn’t exist. And monsters were mostly looked down at. Living along with humans doesn’t always go well for monsters. Monsters were different, so discrimination was bound to happen so now and then.
Of course where there is bad, there is also good. Like Ying and Yang. Where there was the AMD that abducted monsters, who wanted them gone, there was also an organization that was fighting for monster kind. The RFM, Rights For Monsters, a legal organization that has tried for years to get monsters the same rights and freedom as humans. Lets just say it is still a work in progress. Monsters were now allowed a lot more then when they first appeared. But there were still humans that didn’t accept monster kind.
The skeleton who’s name was Sans has trust issues, always had. For a good reason tho. His past hasn't been easy, who’s has? He had lost his parents at a young age and had been forced to not only take care of himself but also take care of his younger brother Papyrus. From one day to another he had to play the grown up, had been forced to be the one to take care of it all. Humans had used and abused him for whatever they wanted, and he accepted it, just so that he and his brother could survive another day. Once he and Papyrus had become adults life had gone better. They both had gotten jobs that paid fair, had gotten themselves a little apartment and were able to eat. They had become friends with other monsters and other humans mostly thanks to Papyrus who easily befriended others. Life finally had started to look up for the both of them. Sans had become more at ease. Still with some trust issues, but more at ease and relaxed.
But then his life… their lives had turned for the worse. One of their human friend had sold them out. The AMD broke into their apartment while they were sleeping. Professionals that were as silent as the night, probably because they had done it often enough already. Both Sans and Papyrus were sedated and collared with magic dampers before they were able to do anything. Then they were taken away to one of their bases. They had been lucky to be sent to the same one. To say the least, it sucked. A lot of other monsters were there who had the same faiths as them. To be used how the humans liked it. Weapon experiments. Drug experiments. Dissected. Tortured. Trying to be controlled. Work labor. Any way they saw fit for them. Some were just there to rot away. Sans doesn’t even remember how long they had been there.
All he remembers was the day everything went wrong. A prototype weapon the AMD had been building had blown up, taking a big piece of the base along with it, the part where Papyrus had been. And just like that, Papyrus was gone. And it was just Sans, surrounded by monsters who were waiting the same faith as him, captivated by humans.
Sans tripped over something, able to catch himself at the last moment before he continued running. He had thought that after loosing Papyrus that he would have given up. And he had for a while, but then his mind would wander to his bro, how cool and positive the other always had been. And that his bro would not have wanted him to give up. So he had came up with a plan, he had escaped. Sans looked around before he ran down an alley, hoping to loose his pursuers there.
Panting he bumped against the corner of a wall before he took a sharp turn into another alley. He knocked over some trashcans, hoping to delay his pursuers some before he slipped into another alley. Only to face a dead end. No… he helplessly looked around. There was a fire escape, but it was way too high for him to reach, he still tried tho. Tried and failed.
The first AMD members rounded the alley, they looked smug and amused. Sans backed up till his back hit the wall. One of them, who Sans recognized as one who had a higher position, stepped forwards. “Surrender now, and we will go easy on you.” The human said before smirking. “Who am I kidding, we wont. But we do love to see you putting up a fight. Its adorable.” Sans bared his teeth at the humans. “I am not going back.” He mumbled back. It was obvious that his answer pleased the humans. Him not cooperating meant they could roughen him up. He knows this is the end, knows he is screwed big time. He cant handle much more before he would go insane. ...no he was not going back. It was all going to end here tonight. He was going to make sure of it. A low growl escaped from him as he took a battle stance. Sure he was used to attack with his magic, but that wasn’t going to stop him from swinging his fists at these humans. If he cant escape then he was going to make sure these humans were going to finish him off. It was just 1 HP.
Some of the humans began to advance on him. Sans was still unsure how to do this, but hey, how hard could it be to piss some humans off. He has done that enough by just being in their mere presence. He swings his fist at the first that was close enough, unfortunately missing and stumbling some before he caught himself, only to get shove down onto the ground. He got kicked in his ribs, making him groan and hunch in on himself. “Give up.” One of them said. Panting he went up again, only to be shoved face first against the wall. He struggled and bite one of the humans, trying to get free. His skull was being grabbed before it was slammed into the wall, he whimpered at the pain. His ulna was then grabbed, making him widen his eye sockets. No please no! He screamed as a sickening crack came, they had broken his ulna. He slumped to the floor as soon as they let him go, cradling his arm against his chest.
After all they had done to him… He hunched in on himself, protecting his arm from more damage. After everything they had taken from him. And they just couldn't let him be. Couldn't let him die. Just wanted to hurt him more and more. And he couldn’t do anything against all this! Except for accepting it, which he refused! He looked around himself with blurry eye lights. A way to end this, a way to escape. Anything. His gaze caught something red on top of the building. He frowned some, unsure what it is thanks to his blurred view. Not that it mattered…
He teared his gaze away again and slowly dragged himself up, ready to try again. He was not even fully standing before someone grabbed him by the jacket and tugged him backwards, a kick aimed at his vertebrae. Pain flared up through his spine, paralyzing him for a moment as he sagged through his knees and dropped down to the floor again. A boot was being placed on his skull and started to slowly add pressure. “Ready to go back home?” Sans scrapped his phalanges over the floor before he dig them in the leg above him. That place was not his home! It was a hell.
He couldn’t win… He just couldn’t… His white eye lights dimmed some. It was over. He dropped his phalanges numbly to the ground again. “Finally...” The boot disappeared from his skull. “Get up.” But Sans didn’t. His body began to feel heavy, and not just from the wounds and pain. His soul… his very being felt heavy. He was… giving up. He had lost hope and was Falling Down. Maybe he would see Papyrus again after this… He closed his eye sockets. Life was unfair like this. And Sans couldn’t keep up with it. At least like this he could finally rest and have this all over with. “I said get up!” His shoulder got kicked, but he barely felt it.
Screams erupted around him, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t him that was screaming. Guns were firing away as if their lives depended on it, maybe they did. He slowly opened his eye sockets some. Seeing one of the humans laying dead before him. Well he thinks the human is dead, since there was a lot of blood surrounding them and they were not moving. He slowly shifted his eye lights some around, wondering what was going on. He was still laying on his chest in the dark alley. With some effort he moved his skull slightly to try to understand what was going on.
He spotted a few of the humans firing their guns at something in the dark. Something that was moving too fast for them to get a good shot at it. He thinks… Was hard to focus when your body was trying to shut down. What did it matter… He could finally go. Something appeared out of nowhere by the humans, a tail wrapped around one, slamming them against the wall while at the same time another human got slashed open, bleeding out by it. Huh… His eye lights disappeared, leaving only empty sockets. His body functions were beginning to give up on him. The gunshots became lesser till the noise was just gone.
Whoever it was that had slaughtered the humans came towards him now. “Time ta get up and scram buddy.” A low voice said. His hip got nudged but Sans could not really react at the moment. As in he was never going to since his body was finally giving up. “...shit.” He was turned around on his back, making him groan weakly. His hearing started to fade as well, the other was talking but he could barely understand the words. “Don’t you dare… stay with…” And then it was all gone. He could barely feel his own body at the moment. Guess this was it…
Chapter Text
He screamed as hot flaring pain erupted through his body, jolting him out of whatever had just happened. Maybe he had died, or maybe he had just blacked out. Tears began to flow out of his empty eye sockets as he panted. “That’s it. Welcome back. ” A sob broke out of him as his eye lights began to slowly appear again. They were hazy, but he could see. The first thing he could see was red. Blood red eye lights were peering down at him. “ Its gonna be okay sweetheart. Just take it easy. ” The red eye lights belonged to a monster, a skeleton monster with sharp fangs that were set into a scowl, one of the fangs replaced by a golden one. His left eye socked had a crack that ran vertical up. Sans had never seen another skeleton monster before, besides his own bro of course. His phalanges weakly scrapped over the ground at the pain his body was in. One of them found something and latched onto it as if it was a lifeline. At the moment it probably was. The skeleton above him grimaced. “ Easy with the goods.” The goods…? He could feel whatever he was holding move some. ...what was he holding?
He slightly moved his skull to look at what he was holding, spotting a sturdy, thick tail made out of bones that was covered with scars, that leaded to the skeleton monster that was kneeled beside him who was also covered in scars. The skeleton had his own sharp phalanges around a soul… a small fragile one with cracks that was barely shining, as if close to giving up, close to dying. And then it hit Sans that the soul the other was holding was his own. The other was holding it carefully with his phalanges as he fed green magic, healing magic, into it.
The other was helping him… healing him… But why…? His eye lights slowly drifted more around from his position, vaguely recognizing the alley. He groaned as more pain wracked through his body. “Alright, now that ya soul is not going ta just keel over and die, lets take care of the rest. ” Sans his gaze went back to the other, who returned his soul back in his body. He was tired… so tired. The other could see this as well as he started to heal the rest of him as good as he can. “ Why don’t ya just go and rest.” Go and rest…? He is in a shady alley with a stranger. His body was a mess, his soul had been ready to give up a little while ago. He still had a magic damper with a tracking system. And this stranger just suggest for him to rest? Hell no! Not that he could do anything else.
The other must have noticed his distress since his gaze softened some. “I ain’t gonna hurt ya sweetheart. Its gonna be okay. ” If Sans believed him or not, he had no other choice since his body was agreeing to rest. His eye sockets slowly closed on their own, traitors… He could feel the grip his phalanges had on the others tail loosening. The last thing he felt was the others tail move to wrap around his wrist. “ I gotcha.” Was being mumbled as green magic healed him.
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His eye sockets slowly opened, revealing a dark room. His breathing began to speed up. He was back. They had dragged him back to the base. They were going to hurt him again. He had been so close! He couldn't help but feel hopeless and frustrated. Bones erupted around him, forming a cage. He shot straight up, groaning some at the pain that came with it. He then blinked at the bones. He was able to use bone attacks? Use his magic? He began to lift his arms, hissing as the one with his broken ulna protested some, alto it looks like it was set? It had been healed even. Instead of the break he could spot some hair fracture lines. He felt around his cervical vertebrae, feeling smooth bones instead of a collar. What…? But how?
He scanned his eye lights around the room, now noticing that yeah, it was dark, but it was not the room that he thought it was. He was on a soft bed. There was a nightstand beside the bed. And he could spot a wardrobe in the corner, also a window with closed curtains. The curtains were dark but were letting in a bit of light. He was in a bedroom…? The bedroom didn’t show much decoration. But if he was not back at the AMD base… then where was he?
He let the bones slowly disappear. It felt so good that he was able to use his magic again. He cradled his soar arm to his chest and closed his eye sockets. He felt so confused. Especially about the fact that the collar was gone… he can use his magic. That means the tracing device was also gone. Which means… He was free? Was it that simple? Not that any of it had been simple of course, but still. Had he finally done it?
He snapped his eye sockets open when he heard the door open and shot out of reflex some bone attacks towards it, which were easily caught by a pair of phalanges and a tail that crumbled the bones to dust. “Cute... ” Sans stared at the skeleton with blood red eye lights that stood in the doorway, recognizing him as the one that had saved him. Who had healed him. He was not back at the AMD base. He was… somewhere else. “...sorry?” Came Sans his raspy reply before he began to cough. The other swayed his tail some from side to side before he flipped on the lights and left, only to return with a glass of water. He headed towards the bed and pressed the glass in Sans phalanges who eagerly drank the glass empty. “ Better?” Sans nodded. “Yeah… thanks.” He lowered his eye lights, spotting the bandages on his body. Looks like all his wounds have been taken care off. And he was wearing pants? Shabby pants, the kind he used to love wearing. He hasn’t been able to wear these in so long... Or clothes in general. Huh… The other just stared him down, taking him in.
A few seconds passed before the other spoke up. “The name is Red. Took ya ta my place in case ya wonder. ” Sans looked up, blinking at the other. “Red. Uhm… thanks.” He lowered his gaze some again. “For back there.” The other hummed some. “ Got a name yerself? ” Should he give his real name? Or just give him a fake one just in case? Well… Red had saved him and patched him up. He frowned some. “Its Sans.” He mumbled. “ Alright Sans. Care ta tell me what the fuck happened back there? ” Sans blinked before he looked up at an annoyed looking Red. “I uhm… excuse me?” The other narrowed his eye sockets some. “ Ya are not excused. ” Had he been wrong? Was the other hostile? Should he attack? Maybe teleport and hope on luck to not end in a wall? “ Calm yer tits. I’m ain’t gonna hurt ya. Just want ta know what happened. Need ta know if more are gonna come and look for ya.” That… was not exactly what Sans had expected. Was he going to get kicked out of here if there were others coming after him? Who knows.
The collar! “Where is it!” The other cocked his skull some. “The collar! Where did it go! It has a tracking device! It could lead them right here!” Red’s expression turned smug. “They ain’t gonna kick the door in. At the moment the collar is on a plane ta Spain. So calm down before ya get a soul attack. Was a pain in the ass ta bring ya back. Don’t let me waste my magic and effort. ” Sans widened his eye sockets at the other. Bring him back? So he had… died? Or almost at least. “…what do you want from me.” Red groaned. “ Are ya deaf or something? ” Sans shook his skull. “That cant be it. You… saved me. Healed me. Took off the collar and such. You are protecting me.” He narrowed his eye sockets at the other. “You must be after something…” There must be a catch, there always is. The other shrugged. “ Sure. Information.” Sans slightly relaxed. Was it just information…? Seems like a lot of trouble for just some information. ...alright then, he can play along.
“...those humans, they were from the AMD.” Red hummed some as he went to lean against the wall. “The Anti Monster Department. I… I don’t know what you want to know. They were after me and wanted to drag me back. That’s it.” The other looked curious, his gaze at nothing in particular. “Ya are saying take me back. Does that mean ya escaped from there?” Sans frowned some. “Well… yeah.” Red folded his arms, his phalanges ticking some on his arms. “Captured ya huh? And ya escaped on yer own? Guess ya have a lot of luck, never heard of anyone escaping from them.” Yeah… Sans was the lucky one. Guess his expression must have showed something. “...was someone unlucky? Did ya leave someone important behind?” Sans shook his skull. “No… There is no one back there.” Papyrus was gone for good.
Red gave him a searching look before he huffed. “...alright then. Ya hungry? ” Sans looked up at the other before he nodded slowly. “ Stay. ” Red left the room. Stay…? What was he, a dog? He dragged his soar body carefully up before he slowly went out of the bedroom. He followed after the noises where probably Red is. Looks like he lives in a small apartment. He entered the living room and spots Red in the kitchen who cocked an eyebrow bone at him before he continued. “ At least sit yer ass down before ya drop down.” He carefully sat down on the couch before he looked some around.
A simple living room that was connected to the kitchen, a counter keeping them separated. There was the obvious couch that he was occupying, beside that was an old but comfy looking lounge chair. A coffee table was before the couch which was littered with empty glasses, soda cans, bottles of mustard and packages from snacks. In one of the corners was a bookcase filled up with books, some big plant stood beside it that looked in need of some water. Across of him was a big television hanging on the wall with a cabinet under it that holds some systems. Probably for television, stereo and such. Beside that cabinet stood two large boxes for the so said stereo. ...and on another wall there was a painting of a skeleton on a motorcycle. Sans was unsure if it is funny because it was a skeleton on a motorcycle or if it is neat because it was a skeleton on a motorcycle. But the artist made it work for some unknown reason. Behind him were windows that were covered by blinds so he was unsure what the view was.
“So, got somewhere ta return ta?” Sans grimaced. “Not really. And even if, not planning to.” Red looked up from what he was doing, looking a bit curious. “Why that? Scared they will get ya again there? Smart move tho.” He carefully leaned back against the couch cushions. “More like… I don’t want to risk it. Someone there sold us out. Think once is enough for me.” Red finished what he was doing and went to where Sans was seated. Holding two plates that had bread covered with baked eggs on it. “Us huh? Thought ya said there was no one back there. Lying ta me is not the smartest thing ta do. Especially not when I find out. Cause trust me, I will find out.” The others expression didn’t tell much beside the tail tapping the floor some. But Sans could just feel what Red meant with those words. If Red smelled blood in the water, it was Sans who was going to pay for it. Or something like that at least. “...not lying” He took one of the offered plates. “More like… not wanting to face the truth.” Red huffed before he dropped on the couch by him. “So ya did loose someone but ya don’t wanna talk about it. Gotcha.” More or less… yeah. It was not Red’s deal to know about it. Was Sans burden to carry. It was just… so unfair that his bro was gone while he was still alive. His bro was so much better then him. He believed in others. Was sure humans were going to change their ways, that they were probably just scared and needed someone that understood them. His bro was the best. Always so positive and motivated.
He snapped himself out of it before he became more depressed and began to eat. After taking the first bite he closed his eye sockets in delight. Eggs with bread, so simple. But fuck he hadn’t had good food in a while. It tastes amazing… When he opened his eye sockets he noticed Red looking smug at him. “Maybe ya should merry them. ” He snorted. “As eggcelent as they are, I think it is better if we both go our own way.” He looked sorrowful at the eggs. “Its not you, its me.” Red chuckled some. “ Guess it wasn’t true loaf huh? ” Sans widened his eye sockets as his gaze went to Red. “Was that a pun?” Red shrugged. “ Can ask ya the same.” Well, since he has a sense of humor, guess he is not so bad. Beside the obvious that he saved him, healed him, protects him now as well, feeds him. Etcetera etcetera.
Sans eyed the other curiously who began to eat as well. Not bothered by his stare. “Can I ask you something?” Red shrugged. It wasn’t exactly a yes, but definitely not a no either. “Why do you have a tail?” Red blinked before he barked out a laugh. “Rude? ” His gaze settled on Sans. “ I ain’t asking ya why yer primary magic color is blue either. ” Sans blinked. “I uhm…” Okay… he had a point. And now Sans felt embarrassed. “ But ta answer yer question, hell if I know. Was born with it. ” Sans gaze went to the tail that was laying in between them on the couch. “Huh… Well its pretty neat.” Red hummed some. “ Handy as well when ya know how ta use it ta its full potential. ” Sans couldn’t help but rub at his nasal cavity, his skull hurting some as he remembered seeing… someone in the alley… It was Red… And he had used his tail to fight. Using it as an… extension of his own body. “ Maybe ya should rest some more huh?” Sans couldn’t help but give a small nod, agreeing. He was still tired, not to mention that his soar body was… soar and beginning to protest some.
He blinked when his plate was being taken before Red’s tail pushed against him, forcing him to lay down on the couch. Red headed to the kitchen to do the dishes. Sans looked after him, unsure if he wanted to lay here vulnerable to doze off. Then again, Red was right over there in the kitchen. If he had wanted to hurt him he would not have healed him first, right? And even if, was not as if he was in any state to protect himself. He rubbed his skull some. Everything about this was confusing. Everything about this was… strange and unsure. He closed his eye sockets. This was a problem for future Sans.
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He woke up with a startle, staring at the ceiling with wide eye sockets. His phalanges scrambled around to look for something to grab on, the moment he did a grunt sounded from close by. He squeezed whatever he had grabbed tighter. “Easy on the goods. Told ya that before. ” Came a low grumble. Sans turned his skull some and spotted Red sitting in front of the couch where he was laying on. “Huh…?” He answered stupidly. Still a bit hazy from his little nightmare. Or well… when does something fall under a bad dream and when is it a nightmare? “ My tail? Ya are squeezing it.” Sans widened his eye sockets as he turned his gaze to the wiggling tail he was squeezing the life out of. Well… he probably would have if the tail wasn’t already made out of bones. He let go of it as if burned by it. Red slid the tail back towards himself.
Sans swallowed before he slowly sat up. Red was still eyeing him. He didn’t ask anything but it felt as if Sans should defend himself in this situation. “I’m fine.” Red cocked an eyebrow bone. “Sure. Whatever ya say.” Yeah okay, he was not at the moment, didn’t mean he was going to say it out loud. Besides, he will be okay again. Just needed to calm a bit down.
Red rolled his eye lights some before he turned his gaze back to whatever he had been doing. Sans followed his gaze, noticing now that the television was on, the only thing that was at the moment illuminating the living room. He blinked as he noticed the other was watching Comedy Central. “...are you seriously watching this crap?” Red snorted. “Its fucked up early in the morning. Nothing good is on at a time like this. Sometimes they got some funny shit going on at this channel. ” Not right now tho. “ ...it was either this or a Deadliest Catch special I had seen a couple of times already. So I picked this. ...got a problem with that?” Sans shook his skull, not that the other could see that. “Nope.” He hasn’t been able to watch anything in a while, so anything that moves would do it for him.
“...why are you on the floor tho.” Red cast a glance at him, giving him a ‘why the fuck do you think’ look. Oh. “Someone was taking up a fucking lot of space on the couch. That specific someone was also moving too much. Wasn’t in the mood ta get shoved off my own couch.” Sans adverted his gaze, feeling guilty. The other let out a sigh before something wrapped around his wrist, he snapped his gaze towards it, noticing that it was Red’s tail. “Don’t beat yerself up. Was my choice. Gave ya the couch ta rest. ...ya need it.” Sans clenched his phalanges into fists. Trying to make himself believe that he didn’t needed the rest. That he didn’t needed a complete stranger showing him kindness. What he needed in place of all that… he wasn’t sure.
Sighing he rolled on his side and unclenched his fists, eyeing the television some. ...maybe watching some bullshit on the television was exactly what he could use right now. “...you could come back on the couch now tho.” Red shook his skull some. “Sorry ta ruin your fantasy but we ain’t gonna cuddle. ” Sans gave a weak smile but dropped it again. “What a shame. I bet you will be great at it.” Red snorted. “ Keep dreaming sweetheart.” The tail around his wrist gave a slight squeeze as if to let him know he would have to do with that. At least the touch made him aware that he was in the here and now. That this was real. Because yeah… he was still unsure this was real. That he was free.
“Do you want to hear a joke?” Red’s tail curled slightly more around his wrist. “If its funny, sure.” Sans blinked, trying to come up with a good one. He used to have so many. But at the moment… His mind was blank. Huh… for once he really had to think about it. He looked some around, hoping to spot something for inspiration. A joke… beside his life. “Ya know what, lets take turns and see who is more funny.” Sans eyed the other some. “Don’t you mean more punny? But yeah, sure.” Works for him. “Alright then, how bout this. Why did the one armed person cross the road?” Sans frowned some before he shrugged. “Ta get ta the second hand store.” Sans smiled slightly. “Heh, good one.” Red turned some around and placed an arm on the couch, waiting for Sans his joke. “Uhm… Why are obtuse angles so depressed?” Red frowned some. “Cause they live their lives in a corner?” Sans shook his skull some. “Because they are never right.” He got a snort for the effort. “My turn. Give a guy a match, and he'll be warm for a few hours. Set a guy on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.” Sans frowned some. “Well cant say that you are wrong.” Red looked smug. “Okay… Did you hear about the new restaurant Karma?” Red blinked. “Karma? Nah?” A small smile came on Sans face. “There's no menu: You get what you deserve.” A chuckle escaped from Red “Not bad. Killer comes at a crossing, which path will he take?” Sans looked clueless. “I uh… I don’t know.” Red smirked. “The psychopath.” Sans blinked some, having a feeling there is a pattern here.
“...is your sense of humor just as edgy as your taste in clothes?” He was referring to the black shirt from some random heavy metal band the other was wearing and the red choker with golden studs that was around the others cervical vertebrae. “My sense of humor is like my attitude, got a bite ta it.” Red replied with a smirk, that promised Sans that the other wasn’t joking in he slightest. “...that sounds a bit ominous.” The tail around his wrist slowly uncurled, letting him go. Red stood up, practically looming over the other. “Don’t think that me saving yer ass means I am a good guy. Guess ya haven’t checked my stats yet. Rookie mistake if ya ask me Sansy.~” Sans eyed the other with widened eye sockets. “...what are you trying to tell me? Should I be afraid of you?” Red shrugged before he gave a wide smirk and left the living room, disappearing in one of the rooms, probably a bedroom. That… confused Sans. “...and Sansy?” What kind of nickname was that?
Sighing he went up and headed to the kitchen. Fuck… he was hungry again. To think he used to live on one meal a day not even a day ago. He opened up some cabins before a can of frankfurter caught his attention. Heh, not the same as hot cats but it will do. Taking the can along he went back to the couch and opened it up, eating them cold. He switched some between channels before he ended up on Comedy Central. Fuck… Red was right. Nothing good is on at a time like this.
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The next day when he slowly dragged himself out of bed and towards the living room he was greeted by silence. Huh… The blinds were still covering the windows, but they let in enough light to illuminate the living room. Red was probably still sleeping. ...probably. That was until he saw a sticky note on the television that said ‘Grocery shopping’. Or well… he thinks that is what it was saying. Because it could also be ‘Gunning stopping’. But that makes no sense so his bet was on grocery shopping. A few seconds later the horrifying news sunk in. Sans was alone… He sat down on the couch and tugged his knees against his chest. He was… alone. After everything, he was alone. And he knows Red will be back. Right? But that was in the future, right now he was all alone with his thoughts. Alone in a strange apartment. He was… He was frowning at a weird noise that came from somewhere in the apartment.
He shot up from the couch and formed a bone attack, holding it like a baseball bat in his hands. He was not alone. But Red lives alone right? He would have noticed if someone else was walking around here. So that could only mean one thing, there was an intruder here. The first thing that popped into Sans his mind was that the AMD had found him and were going to drag him back to that awful base to continue where they had left off. But he immediately shoved that thought away, because that made no sense. If it were them they would have been more subtle and silent. Like the first time they took him and his bro. Red didn’t look like a pushover, so who was stupid enough to try and break into his place? Unless they waited for him to leave. Or didn’t know who lives here. Or… maybe some amateur hunter that spotted Sans and wanted to deliver him to the AMD. But that makes no sense because there was no bounty on his head. This wasn’t some weird cowboy movie where bounty hunters would come after him. ...right?
Sans pushed all the thoughts and possibilities away and slowly walked into the hallway, not seeing anyone. Now the question was… Behind which door is it? Another noise came, alerting Sans that it was still in the apartment. He slowly approached towards the doors. Doors that hid rooms he very well knew had something in them, which he didn't know what... yet. He took a deep breath before he pulls the first door open, the bone bat ready to swing at the first sign of danger. Nothing… Just your average normal looking bathroom. A shower with curtains, toilet and sink.
His gaze went to the next door, slowly approaching it. Alright, you can do this Sans. Just protect the apartment in Red his absence. Maybe he will say that you are a good boy and give you a treat for protecting the house. His phalanges were shaking a bit as he reached out to the door. He then flung it open and raised the bone bat again, ready to strike at the first sign of danger. Only to drop the bat at what he found. It was another bedroom, this one looked much more fancy then the one he was borrowing. Putting that aside, on the big ass bed laid the worlds most ugliest cat that he had ever seen. It was missing one of its ears, also one of its eyes and its tail was crooked like a question mark. With multiple colored fur that was sticking in every direction.
Sans stared at the cat and the cat in return stared back at him. Sans let out a small hysterical laugh as he made the bone attack disappear. He got spooked big time by a freaking cat! The cat let out a questionable noise that probably was meant as a meow but sounded more like that the so said cat was being strangled.
Not even bothering with closing the door he went back to the living room and laid down on the couch. Fuck… that had scared the shit out of him. Since when was he such a scaredy cat? Heh, scaredy cat. He should remember to tell Red, bet he would get a laugh from it. ...then again maybe he should not. That had not been a very proud moment.
He looks up when the cat casually walked into the living room like it owns the place. Was it a he or a she? Never thought Red would be a cat lover… The cat scrolled over and stopped by the couch. “Hey there buddy.” He slowly reached a phalange out. The cat sniffed it some before it pressed its head against it. “Heh...” He scratched the cat some behinds its ear before he stopped and went to get more comfy on the couch. To his surprise the cat jumped on the couch as well and made itself comfortable on his chest. Sans blinked as he could hear the cat beginning to purr. “...guess I’m not alone after all.” He quietly mumbled as he went to pet the cat some more.
It didn’t take long before the front door opened and Red entered. He cocked an eyebrow bone at the duo on the couch before he shrugged and went to the kitchen to put the groceries away. Sans followed him with his eye lights. “Didn’t know you have a cat.” He mumbled, feeling pretty relaxed thanks to the cat. “His name is Doomfanger. ” Sans blinked some. “Okay?” Red chuckled. “ Don’t ask. ” And so Sans didn’t ask. Even if he was a little curious why the cats name was Doomfanger. That was even worse then naming your dog Killer or Brutus. Alto those were cliché names. Now Doomfanger, that was probably a one of a kind name. “ Ya doing okay? ” Sans gave a small nod. He felt okay at the moment. Doomfanger had helped him to keep calm. Kept him grounded and not alone. Red eyed him a bit longer before he looked pleased and went back to the groceries. “ By the way. Bought ya some clothes. Ya are welcome.” Sans hummed some as he slowly closed his eye sockets, sighing some.
It was decided. Sans wanted a pet as well in the future. Preferable a cat. Maybe he will look for an ugly one like this and call him Doomfanger junior. Let him lay and purr on his chest. Huh… Or he would get two. Doomfanger Junior and Doomfanger Senior. Because what can be better then one cat? Exactly, two cats.
Chapter Text
He laid restless in bed, for some reason sleep just didn’t come as easy as he had hoped. Maybe that has to do with the fact that he was in a strange apartment with a complete stranger. Alto it might also be for the fact that Red forces him a lot to rest or at least take it easy, so he wasn’t tired in the slightest. Felt restless. He should be happy that he wasn’t forced to get up and do shit. That he could just spend his days wittering away here. His bro knew how he loves to be lazy. ...but right now he just couldn’t. He needed to get out of here. No he didn’t mean escaping from Red. Even if he barely knows the other, he can feel it was safe here. Safer then out there at least. He had a feeling the AMD was still looking for him after all... But Red was not a bad guy. Rough and edgy, sure. But not a straight out asshole.
He pushed the blanket away and slowly stood up, then silently made his way to the living room. He was a bit surprised that Red wasn’t here. Perhaps he way out? Or maybe sleeping in the other bedroom. Bet Doomfanger is there as well. That would make sense since normal people usually slept around 3:00 in the morning. Except for Sans apparently.
He went to one of the windows, slightly pulling the blinds apart to peek outside. Noticing that it was pitch black outside, as expected. Red lived somewhere up in an apartment building. ...he could use some fresh air. But like hell was he going out through the front door. There was a chance he needed a key to get back in the apartment, probably the building as well. Alto he could teleport... But there was also a slight chance he would bump into someone. A chance he wasn’t going to take. His eye lights landed on a fire escape from the apartment building across the street. Huh... He hasn’t used his teleport ability in... a while. His phalanges went up to his neck, feeling his bare cervical vertebrae. It is so weird to not feel that weight around there. Is still hard to believe the collar was gone. That he is free again. Or well... as free as he can be. Welp, here goes nothing.
He reached out for his magic and not even a second later he was somewhere else. He slightly sways before he caught himself of the metal railing from the fire escape. Panting some he kept standing there a bit longer before he looked around, taking in his surrounding. He did it! He teleported to the fire escape! He felt a bit of satisfaction for being able to do that in one go. He then paid more attention to what was around him. ...looks safe. He then looked up, towards the roof of the building. Guess he should take it easy and climb up. And later on use his magic to teleport back into Red's apartment.
Once he was up on the roof he went to sit down and huffed some. Finally... some fresh air. Closing his eye socket s he took a deep breath. It was not that a skeleton needed air to breath, since they were made from magic. But it still felt nice to take in the fresh air. Opening his eye socket s again he looked up, only to widen them again in amazement. It was a clear night tonight, barely any clouds. Which means that Sans was staring at a sky full of stars. Little dots of lights as far as his eye lights could see. He had almost forgotten how pretty this was. Pretty didn’t even do it justice. It was just… incredible. And he lived another day to experience it.
He was unsure how long he had been sitting there, probably not that long. But he went rigid when he felt a presence close by. Before he could react something was dropped on him. He had been found out! They were going to drag him back! “ Next time ya go out, take a fucking coat ya asshole. ” He blinked, recognizing the voice to be Red’s. He looked up, spotting the other beside him looking at the city. A coat…? He wrapped his phalanges around a thick coat that was dropped on him. He faintly recognized this coat… Guess he saw Red wearing it. The coat was a bit too big for him, since Red was slightly bigger then him. It was black with a yellow fur line around the hood, he nuzzled his skull some against it. Soft… Faintly smells of mustard and well… Red he guesses? “You worried I might get sick?” He looked up at Red with a cocked eyebrow bone. “ As if. Don’t need others ta recognize ya and snoop around. I like my apartment as it is. Don’t need bullet holes and such in it. Or in me. ” Ah, that way.
“Mind telling me what ya are doing out here sweetheart?” Sans grimaced. “Don’t call me sweetheart.” He said with a bit of a bite to it. Red eyed him some with piercing eye lights, as if trying to figure out what that is all about. Was almost as if he could read Sans like an open book. “How about doll then?” Sans clenched his phalanges into fists. “How about no?” Red slightly shifted to face him more. “What else should I call ya then?” Blinking he eyed the other as if he was a moron. “Oh I don’t know, maybe by my actual name?” Red looked thoughtful before he shrugged some. “Whats the fun in that?” Sans huffed some before he looked up at the sky again. As long as it wasn’t sweetheart, doll, sweety, honey or whatever the fuck. Those pet names were ruined for him. A shiver ran through his body, and not from the cold. He snuggled more into the coat. “Its just that… others used those names on me enough as it is.” He mumbled. Its not like he owned Red an explanation. But it felt like a decent thing to do to give him at least a bit of it. Maybe he will understand and drop it.
A minute or so later Red huffed before he sat down beside Sans and eyed the sky some as well. “ ...alright then starshine. ” Sans blinked. Starshine? He turned his head to eye Red some, not finding a reason to tell him to fuck off. Starshine… No one has ever called him that before. I mean sure… it was not his name… But starshine wasn’t bad. It was also kinda funny, like a coincidence, since he had been stargazing. Red’s gaze went towards him, as if to ask if that was okay. Sans gave a small smile. Red’s permanent scowl softened some before he turned his gaze back to the sky once more, Sans did the same.
“Stargazing.” Sans mumbled, earning Red’s attention even if the other kept his gaze on the stars. “That’s what I am doing out here. ...never thought I would see this view again. But here I am.” Red hummed some. “Here ya are yeah.” Sans scanned the sky, trying to look for a particular star. “...you see that bright star over there?” He pointed a phalanges towards it. “Most believe that the brightest star in the sky is the North Star, but its not. Sirius is, even if its not visible the whole year.” Sans pointed at another bright star. “That is the North Star, also called Polaris. It sits directly above the North Pole. ...its funny how it is always at the same spot, always there, while the rest of the stars move around. That’s because Earth’s axis points appear to point directly at it.” Red turned his gaze towards him. “Are ya an Astronomer or just a starstruck nerd?” Sans shrugged. “Guess I just really like stars. They used to fascinate me.” He could feel the others gaze on him, as if trying to figure out what he meant with that. “Used ta huh?” Sans nodded, not giving more information about why it used to fascinate him. Guess the stars kinda lost their… shine. For him at least. Since the brightest one in his life is now… gone. Maybe one day he could look up again with a smile, but for now it felt more like nostalgia. Tasted bittersweet like old times where he would stargaze with his bro. They were still beautiful, amazing, indescribable. ...always will be. But also a bit painful.
“Did ya know that Sirius is Greek for the word ‘glowing’ or ‘scorching’? And that its also called the Dog Star?” Sans blinked before his gaze went to Red who was eyeing the stars again. “North Star brightest star my ass… Canopus and Arcturus are even brighter then that. As well as 45 other stars. If not more.” Sans let out a chuckle. “Are you an Astronomer or a starstruck nerd?~” Red snorted. “Like hell I will tell ya.” Sans had a feeling it was the second. Just like himself.
Sans sighed. “I used to stargaze like this a lot in the past. I have… had a brother. His name was Papyrus. He wasn’t as much as a nerd as me about stars. Anyway, he would always join me. No matter how many star or universe puns I would throw at him, he would stick around. He hated puns. Or well… that’s what he wanted me to believe, thinking I wouldn’t notice him secretly smiling at them. And he would just… he would just lay beside me, looking at the stars as well. No words needed to be said. Just two bros stargazing. He would join me whenever I would go somewhere for celestial phenomena events that were rare. Because he knew how much it meant to me. Together we watched Venus transit the sun back in 2012. That only occurs every few hundred years. We tried our best to watch every meteor shower together, tried to get free from work and just get somewhere with a clear view.”
Red said nothing in return, just listened. He had a painful realization of connecting some dots. How Sans talked about his bro in the past. Also how he said that the AMD had taken them, but that no one was left behind. He had a feeling Sans and his brother got taken. And that his bro must have passed away. And his guess was that it had happened in between getting kidnapped and busting out of there.
“Huh. He sounded like an awesome dude.” He mumbled after a while. “...the best.” Sans tugged the coat more around himself, making it look like the thing had fucking swallowed him up or something. Looked pretty good on him if Red was honest. Its not like it was the first time Sans is wearing clothes from him, since the other literally had nothing at the beginning. Found him naked with just some ripped jacket that was unsalvageable. “What was he like?” Sans eyed him some before he looked up at the sky again. “...he always saw the best in others, no matter what.” Which was also pretty foolish. “...he liked puzzles. And sport cars. He loved to cook even if he sucked at it. Probably didn’t help that I always said it was good. He had a pet rock that was on a sparkling sprinkles diet.” Okay that was a bit weird… but who was Red to say that. I mean normally he would. But he was not going to deliver an under the belt punch right now. One wrong move, one wrong word and the other would breakdown. He could feel it.
“Ya proud of him?” Sans gave a small nod. “Of course I am.” Red gave a small smile. “Ya did everything ya could for him?” Sans turned his skull to eye him, narrowing his eye sockets at the other in suspicion. But he did give a small nod. “Then I am pretty sure he is proud of ya as well. No matter how or what.” Sans frowned before he opened his mouth, but Red cut him off. “And even if ya don’t believe that. Then make sure ya make him proud. Flip the bird at life and continue ta try ta make him proud.” Sans seems to mull his words over, then gave a small nod.
“Wanna head inside again? Bet Doomfanger would like a spot ta nap.” As in on top of Sans. “And I think I got some pudding left. ...unless ya already devoured it?” Sans gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry...” He mumbled. “Well… then some nice cream will do.” Red was foolish for showing compassion to the other. Life was rough and hard. A total bitch. And Sans knows this as well. And Red should just… Who was he kidding. He just wanted to try his best with helping the other. If he could make it a bit better for the other with a purring cat and some nice cream, then who was he to just ignore it. ...one day they probably should talk about what happened at the AMD base. How long he has been there. What they did to him there. What happened to his bro there. But not tonight. Sans was still healing. “Sure.” A short answer, but an answer nonetheless.
Red stood up. “ Alright, I know a shortcut. ” He smirked down at Sans who blinked up at him. Neither of them mentioned the unshed tears in Sans eye sockets. Sans went up, holding the coat around himself as he reached a hand out. Red quickly wrapped his tail around it before Sans could touch him and shortcutted them back in his apartment.
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Was another day with the two skeletons. Sans had a feeling he had to be wary of the other. Red sometimes gave off some... bad vibes. It was not that Sans was afraid of the other, maybe he should be tho. But if Red had wanted to hurt him or something he would have done that already. He barely knows the other but knows he is like himself. As in if you want to know something just ask it and don’t go around the bush. And there had been a question Sans kept wondering.
Sans sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Red to be done making breakfast, pancakes in this case, some weird rock music was pouring out of the little radio that stood proudly on a shelf in the kitchen. Alto it was a bit too late for breakfast, but too early for lunch. Whatever, food was being made and Sans was pretty hungry so. Since he escaped and had his first real food, he has these... moods where he feels like he is starving. Red said that’s probably since the magic dampers are not blocking his magic anymore and that his own body was demanding the food to replenish his magic reserves. And also because his body needed the extra juice to heal. Maybe he was right. Red could probably feel him stare at him. Even if, the other didn’t react towards it. Sans eyed the others tail that was slightly swaying some from side to side as if moving along with the beat of the music.
"So... are you owned by someone or something?" Red's tail stilted. " What the fuck? " Red eye lights peered at the other . “ If that's the start of a bad pick up line, ya can shove it. ” Charming as usual. “No, I’m talking about the choker you are wearing. Doesn’t that mean someone owns you?” Collared and being owned by someone like a pet or something he quietly thoughts in his head. Red's expression turned from a 'What the actual fuck' to amusement. " Hell no. Don’t tell me ya are that naive. " Apparently the expression Sans had said it all. " Well damn. Guess ya are. First of all, it ain’t a choker, its a collar. It warns others. " That doesn’t make any sense? " Oh boy is this gonna be a fun conversation. " Red said with a shit eating grin. " What do ya know about collars? " Collars... pets wear them right? And some wear them as a fashion sense? I guess? Or are those chokers? "Uhm just that some with a questionable fashion sense wear them, as well as pets."
Red flipped the last pancake, then put it on a plate with the others and turned the radio on a lower volume before he joined Sans at the table. He grabbed a pancake, poured mustard over it before he rolled it up and shoved the whole thing in his mouth. " Alright. Guess that's fair if ya probably know jack shit about that world. " He said with his mouth full. Was kinda disgusting but Sans couldn't complain since he was the same. They both lacked manners... He grabbed a pancake as well and teared a piece off before putting it in his mouth. Huh… not bad at all.
Sans blinked as Red summoned a tongue, just as red as his eye lights, to lick some mustard from his fangs. " Alright then. I wear mine for two reasons. The first one is cause my bro’s magic is infused in it. Keeps me calm and relaxed. Makes me feel safe I guess. The second is, like I said, ta warn others . " Sure, there were a few more… collar etiquette, but Red was going to keep it simple for the other. ...for now. Sans frowned, confused by it. " Ta be blunt, its a bdsm collar. " Has been forever since Red did anything like that, didn’t even do shit like that anymore, but the other didn’t need to know that. Realization hit the other, dusting his cheeks in a blue blush, which of course amused Red enormous. “ Very cute Sansy.~ But ya asked about it remember. ” Sans flipped him the bird. “I didn’t know it was going to lead to weird shit!” Red shrugged some as he grabbed another pancake and ate that one drenched in mustard as well, still amused by how Sans was freaking a bit out about it. “ Alright calm down. I will spare ya the dirty details. ” Sans highly doubted that tho… “ Anyway. Ta get back ta the collar. Ya got different ones for different purposes and even then ya got them in different colors and every color means something different. Mine is red for a reason. Means ta be cautious, that I can bite and ta not fuck around with me. ” Sans blinked, looking thoughtful. “So… its more like warning others of you?” Red shrugged. “ In a way I guess. Knowing what red means and still going for someone with a red collar is cause they are looking for someone like that. Its not like ‘oh he got a red collar, we are warned’ they know they can loose a finger. They can always pick someone else with another color. ” The other hummed some, understanding it at least.
“So… guess there are a lot of colors then?” Sans questioned as he finally finished his first pancake. “Yeah. Lets see… Black stands for masochist or sadist. Fuchsia for spanking. Liking ta spank or be spanked. That kind of stuff. Not too kinky. Blue is like for a mentor. A safe person that is not judging ya and can help ya. Anyway, there are a lot of colors that all mean different things. Can go on but I think ya get the point.” Sans nodded, his gaze on Red’s collar. Guess he saw the collar now in a new light.
“Heh, ya would be the kind of monster that would suit a white collar.” The others expression went horrified. “I am not going to wear a collar!” He then frowned. “...just curious. What does white stand for?” Red looked delighted at the question. “Vanilla.~ Very new, virgin. Wishing ta find a partner or wanting a relationship. Wishes ta take things slow.” He had expected a blush, probably some denials. Something fun that Red could laugh about. What he hadn’t expected was some kind of haunted look in the others eye lights as he adverted his gaze. “...white wont suit me.” Sans quietly mumbled, his voice sounding a bit… off. It set alarm bells off for Red. “Why is that?” No answer. “Does this have ta do with pet names like sweetheart and doll?” Still no answer, but the others body language said enough. It was connected.
Red was unsure how to react, it was obvious that something had happened. Either the other must have had a few… painful relations behind his back. He kinda doubted that any relation would make the other react so strongly with disgust to the pet names. Or… something must have happened at the AMD base. Most definitely sexual. He had a feeling the other wont answer if he starts to ask questions. Not now at least. He wont even answer why a white collar wont suit him. Or if it has something to do with those pet names. Sans stayed… silent. His skull slightly bowed. Shit… Red was fucking this up. He needed to get the others attention back to something else, to distract him. Red was an asshole, but not that kind of asshole. Because if it is what he thinks it is… then those who did that to Sans are the lowest scum there is. Red would never go that far.
“So like I said, this collar also has my bro’s magic infused in it. He put his intent in it and told me not ta take it off.” He shrugged. It caught Sans his attention some tho. “Why?” Red shove the pancake plate to Sans, silently telling him to eat more. One pancake wont fill him up. Especially not with those hunger moods. He watched as Sans slowly ate another. “The collar tells others ta be cautious, that I can bite. But even outside a scene people need ta be cautious of me. I can still bite.” Sans gave him a strange look. “But… isn’t that a bedroom thing? Why still act outside of that?” Red chuckled some. “Not acting. With or without the collar. In or out of the bedroom. They need ta be cautious of me.” He tapped his sharp phalanges some on the table. “I think we can agree life isn't all rainbows and kittens.” He got a nod in return. “Life fucked me up. As a… result, its better ta be cautious around me. Cautious with me. And not for my safety, but for those around me. That’s why its needed for the collar ta make me feel calm and relaxed.” Red grabbed another pancake, cleaning the mustard some off the plate with it before he poured some over the rest and ate it.
“Does that mean that without your collar… that you are dangerous?” Red smirked. “Oh starshine. Even with the collar on I’m dangerous. Just slightly lesser. When I’m in a good mood that is.” Sans expression turned thoughtful. “Are you going to hurt me?” Red turned his eye lights on the other. “Not planing ta.” They held each others gaze for a few seconds before Sans gave a nod. “Okay then. I trust you.” Well that was probably a stupid idea, but sure, why not. “Yer funeral.”
“So… you mentioned a bro? Tell me about him?” Why not, that’s probably a more safe topic. “He’s an asshole. But cool.” Short but honest. “Is that all?” Nosy bastard. “His name is Edge, he lives here with me. Right now he is somewhere touring with his big love, his motorcycle.” Sans perked up at that. “He rides a motorcycle?” Oh how can he let this comment slide. “Think I did say that he rides his love.~ But yeah he does. Got one as well. Sometimes we go touring together or go for a quick joyride.” Sans rolled his eye lights but said nothing about it. “So… sport or chopper?” Oh? Now Red looked curious at the other. “Ya a motorcycle knower? He rides a Harley-Davidson. And I got a mix I guess, build it from scrap. The parts are from Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson.” A small smile appeared on the others face. “I never rode one, hell I don’t even have a driver’s license. But to be honest, I guess I am curious about them. And sure, would like to try one out one day. Preferable a chopper.” Who knows, maybe one day he will let him tag along.
Notes:
Am I an Astronomer or just a starstruck nerd? Neither. Google helped me a lot for this chapter. Typed down mostly basic things. But things I wasnt aware of anyways. The knowledge about the choker/collar I found out years ago. One day I was reading a Underfell fanfic and I was curious about Underfell his choker/collar, so I googled about it... and got into a big rabbit hole of information. If I got things wrong or made mistakes, let me know. I used google and wrote it down the way I thought they meant it.
Chapter 4
Notes:
Yeah I am a bit late with uploading this chapter. The wifi has been a bit crappy and have also been busy with work and such. Anyways, another chapter, another reason for more puns! And also more bonding time.
Chapter Text
It hasn’t even been a week since Sans crashed with Red. But he was already so sick of his freedom, like literally. First he had been resting and sleeping a lot. Because his magic reserves had been so low, and also to heal. And now he was literally sick. That was probably his own fault tho for stargazing with pants and a thin shirt on. Alto he had been wearing Red's coat quickly after that. Probably not soon enough. He should have known better with his 1 HP. It had always given him problems with his health. He just has a low immune system and became easily sick. Usually Paps would have been there for him... Would have tucked him in, making sure he stayed in bed while he would make him soup and often brought tea. Regularly he would check to ask if Sans needed anything and usually would stick with him, reading a book while he himself would mostly just sleep.
Now tho? Now he laid alone in a dark room, shivering from the cold even if he was wrapped up in the blanket like a burrito. He is not sure if Red had checked in on him at all, since he dozed off so now and then. And if Red had, he had been silent. He slowly blinked up at the ceiling, then shifted to lay on his side. He couldn’t really find a position that was comfortable. He coughed some before he closed his eye sockets for the so many time. Fuck… his throat felt like sandpaper. And beside feeling cold his body felt heavy as well. But hey, the hunger moods had temporarily given up the battle of hunger.
Shifting his skull some he looked hazily at one of the walls. He slowly blinked before he realized there were two red lights peering at him from the darkest corner of the room. Red colored eye lights to be more precise. Red was staring straight at him, not making a single sound. How long had the other been standing there? After some seconds of staring Red gave a grunt before he slowly came closer. "Was ta be expected that ya get sick with those shitty stats of yers. " Sans frowned some. "You checked my stats...? Rude." Red rolled his eye lights. " Had ta make sure ya stayed alive. ...and I thought my HP was bad luck." His HP...?
Red placed the tip of his tail against Sans his skull. "Fever. Just yer luck huh? " Sans huffed and slightly pressed more against the tail. Felt nice and cool... " ...don’t rub yer sweat off on my tail." Sans gave a slight hum but didn’t move away from the tail. And Red didn’t pull his tail away.
“Knock knock.” Red looked skeptical towards him, but apparently he was in a good enough mood to amuse him. “Who’s there.” Sans shifted his hazy eye lights to the other. “Annie.” Red cocked his skull some, as if trying to guess where this knocking joke was going to go. “Annie who?” Sans took a shaky breath, finding it hard to admit it. “Annie way… I am not fine.” Red snorted. “Horrible joke. But I get the message. Glad ya finally admit it. ...sucks huh?” Sans gave a small nod. It sure does. From the moment Red had laid eyes on Sans he knew the other was not alright. He had been through a lot. For some reason Sans kinda reminded him of himself in a way. And because of that he kinda understood the other. To be honest, he was kinda impressed that the other was still alive. He had seen his cracked soul after all, that is not an injury to take lightly. And he had to admit… with so many cracks it was a miracle Sans was still walking around. Even with those shitty stats, Sans was pretty powerful for just being here.
“Knock knock...” The other folded his arms as he stared down at the Sans burrito. “Who’s there.” Sans his gaze went to the blanket. “Hug.” Red frowned, hesitating some before he gave in. “Hug who…?” Sans gaze was still on the blanket, unable to look Red in his eye lights. “...hug me. Please.” He whispered. Red closed his eye sockets as he sighed. “...I’m sorry starshine. But I cant do that right now.” He pulled his tail back.
He could hear the other shifting before he went to lay on his other side, putting his back to Red. Red opened his eye sockets again to eye Sans. He should just turn around and leave the room. But that kinda felt like a dick move. “Let me make ya a promise. I will check on ya from time ta time. And when ya are better… I will tell ya why I cant. ” Sans slightly moved his skull, eyeing Red some. A weird look in his eye lights. ...uncertainty? Shame? “...am I the problem? Am I a burden?” Red blinked stupidly at him. “ Nah, I can tell ya that much. It ain’t ya. ” He pressed his tail against Sans back. “ Go ahead and rest. I’m gonna check on ya in a bit again.” Sans gave a small nod. “...okay then.”
Red watched Sans settle down and stayed a bit longer, watching over the other with his tail against the others back. When he was sure the other was peacefully sleeping he slowly pulled back and headed to the door. He opened it and looked down to find Doomfanger there.The ugly cat looked up at him. Red used his tail to rub Doomfanger’s head some. “...watch over him for me will ya?” Doomfanger gave a small meow, as if he told Red that he would take care of it. He then walked passed Red and jumped on the bed, curling up by Sans his skull.
Red eyed them some before he silently left the bedroom, closing the door behind himself. Leaning back against the door he rubbed his skull some. What had he gotten himself into. He was playing nurse. And even made the other a promise. He almost never made any promises. So why did he make one just like that? Without putting up much of a fight. He just… made the promise. That look Sans had given him as he asked him if he was the problem. If he was a burden. He had gone soft hasn’t he? Shaking his skull some he pushed himself away from the door and headed to the living room. Guess the cat is out of the bag, he will spill the beans to the other one of these days. Better later then sooner. His opinion at least.
looked up at him. Red used his tail to rub Doomfanger’s head some. “...watch over him for me will ya?” Doomfanger gave a small meow, as if he told Red that he would take care of it. He then walked passed Red and jumped on the bed, curling up by Sans his skull.
Red eyed them some before he silently left the bedroom, closing the door behind himself. Leaning back against the door he rubbed his skull some. What had he gotten himself into. He was playing nurse. And even made the other a promise. He almost never made any promises. So why did he make one just like that? Without putting up much of a fight. He just… made the promise. That look Sans had given him as he asked him if he was the problem. If he was a burden. He had gone soft hasn’t he? Shaking his skull some he pushed himself away from the door and headed to the living room. Guess the cat is out of the bag, he will spill the beans to the other one of these days. Better later then sooner. His opinion at least.
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Sans sat one the couch with Doomfanger on his lap watching television. As in the television was on but he was not paying attention. Red kept an eye on him from the kitchen table where he was reading the newspaper. Some metal music was playing from the little kitchen radio. Red’s tail tapping the chair some on the catchy beat.
“Hey.” Sans blinked before he turned his gaze on Red. “...what written on the tombstone of a gamer?” Red stretched some out before he went up and joined him in the living room. “Wasn’t able to beat the final boss fight?” Red smirked as he eyed the television cabinet some. “Game Over.” It got a chuckle out of the other. “Nice one.” Red eyed the other some. “Bored? Cause if ya are, I think I got something ta entertain ya.” Sans slightly perked up, clearly interested. “Thought so. Sit tight.” Was not like Sans had anything else to do. Besides, his lap was occupied.
Red opened up a drawer of the television cabinet and dragged an old Nintendo 64 out of it, putting it with the other systems. Grabbing the cables he went to plug them in. Sans watched him work. At some point he blinked and made a surprised noise. Red looked over his shoulder at the other. “...whats that look for? ” Sans pointed at him. “Your tail.” Red rolled his eye lights. “ Yeah I got a tail. Ya grabbed it a hand full of time s already, remember? ” Sans shook his skull. “Not that!” Frowning Red went to stand straight. “ What then? ” Sans frowned slightly. “Well… I just noticed that you have a hole in your pants where your tail goes out from.” Both of Red’s eye brow bones rose in surprise. “ Ya checked out my ass? ” Sans began to blush a bright blue color, was a nice blue shade. “N-no? Its not like that!” Red began to smirk. “ Pervert.~ ” If possible, Sans began to blush even more. “ Alright, yeah I got holes in my pants for my tail. What else did ya expect? ” Sans shrugged some as he looked away. “You are literally standing in front of me with your ass in the air towards me… hard to miss something like that you know? I just thought that you had your pants so low that your tail would go above your pants?” Red hummed some. “ Yeah okay, I used ta do that in the past. Wouldn’t recommend it. Uncomfortable as fuck. Try not ta stare too much at my ass, almost done with the cables.” Sans ignored him and looked away as he folded his arms. Red couldn’t help but think it is fun to rile the other up.
A few seconds later Red changed the channel for the Nintendo 64 and dropped on the couch beside Sans. He held the controller out towards the other. “Here. Peace offering. Ya can have the first round with it. ” Sans blinked at him before he took the controller from him. “Wow… this thing is ancient.” Red snorted. “ Show a little respect. Its an amazing game system with some amazing games. A real classic. ” Sans shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. ...never played it before.” Now Red looked offended. “ Well fuck me. Even more reason for ya ta have the first round. Go ahead, lets see what ya got.”
They found out that Sans sucked a lot at gaming, especially The Legend of Zelda games. But also that Sans didn’t care that he sucked at it because he enjoyed playing the games. His reflexes were too slow since he couldn’t remember in time which button did what. It was a surprise that Sans quickly caught up to Pokémon Stadium. Understanding which elements to use against which elements. Which moves were effective and which ones not. And also that Sans totally beat Red’s ass in that game. Not that Red would admit that.
At some point they went to play Mario Kart, Sans wasn’t too good at that but had fun. And Mario Kart quickly turned into hours of Mario Party. Sans for some reason was fond of the green dinosaur Yoshi. Red just went for Mario for the lack of better characters, his words. When it became dinner time Red quickly shortcutted away, only to appear a few minutes later with pizza for the both of them. When they talked it was to call the other out on cheating, even if it was not true, or to make puns. Or to comments about how out of date the games were with their graphics. But they both enjoyed the day which slowly turned into evening only to turn into night. Doomfanger had at some point moved to lay in between them on the couch, purring away. It was safe to say that both Sans and Red had an amazing time that day.
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They came in the night. Sans had been sleeping at that moment. He slept alone in his cell, Papyrus his cell was a bit further ahead. He was glad for that, so his baby brother couldn’t see how much he had been hurt. So he could never see how much they would hurt him. So that Paps could focus on his own things. Normally they would grant Sans a full night of sleep, so he could take whatever they threw at him the next day. Sure, some of them purposely came in the night, they made him feel like he was the lowest being on the planet. Hell… the lowest in the whole universe.
This night they entered his cell, together with a chained up Papyrus. Sans shot up from the floor, looking slightly panicked. They had never entered his cell with his bro. So why now? “Paps?” His panic must have showed since the AMD members began to chuckle. “Alright sweetheart. Remember the thing we had done a couple of hours ago?” Sans swallowed, still feeling it. “Yeah we got a nice juicy deal for you.” They forced Papyrus on his knees who barely struggled. “W-What kind of deal…?” Any deals they had was like making a deal with the devil. “We want you to hurt your dear little brother. Or… we are going to go a couple of rounds with you again.” Sans his bones began to rattle softly. “SANS?” His bro asked softly, confused by what was going on. “WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT BROTHER?” Sans couldn’t help but stare in Papyrus his eye lights. “I cant… I cant hurt him. Please… anything but that.” One of the humans shrugged. “Don’t worry, we wont hurt your little brother. He can come out of this unharmed. ...but he will stay in this room till we are all satisfied.” Sans his eye lights disappeared. “BROTHER…?”
He snapped out of it when some of the humans came towards him. He star t ed to beg and plead. Trying to make them stop. That he would do anything if they would get Papyrus out of there. But they didn’t listen. They forced him on the floor. The pain that followed soon after was horrible. Tears slid down his face and dropped onto the floor, but he made no noise. Sometimes a painful grunt. What was worse was that his little brother was forced to watch all of this… How could he ever look the other in his eye lights again after this… He wanted to die...
Sans screamed as he sat up, clutching his skull between his phalanges as his body shook, making his bones rattle against each other. His eye lights had disappeared to make place for a single blue one. Whisks of magic trailing out of his eye socket as he hyperventilated, trying his hardest to get some air in.
He snapped his skull up towards the door and let out a whimper as he heard footsteps approaching. “This better be good… I swear if its a spider.” No, please no! No more! He had been too loud again, they were going to get him again! He couldn’t handle it anymore! As soon as someone entered the room he turned their soul blue and slammed them against the wall. He then crawled backwards until he fell out of the bed, the blanket constricting him, he whimpered as he tried to free himself. He needed to get away!
A low growl could be heard from the other side of the room before Red appeared before him out of thin air and wrapped his tail around the others cervical vertebrae, lifting him up in the air by it. “Bad move Sansy.~” He tightened his tail some. Sans gasped as tears began to pour out of his eye sockets, having white hazy eye lights once more. “No more… Please… Please...” Red frowned. No more? He hasn’t even hurt him yet! He was… Shit Red was an idiot! He finally noticed the way Sans looked. Haunted and frightened, but also not completely there. Sans hasn’t realized where he is, with who he is. ...a nightmare Red realized. Cursing some he slowly lowered the other back onto the floor. He let the others cervical vertebrae go and gave a small wince at the bruise that was beginning to form. He had lost his cool there for a moment… And Sans had paid for it.
“Its gonna be okay starshine. I didn’t mean ta do that, like ya didn’t mean it either.” He grabbed the blanket with his phalanges, keeping Sans steady with his tail and went to carefully wrap the blanket around the other. Joining Sans on the floor he slowly manhandled the other till he was leaning with his back against his chest. So Sans could feel something solid behind him. ...someone. A low whine left the other. “Come on… focus. Ya are safe. Told ya before I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” He mumbled as he carefully placed his phalanges on the other, holding him some. Sans slightly tensed. "...Red?" Came the others hoarse question. Red felt regret for being the one that inflicted that hoarse voice on him, just as much for bruising the others cervical vertebrae. "Yeah its me starshine. Just take it easy." It was as if those words cut the ropes because Sans became slack in his hold, trusting Red to have him. Unsure what to do now he just kept holding the other. His tail nervously sliding some over the floor.
Not even a few seconds Red could feel someone checking his stats. ...Sans was checking his stats.
Red
LV 5
HP 4/5
AT 5
DF 5
*Doesn’t know what to do.
Red let out a low growl, not pleased with this. Sure it was handy to check the others stats to see what you were up against. In fights and such. And sure on the streets to make sure you we not going to get stabbed in the back and such. But the other needed to have balls to do that. Because checking someones stats meant that the so said one that checked the other felt confident that they could beat the other. He hadn't expected Sans to do that! Sure he had mentioned it before that he should check his stats, but still! He could feel the other going tense again. "Finally got the balls ta check my stats huh? Yeah that’s right, I got LV." He began to smirk. Cat is out of the bag. Sans now knows. ...he thought he would have been ready for the other to know, but he wasn’t.
"I hurt you!" Red blinked, surprised by the other outburst. He had expected Sans to be disgusted by his LV. Or at least scared. Not to be… concerned about having hurt the other. Before he could say anytime in return Sans began to struggle. "Stop moving. " He growled out, effectively stilling Sans. Red’s expression became confused. Sans is worried… because he hurt him? No one has been that before. ...except for Edge his bro. And that had been years ago. " ...I’m fine. Got more HP ta spare then ya. So don’t get yer panties in a twist. " Sans gave a small nod as he began to relax some again. The blanket hiding the other in a way that Red couldn’t read his body language or expression, making it unknown for him to know what the other was thinking or feeling at the moment. "...can I get more comfortable? Please?" Sans quietly asked before he coughed some. He had been too rough with the others throat! Fuck... Red eyed the other some before he gave an affirmative grunt. It was okay if he was prepared for it. Or well, more okay. Sans began to move slowly, shifting to sit more sideways. He hesitated some before he slowly went to lean his skull against Red's shoulder, giving the other enough time to stop him. Red didn't tho, just kept an eye on the other. Once he was comfortable he tugged the blanket more over his skull. " Ya comfy?" Red asked as he eyed the blanket mess against him. The other gave a small nod. Well he thinks it is a nod, the blanket did move, didn’t look like a head shake. Alright then.
It was only that he began to hear small gasps of breath that he understood the other was silently crying. Sans his body had already been shaking slightly the moment he walked into the room so... Red clicked his tongue. Had he formed his tongue just so he could click it in annoyance? You bet he did. It was not that he was disgusted or annoyed by Sans his behavior. Just… unfamiliar with it. Guess that was what annoyed him. Also, Red wasn’t any good at comforting others. All he could do was stick close by the other and wait it out. So that is what he did. He kept sitting with the other and waited. Being a silent support.
It took a bit but Sans began to grow quiet again, even his bones stopped rattling. Red was just calmly sitting, his phalanges loosely around the other. Not wanting to let Sans feel trapped, but keeping him grounded. So the other knew he was there. The other could escape anytime he wanted to.
He looked over his shoulder when he felt someone approach, seeing Doomfanger enter the room. He slowly made his way over to the skeletons on the floor and gave a meow, aka being strangled noise. Sans slowly lifted his skull, which made the blanket slide a bit off to reveal bleary eye lights that sleepily looked at the cat. Apparently he had started to doze off. He also had tear streaks on his cheeks, making it even more clear that he had been crying earlier. "Yeah he got some kind of sixth sense that lets him know if someone needs ta be cuddled and such. Or well, needs comforting. " Red quietly mumbled. The other reached a phalange out to Doomfanger who began to purr and push his head against it. To Sans credit, his phalange was only shaking slightly. "That so...?" Red hummed. " He used ta do that a lot with my bro and me as well. Still does when needed. " Sans opened the blanket some for Doomfanger who immediately took that opportunity to slip in and make himself comfortable on Sans lap. " Why ya think he is so often with me in the other bedroom? " Sans blinked before he looked up at Red. "Huh... now that you mention it." Doomfanger's purring sounded very loud in the silent room. “...you need it a lot?” Red frowned some, wondering if he should reveal that weakness or not. But his silence probably said it all. “...guess we both need it then huh?” Red huffed some, amused. “ Guess so.”
"...there is just one thing that I don’t get. " Sans gave a small hum as he had closed his eye sockets again. " How come ya barely have any scars? " Red narrowed his eye sockets at the other. "Are you some kind of pervert? Bet that's the real reason you wear the collar." Red smirked. " Yeah ya got me. Had a ‘hard’ time keeping yer ass alive. I had ta make sure ya had not anymore wounds. So that ya didn’t leak marrow and slowly lost yer HP. Ya know I got scars. Ya cant be that blind. And I ain’t blind. I know trauma's can fuck people up. And ya got those. A couple of those even. Why don't ya tell me what they did that made ya wake up screaming as if ya were getting dusted or something." Sans tensed some up at being called out like that, not denying it tho.
It stayed silent. Red wasn’t know for his patience, but he tried his best. Especially when Sans opened his eye sockets and his posture slumped some. ...he was ashamed. "If it helps, I ain’t gonna judge ya. " The other let out a humorless chuckle. "Sure..." Red cocked his skull. " Ya doubting me? Ya saw my LV, I think if anyone understands ya, it will be me. " Sans his eye lights zoned in on the other, he looked furious. "No you wont! You fought! Your LV proves it! I didn’t do jack shit! I just took it!" Red watched the other pant as he went to sit more straight, out of Red’s hold and turned his back to him. A thoughtful expression came on Red’s face. Sans wasn’t ashamed of getting hurt. But for not fighting back. For being useless. " ...I had my magic. What about ya huh? " Sans shook his skull. "Doesn’t matter if I had my magic or not! I should have struggled more." Oh boy... " And as a result they would have hurted ya more, right?" Sans kept his mouth shut, but there was a tension in his body that told Red that he was right.
“Starshine?” Sans shook his skull some. “Stop it...” Red frowned some. “Huh?” A bit confused what he should stop. “I’m not… I’m not something precious that you can call starshine.” Red rubbed his phalanges over his skull. “Are ya kidding me? Well ya got something right there. Ya ain’t a something. Ya are a someone. Give me a good reason not ta call ya starshine and I will pick something else for ya. If not, starshine stays. Deal with it.” Sans looked over his shoulder at the other, his gaze then went down to his lap, to Doomfanger, beginning to caress him. His silence said enough. The nickname starshine was staying.
“...it wasn’t that bad.” Uhu… “I call bullshit. Just so ya know.” Sans let out an amused huff. “Well… After they took us… Paps and me, they brought us to one of their bases. I thought we were lucky that they put us together in the same base. But I was wrong…” Red frowned at the others back, waiting for the other to continue. “At first they used me for well… things.” Red narrowed his eye sockets. “Things…?” He got a sharp nod in return. “Yeah… lets call it things for now. Anyway… I didn’t always cooperate with them. And they… did not like that. So at some point they began to notice that I didn’t think that highly of myself… That I didn’t care that much anymore if they would hurt me.”
Red cocked his skull some. “They hurt ya. ” It wasn’t really a question but a statement. Sans gave a nod. “ How? With yer 1 HP, how did they even do that? ” Sans shifted some to see Red a bit better. “...well. They used experts on me, professionals that could hurt monsters without killing intent. So they were able to hurt me without damaging me. ...and to be safe just in case they kept pouring healing magic in me.” The healing magic was poured into him by a feeding tube… Red widened his eye sockets some. “ So… the pain was there, as well as the damage. But the healing magic made sure ya didn’t dust, as well as healing every wound quickly. ” Sans frowned but gave a nod. “Yeah.” That was torture at its finest. Being able to inflict damage upon damage without killing the other. “ What then? ” Sans took a deep breath. “Like I said… I didn’t care that much if they would hurt me anymore. So they… switched tactics. If I didn’t care… about being hurt… then use… They...” Sans gaze went down to his lap as his bones began to rattle again. Fuck… “I cant do this Red...” Sans shook his skull some. “ Nah, I think ya can. Its a matter of if ya want ta. And if ya don’t want ta, we can stop.”
“I don’t get you. I don’t fucking get you at all!” Red shrugged. “Hear that a lot. With more cursing tho. Just curious, what do ya mean at this moment?” Sans held his skull between his phalanges. “Why… you don’t know me. After all you have done for me. You can just kick me out and be done with all this. I’m a no one. Nobody will miss me when I’m gone.” Red eyed the others some as his tail tapped the floor some in irritation. “Get over yerself. Think ya are the only one in this world that has had it tough? Giving up is never the right thing ta do. I cant tell ya ta keep going. Cant force ya ta keep living. ...but death is not the answer. That’s something that I know from experience. Not everyone can muster up the courage ta say fuck ya and keep going. Hell… I had been at my breaking point years ago.” Sans lowered his phalanges again and slightly shifted his skull to watch Red. “Life wont take pity on ya. But giving up is not the solution either. Maybe I’m just a fucking fool. But I ain’t gonna stand by and watch as ya throw yerself off a bridge. If ya give up now… that is the end. But live another day… who knows what will happen. But ya wont know unless ya try. And like I said before, about flipping the bird at life and such. Ya know how satisfying it is when ya prove life wrong? Damn… it can be hilarious. Fuck life, but not in the dying way.” He shrugged. “...what if life has nothing to offer me anymore.” Now that was a good question. “Nah, I think there is still shit that life can offer ya. Ya just need to be patience and put a bit of effort in it. Enjoying the little things. Like a good joke, a low graphic game. Cup of coffee after ya just woke up. Bad television in the middle of the night while eating pizza. That kind of shit.”
“...I cant do this alone.” Sans quietly admitted. “No one is telling ya that. Hell, what am I? Just a bag of bones?” Sans his expression turned into one of surprise. “Yeah yeah, I’m edgy and such. I’m not soulless tho.” The other huffed some. “No you are not. You are… pretty okay for an edgy asshole.” Red smirked, pleased with the others reaction. “I will tell you… Its just… fuck.” Sans looked doubtful. “Lay it out starshine. Ya got a no and can get a yes or something like that. What ya need?” The other swallowed audible. “Can I… Like before?” Red frowned. Well that’s cryptic as fuck. “Need a bit more info then that.” Red blinked surprised as the other began to slightly blush some. Huh… interesting. “Like… how it was when I got out of my panic state? ...as in closer and such.” In other words, Sans wanted to cuddle up with the other. Okay, Red tried his hardest to not laugh out loud, but he couldn’t help but grin widely while a snicker escaped him. Sans gave him a look. “I ain’t saying anything.” Sans quietly muttered something that sounded suspiciously like ‘asshole’. More touching stuff... “...after ya get comfortable… no more moving. Deal? No matter what. And keep the blanket around yer body.” Sans looked a bit confused by his demands but gave a small nod. “Alright then.” Red mumbled as he scratched the back of his skull some.
He watched Sans picking up Doomfanger before he shuffled closer. Red’s tail thumped some on the floor. After he tugged the blanket more around himself he slowly went to lean against Red again who eyed him with narrowed eye sockets. “Done? ” Sans gave a small hum. “ No more moving, got it? ” Another hum. “ Alright then… Think ya were in the middle of telling me something.” He curled his tail some around the blanket bundle, his phalanges resting on the floor beside him as he waited for the other to talk again.
“...so after they inflicted pain on me and such, they realized it mostly didn’t work. That’s when they started to use… Paps against me. If I wasn’t pliant they would hurt Paps. ...my baby brother. I just…” Sans took a deep breath “I couldn’t do that...” So they used his brother as leverage to get what they wanted. Dirty… “Paps wasn’t supposed to know. ...I couldn’t let him know. I was so… It was all so wrong. They got what they wanted tho… Did all they asked from me… Anything for Paps...” He could hear Sans clenching his phalanges into tight fists. “I could bear it all, as long as Paps was okay. As long as they let him be. I was okay with it all. I thought, as long as we have each other, we would be okay. And we could get out of there one way or another.”
Sans became silent again. “What happened then?” The other asked, having a feeling what was coming next. “Heh… everything went wrong. They were doing harmless tests on Paps. Simple duration tests that didn’t harm him too much. Some monsters were put to make weapons for the AMD. And at that moment one of the prototype weapons blew up, taking a big piece of the base along with it. Paps... had been caught in the blast, didn’t even see it coming. Luckily he didn’t suffer... Just like that… my baby bro was gone. ...and so was the leverage they had over me. ...I didn’t care again. Even lesser then before. So back came the professionals and the healing magic. ...it sucked. ...a lot.”
Red was staring at the wall, taking it all in. “Those fucking bastards… ” Sans gave a small shrug. “ How long have ya been there even? ” Had it been days? Weeks? Maybe months? “Depends what date it is?” Red told him the date of today. “So… what year is it?” Red told him the year as well. After a few minutes Red began to frown. “ Well? Ya still calculation shit or what? ” Still no answer. Okay now he began to worry. “ Sans! Hey starshine. ” A small chuckle escaped the other. “Three years… Eight months and six days.” Red widened his eye sockets. “ ...damn. ” Sans took a shaky breath. “Red… no more. Please...” And Red couldn’t help but agree. “ Starshine? ” Sans gave a small hum, sounding t o o calm. Was probably a bit in shock… “ I dunno why they gave chase after ya. I’m sure there is a reason. But… I ain’t gonna let them have ya back. Ya hear me?” The other didn’t react to it, but a little later the other began to quietly cry again.
Red wondered if the other had taught himself to stay silent when crying. If he had spend his nights at the AMD base in a corner silently crying, hoping no one would hear him. That no one would catch him in the act. Red sucked at this comforting stuff… He huffed. Then carefully placed a hand on a spot on Sans his skull that was slightly exposed, then slowly slide it to the others cervical vertebrae and started to send healing magic towards the bruise he had inflicted there, soothing and healing it some. “Ya are gonna stay here. ...I’m gonna protect ya from now on.” And didn’t that sound like music to Sans ears, even if he felt like he didn’t deserve that. And also didn’t wanted that in fear of putting the other in danger. ...also in fear of getting his hopes up, only to loose it again.
Chapter Text
They had gone stargazing again. This time Sans remembered to bring a coat along, Red's coat that is. He loves how it just embraced him with warmth and fluffiness. Red was stupidly okay with going out in just his t-shirt. What a hypocrite... Telling Sans to wear a coat but not doing so himself. Well if Red would get sick it was his own fault. ...alto if that would happen, Sans probably was going to try his hardest to help the other to get better. They had laid next to each other staring at the slight cloudy sky, pointing out constellations and such. Red knew just as much about space as Sans did, just different things. Like how Venus was the hottest planet in our solar system, which was curious since Mercury was the closest planet to the sun. How there are more trees on earth than stars in the milky way. But more stars in the universe then grains of sands on earth. Red even went so far as throwing in space puns to Sans delight, who of course joined in with the puns.
At some point Sans his non existing stomach made a rumbling noise, reminding himself that he had to eat something again. These hunger moods were annoying... Red smirked as he eyed the other some, the tip of his tail slightly moving around over the roof in amusement. "...welp, guess that is my cue to go and raid the fridge. Again." He slowly stood up and stretched out. " Damn Sansy, I need ta go shopping again soon. Those moods of yers. " Sans rubbed his skull some, feeling embarrassed about that. "I could just... not eat?" That had been the wrong thing to say since Red's smirk turned into a scowl. " Hell no. " He growled out. " Eat. No starving whatsoever will be done under my roof. " Sans huffed. " Don’t let me find out that ya are starving yerself or I will force feed ya. Off ya go. " He tapped Sans ankle some with his tail. Sans gave a nod and as soon as Red pulled his tail back he took a shortcut into the apartment.
The kitchen radio was on at a low volume, playing some rock music. Sans liked the rock songs on that station better then the metal songs. Was just not really his kind of music. He tugged Red's coat off and dropped it on the couch by Doomfanger who gave a meow as if to welcome him back. "Hi buddy." He gave some scratches behind his ear, smiling some at the loud purring the other made, then went to the kitchen and opened up the fridge. Lets see... Can of left over corn, apparently Red had bought pudding again, chicken wings, ah some left over pizza. That will do nicely. Grabbing a slice he closed the fridge and ate it cold. Don't judge, cold pizza is tasty as well.
After finishing the slice he went back to the couch, ready to put the coat on and go back to beat Red in coming up with space puns. He was slowly getting better at remembering jokes and puns. Which was a blessing. Because if he couldn’t even remember his jokes and puns to make other laugh, to amuse himself, that where was his life going?
He looked up when he heard noises coming from the front door. Doomfanger perked his head up, hearing the noises as well. Frozen on the spot Sans kept staring at the front door, unable to make his body move. Then the front door opened and in stepped a complete stranger. A tall stranger who was wearing a weird suit and a helmet. Immediately the strangers head snapped towards Sans, crimson red eyes watching him behind its helmets visor. Sans swallowed and took a step back. He couldn’t help but wonder if this stranger was from the AMD. With the suit that hides the others body, Sans wouldn’t be surprised if they were. He was unsure what to do as his bones began to softly rattle. He could teleport back to Red. ...but that would only put the other in danger. They wanted Sans after all. And what about Doomfanger?
Before he could even start to think of a plan the stranger quickly strode towards him, a murderous aura radiating off of them. A clear signal for Sans that he was probably going to end up being dusted if he didn’t act right now! Sans suddenly remembered that he was not wearing the collar anymore. No magic damper. He could use his magic! Lifting his hand he summoned an attack, a gigantic floating dog beast like skull called a Gaster Blaster. If the other was surprised they didn’t show it. Magic crackled in the air from the both of them. The Gaster Blaster quickly charged before it shot a laser beam, which the other faced head on with some summoned bones, holding them before themself as a shield to protect them from the laser while at the same time summoning sharp bone attacks and shoot them at the Gaster Blaster, which crumbled to dust. Wait... bone attacks? The stranger shot a hand out and wrapped it around Sans his cervical vertebrae, lifting him up in the air. What did they all have with that spot?! First a collar, then Red's tail, and now this?! Sans struggled, trying to break free.
The stranger took off their helmet, making Sans freeze up. A skeleton monster was staring with enraged eye lights at him. Crimson eye lights. One if his eye sockets was cracked, looked like claw marks. He had some sharp cheekbones and even sharper looking fangs.
" WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME ?! " Sans blinked, having a feeling he should know who this guy is. It was a skeleton, like himself. More importantly, a skeleton like Red. They both had red colored eye lights and sharp fangs. Red’s brother was on a trip but lives here! And well this angry skeleton just asked him what he was doing at his home . He checked the other his stats.
Edge
LV 10
HP 860/860
AT 23
DF 23
*Is loosing his patience.
Edge growled loudly, looking even more pissed while Sans could only widen his eye sockets, realizing this was Red’s brother Edge. And also because Edge had even higher LV then Red, wondering how that happened. Then he could feel his own stats being checked.
Sans
LV 1
HP 1/1
AT 1
DF 1
*Wants to flip the bird at life badly.
Edge cocked his skull some at the flavor text. “ WHAT USELESS STATS. GUESS THIS WILL BE EASY THEN. ” Edge applied more pressure on the others cervical vertebrae making him gasp. “W-Wait… Edge… Red...” The others grip slightly loosened. “ WHAT WAS THAT? ” Sans took some deep breaths. “You… You are Red’s brother… right…?” Apparently those has been the wrong words because Edge shook him some. “ WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER?! SPEAK UP! ” Sans groaned some. “Nothing! I swear. I’m a friend of Red.” The other skeleton snorted. “ SURE… A FRIEND. ” Sans grimaced some. “Maybe… friend is not the right word. But he brought me here. ...don’t kick me out. If you want me gone… then the least you can do is dust me.” Edge cocked his skull, considering if he should or not. Sans wont be worth the EXP so.
“He is right tho bro, would appreciate it if ya dropped him.” Came a low growl from close by from Red. Edge turned his attention to somewhere behind Sans. His guess was that Red was standing there. “...BROTHER.” Sans was being dropped on the floor so Edge could cross his arms. “YOU GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO, AND THIS BETTER BE GOOD.” Sans rubbed his cervical vertebrae some. His attention went to Doomfanger when he rubbed his head against his knee. “Hey buddy...” He quietly mumbled with his soar throat and smiled weakly. Sans then got a small slap on the back of his skull. “No suicidal talk and such asshole. Told ya ta flip the bird at life and continue ta try ta make yer bro proud. Ya cant do that when ya are dead.” Red’s gaze then went to Edge. “Tell ya later bro, no worries.” Edge narrowed his eye sockets some before he stepped over Sans and headed to his room. “Oh and bro? We are sharing yer room for now. Gave Sansy mine.” Edge let out a noise that meant he was anything but happy with that arrangement while Red smirked widely.
“...for real tho, ya okay?” Sans gave a small nod. Red’s tail touched his shoulder lightly. “Come on, get up. Did ya eat something?” After giving Doomfanger’s head one more scratch Sans stood up and watched the cat following after where Edge went. “Yeah… Some pizza...” Red smirked. “Oeh, the good stuff huh? Nice. ...any left?” Chuckling he nodded and watched Red teleport to the fridge and grabbing a slice of pizza, eating it cold like he himself had done as well, then teleported again to appear sitting on the couch. “Yeah my bro is grumpy in the evening. Also in the morning. Huh… he is grumpy the whole day basically.” Red shrugged. “RED?!” Red’s skull perked up. “Yeah bro?” Sans frowned some. Edge was… pretty loud. And when he yelled like that, it was skull breaking loud. “SHUT UP!” Red snickered. “Got it.” Red’s gaze then went to Sans. “Yeah this is normal for us. Get used ta it.” Sans blinked some before he shrugged and joined the other on the couch.
Sans slightly flinched when he felt something touch his sensitive cervical vertebrae. “ ...damn, that’s gonna leave a bruise. ” Was just Red’s tail. “Is okay… Spooked him...” Red snorted as he pulled his tail back and slowly reached his phalanges out towards Sans his cervical vertebrae and started to heal it some, soothing it. Sans closed his eye sockets at the warm feeling. When the bruise was lesser he pulled back. “ That’s all I can do for ya. ” Sans shrugged, fine with that. Was already more then he had asked or hoped for.
They both went to bed soon after that. Doomfanger followed Sans into the room where he slept while Red went into Edge’s room. Sans stayed awake for a while, unable to sleep. While he waited for sleep to take over he listened to the muffled voices of Edge and Red talking to each other. He wondered if they were talking about him. I mean that would suck, he told certain things to Red in confidence. ...but Edge did have a right to know some of them since they lived under the same roof. Edge had the right to know what they had taken in. Maybe Edge wouldn’t stand for this, and he would be kicked out after all. It shouldn’t hurt, but thinking that they could throw him out did hurt...
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"Good morning." Sans said hesitatingly at the large and angry looking skeleton in the kitchen. This was definitely Red’s brother, their taste for edgy clothes are even similar. Alto he had to admit that he ha s … mixed feelings about the leather pants the other was wearing. " HMPF. I DON’T SEE WHAT IS SO GOOD ABOUT THIS MORNING. BUT SURE, I WILL INTRIGUE MYSELF IN YOUR WAYS AND REPLY THE WAY THAT IS COMMON IN THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS. MORNING. " Sans blinked. Okay? A bit of a weird reply, but he got one at least. He carefully went into the kitchen to try and get himself a mug filled up to the rim with coffee. He really needed a lot of coffee to survive this morning. If the others felt the need to ask why, they could just go and ask the magic burns under his eye sockets.
Before he could get a mug his eye lights caught something else Edge was wearing. An apron with the text ‘Praise my food or face the consequences’ on it. "...do I dare ask what the consequences are?" Edge eyed him some. " YOU WOULDN'T SURVIVE ANY OF THEM SO I DON’T SEE THE POINT OF TELLING YOU. " Okay... that is Sans his cue to shut the fuck up. But for some reason Sans felt the need to defend himself in front of the other. “Yeah no offense but whatever the consequences are, pretty sure I had worse.” Edge scoffed. “ I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT. EVEN MY BROTHER WOULD BACK OFF FROM SOME OF THEM. AND HE IS… HOW DO I SAY THIS, NOT AS WEAK AS YOU. ” Sans narrowed his eye sockets some at the other. He was referring to his stats huh? His LV and one digit of HP. Which was a bit unfair if you ask him. After everything he had gone through, he barely had anything to show for it to prove it. Gained no exp, weak ass stats, barely scars that showed it. Red knows… He understands. Right?
"I am nothing like Red." He mumbled lowly. " AGREED. HE AT LEAST HAS SOME BALLS AND WOULD FIGHT BACK. INSTEAD OF TELLING ME I COULD DUST HIM. " Sans flinched some. He had been okay with the other dusting him yeah. He was not suicidal. He just… he was going to do anything in his power to make sure the AMD wasn’t getting their hands on him again. And if he had to pick between getting dusted or the AMD… then he would go for dusting.
Sans looked off to the side, having nothing to say to defend himself. Guess he was weak in the others eyes. No, not just in the others eyes. He was weak. " Not cool bro. Fucking apologize or ya gonna have a bad time. " Edge frowned and both he and Sans went to look towards Red. Red's eye lights were out, only showing black empty eye sockets devoid of his eye lights, his sharp smirk looked sharper then normal. Both Sans and Edge had to admit that the other looked pretty menacing. Edge had seen that view often in his childhood, but it still creeps him out. Sans wasn’t really fond of that look either. He could feel a shiver running over his spine from that look alone. Scary as fuck. " FINE. I APOLOGIZE, FOR THE FACT THAT YOU ARE WEAK. " Red growled some, not in the mood for this bullshit.
Sans looked hurt for a second before he masked it and looked confused at Edge. "Sorry wasn’t paying attention, can you repeat that again?" Edge smirked. " GLADLY. " Sans began to smile, a mischief look in his eye lights that was being noticed by Red, who was curious what the other was up to. " I APOLOGIZE- " Before he could say more Sans disappeared, taking a shortcut to his room. Well... Red's room, but in his head he was going to call it his own room. Sans couldn’t help but snicker at the frustrating noises Edge made from the kitchen, accompanied with Red's laughter.
Welp, since he was here anyway he was going to do what he had wanted to do yesterday after he found out this was Red’s room. Snooping around! Because now that he knows, he is curious. Lets see… he opened up the wardrobe, finding edgy clothes in Red his size. He was not surprised that most of his t-shirts were merch from rock bands or metal bands. The few cloth e s Red had bought for him were stashed in here as well. What else had he expected? A skeleton in the closet? He did spot empty mustard bottles. Huh… Next he went to check under the bed, the usual hiding spot for the goods. There was only a box. He dragged it from under the bed and opened it up. He started to blush as he spotted porn magazines from humans and also monsters. He lifted one up and noticed that what was under it was not porn. “Oh?” Now this was something he hadn’t expected! The box was full of romantic novels, literally the top layer had been porn magazines as if to hide the novels. As if Red thought it was embarrassing to have the novels but was okay with letting others know he has porn. ...yeah this was Red he was talking about. And with him you can expect the weirdest shit. After shoving the box back he went to the nightstand and opened the drawer. It was filled up with mustard packages. And also a red leather collar, but this one had silver spikes on it. He should leave it alone, he really should avoid collars. But he couldn’t help to gingerly pick it up. The leather felt smooth, brand new even. And the inside had a fur line for comfort. This didn’t feel that wrong to wear the whole day. Even Sans would be pretty okay with it. Wait what…? Sans frowned as he stared at the collar between his phalanges. He should despise collars after wearing one for so long. It had enslaved him in a way. Made him weak and useless. And yet when he looked at this one, the idea didn’t sound all that bad. He probably was already used to wearing collars so his mind was trying to tell him it was okay to wear one.
“Ya wanna try it on?” Sans flinched and dropped the collar back into the drawer, closing it quickly before he turned around with wide eye sockets and stared at Red like a deer caught in headlights. Red just stood there, two plates of lasagna in his phalanges and two mugs of coffee to go along with it as he looked curious at Sans. No judgment there. “Heh, don’t think I am the one for that kind of commitment. Not ready to get leashed for such a relationship.” Red snorted. “Leashed. Good one. Talking about leashes, I do have one that goes with that collar.” Sans stared at the other, wondering if he was joking, Red just smirked. “Welp, ya know where the collar is, for if ya change yer mind. That’s my spare one just so ya know.” Sans gave a small nod as he sat down on the bed, still unsure if the leash comment was a joke or not. ...he wouldn’t put it passed Red to have one.
“Here. My bro made food.” Sans took the offered plate and mug, emptying the mug in one go before he went to eat the lasagna. “Huh… not bad.” Red chuckled some. “Yeah my bro is the best. ...don’t tell him I said that tho, his ego is big enough as it is.” Sans shrugged. “Fine with me. Guess we have to fight the consequences together then.” Red frowned some as he joined him on the bed. “Ah… the apron. Nah, my bro is an asshole, but he ain’t gonna hurt ya.” Sans shrugged. Was not his bro, so he didn’t know. Maybe he just caught Edge at the wrong time.
Red eyed him as he shove a fork full of lasagna in his mouth. “ I actually came here ta talk ta ya. Also ta make sure ya didn’t starve yerself of course. ” Ah… talking. Not that Sans was much in the mood to talk. But fine. He gave a nod. “ So… ever heard of Haphephobia? ” Sans frowned as he eyed the other some. “Its a fear of touch phobia.” Red gave a nod. “ Sure is. That’s all ya know? ” Sans tapped the fork some against his teeth as he thought about it. “Well… Haphephobia also goes under the names Thixophobia and Aphephobia. Getting touched by others can be overpowering and even painful. Its unknown what causes the phobia tho.” Red hummed some. “ Some think that it can be caused by traumatic past experiences. ” Well… that’s a possibility. “Why do you ask?” He eyed Red some, wondering where this conversation was going. “ Cause I got Haphephobia and was curious t a find out what ya know about it. ” Red said calmly as if he was talking about the weather. Well Red probably had it for a couple of years so talking about it would be as normal for him as talking about the weather right?
Sans stared at him. “Huh...” He cocked his skull some in thought. “That makes sense yeah.” Red gave a nod. “ Thought ya would say that. ” That must suck a lot. Sans didn’t know anyone before Red that had that problem. But it probably wasn’t very easy to live with that. It explained some things. Like how Red doesn’t touch him, only when needed. But it also didn’t make sense. “Wait… its a fear of touch. But how… I touched your tail. You touched me a couple of times. Not much, but still.” Red smirked. “ Yeah there are a lot of ins and outs about Haphephobia. So… I’ve got it for some years, sucks. Sucked even more back then. No one could touch me. ...not even my bro. Would panic, hyperventilate and all. Hell, sometimes getting touched hurted. Edge, my bro was pretty pissed when we figured out there was no cure for it. But we had other options. Like medications and therapy. Yeah we quickly quit with the meds tho, they made me… weird. But we did stick with therapy. Exposure therapy, they slowly exposed me ta feared situations. Took months before it took some sort of effect. ” Sans frowned, watching Red drink some of his coffee. “So… and now?” Red eyed him some. “ Shit got a bit better. Stopped my therapy sessions even. ...maybe not the smartest decision but we had no choice back then. I can touch others in certain situations. Others can so now and then touch me, if they let me know they will and such. Works for me the best if its indirect contact, so with something between me and the other, like a blanket. I guess it works with a lot of communication and such. Being told someone will touch me. Me getting used to the idea of the other touching me. But me touching someone is more easy then someone touching me. Cause I know what ta expect. Fun fact, I’m the most okay when others touch my tail or when I touch them with my tail. ” He needed more coffee. “You going to finish that?” Sans pointed at Red’s mug who looked amused at him. “ Knock yerself out. In this case if ya are trying ta get knocked out, better lay off the coffee tho. ” He held the mug out and Sans took it before emptying it. Black coffee with lots of sugar, the way both skeletons like it.
“...I didn’t know. Why didn’t I know. I should have know. There were signs. And I even touched you.” Red snorted in amusement. “Don’t beat yerself up starshine. I ain’t gonna die from a bit of touching. ...unless ya are touching me with a knife. Then I will die.” Sans chuckled some. “That was… really not funny.” Red’s tail slid some over the blanket. “Ya chuckled. Which means ya think its at least a bit funny. Cant fool me. Anyway, now ya know.” Sans hummed some. “Thanks. ...but why did you tell me?” Red shrugged. “...ya told me harsh stuff. I saw ya at some weak and low points. Others would call ya out on it, but I see it as trust. Ya trust me with yer weaknesses. So I want ta trust ya with one of mine.” Sans blinked surprised at the other. “I uhm… thanks. For your trust. And for trusting me.” Red grinned. “Alright, enough of the sappy stuff. Did ya hear Edge his screams of misery?~ Ya got him good earlier! Let me tell ya about that time when Doomfanger got the same noises out of him. Spoiler, it has to do with his favorite scarf and Doomfanger’s claws.” Sans chuckled as he finished his lasagna while listening to Red’s amusing story.
Chapter 6
Notes:
It has been... some weeks. To be honest, I don't have a good excuse for it. Said I would upload weekly, and technically I can. Mood was just... not there to open up my laptop and upload a new chapter. It will still be uploaded and finished of course, the fanfic is done after all. Till next time!
Chapter Text
When Sans entered the kitchen Edge was already busy with whatever he was doing. Edge narrowed his eye sockets some when he went to stand by him to pour himself a mug of coffee. "Uhm... You want some as well?" Edge scoffed. " JUST GET OUT OF MY WAY. " Sans shrugged and headed towards the kitchen table. "Your lost." He held the mug between his phalanges. At some point tho he turned his gaze towards the others back and kept staring. Narrowing his eye sockets some before he looked confused, then cocked his skull a bit to look some more.
" IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE BEST ANGLE TO STAB ME, HERE IS SOME ADVICE, DON’T. " Sans his mouth fell open. "Holy shit! That’s not it at all!" Edge turned around with a mixing bowl, mixing its content as he eyed Sans. " THEN FOR WHATEVER REASON ARE YOU OGLING MY BACKSIDE? " Sans gave a small shrug. "Well I’m curious about something. But I have been told that it was very rude to ask that kind of question." Edge frowned, trying to figure out what the other wanted to know. " SO INSTEAD OF BEING RUDE YOU DECIDED TO BE A PERVERT AND STARE AT MY ASS. " Sans had the decency to blush brightly blue, he then began to grin. "Well if I had to pick between being rude or a pervert. I thought it was more safe to be a pervert." Edge pinched his nasal cavity, wondering what he was getting himself into. " SPILL IT OUT. " Sans his gaze went to the others lower region. "...do you have a tail as well?" Was that all...? " ...WHAT IS IT TO YOU? " Edge turned around to mix some final ingredients to the batch. "Curious." Edge hummed some, wondering if he should tell or not.
"Okay, so you do have one. Neat. Can I see it?" Ugh... Edge huffed some. Should have known, just as perspective as his own brother. He had been silent too long, which had told the other all he needed to know. " NO. ITS MY HIDDEN WEAPON. " Sans took a sip of his coffee. "But Red saw it right?" Edge cocked an eyebrow bone. " YES HE HAS. HE IS NOT SOMEONE THAT WILL USE IT AGAINST ME. HE WONT HARM ME. " Sans gave a thoughtful hum. "So if Red saw, its not really a hidden weapon anymore right?" Edge went to lean sideways against the counter, eyeing the other some. "And does it look like I could do you any harm? Even without your hidden weapon you could easily dust me." Edge snorted. " YOU ARE AS HARMLESS AS A SNOWPOFF. " Sans grinned. ...he fell right into that one, right?
"Since I am a harmless snowpoff, can I see it?" Edge groaned. "Pretty please?" Even going so far as begging. " THAT DESPERATE HUH? " He placed the mixing bowl down and folded his arms as he eyed the skeleton at the table. How he looked tired, half lidded eye sockets with magic burns under it, his slumped body. But his eye lights were bright, looking exited. " ...YOU WILL JUST CONTINUE TO PESTER ME TILL I GIVE IN, CORRECT ? " Sans his smile became a bit wider as he nodded. " ...FINE. " Sans widened his eye sockets some, as if not believing the other gave in. " STOP LOOKING SO EXITED AND STOP GIVING GLANCES AT MY PELVIS. " Sans began to blush again and placed his arms on the table, burying his face in them to stop staring and to give the other some privacy.
Some questionable noises were heard before something big was being dropped on the table, making Sans flinch some. He looked up from his arms and could only stare at a long bone tail that laid before him on the table. His expression made Edge look smug. It was longer and leaner then Red's tail, with lesser scars. Probably because Red uses it for everything and anything, while Edge only used it as a last resort, like an ace up his sleeve or something. But it was missing the tip of it, looks like it got cut off. "May I touch it?" Edge scoffed. " YOU MOST DEFINITELY MAY NOT. YOU MAY LOOK AND NOTHING MORE. " Sans gave a small nod, still staring at the tail.
A few seconds later the tail slid from the table to comfortably hang as Edge went back to the counter to continue what he was making. Sans couldn’t help but notice that the other looked slightly lesser tense and wondered why that was. Was it because he was more comfortable now without his tail being constricted in his pants? Or was it because Sans hadn't try to use his 'weakness' against him? ...he secretly hoped it was because Edge felt a bit more at ease around Sans. A guy can only hope right?
Red cocked both his eyebrow bones when he entered the kitchen and saw that Edge was displaying his tail freely. " Is it national tail day or something? " Edge scoffed. " ONE WOULD THINK I AM ALLOWED TO DO AS I PLEASE UNDER MY OWN ROOF. " Sans was looking very pleased with himself, being the one that made Edge show off his tail. " So Sansy.~ " Nothing good ever came when the other called him Sansy. " Did he also show ya his other tail? " Sans frowned some. "...he has two tails?" Edge gave Red a look that could make plants wither. " Yeah. He had one in the front as well. " Sans stared some. It was funny how his expression changed the moment he realized what the other meant. "Red that’s dirty!" Red looked very pleased with himself. " Wanna hear something else that's dirty? Hey bro, wanna hear what kinda of dirty shit we got up ta when ya weren’t around? " He sharp smirk became a bit wider. " RED NO! " It only seemed to spur Red more on. " Red yes.~ Okay bro, listen. So on one of the first days with Sansy we were really in need of a shower. " Sans frowned, but also looked curious at where this was going. " We were both covered in it. So we went ta take a shower and fuck was it hard ta get it all off once it was dry and hard. We made a mess of the bathroom while we were at it as well. Everything was just dirty. " Edge had an expression that said he wanted to be anywhere else then here. " But I guess that’s what ya get when ya have a mud fight. " Edge stared at Red. " BROTHER. " He said with a terrifying calm expression. " Yeah bro? " Red said with a pleased expression. " GET OUT. "
It was at that moment that Sans began to laugh out loud. A sound neither Edge or Red had heard before. " Heh, did I tickle yer funny bone starshine? " Sans whipped some tears from his face as he nodded, his laughing dying down to some giggles. "Sure did. And it caused a chain reaction that tickled the rest of my bones." It wasn’t even that funny, but the outcome had been so unexpected! Knowing Red he would have guessed it was sexual, and not just an innocent mud fight. Not that any of that had happened. Edge rolled his eye lights and went back to what he was doing. " HOPELESS. BOTH OF YOU. "
Sans began to grin as he eyed Edge, an idea to rile the other up popping in his mind. “Hey Red. What’s the difference between the Dark Knight and a dark night?” Red smirked, seeing what the other was trying to do. “ Dunno. What is the difference? ” Sans his gaze went to Red. “The letter K.” Red snorted while Edge groaned. “What’s the difference between a battle horse and a cart horse?” Red shrugged. “One darts into the fray and the other farts into the hay.” Sans and Red stared each other before they both snickered, only snickering louder when Edge slammed both hands on the counter. Yeah Sans likes to rile Edge up. “ SANS… WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ALARM AND YOU? ” Sans blinked, taken off guard by the other making a joke. Red looked surprised as well. “Uhm… They have different snooze options?” Edge looked over his shoulder towards him, a pissed off look in his eye lights. “ AN ALARM WORKS ON ELECTRICITY. BUT YOU WORK ON MY NERVES! SO GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY KITCHEN! THAT GOES FOR THE BOTH OF YOU! ” Sans and Red both stared at Edge, taking in his pissed off look as the joke settled in, then they started to laugh. “ Good one bro! ” But Edge was not laughing.
Sans and Red both quickly fled the kitchen when utensils started to fly around. Also for fearing that Edge wouldn’t share whatever he was baking. Sans realized that Edge wasn’t so scary. He just had an, heh, edge to him. But when you looked passed it he was an okay guy. With harsh comments so now and then tho. He especially thought Edge was an okay guy when the other later on shared what he had baked, which were his special Chocolate Chip Cookies that were both spicy and sweet. They were delicious. The sweetness and spiciness of it mixing together in harmony.
Not only was Edge good at making dinner, but also in baking. ...not that Sans was going to ask for requests, since he didn’t think he was worth it. But he wasn’t surprised when he secretly left a note behind with a recipe for the ‘Great Canadian Ketchup Cake’ that he got a piece of it the next day. Well he was a bit surprised since he was sure that Edge knew that he had left the hint. He hadn’t asked why the other had made the cake, obvious that he had requested it without words. And Edge didn’t say anything about him making the request either. Both acting obvious to that fact while Red ate his piece, an all knowing look on his face completely with a smug smirk and everything.
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It was early in the morning. Sans had been reading on the couch for some hours now. After a very disturbing nightmare he hadn't been able to fall asleep again. So he had quietly gone to the living room, grabbed a random book from the bookcase and went to read. Doomfanger had even joined him, as if feeling he needed it. He had wondered if Red or Edge hasn't needed him more tho... The book he had grabbed was fascinating to say the least. I mean sure, he already knew everything they had written down here. But they had written it in such a way that it felt very refreshing to read it. He must admit that he writer really had a quirk for keeping things interesting.
" YOU CAN READ? " Sans snapped his attention up and locked gazes with Edge who stood in the dark of the hallway as if he had been standing there for a while now. ...for such a tall guy the other could move very quietly when he wanted to , just like Red. "What the fuck dude?" Edge rolled his eye lights before he entered the living room. " IT IS JUST A SURPRISE. THAT’S ALL. " Uhu... Wait... "Let me guess, Red told you about me. About the base." Edge stilted and eyed the other some before he continued towards the kitchen as if nothing had happened. "He did mention it wasn't my entire life right? That I wasn’t born as a lab rat? I had a life before all that? So yeah, I can read. What a surprise. 86% of the population of earth can do that. Well that was in 2015 tho, so probably more now." Edge groaned. " WITTY AND CLEVER COMEBACKS JUST LIKE RED... ” Sans shrugged. “Yeah no offense but asking someone who is reading a book if he can read just asks for a witty and clever comeback.” Edge huffed some before he went to set some coffee. Sans went back to his book. Not knowing what else to say to Edge since he was such a… friendly guy who didn’t really appreciate small talk.
Edge joined him in the living room and even placed a mug of coffee for him down before sitting in the lounge chair. Sans frowned when he could feel the others gaze on him, he slowly looked up and peered at the other over the book. “ I SEE THAT DOOMFANGER HAS TAKEN A LIKING TO YOU. ” Sans blinked before he looked down at Doomfanger. “...I guess so. Red said he usually goes to someone that needs him. That he has a sense for it?” Edge hummed some. “ SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT DOOMFANGER ABANDONED MY BEDROOM TO INSTEAD SPEND HIS TIME ON YOUR LAP? ” Sans lowered the book, frowning some. “...sorry. Didn’t mean to catnap him.” Edge narrowed his eye sockets some. “ IS THAT A FUCKING PUN?! UGH NEVER MIND. ” Sans chuckled some. “...don’t tell me you are beginning to worry about me? I mean its already strange that Red does that. To have two worry about me… yeah no.” Edge scoffed. “ WORRIED ABOUT YOU? AS IF. IT WOULD JUST… NOT BE BENEFICIAL IF YOU WERE NOT IN YOUR BEST SHAPE. ” Sans couldn’t help but chuckle. “No offense, I haven’t been in my best shape for a couple of years.” And he probably wont be for a long time either.
He didn’t deserve any of this. ...why was he even still here? He lowered the book beside him on the couch. His wounds have healed right? He has spend enough time living on their money and hospitality. Even if Edge was anything but friendly towards him . More like that he was hostile. He should just go and leave. He really should… What was there left for him? He should go. He was worthless. He had failed his baby brother. And now he was screwing Edge and Red their lives up. Eating their food, sleeping under their roof. Shit… He should… He should disappear. Just end things once and for all. Then nothing could hurt him anymore. He should… He blinked as he looked down at his lap, Doomfanger was meowing up at him… and just kept meowing. “...hey buddy. Its okay.” He caressed Doomfanger’s head some, but he didn’t stop meowing.
“INTERESTING...” Sans looked up at Edge. “What is?” Edge narrowed his eye sockets some as he eyed Sans. “…I CAN COUNT ON MY HAND HOW OFTEN HE HAS SHOWED THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR. AND ALL THOSE TIMES WAS BECAUSE RED HAD THIS IDEA IN HIS SKULL TO DUST HIMSELF. SO TELL ME SANS, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?” Sans could feel his soul drop. “What…?” He eyed Doomfanger some who silently stared up at him before his gaze settled on Edge again. “...I am fine.” The other hummed. “ON THE CONTRARY, I DISAGREE.” Sans looked shameful down. “Its nothing you should worry about Edgelord. Not everything can be fixed.” Not everyone can be fixed. He could hear Edge huff. “...PERHAPS NOT. BUT THE FIRST STEP IS ACCEPTANCE. ACCEPTING CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, THEN ITS A MATTER OF WANTING AND TRYING. AND WELL, NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE THE SAME AS BEFORE, BUT THINGS CAN STILL… IMPROVE.” Sans narrowed his eye sockets. “...Red told you?” Edge shrugged. “NOT EVERYTHING. JUST SOME BIG LINES TO GET THE BIGGER PICTURE. THEN HE BEGGED ME IF WE COULD KEEP YOU.” If they could keep him…? What was he? Some kind of pet? Edge rolled his eye lights. “THE IDIOT. ITS NOT LIKE I WILL KICK YOU OUT. RED HAS TAKEN A LIKING TO YOU. WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS, YOU CAN STAY HERE. I DON’T MIND.”
“BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT RIGHT NOW. DON’T MAKE ME REGRET ALLOWING YOU TO STAY HERE. AS IN DON’T DISAPPEAR TO GET YOURSELF KILLED. THAT WONT BE NECESSARILY.” Sans just stared at the other. Red had told Edge about him…? But not everything he thinks? And beside that, he was allowed to stay? “I don’t know what to say? Except for thanks?” He looked down at Doomfanger. “I got a cat?” Edge snorted. “DOOMFANGER IS STILL MINE, BUT YOU MAY BORROW HIM WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. OR WELL… WHEN DOOMFANGER FEELS LIKE IT.” Sans chuckled some.
“SO LETS TRY THIS AGAIN. WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT DOOMFANGER ABANDONED MY BEDROOM TO INSTEAD SPEND HIS TIME ON YOUR LAP? AND WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS?” Sans eyed the book some, judging by how much he had read it must have been a couple of hours yeah. “Was just a nightmare. I don’t know how much Red told you.” Edge folded his arms. “WELL… THAT FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN AT AN AMD BASE AND DIDN’T HAD A GOOD TIME. NO WORRIES, HE DIDN’T SAY WHAT THEY DID TO YOU. JUST THAT YOU LOST SOMEONE DEAR TO YOU. AND IN WHAT KIND OF SHAPE HE HAD FOUND YOU.” So not that he lost his baby brother. How useless he had been. Nothing about his days there. “I usually have some… bad dreams about those days there. And I cant always fall back asleep.” Sans shrugged. “TRY THE THERM NIGHTMARES.” Edge said dryly. “ARE THOSE WHY YOU HAVE SOME SUICIDAL THOUGHTS?” Sans shrugged. “Guess so? I… really don’t want to talk about this.” Edge huffed. “Sorry I cant tell you more right now...” Edge tapped his phalanges some on his arms. “ON THE CONTRARY, I THINK YOU HAVE TOLD AND SHOWED ME ENOUGH TO GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT. ...TALK TO RED IF NEEDED. AND DRINK YOUR COFFEE BEFORE IT GETS COLD. AND TAKE A FUCKING SHOWER, YOU LOOK LIKE SHIT.” And just like that Edge stood up and went to the kitchen, breaking the moment, whatever that had been.
Sans looked down at Doomfanger. “...he is grumpy again huh?” He quietly mumbled before he scratched Doomfanger behind his ear. ...guess he can stay here a bit longer then. Red did literally beg Edge for that. He cant throw that in his face. ...and it didn’t look like Edge was against it either. “Alright then… I will stay a bit longer. Me leaving now would be… catastrophic.~” The groan from Edge made him smile some. “Yeah I am pretty hissterical and clawful, right?” Edge turned his gaze towards him. “ ARE YOU KIDDING ME? CAT PUNS? ” Sans began to grin, a mischievous look in his eye lights. “I am not kitten you. I just thought that this was the… purrfect opportunity to show you my feline side. Endless pawsibilities for pawsome puns!” Edge took a deep breath as he pinched his nasal cavity. “ ...I FEEL A HEADACHE COMING. ” Sans cocked his skull some. “ IT COMES AND GOES LATELY. AH LOOK, HERE IT IS AGAIN. ” He narrowed his gaze on Sans. “...you are referring to me as being the headache? What is that furr a cattitude.”
Edge stared some more at Sans before he began to smirk, confusing Sans. He then went to the kitchen radio and turned it on, metal music coming out of it. “...that seemed uncalled for.” Sans said with a pout. He had a feeling that Edge knows that he didn’t like metal music and that the other was punishing him right now for all the puns.
He grabbed his coffee and started to drink it. He widened his eye sockets when Red teleported straight into the kitchen and started headbanging, his tail thumping powerfully on the floor. “ I fucking love this song bro! ” Edge looked slightly amused at his brother, that was until Red teleported onto the dinner table and accidentally knocked some things off of it with his tail. “ RED! ” Sans his coffee spurted out of his nasal cavity and back into his mug as he laughed at the display of Edge trying to get Red while the other teleported around the apartment while rocking some around on the music.
Later on Sans wondered while he was taking a shower to get the coffee out of his nasal cavity how it was possible for Red to have so much energy in the morning, or at all. Had he perhaps overheard their conversation? And had on purpose done his little act? Was it to make Sans feel a bit better? ...he had fun watching the brothers interact with each other. He chuckled some.
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Red and Sans were both lounging on the couch, each taking a corner. Edge was reading a book by them in the lounge chair, Doomfanger purring away on his lap. Sans was playing Donkey Kong Country on the Nintendo snes, because apparently Red had beside a Nintendo 64 also a Nintendo snes laying around. Red was scrolling through random Wikipedia links on his mobile.
They had come up with a little game. The Donkey Kong game had two characters, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Red was the one to play Donkey Kong while Sans would play Diddy Kong. Each time Sans would die with Diddy Kong he had to switch the controller for Red's mobile. And each time Red would die with Donkey Kong he had to switch the controller for his mobile. Now the thing with the mobile was more for Sans his sake then Red's. Since Sans had been locked away for a long time he had missed a lot of things that happened in that time. So the one with the mobile would literally go from one Wikipedia page to the other, coming on the weirdest shit. Some were educative, while others were just silly or complete bullshit.
"So... do you two have jobs? I haven’t seen any of you leave for work or do some working at home. ...or do you two have vacation?" Sans asked as he concentrated on the game. Red smirked. " I got a job. Annoying the shit out of my bro. " So that was a no. Sans chuckled. "Sounds like a full-time job." Red smirked. " AH YES... AND YOU ARE DOING A SPLENDID JOB AT IT I MUST SAY... " Edge replied dryly.
Sans his gaze went to Edge, hoping the other would give a proper answer. " ...MY JOB IS BEING RED'S CARE ASSISTANT. " Oh? Sans blinked. " HE IS A... SPECIAL CASE WITH HIS... " Edge looked unsure if he should elaborate on it. " Haphephobia. Sans knows about it. " Edge nodded. " EXACTLY. COMBINED WITH HIS ANGER ISSUES. " Red looked up from his mobile. " Which ya have as well, and is also the reason they rather have ya take care of me instead of doing an actual job. Since with yer last job ya threw a computer monitor through the window. " Edge waved him off. " YES, YES... THE DEPARTMENT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE TO TAKE CARE OF MY BROTHER. SINCE THEY THINK HE IS NOT IN A GOOD ENOUGH STATE TO WORK. ALSO BECAUSE HE HAS BITTEN ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT THEY SEND TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. " Sans cocked an eyebrow bone as he concentrated on his game. Well Red did say he was wearing his collar for that reason, plus other reasons. But to hear he has bitten others.
" I MEAN SURE, HE BITES ME AS WELL FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT I HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THAT AFTER YEARS... " Red scrunched up his nasal cavity. " Hey that was yer own fault. Ya were a little shit that kept biting me, was only natural that I returned the favor. " Edge sputtered some, trying to come up with a good reply. "So after all these years you still have a bone to pick with Edge?" Red snorted while Edge groaned. " Something like that. Ya know how they say when ya get shit that ya need t a bite off ya and such? I took that advice a bite too literally. " Sans groaned as he leaned his skull back on the couch. " ...bad joke? " Sans shook his skull some. "I died." He held the controller out to Red who gladly took it, giving the other his mobile. Sans frowned at the Wikipedia page. "How did you go from Greek Dark Ages to Time Zone?" Red made an 'I dunno' noise as he started to play with Donkey Kong.
“...wait. Doesn’t that mean you two get money from the department?” Edge looked up from his book. “YES, WHAT OF IT?” Okay now Sans felt very bad about just sitting here and scrolling through Wikipedia, as well as playing video games. They both didn’t had a job and now they had a freelancer living with them. “Starshine?” Sans shook his skull. “I’m fine.” Red eyed him some, but didn’t call him out on his bullshit. “Can be, but I died.” Already? Sans looked up from the mobile. “Oh...” He traded it for the controller.
“IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING MONEY FROM THE DEPARTMENT? ITS NOT LIKE OUR SITUATION CANT CHANGE.” Sans shook his skull. “No that’s not it. Its more like… That cant be much, and now I am also just… here. And I don’t think I can really do something to earn money since well...” He sighed, unsure if he should tell or not. Sure Red had told Edge some about it. ...and maybe Sans was just paranoid. But what if he would be stuck hiding in here forever? What if the AMD was looking for him? He could never get a job. Never repay Red and Edge. “Nah no worries. We got that typical money sock under the mattress. I mean it ain’t the jackpot, but its doable. Don’t worry yer pretty head about that. So like my bro said, is there a problem with getting money from the department?” Sans shook his skull again. “No problem here. Especially not since I am probably in the system of missing people, if not declared dead. So I don’t think I have anything to complain. I just don’t want you guys to get into trouble with any of this.”
“RED. ARE WE BREAKING THE LAW IF WE HAVE SOMEONE LIVING WITH US THAT DOESN’T EXIST ANYMORE?” Red smirked. “Nope. If he doesn’t exist, there is no law ta break for it.” Sans blinked. “...unless. If he is declared dead and we have a ‘dead’ one living with us, the worse that can happen is that they call us necrophiliacs. Maybe accusing us that we dug op a dead person. But well… Sansy is a skeleton monster, and him being dead would leave dust behind. So like I said, everything is fucking fine.” Red was lying, and they all knew it. Sans had escaped, was probably a fugitive. And if he was declared dead he was being illegal by being here without being registered in the system. “I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THOSE ARE SOME GOOD ARGUMENTS.”
They were idiots… But Sans couldn’t help but smile. He hates to admit it but some tears were gathering in his eye sockets. But he refused to let them drop, on purpose not blinking to keep them in. It only ended with his gaze getting blurry. “Fuck!” Red frowned some before he looked up. “ Dead? ” Sans gave a nod. “Cant believe I got killed by a Kremling!” Red shrugged. “ Better a Kremling then a Gnawty, am I right? ” Sans had to agree. They changed again. “I swear you go to the weirdest Wikipedia pages!” Sans started to blush some. “ WHAT PAGE IS IT? ” Edge asked, curious. “Don’t you dare tell him Red!” Red smirked. “ Bro, check yer mob, I send ya a screenshot a while back. ” Edge stopped petting Doomfanger in favor of taking his mobile out. Sans started to blush more when Edge smirked. “ ...KINKY. ” I didn’t matter what Sans was going to click on, every word would send him deeper into this… mess. “...I hate you.” He mumbled as he stared at the Wikipedia link full of bdms things, then locked the mobile and threw it on Red’s lap who laughed some.
“Alright. Got a serious question for ya tho.” Sans had his arms folded, still slightly blushing. “How do ya feel about a motorcycle ride huh?” Now that peeked Sans interest. “Are you serious? Because I am two tired for your bullshit.” Red snorted at the pun while Edge ignored them in favor of reading again. “My bro and I talked about it. We wanna do some shopping and such. Wanna tag along?” Sans still looked unsure. “Come on starshine. The three of us, a couple of towns up ahead.” Which meant he had Edge and Red to protect him and he was playing it save by going to another town since Sans was last signaled here. “We just need ta dress ya up from skull ta toe ta play it safe. We don’t wanna have an accident if ya slip off the motorcycle.” Which meant they would cover Sans from skull to toe so no one will recognize him. “Ya can wear that blue hoodie I bought for ya.” Red gave a nod with his chin to the so said hoodie Sans was wearing. “TALKING ABOUT THAT HOODIE, IF HE WANTS TO WEAR THAT IT WILL GO INTO THE WASHING MACHINE FIRST.” Sans frowned and opened his mouth. “NO BUTS. YOU PRACTICALLY SLEEP IN THAT THING. IT NEEDS TO BE WASHED. IT WILL BE CLEAN AND READY WHEN WE LEAVE.”
Well… it sounded like Red would like it if he tagged along. And how can he resist a motorcycle ride. ...Red covered his fears by giving tactical answers that soothed him some. “Sure. Sounds like fun.” Red smirked at his victory. “ Cleared the b oss battle of this world.~ Dibs on dessert! ” Sans widened his eye sockets as he watched Red teleport and raid the fridge. “We didn’t agree on any dibs!” Too late, gone was the dessert.
NamiroBossNil on Chapter 4 Sun 22 Jun 2025 10:42PM UTC
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