Bleeding Green [Rewrite] - pyromaniac_mage (2024)

Chapter 1: Info

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: 1

Chapter Text

The phone resting against the table began to shake slightly as the alarm rang in an annoying, high-pitched tone. A groan erupted from the covers beneath along with a tired yawn as mangled limbs began to combat the covers wrapped around them. Not that it would work for very long when you had a very snuggly skeleton in your bed who acted as your teddy bear.
"Mutt, get your arse off meeeee," a tired, soft voice muffled from beneath. There was an even deeper tone beneath the covers, who wrestled with the human in question, his breath tickling the back of her neck. The hairs at the back of her neck rose slightly in response, and she blushed. He cupped the side of her face to force her to face him, stroking the side of her cheek with one of his fingers. He pressed his teeth against her neck, blowing air through his nostrils.
"we don' have arses, darlin'." He wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her closer to his chest. He snuggled his head into the crook of her neck. "pleassseee stay, [Y/N], it's lonely hereeee." She groaned in annoyance, reluctantly melting further into his warm embrace. A whine erupted from her throat, but she still intertwined her fingers with his. The mage pressed a kiss to his cheek, snorting at the purrs emitting from the softie of a skeleton.
"You have Berry."

"nooooo." The door slammed open to reveal Berry in all his glory: his blue eyes squinted at the sight before him. The scratch marks against his right socket seemed to be highlighted even further by his narrowed eyes: he was dressed in a security guard uniform, with his signature red, tattered scarf around his neck, along with the boots he wore. Berry had one of his arms rested against his hip and the other held a tray of a cup of coffee and a bagel covered with butter, cream cheese and slices of salmon. Berry was just never surprised anymore- Mutt always ended up in her bed due to his constant demand of affection and even Berry could admit he adored her affection. He lived off of it.
"Morning Berry, what is the reason behind such a visit?" [Y/N] spoke, attempting to unravel herself until Mutt wrapped his arms protectively around her waist and brought down her weight. "Muttttttt." He simply chuckled in response, his leg resting on top of both of hers to force her to stay where he was. When Mutt wanted to, he somehow became very heavy and was more like a koala than a grown skeleton. She still loved him though.
"MAKING SURE YOU HAVE BREAKFAST, YOU INSUFFERABLE MAGE, " Despite the authority he still spoke with, there was underlying humour and fondness in both his eyes and voice. He walked over and slid the plate onto the table. "YOU NEVER EAT PROPERLY, YOU IDIOT. AND MUTT, LET HER GO." Berry forced himself to hide the smile that threatened to reveal itself. The younger brother wrapped his arms tightly around [Y/N]'s waist, if it was possible, in response, his own mischevious smile across his face and Berry had to restrain himself from laughing.

"no."
"MUTT." Berry aggressively tapped his foot with both his hands on his hips whilst his eyes flashed red in warning. Mutt let out a whine before allowing [Y/N] to escape; she unravelled herself, tripping over the covers and slightly fearing she would fall until Berry delicately caught her, wrapping one arm around her waist and slightly dipping her in the air. A proud smirk arose. [Y/N] blushed at their close proximity, grumbling to herself- he raised her palm to adorn it in an array of skelly kisses, rising higher and higher until...he kissed her nose. She wrinkled her nose in displeasure, to Berry's amusem*nt. Mutt pouted at this exchange. He wanted to shower [Y/N] in kisses...
"It was sweet of you to make me breakfast, Berry. I hope I haven't kept you from work." [Y/N]'s eyes trail along the outfit he wore (which suited his body quite well, in a definite not-attractive-way). Not at all. These skeletons were going to kill her one day with how attractive they were. She had even seen them in suits and they were...hot, in her opinion.
Berry scoffed. "NO, THEY ARE FORCING ME TO COME IN LATER. THE IMBECILES."
Mutt propped up his chin still with the covers wrapped around his legs. "yeah, you pushed someone to the floor."
Berry hit his heal against the floor. "HE IS INSUFFERABLE!"

"Oh, is that the racist one?" [Y/N] asked. Berry nodded. She took a bite into her breakfast and a quick sip of her coffee, and sighing in content as she finished the entire thing. She stood beside Berry, with one hand underneath the cup, and the other wrapped around it. "And this is so good, you have outdone yourself, sir." She winked and laughed as Berry puffed out his chest in pride. "Do you think I could break his kneecaps-"
"-[Y/N] NO-"
"-[Y/N] yes." Berry huffed to himself, crossing his arms across his chest. "I need to get ready, so you two leave please." Reluctantly, the pair left [Y/N] to get dressed. She quickly threw on a jumper, a pair of shorts, holey tights and a necklace in the shape of a drew drop. Apparently, wearing socks in front of the skeleton brothers was the worst possible thing she could do; it was seen as underwear. So, [Y/N] had grown to never wear socks around them and just throw on their boots. Oh well, she would respect their wishes.

She threw her backpack onto her shoulders, wrapping her finger around her charger to throw it into her bag. Everything and everyone seemed to be relatively silent. The silence was unfamiliar, and an unwarranted; the disturbing aspects of silence was how unpredictable it seemed, how danger could lurk nearby, and you would be unaware of the true monsters in the quiet. Before we know it, we are victims to the desires of others, to the violence of some who truly wish us harm.

Only Edge, Berry, Papyrus and Blue were ever awake at this time. Papyrus and Blue often trained and ran at 3am, Edge worked at this time, and Berry usually woke up around this time. He was just used to it and accustoming to the more "nice" world he, and his brother, came upon was a strange, but not unwelcoming change. All of their friends, as well, had somehow ended up in this world and they were unsure how...until Sans had informed them of his mistake. It was the same for Edge, Red, Blue and Stretch and a few others in how they had ended up in this world due to Sans... Sans had caused it with the damn machine. The very machine his father had created, the very one he had forced Sans to work on as well, the very machine which caused his downfall in the first place. And yet, even after this, Sans had hoped to bring back his father. No one else took time into helping with the machine, it was both pointless and they had all found somewhere they had reached the surface! And their families were here! But, it did not appear Sans cared all that much.

Jumping down each step as carefully as possible, [Y/N] landed at the bottom of the stairs making barely any noise as she made her way to the front door, walking past the kitchen and living room. She slid her hand onto the wall next to her to slide on her boot following after with the other. Her boots made a slight thud once they stamped against the floor, and she let out a small huff of disapproval.
"Ohhh, [Y/N], where are you off to?" Bethany asked with her hands on her hips.
[Y/N] turned to face her. "University?" She was not in the mood to deal with Bethany right now...but if she ignored her she could inform everyone else in the household and this very thought irked her. She had wrapped them around her finger.
"Oh, right, yeah, of course." Bethany rotated her hand in confirmation. "I need you to do a favour."

"No." [Y/N] opened the door, halfway through until Bethany grasped her wrist and dug her sharp nails into her skin. A small smirk stretched across her face as the blood trickled from the small holes in her flesh, dripping along her wrist and landing in drops. "The blood on the floor looks a bit suspicious." The statement itself lacked any emotion. Inside, however, her rage was slowly bristling and making its way to the surface.
"Oh well, I will just tell everyone you got in a fight again~" She purred. "I need you to cook today."
"I am working at Muffet's after uni, Bethany. I can't." [Y/N] yanks her wrist back. Bethany fell back dramatically against the wall, her hand rested against her forehead. The mage scowled in response. Edge picked her up bridle style- wait, had he been there the entire time- and glared at the mage darkly. Still, the question remained, had he been spying on them the entire time? Whatever the reason was, she felt the weight on her shoulders, and the lingering threat of violence and the usual threats was more foreboding than ever. It always happened when revolved around Bethany.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER, YOU DISGUSTING VIXEN."
"I barely touched her." [Y/N] spoke in response, flinching slightly once Red blipped into existence. He stood inches from her face, his pinpricks non-existent; his hands still rested in his pockets. Some large droplets of red sweat drenched his skull. They trailed down. The drops themselves either demonstrated he was nervous, or scared about something, or he was forcing himself not to use his magic.
"don' talk to my bro like that, whor*."
"I didn't talk to him like anything, Red."
"who said you could f*cking use my name?!" Whilst Red's anger was slowly rising, the magic was beginning to tamper with the atmosphere as fury grew. The monsters who lived here could easily pick up on the magic, and it caused all the skeleton housemates to appear: everyone's magic smelled completely differently. Depending on their anger, whether they were upset and even if they were incredibly calm. Red's, at the moment, smelled of danger and fire. [Y/N] could maintain her own magic and contain it so it did not go out of control, her face was neutral but her eyes contained some fear. No one could blame her since she was being threatened to her face and if Bethany wanted, one of them may be willing to kill her...

He needed to talk with his brother about how strange Bethany's behaviour was.

Chapter 3: 2

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Magic lightly caressed her fingers in a black glow, sparks emitting from the glow itself in crackles of magic. Her veins darkened, threading along each vein, emitting shadows or darkness to begin emerging from the darkened space beneath her feet. Raising one hand beneath her, tracing a simple symbol in the air- in the shape of a flame- it glowed as her finger pressed the centre. A circle manifested on the ground; with a flash, a creature emerged, crawling along the floor in an inky puddle; they shook off the inky substance, white eyes blinking. Their body was quite sleek, with two horns on either side, and a forked tail. The symbol immediately disappeared. The creature looked up at [Y/N] with found fondness, throwing themselves upwards, using their claws to climb up further and stand on her shoulder. Despite their small stature, power radiated off of the small imp creature; for just a moment, something else shone within its eyes, as though something darker lingered under the surface.

"So, that's an imp?" Undyne asked, watching the small imp with intrigue as [Y/N] wiped down the table Undyne and Alphys occupied. Alphys raised her glasses down a little. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of this creature which stared back at her. They stuck out their tongue; it was narrow and snake-like, hissing in amusem*nt at the yellow lizard who watched them with interest; Alphys giggled at their display, her giggles so consistent it became a snort. The professor hurriedly covered her mouth as though what she spewed was poison. A quick kiss from Undyne to the temple seemed to fluster her, and pinken her yellow skin, the dimples dotted across her cheeks highlighted even further. This at least helped to calm her self-consciousness.

"Yes," [Y/N] spoke. "Mages can create them for any reason. Whether for fighting, battle, protection or even daily activities such as cooking or baking."
"THAT'S SO COOL!" Undyne shrieked with so much added enthusiasm her sharp fangs revealed themselves. Alphys nodded in agreement, being too dazzled by the small imp to say much else. The small creature possibly reminded her of a character from an anime she liked, and she could not quite place from where. Mages in general peeked her interest. She had not seen any mages apart from [Y/N]. All of monster kind were told to be wary over mages since they were the ones to trap them Underground. But, [Y/N] had been nothing but kind to them and they met after Undyne had seen the young mage setting fire to a monster-hater's sign (this had been outside of a monster establishment. Grillby and herself had to intervene to stop [Y/N] from losing her temper further.) This was how she had won Undyne's respect. She won Alphys' through her love of anime and knowing Undyne. Whoever Undyne trusted, she trusted. Hergillfriend had a good sense of justice and had a good sense of character.
[Y/N] scratched her nose and managed a small smile, scratching the inside of her wrist. "Thanks. I am unsure what to name them, though." The creature in question purred at the tender strokes given beneath their chin.

"H-How a-bout R-Rin?" Alphys asked, cheeks blushing and squeaking as both the small imp and [Y/N] stroked their chins. The imp's tail appeared to catch aflame: it was blue, pulsing and calming to watch. Even their eyes flickered light blue for a moment. The imp started to laugh in response, its echoing laugher much like crackling fire and thunder, its fur feeling warm to touch.

"Looks like Rin likes the name." Alphys shyly giggled to herself and blushed as Undyne placed a tender kiss upon her forehead, bringing her closer, and resting her against her chin. "I have been watching Blue Exorcist, how did you guys find it?" Alphys- as Undyne watched her with a lovestruck expression- explained in detail each aspect they liked about the series as a whole, and who they shipped together. [Y/N] and Alphys both had a debate who Rin truly should be with and the louder they became, the more laughs it stirred within the locals and usual customers. In fact, someone's laughter seemed familiar; it was deep, and pleasant to listen to. It kind of reminded her of a certain skeleton she adored.

Muffet stepped towards them all, a softness to her tone with a hint of humour as she considered them. Her hand teasingly traced against [Y/N]'s back, laughing as the mage let out a whine. "Now, now dearie~ You have customers awaiting your performance~"
"I am not walking with these skates on, Ruffles." [Y/N] stuck out their tongue once Muffet bared her teeth at the remarkably short mage. Ruffles had become a more prominent nickname for Muffet once [Y/N] had gone through the young spider's wardrobe, and it usually consisted of lace or ruffles. The nickname, however, made Muffet herself (in the own spider's opinion) seem far too cutesy and not show how truly terrifying she could be. Everyone knew how terrifying she could be for they had witnessed it. Being friends with monsters (who had always been sweet and kind towards [Y/N]- whilst there had been a few wary monsters who were understandably protective over their families) was a welcoming change. It had been five years since the barrier had broke (or the portals appearing across the continent had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Not even some scientists had been able to comprehend this), the numerous laws banning Monster cruelty, death and peace. Well, there were still parades (disgusting) and people with signs outside Monster establishments advocating for them to be removed from the surface and be returned to the Underground. It did not stop [Y/N]'s temper from rising as she set their signs on fire, caused storms or merely caused a snowstorm. That was when she was not in control of her magic. According to Muffet (along with Undyne and Alphys) her magic smelled much like cinnamon and chocolate.

How lovely.

"Then, would you like me totieyou up?~"
With a smirk, [Y/N] replied with no ounce of regret and a simple wink, "Kinky, but no, Ruffles." Muffet narrowed her eyes and as soon as the last word spewed from [Y/N]'s mouth, the spider grabbed hold of her arm and threw her towards a pair of familiar skeletons.
"need catchin', darlin'?"
"No, I just want to fall."
"ok."

"No please-" [Y/N] fell against Mutt's chest. She nuzzled her face into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He laughed in response, picking her up in his arms bridle style, twirling her around in a circle despite her complaints. She softly slammed her fist against his chest, groaning. Muffet was dealing with a few customers, wrapping up their orders as delicately as possible; she used one of her free arms to remove the dog treat from between Mutt's teeth and crush it in her hand, weighed them against her palm and she then threw them into the bin. Mutt had not seemed to notice since he was too busy placing a few skelly kisses against [Y/N]'s face despite her protests but her giggles of delight seemed to present the opposite. The colour rose to her cheeks; she laughed even more at Mutt's stunned expression, since he had accidentally kissed her lips. His own skull was bright purple. Berry smiled at this.

Alphys and Undyne stood; Undyne clapped Berry on the back much to his annoyance with her arm wrapped around Alphys' shoulders. "How have you two boneheads been?" Undyne asked.
Berry sighed, rotavating his hand, realised who he seemed like and growled in disgust, "BETHANY."
Undyne began to seethe. "URGH THAT BITCH!" Undyne slammed her fist against the counter and Muffet huffed. Cracks formed beneath her fist. Alphys squeaked in surprise and she attempted to calm her girlfriend's nerves by cuddling against her side and whispering something.
"is yourgillfriendalright, Al?" Mutt asked, both arms around [Y/N] as he still was carrying her bridle style. They both had flushed cheeks and their gazes refused to meet each other. Mutt always craved attention. He was like a love-sick puppy, he needed attention or he would likely beg for cuddles and kisses. Normally, he kissed her cheeks, her nose, even her neck! But her lips...for some reason, it felt weird to do so. He just wished it wasn't by accident and he had timed it correctly...

Chapter 4: 3

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Some of the locals, and Muffet's customers, as well as even Muffet, had stepped outside to spectate the fight between Berry and [Y/N]. They all knew both of them would hold back their true power/magic in order to protect the other from harm. Regardless of how stubborn Berry could be, he would surely take care in his attacks, yet it still would be quite the spectacle. They stood on opposite sides of the parking lot, standing in defensive stances. Mutt stood in the middle with a dog treat between his teeth. Purple smoke encased his body, lightly caressing his bones as it blew from his nostrils. He was to watch the battle closely and see who won; he trusted [Y/N] not to hurt his brother. [Y/N] created a barrier around herself and Berry to make sure no attacks hit any onlookers, or damaged any of the buildings.

"now, who wants to start?"
"I BELIEVE THE MAGE SHOULD. AFTER ALL, SHE COULD NOT POSSIBLY HIT ME." Berry mused, his hands on his hips. [Y/N] stuck out her tongue. The locals all around them laughed at their exchange. Mutt scratched at the collar around his neck, growling lowly as he tried to reach and scratch the bone beneath. Muffet had been watching the exchange herself, a soft giggle emanated from her throat, her small fangs shining for all to see.
"A little arrogant of you, Berry. But I will play your game."
Mutt shook his head in amusem*nt. He raised his hand in the air then threw it down. "begin, I guess."

"So enthusiastic, Mutt. I might have to give you a gold star, " [Y/N] mused. Mutt sent her a wink, blowing a kiss in her direction. She caught it, and pretended to press it against her own lips (reminding him of his own accidental kiss) and his entire skull flushed with colour. She laughed, silently; her fingers crackled with black-coloured magic, threading along each individual vein, sparks emitted along each. Undyne began jumping up erratically, eyes widening in excitement (Alphys reaction was similar, but she was squealing into her sweater dress). From the shadows beneath her feet, it began to stain the ground below, bleeding though like the pavement once it rains. She raised one of her arms above, the other traced along a symbol, in the shape of a flame. Small wisps of magic lightly caressed her body, twig-like horns floated mid-air above her head, a crescent glowed upon her forehead, sideways, with a diamond resting in the middle of it. Berry's eyes widened slightly (eyes morphing into small, blue hearts for a moment) and Mutt was the same.

Her magic that lightly caressed her body highlighted how beautiful she truly was, how truly in awe they were. A sudden flash; a hand slammed against the concrete, ink dripped from between their fingers; another emerged from behind the young mage, slamming directly to her right. Both arms began to bend to lift themselves from the circle; a pair of twisted horns emerged, dripping in ink, followed by the rest of their body; their eyes glowed blue, their smile was sharp-toothed, almost dangerous, small blue wisps floated around their body, some floating between their horns; their body appeared fluffy (despite the ink trickling down), with long claws, feline-esque legs and a forked tail. "Now, Rin, be careful with Berry, alright?" [Y/N] lightly caressed Rin's chin, smiling as a purr erupted from Rin's throat. "No cuddles if you hurt him, ok?" Rin growled but his tail flickered slightly. With a click of her fingers, Rin bolted off towards Berry, slamming his fist towards the skeleton who easily dodged the fist; in a flash of red magic, a bone rapier appeared in his hand.

Berry slashed at Rin's arm slicing it off completely, allowing ink to flow through the gaping hole. Rin screeched; he slammed his other arm in Berry's direction, managing to knock the skeleton back (Mutt was about to intervene); Berry almost slammed into the wall until [Y/N] raised her hand upwards, stopping Berry midway from smashing against the wall, her magic licked at his body, covering it in a black glow; her eyes bled black, ink trailing down her cheeks and stained her cheeks. "Rin." The imp in question growled but obeyed her command, running back towards the mage and stood there, shivering at her gaze. [Y/N] carefully placed Berry back on the ground, extinguishing all her magic completely. Her markings disappeared, her horns disappeared as well. Her eyes turned back to normal. She rose her finger, pressing it against Rin's temple; he glowed, bleeding through the ground once again to return back to his original state.

Berry stood up, extinguishing the rapier from his hold. Mutt immediately ran over without saying a word. [Y/N] ran over to the pair, eyes sparkling with worry. "Are you ok, Berry? I'm so sorry-"
He softly grasped her hand, circling around her palm. "DON'T BE. WE BOTH WANTED A FIGHT, AND WE GOT IT. YOU SHOWED SOME...GREAT MAGIC SKILLS." [Y/N] beamed, blush coating her cheeks. "FOR A MAGE, THAT IS." Her smile immediately turned to a scowl. She was tempted to slap him for his comment but she knew it was merely in jest. His humour was something you had to get used to. His bony finger circling around her palm caused shivers along her spine. For someone so 'aggressive' (in everyone else's opinion apart from Mutt's and her own), he was so gentle and kind. His cheeks flushed purple and he caught her stare, managing a small smile which she was able to return with the same joy.
"Prick. Well, we could say the battle was a tie. What did you want as a prize?"
He froze, his finger stopping above her palm. Purple magic tickled his cheeks. "....HOW ABOUT YOU SAY YOURS FIRST?"
"Why? Is it terrible?"
Mutt leaned down so he was inches from [Y/N]'s face. "he wants a kiss, darlin'. too afraid to say it." Both Berry and [Y/N] blushed darkly. She never would have thought the strict skeleton would ask for such a thing but she also couldn't be surprised. She had seen how fondly he had treated her, how he cared about whether she ate, and when she didn't, he was the one to scold her and then prepare something. He might want everyone to see him as an overly strict, sometimes emotionless skeleton, but he was anything but that. He was kind, sweet and so considerate...he made her soul melt.

"Oh..."
"OF COURSE, THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE-" [Y/N] leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, giggling at his lovestruck expression; his eyes had widened, blue, heart shapes glowing in his eyes; he unconsciously traced over where she had kissed him bringing a smile to his face.
"And, I want to go to the zoo with you. And, I could go to the aquarium with Mutt another time."
"THAT IS...ACCEPTABLE."

All three of them returned to the bakery and [Y/N] finally returned back to work, secretly giving Berry free beverages and cakes. Undyne had nearly smashed the door in excitement. With friends like these, [Y/N] truly felt loved.

Berry and [Y/N] drove along the road on his motorbike; [Y/N] had her arms wrapped around his waist as he expertly diverted along the road, passing the many buildings on either side of them. Berry had bought this motorbike five months ago when it was old and out of commission, until Mutt was able to repair it. And now, it was fondly one of Berry's favourite vehicles (he also had a black car which was very modern and expensive). They all lived in a lodge of sorts within the forest, away from civilisation, which is what they preferred. At first, when [Y/N] first lived with Bethany and her skeleton mates, she was quite meek and stuttered whenever someone (any of Bethany's mates) threatened her or glared at her.

[Y/N] had suffered through pranks (a little too violent or just downright terrible), name calling to her face (such as being called 'fat'), stuff of hers was destroyed and other things seemed to happen often. It was definitely Bethany who had a part in making sure all of this happened. They seemed to find no wrong in their actions whatsoever. Berry was the first, surprisingly, to provide her comfort and care. He had sought- at first it was curiosity and seeing whether certain rumours were correct- [Y/N] out, had got to know her, and they soon became close after that. [Y/N]'s relationship with Mutt had began soon after [Y/N]'s with Berry since Mutt completely trusted his brother's judgement, but he was still a little bit suspicious at the beginning. They had similar interests such as art (he had seen her art and adored it), reading together, recreating and fixing vehicles, engineering and writing stories. Their close friendship developed early, and it continued to develop even now. Which is to say Mutt had grown extremely smitten with [Y/N], and he knew he loved her.

[Y/N] unconsciously wrapped her arms tighter around Berry's waist, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. Swiftly, Berry parked the motorbike away from everyone else's vehicles, clicking the keys and placing them inside his pocket. "WE ARE BACK, MAGE." She made no response and the only thing he could hear was a sniffle from behind. "...[Y/N], Is Something The Matter?"
"...I just don't want to go inside. They're going to be there."
"YES, THEY ARE. BUT YOU HAVE MYSELF AND MUTT."
"yeah, sure do darlin'."
"Holy f*ck, Mutt!" [Y/N] placed her hand on her heart as Mutt seemingly popped into existence. Berry wrapped his arm around her waist, held her other arm, helped her off the motorbike. Mutt merely snorted. Berry's arm was still around [Y/N], to Mutt's amusem*nt.

Chapter 5: 4

Chapter Text

Mutt softly twisted [Y/N]'s locks between his fingers, softly nuzzling his face into her cheek. Her magic softly caressed them both, wrapping around them in a comforting cocoon of warmth. The scent of her magic, being cinnamon and chocolate, was Mutt's favourite scent. It made him feel safe. [Y/N] smiled gently; she softly stroked his cheek, biting the inside of her own once Mutt nuzzled further into her warmth, bringing her closer to his body, one eye light lit. Berry stood in front of them both, arm extended to cut the others off. Sans, Red, Edge and Bethany all stood in front of them; Sans' eyes were missing, Red had his hands in his pockets, Edge had his arms crossed against his chest, glaring at them and Bethany had a smirk on her face, quickly replaced with a frown, as tears fell down her cheeks, draping herself against Edge who patted her shoulder.

"YOU CAN TALK HERE. YOU ARE NOT 'GANGING UP' ON [N/N], KNOWING HOW UTTERLY AGGRESSIVE RED AND EDGE ARE." Sans' eyes returned for them to narrow. His skull scrunched up slightly in annoyance, an argument on the tip of his tongue until Red seemed to intervene. Not that he was surprised one of the most bad-tempered of his selves would be ready to argue, or start conflict to any degree.
"what did you say you little tyrant?!" Red was about to step towards Berry until Sans stopped him by placing his hand against his chest and stopping him from moving any further. He supposed if Red teleported, he would have to use his own magic. He just wanted this 'intervention' to be simple, to be quick so he could get back to the machine. Bethany had sent a flurry of messages (around seventy messages in a minute) for him to put an end to '[Y/N] being terrible' by using threat. He had been working on the machine and he was certain if he had not come upstairs, she would have kicked down the door.
"FOR JUDGES, YOU ARE TRULY..." Berry stared back at Mutt for assistance. Mutt raised his eyebrow, but assisted his brother. It was fun to slander the other skeletons (they weren't stupid, but...their lack of judgement and common sense made them annoying.)
"f*ckin' stupid." Berry huffed in annoyance but a hint of a smile flickered across his skull. [Y/N] furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Mutt blew out warmth air into her neck; her soul tingled in response, the vibration causing a reaction throughout his entire body. He must have seen how flustered she became as she felt the chuckle against her neck. Her breath stopped, just for a moment. A blush coated her cheeks.

[Y/N] spoke up, "What do you want to talk about? It must be something." All eyes turned to [Y/N], who's magic still covered herself, Mutt and Berry. It dared them to make a wrong move towards her and he knew he should know better. She may have been a doormat years ago and early days of living here, but after being sick of being mistreated, she had enough. If she had to use magic so be it. But only as self defence. Nothing less, nothing more. Magic within human beings- or being a mage as the name presented- made the skeletons uncomfortable. One of the very people, one of the very bloodline who trapped them beneath the Underground, lived amongst them. Of course this would make them go on edge! Bethany had told them [Y/N]'s family both were the ones to create the barrier, that she herself went to these riots, these parades, that she despised monsters, and that she had killed her own brother. And of course this resonated with the skeletons especially, they all had brothers, aftercall.

"you pushed Bethany, " Sans began, scratching between his eyes. The shadows beneath his eyes were becoming worse by each moment he spent on the machine. The very machine [Y/N] had no idea about, but Bethany did. After becoming their mate, they reluctantly told Bethany about the machine, the different timelines (and much more reluctantly), the resets. Along with the different AUs. She had tried to get Sans to get away from the machine, through force if necessary. That was one thing he refused Bethany: to stop working on the machine. He could not do that if his father was still stuck somewhere. "along with destroying her things. we have all agreed you need to be punished for hurting Bethany." Mutt and Black exchanged looks of disbelief. Surely he was joking? If she truly had bruises, or anything like that, she would have made an even bigger commotion this morning.
"SHE HAS NO SCRATCH ON HER, YOU IMBECILE. WHY WOULD [N/N] EVEN TOUCH BETHANY, YOU LOUT?"
Sans let out a sigh. "bethany has a few bruises along her arm. 'said [Y/N] did it." Of course she would say that. Anything that happened seemed to be [Y/N]'s fault, even if she wasn't there. It was stupid and pointless.

"I removed her hand from around my wrist, " [Y/N] explained, feeling Mutt's embrace tighten, showing the marks on her wrist. "Shewas the one who tore into my wrist." [Y/N] flinched as Red got into her personal space, inches from her face.
"how f*cking dare you, you dare lie about Bethany you conniving bitch?"Mutt pushed him back; softly pushing her into Berry's embrace as he stepped in front of them both, one eye lit, hands in his pockets as both himself and Red stood eye to eye. Their magic intertwined with each others. It was a ward not to do any further movement or else something would happen. Berry wrapped his arm around [Y/N]'s waist, squeezing it. [Y/N] eyes widened as the magic poured throughout the house at dangerous volumes, lingering and spiralling. The magic was very violent and unpredictable.

"you better apologise before I rip your tongue from your f*ckin' throat you bastard."
"Mutt, please, " [Y/N] whispered, reaching for his hand to take. She interlocked her fingers with his; she forced him backwards as "carefully" as possible (to Berry's amusem*nt, and everyone's surprise.), bringing him down to her height. She cupped his cheeks, and brought him to her eye level. She used her fingers to slowly caress and trace over his cheek bones and she pressed a kiss against his nose. His eye extinguished completely. He blinked, replacing them with his usual pinpricks. His face blushed light purple.
"can we get back to the matter at hand?" Sans asked, defeated. [Y/N] removed her hands from Mutt's face to acknowledge Sans, somewhat. She turned around to face him, with no expression on her features, only her magic caressed the air around them.
"[Y/N] did it to herself!" Bethany whined. "Iwould never do such a thing." Bethany nuzzled her face into Edge's side.

"IT IS ALRIGHT, MY DEAR. OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T." Edge's look softened before he turned to [Y/N] with a scrutinizing glare. [Y/N] looked back annoyance, which surprised Edge slightly. He furrowed his eyebrow. Her defending herself wasn't new, but, her showing her annoyance in this exchange was surprising. Berry must have been teaching her his ways of somehow being intimidating whilst showing irritation. It was Berry's best trait.
"[Y/N] did it to herself! Just like she used to do back in school." Bethany spoke with malice, not quite regretting the poison which spew from her tone. [Y/N] completely froze where she stood; her magic began to thread between her fingers, licking within a black shade. It softly traced over the scars along her arm, along her fingers, around her stomach, her legs...she unconsciously remembered each one, the pain of each, the blood...
Berry softly interlocked his fingers with hers, whispering quietly into her ear, "Do Not Listen To Her, My Dear."
[Y/N]'s voice was barely a whisper, " I...used to. I...used to and I hate that I did..." Tears began to fall along her face in slender drops. They felt cold against her skin.
"Now she is using crocodile tears! Stop crying, [Y/N]!" Bethany scoffed.
"watch yourself." Mutt warned. Red growled.
"WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE. YOU CAN TALK TO HER ABOUT WHATEVER LIES BETHANY SPROUTS LATER. FOR NOW, YOU HAD BETTER LEAVE HER BE."

"and you guys think she's amonster?"Both Berry and Mutt led [Y/N] upstairs, probably to give her lots of affection and even if Berry thought it pointless, to watch some shows.

Now, Blue was one of Bethany's mates. At the beginning of their relationship, everything seemed well. They were affectionate, they went on dates and they even slept together. But as it went on gradually, she had began ignoring him and telling him she was too busy to spend time with him. They were barely mates as far as he was aware. They barely interacted. He would have to speak with her about how he felt since it was better to be honest with his own feelings than to allow this to carry on. He felt nothing for her, not anymore. And Stretch? Blue was unsure whether Stretch even liked Bethany that much anymore. In fact, he swore he noticed Stretch becoming more distant from Bethany and lingering more with [Y/N]. Blue had seen it. The flushes in orange, the closeness, the laughs that erupted from the orange-clad skeleton. These laughs were only heard by Blue himself: when he was truly happy, truly delighted by something. Blue had heard how Stretch had teased [Y/N] and his soul seemed to make a melodic sound when no one else was listening...did Stretch have a crush on [Y/N]? It was a possibility. He had even defended [Y/N] on multiple occasions.

Blue did not dislike [Y/N] by any means. He could see how kind, compassionate and funny she was (by the many stories his younger brother had told him as well). He wanted to get to know the mage; stories orchestrated by Bethany told a different story to how [Y/N] was. Her family, on the other hand, were anything but that. They were monster haters, and they still were. Except [Y/N]. For a family sought upon hatred of monsters, [Y/N] was different. Blue could only imagine what the mage up around, what stories she was taught, what magic she must have been taught in order to eradicatemonster folk.

No, she had only talked with them with kindness. [Y/N] was even friends with Toriel, Frisk and Asgore. Which, again, he had heard from Stretch. So...why did thejudgesbelieve [Y/N] was a monster hater? Were they stupid? Yes and no. Stupid in a way they were incompetent judges, but they were also tainted by her love. Bethany's manipulative love.

Blue sighed, scratching between his eyes. Even doing his work was not preoccupying him from thinking about it. His notes were all organised beside him in piles, documents detailing the numerous convicts, criminals arrested for assault, that sort of thing. As a police officer, it was difficult to have spare time. He was only able to spare with Papyrus or go for a run, and even just talk with his brother. Oh, he needed to talk about Papyrus. The tall sweetheart needed to talk with him about something. He scribbled along the page in his neat, orderly handwriting, describing in detail about the criminal he was studying, writing down the many assaults. Humanity was not entirely pleasant. Some were pleasant, some were not. He had learned that through experience on the surface.

The door opened behind him to reveal Stretch, who shut the door behind him; he had a lollipop between his teeth. Honey-flavoured.
Stretch asked, his voice deep but soothing, "hey, bro. how are the documents going?"
Blue sighed, placing a piece of paper on the taller pile. "ALRIGHT. JUST A FEW MORE TO GO."
"you need rest, bro. you lookbluein the face."
Blue snorted into his hand, shaking his head slightly. "YOUR PUNS ARE ASSWEETAS USUAL."
Stretch gasped, raising his hands in mock surrender. "gasp. my own brother dare go against me in a pun off?"
"DID YOU ACTUALLY SAY 'GASP'? UN-PUN-IEVABLE." Stretch let out a snort. "IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED, BROTHER?"
Stretch's cheeks flushed orange in response. He grabbed his hood and pulled it over his head. Ah yes, hisperfecttactic to hide something he either did, or hide how he was feeling. Stretch did so when he was younger; it caused a laugh to erupt from Blue.
"ARE YOU HIDING SOMETHING FROM ME, STRETCH?"
"no..." His drawl, his squinting eyes, his lack of eye contact...yeah, he was lying.
"PAPYRUS." Blue placed his hands on his hips, standing to glare his own pinpricks through his. Using his brother's real name showed he was not playing around. It was a voice of authority.
"i...wanted to talk to you about Bethany." Blue sat back down at his desk, the pen twirling between his fingers.
Blue marked over his papers in red ink, circling and dotting. "WHAT ABOUT HER?"
"i don't want to be her mate anymore, I like-"
"-[Y/N]." Stretch blushed darkly. "IT IS NO SECRET, BROTHER."
"do you...not like the fact i want to not be mates with Bethany anymore? and...that i like...[Y/N]?" Stretch began to play with his sleeve, inspecting the ground beneath his feet.
"YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT, STRETCH. YOU ARE AN ADULT, AS AM I. I AGREE WITH NOT WANTING BETHANY TO BE MY MATE EITHER. AND, I LIKE [Y/N]. SHE IS A GOOD PERSON. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU LIKE HER."
"oh...i was expecting..."
"DISAGREEMENT? I AM HERE IF YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE."
"thanks bro." Stretch disappeared in honey-scented smoke.

He needed to have a break, even for a split second. Maybe he could have a refill on his fifty or so coffee cups. He looped his finger through the handle, holding it steadily with his other hand. He teleported out of the room, to the kitchen. He could sense Bethany nearby. Maybe he could look at her soul? He peered round the corner, his cup in his hand, and his eyes narrowed in concentration. He needed to make sure she didn't know what he was doing. Bethany was at the table, watching Papyrus cook something. His eyes widened as his left eye turned yellow and blue, just for a second.

Bethany's soul was dark red, dark blue and a faded yellow.

Spite, Conceit and Corruption.

Oh stars...they all had been played. Apart from [Y/N]. Oh...[Y/N]. He could only imagine how Bethany must have made her suffer. He really needed to help them realise how much they had been tricked. At least his brother fell for the right person.

But...love isn't always fair, is it?

Chapter 6: 5

Chapter Text

[Y/N] lived in the attic; she already had quite boring wallpaper and floorboards when she first moved in. Her room consisted of posters of bands, and other shows along with posters depicting various symbols and crystals describing their properties. [Y/N] had a simple chest of drawers, a bed, a wardrobe, a desk and a stand she had bought for her crystals, along with the ingredients she tended to gather for her potions; they were scattered around the room, in numerous positions. On top of the desk was numerous books on the subjects she was studying in university, along with her laptop which had her short stories, poems and other novels she had written, her pens, pencils, sketch books, recipes on various potions and a drawing tablet positioned in an organised manner. A bonsai and a cactus was placed on either side of her table. Her jewellery was in a box; she had another circular box on top of her books; it was painted in red, with stars dotted across it and seven, different coloured hearts.

When she had received it at five years old, [Y/N] had never opened it. The very shades of each heart reminded her of the Seven Mages, and of course, of her family and their expectations. She felt cursed to remember each lesson, each word they spoke of cruelty and magic. The Seven Mages were not entirely evil, but their actions in creating the barrier and sealing away the monsters? It had created tension between mages and monsters, along with hatred. So, why would [Y/N] want a gift that reminded her of what her bloodline had done in the past? And was willing to do even now?

Thoselessons. As a mage, her family home-schooled herself and her brothers. The [L/N] bloodline was of noble blood, being taught within leisure and wealth. [Y/N] had been taught basic etiquette, lessons on magic, using crystals for numerous uses, monster eradication, fencing, painting, history, classics, poetry, modern languages etc. They had forced her to undergo many lessons to both strengthen her magic and to become 'a lady'. Which irritated [Y/N] even more. It wasn't the 19th century! The lessons were worse by far; enforcing her to further her magic capabilities by experiments; electric shocks, needles, forcing her soul from her chest for a range of tests...it was excruciating and she never forgot. Those were her nightmares she experienced at night when she was actually able to sleep. If not, she tended to suffer with insomnia.

She felt if she dived too into her memories she may become upset or angry. Maybe even set fire to the house- And for the moment? She just wanted to relax with the pair closest to her.

Her laptop rested on her knee, situated at an angle to make sure both Mutt and Berry could see. Mutt rested his head against [Y/N]'s stomach, humming as she stroked and traced over his bones, carefully stroking along his cheek. Berry softly grazed over [Y/N]'s side in circular motions, allowing the young mage to rest her head against his chest. "Do You Wish To Talk About It?" Knowing Berry, he would either a. be overly affectionate and overprotective if she didn't tell him, or b. threaten that Mutt would eat her crystals. Mutt, not knowing or caring that crystals were not consumable, ate them anyway.
[Y/N] looked up at him. She smoothed down the chest of his uniform. "You have a good day at work?" Berry scowled, narrowing his eyes.
Mutt smiled. "best to be honest with him, darlin'. he don' take lies well or attemptin' to change conversation." [Y/N] raised her brow at that remark. It was soon proven right when Berry let out a huff.

[Y/N] blew air from her nostrils. "You would be good at Bluff. How was work-" Berry was about to interject until she placed a finger on his mouth, inches from his face, frowning at him. "I will tell you. But I also want to know how work was for you. As well as how was your day, Mutt? I'm sorry I didn't ask you before."
Mutt shook his head. "we were more worried about you, darlin'. i want to know howyouare. 'whether you wish to talk about what happened. don' have to tell us anything."
Berry nodded. He pressed several skelly kisses against her neck, making her shiver at his warm touch and tenderness. "I Agree With My Brother. Do Not Tell Us If You Are Uncomfortable. We Are Here For You, My Dear." As he spoke, his warm breath tickled at her neck. Her face lit up with a crimson blush. "Work Was Bland, If You Must Know."

"Thank you. Both of you. There are other things I wish to tell you. When I'm ready. I...did self-harm in school. A lot. Burns, scratches across the skin, pulled out my own hair. Anything to feel something from how numb I felt, how insignificant. I had also been overwhelmed by what my family expected of me. It wasn't healthy. My health and mental health spiralled, and self harm seemed to be the only way to cope. I regret it, but I cannot change the past. It was the very year I met Bethany, bad luck all around, I guess." Berry nuzzled into the crook of her neck, placing a few more kisses against her neck. Mutt interlocked his fingers with [Y/N]'s, bringing his hand towards her hand, kissing it. Humour was her way to cope, alongside writing novels or drawing. "You Are Strong. Possibly Even More Than Myself."
"that is sayin' somethin'."
[Y/N] giggled. "I will take that as a compliment."
Berry whispered into her ear, pressing another kiss. "You Should. That Is What I Expect, My Dear."

A knock disrupted them from their focus on the laptop. A deep drawl voiced on the other side of the door, "[Y/N]? Can I come in?"

[Y/N] yawned, nuzzling further into Berry's chest. She swore she heard a purr emitting from his throat in deep rumbles. "Yeah, come in Stretch." Mutt leaned over to pause the show on the laptop, falling back into [Y/N]'s stomach. Stretch quickly opened the door and closed it behind him. His hands were situated in his pockets (to stop himself from his nervously playing with his hands or the fabric of his hoodie), a lollipop situated between his teeth. He needed some sugar in his system.

The orange-clad skeleton studied the three with amusem*nt sparkling in his eyes before he focused on the reason he came here in the first place: [Y/N]. Whilst the pair could be seen as friends by both parties, Stretch felt he needed to apologise for how he treated her at the beginning. She deserved an apology. Whilst his actions were not as drastic as the others he had ignored her, he had not defended her when the other skeletons bad mouthed her and he had pranked her but even [Y/N] herself had found his pranks funny since they were not mean-spirited. It just wasn't in his nature. Red did the terrible, (that could essentially be lethal) pranks.

Stretch began, staring at [Y/N], "i...i just wanted to apologise."
[Y/N] furrowed her brow. "You already apologised for the pranks, Stretch. And, I am unsure whether they can even be called pranks."
"what did he do?" Mutt asked, curiously. He seemed more curious than cautious around Stretch. Possibly due to knowing Stretch was not a bad skelly, despite his mistakes with Bethany and how he may have acted in the past.
"He moved my items a few inches to the side, or just placed items up high so I couldn't reach."
Mutt snorted. "'type of thing i would do."

[Y/N] shook her head and let out a huff of disapproval. "Hush, you meanie." Berry watched this interaction with amusem*nt: he studied Stretch whilst he was interacting with his brother and his ma-friend.Friend.Must he think of such a thing? He did, often. But now was not quite the time. Stretch was a good person, he interacted with few of the skeleton brothers apart from his brother, and he only left the house whenever he was wanted at work. He worked at the library for around six hours a week.

"i also wanted to apologise for ignoring you when you first came here and i didn't...i didn't defend you when they said things behind your back, and i should have. i am really sorry..." Stretch removed his hands from his pockets to wipe away the orange tinted, translucent tears from his eyes. They fell down his skull, trailing down his face and falling onto the floor beneath his feet. He seemed so vulnerable. Both Mutt and Berry could see he was not trying to look pitiful, or even desired pity and he was truly sorry for his actions. But only [Y/N] could be the one to forgive him for his actions.

Mutt allowed [Y/N] to stand and he decided to wrap up his entire body in a cocoon; [Y/N] walked over to Stretch and carefully cupped his cheeks in her hands, wiping away anymore remnants of woe staining his cheeks. Stretch's eyes stared through her own, flushing at her genuine smile.

"I forgive you,honey bee."

Mutt and Berry were both asleep; Mutt still remained in his comfy cocoon, whilst Berry seemed fine without the covers, resting his head on one of [Y/N]'s rabbit pillows. [Y/N] rolled off the bed and was careful not to make a thud or even a slight noise. She placed both hands either side of herself, hoisting herself up. Sighing, with a deep exhale, she made her way over to her desk covered in scattered ingredients for her potions; to heal, for agility, stamina and many others. She grabbed hold of the recipe from the side, placing it onto the table, trailing along the paper until she landed on the specific recipe. She needed to gather some more mushrooms for her healing potions, which helped with scars and even lost limbs (if she got the amount of ingredients correct). Possibly, she could help with Undyne's eye!

She truly wanted to help Undyne with her scars, if she wanted help with them, that is.

[Y/N] threw on a coat; she carefully stepped down each step; black magic covered her fingertips as she traced over a symbol in the shape of an eye, slashing through it. This abled her for her movements to be quiet, muffled. She threw on her boots and retrieved her key from her pocket, slotting it inside and turning it. She opened the door and stepped outside, welcoming the coldness. The cold air tickled at her nose, keenly freezing her with each step she took. The trees were massive and extended towards the skies, the midnight sky eliminating the ground below barely with its moonlight. Nothing appeared to be stir through the trees. It was a nice silence. There was no danger, only solace.

The mushrooms were only a little to the right; she crouched down beside them; poking at the squishy, red mushrooms, letting out a pinkish vapour. They let out quite a sweet scent when poked. Strange, but were a good ingredient. These were mushrooms with magic properties. [Y/N] began picking up them from the bottom, placing them inside her bag, full of jars and other items she had picked.

Crack.

Was that a stick breaking? No one would be here...right? In the darkness-

"do you think you would get away with lyin' about Bethany, you 'hore?"Red's tone was full of malice and venom. [Y/N] stood and stared; his eyes were missing and his magic tainted the air around them.
"I wasn't lying!" He growled in response, taking one step closer.
"'here, we don' appreciate liars. maybe you need to be p u n i s h e d for your sins."

"Red, please-" Before she could even react, he sent a bone towards her direction; it sliced through her thigh; she let out a scream of pain, biting her lip. She could taste iron and the cold sensation of the blood trailing down her thigh. She bit down her lip and she raised her hand to attempt to create a barrier around herself, and in a quick motion, a symbol flickered in the air for a split second, before a black barrier started to morph around her. A flurry of attacks were sent further in her direction; the bones attempted to slice through the barrier; the force sent her backwards into a tree. She raised her other hand, the magic coursing through her veins. As she moved her hand, the vines from beneath the ground started to shake the earth slightly. The vines rose, moving towards Red; they lashed at him, curling around his feet, wrapping themselves around him. They curled, almost hissing; they threw him towards the tree, and when she wasn't focused on the barrier- for a split second- some of the attacks managed to pass through and impale her below her chest, and arms. She let out a groan, noticing the small crack starting to form around his skull.

"Stop this, Red." He made no response...but the desperation in her voice seemed to guilt him somehow. It hurt his soul. He growled beneath his breath and teleported away.

[Y/N] let out a pained grunt, the barrier slowly dwindling, as her eyes closed. "Just a little rest..." She collapsed, welcoming the darkness.

Chapter 7: 6

Chapter Text

Red had left [Y/N] to the cold air, an example of him leaving his doubts and anger behind, to lick at the very desires which tempted him. He did this for a reason. Truly. She deserved it anyway. Best to leave her be or else he may accidentallykill her. He had done that a few times. Back in their underground, he either killed them where they stood to defend himself and his brother, or, he had enough restraint to walk away...but that had been a mistake. Some of them managed to register an attack and Edge had been able to save him. He could not afford to show mercy. And yet, here he was. [Y/N] could kill him any moment but at least the other skeletons could sense her magic...? It was a surprise no one had come outside to see why there was a sudden rise in magic was.

He restrained himself from looking back and instead he trudged towards the lodge with his hands in his pockets, a frustrated huff escaping from him. His eye diminished; he threw open the door, walking through the kitchen- his footsteps were heavy, and quick. He did not want to get caught- to sit beside Bethany, who was patiently waiting with a smile. The clock above showed it was around 10:08pm. Bethany draped herself around his arm, nuzzling against his cheek. Bethany could smell their magic intertwined, Red;' with [Y/N]'s: fire, cinnamon and chocolate. To smell like the very woman she despised was disgusting.

She had asked him to do this an hour ago in desperation. She seemed upset, so he felt it would be terrible if he didn't.

Bethany asked, brushing her lips against his ear, "Did you teach her a lesson, Red Bear?~" Red's cheeks flushed red, courtesy of his name. He grinned, showing his sharp gold tooth.
"'course i did, doll." Bethany grinned, placing a quick kiss to his mouth, leaning down to press another to his neck. A deep purr erupted from his throat in deep rumbles of content. A pair of boots could be heard walking along the corridor due to the click of their heels. Whoever it was was coming closer and their heels echoed, finally reaching the kitchen they were in. The pair must of heard them as they looked up to see Blue who was nursing his cup to his chest, his eyebrow raised. There were noticeable scratches along the cheeks of his skull, Blue was dressed in his officer uniform, his signature blue scarf and his boots. Bethany scowled at him and Red seemed indifferent to the scarf-wearing skeleton.
"jealous, blue balls?"
Blue furrowed his brow. "NO, I AM NOT."

By how affectionate they were being showed they gave him no second thought. Which gave Blue an idea. Perhaps he should mention her soul? Stir the pot a little? Well, not as if he had ever started drama. Might as well start.

"HAVE YOU NEVER LOOKED AT BETHANY'S SOUL?"
"How could you ask-"
Blue's eyes burned through hers, one of them lighting for a moment in warning. "I WAS NOT TALKING TO YOU." He placed down his cup to the side, as he retrieved the sponge from the sink. He started to rub off all the coffee stains, some only coming off if he scratched them with his finger. After that, he turned to face them once again, now his arms resting against her chest.
"don' talk to her like that." Red warned, standing. "we never 'ave. she doesn' want us to look at 'er soul."
"WHY THOUGH? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE?" Blue snarked, glaring at Bethany. She froze at his gaze and hid behind Red. She whispered something into his ear and made sure she was as quiet as possible. Whatever she said made Red growl in anger.

"you broke up with 'er? and so did stretch? what the f*ck, Blueberry?"
Blue rotated his hand in a mocking way, a smirk spread across his skull as Bethany snarled. "NOT YOUR BUSINESS EXACTLY, IS IT? WHY DO YOU NOT WANT ANYONE TO SEE YOUR SOUL? FOR A JUDGE, YOU ARE ACTING IDIOTIC. HAVE YOU EVEN OBSERVED [Y/N]? STUDIED TO SEE HOW SHE ACTED?" Red stopped for a moment to think. He...had not. Not that he hadn't when she first started living here. Bethany had warned them she was a mage and she tended to use magic often, and that is what they went off of, until Bethany began to slag [Y/N] off entirely.

For a judge, he hadn't even observed [Y/N] to see how she truly acted or what she did in everyday life. He had listened to whatever Bethany had told him and she had told the same to the others. Since [Y/N] was a mage they had all immediately treat her with threats, (himself and Sans), violence, distanced themselves or through pranks. They all had been threatened by her, apart from Mutt and Berry who formed close bonds with her. Sweat began to trail down his face in clumps of red sweat. [Y/N] had not reacted to any of it. She had hidden in her room, the attic. Only coming downstairs if she needed food, or to go to the toilet.

He believed everything Bethany had told them about her; since [Y/N] was a mage they could not see her soul or stats, unless she was in a battle but some mages, when they lost their magic, their souls could be seen. Red...he would need to think about this a little. He still believed Bethany...it's just....what if there was a bigger picture? Maybe he should talk to Blue when Bethany was not around. After all, Bethany was the first human to be nice to them, to help them when they thought they might be homeless. He did not want to ruin that. Blue sighed to himself, scratching his forehead where a long scratch in his skull was present. He stepped out of the kitchen without any word, before he stared at the place where [Y/N]'s boots usually were. That...is strange.

His eyes squinted in confusion. Why weren't her boots here? Blue opened the door; he could smell her magic somewhere in the forest. It lingered, softly delighting his senses, as he followed it through the forest...he froze when he saw a body. A body hunched over, bleeding. The body in question had a barrier around them, black, with wisps encircling it in blue flames as it slowly started to disappear.
"ARE YOU OK-sh*t, [Y/N]?" His voice was barely a whisper. He slowly wandered over to the barrier, tracing his fingers over it. His eyes widened in awe. This was powerful magic. [Y/N]...was a talented mage. Now was not the time to compliment her abilities!

"B-Blue...?" Her voice sounded so broken. His eyes focused on the injuries she had obtained and the barrier disappeared as [Y/N] rid of it completely. Blue ran over to her and picked her up bridle style.
"Are You Alright?" He cradled her against his chest, his finger softly stroking along her cheek.

She squinted her bruised eye, feeling the blood caked underneath. "W-Would you believe me...if I s-said...y-yes?" Blue sighed before a smile spread across his face. Her genuine smile was so beautiful, so full of hope and trust...even after being attacked. She reminded him of her brother in a way; she was not willing to admit she was in pain, that she needed help. Blue softly caressed her cheek; green light glowed from his soul to course through his fingertips; the cut across her cheek healed completely with flesh upon flesh, the only reminder being a scar. He focused his soul- both hands glowed green- his magic felt calming as it healed her body, gradually. It lulled her to sleep.

This, made him realise something. So, now he knew why Bethany had said that. She had gotten Red to 'punish' her for whatever Red believed [Y/N] did. He growled under his breath. Blue slid his phone from his pocket; opened it, and quickly messaged Stretch.
"hey bro what is-oh...is...?" Stretch stood in front of him, eyes widened in worry as he focused on the mage in his brother's arms. He let out a small noise of desperation and sadness.

"SHE NEEDS HEALING. I NEED TO TALK WITH RED, STRETCH. COULD YOU LOOK AFTER [Y/N]?" Stretch grabbed hold of [Y/N], holding her bridle style, his own hands glowing with green magic. He could smell his brother's magic- honey- in the air, holding her close to his chest.
"FOCUS ON [Y/N] FOR NOW, I WILL DEAL WITH RED." Stretch huffed, but accepted it. Blue was right and he trusted in his judgement. He teleported away in honey-scented smoke. Blue knew how protective his brother could be, and trusted him with [Y/N] over everyone else. Apart from Berry and Mutt, of course. They were not going to be happy with Red after he tells them.

Blue slammed open the door, heading towards Red with murder on his mind. Anger was slowly rising in his system and Red was going to be a victim to it for how stupid he had been.
"YOU THOUGHT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO ATTACK HER? ARE YOU f*ckING INSANE, RED?!" Blue shouted, his magic beginning to encase the room with his scent, his eye light lit with a blue, wavering light: blueberries. Due to his anger rising, however, Red was inches from his face, his one eye shining with his own magic. "DID YOU LEAVE HER OUTSIDE TO DIE?!"

"she makes potions! she could have poisoned us you half pint!"
"SHE USES POTIONS TO HEAL WOUNDS! YOU ARE SUCH A...SUCH A..." Blue growled, his fists clenching in front of him. "HOW DOES ATTACKING HER OVER INGREDIENT COLLECTING...?!" Blue growled into his hands in frustration. As a police officer, he should write them up, he really should. But the stigma with monsters and humans was as bad as he thought it may be. Monsters and human relationships were improving but they still had a long way to go. And he wanted to protect [Y/N]. He did not blame her if she did turn Red in to the police, if she asked Blue himself to make a complaint for assault and possible attempted murder, he would be happy to help her with it.
"go on! say it! it can' be as bad as what my bro used to call me!"

"YOU ARE USING YOUR FAMILY ISSUES TO DEFEND YOUR f*ckING ACTIONS? DO YOU WANT TO KNOW BETHANY'S SOUL? IT ISN'T AS NICE AS YOU WANT TO THINK!" Their shouting had caused Papyrus, Stretch and Sans to come and see what the shouting was for. Blue quickly nodded to Stretch, who nodded in response. His brother must have placed [Y/N] in his bed after he had healed her as much as possible. Hopefully she was asleep.
Sans interjected, scratching under his eyes. "what...is the reason for the shouting at this time?"
Stretch added, placing a honey-flavoured lollipop between his teeth, "tried to kill [Y/N] for no reason." Sans' eyes widened slightly. Not in worry but surprise.

Red glared at Stretch, "you are f*ckin' defendin' the bitch, ashtray?"
Blue snarled, "DON'T TALK TO MY BROTHER LIKE THAT, YOU OAF-"
"-f*ck off with your damn daddy issues-"
"-WE ALL HAVE DADDY ISSUES!" Blue huffed and puffed, breathing in and out deeply. Specifically Sans but he did not want to mention that. Massive light blue drops of sweat trailed down his face. He brought his hands together and deeply sighed. His voice became more quiet as he spoke, "Red Needs To Be Punished, Sans. He Tried To Kill A Human. For f*ck Sake, I Am A Police Officer And Yet He Still DoesThis."Sans sighed. "i get what you mean blue, but why did red do this? was there a reason?"
Stretch laughed without the humour to it. "f*ck no. getting ingredients forhealingpotions is apparently against red's law. the mushrooms she collected are harmless. she uses them to cook with as well." Everyone was wondering how he knew this, but now was not the time. "and, she was out when bethany's stuff was "destroyed"."
"can we just deal with this in the morning?" Sans asked.

"TRYING TO FORGET YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, SANS?" Blue asked, walking towards his brother. Stretch retrieved his phone from his pocket and showed a picture to Blue; [Y/N] was curled up in the covers, her chest heaving up and down as she slept. "AT LEAST YOU CAN ADMIT SHE WAS NOT AT FAULT." Reluctantly (with sweat trailing down his skull, as he ignored the glares from Bethany and Red), he nodded. He was not going to hear the end of this from Bethany.
Bethany remarked, "But [Y/N] created a crack in Red's skull!"
Blue placed his arms against his chest. "SHE WAS ACTING ON SELF DEFENSE."
"She should be punished as well!" Bethany demanded, turning to Sans aggressively, who put up his hands in defence and took a step back.
Papyrus added (he was stood in the hall, playing with his sweater between his fingers) to everyone's surprise, "HOW ABOUT...[Y/N] DECIDES RED'S PUNISHMENT? WHEN SHE...IS ABLE? PERHAPS WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE CAMERAS AND SEE WHETHER [Y/N] DID DEFEND HERSELF...IT'S ONLY A CRACK." He could feel the stares of Bethany and Red on him but he ignored them to play with his hands.

Sans smiled softly at his brother. He could not say no to him at least. "sure, Pap."
Despite how annoyed or angry they all felt, they listened and went back to their rooms. Blue followed Stretch into his, willing to check in on [Y/N].
"We Need To Look Out For [Y/N]. Red Should Not Go Near Her." Blue spoke, sitting next to [Y/N] on the bed. Her locks twisted around his fingers, and he stroked the side of her face. Stretch bit into his lollipop, feeling the honey on his tongue; he threw the stick into the bin under his desk. Stretch's room was not as messy as the other brothers since Blue had made him clean it. Mostly.

His room mostly was full of bee-themed furniture: such as a desk with a bee painted across it in yellow and black paint, with the writing "Bee Happy", a master-bee-iece he had painted himself; the simple black office chair, wardrobe with his fifty or so orange hoodies (with one bee-themed one), along with bee plushies he had been teased about.
"i will keep aneye socketout for her."
"Same Here." They both watched her for a moment, a smile to their faces and a blush.

Strange, a mage had truly transfixed them. Oh, they did not mind one bit.

Chapter 8: 7

Chapter Text

Light filtered through the curtains in columns of bright light; it eliminated the room showing each bee related plushie, sticker, or piece of furniture in all its glory in bright yellow, with large, animated eyes. It would be even better if he managed to get a job relating to bees; he knew everything to do with them. Right now, he sat at his desk, scrolling through his feed on MonsterBook (he was scrolling through some of the images he had uploaded over the years, and was initially online to replace the 'taken' icon with a 'not in a relationship'. He had received a few messages from his friends, such as Undyne and Alphys but he had been quick to admit it had not worked out well) and circling all the job offers, in red ink, around the newspaper. Why were they so passive aggressive?

He scratched the back of his neck, using his fingers to trace over the large scar from his neck to his chest. Where was it from? He could not remember. He tried to, desperately. Stretch had even asked Blue but his older brother ignored the subject completely. Wherever it came from, it must have affected Blue and if that was true, he would have to drop it. Blue was honest with their past (somewhat) and only missed out pieces if it was traumatising for him to remember, and it would surely trigger Stretch. So, alas, that would be a mystery for another day. Or never.

Stretch played with the inside of his hoodie's arm, tracing over the stitches. He bit his lip, eyes crinkling in interest at the delicate feel of the thread along his finger. He turned his attention back to the newspaper and let out an annoyed huff. Taking the pen between two of his fingers, he scrawled a bee in red ink along the page with a fat body, and a pair of large, circular wings. Behind it, he drew a trail- heart-shaped- behind the fat creature, as though pretending it flew.

Today was Sunday, if he remembered correctly which meant he had work tomorrow for a few hours. The library was a fine job! It's just...it was so quiet and boring. The quiet he could deal with when no one talked to him (that sounds mean, but so were plenty of people who entered the library) but his thoughts? Yeah, they hated him.

Sans...had not come to see whether [Y/N] was well. Whether she wished to speak about the previous night, and what she wanted Red's punishment to be. He could not even believe that was an alternative version of his brother: Blue was valiant, kind, strong and truly cared about people. Human or Monster. How could Sans be so delusional? Stretch was observant, much more so than Sans, it seemed. And Red. Red...could burn in a fire. By this point, the true lengths he had sought, did not deserve forgiveness. Attempting to kill an innocent? This was no longer the world he had grown within. There was no violence sought to preserve strength, or dust. Bethany had been the first human he had met other than Chara. At first, Bethany was pleasant, sweet. She appeared to care about them, loved to hear their stories of valour...but. That was just a way to sweeten them in a way she desired. Sweeten them to manipulate their desires, curl them with her own. She had badly affected Sans, Red, Edge...Papyrus, he was unsure about. Didn't he want to talk to Blue about something? Perhaps when he was ready to do so. The tall sweetheart tended to stay to himself nowadays. Only interacting with Bethany or Blue and he didn't even talk with his brother much.

[Y/N]'s breathing was soft and steady; her bruised eye was not as swelled or bruised as it was before they healed her. The cut along her head had become a small, silver scar whilst her back was now covered in various sized scars, where old blood caked her back since they did not want to touch her when she was unconscious; her bust lip was still bleeding slightly; the holes- which had mostly closed from immense healing- were still excruciating from the forced healing; her chest heaved in uncomfortable, pained breaths and the wound along her thigh was caked in old blood and Stretch hoped it would not reopen if she moved slightly...he also was not sure if it was appropriate to deal with it whilst she was asleep. His cheeks flushed at the thought, but it quickly disappeared (the blush still across his skull).

A yawn came from [Y/N. She stretched her arms above her head and let out a small noise of content as Stretch watched with one brow raised and a small smirk across his skull. His honey blush covered his cheeks.She is so cute, Stretch thought. [Y/N] curled herself further around the duvet, one leg stretching outside the covers, the other in the warmth. One of her [e/c] eyes opened, blinking several times before they adapted to the light. "H-Huh? This isn't my ceiling..." Bees. Just...bees. On the ceiling was a variety of different flowers delicately painted over: roses, carnations, daisies and other flowers with bright shades covered his entire ceiling. She tilted her head to the side, taking in all the décor. Oh. Bees everywhere. This was either a nightmare or the best dream she had ever experienced. Definitely the second option.
"like my room,honey?"[Y/N] smiled. "Sure do,Queen Bee.This may just be an observation, tell me if I'm wrong, but do you like bees?" The young mage grabbed hold of a large bee plushie and began to squeeze it with a devious smile on her face.
Stretch twisted his seat around so he was able to focus on [Y/N] whilst he pretended to scratch his chin in contemplation. "no."
"Damn, you are too smart for me, sir." The pair began laughing at each other, a glint in their eyes, tones full of amusem*nt. They both stopped laughing, a few giggles here and there. Stretch stood up, stepped over to his wardrobe- as [Y/N] watched him in interest- and rustled through the wardrobe and pulled out a hoodie; the background was white, with bees flying around along with a few honey pots here and there; a few flowers, blue, red and yellow curved at odd angles as the bees rested on top of the petals, bringing them down with their weight.

Fluffy, yellow and black bees. Yes, just yes. Stretch looked over it for a moment, looked to [Y/N]- who was smushing her face into all the bee plushies- and thought about it. This was his favourite hoodie but he wanted to give it to [Y/N]. Was it strange to think she would like really cute if she wore this? Curse his adoration. Stretch's cheeks seem to flush in response.
"Bees are so fluffy and fat. I want to be one." [Y/N]'s voice was muffled.
Stretch snorted, throwing the hoodie at her body. [Y/N] unravelled herself from her covers and the fifty plushies she was getting crushed by to take the hoodie in her hands. "Oh, this is cute. What's this?"
"a gift, honey."
He began to laugh at the look of wonder in [Y/N]'s eyes. She threw it over herself, moving her arms to show it was large on her. She rolled up her sleeves. Her eyes lingered on the scars along her arms and she started to trace unconsciously over each one. She shook her head to remove the thought from her mind. She stood, stumbling towards Stretch who only just managed to catch her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and when she pressed against him slightly he could feel the blush. He studied her wearing his favourite hoodie...she looked so cute."You find me cute or something, Queen Bee?" [Y/N] mused, looking up at him. She had her own arms wrapped around his waist, almost perched on his lap- she let out a laugh when Stretch's cheeks flushed darkly.
"y-yeah..." The mage's cheeks flushed. "are you ok, honey?"
"It hurts a little but thanks to yours, and Blue's healing, I am sure I will be fine. Thank you for worrying." The way she spoke, her smile and how kind she was, made his soul tingle, and it felt as though something invisible lightly caressed his soul.
"of course, hun."
"Want to see something cool?" Her eyes sparkled with joy.
Stretch furrowed his brow. "sure?" [Y/N] raised her palm to face upwards, using her other hand to scribe a symbol in the shape of a bee; it glowed in black magic, she pressed it, circling her fingertips laced in magic in a circle. Her palm glowed; a flash; a bee made of blue flame emerged from her markings. The bee began to fly in the air, leaving traces of blue flames and sparks behind, making various shapes in the air as it flew. Stretch watched it with fascination, eyes sparkling. It was such an amazing spectacle. His eyes wondered to [Y/N] and lingered on her face as she bit her lip in concentration; his cheeks flushed at how cute, how beautiful she seemed. Someone so full of kindness who was not afraid to stand up for herself. He truly liked her, didn't he? He wanted nothing else.

His fingers clicked against the keys of his laptop, taking a break to watch as each word formed. He let out an annoyed huff as auto-correct failed to help with his spelling mistakes. That damn red, squiggly line was even more annoying. How do you even spell some of these?? He was only using them as his work required him to explain each word in detail. God, he hated science sometimes. He used his finger to scroll over and linger on the word 'Accumulation', clicked the left side of the keys, and clicked on the correct spelling.

His phone made a beeping noise. He retrieved his phone from his lab pocket and unlocked it. Sans' wallpaper was of himself, everyone and Papyrus, the first Christmas/Gyftmas on the surface with the rest of his friends and family. It was at Toriel, Frisk and Asgore's house. Rainbow coloured tinsel was wrapped around the massive brick fireplace they owned, where pictures of their family and friends were presented in brown frames with buttercups pained over them. The tree was taller than Asgore as it seemed to reach the ceiling, the golden star at the top grazing the white ceiling. Tinsel, baubles, Christmas/Gyftmas lights of blue, purple was wrapped around the entire tree and other small decorations covered each inch. It was a bright display. Everyone had been 'forced' (Toriel passive aggressively told them they had to wear a Christmas/Gyftmas sweater or they were not allowed her special Pumpkin Spice Pie she only made for Christmas/Gyftmas) to wear different sweaters that showed much of their character. They had all posed in front of the Christmas/Gyftmas tree and that is where he took the picture.

He...missed those days. Everything had been a lot simpler back then.

The text message was from Papyrus:
BROTHER, I KNOW YOU WILL NOT REMEMBER SO I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DECIDED TO SEND YOU A REMINDER.
YOU NEED TO CHECK THE CAMERAS. DUE TO THE FIGHT.

Oh! That was what he needed to do.

Sans clicked off of his current tab to go onto the recorded feed. Each day, and night, the cameras filmed and the next day they uploaded to his laptop for easier access. As he started to look through all of the camera feed, he managed to find the video he needed. He clicked onto it, using the mouse to speed it up slightly until it landed on the scene he needed. It played out: [Y/N] walked out of the front door and into the forest (why would she even go into the forest at this time of night?), and Red seemed to teleport behind her, trudging close by, without making a sound. Until he spoke with a tone he knew to be familiar. The very one he used in the Judgement Hall.

Sans' eyes widened slightly as Red attacked first; he could hear the gasps of pain and see the blood red soaking into the grass below. Or how [Y/N] only attacked to push him back, and Red managed to slice through her body anyway. So it was self defence. He scratched his cheek in contemplation, an annoyance on the tip of his tongue. He needed to give a punishment for Red, but what exactly would that be?

"vanilla, what ya lookin' at?"
Sans furrowed his brow slightly and he turned around in his chair to look at Red, his eyes lingering on the small crack in his head. Red was dressed in his usual jacket and shirt, with no lab coat. Looks like Edge "advised" him not to take part in their work. "nice crack."
Red scowled. "f*ck off, vanilla." He stepped towards one of the chairs in the corner and planted himself on it.
"looked through the feed, " Red grunted in acknowledgment. "and i don't like to say this, but, she was fighting in self defence, wasn't she?"
"..."
"red."
"fine, yeah, it was!"

"you need a suitable punishment, red."
"nothing too bad?"
"you get to cook and clean the entire house for a month."
"f*ck sake."

Blue stacked his papers neatly on his desk, sliding his finger against each page. He sighed and he stood with so much force his chair fell to the floor with a thud. He quickly changed into his officer uniform, wrapping his scarf around his neck, positioning his badge against his chest. He placed his phone in his pocket, opening the door and stepping through into the hallway, closing it behind him. He could see Mutt and Berry stepping from [Y/N]'s room and they did not seem to happy by the looks of it. They looked like when they first appeared here. Mutt seemed a little wary, his pinpricks tracing over everything, head turning to the slightest noise. Berry was no different but his eyes were narrowed in concentration.

Mutt turned to see Blue standing in the doorway; he asked, standing inches from his face, "hey blue. have you seen [N/N]?" Berry pulled him by his collar, ignoring his brother's whines.
"YES, I HAVE." They both perked up at that, Mutt especially who's sparkling eyes and purr from his throat made him resemble a puppy. Berry's own eyes widened, morphing into small hearts before immediately changing back to normal.
"BEFORE I TELL YOU WHERE SHE IS I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING..."
Berry crossed his arms against his chest. "GET ON WITH IT, BLUE."
Blue heard himself gulp. He would not say he was scared of Berry, whatsoever, since the pair tended to agree on some things, but...Berry's anger was something else to witness. It was downright terrifying. "WELL...[Y/N] WAS..."
"blue, get on with it." Even Mutt was getting a little annoyed and that was saying something. Mutt was the calmest skeleton in the house apart from his own brother. The pair even seemed closer than most.
"[Y/N] WAS ATTACKED LAST NIGHT." Should he tell them who did it? No, but they would surely find it out somehow. They always did. Mutt could hack into anything and Berry could intimidate anyone into admitting anything. "BY RED."

The pair reacted similarly to being told that [Y/N] had been injured; Mutt's eyes blared with magic and a snarl erupted from his throat. He soon disappeared in a cloud of jasmine-scented smoke, leaving the skeletons to share glances. Gritting his teeth, Berry was forcefully gripping his other arm whilst his eye blared with magic. "THANK YOU FOR TELLING US, BLUE." His magic was spiralling around the house at dangerous volumes and the scent was becoming intoxicating. The scent was blackberries. He teleported away, leaving Blue to stare where they last stood.

They were going to kill Red.

Blue shrugged and left for work. He didn't quite want to think about that right now. But did he even care?

He had a feeling this would not be the last time he would hear about it. And, he desperately needed to talk with Papyrus. When he got back, hopefully.

Chapter 9: 8

Chapter Text

The atmosphere within the lodge once Blue entered through the door was cold, unnerving. Silence was not always welcome. With silence was danger. With danger, was the child with brown hair, and that emotionless face. The dust staining their fingertips...the knife they held...the resets. He blew air from his nostrils into his palms, rubbing them together to feel something other than the worry in his soul. That was no longer his life, or, his brother's. Stretch had told him everything, how the orange-clad skeleton had to fight this child after seeing Blue die so many times. He could not imagine what he must have gone through, and he didn't ever want to again. All he deserved was happiness in his life and HOPE, not the fear of LV.

Except, when Stretch had thrown himself in front of Blue, the shorter skeleton had to take his place...He remembered having to fight the child, with his brother's signature hoodie wrapped around his figure as he fought for his life. The blood which would stain the halls as they fought, splattering across the pillars or even the ground beneath their feet was a familair scent. It greeted him whenever he shut his eyes to rest. How the crimson essence ran down his hands and trickled down, falling onto the stone below as he held the corpse of the child. Of Chara.

But now? They were all free. Free and happy on the surface. Their family, their friends, they were happy and had jobs. Alphys and Undyne- well, his Alphys and Undyne- had married not too long after arriving here and they were going to adopt a baby. He didn't have to worry about it. Not anymore. He still worried plenty about Stretch since his younger brother was a softie. Not in a bad way by no means! But he used humour to cope with his emotions and how self-conscious he was. He had a good heart and Blue was proud to call him his brother.

He placed his keys on the table nearest to the door, throwing off his boots, placing them neatly beside Stretch's. He looked at the watch on his wrist. 11:23pm. Well, he was out late. Too busy shuffling papers and dealing with too many people of the public. He liked his job but human beings could be terrible. There were so many complaints he had to write into the system and many drunken humans he had to arrest...Why couldn't he deal with arson or something else? These jobs all had seemed so mediocre in nature and he was hoping to have a job soon which suited him more.

He walked into the kitchen grabbing hold of his cup, retrieving the coffee from the cupboard and pouring a moderate amount inside. The brown powder covered up the inside of the cup as it landed, flicks of brown powder here and there. He used his magic to open the fridge and retrieve the milk, before also retrieving the sugar; he poured three teaspoons worth into the cup, his magic softly coating the kettle, pouring boiling water into it. Using a spoon, he mixed the contents anti-clockwise, pouring in a drop of milk. Quickly, he placed everything back in the right place; he mixed his coffee, sipping. He still had a pile of paperwork to complete from just today. He needed to study a few more criminals and write down their pasts into the system.

"blue." Blue froze, gulping and swallowing the entire cup of coffee in one swallow. It ran down his throat. Sans stood beside him dressed in his lab coat and a pair of glasses stuck to his skull by tape placed on either side. His pinpricks were focused on glaring a hole into Blue's skull as blue sweat trailed down.
"SANS."
"we need to talk. this is serious." Blue took another sip of his coffee, glaring his eyes through his other self, his eyes narrowing.
"WHAT IS IT?"

"red was attacked by mutt and berry. we all had to constrain them. did you tell them...?"
Blue scoffed and almost slammed down his cup, ignoring the cracks beginning to form. Sans heard himself gulp. "YES, I DID. BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T GO TO [Y/N] AND ASK HOW SHE WANTS RED TO BE PUNISHED. IT ISN'T MY FAULT IF THEY TOOK IT INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. YOUR PRIORITIES ARE TWISTED AND YET YOU STILL TREAT ME LIKE A CHILD... DID YOU EVEN GO TO SEE HOW SHE IS?" Blue's tone was softer, more defeated. He was truly having a stressful day and he could not deal with Sans right now especially if his alternative self refused to take responsibility. Sans looked away and was not able to respond. He curled his fist in his pockets. "STOP TAMPERING WITH THAT MACHINE, SANS. AND HOW DID YOU EVEN CONSTRAIN THEM? THEY ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU THINK."
Sans glared at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "crystals. you can't-"
"SO, YOU USED [Y/N]'S? AND YOU WON'T FIND HIM. AND IF YOU KEEP TAMPERING WITH IT YOU COULD FORCE ANOTHER AU TO COME HERE." Sans stared back at him in confusion. "I'M NOT STUPID, SANS. I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF YOUR MISCONDUCTS WITH THAT MACHINE AND DON'T USE THINGS WHICH DON'T BELONG TO YOU. OF COURSE, IF [Y/N] WAS WRATHFUL, HOW COULD WE BLAME HER?"

Blue's eyes flashed red for a moment in warning.

This is how Sans had realised he had underestimated Blue. He always had. His slightly shorter counterpart was smarter than he thought. The machine was the last thing of his father's, the very thing which destroyed him. So, of course he would want to continue working on it. No one appeared to care about the machine or wanted to help him. They just wanted to live happily where they were. Their families were here after all. Bur the machine was the only tie to his father and it...he couldn't just stop...was this an obsession? His fondness for science and the pure insanity of finding his father had driven him to dedicate his life on the surface as a scientist and a ghost of his former self. The machine each time he had tried to experiment had ended in many failures. It had let out mini explosions and all power had been lost from the house more frequently than he was wishing to admit. Yeah, Red had not been happy and was less than kind in his advice. By this point, no one tried to stop him, or help him. That was a strong indicator of his failures and that...he should stop. But he didn't want to.

A red glow suddenly flashed by the window in a single circle against the glass. Sans stepped back in alarm and Blue followed where he was staring and he even let out a noise in alarm. Whoever it was they let out a low, dark laugh. The figure held an axe up to the glass and knocked it against it, smearing a red liquid against the window as a white smirk spread across their face with malicious intent. Without a second thought, Sans ran outside with Blue close behind him. They both faced the figure, with fear in their eyes. The figure slowly turned to reveal themselves in the light. As they stepped, their axe trailed along the ground and emitted orange sparks. A taller figure seemed to be following them and was not seen until now. It was possible they had been hiding in the shadows. Were they afraid?

"h e l l o."They cackled darkly, their red eye focused on Sans. They revealed themselves completely; their clothes were covered in dried blood and dirt, whilst he had a massive hole in his skull, where a single, red eye blared. He looked exactly like Sans whilst the taller figure looked like Papyrus.

"oh...no."

Chapter 10: 9

Chapter Text

The two figures were definitely unlike anything they had seen in any other Au. Their appearances were ghastly and terrifying, and their eyes conveyed they were ready to kill at any moment. They were unsure how they might try to interact with them, and whether it would be a good idea to introduce them to anyone else, or whether they should invite them inside. What Sans was thinking about right know was keeping Bethany safe.

But that smile...if it was human...how could they explain that?

"s...a...n...s. thi...s is...pap...yrus." The other Sans studied Blue's reaction to see whether any disgust or portrayal of anything but neutrality was hidden within his eyes. There was not. Only intrigue. Blue outstretched his hand for him to take; the other Sans watched it for a moment before taking it, shook it with a lack of strength or care. There was still a malicious smile on his face and as their hands were connected, the other Sans wiped his blood-stained fingers against the bones of Blue’s hand. Blue’s face scrunched up slightly; he slowly let go of his hand and, whilst Sans wasn’t looking, he wiped his against Sans’ lab coat. This managed to get a laugh from the other Sans at least.

He outstretched his hand for the other Papyrus to take, who looked at it nervously, exchanging glances with his brother who simply nodded. The other Papyrus shook it swiftly. Blue grinned with a kind smile, his eyes sparkling. The door suddenly opened. Sans noticed Bethany standing a distance from the new brothers, pointing, gasping at the door.

Had she been there the entire time? And why? Sans carefully wrapped his arm around her waist, attempting to guide her back inside but she stayed, a snarl erupting from her lips which appeared to surprise the tired skeleton. The other brothers seemed to react differently to how aggressive she was being. The taller skeleton almost (albeit it very nervously) stepped back in fear, whilst his older brother let out a snarl, with his arm in front of him, protectively. Something else seemed to show against his expression: there was a murderous intent, as clear as day, whenever the other Sans stared at Bethany. There was definitely something to do with their Au involving humans and by this unusual Sans’ expression alone, it wasn’t pleasant.

"What vile, disgusting creatures! Get them away, Sans!"
"SHUT UP, BETHANY!" Blue snarled- his eyes flashing red in response- before turning to the pair with an apologetic smile. The other Sans seemed ready to throw his axe at her. The other Papyrus shrunk back behind his brother, his arm around his shoulder, his head nestled into his older brother's shoulder. Before Sans could respond to Blue's comment, they could hear voices in the doorway.

"everything ok outside? a bit of an odd time to be sparring, guys.” Stretch. His footsteps were followed by another, who was having a bit of difficulty walking. The door opened, revealing both the orange-clad skeleton and the mage they were afraid of. Sans' eyes widened a fraction; a growl erupted from his throat and his magic lightly caressed the air around them.
"stretch, what the hell are you doing?! why is she with you?!" Sans growled. Blue was about to interject until Stretch out up his hand; the newcomers were watching [Y/N] (she had smiled at them, and waved. They felt something against their souls for just a moment. They were already fond of this human. They felt themselves blush. Was it weird to already like this one human? Despite them eating and killing humans back in their Underground? Possibly.) and Bethany was about to shout until Sans placed his finger on her lips.

"i wouldn't leave her be when red isn't even contained in his room, whilst berry and mutt have been, like animals! none of us even create-oh. you f*cking stole from [Y/N]'s room and used her crystals, didn't you?" Sans stepped back in surprise. He gulped and blue drops of sweat began trailing down his skull. [Y/N] crystals possessed some of her own magical abilities; each one had a different property trapped within. The ones Sans had used to keep the Swapfell brothers trapped within was with [Y/N]'s barrier and nulling magic crystals. They were unable to teleport away or use any violent magic. That was also how they managed to constrain the pair in the first place. Crystals being used on monsters can cause excruciating pain and numbs some of the senses. To use them on two of the most (arguably) strongest monsters in the household, caused pains even the soul could feel; sometimes, the soul itself could be injured, even slightly.

[Y/N] glared at Sans from where she stood beside Stretch. Her eye markings began to swirl underneath her left eye and her pupil changed into a faint black. "You did..f*cking what?"Her magic rising placed Sans on edge; the newcomers were simply watching this interaction, wondering how this may end. Blue seemed rather amused as he crossed his arms against his chest, with a proud smile on his face. [Y/N] stepped towards Sans (Stretch "attempted" to grab her arm but shrugged when Sans glared in his direction.)

"You constrained them but not Red?! After what he tried to do?! I mean, I thought you had common sense but apparently not!" The other Sans snorted into his hand whilst Blue had to hide his laugh into his open palm and Stretch just let out a full on laugh. The other Papyrus was unsure how to react.
"You can't just-" Bethany froze at the mage's glare; it appealed to her, attempted to lick at her fears and feed on them, using them against her. Bethany stepped back; [Y/N] was staring through into her soul, studying her stats. Her stats...how? She could feel it. How open and disgusting she felt...was this how it felt forsomeone to know your sins?

Bethany
LV 7
HP 30/30

AT 15 EXP 1
DF 20

"How could you, someone who lied about me killing my brother, say anything, you fake bitch?!"
"I-"
"I am notdone."[Y/N] warned, inches from Sans' sweating skull. "Give me back my crystals, they do not belong to you." Sans reluctantly rustled through his lab coat's pocket, bringing out two light red crystals and two large light blue ones. He placed them in her open hand and she placed them in her hoodie pocket in the front. "Thanks to you, breaking the magic seals will not be simple. It will take a lot of my energy, and talking to you has already drained most of my energy." The other Sans began laughing again; [Y/N] failed to walk off as she tripped over and fell face first, soon followed by Blue and Stretch who were trying not to laugh as they helped her to stand. All three started to laugh. Blue and Stretch wrapped their arms around her as they went back inside.
"i...like...her." The other Sans spoke, and the other Papyrus could only nod in agreement. “...only...good...human.”

[Y/N] shook her head, with a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Thank you for mentioning it, but no. If I did, monster haters could further have a reason to pin onto Monsters onto why they shouldn't be up here. Their reasons are empty and stupid-"
"-uh, your cup is on fire."
"...Now it's extra warm."
Stretch gave her a teasing smile. "aw, did you lose control of your magic?"
"I will slap you."
"I WILL TURN AWAY, I AM NO WITNESS."
Stretch began to whine, "noooo broooo." All three of them began to laugh until they were interrupted by a shadow in the doorway. It was Papyrus. He was nervously playing with the hem of his sweater, barely glancing up from the floor.

"MY BROTHER WANTS YOU ALL TO BE THERE WHEN THEY NAME THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS IN THE LIVING ROOM. BLUE, COULD....I SPEAK WITH YOU?" His voice was a lot quieter than they were accustomed to. It was soft, worn. Every word he spoke was more like a question than a statement itself. He appeared unsure of his self. When [Y/N] had first moved in, Papyrus was the voice of positivity and even despite the lies Bethany attempted to spin about [Y/N], he was there as a friend and seemed to truly care about the young mage. Slowly, he began to distance himself and barely spoke with her. Bethany was written all over it, and possibly even Sans was a little to blame.

"OF COURSE, PAPYRUS. TELL THEM WE WON'T BE LONG." Stretch nodded and began guiding [Y/N] towards the living room, where Sans, Edge, Bethany and Red were positioned in front of the newcomers. The newcomers appeared to be both shivering and snarling at Bethany, who was hiding behind Edge. Red seemed a little worse for wear; he had new cracks along his skull, one major running from down his eye to the bottom of his cheek, and several more scratches and other cracks, and by how he moved one of his arms that was surely damaged as well. Sans looked to Stretch- eyes narrowing at the sight of [Y/N]- and asked, "where is blue and my bro?"

"blue is cleaning up and i think pap is helping. we might as well start." Stretch stepped with [Y/N] alongside him, placing her the furthest from the skeletons, as Stretch himself was nearest to Edge and Bethany. From across the room, Red was burning his eyes through [Y/N], his magic slowly rising until Edge told him to stop. He obeyed but he snarled in response, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Sans began, copying his other version by stuffing his hands in his lab pockets, "anyone want to begin with suggestions?" [Y/N] furrowed her brow in confusion. They could justaskthem instead of ignoring they were there completely. The other Sans and Papyrus seemed unhappy by the suggestion someone else would chose their names for them.

"Why not ask them?" [Y/N] asked, ignoring the glares from Bethany and co. "They are here." She sent a smile in their direction and the other Sans smiled slightly, whilst the other Papyrus gave a full grin with his teeth and all. Bethany gave a look of disgust; Edge did not seem too bothered by the pair, Sans flinched slightly and Red scowled.
"Tell him to stop smiling! It's disgusting! Have you seen his crooked teeth?!" Bethany screeched. Before the other Sans could throw his axe at Bethany (and Edge), the other Papyrus began to whimper as [Y/N]'s magic began to rise; when it encircled them both (since she had stepped calmly from Stretch's touch, and was now beside the newcomers), the magic itself and its scent began to calm them both.

The other Sans slowly placed down his axe, his only eye widening at [Y/N]'s now pitch black eyes. [Y/N] softly stroked the other Papyrus' cheek to everyone's surprise (and slight disgust); he nuzzled into her touch, a soft purring erupting from his throat. [Y/N] let out a giggle. The other Sans watched them with fondness. "Don't listen to her, sweetheart. You have a handsome smile." [Y/N] suddenly turned to Bethany, her magic changing to one of anger and resentment as she did so. "And, shut the f*ck up Bethany." Bethany held her chest in confusion and her words spluttered. Stretch snorted into his hand, Red wars growling under his breath, the other Papyrus was still purring at [Y/N]'s gentle touch, theother Sans erupted into fits of laughter and Sans froze.

"you can't say that to Bethany-" Sans tried, silenced by her glare once again.
[Y/N] turned to the newcomers. "What would you like to be called?"
"s...a...ns." Sans? Was that a common name or something? Then again, she lived in a house where the skeletons looked a little similar, but were completely different at the same time.This was definitely some science type of sh*t she was not in the mood to deal with right now.
"PAPYRUS."
Sans sighed. "you can't. you need a different name."
"How about Crooks for the taller one?" Bethany asked, causing the other Sans to snarl and Red to laugh.
"suits 'im."

In a blink, [Y/N] softly placed her hand on the other Sans' axe, and places it down and she glares in Red's direction who's skull is now drenched in red sweat, "Should I call you Crack? To suit the new crack along your skull?" Everyone froze, before reacting in different ways. Edge had to hide his smile in his hand, Bethany gaped, Red was unable to respond as his eyes disappeared into the back of his skull, Sans frowned and Stretch began laughing again, making his way over to the mage and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to his body. He murmured, so no one else could hear, "i am so attracted to you right now." [Y/N]'s cheeks burned, and she winked in his direction, giggling at his fond look and blush forming.

[Y/N] began, "How about, we call this shorter skelly Mars? And the taller one Cinnamon?" Both brothers squished them into a hug, nuzzling their cheeks into her neck and hummed in agreement. No one would have thought these were the skeletons standing outside their house, creepily. Stretch reached for his phone in his pocket, quickly snapped several photos and laughed slightly at the affection the pair were inflicting on the mage who was giggling with amusem*nt.

They all decided to do their own thing since the nicknames were already decided. The Horror bros wandered back into the forest, possibly back home. [Y/N] hopes she could see them again. They were very interesting.

Chapter 11: 10

Chapter Text

Magic softly transferred throughout the household; its scent was chocolate and cinnamon which typically calmed down anyone unless there was anger stirring beneath, then the scent may shift slightly. The barrier over Mutt's and Berry's doors was a light purple, and it encased mostly the door and a little of the hallway itself. The black-tinted magic in question coated Mutt's door, sliding along it until the entire door was covered in her magic. It was silent on the other side, no noise, absolutely no sound could be heard.

The trick to [Y/N] crystals was they could react unnaturally if used on someone with an immense amount of magic. Since Monsters were made of magic and dust, it tended to affect them the most which is why [Y/N] hid them in her vault. For stronger monsters, the consequences could be worse. How did Sans manage to get into her vault and steal the crystals? It wasn't as if she kept her passwords in easy to access places.

But...Was there a point of thinking about that right now? To break this magic barrier was far more important.

Something she had found out recently was that Stretch had gone off to write a CV in order to apply for the bee keeper position. Truly, she hoped he ended up getting the job by twisting a few buttons. She knew someone, a childhood friend of hers, who owned a bee farm. After she dealt with this magic, she would definitely get in touch.

The news had announced the sudden portal appearing the west of the lodge, nearest to one of the major Monster cities. The residents from Horrortale were being taken care of, at the moment by the monsters who inhabited the city, and the humans had contributed by sending over food for the newcomers. At least Cinnamon and Mars were not alone, and had been teleported to the woods, where their house was kept.

[Y/N] raised her palm to face the door and markings curled below her eye, across her cheeks and a diamond glowed on her forehead, twig-like antlers sprouting from her head; her palm encircled with black magic and the diamond, and the antlers glowed for a moment. The magic on her palm glowed before it soon crackled away and the purple barrier slowly melted away, leaving only a small jewel. She picked it up and placed it in her pocket.

Many monsters targeted Berry as he was Head of the Royal Guard but since he was far too strong for them, they targeted his brother. Mutt ended up wearing the collar to signify his position alongside the other canine units. His position was to merely bring the humans to Berry and he had to take the human souls from human children. He was plagued by the memories of the souls he had taken to their Queen. Their blood was on his hands. [Y/N] had been understanding; all she treat them with was gentleness and affection, soothing their doubts trapped within. She truly cared about them and they could not imagine their lives without her.

[Y/N] huffed, "That is no way to speak with your saviour-" The door suddenly opened and before [Y/N] could say anything, Mutt grasped her tightly, clinging to her so desperately he nuzzled into her chest, falling slowly to the floor. She remained standing as his arms desperately clung to her waist, his head nuzzled into her stomach. She could see the light purple tears slowly fall down his skull, staining his cheeks in remnants of woe and desperation. A sniffle and a gasp erupted from his throat and he wiped his face into her hoodie. Her hoodie was now covered in light purple tears, stains of purple clear against the white.

They began walking towards Berry's door which was not too far away from Mutt's. Probably to make sure he was awake in the morning.
"it feels...weird."

"Blame the 'vanilla prick', he used a few of my crystals. He is such a bitch." Mutt snorted. They stood in front of Berry's door where a barrier, light purple in shade, covered the entire door alongside a little bit of the hallway. [Y/N] pushed Mutt back a little and she threw out her palm in the barrier's direction, her hand glowing for just a moment until the barrier melted away, leaving only a jewel behind. She picked it up, placing it within her pocket. Mutt furrowed his brow and pointed to her pocket.
"These can be used to break the spell nulling your magic." He nodded, a small smirk making its way across his face.

"you are quite smart, kinda se-" Before he could finish his sentence, the door opened to reveal Berry; his scarf was around his neck, dressed in his guard uniform and his boots, a snarl across his skull and his scarred eye was a narrow, red light.
"YOU ABSOULTE BASTARD, YOU DARE TOY WITH ME YOU INSIGNIFICANT-Oh. [Y/N], It Is Great To See You." Mutt rolled his eyes in amusem*nt. The sudden change of tone was so obvious [Y/N] couldn’t help but snort. Berry leaned against the wall on one of his arms, pretending as though nothing just happened.

[Y/N] outstretched her arms giving a grabby motion. "Just give me a hug, Berry. You know you want to-" Before she could even register it, Berry picked her up bridle style, wrapping his arms around her waist and legs, bringing her closer to his chest. He placed several skelly kisses along her face and her neck before nuzzling his face into her neck himself.
"YOU ARE NEVER LEAVING OUR SIDE EVER AGAIN. I MEAN IT, MAGE."
"Ok."
"AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT-Wait. Did You Just Agree?" Berry squinted his eyes at her in confusion, but she responded with a smile and a quick kiss to his cheek and immediately, his entire skull was purple. Mutt grinned.

Mutt was about to tease his brother until they all heard an argument downstairs.

"AT LEAST GET A PERSONALITY, INSTEAD OF TAKING OFF SOMEONE FROM THE PLASTICS!" Blue.
"That is so mean-" Bethany.
"i thought you didn't watch The Mean Girls, bro." Stretch.
"...I WATCHED BOTH." All they could hear was a comedic cry coming from the younger brother but Bethany aggressively sighed and they presumed she walked off. The three exchanged looks and shrugged their shoulders.

"Uhhh, want to go on our date, Berry?"
"D-DATE?" [Y/N] smirked in response and high-fived Mutt, who wandered back towards [Y/N]'s room, probably to smell her scent and fall asleep there.
"Yes, didn't think I forgot, did you? To the zoo!" Berry blushed darkly upon remembering. "If you don't-"
"NO! NO! I DO, JUST...I NEED TO GET CHANGED."
"So do I. But you look attractive in your uniform-I mean..." Berry smirked, placed a kiss against her cheek then placed her on the floor.
"TRY NOT TO TAKE TOO LONG, DEAR." For some reason, his tone of voice made her blush. Damn these attractive skeletons.

Mother
[Y/N]. Your appearance at the gala is required.
All of our family will be there. We have sent appropriate
attire. We have already
decided who your date will be.
It is Alex Smith.

"you are going to kill me, darlin'. You look gorgeous."
"Thank you, Mutt." [Y/N] grabbed hold of her purse, sliding it inside her bag before doing so with her phone. She bows at Mutt, walking out the door, closing it, and headed towards Berry's door. She was about to knock until a cough stopped her from doing so; she turned to face them, eyes widening at Berry dressed in a purple, buttoned-up shirt, a pair of trousers and black boots. He, surprisingly, was not wearing his scarf. His own eyes morphed into hearts as they studied each other's outfits.

"YOU LOOK...BEAUTIFUL." [Y/N] was about to smile and compliment what Berry wore, until her phone pinged in her bag. She quickly retrieved it, a scowl stretching across her lips in response.

???
This is Alex. But of course you remember me.

Chapter 12: 11

Chapter Text

"[Y/N], ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Berry asked, stepping towards her with a newfound curiosity and worry. Her gaze was filled with such hatred it even surprised him. Alex had never been a familiar aspect of her past she liked one bit. Alex, to put it simply, was a bastard. Alex had a silver spoon in his mouth since he was young; he was brought up on wealth and power and [Y/N] had been the same. She was brought up on wealth, power and also by the power of her name. The fact the [L/N] family were mages made their position within society even more corrupt. Alex, at the beginning of their 'friendship', was soon decided to be [Y/N]'s fiancé by her mother and father due to their similar upbringings. Never had Alex worked a day in his life, using his family's money to spend on a life of luxury, whilst whenever the pair had a 'date' he forced her to pay, despite her being barely able to afford such necessities.

He was misogynistic, sexist and racist. He only wanted [Y/N] for her mage blood, not for her personality: he had constantly degraded and ridiculed her, pointing out her 'flaws', calling her fat and ugly and making sure she barely ate. He wanted to try to control how she looked, how her figure was and how she dressed, or acted when around him. When the idea of university came to mind, it was her salvation and her way to start anew. And she loved university (not having to move in Bethany, however.) But...she was beginning to forebode the idea of the gala. And Alex. She had explained to Mutt and Berry who he was, and how terrible of a human being he had been each moment they spent together. They became a little more protective after she told them.

"Yes, I'm fine, " she smiled and placed her phone back in her bag. "Just thinking, I nearly forgot to break the spell nulling your magic." [Y/N] retrieved the crystals from earlier by simply clicking her fingers. There was a sudden flash for a second and they fell onto her palm. The smoothness felt cold against her skin. The wisps of magic trailed along her nerves, sending small shocks through her system. She muttered a few words in a mixture of Latin and old English (mage dialect), and traced along the crystals with her other hand, fingers covered in black magic; the crystals themselves began to float for just a moment, flashing once, twice, and exploded, scattering fragments of crystal. Berry was about to fall until [Y/N] caught him by his arm, sliding her own through his and kept him upright. "I forgot to mention how handsome you look."

"NOT AS GREAT AS MY UNIFORM, I BET." He smirked, with a new found teasing glimmer. [Y/N] stuck out her tongue and puffed out her cheeks. Berry opened the door, bowed to the mage, and allowed her to go through first. "PERHAPS YOU COULD SEE ME WITHOUT IT SOME TIME." He winked to add more of an effect. He stepped behind [Y/N], closed the door and locked it behind him with a quick click to the side.
[Y/N] blushed, placing her hands on either side of her face. Her face felt so warm to touch. "Berry!"

Berry asked, his tone becoming more nervous as he spoke, "Sorry, That Was Inappropriate. I Understand If You No Longer Want To Go On This Date With Me. That Was Far Too-" She sighed, sliding her arm through his arm and pressed a kiss against his temple. "Sweetie, I am not angry or anything, in fact I don't mind that you are flirting, it's what people do on dates. Don't be so nervous. This is supposed to be fun, after all. Relax, and enjoy yourself."
He blushed and nodded. "YOU MIGHT WANT TO HOLD ON TIGHTLY, DEAR." She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest and Berry tightened his arm around her waist, bringing her somewhat closer to his body. She closed her eyes and the weight beneath their feet seemed to disappear completely. Their movement seemed never-ending, almost pulling them in each direction until it suddenly stopped.

"YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES NOW." She obeyed, blinking them several times to adjust to the light. It wasn't as bad as it usually was. By this point, she would be puking up any food she had in the single day. They were at the zoo, where monster and humans could be spotted walking amongst each other, chatting and observing the wildlife kept in safe inhabitants for everyone to observe. It was not uncommon to see monsters and humans alike in the same place, or being friends. But, not many (as far as everyone was concerned) did many humans have a monster partner, or partners. It was not rare for human and monster relationships by any means, but they were not common to come across. It made [Y/N] and Berry feel slightly strange. The zoo sign itself was worn and near enough to falling off or crumbling completely: the red letters were almost a different shade, and the 'Z' was hanging off. The different inhabitants were spread out (having different areas) for each type. They were about to go through, under the sign, and Berry scratched the back of his neck. "WHAT DO YOU DESIRE TO SEE FIRST?"

"How about you pick?" [Y/N] grabbed a leaflet from the entrance, payed for them both (despite Berry's complaints), and made her way along the pavement, spreading out the leaflet in question. Berry rested his chin on her shoulder, his eyes trailing along the leaflet and the many animals enclosed inside. He rubbed his chin, concentrating on the carnivores listed to be at their establishment, scanning the sheet of paper until he suddenly pointed to the Sun Bear. "WHAT IS THAT?"
"A Sun Bear. Also known as Honey Bears, " [Y/N] began to read through the leaflet. Berry slid his arm through hers to make sure she did not knock into anyone whilst she was reading the information enclosed. In a way, they reminded her of Berry. "Said to be the smallest of the bear species. They have one or two cubs who tend to be born blind and hairless." He hummed in acknowledgment, taking in the information. He was both enjoying the explanation itself, and these dangerous (but cute) animals. But, the thing he enjoyed the most was spending time with [Y/N].

"THEY ARE QUITE SMALL. ARE THEY WEAK?"
"Nope," she popped the 'p'. Berry wrapped his other arm around her waist to intertwine her through the crowd and dodge anyone; he could see their stares (judgemental, surprise, anger or joy) and decided to ignore them. This would not ruin his date with [Y/N]. "They can- holy sh*t- tear open trees. Oh, and they have the longest tongues."
He furrowed his eyebrow before he huffed. "HOW DISGUSTING TO PUT IT IN A LEAFLET WHERE ANYONE CAN READ IT."
[Y/N] snorted. "A little dirty-minded of you, Berry."
He whispered near to her ear, blowing warm breath into her neck, "Imagine What I Can Do With Mine." Her breath hitched; her cheeks flushed with colour and she was unable to reply. He pressed a quick kiss to her neck before leading her towards the Honey Bear exhibit. A single Honey Bear laid down in the sun, bathing in the natural sun; the sun softly coated its jet black fur, lightly caressing the yellow horseshoe shape upon the centre of its chest. [Y/N] had finally recovered long enough to watch the bear with fondness and a glimmer to her eyes. They stared and talked about the bear for around ten minutes until [Y/N] said something which surprised Berry slightly by how abrupt and sudden it seemed to him.

"So cute, reminds me of you in a way."
Berry looked to her in confusion.
"They are cute, the smallest bear of the bear species, and are powerful, " she softly spoke, grasping the collar of his shirt (not aggressively) and brought him closer so he was inches from her lips. Berry's cheeks blushed darkly and his eyes morphed into hearts. He was unsure what to do except watch her with a fond look. "And, you have a aura to you which transfixes me. You are so sweet, gentle, but also incredibly stern because you care about me so much. If it weren't for you and your brother, I would be completely alone." Slowly, she pressed a quick kiss to his teeth and broke it soon after. It was sweet, but incredibly short. Her cheeks flushed with colour and her eyes had brightened significantly each time she looked at him. Berry's entire skull was a dark purple shade, his love-heart shaped eyes had increased in size, and his hand softly pressed upon the place she had kissed him. She laughed softly at his reaction.

"Which animal would you like to see next?"
He quickly recovered and said, "HOW ABOUT YOU PICK THE NEXT ANIMAL?"
"Hm, maybe the lions?" With a soft smile, she began to lead him towards the lion exhibit, passing the crowd (some were from the Honey Bear exhibit and had seen their kiss. Some hoped to dodge them as much as possible, others were just wanting to get along with their lives and a few others were following them to make sure they didn't do anything.) The lions were quite fun to watch and the cubs were even cuter. The mage swore she saw Berry staring at her when she was looking at the cubs in question. After finding out female lions were the primary hunters of the group, Berry would not stop calling her 'his lioness'. After the excitement of watching animals sleep, they had managed to reach the gift and cafe area. [Y/N]'s stomach began to rumble exhibiting sounds like a whale's mating call, she grumbled in annoyance, softly hitting her fist against her stomach.
"I WILL BE A MOMENT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO EAT?"
"I'm fine-"

He scowled, giving a look which read 'do not test me'. "YOU HAVE NOT EATEN ALL DAY, YOU IDIOT. YOU NEED A BALANCED MEAL WITH ENOUGH NUTRIENTS."
[Y/N] smiled. She was not going to win this battle. He knew her too much than she was willing to admit. He knew she had not had much all day (just a cup of a hot beverage and a biscuit or two) but nothing major to help with a balanced diet. Did she depend on him too much to feed her?
"I WOULD RATHER YOU DEPEND ON ME TO FEED YOU, THEN TO NOT EAT AT ALL." He smirked.
"...I said that out loud, didn't I?" She hid her face in her hands in embarrassment.
"YES, " He patted her head, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I WILL NOT BE LONG." He left, leaving [Y/N] to sit at one of the tables in the far corner of the establishment. She rested her head against the table.

"[Y/N] [L/N]." She looked up to see Alex in all of his glory; brown locks above his shoulders, emerald green eyes, a punch able smirk, and he was dressed in a blue suit, with a green tie. [Y/N]'s eyes narrowed in annoyance and anger. The day surely couldn't get any worse.

Chapter 13: 12

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: 13

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: 14

Chapter Text

The very next day, Monday, it was later in the evening after [Y/N] had been to work and university (which was entirely tiring in itself.) The mage had various assignments to do- such as writing poetry, a short story, an essay or several, along with pictures she needed to make sketches of- so she was fairly busy with work from university and working at Muffet's bakery. Muffet was like a mother figure to the young mage, and it was a delight to make drinks and sweets for her, but it was draining to talk to people.

Even worse when she considered her family, and (ew) Alex, thinking about the gala and just the life up to this point stressed her out completely. She was in no mood to deal with anyone right now. The keys twirled around her finger aggressively, twirling around the air. She slipped them into the lock, turning it to the right, then opened it with her other hand. She entered through the door (her aura being anything but welcoming) and threw off her boots a little too aggressively at the wall with a silent curse.

"OH! WELCOME BACK, [Y/N]- Oh, Are You Ok?" Blue beamed, eyes narrowing with worry. He was wearing a pink apron with the words '#1 Skeleton', written in thin, red paint and he was also wearing oven gloves. Blue was radiating more positive energy than usual- oh. Oh, he didn't have to work today, and had no other assignments. No wonder he was happy. His positivity within this household was a welcoming change. Now that she thought about it, she had not seen Bethany for a while. That...was for the best. But also…why was she gone? Where did she go?

[Y/N] managed a small smile, sliding her bag off of her back, "I'm...just a little stressed. I have a lot of work to do, I just got back from working at Muffet's...and I am stressed about my family." Blue looked her up and down to look at her outfit: a purple waistcoat with a black bow tie with a spider sewn onto the breast pocket, a white shirt underneath, trousers and a pair of formal shoes.

"WELL, I AM SURE WE CAN HELP YOU WITH STRESS." He gently took her by her arm and led her through to the kitchen; he slid the chair from underneath the table for her to take, pushing it a little under the table once she sat down. Her phone pinged in her pocket as she watched Blue and Papyrus- wait, Papyrus? Papyrus was holding a knife between his fingers, feeling the weight in his hands, before slipping another, smaller knife from the knife block.

The knife rested on top of his palm as he rose it slightly. The weight was perfect; with a gratified hum, he placed the other knife back into the block; the knife secured itself in his grip and he began placing vegetables onto the chopping board, slicing the bell peppers into strips before placing his other palm on top of the knife, and forcefully cut them into smaller pieces.

"HAVE YOU EATEN TODAY, [Y/N]?" This question, from Papyrus no doubt, surprised her even more. He must have sensed her confusion since he turned around with an almost guilty smile across his skull. "SORRY, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SURPRISING..." He took hold of his sweater with his free hand and began to twirl the fabric between his fingers. She gave a little smile to attempt to calm his guilt, but it was clear he was unsure whether he deserved it. He refused to look her in the eyes, twirling the fabric around his finger.

Blue patted him on the shoulder. "HE HAS BEEN TALKING WITH ME. HE WISHES TO BE YOUR FRIEND, AGAIN. AND HE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE."
"I...WANTED TO SAY I AM VERY SORRY FOR MY BEHAVIOUR, AND I WISH TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FORGIVE ME. FOR NOW, I WISH TO COOK YOU SOMETHING, WITH MY SOUS CHEF OF COURSE!" Papyrus and Blue both puffed out their chests in pride. [Y/N] laughed slightly and her harmonious laughter caused an orange blush to appear across Papyrus' cheeks and a light blue blush across Blue's.

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING. [Y/N]? WE ARE HERE FOR YOU." Blue started, perfectly slicing the tomatoes into equally sized pieces. Stretch entered the kitchen, quirking his eyebrow in slight confusion seeing Papyrus and Blue cooking together. With a slight shrug to no one in particular, he sat down beside [Y/N], a lollipop resting between his teeth. Stretch moved his seat closer to [Y/N] and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Blue not letting you smoke?" She teased. Stretch groaned.
"YES, I WILL NOT. SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU!" Blue placed his hands on his hips, pointing the knife at Stretch. Stretch waved his hand in the air as though this was a normal occurrence. It definitely gave him a few flashbacks, but he shrugged them off.

"we don't have lungs, bro."
"We humans do. Smoking is bad for us since we have lungs and it affects other organs too." [Y/N] spoke and froze once Stretch grabbed her by her shoulders and pressed his cheek against hers. Her face began to flush from how close he was.

"it...would it kill you?" His tone was entirely laced with concern. His bone against her own cheek was somehow warm and comfortable. How was his bone so comfortable and soft? It made no sense. He was a skeleton. Must it had been to do with the fact they were all magic? Must be. Whatever it was due to, he was quite comfortable and warm. She could feel herself falling asleep into his arms if she wasn’t careful…

She cupped his cheeks with both of hands, and began tostretch them and squish them. His cheeks began to flush with colour. His eyes caught hers. "We can die from smoking but I don't smoke, so I'm fine." Stretch huffed, squishing [Y/N]'s own cheeks. She blushed.
"how are humans so squishy?"
"Skin. Why are skeletons so squishy?”
”magic.”

Both Papyrus and Blue deadpanned at the scene.

"Oh! Before I forget." [Y/N] grabbed her phone from her pocket and slid upwards, scrolling down a list of names. Her finger hovered over their name for a moment. Would they even answer? It had been years since they had spoken and [Y/N] was going to be asking for a massive favour. She had might as well try.

Stretch leaned on her shoulder as she pressed the 'Call' button, and placed it against her ear. The ring took a little bit to pick up, until they answered.
"Hello? [Y/N]? It's been a while! How are you doing?"
"Hello, Christine! I'm doing fine, in uni at the moment, doing Creative Writing and Art. How are you?"
"You know, the bee farm has been quitebuzzing."
"Sounds quite sweet.I actually wanted to call for a favour. I know it's out of the blue and I am sorry about that-"

"-hey! You helped me through college and with my business, I would be happy to do anything for you." Stretch was leaning closer to [Y/N], his chin almost resting on her shoulder. She gently pushed his face away only for him to duck his head underneath; he nuzzled his face into her side, arms beginning to wrap around her waist. She playfully scowled but she didn't do anything, for now. He was too warm anyway. He had a little smirk across his face as though he had done something.

"Is there a position for a bee keeper job? Heard it has decent pay as well." She felt Stretch freeze against her. Blue had also stopped what he was doing to listen in to their conversation whilst Papyrus was happy to continue cooking his stew.

This was the first time in a while he had even cooked; it felt natural to him and it had always calmed him down whenever someone had a serious arguments or even when he had those arguments with Sans. On the machine itself and how dangerous it was, his mistreatment of [Y/N] and also treating him like a child. Right now, he was in his own mind, calming cooking and preparing the ingredients how he wanted them to be perfected.

His older brother had began an argument once when Papyrus had some alcohol, and sought to hang out at the bar with his other counterparts. He was an adult. Sans needed to remember that. Not that the pair even really spoke much anymore and he didn't know what may have been the root cause. He...needed to talk with Sans. Finding Gaster, or their father, may end in failure again. Or strain the natural order. Maybe, just maybe, Gaster did not want to be found, just yet.

"Yeah, there is. Thinking of asking for it?" There was a tease to their tone.
"Not for me, no. For one of my skeleton buds. His name is Stretch, and loves bees. He also has a CV...if you want me to send you it?"
"Haha, no don't worry about it. He has the job, just need to send him some information. As long as he won’t eat the bees or something. You still live at that lodge, don't you?"
"Eh…I don’t think he would eat the bees. Yep." Stretch had to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing, whilst Blue looked to them both in amusem*nt.

"Cool, I can't wait to see him in a few weeks time for his job, then. And, call me more, not to ask for favours, you meanie."
"I know, I know! I'm sorryyy. I could babysit your kids as an apology??"
"...Fine, apology accepted. I will message you if that's ok, when you could babysit them?"
"Yes, that is fine, amigo."

"Bye bye, message me more."
"I will, Chris!" With that, [Y/N] ended the call. "Looks like you are a Beekeeper, Queen Bee. How do you f-feel...?" When she turned around to face Stretch, her eyes widened in surprise. Stretch's eyes were morphed into orange hearts full of orange-tinted tears threatening to stain his skull. A single tear managed to escape from his eyes and drip down his skull until he wiped away the tear with his sleeve.

He outstretched his arms and made grabby hands; [Y/N] laughed softly, outstretching her own to bring him into her chest; she softly stroked his skull as he nuzzled his face into her warm embrace, his tears staining his shirt in tears.
"t-thank you, honey. but...how would I get the information?"
"She uses her pet birds to deliver mail, it's faster that way. You will most likelybeegetting the information tomorrow." She soothed, patting his skull.

Blue stepped over to the pair, softly stroking his brother's back. "THANK YOU SO MUCH, [Y/N]. YOU ARE A VERY KIND PERSON. I AM SURPRISED NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ALREADY. AND, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE WHAT IS TROUBLING YOU? WE COULD HELP, IF YOU WISH."
"Yes, I...think I will."

Chapter 16: 15

Chapter Text

By [Y/N]'s approval, Blue and Papyrus retrieved the Horror brothers along with Mutt and Berry; [Y/N] sat in the middle of Mutt and Berry on the other side of the table, whilst Cinnamon sat beside Mars and Stretch, then Blue, and finally, Papyrus. She fiddled with her fingers under the table, nipping at the skin on either side of her nails as she thought about what she was going to share.

This was going to be hard. The young mage had never admitted this to anyone. She had these thoughts, these secrets locked away for years. And now, she would not be the only one to know.

Everyone had their eyes scanning her for an ounce of emotion to portray her more compelling demons. The mage had never explained in much detail about the tests in attempting to strengthen her soul, so this would be new. One way their magic would be challenged, is by their magic being torn at, as they tore off chunks of her soul...to reform it into something new. Even the tests to 'help' with her magic in perfecting all possible magic could be lethal and took so much energy to not die. There was a thin line between life and death. Never in her years of living on this planet had she explained how terrible her parents were, and had been to their own children.

As powerful as she may be, magic was not something [Y/N] liked. With magic came the death of many unsuspecting souls. Those who became so corrupt their souls shattered at the click of a finger. Magic ran through her veins. Trained to kill. To trap. To use their souls, their bodies, as puppets. That is what her magic was expected to develop into. It was a way to kill the very Monsters trapped Underground, who were now free from their prison. She was supposed to be an assassin. An expected killer. But she would not do that. Not as far as she was concerned.

"Right, what I am about to tell you has never been told to anyone, not even Berry, or Mutt." The brothers mentioned both patted her shoulder. "This is only to be heard by you guys. Please, do not tell anyone, am I clear?" They all nodded. Her eyes had flashed black for a moment (the more scolding tone lacing [Y/N]'s voice seemed to cause Blue's face to flush, implying he enjoyed such a thing.) Black magic softly caressed her fingertips in a warm glow; tracing over the shape of a heart, or a soul as it was known by monsters and mages alike. Everyone's eyes widened at the floating 'soul' with a black outline causing all of them to blush.

"This is merely an illusion, so don't worry it isn't my real soul. I...I can't bring that out of my chest anymore anyway."
Mars squinted his eye and tilted it to the side, his eye widening with his finger underneath his chin, appearing much like a puppy. "why....? but...you...are...a...mage?"
"Yes, I am. But, due to...things, which I will explain, I can't bring it out anymore. And souls are intimate, silly." [Y/N] stuck out her tongue.

Mars cheekily winked, his cheeks flushed. "might...as...well...try."
"Who would have known I would have to deal with such a flirty skelly?"
"i could up my game if you want, " Stretch teased.
"No, I already have these two doing that," she whined, pointing to Mutt and Berry. "But, you are welcome to try." Mutt shook his head in disagreement with a hint of a smile and Berry simply scoffed and crossed his arms against his chest. The short tyrant would not regard himself as just "flirty", but also as a skeleton who wished to be [Y/N]'s mate. Flirting would be a simple statement to describe how enamoured he was by the mage.

[Y/N] ignored everyone else's expressions as she traced an illusion in the air. Her finger burned pitch-black as she etched it into the air in a semi-circle motion twice, with two sharp lines to finish it off. With both of her hands coated with magic, she turned the illusion upside down. It was a monster soul, or how one was seen. [Y/N] knew they looked like this due to the books she was given to study from.

"I, as you know, was born into a family of mages. Magic is literally in our veins whether we like it or not. From a young age, I was taught about different kinds of magic."
Mars asked, "...why?"
"To be able to cover all weaknesses of Monsters. It was not just magic we were taught to conjure, but weapons as well. Forced to learns all forms of weapon types. Magic was difficult. My siblings had more of a hard time with such magic. When weakness was shown in my family...you were shown as an example." The room immediately turned as cold as her tone. Everyone was reluctant to speak. "Your soul could be torn, ripped, anything. But, one of the worst punishments was when they stood you in front of your family and forced you to fight for your life and prove your worth. Even if you were a child. Either your parent, your friend, anyone."
"...more...like...a...fight...to...the...death?" Mars wondered, quietly.

[Y/N] nodded. "Bethany, since she was a close friend, knew what my family was like. She was liked by them. For example, this might be a surprise but Bethany used to be able to use magic, as she is, or was, a mage." Everyone looked at her immediately and their eyes widened. Papyrus' mouth was agape, Blue's eyes narrowed, Mutt furrowed his eyebrows, Berry huffed to himself, Stretch narrowed his eyes and Cinnamon and Mars appeared indifferent. They had not known Bethany for long so they were not affected by it. Everyone else was confused by such a thing: she had never told them she used to be able to use magic. Bethany had her secrets it appeared.
"used to be? what...how?"

"She lost the ability to use magic a long time ago. In fact, it was exactly the night after she had to fight my younger brother she lost the ability to use magic. Since she could no longer use magic, she completely changed. She never told me how she lost that part of herself. Her magic and the legacy behind it... For that, she blamed my brother."
To everyone's surprise, Cinnamon spoke up, "Why did she blame your brother?"

"...She had to fight him, after he was unable to learn a specific magic. So, they fought. Instead of showing mercy like she was expected, " the illusion of the upright heart extinguished at her gaze. "She k i l l e d him."
The air around them seemed to shift once more. It dampened, trailing across the air as cold as vapour. This caused everyone to react differently: Papyrus couldn't think of his mate as a killer. The very thought sent shivers down his spine. Warm, cold sweat trailed down his bones. His eyes trailed down to his hands, which were shaking. The ex-mates of Bethany were just as shocked, and were shaking, eyes widening at such a morbid thought.

Mars scratched the inside of his skull with one of his fingers, air blowing from his nostrils. "she...has...the...aura. if...I...had...known...I...would...have...killed...her."
Cinnamon spoke softly, the pain resonating in his voice, "Sans-Mars, don't. We no longer..." Before anyone could ask them what they meant, [Y/N] spoke once again, feeling numb at the next sentence. "He was four. From a young age, I had to look after him since he was a baby. I attempted to stop it from happening but I couldn't. The adults pinned me down, refrained me from moving, and they didn't even care when his life was taken. My punishment was..." Black magic spiralled all over her hands on spirals of blue flame and black ink. She forcefully closed her hands; the ink and the flames dripped between her hands and stained the ground. The ink and flames created, separately, a mage and a monster soul. "They merged my soul with that of a monster." The skeletons watched in horror as the two slammed together, creating an abomination of a soul: the soul bled from the pressure of the two forced together. It forced boundaries no one would ever go beyond.

Except her family. They had experimented with monster and mage souls for centuries. But this? This was the first time. It had been documented by their ancestors, describing more failure than succession.

Imagine turning your child into a weapon. [L/N]'s family didn't have to, they already had.

Mutt abruptly stood up and the force of him standing caused the chair to collide with the floor which nearly broke it. His right eye was blazing with magic and it coated the air and a growl erupted from his throat. "i'm goin' to f*ckin' kill 'em." Berry grabbed him by his arm and attempted to make him sit down.
Papyrus was still recovering from the information he had just been given. He managed to ask, "WHAT...IS THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE?"

"It Is Dangerous To Merge A Human And A Monster Soul. But A Mage Soul..." Blue began, to Stretch's amazement and surprise.[Y/N] finished, "It is excruciating. It changes the natural properties completely and regardless of whether you have a mage soul, it has a very slim chance of survival." The mage then explained the merciless ways they attempted to strengthen her soul, and then the subject of the gala came up. She explained the gala was to pretend the entire family was sane and not a cult and sometimes, people tended to propose marriage to their partners.

"Yeah, so I have to go to the gala in that ugly dress."
"[Y/N], that is not happen'." Mutt started, leaning down to face her.
"...If I don't, they will track me down. It has happened before."
"so many red flags." Mutt nodded in agreement to Stretch.

[Y/N], no matter what she did, was in danger.

Well, this was going to be fun.

Grabbing some ingredients from the cupboards and fridge, she placed them on the work surface. She was going to be baking some brownies and possibly some cookies as well. She was in a more chocolatey mood. Chocolate could help with something like this, with stress especially. She had a recipe for chocolate and cinnamon brownies which would melt in the mouth. It was an old family recipe her grandmother had give her. [Y/N] grabbed an apron from above on a little hook (it was Blue's apron), and wrapped it around her back in a little bow. She may not be a skeleton, but she was definitely number one.

She felt cold arms wrapping around her waist and rest their chin on her shoulder. "what...are...you...doing?"
[Y/N] jumped and placed her hand on her heart, grasping the fabric of her shirt to calm her heartbeat. "Bloody hell, Mars! Don't do that."
Mars' grin widened. "why?~" She puffed out her cheeks and he sought to poke it. Cinnamon lightly laughed from the doorway. He made his way over and positioned himself to her right.

"You spooked me-Mars!" Mars in retaliation bit into her shoulder; the bite itself merely lasted for a second, only implementing barely visible marks into her flesh. It was slightly red, but nothing else. She lightly rubbed at the mark and applied green magic to it. Cinnamon had pulled his brother to the side and by the lack of eye contact, Mars was getting scolded. Mars' eye softened, becoming more fuzzy, and a blush flushed against his cheeks.
All she heard from the conversation was: "You could have marked her. You...I understand how you feel, but..." Mars nodded in agreement. It was unclear whether he completely understood or he just did not want to be scolded by his brother anymore.

Mars slowly made his way back over to the mage, his hands behind his back and his one eye was level to the floor. "i'm...sorry."
[Y/N] sighed. "It's fine, just don't do it again. That bite scared me more than you blinking into existence. Just, ask for consent ok? You can't just bite people."
Mars grinned. "so...I...can...bite...you? If...I...ask?"

[Y/N] blushed at such a thought. "That...isn't what I meant...but...I..." Cinnamon softly laughed at her situation and patted her shoulder. A kind smile spread across his skull and she looked back at him with a similar smile. Cinnamon could feel his face heat up with magic and it reminded him of how great she had made them both feel when she had defended them. She was an angel. Just like the one told of Underground who would free all of Monster kind...

Through either death or life. But [Y/N] wasn't like that.She cared. She didn't leave them behind to turn to dust, to suffer and almost die from lack of food. No, she would not do such a thing. She wasn'tthem.

"Do not mind my brother too much, he likes to tease. I forgot...to thank you for defending us."
[Y/N] bowed. "It is no problem, I just like putting Bethany in her place and you don't deserve it."
Mars' grin extended further. "it...was...funny."

"Yes, I suppose it was. Would you like to bake with me? I was going to make brownies." Both of them nodded with enthusiasm. Cinnamon retrieved the scales from the cupboard and placed them in front of [Y/N] and then slid the dial on the oven to the correct temperature. She cut up the butter into slices with a butter knife and placed them onto the scales, whilst using her magic to place the chocolate into a completely different bowl- Mars was focused on the silver scar running along her neck. She first placed the butter in the microwave and allowed it to melt, before taking it out and she then placed the chocolate in the microwave to melt. Mars lightly traced over the scar, watching [Y/N] with tenderness as she flinched.
"...what...is...this...from?"

"Training with a knife. Did not end well, " she answered, watching Cinnamon mix the eggs and sugar together. Why did that sound dishonest in itself? Was she trying to hide something from them both? [Y/N] grabbed hold of the chocolate and carefully dropped it into the very bowl Cinnamon was holding; he began to mix again, and smiled slightly as she showed him the 'Cinnamon' and poured some in. Mars took it upon himself to siv the flour and cocoa powder and he began to mix it, and placed his finger in to get a taste.
"Mars! No eating the mixture!" He began to whine. "Mars no." His eye somehow enlarged and sparkled with tears. "No, please, Mars." His eye enlarged even further. "You will get the first one if you stop with that adorable look." His grin widened. For a big, scary skeleton, he was definitely a massive teddy bear. Cinnamon laughed at his brother's antics, shaking his head and pouring both mixtures together and he began to mix it so there was no lumps.

[Y/N] then lined out a baking tray and began to spread out the mixture evenly with a spoon. She gave the spoon to Mars, who grinned in success and she slid the tray into the oven. The mage peered at her watch. It was 8.09pm. So, it was going to be done by 8.18pm. "Now, we wait until 8.18pm."

"MAGE." They all froze and turned around to face Edge. He was resting against the wall with both his arms crossed against his chest. He was wearing a shirt, jeans, boots and his scarf.
"Yes...?"
He scoffed. "BE CAREFUL WHO YOU HANG OUT WITH." Mars was growling.
She placed her hand up to silence Mars, and he seemed to obey. "What do you mean by that?" He sighed under his breath, unlinking his arms to march over to her and crouch down to look her in the eye.
"THESE TWO ATE HUMAN FLESH."

"How did you find this out?" [Y/N] asked, looking eye-to-eye with Edge.
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS."
"It must be if you are telling me this. Did it have anything to do with some of the Monsters they know telling you in strict confidence?"
Edge's eyes widened a fraction. "HOW DID-"
"I do work at Muffet's. And I overheard some Monsters telling each other they spoke to you about starvation. Alongside Blue, aren't you a police officer?" Edge stepped back in surprise. "And, as surprising as this sounds, humans have eaten their own kind before, in order to survive. So, I can't judge them for their actions. Ok, Officer?" She tilted her head to the side, surprising both Edge and the brothers. A dark red flushed against Edge's cheeks; he cursed under his breath and walked out.

Then, she turned to Mars and Cinnamon. "You are welcome here anytime."

Chapter 17: 16

Chapter Text

It was the next morning, and the mage was placing the brownies into a plastic container to make sure Mars did not eat anymore of them (she had given him around 4 to eat, and he had still be stealing them much to her slight annoyance.)[Y/N] did not have any classes or work at Muffet's today so she was completely free. [Y/N]'s phone pinged, again and again until she sighed and grabbed it from her pocket, sliding it upwards. The time on the phone's screen reflected 11.02am. It was a message from Frisk.

To be Deter-Frisk-ed

Hi [N/N]! Please could you come visit?
Mom said it was fine.

[Y/N]

Yes, I would love to visit. How is 1.30pm?

To be Deter-Frisk-ed

How about 11.30am :3 we are on our way.

[Y/N] began to laugh slightly; she should not expect much else from Frisk, a child embodying so much determination. But, their soul was beginning to morph and change. Whilst their soul used to be a blood red, now, a massive chunk was apple green, with the rest of it glowing red and a silver outline had manifested one day. With children who were mages, your souls could be seen by monsters and you could, on command, show your soul. With adults, your soul can not be seen unless you bring it from your chest yourself. It was for precaution.

Monster and mage souls intertwined (which then became one), are harder to bring from your chest. Your power and magic may be strengthened itself but it can cause an even bigger strain and you are more likely to fall ill more easily and weakened until you sleep or eat monster food. It could be annoying, but also very intriguing. She wanted to examine her own soul. Something her family had wondered- the bastards they were- was whether she would be able to have children with a monster. Of course, their words were filled with racism and hatred once they spoke, but [Y/N] did wonder. Realistically speaking, if she did fall in love with a monster- she refused to admit her feelings for various monsters she lived with- could she have children with them?

"HELLO [Y/N]-OW!" On instinct, [Y/N] had collided her fist with Blue's skull, knocking him flat on the ground. He held his skull, specifically his 'nose' in his hands, as dust dripped between his fingers and extinguished in the air.
"f*ck! I am so sorry, Blue!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and carried him off the floor and placed him on his feet. His fingers coated in green magic and softly began to heal the crack she may have caused, and his bleeding 'nose'. He giggled slightly at her worried glance. Her immense strength was something else. She would definitely get along well with his Alphys. He removed his hands from his face once his nose was healed, and the crack had become a lot smaller but the crack along his skull was very noticeable. He had his fair share of scars so this one would just be his favourite.

"I...SHOULD NOT HAVE SNUCK UP ON YOU LIKE THAT. GOOD HIT THOUGH. IT KNOCKED ME FLAT." He beamed, his eyes turned to stars just for a moment before morphing into his circular ones. "DEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS?"
She sighed. "You could say that." She grabbed hold of the container and placed it in a bag she had wrapped around the door; she was dressed in a simple summer dress with a black background, adorned with spots, along with a pair of flat shoes and a necklace in the shape of a dew drop.

This necklace was a gift from her grandmother, the only person in her family she loved and felt comfortable with. Her grandmother was secluded from the rest of the family since she chose her life how she wanted it and never allowed anyone to dictate who she could love. In fact, she lived a few miles away with her husband, a feline monster named Aenon who could use water magic. [Y/N] wanted to go by how she wanted to live life. And she would.

"WOULD YOU WANT TO SHARE?"
"Nothing much, don't worry it isn't about my family or anything...just..." She stopped for a moment to stare at Blue. His eyes were morphed into small hearts and such intensity made her flush slightly at the fondness- with another emotion she could not quite place- and a weird noise erupted from her throat (between a sheep and a llama.) Blue snorted before erupting into full on laughter, knocking his fist against his chest. [Y/N] blushed in embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands and groaning, stepping away from Blue to head near to the table.
"NO, DON'T HIDE, [Y/N]. IT WAS CUTE."

The same noise erupted from her throat, again. Blue let out another laugh.
"Blueee, stop laughing at me."
"WHY?" He began to smirk. "DON'T BE SOFLEECED."
"Oh I hate you right now."
"NO NEED FORDRAMA LLAMA."

"Those are so bad. They are worse than bee puns. At least bees are cute."
Blue snorted. "THAT'SSWEETOF YOU."
"I have heard that one so much. Stretch makes the best bee puns."
"THAT, I CAN AGREE WITH." They exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

[Y/N] wiped her eye with her small finger. "I was thinking about whether I...would be able to have children with a monster." Just as she said that, Mutt walked into the kitchen, holding a cup. His eyes immediately widened a fraction, he blushed then he teleported away. Both Blue and [Y/N] stared at the place he used to be and laughed slightly to themselves.
"THAT SCARED HIM ENOUGH TO TELEPORT AWAY."
[Y/N] shrugged. "I suppose it did, but why?" When she turned around, she could see Blue's eyes morphing into hearts once again and she stepped backwards, her back now against the table.

"My Brother May Have Said Himself He Needs To Step Up His Game, But What About Mine?" He purred into her ear, his arms placed on either side of her body to pin her against the table and his face was inches from hers. His breath was warm against the base of her neck. "We All Like You, [Y/N]. Myself Especially."

Chapter 18: 17

Chapter Text

[Y/N] froze. There were many indications some of the skeletons- Mutt and Berry specifically- liked her but would she go so far as to say they loved her? That was not for her to decipher but the skeletons to work out themselves. But the thought of someone outright stating that they, and the others liked her, was ultimately surprising and spooky. The mage was already dealing with her own problems but the idea that her crushes (possibly they were deeper than crushes?) liked her...caused a prideful feeling and a deep burning sensation she could not quite place. Of all the skellies, Blue was not who she expected to say such a thing.

"I-Is this because I stole your apron?" [Y/N] managed, gasping upon seeing the light blue tongue trace over Blue's 'lips'.
"Oh, I Did Not Know That, " Blue purred in a sultry tone, his chest almost against hers but not enough to make her uncomfortable. "You Would Look Better With It On My Bedroom Floor." [Y/N] let out a small giggle and the blush against her cheeks darkened.
"Blueeeeee."

"What?" He smirked. "Too Much?"
"No, " she smirked to his confusion, before she grabbed hold of his arms and pinned him to the table, with her arms on either side as he hunched back slightly, his arms grazing her waist. Her face inched closer to his. "Not enough. You need to up your game, Starburst." She pressed a quick kiss to his 'lips' before breaking it. She slowly rose from the table until Blue pressed his lips to hers. Even if the skeleton had teeth, and not lips, no less, it seemed quite comfortable and steamyto kiss this skelly; they deepened the kiss for a moment, Blue almost clung to her, bringing her closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was full of so much love, adoration and care.

They only broke the kiss for [Y/N] to gain some air back into her lungs and she flushed with colour, a giggle erupting from her throat. Their eyes caught each other's. Blue's morphed into hearts once again before he chuckled to himself and unwrapped his arms from her waist. She finally stood, and took his hand, helping him to stand.
"You know how to kiss someone, Starburst."

"STARBURST? IS THAT MY NAME NOW?" He smiled, his touch lingering for just a moment, his fingers threading through hers.
"Yes, a term of endearment if you will, " she winked. The door bell suddenly began to ring throughout the house in a quiet jingle. With a quick smile, [Y/N] headed towards the door and opened it; she recoiled backwards in surprise as a force was thrown at her. Her eyes flashed black for a moment, and the force began to float in the air, but instead of fearing for their safety, they giggled. It was Frisk with a grin across their face. [Y/N] let out a huff with her hands on her hips.

Toriel laughed softly from the doorway, covering her mouth with the back of her hand and stepped inside. They chose not to ask about Sans and Papyrus for the moment. Whenever they were brought up [Y/N] would unconsciously flinch and react negatively. Both Toriel and Frisk were worried about her, and the skeleton brothers. Why did she flinch like that whenever they spoke about them? Was something amiss? There must be. The pair had not spoken to their family for ages. It could be a possibility Bethany was to blame for the distance.
"Now, Frisk, what have I told you about scaring Miss [Y/N] like that?" Toriel scolded them, softly.

Frisk signed, 'I'm sorry, Mom. Sorry, [N/N].' [Y/N] slid her hand downwards to allow the floating Frisk to land on the ground, she blinked and the magic disappeared immediately from her eyes and fingertips.
"It's fine, kid. You just spooked me a little, " The mage bent down slightly to face Frisk and scratched her hands through their locks. "How is your magic coming along?" [Y/N] looked at Toriel for assistance and she gave a kind smile.
Frisk signed with a beam, 'Great. I'm learning healing magic."

Toriel giggled slightly, "Frisk seems to fall often. Healing is a good start."
"Yeah, it was one of the first I was taught, " [Y/N] nodded in confirmation. She grabbed her bag from the kitchen, sent Blue a wink (he blushed slightly and smiled as he was preparing to prepare some food for everyone else) and stood in front of the pair. "Ready to go?"

Toriel, Frisk and Asgore's home was a nice cottage situated in a monster city, whilst the old castle from the Underground was currently in development, despite acknowledgement from Toriel and Asgore himself they did not intend to live there, but it was merely for royal business- not that Asgore wanted to be considered as a King any longer (with the deal with the seven souls, the deaths of children, his son and his other child's death and just how the Kingdom came to be.)

The cottage had light red tiles with a brown roof, with simple oval windows- it was a four bedroom cottage after help with renovations from Papyrus and Sans- beneath the windows were pots filled with daisies and buttercups were bred in the back garden. A pool, swings and a shed were placed in the back; other flowers were placed in pots of shades of blue, purple, green, yellow, orange, blue and red. The sun shone carefully on the blooms below, caressing them with light.

Asgore had become the school gardener of the school Toriel taught at, and even slipped into class sometimes- by sliding through the door and creeping into the back while Toriel was focused on the board. Toriel herself had scolded her husband several times both in front of her students (causing laughter) and after school...

He didn't stop.

Frisk, the adorable child they were, was happy within their new family, their new parents, new everything. Not much had been revealed about Frisk's life before they fell Underground, and no one chose to force them to reveal something they did not want to talk about. Yet, Frisk had sometimes hinted to [Y/N] of certain things and certain behaviours they were taught. They could just stop signing one moment, freeze, and flinch when someone moved to come and comfort them. Their eyes revealed much: the fear and sadness of their past life they just couldn't quite talk about before they were ready. In their own time, Frisk might, or might not (it was up to them completely), reveal their life before the Underground.

The car pulled up to the drive and Toriel perfectly situated the car between two cars. Frisk hastily fiddled with their seat belt and managed to remove the seat belt from around them. The seatbelt unravelled and they threw open the door and ran towards the cottage before Toriel herself could even get out. [Y/N] threw open the door and sped forward, wrapped her arms around Frisk's waist and nuzzled her cheek against theirs. They let out a chorus of giggles. Toriel grabbed her keys, slid them inside, and turned it to the side to unlock it. Asgore had either forgotten to unlock the door and was in their garden again, or he was busy with helping to renovate the castle.

"Make yourself at home, [Y/N]."
"Gladly, Toriel. You have such a lovely home." [Y/N] smiled, placing Frisk down feet first.
Toriel beamed. "Thank you, that is nice of you." Toriel retreated to the kitchen- where a window outlining the garden also was- and they both heard giggles of amusem*nt. "Frisk, your Dad is having trouble with the weeds, he seems to have tripped over his own feet. Have youfallen,for me, dear?"
A deeper laugh could be heard. "I will always fall for you all over again, my bloom."

Frisk faked a gag. [Y/N] let out a series of giggles at Frisk's scrunched up face of fake disgust.
"Hey, that's romance, buddy. Your parents can be mushy if they want."
Frisk shook their head and pouted. 'No, that's disgusting.' [Y/N] laughed and sat on the couch covered with ten cushions. 'What about you, [N/N]?' Frisk sat down beside her, picked up one of the pillows and began to cradle it in their arms, with their hands on either side so they were able to sign.
"About what?"

'Do you have anyone?'
"...Well, I like some people. But, I don't know."
'Why?'
"I...would not deserve them."
Frisk shook their head. 'Yes, you would. You are so kind, nice and pretty.' [Y/N] managed a small smile.
"Frisk is right, [Y/N]. You are a wonderful person, anyone would be lucky to have you." Toriel spoke from the doorway, with her arms crossed against her chest. The older monster was sending her a certain look of hers.

[Y/N] blushed and was unable to maintain eye contact. It was good to have these people as friends. They made her feel better about herself, more than anyone ever could do. There was a genuine kindness to them and she couldn't help but get involved with such kind, lovely monsters.

"That's...kind of you, Tori," [Y/N] murmured under her breath. Toriel furrowed her eyebrow and slowly stepped over to the mage. She slowly kneeled down, and took [Y/N]'s hands in her own. She stroked her fingers against the mage's open palms, and couldn't help the smile across her face. [Y/N] turned to face her in slight surprise. It was hard not to smile around Toriel, she just radiated good vibes.

"You are a good person, [Y/N]. You deserve everything good in life. You are not your family, you are a lot better then them and you have shown you are not like them whatsoever. You have proven that countless times. And, it is not hard to see why they do love you."
[Y/N] allowed a small smile to spread across face. "Thank you, Tori."

Frisk wrapped their arms around [Y/N]'s shoulder and nestled their face into their arm. Toriel stood back up in time to see the sudden affection and she couldn't help but laugh. [Y/N] patted their head, scratching their curls.

Yes, it was good to have friends like these.

Chapter 19: 18

Chapter Text

Toriel had prepared her signature Butterscotch pie and placed it on the table in front of them. Whenever she baked this pie, nowadays, it was either for a treat or a major discussion was about to unfold that needed to be said. Toriel was a gentle soul, but incredibly stern if need be. The subject of Sans and Papyrus needed to be discussed.

The fact [Y/N] felt uncomfortable in her own home, and flinched whenever the pair were mentioned, was concerning.TheirSans and Papyrus were jovial, kind (Sans, of course was wary of anyone who developed a relationship with his brother, since he was overprotective), and truly cared about anyone they came across.

Then again, it had been months since they had all properly spoken. Only recently had they found out [Y/N] lived with the two brothers. Toriel held needle between her fingers, threading it through the shirt her husband had torn (on a branch no less), perfectly joining the fabrics together in a clean sew.

[Y/N] held a cup in her hand filled with Golden Flower tea in her hands. The fragrant, calming aroma helped to calm her nerves somewhat, as her eyes watched the golden liquid swirl around the cup as her hand moved it.

Their previous discussion had been dropped on the subject of who [Y/N] liked and why they deserved her as a partner; it was not forgotten, at all, (they would likely bring it up in a bit to lighten the mood) but...the fact Toriel asked Frisk to go upstairs was an indicator this would be a serious conversation. Asgore was in the kitchen, preparing the dinner.

Toriel asked, softly, without taking her eye off the needle, "You would tell us if you were in any danger, wouldn't you?"
"Of course..." Toriel looked up for a moment. It was enough to see [Y/N] was staring at the floor, picking at her nails. A coping mechanism when faced with reality and when [Y/N] herself had to reveal something she did not want to admit. It was not healthy, but she seemed to have no other way to cope.

"I feel you are not being completely honest with me, " Toriel spoke, her eyes focused on her thread work. "You can talk to me about anything, [Y/N]. How is your relationship with Sans and Papyrus?"

[Y/N] scratched the back of her neck. "Papyrus and I are getting better. Sans...not so much."
"Has this got something to do with Bethany?"
"Possibly? By the sounds of it, they both used to be different until she showed them her true colours. She is a terrible person, but..."

"They are unwilling to admit it, or see? I can understand your reluctance..." Toriel's tone was full of sadness.
[Y/N] took another sip of her tea. "I could try to talk to them. And, I could mention you, Frisk and everyone else."

Before Toriel could respond, [Y/N]'s phone went off. She gave a nervous smile, and retrieved her phone from her pocket to check through her messages.

[3 Message(s) Received]

Undyne the Undying

Hey punk! You are invited to game night at ours at 6pm!
You better be there.

[Y/N]

I will definitely be there. :)

She couldn’t help but smile at the message Mutt had sent.

Pup
I want a kiss >:(

[Y/N]

Sorry, I am with Toriel at the moment :) later.

Pup

>:(

She quickly scrolled through her other messages with Black before she focused on Toriel.

Terrifying but Cute
WHY DID YOU MARSHMALLOW PERVERT SAY YOU KISSED HIM?
IS THIS TRUE?

[Y/N]

Yes, it is true.

Terrifying but Cute
SEEMS I MUST GO ALL OUT ;)

Why did Berry's message make her both shudder and also wonder how he was going to do that? Time would tell, she supposed. These skeletons were going to kill her one day and she could admit she did not mind that one bit. Frisk soon jumped down each step, landing with a small thud.

Toriel gave a genuine smile. Frisk ran up to [Y/N], placing their arms on either side of the couch to climb onto [Y/N]'s lap and position themselves. [Y/N] shook her head with a small smile across her lips.
"How has teaching been, Tori? And, learning for you, Frisk?"
'It's fun!' They signed, resting their head on [Y/N]’s chest.

"Frisk is a very intelligent child. They are doing great in their lessons. Teaching has been going well."
[Y/N] hummed. "I can see you as being a great teacher, Tori. Is that why Asgore tries to slip into your classes?" She began laughing, along with Toriel and Frisk as Asgore peered from around the corner.

"So Tori told you about that?" He mused. "Who else did you tell?" Toriel hummed to herself, pretending she did not hear his question and instead focused on the next few stitches with her full concentration.
"Sorry, Asgore, I told everyone I know." He huffed playfully. "Which is only Undyne and Alphys."

Frisk signed, amusing [Y/N] and Asgore, 'I already told them.'
"Looks like I didn't tell anyone then." They all began to laugh. Whenever she visited Toriel's family, it was always familiar and felt comfortable to be here. It felt as if she could truly be herself (not that she wasn't with Berry and Mutt) but she was always on guard. She stared at the watch on her arm; it was currently 7.03pm.

As much as she did not want to leave and do her work, she desperately needed to complete her assignments (such as her damn artwork which will take hours to complete and the short stories or poetry). Poetry was not her favourite so it needed her full attention.

But…

This was nice whilst it lasted.

The keys jingled between her fingers (there was a small bell keychain, a cat and some from her favourite animes). She slipped it in the keyhole, turned it to the right then opened the door, and stepped through. [Y/N] placed her shoes at the door by positioning them neatly between Berry and Mutt's shoes. Even though Mutt tended to wear his boots inside the house (so did a few other skellies for some reason.)

Sometimes, it was a little annoying she was unable to wear her socks around the skellies in the household but she understood they considered it as underwear and would become embarrassed by it. The mage had learned that the hard way.

She shook her head, humming slightly to herself. She stepped through the kitchen before stopping to see both Edge and Sans; Sans was resting his head against the table, with several bottles of ketchup around him, whilst Edge was picking up each and throwing them in the bin with an annoyed huff. Seems that she had not been spotted yet.

"AT LEAST CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF, YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT. IMAGINE HOW YOUR BROTHER WOULD REACT IF HE SAW YOU LIKE THIS!" He violently threw another bottle in the bin, a deep sigh, (out of character for him), erupted from his throat. "HE...NEVER EVEN LEAVES HIS ROOM ANYMORE, SANS. YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO HIM. LIKE A OLDER BROTHER, YOU LOUT."

"...no. he...doesn't need me. i'm a failure...can't even bringhimback."
Edge scratched between his eyes. "IT IS DANGEROUS TO MEDDLE WITH THAT MACHINE...DON'T YOU THINK, [Y/N]?" Edge turned to face [Y/N] with a smirk across his face. When Sans looked up, there was a darkened look on his face and his eyes were missing.

f*ck.

Chapter 20: 19

Chapter Text

The atmosphere felt cold. Whether this was due to Sans' magic spiralling (his magic's scent was a vanilla scent. Kind of bland, in her opinion. If she was to give him a mark out of 10 how nice his magic smelled it would be a 1. He deserved it anyway) or due to the foreboding [Y/N] felt trailing along her spine. This had not quite been her first time feeling her fears spiral, or feel she was unsafe. No, her family had a sworn duty to do that. No one else could take their job from them.

Why the hell did Edge have to say something? He could have been nice for once- then again, he had been kind of nice before in 'warning' [Y/N] about the Horror bros, (speaking of she needed to talk with them again and Papyrus)- and not to have told Sans she was there. Was it because she overheard some of their conversation in a public place?!

Fair enough if she was pressing her ear against the door and it was expected to be secret. But that wasn’t the case. She had wandered in, hoping to relax for once in her life. But no. Of course life had other things they expected her to endeavour and she didn’t like it one but.

Just to be safe, her own magic began to blend with his; she would not use violent magic unless she had to protect herself. Chocolate and cinnamon was a pleasant scent (she caught Edge's stare who flushed with colour) and tended to calm those near her. She had used it on occasion when Mutt and Berry both experienced nightmares and it had worked tremendously. Why was Edge blushing? Another question she expected not to be answered. What a life.

Sans threw his chair backwards and it clattered to the floor. [Y/N] sharply turned to the short skeleton, eyes widening at his lack of eyes. Seriously, where did they go? Was it like a light? Did his anger cause him to short circuit so his eyes disappeared? She was lookingtoointo the eye thing. Sans was wearing his lab coat, with red stains covering each inch of the white fabric. One of his hands rested within the pocket, the other clenched at his side.

"how much did you hear?" He asked, his voice alarmingly quiet. Edge crossed his arms against his chest, letting out another sigh. His features seemed a bit more soft than usual, but perhaps that was merely the trick of the light.
"That you need to talk to Papyrus since he's usually in his room, " [Y/N] said, carefully. "Up to that point. I have not been here long."

"lemme tell you something, mage, " The coldness in Sans' tone even seemed to stir Edge from his own thoughts. The edgier skeleton squinted his eyes at Sans with alarm, looking at [Y/N] for any sign of emotion- he paled slightly. All he could see was kindness...but also anger. She...was a lot more stronger than he thought.

Of course, when he found out his own older brother had attempted tokill[Y/N], well, that was a surprise. Even more so when she survived the encounter and had fought back. When hisSans wanted to kill, he truly meant it. And [Y/N] had caused a bit of damage to his skull. He was kinda impressed.

"No."
Sans' eyes returned (for a split second) to widen in surprise. "what do you mean 'no'?"
"I don't give ash*tif you hate me, you vanilla prick. But you do not get to threaten me and not expect me to fight back. And that damn machine," she began, her voice rising slightly, as did her magic. Her magic was beginning to spiral according to her emotions. Sans gave a scowl. "Did you not think I would think it was odd? That it was in your basem*nt? I am not going to ask, since it isnotmy business."

"you're right, it's not." Edge scoffed at Sans' defensive tone.
"And you can hate my family, because they are completebastards!"Edge hid his smile with the back of his hand. Sans was more focused on [Y/N]'s magic changing from neutral to anger than her definite hostility towards her own family (who were mages, but Sans was too preoccupied to notice how [Y/N], a mage, hated her own family who are, and were, monster haters). Her magic's scent had changed slightly, from chocolate and cinnamon to coffee and cinnamon. "But I am not like them. You need to talk to Papyrus-"

"-don't tell me how to deal with my own family-" He took a dangerous step towards her before he was, strangely, stopped by Edge.
"-LISTEN FOR ONCE, SANS."
He knocked his arm away from Edge's grip but obeyed his command. [Y/N] coughed, playing with the fabric of her dress between her fingers.

She spoke, "It isn't good for Papyrus to not even talk with his own older brother. Someone who looked after him, who taught him certain things, and was always there." Her eyes stared directly into his, burning with such intensity he took a step back. "Heneedsyou. The first step could be the both of you visiting Frisk and Toriel."

Just as Sans was about to either agree or disagree (he seemed even guilty so that was progress), he was interrupted with a familiar, annoying voice. "Sansy is toobusywith that machine of his. Not that it will ever work, you will never be able to see him, Sansy." Sans visibly flinched at the statement and the venom in her voice, and his hands nervously tucked into his pockets. Blue tears began to form in his eyes and even Edge seemed appalled by how she was acting.

Ah yes, Bethany. The ultimate manipulator andchild killerwho had disappeared for a few days. She was either staying elsewhere or she was keeping out of [Y/N]'s way, which was strange. Bethany usually chose to annoy her how she saw fit or pin the blame on anything bad that happened.
"Do you usually undermine your mates?" Ew, she was defendingSans.Then again, he did not deserve his own mate treating him like sh*t. For stars sake, she even made him cry! It was downright disgusting behaviour on Bethany's part and [Y/N] would make sure she would regret it.

"That is none of your business."
"Soooo, yes then?" Bethany scowled. "You don't get to control who they visit, or don't." Turning back to Sans and Edge (who were watching with both intrigue and surprise). "They both really want to see you and Papyrus. I am not saying this to scold you-"
"-YOU SHOULD-" They all simultaneously stared at Edge.
"-But, they all miss you."

Sans' eyes disappeared, once again. "why of all the things, did you have to intervene with the life between me and my friends?" The friends he barelysaw.[Y/N] placed her hands together and breathed out. "The ones youdon'tsee?" Reluctantly, he nodded. "That's...what I thought." Sans was about to say something but no words were able to escape from his throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to speak so harshly." He blinked at her genuine concern for his wellbeing for he had been nothing but terrible towards her, and the time she scolds him, she apologises for it? Did...did he misinterpret what she was truly like?

When he looked up at Edge even he seemed surprised. When he refocused his attention on both [Y/N] and Bethany in front of him he swore there was a shadow- with a pair of white eyes- staring at them, interpreting them from the dakrness. They seemed more like liquid than anything else, but their body...seemed to be morphing and changing? He blinked and they seemed to disappear. Why...did they seem familiar?

"Are you trying to f*ck them over? f*ck with their lives?" Bethany snarled.
[Y/N] deadpanned. "Yes, I would, but not in the way you think. I might even be better than you at that sort of thing."

Bethany flushed red with anger and in embarrassment as Edge started to laugh and did not hold back. Sans was flushing blue and he was unable to react how he thought...surely, he should be more angry by this? But, why did [Y/N] seem so sincere? Stars, his emotions were all over the place!
"You need to sort yourself out, Bethany, if you think that is how you treat your mates. It is vile to even say such things to them."

Instead of Bethany responding, Sans, instead, spoke, "it...is none of your business, [Y/N]." The defeat in his voice indicated he realised deep down this may not be acceptable behaviour for a mate to display...but...only he could learn to understand, and listen.

"Sans, I am quite disappointed." [Y/N] could feel a cold hand on her shoulder and it felt like Death's familiar embrace. "I expected more from my ownson."

Bethany screamed.

...

No one came.

Chapter 21: 20

Chapter Text

It was empty, silent and white. Nothing breathed here, nothing spoke here, nothing...disrupted him. He was entirely able to be within his own element without any disruptions or a certain annoying, inky idiot trying to fight him over an Au he may, or may not have destroyed. Not that it happened nowadays since he, Nightmare, the "bad sanses", Dream and Ink had all agreed and made a contract displaying they could never fight or destroy an Au and to try to live in peace despite obvious hatred or annoyance they all had for each other.

Who is he, is that what you are asking? He is E r R o R. The very destroyer of Aus, the self-proclaimed abomination, the puppet maker!

Well, he was currently sewing a few of his dolls. Each one held similar (frighteningly) so of the different Sanses who had been in opposition to him in the past or had even been on his side for a few months or so. That...was long ago. His current fascination, however, was of a certain mage with a mostly green soul. Green souls would normally irritate him since they tended to be more positive, moreforgiving.[Y/N], on the other hand, was kind for sure, but she also had Perseverance and Determination. An interesting, beautiful soul...

His yellow and red finger softly stroked the cheek of the doll appearing much like [Y/N], from their [s/c] skin, to their bright, [e/c] eyes. What would it be like to touch her cheek?

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion at such a bizarre thought; he feared touching other people, he despised it to some extent. So, how would this mage be any different? Haphephobia was something he had always had, the very notion of touch from a stranger felt uncomfortable to him. He was improving...but it seemed to be working, at least? He was interrupted from his thoughts when he could hear the soft swirls of a portal nearby; he only had to look to his side to see the black abyss (still more colourful than his own home/dimension) swirling anti-clockwise and a far too colourful skeleton tripped over and fell face first. The portal began to swirl in the opposite direction and swallowed into itself.

Error raised his brow with slight annoyance and genuine curiosity. "InK, wHaT tHe f*ck?"
Ink suddenly stood up abruptly, wiping off the invisible lint from his attire and scared Error enough into dropping his needle. Error groaned, feeling around the ground he sat cross-legged for any sign of the small object.

"iT tOoK mE hOuRs To FiNd ThE lAsT oNe, YoU nUmBsKuLl. Do YoU nOt ThInK?"
Ink took the paintbrush from his back. "I could make you a new one."
"No, f*ck OfF, " Error playfully snarled, patting the ground around his feet until he felt the coldness of metal graze against his bones. With a gratified sigh, he picked up the needle and started his needlework by threading a [e/c] button through using black thread. "WhAt Do YoU wAnT?"
"Quick to the subject at hand, I like it, " Ink spoke, his smile dropping as Error glared at him. He nervously laughed and placed the brush back on his back. "Some Aus have been going missing."

"I dOn'T cArE." The thread slipped through the two holes in the button, threading it against the doll's head until a few more stitches joined fabric to button.
"Have you...?"
Error arched his eyebrow, then scoffed. "I hAvE nOt ToUcHeD aNy AuS oR dEsTrOyEd AnY."
Ink sighed in relief then beamed. "Just making sure! It seems entire Aus have been transported to the original timeline. Should...they be brought back to their own?"

"WhAt WoUlD bE tHe PoInT? ThEy HaVe BeCoMe FaMiLiAr WiTh ThE sUrFaCe. It WoUld Be HeArTlEsS tO tAkE tHaT fRoM tHeM."
"Look at you with the emotions."
Error scowled. "I hAvE mOrE eMoTiOnS tHaN yOu, FaKeR. JuSt LeAvE tHeM bE." Ink watched as Error finished stitching the [Y/N] doll; a small smirk made it's way across his face.

"Aww, do you have a thing for [Y/N]? How cute. Not that I blame you-"
"-sErIoUsLy, dO yOu HaVe No FrIeNdS?" Error scowled, finishing the last stitch. He brought it to his eye level and his eyes trailed over each stitch.
Ink scratched his chin. "None other than you and Dream, no. Oh! I have an idea! Should we go see [Y/N]?!"
Error blinked. "AnD sAy We HaVe BeEn WaTcHiNg HeR lIkE a CrEeP?"

Ink nervously laughed again and stared at his feet. "Not exactly...but if we were to, why are you so interested in her?"
"I cOuLd AsK yOu ThE sAmE tHiNg."
"If I tell you my reasons, you tell me yours." Ink placed his hands on his hips and awaited for Error to respond. Error, in response, placed the doll in a bag he now wrapped around his shoulder, and he nodded in agreement. "She's good at art, she's kind, and her soul is so pretty! And not something I have seen before."
Error stood, wiping off the invisible lint from his shorts.

"FiGuReS, yOu DoN't HaVe A sOuL." Ink scoffed, taking his paintbrush off of his back to create a portal. It swirled around in a circle as he held it, and a portal began to appear; it swirled anti-clockwise. "sHe Is PoWeRfUl, AnD dOeSn'T tAkE sh*t fRoM tHoSe BaStArDs." Ink nodded in agreement.
"Ready?" Reluctantly, Error nodded. Did he look fine? Should he change what he was wearing? No, no! He was fine, this is fine. The pressure to be fine within social settings was enough to put him on edge and he didn't like it.

But meeting the very mage he had been watching, had become intrigued by...he could only imagine the disaster it would be. First impressions were everything after all. Ink, on the other hand, was calm. He knew she was powerful, and kind, but her soul...was something else. Maybe, just maybe, he could investigate it further. He shook his head; and climbed through the portal. Error soon followed, the doubt clinging to hissoul.

Error and Ink...how would [Y/N] react? With kindness, no doubt.

"Dad...? how are you...?" Sans' entire body shook in shock, he rose his hand to cover his mouth as tears threatened to fall down his skull.
"Well, " Gaster began, gently patting [Y/N] on the shoulder. "I have been around for a while, so to speak. The last time you tampered with that machine, I was able to come through."
"but...we didn't see you...the machine..."

"I thought it be best to watch for while. When your body is still able to turn to liquid, is far more easy to watch from the shadows. Why would you tamper with that damned machine in the first place? It's dangerous, Sans! You have forced alternative versions of you and your brother here."
"DON'T FORGET EVERYONE ELSE FROM THEIR AU." Whilst Sans shot Edge a glare, Edge himself was ignoring him (he seemed wary around Gaster, and his previously softer expression was now guarded), Gaster looked down at the mage with nothing less than kindness.

"Oh, that as well. Thank you. And, [Y/N], you seem like a good person, " Gaster spoke sweetly to [Y/N], she beamed up at him and Bethany scowled. Gaster placed his hand- she stared at the hole for a split second where his palm was- near to own and she responded to his action with a high five. [Y/N] softly giggled and Gaster's smile widened across his face. "You are truly a treat, my dear. So, how did you end up falling for the Devil, Sans?" Bethany was nothappy. Her face scrunched up in anger, her fists clenched at her sides. Bethany's new name seemed to suit her more than her actual name.

"Who even are you?!" Bethany demanded, her anger spiralling.
"W.D. Gaster, Royal Scientist and Father of Sans and Papyrus." Bethany gaped in shock. Gaster simply smiled, tilting his head to the side. He placed his arms behind his back, and the aura from behind him was dark. It was a warning. Bethany stepped back in fear, sweat rolling down her skin. The maliciousness and darkness scared her, tempting her to leave. To forget this transpired. Yet, she wanted to stay and see what was going to happen.
Sans scowled. "[Y/N] is the Devil in this situation! do you know what she is-"

"-Yes, a mage. A strong one at that. You act as if all mages, and humans, are the same. I didn't teach you that." He looked over at Sans, his eyes opening to pierce through Sans' own. Sans looked away, looking guilty. "Are you that blind you don't see how terrible this woman you fell for is? Have noneof you checked her soul?" Wow, the goopy man was scolding the skeletons. Even though Gaster was not technically Edge's father (at least this version) it seemed he was scolding everyone who fell for Bethany in the first place. And, he did not like that feeling.

"I HAVE, " Blue spoke from the doorway, his hand resting against the wall with his other hand on his hip. His eyes narrowed at Gaster with slight disdain, for even a moment. They could sense there was something Blue was not quite ready to say. At least not in front of Gaster. Even his tone was filled with anger and contempt. With each step he took towards them felt like thunder. Blue's magic attempted to rival Gaster's own, to toy with it, to appease his own curiosity. Sans glared at Blue. The shorter skeleton was not Bethany's mate anymore, why would he do such a thing? Oh. Right, [Y/N]. He most likely did it for her and to find out himself what her soul was.

"A question?" [Y/N] asked, her smile a little too sweet for the skeletons. Blue himself seemed reluctant to speak. Sans' smile was strained and Edge was merely watching from a distance and did not want to intervene unless there was something amiss. (probably for the best.) Also, he did not quite want to get on [Y/N]'s bad side again. Or it was perhaps since he did not want to feel something. Again. It was...a strange, tugging feeling. Edge sighed, and clenched his shirt in his hand.
"Yes?" Gaster answered.
"What do you mean 'alternative versions'? I knew there was some weird science sh*t, but...seriously?" They had forgotten [Y/N] was there, so the question itself seemed to unnerve them slightly.

She was quick to get to the subject at hand and the subject to do with Bethany's soul would need to be spoken about later. The idea of alternative versions did not come as a surprise for her- well, maybe quite a bit- but, there was something odd about how the Horror bros just appeared from nowhere and the fact they all resembled each other, even slightly, was concerning. She was incredibly curious. "Actually, before we talk about alternative universes or something-"
"-You just said it right there-"
"-Why do you treat Sans like that, Bethany? And...were you in the basem*nt?"

They all turned to face Bethany. This was the first time they had heard anything about this. Bethany froze, her eyes moving to [Y/N] in surprise. It had happened one night, possibly the night, or night before, Mars and Cinnamon had arrived outside, when [Y/N] had gone to the bathroom. She had seen a shadow, too short to be [a] Papyrus and too tall to be [a] Sans. They had a feminine physique, with a little curve to them. Yes, it had been Bethany. [Y/N] had been in a little bit of pain but she followed them regardless, and stepped, slowly, and in the light, saw Bethany holding a hammer. She was about to smash it, until she heard a slight noise and [Y/N] had to run upstairs...

"why didn't you say this before?" Sans asked, turning his head to face [Y/N].
"You wouldn't have believed me."
Sans was about to speak but he quietened himself. She did have a point. Gaster patted [Y/N] on the shoulder, and spoke, "I saw it transpire, as well. [Y/N] is telling the truth." They all now turned to face Bethany/

[Y/N] and Gaster both stared through into her soul, both expressing disgust. To think they had a child killer- who seemed to want to kill them in the first place- was lunacy. Bethany stepped backwards in surprise, a yelp erupting from her throat as Blue stood in the doorway to stop her from escaping from the conversation they needed to have. As much as Sans wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, he desperately wanted to know why she was down there. She had been told to not go down there several times before and she only had to go to see Sans. She knewhe wasn't down there. And, the hammer which had mysteriously appeared from nowhere... Yes, he wanted to know. "Bethany, why were you in the basem*nt? i made it clear no one was to go in the basem*nt, " Sans began, staring down at his feet. He could sense Bethany's glare. "and there was a hammer...is it yours?"

"Now listen here you bastard-" She took a step towards him before [Y/N] and Gaster both stood in front of him.
Gaster glared his eyes through hers and he placed his hands behind his back. "Don'ttalk to my son like that, you disgusting creature." Bethany recoiled backwards in surprise.
Sans continued, feeling a little more confident with Gaster here (he knew he was going to get scolded), "you attempted to break the machine, didn't you?" He was done with this conversation before it even started. He had been so dumb. Why didn't he bring this up earlier? Love. Stupid, stupid love. Or whatever this feeling was.

"No [Y/N] must have done it-"
"-I could barely walk when I followed you down. I hardly managed to move myself, since I needed Stretch's assistance."
Gaster crossed his arms over his chest. "And you can even ask me, as I was a witness."

Edge shook his head and Sans sighed, scratching underneath his eye. "why would you do such a thing, Bethany? I thought..."
"...All you focus on is that machine! Not my needs! You are so damn selfish Sans!" Sans stepped back in alarm and blue tears started to cloud his vision, and he sniffled, wiping them away with his sleeve.
"Still, he managed to bring Gaster back, " [Y/N] began, and everyone looked to her in surprise. "So, it was not completely pointless. It is clear how intelligent he is, despite how dangerous it may have been." Sans froze in shock- and a blue blush formed across his cheeks- whilst he laughed a little when Gaster took [Y/N] into his arms and began to spin her around.

"Even though my son treat you terribly, you still defend him! You are truly a saint, my dear!" Gaster spoke, his words muffled as he rubbed his cheeks against the mage's, who was laughing slightly and flushing. The atmosphere changed to one of merriment for only a moment. Sans was thinking about if they were right about the machine...what about Bethany's soul? "blue, what is Bethany's soul?" His left eye lit with magic to demonstrate he was not going to leave it until he was told the truth. Gaster placed [Y/N] back down, and patted both Sans and [Y/N] on the back. Edge seemed a little amused. Maybe he liked drama more than he was willing to admit to anyone, and himself. Sometimes it could be funny- like them finding out how twisted Bethany is. Oh, never mind the fact he usually watched reality tv.
Bethany scoffed. "That is an invasion of privacy!"
"blue."

"HER SOUL IS DARK RED, DARK BLUE AND A FADED YELLOW. WHICH MEANS-"
"-her soul traits are...spite, conceit and corruption? no...that can't be right, can it?"
"Sorry to say Sans, but he's right." That was a new voice...they all looked to see a portal appearing behind Blue. Blue deeply sighed and frowned as he took one step to the right as a pair of skeletons fell from the portal in question. A more colourful skeleton and one suiting a more darker colour palette stood beside Blue. They were known as Error and Ink.

"WELCOME TO THE LODGE INK AND ERROR. YOU AREN'T WELCOME HERE, INK." Blue and Ink glared into each other's eyes and Error stood there in confusion. Everyone else gaped in surprise.

New friends?

Chapter 22: [A/N]

Chapter Text

I wanted to just say last chapter will likely be rewritten completely/deleted. The pace was a little rocky and a lot happened in one chapter, as someone pointed out and I wasn’t happy with it either. I have a lot of fics to update (some are discontinued) since I get burnt out easily.

until next update, with love,

Maple

❤️

Edit 1/?:

Chapter "21" has been deleted. When I eventually update this fic, I will break it into two separate chapters. Both will have extreme editing. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you stay with me until I eventually update this.

Chapter 23: 21

Chapter Text

The air around them felt stiff and so tense you could cut it with a knife. The two skeletons in question had not moved from their positions for around ten minutes and everyone was becoming tired and irritable by the minute: Edge had gone back upstairs since he was becoming more irate, Sans was nursing his headache (after being sobered up after Gaster had teleported himself and the small skeleton into Snowdin and thrown him into the snow), Error was standing awkwardly near to the glaring skeletons, playing with his scarf between his fingers and [Y/N] had zoned out.

Gaster softly touched [Y/N]'s shoulder; she jumped slightly and her magic must of surged, as the objects around her began to float around her in black magic before falling to the ground. The magic surge, along with the objects being thrown to the ground, shocked the skeletons into staring at [Y/N]. She squeaked in response and her cheeks flushed with colour; she hid her face in her hands and began to groan.

"I'm sorrryyyy, sometimes I can't control it. I have been told too much information that I can't deal with at the moment."
Sans rubbed his skull a little more, his eyes blinking in her direction. He spoke, his voice lacking any sense of humour, "wait until you hear about the alternative universes." Yeah, he was tired. Tired of this situation, of the countless hours he took into this machine...perhaps if his father had told him sooner, he wouldn't have kept attempting to fix or tamper with the machine.

Still, he had been told of how dangerous it was and had watched his own father disappear. His eyes disappeared for a moment as he thought about it, and it tugged at his soul uncomfortably. He didn't like how it seemed to itch and tear at his insecurities. A hand patted his shoulder; he looked up, blinking his eyes into existence to see Gaster smiling back at him. His eyes were kind, and soft.

"I should have told you sooner, son," Gaster admitted, a frown flashing across his face. "Then you would not have dealt with the machine. Or any of this. You didn't deserve this."
Sans looked back at him in shock. His white pinpricks widened. "you didn't know I would do this. ANY of this. I shouldn't have to begin with. I knew the risks when it came to this machine. I'm-"
"-Don't apologise, Sans. You don't have to apologise to me, of all people. But [Y/N] on the other hand? She deserves an apology." He was right. Sans looked over to [Y/N], guilt wracking his entire soul the longer he stared. For a Judge, he had not been the best.

"Noooo, don't start pleasssee." [Y/N] whined. Blue began to laugh, and even Gaster himself let out a chuckle. "But also, do. I want to know." Sans watched her for a moment before looking away to stare at nothing. Yes, he had been wrong in his first assessment over [Y/N], but it didn't mean he would trust her completely, or straight away.

Gaster shook his head in amusem*nt. "Everyone, apart from my sons, are from different universes. Everyone experienced alternative experiences through their lives and their scars are different. They were transported here by the machine. Those within this household are different versions of Sans and Papyrus, as are any other monsters you have seen. Despite how similar they appear, they are completely different."

[Y/N] nodded in obtaining the information. It sounded...unbelievable. But, how else would they explain the unusual skeletons (them being family seemed more realistic, but by the glint in Gaster's eyes, he was telling the truth.) He just seemed trustworthy. There was no reason not to trust Gaster; he was wise, and had only been honest thus far. It was true he had hidden himself in the shadows until he was needed to make an appearance...but, he was at least here.

Before the agreement between Nightmare, Error, Ink, Dream, the "Bad Sanses" and even Blue (despite him refusing to acknowledge he used to be apart of the Star Sanses), there had been a major disagreement between Ink and Blue which rocked their entire friendship. The argument began after Ink had started to act irrationally and distant after Blue had asked about the ink vials.

He had merely asked why he usually consumed them. It was a simple question, a single moment of curiosity. Ink had responded...weirdly. Pretending he had no idea what he meant in the first place. And then, Ink's behaviour became unusual each day. He would disappear for long periods of time, avoid questions such as why he haddustorbloodcovering his clothes and even...he sometimes did not even drink the ink, like he used to.

And his behaviour became uncaring, inconsiderate, snide, and there was something always dark in his gaze. Then, Nightmare and Dream had a conversation into forgiving each other (they were brothers, so they could at least agree there would still be arguments) and then the agreement and contract was created. Ever since then, Blue had returned to his own AU and chose to live his life away from Ink, and even Dream.

He had never even told Stretch about the reasons behind why he returned so abruptly but whenever it was brought up, Blue had a dark, ominous look in his eyes, and his expression turned grim. Error, for example, became friends with Blue after the agreement. Error had even taught Blue how to knit and make dolls. It was quite a calming experience, and the start to a strong friendship between the pair. They had a shared distaste (to put it lightly) of Ink after all.

"Can I ask you something?" [Y/N] whispered, appearing next to Blue and in front of Error. They both jumped slightly, and Ink was currently talking with Sans, who appeared not to want to talk to him but put on a 'i am pretending to care' expression since Gaster was stood right behind him.
"Of Course You Can, " Blue softly smiled.

"What is the deal with you and Ink, Blue? Actually, you both seem like you don't like him. Why is that?"
Error stuttered, his cheeks flushing yellow, "H-He Is An IdIoT...tOo HaPpY." He was stuttering over [Y/N] talking so familiar with him, and how genuine she was. Even this closed off skeleton couldn't help but feel slightly happy, at least, from her kindness and attention. Just what was happening to him? He frowned to himself, huffing at the blush rising to his cheeks.

"LET'S JUST SAY HE IS A FAKE BASTARD." Blue smiled, sweetly with venom lacing his tone. [Y/N] and Error exchanged looks and burst into laughter.
"Fake? Me? I wouldn't think so." Blue's smile immediately morphed into a scowl.

Ink squeezed between Blue and [Y/N], standing a little too close to the mage for even her to be comfortable with- she was fine with personal contact and affection but not with people she did not know all too well. "I'm Ink." He extended his arm for her to take and she glanced at it for a moment. Blue and Error did not seem too happy. As per usual, the protector had placed himself in situations he was not welcome in.
[Y/N] took his hand and shook with a strong grip, maintaining eye contact. "I'm [Y/N]."
"Oh, we know."

[Y/N] froze. "Huh?"
"I have been watching you for a while and Error...well he made a doll of you."
"YoU bAsTaRd-"

"-your grip is kind of-" [Y/N] gripped his hand harshly, and took hold of his arm with her other hand, before she threw him against the ground, one arm in mid-air with her foot dangerously close to his face and his cheek squished against the floor as she twisted his arm in an uncomfortable way, ready to tear and break off his arm if necessary. [Y/N] glared at Error and he stepped backwards in slight fear. Blue was blushing, on the other hand. Oh, Blue, what was going through your mind, flustered one? His eyes almost morphed into hearts before he slapped both cheeks with his hands.

Why was that? No need to think about that right now. She may have to ask a little later, however.

Sans and Gaster both visibly paled at the action itself.

"Anyone ever told you it's rude to watch people without introducing yourself?" [Y/N] snarled, with a commanding tone (Blue's blush seemed to darken and had to hide his face in his hands but it didn't stop Error from snorting and poking his cheeks. He could at least manage this physical contact.)

"YoU cOmPlImEnT tHe FlOoR wElL, iNk. MeEt AnYoNe WoRtH tAlKiNg To?" He stopped talking when [Y/N] sent him a warning glance; he stepped back with his hands up in surrender. She was terrifying when she needed to be. Well, couldn't blame her after finding out someone had been watching you for a while. Perhaps she was being a little nice by just giving them a warning. At least, for now.
"I highly doubt you twoadorableskeletons are normal, are you? You look like you have strings around your fingers and you look like you want to puke ink or some sh*t-"
"-I don't think you should swear-"

Her grip on him tightened. "Who are you two exactly?"
"INK IS THE PROTECTOR OF THE AUs. AND HE DRINKS INK."
"Not going to explain that?"
Blue looked at Ink on the ground with his arms crossed against his chest. "NO."

"Fair enough, it is not my business. And Error?"
"DESTROYER OF AUS. HE DOESN'T DO IT ANYMORE THOUGH!"
[Y/N] smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I believe you." Error blushed yellow. Gaster was drinking tea and watching all the drama unfold around him. He did not want to admit it, but he did like drama and even found it funny.

Sans, on the other hand, had his head resting against the table. He was tired

"I'm going to sleep, I have university and work tomorrow and then I have to be evenmoresocial. I have been given far too much information for me to cope with at the moment but I might be fine tomorrow. I am unsure though. So no one wake me or I will rip out your eyes, got it?" They all aggressively nodded, so [Y/N] let go of Ink's arm and walked up to her room.

...

"Blue why are you blushing so much? Aww, are you sub-"
"SHUT THE f*ck UP INK." Blue soon teleported away.

Chapter 24: 22

Chapter Text

It was Wednesday morning. A sweet aroma wafted from downstairs and trailed its way upwards, pleasing her taste buds. It was a pleasant aroma to have to wake up to.

Even so... it was mostly an annoyance she had university and lectures to listen to. The young mage adored working at Muffet's BUT it could be too crowded and loud sometimes. Even having to socially interact with Undyne and everyone else (she truly adored them but they were far too energetic sometimes. Asgore and Toriel were the calmest of them all) was draining. The aroma was a pleasant smell between coffee and maple syrup and it truly enamoured [Y/N] from the warmth of...Berry.

When did Berry get in here? Did she forget to lock her door again? And it was strange to see Mutt nowhere in sight. Berry was snuggled into [Y/N]'s chest, his arms wrapped around her waist whilst her own arms were around his torso to bring him even more against her chest. His snores were quiet and muffled. The covers were wrapped around them both and their limbs tangled with each other beneath the covers to bring the other closer. [Y/N]'s oversized shirt was rolled up slightly to reveal her stomach- her silver stretchmarks could be seen against her skin, in wavy, bright, silver lines, which shone slightly from the light above.

When her eyes drifted upwards from her stomach, she almost met the purple ones of Berry. His eyes trailed to her stomach, eyes softening. He rose his hand and used the other to trail along each mark, his touch lingered there for a moment and his genuine curiosity sparkled in his eyes. Berry let out a small hum before he stared upwards, freezing when his eyes caught [Y/N]'s and his cheeks flushed, darkly.
Berry nuzzled his face into her chest, his voice was muffled and soft. "Are Those Scars?"
She pressed a kiss against his head. "No, these are fairly common on women, men and non-binary people. They are called stretchmarks."
"Stretchmarks?"

[Y/N] murmured, softly, "Yes, they can happen due to changes in weight whether gaining weight, or losing it or it can happen with pregnant women, some men and non-binary people, since the skin needs to stretch for the baby forming inside the stomach."
"Baby...? Are You Pregnant?" Berry asked, sitting up on the bed, and placing his legs either side of the mage, staring into her eyes intently. His cheeks were puffed out, cutely. [Y/N] had to resist the urge to laugh at how adorable and genuinely curious he was in wondering about the human body. In fact, Berry had always been the one to ask about the female body (not in a pervy way).

"...Do I look fat?" [Y/N] mused.

"NO! WHY EVER WOULD YOU THINK THAT?" Berry almost demanded, his face inches from hers and his arms were on either side of her head.
With a smirk, she took hold of his arm and rolled over to pin his arms above his head, as she was inches from his face. Berry blushed darkly and he felt his soul beat faster against his ribcage; the feeling of being pinned by the woman he loved, no less, made him feel so flustered and heenjoyedbeing overpowered by her. It stirred the fondness he felt and another feeling he wanted to ignore...but it burned intensely.

He wanted to give in, to indulge it.

But, he wouldn't indulge it if she didn't want the same. He may be a monster but he wasn't a MONSTER.

[Y/N] stuck out her tongue. "I was joking, Berry. Good to see you care so much."
"...I...Like Your Stretchmarks. They're Beautiful...Just Like You."
Before the mage could respond, the door was kicked open by Mutt who was carrying a tray full of pancakes with maple syrup and a cup of coffee. When he saw the scene in front of him, he smirked and furrowed his eyebrow, ready to tease. Berry was blushing dark purple and [Y/N] was blushing red but she gave a simple smile.

"wow, in the mornin'? you two are something else-"
"-MUTT, THAT IS DISGUSTING-"
"-Yeah, it would be far too early for me. Maybe in a few hours?" She winked at Berry.
Berry gaped up at [Y/N] and his eyes morphed into hearts. "H-HUH?" Mutt began to laugh and slid the tray on the side table. [Y/N] sat up slightly, removing her arms from either side of him, so she was still pinning Berry to the bed by her legs on either side of him but her arms were free.

"Are the pair of you up to anything today?"
"borin' stuff. have a meeting for ushandsomeskeletons, " Mutt mused, picking up one of the pancakes to give to [Y/N]; she furrowed her brow in confusion as he threw it and she only just managed to catch it and began to eat, despite the maple syrup trailing down her fingers and she groaned in annoyance.
"IT'S ABOUT BETHANY AND HER POSITION WITHIN THIS HOUSEHOLD." Berry spoke, trying not to look up at [Y/N] and flush all over again. Her thighs were pressed up against his bone and it was not uncomfortable but he was becoming more flustered that her body was on top of his.

Mutt was watching Berry contemplate his existence- seeing his brother like this was incredibly humorous- and he said, "you must besub-ered up now, bro." The glare, oh the glare Berry gave him was so cold and dark. [Y/N] definitely knew she flustered Berry easily when shetook charge. As Berry broke away from his thoughts, he heard Mutt speak.

"darlin', what are you doing?"
"Yougave me a pancake without the plate, this is your fault." She sounded so angelic even when she was scolding his brother. "When would you like to go to the aquarium?"
"how about tomorrow?" [Y/N] used her magic to float her timetable towards her; she grazed one finger over the day itself and hummed in contemplation.
"I have classes until 2, and I only work for an hour at Muffet's from 2."
"i could pick you up, " Mutt responded, scratching the back of his neck with a blush across his cheeks. Mutt was wearing one of his longer shirts with his jeans.
"Seems fine with me."

A little later, after dressing in a pair of trousers, a long shirt and with her dew drop necklace, she started to walk towards the stairs until she heard a rustle and loud voices.
"RED, YOU NEED TO STAY IN HERE BEFORE YOU CAN RACK UP A DECENT APOLOGY FOR [Y/N]."
"and you? do you have one?" He sounded irritable.
"YES I DO, ACTUALLY. FOR GOD SAKE, SANS. BETHANY LIED TO US. STAY IN HERE WHILST YOU THINK ABOUT AN APOLOGY AND HOW TO MAKE IT UP TO HER IN THE FIRST PLACE. GOT IT?"
"fine, boss."
"CALL ME EDGE, RED." There was a huff from Red, but it was more so in amusem*nt than anything else. With one quick look back, [Y/N] walked downstairs and stopped midway between the kitchen and the door to see Stretch resting his head against the table and groaning. She quickly stepped towards him and knocked him with her foot.

"You sound very enthusiastic for the day, Stretch." She took a closer look and glanced at the pamphlets in question spread across the table. She picked up one of the yellow pamphlets and snorted. "Did you know bees make honey?"
Stretch let out another groan.
"What has you acting this weird in the morning- oh, Blue woke you up at 6am again, didn't he?"
"yes."

[Y/N] looked over the pamphlet. "Originally, my friend used bees to post the information pamphlets."
Stretch raised his head a little, one of his eyebrows raised in confusion. "why did she stop?"
"Too many bees were getting eaten on their journeys and she would have lost a lot of money and well, bees, if she hadn't stopped."

"Oh." The thought of bees being eaten (when happily buzzing and delivering mail) was a sad thought.
"Now then, if you go to sleep now, I won't tell your brother." He immediately sprang up after that and wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck.
"thank you." He let her go and teleported away. She shook her head with a smile.

Hopefully, university itself was not going to be as tiring as it usually was. Might as well see for herself: she closed her eyes and imagined the university building around her and the sickening feeling formed in her gut and as she opened her eyes, she realised she was there. Teleporting made her want to puke but it was the quickest way to get to university and not have to interact with anyone on the bus (when she used to use the bus as transport, there were some really interesting people on there but they also scared her slightly by how loud they could be sometimes.)

At least university kind of calmed her, even a little-

"[Y/N]!!" Scratch that, she hated it. She didn't want to be here. Maybe she should go home-

Nah. She needed this degree.

She turned around to face John, a person in her class who attempted and failed to ask her out several times. She had always rejected him as gently as possible, but he still came back and asked as if nothing happened. She didn't dislike him exactly but...he was annoying, to say the least. John had light blond and brown hair, with brown eyes, freckles across his cheeks and dimples. He was smiling down at her with a glint in his eye as though he was planning something.
"[Y/N], I have a girlfriend."
"Congrats," [Y/N] said, kindly. She began to walk off. She could sense his negative energy and his absolute irritation. John was watching after her as she left with a less than friendly smile.

"One way or another, you're going to be mine."

...That's what you think. Weirdo.

Chapter 25: 23

Chapter Text

Throughout the day at her university she swore she could feel someone else watching her, tailing her wherever she went, and quietly following her. Strange, was what it was. Whenever she tended to reject John's advances, she knew someone was following her; their soul sang out in distress, almost, and another strange emotion she could not quite place was there, infecting their soul with an indescribable, worrying emotion.

Desire was an advocate for more ruthless actions; desire causes us to do things we could not even imagine, whether through murder, violence or even imprisoning those we admire. John, for one, was a twisted man who sought for [Y/N] to be his no matter the consequence. [Y/N] was not the first to catch his fancy, there had been few others he had...liked.

The ones he chose to like tended to seem innocent (they were, as well as kind. He seemed not to know [Y/N] too well since that is not what she only was), "cute", pure (which was extremely weird for him to search for that in someone), and many more weird things he sought in people. The other people he had "loved" had been treat with kindness, sickly sweet mannerisms (taking them coffee, calling to ask if they were fine, constant pestering). When the people in question responded with less than anything but kindness- which was understandable- he...

killedthem. First: the kidnapping. He would slowly follow the target to their home of residence and make sure no one was around in the dark of the night. He usually wore darkened clothing, stepping quietly behind them in the night and only the silence surrounded them. And then...with a piece of fabric he placed it over their mouth and they were immediately knocked out. Second: John loved to toy with hislove,through torture (such as not allowing them to have food for long periods of time or drink, through their own torture methods and even letting them loose in his back before shooting them full blank in the head) and if they survived, he had numerous ways of killing them. Third: If they had not survived, they would be killed according to how he felt towards them. If he hated how he was treated by them, it was a slow and painful death. If he liked them somewhat, it took less time to die, but was still immensely painful and finally, if he still loved them, their death was quick and painless.

Now, he felt like stalking [Y/N] was for the best, to monitor how she may act when he was away from him. Oh, sweet sweet [Y/N], how she affected him so.

He followed her closely, tailing her as she headed towards Muffet's bakery. He hid behind a tree, his eyes focused on [Y/N]. So, she worked with monsters? Interesting.

[Y/N] threw her bag in the back where they kept everyone's belongings after grabbing her outfit for Muffet's bakery; she slid into one of the stalls and changed quickly, and threw her clothes back in her bag. Her fingers touched either side of her bow tie and tightened it even more as she stood at the counter alongside Muffet. Her purple waistcoat, black bow tie, white shirt and trousers seemed to suit her quite well; there was a spider emblem sewn onto her right breast. Muffet smiled with her teeth bared slightly, a gleam in her eye.

"I amnotputting on those damn roller skates ever again, Ruffles."
Muffet scoffed. "Why ever not?~ You fell tremendously well~" The spider monster took someone's order and grabbed two croissants and a bottle of cider, placing them carefully in the bag. She grabbed a black ribbon and wrapped it around the bag, curling the ribbon and sliding it between the gaps, before she pulled it together and it formed a spectacular bow.

[Y/N] stuck out her tongue at her spider boss. "That is mean of you, Ruffles. After everything I have done for you, as well."
"Done what, dearie~? You eat all of my croissants~"
[Y/N] gasped, "How dare you reveal my secrets! I trusted you, Ruffles!" Muffet gleefully laughed at [Y/N]'s 'offended' expression. She pushed the mage with one of her other arms and [Y/N] did a small spin before falling down dramatically, sprawling across the floor. Muffet shook her head in amusem*nt, instead focusing on her customers as they asked for her food and alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) ciders she tended to create from spiders, magic and love.

These types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages seemed to sell quite quickly, and [Y/N] had been taught how to make them encase Muffet was busy with customers (interacting with strangers still unnerved her and scared her, but she could still interact with people if she needed to.) Before she could go to the back and prepare more croissants, she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

"lovely to see you, honey bee, " Stretch spoke with a lollipop between his teeth. Muffet shook her head in amusem*nt and focused on the customers in front of her, as she grabbed the gold from their hand. [Y/N] leaned at the counter, with her arms underneath her chest.
"What are you doing here, Queen Bee?" The mage asked, a gentle sparkle to her eye.

Stretch began to stutter; he threw his hood over his head and fastened it, murmuring under his breath.

"[Y/N], stop teasing the poor skeleton~ He is going to blow a fuse~" Muffet spoke up, placing several bags on the top of the counter for her customers to take gleefully. The spider in question was both listening in to their conversation, and paying attention to her customers. Muffet had employed [Y/N] when she first established the bakery; this young mage had always been there; she did not regret admitting she admired [Y/N], even found herself being overprotective over the mage, feeling a need to do so after the vague pieces of information she had told Muffet about her family, and Alex. Anyone else was seen as untrustworthy until [Y/N] herself told her they could be trusted, or even when the spider herself CHECKed them.

[Y/N] softly grasped Stretch by his sleeve and before Muffet or Stretch could even protest, she opened the door and entered the kitchen secured off from the public. No one apart from [Y/N] and Muffet herself (she did not trust any other employees she had to access the kitchen after someone had stolen gold from Muffet. It had not been [Y/N], as she was at university during this time and she would not dare do such a thing to Muffet of all people, or monsters.)

Muffet's kitchen had dark purple wallpaper, with black counters and many spider decorations hanging up, as well as some real spiders who loved to watch as they made the baked goods. They liked to spin their webs, and slide down the webs to take a closer look; [Y/N] had scolded them many times. They never listened, despite her many complaints and fake shouts of protest.

Stretch's eyes widened as he focused on the spiders bustling in the corner and he quickly frowned. [Y/N] followed his gaze and immediately scowled and pointed her finger at them, growling in protest. "Leave, please." They let out small cries of annoyance; they all obeyed, however, and left.

"[Y/N], I need to tell you something." When [Y/N] looked back towards Stretch, she froze and felt her cheeks darken. His gaze was full of so much love, and his blush darkened across his cheeks. She stepped backwards and sat on one of the counters.
"Ok, tell me."

Chapter 26: 24

Chapter Text

Months ago...

The Doodle-sphere. It was quiet, usually. It was covered in his wonderful paintings crafted in numerous amounts of paint of varying colours; some displayed the beauty that was Outertale, the stars, the midnight sky and how everything seemed to glow or even just other sights of his Aus he was immensely proud of. Not that...anyone ever saw his paintings. Not that he refused to allow them to see, it's just...his art was something he was passionate for and if someone mocked it...he would not know how to feel.His paintings were his only companions until Dream and Blue joined him in becoming the Star Sanses and he finally had people to speak with apart from well,Error,who was helping Nightmare and the Bad Sanses destroy the Aus and cause ultimate mayhem.

But even withfriendslike these, he still felt truly alone. At least these vials were created for him to mimic emotions not truly feelthem. They were not permanent. And, if he refused to drink the vials...well, he would revert to an entirely emotionless state, and which causes him to not feel emotion. He didn't care for anyone. He liked to believe he was a good person. He wanted to protect the Aus...but how far would he go to do that? To keep everything and everyone safe?

Far enough.

A portal swirled and formed and Ink stepped from it. His attire was covered in red blood, scattered with remnants of grainy, grey dust. The sides of his skull was splattered with red blood and dust, trailed across the ink splatter across his cheek. He huffed in annoyance; hopefully, Dream and Blue were asleep. What did he expect? They would react if they saw him covered in blood! This blood and dust was not his. They wouldn't understand if he told them his reasonings...they had souls. They could feel.

They had empathy.

Ink froze when he heard someone's voice.

Even now...he could still see the substance trailing down his eyes in his nightmares.

Present time...

...Karma's a bitch.

Chapter 27: 25

Chapter Text

Stretch had been hiding in his hood for the past few minutes, attempting to form a sentence. His hood hid his face beneath, his honey-coloured cheeks brightening by the second as he attempted to try to admit what he had been feeling for this past year; his freckles shone keenly. His fingers played with the inside of his sleeve to feel the fabric between his fingers and have a sense of familiarity. Admitting your feelings to someone was never an easy task. It is always difficult; your heart rate increases, your heart aggressively slams against your chest and you can barely form a sentence. The outcome can be nerve-racking, or can put a weight off your shoulders.

Stretch, on the other hand, was entirely flustered and unable to think of what he wanted to say! He even had a piece of paper detailing his thoughts- even Blue helped, even though they both liked [Y/N]. Could it be possible for a poly relationship? Maybe? [Y/N] herself had never spoken about polyamorous relationships and did seem to know what they are, since himself (he hates to think back), Blue and most of the skeleton household were in such a relationship with Bethany. The paper itself was in his front pocket; he shakily slipped it out using his other hand, and quickly skimmed over it before focusing on [Y/N].

[Y/N] alone had been able to help the pair "calm down" and changed them for the better, and had helped them with their reoccurring nightmares associated with their timeline. Mutt's were to do with Frisk, the child who killed all of the monsters, including Berry, and Berry's included memories associated with his position in the Royal Guard and how he was the one to kill the children. They both felt guilt and they were slowly getting better but they could not forgive themselves quite yet.

He was surprised when he felt her hand softly trace over his cheek and [Y/N] cupped both of his cheeks and looked into his eyes; he felt his cheeks flush at how her eyes seemed to glimmer, how they conveyed kindness or even love. Stretch removed his hood, and used both of his hands to cautiously rest them on the counter either side of [Y/N]. [Y/N] grabbed his collar to gently coax him to bring himself closer; he placed his chest between her thighs and shared a glance with her.

"I have feelings for you, as well, Stretch, " she softly spoke, placing a gentle kiss against his forehead. "I also like..."
"my bro? i can understand that, honey bee. but it isn't just me and my bro is it? it's most of us."
"Yes, that's right. But I do wish to see if they do have feelings for me. I want them to do it when they are ready, " [Y/N] spoke. "When that happens, we all need to have a discussion about what will happen next."

"What a wonderful performance~" A voice purred from behind them. Stretch turned- with [Y/N] still in his arms- and rustled into his pocket and place a lollipop between his teeth and he had a smirk across his face. [Y/N] began to whine and hide herself in his hoodie.
"thanks, Muff. we take 5 G for each performance." They both laughed as [Y/N] continued to whine.

After they finished work, and [Y/N] gave Stretch a quick kiss, before both Muffet and [Y/N] headed towards Undyne and Alphys' house, ready for a night of games. And fun. And...drama. Probably.

He loved seeing his brother smile. Finally, after so much time.

"Haha, I win, Undyne!" [Y/N] smirked, pinning Undyne's arms above her head. They were both chuckling until a shadow formed behind them with their hands on their hips. They simultaneously turned to see Toriel standing with her hands on her hips and giving them her best, scolding stare.
"Must you do such things when there are children around?"
"Sorry, Tori."
"Sorry, Miss Toriel." Toriel smiled in relief and stepped outside. [Y/N] stood up and held out her hand for Undyne to take and helped her to stand.
"I thought you two fought well-"
"-Asgore!"
"Coming, Tori!" With a sheepish smile, Asgore followed his wife.

"Do you guys have anywhere I can quickly change?"
"-W-We h-have a b-bathroom o-on the r-right, " Alphys stuttered, smiling slightly.
"Thanks!"

He was not as bad as she initially thought.

Then again, he was thinking the same.

Chapter 28: 26

Chapter Text

"Yes." Ink beamed, much to both Error and Blue's annoyance.
"pOoR hEr, " Error mused, holding up his hand (he was becoming more and more comfortable with touch. Blue had started to help him through it, and was happy to help him one step at a time. High fives was something simple, and something he could manage) and Blue gleefully slapped his glove hand against his.

Blue rolled up his sleeve to check the time on his watch. It was ready for him to leave for his shift.

"I HAVE TO GET GOING." The pair nodded, and stepped away from the door to allow him to leave, and watched as he placed his phone into his pocket. With Blue quickly closing the door behind him, Ink and Error glared at each other.

Toriel shuck her head to the side in amusem*nt and spun the spinner with one finger. It landed on green. [Y/N] let out a groan whilst stretching her leg to reach the other side and place her foot on the green, "I am not flexible enough for this." Papyrus easily reached the other side with his other foot- he snorted as [Y/N] gave him a 'how dare you' look'- even Sans managed to reach the other side but his body was beginning to shake, Frisk was able to do it rather delicately (they were beginning to do ballet lessons, so their flexibility was improving and they were silently giggling to themselves seeing everyone else having trouble bending) MK was having a slightly harder time and he fell face first.

"Yeah! You're married to Sans!" MK cheered.
"Ew, I want a divorce!"
Sans gasped from underneath her (that was the only circle he could reach), "for shame. don't break myhearthere."
"You don't have one!"
"reason why it hurts even more!"

"You guys are so dramatic, I am married to both Sans and Papyrus, Muffet will be my 3rd wife."
Papyrus furrowed his brow. "THIRD?"
Frisk fell over, and puffed out their cheeks in annoyance. With her free hand, [Y/N] rubbed the top of their head, not noticing the small smirk emerging across their face. Yep, definitely up to something. Frisk grabbed hold of [Y/N]'s wrist and pulled down her weight so she landed on top of Sans, and only just was able to place her hands either side of him to stop herself from falling. They both froze and blushed as their eyes met, and neither were able to say anything. Papyrus was watching in astonishment, Undyne was cheering loudly, MK and Frisk was smirking, Toriel placed her hand over her mouth and Muffet giggled in amusem*nt.

"GET IT!"
"Undyne, there is children!"
"Sorry, Mrs. Dreemur."

"Let's play Truth or Dare!"

Chapter 29: 27

Chapter Text

Truth or Dare. The game which often revealed hidden aspects of one’s character and brings it out into the open. Whether through crushes, cheating or anything else, it could even bring people together. Depending on what secrets were revealed that is.

Everyone sat around in a circle: Undyne sat beside Alphys and Papyrus, Papyrus sat beside Undyne and [Y/N], Sans was on [Y/N]’s right side, whilst Mettaton was sat beside Muffet and Sans.

Deciding who would go first was the most important question. [Y/N] snorted to herself as everyone started to squabble, taking the time to pick at her nails, and trail over the silver scar along her hand. It was oddly shaped, and added discolouration to her skin from how deep it had been.

Her fingers delicately traced over it, her eyes narrowed in concentration. It had hurt, of course. It had been a “simple use of discipline”. At least, that was what her mother had insinuated.

[Y/N] flexed her fingers, a curse on the edge of her tongue. The scar glinted in the light: it was a reminder of what, and who, she had managed to get away from, for at least a moment.

[Y/N] had pronounced “generation” incorrectly. Her mother had forced her to put out her hand where she smacked down a book with as much strength as she could muster, shattering her middle phalanges of her hand.

The wound across it had been worse: a massive slash, where skin flickered off the wound itself as blood trailed down her hand and stained the carpet beneath her feet.

It took all she could muster to not cry, to hold in her woe that threatened to spill from her voice, her eyes with tears rolling down her cheeks. She had been five.

Why was she going back? It was dangerous. But, would it be more dangerous to not go? And would it put her friends in danger? A frown spread across her lips.

She gulped down her insecurities, holding the glass of gin in her hand. She swirled it around, her eyes trailing over the pink liquid spilling around the sides, until she threw it back.

She hasn’t noticed the white pinpricks watching her form in worry.

"How about, we go around in a circle? I’ll go first!” Undyne shouted, before being shushed by Alphys. The children were trying to sleep after all.Undyne put her hands up in defence, chuckling to herself before her yellow eyes trailed over each guest, before landing on Muffet. "Truth or Dare, Muffet?”

The Spider Monster swirled around her red wine in one hand, with her others propped up to rest a chin on top of it. She smirked enough to show off her sharp, white fangs. Her eyes crinkled in amusem*nt. “Truth, dearie~”
"Do ya still love Grillby?"

Muffet smiled, despite the lack of emotion in her eyes. "Yes, but that would be no secret~ Our child is far more important, however, than my happiness~ We tried to work through it and it didn’t go well~”

"Sorry, Muffs,” Undyne said, sympathy dripping from her voice. She scratched the back of her neck nervously. This was not the expected outcome, but, it wasn’t surprising. Despite how much they loved each other, Muffet and Grillby never agreed on anything apart from when it came to their child.

Freya, the Fire Spider Monster in question, was around three years old. She had red, fire-like hair often tied back in plaits by metal since her hair was as hot as magma, with five eyes made from white flames flickering and blinking where her eyes would be. Her skin was a very light red, and she had four arms. Her choice of clothing consisted of dresses or anything Muffet tended to sew for her.

"LET’S MOVE ON!” Papyrus said, nervously playing with his sleeve. Trickles of orange sweat rolled down his face, dripping down and falling onto his arm.

[Y/N] yawned, wiping away any excess sleep from her eyes. He turned his head towards [Y/N], and smiled brightly. "IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU COULD REST YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER.”

A smile made its way across [Y/N]’s lips. "Thanks, Paps.”

[Y/N] slowly fell against his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his own, interlocking their fingers together. His soul beat faster against his chest: his eyes widened at how gentle her actions were, how much they made his bones tingle with electricity, or how his soul felt as though it had been caressed. It was an odd, but welcoming sensation that she made him feel like this.

His face burned bright orange, and small hearts began to manifest in his eyes. Gently, he interlocked his fingers with hers, trying to ignore the smirk from his brother and Undyne. "W-WELL, I GUESS IT’S MY TURN!” He looked around the circle for a little bit until he landed on Alphys. "ALPHYS, TRUTH OR DARE?”

Alphys started to nervously play with her own sleeves until Undyne took one of her hands in her own, raising it slightly and pressed a kiss against her palm.

Alphys let out a squeal of surprise and her cheeks flushed a dark shade of red. Undyne snorted to herself andeveryone else watched the pair with adoration. "O-Oh…eh…T-Truth?”

"HOW LONG WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAD A CRUSH ON UNDYNE FOR?”

Alphys looked away in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of red. Her soul almost exploded from her chest as Undyne gently stroked her finger along Alphys’ palm. "W-Well…I would say…w-when we f-first met.”

"Aw, Alph!” Undyne wrapped her arms around Alphys and squeezed her against her chest, causing an embarrassed squeal to erupt from Alphys.

Everyone laughed at how cute the pair were. Love was just so pure: the way they love each other, and smiled, as love bubbled in their hearts, it was enough to make anyone jealous.

[Y/N] could recognise that feeling. To feel at ease with your partner, to cling onto each strand of happiness and safety they provided. She could think of a few. Now was not the time to think of love and its many challenges.

Instead, it was time to think of someone to ask ‘Truth or Dare’. Her eyes flickered around the circle, landing on Muffet for a split second- she needed a break from answering, so someone else would have to do. "Undyne, Truth or Dare?”

"Dare!”

A smirk spread across [Y/N]’s lips.

Undyne snorted at her expression. Sans said, propping up his hand to rest his chin on top of it. "that was your first mistake. feels fishy to me.”
[Y/N] laughed to herself, hiding her laughter into Papyrus’ side as Papyrus groaned from annoyance and humour.

Everyone else either laughed or groaned into their hands.

After [Y/N] managed to regain her composure, she stared at Undyne. "I dare you to message the person, other than Alphys, that you find attractive. But, you don’t have to do it.”

Immediately, Undyne started to whisper to Alphys, and [Y/N] tilted her head to the side as they both nodded in agreement, a smile across their faces. Undyne slipped out her phone from her pocket, swiped upwards and clicked onto her messages. Before long, [Y/N]’s phone pinged.

[Y/N] sent them a confused look before getting out her phone from her pocket. She unlocked her phone and pressed onto her messages.

There was one message from Undyne, and a few from Berry and Mutt. She pressed onto Undyne’s message, which read 'Me and Alphys both agree you’re cute’. As [Y/N] caught their smiles, her face flushed bright red. "Oh.”

Everyone started laughing at her embarrassed expression.

"looks like it’s my turn,” Sans spoke, his eyes crinkling in amusem*nt. "eh…[Y/N], Truth or Dare?”

"Truth?”

"what’s with that scar across your hand?”
"SANS,” Papyrus said as a warning. Sans looked at his brother in surprise, before turning his head towards [Y/N] who was blankly staring at her hand.

"you don’t have to answer it if you’re uncomfortable. I can think of something else to ask.”

"No, don’t worry about it. I don’t mind answering it. I got it from my mother. I didn’t pronounce “generation” correctly so she slammed a book against my hand, breaking my middle phalanges, and creating this scar. Wasn’t the first, or last time.”

Everyone was stunned into silence.

She looked down at the floor, feeling herself become tired and drained by even the mention of what her mother had done.

She could feel everyone’s worried stares on her. "I think I need a moment outside.” She let go of Papyrus arm and stood up. Sending everyone a sad smile, she stepped outside.

[Y/N] sat down on one of the chairs outside, taking the time to glance up at the stars and taking in the glimmering, small lights from above. The moon shone above, glowing down on everything beneath. She wrapped her hands around her shirt, tugging at it nervously.

She didn’t want to ruin everyone’s night like this. But, she couldn’t help it if she was feeling like this. Out of spirits. Upset.

Just even thinking of her family made her upset. She didn’t hear footsteps stepping behind her and someone sat down in the seat beside her. "sorry if I upset you, [Y/N]. should’ve been more considerate. I am such a numbskull.”

"Don’t worry about it, Sans. Could have asked for another Truth, or something like that. It’s just…reminders of my family dampen my mood. Sorry I ruined the party.”

Sans stuffed his hands into his pockets. "hey, can’t blame you for feeling like that. you didn’t dampen the party or anything like that. we understand you feeling like that. don’t pressure yourself. it was…nice having you here. i admit, I still am a little wary around you, but, I…you are a good person.” [Y/N] widened her eyes in surprise and looked towards Sans. His face was lit up with a navy blue blush and he looked away. "I don’t hate you.”

"Thanks, Sans.” After that, they were left in silence for a while to enjoy the silence of the night. Their faces were bitten by the coldness, causing their faces to brighten as they smiled.

Nice.

Chapter 30: 28

Chapter Text

The castle on top of the hill overshadowed the trees below, its darkened exterior ruining the colourful blooms dotted across the grass in red, purple and other bright hues Nightmare couldn't stand the sight of. The gardens on either side of the forest (it was only colourful as Dream had argued it would 'spice' up the exterior as it was 'sad' and 'too dark') consisted of mostly golden roses, which sparkled at night, and glowed even at the darkest hour. The interior of the castle was larger than it appeared, having two kitchens, ten bedrooms, the throne room where once only one throne was positioned until Dream's golden throne was positioned (it had suns sketched into it, with buttercups traced into gold), a library, a game area and other rooms.

Each 'Bad Sans' and Dream had a room. Dream had moved into the castle a week after the agreement was written and signed. For the brothers, their argument had lasted for a while until Nightmare finally gave in so he didn't have to deal with 'an infant who has never experienced satisfaction before'. It was true Nightmare's arguments were quite childish, but, he made a point in regarding the villagers had only liked Dream long ago. Dissatisfaction of suffering with negative emotions brought upon the hatred and anger towards Nightmare to spiral: well, he sorted that. By winning them over? Oh, no. What would the point be in that? Oh, bykilling,dear reader.

Sometimes, the Dream Brothers had unresolved, childish squabbles. Typically normal with siblings.

For one thing, they once argued over who ate the most caramel ice cream- it was actually Cross- and whether Dream stole Nightmare's favourite squid plushie. Again, that was Cross. The blooms in the garden were neatly planted on both sides; there was a fountain on the left side, with a yin and yang emblem traced into the marble; water gushed from above in swirls of crystal blue water. Nightmare even had his own patch to plant flowers, prompting him to grow pitch-black roses and blood-red ones. But, he had strictinstructions for the other Sanses not to touch any of them or else "they will be Horror's next meal". Not that he, or the other 'Bad Sanses' ever saw Horror much anymore, or Black for that matter.

Nightmare flopped onto his throne and rested his head onto his upturned palm, a scowl almost permanent on his face nowadays. The "Bad Sanses" lived here to feel welcome, to feel established. To not experience, or feel the despair Ink had sought to protect. That, at first, was the point of the "Bad Sanses". To be a safe place of residence. Until, Ink destroyed anomalies changing the original scripts of the Aus. These anomalies had been alive. They had feelings.The Bad Sanses were not saints, nor were they evil.

Now, was only solitude.

Killer, Dust, and Cross still lived here for different reasons. Not that is was anyone's business but their own, and they didn't ask each other.

"boss...?"
Nightmare faced them, with one light blue eye open."What?"His voice was strict, but not unpleasant to listen to. It was deep and as smooth as velvet.
Dust smiled nervously, pushing away an invisible force (likely his brother) with his right hand, as a few droplets of sweat fell down his skull, "did you get...?"
Nightmare furrowed his brow."The stupid surprise? It ruined my roses, Dust.Don'tdo it again. Or is there something else?""well, Horror and Black are in the original au, boss."
Nightmare scoffed."How do you know this...?"The guilty look in Dust's eyes, and the sweat, indicated he had done something he was told not to do."You were reading my brother's letters again, weren't you?"Nightmare removed his hand from below his chin, and stood up. His tentacles were raising slightly above his body in a slithering, dangerous movement. It served as a warning, flexing above the air to appear larger than they were. Dust stepped backwards in slight fear, "y-yes! only the ones written about me! i...kinda miss Blue." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
Nightmare hummed to himself, positioned himself back on his throne and allowed his tentacles to curl around it."Should we see what they have been doing? See whether that world has softened them."

Perhaps, they could even find something else in their search. Oh, and they were going to force Dream to follow them. As the older brother, they had no choice but to listen.

Oh, well.

As Nightmare and the Bad Sanses (and Dream) teleported inside the house itself (they really needed a special lock or something to stop special visitors from just dropping in), they began to look around. It was fairly large inside the house, with quite a refined kitchen, with a living room with various consoles displayed underneath the larger television. The rattle of the door, however, alerted them more as the doorknob was turning, and clinking, until it finally opened...

It revealed a young woman. On closer inspection, her soul was of one of Conceit, Spite, and Corruption. Killer and Dust scowled and Dream attempted to hide behind his brother- the negativity radiating off of this woman attempted to cling to him unwillingly, and intoxicate him with the corruption which was her soul. A sigh erupted from Nightmare's throat, as he outstretched his arm in front of Dream, whilst his tentacles moved on either side of the younger brother. As much as his positivity annoyed him (to the point of 'accidentally' puking sometimes), Dream was still his younger brother.

Should they wait and see if she sees them? Or, make their presences fully known? Perhaps they could have a little bit of fun with this newcomer. If she negatively (as much as he may have liked it in the past) affected his brother so much, he would have to do something about it. After so long, he was feeling protective over his younger brother.Even though he attempted to kill Dream multiple times. As well as how Dream tried to do the same thing to him. But, that was in the past.

"Just wait! If I tamper with that damn machine something even worse than thosedisgustingcreatures could appear!" What added to her 'villain monologue' was the laugh she had to hide behind her hand.
"she sounds like a Disney villain, telling us her plan or something, " Dust muttered to himself. His Papyrus murmured something into his ear and Dust growled under his breath rubbing his ear with slight annoyance. Ah, he was being scolded.

Cross scoffed and turned his attention to the woman in question; his gaze followed after her as she went down to the basem*nt. But, what surprised them more was the front door slamming open to reveal a [h/c] woman stepping through the door, closely followed by Sans and Papyrus.

"why boss?" Killer whined, freezing at the slight glare Nightmare sent in his direction. He could feel the beads of sweat trailing down his skull.

"You are acting like a child, Killer. Stop it, "Nightmare began, grabbing hold of his knife with one of his tentacles and placing it in one of his pockets. Killer began to sulk and let out a dramatic sigh."And, it is better for them both to be...friendly then to kill each other."

Cross quirked his eyebrow in confusion. "What happened to you, Nightmare?"
Nightmare's stare did not waver from the doorway to the basem*nt."I do not wish to lose my brother again. Our constant war nearly killed him and myself, as well as you guys, as stupid as you are. I...will likely not go back to how I used to be, but I want to try."Killer puffed out his cheeks. "could we head for the basem*nt?"
Cross shook his head slightly. "Priorities, Killer."
"Let us meet this miserable creature, shall we?"The King of Nightmares swept by them both and headed towards the basem*nt.

As quietly as possible, they walked down to the basem*nt, and Nightmare used one of his tenacles to open one of the doors. The young woman heard the slight noise but seemed to shrug it off.

With each step she took, she ignored the creep of consciousness she may have cared to own years ago. How it would consume her in hatred. The sins which weighed upon her soul were never to be forgotten. Maybe if she regretted her actions, but she didn't. Even when she fought a four-year-old...she didn't regret it. Nor the fear...

orthe blood dripping between her fingers, staining them in red.

The feeling sent her on edge and she enjoyed it. She enjoyedthe feeling of killing.Maybe she should call John again. Tell him about where [Y/N] lived and her schedule...now that would be fun.

"Hello,killer.Why are you down here exactly?"

She turned around and screamed, dropping the hammer.

Maybe she could talk with the neighbourhood killers? Fun.

Well, some did not experience either dreams or nightmares. It is just empty, a world of imagination not discovered. But that is fine.

[Y/N], herself, however, had been sleeping, or had been half-asleep at least. Everyone else was out (except Sans, Papyrus, Cinnamon, Mars and Blue) who were busy elsewhere. She could admit she had grown more fond of the pair: she had already been fond of Papyrus but that had grown, whilst, she grew to like Sans more. They seemed to be in agreement friendship was the best road to go down.

Suddenly she heard a scream from the basem*nt...was this a killer scenario? If she went downstairs she would be chased all over by one person? Probably. Might as well cure her irritation. No one else seemed to have heard the scream, somehow. [Y/N] changed into a long hoodie, a shirt and a pair of shorts. She slipped on a pair of her glasses and slid them onto her nose. The mage slipped her phone into her pocket, sliding her feet into her slippers before she opened the door and closed it behind her. The trip to the basem*nt was a dark and seemingly terrifying one. Perhaps, in the trick of the light, she saw a shadow moving and hiding within the corner.

She shook this thought away to instead head down to the basem*nt...wait, didn't Sans not want anyone down here? It wasn't as if she was doing it for no reason. She heard someone scream for god sake! She couldn't just ignore that. She walked down the basem*nt and pressed her ear against the door- voices were muffled on the other side, raising slightly from various voices she did not recognise, except one.

Before the voices could say anything else, [Y/N] slammed open the door (probably not her smartest decision, but she was not thinking. Knowing the woman's voice made her go into a fight or flight mindset.) Upon entering, she froze mid-step to see: Nightmare was holding Bethany upside down with one of his tentacles (she also appeared to be asleep so she was stuck in her own nightmares), Killer was playing with a knife between his fingers and Cross was resting against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest, seemingly amused by the entire thing. On que, they all turned to stare at her and she stared back.

[Y/N] pressed her hands together and threw them outwards, blowing the air from her nostrils. "Do you know what? No, no. I am not dealing with this right now. There are too many skeletons in this damn house. I amdone.Too much goddamn information. If I learn anything else I am going toexplode."
They all blinked at her mini rant and no one spoke until Bethany finally opened her eyes and blinked them at [Y/N].

Chapter 31: 29

Chapter Text

He always thought he would never have a soulmate. As though he was not worthy of such a thing.

After all, Nightmare had not experienced anything remotely positive in so long. Even his friendship with his brother was improving, yes, but...he still was suffering with the reminders of their fighting, his self-loathing, and the words filled with poison they had spewed.

Well, here she was. She was more than he was expecting...

A voice disrupted them from their thoughts. Why were they here? Both himself and Cinnamon stepped through into the basem*nt. Cinnamon was more reluctant to enter the basem*nt, instead taking one small step at a time towards [Y/N] and Nightmare. Nightmare stroked her cheek one last time before letting her go and step towards Cinnamon. Cinnamon was playing nervously with the hem of his sweater; [Y/N] gently grasped his hand and stroked her finger along his open palm. Cinnamon's cheeks flushed slightly and he managed a small smile.

"How come you two are here? I thought you lived in the forest?"
"your...soul...called out to...us." [Y/N] looked at him in confusion.

But, Mars was more focused on Nightmare. "boss...? why...are...you...here?" Mars asked, his one eye light widening in confusion.

"To see you, Error and Black. Where are they by the way?"Nightmare asked, crossing his arms against his chest and frowning a little. His voice was more curious and deep than usual. There was a subtle strictness to his tone whenever he spoke with the Bad Sanses, but when it was [Y/N], there was a far softer tone of voice.
"black...goes...by...berry...and...he...is...working...error...is...somewhere..." Nightmare did not ask for him to finish that thought. Knowing Error, he would be as far from Ink as possible, and anyone else for that matter.

Mars pointed to Bethany who was still upside down. "why...is...she...?"
Nightmare followed to where he was pointing and placed his hands in his pockets."This is Bethany, right? I heard how she somehow managed to romance those idiots and broke their hearts. To allow a human to do such a thing is stupid."From behind [Y/N], Mars was aggressively shaking his head placing his finger against his lips as Nightmare froze at the sudden coldness in the air; [Y/N]'s magic began to trickle through the basem*nt as she glared at Nightmare with a sudden coldness.

He stepped back in surprise and her eyes flashed black in warning. "Don't blame the ones who were manipulated by her in the first place. It isn't their fault. And, I still need to know how you know you are my soulmate, it still confuses me."

Mars answered, playing with his fingers, "we...feel...a...tug...and...we...can...sense...your...emotions...from...your...soul. we...aren't...your...only...soulmates."
[Y/N]'s gaze softened, and she grabbed hold of his hand, gently, and stroked his skull. Mars began to softly purr at her touch; grazing his cheek against hers; his purr was deep and seemed painful but he didn't seem to notice as she started to giggle and flush; Cinnamon smiled at their exchange.

Cross inquired, "Who else is [Y/N]'s soulmate?"
Mars smirked, his cheek still resting on [Y/N]'s, "too...many...for...my...brain...cells."

Cinnamon scratched between his eyes, attempting to ignore his brother's comment. Nightmare scowled, Killer managed a laugh, as well as Dust, but Cross snorted.

"Sometimes I really hate you."
"liar...i...am...too...lovable."
"And squishable."
"and...squishable."
"...am I squishable?"

"...Nightmare, what the f*ck?" Cross asked, laughing into his hand.
[Y/N], without any hint of emotion, said, "You are the most squishable skeleton I have ever met." Dust snorted, Cross smiled slightly and Killer let out full on chuckles so aggressive he was slamming his fist against the wall and Nightmare's skull fully blushed blue and his stutters sounded cute.

"But...who are [Y/N]'s soulmates?"

Cinnamon said, "[Y/N]'s soulmates are Sans, Papyrus, Blue, Stretch, Edge, Red-" Mars heard himself growl. "-Mutt, Berry, myself, Mars, Nightmare, Cross, and Dust..."
"so...far..."

[Y/N] was unsure whether she should faint or not. This was far too information, and she was too tired to deal with it.

"Imagine having that many soulmates..." The mage weakly laughed.
"Are you ok?"
"I just...need sleep. I have...university and work tomorrow." Everyone nodded in understanding but jumped back slightly as she teleported away.

"so...you...think...you're...squishy...boss?"
"Shut up, Horror."

It was Thursday morning, and she was not ready for university or work. She could not deal with John. Mutt, on the other hand, she could deal with.

John was a creep who could not take no for an answer despite her many rejections (seriously, she was as nice as possible to say 'no'. She swore she saw him sometimes at work from the corner of her eye, but, she was still unsure. Her paranoia had gotten worse these past years after her mother had turned up in her town once or twice, or she swore she saw her father watching her from the trees or her brother's wives entering the bakery once or twice in one day. She could not trust everyone she knew, and she wouldn't.)

Mutt was the most squishable skeleton (except Nightmare) she had ever met; he was so gentle and was pretty much a guard dog- despite her telling him he needed to stop standing behind her and following her. Then again, he was really cute when he gave his best puppy eyes and he had even sat between the door to make sure the door didn't close behind him when she truly needed to go to work. Actually, they had not even spoken about when he overheard her discussing with Blue about whether monsters and mages can have children.

Yeah, she would need to talk to him about that. Would talking about it on the date be too much? Possibly.

Nightmare had retrieved a cup with a small moon painted onto it, with a few silver stars; he swirled it counter clockwise, watching the light brown liquid swirl around in the cup before taking a sip. Berry had his apron wrapped around his waist (a red apron with 'Best Cook' written in black marker) whilst he also wore a pair of trousers, his red scarf, his boots and a black, tattered shirt. With his right hand, he was gripping the pan and threw the oil at the eggs with the wooden spoon he held. His eyes were focused on the pan itself, speaking lowly to Nightmare.

"So, you didn't decide to tell her? You and your brother-"
"-Mutt."
Nightmare scowled, sipping a little at his coffee he held with one of his tentacles."Is that the best name you could come up with?"Berry stopped what he was doing to let out a dramatic sigh. "I Did Not Call Him That."
"Sans did I'm guessing? Just because he is the original idiot, it does not mean he gets to dictate everything. For god sake, Black, you were Head of the Royal Guard."

"And I Highly Regret My Actions, " Berry began, dishing the food onto a plate. He placed the pan in the sink and gently turned the tap. The water gushed and the crystal blue liquid began to morph and twist within the grease, allowing spitting and crackles to quiet down. "I Am No Longer That Skeleton. And, I Regret Not Telling [N/N] Myself And Mutt Are Her Soulmates But She Had Her Own Problems. I Did Not Want To Add To That." As a response, Nightmare patted him on the shoulder and gave a small smile. "Do what makes you happy. Maybe change your brother's nickname."Berry could only nod.

Nightmare placed his cup in the sink, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His smile stretched across his face- and a blue blush dusted against his cheeks- as he saw [Y/N] in the doorway. He stepped towards her and his hand stroked the side of her face and his eye flashed brightly. "Nice collar~" The cold air raised the hair at the back of her neck and she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks at both the comment, and how she could hear his low chuckle as he left.

The sound of a gasp disrupted her from her thoughts. She turned to both skellies still in the kitchen; Killer's eyes widened slightly and he placed his knife back into his pocket to run over to the mage and lightly trace over the leather of the collar.

[Y/N] giggled as she watched him leave and close the door behind him. She turned just in time to see Berry stepping towards her in strides; she stepped back in alarm at his somewhat serious, narrowed eyes; he slammed both his arms on either side of [Y/N], pinning her against the wall as he made himself eye level, inches from her lips.

"Did Someone Give You A Damn Collar Before I?" Berry growled, his sapphire eyes narrowing in annoyance. Berry seemed bothered by the fact she was wearing a collar, instead believing someone else had given her it to wear and the fact he had not bought her one (yet), since he was not her mate.

[Y/N] furrowed her eyebrow in confusion. "Huh? No one gave me this collar, Berry. I bought it myself, and I wanted to wear it. Does it look nice?" Sometimes, she could be too oblivious for her own good.

Berry's eyes widened in realisation, and his entire face burned purple. "YES! YES, IT DOES...I JUST THOUGHT..." He placed his hands at his sides and backed away slightly. "I AM SO SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO..."

[Y/N] shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Berry. No harm done! But..."
"...BUT...?" A smirk made its way across her lips and with her right hand, she grabbed hold of the strap of his apron to turn him and pin him to the exact wall she had been pinned to moments prior; her right hand twirled her fingers around the strap of his apron as she pressed her body closer to his whilst her other hand cupped his cheek, tracing over his cheek until her finger stroked his 'lips'. Berry himself was entirely flustered; his skull was burning a splendid purple, and he froze, but allowed a sound of pleasure to erupt from his throat.

His eyes widened in realisation and he had to cover his face in his hands.

"Berry, please don't hide."
"NO...IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE..."
"I am pinningyouto the wall. I would be the inappropriate one. Are you uncomfortable?" Her grip loosened from around his strap and she removed her hand from the side of his face, and stepped back to allow him some space.
"NO!" He removed his hands from his face and his gaze did not reach [Y/N]'s face and instead trained on the floor beneath his feet. "I'm Not Used To Others Taking Charge. I...Urgh!"
"Take your time, and breathe."
Berry pressed his hands together and began to breathe in and out. He pressed his hands against his own cheeks and squished them, letting out a small growl he managed to manifest. His breathing started to become more consistent, and his blush was not as intense as it was previously; with one last breath releasing from his throat, he managed to look [Y/N] in the eyes.

"I Like You Pinning Me. ILoveYou Taking Charge. I...Am Just Used To Being In Control."
"Would you like me to try again?" [Y/N] softly smiled. "And there is nothing wrong with being like that, Berry. I don't judge here. But, what is the deal with the collar?"
Berry blew air from his nostrils. "IN MY TIMELINE, MONSTERS GIVE THEIR MATE, OR MATES A COLLAR TO DEMONSTRATE THEY ARE ALREADY TAKEN. COLLARS, IF THEY ARE RED ESPECCIALLY, SIGNIFIED THEY WERE MERELY UNDER A MONSTER'S PROTECTION, AS WELL AS BEING DECORATED WITH GOLDEN DECORATION, SUCH AS MUTT'S. IF A COLLAR WAS BLACK, THEY ALREADY HAD A MATE. AND...I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TRY AGAIN." He whispered the last part, to her slight amusem*nt.

Berry managed a nervous laugh. "I AM SORRY ABOUT..."
[Y/N] shook her head. "Don't worry about it, are you ok?"

He took a moment to answer. "...Take Over Any Time, Dear."

Chapter 32: 30

Chapter Text

"Alex, Alex, Alex, " A sharp voice spoke from the other side of the room. The room in question was the dining room; the table was 3 metres in length being made from dark wood, decorated with red cloth with golden spirals, along with golden candlesticks bleeding blue wax along the metal; flames flickered from side to side, spitting specks of flame and ash; plates were placed in front of the people on either side of the table sitting so far from each other they could barely see the expression the other shared. Alex traced over the different spoons on either side of the plate, finally managing to find the correct one, raised it to his eyes and put it in the soup.

On the other side of the table, was a finely dressed woman- in an old-fashioned corset underneath her full skirt, with a finely styled blouse adorned with a single black ribbon on her chest, slightly puffy sleeves, and a single emerald on her chest- she was able to pick up the correct spoon the first time. Even as she gathered some soup on the spoon and consumed some, she appeared somewhat delicate. This woman had black locks, with light blue eyes and her locks were put up in a bun.

"I thought we told you to romance [Y/N]. Make her want to be with you. So what are you doing exactly?" She demanded.

Alex spoke, his eyes looking up for a moment at the woman on the other side of the room, "I am trying my best, woman. [Y/N] is a stubborn bitch."

The woman, named Desdemona, merely scoffed in response. "Language, you ignorant, lack of a man. She is stubborn, yes, but you need to keep asking her. Wear her down, it will work in no time."

"Is that what your husband did to you?" Alex dryly responded. Desdemona rattled her spoon by aggressively throwing it into her bowl of soup. Her magic quickly began to pour throughout the room; her magic's sent was of wet wood, slowly caressing the entire room. Her eyes flickered with a grey-coloured magic, tracing over her fingertips before she sighed, extinguishing the magic from both her gaze and the room itself.

Desdemona wiped off the invisible lint from her blouse, and placed her hands onto her lap. "I would not say such things if I were you."

Alex barely reacted to her comment. Instead, he slid the spoon back into the soup. "Fine, I suppose I deserve that. I apologise, I should not have said something like that."

"No, you should not have. Now, let us discuss why you are really here."

The atmosphere in the air suddenly shifted from being a more neutral atmosphere to a colder, more shrill one. Desdemona's eyes had flashed grey in warning, and her lips stretched into a more cruel smile. Despite appearances of people imagining her husband, Cannon, as the main influence within the family, it was the opposite. Desdemona controlled her family and their actions, but everyone else in her family, was taught on more patriarchal standards and principals.

Desdemona taught [Y/N] and her other three children women were to be within the household and take care of the children, whilst the men were to have jobs and provide. Women were to be caring, compassionate and kind to their husband, even if they were treating them terribly. The other three of her children were men; they were arrogant, cold and were known for their intelligence. At least, they thought they were.

All three were married to traditional wives (the three brothers had all argued with the women about being housewives and seemed to manipulate them into doing what they asked.) Cannon even upheld these views throughout their childhood. [Y/N] was the third oldest; she was expected to be a housewife, not want to become an artist or an author. Throughout her childhood, she was expected to do chores, learn how to cook, bake for anyone if asked (even if she was busy with her own work) and be completely obedient to her father and brothers if they wanted her to do something. It was weird. Since [Y/N] was the strongest magic user in their family, Desdemona desperately wanted [Y/N] to get married and have children to continue on their mage bloodline. They, of course, had to be human. Not a monster.

When [Y/N] had imagined her career, there had been many arguments involving her move to university and Desdemona had threatened to call her brothers if she left. Even as the mage did leave her family's house, her mother did call the brothers (they were immediately angry and even threatened to find [Y/N] and bring her back). Until now, however, no one had known where [Y/N] was.

When marriage was spoken about, [Y/N] ignored her mother's calls and texts. They were annoying. Detailing she needs to marry a 'good, human man' to continue on the family name. Still, Desdemona hoped her daughter would listen and appreciate the person she would pick for her daughter.

"Alex, I want you to propose to [Y/N] at the gala."

University was expected to be a building where people would learn, would deepen their knowledge of the world around them; everyone had different reasons of being in university, whether to get their degree, for the experience only or...well, everyone had their reasons. For a rare few, it was for stalking, seen especially with John, a man who's current fascination was walking out of university, along the path...on their way to work. With monsters, of course. Monsters in John's opinion, were interesting. They had so many capabilities the human race was probably unaware of.

Oh, well. He wasn't friends with monsters and it would likely stay that way. He had no time to make friends when his new muse was just steps away from him...

step...

step...

closer now...

nearly...

Right now- John was about to grab hold of [Y/N] from behind until a bone was thrown in his direction; he only just managed to dodge the bone flickering with light purple magic. A grow erupted from John's throat; his hands were on either side of his hunched body as he was about to stand until the force in question held their weight on top of his back. He was only just able to look up and see who it was: it was Mutt. Mutt's eyes were flickering with light purple magic, and his sharp teeth were shown in a scowl; a snarl erupted from him as they both maintained eye contact. The tall skeleton was wearing his jacket with white fluff around his sleeves and the hood whilst underneath he wore a red, woolly vest beneath, a collar around his neck, along with his trousers, a belt, and a pair of boots.

John nearly shouted, "Who the f*ck do you think you are?"

Mutt scoffed. "name's mutt. and i should be askin' you that. who the f*ck follows someone, you creepy f*ck? and, leave her alone, you got that? she doesn' need the stress of whatever the hell you are. are you a stalker or somethin'?"
"No! I was want to make sure she gets home safely."
"you're delusional. you were about to grab 'er from behind, " his boot dug further into his back, causing John to let out a pained grunt. "what were you thinkin' of doing, you sick f*ck?"

"Do you really want to know?" A sick smile made its way across his face. Mutt froze where he was, a disgusted look making its way on his skull as he realised what some of his intentions likely were. The anger was beginning to slowly build, more than he imagined; it bubbled and flickered in his chest like wild fire; before he knew it he slammed his foot directly into John's face.

John was propelled backwards; he slammed his back into the tree behind him; he could feel a trickle dripping down his back. It was definitely going to create quite a few bruises and tears...John coughed up droplets of blood.

Mutt slammed his foot inches from John's face, and his dark stare was still trained on the man before him. "you go anywhere near her, andy o u w i l l h a v e a b a d t i m e ."

Mutt removed his foot and stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to walk away.

He rolled up his sleeve to look at the watch on his wrist. Ah, 2.52pm, perfect. Just in time to pick [Y/N] up.

Ah, and she was stood at the front of the bakery. Perfect. He gave a shy wave, and she responded with a smile.

Hopefully, this date would go well. He was planning something special...

...he was going to finally confess his feelings.

Chapter 33: 31

Chapter Text

Soon after a short conversation exchanged between the pair, [Y/N] slipped her arm through Mutt's and he teleported outside of the aquarium. Teleporting was dizzying; the floor beneath her feet felt bottomless as though it would swallow her up completely. A pain ran up the side of her skull and she had to hold onto Mutt's waist to make sure she didn't fall. She closed her eyes, breathing in and out, with slow breaths. She could feel Mutt's arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand playing with her locks between his fingers, before he pressed a kiss against her forehead. His grip tightened around her as her breathing slowed down, and she let out a final deep breath before allowing a sigh to escape.

One creature [Y/N] was excited to see was the jellyfish. Sharks, on the other hand, scared her slightly. Their sharp teeth and small eyes was just unpleasant to think about whilst being in the ocean. Then again, hippos had killed more human beings than sharks.

[Y/N] turned around so they faced each other. Something [Y/N] was still thinking about was whether monsters and humans could have children. Still, Mutt had not exactly reacted well when he had overheard last time. He was good with affection, yes, but, when it came to intimacy and talking about relationships, he wasn't exactly the best person to talk to. "Mutt?"
"hm?" He asked, grabbing hold of her shoulders to make sure she didn't knock into anyone as she walked backwards.
"Can monsters and humans have children?" He stopped, his hands gripping a little harsher around her shoulders. She stopped as well, her eyes looking up at him in worry. His cheeks flushed a little at the thought, his eyes morphing into hearts. "h-huh?"

"Can...monsters and humans have...children?"
He looked away, his cheeks darkening. "w-well...yes. but, those with more magic seem more...compatible. those with less magic still can, but, it may take a bit more time. so...yes, they can."
"Really?" [Y/N] asked, a sense of happiness rising. She could tell he wasn't lying, but, he was becoming more flustered.
"yes..."

Well, at least she knew now.

In a few of the tanks, some marine angelfish swam through the dark blue water, swimming between the coral and sponges. Their bodies were a bright orange with black lines along their scales, with midnight blue scales around the edges nearest to their tail. [Y/N] bent down to take a closer look of the various fishes swimming by, such as guppies of different shades swam along the tank. The scales of the fish softly illuminated along their scales from the lights shining on from them from up above.

[Y/N]'s eyes sparkled as a rabbitfish wandered over to the glass to knock itself against it. [Y/N] lifted her hand and pressed her finger to the glass. The fish looked from side-to-side before it spotted her finger against the glass, seemingly inspecting it. Mutt had been focused on the small jellyfish swimming through the tank, stood behind [Y/N], protectively with his hands in his pockets. He seemed much like a protective guard dog, glaring at anyone who stepped too close, or those who glared at them in disgust. His cheeks heated up as he looked down and his gaze focused on [Y/N]'s butt. Thoughts ran through his mind more than he was comfortable with...well, a far too mature thought for a first date of all things. And he was unsure whether [Y/N] even liked him in such a way...the fact he was thinking about her in such a way was a little...dangerous.

"Mutt, look at the fishes. That's a marine angelfish, aren't they pretty?"
"yeah, they are, darlin'. i only see one angel though," He smirked as [Y/N] turned around and narrowed her eyes before letting out a giggle. Mutt's smile widened.
"That was good, but cheesy~"

Mutt shrugged. "at least i'm the best at it."
"That you are, sweetie~" They continued on along the path, passing crabs, shrimps, clams, snails, starfish and a lot more other marine life. The crabs had long legs and tended to just hover there in the water, its small eyes watching those who walked past the tank. Red starfish laid down against the bottom of the tank, their limbs curled out across the sand as bubbles rose to the surface before they popped upon reaching air. [Y/N] took Mutt by the hand and pointed at the starfish, a sense of awe sparkling in her eyes. She softly stroked her fingers against his cracked fingers, and hand. She unconsciously pulled him closer, allowing for him to lean closer and rest himself against her.

He couldn't help but look down at her. She was so gorgeous: how the light blue glass gleamed down along her features as she pressed her face against the glass, how her eyes shone as she identified each marine creature. He couldn't help the smile from spreading across his face or the blush from spreading across his face. He didn't deserve her. She was too good for someone like him. But, he felt greedy. Like he needed, wanted her kindness. He wanted to overindulge in his desires...

They turned the corner through the pipe, where barely anyone seemed to linger. A white shark passed overhead, its pearl-white teeth shining from the faintly illuminated lights around them.

"by the way, that's a nice collar you have there, " Mutt purred in her ear. He lightly took hold of her chin with his hand and as she stepped back until her back rested against the glass. His finger traced over her top lip, his other hand placed on the left side of [Y/N]. He leaned closer to her. He pressed his body against hers, inches from touching her lips with his own teeth. "you...don' want to tempt me, darlin'. you don' wanna see me at myworst."

"You don't know that, Mutt, " [Y/N] managed, gasping once Mutt nuzzled into the crook of her neck, loosening the buckle from around her throat. He slipped the collar into his pocket, nearing his sharp teeth to [Y/N]'s neck.
"can...i bite you?"
"Is an aquarium the best place to bite me, Mutt?"
"probably not, but it makes it even more steamy, don' you think?"
"I suppose so, " [Y/N] spoke, smile widening as she felt his canines nearing her neck. "Yes, you can bite me."

A smirk spread across his face, nearing her neck. He pressed a quick kiss to her skin, before implanting his sharp teeth into her neck. His other hand wandered down to uplift her shirt a little, and trace over shapes against her skin. [Y/N] bit down on her bottom lip to stop noises from erupting from her throat- he quickly took his fangs from her neck to look over the bite. Small droplets of blood fell down the bite down her skin and Mutt's eyes widened in recognition, his fingers tracing over the mark, growling to himself as she noticeably flinched.

They both stared at each other, and she awaited for him to answer.

No words had managed to escape his throat. He tried to think of the words he wanted to say but nothing seemed to come to mind. Berry had even instructed him to write down what he wanted to say (he swore he had even put a piece of paper in his back pocket since Mutt himself had forgotten to.) His soul beat faster against his ribcage as he thought about admitting his feelings; his cheeks flushed, and he inspected [Y/N], before letting out a sigh. She was waiting for him to respond, and as much as he was fearful at finding out how she felt, he needed to do it.

"it is a lot harder than i thought it may be..." He nervously chuckled. [Y/N] managed a small smile, patient, and awaiting his answer. She did not want to force it out of him if he was uncomfortable to do so. "i, well. i think i'm obvious, but i like ya, love ya in fact. have since we met. have you seen how amazin' you are, darlin'? you make my life so much better and 'elped me through so much." His eyes widened as [Y/N] gently stroked the side of his cheek, her eyes watching him as she pressed a small kiss against his cheek, followed by a kiss to his other cheek.

"I've told you about doing that, Mutt, " [Y/N] pouted, pushing past Mutt to walk through the tube, looking back at him with a soft smile. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed her to the gift shop.

[Y/N] opened the door and threw it open, stepping through and she was soon followed by Mutt, who closed the door behind him. The pair had taken their time in the gift shop looking at different plushies, along with buying small pins and a few books on marine biology (after buying them, Mutt had teleported them inside his, and [Y/N]'s rooms so they didn't carry them back. The person at the register had widened their eyes in confusion, with their mouth gaping open). They didn't expect to see Stretch and Berry smirking as they stood at the door.

"SO...DID YOU ENJOY YOURSELVES?" The smirk across Berry's face, as he had his book spread out before him was almost infectious. Stretch was no better as he stood leaning against the wall with his hands stuffed in his pockets. They both seemed to be on a similar wavelength today.
"why are ya two 'ere? don' you have jobs or somethin'?" Mutt huffed, dragging his hand down his face. [Y/N] laughed a little at his newfound annoyance. Before [Y/N] could react, he threw [Y/N] over his shoulder and started to head upstairs.

[Y/N]'s face flushed bright red at the action itself and was unsure what to do. Berry and Stretch exchanged looks before bursting into fits of laughter. Their laughs were soon nothing more than background noise as Mutt kicked open [Y/N]'s door and slammed it closed, placing [Y/N] back down onto her feet. [Y/N] looked away from him with reddened cheeks, tracing her fingers over her hands. Mutt stuffed his hands into his pockets, an annoyed look across his skull.
"sorry, 'bout that. didn' mean to...kidnap ya."

"It's alright. I feel like you got more embarrassed than I did. Are you ok?"
"yeah...i just...i'm not used to this sort of thing, you know?" [Y/N] took a step forward and wrapped her arms around his stomach, resting her head on his chest. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her, leaning down to rest his head on top of hers. "can...we stay like this for a while?"
"Of course, we can. I've enjoyed myself..." She trailed off, going to say the name 'Mutt' but stops herself. Did he even like the name? "Do you like being called 'Mutt'?"
"never really thought about it. have something else in mind?"

"Not right now, but I'll think of something."
"i'll be waiting."

Chapter 34: 32

Chapter Text

Abruptly, she woke up gasping. Her eyes flashed black for just a moment, bleeding down along her cheeks and even her symbols activated until she had to deactivate them herself. She held the fabric of her shirt- which she now noticed was one of Mutt's (had he put his shirt on her whilst she was asleep?)- her breath stopping for a moment, gasping in an attempt to regain some air back into her lungs. In, and out, in and out...until she managed to regain her breath. She slammed down her body back onto the bed behind her. [Y/N]'s eyes trailed to the magic beginning to coat her fingers.

A simple nightmare. That's all it was. A nightmare of the violent experiment she was forced to undergo when she was younger, the one where her soul was forcefully joined together with a monster's, was more common than she would like. Her skin turned cold, droplets of sweat clinging to her skin and rolling down. This often happened when she endured a terrifying nightmare, one which seemed too real for her to grasp at. Perhaps it had became worse, these past few days, due to the fact she was going back to the house which resembled her trauma.

She really wanted to refuse to go there, but she couldn't. Somehow, she still felt a little under their control. They were already following her, and knew where she lived, so...she had to. To end this once and for all. A sigh erupted from her, and she stopped moving for a moment. She picked up the cover, raising it slightly to look underneath. Her eyes widened upon realising she wasn't wearing any underwear, or pyjama bottoms. She tilted her head over the bed, seeing her underwear and bottoms thrown across the floor as though discarded as fast as possible.

Oh...oh.Well, there was an explanation for that. [Y/N] and Mutt had slept together the previous night, the evening after their date. Call it a spur of the moment thing...or more like it felt right, that their emotions of love and adoration for each other was too much to bare. Which resulted inthat.[Y/N] didn't regret it for a moment. Perhaps she questioned and feared how everyone else may react, but that was it. There was no helping the bruising, light purple love bites across her neck and her thighs. Or the fact there were so many kisses and-

Her cheeks blushed bright red as she remembered everything that happened last night.

It was enjoyable...

The mage rubbed the corners of her eyes with her fingers but she jumped slightly upon feeling the coldness of Mutt's fingers against her stomach, trailing over her stretchmarks with tenderness. She looked up at the skeleton in question who was inches from her own face, his eyes softened with adoration. He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her forehead. He was wearing a vest and boxers. Mutt exchanged a quick glance before nuzzling into her chest, his eyes downcast to still trace his fingers over her stretchmarks, and his other arm wrapped around her shoulder, bringing her closer.

"No...I don't. I don't regret what happened at all. It's just..." [Y/N] looked away, her cheeks flushing dark red. Mutt tilted his head in confusion, waiting for her to continue what she was saying. "You were my first time. You took my virginity." Mutt's expression twisted into one of surprise. She managed to free herself from his arms to throw off the covers and head towards her underwear. [Y/N] picked them up, and Mutt, with a sense of amusem*nt across his face, watched as she slipped one leg through at a time, resting her leg on the other like a flamingo.

Mutt stretched his body out across the bed: he propped up his elbow and placed it beneath his chin as he watched her. The covers draped a little over his body which was only coiled around one of his legs and the other dropped over the bed. He watched as she picked up her bottoms, folding them over her arm before opening the drawers and stuffing it inside. Some clothes were folded (likely due to Berry. He didn't go in her underwear drawer, however) and others were just stuffed inside. [Y/N] turned around, her eyes trailing across the floor in search of her bra. The mage was trying to keep herself preoccupied as anxiety was starting to build in her chest. A sigh erupted from her as the doubt settled in, trickling through her subconscious. Her heart was starting to beat faster, her cheeks grew hot and she needed to take a moment to breathe.

Mutt hadn't said anything yet. He had been surprised, as she could see. It wasn't surprising he would react that way.

The shirt she was wearing definitely smelled like him. She grabbed hold of the collar clinging to her neck, rising it above her head so his scent was easier to trace. It clung to her skin, and she could smell it more vibrantly. Mutt smelled like raspberries and something musky. As she was doing this, Mutt eyes wandered down her legs, trailing down to rest in-between her thighs to see her lightly bruised thighs from his love bites. His cheeks darkened at the splendid sight of her figure in his shirt: he could see her curves more clearly than usual and he was spellbound by her beauty.

Mutt patted his hand around the bed- swearing he saw her bra somewhere- until he felt it against his hand. He tilted his head to the side. [Y/N]'s black bra was wrapped around the plant on the bedside table. He snorted to himself and leaned over to gather it into his hands. He started to squish it, the feeling of softness inside of the bra calming him down somehow. His pinpricks focused on the bra, unaware of [Y/N] watching him with a smile across her face. Then, he rotated it and pressed it against his chest. He tilted his head to the side, noting under his breath it was too big for him.

"I see you have found my lost bra. Where did you find it?" [Y/N] walked towards him, laughing as he pouted as he put it into her hands. She headed back towards the drawers and stuffed it inside, then closed it.
"wrapped around the plant."
"Didn't know plants wore bras."
"neither did i," Mutt chuckled. "[Y/N]. i wanna just say, i don' have a problem you were a virgin. i'm just surprised you were a virgin."

[Y/N] looked away, the blush across her face darkening. "I wanted to wait for the right person."
"i get it. no judgement here. there ain' anythin' wrong with that," Mutt spoke as he got up. He walked towards [Y/N], almost casting a shadow completely over her due to his height. "wish i had done the same. because what happened last night was amazin', and i wish you were my first, [Y/N]. you are such a wonderful person and i couldn' imagine my life without ya." Her eyes started to sparkle and build up with tears. It was as though someone was fondly caressing her heartstrings, sending a burst of warmth and love through her heart. She sniffled and dropped her head onto his chest, wrapping her arms around his stomach.

He knew just what to say to make her feel better.

A smile spread across his teeth. He wrapped his arms around her, softly stroking the top of her head as her curls wrapped around his fingers. "you ok, darlin'?"
"Y-Yeah..." She nuzzled her head into his chest, basking in his warmth. "So...have you thought about what you want to be called?" He snorted. It was always like [Y/N] to take the focus away from her. Which he could understand, she didn't like the attention sometimes and didn't know how to take it.
"don' laugh."
"ohhhh~ so you have thought about it?" He could sense the smirk spreading across her lips.

"sabre." Sabre puffed out his cheeks as [Y/N] looked up at him with a smile across her face. She didn't say anything for a moment. She unwound her arms from around his waist to cup his face in her hands. He leaned down, a smirk spreading across his teeth as she pressed another kiss against his teeth. Sabre tightened his grip around her waist and picked her up, before placing her down softly against the bed. They continued to kiss as he pressed both hands on either side of her head, whilst his body rested in-between her thighs. One of her legs wrapped around his waist, rolling up her shirt a little to show off a little more of her thigh.

Sabre slowly broke the kiss, pressing another kiss against her lips before he rested his head into the crook of her neck."the gala is at 2.30pm, ain' it?"
"Yes?"
Sabre nuzzled his head further, pressing multiple kisses against her neck. [Y/N]'s cheeks flushed even more and she wrapped her arms around his waist, humming to herself.
"maybe me, my bro and someone else could go with ya? better to have people with ya encase things get ugly." [Y/N] took a moment to think- it seemed like a good idea. It was not difficult to see she seemed to want for it to happen, for Berry, Sabre and another skeleton to come with her and enjoy themselves but there was a problem.

The [L/N] family was entirely racist (apart from a fair few, such as her grandmother, Sophia. They would not be afraid with what they said, of their stares, and words of discontent and venom lacing their words. She was ashamed to call them her family, but she wasn't afraid or ashamed to be close with monsters. Just worried. But, she wanted them there. It would feel natural for them to be.

"I...would love it if you did."

Sabre's eyes softened and he raised his head. Their eyes met for just a moment and they couldn't help but inch closer to kiss once again. [Y/N] tightened her arms around Sabre's waist to bring him closer, and to deepen the kiss. They broke the kiss, allowing for air to go back into her lungs- Sabre started to nibble on her neck- missing the marks he had left on her neck- to softly bite at her neck, in an effort to coax a reaction. The young mage had to bite her lip to repress a moan.

Before they could continue, the door suddenly smashed against the wall to reveal Nightmare. Sabre began to groan in annoyance as he turned towards Nightmare, his glare never leaving his form.
Nightmare smirked with everything but humour."Having fun, are we?"[Y/N] huffed. "We could have been doinganything,Nightmare. Maybe knock next time?" Nightmare began to chuckle.

"If I apologised, I would be lying to you and myself. Plus, didn't want a repeat of last night. " Nightmare spoke, sliding his hands into his pockets. His cheeks flushed bright blue at the sight of her exposed thighs. [Y/N] burst bright red, and Sabre pushed down the shirt she was wearing, leaning over her protectively. There was something slightly cold to his tone. "Did you ask her, before you decided to bite her neck, about the gala?"She swore Sabre's face was darkening.
"Actually, he did," [Y/N] said with a smile. "And I agreed. I think you, Sabre and Berry should go with me. Is that...alright?"
"Who's Sabre?"
"Mutt." Nightmare nodded.

It didn't take long for Nightmare's cheeks to darken as she had realised what she said, lighting from his cheeks to nearly the entirety of his face. She smiled slightly and chuckled as he raised his finger to point at himself with childish wonder and she nodded with a smile. Before she could properly react, Nightmare jumped on top of them both and snuggled his head into her stomach, purring as she lightly caressed his cheek causing Sabre to roll slightly to the side so he could snuggle himself into her chest.

Well, at least she had them to go with her. It made her feel safe.

Chapter 35: 33

Chapter Text

Mornings had never been [Y/N]'s favourite time of the day. It was the moment you were forced to undergo the responsibilities of the day itself; this was also a day she was forced to exchange fake pleasantries with the relatives she hated. Some of them could be overall fine to talk with until it came to the subject of monsters. Then, the fun truly did start- it began arguments loud enough to shatter the confounds of the building. When she was younger, she would never think to talk to her family in such a way as they were older and were seen as more intelligent. To obey and never disobey is how she was expected to live her life how they wanted, and to perceive it and twist it to how they wanted it.

Getting ready for the gala wasnotgoing to be fun. But, the dress she was going to wear would surely enchant everyone.

[Y/N] had wrapped herself completely in the covers with only her head peaking out from her cocoon as she snoozed, with Sabre wrapped his arms around her body, pressing her against his chest. He sprawled out his legs across [Y/N]'s: his vest rolled up slightly to reveal his ribs. Berry gently opened the door, holding a tray in one of his hands, resting it slightly against his arm as he closed the door behind him. He placed it down on the table beside him, and stood to admire [Y/N], and how beautiful she seemed in the light. Unconsciously, he swept the hair from her eyes and his touch lingered. He was going to feel bad for waking her up but he needed to so she could get ready for the gala. Then, his head turned towards Sabre, and he couldn't help but snort. At least he wouldn't care too much about waking up Sabre. It was already 11.07am. Still, teleportation existed.

Berry shook [Y/N] several times before she even stirred. She groaned and wiped the sleep from her eyes with her thumbs. She opened one of her eyes to peer at Berry. He simply furrowed his brow and placed his arms against his chest to give his strictest stare. Sabre, on the other hand, didn't move. He continued to snore.
"Don't look at me like that, Berry," [Y/N] removed her arms from the covers to interlock her fingers with Sabre's. Berry continued to stare, furrowing his eyebrow. Everything froze once Sabre started to stir, pulling [Y/N] even closer against his chest and his eyes opened.

His light purple pinpricks blinked a few times to adjust to the light. He groaned upon seeing his brother in a blur. "what ya doin' in 'ere so early, bro?"
"OH MY TORIEL. TODAY IS [Y/N]'S GALA. WE GET TO MEET HER FAMILY."
"f*ck," He groaned, nuzzling himself into the crook of [Y/N]'s neck. A blush dusted across [Y/N]'s cheeks as she suddenly felt his teeth against her neck, as he started to press butterfly kisses up and along her neck. "guess i gotta get up and change." He didn't get up.
"THEN DO IT, YOU LAZY BASTARD." [Y/N] laughed, and pressed her hand against her face to stop herself.

"bully." Sabre huffed as he rolled out of the bed and landed on his feet. He wiped the corners of his eyes with his fingers as he shuffled towards the door only stopping as he felt Berry's eyes on his back. He turned his head, glaring at Berry. Berry's eyes narrowed. "need somethin'?"
"GET MOVING."
"i am," He opened the door and closed it behind him.

"I am not wearing that, Horror! Get it away from me! INK, YOU BITCH-" Berry and [Y/N] exchanged looks. [Y/N] got up and they both headed out the door and closed it behind them.

They could see Nightmare dressed in a dress with a black, heart cut in the chest with a light blue rose against the chest, with dark blue sleeves showing off his shoulders whilst the dark blue skirt was long and flowing. Around the waist was like a corset, tied around the front. However, what ruined his appearance was the different coloured paint staining him head-to-toe. Ink had a noticeable smirk on his face, holding paint buckets, but it soon turned into a frown upon seeing Berry with [Y/N]. Sabre was stuck beside one of the doors, wedged between Mars and Ink. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his eyes glimmering in amusem*nt at them all, with his smile as wide as ever. Mars had a smile stretching across his face as he held a tentacle-themed necklace, pressing it against Nightmare's cheek. [Y/N] couldn't hold in a chuckle and this caught Nightmare's attention. He turned (the dress swished as he twirled) to face [Y/N] and his cheeks immediately flushed bright blue.

The sultry tone she spoke with caused all the skellies to flush immensely; they all could feel the strings around their souls (or the imitation of such an action) and it gently caressed them so much it seemed apparent how much they were truly enamoured by her and her voice. Her soul sang like a nightingale, with a wind chime. It was a soft and calming melody, and it transfixed them all.
"you...have a...pretty...soul...sound..." If possible, this made all the skellies to flush all over again.

[Y/N] stood upright and looked to Mars with a teasing smile. "Is that the same as seeing my soul?"
Mars aggressively shook his head and played with the fabric of his jacket. "no...it...can...only...be...heard...by...your...soulmates..."
"Oh! That makes more sense, " [Y/N] spoke. Didn't Nightmare have a brother? Where was he during this? "Don't you have a brother, Nightmare?"
"Yes, "Nightmare said. His tone changed remarkably: instead of sounding deep and grouchy, his voice was transfixing (more than unusual). It was evident he found joy in speaking of his brother, when beforehand, he would likely have hated the mention. "His name is Dream, I believe he is with Blue at the moment. Whilst I specialise in nightmares and negativity, he specialises in positivity and dreams."Nightmare crossed his arms against his chest. Ink retrieved his paintbrush, and soon erased the paint from across Nightmare's dress.

"I still need to meet him, maybe he can tell me some embarrassing stories about you or something."
The King of Nightmares crossed his arms against his chest."I have none."

"liar..." Nightmare glared atMars until the poor skelly wandered off with a hum.

"I believe we all must get ready for the gala."What he actually meant was: 'everyone but me needs to get ready. I'm fabulous enough.'
"YOU ARE CORRECT. COME, [Y/N] THE GALA AWAITS-[Y/N], COME."
"...no." The mage pouted stepping back from Berry who was coming alarmingly close. Instead of saying anything, he picked her up bridle style and closed the door behind him as everyone watched.

"...do you think Berry is dressing her?"
"I would not put it past the pervert."

Berry decided the best course of action was to get ready in her room to make sure she didn't run away or teleport out of there. He could understand how twisted family could be. His own father was not pleasant in the slightest; he was trapped in the core which was the best place for such a despicable man. Now, he could protect Sabre best he could in a place they felt safe and happy. He was his little brother and he would never stop protecting him.

"YOU LOOK GORGEOUS..."
"Thank you, Berry, now let's get to your buttons, shall we?" He could only smile.

For as long as he was alive for, Nightmare had never felt this nervous. Well, he supposed with how he used to be, he was. But in this darker form, he barely felt nervous unless he was battling his brother. Now, the extent of his anxiety in meeting [Y/N]'s family was extreme; his negative feelings licked at his self consciousness, a warning to how terrible he was in that moment. It was obvious [Y/N]'s family hated monsters...which put the poor squid skelly more on edge. Here he was, standing with his eye scanning his watch, focused on the time. It was 1:49pm.

His shoe tapped against the tiled floor as he leaned against the wall, ignoring the stares and giggles from the Bad Sanses. He loved and hated them. They annoyed him so much but he adored each one of them in his own way; he could be entirely strict and tease them mercilessly, but it came from a weird type of affection. With his brother, it was fun to tease and annoy the living sense out of him, and even arguing with his younger, far more positive brother was fun. It was a sibling dynamic he had missed for so long and he was glad it was being mended. With [Y/N], this experience was new but was welcomed all the same. He would typically expect this positive feeling to be associated with his brother, but he felt himself basking in it: love was strange, but he...was intrigued by it. Was it a stretch to say he loved her? He had only met her a few days ago...

Perhaps that was what falling in love felt like.

"Sparrow? Are we coming up with nicknames for [Y/N] now?"He mused to himself.
"yeah, join the club, boss." Dust smirked, placing his hands in his pockets. He looked back to Error. "what's your nickname for her, Error?" Nightmare, Mars, Killer and Cross turned to Error.
Error managed a small smile. "WeLl, dOn'T sTeAl It. It'S 'sHoOtInG sTaR'."
"damn, that is cute, " Dust teased, smirk widening when Error stuck his finger up at him.
"yOu HaVe SoMeThiNg BeTtEr?"
"yeah. robin."
"As long as it isn't a dead animal-"
"-lamb...chop..." On que, they all looked to Mars with a mixture of amusem*nt and disappointment. Mars merely shrugged in response. "...what's...wrong...with...it?"
Nightmare was unable to hold in a laugh and chuckled into his hand."You associate anything with food, Horror."Mars pouted. "call...me...Mars..."
Nightmare looked to him in surprise before he smiled."Of course. Have you got a nickname for [Y/N], Cross?"
Cross flushed slightly, scratching the side of his face with his finger. "Y-Yeah...'Cybele'."
All the "bad" skellies co*cked their heads to the side and had thought about the nickname for a moment. At the same time, they all exchanged glances and nodded their heads in agreement. Cross sighed and scratched between his eyes.

Mars asked, sniffing Error's hot chocolate to the puppet master's annoyance, "what...about...you...boss?"
"I am not sure. Maybe 'My Queen'...would that be...good enough?"Nightmare scratched under his chin and a deep blue blush spread across his cheeks. His single eye morphed into a heart for a split second. For as long as they had all known Nightmare, they never seen him with such a fond expression (well, apart from when he thought they were not watching him. They had accidentally smashed one of his cups once and he wasn't happy, so they bought him a '#1 Squid Dad' cup. He adored it. Not that he would admit that to any of them. They werehisannoying skeletons.)

"'My Queen' is a nice nickname, Nightmare. Lovely, in fact. Are we getting married?"
"Of course not-not...?"The King of Nightmares looked to the top of the stairs to see [Y/N]; time seemed to stop in that moment. The dress perfectly covered her curves and all eyes were on her as Berry held her hand. Her smile brightened the room; it lightly caressed their souls and they fondly watched and waited for her to reach the bottom of the stairs. Error's gaze lingered on her figure for a while, his cheeks flushed yellow and numerous error signs were flashing all around him. Killer was focused on the dress and was in awe of how gorgeous it was, and seemed to put a thumbs up in response to [Y/N] (who snorted at his reaction. They sent each other finger guns and laughed at each other). Mars' eye became more round, and seemed to soften around the edges as a blush covered his cheeks to the top of his skull. Cross blushed as well and his eyes widened. Dust had to hide his face within his hood; there was a definite purr emitting from him. Nightmare's tentacles curled into heart shapes, his eye morphed into a heart and his entire skull flushed blue.

He was almost stuck to the spot.

Killer slid his phone out of his pocket and messaged a fair share of the skeletons to come and see [Y/N]'s dress.

Some of the skeletons teleported in (others messaged back to say they were busy and to just send pictures. Which, he granted by taking a few quick photos and sent them to the skeletons in question. All responded positively.) Stretch's skull turned honey orange, and nervously laughed upon seeing her in all her glory, Blue almost melted on the spot and his eyes traced over each curve and asset, blushing at his own perverted thoughts, Ink was blushing intensely and spewed ink in the corner (which made Error laugh), Cinnamon played with his sweater and blushed, in response, until he was teased by his brother and his comments caused him to flush even more, Sans felt the magic rising to his cheeks and he had to hide his face in his hood, and Papyrus' skull was flushing completely, with no words escaping. He was star struck.

This was exactly the response she hoped for. Mission successful.

Sabre teleported in front of the door. He was wearing a purple shirt underneath, with a black waist coat, trousers, and a pair of smart shoes. The bracelet [Y/N] had given him was wrapped around his waist. He folded his sleeves up to rest against his upper arms, sticking out his tongue as he concentrated. His eyes flickered to the side, landing on [Y/N]. He had to take a double take: when he did focus on [Y/N], his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. He couldn't speak but damn was he enamoured.

"Let's get going." Berry and Nightmare outstretched their arms for [Y/N] to take and she wrapped her arms around them and they teleported away, to the gala. Sabre followed, after he regained his composure.

Chapter 36: 34: The Gala

Chapter Text

An unwelcome, intoxicating feeling burned in her chest. As her eyes trailed over this place of familiarity; the towering, dark building far within with trees on either side, situated within the forest, the very land they owned, her anxiety started to rise in her chest. Path lead up to the mansion itself, with trees on each side of the path as well as varieties of flowers dotted across the lawn or kept behind metal fencing to keep out certain people.

Different cars (all of great quality, and of well known manufacturers) dotted along the winding path and the training ground behind the mansion. Family members threw their keys to the help to look after them, even park them to those standing at the front of the house dressed in the finest suits. The mansion itself was made of darkened brick (it suited the powerful aesthetic of their family), with oval windows, white curtains and the mansion was 25 feet high, with around 20 rooms, a cinema, a private library, studies, a ballroom, a dining room, a kitchen, a music room, an art room and...the basem*nt. Despite it being a place of luxury, it was a place of seclusion, discrimination and hatred.

It never felt like home. Her memories were vague after some pieces were numbed out in order to deal with her inner trauma. The art room: where she had chosen to make a mother's day card when she was ten years old. It was supposed to be a simple, overly glittery (it covered everything) but it was anything but that. All [Y/N] remembered was her holding the pencil, drawing petals in curved lines, her oldest brother was holding a pair of scissors, nearing her until- she lost all vision in her left eye, blood was cold against her skin as it ran along her cheeks. Her fingers had touched it, rolled it between her fingers and it coated her fingers in crimson. And then, the pain caused her to let out a scream-

Black. Silence. After that, her left eye had to be replaced with a glass one. Never had she spoke about it, or complained about it. She was expected to fight through her pain throughout anything she endured. To the [L/N] family, women were supposed to smile, endure, since according to their family, women were seen as overemotional and to show emotion conveyed how "weak" women were. Even at the age of ten, she showed no emotion. She endured the lack of vision in her left eye. Of course, people still thought she had both, as both eyes bled, or glowed when she was angry; it was a natural response, and her body was unaware she lost one eye (her anger somehow bled from her soul and caused her "eye" to glow/imitate as though it reacted.)

Another occurrence within the [L/N] household was when she was twelve years old, within the kitchen. She had been told to help with the dessert in the kitchen (a majority of the staff had been ill, so she was almost forced into doing it herself). She was planning to make a cheesecake, and she had gathered all of the ingredients to do so, and had even started to do as she asked, like an obedient little girl. Baking allowed her to be within her own element, and her mind cut all thoughts to instead focus on the task at hand.

Which meant it was likely she would not be bothered. The youngest brother had entered through the kitchen, without her noticing as she mixed the ingredients together for the cheesecake filling. Slowly, he wandered towards her, holding a knife in his hand. It was so sudden and unexpected, [Y/N] barely had any time to react: he sliced her neck, hoping to do more damage, but failing. Her brother was never punished. Instead, [Y/N] was scolded for not watching him and for not being wary of the space around her. It...was like that often.

And then there was the basem*nt (throughout the years since she was three) was where everything unravelled...

[Y/N] grasped the front of her dress and let out a sigh. Sabre stuffed his hands into his pockets, raising his head to stare at the mansion before him. He whistled to himself, taking a few steps forward to stand beside Nightmare. Nightmare crossed his arms against his chest, his cheeks flushed blue, and he murmured something under his breath. An imitation of a soul was slamming against his chest...he was nervous. This was [Y/N]'s family! Did he look nice? Was the dress too much? Should he change?

"Do I suit this dress? Or should I change?"Nightmare asked, hiding his worried expression by facing the other direction. [Y/N] and Berry exchanged looks, allowing small smiles. [Y/N] wrapped her arm around his shoulder and brought him against her chest (despite him being taller) and rested her head against his shoulder, nuzzling into his neck.
"You suit it, Noot Noot-" Nightmare glared slightly at the childish nickname but let out a small noise as she kissed his neck.

His face immediately became inflamed in a blue blush and Berry chuckled as he grabbed hold of the bottom of the skeleton's dress, and carefully rose it above the ground. Sabre snorted at his reaction, his eyes glinting with amusem*nt. Nightmare managed a quiet "thank you" and Berry simply nodded. "Blue is your colour, the dress suits you. You look gorgeous, my cute squid~ Who cares what anyone else thinks? They're stupid anyway."

Sabre and Berry shared looks, as they stopped in the middle of the path to watch the pair. "AS NIGHTMARE WAS ATTEMPTING TO SAY, WE WILL PROTECT YOU. YOU ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE TO DO SO YOURSELF, BUT, YOU ARE CLUMSY AND RUN INTO DANGER LIKE AN IDIOT. YOU ARE TOO HEADSTRONG SOMETIMES."
"yeah, my bro is right. ya can be a bit too headstrong. But," He winks, a dangerously lascivious smile painted across his face as he opened up a few of his buttons, fully revealing a few of his ribs. "that's what we love about ya." [Y/N]'s cheeks blushed bright red, and she looked away. It was the same look he had sent her way before they had sex.
Then, [Y/N] realised what Berry had said and fake gasped, turning her head towards Berry. "You dare scold me in front of my family home? How dare you, sir!"
Berry smirked. "PERHAPS YOU SHOULD SCOLD ME INSTEAD." Sabre took a moment to stop, turn towards them both then turn back around to face the mansion. Eventually, his eyes disappeared from the back of his skull. "didnotwant to hear that." Jealously wormed its way through his tone.

Nightmare stared blankly at [Y/N] as her cheeks flushed with colour."Could you two keep the flirting to a minimum? At least keep it for the bedroom."[Y/N] let out a noise between a llama and a tortoise as she hid her face in her hands. Nightmare let out a snort and muttered how adorable she sounded, whilst Berry's skull was entirely purple (his eyes were heart-shaped) and he was unable to speak as he stared into space, facing the ground. Sabre shook off his own insecurities to wipe down along his hips, trying to keep it as pristine as possible. If not, Berry would have his head.

"Berry, does she sound like that in the bedroom normally?"
"W-We haven't ever..."
Berry was fiddling with his bow tie between his fingers, his fingers shaking. "WE...HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I ADMIT, AS UNSEEMLY AS IT SOUNDS, I WOULD LIKE TO. BUT, ONLY WHEN SHE MAY BE READY, OR WANT TO DO IT." Sabre turned his head towards them with a smile, not quite saying anything. His smile was enough for [Y/N]'s cheeks to flush darker.
[Y/N]'s ears turned red at his confession and Nightmare stood there, unaffected, as he started to walk away, lifting his dress with both of his hands. His crown had been left behind, as the jewels were real and it had been the very one he wore before he changed. Or it was at least a modified version of that. Before the pair could say anything to each other, someone touched her shoulder and she jumped. With her face still red, she turned around to face Alex and his stupid smile.

"NEVER, EVER, SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER EVER AGAIN YOU DISGUSTING CREATURE. SHE IS GORGEOUS. I KNOW AN IGNORANT MAN-CHILD LIKE YOURSELF COULD NOT UNDERSTAND TRUE BEAUTY IF IT HIT YOU IN THE FACE. AND I AM TEMPTED TO DO SO. IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS HOW SHE CHOSES TO DRESS, GOT THAT?" Alex merely cursed under his breath in response. For Berry to say such nice things made her soul swell with pride and happiness. For one of the skeletons she loved to love her for who she was, made her feel better about this entire gala. In fact, she had three skeletons with her who would make sure she had a good time, and would be away from Alex. It was a good deal in her opinion.

Sabre wrapped his hand around Alex's shoulder, gripping it as harsh as possible before the human man turned around to face him. His magic rose in the air, his eyes glowing bright purple with magic. A cold smile spread across the skeleton's face and Alex had to repress a shudder."the f*ck did you just say? think you can just touch a woman like that, or anyone like that for that matter? if you even come close to [Y/N] ever again, i'll rip off your tiny dick. am i understood?"Alex nodded, a scowl flashing across his face. He tried to ignore the sweat rolling down his skin, but it was hard not to take the skeleton's advice on board. Sabre removed his hand from around his shoulder, his eyes losing its bright glow as he stepped in front of [Y/N].

He leaned down so he was inches from her face. A kind smile spread across his skull, his cheeks dusting with light purple magic. "how ya doin', darlin'? lookin' as gorgeous as always. shall we?" He puts out his arm for her to take. [Y/N] happily puts her arm through his, and does the same with Berry: Nightmare takes hold of his dress and they all soon walk inside, a sense of newfound adoration for each other.

The ballroom had a chandelier made from crystal hung up below, glittering from the light illuminated through each crystal, reflecting on the dance floor below, of the guests or the walls to shine imitations of small rainbows. The floor beneath their feet was smooth, with twirling designs in curls and ribbons of cream and dark red. Tables spread across the far corners of the room with small foods spread across them, with desserts and other food alike.

There were different varieties of wine and other beverages of the finest quality. After all, if you had the money to buy such luxuries, you might as well buy them. It was a tactic to show they were "better" than everyone else and their position within society could buy off anyone if need be. Most of their family had come to the gala to see who had remarried, had caused a scandal (they would usually be mocked and ridiculed by the rest of the family), had married and who had children.

The emblem of their family, a black and gold dragon with a purple background, was placed as banners all around the room. Even when [Y/N] was younger, the banners were kept all around the mansion to remind everyone of their family...by this point, it was nothing more than idiotic and entirely tiring to be reminded of the family she was born into. Maybe it would be better to change her name to a name she didn't despise? It could be her grandmother's old name (before she changed it during her first marriage to [L/N]).

Speaking of her grandmother, she was hoping to see her at the gala.

The four stepped further, taking a glance at all the guests and especially, the banners. Nightmare's eyes widened in distaste at the banner, scratching under his chin as he thought about something. Sabre focused instead at [Y/N] at his side, his eyes glancing towards the family members who stared at them. His eyes glowed and he snarled at them, forcing them to look away. Berry, on the other hand, was more in awe of the chandelier. It reminded him somewhat of the palace within his Underground, of how gorgeous but terrifying it had been to step through to the throne room and to be within the Queen's presence. Now, he never spoke to her any longer, even if he had been in her services years prior. He was happier anyway.

"Wow, this room is bigger than my will to live."Nightmare spoke with his arms crossed against his chest. Both [Y/N] and Berry exchanged looks before watching him with uncertainty. The soft, velvet tone of the King of Nightmares was a mixture between humour and something else they could not decipher.
Berry said, patting him on the shoulder, "IT IS BEST NOT TO SAY SUCH THINGS, NIGHTMARE. I MAY HAVE TO JOIN YOU ON SUCH A MINDSET IF [Y/N]'s FAMILY SPEAK WITH US."
"Are you nervous?"Nightmare asked, his eye sparkling with amusem*nt. He let out a snort as Berry's face contorted and looked in the opposite direction."Haha, you of all people? I would have expected better from you. Did you tell [Y/N] about our heat?"

"SHUT UP YOU BAST-"
"Oh, hi grandma, " [Y/N] spoke, rising her voice so much it caused Berry to stop talking immediately. Berry's face flushed purple in response and Nightmare chuckled. Nightmare leaned down to Berry's ear and muttered something; his entire skull flushed with colour and he pushed Nightmare in the chest. Nightmare stepped back slightly with a renewed smirk across his lips which forced Sabre to snort. Her grandmother had brown hair, with some strands of grey, kept up with a jewelled comb, dark blue eyes, a scar across her cheek, with freckles across her nose and she swore a long, flowing blue gown with jewels around the chest, and along the bottom.

"Hello, [Y/N], dear. How are you? Have you been eating fine?" Sophia (her grandma) cupped [Y/N]'s cheeks in her hands and squished them, letting out a small laugh upon [Y/N] puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.
"It's great to see you again, grandma. I have been fine, and I am eating. One of my closest friends makes sure."

"And who would that be exactly?"
"THAT WOULD BE ME, MY LADY, " Berry spoke (he hid his nervousness by placing his shaking hand behind his back) and bowed, his other hand rested against his chest, until he took Sophia by the hand ([Y/N] sent a grateful look in his direction) and placed a kiss against it. "IT IS A PLEASURE TO MAKE YOUR AQUAINTANCE, MY NAME IS BERRY, YOU MUST BE MRS. MORAIS."
Sabre murmured to Nightmare. "of course, my bro outdoes us all as usual. might wanna step up your game, Night-Night." Sabre chuckled at the dark look Nightmare sent his way, seemingly unbothered. Nightmare scoffed.

Sophia smiled. "Such a fine gentleman, you are. Call me Sophia." Now, she cupped his cheeks in her hands and squeezed his face (Nightmare, Sabre and [Y/N] started to wheeze at his uncomfortable expression, attempting a smile as he flushed.) "So handsome, as well. What is your relationship with my granddaughter?" Sophia peered over to Nightmare and [Y/N] who were still wheezing and were resting on each other for support whilst Sabre had nearly fallen over from laughter- before [Y/N] tripped over Nightmare's dress, bringing him down with her by grabbing hold of his arm; he fell on top of her and as well as blushing, they were wheezing still.

"OH...I..." He glanced to [Y/N]. His eyes softened, morphing into hearts for a moment. He turned back to Sophia with a slight smile. "IF I WAS TO BE HONEST, I WOULD LIKE TO BE WITH YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER. I LOVE HER. COOKING FOR HER AND CARING FOR HER CREATES JOY FOR MYSELF. SHE HAS HELPED ME THROUGH MUCH, AND I HOPE TO DO THE SAME."
"I can see you are a perfect person for my granddaughter. I imagine that you are not the only one to have such feelings, is that correct?"
He looked to her in surprise. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?"
"If you look closely, on [Y/N]'s soul, it has the colour of her soulmates' magic, or it could be their soul. It is evident you are one of her many soulmates. All I ask is for you to truly love her, she cannot have her heart broken. She may be strong, but she has suffered much, as you understand. Can you promise me?"
"I PROMISE." Promises were usually empty if there was no truth. But Berry truly meant it.

[Y/N] picked up a plate from the table, sliding on small slices of cheese (huffing in distaste at the small portions), before adding small cakes, sausages and a few other food items, standing by Nightmare who had nearly consumed an entire plate of cheese, standing like a gremlin who had too much sugar (he was even cackling under his breath and his dress was flowing with each gremlin-esque action he took).

Berry had been standing close to the mage for a while- so much so he was practically leaning his chest against her back. Whenever she looked up at him to speak, his mouth opened for a split second before closing, the blush on his cheeks obvious. The pair had always been so affectionate, so what had changed? Why was he so nervous? It could be a number of reasons. He wanted to move their relationship forward- she needed to tell him he needed to wait to see if anyone else admitted their feelings- it could have been he wished to ask for a kiss, to dance, or something else stirred within him. Whatever it was, she would eventually get it out of him.

"For god sake, Berry, ask her!"Gremlinmare told him, his blue eye glowing in warning. Berry jolted at the authority in his voice, taking a long intake of breath. The shorter skeleton softly tapped [Y/N] on the shoulder; he frowned as she turned, a cupcake shoved into her mouth with a little pink icing smothered against her cheek. Articulately, he used his hand to slide off his glove from his hand, using his finger to wipe off the icing. His tongue slid from his lips to lick off the icing from his finger. He looked up, innocently, to see [Y/N] blushing. A smirk made its way across his face.

The mage looked away, puffing out her cheeks. "Don't do that."
"WHY NOT? AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, MY DEAR, I CAN DO THINGS WITH MY TONGUE~" His wink caused her to fluster even more. Nightmare furrowed his brow, then shrugging his shoulders to grab hold of the cupcakes and slid them into his open mouth, eating them in one bite.
"Not what I meant for you to ask, Berry, "Nightmare spoke, wiping the icing from the side of his mouth. He looked up to see Alex stepping towards them and immediately snarled.
Sabre stuffed food into his mouth, scattering crumbs everywhere. "i wanna go one day without hearing those two flirt." He tilted his head towards them. "just ask 'er already, bro. by the time ya do, it's gonna be the end of the dancin'."
Nightmare nodded in agreement.

"[Y/N], dance with me." Alex demanded, outstretching his arm between Berry and [Y/N]. Berry snarled, his left eye flickering dangerously. "Get youranimalson a leash."
[Y/N] placed down her plate to stare at him, blankly. "No. And, do not call them animals. They aremonsters,with more class than you could ever own. You may have had a silver spoon in your mouth since you were younger, but you are anything except classy and pleasant. So, f*ck off." Alex stepped back in alarm, and was about to say something before Berry interrupted him.

"[Y/N], COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE?" Berry asked, his hand outstretched. A simple incline of the head, with her fingers interlocking with his was her response. They joined the dancefloor, now occupied by her other family members. Berry, hesitantly, wrapped his arm around her waist and interlocked his fingers with hers. She did the same, with a smile gracing her fingers, a sparkle in her eyes. They were silent for a little as they danced around the floor, their exchange familiar and welcoming as they enjoyed the other's presence.

"I HAVE SOMETHING I MUST SHARE, " His nervousness rose to his throat with uncertainty. Only [Y/N]'s gorgeous face was his focus right now. It was better to tell her now or else he would lose the perfect moment to do so. "I LOVE YOU, [Y/N]. I ALWAYS HAVE, AND ALWAYS WILL. YOU'RE AN EQUISITE PERSON WHO I ABSOLUETLY ADORE. I MAY BE STERN BUT IS ONLY DUE TO ME WORRYING ABOUT YOUR WELLBEING...MYSELF AND SABRE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WARY AROUND NEW PEOPLE. OUR UNDERGROUND WAS DANGEROUS AND WE ONLY TRULY HAD EACH OTHER. BUT YOU MADE US FEEL SAFE, MADE US FEEL WANTED WHEN NO ONE ELSE COULD. I WOULD LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOURS WITHOUT HESITANCE. YOU ARE PERFECTION IN MY EYES. NEVER CHANGE." Her face reflected all of her emotions: surprise, embarrassment and love. She rose her hand resting against his hip to softly stroke his cheek, then inched her face closer to his own, to press a quick kiss against his teeth.

"I have feelings for you as well, but, if anyone else has feelings for me I want them to admit their feelings when they are ready. Then, we can all talk about it, and what will happen in the future."
His lips managed a smile and he pressed a kiss against her forehead. "I WILL BE WAITING."
"Hey, I still expect affection."
"I BET YOU DO~" He winked. [Y/N] let out a snort, and didn't notice Alex nearing them. Sabre stayed at the table with the food, picking up different ones and putting them in his mouth at the same time. As he bit down, an unpleasant flavour (or flavours) posioned his tongue. His face scrunched up in disgust and he coughed up the food back onto a plate, sliding it back onto the table. He took a few steps away from the table, acting innocent as he watched one of the guests grab it and take a bite. A look between pride and disgust fell across his skull.

"Actually, I need to talk to you, Alex. Can I dance with you?"Before Alex could respond, Nightmare took him by the hand and forced him onto the dance floor, his dress twirling all around him as his hands harshly held onto Alex's arms to guide him, as heinnocentlythreatened the daylights out of him. Berry and [Y/N] could not help but laugh as they twirled all around the dance floor, enjoying the embrace of the other until...

"[Y/N], what do you think you are doing?" She froze.

Oh...the Advocate of Malevolence was here. Just their luck.

Chapter 37: 35: The Gala

Chapter Text

Family. We all have family, or perhaps we all don't. Whether through blood ties, or through friendship formed (becoming so strong in the process it develops into kinship). Sometimes we have family we choose to forget. Sometimes, family wants to forget us. Our ties do not bind us. These ties may intertwine with our soul, lightly caressing it to fit their favour, to fit what society expects of them, but we are not made for other people. We are unique. We do not have to fit someone else's ordeals. We live to strive how we see fit. Family may be forever, but so are we. We change, whilst they may change overtime. Or not.

Except the [L/N] bloodline. Nothing had changed (her grandmother, Sophia, was an exemption.) Their magic had never diminished, nor their mage bloodline. More mages for the better, as they often imagined. To reinforce the power that came with their bloodline, their magic linked to their despicable ancestors, the very ones who created the barrier and had enjoyed trapping the monsters Underground. Their power had not diminished even now- in fact, it seemed as strong as ever as though their very ties dampened anything around them in order to submit by exerting power.

Desdemona, [Y/N]'s mother, was the one to interrupt Berry and [Y/N], now criticising each action her daughter took silently. She almost beckoned for more judgement, as her keen eyes narrowed, watching each action [Y/N] dared to take. For someone with so many sins, she had no argument to make on morality. Everyone seemed to freeze to watch the head of the family (which they all acknowledged) criticise and possibly discipline her daughter. How, you may ask? Through shockingmethods.

"What do you think you are doing, [Y/N]? Inviting thiscreatureand choosing to dance withit?Must you behave in such a way? In front of your family, as well. Are you notdisgustedwith yourself?"
A blank stare made its way across [Y/N]'s face. She ignored the beads of sweat rolling down her skin, the seriousness of this situation settling as a weight on her shoulders. She wasn't here for a good time. She was here to face thejudgementof others. And...she was afraid to stand against it. These were all of her family members, and she was here, having a good time with two of her soulmates...not that her family would like the idea. Of monsters, and soulmates.

But, it didn't mean [Y/N] would stand for her unpleasantry towards her soulmates.

"No, I'm not. I invited them, and don't call them-"
Desdemona's voice raised slightly and [Y/N] flinched (not going unnoticed by Berry and Sabre). "Do not talk to me like that! You are expected to make an example! You are the only girl of your three brothers and yet you still act this way? As the third oldest child, you must step up! What I do notexpect is for you to shack up withmonster scum,no less. You need to get married and have children! Continue our bloodline, you ungratefulwench!"

In the background, Nightmare was spinning Alex aggressively around in a circle, his fingers wrapped harshly around his wrist before he dropped Alex on the ground with a shrug, stepping back over towards [Y/N] and Berry. Sabre strode over towards Berry and [Y/N], his hand carefully grasping her shoulder as his eyes narrowed onto Desdemona. His eyes flickered with his magic, and his magic dampened the air slightly. A warning, as it may. [Y/N] tilted her head up towards him, a small smile making its way across her lips, and her cheeks flushed a little. A sudden surge of confidence went through her entire body. [Y/N] turned back to face Desdemona with a newfound confidence: she rose her hand, interlocking her fingers with Sabre's, and gave his hand a quick squeeze.

Then, when Alex had attempted to grab hold of Nightmare's leg, Nightmare did the most appropriate action: slid off his shoe (also jumping on his other as he struggled to do so) and full on threw his shoe at Alex's face. The King of Nightmares smirked as the shoe made contact, slamming against Alex's nose and falling to the floor. [Y/N] sent him a small glare- Nightmare pouted, grabbing his shoe from the floor (whilst maintaining eye contact with [Y/N] and placed it back on.)

But, when Nightmare managed to reach them, he caught the conversation. It made him mad. I want to punch this bitch,Nightmare thought.She dare insult My Queen that way? And she is [Y/N]'s mother?

"I..."
Desdemona glared her eyes through [Y/N]'s, about to grab hold of her arm until Nightmare stood in her way, a malicious smirk making its way across his face and Desdemona stood back, gasping. "You dare-"
"Oh shut the f*ck up, you hell bitch."The family all around them seemed to gasp in unison, whilst Sophia laughed. She did not even attempt to hide her amusem*nt of the righteous revenge against Desdemona. The woman did seem to be the Devil in Disguise. Not that even the Devil was as "evil" as she was.

Again, she seemed to gasp and take another step backwards as though she was slapped. [Y/N] blinked, a hint of a smile stretching across her face before she could do anything to stop it. Even Berry seemed amused, and he shared a look with Sabre. The other family members had started to talk about this in low tones, stares still trained on the scene itself. The chatter seemed to rise and rise until three tall men stepped forward (with a slightly taller man in tow) and stood just behind Desdemona, placing their hands on her shoulder to convey their support. These were [Y/N]'s nefarious brothers. The siblings she wanted to forget by simply drinking away her trauma and memories. Alas, that is not the healthy way to deal with your problems, as much as she wanted to.

The oldest was Arlo (who was around thirty three years old), a 6'4 man, with black curls, green eyes and a sinister smile on his lips. He was the father to two sons, who acted exactly like himself. His poor wife had to deal with so much manipulation and lies. He was cheating on her with his secretary, his other colleagues and a lot more women he usually met in bars. [Y/N] nicknamed him the 'most manipulative prick' of the brothers.

The second oldest was Chandler (who was around twenty eight years old), a 5'11 man with blond hair down to his shoulders, with a small scar across his lip, with a pair of greyish blue eyes and without any expression on his face. His wife seemed to avoid him more than interact with him. It was definitely due to the fact he had a temper about him and if certain things didn't go his way, he usually had a temper tantrum and threw things or punched holes through the walls and found no fault in it. [Y/N] nicknamed him the 'most likely to die from exploding a vein' of the brothers.

The last brother (younger than [Y/N] by a year), was Graham, a 6'2 man with short, black hair and blond strands at the top of his head, light green eyes with a scar across his cheek (three different sized scratches), had a look between annoyance and anger. He was the father to a single son, and his wife dealt with a lot from both her son and her husband. He was not quite as bad as Chandler or Arlo, but he still had his moments. Such as the threats. He threatened anyone who irritated him enough, whoever touched him, or just anyone he disliked. [Y/N] nicknamed him as the 'most likely to threaten someone, but can't hold for sh*t in a real fight' of the brothers.

Her father, named Cannon, was around forty nine years old. He was a 5'8 man with blonde hair (with tufts of grey hair between his other locks), with grey eyes, a grey-blond beard, a moustache of the same colour, and a scar across his neck. He only ever spoke when Desdemona looked to him, and nodded, instructing him he could do so. He had always allowed his sons to "run wild" whilst [Y/N] seemed to be criticized for every little thing by him. [Y/N] had nicknamed him 'the most willing to be a lapdog, and is a bigger prick when alone'.

[Y/N] had a plan. Hopefully, it would get them kicked out. But, also, it was to make sure everyone knew she wasn't anything like them, and she never would be. That she was not afraid of who she was, of who she had become and who she chose to love. That they could not control who she loved. At least, that was the plan, until...

Alex took [Y/N] by the hand, tugging her forward from Sabre's grip as he wiped his bloody nose with his other hand. Before Sabre or Berry could intervene, the brothers stepped in front of them with dangerous smirks across their faces. Sabre snarled at the brothers, trying to manoeuvre around them but the rest of the family swarmed around them, freezing them in place. The only way out would be to FIGHT, but...[Y/N] may not like that.

[Y/N] couldn't even say anything as Alex kneeled down, holding her hand in his own. He gripped it harshly, forcing her to stay in place as he muttered something she wish he had not said.

"[Y/N] [L/N], will you marry me?"

Damn, this would not end well.

Chapter 38: 36: The Gala

Chapter Text

This was the moment. The exact moment [Y/N] had been hoping would never happen. Prayed on it, in fact. How Alex was kneeled down on the ground with his hands wrapped around her own, interlocking his fingers with hers, softly stroking along her palm. [Y/N] flinched and gritted her teeth at the contact. It made bile rise in the back of her throat- the coldness of his skin against her own. All the hatred in her heart clung to the surface and burned in her eyes, festering and mocking, her eyes narrowing in anger.

[Y/N] tilted her head towards her mother, and brothers. Smirks.Pride.What a festering bastard. Nefarious, sinful, annoying. It was a Deadly Sin for a reason: it clung to the hearts of humans, became part of their soul as an unpleasant reminder. It trickles in like an unwanted itch: our thoughts are no longer our own, we are not allowed to think. Only survive. This family, as much as they opposed the idea, were more sinful and disturbed than the most outrageous sinner.Never had they truly been a family. But maybe it would change- No, just no. None of them had ever treat [Y/N] like family (except Sophia). And that wouldn't change.

Fear had affected her for too long.Not anymore.

Alex started to add more pressure and grip her hand more tightly, trying to rise a reaction. His smirk widened as [Y/N] flinched. His nails pressed into her hand, applying more and more pressure until it broke the skin. The sensation stung as small droplets trailed down. [Y/N]'s eyes narrowed even more if possible and magic bled from her soul: Sabre could sense it stirring in the air. He knew it fondly: it could happen when she was angry, sad and even happened when they were-

His face flushed at the thought. Now wasreallynot the time. Whilst everyone was focused on the scene of [Y/N] and Alex in the centre, Sabre managed to slip by everyone else and was able to wander to the front of the crowd. [Y/N] snatched her hand from Alex's grip and took a step back, cradling her hand in her own. Alex's eyes narrow and a nasty snarl spreads across his face.

"No. I don't want to marry you, and Ineverwill. I don't love you-"
"[Y/N]!" Desdemona started to angrily step towards them.
"Just because my family wants me to marry you, I never will!" More magic surged through the air, clinging to the atmosphere. [Y/N]'s eyes sparkled brightly with magic and she slammed her hand against her chest. "I don't care how this makes me look! How crazy you say I am!" Desdemona grabs hold of her arm tightly but [Y/N] tears her hand from around her wrist. She glares through her mother's eyes- a sudden spike of magic rising- as her tone becomes darker. "Don'tf*ckingtouch me!" Desdemona took a few steps back in shock, clasping her hands against her chest. The older woman landed into Arlo's arms as she dramatically fell out of consciousness.

How? Who knows. The woman was a dramatic bitch. Not that she was actually knocked out- she was pretending to be, as she had one eye open, focusing on [Y/N].

"All I dealt with for years was abuse and neglect!" [Y/N] began to shout as the skeletons watched on with a sense of pride. She was finally losing her temper and telling them what they needed to know, she was finally standing up for herself. Sabre crossed his arms against his chest as a smirk spread across his face. Nightmare snorted and lightly tapped at Berry's shoulder as he whispered something into his 'ear'. Whatever it was made the poor skeleton blush. In fact, Berry let out a noise of confusion before he pushed at Nightmare's face, looking away with a strange look in his eyes. "My brothers could do no wrong but if I did one f*cking thing it was the end of the world! I was forced to watch as my little brother waskilledby someone who isn't even apart of this family! You merged my soul with a monster's during a dangerous experiment and I am just as f*cked up as I was when I was a child! Hell, I can use magic but now?! Every bone in my body is telling me tosnapyour neck." [Y/N] spat each word with poison and it made everyone flinch and take a few steps back.

Her hands clenched at her sides in fists, the anger spewing and spitting at the air in streaks of magic. Alex quickly got up, his expression twisting into one of disgust. He dusted himself down, wiping off any excess dirt or lint. "So that's a no?"
[Y/N]'s eyes narrowed, flickering brightly with magic. She glared at him, mustering all strength not to snap his neck right now. "Yes, it is a no. I will never marry you. You disgust me, you vile piece ofsh*t!"As soon as the sentence left her lips, Alex raised his hand into the air and slapped her across the face. She fell back a few steps in shock, tracing over her stinging cheek as the heat rose to her face. A proud smirk fell across Alex's face. "Don't speak to me that way,dearest."

The [L/N] were proud. You could see it across their faces. The fact [Y/N] was silenced by the man they expected her to marry made them feelgood.The idea of control, of the tradition, of the patriarchal standards they exhibited was normalised. Regardless of whether they had the same views or not. It was forced onto them.

Sabre's eyes narrowed and they began to glow with magic.How dare he?! He'llkillhim-But, Berry and Nightmare wrap their arms around his waist and pull him back, trying to force him away from the scene. If he lost his temper, it would be chaos. It was dangerous for him to even be here but if he attacked one of them...it wasn't safe. It wasn't just Sabre who wanted to tear him apart. So did Nightmare and Berry. But, [Y/N] needed to do this herself. And, she would.

Still what happened next was a little unexpected: [Y/N] ignored the burning sensation across her cheek to walk towards Alex (with a terrifying, burning glare in her eyes) and harshly grabbed hold of his arm. He looked down in confusion before a scream erupted from him as [Y/N] snapped his arm to the side. A grotesque crack echoed off the walls and sent everyone into a spiral of screaming as they saw his hanging, broken arm. Alex continues to scream as the pain erupts through his entire arm and body, burning and burning like an eternal fire. It continued to burn and burn, worming its way through his entire system as he grips his arm, stepping backwards in fear.

Gasps and shouts burst from the large groups of family members, followed by screams.

"I never want to see any of you ever again. If I even see you in the street, I will ignore you. I want nothing to do with any of you. You mean nothing to me. And you are all judgemental arseholes! And guess what?!" [Y/N] threw her hands up into the air as she emphasised each point. "I lost my virginity to a monster." Now, that sent everyone into a spiral: disgust spread across their faces at even the thought, and Desdemona stood up for a moment, muttering that she was fine until her eyes closed and she collapsed. Whilst [Y/N]'s brothers attended to their mother (with everyone else swarming the older woman to "make her feel better"), [Y/N] snorted with her arms crossed against her chest.

Joy swelled in her chest, and a smile spread across her lips. It gave her a sense of control to be able to cause such a stir. She tilted her head towards Sophia, her grandmother, and laughter erupted from her throat at the look of pride in the older woman's eyes. Sophia nods, slipping her arm in front of herself to present a bow whilst her other hand wrapped around the necklace around her neck and flashed it in [Y/N]'s direction. It meant [Y/N] was finally living her life without fear, and she was proud of her granddaughter.

But, it also meant it was time to leave. Anywhere would be better than here.

"i have to admit, i never expected ya to say somethin' like that to your folks," Sabre spoke as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stepped beside [Y/N]. Immediately, [Y/N]'s cheeks flushed dark red and she quickly turned her head towards the floor. She almost made a noise of surprise as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squished her against his side. He leaned down, lowering his head until he was beside her ear. "it was kinda hot. but, i ain' just a one night stand, i hope?" [Y/N]'s face flushes even more at the contact, and scenarios and the feeling of his warmth against her was sending her into a flustered spiral. Nightmare had gone off to steal some of the food, along with Berry who gave Sabre a look signifying 'let's meet outside'. "how about we leave? i 'ave a feelin' we ain' welcome here."

[Y/N] merely nods as Sabre softly guides her out the door.

His grip tightens around her shoulder and he sneaks a glance towards [Y/N]. Her head stays low as they step down the path, but she interlocks her fingers with his, knocking her head against his shoulder. Sabre was her comfort, and always had been. Not to say she loved Berry less than Sabre, but, Sabre usually was there to provide comfort and love, to calm her down when she dealt with nightmares. How he made her laugh, made her feel loved and how he made her feel good about her body. It's one of the reasons he was her first. He was worth more than he knew. He was better than he thought he was. He had goodness he didn't see or even indulge. He had a bright, wonderful soul.

[Y/N] loved him for so many reasons. But, he would never know why. He didn't see himself as worth loving.

"you ok, darlin'?" Sabre asked as he gripped her hand a little tighter, raising it up slightly so he could press a kiss against it. "startin' to regret what you said?"
"No. Just thinking about things. Knowing them they will send me letter after letter discussing their disappointment of what I have become, that I am not part of the family anymore. But, I don't care about that," She watches as Nightmare prods Berry in the side, causing the other skeleton to shriek in annoyance. A wide smile spreads across her face at the sight and it even causes Sabre to snort as Berry and Nightmare get into a slapping fight.

"so, what do you care about? us?" He intended the question to be a joke.
"Yes, I do," [Y/N] smiled, causing Sabre to stop in the middle of the path. The mage looks up at him in confusion as his eyes begin to widen and brighten, and the light purple blush across his cheeks darken. "I love and care about you, Sabre. Is that surprising-" He cupped her face in his hands and pressed a kiss against her lips as he gently pressed her against the wall. Nightmare and Berry hadn't seen it as they were still play fighting. [Y/N] wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed back with just as much vigour. He stopped kissing her to stare into her eyes.

"it is to me. i ain' worth it. i...i don' deserve your love. i don' deserve anythin' from you. for such an amazin' woman like you to love me is a miracle in itself, and you make me so f*ckin' spellbound," He says softly. "f*ck, i'd marry you right now if i could..." The thought made her heart explode with joy and love. But, before [Y/N] could reply, Nightmare and Berry tilted their heads around the corner. Nightmare scowled whilst Berry laughed to himself.
"So, that's why you're taking so long,"Nightmare said. [Y/N] nuzzled her head against his chest to hide her darkening blush."Want to go drinking? Feel like we all need it. Bet Berry here is going to just drink white wine."
Berry sends him an offended look. "I AM NOT. RED WINE, YES. BUT WHITE WINE? HOW VILE."

Sabre removed himself from [Y/N] to stuff his hands in his pockets and stand in front of Berry and Nightmare. "come on, bro. that ain' the point. but, i could go for a drink." He turns his head towards [Y/N]. "how about you, darlin'? if not, we could drop you off at home."
[Y/N] jumps forward, surprising them a little. She wraps her arm around Nightmare's shoulder and squeezes it. "I want to join you. Let's go drinking, shall we?"

They coulddrinkto that.

Chapter 39: 37

Chapter Text

Despite Berry's complaints, they all went inside a rather popular bar. They were sat in the far corner of the bar at one of the rounder seats, with [Y/N] squished in the middle between Nightmare and Berry whilst Sabre sat on the chair in front of them. Nightmare's chest was pressed against [Y/N]'s back as his hand wrapped around her waist: Berry rested his head against her shoulder as his hand wrapped around her upper thigh, tracing circles into her bare flesh- her dress was a little rolled up around her inner thighs. Sabre rested his arms elbows against the table as he propped up his chin on his open palms. Mostly, talk had been quite calm and humorous.

"i will get the next drinks. what ya wantin'?" Sabre asked.
"I'll have the spiced apple rum, Sabre,"Nightmare smiled. It was odd for him to smile, to feel light like this but he was truly at ease. With [Y/N] against him, his soul couldn't help but pulse, bleeding the happiness from his soul whilst all doubt, or high ideals of himself were forgotten for now. Still, he frowned deeply as a chuckle erupted from the taller skeleton. His eyes blared with magic as his annoyance rose."What?"

"nothin'. it just suits ya. now, darlin'," His voice was velvety and the way his eyes caught her own bled with lust and love. [Y/N] could feel her cheeks darken but she stared back, having a lot more confidence from having a few alcoholic drinks in her system. "what do ya want?"

"I WOULD LIKE A GLASS OF RED WINE, BROTHER. IF IT IS WHITE WINE I REFUSE TO BE YOUR BROTHER ANYMORE," Berry said with amusem*nt in his voice. Still, he kind of meant it even if it was not completely. Nightmare and [Y/N] shared looks, snorting to themselves at how serious he was being over the wine. Berry was a red wine skeleton, and if it was white wine, he always acted betrayedas if it was the worst possible thing someone could do to him."Someone is serious about their wine. I think you should dye the white wine red to spite him."

Berry scoffed, taking his hand off [Y/N]'s thigh to cross his arms against his chest. "I WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE. I WILL HELP YOU GET THE DRINKS, BROTHER." Sabre nodded without a word. He slid his chair from underneath him and stood, sharing a few looks with Berry before he burst out laughing from the offended look on his face. Berry soon followed, pushing the table out a little to be able to stand. He lightly pushed Sabre, who returned the favour as they walked towards the bar.

"Hope you don't mind being left alone with me,"His soft voice sent ripples along her back. [Y/N] leaned against his chest, interlocking her fingers with his as she looked up at him with a kind smile. His cheeks flushed dark blue and his soul pounded against his chest. "Of course not," [Y/N] responded. "Want to ask me some questions? We can ask each other, get to know each other more."
"That sounds fine,"He said, not quite wanting to sound too excited by the prospect of knowing more about his soulmate. But, he was excited. Maybe the vodka in his system had made him a little more docile, and willing to show his softer side. He was fine with that. He just didn't like it when people, other than his closer 'friends', saw his softer, more docile nature."First question. What's your favourite food?"

A simple, but good question.

"[F/F], it's nice but simple. I haven't exactly had it in a while. Now what would you say is your favourite food?" [Y/N] smiled as Nightmare looked the other way for a moment so he was able to think. He didn't exactly eat much anymore, but he still had a few favourites. Mostly cake, or anything with apples in it. Horribly ironic, wasn't it? The very fruit he despised the notion of was one of his favourite indulgences."Apple pie. I don't eat, but, I will admit it is one of my favourites to indulge myself on.""I might have to make it some time and you can judge my baking skills from there," [Y/N] said and he chuckled to himself.His other arm dropped to his side so he could trail his hand over her waist. She stops, feeling the hair on the back of her neck raise as he lowered his head, resting it against the crook of her neck as he spoke."You're absolutely enthralling, gorgeous, [Y/N]."She almost gasped as he trailed his hand over her curves, feeling the material along his bone. His hand trailed down her leg, sweeping her dress a little to the side to expose her thigh a little more. He wrapped his hand around her thigh, his fingers softly tracing shapes into her flesh. Her dress covered most of her legs, but her thighs were only noticeable for Nightmare. Only he could bear witness to her exposed, plump thighs."So smart, so kind, and such a blessing. I fear sometimes you are too nice for your own good. What a splendid woman you are,"He praised against her ear.

His voice, velvety and deep, was enough to make her face darken and for her mind to cloud over. She would be lying if she didn't think he was attractive, or hot. But the bubbling over of lust bleeding from [Y/N]'s soul in a soft, melodic sound caused Nightmare's smirk to widen. He could feel it. The positive emotion, all the negative. But he was focusing on the lust. Did she like being praised? It was likely. She gulped as he squeezed her thigh once more, pressing his teeth against her neck in a gentle kiss. His other hand trailed down her waist, before reaching her other thigh. His tongue playfully traced over her ear- he started to nibble her ear, squeezing both of her thighs with his hands, trailing down as he scratched along her skin. She gulped again, trying to ignore the moan rising in her throat.

Not many people were here at the bar, or at least, those who were here couldn't see a thing.

"Do you like that?"He whispered loud enough for only her to hear. He stops nibbling her ear to begin kissing along her neck, leaving several, gentle butterfly kisses."I have another question, if I may?"
"W-What is it?" She manages, as he continues to kiss along her neck. His hands grip her thighs fully in her hands.
"Who was your first kiss?"His voice in her ear was making it hard to focus, along with the way he gripped her thighs and kissed along her neck with such gentleness as though she was fragile.
"I-I was sixteen when I had my first kiss. It was with one of my close friends at the time. We were both a little drunk, but I don't regret it." Nightmare hummed thoughtfully. [Y/N] didn't have the most experience, but it didn't mean she was naïve. "Did you have your first kiss?"

"I have not."
"Would you like to?" He removed his head from the crook of her neck to stare into her eyes. His eyes blared for a moment, glowing with magic and lust. He lowered his head and pressed his teeth against her lips. She wrapped her arms around his waist as she turns around, kissing back with just as much vigour. He squeezes her thighs, ignoring all the stares from those watching. The kiss was full of so much emotion: love, lust, adoration. He melted against her as they continued to indulge themselves- he wanted her all to himself, but he knew deep down that couldn't happen. As everyone else was so fond of her. Nightmare couldn't blame them.

They broke the kiss, forcing [Y/N] to take in deep breaths of air. Her head knocked against his chest and her body was pretty much sitting in his lap so he could, soothingly, rub along her thighs."That...was wonderful. Thank you, my Queen."
"guess ya did step up your game, Night-Night," came the voice of an amused (and jealous) Sabre. Nightmare smirked even more as the taller skeleton glared at him. Berry rolled his eyes as they both had a stare off, even as he placed down his own wine and [Y/N]'s pink gin.

"YOUR JEALOUSLY IS UNNEEDED, SABRE. HONESTLY, STOP BEING CHILDISH," Berry scolded as he placed his hands on his hips. Sabre puffed out his cheeks in a pout. He placed down the two glasses, and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he sat back down. "LET'S JUST CONTINUE ASKING EACH OTHER QUESTIONS." Well, that helped for the slightly tense atmosphere to disappear all of a sudden as though it was never there. Berry sat down himself, wrapping his hand around his glass. He swirled the liquid around the glass, before taking a sip.

Sabre circled his finger around his glass of pink gin, taking a moment to think. His pinpricks swept across the different tables, focusing on the people and their drinks. He didn't like making eye contact when he needed to think. It made him feel pressured and for his 'skin' to feel unusual sensations as though someone was nipping at his bone. "right, uh...a fond childhood memory? i can go first, if ya like." Everyone nodded. Nightmare took his glass into his hand and took a sip whilst [Y/N] just held her glass in her hand as she sat in Nightmare's lap. "it was when i was five in human years. it was when me and my bro," A small smile spread across Berry's face. "were outside when it was snowin' a little more than usual. we were building snowmen and i ain't the best at buildin'. plus i was like tiny when i was little, only went up to berry's stomach."

"Now you are one of the tallest skeletons around,"Nightmare mused and everyone chuckled.
"got that right."
"Do you have any pictures? I would love to see a baby Sabre," [Y/N] spoke, turning a little around in Nightmare's lap to look at Berry. Berry snorted. He placed down his glass and slid his hand into his pocket as he started to rustle around until he felt leather against his bone. His hand wrapped around it, and he took out his wallet. Everyone watched ([Y/N] with interest, and Sabre in confusion), as he opened up his wallet and slipped out one of the photos hidden behind the pound notes. On the back of the picture (which was mostly hidden) was the date and Sabre's eyes widened in realisation. He saw it as an embarrassing picture, whilst Berry saw it as one of his favourite pictures. Sabre didn't have time to snatch it out of Berry's hand before [Y/N] grabbed hold of it, and unfolded it to show the full picture.

The picture showed Sabre holding a massive snowball above his head, straining under the weight. His mouth was open in a wide grin, showing off a full set of sharp, small teeth. Snow covered his scarf and the massive coat he wore in small blotches of white, as water trailed down his skull and his coat. He looked like a pink marshmallow as the coat was too big and swept down to his legs which almost hid the fact he was wearing a pair of boots. His eyes were wide and bright with amusem*nt and joy. There was genuine happiness in his eyes. He was tiny compared to the massive snowman behind him. Its head was being held by him- of course, Berry had told him not to as he would not be able to stand its weight, but the little skeleton didn't listen. In the end, he lost his grip and it collapsed on top of him. Berry was older than Sabre by three years. Even at the age of eight, Berry was a little strict, but loving towards Sabre.

[Y/N] felt her heart melt as her eyes trailed over the picture she fondly stared at. Nightmare leaned forward, resting his head on her shoulder to get a better look. The King of Nightmares snorted to himself at the image: it was amusing to see how much he had grown since then. Berry chuckled, crossing his arms against his chest. "You're so f*cking cute, I could squeeze you."
"sayin' i ain' cute now? i'm heartbroken, darlin'," Sabre draped himself over the table dramatically (being sure to miss the drinks) as he outstretched his arms and yanked the photo from [Y/N]'s hand. He snorted as she shouted 'hey': he sat back up to look at the picture fully. His smile widened across his face. "this was the memory i was startin' to talk about. thought i could lift it above my head but i couldn' so it collapsed on my head."

"Aw, that's cute, Sabre," [Y/N] said affectionately. Sabre's cheeks darkened and he forced himself to look away. He scratched the back of his neck nervously whilst his other hand tugged at his collar to reveal more of his ribs. "I have a short childhood memory I find amusing." Everyone takes a swig of their beverages, feeling the alcohol trail down their throats and make them feel a little dizzy. The alcohol was beginning to affect them. "I was told to fight one of my brothers when I was younger as training. I ended up breaking his arm. The end." [Y/N] wrapped her hand around the glass and drank the rest of her beverage.
"damn, i'm proud."
"AS YOU SHOULD."
"Expected, and deserved."

"Ok, I need to go to the toilet, so..." [Y/N] got off of Nightmare's lap and placed the glass onto the table. As [Y/N] left, she didn't feel the eyes on her back as she walked into the women's toilets. The woman in question swirled her glass around before sliding it onto the table. She slapped the arm of the man next to her and, when no one was looking, they stood up and headed into the women's toilets.

This may not end well.

Chapter 40: 38

Chapter Text

Months[?] Before...

"A failure is what you are," The skeleton baring his wide, angel wings cursed. He was around 6'2. His black bones bore sigils, or pentagrams he had forcefully etched into his bone- they glowed a wonderful dark blue. Two horns (one red, one blue) twisted from his head as cracks ran from the horns to his cheeks, imitating tears. His ice blue eyes narrowed in annoyance at the skeleton before him: his hands rested against his stomach, wearing a black button up shirt with a few buttons missing to show off most of his ribs, with a dark blue waistcoat, a dark grey jewelled, lace choker hung around his neck, with trousers and boots. His fingers were covered by an assortment of expensive jewels. "I ask one thing of you, Nightmare. And...this is how you repay my kindness? Making an agreement with your brother was a grave mistake."

Nightmare looked away, gritting his teeth. His tentacles were a little more alive than usual to mirror the irritation tainting his soul."It is none of your concern what I do in relation to my brother, Calamity."Calamity smirked as he started to flex his wings a little. Red magic glowed in his eyes for a moment, before it began to run along his fingers and cover his entire body in a dark aura."I still did as you asked, and more.""My, my. Haven't you grown confident since our last meeting?" He tapped his finger against his cheek. Nightmare flinched, feeling sweat building up around his face and it started to roll down. Calamity had been born from the maliciousness of mankind, and the sin they manifested. Nightmare was the key to his 'birth', as due to being bullied and tormented, a piece of his soul was stolen, and it helped Calamity become whole. He was the one to tempt Nightmare to take the golden apple and consume it, and slaughter those who wronged him. Ever since, Calamity had continued to use him as he saw fit. "Like I said before, you're a failure. I made you like this, and yet, you became soft. What a disappointment you are."

Calamity took a few steps towards Nightmare and before he could react, the taller skeleton grabbed hold of Nightmare's chin and gripped it harshly, his eyes flaring red with magic as his eyes narrowed. His fingers dug into his cheeks, forcing Nightmare to bend backwards a little in an effort not to look into his eyes."Maybe it would have been more fun to break your mind piece by piece, and make you forget that bastard brother of yours. But there will be time yet."

Nightmare's eyes narrowed at the memory, all good humour leaving him. He rested his chin on top of his open hand with his leg crossed over the other, his eyes watching the door [Y/N] had stepped through, so unaware and within his own mindscape he did not realise Berry had been watching him intently. When you had worked with someone for so many years, you adapted to how they spoke and acted. Also, you caught certain mannerisms of theirs. One thing Nightmare often did when he was recalling an unpleasant memory, his eyes dulled, and his other hand usually rested underneath his other arm to stop himself from shaking and 'showing weakness.' Even when Nightmare didn't realise it himself, his magic often rose too, thickening the air with a tenseness no one dared question.

Sabre managed, crossing his arms against his chest, "'ey, what's up with ya, Night Light?" Berry elbowed him in the ribs, a warning look appearing across his face while Sabre simply pouted in annoyance.
Nightmare's eyes flickered from the toilet door to Sabre. A warning flickered in his eyes, his entire body shook. Whether from anger or sadness, he wasn't sure. But he would not allow for anyone to know."What? Nothing is wrong. Everything is perfectly fine."As expected of a royal, he kept his voice firm without lacing it with unneeded emotion. Could he even call himself that anymore? When the Kingdom he ruled was desolate after slaughtering everyone? He was a tyrant, some often told him. Someone unworthy of love or desire as dust and blood coated his hands.

"i get me and my bro here are plenty clingy with [Y/N], but, it's someit else wrong with ya," Sabre smirked, leaning forward as he pressed his hands together and placed them underneath his chin. A gleam in his eye shone with meddlesome intent. Something mischievous likely. Nightmare didn't say anything but continued to watch him. He didn't want to be honest with his feelings but maybe it was for the best? Hiding how he truly felt was meddlesome, and Dream often knew. So, like his brother always told him, he should be honest for a change. "i could be wrong, but, ya can consume and deal with other people's nightmares and fears but not ya own. those ya cannot run from. i know, my nightmares revolve around losing [Y/N] or my bro, but yours is deeper."

"BROTHER, DON'T ANGER HIM-"
"You aren't as docile as I thought. A memory plaguing me, is all."Neither of them expected him to be honest about it. He must have read the surprise across their faces as a wide smirk spread across his face."It didn't take me long to be honest, I realise. But, I reminded myself my brother would want me to be honest about my feelings. It was about someone I have grown to despise."

They didn't ask anything else. That could be anyone, after all. And, Nightmare's temper was known for a reason.

Chapter 41: 39

Chapter Text

It didn't take long for [Y/N] to do her business in the bathroom and she stopped in front of the mirror, wrapping her hands around the sink as she stared into the mirror. [E/c] eyes stared back. Hatred also glared back. It was a powerful emotion and one in which we cannot control. Hated by her own family, judged for sleeping and falling in love with a monster, confined to an abusive house for years with university as her only solace...she had more trauma than she realised, or had even thought about. Simply, [Y/N] merely went through life dealing with her trauma without talking about it or giving herself time to deal with it.

But, this was for the best. Breaking off ties from an abusive family was something she needed to be able to heal. It always came back in a flurry of different emotions as she remembered fragments of memories from her childhood- from when her soul was forcefully merged with another being, to when she watched as her little brother was killed in cold blood and the numerous times she was body shamed, beaten, used as a scapegoat by others, and when she was even used as target practice as punishment for breaking a plate.

Sweat built up against her forehead and started to roll down her face as she leaned down slightly, her eyes fluttering closed. Her heart was beating faster and faster against her chest as the morbid image of her brothers leaning over her, with their fists stained with blood and mocking smirks spread across their lips, popped up across her mind. A shudder erupts through her spine and her entire body, breathing in-and-out at a steady pace. [Y/N] wrapped her hand around the front of her dress and twisted it in her hand, taking the silence (with only the water droplets from the tap falling and making noise) with a sense of comfort.

The alcohol wasn't making this any better.

Her tongue explored her mouth, trailing over her teeth and sighing as her nose scrunched up at the taste of strong alcohol tainting her taste buds. It was bound to happen due to how much alcohol they had all consumed. But, when the door slammed open, she shot up and stared into the mirror to watch as they stepped into the room. [Y/N]'s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the familiar faces-

Bethany and John.

Her heart started to beat faster at the familiar pair. While she appeared fine on the surface, she was starting to panic underneath. Her mouth felt dry at glimpsing at the satisfied smirk across Bethany's face, while John had an unusual look in his eye as he looked her up and down. Shivers wormed up her smile, causing her hairs to raise at the back of her neck and sweat rolled down her skin. Bethany slipped her hands onto her hips. "Long time no see, [Y/N]. Thought you had seen the last of me, didn't you? I was thrown out because of you. How do you think that makes me feel?"
"Angry, I presume," [Y/N] manages before she turns her head towards John. "What are you doing in here?"

John didn't respond, but he did continue to stare with an unusual look in his eyes. Bethany took a step forward, rummaging in her pockets to pick out something silver which glinted in the faint light. "He's had a crush on you in months and you didn't even acknowledge his presence. What a selfish woman you are..."
"What do you want from me, Bethany?" She curses at the fear she swallowed down. Her magic began to rise (not that they could sense or feel it) in the air, tampering with it to make sure magic trickled through.

"You got me kicked out from a home I have stayed at for years. You just want them all to yourself, don't you? That was the plan all along, wasn't it? First, you take Mutt and Berry, now everyone else?" The way she said 'Mutt' made [Y/N] seethe quietly.
"Sabre, not Mutt. And it was you who managed to do that. I simply told them the truth about you. I understand you blame me for this, but you should have realised your actions have consequences."

Bethany's expression twisted into a grotesque snarl, her eyes narrowing dangerously."Hold her down, John."It was obvious Bethany had no intention of simply talking. She had a far more darker intent in mind and [Y/N] would not allow herself to be a victim. Not anymore. John took a few more steps forward while [Y/N] stayed still, clenching her fists at her sides. John sprang forward and before he could grab hold of her, [Y/N] swung her fist into his jaw, sending him hurtling into the wall. He gasped, his head slamming against the wall. His hands wrapped around his head and pain erupted through his entire head and body as he cradled it in his hands. Bethany charged forward with the knife in hand: [Y/N] blankly stared at her and dodged to the side, but not before she grabbed hold of Bethany's arm.

That was likely a bad decision on her part, or perhaps the anger flaring had caused her ability to think rationally to disappear, as Bethany just changed direction of the knife and it managed to stab into [Y/N]'s side. Pain erupted along her side at the feel of the metal tearing into her flesh, allowing for blood to flow freely from the wound, staining the blade with specks of blood. A painful gasp erupts from [Y/N], feeling the blood gargle in her throat as her hands wrapped around Bethany's hand, tearing the knife from her grasp. Both of [Y/N]'s hands wrapped around Bethany's arm and her eyes trained on Bethany's eyes (which were wide and full of fear) for a moment before she snapped her arm to the side, breaking it out of place. A grotesque snap erupted but Bethany's screams rivalled that. She clutched at her arm desperately, tears running down her cheeks as she screamed.

[Y/N]'s eyes dulled. She tilted her head to the side, looking at Bethany with nothing more than malice. "It's funny. I never expected for this to happen. Not to say I don't like the new accessory," The mage mused to herself as she stared at the knife protruding from her side. Magic started to flicker in her eyes, glowing and covering her entire body with an aura "But attempted murder? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, as you did kill my little brother. You don't deserve any sympathy." All of a sudden, someone grabbed hold of her hair from behind and smashed her head against one of the mirrors. The mirror shattered on impact: [Y/N] collapsed against the ground with a harsh thud, laying on her side as she shakily tried to feel at the gash spread across her forehead. Blood dripped down her head, falling down and landing against the ground, mixed amidst the glass fragments.

John scoffed, a darkness settling in his eyes. His hand wrapped around her hair and gripped it harshly, pulling at it to force [Y/N] to look him in the eyes at an angle. "You just had to go ahead and make things more difficult, didn't you? She would have just stabbed you, then, I would have had you all to myself. I've been watching you. You intrigue me, and you're going to be mine. Whether you want it or not."
"Bite me,"[Y/N] managed as he pulled harder but she refused to make a complaint of pain. His other hand wrapped around her chin and gripped her cheeks with his fingers. His tongue swept across his lips while [Y/N] could feel a shudder along her spine.

"You're so cute when you look so vulnerable..." He removed his hand from around her chin, and allowed her to fall harshly onto the ground with his hand still wrapped around her hair. "This is going to be fun." Oh, [Y/N] would not go out like this. Never. Not again.

"I won't let you f*ckers hurt me ever AGAIN!" [Y/N] snarled as she picked up one of the larger glass shards and stabbed it into John's leg. Gasping, he let go of her hair and the mage scrambled up to clench her hand into a fist and swing it into John's jaw as hard as possible with the rest of her strength, sending him backwards, knocking him out as he bashed his head off the wall and collapsed on the ground. [Y/N] staggered to the side as the excruciating pain took over her entire body, splitting her head into a painful headache. She wobbled from side-to-side, hitting her hand against the wall to gain balance.

I wonder if everyone heard...they must be deaf or just unconcerned. Maybe this happens often.

At least that was what she was thinking, at first.

"'ey, i don' give a f*ck if it's the ladies' toilets or not. i 'eard screamin'-" The door slammed open to reveal Sabre in the doorway, along with Berry and Nightmare behind him. His eyes widened at the sight: Bethany gasping and holding her broken arm, broken glass with blood sliding down, John knocked out, and most importantly, [Y/N] with a deep gash across her forehead and the knife in her side, desperately resting against the wall. "[Y/N]?!!"
[Y/N] raised her head and couldn't even muster a response before Sabre scooped her up into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist and legs, being careful of the knife. He rested his forehead against hers. If his ability to heal was as strong as Papyrus', he would have done it already. He wish he could.

Berry got out his phone from his pocket and dialled the police.

[Y/N] rested her head against Sabre's chest, feeling and hearing his soul beat frantically against his chest. She could sense his fear and pride bleeding from him in an overbearing aura. "Sabre?"
"i'm 'ere. we...all are." That was the last thing she heard before she fell asleep, along with the police sirens.

After taking statements from Nightmare, [Y/N], Sabre and Berry, they took [Y/N] to the hospital to take out the knife and get the numerous stitches and the surgery. [Y/N] would have to stay in the hospital to be monitored before and after her surgery. Sabre refused to leave her side, neither did Berry, but, Nightmare decided to go back and tell everyone what happened. Including John and Bethany getting arrested.

What a tense end to an ok night.

Nightmare sighed, wiping his hand along his face as he pushed the door open. A sombreness overtook him and the rest of the household as he stepped inside. It was quiet. Possibly too quiet for the self-hatred spiralling inside- he should have put off his own doubts to focus on [Y/N]. He should have done something. He headed into the kitchen, eye dull and obscured by the darkness which was his mind. His tentacles curled around him, writhing with anger: he sat down at the table and slammed his head down against it. "boss?"
"What is it, Cross?"

"what's wrong? you seem deflated," He said as he sat down on the chair opposite Nightmare. "everyone else is either asleep or in the living room. where's everyone else?"
Nightmare abruptly stood up, scaring Cross to nearly fall off his chair. He slammed his hands down to steady himself, watching Nightmare fearfully as he headed towards the living room. Sans, Papyrus, Stretch, Dust and Edge were sat down on the couches watching the TV, but stopped, turning their heads towards the faint blue glow in the doorway. Dust was the only one not unnerved by this. "boss, what's wrong?" They could all hear the anger radiating off of him.
"...[Y/N] was attacked tonight. She is in the hospital for a knife wound. Tell everyone else, Dust,"Nightmare spoke, not giving him enough time before Dust got up and rushed past.

Sans, Papyrus, Stretch and Edge exchanged looks of concern and sadness. "are you...serious? she was stabbed?" Stretch asked, his eyes widening slightly.
"IS SHE OK?" Papyrus asked.
"She's...been in surgery. She seems fine but she needs rest. Fought hard to stay alive..."

That's all he could say before he became silent. Hopefully, [Y/N] would be fine. She meant more to them then they ever imagined.

Chapter 42: 40

Chapter Text

Connected to machines, strings attached to her body to keep her alive. Sore after fighting for her life, burning with immense pain and discomfort from after her surgery. Even after everything, she was fighting to stay alive. No matter what, she would. Only darkness filled her vision, feeling only the warmth running through her right hand. Slowly, her eyes blinked open. It took a while for her vision to unblur as it adjusted- the blue walls of the hospital room along with the wires connected to her skin soon came into focus. A sudden pain ran through her head as she moved to the side, grunting in pain. [Y/N] rolled to the side a little, her head moving to the side to see Sabre sitting in the chair beside her bed, his hand interlocked in her own. He was leaning forward, his eyes closed as a snooze erupted from him.

Shakily, she rose her other hand to stroke his cheek tenderly, using her fingers to stroke his cheek. A sigh came from her. The pain may be unbearable, but, at least she could feel something, at least she was alive. Sabre wasn't wearing his hoodie as it was draped over her legs along with the covers, revealing his usual purple hoodie he wore. [Y/N] blinked a few times, another sigh erupting from her. Being unable to do anything was the worst feeling in the world. Still, it could be worse. She could have died, or been kidnapped. Unconsciously, Sabre nuzzled further into her warmth, his smile widening immensely.

A soft smile spread across her lips. It was great to see him so content, despite everything which had happened lately. He deserved to be happy and not have to face so much without break or room to think. "darlin'?" Sabre slowly opened his eyes and as soon as they did, his eyes focused on [Y/N], and he moved his head, leaning over the bed even more as he nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck. "how ya feelin'?"
"As good as one can feel after being stabbed and having surgery," [Y/N] mused to herself. Except, Sabre didn't find it funny.

"it ain' funny, darlin'. ya could have died." He leaned forward against the bed, puffing out his cheeks a little. His entire skull darkened. She sighed, affectionately stroking the side of his face. "I know, Sabre. I don't exactly wish to die, and I'm fine."
"ya had surgery," He said, some edge being to his tone. "ya gonna be healin' for a while, so i told Muffet." As much as she loved Sabre, he was a little overprotective. Still, he was the sweetest and she couldn't imagine going through life without him.

"So, how long have you been here for?" [Y/N] furrowed her eyebrow, crossing her arms against her chest. Sabre looked away, pretending to find the nice photographs (random pictures of stock images of the sea) lovely. Purple sweat built up around his head and started to trail down his skull as he could feel her eyes watching him. She knew him too well sometimes. "Sabre, don't tell me you've been lingering around since I went into surgery or even before. Did you even go home? Get some rest?" As she kept pressing each question, he could feel more sweat rolling down his face. He thought he was going to be scolded more (Berry had already done that plenty), until [Y/N] carefully took his face into her hands, tenderly stroking his cheeks with his fingers. "You're an idiot. But, you're my idiot."

With a gentle smile spreading across her lips, his cheeks burned as she pressed a kiss against his teeth. He melted at her affection and somehow, even her words. The word 'my' just rung in his head over and over again, causing a smile to spread widely across his face as he melted at her touch. Anything she did, sweet word or any affection she gave him, made him melt immediately. He was that in love with her. Sabre rested his head on the bed beside [Y/N], while the young mage stroked his head and interlocked her fingers with his. He closed his eyes once again, melting at her touch. Her fingers stroked his head, while squeezing his other hand. "Did you only start sleeping after I returned from surgery?" He didn't say anything, but his soul made a twinkling noise.

"I'm fine now, so if you want to sleep, I don't mind. Why don't you sleep in this bed with me?"
"ya only just came out of surgery...i want to, but don't wanna hurt ya in any way." [Y/N] snorted. He was right, but, he likely wouldn't do much, would he? If he simply slept in the bed with her? At least, she was going to say something else until someone knocked on the door. She lifted her head to see Berry standing in the doorway holding a bouquet of red roses. Dark shadows were cast underneath his eyes but he managed to maintain a kind, small smile across his skull despite his tiredness.

"Berry," [Y/N] began, smiling gently. Sabre refused to get up from his spot, causing Berry to roll his eyes playfully. He wandered over to them and placed down the bouquet onto the side table. He leaned down and planted a kiss against [Y/N]'s forehead. "HOW ARE YOU? I HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN RESTING AND THAT MY BROTHER HAS NOT BEEN AN INCONVIENCE. DID YOU EVEN GET SLEEP, SABRE?"
"can ya not moan at me? i was worried about [Y/N]," He seemed to nuzzle even more into her side. Berry scoffed. "Give him a break this once, Berry. He's been worried. And, by the looks of it, so have you. Did you get any sleep?" Now it was Berry's turn to look away in embarrassment. A light purple blush spread across his cheeks as he, defiantly, crossed his arms against his chest. "Thought so."

"tell 'er."
[Y/N] scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. Berry sighed, turning his head towards [Y/N]. "BETHANY AND JOHN WERE ARRESTED. THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN JAIL CURRENTLY, BUT THERE WILL BE A TRIAL SOON. IT SEEMS OTHER THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, OTHER THAN THIS." She motioned for him to continue. "THEY FOUND SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS IN JOHN'S HOUSE."
"Oh?" Berry and Sabre exchanged looks.
"A WOMAN'S BLOOD-STAINED JUMPER."

"SHOULD WE MAKE HER A 'GET WELL SOON' HAMPER?" Papyrus asked everyone. Nightmare's and his group, along with Blue, Stretch, Edge, Red (who was sitting on the couch and had been minding his own business), Dream, Mars, Cinnamon, Papyrus himself and Sans were all gathered. All awkwardly placed in the living room which didn't have much room to begin with, trying to come up with an idea of what to give [Y/N] for a get well soon gift. Papyrus, Edge, Stretch, Cinnamon and Nightmare were stood up, while everyone else was sitting down on the floor or couch. Red rested his chin on top of his hand, trying to focus on the flickering lights of the TV but he couldn't. He hadn't even apologised to [Y/N] yet and she had nearly died.
"It could have a theme."
"such as a 'congrats, you survived a stabbing' hamper? comes with a retractable, toy knife and a red bath bomb."

Everyone silently turned to Red and glared. Red sweat started to build up around his forehead and started to trail down his face as he slowly turned his head, trying not to catch anyone's eyes. Edge scoffed. "THAT JUST SOUNDS TASTELESS, BROTHER." Red just turned back around, shrugging his shoulders. Well, he felt that [Y/N] would like the idea. While it would seem a little tasteless, she would also find the care and humour stemming from it. "look, would she like it? don't ya think she would find it funny? she ain't the type of gal to be offended over that type of thing. look, she's been through worse, maybe she'd like it?" He still had a point. Maybe if he put it together himself, he could also apologise for his sh*tty behaviour.

"WHY DON'T YOU MAKE YOUR OWN? HAVE IT BE ONE EQUATION TO YOUR APOLOGY," Edge said, his eyes glowing dangerously. Red gulped, as more sweat rolled down his skull. Everyone murmured in agreement. "THEN, THE REST OF US WILL THINK OF A DIFFERENT 'GET WELL SOON' HAMPER. IS THAT A GOOD IDEA, BROTHER?" The edge in his voice almost sent Red off edge.
"yep." Whilst he returned his attention back to the TV, everyone began their discussions again regarding the hamper. It could be a simple hamper, full of [Y/N]'s favourite things, with added heartfelt messages from each skeleton. It didn't necessarily have to have a theme, either. Just as long as they included their favourite mage's favourite items and put all their love into it.

Stretch nervously played with a cigarette between his fingers, his eyes staring nervously at the ground, while his soul felt heavy. He could hear it echoing, slamming against his chest. This situation was making him anxious and he couldn't focus. He couldn't even imagine how Berry and Sabre felt, the two who had been her friend since she moved in, the pair who had possibly been in love with her since then. He remembered it well: [Y/N] had moved in with very little, introduced as Bethany's friend while acting like the opposite. Berry had been intrigued. He didn't trust her completely, yet, but, he got to know her. Soon enough, Sabre did the same and he watched as they both fell in love with her. Berry fell first, but Sabre fell for [Y/N] harder.

"THIS IS GOING TO SOUND CREEPY, BUT, WHAT'S HER FAVOURITE SMELL?"
"you're right, bro, that did sound creepy-" Edge glared at Red again and he stopped talking immediately. Papyrus placed his hand on Edge's shoulder and squeezed, smiling at him gently. Edge sighed. "I WANTED TO GET HER SOAP."
Stretch looked up before stuffing his hands in his pockets. "i believe she likes [f/s] a lot." More ideas were thrown at each other over what should be in the hamper. So, the hamper would include: soaps, balloons, [f/c], heartfelt messages, biscuits, small gifts and other things.

Blue sat down beside Red. The more edgy skeleton turned his head towards him, furrowing his eyebrow in confusion. "SO, WHAT WILL YOU BE INCLUDING IN YOURS? IT SURE SOUNDSBLOODYGOOD." Red stared into Blue's eyes for a moment until he burst out laughing. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and continued to laugh, his laughter echoing across the room as red tears started to fall down his face. Blue watched him innocently and patiently with his arms crossed against his chest- he hadn't heard Blue make a pun before, so this was quite the treat. "that was so sh*t! but f*ck!" More tears trailed down his face as he continued to laugh. "didn't expect that from you, blueberry!" It took him a while to calm back down.

"SO, WHAT WILL YOU BE INCLUDING IN YOUR HAMPER?"
Red smirked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "fake knife, red bath bombs, red wax and an oil burner, and a message along with some red treats or someit. hope she'll like it but i need to apologise when she gets out of hospital."
"YOU DO, BUT YOUR HAMPER DOES SOUND GOOD. BE SURE TO MAKE IT A GOOD APOLOGY."
"i will, i don't wanna f*ck it up." His honesty was refreshing, but needed.

Hopefully, [Y/N] would be fine.

Chapter 43: 41

Chapter Text

After the skeletons had decided, together, what to put in [Y/N]'s hamper, they had sent it directly to the hospital without double checking to see whether everything was perfect. So, they were completely unaware to whether anything went wrong- but, they would surely find out. Sabre, smiling widely, placed down the skeleton household's hamper onto her lap, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he was about to climb into the bed with her before Berry grabbed hold of his collar and placed him back into his seat. The younger brother tended to get overly excited over anything gift related. He liked the pretty wrapping paper, along with the crinkling noise it made.

"'ey!" Sabre huffed, crossing his arms against his chest, pouting. Berry rolled his eyes playfully. "i just wanted to see it up close."
"AND, SHE IS STILL HEALING. YOU GET OVEREXCITED, LIKE A CHILD, WHEN PAPER IS INVOLVED." Berry chuckles to himself, ignoring the small glare Sabre sent in his direction. Berry kept picking things up from the floor and cleaning a little bit. [Y/N] watches with furrowed eyebrows, a smirk across her lips as she holds the hamper in her lap. Several presents are wrapped in [f/c] wrapping paper, adorned with pretty, glittery bows. Underneath was confetti of varying shades, along with a balloon squished by the gifts.

"You probably have a picture of him covered in wrapping paper when he was younger," [Y/N] says. Then, Berry smirks, slowly slipping his hand into his pocket while maintaining eye contact with Sabre. "bro, don' ya f*ckin' dare." Sabre's eyes swirled with magic, growling to himself. While they were having a stare off, [Y/N] places the small gifts to the side wanting to start with the bottom of the hamper. The words on the balloon, flattened and without air, caught her off guard. Slowly, she picked up the balloon from the basket, raising it above her head like it was a baby, staring at it blankly as the silver ring around it glimmered and caused several, rainbow specks of light to appear on the walls and the floor.

"Guys?" Sabre and Berry immediately stopped bickering to turn around. Their eyes lit up in confusion, then, they both burst out laughing at the balloon. [Y/N] joined into the laughing, placing the balloon against her stomach. It read: "Congratulations on the Pregnancy!"
"I didn't know I was pregnant," [Y/N] chuckles, squeezing the balloon against her chest. "Well, at least one good thing came out of me getting stabbed." The two skeletons continue to laugh, trying to hold onto each other but failing as they fell to the ground, laughing.

After a little while, [Y/N] had happily opened each gift from the hamper, making a few pleased compliments to each gift, then, Sabre put the red and black hamper on her lap, sharing a serious look with Berry. The Swapfell skeletons still disliked Red after everything which had happened. After all, [Y/N] had been injured due to him, and had been bedridden for a few days. So, this seemed out of place. According to them, at least. It was understandable their feelings in relation to it, but, he also needed to have the chance to apologise for his transgressions.

A smile spreads across [Y/N]'s face as she gratefully accepts the next hamper. "Oh, spooky red. I love it. Who's it from?"
"red." His tone was full of anger and irritation at even the mention of his name. [Y/N] chuckles a little, pulling apart the neat construction of the gift to go through the hamper a little. A blood red envelope rests at the bottom. Carefully, she grabs hold of it, taking a milk white letter from the envelope. Her [e/c] eyes drift over the messy handwriting of Red, reading it with slight hesitance. Back then, she had been understandably angry and annoyed with him. But now? She was neutral, but she wanted to make amends. Still, the last sentence caught her off guard a little.

The letter read:

[Y/N],

thought this could be the beginning or someit to my apology. i don't blame ya if ya don't forgive me as I deserve it. But, I wanted to apologise. I believed Bethany without seeing the truth for myself. i called you names, placed mean tricks on ya. ya never deserved it. i deserved getting the sh*t beat out of me by you (and Sabre. man, he was very angry that day. terrifying, but don't tell him i said that.)
anyway, i want to apologise in person when ya finished with healing.

Hope you like this "Congrats, You Survived A Stabbing" hamper.

Red

That was nice of him. And, what a funny, thoughtful gift. [Y/N] held her mouth with her hand, trying not to burst out laughing at the theme of the hamper. These skeletons were going to kill her one day. In a good way, of course.