Chapter 1: Hey, Hey, I Said Hey, What's Going On?
Summary:
In which the Fellswap skeletons make a first impression.
Image by Soulgem.
Notes:
I'm going to be putting tags in the beginning notes and proper summaries in the end notes of every chapter, so nobody gets surprised by something personally triggering! <3 Let me know if you read and there's something I missed. (Yeah I stopped doing this because it was exhausting. But I still tag)
Chapter tags: mild political discussion, talk of violence/murder/bones breaking, implications of sexual abuse
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The skeletons were getting ready for family game night. This was their first group meeting since the newest monsters came to the surface: Fellswap. The Fellswap brothers had met the Underfell monsters, and Vex - the tall Fell skeleton formerly a guard lieutenant and currently a ballet instructor - had extended the tradition that his mate, Stretch, and brother Blueberry had. He asked the newest skeletons to come to the family game night.
Vex was just carrying out a large tray of dinner, with a plate for each person. He had seasoned, roasted vegetables, fake roasted chicken (a magical substitute, as the Fells were staunch vegetarians), and plenty of fluffy garlic rice. He scowled as his brother, Red, popped open his bottle of mustard, ready to sully all of that delicious and subtle flavoring, so perfectly layered, with a mess of his favorite condiment. That time-honored brotherly bickering began to start up between the two of them, as expected.
Berry was standing off to the side of the room watching the others. He twisted his gloved fingers, a nervous habit he had picked up over the years. He wasn't sure how to be useful. Before Vex came to live with them, he would cook and tried to offer a clean home and warm food for Stretch. Now Vex, who was a kind alpha, was providing for them. He kept the house clean. He cooked delicious meals. He made Stretch happy. So Berry was pushed to the side. It wasn’t his place to get in the way, he told himself. So when he heard a firm, rapid knock at the door, he was relieved to be useful. "I'LL GET IT." He went to open the door.
Standing there were two skeletons. Howl was in front, shorter but still a few inches taller than Berry. The high heeled boots helped. He looked regal, with his half-cape over his right shoulder. His armor had been taken off, however, replaced with a more formal military-uniform-looking outfit. His red gloves reached just past his elbows, but they were soft cotton. He looked Berry over with light blue eyelights, his scarred mouth set in an unimpressed sort of expression - though it was entirely neutral. The man had a serious case of resting bitch face. Daemon stood behind him, slouching slightly, an intimidating seven feet. He wore a collar, the leash attached to Howl's hand, and put on a lazy smile for Berry. His dark crop top showed off his midriff, glowing a dark green. "hiya," he said, lifting a hand to wiggle some fingers.
"YES, GREETINGS. THIS IS DAEMON, I AM HOWL. I PRESUME I'M AT THE CORRECT HOUSE FOR THIS... 'SKELETON FAMILY GAME NIGHT' MEETING."
Berry looked at the two in shock. Seeing the collar and leash made him unconsciously reach for his own collar. Luckily, his bandana stopped his hand short. He grabbed onto it and fidgeted with the blue cloth, making sure it covered his shame. Berry wondered what Daemon did to get the collar.
"HI," Berry said back to the tall skeleton, then he looked up at Howl. "YES, IT IS. WELCOME." Berry stepped back a little to let them pass.
Stretch was coming down from the top of the stairs. He was dressed in a warm large orange hoodie and cargo pants. His orange eyelights were shining happily. He had a glow about him with his gentle baby bump. "hey." He waved to the newcomers.
Howl stepped inside, still holding the leash, and Daemon followed him right in, ducking so as not to hit his head. The shorter of the two skeletons looked around. There were Red and Vex, the Fells he'd meet before. Red was five feet, a few inches yet taller than himself but still in the shorty club. He wore a comfy, fluffy black hoodie, a scar around his right eye, and a golden tooth gleaming on his left in his grin. Like in their previous meeting, the left hand and a floating red one were in use, while his right hand was tucked away in his jacket pocket as if hidden. His younger brother was tall - unreasonably so. The unnecessary high heels no doubt put him above eight feet, the bastard. He had a chunk missing from the right side of his chin, and his red gloves were crisp leather. His scarf was battered and threadbare in places, obviously well-loved. The shorter skeleton was snickering as he poured mustard all over the food, the taller groaning and rubbing his forehead. “HMM…" His gaze drifted on through the group.
There was another soft-looking skeleton next to Red, comfy in a blue hoodie and not a single scar on him. This one was holding a bottle of ketchup, presumably with which to commit a similar atrocity. Then, Howl looked up at the monster coming down the stairs. Also soft, like if his brother had flat teeth and no scars and couldn't kill a man in three seconds flat.
"INTERESTING," was what he finally said, going over to where everyone seemed to sit. Vex pulled out a chair for him and he sat, then beckoned his brother. Daemon followed along, leaning down to be at his brother's height, and felt the leash get undone. He smiled at his brother, winking, then took a seat next to him. "hey, vex? do you have... barbecue sauce~?"
Vex narrowed his eyes at him, but then huffed and retrieved yet another condiment to sully his perfect dinner.
"thanks, i really appreciate it~!"
"THE THINGS I DO IN THE NAME OF FAMILY." Vex also took his seat.
Berry was watching the other two and went closer into the living room. These two were so different. They were not like the others, these skeletons from Fellswap. They kind of reminded him of his brother and him a little. At least more than the others did. Unwanted memories were swimming in the small monster’s mind. Why was the taller wearing a collar? 'Was he bad like me?'
Stretch reached the bottom of the stairs and walked close to his brother and rubbed his head. "You okay Berry?" Berry noticed he was holding on to his bandana and tried to let go and pushed the questions and memories out of his mind. He nodded. Stretch took his brother's word and offered a kind smile.
Sans had taken a seat next to his datemate, Red, and shoved the sleeves of his blue hoodie up. He took his plate of food and took swigs of ketchup between bites. "good grub, vex" he said with his mouth full.
"THANK YOU," he replied. "I'M GLAD YOU APPRECIATE IT, EVEN IF YOU SULLY IT WITH KETCHUP. ALSO, PLEASE NEVER TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL AGAIN." Red snickered and put more mustard on his food.
Stretch sat on Vex's lap, clearly claiming the space. "it's nice to meet ya. i'm stretch. you just met my brother blueberry, we call him berry for short.”
Vex seemed pleased with this arrangement. He filled up Stretch's plate more than the others. Extra food for an extra little soulling. He made a pleased noise, kissing Stretch's cheek.
"BERRY AND STRETCH. I SEE. A PLEASURE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE. I AM HOWL, THIS IS DAEMON. WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE. ALSO, THE FOOD SMELLS VERY GOOD." He made a gesture to Daemon, who quickly made them each a plate. Howl took his and examined each bit of food. "HMM, I SEE. A GOOD BLEND OF SEASONING FOR THESE TYPES OF VEGETABLES... THE 'CHICKEN' IS A VERY GOOD COLOR AND TENDERNESS..." He tried the rice. "AND NOT TOO MUCH GARLIC. VERY ADMIRABLE." Vex looked pleased with the praise.
"so you guys play games too, right?" Daemon asked as he plopped bbq sauce all over his plate.
"that's right. after dinner.” Stretch said. “we got some good games to choose from." He looked to Berry and frowned at him. Berry had yet to come over or get a plate. The orange-clad skeleton got up and made a plate for his older brother. "come sit down, berry."
Berry nodded and came over and took the seat that his brother had left the food at. It was a chair next to Howl and Daemon. "THANK YOU," he said quietly, trying not to draw too much attention to himself.
"cool, cool. i haven't played a lot of board games. i'm pretty good at blackjack, though." Daemon happily started to eat. "s'it okay if i smoke?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE FOR A SMOKE. NOTHING WILL JEOPARDIZE MY VERY EXCELLENT AND GORGEOUS CHILD-TO-BE." Vex placed a protective claw over Stretch’s middle.
"OH?" Howl looked interested. "YOU TWO ARE HAVING A CHILD? EXCELLENT. CONGRATULATIONS." He turned to look at Berry. "YOU WILL BE AN UNCLE. THAT'S EXCITING, IS IT NOT?"
Berry blushed, "YES, IT IS VERY EXCITING,” he said truthfully. He was an omega himself and having a child around... It was a lot of work to raise a child, and his brother was lazy, and even if Vex was a great and kind alpha, he would hopefully need help with a babybones. Blueberry hoped it would allow him to be good and make him feel less useless. “IT WILL BE NICE HAVING A CHILD IN THE HOUSE."
Stretch smiled. "i'm sure you will be a great uncle," he reassured his brother.
“IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS IT. HAVE YOU ALREADY PREPARED A NURSERY? STARTED KNITTING CLOTHES? I HAVE KNITTING PATTERNS I COULD SHARE WITH YOU."
Stretch laughed, "i don't know how to knit. as for the nursery, we haven't started it yet. still trying to agree on a theme." He gave Vex a kiss on the cheek. "vex just moved in a few days ago. we're still trying to settle in with that. by the way, how are you liking the surface?"
Sans interrupted. "have you gone to the observatory yet?" he asked, a little star-struck. "the star show is amazing."
Howl glanced over at the others. "THE SURFACE IS... INTERESTING. I'VE NO NEED TO VISIT AN OBSERVATORY, MY INTEREST LAYS ON THE PLANET WE LIVE ON."
"master's got ambitions," Daemon hummed. "he's gonna be a really important political figure. but for now, he's just working at the animal shelter with me."
"WOWZERS," Berry said. "DO YOU GET TO PLAY WITH THE ANIMALS?"
"yeah!" He perked up. "i get to give all the doggies their exercise outside! they love me! they're such good boys and girls, like me!" If he had a tail, it would be wagging. Red scoffed quietly, finishing up his own food. These guys were kinda weird even as far as fells went.
Berry looked to Daemon. "THAT IS SO COOL!"
Sans put his plate on Red's. "you're such a doll taking that to the kitchen."
"oh yeah, sure, my pleasure, sweetheart," Red said to his lover, giving him a kiss. He then promptly put both plates on Vex's. "you're such a doll taking that to the kitchen, bos- bro."
Vex rolled his pupils and gently nudged Stretch. "ALRIGHT, UP. I HAVE TO DO THE DISHES." He displaced Stretch and carried away the plates.
Sans looked to the gruff skeleton. "So Howl." He turned to see him better. "What kind of office are you looking for?"
"WELL, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT HUMANS DON'T HAVE A KING OF THE WORLD, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. SO IF I CAN'T GO FOR THAT, THEN... WHATEVER THE EQUIVALENT IS WILL DO."
"that would be president."
Howl nodded, then turned to look at Berry. "YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO KNIT. KNITTING IS VERY RELAXING."
Stretch got up and went to get the game. "Berry, that would be great for you to learn. You were always good with your hands and making things." He pulled out Apples to Apples, Sorry, Chinese checkers, a deck of cards, Uno, and Clue. Then he took them to the table. "As the newbies, you can pick which game we play first."
Berry twisted his phalanges a bit and thought about the offer. If he learned to do that, it would help the baby. Helping the baby would be good and he wanted to be good. That thought made his soul happy, being able to nurture that child.... 'IT WILL BE OKAY. AS LONG AS IT WASN’T MY CHILD RIGHT, RIGHT…? THAT WOULDN’T BE BAD...' He squeezed his fingers a bit harder and made up his mind. He smiled up at Howl. "THAT WOULD BE VERY NICE OF YOU. THANK YOU."
Howl looked back to Sans. "PRESIDENT. HMM. YES, I SEE. I SHALL KILL THE CURRENT PRESIDENT AND TAKE HIS PLACE. EXCELLENT." He glanced over at the games. "OH, THAT ONE." He pointed to Apples to Apples.
Red choked on his mustard and leaned against Sans, going red in the face. "dude! you don't kill people to take their jobs!"
"HOW ELSE ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO IT?" Howl asked.
"BY CAMPAIGNING AND MAKING PEOPLE LIKE YOU SO THEY'LL VOTE FOR YOU," Vex called from the kitchen.
Sans choked on his ketchup too. "didn't they tell ya at the meeting," he pointed at Red, "that killing is frowned upon here?"
Berry scooted down in his seat a bit. "..."
"HMM... THAT WILL TAKE LONGER…” Howl replied, “BUT I WILL DO WHAT I MUST."
Stretch looked over at Daemon. "don't let him do that."
Daemon shrugged and smiled. "he won't if that's not the way it works up here. don't worry. master only does things correctly!" He picked up the rule book to Apples to Apples and started to read it.
Red shrugged at Sans, capping his mustard. "their place seems even harsher than ours, i guess."
"sweetheart," He patted Red's face lovingly, "that is kinda an important rule to go over."
"i mean, i said no killing, i figured that was, y'know, all-encompassing!" Red huffed.
"well, no killing. It's best to bring them in so the Judges can decide what to do with them." Stretch picked up the Apples to Apples deck and started to shuffle.
"we didn't exactly have judges, though, stretch," Red pointed out.
"JUDGES?” Howl looked confused. “OUR QUEEN DECIDED WHO WAS GUILTY AND WHO WAS NOT. AND EVERYONE WAS GUILTY, IN HER MIND. THAT'S WHY SHE HAD TO GO DOWN."
"well the monarchs with the tale monsters have the final say-so, but they consult the Judge. they have been working together with all the undergrounds trying to make a common set of rules, but with all of them being so different and more undergrounds being discovered, it's been difficult," Sans told them.
"I SEE. IN ANY EVENT." He waved a hand dismissively. "I ASSUMED THAT RULE DIDN'T COUNT GOVERNMENTALLY-SANCTIONED KILLING, SUCH AS WHEN AN APPRENTICE TAKES ON THEIR MENTOR'S ROLE AND BECOMES A PROPER SUCCESSOR. BUT VERY WELL. I WILL RESEARCH 'CAMPAIGNING.'" He looked over to Berry. "ARE YOU QUITE ALRIGHT?"
Berry said quietly, "Yes, I'm glad you're willing to learn these new ways." He picked up his hand. "SO KNITTING, WHAT DO I HAVE TO FIND TO DO IT?"
"KNITTING IS QUITE SIMPLE AT ITS CORE. FOR REGULAR KNITTING, YOU NEED KNITTING NEEDLES AND YARN. OF COURSE, FINGER-KNITTING OR ARM-KNITTING DON'T REQUIRE NEEDLES. HOWEVER, IT IS GOOD TO KNOW HOW TO KNIT WITH NEEDLES, BECAUSE IT IS MORE VERSATILE!"
Vex came back into the room once all of the dishes were cleaned up and settled back in. Daemon perked up seeing everyone was back in the room as he finished examining the rules of the game. "oooh, this looks fun, master."
Stretch picked up his hand. "Yeah, this is a really fun game." He gave a quick explanation on the rules to everyone else. “We'll let Berry be the judge this first time, so you can see how it works, then go clockwise. That would make Howl the next judge.”
"OKAY,” Berry agreed and turned to look at Howl. “I'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE I CAN GET SOME OF THE SUPPLIES. MAYBE NEXT WEEK’S GAME NIGHT YOU COULD START TEACHING ME?" Berry smiled.
"THAT WILL DO NICELY, YES. I WILL BRING MY OWN AND DEMONSTRATE."
Berry smiled and flipped over a card. "Fluffy."
The skeletons took a moment to look through the cards, and each one threw one out.
Stretch's card was 'Jupiter.' "It's full of fluffy air and gas."
Sans gave his card, 'Abraham Lincoln.' "Dude had a fluffy beard."
Howl thought for a moment, then set down a card, 'chickens.' "OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE BEST CHOICE."
Daemon put down 'bad haircut' with a grin.
Red huffed that he didn't have a funny answer, and just put down an easy one. 'Poodles.'
Vex thought for a moment himself, then selected one. "YES, THIS ONE. PERFECT." 'Strawberry shortcake.'
"HOW IS A 'STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE' FLUFFY?" Berry asked.
"THE TEXTURE, OF COURSE. HAVE YOU NEVER HAD ONE? IT'S A NICE SPONGE CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND STRAWBERRIES."
"can confirm,” Red replied, “i've made it before, pretty fluffy."
"NO," Berry shook his head, "I HAVEN'T." He looked at all the cards. "HHMMMMMMM, I WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE.... CHICKENS. THE FEATHERS IN PILLOWS ARE SO SOFT AND CHICKENS HAVE FEATHERS," he said with a happy little sigh.
"EXCELLENT, OF COURSE I WIN! I AM AMAZING AT EVERYTHING. WHAT GAME NOW?"
"master,” Daemon said, “i think we do this several times until someone hits a certain number of points."
"OH."
"daemon’s right," Stretch said with a chuckle in his voice. "you're the judge this round, howl. take a green card and turn it over."
"I SEE. VERY WELL. I WON'T GO EASY ON ANY OF YOU." He turned over a green card. 'Inspirational.'
They all placed cards on the table.
Sans’s card was 'Vincent Van Gogh.' "i thought of some of my most inspirational ideas looking at starry night."
Berry’s card was 'fireworks.' "They are so pretty."
Stretch’s card was 'ballet.' He winked at Vex.
Vex blushed a little from Stretch's wink, flattered. He put down his own card. 'Music.'
Red grinned as he slapped his card down. 'Halloween.' "what's more inspirational than the day i was born, hehehe."
Daemon thought hard, before tentatively putting down a card. 'My family.' He looked up at Howl with a sweet, hopeful smile.
Howl examined all of the cards, feeling somewhat like a god picking a favored mortal. "HMM, I SEE. THESE ARE ALL QUITE GOOD, I THINK. EXCEPT FOR RED'S. HIS IS BAD."
"hey!"
"HOWEVER, THIS ONE IS ABOUT ME, SO I MUST PICK IT." He tapped Daemon's card.
Daemon squealed and beamed. "thank you, master~! i'm so happy!"
Berry beamed. "Family is a great choice."
Sans laughed. "it's okay red. I would have chosen halloween. a day of pulling pranks is a winner in my book."
Red beamed. "i know, right? i got the best birthday ever."
Stretch chuckled and plopped a sucker in his month.
"WHO GOES NEXT, THEN?" Vex asked. "YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO HIM, DAEMON, SO YOU CAN GO IF YOU WANT TO."
"oh, okay!" The collared monster perked up and took a green card. He glanced over at Howl, then discreetly put it at the bottom of the deck to draw another one. With a smile, he put it down. 'Clumsy.'
Sans’s card was 'The Milky Way.' “Them silly rocks are falling out of there all the time.”
Stretch’s card was 'machine guns.' “No one can ever shoot those straight.”
Berry’s card was 'Jack the Ripper.' “Have you ever seen the mess he makes in the movie? Very clumsy.”
Sans looked dumbly at Berry.... Then he whispered to Red, "should we tell him the truth?"
Red looked at the card with shock. He whispered back to Sans. "i mean... yeah, probably?"
Sans pushed on Red’s arm. "go ahead."
"what? no. you do it." Red pushed back.
"I ain't going to tell him."
Vex shook his head at both of them. "AHEM. WELL. HERE IS MINE." 'Riding a scooter.'
Red huffed and put down his own. 'Tom and Jerry.'
Howl frowned at his cards, looking very dissatisfied. "HM. I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE AN APPROPRIATE CARD FOR THIS ONE... THIS WILL DO." 'French fries.'
Daemon looked at them all, humming quietly. "ummm... so i dunno this one..." He pointed to Berry's. "or this one..." He pointed to Red's. "so if i don't know them, i can't pick them... hmm... not this one..." He pushed away Stretch's. "mmm... not this one..." He pushed away Vex's. Then he looked between Sans's and Howl's.
"YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IS THE CORRECT CHOICE, PUPPY," Howl said confidently.
The taller brother looked over at Howl, hummed, then smiled and picked up Howl's. "this one, then~!"
"CHEATER," Vex accused.
Stretch patted his mate on the leg. Then turned to the collared monster. "daemon, how are french fries clumsy?"
Daemon shrugged with a goofy smile. "cause they're all different sizes and some are limp and some are stiff. i got a mega-long and super soft fry the other day! it looked cool but it fell apart."
Stretch smiled at Vex. "sounds legit to me."
"i could see rus saying that too," Sans added, "so i'm fine with it."
Berry nodded. "THEY ARE CLUMSY SHAPED AND THEY’RE DIFFERENT AT EVERY PLACE YOU EAT THEM."
A smug smile was on Howl's "PRECISELY! I WIN AGAIN."
"IT WAS DEFINITELY CHEATING," Vex sulked.
"aww, boss," Red comforted his brother, "don't be a sore loser."
Stretch snuggled up next to his upset mate. "would it make you feel better if you got to be the judge next?"
"I SUPPOSE."
Berry's answer was still bugging Sans, and it was clear Red wasn't going to be an alpha about it and tell Berry. He sighed. "fine i'll tell berry." He got up and went to whisper to him. "Berry…" he was a little nervous. “that murderer, jack... he wasn't clumsy. he was messy on purpose. he wasn't a good human."
Berry looked shocked. "BUT YOU CAN BREAK BONES AND STUFF WITHOUT HAVING A BIG MESS," he stated matter-of-factly.
Sans was shocked. "uumm, berry, how do you know...?"
Berry looked down at the ground. "WHEN I GOT BROKEN BONES, THE CLOTHES HELP KEEP IT FROM GETTING TOO MESSY. THERE WASN’T MARROW EVERYWHERE."
The room was quiet after that.
Berry squirmed in his seat. "I WILL MAKE EVERYONE POPCORN." He got up and escaped into the kitchen.
Red stared after Berry, shocked. Slowly, he got up to pull Sans back down onto the couch. "i think we should let it be for now, sweetheart..."
"so, um, who's... jack the ripper?" Daemon asked.
"A SERIAL KILLER WHO TARGETED PROSTITUTES, I THINK," Vex said. "A FEW CENTURIES AGO."
Howl hummed, crossing his arms and tapping them. After a long moment, he jerked his head to the kitchen. "PUPPY, GO CHECK ON HIM."
"yes, master." Daemon got up to hurry into the kitchen.
Stretch watched Daemon go to check on Blue. He was too shocked to think straight and grabbed tightly onto Vex's leg.
Berry tried to push the thoughts to the back of his mind. It was family night, he didn't want to think about it, about the past. It was a happy night. He brought a stool and a pot to the stove. Cooking always made him feel better, even if he wasn’t too good at it. Soon he was staring at the pan as he gently shook it, watching the kernels roll around, as past memories came unwanted. The more he tried not to think about it, the more they came to him.
The popcorn started to burn.
Daemon's hand reached out, but it didn't land on Berry. Instead, he put his hand on the counter next to the stove. "it's burning, berry," he said kindly. "are you okay?"
Blueberry jumped, eyelight widening. He wasn't expecting anyone in here. He tried to hold still, waiting to see if the hand would move. If it would give him the punishment he deserved. Punishments he had been reliving a few seconds ago. When the hand didn’t move to give him the punishment, the small monster said, "I SHOULDN'T HAVE PICKED THAT CARD. HURTING OTHERS LIKE THAT IS NOT CLUMSY. I KNOW BETTER..." Berry turned off the fire on the stove.
Daemon didn't move his hand, just rested it there, not touching. He smiled, though it looked a little sad. "why do you know better, berry? you said you've gotten broken bones... was it from accidents? or did someone hurt you?"
Fear started to creep into Berry’s soul and he retched under his blue bandana. On his vertebrae was a tight black collar with the mark of delta rune on it and his Sully name engraved on it. Proof of his rank - Blue was an unclean omega. If the others found out, would they start treating him like others from Underswap who know that he was a Sully? He didn’t want that. Stretch had gotten him used to the lie of being almost normal, he didn’t want them to know his shame. After all, he didn’t pry into Daemon’s collar. He didn't answer the question. He knew that was bad, but he chanced it. He grabbed the bowl on the table and emptied the pan, and went to pour more kernels into the pan. "I’M STILL LEARNING TO COOK.” He tried to push out all other thoughts and just focused on cooking the popcorn. “I’LL DO IT AGAIN. I'LL GET THIS RIGHT!” His hands were shaking.
"hold on." Daemon took the bowl, then picked through the popcorn a little and crunched down some of the burnt pieces. "crispy. don't worry about making more, i'm sure these will be pop-ular." He grinned.
Berry froze when Daemon made the joke. It took his scared mind a moment to catch it. But then he relaxed and smiled. His magic rushed to his face as he watched Daemon eat some of his food and enjoy it. His eyelights brightened a bit as he thought of a reply and his hands became steady as he turned around to look at Daemon. “THAT WAS A BAD JOKE. I SHOULD CHARGE YOU WITH A-SALT AND BUTTER-Y.”
Daemon laughed aloud, a happy sound almost like a bark. He held out his hand, an offering. "come on, the next round is gonna start. i bet you'll win."
Berry looked at the hand longingly. 'DON'T DREAM... DON'T WANT. IT'S BAD,' he told himself. 'IT CAN ONLY BE FRIENDSHIP. SULLY CAN’T HAVE MORE.' He took a deep breath and twisted his fingers, conflicted, Daemon was nice. He told himself, ‘I’M NOT AT THE SANITARIUM.' He repeated it a few times in his mind. ‘I LEARNED MY LESSON. I’M A GOOD OMEGA NOW. PAPY TOOK ME AWAY.’ His hands were shaking again. He was going to stay good. He slowly placed his shaking hand on Daemons.
Daemon was patient, letting Berry take his time. But he smiled when Berry's hand was placed on his, and he squeezed it gently. His hand was warm, warmer than most monster's. And something filled the air between the two of them, a faint scent, sharp but not aggressive. Like a promise to protect.
Berry's own scent came as an unwanted reply. He quickly suppressed it, but he couldn't stop himself from the presentation of his neck and of his collar, as he raised his head back to be bit. He was Sully. It had been beaten into him to present to be used. He had no right to say 'no.' Luckily, the bandana Stretch gave him had covered the unwanted collar. It took a few seconds for him to realize that Daemon's scent smelled strong, protective, and loyal. Like a good alpha, like Vex. Daemon wasn't demanding sex...
Slowly, he straightened his head.
Daemon took in the soft Omega scent and noticed how Berry tilted his head, as if presenting his neck. The bandana covered it, but the gesture was easily recognized. Still, he only smiled, squeezing again. He then guided Berry back into the living room. The smaller monster was gently put down where Daemon had sat before, and Daemon took his seat, putting Berry solidly in between himself and Howl. He put the bowl down after stealing another burnt kernel. Howl raised his brow a little at Daemon's little game of musical chairs, but didn't protest. He merely slid his gloves off, folding them carefully, so he could delicately pluck a piece of popcorn. "NOW THEN, SHALL WE KEEP PLAYING? I'M CERTAIN I'M GOING TO WIN."
Red was nuzzling into Sans's neck, bored while waiting and just teasing his boyfriend a little promising kisses.
"VERY WELL. CEASE YOUR PDA, BROTHER." Vex waved his hand. "AND THANK YOU FOR THE POPCORN, BERRY."
Berry blushed at his new seat between the brothers. "YOU'RE WELCOME."
Stretch looked at Berry for a few seconds before saying, "you okay, bro?"
Sans gave a quick kiss to Red. "fine." He picked up his cards. He nuzzled his boyfriend. “red, you're the apple of my eye.”
Red grinned and nuzzled back, delighted. "well, i apple-solutely love ya too, sweetheart."
Vex groaned irritably. "IF YOU TELL ONE MORE APPLE-RELATED JOKE I'M GOING TO BURY THIS GAME IN THE BACKYARD AND YOU'LL NEVER FIND IT."
"I ONLY HAVE SO MUCH PATIENCE," Howl agreed with an exasperated noise.
Stretch gave Vex a little peck on the cheek. "they're just apple-ling your leg."
"NOT YOU TOO." Vex groaned. "I LOVE YOU AND CARE FOR YOU AND GIVE YOU CHILD AND YOU PUN AT ME."
Sans snickered at the joke. "wasn't my joke," he said, making Red giggle, sorting through his cards.
Daemon giggled too, then smiled at Berry. "he was a little upset a bit of the popcorn got burnt," he told Stretch. "i told him s'okay, though. i like the burnt pieces."
The short skeleton looked down shyly. “I'LL TRY AGAIN LATER," he said. "I LIKE COOKING. I WATCH A LOT OF THE FOOD CHANNEL…" The magic rushed to his face making him look like his namesake as he admitted his passion. "I… WANT TO LEARN TO COOK BETTER," he added a little more quietly. He then smiled at Daemon.
Stretch was amazed. This was one of the first things in a long time that his brother had said he wanted to do. "there is a class at the community center," he suggested. "we could sign you up for them.”
"That would be great, Berry," Sans agreed. "It would be fun gettin' to know new people and making some friends."
"oh!" Daemon said excitedly. "that's a great idea! right, master?"
"YES, I CONCUR. EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW HOW TO COOK WELL, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION. COOKING IS FUN, RELAXING, AND REWARDING. IT IS AN ART FORM. A GOOD DISH IS LIKE A GOOD OPERA."
Stretch smiled at his brother. "come on bro, we've been up here a year. you can find a little happiness too."
Sans said, "rus said that the buses around here are really good. i'm sure the one over here would go right past the center. It's not that far away. some of the kids in my classes take workshops there."
Blueberry looked at his family and adjusted his bandana. He would do anything for his brother. If this made Stretch happy, he would try it. It was a good omega's job to make others feel good, after all. "OKAY."
"GOOD. AND IF FOR SOME REASON, THE BUSES DON'T WORK OUT, I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL BE WILLING TO DRIVE YOU. I, MYSELF, AM DUE TO TAKE MY DRIVER'S TEST VERY SOON." Howl put a hand to his chest, all self-importance. "I WILL, OF COURSE, PASS WITH FLYING COLORS AND GET MYSELF A VEHICLE BEFITTING OF MY MAGNIFICENT STATUS."
Daemon giggled softly and beamed at Berry. "we look forward to your cooking!"
Notes:
Summary: The Fellswap brothers come to their first skeleton family game night. Berry notices Daemon has a collar and wonders if it means the same as his own. Howl discusses how it was tradition to kill your mentor as a graduation from apprenticeship, and that he will become the ruler of the world - even if he must use the correct political methods instead. Daemon subtly skips a card in Apples to Apples, looking discreetly at his brother. Berry mentions that it's clumsy to kill or break bones messily, because it can be done neatly. When questioned, he flees to the kitchen. Daemon follows and tries to reassure him, and Berry thinks of when his purpose was to be 'used' in the Sanitarium, but lets himself be brought back to everyone else. Berry mentions wanting to learn how to cook, and everyone persuades him to take classes at the local community center.
Chapter 2: I'm Searching for a Paradise
Summary:
In which food is learned one night and made the next morning.
Notes:
We're hoping to stick to a once a week schedule with updating. We've got a few more chapters already done, so, it shouldn't be much trouble to keep up!
I'm putting links to my (GetMcDunkedOn) pictures of my four characters in the end notes here in this chapter, since they're not the typical fanon-compliant boyos.
I hope you are enjoying this story! Let us know in the comments! 💙
Thank you all in advance!Chapter tags: mention of rape and conditioning, brief mention of breaking bones, mild symptoms of undereating disorder
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Today was the big day: Berry’s first day of class. Stretch was going to take the bus with him, to make sure it wasn't too scary. Berry went over the list they had gotten from the center and made sure he had the supplies that were on this paper. He neatly put the supplies in the bright blue shoulder bag Howl had given him.
"WHAT ELSE DO I NEED FOR SCHOOL?" Berry tried to remember, but the last time he had gone to a classroom had been before his father disappeared. He could only think of some pencils and a notepad to add to the list that the center had given them.
"you almost ready to head out, bro?" Stretch waddled into Blue's room. A sad smile formed as he looked at the very clean and neat room. He had been trying to get Berry to add some personal touches to it. Stretch had even gone out and got big fluffy pillows and soft bedding with little stars all over it, yet that all sat as neat and untouched as the day Stretch got them. Only the very corner of the thin, rough old sheet peeked out from under the bed. It was where Berry preferred to sleep.
The shorter skeleton looked up from his desk and saw his brother bending over to pick up the sheet. The small monster reached out and just barely stopped himself from asking for it not to be taken. His younger brother tried so hard to take care of them. Berry felt it wasn't his place to make a request.
Stretch sighed and put the blanket on the bed. He came up to Berry and knelt in front of him and gently lifted his face. "big bro, you don't have to sleep on the floor. you're allowed nice things. i have told you that many times."
Shame filled Berry, and he looked away. His brother had been trying for years to get him to sleep in the bed. It was soft, comfortable, and too tempting to nest in. He had learned painfully many years ago that Sully were not allowed the safety of nesting. It physically hurt to try to lay in it, his body remembering all the lessons. Berry pulled back and looked down at the floor.
Frustration fueled the younger skeleton. "look at me," Stretch said firmly.
Berry's head snapped back up, eyelights going a bit wide. Memories of the Sanitarium overlapped with his brother's command. He started to tremble.
"i… i…" Stretch stood up, regretting his sharp tone instantly. "look berry. i'm sorry. i love you. i won’t hurt you."
Berry hugged himself, looking at the floor. It was safer to look at the floor. "I KNOW."
"then why do you look at me like that?"
"..."
"berry, it's been three years. i saved you. i protected you. what else can i do?” Stretch was at his wit’s end. “i want the old berry back. the one who would take care of me. protect me. my big brother." Tears were streaming down Stretch's face. "you were happy and would sing and dance to make me laugh." He used his sleeve to wipe his face. "please tell me. what do i need to do?"
Berry had nothing to say. He had tried for the last three years to pretend that he was good. That he was useful in some way to the only person who cared for him. He just looked at the ground. He would do anything for his younger brother, but his old self was gone. There was nothing he could do.
"by the angel, i need a smoke." Stretch reached into his hoodie and pulled out a sucker, and quickly his hands fell into the smooth movements of pretending it was the cigarette he desperately wanted. "blueberry, i'm sorry. it's just a blanket… if it makes you happy… keep it." The pregnant monster stopped with his hand on the doorknob. "i'm glad you're trying it. It's just hard to handle this," he waved his hands around, "right now." He went out the door. "vex will drive you to class today."
Berry sat in silence and thought, ‘I am well aware that I am just a Sully now. A useless blight on the world of Underswap. I'm a temptress and unclean omega. I had broken the rules. I went outside during his heats, to search for food, but that didn't matter. There was no excuse for my sin. I had tempted Alphas and Betas that were bonded. I am bad. It was my fault they raped me. I am Sully and made the world unclean.’
The Sully was the reason for the overpopulation. They were the cause of the lack of resources, always having children. Once the guards found out you were unclean, you were sent to the Sanitarium and they made sure you knew your place. They were experts on making Sully useful members of society. If you were taken from the Sanitarium, you were not the same monster that went in.
Berry sat at the desk. His thoughts were voiced aloud. "I'M SULLY. I'M BAD. MY ONLY REASON TO LIVE IS TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL GOOD. ITS THE ONLY USE FOR ME." The words seemed to bounce off the walls of the mostly empty room. “I HAVE TO BE GOOD. I WANT TO BE GOOD.”
He turned and looked at the soft, pretty bed his brother had given him. It would make a wonderful nest. He wanted to make Stretch happy, but…
"I'M NOT ALLOWED A NEST."
He was taking a big risk sleeping under it, stealing touches, and savoring the softness whenever he dared.
Berry wiped at his sockets in frustration.
By the Angel, he wanted to sleep in it, to an omega a house wasn't a home without one. He hadn't felt at home since long before the Sanitarium. Before he was collared. But having a nest would lead to feeling safe. Safety led to children. Children lead to overpopulation, so he couldn't sleep in it. It was against the rules. He might be taken back if anyone ever found out.
There was a careful knock at the door. "BERRY? WE HAVE TO GO, OR YOU'LL BE LATE."
Blueberry jumped. He didn't want to go anymore, but he would make the others sad if he didn't go. Daemon, Howl, Sans, Red, and Vex all had said how they wanted him to try it. Reluctantly, he grabbed the strap and walked to the door.
Vex walked with him out to the car. "BERRY," he asked as he opened the passenger door (like a gentleman), "WHAT WERE YOU AND STRETCH TALKING ABOUT?"
The upset skeleton gripped the strap of his bag hard. "The bed." Then Berry shook his head and corrected, "no, my blanket."
"I SEE." Vex started the car and they were off. Despite the flashiness of his convertible, he was a very careful driver. He kept his gaze on the road, one finger tapping the steering wheel slowly. He wanted to press. Neither of the swap brothers talked much about problems. He could understand. Truly, he could. Emotions were hard. But... It wouldn't be fair to press. He would probably scare Berry, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. So instead, he changed the subject. "DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED? YOUR PHONE? YOUR SUPPLIES? A NOTEBOOK AND PENCIL?"
"I THINK SO." Berry nodded, glad for the change in topic. He pulled the list out that the employee at the center gave them. "I GOT ALL THE SUPPLIES ON THE LIST AND EXTRA STUFF." He fumbled around in the bag and pulled out his phone to show it to Vex. "THE BAG HOWL GAVE ME HAS A LITTLE SPOT FOR MY PHONE SO IT DOESN'T GET LOST IN THE BIGGER AREA." He smiled and ran his phalanges over the bag. It was a beautiful, yet sturdy bag. Way better than a Sully like him should be carrying. He had tried to give it back, but Howl wouldn't hear of it. He said it would be wasting resources if Berry didn't use it. So Berry had to take it. He did love the bright blue color of the soft cloth. He put the phone and papers back.
"GOOD, YES, THAT'S GOOD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT." He only glanced over at a red light. "HOW CONVENIENT. MAKE SURE YOU TEXT IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, AND IT'LL BE BROUGHT TO YOU. SOMEONE WILL PICK YOU UP, SO DON'T LEAVE ON YOUR OWN."
Berry nodded. "OKAY." When they arrived, Berry started to get out of the car. "I'LL WAIT HERE AFTER CLASS. THANK YOU." He gently closed the door and headed into the class.
Berry entered the building and went to the room that Stretch had shown him when they first came to sign him up. There were a few other monsters and some humans. Blue spent the next hour taking notes and learning the basics before really cooking. It was fun and informative and his peers seemed nice. The teacher even gave them many recipes on the topic of the class: Boiled eggs.
Soon he was standing at the doors of the closing center. "Night, Berry." The last of his classmates left towards the parking lot.
"GOOD NIGHT!" he said excitedly.
Red popped into view only a few minutes later. "sup, blue dude? how was the class?"
Berry had a smile on his face. "it was really good."
"cool, glad to hear it. let's getcha home." He rested a hand on Berry's shoulder and, with a quick snap of magic, they were inside the swap house. "vex said dinner's in the fridge. your bro went to bed early."
Berry's smile wasn't very bright when he heard that. "OKAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO GET ME."
"yeah, no problem. so, uh... is everything okay?" He rubbed at the back of his neck a little.
"YES," he said, not meeting Red's eye. 'DON'T BE MORE OF A BURDEN,' he told himself. "I'M GOING TO GO TO MY ROOM."
Red frowned a little. He wanted to press but... Well, they all had their secrets. Red was no hypocrite. "alright. well, call if you need anything." He was gone in the next second, back to Sans's house.
The depressed skeleton wasn't hungry. He sighed at the empty room. His excitement quickly fell as he climbed the stairs. Berry put the bag on the desk and ran his hand down the side. It was suede leather. Wonderfully soft, yet sturdy, it was more than he deserved. The Fellswap brothers shouldn't have wasted resources like this on him.
His phone suddenly rang.
The noise scared him; it hardly ever rang. He looked at the ID: Howl. It was almost like this thought had summoned the call. He almost dropped the phone as he fumbled to answer it.
"H-HELLO, THIS IS BLUEBERRY."
"HELLO, BLUEBERRY, THIS IS HOWL." There was the gentle, rhythmic sound of clicking wooden needles as he knit on the other end. "I'M GLAD YOU ANSWERED. HOW WAS THE CLASS? WHAT DID YOU MAKE? TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT."
Berry blushed and sat in the chair of his desk. A warm, happy feeling filled his soul.
"IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING. WE LEARNED THE BASICS. HOW TO BOIL WATER FOR COOKING. YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT REALLY SALTY..."
"YES, THAT IS CORRECT. SALTING WATER FOR BOILING IS IMPORTANT," Howl replied.
Berry smiled. "THEN WE BOILED EGGS. THERE ARE SOFT OR HARD BOILED." Once he started talking it just kept coming out. It was so fulfilling learning to cook. His instincts wanted him to show off what a good nurturing monster he would be, and cooking was letting him fill that instinct without guilt. His blush got deeper as he indulged the feeling.
"BOILED EGGS WAS THE FOCUS FOR THIS ONE CLASS. WE MADE 3 RECIPES IN CLASS AND THE TEACHER GAVE US SOME OTHER RECIPES THAT ALL HAVE BOILED EGGS IN THEM."
Howl listened carefully. ”THAT'S GOOD, YES. AND YOUR PEERS? HOW WERE THEY?"
"THEY ARE NICE. THERE WERE JUST A FEW MONSTERS, BUT LOTS OF HUMANS. ONE OF THEM FOUND ME A STOOL TO USE. "
"I'M GLAD,” Howl said. “I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE HUMAN MASSES BUT I'M PLEASED THEY ARE BEING FRIENDLY. DID YOU TAKE PLENTY OF NOTES?"
Berry nodded, before remembering he was on the phone. He smacked his hand into his skull. "I DID. I'M SURE THEY WILL COME IN HANDY IF I MAKE THE OTHER RECIPES."
"YES, EXCELLENT. I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR GOING. I EXPECT YOU TO KEEP GOING. I LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING YOUR COOKING. DAEMON DOES AS WELL."
Berry's soul skipped a beat at the praise, and the next few beats felt louder. He was almost sure Howl would hear it over the phone. His face colored more. Berry was sure he looked like a neon sign as he thought how Howl was looking forward to his cooking and wanted Daemon to try it too! "AS YOU WISH," he said shyly.
"VERY WELL. I WILL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT FAMILY GAME NIGHT. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SUPPLIES TO LEARN HOW TO KNIT."
"ALRIGHT. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BOTH..."
He caught himself. The voice in the back of his mind was telling him that he was being bad. No one was going to keep a Sully whore. He was only good at tempting good, clean monsters. He didn't want to make them unclean like him. 'DON'T DREAM FOR MORE. IT WILL HURT ALL OF US.'
"TO KNIT. TO LEARNING TO KNIT. THANK YOU FOR CALLING."
He didn't want to make them dirty too. His hand went to his collar as he thought about that.
Darmon had a collar. He was on a leash. He wanted to ask about that, but he couldn't. Berry didn't want to talk about his collar, surely Daemon didn't want to either.
"WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AS WELL. SLEEP WELL." Howl hung up.
Berry sat looking at the phone for a bit. He tried to push the thoughts and voice away.
The small skeleton collected his pjs and bath stuff. He went into the bathroom and got ready for bed.
Soon he was curled up with his old blanket under the bed. The safety of a nest above him within reach. His shaking hand stole small touches of undeserving comfort.
It was bad of him, but it was one of the only things that calmed the screaming of his instincts to let him sleep with a little bit of peace. Though it always fell into memories lessons learned of the Sanitarium. Old breaks in his bones ached with the memories. He pulled his hand away. But even the old aches didn't stop the warmth his soul felt from talking with Howl.
The next morning, Berry made sure to wake up early. He crawled out from under the bed and folded the old sheet, making sure it was hidden well today. His soul still felt warm thinking of his phone call with Howl.
Berry wondered aloud as he got dressed, “WOULD STRETCH WANT TO TRY A RECIPE TOO? THE CLASS WAS HIS IDEA.” The small monster nodded to himself. Cooking had always made his soul feel better. Hopefully, it would make Stretch happy. He grabbed his notepad and hugged it as he thought of his plan.
With fast, light footfalls and notepad in hand, Blueberry moved quietly. He crept down the stairs, avoiding the squeaky one. He slunk through the cupboards to find a pot and pan, then got to work boiling eggs.
Once the eggs were started, he read the recipe again. It was one of the harder ones, but he was filled with determination. It was something he hadn’t felt in a long while.
He would make this for his brother and Vex. “HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER, STRETCH.” He couldn’t stop the voice in the back of his mind that said, ‘STRETCH HAS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT THAN ME.’ Berry’s hands shook a little, but he carried on with this work.
Soon the soothing motion of peeling and preparing the eggs calmed his soul. 'I’M THE BIG BROTHER…AND OMEGA. I’M SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.' He took out the salt, butter, flour, milk, and bread.
Berry added ingredients, watching them transform into something new and better. The butter melted and mixed with the milk, making a thick sauce. He took the now chopped eggs and added them to the creamy sauce. Then he added a pinch of salt. His soul was shining with joy as he looked at the pan.
Cooking for his family was fulfilling in a way that was hard to explain. Berry’s instincts told him to find a clean, safe home, to nest, and to feed and nurture his family. Even if Berry had painfully learned that he was unclean and nowhere was safe, it was still okay to feed his family… to cook for them. It was one of the only instincts he had left to indulge. It was blissful when he did and learning the new recipes in the class made him feel even better. Maybe he could transform the same as the food transformed and got better? He was imagining his family happy and full because of him, he was able to nurture them, and it made his soul feel wonderful and gave him a little boost of HoPe.
The toast popped up and he put it on the two plates and carefully spooned the creamed eggs over the toast. He spent a few moments wiping the edges of the plate like they did on the TV shows, to make the plates look as pretty as he could. He read the notepad. The teacher had said a pinch of paprika was good with eggs. He climbed up on the counter and looked through the cupboards and found his prize.
Berry smiled as he looked at the food. It looked good to him. The short monster placed the plates on a tray with two cups of milk and made his way back up the stairs and to the new couple’s room. He gave the bedroom door a small knock.
After a few seconds, the door opened. Vex already looked plenty awake, as he always did, seeing how little sleep he tended to get. "BERRY?" he asked, a little surprised. "WHAT IS IT?"
Berry held the tray up. "I MADE YOU TWO BREAKFAST. " He fidgeted under Vex's gaze, hoping he didn’t overstep by making the food.
The tall Fell skeleton looked down at the tray, frowning a little. There were only two plates, and he'd noticed that Berry hadn't eaten his dinner left in the fridge. It seemed to be a pattern, judging by the few days he'd lived here. "WHAT ABOUT YOURS, BERRY?"
The smaller monster looked down at the floor. He hadn’t expected Vex to say that. Only Stretch ever noticed him skipping meals. He said, “I'M NOT TOO HUNGRY. I’LL EAT LATER.”
“nah, we can share.” Stretch yawned and sat up in the bed.
Vex glanced back at his mate, then stepped aside and let Berry in. That would have to do for now. He took a seat at his desk, where his computer and litany of rubik's puzzles were housed.
Berry walked over to Vex and handed him a plate and a cup of milk. "I HOPE IT MEETS YOUR STANDARDS."
He took the plate and milk and examined what Berry had made. It seemed pretty decently done. He took up a piece of toast. "I AM CERTAIN IT WILL BE," he said, a bit of gentleness to his voice.
Berry smiled happily at the gentleness in Vex's voice. He walked over to Stretch and put the tray in his lap.
Stretch looked at the white lumpy toast and tried to keep his skepticism hidden. “what ya make bro?”
“IT’S CALLED, ‘CREAMY HARD BOILED EGGS.’” Berry squeezed his fingers and held his breath, waiting to see their reactions.
“Looks egg-cellent,” Stretch giggled to himself and scooped up a piece of toast.
"PUNS MAKE ANYTHING TASTE SOUR," the Fell skeleton complained, but he also started to eat.
Stretch chuckled. "i hate to sour this special meal, so i'll be good." He picked up one of the pieces of toast and took a bite. "It's really good, bro."
Berry's soul felt light and happy. His eyes did something at that moment, something Stretch hadn’t seen since before that day Blue went missing all those years ago. Blueberry’s eyelights had turned into stars.
Stretch almost choked on the food. “berry...” The pregnant skeleton smiled and took a bite of the food. “i’m so proud of you, bro. it's delicious. thank you!” He handed the plate with the other pieces to Berry. "eat, bro."
Berry twisted his phalanges a few moments, before reaching out and taking the plate. "OKAY." He started to eat the toast. It was really good.
Vex saw the way his eyelights changed shape and felt something warm in his soul. He'd never seen that on Berry before. He was used to seeing those stars in Red's eyes when he spoke of space and the stars, but this was brand new to Berry. And Stretch looked so happy about it. It made it so stark, so obvious how depressed Berry was. Knowing Red's own depression, knowing how he still fought, knowing how he was getting better, little by little (especially living with Sans)... It wasn't his place. Berry wasn't his brother. But he couldn't help but try to do what he could. "YOU SHOULD SERVE SOME FOOD AT THE NEXT FAMILY GAME NIGHT, BERRY. I'M SURE EVERYONE WOULD LOVE IT."
The short skeleton looked over to Vex in shock. Vex usually made the main dishes. Vex was the alpha of the house. He couldn't. Vex, such a good alpha, always was providing dinner and it made Vex happy. "BUT YOU LIKE TO COOK THEM…" He took a timid step back. "I COULDN'T..."
"THAT IS TRUE, BUT I WORK EVERY WEEKDAY, SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO COOK FOR SO MANY PEOPLE," he reasoned. He knew he was capable, but that wasn't the point. "IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO ME, AND I THINK EVERYONE WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT."
Berry's felt so happy. 'I CAN BE USEFUL. NOT JUST A BURDEN.'
Monsters like you are a burden to monsterkind, but at least, you are good for one thing. He shivered and tried to ignore the voice.
'I'M NOT BEING BAD...I'M BEING USEFUL. GOOD. I'LL HELP NURTURE FAMILY,' Berry told himself. Then it dawned on him. "DAEMON AND HOWL WILL TRY MY COOKING…."
Stretch's eyelights glinted knowingly. "yeah, bro they can try your delicious cooking too."
A light blue blush bloomed on Berry's skull. He told himself, 'I'M DIRTY, BUT I COULD STILL COOK FOR THEM…IT WOULD BE...'
"OKAY..."
He practically ran out of the room.
Vex watched him go, then turned back to his mate. "HE LOOKS HAPPY. MAYBE THIS IS JUST WHAT HE NEEDS?"
"i think so. He hasn't looked that happy for a very long time," Stretch said, nodding.
"YES? AND... HOW LONG AGO WAS IT?"
Stretch thought about it hard. "Before he...." His smile fell. "6-ish years ago."
He caught that. "BEFORE HE WHAT?" he asked, that same gentleness and care in his voice as when he'd complimented Berry's cooking.
Stretch paled at that. ‘damn, he’s observant,’ he thought and looked away. ‘what else should i expect from the ex-lieutenant of the guard?’ He shook his head. "berry doesn't like to talk about it."
"I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT... THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU INSTEAD."
Stretch had hoped that would have been the end of the conversation. "look, i'm sure none of us had the best childhoods. blueberry did his best and it was damn good," he said hotly. "it wasn't his fault no matter what the laws say." The pregnant monster wiped at the tears gathering in his sockets. "i should have gone out looking for food, not him, but we were both too young to understand the danger." He was done talking now, he couldn't stop crying.
The Fell monster listened in confusion, and some measure of horror. Something terrible had happened. Berry had gone out for food, and... something happened to him. But the laws pinned it on him. It could be anyone. Someone could've died. He could've been... hurt, somehow. Hurt badly. Traumatized. And they said it was his fault... The terrible train of thought was put aside, however, in the wake of Stretch's tears. He put his empty plate aside and got onto the bed, pulling Stretch into his arms. Hugs weren't his strong suit, but damn if he wouldn't try his best. "ALRIGHT," he said quietly. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING MORE. I'M SORRY."
Stretch folded into his mate's hold. He let himself cry long and hard. It made him feel a little better. Vex was amazing holding him in strong arms. His tears came to a stop as he fell asleep, feeling safe in Vex’s arms.
Vex held Stretch until his pregnant lover fell asleep, just letting him cry. He absently pet Stretch's head a little, like Red did for him when they were children and he was upset. Like he did when comforting Red from a nightmare underground. His gaze was set off in the distance, thinking. He knew a terrible truth now... Something he couldn't just go around sharing with the others, either. A dark secret. He didn't like keeping secrets... But he vowed to do everything he could to help Berry in subtle ways. His mate's brother would be happy again.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Stretch notices Berry only sleeps on a blanket on the floor, gets a little snappy and regrets it when Berry looks afraid. Berry thinks about how he is dirty and useless and only wants to be good. Vex struggles with how to ask what's going on and how he can help. Berry has a good first class, but is sad when he comes home and hears his brother went to bed early. Howl calls and talks with him about class, which cheers Berry up. In the morning, Berry makes breakfast and brings it up to Vex and Stretch. Vex notices Berry didn't make himself any, but Stretch shares his. They suggest Berry cook for family game night one time, and he is happy. Vex asks Stretch what happened to Berry, and figures out something very bad happened to him 6 years ago.
Thanks for reading! Have a look at my boys!
Red (reference page, ignore the missing hand, he still has it)
Vex (dancing ballet and playing his violin)
Howl (in full armor)
Daemon (sadly smoking while his brother is gone)
Chapter 3: Hello, I am the Lie, Living for You so You Can Hide
Summary:
In which one unfortunate happening leads to a domino effect.
Notes:
I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave a kudos and a comment letting us know what you think and what you hope will happen. We would love to hear from you! <3
Chapter notes: mention of the Sully conditioning, graphic non-con at the end of the chapter (note that I will separate it out with a very clear indicator for you to skip if need be)
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was family game night again.
Berry had a set of knitting needles and a ball of yarn he got at the 99 plus cent store. He had been quite enchanted by the place. The tiny plus on the sign should have been bigger, much bigger. The yarn was definitely in the plus part.
The lady in the store had said babies need special soft yarn. ‘That must be true,’ he had thought while looking through the limited colors; his instincts told him soft things were best for babies and nesting, so he had paid the plus price. Currently, the fruits of his adventure were waiting in the living room, awaiting Howl’s instruction. His soul buzzed with excitement thinking about spending time with the skeleton.
Now, Berry was making dinner. He had agonized all week on what to make. He wanted to make something delicious, yet practical. Eventually, he had decided on egg salad sandwiches. He had cut them up into small pieces. They would be easy to eat while they played games, and it was one of the recipes he got from the class, so it showed off his new skills he had told Howl about. The small monster had made sure the sandwiches were all perfectly cut. He wouldn't let Daemon or Howl down with ‘clumsy’ shapes. He also eagerly cut up some fruit and veggies to serve with the sandwich.
When he finished, he just stood on the stool, rocking on the balls of his feet. He daydreamed as he looked at the large tray of food he had worked so hard on.
Vex came into the kitchen and gave the food a good looking over. "THAT ALL LOOKS VERY GOOD, BERRY. LET'S PUT IT IN THE FRIDGE UNTIL WE'RE READY FOR IT."
Berry twisted his phalanges. "THANK YOU. I HOPE THEY LIKE IT." He took the plate and put it in the fridge. He was so nervous-cited, the little skeleton was practically vibrating with anticipation.
"EVERYTHING WILL GO FINE," Vex promised. "WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND SET UP THE GAMES WHILE I WAKE YOUR LAZYBONES BROTHER?" Berry smiled. Vex was such a nice alpha and brother-in-law.
"OF COURSE." With the new task occupying his mind, he rushed to the living room.
Vex watched him go with a fond smile, then went to fetch Stretch. He knocked on the bedroom door quietly before entering. Stretch woke up and yawned and stretched. "Hey there, love. Is it that time already?" He got up and straightened his clothes.
"YES, THEY SHOULD BE HERE ANY MINUTE." He came over and helped straighten Stretch's clothes, fussing a little. Then he kissed his mate's forehead. "BERRY IS ANXIOUS TO SEE IF EVERYONE LIKES HIS FOOD."
"I’m sure they will, and he will be over the moon." Stretch gave Vex a kiss. “Let's head out.”
Vex led the way back downstairs.
Red, the lazy bum, was waiting until the last minute to get up from his comfortable seat on the couch and go with Sans.
Sans came up to Red and gave him a quick kiss. "you all set?"
"mmm..." He pretended to consider it for a moment. "yeah, i think so. but i could do with one more kiss."
Sans chuckled, "it's a good thing we have plenty more of them." He leaned over and gave him another kiss. Red made a pleased noise, and then Sans ported them into the swap-bros kitchen. Red stretched.
"oof. alright. time to kick ass at whatever game."
Berry was just taking the games out of the cabinet and placing them on the table when he heard the knock at the front door. He rushed to it and took a second to make sure his clothes were straight, then opened the door. Howl and Daemon were standing there. His soulbeat became a little faster. He smiled happily at them. "HELLO. I'M GLAD YOU BOTH MADE IT."
Howl nodded to Berry. He never quite smiled, but he looked pleased to see the other monster nonetheless. "GOOD EVENING, BERRY. I HOPE YOU BROUGHT KNITTING SUPPLIES." He stepped inside, again leading Daemon by a leash. The taller brother snuffed out a cigarette before stepping inside, beaming at Berry.
"hiya. you look cheerful."
"OH YES, THEY ARE IN THE LIVING ROOM." Berry said happy to Howl, then he looked at Daemon when he spoke. "I AM." He blushed and looked away. “I GOT TO MAKE OUR FOOD TONIGHT. " He started to twist his phalanges. "I USED A RECIPE FROM CLASS. I HOPE IT MEETS BOTH OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS."
"aw, i'm sure it'll be really tasty," Daemon assured Berry, following inside. "howl said you had fun, so i'm glad. stuff like that should be fun. me, i get frustrated with cooking, so i let him do it, hehe."
Berry looked up at Daemon With a hopeful smile. "THANK YOU. I SORRY IT FRUSTRATES YOU, BUT I AM REALLY LIKING IT. IT'S NICE BEING ABLE TO HELP MY FAMILY, TO BE USEFUL."
"eh, that's okay. nobody likes doing everything, right?" Daemon shrugged and smiled. Howl led the way into the room and settled himself down in a seat, making sure there was room on either side of him so no one got too close. He pulled out his own knitting supplies from a bag to get set up. Daemon settled nearby him. Berry followed Daemon’s lead and grabbed his supplies before he settled down on the floor facing Howl eagerly waiting, his instruction.
Stretch saw Berry blush as he talked with Deamon. He stifled a giggle. Blueberry looked so happy and so cute. It was something Stretch missed seeing and was starting to think he would never see again. These two new skeletons were strange, but they were good for his brother. The pregnant monster tilted his head, trying to get Vex to look.
Vex noticed and glanced over when Stretch bid him to, and saw the blush on Berry's face as he talked with Daemon. He seemed to be flustered around Daemon. That was cute. Maybe they'd get close. He smiled as well, settling Stretch in his lap. Stretch was very happy with this, smiling.
"Welcome back," he told Daemon and Howl. He heard something and looked over to the kitchen as Red came out followed closely by Sans. "heya!”
Sans replied, "what up?"
"sup." Red plopped into the couch, giving a two-fingered salute to his brother, making him roll his pupils.
Howl set out his yarn and needles, and pulled out a starting piece to show to Berry. "THIS HERE I'VE ONLY DONE ABOUT TWENTY MINUTE'S WORK ON. IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW TO GET STARTED. SO, THIS IS HOW YOU PLACE YOUR NEEDLES, AND YOU START MAKING THIS MOTION WITH THE YARN TO CREATE A PATTERN. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU CAN GO BACK BY FROGGING IT. I'LL SHOW YOU THAT WHEN IT INEVITABLY HAPPENS."
Berry watched Howl show how to do the motion. He cast on the yarn and followed the motion. Facing Howl, he was seeing it backwards, so it was a little hard. Trying to keep the yarn tension was a challenge, making his stitches uneven sizes.
"YOU NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL, THOSE AREN'T EVEN. COME HERE." Howl beckoned Berry over. "I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO FROG IT."
Berry got up and brought Howl his work. "IS IT CALLED FROGGING BECAUSE THE YARN IS HOPING OVER?" He was curious.
Howl sighed. "NO, BUT IT IS A SIMILARLY PUN-RELATED TERM... IT'S BECAUSE..." He demonstrated pulling the needles out and pulling the yarn apart. His next words sounded exasperated. "YOU 'RIP IT RIP IT.'" He then cringed at his own telling of the pun. Berry tried to hold in his giggles at the explanation as he watched the skillful hands work carefully. "YOU MAY LAUGH," Howl sighed. Then he gestured to Berry. "NOW YOU TRY IT. CAREFUL."
Berry smiled happily that he had been given permission. "THANK YOU," he said, giggling. He took the work back and sat on the floor again. He worked slower this time and tried to keep the yarn wrapped around his pinky like Howl did. It came out a lot better, but not as good as Howl. He showed Howl when he finished the row. “IT'S GETTING BETTER.”
Stretch watched his brother. He was a little upset that Berry chose to sit on the floor, but if that was what he wanted he wouldn’t challenge it. Maybe Berry just wanted more space to work? As he watched them more and saw that Berry was happy, he started to pay attention to the visiting skeletons. "So, how was everyone's week?" Stretch wanted to give Berry some time before they ate.
"pretty good," Sans said, "only had one kid blow up his science project.” He chuckled. "the class is gettin' really good with the fire extinguishers."
Red huffed at his boyfriend's news. "you really need to let me come be a guest so i can scare those dumb kids into using some proper lab safety! geez. gonna wind up killin' somebody, fuck's sake..."
"Sans, you're really letting the kids start fires?" Stretch was concerned.
"sure thing, red." He looked to Stretch. "nothing big. It's the senior AP class. I stop the other kids before something goes too wrong. These kids are going to have to know how to take care of a problem like this in college."
Red scowled. "they're going to have to know how to not fucking start fires in the first place. lab safety means watching all flames, keeping chemicals apart, goggles, gloves, all of it. tch."
"Red, breathe." He rubbed his boyfriend’s arm. "Ya know science you gotta expect the unexpected. They got to learn how to handle things like that and I'm there to keep it from getting out of control. They are becoming adults, if they don't get experience now in a controlled environment, it could be really bad later when it does happen and they don't know what to do, from lack of experience." He sighed, "we go over lab safety before lab work, everytime. But they need a chance to mess up and learn from it." Red was getting passionate, and Sans tried to tune out the others. He hoped they didn't get into a fight.
Red huffed again. "yeah that's all well and good but their mess-ups shouldn't include explosions. chemistry is only one kind of science, anyway. teach them to build robots." He was irritated (and concerned for the dumb kiddos), but didn't seem invested in really arguing.
Sans leaned into Red's side and rubbed his hand on the top of Red's leg to let him know he wasn't upset or anything. "You’re right there, after school club, I been helpin' them work on robotics, but enough about me." He gave Red a little tap on the leg. "What about you?"
Red put an arm around Sans, relaxing a little. "that's good then. i'm working on the next draft of my thesis and uuugh. it's so much work. i hate writing fancy. it's the worst. i still need like 10,000 more words. i'm gonna die, sansy."
Sans relaxed into Red's hold. "That's not too bad. I'll give it some pointers if ya want."
"eh. sure, sweetheart. though it's gotta all be my work. all my marrow, sweat and tears. and boy is there a lot. nasa better love me."
Sans smiled. "please i wouldn't do more work. I said pointers." He teased.
Stretch thought about what they said. Both arguments had merit, and it made him think. He looked at Vex. "maybe we should talk about parenting techniques later, so we are on the same page."
"OH." Right. Parent techniques. Something Vex had never even thought of before. "ER. YES. RIGHT. I WAS GOING TO BUY SOME BOOKS ON THE TOPIC."
Red suggled Sans and nuzzled his skull, "heh, got me there. alrighty, sansy, be my teacher~ i'll take notes and be a good student." His voice went into a low purr and his hand drifted to his boyfriend's leg.
Vex threw a pillow at Red. "KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS, BROTHER."
A cute blush took over Sans’ skull at Reds words. He snickered as the pillow Vex threw hit Red. Red chucked it back, then settled in to just hold Sans. He might just nap until the food was served.
Howl made a disgusted noise at Red, scowling again and stabbing at his work with more force. He focused back on Berry’s work. "YES, THERE YOU GO.”He sounded proud. “THAT'S MUCH BETTER. REPETITIVE MOVEMENTS. THERE'S A LOVELY RHYTHM TO KNITTING. IT'S LIKE A SONG."
Berry smiled and asked shyly, "DO YOU LIKE MUSIC?"
"YES," Howl responded, going back to his own knitting. He kept his movements slow, so Berry could watch and imitate. "I HAVE A FONDNESS FOR IT."
"master sings opera super good," Daemon chimed in, sliding down to sit next to Berry.
Berry looked on in awe. "WOOOOOWZER... MAYBE ONE DAY YOU WOULD SING FOR ME..." Berry flushed a bright blue. "US. SING FOR US."
Howl actually looked a little flustered at that, a first for him. He cleared his throat. "YES, WELL... I DON'T SING FOR JUST ANYBODY, BUT I MIGHT CONSIDER IT. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO US."
Berry's smile reached his eyelights, turning them into stars when he said he would consider it. He paused in his knitting, turned to Daemon. "what do you enjoy?" he asked.
Stretch leaned onto Vex's chest. He was ready to eat, but did not want to interrupt Berry. He was just so cute whenever he blushed. Vex wrapped his arms around his mate again. He also wanted to eat soon, but he was invested in Berry getting close to Daemon and Howl. They were good for him.
"oh, me?" Daemon hummed. "well, i like dancing. not, um, to operas, though." He giggled a little. "i like belly dancing. and other kinds of dancing you get to do without a shirt."
Berry blushed at that, hiding into his bandana. The image in his mind bordered on lewd. He squeezed his knitting. "VEX TEACHES DANCING." He said shyly.
Daemon looked totally innocent despite the blush. "oh, really? what kind?"
"BALLET, OF COURSE. THE MOST TRADITIONAL AND SOPHISTICATED AND BEAUTIFUL OF DANCES." Vex puffed up proudly.
"oooh, cool, very prestigious!" Daemon said admiringly. "there's ballet in opera!"
"INDEED THERE IS,” Howl agreed. “TYPICALLY IN THE FIRST HALF.”
Stretch wanted to laugh when Berry made that face and tried to hide. He took pity on his older brother, even if the blush was too cute and offered him an escape. "bro, did you want to serve your sandwiches?"
“AH YES, I AM EAGER TO TRY YOUR COOKING,” Howl agreed.
Berry got up and set his knitting on the table. "OKAY." He hurried off to the kitchen and carried out the plates of food and a pitcher of milk to the table. "I MADE SANDWICHES AND FRUIT WITH VEGGIES, SO WE COULD PLAY AND EAT."
"that's a great idea Berry." Stretch smiled and gave his brother a light noogie as he passed by him to sit at the table.
"HOW VERY THOUGHTFUL," Howl agreed, setting down his own knitting. "WHAT SORT OF SANDWICHES?" His gloves were slid off, since sandwiches didn't require utensil use.
Berry smiled. "IT'S A RECIPE FROM THE CLASS, EGG SALAD SANDWICHES." He wanted to show off his new skills.
"OH YES? THAT SOUNDS GOOD. EGG SALAD SANDWICHES ARE A CLASSIC FOR A SNACKLIKE MEAL. THEY LOOK QUITE NICE CUT INTO LITTLE PIECES." He sounded very approving.
"they look great! oh yeah, what game are we playing?" Daemon asked.
"DID WE WANT TO PLAY UNO?" Berry asked hopefully.
"sure thing bro," Stretch replied.
Sans gently shook Red, "foods ready."
"mm..." Red stirred and yawned. "i'm awake. food?"
Sans giggled at Red and held out his hand to help pull him up. They went and looked at the spread. "very good, berry!"
"looks good, blueberry shortcake,” Red agreed, getting himself a plate.
"INDEED. I'M PROUD OF YOU, BERRY." Vex got himself and Stretch a plate each.
Daemon took his happily. "yummy! thanks!"
Berry's skull was a giant blueberry. His soul felt so happy and light. He played with the end of his bandana. "THANK YOU." He watched as the others ate his food. His soul felt so happy. Daemon and Howl liked it, too! He was able to help nurture his family. He was useful! He decided, right then and there, he was going to go to the class every week.
Stretch was so glad tonight was working out so well. Berry deserved this. By the Angel, he deserved happiness. "great job bro." He went and grabbed the uno cards.
They all ate very happily between card rounds and complimented his food. Daemon beamed and asked if he could hug Berry. He liked hugs.
Berry was in shock at the request and torn. He really wanted it. He wanted it so bad.
Dirty Sully! Tempting good clean monsters.
Berry started shaking as the voice kept telling him he was dirty, he was going to make them dirty. But Daemon had a collar too. It was okay, right? Daemon was like him... It was a friendship hug. Not romantic. "OKAY." He opened his arms to accept the hug.
Daemon hugged him, nice and tight but also gentle. He was very warm, warmer than most, and he made a happy sound into the embrace. Howl was watching the two of them, his chin in one hand, looking as pleased as a cat who had the milk.
Berry couldn't remember the last time someone that wasn't his brother hugged him. He told himself being held down wasn't the same as a hug, and he tried not to remember the last time. It was a great hug. It wasn't trapping him. It was safe. Warm. It was wonderful.
The voice in his mine sounded quieter, felt further away. That was really nice. Slowly, he stopped shaking and relaxed into the hug. "YOU’RE A GOOD HUGGER." he said quietly.
Daemon made another happy sound at the compliment. "thank you, i try my best~ you're a good hugger too! i like this hug. we can hug whenever you want, okay?"
Berry felt like he was going to cry. Daemon was so nice. Berry felt he didn't deserve it. He gripped onto Daemon a little tighter. "THANK YOU." The smaller monster hid his face in Daemon's jacket and until his soul stopped beating so fast. When he let go, he pulled his bandana up to try and hide behind it.
The rest of the night went smoothly. Berry had a lot of fun. His soul felt so happy and warm and Daemon gave him another hug before leaving.
It had been a few weeks now. Currently, Berry was lying curled up under his bed. The soft materials, always so close, were torture. He reached out to seek more soft touches. You want to nest? You don't deserve these soft materials, but you do deserve this, Sully. His old break ached more than normal and his bones buzzed with the reminder of his lessons as he pulled his hand back.
The voice in his mind had berated him more than normal the last few weeks. It was constantly reminding him he didn't deserve happiness. He was a burden on the underground. Unwanted. Sully.
Yet, Howl still called and talked with him, not only about the class, but about his knitting as well.
Daemon asked to give him hugs every game night. Daemon's hugs made him feel wanted. Happy. Warm. Safe. It was tempting to hug him again…. Berry had asked for an extra one before they left last time.
Sully! Temptress! You’re bad!
Berry closed his eyelights and tried not to think about how the voice was right. About how he was being bad again.
He crawled out from under the bed and made sure his old blanket was folded and hidden.
Right now was the time to think about class. He straightened out his clothes and went to his desk to look down at the list of things he needed the next class. It was about decorating cookies, as it was getting near February. They would make small shortbread cookies. It said that the teacher would have limited supplies to wrap them up and suggested giving them to your special person.
Berry really wanted to do this class. He wanted to give Howl and Daemon cookies.
Berry's soul felt warm. He laid his hand over it, careful of the hole in his ribs. His body wanted to nest so badly and it was getting hotter. He knew his heat was coming. He shouldn't go to class.
He remembered his lesson from the time he was in the sanatorium. “I’M A SULLY. A BAD OMEGA. WE HAVE A LOT OF UNWANTED CHILDREN THAT TAKE THE LIMITED RESOURCES.” He could almost see the guards standing, watching, making sure he said the mantra over and over. His bones ached more with the memories.
The queen had made it known to all the underground they were the cause of the underground troubles. They tempted good, clean monsters with their incorrigible pheromones, making babies use up the limited resources they had.
That was why the Sully law was in effect. If your family couldn't keep the omega under control.... if they had tempted the good clean monsters and made them rape you, they could report it to the guard.
Berry took a deep breath. It was a long time ago. He had an adult family to help now. One who claimed him. It wasn't the same as last time when he went out that day 6 years ago. When he went searching for food for Stretch and himself. When he was collared as a Sully and taken to the Sanitarium to learn his lessons.
Berry knew he should stay home locked up like a good omega, but he had the suppressants now. Stretch had been telling him for years he could go out if he took them.
“it's easy bro.” Stretch held up a pack of pills. “you just take one in the morning, then one in the afternoon. you don’t show signs of heat, so no one knows.”
He looked at the class list. He really wanted to go. He twisted his fingers hard and stared at the bottle of pills. He had already been bad, hugging Daemon… But nothing had happened.
The short skeleton pictured Daemon and Howl’s faces when he was to give them the special bag of cookies next game night. That made his decision.
Berry took a med, then put one in a baggie for later. The day went on and he finished his chores. Soon, it was time to head to the bus stop. The nervous monster gathered all the supplies and placed them in his nice blue bag. He pulled the strap of his blue bag over his shoulder. He needed to take it during the class. He had to hurry to catch the bus.
He ran up to the bus stop just as the bus turned the corner. The bus pulled over and Berry showed his pass to the driver before taking a seat near the front of the empty bus. Then pulled out his list to look at it, smiling as he read the class description again. He didn't notice the baggie fall out.
Class was going well. His cookies were only slightly burnt and were cooling. It was getting slowly warmer in the room, even when the stoves were now off. Then the skeleton’s phone alarm started to vibrate, letting him know it was time for his pill. He dug around in the messenger bag, but the baggie with his pill was gone.
Berry’s hands started shaking badly. He could barely hold on to the items as he pulled everything out. Soon he had the bag upside down and shaking it. A small whine passed his teeth. He started to pack up his belongings. They had to be here. Without the suppressants, his scent would kick in soon. His search ended in vain. He stuffed the cookies in the cute bag the teacher had given them and held it in one hand. His phone was gripped tight in the other as he went to call Stretch in the hallway, but there were monsters in the halls. His scent was starting... His magic had summoned and slick was starting to soak his pants.
Berry whimpered. This was bad. He was bad. ‘WHY AM I ALWAYS BAD?’ The thought passed through his mind and his soul skipped a beat when the monsters started to look around. He ran. He had to be alone. He ran outside to an ally. It looked empty, so he hid behind the trash cans.
Shaking hands tried to push and hold the power button on the phone. It felt like an eternity before it turned on. Then he couldn’t get the buttons to work with his shaking hands.
(STOP HERE IF YOU NEED TO SKIP GRAPHIC NON-CON SCENE AND PROCEED TO NEXT CHAPTER.)
There were footsteps approaching the alleyway. "hey, the scent is in here," a gruff voice barked out. It sounded familiar to Berry. Three men headed right for Berry in the traditional Swap guard uniforms. A wolf monster, a snake monster, and a hawk monster. The trio had been notorious in the Sanitarium.
"sssmellssss familiar... no?" the snake hissed.
Berrys soul dropped. He knew those voices. He knew what was going to happen. It was the same thing that always happened when he was bad.
He gripped the bag of cookies tight, crushing them unknowingly. A small whimper escaped him. Tears gathered in his sockets.
The eagle monster, Tal, found him first. He kicked one of the cans down that Berry was hiding behind. "Well well well. Look what we have here! Cory, Pret, a familiar face."
"Aw, it's the sweet-smelling Blueberry!" Cory sneered, his furry tail lifting up high. "We remember you, you filthy little thing."
"You remember usssss?" Pret asked, winding between his two partners, his tail starting to wind around one of Berry's legs.
Berry's body was shaking. Cory loved to teach Berry his lessons by breaking his bones. He was good at not making a mess.
"Y… YES... I'M SORRY. PLEASE. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE BAD. PLEASE."
"Course you didn't mean it," Tal sneered, flapping his wings. "You're just a dumb Sully, you tempt everyone. You'll always be bad."
'They are right.' Berry thought. He shouldn't have left the house. He was a dirty temptress. He left the house. He knew better.
"That's right. So stop hiding!" Cory lunged from all fours, snapping his teeth around Berry's shoulder, and dragged him a little out from his corner so they could all reach him. It hurt as the teeth fell into the old scares and dragged him out. It was no use fighting it. It would only be worse. He was Sully. He deserved this.
Cory bit down a little harder, splintering the bone a little, then let go. "We're gonna teach you the lesson you forgot."
"Sssso you'd better remember thissss time." Pret bit at Berry's pants, tearing them off his pelvis.
Tal dropped his own pants, revealing his duck-like spiral dick. It tended to be painful to regular entrances.
Berry cried out as his bone started to splinter. He didn’t dare ask again. He knew that he was bad. The ingrained habits took over. The abused skeleton opened his legs and presented his neck when they ripped off his pants. He was trembling, breathing hard, slick dripping down his femurs. Tal's dick brought back even painful memories.
Pret unwound from Berry's leg. "I'll take the back," he hissed, and Tal wrenched Berry up onto his hands and knees so he was accessible from both sides. Then the eagle monster pressed into Berry instantly from below, his spiral dick driving in harshly. Berry screamed as Tal pressed violently into him. Gods it hurt! His memory must have dulled, it hurt worse than he remembered. Tears were streaming down his face. Pret's hemipenis lined up at his ass, the snake's body draped across his back. Both snake members started to enter Berry as he bit Berry's neck. He wasn’t prepared, and he ripped as they went in. Cory loomed over Berry, dropping his own pants to present his member to Berry's mouth.
He could barely see through the tears and the pain. "sorry..." he croaked.
The wolf monster growled, smacking the side of Berry's face with his cock. "Suck me, you useless Sully."
Berry tried to support himself on his hurt arm, and opened his mouth obediently. Cory pressed balls deep into him, making him choke. His lessons came back to him and he swallowed around the dick to help with the choking.
All three of them were taking what pleasure they wanted, uncaring of how it made Berry feel. Or, not uncaring, but relishing it. Pret was biting all over Berry's neck, leaving marks, while his dual members awkwardly thrust in and out. Tal was ruthless, slamming in at a fast pace. Cory scratched at Berry's head with his claws, pushing him deeper around his dick with a pleased growl. Berry couldn't do anything against them. He tried to keep his body limp, but the biting and scratching made his body buck, and flinch made the dicks go deeper and at different angles.
Each of them spilled their load into him, one at a time. Tal was first, shoving in hard one last time with his harsh member and groaning as he came. He bit at Berry's neck too, then, his beak clamping down on the bone. Pret was next, his long, lithe body shuddering as each member released into Berry's ass. He went limp as a noodle after, sated. Then it was just Cory, fucking Berry's mouth, grunting and snarling. He pushed Berry around his member further and came right down his throat, sticky and not tasting pleasant.
Berry's body shuddered at the filling. His bones where they had been biting him oozed marrow. When the beak clamped down on the splintered bone it couldn’t take the pressure and snapped. He screamed around Cory's dick. Then the claws bit in deeper into his skull and the sick taste filled him. He couldn't breathe. He passed out.
The three of them pulled away from him, breathless but laughing. "That'll teach him," Cory grunted. "Let's go, boys." They left him there in the alley, bleeding.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry makes food for the next family game night and learns how to knit from Howl. He seems to be very eager to speak with both Fellswaps, which Stretch notices. Sans and Red get into a minor argument about lab safety in science classrooms. Howl mentions he sings opera and might sing for Berry one day, a bit flustered as he says so. Daemon hugs Berry before they go. There is a time skip of a few weeks, and Berry is worried about going to class because he is going into heat. He has pills he takes to suppress them, and takes one and brings another to class. He loses it on the bus without noticing. Mid-class, he realizes he has to take it and it isn't there, and leaves in a hurry. In an alleyway just outside, three Swap guards smell him and recognize him from the Sanitarium. They proceed to gangbang him and leave him injured on the ground.
Chapter 4: A Rose that Won't Bloom, Winter's Kept You
Summary:
In which the view of the swaps is... Sullied
Notes:
Hello everyone! Thank you for reading. Please kudos, comments. It really makes our day seeing them and replying. 💜💙
Also, don't forget to subscribe to the story or to GetMcDunkedOn or myself to get updates in your email!
Edit: Went back and gave all the chapters song lyric titles. Because we both just be like that fam ;)
Chapter tags: aftermath of rape (description of the mess left behind), talk of Sully conditioning, panic associated with aversion conditioning, discussion of laws protecting sexual assault, bragging from the assaulters
If you want to avoid the graphic scene of the crime, please go down to where I have plainly indicated that they leave the area!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Berry woke up cold and sticky as the slime was drying on his bones and magic. He tried to roll up into a ball, but pain flared all over his body, ripping a high-pitched sound from him. The sticky cum was caught in his throat and made him cough up some of the awful tasting spunk. He didn’t know how long he laid there in pain and coughing. He only knew it took a long while before he was able to move his body enough to crawl over to where his phone had fallen by the now dumped-over trash cans.
This was a pain that he’d hoped to never relive. He had wanted it to stay in the underground. The surface was supposed to be a new beginning. At least that was what he was told. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew it was best to breathe through the pain. It may have been 3 years since he lived with this, but it had been almost daily back then and, 'at least back then most of my lessons were one guard at a time,' he thought.'
He slowly made his way through the trash. Another painful sound made its way out of him. His shoulder was killing him every time he moved, but he managed to dig through the fallen trash and find the phone. The screen was smashed, it was impossible to tell who he was calling and he couldn’t remember how far he had scrolled down before he had been caught being bad. He hit the button, he didn't care who it called at this point: Stretch would be best, but Sans or Red could get here faster and take him home. He needed to be home before he tempted more good clean monsters.
After only one ring, the phone picked up. "HELLO, BERRY. ARE YOU HOME FROM YOUR COOKING CLASS? WHAT DID YOU MAKE TODAY?"
Howl. His phone called Howl. He was going to know how dirty Berry was and that he was Sully. It also meant that Daemon world knew too. Would they not want to be around a Sully?
Sully don't deserve nice things. We have wasted enough resources on you dirty Omegas.
The voice was loud in his mind after the lesson, and it was right... Something in him broke a bit. His jaw quivered and unshed tears gathered in his sockets as remember his latest lesson. Berry’s voice was soft and emotionless. "I NEED TO GO HOME..."
There was a pause, and then Howl’s voice over the phone came out more tersely. "WHERE ARE YOU, BERRY? WHAT HAPPENED?"
He knew better than not to answer a direct question. The guards didn’t like to repeat themself but it hurt his soul to tell Howl the truth. "I AM BAD." Some emotions broke though the dam and the tears started to spill over and his voice quivered as he admitted to Howl, "I WAS GIVEN A CORRECTION." The guards didn’t like him crying. If they came back to him and he was crying, they would give him a reason to cry. "I NEED TO GO HOME. I’LL BE GOOD,” he begged. He yelled at himself mentally; he had been holding back the tears, so well.
Howl had been nice before; maybe he would give this small mercy. "PLEASE. I WANT TO GO HOME." Before they came back or others found him.
There was a sharp inhale, and then Howl spoke again, forcibly calmer. "WHERE ARE YOU?" he repeated.
Berry flinched when he realized he made Howl repeat himself. "I..." It was hard to see through all the tears. "IN THE ALLEY. NEXT TO THE CENTER... I TRIED TO BE GOOD.” He tried to crawl a little further into the trash to hide. “I’M SORRY. I’M BAD, PLEASE..." The ends of his collar bone rubbed against each other, blinding pain erupted in his arm. He dropped the phone and it went black.
"WE WILL BE RIGHT THERE. JUST HOLD ON. IT'S NOT-" Howl cursed as the phone beeped. He tucked the phone away and grabbed the first-aid kit. "DAEMON, THE CENTER, NOW."
Daemon looked on anxiously from his spot on the other side of their couch. When he was addressed, he snapped to attention. "yes, master." His hand gently touched Howl's, and then they were there, landing just in front of the doors. He shuddered at the scent in the air, sockets narrowing. "heat scent..." He led the way to the alleyway, where they both came to a sharp stop to look at Berry barely hidden behind the trash cans.
Berry was a mess. He curled up in the garbage. His pants were ripped open and hanging on his legs. There was semen not only leaking out of all his orifices but clinging to his face and body. His bandana had been ripped and fallen off when Cory had first pulled him out of his hidey-hole. The small skeleton’s skull, neck, and shoulder were covered in cuts, scrapes, and bite marks. Morrow was still oozing out of some of the wounds. Berry currently had his hand over the broken bone holding it together. The hated collar, a tight black leather band, was on plain display. The terror-stricken monster looked up in uneasiness when he heard the footfall and saw Howl and Daemon.
Berry looked away at the shock in their eyelights. They knew now and apprehension made a home next to the pain and panic he was feeling. He was Sully. He didn’t know what to expect as they kept looking. He was afraid that the shock would turn into hate, as it always did with the rest of his kind, the Underswap monsters. Daemon was wearing a collar, so maybe they would show him mercy and take him home before the guards came back for him.
Daemon's shock started to melt into fury. He had let go of Howl, and now his hands balled into fists. His scent started to permeate the air as he growled low, deep, dangerous. His vision blurred from anger, red tingling the edges. He would find whoever did this. He would find them and RIP THEM A-
"MUTT, HEEL!" Howl's voice rang out sharply. The shorter skeleton had summoned his claws without thinking, an equal rage burning in him. But he had to keep his head. They both had to keep their heads. "CALM DOWN. NOW."
Daemon took in a deep, sharp breath. Just like that, the pheromones were halted, and he blinked his vision clear. Calm. Yes. Calm. He took the first aid kit from his master and approached, kneeling in front of Berry. "i'm going to try and heal you as much as possible before we move," he said, each word enunciated carefully, calmly, gently. "may i touch you?"
Berry presented his neck at the strong pheromones. They always meant it was time for a lesson. He flinched at the pain it caused as a small whimper passed his teeth. Then Daemon came up to him, but he didn't touch him? Didn't try to use him? He asked to heal him... he felt confused. Why was he asking a Sully for permission to touch them? They were not allowed to say 'no.' They teach him a lesson. Use him. Hurt him. It was what his kind deserved. It kept the population under control.
Omegas shouldn’t feel safe anywhere, the voice reminded him.
A few more seconds went by and Daemon still waited patiently to touch him, kneeling there, assessing the damage without moving. Berry knew he was just postponing the inevitable. It was best to obey commands. Berry was so confused and not answering was making him be outside longer, be bad longer. He finally gave a short nod, trying to keep his shoulder still.
When Berry nodded, Daemon gently pulled away the small hand and then the clothing around Berry's shoulder. He started there, his hands only barely touching, glowing green and pouring in as much healing magic as he could. "who's collar is this, berry?" he asked softly. "why do they not protect you?"
Howl paced in front of the alleyway, forcing his weapons away, and kept an eye out for any passers-by. Nobody else would see this. Nobody else would touch Berry like this. Not again. Not ever again. He was ready to snarl at and fight anyone who even thought about stepping past him.
Berry’s black collar held the delta rune and his name. Daemon was collared too, so the question was confusing. The only protection a Sully had was family... he didn't take his eyelights off the floor. He wanted to be good, so he answered the question. "THERE’S NO PROTECTION WITH A COLLAR. IT SHOWS I’M DIRTY. I’M BAD. A SULLY."
The tall monster tilted his head, frowning. "you're not dirty or bad, and that's not what a collar's for... what's a sully?"
Berry tried to curl up, but it made his broken bone move. Once the pain passed he looked up at Daemon's collar. "When you do something bad, you're collared, so others know you need to be restrained... controlled."
"don't move," Daemon pleaded. "i have to heal you." He wasn't making much progress on the broken shoulder. He tried Berry's neck instead, his warm intent and powerful healing magic pressing into the smaller skeleton. "that's... that's not what collars are for. that's wrong."
"WE WON'T DISCUSS IT NOW," Howl said tersely. "RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO GET HIM HEALED AND HOME. THE REST CAN WAIT FOR NOW..." But he would be doing everything in his power to find and punish the people who did this.
Berry held as still as he could. Howl’s words comforted and quieted the apprehensiveness he was feeling. Daemon’s soothing warm intent helped him a lot as the caring monster healed his body. He wanted to ask what the collar meant to the Fell. Berry thought it was the same, so he didn't ask before, but he was going to be good for them. Howl said they were going to take him home, so he bit his tongue.
Daemon's hand moved wherever it needed to, healing Berry's body as best he could. When he was done, it was largely just the broken shoulder left. He opened the first aid kid and wiped away as much marrow as possible with some rags, then dabbed healing cream along the breaks. Finally, he unrolled bandages, wrapping them carefully along with the bones with a brace until none of it could move. "there... that's the best i can do right now. can i pick you up, berry? is that okay?" He closed the first aid kit again and tossed it to Howl, who caught it.
Berry looked down at his messy bottom. "I'LL MAKE YOU DRITY."
"i don't mind that," he said, shaking his head. "i can clean up later."
Berry twisted his fingers a bit and said, "OKAY THEN."
"okay." He gently scooped Berry up, then walked back over to Howl. Howl slowly put a hand on Daemon's shoulder, and then they were arriving in Berry's living room. It was late, he wasn't sure if Stretch and Vex were still up, but he tried to shield Berry's body from view as he headed for the stairs. "which bedroom is yours?"
(THEY LEAVE THE SCENE OF THE CRIME HERE, NOTE THAT DISCCUSSION IS STILL HEAVY.)
“THE 3RD DOOR AT THE TOP,” Berry replied. When they opened the door the room was utilitarian. A desk, hard wooden chair, nightstand with a lamp and dresser. The bed looked soft though. The bed was made nicely. It looked like it hadn't been slept in. In fact, it didn't have Berry’s scent on it at all. Just a vague factory scent, like it hadn't been used in the time it was on the bed.
Daemon paused when they got there, looking over the bed. He double-checked the scent. "berry..."
"WHY DO YOU NOT SLEEP IN YOUR BED?" Howl asked before Daemon could. "WHY HAVE YOU NOT MADE A PERSONALIZED NEST?"
Berry shivered at the word nest and grip on to Daemon harder. "SULLY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO NEST."
"ALL OMEGAS ARE ALLOWED TO NEST," he growled. "TO DENY AN OMEGA SUCH A THING IS TREASON OF THE HIGHEST ORDER. HOW CAN YOU FEEL SAFE WITHOUT ONE?" He snapped his fingers and pointed to the bed. Daemon nodded and gently set Berry on it, then started to tuck the blanket around him.
Berry was shaking and held Daemon tight as he was placed in the bed. Memories of the Sanatorium flooded his mind. Correction after correction. Memories of being left in a room with a nest that was linked to a training collar and every time he dared touch it, pain. Blinding pain.
Broken bones from a guard for daring to think about the safe, comfort of a nest.
Aversion therapy works best for Sully.
"NO, NO! I NEED TO BE GOOD!" He didn't let go of Daemon, trying to crawl back into his arms. He didn't care about the screaming pain in his shoulder. It would be nothing compared to being caught nesting. "NOT ALLOWED! I DON'T WANT TO BE BAD! PLEASE NO MORE CORRECTIONS! I JUST WANT TO BE GOOD! PLEASE!"
Daemon looked startled and confused. "berry, you're not being bad by nesting. please, it's okay. please settle down? please. nothing will happen to you, we're here."
"YOU'RE GOING TO HURT YOURSELF IF YOU KEEP MOVING LIKE THAT, AND THAT IS BAD."
Berry froze when Howl said moving was bad. He let out a low tortured whine but didn’t let go of Daemon.
"LET HIM PUT YOU IN THE BED," he said, forcing his voice gentler. "I WILL BE RIGHT HERE. AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU. I SWEAR IT ON MY LIFE."
Berry looked at Howl. He had never lied. He brought him home. He was safe. He was nice. Slowly one by one Berry’s phalanges let go. He was sweating, his bones rattling almost as bad as when they first found him in the alley.
"GOOD. I'M PROUD OF YOU." Howl pulled up a chair to sit next to the bed. "TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS.”
Daemon put Berry on the bed and gently put the blankets over him again, trying to make him as nice and comfortable as possible.
Berry listened. He breathed as instructed. Daemon put the soft space-themed blanket on him. His instinct wanted him to relax in the warm safety. His training made him want to crawl away and beg forgiveness for daring to sit here.
“GOOD,” Howl praised him, “NOW THEN, PLEASE CALMLY TELL ME WHAT 'SULLY' MEANS."
'WOULD THEIR KINDNESS CHANGE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT?' Berry asked himself. He looked at their concerned faces. ‘THEY ARE FAMILY,’ he told himself. That was the only thing a Sully had. He had to trust them. No, he wanted to trust them. They had never hurt him. They came for him and took him home as his brother did all those years ago. Berry held the fluffy blanket his brother had got him and wrung it in his hands. It was soft just like when he stole touches from it under the bed. ‘I BELIEVE IN THEM. THEY WON’T LEAVE ME,’ he told himself.
"SULLY ARE UNCLEAN OMEGAS." He pointed at the collar. "LIKE ME. WE ARE MARKED WITH THIS COLLAR." He took a few more breaths and focused on textile inputs for his fingers playing with the blanket.
"OMEGAS HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN, SO WE TAKE FROM THE UNDERGROUND. WE HOARD THE RESOURCES FROMM GOOD MONSTERS. THE QUEEN SAYS OMEGAS ARE THE CAUSE OF THE UNDERGROUNDS TROUBLES. WE ARE VILE TEMPTRESSES. GOOD MONSTERS FALL VICTIM TO OUR WILD UNCONTROLLABLE PHEROMONES." He was quiet a few moments before continuing. "SO IF YOUR FAMILY CAN'T KEEP THE OMEGA UNDER CONTROL... IF AN OMEGA IS CAUGHT TEMPTING GOOD, CLEAN MONSTERS AND MAKING THEM RAPE US, WE ARE REPORTED TO THE GUARD. THEN WE ARE TAKEN TO THE SANITARIUM."
Berry was shaking, and tears were falling down his face. “YOU LEARN YOUR LESSONS. YOU ARE GIVEN CORRECTIONS. IF YOU FINISH THE PROGRAM AND ARE MADE INFERTILE, YOU ARE DEEMED SULLY, AND IF YOUR ADULT FAMILY WANTS THE BURDEN OF A SULLY, THEY CAN COME CLAIM YOU. IF NOT, YOU STAY THERE."
"ENOUGH." Howl stopped him, his voice firm but also with some shakiness. As Berry had spoken, he had slowly wrapped his arms around himself, as if in some sort of self-protection. He looked smaller that way. Frail, as opposed to the strong façade he always put up. "THAT IS... ENOUGH."
The anger was rising again in Daemon, his sockets flashing, almost smoking. But he suppressed it for the sake of his brother and his friend, taking a deep breath. His shaking hands pet over the blanket a little. "your queen's wrong... we're gonna fix this, berry, ok? you don't deserve what happened to you. can you try and sleep now?"
Berry shut his mouth at Howl's command. The scared monster had been so lost in his mind he hadn't sensed Daemon’s anger.
"OKAY." he looked at the small image Howl was projecting. He wasn't sure how to process the motions. It was such a contrast to how the monster normally projected himself, so he laid down like he was told, "YOU'LL STILL STAY?" He asked the two monsters softly. He didn’t want to be alone.
"I WILL STAY, AS I PROMISED. DAEMON, HOWEVER, HAS TO GO AND INFORM YOUR BROTHER THAT YOU'VE BEEN... INJURED. HE WILL BE BACK WHEN HIS TASK IS COMPLETE."
"OKAY." Now that Berry had calmed down he was tired, yet he knew his mind wouldn’t let him sleep while in a nest. His body still had a dull ache from the brutal lesson though. He pulled the blanket tight around him. It was wonderful, sweet, and agonizing at the same time.
"NOW GET SOME REST." Howl managed to get a hold of himself, dropping his arms to lace his fingers together and assume a more powerful posture in his chair. "WE WILL SPEAK MORE TOMORROW." Howl quietly gave instructions to Daemon, who disappeared. He was back a minute later with Howl's knitting supplies, and the shorter skeleton started to knit quietly while Berry tried to sleep.
Berry laid there trying to relax in the soft nesting material. He wanted to obey, to be good for Howl, he really did. He knew he was being bad laying in the bed. Years of lessons played in his mind over and over. The ghost of memories was mixed in his mind with the current events.
He was so tired, but he couldn't relax enough to sleep. It was so frustrating. He laid there and quietly cried. Finally, he asked, "MAY I SLEEP UNDER THE BED?"
The quiet tears made Howl glare all the harder at his work. But he merely sighed at the question. "IF THAT IS WHERE YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, THEN VERY WELL."
"THANK YOU," Berry said softly. He carefully got out of the nest. He ran his hands gently over the blanket, smoothing it out with a look of longing. Then he got his old blanket from under the bed and draped over his shoulders carefully. Then he made his way under the bed. The nervousness was fading and his body relaxed. That was better. He could touch the softness. It pleased the want and need enough and Berry was able to pull back his hand before he was caught being bad. His insides started to unknot a bit now. It wasn't long before he was asleep.
Howl watched him as his knitting needles worked. When Berry was asleep, he paused, frowning down at the work he was doing. He lifted it and turned it, inspecting. It was a gentle blue color, uniform. Simple. He traced the 'B' he'd carefully inscribed, front and center in black. It was almost done... Perhaps he'd finish before morning and present it.
Meanwhile, Vex and Stretch had noticed immediately that Berry was late in coming home. They had tried to call, but there was no answer. By the time Daemon was first putting Berry down in bed, Vex was pulling up to the community center in his shiny red sports car. He parked and opened Stretch's door for him, like a gentleman. "HE MUST STILL BE HERE, WHERE ELSE WOULD HE BE?"
Stretch chewed nervously on a sucker. Vex had to be right. "Maybe berry just got distracted with decorating cookies and missed the bus?" He hoped so, but Berry not answering the phone was what had gotten his anxiety ramped up. He walked faster than his normal shuffle towards the front doors of the center.
"PERHAPS..." Vex followed, though he paused outside. He was catching a whiff of something. A strong scent. "YOU LOOK INSIDE. I'M GOING TO CHECK SOMETHING."
Stretch nodded and went inside. He went straight to the classroom. The only person left was the teacher. "Have you seen my brother, Berry?" The teacher told him about Berry getting upset in the middle of class and packing up and leaving.
Vex followed his non-existent nose away from the front doors, off to the side. It seemed like there was an alleyway, which looked recently wrecked. He looked around the area of the alleyway. The scent was strong, but starting to fade. He saw marrow on the ground, and a bit of torn fabric. After poking around some fallen trash cans, he found Berry's phone, cracked and dark. Probably broken, but it might be salvageable. He closed it and tucked it away in his inventory, then kept looking around. The only other thing was a baggie of what he assumed was decorated sugar cookies, crushed and ruined. He picked that up slowly as well, then put it away. Berry had been here; something terrible had happened...
Daemon arrived at the center again on his search for Stretch and Vex. After looking around and spotting that shiny sports car, he went to the alleyway. "here you are." His hands stuffed in his pockets. "if you're looking for berry, i got him home."
Vex looked over from frowning at the scraps of fabric. "WHAT HAPPENED?"
"uh, s'bad... really bad. some alphas caught his heat scent, and..."
Vex's expression turned stony. "STRETCH IS INSIDE TALKING TO THE TEACHER." He stood up straight to head inside.
Stretch had just been coming out to the front doors when Vex and Daemon headed up to the front doors. "HE'S AT HOME," Vex said. "DAEMON AND HIS BROTHER FOUND HIM."
The collared alpha nodded to him with a subdued little smile, but then it faded. "he got hurt badly by some alphas who found his heat scent. he's in bed, master's with him."
Stretch jaw clenched and the sucker shattered and his left eye light started to smoke, "them fuckers." He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. "please, take me to my brother."
"i'll get you there with a shortcut," Daemon offered, holding out his hand.
Vex was about to agree when his phone rang. He pulled it out and noted the caller ID. "IT'S MY BROTHER. YOU DO THAT, I'LL CATCH UP."
"Okay. Be safe," Stretch said as he took Daemon's hand. The next second, they had ported back to the house, in front of Berry's room.
"i think he's sleeping already,” Daemon said.”howl's in there watching over him. he promised to stay."
Vex headed back to his car as he answered. "WHAT IS IT, RED?"
"hey, bro, is everyone ok, do you know?" Red's voice came through with a backdrop of bar sounds.
"WHY DO YOU ASK?" Vex replied, startled.
"well, it's just... there's this rowdy little group here at the bar getting shitfaced, y'know, not a group of regulars... and they mentioned 'that stupid skeleton' and i thought... i mean, we're the only skeletons, right?"
Vex gripped his phone tighter. "I WANT YOU TO KEEP THEM THERE, RED. I'LL BE THERE SOON."
"what's going on, boss?"
"I'LL EXPLAIN LATER. JUST KEEP THEM THERE."
"...yeah, alright. see you soon, i guess." He hung up.
Stretch took the sucker stick out of his mouth and stuck it in a wrapper in his pocket and took a few deep breaths. "thanks. for helping my bro."
"of course. we care about him so much." Daemon nodded. His phone buzzed and he checked it. "gonna meet back up with vex. later." He was gone again.
Stretch opened the door quietly and walked in. When he didn't see Berry on the bed, his fist clenched. He was sure he was under the bed. It made sense. Berry hasn't felt safe enough to nest in anything soft in years. After being raped, why would he be recovering in the safety and comfort of one?
Howl looked up from his knitting and watched Stretch. "WE TRIED TO GET HIM TO SLEEP ON THE BED," he said, "BUT HE REFUSED. HE SAID SULLY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO NEST. HOW MUCH OF THIS BUSINESS DO YOU KNOW ABOUT?"
Stretch came over and knelt down and lifted the blanket to see the sleeping skeleton. His soul settled a bit at seeing him alive. Stretch sighed tiredly, "it's not his fault he's an omega." It sounded like an old argument. "we didn't have a family to take care of us." He rubbed Berry's skull lovingly. "he had no one to protect him. When he went missing, i thought the worst. i thought he had dusted. it wasn't until i was an adult and judge that i found his name on a list of institutionalized sullies, being used to test experimental treatments on. i went to the sanitarium that day and used my weight as not only his adult family, but as the judge to claim him and remove him from the unfinished treatment. he wasn't the same, but he's still my brother. I'm going to beat shit out of them fuckers even if the laws protect them and not berry."
Howl frowned. "TELL ME ABOUT THESE LAWS. YOUR QUEEN IMPOSED THEM? THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SULLY WHERE WE COME FROM. ANYONE WHO DARED HARM AN OMEGA WAS SEVERELY PUNISHED. IT WAS THE ONE THING THE BLOODY RED QUEEN DID RIGHT."
Stretch looked confused for a moment and seemed to accept what Howl said. He took a deep breath and began. "long ago, before the king left, but after their child died, the queen declared war on the humans. any human that fell was to have their souls collected, and once we had seven, the barrier could be broken. only a few know this next part. the king was sad and lost in his grief about his children, and an omega came to his ‘comfort.’” He made air-quotes around the last word. “that was the real reason the queen passed the sully law. she claimed that omegas couldn't control themselves, and if their family couldn't control them, they needed training. By this point, food and rations were already becoming scarce. omegas tended to have more children than most. So they got more rations. It became common for monsters to think of omegas as stealing food from them. So the Sully law got more backing. If omegas are found tempting good, clean monsters into sex, the rape is the omega's fault. Monsters see them as trying to burden and use the system, by getting pregnant and having more children. so Sully are made infertile, because they have already been tempting monsters. they cannot be controlled, therefore, they will do it again, and make more and more babies, taxing the limited resources. Our laws say, it is always the omega’s fault."
Howl listened with ever-growing fury. "TO THINK, THEY CALL YOUR KIND 'SOFT,'" he spat, disgusted. "EVEN IF THERE WAS NO KILLING IN YOUR UNDERGROUND, IT WAS NO BETTER THAN OURS. WORSE, EVEN. THERE IS NO SOFTNESS IN THIS STORY. ONLY CRUELTY. BLAMING A VICTIM FOR RELEASING SCENTS THEY CAN'T CONTROL... THE TRAUMA OF THE ORDEAL IS ALREADY TOO MUCH, AND TO ADD THIS...!" He put his knitting down before he could break the needles in his rage. "THIS WILL NOT STAND. I DON'T CARE WHAT I HAVE TO DO, BE IT VIGILANTISM OR REGICIDE. THE SULLY LAW WILL END."
Stretch smiled at him. "if you are willing to end this law. i'll back you. i hate it, but there was no way to change it underground. Now on the surface, resources are not an issue and it's also one of the few things keeping the common monster laws back. Our queen has refused council when it's about changing it." He looked back down at his brother.
"YOUR QUEEN COULD USE A NICE BEHEADING. IT WORKED FOR MINE." He inspected his phalanges like they were newly-filed nails. "BUT I WILL PLAY BY THE RULES OF THIS SURFACE WORLD. I SUPPOSE IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START WITH MY CAMPAIGNING, IN ANY EVENT." He looked back at the bed, with Berry hidden underneath. "IN THE MEANTIME. THERAPY."
The orange clad monster looked up from watching Berry. "i couldn't get him to go to therapy. maybe you can... he never was willing to talk about his time in the sanitarium, but maybe we could use his story to help you campaign for change. i'm sure once some hear berry's story, they will be other sullies willing to share their stories. There have been many families affected by the law."
"I WILL FIND A WAY TO CONVINCE HIM, EVEN IF I HAVE TO ACCOMPANY HIM AND SPILL SOME OF MY OWN SECRETS IN RETURN." Howl kept inspecting his sharpened phalanges, clicking a few together, checking their sharpness. A few could use some attention. "AND I'VE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. TELL ME... DO YOU KNOW IF THEY BUILT A NEW 'SANITARIUM' UP HERE TO CONTINUE THIS UNSEEMLY PRACTICE? PERHAPS SOME CANDID JOURNALISM..."
Stretch nodded. "they have, but only the queen, guards and 'doctors' know the exact location. As the other monarchs don't agree with the law, she didn't want interruptions, and she claims that the unclaimed sully being unsupervised would be a stain on society."
"THEN I WILL HAVE TO DO SOME DIGGING. UNFORTUNATE, BUT NOTHING I CAN'T HANDLE." He pulled out his phone and dialed.
Daemon reappeared at Vex's car. He got in while Vex started it. "I KNOW WHERE THE BASTARDS ARE," Vex said as he pulled out of the parking lot.
He pulled up to the undertale bar Red had found a job at. He parked carefully and headed inside, Daemon hot on his heels. Red was waiting, loitering around the table that housed the trio of guards. He was just setting down another pitcher of beer, and met his brother's gaze with a quick jerk of his head to beckon him. The taller skeletons came over as Red slipped away, back behind the bar. Vex eyed each monster up and down, memorizing their faces.
"GOOD EVENING," he said calmly. "I HEARD MENTION YOU MET A SKELETON EARLIER TONIGHT."
"Oh yeah?" Tal grabbed his beer and glanced at Red's figure at the bar, before smirking at Vex. "What's it to you? Are all skeletons one big happy family, huh?"
"SOMETHING LIKE THAT." He really wished he had stayed in the guard right about now. It would be so satisfying to drag them all outside kicking and screaming and slap some magic-suppressing cuffs on every one of them. Not as satisfying as killing them, but those days were behind him. "ARE YOU GOING TO COME WITH US QUIETLY OR DO I HAVE TO USE FORCE?"
"and you won't like it if we use force," Daemon added, hanging back only a few feet, his voice low and his alpha aura starting to permeate the area. It was powerful enough to make several bar patrons nervous, shifting away from him.
"We're not sssscared of you or your threatsssss," Pret hissed, casually looping his tail through his mug's handle. "We were following the law. The little berry wasssss already Sssssully. Twicccce assss bad asss a firsssst time offender."
"SEXUAL ASSAULT IS ILLEGAL," Vex said, his voice a growl.
"Omegas tempting good, clean monsters like us is illegal," Cory snorted. "We're swaps. We keep our own laws. There's nothing you can do to us."
"i can think of a few things i can do to you," Daemon said, his voice still too low and too deep. He started to lunge, but Vex grabbed him by the collar, stopping him. Daemon gasped in surprise, freezing, a hand going up to touch the leather now digging into his neck. He whined. The guards laughed.
"THIS ISN'T OVER." Vex pulled Daemon away, back outside. He was shaking with anger.
"why'd you stop me?" Daemon asked once outside, resettling his collar properly. "i know you wanted to kill them too."
"FOR ONE THING, MURDER IN A CROWDED BAR IS RELATIVELY HARD TO COVER UP," Vex responded dryly. "THINK OF THE REPERCUSSIONS. YOU WANT YOUR BROTHER'S CAMPAIGN SULLIED-" He cringed at the word with a horrific new meaning- "BY BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS? FOR ANOTHER, IT MAY MAKE US FEEL BETTER, BUT IT WON'T STOP THE SYSTEMATIC VICTIMIZATION GOING ON HERE. WE NEED TO KILL THIS AT THE SOURCE, INSTEAD OF MERELY TREATING THE SYMPTOMS."
Daemon huffed softly. "yeah, you've got a point... alright. we'll play the long game. ...thanks."
"DON'T MENTION IT."
Daemon's phone started to ring, he picked up. "yes, master?"
"WHERE ARE YOU?"
"outside red's work with vex. the three who hurt berry are inside... but they said what they did is legal, so we can't do anything to them."
"STRETCH HAS GIVEN ME SIMILAR INFORMATION. I NEED YOU TO FIND OUT WHERE THE SANITARIUM IS. ANY MEANS NECESSARY, SO LONG AS YOU'RE DISCREET. SELL OFF THE JOB TO A NOBODY IF YOU HAVE TO."
"okay, master." Daemon looked back at the doors. The uniforms they'd been wearing. "i know what to do."
"GOOD. ARE YOU BEHAVING?"
"yes, master. um. vex is helping."
"THEN CONTINUE TO ALLOW HIM TO DO SO WHEN I CAN'T."
"uh-huh. i'll be good, i don't wanna make a mess of things."
"GOOD." He sounded pleased. Maybe a little fond. "TAKE YOUR TIME."
"mhm. bye, master." He hung up and looked to Vex. "hey, you don't sleep a lot, right?"
"NOT REALLY. WHY?" Vex also glanced back at the bar. Red was at the table of those bastards, slamming a bill down and bristling.
"you wanna do a stakeout with me?"
"...I'M IN.”
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry wakes up after the assault with a broken shoulder and covered in mess. He calls Howl and begs to be brought home, traumatized from his 'correction.' Howl and Daemon arrive and Daemon heals Berry and asks why his collar doesn't protect him. They get Berry back home and try to put Berry on the bed, and he resists, saying he doesn't want another correction because he is not allowed to nest. Berry explains about omegas who 'tempt' other monsters in Underswap are illegal and get taken away to the Sanitarium to be corrected, and the collar symbolizes they are Sully. Howl is very shaken by the explanation. He promises to stay while Berry rests. Vex and Stretch arrive at the rec center to look for Berry, and Daemon goes back and tells them what happened. Daemon brings Stretch back home while Red calls Vex and tells him there are monsters at the bar he works at bragging about hurting a skeleton. Vex goes to the bar (and Daemon follows after putting Stretch at home) and they confront the guards, who claim they were following the law. Daemon almost attacks, but Vex pulls him back. Howl asks Stretch about the Sully laws, and Stretch explains that the queen made the law after her husband cheated on her with an Omega after their child died. Howl vows to end the law and sends Daemon to find out if there is a new Sanitarium. Daemon enlists Vex's help to go with.
Chapter 5: How am I Gonna Be an Optimist About This?
Summary:
In which Howl promises to protect Berry, and teaches him a few things.
And in which Daemon and Vex investigate hell.
Notes:
I hope you all enjoy this chapter a lot of questions get answered. Why not comment and let use know what you thought and what you think might happen?
Chapter tags: Victim-blaming thoughts, political talk, discussion of speaking about trauma, conditioning, fear/pain conditioning, torture, non-descriptive/non-graphic mention of ongoing rape, description of unethical scientific experimentation
I'll block off the worst parts of the trek through the Sanitarium in bold!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The night passed without much of an event. Stretch brought out a rollaway bed for Howl. The expecting monster stayed up with them for a while. Whenever Berry would start to whimper in his dream, he projected love and safety, which soon had the traumatized skeleton quieting down. Sometime late in the night or early in the morning, Stretch went to bed.
Howl stayed up with Stretch. He was knitting with powerful intent, focusing all his protectiveness and pride and care into every row. He projected it as well, a strong omega's nurturing scent that helped quiet the smaller monster after his brother went to sleep. Howl only went to sleep when he was done, curling up on the extra bed. He was now asleep, nestled in blankets and looking peaceful.
Memories played in Berry‘s mind, bleeding into his dreams, and he woke up a little while after Howl fell asleep. He stayed under the bed for a while after waking up, remembering where he was and trying to process all that had happened the night before.
'It's best not to dwell on corrections. Learn from them and change the behavior, so it doesn't happen again. Focus on the now,' he told himself. The feeling his senses told him about. The rough feeling of the blanket on his sore bones. The soft material his phalanges gently caressed. There was a strong scent that was starting to fade with time, but as he laid under the bed remembering, the smell helped calmed his mind and soul. It was cool and fruity? Refreshing, like a calm summer day, and you knew if you indulged in it, you would feel safe... warm… home. It helped make the correction feel like a bad dream he could push away the darkness of his subconscious.
He was there for some time, letting that fading scent encircle him and nurture him in its loving embrace. It calmed him. After the sun started to peek through the window, he peeked out his head to see he wasn’t alone. Howl had kept his promise. Berry watched the fell monster sleep. He could smell Howl’s scent lingering the strongest around the sleeping monster. A good nurturing omega was helping soothe his hurt soul. Howl had helped him so much last night. Even now, he was helping him. Both Howl and Daemon. His soul felt the warmth and he thought it might be the last of the heat making his soul beat a little faster thinking of them.
‘HOWL DESERVES MY BEST,’ Berry thought. ‘I WANT TO THANK HIM. I WANT TO MAKE HOWL HAPPY. HE KNOWS HOW BAD I CAN BE. I NEED TO SHOW HIM HOW GOOD I CAN BE.’ So Berry decided to make a quick breakfast for him. The small monster didn’t even notice that he was still in his ripped shirt (his pants remains fell off while he slept). Berry's mind was focused on the task at hand: ‘MAKE BREAKFAST. KEEP BUSY AND BE GOOD.’ His mind couldn’t handle more details at the moment. He got his egg cookbook and made his way quietly to the kitchen.
It was a challenge to cook with his broken arm, he hadn't had to deal with broken bones for a long time, but he was able to make it and brought the plate of scrambled eggs and took it back up to Howl.
"HOWL..." he called out gently.
Howl stirred when his name was called, blinking open his sockets. He sat up upon noticing Berry and quickly averted his gaze. "GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"
"OKAY." Luckily, his soul only felt a little warm, the brutal lesson had broken his heart. ‘BUT I’LL NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE DURING A HEAT AGAIN; PILLS OR NO PILLS. I’LL BE GOOD,' Berry told himself. Memories of the correction tried to come to the front of his mind and he pushed then to the back of his mind, into the deep darkest oubliette of his mind, where he kept all the details of his lessons trapped that he tried not to remember. He changed the subject. "I MADE YOU BREAKFAST." He held up the plate in his good hand.
"THAT'S GOOD." Howl eyed the breakfast. "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT, YOU'RE INJURED. YOU NEED REST AND TO NOT MOVE A LOT." But he took it nonetheless. "IT LOOKS GOOD. THANK YOU."
Berry blushed at the gratitude and concern. "ITS OKAY. IT'S JUST ONE BROKEN BONE." He said honestly, it was not that bad, he'd had worse. Berry sat on the floor and watched Howl eat.
"THAT ISN'T OKAY," Howl said, frowning. "ANY BROKEN BONES IS TOO MANY." He started to eat.
Berry pulled up his knees and thought about what Howl had said. Then he noticed he was still in his ripped shirt and dried bits on his bones. His blush deepened and went to get clean clothes. "I SHOULD TAKE A SHOWER."
"AH. YES. BUT AFTER YOU'RE DONE, I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU,” Howl said. “DON'T PUT ON A NEW BANDANA YET."
"OHHH, OKAY." Berry put the bandana back. He went to the shower and turned it on hot. He looked at the spunk that didn't get absorbed and was now dried to his pelvis. It made the memories come back to the front of his mind. Memories of the Sanitarium and of the first night he was taken there. He shivered and a quiet whimper came from him. He crawled into the shower and started to scrub hard at the mess like it was a dirty, filthy pot. Tears mixed in the water and he said, "I'M SULLY. I DESERVE IT. I NEEDED A CORRECTION."
The off-color didn't go away at first, but after a while, his pelvis was turning purple from the red of his marrow and his magic making a healing matrix. The pain of the hot water hitting the injured bone brought his mind back and he could see that his pelvis wasn't the color of the guard's cum. He stood under the water and let the clean water wash away the tears from his face. He got out. He didn’t feel clean, but he hadn’t felt clean in years. He got dressed carefully with his pelvis and arm and went back into his room. Berry took a few deep breaths before he twisted his fingers entering the room and sat on the knees in front of Howl, mostly to keep his pelvis off the floor, and asked, "WHAT DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?"
Howl looked up from smoothing something out in his hands. "A FEW THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU, IF YOU'LL ACCEPT IT."
"I.." Berry didn't know what to say. He started to twist his fingers nervously, thinking, ‘I DON’T DESERVE A GIFT.’
"IT'S SOMETHING I MADE." Howl held up the finished product of his nighttime toiling. It was a soft blue bandana, fuzzy and knitted with a tight pattern. Slightly stretchy, but pretty stable. The black 'B' stood out in the front, bold and pretty. "I WAS HOPING YOU'D WEAR IT ALL THE TIME, LIKE A COLLAR." He paused, and then went on quickly. "I WAS UNAWARE WHAT COLLARS IN YOUR UNDERGROUND MEANT, BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE THAT IN MINE. DAEMON WEARS MY COLLAR BECAUSE I PROTECT HIM AND CARE FOR HIM. I WOULD DO THE SAME FOR YOU IF YOU LET ME."
Berry was taken back at the proclamation. Howl was so kind. Even after he found out that Berry was Sully. He wanted to protect him, to keep him. He and Daemon brought him home. Berry nodded. "THANK YOU." He wiped away tears of joy. ‘HE REALLY WANTS TO KEEP ME.’ Berry was so relieved.
The sitting skeleton looked at the knitted work. It wasn't like his current collar. This bandana was so soft, warm, and Howl made it just for him. Berry felt so wanted, loved and happy at that moment, "I'LL GLADLY WEAR IT."
Howl smiled a rare, genuinely soft smile. "I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT." He offered the bandana to Berry, his arms stretched out to present it but not touching him. "IT HAS PLENTY OF PROTECTIVE AND NURTURING INTENT. IT SHOULD ALWAYS FEEL WARM AND SAFE."
Berry smiled at that and when he touched it, he was overwhelmed by the level of intent. He gently worked the material in his hands getting used to the intent before he went to put it on. Once he was ready it took a little puzzle solving with his broken shoulder, but it was worth it. It was soft and warm and it covered this sully collar, hiding his mark from the world. He pet it and ran his fingers over the knitting some more. At that moment he felt safe, wanted, loved. He let out a small happy purr. "THANK YOU."
"YOU ARE VERY WELCOME. I'M GLAD YOU ACCEPTED IT. NOW, THERE IS ONE OTHER MATTER I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU. IT IS, UNFORTUNATELY, A LITTLE HEAVIER." He laced his fingers together delicately. "STRETCH INFORMED ME OF THE LAWS OF YOUR KIND. THEY ARE UNACCEPTABLE. I'M GOING TO CHANGE THEM, BUT I'LL NEED YOUR HELP."
The purr died and Berry looked at Howl, confused. So many questions came to mind, but the one to make it past his teeth was, "HOW?"
"WITH MY CAMPAIGN, OF COURSE. I'M ALREADY GOING TO BECOME THE LEADER OF ALL MONSTERKIND, I CAN START BY DISMANTLING HORRIBLE LAWS LIKE THIS SULLY LAW. I WILL RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT IT TO EVERYONE AND EXPLAIN HOW WRONG IT IS, AND LOBBY FOR IT TO BE REMOVED."
Berry was in awe hearing Howl’s plan. This had to be a dream, but every dream had to come to an end. His happiness started to fall as he realized what might happen and said, "THE QUEEN WON'T LIKE BEING CHALLENGED. SHE'LL TRY AND STOP YOU."
"I AM NOT AFRAID OF HER," Howl scoffed. "IF I COULD, I'D KILL HER. BUT I CAN'T. SO I SHALL BEAT HER WITH POLITICS AND MAKE HER WISH I'D KILLED HER."
Berry admired Howl's boldness. He had no love for the monarch, but it also worried Berry. The Queen was strong and she was... well, the Queen. His brother, the Judge, could only claim Berry. He couldn’t get the laws changed. He was bound by magic to uphold the law. That was one of the reasons Stretch had been able to claim Berry.
The smaller skeleton wanted to believe in Howl. Would it really work? Could he stand up to a boss monster… The Queen herself? He started to squeeze the bandana. Soft, safe, warm, and from Howl. It calmed Berry a lot, but he was still worried. Then another question came to Berry. "WHEN YOU SAY 'RAISE AWARENESS,' YOU'RE GOING TO TELL THE FELL ABOUT SULLY?" He continued to rub the cloth between his phalanges, trying to gain more courage.
"YES," Howl said, crossing one leg over the other absently and resting his chin on both hands, his fingers still laced together. "THAT IS WHY I NEED YOUR HELP. IT IS NOT EASY TO TALK ABOUT TRAUMATIC EVENTS LIKE THIS ONE. I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS. HOWEVER, TELLING PEOPLE OF A REAL EVENT THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THIS LAW WILL RAISE SYMPATHY. PEOPLE WILL BE POSITIVELY SLOBBERING FOR THE CHANCE TO GET REVENGE ON BEHALF OF YOU AND OTHER VICTIMS. ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM MY HOME, WHO ARE AWARE HOW IMPORTANT AND REVERED OMEGAS ARE. I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THOSE FROM VEX'S HOME FEEL THE SAME. I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE ABOUT THE CLASSICS, BUT IT'S A RISK I'M WILLING TO TAKE. BESIDES, EVEN IF THEY DON'T AGREE, THAT'S TWO CULTURES AGAINST TWO. THE HUMANS ALSO BALK AT SUCH TREATMENT OF PEOPLE, SO BY SHEER NUMBERS, THERE IS NO WAY WE WON'T BE VICTORIOUS. SO LONG AS THE MASSES HEAR A STORY THEY CAN FEEL SOMETHING ABOUT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
Berry flinched as if he was hit and took a step back. His fingers gripped tightly in the material. The small monster took a few gulps of air before saying, "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT... I DON'T LIKE REMEMBERING."
"I KNOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO REMEMBER. AND I WON'T FORCE YOU. THIS IS A REQUEST, NOT A DEMAND."
A request, not a demand, that quieted the rising panic. Berry thought more about what Howl said and a part of what Howl said clicked. "OMEGAS ARE IMPORTANT TO FELL MONTERS?" He said in disbelief.
Howl nodded once. "YES, THEY ARE VERY HIGHLY VALUED IN MY CULTURE, AS THEY PROVIDE THE NURTURING AND STABILITY NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN STABLE ECONOMY, ORGANIZATION, AND OVERALL DAILY LIFE. THE ALPHAS WOULD TEAR EACH OTHER TO SHREDS WITHOUT US GUIDING THEM. WE KEPT SAVAGERY AND LAWLESSNESS AT BAY. WE RAISED THE YOUNG TO BE GOOD MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. WE KEPT PEOPLE'S HOPE FROM FAILING IN DARK TIMES. WE ARE LIKE A FLAME THAT LIGHTS THE WAY FOR EVERYONE ELSE."
"WOOWER...." It was like listening to a story. Omega were good. Needed. A light of hope. Berry wanted to be that. His hand snaked under the bandana and touched his Sully collar.
Dirty. Unclean. Sully.
"I CAN BE GOOD? I'M SULLY. "
"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SULLY," he said, his voice firm but not harsh. "IT IS MADE UP BY YOUR HATEFUL QUEEN. YOU ARE VERY GOOD. YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SO, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE SO, AS LONG AS YOU VALUE MAKING THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE HAPPY."
Tears lined Berry’s sockets. Howl said he was very good. Only Stretch said that, knowing that he was a Sully. 'MAYBE....' Berry’s soul felt lighter as he considered Howl’s request, "IF I TELL ABOUT THE SANITARIUM, I'LL BE GOOD?"
"ONE IS NOT RELIANT ON THE OTHER. YOU CAN BE A GOOD PERSON AND NOT TELL YOUR STORY. I WOULD NEVER FORCE YOU. BUT IT WOULD HELP MANY PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU. IN THE END, THE DECISION IS YOURS."
Berry thought about it. His hand slid away from his collar to the bandana. It gave him courage. He wanted the laws changed, he wanted to help, he wanted to be good, and helping others was good, "I WANT TO HELP."
Howl smiled again. "VERY WELL, I AM PROUD OF YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. WE CAN DO THIS ANY WAY YOU'D LIKE. FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO GIVE A SPEECH TO THE MASSES IMMEDIATELY. YOU COULD START WITH TELLING OUR FRIEND GROUP, OR A THERAPIST. THERAPY CAN BE A GREAT HELP."
"I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE.” Berry confessed, “WOULD YOU GO WITH ME TO THE THERAPIST?"
"IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WISH, THEN YES, OF COURSE. DAEMON CAN COME TOO, IF YOU'D LIKE. THERE ARE NO SECRETS BETWEEN THE TWO OF US."
Berry let out a breath of relief. Happy for the support. "OKAY."
"WHEN DO I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT?" He asked quietly. He needed time to prepare mentally for it.
"WELL... THE SPECIFICS ARE UP TO YOU. FOR THE THERAPIST, IT'S REALLY WHATEVER YOU WANT. YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING AND IT WILL STAY IN OUR CONFIDENCE. WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THE MASSES, YOU SHOULD MAINTAIN A DELICATE BALANCE OF CLINICAL TONE AND EMOTION. KEEP THE DESCRIPTION OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO YOU CLINICAL, BUT GO IN-DEPTH ABOUT YOUR EMOTIONS."
"I DON'T KNOW IF CAN..." Just thinking about some of his 'lessons' had Berry shivering in cold fear. He fingered the soft bandana, feeling the warmth and love in it. "BUT I'LL TRY."
"AS I SAID, NO ONE WILL FORCE YOU. JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN, BERRY. I AM PROUD ENOUGH WITH THAT."
Howl’s words filled him with determination, but he wasn’t ready for Howl to leave. "WILL YOU STAY WITH ME FOR A WHILE?" Berry asked. "WE COULD KNIT AND WATCH TV?"
"OF COURSE. THAT SOUNDS LOVELY." Howl pulled out his knitting again. "HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTICING?"
Berry nodded and hurried to the nightstand and pulled out his knitting and showed it proudly to Howl. There was the tell tail hourglass shape in spots of adding and dropping stitches in spots, but it didn't look too bad.
"THIS IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD FOR A FIRST KNITTING. CAREFUL WITH DROPPING STITCHES, GO SLOW."
Berry beamed at the prize from Howl, "THANK YOU." He took the work back and headed downstairs with Howl.
Meanwhile, Daemon and Vex were trailing the wolf guard from his house to the Sanatorium. It was far out of the way, in a secluded area hidden off the highway. It made sense that no one would stumble upon it accidentally. Daemon watched the guard go in, then cracked his knuckles. "we're gonna have to put on disguises."
"RIGHT." Vex pulled on his leather gloves a little, tightening them, as they got out of the car to find the perfect place for an ambush. The next two guards that arrived were promptly knocked out. They took the clothes to put on. Vex's were a little tight and uncomfortable, but he'd deal. The unconscious guards were then ported away by Daemon, and they headed inside.
Once the two had passed the automatic locking doors with their confiscated badges, there was a long hallway leading to an elevator and a map to the side of it. The hall continued further past it. As they look closely at the map, most of the upper floors were listed as offices, archives, and private testing/training areas. The main floor seemed to have a large break/dining area and locker room for employees. The lower levers were listed as subjects and training rooms.
"WE DON'T HAVE TO BOTHER WITH THE MAIN FLOOR, AT LEAST NOT YET. LET'S DO THE LOWER FLOORS FIRST AND POKE AROUND." Vex said
Daemon replied, "good idea." They headed into the elevator. There was a slot just below the buttons. The elevator required the use of the badges as keys. Once they slid it in, it took the input from the call button. Shortly after there was a 'ding' doors opened for them to enter. There seemed to be 4 lower levels.
B1- Lesson/Training Area
B2- Physical Restraints and Isolation Rooms
B3- New Subjects Rooms /Intake
B4- Permanent Subject Rooms
Vex decided to go to B1 first, to just creep around in order. They exited into the floor. It was quiet in the hall. They took an educated guess as they looked around that the rooms and halls were set up in a grid. The halls were the blinding clean white of a lab. A few guards they did not recognize were waiting outside a random door, talking about what they would do after work.
The door opened, and a person in a lab coat pushed out a quietly crying monster. They were naked, only wearing a Sully collar. The monster in the lab coat was talking to someone in the room. "...test is positive. The outlook is promising." They shoved the Sully towards the guards. "Return them to their cell."
The guards replied, "yes sir," and grabbed the omega’s upper arm and pulled them towards the elevator.
Howl and Daemon watched from a distance quietly. Only years of training from the royal guard helped keep Vex's emotions in check. The test was positive… What was the test? They moved to look into a nearby door.
(PRETTY BAD CONDITIONING STARTS HERE)
The room they peeked in had a large, soft, warm-looking nest in the middle of it. There was also an audio loop saying, "...Only good clean omegas can have privileges of nesting. Sully don’t deserve to nest..."
There were three monsters, all only wearing Sully collars. Each had a chain tethering them to the wall. There was a fourth chain on the unused wall.
Two monsters were curled up next to the nest just barely touching, seemingly trying to take comfort from the closeness, but looking longingly at it. The third monster was crying, looking to be at a breaking point. Their hands crept closer and closer. They gave in to the burning need for the comfort of the soft, warm nest. They touched the nest. A jolt of electricity made their body arch for a few blinding moments of pain before they fell to the ground. They convulsed a few times before whimpering and sobbing and backing away from it.
Daemon watched the third monster cry and convulse from touching the nest. His hands balled into fists. "berry cried when i tried to put him in bed," he whispered. "this must be why."
Vex's expression turned dark. "LET'S KEEP GOING." He moved to the next testing room.
They worked their way around the corner. There were many different tests and experiments in the rooms. Some clipboards noted the subject behaviors that were trying to be 'fixed.' Tests and treatments were wide and varied.
Vex watched one room, startled, as the omegas inside were knelt on the cold hard floor, naked and cuffed, with guards standing over them. They were chanting mantras, over and over, about what being a Sully meant, how bad they were, that being an omega was a horrible crime against monsterkind. Any that took too long of a pause in between words got smacked or punched. One guard had a crying monster's cuffed hand. "The more you resist your treatment, the more forceful you make us treat you." There was a sickening snap and the monster screamed as the guard grabbed their next finger. "Do you need another correction?" The monster struggled to resume their chanting between their sobs. The guards all looked entirely too pleased about it. Feeling sick, Vex and Daemon moved on.
On floor B2, when they entered the quiet halls, there were rooms with one-way mirrors where guards were trying to seduce omegas, reaching out, asking for hugs, purring out soft requests, and the omegas, many with bandages or bruises for past lessons, tried refused the comforting touches they so desperately wanted. The hurt monsters closed off and avoid their touches, trying to avoid 'tempting' the guards. Any omega that accepted a comfort or compliment got shoved and kicked.
Daemon and Vex took a quick break in the elevator. Neither said a word as they tried to keep calm and remember this was only a simple reconnaissance mission.
Too soon, the elevator dinged again and the doors to B3 open. It was a stark contrast to the last floor. Screams, lots of screams, speckled with loud pleads for it to stop. They were echoing down the hall.
As they searched the hall, omegas were flat-out being molested, by either one or more guards, who were cackling or insisting how bad the omegas were as they cried. Both interlopers were very shaken. Tense. They were barely keeping themselves in check when they reached B4.
The elevator doors opened to a quiet hallway, instantly putting them on alert. Unlike any of the other floors, this one was dimly lit. Feelings of despair and sadness stained the halls. The smell of desperation and sex hung in the halls.
"this is where the people no one will claim are," Daemon whispered. "they'll be here until they die."
"WHICH MIGHT NOT TAKE LONG, IF THEY'RE ABUSED ENOUGH TO FALL DOWN," Vex whispered back. Solemn, they started poking around.
The long hallway had doors that were spaced evenly. On each heavy metal door was a sliding window door to pass food through. When they looked through some of them, they noticed it was two monsters per room. A slate hung on either side of the cell as a bed and a single ruff blanket for each. Some monsters were at the opposite side of the cells sleeping on either on or below the 'bed.'
Other cells had monsters that were huddling together for comfort. They threw themselves apart and said they were being good. Begged not to have a correction. They pleaded that they were not touching, just sleeping next to each other as they crawled apart to the ends of the room.
In the last cell they checked, they found a wolf guard. He was raping one of the monsters. The other monster was curled up under the other bed crying softly, trying not to be noticed.
Vex and Daemon both looked grim when they recognize Cory. Vex again had to grab at Daemon's collar and pull him back before Daemon could lose his cool and attack.
(HERE ENDS DEPICTION OF CONDITIONING)
They took another breather in the elevator, before trying to head for the floor with the archives. But the elevator would not accept the input. The small screen said inefficient access.
Vex and Daemon exchanged a glance. "guess guards aren't allowed in."
"WE'LL HAVE TO GET DOCTOR BADGES, THEN."
"guess we gotta beat up another two jerks." He cracked his knuckles, a tight smile on his face. They went to the ground floor to see if they could isolate anyone.
The elevator opened to the ground floor. When they looked at the map next to it, they saw to the west was a gym area with lockers, and to the east was the lunch area. There was a monster in a lab coat heading into the lunchroom.
Vex moved quickly without processing much. A swift punch to the back of the head, and he grabbed the doctor's badge. Daemon helped drag the limp body with them, back to the elevator, and they went to the archive level.
The doors opened into the archive. It was a quiet area, only a hum of electricity in the air. There was a computer at one end hooked up to an impressive server. The other end held old paper records, mostly from the days in the underground.
They dragged the unconscious man towards the rows of paper records and shoved him in a corner, pulling a few boxes up to hide them from view. Then they started looking for Berry's file in the boxes.
It took a good chunk of time to find the files on Blueberry Aster. Most of the older files were stamped in big red letters on the covers, 'DUSTED.'
The number of files on monsters that were dead was disheartening to the two trespassers. Finally, they came across one small box, in the far back. the files were marked black with 'claimed' on them. They grabbed and read through Berry's file intently.
Berry's file was big, and there were photos of him throughout his stay. Documentation of broken bones for corrections and 'medical procedures'. It looked like Berry was started on standard therapy given to omegas: Aversion therapy, mantras, and tests that were administered by mostly the same 3 guards. Cory, Pert and Tal. There were a lot of reports of failure of tests.
The lack of improvement in Berry’s case had nominated him as a 'perfect candidate' for the new experimental 'treatments.' Experiments with determination. A set of notes talked about partial removal of two ribs to make access to his magical core easier when the bound monster was thrashing on the table. Listed under the images was scientific data that didn't make sense to either monster and notes of the aftermath of the treatments. There were sheets and sheets of detailed observation notes, anecdote records, and photos of piping insertion into the small, bound monster's sockets and his magic via the hole in his ribs. The images featured his magic being filtered through machines and merged with other chemicals and determination before being replaced.
One of the last observational notes talked about Berry’s bones becoming softer and sticky during the treatments. Another set of notes were about how dosage had been increased incorrectly, but the royal scientist corrected it before the 'treatment' was deemed unsuccessful and the subject was lost. The dosage was lowered and a random test for cognitive deterioration was started. The notes were written in wingdings that the royal scientist was going to restart the experiment when new base-level data was done being collected.
Thankfully, Berry was claimed by this brother shortly after.
The file shook ever so slightly in Vex’s hands. The documentation of broken bones and experiments was upsetting, and they'd even removed two ribs. He took a deep breath to settle his building rage. Then, Vex took pictures of each of the files with his phone quickly. He didn't think it prudent to risk taking them, but maybe Red could make sense of the data they were using. When that was done, he carefully slid the file back.
The elevator dinged and there was the familiar gruff voice of Cory whining, "yes, Dr. Gaster, I'm sure it was Blueberry, the skeleton. I know that omega's smell anywhere. He is out there tempting again."
The two of them froze at the sound of the elevator. Vex shoved the unconscious monster closer into the hiding spot and they hurriedly went around to a different row, out of sight, creeping as quietly as possible.
Gaster huffed. "We can't have that." He smiled. "We will have to have it returned for new training as the experimental training didn't work." He was heading down the aisle. He had been planning so much before the Judge came and took his best test subject.
Cory was fast on his heels. "When do you want me to get him?"
Gaster tsked. "You won't. They've got connections, his brother is a problem. I'll have to consult her Majesty." He pulled the file out. They headed back to the elevator.
The two infiltrators exchanged a glance. That wasn't good. Daemon pulled out his phone and quickly texted his brother, making sure it was on silent so any reply wouldn't give them away. What he got in response made him relieved. They waited for the two monsters to leave via the elevator, then crept back out.
Vex turned to his accomplice. "I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION. WE SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE WE'RE TRAPPED."
"good idea."
They were able to sneak out of the building without a problem. Soon they were back on the street, far enough away that the magic dampeners of the building didn't affect them.
"WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET BERRY TO SAFETY," Vex began, but Daemon shook his head with a smile.
"don't worry."
"WHY NOT?"
"my master already has it covered." Daemon ported them back to Vex's car so he could drive it home.
It had been a good day. Berry stayed in the house with Howl and his brother. They knitted and watched some food channel and quiz shows.
Berry was washing the veggies, careful of his shoulder. Howl told him not to cut them because of his injury. It didn't hurt right now. His brother had changed the wrapping on it and added healing salves.
Berry tried not to think about the bone and his lesson as he washed. He had out carrots, pearl onions, potatoes, thyme, and rosemary. All things Howl had said they needed for the stew.
Howl was currently looking over their red wine selection (two bottles) to see which would be better to use in the cooking. He picked out the merlot since they were making a beef and vegetable stew. He was dismayed that they didn't have anything more expensive to drink on its own, though.
Daemon arrived with a port, and nodded to them both, back in his usual clothes. "it's done, master."
"OH, GOOD. GO HOME AND GET ME THE VINTAGE MERLOT."
"which one?"
"THE 30 YEAR ONE I ALREADY OPENED WILL DO."
"okay, master. hiya, berry, be right back." He waved and was off again.
Berry waved at Daemon. "HI." He started to bring small loads of dried veggies over to the cutting board next to Howl. "HOWL," he asked, "BECAUSE THESE ARE SMALL ONIONS WE DON'T CUT THEM, RIGHT? I CAN PUT THEM IN THE POT?"
"YES, THAT IS CORRECT." He nodded. "ANYTHING SMALL ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD EAT IT IN ONE BITE DOESN'T NEED TO BE CUT UP. UNLESS IT'S SEASONING OF COURSE."
Berry smiled and put them in the pot and brought over the last of the veggies. "THEY'RE ALL WASHED."
"EXCELLENT. GOOD JOB." He started to cut the veggies with practiced ease, his hands bare of gloves and freshly washed. Daemon returned with the wine.
"want me to pour you some, master?"
"YES. AIR IT OUT FOR ME."
"of course." He found a wine glass.
Berry watch in awe as the knife moved with practice ease along Howl's knuckles. "WOOWER! YOU'RE FAST..." As Howl finished a veggie and scraped it over, Berry collected into a bowl and carried it to the roasting pot.
"SPEED COMES WITH PRACTICE. DON'T TRY TO MIMIC ME AND BE FAST YOURSELF WHEN YOU CUT VEGETABLES, OKAY? SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT. YOU SEE HOW I'VE CURLED IN MY FINGERS AND KEEP THE KNIFE AGAINST MY KNUCKLE SO THERE'S NO CHANCE OF CUTTING MYSELF? THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO."
Berry nodded, "I'LL GO SLOW AND BE GOOD," he reassured Howl. Soon, all the veggies were in the pot with the meat and broth. He yawned and rubbed at his sockets, but smiled happily. Once the stew was on the heat, he headed back to the living room. He was feeling drained and yawned again.
"hey, there bro." Stretch beckoned Berry over and rubbed the side of his arm. "you're looking pretty tired. why don't you go lay down for a bit."
"YES, IT'S ALRIGHT IF YOU TAKE A NAP. THE COOKING PART IS DONE FOR NOW," Howl agreed.
Berry nodded. "OKAY." He rubbed his sockets some more. "PLEASE WAKE ME WHEN IT'S READY. I DON'T WANT TO SLEEP THROUGH DINNER." He was looking forward to trying their joint project.
Stretch replied, "sure thing bro."
Howl looked to Daemon and beckoned. "YOUR BRIEFING?"
"of course, master." They went outside.
At that point, Vex arrived home as well via car. He watched them go and Berry get settled down, and then gently touched his mate's hand. "STRETCH? CAN WE GO SPEAK IN OUR ROOM?"
"oh, sure." Stretch took Vex's hand and headed up the stairs. "where were you all night?"
"WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT." He made sure the door was closed before he turned to face Stretch and sat down. "AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TO BERRY, THE PEOPLE WHO'D... DONE IT... WERE AT THE BAR THAT RED WORKS IN. DAEMON AND I WENT TO SPEAK WITH THEM. MY HOPE WAS TO ARREST THEM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT ACCORDING TO YOUR LAWS, THEY CAN'T BE ARRESTED?"
Stretch looked angry. "That's right, but we can beat the crap out of them. We have a savings for bail."
He shook his head. "TEMPTING AS IT IS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO REALLY HELP. HOWL HAS DECIDED HE'S GOING TO GET THE LAW CHANGED SO THIS STOPS HAPPENING TO ALL OMEGAS. HE'S ALREADY MAKING PLANS. SO HE ASKED DAEMON TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS SANITARIUM IS AND WHAT EXACTLY GOES ON THERE."
The pregnant skeleton nodded in understanding and added, "the queen isn't going to like being challenged." He sighed and rubbed his tummy. "a lot of the swap monsters back the law, but maybe… now that we've been on the surface a while, they can stop being upset over a lack of rations."
"WELL, YES. THAT AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SEVERELY OUTNUMBERED. IN ANY EVENT, WE FOLLOWED A WORKER HOME LAST NIGHT TO FOLLOW HIM TO THE SANITARIUM THIS MORNING. WE MADE IT THERE AND SNUCK IN."
"oh man," He started to pat down Vex looking for any injuries. "you're okay, right? you didn't go alone, did you? you took red for backup? if you went alone so help us both...."
"OF COURSE I DIDN'T TAKE RED. HE'S ONLY GOT 1 HP ANYWAY. DAEMON WAS THERE. I'M ALRIGHT." He took Stretch's hand. "I'M FULLY CAPABLE OF TAKING ON A DOZEN IDIOTS IF NEED BE."
Stretch hugged Vex tight. He needed to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "berry would never tell me what happened in the sanitarium..."
"WELL, WE CERTAINLY FOUND OUT," he said bitterly. "WHAT THEY DO IN GENERAL AND WHAT THEY DID TO BERRY SPECIFICALLY." He held Stretch tightly. "IT'S NOT GOOD, STRETCH."
"i want to know. i've tried to help him for the last three years. he refuses to talk about it. how can I help him if he won't talk to me?"
"ALRIGHT." He sighed quietly. "IT'S NOT JUST GIVING THEM RULES. IT'S TORTURE." Vex eyelights narrowed as he remembered. "THEY'RE ZAPPED IF THEY TOUCH A NEST. BEATEN IF THEY DON'T RECITE MANTRAS. RAPED REGARDLESS OF THEIR BEHAVIOR..." He looked away. "IT'S ONE WAY TO MAKE AN OMEGA STERILE... THEY'RE TOO TERRIFIED TO EVER FEEL SAFE."
Stretch's magic drained from his face, his pretty pregnant glow squashed under the horror he felt. He grabbed tight onto Vex. "oh, berry… brother... years lost to that…" He snuggled closer to his mate. "howl said that he would suggest therapy to berry… he never accepted the idea when i offered though." Stretch exhaled, sounded exhausted already. "we have to end these laws now."
"YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S NOT THE WORST OF IT, THOUGH." He hesitated to continue. "THE ONES THAT DON'T GET CLAIMED... THEY'RE... EXPERIMENTED ON." His left hand subconsciously touched the back of his right, his secret hidden under the glove. "EVEN BERRY WAS, BEFORE YOU CLAIMED HIM. DID YOU KNOW HE'S MISSING TWO RIBS?"
"no..." stretch felt like he was going to be sick. "he doesn't like to be naked. even in front of me."
"THAT'S PROBABLY WHY, THEN. THEY REMOVED TWO TO REACH HIS SOUL EASIER... THEY WERE PUTTING THINGS IN HIM. CHEMICALS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT. I TOOK PICTURES AND SENT THEM TO RED, HE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT THE SPECIFICS."
Stretch was livid. "what do we need to do to stop this?"
"WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP HOWL GET THE LAW CHANGED. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE'S STARTING HIS BIG PLAN TOMORROW."
He nodded into Vex's chest. He wanted to march down to the Queen's office and get himself arrested, but that wouldn't help Berry at all, so he held onto Vex.
Vex held onto his mate, rubbing his back. "WE WILL FIX THIS," he vowed. "YOU LET US HANDLE IT. FOCUS ON THE BABY."
"he’s my brother. I need to be involved." He held on to his alpha and protector. Vex was Berry's alpha too, now. "i believe in you, vex, but i want to help too."
Vex sighed. "VERY WELL, I'LL... I'LL THINK OF SOMETHING."
"howl got berry to think about going to see someone and opening up more." Stretch balled his fists. It hurt that Berry had entertained the suggestion from Howl, but when Stretch brought it up before, Berry would always close up and not talk. It stung. Stretch could have gotten him help sooner... but back in the underground, Blueberry was scared of others knowing. He didn't want to leave his room, most of the time, let alone the house. Stretch had paid for a new house in Snowdin, as far away as he could get Berry from the past at the Sanitarium in New Home. He gave his big brother a bandana to hide his hated collar behind. So no one in the Snowdin wouldn’t know about his brother and his secret. If Berry had agreed to get help back then, maybe they would have treated him as a Sully and told the town.... he didn't want to believe that, but.... Berry probably did. Stretch asked himself, 'was that why Berry didn't want to talk about it back then?'
"i'll start looking for a rape and trauma counselor online. maybe he will agree to see one. a human or tale monster... maybe howl will convince him... i know it's scary for him, but i won't let him back down from this again. we'll make sure he has support."
"YES, YOU CAN DO THAT. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WOULD BOTH ACCOMPANY HIM WHEN HE GOES."
Stretch nodded. "okay." He kissed Vex. "thank you for telling me." He then walked over to his computer and started his search. He needed to keep his frustration and temper under control, for Berry's sake.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Howl and Stretch stay up late to keep Berry calm in his sleep. When Berry wakes up, he sees Howl asleep and makes him breakfast. He takes a shower to wash up and berates himself as he tries to get clean. Howl then gives him a just-knitted bandana to function as a collar, which in his culture promises protection and care. Berry accepts and uses it to cover his Sully collar. Howl then discusses challenging the Sully law and having Berry tell his story to gain support. Berry agrees, though he is nervous.
Daemon and Vex explore the Sanitarium by disguising themselves as guards. They see how the omegas are being abused, shocked whenever they touch nests, and taught to recite mantras about being worthless. They knock out a scientist and use his badge to find the files on Berry, and Vex takes pictures of them all before putting them back. Gaster and Cory arrive and they hide as the two discuss bringing Berry back for more 'correction.' When they leave with Berry's file, Daemon and Vex leave to return home.
Howl and Berry make dinner together, Berry careful not to aggravate his injury. When Daemon and Vex return, Daemon and Howl brief offscreen outside, and Vex goes to speak with Stretch alone. He tells Stretch all about what he saw, and Stretch is devastated and angry. He contemplates why Berry never asked for help, and decides he was probably scared. He sits down to find Berry a therapist.
Chapter 6: I Feel Sick to my Stomach, or am I Sick in the Head?
Summary:
In which Vex needs lots of coffee, Stretch really needs a cigarette, Howl's secret comes to light, and plans are made.
Notes:
Take care that you've read the tags, by the way, they come in and out of relevance throughout the fic. They're not all exactly chronological, either.
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next morning, when Vex woke up, Stretch held onto him like a koala in his sleep. He gave a little squeeze and rubbed his lover’s back. They were both the younger brother, and stars did he know how painful and exhausting it was to be worried over a sibling. His mind had been racing most of the night, sleep even more coy than usual. For once, he'd rather not go to work. He wasn't sure if Howl would need backup, for one thing, and he knew better than to work himself to the extreme (now). But he didn't really have a choice. He would just have to take it easy, let his assistants handle most of the demonstrating today and focus on administrative duties at his studio.
Just then, Stretch’s phone started to play an obnoxiously loud song, waking him up. The pregnant monster rolled over and grabbed the phone off the nightstand and tossed it at the wall.
Vex snorted quietly. “DON’T BREAK YOUR PHONE.”
Stretch grunted but didn’t move to get up.
Vex used his magic to pull the phone back over and handed it to Stretch, who gave a short moan of discontent as he pressed in the code and read the text. "my presence is required at a meeting at 10 am with the other diplomats, as the bitch is unable to attend.” He grumbled, getting reluctantly up and dressed.
“I NEED TO HEAD TO WORK TOO. GOOD LUCK, MY LOVE.” Vex kissed his mate goodbye and went to make an especially absurd amount of coffee to take with him for the day.
Howl was settled on the couch, laptop in his lap, doing research. Daemon sat with Berry on the floor as Berry folded laundry, barbecue sauce in hand.
“I NEED TO GO TO WORK, BUT IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL ME," Vex said as he slipped into his unnecessary high-heeled boots.
“VERY WELL,” Howl replied, eyeing said boots with envy.
“HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AT WORK,” Berry called out.
Daemon waved. “Bye.”
By the time Berry finished folding a load of clothes, Stretch was coming down the stairs. He rubbed Berry's head as a greeting. “morning.” He grabbed a toaster pastry and threw it in to heat up. He thought about addressing his brother, but he wanted to have Howl talk to Berry first. He looked at the time and sighed before calling out, “hey, could ya give me a port to the embassy, daemon?”
Daemon hummed at the request, and checked in with Howl. "master, i'll be back soon, okay?"
"YES, OF COURSE."
Stretch came out with his breakfast, and Daemon took Stretch's hand with a smile, and they were off.
A few minutes after Daemon left, there was a knock at the front door followed by the doorbell ringing.
Howl looked up at the sounds. "I'LL GET IT, BERRY, PLEASE STAND BACK." He put the laptop aside and got up to answer the door.
Berry had come out of the laundry room with a new set of clothes to be folded. "OKAY"
Howl took a peek out the window before he opened the door. There, in all her royalty, was the Queen of Underswap. Her Captain of the guard was standing off to the side looking calm, but sad. Howl did not let them into the house, blocking the doorway.
Her majesty spat, "I am here for my subject, Blueberry Aster."
Berry took a step back hearing the voice and shivered in his shoes as he came further into the room behind Howl. His voice was softer than normal as he replied, "I'm here, Your Majesty."
The Queen gave the small skeleton a dirty look, like one would give a filthy rat one had just found in the house. "It has come to my attention that you, Sully, are freely tempting here on the surface. I will not have Underswap's reputation be dirtied by the likes of an unclean omega running amuck. You are hereby ordered to be returned to the Sanitarium for retraining and to remain there until you are deemed fit to be in society.” She pointed a righteous finger at Berry. “Captain."
Al stepped forward. She wouldn’t look at Berry. "Let's go, Berry."
At the mention of the Sanitarium, Berry’s mind shut down. All he could think was ‘NO... NO... NO! NOT AGAIN!’ His bones rattled loudly.
Howl, still calm, put out a hand behind him to Berry. "LET ME HANDLE THIS, BERRY." He then put a fist to his chest and bowed. "GREETINGS, YOUR MAJESTY. I AM HOWL COATL, FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD IN FELLSWAP. IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET A QUEEN OTHER THAN MY OWN, UNWORTHY AS SHE WAS OF THE TITLE." He straightened again. "I AM AFRAID YOU CANNOT TAKE BERRY AT THIS TIME. IF I MAY DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO HIS NECK, YOU CAN SEE THAT HE IS IN MY COLLAR."
Berry's mind couldn’t understand what was being said, but Howl was talking. The small monster was too scared to move, so he stood there and trusted Howl to keep him safe.
The queen looked at Howl. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I am sorry it wasn't under better circumstances." She glanced at Berry, then back to Howl, "I don't see any collar,” she sneered. "Just a cloth. A poor attempt to hide his Sully collar."
"IT MAY BE KNITTED AND WITHOUT A CLASP, BUT IT IS INDEED A CIRCLE OF FABRIC WITH MY MAGIC IMBUED AND HIS INITIAL ON IT, AND THAT MAKES IT MY COLLAR," Howl asserted. "HE HAS ACCEPTED IT, AND THAT MAKES HIM MINE. UNDER FELLSWAP LAW, HE CANNOT BE PROSECUTED, AS I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIM. HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT TAKE ME IN HIS PLACE, BECAUSE I AM NOT YOUR CITIZEN. WE ARE AT AN IMPASSE."
Berry stood quietly behind Howl, his mind slowly coming back to him as he processed the words. The marked monster waited in fear of the answer.
"Howl, your laws are not ours. Perhaps this repugnant little omega has not told you, he is a Sully. A vile temptress of good monsters. Its training has failed it, so it needs to be reapplied. It is obvious you have fallen into its clutches. The best thing for all of monsterkind is for the Sully to be taken away. Please step aside."
"PRECISELY, MY LAWS AND YOUR LAWS ARE NOT THE SAME. I AM AWARE OF YOUR FILTHY LITTLE LAW BLAMING VICTIMS FOR BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. I AM AWARE OF THE TORTURE YOU CONSIDER TRAINING. YOU WILL NOT GET YOUR WAY." He stood straighter, his chin up, an icy resolve in his periwinkle eyelights. "HE IS IN MY COLLAR, AND THAT MAKES HIM A FELLSWAP CITIZEN. HE HAS DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY. IF YOU INSIST ON ATTEMPTING TO PROSECUTE HIM, THEN BY THE LAWS IN PLACE GOVERNING CROSS-CULTURAL DISAGREEMENTS, YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE US TO COURT. I AM ALREADY PREPARING MY CASE. FEEL FREE TO PREPARE YOURS. THOUGH, I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN WE INEVITABLY MEET IN FRONT OF A JUDGE AND JURY OF OUR PEERS, AND THE CITIZENS OF OTHER CULTURES LEARN THE DETAILS OF YOUR 'SULLY' LAW. GOOD DAY." He closed the door.
The Queen’s claws dug into her paws as she stared at the closed door. She turned away. "Come, Captain." Alphys followed, feeling a weird mixture of emotions.
Berry couldn't think about moving. He was squeezing his arms in a tight hug. He might wake up and be back at the Sanitarium. The Queen herself had come, but Howl got her to leave. He wasn't going back... tears of relief started to cascade down his face as that fact hit home. He squeezed himself harder just in case he was sleeping, yet he was still standing there next to Howl, breathing deeply. He wiped at his sockets. Once he found his voice, he called out in gratitude, "THANK YOU!"
Howl took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and then turned to face Berry with his head tilted up and a proud look on his face. "SHE WON'T SOON FORGET THAT ENCOUNTER, I DON'T THINK. YOU DID WONDERFULLY, BERRY. I AM PROUD OF YOU FOR BEING SO BRAVE."
A look of confusion graced Berry’s face as he looked at Howl. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING."
"YOU WERE BRAVE. YOU DIDN'T GIVE IN AND ACCEPT THEIR TERMS. YOU TOLD ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW TO PROTECT YOU. AND YOU ACCEPTED MY COLLAR, WHICH WAS THE BEST WAY TO KEEP YOU SAFE. ALL OF THAT WAS YOU, NOT ME."
Small hands went up and grabbed the new collar. Berry felt the warmth and intent from it. "I DID? I DID," he said with more confidence and cleaned his face up some more. He looked out the window. "SHE WASN'T HAPPY. SHE'S GOING TO GO TO COURT."
"YES, I ASSUMED SHE WOULD. BUT THAT IS FINE. NOW THAT THE STAGE IS SET, I CAN BEGIN DRAWING ATTENTION TO IT. I WILL BE ANNOUNCING THESE COURT PROCEEDINGS TO THE LEADERS OF ALL MONSTERS AND TO THE NEWS REPORTERS, AND OBTAIN WHAT POLICE PERMISSION I CAN TO INVESTIGATE THE SPECIFICS OF THE LAW."
Berry listened carefully and twisted the bandana and asked nervously, "DOES THAT MEAN I WILL HAVE TO TALK SOON?"
"SOON IS RELATIVE, BUT YES. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I HEAR YOUR BROTHER ALREADY FOUND US A THERAPIST, THOUGH. THAT SHOULD HELP."
Berry looked down and squeezed his bandana. He wasn't looking forward to that. He hoped one time would be enough.
"REMEMBER, IT'S WHATEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH."
"OKAY... THANK YOU, HOWL." Berry really could use a hug. Daemon and his brother were good at hugs. They made hugs feel safe. Would Howl want to hug…? "HOWL, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF I HUGGED YOU?'
Howl tensed up a little at the question, his arms drawing up around himself before he quite realized it. He forced them to drop again, frowning. "NO, ACTUALLY, THAT IS... NOT ACCEPTABLE." He looked off to the side. "PERHAPS WE COULD TOUCH HANDS?"
Berry was confused, he thought a bit about it. He didn't want to make Howl uncomfortable. Howl had helped so much, and now he was just scared? It brought back memories of others pulling away once they had known the horrible truth of what he was.
Filthy, dirty Sully. Forcing yourself on good clean monsters , the voice reminded him.
'Howl had not seemed to mind that I was Sully before,' he thought, but Howl had never touched Berry, now that he thought about it. "I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TOUCH HANDS. IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT?" Berry held out his hand. ‘I’LL TAKE THIS, IT HAS TO BE ENOUGH,’ he told himself.
"YES. THAT IS FINE. MY APOLOGIES. I AM TOUCH-AVERSIVE TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST YOU." He reached out with his own hand, clad in that soft cotton. It paused a few centimeters away, then settled on top of Berry's. He just held it, his grasp gentle. Sharp blue eyelights lifted from their hands to Berry's face.
Berry smiled at Howl when he said it wasn't just him. Some of the knots in his nonexistent stomach settled. It wasn't because he was Sully. Berry didn't move as Howl touched his hand. The glove was soft and warm in his hand. The short monster took the small offering and smiled brightly when Howl looked him in the face. "YOUR GLOVES ARE NICE."
"THANK YOU. I MADE THEM MYSELF. I DON'T MUCH LIKE TO TAKE THEM OFF."
"I CAN UNDERSTAND. THEY'RE VERY SOFT AND WONDERFUL." Berry kept his hand still. "YOU ARE VERY CRAFTY."
"YES, SOFTNESS IS WHAT I WAS GOING FOR." He squeezed gently. "I AM GOOD AT MANY THINGS. I MAKE IT A POINT TO BE."
The softness gently encircled Berry's hand, and his soul did flip flops as Howl squeezed. It was like the most tender of hugs. A blush bloomed across his face and he looked at Howl, smiling.
Howl watched Berry blush and felt a twinge in his own soul. He wasn't letting go just yet. "I DON'T MIND THIS. WE CAN HOLD HANDS WHENEVER YOU'D LIKE."
"REALLY?" he asked in awe. His eyelights morphed into stars. "THANK YOU. FOR EVERYTHING, HOWL." Berry tenderly squeezed back.
"YES, REALLY. YOU KNOW, DAEMON IS VERY ATTACHED TO YOU." He said it as if he weren't, so casual, but there was a faint flush to his cheekbones.
"He is?" Berry asked, a little shocked by the news. "I LIKE HIM A LOT TOO." He rubbed Howl's hand with his thumb. "I LIKE YOU BOTH A LOT."
Temptress! Unclean! Sully!
"I'M SORRY. I KNOW IT'S BAD. I'M BAD, I'M TEMPTING!" He wanted to pull his hand away, but it was so soft, so safe.
Howl shook his head. "IT'S NOT BAD," he said firmly. "YOU'RE NOT TEMPTING ANYTHING. THERE IS NO TRICKERY. WE SIMPLY HAPPEN TO LIKE YOUR PERSONALITY. ALSO, HE THINKS YOU'RE CUTE."
The blue blush deepened when Howl said that and he became a neon sign when he said Daemon thought he was cute. Maybe he wasn't...
TEMPTRESS. SULLY! MAKING GOOD MONSTERS FALL INTO YOUR GRASP, VILE TEMPTRESS! BAD!
Memories of lessons, including his last one outside the center, filled him.
YOU DESERVE THIS. YOU MAKE GOOD MONSTERS DO THIS. IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU'RE A VILE TEMPTRESS!
The blue flush left quickly and Berry flinched, pulling away and shaking. "I... IT IS. I'M BEING BAD... I'M SORRY. I WANT TO BE GOOD. I'M SORRY." 'I CAN'T HAVE THIS...' Berry told himself.
Howl let Berry pull away and folded his arms, watching Berry's reaction. "YOU ARE NOT BEING BAD," he asserted. "LOOK AT ME. I'M NOT TRYING TO TOUCH YOU. I'M NOT ATTEMPTING TO-" his expression twitched into a mildly disgusted one- "HAVE SEX WITH YOU. I'M MERELY SPENDING TIME WITH YOU. TOUCHING YOUR HAND. LIKE FRIENDS. HOW COULD THAT BE BAD?"
"FRIENDSHIP IS GOOD BUT ASKING FOR MORE. WANTING MORE...TOUCHING LEADS TO TEMPTING..." Correction after correction. Beating after beating. He squeezed the bandana, looking for comfort from the memories. "I WANT TO TOUCH YOU.” He amended, “WANTING IS BAD… IT LEADS TO TEMPTING."
"I ASSURE YOU, YOU CAN'T 'TEMPT' ME INTO BECOMING A RAPIST. IT SIMPLY WON'T HAPPEN. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PERSON IN POWER TO CONTROL THEMSELF AND NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. YOU WERE TAUGHT WRONG."
Berry looked up Howl and squeezed the bandana tight, shaking. He didn't know what to say to that. He wanted Howl to be right. He didn't want to be bad.
Temptress! Sully!
But everyone in Underswap who knew he was Sully, with only his brother as an exception (family is all a Sully has), had told him, again and again, it was his fault. They had beaten that fact into him. ‘I’M AN OMEGA. THEREFORE, I AM BAD.’
He had begged the monster not to use him that night he went looking for food for Stretch and himself. The guards had come from his screaming as he was being raped, and they arrested him for tempting his rapist into the vile act. He was taken to the Sanitarium… They made sure Berry knew it was his fault...
Howl said that it was wrong...
Berry shook, tears falling from his sockets, and slowly sank to the ground.
Howl knelt down beside him, wishing Daemon were back so he could help. There was only so much he could say... "LISTEN TO ME, BERRY," he said quietly. "YOU DIDN'T WANT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, RIGHT? YOU NEVER WANTED IT. HOW COULD IT BE YOUR FAULT IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT? THEY BLAME YOU TO ESCAPE THE BLAME THEMSELVES."
"I NEVER WANTED IT, BUT IT HAPPENED OVER... AND OVER..." He had a faraway look in his eyelights. "I ALWAYS FAILED THE TEMPTING TEST... I MADE THEM USE ME... EVERY TIME... " He hugged himself and started to cry harder. "I AM BAD! THEY MADE SURE I KNEW HOW BAD I AM! OVER AND OVER!" He took a few deep breaths. "then when they couldn't cure me..." he said quietly, slipping into lowercase and wrapping one arm around the hole in his ribs and the other over his left socket, "Dr. Gaster tried the experimental treatments...to cure me."
"YOU DID NOTHING OF THE SORT!" he hissed. "YOU DIDN'T MAKE THEM! THEY HAVE THEIR OWN MINDS AND THOUGHTS AND MORAL COMPASSES AND THEY. CHOSE. TO HURT YOU. ON PURPOSE. WITH THEIR OWN WORTHLESS LITTLE BRAINS. THEY MADE THAT DECISION. OVER AND OVER. BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO. BECAUSE THEY ENJOYED IT. THEY ARE SCUM AND YOU ARE BETTER THAN THEM." His hands balled into fists. "AND THAT MAN IN PARTICULAR… GASTER … HE HAD NO INTEREST IN CURING YOU. HIS INTEREST WAS USING YOU FOR HIS OWN GAINS."
Berry kept crying. The memories hurt. He always tried to push them back to the deepest darkest part of his mind and they had crashed into the light and into him. He sat there holding himself for a long while. Trying to believe Howl’s words, but it was hard to entertain the idea. Eventually, he had no energy left to cry and sat there shaking and sniffling.
Howl didn't know what else he could do. Watching Berry break down was viscerally uncomfortable. It brought back his own unwanted memories from many years prior. How small he had been then, a fraction of his current puny height, no high-heeled boots to give him an edge, no soft gloves to feel and know safety. No older brother with his smiling face and relaxed slouch and warm eyes. There was only his frail form and the dark room, a cold touch. Father's horrible smile and voice, reaching fingers...
He punched the wall, his teeth grit and his sockets narrowed to teary little slits. His hand shook against the small hole he'd made in the plaster.
Berry jumped when he heard the crunch of bones hitting the wall and looked up, wide-eyed.
"master?"
Daemon's voice came soft, careful, quiet. He was kneeling beside Howl, a respectful space between them, his hands clasped and harmless.
"do you need to go?"
Howl took a deep breath, then stood up and dusted off his hands. "FOR NOW. I WILL BE BACK. TAKE CARE OF BERRY. AND TELL STRETCH I WILL FIX HIS WALL LATER."
Daemon dipped his head, staying knelt below his brother's eye level. Howl left by the front door, rubbing the bruises on his knuckles.
Daemon turned to Berry, sitting cross-legged. "what can i do to help?"
Berry curled up into a ball and wiped at his sockets. He berated himself along with the voice for making Howl that upset. Howl was always kind and was making things better and Berry had ruined it. He hoped Howl wouldn't ask for the collar back.
He heard Daemon ask to help. He wanted to hug him, to be engulfed in the warm safety, but he couldn't ask. Not only did the voice call him bad, but he upset Howl. He didn't deserve the softness. The warmth. The safety. "I'M SORRY," he said softly.
"it's not your fault... master has his own problems too." He drooped a little. "he knows a little of how you feel..."
Berry looked up at Daemon. "HE DOES?"
He nodded sadly. "master... howl is a victim too. our father was a bad man. a very bad man. he hurt howl a lot as a kid."
"OH," Berry wiped his sockets again as he thought about that. He looked off in the direction Howl had left.
"DID YOUR FATHER USE HIM, LIKE HOW I TEMPT OTHERS?" Howl was always so strong. So sure about everything... He was a victim, he knew what it was like to be used and he said it wasn't Berry's fault.
"yeah... it's not really my place to give details. but he was just a kid, you know? a small kid. he didn't know the first thing about heats or what it meant to be an omega, but the bad man did that stuff anyway. you can't blame a kid for an adult being like that... right...?"
Berry shook his head no. He would never blame a child, they had no idea what was going on. It had been Berry's first heat. He was just barely becoming an adult when he went out and was taken. He didn't know better either.
Berry rubbed his arms. He really wanted a hug. "I DON'T WANT TO TEMPT. I WANT TO BE GOOD, BUT I WANT A HUG...."
Daemon opened his arms. "you can hug me any time. i like giving hugs. and there's no way you can tempt me, i'm a good boy."
Berry smiled at Daemon and slowly leaned in and hugged him. It was tighter than the other times he hugged the taller skeleton. He took in shaky breaths and started to relax in the warmth, so wonderfully warm and safe arms.
The tall alpha hugged him with a gentle squeeze, safe and warm and strong. That protective aura was back, wafting through the room. "yeah, there you go. you're good at hugs, like me!"
The smaller skeleton gave a little snort at that. "YOU'RE A LOT BETTER THAN ME, BUT THANK YOU."
"that's okay, practice makes perfect." He rubbed Berry's back a little. All the strong emotions had worn Berry out and Deamon's aura was so warm and safe. His sockets started to drift shut. Daemon saw this and smiled. "you can take a nap if you want. i'll protect you. i'm a good guard dog."
"I'M NOT TEMPTING YOU, AM I?" Berry was just barely hanging on to consciousness.
"of course not, you could never do that."
Berry nodded against Daemon's ribs and let himself fall asleep.
Daemon carried him to the couch and settled down, petting Berry's head gently. He’d said he would protect Berry, and he meant it.
When Howl returned an hour later, it was with a bucket of plaster. He promptly started to fix the hole, quiet. Daemon left him be.
Berry woke up. He had a slight headache and didn't feel too great.
That was when he noticed his pillow felt a little boney. At first, he thought he fell asleep on his brother. He was laying on something warm that smelled safe and wonderful… and a little spicy like barbecue sauce? Stretch smelt of sugar and sweets. Not delicious tangy barbecue sauce. He really wanted something in said condiment right about now. He was pretty hungry.
Berry forced his sockets open, then blinked a few times seeing Daemon.
He could feel a little wet spot of drool on his pillow and wiped at his face, blushing fiercely. 'I DROOLED ON DAEMON!'
"I'M SORRY..."
Daemon stopped petting Berry's head when he awoke, smiling down at the smaller skeleton. "hiya! sorry about what?"
Berry reached over and grabbed a blanket on the couch and he blotted Daemon's shirt with it. Blushing brightly he said, "I GOT YOU DIRTY."
"oh, that? don't worry about that." Daemon shrugged with a little grin. "i'm just happy you got some rest."
The shorter skeleton blotted it a little longer. His fingers lingered a while on the spot. "YOU ARE TOO KIND." Berry's instinct told him to curl back up in that warm safety and never leave.
He forced his hand away and rolled the blanket up into a ball to take to the wash.
"HAVE YOU EATEN?" More of the morning came back to him. He looked around. "IS HOWL BACK? THE QUEEN IS REALLY MAD AT US. HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE ALONE."
"i haven't, but howl is back. he's making lunch right now, it's almost done. soup, i think."
Berry's soul settled happily knowing Howl was safe. "I'M GLAD HE’S SAFE." He couldn't think of a reason to stay in Daemon's lap. He smiled at Daemon. "THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF ME."
"anytime," Daemon promised. "whenever you want, just let me know. i'm a good guard dog~"
Berry climbed down and went to take the blanket to the laundry. Daemon watched him go, then went to peek into the kitchen. Howl was halfway done with a glass of wine, which was mildly worrying, but lunch was also just being finished up.
Blue put in a load of wash and took a few deep breaths and thought about what to do. Howl had had bad things happen to him, he was so strong, brave, smart and handsome... Berry blushed a little thinking that.
Berry would be worthy of being collared by Howl; he was doing so much for him. Berry had cried and made Howl mad, so he had to make up for it. He was useful. He wanted to do better, he had to be good .
He came into the kitchen and saw Howl drinking. "HI... MAY I HELP? I CAN SET THE TABLE."
Howl looked over from finishing off the glass of wine. "THAT'S FINE," he said, setting the glass down. As he moved the pot of soup off the hot burner, he debated having another glass. Probably not a good idea. It was early to get drunk.
Berry nodded and got all the supplies and set the table for three. He wasn't sure what to talk about, anything from this morning seemed taboo... so he stayed quiet and focused on the task.
After a minute or two, Howl broke the silence. "DAEMON TOLD YOU. ABOUT ME."
Berry fingered his bandana and nodded. "HE TOLD ME YOU'RE BRAVE AND STRONG. THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ME A LITTLE." He ducked his head, "THAT'S WHY YOU SAID IT WASN'T MY FAULT.... BECAUSE IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT EITHER."
"YES." He wound up pouring that second glass after all. "I WAS HARDLY FIVE YEARS OLD THE FIRST TIME. IT TOOK SEVEN YEARS TO ESCAPE, BUT I DID. I KILLED HIM FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS. I HARDENED MYSELF. I BECAME LIKE ICE. AND I VOWED TO NEVER AGAIN ACCEPT BEING MISTREATED. I WILL CRUSH ANYONE WHO TRIES TO HURT ME."
Berry nodded. "YOU DIDN'T DESERVE THAT." He sat on the chair. "DAEMON'S HERE FOR YOU. I AM HERE FOR YOU. WE WON'T MISTREAT YOU."
"YOU'RE RIGHT. I DIDN'T." Howl brought the soup to the table. "I KNOW YOU WON'T. YOU HAVE MY TRUST. THEREFORE, YOU ALSO HAVE MY PROTECTION."
Berry reached up to his new soft collar, running its softness between his fingers, and smiled. His fear about Howl taking the collar back quieted with that statement.
Howl served everyone a bowl of soup, then settled down with his wine. Daemon came and settled in too.
Berry took a few bites of the soup. "THIS IS REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR MAKING LUNCH." He took a few more bites before asking, "STRETCH SAID HE FOUND A THERAPIST... HE SAYS THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AND COULD HELP ME A LOT... IF THEY CAN..." He remembered Howl said he would too. "MAYBE YOU WILL TALK WITH THEM TOO? THEY CAN HELP US BOTH..."
"WELL, I WAS ALREADY GOING TO TALK A LITTLE TO HELP YOU. BUT IF YOU MEAN FOR MY OWN GAINS... PERHAPS IT IS A GOOD IDEA."
Berry smiled at that. He looked at Daemon. "did you want to talk to them too?"
"oh, me?" He scratched at his cheek a little. "well, none of that ever happened to me, so i dunno if i need to... but i can talk if you want me to, berry."
Berry smiled at him. "NOT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, THAT IS FINE." Berry didn't want to force either of them. He took a few more bits of soup.
"it's okay, i don't mind talking about anything." Daemon smiled
"OKAY." Berry wanted to relax with the two brothers until Stretch got home. "DO YOU TWO WANT TO WATCH IRON CHIEF AFTER WE EAT?"
"AH YES. IRON CHEF. A VERY INFORMATIVE SHOW." Howl nodded approvingly. "THAT SOUNDS ACCEPTABLE." He was almost done with his own lunch and wine, himself.
Berry smiled happily. Their love and support was making his confidence improve slowly but surely. Daemon and Howl were more than he'd ever dared to dream of finding in this life. Spending this time with them almost made him forget about being Sully, and he secretly prayed to any deity that would listen that he wouldn't lose them. That this would last.
The horrible voice reminded him the deities never listened to the prayers of a Sully before. Dirty temptresses don't deserve anything but to dust slowly.
He shook this head, trying not to listen. He'd seen his share of monsters slowly falling. He had been sure he was going to fall too, before his brother claimed him. So even if the deities didn't listen to him, they would listen to Howl. He thought, 'howl would make them listen.'
After lunch was done, Howl cleaned up everything. Then they were happy to settle in and wait for Stretch to return home.
It wasn't until almost 4pm when Stretch popped into the living room with Sans. He looked exhausted. He sat down on the couch by Berry. "Hey everyone. How was your day?"
Daemon made room for him on the couch. "hiya, stretch, hi sans." He'd popped out for a smoke a little while ago, but he had hopefully covered up the smell with the barbecue sauce he was drinking. "umm, well, while we were gone..."
"I SPOKE TO YOUR QUEEN. A HORRIBLE WOMAN, REALLY." Howl set aside the knitting he'd been working on.
Berry curled up into Daemon’s side and hid his head.
Stretch blinked owlishly. "what now? Why did she come here?"
Sans took a seat on a chair. "i get the feeling i'm missing something?"
"ahhh, yeah, kind of a lot, sorry," Daemon said sheepishly to Sans. "something really bad happened to blue the other night."
"YES. SHE CAME TO TRY AND TAKE BERRY BACK TO THAT AWFUL PLACE." Howl narrowed his sockets just thinking about it. "HOWEVER, I STOPPED HER WITH A FEW LEGAL LOOPHOLES. SHE CAN'T TAKE HIM WHILE HE'S IN MY COLLAR, NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT ALL THIS."
Stretch's face slowly morphed from confusion to fear to anger. "How dare she!" His hands clenched the arm rest. "She was absent today due to conflicting appointments. She made sure I wasn't here by summoning me away so she could get Blue!"
He was livid. As the adult family that had claimed Blueberry's, he was to be connected with his behavior. She had known Stretch wouldn’t let Blue be returned for retraining. That he would send Blue into hiding.
"The crafty bitch." He got up and started to pace the room. He wanted a smoke so bad. He reached for a sucker substitute.
Sans looked to Berry hiding. He frowned. "so she summoned you knowing you had to answer and leave. so she could take berry where?"
Berry said almost too quietly to be heard, "I'M SULLY. I TEMPTED MONSTERS LAST NIGHT I MADE THEM BE UNCLEAN..."
"YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE, BERRY," Howl said sharply. "YOU DID NOTHING OF THE SORT." He folded his arms. "THEY DECIDED ALL BY THEMSELVES TO BE HORRIBLE, CRUEL RAPISTS."
Berry flinched when Howl said that. He had been trained into believing that. He felt confused. He didn't want it to be true, but it was hard not to believe it.
"she tried to take berry to the sanitarium…” Daemon said, “to punish him for being an omega."
Sans couldn't believe what he was hearing. "what?" Someone raped Berry. Berry... no someone's.... and Berry was being blamed? Punished even. "who hurt you, berry?"
Stretch was seething. "Sans, you remember how my Queen had some laws the other didn't like? They refused to accept them. Berry falls under these horrible laws. His rapists are protected by it. The law places the blame on Berry."
"YES. BUT NOW HE'S IN MY COLLAR, SO BY FELLSWAP LAW, HIS ACTIONS ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. I PREVENTED HER FROM TAKING HIM AWAY, FOR NOW," Howl assured. "BUT THIS MEANS WE MUST ACT. WE MUST GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED. EXPOSE THESE LAWS AND FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE SWAP OMEGAS."
"master can do it. i know it. but we all have to help." Daemon set his jaw firmly.
"that's insane." Sans was appalled. "how could anyone?" He looked to Berry, still hiding away tucked into Daemon's side. Sans looked to Howl. "yes, i’m in."
Berry looked up at Sans in shock. Howl had said the others would help, but it was hard to believe that. Others in Underswap never treated him the same after finding out he was Sully.
Daemon hugged Berry gently. "see?" he asked with a smile. "we all want to help you. we like you."
Berry smiled softly at Daemon's words and cuddled into the safety of his embrace.
Stretch nodded. "It goes without saying Vex and I will help too. How are we going about getting the public involved?"
"THE FIRST STEP IS TO CALL A LAWYER," Howl decided. "THEN WE SCHEDULE A PRESS CONFERENCE. WE TELL PEOPLE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT UNITING THE MONSTERS UNDER ONE LAW SYSTEM AND GO A STEP FURTHER IN CONNECTING TO THE HUMANS. EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN THAT. THEY'LL TUNE IN TO WATCH AND WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE TRIAL TO OVERTURN THE SULLY LAW."
Sans agreed. "i know king fuzzybuns will help back this too."
Daemon snuggled up happily and nuzzled the top of Berry's skull. His scent came out again, though he tried to contain it. Safe, protective alpha pheromones to soothe Berry. Berry relaxed into Daemon's scent. He felt safe like this.
Sans raised a brow bone at the scent. He wouldn't have thought of Daemon as an alpha. But he decided not to say anything about it for right now.
"that sounds good.” Stretch nodded. “Did you have a lawyer in mind?"
"HMM..." Howl looked over to Sans. "DIDN'T YOU SAY YOUR BROTHER WAS IN LAW SCHOOL?"
At Howl’s question, Sans perked up. He said proudly, "yes, he is. he's smart and passionate. he said laws are perfect for him because you settle everything by talking it out. he took the human bar test this week and passed. he's so cool!"
Stretch started to calm down and sat back down.
"THEN HE IS WHO WE WILL CALL," Howl decided. "IT'S PERFECT. I HAVE YET TO MEET HIM."
Notes:
WHOOO LOOK WHO WE FINALLY GOT TO ADD IN! Bet y'all are happy about that, huh~? Please leave a kudos and comment if you like our fic! Next chapter in a week!
Chapter 7: I Can't Do This All On My Own, No I Know, I'm No Superman
Summary:
In which lines are drawn, a plan is made, and many condiments are consumed
Notes:
I hope you are all enjoying the story. Please leave a comment letting us know and a kudos. <3
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As the details of the plan were hashed out, Howl almost instinctively reacted to Daemon's scent, his own omega pheromones attracted to that of his brother. His homely, nurturing, and guiding feelings mingled with the protectiveness in a balanced mix. They smelled like they were constantly on the same wavelength.
"it's a great plan," Stretch said, "but as much as it pains me to say this, keep the details of the case from me. as the royal judge, i am bound to the queen by magic. if she summons me, i have to answer."
"i understand," Sans told the other in confidence, "i'm the undertale judge, but undertale was against the law and the idea of the sanitarium. as far as we were aware, she didn't rebuild the sanitarium topside."
"VERY WELL. NOT THAT MY TACTICS ARE EVER UNDERHANDED. I ALWAYS FOLLOW PROTOCOL." Howl nodded.
Stretch purred at the scents in the air. Now he was calmed down, he relished the strong, protective alpha and nurturing homely omega pheromones. He wasn't used to omegas having a protectiveness. Maybe when he was young right before Berry was taken, he could kinda remember feeling that from Berry's scent too. It dawned on the pregnant monster that the smells were not coming from whom he thought they would. He looked at the two monsters closely. Neither acted as he believed they should. "Howl, you're an omega?"
Sans was looking at them too, now that Stretch had mentioned it. He was shocked too. Howl was definitely strong, bold, opinionated, and goal-oriented. Not traits he would think of in an omega. Daemon was loyal, quiet, obedient. Not a typical alpha. Sans smiled and gave a small chuckle. These kooky skeletons were very different, but would be good for Berry. He thought, ‘Howl would be a good role model for Berry.’
Berry was very responsive to both scents. He struggled into Daemon more and felt warm and safe. He took in a blissful breath of the scents. Howl wanted to keep him. Daemon wanted to protect him. It was more than he thought he was allowed, but he didn't care. He wanted this soul-deep. He knew a punishment would be coming and the voice was right, he needed a correction. But he closed his sockets and purred softly anyway. They would keep him safe from punishment for now.
The question surprised Howl. He didn't quite realize he'd reacted to Daemon's pheromones. "AH, YES. I AM INDEED AN OMEGA. IT HAS ALLOWED ME CERTAIN PRIVILEGES UNDER MY OWN LAW. AFTER ALL, DAEMON IS IN MY COLLAR TOO."
Daemon snuggled Berry, his soul thudding warmly at the sound of that soft purring. "master keeps me grounded. i don't have to be aggressive if he's taking care of me."
Sans nodded. That made sense. A controlling and powerful omega could keep his family and love under their control.
Stretch blinked a few times as that was processed. Privileges? That was a foreign concept. Omegas with privileges? "What are the laws in your underground?" he asked curiously.
"Howl is good at taking care of others," Berry said softly. "And Daemon is too."
"we try, yeah~ i'm a good boy." Daemon kissed Berry's forehead.
Howl shifted in his seat, lacing his fingers together. "THEY ARE MORE GEARED TOWARDS SURVIVAL WITH A LOW POPULATION, NOT A HIGH ONE. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE 'KILL OR BE KILLED' MINDSET NURTURED BY THE PRESUMED UP-COMING WAR WITH THE HUMANS, RAISING POWERFUL MONSTERS WAS TOP PRIORITY. IF THE ALPHAS WERE LEFT IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING, THE KILLINGS WOULD BE SENSELESS AND SOCIETY WOULD BE PUT BY THE WAYSIDE. THEREFORE, OMEGAS WERE FAVORED FOR GOVERNMENTAL POSITIONS. ALSO, OMEGAS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COLLAR THEIR ALPHA MATES OR THEIR CHILDREN AND ASSUME FORMAL RESPONSIBILITY OVER THEIR ACTIONS. WE TEACH OUR YOUNG WHO THEY'RE ALLOWED TO KILL AND HOW TO BEHAVE. HOW TO CONTROL THEIR URGES. HOW TO KEEP THE BEST INTEREST OF MONSTERKIND IN MIND. FAILURE TO IMPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE MORALS INTO AN IMPRESSIONABLE, IMPULSIVE ALPHA CAN WREAK HAVOC ON AN OTHERWISE FUNCTIONAL SOCIETY."
"in other words," Daemon said, "omegas collar their alphas to prove they can control themselves and not break laws. when a collared person breaks the law, the person owning the collar is punished for not teaching right."
Berry had wanted to know what Daemon's collar meant for a long while now. To hear it was proof of Howl's taking responsibility for others, that made him feel proud. He fingered the soft bandana.
Howl was taking responsibility for him. Howl believed in him. Berry had already promised himself to be worthy of Howl's collar, he would do what Howl needed him to do to be worthy. He wouldn't let Howl down.
'Daemon and Howl will be there keeping me safe,' he thought lovingly. His own soft, caring, nurturing omega scent joined theirs.
"that is so different..." Stretch smiled, "i'm sad to hear about the kill or be killed mindset, but for the omegas, i'm so glad your world didn't follow mine."
Berry's scent caught him off guard. Berry always tried to suppress his scent. Scared of tempting others into using him. That Berry wasn't hiding was uplifting.
Sans smiled at the sight of Berry. "I will talk with Rus and the king. Well, get this worked out." Sans got up and cracked his back. "Berry make sure ya stay with someone, don't be alone if ya can help it. I'll see ya later."
"IT WAS JUST HOW THINGS WERE. I DON'T MIND." Howl shook his head. "VERY WELL, YOU DO THAT. I WILL DO SOME DISCUSSING MYSELF. DAEMON, YOU STAY AND PROTECT."
"yes master." Daemon snuggled Berry more, taking in the scent with a smile.
Sans walked through the kitchen door and took a shortcut home.
Berry cuddled into Daemon, but looked to Howl worried. "be safe. the queen was really mad."
Stretch got up. "you'll be alright if i go rest for a bit bro?"
"DON'T WORRY, I WILL BE."
"and i'll keep berry safe," Daemon assured Stretch.
Stretch hummed. "howl, do you want to wait for vex? he could have your back while daemon is here."
"OH, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK TO YOUR QUEEN. I'M GOING TO TALK TO MY KING FIRST."
"okay." Stretch told him, "as a fell monster, i’m sure you can protect yourself, but if you want back up all you have to do is ask." He didn't have to say anything about Howl's level. He patted berry on the head.
"OKAY,” Berry said. “YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE BABY, BROTHER GO REST."
"I WILL BE FINE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." Howl headed out.
Stretch nodded and kissed Berry's head then headed up the stairs. He was beat.
Sans walked out of the kitchen with a bottle of ketchup and went into his living room. Red was sitting on the couch drinking some mustard. He sat down on his datemate and kissed his cheek. "it's been a day... you should talk with vex. it's been a trying few days at his house."
Red looked up from his phone and mustard. "heya, sweetheart." He returned the kiss. "oh yeah? does this have anything to do with those assholes at the bar the other night?"
"i'm not sure, but probably." He took a swig of ketchup to help prepare himself mentally. He pulled out his phone. "i need to tell rus this too. let me get him on the phone. i really don't want to have to tell you again tonight."
"there were these three assholes who were bragging about something to do with a 'stupid skeleton'... boss got real upset when i told him and said to keep 'em there. then he came in and confronted them about something. i kicked 'em out after."
Sans nodded, "ya i think it's the same thing..." he called Rus' phone and put it on speakerphone.
The phone was answered on the second ring.
"GOOD AFTERNOON, BROTHER!" Rus said brightly. "HOW NICE OF YOU TO CALL! I ALMOST THOUGHT YOU'D FORGOTTEN HOW."
Sans laughed, "i could never forget about that paps. it's only been 3 days. Something happened... we really need a lawyer, and i just happen to know the new best lawyer in town."
"THREE TERRIBLY LONG DAYS!" He listened to what Sans said and then gasped. "THE BEST LAWYER IN TOWN? SHUCKS, BROTHER! YOU SURE DO KNOW HOW TO SAY THINGS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY TRUE! TELL ME EVERYTHING."
"okay, i got red here with me listening." He took another swig of ketchup. "Underswap has a pretty bad law on the books, called the sully law. it punishes omegas..." He explained it as well as he understood it. "apparently berry is listed as a sully. daemon told me the other night berry was attacked and... raped. vex and daemon confronted the monsters, drinking at a bar red works at, but the sully law protects them and blames berry. today their queen came to take berry away today. she wants berry to be retained at the sanatorium, which the other kingdoms didn't know still exists. howl claimed him and collared him, so she couldn't take him."
Red balled his good hand into a fist, dropping his phone onto his lap before he could crush the damn thing. So that's what those three fuckers had done... Rage seethed under the surface, some smoky red magic wafting from one socket. If he ever saw them at the bar again…
Sans knew Red would be upset. He laid his hand on top of Red's fist offering support.
Rus listened, surprisingly quiet. There was the sound of some pages hastily being flipped when Sans mentioned which law, as Rus tracked it down among his books.
"THE SULLY LAW," he said when Sans had finished. "I SEE IT HERE. THE DETAILS OF IT ARE... DISTURBING." He didn't sound cheery anymore, all business. "SO HOWL USED THE FELLSWAP COLLARING LAW..." More page flipping. "I SEE. THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE DEFENSE. I WILL HAVE TO DO SOME STUDYING TONIGHT. BUT REST ASSURED, BROTHER, NOBODY CAN PROSECUTE BERRY ON MY WATCH!"
"i would expect less from the great and wonderful papyrus. love ya bro. i'll let ya get to work."
Red let out a low breath, loosening his fist to take Sans's hand.
"THANK YOU, BROTHER! IS HE… OKAY?"
"he's got daemon, howl, and his brother taking care of him. he seems okay for the most part."
"THAT'S A RELIEF! I WILL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN! KEEP ME UPDATED."
"will do."
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. YOU TOO, CHERRY!"
Red flushed. He didn't understand why Papyrus had chosen to call him by such a cutesy, kid nickname, but the guy was so cheery and enthusiastic about everything that he couldn't bring himself to demand otherwise. "yeah, ok. g'night, rus."
Sans ended the phone call and took another drink of his condiment as he laid on top of Red, just enjoying his closeness. "i still got to talk to the king. howl want all the other kingdoms to back his claim and change the law."
"yeah, okay." He held Sans close, trying to calm himself back down. "fuck, poor berry... i should do something for him..."
"Yah that'd be nice." He nuzzled Red. "he seems really close to howl and daemon. when i asked what happened, berry said it was his fault for tempting his rapist... it was so fucked up. howl told him it wasn't his fault, it was their rotten choice, not his. that law is so fucked up."
"yeah? that's something. those two are weird, but they mean well..." Red settled his chin on Sans's head. "maybe he should bring pepper spray to class... or a knife."
"berry's so timid. i can't see him using it. he really seemed to believe it really was his fault too."
"hmmm..." Red thought hard, a magic hand picking up his phone again. "maybe a teleporter... yeah, like a panic button..."
sans perked up. "that's a wonderful idea."
"yeah... yeah i can do that." He started to look through his list of parts, quickly coming up with what he might need. "yeah, it shouldn't be that hard. i need a magic storage system and a trigger and a case, simple enough... maybe a confirmation screen..." He started mumbling about parts.
Sans nodded. "maybe make it look like one of thems human's smartwatches? then he would use a confirmation screen."
"a smartwatch, huh, i can do that. it's small, but i think i can fit it all." He pulled his hand away from Sans to join the magic one on his phone, as he quickly searched for missing parts online. "might take... a week, maybe..."
"sounds like a plan." He got, up feeling better. "I'm going to talk to my king." He walked to the kitchen to let Red do his research and call Asgore.
Asgore picked up after a few rings, "Hello, Sans. How are you doing?"
San smiled. The king always had a way to make anyone feel relaxed. "i wish this was a happy call, fluffybuns, but we need your help and the nation's..." He went on to explain everything again.
"That is horrible. Of course I will help and I am sure Tori will too. Have Howl call with a date and time to meet his king. We may not have collaring in our culture, but we will support a monster's basic right."
"thanks asgore. I'll let howl know." Sans smiled. He ended the call and sent Howl a quick text. Then he grabbed a mustard and a new ketchup bottle and headed back to Red.
Howl glanced down at his phone, seated across from his own king. When the bloody red queen had been taken down, Gore had stepped back up from his place of exile in the ruins. They had agreed it was best, for the time being. Howl quickly read the text from Sans, then put his phone away and looked back up, lacing his fingers together. "IT APPEARS WE WILL HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE TALE KING. I'VE NO DOUBT THAT THE FELL QUEEN WILL SUPPORT US AS WELL."
"Hmm." Gore rubbed under his chin, his fluffy goat fur greyish and slightly unkempt, but in a casual way. "You're certain you want to go through with this publicly?"
"I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, YOUR MAJESTY."
"Well, it's just... You were the one who decided to work behind the scenes. Use your day job as a front and learn everything about the other societies and pick up the experience necessary to one day take my place... Why now? It's only been a month."
"YES, I AM AWARE. I MIGHT HAVE PREFERRED TO LEAVE THIS TO SOMEONE ELSE ENTIRELY, BUT I HAVE SOMETHING I MUST PROTECT NOW."
"That something being Berry?" Gore tilted his head. There was an amused glint in his eyes. "You're not putting your love life before your career, Captain, are you?"
Howl bristled, clenching his hands together a little tighter, his blue eyes flashing. "MOST CERTAINLY NOT! IF YOU THINK THAT FOR EVEN ONE SECOND-"
Gore laughed, tilting his head back, and pulled out his baggie of weed. He hadn't bothered to kick the habit when he took the throne again. He rolled out a joint, to light with a snap of his fingers and a flicker of fire magic. "I'm teasing you, Howl. You dusted my crazy ex-wife, I'll let you do what you want."
The skeleton relaxed a little again, internally scolding himself for becoming so heated. A king Gore might be, but life in exile had changed him. Being Daemon's little drug buddy helped too, Gore regarded their relationship as less of a formal working one and more of a friendship. Unusual, but to his benefit.
"I SHOULD HOPE YOU STILL WISH FOR ME TO MAKE CORRECT CHOICES. DON'T BE TOO LENIENT."
"Well, yes. But I have faith in you. One day, you'll make a great king."
"I APPRECIATE THAT, YOUR MAJESTY. THEN, WILL TOMORROW AFTERNOON WORK TO MEET WITH THE OTHER ROYALS?"
"I have some time then, yes. I take it you'll go public immediately after a decision is made?"
"THAT IS THE PLAN."
"Then let's not waste time. Tomorrow it will be."
"THANK YOU, YOUR MAJESTY. I WILL LET THE TALES KNOW." He stood up, moving to leave the room.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little while and have a smoke with an old man?"
"UGH."
"Hehehe. Uptight as ever. You take good care of Berry, Captain, I think he'll be good for you."
"OF COURSE I WILL." The blessing, for whatever it might be worth, warmed his soul a little. He hid his smile as he left the room.
When Red got the information from Howl about when the meeting was, he called up his door buddy.
"Ah, good evening, Red. Will you be coming to visit sometime soon? Frisk misses you."
"hey, tori. yeah, sure, but that's not what i'm calling about. the tale and fellswap kings are meeting tomorrow at two, and i think you should be there."
"What's this about?"
"one of the swap laws. a real shitty one. this sully law." Red explained it how Berry had. Tori's voice was cold when she spoke again.
"I see. I'll definitely be there."
"glad to hear it, thanks tori. this means a lot to us."
"Of course. I can't stand by and let these injustices happen."
"yeah. we're gonna help berry as best we can from here too."
"Good. I'll be there tomorrow."
"cool. later tori." He hung up and sighed.
Berry had taken it upon himself to make dinner for everyone. Well, it was breakfast for dinner, cheesy potato & bacon scotch eggs. It was a harder recipe, but everyone was working hard to keep him and not let the queen take him back to the Sanitarium. They deserved his best.
Filthy omega, still the resource-wasting space.
He touched his soft bandana, Howl's caring, nurturing, safe intent surrounding him. Berry gave a happy little sigh at the feeling of safety. He tried to ignore the voice, Howl's gift helping to push it to the back of his mind.
Right now was about his family and making them a good nutritional dinner. He had to be good and worthy.
He took the eggs out of the frying pan. He had star fruit to serve with it. He laid the fruit out from big to small on the side of the plates. It looked sooo cool! He hoped the others liked it. He came out to tell everyone, "dinners ready."
Daemon was leaning out the window, a cigarette in hand. He had been told to smoke outside, but in the interest of staying near Berry, just doing it out the window would have to do. He glanced back with a smile. "okay, berry, i'll be right there. thanks for cooking." He took another drag, then discreetly snuffed out the cigarette on his radius. It left a perfect little burn circle that he tucked back under his sleeve. The spent butt was tossed in an ashtray as he went to go sit.
Howl, who had just arrived back, pulled off his armor to be more casual. "IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED, BERRY." He set the breastplate aside and went to sit.
Vex went to go get his resting mate from the bedroom.
"I THOUGHT WE COULD TRY BREAKFAST FOR DINNER." Berry smiled at everyone, his soul feeling lighter. He went and brought them all out plates and two pitchers, one milk and one orange juice.
Vex carried Stretch back, the strong alpha that he was. He set his mate down in a chair and sat beside him. "IT LOOKS EXCELLENT."
"THAT IT DOES." Howl picked up a fork. He looked thoughtful as he took his first bite. "BERRY, MIGHT I ASK YOU SOMETHING?"
"OF COURSE." Berry smiled up at Howl.
"I THINK IT'S BEST IF YOU'RE NOT ALONE FOR THE TIME BEING. BUT VEX HAS WORK AND STRETCH IS WITH CHILD. WHILE WE ALSO HAVE WORK, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO COME WITH MOST OF THE TIME... NOT ONLY THAT BUT DAEMON AND I CANNOT CONTINUE TAKING UP THE SPARE ROOM AND COUCH. WOULD YOU BE OPPOSED TO MOVING IN WITH US TEMPORARILY?"
Berry thought about the offer. He did want to be here to help with the baby and his brother, but Howl was right. If the queen set someone for and he was alone and Cory was sent to take him back... or if Cory came and his pregnant brother was home... he shivered at that thought. If he stayed with Howl and Daemon it would be better for everyone. "YOU'RE RIGHT. IT SAFER THIS WAY."
It didn't hurt that he got to spend more time with the two skeletons. He had really started to like having them so close.
“Bro you're safe at either place.” Stretch was frowning. "You don't have to leave if you don't want to.”
"I WANT TO," Berry said. 'DAEMON'S A GREAT CUDDLER,' he thought with a blush. "I WOULD COME AND VISIT HERE BROTHER, RIGHT?"
"of course you can bro. we wouldn't take your key. you can come over anytime you want."
Berry smiled.
"THAT'S FINE, OF COURSE. SO LONG AS SOMEONE IS ABLE TO ESCORT YOU AT THE TIME." Howl smiled a little as well. "WE WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU."
"yeah, and you can call every night so stretch doesn't worry," Daemon agreed. "it'll be fun!"
Berry reached over to Daemon and took his hand, and looked at both of the Fellswap skeletons. His soul felt like it was beating 'doki doki' just like in Undyne's animes that she watched with Stretch when she visited. "THANK YOU BOTH FOR TAKING CARE OF ME."
Daemon squeezed his hand gently, smiling. "of course, it's our pleasure."
"THEN WE'LL HELP YOU PACK UP WHAT YOU NEED AFTER DINNER."
Berry nodded. He let go and started eating. He was excited. He was going to be staying with them! He wondered how long he would be able to.
The rest of them ate their food as well. "THIS IS VERY GOOD, BERRY. YOU GET BETTER WITH EACH MEAL," Howl said approvingly.
‘Howl liked it!’ Berry's eyelight's morphed into stars at the praise. "THANK YOU." he said excitedly, "I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKE IT. YOU'RE ALL WORKING SO HARD." Berry wanted to say, 'FOR ME,' but he couldn't. He, a Sully, wasn't worthy of all this love and hope. Berry was happy to have it, but he still didn't feel worthy of it. They were wasting their resources in him. He needed no, wanted to do this. "I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS TO HELP KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP. THANK YOU FOR WASTING RESOURCES. I KNOW THERE ARE BETTER THINGS YOU COULD BE USING RESOURCES ON."
Stretch dropped his fork. "Berry!" He hated when Berry would put himself down. "it's not a waste! You're not a waste!"
"THIS IS NOT WASTING RESOURCES," Howl said mildly. "I HAVE MY PRIORITIES QUITE IN ORDER. THERE IS NOTHING I WOULD RATHER PUT MY EFFORTS INTO AT THIS TIME. FOR MANY REASONS."
Berry flinched at Stretch. He hadn't meant to upset him. He never did. He loved his brother and he knew Stretch loved him. After all, if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have come and saved him from the Sanitarium. But his brother seemed to be frustrated and yelling more often than not. He looked to Howl and nodded. It filled his soul with warmth that he, or the sully law itself, was a priority.
Daemon reached over to pat Stretch's hand, hopefully to soothe him. "it's okay. we'll help him understand with time."
"YES. NOBODY EXPECTS EVERYTHING TO CHANGE OVERNIGHT."
"thanks." Stretch took a few deep breaths. "Berry, you have a therapy appointment at 9am. I got them to get you in early as an emergency appointment when i told them what happened yesterday."
"OOOH, OKAY..." Berry hadn't expected to talk again so soon. "HOWL AND DAEMON ARE COMING TOO."
"YES. NINE O CLOCK, YOU SAY? WHERE IS IT?" Howl asked.
Stretch reached into his hoodie and pulled out a business card to hand to Howl. "it seems a really nice place. sans took me there yesterday on our break. i only got a few minutes to talk to the staff, but they were nice. the online reviews were good."
He took the card and examined it, then nodded. "VERY WELL. WE WILL BE THERE RIGHT ON TIME. BERRY, DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE PACKING?"
Berry thought a few minutes. "HMMM, HOW MANY CLOTHES DO YOU WANT ME TO BRING?" He wasn't sure how much space he would have. Was it a room or was he staying on the couch? It didn't really matter, but he hoped the floor was nice and padded like his room upstairs. The hard floor hurt his bones, but he could get used to it again if had to.
"WELL, MAYBE FIVE OR SIX PAIRS, AND WE CAN DO LAUNDRY. THAT'S NO TROUBLE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO BRING MORE?"
"NO, THAT'S FINE." Berry didn't want to be a bother. "I'LL GO PACK NOW." He got up to hurry upstairs without really eating.
Vex watched him go, then turned back to the others. "BY THE WAY, IF HE'S STAYING WITH YOU..."
"YES?" Howl turned to him.
"MAKE SURE HE EATS REGULAR MEALS. SOMETIMES HE... DOESN'T."
"HM. I SEE. I WILL KEEP AN EYE ON HIM."
Stretch got up and took Berry's plate. "he always had a problem eating, but after the sanitarium, it got really bad. i'll go wrap this up for him to take."
"I WONDER WHY... IS IT JUST BECAUSE HE THINKS IT'S A WASTE, OR SOMETHING ELSE...?"
"when we were young, our father went missing. berry was 10 and i was 7. they were going to separate us, so we ran away and he raised us. any supplies and food he found, berry would give to me. when he was sure i was taken care of, then he would eat." Stretch sat down in Vex's lap, and Vex wrapped his arms around his pregnant mate to fondly rub the belly. "when i got him back, it was worse. like, it just doesn't occur to him to take care of himself at all anymore." He thought about what Berry had said earlier. "like he is a waste to use resources on. it's better to give them to others."
"I SEE. SO IT IS LIKE THAT... I'LL HAVE TO COUNTER THAT SOMEHOW." Howl finished his food thoughtfully.
"mmm... maybe we just have to ask the right way..." Daemon tapped his chin.
Stretch gave Vex a hug, then got up to put the food in a to-go container.
Berry pulled out some nightclothes and six outfits. He folded them nice and tight and put them in his blue messenger bag. It was scuffed up and damaged from the attack, but he was able to clean it up. The scrapes on the leather were permanent though. He took his rough sheet from under the bed and rolled it up, placing it in with his clothes.
He went and got his hygiene stuff that he kept in a little plastic basket, then looked around. The only other stuff left was the bedding and a few more sets of clothes. He got to the bedside and opened the nightstand drawer. There was a picture of him and Stretch's friends when he came to the surface with the strange little human.
Well, he liked to think Al was a friend of his, she had let him maintain the puzzle in the forest of Snowdin to get a small wage and was teaching him to cook, badly but it had been fun. But now that she knew he was Sully and defied the Queen, he wasn't too sure anymore.
But it had him and his brother in it and it was really his only personal item besides his banana and notebook and knitting stuff.
Berry opened the back zipper and made sure it was straight and flat while he put it in.
Berry came back downstairs with the bag on and the basket in one hand. He set his stuff by the door and he got his knitting needles and yarn from the living room table to place them in his bag. He came back to the dining room. "I'M ALL PACKED."
Howl and Daemon were done eating by then, and Howl had his knitting things collected.
"GOOD. WE'LL HEAD OUT ONCE YOU'VE SAID GOODBYE."
Stretch came up to him. "love ya bro," he said, and picked Berry up to give a big hug. "you take care. call me every day, and remember you're welcome to come home anytime." He put Berry down and held out the lunch bag that had his unfinished dinner in it.
Berry took the bag. "LOVE YOU TOO BROTHER." He gave Stretch a soft pat on the hand. "DON'T STRAIN YOURSELF. IF YOU WANT HELP, I'LL BE RIGHT OVER."
He looked to Vex and gave a smile. "THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF ME AND LETTING ME COOK. YOU ARE A WONDERFUL ALPHA. "
Vex wasn't great at emotional things just yet, but he tried. He wanted to get even better. So he carefully pulled Berry into a hug. "I DIDN'T MIND, AND THANK YOU. BE SAFE AND CALL YOUR BROTHER A LOT."
Berry smiled, not expecting the hug. He patted Vex's back gently. "I WILL."
He pulled away after a few moments and gathered his knitting, bags, and his notebook for cooking. He hesitated a moment, looking at the two monsters. They were so kind and did so much for him. Berry's soul felt warm. Loved. Safe.
The feelings both excited and scared him.
Dirty Sully. Thinking of tempting monsters. Inflicting yourself on them.
He closed his sockets and tried to push the fear and voice to the back of his mind. He wasn't being bad. They wanted to take him in. They wanted him. He wasn't inflicting himself on them. The two skeletons were not scared of what ugly, dirty truths came with him.
Berry laced his fingers with Daemon's and smiled up at Howl and Daemon. "THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF ME."
Howl nodded to him, a small smile on his face. "IT IS OUR PLEASURE." He took Daemon's other hand. Daemon held onto both of them, and with a brief dip into the void, they arrived in a different house.
Notes:
Everyone is working hard!
Chapter 8: Heart's Been Cut Wide Open, Changing and I Know It
Summary:
In which a talking licorice stick gives advice and a spider grills a donut
Notes:
Hello all,
Thanks for coming and giving our story a read. Leave a comment and let use know what you think and predictions. We love hearing from you!GetMcDunkedOn: btw y'all I just redid ALL of the tagging. All of it ||OTL so check those if you think you gotta!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Chapter Text
The house of the Fellswap skeletons was a bit more sleek and fancy than the swap house. More expensive, but not that much bigger. The guest bedroom was on the ground floor, and there were two other bedrooms on the second floor. Two bathrooms, a spacious living room, an office, and a very nice kitchen. Mahogany furniture, a black couch, richly colored walls. Howl let go of his brother and set down his knitting things. “LET’S PUT YOUR LEFTOVERS IN THE FRIDGE.”
Berry looked around at the beautiful place. It was a little overwhelming. What if he got it dirty with his filth? He gave a squeeze to Daemon’s hand before letting go. Then he followed Howl into the kitchen. “WOWWEE,” he said, filled with awe. Their kitchen was just as nice as the living room.
“YES, OUR HOUSE IS VERY NICE. THE GUEST ROOM IS DOWN HERE. THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL BE STAYING UNLESS YOU WANT TO SHARE DAEMON’S ROOM.”
Berry beamed at that. A room or he could share? He looked at Daemon. It was nice having Howl in his room while he slept, but he didn’t want to upset Daemon. The tall skeleton would be concerned when Berry wouldn’t want to sleep in the bed... “I’LL SLEEP IN THE GUEST ROOM,” he breathed.
Daemon smiled at him, pulling out a cigarette absently. He lit it with a snap of his fingers instead of a lighter, then opened the window to lean on the sill. “alright, if that’s what you want. but call out in the night and we’ll come running, okay?”
Berry smiled brightly. “ALRIGHT.”
“YES.” Howl put away the leftovers. “I WON’T FORCE YOU TO USE THE BED... BUT MAYBE YOU COULD AT LEAST SIT ON IT NOW AND THEN.”
Berry looked sheepish. ‘COULD HOWL READ MINDS?’ he thought while saying, “I’LL TRY.”
“THAT’S ALL I’M ASKING FOR, BERRY. JUST TRYING.” Howl closed the fridge and looked over. “NOW THEN, WOULD YOU WANT A FULL TOUR OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SLEEP?”
Berry smiled cheerfully at being given a choice. It was making him feel empowered, like him and his choices mattered. “I WOULD LOVE A TOUR, PLEASE.”
“VERY WELL. I WILL SHOW YOU AROUND.”
“i’ll come along when i’m done,” Daemon said, flicking the used up part of the cherry out the window.
“GOOD.” Howl led Berry off to the office, where he had a computer and a nice desk and plenty of papers. He even had carved figurines of all the members of the guard scattered across a map. “THIS IS WHERE I WORK.”
Berry went up and knelt down examining the figures, but didn’t touch them, he was too afraid of breaking them. “WOWIE THESE ARE VERY DETAILED DID YOU MAKE THEM?"
“HMM?” He glanced at the models. “AH, NO. NOT MYSELF, I DON’T HAVE THAT SKILL. BUT I PAID QUITE WELL TO HAVE THEM MADE SO DETAILED.”
Berry nodded. They were still cool.
“THEY HELP ME STRATEGIZE.” He went over to them and picked up the Daemon figure. It was striking, down to the fond smile and gentle gaze. He placed it at the area of the map with his house and shifted a few more.
Berry's eyelights fell to the map. He cocked his head to the side and asked, “WHAT IS THERE TO STRATEGIZE, AND WHY DO YOU HAVE A MAP OF TOWN?”
“AH, WELL, IT’S A LONG STORY. PERHAPS IT’S MORE OUT OF HABIT THAN REAL NEED. AFTER ALL, OUR BATTLES ARE ALL POLITICAL NOW, NOT PHYSICAL. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE THERE MIGHT BE TROUBLE AND WHERE WE HAVE GOOD CONNECTIONS. IN THIS CASE, IT’S ABOUT STRATEGIZING WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO REINFORCE PUBLIC IMAGE OR HELP THOSE STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING AND THE LIKE.”
Berry nodded. He looked at all the monsters. It was exciting to see all the skeletons. One was even him! He was important. His fingers itched to pick them up. To touch and scrutinize the details of him and his family, but he refrained. It wouldn’t do if they got broken or dirty. He gripped onto his bandana instead. The feelings woven made his smile brighten more.
“YOU’RE VERY ORGANIZED AND CARING.” He blushed as he said that. “YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST TO MAKE SURE MONSTERKIND FLOURISHES.”
“THAT I AM. I HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN BEING AN OMEGA THAT WAY.” Howl looked to Berry’s too, then carefully put it in his house as well. “THAT IS MY GOAL, YES. WHY ELSE WOULD I WANT TO BE KING? IT WAS NEVER FOR MYSELF. I CAN FLOURISH JUST FINE ON MY OWN. IF I CHOSE TO, I COULD ONLY FOCUS ON MYSELF. THEN I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY WORRIES. BUT THAT CHOICE IS NOT ONE I CAN ALLOW MYSELF TO MAKE. PEOPLE NEED A STRONG LEADER TO SUPPORT THEM.”
Berry thought about what Howl said. “OMEGAS CAN BE A GOOD THING...” he couldn’t believe it. Ever since his first heat, when he found out he was an omega, it had been a night terror added to the nightmare that had been his childhood.
Berry had done everything in his limited power to keep his family together. Even after their father disappeared, he tried so hard. Being an omega had ripped the last of their family apart. It led him to the Sanitarium. He had learned to hate being an omega and in turn to hate himself. Omegas were useless, unwanted…
filthy, disgusting, sully.
“I THOUGHT NOTHING COULD EVER COME OUT OF BEING ONE...” he whispered to himself.
“YES, OF COURSE IT CAN. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN SO.” Howl fixed a few more positions, before he led the way back out of the office. Daemon met them just outside the door, tucking his sleeve down.
“hiya.”
Berry followed out Howl. His mind is still trying to compute. Daemon gave him a little start as he wasn’t paying attention, and he gave a little wave. “HELLO.”
Daemon finished covering his forearms with his sleeves. Howl frowned at him, but didn’t comment. “THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM IS OVER HERE.” It was spotless, and the shower-bath combo looked luxurious. “TOWELS ARE UNDER THE SINK.”
“DO YOU WANT ME TO KEEP MY HYGIENE STUFF IN HERE OR IN THE ROOM?” Berry asked. He didn’t want to put out his stuff if Howl didn’t want it.
“WHICHEVER YOU’D PREFER IS FINE. WE HAVE OUR OWN BATHROOM UPSTAIRS, SO AS LONG AS YOU CLEAN UP ANY MESSES, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR THINGS WHERE YOU PLEASE.”
“THANK YOU.” The shorter skeleton opened the cabinet under the sink and placed his basket in there, to keep it out of sight.
“YOU’RE QUITE WELCOME. THE GUEST BEDROOM IS HERE.” He showed that off next. The room was nice and comfortable, but unlike the rest of the house it wasn’t decorated. It was a blank canvas, ready to be personalized by their new occupant.
Berry looked around. It wasn’t too different from his bedroom. He went up to the bed, it was soft, and the comforter looked plush. He couldn’t help being bad and reached out and lightly ran his phalanges over it, before he realized it and flinched, pulling his hand away. His bones ached from the old lessons that it was bad to nest.
He grabbed his bandana. Feeling the safety, warmth, caring comfort it offered, it was full of Howl’s magic and soft scent. Helping to ground him and relax. It helped push the thoughts away.
“IT’S OKAY TO TOUCH IT,” Howl said when Berry flinched away from the bed. “YOU DON’T HAVE TO SLEEP IN IT. I WON’T MAKE YOU. BUT IT’S OKAY TO TOUCH IT OR SIT ON IT.” He went over to it and sat himself, as if to assure Berry.
Berry watched Howl sit down. ‘HOWL WAS HERE. HOWL WOULD KEEP ME SAFE,’ he reminded himself. Once felt grounded again, he placed his bag on the nightstand for now. He looked at the carpet and wiggled his toes. It was very soft and plush “THIS IS A NICE ROOM THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME USE IT.”
“I’M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.”
“i’ll getcha anything we don’t have from the store,” Daemon agreed.
Berry watched Howl perch on the bed serenely. He wasn’t scared of it. Berry shouldn’t be either. He rubbed the material of the bandana between his fingers. “THIS IS MORE THAN I NEED.” He felt he was talking too much and not returning anything. He asked,
“BUT ARE THERE ANY CHORES THAT I CAN HELP WITH? IT’S ONLY FAIR THAT I HELP WITH THEM.”
“CHORES? DAEMON LARGELY DOES THOSE.”
“mhm. umm...” Daemon thought about it. “you can take care of the kitchen, if you want. i like doing the dusting and the floors and stuff.”
Berry nodded eagerly. Useful was good. Being useful for Howl and Daemon was even better. “ALRIGHT.” He reached out to hug the tall skeleton, but stopped mid-motion. In his excitement he almost forgot himself, but Daemon once said he could hug him anytime, so he didn’t pull back yet. He stood inches from the hug. “MAY I HUG YOU?”
Daemon beamed and hugged Berry nice and tight. “you can always hug me! unless i’m in a fight, then you might get hurt.” Snuggle snuggle.
“THANK YOU DAEMON.” Berry purred at the reinforcement. “YOU’RE WONDERFUL.” He looked at Howl. “YOU’RE BOTH WONDERFUL.” He squeezed Daemon. ‘MORE THAN I DESERVE,’ he thought.
“aw, thank you. you’re wonderful too.”
“HE IS CORRECT. WE’RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE YOU. ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR THERAPY APPOINTMENT IN THE MORNING?”
“I THINK SO…” Berry held on to Daemon as he talked. “STRETCH DIDNT SAY TO BRING ANYTHING.... I JUST HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THEY ASK RIGHT?”
“SORT OF. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO, AND SOMETIMES IT’S LESS ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND MORE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL. YOU DON’T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS IF YOU DON’T WANT TO, BUT YOU MUSTN’T LIE.”
Berry thought about it while being held in the warm safety of Daemon’s embrace. It was painful to look back on the past, yet he had pledged. “I PROMISED TO DO MY BEST. I WOULDN’T LIE.”
Daemon nuzzled him tenderly. “good. we’re so super proud.”
Berry’s purr got louder, and that made magic creeped up his face as he blushed.
The alpha giggled softly. “i give the best hugs, huh?”
“YOU SURE DO,” Berry said timidly. He was feeling spoiled and gave a final squeeze. Then he let go.
“hehe, thank you~” He squeezed back gently, then stepped back.
“WELL, WITH THAT ALL OUT OF THE WAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TURN IN FOR THE NIGHT, BERRY?” Howl asked, getting back up.
“YES. I’LL TAKE A SHOWER THEN. BOTH OF YOU HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. SLEEP TIGHT.”
“YOU AS WELL.” Howl dipped his head. The two of them headed out to give Berry privacy.
Berry took a few minutes to unpack and think about all that had happened. It had been a very imposing day, and now he was living with Daemon and Howl.
Berry feared tempting them. After all, he was tempting himself with being here. The hurt skeleton wanted more; he wanted what his brother had with Vex, and he felt connected with Daemon and Howl. “I CAN’T HAVE THAT,” he whispered sadly and rubbed at his collarbone. “THIS IS MORE THAN SOMEONE LIKE ME SHOULD HAVE.”
Filthy, disgusting, whore. Inflicting yourself on good monsters.
That made the small skeleton think about his talk with Howl. “I TOLD HIM THINGS. MANY THINGS I HAVE NEVER EVEN TOLD MY BROTHER.” They were deep dark secrets, he didn’t even like to admit to himself, yet in that moment they came spilling out. “AND HOWL SAID I WASN'T BAD.” The small monster wiped at his sockets. ‘THEY ARE SO AMAZING,’ he told himself.
Good fortune had never been on his side. A dark feeling of foreboding bit into his bones like Cory had. “I... I DON’T WANT TO LOSE THIS,” he mumbled. He was sure that his small prayer wouldn’t get an answer. All this would hurt badly when he loses it.
Howl’s scent brought him out of the dark thoughts. He was going to trust in Howl and Daemon. Berry couldn’t let the voice and memories win. He headed to the shower.
The next morning, there was pleasant-smelling breakfast that greeted Berry. It drew him from under the bed as his non-existent stomach growled in hunger. He got dressed hurriedly and went exploring. He found Howl had made breakfast burritos, fancy gourmet kinds.
Berry walked into the kitchen. “mmmmm, that smells wonderful and good morning.“ He sat at the table.
“GOOD MORNING.” Howl gave him his plate and a glass of milk. “READY FOR YOUR THERAPIST APPOINTMENT?”
Berry played with his bandana a bit. “YES.” He was nervous, but he had to be strong and do this, he’d promised.
“GOOD. PLEASE EAT, BERRY.” He sat with his own. Daemon was already digging in, making a pleased noise. His burrito had barbecue sauce inside.
Berry looked at the burrito. It looked yummy, but he had butterflies in his non-existent tummy from the question. He picked it up and took a bite. It was fantastic. His belly settled as he ate. He hadn’t noticed how hungry he was, after all he missed dinner the night before.
Howl watched him for a few moments, then dug into his own food, pleased. Breakfast was a pleasant affair, and after he cleaned up, Daemon leaned down to let Howl clip his leash onto the collar he wore proudly around his neck. Howl looped his hand through the handle, gripping it loosely, and tugged his gloves a little tighter. It was braided leather, well-lacquered, two different shades, blue and orange.
Berry watched curiously. “WHY DO YOU PUT A LEASH ON DAEMON?” he asked.
“IT EMPHASIZES THE COLLAR,” Howl answered, brushing the handle. “NOBODY CAN MISS IT LIKE THIS. THE QUALITY IS A SMALL EXTRA STATUS SYMBOL. ASIDE FROM THAT, HE CAN SHORTCUT BOTH OF US WITHOUT PHYSICAL CONTACT.”
“OHHH.”
“ARE YOU READY TO GO, THEN?”
Berry took a deep, calming breath. He was uneasy about this. He turned to Daemon. “MAY I HAVE A HUG BEFORE WE GO?”
“of course!” Daemon leaned down to hug him nice and tight. “i’m so proud of you.”
Berry blushed at the praise. “THANKS. THE UNKNOWN IS SCARY.” He relaxed into the hug. “BUT KNOWING HOWL IS COMING AND YOU’LL BE NEAR MAKES IT BEARABLE. “
“mhm, the unknown is the scariest. but soon it won’t be unknown anymore!” He beamed. “ready to go?”
Berry took a last squeeze then let go to hold Daemon’s hand, gathering his courage. “I’M READY.”
“okay~” He ported them all to just outside an office and led them in.
The receptionist gave Berry a diagnostic test to fill out about depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Berry skimmed the questions first. They seemed strange to him, asking if he agreed with the statements or not. Some asked if the statements were true or not. Others asked if the statement happened to him a lot, sometimes or never. He tried to answer as truthfully as possible.
When he was finished with the paper, the receptionist took it back and input all of his information. Daemon held his hand. After a few minutes of waiting, the receptionist ushered them back to the correct office. A licorice-looking monster woman sat at a desk. There was a sofa across from her, another comfy chair next to that, and an assortment of zen decorations around the room.
“Good morning. My name is Candy and I’ll be working with you starting today. It’s nice to meet you all.”
Berry looked around the room curiously. The small monster breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t see any medical stuff, but he still kept one hand clutching his bandana and the other tight in Daemon’s grip. After all, a therapist was a mind doctor.
When the monster introduced herself he replied politely, “HELLO, I'M BERRY.”
“Very nice to meet you, Berry. And you two?”
“I AM HOWL.” He dipped his head. “THIS IS MY BROTHER DAEMON. WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT BERRY. AND I MAY ALSO TALK.”
“I see. You’re all welcome. Please sit wherever is comfortable.”
Howl claimed the easy chair, leaving Daemon and Berry on the couch.
Berry sat next to Daemon, still holding his hand. “SO... HOW DO WE DO THIS? DO YOU ASK QUESTIONS OR AM I TO JUST TELL YOU ABOUT BEING BAD AND THE CORRECTIONS?”
“YOU WEREN’T BAD,” Howl said firmly. Candy looked down at her notebook. Berry looked away.
“I have written here that the major purpose of this therapy is to help with recovery from sexual assault. While it is important we talk about what happened, perhaps it might be better to start more generally. What would you like to tell me about yourself that doesn’t involve this trauma?”
“I...” Berry tried to think of something, “I’M LEARNING TO COOK AND KNIT... I WAS TAKING COOKING CLASSES. I’M GOOD AT CLEANING...”
“That’s very good.” She nodded and wrote that down. “I understand it was your brother that set this up. Do you have any other family?”
The short skeleton rubbed his fingers over the bandana and smiled up at her. “IT WAS JUST MY BROTHER UNDERGROUND, BUT NOW I HAVE A BIG FAMILY.” He smiled and was relaxing. “HOWL, DAEMON.” he squeezed Daemon’s hand. “VEX, RED AND SANS. THEY’RE ALL MY FAMILY NOW.”
“I see. I’m glad you have so many people supporting you now. But you grew up without parents or guardians of any kind?”
“WE HAD A FATHER.” Berry’s happiness fell. “HE DISAPPEARED WHEN I WAS 12. STRETCH WAS 8. WE WERE GOING TO BE SEPARATED AND SENT TO DIFFERENT FOSTER HOMES. I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE MY BROTHER TOO, SO WE RAN AWAY. WE STAYED IN OLD BUILDINGS OR IN CAVES NOT TOO FAR FROM THE CITY, UNTIL THEY CAUGHT ME TEMPTING DURING MY FIRST HEAT AND TOOK ME TO THE SANITARIUM.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” She wrote more notes. “Tell me about that. You said during your first heat? Were you still in stripes? Were you aware of what was happening?”
“I WAS STILL IN STRIPES, JUST FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS.” Berry let go of Daemon and slid off the couch and pulled his knees up to make his body as small as he could. Daemon made a mild noise of distress, but didn’t stop him. “AT FIRST, NO. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING SICK.” He plucked at a loose string. “WE WERE STAYING IN A BROKEN DOWN BUILDING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NEW HOME. FOOD HAD BEEN SCARCE AND STRETCH WAS HUNGRY. HE WANTED TO GO DUMPSTER DIVING. I DIDN’T WANT HIM OUT ALONE AT NIGHT, SO I WENT OUT. IT WAS JUST A LITTLE SICKNESS: JUST FEELING HOT AND FIDGETY.”
“So you did not understand.” She wrote that down too. “I can see you’re distressed. I would like to ask you what happened during the first assault, but if you’re uncomfortable sharing that so soon, I understand.”
Berry shook his head, “THERE’S NOT MUCH AFTER THAT. I WENT OUT, THE SCENT KICKED IN. THE OMEGA IN ME TEMPTED A MONSTER. THE GUARDS HEARD ME YELL FOR HELP. THAT WAS A MISTAKE.” He gripped the string and pulled it. “YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE A PUNISHMENT QUIETLY. THEY TOOK ME AWAY AFTER THEY PUNISHED ME TOO.”
“Hmm.” She frowned a little. “I would like to have something clarified, if it’s alright. So your heat scent began and someone approached you? Did they say anything, or just immediately start assaulting you?”
“THEY CAME UP BEHIND ME. THEY ASKED WHY I WAS DIGGING IN THE TRASH. WHEN THEY GOT CLOSER, I THINK THEY SMELLED ME THEN. THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT ME SMELLING GOOD EVEN WITH THE GARBAGE TRYING TO HIDE IT.” He shivered, memories of his first assault overlapping with the newest. “THAT GOOD OMEGAS DON’T GO OUT DURING HEAT. I WAS BAD AND WAS TEMPTING THEM.”
“And then they hurt you. You called for help, and the guards arrested you.” She wrote that down. “Did you feel you were to blame as it was happening? Or were you angry?”
“I WAS SCARED.... HURT... I WAS ANGRY WHEN THE GUARDS DIDN’T STOP IT, BUT THEY MADE SURE TO LET ME KNOW WHAT I DID WRONG. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BE GOOD. I WOULD GO HOME AND NOT COME BACK OUT, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.” He squeezed and twisted his fingers hard. “ONCE A SULLY, ALWAYS A SULLY.”
“I see.” More writing. “And are you aware that none of the other monster cultures even have such a thing as ‘Sully’?”
Berry nodded haltingly. “HOWL TOLD ME YESTERDAY.” He said the next part with a little awe in his voice. “HE SAID IN HIS CULTURE THAT OMEGAS ARE WANTED AND PROTECTED.”
“Yes, that is correct. Even in the other two known monster cultures, omegas are not blamed for their heat scents. Even humans, who don’t have heats or good smelling capabilities, recognize that sexual assault is wrong. What those monsters did to you would be illegal in any other culture. How does this information make you feel?”
“CONFUSED...” He scooted closer to Daemon’s legs and leaned against them, looking for a grounding presence.
Daemon leaned down and gently patted his head. “you can sit with me again if you want,” he whispered. Berry took the offer and climbed back up to snuggle into Daemon’s side. “there you go.” The taller skeleton looked relieved.
“It’s understandable to be confused.” Candy nodded. “They taught you one thing, but now outside of your culture, that teaching is completely wrong. It can be difficult to change your thinking quickly. But which set of beliefs do you like more?”
“I LIKE THEIRS. I TRY SO HARD NOT TO BE BAD, BUT I CANNOT BE GOOD IN MY CULTURE.” Tears were pooling in his sockets. “I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE SANITARIUM WHERE I’M ALWAYS BAD. A DUMB SULLY WHO NEVER LEARNS FROM THE CORRECTIONS. DESERVING OF PUNISHMENT.” Tears started to fall. “ONLY GOOD TO BE USED AS AN EXPERIMENT.” He hid his face in Daemon’s side and sounded muffled when he said, “HOWL SAID I'M NOT BAD. I WANT TO BELIEVE IT, BUT IT’S HARD. I WANT TO BELIEVE IN HIM.”
Howl was staying quiet, watching. He looked proud, though. Daemon hugged Berry lightly, rubbing his back. “you’re doing so good.”
Berry was glad to hear that from Daemon. It calmed him down a lot. When he looked over at Howl and saw he was proud, Berry wiped at his sockets.
“I’m glad to hear that. It is very hard, but you want it, so that’s a good first step.” Candy closed her notebook and opened a drawer, then pulled out another notebook. “This is an empty journal. I’d like you to write in it every day. It doesn’t matter what you write, so long as it’s something each day. You don’t have to show it to anyone, even me, so there is no need to hide details or lie inside. Can you do that for me, Berry?”
He looked at Candy as she held out the notebook. “OKAY.”
“Thank you.” She handed it over. “One other thing I would like you to do, every day. I would like for you to tell yourself that you are not bad or sully. That sully doesn’t exist, and it wasn’t your fault. It’s okay that you don’t believe it right now, but please say it every day, anyway. In time, the words will feel more like the truth.”
He took the notebook and nodded. “I’LL TRY.”
“Good, that’s all I can ask of you.” She folded her hands. “Is there anything else you would like to talk about before we end for today?”
“WE'RE MEETING AGAIN? TO TALK MORE?” No one had said that he was coming here more than once. “WHEN?”
“Well, yes.” She tilted her head. “Therapy is typically long term. Getting better is a process. It cannot be done all at once. Typically, my clients come once a week. We can do more or less depending on what is comfortable for you.”
“OH.” He guessed that made sense. “I DON’T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT NOW. THANK YOU YOUR HELP.”
“Very well, then we will conclude this session here. You’re very welcome. Please try to write every day and say your affirmations.” She smiled and nodded at him.
Berry hugged the notebook and stood up with Daemon holding his hand. He looked to Howl.
Daemon smiled at him and got up too. Howl stood from his own seat. “THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM. WE’LL BE ON OUR WAY.” He led the way back outside. “YOU DID VERY GOOD, BERRY,” he said when they were alone.
Berry preened at the praise. It had taken a lot of courage. “THANK YOU.”
“YOU ARE QUITE WELCOME.” He nodded. “IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO DO BEFORE WE GO HOME? PERHAPS WE COULD STOP SOMEWHERE AND BUY SOMETHING SWEET AS A CELEBRATION.”
Berry nodded earnestly. The morning had been very stressful. “REALLY?” Maybe something sweet was just what he needed to help with the stress. “COULD WE GET A MILKSHAKE?”
“A MILKSHAKE IS ACCEPTABLE. PUPPY.” He tugged at Daemon’s leash. “DO YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND A MILKSHAKE PLACE?”
“sure do, master.” He nodded and took Berry’s hand to shortcut them there.
Berry looked around. It looked like Muffet’s, but not the one from his underground. He followed the two inside. “WHAT ARE YOU TWO GETTING?”
“I WILL ALSO GET A MILKSHAKE,” Howl decided. “A SIMPLE STRAWBERRY WILL DO.”
“mmm...” Daemon rubbed under his chin. Then he beamed. “barbecue donut.”
Howl sighed through his nasal cavity.
Berry wasn’t sure what that would taste like. Maybe they made sweet barbecue for it? “ARE WE ORDERING IN OR TAKE OUT?” Berry asked, not sure if either monster had plans today.
“WHICHEVER YOU’D LIKE, BERRY,” Howl assured.
“it’s a while still before i have to take master to the meeting,” Daemon agreed. “then it’ll just be us two for a bit.”
Berry nodded. So Howl had plans today, at least they had spent this time together. The Underswap monster looked into the window. There weren't many people here. “LET'S EAT HERE.” Berry laced his fingers into Daemon’s and mumbled, “IT WOULD BE OKAY TO SPEND TIME OUTSIDE.” He rubbed his soft bandana. It helped his courage. It wasn’t his first correction, and the therapist had said it wasn’t his fault.
Dirty Sully should know better than to...
He squeezed Daemon’s hand harder, he told the voice, "I HAVE MY FAMILY WITH ME. THEY’LL KEEP ME SAFE." The small monster hadn’t realized he said that out loud.
“of course it’s okay,” Daemon assured, squeezing Berry’s hand gently.
Howl nodded. “WE WILL PROTECT YOU, OF COURSE. NOTHING WILL HARM YOU. LET’S GO IN.” He led the way inside.
Berry followed in. He sat closest to the wall on the side next to Daemon in the booth, Howl across from them. He cuddled into Daemon's side a little, nervous.
Daemon put an arm around him, comforting and protective.
The spider lady that came to take their order looked a lot like the Muffet from Berry’s verse, but with sharper fangs and claws and red-coded clothes. Nonetheless, she seemed friendly enough, smiling at them all.
“Good to see you two! And who’s this cutie getting all cozy with my favorite customer~?”
Berry blushed. “HI,” he said hesitantly. “MY NAME IS BERRY. IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU.”
“Nice to meet you too, sweetie. I’m Spindle.”
“berry’s our new good friend,” Daemon said cheerfully. “my usual, please?”
“Of course. What would the sweet Berry like?”
Berry smiled at being called a good friend. “MAY I HAVE AN OREO MILKSHAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM?”
“Of course, sweetie. And you, Howl?”
“STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE, PLEASE.”
“Coming right up.” She wrote it all down and headed off..
“SHE SEEMS REALLY NICE.” Berry said from the safety of Daemon's side.
“yeah, she’s really nice,” Daemon agreed.
Spiders were the ones to deliver the drinks and the donut. Said donut did look grilled and with warm barbecue sauce on it. Berry watched excitedly. He said, “THEY’RE SO COOL,” as they descended the webs. It had been a long time since he had been at a Muffet’s. His own spider mistress was nice and all, but being around all the Underswap monsters had Berry too nervous to relax when he went without his brother. It would only take one that knew his past or saw his collar to tell the town. Here, he didn’t see anyone from his world. His blue gaze fell to Howl and Daemon. They protected him. As the drinks were sat down, he called out, “THANK YOU!” Berry looked closely at Daemon’s donut and laughed. “HOW DID SHE GRILL IT?”
They both thanked the spiders as well. Daemon giggled and took a bite. “on a mini grill like anything else?”
“HE’S BEEN GETTING THAT ABOMINATION AS HIS FAVORITE SNACK FOR YEARS.” Howl sipped his shake.
‘MAYBE,’ Berry thought, ‘I COULD LEARN TO MAKE ONE FOR HIM?’ He decided he would try it one day, as he took a sip of the shake.
“WOWWER! THIS IS YUMMY.” Berry sat up so Daemon could enjoy his food. “THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME HERE.”
“glad you like it, berry.” Daemon squeezed him gently, then kept enjoying his donut.
“YES, FOR ALL THAT SUGARY FOODS NEED MODERATION, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT SPINDLE IS VERY GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES.”
Berry smiled as Daemon squeezed him, making his face flush with magic. He was thrilled at that moment. He could live the lie of being a normal monster for a little bit.
They all enjoyed their treats, and when they were done, Howl paid. Then they went back outside to find a quiet area where Daemon could port them home.
“i have to take howl to the meeting soon, okay? but i won’t be gone more than five minutes.”
“OKAY.” Berry squeezed his fingers a bit. It was just a few minutes. “I’LL GO WRITE IN MY JOURNAL AS I WAIT,” he offered.
“that’s a good idea, yeah!”
“GOOD, YES. I’M VERY PROUD OF YOU.” Howl nodded approvingly.
Berry lifted his head a bit and stood straighter. It felt really nice to have people be proud of him. “BEST OF LUCK AT YOUR MEETING.” He gave Daemon a hug. “AND I’LL SEE YOU SOON, DAEMON.” He pulled the journal up and hugged it as he stepped away for them.
“THANK YOU, BERRY, I APPRECIATE IT.” Howl nodded, tugging the leash gently. Daemon ported them both away.
Berry stood there for a few seconds, looking at the space that was now empty.
Sully don’t deserve nice things.
“QUIET...” He’d never said that to the voice before. He believed what it said about him deep down. No matter how much he didn’t want it to be true. He heard it almost all the time, it was hard to believe anything else with its constant reminder of what he was. He tried to do what Ms. Candy had told him. “I AM G-G-GOOD.” He crushed the notebook a bit. “S-S-SULLY DOESN’T EXIST...”
SULLY! DIRTY WHORE! NEED TO LEARN YOUR PLACE!
The small skeleton took a step back. The strong criticism made him hunch back up. He lost that little courage he had been finding. He needed to stop tempting fate. Taking silent steps, he headed to his room.
Chapter 9: No Matter What they Try to Say, You were Always There for Me
Summary:
In which Howl and family talk to the nobles, and Berry makes a realization.
Notes:
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SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Chapter Text
Howl let go of his brother and examined himself in the window. “HOW DO I LOOK? SUITABLE FOR MY FIRST AUDIENCE WITH THE OTHER RULERS?”
“you look great, master.” Daemon smiled. “i’m sure you’ll do great.”
“WELL, OF COURSE I WILL. I’M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHERS.”
“it’ll go great, master! let’s go in?”
“HMM.” He straightened out his clothes and tightened his gloves, then nodded at his reflection. “YES, VERY WELL. LET'S GO.” He led the way inside and to the correct meeting room.
The embassy was a busy place. Monsters and Humans coming and going. None really paid attention to the two skeleton monsters as they made their way to the back. Standing at the doors to the room was Sans, Papyrus and Undyne, who currently had the tall skeleton in a headlock giving him a noogie.
They heard her saying, “I’m proud of you! Ya, bonehead.”
“PLEASE DON’T NOOGIE THE SKELETON!” Papyrus protested. “BUT I AM GLAD YOU ARE PROUD OF ME, UNDYNE!”
“GREETINGS.” Howl nodded to them. “I PRESUME THE ROYALS ARE ALREADY INSIDE?”
“Yeah.” She let go of Papyrus. “They are waiting on all of you and don’t worry, I will guard the door myself and my Al has swept for bugs.” She threw open the door. “Now get your secret meeting on.”
“thanks dyne,” Sans said.
“IT IS APPRECIATED.” He nodded to her and strode in, all confidence. Gore perked up from where he’d been cowering on the opposite end of the table from Tori. Tori was ignoring him and the tale Asgore, talking quietly to Red beside her. Vex was frowning at a few documents in front of him.
“good to see ya two,” Sans told Daemon and Howl as he entered behind paps. Sans came in and smelled at Red. "hey, ya hot stuff.” He winked at his boyfriend.
"hey, sweetheart.” Red waved at his boyfriend with a goofy grin, facing forward again.
Vex looked up from the documents. “HELLO.”
Then Sans sat by Asgore and told him, “good to see ya. i just wish it was under different circumstances.” Asgore nodded at Sans.
“Agreed.” He looked at the two new skeletons. “You are Howl, correct?
“YES, THAT IS CORRECT,” Howl said, putting a hand to his chest. “I AM THE MAGNANIMOUS HOWL. I DON’T KNOW WHAT GORE MIGHT HAVE TOLD YOU, BUT I AM INVESTED IN THE ONGOING POLITICS OF THE DIFFERENT MONSTER CULTURES AND OUR INTERACTION WITH HUMANKIND. THE MATTER WE ARE ADDRESSING TODAY IS VERY GRIM, BUT OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR KIND, A CHANGE NEEDS TO BE MADE.”
Gore nodded a little and kept trying to not look at Tori.
Sans looked grim and nodded.
Asgore asked, “I was unaware Fellswap had a judge?”
Howl shook his head. “THERE IS NO SUCH POSITION. I WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, AND I PLAYED A PART IN GETTING GORE BACK ON THE THRONE. MY POLITICAL INTEREST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JUDGING.” He took a seat, and Papyrus did as well, law book in hand. Howl removed the leash, and Daemon dipped his head politely before disappearing again.
Asgore accepted Howl’s answer and then smiled at Papyrus. “It's good to see you too, Papyrus, and Congratulations.” He turned to the other nobles. “For those of you that don’t know. Papyrus, Sans’s brother, has just passed the human bar test and is now the first monster lawyer to practice human law. He will be a brilliant assistant to all monster kinds.”
“my bro is the coolest.” Sans added with a dopey grin.
“Oh, congratulations,” Gore muttered.
Tori smiled. “Yes, well done.”
“THANK YOU.” Papyrus beamed. “I’VE BEEN RESEARCHING THE SULLY AND COLLARING LAWS SINCE I HEARD ABOUT THIS PREDICAMENT.”
“And?” Asgore asked.
“YES! WELL! WE HAVE A GOOD CASE.” He opened the book and pulled glasses onto his face. “FIRST, THE REASON FOR THE LAW IS OVERPOPULATION, WHICH ARE DEFINED AS POPULATION NUMBERS THAT ARE UNSUSTAINABLE IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. GIVEN THAT WE’RE ALL ON THE SURFACE, THIS ISN’T AN ISSUE ANYMORE.”
“YES, EXCELLENT.” Howl nodded.
Asgore nodded as well, “so the basis of the law is obsolete.”
“good,” Sans said.
“YES, WELL, NOT ONLY THAT.” He pushed up his glasses all importantly. “THERE’S ALSO THE LEGALITY OF THE TERM ‘TEMPTING.’ THIS LAW DEFINES IT AS: APPEALING TO OR ATTRACTING ALPHAS AND BETAS THROUGH SCENT, TOUCH, OR ACTIONS, SUCH THAT THE ALPHA OR BETA CANNOT CONTROL THEMSELF AND MUST ENGAGE IN SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH THE OMEGA.”
“Well, that’s repulsive,” Tori exclaimed.
“Victim-blaming,” Gore agreed in a mumble.
“AND FURTHERMORE,” Howl said as he put a hand down on the table, “SIMPLY NOT WHAT OCCURS. EVERY ALPHA AND BETA IS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF CONTROL IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO EXERCISE IT. THE FACT THAT THEY DON’T IS ON PURPOSE.”
“that’s, right. Everyone is in control of their own actions.” Gore sighed, “this law is ridiculous.”
“It shouldn’t be a problem getting it off the books.” Asgore stated. “We just need to talk with Queen Toriel.”
“WELL, THAT IS THE ISSUE,” Howl said. “SHE HAS REFUSED TO GIVE IT UP SO FAR, AND ALREADY HAS COME AFTER BERRY. ONLY MY COLLARING LAW SAVED HIM FROM RETURNING TO THE SANITARIUM.”
“AH, YES, THE COLLARING LAW.” Papyrus flipped to another page of the book closer to the back. “FELLSWAP’S COLLARING LAW IS MUCH CLEARER. A COLLAR IS DEFINED AS: ANY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING OR ACCESSORY WHICH COMPLETELY WRAPS AROUND SOME PART OF ANOTHER MONSTER’S BODY. THE BANDANA HOWL PRESENTED TO BERRY QUALIFIED JUST AS MUCH AS THE ACCESSORY HIS BROTHER IS WEARS."
Howl nodded proudly.
"THE THUS-DEFINED COLLAR CONTAINS THE OWNER’S MAGIC AS AN IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM. A COLLARED MONSTER IS CONSIDERED THE OWNER’S PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSES OF: CLAIMING TAX RETURNS, OBTAINING EXTRA RATIONS, SUING FOR DAMAGES, AND MOST RELEVANT TO THIS CASE, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COLLARED’S ACTIONS. BERRY IS HOWL’S LEGAL PROPERTY, AND CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN ACTION LEGALLY. HOWL TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY, PAYS ALL FEES, AND RECEIVES ALL PUNISHMENTS UNDER FELLSWAP LAW. BUT HE CANNOT BE PROSECUTED UNDER SWAP LAW, AS HE IS NOT A SWAP CITIZEN. AS BERRY IS HIS POSSESSION, HE IS TECHNICALLY A FELLSWAP CITIZEN AS WELL. THUS, THE QUEEN OF THE SWAP KINGDOM CANNOT CLAIM BERRY <i>OR</i> HOWL. THIS IS THE BASIS OF THE TRIAL IN WHICH THE SULLY LAW WILL BE CALLED INTO QUESTION.”
Asgore brought his hand up and stroked his beard. “Hmmm I see. This attack that happened that led to the queen coming for Berry, did it happen before or after Howl claimed him?”
“i think berry was claimed after the attack,” Sans offered.
“YES, THAT IS TRUE,” Howl admitted. “I WAS NOT YET DONE WITH THE COLLAR.”
“THAT IS A SMALL PROBLEM,” Papyrus said, frowning.
“Yes,” Asgore agreed. “We will probably have to take the humans’ extradition laws into account? He thought out loud. He turned to Gore. “You intend to back Howl’s claim on Berry and offer him citizenship? What's the human word?” he paused, then snapped his fingers. "Asylum?”
Gore looked up from where he’d been trying to stay invisible. “Oh, um... Well, yes. Of course. Howl’s claim is sensible.”
“THEN FOR THE TIME BEING, WHILE THIS IS ALL PENDING, WE ALERT THE PUBLIC.”
Asgore nodded, “very well. This matter has the backing of the Undertale monsters. As King, we will fully support the Fellswap claim and agree with their law on the matter.”
He dipped his head, pleased. “I’M GLAD TO HEAR IT.” He turned to look at Tori. She was frowning, her paws pressed together.
“We will also support the Fellswap claims and object to the Sully law.”
“EXCELLENT. THEN WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT HERE. THE FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE THIS EVENING, IF POSSIBLE.”
Asgore asked, “you said she came to return Berry to the Sanitarium. I haven’t heard of one being built. I assumed that the monsters were hospitalized or criminals in jails. Or is she still using the one in the underground?”
Sans was curious about that, too. He was so horrified hearing about the attack that detail escaped him.
“AH, WELL, ABOUT THAT. AS FAR AS OFFICIAL KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NONE SURROUNDING A SURFACE SANITARIUM,” Howl said.
“BUT THERE IS ONE,” Vex supplied, sitting up straighter. “I KNOW ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, NOTHING I FOUND CAN BE USED <em>LEGALLY...”</em>
Sans grimaced and tsked. “and, what did you find?”
Asgore nodded, waiting to hear as well.
“A LOT OF TERRIBLE THINGS,” Vex said solemnly. “THE OMEGAS THAT ARE STAYING THERE ARE NOT BEING TREATED WELL AT ALL. THEY'RE BEING ABUSED AND RAPED BY THE GUARDS. THEY'RE PUT IN ROOMS WITH NESTS, AND IF THEY TOUCH THE NEST, THEIR COLLAR SHOCKS THEM. THEY ARE TESTED ON HOW TO REACT TO GUARDS COMING ONTO THEM. THEY WEAR FILTHY CLOTHES AND ARE CONSTANTLY TERRIFIED. IN ROOMS WITH MORE THAN ONE, WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO THE DOOR THEY SPRING APART INSISTING THEY WEREN'T CUDDLING, JUST TRYING TO STAY WARM."
He straightened his papers in agitation, disturbed all over again from recounting it.
"IT WAS THE WORST LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES I’VE EVER SEEN. THEY’RE BEING TORTURED, NOT CARED FOR.”
Sans clenched his fists and closed his eyes. ‘how could stretch let this happen?’ he thought. He was going to talk to him about being Judged in Underswap and find out what was different in his verse.
Sans opened his eyes and looked across the table to Red. If Vex, the ex-captain who had to have seen the worst the Fell had to offer, said it was bad, this was bad. To say it was the worst he’d seen was painful to consider: Fells were known for their violent ways, but they did have a strong code of honor. Well, a lot of them did. His fingers twitched with the need to hold Red’s. He stuffed them into his blue hoodie.
Asgore looked to Tori. Not that he didn’t believe the skeleton, but he wanted confirmation from a version of his ex-wife that she would believe a version of herself capable of this. After all, this was the first time he had met any of these skeletons. He looked with a silent question, asking her to give her ex-captain credit to his claim.
Tori looked pretty upset at this news, her paws pressing against each other tightly, lips pulled back slightly in a snarl. How disgusting... She sensed the king looking at her and met his gaze with her narrowed red eyes. “And what are you looking at me like that for? I’m not her.”
He nodded. “As Gore and I are not the same monster.” He had to remind himself; they had all been through different things.
“definitely not,” Gore mumbled to himself, fishing around in his bag and wishing he could light a blunt.
“Vex was your captain of the guard underground correct?”
Tori sighed. “I only took up the throne upon reaching the surface, when my ex-husband was executed for treason.”
“I WAS THE GUARD LIEUTENANT, NOT THE CAPTAIN. THAT WOULD BE MY UNDYNE,” Vex supplied. “I WAS UNDER HER DIRECT ORDERS AND MAINTAINED THE SNOWDIN AND WATERFALL AREAS.”
“Vex and Daemon are reliable sources.” Sans added.
Asgore nodded. “Would you,” he asked nobles, “agree that the monsters in the Sanitarium are in danger of falling down if not immediately removed from the care of the Sanitarium? If so, are we in agreement to send in troops to secure and aid the monsters within?”
“COUNTLESS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN DOWN,” Vex said with a frown. “THE PAPER FILES FROM BEFORE THEY REACHED THE SURFACE... SO MANY ARE DECEASED.”
Red looked sick. He wished he could hold Sans. He had nothing productive to say, he just sat there listening to this horror show.
Gore rubbed at his beard. “Well, I’d agree, but we don’t have the authority to do that...”
“UNFORTUNATELY, MR. GORE IS CORRECT.” Papyrus looked very upset. “WHAT’S GOING ON THERE IS HORRIBLE! BUT MY EQUALLY HANDSOME COUNTERPARTS DID GO THERE WITHOUT PERMISSION OR A WARRANT. ANY EVIDENCE THEY’VE GATHERED CANNOT BE USED IN COURT. YOU WOULD HAVE TO OFFICIALLY COME UP WITH A REASON TO GO IN WITH A SEARCH WARRANT AND DECIDE FROM THERE.”
Asgore tsked, and asked Papyrus, “can we officially question Berry and start an inquiry and get a warrant that way?”
“YES, THAT WOULD DO IT.”
“HE’S NOT READY TO SHARE HIS STORY YET,” Howl said, shaking his head. “HE ONLY JUST HAD HIS FIRST THERAPY SESSION TODAY. BUT I HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO HIM ABOUT SHARING THE STORY PUBLICLY SOMETIME SOON.”
Sans asked, “...is there any other way to get a warrant papyrus?”
“WELL, YOU NEED PROBABLE CAUSE! AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC RECORDS THAT THE SURFACE SANITARIUM EXISTS AT ALL. I WOULD START THERE. PERHAPS GET A STATEMENT FROM AN EMPLOYEE OR TRY TO WRESTLE THE INFORMATION FROM THE SWAP QUEEN HERSELF? THEN, ONCE YOU HAVE A STATEMENT OF WHERE IT IS AND WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING THERE, YOU CAN GET YOUR WARRANT AND STORM THE PLACE.”
“Very well. Shall we,” Asgore looked to the other nobles, “have a talk with the Queen of Underswap?”
Tori nodded, looking stern and determined.
Gore held in a whine. “Only if we all do it together...” Like hell he would talk to someone like that alone.
“We will.” Asgore looked to the other skeletons, “please have Berry file a report once he is able. The sooner the better.“ He looked to the other nobles, “We will confront the queen hopefully before the press conference, tonight.”
“I WILL WORK WITH BERRY,” Howl assured. “DAEMON AND I HAVE TAKEN HIM IN FOR THE TIME BEING. JUST IN CASE.”
“uh.” Red felt weird speaking up. He nervously fiddled with his phone. “i’m working on something for him? Something to get him out of a bad situation quick if he needs it. i’ll need a few more days, tho.”
“HAVE YOU MADE ANY PROGRESS ON THE DATA I SENT YOU FROM HIS FILE?” Vex asked his brother.
“oh, uh, yeah, some...” He cringed. “it’s really not good. But I’m not done with it yet.”
Sans flinched; he'd seen pieces of the data.
“Berry’s file?” Asgore asked. “It’s a shame we can’t use that.”
“UNFORTUNATELY NOT,” Vex said with a frown. “I MANAGED TO TAKE PICTURES OF EACH PAGE QUICKLY. WE ALMOST GOT CAUGHT IN THAT ROOM...”
“Alright,” Asgore sighed. “Let us confront the Queen. Hopefully, before the press conference.”
“Yes, let us do that,” Tori agreed, standing. Gore got to his feet also, anxiously nibbling at his claws.
“IT WAS GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL, THANK YOU.” Howl dipped his head.
Asgore stood up. “Yes. Now I have heard rumors of a campaign? To be president of monster kind. Tell us about this.”
Howl looked surprised, then frowned at Sans. “THAT’S NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. IT’S MERELY A GOAL FOR THE FUTURE.”
Sans smiled guiltily. “Hah.”
“Very well,” Asgore said. He went to take his leave. As he came up to Howl he said, “who knows, if you prove yourself capable, maybe i can start my flower shop one day.”
Howl stood as well, and when Asgore passed by him and said that, he smiled just a little. “I THINK I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, YOUR MAJESTY.” He dipped his head. “IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.”
“Likewise, let me know if you need anything.” He left the room.
Sans got up and sat on Red’s lap.
Red let out a low breath and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “that was painful,” he grumbled.
“BUT I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING WE HAD TO,” Vex said.
“YES, I AGREE.” Howl nodded. “WE HAVE A MORE SOLID PLAN. THAT IS A GOOD THING.”
Sans nodded. “ya. I wouldn’t mind putting in a little extra work and judging the Queen though.”
“i guess you’re not allowed, since she’s not part of your kingdom...”
“WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD IT MAKE?” Howl asked, tugging absently at his gloves. “SHE’S NOT BREAKING ANY OF HER OWN LAWS.”
“she may not be breaking the law, but she can still feel her sins crawling down her back. A guilty conscience is a heavy burden.”
“IS THAT HOW JUDGING WORKS?” Howl tilted his head, curious in spite of himself. “YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE HER FEEL THINGS?”
“Well, i’m not sure about Stretch anymore, but for me, the Judge is an entity. Magic chose me as its vessel. It wasn’t my choice. I’m kinda just along for the ride.” He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to tell them, but he promised Paps and Red to be honest with them. The others here were pretty much family. “I see the crimes as they relive it. If the Judge and I deem the crimes need punishment by violence, we give karmic retribution.” He wasn’t sure how well he could explain it without showing them. Judging them. It wasn’t something he wanted to do, ever.
“sounds really hard,” Red mumbled, nuzzling Sans’s shoulder.
“HE GETS QUITE TIRED AFTERWARDS,” Papyrus agreed.
“HMM, I SEE. STRETCH HASN’T INDICATED ANYTHING SIMILAR...”
“ACTUALLY,” Vex interjected, “HE TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL WHAT I TELL HIM. HE SAID THE QUEEN CAN FORCE HIM TO TELL HER THINGS BECAUSE OF HER MAGIC AND HIM BEING THE JUDGE.”
“hmmm, for me the Judge won’t lie when it is in control and my monarch can summon the Judge if he wants to. So that might be the same for the Stretch.”
“IT MIGHT BE. I’M NOT SURE. HE ISN’T FOND OF TALKING ABOUT IT, SO I HAVEN’T PRESSED HIM,” Vex admitted.
Red declined to mention that Vex had hammered into him the importance of talking openly and honestly with a datemate. But he wanted to.
“well it sounds like stretch needs to answer some questions,” Sans replied.
“WELL... YES...” Vex frowned. “I’LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.”
“OPEN COMMUNICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ANY RELATIONSHIP, ROMANTIC OR OTHERWISE,” Howl said. Red hid his snort in Sans’s shoulder.
Sans looked at Papyrus and teased lightly, “hmmm, that sounds familiar.”
“YOU’RE RIGHT, IT’S BECAUSE I CONSTANTLY TELL YOU THAT MYSELF,” Papyrus said primly.
“and you tell me the same stuff, bro,” Red said, making Vex flush.
Sans chuckled. “i’m sure howl has things to do for his press conference. we should head out. did anyone need a lift?”
“YES, THAT I DO. I MUST PREPARE MY SPEECH.” Howl nodded. “I WOULD NOT MIND A LIFT, IF IT’S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE. I DON’T WANT TO PULL DAEMON AWAY FROM BERRY RIGHT NOW.”
“RED, YOU’LL TAKE ME HOME?” Vex asked.
“yeah, bro, sure.”
Sans gave Red a quick kiss on the cheek and got up, “no problem.” Sans held out his hand.
Howl reached out to carefully lay his hand on top of Sans’s. His gloves were soft cotton, a shield from bare-boned touch. Red ported his brother away with a semi-serious salute, after one last stolen kiss to Sans’s cheek.
Sans held Howl’s hand. “nice gloves.”
“THANK YOU.”
He ported them outside Howl’s place.
Daemon returned to the house not five minutes after he’d left with Howl. He knocked on Berry’s door gently.
Berry was under his new bed. Talking back to the voice had been a bad idea. It yelled over and over, memories insulting his battered mind.
Why can’t you learn? Dirty little thing. If you insist, I’ll just have to try this…
He flinched and his ribs ached around the hole. He curled up a bit more around the arch.
Softness brushed against the bottom of his chin. He reached for it. It was beautiful, soft, and warm. A wonderful scent clenched to it; Howl.
He breathed deeply and held desperately to the sense of safety it had. It felt like an oasis in the desert of pain.
A knock had some hazy memories clear from his mind and his voice was shaky when he called out, “H-HELLO?”
Daemon cracked open the door. “berry?” he asked. “i’m back from taking howl over to the embassy. how are you?”
“I didn’t get my writing done...” Berry’s voice was softer, “I’m bad...” The horrible finally quieted some as he admitted it.
“berry...” He came inside and sat down next to the bed. “it’s okay, you didn’t have to do it right away. i wasn’t gone that long. we’ve got all day, right?”
“WE DO...?” Berry tried to uncurl a bit. “OKAY.”
He smiled. “okay. you wanna come out from under there? or we can just stay like this, if you don’t wanna get out.”
Berry really wanted to sit with Daemon. He always felt protected and warm in his arms. The voice had been screeching at him vehemently since he talked back to it. He wanted it to stop. He had already admitted to being bad, but it wanted more.
“CAN WE SIT TOGETHER?”
“of course we can!” He beamed. “you could even sit on my lap, if you want.”
“I’D LIKE THAT...”
SULLY TEMPTRESS.
The tormented monster pointed out, ‘DAEMON SAID I CAN’T TEMPT HIM.’
Berry crawled out from under the bed slowly, careful of his healing shoulder. The bone was thinly connected and sensitive. He wiped at his sockets.,
Daemon gently pulled him closer and hovered a hand over the bandages. “do you want me to see if i can heal this any more?”
“YES,” Berry nodded. “PLEASE.”
“alright. i’ll take these bandages off and replace them when i’m done.” He pulled the first aid kit from his inventory and carefully started pulling off the bandages in place.
Berry sat in front of Daemon, trying to sit still. He watched the enormous hands and said, “I TRIED TO BE GOOD. I SAID WHAT MS. CANDY SAID TO.” The smaller skeleton used his free hand to play with the bandana as he held it out of Daemon’s way and said hesitantly, “I DON’T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.”
“uh-huh?” He set the bandages aside, to be tossed out later, and hovered a hand over the injury, both of which glowed dark green. “okay, well, why not?”
Berry fidgeted a bit. ‘I DON’T WANT DAEMON TO THINK I’M CRAZY, BUT MAYBE I AM.’ He had been hearing this voice since the Sanitarium, but Daemon was nice. He helped and protected him. ‘HE WON’T THINK I’M CRAZY, RIGHT?’
“IT MADE THE VOICE MAD...” He looked away. “IT'S BEEN YELLING AT ME SINCE THEN. IT MADE BE REMEMBER SOME OF MY LESSONS. THAT I AM BAD, SULLY.”
“the voice?” he repeated, keeping up the healing. But his other hand reached up to gently land on Berry’s skull, petting softly like one might a beloved cat or dog. “you have a voice telling you bad things? does it sound like yours?”
“NO.” He leaned into the touch.
“okay. does it sound like anyone you know?”
He thought about it. “IT SOUNDS LIKE DOCTOR GASTER.”
“oh.” He sounded startled. Then he sighed, letting the healing magic come to a halt. He picked up the roll of bandages to unravel it. “he must have done something to you... put his voice in you... how long has it been there?”
“ABOUT THE TIME HE DID THE EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENTS,” he rolled the soft material between his fingers. “I TRY TO IGNORE IT. TO PUSH IT TO THE BACK OF MY MIND LIKE THE MEMORIES, BUT WHEN I'M BAD IT GETS LOUD.“
Daemon nodded. “yeah... he definitely did something to you. i’m so sorry, berry. i, um...” He paused in re-wrapping Berry’s shoulder. His voice got quieter. “i get that too.”
Berry looked up at Daemon, relieved it wasn’t just him and guilty for feeling the relief. “YOU DO?” It dawned on Berry that Daemon didn’t use past tense. “WHO DO YOU HEAR?”
His usually calm, cheery expression was set in a frown now. “i hear... my dad,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “he never touched me like he did to howl, but... he had other plans for me. when we were growing up, he... made me hurt people.”
Berry’s soul ached. “I’M SORRY, DAEMON.” He leaned in and touched their foreheads together. “YOU ARE SO STRONG.” Berry took a deep breath. Daemon's scent was a strong wonderful alpha scent, safe and caring. “DESPITE WHAT HE DID, YOU’RE NICE, AND SWEET. YOU’RE STILL YOU.”
Daemon let his forehead rest on Berry’s, his eyelights a little dim. He smiled a little, but it was almost sad. “i try my best, but the voice never totally goes away. dad’s been dead for a super long time, but... he’s still there, in my head. n’ when he tells me to hurt people, i...” He looked down. “it’s so hard to fight it. but... when i start to lose myself, howl is there. he’s my master. i do whatever he says, and when he tells me not to attack, then i don’t attack... master’s voice is louder than dad’s.”
“HOWL IS A GREAT MASTER.” He took a few seconds to collect his thoughts. “I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS,” Berry confided. “YOU AND HOWL MAKE THE VOICE QUIETER.”
“he is. he’s really, really great. i love him so much.” He smiled a little again. “and i’m glad we help. any time the voice becomes too much, tell us, okay?”
“OKAY,” Berry enjoyed the closeness. He wanted to reach out and hold Daemon. The short monster’s soul was beating loudly in his chest. Daemon made the smaller skeleton feel safe, and the voice was quieter. They were the same in a way. It made Berry feel connected to him. “THANK YOU.”
‘DAEMON SAID I COULD HUG HIM ANYTIME,’ Berry recalled as he gently lifted his head and lowered it to rest on Daemon's shoulder and wrapped in arms around his caring, safe alpha in a tender embrace.
“you’re welcome. and i think you should keep saying what ms. candy told you to. but it’s up to you.”
He made a pleased sort of sound as Berry hugged him. His arms wrapped carefully around the smaller skeleton, holding him there in Daemon’s lap tenderly. Daemon wanted to nuzzle him, maybe even give him a kiss or two, but he hadn’t been given permission. He would never take what wasn’t offered.
“I DONT KNOW.” Berry wasn’t sure, “MAYBE TOMORROW WITH YOU OR HOWL NEARBY.” Daemon's arms around him felt so warm and secure. Like nothing outside could hurt him again as long as Daemon held him tenderly. A gentle purr worked its way from him. ‘Daemon is truly good at hugs,’ he thought. This was a feeling he wanted to keep forever.
Berry carefully kept his thoughts away from the growing need to kiss his alpha. He would not ruin this.
“yeah, that’s fine. we can be there every time, if you need.” He delighted in Berry’s purr and reached up to gently pet him again. “if i’m like a dog, you’re like a cat,” he decided.
Berry chuckled at that. “I’LL GLADLY BE YOUR PUSSYCAT.”
He resisted the urge to laugh, knowing Berry didn’t know exactly what he’d just said. But his face had flushed a little. “you like cuddles and you purr. that’s why your purr is a delightful sound.”
Berry nuzzled into Daemon. “I DO LIKE CUDDLES.” His purr got a little louder at the praise.
“me too. i really love cuddles. master has trouble even touching me, unfortunately. so we can cuddle all the time!”
“YEAH, WE CAN CUDDLE ALL THE TIME.” Berry agreed, he was really enjoying being held and the pets. A cobalt blue blush bloomed on Berry’s face at the idea of unlimited cuddling.
He took a deep breath full of Daemon’s spicy barbecue and smoke smell, before saying, “MS. CANDY WELL HELP US.”
“yeah! she seems to know what she’s doing. i dunno which land she came from...” He thought about that. “might’ve been tale, maybe fell?”
Berry thought about that. “Why not Fellswap?”
“i dunno. she might’ve been. i’ve never seen her before, but we didn’t go to hotland or the capitol a lot.”
Berry didn’t say why she wouldn’t be underswap. He couldn’t picture one of his kind being nice after knowing his secret. That gave a small pang of grief in his heart. Al had been a friend.
Daemon hummed and pet him again. “...what’s wrong, berry?”
Berry's purr had stopped. “I WAS THINKING. SHE CAN’T BE UNDERSWAP,” he said sadly, “THAT MADE ME THINK OF AL. WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS ANYMORE. SHE KNOWS ABOUT ME NOW. THAT MEANS ‘DYNE WILL KNOW TOO. I CAN’T BE FRIENDS WITH HER EITHER. SHE WAS STRETCH’S FRIEND TOO.”
“oh, yeah, probably not...” He nodded slowly. Then he frowned. “well... i think you can still be friends! do you really think she wouldn’t wanna because of this?”
“I DONT KNOW, MAYBE?” he sighed. “MONSTERS LOOK DOWN ON SULLY, AND THE QUEEN IS MAD AT ME.” He shivered. “HOWL MADE IT SO AL COULDN’T DO HER JOB. HER JOB IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HER.”
“yeah, but...” He kept frowning. “aren’t friends important to her too? if you guys are really friends... she should be more worried about you than her job.” Though, he supposed it was possible that worry could manifest in wanting to get him ‘treated’ if she didn’t know any better. That was a worrying thought.
He easily recited the lies they forced him to say for hours at a time, “SULLY CAN’T CONTROL THEMSELVES. WE NEED TO BE TRAINED AND WATCHED BY FAMILY. WE WILL TEMPT AND INFLICT OURSELVES ON THE REST OF MONSTER KIND IF NOT CONTROLLED.”
It was strikingly familiar to Daemon. It was almost like the mantra that was being beaten into the monsters the day he infiltrated the Sanatorium.
Daemon’s expression only got more upset. “but none of that is true. you’re not the one who can’t control yourself. besides, even if it were, she’s your friend. that means supporting you even if she thinks you need... help.” That didn’t cover it. The offered help was bad, but it was the best way he could think to phrase it.
Berry balled up a bit. He was making Daemon upset. “I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE’LL DO, BUT IT'S BEST FOR SULLY TO ONLY RELY ON FAMILY.”
“that’s wrong and bad.” Daemon looked agitated. “what are friends for if not to rely on? to feel safe and good with? everyone should have friends! especially struggling people! friends make you strong... but... they don’t want you strong.” He sagged. “they want you weak and scared... it’s not right...”
“SULLY ARE NOT SAFE. FEELING GOOD AND SAFE LEADS TO TEMPTING. LEADS TO UNWANTED CHILDREN. IT LEADS TO THE SANITARIUM.”
Sully that are breaking rules need a correction.
Realization hit him. He was feeling safe, loved even. He was tempting, but Daemon resisted his temptation.
He needed to stop being bad. “I SHOULD GET DOWN.”
“you are safe. you’re so safe.” He held Berry tighter. “no one will hurt you again. and if you ever decide to have children, that’s okay. nobody can tell you no. you want what master says to be true, right? then let it be true.”
“I DO WANT IT TO BE TRUE.” A steadily growing tremor was playing through Berry. “BUT I’M BEING BAD.”
Horrible, filthy, tempting good clean monsters.
He pulled his head up over his acoustic meatus.
“I WANT IT, BUT..”
“you’re not being bad. you’re being so good. i promise.” He rubbed Berry’s back. “i’m not hurting you. i’m not trying to take you. and i’m an alpha. you’re not tempting me. i really promise.”
He took some deep gulps of air. Air that was filled with the tangy smoky barbecue sent.
“I’M NOT TEMPTING. I’M BEING GOOD,” he whispered. Trying to find that safe, warm, fuzzy feeling from earlier. He focused on the heated hug that felt like home. Slowly the voice grew quieter. His trembling leasing as he repeated, “I’M BEING GOOD. DAEMON HAS ME. I’M SAFE. HE WILL KEEP ME SAFE.”
“yeah. yeah, there you go.” He smiled again, some of his own tension easing. “you’re being good. i’ve got you. i won’t let anyone hurt you, berry.” He kept gently rubbing at Berry’s back. His hands, no, his entire body, warmer than most monsters’ bodies were. Overly warm, like a fireplace on a white winter’s day.
The fearful monster melted into the other’s warmth. After a few minutes, the shaking stopped. Berry said fondly, “YOU’RE THE BEST HUGGER.”
He smiled more at that, proud. “thanks! you’re pretty good at it too.”
Berry cuddled on top of Daemon like a cat basking in the warm sun. He didn’t want to move.
Chapter 10: We All Suffer but We Recover Just to Discover Life Where We All Are
Summary:
In which a chicken tower is built and a spice cake is baked.
Notes:
It's Monday and we're back! I hope you like this chapter, a lot happens! Did you see this coming? Let us know in the comments! Tell us what you think will happen next!
GetMcDunkedOn: Sorry it's a bit later in the day than usual ;u; been a rough day. Mind the tags!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Chapter Text
Howl found the other two skeletons still cuddling on the floor of Berry’s room. He slowly opened the door that still hung open by a crack to check as soon as he got home. He looked down at them cuddling on the floor, and one side of his mouth quirked up into something that was almost a smile.
“I BELIEVE THE MEETING WENT WELL. I HAVE A SPEECH TO WRITE FOR THIS EVENING. DO YOU TWO NEED ANYTHING?”
Berry perked up at hearing Howl. “THAT’S GOOD TO HEAR.” He shook his head. “I DON’T NEED ANYTHING, BUT WHAT TIME IS YOUR MEETING TONIGHT?”
“I CALLED A FEW NEWS STATIONS, AND IT SEEMS I’LL BE GOING LIVE AT SEVEN O’CLOCK.” He checked the time. “I ONLY HAVE A FEW HOURS. PERHAPS YOU TWO CAN HANDLE COOKING?”
Berry beamed at that. “OF COURSE!” he said excitedly and got up. “LEAVE IT TO US!”
Daemon chuckled and let him go, standing up as well. He stretched. “did you want either of us to be there, master?”
Howl considered that. “I’M NOT SURE. IT’S PROBABLY BEST IF BERRY ISN’T THERE, I DON’T WANT THE REPORTERS HOUNDING HIM. I WOULD LIKE YOU THERE, BUT I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE BERRY ALONE...”
“I COULD VISIT MY BROTHER OR HE COULD COME HERE.” He realized after a moment that he shouldn’t invite a monster to a house he was visiting and added, “IF YOU ALLOW IT.”
Howl thought about that. “IT’S NOT THAT I MIND. I TRUST YOUR BROTHER. BUT I HEARD MENTION THAT IF THE QUEEN ORDERS HIM TO DO SOMETHING, HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO COMPLY. I DON’T THINK HE’LL MIND IF SOMEONE ELSE IS ALSO THERE.”
“i think it’s red’s night off,” Daemon offered.
Berry looked sad. “HE’S THE JUDGE SO HE HAS TO FOLLOW THE LAW.” He said more to remind himself.
“YES, ABOUT THAT. SANS EXPLAINED TO ME HOW BEING THE JUDGE WORKS FOR HIM. I DON’T THINK IT’S THE SAME FOR STRETCH. HOW DOES IT WORK?”
Berry sat back down on Daemon’s lap. “WELL HE IS THE JUDGE. HE PASSED THE TRIALS TO BECOME IT WHEN I WAS LOCKED AWAY,” he said sadly as he leaned into the warm skeleton, trying not to think about the Sanitarium. He was quiet for a few soul beats, letting Daemon fill his senses, reminding himself, ‘I’M SAFE NOW. I’M JUST TELLING FACTS.’ Once he was calm, he continued. “WHOMEVER PROVES WORTHY OF THE JUDGE, BY PASSING THE TRIALS, ENTERS INTO AN ANCIENT CONTRACT WITH MAGIC AND THE MONARCHY. THE JUDGE’S ROLE IS TO BE THE TRUTH SEEKER. JUSTICE IS LEFT TO THE MONARCHY.”
Visions of his own trial were breaking through the dam of his mind, flooding him with memories of how tiny and impotent he felt in front of the strong magic presence. “THE JUDGE RULED BY THE LETTER OF THE MONARCH'S LAWS." Berry shivered. "THERE IS NO GREY IN THE LAW. YOU ARE INNOCENT OR YOU ARE GUILTY,” he said sadly. It didn't matter that he didn’t mean to tempt. It didn't matter that he didn't want to be used. Only that he broke the laws. He could still hear the queen sending him to the Sanitarium. Just like she did the other day. “THE MONARCHY DECIDES THE PUNISHMENT TO FIT THE CRIME.”
Howl considered all of that. “WHAT ARE THESE TRIALS? WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MAGIC POWER HE IS GRANTED? IS HE POSSESSED?”
“I DON’T KNOW THE TRIALS.” He fidgeted and looked at the ground. He couldn't look them in the face, too ashamed of what he was. “WHEN I WAS JUDGED SULLY, IT WAS THE OLD JUDGE.” He shivered again. His eyelights were hazy and he had a faraway look and cuddled into Daemon looking for comfort and protection. “THE JUDGE, THEIR EYES WERE GLOWING GOLD AND VOICE WAS ECHOING.” He took a few deep, shaky breaths. “I.. I... HAD TO TELL THE TRUTH TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED. I COULDN’T THINK ABOUT LYING.”
“I SEE. I’LL HAVE TO ASK HIM, THOUGH I HAVE A FEELING HE WON’T BE ABLE TO TELL ME EITHER.” He sighed. “GLOWING GOLD AND AN ECHO-Y VOICE... AND A COMPULSION TO TELL THE TRUTH. INTERESTING. SO WERE THEY THE ONE WHO DECLARED YOU GUILTY, OR WAS IT THE QUEEN?”
“THE JUDGE DID. I BROKE THE LAW. I TEMPT MONSTERS, BY BEING OUT DURING A HEAT. NO ADULT FAMILY WITH ME TO KEEP ME IN LINE. NO PILLS TO SUPPRESS IT.” Berry's eyelights were becoming hazier as he recalled the facts from his trial. “THE QUEEN SENTENCED ME TO THE SANITARIUM FOR CORRECTION AND TRAINING.”
Dirty Sully. You deserve what you got. Can't even be trained properly. Don't worry, I'll find a way to make you useful.
“I SEE. SO THE JUDGE REALLY DOES COMPLY WITH THE LAWS THE QUEEN MAKES, NOT A MORAL BASELINE.” He frowned. “VERY UNFORTUNATE. WELL, IN ANY CASE. I HAVE TO GO WRITE MY SPEECH. YOU TWO CAN KEEP-” he waved a hand absently, “DOING THAT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO START ON DINNER IMMEDIATELY.”
Sully need to learn their place!
Berry nodded and curled into Daemon, his enthusiasm for making dinner gone. Remembering his trial had brought back terrible memories. “DAEMON, THE VOICE IS GETTING LOUD.”
Daemon held onto him again. “well, the voice needs to go away,” he said firmly. “you’re okay. i’m right here. everything’s okay. you want me to pet you again?”
Howl looked concerned at this, his gaze going between the two of them. He wanted to stay and help, but he was really crunched for time... He carefully peeled off his gloves and gave them to Daemon, then left the room, closing the door to just a crack.
“PLEASE.” Berry cuddled into the warmth as he said to himself, “I’M SAFE HERE.” He gave his bandana a squeeze. “I’M BEING GOOD NOW.”
“yeah. here. you can pet these.” Daemon handed the gloves over. “they smell like master.” Then he started to gently pet Berry’s head.
Berry gently ran his fingers over the soft material. He focused on the texture of it, soft. They had the scent of grapes to them, Howl’s signature smell. They’d been knitted with care. The pats on his head were rhythmic, and the delicious smoky smell of safety of home. His sockets drooped as his second wind was spent. Berry tried to fight sleep. He wanted to cook, but he was so emotionally drained by today’s events.
‘MAYBE JUST A QUICK NAP,’ he thought.
Daemon kept petting at Berry’s head. “you can take a nap, it’s okay. i’m here.”
The smaller monster nodded, hugging the gloves close. He could smell the wonderful grape smell of Howl mixed with Daemon as sleep took him.
Daemon held him for a while longer. Eventually, he pulled out his phone and opened one of those food delivery apps. Howl might get a little exasperated, but he’d probably appreciate something hot, fresh, with plenty of spice, and Daemon wasn’t a great cook. Indian food it was.
When the doorbell rang, Daemon got up and gently put Berry on the couch. He wanted to tuck a blanket around him, but he worried about Berry freaking out about it. So he just draped one over the top of the couch, there for Berry to touch if he pleased. Then he went to answer the door and get the food.
A teenage human had some bags. "You Daemon?" He asked.
"that's me!" He beamed. He had a tip in hand.
"Sweet." The kid smiled at the sight of the money. "Got ya order." He handed over the bag.
"thanks! i really appreciate it." He handed the money over and collected their food. He had tandoori chicken for himself, mild butter chicken for Berry, and of course, rogan josh for Howl, who was always a fan of less staple meats and a long, quality list of spices. He had also added on a yummy rice pudding for dessert. "have a nice night." Sweet smile.
"Thanks man you too." The kid put the money in his pocket and left.
Daemon got the door closed and hummed as he set all the food in the kitchen. He went to grab Howl first, who was re-reading his final draft of his speech for the fourteenth time just in case, and bid him to come eat. Then he went over to Berry to gently shake him awake.
"HMMM." Berry squinted at Daemon then rubbed his sockets. "YES?" His face had a light flush to it as he woke up.
Daemon smiled at him. "dinner's here. i got us indian food."
"OH, THANK YOU." Berry rubbed his sockets again. That's right, he was going to cook, but fell asleep.
"I'M SORRY. I'LL COOK BREAKFAST TOMORROW."
"that's okay, no need to be sorry. but i'd love to eat your food tomorrow morning." He led Berry to the kitchen table. Howl was just settling in with his own food.
"HOW DO YOU FEEL, BERRY?"
"TIRED, BUT BETTER." He yawned. "IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY, BUT DAEMON’s A GREAT HUGGER!" he said with a smile and looked over to him.
"THAT'S GOOD. YES, HE CERTAINLY IS." He nodded. "YOU CAN GO BACK TO SLEEP AFTER WE EAT, IF YOU'D LIKE. I ALREADY CALLED RED AND STRETCH TO HAVE THEM COME OVER BEFORE I LEAVE."
"I WANT TO VISIT A BIT. STRETCH WILL PROBABLY WANT TO KNOW HOW THE VISIT WITH MS. CANDY WENT. HE’S BEEN TRYING TO GET ME TO GO TO THERAPIST FOR A LONG TIME."
Berry moved the chicken around on his plate a bit before asking, "WHEN YOU GO ON THE NEWS, ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM MY NAME?"
"OH, YES, I'M SURE HE WILL. WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FINE." He nodded. At the question, he paused. "DO YOU NOT WANT ME TO?"
Berry shrugged. "I DON'T KNOW." He put down the fork.
"WELL, THINK ABOUT IT. WHILE YOU EAT." He indicated the abandoned fork. "THERE WILL BE NO MEAL-SKIPPING IN MY HOUSE."
Berry frowned, and looked at the fork like it betrayed him, then picked it up. He pushed the food around some more and thought, 'IF THEY KNOW, I CAN'T GO OUT ALONE ANYMORE.' He stacked the chicken and used some rice to make a little wall around it. 'IT DOESN'T MATTER, ANYWAYS. AL HAS BEEN ORDERED TO TAKE ME IN,' he thought. When his chicken tower was completed he said, "YOU CAN TELL THEM IF YOU WANT."
"IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT I WANT," he said, a little gentler. "EVENTUALLY, YOUR NAME WILL BE PUBLIC. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR IDENTITY SECRET AND APPEAL TO PEOPLE. BUT IF IT TRULY MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN I WILL FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK WITHOUT YOUR NAME."
"IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT’S NOW OR LATER. THEY WILL KNOW." He knocked down the chicken tower. He was nervous, but he wanted to make a difference. "I WANT TO HELP OTHERS. I WANT TO BE BRAVE."
"BERRY, PLEASE EAT THE FOOD," he said neutrally, though his brow twitched a little when the 'tower' was knocked back down. "THAT'S GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU DO. IF IT HELPS, I'VE NO INTENTION OF GIVING OUR ADDRESS OR YOUR LAST NAME. JUST BERRY."
That helped a lot his anxiety drop to manageable levels. He looked at the chicken. It was cooked nice and looked moist and juicy. He poked at it a few more times before he speared a piece. He was making Howl upset, and he didn't want to do that. 'HOWL IS HELPING," he told himself, 'STOP UPSETTING HIM. BE GOOD.' He bit into the chicken. It was just as good as it looked.
"IT DOSE HELP. THANK YOU"
Howl looked pleased again when Berry finally started eating. "ALRIGHT. I'M GLAD. HOW IS THE FOOD?"
"IT'S DELICIOUS." He was happy with the pleased note in Howl's voice. He felt a little pride that he could do something right and make Howl happy. He took another bit with some rice. "HOW IS YOURS, AND YOURS TOO DAEMON?"
"MINE IS ALRIGHT. I COULD MAKE IT BETTER, THOUGH."
"i like mine," Daemon agreed. "but master's the best cook."
"NATURALLY!"
Berry smiled at the banter and took another bit. It became easier to eat as they talked about other things. "ALL OF THE FOOD HOWL HAS MADE IS GREAT. I NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF FOOD, BUT IT STILL FANTASTIC."
"this is indian food!"
"I HAVE A FONDNESS FOR MOST ASIAN FOOD I'VE TRIED, THOUGH THERE IS MUCH I HAVE NOT YET LEARNED ABOUT. I LIKE THINGS WITH SOME SPICE."
Berry filed that piece of information away for later. A brief spark of excitement as he thought about making something special. "WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPICES?"
"OH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE FAVORITES, PER SE." He waved a hand. "BUT I AM FOND OF MOST ASIAN SPICES I'VE TRIED. SZECHUAN, CHILI, CURRY, PEPPER, THAT SORT OF THING. OF COURSE THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF SPICES, ESPECIALLY IN CURRY. IT'S A LOT TO LEARN."
"IN THE ANIME AL AND ‘DYNE BROUGHT OVER, THEY COOKED CURRY AND PUT CHOCOLATE IN IT. IT WAS STRANGE, BUT INTERESTING."
"YES, THAT IS CORRECT, MANY CURRIES HAVE CHOCOLATE IN THEM. OR, MORE TRADITIONALLY, COCOA BEANS, WHICH ARE WHAT CHOCOLATE IS MADE FROM.” Howl looked so pleased to be teaching food information. “IT CAN ENHANCE THE FLAVOR AND OFFER A SMOOTH TEXTURE, AND EVEN A PLEASANT COLOR."
"WOW," Berry said. "WE SHOULD TRY TO MAKE SOME, ONE DAY. IT WOULD BE FUN."
"WE CAN DO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE, YES. I CAN TEACH YOU MANY THINGS."
Berry's soul fluttered. "I WOULD LOVE TO! THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME!"
"YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME." He nodded and finished up his food.
Berry noticed Howl and Daemon were almost done. "ARE YOU TWO STILL HUNGRY? THERE’S PLENTY HERE IF YOU WANT MORE." He offered his food to them.
"ah, no, berry, that's yours," Daemon said gently. "don't worry about us. i got a small dessert, too. please finish?"
Berry nodded. He couldn't help but worry about his family, but he felt relieved to hear that there was more ready for his Howl and Demon if they wanted it. "OKAY.” He finished up his dinner.
They both looked very pleased when he finished his food, and Daemon brought over the rice pudding to split with everyone. Howl was moderately pleased with it, though he mentioned what he would've put in to make it amazing.
Berry smiled at Howl's commentary as he finished the dessert.
Both other skeletons watched to make sure that Berry finished his food. Daemon then got up. "i'll handle cleaning up while you get ready, okay master?"
"YES, THANK YOU. I MUST CHANGE AND RUN THROUGH THE SCRIPT ONE MORE TIME." Howl got up to return to his room.
Berry collected the plates and brought them to the sink for Damon. "I CAN DRY THEM. IF THAT'S OKAY."
"sure, that's fine." Daemon smiled at him. "i'll point out where things get put away."
"OKAY." Berry smiled, happy to be useful. "I'LL GET TO LEARN THE KITCHEN THAT WAY."
"yeah, exactly!" He nodded. He washed each dish carefully and handed them over to Berry to dry, humming quietly.
Berry let the normalcy of the moment feel him with happiness. He was a monster doing dishes with his new family. A family that he got to choose and love. One that was caring for him and trying to keep him safe. It was something he always wanted, but never thought he, a filthy Sully, could be worthy of this. It was also like what his brother had. A few happy tears escaped, but he quickly wiped them away.
Daemon glanced over, still humming. "you okay, berry?"
He gave a bright smile. "YES." He went up to Daemon and reached around him and gave him a tender embrace. "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THING TODAY. YOU'RE WONDERFUL."
Daemon made a pleased sound and hugged back, nuzzling the top of his head gently. "you're welcome! you're also wonderful. i'm really glad i can help, i like being helpful! and i like you~"
"I LIKE YOU TOO." Berry blushed brightly.
Just then there was a knock at the front door.
"I'LL GET IT."
"no, wait." Daemon carefully pushed Berry behind him. "you stay here, i'll get it." Just in case. He went to the door and peeked through the spyhole. Stretch gave a wave at the door. Red was standing next to him. He relaxed and opened the door with a smile. "hiya, guys! come in, we just finished dinner."
"cool." Red came right in, hands stuck in his pockets as usual. "oh, nice place. wow. bet the boss'd be jealous."
Stretch followed. "looking great. you're right, he'll want to know your designer." He walked over to Berry and knelt down and gave him a hug. "hey there, bro. they’re being good to you?"
"THEY HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL," Berry said with stars in his eyelights.
"well, that's good." Red went over to the couch and plopped down. "it's only been a day, but still." He was fiddling with something in his pocket.
"IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG DAY." Berry walked with Stretch over to the couch. "WE WENT TO SEE MS. CANDY. THEN OUT TO LUNCH."
Stretch sat down and pulled Berry close to them, then looked at Daemon. "so you stayed with him?" He tried to suppress his jealousy as he patted Barry's head.
"oh, yeah!" Daemon nodded. "i haven't left him alone. it was nice. i think it helped a lot! it's no problem." He sat down too. "we got milkshakes afterwards, too."
"oh, cool." Red nodded. "sounds pretty great.
"i'm glad you went and thanks for taking him," Stretch said.
"YEAH IT WAS GREAT. THE SPIDERS BROUGHT THE FOOD DOWN, IT’S ALWAYS SO NEAT WHEN THEY DO THAT." He leaned into his brother. "WE HAD A VERY GOOD TIME THERE."
"i'm glad ya did." He gave a little squeeze. "did ms. candy give you homework to do?"
"oh, yeah. he's to write in a journal and say nice things about himself every day!"
"those are sensible things."
Berry hid in his brother's side. 'THE VOICE MAKES IT HARD THOUGH,' he thought.
Stretch rubbed Berry’s side. "it'll be okay, bro."
"yeah, everything will be okay! and master's speech is gonna be great. are you guys gonna watch it on tv?"
Red's hand kept fiddling in his pocket. "sure, buddy. we'll turn it on. berry, um, you okay?"
Berry looked up at Red. "IT WILL GET BETTER..."
'I HOPE,' he thought silently.
"you keep saying and it will."
"yeah, exactly! positive affirmations!" Daemon agreed with a bright smile.
Red smiled a little bit. ‘sounds fake, but ok,' he thought to himself, but he didn't say it out loud. "alright, well, that's good. i'm glad to hear it. if you ever wanna, uh, talk? i'm here, ok? about, uh... you know... stuff."
Berry was shocked, but happy about the offer from his brother-in-law. He had thought the other times Red had asked Berry if he wanted to talk that he was just asking due to social nicety. When he didn’t take the offers, Red would let it be and move on. He felt bad not taking up his offer and talking to him before. "THANK YOU RED. I MIGHT TAKE YOU UP ON YOU LATER." He wasn't sure he wanted to acknowledge the voice right now. "YOU BAKE RIGHT?"
Red nodded, perking up. "oh, yeah. i'm really big on baking. why, you wanna learn?"
"I DO."
Howl came back down the stairs, dressed in the same formal wear he'd been wearing the first time he came to family game night. He had his speech in hand. "DAEMON AND I MUST BE OFF. AH, GOOD, YOU TWO ARE HERE."
Berry pushed himself away for his brother and went up to Howl. He wanted to reach out and hug him, but held out only his hand. "I KNOW YOU'LL BE MAGNIFICENT TONIGHT."
Stretch smiled at the two. "you got this, howl."
Howl looked surprised, but pleased. He gently took Berry's hand to hold. "THANK YOU BOTH, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. AND YES, I WILL BE VERY MAGNIFICENT~ MAKE SURE TO WATCH."
Daemon beamed, so proud. He went over to take Howl's other hand. "we'll be back later, okay?"
Bery gave a tender squeeze to Howl's hand and a bright smile. When Howl let go of his hand, he hugged Daemon tight. "BE SAFE." Then he took a step back to the others.
Stretch rested his arm on Berry’s head. "we will watch and cheer you on."
"yeah, good luck you guys." Red gave a sassy two-fingered salute, finally pulling his left hand out of its pocket where it had been fidgeting.
"WE WILL. THANK YOU." Howl dipped his head. Daemon hugged Berry nice and tight. then ported himself and Howl away.
Red stretched and flopped more on the couch. "you were talking about baking?"
"YES." Berry squeezed his fingers nervously. "DAEMON AND HOWL LIKE SPICY FOOD... I WANT TO MAKE THEM A SNACK FOR THEIR RETURN..." He touched the bandana as a light dusting of magic coated his face. "I WAS THINKING A SPICE CAKE."
The pregnant monster chuckled at the dopey look on his brother's face. He was definitely crushing on the two skeletons.
"oh yeah? a spice cake, huh? i can help you make that." Red nodded and got up. He searched around for the remote and put on the TV, so they'd hear the news in the background when it started. Then he headed into the kitchen. "let's see... we'll need lots of ingredients for a spice cake... flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, oil, applesauce, vanilla, salt... and the spices. usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and clove. and if you wanna add frosting, cream cheese matches best. that's butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar."
Berry shifted nervously for foot to foot. That seemed like a lot of ingredients. He worked the collar in his fingers, feeling the soft material and the intent that imbued to it. 'I CAN DO THIS,' he told himself.
Sully can't do anything right.
'WE CAN DO THIS,' Berry corrected, and the voice quieted down enough to ignore once again. "I'LL GO FIND THE SUPPLIES."
Stretch followed his older brother. "i'll help too, bro. this should be a lot of fun."
"it sounds like a lot, but honestly, it's just a matter of measuring them out and then putting them together in the right order, then popping them in the oven. cakes aren't too technical when it comes down to it," Red assured. "i won't steer ya wrong, okay? first we just find it all and get some bowls and utensils and stuff."
"dessert not worry yourself, bro." the tall skeleton reassured his brother. "i tried red's cakes and they are bake-tacular."
Berry giggled and nodded. "ARE YOU SAYING THIS WILL BE A PIECE OF CAKE?"
Red snorted. "flour nice of you, i think that'll make berry feel butter about the task." He found the bowls, utensils, and pan they'd need.
Berry smiled and looked for the spice rack. "WE BUTTER STOP BEFORE THIS GETS OUT OF HAND."
"okay, bro." Stretch dug in a few drawers. "i wouldn’t want you to get a tension headcake." He smiled and pulled out a little hand-held blow torch. "this should heat things up."
Red glanced over and his sockets went a little wide. "ahh, no, gimme that." He took it quickly and put it back. "no blowtorches, those are for advanced students only. we don't need to brulee for a spice cake, anyway."
Stretch sighed, disappointed, but went back to digging for stuff he might need.
With the three of them working together, they soon had all the components needed. "alright, great. so, before we get started with actually touching the ingredients, gotta wash our hands. then i think you two can handle measuring out the dry ingredients. use the measuring cups and be exact, ok? here." He pulled out his phone and pulled up the recipe, then tapped at the top ingredients. "the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices are what you're doing. don't pack the flour into the measuring cup tight, it'll mess with the ratio. think you can do that?"
Berry nodded. It was just like fixing a puzzle, that was one of the things he liked about baking. "YES, SIR." Stretch and him got to work.
He flushed. "ah, you don't have to call me sir, berry. just my name's fine." He worked on the wet ingredients in another bowl, but monitored the swap siblings just in case.
The tall monster opened the flour bag while his brother got the other stuff opened. Stretch picked up the bag and went to shake some flour into the cup. The flour went into the cup on the counter and on Berry. He blushed. "sorry about that bro." He dusted some off. "so, flour you feeling today, berry?"
Berry huffed. "THAT WASN'T FUNNY, BUT I'VE BEEN BATTER." He went to the sink and used a towel to clean up a bit. "BROTHER, MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAND ME THE TOOLS AND I'LL MEASURE."
Red looked over at the overflow of flour on the counter. "yeah, stretch. how exactly did you plan to measure without using the measuring cup?" His tone was mild, but there was some exasperation. "you gotta follow the directions. baking is science."
"there is a cup under there somewhere." He poked around in the flour. "i thought it would come out like cereal being shaken into a bowl." He shrugged.
Berry sighed. It wasn't Stretch's fault, they never really made food from scratch when he was younger. They found stuff, rations and fast food if they had some money. Nothing needed baking. It wasn't until he met Al and tried to cook with her that either of them really messed with ingredients (also a good share of fires), and it was mostly Berry that did. Stretch would play games or watch anime with Dyne. "IT'S FINE, BROTHER."
"well, flour's a lot looser and more powdery than cereal, so it's better to scoop it out with a spoon to avoid a mess," Red instructed. "it's ok, you just gotta be careful."
"i see that now." He took the other tools aside and waited for Berry to come back.
Berry came over with a clean dish towel and wiped the counter and found the full cup under the pile of flour. "LOOK" he held it up. "YOU GOT SOME IN THE CUP. GOOD JOB. I'LL JUST DUMP SOME OUT UNTIL IT THE RIGHT AMOUNT."
"that works. here, try to measure out the spices." He offered the tiny measuring spoons to stretch.
Said skeleton took the tiny spoons and had much more success measuring.
Berry got out a large bowl and worked on the flour, baking powder, baking soda.
"good job, you guys." Red was just whisking in the oil to the sugar and egg mixture. The buttermilk and applesauce and vanilla were about to go in. "make sure to mix it all together in the bowl, but gently."
Stretch hand over the spices, "here ya go, bro."
Berry focused some feelings into the mixture: Love, want, hope. Then he brought it over to Red.
Red finished mixing the wet ingredients. He was still only using his left hand; the right tucked away in its pocket. A floating red hand made up for the lack. "alright, now here's the trick to mixing wet and dry ingredients," he told them. "you make a well in the dry ingredients, just a nice dip in it." He gently did so. "then that's where you pour in the wet ingredients." He did that next with the mixture he'd made, while another magic hand grabbed the rubber spatula. "now the other important thing is to not overmix it. see, when the acidic element, like buttermilk, hits the leavening agent, the baking soda and baking powder, gluten starts to develop, carbon dioxide builds up, and the cake becomes nice and fluffy. the eggs also help with this because egg whites have a protein that emulsifies the cake, or stops it from falling flat. but if you mix it too much, there's too much buildup, the air pockets collapse, and it comes out too tough and not as pleasant to chew through. it's ok if there are some lumps in the batter, so long as the ingredients are mixed." He folded the ingredients with the extra hand as he spoke, demonstrating. "now we put it in the cake pan and pop it in the oven. you wanna pour it?" He offered the bowl to Berry.
'This isn't too hard,' Berry thought. It was very neat learning how the cake became light and fluffy. Though, he wondered why Red didn't use his right hand. He was pulled from the thoughts at Reds' question. "YES PLEASE." The small skeleton nodded excitedly and moved the stool over and picked up the bowl to pour it in. "THANK YOU SO MUCH. "
Stretch watched. It was great seeing Berry so happy. He was coming out of his shell more than he ever did at home. It was bittersweet.
"no problem, blueberry buckle." Red smiled and let Berry pour the batter into the cake pan. The oven was already preheated, and he'd found an oven thermometer to stick on it and make sure it was accurate. Howl had the good stuff. When the batter was poured, he gripped the pan with his actual hand and a floating one. "now when you're baking a cake, you do wanna kinda just plop it on the counter once or twice to make sure there are no big air bubbles." He did so, then slid it into the oven. "that'll take a little over half an hour. when it's out and cooling, we'll make the cream cheese frosting, ok?"
Berry giggled at the nickname. "IT SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU, THIS WAS REALLY FUN."
"we ready to go watch some tv?" Stretch asked.
"you're welcome. baking is fun." He set the timer and double-checked the thermometer, then dismissed the magic hands and rinsed off his real one to slip back into his pocket. "sure, yeah. i think howl's just about to start."
Stretch headed out into the living room.
Before following, Berry walked up to Red. He squeezed fingers and shifted from foot to foot. "MAY I ASK A PERSONAL QUESTION?"
Red paused on his way, rocking back on his feet. "oh, uh, sure?"
"I WAS JUST WONDERING..." The anxious monster played with his banana. "WHY DON'T YOU USE YOUR RIGHT HAND?"
"oh." He flushed a little, his left hand coming out to touch near the right wrist. "it's a long story, but, uh... it's kinda broken."
"OH." He was surprised and concerned. "DID YOU SET THE BONE AND WRAP IT? DAEMON CAN HELP HEAL IT WHEN HE GETS BACK. HE'S BEEN WORKING ON MINE." His hand went to his collarbone.
"oh, berry, it uh..." He pulled the right hand out, and it was covered in a black mitten. "it was broken a long time ago. i'll show you, but... just don't tell anyone else, okay?"
"OOOH." Now that he thought about it, Red kept his hand in his pocket practically all the time. "BUT MAYBE SOMEONE COULD FIX THE BONE IF WE ASKED FOR HELP." It would be painful to reset bones, but it could be done.
Red shook his head. "it can't be fixed. look..." He carefully tugged the mitten off. There was a plate on the back of it, metal and looking to be screwed into the metacarpals. It was cracked, one screw gone and another scraped to hell. He turned the hand over to show it palm-side. A large chunk of his thumb was missing, there was some damage on the middle finger, and the pointer finger was completely mangled. "i tried so hard to heal this, so did boss. it won't heal. i, uh, i almost died."
Berry reached out to trace his hand just barely over the damaged bone.
"OH RED." His hand had a shake to it. "HAVE YOU TRIED TALKING TO DYNE? SHE MADE NAPSTABLOOK. MAYBE SHE COULD REPAIR THE BONE,” he said thoughtfully. "SOME PROSTHETIC AND RESIN? OR MAYBE..." He tried to puzzle some out options. "HOW THE HUMANS DO A SKIN TRANSPLANT? WE COULD TAKE SOME BONE AND MAKE IT GROW IN PLACE WITH MAGIC?"
Red flinched away from contact before Berry could touch it, tucking the mitten back on. "i don't wanna show anyone, they'll ask about the plate and i don't have answers. i've considered making a robotic replacement, but it's not a high priority." He looked away. "i showed you 'cause you know what it's like to be experimented on..."
‘RED TOO... HE WAS EXPERIMENTED ON TOO?’ One of Berry's hands went to his chest and the other to his eye. "I DO.... I WON'T TELL, BUT I THINK IT WOULD HELP." He knew how it felt not being ready to talk about stuff. But talking was helping him. ‘I’M SAFE NOW. HE’S NOT HERE. HE CAN’T HURT ME AGAIN.’ They were trying to help fix him. "EVERYONE IS TRYING THEIR BEST FOR ME. I'M SURE THEY WOULD HELP YOU TOO, ONCE YOU'RE READY TO TALK…”
Red slid the hand back into its pocket. "i dunno... i told sansy, and of course my bro knows, but... it's hard to talk about. i mean, i get nightmares' n' stuff..."
“RED?” Berry asked. “HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT ME? ABOUT MY TREATMENTS?”
Red sighed. "well, um... boss got a hold of your file from the sanitarium. not for long, took pictures. he didn't know what a lot of the data meant, so he asked me. i know what gaster was trying to do to you."
Slight tremors went through Berry and fear gripped his soul. "he...he went there?" Berry noticed he was talking in lowercase. He took a few deep breaths. "WHY?"
"him and daemon, yeah. the day after, uh, what happened to you. uh, did you know gaster's plans?"
Berry hugged himself. Two of his family had gone there... The doctor didn’t like an outsider coming in and upsetting his tests. They could have been hurt very badly.
He looked at Red. Question... Red asked a question. "HE... HE WANTED TO FIND A CURE FOR OMEGAS. THAT HAD BEEN WHAT I ASSUMED." He remembered the day they called him untrainable and incurable. "THE TREATMENTS DIDN'T WORK. I HAD NO ONE TO CLAIM ME. HE WAS USING ME TO FIND A CURE. THAT'S THE FATE OF ALL UNCLAIMED.”
"he's a liar." Red frowned. "i triple-checked the data. he was putting determination in you to try and strengthen your body. maybe even extend your life. by some miracle, you didn't melt..."
Berry was so confused. The horror of that day was forever stuck in the darkness of his mind. The feel of his bones becoming soft and pliable as he pulled on his straps that held him on the examination table, his bones bending like wet noodles. His magic sweat sticky on his bones. Hands grabbing at him and pulling him like taffy as they try to pull away, covered in magic and liquid bones. "MELTING.... I THINK I STARTED TO ONCE." He leaned against the cabinet. He had thought it was a fever dream from the experiment. His breath was speeding up. His bones knocked loudly.
"that's what the paper said, yeah. but the dosage was knocked back and you actually stabilized. that's not happened before, as far as i know. honestly, he probably got really lucky. but anyway, that's not the worst part. he was putting his own magic into you too. with a weird chemical cocktail put in to help him... control it outside his body. the results look pretty inconclusive for what he wanted it to be, but i doubt there were no effects."
Berry slid down the cabinets. "DR. GASTER'S MAGIC IN ME..." He never thought he could feel more dirty and used then he did as being a Sully. He was wrong. Being an experiment was worse. "HE'S IN MY MAGIC." His hands went to his head. "HE'S IN MY HEAD." There was no healing. There was no getting better. The voice would always be there. There was no fighting it. Liquid sadness cascaded down the poor skeleton's face.
"oh, fuck." Red looked alarmed as Berry slid down to the floor and started crying. "no, no, don't cry, i'm sorry." He knelt down too. "it's gonna be okay, i mean, it's over, right? we're not gonna let him touch you again, it'll be okay."
"HE’S INSIDE ME." He said through tears. Gripping his head.
"no no, it's just his magic! it's not- you're okay, berry, c'mon, it's okay, don't freak out." It looked like Red was crying too. "i'm sorry."
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. I HEAR HIM." He wiped at his face. "HE TELLS ME I'M BAD. A DIRTY LITTLE TEMPTRESS. I NEED TO LEARN MY PLACE. WHEN I TALK BACK, IT GETS WORSE. HE GETS LOUD. HE MAKES ME REMEMBER MY LESSONS."
"that sounds awful... i get it, kinda, really. the nightmares are just... i used to get them so much. i still get them, way more than i'd like. it's awful, and it's why i tried to cut this damn thing off my hand..." Red wiped at his own sockets. "but i almost killed myself doing it. i was so close to dying. you can't let it get to you like that, like i did."
Berry looked to Red and reached out for a hug. Red hugged him, nice and tight, tearing up again.
"i'm so sorry, berry. i'm gonna help you too. i'm not super physically strong but i'm making something for you."
"YOU'RE REALLY SMART THOUGH.'' Berry hugged back tight, and he calmed a bit. "YOU ARE? WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?"
"thanks, that's like my only great quality..." He chuckled ruefully. "it's like a panic button... when you need to, you can use it to instantly get home, like if you took a shortcut."
"YOU’RE SMART, NICE, AND KIND, RED." He thought about that. It would have been perfect a few days ago. "WOW... THAT WILL BE NICE TO HAVE. THANK YOU."
"thanks..." He smiled a little. "yeah, i only just started on it yesterday, so it's nowhere near done yet. but, hopefully by the end of the week, it'll be done. so you can go to your next cooking class, yeah?"
"THANKS." Berry wasn't sure if he was going anymore, but having an escape would make it easier to go.
"yeah, don't mention it." Red pulled Berry back off the floor. "we're all here to help you, berry."
Berry let Red pull him up. "THANK YOU." He held Red tightly. "WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TOO. IF YOU WANT TO TALK."
"i appreciate it. maybe someday..." Red looked over at Stretch and let go, wiping his sockets again.
Stretch peeked his head in, "hey guys, it started..." He looked at them hugging and the evidence of tears. "are you okay? what's happened?"
"yeah, sorry, we were, uh, talking about emotions' n' stuff. we're coming."
Berry nodded and held Red's hand back into the living room, where Stretch scooped him up and carried him to the couch to watch the speech.
Chapter 11: I Won't Trust Myself Once I Hear Your Call
Summary:
In which a goat gets insulted and a journal gets dropped.
Notes:
Hello all you lovely people! Thank you for coming to read our story. Be sure to leave a kudos and comment! It warms our heart on these cold winter nights. We love to know what you think and your speculation on what will happen next.
Enjoy!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Queen of the Fells had the idea. She had her Alphys put a bug in the room before the united council invited the other queen. It was tiny, in a small corner and out of sight. Then, when that was done, they called in ‘Queen Toriel.’ Tori contemplated legally changing her name while they waited.
The Queen of Underswap was not in a good mood when she arrived. She gripped her hands tightly to keep them from shaking in rage. The pesky skeletons were ruining Underswap reputation. That cursed Sully and its uncontrollable omega scents and actions. Then Howl, the ex-captain, pulled a political stunt to keep his little whore. It reminded her of her ungrateful oaf of a husband. The royals must have heard about the filthy little slut's actions. She was determined to find a way around this damn law. She contemplated what to tell the others as she entered the conference room of the embassy.
"Greetings," she told the others as she came to take her seat.
Asgore nodded to her. "Thank you for coming to our summons. We have heard very harrowing news about Underswap and some laws."
"Indeed." Tori's voice was icy. "We have heard of this Sully law... It's very troubling. So many monsters called 'Sully.'"
Gore was quiet, gnawing on one claw. He'd had a blunt in between these meetings, but honestly, the one wasn't enough. Not for this.
"Only monsters who cannot control themselves and force others to use them are deemed Sully," The Queen replied. "Do not worry, I will have the Sully taken off the streets soon enough. It will receive better training this time. Doctor Gaster has informed me this one's training had not taken well. When it had failed, Dr. Gaster applied a new experimental treatment that wasn't completed before it was released last time. Once it is returned to him, the newest treatments can be applied and your citizens will be safe."
Tori tightened her paws against each other. "Where do you intend to put them?"
Asgore listened in shock. He had to keep his temper in check, they needed details for a warrant. "And what are these treatments?"
Underswap’s Queen’s eyes narrowed. She ignored Asgore, and turned to the other Queen, "Them? Have there been reports of more Sully I am unaware of?"
"No, not at all. I simply don't feel comfortable using 'it.'"
Torial looked a little put off by that. She then turned to Asgore. "The Sully will be kept in custody and monitored as it receives its rehabilitation in a secured location. There will be no worry of it inflicting itself on and corrupting any more citizens." The Queen of Underswap turned to look at Gore. She gave the cowering king a look of contempt. "If you would kindly instruct your ex-captain to turn over the Underswap fugitive, this matter would be cleared up faster."
Gore cringed when he was looked at, his claws digging into his knees. "Yes, well... That is... Howl's charge is my citizen now..."
"Let me be clearer," Tori said, her voice becoming sharp. "I want to know exactly where you intend to put this so-called fugitive. Is your intention to drag him all the way back down to the underground, where your Sanitarium is?"
"The location of my Sanitarium is no concern of yours," the Queen of Underswap answered in an equally sharp tone.
Asgore stepped in. "Well, now it is, as this case is involving multiple races. As Queen of Underswap, I'm sure you want what is best for your people."
"Perhaps we can assist," Tori agreed, her voice becoming a purr. "Clearly, your method didn't work. Why bash your head against a wall? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is, after all, the definition of insanity."
Gore shuddered at the tone of voice, sinking into his seat.
The Queen looked to Tori. She knew that sweet tone very well. It was one she had been known to use in the past. "You would do well to put your false sweetness back. As for the method, Doctor Gaster has many updated treatments. The success rate of rehabilitation for Sully has increased. His lab is now stocked with new surface technology which has aided him well."
"And what do these methods include?" She dropped the false pretense, and Gore sighed.
"Every Sully," she said with a look of disgust, "has basic treatments: Drug therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and aversion therapy to name a few." She said it like it was no big deal. "Some difficult ones have more specialized treatment plans as the Doctor sees fit."
Asgore asked, "so you would say that Doctor Gaster watches over this program 24/7?"
"Do you ever visit?" Tori added.
"Yes, the doctor does." She made a face at the idea of visiting and being around all the Sully. "Rarely. My time, much like your own, is limited. I have more imported things to attend to, but I receive reports."
"Have you ever considered the possibility that Dr. Gaster might do things in his lab you wouldn't approve of because you don't go visit?" Tori went on.
"No," she said, looking confused. "Dr. Gaster has always conducted himself and the programs perfectly. Yes, some incurable or unwanted are kept there to keep monsterkind safe from them. Dr. Gaster has implanted a program for them to earn their keep by being helpful in looking for cures that will help all of monsterkind. It's the least they can do to earn room and board. After all, they are draining the resources from the rest of monsterkind."
"So you think. But you have no proof. You're simply trusting him to carry out exactly what you want without following up,” Tori chided. “An irresponsible call for a leader."
"There has been no need to follow up, as the program has been running perfectly,” the Underswap Queen defended. “After a Sully has been through treatment, there is a very low chance of it tempting again."
Asgore nodded, "Then you wouldn't mind us all taking a tour of the Sanitarium and Dr. Gaster's lab? I assume they are at the same place."
"So Asgore, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. If I agree to the tour," the Queen looked to Gore, "he will make Howl turn over the sully?"
Tori opened her mouth to say something more, but before she could, Gore snarled, slamming his hands down on the table.
"How about instead of talking about an injured man like he's nothing, you think long and hard about why your husband decided to fuck someone less cold and bitchy?"
The Queen's eye flared red as her temper ignited. "You know what, you insolent goat?" She stood up. "You are no-"
Asgore cut her off. "I believe this meeting is over!"
She turned her ball-shriveling glare to him. "You will do well to stay away from my lab," she said coldly and stomped out of the room.
Tori put a hand to her forehead, then glared at Gore. The scraggly goat sat back down, his hands trembling, and lit up a joint with some fumbling.
"Well this could have been better,” Asgore sighed. "We at least know the lab and Sanatorium are the same place."
"Yes... That is true.” Tori said. “We can pull the records of the lab and get the search warrant that way."
Asgore nodded. "I'll get Alphys to find the address. Undyne can lead the search."
"Yes, good idea." She wrinkled her nose at the smell of Gore's drugs. "Let us depart for now, then."
"Very well." He looked between both rulers. "I will let you know when we are ready to execute the search warrant."
"Yes, please do." She stood and departed from the room before she could snap at the Fellswap ruler.
Asgore waited until Tori was gone to speak again. "Gore, I'll take you home. Let's go."
He grumbled but got to his feet. "Fine... You want a smoke?"
"No thanks." He opened the door for them.
"Stiff lips, all of you."
Red sat down nearby Berry and watched the screen. Howl was just starting his speech, standing in front of a podium and a few dozen reporters. Daemon was standing proudly by his side as a bodyguard, his chin lifted so his collar was obvious.
"FOR THE FUTURE OF ALL OF OUR RACES, COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING ARE THE MOST VITAL. IN THIS VEIN, THERE MUST BE COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT MONSTER CULTURES AS WELL. THERE IS A TERRIBLE RIFT IN OUR CULTURES THAT MUST BE REMEDIED. SPECIFICALLY, THIS RIFT IS BETWEEN THE UNDERSWAP CULTURE AND THE REST OF US, WITH A TRULY ASTONISHING, AND EVEN TERRIFYING, VIEW ON THE OMEGA POPULATION."
He described the Sully law and how a personal acquaintance had been mistreated by it, impressively garnering sympathy and stoking outrage at the law. By the end of his speech, the reporters were clamoring with questions, which he graciously answered.
Berry felt detached from his body a bit as he listened to Howl talk about the Sanitarium, and doctor Gaster’s voice continued to berate him. His mind was trying to take him back there. He tried to pay attention, but his mind kept slipping to the fact they corrupted his magic. Gaster’s magic was mixed with his. The voice was part of Gaster. Questions plagued his mind. 'Why? Why did he do it? Why me?'
The more he dwelled on his agony, the louder the voice was getting. He felt crushed. Cursed. He wanted to give in and not feel. Not think. It was never going away, and he was tired. He had been tired for a long time. Right now, he felt as tired as he had been at the Sanitarium. Just a lifeless husk that existed. The same feeling he had had when he had been ready to give up after the last treatment had failed… when he almost died.
Stretch’s arm wrapped around him, encasing him in the sweet honey smell. Memories of Stretch saving him filled his mind. Being taken to his brother’s home. Being loved and wanted. He wasn’t an experiment. Berry snuggled into his brother and reveled in the feeling of being cherished and protected.
The voice quieted as he remembered that.
"it's going to be okay. we don't need to watch the questions if you don't want to,” Stretch assured.
Red looked over from his spot on the couch, coming closer so he could be an inviting snuggle buddy too. "i think the cake's just about to beep. we could go start on the frosting, yeah?"
"IN A FEW MINUTES." Berry squeezed the soft material of his bandana. Then he tapped the space next to him, welcoming Red. "I COULD USE SOME CUDDLES."
Stretch pet Berry's head. "we’ll give you all the cuddles you want."
"alright, when it beeps, then." Red came closer and snuggled up.
Berry tried to ignore the voice as Red cuddled. His brothers surrounded him. 'THEY WILL NEVER HURT ME. THEY WON’T BE TEMPTED. THEY ARE MY FAMILY. THEY LOVE ME. THEY’RE SAFE.'
Stretch looked at Berry gently while projecting love and safety.
"you're alright, berry. we're here." Red tried to project comfort and friendliness and contentment.
Berry tried to focus on the positive feelings from his brothers. He told himself, 'IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY. I DEALT WITH THE VOICE FOR YEARS ALREADY. KNOWING WHO IT IS DOESN'T CHANGE THAT FACT.'
Learn your place, Sully.
It just made him feel violated. 'I SHOULD BE USED TO THAT.'
"berry." Stretch pet his head, making him rest it against him. "you're going to be just fine. we got ya."
"it's alright, really." Red kept trying to comfort him too.
The reporters were asking Howl details about the Sanitarium and what happened to monsters there. He was calm and collected as he explained that, without a warrant to check the place out, he only knew of what the one underground was like. Still garnering sympathy while carefully avoiding any careless statements that proved they'd already investigated.
The oven beeped, and Red reluctantly got up. "the cake’s gotta cool. let's go make the frosting, ok?"
"come on, bro. it will be fun." Stretch nudged Berry.
Berry blinked a few times, slowly finding the way out of his own head.
"OKAY." He didn't want to hear any more of the conference. The small bits he caught were too much. He got up and leaned on Stretch as they walked to the kitchen.
Red pulled the cake out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack. "alright, so for the frosting, we need cream cheese, butter, vanilla, sugar, and salt. now, when you make baked goods, you want stuff like butter and cream cheese to be room temperature usually. that way they're already soft and they're easy to mix." He set out the stuff they needed. "you two measure the salt, vanilla, and butter. i'll make cream cheese and sugar."
Stretch brought Berry up to the sink. "come on, we got this," he turned the water on. "let's wash up and get started. Just imagine how happy daemon and howl will be trying this masterpiece."
The melancholy slipped a bit with Red's and Stretch's prodding. "ALRIGHT." He washed his hands. The feeling of the warm water following over his hands helped ground him. "DO I MIX THESE OR JUST PUT THEM ALL IN THE BOWL?" he asked Red.
"keep them separate for now. the order in which they go in is important." He sifted sugar carefully. "this is how you sift sugar. it makes it lighter, so it's more accurate how much you're using." When that was done, he set up the mixer. "okay, cream cheese and butter first. go ahead and put them in the mixing bowl."
Berry unwrapped the ingredients and put them in the bowl. He turned to Red for more instructions. Stretch finished washing his hands and came over.
"now we stir..." He turned on the mixer at medium. "give it a minute or two to get smooth... and now we add in the sugar, then vanilla, then salt." He let Berry pour the correct amounts, manning the mixer.
Berry concentrated on not dropping the ingredients as he gave the bowl a little shake to get the sugar to fall out. The magic of watching the ingredients change into a sweet frosting was lifting his spirits. He wanted to transform like them.
He turned to Red, and a small smile bloomed.
Stretch took a spoon and quickly dipped it into the bowl, grabbing some frosting and tasting it. "delicious."
Red gently smacked Stretch's hand away with a tut. "it's not done yet, buddy. now we mix it on high for another couple of minutes." He turned up the mixer. "then it'll be done." He smiled back at Berry.
Berry smiled at the compliment and gave a little giggle as Red tutted at his brother. He asked Red, "DO WE PIPE IT ON OR SPREAD IT?"
Stretch chuckled. "frosting is the best part."
"it can be, yeah! i'll let ya lick the mixer paddle, ok?" Stretch was kinda cute, in that way that reminded Red he was very close personality-wise to Vex, when Vex was still young, still excited about things and willing to be visibly happy and carefree. Stretch allowed himself to be childish.
He finished mixing and turned off the machine. "for a cake like this, you just spread it. but you have to be careful to do it evenly. so, we can choose to level the cake if you want. that means cutting across the top to make it all flat instead of domed. that's up to you."
"you’re the best brother-in-law." Stretch smiled excitedly for the sweet treat. The souling fluttered happily too.
Berry looked at the cake with a critical eye. It was a delicate shape, but he thought, ‘WOULD THEY THINK THE SHAPE CLUMSY?’ He only wanted to give Howl and Daemon the best. “I WANT TO MAKE IT NICE AND STRAIGHT.”
"alright. so we'll just cut off the domed part. we can just eat it. it'll help cool the rest, too. you can't put frosting on a cake until it's cool, otherwise you'll just make a mess."
Berry didn't want it to be messy. He wanted to make something they would be proud of. "I THINK I SAW A LEVELING TOOL IN A DRAWER. I SAW THEM ON THE COOKING SHOWS." He dug in the drawers and pulled out a large saw-looking tool. "THAT’S WHAT THIS IS FOR RIGHT?"
Stretch snuck over and tried to pull the paddle off. When it didn't come off, he moved the bowl and used his finger to gather the frosting. His little souling swam excitedly in the pregnant monster’s middle. He patted his belly and licked his fingers. "it’s coming, kiddo."
"well, i just use a knife, but that'll work too." He again smacked Stretch's hand away. "be patient, stretch, jeez. i told you you can lick the paddle, just hang on."
Stretch pulled his hand back. "ah, but the baby wants it."
Berry thought for a minute. "I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN GET IT STRAIGHT WITH A KNIFE. I WANT IT PERFECT FOR THEM."
"the baby can wait too. it's part vex, it can be patient." He helped Berry with leveling the cake, then undid the mixer and pulled off the mixer paddle. "here, ya rascal." He gave it to Stretch. "take the trimmings too."
Stretch made puppy dog eyes at Red, but waited. The baby was his ace in the hole, it sucked that it didn't work with Red. But once Red rewarded his patience and offered the trimming, he sat that table with his prize. "thank you. kiddo has been wanting this all night."
Berry giggled at his brother's antics. He leveled the cake. The warm feeling of home and family was coming back, and the voice was just a quiet muttering he could ignore.
Red winked at Blue. The domed bits of cake and the paddle of frosting should keep Stretch busy. "seems like the cake's nice and cool, so let's start frosting it. you gotta be careful, a little at a time, keeping it an equal amount across the whole thing, ok? no thicker bits."
The smaller skeleton put a little frosting on the cake. He was careful, like when he worked on the triggers of a trap. Slow and studied, he smoothed the frosting out.
"this has to be nirvana. dude, its soooooo goood." Stretch nommed on the cake.
Red watched Blue work, pleased. "yeah, you're doing great! good job." He glanced over at Stretch. "if you think that's nirvana, you should try a honey strawberry cake."
"next game night, we are expecting it." He patted his belly where the souling was swimming happily. "seriously, how come you haven't been baking for us?"
Berry smiled happily at the praise. "THANK YOU. YOU’RE A GREAT TEACHER, RED." He looked at the cake, very pleased and proud of it. His brother knew his sweets. If he said it was great, then it had to be.
The Fell skeleton flushed a little. "well, thanks. eh, i've been pretty busy with that damn thesis... honestly, i haven't been baking as much as i used to underground. but i'll start baking for the game nights, sure."
"IF IT’S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE." Berry gripped his bandana and asked hopefully, "I WOULD LIKE TO BAKE WITH YOU?" There was a lot he could learn from his brother-in-law.
"it sounds like a plan. berry can learn to bake and we get to eat." Stretch rubbed his belly and winked at them.
"well, you'd have to get over to my place, but sure." Red nodded. "i can teach you lots of baking stuff. just don't slack on the cooking lessons, okay?"
Berry nodded back. "OF COURSE, I’LL DO MY BEST. AS FOR GETTING TO YOUR PLACE, THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM. I CAN ASK DAEMON TO DROP ME OFF OR TAKE THE BUS. DO YOU HAVE A STOP NEAR YOUR PLACE?"
Stretch reminded him, "bro, you're not to go places alone right now. if daemon can't take you, someone will come get you."
"ah, yeah, better to let daemon take you, or i might pick you up. we'll see." He nodded. "we wanna make sure you're safe and all." He cleaned up all the stuff they'd used to make the cake.
Berry went to the sink and filled it with warm soapy water. He brought the frosting bowl over. "BROTHER," he asked, "CAN YOU PLEASE BRING THE PADDLE OVER?" He did dishes while Red cleaned the counters and mixer.
Stretch dusted off the crumbs from his clothes and brought over his stuff.
"thanks. so, is the baby sated?" Red teased, patting gently at the baby bump.
"yep they're thrilled. thanks, bros."
Berry wiped off his hands, then dried and put the dishes away. "ANYTHING FOR THE BABY," Berry teased.
"no need to thank me, i'm gonna spoil my little nibbling rotten. you hear that, lil' rascal? uncle red's gonna get you the best stuff. you're gonna love me more than your stuffy father, aren't cha? bet you'll say my name before his." He was cooing over the bump.
Stretch chuckled. "we wouldn't hear the end of it."
Berry finished putting away the dishes. "THE BABYBONES WILL BE VERY LOVED AND TAKEN CARE OF. JUST LIKE YOU, BROTHER."
"hehehe. of course they will be. so has vex offered names yet? twenty g says he's suggested sports car names."
"he sure has: viper, mustang, camaro, corvette, mercedes, ferrari, and porsche."
Berry liked Mercedes and Porsha best, personally. "DO YOU LIKE ANY OF THEM?"
Red laughed aloud. "are you gonna actually let him name your kid after a car? he'd be so pleased."
"it's not like my ideas were much better: candy, cookie, honey, lolly, or maple. who knows? we might just put all the names in a hat and see what gets pulled."
"A DRAWING IS NOT A GOOD WAY TO NAME A CHILD." Berry frowned. "IT SHOULD HAVE A MEANING BEHIND CHOOSING IT."
"oh my god." Red put a hand to his forehead. "you wanna name your kid after junk food? you're both hopeless."
"i can’t help it, if my kid is sweet." He smiled.
"YOU'RE JUST THINKING ABOUT PUN-ABLITIY OF YOUR CHILD." Berry smacked his forehead. "WHERE DID I GO WRONG?"
Red huffed. "well, if you're both gonna be ridiculous, you should at least compromise! maybe there's a sports car name that's also a sweet..."
"hmmmm." He thought that could work. "i'll ask vex about it."
Berry nodded in agreement. "THAT WOULD HAVE MEANING. THEY WOULD BE THINGS YOU BOTH LOVE."
"yeah, you do that. compromises are good." He finished cleaning up the kitchen and checked the time. "i wonder if they'll be back soon..."
Berry sat at the table. "COMPROMISES ARE GOOD." He looked at the clock. "I HOPE THEY ARE OKAY."
"they'll have to deal with reports and find a quiet place to ‘port back. i'm sure it won't be too much longer."
Red checked the time too, then looked back out at the TV. "well, they're not on the air anymore. so yeah, i'm sure it'll be soon."
Cory and Tal wore normal street clothes today. They were outside the news building as the speech wrapped up. The Queen had told Gaster about the impending trial. The good Doctor had sent them to fetch the little Blueberry (can't have a trial without the star witness), but no one had been at the house when they went. Then they saw the press conference.
"Bet these two know where that Sully is. They're probably hiding him," Cory told Tal.
Tal looked around the corner of the alley they were waiting at. "Maybe Prat will find our missing Sully in one of the rooms?"
Cory looked off towards the doors. "If not, follow them back to their house."
Prat was sneaking in the shadows of the halls. He hadn't found Berry waiting in any of the rooms around the press conference. Now he was watching the two newest skeletons exit into the backstage. He remembered the taller one had been in the bar, so he kept his distance.
Daemon was beaming at Howl. "you did so great, master!"
"NATURALLY. WE HAVE A FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE ACTUAL TRIAL, BUT THIS IS A GOOD START. I WILL PRESS FOR A PROPER SEARCH OF THE SANITARIUM NEXT."
"mhm, good idea. home, then?"
"YES."
Howl clipped the leash back on and took hold of the handle, and they were gone in a blip of magic.
Prat blinked as he stared at the empty space. He made his way back to the others. The Doctor would be mad they didn't have the Sully, but they could prepare for the search.
Howl and Daemon arrived back in their living room. Howl let go and began to remove his gloves. He paused at the smell in the air. "...BERRY?"
"sup." Red was plopped on the couch next to Stretch, holding up his phone to the belly to play the baby rock music.
Stretch had his shirt pulled up so Red and Berry could see the souling’s light. It was swinging around full of energy (probably on a sugar high), seeming happy with the music. "Hiya."
Berry looked up at the Howl and Daemon. "WELCOME HOME.” His two brothers had been keeping his mind too busy with the baby to think about his troubles. He was feeling safe and happy with his family. It had a wonderful effect of allowing him to ignore the voice. A small dusting of blue magic tinted his face as he got up. "WE MADE A TREAT FOR MY HEROES."
"THANK YOU." Howl dipped his head. "IS THAT WHAT I SMELL? YOU MADE SOMETHING?"
"oh yeah, i helped him bake," Red said cheerfully, pausing the music. "he did fantastic!"
"I SEE. THAT'S VERY ADMIRABLE. I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT."
"yeah, that's great, berry!" Daemon said, beaming. "you'll have some too, right?"
"I MADE IT FOR YOU THOUGH..." Berry hadn't been expecting Daemon to say that. He looked at Daemon's hopeful face. "OKAY." He hesitated, then said, "WE CAN SHARE A PIECE?"
Stretch pulled down his shirt and smiled at Berry.
"there's more than enough for everyone," Red assured.
"YES, I'M SURE IT'LL BE FINE IF EVERYONE HAS A PIECE. SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE MADE?"
"go ahead. show them, bro." Stretch said as he got up. "i'll get some plates." He patted Berry on the head as he passed by.
Berry nodded and walked them into the dinning room where the cake was sitting on the table. "IT'S A SPICE CAKE. I NOTICED YOU BOTH LIKE SPICE. I HOPE IT WILL MEET YOUR STANDARDS.”
"A SPICE CAKE? THAT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL. I'M SURE IT WILL." Howl looked pleased.
"it's really great that you did this for us!" Daemon agreed.
Red got up and followed along. Stretch came out with some plates and forks and sat them down in front of Berry. "here ya go, bro."
Berry's soul fluttered at Howl's and Daemon's replies. He felt useful and wanted. "IT’S NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU BOTH FOR HELPING ME," he said as he cut a piece of the cake and handed them out. Stretch’s piece was a little bigger."YOU’RE EATING FOR TWO," he teased his brother.
He took a small piece for himself; after all, this food was for his family.
Red looked at everyone's pieces. Then he took Stretch's plate and Blue's plate and switched them.
"baby already had cake," he declared. "you eat the big piece."
Daemon giggled quietly. "please, berry?"
Stretch put his hand on Berry. "It's okay bro. This is more than enough. You eat up."
Berry couldn't argue that. Stretch did have a lot of cake earlier, but he couldn't help to think, 'THEY DESERVE IT MUCH MORE THAN ME.'
He looked at Daemon when he said please and looked so cute. "OKAY."
"thanks!" Daemon beamed and dug into his own piece. Howl delicately cut a forkful of his own and tried it. He made a pleased noise.
"IT'S DELICIOUS, BERRY. WELL DONE."
'HE REALLY LIKES IT!' Berry thought he died and went to heaven as Howl made that sound. "THANK YOU!"
He picked up his own fork, took a bite and mirrored the sound. He looked down at the cake in shock. 'WE MADE THAT?' It was warm and spicy with a hint of love and family. He looked around at everyone eating and felt pride in their work seeing their smiling face. 'WE MADE THIS.' He ate the whole slice.
Stretch watched the others getting Berry to eat more. It made him so happy seeing them taking care of his brother.
After they had all finished their cake, Red gave Berry a hug. "i'll take your bro home. see you at the next game night, yeah? you did great tonight."
Berry gave Red a gentle squeeze, "THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME."
"you're welcome, blueberry crumble." He rubbed the shorter skeleton's skull fondly.
Stretch gave Berry a hug next. "i love ya, bro. always have and always will."
Berry tenderly embraced him. "I LOVE YOU TOO, BROTHER."
Then Stretch took Red’s hand. "ready to go."
"bye, guys." A wave to the Fellswaps before Red ported himself and Stretch away.
Berry turned Daemon and Howl, taking their hands into his. "HOW WAS THE END?" He looked away as he admitted, "WE DIDN'T WATCH YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS."
Daemon happily squeezed Berry's hand, lifting it to nuzzle. Howl only held on, managing not to twitch from the suddenness.
"PLEASE WARN ME BEFORE TAKING MY HAND," he requested. "IT WENT WELL, I THINK. PEOPLE ARE VERY INDIGNANT ON YOUR BEHALF. I HAD TO CAUTION AGAINST A VIOLENT REACTION. WITH ANY LUCK, PEOPLE WILL LISTEN."
"I'M SORRY," Berry looked to Howl, a little scared that he had messed this up. Berry was too greedy with his need to be close to them. He loosened his grip so Howl could pull away. The voice fed on that insecurity telling him loudly, needy whore, making others unclean with your touch… "I HOPE THEY DO. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE BEING HURT BECAUSE OF ME…”
"IT'S ALRIGHT. I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW FOR NEXT TIME." He squeezed gently, trying to reassure the timid skeleton.
"yeah, you're okay." Daemon nuzzled his hand again. "we don't want that either."
"YES, THAT WOULD GO AGAINST EVERYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THERE SHOULD BE PEACE HERE ON THE SURFACE."
"ALRIGHT.” When Howl squeezed his hand and didn't let go, Berry's soul skipped a beat. He squeezed back, a small smile on his face. "YEAH.” A tired yawn escaped Berry as he leaned a little on Daemon. It had been a long, emotional day. The short skeleton moved his hand to caress Daemon's face, trying to reassure him he was okay. "I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO BE HAPPY AND OKAY."
"A NOBLE CAUSE."
"mhm, but first, focus on you being happy and okay," Daemon said, patting the hand on his face. "did you write in your journal?"
Berry looked guilty. "I WANT TO BE..." But he wasn't sure he could ever be happy and okay fully. "NO," he answered. He pulled away. "I SHOULD DO THAT."
"YOU CAN. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET THERE." Howl settled on the couch and gathered up his knitting to resume. "YOU GO AHEAD AND DO THAT, THEN. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO WHAT THE THERAPIST SAYS."
"OKAY." Berry went to his room and closed the door. He went to his bag and took out one of his pencils. Then he took the journal and sat on the floor, leaning against the nightstand, for a long time while trying to get his thoughts in order.
Berry wrote about his day. His handwriting got more shaky as he wrote about the voice being the doctor's. He wiped tears from his eyelights. "I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WILL EVER GO AWAY. WHATEVER HE DID... I'M NOT NORMAL. THE VOICE IS A SIDE EFFECT OF HIS MAGIC, BUT WHY DOES IT YELL AT ME?" He talked about Daemon and Howl. "I REALLY, REALLY LIKE THEM," he admitted to his book. "I'M IN LOVE WITH THEM."
Dirty whore! Berry winced and dropped his pencil. Love was bad. "I WANT THEM, THAT'S BAD…" He thought about what Ms. Candy, Howl, and Daemon had told him: That sully was a lie. "BUT IF THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS SULLY.... MAYBE IT’S OKAY..."
DIRTY! FILTHY! DISGUSTING! SULLY!
He dropped the book to grab his head. It hurt, the voice was so loud that he couldn't think of anything but it.
"I'M SORRY," he hissed, "I'M BAD... PLEASE STOP..."
The voice quieted down so he could think again. He wrapped his arms around himself. "I CAN'T BE NORMAL..." He cried quietly for a while until he was able to get up and collect the items and put them away. He pulled his blanket out and wrapped it around himself trying to find some comfort. He didn't touch the bed. He didn't want the voice yelling again. He wanted to be greedy and call out for Daemon and Howl. 'THEY DESERVE BETTER THAN ME,' he told himself. The more he berated himself, the quieter it was. He laid in the cold, depressing haze.
His mind wandered as he looked around the room. This was almost the same spot he’d been sitting with Daemon. It made him think of how the taller skeleton quieted the voice and made everything better. His warm, safe, loving embrace, that pull that was between them... The kiss he wanted to give Daemon.
-SLUT! YOU DESERVE PUNISHMENT! SULLY-
Dark memories bubbled to the surface, killing the warm reminiscence, and overflowed into tears streaming down his face. "DAEMON!"
The taller brother appeared in the room immediately, sockets wide in alarm. "berry??" His first thought was there might've been someone attacking, but no, this was the surface, they didn't get attacked here. And Berry was crying miserably, bundled up in that thin blanket and looking so defeated. Daemon's soul throbbed. He sat down and pulled Berry into a tight hug, shaking a little. "it's okay, i'm here. i'll protect you, berry."
Berry gripped him tightly as he cried. "I'M SORRY,” he mumbled.
"sorry for what, honey?" He gently rubbed at Berry's skull. "you did nothing bad. i promise."
It came tumbling out. "I'M BAD." Berry cuddled deeper into Demon's chest. "THE DOCTOR... THE VOICE IS RIGHT, I DESERVE PUNISHMENT FOR INFLICTING MYSELF ON YOU... I WANT TO GET BETTER. I WANT TO BE GOOD, BUT I CANNOT BE NORMAL. I'M BROKEN. I'M BAD. I'M SORRY."
"you're not bad," he said. His voice was firm but kind. "you're so good. you're like me. the voice is wrong. both of them are wrong and bad and we're good because we try to help people. we want to make people happy. we take care of our brothers. that makes us good." He kept stroking. "you're not broken either. maybe not normal... but i'm not normal either! it's okay to not be normal."
Some of the ache in Berry's soul lessened at that, and his tears started to slow. They were alike. Daemon's warmth helped ground him. Even if they deserved better, they still wanted him. He muttered into his chest, "ITS OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY...?"
"that too... normal and okay are two different things. you can be really normal and not okay at all. us, we're not normal, but we're okay. we've got each other. that makes it okay."
"NOT NORMAL, BUT OKAY..." he repeated to himself. He nuzzled into the chest and took a deep breath of the nice smoky, tangy barbeque smell. He didn't want to be alone again tonight. "MAY I SLEEP WITH YOU TONIGHT?"
"yeah. not normal, but we're okay." He gently kissed the top of Berry's skull. His alpha scent filled the room, protective and warm. "sure you can! it can still be on the floor if it makes you more comfortable."
The kiss made him blush as the strong, safe scent filled Berry, helping him relax. He felt safe, accepted, loved, and it made the voice quiet. He hid his face in Daemon's chest. "PLEASE.” He was so tired. "IF YOU DON'T MIND."
"alright." He gently scooped Berry up, blanket and all, and ported them to his bedroom.
He had cute dog posters and music posters on the wall, a small TV with a VCR, and a rounded bed almost like a dog bed, with a few extra blankets. His windowsill had an overflowing ashtray on it, and there was the scent of smoke and, fainter, weed. He put Berry down next to the bed and pulled off a pillow and blanket, then laid down next to him. "is this okay?"
Berry took in the room. It was very nice. It felt lived in and like Daemon. He cuddled up against the warm skeleton, like the cat that Daemon claimed he was. Berry knew he was being needy, but Daemon was willing to accommodate him. He was warm, safe, and loved. His sockets were heavy as he said, "THIS IS PERFECT." His breath was evening out.
"alright, good. sleep well, berry. sweet dreams." Daemon kissed Berry's skull again and snuggled up. He would hold on to Berry all night, protecting him from everything.
Notes:
Accepting all submissions for baby name. Plz leave them with your comment. XD
I also made some pics!
https://twitter.com/Diyami1/status/1339861777241149440
Chapter 12: Every Push, Every Shove, Every War, Every Love
Summary:
In which two different breakfasts go unfinished.
Notes:
Hello all you awesome readers!
Thank you so much for your kudos, comments. We love hearing form you all! Also don't forget to bookmark or subscribe!
I hope you enjoy this chapter! <3 - DiyamiSorry it's late again, boy it's been a week fam. Happy holidays! - GetMcDunkedOn
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Berry slept later than normal that morning. He was so warm and comfortable. While it was warm under the bed, it wasn't too uncomfortable. It was really that which ended up waking him up.
He cracked open his sockets. He had his head laying on soft material and could hear a strong pulse of a soul beating. He lifted his head to see Daemon awake. Berry blushed. "GOOD MORNING."
Daemon looked down at him with a smile. He had his phone in hand and was just absently playing a game on it to kill time. He put it down when Berry spoke and rubbed at the shorter skeleton's head gently. "good morning, berry. did you sleep well?"
Berry gave a soft purr at Daemon's touch, "YES. YOU’RE VERY COMFORTABLE, THANK YOU."
"glad to hear it," he said with a grin. "i've been told i'm super warm!"
Berry nodded, still purring, "YOU ARE." His face scrunched up cutely as he thought, Daemon was always delightedly warm, and even hot when upset, now that he was thinking about it. Berry asked, "ARE YOU PART ELEMENTAL? "
He shook his head. "i'm part dragon. not a lot. our father was maybe a quarter dragon. i got more of his influence than howl... thank goodness for that." Howl resented any similarity between himself and his abuser.
Berry laid his head down on Daemon to listen to his soul beat. He could understand Howl not wanting to be like his abuser. "IT’S JUST A PINCH OF DRAGON? YOU GOT THE BEST PART, ALL WARM AND TOASTY." He cuddled into Daemon's warmth. It felt so safe with him and Howl. "DO YOU HOARD TREASURE?" he teased lightly.
He chuckled quietly. "well, i got more dragon than i let on... not all of it is good." He rubbed Berry's skull gently. "i hoard people i like and protect. my friends and family are my treasure."
Berry's soul skipped a beat as he whispered in awe and disbelief, "I'M A TREASURE?" By the Angel, he wanted to show Daemon how much that meant to him. When he lifted his head, Daemon's ruggedly handsome face was just inches away. He crawled the few inches hovering just above him.
"yeah, you're definitely a treasure to me. you're very sweet and kind. you care so much, and i like people like that, 'cause i'm like that. also you're cute. and funny." He grinned, all crooked and goofy. He looked like his tail would be wagging if he had one.
"YOU'RE AMAZING, LOVING, KIND." Berry lowered his head and nuzzled next to him. An idea of a kiss had the voice muttering.
Tempting good monsters. You dirty Sully ruin good monsters.
Berry shivered. It was right, this was bad. “I'M BEING BAD." He closed his sockets and took a deep calming breath. His body quivered as he was filled with smelt of love, home, safety, of Daemon. Berry whispered, "IT’S SO HARD TO BE GOOD AROUND YOU."
The voice was louder.
Daemon’s grin faded when Berry went on, and he pet the smaller skeleton's skull again.
"you're not being bad... i promise. i won't do anything to you that you don't want. you can't tempt me. and i don't make promises easy."
The praise had Berry blushing a bright blue. He believed in Daemon with all his soul; this lovely, caring skeleton had always been the perfect gentleman. Even when Berry was bad and the voice condemned him for his actions.
He rested his skull against Daemon's shoulder. "IF I CAN'T TEMPT YOU, THIS... IS OKAY?" He thought back to last night of Daemon kissing the crown of his skull. Nothing bad happened. How safe he felt in that moment. He tried to convince himself. "IF I KISS YOU? IT'S NOT BAD? I'M NOT BAD?" he asked hopefully.
The voice yelled at the thought, making him flinch at the pain in his head.
FILTHY WHORE! YOU'RE ASKING TO BE PUNISHED
"yeah, this is okay." He kept petting gently, trying to comfort Berry. He was best at physical comfort, and he often lamented that he couldn't use it for Howl. "you can kiss me, if you want. that's not bad. i would love to kiss you, but i won't make you do it."
"DAEMON IS SAFE," he reminded himself. "I'M WITH FAMILY. FAMILY IS SAFE.'
Berry laid there for a few minutes, trying to quiet the voice. He tried to focus on here and now. The feel of Daemon's hand trying to relax him. The warmth of his strong, kind alpha under him. The spicy barbecue and smoke of Daemon and his room. Berry nuzzled Daemon's collar, letting the soft caring scent of Howl and his magic wash through. Berry's own knitted collar gently fluttered from his movements, its magic and scent adding the feelings of safety, home, and love.
To them, he was good. He felt proud and in love with them. They build him up so he could understand, and these feelings helped quiet the voice.
Berry's body was trembling as he lifted his flush face to look Daemon in the eyelights. "YOU’RE MARVELOUS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTO YOURS AND HOWL'S LIVES." He tenderly clinked their teeth together in a chaste kiss.
Daemon waited patiently, still trying to comfort Berry. Honestly, he was excited at the prospect. He'd not gotten a kiss in a while now, not from anyone. But he kept his enthusiasm minimal, not wanting to pressure Berry. He smiled at the praise, and before he could say anything, he felt Berry's teeth press against his. He actually blushed, his cheekbones turning deep green. A sheepish little giggle escaped afterwards.
"you're welcome... and thank you too. that was really nice."
Berry smiled, his eyelights star shaped at Daemon's reaction. His fingers brushed the beautiful green hue. Daemon looked so cute. Daemon smiled back, blushing a little more as Berry touched his face. Before he could say anything more, though, there was a knock at the door.
"BREAKFAST IS READY, YOU TWO."
"WE'LL BE RIGHT OUT," Berry called out. His smile became just as goofy. He gave one last gentle caress with his thumb over Daemon's cheek before moving to get off of him.
"coming, master." Daemon got up and stretched. "well, I'm glad that i could help. and you can kiss me again whenever you want."
Berry's blush got brighter when Daemon said that. "I CAN?" he asked in disbelief.
"yeah! i mean, you should say something first, but don't be afraid to ask. okay? it was really nice."
Nothing bad happened. 'MAYBE I CAN DO IT AGAIN,' he thought.
"OKAY. I'LL ASK."
It had even felt nice. Wonderful, even. He felt so safe and loved. He held his hand out for Daemon.
"great." He took Berry's hand and headed downstairs.
Howl had made omelets with peppers and onions and tomatoes and such. He was just pouring coffee as they came in. "DO YOU FEEL BETTER, BERRY?"
Berry squeezed Daemon's hand and nodded, "YES, I FEEL A LOT BETTER. THE VOICE IS A LOT QUIETER NOW."
"THAT'S GOOD. I'M SURE IT WILL COME AND GO. DON'T DESPAIR OVER IT. WE ALL HAVE CHALLENGES TO FACE, AND SOME NEVER GO AWAY. BUT THEY WAX AND WANE LIKE THE MOON."
The shorter skeleton smiled. Howl's words were so elegant. "I'LL DO MY BEST. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING." Berry held out his hand to Howl. "MAY I HOLD YOUR HAND?"
"OF COURSE. WHAT SORT OF FUTURE KING-" and family- "WOULD I BE IF I WASN’T UNDERSTANDING?" He finished pouring his coffee. "YES, BUT JUST FOR A MOMENT. I WANT YOU TO EAT BREAKFAST."
Berry took Howl's hand, feeling the softness of his wonderfully crafted gloves and the closeness of Howl. "ALRIGHT."
He squeezed gently. "WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE? OR TEA, PERHAPS?"
"TEA WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU." He gave another squeeze before letting go.
"YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME." He poured Berry some golden flower tea. Daemon plopped down with his food and coffee.
Berry waited for the others to eat. 'HOWL ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD,' he told himself, but old habits die hard. He kept half his food for Howl and Daemon to eat some before he started in case they needed more.
"PLEASE TRY TO EAT ALL OF YOUR BREAKFAST. IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, AFTER ALL."
"OKAY." Berry took a few more bites. "IT'S VERY DELICIOUS. THANK YOU FOR COOKING."
"YOU'RE WELCOME."
"berry..." Daemon cut his own. "are you gonna keep going to your cooking lessons?"
Berry's fork stopped in mid-motion. "I DONT KNOW..." He wanted to learn to cook. The lessons had been fun, but going out was also bad. What if he was found, who knew what might happen? "EVEN IF I DID GO, THE CORRECTION HAD HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.” The memories were creeping across his mind. “IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY KNOW I’D BE THERE." Berry lost his appetite and put the fork down.
Howl frowned. "WE WOULD PROTECT YOU, BERRY. NO MORE TAKING THE BUS. WE WOULD TAKE YOU THERE AND BACK AND STAY THE WHOLE TIME SO NO ONE CAN HURT YOU."
"I..." He felt like he was being greedy. "I WANT TO GO..." He worried at his bandana.
"then you can go." Daemon smiled, relieved. Howl was relieved too, though he tried not to show it. Both of them had worried he'd be too traumatized to want to go back.
"WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU ARE SAFE WHEN YOU GO."
Berry nodded, "THANK YOU." He was still scared, but he wanted to believe in them. They hadn't lied so far. They were keeping him safe from the queen. "BUT I WON’T GO OUT DURING A HEAT ANYMORE. EVEN WITH PILLS."
"NO? WELL, THAT'S FINE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. BUT I PROMISE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID."
"what happened, anyway, did the pill not work?"
Berry couldn't look at them in the eyelights. "IT'S ALL MY FAULT. " He put his hands down in his lap and curled his hands in his pants. "I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON BEFORE, BUT I WANTED TO GO AND MAKE COOKIES...." It hadn't been worth it. He didn’t get to give them the cookies anyway. "STRETCH SAID I COULD GO OUT IF I TOOK THE PILLS. THAT OTHER OMEGA DID IT."
Dumb Sully. How many times do you need to repeat your lessons?
Berry shuddered at the truth in that statement.
"I TOOK THE MORNING PILL AND IT WORKED. WHEN I WENT TO TAKE THE EVENING PILL, IT WASN'T IN MY BAG....." Tears were gathered in his eyes. "IT MUST HAVE FALLEN OUT ON THE BUS. I WAS STUPID FOR GOING."
"YOU WEREN'T STUPID," Howl said, his voice firm. Daemon reached over to touch Berry's shoulder.
"mistakes happen, berry. you just need to be careful, that's all. if we come with you, we'll make sure you can take it at the right time."
“I'M SURE YOU WOULD.” He still didn't look up.
…needy whore... Berry closed his sockets to hide the pain that bought.
"I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE OUT. I WAS GREEDY...." This class was the first activity Berry had really done on the surface. Stretch had tried to get him out of the house more, but all the places Stretch liked to go had swap-monsters there. It was stressful, and Berry would rather stay home where he was safe. This class was the first time in a long time he could pretend to be normal. There had been no swap-monsters in the class. The distraught skeleton mumbled, "I'M BEING GREEDY NOW... STILL WANTING TO GO." He lowered his head.
…always a burden on monster kind. Berry wrapped his arms around himself.
"IT'S NOT GREEDY. YOU'RE ALLOWED TO GO."
"don't listen to that voice." Daemon got up to hug him. "you're allowed to want things. especially to learn how to cook!"
Berry hugged Daemon back. He wasn't sure about that. It felt greedy.
"it's okay, really."
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE NOW. I'M SURE IT'LL BE AWHILE BEFORE YOUR NEXT HEAT, ANYWAY. PLEASE FINISH YOUR FOOD, WE HAVE TO GET TO WORK."
Berry looked at the food. "I'M NOT HUNGRY." His tummy was in knots. "AND I NEED TO GET READY, I NEVER CHANGED LAST NIGHT."
"VERY WELL." He wished Berry would finish, but he couldn't force him. "GO AHEAD, THEN."
Daemon let go.
Berry could feel the disappointment. Howl had to work hard on the food and he was wasting resources. "I'M SORRY." He got up.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO ME. YOU'RE THE ONE NOT EATING A FULL NUTRITIONAL MEAL."
"apologize to your body."
"SORRY..." Berry hissed to himself.
...useless, good for nothing...
He ran off to the bathroom closing the door quietly but quickly.
He lightly bonked his head on the door. "WHY CAN'T I DO ANYTHING RIGHT?"
The last few days had been so hard, but he was trying his best. Just like he knew they were for him.
He wiped the tears away. They knew he had trouble eating, and they asked about hard things when it was time to eat.
Berry had talked about the correction to Howl, the therapist, over breakfast. Over and over it kept being brought up. "I WON'T DO IT AGAIN. I LEARNED MY LESSON."
Failure. Sully are only good for two things
He didn't dare talk back to the voice after yesterday. The small skeleton did what he was good at. He pushed the pain to the darkness of his mind and locked it up. He told himself, 'I WILL TAKE A SHOWER. I WILL PUT ON A HAPPY FACE AND I WILL MAKE THEM HAPPY.” And if that meant forcing himself to eat, then he would.
Berry got out of the shower with a fluffy towel wrapped around him. Being clean always felt better. He just put his stuff out of sight and went to change into clothes, but they were not there.
He debated putting his dirty clothes back on. The idea made his bones feel dirty again. "NO," Berry mumbled. He decided to just go out to his room. It wasn't far, just a hand full of steps. Howl and Daemon were busy getting ready for work, "I SHOULDN'T BOTHER THEM ANY MORE." His hand came to the hole in his chest. "I... DON'T WANT THEM TO SEE IT." He grabbed another towel and draped it over his shoulder so it hung over both sides, covering the hole, before picking up his clothes. Berry made sure he had a smile on his face before peeking out the door to see if they were around before trying to sneak to his room.
The two resident skeletons cleaned up quietly. "do you think we're doing okay, master?" Daemon asked. Howl frowned down at the plates he was washing.
"I DON'T KNOW... BETTER THAN NOTHING, SURELY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE MISSING ANYTHING."
"i should've waited for a while to ask him about the lessons..."
"PERHAPS, BUT YOU DIDN'T MEAN ANY HARM, PUPPY. WE'LL LEARN FROM THIS."
"mmm... okay."
They left Berry to get ready on his own, though they stayed close by in case he called out for one of them again.
Berry made it to his room without indent. He pulled out grey overalls and a blue shirt and clasped his bandana on. He rested his hand on the beautiful soft material. "DO BETTER, BLUEBERRY." Do as you’re told Sully. Don't disappoint again.
Berry squeezed the bandana. "I WILL LISTEN TO DAEMON AND HOWL. I LEARNED FROM THE CORRECTION. I WON'T GO OUT ALONE. DAEMON AND HOWL WILL KEEP ME SAVE."
He put on a cheerful face and went out to look for them. Daemon was waiting by the door as Howl collected papers quickly from the office. He came out and nodded to Berry.
"YOU GET TO SEE THE ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER."
"oh yeah! that'll be fun, right?"
They didn't seem disappointed anymore. Berry's smile reached his eyes at that. He loved animals. "YES!" he said with relief. "THIS WILL BE A LOT OF FUN."
"yeah, lots!" Daemon beamed. "let's go!"
Howl put him on the leash, and Daemon took Berry's hand. Berry gave him a genuine smile and squeezed his hand. They arrived at the shelter in a blip.
Stretch was curled up in his nest of blankets. Vex had got up to make them food, but he wasn't ready to get out of the bed just yet. The babybones seem to take after Vex, an early bird. He rubbed his belly, trying to get them back to sleep. The little souling was fluttering in circles, ready to start the day.
His phone rang suddenly, cutting through the peace of the morning.
He knew the moment the ring tone kicked on who it was. Stretch was tempted not to answer, but he knew he couldn't do that. The tired monster did wait until the very end of the song to answer, "yes your majesty?"
"Come to my office immediately," Queen Toriel ordered, her tone clipped and leaving no room for argument.
He said in a laid back tone, "very well, i'll be there as soon as i'm up and dressed."
"Don't waste my time, Judge. If you're not here within fifteen minutes, you'll regret it."
The warm glow of magic drained, leaving his face pale at that. Her majesty did not make threats lightly. He used the safest answer with her. "yes, your majesty."
"Good." She hung up.
Stretch listen to the dead air for a moment. He racked his hand down his face, "fuck..." He got up, moving way faster than he had in a long time, and quickly got dressed. As he came down the stairs, he called out for Vex.
Vex looked up from cooking breakfast, concerned. "WHAT'S WRONG?" he asked, turning off the stove and moving the pan to a cool burner.
"I was summoned," The pregnant monster grabbed the car keys with shaking hands and went toward the car. "I need to get to her office at the embassy, now."
"LET ME DRIVE YOU." He abandoned the food to follow outside.
"alright," Stretch unlocked the car and got into the passage seat. "she is pissed... more pissed than i thought she would be."
He got in and pulled them out of the driveway. "PERHAPS THE PRESS CONFERENCE SET HER OFF..."
"maybe." Stretch closed his eyelights and took a deep breath. "i'm sure she is going to demand answers." He had had the magic forced through him only once before. It wasn't pleasant. Being pregnant, he wasn't sure what would happen, but he told himself, 'i won't hurt blueberry.' He looked to Vex, "i'm pretty sure i know what she’s going to do, so don't tell me anything about what happen or what howl is planning, okay?"
"ALRIGHT. DO YOU NEED ME TO COME IN WITH YOU?" He was concerned about the baby too. The Swap Queen seemed crazy. He worried how she might lash out.
"that’d be nice.” He didn't think she would allow it. "the worst thing she could do is make ya wait outside."
"VERY WELL. I'LL COME IN, THEN." Even if she made him wait outside the room, he'd be close enough to burst in if necessary. He pulled up to the embassy ten minutes later and got out with his husband.
Stretch walked with his mate to the Queens door. He reached up and knocked. After a moment, it opened, and she gestured him in. When Vex tried to follow, she shot him a glare.
"this is my mate and husband, your highness," Stretch introduced his mate. "Vex brought me here."
"A PLEASURE," he lied.
"You can wait outside," she said. He sighed through his nose and stepped back through the door frame. She closed the door and turned to Stretch.
"Where is Berry?"
Stretch hesitated before saying, "he's not home right now."
"That doesn't answer my question. Where is he?" she demanded
Stretch sighed again and replied, trying to stay as vague as possible. “He is with his friends." It was the truth.
She glared at him down, lifting her hand. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you give me no choice." She drew upon the Judge's magic with a harsh pull. "Where is the Sully Berry?"
Stretch flinched at the raised hand. The pull of the magic was instantaneous. The magic was like a live wire jammed into him. There was no way to be prepared when it was forced.
The Judge's magic turned on him at the Queen's command. "berry is staying with his friends at their house." He tried not to say more, but he was compelled to tell the truth. He tried to keep it short and simple. "in the city."
She snarled. "Where? What's the address?" she demanded.
Magic sweat rolled down his skull as he tried to fight against magic compulsion that made him want to spill his non-existent guts. He knew he couldn't lie, but he didn't have to give more information than was asked for. He flinched again as she snarled. "i don't know the address." He was so thankful he didn't know it. He added in before she could ask, "i have never driven there." He hoped she would think he had never been there.
She stared him down, trying to figure out if he was hiding anything. After a long moment, she bared her teeth. "Listen to me, Judge. The very moment you see Berry again, you will Judge him and bring him to me. That's an order you will not squirm out of."
He didn't want to do this Judgment, but justice was blind. His wants didn't matter; he had willingly entered the contract years ago, when he passed the trials. He was bound to find the Queen her truths and deliver the guilty for their verdict. The magic branded the command into his unwilling soul. He hissed, "yes, my queen."
"Good." She let the magic go, walking over to her desk and sitting down. "Now get out of my sight."
Rubbing absently at his chest, he went quickly out the door, not needing to be told twice. He cursed her mentally and slammed the door. He grabbed Vex and booked it out of the embassy.
"ARE YOU-" Vex cut off as he was tugged along so quickly, nearly stumbling. When they got outside, he stopped and pulled Stretch closer. "WAIT A MOMENT. BREATHE, LOVE."
Stretch held on to Vex and took a deep breath. "i can't see berry." He closed the space between them. He had expected to be summoned by her, to be forced to tell her where Berry was, but he never thought she would force a Judgment. "i should've known the bitch would do this," he berated himself.
"SHE FORBADE YOU FROM SEEING HIM?" He bristled, indignant, but kept it mostly to himself. He held Stretch close, hugging him, and stroked his back. "IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. SHE'S JUST CRAZY.
The upset monster thought about the command. "no she commanded the opposite." He really wanted a smoke. "when i see berry, i have to bring him to her. i have to Judge him." He rubbed at his chest some more. The tingle of magic left his soul aching.
"I SEE. THAT'S... WORSE." He sighed, but rubbed Stretch's back still. “WHAT ABOUT PHONE CALLS, CAN YOU DO THAT?"
" i.. i think that would be okay." He kissed Vex. "by the angel! you are so smart."
He kissed back softly. "WELL, I TRY MY BEST. IT'LL BE ALRIGHT. HE'LL BE SAD, BUT WE'LL JUST ONLY USE THE PHONE UNTIL THIS IS ALL OVER."
"We can." Stretch gave him a squeeze. "Let's get out of here."
"YES, LET'S GO HOME." He would be late to work, but damn it, he was going to remake a much nicer breakfast and dote on his upset lover. He carried Stretch to the car like the prince charming he was.
Stretch blushed deeply. "you’re always managing to sweep me off my feet."
"I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. WHY MUST YOU PUN?" He sighed exaggeratedly as he opened the passenger door and let Stretch down.
"it's just one of my pun-tastic abilities." He kissed Vex on the cheek, chuckling as he got in the car.
"HOW DARE YOU," he complained, closing the door behind his lover. He drove them back and carried Stretch in too. "I'LL MAKE YOU PANCAKES. WHAT DO YOU WANT IN THEM? BANANAS? BLUEBERRIES? CHOCOLATE?"
"one of each with extra honey," he tried to look as cute as he could. "please?"
"YOU'RE LUCKY YOU'RE SO PRETTY." He kissed Stretch nice and deep, then set him down in a kitchen chair. He discarded the trashed breakfast and started again with pancakes.
Stretch blushed deeper and leaned into the kiss. When the kiss broke, he said, "i berry much can’t believe how handsome you are. thanks a brunch for making breakfast." He sat at the table and pulled out his phone to call Berry, but it went to voicemail. He frowned. "do you know if red fixed berry's phone?"
"VERY LUCKY. VERY LUCKY INDEED." He sighed. The question made him tilt his head. "HE MIGHT NOT BE DONE. TRY CALLING HOWL OR DAEMON."
Stretch dialed Howl's number. "it's best i let him know so he can warn berry not to tell me anything, anyway."
"YES, THAT'S TRUE." His magic boiled when he thought of how that bitch was using Stretch. So he tried to just focus on the pancake batter he was mixing.
Howl picked up by the second ring. "HELLO?"
"hiya, howl. it's stretch," he sighed. "i needed to talk to you and then berry if he's around?"
"GOOD MORNING, STRETCH. YES, HE'S HERE WITH ME. WE JUST ARRIVED AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER. IS SOMETHING THE MATTER?"
"ah, fuck." He scratched the back of his skull. "why did you tell me that? i need you tell him not to panic, but i can't under any circumstance see him or know where he is until this is over."
"OH, I SEE. I'LL PUT HIM SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN."
He laid his head down on the table and put the placemat over his head. "the queen summoned the Judge for a Judgment. she demanded the truth. the bitch demanded to know where berry is hiding. i told her i don't know the address and never drove there. luckily, she took it as i haven't been there, but the queen has commanded me. i will have to take berry the next time i 'see' him and take him in for trial, magic will force me to comply. she'll probably bring me in for questioning again, so please don't let me know the locations you’re at."
"SHE SEEMS DESPERATE, EVEN THOUGH BERRY IS JUST ONE MONSTER. IF I WERE HER, I'D WORRY MORE ABOUT HER PRECIOUS SANITARIUM... I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL."
Stretch nodded, making the place mat slide to the floor. "howl, thanks for taking care of him."
"OF COURSE. I WANT TO PROTECT HIM. FOR MY OWN SAKE AS WELL AS YOURS AND HIS."
He smiled. "good to know you return my bro’s feelings," he teased.
There was a pause. "...DO YOU REALLY THINK HE FEELS THAT WAY?" His voice was quieter, like he was trying not to be heard.
His smile stretched ear to ear. "dude." His excited little brother side came out. "i've never seen him so smitten."
"I SEE... AND NOT JUST FOR DAEMON?"
"nah." He shook his head, forgetting Howl couldn't see him. "i’ve seen the way he looks at ya, howl. he is trying his best for both of you. he wants to be close to both of you." He said somberly, "he never got to learn how to have a romantic relationship, so he might have trouble expressing it to the untrained eye."
"OH." There was another pause. "WELL... I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT. THAT'S A MATTER TO WORRY ABOUT LATER, THOUGH. DID YOU WANT TO TALK TO HIM BEFORE I SEND HIM AWAY?"
"yes please."
"VERY WELL." There was the sound of a door opening, and his voice was muffled like he'd covered the receiver. Then the phone was given to Berry.
"HELLO BROTHER," Berry said.
"hey bro, i love ya. don't you forget that." Stretch went on to explain what happened. "it's just for a little while, but don't tell me where you are or where you're going."
"OR VISIT," he said sadly.
"it will be alright, bro. our family has gotten a lot bigger and we're all looking out for you."
"I EXPECT CALLS WHEN IT'S SAFE."
"of course, big bro. now, when are you going to tell daemon and howl that you like them? you nagged me to have a family and settle down. now it's your turn."
Berry turned bright blue and looked to see if Howl was watching. "I AM NOT ALLOWED TO..." he whispered.
"blueberry!" he snapped, "you are allowed to." He sighed and tried to think of a way to put it. "you want to be with them right?"
"YES! BUT-"
Stretch used the line his brother would tell him. "we don't have butts, brother. you're collared by howl, you have rights with the fellswaps. the rights you should have had all along as a monster. you are allowed a relationship and a family."
Berry was quiet for a few minutes. it reminded him of Daemon telling him, 'if you want it to be true, then do it.'
"OKAY, THANK YOU BROTHER."
"i'll talk to ya later bro. love ya," Stretch told him.
"LOVE YOU TOO." Berry hung up the phone and turned to Howl and took a deep calming breath. His face still held a blue tint. "HOWL, DO YOU HAVE TIME TO TALK?"
Notes:
Can you believe Stretch spilled the beans? That is a sibling for you lol - Diyami
BY THE WAY WE FIGURED OUT A BABY NAME! But you don't get to know it yet :3c - GetMcDunkedOn
Chapter 13: No Apology Because My Urge is Genuine
Summary:
In which hands are held. A lot. And it's very important.
Notes:
We hope you enjoy the chapter, sorry for the wait! I was distracted and then AO3 was wheezing a bit... - GetMcDunkedOn
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red PapyrusI drew this picture and forgot to post it last chapter: I hope you like it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Howl paused on his way to the office when Berry asked to talk to him. "YES, I SUPPOSE. COME INTO MY OFFICE."
Berry followed Howl into his office, fidgeting with his bandana. Trying to let the soft texture and comforting scent calm him. He blushed as he remembered it was Howl’s wine grape scent and nurturing intent he was seeking, and he tried to think about what he was about to say. He didn’t want the voice getting loud again.
The office was full of animal shelter management items like paperwork, pictures, and tools, but Howl’s desk also had a small map and other non-shelter related things. He absently straightened up papers as he waited for Berry to speak. "TAKE YOUR TIME."
Berry took some deep breaths.
"I.."
This was a lot scarier than he thought it would be. Not only was he going to tell one of his crushes how he felt, but he knew feeling this way was bad. The voice was going to remind him he was Sully. He wasn’t allowed this, it was bad… he was bad… He didn’t want to lose what he had with them and end up with the nothing that he really deserved. Berry’s jaw quivered. ‘NO, I WON’T LOSE THEM. THEY TOOK ME IN.’ Howl’s scent washed over him. The feel of Daemon’s hugs and cuddling lingered in his bones. He reminded himself, ‘THEY LOVE ME AND I LOVE THEM.’
"I..." He wasn't sure how to say this. Truthfully, he never thought he would find someone to put up with him being a Sully, so he had tried not to dream about it either. The small skeleton felt like he was adrift. Berry grabbed on to the feeling of love, kindness, and safety, letting the idea and sentiment guide him. "I'M SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND DAEMON IN MY LIFE.” He knew he was asking for a lot. “I WANT TO BE GREEDY. I WANT TO KEEP YOU BOTH BY MY SIDE." He took a deep breath, "I KNOW YOU DON’T LIKE TOUCH, BUT...” He squeezed his bandana, inhaling Howl’s scent deeply. “I LOVE YOU AND DAEMON. I LOVE SPENDING TIME WITH YOU. BEING WITH YOU AND HOLDING HANDS. I WANT TO BE BOTH OF YOURS."
Howl only looked up when Berry said the word 'love.' His face flushed a light periwinkle and he paused in gathering his papers.
It was a short eternity before he answered. Berry stood in silence awaiting a reply. His fingers gripped tightly to his bandana, and he tried to keep himself from bolting from the room. His soul was beating loudly. But then, Howl got up and went over to Berry and gently took his hands. Berry's soul felt like it was going to beat through the hold in his ribs and fall out right there for them all to see. The short skeleton could barely hear his crush talk.
Then Howl broke the silence. "I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT. I LOVE YOU TOO, BERRY. AND I KNOW DAEMON DOES AS WELL."
Berry heard coveted words. He purred gently as his thumb tenderly caressed Howl's hand. A big dopey smile bloomed on his face.
Howl smiled back, a light blue flush still on his cheeks, a rare and genuine smile that didn’t often grace his scarred mouth. "YOU'RE SO VERY PRECIOUS..."
Howl was amazingly handsome when he blushed. Berry’s own flush got deeper when Howl confessed. He squeezed the strong sharp claws tenderly to simulate the hug he wanted to give him. "YOU’RE MY PASSIONATE GUARDIAN ANGEL."
"I CAN ACCEPT THAT NICKNAME," he said grandly. "I'M HAPPY TO PROTECT YOU."
Berry put his other hand on top of Howl's smiling happily. "I LOVE YOU." He patted his new datemates hand. "WE SHOULD TELL DAEMON. I HAVEN'T TOLD HIM YET, EITHER."
Howl flushed a little more, pleased that Berry would say it so openly. "YES, WE SHOULD. YOU CAN BRING HIM IN HERE."
Berry gave Howl one more tender squeeze. "OKAY." He let go and went to the door. He picked up his pace as he went down the halls looking for Daemon.
Daemon was in the dog area. He'd let all the dogs out of their kennels and was being - heh - dog piled. He was giggling as a pack of puppies jumped all over him and licked him.
Berry stopped to watch Daemon play. The happiness and warmth he felt had the hated voice a dull noise in the background, easily forgotten for the moment, and happiness Daemon showed while playing with the puppies was exhilarating. Babies. He remembered Daemon telling him he could have some if he wanted to. In that moment, the hurt skeleton could believe it to be true, if he believed enough in Daemon and Howl, in their love. If everything went right, he’d get to stay with them. He closed his blue eyes, tempting fate with the image of holding their child in his arms, even if it was Howl and Daemon that had their child, it would still be his too. He wanted to believe it could happen. One of Berry's hands wrapped around his empty middle. They could talk to Undyne? Maybe she could help when he was ready to try. Daemon and Howl made him feel safe and loved, and just maybe, they could undo the damage that was done to him. Berry leaned on the door frame and opened his eyes carefully. He knew how fast life could go south. The world could rip everything from you, leaving you hurt, naked and alone in a matter of moments.
Memories came of omegas getting their babies ripped from them at the Sanitarium and sent away. ‘Unwanted children,’ the guards called them. He shivered. That was a lie, the omegas always wanted them.
Family of your own, a baby. It was a dangerous thought. Berry sighed, his arm dropping from his middle. Dreams were painful. Hope was painful. Puppies and Daemon’s happiness was now. He had to live in the now, which was a safer thing to think about. His hand grabbed his overalls just over the hole in his chest. Yet, the idea of a baby was just too tantalizing to let go of, so he put that thought in a safe place for later. The Sanitarium, no, his life in general, had made sure of that lesson. Don’t take things for granted.
He wanted to keep moments like today in his heart, so he could have a salve to soothe the pain when it was taken away again. He continued to watch the cute scene of Daemon and the puppies, letting it burn into his memory. Here and now was best to think about.
After a few minutes he called out, "DAEMON."
Daemon was just laughing in delight, petting as many dogs as he could, his eyelights bright. When Berry called out to him, he looked up and grinned.
"hi!" He got up, scooping up the smallest dog, a multi-colored, long-furred baby. "berry, this is jack! he was born five weeks ago, and he's the runt of the litter. almost didn't make it when his mom stopped feeding him. i bottle feed him every day now! he's starting to get socialized. he's an aussie, so he'll need a really energetic owner that lets him herd things. say hello!"
Berry was surprised that any mom would stop feeding their baby, but he smiled as Daemon talked about bottle feeding. 'HE'S SUCH A WONDERFUL ALPHA. ALWAY PROVIDING,' he thought. Berry gave the puppy pats. He was so cute. "HELLO JACK, YOU'RE LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A CARING ALPHA TO KEEP YOU SAFE,” he cooed at the puppy. Berry looked at Daemon with a dopey love filled smile. "HOWL AND I WANTED TO TALK WITH YOU. HE IS WAITING IN HIS OFFICE."
The puppy squirmed and licked Berry gently, whining happily. Daemon's pupils were hearts as he watched the baby. He blushed at Berry's words. "hehe, yeah, he is~ the office? okay, lemme get these pups settled." He gently put Jack back, since he couldn't be with the others unsupervised so young. The older dogs got their food, and he made sure all the exits were secure before following Berry.
Berry took Daemon's hand in his and rubbed his thumb over his love's knuckles. He smiled and led the way back to the office. Howl had composed himself again and was filling out paperwork. Berry knocked on the door before opening it, a smile playing on his face. "HELLO, ANGEL."
"HELLO." He flushed again a little at the name. Daemon grinned wider again but tried to hide it.
Berry led Daemon into the room. hever letting go of his hands. "DAEMON, YOU ARE AN AMAZING ALPHA. YOU TAKE CARE OF US AND PROTECT US. YOU HELP MAKE ME FEEL SAFE. YOU'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN I EVER DARED TO DREAM OF HAVING." He took a deep breath and looked up hopefully. "I LOVE YOU AND HOWL. I WANT TO KEEP YOU BOTH BY MY SIDE, IF YOU'LL HAVE ME TOO."
Daemon blushed a dark green, peeking over at Howl. Howl kept busying himself with the papers to hide his face, though he was definitely blushing too. Seeing that, knowing Howl already greatly approved, he let himself be overjoyed. He hugged Berry nice and tight.
"of course i want that! i love you lots too. i wanna be there for you forever. so... you'll date us~?"
"YES!" Berry hugged him back. He couldn't believe how lucky he was, not finding one but two such very special monsters willing to share their lives with a Sully. Tears of joy started to freely fall.
"i'm so glad!" Daemon held on tightly, his soul thumping hard. His alpha scent filled the room, protective, strong. He couldn't help himself. Howl's scent reacted, as it always did, while he hid his smile with work.
Berry purred quietly. Whenever he was hurting or upset, Daemon held Berry and comforted him. The strong alpha scent was associated with Daemon, with safety. He couldn’t mix up his alpha’s smell with anyone else’s. Then, the sweet grape scent of Howl mixed with it, nurturing and caring. Berry's purr got louder. He felt so loved and wanted. His own sweet scent came and for the first time, he was too love-drunk to suppress it. "I LOVE YOU, MY PUPPY AND MY ANGEL."
‘of course he smells of blueberries,’ Daemon thought as he took in the scent with a sigh of delight. It was so sweet, and he was so happy to smell it. Berry trusted him enough to let out his scent. He purred, nuzzling Berry a little.
Berry eyelights were in the shape of hearts. He looked over to Howl and lifted his hand. "MAY I HOLD YOUR HAND?"
Howl looked up, still slightly flushed. He put aside his papers and went over gently taking Berry's hand. Daemon was still purring and hugging him.
Berry took Howl's hand and tenderly rubbed his thumb on the back of it. He tried to burn this memory into his mind. The lovely smells of his two datemates, the warm feeling of life, safety, and family. The feel of Howl and his wonderfully soft glove and Daemon's embrace. "YOU'RE BOTH SO WONDERFUL."
Howl squeezed Berry's hand gently. "YOU ARE TOO."
"yeah, you're great! can i kiss you?"
Berry remembered when he kissed Daemon it made him feel so loved and thankful to be alive. He had kissed no one with that intent before. Only Daemon had kissed him like that. He knew it could lead to temptation, but Daemon was safe; he only took what Berry gave. He nuzzled lovingly into Daemon. "YES."
"thank you." He pulled back just enough to gently press his teeth to Berry's. Howl looked away, holding on still. He was happy. He was, but... He couldn't offer the same.
Berry blushed brightly as Daemon kissed him. He lifted his unoccupied hand and caressed Daemon's jaw. When the kiss ended, he looked at Howl. Seeing him avoid looking, he smiled and understood. Berry wasn't comfortable with anything more than this, cuddling and kissing. He gave a squeeze. "YOU'RE ALRIGHT. I'M SCARED TOO, BUT DAEMON WILL KEEP US SAFE." He looked away when he admitted that. After taking a second to gather his courage, he looked back to Howl, love and understanding in his eyelights, "WE WILL ALL TALK TO MS. CANDY AND WORK THROUGH THIS TOGETHER."
Daemon felt his soul flutter at the kiss, and he pressed his face into Berry's shoulder gently with a smile afterwards. Howl looked back over when Berry spoke, surprised by the words. But they eased the discontent in his soul. Daemon had always been understanding too, it was just his mind that sometimes scolded him for being unable to offer proper romantic care. "...YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. HE ALWAYS DOES. AND I WILL GET BETTER TOO."
Berry purred happily. He felt so light and fluffy, like he could float away if he wasn't tethered to his datemates. He squeezed Howl's hand reassuringly. "I LOVE YOU BOTH." He nuzzled the side of Daemon's head. He thought about what his brother said. "WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?"
Daemon finally pulled away after one last squeeze. Howl did the same, returning to his desk.
"FOR RIGHT NOW, NOTHING. I TOLD YOUR BROTHER I'D PUT YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT IF HE BELIEVES ME. YOU'RE SAFER WITH US. FOR THE TIME BEING, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL."
Berry nodded. That made sense. If Stretch didn't know he was there, it was fine for him to be there, but lying to his brother made him feel dirty. "I DON'T LIKE LYING TO STRETCH, BUT I'M SURE HE WILL UNDERSTAND."
"I DON'T LIKE IT EITHER, BUT IT CAN'T BE HELPED. I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU SOMEWHERE I CAN'T PROTECT YOU."
Berry squeezed his bandana. "I’D RATHER STAY WITH YOU BOTH AS WELL."
"I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT. YOU CAN HELP DAEMON SOCIALIZE THE ANIMALS, IF YOU'D LIKE."
Berry smiled happily. "I'D LIKE THAT." he took Daemon's hand.
"yeah, let's go!" He led the way back to the dogs.
The rest of the day passed normally. It was right before Howl was getting ready to leave that his cell phone rang with an unknown number. He checked the caller ID, then frowned. He answered cautiously. "HELLO?"
"Greetings Howl, it's King Asgore."
"OH, GREETINGS." He relaxed. "I TAKE IT YOU WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE YOUR SEARCH?"
"Yes, but..." The King sighed. "They tried to clean up the evidence."
"WHAT?" He tightened his grip on the phone. "SO QUICKLY...!? BASTARDS... WAS THERE ANYTHING GOOD?"
"We couldn't find any files. All hard files were missing. The servers had a 'glitch' that wiped them clean. Alphys is trying to recover the data, but it has all been scrubbed. I will check with her in a few days.” The King sighed. “As for the monsters. They wouldn't talk to us. They wouldn't say they were being abused or hurt. They are scared and do not believe we will help them. The current finding is the facility is unfit and must offer them a better environment. Good bedding and the like. The shock collars were removed from the residents, at least, too. Queen Toriel is willing to make the changes, so without evidence or a witness testimony that they are in immediate danger, they are not being removed."
"DAMN IT." Howl glared at the wall. "I DIDN'T EXPECT THEY COULD HIDE SO MUCH IN JUST ONE NIGHT. THIS IS A PROBLEM." He tried to think. "THE BETTER CONDITIONS ARE SOMETHING. MAYBE SOMEONE WILL TALK WITH SOME MORE PERSUASION LATER..."
"Maybe once they see we have forced some changes, they will believe we want to help them. We are following up in a few days to make sure the new minimums are met.”
"YES, THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE. LET'S HOPE SO."
“By the way, good job with the press conference. It has the humans demanding a new check and balance system in place for the facility as well. Something that has to do with mental health facility standards. The embassy is working with the humans to understand what monsters need. The Underswap Queen is currently in talks with the humans and the embassy.”
The praise made him preen a little, even though he was alone in the room, smoothing down his clothes. "THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT. I HAD A FEELING THE HUMANS WOULD BE OUTRAGED AS WELL. DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENT SOULS, MOST SEEM TO UNDERSTAND MERCY QUITE WELL."
"How are you and Berry doing?"
"AH, WE ARE DOING WELL." He paused in his personal grooming to glance at the door to his office. "THOUGH WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, I WAS THINKING OF GETTING AN EXTRA THERAPY APPOINTMENT..."
"That would be best. Hopefully, he will feel safe enough to make his statement. The sooner the better.” He sighed, “then we can press charges.”
"YES. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, HOPEFULLY. BUT I DON'T WANT TO PRESSURE HIM. IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT FOR VICTIMS TO SPEAK OUT."
"Yes." Howl could hear the years in his voice. "I understand, but he is the closest victim willing to make a claim of abuse. Do what you can." He sighed. "I'll let you go for now. If you need help, be sure to let us know."
"YES, I KNOW. I THINK IT'S GOING WELL FOR NOW." He finished fixing his clothes. "I WILL DO THAT. A PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO YOU, YOUR MAJESTY."
"You too." With that, Asgore ended the call.
It had been a few bliss-filled days since their confessions, and Howl had booked an appointment for today. A lot had happened in such little time. Berry was sitting on the floor by his bed. The healing monster had just written a little bit in his journal about breakfast and was closing it. He wanted to say he had written something every day when he went in today. He put it on the nightstand and got up. Anxious hands fidgeted with his collar a bit before he headed out of the room to look for the others. It was almost time to leave.
Howl and Daemon were waiting in the living room. Howl clipped the colorful leash onto Daemon's collar. "ARE YOU READY TO GO, BERRY?"
Berry nodded and blushed a little, smiling. "YES, ANGEL." He loved seeing that handsome blush on Howl. The regal skeleton did always flush when he was called that. It was sweet. Daemon smiled and took Berry's hand. They ported to the clinic. Berry gave Daemon’s hand a squeeze. "I'LL SIGN US IN PUPPY." He let go and went to the desk.
Daemon blushed too. Only Howl used to call him that. His pupils turned into little white hearts and he let Berry go. The secretary handed over another of the same diagnostic surveys from last time, and Berry filled it out carefully. He was feeling better with Howl and Daemon, but it still scared him that it was going to be taken away. He didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. And truthfully, he didn't know what to do next in their relationship. He had never been in a relationship, let alone a polyamorous one. He wanted to make sure he didn't mess this up... he turned in the survey when he was done. He feared what this was going to lead to one day, but excited that there was a small hope they would have a family one day.
After a few minutes, they were let into Candy's office. She looked up from the paper Berry had just filled out, smiling.
"Good afternoon. I didn't expect you three back so soon, but it's a pleasure."
Berry smiled at her. "HELLO." He took a seat on the couch to cuddle up to Daemon, knowing Howl would want the chair.
"GREETINGS." Howl took his seat.
Daemon cuddled up happily. "hiya."
Candy looked between them. "You seem much more physically open. That's good. What brought you in today?"
Berry said happily, "WELL, A LOT HAS HAPPENED. WE HAVE CONFESSED OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER." He blushed, waving his free hard at the three of them. He gave Daemon a squeeze while smiling at Howl. "ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS ARE NEW TO US AND.... IN TRUTH BOTH HOWL AND I HAVE FEARS WE WOULD LIKE HELP WITH."
"Oh, is that so? Well, congratulations. I'm happy for you." She smiled.
"DAEMON AND I HAVE BEEN 'TOGETHER' FOR MANY YEARS," Howl clarified. "BUT THIS WILL DEFINITELY STILL BE NEW."
"Of course." She wrote a few things down. "What are these fears you mentioned?"
"WELL... HOLDING HANDS WITH HOWL OR CUDDLING AND KISSING WITH DAEMON IS GREAT." Berry blushed deeply. "DAEMON WAS MY FIRST KISS... AND I THOUGHT A KISS WAS TOO TEMPTING... BUT DAEMON CANNOT BE TEMPTED AND HOWL DOESN'T LIKE TO BE TOUCHED." He added quickly, “DAEMON MAY BE AN ALPHA BUT HE ONLY TAKES WHAT I'M WILLING TO GIVE... AND I WANT TO GIVE MORE AND I'M SCARED ABOUT WANTING TO GIVE MORE... I FEEL CONFUSED. I KNOW IT’S WRONG TO WANT MORE, A SULLY IS NOT ALLOWED EVEN THIS. I'M BREAKING THE RULES... THE QUEEN IS ALREADY MAD AT ME... IF SHE FINDS OUT...”
RUINING GOOD MONSTERS WITH YOUR FILTH!
Berry flinched and grabbed onto Daemon.
"I DON'T DESERVE THEM. I AM GOING TO MESS THIS UP AND IT WILL ALL BE TAKEN AWAY..."
Candy listened quietly, nodding along. When he was done, she put her notebook down. "Well, let's take this one thing at a time. Are you saying your affirmations? I know it's hard to believe that you're not bad after it's been told to you for so long, but they should help with that feeling in time."
"I HAVE." He cuddled into his taller datemate's side. "DAEMON AND HOWL HELP WITH IT." He sighed. "IT'S REAL HARD TO DO ALONE." He squeezed the soft material of his collar.
"Well, that's alright. You don't have to do it alone, whatever helps is good." She nodded. "It's important to trust in the people you have a relationship with. So it's good you see that you can't tempt Daemon. I want you to also trust that they won't let this relationship be taken away, either. That's what the lawsuit is for, right?"
Berry sat quietly, thinking about that for a few moments. “I DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE THE ANGEL WOULD BE SO CRUEL AS TO LET ME KNOW THIS WONDERFUL BLISS AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY AGAIN... BUT..." The memories of his father, of living on the streets with Stretch, and of life in the Sanitarium haunted him. 'THERE IS A TRACK RECORD,' he thought. "YES," Berry said. He wanted to believe it, but it was hard. Just like believing Sully was made up, that he wasn't one. Just a normal hurt monster…
He desperately wanted this to work. He didn't want to lose this. It would hurt so much more. "I WANT TO BELIEVE IN THEM. I WANT TO BELIEVE IN OUR LOVE." He held on to Daemon and looked at Howl. "IF I CAN'T HAVE FAITH IN THE ANGEL TO PROTECT A SUL--" he took a breath and corrected himself, "--ME, I WANT TO BELIEVE IN MY DATEMATES."
"That's good, then." She nodded again, smiling. "Now then, what's this about Howl not liking to be touched?" She turned her attention to Howl, who couldn't stop himself from stiffening up a little. He busied himself tugging on his gloves to tighten them, brushing the softness.
"YES... IT HAS BEEN A LIFELONG ISSUE. YOU SEE, I WAS ALSO... SEXUALLY ASSAULTED." The words never liked to come out, catching in his throat. "BY THE MAN WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY FATHER. IT BEGAN WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, AND LASTED UNTIL I WAS TWELVE."
Candy's smile fell. She picked her notebook back up to start writing again. "That's a very long time, and so young, too... Did you have a mother, Howl?"
"YES. SHE DID NOTHING TO STOP IT. ACTUALLY, SHE WAS JEALOUS." He narrowed his sockets, and his voice turned bitter and venomous. He spoke of his father slowly, with fear, but his hatred for his mother was not weakened by terror in the same way. "IMAGINE, BEING JEALOUS OF YOUR OWN SON BEING RAPED. A HORRIBLE WOMAN. I DIDN'T KILL HER, BUT IT WAS TEMPTING."
"Are you saying you killed your father?"
"OH YES. WHEN I WAS TWELVE. I'D MET DAEMON, YOU SEE. WE WEREN'T RAISED TOGETHER, WE HAD SEPARATE PURPOSES. BUT WE RAN INTO EACH OTHER BY CHANCE, AND BONDED - NOT IN THE PHYSICAL SENSE, OF COURSE, WE SIMPLY FELT INSTANTLY CONNECTED. WITH HIS SUPPORT, I FOUND THE STRENGTH I NEEDED TO FIGHT FOR MYSELF. THE MAN GOT A HEALTHY DOSE OF MY CLAWS. I MADE SURE IT WAS PAINFUL."
Berry knew that already, but hearing it again didn't make it less sad. He hugged Daemon reassuringly. He wanted to offer comfort to Howl too and asked, "DO YOU WANT US TO HOLD YOUR HAND?"
Howl's hands twitched. He looked over to Berry, then reached out. His hand hesitated. If he had skin, it would be crawling. He pulled it back down to his lap. "I'M SORRY, I CANNOT RIGHT NOW."
Daemon looked sad, gently snuggling Berry.
Berry nodded. "IT’S OKAY. I UNDERSTAND." He snuggled into Daemon's embrace. "BUT WE ARE HERE IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND." He smiled kindly at his datemate.
"YES, THANK YOU." Berry's calm eased Howl a little. He resumed brushing gloved fingers against each other.
Candy wrote down a few more things. "So you've had this touch aversion ever since your father started molesting you, but you are usually able to hold hands?"
"I DON'T KNOW IF ‘USUALLY’ IS THE CORRECT WORD. SOMETIMES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO DO MORE AT TIMES. A HUG, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. I HAVE... EVEN SLEPT WITH DAEMON A FEW TIMES."
"And how did you feel at those times?"
"...AFRAID," Howl admitted. "BUT DETERMINED. I WANTED TO DO IT FOR HIS SAKE. HE HAS NO SUCH QUALMS, AFTER ALL. IT WAS DIFFICULT, AND I HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO KEEP MYSELF IN CHECK. BUT IT HELPED THAT I WAS THE ONE IN CONTROL. DAEMON IS VERY GOOD AT LETTING ME DO EVERYTHING I PLEASE AND NEVER PRESSURING."
Candy watched this all carefully, then wrote another note. "Well, I'll be honest, it's been a very long time since you were in that situation, and if you've managed to even have consensual sex, even if you were afraid, you seem to be doing well."
Howl made a vague gesture. "IT HELPS THAT I TRUST HIM WITH EVERYTHING, AS WELL. BUT NONETHELESS, SUCH INSTANCES ARE EXTREMELY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. MOST OF THE TIME, THE LIGHTEST OF TOUCHES WILL MAKE ME BRISTLE."
She nodded. "Right, I don't mean to imply that you're not struggling. I only meant that you've made lots of progress on your own, which is admirable. It's always important to acknowledge your own efforts."
"YES, OF COURSE."
"But there is definitely more I can do to help. Haphephobia is common in cases of sexual assault. Exposure therapy often has excellent results. You hold hands with Berry and Daemon a lot?"
"WITH BERRY, YES. DAEMON, LESS SO."
"Why is that?"
Howl glanced over at his brother, the way his mouth twisted making the huge diagonal scar over his mouth even more prominent.
"HE DOESN'T ASK FOR TOUCH, SO IT DOESN'T OCCUR TO ME, I SUPPOSE."
Berry looked to Daemon. He held his tongue. It would be better if Daemon told him. Daemon nuzzled Berry's side and spoke quietly. "i'm used to howl's needs. i don't ever wanna pressure him or make him feel bad if he can't do something."
Candy nodded approvingly. "Well, that's good. Pressure only makes phobias worse. But I think, right now, small, occasional requests are a good start. Exposure therapy is gradual. The more you associate the feared stimulus with something positive, the easier it will become, in time. So while asking for sex is not a good idea, asking to hold hands isn't bad."
Daemon nodded, looking thoughtful. "okay... i'll try."
"Alright. And requests aside, Howl, you're also allowed to ask to touch someone if it's what you want. If you would like to show affection for Daemon, you can offer your hand by your own choice."
Howl also looked thoughtful. "THAT IS TRUE."
"There's no need to rush, though. Nobody expects you to start doing it all the time. I suggest you avoid seeking out touch in stressful situations, because it may reinforce the fear. When you want to hold hands, find something positive to get or do at the same time, to build up those positive associations."
"THAT MAKES SENSE."
"Excellent. I think that's plenty for one session. We went over quite a bit. Are there any other immediate concerns?"
Berry smiled at Daemon, proud he spoke up and proud of Howl for talking about his fears. Then he looked to Ms. Candy. "I THINK THAT IS EVERYTHING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. WE WILL WORK ON THESE THINGS."
"You're welcome, Berry. I'm always glad to help." She dipped her head. Howl stood up, finally leaving his gloves alone.
"WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY, THEN. HAVE A PLEASANT DAY."
"thanks for the talks," Daemon said cheerfully, also getting up.
Berry got up and followed them out, still holding Daemon’s hand. He looked happily at Howl. "I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, HOWL." He squeezed Daemon’s hand. "YOU TOO, DAEMON."
Howl looked over at Berry, a little surprised. "OH. YES, OF COURSE, WHY WOULDN'T YOU BE." He looked thankful, though. "I AM, OF COURSE, GOOD AT EVERYTHING, INCLUDING GETTING THERAPY."
"you're the best, master! and you, berry. we're super proud of you too." Daemon kissed Berry's cheek.
Berry suppressed a giggle. Howl was so cute when he was confident. "YOU ARE." When Daemon said that, a light dusting of magic bloomed on Berry's face and his soul skipped a beat. "THANK YOU. I TRY MY BEST FOR YOU TWO."
"you do really well."
Berry held his hands out; one for each of them. "MAY I HOLD YOUR HANDS?"
"I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT WE SHOULD GET HOME FIRST. SHE SAID TO HAVE A POSITIVE THING WHEN I TOUCH, SO I WILL FOLLOW THAT ADVICE." He picked up the leash.
Berry nodded. "OKAY." he pulled back his hand and touched his bandana, gently working the material. He kept his other hand out to Daemon waiting for his response.
Daemon took his hand with a smile. "to the house, then?"
"YES, PUPPY."
They arrived there with a quick shortcut. Howl unclipped the leash and put it aside, then settled on the couch and turned on the television to the food network. Watching Gordon Ramsay yell at idiots always made him happy.
Berry squeezed Daemon's hand before letting go. "Howl, did you want to knit? I can go get out the stuff."
"WELL, THAT'S FINE IF YOU'D LIKE. BUT I ASSUMED WE WOULD HOLD HANDS." He pulled off a glove.
Berry's eyes sparkled. "I WOULD LOVE TO HOLD HANDS WITH YOU. WE CAN KNIT AFTER." He offered his hand.
"THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME." He gently laid his bare hand on Berry's, then turned to the TV. Hell's Kitchen was on.
Berry smiled at Howl as he took his hand. "IS IT ALRIGHT IF I SIT?" He gestured at the open end of the couch. "I'LL GIVE YOU SPACE."
"OF COURSE, THAT'S FINE. WE'LL BE LIKE THIS A WHILE. PUPPY, COULD YOU GET ME A GLASS OF WINE?"
"yes, master." Daemon wandered off into the kitchen to do just that. "you want anything, berry?"
"THANK YOU HOWL." He sat on the couch and gave Howl his space while holding his hand. He felt Howl's bones with a gentle squeeze. "SOME TEA WOULD BE WONDERFUL." He smiled with stars in his eyes. "THANK YOU DAEMON." This so much more than Berry expected. "YOU'RE MAGNIFICENT."
Daemon blushed from where he was in the kitchen, putting on a kettle. Tea and wine were provided, and then he sat in front of the couch like a good puppy.
Berry soul felt overflowing with happiness as he sat with his datemates. The condescending voice was mostly overpowered by the happiness and safety Berry felt with them. He blew on his tea and tenderly held Howl's hand. Occasionally, he would lean forward and place his hand on Daemon's shoulder and give him a squeeze. He was so proud and appreciative of both of them. Never in all his years as an adult could he picture a scene like this, with himself included. It was such an unattainable dream, yet here they were. He could barely hear the voice hissing in the back of his mind.
It will be all the more hurtful when you're put in your place and returned to your cell, Sully.
He didn't acknowledge the voice. He was going to be determined. They had already given him more than he dared to dream. He was going to return their love and to trust in Howl and Daemon to not let it be taken away.
Notes:
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I made some new pictures I hope you like them. I hope you like them. their not canon
yet
https://twitter.com/Diyami1/status/1344904954889207808
Do you like the drawings and the chapter? Let us know. We love to hear your theories about what will happen next!
Chapter 14: Words Left Unspoken Left Us So Brittle
Summary:
In which cigarettes and beverages go unfinished, and plans are not made.
Notes:
Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing great. Thank you all for reading<3 Don't forget to comment, kudos and subscribe! - Diyami
Whooo got this out early this week! The next few chapters will be... interesting <3 - GetMcDunkedOn
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Chapter Text
It was February 13th, a Tuesday, and breakfast had concluded a few hours before. Howl was in his study and Daemon was in his room, probably having a cigarette. Berry was in the living room watching TV. A commercial was showing some valentines stuff. With everything that had happened he almost forgot it. This week's class was chocolates. Before all this he had thought chocolate would be too forward of a gift, but now he was dating Howl and Daemon. He was thankful he could still make them a culinary surprise, but he didn’t get them cards or had anything to wrap it in to give them.
He needed to go out, but he didn't want Daemon or Howl to know what he was getting and they wouldn't want him alone. Honestly, he didn't want to go out alone either. He went to the house phone. Red had offered to talk with him if he wanted to, maybe he would go shopping with him too? He went to the house phone and dialed his brother-in-law's number.
After three rings, Red answered the phone. "hey, what's up, blueberry muffin?" He sounded semi-distracted.
Berry blinked and looked around the room. "How'd’you know it was me?"
"if it was howl or daemon they would've used their cell phones to text... anyway, what's up?"
Berry giggled, "MAKES SENSE. I WAS THINKING YOU HAD A CAMERA IN HERE OR SOMETHING."
"oh, gross, cameras, no."
Berry laughed "I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE FREE SOME TIME SOON? I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO HANG OUT AND GO SHOPPING."
"free to hang out? well..." There was some clicking and a clasp being shut.
Berry dropped his voice lower. "I NEED TO GET SOME STUFF FOR VALENTINE'S DAY."
"oh, for v-day, huh? yeah, sure, berry. tell you what, i'll be there in... half an hour?"
"OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH." Berry smiled. "I'LL BE READY. SEE YOU THEN."
Berry got up and went to his room to grab his bank card and jacket. He stopped and looked at the card. He went to Howl's study and knocked on the door.
A brief moment, and then Howl called out, "COME IN."
Berry opened the door. "HI, HOPE I'M NOT INTERRUPTING."
He glanced up from some papers. "NO, NOT AT ALL. WHAT IS IT YOU NEED, MY KITTEN?"
Berry blush. He loved it when they called him that. "I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW. I WAS GOING TO GO OUT WITH RED FOR A BIT. ALSO I WASN'T SURE SO I WANTED TO ASK--" he held up his bank card, "--IN MY WORLD SULLY CAN'T HAVE ACCOUNTS AS WE ARE UNFIT. FAMILY HAS TO BE THE MAIN HOLDER OF THE ACCOUNTS. MY CARDS ARE LINKED TO STRETCH'S ACCOUNT. DO YOU THINK IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO USE IT? IF NOT I COULD ASK RED TO STOP BY STRETCH'S HOUSE AND GET SOME CASH FROM HIM FOR ME TO USE."
He glanced at the card. "WELL, THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM. I HIGHLY DOUBT THERE'S SOMEONE KEEPING CONSTANT WATCH ON SOMETHING LIKE YOUR CARD USE. BUT IF YOU'RE CONCERNED, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING EXTRA CAREFUL. JUST MAKE SURE RED KNOWS NOT TO TELL STRETCH WHERE YOU ARE." He dipped his head. "I TRUST RED TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, SO HAVE FUN."
"OKAY THANK YOU ANGEL." Berry held his hand out. "MAY I HOLD YOUR HAND BEFORE I LEAVE?"
"YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. YES, OF COURSE." He pulled up his phone with his other hand and put on soothing music to be his positive stimulus, then gently took Berry's hand.
Berry squeezed his hand gently and smiled happily. "THANK YOU, MY WONDERFUL ANGEL." Berry wanted to nuzzle Howl's hand, but he refrained from asking. 'MAYBE,' he thought, 'I COULD ASK ON VALENTINE'S DAY." He thought. His smile brightened more at the thought. “I'LL SEE YOU IN A FEW HOURS.” He gave one last squeeze.
He blushed a little at the compliment. "YOU ARE SO VERY PRECIOUS TO ME." He squeezed back, then let go to resume his work. "YES, HAVE FUN. TELL RED TO KEEP ME UPDATED."
"OKAY." He closed the door quietly. Then he went upstairs and knocked on Daemon's door.
Daemon opened the door, quickly rolling down one sleeve as he did so. "hiya, berry, what's up?"
"I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I WAS GOING TO HEAD OUT WITH RED...." The action drew his attention, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"oh, sure, yeah, have fun!" He smiled brightly, though he did semi-flinch at the question and put his arm behind him. "nothing..."
He was quiet for a minute, "THAT," he said as he gestured to his arm behind his back, "DOESN'T SEEM LIKE NOTHING."
Daemon’s smile faded, and he looked down. "...don't be mad at me?"
Berry felt even more concerned when Daemon said that. "I WON’T BE MAD AT YOU."
He put his arm back in front of him and rolled up the sleeve again. There was a rough burn mark in an almost perfect circle. A cigarette had been put out right there on his humerus, and very recently by the looks of it.
Berry frowned. If Daemon had only dropped his cigarette, it wouldn't look so perfect. Berry knew injuries, and injuries didn't look like that unless they were done on purpose. "IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY, PUPPY." He took Daemon's arm tenderly. "LET'S GO CLEAN IT UP IN THE BATHROOM."
"no, wait." He looked away, pulling his arm back. "i didn't... do it for the hurt... i..." He shuffled his feet. "...i want howl to heal it..."
Berry was quiet for a moment, trying to process that. He didn't like what he thought of. "DID YOU HURT YOURSELF SO HE WOULD TOUCH YOU?"
“...yeah.” He kept not meeting Berry's gaze.
Berry asked, "MAY I HUG YOU?" He held his arms out in open invitation.
There was an even longer pause before his response that time. "...yeah." He wrapped his arms around Berry nice and tight.
Berry hugged him back just as tightly. "IF YOU EVER WANT TO BE HELD OR TOUCHED, I'M HERE FOR YOU." He rubbed Daemon's back comfortingly. "AND REMEMBER WHAT MS. CANDY SAID. IF YOU WANT TO TOUCH HOWL, YOU CAN ASK. HE LOVES YOU ALOT AND HE WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY TOO."
"i know... i know you're here now, it's just, this is what i've done for a long time..." He pressed his face into Berry's shoulder. "it just feels nice... his hand on my body, no glove in the way... the warm healing intent... i can feel that he loves me. it's just... it's hard to give that up..."
Berry could understand that. "MAYBE WE CAN FIND A DIFFERENT WAY, SO YOU CAN STILL FEEL HIS LOVE." He nuzzled his head into Daemon's neck.
"yeah... okay. a different way." He took a deep breath. "thanks, berry.”
"HAVE YOU ASKED TO HOLD HIS HAND THESE LAST FEW DAYS?"
“um, yeah, once. it was nice.”
Berry smiled at Daemon. "MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK HIM MORE? MS. CANDY SAID HE NEEDS TO PRACTICE. SO WE SHOULD HELP HIM AND HELP YOU TOO. I LOVE YOU, PUPPY." Berry kissed him gently.
"okay. i'll ask him more often. i love you too." Blushing a little, he gently kissed back. He didn't want to let go.
Berry stayed in Daemon's warm embrace for a long while. "DO YOU WANT TO TALK WITH HIM? I'M SURE HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO BE HELD MORE."
Daemon was happy to pull Berry inside and sit with him on the bed, just snuggling and nuzzling. At the prompting, though, he nodded and let Berry go. "yeah, i'll do that. did you say you were going out?"
"YES," Berry replied, "BUT I'LL STAY IF YOU WANT ME TOO. I JUST NEED TO CALL RED."
"no no no. i'll be alright, you go and have fun, sweetie." He nuzzled again. "i'll be okay. promise."
Berry gently pulled Daemon's head down to rest the forehead together and whispered, "I'LL TAKE YOUR PROMISE, AND WHEN I GET BACK, WE CAN CUDDLE ALL NIGHT. I'LL EVEN SLEEP HERE UP HERE IF YOU WANT."
He smiled at that, reaching up to rub at Berry's cheek. "that sounds great. okay, berry, thank you."
Berry nuzzled Daemon's hand. The short skeleton made a promise to himself to hug Daemon every day. "I LOVE YOU PUPPY." He kissed Daemon's hand. "I'LL WALK WITH YOU TO HOWL."
"i love you too. okay." He nuzzled again, then held Berry's hand and stood up to go downstairs. Howl was focused back on his work by now, writing something with an ink pen on parchment like some medieval nobleman penning a letter home from the war.
Berry held Daemon's hand tightly. When they saw Howl, he knocked on the door. "ANGEL."
He glanced up, setting the pen down carefully. "YES?"
He squeezed Daemon's hand. "PLEASE DON'T BE MAD, BUT DAEMON NEEDS A WOUND HEALED AND TO TALK WITH YOU."
Howl looked to Daemon, who hung his head a little and showed the burn mark. Howl sighed quietly and beckoned them both over, pulling off a glove. "I'M NOT ANGRY." His tone said he was disappointed, though.
Daemon drooped a little as he came over and held his arm out. "i'm sorry..."
Berry came into the room with Daemon still holding his other hand. He wanted to support Daemon with this. He had helped Berry with so many of his crises. He loved them both so much; he didn't want to leave until the problem was in the air and they could work on a solution.
Howl carefully laid his hand over the wound, and it began to glow a soft green. Daemon sighed softly, shoulders slumping a little.
"it just... feels nice. warm."
"IF YOU WANT ME TO TOUCH YOU MORE, YOU MUST ASK. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF I WAS IN NO STATE TO OFFER MY HELP? BEAR IT?"
"yeah..."
"I HAVE BEEN VERY UPTIGHT FOR AS LONG AS WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER, THIS IS TRUE. I UNDERSTAND YOU DO THIS BECAUSE IT’S EASIER FOR ME TO FOCUS ON TREATING A WOUND THAN ON THE TOUCH. BUT DO YOU NOT THINK THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS? WITH MY ACTIONS AND EVEN MY WORDS?”
"there is, i'm sorry. you're doing so good. i know forcing you is bad. i... i won't do it again. i promise."
"DON'T MAKE PROMISES THAT ARE SO DIFFICULT. JUST PROMISE ME YOU WILL TRY."
"okay, master."
Berry smiled. He gently squeezed Daemon's hand and brought it up to kiss the top of his palm. Daemon smiled in response, his soul warming.
Howl let his hand linger for a moment even after the burn was erased, bone gently touching bone. He watched the contact. "...I WANT TO DO BETTER. I WANT TO BE BETTER.” His voice was quieter as he said it, though it never actually dipped below lowercase.
"i want that too."
"I KNOW." He pulled away after another long pause. "WE WILL SEE WHAT MS. CANDY SAYS NEXT WEEK."
Daemon rolled his sleeve back down, letting go of Berry to do it, but took his hand again right after.
Berry smiled at Howl. "YOU’RE DOING VERY WELL, ANGEL. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELF TOO."
Howl looked pleased at that, if not a little flustered. "THANK YOU, KITTEN. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT VERY MUCH."
"MAY WE HOLD YOUR HAND?"
"FOR NOW, YES, BUT YOU'RE LEAVING SOON, AREN'T YOU?"
"YES." He took Howl's hand, nestling Daemon's between them. "ONCE RED GETS HERE."
"I SEE." He had offered his right hand, so he then resumed writing with the left. Daemon squeezed gently, nuzzling Berry again. He was happy despite the scolding.
Berry nuzzled back, a soft purr coming from him. A short while later there was a knock at the front door. "THAT'S PROBABLY RED." Berry let his fingers trail over Darmon's hand as he pulled away.
"DON'T ANSWER IT YOURSELF, BERRY." Howl pulled his hand back. Daemon led the way out to the front door. Red was standing there, having knocked from the inside. He smirked.
"sup."
Berry was used to Red and Sans just walking out of random rooms at his brother's house. "HI RED."
Daemon grinned at him. "hiya. you take good care of berry, okay?"
"yes sir." Red saluted with two fingers lazily. "i have two gifts for ya too, blueberry muffin."
"IS ONE THE DEVICE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT?" He asked curiously while coming up to Red.
"yeah, there's that. but first, i bet you were missing having a phone." He pulled Berry's phone out of his pocket. He couldn't buff out all the scuffs, but the screen was replaced and the buttons all looked new.
Berry took it with a smile. "I WAS. THANK YOU!" He was excited. Now he could text and call everyone when he wanted to. He turned it on, seeing it boot up. It started up perfectly, and he still had all of his pictures and contacts.
“oh, that’s great, berry.” Daemon leaned on the wall, hands stuffed into his pockets. “now you can keep us updated when you’re out today, right?”
“YES, I CAN DO THAT.”
"you're welcome, and here's the device." Red pulled out a watch. "this doesn't just tell time, okay? this is a panic button. i calibrated it for this living room. if you're ever in trouble and nobody can help you, you open this clasp here--" he pointed it out, "--and slam this button inside, okay? it won't go off unless you push this button, so it shouldn't happen by accident. i can only give it enough power for one jump, so if you use it, tell me and i'll recharge it, okay?"
Berry took the watch. This was such a great safety line. He didn't want to be out alone, but it made him feel that some of his autonomy was just handed back to him. A few tears fell down Berry's face as he looked up at Red. "MAY I HUG YOU?"
Red smiled wide, opening his arms. "bring it in, new bro."
Berry tried not to, but practically threw himself at Red. "THANK YOU SO MUCH, BROTHER."
Red hugged him nice and tight, patting Berry's skull gently. "aw, it's no problem. nice break from that fucking thesis, anyway. and we all want ya to feel safe again."
"THANK YOU. THIS HELPS A LOT." When he pulled back, he put it in his right arm. "IS IT WATERPROOF?"
"oh yeah. well, water resistant. it'll be fine in the rain but don't, like, take it swimming, okay?"
"OKAY." Berry became somber. "OH, I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW. THE QUEEN HAS OFFICIALLY DEMANDED THE JUDGE TO TAKE ME IN FOR JUDGEMENT ME THE NEXT TIME HE SEES ME. SO IF ANYTHING HAPPENS WHILE IM WITH YOU, PLEASE DON'T TELEPORT US TO VEX AND STRETCH'S HOUSE."
He pulled back to nod seriously. "yeah, vex told me. don't you worry. i'll bring you back here, or somewhere else safe if need be."
Berry gave a sad smile. "THANK YOU." He pulled back and wiped at his face. He turned to Daemon and held up his wrist to show him the watch. "ISN'T IT COOL? NOW WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY AS MUCH."
Daemon smiled back at Berry. "yeah, it's very cool! thanks, red."
"don't mention it. knew i had to do something, y'know?"
Berry cradled his wrist, smiling at the watch. "IT REALLY MEANS A LOT, RED." He looked at the tallest skeleton. "I'LL BE BACK IN A FEW HOURS AND I'LL TEXT YOU AND HOWL NOW AND THEN SO YOU KNOW I'M SAFE." Berry went up to Daemon then gently pulled him down and kissed him. "I LOVE YOU BOTH."
"yeah. be safe, don't stray from red's side, okay?" He leaned down and kissed him willingly. "we love you too."
Red wolf-whistled inappropriately.
Berry blushed and ducked his head down behind his bandana at Red's whistle. He tried to ignore how the voice got a little louder. He took a deep breath. "I'LL BE GOOD," he said.
Daemon shoved Red playfully. "you smooch sans."
"i whistle then, too." He winked. "alright, berry, let's get going." He held out his good hand.
Blueberry took his brother-in-law’s hand and waved goodbye to Daemon.
Daemon waved back with a smile, and then Red ported them to the closest outside shopping mall.
"alrighty, what kinda gift do you have in mind? flowers? chocolates? jewelry~?"
Berry worked his bandana between his fingers. "I MADE COOKIES LAST WEEK IN CLASS, BUT THEY GOT DESTROYED," he said sadly. "BUT MY CLASS TONIGHT IS CHOCOLATE MELTS? POURING IN MOLDS ADDING THINGS LIKE EDIBLE GOLD AND DUST. WE ARE ALSO DIPPING IT INTO THINGS. THE TEACHER IS NOT OFFERING CUTE BAGS OR WRAPPING THIS TIME, HOWEVER." He thought a bit more. "SO, I NEED CARDS AND SOME KIND OF WRAPPING AND BOXES?"
"oh, that's too bad..." If he ever saw those assholes again, he'd have a lot of words. and maybe a few blasters to show off. "chocolates are always good. alright, well, definitely need red and gold wrapping paper, 'cause those are the best v-day colors. bet we can find boxes with little squares so each chocolate has its own spot, yeah?" He put his hand back in its pocket. "i, uh... i got sansy a necklace. a real nice one. and i'm gonna be making him a rose apple tart shaped like a heart. hopefully, he'll like it..."
"OH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT." He nodded in agreement. "I'M SURE HE WILL. HE REALLY LIKES APPLES. HE ALWAYS DRINKING APPLE JUICE. AS FOR THE NECKLACE, I'M SURE HE WILL LIKE IT TOO. IS IT A LOCKET?
Red blushed when Berry said that for some reason. "heh, yeah... uh, yeah, it's a locket. the front has a nebula on it, and it even glows in the dark. and inside is a picture of us." He smiled, all soft around the edges.
Berry soul fluttered for them. "HE WILL DEFINITELY LOVE IT." He fidgeted with his bandana as they walked and talked. "ARE YOU INFUSING YOUR MAGIC IN IT?"
Red led the way to the crafts store. "huh, my magic? why?"
"LIKE MY COLLAR." He played with the material lovingly. "IT HAS HOWL'S MAGIC AND I CAN FEEL HIS CARE AND LOVE CLOSE TO ME."
"oh, wow, really? i've never heard of anything like that. but it sounds cool... okay. i'll try it."
"I'M SURE SANS WOULD LOVE IT. THEN HE COULD FEEL YOUR LOVE EVEN AT WORK." He smiled. "HOWL CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT AND HOW TO DO IT." He saw some cute tissue papers. Blueberry raced a little ahead. "OH, LOOK AT THIS." He pulled out one that had little hearts all over it with gold backing.
"yeah? alright, i'll text him about it." He smiled, then followed quickly to stay close to Berry. "oh, hey, that looks really cute! they'll love it." He poked around, then pointed to a maroon and gold-laced box. "how about this to put them in?"
"OOH THAT'S SO PRETTY." He giggled happily. "I THINK THEY WILL LIKE IT."
"cool, cool. now we just need like... plastic separators for the chocolate. and a card, of course."
Berry looked around the aisle. It was pretty crowded, people and monsters pushing between them trying to grab things, but he tried to stay close to Red. Red seemed to know his way around the baking isle pretty well.
Red held Berry's hand to keep them from getting separated, looking through the different plastic casings. "you know what shapes you'll be making?"
He blushed. "IT SAID HEARTS AND KISSES. THAT'S WHY I WAS GOING TO GIVE THE COOKIES, BUT WE’RE DATEMATES NOW, SO KISSES ARE FINE."
Red grinned. "cool. well, those are different shapes, so square compartments will work. here's, uhh, a light pink? nice?"
"HHHMMM," Berry eyed it critically. "YES, THAT WOULD BE NICE."
"alright." He plucked it. After some more poking around, he nabbed a heart-shaped tart tray for himself. "now a card and we're done, yeah?"
"YES. DO THEY SELL THEM HERE?" He asked.
"not in this particular store, but one still in this strip mall does." He kept hold of Berry's hand as they went to check out.
While in line, Berry pulled out his phone to check the time. "OKAY. LET ME SEND A QUICK TEXT TO HOWL AND DAEMON."He quickly sent a group text to his date mates. [I'M SAFE. LOVE YOU BOTH.]
He got a message back after less than half a minute.
[GLAD TO HEAR IT. WE LOVE YOU TOO.]
Berry smiled softly as he read the message. Then put his phone in his pocket and took Red's hand again.
"everything all good?" He paid for his tray.
Berry nodded, "YES. JUST WANTED TO LET THEM KNOW I'M OKAY AND LOVE THEM." Berry paid for his items.
"heh. you're adorable, berry." He smiled. "we're all gonna have a great v-day this year, huh?"
"YOU TEASE TOO MUCH." Berry blushed and bumped into Red's shoulder lightly. "THIS WILL BE THE BEST. I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD HAVE THIS... IT IS THE FIRST ONE I EVER HAD A DATEMATE TO SHARE IT WITH."
"aw, it's not teasing, i mean it. you're very cute." He noogied Berry gently. "yeah? well, me too, honestly. i never thought i'd ever date anyone. it was a scary idea. but sans..." He sighed quietly. "he makes me feel safe."
Berry giggled at the noogie, "I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL." His soul felt all light, a fluttery think about his date mates. "HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING THE NEXT STEP?"
"the next step, which step is that?"
"GETTING MARRIED. " Berry had a dreamy look in his eyelights. "A FAMILY."
"oh." His face turned the color of his namesake, vivid and shiny. "heh, uh... it's a little soon for that... maybe... maybe later on. you now, like... in a few more..." He coughed. "decades."
Berry sighed dejectedly. “I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I TOLD MY BROTHER: DON'T HOLD YOURSELF BACK FROM HAPPINESS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.” Berry laid a hand on his middle. He never thought he would be bad and end up in the Sanitarium. Be made sterile. "BE HAPPY WHILE YOU CAN. THE MEMORIES MIGHT BE THE ONLY THING THAT KEEP YOU GOING WHEN TIMES ARE BAD."
Red rubbed at his cheek, glancing down at Berry's empty belly. He'd almost forgotten that Berry was sterile now. He sighed again. "well, i am happy. very happy. people can date for a long time without getting married and having a kid, and still be happy. families don't all look the same, you know?"
Berry nodded, "THAT'S TRUE. AND IF YOU AND SANS ARE HAPPY, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS. BUT THE OPTION IS THERE IF YOU WANT IT."
"yeah... you're right. and maybe it'll happen. but i'm just not ready right now. i've got a lot of other stuff going on. vex is gonna have a kid, i'm working on that thesis, and with all of this law stuff going on..."
Berry stopped and looked Red in the eyelights. "DON'T LET WHATS HAPPENING WITH ME BE AN EXCUSE. AND BABIES LOVE COMPANY. THEY WOULD BE CLOSE ENOUGH IN AGE TO TO BE LIKE SIBLINGS," he said mischievously.
"yeah, well, that's two out of three things, buddy, and the third is waaay more my personal work, ok?" He patted Berry's head.
Berry said, "OKAY."
"yeah. so maybe later. we'll see." He led Berry to a store a few down, where they had all kinds of colorful valentines cards.
Berry smiled at all the cards. He picked them up, reading them all carefully. He had a ‘maybe’ stack in hand quickly.
"there's different kinds. funny ones and serious ones. are you gonna get them one each, or one for both of them?" Red looked at some too.
"I'M THINKING ONE EACH. DAEMON WOULD LIKE A FUNNY ONE. HOWL, I THINK A SERIOUS ONE." He put down a few cards. "DID YOU FIND A GOOD ONE FOR SANS?"
"yeah, you're probably right." He pulled out one of the funny ones. "yeah... this one looks good..."
He smiled. "MAY I READ IT?"
"sure." He handed it over. It was full of bear puns and had a picture of two bears hugging at the end with hearts.
Berry laughed. "I'M SURE HE WILL LOVE IT." He held up a card with a cat on it. "THEY CALL ME THEIR KITTEN." The card said, 'you are puuurfect.' On the inside it said, 'I'm not kitten you.'
"yeah, me too." He plucked the envelope too, then read what Berry picked. He grinned at it. "heh, that's great! you should write in a few extra puns yourself, too."
He chuckled. "OKAY." He held up another card that said 'Happy Valentine's day' and had a wine in a bottle on it. Inside it said, 'Wine puns are always in bad taste.' The other card had a long poem that he thought Howl might like. "I'M NOT SURE BETWEEN THESE TWO.
Red looked them both over, then pointed to the poetic one. "definitely that one."
Berry laughed. "I THOUGHT SO TOO." He put the other card down. "BUT THAT IS PRETTY FUNNY. I THINK WE'RE READY."
"oh yeah, it is." He chuckled. "alrighty, let's go check out. are you guys going anywhere, too?"
"I DON'T KNOW," he admitted sadly. "WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED THIS WEEK, I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT VALENTINE'S DAY."
"oh. well... hmm. maybe ask? though, i know your bro is a little bummed this week."
"YEAH, I'LL HAVE TO DO THAT." He gave himself a hug. "YEAH, I REALLY MISS SEEING HIM. WE’VE BEEN TALKING OVER THE PHONE EVERY DAY, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME."
"yeah... i'll talk to vex, ok? we’ll figure something out."
"THANKS," Berry said gratefully.
"aw, you're welcome." He patted Berry again, then paid for his card. "you wanna do anything else while we're out?"
"WOULD YOU WANT TO GET SOME COFFEE OR TEA?"
"i could go for some tea, yeah. here, gimme your stuff and i'll port it home so we don't have to carry it."
Berry handed his bags over. Red took them and then they disappeared, landing in Berry's room on the bed. Then he ported Berry to the nearest tea shop. He led the way inside and got himself some golden flower tea and a cinnamon roll. The human shopkeeper seemed friendly enough, bored with his job but still polite to all customers.
Berry sat down and ordered some milk tea with honey. He asked Red, "THIS IS A NICE PLACE, DO YOU COME HERE OFTEN?"
"not a whole lot, but i've been here a few times, yeah. they've got pretty good golden flower tea. can't really find it at the bar and grill, you know?"
"YEAH, ITS NICE THAT THEY SERVE IT." Berry looked around to see that there were a fair amount of monsters in there.
"yeah, and even though it's human-run, they're always nice to monsters. it's great to see places like this, where both species get along." He sipped his tea.
As they drank, Berry and Red could hear talk form the tables around them. It appeared that the press conference had made an impact. Days later, people and monsters were still talking about it. On the other side of the partition, some monsters were discussing.
"Do ya think the Swaps really do that to their omegas?" one monster said, a bear that looked Fell by his coloring and sharp claws.
"Howl was our Royal Captain. He wouldn't lie about anything," a Fellswap eagle announced.
"Maybe he was misinformed?” a soft Tale gecko offered. "Could be that he was lied to."
Berry sank in his seat.
Red glanced over at where he heard them talking, keeping his hand curled around his drink. "don't pay them any attention," he whispered.
Berry pulled his drink closer, focusing on the warmth coming through the mug. He tried to ignore them, but he couldn't help but listen.
The Fellswap monster continued, "well, it's only a matter of time until we know the truth either way. The captain is ruthless when he is looking for answers."
Berry felt proud that the obvious Fellswap monster at least believed in Howl to find the truth. Then the sound of drinks and movement filled the air. Someone else was sitting down with them.
"Sully deserved what they got underground. They caused food shortages and the like," an Underswap rabbit monster said. "I was told they lure monsters into bad sex. They’re like the humans' succubi in their stories. You can't escape them once they set their sights on you. That dumb skeleton doesn’t know anything about what happened in our underground. The Queen was keeping everyone safe from sexual predators."
Berry pulled his bandana up higher on his neck to make sure it covered his sully one. The voice fed on his insecurity. All omegas are dirty sexual deviants. You are nothing but a burden…
Red was starting to bristle despite his own advice. When the one monster said 'sexual predators' like that, he slammed his good hand on the table, standing up quickly. All the conversation stopped as the other monsters snapped their heads up to look over. The human at the counter jolted and looked between them in concern, nearly dropping a baked good he was handing to another customer. He bit his lip, glancing at the door to the kitchen as if contemplating running to get help. A dangerous alpha aura had filled the air, Red’s powerful presence making itself known as a warning.
Berry jumped at the sudden slam and curled a little in reaction to the alpha aura. He squeezed Howl's collar and could feel the love and the warmth, the nurturing scent of his datemate. He took a deep breath, letting the feeling help him ignore the voice.
"RED, I WANT TO GO HOME, PLEASE."
Just before Red could walk over there against his better judgement and pick a fight, Berry's words hit him. He regained his composure with some difficulty and stopped the pheromones he was giving off so violently.
"yeah, ok, blue."
He used the other half of Berry's name, knowing Howl had only used 'Berry' in his speech. At Red's agreement, Berry got up, leaving the tea. He wasn't in the mood to drink it now. His head was bowed and shoulders hunched over, trying to look smaller.
Red grabbed Berry's tea with an extra hand and used another to pick up his own. Before he left, he used a third floating magic hand to flip off the ignorant swap monster who'd said that about omegas, prompting an offended, “rude!” from the bunny in question. Then he slung the arm of his good hand around Berry's shoulders and ported them back to Howl and Daemon's living room.
Berry didn't pay attention to Red's magic hands. He did, however, push himself into the warmth of Red's jacket.
Chapter 15: Everyone Wants to be Loved, Loved in Their Own Way
Summary:
In which two dogs bark at each other and two kittens snuggle their loved ones.
Notes:
Hello everyone! welcome back! It's the start of V-day! I hope you like it. <3 Next chapter going to be intense. so make sure to subscribe to the story or GetMcDunkedOn or myself to get updates in your mail box. - Diyami
T MINUS ONE WEEK TO PLOT - GetMcDunkedOn
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When Berry and Red arrived in the living room, Berry looked around to see if either of his datemates were there. He really wanted to cuddle with Daemon or hold Howl's hand. They were good at making the voice be quiet. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to be in the living room. Howl's door was slightly ajar, and there was some giggling inside.
Red let go and put Berry's tea on the table. "don't worry about bitches like them, berry. they're not worth shit. you're amazing and you've got two cool datemates. that's what's important."
Berry nodded at Red's reassurance. He mumbled, "THANK YOU." Then, with more confidence, he said, "THEY ARE AMAZING AND SO IS MY FAMILY." He hugged Red.
"yeah, exactly." He hugged Berry nice and tight. "we're all here for ya, okay? you go snuggle the shit out of them or something." He pressed his teeth to Berry's forehead before pulling back. "see you around." He waved and then ported away, leaving Berry's tea.
Berry wiped his sockets, which burned with unshed tears, and looked at the tea. He had lost his appetite, grimacing as he looked at it. He was pretty sure that if he offered it to Daemon or Howl, they would make him drink it. A sigh escaped him; he wasn't in the mood to be forced to eat. His magic cramped just thinking about. Gingerly, he took the cup to the fridge and quickly hid it behind some stuff in the back. He would not let tea ruin the cuddle time he wanted.
He called out once he was back in the living room, “HOWL, DAEMON, I'M BACK."
"WELCOME BACK, BERRY." The two of them came out of the office, both looking happy. But their smiles faded some as they saw Berry's upset.
"what happened, honey?"
"WE OVERHEARD SOME MONSTERS TALKING ABOUT THE PRESS CONFERENCE." Berry held his arms out and his jaw quivered as he said, "I COULD USE SOME CUDDLES AND HAND HOLDING, PLEASE."
"oh no, they were being mean about it?" Daemon hugged him immediately. Howl sat down on the couch and pulled off a glove to hold out his hand.
"DON'T PAY THEM ANY MIND."
Berry cuddled into Daemon and took Howl's hand. "THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO US, BUT WE OVERHEARD THEM. IT WAS A MIXED BUNCH. THE FELL MONSTER WAS QUESTIONING IF I LIED TO YOU. THE FELLSWAP SAID THAT YOU WOULD GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. BUT THE UNDERSWAP MONSTER..." He cuddled more and squeezed Howl's hand. "HE SAID SULLY DESERVED WHAT WE GOT." He took a deep breath of the warm smoky scent of Daemon's jacket and let it out slowly. It helped him feel safe and kept the voice from becoming loud again.
Howl held on, squeezing back gently, and Daemon sat down with Berry in his lap. "he's wrong," he said firmly.
"INDEED. AND I WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT ALL. WE HAVE ALREADY MADE GREAT PROGRESS. THERE ARE SETBACKS, OF COURSE, BUT I AM CONFIDENT."
Berry nodded, resting his head on Daemon's chest. "YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH ALREADY AND I'M THANKFUL." He stroked his hand over Howl's knuckles. "I'M SO LUCKY HAVING BOTH OF YOU IN MY LIFE."
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO THANK US, WE ARE THRILLED TO HELP YOU AND ALL SULLY. WE LOVE YOU."
"mhm. and nobody should be treated that way. nobody." Daemon started to pet Berry's skull. "did you get everything you wanted?"
Berry snuggled into Daemon and relaxed a bit at their reassurance. "YES. I DID." He asked curiously, "WHAT WERE YOU TWO GIGGLING ABOUT?"
"oh, i was laughing at some reports from the guards."
"BRATTY AND CATTY ARE ALWAYS A HANDFUL," Howl sighed. "THEY DON'T GET A LOT DONE, EITHER. BUT THEY DO GREAT WHEN IT COUNTS."
Berry smiled. "IT'S GOOD THEY ARE DEPENDABLE."
"IT IS." He gently rubbed back.
Berry just kept rubbing Howl's hand a bit before working up the courage to ask, "ARE WE DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR VALENTINE'S DAY?"
"I HAD A FEW IDEAS, YES. I HADN'T DECIDED WHICH ONE TO GO WITH. PERHAPS ANYTHING PUBLIC IS NOT THE BEST OPTION... IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO?"
"I'M HAPPY SPENDING IT WITH YOU TWO, BUT," Berry gave a loving squeeze. "SEEING STRETCH WOULD WONDERFUL, BUT NOT POSSIBLE."
"HMM, I SEE. WELL... PERHAPS I CAN TALK TO HIM AND VEX. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT."
Blueberry smiled at that. It was a nice thought. "THANK YOU FOR TRYING, ANGEL." Berry snuggled into Daemon warmth. "DID YOU TWO WANT TO WATCH SOME TV AND KNIT?" He asked hopefully.
"YES, THAT SOUNDS LOVELY. JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, UNTIL YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR YOUR CLASS." He turned on the TV. Daemon hummed happily and snuggled up in return. "glad we can make you feel better."
Berry nuzzled happily into Daemon. He was grateful for their love. He leaned up and gave him Daemon a kiss, and Daemon kissed back. They enjoyed watching TV and knitting until it was time to get ready.
Stretch was lying on the bed, being a lump. He was depressed. Not knowing when he would see or hold his brother, it reminded him of the time… the time Berry went out for food and didn’t come back. That ache in his chest when he’d wondered when he would again see his brother that was lost to him. He tried not to dwell on the feeling. He really did. He hoped knew it wasn’t going to be as long before he could see and hold his brother, but the only escape from the haunted feeling of the past was talking with Blueberry on the phone or being with Vex. Whom unfortunately had to work during the day.
Stretch wiped at his sockets and held his enormous belly, as his little souling did flips-flops in worry at their carrier’s distress.
Vex made his best lasagna tonight, and he brought it up to Stretch in bed on a tray instead of making him come down to the kitchen. He was very worried about his husband. Stretch was only growing more despondent in time, and not only did that concern him regarding the souling’s health, he hated seeing his loved one so depressed. He had experience dealing with Red’s depression, in a way, but it was different with a lover. Very different. He set the tray down gently. "LOVE? I HAVE DINNER FOR YOU."
Stretch rolled over and untangled himself from his nest of blankets. "hey." he smiled sadly. "thanks, love. how was work?"
"OH, IT WAS GOOD. MOSTLY. I HAD TO GIVE A FUTURE PRIMA DONNA A LECTURE ON EATING ENOUGH, WHICH IS ALWAYS STRESSFUL, BUT I THINK I GOT THROUGH TO HER. ANOREXIA IS RAMPANT IN THE INDUSTRY." He brought the tray closer.
"i hope she listens to you." He picked at his food.
"HOPEFULLY, YES. I HAVE A PERSONAL STORY I CAN USE IN SUCH SITUATIONS. HOW IS THE BABY? HAVE YOU GOTTEN OUT OF BED YET TODAY?"
"we got up a bit when berry called. he made me walk around the house while talking to him. he said the baby and i need exercise."
He sat down next to Stretch. "THAT'S GOOD. PLEASE EAT, LOVE? YOU NEED YOUR STRENGTH."
Stretch didn’t really feel like eating, and the baby being anxious made him nauseous, but he knew Vex was right and tried to eat slowly. After a few bits he relented and held out his arms, wanting his mate to hold him. "i really miss berry and his hugs."
Vex put his arms around his husband, holding him close but trying not to obstruct his way to the dinner. "I KNOW, STRETCH, I'M SORRY. IT MUST BE SO DIFFICULT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO IF I COULDN'T SEE RED..."
The pregnant monster held his mate close. "berry has to be feeling isolated too. he was hurt right before all this happened. we both need our families." He was so mad at the Queen. The anger cut through his melancholy, making his worries come spilling out. "and we can't have family game night with both of us there, and i’m sure berry won’t go if he thinks it's keeping me away."
Vex thought about that, absently rubbing Stretch's back. "RIGHT... FAMILY GAME NIGHTS AREN'T THE SAME WITHOUT BOTH OF YOU..."
The pregnant skeleton frowned, trying to puzzle out a solution. "maybe i can talk him into taking turns or something."
"HE WOULD NEVER WANT TO LEAVE YOU OUT OF IT,” Vex sighed. “THERE MUST BE A LOOPHOLE... WHAT WERE THE QUEEN'S EXACT WORDS ON THE ORDER?"
Stretch rubbed his chest over his soul, where the words felt branded. "the next time you see berry, you are to bring him in for judgement."
"SEE, HMM?" He kept stroking Stretch’s back. After a moment, his sockets went wide, and he smirked. "WELL, THAT'S EASY, THEN! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS NOT 'SEE' HIM!"
Stretch was confused for a moment before he saw the loophole as well. He squeezed Vex happily and gave him a deep kiss. The souling could feel their parent’s happiness and swam around excitedly. "you're so smart, love."
"I KNOW, I'M THE BEST." He laughed to himself as he dialed up Howl.
Berry had gone into his room a while ago, as he needed to get ready for class. Now he sat at the foot of his bed. His blue bag had his notepad and pencils in it. He twisted the strap in his hand nervously. It was almost time for class. He was both scared and excited.
Berry promised himself to be brave. He was going to do this and make them something to show his love and appreciation for his datemates. He carefully kept his thoughts away from what had happened last week.
There was a gentle knock at the door. "berry," Daemon called out softly, "you ready to go?"
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he called out, "YES. I'M COMING." He stood up, put his bag over his shoulder and tried to put on a smile. Then he opened the door. "HI PUPPY."
"hiya, berry." Daemon leaned in and kissed the shorter skeleton briefly. "are you excited?" He led the way out towards the door.
That wonderful action brightened his smile. "I AM. THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME." He took his tall datemate's hand and laced their fingers.
"that's good! yeah, of course."
"WE'RE BOTH COMING, NATURALLY." Howl clipped the leash onto Daemon's collar. "DO YOU WANT US IN THE ROOM OR TO WAIT IN THE HALL?"
Berry squeezed Daemon's hand. He didn't want to give away what he was hoping to make for them. "COULD YOU... WAIT OUTSIDE?" He hoped they didn't take it wrong.
"IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'D LIKE, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM, MY DEAR KITTEN."
Berry flushed a bright blue. He pulled his bandana up, trying to hide a bit.
"yeah, we don't mind," Daemon said and gave another gentle kiss to Berry. The tender kiss wooed him and he stumbled into Daemon's side. Daemon caught him, a little concerned but partly amused. "you alright?"
"YES." He squeezed the bandana again. Then he took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
"alright, good. ready, master?"
"YES."
Daemon ported them there, still cradling Berry. Berry felt the brief pull and pop as they appeared in the building. His soul beat faster and he kept his head buried in Daemon's side, taking in a deep calming breath of the smoky, spicy barbecue scent of Daemon's jacket. He let the smell consume him. Daemon and Howl were here. "IT'S OKAY," he mumbled before pulling up to see the hallway. He was happy not to be outside. He carefully kept his mind focused on his task: Class.
He squeezed his bandana. "THE CLASS IS AN HOUR AND THERE’S VENDING MACHINES DOWN THE HALL, AND SOME BENCHES AND STUFF IF YOU WANT TO SIT."
"alright, we'll be there, then, okay? just yell if you need us."
"WE'LL COME RUNNING," Howl agreed.
Berry nodded. "ALRIGHT." He gave them a small wave. "LOVE YOU," he told them both as he went through the door and took his normal spot.
Thirty minutes passed. Monsters and humans came and went for other activities. Then, from down a hall, Daemon and Howl could hear some monsters talking.
"don't ssssssmell him around here,” one hissy voice said.
"There's more rooms to check," said a gruff voice.
"You really think it dumb enough to come back here?" a third asked.
By the time Daemon heard the first voice, he was up and walking towards the door to the cooking class, guarding it. Howl followed suit, his expression becoming very tight.
"Ssssmells like bones," the snake monster said as he turned the corner. Prat was followed closely by Tal and Cory turning the corner. They were all dressed in normal clothes instead of their guard uniforms. They stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing the two skeletons from the press conference.
Howl folded his arms, standing as straight as he could. He was holding Daemon's leash tightly. "YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS HERE."
Cory pushed his way past the others. "Well now, I would argue against that. We’re doing a public service."
"We need to clean up some trash," Tal added as Prat snaked his way back down the hallway a bit, giving the others a bit more room.
"OH, CLEANING UP THE TRASH? WHY, WHAT A GOOD IDEA... PUPPY?"
Daemon stepped forward and cracked his knuckles, his pupils flaring up with fire. "understood, master."
Cory growled lowly, his fangs exposed and his ears pulled back menacingly. "You don't scare us, you overgrown chew toy."
Tal puffed his feathers up, making himself look bigger. "You're outnumbered."
The snake monster hissed at them.
Daemon smirked a little, eyelights flashing brighter. "you're right. i'm outnumbered. that's why this is self-defense. why don't we step outside, boys?"
Tal took a step back at Daemon's words. He looked around at the small crowd that had gathered. Gaster had told them to bring him the Sully without a scene.
Cory growled deeply. "Bring it. It ain't self defense if you're picking the fight."
Daemon remained right in front of the door. "i'm not picking a fight with anyone. you want to get past me? hit me."
"Come on, Cory," Tal said and grabbed his arm.
The wolf monster snapped his fangs, making Tal jump and pull hack.
Prat hissed, "let'sssss go,” more urgently.
Cory finally noticed the monsters and humans crowding around. He tried to calm himself. Gaster would be pissed if they got arrested. With the pressure from the press conference, the lab was under a spotlight. This recall was supposed to be on the down-low. If they got the Sully to a secured location, then nothing more would proceed. He sneered at the skeletons, keeping him from taking the Sully. He said just low enough for Daemon and Howl to hear, "have fun fucking the little slut for now." With that, he turned to leave.
Daemon's pupils flared up brighter, a feral snarl escaping him. He knew the jab was only meant to provoke him, but that didn’t mean it didn’t work. He started to lunge, but before he got more than a foot forward, Howl yanked on the leash. "HEEL," he said calmly.
Daemon stumbled back, cutting off a quiet yelp, but it calmed the bloodlust that had flared up. He gripped the collar around his neck, the flaring dying back down until his pupils were clear white again.
"i'm sorry, master," he said when they were gone.
"DON'T BE." Howl's own pupils were ice. "THEY WOULD DESERVE IT AND MORE, BUT WE PLAY BY THE RULES."
"yes, you're right." He slouched, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "show's over, shoo," he added to the small crowd. They started to disperse reluctantly, some chatter arising about the confrontation.
The tension gradually eased as they waited. By the time Berry came out, the last of the tension in their postures had faded. Berry’s bag was full of sweet treats for tomorrow. He had a big smile on his face.
Berry asked, “did anything happen?”
Daemon smiled at him sweetly. "nothing, sweetie, we're alright."
"YES, EVERYTHING IS AS EXPECTED. WHAT DID YOU MAKE?"
Berry gripped his bag tightly. "IT'S A SURPRISE, SILLY. I WILL NOT SPILL THE BEANS." His face colored as magic dusted his checks. "YOU'LL SEE TOMORROW. "
"AH, IS THAT SO?" Howl smiled. "A GIFT FOR US, THEN? I CAN HARDLY WAIT. SHALL WE?"
"mhm! don't worry, berry, we have a gift for you too~"
Berry's soul felt like it was going to burst with happiness. "I CAN'T WAIT." He took Daemon's hand into his and nuzzled it lightly.
Red was not an outstanding cook, but he was a great baker. The garlic and cheddar drop biscuits he'd made looked amazing, but the eggs? ...Passable, at least. Wearing nothing but a light red apron covering his bare bones, he set the tray down next to the bed and crawled on top of Sans to kiss him, but a very adorable dark blue cat with light speckles was currently sleeping on his boyfriend's face. Red laughed and picked up the small bundle of fur; his cat had been sleeping on his face since they were underground, and it was precious that he’d taken to Sans just as well. “hey there, catpernicus.” Cat meowed at him in that gentle manner he had, the soft baby. Red gave him a pet before setting him down on the carpet.
Sans let out a loud snore as he resettled himself free from the feline, his mouth slightly parted. Red settled on top of the sleeping skeleton properly and lapped against slightly parted teeth. "sansy, wakey wakey~"
Sans moaned into Red as he pressed their bones together, sockets blinking open. When Red pulled back, Sans said sleepily, "you're going to spoil me getting woken up like this. oh wait, i’m already spoiled.” He pulled him back down for another kiss and ground his knee between Red’s legs.
Red laughed into the kiss, leaning in closer and pressing his pelvis to Sans's knee with a return groan. "fuck, sweetheart, it ain't spoilin' if you're so good to me back," he mumbled into Sans's mouth. His magic was hot and primed, instantly pooling
Sans traced his hand down Red's spine. He slowly pet his way down Red's vertebrae, stroking the magic between each. "i know a good thing when i see one. you, hot stuff, definitely deserve to be spoiled."
He shivered a little at the stroking, moaning again. "heh, you're precious. i made ya breakfast, just don't judge me on the eggs, ok?" He forced himself to pull away despite the demands of his body, bringing over the tray. "i, uh, i've got you a gift when you're done eating."
Sans smiled and kissed him and teased him, "how sweet of you redy. is today special?"
"ha ha. you're such a funny bone." He pointed to one of the biscuits. "garlic and cheddar. damn restaurant quality, if i do say so myself."
"anything you make is like, the food of the gods." He took a bite of the eggs. "the real question is, which god was your muse today?"
He blushed at that. "aw, geez, sansy. well, if i had to pick one, i'm partial to hephaestus, i guess. god of the forge and machines. his trouble’s a foot and mine’s a hand, but details.”
Sans winked slyly. "are you calling me your aphrodite?" He bit into a roll and moaned. "because this is definitely some ambrosia."
"you're as sexy as she is, that's for sure." He winked back, then chuckled, his voice growing warm. "glad you like 'em, sweetheart." He stole half of one. He'd eaten bites here and there while cooking, but he couldn't help a bit of indulgence.
"careful, words like that got people turned into monsters." He fed some eggs to Red. "they might turn me human out of spite."
He ate from Sans's spoon willingly. "aw, i'd love you just as much even if you were human, baby. a little godly ire couldn't tear me away."
Sans chuckled and gave him a kiss. "good, because... i'm never going to give you up. never going to let you down." He took the last few bites, laughing. "delicious, sweetheart. thank ya."
"oh my god, sansy." He snorted. "can't believe you'd rickroll me on v-day. that's the most romantic thing ever, i’m officially swooned." He returned the kiss. "glad you liked it. you want your gift now?"
"sure, babe, and i'll give you yours.”
"alright." Red held out his hand and a small box appeared, all wrapped up in a neat bow. "we open at the same time?"
Sans smiled. "sure but mine's a little heavy." He ported a big wrapped box and set it on the bed. Papyrus obviously wrapped it with how beautiful it looked.
"oh yeah?" He looked at the big box in surprise. "oh man, what is this?" He hefted it up with some effort. Catpernicus chose that moment to leap back up, meowing, and Red had to pause and give the baby another few pets. “you wanna be part of v-day, baby? you wanna see the gifts? ok, you can see the gifts.” Sans waited patiently, amused, until Red turned back to his gift. "alright, on three, okay? one... two... three."
Sans opened his paper and found the jewelry box. He opened it carefully to see a beautiful locket. When he touched the locket to open it, he was shocked. Red's love and affection poured out of it and into him, warm and powerful. It brought tears to his sockets. He opened it to find a picture of Red and him arm in arm in the center of a galaxy backdrop. He looked up at Red, hoping he liked his gift too.
Red pushed the paper to his gift aside after tearing it up, and looked at the box within, the images printed on it. It was an expensive stand mixer, one of the few things missing from his collection of baking supplies. Whisking by hand was difficult sometimes, even with the help of extra magic hands. The fanciness made him whistle and grin, pleased. "wow... this looks so quality!”
"so do ya like it?" Sans asked, feeling a little self-conscious. He had looked at all the different reviews online to find the best one for Red. He had been working on the side, online as a proofreader, to afford this for Red. "i know it gets pretty tiring to mix by hand. it has the fancy paddle for mixing, whisking, and making dough. it’s also steady, so it won't fall over if you want to use just one hand scraping the side. the cord is long so you could put it anywhere you need, and it all comes apart easy to wash.”
"i love it, sansy. i could use this today for what i'm making for game night." He put it aside and leaned in to kiss Sans softly. "you, um, like the locket? it's the, um... the ring nebula. i-i mean, it's not an actual ring, i'm not just- because, you know, i haven't- um. it's just, it's the ring nebula." His voice got nervous as he rambled, struggling to try to convey what he’d intended with buying this one in particular.
Sans squeezed the locket and kissed him back. "sweetheart, it's stellar." He felt all the love and warmth in the locket, and it told him more than words could about Red's feelings. "lunar or later, you'll be ready. i'm a patient monster, and until then this is my promise ring." He pushed his datemate down onto the bed, picking up where they left off this morning. Grinding his knee into Red's pelvis and peppering him with kisses.
He blushed but laughed at the puns. "oh my god, sansy." He let himself be pushed down and wrapped his arms around his datemate, moaning softly. "mmm, fuck... i love you so damn much." The heat from his magic came back with a vengeance, a thick member dropping into place. Before he could really focus on that, though, he looked over to Cat batting at the wrapping paper happily. “babies go outside for fuck.” He used a few magic hands to scoop the kitty up and gently deposit him outside the room, then turned his full attention to his datemate.
Sans’s own magic was pooling, wanting form, but he held it back. His voice was low and throaty as he whispered next to his lover's skull, "what do you want today?"
"ride me, baby," he begged, scratching gently down Sans's spine. "i wanna feel you clench around me."
"as you wish, my starshine." He let his magic fall into place. His deep blue pussy was already slick from the love and affection he felt from his gift. Sans kissed his lover deeply. Slowly, he worked his hands down Red to pull up the apron he was wearing. Red knew how much Sans loved it when he was wearing just that. It was one of his favorite fantasies to play out.
Even the vanilla smell of Sans made Red that much more aroused. He feasted his eyes, licking his teeth a little, and arched up his back as Sans pulled up the apron. It wasn't too cutesy, but it was definitely sexy, and he had no problem wearing it and nothing else to cover his bones. Right now, though, it was just a few seconds more of an obstacle, and he was impatient.
Sans cupped the bright red length, shimmering with faint yellow speckles, giving him a loving squeeze before stroking him a few times. Red groaned, sockets fluttering a little. "fuck, sweetheart, you drive me crazy," he said breathlessly. "please..." He didn't need to really beg, though he was prepared to, because Sans then aligned himself, slowly sliding down his mate's thick cock. He gasped as Red opened him up and stretched his magic taut. Once he was fully seated, he moaned loudly and clenched around Red's magic. Red moaned back, louder, his good hand gripping at Sans’s hip. “oh, fuck!”
Sans loved seeing that wild look in Red's eyelights. The want and need for him. He picked himself up and slid down slowly. "i love you, red." He rode his love long and slow, feeling every inch, pulling and tugging on his magic with blinding satisfaction. He wanted to give Red a good show. Sans raked his hands down Red’s ribs and leaned back a bit, knowing that at this angle, his glowing soul would be on display for his love.
Honestly, Red expected it fast and rough, but going slow and romantic was a great idea on Valentine's day. He blushed at the declaration of love, and especially at seeing Sans's soul right there, so obvious to him. For him. It made him throb again inside of Sans, and he gripped his lover all the more desperately. "i love you too, sans, fuck... ghh, you're so good, you feel so good." He prided himself on his stamina, he could go a while. And multiple times on top of that. He wanted it to last, clinging to the edge and savoring the unbearably good feeling. If they could just stay in bed together forever, he'd be so content.
Sans moaned deep, passion pooling deep within him. "stars, you're so deep at this angle." He sped up, chasing the high. He looked down at Red’s body, his eyelights hood as he told his lover, "i expect you to fully wreck me today, starshine. so don't worry. i got more healing cream."
Red blushed darker, clawing at Sans's ribs, rubbing all the most sensitive places. "don't you worry, baby, i'm gonna rock your world."
Sans expelled his breath in a rush when a boney and a few magic hands explored all those spots. "red...!"
"yeah, fuck, c'mon, a little harder? i'm getting close." He rolled his hips up, groaning again.
Red cock was hitting all the right places, the angle was maddening, and feeling Red’s loving touches in him as well as on him was making him breathless. Sans’s soul was bright in his chest. He couldn’t hold off anymore. "red!" he called out as the tension in him snapped and he clamped down from the bliss that crashed through him.
Feeling Sans clench around him, Red gripped Sans and pulled him up and off quickly. Then he came hard too, gasping out his datemate's name as warm, apple-scented cum spilled all over Sans's lap. Not inside, too risky.
Sans gave a groan as his body clamped down on nothing. "fuck!" His body was trying to milk a partner that wasn't there. He crawled up Red's chest to lie on him as he came down from his high. His own release mixed with the apple as his slick dripped down his thighs. "fuck, red." He reached between them, gathering some of the essence together. He made sure Red was looking at him as he licked the red apple cum that was marked with his own blue vanilla off one of his phalanges. "you're a tasty treat."
Red panted softly as he wrapped his arms around his lover, the buzz of pleasure settling into lovely afterglow. He watched Sans lick up his cum with a smirk. "fuck yeah i am. you are too, though." He deliberately rubbed along Sans's magic to gather up some wetness and lick his own fingers clean.
Sans shivered as Red traced down his sensitive magic. He blushed as his lover licked up the blue cum. Only half teasing, he laughed, "i can't think of a better dessert than us."
"heh, right?" He licked his teeth. "though, i am gonna make somethin' extra special for tonight. but don't you worry, i'll wear you out first." He flipped them over with an effortless motion.
"i live in bated breath for tonight." He huffed as Red flipped them. "sound like a splendid plan." he pulled Red down into a kiss.
"hehehe. it's gonna be perfect." He kissed Sans nice and deep, then trailed his teeth down until his tongue flicked out between Sans's legs.
Sans legs went weak as Red's talented tongue teased him. "Hmmm," he moaned. He spread his legs wider for him, and Red ate him out with intensity and delight.
Berry woke up in the warm embrace of Daemon's arms. He ran his fingers along the emerald green ecto flesh exposed by Daemon’s crop top absently. "ALWAYS SO WARM," he said happily to himself as he cuddled into the loving embrace and gently kneaded the magic like the kitten his nickname claimed to be.
Daemon purred sleepily, rubbing a hand along Berry's back. "morning, sweetie... did you sleep okay?"
"BETTER THAN OKAY. YOU ARE THE MOST COMFORTABLE PILLOW. I FEEL SO WARM AND SAFE." A quiet purr worked its way out of him. "DID YOU SLEEP ALRIGHT?"
"i'm glad to hear it." He scratched gently, like Berry really was a cat. "mhm, i slept great. i always sleep better snuggling with someone." He stretched a little. "bet howl's coming in any second with breakfast."
Berry let the feeling of Daemon touching him was through him happily. Then he asked excitedly, "I WONDER WHAT OUR ANGEL MADE TODAY?"
"he usually really goes all out on valentine's day," Daemon said conspiratorially. And just then, there was a knock on the door. Howl came in, carefully balancing a loaded tray. There was nutella and strawberry French toast in the shape of hearts, omelettes, heart-shaped sausage patties, and cinnamon rolls, along with a glass of something pink for each of them.
"GOOD MORNING, MY LOVES."
Berry looked at Howl in awe and blushed. "GOOD MORNING." He started looking at all the food. "WOW! IT’s SO PRETTY. THANK YOU MY ANGEL."
"looks so good, master, thank you."
"YOU'RE BOTH QUITE WELCOME. I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE FOR MY PUPPY AND MY KITTEN." He set down the tray and offered them a glass each. "STRAWBERRY MIMOSAS. ONLY A BIT OF ALCOHOL, FOR THE TASTE, OF COURSE." There was even some sugar around each rim and a full strawberry as a garnish.
Berry took one and sat on the floor next to Daemon, then took a sip of the drink. It was tasty and sweet, the alcoholic kick very mild.
Howl settled across from them, gesturing to the whole spread of food. "PLEASE ENJOY."
Berry wasn't sure where to start. It all looked so good and there was so much. It was a little overwhelming. He took a piece of French toast. He would wait until they ate their fill and eat some more.
Daemon gently prodded him when that was all he took. "try a little of everything? please?"
Berry's tummy cramped at the idea. He promised himself to eat and make them happy. It was such a small thing they asked from him, and they gave him so much. 'STOP BEING A FUSSY BABYBONES,' he scolded himself. He didn't want to disappoint them. "OKAY." He took a little of everything and put it on his plate reluctantly.
Daemon and Howl both also started to eat. Daemon sighed happily. "it all tastes so good, master, thank you so much."
"NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR MY LOVES." Howl looked as proud as a peacock.
Berry smiled and blushed. "IT’S ALL VERY GOOD THANK YOU, LOVE." He went around his plate and ate a bit of everything, ending back on the toast. "AND THIS FRENCH TOAST IS AMAZING. CREAMY IN THE CENTER AND FIRM ON THE OUTSIDE." It was so sweet and creamy in the center and he loved it. He felt less pressure to eat as they talked, making it easier to finish what was on his plate. Before he knew it, he had eaten all the delicious food.
"YOU'RE WELCOME." Howl ate his own share with all the grace and politeness as usual, even when sitting on the floor. They both looked very proud when Berry cleared off his place. While Howl was cleaning up afterwards, Daemon jumped up and went to his closet.
"i'm gonna grab your gifts, no peeking!"
Berry's soul felt light and happy at Daemon's excitement. "ALRIGHT." He covered his eyes.
Howl quickly took away the tray and plates, then came back with two wrapped gifts behind his back. He also looked away as Daemon pulled out a few things.
"okay, i've got them! who should go first?"
"LET ME GO GET MINE TOO." Berry left the room and quickly went to go get his. He came back with his blue school pack, the gifts hidden inside. He sat back down, smiling happily. "YOU MADE US A WONDERFUL BREAKFAST, HOWL. YOU SHOULD GET YOUR GIFTS FRIST."
"ME? OH, VERY WELL."
Daemon beamed and handed over a wrapped gift. Howl delicately opened it, not ripping the paper even the slightest. Inside was a box of a set of six new wine glasses, each one with a different intricate flower painted on the outside by hand. Howl made a pleased noise as he examined the picture of them, then opened the box and pulled out the one with a violet.
"THESE ARE STUNNING! VERY LUXURIOUS. THANK YOU, PUPPY."
"you're welcome!"
Berry held his bag, watching Howl opening the package. "WOWIE," he said. He played with the flap on his bag. Then he felt a little silly. He made Daemon and Howl the same thing. "UM... I THINK MAYBE YOU SHOULD BOTH OPEN MINE AT THE SAME TIME."
"IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WISH, BERRY, THEN THAT IS FINE. DAEMON CAN OPEN HIS GIFT FROM ME NEXT." He put the glass back carefully and then put the box aside. He then held out a present wrapped in dark green, which Daemon took and tore open like a kid on Christmas. It was a new collar; fresh, crisp leather, gleaming golden spikes. "YOUR OLD ONE WAS GETTING A BIT WORN. I ALREADY PUT MY INTENT INTO IT."
Daemon made a delighted sound. "may i, then?"
"GO AHEAD."
He pulled off the old one to put aside, then clipped the new one around his neck and rubbed at it a little with a happy sigh. "it feels great."
"I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT."
"IT LOOKS WONDERFUL, DAEMON." Berry reached into his bag and pulled out two wrapped boxes, the cards taped to each one, and handed one each to Howl and Daemon. "I HOPE YOU LIKE IT."
They each took one and opened them, Howl still neatly, Daemon with the same eagerness.
Inside the box was chocolates. There were heart shapes with the words, 'I ❤️ U' on them and X and O shapes for hugs and kisses. Howl's was dark chocolate with almonds, and Daemon's was milk chocolate. "I LEARNED HOW TO MELT AND MOLD CHOCOLATE THIS WEEK."
They both looked over the chocolate with surprise and delight.
"oh, wow, berry, you made these?"
"THESE LOOK VERY WELL MADE. THE SHAPES ARE PERFECT, AND THE WORDS ARE VERY SWEET. I'M VERY IMPRESSED."
"so cool, thank you!" Daemon hugged him tightly while Howl delicately plucked an O to taste it. He made a pleased sound. It was good.
Berry beamed with pride. "THANK YOU." He hugged Daemon tight too. "I'M SO GLAD YOU BOTH LIKE THEM."
"we love them!"
"WE DO. BERRY, THIS IS DELICIOUS." Howl closed his box again. "I WILL MAKE THESE LAST."
"mhm, me too!" He kissed Berry's cheek and tried one of his own. "mmm!"
Berry eyelights shined stars. "I HOPE YOU LIKE THE CARDS TOO. I LOVE YOU BOTH."
"YES, OF COURSE. WE LOVE YOU TOO." He opened his card to read it, and Daemon did the same.
Berry sat on Daemon's laps while they read the cards. He was so happy they loved the gifts.
Daemon's was the one with the cut cat puns he’d found, and Berry had taken Red's suggestion and added some more puns to it. Howl's has a beautiful sunset picnic basket with cheese and wine laying out on a blanket. Inside was a pretty poem about love, heartfelt and passionate.
Daemon grinned at his card and the puns, snickering at the clever ones. Howl was appropriately flattered by his formal one. He reached over and took Berry's hand to kiss it gently.
"VERY THOUGHTFUL, BERRY. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR GIFTS NOW?"
Berry's soul swooned as he got his first kiss from Howl. "YEAH," he said dreamily.
He smiled and squeezed gently before letting go. Then he held out a gift wrapped in a lovely blue.
Berry took the package. It was so pretty, just the perfect shape of blue. He gently pulled the tape off and unwrapped it. Howl looked pleased that he was opening it delicately. Inside was a pair of soft knitted gloves, just as warm and full of love as the bandana was.
"OOOH, OOH, HOWL, THEY’RE AMAZING!" He gently took them out and felt the soft material. They were as soft as Howl’s own gloves. The love and warmth that was in them was amazing. "THANK YOU, ANGEL." He pulled them on, marveling at the feeling.
"I'M GLAD YOU LIKE THEM, I MADE THEM THIS PAST WEEK. THEY'RE VERY WELL MADE AND DURABLE, THEY SHOULD LAST A WHILE."
“I LOVE THEM!” He felt all warm as he flexed his fingers. His eyelights morphed into heart shapes. It was like Howl was a barricade between him and the things he touched, only letting the ‘good’ touch him.
"GOOD."
"now mine!" Daemon offered his own present. Berry took it and opened it with the same care he opened Howl's gift with. It was a beginner's cookbook, dozens of fun but simple recipes with pictures and detailed steps for each one. Berry hugged the book close to his chest and reached up to pull Daemon down into a tender kiss.
"I LOVE IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH." Berry's eye lights were even larger glowing hearts.
"you're welcome. happy valentine's day, honey." He kissed back happily, then pulled back to give them both space.
Berry looked to Howl. "HOWL, IT’s OKAY IF YOU SAY NO, BUT I WANTED TO ASK, MAY I NUZZLE YOUR HAND?”
Howl delicately pulled off a glove and offered it. "YOU MAY."
Berry felt like he could float away with how happy he was at this moment. He took Howl's hand in his warm gloves and brought the delicate bones to his face. Berry purred happily as he nuzzled his datemate’s hand while sitting on Daemon’s lap.
Daemon was purring like a motor, snuggling Berry gently, a faint flush to his cheekbones. Howl watched Berry's movements, keeping himself relaxed. This was okay. This was more than okay, even, it was great. He wasn't really one to push the limits, but... It was Valentine's Day, after all. "BERRY, I HAVE A REQUEST FOR YOU. COULD YOU STAY VERY STILL FOR ME FOR A MOMENT?"
Berry froze his movements. "YES, ANGEL."
He pulled his hand away and leaned in. There was some hesitation in his expression, a hint of nerves, but nonetheless, he went further. His hand landed delicately on Berry's face, his own an inch away. Another moment's hesitation, then he crossed that gap with a gentle kiss, his sockets closing.
Berry kept very still as Howl closed the gap and kissed him. It was more than he dreamed Howl would do. He relaxed into the kiss but still tried not to move.
Howl held it for a long moment before finally pulling away and letting go. Periwinkle blue dusted across his cheeks, making the crack across his mouth even more obvious as it glowed brighter from within. "YOU CAN MOVE AGAIN. THANK YOU."
Berry felt like jello. He was completely and thoroughly swooned, skull bright blue with magic. He leaned against Daemon, happy to let him hold him up. Berry felt so loved, safe and wanted. his eye lights flickering between stars and hearts. "THANK YOU, MY ANGEL. MY PUPPY." He lifted his arm up and pulled Daemon down so he could share Howl's precious kiss with him.
"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME."
"mmm." Daemon hummed happily into the kiss, rubbing Berry's back a little. When he pulled back, he gave puppy eyes to Howl.
"YES, YOU TOO. HOLD STILL." Howl leaned in again to kiss his brother with the same delicate care.
Berry was close, with a front and center view, to the two of them as Howl closed the distance again. The smaller monster couldn't help the soft purr as he watched them. They were so beautiful together. A bright blue graced his cheeks. He couldn’t believe that they thought him worthy to share in this moment and be their datemate: Berry felt so happy, wanted, loved. Most of all, he felt safe. Daemon had kept his promise. He wasn't taking more than Berry or Howl was willing to give. The safe feeling drowned out the voice in the back of his mind.
When Howl pulled back, Daemon was blushing and had a dopey grin he hid in Berry's shoulder.
"i'm so happy..."
"ME TOO." Howl replaced his glove.
Berry stroked Daemon's head lovingly. This much trust was new, scary and hard, but he wanted this so badly. Their love was a healing salve on his wounded soul. It was a peace that Berry was denied for a long time. The purr got stronger. He wanted them and their love like a man wandering in the desert wanted water. "ME THREE. I LOVE YOU BOTH," he told them tenderly.
"WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HEAR IT."
"so glad." Daemon nuzzled him a little more.
Berry caressed the side of Daemon's skull, sighing happily, "DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PLANS TODAY?" He would be happy just being with them all day.
"OH, YES. ACTUALLY, WE ARE GOING OVER TO YOUR BROTHER'S HOUSE FOR DINNER AND GAME NIGHT."
Confusion fell on Berry. He asked hopefully, "DID THE QUEEN RESCIND HER ORDER?"
"NO, UNFORTUNATELY NOT."
"vex came up with a plan for how you can see your brother." Daemon nuzzled. "you'll see when we get there, just be very careful what you say, okay?"
Berry nodded, still confused, but excited to see Stretch. "ALRIGHT. I CAN’T WAIT.”
Notes:
So what do you think Vex's plan is? Any guess what will happen next week? Leave a comment letting use know your speculations and what you thought of this chapter.
Chapter 16: I Feel it Deep Within, it's Just Beneath the Skin
Summary:
In which some plates get broken, and everyone cares very much about it.
Notes:
Hello everyone!
I'm so happy to see you back! I hope you enjoy this week. Why not leave a comment and a kudo to let us know what you liked about it. Also don't forget to subscribe to not only the story but GetMcDunkedOn and myself for updates straight to your email. <3SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As the skeletons arrived in pairs to the house, Vex fiddled with the thick scarf wrapped around Stretch's sockets. It was his own, a new one that he admittedly didn't like to use. He childishly clung to the old one, repairing it whenever necessary, since he'd had it since he was just a babybones. But at least this one had some use now. The dark red material didn't seem at all see-through, not even when he'd tested it on himself last night. But just in case, when he pulled back, he held up his open hand.
"ALRIGHT, LOVE, CAN YOU SEE MY FACE? OR CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY FINGERS I'M HOLDING UP?"
Stretch focused hard and tilted his head side to side to see if any light leaked through. "Nope." He popped the 'p.' He was excited. their souling dancing around within him, feeding off the energy. It was a dangerous game they were playing, but... by the angel, he missed his brother and his hugs.
"GOOD. NOW REMEMBER, IF YOU HEAR BERRY, HE'S DEFINITELY NOT IN FRONT OF YOU, AND DEFINITELY ONLY ON THE PHONE. THIS IS ME WINKING AT YOU." He didn't actually wink, because why bother, but he hoped Stretch appreciated his attempt at humor. He leaned in and kissed Stretch gently. "I THINK THEY'RE ARRIVING."
"thanks." Stretch kissed him back, his arm sneaking around Vex for a hug. "i love ya and remind me to worship you extra special tonight." He tilted his head. "i'm winking at you," he added as he chuckled.
"OH DON'T WORRY, IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY, I WON'T FORGET." He hugged back gently.
Red whistled as he set his apple rose tart on the kitchen counter. He was sleepy from wearing himself out with Sans and then baking, but he was eager to play some games - and tease his boyfriend with the taste of this dessert.
"i'm going to guess sans or red is here," Stretch said.
Sans walked out of the jacket closet, looking extra tired. He claimed a fluffy chair to cushion his aching bones. He blushed thinking about how it was a good ache, though.
"both. what’s with the scarf?" he asked.
"STRETCH IS NOT ALLOWED TO SEE BERRY," Vex explained.
"HOW TERRIBLE!" Papyrus came out of the kitchen, having hitched a ride with Red. "HELLO, EVERYONE, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU IN PERSON!"
"oh geez. that sucks, stretch." Sans wiggled in the chair, his skull a little blue as Papyrus walked in. "hey, bro. welcome to game night."
Stretch gave a wave. "hey, nice to hear from ya paps."
"oof, yeah. don't worry, stretch, we'll forgive you for being kinky just this once," Red teased, coming to snuggle his mate.
"HELLO, STRETCH!" Papyrus said cheerfully. "DO NOT BE ALARMED, THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS GOING IN FOR A HUG!"
Stretch held his arms open for Papyrus, who hugged the pregnant monster carefully.
"you're just jelly i get to be an exhibitionist tonight," Stretch responded to Red.
Sans hid his skull in Red’s shoulder. Normally, he would be fine with joking, but in front of his baby bro...
"shit, you're right, i'm definitely jealous." Red snickered and patted Sans's leg to comfort him.
"so." Sans's voice cracked a bit from the embarrassment. "what's for dinner?" Trying to change the subject.
"DON'T WORRY, CHERRY, I'M SURE YOU CAN CONTAIN YOURSELF UNTIL YOU GET HOME AND CAN SAFELY PRACTICE CONSENSUAL, ENTHUSIASTIC KINKPLAY WITH MY BROTHER WHO THINKS I KNOW NOTHING OF SEX!" Papyrus said brightly.
Red wheezed and started cackling.
"GET IT ALL OUT NOW BEFORE HOWL AND BERRY GET HERE," Vex sighed.
Sans groaned. "ah paps..." His skull was neon blue. "hey look." He pointed out the window. "a distraction." He ported into the kitchen.
Stretch laughed at the familiar pop of someone porting. "oh, red, where’d he go?"
Papyrus nyeh-heh-hehed softly to himself and sat down.
"the kitchen," Red said, still sniggering. "don't worry, he'll be back, he just needs to make his face stop being a beacon the aliens can see from space."
Sans splashed some water on his face and tried to calm down. After a few deep calming breaths, he was able to stop glowing and grabbed a drink and headed back to the living room.
Red gently patted Sans's leg again. "you alright?" he asked under his breath. Teasing was all in good fun, but he wanted to make sure Sans wasn't to upset.
Sans pulled his hand down his face, then made sure Papyrus wasn't listening to them and mumbled back, "yeah. i just don't want to hear 'enthusiastic kinkplay-'" he shivered- "come out of pap's mouth ever again." He smiled at Red. "maybe you can help me forget the memory and associate the words with you later."
Red still snickered a little. "i think he was making a point. but sure, sweetheart~"
Sans sighed, "i know he was, but he is my baby bro. i'm not ready to face the fact he has grown up. maybe once i have my own child, that might change. then i wont think of him as my babybones no more." he joked.
"sorry, babe, i can't relate. i mean, yeah, i raised vex? but, uh... well. i mean, he showed he was no younger than me pretty clearly, sometimes..." He laughed nervously at the joke. "heh. yeah. a kid. right."
Sans let the subject drop, Red just would not understand, and that was fine. He relaxed, almost laying on top of Red.
Red just snuggled his lover gently. He hoped he could at least offer some physical comfort, even if he didn't know how to reassure Sans with words. He gave soft kisses to Sans's cheekbone.
There was a crisp knock at the door not long after. Howl was always polite and made sure they landed outside of another person's home, thank you very much.
Stretch perked up when he heard the door. He sat up straighter and almost got up in the thrill of the moment. "vex, love. that should be them."
"AH, YES. I'LL LET THEM IN." He went over to the door and opened it. "GOOD EVENING! I'M GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT."
"HELLO." Howl led the way inside, holding Daemon's leash. Daemon was holding hands with Berry.
"hiya!"
Berry rocked on his heels in excitement, squeezing Daemon. He looked to his brother-in-law happily. "HELLO VEX." Berry tried to look around the larger skeleton to get a glimpse of his brother, but couldn't see him from this angle.
Stretch asked Paps, "can you see from here? is it them?"
"YES, IT APPEARS TO BE DAEMON AND HOWL," Papyrus assured. "AND SOMEONE WHO IS CERTAINLY NOT BERRY, SO KEEP THE SCARF ON, YES?"
The four monsters came into the living room. "COME IN, YES, SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE. SO NICE TO HEAR BERRY'S VOICE FROM A SCREEN AND DEFINITELY NOT IN PERSON! HOWL, WHY DON'T YOU HUG STRETCH FOR BERRY?" Vex suggested.
Howl unclipped the leash from his brother's neck. "CERTAINLY." He made a shooing motion at Berry to go on and hug his brother.
Berry hurried over to Stretch, catching on to the ploy. He sat next to Stretch and hugged tightly. He couldn't help but sigh into it.
Stretch wrapped his arms around not-Berry. That thought had the Judge raising up in him. He squeezed, knowing it was Berry, his brother. Stretch’s fingers tightened their grip as there was a powerful urge to pull off the scarf, to use energy his body was saving for the baby, to instead port them to the Queen's room at the embassy. 'it's howl... i'm hugging howl,' he told himself. 'howl, not berry.' The more he told himself that, the more the impulse was curbed. It was still there, like an annoying fly buzzing around his skull, but he could ignore it.
Howl came over to sit nearby, as did Daemon. "I HAVE BERRY ON MY PHONE, SO YOU CAN SPEAK TO HIM IF YOU'D LIKE," he said, making it obvious they could talk. Daemon ached to go over and hug them both too. It had to be so difficult, dancing around it all so painstakingly.
"HEY LITTLE BROTHER." Blue gave a squeeze subconsciously. "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD. HOW ARE YOU AND THE BABY DOING?"
Stretch took a deep breath, the squeeze making it harder to believe the lie he was trying to sell. He gave a little squeeze back before praying his fingers off. "we’re doing great, now that you're here. i love it when you call me, bro."
Vex watched his lover and Berry for a moment, unable to push aside the last vestiges of nervousness. He was brilliant, of course, and it was a good plan. But he had still been frightened that his skirting the rules would get them both hurt if Stretch couldn't resist the Judge's particularities. Everything seemed fine... He tore himself away to go get dinner from the kitchen. "I MADE PIGS IN BLANKETS AND FRIED RAVIOLIS. FINGER FOOD. WHAT GAME WERE WE GOING TO PLAY TODAY?"
Berry pull away from the embrace. "OH ALL THE FOODS SOUND GREAT." He thought about games. "MAYBE TASTE TEST, BLIND FOLD DRAWING, OR PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY?" he offered.
"i'm always up for food,” Stretch said. "if we do drawings, put everyone's names on them and the answer so i can look at them later and know who did what."
Sans snuggled into Red. "i'm up for any of the games."
"what's blindfold drawing?" Red asked, rubbing Sans's side.
"I BELIEVE IT IS WHEN WE ALL DRAW WITHOUT LOOKING AND TRY TO GUESS WHAT EACH OTHER MADE?" Papyrus suggested.
"that sounds hilarious, i'm in."
Berry nodded excitedly. "PAPS IS RIGHT. IT'S A LOT OF FUN."
"DRAWING WITHOUT LOOKING," Howl mused. "A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY SUCCEED."
"you'll do great, master!" Daemon assured.
Stretch nodded, "alright, let’s play that. after we eat."
"sounds like a plan," Sans commented.
"yeah, sure, works for me,” Red agreed.
"IT'S A LOT OF FUN. YOU PULL OUT A PAPER WITH A WORD ON IT THEN YOU HAVE TO DRAW IT." Berry got up. "I THINK THERE ARE SOME LEFT FROM THE LAST TIME WE PLAYED. I HAD A LOT OF THEM. I'LL GO FIND THEM." He went off to his room.
"WAIT A MOMENT, BERRY," Howl said, holding up a hand. Daemon darted after him to gently take his hand.
"come eat first," he requested gently. "there's enough for everyone, that includes you."
Berry looked down. They needed to eat first. They were more important, but Howl and Daemon had both requested… "OKAY..."
"thank you." He nuzzled Berry gently. "also, don't forget, we're pretending you're on the phone, yeah? to make it easier for stretch to not, um, do the judge-y thing. you're doing great, just keep that in mind."
Vex presented the food for everyone to take their own, and everyone started to do their usual eating routine.
Sans made a plate, handing it to Red. "looks great, vex."
"thanks, babe." Red started to nom.
"LET ME FEED YOU, LOVE." Vex sat down beside Stretch to help him eat.
Stretch blushed, "thanks, love. you're the best." He wanted to make a joke about Vex stuffing him, but held it back and opened his mouth.
Vex preened as he gently fed Stretch a fried ravioli. "NATURALLY, BUT I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENT."
Berry held his plate and watched the others eat. He nibbled a little to keep the others happy.
"HOW DOES IT TASTE, LOVE?" Vex asked his mate.
"delicious, love." Stretch couldn't help a small smile. He licked Vex’s fingers when he was fed the next piece.
"I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT." He blushed a little when Stretch licked his fingers, but tried to hide it.
Luckily, Howl was focused on trying to gently encourage Berry to eat more than little nibbles. Berry gave in and accepted Howl's encouragement, as people looked like they had their fill. He started to eat normal size bits. It would take time to get Berry to eat well... For now, Howl was just happy Berry was trying.
Sans got up. "anyone want a drink?"
"I'LL TAKE SOME MILK, PLEASE," Berry said.
"IS THERE WINE?" Howl asked.
"NO, BUT THERE'S COFFEE," Vex assured.
"...ACCEPTABLE."
"bleh," Red said. "just get me the mustard, babe."
"I WOULD LIKE WATER, LIKE A NORMAL PERSON," Papyrus said cheerily.
"grab me a bottle of honey." Stretch said.
Sans ported off to the kitchen. While he was gone, Red stole a piece of Sans's food just to be a little shit.
Sans used his powers to float the dinks to everyone. He tossed a mustard bottle to Red. Seeing his plate missing food, he said nothing, just smirked.
Berry took his drink from the air. "THANK YOU, SANS."
"THANK YOU, BROTHER." Papyrus took his drink as well, and Howl sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
"IT TASTES PRETTY GOOD," he admitted.
"I ONLY GET, AS THEY CALL IT, THE GOOD STUFF," Vex said self-importantly.
"thanks, sansy, you're a peach." Red took his mustard and gulped down about half of it in one go.
He expected the sour, tangy flavor of his favorite condiment, but the sweet tanginess of ketchup filled his mouth instead. He stopped and spat out some of it in shock, leaving a small mess on the table.
"RED!" Vex scolded.
Sans doubled over with laughter.
"i've been betrayed. i love and care for you and you feed me ketchup?" He gave Sans puppy eyes.
Daemon snorted and started giggling quietly.
Berry giggled quietly too; it had been a good few weeks since he saw them pull a prank on each other. He missed Red and Sans’ antics. He was having a great time and took a drink of the milk.
Stretch was dying in laughter, trying to imagine Red's face.
"HOOLIGANS." Howl said it in a manner that was supposed to be scolding, but it was offset by Berry's giggles. It was so good to see Berry happy and laughing.
Sans sat next to his datemate and pulled him in for a hug and whispered in Red's ear, "makes ya tastier." He pulled out a napkin he brought with him and wiped Red's face lovingly.
Red's face turned his namesake as Sans whispered that to him, and he grinned a little to kiss him with the sweet taste still on his tongue.
Sans kissed Red back. The delicious flavor of ketchup on Red's tongue was intoxicating. He was flushed blue as he pulled back.
"mmm..." Red gave Sans one last lick as he pulled back, smirking. "doesn't taste so bad mixed with vanilla," he whispered back.
Sans blushed and relaxed into Red.
Berry leaned into Daemon, smiling at his datemates. He had just taken the last bite of his food and held up his empty plate, showing that he ate all he had on his plate.
Howl focused on his datemates as those two disgustingly made out on the couch, ignoring how it made his bones crawl. "GOOD JOB, BERRY," he praised. "I'M VERY GLAD YOU CLEANED YOUR PLATE."
"you did such a good job." Daemon snuggled him more.
"ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A THEME FOR THIS DRAWING GAME? LIKE, ANIMALS? OR BOOKS? OR PLACES?" Papyrus had finished his food and was eager to get started.
"let's do rounds with different themes. keep it interesting,” Sans said.
"sounds good to me!" Daemon said warmly
Berry smiled, "thanks." He reached for their plate. He went over and got his family's plates too. "WELL, THE TICKETS I HAVE ARE ALL MIXED UP. IF WE DO THE THEMES, WE CAN JUST THINK UP OUR OWN WHEN IT'S OUR TURN, IF THAT'S ALRIGHT."
He didn't notice that a piece of the scarf stuck between the two plates as he stacked them. He held the plates tightly, not wanting to drop them, and turned away, causing the whole scarf to shift...
Light flooded into Stretch’s vision. making him blink a few times. It wasn't until he saw a glimpse of Berry that it fully registered what happened. By then, it was too late.
“WAIT, NO! STRETCH!" Vex lunged at both of them to clap a hand over Stretch’s sockets, but he was a second too late.
Red tore away from Sans and off the couch, also reaching out.
Gold filled Stretch’s vision as the justice based magic of the Judge filled him and his arms reached out, grabbing his brother, pulling him close. The flood of gold blinded Vex momentarily, and he was knocked back by the force of the Judge. The plates clattered on the floor loudly as Berry was pulled over. Almost in the same soul beat, Stretch felt his magic burn as the command forced him to use his own magic reserves, magic the Judge did not have: Teleportation. It drained his magic, the energy his body stored for their child to make a body. Stretch couldn't stop as he ripped a hole in space. In the time that it took the noise from the dishes to settle, Berry and Stretch were gone.
Red's hand grabbed around the air where Berry's arm was a fraction of a second too late, and he swore violently.
Howl and Daemon were on their feet instantly, Howl grabbing Daemon's arm instead of bothering with the leash.
"THE EMBASSY, NOW!" he shouted, and Daemon obeyed without speaking, green smoke wafting from black sockets.
"OH NO. OH NO, STAY CALM. EVERYONE STAY CALM." Papyrus went to help up Vex. "WE SHOULD ALSO GO."
It took Sans a moment to recover from Red shoving him off, and he realized what was happening. With a soft emotion-filled, "shit," he ported to the embassy as well.
"yeah, let's go, come on." Red grabbed a hold of Papyrus and Vex, who was swearing and pounding a fist to the carpet, dragging them both through a shortcut.
Stretch landed in the Swap Queen’s office and curled around Berry, exhausted. The scarf fell down to his neck. He clung tightly to his sibling. He couldn't feel his monarch in the room.
"STRETCH?" Berry mumbled, holding his trembling baby brother. "IT'S OKAY."
The magic compulsion to find her outweighed the common sense to stop using his magic. He needed to find her and complete the command. The Judge made his magic drain again, and he ported to a conference room where she usually held business.
Howl and Daemon landed in the Queen's office as well, and Daemon lunged at Berry and Stretch desperately. But again, they were gone a second too soon. He collapsed to the floor and snarled; the smoke billowing from his sockets. His claws were elongating, feet stretching, and bulges formed under the back of his jacket. Howl cursed not having the leash.
"DAEMON, HEEL! CONTROL YOURSELF!"
There was only a wordless snarl in response, deeper, feral.
"MUTT, DON'T YOU DARE-"
"BE SILENT, LESSER MORTAL!" Daemon's voice echoed double, a rumbling, powerful timbre as wings ripped through the jacket, shining green.
Red, Sans, Papyrus and Vex landed in the room and Red immediately skittered back. "oh, holy fuck!"
"GET BACK!" Howl demanded, throwing out a hand. "DAEMON, LISTEN TO ME!"
"ohhhnonono, nope, nope-" Red ported his two passengers into a heap outside.
Vex looked dazed from two ports in a row, but he ripped away to run back inside.
"STRETCH!"
Red sank to the sidewalk outside, clutching his chest. Papyrus had been about to follow Vex inside when he glanced back, then knelt down beside him.
"CHERRY? ARE YOU ALRIGHT? DID YOU USE TOO MUCH MAGIC?"
Red could only shake his head, wheezing quietly.
"ARE YOU HAVING A PANIC ATTACK?"
He nodded, gripping one of Papyrus's hands.
"IT'S ALRIGHT, CHERRY, I WILL HELP YOU. DEEP BREATHS. LET'S COUNT TOGETHER."
The room that Stretch and Berry landed in was not empty. There was a startled yell as Gore dropped his blunt. The Fellswap King's eyes were bloodshot, smoke billowing; he was clearly very high. Nonetheless, as Stretch slumped after using too much magic, Gore's gaze darted between them, and then his trident appeared, knocking into Stretch's skull with zero intent but a loud clanging sound.
Berry held on to Stretch as he slid down onto the floor. "BROTHER!" He could see Stretch's magic was noticeably lighter through the shirt. He pulled up Stretch's shirt to look at the dimming flesh. "NO, NO, NO." He looked up at the unknown monster. "PLEASE HE NEEDS HELP! THE BABY!" Berry tried to get his green magic to ignite. It had been so long since he’d last used it. After the Sanitarium, it had never wanted to come to him anymore. "PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE!"
The golden glow that Berry hated lit his brother's middle just then. It kept a steady glow as his labor started.
Gore stared dumbly as Berry begged, the trident dissolving. Before he could get up, Vex burst into the room. He fell more than knelt, his hands landing quickly on Stretch's forehead and belly. His soul stuttered.
"OH, FUCK, HE'S GOING INTO LABOR. HE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH MAGIC, THE BABY...!"
Gore got up and opened the door, pulling out his phone to call someone. "Drills, I need you to come to the embassy and help deliver a skeleton baby for-" he started, only to jump back as the door to the Swap Queen's office crashed open. Daemon roared, expression twisted into fury, and Gore dropped the phone to summon his trident again. "I'm not high enough for this..."
Sans landed his King's office from the Queen’s and saw that both Asgore and Swap Queen Toriel were there. He gave her a seething look. Not seeing Berry around, he ported into the main area just in time to see a dragon with dark green wings claw down Gore’s armor. The goat threw him off and thrust his trident, stabbing into one draconic leg. The beast snarled as his tail whipped around to slash at Gore’s arm holding the weapon. The employees and visitors to the embassy were in a panic, throwing themselves away from the fight.
Shocked, Sans took a step back. He could help but to run a check.
DaemonSERPENS135 ATK 175 DEF
2600 HP 14 LV
* GET AWAY.
Asgore came out into the main area, the Underswap Queen just behind him. She gasped while completing her own check as well and slipped back into the office out of sight. She grabbed her phone and called the head of her guard.
Sans cursed. His next step back made him bump against the King. "back up, asgore. very slowly." He looked to the workers and visited the embassy that filled the room. "everyone come to me and hold on," he said calmly.
The King backed up, but didn't head to Sans unlike the workers and visitors, who all scrambled to obey.
Daemon roared again at Gore, just as Howl came running out with his claws out, a fresh wound dripping at one arm.
"STOP LISTENING TO THAT BASTARD, DAEMON, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"
The skeletal drake's tail lashed, smoke pouring from his mouth. He crouched low, hackles lowing. He pawed at his own face, sockets squeezing shut.
Berry scooted over so Vex would have more room. Tears flowed down his face as he begged Vex, "PLEASE DO SOMETHING."
The yellow glow gently wrapped itself around Stretch's whole middle, encircling the souling.
"I'M TRYING, BERRY. BACK AWAY IN CASE HE WAKES UP. PLEASE." The strong Fell monster had teared up as he poured vivid orange magic into Stretch, trying desperately to make up for the deficit. "STRETCH, LOVE, I'M HERE. STAY WITH ME."
Berry backed away. There was nothing he could do, and the command had not been completed. He went back toward the door, feeling useless and horrible. He couldn't heal his family, and if Stretch saw him again, it would hurt him and the baby more. As he got closer towards the door, the yelling in the other room reached his upset mind. Berry went to the door and looked past the old goat monster King of Fellswap, who had his trident jammed in the mouth of a large, enraged dragon. He froze in fear at seeing it. Howl was hurt, yelling at it not to listen. The smell of smoke that had a tint of his alpha's scent to it flooded the room. In that moment, Berry knew that was his Daemon. He was hurting. Berry told himself as he ran out, 'IF I CAN'T HELP MY BROTHER OR THE BABY... OR MY DATEMATES, I DON’T DESERVE TO BE SAVED.' He gripped his fist tightly.
Vex kept desperately pouring his magic into his lover, watching the orange of Stretch's magic deplete and the yellow build. His own orange mixed with it, and he hoped with all his soul that it would be enough. "ANGEL, PLEASE, OUR CHILD SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED FOR MY MISTAKES. I'M SORRY." He didn't pull his hands away to wipe the tears streaking down his face. "THIS IS MY FAULT, PUNISH ME INSTEAD OF THEM. I WAS ARROGANT. PLEASE..."
Outside, Red was getting ahold of himself. He was in his boyfriend's brother's lap, the bigger skeleton stroking his back.
"VERY GOOD BREATHING, CHERRY, I'M SO PROUD. EXCELLENT."
Red nodded without speaking and breathed in again.
"Hey, scuze me!" They both glanced up to see a fish woman with yellow spiral glasses and a large bag of medical supplies.
"Kingy said there was a baby needing delivered in there, move yer butts!"
"stretch??" Red tried to scramble to his feet, but Papyrus held firm.
"NO NO, WE STAY OUT HERE. YOU KEEP BREATHING. SORRY, MISS, RIGHT AWAY." He picked Red up and moved out of the way of the doors.
Berry came running out of the meeting room and into the main hall, right towards Daemon. “PUPPY!”
As Drills inched inside, the dragon whipped his head to the side at Berry's call, knocking Gore back to stumble into the wall.
Howl cursed. "NO, BERRY, STAY BACK, HE CAN HURT YOU!"
"Ooohuhuhuhuhu!" Drills stifled her excited giggles as she snapped a picture, then scurried behind Daemon's view to get to the open door where she could see a skeleton on the ground in a different room. She had to dodge the tail as it lashed, barely avoiding being knocked to the ground. But she didn’t seem to mind.
Not-Daemon snarled, then whimpered. The flared wings lowered, and he pounced right at Berry.
Berry stood his ground. It didn't matter if he was hurt. He looked at Howl, hurt and bleeding, weapons at the ready to use on his puppy. Berry felt like this, too, was his fault. He was the reason his Howl, his brother and the baby were hurt. He looked at his alpha with tears in his eyes and presented his neck. Daemon was hurting. He needed to submit to his alpha and try to help his datemate. The smell of blueberries filled the air. 'IF HE PUNISHES ME, IT'S WHAT I DESERVE,' he thought. He held his arms out in an invitation of a hug, "PLEASE. DAEMON, MAY I HUG YOU?"
Daemon landed on Berry, knocking him down, teeth bared, but there were tears in his sockets. The smoke was thinning. His claws retracted and the wings dimmed as he clutched Berry tight.
"HELp me... help..." His voice lost the double timbre as he sobbed.
In the new commotion, Sans ported the embassy workers out to the front of the building, landing not too far from Paps and Red. Seeing Red, he rushed forward.
"what happened?" He grabbed up Red as he performed a check, which came up normal.
Red whimpered softly, clutching to his datemate. "i'm f- i'm fine- i'm-" Breaths, more breaths.
"HE IS COMING DOWN FROM A PANIC ATTACK, BUT HE IS PHYSICALLY UNINJURED, BROTHER, SO DO NOT WORRY! I HELPED HIM COUNT LIKE THE AMAZING FRIEND I AM."
Sans cradled Red, rocking him. "it's okay, redy. just breathe for me." He kissed him softly and projected love and calmness. He looked to the building. That no one was screaming, and no smoke was coming out of the building, which was a good sign. He had to believe in them. He looked to Papyrus. "paps, hang back from the door, but can you see if they're okay in there?"
Red nodded again, holding on tight. The projections had him calm more. "i'm ok... hhh..." He pressed his face into Sans's shoulder, breathing in that sweet vanilla and ketchup scent.
Papyrus nodded and peeked into the building as best he could.
Berry fell with a bump and and a wheeze as air rushed out of him. As Daemon transformed, he wrapped his arm around him. 'AT LEAST I CAN HELP YOU,' Berry thought. "THERE, THERE. WE GOT YOU. YOU’RE A GOOD PUPPY." He kissed the distraught monster's head. He let love, warmth and caring intent flow to Daemon. "WE LOVE YOU, PUPPY."
Howl let out his breath all at once, letting the claws go. His own voice dropped low, deep, more like the lowercase he always hid with power.
"you're alright, my good puppy, everything is alright."
He came over and knelt beside them as Daemon cried into Berry’s shoulder. The wings melted away, leaving ugly tears in the back of his jacket, and the last of the beastly features faded.
"i'm so sorry... i'm a good boy, i'm sorry... i didn't mean it..."
"we know. it’s alright," Howl promised as he gave Daemon a gentle spine pet.
"PLEASE, PLEASE--"
"Scoot, doctor's here!" Drills announced, and Vex stopped his pleas to the Angel. He looked up, then forced himself to move more to Stretch's upper half. He didn't pull his hand from Stretch's belly, though. Drills pulled on gloves with a snap and summoned Stretch's soul, making Vex stiffen.
"BE CARE-"
"Oooh, buddyboy, don't get in my way, I'm gonna save a baby here like a real hero, got it?"
He watched distrustfully as she pulled out a glowing green bag and an I/V.
"WHAT'S THAT?"
"Green magic, so save yours." She inserted the IV into Stretch's soul and rolled the flow control to start the drip, hanging the bag on a small, extendable stand. Then she put the soul down gently on top of Stretch's ribs and smacked Vex’s hands from the belly and pressed.
"The body is forming quicker than usual, but it still might take almost an hour, I think. I see the torso. What's the yellow?"
"THE JUDGE."
She lifted her free hand to her glasses to lift them and made her deadpan obvious. He petted Stretch's skull.
"A FOREIGN MAGIC BEING THAT IS, SHALL WE SAY, ABLE TO POSSESS HIM LIKE A GHOST CAN POSSESS ANY OBJECT. IT HAS IMMENSE POWER AND IS OATHBOUND TO THE SWAP QUEEN."
She cackled, dropping the glasses again.
"Badass! The baby is definitely getting its influence. I can't stop it."
He felt sick.
Asgore knelt next to Howl. "may i?" He gestured at the skeleton's injuries.
Howl glanced up at Asgore. "REFRAIN FROM TOUCHING ME, BUT YES." He held out his arm.
Just then Undyne and Al came running in.
"Where's the threat?!" Al had her axes at the ready.
"What happened?!” Undyne yelled at the same time, her own weapons drawn.
Howl bristled at Undyne and Al. "THE THREAT IS GONE, PUT YOUR WEAPONS AWAY BEFORE YOU SCARE EVERYONE."
Asgore hovered just above the injury and let his magic overflow and cascade on to the injury. "We’re fine now, captains."
Undyne and Al dropped their weapons, and they turned into spent magic.
Howl's arm stopped dripping marrow with the healing, and the cut sealed to a small fresh scar. "I APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE, YOUR MAJESTY."
Gore had let his trident disappear and now slunk back into the room with Stretch, Drills and Vex to find his dropped blunt.
Berry held Daemon tight, petting his skull and peppering kisses on him. "YOU’RE A GOOD BOY PUPPY. THANK YOU FOR COMING FOR ME."
“IT LOOKS LIKE… DAEMON AND BERRY ARE HUGGING. THINGS LOOK OKAY NOW,” Papyrus reported.
Sans relaxed more at that. "thanks paps." He nuzzled Red and kept up the intent. "i got you, babe. you're safe."
Red managed to fully relax, letting out a low breath. He was exhausted from the panic attack, but this wasn't over yet. "i'm alright, put me down, sweetheart. vex needs me."
"ARE YOU SURE, CHERRY?"
"yeah. it's ok. thanks for all the help, paps."
"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME!" Papyrus beamed.
"thank you too, sweetheart." He squeezed Sans's hand, then headed inside cautiously.
Stretch moaned as he came to. "berry?" he called out.
Vex kept petting Stretch. "I SENT HIM AWAY, STRETCH. THE JUDGE TOOK OVER. I'M SO SORRY, I JUST WANTED YOU TO GET TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM.”
"Don't try to get up," Drills said, still prodding at his belly experimentally. Her other hand pulled out a syringe. "Do you need painkillers?"
Stretch whined and gripped his mate’s hand hard. If Vex sent him away, then he had to be fine. "the baby?" he asked.
"THE BABY IS COMING, LOVE." Vex squeezed Stretch's hand. "IT'S COMING NOW, YOU'RE IN LABOR."
"But it seems okay, it's coming along nicely. Do you need this painkiller or not, dude?"
Stretch moaned through a contraction, squeezing painfully. "angel, please." It hurt so bad. "yes. give me some," he breathed.
Drills injected the painkiller into Stretch's arm, numbing his body without affecting the magic flow.
"There you go, that should help." She went back to feeling at the belly, watching the body continue to develop. "No deformities, no missing limbs so far. They're developing fine. Hey, hey, are skeletons born with tails?"
"SOMETIMES," Vex said curtly, squeezing Stretch's hand back. "BREATHE, LOVE, BREATHE DEEP."
Stretch relaxed the pain dulled quickly. "thanks, babe." He squeezed Vex's hand. “can i use your lap as a pillow?" he sighed.
"OF COURSE YOU CAN, LOVE." Vex eased Stretch so his head was on Vex's legs. He filled them out with some ecto to make them softer and more comfortable as a pillow. He kept petting Stretch's skull gently, watching the belly. "YOU'RE DOING SO WELL. I'M SO GLAD WE DECIDED ON A NAME, AREN'T YOU?
"Hey, spill the beans!" Drills said with a smirk. "Don't just allude to it!"
Vex ignored her antics.
Al looked around for the Queen, then down to Berry. She clenched her fists. "Berry, you should leave before the Queen comes out here."
Howl glanced up at the two of them. "RIGHT, YES. BUT WE HAVE TO BE NEAR STRETCH BECAUSE OF THE BABY. NOTHING SHOULD TEAR BERRY AWAY FROM HIS BROTHER GIVING BIRTH, FOR STARS' SAKE."
"but if the queen sees... master, please..." Daemon buried his face into Berry's shoulder again. "i don't wanna do it again, please..."
"ALRIGHT." Howl sighed softly. "ALRIGHT, PUPPY, IT'LL BE ALRIGHT. WE'LL LEAVE. IS THAT ALRIGHT, BERRY?"
"No, he shouldn't have to leave." King Asgore stood. "I'll make sure nothing happens if you want to stay, Berry."
Berry looked at Daemon and gently pet his skull, trying to soothe him, "I DON'T WANT TO HURT DAEMON, AND I'LL HURT STRETCH AND THE BABY IF I STAY." Everyone is better off with you out of the way. The voice was getting louder in his head. He hugged Daemon tight. "I WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU AND DAEMON, PLEASE," he pleaded sadly.
Howl shook his head. "WE APPRECIATE IT, YOUR MAJESTY, BUT STRETCH IS COMPELLED. IF HE SEES BERRY, HE IS TO BRING HIM IMMEDIATELY TO THE QUEEN. THAT'S HOW WE WOUND UP HERE, AND THE BABY... STRETCH WASN'T SUPPOSED TO GO INTO LABOR FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS. WE WILL GO." He set his arm on Daemon as the taller brother stood up and held Berry in his arms.
"it'll be okay, berry," he murmured. "we'll keep tabs."
He ported them all home, to the living room.
Red watched all of this, then quietly pulled out his phone to text Howl and say he'd send updates. He headed towards the other room, around Gore, who was slinking back out with drugs in tow, pretending he wasn’t bleeding from his scrap with the dragon.
Sans squeezed Red's hand as he read the text over his shoulder. Some of the office workers and visitors flowed back in behind them. The Queen peeked her head out of the office, seeing all was well now. She came out.
"Captain, report."
"The situation was taken care of by the time we arrived, my Queen."
Asgore looked at her. "We owe our lives to the omega you have been hurting, and now his brother is giving birth in the other room. Their child is in danger and a family has been torn apart because of your laws," he said sternly.
The Queen stepped back. "I would never hurt a child. I..." She looked confused. She looked to the room and took a step in the direction of the meeting room.
"if you're talking about daemon turning into a dragon," Red said, before he could lose his bravery, "then yeah, he freaked out because we were all having a real fucking pleasant valentine's day, minding our own business, and stretch caught a glimpse of his own brother and was forced to drag him here and use up all his magic. daemon freaked out because that's his fucking datemate. only berry calming him down stopped him. so fuck you, lady, people here, a baby, almost died 'cause of you!"
"CHERRY, THAT'S ENOUGH." Papyrus put a hand on Red's shoulder. "HOSTILITY WILL NOT MAKE THIS SITUATION BETTER."
Red muttered something distasteful under his breath and texted Howl again. "you stay the fuck away from my brother and his baby!" he called after the Queen.
Sans squeezed Red's hand and added, "hasn't your justice hurt enough innocent people?"
The Queen grimaced, balling her fists. She went to the room, Asgore just behind her. She stopped short at the door, seeing Stretch on the floor in labor, her hand raising to her mouth. "I didn't think… this would happen," she said softly.
"Show a parent and child mercy," Asgore said. "Lift the command, Toriel."
Stretch grimaced as he saw the Queen. He turned his head, trying to hide in Vex lap.
Vex couldn't help his entire being going rigid as the Queen's voice sounded, grating on his ability to keep his cool. It had been some time now since he'd last lashed out at anyone out of sheer anger and not necessity, but even so, the urge swelled as quickly and unstoppably as it always had. From that very first time in the snow, Red's hesitant grin, the blaster fading away, the dust of their attackers fading. The feeling of bone against his gloves as he wrapped his fingers around something that he wanted to hurt, to make understand his own pain and misery and grief. The grin that disappeared. And at that time, his own love for the object of his ire had opposed the feeling enough to keep him (just barely) reasonable. A day of his nightmares; a day he still sought repentance for every minute of his life, over a decade later.
There was no such buffer here. His alpha aura permeated the entire room heavily, strong and angry and aggressive. The usually semi-sweet pineapple was almost sour, the raw tension palpable. He was sending out enough warning pheromones to make a pack of wolves turn away in fear.
"IF YOU STEP THROUGH THAT DOORWAY, MY SWORD WILL GO THROUGH YOUR THROAT," he said, his voice even out of necessity, with humongous effort. "DO NOT TRY ME TONIGHT. MY RESTRAINT ONLY GOES SO FAR."
Drills looked between them, a grin wide on her face, one hand reaching for her phone like she thought there might be a fight she had to get pictures of.
Queen Toriel stood in the doorway. The pure malice dripping from Vex's words had her frozen, seeing the pure pain in what should have been one of the most blissful moments in a monster's life, the birth of their child. Now it was overshadowed by a possible miscarriage.
Her hand glowed the same golden color as Stretch’s ecto.
Stretch let out a small whimper and his body spasmed as the magic was forced through his soul by the Queen.
Vex's eyelights flared vicious orange, and he was already halfway to springing to his feet when the Queen's words hit him.
"I rescind the order of judgment."
Her magic washed over Stretch's soul, removing the brand of command.
The magic forming in Vex's hand sparked out, his sword never fully materializing, as he realized with a tremble in his soul that his lover was free of that horrible command. With a deep breath, he lowered himself back down, resettling Stretch's head on his lap.
"HOW DO YOU FEEL, LOVE?" The deadly edge to his voice dropped away, what precious little softness he still held in his LV-crusted soul blossoming again. "HAS IT EASED NOW?"
Stretch felt his soul lighten and the magic wash away the horrible command. "yes," he breathed out.
Drills looked disappointed, lowering her phone again.
The Swap Queen turned around and left the building. Al fell into step behind her.
Undyne grabbed a broom and put it behind her neck with her arms hanging over it. "Did she let Berry go?"
"No," Asgore said, "but she showed mercy, so there's hope."
Red watched the queen go darkly, then gave Howl another update before stepping into the room. He knelt by his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder. Vex glanced over, gratitude showing in his expression as Red gave the same kind of hesitant grin he did that day in the snow so long ago.
Stretch took Vex's hand again. "don't you leave me, but someone get berry back here."
Sans lovingly squeezed Red's shoulder, seeing he had started the text already. "we’ll text them it's safe to come back, don’t worry. he’ll be back soon.”
Notes:
Oh my, so many things happened! What did you think of all this? let us know. We love to talk with you! What did you think of SERPENS? Also what do you think will happen to the baby?
Chapter 17: Give Me a Forever that We Both Can Share
Summary:
In which you finally get the baby's name, you're welcome.
Notes:
Hello everyone! Wow what a ride we had last week. Lets keep it going. Be sure to leave a comment to let us know what you thought of the baby's name. <3
Chapter tags: brief mention of violence, drinking, baby birth, smoking, mild PTST/OCD
Detailed summary and picture in the bottom notes!
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Berry held onto Daemon tight. He felt like this just verified all the hurtful things the voice had said to him over the years. Shame and guilt filled his soul. He had hurt his brother, their baby, and his datemates. "I'M SORRY I SCARED YOU. I CAUSED YOU TO BE HURT, HOWL," he sobbed. "I'M SORRY." He nuzzled into his taller datemate, and tears fell down his face
Horrible sully. Corrupting others with your filth.
He felt he really did deserve to be locked away in a room, if it would keep them safe. 'I WAS GREEDY. IT GOT THEM ALL HURT,' he thought.
Daemon kept tight hold of Berry himself, nuzzling gently.That hated voice from his soul was pushed away easily enough on good days, and on bad days, Howl was always there. His commanding presence and unending love was usually just enough to quiet the rage of the inner dragon, who's best argument was in the inherent weakness in every person he set eyes on.
Serpens’ living will inside of him was almost similar to a Judge, he thought grimly, except this one judged everyone guilty of complete inferiority, and the consequences for their guilt came in a haze of reddish-green vision, claws tearing through flesh, and the smell of charred bodies. He sometimes wondered if he was bad just for liking best the kind of meat that was cooked as thoroughly with fire as he had cooked sentient beings.
This was by no means the first time he had injured Howl, either, and compared to what could have been, the claw gashes across one arm were not terrible. They healed alright, even if Howl bore a new scar that would never go away completely. Gore had not been gravely hurt either, despite facing him down head-on and staring fireballs in the face, and the assorted workers of the embassy had all gotten out without harm. Truly, things had worked out as best they could given the circumstances. But he still felt ashamed, throat burning under the collar. And the fear hadn't totally gone away from seeing Berry like that, throat exposed, arms out ready and waiting for Daemon to tear him apart. Just thinking about that expression made him press his face needily into Berry's shoulder to inhale that scent and assure himself his sweet, innocent lover was still safe. He could've killed one of the two things that made him happiest in the world.
He again pushed away the voice of Serpens's directive to gain as much power as he could through LV and endless training and think nothing of paltry emotional bonds, and kissed Berry's cheek softly.
"this wasn't your fault, honey."
"DAEMON IS RIGHT." Howl pulled away to go to the kitchen. He poured himself a generous amount of wine, knowing it wasn't the best choice for comfort, knowing it would help immediately anyway. "THIS WAS AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT. AND THE ROOT OF IT IS YOUR QUEEN'S RIDICULOUS LAW." He returned with the glass, unwilling to stray from his upset lovers for long. "YOU DO NOT NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO ME, BERRY, I AM NOT ANGRY."
Berry held onto Daemon. Howl and him were a beautiful light dancing in the darkness that was trying to consume his mind. He held on to their warmth. "BUT IF I WASN'T A BAD OMEGA, NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THIS SITUATION." He nuzzled Daemon. He slipped into lowercase, his voice a soft whisper as he admitted, "maybe... dr. gaster is right. i'm only good for two things..." He shivered. "i need to stop being greedy." His hand tightened on Daemon. He didn't want to leave either of his datemates. "i should be locked away, so i don't hurt my loved ones... maybe staying locked in the house would be best for everyone..."
"YOU ARE NOT A BAD OMEGA," Howl chided gently. His phone blipped, but he ignored it for a moment. "YOU ARE A VERY GOOD OMEGA, AND BAD THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN."
"berry, don't listen to anything that bad man says," Daemon pleaded. "don't listen. i can't listen, and you can't either. they're bad. you make all of us so happy. we love being around you. you care so much, and your smile lights up the room."
Berry buried his head into Demon's shirt. He couldn't stop the tears. Small hiccups shook his body as he cried. His soul ached at what happened to his brother and their baby and how Howl had gotten hurt by his own brother. They all should have been giving him to the Sanitarium, but they wanted to keep him, despite everything. They were so wonderful. That thought made him start to calm down, his hands unclenching in Daemon’s shirt. Now that he was calming down, he realized, 'THEY CAME FOR ME WHEN I WAS TAKEN.’ They wouldn't let him be taken away again. He started to cry again.
"I LOVE YOU BOTH," he managed between hiccuping sobs. He held out a hand, hoping Howl would hold him too.
Howl would really rather keep his hands to himself, his mind still struggling to calm from the panic. But Berry needed comfort, and stars damn it, the least he could do was hold hands. But he kept the glove on this time as he took Berry's hand.
"WE LOVE YOU TOO."
"we love you so much," Daemon agreed. "it's okay. you can cry on me as much as you want."
Howl's phone pinged again. He again ignored it.
Berry cried for a good while. When he stopped, he was a tired mess laying on Daemon. Once he calmed down he looked to Howl. "THANK YOU, ANGEL." He gave a squeeze before letting go. He leaned up and gave Daemon a kiss. "THANK YOU PUPPY. THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING FOR ME."
By that time, Howl had gotten three more texts and was done with the wine glass full enough to really count as three glasses. There was a faint flush to his cheekbones as he set the glass down. "ALWAYS."
"we would never just let you be taken," Daemon said, kissing back gently. "are you feeling better?"
Howl finally checked his phone, brow rising.
Berry nodded. His face was a mess with the now drying tears. He rubbed at them. "I NEED TO STOP GETTING YOU DIRTY."
"i don't mind it. i'm already a bit of a mess anyway. i need to change..."
"DO SO QUICKLY. WE HAVE TO GO." Howl actually looked pleased, typing something into his phone. "THE SWAP QUEEN RESCINDED THE ORDER OF JUDGEMENT. BERRY, YOUR BROTHER CAN SEE YOU AGAIN."
Berry perked up hearing that. It was unbelievable. "IT'S NOT A TRAP? SHE REALLY DID?!"
"NO, IT'S NOT A TRAP. RED AND SANS BOTH CONFIRMED IT. STRETCH WANTS YOU BACK FOR THE REST OF THE LABOR. IT SEEMS THEY'RE NOT MOVING HIM UNTIL THE BABY IS OUT."
"oh! okay!" Daemon hurried upstairs to pull off his clothes and replace them, relieved and excited.
Hope flooded Berry’s soul. He ran to the bathroom and cleaned his face, then went to the borrowed bedroom and pulled out a new shirt. He ran back to his lovers. 'I WONT HURT THEM,' Berry tried to convince himself.
When they were both back, Howl had one of the older leashes on hand, since the usual one was still at Stretch's house. He clipped it onto Daemon and held the handle. Daemon took Berry's hand with a smile, then ported them back to the embassy.
Vex still had Stretch in his lap, petting his skull softly and letting him squeeze his hand. Red was pacing, checking his phone. He glanced up.
"there you guys are! geez."
"God, you skeletons sure like an audience, huh?" Drills had her tongue stuck out as she felt the almost completely translucent ecto. At this point, it was hardly necessary, because the body was pretty visible. "Not much longer now, you three are late!"
Sans sat in a chair next to Papyrus watching, his attention switching between the monsters in the room. When the others were there he waved at them with a smile. "red," he offered, hoping maybe with the others here he would unwind a bit, "you want to rest a bit before the main event?" He patted his lap.
Red came right over to Sans and sat in his lap, settling down. "yeah, sweetheart, thanks." Honestly, he was grateful. He was still pretty tired from his panic attack. Papyrus rubbed his back a little gently, always tender with his brother's datemate.
Berry held Daemon’s hand, looking in awe at the silhouette of the baby.
"berry," Stretch whined while holding up his other hand. "bro, c’mere."
Blueberry almost tripped over his feet as he threw himself in his sibling's direction. "I'M HERE, BROTHER."
"HELLO, YOU THREE. ARE YOU ALL ALRIGHT?" Papyrus asked.
"YES, WE ARE FINE." Howl looked a little tipsy, but nobody looked willing to say anything about it. He settled in a chair nearby as well, and Daemon knelt down nearby Berry.
"you doing okay, stretch?" Daemon asked.
"HE'S FINE." Vex gently directed Berry to sit opposite Drills, who was pulling back her hand finally. She dug around in her bag and pulled out a few blankets, a few syringes, a small monitor, and vials of a few different colors.
“Before any of you freak out-” Drills said, looking at Vex directly as she spoke, “-these are only in case something goes wrong. I’ve got a few different substances here in case there are any specific deficits to the baby’s magic. They’re normally not necessary, but this is a weird birth, so I’m getting them ready to use them fast if I need.”
Vex nodded curtly. She was a weird woman, and while he was Fell too, something about her gave him creepy vibes. But, nonetheless, she had been nothing but careful and concerned for the health of the baby, so he trusted that whatever she had was only to help, not to hurt.
Sans cuddled his datemate, rocking him gently and nuzzling his neck. Now that Red’s nervous energy no longer had him pacing, Sans let his soul project calm, love and warmth to Red. "i'm here for ya, redy." He kissed his cheek.
Red snuggled back, relaxed again, even purring softly. Sans was a wonderful beta, able to keep pace with him and also so very soft and comforting. The best of both worlds. "yeah, i'm alright."
"OF COURSE YOU ARE! WE ARE ALL DOING VERY WELL RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS A HAPPY MOMENT. AND I WILL DEFINITELY NOT CRY WHEN THE BABY GETS HERE," Papyrus asserted. Red snorted softly, hiding his grin in Sans’s shoulder.
Berry’s nervous fingers gently stroked Stretch's face. He smiled down at his sibling. "IT WILL BE ALRIGHT, BROTHER. THE BABY IS LOOKING WONDERFUL. I HOPE YOU TWO PICKED A NAME."
Stretch tried to hide his worry behind a smile as he focused on breathing. "we did," he panted while squeezing his mate's hand.
"OF COURSE WE DID. WE CAME UP WITH A BRILLIANT COMPROMISE," Vex said proudly.
"you found a car brand that's also a food?" Red asked.
"WELL, YES."
"oh my god, boss, that's ridiculous."
"FUCK YOU."
Berry chided, "LANGUAGE. WE DON'T WANT THE BABY TO PICK UP THAT HABIT."
Stretch's hissing laughter got louder; he hadn't heard Berry say that in years.
"APOLOGIES, BERRY," Vex said, though he didn't sound it, "BUT MY BABY WILL LEARN TO CURSE WITH PRIDE."
That made Red start to cackle a little. Howl rolled his pupils. Daemon giggled a little too.
Berry frowned and sighed. It was their choice, but he wouldn't curse around the child.
“Are you gonna actually tell us the name, by the way?” Drills asked, perking up. “Come on, I deserve to know! I wanna know!”
“YOU’LL KNOW THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE ELSE, WHEN THE BABY IS ACTUALLY OUT,” Vex huffed.
“Boo! All this work and my reward is delayed! I didn’t even know there were car brands that were foods!”
“IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMETHING GOOD AND I WILL NOT RUIN THE SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU’RE IMPATIENT.”
"YES, WELL, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD'S NAME, IT WILL BE VERY LOVED," Howl said, wishing he had his knitting. Yeah, wow, he felt tipsy. He rubbed at his cheek a little, hoping he wasn't too flushed. Or at least that nobody cared right now.
"It's happening!" Drills announced, opening up one of the sterile blankets. The now translucent ecto was finally pulling back, thinned, ready to be released.
Sans gave a small laugh at their bickering and nuzzled Red some more. "stretch has good delivery."
Stretch hissed a laugh at the pun, and Berry giggled too. Red wheezed a little into his boyfriend’s shoulder.
“good one, sansy.”
“thanks, babe.”
A spike of pain ripped through Stretch just then. If it hurt this bad, he couldn't imagine it without the pain meds. He groaned and it turned into a scream. His grip was crushing his mate’s and brother's hands.
"WE’VE GOT YOU, STRETCH.” Berry put his other hand over his hand.
As Stretch screamed in pain, Vex tightened his own grip, squeezing back, gritting his teeth. "I'VE GOT YOU LOVE, IT'S OKAY. I'VE GOT YOU." His hand poured in more green magic, struggling to ease the pain.
Finally, the last of the magic snapped apart and splattered a little, and the newborn skeleton landed with a gentle clack on Stretch’s lumbar. Drills scooped it right up in the blanket to clean it of residual magic, grinning wide. "There you are, kiddo! Look at you, all your fingers and toes.”
The baby squealed and flailed, starting to cry instantly as babies did, eyelights not yet lit.
Stretch all but collapsed as the last of the magic was taken. He felt so drained and tired. His grip became loose and limp. He tried to slow his breathing by taking deep breaths. His eyelights were hazy.
"YOU DID IT. A HEALTHY BABYBONES." Berry picked up a clean rag and mopped Stretch's face. "WE'RE PROUD OF YOU."
Stretch let Vex's calming green magic flow through him and smiled up at them both.
Vex loosened his grip too, relaxing with Stretch, and watched the baby with too-bright eyelights. "OH MY STARS, STRETCH. THEY'RE SO BEAUTIFUL."
“Just one second.” Drills felt up the baby’s forehead, checking their temperature, then examined some of the joints, dipping a finger just slightly into the magic flow. “Everything’s flowing nicely. I don’t need to use any of these medicines at all, they’re doing great!” Still beaming, she held out the baby.
Vex shakily took them, bundled in the blanket, and held them where Stretch could see and even touch. His aura seeped through the room again, gentler than before, protective and loving and satisfied on a deep, instinctive level. The newborn's loud cries settled as they started to absorb their father's latent energy and get more comfortable.
Papyrus wiped an errant tear, beaming.
Red was also definitely crying, holding Sans tight and staring at his nibling, his soul warming and thudding.
Sans held his mate close, tears dripping from his sockets too. "beautiful," he whispered in awe.
"yeah, so fucking beautiful..." Red wiped at his sockets, holding on tightly. His soul felt full near to bursting.
Daemon snuggled up to Berry, watching the baby with sparkling eyelights, purring low. Berry leaned into Daemon, an answering purr starting up within him as he looked at the baby with stars in his eyelights.
Howl subconsciously twined fingers together and apart, rhythmic, feeling the texture of his soft gloves rubbing on his bones and pushing down nesting instincts. It was ridiculous to think about having his own child right now, there was far too much going on, and the mechanics of ‘making’ it would be a nightmare. But even so, just seeing one made his omega instincts rise up, his soul warm. He stayed quiet, watching from his chair without drawing attention to himself.
Stretch watch his mate with their baby. He was so happy that his eyelights sparkled. "of course they’re beautiful, they take after their dad."
The baby’s eyelights flickered on then, one regular white, the other a marbled mix of orange and yellow. Stretch’s soul skipped a beat seeing the yellow of justice swirled within his child’s sockets. He reached out and touched them. Everything leading up to the birth was blurry right now. He was having trouble remembering what happened. He just remembered his magic and gold. Then he was in labor. He asked shakily, "they got the Judge’s magic?"
Vex flushed and chuckled softly at Stretch's compliment, holding the baby closer to let Stretch touch. His expression shifted to worry at the question. "YES…”
"Some," Drills clarified, adjusting her glasses. "Plenty of this big guy's too, and yours. But that yellow was all over for a while. I'll bet with a power like that, the kid's gonna be affected. No way to know exactly how for a while, though, they don’t exactly have magic control right now."
Stretch frowned, looking back at their baby.
Berry stopped purring and crawled forwards to Stretch. "I'M SO SORRY STRETCH AND VEX." He looked back at his nibling. "I DIDN'T MEAN FOR THEM TO GET HURT."
"you didn't do anything wrong, berry," Daemon reminded gently, rubbing his datemate's back.
"bro, stop." Stretch pulled Berry down on top of him in a crushing hug. "you didn't hurt me or the baby. the queen set the order. if the Judge didn't share magic..." He trailed off.
Sans continued for him. "they wouldn't hurt an innocent. they gave a small piece of their ancient powers to the baby to save it."
"SO... THE JUDGE SAVED THEIR LIFE." Vex pet the little skull while the baby yawned, fully settled in their father's arms. He wiped at his tears again. "THANK THE STARS."
"whatever kind of power they might have, that's for later," Red said, wiping at his own sockets. "we've all got weird extra shit going on, right? doesn't make 'em any less cute and loved."
"WELL SAID, CHERRY!" Papyrus agreed, wiping at his own tears a little.
"YES, VERY TRUE AND TOUCHING. PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET YOU AND THE BABY HOME?" Howl suggested. "I'M SURE YOU'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN NEST."
"Hey, hey, wait!" Drills was starting to pack up her things, delicately pulling the IV from Stretch's soul. "I did all this heroic baby work, I deserve to know the name! It’s born, you said you’d tell us when it’s born! Spill it!"
Stretch smiled. "please espresso your opinions politely. their name is cappuccino aster russell."
Sans snickered at the joke. "oh, stretch."
Berry sighed. "and for short?"
Red snorted and hid his face in Sans's shoulder again to muffle his laughter. "that's a car name?"
Vex was too emotional to be irritated at his brother. "YES. PUCCI FOR SHORT."
"heh... cute..." Red turned his head to look again, soul still thrumming. "sansy..." His voice dropped quieter, too quiet for anybody but Sans and Papyrus to hear. His good hand found Sans's, their fingers interlacing. "can we... get married?"
Sans soul thumped loudly and his skull colored. He leaned in and kissed Red deeply. When the kiss broke, he said just as quietly, "yes." Then he kissed Red again.
Red kissed back, a few more tears gathering. Papyrus grinned wide, the only witness to the secret proposal, content to let them have a moment in silence while everyone was focused on the baby.
Drills, wearing a dumb grin, wrote the name down in a notebook covered in comic book heroes on the covers. "An appropriately unique name for a baby born to such weird bullshit! Cool! My work here is done!"
Berry nodded. "PUCCI IT IS, THEN." He pulled back and leaned back into Daemon. At Drills’ proclamation, he smiled. "THANK YOU FOR HELPING THEM.”
"YES, THANK YOU." Vex looked up at the fish woman. "I OWE YOU A GREAT DEBT."
"Psshh! Don’t say it like you’re gonna murder for me, dude, you can pay me for my medical work like a normal person. But we'll talk about that later, skinny. I'm outies." She collected her things and left the room, whistling the Spiderman theme song.
Daemon snuggled Berry and kissed him, then got up. "let's get you home, okay? can i pick you up, stretch?"
"sure. thanks." He grabbed on to Daemon as he was picked up. He felt done like a wet noodle and was looking forward to a nap.
Sans nudged Red happily. "that sounds like a plan. red, you want to take your brother and the baby? and i'll take paps and howl?"
Berry shook his head. He didn't want Howl to stress himself out with touching. They had all had a rough day and Howl was still looking a bit tipsy. "NO YOU CAN TAKE ME. HOWL CAN RIDE WITH DAEMON. "
Daemon held onto Stretch carefully, princess style.
"ah, yeah... i'll take vex and little pucci. c'mere, bro." Red nuzzled Sans one last time, then went over to Vex and hugged him tight. He ported in the middle of said hug.
"YES, I WOULD PREFER TO GO WITH DAEMON, NO OFFENSE." Howl picked up the end of the leash and wiggled it in demonstration. Daemon ported him and Stretch away.
Papyrus got up and put a hand on Sans's shoulder. "CONGRATULATIONS, BROTHER," he whispered conspiratorially.
Berry gave a short wave as he watched them port. Honestly, he didn't want to leave their side, even though he knew it would just be a few moments. He walked over near the chairs that Sans and Papyrus had been sitting in. He almost missed the whisper. "CONGRATULATIONS ON WHAT?" he asked as he held his hand out for Sans.
"OH, DO NOT TROUBLE YOURSELF OVER IT RIGHT NOW, BERRY," Papyrus said brightly. "IT IS SOMETHING UNRELATED TO TONIGHT'S BIG HIGHLIGHT."
Sans squeezed Pap’s hand in thanks, then took Berry's hand too. "don't worry, berry. am i driving ya to your house or stretch's?"
"MY BROTHER'S PLEASE. THEY ARE MOST LIKELY WAITING FOR ME." Berry looked confused. "ALRIGHTY THEN… CONGRATULATIONS ANYWAYS."
Papyrus held on to both of them as Sans teleported.
At Stretch's house, Daemon carried Stretch up to his room and delicately laid him in his bed. "there you go, buddy."
"THANK YOU, DAEMON." Vex followed along inside with the baby, Red trailing along behind. "LOVE, DO YOU WANT ME TO GET YOU SOME FOOD? A SPONGE BATH? OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO SLEEP?"
"thanks daemon." Stretch yawned as he was set down. "babe, honestly i'm tired, but if you want to clean me a bit while i sleep, that's fine."
"THEN I'LL DO THAT." He gently settled Cappuccino in Stretch's arms and reluctantly pulled away to find a washcloth. Stretch cradled his little babybones, pulling some pillows on the other side of the bed just in case. Daemon left them be, going back downstairs.
Berry thanked Sans when they arrived at the house. He saw Howl collecting the other leash and came up to him. "HOW ARE YOU DOING ANGEL?" he asked, concerned.
Howl looked back to Berry, rolling up the leash. "I AM ALRIGHT, BERRY, THANK YOU. I'M MORE TIPSY THAN I THOUGHT," he admitted.
Sans asked, "did anyone want dessert? red made some."
"dessert? yes please,” Daemon said, brightening up.
"ah, shit, right!" Red darted into the kitchen. "i made this all special. first slice is for sansy."
Sans smiled as Red went running past him. "i'll leave it to you then."
Red came back with a gorgeous apple rose tart in the heart-shaped tin he’d bought with Berry, grinning wide and winking at Sans.
"I WILL STAY FOR A PIECE OF RED'S WORK, BUT THEN I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO GO HOME AND LAY DOWN," Howl told Berry.
"OKAY." Berry was feeling pretty tired. It had been a chaotic day. "I THINK WE ALL COULD USE A NAP."
"IT'S A BIT LATE FOR A NAP, KITTEN, WE ALL JUST NEED TO GO TO BED EARLY, I THINK." He sat down. "THOUGH, I WOULDN'T BEGRUDGE YOU OCCUPYING YOURSELF HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE IN YOUR ROOM OR THE LIVING ROOM LATER ON WHILE I SLEEP."
Berry nodded his head, he didn't want to be alone, but Daemon would be there. "OKAY."
Red cut everyone a piece of tart, leaving two for Vex and Stretch, then passed them all out. "bone appetit, hehe."
Daemon giggled as he took his piece, then cut a forkful. The apple slices were all delicately and evenly cut, the pattern lovely. The flavor was strong, with hints of brown sugar, cinnamon, and even a bit of vanilla. It tasted like heaven.
Sans' skull was flushed blue the moment he smelt the tart. When Red brought him his piece he whispered, "this is payback for the mustard, isn't?"
Berry took the piece that was given to him and took a bite. "RED, YOUR BAKING IS ALWAYS AMAZING."
"heh, sweetheart, i made this before the mustard incident. this is just 'cause yer face." He winked again and kissed one bright blue cheek. Then he sat with his own. "thanks, berry blue bones."
"mhm, really good." Daemon ate his happily. Howl ate slower, but also complimented Red on the technique and delicacy. Papyrus offered his own praise and ate enthusiastically.
Sans knew he wasn't going to be able to eat his without moaning. He quietly put it in his inventory for later tonight.
Once they'd all eaten, Red cleaned up and nuzzled Sans. "i'll getcha home, paps. meet you at home, sansy?"
Sans smiled at them all, "alrighty, red. see ya, fam." He ported out.
"THAT WOULD BE NICE, CHERRY, YES, THANK YOU."
Daemon snuggled Berry and waited for Howl to pick up his leash. "bye, guys."
"GOOD NIGHT."
"NIGHTY NIGHT." Berry looked to his brother's room. "MAY I TELL THEM GOODBYE?"
Red ported away with Papyrus in tow and a lazy salute to his forehead, leaving the poly there.
Daemon let go of Berry and nodded. "yeah, go ahead."
"CERTAINLY, BERRY," Howl agreed.
Berry ran up the stairs, careful of the squeaky step, and knocked quietly on the door.
"ONE MOMENT."
Vex came opening the door after a few moments, dressed down a bit. "OH, BERRY. STRETCH IS ASLEEP, BUT DID YOU NEED SOMETHING?"
"EVERYONE IS LEAVING. I WANTED TO SAY GOODBYE, IF THAT IS ALRIGHT." He squeezed and twisted his fingers. "I WON'T WAKE HIM."
"YES, OF COURSE." He moved aside to let Berry come in. "I'D BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BABY WAKING UP, I THINK. STRETCH IS VERY WELL OUT."
Berry nodded and came in quietly. He went up to his brother, who was securely nested up in the bed, wrapped around the baby. He smiled happily at the sight. He really wanted to place a kiss on Stretch's skull, but was afraid of touching the nest.
He kissed the tips of his fingers and gently brushed them on his little brother's skull, then did the same to the baby, who cooed gently. Berry then took out this phone and took a quick picture. Once he was done, he walked over to Vex and whispered, "THANK YOU."
Vex settled back on the other side of the bed, phone in hand as he texted his assistants about needing time off. "YOU'RE WELCOME." He hesitated a moment before venturing, "ARE YOU ALRIGHT? YOU MUST HAVE BEEN VERY SCARED WHEN THE JUDGE GRABBED YOU."
Berry looked at the ground and a hand clutched his bandana. He said quietly, "I WAS." His other hand came up to sockets. "I THOUGHT THAT WAS THEN END. THIS DREAM WAS ALL OVER. I WOULD WAKE UP BACK IN THE SANITARIUM WHERE I BELONG."
The slightest of tremors rippled through his small frame as he squeezed the soft material. Howl's wonderful scent calmed him. It helped cement the idea that this was real. This wasn't a dream and wasn't going to be taken away. His family wouldn't let him return to the Sanitarium. "BUT IT WASN'T LIKE BEFORE. I WASN'T ALONE."
His hand fell from his eyes. There were tears lining his sockets "YOU ALL CAME FOR ME." He smiled, genuine and happy. "THANK YOU."
"OF COURSE WE DID. WE ALWAYS WILL. WE'RE FAMILY NOW." Vex wasn't the best at expressing himself, or being physically affectionate. His love language was gifts and quiet acts of devotion. Nonetheless, he awkwardly reached up and patted Berry's shoulder. "GOOD NIGHT, BERRY."
"GOOD NIGHT, VEX." Berry went back down the stairs and practically threw himself into Daemon's arms. One hand still held his bandana. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU BOTH!"
Daemon hugged him tightly and ported them home. "for what, sweetie?"
Howl let go of the leash and rubbed his cheek. "YOU HAVE NO NEED TO THANK US, BERRY. I MUST GO LAY DOWN. GOOD NIGHT, YOU TWO."
"GOOD NIGHT, MY ANGEL." Berry smiled sweetly at him, wishing he could hold Howl like he did Daemon. "I LOVE YOU."
“I LOVE YOU TOO.” He made his way upstairs and went into his room, quietly locking the door.
Berry cuddled into Daemon, answering his question. "FOR HOWL AND YOU KEEPING YOUR WORD." He kissed him. "FOR COMING FOR ME AND NOT LETTING THIS BE TAKEN AWAY."
Daemon went to sit on the couch with Berry, still holding him close. "you don't have to thank us for that, we were always gonna. we love you."
Berry snuggled in more and started to purr quietly. It had been a horrible and wonderful day. So many emotions. He took a few moments to enjoy the quiet and then asked, "HOW ARE YOU DOING, MY PUPPY?"
Daemon purred softly in return, petting gently. The question made his movements slow. "um... mostly okay, i think. really tired. i wanna sleep too."
"ALRIGHT." He flexed his hands in Daemon’s shirt, playing with the material. "DO YOU WANT TO SLEEP TOGETHER TONIGHT? WE CAN SLEEP IN MY ROOM OR YOURS,” he asked hopefully.
"i would love that. but if you wanna be up and about a little bit longer, that's okay."
"NO, I FEEL VERY DRAINED FROM EVERYTHING,” he admitted. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE. BUT I NEED TO GET READY FOR BED." He yawned.
"alright. then we'll sleep in your room, okay? i'll lay down and you join me when you're all ready."
Berry climbed up the taller skeleton and kissed him. "THANK YOU, MY SWEET PUPPY."
He got up to shower quickly and get ready for bed.
Daemon kissed his cheek gently, then went and grabbed his blanket from his room. He brought it downstairs and curled up in Berry's room. By the time Berry returned from his shower, he was already fast asleep.
Berry grabbed his old rough blanket and pulled it over his shoulders, then snuggled up into his normal spot in his datemates arms.
'NORMAL...' he thought. He breathed in his alpha's safe, loving scent and felt his warm arms. He nuzzled into Damon's collar. Howl's nurturing grape scent mixed wonderfully. It may not be other people's normal, but he was elated it was now his. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep.
Alone in his room, Howl lit up a cigarette. He didn't often smoke, it was more Daemon's vice. But every now and then, when he was particularly stressed, he couldn't resist the urge. He opened his window to let the smoke out, absently tugging on his soft glove with his other hand.
His arm ached with the phantom pain of Daemon’s claws, even though the wound had been healed. He couldn't be jealous. Daemon didn't hurt Berry at all, despite tackling him, and he was endlessly grateful. That last thing he wanted was for Daemon to hurt their sweet Berry, who didn’t deserve such pain. But sometimes, the insecurity got to him. The inadequacy. Being able to kiss them both on the mouth only that morning felt paltry now, with everything else that had happened.
He blew out softly into the night air, watching the smoke dissipate, and his eyes flashed. Something had to change. He thought about a new plan as the cigarette wore down, and then snuffed it out on a small ashtray. He left it there as he changed into soft pajamas and curled up in bed.
His bedroom door stared at him like it only did on the worst nights, when memories invaded too sharply to ignore. He gave in after the third time he imagined it opening and a tall figure creeping inside. He got up and double-checked the lock twice before managing to calm down enough to sleep.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry breaks down about what happened, and Daemon and Howl comfort him. Daemon contemplates the morbidity of his inner dragon and if he is a bad person. Howl gets himself more wine than he knows he should to help him cope. Berry and Daemon change and they all return to the embassy upon finding out the Judgement order was rescinded. Drills prepares medical supplies in case there are problems with the baby, and badgers Vex about a name. Sans comforts Red, who was anxiously waiting for their arrival. There is bantering about swearing around a baby. The labor ends and Drills checks over the baby to find nothing wrong with it. Everyone is very emotional about the baby being pretty, and Vex holds them. When their eyelights ignite, one is yellow and orange, prompting everyone to realize the Judge's magic had saved the baby. There is no telling how much the magic will affect them for now, but they all agree the baby will be well-loved no matter what. Stretch finally reveals that the baby's name is Cappuccino, or Pucci for short, and everyone groans about puns. Red secretly proposes to Sans, with Papyrus the only one to hear, and Sans says yes. Drills promises she'll bill Vex later and leaves, and the skeletons all arrange shortcuts back to the house. Papyrus quietly congratulates his brother. Berry overhears and asks what it's about, but Papyrus assures him it's not important this second. Vex and Stretch get settled in bed with their child, and everyone else eats Red's rose apple tart downstairs before leaving. Berry goes upstairs to kiss his sleeping brother and the baby goodnight after assuring Vex he is okay. At Howl and Daemon's house, a tipsy Howl goes to his room, and Berry and Daemon cuddle for a few moments before getting ready for bed. Alone in his room, Howl contemplates how little he can touch his datemates, and how inferior he feels, while having a smoke. He thinks of a new plan and obsesses over his bedroom door's lock before going to sleep.
Chapter 18: And I Wonder Where these Dreams Go When the World Gets In Your Way
Summary:
In which the other shoe drops, and there's lots of writing.
Notes:
Hello everybody!
I hope you had a wonderful week. Be sure to kudos, comment and update your bookmarks if you haven't.
If you want to get updates to you email make sure to subscribe to the series, GetMcDunkedOn or myself, Diyami.
Also their is a wonderful oneshot side story of everyone's fave kustard:
Sticky Sexcapades - by GetMcDunkedOn, for Diyami
https://archiveofourown.org/works/29255655#bookmark-form
Be sure to check it out and leave a comment there letting us know how you like it! - Diyami
Chapter tags: Internal berating, mild eating disorder, political scheming, therapy session, brief mention of previous self-harm, mention of unethical science, summary of Berry's whole traumatic experiences before, during, and after the Sanitarium
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Berry woke up in Daemon's arms again. He could get used to sleeping here. The timid monster gently glided a hand along the warm ecto that his datemate seemed to always have summoned.
He focused on the vibrant green; it kept his mind off yesterday. He didn't want to think about the close call they had had. He had promised to believe in Howl and Daemon. That faith had been rewarded when they came for him. He needed to focus on their future.
He idly danced his fingers along the beautiful emerald color. He felt bad that he made Daemon sleep on the floor, but the bed was too close to a nest and his being around made it even more so. He sighed and nuzzled him. 'I SHOULD ASK MS. CANDY FOR HELP WITH NESTING,' he thought.
Daemon nuzzled in sleepily as Berry pet his midriff. Even though it was ecto, it had a gentle firmness to it, and a smoothness, gently sculpted abs. As he blinked open his sockets, he yawned quietly. "morning, berry..."
"MORNING PUPPY," He played more with the beautiful flesh. "DO YOU THINK HOWL IS UP? WE COULD MAKE HIM BREAKFAST."
"mm... he's always up before me." He smiled. "sorry, you'd have to set an alarm or something to get up before him." He said nothing about how Berry was touching him, though it made his soul warm. He didn't want to scare Berry away.
Berry sighed. "WE SHOULD GET UP AND GET READY FOR THE DAY." He kissed Daemon and went to get up.
Daemon stretched as he sat up. "we can do it tomorrow, if you want? you'll have to help me, i'm no good at it."
"SURE, PUPPY. WE CAN LOOK IN THE COOKBOOK YOU GAVE ME YESTERDAY AND SEE WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE HIM." He was going to leave to go get his bathing stuff and clothes, but stopped. He turned and took Daemon's hand. "PUPPY? ARE YOU OKAY?"
"that sounds great." He was about to go head up to his room too, but paused when Berry took his hand. Gently, he held it in both of his. "i think i'm okay, yeah... i'm just really, really glad you're not hurt."
"I WOULD DESERVE IT. I HURT EVERYONE YESTERDAY. I COULDN'T HELP STRETCH OR THE BABY." He had been doing so good not thinking about it. It was giving the voice fuel. "IF I COULDN'T HAVE HELPED YOU..." He started to cry.
You deserve to be punished.
"no! berry, no, this wasn't your fault." He pulled Berry close and hugged him tightly. "it wasn't. and you helped me so much, and everything turned out okay! nothing is your fault, it's all that wicked queen's fault."
The hated voice berated him more. Berry pressed himself into Daemon's warmth. "HE WAS HURT BECAUSE OF ME. BECAUSE I BAD AND BROKEN, PUPPY." He held up his hand and tried to light his green magic. "I CAN'T HEAL ANYMORE. I HAVEN'T SINCE THE DOCTOR. IF VEX DIDN'T GET THERE..." He shivered.
Useless. Good for only two things
"I COULD HELP YOU AT LEAST." He hugged Daemon tight.
"no, berry, that's not true!" He held on tighter. "you aren't bad. you know you're not bad, you've been saying what ms. candy told you to everyday. you know you're not bad. and even if your healing doesn't work, you're not broken. besides... don't think about 'what if's.' he came. we all came. because we're all a family."
He nodded into Daemon's chest. "I'VE BEEN TRYING REALLY HARD." He wiped his sockets. "I FORGOT TO LAST NIGHT, THOUGH." His family did come, and that made his soul hurt less. He believed in them like Ms. Candy said, and they proved it. 'THEY WON'T LET ME BE TAKEN AGAIN,' he thought. "I LOVE YOU PUPPY." He pulled on the dark orange crop top to get Daemon to lean down and kiss him.
"it's okay, yesterday was hard. you can just say them today and mean it twice as hard." He pet Berry's skull gently. "i love you too." He willingly leaned in to give Berry a little kiss.
Berry kissed him, soft and loving. Daemon always made him feel better. He wanted to make Daemon feel as loved as he himself felt. He didn't want the kiss to end, so this time he did something he’d never done before. He opened his mouth, and his tongue licked hesitantly on Daemon's teeth, waiting for entrance.
Daemon blushed when he realized what Berry was doing. Oh, this was new. But it made his soul beat a little faster, and he willingly parted his teeth to let Berry in. He didn’t dare do anything himself though, not even press his tongue to Berry in return. He didn’t want to pressure his datemate, or make Berry think they had to do anything more than he’d already done.
Berry explored Daemon gently. He knew it was tempting, but Daemon opening and letting him in, and giving Berry control of the encounter was a blessing. It was nothing like the scary violence forced on him by the guards that, with the slightest hint of temptation (or even without it), would rip away his feeling of safety and self-worth. This was the opposite: Calming, loving, safe.
His magic tongue touched his lover's, sending a pleasant tingle through him. It was so different from anything he had felt. The sweet but tangy taste of barbecue sauce with a hint of honey mesquite hidden in the smoky flavor. It overloaded Berry's senses. He felt like he could easily get drunk on it. The familiar magic that was associated with love, safety and family washed away all thought of doubt, pain and the ‘what if,’ leaving only his alpha.
Daemon still didn't much press, more letting Berry explore and take the lead. He held onto his shorter lover, but didn't clutch or squeeze, making sure Berry could pull away as soon as he wanted. His pupils were hazy little hearts as they kissed deeply for the first time, his soul pounding in his chest.
Berry pulled back, cheeks dusted with magic and his eyelights hazy, watching his lover's face. Then he laid his head on Daemon's chest. His body was shivering. He liked that. Daemon liked it too. This was dangerous, close to tempting.
'I thought about hugging, kissing and sleeping with him. But it never leads to temptation, Daemon’s a good alpha,’ he told himself. He wasn't useful to his brother or the baby, yet he could be useful and loved by his datemate by kissing him, holding him.
'They came for me, they want me. I can't tempt Daemon, so this isn't bad, right? It's being useful.' He told himself. He took a deep breath. "DO YOU WANT FOR ME TO KISS YOU LIKE THAT MORE, PUPPY?"
Daemon's eyelights were still hearts as he stroked Berry's side. "only if you want to, honey. it was really great, but i'd never force you."
He gripped Daemon's shirt tight, but nodded, letting the smell and lingering taste of his alpha enthrall his mind. Telling himself he was safe in his powerful arms. It kept the horrible voice at bay. "WE SHOULD ALL GO SEE MS. CANDY TODAY."
"i dunno if we have an appointment, but we can talk to howl about it, yeah." Daemon nuzzled gently. "you go ahead and go shower, okay? i'll meet you in the kitchen." One last gentle kiss before he headed up to his room to get changed.
Berry nodded and relaxed into the familiar chaste kiss. He went to his closet to pick out some clothes before showering.
Daemon headed into the kitchen and saw Howl setting out breakfast. He looked a bit tired, like he didn't sleep very well.
"master?"
Howl looked over as Daemon knelt carefully in front of him, and rubbed under one socket.
"I'M ALRIGHT, PUPPY. I HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE SLEEPING, BUT I WILL BE FINE. DON'T WORRY."
"do you need anything?"
"ONLY COFFEE AND BREAKFAST. THANK YOU."
"okay." He got back up off the floor and sat down at his seat.
Berry came in not too long after. He tried to put on a cheerful smile. "GOOD MORNING,” he said as he entered the room. He saw his shorter datemate looking tired. "HOWL..." He came close to him and asked, "ARE YOU OKAY?"
"GOOD MORNING, BERRY. I AM ALRIGHT, I JUST DIDN'T SLEEP WONDERFULLY." He gestured to breakfast. "WE HAVE A FEW THINGS TO DO TODAY, SO WE WILL NOT BE GOING TO WORK."
Berry nodded, his hand twitching, wanting to comfort Howl. "OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO HOLD HANDS AND TELL US WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY?" He held his hand out. "AND I THINK WE SHOULD SEE MS. CANDY TODAY IF WE CAN."
He looked down at Berry's hand, then carefully laced his own. "PERHAPS LATER TODAY, WE CAN TRY TO HOLD HANDS. BUT YES, I DID MAKE ANOTHER EXTRA APPOINTMENT WITH MS. CANDY ALREADY. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO EAT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE HAVE TO DO. I KNOW IT IS... MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO MAKE YOURSELF EAT IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING."
Dread creeped into his soul, but he tried not to look upset and pulled his hand back. "OKAY, ANGEL." He went to sit at the table, scooting closer to Daemon and holding his hand.
Daemon held his hand and squeezed gently as he started in on his food. It was omelets, with cheese and onions and 'ham.' They each had a slice of toast with butter, as well.
Berry looked at the food. It smelled wonderful. He closed his sockets for a moment, then picked up his fork and ate slowly/ He thought, "I AM GOING TO MAKE HOWL HAPPY. I AM GOING TO EAT THIS."
Daemon ate as well, and Howl sat down to do the same in between gulps of strong black coffee. Breakfast was a quiet affair, but Daemon did occasionally gently encourage Berry and mention how delicious the food was.
Breakfast had never been this quiet. Berry's anxiety was building, and he was having a hard time eating. The apprehensive skeleton played with his food a bit between bites, but he was getting in down. When Daemon asked about the food, he said, "IT'S VERY DELICIOUS. THANK YOU, HOWL."
"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME, BERRY. HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT OMELETS IN COOKING CLASS?" Maybe it was better to have menial talking. He was just trying everything to figure out what worked best. "THE TRICK IS ALL IN HOW LONG YOU WAIT TO FLIP THEM."
A smile pulled at Berry's teeth and he shook his head, "NO WE HAVEN'T LEARNED YET." He settled a bit and ate another bite then asked, "WHEN DO YOU KNOW ITS READY?”
"PERHAPS SOON, THEN." He took another gulp of coffee. "THE COLOR CHANGES, AND YOU CAN TELL THAT IT'S GETTING A BIT SOLID. YOU WANT TO FLIP IT WHEN IT'S GETTING SOLID, BUT NOT QUITE THERE YET."
Berry nodded, eating while Howl talked. He didn't notice he stopped playing with his food. "THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE."
"IT CAN. BUT IT IS SIMPLER THAN SOME OTHER THINGS, NOT TERRIBLY TECHNICAL. YOU MERELY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION."
He smiled happily, "WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN YOUR OMELETS HOWL?" He continued eating, the talking helping distract him a lot. He thought, 'MAYBE TOMORROW DAEMON AND I COULD TRY TO MAKE IT FOR OUR ANGEL?"
"I LIKE WHAT I'VE PUT IN THEM NOW, BUT PROBABLY ALSO PEPPERS. I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD PEPPERS IN YOURS IN CASE IT WAS TOO SPICY."
Berry nodded. "WHICH TYPE OF PEPPERS? THERE ARE LOTS."
"FOR MOST CUISINE SUCH AS THIS, BELL PEPPERS ARE USED. RED, GREEN, YELLOW OR ORANGE, THEY ARE ALL QUITE SIMILAR."
Berry looked down in surprise. His breakfast was almost gone. "I LIKE BELL PEPPERS,” he said with a shy smile.
"DO YOU? MY APOLOGIES FOR ASSUMING, THEN. NEXT TIME, I WILL ADD THEM INTO THE OMELETS, HOW IS THAT?"
"THANK YOU FOR THINKING ABOUT ME. I WOULD LIKE THAT, THEY ARE SWEET AND JUST A SMALL HEAT." He finished the last of his food, smiling. "TOMORROW MAYBE WE CAN MAKE BREAKFAST FOR YOU."
"THEY ARE." He smiled back. "OH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO? THAT IS FINE, KITTEN, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR COOKING."
"i'll help!" Daemon piped up.
"CERTAINLY. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT."
Berry was smiling and kissed Daemon's cheek. He held up his empty plate. "THANK YOU FOR THE HEAVENLY BREAKFAST, ANGEL."
"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME, KITTEN." He smiled. Daemon jumped up to take everyone's plates and clean up. Berry smiled happily back at Howl, then got a towel and dried and put the dishes away. Daemon was grateful for the help. Howl nursed his coffee, and when they were done cleaning up, he pulled out his phone. "I'M AFRAID WE MUST TALK NOW."
Berry nodded, laced his fingers with Daemon's, and followed him back to the table, an ominous feeling creeping back into his soul.
Howl sighed to himself, moving to a news website. "THERE WAS A NEWS REPORT THAT BROKE THIS MORNING ABOUT THE... 'ATTACK' AT THE EMBASSY." He hit play on the video to let them hear the Swap Queen's words to the public.
"The attack on the monster embassy directly resulted from an out-of-control Sully, Blueberry Aster." She showed a picture of him. "Underswap omegas have a defect. They enchant and corrupt other monsters, bend them to their will so they have no choice. Blueberry Aster gave in to his defect long ago. He was given experimental treatments a few years ago. He eventually completed the treatment and was allowed to go home. Unfortunately, it has failed him. He was to return to the treatment program over a week ago, but his return was blocked by Howl Coatl, former captain of the royal guard of Fellswap." A picture of Howl and Daemon from his press conference was shown next.
"I had an order of Judgment on him. My Judge brought him to the embassy when the attack happened. The monster who was enthralled by the Sully then attacked. Not only the embassy, but his own ally." There were pictures of Howl injured with his magic tekko kagi claws out, ready to attack the dragon, Gore still fighting Daemon.
"Monster and human lives have been put in danger by this temptress. The Sully needs to be taken in and given treatment and learn to resist his basic instinct, to keep all of monsterkind safe." She slammed her hand on the podium. "You may have heard Howl's press conference. You heard the lies the Sully told him, but action speaks louder."
A picture of the destruction of the building was shown.
"Blueberry has corrupted Howl and Daemon. He has bent them to his will, made brother turn against brother. He is a Sully and needs to be taken in for training, or committed to permanent care if he cannot show progress with the updated treatments. His being at large and tempting monsters like the dragon is putting everyone at risk."
Daemon watched the pictures come up with dismay, slowly shrinking down in his seat. "master, i'm so sorry," he said, his voice almost a whine. "it's all my fault, she's... she's using me because i lost control... i'm sorry..."
Berry was trembling, his arms wrapped around himself, looking at the floor. Tears were cascaded down his face.
Filthy! Sully! Corrupting everything you touch!
"NO, IT WAS ME... BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME... IT'S HURTING YOU. I'M HURTING YOU." His breathing was becoming shaky. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE BAD. I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT YOU. I LOVE YOU TWO." He was sobbing by the end of the statement.
"NEITHER OF YOU ARE TO BLAME," Howl asserted, standing up and pressing a hand on the table. "THIS IS ALL HER. SEE HOW SHE USES THIS TRAGEDY FOR HER OWN AGENDA TO THE PUBLIC, EVEN AFTER REMOVING THE ORDER IN PRIVATE? DIGGING THROUGH THE SECURITY TAPES TO FIND A GOOD PICTURE OF THE DRAGON ATTACK? SHE IS USING WHAT HAPPENED FOR HER OWN AGENDA EVEN THOUGH SHE KNOWS HER ACTIONS ARE THE CAUSE. POLITICS ARE ALL ABOUT THESE KINDS OF LIES, AND WHO IS MORE CONVINCING. WE MUST SIMPLY COUNTER HER ATTACK. THIS IS NOT NEARLY OVER. I WILL NOT LET HER WIN."
Berry’s sobs quieted to small hiccupy breaths. "H-HOW?" he managed to ask.
"FIRST, WE HAVE THERAPY TO GO TO TODAY." He went to pour himself more coffee. "THEN WE WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE. DAEMON, YOU MUST SPEAK."
Daemon wiped under one eye, holding Berry close, and nodded miserably. "o-okay..."
"BERRY, IF POSSIBLE, YOU SHOULD AS WELL. TELL YOUR STORY. TELL WHAT THE SANITARIUM IS REALLY LIKE."
The smallest skeleton shuddered, and it made his bones rattle loudly, as he thought about the promise he’d made. He would do this, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. He knew he had to. The queen’s press conference had been damning. "I'LL TRY..."
"I REALLY HATE TO PRESSURE YOU, BERRY. I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT. IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY, I WOULD TAKE IT." He came to sit back down. "I CAN HELP YOU WRITE SOMETHING TO READ OFF OF, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ON THE SPOT. AND WE WILL BE THERE."
"YES, PLEASE." Berry took a deep breath of Daemon and squeezed his bandana to smell Howl’s sweet scent, trying to calm himself.
“It’ll be okay...” Daemon was holding on tightly.
Stretch’s ring tone blared from his pocket. He and Daemon both jumped, not expecting it. His brother tried to never be up this early.
Berry took out the phone and answered. "HELLO?"
"Berry, have you seen the news?" Stretch asked carefully. He was scared of how Berry would react to it.
"YES, HOWL JUST SHOWED US." He gripped Daemon tight.
"you're not going back berry. don’t even think about it, kay bro? vex, howl, daemon, red, sans, papyrus and me, we’re all going to work hard to stop it."
Berry looked to Howl and said, "I BELIEVE IN HOWL." He knew he couldn’t tell Stretch details, just in case.
"that’s good, bro. if you need to talk, we’re all here for you."
"THANK YOU, BROTHER. I LOVE YOU, BUT I NEED TO GET READY FOR THE DAY."
Stretch took the dismissal. "love you too, bro."
Berry ended the call. Daemon had listened quietly, nuzzling Berry a little. He purred low, as if trying to comfort them both.
When the phone call ended, Howl grimly drank more of his coffee. "WE SHOULD GET TO MS. CANDY'S CLINIC SOON. DO YOU NEED TO DO ANYTHING BEFORE WE GO?"
Daemon's purring helped his soul settle. He shook his head. "NO."
"VERY WELL." He drank the last of his coffee. "THEN WE'LL GET GOING. PUPPY, THE LEASH."
Daemon nuzzled Berry, then reluctantly got up and fetched the leash. He clipped it to his collar and held out the other end, which Howl took.
Berry came to stand by Daemon and Howl, rocking on his heels and twisting his fingers nervously. Daemon took hold of Berry again and nuzzled him gently with another purr, then ported them to the clinic. At least it was quiet there, the atmosphere always tranquil and welcoming. Berry was given the same paper as always, and Howl and Daemon were each given one too this time, ones with different questions.
Berry was feeling exhausted, sad, and scared. He cuddled into Daemon and didn’t lift his face from him. He was trying so hard to believe in Howl and keep telling himself it would be okay. But the Queen had placed a lot of doubt in him. Everyone knew now what he was. They saw his picture in the press conference. They knew his name. Someone would send him back. Howl and Daemon would try to stop them, and once again, their love would get them hurt because of him. His soul hurt. He whined into Daemon.
Horrible, filthy, good for only two things…
The fear, doubt, and self-loathing had the voice loud today. He didn't look at the receptionist and made quick, sloppy work of the paperwork, then buried face back in the safe scent that was Daemon. He wasn't sure if Ms. Candy would be willing to see him anymore. 'SHE KNEW I WAS SULLY BEFORE,' he told himself, trying to believe she would still accept them after she saw the Queen's speech.
Howl filled out his paper quickly, but seriously, honest with each answer. Daemon took the longest, absently snuggling Berry while he worried over which numbers to circle. But soon, all three papers were in, and they were ushered into Ms. Candy's office. She looked troubled, scanning the papers. As troubled as a stick of licorice with only minimal facial expression could look, anyway.
Berry chanced looking up at her when they came in, then hid his tear-stricken face back in Daemon. He hoped she would help Daemon and Howl, at least. They were not bad. They didn't cause the problem.
Shut up and do as you're told, Sully.
Berry knew he could do that; he had a lot of practice trying to be invisible.
As they all settled in, Ms. Candy put down the papers and knitted her fingers together. "I assume you three saw the press release?"
"YES," Howl said tightly.
She nodded with a frown. "I'm so sorry all of this has happened to you. I admit, this is the most public sort of difficulty I have ever had to help with, and my area of expertise is in no means political... I cannot offer much advice on what to do. Only how to help yourselves cope."
"THAT IS FINE, I EXPECTED NOTHING ELSE."
She nodded, then looked at Berry. "Shall we start with you, Berry? You seem particularly upset. Let's talk about it."
He was shocked to be addressed. He turned his head to look at her. "O-OKAY." He wiped his face, not knowing where to start.
"Why don't we start with what actually happened? The Swap Queen's press release is, I assume, only part of the events of the day."
He nodded. "THE QUEEN ORDERED ME TO BE TAKEN BACK. HOWL STOPPED HER., SO SHE ORDERED MY BROTHER, THE JUDGE, TO TAKE ME IN THE NEXT TIME HE SAW ME." He plastered against Daemon and twisted his fingers painfully. "WE HAD BEEN KEEPING ME AWAY FROM STRETCH. IT'S BEEN VERY HARD ON US BOTH."
He explained what happened on Valentine's day at the party, how he had ruined everything. Being grabbed and taken by his precious little brother, who did not have a choice in the matter. How he had caused Stretch and the baby to get hurt. How he was useless, not being able to heal Stretch or the baby. That when he saw Howl hurt, it hurt him to know he had caused all of this by being a filthy Sully. That maybe the Queen was right, he didn't deserve this, even if he wanted Howl and Daemon so much he didn’t want to be alive without them, he was hurting them in horrible unspeakable ways no one, especially monsters he called his loved ones, deserved. So he ran to the enraged Daemon hoping for the best, but prepared to accept the consequence of being a useless, filthy, worthless Sully.
He also told her how wonderful it felt that they came for him. They kept their promise. That they were willing to still keep him despite all the trouble he had caused. And that made his soul hurt less. He was emotionally exhausted by the end of it.
Daemon held onto him the entire time, purring to try to soothe him. At the end, Ms. Candy surveyed her notes and nodded slowly.
"Well, this is a lot to go through. But it's good you see that they came for you. You know they love you, and I'm sure neither of them blames you. Yes?"
"OF COURSE WE DON'T," Howl asserted.
"nu-uh. it's that queen's fault. and mine, i lost control..."
Daemon's cuddling helped Berry more than he could explain. It kept him from breaking down completely and shutting down. He wiped at his eyelights and gave a weak watery smile. "YES, THEY ARE AMAZING." His smile was genuine when he said that. He meant it with all his heart. He squeezed Daemon and his bandana. "THEY HAVE TOLD ME MANY TIMES THEY STILL LOVE ME AND THAT IT'S NOT MY FAULT. BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL IT IS. THE VOICE MAKES IT HARD TO STOP THE DOUBT."
"IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT EITHER," Howl told Daemon, who looked down.
"So from what I understand, you both have voices." Ms. Candy leaned in a little. "It is important to sort out what is and isn't your fault instead of blindly blaming it on any one person. Berry, you were not quite careful with the plates, tugging the scarf down. This is true."
Before Howl could bristle, she held up her hand and continued.
"However, acknowledge that the order itself was the fault of the queen, and the voice is the fault of Gaster. For right now, regardless of what else is going on, it is important to focus on what you can do. Your attention lapsed, so instead of ridiculing yourself, focus on making sure you are aware in situations which may become dangerous. Be aware of where you step, what you pick up, and who is around. Don't let the voice tell you that you are useless. Instead, focus on how you can make things easier. And recognize that sacrificing yourself does not make it easier, because you know how much they love you."
Reluctantly, Howl nodded.
Berry was quiet for a few moments. "I TRY. I TRY REALLY HARD ALL THE TIME. I WANT TO BE GOOD... USEFUL." He took a deep breath of Daemon and Howl's scents and nuzzled Daemon.
"I know. But often what you try is tied in to what you've been told you're not supposed to do. What they taught you in the Sanitarium. I want you to always be conscious of how different things are out here. Instead of thinking about what they told you is a burden, think about what might put a smile on your family's face. Or, in other words, don't think about what you shouldn't do and struggle not to do it. Instead, think about what you should do and strive for it. Frame it positively, not negatively. For example, you might think 'I shouldn't speak up because I'm a burden.' Instead, I want you to think, 'I should speak honestly because they'll appreciate it.' Or instead of saying 'I shouldn't make a mess,' say, 'I should do a little tidying, I'm sure they'll appreciate it."
Berry nodded, playing with his bandana. "OKAY. I'LL DO MY BEST." His soul was feeling lighter now that he’d gotten a lot of his worry out in the open.
"Good. Now, Daemon, it is not your fault that you have this voice, or that your lover was in peril. But you should have fail-safes, if Howl cannot talk you down."
Daemon nodded slowly, looking down.
"I recommend breathing exercises, and to find ways to occupy your hands or mind when things are stressful. Obviously, you must act quickly in an emergency, so distractions wouldn't have helped then, but breathing exercises might."
"okay..."
Berry nuzzled him and purred. "I'LL HELP YOU WITH THEM, PUPPY."
"okay." He nodded, purring back. "okay, i'll do my best. i wanna be better too."
"Very good." She smiled.
"i should tell you..." He rubbed his arm a little. "i promised i'd say something. i used to, um, hurt myself. with cigarettes."
"Do you still do it?"
"i did it a few days ago. i wanted howl to heal me. that's why i did it, so he'd heal me. but it's not good... i so i need to not do that either."
"Yes, you're right. Hurting yourself hurts him, I imagine."
Howl nodded.
"Have you been asking to hold hands?" she asked.
"not as much, but, um, a few times."
"Alright. Well, it's a start. Remember you can always ask. And if it's the feeling of healing magic that you like, perhaps a comfort object?"
"YOU MEAN LIKE HOW BERRY'S BANDANNA AND DAEMON'S COLLAR HAVE MY INTENT?" Howl mused. "PERHAPS IN SOMETHING ELSE? YES... I THINK I CAN DO THAT."
"you'll make me something else?" Daemon perked up.
"YES. I'LL MAKE YOU BOTH SOMETHING NEW."
"That sounds like a good idea." Candy nodded.
Berry smiled happily and said with a purr still in his voice, "THANK YOU, ANGEL."
"YOU'RE WELCOME."
Candy wrote some more notes. "And what about you, Howl? How are you coping?"
Howl laced his fingers together. "I WILL ADMIT, I AM STRUGGLING. I CANNOT HOLD HANDS AS OFTEN AS BERRY OR DAEMON MIGHT WANT. I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THEM EACH A KISS YESTERDAY MORNING, FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, BUT GIVEN EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON, IT IS NOT ENOUGH."
"It's still progress, Howl, these things take time."
"YES, I KNOW. BUT AT THIS RATE, IT WILL TAKE TOO LONG TO GET AHOLD OF MYSELF. MERELY TRYING TO HOLD HANDS MORE OFTEN IS NOT ENOUGH. I MUST TRY SOMETHING MORE."
Candy hummed quietly. "Well, there are some other techniques to help with haphephobia... Medication is one method. Hypnotherapy is another. Neither are things I can offer, myself, but I can refer you to people who can provide these treatments."
"I ALREADY CONSIDERED MEDICATION AND SET AN APPOINTMENT FOR MYSELF," Howl said with a nod. "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HYPNOTHERAPY."
"Well, it is a method of helping you to relax and then offering suggestions to help you combat your automatic responses. With a few specifically tailored suggestions, you can even teach yourself to do it when necessary. It is much like guided meditation, but it involves magic, if you go to a monster for it."
"HMM, I SEE... THAT IS SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO, THEN."
Berry's was amazed when he heard about that. "MS. CANDY, COULD THAT HELP ME TOO?"
She considered. "It is... possible. But suggestions that go against ones you've already been giving through outside conditioning are more... difficult to do than suggestions that help with an automatic response like haphephobia, or an urge, like, for example, smoking."
"OKAY..." He looked to Howl. "I'M SORRY I INTERRUPTED. I GOT EXCITED.' He had hoped it could help him with nesting. Daemon deserved to sleep on a bed and not the floor.
"It is not a no," she assured. "But I am not sure how well it would work. There is no harm in trying."
Howl nodded slowly. "WE CAN BOTH TRY. I DON'T KNOW WHOM TO GO TO, THOUGH, SO I WILL TRUST YOUR REFERRAL."
"Very well." She flipped to a new page in her notebook, then wrote down a name and number and tore it out to hand over. Howl took it and tucked it into a pocket.
"THANK YOU."
"YES, THANK YOU," Berry said. If it only helped Howl, that was still wonderful. He cuddled into Daemon's warmth.
"You're welcome,” Ms. Candy said. “Is there anything else you would like to go over in today's session?"
Howl considered, looking over at Berry.
Berry nodded. "I HAVE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT. ONE IS I'M SCARED OF NESTING. AT THE SANATORIUM I WAS GIVEN CORRECTIONS FOR EVEN TOUCHING A NEST. BEDS ARE THE SAME AS NESTING. SOFT. COMFY. THEY LEAD TO TEMPING IF SHARED." His old breaks ached just thinking about it. He rubbed his arms, trying to soothe the phantom pain. "I SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. IT'S NOT FAIR TO DAEMON TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR WITH ME WHEN WE LAY TOGETHER, BUT I CAN'T SLEEP IN ONE.” He shivered. “HOW CAN I WORK ON IT?"
Candy considered that, tapping her fingers together. "Well, are you able to touch a bed even a little right now? Or can you not bear to even brush against it?"
"WHEN I'M ALONE. I SLEEP UNDER IT," Berry admitted. "IT HELPS CALM MY OMEGA INSTINCTS TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE COMFORTER. BUT AFTER A FEW PETS, LESSONS COME FLOODING BACK. IT MAKES MY BONES ACHE WHERE THEY HAVE HEALED BACK TOGETHER."
"So you feel physical pain when you touch it too much? Have you considered having someone give you green magic while you touch it?"
"I DO." Berry shook his head. "THE BREAKS HAVE HEALED, SO NO."
"It might be worth it to try. Green magic and healing intent are not just used to heal obvious breaks. The intent behind the magic may help ease pain in general. You may also consider trying to make a nest on the floor for Daemon, and get used to him being in one, even if you are not in one yourself? Then you can slowly touch it more over time."
He thought about that. "OKAY. WILL YOU HELP ME WITH THAT PUPPY?"
"yeah. i can do both those things." Daemon smiled, seemingly calmed down from talking about his own issues. "i don't mind sleeping on the floor much, but i want you to be able to be comfy."
Berry nuzzled him. "THANK YOU." He looked at Ms. Candy. "THE SECOND THING IS MAGIC. MINE HASN'T WORK SINCE THE SANITARIUM. THEY HAD SUPPRESSED IT AND I LEARNED NOT TO USE IT. I HAVEN'T BE ABLE TO USE GREEN MAGIC SINCE THEN. I WANT ACCESS TO MY MAGIC."
He held up his control hand and it flickered green, but wouldn't stay lit. "DO YOU THINK YOU CAN HELP WITH THAT?"
"Hmm, I am not sure..." She wrote that down as well. "It may not be psychological, it may be physical. If you really want to do it, and you have all the intent, but you still cannot, I do not know why that may be."
He nodded in acceptance and took a deep breath of Daemon's safe scent. Deep breaths in and out. "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, MS. CANDY."
"You're welcome. I cannot solve all of your problems, but I do hope these sessions help you ground yourselves and look towards making progress. Even with everything else going on, you are all getting better, and you should be proud."
Berry smiled at her words. She smiled back at him. "Good luck with your retaliation, too. I'll see you in about a week."
Howl stood and nodded to her, then led the way out, taking the leash. Daemon followed, still snuggling Berry.
Berry was feeling a lot better, but hid his face in Daemon's shoulder, not wanting anyone in the waiting room to recognize him.
They ported back home without stepping outside. Once there, Howl looked at the referral he was given, pulling out his phone. "I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IMMEDIATELY."
Berry looked up after feeling the familiar pull of the port. He looked over to Howl. "ALRIGHT, ANGEL. COULD WE MAYBE SIT TOGETHER AFTERWARDS? MAYBE KNIT AND RELAX A BIT AND WATCH SOME FOOD NETWORK?"
"WE CAN FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THEN I MUST PREPARE FOR A NEW PRESS CONFERENCE," he warned. "AND IF POSSIBLE, YOU SHOULD WRITE A SPEECH. THE SOONER WE COMBAT HER LIES, THE BETTER."
He didn't want to do it. He thought of his promise. 'HOWL AND DAEMON ARE HERE NOW. MY FAMILY IS HERE TOO.' The scared monster fingered his collar. He remembered that it proved Howl believed in him. He told himself, 'I WILL BE BRAVE.' He nodded to his angel, courage blooming within him due to Howl's bravery. "I'LL START IT AFTER OUR BREAK."
"ALRIGHT, GOOD. I'M PROUD OF YOU." He called up the number he was given and wandered off to set up an appointment.
Daemon nuzzled again before letting go. "m'gonna have a smoke, berry. i'll be just outside."
Berry nodded. He went to the couch and looked at his hand. He tried to light his green magic and sighed. He tried not to think about it. 'FOCUS ON THINGS YOU CAN DO. MAKE THEM POSITIVE,’ he told himself. He thought about his file; maybe it said something? He pulled out his phone and called Red.
The phone was picked up after three long rings, with Red sounding semi-distracted on the other end. "yeah, berry, what's up?"
"HI, RED." Berry reminded himself he was not being a burden by asking for help, even if Red seemed busy. He had his paper due soon, but... Berry squeezed his bandana and asked, "DO YOU HAVE TIME TO TALK?"
"aw, for you, bro-in-law? always." Red focused in to the conversation more. "what's on your mind?"
Berry stilled himself. It had already been a hard morning, but after not being able to help Stretch or Pucci, he wanted to know if there was a way to get it back. He didn’t want to be useless to them again. "I WAS WONDERING... WHEN YOU READ MY FILE, DID SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BLOCKING OR DAMAGING MY MAGIC?"
"oh." His voice turned serious. "well, there was nothing in particular about voluntary magic output. it didn't look like they were testing for it. but your flow seemed a little abnormal. why?"
Berry explained about his magic. How it hadn't worked since he left the Sanitarium, but he didn’t want to bother anyone about it or see a doctor. But after Stretch got hurt and almost lost Pucci, he felt useless. "I DON'T WANT TO SIT BY AND WATCH MY LOVES DIE. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP. I ASKED MS.CANDY ABOUT IT AND SHE SAID INTENT IS NOT THE PROBLEM."
Red hummed to himself. "i'm not sure exactly why... it could be gaster's influence... you also got a lot of broken bones, it might disrupt the mana lines... i'd have to take a sample to be sure."
His bones rattled at the idea of a sample. A holepunch sample was the doctor's favorite. "HOW WOULD YOU TAKE THE SAMPLE?"
"eh, a needle, probably. but if you really can't stand doing it that way, then, ah... your spit might do."
"I’D RATHER DO THE SPIT, BUT IF YOU NEED TO USE A NEEDLE..." He gripped the phone tight. He didn't want to be useless to his family again. "I'LL DO IT."
"it just might be a cleaner sample that way. if i could get it from a joint, and even near your soul, it could tell me more about if it's, ah, area-specific."
Berry sighed and placed his hand over the hole in his chest. At least Red would have easy access. "CAN HOWL OR DAEMON HOLD MY HAND DURING IT?"
"sure they can, blueberry bagel. don't wantcha scared or anything. i get it, i'm kinda nervous around medical stuff too, when i'm the one needing it."
"OKAY THEN. I HAVE TO ASK HOWL WHEN WE CAN DO IT."
"yeah. just lemme know when. late afternoon some day's probably best. after school but before work."
"OKAY. THANK YOU, RED."
"you're welcome. just text me to let me know, ok? you need anything else?"
He pulled his knees up to his chest. "DID YOU SEE THE NEWS?"
He paused for a moment. "ehhh... yeah, i did... i, uh, assume howl's gonna do somethin' about it?"
"YEAH. WHERE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER PRESS CONFERENCE. I'M GOING... TO..." he took a deep breath. "TELL MY STORY."
"yeah?" He sounded cautiously hopeful. "alright. i believe in ya, berry. i'm sure you'll do great. i'll watch and cheer ya on from where i'm at."
"THANK YOU, BROTHER. THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME."
He grinned. "yeah, no worries. alright, i gotta go, i'm uh... i'm doin' somethin'. but text me, ok?"
"OKAY. I WILL. STAY SAFE."
"bye."
They each hung up. Howl came back into the room right about then, putting his cell phone away. "WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK."
"OKAY." Berry squeezed his bandana. "I CALLED AND ASKED RED IF HE SAW ANYTHING IN MY FILE ABOUT MY MAGIC. HE SAID HE’S NOT SURE, BUT HE CAN RUN SOME TESTS." He shivered and huddled down, trying to look small. "I JUST NEED TO TEXT HIM WITH A TIME AND DATE YOU’RE FREE. AFTER HIS SCHOOL BUT BEFORE WORK."
"OH, WELL, NOT TODAY, WE HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO. SUNDAY, PERHAPS, SINCE SATURDAY IS GAME NIGHT.”
Berry nodded. "I'LL TEXT HIM ABOUT IT." He reached for the remote and handed it to Howl, offering a weak smile. "IF YOU WANT TO PICK SOMETHING. I'LL GO GET OUR KNITTING."
"OH, I HAVE MINE HERE." He pulled it out of a bag he'd grabbed while upstairs. "BUT YES, YOU GO GET YOURS." He took the remote and turned on the Food Network channel, of course.
Berry ran off to his room and got his new project: A blanket. He wasn’t sure who he would give it to yet. But it would take a while to make, anyway. He came back out and sat with his datemate. They’d all had a very hard morning. "HOWL, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I TELL YOU THIS ENOUGH, I LOVE YOU. YOU'RE SO BRAVE AND KIND. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND FOR LOVING ME."
Howl settled in with his knitting. Berry's words made him look up. His soul warmed a little, and a rare smile came upon his face. "THANK YOU, BERRY. I LOVE YOU TOO. YOU DON'T NEED TO THANK ME FOR THAT, THOUGH. I'M THRILLED TO HELP YOU."
Berry's soul fluttered happily when Howl smiled at him. He settled in and knitted. Daemon came back in from smoking looking calmer and snuggled up to Berry.
They relaxed until Howl made a quick lunch, and afterwards, Howl set about writing his speech.
"BERRY, DO YOU WANT TO WRITE YOUR OWN AND HAVE ME LOOK OVER IT, OR DO YOU NEED ME TO WRITE IT?"
Berry squeezed his kitting. "I CAN TRY, BUT WHAT SHOULD I SAY? IS IT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SANITARIUM? "
"YES. BUT ALSO WHAT HAPPENED THAT YOU WERE SENT THERE, IF YOU CAN. THE WHOLE STORY, STARTING FROM THAT FIRST HEAT. SUMMARIZED, OF COURSE."
He shivered and nodded. "OKAY. WHERE DO I STOP? WHEN I WAS SAVED BY STRETCH?"
"YOU CAN SUMMARIZE A LITTLE OF AFTER, TOO. HOW YOU THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD TREAT YOU. HOW YOU WERE SCARED TO GET HELP OR TELL ANYONE. HOW WE ARE YOUR FAMILY NOW."
"OKAY." Berry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His voice was soft as he asked, "DAEMON, CAN WE SIT TOGETHER WHILE I WRITE IT?"
"yeah, berry, of course. i can help too, if ya want." He nuzzled.
Berry nodded. "THAT WOULD BE NICE." He went and got some paper. When he came back he had the end of his mechanical pencil between his teeth and Daemon's blanket. He laid the blanket down and made it into a nest shape. His hands trembled and bones ached with phantom pains. "LET’S MAKE YOU A COMFY PLACE." It wasn't much of a nest, just a fluffy blanket bunched up. But it was the closest he had come to trying to make one in a long time.
Daemon watched, a little troubled. "you don't have to push yourself, berry... not if it hurts. i'll be okay."
He was shaking, pulled his arms around himself, rubbing the aches. His voice was still soft. "I JUST... WANT TO GET BETTER FOR YOU ALL." He knew he was pushing himself with everything today, but he wanted to be useful. He crawled into Daemon's lap. "I'M SORRY. I'LL TRY TO CALM DOWN AND TAKE IT SLOWER."
"i know you do, berry, i know. but i don't want you to hurt yourself." He held on tight. "that'll only make me sad."
"OKAY PUPPY." Berry cuddled his love. He rubbed the aches some more and let Daemon's scent help calm his mind and the voice. Once his shaking stopped, he relaxed a bit. "I LOVE YOU, PUPPY."
Daemon rubbed at the aches too, pressing in green healing magic. "i love you too. i don't want you to hurt... i want you to feel good and warm..."
Berry purred as the green magic dulled the pain. "YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, MY PUPPY." He reached up and touched Daemon's face. "YOU'RE WARM AND LOVING." He leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss.
"i'm glad." He kept up the green magic as he returned the sweet kiss. "that's all i want."
When the kiss ended, Berry rested on his powerful alpha for a bit. Once he was feeling a bit more centered and calm, he said, "I SHOULD GET STARTED."
Daemon nodded, nuzzling gently. "yeah, you go ahead. i'm here to help when you need it."
Berry grabbed the mechanical pencil and papers and grabbed a random book to write on before crawling back into Daemon's lap.
He started with an introduction: His name and a comment that he was a Sully. That made him frown. He had been saying for a while that Sully was a made up word. To write it felt wrong after all the work he put in to try to believe that he wasn't. It felt wrong. He added, ‘according to Underswap laws.’ That felt a little better. He paused before writing the next part. He took a deep breath of Daemon's lovely smoky scent.
Daemon watched and nuzzled gently. "you're doing great," he whispered.
"THANK YOU, LOVE."
With a shaky hand, Berry wrote about his first heat. How he felt when the guards didn't stop it and joined in. How he begged to be given a chance. That he had learned his lesson; he would lock himself away until it was over. But they took him to a lone cell and locked him away until the Judge could see him. He admitted his crimes of ignorance. Because of this, his time in stripes was cut brutally short. They sent him to the Sanitarium. His broken family was shattered again.
He put the papers down. They were spotted in tears. He cuddled into Daemon. "I NEED A BREAK."
Daemon held on to him, soft and warm, petting him gently. "it's okay. you're doing so good. you can take a little break."
Berry listened to Daemon's soul beat strong and sturdy, letting the warmth and gentle petting ease the ache in his own soul.
Daemon was happy to dote on him and kiss him. "you don't have to go into details if you don't wanna. i mean, it shouldn't be super long anyway, right? just do what you can, and that'll be enough."
Berry nodded. When his tears stopped, he went to the paper again.
He wrote about the treatments. Having the lines of the mantra beaten into him. How the Sullies were made to feel unsafe and violated at the will of the guards, all to make them infertile. That Sully were beaten to their last HP, bones broken, electrocuted for trying to touch a nest. He told of all the monsters whom he saw fall, that their dust was tossed in trash and taken away. A few lucky ones were claimed by their families, but he didn't have any adult family, so he had been kept. To earn his unwanted room and board, Berry was forced into being a test subject. The doctor used him for private experiments. Ripped apart his bones, leaving a hole over his soul for easy access. He almost melted before being claimed by his now adult brother. Monsters are made of dust, magic, and hope. The Queen’s program destroyed his hope, broke his magic, and left him wanting to dust.
But his family had picked up the pieces of his shattered soul and had gently been piecing him back together.
Daemon gently coached him on what parts he should skim over and what parts to go into a bit of detail on. He kept petting and snuggling. Berry listened and made the edits, Daemon’s strength and guidance helping from falling apart as he wrote.
Eventually, Howl came back out of his office, his own speech in hand. "HOW IS IT GOING, BERRY?"
Berry wiped at his sockets. "I THINK IT'S READY FOR YOU TO EDIT IT." He held out the papers.
"VERY WELL, I WILL DO SO." He took the papers. "I'LL TYPE THEM TO MAKE IT EASIER." He reached out to briefly squeeze Berry's hand, then took the papers back into his office.
Daemon snuggled Berry again. "you did so good."
Berry's soul fluttered when Howl squeezed his hand. "THANK YOU, LOVE." The contact ended too soon, and Berry curled into Daemon's warmth. "I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU." He nuzzled his chest. "CAN WE SLEEP TOGETHER TONIGHT, PUPPY?"
"aw, i'm sure you could've. but that's ok, you don't gotta do anything like that without me." He kissed Berry's skull gently. "yeah, we can, if that's what you want."
"I WANT TO. I LOVE SLEEPING WITH YOU." Berry purred. "IT MAKES BOTH OF US FEEL GOOD," he said happily. "I JUST WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR."
"honestly, berry, i keep telling you, i don't mind." Daemon shrugged. "i kneel on the floor sometimes instead of sitting on the couch, when i'm playing good puppy for howl. and i've slept in trash before. the floor is fine. it's carpet, and there's a blanket, so it’s soft enough. and you're there, which is the most important part."
Berry was sad to hear that Daemon had slept in the trash. He knew how that was. "IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL TRY NOT TO WORRY SO MUCH." It was hard. The smaller skeleton would try not to bring it up again. "BUT YOU DESERVE BETTER. YOU AND HOWL DESERVE ONLY THE BEST."
"i really, really don't mind. i'm ok with a lot of things. i just wanna sleep cuddled up to you, and i don't want you hurting. that's the last thing i want, ever. it hurts me when you hurt... like, physically, it hurts me. does that make sense?"
Berry nodded. "YEAH." he purred a little louder, wanting Daemon to be happy.
"okay." He purred back, gently petting again. They relaxed together while they waited for Howl to finish his editing.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry and Daemon consider making breakfast for Howl, but it must be the next day because Howl gets up early. They kiss, with tongue for the first time, and comfort each other about the events of the previous day. Howl is very tired when they reach the kitchen, and both of them express concern. He tells them they have a therapy session and more bad news, but it should wait until after breakfast. They chat a bit in an attempt to keep Berry relaxed enough to finish his food, and Howl agrees to let them make him breakfast the next day. After they eat, he plays a news video, showing the Swap Queen claiming that Berry had enchanted Daemon with magic to make him go berserk and destroy the embassy, even hurting his own brother. Daemon is extremely upset, and he and Berry both blame themselves. Howl insists it is her fault, and states they will all hold another press conference, and Berry should speak. Berry is nervous, but agrees, and Howl offers to help him write a speech beforehand to make it easier. They go to therapy, where Ms. Candy assures them that they are not to blame and talks Berry through feeling useless, Daemon through alternative to self-harm and how to keep himself calm in stressful situations, and Howl through seeing a psychiatrist and hypnotherapist to speed his fight against his haphephobia. Berry decides to also try hypnotherapy to help himself be able to touch nests, because he feels bad Daemon sleeps on the floor. When they return home, they relax for a bit. Berry calls Red and asks him to find out why he can't use green magic, and Red says he needs samples of Berry's magic, which they agree to do that Sunday. After some more relaxing, Howl goes off to write his speech, and Berry writes his own, with Daemon holding him and helping him write. Howl takes it to edit, and Daemon again assures Berry he doesn't mind sleeping on the floor, because he doesn't want Berry in pain.
Chapter 19: A Weaker Sense and No Constraint, Now My True Self Shows
Summary:
In which Daemon is a good boy and Cat is a bit of a menace.
Notes:
Hello everyone! Thank you all for the kudos and comments!
I hope you all love the chapter. Let us know in the comments we love to talk with you!Also if you have read the kustard side story you should it supper cute and funny!
Sticky Sexcapades
Summary:
Red and Sans try to have a grand ol' time with some lube andhttps://archiveofourown.org/works/29255655
Chapter tags: politics, public speaking, crossdressing, mild eating disorder troubles, talk of child combat training, allusion to previous sexual assault, talk of child experimentation
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After about a half hour, Howl came back out with some papers.
"I'VE EDITED YOUR SPEECH AND TYPED IT ALL UP SO IT LOOKS NICE AND NEAT. PLEASE LOOK IT OVER AND SEE IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING." He handed them over. A few parts had been condensed, summarized more efficiently. Likewise, a few statements were expanded upon a little, namely the ones about his emotions.
Berry read it. "IT'S GOOD." He wiped at his sockets and handed it back. "WHEN ARE WE DOING IT?"
"YOU KEEP IT." Howl pushed it back. "A FEW HOURS FROM NOW. WE CAN HAVE DINNER, BUT ALSO, YOU MAY WANT TO PRACTICE READING IT ALOUD TO HELP YOUR NERVES."
The magic drained from Berry, leaving him pale. He felt dizzy and a little in shock. He pulled the papers close. "I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A WHILE TO SETUP A PRESS CONFERENCE."
"NO, NO. THE SOONER THE BETTER, THAT'S WHY WE WROTE THESE IMMEDIATELY. I AM SORRY, BERRY. I KNOW IT'S SHORT NOTICE. BUT WE CAN'T JUST LET HER SLANDER GO UNCHECKED." He shook his head. "IT'S DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE HAD PICTURES OF US."
Berry whined but nodded. He really thought he’d have more time.
"I'M TRULY SORRY."
"it'll be okay, berry. we'll both be there,” Daemon said. Berry nodded, hiding in Daemon. He would do it. He had to, but he didn't have to like it. Daemon rubbed him and kept purring.
"DO YOU WANT DINNER SOONER OR LATER?"
"LATER, PLEASE." Berry didn't think he was going to eat much. He wanted to put it off disappointing them.
"ALRIGHT. YOU RELAX FOR A BIT, BUT IF YOU CAN, TRY TO PRACTICE? I'M SURE IT WILL HELP."
"ALRIGHT," he said weakly. He breathed in the sweet smokiness of Daemon. Once he felt more centered, he pulled the papers up and practiced. Daemon stayed there with him, purring, offering comfort, being his audience. Howl listened for a while too, despite looking uncomfortable at some details.
Berry wanted to do his best for his datemates even though his hands were shaking, but he knew he wouldn't make it through the speech without physical support, so he asked, "IS DAEMON GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD ME... OR AT LEAST MY HAND?" He really wanted both of them to, but Howl would be busy running it.
"of course i can hold your hand!"
"YES, THAT SHOULD BE FINE."
Berry settled a bit, feeling a bit better. He practiced a few more times.
Eventually, Howl made dinner. Nothing too fancy, since they were so busy, but it still tasted yummy. Neither one of them seriously pushed Berry to eat, though. It was not the best time to force him.
Berry picked at the food and was so glad they didn't pressure him about it. He did end up eating half the meal. Afterwards, he took a shower and put on fresh clothes. He made sure there were no wrinkles in them. He donned the gloves that Howl gave him on Valentine's day. He didn't want to get them dirty, but he wanted that extra layer of protection. Howl's wonderful love and protectiveness encasing him. Berry squeezed his hands, feeling the wonderful softness, loving intent, and sweet grape sent. He straightened his bandana before picking up his speech and going out to meet them in the living room.
Howl had gotten dressed up in his armor, and even Daemon was dressed nicer. Daemon was on his leash, which Howl had ahold of. Daemon held out his hand for Berry with a smile. Berry couldn't help but smile back at his datemate and took his hand.
"READY?” Howl asked. “LET'S GO."
Daemon ported them. They arrived inside an office in the embassy, where some cameramen and reporters were setting up.
"DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE OR AFTER ME, BERRY?" Howl asked.
"BEFORE?" He just wanted to get this over with before he gave in to the building nervousness.
"VERY WELL." He nodded. Some directors came over and looked over their appearances, and gave a few quick tips on how to stand and where to look. Reporters were all settling in, human and monster alike. There were whispers, but several people looked friendly, and some even approached Howl and saluted him, giving reports on the setup.
Berry scooted over into his datemates more and asked shakily, "AM I GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS?"
"NO, BERRY, I WILL BE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS," he assured. "UNLESS YOU WANT TO, THAT IS."
He quickly shook his head and said, "NO."
"THAT'S FINE, KITTEN. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT."
"master is used to public speaking, he'll make sure everything goes well," Daemon assured.
Berry nodded and squeezed his bandana, giving an unsure smile to Howl. He really wanted to be held, but he didn't want to wrinkle their clothes right before they went on TV. Daemon kept hold of his hand, soothing his nerves.
"Ready, Captain?" one cameraman asked. Howl smoothed out his clothes one more time.
"YES. I WILL DO A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, AND THEN BERRY WILL SPEAK, THEN MYSELF AND DAEMON."
"Yes sir! Cameras rolling in one minute!"
Everyone hurriedly got into place.
Berry had a death grip on Damon. His papers in his other hand were being crushed. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. He was about to tell everyone. Perfect strangers about what happened to him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. The voice was getting louder. He stepped closer to Daemon to breathe in his smoky scent, trying to quiet it.
Daemon held onto him and smoothed out the papers as best he could. "breathe, berry. i'm here." He purred under his breath. "it's okay."
The cameraman counted off while Howl stood in front of the podium, then pointed when they went live. Howl was all properness, one hand on the podium, as if he wasn't secretly standing on a step-stool to be tall enough.
"GREETINGS, CITIZENS OF EBOTT CITY. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU SAW THE PRESS RELEASE HER MAJESTY SWAP QUEEN TORIEL SPOKE IN EARLY THIS MORNING. LIKEWISE, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE EMBASSY DURING THE MISHAP LAST NIGHT. WE ARE HERE TO CORRECT THE BLATANT LIES TOLD BY HER MAJESTY, AND OFFER YOU THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE SO-CALLED SULLY IN THE SWAP KINGDOM. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ASSUMPTIONS THROWN ABOUT, AND MANY MISCOMMUNICATIONS. I PROPOSE YOU LISTEN TO A STORY COMING FROM INSIDE THE SITUATION ITSELF. THE TRUE EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE SANITARIUM."
He then stepped back and beckoned Berry.
Berry’s sockets were large, like an owl’s. He didn’t take a step until Daemon squeezed his hand. Then he stepped on up to the podium, just a bit shorter than Howl, Daemon at his side. He put the papers on the stand. "...Umm. Hello?" The mic made a loud feedback and he flinched and swallowed thickly. Daemon gave his hand another squeeze. "My name is..." All the eyes and the cameras were looking at him. He was so nervous that he forgot his own name. "Berry." He looked at the paper. "Um, Blueberry Aster."
He glued his eyes to the paper and started reading.
Everyone was quiet as he read his speech, the reporters all enraptured with their tape recorders and notebooks. But there were, occasionally, gasps and murmurs.
Daemon’s closeness helped. Berry squeezed his hand back. When he finished, he had tears glistening in his sockets. He wiped at his eyes and stepped down.
Daemon gave him a brief hug as he stepped down. The crowd of reporters was speechless as Howl stepped back up to the podium.
"SO NOW YOU KNOW THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENS TO OMEGA IN SWAP CULTURE. CAN ANY OF YOU HONESTLY BLAME SOMEONE BARELY OUT OF STRIPES FOR NATURAL HEAT PHEROMONES? THIS ASSERTION THAT THEY BEWITCH WITH THEIR SCENTS IS UNFOUNDED. REGARDING THE INCIDENT LAST NIGHT, THE QUEEN WAS PARTIALLY CORRECT. THE COMMAND SHE GAVE HER JUDGE - WHO WAS HEAVILY PREGNANT AT THE TIME, I MIGHT ADD - FORCED HIM TO TAKE BERRY HERE. THE STRESS AND SITUATION DID CAUSE AN ALTERCATION. ANYONE FROM FELLSWAP ALREADY KNOWS A BIT ABOUT DAEMON'S POWERS."
Daemon looked down, gripping Berry a little more.
"BUT PUT YOURSELF IN MY BROTHER’S SHOES! BERRY HAS NOT TEMPTED US EVILLY, HE IS MERELY A SWEET, CARING OMEGA WITH A BRIGHT SMILE AND PLENTY OF LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY. OF COURSE WE FEEL ATTACHED. ASK YOURSELF, IF SOMEONE DIRECTED THE KIDNAPPING OF YOUR MATE, RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE, HURTING BYSTANDERS IN THE PROCESS, WOULD YOU NOT BE UPSET? WOULD YOU NOT BE ANGRY? IS THAT SO UNBELIEVABLE, IF THE ALTERNATIVE CLAIM IS BEWITCHING MAGIC STIRRING UP A CRAZE? THIS IS CLEARLY VICTIM-BLAMING, AND I HAVE A DUTY NOT JUST TO MY FAMILY BUT TO JUSTICE AND SOCIETY TO PUT A STOP TO IT. WE ARE ON THE SURFACE NOW, ALL OF US. DO NOT LET PROPAGANDA DECIDE FOR YOU. REMEMBER WE ARE FREE, OUR LIVES ARE BETTER. WE MONSTERS ARE MADE OF LOVE, HOPE, AND COMPASSION. PERHAPS IT IS TIME EVERYONE REMEMBER THEIR COMPASSION."
He paused for a moment, turning the last page of his notes.
"I WILL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS."
There was a flurry of hands and calls to him.
Berry blushed when Howl described him. At the closing of Howl's speech, he felt so proud of him. Howl was so strong and brave. He leaned on Daemon. The sudden noise scared him as he remembered they were there.
Howl answered some questions, mostly details about what happened at the embassy. A few were about his relationship with Berry, which he was semi-open about, providing harmless details but not going into anything private. Eventually, someone called out a question towards Daemon.
"Can you turn into a dragon and prove you're not normally dangerous?"
Daemon looked surprised, then nervous.
"um..."
He glanced at Howl, who gave him a grim look, then stepped forward. Howl stepped down and moved back, allowing Daemon to be front and center. He didn’t need the step stool, so he stood behind it and leaned in to reach the mic. He wasn’t as nervous as Berry was behind the mic, but he didn’t have the same confident ease as Howl, either. This wasn’t his first time, but he usually left it to his brother.
“if you must know… the transformation isn’t usually voluntary. i could do it if i wanted to, but i wouldn’t really have control even if i did it on purpose. it…”
He gripped the podium, took a deep breath, then went on.
“i’ve done it before, underground, multiple times. the picture the swap queen showed, of my brother injured by me… that wasn’t a very serious injury, and he doesn’t hold it against me. when i am in that form, it’s hard for me to recognize him as my brother. the dragon is angry, always angry, and feels superior, so it doesn’t like to listen. but, usually, because i don’t want to be the dragon, because i want to be good, i can control it. howl is my master, my collar owner.”
He tugged his collar, showing it off.
“in, in our culture, it means something good. it means he is responsible for me, and i respect him, and let him guide me. as an alpha, my instincts are to be the one in charge, but alpha aggression could cause problems. it is because he is an omega, because he is level-headed and focused on family and equality and prosperity, that he can better take charge. i am really very proud to be in his collar. and i feel bad i hurt him, but it wasn’t because of berry. it wasn’t because berry told me to do something like that - he never did! it was only because the dragon never wants to listen. to anybody. my father was a bad man, and he gave me this problem, i never wanted it. i’m a good boy. i promise. and howl is a good omega, and a good master, and berry is a good omega too. i, i love him! so… wouldn’t you be angry, too? if your lover was taken away from you? right in front of you? it wasn’t fair, i couldn’t stop him from being taken away, so i got angry. it was bad the dragon got out, but i’m good, and my feelings for berry are good! and…”
He gripped the podium even tighter again, glancing back at Berry.
“and tempting isn’t real. because berry could give of his scent all he wanted, or bare his neck, or, or do any of those things you call tempting, and i would still only do what he says is okay, because i respect him and don’t want to hurt him! he can’t tempt me because i know it’s wrong to touch someone who doesn’t want it. anyone who doesn’t know that… anyone who says they can’t help themselves, they’re just…”
He stopped himself abruptly, loosening his grip, then looked back at the cameras.
“the swap queen doesn’t know us. she doesn’t know me, or my master, or even berry. she doesn’t know that all we’re doing is living together, being happy together, watching tv together, eating good food and playing games sometimes and trying to recover from bad things that happened to us. we’re normal. we’re just like anyone else. i’ll help rebuild the embassy. i’ll apologize to everyone i scared. i’ll do better at keeping the dragon inside. but i was never bewitched, a-and i won’t let her tell everyone that i am bad, or that berry is bad! so… that’s all…”
Daemon stepped back away and hid his face in Berry a little. Berry hugged Daemon reassuringly and rubbed his datemates back and whispered, "YOU ARE SO GOOD. YOU ARE WONDERFUL."
“thank you, berry,” he whispered back, relaxing and purring a little.
Howl nodded in approval, pleased, and returned to the podium.
“NOW, PLEASE DIRECT THE REST OF YOUR QUESTIONS TO ME. YES, YOU NEXT, YOU MAY SPEAK.”
The questions went on, and a few people got pushy trying to ask Berry or Daemon. But Howl kept reminding them to ask him and repeating himself if necessary. But finally, after a while, he held up a hand to stop more calls.
"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH. IT IS GETTING LATE, AND THE QUESTIONS ARE GETTING VERY PERSONAL. I WILL END THIS HERE WITH ONE LAST STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD. TO ALL SWAP MONSTERS, I BEG YOU TO WATCH THIS OVER AGAIN, TO LISTEN TO THE STORY OF YOUR FELLOW CITIZEN. TO ALL OTHER MONSTERS AND HUMANS, I BEG YOU TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THIS LAW. AND TO ALL OTHERS CALLED 'SULLY,' WATCHING AND SCARED TO SPEAK UP, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRY. THE MORE VICTIMS SPEAK UP, THE MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU. IF YOU FEAR FOR REPERCUSSIONS, KNOW THAT I WILL PROTECT YOU. LET US END THIS HORRIBLE LAW TOGETHER AND STOP THE TERRORIZING OF INNOCENT OMEGAS. THANK YOU."
He stepped back and there was applause. An anchor spoke for a minute or two, and then the cameras cut off.
Berry held on to Daemon, Amazed that Howl had encouraged others to get help and offered to protect them too. It made his soul warm and happy. Howl was the best omega. He wanted to reach for him to hug him. He hugged Daemon tighter to stop himself.
Someone came up and praised Howl for doing well, saluting. Howl thanked him graciously, then returned to his lovers.
"LET'S GO HOME."
"yes, master." Daemon ported them back, then let out his breath slow. "we did it."
"WE DID?" WE DID." Berry said with a little relieved giggle. "YOU BOTH WERE MAGNIFICENT, BUT NOW WHAT DO WE DO?"
"NOW WE RELAX. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, BERRY." Howl unclipped the leash and folded it up, then turned to Berry to offer him a smile. "YOU DID VERY WELL."
Berry blushed. "THANK YOU ANGEL. BUT YOU WERE MAGNIFICENT."
"AH, OF COURSE," he said, waving a hand. "I DID AMAZING, AS ALWAYS. BUT I AM USED TO IT. YOU ARE NOT. SO YOU WERE VERY BRAVE."
"THANK YOU." Berry's skull was bright blue and a small smile was on his face. "MAY WE RELAX AND HOLD HANDS, LOVE?"
"YES, I WOULD LOVE TO." He settled on the couch and pulled off a glove, then turned on the TV to something good for a positive stimulus.
He turned to Daemon. "YOU WERE REALLY BRAVE TOO, DAEMON. YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD ALPHA." Berry's soul was doing flip flops. "ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF US ALL AND RESPECTING US." He kissed Daemon. "THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU."
Daemon’s pupils turned into little hearts, and he gently kissed back. “you make me feel brave, both of you. thanks for being there. we all did really good. let’s relax, okay?”
They spent the rest of the evening relaxing and recovering from the attention.
Everyone took a few days off to settle down. The baby, Pucci (which was pronounced Puchi), was the star of everyone's attention. Stretch and Vex had received many presents, flowers, and congratulations cards. Of course, there were some get-well cards and gifts as well.
Vex posted a few pictures of Pucci online, so others could see the splendor that was their child and not have to disturb Stretch and the baby with visits just yet. The only exception was his family. They were all going over today, Saturday.
Berry looked at his laundry basket and saw he needed to do laundry tonight. He grabbed the last clean thing from the hanger and blushed. When he packed his bag, he had been in a hurry and just grabbed clothes, not paying attention. He thought it was a longer night gown... He didn't often wear dresses.
He looked in the mirror at the bright blue sundress that came to his knees. The top had short sleeves that fluttered. He clipped his bandana in place, then came out of his room to see if the others were ready.
Daemon and Howl were both ready, and both looked surprised at the dress but not upset. "you look nice!" Daemon said with a smile, and Howl nodded in agreement.
Berry said with a blush, "thanks." He picked up the wrapped baby blanket he made with Howl's help.
"you're welcome." He ported them.
Sans and Red were already there. Red had out his phone and was taking pictures of baby Pucci, who was dressed in an orange onesie and giggling. He had Catpernicus in his lap. "who's my favorite nibling?" Red cooed. "who's a cute baby~? who has a kitty for a cousin? you do~!" Cat purred in his daddy's lap.
Sans got up so Berry could sit by Red and Pucci. He waved at everyone. "yo."
Berry waved back and giggled at the sight of Red. He came and sat next to Red. "YOU SURE LOOK LIKE A NATURAL PARENT," he teased and wiggled his fingers over Pucci. "HELLO, OUR MOST BELOVED NIBLING." The baby grabbed on to the wiggly digits and pulled them into their mouth, drooling on them.
Red turned his namesake. "no way. this is a prime uncle personality. i'll be the best uncle."
"ARE THE TWO REALLY ALL THAT DIFFERENT IN INSTINCT?" Howl asked dryly while Daemon giggled.
"yes! they're very different!"
"HELLO, BERRY. HOWL, DAEMON." Vex poked out of the kitchen. "I'M STILL COOKING. STRETCH SHOULD BE BACK ANY MINUTE, HE'S GRABBING PAPYRUS."
Berry clamped his hands over his teeth trying to hold in the laugh over Red's indignation.
"HELLO VEX," Berry managed.
Red huffed. "look here, i've already got a child. isn't that right, cat? aren't you daddy's baby?" Catpernicus mewed happily as he was pet and licked Red's hand.
"cutie!" Daemon came over. "i smell like dog, will he be scared?"
"i don't think so."
Daemon tried to pet Cat, who purred and flumped like the fuzzy pushover he was. Red absently kept petting as he looked Berry over. He was still blushing a little. "i, uh... didn't know you wore dresses, berry. it looks good. uh. real cute."
Berry used his other hand to pet the cat, and said, "YOU’RE TEACHING RED TO BE A GREAT PARENT, CATPERNICUS. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK." He blushed. "THANKS, I DON'T WEAR THEM TOO MUCH, BUT THEY'RE REALLY COMFY."
"pfft, cat dad is different!" He let Daemon and Berry pet Catpernicus happily, focused on Berry's attire. "yeah? why not? are you embarrassed?"
"A LITTLE. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WOULD WEAR ANY ANYTHING I COULD FIND IN THE DUMP. DRESSES WERE SOME OF THE MOST COMPLETED OUTFITS I COULD FIND. IT WAS NICE, NOT TO BE MISMATCHED." Berry sighed. "I DON'T WEAR THEM OFTEN, AS THEY TEND NOT TO COVER MY SCARS WELL." He pulled his hand from the kitty and grabbed his right arm where an old healed-over break was hidden. "BUT THIS ONE SHOWS ONLY MY LOWER ARMS. IT'S PRETTY AND A GIFT. PLUS I GOT THE FIGURE FOR IT," Berry joked trying to brighten the mood. Sans chuckled.
"aw, well, i getcha about scars," Red said, gesturing to the one across his right eye. "but don't let 'em hold you back, you know? if you like something, then... well, you know, you gave me a lecture." He grinned. "dresses are nice..."
"YEAH." Berry nodded. "BUT I DON'T NEED ANY MORE CLOTHES. THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE USED ON BETTER THINGS, LIKE PUCCI." He tickled their tummy. Pucci giggled and kicked their feet.
"I'm going to grab a drink. did any of you want anything?" Sans asked.
"NO THANK YOU," Berry replied.
"you're allowed to spend money on yourself," Red said sternly. "but i'm sure howl will spoil you anyway... ah, the mustard, sweetheart?"
"WATER IS FINE FOR ME," Howl called from where he'd sat by the couch.
"juice maybe, or water," Daemon asked.
Sans gave Red finger guns and ported to the kitchen.
Stretch popped in almost that same moment, Papyrus in tow. "hey everyone,” he said.
"HELLO BROTHER!" Berry said cheerfully.
"hey, paps!" Red waved at Papyrus, who beamed.
"HELLO EVERYONE! AND HELLO ESPECIALLY TO YOU, LITTLE ONE!" He cooed over the baby, rubbing their skull gently.
Berry got up so Papyrus could play with the baby. He hugged Stretch. "I'M SO HAPPY YOU’RE DOING WELL."
Sans popped back in, drinks encased in magic, and passed them out. "hey bro, and baby mama."
"HELLO, BROTHER!" Papyrus spared Sans a hug, then went right back to doting on the baby. Pucci was the ruler of their hearts.
Red took his drink and gave Sans a peck on the cheek. "thanks, sansy."
"heya," Stretch greeted Sans, then walked over to Berry and gave him a big hug, picking him up off the ground and giving a little spin, making the dress flare. "missed ya, bro. i love that dress on you. it looks too cute on ya."
Berry blushed. "THANKS, BRO."
Sans sat on the other side of Red and leaned on him and pet Catpernicus. Red watched Stretch and Berry, leaning against Sans. "bet it feels good to be mobile again, huh stretch?"
He carried Berry like a teddy bear and sat down with him in his lap, not ready to let his brother go. "by the angel, yes. i was so tired of walking everywhere. i don't know how anyone stands it."
Berry cuddled into his little brother's grip a little, a happy purr escaping him as he played with Stretch's hand. His eyelights settled on the cute little bundle of bones kicking and laughing, the one white and one marbled eyelights looking at all the new faces.
Sans wiggled his fingers over the baby. "who is the cutest little thing? just look at you. such a sweet little thing."
"IT'S CALLED EXERCISE," Vex chided, though his tone was loving. He came out with a tray full of finger foods. 'Chicken' fingers, mozzarella sticks, stuffed mushrooms and teriyaki skewers.
"YES, WE CAN'T ALL CHEAT TIME AND SPACE FOR THE FUN OF IT," Papyrus agreed.
"i saw you walk down the side of a building once," Red pointed out.
"YES, BUT THAT'S STILL WALKING, CHERRY, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT."
"wait, what?" Daemon looked at Papyrus with fascination while Howl busied himself examining the food like a paid critic on TV.
"HE'S RIGHT. HE STILL WALKED," Berry said, giggling.
"looks delicious, love." Stretch reached for a skewer and took a bite and held it in front of Berry. The captive monster huffed, looking a bit put out, but took a bite without complaint.
Sans got a mozzarella stick. "THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE AMAZING, PAPS."
"i mean... point i guess," Red said with a shrug as Daemon grinned.
"teach me!"
"TEACH YOU?” Pap asked. “I'M AFRAID WALL-WALKING IS NOT TEACHABLE, YOU MUST FEEL THE WALL-WALKING IN YOUR SOUL. AND YOUR FEET. THE FEET ARE VERY IMPORTANT."
"hmm..." Daemon jumped up, as if to go try and wall-walk, and Howl tugged him back down with the leash without batting an eye.
"PUPPY, I ADORE YOU. RUN HEADFIRST INTO A WALL LATER, PLEASE."
"aww..." He sat back down and everyone started to take food.
"vex, not only do you make a cute baby, you make great grub," Sans said as he took some more food.
"I KNOW I DO, BUT THANK YOU FOR POINTING IT OUT," Vex said grandly.
Stretch continued to take a bit of food and feed the rest to his captive Blueberry. Mozzarella sticks, two skewers, one stuffed mushroom, and two chicken fingers. Berry was beyond full. Stretch held a cup in front of him. "you’re eating so well today." He pet his head. "thirsty, bro?"
"YEAH." He took the water greedily. He was happy to make his brother happy, but he didn't want to eat so much while the others were still having their fill. And Stretch needed the food more than him. He couldn't see how much his brother was eating.
Then he saw Stretch reach for another mushroom, this one going straight to Berry, no bite taken from it. He didn't want to be rude to his brother. A quiet low whine escaped him and he looked at Howl and Daemon with pleading eyes, hoping they would save him from being stuffed more.
Howl was watching Stretch interact with Berry. He'd eaten quite a bit, so by this point, when Berry whined softly, Howl held up a hand. "BERRY, YOU'VE EATEN QUITE A BIT, I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU. WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER HERE AND CUDDLE DAEMON?"
"oh, yeah!" Daemon held out his arms. "i want a hug!"
Stretch pulled the mushroom away and popped it in his mouth and rubbed Berry’s head, then let him go sit with his mates.
Berry smiled and went to Daemon, hugging him. He smiled in thanks to Howl.
Sans chuckled. Catpernicus jumped into his lap, purring, and Sans fed the cute kitten a little piece of chicken. “so, what game should we play?”
Red gasped. "a baby!" He petted Catpernicus like he didn't see the baby every day of his life. "well we didn't get to play the drawing game. want to try that?"
Sans laughed at Red's antics.
Daemon snuggled up with Berry and kissed his cheek. "good job," he whispered.
"THE DRAWING GAME, YES, THAT SOUNDS VERY FUN! WE CAN GET THE BABYBONES TO JUDGE HOW GOOD OUR DRAWINGS ARE," Papyrus suggested.
Berry purred softly. "thank you.” he whispered back. He turned to look at Papyrus. "THAT SOUNDS GREAT."
"that sounds like a great idea." Stretch picked up Puuci, who giggled and cooed. "you are going to be great at picking pictures." He nuzzled them and kissed their skull.
"OH, YES, OF COURSE! MY CHILD WILL LEARN GOOD TASTE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE," Vex agreed enthusiastically.
"VERY WELL, THIS SOUNDS ACCEPTABLE," Howl agreed. "DID YOU SAY YOU HAD CATEGORIES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BERRY?"
"I HAVE A CUP OF MIXED THINGS." Berry smiled at Howl. "IF WE WANT CATEGORIES, WE NEED TO MAKE THEM UP OURSELVES."
"OH, YES, I SEE. WELL, LET'S COME UP WITH CATEGORY IDEAS, THEN?"
"food," Red suggested.
"ANIMALS," Berry said.
"famous places," Stretch chimed in.
"songs," Sans suggested.
"how do you draw songs?" Daemon asked, rubbing his chin.
"ya draw the titles. like somewhere over the rainbow, you draw a rainbow, maybe some arrows going over it." Sans smiled.
"OR PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, YOU COULD DRAW HIS MASK," Berry added.
"oh!" Daemon beamed. "that makes sense then, okay!"
"sounds fun, sure." Red nuzzled Sans. "you're so smart, sansy."
"VERY WELL, THEN WHAT CATEGORY DO WE DO FIRST?" Howl asked.
Berry raised his hand. "LET'S START WITH FOOD."
Pucci let out a coo and giggled. "i think pucci agrees." Stretch said.
"OF COURSE THEY DO! THEY ARE ALREADY A BRILLIANT CONNOISSEUR JUST LIKE ME," Vex bragged. "THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE A TASTE FOR THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE LIKE GOOD FOOD."
"you hear that baby? do you take after your papa?" Stretch tickled the small plump ecto-tummy. Pucci burped. Berry covered his mouth, trying to hold back laughter.
"welp, kid knows what foods are for," Sans chuckled.
"YOU'RE EXCUSED," Vex said, patting the baby's head. Red snickered.
"WELL IF WE'RE DOING FOOD. RED SHOULD GO FIRST, HE THOUGHT THAT ONE UP." Berry offered, "I'LL GO GET SOME PAPER AND PENS." He gave Daemon a quick kiss and went to get the supplies.
"oh, me?" Red shrugged. "sure, alright. do i have to wear a blindfold?"
"yeah, we can't have ya peeking,” Sans said with a laugh.
"alright, alright."
"I CAN OBLIGE WITH THAT." Vex offered the same darn scarf he'd put on Stretch last time. "THIS TIME, IT'S SAFE, SO."
"yeah." He tied it on over his eyes.
Berry came back out and placed the pen in Red's hand and the paper on his lap. "YOU THINK UP WHAT YOU WANT TO DRAW AND WE’LL GUESS IT."
Catpernicus let out a meow and licked his leg.
"i got him." Sans picked him up and put the fuzzy kitty in his lap and scratched his head. Cat purred.
"sure, i got it." He started to draw, sticking out his tongue a little. The result after a few minutes wasn't... horrible, all things considered. Not good. Not neat. But it might be okay if you squint. Vaguely roundish, a bit square-ish on the bottom, a spirally mess on the top. Dots peppered haphazardly.
"CUPCAKE?" Berry asked
"bread loaf?" Sans guessed.
"valentine's dessert," Stretch said.
Pucci cooed.
"berry got it in one." Red half pouted, but he wasn't actually upset. He pulled off the blindfold to look. "guys, i think this is better than when i do look," he joked.
Sans laughed. "looks like a picasso."
Berry snickered. "I'LL GO NEXT." He got into position and waited to be blindfolded.
"aww, thanks sansy. i'll be famous before you know it." He handed over the blindfold. Daemon put it on Berry's face gently.
Berry put the pen on the paper. He drew a long thin oval and two round balls. He stuck out his tongue. a look of concentration on his face. He colored some black scribbles over it and tried to make it look drippy. Then on the very bottom he put a 'u' shape under it.
They all thought carefully.
"hot dog?" Red suggested.
"CAN'T BE. SPAGHETTI?" Papyrus offered.
"oh, oh, if the bottom is a hand, maybe it's a meatball sub?" Daemon said.
"BANANA SPLIT," Howl said confidently.
"HOWL GOT IT,” Berry said with a big smile as he took off the blindfold.
Howl preened, examining his gloved hands as if inspecting beautiful nails. "NATURALLY, I AM VERY CLEVER."
"you sure are, master!" Daemon said, beaming. "can i go next?"
"sure," Stretch said.
Berry handed his tall datemate the pen. Then he made a motion for him to kneel down. He tied the scarf in place and gave a kiss to the crown of Daemon's skull. Then he went to go sit next to his handsome datemate. He gave Howl a smile. "YOU ARE SO VERY CLEVER, MY ANGEL." Berry's fingers curled with want to hold Howl's hand. Instead, he gripped the soft bandana.
“I KNOW, BUT THANK YOU.”
Daemon let Berry put the scarf in place, then took the pen and paper with a grin. "alright, here goes." He started to draw as Howl preened at Berry's praise. He drew a vaguely oval shape, a bit flat on one side. Near the back area at the bottom, another oval with two lines sticking out. Then a triangle closer to the front.
"A CREPE?" Berry guessed.
"ice cream with pocky?" Sans guessed
"Pancakes?" Stretch asked.
Daemon shook his head and blindly tried to add more detail to the triangles and back oval. Looked like the lines made the end of a bone.
"oh, ahh, it's a meat for sure..." Red said.
"Hmmm..." Stretch thought.
"chicken?" Sans asked.
"OH I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT." Berry huffed and giggled.
Daemon beamed, pulling off the blindfold. "you got it, sans! it's a whole chicken~ tasty!"
"gross, real meat," Red said with a snort.
"pfft, crunch. love me some real meat."
Sans had a thoughtful look on his face and asked, "does an affinity for meat come with being part dragon?"
Daemon's smile faded a little, and he rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace. "kinda, yeah..."
"LESS THE HERITAGE, MORE WHAT WAS DONE TO HIM," Howl said somberly. "I HAVE NO SUCH CRAVING."
"interesting." Sans’ scientist mind pondered. "did you both inherit the same transformation ability?"
"NO," Howl said curtly. Daemon folded the scarf carefully.
"i might as well tell you everything, you're probably really curious..."
"ONLY IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH SHARING!" Papyrus assured. "WE DO NOT WANT TO PRESSURE YOU!"
"just a bit curious," Stretch said as he rocked Pucci.
"no, it's okay. you want me to start from the beginning?"
Sans nodded.
Berry smiled up at Daemon, patting the seat next to him. "YOU WANT TO SIT WITH ME PUPPY?"
Daemon sat down next to Berry and curled around him, using the snuggles as a way to keep himself grounded. He took a deep breath, petting Berry absently.
"well... um, when i was little... dad trained me constantly. that's the first thing i remember, is training and fighting. he made me fight lots of people, and eventually, kill them too. i didn't want to... but also i did? i really, really wanted to, because i was really, really angry and they were the cause. that's what i thought, anyway... i first transformed, umm... maybe when i was... eight or nine? he was really proud and kept encouraging me to do it more, to do it without prompting. i didn't, uhh... see people. except him and the people he had me fight. i was alone in a small room when he wasn't training me, and it was really lonely, so, i was happy to be praised. i got things when i did good. tasty food and nice clothes and sometimes toys. so i tried my best to learn how to transform by my own wishes instead of just randomly. i got really good at it eventually, and as my LV went up slowly, the angry voice got more... haughty. smug. i started to think it wasn't just they made me angry, they should die... they were weak and i was strong, dad said i was the strongest. and being the strongest was good."
Howl looked away as Daemon told the story, clenching his hands hard on his arms, glaring at the wall but trembling a little.
Berry held Daemon close as he told his story. It was so heartbreakingly sad. "OH, PUPPY." He kissed Daemon's skull. "I'M SO SORRY YOU WENT THROUGH THAT." He squeezed him gently. "YOU'RE NOT ALONE ANY MORE. WE’RE ALL HERE FOR YOU. "
Catpernicus jumped up to purr and nuzzle in Daemon and Berry.
Stretch was in shock. "why would anyone do that to a child...?" he mumbled mostly to himself, holding Pucci close.
Sans gripped onto Red’s hand as Daemon told his story. "we're here for you if you ever want to talk, daemon." He looked over at Howl, who was looking away. He couldn't imagine what Howl's childhood must have been like. "and you too, howl."
Daemon smiled a little at Berry, even though it was a bit sad. "i know. i'm really glad i have you guys now." He pet Catpernicus a little too.
"that's just fucked up," Red said, uneasily touching the wrist of the hand he always kept tucked away in his pocket. But then he squeezed Sans's hand gently.
"YES, BUT IT'S OVER NOW! AND THIS PERSON HAS BEEN PROSECUTED?" Papyrus asked.
Howl twitched as he was addressed. "YES," he said.
"mhm... that's not the end of it. there's more, if you still wanna hear?" Daemon asked.
"IF YOU WANT TO SHARE, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN." Berry nuzzled into him.
"okay... so... um... i knew the angry, smug voice wasn't right. shouldn't be right. those people were scared when i attacked them, and that didn't feel so good. i thought, maybe if it feels good to have dad praise me, i should be nice to them too, and maybe they'd be nice back? dad didn't like that. the voice got worse, but... i started really hating it. and then... when i was fifteen... i met howl."
He glanced over at his brother, who was pulling out knitting to focus on it instead of the distressing conversation.
"i guess it's weird to you guys, but he's younger than me by a few years. and, um, i didn't even know i had a brother until i met him by accident. i'd broken out of my room to wander around, and there he was in one of the halls... i was so happy to find out i had a brother! i wanted to get to know him. that's when i started to realize how... bad our dad was. a really, really bad person. i tried to stop doing what he said. i didn't want praise from someone so horrible. but when i didn't listen to him, the voice got worse and worse until i had to listen... i figured it out when he yelled at me and it sounded really similar... it was him. that voice in me. he put his voice in my head..."
He looked down, touching his chest.
"i dunno how, but, he... put a part of his soul in mine? when i was a baby, i think. or even when i wasn't yet born. i dunno the specifics. but... he put part of himself there. to control me. that's the voice, always telling me to be mad, to fight, that everyone is weak and they should be destroyed. it was so hard to fight that voice... but master made it easier, because i knew howl cared about me! and wanted me to do the right thing. so... i decided to listen to him instead. and when he uses a strong, loud voice, it drowns out the bad one. most of the time, anyway... um, i've slipped up several times since we killed dad and left... but, it's been so long since last time. i was doing really well..."
Daemon hung his head a little as he said that, shoulders slumping.
"i... i didn't want you guys to see that part of me... i was hoping it would never come out again..."
Sans couldn't help but imagine Papyrus' beautiful faith in others getting crushed, and it made the Judge in him want to go after their father. "don't worry about it, daemon." he told him.
"hey, you got it back under control, and berry didn't get delivered to the queen. don't beat yourself up so much," Stretch said and leaned against Vex to help him feel the safety of his presence. To be reassured nothing like this could ever happen to their baby.
Catpernicus saw Howl's yarn and watched it wiggle and unravel the ball. He crouched down low and put his butt up in the air, getting ready to pounce move yarn.
Howl kept himself preoccupied, glancing at Catpernicus. "DON'T YOU DARE," he warned the kitty.
Catpernicus meowed at Howl and came up to his side and rubbed against him. He batted at the wiggling yarn.
Howl tsked softly, but petted the cat with one soft gloved hand, gently rubbing at his head. Cat purred loudly, going squinty-eyed.
Berry sat in shock a bit as Daemon told the rest of the story. It hit him how much it was like what Red told him. A piece of a bad man’s soul was stuck in them. The horrible voice that ate away at his mind was his. Was that what Gaster was trying to do to him? Trying to make him his puppet? He nuzzled into his tall datemate, a cold shiver rippling through him. Daemon’s lovely warmth was there though, not letting his mind fall into despair that the voice was looking to prey upon.
"i know, it's just, i thought since we made it to the surface, maybe that part of me was gone forever. everything's better..." Daemon said sadly.
"but shit ain't like that," Red said, squeezing Sans's hand. "because this kinda stuff doesn't go away easy, or just because we're free. it's still there, it's just... we can deal with it better, yeah? cause we got each other."
"YES, MY BROTHER IS RIGHT." Vex wrapped an arm around Stretch, kissing his skull gently. "OUR FAMILY IS BIG, AND THAT DOESN'T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT IT HELPS."
Stretch relaxed in Vex hold, and Pucci cooed. Daemon wiped at his face a little and smiled.
"okay... i'm glad i have such a big family! it's way different than when i was growing up. way nicer."
"THAT'S RIGHT, WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOR EACH OTHER NOW. WE'RE NOT ALONE," Berry said not only for Daemon to hear, but to remind himself. He cuddled into his datemate. "WAS GASTER YOUR FATHER?" Daemon pet him again.
"his name was... serpens. but he looked a lot like gaster, from what i saw of him at the sanitarium. they're really similar."
"that's right," Sans said. He got closer to Red.
"GUYS...." Daemon was so brave to tell them all, gathering his courage. Berry wanted to try and be as strong as his datemate. "RED FINISHED ANALYZING THE FILE YOU FOUND ON ME. DR. GASTER, HE..." He took a deep breath of Daemon and squeezed his bandana, feeling Howl. He looked up at his angel. "I’VE BEEN HEARING A VOICE FOR A LONG TIME. SINCE A BIT AFTER HE TOOK ME FOR HIS SPECIAL PROJECT." He took a few more breaths. "HE INTEGRATED HIS MAGIC INTO ME. A PIECE OF HIS SOUL? RED COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THOUGH. HE STILL ALIVE..." He looked to Daemon, "MAYBE HE CAN TELL US HOW TO GET IT OUT? OR STOP THE VOICES?"
As Berry spoke again, Howl looked up from what he was doing. He was being brave, and Howl was so proud of that. He offered a rare smile when Berry looked over at him.
Daemon nuzzled Berry again, still petting gently. "that's terrible..."
"the data doesn't show why, but i have a few ideas," Red said grimly. "he was pushing his own magic in with a bunch of chemicals to still try and control it, so my guess is he wanted to make you into... a servant, or something. to obey all his orders and do things he can't do out in the open, attack people or get things he needs. the fact that the voice always tells you to learn your place and just do what you're told makes me think he wanted you to just do everything he said without question."
"THAT IS VERY TROUBLING," Howl said, returning to his knitting. "WE ARE COMBATING THAT VOICE TOO, BUT I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE WE STAY AWAY FROM HIM. THERE IS NO REASON FOR HIM TO TELL US HOW TO GET IT OUT OR STOP IT. HE STILL WANTS YOU AS HIS LITTLE EXPERIMENT. WE NEED TO KEEP HIM AWAY FROM YOU AT ALL COSTS."
Berry's soul fluttered when Howl gave him that smile. He was a little bit jealous of Catpernicus. The lucky little kitty got to feel Howl’s wonderful touch.
"howl is right, berry," Stretch said. "the doctor is a piece of work. he has his own agendas. you need to stay away from him."
Berry didn't want to think about what the doctor wanted to do to him, or why. Yet, if they could get information to help not only him, but Daemon, he still thought it was something they should try... He nuzzled into the warm puppy.
"mhm. i'm okay. and i want you safe." Daemon nuzzled back.
Berry sighed happily into Daemon, giving up on the idea for now.
"well... who wants nicer news?" Red asked, perking up.
Pucci plopped their fist into their mouth as their marbled and white eyelights looked at their parents. Stretch laughed softly and pull the hand free. "i would love to hear some."
"I WOULD TOO," Berry added.
Catpernicus walked up on Howl and laid right between the knitting and the skeleton, purring and happy clawing the work.
Howl sighed and put away the knitting lest Cat tear a hole or mess up a stitch. "YES, LET'S HEAR IT."
"alright. so, uh-" Red nervously put a hand in his pocket.
"WAIT!" Papyrus scrambled to get his phone and pulled up his camera app, grinning wide and pointing it at Red. "OKAY, GO AHEAD."
Red blushed, pulling his hand back out to smack his own face. "oh my god, paps, no pictures."
"PLEASE?"
"okay, okay! fine." He huffed, but stuck his hand back in his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box, black velvet. He slid off the couch to kneel in front of Sans, embarrassed and still flushed, but soft around the eyelights.
"ya didn't think i wouldn't do it proper, right?"
He opened the box to show off a gorgeous ring, moonstone, bright blue, with a sterling silver band.
"sans, will you marry me?" He'd already said yes before. Red already knew the answer. But his soul was beating hard anyway, thudding against his ribs.
Sans' soul was fluttering. He knew that they were going to tell the others today, but not that his lover was going to this. He knew how much Red was scared of what that symbolized. The surprised skeleton really didn't think Red was going to go through with a ring. His face was bright blue.
He looked at the ring. A moonstone. 'red always brings in my love for space and stars,' Sans told himself. "how are you always so stellar?" He held out his hand for Red, "yes, of course." he chuckled. "i knew lunar or later, i would moonipulate my way into your soul."
Red flushed, but laughed at the puns. "i sure didn't planet, but it wasn't all of a saturn, either. you're definitely the flight of my life." He put the ring on Sans's finger while Papyrus pretended he wasn't crying as he took pictures. Howl and Daemon watched with interest, and Vex was beaming, holding Stretch closer.
Sans winked at Red and pulled out his own box. "my turn."
Red actually looked surprised. "you, you got me one too...?" He plopped back on the couch to give Sans room.
Berry's soul almost shined with happiness for them. He rested his head on Daemon as he watched.
Sans got on a knee and held the well-worn box up for Red. It had spots where you couldn’t see the velvet. "red, i've been wanting to ask you for a long time. i wanted to make sure you would say yes before i did." He opened the box, and inside was a gold ring. Crested in it were two fire red rubies. "rubies are said to restore vital life force and courage. they are the color of your magic. red, as long as you’re with me, ya make me a better monster. please marry me?"
Red was blown away by the gorgeous ring, the vivid red color. And the words were even more sweet. He teared up, holding out his hand for the ring. "y-yeah, sansy, of course. you're so fucking perfect. i love it. i, i love you." He wiped uselessly at his sockets with his other wrist.
Sans put the ring on Red's hand and pulled him up into a kiss.
Stretch was crying now. "congratulations, you two knuckleheads. about time." Pucci made some whining sounds, and Stretch laid them on his chest. "it's okay, baby, they’re happy tears."
Berry was on the verge of tears as well. He nuzzled Daemon. "CONGRATULATIONS. I'M OVERJOYED YOU TWO FINALLY DID IT."
Catpernicus got down from Howl and rubbed at Red's and Sans's legs, purring.
Red threw his arms around Sans to kiss him deeply. Papyrus was full of tears as he took more pictures. "I'M SO GLAD! THE WEDDING IS GOING TO BE FANTASTIC!"
"YES, DEFINITELY, WE'LL COLLABORATE TO MAKE IT AMAZING," Vex agreed. He didn't tear up, but he looked a bit emotional himself.
"CONGRATULATIONS. THOSE RINGS LOOK APPROPRIATELY EXPENSIVE," Howl said approvingly, making Daemon snort a little.
"and pretty! he means pretty."
"THAT'S WHAT I SAID, EXPENSIVE."
Berry giggled at Howl and Daemon. "WE SHOULD HAVE A TOAST TO THE HAPPY COUPLE." He got up. "DID WE WANT TO USE THE WINE?"
"OH, AN EXCELLENT IDEA. I BROUGHT SOME." Howl pulled out a bottle from his inventory. Vex gently pulled away from Stretch to get everyone a glass. Berry went to help him.
Red pulled back from the kiss to nuzzle gently, still crying a little. He wiped at his face again with a smile. "sorry i took so long, sansy."
Sans nuzzled Red's neck and pulled his datemate into his lap, purring. Red purred back, nuzzling his fiance, and scooped Catpernicus into his lap to be part of the cuddle pile.
Stretch re-positioned Pucci, who was currently absorbing some magic. "what kind is it, howl?"
"CABERNET SAUVIGNON. A LITTLE FRUITY, I FIGURED IT WOULD BE APPEALING TO THE MOST PEOPLE." He held it out to be examined.
Stretch took it and read the bottle. "i’ll have to take your word for it. i’ve never had it." He passed it back.
"WELL, YOU WILL TRY IT TODAY. DO NOT WORRY, YOU NEED NOT IMPRESS ME WITH VAST WINE KNOWLEDGE. SO LONG AS YOU DON'T DUMP HONEY IN IT." He took it back and popped the cork as Vex and Berry came back with glasses.
Berry set down the glasses near Howl. "THANK YOU, MY ANGEL."
"FOR WHAT, KITTEN?" He started to pour everyone some of the wine.
"FOR SHARING." He said with a smile. He wanted to hug and kiss Howl. He waited until Howl was done pouring all the drinks and asked, "MAY I HOLD YOU HAND?"
"OH, OF COURSE, IT IS NO TROUBLE." He corked the wine again and put it away. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled off his glove and held out his hand for Berry to take. Vex handed out a glass to everyone.
Berry’s eyelights were stars and he purred quietly, happily. He wasn't sure if Howl would be willing to with others around. He reached for Daemon with his other hand. He wanted them to be close.
Stretch heard the purring, thinking at first it was just the newly engaged couple. Then he realized it was from the other side of the room too. He saw Berry's eyelights and sighed happily, holding his baby in one arm and the glass in his other hand. He gave a little head butt to Vex and nuzzled his head affectionately.
Daemon snuggled him, but let a hand free for each of them for a toast. Once everyone had one, Vex lifted his glass.
"TO OUR VERY CUTE PUCCI, AND TO THOSE TWO BONEHEADS FINALLY GETTING ENGAGED."
Berry snickered and said, "CHEERS."
"cheers," Stretch agreed, bouncing Pucci and cleaning his glass.
Sans blushed a bit. "cheers," he said and nuzzled Red.
"CHEERS!" Papyrus tinked glasses with everyone.
Daemon and Howl did the same, and everyone took a drink. Howl made a pleased noise at the taste. Red privately thought bourbon was better, but didn't say so. He was very happy. It was a nice way to end the evening.
Notes:
Chapter summary:
The Fellswaps and Berry prepare for their press conference. Berry is nervous, but speaks, Howl speaks and takes questions, and when a question is directed at Daemon, he also speaks. Howl completes questions, all of them combatting the queen's claims of Berry bewitching them, appealing to the audience's emotions, talking about how normal they are. They go home to relax. That Saturday, they go to Stretch and Vex's house for family game night. Berry wears a dress, because it is his last article of clean clothing. Red and Sans have brought Catpernicus, and everyone is cooing over Pucci. Red and Berry discuss dresses and babies. Stretch brings Papyrus and there is talk of shortcutting and wall-walking. They eat, and Stretch keeps feeding Berry until Howl rescues him. They play the blindfold drawing game, until Sans asks Daemon about if dragons must eat meat. Daemon then speaks of how his father raised him to fight and gain LV and get strong, and that the voice, Serpens, is his father's directly, a piece of his soul implanted into Daemon. Howl is very uncomfortable and knits, dealing with Cat's playing with his yarn. Berry reveals to everyone the cause of his own voice, Gaster's magic added into him. He suggests they talk to Gaster to see what they can do about Daemon's voice, but everyone refuses. Red, in order to boost the mood, more publicly proposes to Sans, with a ring. Sans proposes in turn with his own ring, and everyone is very emotional and happy. They have a toast with some wine.
Chapter 20: Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon and Follow the Light
Summary:
In which the days are actually going alright for a while!
Notes:
Hello! I hope you all having a great day! Please leave a kudos and a comment letting us know what you think and what you hope will happen. We would love to hear from you! <3
If you want to know what the glue story is read:Sticky Sexcapades
Chapter tags: needles/magic drawing, therapy/discussion of hypnotherapy and EMDR
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Berry and Daemon had just finished cleaning the kitchen. Berry was doing a lot of cleaning today. He wanted to keep his mind off the test that Red was going to do today. Logically, he knew it wouldn't be like it was in the Sanitarium. Red was his brother-in-law and cared for him.
He looked at the clock. It was almost time to leave. Howl clipped the leash onto Daemon's neck, and Daemon took Berry's hand.
"don't worry, we'll be there the whole time,” Daemon assured.
"YES, OF COURSE. WE WOULD NOT LEAVE YOU. AND RED IS TRUSTWORTHY, EVEN IF HE'S AN IDIOT SOMETIMES. DON'T TELL HIM, I SAID THAT,” Howl agreed.
Daemon and Berry giggled. Berry calmed a bit at his datemates’ reassurance. "I WON'T."
"GOOD. LET'S GO."
Daemon ported them to Red and Sans's place, outside of course. Howl knocked on the door. After a moment, Red opened it.
"you know, you could just port inside,” he said.
"SOME OF US HAVE MANNERS, RED,” Howl responded.
"bah, manners. manners are for squares."
"WE LOOK EXTREMELY SIMILAR."
"you're a square on the inside." Red winked at Berry.
Berry shook his head and smiled. "YOU'RE SILLY, RED. WE ARE MAGIC ON THE INSIDE," he joked back.
"heh, you're so right, berry. silly is my middle name." He ushered them in.
The small monster was feeling a lot less anxious as he went inside. "HELLO SANS."
Sans had been snoozing on the couch, and now got up. "heya everyone."
“hiya sans!” Daemon waved at him cheerfully.
Berry couldn’t help but wonder, "RED WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME?"
"oh, ah, actually, my and vex's last name is russel," he said as he led the way up to his office, which he'd converted into a lab and workshop. He had a few projects lying around, plenty of parts, and space posters galore. Howl looked around absently.
"YOU DO REALIZE THAT THE NAME 'RUSSEL' MEANS 'RED-HAIRED,' RIGHT?" Howl asked.
"yeah. it's a long story."
Berry tried to not look at the lab stuff. Sans walked in after them and saw Berry tremble. Maybe a story would help him keep his mind off what was going to happen. "ya got plenty of time to tell them while ya do this. it'll help keep berry's mind off it, or maybe the glue story?"
"the glue story...?" Daemon asked, and Red's face turned his namesake.
"shut up, sansy, nobody needs to hear the glue story!" He huffed. "alright, berry, you just sit and relax. it would help if you took your shirt off, or at least lifted it up. but, yeah, i can tell the story of our dumb names while i work."
"THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA," Howl agreed, leaning against the wall.
Sans snickered and zipped his lips and threw away the key.
Berry was pretty sure everyone in here knew about the hole in his ribs, but maybe Sans didn't. "ARE YOU OKAY IF I TAKE OFF MY SHIRT, SANS? I HAVE MISSING BONES."
Sans had read about it in Berry's file, so he nodded. "it's fine, kiddo."
Berry pulled off his T-shirt. The top half of his third and fourth ribs had been cleanly sawed off, leaving a perfect opening for Red to use to get samples.
"alright,” Red said, “so it all started as early as i can remember, falling into the innkeeper bun's inn cold and a lil' kid. no idea what my name was or what vex's name was, and agatha - that's the innkeeper bun - took us in with her four buns and let us sleep on her couch and fed us and shit. and we didn't have names, so she let us pick our own. and of course we were little kids and didn't know shit, so i went with red. because, you know, my magic."
He pulled out a few syringes and vials from a drawer and came over, pulling up Berry's arm.
"vex chose his name because it sounded cool, i guess, and he saw the word 'vexed' in a book so he just - you know. and we didn't pick last names. so see, when we went to get a house in snowdin, not long out of stripes by then, 'course the guardsman was like 'what's your name for the deed,' and i said 'yeah it's red.' and he was a dog so he didn't give a fuck so he wrote that right down. now flash forward to reaching the surface, right, here's where it all happened."
As he spoke, he took a sample from Berry's wrist, filling one of the two vials.
The story kept Berry's mind occupied, distracting from the needles. It was so rare to hear anyone's stories. It was sad that they were lost kids not knowing their family, but at least they found someone nice to watch over them.
"so when we all got up here, the humans wanted to issue us all id's, right? so there we were, in line for that. and it gets to be my turn, vex is right behind me, and the human at the desk is probably all scared out about skeletons, or maybe she was dead inside, because she just stared up at me and asked for my name. so i told her, 'it's red.' and she was like 'ok what's your first name?' and that was when i got confused. i was like 'what do you mean, what's my first name? my name is red.' then she kinda squinted at me, half disbelieving and half not giving a shit, right?"
He replaced the needle and vial, setting the other one down, and carefully reached for Berry's chest for the second sample.
"and she said 'ok so what's your last name?' and i said 'lady, i just told you my name is red, that's it. i have no idea what you're asking me.' and she gave me this stare and explained that humans have a first name, unique to them, and a last name that's their family's name. the kids get it from their parents, you get married and you might change it to your spouse's, all that shit. now vex was listening too, so i turned back to him like 'can you believe this shit?' and he got all thoughtful like 'it makes sense, some books and music have two names for the human that made it.' so i turned back around and was like 'ok, can you give me an example of a last name?' and she just said 'oh my god' and pulled out her phone and googled last names and held out a list to us."
He took the second sample as he spoke, using an exaggerated girl voice for the government worker in the story.
Berry kept as still as he could for the sample, a few giggles escaping here and there. "SO YOU FOUND RUSSEL ON HER PHONE?" he asked.
"yup, exactly. i pointed to one at random without even looking and said 'that one.' because i didn't give a shit, you know. so she looked at the one i pointed to and said 'sir, this says right here it means red-haired or red-skinned. you don't have hair or skin.' and i initially didn't care, but i was suddenly very into this last name. so i said 'but my first name is red, so now i can be red the red-haired skeleton, fuck you.' and she blinked a few times like she was rebooting, then looked behind me to vex with this pleading, pained look. and vex, bless his fucking soul, shrugged and said, 'I DON'T GIVE A FUCK EITHER.'"
Red mimicked his brother's voice pretty well, somehow.
"so she just sighed really obnoxiously and typed it in and gave us our id's and said 'i don't get paid enough for this shit.' and i said 'nobody is paid enough to deal with me, lady,' and gave her a salute and went on my merry fucking way, and here i am."
He put both samples in a centrifuge.
"now, the story of me fighting about my first name to get into grad school is a different story entirely. and ask vex what the sign outside his office door at his studio says."
Once the needles were out of him, Berry broke into a fit of giggles. "OH, RED, THAT IS JUST..." He was gasping for breath. "YOUR NEW MIDDLE NAME IS NOW SILLY FOR SURE. RED SILLY RUSSEL."
Sans was smiling ear to ear. It was a great story, and it was great seeing Berry happy despite everything that had happened this week. He said, "ya heard the kiddo. when you're in trouble, now i can call ya red silly russell."
Red grinned wide, also really pleased that he'd gotten Berry to laugh so much. "heh, you know, that's fair."
Daemon also looked very amused, kneeling by Howl and covering his mouth with one hand to stifle himself. "that sounds so fun, though! i wish i could've picked my name."
"AS TERRIBLE AS OUR FAMILY WAS, I HAVE TO ADMIT, 'COATL' IS A DECENT LAST NAME." Howl examined his phalanges like they were nails. "IT SOUNDS GOOD, EVEN IF IT DOES MEAN 'SERPENT.'"
"sure, but i'm named after a beastly, evil thing."
"IT IS A MISNOMER, AND THOSE ARE THE BEST NAMES. DAEMON, YOU ARE THE OPPOSITE OF A DEMON. YOU ARE VERY PRECIOUS AND WONDERFUL, AND ANYONE WHO WOULD JUDGE YOU FOR YOUR NAME IS NOT WORTHY OF OUR ATTENTION OR RESPECT."
Daemon brightened a little at that.
Berry calmed down. "YEP, HOWL'S RIGHT, YOU BOTH HAVE VERY GOOD NAMES," he said, smiling and trying to reassure his datemate. "I'M SURE YOU KNOW I WAS NAMED AFTER FOOD. I WAS TOLD WHEN I WAS LITTLE MY MAGIC WOULD LIGHT UP MY FACE WHEN I WAS REALLY HAPPY OR UPSET. DAD SAID I LOOKED LIKE A BLUEBERRY AND THAT WAS THAT. DAD ALSO SAID ASTER WAS MOM'S FAVORITE FLOWERS, AND BECAUSE WE WERE HER FAVORITE PEOPLE HE GAVE US IT FOR A LAST NAME."
Daemon smiled more. "aw, that's such a cute story! you do look like a blueberry~ especially when you blush and your cheeks get all blue~ i love it."
"HE IS VERY CUTE," Howl agreed, sounding smug, like this was a personal victory on his account that he had a cute datemate.
“WELL.” Berry blushed as they talked. “I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT."
"WE VERY MUCH DO."
"yeah, you're our blueberry." Daemon came over and helped Berry get his shirt back on, then hugged him.
Red hummed absently, pouring out some samples into petri dishes to examine under a microscope. He'd shifted from funny story mode to serious scientist mode.
Sans came over and labeled the samples for Red. "did y'all want anything to drink or something? we can wait in the living room while red works."
"DO YOU HAVE WINE?" Howl asked, though he was pretty sure they wouldn't.
"barbecue sauce?"
"MILK?" Berry asked.
"I think we have some from v-day. kinda forgot about it, but ya can have some. I know we got the others. I'll meet ya in the living room." He ported out.
"OH, ALRIGHT." Pleased, Howl headed downstairs. Daemon followed along, holding Berry's hand happily. Red barely noticed they left, muttering to himself as he wrote notes and squinted into his microscope.
It took Sans a few minutes to gather up all the orders. He levitated the drinks out and brought a bag of chips and paper towels. "it shouldn't take too long, we can just chill." He sent the drinks over to them.
Both Fellswap brothers took their respective drinks with thanks.
"what about your last name, sans?" Daemon asked curiously.
"comic sans serif, not very original i know. just a traditional font name."
Daemon giggled a little. "but very fitting."
"THE REAL QUESTION IS WHO IS TAKING WHOM'S NAME?"
Sans blushed at that. "that is a good question. russell would be funny to use."
"SANS RUSSELL. IT SOUNDS ALRIGHT," Howl said approvingly.
"are both papyrus and vex gonna be best men?" Daemon wondered.
"it works. it would be me without red hair." He laughed. "ya of course. the other question is who will wear a dress? i think red would look adorable in one. berry, you should go out shopping and happen upon a dress shop and have him try them on. send me pictures too." He winked.
Berry snickered. "IF RED WANTS TO, SURE."
"i saw him eyeing your dress yesterday," Daemon said slyly. "i bet you could convince him."
"HE DID LIKE IT." He thought it over. "I'LL BRING IT UP."
"cool! take pictures if you two do go shopping~" Daemon said.
"BUT DON'T SHOW SANS. TRADITION DICTATES HE NOT SEE THE DRESS UNTIL THE MOMENT OF,” Howl cautioned.
Berry nodded, agreeing with Howl.
"aah fine,” Sans said. “if he agrees to the dress, save all the dress pictures to show me after. If he’s not going to wear it i, get ta see them, okay?
"THAT IS ACCEPTABLE."
Sans sighed, "i'm a patient monster." He winked.
"I'M SURE YOU HAD TO BE, TO WAIT SO LONG FOR A PROPOSAL."
"heehee, yeah, he took a while."
"what ya gonna do?" Sans said. "his middle name is silly after all."
"heh, he'll never live that down, huh?"
"IT IS CHARMING, IN ITS OWN WAY. YOU MAKE A GOOD PAIR."
"nope." Sans popped th, 'p' and chuckled. "thanks." He blushed. "So do you three."
"NATURALLY. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU STATING THE OBVIOUS."
"thank you."
It was only a few more minutes before Red came down with the two vials in hand, looking mildly troubled.
"well, i got a good look at your magic, berry. it's... not good."
Berry looked at red expectedly as he entered and his smile fell at Red's words. He should have known better than to hope. "WHAT DID YOU FIND?" he asked softly.
"well, two things." He held up one vial, quite purply in the right light. "this is the one from your chest. the influence of gaster's magic is strong, it overrides yours. my guess is he isn't too keen on healing, especially with the intentions he had for you. so my guess is that's part of it. i may be able to filter it out with machinery, but it would take several sessions to do it fully. upshot is, it might seriously hinder that voice. i just don't know if i can get it all out at this point... it may only be management."
That... that wasn't as bad as he thought. His hand went up to his chest as he remembered the tubing and machines that the doctor had used. Then his hand went to his eye. "WHAT TYPE OF MACHINES?" His voice was shaking "WILL IT HAVE TO GO IN MY SOCKET AGAIN?"
"what?" Red's own eyelights went out. "y-your socket? fuck, no, of course not! an, an i/o will do fine. geez." He looked a bit shaky.
Berry took a deep breath. "OKAY. OKAY. THATS NOT SO BAD THAN."
"yeah. geez..." His hand drifted up to his right socket, then he shook it off. "uh, uh anyway, the other thing." He held out the second vial. "this is the one from your wrist, and the concentration of energy is weaker. there's some debris mixed in, and some dilution. now you mentioned you've... broken some bones. have they been broken a lot?"
"YES, IT'S ONE OF THE COMMON WAYS I WAS PUNISHED."
"right." He tried not to wince. "anyway, my guess is you'd have trouble even if you didn't have his magic, because it seems like the repeated breaks have damaged your mana lines a bit. the good news is that's a bit easier to deal with. massage and acupressure should help that."
He smiled. "THAT'S GREAT NEWS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BROTHER." He got up to hug Red.
"aw, you're welcome." He hugged back, nice and tight.
"I WILL SCHEDULE YOU AN APPOINTMENT," Howl said. Therapy, hypnotherapy, cooking class and acupressure was a lot of activity, and he himself also had a psychiatrist to go to, but hopefully all this wouldn't be too much for Berry.
"THANK YOU, MY ANGEL." He was excited at the idea of maybe getting his magic back and the voice hopefully losing some power.
Sans smiled happily, thinking Red was so cool.
"YOU'RE WELCOME. WE SHOULD GET HOME, BUT I'M SURE WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON."
"especially red!' Daemon said cheerfully. "for berry, i mean. when you go shopping~"
"shopping?" Red repeated.
Berry nodded, "YES. LET'S GO SHOPPING SOON."
Sans chuckled.
"wha- what are we going shopping for?"
Daemon giggled. "you'll see."
"euh, alright. well, i look forward to it??" He shrugged. "well, anyway, i'm glad i could help, berry. see you guys later." He sent the samples back to his office and plopped on Sans's lap.
Sans wrapped his arms around red with a happy little purr and cuddled him.
Berry chuckled. "WE'LL SEE YOU TWO LATER. THANK YOU AGAIN"
Red purred back. "anything for you, berry. later."
Howl picked up the leash, and Daemon snuggled up to Berry as he ported them home.
The day after they went to see Red about Berry's magic, that Monday, was Howl and Berry's first hypnotherapy session. They each had an appointment one after the other, to make it easier, and of course Daemon was more than willing to wait in the waiting room with each of them while the other went in. He had some paperwork about some of the dogs from the shelter to go over, reviewing candidates for their personalized adoption policies. The small stack was pressed to his chest as he took Berry's hand to port everyone there.
"ready?"
"YES." He smiled up, taking Daemon's hand. "ARE YOU SET HOWL?" He held out his hand to Howl with a smile. He was looking forward to this. He really hoped it would help them both.
"YES, I AM READY." Howl didn't take Berry's hand, though, only held on to the leash. He was figuring it would be better to not stress out before this appointment, though he felt bad that Berry was rejected. "I WILL HOLD YOUR HAND AFTER, IS THAT FINE?"
Berry tried not to be hurt by the rejection, but he was. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly and plastered on a smile, hiding heartache. He grabbed his bandana that Howl gave him, feeling love from it and reminded himself it was okay. That Howl offered to hold his hand after it eased the aching pain of rejection. "YES," he blurted, "THAT WOULD BE GREAT."
Howl nodded, masking his own feelings of inadequacy. Berry asked for so little, for such simple things. The fact that Howl could not provide was, in his opinion, a terrible personal moral failure. He did his best not to show that on his face, however, only nodding.
"VERY WELL. LET US GO, THEN."
Daemon squeezed Berry's hand gently, then ported them. The office had a vaguely similar aesthetic to Candy's, calming and with zen-type posters and decorations and the like. The secretary jumped a little from their sudden appearance, banging his knee on his desk with a quiet swear.
"sorry," Daemon said with a wince, and the man shrugged.
Berry got closer to Daemon. He was still nervous about being out in public. He worked the bandana between his fingers. He squeezed Daemon's hand and rubbed his thumb over his datemates hand, offering comfort.
"it's alright, berry," he said, squeezing Berry's hand again. "let's go sit."
"YES, YOU TWO GET COMFORTABLE." Howl went up to the desk and signed them both in, filling out a form similar to the one they usually filled out with Ms. Candy. When he was called back, it was by what looked to be a bat monster, wearing a nice suit and with perky ears, tiny glasses, and a pleasant demeanor, even if he bumped into the doorway a little on his way. Howl followed him back into a room, only glancing back to offering them a reassuring nod and wave.
Berry sat next to Daemon and filled out the paperwork quickly. Then he cuddled close to Daemon, but didn’t take his hand so he could shuffle his own papers. He smiled and waved at Howl as he went in. The room didn't have many people or monsters in it, so that was good. "DO YOU WANT ANY HELP, DAEMON?" He offered.
"oh, you don't have to also write, it's really hard to do paperwork with two people," he admitted. "but you can read it and stuff, that's fine, and maybe help me decide? i have to make sure each doggy gets a really good, nice owner that matches up well."
"OKAY." It would help him not be so nervous and help Daemon narrow down the right people. It made him feel happy to be useful to Daemon. "YOU’RE SO GOOD FINDING THEM A FOREVER HOME." He took a set of paper.
He looked flattered and happy at that, beaming. "i'm glad you think so! every dog deserves a wonderful home and a nice master. like me!"
Berry's soul fluttered happily. "THEY DO. THEY'RE GOOD DOGS, BUT YOUR THE BEST PUPPY." He cuddled into Daemon's side and read.
Daemon smiled wider at that, flushing dark green. "thank you, berry." He snuggled back in and focused on his papers.
Howl came back out about fifty minutes later, looking a little emotionally drained but not traumatized, so that was probably a good sign. He came to sit on Berry's other side, while the bat monster peered around to find his next client.
"Mr. Aster?" he called.
Berry had two suggestions for dogs and masters for Daemon by the time Howl came back. He set down the papers he had been reading and offered Howl a warm smile.
"YOU ALRIGHT?" He looked up as his name was called, "ONE MOMENT PLEASE." He would not leave until he knew his datemate was okay.
Howl gave Berry a smile. "I AM ALRIGHT, KITTEN, THANK YOU. IT IS JUST A LITTLE EMOTIONALLY TIRING TELLING THE WHOLE STORY. GO ON, I WILL RECOVER FINE."
Berry's fingers twitched, wanting to hug Howl. He pet his bandana instead. "ALRIGHT. I LOVE YOU, ANGEL. AND YOU TOO, PUPPY."
"WE LOVE YOU AS WELL."
"mhm!"
They both waved. He got up and went to the doctor, just a tad bit scared. Doctors were scary after all. "HELLO. THANK YOU FOR WAITING."
When Berry approached the bat, he nodded and turned back around.
"Not a problem, sir, come along.”
He bumped into another doorway with a little squeak, then adjusted his glasses and led the way into a plush office room with a comfortable couch and more decor, and his computer and files.
"Please take a seat. So, you are Howl's lover, and wish for help with nesting?"
Berry blushed at the word ‘lover.’ "YES, I WAS GIVEN AVERSION THERAPY BY THE SANITARIUM. THEY DIDN'T WANT SULLY NESTING OR FEELING SAFE IN NESTS. I CANNOT BEAR TO BE IN A BED OR WRAPPED IN SOFT THINGS LIKE BLANKETS." He hugged himself. He was looking at the ground, "SOFT THINGS LIKE BLANKETS ARE BAD, AND BEDS ARE WORSE. NESTING PHYSICALLY HURTS."
"Aversive electroshock therapy, if I remember the press conference...?" He nodded, squinting hard as he typed. The font on his computer was huge to help him see. "So even when you want to nest, just touching the soft things recalls the physical pain and you can't. Right, yes. Well... I might use the same method as I discussed with Howl. It is probably very different from what you might expect. Have you ever heard of EMDR therapy?"
"THAT'S RIGHT. THEY ALSO LIKE TO BREAK BONES WHEN WE FAIL OUR TESTS WITHOUT THE COLLAR." He shook his head. "NO, I HAVEN'T, DOCTOR."
"Well, it means Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is not quite the same as hypnotherapy, but it uses a similar principal of rewiring the mind to reduce the effect of the trigger. Essentially, some kind of back-and-forth stimulation is used, as you talk of the trauma, and the stimulation rewires the parts of the mind attached to the trauma that is giving you a pain or panic response. It is faster than traditional therapy, but must be done carefully and planned out beforehand. I must lay every step out so that you can replace the unwanted reaction correctly."
Berry nodded. "OH OKAY." He wasn't sure he understood too well, but Howl was going to try it, so he would try it too.
He glanced up again. "Well, do you think you understand and want to try it?"
"IT MIGHT HELP ME, RIGHT? I'LL TRY IT."
"Yes... but I will ask again, do you think you understand it? It is very important that you understand what will happen."
"KINDA," he said sheepishly. "YOU’RE GOING TO TRY AND REWRITE THE PAIN?"
"Not me," he said, shaking his head. "My input is extremely minimal. Let me try again. Ah... I would, for example, hold up a finger and move it back and forth, and you would follow it with your eyes. Or, I could use headphones, and play a sound on each side one at a time. As this happens, you talk about the trauma. You focus on what happened, the facts, and how you felt about it. This goes on for some time, perhaps half an hour, perhaps more or less time. Then I stop my finger or the sound, and you instead think and talk about something else. Anything else, just to switch topics for your mind. Doing this, the side-to-side motion, resets the instinctive reaction you have. You then think about what you want to do instead. The good thing you are striving for. Then, after you leave, you could touch soft blankets and not hurt. I am not telling you to think or feel in any way myself. It's all your mind resetting itself."
Berry looked amazed. It didn't seem too bad. He hated talking about it, but he really wanted to be able and do this. To cuddle happily in a blanket and have his omega instincts pleased without walking a razor’s edge of pain. "I UNDERSTAND. I WANT TO TRY IT, PLEASE. "
He nodded and typed more. "Good, we can spend this appointment planning out your goals and laying out what subject to focus on for each future appointment. It is all very quick, but even so, it may take a few weeks to get through everything. And even after that, even though the instinctive pain or panic is gone, you have to train yourself to associate something good. It will no longer hurt, but since you have not touched anything soft in so long without pain, you would be very unused to it, and not be sure how to feel, so you must teach yourself to like it. Does that make sense?"
"YES DOCTOR." Berry nodded and sat up a little taller. He thought, 'I CAN CUDDLE WITH DAEMON. THAT WILL MAKE IT POSITIVE.'
"Very well."
They spent the better part of an hour planning out each appointment, each step of the process, so Berry knew what to expect and how to tie it all into the rest of his therapy. Eventually, the bat dismissed him, leading him back out to the waiting room with a smile and wishing him luck until their next appointment.
Berry came out of the appointment hopeful. "THANK YOU, DOCTOR." He approached his mates. "I'M DONE." Seeing them always made him feel better. Berry smiled at them.
"You're welcome, I'll see you next week." He waved.
Howl looked up from his phone, and Daemon put down the last paper, beaming.
"hiya, berry!"
"DID IT GO ALRIGHT?"
"YES, WE SET EVERYTHING UP FOR MY NEXT FEW APPOINTMENTS." He was mentally tired, but he felt accomplished having a plan set in place.
"I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT."
Howl looked mostly recovered from his own appointment, after getting to sit for a while and relax. He took hold of the end of the leash and stood up.
"LET'S BE ON OUR WAY, THEN."
Daemon tucked the papers under one arm and reached for Berry's hand with a smile.
Berry smiled at Howl and happily took Daemon's hand and gave it a nice squeeze.
He squeezed back and then ported them all home.
The next day, Berry was anxious. It was his first cooking class after the press conference. Howl and Daemon were coming with him again, but it was still intimidating. He took some deep breaths and turned to look in the mirror. "YOU CAN DO THIS BERRY," he told himself. "GOING MAKES THE WHOLE FAMILY HAPPY, AND TODAY'S CLASS IS OMELETS." He remembered the small talk with Howl about how to make omelets. He and Daemon had tried the next day. They were a little overcooked, but Howl had said they were still good. "I'LL MAKE SOME GREAT ONES TODAY AND..." he blushed a little as the idea of feeding them made him forget his anxiety. "THEY CAN TRY IT TO."
The two of them were waiting by the door, as usual. Howl was wearing his armor, just in case of any altercations. Daemon looked a little nervous as well, absently petting the fluff of his hoodie as they waited. When Berry came out, however, they both smiled at him, not wanting him to worry.
"ready to go, sweetie?" Daemon asked.
"EVERYTHING WILL GO WELL, I WILL MAKE CERTAIN,” Howl promised.
Berry smiled happily at them. "YES, I AM." He had his bag and supplies on his shoulder. "THANK YOU, MY ANGEL." He gripped his collar to keep from reaching out to hold Howl's hand.
"OF COURSE." He nodded.
Daemon squeezed Berry's other hand, then lifted it and nuzzled it. He even kissed it gently, just a brush of his teeth against Berry's hand.
"make us something yummy~?"
He ported them to just inside. He would never port them outside the rec center again.
Berry turned bright blue as Daemon kissed his hand. "I'LL DO MY BEST."
"i know you will~" He nuzzled Berry's cheek next, as they approached the right door. "we'll be right here."
“YELL OR TEXT IF YOU NEED US, WE WILL RUN RIGHT IN,” Howl said.
"ALRIGHT MY LOVES." He squeezed Daemon's hand one last time and smiled at Howl before ending the classroom and taking his normal spot. Some humans and monsters were whispering to each other. Berry ignored it and set his bag down.
One monster, a mouse with a long scarf that Berry recognized from his own underground as a Swap monster, took a few slow steps towards Berry, nose twitching. But before he got too close, before he could say anything, the teacher bustled in and class began. Berry's soul stuttered a bit in fear as the mouse came towards him. He calmed as the teacher came in and the mouse stopped approaching him. As the teacher talked, he did his best to pay attention and keep the mouse’s movements in view.
The class seemed to go off without a hitch, everyone making their own omelets. But the Scarf Mouse kept looking over, tail curling and uncurling nervously.
When the class was over, he tried to approach again, this time trying to block the way to the door a bit to make sure Berry didn't just ignore him.
Berry took some deep breaths and squeezed his bandana. He would try to be polite. If the monster touched him, he would call for his datemates. After most of the people left, Berry stopped by the door the mouse was waiting at and made sure there was more than an arm’s length between them. "DID YOU WANT TO ASK SOMETHING?"
"Um... Not just ask... But could I... show you something?" Up close, the mouse looked very nervous, tail coming in front of himself as one hand fidgeted with it. Then he lifted his other hand, grabbing ahold of his scarf. After taking a deep breath, he pulled it down, peering up at Berry from within the confines of a Sully collar previously completely hidden.
Berry's guard dropped at the sight of the collar. He knew how much courage that took to do. He came closer, feeling a lot better about the situation. He said, "HI, MY NAME’S BERRY," and offered a kind smile.
The mouse smiled shakily, putting the scarf back. "I know... I saw you on the news. Does... does your mate really mean it when he says he'll protect us?"
"YES, HE DOES. HE WORKS VERY HARD TO HELP ALL OF US AND GET THE LAW CHANGED FOR OMEGAS. DID YOU KNOW OTHER RACES WANT TO HELP PROTECT OMEGAS? THEY ALL WANT TO HELP US, AND HOWL WILL LEAD THE WAY," Berry said proudly. "DO YOU WANT TO MEET THEM? THEY ARE WAITING IN THE HALL."
Scarf Mouse kept fidgeting with his tail and nodded slowly. "Okay... Just for a second..."
"ALL RIGHT, BY THE WAY WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" He stepped out of the class with him.
"Scarf Mouse..." He followed along quietly.
Howl and Daemon straightened up and bristled a little at Scarf Mouse, who shrank back.
Berry smiled at them gently, waving them closer. "HOWL, DAEMON, THIS IS SCARF MOUSE. HE SAW THE PRESS CONFERENCE.” He whispered, "he is like me.” His hand went to his bandana to press on his collar that laid under it, and he spoke louder again. “HE WANTED TO MEET US."
They both relaxed at Berry's words. Scarf Mouse nervously twitched again, then hesitantly waved.
"I... I wanted to ask if you'll really protect us...?"
"YES, OF COURSE." Howl nodded. "ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, I CAN USE MY POSITION TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY."
Berry's smile was gentle. He was so happy and proud of his datemate. "HOWL ALWAYS DOES HIS BEST TO KEEP HIS WORD," he told the mouse monster. "DID YOU WANT TO EXCHANGE NUMBERS AND WE COULD TALK MORE?"
The mouse nodded slowly, but then looked down.
"I, I'm not allowed to have my phone... My sister says I can't own stuff since I'm Sully. But I could give you hers...?"
"NO PROBLEM. MY BROTHER OWNS MINE AS WELL, BUT LETS ME KEEP IT ON ME." He took out a piece of paper and wrote his name and number. "CALL ME WHEN YOU WANT TO TALK, I DON'T MIND. IS YOUR SISTER COMING TO GET YOU?"
He took the paper and nodded, tucking it away. "Yes, she should be here any minute..."
"we'll stay until she gets here, if you want?" Daemon offered.
Berry nodded. The Swap guards had given him a lesson just outside here. "YES, IT’S BEST NOT TO BE ALONE."
"Okay... Thanks." He smiled, relaxing a little. "You guys are so cool and brave..."
Howl puffed up at the praise, preening a little and examining the tips of his phalanges.
"NATURALLY. I WORK VERY HARD TO BE THIS COOL. OF COURSE, I AM INNATELY COOL AS WELL, BUT ANYONE CAN BE COOL IF THEY TRY."
"But brave too! I couldn't talk like that to cameras, to the entire world... It's too scary..."
"BRAVERY IS DOING THINGS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SCARY. IT IS NOT NEVER BEING SCARED. YOU CAN DO IT. BUT IT IS ALRIGHT IF YOU DON'T. IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A COWARD TO TRY AND PROTECT YOURSELF."
Berry blushed at the praise and nodded in agreement. "IT WAS VERY SCARY, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT IF IT HELPS OTHERS."
The Scarf Mouse nodded slowly, fidgeting with his scarf. "So you think... If I talk about what happened to me... It'll help?"
"YES, I DO.” Howl said. “IT MAY ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TALK ABOUT IT TOO. AND THE MORE VICTIMS SPEAK OUT, THE HARDER IT IS TO SAY THEY ARE LYING."
"it's really dumb that they don't believe us in the first place, but that just means we gotta keep trying," Daemon agreed.
Pride was swelling in Berry. He had gotten someone to speak up by doing what Howl had said, it really was helping others. It was a great feeling, having Scarf Mouse talk with him. "YES, AND HAVING EACH OTHER TO TALK TO WILL BE NICE. WE KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE THERE, SO WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER."
Scarf Mouse nodded shyly. "Okay... Then... Then I'll think about it... and talk with my sister... but I can't promise anything."
"THAT'S QUITE ALRIGHT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO," Howl assured.
"I KNOW IT'S SCARY." Berry said, "BUT IF YOU JUST WANT TO TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, YOU’RE WELCOME TO CALL ME AND WE CAN SIT TOGETHER DURING CLASS IF YOU WANT."
He nodded. "Okay, I'd like that. Thank you..."
"Mousey!"
A red monster with devil horns and eyes shaped like crosses came trotting over. She slowed upon seeing the group. Scarf Mouse's ears perked up.
"Hi, Jester."
Berry waved to the new monsters shyly, "HELLO."
"Hi..." Jester looked between them. "Are you being nice to my brother?"
"Yeah, they're okay. They're the ones from the news,” Scarf Mouse said.
"I know. Nice to meet you."
"A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AS WELL," Howl replied.
"MY NAME IS BERRY. THESE ARE MY DATEMATES, HOWL AND DAEMON." Berry thought, 'proper introductions are always a good place to start.'
"I know," she repeated. "I saw the news. Just wondering if you're really like that."
"sure we are!" Daemon smiled. "i'm a good boy, and master's super great!"
"They were being nice to me," Scarf Mouse said. Jester hummed, then nodded.
"Okay, if they were nice, then I believe them."
Berry smiled happily. "I GAVE SCARF MOUSE MY NUMBER. YOU’RE BOTH WELCOME TO CALL ME IF YOU WANT TO TALK."
"Hmm..." Jester rocked back and forth a little. "Okay. But if you be mean to my brother and make him cry, I'll make you cry."
"THAT'S QUITE FAIR," Howl agreed with a nod. "ONE MUST ALWAYS STICK UP FOR FAMILY."
"I UNDERSTAND. I'LL DO MY BEST TO BE A GOOD FRIEND," Berry said.
"uh-huh," Daemon agreed. "you're a wonderful sister."
"I know!" She beamed. "Alright, Mousey, let's go home."
"Okay. Bye guys..." Scarf Mouse shyly waved, then scampered off after Jester.
Berry waved back. Then he turned to his mates. "I'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN BEFORE,” he said in awe.
"I ADMIT, I WASN'T SURE IF ANYONE WOULD COME FORWARD MYSELF," Howl said. "BUT I AM GLAD HE DID. WE ARE ADVOCATES NOW, BERRY. WE ARE GIVING PEOPLE HOPE."
"you did great, and we're super proud of you!" Daemon agreed.
Berry blushed. "IT FEELS NICE GIVING MONSTERS HOPE AND MAKING THEIR LIVES BETTER." He took Daemon's hand.
"YES, IT DOES."
"mhm, being helpful is nice." Daemon ported them home. "do we get to taste your food~?"
"OH, I ALMOST FORGOT." He reached into his bag and pulled out the tupperware. "I THINK THIS ONE CAME OUT GREAT. IT'S CHEESE, HAM, AND GREEN ONIONS." He held it out to the both of them.
Daemon beamed and grabbed two forks. It was still nice and warm, so they each went ahead and took a bite. The taller brother made a pleased sound.
"it's really tasty! i like ham and onions a lot."
"YES, THE CONSISTENCY IS GOOD, AND THERE ISN'T TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE OF THE ADDITIONS," Howl said approvingly. "I LIKE THE TEXTURE. WELL DONE."
Berry eyelights were stars. "I'M SO HAPPY YOU LIKE IT." Today was turning into a marvelous day. His soul was feeling a lot better than it had in a long time. "WHEN YOU’RE DONE, DO YOU THINK WE COULD ALL SIT ON THE COUCH AND HOLD HANDS?"
"YES, I'D LIKE THAT,” Howl said.
They both finished the food, and Howl cleaned up briefly before they all settled on the couch.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry, Howl and Daemon go to Red and Sans's place for Red to take samples on Berry's magic. He tells a funny story about his last name, Russel, as he does so. After taking the samples and examining them, he tells Berry that Gaster's magic and repeated bone breaks cause his lack of ability to use magic, so magic filtering, acupuncture, and massage may restore magic function. The next day, Howl and Berry each have their first hypnotherapy session, wherein their new therapist, a bat, tells them each about EMDR and explains how it works, saying it may work better. Most details are glossed over. They are each emotionally tired afterwards but hopeful. The day after that is the first cooking class after the press conference, and they are all worried about an altercation. It seems that a mouse wants to talk to Berry in class, which scares him, but it turns out Scarf Mouse is also Sully and wanted confirmation that the Fellswaps will really protect them all. Berry reassures him, and takes him to Daemon and Howl, who also reassure him. Howl talks about bravery, and promises Scarf Mouse doesn't have to tell his story, but it may help, and Scarf Mouse says he'll consider it. They briefly meet his sister, Jester, who says she believes they're nice, but will hurt them if they upset her brother. They all agree this is fair, and make arrangements so Scarf Mouse may call and talk with a fellow Sully if he wants later. Berry and the brothers feel good that they are having a positive influence on at least one Sully.
Chapter 21: Please Don't Make Any Sudden Moves, You Don't Know the Half of the Abuse
Summary:
In which there are lots of dresses, and someone who loves them a lot.
Notes:
Hey guys, just so you know, you should subscribe to the overall series, because later this week, I'm throwing up a oneshot that takes place between this chapter and the next one ; ) You don't wanna miss it!
If you want to know what the glue story is read:Sticky Sexcapades
Tags: flirting, monster racism, mention of old injuries, discussion of victim-blaming
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The morning after class, there was another major news break. Howl watched the television intently as he knitted. Reporters were discussing another subset of monsters that had just reached the surface. The new Queen, another goat woman, seemed friendlier than the hated Swap Queen, but not extremely similar to the Fell Queen. No, this one - Queen Mary, as she was revealed to be called, had a form-fitting purple dress on, wonderful and lovely but low in the front, as she spoke with confidence to the reporter and camera. She explained that their fallen human had already told them much about human culture and what was and wasn't appropriate, and they were thrilled to acquiesce to what all the other monster kingdoms had. She seemed extremely keen on mentioning, multiple times, that her people were safe and not a threat and would do nothing to anyone without permission. The repeated reassurance made him uneasy. He kept scanning to be knowledgeable, but he didn't much like this.
"BERRY, WHEN YOU GO OUT TODAY, BE CAREFUL," he said, as Berry got ready to go shopping with Red. "BE VERY AWARE OF WHO'S AROUND, AND USE THE PANIC BUTTON IF YOU NEED IT, ALRIGHT?"
Berry nodded. "ALRIGHTY." He was excited and nervous about the new monsters. He wondered when they would meet the new skeletons. His brother was on leave. Or maybe Sans had met them? No one had said anything about them coming to family game night yet. "DO YOU THINK ANYONE IN THE FAMILY HAS MET THEM YET?"
"AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO, NOT YET. EVERYTHING IS STILL GETTING SETTLED WITH THEM LEGALLY. I BELIEVE THERE ARE STILL SOME IN LINE FOR ID'S," he said, shaking his head. "BUT I'M SURE IT WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY LONG BEFORE WE BUMP INTO SOMEONE. JUST BE CAREFUL, PLEASE. I AM... CONCERNED."
Berry's soul skipped a beat at Howl's uncertainty. "I'LL BE DILIGENT AND ON THE LOOKOUT."
"GOOD, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. CALL ME TO KEEP ME POSTED." He took Berry's hand and squeezed it gently.
Berry's soul fluttered as Howl took his hand without Berry having to ask. Squeezing back gently he said, "I WILL."
Red popped in, stuffing his wallet in his pocket and looking a little nervous. "hey..."
When Red popped in, Berry looked over. "HELLO RED."
"GOOD." He let go then and nodded his head to Red. "YOU BE CAREFUL WHILE OUT TODAY. WATCH OUT FOR BERRY."
"oh, yeah, sure thing, buddy." Red shrugged and nodded, then reached out to take Berry's hand instead. "let's get going, then?" With a pop, he pulled Berry to the sidewalk of another strip mall nearby.
"SO." Berry took a quick look around. "LET GO TO THE BRIDAL STORE AND PLAY DRESS UP." He giggled. "I NEED TO FIND A GOOD DRESS TO WEAR TO YOUR WEDDING."
Red was flushed a dark crimson, using an extra hand to pull up the hood of his jacket. "ok, but, but we're just looking! i mean, you can get what you want, but i'm just looking! i haven't, uh- i'm-" He was very flustered.
"WEREN'T YOU THE ONE WHO TOLD ME NOT TO ASHAMED?" He took Red's arm and walked towards the store. "IF YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU LIKE, WE CAN GO INTO A PRIVATE DRESSING ROOM."
"i mean, yeah, but that's different! i mean, you're really good looking. you know, no homo." He grimaced as he said it, then gestured to his face. "this ugly mug ain't the same."
"RED YOU'RE VERY GOOD LOOKING-" Berry was cut short as Red stopped short suddenly, pushing Berry behind him and tensing up.
Outside the bridal shop, there was a skeleton, an unfamiliar one. He was taller than Red, but not by much, only a few inches. He was dressed in skinny jeans and long blue boots, with very slight heels. His shirt was short, ribs peeking out underneath, a vivid cyan heart right where his actual soul would be. His jacket had no sleeves, but the fluff edges of the hood were overly luxurious. Fingerless gloves were tugged one at a time as the skeleton stared in the window with an expression of unabashed longing.
Red had taken Howl’s warning to heart, watching carefully. Berry submitted to the alpha's protection. but peeked around to look at the other skeleton. They were stylish, and he didn't feel any ill intent. "Hi," he said meekly.
The skeleton looked over, first noticing Red's protective stance, his hand on the other skeleton. Then he saw Berry, not at all scared, but a bit shy. Red could practically see the conclusion the guy drew.
"well, aren't you two a cute couple?" the stranger asked, his voice all velvet and silk, sockets batting coyly. He came strolling closer leisurely, like he was gliding across the ground. Red flushed, surprised.
"uh, we're not- this is- we're brothers-in-law."
"oh!" Genuine surprise. "my deepest apologies~ so does that mean... one of you might be... available~?" He was right in front of Red now, leaning in a little, one hand pressed to his own chest. "because baby, i'd really like it if you gripped me as tight as you're gripping him."
Red made a sputtering sound, genuinely shocked, face vividly colored. He smelled like apples.
Berry was shaken at the forwardness of this skeleton and the innuendo had him a little in shock, but he was happy it made his point about Red being good looking. He knew Red would keep them safe and would port if they needed to, so he introduced them. "MY NAME IS BERRY AND THIS IS RED. MAY WE HAVE YOUR NAME?" Berry asked.
"jack rose, at your service." The skeleton bowed a little, then looked back up with lidded sockets. "and that service can be anything~ you~ want~"
Red made another sputtering noise, then let go of Berry just to wave his good hand in the guy's face.
"i-i'm taken!" he insisted. "i'm engaged!"
Jack Rose zeroed in on the ring, taking Red's wrist only to hold it still and look closely.
"oh, how lovely a color! very gorgeous! congratulations, sweetie." His tone completely shifted, no longer sultry and lilting and instead friendly and more PG.
"y-yeah. thanks. uh. berry's taken too!" Red went on.
"aw, isn't that lovely? i'm happy for both of you and your mates."
"THANK YOU. IT’S NICE TO MEET YOU." Berry had a confused look. "WHAT SERVICE?"
"berry," Red muttered, "he was coming on to us."
Jack Rose tittered a little, letting go of Red's wrist to cover his mouth with one hand. His purplish eyelights shined. "i was just flirting, sweetie. i'm used to, ah, providing sexual favors, let's say. don't worry about it~"
"OH..." That made Berry very uncomfortable. Jack Rose was tempting, openly? The small monster wasn't sure how to respond. He held on to Red.
Red held on to Berry again in turn. "look," he said, "we skeletons all try and get together and stuff, but you can't do that, okay?"
Jack Rose tilted his head. "alright... my apologies. i'll avoid flirting with my new friends." His smile was almost tight.
"BROTHER, WHERE ON EARTH DID YOU- AH!"
The new skeleton looked over as another came into view. This one was tall, like Pap, like Vex, strutting along in similar pants and boots than his brother, though the boots were yellow. His coat had sleeves, long, right up to short white gloves. His ribcage was completely bare, a shapely slip of pink that seemed to be halfway between a corset and a leotard only starting underneath said ribs, stretching down over the pants. A belt held it all together.
Jack Rose perked up, "tai! tai, c'mere. these are new friends!"
Tai looked them up and down, examining, and before he could say a word, Jack Rose hurried on.
"not to be flirted with. platonic friends."
Tai smiled and bowed slightly. "A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU BOTH! I'M GLAD TO MAKE FRIENDS SO QUICKLY, WE ARE A BIT DAUNTED BY ALL THE NEW THINGS."
Berry smiled, "IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU." When Jack Rose said not to be flirted with, that made Berry feel a lot better. He introduced them. These two seemed very nice, if just a bit forward. "THE SURFACE CAN BE A SCARY PLACE," Berry agreed, "BUT IT'S EASIER WITH FRIENDS. WE'RE GOING DRESS SHOPPING. DID YOU WANT TO COME?"
"IT CAN BE INDEED! HUMANS ARE INTERESTING. BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE NICE!" Tai responded.
"ah, dress shopping?" Jack Rose looked back at the bridal shop, that longing expression on his face again. "i should just get out of your hair, actually, i-"
"MY BROTHER WOULD LOVE TO GO DRESS SHOPPING WITH YOU!" Tai interrupted, steering Jack Rose to the doors.
"w-wait, bro-"
"UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT, AS I AM SEARCHING FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORE, MYSELF! YOU THREE HAVE FUN, THOUGH!"
Red tilted his head, blinking owlishly.
Berry smiled and pulled on Red’s arm. "LET'S GO. THEY SEEM VERY NICE."
Red looked at Tai gently preventing Jack Rose from trying to slink away, then at Berry.
"...ok. but if they get to be too much, just tell me, okay? promise me."
"OKAY."
They both headed over and went inside. Tai cheerily pushed Jack Rose in with them, then disappeared down the sidewalk. Jack Rose stuck his hands in his pockets, then grimaced at them.
"so... you guys have fun... i'll watch."
Berry smiled at Jack Rose. "YOU SEEM TO BE FASHION FORWARD." He looked through the racks. "DO YOU HAVE ANY ANY SUGGESTIONS? I WAS THINKING OF MAYBE WEARING SOMETHING PRETTY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SHOW MY UPPER ARMS. AND RED MIGHT GET A WEDDING DRESS IF HE SEES ON HE LIKES."
"me?" Jack Rose echoed. "w-what makes you think that?"
"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FASHION, BUT YOUR CLOTHES LOOK LIKE SOMETHING IN THE HUMAN MAGAZINES FOR FASHION." Berry pulled down a light blue bridesmaid dress. It was very plain. "OH, I LIKE THIS COLOR."
He started tugging at his gloves again. "oh, these? well, they're just..." He looked at the dress Berry picked and scrunched up his face.
Red poked at the dress Berry picked out. "it's alright, sure."
"it's boring," Jack Rose sighed, giving in and going over. "look at this hemline. it's not even well done, and this kind of top isn't great for a skeletal body unless you use ecto. if you want to look pretty and elegant, a mermaid dress would do you well. it would give you more height, but it's still not extravagant, so it won't upstage the bride. most bridesmaids dresses don't have long sleeves, though. you'll have to get one custom made. i suggest sleeves that loosen at the ends like bell sleeves, personally, because the shape is much like the rest of the dress."
Red stared at him with some awe. "you know a lot."
Jack Rose grimaced again. "it's a hobby..."
Berry smiled happily, delighted that his hunch had been right. "CAN YOU SHOW ME WHAT A MERMAID DRESS IS? MAYBE WE CAN GET A DRESS ALTERED TO HAVE SLEEVES? I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO CAN MAKE A DRESS."
"mermaid dresses are form-fitting around the middle, and flare out around the knee, looking great and still easy to walk in. they'd still look better with ecto, but it's not as necessary." Jack Rose put the other one back and walked along the line.
"do you just know a lot, or do you make them?" Red wondered, catching on to Berry.
"well... i've designed a few things..." He pulled out a mermaid dress, dark green. "it looks like this, but you look like you want blue, so not this one specifically, i'm sure."
"YES, I WOULD WANT BLUE. BUT I CAN TRY IT ON." He was thrilled, walking up and looking for one that might fit. "YOU MUST BE VERY TALENTED. MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE IT FOR ME?"
Jack Rose blushed, a vivid pinkish-purple color. "you don't know anything about what i've made."
The door opened and Tai struck a pose from the doorway. "BY THE WAY, IN CASE HE HASN'T MENTIONED IT YET, JACK ROSE DESIGNED MY ENTIRE OUTFIT HEAD TO TOE!" He kicked up a leg and slid a hand down his front, then disappeared again almost as quickly as he would have if he'd shortcutted. His brother flushed brighter. Red snickered.
Berry giggled. Tai reminded him of Papyrus. "WELL NOW WE KNOW. WHAT WOULD YOU THINK THE BRIDE WOULD LOOK GOOD IN?" He hugged Red. "WE CAN BOTH TRY ON STUFF AND SEE WHAT WE LIKE AND DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT. THIS WE BE FUN!" His eyelights morphed into bright blue stars.
"well..." Jack Rose looked Red up and down, and Red shuffled shyly. "...i'd have to know a bit more about you and what you like, sweetie. but-"
"Good afternoon, do you have an appointment?" a human man interrupted, a tight smile on his face. Jack Rose shrank back, taking a step away.
"NO, BUT WE WANT TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF DRESS WOULD LOOK GOOD ON US FOR A WEDDING," Berry said happily. "OUR FRIEND IS HELPING US WITH STYLE." He held up the mermaid dress. "DO YOU HAVE THIS IN BLUE?"
The human looked between them, expression still tight. "Well, you don't need your friend to do my job, I can help you just fine. So why doesn't he just wait outside while I show you something I'm sure you'll like?"
Jack Rose chuckled softly, then turned around to leave. "it's alright, you two have fun..."
Red looked between them. Then he frowned. "actually," he said, flipping off the human, "fuck you. c'mon, berry. we'll find a different shop. you too, jack."
He stomped towards the door, looping his other arm with Jack Rose's. The new skeleton stumbled, surprised, but then followed with wide sockets.
Berry handed the man the dress. "YOU'RE NOT VERY NICE." He followed them out of the store and took Red's other arm.
The man muttered something like "Good riddance," as he put the dress back. Red huffed, pulling them both along.
"you, you didn't have to stick up for me," Jack Rose said. "we only just got out, i'm sure most people misunderstand us, and anyway, i'm only an amateur-"
"he was gonna hike up all the prices to ridiculous levels and throw in a bunch of subtle jabs,” Red huffed. “i know the type. we'll go somewhere else."
"WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE OUR BUSINESS TO SOMEONE MEAN." Berry nodded in agreement with Red.
"well, um... alright... by the way, ah, it's jack rose, not just jack."
"alright," Red said. "my bad. jack rose. let's go." He ported them to the bus stop. "there's another place across town, but it's a bit too far for me to take two people along with me. so the bus it is."
Berry pulled out his phone and sent Howl a text. [JUST CHECKING IN. WE ARE FINE. THE DRESS SHOP WAS NOT GOOD SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE BUS ACROSS TOWN. WE MADE A NEW FRIEND TOO. HIS NAME IS JACK ROSE. HE’S A REALLY NICE SKELETON AND HE HAS A NICE BROTHER NAMED TAI. LOVE YOU.]
After a moment, Howl responded. [I AM GLAD TO HEAR IT. THESE NEW SKELETONS ARE NOT BEING PUSHY? OR TOO... OPEN? RED IS KEEPING YOU SAFE?]
Jack Rose caught his brother's eye, eavesdropping from a distance, and rolled his pupils. He pulled out his own phone to text something.
[RED IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB AS NORMAL. AT THE BEGINNING, JACK ROSE WAS FILITING WITH RED, BUT ONCE RED TOLD HIM WE HAD DATEMATES, HE STOPPED AND HAS BEEN VERY NICE. <3]
[I SEE. SO LONG AS THEY KEEP THEIR HANDS TO THEMSELVES, THEN FINE. I'M GLAD. BE SAFE, I LOVE YOU, SEE YOU LATER.]
Berry put his phone away. "SO, JACK ROSE, WHAT DID YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RED TO MAKE HIM SAY YES TO THE DRESS?"
Jack Rose glanced up from his phone, tucking it away again. "well, what kind of dresses he's liked before could help."
"oh, me?" Red asked, shuffling. "well, uh... i haven't... ever worn one in public... only tried a few on, but..."
"are you shy?" Jack Rose asked playfully.
"i don't wanna look helpless... but i wanna look, um, good, and kinda sexy..."
"RED YOU HAVE SUCH A STRONG PRESENCE!” Berry assured. “NO ONE WOULD THINK YOUR HELPLESS. I'M SURE YOU CAN ROCK ANY DRESS YOU TRY ON."
Red rubbed his cheek a little. "i dunno..." The bus came, and they all got on. Jack Rose got distracted by it for a moment, a little alarmed at the sound and smell. But when they were settled, he pulled a notebook out.
"here..." he said. "why don't you look through these?" He opened it to reveal cutouts of dresses from magazines, and sketches of even more dresses.
Berry looked over Red's shoulder, looking at the book too. He pointed to one. “OH, THAT’S REALLY PRETTY, WHAT DO YOU THINK?” It was a beautiful white layered dress with black ribbon and some black lace.
Red looked at all of them in awe. At the one Berry pointed out, he hummed. "i dunno... it's kinda poofy, and the sleeves are long, and it's a lotta white..."
"you want something not white?" Jack Rose turned a few pages. "what color?"
"red, probably," Red said.
"let's see... there's a few, here's a red one with black lacing." He pointed to another one that was a cutout picture, all red and elegant, the lacing smooth and sexy.
"ah, that one has no white."
"so red and white? alright, let's see... i don't think i have any already like that, but i can make modifications. you can always dye certain parts."
"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" Berry smiled at Jack Rose. "DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER DRESSES LIKE THIS IN YOUR BOOK?"
"i have lots," he said, and flipped some pages again. "now, you wanted to look at a blue mermaid dress, here's one i saw once. it doesn't have the bell sleeves, but that's alright. they're long and you could add lace. it's also covering enough you don't need to use any ecto if you don't want to."
"OOOH THATS SO PRETTY," he cooed.
"yeah." He smiled. "see how it still won't upstage the bridal dress, but it's much nicer? bridesmaids dresses need to be elegant and unique. you only wear them once, after all.”
"WELL THAT IS A VERY PRETTY DRESS." He squeezed his bandana and blushed, "I COULD MAYBE WEAR IT ON A DATE OR SOMETHING. I WOULD HATE TO WEAR IT ONLY ONE TIME."
"well, traditionally, bridesmaid dresses are just to wear to a wedding, since they're so fancy and expensive... but nothing's stopping you," Jack Rose assured. “are there any other bridesmaids?"
Red shook his head. "no, but my mom is coming, she needs a dress. she’ll probably go shopping on her own, though... also tori, the fell queen, but i think she can handle her own dress, heh. uhh, frisk is gonna be a flower person. baby pucci is gonna be the ring bearer. i think everyone else is wearing tuxes and stuff."
Berry nodded along with Red's words. "WHAT DID YOU WANT PUCCI TO WEAR? A DRESS, A GOWN, OR A ONESIE?"
"oh, uh, i dunno? it's not for a few months, so, i'm not sure how big they'll be, i mean they were just born."
"a baby?" Jack Rose smiled. "well, if you're not sure what gendered clothing, you could go with a dress with pants? the best of all worlds."
"hey, that sounds cool!"
"THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE." Berry pulled out his cell phone. "THIS IS OUR NIBLING, CAPPUCCINO ASTER RUSSELL."
Jack Rose's pupils turned into little heart shapes. "they're so cute and precious."
"heh, yeah." Red grinned. "their dad is my brother, vex, and berry's brother, stretch, carried them. they were born exactly a week ago."
"it must have been so great having a birth!" Jack Rose sighed longingly. "the best day of their lives?"
Guilt gnawed at Berry. "IT SHOULD'VE BEEN." He just couldn’t let go of the blame. 'IF I HAD BEEN MORE CAREFUL,' he thought.
Stupid. Useless. Good for only two things.
Tears lined Berry’s sockets, and he took a deep breath. He tried to cut off the damned voice. He told himself, 'I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE TO BLAME. THE QUEEN GAVE THE ORDER.’
The new skeleton tilted his head, his smile fading a little. "what happened? what's wrong?"
Red looked away, taking one of Berry's hands. "a lot happened, actually... there's a whole political mess, and... uh, well, we're here! so let's talk about that stuff later." He got up as the bus came to a stop. Jack Rose slowly closed his sketchbook and put it away again.
Berry followed as Red pulled him along, trying to push away the thoughts 'TODAY IS ABOUT DRESS SHOPPING AND GETTING SOME PICTURES,’ he reminded himself as he forced a smile. “IS THE STORE CLOSE BY?” he asked as he dried his sockets.
"yeah. yeah, it's not far. c'mon, guys." Red led the way off the bus, with the other two skeletons following close behind. He then ported them closer, up to another bridal shop that seemed smaller, but vibrant. "i heard this place is nice to monsters and does some custom fits."
"THAT IS GREAT TO HEAR," Berry said.
"that's good. you probably don't even need me..." Jack Rose said with a smile.
"but i want your help," Red huffed, making their new friend blush.
"YEP YOU’RE VERY WONDERFUL! WE WANT YOU TO COME WITH US AND THAT REMINDS ME. WE DO A FAMILY GAME NIGHT ONCE A WEEK. ALL OF US SKELETONS GO. IT IS USUALLY AT MY BROTHER'S AS HE HAS A LARGE HOUSE AND CAN FIT US. WOULD YOU AND YOUR BROTHER WANT TO COME?"
Jack Rose blushed, that purplish-pink color again, and rubbed one cheek. "you want us to come? to your family night? even though we, ah...?"
"look," Red said. "you're more than welcome as long as you don't... uh, well, just don't talk about sexual stuff, that's all. for one thing, there's a baby. and for another, some of us got trauma is all. so it's something we keep out of conversation. you can do whatever the fuck you want on your own time. you know, long as it doesn't hurt innocent people."
"i understand." He nodded, looking serious. "we'll be careful." He then looked a little wry. "only innocent people, hmm?"
Red shrugged. "you guys don't look sharp like my and daemon's cultures, so i bet you haven't killed, but... i have."
"WAS THAT THE SAME SPEECH YOU GAVE THE FELLSWAPS?" Berry asked.
"no?" Red gave him a weird look. "that sex part is, you know..." Because of Howl. "i gave them a 'murder is illegal' talk."
"I MEANT THE LOOKING SHARP PART." Berry giggled. He pulled out this phone. "LET ME GET YOUR NUMBER, JACK ROSE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU MINE."
"oh, i mean, yeah. i asked to check them and stuff."
Jack Rose regarded Red. "so can i check you two?"
"go crazy, man. and yeah, give us your number."
Jack Rose gently took Berry's phone to put in his number and checked Berry as he did so.
Blueberry Aster
SullyHP:10
ATK:1
DEF:5
LV:1* Working hard to get better.
Berry let the check roll through him. Jack Rose's brow went up. He checked Red, and Red, too, didn't look perturbed.
Red
HP: 1
ATK: 1
DEF: 1
LV: 8* A survivor
"wow... heh. you guys really are just like me." Jack Rose smiled wryly. "you can check me too, if you want, but you won't see much that's a surprise."
Berry checked him.
Jack Rose Haart
HP: 1
ATK: 1
DEF: 1
LV: 1* Once bitten, twice…
He shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets. "my brother is very impressive, i bet he's more fun to check."
Berry smiled. "I BET. HE SEEMS VERY COOL." When he got his phone back, he texted his and Red’s number to Jack Rose. "LET'S GO SEE WHAT THIS STORE HAS TO OFFER." He took Red's arm and asked Jack Rose, "IS IT ALRIGHT IF I TAKE YOUR ARM TO?"
"he is very cool." He put his hands back in his pockets, but then at the offer, looked surprised again. He smiled and pulled out one hand to link arms. "whatever you'd like, sweetie."
Red led the way inside. There was a smaller array of dresses, but there was still plenty.
Berry smiled as the new skeleton relaxed. When they got in he went to the dresses. He found one in a beautiful blue color in almost his size. It came with a matching wrap. He held it up and asked Jack Rose, "COULD YOU MAKE SLEEVES WITH THIS WRAP?"
Jack Rose looked it over. "well, i could. i bet i could find you one that already has sleeves, but try it on, if they've got your size. you should try on a few before picking."
Berry nodded. "OKAY." He pulled out a few different ones in both his and Red's sizes, just for red to try on. "DO YOU SEE ANY YOU LIKE RED?"
Red picked through them nervously. A woman came up, smiling warmly. "Can I help you three?"
Before Jack Rose could shrink back again, Red glanced over. "my friend's helping."
"That's alright, but I can also tell you what we have, or find something you don't see, if you'd like."
"okay... uh, yeah. i..." Red faltered.
"do you have anything red and white?" Jack Rose asked, saving Red. The woman nodded and went off to one of the other shelves to look through.
Berry smiled happily. That went way better than the last store. He had pulled out three dresses and set them to the side. One for Red to try on for fun and two for himself.
Red looked at the one Berry had pulled out for him, humming over it, and Jack Rose looked with Berry, inspecting some. "by the way," he hummed, "if you see one that isn't even close to your size, pull it out anyway, because they might have one closer to your size in the back."
"OKAY." When the human came back he asked, "MAY WE TRY THESE ON?"
"Of course." She held out three red and white dresses. "Do you want the same fitting room, or two different ones? You could help each other, it's quite hard to zip up bridal dresses on your own."
Berry wasn't sure. He only really was naked for showers and punishment. He knew Red would never hurt him and he could keep his pants, but the idea made him shiver and hug himself. He looked at the ground. "Separate ones please."
"yeah, separate's better," Red agreed nervously. The woman smiled and nodded, then led them to two side-by-side fitting rooms and handed over the dresses.
Berry thanked her and asked Jack Rose, "WHEN WE COME OUT AND LOOK INTO THE MIRROR, CAN YOU TAKE PICTURES OF US, PLEASE?" He held out his phone.
"sure i can!" He beamed and took the phone. "just let me know if you need help zipping up the back, too."
"yeah, alright," Red said. He took his dresses and headed into one room, then nervously looked through them. He didn't know what to feel or if any were better than the others, so he picked one at random to wear first.
Berry took the mermaid dress with the matching wrap and tried that one on first. He didn't summon his ecto. He didn't like it. Really it was only present with heats or if he was forced to summon it by the guards. All the dresses he picked out had tiny bust areas in them. He was able to get the dress half zipped. It was snug, it kinda flattened over the area where the hole was in his ribs. He pulled the wrap over his scarred arms. 'MAYBE THIS WASN'T A GOOD IDEA,' he told himself as he looked in the mirror.
Red was having a similar crisis, although not quite the same. He summoned his own ecto to fill out the first dress, one very poofy with quite a bit of toole at the skirts. The sweetheart neckline was nice, and the pattern of red lace was kinda cool, but... ugh. This toole. The size. The one strap. He rubbed the wrist of his bad hand as he looked in the mirror, feeling the unmatched mitten was horribly out of place and obvious. But a bone-tight glove would hurt badly being put on, and the plate would be visible... He nervously shifted from foot to foot, taking a few deep breaths.
Jack Rose waited outside patiently, leaned on the wall, worrying with his gloves again.
Berry opened the door a little and peeked out. Tears lined his sockets as he tried to stay positive, "JACK ROSE CAN YOU MAKE THIS WORK OR SHOULD WE TRY A DIFFERENT KIND OF DRESS?" he asked sadly.
He looked up, then came right over. "what's the problem, sweetie?" He looked it up and down, and noticed the odd indent at the chest area. "are you... injured?"
He couldn't look him in the eyelights. His arms came down subconsciously to cover it. The wrap slid down with the motion, showing his scared arms and clavicle that had healed over a few weeks ago. "IT'S OLD, BUT I'M MISSING PART OF SOME RIBS."
Jack Rose looked at Berry's arms, the newly healed break, and his pupils dimmed a little. But he smiled anyway. "this dress itself might not work, but if we find one with a high neckline in the back, you could wear a very simple smooth corset underneath. That would make everything look flat. no individual ribs, no ecto needed."
That had a small smile blooming on Berry’s face. "OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT IDEAS. I'LL ASK THE HUMAN TO FIND ME ONE." He went to take off the dress and throw his cloth back on.
"no no, i'll do it, don't you worry." He patted Berry's hand gently; his own was extremely warm.
"THANK YOU, JACK ROSE." Berry squeezed his hand back. Idly, he wondered if he was part dragon too. He was warm like Damon.
When Jack Rose left, he knocked on Red's door. "ARE YOU OKAY IN THERE? DO YOU NEED HELP WITH THE ZIPPER?"
Red startled a little from where he'd been worriedly staring at his mitten. He hid it behind his back automatically as he inched open the door. "uh, no... but i don't much like this dress, it looks dumb..."
"WOW YOU LOOK PRETTY THOUGH." The top was really pretty, especially with the ecto. "THERE ARE FLAWS WITH THIS ONE TOO, BUT JACK ROSE THOUGHT UP A PLAN TO MAKE THE DRESS LOOK BETTER. HE WENT TO GET A CORSET FOR ME. MAYBE HE CAN HELP WITH THE PARTS YOU DON'T LIKE TOO?"
"well, i dunno, maybe..." He fidgeted. "i just don't think i like this one anyway, so i'll put on the next one and we'll see."
"OKAY. I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR JACK ROSE TO BRING ME THE CORSET."
"yeah, okay." He closed the door again and started pulling off the atrocity.
Jack Rose returned with a simple corset, smooth in the front. "will this do, sweetie?"
"YES, THANK YOU." Berry took it with a thankful smile. He went back to the dressing room. The next dress was in silver with dark royal blue accents. It came high in the front and back. It was sleeveless, so he took the wrap from the other dress to cover his arms.
Red put on his second one, an a-line with a high waist and red flowers and lace on the bottom, strapless. It was... Alright. But he was still self-conscious of his mitten as he came creeping out to show them both.
Berry looked at himself in the mirror, happy that the hole in his chest wasn't noticeable. He ran his hand down the smooth material. The corset made him look normal, and it helped fill in the breast area as it was padded a bit, giving him a nicer shape. He came out into the open area and saw RedHe smiled happily; Sans will love to see this, "WOWIE RED YOU LOOK GREAT."
Red was blushing brightly, but he smiled a little. "thanks..."
"do i take pictures this time?" Jack Rose asked, waving Berry's phone.
"Yes," Berry giggled and took red's arm and pulled them over to the little stage with the mirrors and lights. "ONE TOGETHER AND THEN ONE EACH."
"oh, okay-" Red let himself get pulled, nearly tripping. "careful, the train's long."
"yes, you don't want to rip a seam, sweetie." Jack Rose said. He took a picture as the woman came back over.
"You both look great! Don't you want to try on some gloves?"
Red grimaced and hid his mitten again. "i can't..."
"DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THE FURRY TUBE THINGS I’VE SEEN HUMANS PUT THEIR HANDS IN?" Berry asked
"I'm sorry?" the woman asked, tilting her head. "Furry tube?"
"...a fur muff?" Jack Rose asked.
"Oh! Oh yes, we have those!" She nodded. "Will it be a winter wedding, then?"
"well, uh," Red said. "i was thinking it'd be in the summer, or something, but, eh, the heat won’t bother me..."
"I THINK YOU'LL LIKE IT RED. THEY LOOK REALLY SOFT." Berry said happily. He always wanted to touch one. Just a quick touch, like with the comforter, to please the omega within him and his curiosity. He worked his bandana he was still wearing, feeling the softness of it and Howl's scent.
"i dunno, maybe.."
"Let me get you one," the woman said, and went off again. Jack Rose took a few more pictures before she came back with a muff, which Red slowly took.
"huh... kinda comfy..."
"RED.” Berry fingered his bandana for courage to ask quietly, "CAN I PET IT?"
"yeah, sure you can, berry." He held it out with a smile.
Berry reached out a slightly trembling hand and gently let his phalanges glide over the soft fur. "IT'S SO SOFT," he said, amazed. His bones ached as he thought of a nest line in it. He pulled his hand away. "THANK YOU. WE SHOULD TRY ON THE NEXT DRESS." He went towards the dressing room.
"yeah, it's actually pretty cool," Red said. "but can i use it with only one hand...?"
"i don't see why not," Jack Rose hummed. "but if it's too big, and you want to, um... hide your hand? i could add a pocket, too."
"oh! yeah! that... that'd be good. yeah. actually, please do." Red nodded quickly, and Jack Rose smiled and nodded back.
"alright. go on, try the next one."
"okay." Red took the muff off to hand over, then went to change into his next dress as well.
Berry’s next dress was in icy blue with rhinestone sparkles as the blue faded to white at the top. But it was low in the font. It just barely covered the corset, so it showed off his scared clavicle, but on the plus side it had sleeves! Berry was happy about that. He walked out into the open area with a smile. "WHAT DO YOU THINK?"
Jack Rose looked it over, humming. "it looks nice... but i think the other one would be easier to work with to make sleeves and still cover, ah, that mark."
His hand went to the mark left from his last correction, covering it. "THE SILVER AND BLUE ONE?" he asked.
"yes. it was really nice, and i think i can easily find the right material to make sleeves for it. it shouldn't be too expensive or time-consuming."
"ALRIGHT.” He smiled. "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. YOU’RE AMAZING. "
"aw." He blushed, waving a hand a little. "it's nothing. you guys are my new friends, and it's a wedding. you should look your best!"
Berry smiled happily and blushed. "YOU ARE VERY KIND." He was a little lost for words, so he knocked on Red's door. "HOW IS THE NEW DRESS, RED?"
"it's nothing like that..." He shrugged.
There was a long pause, but then the door cracked open. "sorry i'm just a little, uh, emotional, gimme a sec."
"OKAY," Berry looked around and found a box of tissues and rushed it over. Not used to long skirts, he tripped over the skirt.
Before he could hit the ground, Jack Rose caught him, strong arms gently grasping at Berry's shoulders. "careful, don't..." He paused, reconsidered the sultry line he was about to say, then gently straightened Berry back up. "don't rip the dress, sweetie. walk slowly."
Berry let out a sign of relief; he was heading straight into the table. "THANK YOU, JACK ROSE. YOU'RE A LIFESAVER." He took the box in one hand and pulled the dress up with the other hand. He knocked on the door. "RED, I GOT YOU SOME TISSUES."
"you're welcome." He smiled. Red poked back out and took the tissues and closed the door again. There was obnoxious snuffling and blowing and dabbing.
"I HOPE THEY'RE HAPPY TEARS." Berry rubbed his bandana uncertainly.
"yeah! they're happy tears!" A bit more blowing and dabbing before Red came carefully walking out. The dress was long and elegant, sleek, mostly white with just a bit of red lacing. The sleeves were sheer, and the neckline was tastefully high, but still gently curved. He looked nervously happy, gripping the bottom a little. "i like this one..."
"you're gorgeous!" Jack Rose exclaimed.
"OOH RED YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL!" Berry teared up a bit, "LET'S A PICTURE."
"y-yeah, okay. yeah." He got up onto the little podium. Jack Rose took several pictures.
"do you like it how it is? or do you want more red?"
"uh, more red would be really cool, but i like it already."
Jack Rose beamed. "then i'll see what i can do, sweetie~"
After Jack Rose took some pictures, Berry went to stand by Red and took a few with him. "SO WE ARE GETTING THIS AND THE SILVER AND BLUE ONE?"
"yeah." Red was having trouble not tearing up again. "i want this one."
"Oh, wonderful!" The woman came back over, beaming. "We'll get your measurements and make sure your specific dresses are perfectly tailored! I'm so glad you found dresses you liked!"
Red nodded wordlessly.
Berry's soul felt light and happy. "I'LL TAKE THE SILVER ONE TOO." He held out his credit card. "PLEASE CHARGE THEM ON HERE."
"Of course."
When all the measurements were taken, and they were paid for, Red and Berry got back into their usual clothes. Red gently bullied Jack Rose into leaving his number and promising to bring in his portfolio to the shop, and then they headed out of the store to get back on the bus.
Berry took his phone back out and texted Howl and Daemon. It had been a few hours. [HELLO MY LOVES. DRESS SHOPPING WENT WELL! WE’RE TAKING THE BUS BACK. LOVE YOU!]
Howl texted back quickly. [GLAD TO HEAR IT, SEE YOU SOON. WE LOVE YOU TOO.]
Berry smiled happily. "THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY FUN DAY. I'M SO HAPPY WE RAN INTO YOU, JACK ROSE."
"yeah, this has been very nice," Jack Rose agreed shyly. "thank you."
They got onto the bus when it came. This time, Berry got a few dirty looks from some Swap monsters. "Sully," one hissed as they passed to sit somewhere.
Berry bowed his head meekly on reflex. He made sure his bandana was covering his sully collar. "LET'S SIT IN THE BACK."
Red's semi-blissed expression soured, and he nodded, pulling them to the back. Jack Rose followed, confused.
"what does that mean, sully...?"
Berry worked Howl's collar to let his angel's love and scent keep him calm and help him drown out the voice and not listen to it's lies. "in swap culture, it's a dirty omega," Berry said quietly.
"dirty?" he repeated, surprised.
"kinda like a sexual deviant, except... it's never their fault, they all get... forced." Red said quietly. Jack Rose bristled. Then a cold smile spread on his face and he got right back up, walking up to the row with the swap monster who spoke. The monster, a rat, stiffened up.
"What?"
"is this seat taken?" Jack Rose delicately perched on the monster's lap without waiting for an answer, ignoring the sputters of the rat. "i didn't think so~ how kind of you~ aren't you just the sweetest~"
Berry's eyelights guttered out. "red... red... they're going to hurt him." He squeezed the bandana hard. He took shaky breaths. "PLEASE DON'T LET THEM HURT HIM."
Red took Berry's hand, squeezing gently. "hold on... let's see what happens."
The rat was flushed, nose twitching, glaring. "G-get off me! Freak!"
"now, now... that's not very nice..." Jack Rose tsked. "let's be polite, sweetie. i don't think anyone on this bus is a freak..." He leaned in, cupping the rat's cheek, their mouths centimeters apart. "...except you, baby. yeah, you like it rough, huh? you wanna play with me, sweetie? i'll show you freaky."
The rat jerked back, balling up a fist and swinging it - and Jack Rose caught it with one hand with a quiet clack; his grip was bruising on the Swap monster's wrist. He leaned up and closer, whispering right into the rat's ear, too quiet to be heard over the noisy bus. The rat's fur all stood on end, his body trembling.
"Okay! Okay, I'm sorry! Stop!" He yanked the cord to make the bus stop desperately.
Jack Rose threw the rat’s other arm to the side and got up, backing away. The rat jumped up and ran to the front of the bus, slamming into the dash. As soon as the doors opened, he was gone, darting down the sidewalk.
Jack Rose sat back down at the back with Red and Berry, languidly stretching out.
Berry held on to Red's hand, terror-stricken... But Jack Rose came back to them. His soul felt like it was going to fall out of his chest. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. WHAT IF..... WHAT IF HE WAS TEMPTED?"
He didn't look bothered, stretching and absently smoothing out the fur of his jacket. "he couldn't hurt me, i'm too fast. and as for tempting... well, that was the point, sweetie."
"what did you say to him?" Red asked, squeezing Berry's hand again.
"oh, nothing too important. only what i did to the last person who claimed it was a victim's fault they got raped. funny, he was interested in freaks, but he didn't seem keen on what i had in mind..."
Berry took some deep breaths. "THANK YOU FOR STICKING UP FOR ME, JACK ROSE. YOU'RE VERY BRAVE." Berry could never think about trying what the other monster had done, standing up to the Swap monster. Jack Rose was brave and seemed to have skills to back his bravado, yet he didn't want to chance it. "BUT I DON'T WANT YOU IN DANGER BECAUSE OF ME."
"you're welcome, but don't worry, i wasn't in danger. and it wasn't just for you." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "i can't stand victim-blaming... it makes me angry, but honestly... that was tame compared to what tai would have done, if he were here."
"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU HAVE AN ID THAT SAYS YOU’RE NOT SWAP AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SULLY COLLAR." Berry squeezed his bandana. "YOU HAVE RIGHTS. IF SOMEONE REPORTS YOU TO THE GUARDS, THEY CAN'T TAKE YOU FOR TEMPTING. BUT YOU STILL SHOULD BE CAREFUL."
"don't worry about me, sweetie," Jack Rose hummed. "i know exactly what i'm doing."
"it's ok, berry." Red patted Berry's hand. "we don't know what he's capable of, but i'm sure he does. he's lasted this long, yeah?"
Berry nodded, taking more deep breaths. "OKAY.." He inhaled his Angel's wonderful calming grape scent. It reminded him of Howl drinking some fragrant wine. The image was like a sedative on his nerves. "OKAY..." His hand stopped squeezing the bandana and he petted it, letting the softness also comfort him. "LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. DO YOU LIVE AROUND HERE?"
Jack Rose relaxed, barely perceptible. "we haven't found housing yet," he admitted. "we only got here late last night. from what i understand, an old, abandoned apartment complex is being hurriedly furnished with sleeping bags and blankets for a night or two while all of the..." He waved a hand. "political things and documentation gets done."
"IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR US TOO, BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO GET DONE AND THEY HAVE MORE PRACTICE DOING IT. IT SHOULD BE VERY FAST. YOU GOT ID ALREADY TOO. THEY’RE GETTING VERY GOOD AT IT."
"yeah, we got ours early in the morning and just spent the time until you found me learning what things are like."
The bus arrived at their stop, and Red got up. Berry got up too. His arm hooked on to his brother-in-law's, and smiled kindly. "LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING OR NEED HELP GETTING SETTLED IN."
"oh, yes, i will." He followed them out, texting his brother, and stopped on the sidewalk near that first bridal shop. "my brother will come grab me from here, so... i'll talk to you guys later?"
"yeah. and you and tai are invited, this saturday, five o clock,” Red said.
Berry nodded happily. "I WILL SEND A TEXT TO YOU WITH THE ADDRESS."
"alright." Jack Rose smiled and waved at them. Red waved back, then ported Berry back home.
"by the way... you didn't have to pay for the dress," Red mumbled when they were in Howl's living room. "i put money aside."
"IT'S THE JOB OF THE BRIDE'S FAMILY TO PAY FOR THE DRESS. STRETCH AND VEX ALREADY AGREED TO IT." He smiled brightly. "SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT."
"they did?" He rubbed his chin. "i mean... eh, i'm gonna need the money when my student loans kick in, so... alright." He huffed a little. "i feel bad though."
"DON'T, THIS IS OUR GIFT TO YOU. YOU DESERVE WONDERFUL THINGS." Berry held his arms open for a hug.
"well... alright." He hugged Berry tightly. "thank you. you're the coolest brother-in-law ever."
"NO." Berry blushed. He had a hard time believing that. Everyone in his family was so amazing and Red had gone back to school. Berry hadn't graduated anything. "THAT'S YOU! YOU'RE COOL AND SMART AND KIND."
"you shush your mouth, berry, you are the best," he said stubbornly. He pulled back and patted Berry's shoulder. "alright, i'm gonna head home. don't show sansy the dress i got, ok? only the other one."
Berry blushed brighter. "HAVE A GREAT DAY RED. I WON'T SHOW HIM. IS IT OKAY TO SHOW HOWL AND DAEMON?"
"you too. and no, don't show anyone. only the one i didn't buy. it's a surprise."
"ALRIGHT. i'LL KEEP THEM TO MYSELF UNTIL AFTER THE WEDDING."
"thanks, berry. see ya around." He waved, then ported away.
Berry sighed, and called out. "I'm home." and went to look for Daemon and Howl. They greeted him with warm smiles, and the rest of the day was spent relaxing.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Lust monsters were freed from their underground, and Howl is wary of them despite their queen assuring the public they will be respectful of people's boundaries. Berry and Red go bridal dress shopping, and they meet the Lust Sans, Jack Rose, outside the shop looking in nervously. Jack Rose flirts with them both, flustering Red, before Red says they're both taken. Jack Rose stops flirting and congratulates them. Red warns him not to talk about sexual things around the other skeletons. Jack Rose's brother (the Papyrus), Tai, arrives and Jack Rose gives him the same warning. Berry mentions they're going bridal dress shopping and invites the newcomers. Tai bullies his brother into going in with them and leaves them to it. Jack Rose tries to hang back inside, but Berry and Rose gently coax him into helping, revealing he has quite a bit of designer and dress knowledge, and Tai pops in to add he designed both of their outfits. A racist human tries to make Jack Rose wait outside, and Red flips him off and drags them all out, assuring Jack Rose they want his help. They take the bus to a different shop, and Jack Rose shows them his notebook full of cut outs and hand-drawn designs of dresses, and explains how he could help modify the dresses. They arrive at a more monster-friendly bridal shop, and start shopping around. Berry's first dress reveals the hole in his ribs, which he shows to Jack Rose, who assures him he could wear a corset underneath his dress to hide it, and sleeves to hide the scars. Red doesn't like his first dress, so they both try on a new one. Berry very much likes the second dress he tries on, and Red likes his okay, so they take pictures. But Red doesn't want to reveal his broken hand, so Berry suggests a fur muff to hide both in, and Jack Rose also offers to sew a pocket in, cheering him up. They each try on a new one. Berry and Jack agree on his second dress, and Red cries in emotion of his third and decides to get it after showing it. On the bus ride back, a Swap monster calls Berry 'sully,' and Jack Rose finds out what that means. He then proceeds to aggressive-seduce the swap monster in question, and threaten him, causing him to run out of the bus when it stops. Berry is terrified of him getting hurt, but he assures he can defend himself just fine, and his brother Tai would have done even worse to a victim-blamer. Red and Berry invite him and Tai to the next family game night, and Red takes Berry home. Red says Berry didn't have to pay for the dresses, but Berry assured that Stretch and Vex agreed because the bride's family is to pay. They hug and Red heads home.
Chapter 22: Cutting Each Other Without Even Knowing
Summary:
In which the baby is grumpy and it's everyone's problem.
Notes:
Hello everyone!
Wow you all really loved the Lust monsters entering! <3 We were so excited to see all the comments! This chapter there was a special side chapter of Howl doing this therapy. make sure you check it out. If you haven't subscribe to the series yet,
I know most of you are not make sure you do that, Or you could be missing out on stories. Here is a link to Howl's first therapy session, "in which Howl's healing begins in earnest."Part 3 of the Pheromones n Bones series - Stand Through the Pain, You Won't Drown
Chapter tags: discussion of children being taken away from mothers, discussion of forced sterilization, discussion of rape and trauma, PTSD triggering, vomitingSKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was Saturday, and that meant it was time again for family game night. This one would be different, however, as the new skeletons would be coming along for the first time. Howl wasn't sure how to feel about them. Berry had said they were nice, but he was still worried about the news reports. He was willing to see if they continued to defy the picture being painted, though.
Daemon was excited to meet them, barely keeping himself from pacing as they waited for Berry by the door.
Berry came down the stairs. He was excited too introduce Jack Rose and Tai to everyone today. He came up to his datemates. "ARE YOU READY?"
"yeah, silly, we're waiting on you," Daemon said affectionately. "i wanna meet the new friends!"
"YES. WE SHOULD GET GOING, I'D LIKE TO BE THERE BEFORE THEY ARRIVE."
Berry giggled at Daemon's excitement, taking Daemon's hand, and nodded. "OKAY. I'M READY."
Howl took hold of the leash, and Daemon ported them right inside of Stretch's house.
Red, Sans and Papyrus were already there. Red had mustard in hand as he snuggled his fiance, cooing at Pucci. "sup~"
"HELLO." Berry waved at everyone. He almost ran up to Pucci. "GREETINGS MY MOST ADORABLE NIBLING." He tickled the baby.
Pucci cooed and giggled as he grabbed the wiggly bones and put them in his mouth in greeting.
"Hey bro." Stretch held Puuci out and Berry took the baby.
Sans smiled up at them and nuzzled Red. "yo."
"GOOD EVENING," Howl greeted everyone.
"hiya!" Daemon said. "when are they gonna be here?"
"i told jack rose five pm, so, any minute," Red assured.
Berry cuddled Pucci to his chest so they could enjoy the happy intention that his soul was radiating. "HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING, BROTHER?"
"Pucci has been a little handful, but wonderful. they're so alert." The baby let out a fart sound. "i taught them how to do a raspberry," Stretch laughed.
"they got to learn the classics," Sans said, chuckling.
Vex sighed as he came in with dinner - he had made his specialty, lasagna, to welcome the newcomers.
"HE DID TEACH THEM THAT, NOW THEY WON'T STOP. IT WAS CUTE, NOW IT'S A LITTLE GRATING. ALSO, THEY'VE BEEN CRYING A FAIR AMOUNT TODAY, I THINK THEY DIDN'T HAVE A VERY GOOD NAP. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BEHAVE."
"aww, poor kiddo. maybe we'll get 'em to sleep later," Red said with a tutting sound.
Berry pet the baby's skull. "IT'S OKAY, PUCCI. WE ALL HAVE OUR HARD DAYS."
Pucci gave another raspberry.
There was a cautious knock at the door.
Papyrus looked up. "I'VE GOT IT!"
There were three people at the door. The one in front was Tai, beaming, all confidence. He was arm in arm with a robot, one with glasses, a pink and black body, and a colorful bowtie. The floating pink soul in his stomach cavity had some cracking in it, though he had it visible, as if it wasn't a big deal. His pink high-heeled boots nicely matched those of both skeletons.
"GOOD EVENING!" Tai said cheerfully. "I AM TAI, THIS IS MY DATEMATE, DERBY."
"Hello," the robot said, offering a small smile.
"AND THIS IS MY BROTHER," Tai said, "JACK ROSE."
The shorter skeleton was a bit behind his more confident brother, leaning around to wiggle his fingers and bat his sockets.
"hello, sweetie~" Jack Rose said.
"NICE TO MEET YOU AS WELL!" Papyrus beamed.
"hiya," Stretch said. "nice to meet ya. come on in. i'm stretch." He just barely kept himself from commenting about Derby's soul.
Tai stepped inside, leading his robot boyfriend and brother.
Red perked up, "hi, guys."
"hi, red." Jack Rose smiled at him, and also waved at the shorter skeleton. "and berry~"
"Good evening," Derby said, looking around at everyone.
Daemon beamed and greeted all three of them cheerfully, introducing himself and Howl. Howl nodded his head when introduced, but stayed silent for the moment.
"this is my mate, vex," Stretch said, "and our baby cappuccino, but we call them pucci for short."
"HELLO. I MADE DINNER FOR EVERYONE," Vex said.
Berry held up the little skeleton. Who promptly gave a raspberry to the new monsters.
The three of them instantly only had eyes for Pucci. Jack Rose beamed as they blew a raspberry, eyelights shifting to hears. "aww, you're even cuter in person! look at you! you're so precious!" He blew one right back.
"A REAL BABY! WOW! AN ACTUAL BABY! HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT?" Tai asked, also watching with fascination.
"...BEG PARDON?" Vex asked. "THE SAME WAY AS ANYONE ELSE?"
"I HAVE YET TO HAVE ANYONE GIVE UP THE SECRET TO THEIR FERTILITY. YOU WON'T TELL EITHER?"
Vex only stared, confused.
Berry cocked his head. "ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE A BABY?"
"NOT PERSONALLY, NOT YET!" Tai said. "BUT ALMOST EVERYONE IS."
"THE LUSTS, AS THEY HAVE BEEN DUBBED, HAVE NO CHILDREN," Howl said, speaking for the first time since their arrival. "THAT'S WHAT THE NEWS HAS SAID. THERE HAVE BEEN NO BABIES BORN IN THEIR UNDERGROUND FOR MANY YEARS."
Jack Rose nodded, his smile fading. "i've never seen a real baby before, only on tv."
"OOH." Berry hadn't known that. "I'M SORRY."
"NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING," Tai added. "HENCE WHY I ASSUMED THERE WAS SOME SECRET TO SUCCESS THE REST OF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN USING."
"ER, WELL, THAT'S NOT THE CASE," Vex said a little awkwardly. "IT JUST... HAPPENED."
Stretch asked, "did you want to hold them?"
"oh, ah, i probably shouldn't..." Jack Rose stuck his hands in his pockets. "i don't want to, um... hurt them, or anything. i'll just look from a distance..."
"hold the damn baby," Red huffed. Jack Rose pouted at him.
"you'll do fine." Sans said. "kids are more durable than you think."
"you can all take turns holding pucci," Stretch agreed. "they like to be held close to your soul."
Berry came up to them. "THEY'RE NOT HARD TO HOLD, THEY'RE LIGHT." He held the baby out. Pucci started to whine and wiggle, wanting to be held close. "JUST MAKE SURE YOU SUPPORT PUCCI'S HEAD AND NECK. WE CAN LAY THEM ON YOUR CHEST. PUCCI LIKES THAT."
Jack Rose looked hesitant, but reluctantly held out his arms to take the baby. When Pucci was settled against his chest, his eyelights turned into hearts again. "so... like this? is this okay...?"
"yep that's perfect," Sans said.
Pucci settled down. They looked at the new skeleton and started to drool on them.
Berry got a small towel, "HERE, LET ME PUT THIS UNDER THEM SO THEY DON'T STAIN YOUR CLOTHES."
Stretch watched. "see, they like you."
"oh my god, bro, look, they're drooling on me." Jack Rose looked like he might be about to tear up.
"MY TURN NEXT!" Tai beamed.
Stretch and Berry laughed.
"you look like a natural parent." Sans asked, "ever think about adopting?"
Berry looked up at that. "YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOUR PEOPLE DON'T MIND ADOPTING, THE CHILDREN OF THE SULLY ARE KEPT IN THE ROYAL ORPHANAGE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE STILL THERE, BUT I'M SURE THEIR PARENTS WOULD BE HAPPY IF THEY GOT A REAL HOME AND A LOVING FAMILY."
Jack Rose's expression fell. "you mean there are babies that were... taken away from their living parents? because of this sully thing? parents that got raped had their kids taken away?"
Howl frowned, lifting a hand to his chin. "I HADN'T EVEN CONSIDERED... THAT THERE MIGHT BE LIVING CHILDREN..." He had made a grave miscalculation in not already addressing this.
"that's fucked up," Red said, horrified.
"YES," Berry continued. "THE DOCTORS AND THE GUARDS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ABORT THE SOULINGS. IF THEY MAKE IT TO TERM THEY ARE TAKEN," he said sadly while he remembered monsters crying for days after their children were taken. "THE SANITARIUM IS NO PLACE FOR MONSTERS, LET ALONE CHILDREN." He remembered some of his cell mates that didn't fall would try and convince themselves their families took their children and they'd get to see them if they made it through the program. He wasn't sure they would. Berry was pretty sure they ended up at the orphanage, from what he overheard the guards say, but never said anything to them about it. "IF THE OTHER PARENT DIDN'T WANT THEM OR THEIR FAMILIES DIN'T WANT A SULLY CHILD, THEY GET TAKEN TO THE ROYAL ORPHANAGE. ALL CHILDREN END UP THERE REGARDLESS IF THEY WERE UNWANTED CHILDREN OR NOT BY THE SULLY. STRETCH AND I WERE GOING TO BE TAKEN THERE WHEN OUR DAD DIED, BUT IF YOU GET ADOPTED, THEY MAY NOT TAKE YOUR SIBLINGS. SO I TOOK STRETCH AND RAN."
Jack Rose held Pucci a little tighter, as if to protect them from a similar fate. His eyelights glowed pink, teeth grit.
Tai moved to gently take them, easing Jack Rose's grip off to cradle them a little gentler. But his own eyelights were tight. Derby, for his part, looked even more pissed off than the skeletons.
Derby lamented, "I thought the surface was different."
"IT SHOULD BE. IT WILL BE." Howl pulled out his phone. "WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET EVERY CHILD BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL PARENT. BUT WE CAN AT LEAST EMPTY THE ORPHANAGE IF THE LUSTS ARE WILLING TO TAKE THOSE WHOSE PARENTS... DIDN'T MAKE IT."
"SULLY ARE NOT ALLOWED ANYTHING. WE ARE CONSIDERED UNFIT. BANK ACCOUNTS, BUYING THINGS LIKE A HOME. WE CAN'T. IT'S UP TO OUR FAMILIES TO TAKE CARE OF US AND KEEP US UNDER CONTROL, OR WE ARE KEPT AT THE SANITARIUM," Berry said sadly. "SULLY ARE NOT ALLOWED CHILDREN, IT'S WHY WE'RE MADE INFERTILE. SO THEY WON'T BE WILLING TO GIVE THE CHILDREN BACK TO UNFIT PARENTS."
"you were MADE INFERTILE?!?!" Jack Rose yelled in shock.
"EXCUSE US FOR A MOMENT!" Tai gave the baby back to Berry and dragged his brother and boyfriend back outside, face like stone.
Red whistled lowly. "dude just went uppercase... i would too though..."
Berry took Pucci. "i said too much..." He went and sat next to Damon, cuddling Pucci. People didn't like to hear about Sully stuff. "THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FUN DAY, I'M SORRY. I JUST THOUGHT THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW THERE WHERE CHILDREN WHO'D BE HAPPY FOR A HOME."
"no bro, you're fine." Stretch tried to comfort Berry, "they would have found out sooner or later."
Sans looked to Howl. "who ya calling?"
"THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY. THEIR WHOLE CULTURE IS INCAPABLE OF GIVING BIRTH THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, AND THEY JUST FOUND OUT THAT A DIFFERENT CULTURE MAKES PEOPLE INFERTILE AND TAKES AWAY THEIR CHILDREN ON PURPOSE." He kept typing. "I'M TEXTING GORE. I ASSUME ALL THE ROYALS WILL WANT TO HAVE A MEETING ABOUT THIS."
Daemon whined softly, but cuddled Berry. "those poor guys..."
Vex covered the food back up so it wouldn't get cold. "PERHAPS WE SHOULD THINK OF WHAT GAME TO PLAY TO LIFT THE MOOD AGAIN?"
"want to play sequence? we could play it in teams of two," Stretch suggested.
"sure, good idea," Sans said.
"OH, WE SHOULD PLAY UNO, SO EVERYONE GETS TO PLAY ON THEIR OWN?" Papyrus suggested. "OTHERWISE THOSE THREE MIGHT FEEL SPLIT UP."
"THAT'S A GOOD IDEA," Vex said.
Berry just stayed quiet, feeling he had talked too much. Guilt gnawed at him. The small skeleton wanted to apologize. He slowly got up and handed Pucci to Daemon. "I'M GOING TO TAKE THEM OUT SOME DRINKS."
Daemon took the baby and beamed. "okay, berry."
"THAT'S VERY NICE OF YOU, KITTEN, YES." Howl kept frowning down at his phone.
Berry headed off to the kitchen and grabbed some lemonade and cups on a tray, before he headed outside.
Outside, Jack Rose was pacing a little while Tai rubbed Derby's back. The robot looked quite upset, a bit teary-eyed, dabbing at his eyes with a hanky. They all looked over somewhat guiltily.
"sorry for the outburst," Jack Rose said, wiping at his own sockets.
"ITS OKAY. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO UPSET YOU ALL." Berry held up the tray, "BROUGHT YOU SOME LEMONADE."
"IT'S CERTAINLY NOT YOUR FAULT," Tai said gently. "YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. THANK YOU." He took two glasses and held one up to Derby, who dabbed at his eyes again with a sniffle before taking it.
"Thank you," he mumbled.
Jack Rose took the last one. "is anyone upset?"
"NO." He shook his head. "HOWL'S TEXTING THE ROYALS ABOUT THE CHILDREN THOUGH."
"that's good... i know a lot of people who would love to have a kid, adopted or not." He smiled weakly.
"People need to know about this," Derby insisted. "What are the other robots doing? Not saying anything?"
"IN UNDERSWAP, IT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR A LONG TIME. ITS NORMAL,” Berry said sadly, "FOR THE OTHERS, I DON'T KNOW... THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHAT SULLY IS OR WHAT IT MEANS? SULLY ONLY EXISTS IN SWAP CULTURE. THE OTHERS...THEY DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL I WAS GIVEN A CORRECTION AND HOWL AND DAEMON CAME TO TAKE ME HOME. IT KINDA SNOWBALLED FROM THERE."
"so they're all only just now finding out," Jack Rose said. "what a mess..."
"Then we have to say more about it," Derby said, clenching a fist. "We have to let everyone know. Our people will be frothing. Or at least the good ones."
"YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THE HAREM MUST ADDRESS TOO," Tai said musingly.
"YES, THEY ARE JUST LEARNING ABOUT IT." Berry said sadly to Jack Rose. He sat next to them and pulled his knees to his chest, trying to make himself smaller. "I'M SORRY ALL THIS IS HAPPENING WHEN YOU JUST CAME UP." They deserved to come up to a good surface. "HOWL’S BEEN WORKING ON DOING THAT. WE HAD A FEW PRESS CONFERENCES. OTHER MONSTERS ARE STARTING TO FIND OUT." He looked confused at Tai. "HAREM?" Berry asked. "WHAT'S THAT?"
“That's a start, but there should be more. It should be all over," Derby huffed.
"you don't have to say sorry, sweetie." Jack Rose took Berry's hand to pat gently, soothingly. "i'm just so sorry that all happened to you..."
"AH, THE ROYAL HAREM?" Tai tilted his head. "I BELIEVE YOU OTHER MONSTERS HAVE A GUARD INSTEAD? THE HAREM MOSTLY, AH... MAKES SURE EVERYONE'S LUST IS TAKEN CARE OF. BUT THEY ALSO DO POLICE WORK."
Berry squeezed Jack Rose’s hand, "THANK YOU." He turned head to Derby, "YOU SHOULD ASK HOWL IF HE WANTS HELP WITH ANYTHING. I HAVEN'T BEEN MUCH HELP. IT'S REAL HARD TO TALK ABOUT." He looked down in shame, "I AM SCARED OF BEING SENT BACK, BUT HOWL AND DAEMON WON'T LET THEM TAKE ME." He touched his bandana. "I'M IN HIS COLLAR NOW. THEY’RE MY DATEMATES, AND THEY PROTECT ME."
Derby nodded, crumpling up his hanky. "I'll do that, then. And talk to the other robots. We should all be working together on this."
He smiled before asking, "WHAT IS LUST?"
"it's what we all have…" Jack Rose explained, "the attempt to make us fertile again with, um, science. it's a human soul trait, and it... didn't work. now we all just have to have sex every few days, or we'll melt and die. that's why we're... off-putting, to everyone else up here, i guess. but it's normal for us."
"YES, AND I WILL TALK TO THE CAPTAIN. DON'T WORRY, NEW FRIEND, WE WILL ALSO PROTECT YOU!" Tai smiled at him. "WE DON'T TOLERATE THIS KIND OF VICTIM-BLAMING NONSENSE."
"THANK YOU ALL,” Berry said.
He wasn't sure what to think about that news. He understood about things being normal when it really shouldn't be normal. What they had to do was bad, at least by what he had been taught. It was tempting, it needed correction and punishment. The thoughts made his old brakes ache. It was what he had been blamed for doing during his first heat. Go out and tempting someone into sex.
He was scared. Not of them, but for them.
He squeezed Jack Rose's hand. "THAT'S DANGEROUS."
Jack Rose squeezed back gently. "what's dangerous? protecting you? sweetie, we can look after ourselves."
"MY BROTHER TOLD ME HE SCARED SOMEONE AWAY FROM THE BUS," Tai added. "WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THAT EASILY. DON'T WORRY, WE'RE VERY STRONG!"
"EVERYTHING... IT'S TEMPTING. " Berry said. "YES, JACK ROSE DID. BUT WHAT IF THAT DIDN'T WORK? OR YOU’RE OUT TEMPTING AND... THEY HURT YOU. SEX HURTS. IT'S BAD... BUT YOU NEED IT..." He was starting to tremble. Memories assaulted him.
Jack Rose kept gently rubbing his hand. "sweetie... it's not tempting, it's a part of life for us. and it's not bad if we want it. rape is always bad. that's true. even we could be assaulted. but if we go out and flirt and ask - literally ask, with words - for sex, that's not tempting or hurtful. it's a good thing as long as everyone involved consents. sex is nice when it's consensual."
"There's a big difference between hooking up and rape," Derby agreed, crossing his arms. "But if the whole concept bothers you, then don't trouble yourself about it. You should focus on your own recovery for right now."
Berry took some deep breaths, trying to calm down, "IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT DOESN'T HURT." He remembered how scared he was of kissing Daemon because it was an action that may lead to tempting, but it felt nice when he did it with his datemate. It didn't hurt or lead to tempting. "I KNOW I'VE BEEN TRAINED TO BELIEVE ITS BAD. IT FEELS GOOD TO HOLD HANDS OR KISS MY DATEMATES, EVEN THOUGH IT TEMPTING. IT MIGHT LEAD TO SEX." He shivered thinking about his corrections: the rapes. That's what they were, right? "SEX AND," he took a deep breath, "RAPE ARE DIFFERENT?"
"very different," Jack Rose said firmly.
"YES, EXTREMELY," Tai agreed. "SEX IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD AND NICE AND FUN. AND IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T WANT IT."
"Or even any one small part of it," Derby said. "A good partner only does what you're okay with."
"DAEMON’S AMAZING. HE CAN'T BE TEMPTED." Berry smiled thinking about him. "HE ONLY DOES WHAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH AND DOESN'T PRESS FOR MORE. HE IS A WONDERFUL DATEMATE."
Tai smiled. "THAT IS WONDERFUL INDEED! BUT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE NORM? ALL DATEMATES SHOULD UNDERSTAND NOT TO TOUCH YOU IF YOU DON'T WANT IT."
"What about Howl?" Derby asked.
"HOWL HAD BAD STUFF HAPPEN TOO. HE DOESN'T LIKE TOUCH TOO MUCH, BUT HE IS ALWAYS PATIENT AND HE HOLDS MY HAND WHEN I ASK. HE IS WONDERFUL, SWEET AND PROTECTIVE. WE'RE BOTH WORKING ON GETTING BETTER," Berry said.
"Oh. So you're helping each other? That's good." Derby nodded.
"yeah, i'm happy for you," Jack Rose said. "sorry for the outburst, i think we're okay to go back inside."
"YES, THEY ARE BOTH WONDERFUL." There was a lot of pride that came with that statement. "OKAY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." Berry looked to the other two. "I’M SORRY THAT I MADE YOU STRESSED ON OUR FIRST MEETING."
"It's not your fault," Derby said. "Thank you for coming to check on us."
"YES, THAT WAS VERY KIND," Tai agreed. They had all finished their lemonade, so they headed back inside.
"YOU’RE WELCOME." Berry said as they went inside.
Pucci was looking very grumpy and upset, their face pinched, squirming in Vex's hold despite Vex trying to soothe them.
"COME NOW, PUCCI, JUST TAKE A NAP AND YOU'LL FEEL BETTER."
"oh pucci," Stretch said, "you should like naps. i love them." He cooed at them.
Berry came in with the others and came up to snuggle into Daemon's side and gave him a hug, "I LOVE YOU PUPPY AND MY ANGEL." He looked over to Howl. "ARE YOU DONE TEXTING?"
"hiya, berry," Daemon said, snuggling up in return. "aw, we love you too."
"YES, WE DO," Howl said. "AND YES, I AM. GORE ASSURED ME THAT THE ROYALS WILL ALL MEET, POSSIBLY TOMORROW."
"THAT'S GOOD." Berry replied, "THE KIDS DESERVE GOOD HOMES, THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG."
“yeah, they do," sans agreed. "asgore is already cleaning his schedule."
"mm. yeah, tori's gonna be pretty pissed too, i think," Red added.
Sans looked to the Lust monsters from his spot on Red's lap. "hey, you all feeling up to eating?"
"APOLOGIES FOR THE OUTBURST," Tai said to everyone, finding himself and his boyfriend a seat. "YES, WE WOULD LOVE TO TRY OUR NEW FRIEND'S COOKING!"
"OH, GOOD. LASAGNA IS MY SPECIALTY," Vex assured. He gently passed Pucci over to Stretch to start serving everyone a plateful of amazing pasta.
"no problem. my husband is a great cook.” He reached out to take Pucci.
Pucci being passed over was the last straw. They started to cry loudly. Stretch rocked them. "i"m going to take them upstairs for a bit. maybe i can get them down." He kissed Vex. "i'll come down when they calm down."
Vex sighed. "ALRIGHT, LOVE. I'M SORRY. I'LL GO PUT ASIDE A PIECE FOR YOU IN THE MICROWAVE TO KEEP IT WARM." He went to go do that, as everyone else started to dig into their food.
"damn, bro,” Red said, “your lasagna just keeps getting tastier."
"THANK YOU, BROTHER!" Vex said, a little cheered by the praise. All three lust monsters also complimented the food, enjoying it quite a bit. Daemon gently tried to make sure Berry ate well.
Berry took small bites until everyone was almost done. "IS EVERYONE OKAY? DOES ANYONE NEED MORE?" He had to make sure before he ate it all.
"nah, berry, they’re big pieces. you eat up," Sans said.
Berry looked to Daemon and Howl.
"BERRY, YOU KNOW YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHARE YOUR PERSONAL PIECE WITH ANYONE," Howl said gently. "YOU DESERVE TO EAT JUST AS MUCH AS THE REST OF US, AND THERE ARE LEFTOVERS IN CASE ANYONE NEEDS MORE."
Berry took a deep breath. 'THERE IS MORE. IT’S OKAY.' He smiled. "OKAY." He relaxed at Howl's reassurance. "IT'S REALLY GOOD, VEX." He took bigger bites.
Howl knew the fact that there were leftovers reassured Berry more than the fact that he deserved food, and that was frustrating... but at least it worked.
Stretch came down with a drowsy, grumpy, but no longer crying babybones, who was sucking on a pacifier.
"THANK YOU," Vex said, even more pleased. He looked over at Stretch and Pucci, then held out his arms. "YOU GO AHEAD AND EAT, LOVE, I'M FINISHED. I'LL TAKE THEM AGAIN FOR A LITTLE WHILE."
Stretch gently handed Pucci over. He started to fuss and the pacifier fell to the floor.
Pucci’s whole world fell apart. They wanted their binky, why did it leave? The baby did the only thing they knew how to do: they cried.
"It's okay kiddo," Sans said, picking it up. "let me clean it up for ya." He told Pucci.
Vex sighed quietly, trying to gently rub Pucci's back. "IT'S ALRIGHT, NOW, PLEASE STOP CRYING? YOU JUST NEED A NAP. BE GOOD FOR DADDY NOW AND-"
Howl shot to his feet, his empty plate clattering to the floor, eyelights flickering out. Daemon jolted, pulling away from Berry to turn to him.
"master?" he asked worriedly, but Howl didn't say anything, just spun around sharply and speed-walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Hardly a second later, there was the upsetting sound of retching. Daemon hurried over to hover a hand near the doorknob, hesitating without actually touching it. Vex uneasily slunk upstairs with the baby in tow, just as shaken.
"ah, shit," Red cursed quietly. The three lusts all looked surprised and worried too, glancing at each other hesitantly.
Berry left the rest of his food and hurried over to Daemon.
Stretch sighed a soft, "shit." He went and got a cup of water and a hand towel. He took the binky form Sans. "can you two keep the others company bit?" he asked Red and Sans.
"uh, yeah, can do," Red said, before turning to look at the newcomers. "it, uh, it ain't usually like this, i swear."
"I'M SURE IT'S NOT," Tai said. "IS HE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT?"
Sans went up and rubbed Red's arm. "he’ll be alright. did ya want to watch a tv or movie for a bit while eveyone calms down?"
"oh, uh, yeah, a movie!" Red agreed. "you, uh, you guys ever seen a human movie?"
"only a few," Jack Rose said slowly. "i kinda liked moulin rouge, it was tragic and beautiful and had pretty dresses."
"if you're down for murder but still sexy costumes, there's, uh, chicago?" Red offered. "all about ladies killing men who do them dirty. eh, and some of the ladies do dirty too."
"oh, sounds fun," Jack Rose said, smiling. They all managed to relax with the distraction.
"LET'S GO IN. HE SHOULDN'T BE ALONE," Berry said quietly.
"i dunno... master?" Daemon asked quietly. "can we come in?”
"NO!" Howl insisted, before there was another heaving sound. "D-DON'T TOUCH ME!"
"i won't... i won't touch you. nobody will touch you," Daemon said sadly.
Stretch came up with a glass of water and a hand towel and handed them to Berry so he could take care of his mate.
"THANK YOU BROTHER."
Stretch smiled sadly, "no problem bro." Then he ported up to give the binky to his crying baby and comfort his mate.
Berry knocked on the door gently. "WE’LL JUST SIT AND BE THERE TO LISTEN IF YOU WANT. I PROMISE NOT TO TOUCH UNTIL YOU'RE READY. WE HAVE A CUP FOR YOU TO RISE OUT WITH AND A TOWEL."
After a few more moments of dry-heaving, the sink ran for a brief moment. Then there was shuffling and a quiet thud, and the sound of the shower curtain being pulled. "...okay."
Daemon opened the door. Howl was sitting in the bathtub, the curtain drawn to mostly hide him from view, though his silhouette made it obvious he was curled up in a ball. Daemon went over next to the tub and knelt there quietly. Berry joined him.
"HOWL, CAN I PUT A CUP WITH WATER AND A NICE FOLDED TOWEL IN FRONT OF YOU? I WON'T TOUCH YOU, OR LOOK PAST THE CURTAIN IF YOU WANT, OKAY?”
After a moment, the silhouette nodded. "yes, that's fine." His voice was thin and strained; he couldn't maintain the forced uppercase in such a state, it seemed. He took the offered water and towel and took a gulp to wash out the taste.
Daemon resisted the urge to whine, still sitting quietly. There wasn't often much to do when Howl was in a state like this.
"THANK YOU FOR LETTING US HELP YOU HOWL. DO YOU WANT A SOFT BLANKET, OR ANYTHING? WE ARE HERE FOR YOU."
"no, no blankets. no." He pressed his face into the towel shakily, taking a deep breath.
"ALRIGHT. YOU ARE DOING WONDERFUL, HOWL. YOU HERE ON THE SURFACE WITH PUPPY AND ME. IT WAS A NICE SUNNY DAY." Berry tried to point out differences from then and now. It always helped a lot for himself. "WE HAVE LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO CARE ABOUT US."
"stop," he said, gripping the towel tighter. "please stop."
Berry obediently closed his mouth and looked down at the floor. It was heartbreaking seeing Howl hurt and vulnerable and not having any coping skills to help. He crawled to sit next to Daemon's warmth and focused on breathing deep calming breaths slowly, keeping his intent calm, safe, and caring. He hoped just being there was what his datemate needed, because he didn't know what else to do.
Daemon clung to Berry, sniffling a little. He trembled faintly, just as distressed from Howl's upset. After a moment, he pulled out his phone and looked something up. Quietly, Italian opera music started to play, a solo of some kind.
Berry nuzzled Daemon a bit, happy that he had knowledge to help their Angel. He stayed quiet, keeping the intent up.
Slowly, as Howl breathed deeply, he calmed down. He eventually held his hand out past the shower curtain, offering for Berry to hold it.
"APOLOGIES. I AM... BETTER.*
Berry smiled at him, "it’s okay. i understand," he said softly and took the offered hand. "may daemon and i take turns holding your hand?" He didn't want to pressure, but he knew Daemon wanted to comfort Howl too.
"HERE." He pulled back the curtain and offered his other hand too. There was a bit of periwinkle blue staining his cheeks, like he had been crying, but he wasn't anymore.
Daemon took his other hand and nuzzled it gently, forcing himself to purr to try and help soothe Howl further. "thank you, master."
Berry gave a gentle squeeze and kept his intent flowing as he purred as well. Offering comfort.
There was a knock on the door. Sans asked, "do ya need anything?"
Howl shook his head, so Daemon answered for him.
"no thanks, sans, we're okay. we're gonna just sit for a little while."
"okay," Sans replied. "if ya do need anything let us know where here for you."
Berry squeezed his datemates and said reassuringly, "we’ve got you, angel." He kept speaking softly, not wanting to upset Howl again.
"uh-huh, will do," Daemon said. He also squeezed gently, and Howl squeezed back.
"THANK YOU," he said. "I'M SORRY FOR UPSETTING YOU. I KNOW YOU WERE TRYING TO HELP."
Berry shook his head. "NO, I'M SORRY. THINKING ABOUT... HOW THING ARE DIFFERENT HELPS ME WHEN I START TO GET LOST IN THE PAST. I WAS HOPING IT WOULD HELP YOU. I DON'T WANT TO HURT MY ANGEL."
"THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE," he clarified. "IT WAS... THE PRAISE. IT UPSET ME FURTHER BECAUSE... HE WOULD PRAISE ME. USUALLY, I AM FINE. PRAISE IS IMPORTANT. BUT WHEN I WAS ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH THE FLASHBACKS, IT ONLY MADE ME THINK OF IT ALL AGAIN."
Berry nodded. "I'M SORRY, MY ANGEL. I'LL REMEMBER THAT AND NOT DO IT AGAIN." He purred and rubbed his thumb on the back of Howl's hand.
"THANK YOU." He pulled back only enough to wipe away the last of the tear streaks, then sighed. "I THINK WE CAN GO BACK OUT NOW. I WILL BE FINE."
Berry smiled at Howl and took Daemon' hand. "DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME?"
"WE SHOULD AT LEAST PLAY A GAME OR TWO WITH THE NEWCOMERS. THEY HAVE HAD QUITE A ROUGH INTRODUCTION,” Howl said.
"yeah, but you should get to relax," Daemon protested gently.
"THEN YOU ALL PLAY, AND I WILL KNIT. IT WILL BE FINE." He carefully stepped out of the tub.
"IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, YOU'LL TELL US RIGHT?" Berry asked. "I'M SURE THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IF WE LEAVE EARLY."
"YES, I WILL TELL YOU. I PROMISE."
Daemon frowned a bit, but nodded and led the way back outside.
When Vex got upstairs, he tried to focus on only comforting Pucci. He rocked the baby gently, sitting on the bed. When Stretch ported in with the binky, he took it to give to the baby.
"THANK YOU."
"no problem." Stretch sat on the bed next to him. "you okay, love?" Pucci took the pacifier and started to quiet down.
Vex was relieved as Pucci finally started to settle down, gently patting them. "NO, I FEEL TERRIBLE. I DIDN'T THINK AT ALL ABOUT WHAT I WAS SAYING."
"It's not something that would have set off most people." He leaned on Vex and stroked Pucci's skull. He knew his mate was a worrier. "don't beat yourself up."
"WELL NO, BUT EVEN SO! IT WAS A GRAVE MISSTEP." He was sitting rigidly, frowning down at the carpet, only his hands still gentle as he soothed Pucci. "I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE."
"we can't know everyones triggers. we can't change the past." He stood up. "we know one of howl's triggers now. we'll just be more careful about the word, 'daddy' when howl's around."
He almost flinched, then sighed. "I SUPPOSE YOU'RE RIGHT. I LIKE TO THINK I HAVE GOTTEN QUITE GOOD AT DEALING WITH MY BROTHER'S AND BERRY'S NEEDS. I CAN ADAPT TO THIS AS WELL."
"that's the the vex i know. you got this." Pucci had fallen asleep. "see you got everything handled so well, even pucci is out." Stretch gave him a kiss on the cheek. "put him in the crib and we'll bring the baby monitor down."
He looked down again, then actually smiled, quite gentle. "WELL, IT'S ABOUT TIME. YOU HAVE NICE BABYBONES DREAMS SO WE CAN RELAX A LITTLE." He kissed Pucci's forehead, then carefully set them in the crib, fussing with the blanket a little. Then he turned back to Stretch to take his hand.
Stretch took the offered hand. He had the monitor in the other. "let's see how their doing.”
"ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO COMFORT ME, LOVE. I APPRECIATE IT."
"hey it's what us knights in shining armor do." Stretch teased and kissed his mate. "rescue our princess."
"OH, IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE? I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS HOODIE WAS ARMOR," he said dryly, tugging at Stretch's kangaroo pocket. "SO SORRY I DIDN'T WEAR MY DAMSEL IN DISTRESS OUTFIT FOR THE OCCASION."
"damn straight it is," he laughed.
When they got downstairs the others were watching Chicago. The three new skeletons were on the couch while Sans and Red were sharing one of the fully reclining chairs.
"y’all okay?" Sans asked as they approached.
Jack Rose looked a bit enamored with the movie, but looked over in concern as they returned.
"YES, I AM FINE," Vex assured. "PUCCI IS TAKING A NAP. WHAT ABOUT HOWL?"
"they're in the bathroom," Jack Rose said, pointing.
It was about a good twenty minutes before the others came out of the bathroom. Berry was holding Daemon's hand.
"hey guys." Sans said. Everyone else glanced over again.
"ARE YOU ALRIGHT? I'M VERY SORRY," Vex said. Howl lifted a hand. He looked more composed, and had wiped off his face.
"I WILL BE FINE," he said. "IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT."
"master is gonna knit while we play," Daemon said, coming to sit down.
"oh, right, you guys play games?" Jack Rose asked.
Sans paused the movie and told the others, "if you want to borrow the movie i’m sure you can."
"YES THAT’S RIGHT." Berry said, his excitement rising. "IT'S A LOT OF FUN. DID YOU PICK A GAME?"
"we settled on uno, i believe," Stretch replied.
"OH, CAN WE BORROW THIS?" Tai asked. "I'D APPRECIATE THAT. I LIKE THIS MOVIE."
"the outfits are pretty great!" Jack Rose agreed. "ah, but yes, the game. uno, i think i've played it a few times."
“I’ve never played before,” Derby said.
Howl settled nearby with his knitting, off on his own a bit but still facing everyone so he was available for conversation if need be.
Berry went and dug out the uno cards. "I’LL PUT TWO SETS TOGETHER, AS THERE'S A LOT OF US."
"good idea, berry," Red said. "i'm gonna beat all you chuckleheads."
"YOU'RE ALSO A CHUCKLEHEAD, RED," Vex said. Red blew a raspberry.
Sans helped set up some folding chairs at the table.
Stretch came up to Howl. "i'm glad you're doing better. did you need or want anything? blanket, or a drink?"
Howl glanced up from knitting. "I'LL TAKE WINE, IF YOU HAVE ANY. OTHERWISE, NO, I AM FINE."
"i think you left the bottle last time. let me see if it's in the fridge." He left to go look and came back with a half-filled cup. "here ya go."
"THANK YOU." He took it to set down next to himself. "I WILL BE FINE, PLEASE GO ENJOY YOURSELF WITH THE GAME."
"no problem. just say something if you need anything." Stretch told Howl kindly. He went to a table that was all set up. 'dang' he though as he looked at them all, ‘we're going to need a bigger table soon.’ He picked up the hand that had been left for him.
"I WILL,” Howl promised.
When they started to play, Tai turned out to play terribly, mostly because he was over Derby's shoulder giving him advice and suggesting which cards to play - good ones - and throwing down whatever for himself. Derby found this adorable and giggled a few times, gently kissing his forehead. That made the tall skeleton very happy, and he didn't care at all to wind up with way too many cards.
Jack Rose played thoughtfully, but tried not to play cards that made it worse on everyone else. The one time he did put down a draw four, he was wincing and apologizing.
Red took pleasure in sabotaging everyone, cackling when he did. Sans laughed at this. He was sitting next to Red and getting the blunt of the draw fours, but he was able to give as good as he got.
Vex played straight, trying to carefully manage everyone's quirks.
Daemon had a terrible poker face, pouting every time he was in trouble. Berry was the culprit there, and would give Daemon a kiss on the cheek when he made him draw cards as an apology.
Stretch was having a good time, but would skip his turns when he heard noises on the monitor to check on Pucci.
They all had a pretty good time, but eventually, Derby set down his last card with a cheerful grin. "I win!"
"ah damn," Red said with a good-natured huff. "you gotta devoted helper there."
"THAT'S ME!" Tai said proudly. "IT'S ONLY FAIR, I BET YOU'VE ALL PLAYED MANY TIMES."
"that's true," Daemon said with a giggle. "good job!"
Berry smiled and said, "CONGRATULATIONS."
Pucci made some coos and curious noises over the monitor as they woke up and saw themselves in the mirror. Stretch said, "it sounds like someones up and feeling social." He ported to the bedroom.
Sans chuckled. "you have a great teacher."
"Thank you," Derby said, smiling. He gave Tai a gentle cheek kiss. "And thank you for helping." Tai looked like that little kiss was the best part of helping his boyfriend win. Jack Rose giggled a little.
Stretch reappeared with Pucci, who was giggling, "someone is in a lot better mood," Stretch said. "derby you ready to hold him?" He held the baby out.
Sans sat down in Red's lap and took a drink. Red snuggled him again happily.
Derby looked up from gently doting on his boyfriend, and seemed a bit nervous. "Erm, me? I'm made of metal, I don't think they'll find me very comfortable."
"AW, THEY'RE A BABY, AND THEY LIKE BEING HELD BY BONE, I'M SURE IT'S FINE," Tai assured.
Derby reluctantly took the babybones, cradling them a little. Pucci cooed as Stretch handed them over. The new feeling on their bones was strange. They wanted to taste the new texture. Derby just let them try to nom him, smiling a little. "Metal doesn't taste good, little one."
"Beg to differ," Tai whispered into his boyfriend's ear, making him blush and shush him.
Pucci drooled on Derby. "here." Stretch held out the binky.
"Oh, thank you." A third arm came out of nowhere to take it and give it to the baby, then retracted back into the body like it was totally normal.
Stretch blinked then laughed, "well that's handy."
Sans giggled. "hands down, that’s pretty awesome."
Derby smirked. "Robot bodies are great."
Jack Rose snorted at the puns, lifting a hand to his mouth. Tai sighed at them but smiled anyway. "MY BOYFRIEND IS THE BEST~"
Howl had calmed down more, and he was just finishing up a special project with his knitting. He was hiding it from view now, since it was a surprise.
Berry snuggled into Darmon. "THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN." He looked at Howl. "LET'S GO SEE HOW OUR ANGEL IS DOING."
Daemon nodded to Berry's suggestion, and gently scooped Berry up to go wander over to his brother. "how're you doing, master?" he asked. Howl glanced over, hiding his work more.
"BETTER, THANK YOU, PUPPY. DID YOU BOTH HAVE FUN?" Howl replied.
Berry purred as Daemon carried him. He was all smiles while they talked. "WE DID! I'M GLAD YOU’RE FEELING BETTER."
"YES, ME TOO. I MADE SOMETHING FOR EACH OF YOU. IT'S A PRESENT," Howl said.
Berry eyelights were stars. "OOH IS IT DONE? MAY WE SEE IT?"
"I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHEN WE GET HOME," Howl assured. "WILL WE BE LEAVING SOON?"
"YEAH, I THINK SO. IT'S GETTING LATE." Berry said.
"VERY WELL." Howl put everything away and stood up. He looked to the others. "WE'LL BE GOING HOME. IT WAS NICE TO MEET YOU THREE."
"yeah, it was fun, you guys are nice," Daemon agreed.
Stretch smiled at them. "night, guys."
Berry spoke up and asked his datemate, "DAEMON, CAN YOU HELP ME GET MY COMFORTER TO TAKE BACK WITH US?" It had a beautiful printed galaxy on it; he liked it a lot. Even if he couldn't nest in it right now, maybe that would change. "I WANT TO HAVE IT TO TRY AFTER THERAPY NEXT WEEK."
"sure, berry, i can do that." Daemon carried Berry up to his old room and set him down right outside it, with Howl following along. They might as well port home from there.
Berry opened the door. It felt like a lifetime ago. He took a breath and opened the door. The room was still pretty plain. The only thing that really stood out was the starry blankets. He walked up and stood in front of it. It was safe and he was safe. Daemon and Howl would make sure of that. He let the tips of his fingers barely touch it, before pulling his hand back as the aches started to set in, and pulled his arms around himself. "DAEMON, HOWL." He turned around. "CAN YOU TAKE IT OFF. PLEASE?"
"it's alright, honey, i got it." Daemon gathered up the blankets carefully, folding them up to carry easier. Howl helped, brushing the nice fabric.
"MY FIRST SESSION HELPED A GREAT DEAL WITH HAND HOLDING,” Howl said. “SOON, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TOUCH THESE WITHOUT ANY PAIN."
Berry smiled at them. "THANK YOU." He held his hand out to Howl. "i'm really looking forward to that."
"OF COURSE." He reached out to hold Berry's hand, no hesitation, squeezing warmly.
Berry relaxed a bit in Howl's hold, letting his warmth reassure him and comfort the ache.
Daemon picked up the last of it and took Berry's other hand. He then ported them all home and started to settle the blankets in Berry's new room. Howl went over to the couch to sit down.
Berry went with Daemon and watched as Daemon made the bed for him. It made him excited to think one day, hopefully soon, he could lay down in it. He could sleep peacefully with no pain curled up to Daemon's side, and maybe even Howl one day.
Daemon made it all nice and neat, then nuzzled Berry. "let's go see what presents he made for us~!"
"LETS," he said beaming.
Daemon led the way back out, kneeling in front of the couch eagerly. Howl opened his knitting bag to carefully pull out... two hand-knitted dolls, almost a foot tall each. They were near identical, as close as one could get when knitting by hand a new thing. They were both himself, wearing his armor and half-cape, with blue button eyes and blue circles for flushed cheeks, the mouth a warm smile. The arms stuck out like those of a beanie baby, just by virtue of how he'd knitted them. When he handed one to each of them, the dolls were packed with his intent, warmth, and scent, much like the gloves and collars.
"MS. CANDY SUGGESTED SOMETHING TO COMFORT YOU EACH WHEN I CAN'T TOUCH. THANKS TO THE EMDR, I AM GETTING MUCH BETTER AT HAND HOLDING, BUT I THINK THESE WILL STILL BE A SUITABLE STAND-IN WHILE I WORK MY WAY TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO TOUCH YOU BOTH MORE."
Berry gently took the adorable chibi Howl. He pulled it close, cuddling. It was filled with so much love and warmth that he started to cry joyfully, cuddling it. "IT'S AMAZING, MY ANGEL. THANK YOU SO MUCH."
Daemon snuggled his own, also tearing up a bit, nuzzling into the soft yarn. "master, i love it, thank you! it's so soft and warm."
Howl smiled, very proud of himself. He preened a little, smoothing down his scarf. "YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT. NOW YOU CAN HUG 'ME' AT ANY TIME."
Berry was smiling from ear to ear, snuggling the plushie. He held out his hand for Howl. "YOU'RE SO TALENTED."
Howl held both of their hands again, and Daemon purred as he nuzzled the one he'd been given. "yeah, you're amazing, they look so good."
"NATURALLY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AT ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO," he replied, pleased. "I COULD MAKE ONE OF EACH OF YOU, TOO, FOR EACH OTHER? IF YOU'D LIKE?"
"master, you should make one of each of us for you," Daemon said. Howl considered that, squeezing their hands gently.
"I COULD... YOU'D HAVE TO SUPPLY YOUR OWN MAGICS, IF YOU WANT THAT."
Berry's eyelights were stars, as Howl took their hands. "THANK YOU ANGEL, THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN." He tried to light his hand with magic and it flicked out.
"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME." He rubbed Berry's hand gently. "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SESSION WITH RED TO TRY AND FILTER YOUR MAGIC, YES? AND SOME MASSAGE THERAPY? WITH THAT DONE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO."
Berry laced his hand with Howl's. He nodded, determined to keep the positive attitude. He squeezed his hand and said, "THAT'S RIGHT. IT-IT WILL GET BETTER." His voice was a little uncertain.
"YES, OF COURSE IT WILL. YOU HAVE MAGIC FILTERING ON THURSDAY, AND ACUPUNCTURE ON FRIDAY, AND IT WILL TAKE ME SOME TIME TO KNIT BOTH DOLLS, SO I WILL DO DAEMON'S FIRST, AND BY THE TIME I'M WORKING ON YOURS, I'M SURE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ADD YOUR MAGIC."
Berry pulled Howl's hand up towards his face. Howl was so strong and loving. "MAY I KISS YOUR HAND, ANGEL?"
He smiled a little again. "YES, YOU MAY."
Berry nuzzled Howl's hand and put a gentle kiss on his knuckles. Being able to touch Howl like this was wonderful. And Howl being able to touch him and comfort him felt magical. “I LOVE YOU HOWL." He reached down and touched Daemon. "AND YOU, DAEMON. I CANNOT TELL YOU TWO THIS ENOUGH. YOU TWO MAKE ME FEEL SO HAPPY. YOU GIVE ME COURAGE. THANK YOU BOTH FOR LOVING ME, FOR HELPING ME, FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME." Berry purred happily.
"I LOVE YOU AS WELL," Howl said, squeezing gently again. "BOTH OF YOU."
"mhm, me too." Daemon purred back, gripping each of their hands too and nuzzling Howl's gently. "you don't have to thank us for that, silly. we're happy to."
His soul felt so warm and light. He purred happily. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO FORGET OR THINK I'M TAKING YOU FOR GRANTED." He squeezed both of their hands.
"we wouldn't think that."
"OF COURSE NOT,” Howl agreed. “WE KNOW YOU ARE VERY PRECIOUS AND CONSIDERATE."
He purred louder and kissed Howl's hand again. Howl was doing so much better with touch. "I'M SO HAPPY THE THERAPY IS WORKING FOR YOU, LOVE. YOU SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF YOURSELF. YOU’RE WORKING VERY HARD."
"ME AS WELL. I WAS SURPRISED, IT REALLY DOES WORK FAST. THERE IS STILL SOME FEAR, MY BONES CRAWL A LITTLE AT TIMES, BUT MOSTLY... IT JUST FEELS ODD. BUT. NOT BAD."
"WE SHOULD KEEP DOING THE POSITIVE STIMULUS STILL." Berry got the remote and held it out to him. "SO IT FEELS GOOD, NOT ODD."
"YES, YOU ARE RIGHT." He took the remote and put on the Food Network, then took each of their hands again. They spent the rest of their evening relaxing.
Notes:
Chapter summary: It is the first game night with the lusts. Jack Rose (the sans) and Tai (the papyrus) show up with Tai's boyfriend Derby (the mettaton). They all coo over Pucci, and Tai asks about how people conceive. Howl explains to the confused others that the Lusts are all sterile for some reason, and have had no babies in years. This prompts Berry to talk about how the Sully at the Sanitarium get their children put in the Swap Royal Orphanage, and maybe the Lust monsters could all adopt. Howl contacts the royals to discuss the children being taken away, and the 3 Lusts are horrified to find out babies are taken away and the Sully become sterile. They go outside to calm down while everyone else discusses what game to play to ease the tension. Berry brings them lemonade and they talk about the difference between rape and consensual sex, and Derby mentions that he will get the other mettatons to speak about this. When they go back inside, everyone eats except Stretch, to takes a very fussy Pucci upstairs. When he comes back down later with Pucci calmer, Vex takes the baby so Stretch can eat. Pucci starts screaming, so Vex tries to soothe them and absently calls himself 'daddy,' which triggers Howl. He locks himself in the bathroom and throws up. While Red and Sans distract the Lusts with a movie, Berry and Daemon go to comfort Howl, who almost doesn't let them in. But eventually he sits in the tub with the curtain drawn and lets them in, though they are unable to calm him. After a little while, he calms down and lets them hold his hand, explaining that trying to praise him in that state only upsets him further. They reassure him and eventually go back out. Howl sits away from the others and knits. Meanwhile, Strech follows an upset Vex upstairs and comforts him, as he didn't mean to trigger Howl. Pucci falls asleep so they are left in the crib, and the parents come back down. Everyone but Howl plays Uno, and Derby wins with Tai's help. Derby then gets to hold Pucci, and shows off an extra robotic hand. Howl, Daemon and Berry go back home then, with Daemon bringing Berry's starry blanket, since Berry wants to try and nest soon. Howl presents his datemates with identical knitted chibis of himself, full of his warm intent, to snuggle since they can't snuggle him. He mentions the EMDR is making it easy to hold hands, and soon Berry will get better too.
I have posted these before, but I wanted to post them again with this chapter.
Chapter 23: 'Cause It's Only Time Before We All Must Bleed
Summary:
In which there are hot lesbians and sad skeletons.
Notes:
Hello everyone! Make sure you kudos, bookmark, comment and subscribe to the series.
chapter tags: minor (unnamed) character death, discussion of slut-shaming and cheating, mention of miscarriage, Judging
Since we've lost our buffer for Omega's Respite and we need to catch up a bit, we're moving into a new schedule! We're going to start alternating between OR and AS (Alpha's Solace, the prequel to Omega's Respite) week by week. i.e., OR this week, AS next week, OR the week after, then AS, etc etc... We started this one a little while ago to give Stretch, Vex, Red and Sans the backstory they deserve! We'll learn a lot about them here, and how they got to the comfortable place they're at when OR begins ;)
Alphys - tale lizard (scientist)
Undyne - tale fish (guard)
Al - swap lizard (guard)
Dyne - swap fish (scientist)
Spire - fell lizard (scientist)
Blade - fell fish (guard)
(there is no fellswap lizard)
Drills - fellswap fish (scientist)
Shirley - lust lizard (scientist)
Punch - lust fish (guard)SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"You find anything yet or what?" the Fell captain, Blade, asked her lizard friend, Spire. Spire pushed up her glasses as she typed more.
"Not yet, be patient... This security system is tight. If I get caught hacking into something like the Sanitarium, I'll be in big trouble, and they might wipe everything again."
"Hey, remind me why I need to be here?" Drills asked, flipping through a comic book. "I do little for computers, I do robots."
"Robots are computers, you could at least try!" Spire snapped.
"H-hey." There was a knock on the door. Alphys, the head scientist of the Tale monsters, asked, "can I ask you for a second o-opinion?"
Spire glanced over with a sigh. "What is it, Alphys?"
She brought over a stack of hard drives. "These are the h-hard drives form the Sanitarium. They were wiped. I could restore little bits, but n-nothing that seems to m-make sense. I think they were encrypted, but I can't m-make any heads or t-tais out of it. There’s n-not enough d-data. Maybe you can recover m-more data?" she asked hopefully. She put them on the table and looked over Spire’s shoulder. "What are you d-doing?"
Spire stared at them. "How did you get those? Did you steal them? I didn't think you had it in you."
"Oh, hi!" Drills perked up. "We're hacking into the Sanitarium's security system!"
"I'm hacking into the security system, you're complaining," Spire snapped.
"I didn't," Alphys squeaked, "they’re from the raid." She hid her face in her hands and took a moment to calm down. "Hi,Drills. Oooh, what system are you hacking? Video, audio, or server?"
"Oh." Spire sounded disappointed. She turned back to what she was doing with a frown. "I was trying for all three, but honestly, I'll take any of them alone at this rate." She minimized that and picked up the first hard drive. "Alright, lemme see this..."
"Thanks." Alphys took a seat and thought for a minute. "Have you thought about hacking some guard phones? They probably have easier firewalls and less encryption."
"That's a totally different system, I'd have to hack into whole cellular systems, and that could get me in trouble with the humans. At least if I'm breaking the law trying to get into the Sanitarium, I have a good reason. Private information is way worse to get caught poking through." She set up the first hard drive externally to her computer and opened up the files. "I don't know how much else I can retrieve, but they wiped it all fast, I'm sure they were sloppy..."
"Good p-point," Alphys conceded. "Drills, how ar-are your comics coming?"
"Oh, great!" Drills said, perking up again. "I totally used the pictures I got in that embassy attack as inspiration for one of my characters!"
"Isn't that really disrespectful to Daemon?" Spire grumbled.
"Like he'll ever find out! Besides, I'm not posting the picture, just using it as a drawing reference and inspiration! It's fine!"
Blade, the Fell captain, peered at the comic Drills was reading. "You draw stuff like this?"
"Hell yeah I do! My main character is called 'The Undying' and she's the most badass fish-lady there is! Part machine, part monster, all awesome!"
"Oh, that would be so magnificent, I bet she is amazingly cool!" Alphys gushed.
"She totally is!" Before Drills could launch into her complex plot and the supervillains and everything else, there was a knock at the door.
"Oh, what now..." Spire huffed, looking up from trying to pry through files on the hard drive.
The lizard that stood there was wearing only a lab coat, unbuttoned just a little, and nothing else. The fish lady's clothing was pretty much just a bikini and some armored shoulder pads and long boots. The fish waved.
"Hi! I'm Punch, this is Shirley. We're trying to meet everyone at the embassy. I'm the head of the Lust's royal harem, and Shirley is our royal scientist."
"Hi," Shirley said.
"What the heck are you guys wearing," Spire asked, staring.
Alphys was blushing brightly. "Oh, oh my."
"Uh, we're wearing regular clothes?" Punch answered. "It gets pretty hot, y'know. Especially up here in the daytime! The sun sucks."
"That's a bikini," Spire said.
"So what? That's my normal outfit," Punch responded. "Anyway, what are you guys doing?"
Alphys was blushing deeply. "We’re just not used to it." She was playing with her fingers, trying to not look. "Just trying to recover some wiped hard drives."
"Wiped hard drives?" Shirley, the Lust lizard, asked. "What from?"
"I don't suppose you've heard anything about the Sanitarium?" Spire asked, going back to typing. Both Lusts' expressions fell.
"Yeah, we've heard," Punch said. "It's terrible. Making perfectly innocent people sterile, taking away their children..."
"Ho-horrible place." Alphys hissed. "The royals raided it, trying to prove that the place is bad, trying to shut it down. But they can’t find anyone willing to talk about it except Berry, so there’s no proof of them doing unethical experiments. When the royals raided it, the paper files were burned and the hard drives wiped. All the monsters held there are too afraid to talk about it."
Punch growled. "We'll do something about it!" she declared. "All the omegas are safe with us around! I wonder if I can sneak in..."
"A few of our acquaintances already did that," Spire sighed. "But you can't use evidence like that in court. It's illegal."
"So what! We gotta fight dirty to win!" Punch insisted.
"If you want to help, then convince more victims to come forward,” Spire said firmly.
"We need to do this r-right," Alphys insisted. "We d-don't want them to have a leg to stand on."
Punch huffed. "Okay, okay, fine! I'll see what I can do. I'll make people talk. I know exactly what to do."
"Derby?" Shirley mused.
"Derby," Punch agreed.
"Come on inside, sit." Alphys offered. "Who is Derby?" she asked.
"Our movie star. He's a robot." Punch came to sit backwards on a chair, one leg on either side, her arms on the top. "He's already run a campaign underground about consent and sensitivity. He'll be livid about this!"
Shirley nodded. "He's, uh, very vocal. And he's got a huge following."
"Oooh, that’s g-great to hear! Alphys said excitedly. "Our ro-royals have been trying to build up a case. Noone knew about it until Howl brought it up. We have been working hard to build a case about it."
"That's a start! Bet we can still help, though,” Punch said.
Spire made a startled noise. "Hey guys, I found something..."
Alphys looked up in surprise and hurried over. "W-what did you find?”
"i managed to recover this one folder... it's called 'deceased.'" Spire's voice was full of horror. "there are dozens and dozens of files... I can't recover most of them, but there's so many!"
"Oooh my," Alphys sadly, looking a little green. "does it say the d-d-death dates? If it is newer data, maybe we can m-match it up and prove they are lying about the number of fatalities of the program?"
"the data is pretty corrupted... but i can get the dates that the files were last updated, that's probably the death dates, right?"
"Y-yah g-give or take a d-day? I would th-think." The Tale monster looked over Spire's shoulder.
"Probably..." She copied down what data she could. There was another knock at the door, and she sighed. "What now?"
The door creaked open and Swap lizard Al was standing there. She was dressed down and not in her armor, with a sad look etched on her features. There was the shuffling of someone hiding behind her. Al held up her hands in a surrender type fashion. "We need to talk."
"And what are you doing here?" Spire demanded. "I don't want to talk to a victim-blamer, keep out of my office!"
Punch regarded the newcomer. "Who's this?"
Blade, the Fell captain, growled. "Swap captain. Enforces the Sully law."
"Oh yeah?" Punch stood up, glaring. "Well, I've got a nice 'talk' for ya with my fists!"
Al tsked and took a defensive stance. A scaled hand rested on Al’s shoulder and grounded her. Al took a breath. "Ya need to log out of the system you're hacking. Dyne has been covering your footprints all day. But they're close to finding you. Now log off it."
"A-al..." Dyne said quietly from behind her.
Spire switched back to the program she had on for that, then cursed. "I wasn't looking at it..." She shut it down, wiping all trace of her work.
Punch slowly sat back down. "You're helping?"
Al relaxed her stance. "Look.." She looked back around outside before stepping in. Dyne followed in her shadow, closing the door. "I really thought the program was there to help the omegas. That they were being sexual deviants, but I know Berry wouldn't do that. He doesn't have a nasty bone in him. And if something happened, I should have come and talked to Berry, but I was mad he didn’t ask for help." She took Dyne's hand. "When Dyne told me what really happens there... the shit that goes on in the Sanitarium is fucking disgusting. No wonder Berry wouldn’t get help. They are not Royal Guard members. If they were, I would kick them out and send them to prison for abusing their authority, but they're under Dr. Gaster's authority."
Dyne peeked her head out from behind Al. "I’ve kn-known for a while. I was t-t-told not to sn-snoop by Dr. Gaster," she stuttered. "I'm an omega too, and I was b-basically told that I w-would be given a permanent live-in assignment in the S-Sanitarium." Dyne was on the verge of tears thinking about it. She knew a threat when it was given to her. "But H-Howl is protecting Berry and offered to help us all. So, I-I told Al what really happens there."
Spire looked between the two of them slowly. "You mean you really didn't know? You had no idea?"
"If the propaganda was that bad, it makes sense that even the officers didn’t know," Drills said, absently turning the page of her comic book. "The old Fellswap queen underground was a piece of work too, I did plenty of despicable things for her. Didn't always believe her lies, but... Charisma, you know? And organization."
Spire huffed. "Alright..." She looked to Dyne. "I'm sorry that happened to you. I get that too. I used to be threatened a lot under the old Fell king's rule... Seems like Howl really is keeping Berry safe, and the dickhead skeletons from Fell aren't anything to sneeze at, either. Can't tell you how many times Red broke my stuff..." She grumbled, irritated just thinking about his smug face.
"Did all of you have sucky monarchs?" Punch asked.
"No," Alphys said. "Ours are good, both the ex-Queen and King."
"It’s been rough," Al said. "Our underground was running out of supplies. It had been heading downhill for a while now."
"I'd say it's a Fell thing, but with how horrible Swap Bitch is, maybe it's a Fell and a Swap thing?" Drills asked cheerily.
"Hey, at least we fixed ours," Spire huffed. "Our evil king got officially executed when Tori took the throne, it was a big production."
"Our Bloody Red Queen just got straight up murdered," Drills snickered. "There was a coup and everything. It was pretty cinematic!"
"Anyway, forget all that," Spire said. "Tell us what you know, you two."
Alphys said, "I want to hear more about the coup later." She looked to the two Swap monsters, "Any info you have would be a great help."
"Sure," Drills said. "Daemon told me all the dirty details, hah."
Dyne came closer to her, fearless now that they seemed accepting and since Al stayed close to her. She sat at the computer and plugged in her own thumb drive. A program came online. "Th-this is the p-program you were hacking. I d-d-dont’t have access either, but I m-masked the IP and hacked the security p-protocols to make it think its being d-displayed on guard station in the S-s-sanitarium."
The screen showed the inside of the Sanitarium, complete with sound.
Spire moved back so Dyne could come up to the computer, watching intently. She adjusted her spiraly glasses. "Wow... How d’you do that? Oh, nevermind, let's just see." She flipped through the cameras for a few moments, before stopping on a room where two monsters were in.
The cell was clean, and the bed was nice, but neither monster was on it. One was kneeling next to the other who was laying there miserably, tears streaking down her face, her feet and fingers dusting slowly.
The comforting monster, who was a cat, had a shaky hand on the dying monster’s brow, slowly stroking it and whispering softly. "Soon you'll be free. It's okay. Don't be scared. You'll be happy and safe. No one will think you're Sully where we're going." She wiped the tears from the other monster’s face.
"M-my b-baby?" The dying monster asked.
"They're going to grow up to be a big and strong alpha. No one will hurt them. You'll have to wait a bit longer to meet them, but they will be so happy to meet you when they finally do. Now rest, so you're ready for that day."
The monster nodded and closed their eyes as the world turned dark.
The cat cried quietly until the door opened, and they hurried back away from the monster. "I-I was being g-good."
A guard walked in with a trash basket that had a small dustpan and hand broom, then dropped in front of the other monsters. "Clean up that mess."
The cat monster scrabbled to obey. All of them could see small flecks of dust fluttering from the cat monster’s fur.
Dyne was crying. "P-please don't let them s-send m-m-e there."
"Oh my god," Punch said, and hurried for the door.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Blade grabbed her, stopping her from rushing out. "You don't even know where it is!"
"I'll find out!" the Lust monster yelled. "Lemme go! I'll kill them!"
"You can't! You'll get overpowered!" Blade insisted. "There's too many!"
"I'll take the whole harem! And your guards, too! I'll storm the place!"
"If you do that, you'll be arrested," Spire said, adjusting her glasses again. "We have to wait for the trial."
"Fuck your trial!" Punch screeched.
Al clenched her fist, but at Dyne's fear, she pulled her up into a hug. "You are not going there, you hear me, Dyne?"
Dyne held on to Al, crying softly. Alphys was also crying.
Drills was taking pictures of Blade physically holding Punch back, cackling. Shirley went over to the two wrestling Undynes and hurriedly grabbed Punch's hands.
"Sweetie, sweetie, calm down, breathe. We'll save them. We have a plan, right? We'll save them as fast as possible."
Punch calmed down reluctantly, and when Blade let her go, she hugged Shirley with a deep breath. "...Okay."
"Aww man..." Drills put her phone away again.
Semi-awkwardly, Spire went over to Al and Dyne and patted the crying fish's shoulder. "We won't let you wind up there, Dyne, don't worry."
"See, Dyne, it will be alright," Al said quietly. "Don't leave here without me.”
Dyne nodded. "I think that’s best." She grabbed a handful of Al's shirt and wiped her eyes, "Thanks Spire. Thanks Al."
Al looked at the screen. No one deserved to be treated like this, and it ate at her soul that she had been part of a program that led to this. "Dyne, please quiet about it. I don't want them controlling you. I need to go work on something." Al went walking towards the door. "Punch, Blade. I need you two to come with me to talk with Undyne."
Jack Rose didn't expect to be pulling Judge duty so quickly upon hitting the surface. The incident with the rat on the bus was one matter - he acted alone, using the insistent whispering in his head by his own choice to stare down that "freak" and murmur his deepest fears. One look and a few words were all Jack Rose needed to know that that rat was terrified of anyone finding out his 'shameful' kink of seducing married alphas into begging needily for him.
"even though you're a beta, you're just as bad, right? i bet they'll make a special exception for you. your very own place of honor among the sully. the most devious. the dirtiest. i'll tell your queen right now, see what she says..."
That was personal, and he could brush it off just how he did, claiming he'd only done what he'd threatened before - the truth, but not the whole truth. This was different. His first public (to the other leaders) appearance as the Judge. Did they even have Judges of their own? He doubted it. The other skeletons had said nothing about it. It would be just his luck that he was the only freak among all the races...
Sans was laying on the couch with his head in Red's lap. He was waiting until the very last moment to leave. He wasn't looking forward to dealing with this, but it had to be done. The kids shouldn't have had to lose a family over this.
The clock chimed. "i got to go, red."
"alright, sweetheart. good luck. tell me how it goes when you get back." Red kissed his fiance sweetly.
Sans kissed him back. "love ya, redy." Then he ported to the embassy broom closet. He came out and gave a very confused janitor a wave and went to the meeting room.
Asgore was already looking upset. "Hello Sans."
"Hey," the skeleton said, taking a seat next to him. He looked over the round table to see the new Queen Mary and, happily, Jack Rose.
"hiya queen mary," he greeted the queen. "jack rose, i didnt know ya would be here." Sans smiled. "looks like us skeletons got a three of a kind going. three Judges now"
Jack Rose froze in the middle of sitting down beside his queen, looking at Sans in shock. "s-sans...! i... you too? who's the other?"
"Does every culture have a Judge?" Queen Mary wondered.
"stretch is." Sans told Jack Rose.
Asgore shook his head. "The Fells and Fellswaps don't."
"and the swap judge works differently from how our justice magic works," Sans added.
"oh... i wouldn't have guessed," Jack Rose said. He awkwardly fidgeted with his gloves. "i... i haven't pried," he felt the need to say. "i try not to. i try to ignore the Judge most of the time. you guys are my friends, i don't..." He looked down. "i don't need to know your secrets."
"well, we appreciate that. I haven't pried either," Sans said. "is your justice magic always on?"
"yes, isn't yours?" Jack Rose asked, surprised. "i can't bear to look at mirrors, heh..."
"nope. it comes when i summon it." He put a hand on top of Jack Rose’s. "i'm sorry ya have to deal with that, jack rose. i know that would be really tough." He smiled. "if you want to look at me that’s fine. i have nothing to hide."
Jack Rose looked at him in surprise. When he let the Judge whisper to him... There was nothing of note. Only sincerity. Gentleness, care for his loved ones, worries about the past, concern for the future. Sans truly had no darkness. Slowly, Jack Rose smiled.
"well, you're very easy on the eyes, so don't mind if i do~" he teased.
Sans blushed. "thanks. red would agree with that," he teased back.
"i'm sure he would." Jack Rose smiled again. He felt more at ease now than he had first walking in. He patted Sans's hand gently.
Asgore looked to Queen Mary. "is there anything you would like to go over before the others come?"
"No, I don't believe so," Queen Mary said. "The information about these children is my most important priority right now."
"Then, do you have some family in mind? I would like to start parenting as soon as possible."
"I know of many families that would love a child," Queen Mary replied, "though I'm sure there are plenty more I don't know personally. I was going to suggest a registry. Each set of mates could submit an overview of their household, and we could find appropriate adoptees among the orphans from that information. Also..." She paused, one hand almost subconsciously touching at her own belly. "I would not mind adopting a child myself..."
Fell Queen Tori came in them, with Gore slinking in behind her.
"I think that would be a wonderful idea, Mary." Asgore gently touched her hand. At the sound of the door opening, he took his hand back and looked up as the others walked in. "Hello Tori, Gore."
Sans gave them a wave.
Mary smiled a little at the touch, nodding. When the others came in, she also pulled her hand back and waved at them. "Good morning. A pleasure to meet everyone in person."
Gore muttered under his breath something about being outnumbered and sat close to Asgore, fidgeting with a blunt he wasn't lighting yet.
Asgore clasped Gore on the shoulder as he walked past. "I'm here if you ever want to talk, friend. "
Gore nodded in response, but didn’t say anything for now.
"Good morning," Tori greeted, also taking a seat. "Sans, how is Red doing?" She smiled at the skeleton. She loved to keep in touch with her door friend from their underground days. "He said he found a magnificent dress for the wedding, will you also be wearing one~?"
"ah, he is doing great, tori,” Sans said. “i don't have the figure, and i wouldn't look a tenth as good as red will look." He had a dreamy look in his eyelights, picturing Red in a dress. "tori, have ya met jack rose?" He gestured to the other skeleton. “he’s the Judge for the lust monsters, and the one who’s gonna do the alterations for redy’s and berry's dresses."
"Oh, nonsense," Tori chided. "I'm sure you would look just as lovely! You should wear what you like." She turned to smile at Jack Rose, who smiled back but looked nervous again. "A pleasure to meet you. You sew?"
"likewise, your majesty. i, ah, i do everything. i sew, i dye, i sketch and design... mostly regular outfits, but a wedding dress is a lovely challenge."
"I'm so glad to hear it, I'm sure Red is happy!"
"We should start the meeting," Gore huffed. "The Swap Queen will be here in half an hour."
Sans and Asgore settled down. "Thank you, Gore." Asgore addressed the group. "We should talk about how we will address this with the Swap Queen. If she feels attacked, she will close off and this will stall out. Our primary purpose is to get the children in a family setting as soon as possible, let’s not forget this. The Sully are in a tragic state, but today’s focus is the children. With the altercation with Berry, she relented because Stretch's baby was in danger. She has not flexed her powers against the child. Once she realized she had hurt them, she stopped. If we keep the talks on the children needing families, then I believe we can get through to her."
Queen Mary frowned. "Yes, that would be best. If I may, what is her issue with these omegas? Is it that she is in some way trying to stop rape by blaming victims? Is this a slut-shaming thing, and they happen to only be omegas? or is it the fact that they are omegas, and this is a misogyny thing? Both are equally bad, but if the issue is sex in general, she may have a problem with my people."
Asgore sighed. "That might be a problem. Apparently, in the Swap's underground, like ours, her adopted human child died. Her own child then took their soul to honor their wish to be buried in the flower bed of the human town. The humans attacked the child, and they came back and died from their injuries. During their time of grief, the king was offered physical comfort from an omega. When the Queen found out, she blamed the omegas for being unable to control their sexual impulses and for making her mate cheat on her. That was when she passed the Sully law. If another monster blames their actions on the omega, the omega are taken into the Sanitarium to learn to control themselves. The Sanitarium is not a place of learning, as she claims it is. The head scientist has been using it as a way to get test subjects to use unethical experiments. The Queen refuses to get past her grief and anger to see it. We are currently in the process of trying to save the omegas."
Queen Mary frowned upon hearing the story. "So she blames an entire subspecies for husband being unfaithful? That's shameful."
Jack Rose balled his hands up, staying quiet. Best to not look at this woman in the eyes, lest he say something they would all regret. He looked down.
"Regardless," Tori said, "I think the story indicates she may find your culture... Distasteful. Perhaps we can appeal to her without outright saying your people will largely be the ones to adopt?"
"I very much dislike the idea of such an omission," Queen Mary said. "She should learn that freedom of sexual expression does not make us rapists and adulterers."
"Perhaps if she objects..." Sans tried not to let his disdain taint his voice, "we press the fact that there is almost no sexual assault among the lust because they know how to control themselves. that they don't have the same problem she thinks her people have. maybe she will be more willing."
The Lust Queen nodded slowly. "Incidents in my culture are very few and far between. The last was... Well. It was dealt with. My people may need sex to live, but we're perfectly civilized, as much as anybody else. It's a bodily need, not a personality trait."
Sans smiled.
"If she says anything, we just need to remind her of that." Asgore replied.
"Right, yes." She looked to Gore and Tori. "I proposed a system where any lovers wishing to adopt could fill out a form about their home life and their specific wants, and they could then be matched with a specific child based on personality or species needs or the like. Is this acceptable?"
"That sounds good to me, yes," Tori agreed. "If it may ease anyone's-" the Swap Queen's- "minds, an evaluation of the family home may also be a requirement. Babies are delicate, after all."
Gore mumbled an affirmative, flipping his unlit joint around in his fingers.
Asgore nodded his approval. "This sounds good. Are there any concerns or ideas?"
Gore rubbed his beard. "Collaring, maybe..."
"Collaring?" Queen Mary repeated.
"It's my culture's legal protection..." He looked nervous to be speaking aloud, and never quite made eye contact. "When someone is in a collar, or any circular accessory with magic imprinted, they're under the protection of the owner of the collar. That's how Berry hasn't been arrested yet."
"I see... And so you think the will-be parents should be taught this?"
Gore nodded. "Pre-emptive protection."
"Hmmm it works with your culture as it’s part of your laws. That none of us has that law would be a problem." Asgore considered. "Do we want to add this law to our cultures?"
Tori considered that. "I see no reason not to. Provided it cannot be abused."
"What marks the difference between a legal collar and a regular accessory?" Mary asked.
"The legal one has the owner's magic. You can feel it when you touch it," Gore replied. "The law states that if someone is under protection by this collar law, the owner receives punishment instead for any crime committed. The owner can also claim damages or sue if their collared is hurt."
"As if the collared are property?" Mary didn't like the sound of that.
"Only in terms of financial reimbursement. Like insurance," Gore said. "The collared have no rights taken away and can still be an independent person."
"Ah... That's not a bad idea, then," Mary mused. "I would accept this law."
"Then I shall as well," Tori agreed.
"We will as well," Asgore replied. "Gore, please have the wording of the law as it appears sent to all of us, and we will sign it and spread the word."
Gore nodded, twirling his blunt again. "I'll have the formal wording and a simplified explanation sent out."
"Thank you." Asgore said.
Soon, the Swap Queen entered the room. She took in the other royals. "Greetings,” she said, taking a seat. “I would say I'm surprised you are all here on time, but I assume you were all here plotting," she said off-handedly. "You said this meeting was about orphans, I hope it wasn't a lie."
"There is no need for rudeness," Tori sniffed. "Diplomacy is an admirable trait."
"A pleasure to meet you in person," Queen Mary said, all politeness.
Swap Toriel turned to Queen Mary with a skeptical eye. "It is nice to meet you as well," she said politely. "So what has come to urgent attention about my kingdom's orphanage? I went there, and all seems fine."
"Well," Tori said, "for one thing, none of us understand why rape victims are having their children taken away, it is a needless cruelty. Monsters should have the choice to send their newborns away or not, instead of having them ripped away by force."
"But," Queen Mary said diplomatically, "surely your orphanage is a strain on your resources? All children deserve a good home. There are many lovers unable to have children of their own who wish to raise one, or merely those who have no desire to conceive but who would love to help a child in need."
"The Sully are not fit to be parents, and the Sanitarium is no place for children. It’s a place for correction and rehabilitation. They offer the children to the families of the Sully first, if they have any. Please keep in mind, not all the children there are offspring of Sullies. The childrens’ backgrounds are not told to any adopting family, so no blame is placed on the child," the Swap Queen replied before addressing the Lust Queen. "Underground it was, but above ground, it is not. There is a system for anyone looking to adopt children to go through: My own people don’t have much want when underground to have another mouth to feed. Now that food is not a strain, more children have been adopted. If you know anyone who would like to give a child a home, they may apply."
"Yes, well, we strongly disagree about the 'Sully,'" Tori said. "Tell me, if the Sanitarium is supposed to be an innocent place of learning, why can children not stay there? What makes it so unsafe, if it is how you claim it is? Newborns need their mothers, you should know that. They are helpless and brand new to the world, and they need nourishment and love. Unconditional love. And lots of attention. You were a mother, weren't you? You know."
"So you may say," Queen Mary said to the swap queen, "then you will have no protests if my people adopt every single child left in that orphanage?"
Asgore sighed, he was afraid it would all come back to the Sully, but honestly he agreed with Tori.
Swap Toriel darkened her look at Queen Tori. "We have a wetnurse that volunteers for the newborns. They are well taken care of. You don't leave children in correctional facilities, do you? No. They need to be in a place to grow, be loved, and have the best chance at a family." She turned to Queen Mary. “Why would a race so open to sex want to adopt a child?" she said with a little more harshness than she meant.
"The best chance at a family is with the family that already loves them," Tori hissed. "Willing mothers, who love their children, who probably cry and mourn as they are taken away, all because they are raped? You are tearing families apart and calling it nurturing."
The Swap Queen went to reply to Tori, but was cut off by Mary.
"Please," Queen Mary said to her counterpart. She looked back at the swap queen, pressing her paws together. "As it happens, the reason my culture is so open to sex is because of a very unfortunate low fertility rate. Even I, the reigning monarch, had a miscarriage long ago... Our inability to have children is a sorrowful thing, one we attempted to remedy through science... It did not work."
Swap Toriel felt sad about the miscarriage. "With your people being so open about sex, I'm not sure," she said. "Are your people able to control themselves, unlike the Sully? If they can, then they may apply for adoption. The children deserve loving homes."
"If you are asking if my people go around raping anyone they see, then no, they do not," Mary said. "We are open, and we express ourselves freely, but that is no crime. They know the meaning of the word 'no.'"
"Which, by the way, is a thing your alphas and betas need to learn," Tori couldn't help but add.
Gore was just looking between the three squabbling women, shakily lighting his blunt. He was staying out of it.
"If you want to believe the word of one rogue skeleton. No others came forward when you raided the Sanitarium. Queen Mary, it has been a pleasure to meet you, but we are done here." She went to leave.
Tori hissed in anger, but forced herself to stay quiet. Queen Mary also reluctantly held her tongue.
But Sans wouldn't let that slander stand. "that skeleton is one of the sweetest and kindest monsters anyone would have the pleasure to meet, despite what your horrible laws have put him through."
"You are not my Justice," she told him.
"your justice is the problem. if you want, i'll Judge him for you right now. i'm sure howl and your Judge would allow it."
Jack Rose had been going to keep silent also, always looking down, wishing he wasn't there. But as Sans spoke up, he glanced up as well. He might regret this, but he put his hand on the table and stood up. "i'll do it too. i'll Judge him right now if you want." It would probably get him in far less trouble than locking eyes with the swap queen, which he was avoiding with every ounce of self-restraint he had. He knew if he even glanced into her eyes right now, he'd be spitting out words that would get him into trouble.
"If you two want to Judge him, please do," the queen told them.
Jack Rose glanced over at Sans, wondering if it was a good thing or not that she called them on their bluff. "...can we get him in here?"
Sans was shocked. It took him a minute to gather his thoughts. "okay... yeah we can. i just need to ask howl.” He took out his phone, trying to think what angle the Queen was pulling.
The swap queen sat back down in the chair gracefully.
It took a minute, but then Sans's phone rang; it was Howl.
...
"YOU WANT TO WHAT?"
The scandalized demand was audible to the whole table.
Sans gave a nervous smile. "well, there were some words said, and the swap queen said berry was lying about what happened to him. so both jack rose and i offered to Judge him to prove it once and for all what the truth is, and she took us up on the offer."
Howl massaged his temple with one gloved hand. "THIS IS DANGEROUS, SANS," he said, quieter. "I DO NOT WANT HIM IN THE SAME ROOM AS HER. WHAT IF SHE TRIES TO GRAB HIM?"
"we are here, the other royals are as well. we will do the judgment here for them all to see. you and daemon can stay and never let go of his hand." That way they could port if needed, but Sans didn't say that part out loud.
Howl sighed quietly, shifting his hand to pinch above his nasal cavity. "I TRUST YOU, AND JACK ROSE, EVEN IF HE SAID NOTHING ABOUT HIS JUDGE STATUS BEFORE... VERY WELL. GIVE US A FEW MINUTES."
"thanks, you're a peach." He hung up the phone. "they will be here in a few minutes. maybe we should have some tea?" Sans asked lamely.
"That's a good idea, Sans. How does everyone take their tea?” Asgore went to the table off to the side as everyone quietly gave their tea requests.
A good five minutes or so later, Howl, Daemon, and Berry appeared. Howl was holding the hands of both of his loves, squeezing almost too tight for comfort. He did not look comfortable being in the swap queen's presence, and he showed it by being as rigid and cold as ice, expression tight.
Berry rubbed Howl's hand with his thumb. He had a slight tremor in his frame, and didn't look up at anyone. He stepped a bit to the side and behind Howl, his other hand working the soft material of his collar.
Daemon squeezed both of his datemates' hands, keeping his own gaze trained on the floor.
"hey guys, thanks for coming," Sans said. "do you want to sit? a judgment can be draining sometimes."
"Did you want any tea?" Asgore offered.
The swap queen eyed them all and stayed quiet, waiting to see if they would go through with this.
"COME ON, BERRY, LET US SIT, THEN. AND NO THANK YOU, YOUR MAJESTY." Before Howl could tear himself away from either of them reluctantly, Jack Rose hurried over and pushed three chairs close together for them. "THANK YOU, JACK ROSE."
The Lust skeleton smiled nervously. "who should go first...?" he asked.
"well i guess i will." Sans turned to the trio. "so berry, I'll focus my Judgment on you. I'll ask you questions and you will answer. my judgment will compel you to answer truthfully, but because you two are so close, you guys might feel the weight of your guilt from the past crawling down your backs too."
Berry squeezed his lovers’ hands, flashes of his last Judgment in his mind. Unshed tears lined his sockets. "YES JUDGE," he said obediently.
Sans stood right in front of them. His left eye light flickered yellow, the color of justice. A very ominous feeling filled the surrounding air.
The swap queen fidgeted in her chair as a cold weight settled on her shoulders.
Berry watched. His fear was the only real thing he could feel.
When Sans spoke again, his voice was deep and echoed, almost like Stretch's when he Judged too. "Blueberry Aster. Did you lie about the events that lead to you becoming Sully?"
"N-N-NO.” The smaller skeleton shook his head.
"What led to the first incident?"
Berry shuddered. The deep voice that was eerily similar to the Judge he remembered had his bones rattling. Deep breaths. He was tired of telling this story... He squeezed his lovers’ hands.
Daemon held on tightly. He almost whimpered a bit as Berry got distraught, squeezing gently. Howl held on also, still like ice, rigid and unhappy and nearly hissing, eyelights too sharp.
"...STRETCH WAS HUNGRY. I HAD BEEN FEELING FUNNY AND WARM. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING SICK." He pulled his hand up to use the back of his hand, still clasping Daemon's, to wipe at the tears. "I WAS DUMPSTER DIVING. IT’S DIRTY WORK, AND I WAS SWEATING. I JUST CLIMBED OUT WHEN THE PERSON CAME UP BEHIND ME. HE ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING. THAT I SMELLED DELICIOUS AND TEMPTING... HE PUSHED ME OVER THE BOXES AND RIPPED OFF MY BOTTOMS."
You wanted it. You dirty little Sully.
"NO! I DIDN'T!" Berry let go of his datemate, grabbing his head. Then he flinched as he remembered what talking out of turn cost him at his first judgment.
Daemon put a hand on his shoulder instead. He had to force himself not to look at Sans, watching his datemate instead.
Even though Sans was Judging Berry, not them, even being in the presence of that Judgement was enough to make them both feel the weight of it. Howl ignored the gurgles he remembered of killing his father, ignored the blood he felt on his hands, clenching his other hand tightly. Even so, he broke out in a sweat. Daemon whimpered from the weight of his own sins, the multiple times he had snapped and let the dragon out, the feeling of dust in between his fingers. The rage and the roaring of a voice he wished he never had to hear again. He squeezed his sockets shut, looking away.
The deep voice asked, "you didn't what?"
"I DIDN'T WANT IT! NOT WHEN HE TOOK ME. NOT WHEN THE GUARDS CAME AND THEY USED ME. OR IN THE SANITARIUM! I JUST WANTED TO BE GOOD!" Berry yelled with all his soul. "I WANT TO BE GOOD AND GO HOME TO MY BROTHER AND NOT HAVE TO REMEMBER IT OVER AND OVER!"
Berry's hands came down, the torrent of tears freely falling. 'WHY TRY TO STOP THEM,' he told himself, not trying to clean his face.
"Did the workers at the Sanatorium hurt the Sully?" the Judge went on.
"Y-YES. WE ARE THEIR TOYS. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO... IS TO BE QUIET, JUST DO AS THEY SAY AND LET THEM USE YOU. IT WILL BE OVER FASTER IF YOU’RE QUIET AND BEHAVE."
"behave how?" The Judge asked.
"WE ARE THEIR DIRTY WHORES. SULLY ARE NOT ALLOW TO FEEL SAFE. IT HELPS STOP OUR SMELL AND HELPS KEEP US INFERTILE."
"When you fled the community center, what were you doing right before you were assaulted?"
"I WAS TRYING TO BE GOOD. HIDE. UNTIL MY FAMILY COULD TAKE ME HOME."
Sans let his power drop and sat down, exhausted. "He is innocent."
"Thank you, Sans," Asgore said.
Daemon and Howl both relaxed a little, but there was still some tension.
"And you, other Judge?" The swap queen asked.
Jack Rose took a deep breath, then stood up again. When he looked at Berry, there wasn't any kind of possession like with Sans or Stretch. All he needed was to meet Berry's gaze, his eyelights sharp, piercing.
'All for his brother,' was what the Judge whispered instantly in his head, soft, not nearly the accusatory tone he might hear with murderers. 'All this trouble for protecting his family.' That was really all he needed, but even so, he leaned in a little, reaching up to gently touch Berry's chin, probing a little deeper. "all alone on the streets, no parents... you had to find food somewhere, right? maybe stealing from vendors isn't the most glamorous or honorable way, but who could watch their baby brother go hungry? theft is the most excusable of crimes, especially in those cases. though people might call you a snake, alluring and cunning and tricking everyone, in truth, you are the one who has been attacked, over and over. once bitten, twice shy, right? you were closed off. now you are trying to open back up, and the attacks continue. i see you, blueberry aster, and i know you are brave, kind, and selfless."
Berry stared into Jack Rose's eyelights. It wasn't a powerful pull like with other Judges. It was more alluring. He didn't want to look away. As Jack Rose said, he was alone and attacked. He nodded at the words. It even felt kinda nice, like Jack Rose understood some of his pain. The Judging was downright gentle, almost painfully so.
Jack Rose kissed Berry's forehead, then pulled away and sat back down. "he is innocent."
That kiss felt like receiving a blessing. He was given an absolution from the greatest sin of his life. Fresh tears fell from his sockets, but these ones were tears of relief.
Howl and Daemon were not at all affected by this judging, and although Howl had tensed up again when Jack Rose reached out to touch Berry's chin, he relaxed again after a moment. That was good. Gentle, even. He hadn't expected it.
There was the sound of applause in the background. For the first time, Berry looked up to the queen in her chair, clapping slowly. "That was quite the performance, little Sully. I am almost inclined to believe it. These Judges differ greatly from our own." She stood up and came to stand in front of the trio.
Howl whipped his head around, tense again instantly. He stepped in front of Berry, holding his hand again, and balled up his other hand. "WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF YOU," he said calmly. "TAKE A STEP BACK, OR YOU WON'T LIKE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT."
Gore was almost done with his blunt, and frankly, he wasn't high enough for this yet either. He looked between them nervously. The other two queens sat stiffly, Tori braced to stand up if need be.
"You think they can lie even in Judging?" Mary asked. "It is impossible."
The Queen gave Howl a once over before looking at Mary. "I know not what your Judge's magic is based on." She looked to Howl. "But his story has swayed my soul. Little Berry, I'll give you a chance. A chance no Sully has ever been given. A second trial with our Judge. If our Judge, your own brother, agrees with these two Judges, I will expunge your records and drop all charges, and have your rights as a monster be reinstated. You will leave here without the Sully collar. But if Stretch finds you guilty, you will return with me to the Sanitarium right now and drop the case."
Howl's fist clenched tighter, and he stared the swap queen down with an even colder glare. The words might have brought hope, if he didn't know all too well that Stretch had no power over what the Judge said. And that the Swap Judge only based its Judgement on the laws. With the Sully law in place, personal opinion didn't matter: Berry was guilty.
"YOU KNOW AS WELL AS WE DO THAT YOUR JUDGE IS BIASED," he said cooly. "YOU WROTE INTO HIM WHAT WOULD BE FOUND GUILTY, AND YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED IT. THIS DEAL YOU PROPOSE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO US."
Berry's head fell knowing there was no way to be found innocent with his own Judge, even if it was his brother. That hurt his soul. He felt so close and so far. He leaned into Daemon, looking for contact that would soothe the ache.
"If you want to waste this chance any innocent monster would take to prove themselves, that tells me that this was all a setup from the beginning by you skeletons."
"YOU KNOW YOUR JUDGE ONLY ACTS BY YOUR LAWS. THAT'S WHY THE LAW NEEDS TO CHANGE," Howl hissed.
Swap Toriel ignored him and walked over to Mary. "I look forward to seeing the children getting adopted, Queen Mary."
Queen Mary stared the swap queen down, nodding.
Before the rotten queen could leave, however, Jack Rose stood up again, sockets narrowed, looking at her head-on for the first time.
'Murderer', the Judge hissed instantly. 'Twisted justice.'
"you know, queen toriel, they say to let he who is without sin cast the first stone, don't they? someone who's slaughtered innocent children has no right to decide if someone traumatized was at fault for getting raped. you know. you know this isn't right. i can see your regret. i see the sadness you hold." His voice softened. "yes, you know, don't you? the lengths people go to for family? you know what loving a child is like, loving a baby brother is no different. the grief you have felt... it could have been so much worse for berry, had he not struggled so hard to provide food for stretch. he would have had to watch a young child starve to death. all because he was putting off pheromones he couldn't control? is that right? is that just? you know it isn't. you... you can't let your anger win this way. you can’t let your grief harm more innocent families. the cycle of abuse has to stop, and it can stop here."
It dawned on him, staring into her eyes, appealing so plainly, that something unnatural was going on. The feeling he got from the Judge was... almost muted. Or maybe echoed?
"you know this is wrong. let him go. let them all go. you can still right this wrong. your children would thank you for your mercy."
"Toriel please, you know the Judge's powers are the ancient magics," Asgore begged. "This is wrong. I'm sorry your husband hurt you so bad, but please stop lashing out."
The swap queen looked down and closed her eyes as she flinched as if being yelled at. When she opened her eyes, a flash of purple passed quickly. She turned away from them and left the room quietly.
Notes:
chapter summary: The fell lizard, Spire, is hacking into the Sanitarium with a few others when tale Alphys shows up with the wiped hard drives to look over. The lust lizard (Shirley) and fish (Punch) arrive and introduce themselves. Upon seeing how many Sully have died in the program from the wiped hard drives, the lusts agree to get Derby to run a television schedule to help the Sully. The swap lizard and fish arrive, and everyone is hostile to Al until she explains she had no idea it was that bad, and she trusted Berry. Dyne had been threatened with a permanent work position in the Sanitarium if she ever told, but with Howl promising protection, she confessed to Al. They stop Spire's hacking the system, as she was about to be found out, and Dyne plugs in her own program to reach the security cameras. They witness one Sully comforting another, who is dying. When they are dust, a guard arrives and has the still alive Sully clean up the dust, but they, too, are starting to dust. Punch goes feral and nearly storms off to the Sanitarium, but is calmed down. They promise to protect Dyne from being sent there, and Al gathers the other guard captains to find Undyne and make a plan. Meanwhile, the royals plus Sans and Jack Rose (who is a judge) have a meeting. Jack Rose has constant judge powers just by meeting someone's gaze, and he reflects on using them on the rat on the bus. Sans assures him that they are cool with his powers, cheering him up. The royals (minus the swap queen) talk about how to clear out the orphanage. Queen Mary asks if the swap queen does not like all sexuality, and learns the whole sordid story. She expresses concern about the image people might get of her own people, and they all agree to figure out a way to phrase it so Swap Toriel can't refuse them. Gore suggests all cultures adopt a collar law, which they agree to. When the swap queen arrives, they talk about the orphanage, and she reveals it is not as full up on the surface with more resources. She is hesitant about Queen Mary's people, but is saddened to hear about Mary's miscarriage, and concedes to let the lusts apply to adopt. She off-handedly insults Berry, and Sans defends him. He offers to Judge Berry, and Jack Rose offers to do the same. The swap queen, surprisingly, agrees. Howl is initially horrified at the idea, but concedes if he and Daemon can stay and protect Berry. The trio arrive, and Sans Judges Berry by asking questions about the initial incident and what happened at the rec center. Sans finds him innocent. Jack Rose then Judges him just by looking into his eyes, and softly declares him very brave, and innocent, kissing his forehead. The swap queen says she will let him take off the Sully collar if her own Judge also deems him innocent, but they all know that Stretch's Judge magic is bound by the written laws, and Berry would be found guilty, so they refuse. The swap queen is about to leave when Jack Rose Judges her, pointing out her murder of human children and appealing to her motherhood. He realizes something is off about her and the Judge when it looks at her. The heartfelt pleas to stop this seems to get to her for a moment, but then her eyes flash purple and she leaves.
I hope you all enjoy this week. we didn't see many comments last week. It really makes our week hearing form you all. Please leave a comment and tell us what you think. <3 Also do you like it when I post the images I draw? Let me know in the comments -Diyami
Chapter 24: Take a Moment and Ask Yourself if This is How We Fall Apart
Summary:
In which things really get heated - sexually and otherwise!
Notes:
Hello everyone! <3
I hope you enjoy this week chapter. Be sure to leave a comment telling use what you thought! also kudo, bookmark or subscribe to the series if you haven't. It lets use know our hard work is not falling into the void and we love talking and seeing them.Chapter tags: mention of past unhealthy relationship, sexy threesome between a couple and their mutual friend, flashback to aftermath of sexual assault and victim-blaming judgement, punching a wall in anger
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Jack Rose stared after the Swap Queen as she walked away, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong about her. Slowly, he sat back down. "...so now what?" he asked quietly.
Howl took a deep breath, some of the tension in his body falling away. "NOW WE TAKE BERRY HOME. AND WE TRY TO EMPTY THE ORPHANAGE. AND THINGS CONTINUE AS PLANNED."
Queen Mary pressed her paws together again. "I don't understand how anybody could be so hateful."
Asgore nodded. "Howl's right. Do you need a ride home Sans?"
Berry was tired. He leaned into Daemon more. He was ready to go home. The relief he had had from Jack Rose's absolution had been snatched away by the queen's words.
"nah, i still got some juice left." Sans looked to the trio and stood in front of them. "i'm really sorry this didn't work and you went through this berry. you're a really good kid, and everyone who loves you knows that, so don't you forget it."
Berry nodded but didn't say anything. He felt overwhelmed by all the different emotions: fear, grief, regret, loss and the gratefulness that both Daemon and Howl had stayed with him. That love for them was what currently held his soul together in the torrent of emotions.
Howl nodded to Sans, relaxing just a little more. It had been uncomfortable facing down that judgement, but he didn't blame Sans for that. "THANK YOU, SANS," he said for Berry. He squeezed his datemate's hand gently. "WE'LL BE GOING BACK NOW, THEN. DAEMON."
Daemon nodded and waved to everyone with a grimace before porting them back home.
Jack Rose sighed, rubbing his chin. "guess i'll go home too. i'm sorry, i wasn't more help."
"hey you helped a lot. berry was looking a lot better after your judgement. you got him to stop crying. your powers are very different from mine,” Sans assured.
That made Jack Rose smile a little. "it seems they are very different, yes. yours is... a bit frightening," he admitted. "but it must be nice to not see people's secrets all the time."
Asgore went to the other royals. "Let's head over to the orphanage and see how many children and ages we are looking at, and see what their criteria is."
Tori nodded, standing up as well. "Good idea. There may not be as many children there as I thought, but even so, if we can get them all good homes, then today was a success."
"Yes." Queen Mary got to her feet. "I will let my husband know to meet us there. If we are to adopt ourselves, he will want to be there, of course."
Gore leaned back in his chair, lighting up a blunt.
"Come on, Gore. You can have some fun with the children and when they are done, we can go out for a dink." Asgore offered.
Gore huffed. "Fine..." He reluctantly got to his feet again.
Asgore smiled, happy Gore was willing to come. The goats all headed out after saying goodbye.
"Must you smoke indoors?" Mary asked him as they walked out. He rolled his eyes and pulled out another blunt in answer.
Sans turned back to Jack Rose. "you know, i like to be around with family after judgments. you want to come hang out with red and me at our place? maybe relax for a bit?"
"me?" Jack Rose asked Sans, surprised. "i wouldn't be, ah, interrupting a couple of lovebirds?"
"nah, you're not interrupting, we can watch a movie and relax for a bit. maybe we can talk red into baking something. it’s his guilty pleasure." He winked. "i'll text him if it makes ya feel better." He pulled out his phone to do just that.
"well... alright, if you're sure." Jack Rose fidgeted with his gloves a little. "a movie sounds nice. do you have any others like that one you showed me before? chicago?"
[jack rose is here and he's a judge too. it was a hard meeting. we both did Judgements and can use some down time. i invited him over for a movie and food.] Sans threw that last part in hoping Red would offer to make something.
"sure, we can stream something. how about moulin rouge or burlesque? if you like comedy too, there's the bird cage."
"i’ve already seen moulin rouge, actually. i like the costumes," he said.
Red texted back, [sounds good sweetheart i could make sumthin. u know what he likes?]
"okay, burlesque is flashy, lots of pretty costumes. what's your fave baking type food? cake, pastry, pie, you name it, red can make it."
"sure, okay. burlesque. umm, i don't really have anything specific that's my favorite. i like a lot of sweets. maybe something fruity?"
[He says something fruity ;)] Sans sent back.
[alright ill make somethin good ;)]
"alright, cool. did you need to pick up anything before we go?"
"no, i don't think i need anything. i'll just text tai so he knows where i'm at." Jack Rose pulled out his own phone to send a quick text.
Sans pulled out his phone again after he thought of something. [can you make some extra? we can drop it off at berry's. i'll explain when we get home.]
[o yea sure. he ok?]
[physically yes. mentally it was hard on him.]
[o ok. ill make him something good.]
Jack Rose put his phone away again and smiled at Sans. "i'm ready."
Sans put his phone up. "great." He held out his hand. "i'll drive, since you haven't been there yet."
"alright." Jack Rose took Sans's hand. He was warm, very warm. Almost too much so, even.
"you okay?" Sans asked.
"hmm? yes, i'm alright, why?"
"you're very warm," Sans replied.
"oh, that." He waved a hand absently. "i need to, ah, get myself taken care of tonight, probably. or maybe tomorrow. don't worry, it's not dangerous yet."
"oh okay." He blushed and ported them home. "we're here!" he called out.
Red popped his head out from the kitchen. "heya, sweetheart. i'm prepping something that's gotta sit to rise for a while, so i'll be right out. hi, jack rose."
"hello." Jack Rose wiggled the fingers of his free hand at Red, then looked around the place, taking in the decor.
The living room was nothing special, a couch and loveseat from goodwill, one in red, the other in black. A few posters up here and there.
"have a seat." Sans sat down and dug around in the couch for the remote.
It had a bit of charm, Jack Rose decided. The furniture was nice. The Lust skeleton sat down delicately and sank into the couch a little. "oh, it's very comfy."
Sans turned on the TV and set up the movie. "tell us about yourself, jack rose. what do you like and dislike?"
"me? well..." He fidgeted with his gloves again. "i'm nothing special. i like dresses and fashionable clothes, and i like sex. sweet foods. puns and jokes. sewing and designing. i don't like spicy food, or doing a lot of work. unless it's designing. i'm lazy, heh. tai used to grumble at me when i slept on my sentry job." He smiled fondly.
"so you're a lot like us," Red said, coming inside and wiping his good hand on his pant leg. He had a bit of flour on his shirt. He perched on Sans's lap and gave him a hello smooch.
Sans kissed him back. "a lot like us." He chuckled when Red sat on him and kissed him. "any partners or lovers?"
Jack Rose smiled as he watched them kiss, then grimaced at the question. He looked down. "not right now, no..."
Red looked him over and decided, polite or not, it might be time to meddle. "but you did before? a good looking guy like you, had to have the ladies and gents chasin' ya, right?"
"looks aren't much when it comes to romance," Jack Rose said, shaking his head. "i got plenty of 'customers,' yes. but sex is one thing. love is another." He sighed. "i was... sweet on the fire elemental who ran the bar. fizz is his name. he liked me too..."
"so if ya both like each other, why not hook up?" Sans asked curiously.
"we did," he clarified. "we were dating for a while. but it didn't work out." He looked down. "it wasn't really the fault of either one of us alone. i was kinda needy, and he didn't have the time to devote to that what with running the bar, so i got upset easily. i know how to say things to hit people where it hurts, you know? because of the Judge. it wasn't fair of me. he got snappy back most of the time, and neither of us were happy... so..." He shrugged. "we broke up."
"boy do i know the feeling of saying shit just to hurt someone." Red nodded solemnly.
"well i'm sorry that happened to ya." Sans reached out and gave his hand a squeeze.
He squeezed back. "thank you. it's alright. let's just watch the movie?"
"alright." Sans pushed play on the movie.
Jack Rose was fixated on it instantly. The shifting romantic interests were compelling, and the costumes were great. He wrote down a few quick ideas a few times after seeing some of the dresses.
Red had to pause near the middle of the movie to go pop his risen dough in the oven, and by the time the movie was done, he brought out gooey, yummy blueberry lemon cinnamon rolls, still warm.
By the end, Jack Rose had heated up more, dabbing away sweat from his brow. It was a bit uncomfortable now, but he was having fun with new friends. He didn't want to have to rush out and find a good lay tonight. It could wait. It was fine.
"that was a good movie," Sans said. He looked over to Jack Rose, sweaty and uncomfortably hot. "hey, ya doing alright there?"
Jack Rose grimaced again, dabbing a bit more pink sweat from his forehead. "it's just the lust. i'll be alright once i have a roll in the sheets. i've been busy the past few days."
Red looked concerned as he handed over a sweet roll to each of them. "you need to find someone tonight."
"i was hoping to put it off until tomorrow, since this has been so nice, but... i guess so." He took the dessert to take a bite. It was so good, and he made heart eyes. "wow, it's delicious!"
"yeah, red’s the best pastry chef around." Sans gave Red a kiss on the cheek and took one. "if you two want, we could have some fun with a threesome?"
"oh yeah, that's a great idea idea," Red said. "we'll take care of ya."
Jack Rose nearly choked on his next bite of sweet roll, coughing a little. He looked at them both in shock. "threesome? but- you're together, aren't you... you know... exclusive? you're engaged!"
"well, yeah, but just sex isn't romance, right? besides, we're both offering, together, so it's not like we're cheating," Red pointed out.
"but..."
"red's right. a good time all around, if you want to. it's alright if you don't," Sans replied.
Jack Rose looked between them hesitantly. "it wouldn't be weird for you...?"
"pssh, nah." Red shrugged. "i've done threesomes before. uh, not while dating sansy, but still. actually, i'm kind of a freak." He smirked.
Jack Rose's brow lifted. "well... if you're really sure..."
Sans took Jack Rose's hand and kissed his knuckles. "always willing to help a friend."
He blushed at the kiss to his hand, charmed. "well... okay. you two get to call the shots, though. how do you want to do this?"
"first, you're gonna finish your sweet roll," Red ordered. "you have one too, sansy, i didn't slave over a hot oven for nothing, huh?"
Sans chuckled. "as you command, my love." He let go of Jack Rose's hand and took a bite. "any hard no's or triggers we should know? and a safeword?' he asked with his mouth full.
Red sat back down with his own sweet roll. "for me, i don't take my right mitten off, and ya can't touch that hand," he said. "and i like a bit of biting and pain, but not too much. also, you can't squeeze my neck, i'll freak out. we use the stoplight system usually, 'cept instead of red, it's ketchup. 'cause my name."
Jack Rose chuckled at that, taking another bite. "the stoplight system sans red will work fine for me," he said with a wink. While Sans snickered at the pun, Red clicked his tongue and made a finger gun at him.
"eyyyyy."
Jack Rose chucked as well. "i've never come across something that i genuinely get turned off by, though i like it rough the most. i'm a switch."
"cool, so am i," Red said. "hey... are you an alpha, beta, or omega?"
The Lust monster bared his teeth playfully. "i'm an alpha. like you."
"my hard stop is anything to do with paps. he’s not to know i have a sex life." Sans took another bite. "so no marks in places clothes don't cover. that's about it. i'm not as versed as red, but i'm willing to try anything once. i'm a beta." He finished off his roll and licked his fingers.
"alright, i got it." Jack Rose nodded. He dabbed at more sweat coming off his brow, fanning himself a little.
"geez, dude, that looks uncomfortable. look, you two go ahead to the bedroom," Red said, finishing off his dessert. "i'm gonna take the rest of these to berry and be right back, ok?" He gave Sans another smooch and went into the kitchen to pick up the tray.
"okay, redy. we'll be up stairs."
He took Jack Rose's hand and ported them onto a king-sized bed. It was one of the few things Sans had gotten them when Red moved in. "is there a sex you prefer? both red and i are flexible."
Jack Rose sat on the bed with an appreciative noise. A nice, big, comfortable bed was always good. "i don't have much of a preference either. i can bottom, if that's what you'd like. it's not like i'll get pregnant, even without a condom." He chuckled a bit ruefully. "or i can take care of you nicely, if you want to let me do all the work."
Sans started to peel off Jack Rose’s clothes, letting his hand trace down the bone. "both sounds good, but let's let redy decide." His voice was a little sultry.
He made an interested noise as Sans started pulling his clothes off, and helped by tugging off his fingerless gloves and kicking off his boots. For the most part, his bones were pristine. But there were tiny marks here and there, not nearly as many as Fell monsters tended to have. They were more likely left over more from kinky sex than from real, life-threatening fights. His magic was already swirling at his pelvis. Though he was usually a purple-pink mix, there seemed to be more pink than usual at the moment, possibly due to his condition. "fine by me," he said, his own voice a low purr. "shall we wow him with a lovely view when he comes back?" He tugged at Sans's clothes too.
"i"m sure he would appreciate it.” Sans flicked off his pink slippers. "what ya got in mind?"
"first, you have to strip," he said, giggling a little. "then we take up as much space on this bed as we can."
Sans winked at him. "i have a phd in bed hugging," he joked. "i minored in blanket stealing, too."
"good, but you have to take these off." He tugged again at Sans's clothes gently. "show off those bones."
Sans pulled off his clothes. His bones were pristine - well, except for the bite mark Red left on his shoulder blade this morning. His own blue magic made his joints glow.
"there you go~" Jack Rose whistled appreciatively. "you're very pretty." He splayed out, legs spread apart to show off the unformed magic, drawing a hand across his own ribs. "now strike a pose~"
"vogue, you say?"
"yeah, come on~"
He laid out. "not too sure about that pretty thing." He never really felt sexy. He spread out like Jack Rose asked and laid on hand on his hip and focused his magic to pool in his pelvis. He brought this other hand to his ribs too. "like this?"
Jack Rose nodded in approval as Sans copied him. "that's right, just like that. very pretty."
It was right about then that Red came porting into the bedroom. He didn't expect what he saw, and his face turned his namesake instantly as he stared with his jaw dropped. "holy shit."
"like what you see?" Jack Rose asked with a wink.
"holy shit," he said again, pulling off his clothes as fast as he could manage.
Sans chuckled, "i'll take that as a yes." He dipped his fingers into the pooling magic and moaned. "we’re ready, redy."
Red almost toppled from how fast he tried to get out of his shorts. Luckily, he managed to steady himself and finish tossing aside his clothes. He then got into the bed right in between them, reaching out to touch both of their magics. "i claim the middle. will sucking you off take the edge off?"
Jack Rose arched into the touch, letting out a sound of his own. "yes, definitely."
"cool. spitroast me, then." His magic dropped into his pelvis, a lovely ass and an already hard dick. "i'll get you off while sansy takes me."
Sans let his cock form. "sounds delicious." He clawed over Red, then grabbed a clear bottle of lube... he stopped and double-checked. Yes, it was lube. He put some on his fingers and started to work them into Red. Red moaned happily as he shifted down and got to work at Jack Rose’s pelvis.
It was going to be a fun evening.
Howl, Daemon and Berry appeared in their home. Berry cuddled close to Daemon. He wasn't sure what to say. He was feeling emotions he hadn't felt in a long, long time and he really wasn't sure on how to express them anymore. In the past, he had focused the hurt, shock and anger at himself. After all, everything was always his fault. At least, that was what being Sully had taught him. The horror of the first trial was forever engraved in his soul. 'WHY ME?' he'd thought…
Berry was locked in an isolation cell, his back to the far wall, hoping to have a few seconds to prepare himself for when the guards came back. He wasn’t sure how many days he had been here. Everything was a blur of unwanted hands holding him, touching him, using him… dark smudges of magic stained his sockets and face.
The young skeleton had started talking to the only person he thought would listen to him. “papa,” he whispered to himself, “i heard first heats are not so bad…” He purposely kept his voice low and soft, so the guards wouldn’t hear him. His clothes had been shredded days ago, testimony to the brutality that he had endured. Berry’s hand slipped down between his legs to scratch at the dried stuff clumped on his pelvis and thighs. “you were wrong…” He clamped his mouth shut.
A bunny monster stood at the door giving him a vulgar look. “Sully, put these on.” A small t-shirt and shorts were thrown in front of the small skeleton. “The Judge is ready for you.”
Berry lurched for the clothes, holding them over his bones, waiting for the monster to leave to get dressed. “I’M NOT A SULLY.” The guard came up to him and backhanded him.
Berry curled up, his hand on the side of his face, trying to soothe the ache and loose tooth.
“Don’t back talk, Sully, and don’t keep the Judge waiting. Now get dressed.”
Berry pulled the shirt over his bones. It came to his knees. He then wiggled out of what was left of his shorts and put the new ones on. Once he had clothes on, the guard came close and put a magic-dampening collar around his small neck. He then pulled out a chain and wrapped it around Berry’s waist like a morbid belt and cuffed his hands to it.
“I’LL BE GOOD,” Berry pleaded. “YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS…” He pulled on his cuffed hands. “PLEASE.”
The hand smacked the back of his head. “Be quiet.” He was shoved forward. “Start walking.” The bunny’s paw hooked under his arm and pulled it up at an odd angle as he was guided through the cells.
“Is that the little slut we've been smelling?” someone in a cell yelled. “It's not fair you all get to teach it it's place!”
Berry tried to get closer to the guard. A hand came through the cell to grab at him, and he stumbled over his feet.
“Leave the poor kid alone, ” someone yelled. “He's hurt enough as it is.”
He was pulled out of the cell block. The halls were long and confusing, a maze, and each room looked to be a dark oubliette. Then they came to a large set of ornately carved doors. The dread of sitting in the small cell for days waiting for this moment weighed heavily on his shoulders. It was the moment of reckoning. Soon, he would tell the Judge what happened, and then he could go home. Stretch was waiting for him. He probably went and found food by now and was worried sick.
The door cracked open. The light was so much brighter than in the hallway. The guard yanked painfully on his arm. Berry stepped into the light. The guard left him standing there.
The room was large and grand. Stained glass lined the walls. He felt even more worthless and dirty as he looked up and met the gaze of the Queen, who was standing next to a blind dog. The Queen’s accusatory gaze fell on the small monster. Berry wiggled, uncomfortably dirty under that look. Tears he thought he had cried out came lining his sockets, and he pulled on his wrist to try and wipe his eyes, only for it to stop short by the cuff.
“Blueberry Aster was caught tempting,” Queen Toriel said with disgust.
“I WASN’T! I WAS LOOKING FOR FOOD. I-”
“Silence!” she proclaimed. “You will only speak when spoken to.”
The dog monster with white eyes stepped closer, then stood over him, sniffing. “You reek of sex.”
“I… I HAVEN'T BEEN ALLOWED TO CLEAN MYSELF,” Berry said as he looked at the ground.
The dog monster growled, baring his teeth.
Berry’s quaking knees almost gave out.
“Your Majesty, all monsters should be clean before they come into the sacred halls.”
“You are correct, Judge. I will tell the guards not to let this happen again. On with the trial.”
The dog monster took a step back and summoned the power of old magic. Blinding yellow light flowed through their body, spilling out of his eyes and mouth. As they talked, the room rumbled under the weight of its power. The magic was stunning and entrancing; it pulled Berry. He couldn’t look away.
“Blueberry Aster. You are an omega." That wasn’t a question. “You were caught, and who were you tempting?”Berry trembled, ill-prepared to see such a sight. “I-I WAS IN THE ALLY BEHIND THE MARKETS…” He pulled at his hands, scraping the bone on the metal cuffs, chafing them. “I DON’T KNOW THEM...THEY FOUND ME.”
“How did they find you?” the divine light demand.
“I… I SMELL?” Berry was compelled to answer even though he didn’t know how to put it into words. “HE SMELLED ME.”
“Smelled you. You were out in heat?”
“I DIDN’T KNOW, PLEASE.” Berry fell to his knees. “I NEVER KNEW. I-I’LL BE GOOD. I WON’T COME OUT IN HEAT AGAIN. I THOUGHT I WAS-”
“It is a yes or no question," the queen interrupted.
Berry looked between them, tears cascading down his face. “YES. BUT I DIDN’T KNOW. I-”
“QUIET! You will answer questions that are asked of you. If you continue to interrupt, a verdict will be rendered," she stated.
Berry tried to wipe his face on his shoulder.
“Blueberry Aster. You were out during a heat. Did you have a chaperone to keep you in line?”
“NO. I DON’T HAVE ANY ADULT FAMILY. I HAD TO FIND FOOD FOR MY-”
“Enough! A verdict!” the monarch demanded.
Berry bowed his head, large ugly sobs escaping him as he tried not to beg.
The shining bright eyes trained on the small skeleton. “Blueberry Aster, you are found guilty of being out during your heat and tempting monsters.”
“You will be entered as a Sully," the Queen finished. “Guard, take him.”
The words were damning. Berry screamed as he was pulled away. “PLEASE! I DIDN’T MEAN TO! I’LL DO BETTER! PLEASE!” But no one listened. No one cared.
Going to Judgment in front of his Judge had been one of the most traumatic events of his life. The pain and grief it caused him had been up there with his parents dusting. Being a toy and experiment, he was starting to Fall and dust. This had been a spur of the moment thing. He had been terrified when Howl said he was going to get Judged. Only hearing it was Sans and Jack Rose gave him a little hope that this would end. The Judge never cared, but maybe they would. Now not one, but two Judges had found him innocent.
His shoulders shook as he took deep breaths. His bones ached with a need to hit something, to be able to lash out, and suppressing that foreign feeling had Berry shaking and mentally tired. His voice wanted to be loud, and scream. Why had they heard him when his own wouldn’t? All that pain. All that sorrow. So much of Berry's anger had been forced to be bottled up and buried behind a wall. Off limits for so long. It wasn't safe to even think about feeling it. Now though, in their home, safe with his lovers, years of suppressed anger came breaking through. Berry was shaking as the anger ripped through him. It was a feeling he wasn't sure how to process on his own. “WHY DIDN’T THE JUDGE LISTEN BEFORE?!” He yelled and punched the wall. His hand crashed through the drywall with a satisfying crunch and throb. It was the tip of the pain his soul felt, made real.
The Fellswaps both still held on to Berry when they arrived. Howl took a deep breath, relaxing a little more than he'd been able to in that room. He couldn't help but draw parallels between his old queen and this one, and stars did he want this one to meet the same fate as the Bloody Red Queen.
But that was for later. For now, his task was comforting Berry. Daemon's too. The taller brother snuggled into Berry instantly upon their return.
They both jumped as Berry yelled and punched the wall, and Daemon gently gripped Berry's wrist, pulling it to himself.
"don't, berry! don't hurt yourself..."
"YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE FURIOUS," Howl assured. "THE SWAP JUDGE DOESN'T PLAY FAIR. IF ONLY IT WAS JUST STRETCH, THEN YOU WOULD BE FOUND INNOCENT... IT'S NOT FAIR. YOU DESERVE BETTER."
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Berry was shaking. He looked at his hand Daemon was holding. "YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M LIVID! I... DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO...." the small skeleton admitted.
"USE THAT ANGER TO BE PRODUCTIVE," Howl instructed. "PUNCHING THE WALL WON'T HELP ANYTHING, BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO THAT WILL HELP."
Daemon started to heal Berry's hand, petting it gently. "instead of hurting your hand, let your hand help. you want to knit something for sullies that hurt like you?"
"THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. WE SAID IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE WE WOULD PROTECT ANY SULLY THAT CAME FORWARD. THEY WILL ALSO NEED COLLARS AND COMFORT. WE COULD START A DRIVE."
Berry nodded. "YES, THEY DIDN'T DESERVE IT EITHER.'' The calm, loving magic engulfed Berry's hand, helping ease both his mental and physical pain. He let out a small sigh. "COLLARS, THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START." His own was so important; it calmed and comforted him almost daily. "WE COULD ASK OTHERS TO HELP KNIT OR MAKE THINGS TO BE USED." He opened and closed his hand a few times. "THANK YOU PUPPY, ANGEL." He hugged them both. His bones still tingled with the need to do something. "DO WE HAVE EXTRA YARN TO GET STARTED NOW?"
"WE COULD DEFINITELY DO THAT. AND YES, WE HAVE PLENTY OF YARN. I ALWAYS KEEP EXTRA ON HAND."
Howl stiffened at the hug, but he wasn't reacting as viscerally as he used to. With a painstakingly slow movement, he hugged back. With his high-heeled boots, the height difference wasn't as bad.
Daemon hugged back quicker and tighter, bending down to make it easier and burying his face in Berry's shoulder. "i don't know how to knit, but i'll help somehow too. um, i can get more supplies, and maybe help organize stuff."
Berry nuzzled them before he remembered and let go. "I'M SORRY, MY ANGEL. I SHOULD OF ASKED."
"IT'S ALRIGHT. PLEASE TRY TO REMEMBER. BUT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS IT USED TO BE." He took a deep breath. "DO YOU FEEL BETTER?"
The rage was cooling a bit, leaving him feeling drained. "YEAH. THE RAGE IS STILL THERE, BUT NOT AS STRONG." It still hurt, but he wasn't going to focus on it. Daemon and Howl were right. He took Daemon's arm. "HELPING ORGANIZE AND BEING A CUDDLE BUDDY WOULD BE GREAT. " He smiled tiredly at his datemate.
"I KNOW THAT RAGE VERY WELL," Howl said. "IT NEVER TRULY GOES AWAY. AT LEAST, IT HASN'T FOR ME YET."
Daemon snuggled up fully in return, relief in his eyelights. "then that's what i'll do. and also maybe i'll fix the wall." The poor drywall needed replastering.
Berry place his hand over his soul and nodded, not really knowing what to say. It felt good and bad. He hadn't felt safe enough to express anger in a long time. There was no point back in the Sanitarium; it would get it a harsher punishment. Now he was allowed to, it made him feel validated, like his feelings mattered again. Like... maybe he could be whole again?
"I'LL TRY TO FOCUS IT INTO SOMETHING USEFUL." He looked at the hole his anger had left in the drywall."I'M SORRY ABOUT THE WALL."
It was as broken as he felt, pieces of it falling away, but they could fix it. They would make it like new. Berry knew with their love and support they would help to build him back up like the wall. 'MAYBE I'M NOT SO SORRY,' he thought as he realized that.
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE WALL," Howl assured.
"but try not to hurt yourself anymore," Daemon said, nuzzling Berry's hand. "i'd be sad if you broke your bones."
"OKAY." Berry blushed and purred quietly. "I'LL DO MY BEST."
"thank you." He nuzzled again, and then went and fetched Berry's knitting supplies for him like the helpful, eager puppy that he was. Howl sat down with his own.
"I WILL SHOW YOU THE PATTERN I USED FOR YOURS."
"THANK YOU, PUPPY," Berry called after Daemon. Then he followed Howl into the living room and took a seat next to him, making sure to keep the space between them that Howl liked. "OKAY." He nodded. "HOW LONG DO THEY TAKE TO MAKE?"
"you're welcome!" Daemon knelt down nearby afterwards, as he tended to do.
"IT TAKES ME PERHAPS FOUR HOURS. FOR YOU, IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, SINCE YOU ARE A STILL LEARNING."
Berry took the supplies and nodded, happy he might get two done today. "ALRIGHT, HOW MANY DO I CAST ON?" He got straight to work, trying to keep his stitches perfect. He wanted it to be something the owner could be proud of. Like he was of his own collar.
They spent a while knitting before there was a knock at the door. Howl looked up in surprise. Daemon got up to peek out the peephole, then beamed and opened the door. "hiya, red!"
"hey, daemon. mind if i come in?"
"course not." Daemon let him in, closing the door again behind him.
"GOOD EVENING, TO WHAT DO WE OWE THE PLEASURE?" Howl asked.
Berry had been knitting feverishly, but carefully. The biting need in his bones faded after a while, and he was able to relax with his mates.
When Red walked in he smiled. "HELLO RED." He pushed work to the back of the needles and set them down, getting up to give Red a welcome hug.
Red was holding a container in one hand, and he set it down to hug Berry back nice and tight. "you ok, blueberry muffin? sansy told me what happened."
Berry shook his head. "I'M BETTER." He pulled Red over and showed him the knitting. "WE ARE MAKING COLLARS FOR ANY SULLY THAT WANTS TO BE CLAIMED. HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP THEM, LIKE IT DOES FOR ME."
"that's good. that lady's a fucking bitch, and we're gonna get her outta the throne." He looked over the bandanas they were making and subconsciously rubbed his own neck. "yeah? hopefully. yours makes you feel safe, right? so it might do the same for them..."
"IT DOES." Berry smiled at Howl, his hand coming up to finger the soft bandana. "IT REMINDS ME I'M NOT ALONE AND I'M LOVED AND SAFE."
Red smiled at that, dropping his hand again from his bare neck. "well, that's good. listen, i didn't just come to say hi, i gotcha something." He picked back up the container he'd brought and opened it to reveal the blueberry lemon sweet rolls, still warm. There was one for each of them. "i made these. you gotta eat some good sweets after a shitty day, right?"
Berry smiled brightly. Red was so talented at baking. "YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY LOOK AND SMELL DIVINE, RED. LET ME GO GET PLATES." He hurried to the kitchen.
"sure thing, kiddo." He watched Berry go, then glanced at Howl and Daemon. "what about you two? you ok? witnessing a Judgement sounds pretty fucking terrible."
"we're alright," Daemon assured. "it felt bad, but berry was brave and we're all unhurt. so it's okay."
"I DON'T NEED A JUDGE TO TELL ME WHAT WRONGS I HAVE COMMITTED IN MY LIFE," Howl said, putting down his own knitting needles. "I AM AT PEACE WITH WHAT I HAVE DONE TO PROTECT MYSELF AND THOSE I LOVE. THERE WAS PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT, BUT THAT IS EASILY DISMISSED."
Berry came back a few seconds later with some forks, plates and napkins. "THANK YOU SO MUCH RED, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO CHECK IN ON US." He set the stuff down,"PLEASE, SET THEM ON THE TABLE AND I'LL DISH THEM OUT."
"you're welcome. i'd love to stick around and see how you guys like it, but sansy's waiting for me." He put the container back down. "enjoy." He waved and ported away again.
Berry dished out the treats. He felt guilty Howl and Daemon had to be stressed out too. He had been so wrapped up in his own worries and anger that it didn't occur to him to ask. "I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T ASK HOW YOU TWO WERE DOING?" He handed each of them a plate. "I'M HAPPY RED DID, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE BOTH ALIGHT."
"IT IS ALRIGHT. WE ARE FINE."
"yeah, don't worry about it," Daemon assured. "seeing a Judgement was, uh, not fun. but it was worth a try."
Berry sat down next to where Daemon liked to sit on the floor. He patted the floor. "YOU WANT TO SNUGGLE WHILE WE EAT?"
"sure." He sat back down and cuddled up, purring a little, and took a bite. "mmm!"
Howl made a pleased noise when he tried his own. "RED'S BAKING IS EXCEPTIONAL."
"IT IS." Berry took a bite and purred as he cuddled into his tallest datemate. "HE COULD BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL BAKER."
"I AM CERTAIN HE COULD BE. WHAT WAS HE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR AGAIN?"
"astrophysics," Daemon hummed. "he wants to work for NASA."
"THAT IS QUITE A DIFFERENT CAREER PATH."
"YEAH. HE'S GOT MANY TALENTS." Berry smiled taking another bite. "HE KNOWS A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCIENCEY THINGS."
"IT SEEMS SO."
"science does good for him. i tried to get into it a bit, but... i don't like it so much. but it's nice it makes him so happy," Daemon said.
"...I WONDER WHAT HIS GASTER WAS LIKE," Howl mused.
Berry shivered. "I HOPE HE IS BETTER THAN MINE."
"or ours," Daemon muttered, nuzzling into Berry some more.
Berry shivered again. "YEAH." He looked to Howl. "DO YOU NEED ANYTHING, ANGEL? WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TOO." He wanted to let his datemate know if he wanted physical comfort, Berry was always there for him.
Howl delicately finished off his sweet roll, then cleaned off his hands of the stickiness. "I WOULD NOT MIND HOLDING HANDS FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THOUGH I KNOW YOU ARE VERY MOTIVATED TO KEEP KNITTING."
"YES I AM, BUT I'LL ALWAYS HAVE TIME FOR YOU AND DAEMON." He turned around and gently took Howl's hand. "DAEMON AND I CAN BOTH HELP YOU AND TAKE TURNS."
"i've got an idea," Daemon said shyly. "master?"
"YES, PUPPY?"
"do you maybe want... to try and cuddle?"
Howl considered that for a long moment. "I... DO NOT WISH TO BE RESTRAINED IN ANY WAY. BUT IF YOU WOULD BOTH LIKE TO, PERHAPS... SIT CLOSE TO ME? AND MAYBE OUR LEGS WOULD TOUCH...?"
"okay!" Daemon beamed.
Berry smiled brightly. "IF IT BECOMES TOO MUCH, LET US KNOW. WE LOVE YOU AND WANT YOU COMFORTABLE." He nuzzled Howl's hand before getting up to sit next to his datemate, a small purr coming from him.
"YES, DO NOT WORRY, I WILL BE QUITE VOCAL ABOUT IT IF I NEED MY SPACE." Howl picked up his knitting again to resume. Daemon got up and sat on Howl's other side, purring again. So often, Berry was in the middle, and that was fine, but in this rare chance, he wanted to sit close to his master.
Berry took up his knitting, his leg resting against Howl's leg. Despite everything that had happened today, he was willing to label it as a good day if it was going to end with Howl and Daemon happy and them together.
Vex was just setting Pucci down for a nap when his phone rang. He winced at the sound, quickly answering and trying to make the baby settle back down again.
"VEX SPEAKING."
"Hey, long time no talk," Blade said.
"CAPTAIN?" He instinctively straightened up more, shifting into guard mode. "WHAT IS IT? IS THERE AN EMERGENCY?" He couldn't imagine why else she would call him. Not these days.
"No, not an emergency. Listen, your mate's brother is that poor kid from the news, right? Berry?"
"YES...?"
"You want to come on a mission?"
"WHAT IS ALL THIS ABOUT, CAPTAIN?"
Stretch looked up at that tone from his mate, which killed his high score on Candy Crush. He set down the phone and walked over to take the fussy Puuci to rock.
Vex thanked him with a nod, stepping away for a moment to listen to Blade talk. His look of bewilderment changed into something like satisfaction.
"IT WOULD BE MY HONOR, CAPTAIN. I'LL BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES." He hung up and went to his closet to pull out his armor. "I HAVE TO GO. I MIGHT BE GONE ALL NIGHT."
"whoa there, partner." Stretch put his hand on Vex's shoulder. "where's the fire?"
He didn't pause in gathering his things. "IT SEEMS THAT YOUR CAPTAIN, AL, HAS DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SANITARIUM. WE'RE GOING TONIGHT. NOW. BEFORE ANYBODY CAN GET WORD AND HIDE THINGS. I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DIDN'T THINK SHE WAS ON OUR SIDE."
Stretch picked up his phone and turned it off. "oops, look at that, the battery died. i guess i can't get a surprise call tonight. ain't that a shame. we don't have a landline either, " he said with some mock sadness. "i think we'll stay at howl's or red's tonight if one of them takes us. i'd hate to be alone and have an unexpected guest come. so come call berry's cell when you're done." He set down Pucci in the crib and started to fill a diaper bag with toys, blankets and clothes.
Vex smiled at that. "I WILL DO THAT, YES. THANK YOU, LOVE." He quickly fitted all of his armor on. He hadn't worn it in a while, but he would get used to the weight again. He lingered just long enough to give Stretch a nice, loving smooch. "TAKE CARE. TELL PUCCI I LOVE THEM IF THEY WAKE UP."
"love ya too." He held him a little longer. "knock some heads, but stay safe." He stepped back and gathered up Pucci.
"OF COURSE I WILL." Vex got on his boots to complete the look and headed out to meet up with the guard.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Berry is upset by not being set free after two innocent verdicts, and the trio goes home. The royals agree to go check out the orphanage. Sans invites Jack Rose over for a movie and baked goods, which Jack Rose agrees to. Sans asks Red to bake something for them and Berry since it was a rough day, so Red makes sweet rolls. JR tells them about how he used to date his fire elemental, Fizz, but Fizz was often too busy and distant, and he'd say nasty things in hurt. so they broke up. He's burning up with Lust but wants to spend time with friends. He watches a movie with them, but is sweating by the end, so the kustard couple persuade him to have a threesome. He's hesitant since he doesn't want to get in between them, but they promise it's ok, so he agrees. Red leaves to drop off the sweets for Berry and JR playfully gets Sans to pose naked in bed while waiting, giving Red a pretty view to come home to.
Meanwhile, Berry recalls his first Judgement, after the guards had been playing with him in jail for a few days. He is given clean clothes but no bath before stepping into the Judgement hall, and a blind dog, the former Judge, is upset he smells so bad in a sacred place. He tries to explain he didn't know any better, but is silenced by the Queen and Judged by the dog for being out during his heat. His pleas for mercy only get him reprimanded and he screams and begs as he's being taken away. Upon remembering this, and seeing Sans and JR judge him innocent, he is angry for being mistreated, and punches the wall in anger. Daemon heals him and pleads with him not to hurt himself. Howl empathizes with his anger and says it's better to be productive with that anger like he is. They agree to start making comforting collars for the Sully like Berry's, and Berry calms down. Red arrives and hands over the sweet rolls, checking in on them to make sure they're all okay. Daemon and Howl say the Judgement was physically uncomfortable, but they're fine. Red heads out again and Berry asks if he can comfort Howl. Howl says he'd like to hold hands, but they're busy knitting those collars, so Daemon suggests cuddling. They compromise by sitting close and letting their legs touch, since Howl is getting better.
Meanwhile meanwhile, Vex gets a call from his old guard captain, Blade, asking if he wants to join in a mission. He agrees and gets on his armor. Stretch, knowing the mission is about the Sanitarium but not learning the details, turns off his phone and decides to go spend the night at Howl's or Red's place so he can't be called into the embassy for an emergency in the night.
Chapter 25: When the Violence Causes Silence, We Must be Mistaken
Summary:
In which children are discussed on all fronts.
Notes:
Hello everyone!
I hoped you had a great week! Please make sure to kudos & comment to let us know that you like it!
Also be sure to bookmark and subscribe so you can find updates easily.
I drew a picture of Stretch and Pucci. I hope you like it <3~DiyamiI made a playlist for everyone to enjoy. This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
Chapter Tags: discussion of having a baby and how it's not a good time. Second half has a raid of the Sanitarium, serious injuries, brief depiction of rape (very brief and non-graphic), right after which Vex beats up the rapist, a monster almost Falling Down, accidental snooping in someone's private diary
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Stretch ported outside Howl's place. He had the baby bag slung over his shoulder, Pucci sleeping in one arm and a playpen in the other. He knocked at the door.
By that time, Howl and Berry had made half a dozen collars between them. Howl had to stop to give his hands a rest, and he suggested Berry take a break too, so the TV was on. Daemon jumped up to open the door, then blinked in surprise. "hiya, stretch! what's going on?"
"hey daemon." Stretch smiled. "pucci and i want to know if you guys will take us hobos in for tonight. vex had to go out, and it’s not good to be alone, ya know."
Daemon looked a bit concerned, stepping back to let them in. "of course, buddy, but is everything ok? where did he have to go at this hour on a sunday night?"
Stretch came in and set down the playpen on the side of the door and repositioned Pucci. "yeah, he will be fine. he got a call from someone to do something about the sanitarium, with al. i just figured it would be better if we were in a place not so easily found while whatever happens happens."
"wow, really?" He looked surprised and pleased. "hey, berry! you're friends with al, right?"
Berry got up when he heard Stretch's voice and came over to the front door. He looked confused. "YES, I AM? WHAT IS SHE DOING?"
"i'm not a hundred percent sure, bro, and i'm not sure i should know." Stretch held out the sleeping baby, and Berry scooped them up and cuddled them. "where can i set up the crib?" Stretch asked.
"YOU CAN USE MY ROOM, AND I'LL SLEEP WITH DAEMON." A blue glow bloomed on his face. "IF THAT'S ALRIGHT WITH YOU, PUPPY."
"yeah, that's fine!" Daemon beamed. "i like snuggling you, berry~"
Berry smiled, a dopey look on his face. "ME TOO," he said. He gave Daemon a quick kiss before taking Pucci to sit next to Howl.
"PERHAPS WE WILL GET A REPORT ABOUT WHAT AL IS DOING TOMORROW MORNING," Howl said. He looked over at the baby and felt the stirring of omega desires again. No, stupid body, he had no time or business having a child any time soon. Even so... His hands itched to hold the bundle. Strange. He'd never felt an itch to touch someone. Only an itch to move his bones away from someone as soon as possible. He flexed his fingers absently.
"i'll be right back," Stretch said as he picked up the crib.
"okay~" Daemon went to sit back down by the others.
Berry turned to Howl. "I WONDER WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO?"
Howl kept watching the baby, lacing his fingers together subconsciously. "PERHAPS ANOTHER RAID. THIS TIME BEFORE THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO HIDE ANYTHING?"
Berry noticed Howl looking at Pucci and asked, "DID YOU WANT TO HOLD THEM?"
"OH," he said. "I DON'T- IT'S FINE. I SHOULD PROBABLY REFRAIN."
"aw, master, you can, it's okay," Daemon encouraged.
Howl hesitated, pressing his fingers together more. Then, slowly, he opened his hands.
Berry supported Pucci's head as he held him out for Howl. His cute little nibling was still sound asleep, the pacifier just barely hanging between their teeth. Stretch came back in the room just in time to see Howl take hold of the baby, trying to make sure to support the head like Berry did. The usually stern-faced skeleton's expression softened totally, his eyelights shining a little. Daemon grinned, leaning on Berry. Stretch smiled.
"you're doing great, howl," Stretch said, coming to sit down.
Berry asked his brother, “HAVE THEY STARTED TO TALK YET?”
“no.” Stretch shook his head. “but it should be soon. they have been making sounds." He smiled proudly. "you know how us skeletons are with our fonts. early talkers compared to other monsters.”
"MAYBE SOON, THEN." The image of Howl and Pucci made Berry want to purr; it filled his soul with love. Howl looked so loving and kind. He pulled out his phone and snapped a quick photo. "MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE OF OUR OWN…" he said, snuggled into Daemon.
Howl didn't even notice the picture being taken, stroking a finger on the baby's cheek. He was wearing his gloves, so the touch was very soft. "...PERHAPS, EVENTUALLY," he said quietly.
Daemon purred, snuggling up again, too. "that would be great. our own little pups."
Stretch sat in a chair. "that would be great. pucci could have someone around their own age to play with."
Puuci gave a little sigh and nuzzled the soft glove that touched his face.
"THAT WOULD BE NICE," Berry said.
"IT... IS A VERY BAD TIME. FOR ME... OR US. TO HAVE CHILDREN," Howl said quietly. But he kept gently petting Pucci's face.
Daemon sighed. "it's true. master is only just now getting good at hand holding and not-clingy snuggles. and with the lawsuit happening..."
"YES. CONCEPTION IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY, AND THE TIME AND CARE REQUIRED IS TOO MUCH."
"time and care wouldn't be too hard. we got a whole gaggle of skeletons to help with that," Stretch joked. "and it's different when they're yours. there's more bonding when you've carried them."
Berry petted Daemon stomach. "MAYBE ONCE EVERYTHING SETTLES DOWN, AND WE WORK ON OURSELVES MORE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT?"
Howl shook his head. "I WOULD HAVE NO DESIRE TO FOIST THAT AMOUNT OF TIME AND CARE OFF ON ANYONE ELSE. MY CHILDREN WILL KNOW THAT I AM AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES IF THEY HAVE ANY NEEDS WHATSOEVER."
"mhm... but... yeah. maybe after everything settles down and we're all okay," Daemon said.
Berry purred again as he nuzzled Daemon.
"sure, but don't forget daemon and berry are there for them too, if it's their child," Stretch pointed out.
"THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT THEY ARE AS BUSY AS I AM. NOT NOW MEANS NOT NOW," Howl said with more firmness and ire in his voice.
"okay, okay." He settled down more in the chair. "so, what have you been up to today?" He gestured to the knitting on the table.
"WE WERE KNITTING COLLARS FOR THE OTHER OMEGAS." Berry held up one to show him. "I'M GETTING BETTER."
"that looks nice. how are you going to give them out?" Stretch asked.
"I HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT PART OUT YET, BUT I WILL THINK OF SOMETHING." Howl kept petting Pucci's cheek gently.
Pucci’s pacifier fell out, and they turned their head toward Howl's fingers, trying to get one in his mouth. He pulled back enough to pull off the cotton glove, then let them suck on his finger. He looked all soft again, his ire disappeared. Daemon grinned.
Pucci sucked on the tips of Howl's finger and purred in their sleep. Berry barely held in the squeal. He took out his phone and took another picture. He stayed cuddled into Daemon, purring happily. Stretch smiled too.
Howl's face was slightly flushed with joy, his soul pulsing warmly. His omega nesting instincts were only growing stronger. He got to his feet. "MAY I GIVE THEM SOMETHING?"
"sure," Stretch said.
Berry snuggled Daemon with a soft sigh. He had never seen Howl like this, and it made him so happy to see him interacting with the baby. Howl was loving and caring. Berry wanted them to have a babybones of their own some day. He giggled to himself thinking of Howl big and round like Stretch had been. His hand hovered over his own middle. He would love to be the one to carry, but he wasn't sure that would be possible. He was barren. He squeezed Daemon a bit tighter. 'I'M GETTING BETTER,' he thought. 'MAYBE ONE DAY.' After all, it was linked to not feeling safe. He breathed in Daemon's wonderful, safe, loving smokey scent.
Howl carried the baby up to his room and came back down a few moments later with a knitted doll Pucci's in arms. Soft, pretty, colored, but he hadn't yet added the button eyes, so it was safe even for a newborn,but there was a smile on the doll, making it look sweet, if simplistic.
"oh i'm sure they will love that," Stretch said.
"IT WILL BE ADORABLE SEEING THEM SLEEPING WITH IT," Berry said.
Howl sat back down, letting them cling to it a little in their sleep. "IT WAS JUST A PRACTICE DOLL, SO I DON'T MIND. THEY CAN KEEP IT."
Pucci drooled on the doll. Their little purr was still steady.
"thank you, howl," Stretch said he smiled. "do you all want to see a movie? stay up with me a bit?"
"I CAN STAY UP FOR A LITTLE BIT, YES," Howl said. "BUT WE DO HAVE WORK IN THE MORNING."
"okay, thanks. berry, i told vex to text you when he gets home."
Berry nodded. "OKAY I'L GIVE YOU MY PHONE BEFORE I GO TO BED."
"thanks, bro. so, what movies do you all have?"
"oh, we've got a bunch," Daemon said, jumping up. "a lot of dog movies! do you like those? i really love lady and the tramp. it's so cute."
"sure, let's watch that one," Stretch agreed.
Berry settled down next to Howl while Daemon got the movie ready.
Daemon beamed and put in the movie. He liked to hum along to the songs. Howl seemed content to hold the baby as long as he was allowed.
Berry let Daemon sit next to Howl and sat in Daemon’s lap instead. It seemed like a great compromise, as he got to be close to both of them.
Stretch relaxed in his chair. He had been up most of the day with Pucci. Even though he was worried about Vex, he was exhausted. By the end of the movie he was dozing in and out of sleep.
By that time, Howl had reluctantly, gently handed the baby off to Berry and gone to bed as well. Daemon glanced over at Stretch when the movie was over and saw him half asleep.
"you should go to bed. we'll tell you if vex calls, okay?"
Stretch yawned and stretch. "i should, but pucci is going to need to eat again. they're going to cry if they don't get food into them, and if they wake up hungry, they won't go back to sleep." Stretch knew the pain of sleeping on an empty stomach and wasn't going to ever have Pucci feel it.
"you want us to do it?" Daemon offered. "you're really tired, it looks like."
"IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, BROTHER. I'LL LAY THEM DOWN IN THE CRIB ONCE THEY'RE DONE," Berry offered, excited to feed them.
"that would be great, thanks. i'll grab you a bottle. i have some premade ones." Stretch gave Pucci a quick kiss and got up.
Daemon beamed. "cool! yeah, we can handle it. i feed baby puppies all the time!"
"thank guys," Stretch nudged Berry's head lightly and ported to the bedroom. He brought back the bottle and monster baby formula. It was full of magic and protein for the babybones, glowing vibrant green. "here ya go."
"you're welcome! sleep good." Daemon waved at him.
"night guys, and thanks again."
Berry sat back down by Daemon, all smiles. "I HAVEN'T DONE THIS SINCE STRETCH WAS A BABY AND DAD WOULD HAVE ME HELP."
"wow, really? i've never fed anything except puppies. but it's got to be similar, right?" Daemon sat back down close to Berry.
Berry handed Pucci over. "WE GOT TO WARM IT UP AND BIT. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK."
"yeah, okay." Daemon held on to Pucci carefully, settling on the couch.
Berry put some water to boil and heated it up a little, then shook it well and tested it. About five minutes later, he was back. "IT FEELS GOOD. DID YOU WANT TO FEED HIM?" he asked.
"i can try! but if you want to, that's okay."
Berry held out the bottle. "YOU CAN DO IT, LOVE. I'LL DO IT NEXT TIME AFTER I WATCHED."
"alright, i'll give it a try." He took the bottle and roused Pucci to carefully feed them the bottle.
Pucci's face scrunched up, about to cry, but when the nipple touched their teeth, they latched on and sucked, their face relaxing. They would take tiny pauses as if dozing, then wake up to take a few more sucks. It took a while to get through the bottle.
Berry cuddled up to Daemon and gently played with Pucci's toes that were peeking out of the blanket. "I LIKE THIS. I LIKE THIS A LOT," he breathed as he cuddled into his datemate's side, "I DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE A TIME LIKE THIS FOR ME, SITTING WITH A MATE FEEDING A CHILD." A few errant tears fell and he wiped at them. "IT WAS SUCH AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM ONCE I WAS TAKEN."
Daemon would gently nudge them if they seemed to doze, encouraging them to finish. "yeah... it's nice." He purred softly. "i'm glad you can have this. everyone deserves to have this, if they want it."
"THANK YOU," Berry purred and nuzzled Daemon happily. "IS.. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WANT ONE DAY TOO?"
"i..." He looked down at the baby. "i'd rather have a dog first. at least with a dog... i don't have to worry about passing on the awful voice, or bad morals."
That made Berry's purr peter out. "I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT." He covered Puuci's foot and hugged Daemon.
"i just... babies are so cute... but they're also so much responsibility... you gotta teach them words, and math, and how to be good, and how not to be bad, and those last two sound similar but they're not. it's hard."
"YOU HAVE TO TEACH PUPPIES MOST OF THAT TOO, AND MATH COMES LATER. SCHOOL HELPS WITH THAT." He watched the infant. 'BEING GOOD... AND NOT BEING BAD…' Berry hadn't considered that. He had always tried to be good, but there had been many degrees of failure.
"no, it's not the same at all." Daemon shook his head with a frown. "dogs are simple and easy. people are not simple or easy at all. people are complicated and hard. i don't understand them a lot of the time, so how could i know how to make them grow up right?"
"CHILDREN DON'T START OFF COMPLICATED," Berry said. "THEY START OFF SMALL AND SIMPLE. THEY NEED FOOD, LOVE, SAFETY, AND SHELTER. EVERYTHING ELSE COMES LATER. A LITTLE AT A TIME SO THEY CAN WORK AT IT." He thought back to life with his dad, and how he tried to replicate it for Stretch. "LIFE IS WHAT MAKES THINGS COMPLICATED. I THINK STRETCH CAME OUT GOOD, AND I RAISED HIM ON THE STREETS. HERE WE HAVE A HOME, FOOD AND EACH OTHER." He gently took Daemon's head in his hands, and turned him to look in his eyelights. "I KNOW YOU AND HOWL WOULD MAKE THE MOST WONDERFUL PARENTS. YOU'RE LOVING, GOOD, KIND, AND WONDERFUL. YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE A CHILD. MORE THAN I COULD EVER HAVE GIVEN TO STRETCH." He kissed Daemon quickly. "SO DON'T DOUBT THAT YOU CAN DO IT. IT MAY BE A LOT OF WORK, BUT YOU CAN DO IT."
Daemon nodded slowly as Berry talked. "you're... you're right. wow." He blushed at the kiss, leaning into it a little. His pupils were hearts. "you're so smart, berry. and you really did great with stretch. he's a good guy."
Berry purred and cuddled Daemon and looked at Pucci who had just finished the bottle. "THANK YOU, LOVE." He smiled thinking of his little brother and savior. "STRETCH IS A VERY GOOD GUY." He held out his hands and said, "I'll BURP THEM AND PUT THEM TO BED, THEN WE CAN GO UP AND SLEEP."
He purred back. "burp them? okay. didn't know you had to do that." He carefully handed the baby over.
Berry put Pucci over his shoulder and patted their back. "WHEN BABIES EAT, THEY GET AIR IN THEIR TUMMIES, AND IT MAKES THEM FUSSY."
"every time? wow. sometimes you have to burp puppies, but usually they squirm around enough to do it themselves." Daemon watched Berry work.
Pucci let out a big burp. "I'LL PUT THEM DOWN WITH STRETCH. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK."
Berry went in and found Stretch passed out in the bed. He placed a kiss on Pucci's skull and put them down. The doll was left at the end of the bed so they would roll over onto it. Then he walked up to Stretch and kissed two fingers and gently laid them on his younger brother's brow. A silent 'I LOVE YOU.' He placed his phone on the nightstand before leaving. Then he went back out to Daemon, a serene smile on his face as he took his lover’s hand. "THANKS FOR WAITING, PUPPY."
Daemon smiled at Berry as he got up and stretched, then squeezed Berry's hand. "you're welcome! let's go to bed and snuggle."
"SOUNDS WONDERFUL, LOVE." Berry kissed Daemon. He was more than ready to curl up with his datemate. Daemon returned the kiss, making a pleased noise, then headed into his room. He got settled in with the blanket, wrapping his long, lanky body around Berry and purring.
Berry snuggled into Daemon's hold feeling safe and loved, a small purr and the light smell of blueberries came from him as he embraced the feeling.
Daemon's own barbecue scent answered it, a protective alpha aura. "i love you. good night~"
"love you too," Berry said sleepily, "nighty night."
Al looked around at the group that had gathered in the briefing room for her guard. There were some of her most trusted monsters and a few from the other undergrounds. She smiled, happy she could do something to help right the wrong she was a part of. Even if it was the end of her job, it was worth it. Punch, Undyne, Blade and (for some reason) Vex were all there. They had some of their men with them as well.
“Listen up, everyone.” She looked them all dead in the eyes. “The omegas dream of love, safety, and family like every monster. That's a dream we swore to protect. To keep all monster kind safe. We have failed them and ourselves. These omegas, the ones we wrongfully call Sully."
She took a deep breath as a pained look crossed her face. "I have seen it with my own eyes, the brutality they endure and the lies that are told about them. I have seen an omega whom we have failed to protect, and their dust as they cried not only for themselves but the children taken." She could see the monster from the video feed in her mind, the dust falling off of them as the sorrow and grief killed them. She took another deep breath.
"We will do what we have pledged on our lives to do. Today, we save the omegas and make the dreams of those who have fallen into a reality for the ones left behind. We will open the door and set them free!" She paused a moment, then continued. “This is a removal mission. Blade's group and mine will enter the building. Only the Swap and Fell monsters are to engage in the removal, the Tale and Lust are backup if someone tries to stop them. So Blade and Vex, you and yours are security and extraction with us. Once the Sully have been taken out, they will be handed off to Undyne and Punch’s group for transportation to a safe area. No one in Swap knows where that might be. Any questions?”
The Lust and Fell monsters all nodded seriously in her directions. Blade lifted her hand. "If it does come to a fight, I assume you only want us to disarm and incapacitate the guards, and not do serious damage?"
"That would be best. These are guards, not soldiers. They are used to dealing with others who can't fight back. They should be easy pickings," Al replayed.
"Yes sir!" She saluted, her fist over her soul. The Fells all saluted as well.
"Let's get going already!" Punch said. Over her outfit that was basically a bikini, she was wearing solid armor, though it was still more revealing than that of her counterparts. "Time's wasting!"
Al nodded and led them all out. She had secured some buses and trucks to take the Sully. She wasn't sure how many there would be. She hoped for the best, but prepared for the worst.
It wasn't too long of a trip to the Sanitarium, but it was a silent one. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts as the buses pulled in front of the building.
Once there, Al called out again. "Blades's team, with me. Undyne's team, secure the transport. Punch's team, secure the perimeter. We are the only ones in and out." She got off and headed to the main entrance.
"Yes sir!" There were more salutes. The semi-scantily clad Lusts fanned out along the sides of the building, with Punch sticking by the door. Blade, Vex, and the three other Fell guards with them followed Al and the Swaps inside, their hands on their weapons. None of them drew those weapons out.
Undyne took two monsters to take over the parking lot. The guard was asleep at his post and was easily overtaken. Meanwhile, some of her other guards patrolled the buses, making sure no harm came to them.
Al took the badge she had Dyne make and opened the door as she came to the first checkpoint.
The guard looked up and saluted Al. "Hello, Captain. What is going on?"
Al didn’t stop as she rounded the desk. Nobody had been notified and everything in the monitors looked pitiful. "I am conducting a search and rescue." She stepped in front of the monitors. "Step into the lobby." She disarmed them and took his phone and radio. "Cooperate and you'll be fine."
The guard gulped and did as he was told, stepping back and holding up his hands. Blade curled up her lip at the man, hand still on her weapon, but didn't move to attack.
"I HIGHLY SUGGEST WE GET TO FLOORS B3 AND B4 FIRST. THEY WERE THE WORST," Vex said.
Al nodded. She pointed to one of her and Blade's monsters. "Keep this area secure. He is not to go near a computer or phone." She took his badge and then pulled a thumb drive out and put it on the computer. A self-executing program downloaded files, playing a loop over the monitors to keep them hidden from prying eyes, "Pull that when we're done," Al told her man. He sulated and stood by the monitor.
The Caption of the Swap Guard swiped badge that Dyne made. The elevator dinged. There was only enough room for 4 or 5 smaller monsters. "Blade, Vex, Burger, come with me. You four, meet us on B4." She handed the confiscated badge to her other soldiers.
The ordered monsters saluted. Blade and Vex did as well and quickly followed along. "YOU WOULD NEED A SCIENTIST BADGE TO GET INTO THE ARCHIVE FLOORS," Vex told her. "THE GUARD BADGES ONLY GET YOU TO THE HOUSING FLOORS."
"My badge should override all the locks. But we will get some from the doctors," Al said. "We'll start from the lowest level and work our way up. We'll gather the guards and scientists in one room. Make sure to disarm and take their phones. When the floor is empty, they will be the last to be taken up."
"YES SIR." Vex nodded. Blade nudged him.
"When did you come here before, Vex? You didn't tell me anything about this."
"A FEW WEEKS AGO. I SNUCK IN WITH DAEMON WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT." He moved away from the touch without looking at her.
Al took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She should have addressed this a long time ago. She clenched her fists and relaxed them again, trying to keep her cool. She was livid with herself.
The elevator button dinged, the doors opened, and she stepped out. The hall lights were dimmed, and no guards could be seen wandering the halls at this late hour. It was eerily silent.
Vex remembered this floor as the one quiet and absolutely filled with the stench of despair. The one where those who would never be claimed stayed. That stench hadn't faded since last time. It was still just as viscerally upsetting.
They waited by the door for more guards to come down. Once they were there, they started down the hall opening the doors. "Let's get this train wreck started," Al said. "Reports say there's one guard scheduled per floor at this time. Do you feel confident splitting up? I'd like to get them out faster if possible."
"I'M FINE WITH THAT," Vex said.
"Yes, we're no pushovers," Blade agreed.
"Okay. One guard with each of us. Blade, right. Vex, center. Me, left. Leave no room unchecked." That left two guards at the elevator as well, which Bratty and Catty volunteered for at the same time.
Vex went to the first door he found down the central hall and opened it up, as his partnered guard went to the other side of the hallway and entered that door.
He found two Sully dressed in hospital gowns sleeping on the floor with a thin blanket, next to the cots that were given to them by the last raid. Just like Berry's bed, they were untouched. One, a young deer monster, blinked awake and looked up at him. Her hand came up to block out the light as she scooted away a bit and stayed quiet, waiting to see what he wanted.
"WE'RE GETTING EVERYONE OUT," Vex said. He didn't approach, not wanting to spook them, and instead just beckoned. "FOLLOW ME PLEASE. DON'T WORRY, YOU WON'T BE HURT ANYMORE."
She looked confused, but knew better than to disobey. She shook the monster next to her awake, a sphynx, and talked very softly to them. The other monsters woke up and asked, "May I pick up Noelle? She can't walk. The last experiment didn’t go well, and it made her leg dust."
He tried not to let his expression tighten. They would only mistake his ire as directed at them. "OF COURSE, FEEL FREE. THOUGH, IF IT'S TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO CARRY HER, I CAN DO IT FOR YOU?"
The small deer shook her head, keeping her eyes low.
"No... I can do it." None of them wanted a guard to touch them if they didn't have to. The sphynx picked Noelle up. Without the blanket, it was plain to see her left leg ended just below her knee.
"IF YOU INSIST." He stepped back to let her out.
"You're new..... This is a checkup for her? It's still the sleep cycle," they chanced asking.
"I'M NOT A GUARD HERE. THIS IS A RAID. WE'RE GETTING ALL OF THE SULLY OUT. I SWEAR IT TO YOU."
They stopped. "We'll get in trouble if we try to leave..." they said, shaking.
"YOU WON'T. I WILL PROTECT YOU. PLEASE TRUST ME." He beckoned again. "THERE IS MORE THAT JUST ME HERE. COME SEE."
They knew it was wrong to leave. "It’s a test..." they took a step back. "We are good. We just want to be good. Please, we don’t want to get a correction.
Noelle was trembling in their arms. "Please..." she said, almost too soft for Vex to hear. "I want to leave." Tears started to leak down her face. "Please go."
The monster looked to Vex. They had been here for years. Noelle had just become a lifer. They couldn't be the one that broke her soul. "If he is lying, you'll lose more of yourself."
"I want to try. Please," she begged.
They sighed and took a timid step towards Vex.
"IT ISN'T A TEST. I PROMISE YOU." Vex didn't advance on them, only waited patiently, trying to appear non-threatening. "LOOK AT ME. I'M NOT WEARING THEIR UNIFORMS." When they came forward, he nodded encouragingly and stepped back again to give them more space. "COME ALONG. I HAVE MANY MORE ROOMS TO GET TO, I PRESUME."
They followed, whispering between themselves until they got to the elevator. Noelle turned to Vex. "Thank you."
Vex dipped his head to her. "YOU'RE WELCOME." He directed one of the two guarding the elevator to take them up for transport, then went back and moved on to the next room.
The door to that room opened quietly, any sound covered by the sound of creaking bed springs and growling. "Look at you, dirty little slut. You love fucking in a real bed, don’t you?" Cory, the wolf guard he'd seen at the bar, was raping the same cat monster the lizards and fish monsters had seen on the monitor the day before.
Vex didn't even think. He just launched himself forward with a snarl, grabbing ahold of the wolf monster and yanking him back by the throat, sharpened claws digging into the flesh enough to draw some blood. "GET OFF OF THEM, YOU SICK BASTARD!"
Cory snarled as he was pulled back. "What the fuck!? Why are you here?" His pants were still on, just unzipped and pushed down a little.
The cat monster just laid there. Clearly, their mind was detached, trying to be anywhere but here and now. Tears flowed freely and small flecks of dust laid around her. It was clear she was on the brink of Falling.
"I'VE BEEN WAITING TO DO THIS FOR WEEKS." He punched Cory hard across the face. He'd worn the stiffer leather gloves just for the occasion. He then grabbed the baton leaning against the bed. "GIVE ME YOUR PHONE. AND PLEASE, DO FIGHT BACK. GIVE ME A REASON TO CUFF YOU. I'D LOVE IT."
Cory stumbled over as a few HP fell. He pulled up his pants quickly and zipped them back up. "You're the fucker going to jail. This is a secured facility. You're trespassing." He got into a fighting stance.
The naked cat monster came back to her mind, the yelling pulling her back. She slowly lowered herself off the bed, trying to be quiet and forgotten as the guards fought.
"TRUST ME, I'M NOT THE ONE GOING TO JAIL. I'M HERE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS." Vex lunged again, grabbing at Cory's wrists to twist around his arms and disable him.
Cory yapped and tried to counter, but the height advantage Vex had made it too hard. He took in a deep breath and howled for help.
Vex only punched Cory again, harder. "SHUT THE FUCK UP. NOBODY CAN HELP YOU." He took Cory's phone and cuffed him. Then he pulled his left glove - they went all the way to his elbows - and tied it around Cory's snout as a muzzle. Finally, he kicked the wolf, knocking him down on the ground and stepping on him, grinding one high heel into the guard’s back. "KEEP SQUIRMING. I DARE YOU."
Cory growled, humiliated and pissed, but stopped squirming.
"GOOD." He took his boot back off of Cory and turned back to the cat monster. "ARE YOU INJURED?" His tone became much gentler.
She shook her head, just rolled up tighter, trying to cover her nude body and hide in the corner.
"IT'S ALRIGHT." He only approached a part of the way and knelt down. "I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU. THERE'S A BUNCH OF US. WE'RE GETTING ALL THE SULLY OUT." He looked around to find any clothes he could hold out.
There was a discarded hospital gown not too far from where Cory was laying seething, his arms cuffed behind his back. He took it to hold out to her.
A swap guard came running from the elevators to back up Vex. "Sir? I heard fighting." They took in the scene.
Vex instinctively moved to hide the poor naked cat from view with his own body. "IT'S FINE. YOU CAN TAKE THIS BASTARD AND KEEP AN EYE ON HIM SO HE DOESN'T CAUSE ANY TROUBLE." He gestured to Cory. "HE'S A HANDFUL, BUT HE SHOULD BE HARMLESS NOW."
The guard could smell the sex in the room. He went up to the wolf monster and grabbed his arm, pulling him up and dragging him out of the room. Cory growled the whole way.
The cat was scared as another guard came, but slowly got dressed.
"IT'S ALRIGHT, SEE?" Vex said, turning back to the cat monster. "ARE YOU ABLE TO WALK? THERE ARE BUSES WAITING OUTSIDE." He had seen the flecks of dust. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE IN HERE, MA'AM. YOU CAN BE FREE."
She looked at him, scared to believe it but wanting to leave with all her soul to see her baby. She slowly got up. Vex stopped Cory, which helped her believe him. "Can I? Can I see my baby?"
"IF I CAN FIND THEM FOR YOU, YES. I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE ORPHANAGE AS WELL."
"Please." She wiped her face, happier that her child would have a home with someone. "I'll be good. I'll do anything you want. I just want to see them one more time. Please," she begged.
"YOU CAN SEE THEM," he said. "I PROMISE YOU. JUST HOLD ON A LITTLE LONGER. CAN YOU WALK?"
"It hurts to walk," she admitted quietly.
"THEN I WILL CARRY YOU. YOU WILL SEE YOUR CHILD." He approached to gently lift her up into his arms. "SO YOU CANNOT FALL YET."
She gently laid her head on his armor. "Thank you,'' she breathed. "Thank you so much."
"YOU'RE WELCOME." He carried her out of the cell and to the elevator. It would take longer, but he personally escorted her up the elevator and outside to the buses. When Punch saw him coming at the entrance to the building, she made an upset noise, seeing the bits of dust.
The cat monster looked around outside for the first time since coming to the surface. The stars and the open sky. "Thank you so much." She purred gently.
Some of the guards were giving basic healing to the victims, and food and drinks. They were offering blankets too, but most didn’t want them. More and more Sully were being brought up, and the bus was getting full.
Vex brought her to the bus and got her a seat, then set her down. "I HAVE TO GO BACK IN. YOU'LL BE ALRIGHT?"
"Yes," she said with the first genuine smile she had in a long time.
"GOOD." He smiled back, nodding. Then he took a deep breath and headed back down into B4 to finish clearing it out.
It was a long night of pulling monsters out. Al sent the Sully off and made a special trip back in the trash to find any dust she could. She had no way to know who was who, but she could spread their dust out in a pretty field of flowers and let them have freedom in death.
There were only two guards that were found in the act of using the Sully for their own means. The swap captain had them transported and booked. They would most likely get off, but at least they would spend a few days in a cell.
It was a lot of long, hard work, and gently talking down the Sully who didn't want to leave out of fear it was a test was emotionally draining. But finally, when the Sully were all cleared out, Vex set his sights on the archive rooms. "WILL WE BE TRYING TO APPREHEND GASTER, SIR?" he asked Al.
"I wish we could," Al sighed. "I will need the queen's approval to take him. Let's get all the evidence we can and get out before the AM shift comes in and Gaster changes the codes. Or gets the Queen to release the evidence back to him."
"RIGHT." That was too bad, but at least if they seized more evidence, this might be over soon. He flashed a lab ID badge he'd gotten, just in case the one Dyne made for her didn't work on the archive floors.
Al took the badge. She trusted Dyne's, but this way, if the security was tighter on the upper floors, they wouldn't set off alarms. She opened the elevator and waited for Vex and Blade. "Let's go."
They both nodded and hurried along the hall, moving quickly and quiet.
The server room was locked, but the stolen card key let them in without a problem. There were two boxes on a shelf and the servers were lighting up.
"Hmm, do either of you know how to hack a server?" Al asked.
Vex shook his head. "NO, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS."
"I bet Spire could do it," Blade said. "Or maybe Dyne, right?"
"Yeah." She looked at it. "What do you think would happen if we just unplugged it and took it?"
"I doubt unplugging it will ruin anything, right?" Blade said. "Go ahead."
Al grabbed the plug leading into the servers. As soon as the plug came out of the wall, an alarm sounded. Al cursed. "Let's head out." She pulled out some servers fast and handed two to each of them.
"RIGHT." Vex grabbed what he could, and Blade followed suit.
When they got outside, Al called out for everyone to leave, not waiting to lose the evidence she had confiscated. They all got piled onto the trucks, since the bus was full. Al felt trepidation over her future. Treason. This would be considered treason. But she was doing her job of keeping monsterkind safe. She knew this was the right thing to do. She just hoped she could apologize to Berry before she was imprisoned.
As they finally headed out, Vex slumped back, sighing. It had been a long night, and they still had to make sure the Sully was safely housed before he could go home. He sent a text to Berry's phone just to update Stretch and ask if everyone was safe.
Berry's phone vibrated on the nightstand. Stretch rolled over, grabbing the phone, trying to quiet it before it woke up Pucci. Once it stopped, he dropped the phone and rolled over to hug Vex. His hand hit the wall. "fuck." He opened his eyelights slowly and remembered he wasn’t home. The tired monster reached for the phone again. A selfie of Berry, Daemon and Howl was on the lock screen. A soft smile graced Stretch's face upon seeing his brother so happy. He unlocked the phone to see the background to be a picture of Pucci with their binky, leaning on a pillow. He looked in the crib's direction before pulling up the new text. Some of his guilt lifted when he read the Sully were in a safe house.
[always, prince charming. love you. we will be here when you're ready.] Stretch texted back.
Vex couldn't help but smile at the answer he got.
[LOVE YOU TOO. I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I'M ON MY WAY HOME.]
He was going to pass out as soon as he got there. For now, he shook himself back into a work mindset. When the bus and trucks arrived, he helped organize getting the Sully settled in the housing units the Lusts had only just vacated themselves.
Al and the swap monster’s truck pulled up to the embassy. They were not to be privy to where the Sully were placed. She dropped the servers in the Fell lab. She was pretty sure they would be the hardest to get them back from. She then went to grab a strong coffee and sat in the Swap Queen's office waiting for the call she knew would come.
Once everyone was settled in, and Vex was assured that all of the injured Sully had received medical care, he had one last thing to do. He left a message with Punch to talk to the Lust Queen about the children at the orphanage. He had promised that cat monster her child back, and he would deliver. Once he was assured that that could happen, he finally texted Berry's phone again to let Stretch know he was on his way home. He got in the car to drive back, careful and slow, even though there weren't many drivers on the roads at this ungodly hour. He kept himself alert by blasting music. Fuck, he was going to sleep well when he got to bed.
Stretch woke again to the buzzing sound. This time, he remembered where he was. He looked at the text and smiled.
He got up, turned on the bedside lamp and looked for some paper and a pen. He found a journal in Berry's nightstand. He flipped it open, looking for a blank page. When he opened it, the words written on the page shocked him.
Just a quick flip through to the beginning, Stretch could tell Berry was writing in this book almost daily. Sometimes nice things about himself, other times hopes, fears, and memories. Stretch wanted to read this in detail. He wanted to know the answers to a lot of questions, and the answers to many might be in his hands at this very moment. He closed the book and sat back down on the bed, staring at the cover, trying to decide what to do.
He blinked as he suddenly got another text from Vex, prompting a response, as Vex anxiously watched a red light.
Stretch wrestled with his conscience as the phone buzzed again, lighting up the image of his brother and two mates. He looked away from the image of Berry. Guilt gnawed at him. He put the journal back and picked up the phone to text he was getting ready. He opened the notepad app and typed a note for Berry. [vex came back. we went home. i'll come back for the crib later. love ya, bro]
Stretch sat the phone back on the nightstand and picked up Pucci and the doll before porting home.
Vex arrived home just a few brief minutes after Stretch did. He had to sit in the car for a moment and rub his face to make sure he was good to stand, but then he came wearily stumbling inside. He pulled off his armor with a disproportionate amount of fumbling, tired hands and eyes not working super well.
Stretch put Pucci down and ported into the living room what he heard the noise. "hey, my charming prince. welcome home." He started to take off the straps of the armor for Vex. "how was storming the castle?"
"HELLO, LOVE." He abandoned his attempts to pull off the armor and let Stretch do it. He was dead on his feet by now, but he gave a tired smile. "WE GOT EVERYONE OUT. ALL THE SULLY ARE IN A SAFE LOCATION. ALSO, I BEAT UP ONE OF THOSE FUCKERS THAT ATTACKED BERRY."
Stretch smiled, a purr in his voice. "thank you." Normally he wasn't for violence, but he had been willing to punish them himself. This was a special case.
The strap gave way, letting the last piece of armor clunk to the floor, and Stretch wrapped himself around Vex and kissed him deeply.
Vex returned the kiss, his arms sliding around Stretch in return. He held it for a moment before pulling away to head for the bedroom with his lover beside him. "I NEED TO SLEEP."
Stretch went up with Vex and curled up in his arms, still purring.
Vex collapsed into bed happily, wrapping his arms around his shorter lover. He gave Stretch one more gentle kiss, and then finally let his sockets close and sank into sleep. He was usually lucky if he got five hours of sleep, but today, he felt like he could sleep a solid seven hours for once, worn out from the long, emotionally draining night.
Notes:
Chapter Summary: Stretch goes to the trio's place and tells them Vex went off with Al. Howl holds Pucci and goes completely soft about it, prompting Berry to mention he wants a child with them. Howl says it can't happen right now. Stretch pushes about it, but Howl irritably repeats that it's a bad time. He then gives Pucci a mostly-finished doll without buttons. Berry asks if they can talk yet, since skeletons learn early, and Stretch says not yet. They watch a movie, and Stretch goes to bed in Berry's room, Howl to his own. Daemon and Berry are left to feed Pucci one last time. Berry asks if Daemon wants a child too, and Daemon replies he'd like a dog first, since people are hard. Berry tells him people don't start out hard, and he would be a good dad, which cheers Daemon up. He says Berry did a good job raising Stretch too. They burp Pucci and put them to bed. Berry leaves his phone with Stretch and goes to sleep in Daemon's room.
Meanwhile, Al gathers some guards from Swap, Tale, Fell, and Lust to raid the Sanitarium. The Tales manage transport, the Lusts take perimeter, and the Swaps and Fells go in to extract the Sully. Vex talks two Sully into coming out, one of which has a dusted leg and wants to go, the other of which is too scared, thinking it's a trap. In the next room he goes into, Cody is raping the cat monster the Alphyses and Undynes saw on camera the day before. He yanks Cody away, punches him a few times, and ties him up and gags him. He then gets the cat monster her clothes. She is starting to fall down, and asks if she can see her child, which he promises she can do to stop her from Falling. He then carries her out to the bus, which she thanks him for. They extract the rest of the Sully, and go to the archive rooms. Since they can't apprehend Gaster, they just steal some servers and get out. Al and the Swaps go to the embassy, while the rest all take the Sully to where the Lusts had been housed when they first came out.
Vex texts Stretch that he's on his way home early in the morning, when the sun is already coming up, prompting Stretch to look for paper to leave Berry a note. He opens Berry's notebook, seeing some of the things inside, and considers reading it all. But another text from Vex makes him put it back and leave a note on Berry's phone on the notes app. He takes himself and Pucci home, and helps an exhausted Vex out of his armor. They go to bed.
Chapter 26: You Can Light Up the Dark, There's a Fire in Your Heart
Summary:
In which nothing bad happens at all in the entire chapter. Right? Right.
Notes:
I made a playlist for everyone to enjoy. This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
Chapter tags: Threats of death, a Judging, needles, sexual assault PSA
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Al sat sipping her coffee watching the sunrise through the Swap Queen's office window. She looked down at her phone. She had texted Dyne and said she loved her. She also texted Berry an apology. She sighed. It was selfish, but she wanted to have her loose ends tied up just in case.
Another long sip, and her phone rang. Not bothering to look at the caller ID, she picked it up, knowing whom it would be. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering, "Yes, your majesty?"
"Captain. You know why I am calling." The Queen's tone left no room for arguing. "Where are you?"
"I am in your office waiting to talk to you," Al replied, unflustered.
"You do know this will be the end of your career and your life," she threatened.
"I did my job ,your majesty," the captain said bravely. "I will let the Judge decide my guilt."
"Stay there. The Judge and I will be there shortly." The phone went silent.
Al put down her own phone and looked out the window again. A few minutes later, guards knocked on the door. A beaver monster opened the door. "Captain," she said sadly, "we are to keep you in custody until the Queen comes."
"I would expect nothing less." She took another sip. "You are doing your duty. I'm not upset with you."
The guard looked a lot calmer at that.
It was an hour or so after Vex fell asleep. There was a bang on the front door. Stretch jumped and Pucci started to cry. Vex stirred and groaned, sockets fluttering open. Stretch stumbled over and picked up Pucci and went down stairs, and after a moment, Vex dragged himself out of bed to follow. The pounding of the door continued until Stretch reached it.
"i'm coming," Stretch called over the crying baby. He opened the door to see a very irate Queen, her hand already glowing gold. "How dare you..." Her ire settled at the sight of the crying baby. "...You didn't answer your phone." The gold magic died out.
Puuci didn't like the anger rolling off the new person and let out a very loud scream, making Vex flinch as he came up behind his lover. At the sight of the swap queen, he pushed his exhaustion to the side.
"i've been kinda busy." Stretch played it off and rocked Pucci. "it might not be on either. pucci doesn’t like to be woken up."
Vex took the baby, starting to rock them and try to soothe them. "IT'S EARLY IN THE MORNING, WHAT COULD BE SO IMPORTANT?"
"Treason," the Queen hissed. "I need you to come to Judge Captain Al."
Stretch grimaced. "i'm kinda on leave. i could offer the assistance of the tale Judge?"
"If I didn't take their ruling when they Judged your Sully of a brother, I will not take it for my Capitan," she said.
"wait?! what?"
"MUST THIS BE IMMEDIATELY? AS I SAID, IT'S VERY EARLY. YOU'RE UPSETTING THE BABY." Vex's tone was cold.
She looked at the baby again, who was starting to calm down. Her eyes softened more the longer she looked at them. Her hand came to her head like she had a headache. Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "be in my office at noon. Al will be in detention until then."
Vex let out a low breath. She was definitely acting strange. But he wasn't about to refuse the concession they'd been given. "HE'LL BE THERE, YOUR MAJESTY. THANK YOU."
The Queen looked at Pucci again. Her fingers twitched, wanting to hold them. She took another deep breath, let it out slowly, and then left.
He watched her go, then closed the door and looked to his husband. "WHAT TIME IS IT?"
Stretch looked at the clock in the living room. "7AM-ish?" he said with a yawn.
"I CAN GET ANOTHER FOUR HOURS." He handed the baby back and rubbed under his sockets, shuffling back upstairs.
"love ya," he called after Vex. "I'll call the studio and tell them you won't be in today."
"THANK YOU. LOVE YOU TOO." He fell back in bed and passed out again.
Stretch remembered he didn't have his phone and gently put Pucci in a nest of blankets and pillows before sneaking into their room. He found his phone and came back down to call out Vex and. He fed Pucci when he was done, all the while wondering when the hell had Berry been Judged and what happened. Once his little bundle was happy with a full tummy, he called Howl.
Howl answered on the second ring, a little bleary. "HOWL SPEAKING."
Stretch looked at the time and grimaced, "sorry, i kinda forgot the time. it's stretch.”
There was a soft sigh. "IT IS FINE, I MUST GET UP SHORTLY. WHY ARE YOU CALLING? ARE YOU NOT IN BERRY'S ROOM?"
"no i left a while ago," Stretch admitted. "vex came home and we had to deal with the queen." He took a breath and played with Pucci feet. "al is on trial for treason… the queen said..." He was feeling a little overwhelmed. "did... did berry get judged?"
"OH. HONESTLY, I FORGOT TO MENTION IT. AND I THOUGHT HE MIGHT TELL YOU HIMSELF? BUT YES. DURING THE MEETING OF THE ROYALS YESTERDAY. SANS AND JACK ROSE APPARENTLY CHALLENGED THE QUEEN ABOUT IT. THEY BOTH JUDGED HIM AND FOUND HIM INNOCENT."
He let out a long breath. "oh, thank the angel." He thought about that. Why hadn't Berry said anything about it? "that's wonderful. too bad she didn't take the judgment."
"YES. SHE SAID SHE WOULD ONLY RESCIND HIS SULLY STATUS IF YOU ALSO JUDGED HIM INNOCENT. BUT WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE, AS YOUR JUDGE IS BOUND BY HER LAWS, NOT OBJECTIVITY. BERRY WAS EXTREMELY UPSET AND ANGRY."
Stretch flinched. Berry angry was something he hadn't seen in a very, very long time. "i'm sorry." He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't help the guilt. He picked up Pucci and cuddled them.
"WHY ARE YOU APOLOGIZING? YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT."
"because i'm its conduit and i don't agree with it a lot, but i can't stop it."
"THAT IS NO FAULT OF YOURS, STRETCH. WHY WOULD I BLAME YOU FOR HER DOINGS?"
"i don't know, maybe because i do." He absently rocked Pucci and went to change the subject. "the sully. vex says they got them all to safety. al is going to be Judged at noon for it."
"YOU SHOULD NOT. THAT IS ALL HER LAWS. ALL HER TWISTED OPINIONS FORCED INTO THE JUDGE." There was the distant sound of shuffling and fabric moving as he got ready for the day. "I AM CERTAIN THAT AL KNEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING. SHE IS BERRY'S FRIEND, YES? IF SHE FINALLY CAME TO UNDERSTAND THE WRONGNESS OF THE SULLY LAW, AND IF SHE IS ANYTHING LIKE RAI WAS WHEN SHE WAS MY CAPTAIN, SHE MOST LIKELY CONSIDERS THOSE CONSEQUENCES TO BE WORTH DOING THE RIGHT THING."
"i'm sure she did. she is really good at her job." A small, sad smile was on his face.
"I DON'T DOUBT IT. WHATEVER HAPPENS AT THE JUDGEMENT, KNOW YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME. YOU ARE ONLY THE VESSEL FOR THE JUDGE. YOU ARE NOT YOURSELF THE JUDGE."
"thank you." Guilt loosened its hold on Stretch's soul. "that helps a lot,"
"YOU ARE WELCOME. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED?"
"no. i left the crib and diaper bag in berry's room. i'll pick it up later. thanks for everything."
Puuci made a loud raspberry sound and giggled loudly.
"pucci said goodbye too."
"IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU NEED TO COME GET IT, AND DAEMON WILL COME UNLOCK THE DOOR FOR YOU. WE WILL BE AT WORK. GOODBYE TO YOU BOTH AS WELL. GOOD LUCK."
Stretch hung up the phone. "well, pucci let's get you busy so you'll nap today." He put pucci in the baby gym on their tummy. "come on, you cutie. it's tummy time and then a bottle."
Pucci gave him an unamused look and grunted. “BAH!”
Stretch ignored the complaint and held the doll in front of his child. "hiiiii puuuucccci. let's play."
The small child yelled and lifted his head higher and pushed up trying to grab it.
At about 11am, Stretch put Pucci in their swing and went into the kitchen to make coffee and some cereal for Vex and himself. He went up the stairs with it all in tow. "morning sunshine." He sat on the bed and turned on the baby monitor.
By that point, Vex was just getting up, stretching a little. It wasn't as much sleep as he would hope for after such a long night, but it would have to do. "GOOD MORNING. COFFEE?"
"yep, tar for you." He levitated a cup to Vex. "and sugar with a drop of coffee for me." He held up his cup. "and guess what, i cooked." He put a bowl of cereal in Vex's lap. "i'm getting better, no microwave." He chuckled.
Vex laughed quietly, taking his coffee and cereal. "THANK YOU, LOVE." He guzzled the coffee and started in on the food.
"pucci is in their swing." Stretch took a bite. "they will probably fall asleep. i kept them busy this morning."
"OH, GOOD. DO YOU NEED ME TO DRIVE YOU TO THE EMBASSY? YOU'RE USUALLY EXHAUSTED AFTER A JUDGING. WE COULD PUT THEM IN THE CAR SEAT AND THEY MIGHT SLEEP THE WHOLE TIME."
"that would be great." Stretch was not looking forward to being alone. He wanted to ask about last night, but the less he knew the better. Still, he had to ask, "are you okay? it had to be hard."
"I AM ALRIGHT," he assured. "IT WAS STRESSFUL, YES, BUT SEEING THEM ALL IN A SAFE PLACE AFTERWARDS AND HOPEFUL MADE IT ALL WORTH IT."
Stretch smiled as he let his powers grab his bowl and drink, then embraced Vex. "thank you for saving them." He tried not to remember all the monsters that the Judge had given the Judgement of guilty to in the few years he had been Judge. He had known something was wrong after he found Berry and took him from the Sanitarium, but he had been too busy trying to help his big brother and felt pretty powerless to do anything. "thanks for helping make this right."
"OF COURSE. NOBODY DESERVES THAT FATE." He held onto Stretch, kissing his cheek gently. "WHATEVER HAPPENS AT NOON, NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT. IT'S JUST A JOB. IT'S JUST THE JUDGE. NOT YOU."
Stretch nuzzled Vex. "thanks, love." He would try to remember. He kissed Vex. "we should finish eating," he said. "you need to get ready and we don't want to be late."
"RIGHT, YES." He gave Stretch another kiss, then finished up with his breakfast and went to take a quick shower. He'd have to clean his armor later. For now, he just threw on clothes and went to get Pucci ready for the car.
Stretch didn't bother with a shower. He really didn't want to go, so why get all dressed up, he thought. He threw on his favorite orange hoodie to help relax. He was down on the couch by the time Vex came down to collect the sleeping Pucci. He got up, taking a lollipop out of his mouth. "all set?" He grabbed the doll and extra diaper bag.
"YES, I'M READY. WHAT'S THAT?" Vex looked at the doll for the first time.
"howl made it. pucci really likes it." He laughed. "they drooled all over it."
"OH, REALLY? THAT'S ADORABLE. DO YOU HAVE A NEW TOY, PUCCI?" He kissed the baby's cheek. "SOON, I'LL BUY YOU YOUR OWN LOVELY RED SCARF AND YOU'LL BE JUST LIKE DADDY." He carried them out to the car.
Pucci cooed happily, "DA… DA… DAAAAA."
His soul thudded and he looked down at them in wonder. "ARE YOU SAYING DADA, LOVE? DADA?"
"DA… DADADA, PA. DADA.” They babbled some more.
Stretch beamed. "that’s right." He pointed at each of them in turn, Vex, himself, and then Pucci. "dada. papa. baby."
Vex smiled widely. "YOU'RE SO SMART ALREADY, JUST LIKE US. DADA AND PAPA LOVE YOU." Another baby cheek kiss before he got them into the baby seat. As adorable as this was, they had to go.
Stretch climbing in the backseat even though it was a tight fit. He started trying to get pucci to say ‘papa.’
Once they were all in and settled, Vex drove them to the embassy. He parked and looked back at Stretch. "DO YOU WANT ME TO COME IN AND WAIT OUTSIDE THE DOOR?"
Stretch looked to Pucci and pet their skull. "i'd rather have pucci out here away from everything." He climbed out and kissed Vex through the window opening.
"ALRIGHT. THEN WE'LL WAIT HERE." He returned the kiss. "GOOD LUCK."
"thanks." With one last look at Pucci, he headed in.
The Swap Queen's assistant was up to her ears in phone calls. Sticky notes were plastered over her desk and she looked miserable. Stretch walked up to the bubble gum colored monster. "hey..."
She looked up and pointed to the chair to wait. A few minutes later, the door to the Queen's office slammed open and Gaster came storming out, his purple eyelights intense like an incoming storm.
"It's about time," he hissed. His voice was low and menacing; it would have been less scary if he was yelling. "She’s waiting. Get going."
Stretch shook off the feeling he was getting. "what's up, doc? don't you have some place better to be? like scaring little children?"
Gaster gave him a cold look. "It's Doctor Gaster, and judging by your intelligence, you count as one. Now go pretend to be an adult and do your job."
The Queen stepped out. "Stretch, come in here." She turned to her assistant. "have them bring up Al."
The monster nodded. Stretch got up and made his way into her office. Gaster followed him back inside.
"your majesty," Stretch said. "gaster-" He purposely left off the doctor- "doesn't need to be here."
"The doctor wants to be," she replied. Gaster looked very pleased with himself.
It was only a few moments more before the door opened and Al was brought in. She sneered at Gaster.
The Queen told the charge personally. "Today you are charged with treason, Al, ex-captain of the guard."
The lizard bristled, but remained silent. Stretch stood in front of her and summoned the golden magic. "Al, did you invade the laboratory and take the Sully?"
Al looked the Judge head on. "No."
"What did you do?" The Judge asked.
"I rescued Swap citizens who were being tortured."
The Judge took her words, considered, and asked, "who said they were being tortured?"
"I, the Captain of the Royal Guard, witnessed it myself. My oath to protect the royal family and the monsters of our kingdom demanded I took them into safety."
The Judge weighed her answer with the laws. The Sully were Underswap citizens, a mix of criminals and unclaimed lifers that had completed their sentences and therefore no longer criminals. All were still citizens. If the guard believed monsters were in immediate danger, it was their duty to intervene and save that monster, criminal or not.
"Did you believe, without a doubt, the Sully needed to be removed for their safety, or they would die?" The Judge compelled the truth.
As Stretch was Judging, two purple magical constructs shimmered into existence. A chair hid the magic from Al’s view, and the desk hid it for the Queen. A small glimmer of metal shined as it was gently pressed into bare magic in the Stretch’s ankle joint. A small sampling of golden magic filled the syringe
Stretch didn't even flinch. The ancient magic's power drowned out the discomfort.
The second construct creeped closer, pressing a new needle into Stretch's joint and injecting a different compound. He didn’t react to that one either.
Gaster quietly took notes, frowning down at his clipboard.
Al replied, "with all my soul, I believed they were in danger of death."
The Judge nodded. "I find her innocent of treason. The Captain was within her rights of the law to remove anyone from immediate danger." The golden magic started to fade. Stretch sat down, rubbing his head. "i.. i’m dizzy…"
Gaster took some more notes, a frown on his face. The Queen glared at Al. "You are clear of the charge of treason, but you are no longer the captain of my guard. Do not cross me again."
"I will always do what is right," Al said.
The Queen growled. "Leave."
Al pulled Stretch up by the arm, leaving the room with him in tow. Once out in the hall, she looked him over "Are you okay?"
"i will be." He sat down in the main lobby. "i’m just a little dizzy. vex is in the car with pucci."
Dr. Gaster came out, lingering not too far away, still taking notes. "The Judge shouldn't leave until the dizziness passes."
Al growled. "I'll get Vex. Stay here." He clasped Stretch on the shoulder, then headed to the car. Stretch was safe in the main area.
Vex had gotten out just to scoop Pucci up and hold them. They were asleep for the moment, while he rocked gently. He looked up when someone approached, and looked Al over for any sign of upset. "HOW DID IT GO? WHERE'S STRETCH?"
"I'm innocent of treason. I was doing my job." She waved at him to come. "But Stretch is not feeling good. He needs to sit for a bit. He wanted you to come in."
"OH." He was surprised, but pleased. "THAT'S GOOD, THEN. YOU WERE VERY BRAVE, CAPTAIN." He adjusted his hold on Pucci. "I'M NOT SURPRISED. IT'S ALWAYS TIRING. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW." He started to head inside.
Al walked back with him. "I was prepared for the worst. Losing my job isn't so bad in comparison." She sighed "But, unfortunately, I won't be able to help any future Sully."
"NO, I IMAGINE NOT. I'M SURE BLADE WOULD BE WILLING TO EMPLOY YOU, IF YOU STILL WISH TO BE A GUARD.." He didn't move to physically comfort her, since he was never good at that, but hopefully his words helped. "THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE. YOU HAVE VALUABLE INTEL. AND FROM THE SERVERS YOU TOOK, WE MAY BE ABLE TO PREVENT ANY FUTURE SULLY FROM BEING SENT THERE."
That did help her. She clamped him on the shoulder and gave a squeeze. "Thanks. Hopefully it does, and I'll see if Blade needs help too."
"YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU HAVE MY RESPECT, AL." He nodded to her, then went up to his husband. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT, LOVE? DO YOU NEED HELP BACK TO THE CAR?"
Pucci awoke when they came inside the bustling Embassy. They reached for Stretch instantly, their mostly yellow eyelights shining. "PAPA!"
Dr. Gaster's pen froze as he looked at the baby.
"yeah, just dizzy, but it's starting to fade," Stretch said with relief.
"CAN YOU HOLD PUCCI, AND I'LL HELP YOU TO THE CAR?" Vex offered the baby over.
"He is in no shape to hold a small child." Gaster’s magical hands came toward Vex. "I will hold them."
"IF YOU TOUCH MY BABY, I'LL STAB YOU," he said with a straight face, pulling away from the hands.
Gaster arched a brow. "Such violence over a helpful offer."
"I DON'T TRUST OR LIKE YOU. YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY FAMILY." He glared Gaster down with a cold, hate-filled expression.
Dr. Gaster took the look without flinching and started to write notes again.
Stretch went to get up and reached out for Pucci. "i'm feeling a bit better."
Al put out her arm. "i can hold him," she offered.
Vex let Stretch take the baby. "IT'S ALRIGHT, AL, I THINK WE CAN MANAGE. THANK YOU, THOUGH." He then let Stretch lean on him to head out to the car. "GOOD DAY."
Stretch cuddled Pucci, who whined a bit at their papa's hold. "thanks though," he said as he leaned on Vex.
Gaster went to follow them out, but Al blocked his path. "Don't you have anything to do?" She sneered.
"I would, but my charges are missing," the doctor countered.
When the small family got outside, Stretch said, "i feel like i have a hangover from hell."
Vex shot Gaster one last nasty look, then kept helping Stretch out to the car. "IT'S NOT USUALLY THAT BAD. WAS THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL?"
"no, it went as normal." Stretch shook his head. "only we did it in the queen's office together."
"...WAS GASTER IN THE ROOM?" he asked, a little quieter.
He sat down in the front seat of the car. "yeah?"
"I DON'T TRUST HIM AT ALL." He took Pucci, who was still fussy, back in the car seat and then got in himself. "HE'S NOT INNOCENT IN THIS."
"i don't trust him either, but no one saw him do anything. i think i'll feel better after a nap."
"HM. ALRIGHT. WELL, YOU CAN TAKE A NAP, THAT'S FINE. I HAVE TO CLEAN MY ARMOR, BUT IT ISN'T VERY HARD, SO I CAN WATCH PUCCI." He drove them home.
By the time they got home Stretch was feeling less dizzy, but he felt achy and just blah. He let Vex help him into the house and to the couch where he laid down with Pucci laying on top of him.
"PAAAAAAPAA, DAAAADAAAA,” they yelled, upset that their papa was feeling wrong.
"it will be okay, pucci," Stretch comforted.
"SHH, IT'S ALRIGHT, LOVE." Vex gave Pucci a kiss and some gentle pets. "PAPA JUST NEEDS A NAP, THAT'S ALL."
Stretch rubbed Pucci back’s and they relaxed a little and cooed. "there ya go, baby. let's nap together." Stretch started to hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He was out by the end.
Pucci's eyelights got a little more intense as the magic within them stirred. Their yellow magic, unlike their papa's, was always present within them, and it called out to the Judge then. Stretch let a long breath out, relaxing more. Pucci purred gently like their parents did as they felt their Papa started to feel how they remembered his soul felt. Then they fell asleep too.
Vex watched them for a few moments. Pucci's eyelights were glowing, and it seemed to do something... He wasn't sure what it meant, but they seemed happy, and Stretch was sleeping okay. Maybe, after pouring some of the Judge into the baby, Stretch couldn't use it as well? Maybe he just didn't have as big a reserve pool, and Pucci was instinctively giving him a little back after he'd spent himself on a Judging? He fretted about it for a few more moments, fussing with a blanket over his husband, but then reluctantly tore himself away to go clean his armor. Nobody had a manual for a Judge baby, unfortunately. He'd just have to wait and see, as frustrating as that was.
It was a short day at the animal shelter. Howl had given Berry Stretch’s message, and Berry had forgotten his phone at home that morning in his rush to get ready. They left pretty early, since both Howl and Berry had EMDR appointments, but they stopped by the house so Berry could pick up his phone. He stood in his room looking at his phone, a note from his brother and a voicemail from Al. Berry braced himself. Al and him hadn’t really talked since before everything had happened. He stared at the phone for a good minute before he pressed the play button.
“Hey Berry. I’m… I’m sorry for the shit you went through. I’m sorry the guard most likely took you to that fucked up place and I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough friend for you to trust and tell me you needed help. I didn’t know how wrong the law was. I hope you’re healing well and you find happiness. It’s been an honor being your friend, but I understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore after I failed you.”
Berry wiped the tears from his face. He tried to call her back, but it went to her voicemail. “HEY, AL. I FORGIVE YOU AND THANK YOU. WE SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND COOK AGAIN. I LEARNED A LOT FROM MY COOKING CLASSES. LET’S TALK LATER.” He stood there for a while holding his phone and wiping tears aways, but a happy smile was on his face.
There was a knock on his door. Daemon opened it and looked in. “you ready, berry? is everything okay?”
“YES.” Berry put his phone in his pocket, taking Daemon’s hand. “AL APOLOGIZED TO ME FOR NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE SULLY LAW.”
Daemon looked pleased at that, hugging Berry. “that’s great! see, i knew everything would turn out okay with her. good friends are always on your side. i’m so happy for you.”
“ME TOO.” Berry smiled and hugged back, and then they headed out to meet Howl at the front door.
It was time to head to Howl’s and his appointment. It was Berry's first one, but Howl had been sure to explain to him what it was like at his last one, so it wasn't weird or spooky. He went first again, and while he recovered from his session, sitting in the waiting room and holding Daemon's hand, Berry had his.
They were both waiting for him when it was over, Howl having recovered from the slightly spacey feeling of his own session.
Berry was feeling a little odd and floaty. Remembering the past had been hard and scary. He came out and sat down, cuddling with Daemon while sitting next to Howl. He asked, "MAY I HOLD YOUR HAND, ANGEL?"
"OF COURSE, KITTEN. BUT DON'T YOU WANT TO GO HOME?" He reached out to hold on to Berry's hand gently.
Berry took Howl's hand and nuzzled Daemon. "YES, PLEASE."
"alright, home it is." Daemon ported them all to the couch, then snuggled up to Berry with a purr. "how do you feel?"
"SPACEY A BIT?" Berry squeezed Howl's hand experimentally. "LIKE I MIGHT FLOAT AWAY?"
"I FELT SOMETHING SIMILAR. IT SHOULD PASS SOON ENOUGH," Howl said. "KNITTING DOESN'T TAKE MUCH THINKING POWER, SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP MAKING THOSE COLLARS?"
"YEAH." Berry nodded. "THAT WOULD BE GOOD. WE NEED A LOT OF THEM," he said smiling
"WE DO, YES. PUPPY, COULD YOU GET OUR THINGS?"
"yes, master." Daemon jumped up and went to grab their knitting materials, bringing it all back happily. "we can order food if you don't want to stop to cook."
"I WOULDN'T MIND ORDERING OUT FOR ONCE."
"THANK YOU, PUPPY." Berry took his knitting needles and took his place next to Howl. "CAN WE ORDER THAT PLACE WITH THE YUMMY BUTTER CHICKEN AGAIN?" he asked.
"oh, that thai place? yeah, okay!" Daemon pulled out his phone. They were both quietly overjoyed that Berry had a specific request, but neither of them wanted to make Berry embarrassed by pointing it out. "you want the same thing?"
"YES PLEASE," Berry replied. "DO THEY HAVE RICE’S THAT A LITTLE SPICY?"
"yeah, they do!"
"CURRY FOR ME, PLEASE,” Howl said. “MY USUAL.”
Daemon put in everyone's orders with a hum.
The kitting helped Berry start to feel grounded again. He knitted with a purpose, cuddling Daemon with his leg next to Howl's, enjoying the closeness of his mates while he worked.
Soon enough, their dinner arrived, and Daemon popped up to get it and pay the man. He brought it all back to them to eat.
Berry put up his knitting when Daemon got up. He was feeling a lot better. "WHAT WOULD EVERYONE LIKE TO DINK?" he asked, heading to the kitchen.
"MY WINE, PLEASE," Howl said.
"just water for me," Daemon said.
Berry went in and got the drinks along with milk for himself. He brought them all out. "HERE YOU GO, LOVES." He sat them on the table so he could pass them out.
"THANK YOU, KITTEN." Howl let his wine rest while he started on his food.
"shall i turn on the tv?" Daemon asked.
"YOU’RE WELCOME " Berry took a seat. "THAT WOULD BE NICE. HOW ABOUT WE WATCH ONE OF YOUR MOVIES PUPPY?"
"okay, let's see." He turned on the TV and went to turn on the DVD player as well. However, the cable opened up to a news channel, and front and center was Derby, a mic in hand. Howl perked up, sitting up straighter.
"WAIT, DON’T CHANGE IT YET."
"IT'S DERBY," Berry said curiously. "WHAT IS HE DOING?"
"I DON'T KNOW." He absently swirled his glass of wine as he watched.
It seemed to be a demonstration of how to talk to someone about having been sexually assaulted. Derby was acting as the victim, clutching a disheveled jacket as he played out talking points with Clank, the fell robot star with four arms and four bright yellow eyes. Clank was acting as a concerned friend, offering back comfort and praise for being brave. In the background, the 'tale Mettaton was laying dramatically on a piano, looking on in horror, rose petals falling in traditional MTT fashion. Across the bottom of the screen was a scrolling text about a victim support group, with both Sully and assault victims from other cultures welcome. The dates and times were in bold.
"WEEKLY GROUP THERAPY?" Howl mused. "THE FIRST MEETING IS TOMORROW."
Berry teared up a bit. "THIS IS SUCH A NICE THING FOR THEM TO DO." He wiped at his eyelights. "IT WILL HELP A LOT OF MONSTERS AND PEOPLE."
He tried to imagine how things might have gone differently if there had been something like this when his people came to the surface. He wondered if he would have had the courage to go. He had learned harshly in the underground: He was Sully, and only Stretch could care about him. He was too scared to be hurt more and did not think himself worthy back then. Others probably felt the same way. He worked his bandana, feeling Howl’s scent. "I HOPE THEY FIND THE COURAGE TO GO. THERAPY HELPED EVEN, IF IT WAS DIFFERENT WITH MS. CANDY. IT HELPED A LOT."
"I HOPE SO AS WELL." Howl watched musingly. "I WONDER IF SCARF MOUSE HAS SEEN THIS."
"he's at the cooking class tomorrow, right? we could ask," Daemon said.
"OH THAT'S A GREAT IDEA." Berry played with his scarf. He knew his own schedule was very full, but he had to ask. "DO YOU THINK WE COULD GO TOO?"
"YOU WANT TO GO?" Howl double-checked the time. "WE DO HAVE COOKING CLASS TOMORROW, BUT IT'S LATER. WE CAN GO IF WE LEAVE WORK AN HOUR EARLY."
"JUST TO SEE HOW IT IS," Berry said, unsure. "BUT I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE YOU TROUBLE. YOU ALREADY DO SO MUCH FOR ME."
"KITTEN, IT IS NO TROUBLE. THE SHELTER IS QUITE LENIENT ABOUT ME ATTENDING TO OTHER DUTIES. ESPECIALLY SINCE DAEMON IS SUCH AN INVALUABLE DOG CARETAKER."
Berry smiled hopefully. "I WOULD LIKE US TO GO PLEASE."
"THEN OF COURSE WE WILL."
"oh, berry, i'm so proud of you!" Daemon hugged him tightly. "you actually asked for what you want! good job!"
Berry blushed brightly as Daemon hugged him. His arms snaked around his mate to hug back. He was feeling proud now that Daemon pointed it out. It had been a long time that he felt he was worthy or safe enough to ask to go something.
"YES, THAT IS GOOD. YOU'RE DOING SO MUCH BETTER, BERRY." Howl nodded, pleased. Maybe they could work on food next. "MAKE SURE TO EAT ALL OF YOUR DINNER, IF YOU CAN."
Berry nodded with a huge smile on his face. "I'LL DO MY BEST."
"GOOD." He started on his own food, still watching the tv. When the scene was over, Derby turned back to the camera and encouraged any victims, and especially Sully, to speak up, get help, and work together. It was a sincere message, made all the more poignant as he explained how he had been assaulted himself, and how he had been given support that helped him recover.
Berry took a few bites as he watched."HE'S SO BRAVE." He couldn't help but think about Derby's crack soul on display. Berry put his hand over the hole in his chest where his damaged soul rested. The bandana fluttered against his hand and he rubbed the wonderfully soft material that was full of his datemate's loving and protective intent. He turned to his two amazing mates. "THANK YOU BOTH FOR LOVING ME AND HELPING ME HEAL. MAY I HUG YOU BOTH?"
"HE IS... CONFESSING SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON LIVE TV IS NOT EASY." Howl nodded. The question made him think a moment, and then he nodded and put down his food. "YOU MAY HUG ME. JUST. NOT TOO TIGHT, PLEASE."
"you can always hug me!" Daemon assured.
Berry reached out and hugged them both. "I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH." He nuzzled them and couldn't help but purr as he was encased in their caring embrace.
"WE LOVE YOU TOO." Howl hugged back gingerly. Daemon nuzzled, purring. "we do~"
Berry could stay here happily wrapped in their warm, loving, and safe scents he was tucked in between. The hint of blueberries started to fill the air.
Daemon's barbecue scent came in response, and Howl's grape followed suit; the three of them just held onto each other for a little while, before Howl pulled back. "PLEASE FINISH EATING, BERRY?"
"OKAY." He gave one last nuzzle to his mates and pulled back to sit and eat. He felt worthy and loved. Berry ate almost everything, until just a few bites were left. He wanted to offer it to his mates, but he stopped himself. Howl and Daemon had told him before many times that there was plenty of food. He knew it was true. It was just so hard to believe it. All the years of his youth looking for and stealing food for Stretch and himself. Eating only what he needed to survive. He was at least prepared for minimal amounts of food there. Then the Sanitarium only gave them small rations.
Berry took a deep breath and let it out slow. 'OUR PANTRY AND FRIDGE ARE FULL,' he told himself. 'THERE IS PLENTY OF FOOD FOR ALL OF US.' He lifted his fork and finished the last of his food.
Howl watched him for a moment. "...GOOD JOB. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU DESERVE AS MUCH FOOD AS WE DO. YOU ARE NOT LESSER. YOU SHOULD HAVE NOURISHMENT."
"THANK YOU," Berry took the comfort and praise Howl offered. That Berry wasn't lesser than everyone was hard to believe, but if his loves believed it, then he would try.
"GOOD. IT WILL TAKE TIME, I KNOW. BUT I WANT YOU TO TRY AND BELIEVE IT. JUST LIKE THE SULLY THINGS."
"I'LL TRY," he said earnestly. "HOWL, HOW DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF SO MUCH?"
He considered that, putting down his empty plate. "...THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I BELIEVED THAT MY PARENTS WERE RIGHT. I WAS ONLY A TOY TO BE USED. I NEVER WANTED IT, BUT IT WAS ALL I KNEW. WHEN I MET DAEMON, THOUGH... HE WAS DIFFERENT. HE DIDN'T WANT TO USE ME. AND HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO HURT. THROUGH HIM, I LEARNED THAT HE WAS SUFFERING FROM HIS TRAINING, AND NEITHER OF US DESERVED THAT SUFFERING. WE WOULD MEET IN SECRET AND JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'D BEEN THROUGH. COMPARE NOTES, SO TO SPEAK. MY ANGER GREW AS I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THINGS. I HAD ALWAYS BEEN ANGRY ABOUT IT, A LITTLE, BUT FAR MORE SCARED THAN ANYTHING. I WOULD ONLY WHISPER, AND NEVER TOUCH ANYTHING, NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT WARRANT PUNISHMENT. BUT THROUGH DAEMON, I FOUND MY VOICE. NOW I SPEAK POWERFULLY, BECAUSE I AM POWERFUL. I MADE MYSELF AS POWERFUL AS I NEEDED TO BE. TO PROTECT BOTH OF US."
Berry thought about that, then smiled. "I'M SO HAPPY DAEMON AND YOU FOUND EACH OTHER AND ESCAPED." He couldn't help but see some parallels within his own story. He leaned closer to Howl. "MAY I HUG YOU, ANGEL?"
"I THINK I AM HUGGED OUT FOR ONE DAY," he said, lifting a hand. "BUT WE CAN HOLD HANDS."
Berry took Howl's hand and squeezed it gently. "I'M SO SORRY YOU WENT THROUGH ALL THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY WITH ME."
"THANK YOU, BERRY. I'M GLAD TELLING YOU MIGHT HELP." He squeezed gently.
Berry squeezed back. He took a deep breath and gathered his courage. Hehad been procrastinating. He wanted to try and touch his bed, but was scared the EMDR wouldn't work. He let the breath out slowly. "IT DOES. I THINK I AM READY TO TRY AND TOUCH THE BED. IF IT DOESN'T HURT, I'LL BRING THE BLANKET TO CUDDLE WITH DAEMON." He looked at Daemon. "IF IT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU PUPPY? I THANK I CAN START LINKING THEM TO GOOD MEMORIES."
"that sounds great to me, berry, yeah." Daemon smiled. "did you want to try right now, or do more knitting first?"
"I WANT TO TRY FIRST. THEN I CAN KNIT WHILE WE CUDDLE." He gave one last squeeze before letting Howl's hand go.
"alright. you want me to come with you?" Daemon stood up.
Howl squeezed back, then returned to his knitting. The program on the TV was being repeated, it looked like. Derby must just have it as a big PSA on loop.
Berry nooded. "YES PLEASE." He went to walk with Daemon, taking his hand. "I HOPE THIS HELPS." He really wanted to sleep on a bed with Daemon. He wanted to be able to offer at least that.
"i hope it does too. it seemed to do pretty well for master." Daemon squeezed Berry's hand as they went into the bedroom. He scooped up the blankets then to hold out hopefully.
Berry took a deep breath and gently ran his fingers over the comforter. Usually by about the fourth pet, Berry's bone's would start to ache. At the sixth pet of the beautiful space-themed material, he stopped and opened and closed his hand. “IT'S SO STRANGE.... IT DOESN'T HURT." The memories of the pain were there, but it was like looking at them through a window. It felt almost detached. "MY MIND AND BODY ARE EXPECTING IT TO HURT, AND IT DOESN'T. I FEEL..." He tried to search for a good word. "ANXIOUS? I’M WAITING FOR THE PAIN TO CREEP IN." He reached out and gently worked the soft material in his phalanges.
Daemon nodded, his expression gentle. "mhm... it took away the pain, but you know there was pain before. it didn't change your head, it only took away the automatic hurt. now you just have to associate the soft with better things, like us!"
Berry bounced on his heels excitedly. "THAT IS GOING TO BE WONDERFUL." He reached up and hugged Daemon.
He hugged back, then beamed and tucked the blanket around Berry like a cape. "then let's go snuggle!"
"OKAY." The cape made him feel like a superhero conquering his fear. "ONE MORE THING." He walked up to the bed and hastily sat on the edge of it. The anxiety was stronger, but it wasn't a full blown panic attack. It was manageable. Berry held out a shaky hand. "CAN YOU SIT WITH ME?"
Daemon nodded and came to sit next to Berry, snuggling up around him completely. "you're doing so good... i'm so proud of you."
A big smile bloomed on Berry as Daemon sat down with him. Berry reached across the bed and took his Howl doll from the nightstand so all three of them could cuddle. "THANK YOU. IT IS SCARY, BUT IT’S NOT PHYSICALLY PAINFUL ANY MORE," he said softly, trying to relax into his datemate.
"that's good. i want you to be able to sleep in a bed." He purred, snuggling up more. "beds are nice."
"I WANT US TO ALSO." He blushed and nuzzed Daemon's side, purring, "I LOVE YOU." Then he kissed his taller lover.
Daemon returned the kiss, gentle and pliant, not pushing for anything more than Berry was giving. His hand did gently pet at Berry's back, providing a bit more comfort. "i love you too. you wanna go keep knitting?"
He sighed happily into Daemon's chest, hugging his plushie. "YEAH."
"alright. come on, then!" Daemon picked Berry up to carry him back out to the couch, still in the blanket.
Berry giggled as Daemon carried him. He snuggled into him, the Howl doll still in his arms. Once they were all settled in and the movie started, Berry relaxed more. Halfway through the movie, he put up the knitting and cuddled the Howl doll as he purred and nuzzled Daemon’s chest. The soft blanket and his lover's warmth was lulling him into slumber. He didn't make it to the end of the movie before he fell asleep.
Daemon snuggled him the whole time, purring softly. Howl had hit his limit with touch, so he stayed off to the side. But he was happy just looking at them being so happy. He also had the mostly-finished Berry and Daemon knitted dolls. They didn't have any magic in them yet, but he could still put them in his lap and hold them as he knitted. It was enough for now. When Berry fell asleep, Daemon carefully picked him up. "i'm gonna go to bed with him, master."
"YES, OF COURSE. GOOD NIGHT, PUPPY."
Daemon beamed at him, then brought Berry back into the bedroom and settled down. They would still sleep on the floor for now, since Berry hadn't specified he wanted to sleep on the bed yet. But with the nice, thick blanket, it was much more comfy. He was very happy to snuggle up and settle down to sleep too.
Notes:
Chapter Summary: The Queen calls Al about being Judged, and Al is already waiting in her office. She arrives very early at Stretch and Vex's house, angry he didn't answer his phone, but the sight of Pucci calms her enough to let them sleep in and come at noon, so Vex happily goes back to bed. Stretch calls Howl and asks about Berry's judgement, which Howl tells him about. He also comforts Stretch that being the Judge isn't his fault. Pucci babbles a little, and as they head out to the embassy, they say "DADA" as their first word, making them both emotional. Vex and Pucci wait in the car as Stretch goes in. Gaster witnesses the Judgement. Stretch questions Al about what she did, and she claims she was saving the lives of Swap citizens. During the judgement, two purple hand constructs approach Stretch's feet. One takes a Judge sample, and the other injects something into him which has no visible effect. Stretch judges Al innocent on the grounds of believing Swap citizens' lives were in immediate danger, but she is fired. Stretch is dizzy after the Judging and has to sit, so Al goes to get Vex and Pucci from the car. Gaster notices the baby as they come in, and offers to hold them while Vex helps Stretch to the car. Vex threatens him with death if he touches their child, gives Pucci to Stretch, and helps him out. He worries about Gaster's presence during the Judgement, but Stretch isn't worried. When they get home, Stretch falls asleep. Pucci's eyes glow yellow and something seems to happen to ease Stretch's sleep, and then they sleep too.
Meanwhile, Berry gets Al's apology text and forgives her, leaving a message that he still wants to be friends and cook together. He has his first official EMDR session, as Howl has his third. When they all knit at home afterwards, they order takeout. As they are going to put in a movie, they see Derby on the news in a PSA about how to talk about sexual assault and advertising his group therapy for Sully and assault victims starting the next day. Berry asks to go, and the others agree to it. Berry finishes all of his food, and they are very proud of him. The three of them hug. Berry asks Howl how he is so confident in himself, and Howl explains that he used to be scared and unconfident as a child, but meeting Daemon and understanding how he was mistreated made him angry and find his confidence. Berry then tries to touch his starry blanket, and is amazed that it isn't painful due to the EMDR. Daemon sits with him on the bed and they snuggle before going back out to watch the movie and knit more collars. Berry falls asleep with the blanket on him, snuggling Daemon and the Howl plushie.
Chapter 27: I'll Use the Light that Comes to Me from Your Halo
Summary:
In which there is a very brave mouse.
Notes:
Hello all you lovely people! Its chapter time! I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think. We love hearing form you~ <3 Be sure to bookmark and subscribe. - Diyami
Sorry for it being so late in the day guys aaaaaa - GetMcDunkedOn
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn Omega's Respite chapter titles
Chapter tags: group therapy, discussion of execution, cooking, harassment by the media, talk of the Judge
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next day, as planned, they left work early to go to Derby's first group therapy. It was being held in an unoccupied office in Clank's skyscraper (the fell robot was just as popular as the tale Mettaton, and had already made millions). The office was on the fourth floor, a very cushy room with comfortable chairs, a projector, and a snack bar absolutely filled with all kinds of treats and drinks for those attending. Derby was just setting up his system with the projector, hooking up wires into his own chest cavity. When they arrived, there was nobody else there yet.
Berry looked around amazed at the niceness of the place. He was both happy and concerned that no else was here. He came up to Derby, "HELLO DERBY." He told them.
"Oh, hello." He smiled at Berry, plugging in the last wire. "You're a little early, but welcome! I'm glad you could come."
"ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EXPECT TO BE HERE?" Howl wondered, glancing at the snack table.
"It's hard to say. There might be three or four from my underground, but for former Sully, I don't know."
"IT'S SCARY TO LET OTHERS KNOW YOU WERE DEEMED SULLY. YOU COULD GET IN TROUBLE FOR TEMPTING EASILY IF OTHERS KNOW. BUT I HOPE THEY DO COME." Berry smiled hopefully, "THIS WILL HELP A LOT OF US."
"I hope so too." Derby sat down in one of the comfy chairs. "Please help yourself to any of the food or drinks, and make yourself comfortable."
Daemon looked over all of it, and slowly took a donut, then plopped down in a seat. Howl sat as well, electing not to take any food. Berry declined to eat. His tummy was in knots about being in a large room with others. He leaned into Daemon's side and told the others, "I TEXTED SCARF MOUSE EARLIER TODAY. HE WAS NOT SURE IF HE WOULD COME. I HOPE HE DOES."
"I HOPE SO TOO." Howl pulled out his knitting.
The first few people who trickled in all looked to be Lust monsters, judging by their clothes and how they greeted Derby with awestruck familiarity. There was a bear, an alligator, and a hippo. They each perused the snacks too before settling in. And, just two minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin, Jester stepped inside the room and turned back.
"Come on, Mousey. Look, those skeletons are here."
After a long moment, Scarf Mouse stepped into the room, clutching his scarf with both hands. He peered around, then locked gazes with Berry and came shuffling over.
Berry smiled and waved at him. "HI. YOU CAN SIT BY US IF YOU WANT," he said.
"Hi..." He took a seat. Jester went scampering over to the table of treats and grabbed some bagels, tossing one to her brother and plopping down.
"I can stay to look after him even if I don't need to talk about stuff, right?" she asked.
"Yes, of course." Derby nodded with a smile. "Support is always good."
"Cool." She stuffed the bagel in her mouth.
"THANK YOU FOR COMING AND TRYING THIS." Berry smiled over at him. "YOU ARE VERY BRAVE, MOUSEY. I HOPE THIS HELPS ALL OF US."
Scarf Mouse nodded, fidgeting with his scarf again. After a few more minutes, a Madjick came floating in, looking around. The frilly collar of its magician's coat was tucked up over a Sully collar as best it could, but parts were still visible. A few moments after that, an Aaron came in. Usually, Aarons were shirtless, but this one wore a slack t-shirt, and his mane was grown out enough to tuck around his collar.
Howl observed how each of them tried in their own way to hide the collar, then looked back to his knitting as Derby greeted everyone warmly.
The session started with Derby offering a slightly more personalized explanation of his own experience as a rape victim. He spoke about how he had bonded to his robot body before starting up his game shows, and when a couple of monsters cornered and molested him, he felt trapped in the body he'd once adored. But since he'd already bonded to it, he could no longer leave it. He was corporeal now. He pointed out the cracks in his soul, and talked about how his best friend, Shirley, who had made him the body, did all the modifications she could to make the body less traditionally sexy and stronger. Then he talked about how when he met his boyfriend, he was afraid of telling Tai what had happened to him, but received nothing but support and care when he did tell.
He was lucky that he had so much support, he went on to explain, and not everyone did. But it was never too late to find that support, and he was happy each one of them had the courage to even come to this meeting. They could all start to rebuild together.
After that speech, he offered each of them to share their stories if they wanted, but stressed that it wasn't necessary, and they could just introduce themselves and what they want to talk about instead if that was what they were comfortable with.
Berry held on to Daemon's arm. His body pressed tightly to the tall skeleton as he listened to Derby's story. He couldn't help the tears it brought to his blue eyelights. Berry worked his collar with his free hand and breathed in Howl's clam centering sweet grape scent mixed with Daemon's smokey scent.
When Derby asked for them to introduce themselves, he waited a few moments. Most looked like they didn't dare want to volunteer.
Berry had already promised himself not to talk about the correction attack. 'I DIDN'T DESERVE WHAT THEY DID TO ME,' Berry told himself as he let go of his bandana and slowly raised his hand. "I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF."
Derby waited patiently, and he was about to gently coax again when Berry spoke up. With a smile, the robot nodded. "Go ahead, Berry."
"HELLO. I'M BERRY." Berry gave a small wave and an awkward smile. He wasn't going to talk about what had led to it but he was willing to talk about finding support. "I'M.. " He didn't want to say Sully and struggled. "WAS HURT BY THE SULLY LAW. LIKE A LOT OF US HERE TONIGHT." He squeezed Daemon's arm. "I WAS VERY SCARED TO TALK ABOUT IT EVEN WITH FAMILY. BUT MY FAMILY…" he smiled and gestured to Daemon and Howl, "HAVE BEEN HELPING AND SUPPORTING ME AND EACH OTHER A LOT." He fingered his bandana and played with the stitches. "I NEVER THOUGHT ANYONE FINDING OUT WOULD BE A GOOD THING, BUT I WOULDN'T BE HERE NOW IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM KNOWING." He smiled at Derby. "YOU ARE RIGHT. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO HEAL."
Derby beamed. "That's great, Berry, good job."
Howl didn't look up from his knitting as he spoke. "I AM HOWL, AND I AM FROM FELLSWAP. MY TRAUMA WAS WHEN I WAS A CHILD. THERE IS NO SULLY LAW FOR US, BUT I AM STILL AFFECTED BY WHAT HAPPENED. MY BROTHER ALWAYS SUPPORTED ME, AND NOW I AM HERE TO SUPPORT EVERYONE WHO WAS CALLED SULLY. YOU ARE UNDER MY PROTECTION. IF YOU WANT TO BE."
He finished the last stitch of another bandana and held it up, identical to Berry's but in color, and of course missing the cute B on the front.
The other Sully looked between each other, then back at the bandana. After a long moment, Scarf Mouse spoke up quietly.
"...What's that for?"
"IT WOULD FUNCTION THE SAME AS BERRY'S AND DAEMON'S." He gestured to Daemon, who proudly lifted his chin more to show off his proper collar. "IN FELLSWAP, COLLARS ARE FOR PROTECTION AND SUPPORT. CHILDREN ARE IN THEIR PARENTS' COLLARS UNTIL THEY COME OF AGE, BARRING UNIQUE CASES. OFTEN, PARTNERS WILL HAVE ONE PROTECTOR AND ONE IN A COLLAR. SIBLINGS ALSO DO IT, AND IN THIS CASE, A DEDICATED VOLUNTEER - ME - COULD OFFER IT TO SOMEONE IN NEED. I AM IN A POSITION SUCH THAT I CAN LEGALLY PROTECT ALL OF YOU WITH THIS COLLAR. THE SULLY COLLAR HAS NO CLAIM OVER YOU IF YOU ARE CONSIDERED COLLARED DEPENDENTS."
Scarf Mouse fiddled with his scarf. "So... That bandana means we can't be taken back to the Sanitarium...?"
"EXACTLY. BERRY CAN ATTEST THAT JUST WEARING IT CAN MAKE ONE FEEL SAFER, TOO."
Berry nodded and ran his fingers over the collar, "YES, IT REMINDS ME I'M SAFE WHEN I'M SCARED. AS FOR THE SANITARIUM." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I WAS ATTACKED, AND THE QUEEN HERSELF CAME TO TAKE ME BACK. HOWL AND THE COLLAR STOPPED HER."
That news shocked all three of the Sully, and they exchanged looks again. Scarf Mouse looked at his sister. Jester sat up straighter from where she was gnawing on a piece of candy from the table. "Kay, I gotta question," she said. "Does it gotta be you? Not that I don't like you, but Mousey's my responsibility."
Howl put the bandana down. "I AM ABLE TO DO THIS DUE TO THE COLLARING LAW FROM MY CULTURE. BERRY AND DAEMON ARE, LEGALLY, MY RESPONSIBILITY. THEY HOLD ALL OF THEIR FREEDOMS, BUT IT IS MY DUTY TO BOTH PROTECT THEM AND ENSURE THEY NEVER COMMIT CRIMES. IF THEY WERE TO COMMIT CRIMES, I WOULD BE THE ONE WHO WOULD BE PUNISHED IN THEIR PLACE, FOR FAILING TO GUIDE THEM PROPERLY. THE REASON WHY NEITHER BERRY NOR I WERE TAKEN TO THE SANITARIUM IS BECAUSE BERRY IS UNDER MY PROTECTION, AND I CANNOT BE PROSECUTED BY THE SWAPS WITHOUT MY OWN KING EXTRADITING ME."
Jester stayed silent, so Howl went on to clarify. "THE COLLAR LAW DOESN'T EXIST IN YOUR CULTURE, AND EVEN IF IT DID, IF MOUSE WAS ACCUSED OF A SULLY CRIME, YOU WOULD BE THE ONE GOING TO THE SANITARIUM. I IMAGINE YOU DON'T WANT THAT EITHER."
Jester crunched her candy. "Nope."
"THEREFORE, SOMEONE NOT FROM SWAP WOULD HAVE TO OWN THE COLLAR. BUT I AM NOT AT ALL CLAIMING I WOULD TELL YOUR BROTHER WHAT TO DO. THE LEGAL HOOPS REQUIRE ME TO SAY I AM IN CHARGE OF HIM, BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, I CAN GIVE HIM THIS COLLAR, CALL ON OCCASION TO SEE IF EVERYTHING IS FINE, AND LEAVE THE REST TO YOU. "
Jester nodded, flicking her devil tail. "Kay. Then I'm fine with it."
Scarf Mouse rubbed his scarf, then looked at the bandana. "...Can I keep this on too?"
"OF COURSE YOU CAN," Howl assured, and again held out the bandana. After a long moment, the mouse reached out and took it. He tugged down the scarf, and tied the bandana underneath it.
Berry smiled happily at Mouse and Jester. "I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU MOUSEY. THANK YOU BOTH FOR TRUSTING IN HOWL."
Mouse smiled hesitantly. "It's not that I trust Howl. He seems like a good guy. But it's you who makes me feel braver..."
Berry was speechless. He gave someone else courage. That was one of the things he hoped would happen when he came forward. It felt like a long time ago that he had talked with Howl about it. Tears pricked his sockets. "I AM SO HAPPY THAT I WAS ABLE TO HELP YOU."
Mouse nodded. "Me too... Thank you so much."
Derby looked unimaginably happy to witness this. Howl looked proud as well, reaching over to gently take and squeeze Berry's hand.
Berry took Howl's hand in his squeezing back softly. "YOU'RE WELCOME."
There were so many positive emotions flowing through Berry. Happiness, joy, pride in his mates and in himself. It felt strange, but wonderful. He wasn't used to feeling pride in himself.
After the other Sully introduced themselves and there was a bit more talking, Derby then closed up the meeting and invited everyone to come back in a week, and encourage more Sully and assault victims to come as well. He also invited them to take more food. Jester snatched some donuts and led Scarf Mouse out.
"THAT WENT REALLY WELL," Berry said as he nibbled on a cookie as they left. He was feeling delighted.
"YES, IT DID. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, BERRY." Howl nodded.
"yeah, you both did great!" Daemon said. "it's too bad the other sully didn't take the collars... but maybe next time!"
Berry blushed at the praise. "THANK YOU. I’M VERY PROUD OF YOU TOO." His hand twitched; he wanted to touch Howl's hand. He took Daemon's hand into his instead. "WHEN WE GET HOME, MAY WE ALL HOLD YOU HANDS OR CUDDLE?" he asked hopefully.
"YES, OF COURSE WE CAN DO THAT," Howl assured.
That evening, at cooking class, Scarf Mouse wasn't there. The reason why became apparent when they got home and turned on the TV: The news stations were re-airing a breaking interview from earlier in the day, Derby and Mettaton interviewing Scarf Mouse. The little mouse omega looked nervous on TV, clutching his scarf and the bandana underneath, whispering what it was like in the Sanitarium. The shock collars, the guards' mistreatment, the mantras. How his cellmate Fell during his first week.
Berry curled up into Daemon as Mouse talked. His body trembled as he listened and remembered his own experiences as he watched. He was determined to watch. He owed it to Mousey to see it all.
Mousey was being so brave; Berry knew first hand how scary it was to not only talk about it, but to do a press conference about it. He noticed Mouse using the bandana for comfort and was very happy that helped him as much as it helped Berry himself. "THIS IS VERY BRAVE OF HIM."
Howl looked immensely proud, and even energetic, quickly knitting the familiar pattern of another bandana. "VERY BRAVE INDEED. THIS IS WONDERFUL. IF MORE EX-SULLY STEP UP, THEN YOUR STORY IS PROVEN TRUE. NOBODY CAN IGNORE IT ANYMORE."
Berry smiled at that. It hadn't dawned on him. A tentative hope bloomed in his soul. "DO YOU THINK THE QUEEN WILL CHANGE THE LAW THAN?"
"SHE'D BETTER," he said with a little huff. "EVEN SHE CAN'T BE THAT STUPID. UNLESS SHE WANTS A BEHEADING..."
Berry shivered. "I DON'T..." He had no love for the Queen, but he wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was both good and bad. And Berry didn't like that he was more than a little okay with the idea of anyone being killed, because as he looked within himself, the idea of the Queen not being around made him feel safer. No more worrying about being taken away or her using Stretch against him again. 'BUT KILLING IS WRONG....' He shook his head to dislodge the thoughts. "I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT," he said out loud.
"IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, BERRY. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE INVOLVED."
"master is very careful to manage how much LV he gets." Daemon nuzzled Berry. "sometimes, it can't be helped, though."
"ARE YOU SAYING YOU'D DO IT?" Berry knew he didn't like that. Daemon and Howl didn't deserve to carry more EXP because of him. "IF IT CAME TO THAT...WOULDN'T IT BE UP TO THE OTHER ROYALS TO CARRY OUT A SENTENCE?"
Howl's knitting needles paused. "BERRY," he began, "I HAVE 8 LV. MOST OF IT IS FROM MY JOB AS CAPTAIN." Some was from his father. "I HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT WHEN I MUST AND MUST NOT KILL. THERE ARE WAYS TO DO IT WITHOUT GETTING LV. EXECUTION IS ONE SUCH WAY. I DIDN'T GAIN ANY LV BY KILLING THE BLOODY RED QUEEN BECAUSE I DID IT VERY PARTICULARLY."
"AND HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" Berry asked with morbid curiosity.
"A TIMED GUILLOTINE. I LIT THE FUSE TO SET IT OFF, AND IT WAS A VERY LONG FUSE. I WALKED AWAY FROM IT. THE FUSE CONNECTED TO A DEVICE THAT CUT THE WIRE ON THE GUILLOTINE TO SEND THE BLADE DOWN. I DIDN'T DEAL THE BLOW MYSELF, SO I DIDN'T GET THE LV. NOBODY DID. INTENT IS CURIOUS THAT WAY. I DEALT NO DAMAGE TO ANY PERSON, SO MY SOUL DID NOT NEED TO HARDEN ITSELF TO THE ACT."
Berry was in awe of how that must have worked, puzzling out how long the fuse would have to be to give enough time to get out of range. And what kind of machine would cut when it was on a fuse. He shook his head again. 'I SHOULDN'T BE THINKING ABOUT THE HOW.' Howl lit the fuse and walked away and would do it again to save his people if he needed too. He felt both loved and concerned. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE HURT BECAUSE OF ME."
"YOU ARE IN MY COLLAR. I'LL HAPPILY GET HURT FOR YOU. BUT IT'S A SILLY THING TO WORRY ABOUT, BECAUSE I'M VERY, VERY GOOD AT WHAT I DO, AND I WON'T GET HURT IN THE FIRST PLACE."
Berry crawled closer to Howl and said, "I HAVE NO DOUBT YOU ARE MAGNIFICENT. I HAVE SEEN YOU DO A GREAT MANY WONDERFULLY GREAT THINGS. BOTH YOU AND DAEMON." He got closer, but didn't touch Howl. "YOU GETTING HURT... THAT ISN'T A SILLY THING TO BE WORRIED ABOUT... I LOVE YOU BOTH AND WORRYING ABOUT YOU IS NOT SILLY."
Howl paused in what he was doing again, then set the knitting down and reached over to touch Berry's hand gently. "YOU'RE RIGHT, OF COURSE. YOU'RE ALLOWED TO WORRY AFTER ME. BUT PLEASE ALSO TRUST THAT I WILL BE ALRIGHT. AFTER ALL, FIGHTING FOR SOMEONE I CARE ABOUT - LIKE YOU - MAKES ME EVEN STRONGER."
Berry gripped Howl gently but firmly. His datemate' s words made him blush. Howl's love was beautiful and warm, like his glove he treasured. He didn't want it endangered, but remembered his promise to himself. 'I WILL BELIEVE IN YOU AND DAEMON, AND OUR LOVE,' he told himself. 'YOU TWO WON'T LET IT BE TAKEN AWAY.' He looked Howl in the eyelights. "I BELIEVE IN YOU." He said earnestly and nuzzled his hand."I LOVE YOU."
Howl smiled at that, gently touching Berry's cheekbone. He could give these little comforts more now, after such a short time, and he was endlessly grateful for it. He held out a hand to Daemon too, who happily took it and nuzzled with a purr.
"WE LOVE YOU TOO," Howl assured. "I LOVE BOTH OF YOU VERY MUCH, AND I WILL PROTECT YOU BOTH."
"and me too, i'll protect you too!" Daemon purred more. "we can all protect each other."
Berry's sweet nurturing scent hung in the air as he purred happily and leaned into Howl's touch. The gentle touch felt like a precious gift to him. It calmed his mind and soul, just like Daemon's touch. He reached a hand out to his other lover, so they all could be touching. He wanted to stay in this wonderful moment as he nodded his agreement with Daemon.
Berry had set the alarm on his phone early that morning: 5am. He was determined to make Howl and Daemon breakfast. He quickly crawled out from under the bed and returned the star comforter on it and smoothed it out. "SOON," he said to himself, "I'LL LAY IN YOU." The hateful voice in his head was a dull roar, but he focused on the happiness and tried to ignore the voice. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to push it back of his mind.
Once the bedding was settled, he pulled out the cookbook he had gotten for Valentine's Day. He opened it to the page he bookmarked days ago. Orange Shakshuka. He smiled and read the ingredients one more time.
Howl's kitchen was always stocked well. Berry had even found a butternut squash when he helped put away things a few days ago. He grabbed the doll of Howl and gave it a hug. "YOU AND DAEMON WILL LIKE IT RIGHT?" It's head bobbed as if nodding yes. Giggling, he closed the book and carried both items into the kitchen.
"HOWL, YOU CAN SUPERVISE." He sat the doll on the far end of the counter and laid the book open in front of it.
He got out the squash, cleaned it, and seasoned it before placing it in the oven to roast. "OKAY, NOW FOR THE HARD PARTS." He went to work chopping an orange bell pepper and onion. It would be a little spicy. 'HOPEFULLY, HOWL WILL LIKE THAT,' he thought. He smiled up at the doll and held up some of the diced vegetables. "LOOK, THEY’RE ALMOST PERFECT,” he said happily.
Berry pulled out the butternut squash when it was done in the oven. "IT IS AMAZING HOW FOOD CAN TRANSFORMED," he commented. "HOW ADDING JUST A FEW THINGS CAN MAKE THE MAIN DISH SO MUCH BETTER." He put a pan with oil on the stove and moved the step stool over to see what he was doing. He added the veggies in a pan with thyme, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper. He remembered wanting to be like the ingredients. To transform into something better. As the delicious warm mix of onion, orange bell pepper, drifted to his nasal cavity, he was smiling ear to ear. "MAYBE I HAVE?" Not too long ago, he would have been too nervous to try something with this many steps. The onions started to look a little see through and just a little brown in places, so he poured in the broth and scooped in the butternut squash. He mixed it well and made little nesting areas for the eggs and cracked one into each. He put a lid on it and let it all cook for about 5 minutes.
When he looked at the clock, it was almost 7am. He quickly set the table, knowing it was about time Howl would come down. He waited patiently near the stove to turn it off.
Right on time, Howl came down from a shower, fresh clothes on and straightening his cape. He slowed on his way, taking in the scent in the air. He came in looking at the stove. "GOOD MORNING. YOU MADE BREAKFAST ALL BY YOURSELF?"
Berry nodded excitedly. "YES. I TRIED AT LEAST." He turned off the stove and sprinkled on some parsley. He brought it over to the table and sat it on a pot holder. "I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT."
"OH, BERRY, NO NEED TO BE MODEST." He smiled. "YOU MADE THIS BY YOURSELF, THAT'S VERY ADMIRABLE. IT LOOKS DELICIOUS. THANK YOU." He took a seat and got himself a serving. Hopefully, Berry would take half of the rest.
Berry colored at the complement. "THANK YOU." He was rocking on his heels waiting for Howl to try it. "DID YOU WAKE DAEMON TOO?"
"YES, HE'LL BE DOWN IN A FEW MOMENTS. YOU'LL TAKE HALF OF WHAT'S LEFT TO EAT YOURSELF, RIGHT?" He indicated the pan. "YOU WORKED HARD. YOU SHOULD ENJOY TOO."
Berry squeezed his bandana. He didn't even think about having any. It was for his datemates. The hopeful look on Howl's face made him nod despite the thought. "ALRIGHT." He sat down and scooped up some, making himself a plate.
Howl nodded, unable to totally conceal the relief in his expression. He tried a bite and made a pleased noise. "IT'S WONDERFUL, BERRY. THE FLAVORS ARE SO VIBRANT."
Berry purred happily at the nosie Howl made. He wanted to cheer. "I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT." He smiled at the praise. "THANK YOU, ANGEL."
Daemon came trotting in, yawning, and beamed at them both. "morning!"
"GOOD MORNING, PUPPY. BERRY MADE BREAKFAST."
Daemon perked up, grinning wide, and went over to Berry to hug him. "aw, thank you, berry! you're learning so much."
"GOOD MORNING," Berry said and nuzzled Daemon, inhaling his wonderful warm scent. "THANK YOU." He gave Daemon a kiss. "THE RECIPE IS FROM MY VALENTINE'S GIFT."
"oh yeah? well, i'm glad you're using it!" Daemon put the coffee on and settled in to try a bite. He let out a pleased sigh after the first taste. "it's so yummy! you did really great!"
Berry purred louder at the praise. "I'M SO HAPPY YOU BOTH LIKE IT!" He watched them both eat a few more bites. His eyelights were in the shape of stars as the omega in him basked in the sight of them enjoying something he had made. Being able to nurture his family with delicious food was wonderful.
Berry wondered if Howl felt this accomplished when he fed them a meal? He looked down at his own forgotten food and took up his fork. ‘I CAN MAKE THEM SOMETHING ELSE IF THEY ARE STILL HUNGRY,' he told himself. 'WE HAVE PLENTY OF FOOD.'
Berry took a bite and moaned. His eyelights turned back into stars. It was delicious.and full of a loving nurturing intent. Perfect to warm you up on a cold morning. He smiled at them. "I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE I MADE THIS," he said in disbelief.
They both paused as Berry tried a bite and smiled at his reaction. "you did great!" Daemon assured.
"YES, YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD."
It was only after they had all finished eating, when they were cleaning up the plates afterwards, that Howl spoke of the day's plans.
"TODAY, BEFORE THERAPY, I WANT TO TAKE THE COLLARS WE MADE TO THE RESCUED SULLY."
Berry nodded in agreement. "THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. LET ME TAKE A QUICK SHOWER AND CHANGE." He grabbed the cook book and doll. "I'LL MAKE IT VERY FAST." He was looking forward to helping pass them out and hoping it offered his peers comfort that the cloth gave him.
"OF COURSE. NO NEED TO RUSH, THOUGH. CLEANLINESS IS IMPORTANT." Howl nodded. "OH, AND I FINISHED THE DOLLS OF YOU AND DAEMON. YOU TWO JUST HAVE TO PUT YOUR MAGIC INTO THEM FOR ME. THAT CAN BE LATER."
"ALRIGHT," Berry agreed. He hugged the Howl doll delightedly. "THANK YOU, ANGEL." He hurried off to get ready.
Howl felt warm as Berry hugged the doll.
"master, may i?" Daemon held out his hands, and Howl gave him the doll of himself. Daemon purred and nuzzled it, his hands glowing green as he started to pump warm, loving intent into it. He did so the whole time Berry was showering.
Once Berry deemed himself squeaky clean he put on overalls and a blue shirt before clasping his bandana proudly in place, covering the sully one. He came back into the living room. "I'M READY."
"GOOD. LET'S GET GOING, THEN." Howl put the leash on Daemon, who gave one last little pump of magic into the doll before giving it back. Howl took it carefully, then gave it a little hug, making Daemon blush and smile.
Berry purred and pulled out his phone and took a picture. "IT LOOKS AMAZING. YOU'RE SO TALENTED, HOWL."
"THANK YOU, KITTEN. OFF WE GO." He put the doll aside, then held out his hand for Berry to take.
Berry put his phone away and took Howl's hand in his, pulling it up and placing a feather light kiss on his knuckles.
He held on a little tighter, squeezing gently. Daemon smiled, then ported them. They arrived just outside the housing that the Lust had vacated and the Sully were now living in.
The building was a large old hotel, 5 stories tall. It was a little rundown, but still nice. There was a wall around it and a courtyard area with flowers and trees. The first floor of the hotel was a grand open area with seating and tables scattered around like little living room areas, but off to one side there were toys set up for children. There were a few banquet rooms on the sides set up as eating areas.
The humans had donated it to monsterkind when the Tales first came up. It had been abandoned and very dilapidated, but the monsters had repaired it, and as the others came up, it had been used to house them until permanent housing had been found or made.
Berry looked up at the building. He had never been here before, as he didn't get to go to the surface until after the other Swaps. "WOWIE, IT’S REALLY BIG."
"SO IT IS." Howl nodded as he looked up at it. "WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COLLARS FOR EVERYONE YET, BUT WE CAN ASK EVERYONE WE FIND."
He glanced off to the side with a frown. There was a TV station van parked off to the side, and it looked to be the Fellswap one. He tugged his gloves, wondering if he'd have to kick robot ass for harassing newly-freed monsters. "LET'S GO IN."
"WE WILL KEEP WORKING IT," Berry agreed, determined. He followed Howl's eyelights and saw the truck and wondered what the robot was going to do. He followed his datemates into the building.
As they got inside, there was the robot himself. Giga had a yellow visor over his robotic eyes, a police-style cap, yellow and red mismatched gloves and heels, and a dark cloak. He was deadpan as he had his mic shoved in front of a shaking, terrified blue gecko monster. His voice was cold and robotic, even more so than that of his counterparts, as he asked, "well I don't have all day, are you going to tell me or not?"
Howl and Daemon both bristled. Daemon started forward, but Howl tugged his leash. "CALM, PUPPY."
Berry was in shock. This robot was so different from Derby. He understood how scared the poor gecko was. He wanted to do or say something, but was not sure what to do. He wasn't used to having a say in things. He gripped onto his courage that had built up over the time with his mates believing they would keep him safe. "PLEASE STOP..."
Howl was tugging his gloves again, preparing to go right over there, but then paused at Berry's words, looking at him in surprise.
Giga snapped his head to the side, looking over at Berry. He reached back to beckon his cameraman, a nervous weasel, and came over with his mic in hand. The gecko slumped in relief and started to slink away, turning yellow.
"Is there a reason you are interrupting my very important work?" Giga asked coolly.
Berry watched the scared monster leave without a fuss. That helped ease some of his own fear in having the superstar’s attention. He crept behind Howl a bit and to Daemon's side. "THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TALK."
Giga tilted his head. It was impossible to tell exactly which face he was looking at behind his visor, he could be scanning all three of them. "The masses need to know the answers to my questions. 'Want' is irrelevant to ‘need.’"
Berry wanted to argue, but was intimidated by the robot and years of submitting. He bowed his head and hid it in Daemon's side.
Daemon put an arm around him. "it's okay, berry, you did good," he murmured.
Berry kept his face hidden on Daemon's side. The praise helped to settle the uneasiness that had built in his soul. He breathed in the safe smokey scent of his lover. He trusted them to keep him safe. He also had faith in Howl's ability to get Giga to stop.
"Thank you," he whispered to Daemon.
"WANT IS NEVER IRRELEVANT TO NEED, AND YOU KNOW IT," Howl said, his tone sharp. "DON'T PRETEND YOU'RE FOLLOWING ORDERS BLINDLY LIKE THIS IS THE UNDERGROUND."
"I am following orders.” Giga tilted his head at Howl, holding the mic out to him instead. “The public needs to be informed of the crisis in order to protest. Propaganda and lies need to be stopped. You said those things yourself."
Howl pinched above his nasal cavity. "THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPREADING LIES AND GIVING TRAUMA VICTIMS THE ABILITY TO COME FORWARD ON THEIR OWN TERMS."
"Is there?"
"YES!"
Giga didn’t move back, still holding the mic out with his head tilted. "Explain the difference."
"SPREADING LIES IS INTENTIONAL AND HARMFUL. IT IS DECEIT FOR THE PURPOSES OF SOME SORT OF POWER GAIN. YOU LIE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THE TRUTH. BUT STEPPING BACK AND ALLOWING THOSE TRAUMATIZED TO APPROACH ON THEIR OWN TERMS IS NOT HIDING THE TRUTH, IT IS PRIORITIZING THE COMFORT OF THE TRUTH-TELLER, WHICH IS VITALLY IMPORTANT. TRAUMA VICTIMS NEED COMFORT, SAFETY, AND SUPPORT. BEING HARASSED CAN HARM OR TRAUMATIZE THEM FURTHER. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SANITARIUM, YES, BUT THERE ARE ALREADY WHAT ACCOUNTS WE CAN GIVE DOCUMENTED AND GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT IS ENOUGH FOR NOW. INSTEAD OF FORCING THE SULLY TO SAY ANYTHING, BOTHERING THEM IN THIS SAFE PLACE, WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING THEM WITH EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO RECOVER. REST, FOOD, CLOTHES, MEDICAL ATTENTION, AND REASSURANCE. AS THEIR CONDITIONS IMPROVE, SOME WILL BECOME MORE WILLING TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM. BUT IT IS NEVER A REQUIREMENT. <em>EVER</em>."
Giga made a whirring sound, then pulled the microphone back to himself. "That is an acceptable answer. Good. Cut." He gestured, and the camera turned off. The weasel lowered the camera slowly.
"A-are we done already...?"
"For now." Gige pulled off his visor, blue mechanical eyes glancing at Berry. "You've got guts, kid. Didn't follow through, though."
"LEAVE HIM ALONE," Howl said, sharper.
Berry glanced up at Giga, but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what to expect or what consequences awaited him for talking back.
Giga held up a hand. "It was a compliment. The first part, anyway."
Howl pulled off one cotton glove and held up his claws. "GO FIND A STORY SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND IF I WERE YOU, I'D AVOID DERBY, I'M SURE HE'S EVEN MORE ANGRY THAN I AM RIGHT NOW."
Giga laughed robotically. "You don't scare me, Captain." He put his visor back on and his smile vanished. "Time to depart." He headed back out to his van, the cameraman scurrying behind.
Howl put his glove back on with a sigh. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT, BERRY?"
Berry nodded, watching the robot leave. "I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO DO," he confessed.
"you did enough," Daemon promised.
"YOU DID. YOU GOT HIS ATTENTION AWAY FROM THAT OTHER MONSTER." Howl shook his head. "HE'S... ODD. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL OF HIS ORDERS WERE UNDERGROUND, BUT HE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THEM TO THE T. HE'S VERY SERIOUS AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WHEN HE'S IN NEWS MODE. ALL HE CARED ABOUT WAS GETTING A STORY TO REPORT ON."
Berry blushed at the praise and gained some confidence. Howl's description made him curious. "WHO GIVES HIM ORDERS?"
"UNDERGROUND, IT WAS THE QUEEN," he said. "HE HAD ORDERS TO SPREAD HER PROPAGANDA ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR AFFAIRS AND HER POWER. HE WOULD PUT ON SHOWS ABOUT HER MIGHT AND PROWESS, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO TRAITORS AND THE LIKE. GLORIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS OF WHAT SHE WOULD DO TO THE HUMANS WHO DARED ENSLAVE US. THINGS LIKE THAT. HE WOULD PAY PEOPLE TO SAY WHAT HE WANTED THEM TO SAY, AND IF THEY TRIED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HER IN ANY FASHION WHILE HIS CAMERAS WERE ROLLING, THEY WOULD DIE QUICKLY."
Daemon nuzzled Berry. "i don't think he wanted to, though. he didn't have much of a choice. he was happy when we got free to report on true things instead."
Berry nodded. He hoped that was the cause, "IS GIGA INDEPENDENT NOW?"
"AS FAR AS I KNOW, YES. I DON'T KNOW WHY HE SAID HE WAS FOLLOWING ORDERS NOW. IT'S POSSIBLE SOMEONE ONLY ASKED HIM TO REPORT ON IT. MAYBE DERBY ASKED FOR HELP FROM ALL OF THEM IN COVERING SO MANY THINGS, AND HE MISINTERPRETED."
"MAYBE." Berry tried to push the worry away. "THANK YOU BOTH FOR PROTECTING ME." He pulled Daemon down gently and gave him a kiss. He held his hand out to Howl an offer of touch if he was willing.
Daemon purred into the kiss, holding him gently. Howl squeezed his hand.
"ALWAYS, BERRY."
"mhm... we love you." Daemon smiled.
"I LOVE YOU BOTH, TOO." Berry squeezed Howl's hand. "LET’S OFFER SOME COLLARS."
"RIGHT, YES." Howl nodded and led the way further inside. It might have been easier to make a speech to everyone, but he understood that some were trying to be out and about and some were too scared to come out of their rooms. So instead, he tried to find little groups if he could, so three people weren't cornering one scared person at a time.
Berry followed Howl, a kind and understanding smile on his face as they walked up to a group of sully. There was a deer girl who was missing part of her leg. She was sitting with a cat monster who was holding a baby who looked a few weeks old and the gecko from earlier.
The gecko waved shyly to them. "Th-thank you."
"HELLO." Howl dipped his head to all of them. "IT WAS NO TROUBLE, I'M SORRY THAT HE WAS BOTHERING YOU. ARE YOU ALL ALRIGHT?" His gaze went to the baby, so tiny. About Pucci's size.
"Th-thank you. N-no, they didn't touch me," the gecko said, almost amazed.
Berry smiled, "NO ONE WILL TOUCH YOU WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.”
"BERRY IS RIGHT. NEVER AGAIN." Howl nodded.
The gecko looked unsure.
The cat monster cuddled the baby, holding them closely, afraid someone might take them from her again. When she looked up at the newcomers, she asked quietly, "do you know a skeleton named Vex?"
Daemon's eyelights were all soft as he looked at the little baby kitten. "yeah, we know him. why?"
"He saved me." She smiled, talking softly. "And had them give me back my baby. Please tell him thank you."
The deer looked up at them. "Vex kept his word. No one here has hurt us or has taken us for tests yet."
Daemon looked happy at that. "he got your baby back to you? wow! yeah, i can text him right now, if you want!" He pulled out his phone.
She smiled and nuzzled her baby, "thank you."
Daemon sent a quick text to Vex telling him a cat Sully had gotten her baby and wanted to thank him. Vex’s response was one of relief and well-wishing.
Howl looked the gecko over, then pulled out one of the bandanas and started to explain about the collar law.
The deer and gecko listened to Howl talk. They asked why it would work and Berry showed them his matching black Sully collar. He explained he had been a lifer too, but his family found him, and then Howl saved him from going back after the assault.
The gecko monster changed colors back to its native green, as he didnt feel the need to hide and try and blend in. He reached out with a trembling hand and accepted the collar from Howl.
The deer girl looked torn. "I want to be safe. I want one, but I'm scared."
Howl smiled as the gecko monster took the collar. "DON'T WORRY, YOU'LL BE SAFE NOW. I PROMISE YOU." He then turned to the deer girl. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ONE NOW, OF COURSE, OR EVER. YOU COULD WAIT A LITTLE WHILE, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH YOUR FRIENDS HERE. THEN, IF YOU EVER WANT ONE, YOU CAN CALL ME. I'LL GIVE YOU MY NUMBER."
"May we have your names?" Berry asked everyone.
The gecko put the bandana around his neck. "Thank you. My name is Ko."
The deer monster nodded as she pulled her hurt leg up close to her. She didn't want to be tested on, but was scared of the unknown. "My name is Noelle, this is Cleo."
"IT'S NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU," Howl said. "I WILL COME CHECK ON YOU WHENEVER I CAN. FOR NOW, THE SULLY MUST STAY HERE, BUT SOON, HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN ALL LIVE WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE."
Ko and Noelle nodded and thanked him again for coming to talk with them.
The cat asked, "can Vex collar me? He was very brave and promised to keep us safe." The baby was purring happily in her arms.
At her question, Daemon hummed and called Vex. "hey, vex, someone wants to talk to you." He put the phone on speaker and held it out to the cat. "here you go~"
"YES? WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO ME?" Vex asked through the phone.
The cat monster smiled a big happy smile. "Hello, Vex. I'm the Sully you rescued. My name is Cleo. Thank you so so much for keeping your word and letting me have my baby. Howl was telling us about the collar laws."
Vex was surprised. "OH, IT'S YOU. WELL, OF COURSE, I PROMISED YOU THAT I WOULD GET THEM BACK TO YOU IF I COULD. I KEEP MY PROMISES."
She held the baby close to her soul. “Could you...." Her voice was soft. "Could you collar my baby and I? I know you'll keep your word if you do."
He was quiet a moment. "YOU... WANT ME TO DO IT? THAT'S A VERY HIGH HONOR... I WOULD BE GLAD TO. CLEO, I HAVE A BABY AS WELL. PERHAPS I COULD COME SEE YOU THERE AND BRING THEM, AND OUR CHILDREN COULD BECOME FRIENDS?"
"Thank you Vex. Please bring them and your mate. I would love to meet them and let our children become friends."
"AH..." He faltered. "I AM NOT SURE. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO. MEET MY MATE."
Why?" she asked, concerned and curious. She thought, 'Vex’s mate must be as amazing as himself.’
"I DON'T... UM." He sounded pained. "I DON'T THINK YOU'LL... I THINK HE MIGHT... MAKE YOU UNEASY."
She held her baby tighter. They let out a small whine, and she forced herself to loosen her grip. "Are they a mean person?"
"NO! NO, NOT AT ALL. HE'S A VERY KIND PERSON." He sighed. "BUT HE'S. ALSO A SWAP CITIZEN, AND..."
Daemon frowned. "um, miss, could i ask you something? when did you get sent into the sanitarium?"
She frowned. "It must have been.... a little over a year ago. My family didn't want to claim me or my child. I became a lifer just a while ago."
"I'M SORRY TO HEAR IT," Vex said.
"are you mad at the judge?" Daemon asked.
Fear gripped her soul thinking of the one monster that condemned her. Sure, he looked sad as the queen sentenced her, but he gave the queen the okay to have her taken to hell. Cleo nodded, shaking. The baby started to cry because of their parent’s distress.
Daemon nodded sadly. "it's okay, i understand."
Vex sighed again. "IN ANY CASE... I WILL COME TO SEE YOU, AND I WILL BRING THE BABY. AND I WOULD LOVE TO OWN YOUR COLLAR."
"Thank you, Vex. I trust you to keep me and my baby safe."
Berry squeezed his collar. He was torn. He was intimately afraid of the judge. He couldn’t blame her. But he couldn't let the monsters think about his kind baby bro like that, either. "STRETCH IS--"
Before he could get any further, Daemon's free hand shot out and pressed over Berry's mouth. He shook his head with a frown.
Berry frowned, but relented to his mate.
"YOU'RE WELCOME," Vex said through the phone. "I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MEETING. WHAT IS YOUR BABY'S NAME?"
"Her name is Jiji." Cleo rocked her, trying to calm both herself and them. Luckily, she seemed too wrapped up in tending to her baby and listening to Vex to notice the disruption.
Daemon let go after a moment and rubbed Berry’s shoulder gently. Hopefully, that would suffice as an apology for having to stop him so suddenly.
"I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING JIJI TOO, THEN. MY CHILD’S NAME IS PUCCI. I'D LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THEM BOTH AND SWAP STORIES, BUT I HAVE TO GO FOR NOW, AS I AM AT WORK.” Vex said.
"Okay Vex. Is it alright for Daemon to give me your number?"
"OF COURSE. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME. I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I CAN." He hung up. Daemon showed the number to her to write down.
Ko got a paper and a pencil for her, and one for himself. "Howl, may I have your number too? In case I need you?"
"OF COURSE YOU MAY." Howl provided his own number to the gecko. "HOPEFULLY, SOON, ALL OF YOU CAN HAVE CELL PHONES AS WELL. I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT."
"Thank you," Ko said. "There is a landline here they let us use if we have a family to call."
"GOOD, THAT WILL DO FOR NOW. I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ABOUT CELL PHONES." Howl nodded.
"Did others get their babies back too?" Daemon asked curiously.
Cleo nodded. "There are a handful of babies. There are older children who found their parents too."
Daemon smiled. "that's great! how'd they get here? someone went to the orphanage? do you know if there is any sully still missing their child?"
"Queen Mary brought them earlier this morning,” she said with great adoration and respect as she thought of the Lust Queen. "You would have to ask her."
"wow, really? okay, i'll ask her! she left already?"
"She left just a little bit ago," Cleo said. The baby started to whine and wiggle.
Noelle reached over and pulled a bottle out of a bag of supplies next to them. "maybe they're getting hungry."
"oh, okay. maybe we'll see her next time." Daemon nodded.
Howl watched the baby, tugging his gloves a little. "WE SHOULD BE ON OUR WAY, THEN. IT WAS NICE TO MEET YOU THREE. I HAVE OTHER COLLARS I HOPE TO GIVE OUT."
Berry watched Cleo and her baby a few more moments. He felt bad not defending Stretch, but Daemon was right in making him be quiet. Cleo didn't need more stress. He took Daemon's hand.
They said their goodbyes, then continued going around and talking to the small groups that had formed, telling them of the law and the safety they were offering. A few more Sully took collars, but most were nervous about it.
By the time that Howl, Daemon and Berry got ready to leave, Berry was sure the Sully would talk with each other, and maybe some of the ones who took them would convince the others too. He felt very accomplished. Cuddling into Daemon, he said to his lovers. "THIS WENT REALLY WELL TODAY."
Howl counted out how many collars he had left, then nodded, pleased. "YES, VERY WELL INDEED. YOU DID WONDERFUL, BOTH OF YOU. LET'S GO GET READY FOR THERAPY, THEN." He took their hands, squeezing gently. Daemon beamed and nuzzled Berry before porting them away.
Notes:
Chapter summary: The trio attend Derby's first group therapy. Scarf Mouse attends with Jester, and a few other Sully and a few victims from Lust. Berry speaks about how he was protected and is recovering with the help of his loved ones, and Howl mentions his own trauma before offering the Sully bandana collars. He explains the collar laws and answers a few questions for Jester, who approves, so Scarf Mouse takes a collar. He says it was Berry's bravery that made him feel he could be brave too. That evening, Scarf Mouse willingly gets interviewed by Derby and MTT about what happened in the Sanitarium, his account being broadcast on the news, making the trio hopeful that more people will start to believe them. Howl talks about how he executed the Bloody Red Queen without gaining any LV by using a long fuse and walking away.
The next morning, Berry makes breakfast all by himself using the cookbook Daemon bought for him. He makes a delicious egg dish, and the Fellswaps are very proud of him. Howl mentions he's finished knitting the dolls of Daemon and Berry, and gives Daemon his to put magic in while Berry showers to get ready to go meet the rescued Sully.
They go to a large repurposed hotel to see the Sully where they're being kept, and see the TV van of Giga, the Fellswap robot. Giga is harassing a gecko trying to get information about the Sanitarium. Berry is afraid, but asks him to stop, prompting him to come over and leave the gecko alone to question them. Berry's courage fades and he hides while Howl reprimands Giga. Giga mentions the truth is important and must be found, but Howl scolds him and says it can't be at the expense of people's safety. Giga accepts this answer and leaves. Howl tells Berry about how Giga used to need to air the Bloody Red Queen's propaganda 24/7 and promote her lies and kill people who tried to speak out against her on his show, so he might have gone to the extreme about freedom and the truth now that he was on the surface.
They then go talk to some Sully. They find the gecko from before, a hurt deer, and a cat holding a baby. The gecko accepts Howl's collar, but the deer, Noelle, is too afraid. The cat mentions that Vex saved her and made sure she got her baby back, so she'd like to be in his collar. Daemon calls Vex, and Vex agrees to collar her. He mentions he has a child, and would like them to meet. The cat, Cleo, agrees to this and asks to meet Vex's mate too. Vex nervously dances around saying she might not want to meet him, unwilling to explain why. Daemon asks her if she's scared of the judge and can't forgive him, to which she responds in the affirmative, because even if the Judge looked sad as he sentenced her, he still did it. Vex dodges answering further and assures her he'll come to see her and her baby with his own. Berry attempts to reveal the truth about Stretch to defend his baby brother, but Daemon stops him physically. Cleo mentions the Lust queen got other Sully their children back, and may come back if she finds any more. With the agreement that Vex will collar Cleo and meet her baby with Pucci, the three go on and collar a few other Sully who agree to it before heading home, feeling accomplished.
Chapter 28: My Heart is Full and My Door's Always Open
Summary:
In which there is lots of talk about boys.
Notes:
Hi everyone!
I hope you like this chapter it was a ton of fun to write. Leave a comment letting us know your favorite studio ghibli film and what you thought of this chapter.
Chapter tags: magic failure, therapy, discussion of trying to try sex after trauma, medical equipment and associated trauma, gossip and discussion of trying sexual things, being dizzy after a medical procedure.
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Before they went to therapy, there was a few minutes to themselves. “HERE, BERRY.” Howl handed over the Berry doll to him, delicate with the soft stuffed toy. “YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD YOUR MAGIC TO IT. WARM, LOVING INTENT, LIKE WHAT I PUT IN YOUR COLLAR.”
Berry pulled the doll close, hugging it with a sad frown. "IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK." He called out for the magic to come to him and tried to push it into the doll, and…
His hand didn't even flicker.
"IT DIDN'T WORK." He wasn't surprised, but it still hurt. Tears pricked his sockets in frustration. He took a deep breath and cuddled with the doll. He nuzzled it, trying to get his scent on it.
"OH... I'M SORRY, BERRY." Howl reached out to gently put his hand on the doll. "MAYBE AFTER THE MAGIC FILTERING TOMORROW, IT WILL WORK? IS IT OKAY TO WAIT UNTIL THEN? DON'T CRY, KITTEN."
Berry took another deep breath and nodded. "ALRIGHT." He hoped it would work, as he didn't want the doll to be broken like him.
“ALRIGHT,” he repeated. “SOON. UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN HOLD ONTO IT, IF YOU WISH, OR I CAN KEEP IT.” He petted the doll again gently.
"I'll keep it and sleep with it tonight so it smells like me." It would be better than nothing if Berry's magic didn't come back.
Howl smiled at that. "THAT SOUNDS NICE, YES. ALRIGHT. LET'S GO GET READY FOR THERAPY." He gave Berry a gentle cheek kiss.
Soon enough, they arrived into the waiting room of Ms. Candy’s office. Berry went and got the forms and pens for them. "Here you go, loves." He passed them out and sat next to Daemon.
"THANK YOU." Howl filled out his paperwork carefully. He was regretful that some of the 'bad' questions had been higher this week, with everything going on. But hopefully, he was still on an upward trend. Daemon looked at his paper curiously. He hadn't had to fill one out the other times. He did his best, tapping the pen to his chin and thinking hard before circling each answer.
Berry looked at everything that had happened this last week. It felt like a rollercoaster. He thought, ‘HAS IT REALLY ONLY BEEN A WEEK?'
Family game night and Howl's breakdown made him sad. Bring Judged had him hurt, and made him angry. The Sanitarium being cleared out had him delighted. The group therapy and Mousey had feeling proud. And there was the fact he could touch and use blankets. The week had started out hard, but gotten better when he stopped and reflected on it. He circled his answers and collected his datemates' papers to turn them all in together once they were done.
Soon after everything was turned in and processed, they were ushered into Ms. Candy's office. The licorice woman was frowning a bit as she shuffled through the papers.
"It looks like it's been a rough week…” she observed. “With everything going on in the news, I'm not surprised."
Berry nodded. "YEAH, IT STARTED OUT HARD FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT’S BEEN GETTING BETTER.."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it. The Lust monsters surfacing caused quite a stir. How did you all handle that?" she asked.
"I WAS CONCERNED AT FIRST," Howl admitted. "BUT WE BEFRIENDED THEIR RESIDENT SKELETONS, AND THE ROBOT. THEY SEEM RELIABLE AND GENUINE."
"That's good. More friends are always something to celebrate." She nodded.
"THEY ARE REALLY NICE,” Berry added. “I MET JACK ROSE AND TAI WHILE DRESS SHOPPING WITH MY BROTHER-IN-LAW. I INVITED THEM TO FAMILY GAME NIGHT AND TAI BROUGHT DERBY."
"yeah, it was really nice! except, um..." Daemon glanced at Howl, who sighed.
"I HAD AN... EPISODE."
Candy frowned. "An episode?"
"YES. OR A PTSD ATTACK. WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO CALL IT. THE BABY WAS BEING FUSSY AND VEX SAID... SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HARMLESS. BUT I HAD A REACTION."
"a pretty bad one," Daemon said quietly, nodding.
"WE TRIED TO GIVE HOWL SUPPORT," Berry said truthfully, "BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW REALLY HOW TO." He shook his head remembering the music. "I'M WRONG, DAEMON DID. HE HELPED HOWL A LOT."
Howl frowned. "YOU TRIED YOUR BEST. THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO."
"Yes, he's right,” Candy said. “Support is the best thing to offer. And now maybe you have a better idea for next time, right? It's possible that PTSD attacks never completely go away, but there are many methods to ease out of one. For example, grounding yourself in the real world. Some hold ice cubes, focusing on the extreme cold to return to reality. Others count things. One method like that is the 5-4-3-2-1. Five things you can hear, four things you can see, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. These exercises remind you what your surroundings and situation are, which can ease the panic or dissociation."
Howl nodded thoughtfully. Those were good ideas.
Berry nodded too. He did learn that music seemed to help Howl. "I DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT A LOT WHEN I START GETTING LOST IN THE PAST. I TRY TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE ABOUT NOW AND THEN. WHEN I TRIED THAT TO HELP.... IT DIDN'T GO WELL." Berry remembered Howl in tears asking him to stop.
"I TOLD YOU, BERRY," Howl said gently. "IT WASN'T THAT PART THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH. IT WAS THE PRAISE."
Candy nodded. "Triggers can be tricky, and sometimes, we are more sensitive than others. It's good you tried, and comparisons may help in the future if you are careful. But physical sensations often help more to get someone out of a flashback."
Berry nodded, trying to make himself remember that. "I'LL DO MY BEST TO REMEMBER. I WANT TO HELP YOU, ANGEL."
"I KNOW. I APPRECIATE IT." He took Berry's hand to squeeze gently.
Candy nodded. "You seem to be handling physical touch better."
"THE EMDR HAS HELPED GREATLY."
Berry squeezed Howl’s hand. These little things helped greatly. Berry felt better and maybe even useful to Howl. "EMDR HAS WORKED REALLY WELL. HOWL’S BEEN TOUCHING A LOT MORE." A large love-filled smile was on Berry's face. "I ALSO GO AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE BLANKETS, AND I SAT ON THE BED WITHOUT PAIN."
"Really?" She smiled. "I'm so glad to hear it. Maybe soon you'll be able to sleep through the night on one. You're both making lots of progress. You should be proud."
Berry blushed and squeezed Howl's hand. "THANK YOU. DAEMON HAS BEEN DOING WELL TOO. HE BEEN ASKING MORE."
"Oh yes?" She turned to look at Daemon next. "And you haven't been hurting yourself, right?"
"no ma'am," he said with a shy smile. "i've been a good boy."
"I'm glad to hear it. Of course, you are a good person either way, but hurting yourself... Well, it hurts you more than physically."
"yeah, you're right. i'm glad i can just ask for hand-holding instead. and hug this!" He pulled out the Howl doll to snuggle.
Berry smiled at how cute his datemate looked hugging the doll. "THE DOLLS WERE HOWL'S IDEA. HE MADE THEM. THEY’RE SOOO CUTE AND WARM AND FILLED WITH HIS LOVELY MAGIC AND SCENT." Berry rubbed his fingers across his shorter lover's knuckles.
"That's a wonderful idea," Candy agreed, nodding. "That mimics healing magic a little."
"YES, AND I MADE ONE OF EACH OF THEM AS WELL." Howl gestured with his free hand, the other one remaining in Berry's grasp. "FOR THEM TO BOTH PUT MAGIC IN SO I CAN TOUCH THEM."
"That's great! You're all making progress despite the busy week."
Berry flushed a bit from the praise. "THANK YOU. WE’RE WORKING VERY HARD." He squeezed Howl's hand. "ALSO, I HAD... I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD CALL IT AN EPISODE? I WAS JUDGED BY THE TALE AND LUST MONSTERS’ JUDGES. THEY FOUND ME INNOCENT. MY QUEEN OFFERED TO LET OUR JUDGE TO RETRY MY CASE." Frustrated tears pricked his sockets. His anger rose a bit as he remembered it. "AND WE KNEW I WOULD BE.. GUILTY. IT'S SO UNFAIR! I WAS SO MAD. I... PUNCHED THE WALL."
Candy nodded, her expression turning solemn again. "That seems like quite a dirty trick... I'm sorry that happened, Berry. I wish you wouldn't punch things, though. Like I said, hurting yourself hurts more than physically. And it hurts your loved ones, too."
"THAT MAY BE," Howl acknowledged, "BUT I FIND IT PROGRESS THAT HE'S ANGRY. ANGER IS BETTER THAN FEAR."
Candy hummed. "It can be... But you must be careful what you physically do with anger. It could cause much grief. Maybe if you really feel the need to punch things, you could do it to something soft that won't hurt your hand, like a pillow?"
Berry nodded. "HOWL AND DAEMON HELPED ME CHANNEL THE ANGER INTO HELPING THE OTHER SULLY. WE MADE THEM BANDANAS LIKE MINE. WE WERE PASSING THEM OUT AT THE GROUP COUNSELING AND VISITING THE PLACE THE SULLY ARE BEING SHELTERED."
"That's an excellent way to channel that energy." She nodded with a smile. "So what is the next step you want to take, Berry?"
"I WANT TO KEEP GETTING BETTER AND SLEEPING A BED AND..." He blushed and looked at Howl's hand, not sure he wanted to bring this up and upset him. "IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SOMETHING IN PRIVATE BEFORE WE LEAVE."
"That's a wonderful goal... Oh? Well of course you can."
Howl squeezed Berry's hand gently. "WE CAN WAIT OUT IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU'RE NOT EMBARRASSED ABOUT SOMETHING, THOUGH?"
"NO," he replied quietly, "I'M JUST... NOT SURE." He didn't want to bring it up yet if it was going to hurt anyone, and he wasn't too sure himself.
"THAT'S ALRIGHT, THEN. WHATEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH."
He squeezed Howl's hand, grateful. "THANK YOU."
"OF COURSE, KITTEN."
After a few more loose ends to discuss about their week, Daemon and Howl went to wait outside for Berry. Candy watched them go, then turned to give Berry a patient smile.
"What would you like to talk about?"
Berry played with his bandana nervously. "THIS WEEKEND, I FOUND OUT THE LUST MONSTERS NEED SEX." He took a deep breath. "I ASKED WHY THEY WANT TO BE HURT ALL THE TIME. THEY SAID SEX IS SUPPOSED TO FEEL GOOD,” he said, not sure if he believed it. It had always been a violent and painful experience. Something to be scared of. He took a few more deep, calming breaths. "THEY SAID IT SHOULD FEEL GOOD AND MAKE YOU HAPPY. IS... IS THAT TRUE?" He didn't think they were lying. Movies and shows always made it seem good too.
She looked surprised again, then thoughtful. "If all of your would-be intimate experiences have been so terrible, it's not surprising you thought sex always hurts... But that isn't the case. Safe, consensual sex does feel good and makes people happy. It may not always be like how movies or books make it out to be, as they often exaggerate, but if everyone involved wants it, and if proper precautions are taken, it can be not only fun, but make people feel much closer. Some people have casual sex, or sex with people they aren't romantically involved in. Some people only have sex with romantic partners. Either one is okay and good if all the people involved consent."
Berry thought hard about that. "WHEN I'M ALONE WITH DAEMON AND WE KISS, IT FEELS GOOD AND WONDERFUL AND SAFE. I WANT HIM TO TOUCH ME MORE AT THESE TIMES, BUT IT’S ALWAYS BEEN BAD... PAINFUL.. WE STOP BECAUSE I'M SCARED EVEN WHEN HE PROMISED TO NEVER HURT ME. SO HE HOLDS ME WHILE I TEMPT HIM AND IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE HELD, BUT I’M SO SCARED OF WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT STEP." He looked up at her. "I'M SCARED OF SUMMONING MY ECTO. IT ONLY RESULTS IN PAIN," he admitted. "WHAT DO I DO?"
She rummaged around in her desk, then pulled out a pamphlet about how to practice safe, consensual sex. "It's alright to be scared, and I hope you know that you never have to have sex if you don't want to. Daemon would never make you, from what I know of him. But if you want to learn more about it, I have this booklet that you can take with you and read. You could also ask your new Lust friends for more information, if you'd like? And, of course, you should talk to Daemon too. Howl mentioned he's slept with Daemon a few times before, so I'm sure he already knows a little about how to act in bed with someone who is scared of being hurt again."
Berry nodded and took the pamphlet. "I WILL TALK WITH THEM. I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING WHEN I WASN'T SURE. IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO DAEMON OR HOWL. I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE A FAMILY ONE DAY," Berry said hopefully. "THEY WOULD BE WONDERFUL PARENTS. THEY ARE BOTH SO LOVING AND PROTECTIVE."
"You should always be open with your feelings, Berry. Even if you decide you don't want to have sex, talking with them about it is helpful. And I don't think either of them would feel upset if you express interest and then change your mind." She smiled. "I'm sure you'd make a wonderful parent as well."
He blushed, "THANK YOU, MS. CANDY. I'LL TALK WITH THEM AFTER I READ THIS." He put the paper in his pocket.
"Good. The one thing I don't advise is to look online indiscriminately... There is a lot of useful information online, but there is also a lot of, ah, inaccurate information, so when you look things up, try to make sure that they're trustworthy sources."
Berry nodded. "ALRIGHT." He decided he would ask Jack Rose about it. He got up and walked over to the door. "I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP."
"You're welcome. I'll see you next week, Berry." She waved goodbye.
Out in the waiting room, Daemon had taken one of the lollipops from a little bowl on the counter, unwrapping it happily to pop into his mouth. Howl waited patiently in a chair, his knitting out to work on another collar.
Berry walked up to his datemates. "THANK YOU FOR WAITING AND FOR LETTING ME TALK TO HER."
"OF COURSE, BERRY."
"everything okay?" Daemon snuggled him gently, then looked at the pamphlet peeking out of Berry’s pocket. "what's this?"
"SOMETHING SHE GAVE ME TO READ." Berry replied. He tucked it further inside, then cuddled Daemon happily. "I'LL TALK WITH YOU TWO ONCE I READ IT, OKAY?" He asked.
"oh, okay." He kissed Berry's cheek gently. "ready to go home, then?"
Berry turned his head and kissed him gently then said, "YES."
"alright, let's go home, then." He looked to Howl, who delicately put the knitting back and stood up. He took Daemon's leash, and they all ported back.
The next day, Red picked up Berry to bring over to his place. Jack Rose was there, sitting on an armchair with a small mass of red fabric around him, and Red's wedding dress. He looked up with a smile.
"hello, sweetie. don't mind me. i'm just getting some sewing done. your dress is coming along nicely."
"sansy's hanging out with his bro," Red said, "so it's a perfect time to work on the dress. he's not allowed to see it 'til the wedding day, of course."
Berry smiled happily seeing the other skeleton; it was a serendipitous event. "HELLO, JACK ROSE. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE ALTERATIONS. I'M SURE THEY WILL LOOK WONDERFUL. SANS HASN'T TRIED TO PEEK HAS HE?"
He shook his head. "not that i know of, no."
"he promised me he wouldn't," Red said, heading for the kitchen. "you want a drink, berry? you should be nice and hydrated before we start."
"OKAY, I'LL TAKE SOME MILK PLEASE."
"sure thing." Red went inside the kitchen to grab it. "what do you want, jay?"
"mayo, please!"
Berry took a seat next to Jack Rose. He reached up and played with his bandana. He had on his extra soft gloves Howl had made him as well. "MAY I ASK YOU FOR ADVICE OF A PERSONAL NATURE?"
He carefully started on another strip of red. He was artfully folding the fabric into flowers. "advice? sure, sweetie, though i'm not sure how much help i can be."
Berry sat down. "I’VE BEEN TRAINED THAT IT'S BAD TO FEEL SAFE AND LOVED, ESPECIALLY IN A LOVER’S ARMS. IT'S TEMPTING AND I SHOULD STOP AND BE PUNISHED." He closed his sockets and took a deep breath while his hands came up to pet his bandana. The soft wonderful gloves worrying the equally soft material had a soothing effect. A bit more centered, he continued. "BUT DAEMON AND HOWL HAVE WORKED LITTLE BY LITTLE, MAKING ME FEEL IT’S OKAY TO BE HELD AND LOVED." He wrapped his arms around himself in a hug. "IT MAKES ME FEEL WARM, WONDERFUL, AND SAFE." ’Even if the voice yells at me, trying to make me remember how bad it is.’ He took another deep breath. "I USED TO FEEL KISSING WAS BAD TOO. BUT WE HAVE TAKEN IT SLOW ,AND NOW IT'S GOOD. EVEN IF FRENCH KISSING IS STILL SCARY, I FEEL THAT IT WILL GET BETTER LIKE HUGS DID." The horrible voice was yelling at him in the back of his mind. Filthy, horrible sully whore. Look at you, asking how to place yourself on display. You need another lesson.
Berry lowered his head in shame and tried to ignore it as he continued. "BUT I'M SCARED, THINKING ABOUT MY BODY BEING TOUCHED. ESPECIALLY MY ECTO. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN BAD AND PAINFULLY PUNISHED BY THE GUARDS.... USING ME…" He hugged himself tighter. "HOW CAN WE GO ABOUT MAKING IT NOT SO SCARY…?"
Jack Rose's expression fell as Berry explained. He paused in what he was doing to gently lay a hand on Berry's shoulder. "oh, sweetie, i understand being scared. you had awful things happen to you. you don't have to let anyone touch you like that, you know... i don't think either of them would try and touch your ecto without permission."
"THEY WOULDN'T. THEY’RE GOOD, PATIENT MATES,” he said, knowing in all his heart and soul it was true. "THEY WOULD NEVER HURT ME LIKE OTHERS DID." He shivered as memories of the brutality he had lived with tried to crawl out of the darkness of his mind. He took a few more deep breaths, trying to keep his courage. "WHEN I LAY WITH DAEMON AND HE HOLDS ME AND WE KISS..." He focused on that thought and the heavenly feeling that came with it. The spicy and smoky taste and the smile of Daemon. "IT'S WONDERFUL AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROGRESS. I WANT US TO HAVE A FAMILY ONE DAY EVEN IF I'M NOT THE ONE CARRYING. I WANT TO BE PART OF MAKING OF A WONDERFUL CHILD WITH BOTH OF THEM... HOW... HOW CAN I GET OVER THE FEAR AND BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH IT?"
"oh, i see..." He thought for a long moment, pulling his hand away to rub his chin. "well... i don't think you've ever masturbated, huh...?"
Berry blushed deeply. "ONLY ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE MY FIRST HEAT. THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO."
"oh, you have! so you at least know how to do it?" He smiled. "well, that's a start. you should try it again. you can take it slow, and since you're the only one involved, you can stop when it's too much."
Berry nodded thoughtfully.
Jack Rose nodded back. "then, if you think you can touch yourself and it's okay, you can graduate to maybe... doing it in the same room as them? if they want. to get used to their presence during. then you can graduate to letting them touch. little steps. and remember that you can have them stop any time you want."
“I WILL TRY, THEN…”
"hey, i dunno if i'm supposed to be privy to this conversation..." Red handed over the milk to Berry and the mayo to Jack Rose. "but if you're scared about physical pain when you summon, the filtering we're doing today should help. so now's a good time to think about it."
Berry looked over at Red. "I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE LIKE THE SAMPLE WHEN YOU TOOK IT WITH A NEEDLE FROM MY JOINT."
"well i'm kinda gonna do the same thing to your magic that i did then - filter it - but then i'm putting it back. it should remove some of that voice that's telling you things are bad. that will help, i'm sure."
"SO I HAVE TO HAVE IT SUMMONED FOR MY MAGIC TO GO BACK IN? HOPEFULLY THIS WORKS IN QUITTING THE VOICE." He wasn't sure if he could ignore the voice and memories while he actively engaged in touching himself like that. 'IF I CAN'T, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO BRING IT UP TO HOWL AND DAEMON,' Berry told himself.
"oh, no, no. you don't have to have it summoned." Red shook his head. "it can go through the joint. i'm just saying, once it gets filtered, it should be easy to summon without the pain or fear."
"right,” Jack Rose agreed. “and you're doing, um, therapy things, right? something special? i dunno the details. but you could bring that up."
"oh, the emdr," Red agreed with a nod.
It was like a light bulb went off in Berry's mind. He gripped his bandana tightly, "THE ONLY TIME I EVER REALLY SUMMON ECTO IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS..." It was hard to remember how many years it had been. "...IS WHEN I'M IN HEAT," he said, uncomfortable. "IT WAS TIMES WHEN THE OMEGA IN ME WANTED TO BE USED. TO BE BRED. BUT I DIDN'T WANT IT AND I DIDNT HAVE A CHOICE IN IT. I WAS TEMPTING THE GUARDS INTO USING ME AND BEING BAD. FAILING THE TEMPTATION TEST OVER AND OVER. ECTO MEANS IT'S TIME TO LOCK MYSELF AWAY AND HIDE." He wiped at his eyes. "I'LL ASK THE EMDR DOCTOR ABOUT IT. HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE WITH THEM, AND I THINK THEY WANT TO BE WITH ME. I LOVE THEM AND I WANT TO GIVE THEM MY ALL. SO," he asked hopefully, "IT WON'T BE THE SAME, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE LOVE EACH OTHER."
"you weren't tempting them," Red said, some measure of disgust in his voice. "heats are natural biological processes made for the purposes of continuing the species. yes, your pheromones were advertising the fact that you should be fertile - key words should be, because you were too terrified - but any alpha worth speaking of can keep their hands to their-fucking-self. it's alphas who can't fucking think in ruts, not the other way around. when i’m rutting, higher thinking is out the fucking window. but when i smell a fertile omega, i can think just fine, thanks.”
Jack Rose nodded solemnly. "you were being abused, you did nothing wrong. you can learn to take that association away."
Berry looked a little shocked by them saying that. So many years of being abused still made it hard to understand and accept that, but he was working on it. "HOWL AND DAEMON REMIND ME OF THAT AS WELL," he said with a nod. "THANK YOU BOTH. MAY I HUG YOU TWO?"
"aw, sure, berry." Red hugged him with a gentle squeeze, clapping his back gently. When he pulled back, Jack Rose hugged him gentler, careful, as if touching something fragile.
Berry hugged them both tight, then drank his milk and worked his bandana in his fingers, enjoying Howl's wonderful loving and nurturing magic. "I THINK I'M READY TO TRY THIS."
"alright. come on, then,” Red said. “you want jack rose to come too and keep talking? i know last time a distraction helped."
"YES PLEASE. IF YOU TWO DON’T MIND."
Jack Rose nodded and smiled. "of course, sweetie." He gathered up the dress carefully and put the extra fabric on top, then followed along as Red led the way upstairs into his office.
Red had put a comfy chair next to a big, complicated-looking machine. He tapped the side of it. "this is a modified design based off of a human plasmapheresis machine. it will take your magic and run it through all this stuff to purify it and remove the yucky bits. then, as the magic is filtered back in, it'll have traces of green magic to ease the process. it'll go in phases. take magic out for a few minutes, then put magic back in for a few minutes, and repeat. it won't hurt, but you might be a little light-headed near the ends of the taking cycles. if you feel too faint, let me know and i'll up the green magic and get you water. ok?" He gestured at the chair.
Berry’s soul was fluttering with nerves. It kinda reminded him of a smaller version of Dr. Gaster’s machine. The scared monster squeezed his bandana again as he shivered and sat down. 'IT’S OKAY,' he told himself, ’IT'S NOT GOING IN YOUR SOUL OR SOCKET. THERE’S NO STRAPS HOLDING YOU DOWN. RED IS SAFE.'
"IT'S JUST ONE NEEDLE RIGHT?" he asked, voice shaking.
"yeah, buddy, just one needle. you don't have to look at it, either. we can talk about other stuff." He attached the needle to a tube into the machine. "it is a little bit thicker than the last one to accommodate. just by a few millimeters, nothing too bad. you go ahead and talk with jay while i start, ok?"
"yeah, sweetie, let's chat," Jack Rose said.
He looked over at Jack Rose and tried to relax. "OKAY. IS JAY YOUR NEW NICKNAME?”
He smiled and shrugged one shoulder. "red said he likes giving nicknames to people, and since i don't like just being called jack, he asked if it was okay. i don't mind it. i know one syllable names are easier, heh. he said he likes calling you all kinds of blueberry-flavored things! that's very cute."
"i'm not cute..." Red grumbled.
"sure, sure, but the nickname idea is."
Red scowled (read: pouted) as he carefully inserted the needle.
Berry chuckled at Red's antics, but didn't look at him, trying to look at the tubes to compare them to Dr. Gaster machine. "I LIKE WHEN YOU USE NICKNAMES LIKE THAT TOO, RED. JAY IS A VERY NICE NICKNAME, MAY I USE IT TOO?" Berry asked.
"berry, it might help if ya don't look at it, y'know?" Red suggested. "you're s'posed to focus on other things when you're freaked out."
Jack Rose carefully settled the dress again and went back to folding the red fabric to add flowers. "yes, you can use it too."
Berry closed his sockets and nodded, then looked at Jack Rose instead of the tubes. "THANK YOU. DID YOU COME OVER EARLY THIS MORNING TO WORK ON THE DRESSES?"
"ah... well... you could say it was early, though it wasn't this morning..." He flushed and looked away with a small smile. Red snorted softly.
"OOOOHH YOU SPENT THE NIGHT?" Berry asked. "DID YOU HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT?"
He chuckled softly. "we did watch a movie before going to the bedroom..."
Red shook his head at Berry's obliviousness.
"DID THE MOVIE HAVE PRETTY CLOTHES?” Berry tried not to move his arm. "OOOH, HAVE YOU SEEN CINDERELLA? THAT HAS LOTS OF DRESSES AT THE END.”
The machine whirred to life softly. Red pulled up a chair too, grabbing a clipboard to write on.
"oh, yeah,” Jack Rose said. “we watched the great gatsby. it's got amazing clothes, not just dresses but other costumes too. i design all kinds of clothes." He smiled. "cinderella is that old movie that was drawn, right? yeah, i saw that one underground, found it in the dump."
Berry shuddered as his magic was drained. It was an odd and unpleasant, but familiar, feeling. Tubing set in his socket sucking out magic, making his thoughts muddy as the pure magic drained into the massive machine to perfectly mix a blend of determination and Gaster's magic, and painfully pump the mixture into his soul. Memories flashed through his mind of being restrained and helpless for hours as it cycled over and over.
Berry took some shallow breaths and gripped the chair, trying not to reach over and pull the IV out. "IT'S NOT THE SAME..." he muttered, not sure if he was talking about the movie or the IV.
"berry, don't think about it," Red said gently. "thing about other things, c'mon. keep talking about other stuff. you wanna hold my hand?" He touched Berry's hand gently. "i know, the memories get real rough, but you gotta take your mind off 'em."
Jack Rose's smile fell a bit, but he kept going. "which movie is your favorite, berry?"
Berry let out a small whine and took Red's hand, gripping it like a lifeline. He looked to Jack Rose, his jaw quivering. "MY... MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO." He took a deep breath. "IT'S ABOUT TWO KIDS GOING ON AN ADVENTURE TO SEE THEIR DYING MOTHER. SOME NICE MONSTERS HELP THEM." That movie struck a chord with Berry the first time he saw it.
Jack Rose nodded. "oh yeah? that sounds like it might be sad, though. their mom is dying? what kind of monsters help them?"
Berry squeezed Red's hand. 'MY FAMILY IS HERE. THEY WILL KEEP ME SAFE,' he told himself. Then he focused on replying. "IT IS A LITTLE, BUT SHE STARTS GETTING BETTER AT THE END. I HOPE SHE LIVED." His voice started to even out as the fears and memories bled away. "THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT MONSTERS. THERE IS A BIG, FLUFFY ONE CALLED TOTORO, AND A CAT BUS. AND LITTLE ONES THAT SIT IN THE TREES MAKING CLICKING SOUNDS. THEY’RE ALL FOREST MONSTERS. BUT THE HUMANS CALL THEM SPRITES.”
"oh, really? that's good, then." He nodded as he went back to sewing on the dress. "a big fluffy monster, huh, like a bear? a cat bus?" He tried to picture the big, stinky bus he'd gone onto with them his first day up on the surface, and then tried to make it a cat. It was really hard to picture. "cat bus... sounds kinda scary. buses are so big and bulky and stinky and they go fast. cats are cute, so like the opposite."
"i've seen that movie," Red said. "it's really cute, actually. it's animated too. so it doesn't look like a real bus. it's a big ol' cat with like... windows in its fur, and his eyes glow like headlights. he's always grinning wide, too, and he's helpful."
"huh..." Jack Rose nodded. "so it's stylized cute, okay, that makes more sense. and... sprites, huh? like fire sprites?"
"TOTORO IS VERY SOFT AND CUDDLY LOOKING." Berry had a goofy smile. "I’VE SEEN STUFFED ANIMALS OF HIM, TOO. THEY LOOK SO SOFT AND CUDDLY." His breath was calm now, normal. "THERE'S A FIRE ONE IN HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. THAT MOVIE IS BY THE SAME PERSON. HE MAKES A LOT OF MOVIES AND THERE ARE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF MONSTERS, BUT THE HUMANS CALL THEM SPRITES."
"i think it's a religious thing," Red said musingly. "or... spiritual, anyway. i think humans thought there were magic beings that did all kinds of stuff that were, uh, not really real? 'cause they'd forgotten about us real magic beings. i mean, before we hit the surface, you know.”
"howl's moving castle?" Jack Rose smiled. "is the 'howl' in that movie anything like your howl~?"
Red snorted. "not at all."
Berry thought about that for a moment. "HE KINDA IS, IN SOME WAYS. A HANDSOME AND KIND MAN COMES IN AND SAVES THE GIRL. BUT HOWL IN THE MOVIE STARTS OFF TOO SCARED TO FACE HIS TEACHER AND THE KING. MY HOWL WILL FACE ANYONE DOWN. AFTER ALL, HE HAS FACED DOWN TWO QUEENS WHO ARE SCARIER THAN A KING."
Red laughed. "but howl in the movie is kind of a dick! or at least a drama queen! don't you remember the scene where his hair accidentally got dyed and he threw a fit and melted and claimed everything in life is meaningless?" He shook his head. "our howl isn't anything like that. he's too classy. also he doesn't keep his home a total pigsty like the movie howl. that guy doesn't know what 'clean' is and can't cook for shit, either."
Berry giggled as he remembered the melting scene. "THAT'S TRUE. OUR HOWL WOULD NEVER LET HIS PLACE LOOK LIKE THAT, OR BE THAT DRAMATIC." Berry nodded. "BUT BOTH HOWLS HAVE A KIND, LOVING SOULS."
Red snorted quietly. "kinda. i still think ours is much better, though."
Jack Rose giggled too. "i don't know, maybe the movie one is charming~ i don't mind a mess." He winked.
Berry nodded. "OF COURSE OURS IS BETTER. HE LOVING AND KIND AND CARING AND PROTECTIVE." He blushed a deep blue. "AND HANDSOME. WAY MORE HANDSOME THAN MOVIE HOWL."
That made Red laugh again. "heh, yeah, of course you'd say so~ your datemates are always the most handsome, huh?"
Berry nodded to Red. He still had a love stricken smile on his face. "THEY ARE PRACTICALLY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY."
"yeah." Jack Rose smiled fondly. "you three seem so happy! i'm happy for you."
"THANK YOU JAY. I THINK WE ARE VERY HAPPY TOGETHER. I HOPE I CAN STAY AT THEIR PLACE AFTER THE LAWSUIT."
"heh, yeah, i bet..." He looked surprised. "why wouldn't you be able to?"
"WELL... THEY OFFERED TO LET ME STAY AT THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE IT WASN'T SAFE AT STRETCH'S PLACE FOR ME," he said sadly. "UNTIL THE LAWSUIT IS OVER. NOTHING HAS BEEN SAID PAST THAT."
"oh, berry, i'm sure they just kinda thought it was obvious," Jack Rose said, reaching over to pat his shoulder. "but if it makes you feel better, you can ask?"
Berry wanted to, he really did. He was 99% sure they would let him stay. That they wanted him there, but the little 1% of doubt within him few on his insecurities. He didn't want to bring it up and find out he had assumed wrong. If they didn't want him there, he would be heartbroken. He had tried so hard to be a good person and not the Sully he was... Berry shook his head. 'NO, I'M NOT A SULLY. IT'S A MADE UP WORD. DON'T THINK LIKE THAT!' he scolded himself. "I REALLY HOPE THEY WANT ME TO STAY, AND I THINK THEY DO. IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW FOR SURE."
"aw, blueberry strudel, of course they do," Red said, squeezing his hand. "they love you. they totally adore you. there's no doubt in my mind they want you to stay!"
"right. but it's okay to ask. communication is always the most important thing," Jack Rose assured.
Berry squeezed Red's hand back. "I'LL ASK THEM. IT WILL HELP. THE THOUGHT HAS LINGERED IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. IT WOULD BE NICE TO NOT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT."
"yeah, course." Red nodded. "it's possible they think you wanna move back in with stretch and don't want to pressure you, maybe. they want you to be comfortable."
"THEY DO GIVE ME A LOT OF CHOICES," he admitted. "SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE OVERWHELMING. I THOUGHT IT MAYBE WAS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT ME TO DO THINGS. I ASKED HOWL ONCE WHY HE GAVE ME CHOICES, AND HOWL SAID THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO PRESSURE ME."
His mind went to the paper his therapist gave him about sex. "MS. CANDY GAVE ME A PAMPHLET AND IT TALK ABOUT SEX. IT HAD A LARGE SECTION ABOUT CONSENT AND HOW TO CHECK FOR IT." He recalled a line that stuck out. "IT SAID CONSENT TO ONE THING IS NOT CONSENT TO ALL THINGS. I HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF CHOICES OR BEEN ASKED FOR CONSENT IN A LONG WHILE BEFORE MY DATEMATES. HOWL AND DAEMON VALUE ME AND MY CHOICES. THEY ASK A LOT AND DON'T PRESSURE ME TO DO WHAT THEY ASK. IT WASN'T BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT ME TO DO THINGS. YOU’RE PROBABLY RIGHT. IT WAS THEM MAKING SURE I WANTED TO STAY?" The idea made his soul happy. "THEY WANT ME TO STAY."
Red kept holding on to his brother-in-law's hand, using a magic one to write notes on his clipboard absently. He nodded. "choices are always important, and you had choices taken away from you for a while."
"consent is not just about sex," Jack Rose agreed. "you need consent in anything with anyone. even if it's just a touch to their hand or coming into their house or petting their dog or... anything. everyone should be careful to make sure they have consent, but, as a victim himself, i'm sure howl is even more constantly aware of this than your average person. that's how derby is too. tai learned a lot from him about the nuances of offering choices even in casual settings, and then tai told me a lot of that stuff too." He smiled. "of course, we already knew how to ask for consent for sex, but you don't always think about the little, day to day things."
"IT DOES MAKE ME FEEL GOOD TO HAVE A CHOICE AND FOR THAT CHOICE TO BE RESPECTED," Berry said with a slight purr in his voice. "THEY ARE THE BEST DATEMATES."
"heh. yeah, sans too," Red said, his voice all soft. "he's always been real understandin' of my bullshit."
Jack Rose chuckled. "he is pretty put together, hm? i could only hope to be that confident in what i do."
"eh. we'll all get there in time."
"I HOPE SO," Berry replied. "ALL OF THE SKELETON FAMILY IS PRETTY AMAZING." He squeezed Red's hand and smiled at Jack Rose. "I WOULDN'T DARE TALK ABOUT ANY OF THIS WITH ANYONE BESIDES YOU ALL."
"well, you don't have to," Jack Rose promised. "but what you've said on tv and stuff has been amazing. you're so brave."
Berry blushed. "THANK YOU. IT WAS REALLY SCARY TO DO, BUT I'M GLAD I DID IT," he said proudly. "IT HAS HELPED OTHERS A LOT."
"it has. you're doing so well,” Jack Rose said.
"yeah, berry, it's great." Red patted his hand. "we're about halfway done. how do you feel? lightheaded at all?"
"A LITTLE. BUT ITS NOT BAD."
"mm. well, have some water anyway, ok?" Red summoned a bottle of water to hold out to Berry. "make sure to just use your other hand so you don't jostle it, okay?"
Berry let go of Red's hand and took the bottle. "THANKS." He looked to Jack Rose sewing. Berry asked curiously, "JAY, DID YOU TEACH YOURSELF TO SEW?"
Jack Rose glanced back up. "um, well, i did read how in a few books, but yeah, mostly. i taught myself everything about designing clothes. i didn't exactly have anyone really skilled willing to teach me, so, it was the only option."
"THAT IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE." Berry took another drink.
He blushed purplish pink. "oh, i don't know about that... i'm sure anybody can if they put in the time, and professionals can probably do it better..."
"you stop that." Red wagged a magic finger at him. "you're amazing."
He blushed more.
"YOU ARE. YOU WORK HARD TO PUT SKILLS TO USE WITHOUT ANYONE SHOWING YOU."
He ducked his head shyly. "you guys are so nice..."
"ain't just being nice if it's the truth, you're just used to people being dismissive,” Red said.
"it's not that they don't like me or anything." He worked on another flower. "i'm a very popular hooker. it's just..."
"that's all they like ya for?"
"well... yes." He smiled, resigned.
Red came scooting over closer to Jack Rose and reached out to tilt his chin back up. "well, this ain't the underground,” he said, his voice softer. “and you're good at more than just sex, jay."
Jack Rose blushed, blinking up at him, his hands stilling again. "i um... thank you."
"yeah... you're also good at the sex part, though." He winked.
That made him snort. "thanks."
Red patted his cheek, then scooted back away to look at the machine.
“YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MONSTER IN EVERY WAY JAY,” Berry said. “BUT RED, HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SEX PART?"
"thank you, sweetie," Jack Rose said. The question made him flush a little. "berry..."
"sans and i have been helping him with his... condition," Red said with a shrug.
"OHH..." Berry blushed. "I GLAD YOU FOUND SOMEONE SAFE TO HELP YOU, JAY."
"well, the safe part isn't that hard for me," he admitted. "but it's much nicer for it to be someone i know and care about. don't get me wrong, i loved my job underground. i loved pleasing people. but it's different."
"sure, i know what you mean," Red agreed. "one night stands got nothing on sansy."
Berry was blushing. "I'M GLAD." Sex was scary. It had been scary for a very long time. But thinking of the ones he loved holding him made it a lot less scary. They respected him and didn't want to hurt him. 'IT WON'T BE THE SAME,' he told himself.
Jack Rose considered him. "would it help if i told you about how it's felt for me sometimes? the good it can be?"
Berry thought about that for a few moments. "I DONT KNOW?" The voice in the back of his mind had been muttering for a while now, but it was becoming easier to ignore.
"well... i'll start telling you things, and if you get too uncomfortable, you can tell me, and i'll stop, how's that?" Jack Rose suggested.
Berry nodded. "OKAY." He was feeling a little light headed.
"okay. umm, so let's see... kissing is a great way to start," he said with a smile. "you've done that, right? it's very nice to just sit on the bed and kiss for a bit, even before you take off any clothes."
Berry blushed bright. "YEAH, WE KISS A LOT. SOMETIMES," he whispered as if it was a dirty secret, "EVEN OPEN MOUTH... BUT WE'VE NEVER BEEN NAKED IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER."
He smiled; that was honestly adorable. "well, that's okay, you can try it. and you don't have to make ecto right away. it's also very nice to just touch bone. soft, gentle strokes are lovely. if you use pleasing intent, and you dip into the joints, your partner will feel all of the good things you're trying to project."
Berry took out his phone and opened the note program and wrote that down. "THAT SOUNDS NICE," he commented.
"mhm. and you can kiss places that aren't the face, too. kisses all over someone's ribs or arms is nice. hand kisses are very romantic. you can even kiss someone's pelvis."
Berry blush grew brighter and brighter as Jack Rose went on. He squealed when Jay said 'pelvis' and hid a bit behind his phone and took some deep calming breaths. No one had ever kissed him in those places. No one really had kissed him like his datemates do. He couldn't help but think of how wonderful a kiss felt on his hands and face. It made him feel so happy when Darmon and Howl kissed him on the teeth. 'WOULD IT FEEL THE SAME OR DIFFERENT?' he wondered. Berry's mind tried to imagine it. "THAT SOUNDS VERY NICE."
Jack Rose chuckled again. "it is. extremely nice. i think that's enough to go on, though. i don't want to make you too flustered."
"THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH ME ABOUT ALL THIS," Berry said shyly.
"you're welcome, sweetie."
Jack Rose fell silent and kept sewing, but after a few more minutes, he spoke up again.
"berry, i'm almost done adding the sleeves to your dress, too. you want to see it after this?"
"I WOULD LOVE TO,” Berry said.
"berry, how's your head?" Red asked. "dizziness? fatigue? how's the voice?"
"I'M GETTING A BIT DIZZY. THE DOCTOR IS HERE. HE DOESN'T LIKE OUR TALK, BUT HE IS VERY MUFFLED. LIKE HE’S YELLING INTO A PILLOW IN THE OTHER ROOM." He’d gladly take the dizziness if it meant this much freedom from the voice, though. "IT’S NICE THAT HE’S NOT YELLING IN FRONT OF ME. I CAN MOSTLY IGNORE HIM."
"alright." He let the last return cycle finish, then turned off the machine and gave Berry more water and some cookies. "eat up, blueberry muffin. then you need some rest. we'll see how it goes, and if we need to do this again, it can be later."
Berry took the cookie and nibbled on it. "ALRIGHTY." He leaned his head on the chair and closed his sockets trying to stave off the dizziness. "THIS WASN'T SO BAD..."
"that's good. drink up, buddy. if the dizziness is too bad, you can prop up your feet and put your head between your knees." Red rubbed his shoulder gently.
After a few moments, he finished off the water and then leaned forward like Red suggested. It helped a lot. "DID YOU WANT ME TO TAKE A NAP HERE OR AT HOME?" Berry asked, not sure if Red needed to keep an eye on him.
"mmm..." Red looked him over. "finish the cookies. then you can get home. but tell howl and daemon to call me if anything weird happens."
"ALRIGHTY." He nibbled on the cookie a bit more.
Jack Rose finished up his row of flowers, then folded up the dress and put it aside. "okay, berry, you want to see yours?"
"YES PLEASE." He lifted his head up, feeling better.
He pulled that one out of his inventory and held it up. One sleeve was carefully stitched on, the outer seam natural in just the right place to look stylized. He had made it a bell sleeve, as advertised, with the bottom half of the sleeve loose and flowy. No lace, of course, but the smooth looseness looked classy.
"AWWWW." Berry;s face lit up happily. "IT'S SOOOOO PRETTY!"
He smiled. "you like it? i'm done shaping the other one to be the same, so i just have to attach it. then it'll be done. unless there's any other modifications you want?"
"IT'S PERFECT! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Berry didn't reach for it, afraid to break it.
"aw, you're welcome, sweetie. you can try it on if you want."
"later, later." Red waved a hand. "he should rest. his magic got all jumbled. when you finish it, yeah?"
"ah, right right. next time."
Berry eyed the dress excitedly, but nodded, "OKAY. I DON'T WANT IT TO BREAK IT."
"oh, berry, you won't break it," Jack Rose assured. "it's not fragile. well, you'd break it if you tried, like by yanking at it. but otherwise, it'll be fine."
Berry nodded. "I CAN'T WAIT TO WEAR IT. MAYBE AFTER THE WEDDING, I COULD WEAR IT ON A FANCY DATE WITH HOWL AND DAEMON." He blushed.
"if that's what you'd like, sweetie."
"bet they'd love that," Red agreed. "are they both wearing suits?"
He nodded excitedly, "HOWL HAS TUXEDOS BEING MADE FOR THE BOTH OF THEM. HE SAID THEY WILL BE NOTHING LESS THAN THE BEST.”
Red snorted. "that's just like him."
"i'm sure they'll both be very spiffy. red, do you have any requirements for suits or whatnot?"
Red shrugged. "go crazy." He paused. "ok, no, don't go crazy. should look decent. but my dress isn't exactly conventional, so don't worry about sticking to black tie."
Jack Rose hummed. "vest and non-traditional colors, then?"
"so long as you look spiffy, sure. i trust you'll wear something nice, you know your clothes shit."
Jack Rose smiled at that.
"YOU’RE GOING TO WEAR A SUIT TOO? I BET YOU’LL LOOK SPIFFY,” Berry said.
"nope, not a suit." He shook his head. "just the vest. i like to be non-traditional. maybe i'll go for a nice burgundy..."
"OH YOU COULD DO ONE OF THEM HALF PANTS HALF DRESS OUTFITS. THEY LOOK COOL."
He chuckled softly. "don't worry, berry, i already know what i'm going to do."
Berry nibbled his cookie. "I'M SURE IT WILL LOOK WONDERFUL. YOU ARE VERY TALENTED. "
"thank you, sweetie."
"the dizziness better?" Red asked, checking off one more thing on his clipboard.
"YES, IT’S BETTER," Berry said as he stood up. He wobbled a little, holding onto the chair before finding his balance. "MAYBE I SHOULD SIT A BIT LONGER." He sat back down. "YOU COULD PORT ME TO THE LIVING ROOM COUCH?" Howl was probably there. He really wanted to try and put some magic into the doll for him.
"yeah, buddy, i can do that." Red put his clipboard down and came over to grip Berry's shoulder gently.
"bye, berry, good luck." Jack Rose waved.
Berry waved back. "BYE AND THANK YOU."
Red then ported Berry to Howl's living room on the couch.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Howl hands over the doll to let Berry try and add magic, but it doesn't work. They go to therapy and talk about the busy week they'd had. There is discussion of how to help someone in a PTSD episode, and Howl reassures Berry he was happy Berry tried to help. Berry asks to speak to Candy alone, and tells her the Lusts told him sex is supposed to feel good. He asks how to take the next step with that when he's so scared and it hurts. She gives him a pamphlet and suggests to learn more about it and take it slow. He decides to ask Jack Rose for more information too.
The next day, he goes to Red's for magic filtering, and Jack Rose is already there working on the dresses, as Sans is out. They talk a little bit about movies, especially Howl's Moving Castle, and compare Howl to the movie character. There is a moment where Jack Rose mentions that people underground only liked him for sex, and Red assures him he's more valuable than that, being all tender, but also, the sex is good. Berry asks about this, and they reveal they've been sleeping together with Sans to help Jack Rose's lust (and Jay is his new nickname because Red likes giving nicknames).
Berry asks Jack Rose about sex, and mentions his ecto hurts, especially because he's only ever used it when in heat, and when in heat, the guards abused him. Jack Rose suggests masturbating, and gradually working up to having Daemon there watching, and doing more kinds of kisses, more gentle touches, and going step by step to work up to real sex. Red agrees and mentions that with the magic filtering, the voice shouldn't be as back and the ecto shouldn't hurt.
Berry is initially scared during the filtering, but calms down with all of this talk. He is dizzy by the end, and Red feeds him plenty of water and cookies. Jack Rose shows him his dress, which is almost done. Then, Red takes Berry back home to rest on the couch.
Chapter 29: Did You Think It All Through? All These Things Will Catch Up to You
Summary:
In which politics are good, for once. Mostly.
Notes:
Hello,
This has been a hard week. Its my birthday week! Discord is not helping at all to recover my account. >.<
Sorry this was a little late!Let us know what you think of the chapter! Be sure to comment, kudos and subscribe.
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As they ported back to Howl's house, Berry closed his sockets and swayed. The dizziness was worse from the jump. Red saw this and set him down on the couch next to his datemate. "you're okay, berry, deep breaths."
Howl put down his knitting, alarmed. "BERRY, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? DID SOMETHING GO WRONG?"
"NO. NO , IT WENT GREAT." Berry took a deep breath. "JUST A BIT DIZZY."
"it's a normal reaction," Red assured. "i gave him water and some food. the shortcut might have aggravated it a bit. just keep him sitting for a while and he should be alright."
Howl relaxed again, reaching over to gently touch Berry's hand. Berry let out a happy purr, which eased Howl's worries further. "ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, RED. THIS IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED."
"YES, THANK YOU," Berry said.
"aw." He blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "it's nothin'. berry's my brother now, after all." He patted Berry's shoulder gently. "let me know if anything happens. night, guys." He ported back out.
Berry squeezed Howl's hand and brought it up to his face to nuzzle. "I LOVE YOU AND DAEMON SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR ME AND NOT ONLY GIVING ME CHOICES BUT HONORING THEM."
Howl smiled a little at that, squeezing back gently. "OF COURSE WE DO. YOU DESERVE TO HAVE CHOICES, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. YOU DESERVE TO HAVE THOSE CHOICES HONORED."
Howl's words meant so much to Berry. He gathered his courage. "I WANT TO STAY WITH YOU AND DAEMON WHEN THE LAWSUIT IS OVER. IS... IS IT ALRIGHT IF I MOVE IN PERMANENTLY?" he requested hopefully.
Howl rubbed his thumb across Berry's hand gently. "I WOULD LOVE THAT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. YOU'RE ALRIGHT WITH MOVING AWAY FROM YOUR BROTHER PERMANENTLY?"
"LIKE STRETCH SAID WHEN I CAME HERE." He kissed Howl's hand. "HE'S STILL CLOSE BY, AND WE CAN VISIT AND HELP WITH THE BABY. I LOVE BEING WITH YOU TWO."
"THEN I WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU, AND I KNOW DAEMON WOULD TOO."
"THANK YOU." Berry was so happy. His soul felt so light.
Howl rubbed Berry's hand again. "DAEMON IS IN THE SHOWER. DO YOU NEED ANYTHING? MORE WATER?"
"THE DOLL," Berry said. "I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AGAIN."
"ARE YOU SURE YOU SHOULD TRY RIGHT AWAY? YOU'RE STILL DIZZY. I DON'T WANT YOU TO HURT YOURSELF."
"PLEASE." He wanted to know if it would work. "I'LL JUST TRY A LITTLE. THE DIZZINESS IS NOT THAT BAD. THE PORT JUST MADE ME A LITTLE LIGHTHEADED."
"WELL... IF YOU'RE SURE. I'LL GET IT, YOU STAY SEATED." He stood up.
"OKAY, THANK YOU ANGEL."
"OF COURSE, KITTEN." He went into the spare room and picked up the doll carefully. He took a cursory glance around the room.
Berry's room was still pretty sparse. The only real flair was the star bedspread. On the bed were the dolls. He had his knitting sitting on the desk along with his cook books. The drawer in the nightstand next to the bed was slightly ajar. It could easily be snooped, but Howl didn't even think about touching anything but the doll of his datemate. Berry deserved privacy, of course. He did just hope, now that Berry expressed wanting to live here permanently, that there might be more personal touches filling the space soon enough...
He handed the doll over when he returned, then sat back down.
"IT'S SO CUTE," Berry squeaked and cuddled it. "YOU DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB." He closed his eyes and focused on his magic, green healing filled with loving intent. His hands glowed a dim, dull green. The magic was just barely flowing, with the debris in his mana lines, the foreign magic, and disuse making it slow to surface.
"YOU ALREADY SAW IT, BERRY," he said, but smiled anyway. "THANK YOU." He then watched anxiously, checking Berry over for any signs of distress or fatigue.
"I KNOW BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT SMILE EVERY TIME I SEE THEM," Berry said as the magic slowly and gently rolled off his hands. He opened his sockets and saw the faint green glow. "IT WORKED," the small monster said with relief.
"ME NEITHER." He smiled again as he saw the green glow. "IT DID. GOOD JOB, BERRY, I'M SO PROUD."
"IT W...WORKED." A wave of dizziness hit Berry, and sweat broke out on his skull.
Howl took the doll quickly. "THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH FOR NOW. YOU CAN ADD MORE LATER."
Berry nodded. "ALRIGHT." He put his head between his legs, but even the dizziness didn't upset him. It had worked, so it was worth it. "DO YOU THINK IT WILL GET STRONGER WITH THE TREATMENTS AND MASSAGE AND STUFF?"
"I BELIEVE ACUPRESSURE IS THE CORRECT TERM, BUT YES. THERE IS NO RUSH, BERRY." He cradled the doll gently, wrapping his arms around it. Even with just a little of Berry's magic inside, it was wonderful.
After a few more minutes, the dizziness passed and Berry sat up. Seeing Howl holding the doll so loving made him blush.
"DO YOU NEED ANYTHING MORE, BERRY?" Howl asked, not letting go of the doll. "MORE WATER?"
"SOME MILK, PLEASE," he requested. "THEN A NAP."
"VERY WELL." He got up and went into the kitchen.
Just then, Daemon came trotting downstairs, smelling like soap. He perked up and came over to hug Berry nice and tightly. "welcome home, berry!"
"THANK YOU PUPPY." Berry hugged him just as tightly. "YOU SMELL NICE," he said, nuzzling him.
"heh, thanks, i just got out of the shower~" He nuzzled back. "did it go okay? you smell nice too. a little... clearer?"
Berry blissfully said, "I FEEL IT TOO. THE VOICE IS QUIETER, LIKE IT'S IN THE NEXT ROOM. AND I SUMMONED MAGIC."
"that's great, i'm so glad to hear it!"
"HE DID TIRE HIMSELF OUT, THOUGH, SO DON'T LET HIM STAND UP," Howl said as he returned with a glass of milk. "IN FACT, CARRY HIM TO HIS ROOM, IF YOU'D PLEASE."
"oh, sure, yes master." Daemon carefully scooped Berry up in a princess hold.
Berry rested his skull on Daemon's chest fondly. A small yawn escaped him as he nuzzled.
Howl handed over the milk to him, and Daemon carefully carried him into his room.
"THANK YOU ANGEL," Berry took it happily. "DID YOU WANT TO NAP WITH ME, PUPPY, OR DO YOU HAVE PLANS?"
"nah, i don't have much to do," Daemon assured. "i can nap with you."
"I WILL BE OUT HERE KNITTING MORE COLLARS IF YOU NEED ME," Howl said, sitting back down.
"OKAY, LOVE YOU HOWL." Berry said and drank the milk. "AND YOU TOO PUPPY."
"WE LOVE YOU TOO."
"mhm, lots and lots." Daemon nuzzled him again as he entered Berry's room. "the bed or the floor?"
He looked at the bed for a moment. He was feeling very drained. Maybe he could fall asleep fast before the fear took over? "CAN WE TRY THE BED? IF ITS TOO MUCH, THEN WE CAN GO TO THE FLOOR?"
"sure we can, honey." He shifted Berry to pull back the covers, then gently set him down. He crawled into the bed beside him and pulled up the blanket before snuggling up with a happy purr.
The voice was trying to be loud, but it was ignorable. He focused on Daemon. His purring. His smell. He closed his sockets. Berry's own purr worked it's way out to answer Daemon's. He focused on the safety he felt with his datemate and slowly fell asleep.
Daemon made sure the empty glass of milk was put aside. His purr got louder as Berry fell asleep, and he snuggled up closer, kissing his datemate's cheek gently. He fell asleep quickly as well.
The next day, Friday, Berry had his first acupressure. But on the way, Howl got a call from Gore.
"CAN THIS WAIT, YOUR MAJESTY?" he asked, glancing over at Berry. The response he got made him frown. "I SEE. VERY WELL. I WILL BE THERE SOON. SANS, STRETCH, AND JACK ROSE WILL ALSO BE THERE? WHAT ABOUT FROM THE FELLS?" He tapped one hand on his arm. "HE ISN'T A JUDGE, BUT YOU HAVE A POINT. VERY WELL. I'LL TEXT THEM. GIVE ME TWENTY MINUTES. I CAN'T LEAVE BERRY UNATTENDED." He hung up and turned to his datemates. "I HAVE TO GO TO THE EMBASSY IMMEDIATELY. THE HUMANS ARE CALLING AN EMERGENCY MEETING. I'LL TAKE A TAXI. YOU'LL BE ALRIGHT WITH JUST DAEMON, BERRY?"
Berry gripped his bandana, not sure if the meeting was good or bad. "YES. WHAT'S GOING ON?"
"IT'S ABOUT THE SULLY LAWS AND THE RECENT PRESS CONFERENCES. I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD."
That made the uneasiness in Berry's soul calm. "ALRIGHT. BEST OF LUCK MY ANGEL." Berry blushed. "MAY I GIVE YOU A KISS GOODBYE?"
"THANK YOU, KITTEN." He sent the request for a taxi on his phone, then hesitated at the request. "...JUST A LITTLE ONE."
Berry's face lit up when he was given permission. "Alright." He leaned in from Howl's side, trying not to crowd him, and placed a sweet, innocent kiss on his datemate's cheek. "LOVE YOU," he said sweetly, stepping back.
He flushed a little, and gently returned the kiss to Berry's cheek. "I LOVE YOU TOO." He then turned to Daemon, who happily leaned in to also give and get a gentle cheek kiss. Then Howl headed out to catch a cab, texting Red, Stretch, and Sans on his way.
Berry happily took Daemon's hand, lacing their fingers. "MAY I GIVE YOU A KISS TOO PUPPY?"
Daemon gave him a happy, gentle smooch before they went in for the appointment.
When Howl got there, Red was already there waiting, Jack Rose at his hip. The kings and queens were also already assembled. Howl saluted them all as he arrived. "IS EVERYONE HERE?"
Sans came from around the corner. "hey, i got tori to cover my last two periods. i'll need to call her if it takes longer so she can cover the kids' club." He walked up to Red and Jack Rose and gave them a hug, "hey, sexy one and sexy two."
Red flushed but grinned, kissing his fiance. "heya."
"h-hi." Jack Rose was blushing harder, surprised at the open affection.
Sans grinned. "hiya howl." He wave to the nobles. "hiya everyone else."
"Please have a seat and let the meeting begin," Asgore said.
The Queen of the Swap monsters huffed at the display of public affection. "I understand the Judges being here. Why are the others here, though?"
Red flipped her off, sitting down and tugging Jay down next to him. Howl took a seat as well. He kept his voice diplomatic.
"AS THE FELLS AND FELLSWAPS HAVE NO JUDGE, WE ARE THE NEXT BEST THING. HIS MAJESTY THOUGHT IT PRUDENT." He nodded to Gore, who chewed nervously on one claw as he hunched in his seat.
She bristled. "Disrespectful little.." she said under breath, trying not to lose it in front of the human diplomat. She turned to ignore Red, instead looking at Howl. "And what makes you two the next best things?" she asked.
"I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD," he said, gesturing to himself. "I SPENT LONG YEARS TRAINING FOR THE POSITION AND IMMERSING MYSELF IN POLITICS, AND THEREFORE, I AM INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH OUR LAWS, CULTURE, AND NEEDS."
"and i worked closely with the kiddo in getting us out of the underground, and am a close friend my queen, so i know more than the average Fell monster about politics," Red said, leaning his chin on one hand. "besides, even if i don't have official judge status, i know plenty about right and wrong and when people go too far in policing others."
"Howl had a resembling position. But this one," the Queen gestured dismissively at Red, "holds no office nor has ever held office to be privy to this meeting."
"sure he does," Sans said, taking Red's hand in his. "he is the close brother-in-law to berry and witness to the horrible crimes your laws have inflicted on the sully."
She turned, eyes blazing, but was cut off by Asgore. "Which makes him allowed to be here for these talks."
Red squeezed Sans's hand. "that too." He resisted the urge to add on the childish 'so fuck you' to the end.
"IN ANY CASE, IF THE HUMAN REPRESENTATIVE WISHES, WE MAY BEGIN NOW," Howl said.
"Thank you." The human man, by the name of William, looked to be a very serious person, with thick glasses, perfectly-tailored clothes, and a tight expression. "I wish this meeting was under better circumstances, but there has been much attention brought to light on the subject of the Sully laws. The current Swap laws need to be addressed. We know the monster race as a whole has been working for a common law. The humans are willing to expedite the process."
William adjusted his glass as he went on, giving all of them a stern look. "The basic distinction between legal and moral is easy enough to identify. Most people agree that what is legal is not necessarily moral. This Sully law is a perfect example. Ethical lapses such as these demand new safeguards be put in place. The Swaps' lab is being compared to concentration camps by us humans. The royal scientist's ethical lapses must be addressed. He will be brought in on charges of unethical research. If he cannot conform, your scientific studies will be halted until a new royal scientist is appointed with the help of a third party."
Howl nodded, lacing his gloved fingers together. "THAT WOULD BE IDEAL, YES."
Gore made an affirmative noise, and Red and Jack Rose also agreed.
"I am not sure what concentration camps are," Tori said, "but the Sanitarium is definitely not a good place. I agree."
Just then, Stretch came in quietly. He had just dropped Pucci off at the dance studio with Vex. He was excited to see the others and wanted to sit with his family, but he knew better and quietly crept to an empty chair next to the Swap Queen as the talking continued.
William frowned. "It is a place where large numbers of people, especially political prisoners or members of persecuted minorities such as the Sully, are deliberately imprisoned in a relatively small area with inadequate facilities, sometimes to provide forced labor, to be test subjects, or to await mass execution. There is a dark history of them."
The Swap Queen looked shocked and stuttered, "that is not what the Sanitarium is!"
"from everything i know of it, it sounds like a good description for that horrible place," Sans said with disgust.
"I must agree," Asgore said.
"YES, EXACTLY," Howl agreed, nodding.
"That is what the reports have confirmed," Tori said. "Did not your own captain decide the Sully were in horrible danger and had to be removed immediately? And your own Judge agreed? Did you not?" She looked to Stretch.
Stretch looked shocked to be addressed, as if he wasn't used to being consulted in matters like this. "y-yah. i mean, yes. it's a horrible law. it has hurt a lot of monsters. not, not just berry," he said sadly.
The Swap Queen glared at Stretch. "You are bound to the laws. How dare you go against them?"
Stretch eyelights sharpened. "yes, i have no choice. i am bound. it doesn't mean that i agree with them."
Tori nodded. "And you judged Al innocent due to her acting in the best interest of the Sully, correct?"
"yes, al was doing her job. it is the captain's job to take any monster out of dangerous and deadly situations. she witnessed danger and acted within the laws as they are written," Stretch said.
Tori nodded and looked back to Swap Toriel. "Then how could you claim the Sanitarium is anything but dangerous?"
Her hand came up to her head. "I… I don't.... it's..." She fumbled for a reason, and her other hand went below the table. She didn't have an answer.
"...THEN WE'RE IN AGREEMENT," Howl said. "WE'RE SHUTTING THE SANITARIUM DOWN."
"good riddance," Jack Rose muttered.
"I will let the human government know your rulings," William said. "We expect the first draft of the full set of monster laws to be ready by the end of the month. It will be reviewed and we will submit changes if needed." He turned to the Swap Queen. "We expect the Royal Scientist and his files to be relinquished to the human authorities by tonight."
Tori nodded. "We will get that done as quickly as possible."
"I'M SURE IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN GETTING EVERYTHING FROM THE SANITARIUM, AL WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP," Howl said, a hint of smugness in his voice.
"Yes. I think that would be best," the human said.
The Swap Queen got up. "...I have some calls to make, then." She went to leave.
"...maybe someone should follow her and make sure she follows through?" Jack Rose suggested.
"I'll go," Asgore volunteered and headed for the door.
He waved Undyne over as he walked to the Queen's office. "The Swap Queen is going to call around. Al is going to be sent to arrest Gaster. I want you to go with her. If he gives her a hard time, you may use force if necessary."
Undyne smirked with her sharp teeth, her one eye grimly bright. "Sure, boss. Thanks."
He didn't bother knocking as he entered the room. The Queen was in the middle of picking up the phone and quickly set it back down. "What is this?" she demanded.
"Toriel, I am offering the aid of my captain to go with Al."
The Queen stared him down, but Asgore didn't flinch. "Fine," she said after a long minute. She called Al.
William watched Asgore go with a raised eyebrow. "Is there anything else we, the humans, should know about?" he inquired.
"Well, we could go over the other laws briefly to ensure we're all on the same page," Tori offered.
"THE HUMANS MIGHT NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE COLLAR LAW," Howl suggested.
The diplomat's eyes narrowed. "Yes. We have not heard much about such a law."
"well it started with the fellswaps," Red said, "and now all of us others are getting it too."
"Yes, we already have accepted this practice to protect our vulnerable," Queen Mary agreed.
Howl looked at Gore, expecting him to start explaining. When Gore remained sulkily silent, he sighed and offered the explanation himself. "IN MY CULTURE, OMEGAS COLLAR ALPHAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM AND THEIR ACTIONS. IT IS ALSO USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THEM. IF SOMEONE IS TO HURT SOMEONE IN A COLLAR, THE OWNER IS OWED REPARATIONS, MUCH LIKE IF ONE'S PROPERTY IS DAMAGED. CARS, FOR EXAMPLE."
"So they are property?" He shook his head. "No. This will not do. That is slavery and is illegal under our current laws."
Howl tried not to look offended. "THEY ARE ONLY PROPERTY IN THE SENSE THAT WE MAY CLAIM RECOMPENSE FOR THEIR INJURIES. COLLARED MONSTERS HAVE FULL AUTONOMY IN TERMS OF MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, AND OTHER DECISIONS. THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATIONS TO THEIR COLLAR OWNERS EXCEPT TO FOLLOW THE LAW, JUST LIKE EVERYONE. IF THEY BREAK THE LAW, IT IS THE COLLAR OWNER WHO WOULD GET LEGALLY PERSECUTED FOR FAILURE TO IMPRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF ABIDING BY SOCIETY'S NEEDS."
"And they can choose to take off the collar at any time and end the contract," Tori added.
"it's all by choice as well." Sans said. "no one is forced into it. it's a way to not only keep them safe, but help them feel safe after all they've been through."
"my own brother was collared by howl," Stretch said. "he has never felt as safe as he does now." That was a double edged sword. It hurt putting into words that he hadn't been enough to help Berry, but he wouldn't take them back.
William hummed in thought. "I can understand why you feel you need this law, but it will be a P.R. nightmare."
"WE ARE PREPARED TO HANDLE THAT," Howl assured.
"oh, derby is on that," Jack Rose agreed. "him and the other robots."
"Derby, that is the robot that has been posting PSAs about sexual assault and the Sully, correct?" William asked.
"yep, that's correct," Sans said.
"HE ALSO HAS A GROUP THERAPY GOING ON," Howl said. "I WAS AT THE FIRST MEETING, IT WAS WONDERFUL."
"with derby's support, the law will have a very positive spin on it," Stretch mused. "him and the other robots are beloved by both the monsters and humans, he could get support for just about anything."
The delegate nodded, "That will help, but there will still be backlash from certain groups. It feels a lot like slavery. Just the idea of a collar. Perhaps we could change the name of the law too?"
They all considered that. After a moment of thought, Red spoke up. "alright, what if we call it the bandanna law instead? you've been making all those nice, soft bandannas, that's what all the sullies are getting."
"HMM. YES. I THOUGHT THE SOFTNESS WOULD BE MORE APPEALING, AND THEY'RE ALREADY IN COLLARS THAT THEY DON'T LIKE," Howl said thoughtfully. "HOWEVER, IF IT IS TO BE CALLED THAT, THEN EVERYONE FROM MY CULTURE IN A COLLAR WOULD HAVE TO SWITCH TO A BANDANNA. I COULD NOT SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT DAEMON VERY MUCH LIKES HIS COLLAR THE WAY IT IS, AND MANY OTHERS CONSIDER THEM A POINT OF PRIDE. THE BANDANNA IS NOT THE SAME… FEEL."
"yeah, can't relate," Red said, tugging the collar of his shirt subconsciously. "but you could put in the wording that the bandanna is default - since so many other cultures would use it - and that a collar can be a substitute accessory so long as there's some sort of... marking. a tag, a name, something."
"THAT WOULD… NOT BE AS DIFFICULT," Howl said slowly. "WE ALREADY SEW THE NAMES INTO THE INSIDES. IT WOULD NOT BE A BIG THING TO, PERHAPS, ADD A TAG. A 'B' FOR BANDANNA, PERHAPS."
"sure, there you go."
"THIS IS... ACCEPTABLE, THEN."
Sans nodded. "it can still be the same description. a piece of fabric imbued with magic from the responsible party that encircles and all that."
William pondered it. "That will go over a lot better."
"THEN IT CAN BE DONE," Howl assured. Tori, Mary, and Gore didn't have any objections to that either.
"With that out of the way, then," Tori said, "perhaps we can focus more on what can be done to reduce other stigma around monsterkind?"
"Yes," Queen Mary agreed, "is there anything else we need to explain? Any other laws that might cause issues? And do the humans have any suggestions for more laws?"
"Maybe addressing laws about starting encounters and when it's okay to use magic. But the ex-Sully and the families should also be addressed," William said.
"They deserve compensation in some way. Some kind of funds or therapy and medical programs set up for them?" Stretch asked
"Both good points," Tori agreed. "Compensation should be both funds and medical help. Therapy and hospital bills are not cheap, but they're not all of what they need."
"We have been attempting to reunite the Sully with their children," Queen Mary said. "Currently, they are being housed in the abandoned hotel all monsters stayed in. But that cannot be permanent. Not all of them have homes, so we need a program to help those whose families will not take them back."
Stretch nodded. "and a program to make sure the ones who do return are not forgotten and locked away in shame of the stigma of being Sully," he said with a sigh. "i can tell you from experience. even when you want to help, it's hard on both parties. if i would have let berry have his way, he would have never come out of the house again. i'm sure some have given in to that compulsion."
"oh, that's a good point," Red agreed. "i remember those days. he never wanted to come out."
"Well, clearly, their Sully collars should be removed, first and foremost," Mary said. "Then nobody could tell at a glance. Then, yes, a registry, perhaps home therapy visits to coax the scared ones to come out. Education videos for the families of the Sully, perhaps."
"that would be great, queen mary. i really wish something like that had been around for berry and me," Stretch sulked.
Sans reached over the table and squeezed his hand supportively. "ya did the best you could, and it was a great job."
"IT IS VERY HARD TO BE THE PIONEER," Howl agreed. "I KNOW BERRY ALSO WISHES FOR THAT. BUT YOU DID VERY WELL WITH HIM, AND YOU ARE STILL HELPING NOW. BERRY IS PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS, SO I HOPE YOU ARE AS WELL."
Stretch's soul swelled with pride thinking of how far Berry had come. "i hope they will take my help."
"I HOPE SO. ALTHOUGH, EDUCATION ON YOUR JOB MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL. THE SULLY ARE NOT AWARE YOU DO NOT DECIDE THE VERDICT YOURSELF."
He nodded. "the only real thing the public knows about the Judge is that the power of Judgment is passed to one that can complete the trials."
"YES, AND THAT SHOULD CHANGE."
"what are we gonna do about the fact that three cultures have Judges and two don't?" Red asked. "not that we ever needed one, but if we're going under one law system..."
Jack Rose looked to Sans. "maybe we should be pulling double duty for now?"
"yeah i guess that the only real option," Sans said.
“oh, but… i’m not sure…” Stretch said. All he could think about was how he didn’t have any other marketable skills if he couldn’t be the Judge anymore. He had never even gone to school.
"nobody's telling you you have to quit," Red assured. "jay just means he and sans are gonna act as Judges for the Fells and Fellswaps, since we don't have them."
"it's awfully curious that you don't, though," Jack Rose mused. "if it was going to be anyone, wouldn't it be you?"
Red shrugged. "i can't look at people and know their bad deeds, so, i dunno..."
"THE THREE OF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT JUDGE POWERS," Howl said thoughtfully. "AS IF IT DEVELOPED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. IT COULD JUST BE THERE WAS NEVER A NEED FOR THAT POWER IN OUR UNDERGROUNDS."
"thanks." Stretch still had mixed feelings. "but it feels like you needed it too. maybe your Judge’s power's different from ours.”
“I DON'T KNOW. IF WE HAD HAD A JUDGE, THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MISUSED BY THE BLOODY RED QUEEN," Howl mused.
Sans thought about it. "ya know, red, Judgment power is gold, and your magic does have gold flakes in it. so maybe ya had potential?"
Red considered that, looking down at his good hand. "i dunno, sansy... my magic's always been red with gold flecks, as long as i can remember..."
"mmm, but you're the only one of us with flecks," Jack Rose pointed out. "we all have solid colors. so maybe it was meant to be gold?"
Red tugged the collar of his shirt again, glancing away. "dunno... maybe. maybe i got all fucked up. wouldn't be surprised, i guess..."
"well i'm glad your underground's Judge didn't end up a pawn like mine," Stretch said.
"YES, THAT IS FOR THE BEST," Howl agreed. "THOUGH, KNOWING YOU ARE THE SWAP JUDGE, AND THOSE THREE ARE - OR WOULD BE - THE OTHER JUDGES..." Logically, it followed that Daemon would be theirs. Privately, he was glad that wasn't the case. That would have been the last thing his brother needed, a second unwanted entity in his head whispering who did and didn't deserve to die.
Sans leaned into Red and hugged him. "even if something did happen to your powers, you're still awesome."
Red smiled at Sans when he said that, and hugged back, kissing him gently. "thanks, sansy."
The human delegate coughed.
Red sat properly again. "in any case, unless i suddenly, magically manifest Judge powers, i think sansy and jay can handle a bit of extra workload... i mean, if they get paid more, yeah?"
Eyes fell on Gore and Tori. Gore looked around and shrugged. Tori sighed, but then smiled.
"Of course extra pay will not be a problem. But do tell us if it is too much work. We can space out Judgements as needed, of course. Do either of you have a preference for who deals with which culture?"
"mm..." Jack Rose rubbed his chin. "what if we don't do it by culture? what if we do it by severity?" He looked to Sans. "is that okay?"
"can you give me an example?” Sans asked.
"like, for example... if it's something that is... complicated, and there may be other people involved, like accomplices, it's better if you do it, because you compel them to answer questions and i don't. if it's not like that, if it's more about determining if there is fault at all, i can handle that. if that makes sense?"
"yeah, i'm good with that."
"then will it be up to the monarchy of that underground to deal justice or give punishment?" Stretch asked. "that’s kinda how all this mess got started."
"no, that's not it," Jack Rose said. "just that it will be up to discretion which Judge to use."
"that's not a bad idea," Red admitted. "you all have different ways of being Judges, it makes sense you'd Judge different things, right?"
"As for what lawbreaking garners what punishment, we can all agree collectively," Tori said. "There will be no acting alone."
The human thought about that. "It's different from how we do it, but you are welcome to put it in the proposal and see what comes to pass."
"Then we will try it," Tori agreed.
As the meeting was winding to a close, Blade was going with Undyne and Al to collect Gaster from the Sanitarium. They were all ready with cuffs and weapons in case there was a fight.
They stood outside, about to go in. The Sanatorium was quiet. The parking lot was mostly empty. With the Sully gone, there weren't many experiments going on. No need for as many guards. The emptiness that felt eerily right was also wrong.
Blade looked around the parking lot, then frowned. "Let's go in. And keep quiet. He might try to pull something funny."
Al nodded, looking grim. Undyne rolled her shoulders, making her neck crack. She looked pumped and ready for a fight. Al took point and entered the front door. It felt odd to be back so soon.
The guard snapped to attention. "What’s going on?" His hand landed on his taser at his belt.
"Stand down," Blade ordered. "We're here on official orders from all of the governments. Give me your phone, radio, and weapon, and wait by the door."
"Sorry, she’s not the Captain anymore. I need to see paperwork," the guard said.
Blade growled, but Al simply held up a paper with the Queen's seal, empowering her for this one mission. With a huff, the guard stepped down and handed over the requested items.
They headed further in, and Blade jabbed the button on the elevator for the room with the labs.
Al used the key that the queen had provided. It was a quiet ride to the top floors. When they got there, the door opened to an mostly empty and barren office. All three guardswomen started to search around. There was no sign of him...
Blade started to look for hidden buttons or doors, tapping along the walls. "Why the fuck isn't he here...? He couldn't have known we were coming!"
"Right. Let's split up,” Al said. Blade huffed.
“Fine… I’ll keep checking here for secret buttons.
Undyne punched a table. "I'll check the lower lab. This bastard isn't getting away."
Al went back to the elevator "I'll check the records room. Let's go, Undyne."
They kept searching for over an hour, but didn't find him. However, as Blade felt around the wall, she found a secret button and jabbed it, undoing the clasp of a secret removable tile in the floor. When she pulled it off, she heaved up a safe. Her brow went up, and she opened it up to find a bunch of scientific papers inside. She had no idea what they were documenting, but she tucked them away to keep and replaced the safe. After coming up with nothing else, she met the other girls at the elevator to show them.
"All I found was this."
Al took the documents. 'We will get this to Dyne. Maybe she can make sense of it," she said.
Undyne was fuming. "I can believe he's not here. He doesn't have a house listed. This is his home place."
"He doesn't have a house?" Blade repeated. "He just lives here? Then how did he leave so quickly? Someone... Someone had to tell him, right?"
"Yes," Al hissed. "Fucker’s on the run."
Blade rubbed her forehead. "Let's go report back. Give those papers to Dyne and then see what they want us to do next. Maybe we can pick up a trail somehow, or put out a community watch and wanted posters."
"Sounds like a plan. Let’s go. His lead is only getting bigger," Undyne said, heading for the door.
By the time they got back, the meeting was long since over. But the royals were still all in the embassy, even though the skeletons had all gone home.
Asgore and Mary, as the only ones who could keep their tempers, were in with Toriel helping and keeping an eye on her as she pulled files and data the humans wanted.
There was a knock at the door. "Enter," the Swap Queen called out. She was sweating and not looking well.
Al entered the room, looking grim, the two fish warriors behind her. "The Doctor has gone on the run. He wasn't at the lab."
Blade kept the papers to herself for now. She didn't trust the Swap Queen to not make a grab for them. "We don't know where he went. By the time we got there, there was no trace of a car, a note, belongings, anything."
Mary looked shocked. "He's on the run? But we only just gave the order this afternoon... How could he possibly know?"
Al tooked the Swap Queen dead in the eyes. "Someone warned him."
"And who would have the knowledge and the know-how to warn him? Any ideas?" Undyne spat.
Mary eyed the Swap Queen as well, going quiet.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Toriel became defensive looking at them. "Why would I just wait here if I knew he was running?"
Asgore sighed. "Queen Toriel, I can tell when you're hiding something. "
Sweat rolled down her neck. "I.. I.."
"Tell us the truth," Mary said calmly. "It's better if you come clean now."
Toriel's hand slipped in her pocket, and Asgore gently pulled it back out, revealing a button. "What is this?"
She squeezed and crushed the device, then held it in front of him and let the piece fall to the ground. Her eyes were hard with hate and anger. "This is all your fault. You-" she poked him in the chest, "can never understand the pain. Infidelity at the time of our childrens’ death!"
Undyne grabbed the Swap Queen and restrained her. "You don't touch my king!”
The Swap Queen summoned her flames and forced Undyne to let her go. The captain stood between the rulers.
Mary's expression tightened. "I think I understand your pain quite well," she said, standing up. "I may not have been cheated on, but to wait for so long for my child and to have them crumble instantly upon birth, I know that loss. That grief. Thinking of what I might have done wrong, personally, what might have saved them. Trying to find someone to blame. You are not avenging your children, and you are not helping anything. You are only contributing to the misery of grief-stricken mothers and abuse victims." Her eyes flashed as fire gathered in her paws. "Is this what your children would want? This pain and misery? Ask yourself that!!"
Mary's speech made the Swap Queen step back, her hand coming to the left of her eye as pain spiked in her head. "Shut up!" she yelled. Tears pricked at her eyes. "Not.. Not... Victims!" She flinched and then growled, her red eyes dark and flashing purple briefly. Her hands ignited into flames again. She shot the fire magic out at them. "Get away!"
Asgore's trident appeared in his hand, and he swiped the fire away from them.
Al dashed forwards looking like a football player and plowed her shoulder straight into her hostile Queen, knocking the wind out of her.
Mary held up her hands, flames licking along her own claws. As Toriel stumbled, she advanced, shooting out fireballs in return, her own eyes alit with fire - and pain. "Stand down! Think of the children. Think of your child!"
Blade lunged forward as well, her spear aiming to stab through the Swap Queen's leg and incapacitate her. Undyne jumped into the fray as well.
With five against one, it wasn’t a very long fight. Toriel was overpowered easily, knocked down to the ground with her HP taking a heavy toll.
Once she was pinned, Undyne slapped a set of magic suppressing handcuffs on her. "Toriel, Queen of Underswap, you are hereby placed under arrest."
The Queen growled, her flames going out. "You have no authority to do this!"
"The combined council backed the decision of all three captains," Asgore said. "You brought this on yourself."
Queen Mary let her flames go and stepped back, frowning. "Put her in jail for now. We will schedule a Judgement to decide what to do, as per the laws we're finalizing."
The Swap Queen growled her rage as the captains wrangled her up and out of the room. The rest of the embassy was mostly emptied out by this time of night, but what few people were left all startled into a flurry of activity over the events, watching, some pulling out phones.
Asgore sighed. "We are going to have to make a press release and start a hunt. And take up the affairs of the Swaps."
Queen Mary nodded, sitting back down and smoothing down her clothes. Letting out some fire magic had helped cool her off, though she was still grief-stricken from thinking of her own lost child. "I will call the robots to schedule a press release. For now, we can handle the affairs of the Swaps as a group. You alert Gore and the Fell Queen." She pulled out her phone. It had been a long day, but at least, finally, it was coming to an end.
Notes:
Chapter summary: Red takes Berry home, and Berry asks to live with Howl and Daemon permanently. He tries to fill the plushie with magic, and manages to use some. He and Daemon go to sleep in his bed for the first time.
The next day, while Berry and Daemon are off to Berry's acupressure appointment, Howl is called into a meeting with a human diplomat. Red, Jack Rose, Sans, and Stretch are also called in, along with all of the royals. The human declares that, with the truth of the Sanitarium out, the human government is demanding it be shut down, Gaster be taken into custody, and the monsters all agree on one set of laws for all of them. Everyone confronts the Swap Queen about the terrible conditions in the Sanitarium, and with no other choice, she agrees to make calls. Asgore and Undyne go with her to supervise. The meeting goes on to reclarify the collar law, naming it instead the bandanna law to prevent any accusations of slavery or similar misunderstandings. Howl agrees to making this change in Fellswap on the condition that a clause specifies collars are also acceptable with proper markings, as he predicts those in his culture would not want to switch to bandannas. This is all agreed upon.
In the meantime, the other royals and the skeletons discuss Judges. Fell and Fellswap are without judges, so Sans and Jack Rose agree to pull double duty and do Judge work for them as well so every monster culture has the same laws. There is speculation about the differences in Judges and why the two Fell cultures don't have one. It's brought up that Red has gold flecks in his magic while everyone else's magic is solid, so he might have been slotted to be the Judge, but something happened. Howl privately speculates that in his culture, it might have been Daemon, and he is glad that didn't happen.Undyne, Al, and Blade all go to the Sanitarium to apprehend Gaster, but find him gone. Blade finds a secret safe with some documents, and they take them back to the embassy and corner the Swap Queen, with Queen Mary and Asgore there as well. They question her, and find out she had a button in her pocket, which she quickly crushes. Queen Mary appeals to her by talking about her miscarriage, and telling her her children would not want this violence. Toriel is visibly struggling and attacks, but is quickly arrested and taken away.
Chapter 30: I Want to Give You Something Priceless and Free
Summary:
summary: In which we finally get some consensual sex up in here
Notes:
Hello,
I'm not sure if you all know, but we update Alpha's Solace. It would be great if you all went a left a comment on it to let us know what you think. Its the Prequel to this one. focusing on Sans, Red, Vex, and Stretch.
And OMG this chapter was so long in the making! I can't wait for all your reactions.
Waits in comments waiting for all of you.
Chapter tags: consensual sex with only very brief allusions to previous bad experiences, ecto vaginas and fingering, discussion of scars/previous injuries
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was early in the morning, almost 7am. Berry sat nervously in bed, writing in his journal. He re-read the last line he had written for the nth time as he took deep breaths. [I’m going to ask my datemates about sex.] There was a raging storm of emotions within him now that he was ready to actually ask. The fear, the pain and the lack of knowledge and experience of good sexual contact was waging war with the feelings of love, want, and forbidden desires within. The thrilling idea of being held by the ones he loved. Touching. Kissing. Berry liked caressing Dameon's ecto when they were laying together. It was superior to his own in every way. It was warm, so magnificently warm. His fingers played on the beautiful green hue. But those alluring thoughts were broken by the hated voice far in the back of his mind. It was yelling at him, calling him all sorts of filth for these thoughts, but he found it was getting easier to ignore. His phone was playing nice music to help keep it drowned out.
He took another deep breath, trying to keep his courage. “I NEED TO ASK. I WANT TO ASK.” He had read the pamphlet and talked with Jack Rose. Last night, he had even tried to touch his bones. It didn’t feel that good. Memories invaded and kept him from relaxing. Not like when Daemon held him in his arms and kissed him. His mind could get lost in a lust-filled fog when he was in his lover's arms. “I’LL ASK THEM. IF THEY SAY, NO. IT'S OKAY. IF I NEED TO ASK THEM TO STOP, IT WILL BE OKAY. THEY WILL STILL LOVE ME IF I ASK TO STOP.” The restless skeleton stood up and got his two dolls and hugged them tight. “I’M NOT BEING BAD ASKING THIS, RIGHT?” He took another deep breath, this one filled with their lovely grape and smokey barbecue scents from the dolls. “WE WANT TO HAVE A FAMILY ONE DAY. I NEED TO TRY.”
Berry set the dolls back on the bed and patted of both their heads lovingly. He looked at the clock and rubbed at his eyes. It was 8:30am. He closed the book and walked downstairs, then started on breakfast. He cut up some melons first. He was going to make Howl and Daemon a yummy thing he had found in the wonderful gift Daemon gave him. It was called ‘a bird in the nest.’ It was bread with a hole in it. In the hole, he would put an egg, some shredded ham and cheese, and cook it sunny side up. The leftover bread was toasted and put off the center of the plates.
Howl came down soon enough, carrying his own two dolls in his hands. With Berry able to fill his full of his magic, he had a matching set of both mates, and they were wonderful to sleep with. He wanted to make a point of being appreciative, so he carried them around when they were just in the house.
As he saw breakfast almost done, he smiled. "GOOD MORNING, BERRY. THAT SMELLS WONDERFUL. IS THIS FROM THE COOKBOOK ALSO?"
Berry nodded. "IT IS. IT'S A BIRD IN THE NEST," he said with a giggle. He plated the first one and started two more. "I THOUGHT IT WAS A CUTE NAME."
"THAT IS INDEED A CHARMING NAME." Howl started up a coffee pot, then settled in to eat his breakfast. "DAEMON WILL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE." He always showered after Howl, because he liked the water very hot but didn't want to steal it all before his master got to use some.
Berry nodded. Before he started cooking the next egg, he smiled at Howl and the wonderfully cute dolls. He asked, "IS THERE ENOUGH MAGIC IN THE DOLL? I COULD TRY FOR SOME MORE IF YOU WANT."
"THERE IS A FINE AMOUNT," he assured. "BUT I WOULD NOT PREVENT YOU FROM ADDING MORE, IF YOU WISH. JUST MAKE SURE NOT TO OVERDO IT, KITTEN." He held out the doll willingly.
Berry smiled and sat down, cuddling the doll. He focused on his love for Howl and called his magic out. There was nothing for a few moments, and then his hands very dimly glowed a soft blue. It wasn’t much, but Berry never thought his magic would work again, as it was broken. The little flow that came to his call meant so much to him. He hadn't felt this complete in so, so long. His magic sang of love and unbridled joy. He held it for a few minutes until he was just starting to feel a little light headed, then he stopped and nuzzled it before handing it back to Howl. "I LOVE YOU, ANGEL."
Howl ate his breakfast while Berry worked, and when his plate was clear, he took the doll back. "I LOVE YOU TOO, BERRY. THANK YOU." He held it in his arms again, giving it a kiss on the forehead. It tingled warmly with Berry's love and that fruity scent, and Howl was very happy with it. "YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. DO YOU WANT HELP MAKING BREAKFAST FOR YOU AND DAEMON?"
Berry shook his head. He was happy to just spend time with Howl. "I PREPPED EVERYTHING. ALL HAVE TO DO IS COOK IT." There were two more plates on the counter with chopped melon on them next to the stove and some ingredients on top. "I'M HAPPY YOU WANT TO HELP, THOUGH. THANK YOU."
"ALRIGHT." Howl got up to instead pour himself some coffee.
Berry fiddled with his bandana. "I DO WANT TO TALK WITH YOU AND DAEMON AFTER BREAKFAST, IF IT'S NOT TO MUCH TROUBLE,” he said.
"OH YES? OF COURSE, IT IS NO TROUBLE, BERRY. TODAY IS SATURDAY, SO THERE IS NO WORK TO BE DONE AND NOWHERE WE NEED TO BE, EXCEPT FAMILY GAME NIGHT TONIGHT." He had a feeling this was a serious sort of talk, so he wanted to make sure Berry knew there was no rush.
Berry nodded. "THANK YOU." He took a step toward Howl. "MAY I KISS YOU?"
"PERHAPS LATER. I THINK DAEMON IS ALMOST DONE IN THE SHOWER." He gestured to the still uncooked breakfasts. He had already eaten, but he wanted to make sure his two loves got to have their food quickly and still warm.
Berry took the rejection in stride, but it did make him feel uneasy about what he was going to ask later. He bowed his head respectfully, "ALRIGHT LOVE." He went to work on Daemon's and his breakfast. His tummy was in knots now, so he made sure his was the smaller piece of bread. He also took not as much melon.
But seeing this, Howl came over and delicately rearranged the melon to make sure there was an even amount between both plates. "YOU DESERVE AS MUCH FOOD AS WE DO, BERRY," he reminded him patiently.
Berry sighed and nodded and suppressed a pout as he was caught.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO FINISH IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO... BUT PLEASE, AT LEAST PLATE YOURSELF AS MUCH AS US?" Howl reached over, his hand wavering a moment before lightly touching Berry's cheek. "GET IN THE HABIT OF AT LEAST THAT, AND IT WILL GET EASIER WITH TIME."
"I… I'LL TRY MY BEST." Berry replied and leaned into Howl's sweet caress.
"GOOD. THAT'S ALL I ASK FOR." He leaned in to press his teeth to Berry's forehead, then pulled back to sit with his coffee.
Berry warmed from the gentle kiss. He finished up the eggs and placed them on the plate.
Howl smiled, relieved that he seemed to have helped. He sat back down with his coffee just as Daemon came trotting in, humming.
“morning!” The taller of the two brothers came right up to Berry and hugged him.
"GOOD MORNING, PUPPY." Berry said dreamily.
"breakfast smells great!"
"THANK YOU, PUPPY." A beautiful smile bloomed on his face. "IT'S FROM MY BOOK. IT'S CALLED BIRD IN A NEST." He giggled as he placed the food on the plate and brought it to the table. He gave Daemon a kiss on the cheek as he placed the food in front of him. "DID YOU SLEEP WELL?"
"yeah, i slept good! why's it called that?" he asked curiously.
"THE EGG IN THE MIDDLE IS A CHICKEN EGG, SO THAT'S THE BIRD,” Howl supplied. “THE TOAST AROUND IT IS THE NEST."
"oooohhh..."
"IT'S A CUTE NAME," Berry chirped happily. It also reminded him of what he wanted to talk about with them. He was nervous, but he forced himself to keep eating. He wanted to eat it all and make them happy. "I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT."
Daemon dug in and made a pleased noise, casting heart eyes to Berry. "i love it! very tasty. thank you, honey. i'm so proud of you."
"YOU'RE WELCOME." Berry flushed at the compliment. "THANK YOU, PUPPY."
Daemon ate his share quickly enough, clearing off his plate. He had the occasional gulp of coffee in between. Howl was already done, so he just nursed his coffee slower.
Berry, as usual, was last to finish. He had knots in his tummy, but managed to finish it all.
He pushed the empty dish away. "I WANTED TO ASK YOU BOTH SOMETHING." He touched his bandanna. "ITS ALRIGHT TO SAY NO. I UNDERSTAND IF YOU DO." He took a deep breath. "I WANT TO HAVE A FAMILY WITH YOU TWO ONE DAY. I… I HAVE ASKED ABOUT WAYS TO GET AROUND OR WORK THROUGH THE FEAR." He took Daemon's hand, and placed his other hand on the table in a silent offering to Howl if he wanted to touch him. "WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK ON IT WITH ME?"
They both looked surprised at that, exchanging a glance. After a moment, Howl squeezed the stuffed plush of Berry.
"AS I SAID," he started gently, "NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME FOR US TO HAVE CHILDREN."
"but if you mean other bedroom stuff, if that's what you want, we can try," Daemon assured.
Berry nodded. "I WANT TO TRY AND WORK THROUGH THE FEAR WITH OTHER BEDROOM STUFF, SO WHEN YOU TWO ARE READY, I'LL BE READY. WHEN WE DO WANT TO MAKE A BABY. WHEN I WANT TO MAKE A PROPER NEST."
"berry, i'd be happy to help you however i can." Daemon squeezed Berry's hand gently. "we'll go at your pace. tell me what you want, and i'll do my best."
Howl looked thoughtful, still holding the plush. "YES... I DOUBT THAT WILL BE A PROBLEM WITH REGARDS TO WHAT DAEMON CAN DO. I, ON THE OTHER HAND... WELL, I AM STILL STRUGGLING, MYSELF. I CANNOT PROMISE ANYTHING. BUT I CAN MAKE AN ATTEMPT. I SHOULD WARN YOU NOW, IF I COME... 'WATCH,' OR EVEN ATTEMPT TO PARTICIPATE... YOU MIGHT SEE MY. COMPOSURE SLIP. IT HAPPENS. AND I AM WILLING TO TRY. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU NOW, SO YOU DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S YOUR FAULT."
Berry nodded and smiled kindly as he squeezed Daemon's hand. To Howl, he said, "THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND. THAT YOU ARE EVEN WILLING TO TRY IS WONDERFUL. I AM NOT SURE IF I CAN DO IT. I MIGHT NEED TO STOP." Berry's free hand came up to work the material of his bandana. He took a deep breath, his face turning a faint blue. "I’VE NEVER HAD A POSITIVE SEXUAL EXPERIENCE. JACK ROSE SUGGESTED MASTURBATING TO START WITH. I TRIED, BUT BY MYSELF, I KEEP THINKING ABOUT THE BAD THINGS. BUT WHEN DAEMON HOLDS ME AND WE KISS, IT FEELS GOOD.” He looked to Daemon. “I WANT TO TRY WITH YOU TO DISTRACT ME AND TOUCH ME." The hated voice of the doctor was a dull roar, trying its damndest to be heard over Berry's raging pulse, but he ignored it.
"that's okay, if you have to stop, we'll stop," Daemon promised. He rubbed Berry's hand gently. "that sounds like a great way to start. i can touch you however you want, and as soon as you say stop, i'll pull away."
"THEN, IF THAT IS HOW YOU WANT TO BEGIN, I WILL REMAIN AN OBSERVER AT FIRST," Howl decided. "I WILL JUST WATCH. AND ATTEMPT TO ACCLIMATIZE MYSELF."
Berry's soul felt so warm from their words. All the worry from the night slipped away. "THANK YOU." The words were filled with all the love he could muster as he looked at Howl. "THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WILLING TO TRY." He pulled Daemon close and hugged him tight.
"of course, berry, why wouldn't we?" Daemon hugged back. "it's not a burden or anything."
Berry nuzzled him, relaxing more, the voice losing footing with their positive comments and love. 'I’M BEING GOOD,' he reminded himself. "When did you want to try?" he asked.
"whenever you're comfortable with," Daemon assured.
"IF YOU WISH TO TRY TODAY, I WOULD RATHER IT BE SOONER INSTEAD OF LATER. JUST IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS, I WOULD LIKE TIME TO CALM DOWN BEFORE FAMILY GAME NIGHT," Howl requested.
Berry gripped tight to his blooming courage. "I… I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TODAY.”
"okay, honey." Daemon squeezed his hand again. "sounds fine to me."
"YES, THIS IS FINE. I AM IN A GOOD MINDSET TODAY,” Howl agreed.
"OKAY, CAN WE TRY IT IN YOUR ROOM PUPPY?" Berry asked. It felt like the best option. It smelled like home and safety, like his puppy. And the room was familiar to both Howl and himself.
"mhm, that's the best place for it." He got up, gently tugging Berry's hand to guide him. "let's go get settled~"
Berry's soul beat loudly in his chest. He put his hand over the hole on instinct. He was nervous and excited. He really never thought he wanted this after everything, but here he was, asking to be used. The voice yelled loudly but muffled, almost like an upset neighbor yelling through a wall. He walked closer to Daemon and took some deep breaths that were colored with his lover's scent. He was leaned into his datemate as they all walked to tempt. No… to express their love. That's what he had heard it called on TV, and he like that idea.
Daemon led Berry into his room and gently sat him on the bed. He made sure the window was closed, sliding his ash tray down, and then pulled the blinds down. He then went to sit next to Berry on the bed with a smile. Howl came in and, after looking around a brief moment, took up residence in Daemon’s office chair. He crossed one leg over the other and laced his fingers together in his lap.
“how do you want to start?” Daemon asked.
“UMM…” Berry fidgeted shyly. “HUGGING AND A KISS? BUT CAN WE DO IT ON THE FLOOR? WE CAN USE A BLANKET TO MAKE IT SOFT.” He wanted to just get off, but he wasn’t sure if it was okay. He didn’t want to make Daemon uncomfortable, but he wasn’t sure he could handle this and the bed at the same time. He was still getting used to laying in a bed. Not to mention, having someone in the room watching was strange. It gave him butterflies in his stomach. He looked over to Howl and smiled nonetheless, his slight flush making his joints shine blue.
Howl nodded back to him, but didn’t smile back. His expression was focused. He was concentrating on monitoring himself and his reactions. Making sure his mind didn’t slip to dark places. Berry didn’t want to make it hard, so he turned back to Daemon hopefully, holding out his hand.
Daemon smiled back. “oh, yeah, okay. sorry, honey.” He took Berry’s hand and nuzzled it, then got up and grabbed up the blankets. He settled them on the floor, patting and fluffing to make sure they were comfy, then coaxed Berry down next to him. “okay. is this better?”
“YES, PUPPY, THANK YOU,” Berry said, already more relaxed. Being on the floor helped a lot. It was familiar and safe. They had already snuggled on the floor countless times.
“great. so, hugging and kissing. that sounds like a good place to start,” he said. He wrapped his arms around Berry and snuggled up willingly, nuzzling his shoulder. Then, after a moment, he pressed their teeth together gently, sockets lidding partway. Berry kissed back, just as gentle and loving. He let his hands explore Daemon’s warm chest through his shirt and jacket. It was nice, that warmth was comfortable. He relaxed into the intimate feeling.
“mmm…” Daemon relaxed too, making a pleased little sound. His hands didn’t travel far, or fast. He started with lightly rubbing Berry’s back, soothing little circles. After a moment, he pulled back just enough to talk. “you want me to take my jacket off?” he asked in a murmur.
“YEAH,” Berry said softly. He nuzzled Daemon’s neck, his arms lingering around Daemon. This was good. This was normal holding, kissing, hugging. Not scary. The smoky scent that was uniquely Daemon kept the voice away and forgotten in this moment. “I LOVE YOU, PUPPY.”
Daemon purred and nuzzled him. “i love you too.” He gently pulled away from the embrace to tug off his jacket.
Berry looked to Howl while he was doing that. He wasn’t sure what to do, because he didn’t want his other datemate to feel left out, but he also didn’t want to pressure him. “IS IT ALRIGHT TO TALK TO YOU TOO, HOWL?”
Howl shook his head and made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “PLEASE PRETEND I AM NOT HERE FOR NOW. I WILL SPEAK OR COME JOIN IN IF I DECIDE I CAN.”
“OH, OKAY.” Berry nodded and looked back to his other datemate. With the jacket off, he cuddled up again. “I REALLY LIKE IT WHEN YOU HOLD ME. IT MAKES ME FEEL SAFE AND LOVED.” He took another moment to inhale that scent, everything that was Daemon filling him up. The fiery heat from his hidden dragon.
Daemon purred softly. “i like it too. i’m glad you feel safe with me. i’d never hurt you, honey.” He gave Berry another soft kiss. Berry purred back. The reminder was nice to have.
His fingers brushed across Daemon’s shirt and then did the same to the dark green ecto of his midriff. It was warm and soft, with a little bit of give, but not too much. The voice had no room to speak, and Jack Rose had told him he didn’t have to summon his own ecto if he didn’t want to. Yet even so… “I’M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW?” he admitted.
Daemon rubbed his back again. “well… it’s anything you want. i don’t wanna do anything too fast and scare you. but, um, options, if you want options... is it… okay if you take off some clothes too?”
Berry was relieved. The options were nice to have. They were easier to think about. “THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. BUT…” One hand drifted to the hole in his chest. “WILL YOU BE OKAY WITH THIS GAP SHOWING?”
“of course i’m okay with that.” Daemon touched his lover’s hand gently. “i don’t mind anything like that. you’re pretty, no matter what. and i’ve got lots of scars and stuff like that myself.” He gestured to his golden tooth with a goofy grin.
“YOU LOOK VERY HANDSOME.” He giggled and planted a kiss on that gold tooth.
“aw, thank you.” Daemon giggled back, blushing. He was handsome, yes.
Berry finally moved to pull off his shirt. He took a quick peek at Howl as he was lifting the shirt off. They were both watching him get undressed. His skull was flushed brightly, and he felt warm. Was this arousal? He hadn’t felt any when trying on his own last night. He slowly got the shirt up and off his body. His bones were scarred here and there. They marred his arm where it had been broken repeated by guards punishing him, and he had some pock marks from where samples had been taken. There was a faint mark on his collarbone from the attack in the alley, though the broken bone had healed by now. Then there was his chest, the parts of two ribs missing right in the front, right where his soul was. Even the sternum was missing there. It was all very obviously sawed, the breaks clean and smooth. His soul shined through the gap, easy access for a scientist that didn’t want to waste time summoning it by magic. Gaster could just plug something in and go. But Berry didn’t think about now. He resettled the bandanna properly on his chest and smiled up at his taller lover. His soul shined in his chest, bright with love, happiness and trust.
Daemon’s hand was slow as it reached out to land on one of the various scars, gently brushing it with love and care. It made Berry blush. Once he’d pet for a few moments, he pulled back and lifted off his own shirt. His ecto midriff stopped right at the bottom-most ribs, the floating ones. His chest was all only bone. He, too, had many scars. None seemed particularly deliberate, just marks from battles of days past, random. Some deep, some shallow. But there were some faint burn marks on his arms, the remnants of the cigarettes he’d snuffed out on himself in order to feel Howl’s loving, healing intent. He took Berry’s hand to touch one scar on his own chest, a jagged mark from something with claws. “we’re both handsome,” he declared.
He wasn’t repulsed by Berry’s scars. “TH...THANK YOU.” The words came out a little choked with emotion. Berry let his own fingers roam around Daemon’s bones, brushing the scars, noting how the textures were different. “YOU’RE WONDERFUL.” He was so relieved that his lover didn’t hate how his body looked. He leaned in and hugged Daemon tight, their bare chests touching, bone against bone. “THIS FEELS NICE.”
Daemon purred again, holding Berry close, and gave him a little kiss. “now, you can touch me more if you want. anywhere y ou want. my ribs are good. also my back, and… maybe my femurs? and i could touch you at those places too, if you want?”
Berry marveled at how different it felt like this. He wasn’t being held down. Daemon was giving him all of the control and lots of choices. His hands gently went up and down Daemon’s back with that permission, gently caressing now that the shirt was out of the way. “WHAT ABOUT KISSING ME?”
“yeah, i can do that too, heh.” Daemon leaned in and gave Berry another kiss, his tongue peeking out to ask for entrance. He wasn’t taking or demanding, and his hands remained in his lap for the moment. He didn’t touch until Berry said it was okay.
Berry opened his mouth to give Daemon permission to deepen the kiss. His hands were still exploring, and his soul shined like a lustrous gemstone. His eyelights were growing hazy with desire. It was so warm. After the kiss broke, he spoke breathily. “YOU CAN TOUCH, UM, MY RIBS PLEASE?”
“yeah,” Daemon said back, also breathless. His pupils were soft white hearts, and he kissed again gently as his hands gently landed on Berry’s ribs. He rubbed along them, tracing with claws too light to cause any damage. He made sure to stay well away from Berry’s soul, brushing along the inside only on the ribs further away from the center.
As their hands explored each others’ bodies, Howl continued to watch intently. His chin was settled on the back of one hand, and one leg was still crossed over the other. Observing, so far, he felt fine. There was no fear, hesitation, or upset. And, better still, the both of them looked very happy, with Berry not afraid at all either. It was a relief, but he didn’t get up from his seat as an observer. He wasn’t sure yet if he could join in or not. His free hand pet the arm of the chair, soft cotton rubbing on his fingertips. He focused on that sensation as he watched.
Berry’s bones were starting to tingle, and his sweet blueberry scent was filling the air of the room. His breathing hitched a few times as Daemon’s hands explored his upper body. “IT FEELS REALLY GOOD,” he said, a purr in his voice. “CAN YOU TOUCH ME LOWER TOO?”
“i’m glad,” Daemon purred back. “okay. do you want us to take off our pants too? or no?” His hands brushed lower slowly. One stroked along Berry’s spine, while the other pet at one leg. “it’s okay to say no.”
Berry leaned into the touches, his soul racing. It kept glowing brightly in his chest. “I’M NOT SURE THAT I CAN STAND UP,” he admitted. The touches from his lover were soft and full of love, and Berry’s eyelights were hazy hearts. Magic was pooling slowly at his pelvis. His legs felt too much like jelly from all of the wonderful attention to get up. “BUT I WANT THEM OFF, CAN YOU HELP?”
“yeah, honey, you don’t have to stand up,” Daemon assured. “here, press against the back of the bed and lift your hips a little.” He gently tugged at the hem of Berry’s shorts. When Berry did as he was told, Daemon was able to slide the shorts down around his hips and pull them off, tossing them aside. “see~?”
“YEAH.” He smiled, a bit shy. He was only in his bandana now, nothing else remained. He looked down at the faint cloud of blue magic in his pelvis.’I’M GOING TO DO THIS,’ he told himself, determined. He looked back up at his lover. “I COULDN’T GET THE MAGIC TO POOL BY MYSELF.”
“that’s okay, don’t worry about the magic just yet. there’s lots we can do without it.” Daemon unbuttoned and unzipped his skinny jeans. He tugged them off with a bit more wiggling and tugging necessary than Berry’s loose shorts. But soon enough, they were off, and he sighed in relief. Dark green magic was flush in his joints, and some had pooled in his pelvis, but he hadn’t let it form into something solid yet. He didn’t want to scare Berry off. “is this okay?” he asked, settling back down in the blanket nest. “not too much?”
Berry took some long, deep breaths, checking himself over, reminding himself that this was Daemon, his puppy. ’IT’S SAFE. ALL BONE, NO FLESH. JUST BEAUTIFUL DAEMON,’ he coached himself. “YEAH. THIS IS OKAY.” He gently laid a hand on his lover’s warm ribs, brushing the bones.
“okay.” Daemon smiled again, reaching up to brush Berry’s cheek. “is it okay if i make my magic? or do you want me to not do that?”
That question gave Berry a cold chill, snuffing some of that lovely warmth out. Memories tried to claw their way up from the darkness. He pushed them back with effort and leaned forward, nuzzling Daemon’s hand. He took another deep breath. “N-NO DICKS, P-PLEASE?”
“okay, i won’t.” He held his other hand up to soothe Berry in a placating gesture. “no dicks. i promise. it’s okay.”
Berry leaned into the touch more, breathing deep and calming down. That was just… too much for him right now. “THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU, PUPPY.”
“i know, i love you too.” Daemon kept gently rubbing his cheek, purring to reassure him. “what do you want to do instead, berry? do you want us to stop here?”
“N-NO, I… I DON’T WANT TO STOP.” He peeked up at Daemon timidly. “YOU SAID THERE WAS A LOT WE COULD DO WITHOUT IT?” After a moment’s thought, he added, “OR WE COULD SUMMON THE OTHER SEX?”
“okay. we can do that if you want. i just don’t want you to get too scared.” He kissed Berry again gently.
“OKAY.” He returned the kiss with a purr. ’IT ALL STARTED SCARY,’ he reminded himself. Hugging, kissing, and sleeping cuddled together had all been scary at first, and now they were wonderful and amazing. This would be too. He believed that. “I KNOW YOU WON’T HURT ME.”
“of course not, i’d never, ever hurt you.” He rubbed Berry’s cheek again, then shifted a little, his pooled magic rippling. “so you want me to make an innie now?”
“YEAH. THAT’S FINE.” Berry brought up a hand to finger his bandanna, feeling Howl’s love in it. That helped too. He peeked over again. Howl was still just watching. He hadn’t uncrossed his legs or come over. He again nodded in acknowledgement of Berry looking at him, but said nothing. Berry looked back in time to see that green at Daemon’s pelvis pool more and solidify into a pretty pussy. Daemon sighed softly, settling again and reaching down with one hand to go back to gently rubbing Berry’s femur. His fingers teased the inner part.
“okay. you can touch it if you want, but you don’t have to. my magic just feels better when it’s settled into a shape.”
Berry let out a relieved breath looking at it. He hadn’t realized beforehand how scary the idea of a dick was. It was something else to talk about at EMDR. Looking at Daemon’s magic like this, it wasn’t nearly as scary. He liked his own okay, but this… The color was beautiful. Too dark to be just like an emerald, but shiny and pretty. Berry’s fingers slowly worked their way from Daemon’s chest towards the newly formed mound. They lightly rubbed at either side, testing the touches. ’IT’S SOFT,’ he noted. His fingers moved again, gently caressing. “I’M NOT HURTING YOU?” he asked.
Daemon made a pleased sound and shook his head. “no, you’re not hurting me. but i can show you how to touch it best, if you want?” Berry nodded in agreement, so he reached out to gently touch Berry’s hand and guided it into a proper rubbing motion. “see, it’s like this… and then you can use your thumb up here.” He guided it to his clit. “but rub lightly here. this part is very sensitive.”
Berry tried it, barely brushing the ecto flesh, wary of hurting his lover. “YOU’RE SO... BEAUTIFUL, PUPPY.” He tried for another kiss. Daemon accepted, humming into it, resisting the urge to shiver from the touches. He didn’t want to move too quickly or too much, risking scaring Berry off. It was all so delicate.
There was a thoughtful hum from the chair, as Howl laced his fingers again. “DON’T USE ‘CUTE,’ PLEASE,” he requested. He was watching Daemon’s magic, Berry’s fingers trailing along it. He didn’t look upset, only interested.
“MMM… OKAY, ANGEL,” Berry promised.
Daemon offered a grin to Howl and nodded. “mhm, yes master. thank you, berry.” He nuzzled Berry’s shoulder. “you can rub a little harder than that, you’re nowhere near hurting me. a-and, can i kiss you on more places? like on your chest? and… can i touch your pelvis?”
Berry tried to use a little more pressure as directed. He purred softly. He was feeling very good again, especially watching Daemon like this so much. “YES, YOU MAY KISS AND TOUCH ME ANYWHERE, PUPPY.”
Daemon purred back. He leaned in to start pressing reverent kisses to Berry’s chest, teeth softly nuzzling. At the same time, one hand went down to gently brush at Berry’s pelvis. He started with the sides, the ilium, brushing along the crests with his thumbs. The outsides were stroked with his other, also gentle fingers. Berry’s touches to his magic made little shivers go down his spine as he kissed and explored. “mm, you’re doing good, berry.”
“D… DAEMON…” Berry breathed out the name as little shivers ran through him. These touches were even more different. Simple touches had never felt so good before. They were so gentle, and there was so much love in every caress. He let out a soft moan as his ribs were kissed, heat soaking through his bones. He kept touching Daemon’s magic like he’d been shown, and gradually, his movements were getting more confident as he got used to it.
“mmm…” Daemon echoed the moan, shifting again. “does it feel good?” he asked breathlessly. “there’s no hurt, right?” He kissed again, then let out his tongue to lick one rib nice and slow.
Berry took in another shuddering breath, his eyelights fuzzing further at the lick. “Y-YES, IT DOES…” His joints were glowing brightly, and his soul glistened and shimmered in the light of the room, love and want radiating from it. “THERE’S NO HURT AT ALL.” He nuzzled the top of Daemon’s head, making another sound. His hips shifted up against Daemon’s fingers slightly.
“mm. good. you can make your magic if you want, it looks ready. but you don’t have to. i like your bones lots.” He licked another rib with a pleased purr, gazing up at Berry’s face lovingly. His hands slowly moved down to the ischium on either side, continuing to gently rub and impart loving, pleasurable intent.
As those fingers grazed the magic pooling in Berry’s pelvis, he arched again. It was almost painful, but in a different way than he had known before. Sex was always about enduring until it was over, before. But now, it was a bold and beautiful pleasure that his lover brought him. It was so good, and so much, that it bordered on painful as his magic strained. It didn’t like to be held back. He couldn’t stop it now. He took a shaky breath as the magic snapped into place properly. It was a pussy that formed for him too; his body was used to that. He had always made that.
Daemon paused his hands then, glancing back up to check Berry’s expression. “is this still okay?” he asked,”or do you not want me to touch it?”
Berry’s breathing was hitching again. He trembled. “y-yes, touch me.” He needed Daemon’s wonderful caress to keep his mind focused on this amazing new bliss. “p-please?” Never before had the heat in his bones been so intense, except when he was fully in heat.
“mm, okay.” He scooted back, pulling away from Berry’s hands, and leaned in to keep kissing at Berry’s torso. He moved down to nuzzling at Berry’s lumbar as one hand brushed the bright blue ecto. His fingers were still gentle, and very skilled, as he rubbed along the labia and teased the clit.
Berry shuddered as the warm bones touched his magic. He was dripping already. He took a deep breath of the smoky scent and moaned loudly. “D-DAEMON…” He held on tightly. He kept being amazed by how it felt, since nothing had ever felt like this before for him. Especially not down there. Gentle, loving, just trying so hard to make him feel good. It didn’t hurt at all, there was only pleasure. He panted in Daemon’s arms, trembling more. “M-MORE, MORE PLEASE.”
Daemon purred in response. He was very happy to be making Berry feel so good. “okay, more,” he agreed. He slowly, carefully pressed in a finger to start rubbing the inside. He nuzzled and kissed again, soft and sweet. “i like seeing you feel so good, berry. you deserve to feel good.”
Berry slowly relaxed into the feeling, moaning again. He looked at Daemon with some awe and wonder. “Y-YES, IT DOES FEEL GOOD. IT FEELS SO DIFFERENT.” He pet Daemon gently. He shook and pressed up into the touch with another pant, then lifted Daemon’s chin to pull him close and kiss him. “TH-THANK YOU, IT’S GOOD.”
Daemon kissed back with a soft hum, then added a second finger to rub more. He wasn’t getting touched back right this second, but he didn’t care so much. He was just happy to please Berry. Just watching him was pleasure enough.
Berry whimpered, almost a high whine sound. His body shuddered and he clenched around the two fingers. His toes curled in pleasure. The feeling of love and fullness made his inner omega so happy. He was panting, tense, and all at once, it felt like something inside him snapped. Warm pleasure washed through him, and he clung to Daemon hard. A delightful, alluring blueberry scent hung strong in the air as warm slick gushed out of him. It was a very unfamiliar and new feeling, something he’d never had with his previous, brutal experiences. Yes, here in the safety of Daemon’s arms and under Howl’s watchful gaze, he did. He felt almost dizzy as he tried to catch his breath, sockets fluttering. He kept clinging as he recovered from the amazing feeling.
Daemon nuzzled him gently the whole time, rubbing him through it. Once Berry had relaxed, he pulled out his fingers, slick and soaked with those sweet-smelling juices. He purred as he licked them clean, sockets lidding most of the way. “mmm… tasty~”
Berry blushed watching that display. It was so lewd, it felt so forbidden. But it also felt good, more warm heat throbbing in him. The whole experience had started out so scary, but then it had been so, so good. He was happy.
After a moment, once he’d caught his breath, his fingers trailed back down to Daemon’s own magic, very wet too. He copied the motion that made him feel good as best he could. “c-can i do it to you too now? make you feel that good?”
Daemon made a pleased noise, sockets fluttering, and rolled his hips into it. “mhm, yeah, you can. mm… curl your fingers a little more. rub at the top.”
Berry did as he was bit, his fingers pressing more into the soft warmth. He was fascinated by how it looked, and how Daemon felt so good from his actions. He purred softly, watching Daemon’s magic and his expression. “YOU’RE SO PRETTY. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.” He tried curling his fingers again and pumped them in and out, echoing Daemon’s movements from before. His other hand rubbed Daemon’s ribs, brushing across numerous scars.
Daemon kept shivering, making quiet, pleased sounds. “i love you too,” he gasped. “that, that feels good. you’re doing a great job, berry, ahh…” He arched again. “please, can we kiss more?”
“OKAY.” Berry leaned forward, his mouth slightly parted. When they kissed, their tongues met again, wet and hot and eager. He made sure his fingers were still moving the right way, even when distracted by the kiss, panting again.
Daemon moaned into the kiss more, his hips shaking and rolling into it. The continued obvious pleasure made Berry feel more and more confident. He was doing a good job. His free hand went back to exploring, working its way back behind Daemon to his spine. Fingers gently caressed the magic spaces in between vertebrae. That had Daemon making more sounds. His hands fluttered for a moment, unsure where exactly to touch. He settled for gently grasping at Berry’s femurs. He was trembling, slick juices leaking out with lewd little sounds from Berry’s fingers.
“it- it feels good, berry, so good,” he said, his voice almost a whimper. “i wanna cum, can i? please, please can i?”
Berry wasn’t sure why he was being asked permission, but he didn’t hesitate too long. “Y-YES.” He peppered kisses on Daemon’s skull, keeping his hand moving. “YES, I WANT YOU TO FEEL GOOD, PUPPY.”
Daemon groaned, bucking more, relief obvious in his face. “thank you, thank you, ahhh... ~”
He came with one last sound, trembling and rattling as barbecue-scented magic spilled out around Berry’s fingers. He panted into Berry’s shoulder, nuzzling blearily. He relaxed in increments, his grip loosening. Berry pulled his fingers out with one last lewd sound, and it sent a little aftershock of pleasure through Daemon. He sighed happily, nuzzling more.
Berry examined the slick on his fingers, opening and closing them to feel how sticky and smooth it was. It smelled strongly of Daemon. His lover had licked away his magic, so he decided to try it too. His tongue peeked out and took tiny little licks at his fingers, almost like how a kitten might lap up milk. Testing it. It tasted good, so he licked more off, purring.
Daemon purred back, relaxed against him, and kissed his shoulder a few more times. “thank you,” he said warmly. His eyelights were still soft hearts. “was that fun, berry, did you like it?”
Berry’s eyelights matched Daemon’s in shape and softness. “YEAH, IT WAS FUN,” he promised, and nuzzled him gently. “YOU KEPT ALL THE BAD THOUGHTS AWAY, AND IT FELT SO GOOD. THANK YOU. I’M SO GLAD WE DID THIS.” He was so happy, he was almost ready to tear up with joy. “I’M NOT AS BROKEN AS I’D THOUGHT.”
“i’m so glad. you’re not broken at all, honey. just hurt, and you’re getting better.” He purred more. His gaze went to Howl, still sitting in the office chair. “master?”
Howl had his hands laced together still but for his forefingers, which he tapped against his teeth thoughtfully, absently. After a moment, he nodded. “YES, I AM FINE. I DON’T FEEL BADLY.”
Berry was all smiles as he looked to Howl. He was so happy that he did it and he didn't repulse Howl or himself. "DID YOU WANT TO CUDDLE WITH US AFTER WE CLEAN UP?" he offered.
Howl smiled back. He couldn't deny, it felt good to see Berry so happy. "I CAN TRY, YES. ONCE YOU BOTH GET YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON."
Daemon purred more. He let his ecto disappear, then shifted around to gather up the bedding. "we can put these in the wash and then just wipe them down."
Berry let his ecto disappear too. He got up and pulled his shirt over his chest to cover his soul. It was glowing lightly in the afterglow of the events. He got up and followed Daemon to the washer. The magic cooling on his bones was uncomfortable and sticky, but was something he was used to. He ignored it.
Daemon just dumped the bedding right into the washing machine and turned it on, then brought Berry to the bathroom. He took a washcloth to gently clean his shorter lover off, almost reverent in his motions.
"THAT IS VERY SWEET OF YOU PUPPY." Color dusted Berry cheeks. Daemon's loving touches made him squirm, his bones still warm to the touch. Desire awakened a bit more as he flushed. "TH-THANK YOU."
"you're welcome." He nuzzled softly. "did you want to talk about anything that happened?"
Berry nodded. "YEAH… UM, WHY DID YOU ASK PERMISSION? WAS I SUPPOSED TO?”
"oh, that?" He blushed. "no, you don't have to. um, that's something i do with master- with howl. it makes me feel good to be, um, submissive? and do what he says. so i'm only allowed when he says so 'cause i like it that way."
"OOOHHH. OKAY." Berry nuzzled Daemon, purring. "THEN WE CAN DO IT TOO. I LIKE MAKING YOU HAPPY, DAEMON."
"okay. only if you want, though." He finished cleaning Berry off, then also wiped himself down. "i'm happy with anything. um, well anything that doesn't hurt all too bad or make anyone upset."
"I FELL THE SAME WAY," Berry confided. "I DON'T WANT TO UPSET ANYONE OR HURT EITHER. I LOVE YOU BOTH. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN TRY OR DO THAT YOU AND HOWL MAY LIKE?"
"mm, well, i know, but you have lots more limits than me. which is fine! that's okay. what i mean is, i like a lot of stuff. some stuff most people don't." He grinned crookedly. "but... that stuff should wait for now. instead of all that, maybe we can work on you being okay with dicks. master won't make anything else."
"O-OKAY." Berry looked away shamefully. He squeezed and twisted his fingers with anxiety. "I'M SORRY. I KNOW YOU AND HOWL WON'T HURT ME."
"it's okay." He turned Berry's face back to him and smiled. "you don't have to say sorry. even if you know that, it's hard to tell your body. i know. we'll work on it at your pace."
Berry gazed up at Daemon a moment before throwing himself into his arms. "THANK YOU."
He hugged back, purring. "of course! let's go get dressed and cuddle howl now. we can relax before game night."
"I’D LIKE THAT." He purred. He was happy to he held in his lover arms. "CAN YOU CARRY ME?" he asked hopefully.
"heh, sure i can." Daemon nuzzled again, then gently scooped Berry up into his arms and carried him back upstairs into the room.
When they got there, they found Howl unfolding a spare blanket. He glanced over to them, holding it up next to the bed. "SHALL I PUT THIS ON THE BED, OR DID YOU WANT TO STAY ON THE FLOOR, BERRY?"
Berry took a moment before deciding. "THE BED?" He wanted to give it a try. He was feeling safe and loved. Stars, so loved right now. They kept him safe.
Howl smiled at that. "ALRIGHT. I'M PROUD OF YOU, BERRY." He started to lay out the blanket on the bed. Daemon set Berry down and grabbed his clothes to put back on.
Berry glowed with happiness. "THANK YOU, ANGEL." He got dressed quickly, excited to cuddle with them.
Once everyone had their clothes back on, Daemon got into the bed, pulling Berry close to snuggle up. Howl eased himself on as well, slowly coming close. He laid a hand by Daemon's skull to pet gently, prompting purrs, and settled his other hand on Berry's side.
Berry sighed happily, purring himself. He was emotionally exhausted, his mind mostly quiet. The voice was being drowned out with Daemon's purring, and the feeling of love and safety from them both touching him had Berry soon falling asleep.
Daemon snuggled up to Berry, purring more, and pet him as he fell asleep. When it was just the two of them awake, he looked up to Howl. "don't worry, master. we'll make it all work."
Howl made a thoughtful noise, petting Daemon in turn. "I WON'T FORCE HIM. YOU TWO CAN DO AS YOU PLEASE."
"of course nobody will force him. but don't give up. we want you to be included too. we love you."
That made Howl's mouth twitch up into a small smile. "I KNOW, PUPPY. I LOVE YOU BOTH TOO. DO NOT WORRY, I AM NOT FEELING LEFT OUT. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS."
Daemon purred more, then also settled in to take a nap.
Notes:
Can't wait to read comments on this and Alpha's Solace! 💙
Chapter 31: We Took the Step, Oh, We Took the Leap
Summary:
Summary: In which confessions and choices are made.
Notes:
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good week. A lost happens this week in the chapter. Be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think. <3
I got news, Discord has said they will not help get my account back as taking form the hacker:
Our team conducted an investigation and upon review of the system, we cannot alter the account information due to our strict privacy and security policies. Unfortunately, if someone has gotten into your account and changed your account information then you will need to create a new account.
so if you use discord remember if your ever hacked they will not help you and your just fucked. keep a list of your friends and sever just incase.
>.<#But anyways.
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
Chapter Text
Vex arrived in the parking lot of the old hotel the Sully were staying in, and spent a few moments trying again to mentally go over any potential answers to questions about Stretch. The last thing he wanted to do was upset the woman he'd rescued.
Pucci was asleep in the car seat. Car rides always made them nap. Which was good, they'd hopefully be full of energy to meet their new friend. With a sigh, Vex turned off the car and grabbed the baby bag to sling over one shoulder. He then carefully scooped up his child and headed over. He had told Cleo they could meet in the courtyard, where others might be around. The hope was that she would feel safer that way.
Cleo was sitting on a blanket in the garden in a shaded area. Noelle was next to her. The baby was lying on their tummy between them, looking like they had just woken up from a nap themself. The deer monster was playing with a toy, trying to get the baby to look at it while Cleo pet the baby. There were other baby things and a bag with some bottles. There was a volunteer keeping an eye as she helped some other monsters. They were ready to jump in if needed.
Vex approached with a smile as he saw the baby laying on the blanket. It was very cute. Older than Pucci, but at this age, that didn't much matter.
"GOOD MORNING," he said, trying to keep his voice low and non-threatening. "IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN." He gently roused Pucci so they could say hello.
They both startled, then smiled. "H-hello, Vex. Have a seat." Cleo’s eyes were locked on the small bundle in his arms. She gave a soft loving look to the baby. "I-is that your child?"
Noelle sat the toy down near the kitten, who grabbed the toy with a joyful sound, rocked side to side, and giggled as they plopped it in their mouth, exploring the item.
Pucci yawned and stretched. "DA-AAA DADA,” they babbled happily and tried to grab Vex's hand to chew on his fingers.
"YES, THIS IS PUCCI." He came closer to sit down nearby. He smiled down at Pucci as they babbled and pulled off a leather glove to offer his hand. "THEY'RE ABOUT A MONTH OLD NOW. THEY'RE A VERY HAPPY BABY."
Both girls cooed at the newest baby. Cleo's child, a black kitten-ish monster with thicker fur that made her look a little wolfish, rolled over and crawled over to Pucci. "This is my daughter. I named her Jiji." The baby babbled at the name, looking over at her mama. "She is about eight months old."
"EIGHT MONTHS, SHE LOOKS VERY HEALTHY AND STRONG," he said. He couldn't help remembering how she said she'd been Judged about a year ago. She had just conceived. She was in the Sanitarium when she gave birth. That was depressing.
"Th-thank you for saving us, Vex." Noelle blurted out and blushed.
He broke out of that thought to smile at Noelle. "I ASSURE YOU, IT WAS NO CHORE. I WAS VERY PLEASED TO BE OF HELP. YOU SHOULD THANK AL. SHE GAVE UP HER POSITION AS CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD TO ORGANIZE THE RESCUE. RISKED HER LIFE, EVEN."
They both looked shocked at that. "I d-didn’t know that was wh-why she lost her job," Noelle said.
Cleo looked conflicted. "it's the least of what she could do."
As the adults spoke, Puuci chewed on his dad's fingers and looked at the other baby. Jiji crawled up to Puuci and put the toy on Puuci's head. A joyful laugh escaped her as it stayed on the little skeleton's head.The younger baby laughed and bowed his head to make it fall. Jiji put it back on Pucci's head and the game had started.
"FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS... REALLY GOING ON," he said, though his tone was neutral. He wouldn't dare to tell them they should or shouldn't feel a certain way about her. He looked back down at Pucci, gently tapping at their nasal cavity and smiling at their little game. "SHE IS EMPLOYED BY THE FELL CAPTAIN NOW, SO SHE CAN STILL WORK, JUST... NOT WITH THE SAME PEOPLE."
"How could she not know....?" Cleo asked.
Noelle held the end of her shirt and pulled a loose string. "Weren't the guards under her command?"
He shook his head. "APPARENTLY, IT WAS GASTER WHO TOLD THE GUARDS IN THE SANITARIUM WHAT TO DO. YOU ARE... AWARE OF THE PROPAGANDA AGAINST YOU, YES? THE SWAPS CONSIDER THE SULLY TO BE PURPOSEFUL TEMPRESSES. LURING PEOPLE IN WITH THEIR PHEROMONES AND SUCH... IT'S TERRIBLE. BERRY TALKS ABOUT HOW HE STILL HAS TO TELL HIMSELF HE'S NOT BAD, BECAUSE HE'D BEEN TOLD HE WAS FOR SO LONG. SO AS FAR AS AL KNEW, YOU WERE ALL BREAKING THE LAW ON PURPOSE, AND SENT TO THE SANITARIUM TO BE REHABILITATED. EVEN STR-" He broke off. "EVEN... MY HUSBAND... DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THERE. IT FRUSTRATED HIM, THAT HIS BROTHER WOULDN'T TELL HIM WHY HE WAS SO CLOSED OFF AND HURT. HE WANTED TO HELP, BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW. NOBODY KNEW WHAT THEY REALLY DID IN THERE UNTIL BERRY WENT PUBLIC."
Cleo pulled the blanket tight over her shoulder to ward off the chill of the icy memories. "Yes, we are all told the stories about how omegas can become bad. When we have our first heat and find out what we are, it is scary. You think, ‘I'll be a good omega, it won't happen to me.’" She wiped the tears from her eyes as Noelle crawled over to her and gently pet her back.
Jiji turned at the sound of his mom's shuddering breaths, her new friend forgotten. "Ma....ma?" She crawled over to her mother, and Cleo scooped her up.
"I'm glad B-Berry talked about it. It must have been hard. It feels really shameful wh-when we think about what we are… wh-what has happened to us," Noelle said quietly.
"YES... BUT THAT'S ALL LIES, YOU SEE?" He looked down at Pucci with a frown, gently stroking their cheek as the baby looked for their friend. "YOU'RE NOT BAD. NONE OF YOU ARE BAD. YOU'RE VICTIMS. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH. YOU WERE ALL LIED TO AND HURT." He sighed. "BERRY HAS BEEN STRUGGLING FOR A LONG TIME. HE HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT, AND THAT'S WHY HE FOUND THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP. IT ISN'T EASY. BUT WE ALL HELP HIM AS BEST WE CAN. HE IS MY BROTHER-IN-LAW. HE IS FAMILY. I DO EVERYTHING I CAN FOR MY FAMILY."
Cleo nodded, "it must be nice having a family like that." She nuzzled her baby. "I'll never leave you, Jiji."
Noelle looked sad. "What will happen to us all? The ones that don't have families, or ones with families who don’t want us?"
"Will they let me stay here a while? I… I need to find a job to support Jiji." Cleo looked up, scared. "Who would hire a Sully?"
Vex looked back up at them. "MY BROTHER TOLD ME THAT AT THE LAST MEETING, THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO SET UP PROGRAMS. GIVE THE SULLY MONEY AS REPARATION, TEACH PEOPLE THAT SULLY ARE NOT BAD. TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO HELP YOU."
Noelle's hand went to her stub and she looked to the floor.
Vex kept gently playing with Pucci's face, tapping and letting his fingers be nibbled on to distract them. "THERE MIGHT ALSO BE TEACHING ON... OTHER THINGS THE SWAPS LIED ABOUT." He braced himself. "LIKE THE JUDGE."
Cleo's eyes turned icy. "The Judge is heartless," she hissed. "He only cares about the fact that we broke the law. Not the why, or what led to it."
Noelle nodded. "If he cared, he could have told the Queen ‘not guilty’ and saved us from this life."
Vex almost flinched, his jaw setting. "BUT HE COULDN'T. HE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE." He pulled his hand away from Pucci and pulled out his phone. With a few quick taps, he turned the screen to them, showing a picture of himself, Stretch, and Pucci, all laying together on the couch. It had been taken only a day or two after the baby was born, even smaller than they were now. Pucci rested on Stretch's chest, sucking on one of Stretch's fingers, half asleep. Vex had an arm around his husband and a hand gently petting their baby's skull. Both men were looking at Pucci with utterly soft, loving expressions. It was a picture Red had snapped and sent to him.
As he showed them, he met their gazes with a steady expression, holding back the fear and trepidation he was feeling. His soul was squeezing itself into knots, but his voice was steady.
"THE JUDGE IS MY HUSBAND, AND HE NEVER WANTED TO DO THE THINGS HE HAD TO DO."
Many feelings flew over the two women's faces, almost too fast for Vex to see. The ones he did catch were betrayal and hurt.
"I-It's time for Jiji’s nap." Cleo went to get up. Noelle reached out for her, but stumbled due to her leg. Cleo caught her, and the volunteer came hurrying over.
Vex felt a sharp pain in his soul as he lowered the phone again. All of his fears were being validated right now. He held Pucci tighter. "I PROMISE YOU, HE DIDN'T WANT TO," he said again, his voice tighter with how hard he was trying to hold back his emotions. "HE ISN'T A BAD PERSON. HE'S A VERY KIND PERSON."
Cleo turned, unshed tears in her eyes, her hands covering Jiji's ears. "Then why did he? He got to spend his pregnancy happily with a wonderful mate, While I had to hate myself for being raped and having their child. Being told how I was the scum of the earth for taking resources from good monsters like the Judge and clean families. How no one would want my spawn because they would end up being a disgusting Sully like me. He got to stay with his child, while I had mine ripped from me after birth. Because the Judge said I was guilty of tempting. I was being pushed to the ends of falling because there was nothing left in my life, because the Judge refused to take pity on me when i was in the wrong place at the wrong time? That is not a kind person." She stormed off crying
Vex drew more and more into himself as Cleo went on, holding Pucci closer to himself. He looked down instead of at her, his mouth pressed into a thin line. He was quiet, just letting her rant about it. He didn't reveal how much his soul throbbed in pain from those words.
Noelle was in a little shock, being left behind. She leaned on the volunteer and looked to Vex. "It's hard to believe the Judge or the captain didn't know what was happening. Why did you marry him if he hurt his brother?"
Vex sighed quietly, looking back up at Noelle from his place sitting on the blanket.
"...HE DIDN'T. BERRY DISAPPEARED WHEN HE WAS STILL A TEENAGER. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE, OR WHY, OR HOW. HE TOOK THE JUDGE JOB TO GET FOOD, MONEY, A PLACE TO STAY. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DO. AND WHEN HE FOUND OUT THE TRUTH, WHERE BERRY WAS, HE WAS DEVASTATED AND PULLED HIM OUT IMMEDIATELY." He pet Pucci's head slowly, using the baby as a comfort object as he went on, his voice clipped and unemotional. "HE HAS NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THE JUDGE SAYS. WHEN HE IS CALLED, HE MUST ANSWER. WHEN HE IS ORDERED, HE MUST OBEY. AND WHEN THE JUDGE COMES OUT, IT WILL ONLY FOLLOW THE LAW, REGARDLESS OF HIS WISHES, HIS OPINIONS. HE HOUSES A BEING THAT IS BOUND BY THE QUEEN'S LAWS. HE IS PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF SAYING 'NOT GUILTY' IF THE LAW SAYS 'GUILTY,' NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE WISHES OTHERWISE. STRETCH SPENT THE LAST OF HIS CHILDHOOD, AND NOW SPENDS ALL OF HIS LIFE, IN A JOB HE CANNOT CONTROL OR QUIT. WERE IT UP TO HIM, NOBODY WOULD HAVE EVER GONE TO THE SANITARIUM ONCE HE TOOK THE JOB."
Pucci picked up on his father's mood. They started to pout and sniffle. “DAAA, DADA.”
"We have all been hurt by this law." Noelle looked sad, her voice quiet like a small bell. "Thank you for coming, Pucci is very cute. I'll talk with Cleo."
He kept petting Pucci absently, and nodded to Noelle. "WE ALMOST DIDN'T GET TO HAVE PUCCI. STRETCH WAS ORDERED TO BRING BERRY TO THE QUEEN IMMEDIATELY UPON SEEING HIM, AND HE HAD TO USE TOO MUCH MAGIC TO FOLLOW THE ORDER... HE WENT INTO LABOR TOO EARLY, AND THEY ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT. IT WAS NOT AN EASY BIRTH BY ANY MEANS. THEY ARE A MIRACLE, HERE IN MY ARMS." He looked back down, brushing under their bright orangey-yellow eyelights. Then, after taking a deep breath, he reached into his bag and pulled out a light orange bandanna with a neat 'C' on it. "PLEASE TELL HER SHE CAN HAVE THIS IF SHE WANTS, BUT I UNDERSTAND IF SHE NO LONGER WISHES ME TO PROTECT HER." He held it out.
She looked at Pucci for a long moment. Then she gestured to the volunteer to lower her down. "I'm sorry both of you had to go through that. You didn't deserve it. You came to save us, and no matter what, you are one of our heroes." She gently pet Pucci on the head. "When you came that night, did the judge know? Did he try to stop you?"
He shook his head. "I HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS WITHOUT STRETCH KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT. HE MUCH PREFERS NOT KNOWING, THAT WAY HE CANNOT BE FORCED INTO TELLING THE TRUTH. THE LAST THING HE WANTS IS TO GET ANYBODY ELSE HARMED." He brushed the bandanna lightly. "IT KILLS HIM INSIDE TO BE THE CONDUIT FOR SO MUCH MISERY."
She nodded. Her hero's earnest sadness was a testament to his honesty. She gently took the bandanna in her hand. "I will tell Cleo. Will you... will you please collar me too?"
He looked back up at her, then reached into his bag and pulled out a second bandanna, this one with a stylized N on it. He offered it to her with an attempt at a smile, though it still looked strained. "I WOULD BE HONORED."
Noelle's soul skipped a beat. "Thank you." She took it and gently tied it over her Sully collar. His magic was strong, the scent of pineapples lingering. A powerful, protective alpha aura that promised as much care as he could manage.
With a small sigh, he stood up. "I SHOULD BE GOING BACK HOME NOW. PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANY TIME YOU NEED SOMETHING."
Noelle nodded. "I'll see you later. Goodbye, Pucci." The volunteer helped her up and they went inside.
He watched her go, then sighed again and picked up his phone to look at the picture of him and his family once more. It hurt far more than he let on. He knew bottling it up was the wrong thing to do, but he didn't know any other way to continue talking. He tucked his phone away again and got Pucci settled back in the car seat. Then, once he was in the driver's seat, seatbelt on, engine running, music playing, he buried his face in his hands and tried to let himself cry.
It didn't work, so after a few minutes of just sitting there feeling sorry for himself, he turned up the music and went home dry-eyed.
When he pulled into the driveway, Stretch was sitting in the doorway, an unlit cigarette in his hand. He hadn't smoked since getting pregnant, and he didn't want to start again, but damn was it a siren's call when he found some stashed in the living room while cleaning. The stress of everything and having some alone time had him contemplating it. He rolled the smoke between his fingers, and it felt like holding a long lost friend. It had been his vice for so long. He started during the Judge trial. Another candidate told him he shouldn't die without living and gave him a few. It was really nice. It helped soothe his nerves and crushed that anxiety. And that would be nice right now. He looked up as they pulled into the driveway.
Vex took Pucci out and carried him up to Stretch. His husband would be able to tell he was upset, but he didn't say so outright. Instead, he reached over and put his hand on Stretch's, over the cigarette. "WHY DON'T YOU HOLD THEM FOR A WHILE, LOVE? YOU DON'T NEED THIS."
Stretch gave Vex his cigarette and took Pucci from his mate, his hand lingering on Vex's. "sit with me." He offered vex to hold him while he held Pucci. "We can watch the sunset before everyone gets here."
He took the cigarette to tuck away in a pocket, and came to sit with Stretch in the back yard to watch the sun. He kept an arm around his husband, keeping him close. "HOW WAS YOUR MORNING?"
"Quiet. I forgot how quiet it was without anyone here." He relaxed into Vex and cuddled Pucci, who was drooling on his shirt.
"YOU SHOULD PUT ON MUSIC WHEN IT IS TOO QUIET." He rubbed Stretch's side gently.
"i'll do that next time. did your visit not go well?"
"I..." He braced himself for more disapproval and upset. "THOSE TWO WOMEN I RESCUED, THAT I WENT TO VISIT... I TOLD THEM OF YOU. CLEO DID NOT TAKE IT WELL."
He turned his body to be able to wrap an arm around his mate. "yeah, i've been on that end before. like howl said, the Judge is who they're really mad at, not me, not you for being my mate, and not pucci for being my child."
He sighed and leaned in closer. "BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW YOU AREN'T ONE AND THE SAME. I TRIED TO TELL HER. SHE RAN OFF BEFORE I COULD." He lifted his hand to brush Stretch's cheek. "PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND ONLY SEE SOMETHING THAT BLINDLY FOLLOWS THE LAW AND LEAVES DESTRUCTION. YOU DESERVE TO BE LOOKED AT AS SOMEONE WHO IS KIND, AND LOVING, AND TRIES SO DAMN HARD." He looked down to Pucci again. "BESIDES, I COULD NEVER HATE THE JUDGE. IT GAVE SOME OF ITS POWER TO SAVE OUR CHILD. SOMETHING EVIL OR CRUEL WOULD NEVER DO THAT."
Stretch leaned into the touch. "i never thought of it like that." He lifted Pucci up and the light from the sun glinting off his dual color eyelights. They giggled and laughed, holding out their arms to their parents. "DADA. PAPA."
"I'VE THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY EVER SINCE I WAS SITTING BESIDE YOU IN LABOR, POURING EVERYTHING I HAD INTO YOU AND BEGGING FOR IT TO BE ENOUGH." He played with Pucci's face again and let them have a finger. "PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT NONE OF YOU WERE THE BAD ONES IN THAT SITUATION. NOT THE SULLY, NOT THE JUDGE, NOT THE FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND, NOT THE REGULAR GUARD, AND NOT THE CHILDREN. ALL OF YOU WERE VICTIMS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THE TRULY BAD ONES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HURT OTHERS ON PURPOSE, FOR THEIR OWN SELFISH DESIRES."
"maybe," Stretch said, bringing Pucci closer to cuddle while they played with Vex finger, "we could ask derby if they could add it to their psa?"
"IT'S WORTH TRYING," he agreed. "WE CAN ASK HIM TODAY, DURING GAME NIGHT."
"okay. they should be here soon. but let's enjoy the sun setting together first." Stretch knew this was Vex's favorite time of the day. It would be nice watching it with the hope sitting on the horizon.
"YES, GOOD IDEA." He stayed wrapped up with Stretch, Pucci in his arms, and watched the sun set with the same enraptured expression he'd had on their first date, and on the first evening he ever stepped out of the mountain.
There was really no time to make dinner, and Stretch wasn't even going to try to cook. He had ordered pizzas, which had come just a few moments ago, and he was placing them on the table for everyone. "yes," he said to Red and Vex before he could even ask, "i got you fake meat and veggies. what kinda bro or mate would i be forgetting it?" He smirked.
Red perked up. "aw, ain'tcha sweet? you're a good bro." He punched Stretch's shoulder gently.
"THANK YOU, LOVE." Vex gave his husband a kiss.
The Lusts were just settling in. Jack Rose fiddled with a new sketchbook, peeking inside it now and then to add a few lines nervously.
Stretch came up to them with some paper plates and passed them out. "here you go. come pick out what type of pizzas ya like."
"OH, THANK YOU!" Tai took a plate and got up with his beau to take a look.
Jack Rose very delicately put the sketchbook aside, then smiled up at Stretch as he took a plate. "yes, thank you. how are you doing?" He tried hard not to look his friends in the eye, but it did happen on occasion. His gaze flickered to Vex, then back to his other host.
Stretch shoulders slumped a bit sighed. "it’s been a difficult day on many levels. i am going to need a pr agent." He took a seat next to them.
"a pr agent?" he repeated, tilting his head. "for... the Judge thing? do your people really dislike the Judge so much?"
"IT GOES BEYOND DISLIKE," Vex said with a sigh, sitting down with his own pizza.
"the sully fear the Judge, so in turn, they fear and hate me." Stretch sat his plate on the table and looked out the window, his need of a smoke coming back. He put his hands in his pockets and pulled out a sucker and played with the stick as he talked, rolling it between his fingers, pretending it was one of his smokes. "i can't blame them. it was the guilty verdict that came out of my mouth that ruined their lives."
"ah... yes. that." Jack Rose nodded sadly. "it's terrible..."
"IF I AM CORRECT, YOUR JUDGE POWER IS NOT AT ALL LIKE MY BROTHER'S?" Tai asked curiously.
"no." Stretch shook his head. "it's more of a pact." He shrugged and leaned back on the chair. "when the Judge passes, a search goes on for one that can become the new vessel. that's all the public really knows. many die in the trials trying to prove they could handle the stress of the magic." Stretch kept his eyelights on the floor as he talked. This was pretty much the first time he told these secrets. "it's a once in a lifetime kind of thing. the tests are designed to push you to your limits and beyond, both physical and mental. if you live through them and are still sane, you get to try and house the power of Justice. the queen has a pact with the ancient magic. it upholds the laws that are inscribed on the parchments written in the royal magic and blood."
He closed his eyes, remembering.
He had been a tall stripling. He was tired and hungry; it took all his will to keep his legs under him as he stood in front of the queen with the others. Only one of them would live through this. It was down to him and two others.
It was his turn. Live or Die. If he died, he figured he could get to see Blueberry again and tell him he tried. Berry had to be dead. He thought, 'death would have been the only reason he would have left me.' It was the smallest of comforts and one of the few things that made standing there okay. The other bodies couldn't take the pure power. Their souls were sinful, and Karma killed them. 'if i live, it's easy street after this. food. a home. money. if not, it's okay, berry is waiting,' he thought.
He had lived through all the weeks of hell they threw at him. The purification and hunger pain from it hardly fazed him. He had already gotten used to that type of pain.
The large fur paw covered his skull, snapping him from his thoughts, and he waited as the queen's eyes glowed gold.
The power traveled and entered him for the first time. It hurt as it pushed his mind to the side and took his body, but his sins were not as strong as the others; the Karma didn’t dust his body.
“it borrows my body, and it makes the Judgment call. i’m just a bystander. i can use some of its powers like the KR because it lets me have access to it, but the queen can force a Judgement from me at any time by invoking the power. when she does, it feels like a live wire being shoved into me, so i’d rather invoke it myself. then it's not painful.”
Sans had come out of the kitchen with some drinks while Stretch was talking and handed him a bottle of Honey. "that’s rough, buddy."
Stretch took the offered bottle.
Vex took his husband's hand, listening with a carefully neutral expression. This was the first time he'd heard such details. He didn't know what to say to make it better, but when Stretch was done, he lifted their clasped hands and kissed the back of his hand. "YOU RISKED EVERYTHING... IT WAS BRAVE AS HELL. YOU DESERVE TO BE KNOWN AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOUR LOVED ONES. AND SOMEONE WHO HATES SEEING INJUSTICES."
Jack Rose looked horrified. "sounds... so brutal..."
Stretch gave a sad smile. "it wasn't something as altruistic as that. i was a kid on the streets, and really, it was the best job i could dream of at the time. if i didn't make it, well, i was okay with that. i had thought berry dead at that time, so i was willing to join him at that point."
"YOU STILL DID IT AT THE RISK OF YOUR OWN LIFE. AND YOU STILL DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD FOR BERRY. JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE OUT OF OPTIONS DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS COURAGEOUS TO TRY."
Stretch sat up a little straighter at Vex's praise.
"he's right," Sans agreed.
Jack Rose nodded, reaching over to also pat him. "i don't think i could have done anything like that. i was just... born into this power."
Sans headed Red a mustard. "i was too. i don't think i could have done what you did, stretch. it takes a brave soul."
"HE IS VERY BRAVE." Vex squeezed his hand again.
"yeah... brave." Jack Rose sighed. Then he smiled again as he looked to Derby. "well, brother in law, what can we do?"
Derby looked thoughtful, pulling out a digital calendar from his chestplate. "If I could just get Napsta and Giga to cooperate with me on scheduling, it wouldn't be a problem to add a new PSA. I'd need Stretch in front of the camera, though, if possible."
Stretch looked a little sick about the idea of being on TV, but nodded. "just let me know where. i just need to get a babysitter, unless you want pucci to come."
Derby considered that. "This might sound callous... But would you consider holding the baby on camera? It would help garner sympathy. You don't have to talk about them much, just the visuals will work in your favor."
Stretch looked to Vex. "would you be okay with pucci being on tv?"
Vex considered, looking to where Pucci was asleep in a cradle. "IT... SHOULDN'T BE HARMFUL... SO LONG AS THE UTMOST CARE IS TAKEN, AND NO DETAILS NEED TO BE PROVIDED."
"Of course." Derby nodded seriously. "None of my crew would dare even look at a baby the wrong way. They'll probably be tripping over themselves to accommodate you both, in fact."
"BABIES ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS," Tai agreed.
Stretch smiled. "then i am fine with it."
Derby nodded and made some notes. "I'll try to get those two to cooperate better, and pencil you in tentatively for Wednesday, how's that?"
"okay. that should be fine. with the queen in jail, she can't really summon me. i just need to stay away from her."
He nodded. "That's true..."
"well, yes..." Jack Rose said thoughtfully, "but the rest of us are taking on the job of managing the swaps. it's possible the royals will still ask for your help."
"i don't see how i could be much help. i can tell them our laws and all, if that's what they want,” he said with a shrug.
"you could do more than that," Jack Rose said, patting him gently.
Just then there was a pop and telltale smell of ozone. Berry, Howl and Daemon came into the room. Berry was blushing. "SORRY WE WERE LATE. I HAD A REALLY GOOD NAP.”
Jack Rose brightened up. "oh, hi! a good nap, huh~?" A smile played on his lips.
Berry blushed at Jack Rose words.
Sans asked Red, with his mouth full, "berry, napping?" That was unusual. Did he hear that right?
Red looked between them all, then his sockets widened. "oh," he said, and he looked kinda proud. "yeah. i'll tell ya later." Wouldn't be polite to spill it all in front of Stretch.
Sans left it at that, trusting in Red.
Daemon grinned crookedly at Jack Rose and shrugged. "we all had a nice nap. oohh, is there a triple meat pizza?" He directed the question to Stretch.
"GOOD EVENING," Howl said, letting go of his datemate's hands. "DID WE MISS SOMETHING?"
"sure is, daemon. it's on the bottom of the pile," Stretch said. "ya didn't miss much. derby is going to help me and the judge with a psa, though."
Berry came to sit next to Stretch and gave him a hug. His younger brother wrapped an arm around him. "thanks bro."
"thanks!" Daemon carefully pulled it out and promptly stole half of it to plop down on the couch with.
"OH, INTERESTING." Howl took two slices of a cheese pizza.
"You know Giga personally, right?" Derby asked. Howl grimaced.
"IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING, YES..."
"Then you can convince him to be more lenient with scheduling?"
"...POSSIBLY." Howl sighed. “LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN DO.”
Jack Rose gave Berry a smile. "you wanna go talk? we don't have to, but, i thought i'd offer."
The blue on his face that had been fading came back full force. He nodded. "YEAH."
He stood up and beckoned Berry out to the backyard. That was a private enough place. Stretch looked confused, but rubbed his brother’s head head as Berry got up.
Howl raised his brow at them, then glanced at Daemon, who shrugged and grinned. Howl sat down with his piece of pizza.
Stretch leaned into Vex's side, still holding the hand of his prince. Just then, Pucci let out a cry. "oooh guess who figured out it’s supper time." He gave Vex a kiss. "i'll grab them if you get a bottle ready."
"OF COURSE, LOVE." Vex kissed Stretch's hand, then stood up to go get the milk and a bottle.
Jack Rose found a chair outside and settled in, smiling softly. "so how did it go?"
Berry closed the slider and sat down. He squeezed his bandana. "WE... WE TOUCHED EACH OTHER, AND IT WAS VERY NICE," he said happily. The thought of talking about it made the voice mutter about being a slut and getting a punishment. Berry shuddered, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He played some of Stretch's piano music, helping fill the quiet and drown it out. Then look back to Jack Rose. "IT WAS SCARY, BUT DAEMON WAS LOVING AND PATIENT WITH ME WHEN I ASKED FOR NO DICKS.” He squeezed his fingers. "IT WASN'T PAINFUL LIKE THE OTHER TIMES, AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE DAEMON FEEL GOOD TOO," Berry said with a bit of pride.
The lust monster smiled more. "it was nice? that's great! i knew he would be patient, but even then, sometimes... it can still be too much after that kind of trauma." Then he giggled a little. "yeah, you did? well, that's good. i'm sure he appreciated that. it's a lot easier for it to feel pleasurable when it's someone you like. all the warm romantic feelings can become part of the sex feelings. if you're so inclined, anyway."
He started to glow brightly. "THEY DO. WHEN I’M WITH THEM, THEY FILL MY HEAD MOSTLY AND THERE’S LITTLE ROOM FOR THE VOICE AND BAD MEMORIES.” He frowned and twisted his fingers. "I MESSED UP, THOUGH. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS SCARED OF DICKS UNTIL THAT MOMENT. WHEN DAEMON ASKED IF WAS OKAY TO SUMMON IT, THE THOUGHTS BROKE THROUGH FOR A BIT. BUT DAEMON MADE IT BETTER AND MADE AN INNIE LIKE MINE. HOWL WON'T DO IT, THOUGH. HE WATCHED, AND I'M SO GLAD I DIDN'T UPSET HIM. I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I AM GOING TO WORK HARD NOT TO BE SCARED OF THEIR PENISES." He said it with such conviction, it would have been comical to anyone who didn't know the context.
"that's good, then. red's going to do another, um, session with your magic, right? that should help more." His smile did fall a little as Berry went on, and then he hummed thoughtfully. "well... it's good you want to be able to please them both, but just don't push too hard, okay? it's great you went so far in one go, but... no matter how many times everything can go right and you can feel safe, and no matter how long it's been, you can still wind up having an episode. besides, i'm sure howl also has to ease into it, right?"
Berry nodded. "YEAH. BUT DAEMON SAID HE WON'T MAKE AN INNIE. AND I KNOW IT’S SILLY THAT I AM SCARED. IT'S PART OF THEM, AND THEY WON'T HURT ME. IT'S JUST..." He shivered as memories of his last assault surfaced and how it hurt to be pierced by them. Each one was different and caused different pain. Older memories started to crawl up, of pain he had suppressed and tried to forget. A few tears slipped down his face. His breath hitched, and he pushed the memories back into the far corner of his mind. "IT WONT BE THE SAME." He wrapped his arms around himself.
"berry." Jay got up to go over to him, and very gently reached out to touch his chin, lifting his face so their gazes met. He used his power so often to say things that hurt. He would much rather use it to say things that healed. "first of all, it's not silly to be scared. it's never silly. you went through so much..."
The things the Judge whispered when he looked at those tears made his eyelights flare, but he kept his voice gentle. "for so long, something only caused you pain. you love howl and daemon, i know, but they possess what hurt you. if you choose to move past that fear, then you're doing something very brave. and bravery is not easy." He smiled, almost sad. "i know that very well myself. so any time there's a misstep, every time it gets hard... just remember that that's a part of healing, and it isn't your fault. okay?"
Berry nodded and wiped his face, smudging the magic. He felt better that it wasn't silly. "I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER. I WANT TO HEAL. I WANT TO BE BETTER FOR THEM. I'LL TRY REALLY HARD." He wanted to be worthy of the love that they were offering him, to be able to take it and embrace it gently with all his own love.
He nodded. "i know you do. and with enough time, you will. but there's no need to rush, or to put yourself down about how you feel. there is no should or shouldn't when it comes to feelings, especially fear. there's only that you feel it, and how you're going to get through it."
Berry nodded, feeling a lot better. "IT'S HARD TO GO SLOW WHEN THE GOAL IS SO CLOSE I CAN SEE IT, WHEN I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD COME THIS FAR OR BE THIS CLOSE." The tears changed from fear to sadness. "I WASN'T ALLOWED. I THOUGHT I WAS TOO BROKEN TO BE FIXED. BUT I'M BEING FIXED AND ALLOWED TO BE A MONSTER AGAIN." He touched the Sully collar around his neck. "IT'S NICE. I WANT TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THIS TIME..." '...WHILE IT LASTS.' Berry told the last part to himself. He hated that part of him that doubted everything.
"i know. you've healed a lot, but you're not all the way there. nobody is too broken to be fixed, sweetie."
Jack Rose reached out and touched the collar too, then traced around it until he found the clasp. With barely a second's pause, he snapped it in two with pure strength, freeing Berry of its confines.
"there's no rush. savor every moment, but you'll continue to heal for as long as you live. you never, ever have to go back."
He dropped the broken collar into the grass, more of an emphatic statement than a lazy toss.
It took Berry's mind a few moments to realize what had happened. He stared at the discarded collar. The first instinct he had was to jump, pick it back up and put it back on. His soul beat faster with the need to put it back on his neck. It had been painfully instilled in him never to take it off. If he did, it was a one way ticket back. His fingers gently touched the scared bone. It felt strange and smooth after being covered for so long. He remembered his promise to believe in Howl and Daemon to keep him safe. They wouldn't let him be set back, and neither would his family.
He smiled genuinely. "THANK YOU!" He threw himself into Jack Rose and hugged him.
Jack Rose smiled and hugged back, squeezing gently. "you're welcome, sweetie. i'm glad i could help. you're so brave."
He held on to Jack Rose, his fingers twisted into the fabric of the material on his jacket. His body was shaking in a mix of fear and excitement. A Judge, no, his family, freed him. He let the comfort wash through him and tried to calm himself.
Jay just held Berry for a long minute, then pulled back and kissed his forehead. "you want to go back in? there's pizza calling our names." He smiled.
Berry nodded. "O-OKAY." He looked at the collar one last time and came back in.
Stretch was sitting on the couch feeding Pucci, laughing at some silly joke. Everyone else was settled around with some pizza by now to. Berry took a piece of pizza and sat next to his mates.
As Jack Rose approached his spot again, he noticed Sans leafing through the sketchbook. His face flushed pink. "what are you doing?"
"looking at your amazing skills, jay." Sans turned the page. "which one are they going to have you make first?"
He blushed darker. "w-what do you mean, they?"
Red looked up from nearly sitting in Sans's lap, a delighted grin on his face. "you got a job?"
"uh, i-" He tried to tug away the sketchbook. "i-"
"BROTHER!" Tai gasped. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"
"i, i haven't taken it yet!" He pulled the sketchbook close to his chest. "how- how did you know, sans?"
"the wedding shop called asking if red found a tailor. they asked to see the dress, and i showed them the alterations you made to berry's dress. they were really impressed. said they’ve been having a boost in monster sales and having trouble with sewing enough things for monsters. they asked for your number. there’s no way they didn't offer ya a job."
His whole face was pink. "you...! you did that...?"
Red nuzzled into Sans's shoulder. "hey... you don't gotta, jay. if you really don't wanna, that's ok. no pressure."
He hesitated, holding the sketchbook close still. "i just... i'm not sure if..."
"it's an option, if you want it jay,” Sans said gently. “the choice is yours, buddy."
He wavered, looking down. "...what if i'm not good enough, though...?"
Tai gasped again, more audibly, then stood up and grabbed his brother's shoulders. "YOU ARE! YOU'RE AMAZING! THE ONLY THING HOLDING YOU BACK IS FEAR, BROTHER! BE BRAVE!"
Jack Rose ducked his head and peeked at Berry, fingers gripping the book tight. "i've never been good at being brave..."
Berry put his pizza on Daemon's plate and wiped his hand on a napkin. "SOMEONE VERY SMART TOLD ME BRAVERY IS NOT EASY." He walked up to Jay and took his hands into his own, the sketchbook in between. "YOU ARE VERY TALENTED, JACK ROSE. YOU DESIGN BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES AND MODIFY CLOTHES WONDERFULLY. I, FOR ONE, BELIEVE IN YOU." He said it with a smile.
Jack Rose looked startled, glancing down at Berry's hands in his. Then, after a long moment, he nodded. "okay... i'll... i'll take the job."
"EXCELLENT!" Tai hugged his brother tight. He made sure to do it from behind and avoid touching Berry without permission, even though he was distracted by sheer joy.
Berry let go of Jack Rose so he could hug his brother. He retreated back a few steps until Stretch and Pucci were standing next to him.
The lust brothers kept embracing for a long moment, with Jack Rose sighing softly before he pulled back and smiled. Then he playfully whacked Sans's shoulder with the notebook. "can't believe you did that... thank you." It was said with just as much sincerity.
Sans chuckled at him and got up to pull him in for a kiss. "you're welcome."
Jack Rose flushed at the kiss, soul thumping hard. He kissed back, hesitantly hugging him. Red pulled him closer and kissed both of them.
Stretch put his hand on Berry's shoulder and squeezed it. "good job bro..." Stretch words tapered off. His fingers pulled down the side of Berry’s bandana. "berry?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper and in shock.
Howl glanced over at Stretch and Berry, brow raising. "IS SOMETHING WRONG?"
"i-i..." Stretch stammered, not sure how he felt. He was happy it was off. It should have never been put on Blueberry to begin with, but it also made him a target. If anyone who knew Berry was Sully saw it removed, he was to be immediately taken by the guards to be returned for training. The Sanitarium was closed, but the law still said they could take him.
"I KNOW..." Berry could read Stretch’s face. He looked to Howl and smiled. "I'M CHOOSING BRAVERY."
Chapter 32: Can't Wake Up in Sweat, 'Cause it Ain't over Yet, Still Dancing with your Demons
Summary:
In which the other shoe finally drops.
Notes:
Hello everyone! Thank you all for your lovely comments! We are so excited for you to read this chapter and await your comments <3!
I'm not sure if you all know, but we update Alpha's Solace every other week. So make sure you're up on that story too.
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn Omega's Respite chapter titles
Chapter tags: Violence, ambiguity on survival, mild gore, medical torture, needles, hospital waiting room, insults/victim-blaming, forced nudity (but no noncon)
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap red/swapfell red Sans
Daemon fellswap red/swapfell red Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"NOW REMEMBER, IT SHOULDN'T BE MORE THAN TWO HOURS." Howl fussed with Berry's bandana a little, smoothing it and making sure it covered a lot of ground, so the lack of collar wasn't clear. The two of them, plus Daemon and Sans, were all standing just outside the embassy. "YOU CAN WATCH, IF YOU'D LIKE. IT'S MOSTLY JUST A PRESS CONFERENCE ON HOW ALL FIVE CULTURES ARE UNITING UNDER ONE LAW SYSTEM, BUT I WILL BE TAKING QUESTIONS."
Berry's soul was warm and happy as Howl fussed over him. "OKAY. HOPEFULLY, THEY WILL BE SHOWING IT AT THE COFFEE SHOP.”
"drink an extra sweet honey foam one for me," Daemon said with a grin. He leaned in to smooch Berry's cheek. "or have a barbecue donut."
"WE HAVE TO GO IN NOW." Howl paused to take Berry's hand and squeeze gently. Then he headed inside with Daemon close on his heels.
Berry kissed Daemon's back and waved after them. "LOVE YOU BOTH," he heartfully exclaimed as they left.
Sans chuckled. "berry you are just too precious."
Berry blushed.
"come on, let's head over. red says this place is great." Sans took Berry's hand and pulled lightly.
Berry turned away from the embassy. His face was flushed with magic. "IT IS A NICE PLACE. I WENT WITH RED ONCE."
"oh, you had a coffee date with him?"
Berry's entire skull lit up. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT."
"it was a joke, berry. just a little teasing," Sans reassured him. They waited for the light to cross.
"THE LAST TIME I WAS IN HERE," Berry confessed, looking sad, "PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT ME. THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ME, THOUGH.” He took a deep breath. “THE SWAP MONSTER THOUGHT I WAS LYING ABOUT THE SANITARIUM. RED GOT UPSET. HE WAS GOING TO GO OFF, BUT I ASKED TO LEAVE. HE WAS A GOOD ALPHA AND BROTHER-IN-LAW AND PROTECTED ME AND TOOK ME HOME." He smiled as he told that part, leaning into Sans a bit.
"aw, berry, i’m sorry that happened." Sans pet his arm. "red is amazing. he is a great alpha. very reasonable with the ones in his care." Sans had a dreamy look on his face as he thought of Red. He didn't go all alpha often. He had to be pissed, but that powerful sense of justice Red had when he was in an alpha mood was alluring.
As they neared the coffee shop, they passed a dim alleyway. Sans was still lost in his little daydream... And a shadow leapt out, sharp talons grabbing onto Sans and yanking him into the alley, digging into his bones.
Sans yelped, caught off guard. Everything seemed to happen all at once and he didn’t have time to react. The claws scraped against his bones, and his balance was pulled off by the yank and Berry holding on to his arm.
Berry looked up with wide sockets and, seeing Tal's claws on Sans, he held tight, his hand glowing vaguely with green magic. "DON'T HURT HIM! HE ONLY HAS 1 HP!"
Tal smirked as Berry screamed, gripping onto Sans tighter. With a flap of his wings, he slammed Sans's face into the wall of the alleyway with a sickening crack before Berry finished the sentence. "What are you gonna do about it, filthy Sully, fight me?"
Sans didn't have his magic ready. There was no killing intent to warn him of the blow. It was too sudden, and he was not accustomed to fighting. He barely had time to hear Berry screaming as his skull was cracked like an egg on the wall. His blue magic and reddish yellow marrow stained the wall and leaked down his skull. The world went black and he went limp.
Tal let go with a smirk.
Berry caught him as he fell, his hands alit with healing magic as he guided Sans to the floor, tears in his sockets. The green glow of Berry’s hands was the strongest it had been in a long time. He ignored Tal. "HELP!" he yelled.
Just as it seemed like a few people were starting to notice the commotion, a car skidded to a halt next to them. The back door opened and Pret sprang out, coiling around Berry. "Got you!" he hissed.
Berry focused his healing magic, trying to keep Sans from dusting despite the danger. "NO!” He tried to push away his kidnappers to stay with his fallen family. “YOU CAN'T LEAVE HIM LIKE THIS! NO!” He tried to throw himself over Sans more properly to heal him more. “LET ME GO, PLEASE STOP! HE WILL DUST!"
"Oh, you got bigger problems than that, you freak." Tal balled up his talons to make a fist, then whacked Berry on the head too, hard enough to jar him, taking a few HP. Berry's eyelights got fuzzy with the hit and he stopped screaming, dazed.
Cory huffed from the front seat. "Come on, hurry it up! Get in!"
Pret dragged him onto the floor of the backseat, hissing in laughter and kept tightly wound around his arms and legs as he was yanked into the car. Tal jumped in too and slammed the door, and the engine rumbled and tires spun as Cody slammed on the gas.
Sans's unconscious body was left crumpled on the ground. A human was pulling out their phone and calling the police, while some monsters came running towards the alley.
Once Berry’s head started to clear, he wiggled and tried to get out of Pret's grip. "LET ME GO." He pushed and tried to pull free. "THERE’S NO SANITARIUM. YOU CAN'T TAKE ME BACK."
"The Sanitarium?" Cory laughed from the driver's seat. "That's not where you're going, filth. Shut up and stop wiggling back there."
Pret hissed and squeezed tighter.
Berry whimpered as his bones creaked. He stopped fighting. He didn't want broken bones if he could help it. "WH-WHERE ARE YOU T-TAKING ME, THEN?”
Cory smirked into the rearview mirror. "Oh, you'll see."
They left Ebott City behind, heading towards the mountain looming in the distance. Pret kept ahold of Berry the whole time, lest he try to do something stupid. There were no police sirens chasing after them, so Cory slowed down soon enough.
Berry tried to stay calm, tremors of fear rocking his body. He took deep breaths, trying not to think of Sans’s dust on the ground, but his mind kept going back to it. ‘WILL RED FORGIVE ME…? WILL JACK ROSE...? WHEN HE SEES SANS’S DUST, WILL HE REGRET FREEING ME?’ He let out a whine, unable to hold it back. He shook his head, trying to get the thought out of it. 'I WASN'T USELESS LIKE BEFORE,'' he thought. But 1 HP wasn't a lot, and that sickening crack... ‘I TRIED.’ Berry let out a quiet sob that he desperately tried to suppress. Tal’s sharp foot was placed on his head and pressed the upset monster’s aching head into the floorboards.
The drive took a while. When they arrived at the last parking lot they could reach to get where they were going, Cory parked and turned everything off, then looked behind him to the backseats. "You think you can keep him restrained, Pret, or do we need the bag?" He pulled up the duffle bag stashed on the passenger seat, zipping it open.
Pret hissed as he looked down at Berry. "Well, are you going to be a good little Ssssully?"
Berry shivered. If he was in the bag, he couldn't try and run. If they were connected to him, there was no escaping either. He couldn't try to escape... yet. He only had one shot. And if some came home with him and no one was there to help, it would be over. They would take him again and there would be punishment and corrections. Berry lowered his head, cowed. "I'LL BE GOOD."
"Then we won't have problemssss." Pret's tongue flicked out briefly, eyes narrowing smugly. Talon opened the door and helped Pret wiggle out while still keeping Berry wrapped up. His legs were loosened a bit to allow him a little walking power, but not too much. More shuffling than anything.
Berry sighed. He didn't want to be in the small bag, but he had hoped Pret would let him go. He shuffled out of the car, looking around to see where they were. He tried not to think of Sans or wonder if Howl and Daemon knew he was missing. Would they find him? It felt like they had been driving for a long time.
They were right up at the base of the mountain, near the path up to the old exit from the mountain. Cory got out too and started to lead the way. "Figured out where we're going yet?" he asked, giving Berry a little shove.
The shadow the mountain cast was long and unforgiving. "Back to the underground?" Berry asked with a shiver. He looked back to the city. To his family and loved ones. He hoped this wasn't going to be his last time seeing them. Howl’s loving hands straightening his bandana. Daemon’s warm kiss. He didn't want it to end so soon, to wake up from the wonderful dream and be forced back into the nightmare. "Wh-why are you taking me back there?"
"Cause who's gonna look there?" Cory asked with a smirk. He led the way up the trail, with Tal taking up the rear.
Berry’s soul sank. Howl and Daemon, Stretch, and maybe Vex. Vex might stay with Red and Jack Rose as they stayed with Sans’s dust. They’d be looking, trying to find him. Only Swap monsters could unlock the Swap underground. Would they think about checking there? Berry shook his head, trying not to listen to the voice. He looked at the city, and a few small tears came out as he took a small step towards it. "THEY WILL FIND YOU," he said matter-of-factly. “EVEN IF I NEVER COME BACK, THEY WON’T STOP LOOKING FOR YOU.” Berry knew he should be quiet, but the words just came tumbling out.. "YOU HURT A JUDGE, LEFT HIM FOR DEAD. AND MY FAMILY LOVES ME. THE TALES, THE LUSTS, THE FELLSWAPS AND THE FELLS WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOU. THEY WON’T STOP UNTIL THEY FIND YOU. THE CITY WON’T BE SAFE FOR YOU AGAIN.”
Pret tightened his grip when he tried to step away, hissing.
"Oh yeah, you think so?" He curled up a lip. "You're just a filthy Sully. They're never gonna find you. Not until it's too late. Now shut the fuck up, before I stuff you in this bag."
Berry took another step back. "NO I'M NOT! IT'S A MADE UP WORD." Then Cory's other words were processed. "WH-WHAT DO YOU MEAN, TOO LATE?"
"Just what I said, too late. There won't be any saving you." Cory laughed, tail flicking. "Let's go, pick up the pace."
Berry groaned as Pret squeezed him in warning again, stopping him from taking another step away. His bones started to rattle. It wasn't a punishment or taking him in as the Queen had demanded. They were planning to use him and kill him? His breath hitched. "Why?" It came out quiet as a whisper. "Why me?"
Cory rolled his eyes, but answered anyway, teeth bared. "Cause that's who the doctor wants."
That thought was worse than death. "TH-THE DOCTOR." Fear. It washed through him like he was dunked head first into the icy river of Snowdin. He didn't have to think about it, his body reacted. He turned and tried to run, small, fast steps. At the same time, he gave a sharp yank to his arms to shake off Pret, wiggling his way out of the loosened grip.
Pret was so startled he actually loosened, then got knocked to the ground with a hiss as Berry kept going.
Berry was in a panic and not thinking straight. 'RUN! NOT AGAIN!' Phantom pains throbbed in his soul and socket. He could deal with punishments and corrections, but not this. His plan was forgotten. He stumbled over Pret as he fell away and kept going.
"Grab him!" Cory snapped, tail lashing as he lunged. Tal was closer, letting out a furious cry as his wings flapped. The eagle grabbed ahold of Berry by the back of his shirt. It ripped, but it was enough for the eagle to yank him back and shove him into the ground, sharp talons digging into his spine.
Those talons gouged his bones painfully. "NO! NO! NO!" He hadn't tried this hard to get away since he had first been brought to the Sanitarium. He knew no amount of behaving or being 'good' would stop the pain once the machines were hooked into him. All that laid ahead was torment. He twisted his body, the claws scraping into his bones further. The pain of the lacerations didn’t penetrate through the panic. He clawed at Tal’s face desperately.
Tal cried out in pain, rearing back. "You little bitch!!"
Cory caught up, skidding to a halt, and slammed Berry's head into the hard-packed path. Then he did it again, and a third time.
The first thud on the ground brought him out of his panic. The second made him let go of Tal. The third reminded him of his place as he gripped his head, trying to soften the blows. He let Cory manhandle him as marrow leaked from the crack he made. In the back of his mind, he found it fitting that they cracked his skull like Sans’s.
He was shoved into the duffel bag then. Cory made sure to grab Berry's phone before he zipped it up, holding it tight. With a snarl, he shoved the phone in his pocket and looked to Tal. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he grunted, getting back to his feet. He rubbed at the claw marks on his face. "Dumb bitch had more fight than I was expecting."
Pret hissed. "I thought he wassss too ssscared to try anything."
Cory shook the bag angrily, causing Berry to moan in pain from inside. "Well now he can't do shit. Let's keep going." He started walking again, banging the bag against a nearby tree on his way just to show Berry who was boss.
Berry’s magic wanted to rebel and throw up as the painful throbbing of his head increased. He started to cry quietly, holding his head as what happened sunk in. ‘I MISSED MY CHANCE.’ The upset monster didn’t have much time to think about it as he was smacked into the tree, which made his bones ache more. He could barely stay awake from the pain and damage by now. He focused on not being sick in the bag. He tried to curl up as much as he could into a ball with his arms around his head, trying to cushion the blows that were raining down on him during the walk. He was sure it was going to be a painful trip. That theory was proven correct when Cory kept blithely smacking the bag into large unforgiving trees now and then on their way.
It was also a long trip. It took almost another hour for them to hike up to the entrance to the underground. When they passed the spot where the barrier used to be, their magic resonated, passing them into the Swap underground that they had once belonged to. From there, through the palace, they reached an elevator. Cory banged Berry on the walls 'accidentally' as he jabbed the button, and they descended down, down...
It was more walking before finally, finally, they came to a stop. Cory's voice, though muffled, sounded eager. "We got him, boss!"
"At last." Gaster's voice was bored and calm. "I don't like to be kept waiting. Were you followed?"
"No sir."
"Good. Pull him out."
The bag unzipped. Berry tumbled out with a thud onto the floor. He rolled up into a ball with a sick groan. Being so long in the dark bag made the room too bright, hurting his head more. His body was littered with bruises from Cory’s tender care on the way, and dried marrow was clinging to his skull. A healing matrix had luckily stopped the bleeding. He whimpered, curling up tighter and pulling his arms under him.
They ignored him, talking about what, Berry wasn’t sure. His mind was buzzing too much as he looked around the old room. So many painful memories were clawing their way to the surface. Hearing Gaster’s voice, the slight echo of the voice off all the metal and solid surfaces. Berry felt like he was intimate with that knowledge - it was deafening when left in here for hours with only your own screams and sobs. The bruised monster knew where he was but his mind didn’t want to place it.
Gaster looked down at him coldly, a clipboard grasped in his hands. His sockets narrowed. "You have been busy, haven't you, test subject? My solution's power over you wears thin. That's very troublesome to deal with. How did you do it?"
Berry whimpered and answered, having been conditioned to respond to the doctor's inquiries. "D-do what?" he whispered. "The voice?"
"Yes, Berry, the voice." He tapped a pen on his clipboard. "That voice that had you so nicely controlled for a long time. How did you weaken it?"
"Therapist, and-"
He flinched as he realized truly where he was. He pulled his arms close in towards his core, blinking a few times as his eyelights got used to the light. He almost threw up. This room… It was a room he knew all too well. The dents in the metal door and table were testaments to the subjects trying to escape its horrors. A few of those dents were even from him, in the rare times he had tried to escape the pain. Lights were embedded in the ceiling that he had spent hours looking at, and there were cracked roof tiles that he would make pictures out of when the pain wasn’t horrible. The once white walls were now yellowed from age and disuse. There was a leak in one of the pipes. Berry surmised it was core energy. Black sludge had dripped down the walls, staining them black and pooling on the floor. The leak must have been patched; there was nothing currently dripping, yet the area seemed to be eating any light that touched it. It wasn’t a shadow; it was solid black in those areas. Shelves with horrible instruments to be used in painful tests were behind locked meshed fences. Berry took a shaky breath. The examination room in the lab. Part of the old and now decrepit Sanitarium. The hurt skeleton’s soul started to beat fearfully fast. It felt like the inverted heart was about to fall out of his chest. He was back; the bewitching dream of family and love was... ‘OVER.’ Berry thought that he had run out of tears in the bag what felt like forever ago, but more gathered in his sockets at the realization.
He started hyperventilating, but choked out, "the machine..." He scooted back away from the doctor. His eyelights looked around the room. His mind slipped a bit into the past. The far away voice that mirrored the doctor was laughing maniacally in his mind. Berry shivered, realizing he didn't answer the questions completely. Tremors started to knock his bones together, reminding Berry of his body’s protests of Cory's treatment on the way back down to hell. His soul felt like it might crack. Berry was back in hell, and the dream was going to end.
"Machine. What machine." His gaze bore into Berry. "Who's machine?"
The tone made Berry flinch. The question. He hadn’t finish responding. The conditioning had him answering, "I-it separates magic from c-contaminants." He scooted back more, bumping into the examination table. He pulled his hands up to his chest to shield his soul. Soft material found its way into his hands and he worked it between his fingers, trying to calm down and think through the fog in his head.
Gaster stepped closer, his eye lights flashing. "Who made this machine, Berry?" he asked again, his tone more dangerous.
That tone was a promise of horrible, horrible pain. He didn't want to say anything, but the answers to questions kept coming. "R-r-red."
"...Red. Hmm. I hadn't considered his usefulness. He seemed too fragile for anything worthwhile. Then again, he is an alpha, isn't he." He wrote a few things down. "Acquiring him will be easy once I have the child."
"Child..." That word, along with the tracing the weave of the knitted material that was tinted with Howl’s magic, was calming his mind, helping to cut through some of the muddy memories and fear. "Pucci?"
"Yes, the Judge child," he said impatiently. "The sample I obtained from the Judge himself was fascinating, but my attempt to imbibe him with my willpower control solution failed. The Judge is too strong. But a child..." He started to pace idly, checking his notes. "A baby hardly has any will to begin with, and the power of the Judge is visible, but clearly not absolute. Yes, it is the perfect vessel."
He glanced at Berry. "I had considered you optimal for a time. After all, you were a lifer, you had decent stats, and you even survived the initial determination treatments. You were the first to do so. But now, your best purpose is in being the tool I use to obtain the truly optimal vessel. It will be more time consuming, especially with the Queen in jail. She's useless now. A pity."
Berry shuddered. He looked around the room at the horrible machinery. He didn't want his nibling to fall victim to this, the pain. The torment of that horrible voice. "NO!" Berry's hands came up over his teeth, not believing he had talked back to the doctor. But he kept going. "USE ME... PLEASE... DON'T HURT THEM... THEY’RE JUST A BABY. W-WOULDNT IT B-BE BETTER TO USE ME?" he offered, not wanting the doctor to place his sights on Stretch’s child.
"Weren't you listening?" Gaster frowned at him. "You have worth as a tool, but the power of the Judge is undeniable. You could fight for me, yes, and lure more people. But imagine, having the power of the Judge at one's beck and call. To instantly kill whomever I need." He shook his head. "You don't even understand why I'm doing all of this, do you? You're strong. You're not very bright."
Berry frowned, looking at the ground. It wasn't his fault he didn't have an education. Most of his young adult life had been here, under their 'loving care.' That didn't matter. He wiped his tears on his bandana. "NO, I DON'T," he admitted. "WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?"
"The power, of course," he said, setting his clipboard down. "My life is science. All I desire is to carry out my experiments and test my theories, for as long as I am able. But monsters can only live so long. One man only has so much power. But to have many people under my direct control... I would have so much more freedom to do as I please. Not only that, the serum that I am working towards is not just for indirect control. No, with the combination of the chemical I am synthesizing and determination, and perhaps no small amount of magic, I could even transfer my consciousness, my soul, into a new body. A stronger, younger one." He was pacing as he said it, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You were an option. Young, strong, though you're quite small. I would want a perfect new vessel. And then, with the freedom of several more decades at my disposal, I could keep working, until that body aged, and I would prepare another... And so on, until I unlock a simpler way to achieve immortality. Step by step, I'm drawing closer to the perfect solutions. Science takes time. And, of course, effort and materials. Look at this." He gestured around. "I'm back in the lab underground, despite having the whole world open to me! This is your fault. Everything was going according to plan before you got it into your head that a test subject is worth something! I have no more test subjects, I have no funding, I have no materials. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be thrown so many steps back in the scientific process?"
He finally stopped pacing and looked to Berry again, his expression cold. "But this can still be remedied. Once I have you under control, the rest of the skeletons will fall in line like dominoes. One by one, I'll have them all, and with them, their money, their reputations, and everything else I need to fix your mess. Do you understand it now?"
The more the doctor talked, the harder it was getting to breathe. The ache from the bruises didn't help. It made his panicked breath even harder to catch. "NO. NO. NO PLEASE. NO." Berry's fingers were ripping into his bandana.
"Good, it looks like you do understand." He picked up his clipboard again and approached. Then something caught his eye. "Berry, you removed your collar, didn't you? I didn't expect such blatant disobedience from you. No matter. I'll replace it later." He leaned forward, reaching out with one hand.
Berry jumped as the hand grabbed for him, hitting his already hurt head, causing a whimper of pain and making him even more dizzy. It didn't help the fog in his head, either. He tried to, but he couldn't get enough air as the panic started to sink its teeth into him. The last thing he saw was that hand inches from his face.
“Sir, please, you can’t go in there.”
“fuck you, let me in to my mate!”
Red was nearly frothing at the mouth as Jack Rose clasped his shoulder. The taller skeleton tried to soothingly pet his skull to maybe get him to calm down, even though internally, he was boiling with just as much rage.
They were at the hospital, just outside the door to an intensive care operation room. The bear in front of him, wearing a nurse's outfit, grimaced as he held up both paws.
"I can't do that, they're operati-"
"i'll do it! i'll help! are they using a green machine??" Red refused to be soothed by the pets, his eyelights flaring vivid yellow-speckled red, his apple scent strong and bordering on sour.
"Sir, you're not a doctor, and-"
"i don't need to be a doctor, i prototyped those machines!"
"red, sweetie, please," Jay murmured, tugging his arm. "let's go sit, it'll be okay."
"no! i need to see if he's gonna be okay! he's only got 1 HP, if he dusts in there and i'm not there-!" The righteous fury dissolved like he was a balloon that lost all its air slowly, and he sobbed and covered his mouth with his good hand, tears welling up.
Jack Rose took that opportunity to gently pull him back from the door, away from the bear that sighed in relief and dropped his hands. Red all but fell into a chair, weeping uncontrollably as the alpha fury was all replaced with fear and grief. The Lust monster held him closer, also sighing, and pet his skull with broader sweeps. He let Red's face pillow into his shoulder as he fought with all his might to keep his own anger at bay.
Those bastards. He'd never even met them, he'd never seen their eyes, but just knowing their names and what they'd done, he wanted to see them burn. He could imagine killing them slowly, driving bones into their flesh and watching the blood pour out, listening to their screams without any mercy, and…
That. That was very violent. That wasn't like him. He should be scared or ashamed to be daydreaming of murder, but the mental image was only giving him vicarious satisfaction. He kept his voice even as he kept soothing Red.
"he'll make it, baby. there's no way he won't, okay? sans will not die there." He managed to say it with enough conviction that even he believed it, even though it was less prophecy and more wishful thinking.
"i should have been there," Red sobbed, clinging harder. "i should have stopped it."
"sweetie, you were at school. even if you were there, they would have just attacked you too."
"i would have killed them before they ever laid a finger on him!"
"or you'd be on the operating table next to him, and i'd be out here alone wondering if i'm destined to be burned every time i think i'm allowed to have something good."
Red looked up at him, tears streaking down his cheeks, then gripped his jacket hard and kissed him harder. Jay’s sockets went wide.
Kisses during sex, he got those plenty. Even the gentle, sweet kisses Red and Sans had been cheerily greeting him with, he was getting used to. But those were just affection without love, right? Friends kissed all the time. They liked him. Helped him sate his lust. Wanted to see him happy. But that didn't mean they loved him… right?
But this kiss wasn't like those. It was sloppy and wet and desperate, and it carried with it enough silent intent to knock anybody down. Red didn't need words to say 'please don't ever leave my side' when it was screamed loud and clear just with the meeting of their teeth.
He closed his sockets and pressed back into it, his own alpha scent wreathing through the area. It was intensely sugary pomegranate, like grenadine, and undertones of warm brandy. The Lust over-sweetened it, like it did all those from his underground. But the feel of his pheromones seeping through the air had Red relaxing with a soft whimper, his grip loosening. He pulled back from the kiss and nuzzled Jack Rose's shoulder, hiccupping softly.
"...you promise he'll be okay?" he asked in a quiet voice.
Jay didn't like to make promises, something he shared with these two precious men he’d gotten so attached to. He didn't like breaking them, and keeping them was always troublesome. Red was asking him to promise something he had no control over. It wasn't really fair. And in any other circumstances, he wouldn't…
"i promise you, red. i know he'll be okay. they'll probably even be done soon."
A complete lie, but a kind one. The only thing he could do to make this situation better was calm Red down, and that did the job. Red nodded and pillowed his skull back on Jack Rose's shoulder, nuzzling into his neck with a soft sigh. Jay kept stroking the top of his skull with one hand, holding him close in his ridiculously warm arms. Petting Red’s skull was the ‘sleep’ button, he’d found out quite quickly. He’d seen it work even when Red was intensely focused on his thesis, battering away Sans’s coaxing to come to bed. He wasn’t sure it was enough now, but given that Red had burned a lot of magic getting here fast, and then spent all his anger yelling at the nurse, he had to be exhausted. And, indeed, with a few more minutes of coaxing, he counted the seconds between Red's breaths and determined he was asleep.
He shifted carefully, getting Red settled on just one arm, and checked his phone. There was just one message, from Vex.
[NO SIGN OF BERRY YET. I'LL BE THERE SOON WITH PAPYRUS.]
He frowned, double-checking the messages from Howl, Stretch, and Tai. Nothing else new. With a sigh, he tucked his phone away again and went back to petting, watching the door to the operating room with apprehension.
The first thing Berry noticed was he was cold. It was warm in his star blanket or with Daemon. He went to feel around for the blanket. There was a clank that was all too familiar, as his hand stopped short. His soul skipped a beat. He laid very still. 'THIS… CAN'T… BE HAPPENING.’ His breath hitched with each breath. ‘I WORKED SO HARD. DID WHAT I NEEDED TO...’
You knew it wouldn’t last. You knew you were being a bad sully. You knew it was only a matter of time until you were brought back, the voice told him cruelly.
'WHY…' he thought, his sockets opening slowly. At first, it was just the bright overhead examination lights, and he could make out anything else. He blinked a few more times and looked down at his body. He was stripped naked, and it was hard to see anything past the circle of lights. 'NO.' He would not give up on this. 'I CHOSE BRAVERY. I CANNOT GIVE UP. I'LL GET AWAY OR THEY WILL COME FOR ME,' Berry told himself.
"Finally awake, I see." Gaster looked down at him impassively. "It won't matter for much longer. Don't squirm, now. You know it will only make this more painful."
Berry tried to relax his body. He knew the table well; it had held him down many times. 'THIS IS JUST FOR NOW,' he told himself, but the thought didn't stop his bones from rattling. He turned and twisted his neck, trying to see past the lights to see what the doctor was doing.
It was hard to see anything at the moment, mostly because Gaster's icy hands were approaching Berry's neck with something black. A fresh collar snapped into place around his neck, with the bandana discarded off to the side. "This one won't be unlocked as easily. It's sturdier. You know you belong in this collar. After all, you're a filthy Sully."
Berry thrashed, trying to get away from the hands. It was useless, though. Once a Sully, always a Sully, the voice reminded him.
"Tsk, stop your squirming. Haven't you given up yet? You know this is where you belong." Gaster pulled back when the collar was secure and started flipping switches and pushing buttons. "It's been so long since this version of the machine was used, it's not in the best shape. Such a pity. You will be getting me back to my better equipment. That's a foremost priority."
Berry laid back on the metal table as tears stained his face. He tried to believe this was a horrible, terrible dream. When he woke up, Sans would be alright and Daemon would hold him while Howl petted him.
Finally, after a few long moments, there was a dull clunking sound, and then Gaster pierced Berry's soul with a needle. It hurt, just like it used to, shattering any illusion that this was a dream. This was real, and it hurt. Purple magic slowly began to seep into Berry's soul from the tubes, and Gaster finally took a step back.
"It will take some time, of course, but-"
Berry screamed. "NOOOOO! NO! NO!" He bucked and pulled as hard as hard as he could, making restraints bite into his bones. "NO!" As the horrible magic invaded his soul, he kept screaming."NOOOOOOOO!" His magic came to his desperate calls; it wasn’t blocked or clogged like last time he was strapped to the table. His hand encased in blue magic, and he reached out for any soul near him.
Gaster made a startled sound as his soul popped into view, vivid blue. His sockets went wide. "What are you doing?? Stop! Let go of me, lab rat!"
From across the room, Cory perked up from his spot, sitting and watching. "Doc!"
Berry gripped the soul. There was a torrent of emotions in him as the corrupted magic mixed in his soul. Anger and pain mixed with a hint of bravery that his family helped grow within him. He had to stop this so that he wouldn't be used to hurt his special people: His family. They had to be looking for him. He had to get home to them. They were doing their best, and he had to be brave and fight back.
He flicked his hand up and down, side to side. He wasn't sure where the machine was so he flung the doctor into every wall.
Gaster was helpless to do anything, rag-dolled as he was tossed into several walls. Marrow bled from several wounds as his bones cracked. Cory snarled as he jumped up.
"You little bitch!" He started rushing over.
Berry flinched as Cory's footsteps came barreling towards him. His weak magic was almost spent. He threw the doctor at Cory and got insanely lucky as Gaster's body slammed into the wolf monster, knocking them both into the machine with a crash. Cory howled in pain as sparks flew from the machine. The drip of magic stopped. The pain. Everything stopped.
Berry sank into the restraints, panting. The feat of magic had been taxing. The toxic magic burned in his soul. His skull was killing him. He was just grateful that the pump hadn't made it into his socket yet. In the back of his mind, he knew a beating was coming and feared it. He was going to be punished for this.
Tal was the next one to rush up, hitting a button that unlocked the magnets that held the restrains closed, yanking Berry up from the them, glaring angrily. "You fucker!" he hissed. "That's the last time you disobey!" With Gaster and Cory still dazed, Gaster bleeding heavily, Tal threw Berry into the wall as hard as he could manage, clearly hoping to knock him out.
The hose connected to his soul stretched taut before ripping the needle from his soul, and he thumped into the wall and then the floor. The only saving grace was landing on the soft material of his clothes. The smallest of whimpers escaped him. Magic dripped from his damaged soul as he curled around himself and he grasped his soft bandana. His sockets widened. The watch was under it. He grasped it tight and slammed the button.
Berry was instantly shot through time and space, everything turning black for a moment. Then the world came back into focus as he landed in a small heap, still naked and with the bandana and his clothes gathered under him, in the living room of Howl and Daemon's house.
Daemon was sitting in the corner, hugging his legs, his face buried in his knees, breathing heavy. Tai was sitting next to him, rubbing his back, coaxing gently. "YOU'RE DOING SO WELL, DEEP BREATHS. NO MURDER FEELINGS, ONLY CALM," he was saying.
It took a moment, but as they registered someone else was there, Daemon lifted a tear-stained face, then gasped. "berry!"
Berry wasn't sure if this was real, but by the Angel, he wanted it to be. He lifted his cracked skull. It was hard to see far; everything was blurry. He was sure it was either from his head wound or his leaking soul. He dropped the spent watch and held out a shaky hand. "P-P-PUPPY?'
"berry!" Daemon disappeared in a pop, inadvertently dragging Tai through a shortcut too as he landed in front of Berry. His hands reached out with bright healing magic sparking. He poured the healing magic into Berry, a great amount of it, trying to heal all of the damage there.
Tai reeled from the shortcut, shaking his head and letting go of Daemon with a grimace. "I VERY MUCH DISLIKE DOING THAT WITHOUT WARNING... I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU OKAY, BERRY, THANK THE STARS!" He pulled out his phone and started tapping. "DON'T WORRY. I'LL GET HOWL BACK HERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE."
'ITS REAL!' Berry let out a shuddering sob. He pulled his hand away from the hole in his chest, exposing the damage that was slowly healing. Thick blue tinted magic was smeared on his ribs and hand. "PUPPY!" Berry tried to crawl into his arms. He wanted, no, needed, to be held.
"i've got you, honey, i'm here. berry..." Daemon was shaking as he pulled his smaller lover right into his arms. He kept healing as much as he could, tears pouring down his cheeks anew. "where did they- what- how bad was it??"
Tai's phone rang. He answered and hit the speakerphone. "HELLO, HE IS HERE."
"BERRY?" Howl sounded about as worried and relieved as Daemon looked. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"
"I... I..." His blurry eyelights searched the room for a Howl-like figure. "IT H-HURTS," managed to make its way through the hitched breaths. He buried his face in Daemon's jacket, trying to breathe in the warm, smoky scent of his love. He didn't want to be woken up again; he wanted his dream to be real. Daemon could barely make out the words muttered into his jacket between the shaking sobs. "PUPPY’S HELPING."
"PICK ME UP NOW," Howl demanded, his worry increasing. "DAEMON, I'M-" A moment's pause, presumably for him to gather his bearings. "I'M NEAR THE FELL BAR."
Daemon regretfully halted his green magic, standing up. "i'll be there in a minute, master. i have to-"
"YOU HAVE TO WHAT?" he demanded sharply. "NOW!"
"i-i have to get his clothes on," he said in a strained voice, fumbling with Berry's clothes. Howl hissed out a low breath.
"THEN HURRY."
"yes master."
Tai grimaced and hung up, helping Daemon with steadier hands. "IT'LL BE ALRIGHT, BERRY. WE'LL GET YOU TO HIM IN A MOMENT."
Berry whined as the green magic stopped. The pain in his soul was tolerable, but burned and ached. He laid there and let them work, only sobbing quietly into Daemon. When they were close to done he asked, "THIS IS REAL? YOU'RE REAL?"
"yeah, sweetie, it's real, i'm really here. it's okay." His barbecue scent surrounded Berry as he picked him back up, now fully clothed. He ported outside the Fell bar, and Howl immediately hurried up from where he was pacing. His gloved hands hovered over Berry, and then he instead gripped Daemon's arm wordlessly. They were back home as soon as he was in contact with his brother.
A Howl-like shape came into Berry's slightly blurry vision, but before he could process it, they had ported again. When they settled again, Berry held out his hand. "ANGEL?"
"I'M HERE, BERRY." Howl pulled off one glove to thread his fingers in between Berry's. Daemon carried him to the couch and sat, holding him close. He kept healing while Howl squeezed his hand. "HOW BADLY DOES IT HURT, KITTEN? HOW CAN I HELP?"
"MAY I ALSO TRY SOME HEALING MAGIC?" Tai asked, approaching.
"FUZZY, EVERYTHING’S FUZZY." Berry's shuddering had lessened a bit. "HEAD HURTS A LOT." He pulled their combined hands over his chest. "MY SOUL BURNS AND ACHES..." He tried to think through pain. "DOCTOR'S MAD. SO MAD." Realization dawned on his tear-stained face. ‘BRAVERY.’ It was courage. He had willingly confronted danger, pain, uncertainty, and intimidation when he fought back. "I CHOSE BRAVERY. I FOUGHT BACK."
“YOU DID SO WELL, KITTEN, AND I’M SO PROUD OF YOU,” Howl said quieter.
"i think i've gotten all the physical wounds..." Daemon murmured. "it's... it's his soul..."
Howl tightened his grip, his expression just as tight. "WE WILL FIX IT SOMEHOW. YOU HURT HIM? GASTER? TELL US EVERYTHING?"
"SANS AND I...? SANS! TAL DIDN'T HAVE ANY KILLING INTENT, BUT HE JUMPED OUT AND SLAMMED SANS INTO THE WALL. I HEALED HIM WHILE IT HAPPENED, THEN THEY TOOK ME." Berry gripped his lovers. "IS... IS HE... DID HE...?" He couldn't bring himself to say ‘dust.’
Tai reached out to take Berry's free hand, giving him a smile with only kindness and warmth in his sockets. "SANS IS GOING TO BE FINE, BERRY. IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE, BUT... THEY SAID HE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT IF NOT FOR YOU. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SAVED HIM.”
The relief washed through him. So much guilt Berry had been ready to take on had been washed away with Tai's words. "I WASN'T USELESS." He cried again, but this time with joy. "I WAS SO WORRIED."
"OF COURSE NOT! YOU COULD NEVER BE USELESS. YOU'RE AMAZING," Tai assured.
"so amazing," Daemon agreed, nuzzling into the back of Berry's skull, sighing low. "my honey."
It took a few minutes for Berry to calm down again. He nuzzled Daemon and played with Howl’s hand. It took a bit to find his courage to speak again. "THEY... TOOK ME BACK. BACK TO..." He let go of Tai's hand, his own coming to rest on the new collar. "...THE SANITARIUM."
Howl was calming with Berry's hand in his, sitting close. Even so, when he saw the new collar and heard those words, his pupils sharpened. "THOSE BASTARDS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR EVER LAYING A FINGER ON YOU." He reached for the collar, tracing around it and finding the clasp to try to pry it open. It proved to be difficult; Gaster's claim that this one was sturdier was true. But it didn't deter him. He snarled as a tekko kagi claw formed on one hand. He pulled the leather away from Berry's neck enough to get the blades underneath, then sliced through it with an insistent pull.
The collar shredded and fell away.
"NEVER AGAIN, BERRY. NEVER."
Notes:
You didn't really think we'd kill Sans off, did you? :> Pssssssh. - GetMcDunkedOn
Chapter 33: That's the Price You Pay, Leave Behind Your Heart and Cast Away
Summary:
In which Justice pulls double duty.
Notes:
Hello everyone I know you all wanted to know what happens next! Well you don't have to wait any long! Their was so many comments last chapter! Thank you for that and its great to see the new people. Let us know what you think this chapter. Be sure to kudos, bookmark and subscribe.
Chapter tags: needle mention, overall some hospital stuff, violence, premeditated murder, baby in danger, mind control
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
Chapter Text
Sans had been going in and out of consciousness for a bit. He'd been having strange dreams, full of darkness and fear. But Red and Jay kept coming into those dreams and soothed his mind. Sometimes, he even swore they would touch him and keep protecting him from the nightmare that tried to invade him.
His headache felt like there was something in his skull. He moaned softly. “redy…? jay…?” He blinked his sockets, then closed them again. It was so bright. “close the windows, it's too bright. h-how much did we drink?” He couldn’t remember what happened.
Red and Jack Rose were sitting wedged in the same big hospital chair next to the bed. For the past half an hour, they'd been touching him and petting his hand or forehead and just... talking. Red still had a few tears pooled in his sockets. When Sans spoke, at last, they both instantly lurched forward. Red grabbed his hand again, squeezing gently. "sans!"
"oh, sweetie." Jay fussed with the blanket for a second. "we didn't drink. do you not remember what happened...?"
"not really... my head is killing me," Sans said in a low whisper. Loud sounds really hurt. He felt a hand in his and squeezed whomever's hand it was.
"you were with berry," Red said quietly. "and you... he... you were found just. in an alley. you got your head just bashed in."
"your skull is pretty cracked," Jay murmured. "i'll tell the nurse you're in pain." He jabbed the nurse button.
Sans's pale bones turned ashen. Honestly, he had never been this hurt before. He didn't think he would ever be in this end of a hospital bed without his dad being the one standing over him taking care of his injuries. "how? how did i live?" Then he realized Berry wasn't there. "wh-where's berry? is he okay?"
Red wiped at his sockets with his free forearm. "they said... they said you were a lot better off than you should have been. they expected d-dust... berry must have healed you." He squeezed Sans's hand again. "sansy, we, we don't know where he is. he got... kidnapped."
"fuck," Sans gasped. Images started to make their way through the fog in his mind. "fuck. berry was healing me when the bird grabbed him. berry yelled, told him not to hurt me." He took a few deep breaths. "redy, if you hadn't fixed his magic, i would have been... dust." He shivered. "i didn’t feel any killing intent."
Red's breath caught a little. "me...? yeah, i... i did do that..." He had been blaming himself, despite Jay's earlier words, but he had given Berry his magic back. He wiped away more tears. "i'm so glad you'll be okay, sweetheart, i, i was so scared. both of us were."
"we were." Jay kept smoothing the blanket. "you should have heard him trying to get into the operating room. very alpha." He chuckled a little. "i had to be the voice of reason, and you know that's not my strong suit."
Sans chuckled, "well ya did a wonderful job.” He leaned back into the pillow, letting it cradle his aching skull. “so you need to give yourself more credit, jay." He smiled up at them. "guess red and i are going to be your gemini twins now," he said, referring to his cracked skull.
Jay laughed, more out of relief than anything. "if you can joke, you must be feeling a little better." He leaned in, hesitated a moment, and then softly kissed Sans. It was the first time he had willingly initiated a kiss outside the bedroom.
Sans kissed him back. When their teeth parted he said, "thanks for kissing my booboo, but ya missed so you'll have to do it again."
"oh, will i? what a chore," he murmured teasingly, and gave his face several gentler kisses, including one just below the lowest bandage.
Sans chuckled. "thanks, love. i'm feeling better already." He squeezed Jay's hand. "do... you know who took berry?"
He smiled, but then it faded. "we're not totally sure..."
"it's those bastards who hurt him in the alley," Red said, his voice now quiet in low, seething rage. "you said it was a bird, right? an eagle? those fuckers went to the bar that night. i remember kicking them out after slapping them with their bill."
"you've met them?" Jay was startled.
"yeah. vex tried to arrest them, but couldn't because of the sully law." He shook his head, murder on his face. "they jumped you when you were alone in public... when nobody else could get there fast."
"yeah, it was an eagle monster. sharp talons." He let go to rub his arm where they had grabbed him. "I didn't get too good a look, but he was alone, i think. they were guards at the sanitarium right? they should be able to find their info."
Red nodded. "i can tell that to vex... he and paps went to get food. oh! i should tell them you're awake." He pulled out his phone.
The nurse finally arrived, the same bear monster Red had yelled at previously. He seemed to hold no ill will, however, and smiled down at Sans. "Good to see you awake, Sans. I hear you're in a lot of pain. I've got some painkillers here for you. Are you alright with needles?"
"yeah, that's fine." Sans let go of his arm and held it out. "thank for helpin'. it's good ta see ya. you're not bumming at grillby's anymore."
He smiled as he scanned Sans's hospital bracelet, then uncapped a syringe. "It's good to see you too. No, I'm doing what I like now. Finally got away from politics. Mostly." He laughed as he carefully administered the painkiller. Basically monster morphine, it would kick in pretty quick and make him heavy and feel less pain.
Sans gave a happy sigh and felt relief kick in moments after the shot. "i'm happy you got to do what you like." He put his hand back into Red's. "have ya meet my loves? red and jack rose."
"Yes, I certainly got an introduction."
Red turned his namesake in the middle of quietly saying goodbye to his brother, those little yellow flecks within the red. He turned off his phone. "uhh, i'm really sorry. it wasn't your fault."
"That's okay. Not the first time." The bear waved a hand.
Sans chuckled. "he's my firey alpha." His eyelights were becoming a bit fuzzy. "did one of ya call my work let them know i'll be out a while? tell tori my curriculum and grade book are in my desk, bottom drawer," he said with a yawn.
"no, i can do that next." Red opened his phone again, then frowned.
He noticed Red was off the phone from before. "did they find anything?"
"no... not yet..."
Jack Rose pet Sans's cheek. "i know you're tired, but i think your brother will be back any minute. you want to say hello to him before you go back to sleep?"
The nurse made a few notes and wrote the time of the next painkiller on the whiteboard, then bustled back out of the room.
"yeah, i want to see paps." He wiped at his sockets, trying to focus. "jay, i love ya. thanks for being there for us both."
Jay's face went entirely pink. "you... you love me?"
"yeah, duh," Red said before turning away to speak to Sans's boss.
"you... you both do... you really love me..." It looked like it was Jay's turn to start crying.
Sans pulled on Jay's arm, bringing him down to his level. "shhhh, why ya crying sweetheart?" He pet Jack Rose's head.
He nuzzled into Sans's shoulder, breath hitching softly. "i just... i thought you two just liked the sex. you know, friends with benefits. i... i was starting to think nobody would ever really love me." He pet Sans's side. "especially not two wonderful, amazing guys like you, planning a wedding."
Sans cuddled him. "of course we love ya." He kissed the tears away. "ya been wonderful, jay. you're sweet and kind. at first, it was just sex, but we do really like ya."
He laughed a bit wetly. Then he kissed Sans softly again. "sans..." His tone was more hesitant. Quiet. "would you still think that if i wasn't so kind to... people who don't deserve kindness?"
"justice has to be served. i know it calls at our souls," Sans said, feeling really fuzzy. "you're a judge after all. if they didn't deserve it, you'd know it."
He nuzzled again and gave Sans one last kiss. "thank you... that's all i needed to hear." He pulled away then, just in time for Red to hang up again, and for the door of the room to burst open.
"BROTHER!" And there was Papyrus, hurrying in and discarding his half-eaten meal on the table to fling his arms around Sans.
Vex followed into the room, setting aside his own food. He went over to Red and squeezed his shoulder once, silent support. "WELCOME BACK, SANS."
Sans flinched at the loud sound of Papyrus's voice as it bounced around in his skull, but he smiled anyway and answered in the same hushed tones he had been using with his lovers. "heya, bro. you okay?" His own arms wrapped around his baby bro and patted his back.
Papyrus noticed him flinching and attempted to lower his voice. "I'M MUCH BETTER NOW THAT YOU'RE AWAKE." He hugged Sans tightly. "I WAS SO WORRIED. YOU HAD ME CATCHING A FEW TEARS, BROTHER! PLEASE DON'T EVER BE ACCOSTED AGAIN."
Sans pet Papyrus’s head just like when he was a child again. "i'll do my best not to, paps." Nuzzling softly, he said, "love ya too, bro.”
"GOOD!" He gave Sans a kiss to the forehead, avoiding the bandages.
"still nothing?" Red asked his brother. Vex shook his head.
"STRETCH IS TEARING THROUGH THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY STILL, I THINK," he said. "HE HASN'T RESPONDED IN A LITTLE WHILE."
"fuck." Red rubbed his forehead tiredly.
Sans chuckled as Papyrus kissed him. “if stretch is out looking and you are here, where is pucci?" he asked Vex. He knew hospitals frowned on babies in the recovery wards.
"DERBY IS BABYSITTING," he responded. "HE WAS QUITE HAPPY TO DO SO. ROBOTS, APPARENTLY, CAN ROCK BABIES AT THE EXACT CORRECT SPEED FOR HOURS ON END."
He chuckled again. "that's good then,” he said with a yawn.
"IT IS."
Papyrus pulled away and fussed with the blankets that Jay had already tucked to perfection. "YOU SOUND TIRED STILL."
"he got painkillers," Jay said. "but he wanted to stay awake until you saw him."
Papyrus beamed. "WELL, I AM HERE! JUST THIS ONCE, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO NAP WITHOUT A SCOLDING."
"aw, thanks bro. you're amazing.” he said sleepily. "you look tired too, paps, ya can lie with me if ya want." He patted the side of the bed.
"ME? TIRED? NOT AT ALL!" Papyrus was maybe a tiny bit tired, but not enough to seriously want to nap... But he also wanted to comfort his brother. So he nonetheless got into the bed with him, cuddling his elder brother. He curled small, as small as he could, both to make sure there was enough room and just because sometimes he missed being small enough that Sans was the one holding him instead of the other way around.
A happy, peaceful smile bloomed on Sans’s face. "I'm not going to leave ya, bro." He cuddled Papyrus and let the drugs pull him into a blissfully painless sleep.
"GOOD, YOU'D BETTER NOT." He held on until Sans was asleep, and even then didn't let go.
Stretch had been in a frenzy of panic. He had looked everywhere he knew the guards for the Sanitarium hung out. He was sure it was the same ones that had hurt Berry before. No one else would be dumb enough to go and attack a Judge and kidnap his brother. He had checked the bars in the area. Empty buildings. Al tried to get him to join their search grid, but they were moving too slow for him and his porting abilities. He was exhausted from all the magic he had used and the worry ripping through him. But finally, one search turned up a possible lead. Someone had said they saw a car that matched the description of the one who took Berry. It headed out of town a while ago. Towards the underground. He was going to check it out.
Stretch ported in leaps to the base of the mountain. It was not as taxing as one long go. He pulled a snack bar out of his inventory. He always kept some in there thanks to Pucci, as he needed pick me ups sometimes. He ate the bar up quickly, then ported to the parking lot, seeing one lone car there. One that fit the description that took Berry. He ran to it, looking in the window.
It was empty. They were long gone.
He frowned, both happy and upset. There was no magic from a struggle, or - he shuddered as he thought of it - a rape inside the car. It could have been someone else's car. He looked up at the gigantic mountain that used to be their prison. That was when he saw the signs of a scuffle. Dirt that had been turned up like there was a fight. He wasn't good at reading things like this; that was more Vex's thing. But that was hard to miss, even for him. He headed towards the underground instantly, without thinking.
As he approached what used to be the barrier, time and space again rippled, accepting his magic signature and shepherding him into the Swap underground. He walked quietly, following the footprints. It was nice being a skeleton. He was light, and that had always made being quiet easier. Recalling the elevator would take a few slow minutes, but then it arrived, empty, but with recent footfalls. He was on the right track. Soon, Stretch was in the hallway that led to the old lab and Sanitarium. As he walked down the hall, the dust was more disturbed, like others had been using the hallway a lot.
The most recent footprints led into the medical wing. Just inside the door was Pret, the snake guard monster. He was still looking inside, seemingly a bit troubled, so he hadn't noticed the Stretch approach yet.
This was one of the assholes that had raped his brother before. Rage filled him, and he grabbed the snake monster with blue magic and slammed him into the hall.
The snake hissed in alarm as he was grabbed and flung. He hit the wall and was dazed, but hissed again as he saw who was there. Tal came skidding out of the room, feathers bristling. "It's that little slut's brother!" he called back into the room.
"Grab him," Gaster commanded from inside.
Tal flared out his wings and lunged. Stretch summoned bones that were tinted with KR. He flung them wildly at Tal. The eagle dodged out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting his wing clipped. He tackled Stretch, knocking him down, and then Pret was on top of him too, hissing.
Stretch grabbed Tal's soul and flung him into the ceiling. Tal yelped, wings fluttering weakly. "you assholes are going to pay for hurting my brother!" he shouted. He was blind by his anger. He summoned a blaster above him; its maw opened, flickering with the golden magic of the Judge. He pushed Pret into the line of fire. "where is he?!"
Pret made an alarmed sound, which turned into a screech of pain as the blaster hit him full on. When the attack cleared, he was badly burned and hissed weakly.
"He'sssss already left!" he spat.
It was at that moment that Cory came racing out of the clinic. He looked... Different. His fur had taken on a grayish tone, dull, and his eyes looked a little glazed. He snarled as he launched at Stretch, reaching out with his front claws and pinning him, then biting into his shoulder hard.
Stretch screamed, his HP ticking down. He pulled at his magic to try to port out of there. Even if he took Cody with him, it would be better than being stuck here. Berry was gone, after all.
But there was something... Off about Cody now. Something almost seemed to be interfering with the magic. That, and, Cory was actively dragging him into the med room now. Stretch tried to use his magic to port , or attack, or anything as he clawed at wolf monster eyes, but the attacks didn’t seem to faze him much.
Gaster was inside, just heaving himself off of a hospital bed. And he, too, looked... Wrong. Parts of him were melting, blackened or grayed like Cory's fur. Cracks on his skull looked deep, as if eternal inside. He looked like he was focusing very hard as he stood, willing his legs to not jellify, his eyelights fuzzy and sweat on his softened brow.
"Knock him out," he hissed. "He'll be useful."
Cory snarled an affirmative. He slammed Stretch's head into the floor, and the world went dark.
Everyone knew, by now, what the anger Daemon constantly suppressed could wreak if it broke free. Far fewer people truly understood the amount of destruction Howl, himself, could also wreak if he so chose. He did not have an actual dragon in him (and thank the stars for that, the less like his father he was, the better), but he housed a different type of power. Lean, quiet, ferocious, but rarely seen. Like the tiger his tekko kagi claws were based off of, he could be all sharp fangs and claws and tear through what he needed to.
People had leapt out of his way outright when his press conference was interrupted with the news of Berry's capture. He stormed down sidewalks and slammed open doors and ripped through everywhere he could think of. The surface Sanitarium. The back offices of the embassy. The seedier bars and hangouts.
He had split up from Al and Stretch, and he knew Stretch was on the same warpath as he was. At the time, it felt like a good idea.
Now, with Berry safely in front of him a few hours later, their hands enjoined, he blamed himself for not being more meticulous in his thought process.
"HE'S NOT ANSWERING," Tai said, frowning down at his phone. "VEX HASN'T HEARD FROM HIM IN A WHILE, EITHER."
"you don't think he also got taken...?" Daemon asked, cuddling Berry close.
"WHY WOULD THEY WANT HIM?" Howl asked, frowning. "HE ISN'T AN OMEGA. BUT... PERHAPS HE GOT INTO SOME SORT OF TROUBLE. I SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIM SEARCHING WITH ME."
Berry was dozing in and out of sleep. The exhaustion of his magic and the day's events were catching up to him. His soul was aching and burning. His sockets fluttered open as Daemon spoke and held him tighter. "STRETCH?" He blinked a few times, looking around? "PUCCI?" His mind was trying to remember what was said in that horrible nightmare about them.
Daemon looked down at him, then pet him gently. "derby's got pucci at your brother's place."
"BERRY, YOUR BROTHER IS STILL LOOKING FOR YOU. HE'S NOT ANSWERING HIS PHONE." Howl kept tight hold of Berry's hand. "WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE SANS, AND I WILL TRY TO FIND HIM."
“THANK YOU.” Berry said with a frown. His mind was still blurry, but he was trying. "STAY AWAY FROM THE... THE DOCTOR." He tried harder to remember what happened. "HE WANTS PUCCI."
Howl frowned more in return. "HE WANTS... PUCCI? WHY??"
Snaking his hand between Daemon and himself, Berry rubbed at his soul. It burned. "I'M NO GOOD ANYMORE. THEY'RE BETTER. PUCCI'S A STRONG JUDGE BABY."
Be quiet, you useless Sully! the voice yelled loudly in his mind.
Berry flinched, shaking and grasping his head.
Daemon held on tighter. "is it the voice? is it back?"
Berry nodded. He had barely heard Daemon over the loud roar of the doctor's voice berating him. He nodded, tears in his sockets as he buried his skull into Daemon's jacket to breathe in his scent.
Daemon pet him gently again, nuzzling his face. "don't listen to him, berry," he said. "i won today. you can also win. the voices are wrong."
Berry took some deep shaky breaths and mumbled to himself, trying to placate the voice to make it quieter. He nodded, wiped his face, and squeezed Howl's hand.
While Daemon was comforting Berry, Howl cursed quietly at the news about Pucci and looked at Tai.
"I'M ALREADY ON IT," he said, hitting the speed dial on his phone. "HEY, PRECIOUS, IS THE BABY ALRIGHT? MAYBE YOU SHOULD COME OVER HERE INSTEAD, STAY WITH ME, AND I'LL GRAB VEX TOO. THE BABY MIGHT BE... A TARGET."
There was a flurry of activity on the other side of the phone, and Tai made an affirmative reply to a question. "YES, HURRY. BUT DON'T SPEED! BUT HURRY."
Tai hung up and called Vex next. "THEY'LL BE SAFE HERE," he said as it rang. "GO ON."
Howl nodded and tightened his grip on Berry's hand. "YOU WANT TO SEE SANS, YES?”
The smaller skeleton nodded. "I DO. PLEASE, I'LL BE GOOD."
"OF COURSE YOU WILL. YOU'RE ALWAYS VERY GOOD, KITTEN." He kissed Berry's hand.
Then, Daemon ported them right to the hospital, right in the waiting room closest to Sans's room. They passed Vex on the way to the room, sockets tight and eyelights slightly smoldering as he dug out his car keys. He only nodded brusquely to them, set on his quest to get back to his child.
Berry watched him go, fingers clutching onto Howl and Daemon. "PROTECT THEM, VEX." He flinched as the voice yelled at him again, making him inhale sharply.
"NOTHING IS GOING TO TOUCH MY CHILD," he said firmly, all but punching the elevator button.
When they reached Sans's room. Papyrus was actually asleep curled up to Sans (more tired than he thought), and had been for the past hour. Red and Jack Rose were squished into the same chair.
Berry let out a long sigh of relief. Seeing Sans alive helped more than he thought it would. Now, if the voice would just be quiet, it would all be wonderful. "HE'S ALIVE," he said happily, tears in his sockets.
Red shushed him a bit, tapping his teeth with one phalanx, and gestured to Papyrus's sleeping form. "whispers, blueberry buckle."
Daemon nuzzled Berry. "of course he's alive," he murmured. "you saved him."
"i'll be quieter." Berry cried happy tears, the strong positive emotion overriding the voice for the moment. "red. jack rose. i'm sorry that i got sans hurt. will you forgive me?"
They looked surprised, then smiled. Jack Rose got up to come over and pat his cheek. "you didn't get him hurt, sweetie, you saved his life. we're not mad. thank you so much."
"yeah." Red looked all soft. "you did great, bro."
"you’re welcome." Berry cried harder in relief. No one was mad at him. "thank you, brother."
Daemon had settled in a chair by that time, and kept Berry in his lap constantly, never letting go. Partly just protective, partly trying to keep himself calm as well. He nuzzled Berry's shoulder and maintained a quiet purr. Howl sat in the last available chair, constantly checking his phone for updates.
It took a few minutes for Berry to calm down and ask, "have you seen stretch? has he come by?"
Jack Rose and Red's smiles faded, and they both shook their heads.
"no... he hasn't been answering vex's calls," Red said.
That made the uneasiness about Stretch worse. "can someone text al?"
"I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HER," Howl said, keeping his voice down with effort. "NOTHING YET. I'M... SURE WE'LL FIND HIM SOON."
Papyrus finally stirred, then jerked up. "I WASN'T SLEEPING!" he said in an unnecessarily loud voice. He got shushed by Red too, with a tut.
Sans groaned, reached out, and pulled him back down, mumbling incoherently.
He went back down, but it was more reluctant this time. "HELP."
"no, suffer," Red said.
Sans mumbled, "need ta sleep for school. be a good boy, papy." He pet his big younger brother's head and cuddled back into him. Berry chuckled. Papyrus turned a vivid azure and (lovingly) half-smothered Sans's face to stop him from talking again.
Red chuckled too. Then he sighed and stood up. "bout time i go find myself dinner... i'll be back."
Jay looked up at him. "i'll go with you."
"nah, i'll. i'll get you something. i wanna chill out alone a bit."
Jay frowned, looking at him closely. Red's gaze slid off to the side. "...i'll go home for food, then, and just walk you out."
"kay." With a shrug, Red led him outside.
Berry nuzzled Daemon's chest, his free hand still trying to ease the burn of his soul. The thumb of the hand holding Howl stroked his Angel's hand gently. He yawned.
Howl squeezed his hand gently. "we're safe in here, berry," he murmured. "go to sleep. we'll wake you when necessary."
"okay." Berry's sockets fluttered shut. "you'll wake me when stretch gets here?"
"of course i will."
Daemon kept purring softly, adjusting his hold to make Berry more comfy. "good night, honey."
Berry closed his sockets, finally giving into the exhaustion.
Red stuck his hands in his pockets as he headed outside, avoiding Jack Rose's gaze. "i'm just gonna-" he started, but the Lust monster grabbed his arm.
"you're not going to get food, red." His expression was set, eyelights flashing. "take me with you."
Red frowned, looking him over. "jay, this isn't-"
"i know i don't have LV. i know. and i also know you aren't one to kill in cold blood either. this is... a special circumstance. for both of us."
Those eyelights were boring into him, and he knew very well that Jack Rose was letting the Judge see into his soul, into exactly what he was doing. Exactly what he wanted, more than anything, right this second. There was no hiding the fact that he was actively seeking out murder.
Red sighed. "i don't think you actually know, though. LV ain't fun. the first time i got some, i was..." He looked away again, a rueful grimace on his face. "heh. well. that was nothing compared to vex's first time... but you're never ready. you think you are, but... i can't just let you darken your soul."
"i'm an adult, red, and i don't care what the consequences are. you really can't stop me. cause i'm not letting go. not of your arm, and not of what we have. maybe i just won't deal the final blow. but the things i want to do to that bastard..."
That scent was back in the air, overly sugary pomegranate and grenadine. Red didn't exactly need the reminder that Jack Rose was an alpha too... But it didn't hurt. He sighed, shoulders dropping.
"...ok." He reached out to catch the other skeleton's cheek and kissed him hard and long, their tongues twisting together fiercely. When he pulled back, he smirked. "let's go kill a bitch."
Jay smirked back. "you got any leads?"
"i have an idea. and if we're lucky, maybe stretch had the same idea. help me with the shortcut. we're going back to the mountain."
"you got it. on three?"
"yeah. one... two... thee."
They disappeared from the hospital parking lot.
They arrived nearby the last parking lot closest to the entrance to the underground and immediately took a poke around the car. There were scuff marks in the grass nearby, like a brief sign of a struggle. Red pressed his face up to the windows, dimming his eyelights to look in, and hummed thoughtfully.
"nobody in there right now, but..."
"but someone's coming," Jay hissed, pulling him around the other side to lurk and peek. "we can't let him get in. that'll be much harder to fight in."
Red summoned a glowing bone, sockets narrowed. "just gotta wait for the right moment..."
Tal was just getting to the parking lot where the car was, cursing and looking at the shopping list of things Gaster needed. They were running low because of all the injuries they were taking care of. Supplies were running low. "Fucking shit, angel be damned skeletons," Tal was mumbling to himself as he rounded the corner into the parking lot. "Messing up the fucking plans." He headed for the car.
Jay looked at the eagle, then glanced back at Red, his eyelights a question. Red's expression tightened, and he nodded, lifting his bone with a silent snarl.
This was the right one.
Jack Rose ported behind Tal and grabbed his head, smashing it down against the metal of the car, in a vicious re-enactment of what Tal had done to Sans earlier that same day.
Tal shrieked in pain as his head collided with the car. The vehicle buckled with a loud, screeching sound of metal being crushed from the force Jack Rose used.
Red leapt out a second after, his bone stabbing into Tal's side.
"you fucked with the wrong family, bitch," Red hissed. "that was for my sans."
His bone crackled as it pierced into Tal, burning, more and more yellow shining through. The same happened with his eyelights, blazing brightly, Justice overpowering the red.
The pain from the head wound was horrible, but it was quickly forgotten as Red's bone pierced him. He squawked loudly as Justice quite literally poisoned him. His HP ticked down even after the blow.
Red was actually momentarily startled as the bone attack crackled with KR. "how did i do that??"
Tal swiped at the magic constructs with his claws, smashing them. He stumbled up, glaring at them, his sins crawling down his back.
"don't know, but focus!" Jack Rose said, his own eyelights flaring. "please tell me you have a sleep buffer."
"You fuckers!" Tal summoned some bullets to protect himself.
"yeah, i do!" Red summoned a blaster, centering it in front of himself to block incoming attacks. It opened its maw, red and yellow crackling in its sockets, and fired as Jack Rose leapt back and summoned a few bones of his own.
Tal flapped his wings, giving himself a bit of speed as he dodged. His HP was still ticking down slowly. He went flying towards the mountain.
"oh no you don't!" Jack Rose snarled, shooting one bone attack to stab right into one of Tal's wings. He had stunning aim, and it struck true.
A loud scream filled the air and Tal grabbed at his wing, his height in the air fluctuating and gradually getting lower. "You're messing with the wrong monsters," he screamed. More summoned bullets flew at Jack Rose, five in a long horizontal line.
Jay jumped back out of the way, showing off amazing flexibility in how he actually did a backflip before landing and throwing the other bone to stab the other wing. Years spent pole dancing helped him with contorting in unusual ways.
Red fired his blaster again as a small wave of his own bones shot at the bird monster. "get down here, you fucker!"
Tal fell to the ground completely. He took a deep breath and let loose a loud sound. The screeching squawk would have made their eardrums bleed if they had them. As it were, it paralyzed them for a few moments. The both of them cringed, Jack Rose covering the sides of his skull and Red's blaster dissolving.
In that short window of safety, Tal pulled the bones free from his wings. He wasn't going to be able to fly now, missing some important feathers as they crumbled into dust. He went running, trying to save the last of his HP.
It took a moment, but then both skeletons shook it off.
"don't let him get through the portal!" Red hissed, giving chase.
Jack Rose ported again, landing in front of the opening to the underground, and lunged at Tal, knocking him down. With a furious snarl, he punched the eagle across the face, hard enough that his knuckles bled. Then he did it again with his other fist as Red caught up, and again, and again.
The merciless onslaught broke Tal's beak. His bones crushed under the powerful punches of the Lust monster.
Jay smirked, rage still blazing in his eyelights, and lifted his fist again to land the final blow, but Red caught it with a manifested magic hand.
"let me," he said firmly.
Jack Rose met his gaze, then took a deep breath and got up off of Tal. And instantly, the excess magic from Red's left socket almost entirely yellow by now, he stabbed another bone attack into Tal's neck. KR burned, Justice crackled... And their opponent turned to dust with one last pained screech.
Red collapsed on the ground with a huff, dragging his hand across his face. As the energy in his socket died down, Jack Rose noticed he was shaking. The Lust monster carefully walked around the dust, then knelt beside him. He tilted up Red's chin and let the Judge again whisper to him as their gazes met. What he heard made him smile. There was no new LV in his lover’s stats.
"congratulations on your first Judging, sweetie. you're just like us. you did the right thing."
Tears welled up in Red's sockets, vivid yellow with hints of red, and he threw his arms around Jay, huffing out a quiet sob. "i'm... i'm a Judge too... i did the right thing." He said it like he was trying to believe it.
There was silence for a long moment as Jay held him and let him cry it out.
As Tal’s dust got caught in the wind, the opening to the underground shimmered and Stretch came walking out. He narrowed his sockets. "what happened?"
Both skeletons looked up, Red wiping away the last of tears.
"fucker that tried to kill my fiance's dead," he muttered, and Jack Rose rubbed his back.
"stretch, your brother is okay. he's visiting sans at the hospital right now. let's all go back, okay?"
Stretch looked around in front of him. There was no emotion at the words that were told to him. "alright. where is pucci? is he with vex now?"
"uh, yeah," Red said, a question in his voice. "derby took them to howl's place for safety."
Jack Rose's sockets narrowed. Something about his check was... Off. He couldn't place what. But it reminded him of... Something.
"stretch?" he said again, a bit of an edge to his voice. "let's go to the hospital. now."
Stretch frowned, debating with himself, and then flinched. "okay, but only once i check on pucci."
Red started to think also that something was wrong. "maybe don't do. that." He got to his feet shakily and stepped towards Stretch, reaching out a hand.
Jay also stepped forward, faster, his own hand outstretched. "no, come with us, we're all going back to the hospital now."
Stretch reached out his hand for them, but then purple flashed in his eyes and he disappeared before his hand reached them.
Red swore, grabbing Jack Rose instead. In unison, they tried to port back to Howl's house, but ended up collapsed in a heap just on the side of the city, burned out of magic.
"call your brother," Jay gasped, and Red exhaustedly pulled out his phone to jam the right speed dial number.
In Howl's house, Vex was sitting beside Derby, watching the robot coo softly at his sleeping baby while Tai had popped out to get himself and Derby takeout dinner. Pucci seemed more than comfortable in Derby's arms. They had sensed their family's distress all day, and it made them a bit agitated. It was good they were resting.
Stretch popped into the kitchen and stumbled, leaning into the wall from the strain that put on his magic. He cursed quietly and pulled another snack bar out of his inventory.
Vex jerked his head up at the sound of someone stumbling. "WHO'S THERE?" he called out sharply, getting to his feet. He approached the kitchen slowly and stared in shock. "STRETCH? WHERE WERE YOU?"
"i. i was looking for berry, but... pucci is here right?"
"YES... BUT WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER MY CALLS?" he asked.
His phone rang, and he checked it briefly, intending to ignore it... but it was Red. He hit answer and lifted it to his skull.
"HEL-"
"don't let him near the baby."
His sockets went out.
Stretch ported into the main room. He looked around, then saw Derby on the couch. He smiled upon seeing the sleepy baby. "thanks for keeping pucci." Then he flinched, his eye flickering purple for an instant. He walked forward. "i'll take them now."
Vex jumped and dropped his phone without even hanging up. He spun around and followed, and his arms reached out, but he hesitated for a second, and then grabbed his husband's wrists tightly. "STRETCH, LOVE, I CAN'T LET YOU TOUCH THEM."
Derby looked between them, unsure, holding the baby closer. "What's going on...?"
"I DON'T KNOW. BUT NOTHING GOOD."
"vex?" There were mixed emotions in his voice. Sadness, relief. Then there was a flash of purple in his sockets. "let go of me." He pulled at his hands. "they're my child. let me hold them."
"NO, STRETCH, I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT." He sounded pained. "WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S WRONG? WHERE DID YOU GO? TALK TO ME." He kept his grip tight, but not bruisingly tight. He couldn't bear to hurt his husband, not even if there was something wrong.
"i went to find berry. he's at the hospital, and i need my child."
Pucci woke up from the voices and pouted at the hostility. "D-DADA? PAPA?" The tension in the air made tears come to their sockets, and they started to cry.
"look, they’re crying now,” Stretch said, sounding put out. “it would be so much better if they were not crying. vex, i need to hold them." He looked the robot in the eyes. "give them to me, derby."
"BUT WHERE DID YOU GO? ANSWER ME. WHERE?" His voice got sharper, more desperate, as he tightened his grip - but still not enough to hurt.
Derby looked between them, going back to slowly rocking Pucci. He looked trapped, robotic eyes flicking back and forth, unsure what to do. "I... I..."
"i was following a lead. someone saw the car heading out of the city." He pulled his arm hard, trying to get it free. "but it doesn't matter now." Pucci was wailing louder. Stretch used his other hand to start pulling at Vex's hand. "it's okay, pucci. it will all be over soon. don't cry,"
"OUT OF THE CITY. TO THE MOUNTAIN? UNDERGROUND?" He looked visibly upset, sockets narrowed. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO MY BROTHER? WHY DOESN'T IT MATTER, DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE BERRY? WHAT WILL BE OVER SOON?" His hands were shaking. "STRETCH, PLEASE, DON’T MAKE ME DO THIS."
"i just asked where my child was. how is that so unbelievable? that i’m missing my baby?” Stretches voice got softer. “they’re so little and wonderful and perfect. i don’t want them hurt…” He flinched, then changed the subject. "i hurt the snake guard. red and jack rose killed the bird one. berry is fine. he’s safe now. pucci's not." His eyes flashed purple again, and shoved the unsuspecting Vex backwards, hard, trying to knock him down. "let go!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE NOT-" He honestly didn't expect to be shoved. He had the battle reflexes to avoid it, but he was just so startled by the fact that his own husband shoved him back that it actually bowled him over, landing him in a heap on the floor.
Derby stood up quickly, the confusion turning to icy resolve. "You can't have them." His third hand pushed out of his chest cavity, held up in front of him with a raised palm like a shield.
"DDDDDAAAAAAAADDDDDDAAAAAA!" Pucci yelled when Vex was shoved to the floor. They were bawling and shrieking, very upset.
Stretch narrowed his eyes and ported behind Derby. He grabbed the robot and pulled back, then kicked his knees out from under him. Derby went down, and Stretch swooped in to catch the baby.
"STRETCH, NO!" Vex's voice rose to a panicked shriek. He got back to his feet, lunging forward.
Stretch pulled the child close to his chest, safe from Derby. Pucci was still crying loud and hard. He was about to port away... then staggered, free head clutching his head. His eyelights flicked between purple and orange rapidly.
Pucci felt it the moment their papa took them in their arms. Icky was in Papa. It was stronger than the last time. When Pucci tried to take dirty toys and chew them, Papa said it was icky and to spit it out. The stuff in Papa was icky, and Papa needed to spit it out. Last time, the nice yellow helped Papa. It was good. It was warm, safe, and they wanted it. They willed it to come again. It was easier this time.
The magic came to the baby's call, the same yellow magic from the day their soul formed a body. They wanted the yellow in themself, and it called to the yellow in their papa. It made them feel better. It made Papa better last time. Their eyelights and joints started to glow that bright golden yellow. That golden Justice pushed the magic into Stretch, and though they didn’t know it, unlike when the Queen forced it into him, it didn’t burn at all.
Vex stopped, his hands an inch away, watching Pucci glow vivid, bright yellow. It was almost blinding, so bright and powerful, but even though it made his sockets water, he couldn't tear his gaze away. His hands kept shaking, fingers twitching and curling slightly and then uncurling. Heat (from the bright light) was heavy in his sockets, burning (he wasn't crying). It was just so bright (these weren't tears). And (his breath didn't hitch as) he looked up at his husband, holding their child.
Stretch gasped as the magic was forced through him. It hit his burning soul, making him feel too full. The Justice didn’t burn, but the purple influence did as it was seared away. He whimpered and fell to his knees. Orange tears tinted purple fell from his sockets slowly as the purple was replaced with more and more golden yellow. He held Pucci tight the whole time. The more magic Pucci used, the quieter their cries got. It could have been seconds or an eternity. Stretch didn't know how long it was before the gold faded and he was crying, holding a quiet baby. Then the floor was rushing up to catch him on the soft plush carpet, Pucci safe in his arms.
Vex caught them both before they hit the floor, the baby in between the two of them as he cradled Stretch. He wasn't sure the last time he cried, not aside from the quiet tears as Stretch was in labor, but it was happening now, big, shaky gasps rushing out past his teeth, heat all over his face as orange streaked down, the sound of rattling a quiet background as he shook.
"IT'S OKAY," he forced out, petting Stretch's skull. "I HAVE YOU. WE'RE OKAY."
Chapter 34: Is That the Light at the Far End of the Tunnel, or Just the Train?
Summary:
In which a regular doctor deals with a lot of trauma.
Notes:
Hey guys, in case you didn't see it on the most recent Alpha's Solace update, we are officially moving our posting date to Tuesdays instead of Mondays, due to my (GetMcDunkedOn's) new job schedule.
Chapter tags: Needles, medical procedures, anxiety and PTSD, an almost car accident, creepy Gaster stuff
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn Omega's Respite chapter titles
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The first thing Stretch noticed was that he didn't feel horrible. After what the doctor had done to his soul, he had thought it would never stop hurting. The pain of the horrible magic. The cold steel that had pierced his soul. That horrible voice in his head made him behave. His Justice magic had been blocked just out of his reach. He had fought so hard. Then he’d tried to grab Pucci, and it worked. His eyelights popped open.
"p-pucci?"
'please no. don't let him hurt my baby!' Stretch's fuzzy eyelights focused slowly.
He was in Vex's arms still. His husband had carried him to the couch and was now sitting with Stretch's legs laid out on the couch and his upper half cradled close. Pucci was in between them, curled up in a little ball and asleep. Vex still had streaks of orange down his cheeks, though he looked calmer.
"THEY'RE RIGHT HERE, LOVE. HOW DO YOU FEEL?"
"my prince?" He relaxed into his love. "i'm sorry, i didn't want to hurt you." Tears started to fall. "i tried so hard. i'm sorry. i couldn't stop it." He was rambling.
"NO, DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT YOU EITHER." He pet Stretch's skull gently. "WHAT HAPPENED?"
"howl went to search on his own and i followed suit. it was taking too long staying with al." He frowned. "i got a lead that a car that look like the one that took berry was seen heading out of town, to the mountain." He brought a hand up to cuddle Pucci. "i wanted to make sure it was a good lead. i wasn't going to go in if it was, but i saw that there had been a fight. there was a bit of blueberry’s scent in the air." He took a breath. "i should have waited for backup, but i had to save my brother." Tears were pouring down his face. "so i went in."
Vex sighed lowly, still petting Stretch's skull. But he was frowning. "YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER. YOU ALWAYS WAIT FOR BACKUP. YOU'RE STRONG, I KNOW YOU'RE STRONG, BUT NOT ONLY HAVE YOU NEVER KILLED ANYONE BEFORE, NOT EVEN I WOULD GO IN ALONE WITHOUT SO MUCH AS TELLING SOMEONE WHERE I WAS GOING! YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED. NOBODY KNEW WHERE YOU WERE. IMAGINE IF BERRY WAS STILL THERE, TRAPPED, AND THEY TOOK YOU DOWN. IMAGINE! WHAT WOULD WE DO? WHAT WOULD I DO? THAT WAS RECKLESS AND STUPID AND YOU KNOW BETTER." His tone got more forceful as he went on, and he stopped petting to instead take Stretch's chin and meet his gaze. "YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME IN THE DARK LIKE THAT AGAIN, HUSBAND."
Stretch knew it been stupid, but he had to find Blueberry. He wasn't going to just sit and wait at home, waiting for his brother to never show up again. Looking into Vex's eyelights, though, he also knew he couldn't have let Vex feel that soul crushing pain of losing someone you loved.
Stretch nodded. "i won't go alone again."
"GOOD." Vex leaned in, lifting Stretch's chin, and kissed him deeply. When he pulled back, his gaze was softer. "BERRY IS VISITING SANS AT THE HOSPITAL. WE SHOULD GO SEE HIM. AND I WANT TO GET YOU AND PUCCI CHECKED OVER. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY BROUGHT YOU BACK, BUT THEY'RE EXHAUSTED NOW."
Stretch’s body relaxed as Vex kissed him. "okay." He pet Pucci. "our little scamp, somehow they’ve learned to summon the Judge's magic. when they did..." He looked down at them. "it freed me." He cuddled his baby. "stars, it was like living a nightmare."
"SOMEHOW, YES... BUT THEY'RE ONLY A BABY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BAD FOR THEM TO USE IT... AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT EVERYTHING OUT OF YOU." He held on tighter for a moment, then sat Stretch up and got to his feet.
Derby finished adjusting his sensors after being taken down by Stretch, then also stood up from where he'd been kneeling on the floor. "I'll let them know we're on our way. Tai can just meet us there, he was getting us dinner."
"i'm sorry, derby," Stretch told him, holding Pucci tight in his arms. "thank you for trying to protect our baby. even from me." He nuzzled the sleeping baby.
He smiled. "It's okay, you weren't in your right mind. I'm just trying to do my part to help. Besides, babies are precious." He reached out to gently pet Pucci.
Vex grabbed his keys. "LET'S GET GOING THEN. CAN YOU WALK, LOVE?"
Stretch smiled at Derby. His legs felt a little like wet pasta after having all the magic pushed through him. "my legs feel kinda like spaghetti. standing might be my limit. " He cuddled Pucci more.
"ALRIGHT." He came back over and scooped Stretch right up, carrying him out to the car. He got his husband into the passenger seat and strapped him in, then got Pucci in the baby seat. Derby took the other seat in the back, and finally, Vex got in and they headed out.
Stretch nuzzled Vex. "thanks, love." He settled into the seat. Fatigue started to claw at him. "you should call red and jack rose. they were pretty worried when i left them."
"I ALREADY CALLED THEM BACK," he assured. "THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WARNED ME."
"good," Stretch mumbled, his head resting back onto the head rest. "fuck, it was horrible. even when i tried my hardest, i was hardly able to stop. then the doctor's voice was so damn loud, all i could hear was his yelling until i complied and just gave into his will." He blinked slowly. "i... i... wonder if that's what it was like for berry all this time...."
That made him frown. "I DON'T KNOW. PERHAPS. AND THE QUEEN BITCH TOO, MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT SHE HAS ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY RESEMBLING AN EXCUSE."
He thought about that. "even if he did do it to her too, we don't know when. i think she made the law before the sanitarium was created. she still has some guilt, no matter what." He yawned and rubbed at his chest.
"WELL, OF COURSE. SHE'S STILL COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY IN THE WRONG AND IRREDEEMABLE. BUT AT LEAST WE UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WENT TO SUCH LENGTHS EVEN WHEN PRESENTED WITH LEGALITY AND BACKED INTO A CORNER."
"yeah," he agreed.
Howl hit the end call button on his phone and looked to the others in the room.
"YOUR BROTHER IS ALRIGHT," he told Berry. "YOUR LOVERS DID SOMETHING STUPID," he told Sans.
Berry sighed in relief. "THANK YOU."
"when don’t they," Sans countered. "you'll have to be more specific." He rubbed at his skull.
"THEY WENT TO GO MURDER THE MAN WHO ATTACKED YOU," he said, "WHICH I APPROVE OF. HOWEVER, THEY DID IT IN SECRET, WHICH WAS STUPID, AND AFTER FINDING STRETCH LIKE... THAT, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FOLLOW HIM ALL THE WAY BACK INTO TOWN AND ARE CURRENTLY STRANDED JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS BECAUSE THEY USED TOO MUCH MAGIC. THAT'S EVEN STUPIDER."
"sound like you got all of it labeled right." He leaned on Paps, trying not to think too much. There was a promising pressure of a migraine if he did. "is someone getting them?"
"WELL, VEX IS CURRENTLY DRIVING STRETCH, DERBY AND THE BABY BACK HERE. SO EITHER SOMEONE MUST GO DRIVE OUT THERE, OR..." He looked at Daemon. "PUPPY, YOU'LL HAVE TO FETCH."
Daemon made a pained noise, tightening his grip on Berry. "aw, but..."
"DON'T WORRY," Papyrus said, petting his brother's skull. "YOUR SPACETIME TOMFOOLERY TAKES A MATTER OF MERE SECONDS, YES? WE WILL BE RIGHT HERE WITH BERRY."
"has the doc-" Sans cut himself off as Berry held tighter onto his lover. "has anyone looked you over yet, berry? you can come lay up here with me if you want. daemon will be right back. you have howl, paps and me here with ya." Sans thought, 'i hadn't made a difference last time, though.'
Berry whined, looked to Howl, and squeezed his hand. He didn't want to let go, but he would if Howl told him to.
Howl squeezed Berry's hand back, then tugged gently. "YES, COME LAY DOWN. YOUR SOUL WAS INJURED, YOU SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. DAEMON, GO."
Daemon whined softly, but gently stood Berry up off of him and disappeared.
"I DON'T THINK ALL THREE OF US CAN FIT ON THIS ONE HOSPITAL BED," Papyrus said. "BUT, NOT TO WORRY! I WILL STAND UP!" He got right up, trying not to look relieved as he did so.
It took all of Berry's willpower not to throw himself back into Daemon's welcoming arms as he was set down. One hand held on to Howl's hand, trying not to give in to the urge to climb into either lover's embrace. The other hand was worked into the soft feeling of his bandana. He still had bags burned under his sockets from the stress of the day and not nearly enough rest. His stance wavered a moment, but he was able to keep up right.
Howl tried to gently coax him into the hospital bed with Sans in the meantime. "PLEASE LAY DOWN, KITTEN. YOU LOOK TO BE IN PAIN."
Berry leaned into Howl's hold as much as he would allow, walked with his help, and climbed into the bed.
"that’s it berry," Sans encouraged, "you’re doing great. it will just be a few minutes, and you can cuddle in my bed all you want."
"THERE YOU GO. GOOD. EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE NOW, KITTEN." Howl kept hold of his hand and patted it gently. "HOW BAD IS THE PAIN ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10?"
Years of corrections and also being an experiment gave him a high pain tolerance. It meant Berry had a messed up high tolerance for pain. What was high for others was Berry's 5 or 6, like broken bones that should be a 9 or a 10 on normal peoples' scale. His soul had been an 11 before Daemon and Tai’s healing had taken the edge off the pain; others would have passed out from the pain. Having corrupt magic burning its way through one's soul and disrupting within one’s mana lines with every beat of one’s soul would be an 11, but he had learned to shove pain aside a long time ago. However, adding the pain of having the needle ripped from his soul was harder to ignore. Every beat of his soul was like slapping and scratching a sunburn that was over a bug bite. It pulled and stretched the newly healed scar on his soul. It was tender and ached, and the inside of his ribs felt sticky from the thick, dry magic. He wanted a shower, but much like painkillers, he was used to going without, and he was scared the water might touch his new wound, making it hurt more. He looked to Howl and said quietly, "i.. don't know. a 7?" He rubbed at his chest. "compared to before, it's not as bad. aches and burns a lot.”
Howl frowned at that. "A SEVEN... THAT'S STILL VERY BAD. WE NEED TO HAVE YOU EXAMINED AND HEALED IF POSSIBLE."
Berry held on to Howl's hand and just tried to breathe. The voice was yelling again. He was being bad, being in the bed. He had worked so hard to be able to lay and sleep in a bed again, and that ability was gone... just like that. He pushed his hand into the pillow, trying to ignore the voice and not cry. He shivered and tried to breathe deeply. He rubbed at the hole in his chest. "okay... can we play some music?"
Sans sat next to Berry petting his skull.
"MUSIC SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL IDEA," Howl agreed, pulling out his phone with his free hand. What he picked was, naturally, lovely Italian opera music.
Daemon popped back in then, Red and Jack Rose in tow. Despite being exhausted, the both of them went to go nuzzle Sans before falling back into their mutual chair. Daemon sank into his own seat, rubbing a bit of sweat from his forehead with a sigh. He looked tired now too, with two more shortcuts under his belt for the day. He reached over to take Berry's hand from where it was rubbing his chest and squeezed it gently.
Red looked to be dozing off despite the sound of the music, his head pillowed on Jay's shoulder. The Lust monster pet him blearily, helping him along.
Finally, after almost another ten minutes, the nurse returned to the room. Politics Bear spent a few moments checking over the extensive bandages wrapping around the crown of Sans's head, dipping almost down to one socket, and then turned to Berry. "I heard you need to be looked at?" he asked kindly.
The music helped a lot. His mind was able to focus on something and not the bad things. It helped him push the voice to the back of his mind. He squeezed Daemon's hand.
"yes, please." Reluctantly, he let go of his mates’ hands and sat up. "my skull was cracked and my soul still burns."
They both seemed reluctant to let go too. The bear gently took Berry's shoulder. "Don't worry, we don't have to go far. Let's just sit you down at the empty bed just across the hall. If you have to get admitted, I'll make sure that's where you start, and your doors can both be open so everyone can see everyone else. Is that okay?"
Howl looked visibly relieved at that. "THAT WOULD BE PREFERABLE, YES."
Berry didn't think he was going to leave the bed. He thought it would be just pulling up his shirt. But Howl said yes, so that was it then. He rubbed his soul. "DAEMON AND HOWL, YOU'LL STAY IN MY ROOM WITH ME?"
"OF COURSE WE WILL, KITTEN."
"yeah," Daemon agreed, a bit sleepily. The both of them got up and followed as the nurse gently guided Berry just across the hall. Barely twenty steps.
The nurse then coaxed Berry onto the bed on his back. "Now then, could you summon your soul for me? I'll be very gentle."
Berry frowned. It had been a long while since he had pulled it out himself. "I DON'T HAVE MUCH PRACTICE WITH MY MAGIC YET..." He looked at the sleepy Daemon and Howl. "HOWL, CAN YOU HELP ME? OR I CAN TAKE MY SHIRT OFF?"
Howl frowned a bit too, but gently summoned Berry's soul, coaxing it out with a trickle of blue magic for them all to look over.
Berry's small soul had an angry rip in it that was freshly healed over. A small healing matrix covered the wound. It was very different then the little old pock marks that were peppered all over it. The needle didn't get ripped out smoothly. The color was also off, a purple magic warring within, trying to dominate his main trait of Patience. There were drying globs of both kinds of magic on the outside of his soul where it had been bleeding before Daemon and Tai had healed it.
The nurse's eyes widened and he tried not to look horrified. But even so, he reached out quickly with both hands to cup underneath it, green magic glowing brightly.
"Stars, this is... This is not good," he said.
"i already healed it a lot," Daemon said, rubbing under his sockets. "but there's only so much green magic can do alone..."
After a few seconds, seeing that no more progress was being made, the bear stopped the flow of green magic and pulled his hands back.
"You stay in this bed, poor dear, and try to relax. I'll get the doctor and get you officially admitted right away."
Berry nodded, looking nervous. The music from Howl's phone was calming and relaxing despite his horror. When the bear left, he asked Daemon, "can you lay down with me, puppy?"
Daemon instantly snuggled right up to Berry on the bed, sighing in relief. His long, lanky arms curled around Berry's sides, he nuzzled his face into that bandana, and his legs were tucked up close. He started to purr softly.
"is it okay if i take a nap, master?" Daemon asked, his voice even drowsier.
"I WOULD BE UPSET IF YOU DIDN'T. YOU REST." Howl pulled up a chair and took Berry's hand again.
Berry sighed in relief as his mates touched him. He nuzzled into Daemon and squeezed Howl's hand, then pulled Howl's hand to his cheek and nuzzled it, breathing in the safe grape scent. Between the lovely sounds and vibrations of Daemon's purr and Howl's music, the tension slipped away. He blinked sleepily at Howl. "DO YOU THINK RED'S MACHINE WILL WORK AGAIN?"
"I DON'T SEE WHY NOT. YOU'RE BETTER OFF ASKING HIM TO BE SURE, THOUGH. I KNOW NOTHING OF SCIENCE."
"it'll work," Daemon mumbled. "you'll be okay." He nuzzled again and started to doze off.
Berry snuggled into him more. "thank you." He kept his mind blank, trying not to think about being in a bed with his mate. He just listened to the music and let their closeness keep him calm. The combination of smokey barbecue and grape helped to lull him to a light doze.
They stayed in peace and mostly quiet for a little while, Daemon napping, cuddling up, and Howl petting Berry's hand while he hummed along with the opera music.
After about ten minutes, the bear returned with a doctor behind him. The doctor was a ferret woman with mottled brown fur, and she smiled at them as she approached the bed. Politics Bear was pulling in a machine on a tray and some tools.
"Good evening," the ferret said. "I hear your soul is quite damaged. It's good you've already been healed some, but we need to tend to the other damage as soon as possible. Souls are fragile things. How much pain are you in right now, dear?"
"MAYBE A 7?" The green magic from the bear hadn’t really helped anymore. Tears were pricking in his sockets. "WHAT... WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?"
"Well... If I may?" She summoned his soul again and grimaced. "You see these big blobs of purple magic that aren’t being absorbed or disappearing, that's... very bad. That all needs to come out right away. The best way is to carefully pierce it while you're on the green magic machine and siphon it out. Then, once the impurities are gone, we can reinforce the healing matrix."
"No, no, no," Berry muttered. He was shaking, holding on to Daemon tightly. He didn't want a needle in his soul again. He hated needles.
The ferret looked apologetic. "It's the easiest and safest way, and it would be dangerous to leave your soul as it is... I'm sorry, I know it's scary."
"WE WILL BOTH BE RIGHT HERE," Howl promised. "I WILL MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T HURT YOU."
"yeah..." Daemon rubbed under his sockets sleepily. "i'll hold you the whole time."
"please, no...." Berry’s bones were rattling npw, the force of his shivers knocking them together and into Daemon's. His panicked breathing started to hiccup as tears started to crest and fall down his face. He had been holding it together so well, but he couldn't stand the needle again so soon.
"honey, shh, don't cry, please don't cry." Suddenly more awake, Daemon held him tighter, petting his skull. "it's okay. it'll be okay. we won't do it."
The doctor made a distressed noise. "But he's not going to-"
Daemon snarled at her, and she took a step back, her eyes going wide.
Berry's rattling calmed down with Daemon's words. "thank you, puppy."
Daemon relaxed slowly, nuzzling again.
Howl made a quiet, pained noise, pulling his hand back to lace his fingers together in agitation. "WE WILL... THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE," he said reluctantly. He would very much like to insist. But not when Berry was crying and begging and Daemon was getting so protective. It would just make everything worse emotionally, for all of them.
There was a knock at the door. Sans was in Papyrus’s arms. "hey, what's happening?" he asked, sounding concerned.
"NOTHING," Howl said, a little defensively. "BERRY IS JUST STILL... PROCESSING."
"If we don't treat his soul, he might become very sick," the doctor warned.
"AND IF YOU DO, YOU'LL HURT HIM WORSE," he said, his eye lights flashing. "LEAVE. COME BACK LATER."
The doctor sighed and left the room, with the nurse following after.
Sans sighed. "berry..." He looked at the shiving monster. "berry, what if you nap with daemon? howl can watch over and protect you, and we can let the healer help while you sleep?" he offered. "then you don't have to see or feel anything, okay?"
Berry sniffled. "WHAT IF I WAKE UP?"
"you won't wake up. you’ll fall asleep with daemon, and we'll make sure you dont wake up until it's all over, okay?" Sans assured him.
Daemon growled a little again, narrowing his sockets at Sans. "what are you suggesting?"
"A SEDATIVE?" Howl mused.
"OH, THE HUMANS DO THAT ALL THE TIME, I THINK," Papyrus said. "THAT'S NOT A BAD IDEA, BROTHER."
Sans nodded. "what do you think, berry?"
Berry wiped his sockets on Daemon. "I NEVER GOT TO SLEEP THROUGH BEFORE... CAN THEY REALLY DO THAT?" he asked, looking to Howl.
"YES," Howl said. "SEDATIVES ARE MEDICINE THAT MAKE YOU SLEEP FOR A WHILE. YOU WON'T FEEL ANYTHING."
Daemon put his head back down. "if it's safe... then okay..."
"alrighty." Sans patted Papyrus. "why don't we sit down, paps? you go take a nap, berry. when you are asleep, we will have the healer come."
Berry nodded. "OKAY." He cuddled into Daemon, trying to meld into him. He quietly said, "PUPPY AND ANGEL WILL KEEP ME SAFE."
Daemon snuggled closer again, petting Berry's skull again. "i will. i promise."
"YES. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU WITH US THERE." Howl touched his hand again.
Berry nodded into Daemon and squeezed Howl's hand. "OKAY." He trusted them with his soul, literally.
Papyrus hummed. "WELL, I SHOULD TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR BED, BROTHER. YOU KNOW RED AND JAY WILL BE WORRIED IF THEY WAKE UP AND YOU'VE STOLEN AWAY."
Sans smiled at his brother. "you're right. they would be bone weary if they didn't see me." He chuckled. "can you let the healer know the plan after you put me back?"
"OF COURSE! DON’T PUN AT ME THOUGH!" Papyrus started to carry him back to his room.
Sans laid back in the bed. "you want to lay down with me again, paps?" Sans asked, his hand rubbing Papyrus' skull.
"OH, BROTHER, I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M SO RELIEVED YOU'RE RECOVERING!" Papyrus said. "NO, I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT TO LIE DOWN AGAIN!" He patted Sans's shoulder.
Sans snickered. "okay, paps."
"I'LL JUST HIT THE BUTTON, PAPYRUS, DON’T WORRY ABOUT COMING BACK IN." Howl went for the nurse call button with his free hand.
Daemon went back to purring and snuggling.
Berry cuddled into the warmth of Daemon, and the sweet smell of grape and smoke soon had him drifting into sleep.
When the nurse returned, Howl spoke to him quietly. He nodded, his expression understanding, and brought back the doctor to administer a sedative to Berry's arm.
Berry didn't even flinch when the doctor gave him the shot in his sleep. He was too exhausted from the day's events to notice the small sting into his aching mana lines.
Once the doctor was certain that the sedative had taken effect, she nodded to the nurse, who wheeled in a green magic machine.
"You're going to have to let go of him while we do this," the doctor told Daemon. He tightened his grip, inhaling sharply, and looked to Howl. His master nodded and beckoned him over, so he reluctantly, and with some visible difficulty, pulled away from Berry and got up off the bed to pad over to Howl's chair instead.
The two of them watched with heavy anxiety as the green magic machine was hooked up to Berry's magic lines. That anxiety rocketed up even further when the doctor pulled out a large and thick needle. Howl grabbed Daemon's hand without thinking, watching with a tight expression. A part of him was braced for Berry to start screaming. But when the doctor started to very carefully lance the soul and siphon away the dark purple magic globules lingering there, Berry still didn't so much as twitch. He didn't look to be in pain. It was... going well, all things considered. But even so, and even though the whole process couldn't have been more than twenty minutes, it felt like an agonizing eternity as the doctor pulled out Gaster's awful magic bit by bit, dumping it into a biohazard container as it was extracted.
When the last particles were gone from Berry's soul, the needle was discarded as well, and the doctor changed her gloves and started to apply a thick webbing of fibrous green magic along the healing matrix knitting the soul back together. It wasn't all absorbed right away, but instead lingered, physically making the matrix bigger and thicker. With that done, she finally pulled away again and gave the nurse another nod. The green magic machine was slowly disconnected, one electrode at a time to make sure he stayed stable. Soon enough, it was completely off. As the nurse wheeled away the machine again, the doctor turned to the two watching skeletons, again replacing her gloves.
"He'll be alright now. He'll wake up groggy and might not be very responsive for a while, but the pain should ease up. It's hard to tell how long the wounds will take to close. Right now, my best estimate is maybe two weeks. Souls are very sensitive to trauma and take longer to heal. Try to keep him in bed as much as possible for now."
Stiffly, Howl nodded, still holding his brother's hand. "I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU."
The doctor dipped her head to both of them, and then left the room with the biohazard and other equipment being taken away with her. Once they were alone again, Daemon instantly got back in bed with Berry, purring loudly to help soothe himself.
Stretch blinked sleepily. He had magic exhaustion. Fighting the driving force of the doctor’s will, on top of all the magic he had used today, made him want to just curl up around Pucci and have Vex hold them both in his arms and sleep for a week. He had to see his brother first. He had to know Blueberry would be all right. After knowing what his brother must have been fighting all these years... Stretch shivered and hugged his hoodie tighter. He suppressed the sob that wanted to escape.
"stars," he breathed. He felt so violated, angry, used and powerless. Then Vex put the car into park, and Stretch blinked slowly, looking around. "we're here...?" That was fast.
"YES, LOVE." Vex was concerned, looking his husband over. He really didn't look well. "WE'LL GO SEE BERRY, BUT YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT."
"yeah, alright." He really wanted to hold Pucci, but he was kind of scared. He was feeling pretty shaky. "Could someone get me a wheelchair? I want to hold Puuci, please."
"I'll get you one," Derby said, getting out of the backseat and heading inside.
"LET ME HELP YOU OUT WHILE HE'S DOING THAT." Vex turned the car off and came around to open Stretch's door.
Stretch nodded and took off the seatbelt. When Vex came around and helped him up, Stretch's arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a hug. "i'm sorry, vex. i couldn't stop myself. i'd never want to hurt you. shove you like that. i tried to fight him, but i just....." He closed his sockets and shivered. "i was powerless," he sniffled. "how can berry stand it? that fucking voice."
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I KNOW IT WASN'T YOU." He kissed Stretch's cheek softly. "I DON'T KNOW. HE'S VERY STRONG. BUT I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WASN'T AS POWERFUL. GASTER HADN’T PERFECTED IT A FEW YEARS AGO, RIGHT?"
Stretch nuzzled into his mate. His phalanges tangled inTO Vex's clothes. "I hope so."
"EITHER WAY, IT'S OVER NOW." He pet Stretch's skull gently.
Derby came back with a wheelchair, and Vex carefully eased Stretch into it before picking up Pucci to hand over.
Stretch relaxed when Pucci was in his arms. He wiped the small bit of drool that leaked out of the slumbering baby’s mouth. "oh, pucci. you are going to be up all night."
"I’M SURE THEY WON'T. A LITTLE NAP IS FINE.. THEY USED A LOT OF MAGIC." He started to wheel Stretch inside and get the number of Berry's room, while Derby lingered at the front office to wait for his datemate.
Stretch peppered kisses on Pucci's skull as they headed in and held their child tightly in his arms. They were shown to Berry's room soon enough. The sedative was still working its way through him, but the doctor had left by now, his soul as patched as it could get. Daemon was laying on the bed with him again, half-dozing, exhausted. He growled subconsciously when new people came into the room.
"HUSH, IT'S FAMILY," Howl said, rubbing Berry's hand. Daemon relaxed again, never opening his sockets. "GOOD EVENING."
Stretch looked at Berry who wasn’t moving. "will... will he be okay?" His voice wavered.
"HE'LL BE ALRIGHT," Howl assured in a low voice. "THE D- THE HEALER JUST TENDED TO HIS SOUL. IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER. HE MIGHT WAKE UP SOON."
Vex nodded. "THAT'S GOOD. I NEED TO GET STRETCH AND PUCCI LOOKED AT TOO."
"IF YOU TALK TO THE NURSE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET ANOTHER ROOM VERY CLOSE BY," Howl suggested.
"yeah, i... i want to stay by berry." He looked around. "is sans okay? i'm guessing he is. i don't think red or jack rose would have left his side otherwise."
Howl nodded. "SANS WAS AWAKE BEFORE. I'M NOT SURE IF HE STILL IS, BUT YOU CAN GO SEE. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT ACROSS THE HALL."
Stretch let out a relieved sigh and hugged Pucci. "in a bit. i want to stay with berry and pucci for a bit." He looked up at Vex. "can you push me closer, my prince? i want to touch him."
"OF COURSE." Vex brought him a little closer with the wheelchair, until they were within touching distance. Daemon mumbled in his sleep, curling tighter as if to protect Berry from any threats.
"it’s okay Daemon." Stretch touched Berry’s head, careful of the hairline crack. It was closed, nothing more than a scar thanks to all the healing from Tai and Daemon, but it went up the back of his skull to his crown. It would be a reminder of what happened. Something Berry didn't need to remember. “oh, berry," he breathed, "can they fix his skull?"
"IT'S ALREADY BEEN WELL-HEALED," Howl said. "I DOUBT THE SCAR CAN BE REMOVED, NO. BUT IT'S ALRIGHT. HE SURVIVED SOMETHING DIFFICULT. SCARS ARE BADGES OF HONOR."
Tears lined his sockets. "did they do anything to him? i hit them and they said he escaped."
"THAT MAN TRIED TO PUT... THE SUBSTANCE BACK IN HIM. HE FOUGHT IT, AND GOT INJURED IN A FEW PLACES. BUT HE USED THE PANIC BUTTON AFTER SLAMMING THEM AROUND. HE DID WELL. HIS SOUL WAS INJURED, BUT IT'S HEALING."
Stretch hugged Pucci tight. "he was lucky the watch worked. i couldn't teleport." He was looking past Berry, out the window. "the wolf bit me. my magic wouldn't work while he bit me. something wasn't right with him... and gaster." He shivered. Pucci made a whining sound at his Papa's distress. "shhhh, it's okay, baby, they’re not here."
Howl's brows furrowed at that. "I... DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. BERRY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEM LOOKING DIFFERENT OR NOT RIGHT. HIS MAGIC WORKED FINE - BETTER THAN FINE, EVEN."
Vex also frowned, lightly petting Stretch's skull. "MAYBE SOMETHING HAPPENED...?"
"i had the snake down to one hp. and the eagle was pretty hurt. then the wolf came at me.” He rubbed his clavicle. “he was all grey, not natural. it looked like someone dained the color from him. and gaster..." Stretch recalled, "his face was cracked and looked like he was oozing? melting?”
"MELTING..." Howl mused.
"LIKE THE AMALGAMATES DO?" Vex asked.
"kinda. the black in him seemed to go on for eternity. it was disturbing to look at either one of them." Stretch shivered.
Howl shrugged, still baffled. "I DON'T KNOW, STRETCH. THIS IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE."
"not mine either," Stretch said. "just…” He sighed and shook his head trying not to think of it.
Howl squeezed Berry's hand gently. "YOU MIGHT CONSIDER ASKING THE SCIENTISTS. THE VARIOUS LIZARDS AND FISH. PERHAPS RED, THOUGH I THINK HE'S ASLEEP."
"okay." Stretch rubbed sleepily at his sockets. "i think i need a nap first..."
"BEFORE YOU SLEEP, YOU NEED TO BE LOOKED AT," Vex said, leaning around the wheelchair to look at him. "AND PUCCI TOO."
"ARE THEY ALRIGHT?" Howl asked, looking at the baby.
"THEY ONLY SEEM TIRED, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE."
"okay, let's get it over with then," Stretch said. "i want to forget this day."
Once they got Stretch into a room, the nurse and doctor came to see him. and Pucci as well. The babybones got looked at first, since they were more delicate, and concerns with a baby could become more serious very quickly. Vex was anxious as the doctor examined Pucci and checked their soul. She didn't panic at any point, which helped. Even so, he didn't relax until she smiled at him.
"They'll be alright, but you do need to feed them. They need to get some energy back. They can go back to sleep after they've gotten some nourishment."
Relieved, he nodded and scooped Pucci right up, digging around to find the bottle he had tucked in the baby bag.
There was an unhappy cry from Pucci as his daddy woke him up, but once they noticed the nipple brushing at their teeth, their non-existent tummy growled, and they had to stop crying to suck. They took a few suckles before starting to fall back asleep, only to be roused again. That was when they gave Vex a scowl that looked an awful lot like his own.
"YOU HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE SCOWL, PUCCI, BUT YOU CAN'T FRIGHTEN ME," he teased lightly, nudging them awake again to coax them to eat more.
He focused on feeding them as the doctor started to look Stretch over. The bite wound was a little nasty, and she got it cleaned and bandaged. Then she checked his soul. There was a small scar there, brand new, and seeing it made Vex angry and protective. But it was only a scar, already healed over, so she put his soul back with minimal fuss.
"You'll also be okay," she told Stretch. "Sleep is a good idea. Bed rest and food and care for both of you will help everything."
He nodded and sighed with relief. "Thanks doctor, are we free to go home?"
"I would say you are free to go, yes," the doctor assured. "There's no need to keep you overnight and charge you for the room."
"THANK YOU, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT," Vex said. He looked to Stretch. "DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME AND SLEEP? OR DID YOU WANT TO STAY AND VISIT FOR A WHILE LONGER?"
Stretch rubbed his sockets sleepily and looked to Berry's and Sans's rooms, then to Pucci. “i'm barely keeping awake. they are asleep and its getting late." And Daemon already had Berry in a protective embrace. "let’s go home, and you can hold us all night." Safe in his prince's arms.
Vex smiled at that. "VERY WELL. I WOULDN'T MIND THAT AT ALL. COME ON, THEN. LET'S GET YOU BACK IN THE WHEELCHAIR." He coaxed Pucci into having just a few more gulps of milk, then let them doze off again and held them out to Stretch.
"thanks, love," he said and waited for Vex to get them to finish the bottle. He was just about to doze off when he heard the wheelchair get closer. He yawned and then climbed into the chair.
“YOU CAN SLEEP DURING THE CAR RIDE, LOVE," Vex assured as he helped Stretch into the chair. He also made sure Pucci was secure in Stretch's arms. "WHY DON'T WE JUST POP INTO SANS'S ROOM FOR A SECOND? I WANT TO MAKE SURE RED IS ALRIGHT."
"alright," he said with a sleepy nodd. He made sure to hold Pucci tight. He wanted to thank Red and Jack Rose too.
Vex wheeled his lover to Sans's room, where Papyrus was very happy to be standing and leaning against the wall, his phone out as he read something thoughtfully. He looked up and smiled. "GOOD EVENING," he said cheerily, keeping his voice down with effort. "ARE YOU THREE ALRIGHT?"
"YES, WE'RE FINE," Vex assured. He looked to the chair where Red and Jack Rose were both slumped together, their limbs tangled up, sleeping like a pair of kittens. Red would be offended if anybody called him cute (Vex knew the feeling), but one couldn't deny they looked soft together. "WHAT ABOUT THEM?"
"EXHAUSTED, BUT FINE, I THINK," Papyrus said. "SANS WAS AWAKE A LITTLE WHILE AGO, TOO."
Stretch smiled at that and said softly, "i'm glad they are all okay. it’s been one hell of a day."
"IT HAS," Papyrus agreed. "I'M GLAD IT'S ALMOST OVER."
Jack Rose stirred, blinking sleepily up at them. Then he shook Red's shoulder. "wake up, your brother's here."
Red mumbled grumpily, squeezing his sockets tighter for a moment, then reluctantly opened them. "hey."
"hey," Stretch said back. "thanks for earlier."
Jay grimaced. "well, we didn't really do that much to help you, but... we tried."
"glad to see you back to normal." Red rubbed under his sockets. "what happened in there?"
"i attacked them. i was so angry. i pulled on the power of the Judge and got the snake to one HP and hurt the bird a bit, but then that damn wolf hit me and i couldn't port. then they knocked me out. when i came to, the doctor told me to bring the baby to him."
Jay frowned. "they overpowered you..."
"what do you mean, you couldn't port?" Red asked, waking up more.
"well, he bit me." He touched the now bandaged bone. "it’s a little foggy now, but i tried to port when that happened. if i took that ashole with me, it was better than being trapped... but it didn't work."
"being bitten shouldn't just prevent you like that,” Red said with confusion.
"HE SAID THEY LOOKED... DIFFERENT," Vex said. Stretch couldn't see him absently touch the back of his right hand, over the glove he hated to take off. "CORY AND GASTER. DARKER... MELTY. LIKE THE AMALGAMATES."
Red scrunched up his face. Then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "dark and melty... like DT, but... hm... but that..."
"they were grey... shades of black and white. gaster’s black parts were almost ink-like and drippy? he looked like he had to focus hard. when he would focus on other things, he would become more melty."
Red started to look visibly nervous. His good hand drifted of its own accord to the wrist of his bad one.
"too much interference..." he mumbled to himself. "i can't..."
"interference?" Stretch looked confused. "you can’t what?"
"what?" he asked distractedly. "nothing. nothing. i'll. i'll look into it. just as soon as i get into my office."
Stretch looked concerned. "you sure you’re okay?"
"fine, yes, i'm fine," he said, rubbing his wrist more. Jack Rose blinked down at his hand, then slowly reached down and stopped the movement with a gentle touch. Red looked down at it, then grimaced. "i'll get back to you on that... ok?"
"okay, just stay on your toes. no one should be alone until they’re caught." He cuddled the sleeping Pucci more.
"yeah, don't worry about that. we're not leaving sansy's side," Red said, shifting to hold Jack Rose's hand properly. "you look like shit. go to bed."
"good night." Jack Rose wiggled his fingers with a faint smile. "be careful going home."
Stretch nodded. "ok. let sans and berry know i'll visit them tomorrow, alright?"
"will do," Red said, relaxing back down.
"GOOD NIGHT!" Papyrus waved as well with a smile, then went back to his phone.
"GOOD NIGHT," Vex echoed, then carefully wheeled Stretch to the elevator and out to the car again. They passed Derby and Tai heading to Sans’s room on the way, with a little wave.
"DO YOU NEED HELP GETTING IN?" Vex asked.
"no," he assured, "if you get pucci in, i can manage it." He held Pucci up a bit for Vex to take.
"OF COURSE." He took the baby and carefully got them into the baby seat, strapping them into every strap available. Safe and secure and sleeping soundly. Then he got into the driver's seat and made sure Stretch was in and strapped in before buckling his own seatbelt and starting the car.
He turned on the radio to play a station with quiet instrumental music. It might help Stretch with dozing off in the car, and he was too careful to let it lull himself. He was a very good driver, and he took pride in that.
The sun had long since set. His headlights were on and the street lamps were in set intervals along the roads home. The majority of the drive was well-lit and peaceful. However, as he turned into the cul-de-sac that their house resided in, the street lamps became much more scarce. It wasn’t far now, and his fingers were idly tapping on the steering wheel in time to the music. He almost didn’t notice anything amiss. It seemed to blend in for the most part… until he blinked, and rapidly approaching just off to the side of where his headlights were the brightest, was what was undeniably a stark white skull with pitch black lines running down it, and hands reaching out.
His sockets went wide and he slammed the brakes hard enough to make the tires screech along the road. A hand flew out to keep Stretch from lurching forward in the passenger seat instinctively, his other hand yanking the wheel to the side and skidding them to a halt sideways in the road. When they were at a halt, he was perfectly still, staring out the windshield, hand grasping Stretch’s hoodie still.
Stretch and Pucci snapped awake at the sudden lurch. Pucci's wailing dominated all sound, and Stretch looked around wildly. "what... what happened?" he panted. His soul was racing in his chest.
Vex slowly let go of Stretch, sweat rolling down his brow. He looked around frantically, but... the road was empty. There was nothing there. "I... I THOUGHT... I SAW..."
Unnerved, he put the car in park and got out to look around. There was nothing... He was just standing there with nobody else around and the car skidded sideways on this residential street.
Stretch got out and got into the back to collect Pucci up, rocking them. "it’s okay, pucci. you’re alright." He showered kisses on their skull until they calmed down and he could put them back in safely.
Vex just stood there in the road for a long minute, before dragging a hand down his face. "I COULD HAVE SWORN I SAW HIM... MAYBE I'M JUST TIRED…? I'M SORRY." He slowly came back to the car and got in again. His hands were trembling slightly. He was probably imagining it… It was probably a trick of the light, a long and stressful day. His eyes playing tricks on him. But if it wasn’t...
Stretch got back into the car, looking out into the darkness. As they finished the drive home and hurried inside, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
Notes:
If you liked this chapter, make sure to leave a kudos and a comment! <3
Chapter 35: You Set Off a Dream in Me, Getting Louder Now
Summary:
In which Pucci makes (almost) everyone feel better
Notes:
WE'RE BACK BITCHES.
Sorry it took so long ^^; kinktober took a lot out of me, and then there was a secret santa, and then there was irl stuff... it's been a busy few months. OTL;;; but here's the next chapter! Just to note, we ARE going to (hopefully) be doing one update every other week and switching between OR and AS, so 1 chapter of each a month. That'll be on Tuesdays, so expect the next AS in just under two weeks! This update isn't following that just because I felt bad it took so long, tbh, lol - GetMcDunkedOn
Chapter tags: police raid/roughing up bad guys, talk of feeling watched, heat and rut, voluntary solitary confinement/restraints
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap Sans
Daemon - fellswap Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Mai Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Blade and Al stood at the base of the mountain, ready with the guard to storm the swap underground. Al stood just inside the range of the magic opening with her summoned axe in her hand, making the portal primed and ready to enter her old world under the mountain.
Blade had her dark red spear in hand, and a small handful of guardsmen behind her. "Let's go already."
"Then get your butts in there. Don't want you to all end up in the wrong underground," Al barked back.
Blade gestured to her men, then headed through the portal, her spear at the ready. They all looked around as they went in, taking in the differences. Even the colors were different.
Al worked her way to the front to take the lead. This was her home and she knew it like the back of her hand. She followed the footprints to the area with the elevators, keeping her eyes peeled.
The walkway wasn't as dusty as the rest of the building. There had been others coming and going from here. Al pushed the call button on the elevator, and, despite what should've been years of neglect, it worked perfectly. Someone had been keeping minimum maintenance up for there to be electricity. Her eyes narrowed. None of her informants had said there was activity on the mountain. She gripped her axe tightly.
Blade, too, noted that it was still in use, and it made her own eye narrow. She sent half of her men with Al in one elevator trip, then took the second trip with the other half.
Al and her team came into the main hallway and secured it while waiting for Blade. The hall was filled with the mechanical sounds of swirling cogs and gears, and, further down, they could see light shining out of one of the rooms.
Blade was on high alert when her half arrived, gaze sharp as she looked at every nook and cranny. The sound unnerved her. Like this place was alive... She started to head to the room with light shining out of it, beckoning the others with her.
Al took the lead to the room. The only other sounds coming from it were even breathing in sync with a machine. She rounded the corner with her weapon ready. There was only one monster there. A long snake, lying unconscious on a table with some tubes going into his soul. "Only one in here is unconscious," she said quietly.
Blade came in and stared at the snake laying on the table. "What the hell... Isn't this one of that bastard's lackeys? Why did he just get left here??"
They looked around the room, and it had seen better days. It looked like a recovery ward of some kind. The display above showed the monster was stable but with low HP, which was slowly going up. "I don't know,” Al said. “Maybe they needed more supplies?"
"That's too easy..." she said suspiciously. She stationed two guards to stay in the room with the snake and moved on.
“Captain,” a guard said from across the hall. When they entered that room, it looked like someone went to town with a baseball bat. The walls and machine had huge dents in them, and liquid and magic were splattered around. One of the walls had a pitch black dripping down the wall.
Blade noted all of the dents and the ruined machine. She was about to grimly head over and check it out when she did a double-take at the wall. Slowly, she turned to look at the pitch black. "What the fuck is that?"
"Shit, I don't know." Al looked up at the pipes. "Don't touch it. One thing I've learned being with Dyne is you don't mess with chemicals in a lab. She should know what it is, she's one of our top scientists. Once we secure the perimeter, I'll call her."
More of the sludge-like goop dripped out of the broken pipe as she spoke.
Blade grimaced. "Yeah, I know at least that much. Alright. You call Dyne about that. I'm going to go see if we can wake and interrogate our prisoner." She headed back to the other room.
Al pulled out her phone and called Dyne. She picked up on the first ring.
"Al? D-Did you find them?"
"We found one of the ones that took Berry and hurt Sans. Gaster and the other two are nowhere to be seen. We’re in the old lab. Underground." Al let the words hang for a moment as Dyne let out a long breath. Once she knew Dyne was calm, she kept going. "There is some black stuff leaking from a pipe in one of the rooms. It looks questionable and should probably get examined. Can I send someone out to get you?"
"Black stuff?" She hummed. "Yeah, I'll come check it out."
"Okay, I'll send a guard to you. Don't come alone just in case they come back here." Al didn't want to take any chances with her mate. These fugitives were the worse type: unpredictable and dangerous.
"Alright. I'm at home."
A guard came up to Blade. “The area is secured. There are no other monsters in the Lab.”
Blade growled as she heard the news, but nodded. "Alright. Good work, soldier." She examined the unconscious snake with a frown. His HP was recovering... Blade didn't know a lot about medicine or machines, but she did know that if she just pushed the power button, that was enough. He was stable and in no risk of dying, so no sense in giving him enough HP to fight again. She hit the button and attached a magic suppressing handcuff around the snake's neck. Then she tried to wake him up with a rough shake.
He hissed and coiled up. "Go away, Cory. I'm not feeling well."
"Wake the fuck up. You're under arrest." She yanked him up to glower down at him.
An undignified yipping sound escaped Prat. "What?!" His beady little eyes darted around. "Where’ssssss everyone?"
"You tell me! Where are they??"
He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat, but he was shaking like a leaf. "I don't know. The Judge ssssmacked me with hissss cannon. That’ssss the lassst thing I remember."
She growled at him. "And do you have a backup location? Somewhere you go to get supplies? Anything?"
"If I tell you, I want my chargessss dropped," he tried to bargain. "I want it in writing."
She laughed in his face, then slammed him against the wall. "You tell me now."
The snake whimpered as a few HP ticked off. "If you kill me, you won't find them." He looked scared. "Besides, you’re part of the guard, you can’t kill me."
"Who ever told you that? Besides, I don't have to kill you. Look at this green machine." She turned his face to it, her eyes flashing. "I can just torture you and heal you, over and over, until you crack. Now. Where. Are. They."
He paled. "Tal has a house under his sssssister’sss name. She moved out, and we live there now."
She nodded, tightening her grip. "Where is it?"
He hissed, his long tail encasing her wrist as he gave the address.
"Good." She unraveled him and thrust him into the arms of two more guards. "You're going in a prison cell. Al!" She returned to the other room.
The snake let out a yip at being thrust so forcefully, the guards being just as ‘gentle’ as Blade when they dragged him away.
Al came into the room. "I sent a guard to bring Dyne here. They will probably be here in the hour."
Blade nodded, looking at the megadark goo critically. "Good. I have the address of a possible safe home. You want me to stay and send someone else?"
She was torn on that. She wanted to get the fucking bastard, but she didn’t want Dyne here without her in case they came back here. She took a deep breath. "I'll wait here,'' she said. “I’ll watch Dyne, and if they come back, I'll cuff the assholes. You go and see if they’re there and secure it. We'll leave no place for them to go to. We'll get them."
"Alright." Blade nodded, then put a hand on Al's shoulder briefly. "We are gonna get them," she agreed. Then she took three men with her and headed out of the mountain, pulling up the address on her phone.
The house was nothing out of the ordinary. Just a normal single-story house in the middle of the monster area. The yard was a little overgrown like it had been a few weeks from its last tending to. It looked like no one was home.
Blade took her men to break down the door, kicking it down full force. They fanned out, looking for any evidence of recent activity. The spectacle had monsters coming out of their homes to watch.
When the door was brought down, the inside of the house was not as messy as expected for a bunch of bachelors. Still, the guards secured each room one by one. No monsters were there. As Blade walked into the kitchen, she saw a work space set up. There was a pile of papers with addresses and numbers scribbled on them and pictures of Vex, Howl, Daemon. Berry, Stretch, and Pucci. The morning newspaper announcing the press conference was sitting next to it.
She damn near tore the place apart looking for more clues, but found nothing else. She snarled as she looked through them, then gathered them all up and stuffed them in an evidence bag.
"Alright, let's clear out! Nothing else here. I want one undercover guard watching this house at all times in case they come back."
The guard saluted. "Yes sir!"
"Good!" She headed out again, pulling out her phone. She called Al first, and then Vex.
A few days had passed, and things started to return to normal. Or at least what passed as normal for the skeleton families. Stretch had been staying with Puuci like a mother hawk, and he had noticed their little babybones was learning things very fast. They were picking up words left and right. It got him thinking about schooling.
He was currently sitting on the floor with their laptop and a bunch of fliers on different types of daycares and preschools. That was how Vex found him. Puuci was next to him, playing in the little hanging gym and babbling away.
Vex set his briefcase and violin down, looking over his husband and baby. "GOOD EVENING. YOU LOOK QUITE BUSY, LOVE. WHAT'S WITH ALL THE FLIERS?” He crouched down to scoop Pucci up gently and give them a hello kiss.
"DADA HOME!" Pucci said and hugged their father happily.
"YES, DARLING, DADDY'S HOME," Vex said indulgently, cradling then in both arms.
"i've been thinking,” Stretch said. “pucci is so smart, and ya know, i'm not sure what to teach them. i’ve been showing them numbers and letters, but i want them to have what i didn't have. i want them to go learn at a school."
"WELL, OF COURSE THEY'LL GO TO SCHOOL! WHY WOULDN'T THEY? ISN'T IT A BIT SOON, THOUGH? THEY'RE HARDLY TWO MONTHS."
"but they're so smart! they should get started right." He turned the monitor of the laptop so Vex could see. "look at these. there are monster-run daycares. they offer ‘parent and me’ classes for a few hours and half day programs for as early as six weeks. by six months, pucci will be talking up a storm. i’m thinking about taking them to see how they are." He was very excited about the idea. "i didn't know there were so many different types of learning for kids, but i really like these two." He held up two flyers. One was a Reggio Emilia school, and one was a Waldorf preschool. "they both believe play is how a child learns. i like that and what they say in the fliers. i was looking them up online."
He hummed thoughtfully. "THAT DOES SOUND IDEAL, YES. BUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO, THEN?"
"well…" Stretch read from the fliers. "the reggio emilia philosophy recognizes that infants are active participants in the learning process. the teacher serves as a guide, partner, nurturer and researcher. older kids are also allowed to use computers or tablets." He held up the other one. "waldorf educators believe that children have a natural tendency to play, and that play is the child’s primary way of relating to the world. that play, however, is done within a structured weekly routine of games and activities. ’active learning’ is taken literally in the waldorf approach, and the use of technology like computers and tablets is discouraged, since it’s seen as promoting passivity." He put down the flier. "so it seems like technology is the biggest difference. also, waldorf talks about real things, not plastic. so they use natural things like woods, metals, and other materials like that, and they’re big on story time. the reggio emilia school is big on art and expression through art. every school has an art studio."
"HMM, I SEE..." Vex nodded thoughtfully, setting Pucci back down to let them keep playing. "WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE LEANING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT FROM WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED, I THINK I WOULD PREFER THE REGGIO EMILIA FOR THEM. I DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE TOO MUCH RIGIDITY."
"okay, i'll contact them tomorrow and see if i can get a tour set up. did you want to go too?" Stretch got up and kissed him.
“OF COURSE I WANT TO GO, YES. SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT DURING MY LUNCH BREAK." He kissed back, then went to settle on the couch for a moment.
"i'm really surprised that you don't want them to have a very structured school."
"ARE YOU, LOVE? IT'S TRUE I HAD A LOT OF STRUCTURE GROWING UP, AND I VALUE IT NOW, BUT... TOO MUCH IS NOT GOOD. I KNOW I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS FROM THAT LINE OF THINKING. I DON'T..." He glanced at Pucci again, eyelights soft. "I DON'T WANT THEM TO HURT LIKE I HAVE. IF I HAD HAD THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE MUSIC YOUNGER, MORE CASUALLY... MAYBE I WOULD STRUGGLE LESS NOW."
"i didn't have a lot of structure at all. berry did great, considering the circumstances," Stretch said, looking at Pucci too. "we'll see how things go..."
"WELL... IT SHOULD BE A BALANCE. NOT TOO MUCH STRUCTURE, BUT NOT TOO LITTLE, EITHER. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. I'M SURE BERRY DID HIS BEST, BUT HE WAS A CHILD TOO. YOU BOTH SHOULD HAVE HAD AN ADULT ROLE MODEL."
Stretch nodded. He pulled out his phone and called as he walked into the kitchen and made Vex and himself some tea. When he came back, he was off the phone. "here ya go." He handed Vex a mug, then sat down. "we have the tour tomorrow during your lunch."
Vex took the tea with a smile. "THANK YOU, LOVE. I'LL START ON DINNER SOON."
"okay." He leaned against Vex, using him as a pillow, wanting the closeness. "we had to grow up way too fast," he said with a sigh. Then he smiled. "pucci will never have to experience that. they have a ton of family to look after them." It made him feel better knowing his child would never have to live in the streets and would have an adult around that loved them.
"YES, EXACTLY. EVEN IF - STARS FORBID - ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ONE OF US, THERE ARE MANY BROTHERS TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE IF NEEDED." He wrapped an arm around Stretch and gave him a light cheek kiss. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT, LOVE?"
"yeah. just been feeling creeped out since that night in the car," Stretch confessed. "i don't like being alone with just pucci. sometimes i get a feeling in my bones that we’re being watched, but there's no one here but us."
That made Vex frown, and he held onto Stretch tighter. "I'VE FELT THAT A FEW TIMES TOO. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST PARANOIA. BUT..." He looked back at Pucci. "...I DON'T LIKE THAT YOU'RE FEELING IT TOO. NOBODY WORKS FROM HOME, I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU COULD GO DURING THE DAY WITH THEM..."
"well, if we do the daycare and the classes, that will eat up a few hours out of the house and we'll be around other people." Stretch tried to be comforted by that thought.
"THAT'S TRUE. FOR THE REST OF THE TIME... WELL, YOU'D BE WELCOME TO COME TO WORK AND WATCH ME, BUT MY STUDENTS CAN'T BE TOO DISTRACTED. PERHAPS YOU COULD VISIT BERRY?"
"he’s at the shelter most days. i guess i could ask him to come over. with the queen locked up, it should be safe for him to come over more."
"YOU COULD. OR EVEN GO THERE TO THE SHELTER WITH HIM." He leaned down towards Pucci, voice becoming more indulgent. "DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH KITTENS AND PUPPIES, PUCCI?"
They let out a happy squeal. Stretch laughed. "i'll take that as a yes."
"I BELIEVE SO." He chuckled too. "THEY'RE GETTING A BIT BIGGER. SO LONG AS THEY'RE WELL SUPERVISED, I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE A PROBLEM."
"i'm sure berry and them will help me watch them like a hawk." Stretch chuckled and took a drink of the tea. "then it's a plan."
"I'M SURE THEY WILL, YES." He drank from his own tea. "GOOD. THAT'S A RELIEF. I'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU HERE WHILE I'M AT WORK."
"i have been too." He watched Pucci. "i guess this whole thing has shaken us a lot."
"YES... IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAUGHT THEM. THE BIRD MIGHT BE DEAD, BUT..." He frowned. "IT UNNERVES ME WE CAN'T FIND GASTER." He was rubbing the back of his right hand, a quirky habit he only did subconsciously when thinking about things related to his distant forgotten childhood.
Stretch frowned and put a hand on top of Vex's, trying to comfort him. "yeah, it is worrying. hopefully, the guards find something soon. we have the snake monster in custody, too. hopefully, he knows something."
"I HOPE SO. I'M TEMPTED TO GO AND INTERROGATE THE BASTARD HIMSELF." He held onto Stretch's hand tightly.
Stretch held him just as tightly. "you’re not in the guard anymore. i'm sure our captains are working hard to solve this. they're our friends, too. they don't want us to get hurt."
"I KNOW I'M NOT, I JUST... I DON'T LIKE DOING NOTHING. I NEVER HAVE." He shook his head.
"you're not, doing nothing," Stretch said with a scoff. "you're providing for your family." He kissed Vex.
"...I AM DOING THAT." He smiled a little, returning the kiss.
"HUNGRY, PAPA!" Pucci cried out.
Stretch chuckled. "okay, baby. i'll get you a bottle." He gave Vex one last kiss before getting up to get Pucci some milk.
Vex lingered for a moment, glancing around the room’s corners. His gaze found a shadow and he stared at it for a long moment, unease prickling at his right hand. He sighed and shook his head, dislodging those thoughts, then got up to start making dinner.
Two weeks passed.
On Monday, Berry came out of Dr. Myotis' office and looked around for his datemates. He was a little shaky after the intense therapy. He had asked for help overcoming his newly discovered fear. He never realized how scared he had been of dicks. But it would be worth it to keep moving forward with his lovers.
Howl and Daemon were there waiting, as always. Daemon got up and snuggled Berry when he approached. "hiya, berry, how'd it go?"
"GOOD SESSION, KITTEN?" Howl asked.
"YES." Berry nodded excitedly and cuddled into Daemon's warm smokey scent. "IT WAS SCARY, BUT I MADE IT," he said with a bit of pride
"I'M PROUD OF YOU."
"yeah, you did wonderful. you should be proud too." Daemon nuzzled him gently.
Berry blushed at their praise. "THANKS." He steadied himself by leaning into Daemon. "I'M READY TO GO HOME." Being out of the house still gave him a bit of anxiety.
"RIGHT. PUPPY, TAKE US HOME PLEASE." Howl reached out to lightly take one hand from each of them. Daemon nuzzled Berry and squeezed Howl's hand, then ported them into the living room.
Berry squeezed Howl's hand too. A shy goofy smile spread on his face as they both showed him affection. Once they were home, Berry asked, "WHAT DID WE WANT TO DO FOR LUNCH TODAY?"
"I CAN MAKE US SANDWICHES, IF YOU WOULD LIKE," Howl said. "OR PERHAPS SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED? ANYTHING IS ALRIGHT BY ME."
"SANDWICHES ARE GOOD," Berry said. "MAY I HELP YOU?"
"OF COURSE YOU CAN, KITTEN." He dipped his head and headed into the kitchen, pulling off his gloves as he went.
Berry kissed Demon on the cheek. "I'LL TELL YOU WHEN IT'S READY, PUPPY."
"okay." Daemon nuzzled him and then plopped down on the couch.
Berry headed into the kitchen, removing his own soft gloves.
Howl started to pull out the different sandwich options they had. A few different kinds of meats and cheeses, peanut butter, a few jellies, and even eggs if anybody was feeling like egg salad.
Berry perked up at the eggs. "THERE’S A RECIPE FOR EGG SALAD SANDWICH IN MY NOTEBOOK. CAN WE MAKE THAT, ANGEL?"
"OH, IS THERE?" He looked over at Berry with an indulgent smile. "THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL THEN, YES. LET'S GET IT OUT AND TAKE A LOOK."
Berry ran to his room and got his egg book. A lot of emotions hit him as he picked it up and looked at it. He remembered being encouraged to go to classes and going to them, and yes it was a bit scary, but it had always been fun in class. And cooking with Howl was especially fun. He opened the book to the recipe and brought it out. A big smile was on his face and he held up the book with the photocopied recipes. "IT LOOKS REALLY EASY AND GOOD.”
Howl looked it over and nodded. "IT DOES LOOK EASY, YES. LET'S GET STARTED, THEN, SHALL WE?" He pulled out the eggs and mayo.
Berry got a large pot out and some salt and started to fill it with water. "I really like cooking with you, Howl." Berry's face was flushed blue. "Thank you for helping me to be able to go to classes. I'm very happy that I didn't stop going."
"OF COURSE. I LIKE COOKING WITH YOU TOO. AND I'M VERY GLAD YOU STILL GO TO YOUR CLASSES. THEY'RE GOOD LESSONS. YOU'RE ALWAYS IMPROVING."
"Thank you, angel." Berry put the pot to boil and walked up to Howl offering his hand,wanting to show his affection. "May I hold your hand for a minute?"
"OF COURSE YOU MAY." He took hold of Berry's hand gently and gave it a little squeeze. "THIS MUCH IS GETTING MUCH EASIER FOR ME."
Berry cupped Howl's hand in his with a smile, rubbing little circles with his thumb over Howl's hand. "I LOVE YOU, ANGEL, AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU."
"THANK YOU, KITTEN. I'M PROUD OF YOU TOO. YOU'RE DOING VERY WELL."
Berry enjoyed the closeness of his mate for a minute. He let out a happy sigh as the water boiled. "I'LL PUT THE EGGS IN."
Howl likewise only pulled back when it was time to put the eggs in. In the meantime, he prepared all of the other ingredients. "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO FOR THE REST OF THE DAY?"
"Can we watch a movie? Or play a game?" Berry asked as he used a ladle to put the eggs in.
"OF COURSE WE CAN. WHAT MOVIE OR GAME DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?"
"HOW ABOUT WE WATCH HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE?" Berry asked.
He looked amused at that. "WHY, BERRY, DO YOU LIKE THE MOVIE HOWL MORE THAN ME?" he asked, teasing.
"NO. NO. NO." Berry shook his head. "YOU'RE WONDERFUL AND BRAVE AND KIND. YOU'RE MY AMAZING ANGEL," he said with a blush
He flushed a little himself. "I WAS ONLY TEASING. OF COURSE WE CAN WATCH THAT."
Berry smiled shyly. "OH," he chuckled.
"YES. AND THEN AFTER THE MOVIE WE CAN PLAY SOMETHING, IF YOU'D LIKE." He pushed over all the spices Berry needed.
Berry took them and started mixing them with the mayonnaise. "THAT WOULD BE FUN. WE CAN PLAY CRIBBAGE. DAEMON CAN PORT ME TO STRETCH'S TO GET IT."
"THAT SOUNDS LOVELY."
For the most part, Howl just stood back and let Berry cook. Berry was chatting enough that he was just working without hesitating, and Howl was loathe to steal the spotlight from him when he was doing so well.
Berry didn't even notice Howl wasn't cooking. He heard the timer go off on the eggs and turned off the fire, then put some cold water in the sink for the eggs to cool with. He started to cut the green onions. Every slice and mixing of ingredients had the tender touch of his love.
Soon, he had the mixture all ready. He took a spoonful and tested it, then smiled. He felt so accomplished. He took another spoonful and held it out to Howl with a huge smile on his face. "IT'S REALLY GOOD. TRY SOME."
Howl indulged and leaned in to try a bite. "IT IS DELICIOUS, BERRY, AND YOU MADE IT ALL BY YOURSELF. I'M PROUD."
Berry's eyelights widened. "I DID?" He ran over the last few minutes in his mind. "I DID," he said proudly.
"YOU DID. GOOD JOB, BERRY. LET'S MAKE THE SANDWICHES AND GO BACK TO THE LIVING ROOM."
"Okay," Berry chirped happily.
Once they had the sandwiches, they settled back in the living room. Daemon perked up from where he was sitting on the couch, legs bouncing slightly, looking a bit antsy.
Howl, in contrast, seemed a bit more lethargic. He gathered up a few pillows to settle around himself as he sat with his sandwich.
"there you two are! cuddle?" Daemon held out his arms to Berry with grabby fingers.
Berry nodded. "SURE PUPPY." He sat next to Daemon and hugged him.
Daemon snuggled up instantly, arms around Berry, more interested in him than the food.
Berry leaned into Daemon. His smell was spicy and strong. A little stronger than normal. It smelled so nice. "I MADE SANDWICHES." He picked up one and held it to Deamon's teeth. He blushed brightly. "TRY A BIT, PUPPY."
Daemon nuzzled in, seeming unwilling for a moment, before reluctantly lifting his head and eating a bite from Berry's hand. He chewed and swallowed a bite, then smiled. "tastes really good, berry."
Berry smiled at that and took a bite of the sandwich. "THANK YOU." He cuddled into his lover’s side.
"of course." Daemon had another bite and then settled in.
Daemon and Howl, now that Berry thought about it, were both smelling nice and a little stronger than normal. It would have scared him if it was anyone but them. Their smells were a little intoxicating. Berry cuddled close into Daemon.
Howl put on the movie and also settled back. For the first part of the movie, everything seemed to be fine. But their scents were getting stronger, wine and barbecue, filling the room...
Howl noticed first, sitting up ramrod straight. He swore low under his breath, looking at the small pile of pillows he'd collected around himself without thinking. He got up, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow.
Daemon hadn't noticed yet, snuggled up close to Berry, nuzzling his shoulder, sockets closed and basking but squirmy. He opened one socket as Howl got up so quickly.
Berry was watching the movie, mind wandering to the delicious scents of his mates every now and then. "DID YOU NEED SOMETHING, ANGEL? YOU LOOK VERY COMFY. I CAN GET IT FOR YOU."
"NO. I NEED TO GO. I NEED- DAEMON!"
"mmh?" Daemon didn’t pull away from Berry’s shoulder.
"GO TO YOUR ROOM."
"wait, what-"
"DAEMON.” His voice became firmer. “FOCUS. YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED?"
He frowned, glanced at Berry, then looked down at himself. He then also jumped up and pulled away from Berry. "uh oh."
That threw Berry for a loop. He sat suddenly alone on the couch. He looked hurt and confused, but then it clicked in his mind too. The scent calling to him. Daemon's warm bones pressed against his. His omega urges slowly answering his pack's call. "OHH." He wiggled nervously on the couch, not sure what to do.
"YES." Howl, agitated, started pacing. "BERRY, YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR BROTHER AND STAY WITH HIM FOR THE WEEK. WE NEED TO HOLE UP IN OUR ROOMS. IT... YOU SHOULDN'T BE SUBJECT TO OUR CYCLE."
Berry thought about that. He was scared of the idea. Heat. It had always been a bad thing, but Daemon was a good boy. He'd never hurt them. And.... he wanted to take care of his mates. "BUT YOU NEED SOMEONE TO GET YOU WATER AND FOOD."
"WE CAN HANDLE THAT MUCH OURSELVES. IT ISN'T AS IF WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE," Howl said. "BERRY, YOU ARE DOING WONDERFULLY IN THERAPY. BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH TO ASK OF YOU. WE WILL BE FINE."
"yeah... better to not scare you by accident." Now that Daemon had realized, he was a bit antsy too, wedged back in a corner of the room and nibbling on one sharpened phalanx.
Seeing Daemon upset hurt his soul. He got off the couch and made himself small and submissive and slowly made his way towards Daemon. "I'M NOT SCARED OF YOU. NEITHER OF YOU WANT TO HURT ME." Berry gently took Daemon's hand. "DON'T HURT YOURSELF, PUPPY." He slowly pulled Demon's hand from his jaw.
Daemon stiffened up as Berry came closer all submissive like that. He looked away, trying to wedge himself further back. "you know alphas get fuzzy in the head in rut..."
"BERRY, PLEASE," Howl said. "I WANT TO BE ALONE EITHER WAY, MYSELF."
Berry backed away, sad at the rejection. He really wanted to take care of them. But rut meant a penis. Thanks to the therapy, the thought of that didn't fill him with dread like before. Daemon wouldn't hurt him with his… "THAT’S WHAT YOU BOTH WANT?"
Daemon hesitated. "i just, i don't want to scare you. have you ever been around an alpha in rut before?"
"NO," Berry admitted. "BUT IT'S NOT DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE TIME? JUST MORE NEED, RIGHT?"
"no, it's... my head gets fuzzy. it's hard to think beyond, y'know..."
Howl left without another word, going up to his room with his arms around himself shaking his head. Daemon watched him go before continuing.
"...to think beyond the need. but it's not just need. you're... you're my omega. one of my omegas. your scent is really..." He pressed back more into the corner. "...nice. and soon i won't be able to think about anything except how nice it is and how much i want you. and, i dunno if i can hold back if you keep looking at me like that..."
"OKAY PUPPY." He didn't want to hurt him or upset him. "DO YOU WANT SUPPRESSANTS? I HAVE SOME, OR I CAN LEAVE IF YOU WISH."
He shook his head. "those are for heats, not ruts. they won't work on me. give them to master, though."
"OKAY." Berry pulled away. "I'LL GO THEN. I LOVE YOU PUPPY." He headed for his room.
"love you too..." He watched Berry go, then went into his room.
Berry found his pills after a bit of searching. He went up to Howl's door and knocked, noting how quiet it was inside. "Angel, I have some pills. They will make it feel like there’s no heat."
It took a moment, but then Howl opened the door a little and took the pill bottle. "THANK YOU, BERRY. DID YOU CALL YOUR BROTHER?"
Berry handed him the pills. "I'M GOING TO NOW. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE PILLS. YOU TAKE THEM TWO TIMES A DAY." Berry played nervously with his bandana. "I WILL SEE IF THERE ARE RUT PILLS FOR DAEMON. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE."
"ALRIGHT. I'LL TAKE ONE NOW. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THEY DO HAVE RUT PILLS." He closed the door again.
Berry leaned his head on the door. "GOODBYE, MY ANGEL." A wayward tear fell down his face. This was the first time in what felt like a long time that he would be without them. He knew the pills worked for him as long as he took them. Howl would be able to take care of them both. But he was still worried.
He went back to his room and packed a few clothes. He then went and cleaned up the sandwiches and put them away. Finally, he sat at the table in the kitchen and pulled out his phone.
Stretch was playing with Pucci when he heard his phone ring.
[I've got you brother-er-er-er
I've got you brother-er-er-er
I've got you brother-er-er-er
I've got you brother-er-er-er]
Stretch pulled out his phone, "hey bro. what’s up? i was just going to call you too."
"OH, YOU WERE?" Berry asked, his shoulder bag on his shoulder and his plushies in his arms.
"yeah, i wanted to visit with you and the boys this week. go to the pound with you all and pucci for a few hours."
"I'M AFRAID WE CAN’T DO THAT... DAEMON AND HOWL.... THEY HAVE GONE INTO HEAT AND RUT. THEY ASKED ME TO STAY WITH YOU FOR THE WEEK." Berry squeezed his plushies tighter. Leaving his mates felt wrong.
"oh, of course." Stretch picked up Pucci and yelled out to Vex, "i'll be right back!" He then ported to the living room of his brother’s house.
"Berry?" He called out.
Said brother came out of the kitchen and stood in front of Stretch, a sad look on his face.
Stretch reached out his arm and hugged Berry close to him.
"BERRY!" Pucci yelled and joined the hug. Berry couldn't help but smile at that.
They teleported back into Stretch's living room.
Vex looked over from where he was just starting to make dinner. "OH, HELLO, BERRY. IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG?"
Berry squeezed his plushies. "DAEMON AND HOWL ARE JUST STARTING A HEAT AND RUT. D-DO THEY MAKE SUPPRESSION PILLS FOR RUTS?" he asked. After all, Vex was an alpha, he should know.
"OH, I SEE... YES. THEY DO. DAMN THINGS MAKE ONE QUITE LETHARGIC, THOUGH, I NEVER MUCH LIKED TAKING THEM. YOU CAN FIND THEM AT ANY DRUG STORE, THOUGH."
Berry's hope fell. "BUT I SAID I WOULD TRY AND GET SOME..."
"we'll see if we can find some berry. just remember daemon might not be able to or want to take them. he might be to far into a rut for it to do much good," Stretch said
"WELL, THEY'LL WORK WHENEVER YOU START TAKING THEM, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE AS POTENT IF YOU DON'T START RIGHT AWAY. IT ISN'T A PROBLEM TO DRIVE YOU TO THE DRUG STORE, BERRY."
Berry perked up a bit and squeezed his plushies. "OKAY, CAN WE GO NOW?"
"vex was making dinner," Stretch told him. "how much time until its ready, love?"
"I ONLY JUST STARTED PREP FOR IT. IT CAN WAIT UNTIL WE GET BACK."
A sparkle shone in Berry's eyelights. He nodded, then ran to his old room and put his plushies and bag down on the bed. "I'll be home soon." He whispered to them. Then he headed back out.
Stretch held Pucci up. "say bye bye to dada, he'll be home soon, pucci."
Vex smiled and gave Pucci a nuzzle. "THAT'S RIGHT, DADDY WILL BE RIGHT BACK. ONLY A FEW MINUTES, I PROMISE."
"BYE BYE!" Pucci giggled and pat Vex's face.
"be safe, both of you." Stretch said. He leaned in and kissed Vex
"OF COURSE WE WILL. I'LL TEXT YOU WHEN WE GET THERE. DO YOU NEED ANYTHING WHILE I'M THERE?"
"some more honey." He smiled.
"OF COURSE." He chuckled at that. "ALRIGHT, COME ON, BERRY."
Berry walked up to Vex and followed him out the door. "THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME."
"OF COURSE, IT'S NO PROBLEM." He opened the passenger door for Berry. "HOW ARE THINGS ASIDE FROM THEIR CYCLE STARTING?"
"IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL," he said, getting into the car. "THEY HELP ME SO MUCH. THEY HAVE ME GO OUT AND WE GET THERAPY AND I GO TO WORK WITH THEM AND HELP DAEMON TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS. I FEEL VERY HELPFUL AND USEFUL." He played with the scarf.
"THAT SOUNDS LOVELY. DO YOU LIKE TAKING CARE OF THE DOGS? MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET ONE."
Berry thought Daemon would love that. "I LIKE THAT, BUT THEY CAN BE MESSY. THE POUND IS SET UP SO THEY CAN BE MESSY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD BE GOOD AT THE HOUSE."
"THAT IS A GOOD POINT, BUT I'M SURE IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN BRING UP WITH THEM LATER, YES?"
"I DON'T THINK HOWL WANTS ONE AT THE HOUSE." Berry replied. "IF WE HAVE SOMETHING AT HOME TO TAKE CARE OF.... I want a baby," he confessed quietly. "BUT NO ONE IS READY FOR THAT, NOT EVEN ME."
"BERRY, YOU WON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU ASK IF HE DOESN'T WANT A DOG," he pointed out.
"DAEMON WILL WANT IT." He thought about it. "MAYBE HOWL WOULDN'T MIND..."
"SEE? YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK."
"YEAH. BUT IF WE HAD ONE I'D HAVE TO BRING IT WITH ME. WOULD YOU MIND HAVING A DOG OVER TOO?" Berry asked
"SO LONG AS IT WILL BE ALRIGHT AROUND PUCCI, I DON'T MIND. MY CAT HAS NEVER BEEN COMFORTABLE AT THE HOUSE, AFTER ALL."
Berry nodded, "THAT IS FINE, THEN." The topic was getting his mind off of leaving his mates alone. "STRETCH SAID HE AND PUCCI WERE GOING TO COME TO THE POUND WITH US. WE CAN SEE HOW THEY LIKE THE ANIMALS THEN." A smile formed on his face.
"OH YES? SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN TO ME." He parked in front of the pharmacy and turned off the car, then opened Berry's door for him.
Berry got out. "THANK YOU." One inside, stood close to Vex, looking around. He still didn't like being out in public after the kidnaping, but he gathered courage. This was for his mates. And Vex was a good, strong alpha. Berry was going to get the meds for his puppy.
"YOU'RE WELCOME. ALRIGHT, IN WE GO." He gently ushered Berry towards the adult aisle that had things like condoms, birth control, and heat and rut things. It wasn't hard to pluck up a bottle of rut suppressant, which he showed to Berry. "TELL HIM TO TAKE TWO EVERY TWELVE HOURS. THEY'LL PROBABLY MAKE HIM LETHARGIC, AND MAYBE GIVE HIM BODY ACHES. BUT IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE."
Berry blushed being in this aisle. Not too long ago, it would have been Stretch getting things like this for them. He was very surprised with himself for being able to do this. He found another bottle of his own heat pills and got them too. He wanted to have some on hand for his next heat. Then he took the offered bottle from Vex and looked at it well to memorize the bottle. "OKAY."
As they walked to the front, he saw the ice cream. He reached out and pulled on Vex's shirt to get his attention. "I WANT TO GET THEM SOME, CAN WE GO OVER THERE?" he asked, pointing at it. He was too afraid to go that far away from his protector.
Vex also grabbed a fresh bottle of honey on his way, and was ready to pay when Berry tugged his shirt like that. He knew Berry was the older brother, but sometimes he really did act a bit like a kid... In an endearing way, though. "I SUPPOSE SO. YOU'LL HAVE TO GET IT TO THEM QUICK BEFORE IT MELTS."
Berry went over to the wall of ice cream, careful to stay in Vex's view. He got four pints. One rich chocolate, one black cherry, one french vanilla, and a dulce de leche Ice cream for Stretch. He knew what his brother liked, but he hoped his lovers liked the flavors he picked too. "DID YOU WANT ONE, VEX?"
"NO THANK YOU, I'M NOT BIG ON SWEETS." He paid for all of the ice cream, the honey, and the pills.
"OKAY." He took the bag. "THANK YOU FOR PAYING."
"OF COURSE, IT'S NO PROBLEM." He opened the car door for Berry.
"SHOULD WE GO TO MY HOUSE AND DROP OFF THE STUFF?"
"I COULD, BUT I HAVE TO START DINNER. I FIGURED STRETCH WOULD POP YOU BACK WHILE I DID THAT."
"ALRIGHTY. I GAVE HOWL MY PILLS, SO HE SHOULD BE FEELING BETTER SOON," Berry said, happy to be of use to them.
"HOPEFULLY, YES. AT LEAST, PHYSICALLY..." He drove back to the house, a bit lost in thought.
Once inside, he gave Stretch and Pucci both a kiss before heading off to cook.
"STRETCH, WILL YOU TAKE ME HOME? I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPLIES," Berry asked.
"sure, we can drop it off." He picked up Pucci. "well, we'll be back in a few minutes," he called to Vex.
"OF COURSE. I'LL BE HERE."
Stretch took Berry's hand and ported them into the living room. Berry ran to the kitchen and put the ice cream away for now, then took out the pills. He got some water for Daemon and came back with the bag. “I GOT YOU ICE CREAM TOO,” he told Stretch, handing over the bag with the last carton. Then he headed up the stairs.
All was quiet in the house, for the most part. Howl's room was silent and the lights were off. In Daemon's room, there was the very faint rattling of metal.
Berry was confused by the noise. Howl may have been asleep, but Daemon was awake obviously. He went up to Daemon's door and knocked lightly. "Puppy?" He tried the door.
It didn't open.
"...PUPPY, I WENT WITH VEX TO THE STORE AND GOT YOU SOME RUT PILLS. I HAVE THEM AND SOME WATER FOR YOU."
There was the yank of a chain, then a growl. A moment's pause, before Daemon spoke. "berry, i need you to go back to stretch's house."
Berry jumped. Daemon's voice sounded deeper than normal. "I GOT YOU PILLS. CAN I GIVE YOU TWO PILLS BEFORE I LEAVE? VEX SAID IT WILL MAKE YOU LETHARGIC AND A LITTLE ACHEY BUT YOU'LL BE OKAY? I GOT ICE CREAM FOR LATER, TOO."
"berry, i need you to LEAVE," he said with more difficulty.
Berry flinched and took a step back. He didn't want to cause his mate to be upset. He just wanted to be helpful. "O-OKAY. I'LL LEAVE THE PILLS ON THE HALLWAY TABLE. YOU TAKE TWO, TWO TIMES A DAY." He set down the cup and the pills. "LOVE YOU." He went to go down the stairs.
There was a soft whine. "i love you too... go on." More chain rattling and another soft growl.
Berry paused on his way when he heard that. "PUPPY, WHAT'S THAT NOISE?"
"...handcuffs. berry, please."
Berry's magic ran cold. Daemon, his sweet, kind, loving alpha, was chained up. He remembered being restrained for hours to the table in pain and in need of help that would never come. Tears came to his eyelights. "PUPPY..."
Stretch came up the stairs with Pucci babbling happily in his arms.. "i heard daemon growl. we should leave."
"BUT HE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF. HE'S CHAINED UP."
"i chained myself, just go, i don't want to lose control!" Daemon growled with a louder yank of chain.
"come on, berry,” Stretch urged. “howl is here, he knows how to take care of daemon like this. they know what works for them."
He reached out for Berry.
Berry whimpered, "i don't want him to be hurt."
"i'm gonna be hurt if i hurt YOU!" His voice rose in desperation.
Howl's door opened, and one bright blue eyelight fixated on Berry. "I WILL MAKE SURE HE TAKES THE PILLS. YOU MUST LEAVE."
"OKAY. THANK YOU ANGEL. IT'S JUST LIKE OURS. TWO OF THEM TWO TIMES A DAY. LOVE-”
Stretch grabbed him and they appeared in the living room. “there’s ice cream in the freezer!” he yelled up the stairs, then ported them again back to his own living room.
"...YOU." Berry looked down sadly. "I'M GOING TO BED." He ran off to his room.
Stretch sighed. "berry..." he called after him, only to hear the door closing and locking.
Vex poked his head out from the kitchen. "WHAT HAPPENED?"
Stretch sighed and came in. "daemon handcuffed himself to the bed, most likely to keep from hurting berry. he wanted berry to leave. howl told him to as well. he really didn't want to, but i took him."
He frowned. "HE'S SO SCARED OF SO MUCH, ONE WOULD THINK HE WOULD HEED THEIR WARNINGS... IT ISN'T AS IF THEY'RE TELLING HIM TO LEAVE FOR SELFISH REASONS."
"berry wants to help them. the omega in him wants to take care of them. that’s my guess," Stretch said. "let's give him some time to calm down, and we can talk with him later.”
He sighed. "IT'S BETTER IF HE DOESN'T... VERY WELL. BUT I HOPE HE'LL COME AND EAT DINNER WHEN IT'S DONE."
"I hope so too," Stretch agreed.
Berry was upset. It was a newish feeling. Or, he should say, he was just starting to acknowledge that feeling. He had worked so hard to have some agency. He didn't want to sit by and do nothing while his mate was restrained and needy. It was frustrating. The omega in him was screaming at him to help take care of them. But this was Daemon's choice. He was doing it for Berry. Because Berry was still lacking healing. Howl should be the one worried. He was an omega in heat, with an alpha in rut. 'WHY WERE THEY MORE WORRIED ABOUT ME? DAEMON IS TRUSTWORTHY, AND HE WOULD NEVER HURT ME.’ He believed that with all his soul. Even as a dragon, Daemon didn't hurt him.
Berry laid on the bed. The omega in him was sad, releasing pheromones subconsciously. He missed Daemon's warm hugs and smokey scent.
He let out a tired sigh and curled up on the bed. He ran his hand over the soft blanket. It wasn't his star blanket any more, it was just a plain blue one here at his brother's. It was odd being here in this bed. One he only laid in a handful of times. It felt strange.
Berry got off it and pulled the blanket under the bed. It was familiar and safe. It didn't take long to fall asleep.
When dinner was done, Vex looked over to Stretch. "WILL YOU GO SEE IF HE'LL EAT?"
"okay." Stretch handed Pucci over and went to knock at the bedroom door. "berry?"
There was no answer. He opened the door and saw the blanket peeking out from under the bed. He sighed and sat on the floor. He wanted to say something about Berry being under the bed, but held himself back.
"berry, bro. wake up."
Berry groaned.
"come on, bro, it's time to eat."
"I'M NOT HUNGRY."
"bro, you need to eat. come on, i miss ya. i want to hang out with you, and so do pucci and vex."
Berry sighed. There was shuffling, and he came out from under the bed. Stretch put the blanket on the bed. "there ya go." He took Blue's hand and ported them downstairs.
Vex set down a glass of milk next to Berry's spot and sat down at his own chair. "HELLO. ARE YOU FEELING BETTER?"
"KINDA. I HOPE HE TOOK THE PILL." Berry sat down in the chair.
"I'M SURE HE DID," Vex said gently. "THEY WILL BE PERFECTLY ALRIGHT, BERRY. IT ISN'T AS IF THIS IS THEIR FIRST HEAT AND RUT."
Berry worried his scarf. "YOU’RE RIGHT." He thought, 'I WOULDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NO WAIT…’'
"...I MADE IT WORSE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T LISTEN TO THEM." He felt miserable and definitely not like eating then.
"IT MIGHT HAVE INCONVENIENCED THEM IN THE MOMENT,” Vex said, “BUT I'M SURE THEY APPRECIATE THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. YOU WERE TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, THAT'S NOT A BAD THING. IT'S JUST THAT IN THIS SITUATION, THEY WANTED YOU SAFE ELSEWHERE."
"I... I... WAS STARTING TO FEEL USEFUL." He pulled the scarf up to his chin, trying to hide in it. "NOW I'M BACK TO USELESS."
"you're not useless, bro." Stretch sat next to him and put an arm around him in a hug. “you help them by being safe so they don't have to worry."
"EXACTLY," Vex said. "BESIDES, YOU GAVE THEM THE PILLS. THAT'S EXTREMELY USEFUL. IT'LL EASE THE STRESS OF THE NEXT WEEK QUITE A BIT."
"I DON'T LIKE HIM BEING CHAINED UP," Berry said. "I KNOW HOWL'S THERE, AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF HIM. BUT I KNOW WHAT IS LIKE TO BE RESTRAINED." Tied to the table, unable to escape, just waiting for the end of the experiment… "I DON'T LIKE IT."
"WELL, BERRY, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU HAD VERY BAD EXPERIENCES,” Vex pointed out. “BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE FEELS THE SAME WAY. MAYBE IT MAKES HIM FEEL SAFER."
Berry shivered. "I DON'T SEE HOW." He let out a sigh.
"WELL..." Vex rubbed his chin. "I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER WHEN HE DID THE DRAGON THING, YES? HE WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WANTED TO BE STOPPED. IF THAT'S HAPPENED TO HIM A LOT, THEN HE MIGHT OFTEN FEEL OUT OF CONTROL. SO IT MIGHT CALM HIM TO BE RESTRAINED BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT EVEN IF HE LOSES CONTROL, IT WON'T HURT ANYBODY."
Berry thought about that bit. Daemon promised not to hurt him, and it helped Daemon feel like he could keep that promise. "OKAY..." He accepted it, but he didn't like it.
"RIGHT. BUT... MAYBE A PHONE CALL WOULD BE OKAY?" he tried. "IF YOU'RE NOT THERE IN PERSON TO LEAVE YOUR SCENT?"
Berry perked up at that. "YES! THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA."
"ALRIGHT. HOW ABOUT YOU EAT A LITTLE FIRST AND THEN CALL THEM?"
He was feeling a little better, and it would make his mates happy to know he ate. "OKAY."
"GOOD." Vex nodded, relieved, and cast his husband a smile. They'd managed to alleviate the worst of a reaction.
Stretch squeezed Berry and smiled back at Vex. He signed [thank you] when Berry couldn't see.
Vex nodded back to him, then resumed eating his own food.
Stretch let Berry go, and they both started to eat.
"THIS IS REALLY YUMMY, VEX." Berry told him.
“THANK YOU, I DO TRY." He looked pleased at that. "PUCCI IS STARTING TO LOOK MORE INTERESTED IN REAL FOOD AS THEY GET BIGGER."
"I'M SURE THE SMELL OF GOOD FOOD HELPS." Beery said. He mushed up some of his veggies. "hmmm yummie." He held it to Pucci.
Pucci opened their teeth and let Berry feed them a bit with a happy sound.
"NOT TOO MUCH," Vex said, though he was smiling indulgently. "THEY'LL STILL GET A BOTTLE AFTER DINNER."
Berry nodded and fed Pucci a few bits of things on his plate.
"that's good, bro. now you finish your plate and i'll get their bottle," Stretch said, getting up to warm one from the fridge.
Pucci babbled happily in the background.
Notes:
If you liked this chapter, please kudos, leave a comment, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the next chapter! <3 Also, Alpha's Solace updated last Tuesday, so check that out if you haven't yet!
Chapter 36: If my Armor Breaks, I'll Fuse it Back Together
Summary:
In which Red curses being a sympathetic crier and contemplates Judgehood.
Notes:
OMG! ITS BEEN 2 YEARS! Happy Anniversary!
Thank you all for reading and the kudos. Be sure to leave a comment!
-Picture commissioned by @SoulGemArt on Twitter! <3chapter tags: physical therapy, trauma talk, many tears, Judgement, minor character death, drinking/alcohol abuse, snappy ex-lover, smoking, weed use
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap Sans
Daemon - fellswap Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Mai Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Sans laid in his bed reading a book about stars. It had been a few weeks since the incident now, and he was recovering well enough. Jay had just changed his bandage on his skull, which was healing nicely. Jay, Red, and Papyrus had all made sure he wasn't alone too long and came running at his call. It was so nice, it always put a smile on his face.
Today, he was to get some physical therapy to help build up his stagnant magic. It was affected much like how humans got stiff and lost muscle mass when laying in the hospital. He had to start building his strength back up.
They'd only been able to get Sans home a few days ago. It was difficult for a monster with only 1 HP to recover from such an injury. Everyone was so damn careful, taking an extra long time making sure he was alright before releasing him from the hospital. But now, they were going to pop back in for that physical therapy.
Jack Rose came in to smile at him. "time to get going, okay? red and i are just going to port you together." Safer than taking a car, right? Besides, Jay wasn't awesome at driving yet. It was kinda scary, those big metal things going so fast and only stable under his hand.
Sans smiled back up at him, setting the book aside. "that would be stellar, Jay." He pulled aside the blanket.
He snickered softly at the pun. "did you need to bring anything?" He offered a hand to help Sans up automatically, just in case it was needed.
Sans took the hand, still wobbly on his feet. "just a good attitude. exercise is not my favorite thing even when i'm well."
"heh, no? i like exercising. maybe tai had something to do with that," he said with a little chuckle. He helped Sans over to Red, who closed his laptop and got up to nuzzle them both.
"hiya, sansy. alright. here we go." Together, the two of them ported Sans to the physical therapy area of the hospital.
Sans sighed upon seeing the workout equipment. "someone sign me in, okay?" He sat down on the chair to wait. "this is going to suck."
"aww, it'll be alright," Red said. "you want us to suffer with you? also do a lil' exercise?"
"i'll stretch with you, baby," Jay said as he went to sign Sans in.
"sure, if they let ya. misery loves company and all." He squeezed Red's arm while he tried to sound wise.
"that it does, you're so smart," he said, a bit indulgently. He gave Sans a smooch, and they settled in to wait.
Soon, a human walked up. "sans?" he asked the bunch of skeletons. Said skeleton was dozing lightly, leaning on Red.
Jack Rose gently nudged him. "time to get up. exercise time."
"mm, i just did. catching up with the z's as they try to get away," he joked as he stirred.
"heh, good one. c'mon. up." He helped Sans up to follow the human.
"My name is James,” the human introduced himself. “You must be Sans, who are your two helpers?"
"these are my mates, red and jack rose," Sans said in turn.
The human nodded, then motioned for Sans to lay down on a padded table. He grabbed a clipboard to check Sans’s info then, as Sans made a sour face but obeyed.
"Alright, I see you're just getting off bed rest. It usually takes about four weeks to build up your magic again. We'll do some exercises here, and I would like you to do them every day at home as well. Getting up and stable on your feet for increasing amounts of time and distance is the first step to getting strength back after bed rest. So your homework will be a two-part exercise in the morning, then you pick a time everyday and go on a walk as far as you can with someone. If it's just down the hall and back at first, that's fine. As for the exercises, we are going to start with some leg lifts. Ten total."
Sans looked dismayed at all of the requirements. "my mates were going to do it with me."
"Sure," the human pointed at the empty benches next to Sans.
"yeah, we'll do it." Jack Rose tugged Red over with him to the other benches. Jack Rose made a show of winking at Sans as he lifted a leg in a cartoony sexy pose. It made Red snort as he also joined in.
Sans snorted to. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
He started to work. By the tenth leg lift, he was panting.
"You’re doing great," James said, letting Sans take a small break. "It's important to build the magic back up. Roll on your side and we'll do side lifts, then we'll work on balance exercises."
Sans groaned, looking at his mates with pleading eyes to save him.
"it's alright, sweetie, i believe in you," Jay said. "i'll give you a kiss if you do it~"
"i'll suffer in good company," Red said with a groan, dramatically limp. "this is death. this is hell."
"can't be, because you're here with me~" Jay said, which made him smile.
Sans blushed and chuckled at the offer of the kiss and banter. "i feel ya, red." He started on the lifts. Sweat started to bead on his brow.
By the tenth, he laid on his side with a sigh. "okay done."
"Good job, Sans," James said. "Now roll over the other way and do the last ten."
Sans moaned. "fuck..." He reluctantly rolled over.
Red was sweating a bit too by then, flopped. But he dutifully joined in. Jack Rose took a moment to give Sans a nice deep smooch reward before doing the other side.
The kiss helped Sans focus. "i can get used to that," he purred to Jay.
"i certainly hope so," Jay purred back. "i already have~"
They all got the last ten out of the way, and Sans collapsed on the mat.
"Good, you need to do that every day at home," the human told him.
"every day...?" Sans sighed.
Red sat up with a groan when they were done. "phew... did my mutual suffering help?" he joked. "i'll do it every day with ya if you want."
"it did." Sans sat up with a bit of a smile. "it made it bearable."
Once he was up, James gave him a few seconds of break before gently getting him moving again.
"Okay, Sans, next you're going to work on balance. Try standing up without using your hands. Jack Rose and Red can stand on either side of you to catch you if needed. We’ll do that five times."
Sans tried, but would end up reaching for his mates every time, too weak to manage it. Every time, they both caught him and gave him a nuzzle, which made it better.
"It's okay,” James assured. “You're getting practice. Your goal will be to get up without help. Let’s get some walking in and then a quick massage to help with the circulation."
He brought them over to two bars that were in the middle of the room with an opening between them for Sans to walk through. "You can hold on to the bars, if you need to." James got between them too, walking backwards to catch Sans if needed.
"this sucks. at least there's a massage," Sans mumbled.
Each of his lovers were on either side of the bars, also ready to help if need be. "it's alright, darling," Jack Rose said. "we're right here. and you're almost done."
Sans wobbled to and fro, but he was able to get to the end of the bars grabbing them just a few times. Luckily, he managed not to fall over.
"Great job," James said. Sweat was rolling down Sans head. "Do you need a break?"
"yeah…"
"come here, sans." Jack Rose gently scooped him up, strong enough to carry him easily. "you want some water?" He pulled out a water bottle.
"deep, even breaths," Red said. "just take a minute."
Sans took a sip of the water Jay offered and then took some deep breaths. "thanks, sweethearts."
James brought a chair over to Jay. "here ya go."
"of course," Jay assured. He gently waved off the chair; he was fine to stand.
"this is a lot." Sans wiped at this brow.
"You're doing great,” James said. “We’ll just walk back, and then I'll give you over to Pam for a nice massage."
"massage sounds nice, eh, sweetheart?" Red said, wiping his own brow.
"yeah. that sounds nice and relaxing. maybe jay can give ya one too when we get home." Sans finished off the water and nuzzled Jack Rose.
Jay nodded. "i might not be a trained professional, but, massages are a pretty common lead-in as a prostitute. so i like to think i'm pretty good at it." So said without batting a socket about a human being around to hear it.
James rubbed the back of his head and laughed like it was a joke.
Sans chuckled as well. "i'm sure you're great at it."
"well, you can both be the judge of that." He winked and did fingerguns. Red snorted at that and laughed.
"i look forward to that judgment." Sans said, not quite understanding the comment towards Red but not questioning it. "thanks a bunch for the lift. i think i'm ready to try the walk back."
Red snickered a little more. Then they both helped Sans to walk again and then get back to where he'd get his massage.
Once Sans was laying on the table, James waved at them between writing a few things down. "I'll see you in three days, Sans, make be sure to do your homework. Ah, and this is Pam. She’ll fix ya right up," he said before leaving.
"Hi," Pam greeted with a cheery smile. She was a bunny monster, most likely from the Lust underground given her flirty clothes and pink tinge to her magic as she rubbed her paws. "Nice to meet you. I'll be doing your massage therapy."
Jack Rose perked up, a little surprised. "pam? you're a masseuse now?"
"Oh, hey!" She smiled, wiggling her paw pads. "Yeah, I am. Decided I didn't need to just stay working a shop all my life. I've got skills, I should use them."
"well, i sure can vouch for your fingers," he said with a wink. "you be careful with my... m-mate, won't you?" He stumbled a little over the word, blushing, and she smiled softly.
"Don't you worry, Jay, I'll be careful." She approached Sans to get to work.
Sans looked between them. Not sure how he felt about the obvious knowledge Jay had with her. He settled down onto his sternum for her to start.
She was respectful and professional. She started at his neck and shoulders, feeling where there was the most tension and carefully working it away with her paws. She hummed a little as she worked. Jay seemed content to watch, grabbing a chair. He pulled Red onto his lap, letting Red relax against him after the tiring exercise.
Sans relaxed under her skillful touch. "that feels really good," he sighed. His mana lines were feeling less stagnant, letting his magic flow more freely.
"Does it? I'm glad. Do you feel a little more energized? Not so stuffy?" she asked. "Tell me if there's any spot in particular that's too tender or needs more work."
"My lower spine has been really stiff from sitting a lot," Sans confessed to her
"Alright, I'll give it a bit of extra attention. But try to not sit so much, or if you do sit, make sure your posture is good. No slouching!" She made her way down to his lumbar, working out the tension there too.
"but i do a perfect letter 'c' impression." He said only half joking.
She tutted. "That's horrible for your body. Don't make me assign you health and anatomy homework."
"i will close my mouth now. thank you very much." He made a zipping motion across his teeth.
Jay clicked his tongue. "i'll make sure they both take better care of themselves from now on."
"Good! With Jack Rose on the job, I won't worry."
"what, you don't like homework? but sansy, you're a teacher," Red teased.
"giving homework is different from doing it, redy."
"you're right, but someone willing to give it should be willing to do it, cuz you know how important it is," he teased.
"i didn't say i wasn't going to do it. we already got some and don't want more." Sans wagged his finger at Red, who chuckled again.
Pam went all the way down to the tailbone, then also a few quick healing rubs on his legs and arms with her hands glowing pinkish green. "How's that feeling, sweetie?"
He relaxed under skillful touch. "It's really nice. Thanks." His face was a little flushed.
"You're welcome, sweetie! You're all set. We'll see you back next week."
Sans nodded. "thanks. see ya then."
Once Pam dismissed them, Red helped Sans up. "alright, sweetheart. back home, then?"
"yeah. i'm pretty tired after all this." Sans leaned onto Red for support.
"alright, c'mon sansy." He took Jack Rose's hand and ported them both back home to fall into bed.
Sans happily cuddled them once they were settled. "it's nice to be home. i can't believe how draining that was."
"it'll get easier with time, baby." Jack Rose pet him softly. "you just relax. you've still got some time yet before you have to go back to work and all that."
"yeah. i just hope the sub is doing a good job. i don't want my kids to fail because i wasn't there," Sans said.
"i'm sure they are, darling," Jay assured. "and we've got the Judge thing handled."
Red rubbed the back of his neck. "ah, yeah... we do." He emphasized the we.
"we?" Sans asked. "well, i'm happy you're helping our jay. what part are you helping with? the paperwork?"
"well, you knew i was a Judge, sweetie," Jay said. "but..."
"...um. turns out i am too," Red said, a bit quieter.
"you are?" Sans looked at Red with a smirk. "that’s great! look at ya, provin’ every underground has a judge even if they don't know it." He pulled Red into a hug. "congratulations, so what kinda karmic power do you have? it seems like we're all different so far."
"it's, uhh..." He rubbed the side of his cheek. "my magic was turning more and more yellow, and, uh... well. my kr killed that fucking eagle, and i didn't gain any lv. so... i guess it's based on that. literal justice against wrongdoings...?"
Sans’s breath paused, his eyelights guttering out. He’d nearly forgotten what they had both gone and done. At the time, drugged up on pain meds and exhausted, it hadn’t really ever registered, even if he’d had an inkling. "...fuck..." he took a deep breath, suddenly anxious. "you could have gotten so hurt…"
"sansy..." He held on a bit tighter. "i was ok. and i had jay with me. damn, actually, you shoulda seen him. he was super impressive in battle."
Jack Rose blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "i try..."
"but, either way, we were smart about it. we got the drop on him real good. and, like i said, the kr did a lot. if i can hone that, then... it might be more useful with time."
"i… i... don't like the idea of you two going all vigilante," Sans said in Red arms, his breath hitching. "i'm glad you were kinda smart, but ya should have taken the guard." He tried not to imagine losing them to dumb revenge. Never knowing what happened to them. Them just disappearing like his father. Tears started to fall down his face and he hid in Red’s neck.
"oh, shit, no, c'mon, don't cry, sweetheart..." Oh no. Red held on tighter, sympathetic tears threatening to form. "it's alright... we were fine. really. baby, you don't understand how... how upset i was, not knowing if you were gonna live or die on that table. not knowing if there was anything i could've done. do you understand how much it was just luck that you survived? you and jay are the best things to ever happen to me, and..." Yeah, there were the tears, streaming down his face. Red-speckled yellow. "i almost lost you. i couldn't stand it. i had to do what i did. that's the way it was supposed to go. i'm a Judge, and i know i did the right thing."
Jack Rose held on to both of them tighter, petting their skulls gently - avoiding Sans's injuries. "guard would have slowed us down. we couldn't port more than ourselves, and there was a time crunch. when i think you could have been taken away..." He trembled. "i was ready to rip him apart myself."
Sans moved his arms to hold them both tight in his arms. He didn't want to let them go. "i understand. fuck do i know the fear of someone just disappearing on ya. it's just… i wasn't expecting ya to be batman and robin." He chuckled softly, breath hitching again. "just, fuck… i don't ever want to lose ya. if i did and paps wasn't around..." He knew he would Fall without someone to live for.
They both squeezed gently. Red sniffled a little and wiped his sockets. "you won't, sans. you're not gonna lose us. i'm your fiance. you're always gonna have me."
Sans took some calming breaths and wiped his face on Red's sweater.
Jack Rose nodded, petting them both still. "...which one of us is batman in this scenario?" he asked, trying to make Sans laugh. "because i know i look amazing in spandex."
Jay's comment made him snort. "well, if we go by acrobatics, i guess you’d be robin? he was an acrobat, after all."
"oh yeah~? so red is batman, huh?"
"well, i've got a deeper voice, so, that's fair," Red joked. "wish i could be as rich, tho."
"well, you may not be rich, but you do have some treasures." Sans gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"yeah, you're right. you two are my treasures." He nuzzled in again, giving Sans another soft kiss. He wiped away the tears, both his and Sans's.
Sans pulled them both closer. He set his head on Jack Rose’s chest, purring softly.
…And just then, Jay's phone rang.
Jay was all set to get settled in and do some smooching, and also make good on his promise to massage poor Red... but at the sound of his phone ringing, he sighed and pulled it out. He frowned at the caller ID, then answered, sitting back. "hello?"
"Hello, Jack Rose. This is Al. We are ready for the Judgement and most likely execution of this lowlife snake. Can you and Red come in tonight? The royals are having a meeting about if they want to do it publicly or not. Once they're done, I'd like to get this over with. The less of this group that's out there, the better."
"what, tonight?" he said, startled. "well, uh, alright. do you want sans to come too? he's still recovering..."
"No, he is still on bed rest and on a leave of absence. But you, Red, and Stretch will come in."
"alright. red and i will be on our way soon, then." He hung up and sighed.
"work?" Red complained.
"yeah... they want us to Judge that snake tonight."
"oh..." Red nodded seriously.
"i want to go." Sans said.
"oh, sweetie, i'd like you to get to go too, but al said no." Jay nuzzled Sans softly. "do you want me to call someone to come hang out while we're gone?"
He sighed. "yeah. i guess it would get me too worked up. why don't ya call paps, he'll come and we can watch a movie or something. "
"that sounds like a good idea, yes."
"i'm on it, sweetheart." Red pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial for Papyrus, who answered within two rings, of course. "hey, paps, where are you?"
"OH, HELLO CHERRY! I WAS DOING A BIT OF STUDYING, BUIT HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"
"jay and i gotta go do Judge work. you wanna come hang out with sansy? watch a movie?"
"OH, OF COURSE! I WILL BE THERE SHORTLY."
Sans was leaning on Jay, getting a little more cuddling in. "that snake will be desperate. don't turn your back on him."
"i know, love. it'll be alright. no doubt he'll be in chains and with a magic suppressor."
"yeah, but ya can't be too careful with my heart." Sans leaned in and kissed him.
He smiled at that and kissed back. "i'll guard it carefully..."
Red hung up and stood, groaning as he stretched. "oof... alright... we'll be back, sansy." He also leaned in to give Sans a kiss.
Sans kissed him back. "don't get carried away."
"we won't."
They both held hands and teleported to the embassy.
They landed in the main room, where Al was waiting for them looking upset. Punch was standing down the hall in the conference room where the nobles most likely were meeting. "Hey, we're just waiting on if this will be public or not, then we can head out."
"alright, whoa, whoa, hold on." Red put up his hands. "it should not be public. no, that's fucked up." He headed for the door.
Punch looked him over with a bit of a frown. "I'm not supposed to let anyone in, buddy."
"yeah, well, i can't let them decide to do that. you know i'm with jay, lemme in." He gestured to Jack Rose, who was also coming over.
Punch wavered for a moment, then shrugged and stepped aside for them to open the door and go in.
When they opened the door, Asgore was talking. "If we do it, the Judgment should be public. It will send a message that we mean business. That this change is important and monsters will be held accountable."
"yeah?" Red growled, interrupting whoever was going to talk next and getting all eyes swung on him. "and it'll send a message that you're not above using fear to get what you want. you know who did that? our king. you know who's dead now for being a tyrant? our king."
Gore looked up from gnawing on one claw and wishing he was stoned. "My ex too," he muttered, a bit reluctantly like he'd rather not even allude to her.
The Fell queen made a disconcerted noise. "He does have a point there."
"The tradition is well ingrained into the fabric of the Swaps,” Asgore pointed out. “This will make sure no one hurts the ex-Sully again. We don't have to air the execution. Just the trial. It will be fair. We can have two Judges give their verdict."
Stretch came in from the door. He had overheard the speech as well. "the swaps won't take it lightly. without our queen or me giving a Judgment, they will think of it like.... what do the humans call it? a witch hunt?"
"no, it's really a bad idea," Red insisted. He snap-pointed at Stretch. "for better or worse, the swaps have no leader right now. they're under the jurisdiction of all the other groups, and that's gotta feel like they’re subordinates instead of equals."
"The only way airing the trial would be acceptable would be if someone of authority from the Swaps was also present and declared him guilty," Fell Tori agreed.
"Well..." Queen Mary rubbed her furry chin. "We could do that, couldn't we? Al can fill that role, right? Or even their... what's their robot man..."
"blookie. but..." Stretch shook his head. "i'm with red on this. this whole mess had swaps questioning themselves." He rubbed his arm nervously. "and berry is kinda the figurehead. it all started with him coming forward. i don't want monsters targeting him anymore because they are scared of what he represents."
"yeah, exactly. pret's a criminal. no more or less than that should be how we handle it. a private Judging and, if need be, a private execution. only if need be." Red gestured to himself. "i know this whole Judge thing isn't something any of us can just not do, but i'm saying now that i'm not putting anyone down that my yellow doesn't come out for."
Asgore thought about that, nodding slowly. "Judge Jack Rose, what is your council on this?"
"me?" Jack Rose grimaced a little at being the center of attention. "um, well, i agree with red. and besides, he's pretty dangerous, and we don't know what's up with gaster and cory. it would just be safer to get this done quickly and quietly."
"Alright, then a vote, my fellow royals. All in favor of a private Judgement, raise your hands."
Gore, Tori, and Mary all raised their hands.
Asgore raised his hand as well, then nodded. “Thank you for your wisdom, Judges. Punch, Al, take the convicted to Justice Hall. Judges, he will be waiting for you."
Red nodded, relieved. Jack Rose held his hand and gave it a little squeeze. "good job, baby," Jay murmured, making him relax.
"ok," Red said. "so where's the judgement hall up here?"
"i'll show you." Stretch walked them deeper into the building. He was still rubbing his arm nervously. "so, which one of you wants to Judge him?"
"we're both doing it, aren't we?" Red asked Jay, who nodded.
"yes, i think so... well, we do it in different ways, anyway. your Judging is if we kill him."
"right. are they making you do it too, stretch?"
"i don't think so. the laws in swap haven't changed. the queen has to change it. she hasn't done it. they were working under orders of the royal scientist. the sully law allows him to take blue back, because of the temptation," he said sadly. "unless he hurt sans, he hasn't broken the letter of the law."
"well, sure, about that, but what about other things? things we don't know yet? maybe he did break some law, right?" Red asked.
"yeah...probably, but he's not on trial for that, is he?" Stretch asked.
"technically, he's on trial for aiding others in breaking the law too," Jay reasoned. "everything about the sully he’s participated in. like if they stole something or hurt any guards, or things like that, in the process of... all that."
Stretch though about that. "if the queen gave him permission, it would be a pardon? i don't want to undermine the crimes, but i don't think it would be wise for me to Judge him."
"guess so," Red sighed. "alright. just you and me, jay."
"mhm, just us. don't worry. i know it's your first 'official' judging, but you're gonna do great." He squeezed Red's hand, relaxing him again.
"yrah, i'm sure you will, too. i'm really curious to see your Judgment," Stretch said.
"yeah, me too, i guess..."
They stopped at a set of large double doors. "sans says this is a replica of the tales' judgment hall. they’ve been using it for every culture, as it was already built."
He opened the doors and yellow gold light the color of just spilled through the door.
Red looked at the doors with trepidation, then squinted as they opened. Yellow flashed in his eyelights for a moment as he shielded his face a bit. "fuckin' bright," he muttered.
Stretch walked in, holding the door for them. The walls had large stained glass, making the place feel big and almost holy like a human church. They showed the story of the old legend of the angel that would save them all. It was humbling to walk through.
In front of them was a long walkway with pillars to either side. At the end was a large mural of the Angel (that kinda looked like Frisk.) There were seven human souls around the Angel, and at the bottom was a small area for the Judge to stand, framed by that image.
Walking down the hall, taking in the stained glass displays, Red couldn't help but feel sorry for Sans, having all of that weight every time he did a Judging. This was creepy, and he didn't really like it. He exchanged a glance with Jack Rose, who gave him another reassuring smile, then went to go stand at the designated spot, his lover right by his side. Ready.
Stretch stood behind a pillar in the shadows, out of sight. He came in if needed, but really didn’t feel it would be good for him to be part of it.
They waited about ten minutes before the large double doors opened again and Punch and Al brought Pret in. It was hard to chain a snake. He was wearing a magic suppressant collar and in a large, clear plastic container. The bottom had sticky glue slathering it, so he couldn't move well. It was the closest to handcuffing one could get for a snake. It was on a set of wheels that creaked loudly in the silence of the room. They pushed him slowly into the hall to build his dread. He looked at the images, their lights casting shadows down on him. By the time they got before Red and Jay he was pale. There were bruises visible on his body as well. One could almost imagine the snake monster being a sully going to stand in front of the guards.
Jack Rose stood up a bit straighter, eyelights flashing, and started in a firm, clipped voice. "pret adder, you are accused of conspiracy, kidnapping, and multiple accounts of aggravated assault and rape. what say you about these charges?"
As he spoke, he looked Pret in the eyes, allowing the Judge to rear up in his mind and probe deeper.
Pret coiled up in his box. "Not guilty. I was ordered by the royal ssssscientissst. It was a royal command....the Sssully needed to return. And the other timessss…" He curled a bit tighter. "It wassssn’t rape. They tempted me. It was them."
He really, mostly believed it. Sans had just been an accident; they didn't check his HP. Killing him wasn't part of the plan. As for the Sully, everyone knew they wanted it. They craved it. Their bodies wanted it. They didn't do their part to take pills or stay locked up, of course they would be used. It didn't matter, then, what the Sully said. They put themselves out offering it by being outside. Their actions were asking for it, even if their words said otherwise. He truly believed that.
"If he didn't want to be usssed, he should have followed hissss training. And ssstayed home during a heat."
Jack Rose took all of that in, staring hard. He approached, then, leaning in to be eye to eye with Pret more firmly; it wasn't necessary, but it turned up the intimidation factor. And...
Remorseless, the Judge hissed. Took pleasure in their suffering. Only blamed the victims. Didn't bat an eye to death by torture.
"...you worked at the sanitarium," he declared, his voice low but ringing out in the hall. "you saw countless omegas, victims of circumstance, dragged there against their will. you saw babies torn from their mothers' bosoms. you saw people stripped, shocked, denied comfort, and tortured. you watched them die of broken hearts and giving up. you swept up dust to throw away, never to be scattered on their favorite things. you beat and tortured and raped, for years. even here, on the surface, where everyone should get another chance. where everyone should be free. and you don't care. you blindly follow the doctrine of hateful people. you do what pleases you, because you're allowed. you truly believe, in your soul, that any kind of person deserves that kind of treatment. tears, begging, they mean nothing. you are inexcusable. you are irredeemable. you are guilty on all accounts."
He stepped back then. And the whole time he'd been talking, the more and more he listed off, the more yellow was in Red's working socket. First a spark, then a slowly growing light. And by now, it was nearly blinding, Justice pouring from him, spurred by misdeeds. His expression was twisted into one of pure contempt as he stepped forward next, lifting a hand.
"It was to keep others sssssafe,” Pret protested. “The children deserved better than to be raised by whoressss. Sssure, it was ssssad at times-" e did feel bad taking the children (who could not when hearing the screams of the bearer and the cries of the child, but it was best for the children not to be there or with the sully) "-but we had to keep the wild ones in check or elssse they would be a danger to the othersss! Ssstealing mates and caussssing the population to go out of control and sssstarve the underground! It was for the greater good of all! They found usessssfulness in the sssanitarium! The incurable, they help the doctor make the world better with his exparmentsss!"
"the only danger to others is people like you, who think torture is acceptable," Jack Rose said as Punch opened the cage. Yellow glowed in Red's outstretched hand.
"Nooooo! Don't touch me!" Pret tried to strike and escape but the glue sheet kept him stuck, yanking helplessly. He laughed bitterly when he realized it was useless. "You think you're almighty and right. You're the ssssame as our Judge. He sssentenced them just like you're doing. He heard them crying and begging not be ssssent there and sssstill knew it was best to lock them up. If i'm guilty, ssso iss Sssstretch!"
Nobody answered his pleas. Red only growled, another bright spark of yellow further lighting the room. Bones appeared and shot forward, half a dozen of them, sharpened into points, skewering the snake like a pincushion.
KR burned within him, poisoning at a rapid rate.
Wails of pain died as Pret’s body dissolved into dust.
…And then the yellow died down and Red blinked a few times, bringing his hand to that socket to rub underneath it. It was a rush of power he'd not expected to feel so intense and hot. It didn't hurt, but he definitely felt it even after. "good riddance," he muttered.
Jack Rose looked over his lover, then hugged him as his own Judge affirmed a lack of LV gain. "good job, baby."
"We should put him in the trash too," Al said, closing the door of the box.
"we don't have to stoop to their level," Jay said. "if he has a family, we can hand it over."
Red nodded, snuggling into his lover.
Al huffed not really wanting to hand it over to the sister and mother who were out front waiting for the verdict. "Where's Stretch?" Al asked. "I thought he was going to Judge too."
“he said it wouldn’t help…” Red looked around for Stretch. "you still here, buddy? you know he was wrong about what he said. wasn't even worth an argument."
Their questions were answered with silence.
"...damn it," Red muttered. "let's go find him."
"yeah." Jay nodded to Punch and the dust, then took Red's hand to port to Stretch and Vex's place.
Punch gathered the dust up in a jar, closing it carefully. "I'll talk to the family if you don't want to," she said.
Al sighed. "No, I was the captain of the guard. I failed all of them. I owe it to everyone to take their wrath."
"Alright." Punch handed over the jar with a shrug.
Berry was sitting on the couch when the duo showed up, watching Master Chef with Pucci resting on his chest. "HI."
Red looked around, then frowned. "hey, blueberry muffin, where's your bro go when he's upset?"
"usually muffet's?" Blue said, confused, "but he had to go to work. i'm watching pucci. he wasn't upset when he left... that was a while ago. what happened?" He got up to come closer.
"we had to do a Judging," Jay said. "the... person said a few unkind things about him as a Judge."
Berry looked down, sad about that. "he didn't come home." He pulled out his cell phone and called Stretch. Red and Jay waited expectantly.
It wasn’t until the last ring that he picked up. "hey, berry. i'm going to be out late. watch pucci until vex gets home, okay?"
Red went over to lean close to the phone. "hey, come talk to us, stretch, don't hole up."
There was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment. Berry said quietly, "brother, please come home. whatever happened, we can all help you.”
There was a long sigh and the sound of him drinking and some club music in the background. "i'll come home later. i just need a break for a bit. please, blue."
"THEN TELL US WHERE YOU’RE AT. RED AND JAY WILL COME STAY WITH YOU WHILE YOU HAVE A BREAK," Berry said, worrying at his bandana.
"yeah, which bar you at?" Red insisted. “if you don’t tell us, we’ll just have to visit all of them.”
"you know we get it, right?" Jay asked. "it's hard being a Judge."
"yeah…" he said, sounding a little slurred already. He sighed again and there was the sound of glass hitting a table. "...i'm at the lust's bar. i figured no one would come here looking for me,” he admitted.
"well, you're wrong there, buddy." Red nodded in thanks to Berry, then grabbed Jack Rose's hand. "do the honors, please?"
"oh, goodie. alright." Jay smiled and winked at Berry before porting them there.
On a whim, he checked to see who was on the pole; it was a very pretty cat monster, winding around in time with the music and winking and showing off very skimpy undergarments.
"didn't peg you for an appreciator of the sexy arts," he teased when he found Stretch.
Stretch had just hung up with a worried Berry when they walked up, and he looked over with a faint blush at the implications. "i'm not. just here for a view of the bottles." He took another swig from a half-empty bottle of Hennessy. "i didn't think grillby or muffet would let me have the whole bottle in peace."
"well, fizz sure shouldn't either," Jay said, and gave the fishnet-flaunting fire elemental the stink eye. "should you?"
"He looks really sad," Fizz protested.
"you'd know all about not giving a sad person what they want." He snatched the bottle from Stretch.
"Ouch, I have bad feelings too, you know..." Fizz muttered, flames flickering before he turned away.
Red realized suddenly that this was Jack Rose's ex and coughed awkwardly. "uh, hi. stretch, c'mon, let's talk."
Stretch tried to pull the bottle back, but wasn't able to. "what does it really matter? he was right. i'm just as guilty."
"you aren't, though!" Jay sat down, moving to hold out the bottle to Red - then reading Red's slightly panicked expression and pulling it back to stick between his thighs on his seat. "you, more than any of us, know that we don't decide. we don't control the Judge. it says what it says. we're just vessels."
Red sat down too. "you know vex is gonna be disappointed if you go home drunk."
"i wasn't planning to go home tonight," he said, his fingers tracing a scratch on the table top. "wasn't going to answer the phone either. but fuck..... i couldn't hurt berry more."
"and where were you gonna go, huh?" Red challenged. "a hotel? away from your kid and your husband who knew what you being a Judge meant before even proposing? stretch, nobody is ashamed of you but you."
"we're all family, right?" Jay added. "we're here for you."
Stretch started to cry. "i knew it wasn't right. once i got berry back.... i knew something wasn't right." He put his arms over his head, trying to keep the world from seeing him sob. "but i couldn't do anything. so i would try to do small things to make it better, like postpone Judgments. i should have done more…"
"oh, damn, don't cry, i'll cry." Red leaned in closer and gave him a half hug. "hey, that means a lot, you know? you did everything you could."
"who can say anyone could have done better in your shoes?" Jay agreed. "not knowing the truth, not being able to control the verdict. you didn't make those choices. you were just the face attached to them."
That helped a bit, but he still hurt. He wiped at the tears, sniffling. "i know, it just hurts, ya know? and it feels like pret stabbed a knife in my soul." He looked off at nothing in the distance. "i can really use a drink though..."
"no more drink," Jay tutted. "pret said something cruel and desperate because he knew he was about to die. he didn't know. stretch, people don't know you don't control what the Judge says. they think it's you deciding, but it's not. they just have to learn that."
"i don't think they’d believe it." He laid his head down on the bar, tapping his leg. "fuck, can i at least smoke?"
"they will. we'll make them," Red said. He wiped at his own tears with a deep breath. "we were already gonna do that, right? you were gonna get interviewed."
"mhm. and you can't smoke in the bar," Jack Rose said gently.
Stretch huffed, pointing to the fiery bartender. “he’s smoking, why can't i?"
"I'm made of fire, not tobacco," Fizz sniffed from his position pretending to ignore them down the bar a few seats.
Stretch snorted. "You're not helping."
"Sorry, didn't realize I was supposed to bend the rules for you?" he asked a bit sourly.
"don't ignore me, stretch," Red said.
"yeah," he finally answered to Red. "i think i have an interview coming up.... kinda hard to think."
"c'mere." Red pulled him closer again, wiping more tears. Damn his sympathy. "let's just go home, ok? if you want, it can be mine and sansy's place, if you don't wanna go home. we'll put on a movie. i'll make some pot brownies. we can relax and not have to think about this."
"yeah... let's go to your place. some brownies... and not think... can i smoke too?"
"you can smoke outside while i mix the brownies into shape," he offered. "y'don't need booze, and neither do i. yeah?"
"that's right." Jay dangled the bottle with a smile, then slid it back over to Fizz, who took it with a shrug and capped it to put aside.
"okay." Stretch took Red's and Jack Rose's hand.
Just then, Red’s phone dinged with a text.
Red paused and pulled out his phone to squint at it.
[blueberry buckle: is my bro okay?]
He sighed but smiled. [he's alright were gonna bring him home n get high]
[okay. thank you for looking out for him. :) i'll watch pucci.]
[thx my BERRY great bro 👍]
He put his phone away again and ported them home.
Sans was laying on Papyrus, trapping him to the couch and dozing while Family Feud - Robot Edition was playing. Mettatons/Happstablooks as one family and Napstatons/Blookies on the other side, for five per side.
Papyrus looked highly uncomfortable at being pinned to the couch, and perked up when they arrived. "OH, GOOD! PLEASE TAKE HIM OFF OF ME."
Jack Rose chuckled and let go to scoop Sans up in his strong arms, giving him a gentle nuzzle. "stretch is staying over for a while. you can go, if you want. we were just gonna watch a movie and get high."
"OH, THANK YOU FOR THE WARNING! YES, I'LL BE ON MY WAY." Papyrus loved his brother, but not being confined to one surface. He patted Sans’s sleeping arm, then headed out.
Sans cuddled up to Jay, letting out a small purr but not waking up. He had taken his pain meds about twenty minutes ago and was out cold.
Jay snuggled up happily, getting on the couch.
"you go have a smoke, ok?" Red said to Stretch. "i'll start on the brownies."
"okay. okay. thanks." He headed for the door, his hand on the wall to help keep him from falling. He did bump into said wall a few times, though. Soon, he was sitting on a chair in the backyard, trying to light his lighter. "i... i think i might have drank to much."
"didn't you only have barely half a bottle?" Red asked in a mumble. Stretch was a lightweight, good to know. "just sit, ok? don't get up. you want me to light that for you?"
"if ya can, yeah. thanks." He put the cig between his teeth and handed over the lighter.
Red took the lighter and flicked it on, then lit the cigarette for him before snapping it shut again. "just the one, though, ok? i know you're trying to quit."
"okay." He handed Red the brand new almost full pack. Then, he leaned over and hugged the other skeleton. "thanks for everything, red."
Red pocketed the pack, then hugged back nice and tight. "what are bros for, yeah?"
"yeah. bros are cool. so cool." He pulled back, wiping a tear, and took a deep drag.
"yeah... no more tears, buddy." He wiped his own eyes before popping into the kitchen to get to work as Jay just cuddled Sans.
Stretch relaxed in the recliner Sans and Red would lay in to see the stars. It was placed in the best spot in the backyard, the perfect spot of the best view of the night sky. The tree line was just out of sight when you laid on your back. It felt like you were in a sea of stars. Unfortunately, it was still day time. It was still good for watching the fluffy clouds go by, though.
Soon enough, the brownies were baking in the oven. While they did, Red came trotting back outside to sit near Stretch. He held out a water bottle. "doesn't actually sober you up, but might help ya feel better."
"thanks." He took the water and flinched at the loudness of his own voice. "i haven't been this drunk in a long time," he whispered.
"yeah, me neither." He laughed sheepishly. "but... it doesn't really help, yanno? not anymore."
He nodded, "yeah.... i kinda feel like even more shit with the plan to hide from everyone. who knows what could have happened in that bar..." He didn't want to ruin everything he worked so hard with his family.
"well... i'm sure you weren't in any danger, usually the fire guys are on top of that," he said. "pyre always made sure my wasted ass got home safe."
He relaxed. "that's good to know. they are pretty nice."
"yeah. eh, well... i've got no idea how to talk to jay's ex, but, i'm sure he's nice outside of that." He laughed a bit sheepishly. "feel a bit better?"
"yeah. still drunk but not soul crushingly upset anymore." Stretch rubbed Red's skull. "thanks, red."
Red leaned into the rubs, smiling a bit, his chest warming. "hey, no problem. we're family, yeah?"
"yep. i got the best bros." His cigarette had been long since smoked. "let's go inside and see how everyone's doing."
"good idea. brownies shouldn't take much longer. they're fast." He got up and helped Stretch up if need be.
Stretch made sure the lid was screwed on the water bottle and took Red's offer of help. He wasn't falling into the walls now, but definitely couldn't walk a straight line.
Red helped him in, easing him onto the couch, where Jack Rose still had Sans all snuggled up. "you stay there, yeah? what kinda movie you wanna watch?"
"something about the sky? i have a book with pictures of the stars. they're so pretty. like the wishing room," he said, remembering as a kid going out to the room when he was upset and just laying lost in the stars for hours.
"...you ever seen star trek?" Red asked.
"nope. but i like the title."
Red chuckled. "it's about a bunch of explorers going through the galaxy. it's sci-fi."
"ooooooh, yeah let's watch it." Stretch grabbed a throw pillow and put it behind him to slouch into. Soon, he was all comfortable and ready.
"heh, alright. soon as the brownies are done." Red went to check on them, then pulled them out once they were done. A few extra minutes to cool, and he brought one out for Stretch.
"you want one, jay?"
"no thanks, i'll be the sober one." He was still snuggling Sans, who was cuddled into Jay, drooling lightly on him.
"suit yourself." He took a bite from his, then turned on one of the newer Star Trek movies.
"fuck, red, this is delicious. everything you and vex make is so good." Stretch laid his head on the couch. "i'm ready for the stars."
Red chuckled, blushing. "thanks. i try my best." He pressed play on the movie, then settled in to get high and relax.
The evening ended well enough, despite all the tears.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, don't forget to kudos, comment, and subscribe! And check out Alpha's Solace, too!
Chapter 37: Couldn't be Much More from the Heart
Summary:
In which the evil (penis) is defeated
Notes:
-Picture commissioned by @SoulGemArt on Twitter! <3
Thank you all for reading and kudos. Be sure to leave a comment!
I know its been a while. Life has been crazy for us. This chapter is a little shorter then the rest, but I'm sure you will love it! <3
Thank you for all your support for this story.Chapter notes: self victim-blaming, anxiety, detailed (consensual) sex
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After dinner was over the next day, Vex gently encouraged Berry again to go ahead and call Howl to check on them. Berry was nervous, but with gentle pushing, he took his phone out and held it tightly in his shaking hands. He really wanted to make sure they were okay, but also knew he had been bad... He had wanted to help them, and he just made it worse before.
Stretch rubbed his skull as he hesitated. "they won't be mad at you, bro."
"BRO, BRO," Pucci repeated. The small child was laying on their papa’s chest, peacefully listening to his soul beat.
The sight of the baby safe in their parent’s arms really made Berry want a baby of his own, but Howl and Daemon had already said they were not ready…
He took a deep breath and pushed the speed dial for Howl, and part way through the second ring, Howl picked up.
"HELLO, BERRY. ARE YOU DOING ALRIGHT? THANK YOU FOR GETTING THE PILLS FOR US."
He sounded... better, though still a bit antsy, perhaps.
Berry smiled, his hands becoming more steady. "I'M HAPPY TO HELP MY MATES," he said, a blush creeping onto his face. "ARE YOU TWO FEELING BETTER? I PUT ICE CREAM IN THE FREEZER FOR YOU BOTH. IT WILL HELP COOL YOU OFF."
"I APPRECIATE IT." There was the creaking of his bed as he got up. "YES, I AM FEELING... BETTER. PHYSICALLY, AT LEAST. I THINK DAEMON IS TOO, HE'S ASLEEP."
"I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. DO…" He was hesitant to ask. His hand went to hold his bandana. He worked the fabric with his fingers. "DO YOU THINK... I... CAN COME HOME?"
A big mental step; home wasn't with his brother anymore. Home was with his mates. Home was where his soul was.
Howl audibly hesitated, drawing in his breath a bit quicker and then not letting it out right away. But after a long moment, he sighed softly. "I SUPPOSE THAT IS ALRIGHT, JUST PLEASE BE CAREFUL. WE'VE NEVER USED THESE PILLS BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL WORK LONG-TERM..."
"THANK YOU MY ANGEL." Berry let out the breath he was holding. "OKAY, I AGREE. BUT STRETCH ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS YOU TAKE THEM ON TIME, THEY SHOULD WORK."
Berry had been irresponsible and lost his, so his heat had kicked in and... He was still sure the rape was his fault. But Howl and Daemon were so very responsible, not like him. They would take the pills on time. "I KNOW YOU WON’T FORGET TO TAKE THEM. WE’LL ALL BE IN CONTROL."
"I SUPPOSE... NO, I WON'T FORGET, IT'S JUST..." He sighed again. "APOLOGIES, BERRY, I AM RATHER... ANXIOUS RIGHT NOW."
"IT’S OKAY. I'M ANXIOUS A LOT OF THE TIME, BUT I TRUST THE TWO OF YOU."
"...THANK YOU, BERRY. I APPRECIATE THAT. ALRIGHT. YOU CAN COME HOME. I'LL BE UP."
"THANK YOU ANGEL! THANK YOU. I'LL PACK UP NOW AND WE'LL BE RIGHT OVER." Berry almost tripped over himself getting up.
Stretch chuckled. "be careful, bro."
There was a little chuckle from the phone as well. "CAREFUL, BERRY. I WILL BE AWAKE FOR A WHILE. THERE'S NO NEED TO RUSH."
Berry blushed. "OKAY. I'LL SEE YOU SOON. GOODBYE."
"ALRIGHT. SEE YOU SOON." Howl hung up.
Berry went to his bedroom and packed his clothes as quickly as he could. Hardly five minutes later, he was back in the living room, his eyelights star-shaped. "I'M READY TO GO HOME, TO… TO MY MATES." He was rocking on his heels in excitement. "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, VEX."
"OF COURSE, BERRY, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU BACK EVEN FOR A DAY,” Vex assured.
Berry reached for Stretch's hand. "BROTHER, THANK YOU TOO." He patted Pucci's skull gently. "GOODBYE, SWEET NIBLING."
"no problem bro," Stretch told him, squeezing his hand. "did you want to take pucci, vex?"
“OF COURSE.” Take them he did, rocking them gently in his arms to help coax them all the way into sleep. "GOOD NIGHT."
Stretch watched his mate and baby for a moment; Vex looked so sweet cuddling their child. "i'll be back soon."
He squeezed Berry's hand, then ported them to Howl's living room.
Howl had just reached the foot of the stairs. He looked better, no flush on his cheeks, but there was a restlessness to how his gaze flickered around. Nonetheless, he smiled. "HELLO, BERRY."
"HELLO, MY ANGEL." Berry put his bag on the floor and ran up to Howl, just barely stopping himself short of a hug.
Howl winced a bit as Berry ran up, taking the tiniest step back.
“"SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO UPSET YOU.” Berry looked his mate up and down like a mother hen checking up on its hatchlings. "COME SIT DOWN. HOW ARE YOU FEELING, NOW?"
Howl let out a little breath and came to sit on the couch. "I'M FINE. AS I SAID, I AM JUST ANXIOUS... HELLO, STRETCH."
Stretch waved. "hello. you're looking better."
"THANK YOU, I FEEL BETTER AS WELL.”
“HAVE YOU AND DAEMON EATEN?" Berry fretted.
“YES, I MADE DINNER A WHILE AGO. AT LEAST, I PUT FOOD IN DAEMON'S ROOM FOR HIM. USUALLY HE EATS WITHOUT A PROBLEM."
"BUT HE WAS HANDCUFFED," Berry said. He was still kind of upset about that. All the time in the Sanitarium, he had been restrained, unable to move freely. "HE.. HE CAN REACH IT, RIGHT?" He looked up at the second floor.
"HE CAN UNDO THEM, WHEN HE HAS THE MIND FOR IT. HE CUFFED THEM HIMSELF."
"OKAY...” Berry forced himself to calm down from the reassurance. “DO YOU WANT SOME ICE CREAM? I CAN GET US SOME.”
"ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. I WOULD LOVE SOME." Howl stayed seated on the couch, trying to relax.
“STRETCH, YOU CAN HAVE SOME TOO, IF YOU WANT?"
"thanks bro, but i should get home. it's pucci’s bath time soon." Stretch was looking forward to taking a bath with Vex and Pucci. "but if you need me, call me, and i'll come right back and get you, okay?"
"OKAY." Berry went up to Stretch and gave him a hug goodbye. "THANK YOU, BROTHER. I LOVE YOU."
"love ya too, bro." Stretch hugged him back. "have a good night. i'll see you around, howl."
"GOOD NIGHT, STRETCH,” Howl said with a nod. He had finally managed to settle into a good spot on the couch, and was now hunkered down for the long haul.
When Berry let go, Stretch ported home.
Berry looked back to Howl with a smile. "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK, ANGEL." He went into their kitchen and got three bowls of ice cream, one of each flavor. "THERE IS CHOCOLATE, VANILLA AND BLACK CHERRY. WHICH DO YOU WANT?"
Howl glanced over each of the bowls. "I WOULD LIKE THE BLACK CHERRY PLEASE, THANK YOU."
Berry handed the bowl to Howl. "CAN... CAN I BRING ONE TO DAEMON?"
"THAT... SHOULD BE FINE," he said slowly. "JUST BE CAREFUL, WILL YOU?"
"OKAY."
Berry took the two bowls and went upstairs. He took a deep breath. He could smell that his alpha's rut-scent was still there, but fading a bit. The pills must have been working. A small purr built up in him. The smokey scent that marked his wonderful mate was very attractive to both him and his inner omega.
"DAEMON IS SAFE," he breathed. He trusted his lover, though he had to suppress some bad memories still. "DAEMON LOVES ME."
Once he felt in control of all his conflicting emotions, he knocked on the door. "PUPPY? I HAVE ICE CREAM FOR YOU."
After a moment, there was a bit of quiet clicking. "berry?" Daemon called sleepily. "s'that you? when'd you get back?"
'JUST A BIT AGO. ARE THE PILLS MAKING YOU FEEL BETTER, PUPPY?" Berry asked through the door.
"oh, yeah, i don't feel all wound up anymore. hang on." A bit more clinking, then a little thump of the cuffs hitting the floor. Daemon opened the door in only a pair of shorts, rubbing under one socket. He smiled tiredly. "hiya, honey... ice cream?"
Berry nodded. "YES." It felt good to see him out of the cuffs. "THERE IS CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA. WHICH DO YOU WANT, MY PUPPY?"
"mmm..." He looked between them for a second, then backed up at Berry. "which one do you like more?"
"ME....?" Berry. "I CAN TAKE WHICHEVER YOU DON'T WANT…”
Daemon pouted.
“BUT I PREFER VANILLA."
He beamed. "then i'll have the chocolate, and you have the vanilla, kay?"
"O-OKAY." Berry held up the chocolate bowl. "YOU DO LIKE CHOCOLATE RIGHT?" He felt a little guilty… What if Daemon didn't like chocolate and only took it so Berry could have the vanilla? "I CAN SHARE IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, OR GET MORE FROM THE FREEZER."
"i love anything sweet," he assured. "chocolate is as good as anything else." He took the bowl. "thanks, berry. i love you." He started to eat it.
Berry blushed at the declaration of love. "I LOVE YOU TOO." He took a bite. "HOWL IS DOWNSTAIRS, DID YOU WANT TO COME DOWN AND EAT ON THE COUCH?"
"oh, yeah, okay." He wandered down with his ice cream in tow and sat in front of the couch cross-legged, nearby Howl but giving him space. Howl was almost done with his ice cream already, making a soft, satisfied sound.
"IT DOES WONDERS FOR THE EXTRA BODY HEAT..." Howl said, pleased.
"YEAH. STRETCH ALWAYS MADE SURE TO HAVE ICE CREAM AND SHAVED ICE ON HAND WHEN I WAS IN HEAT. IT HELPS A LOT." Berry purred. "I'LL MAKE COLD TOWELS IN THE FRIDGE LATER, TOO."
"THAT SOUNDS VERY SMART, YES. THANK YOU, BERRY." He finished quickly. Daemon, sitting on the floor, enjoyed his slower with little purrs.
Berry smiled and ate his food. Daemon's lingering smell was nice. The warm, spice smell made him think of spicy hot chocolate as he ate the ice cream. "CAN WE SIT NEXT TO YOU, PUPPY?"
"sure, i don't mind," he said amicably.
"thanks." Berry sat next to him on the floor, purring softly. The warm smokey scent washing through him invaded every bite of ice cream. He kept purring as he ate the creamy dessert, a little flushed. 'DAEMON AND HOWL ARE SAFE." He thought. 'IT'S NOT TEMPTING. WE'RE MATES. MATES DO THIS. I’M NOT A SULLY,' he reminded himself.
"IT'S OKAY TO ENJOY THIS. IT’S NOT BAD... I'M NOT BAD FOR WANTING IT..."
Daemon made a questioning sound as Berry spoke aloud. "hmm...? course you're not."
"WHO WOULDN'T ENJOY A LITTLE QUALITY TIME WITH ONE'S MATES?" Howl agreed.
Berry blushed; he hadn’t noticed he’d said it out loud. "THATS RIGHT," he said with a shy smile. "DO... DO YOU THINK WE COULD... GET MARRIED ONE DAY?"
They both blushed brightly.
"...ONE DAY... MAYBE..."
"y-yeah..."
"I'D LIKE THAT." Berry said, purring.
"yeah..."
"NOT SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT ANY TIME SOON, OF COURSE, BUT... ONE DAY..."
"YEAH. ONE STEP AT A TIME." Berry said quietly. He set the bowl down on the table. "DID YOU... DID YOU WANT TO CUDDLE AND WATCH TV?"
"TV SOUNDS LOVELY, YES."
"yeah, come cuddle me." Daemon made grabby hands. "you smell nice."
Berry blushed and cuddled up into Daemon's embrace. "you smell nice too." He purred sweetly.
Daemon purred too, snuggled up instantly. "super nice! mmm. i love your scent."
Berry nuzzled his skull. He was still flushed. "THANK YOU." He felt so loved and safe in Daemon's arms. He rubbed his face into the crook of the large monster's neck. "I LOVE YOU, PUPPY."
"love you too, mmm." He kept nuzzling gently between purrs and bites of ice cream.
Howl watched them with some wariness. Was this really okay...? He was worried about if the medicine was effective enough to stop any... advances.
Berry kept breathing in Daemon’s wonderful scent. He knew he was tempting. His inner omega wanted to answer his alpha's call. But… this really wasn't tempting, right?. "I'M YOUR MATE. IT'S OKAY TO WANT YOU, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T TEMPT YOUR MATE, RIGHT?"
Daemon made a questioning sound, looking up at him, then smiled and shook his head. "of course not! i mean... uh, my alpha really wants you, 'cuz you're my omega, but, i'm ok. that medicine really helps me, um, keep control."
Berry nuzzled again. "I... WANT..."
It was hard to say what he wanted after all the years and training spent learning to deny himself. To hate himself for what his omega wanted. Daemon and Howl had been working so hard to help him learn to love himself and be okay with this. He wanted to prove to them and himself that he was getting better.
"I WANT TO BE WITH YOU THOUGH. I WANT TO BE A PROPER OMEGA. I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. I KNOW YOU WON'T HURT ME."
Daemon looked surprised at that, then blushed. "berry, um, i mean, you don't have to do 'that' to be a proper omega... but... i would love to do more stuff."
Howl made a mildly concerned noise. "I AM NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT WHEN WE ARE IN THIS CONDITION..."
Berry wilted a bit. It had taken a lot of courage to ask and admit what he just said... He snuggled into Daemon's chest. "I TRUST YOU WITH MY EVERYTHING. IF HOME IS WHERE YOUR SOUL IS, THIS IS WHERE I BELONG. WITH THE TWO OF YOU. I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU." He decided he wouldn’t ask again and upset either of them despite that, though.
"IT'S JUST... BERRY, I JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO BE... HURT," Howl said, and that eased the sting and made him a bit happier.
"BEING WITH YOU TWO, IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS WITH ANYONE ELSE. YOU TWO LOVE AND RESPECT ME AND PROTECTED ME. AND I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY SOUL YOU AND DAEMON WOULD NEVER HURT ME. EVEN IN HEAT OR RUT."
Howl still looked worried, gripping the empty ice cream bowl with both hands.
Daemon nuzzled closer, looking between the two of them. He hummed thoughtfully, then nodded. "okay... it'll be okay. let's try it!"
Berry's soul skipped a beat. Both excitement and a bit of fear washed through him. There would probably always be a bit of fear. But… He could be useful to them. He was wanted and loved. A shy smile touched his face and he nodded. "ANGEL, CAN WE TRY? YOU CAN BE THERE TO STOP IF NEEDED." He wanted Howl's approval too.
Howl hesitated more, then sighed softly. "I... I CAN'T WATCH RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY. YOU... YOU TWO CAN GO AHEAD. AND SHOUT FOR ME IF YOU NEED ME. BUT I CAN'T OBSERVE LIKE LAST TIME."
"OKAY. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US TRY," Berry said with a smile and nuzzled Daemon.
"YES, OF COURSE... I WANT YOU TO BOTH BE HAPPY. I WILL BE OUT HERE, WATCHING TV..."
"thanks, master." Daemon nuzzled Berry again, then got up to head upstairs with him.
Berry's soul was pounding with excitement and just a smidge of fear. He was going to be a good omega for what felt like the first time in his life. This was his mate. not some stranger whom he had tempted by just living. "I LOVE YOU, DAEMON. MY ALPHA." He nuzzled his larger mate, taking in the wonderful scent that was all Daemon. A soft purr worked its way out of him.
"i love you too~ my omega." Daemon purred back and gave him a kiss. The door to his bedroom closed behind them.
There were still handcuffs at the top of the bedpost, one side locked in on each and the other cuff left hanging open. The room smelled of his barbecue scent so ridiculously strongly.
A chill ran through Berry upon seeing the cuffs. The bed was getting better for him to deal with, but the restraints while he was in it were too much. "CAN I MAKE US A NEST ON THE FLOOR?" They cuddled in a nest together many times.
"it's not as comfortable to have sex on the floor... but ok."
"I DON'T LIKE THE CUFFS," he admitted. His voice wavered a bit. "THEY MAKE ME REMEMBER BEING TIED DOWN FOR EXPERIMENTS. BEING HELPLESS."
He buried his face in Daemon's chest, trying to stay in the here and now. Safe. Loved. Wanted. A good omega about to help his mate through their rut. 'HE'S MY MATE, I'M NOT TEMPTING. IT'S NOT THE SAME HE WON’T HURT ME. PUPPY LOVES ME AND I LOVE HIM.'
"oh!" Daemon looked guilty then. "sorry, uhh, i completely forgot... i can take them away." He pet Berry, then quickly unclasped each pair of cuffs and tossed them into his closet to shut the door hastily. "there, all better, right? now it's okay?"
Berry looked at the bed and nodded, relaxing a bit. "YEAH. THANK YOU PUPPY." He kissed Daemon’s cheek.
"you're welcome!" He smiled and got onto the bed, splaying out. He patted the spot beside him. "c'mere~"
Berry's cheekbones were a light blue. He came up to the bed, taking a deep breath that was laced with Daemon scent, then climbed up onto it. A purred filled his chest. "I LOVE YOU, PUPPY." He leaned in and nuzzled lovingly.
Daemon purred back. "so what can we do, berry? what's ok?"
"I... I WANT TO CUDDLE AND... KISS. AND…" He was looking at Daemon’s shirt intently, too nervous to look him in the eyelights. "I WANT TO BE YOUR OMEGA. I WANT TO... TO HELP YOU WITH THE HEAT. IT SHOULDN'T BE SO BAD NOW. YOU TOOK THE PILLS. I WANT TO DO THIS." He said it with determination.
Daemon smiled. "i meant what exactly is it okay to do? what can i touch? what magic can i use?"
"OH." Berry's skull turned more blue. "I WANT TO MAKE LOVE... I’VE BEEN WORKING ON MY FEAR OF PENISES..." he said earnestly. "I THINK YOU CAN TOUCH IT, AND WE CAN WORK FROM THERE? IF I GET SCARED..... I’LL ASK YOU TO STOP."
"okay. if you want to try that, then we can try that. and what can i touch on you?"
Berry thought about that. "ALL MY BONES AND MY MAGIC IS OKAY. BUT NICELY. NOT ROUGH. PLEASE DON'T RESTRAIN ME...." he asked softly.
"okay. no restraining. how about you be on top, then?" He splayed out more and beckoned Berry.
"OKAY." Berry climbed on top of the warm skeleton.
He looked down at Daemon underneath him. It was very different to be doing this and be in a position of power… In fact, it was a little intoxicating. His fingers gently pet that emerald ecto. "IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON’T WANT TOUCHED OR DON’T LIKE, PUPPY?”
Daemon purred as he wrapped his arms around Berry. His back arched as his midriff was pet, and magic started to slowly solidify in his pelvis. "mmm, nuh-uh, but if i need to stop, my safe word is 'barbecue sauce.' “
Berry chuckled and purred. "OKAY. I'LL USE THE SAME WORD IF I NEED IT." His magic was pounding loud in his mana lines. "I LOVE YOU, PUPPY." He leaned over and kissed Daemon, his hands slowly wandering.
"alright, good. please do." He kissed back gently, wrapping his arms around Berry's waist. He arched up into touches with a pleased sound.
Berry nuzzled Demon's chest. He knew he told his mates he loved them a lot, but he hadn't been able to say it for so long. It made him feel better and... safer. Hearing himself say it soothed the trauma of his mind. He didn’t mind if it wasn’t said back every time, due to the sheer volume. But his mates said it without words all the time, too.
His magic was pooling in his pelvis. He took a deep breath, trying not to fight it. Just let it come. His mate, his powerful alpha, was under him. "DO...DO YOU WANT TO UNDRESS ME?" he asked as he nuzzled Daemon’s ribs.
"yeah, i do." He reached up and pulled off Berry's shirt in turn, tossing it aside lazily. Then he carefully went for Berry's shorts too.
Berry's soul was shining a beautiful cerulean blue through the hole in his chest. His soul beat, speeding up as his shorts were removed. Magic pooled in his joints and pelvis. He looked down at his lover with a tentative smile as he tried to hide the building anxiety behind it.
"I-I LOVE YOU, PUPPY." The words were a calming balm to his mind. Daemon would not hurt him. He.... no, they wanted this. That thought had his magic forming.
"love you too," Daemon purred, his gaze dropping to that magic as it formed. His hips lifted up to grind slowly, stimulating his own magic in his pelvis. "c'n ya take my pants off too, berry?"
Berry gasped at the slow grinding. It felt nice, and he remembered that time they fingered each other. He wanted that good feeling again. He ground down a bit in turn before responding, "Y-YES."
He wiggled away off of Damon's hips, then unbuttoned those pants. He pulled them down - Daemon helped with some wiggling of his own - and soon had them all the way off, his mate fully exposed
Daemon's magic was solidifying now, a proper dark green member, slowly getting hard. He made a quiet, pleased sound, arching a bit, and his hands rubbed Berry's sides.
Berry stared at it, just breathing. The immediate panic from last time was gone, thanks to the EMDR therapy. He knew he should be scared, but the fear felt far off. Like it wasn't him that had been hurt by it, but he'd watched, or something like that…? The trauma felt more distant.
He let out another long breath, relieved. He could do this. He… wasn't experienced in good sex, though. The guards just took him while he tried to pretend he wasn't part of it.
"I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, PUPPY."
Did he just go straight to bouncing on it? Last time, with the innies only, they pet and caressed a while nicely. He felt a bit overwhelmed trying to think of how to do it this way. He needed his alpha to guide him on doing this correctly.
"you can just touch it," Daemon encouraged gently. "see if it's okay. here, like this..." He reached down to touch himself in demonstration, wrapping his fingers around and giving it a stroke. It prompted a moan. "feels nice like this, see?"
Berry nodded. "O-OKAY." He rested back on Daemon's thighs. Then he reached a shaky hand out, gently encasing the silky magic, and stroked gently. "HOW'S THAT, PUPPY?" He gave into the need to kiss Daemon's ribs.
Daemon made another pleased sound, sockets fluttering a bit. "yeah, that's really nice, berry. you can squeeze it harder if you want."
Berry slowly squeezed a bit harder as requested. "YOU FEEL NICE, PUPPY." He got a bit more sure with his strokes as his confidence grew.
"mmm, you do too. that's really nice, ah, can i touch too?" He moved his hands back to Berry, pausing just beside his magic.
"YES, YOU CAN TOUCH ME."
"thank you~" Daemon started to lightly rub and finger Berry's magic. He was fully hard by now, his magic warm in Berry's grip. He kept making those pleased little noises, rolling his hips again.
Small whimpers and moans escaped Berry. As he started to rub himself on Daemon's hand, he kept his eyelights open, watching Daemon lovingly, keeping himself in the present. "THIS FEELS REALLY NICE," he said, panting lightly.
"good, it should~ i want you to feel good, i want-" He moaned again. "i want to be the one to make you feel so good."
"YOU DO, PUPPY. YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME FEEL LOVED. AND SAFE. AND WANTED," Berry said between pants. His toes curled and flexed from the pleasure. He squeezed a bit more, trying to keep going.
"i-i'm glad... nnh... berry, stars... d-did you want me to go in? o-or not this time?"
"I-I WANT TO TRY IT, PUPPY." Berry's soul was pounding with pleasure. Daemon's fingers were covered with Berry's blue slick, warm and wonderful. "I WANT YOU TO MAKE ME FEEL GOOD. US TO FEEL GOOD TOGETHER."
"okay, mmm, okay, just, if it's too much, tell me, please?" Daemon gently grasped Berry's hips to shift him enough to start easing inside.
He was so gentle. It was nothing like the other times Berry had been through. Berry moaned as he was handled so lovingly. He didn’t mind this at all, not even when it sank into him. It felt good. "I-I-I WILL…"
"good. mmm. good. stars, berry, you feel so nice... can i kiss you? please, kiss me?" He tilted up his head, pleading with his expression.
Berry was trying to get his head to stop spinning. No one kissed him while they used him. 'WE’RE MAKING LOVE, THOUGH, IT’S NOT THE SAME THING,' he told himself. This was love. Daemon wanted him to feel good.
He leaned forward to answer that call, but Daemon's rod shifted in him and he gasped at the sparks that friction created within him. He gripped onto his lover’s ribs, panting. He felt like he should be afraid of the feeling, but it felt so good, better than the fingers. It confused him, how good it was.
Daemon gripped him a bit tighter for a moment, worried, then relaxed as Berry didn't seem to have a bad reaction. "does it feel good, honey?"
"Y-YEAH... IT DOES. IT SHOULDN’T, BUT IT DOES." Berry confessed. "I... I LIKE IT.."
"why shouldn't it?" he asked with a soft little groan. "sex is supposed to feel good. if it doesn't feel good, it's not right. i want you to like it." He lightly coaxed Berry down into a kiss.
Berry leaned down into the kiss. He moaned as it made Daemon press deeper inside him.
"I'M HAPPY IT FEELS GOOD WITH YOU," he said breathlessly when he pulled back from the kiss. He was honestly relieved about that. There was a faraway fear, but he could mostly ignore it. His hips started to move, exploring the different feelings that Daemon made him feel so lovingly.
Daemon kissed Berry deeply, then moaned again as Berry moved. His hands shakily landed on Berry's waist. He didn't want to hold on too hard. He didn't want Berry to feel trapped. It was just so nice to finally be doing this, after all this time and the caution. He couldn't deny he'd hoped they could get to this point, eventually.
"mmm, you can move at whatever pace you want. try whatever feels good. i'll tell you if anything doesn't feel good."
"O-O-OKAY," he said, a little breathless. He tried wiggling back and forth, then bounced a bit. That made him gasp and turn an even darker shade of blue, and he did it again. This time, a whimpering needy moan escaped as he made Daemon reach a place inside of him that felt so, so nice.
"mm, yeah, there you go. a nice smooth rhythm is best." He tried to help by gently guiding Berry's hips.
Berry held on to his lover's arms, following their guidance. His eyelights became hazy and his body shook a bit as he fought to keep quiet as the pleasure grew. Small, needy whines and whimpers filled the space between them as this rhythm became stronger. "P-P-PUPPY...." The glow of Berry's soul painted him in shades of blue.
Daemon was getting breathless too, looking up at Berry with hazy hearts for eyelights. "you feel so good, berry, honey. mm, and you look so nice when you ride me like this."
He kissed Berry again, needy for that sweet taste. The pills kept his rut at bay for the most part, but he couldn't deny he had a ferocious want that he was forcing himself to reign in as much as he could. There was so much he’d do if he could, but he couldn’t, he had to hold back. So he’d indulge in what he was allowed as much as possible, moaning into the kiss.
And that passionate kiss threw Berry over the edge, his body locking up and squeezing around his mate. His alpha. Berry gripped Daemon's ribs tightly, his fingers digging in as the pleasure coursed through him. He was unused to the feeling that exploded within him, this was only the second time he’d ever felt it.
Afterwards, he collapsed on top of Daemon, panting.
Daemon made another strained sound as Berry came around him. Ohh, that was nice. So nice. His sockets fluttered a bit. He was throbbing, and stars did he want to take more pleasure for himself in turn. He wanted so badly. But he held himself back, holding Berry closer, kissing him around pants. "y-you okay? was it good...?"
Berry took a few gulps of air, sockets fluttering a bit. "Y-Y-YEAH. I-IT WAS." He leaned in again, making a small whimper as Daemon's rod moved within him. "I-I LOVE YOU P-PUPPY. I-I WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL THIS G-GOOD."
Daemon resisted the terribly powerful urge to buck up into Berry. "th-then please, please move? please? like before?"
Berry nodded and took a deep breath and moved again. "H-HOW’S TH-THAT?"
"mm, yeah, like that, good job, berry. you feel so good..." He was trembling a bit from pleasure now, eyelights fuzzy. "c-can i move too? is it okay? or, mmm, or should i stay still?"
"Y-YOU C-CANNN." Berry tried to talk normally, but it was hard to. Moans kept escaping him too easily. "P-P-PU-PUPPY." It was almost maddening how good this felt. How right it felt with Daemon. "I L-LOVE YOU."
As soon as he was allowed, Daemon started rolling his hips up into Berry, gasping and groaning softly. "mm, yeah, i love you too, so much, you feel so good, berry!" He was throbbing, getting close now, at last.
The thrusts were making little gasps and groans escape Berry. Stars, it felt even better after he’d orgasmed once, his magic overly sensitive. "PUPPPPYYY," he moaned, getting close again himself.
"mm, berry, ah, b-berry, i'm- i'm so close, berry...!" He tightened his grip on Berry's hips.
The embarrassing wet noses filled the space between their moans. Berry insides squeezed Daemon. "Y-YOU FEEL WONDERFUL..!" He came again, unable to even think much past the feeling.
It was too much for Daemon to hold back from. At that last moment, Daemon pulled Berry off of him and came all over himself with a gasped curse. He'd completely forgotten a condom, and they were lucky he'd remembered to pull out at all, in his haze. But, stars, that felt so amazingly good.
As he relaxed, he gently set Berry back down, panting, and kissed him deeply with another groan.
Berry kissed him back, blushing and a little breathless. "YOU KNOW…”
A questioning hum.
“I CAN'T HAVE KIDS… SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT, PUPPY"
Daemon grimaced. "mm... yeah, but... that's not permanent... right? we won't know when you can again 'til it happens."
"YEAH... " He wrapped his arms around Daemon's and squeezed him thinking. "I WOULD LIKE TO."
"mhm..." Daemon snuggled up more, sighing happily. He was all sticky, so he'd need to wash up. But he didn't want to get up just yet. This was too comfortable.
"THANK YOU. IT WASN'T SO SCARY. IT FELT GOOD," Berry said, purring.
"i'm so glad. it felt really good for me too." Daemon nuzzled in and purred back. "we can do it whenever you want."
"I-I’D LIKE THAT." Berry felt warm in his chest. He felt… proud? He was trying to choose bravery, after all, and this felt like one of the bravest things he had ever done.
"good." Daemon purred more, drowsy and content. But then he sighed and reluctantly sat up to clean up the mess.
"I'LL CLEAN YOU UP, PUPPY." Berry got up and gently coaxed him back down. "YOU'RE SLEEPY."
"aw, berry, you don't have to clean it, i'm the one that made the mess." He chuckled a bit.
"IT’S MY PRIVILEGE TO TAKE CARE OF MY ALPHA," he purred. "I KNOW IF I WASN'T FEELING GOOD, YOU'D TAKE CARE OF ME. LET ME TAKE CARE OF YOU." He went to get some warm water and washcloths.
"well... if you're sure..." He snuggled back into his bedding and yawned. The meds were making him terribly lethargic, and the extremely satisfying orgasm only compounded that.
Soon, Berry came back and started to clean the mess off the larger skeleton. "I-I AM HAPPY WE DID THIS. THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THIS. I HELPED YOU, AND I FEEL LIKE A GOOD MATE FOR THAT. FOR HELPING YOU. I FEEL PROUD THAT I COULD DO THIS, LIKE ALL MY HARD WORK HAS MEANING. THAT I'M NOT AS BROKEN AS BEFORE."
"you were never broken, berry," he promised, watching with half-lidded sockets. "you did help me, that's really nice, but i'm more glad that it wasn't scary and didn't hurt you, and even felt good."
Berry put the dirty towel into the bowl and slipped up into the large skeleton's arms. “ME TOO," he purred. If it had been anyone but Daemon or Howl, he could never have done this and enjoyed it. "I'M SO GLAD I COULD HELP YOU.”
"mhm, me too." He yawned again. "c'n you check on master? i'm exhausted." His sockets were mostly closed already as he started to fall asleep.
Berry kissed him on the brow. "OKAY."
He got up and pulled on Daemon's jacket and his shorts, then went down the stairs as Daemon peacefully dozed off.
"ANGEL?"
Howl looked up from fidgeting anxiously with the blankets around him, a cooking show on. "BERRY? IS... DID IT GO ALRIGHT? ARE YOU OKAY?"
"YEAH, IT WENT GREAT! HE LET ME BE IN CHARGE. I DIDN'T FEEL TRAPPED, AND SEEING HIS PENIS DIDN'T MAKE ME PANIC. THE THERAPY IS WORKING," Berry said happily. "DID YOU WANT TO KNIT? OR I COULD WATCH TV WITH YOU, IF YOU WANT?"
"OH. THAT'S GOOD." He relaxed some. "I'M SO GLAD. THE THERAPY IS WORKING, IT SEEMS, YES." He scooted over a bit so Berry could join him. "WE COULD DO BOTH, PERHAPS. KNIT AND WATCH."
"OF COURSE." Berry went to the side of the couch and pulled out their knitting box from under the table. He put it between them to give Howl his space while still letting them be close to each other.
Howl took his knitting and got to work on it diligently. His fingers moved with skill and at a constant speed, and he only looked down occasionally as he watched the cooking show. It was peaceful.
When the show ended, Berry asked, "HOW ARE YOU FEELING? ANY BETTER?"
Howl glanced over briefly. "I AM... BETTER, I THINK."
"GOOD, I'M GLAD. MAY I TOUCH YOU HAND, ANGEL?"
"...YES. ALRIGHT." He put the knitting down to reach over the box and hold out his hand.
Berry took Howl's hand. He rubbed those gloved knuckles with his thumb. "THANK YOU, ANGEL," he purred.
"OF COURSE." He didn't so much as twitch. "THE THERAPY IS WORKING FOR ME TOO... NOT AS QUICKLY AS I'D LIKE, BUT THERE IS IMPROVEMENT."
"YOU'LL GET THERE. AND WE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU. WE LOVE YOU."
"...I KNOW. YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME BEHIND. I KNOW THAT. STILL, IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING." He looked at their joined hands. Then he pulled back and removed his soft cotton glove to gently intertwine their fingers with proper bone contact. "I WANT TO HEAL AS BADLY AS YOU DO."
"I KNOW. IT’S OKAY, YOU CAN BE FRUSTRATED. I WAS FRUSTRATED TOO," Berry told him. "BUT YOU’RE DOING GREAT. YOU HAVE WORKED HARD AND LONG AND COME SO FAR, ANGEL. YOU’RE GETTING THERE." He nuzzled Howl's hand.
"YES, I KNOW." He squeezed gently. "I AM... I WILL KEEP GETTING BETTER. JUST LIKE YOU WILL. THANK YOU, BERRY. YOU ALWAYS CHEER ME UP WELL. YOU'RE SO OPTIMISTIC."
Berry blushed. "THANK YOU. YOU GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO BE OPTIMISTIC."
"WE MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER, THEN." He smiled back. "AS PARTNERS SHOULD, YES?"
"YES." Berry was overjoyed at that statement. "I LOVE YOU, HOWL," he said, squeezing Howl's hand as if he was hugging him.
"I LOVE YOU TOO." He squeezed back gently.
They stayed like that, holding hands and watching TV, until it was time for bed.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, don't forget to kudos, comment, and subscribe! And check out Alpha's Solace, too!
Chapter 38: I Want to Know What It's Like to Bring a Dream to Life
Summary:
In which popcorn is an indicator of well-being.
Notes:
MIND THE NEW TAG, IT IS A DEAD DOVE. Hover the mouse over this link to see which tag if you are reading this from the future with other tags added!
Heyyyyy guys ahahaha so it's been -checks calendar- about ten monthsssss |D; that's my (GetMcDunkedOn's) bad. Shit's been... a lot. This was very hard to get through and get out, among other things. But hopefully next one won't take so long again ;u;
(Seriously though I'm not kidding about the warning, this one is a very sad and potentially triggering one.)
Hi, Diyami here! I hope you like this chapter. It maybe hard but it puts some things in motion for later.
Leave a comment and let us know what you think.
Tags: ~the thing tagged up there~, medical trauma, panic attacks, grief/mourning
This is a list of the songs that the chapter titles come from, in order of said chapters! <3 - GetMcDunkedOn <3 Omega's Respite chapter titles
SKELETON DIRECTORY
Sans - classic Sans
Papyrus - classic Papyrus
Berry - swap Sans
Stretch - swap Papyrus
Red - fell Sans
Vex - fell Papyrus
Howl - fellswap Sans
Daemon - fellswap Papyrus
Jack Rose - lust Sans
Mai Tai - lust Papyrus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Sans found himself sitting at his desk munching on some popcorn. For the last few days he had been feeling extra hungry and tired. He couldn't wait until lunch today, so his kids got a surprise movie and popcorn. He flicked his wrist to move the bowl around the classroom, but it sparked out, only making the bowl wobble.
He rubbed his hand over his chest. "i've been doing better, i thought…" he mumbled, not sure why he was so low on magic.
He took out his cell phone. Ever since his brush with death, he had been seeing a doctor regularly, so he had the number near the top of his text history almost all the time.
[hey doc, do you think i could get a check-up today or tomorrow? i'm not feeling right and my magic is a bit low.]
It took some time, but eventually, he got a text back.
[You're in luck, someone canceled. I have an opening at 4:30 today. I'll get you put on the appointment calendar.]
[thanks buddy]
He texted JR and Red, [i'll be home a bit late, going in for a check up]
Red: [everything ok bby?]
JR: [u want sum1 2 cum with?]
Sans chuckled at JR's text in particular. [nah, i'll be fine. do the movie night i'll join ya when i'm done.]
JR: [alright if ur sure]
Red: [kk just keep us posted]
Sans set down the phone. He didn't want to worry them. 'probably just a pinched mana line,' he thought. That was almost a lie he could believe.
Sans fumbled with his phone, poking through buttons. It was the first time he had ordered a ride on the taxi app. But thankfully, it wasn’t too hard. He got out of the car slowly and headed into the building.
"hellooo nurse," he told the receptionist, “i'm here for my appointment."
The receptionist gave him an unimpressed look, but pulled him up on the computer nonetheless.
"He'll be ready for you in a few minutes, take a seat."
"thanks. guess ya not an animaniacs fan, huh?" He took a seat, then rubbed his chest again and pulled out a protein- and magic-laced cookie to nibble on.
He got ignored by the receptionist after that. But, thankfully, it was only a few minutes before an actual nurse came out to call his name and lead him back. He got up with a smile and a wave, greeting the nurse with a casual, “hey joe.”
The nurse led him to a room and took his vitals, nodding and writing things down. "Nothing seems terribly concerning, your magic levels are just a little low. Drink some water. The doctor will be in soon."
"okay. thanks, joe." Sans said. He got himself a little cup and headed to the water cooler, then stood there a moment and just zoned out. It had been a crazy few months, and sometimes he still struggled to process it all... But eventually, he finished the water and went back to sit on the little bed.
After a few more minutes, the doctor came in. A salamander monster, he had smooth red scales and a toothy smile.
"So, what seems to be the problem, Sans?"
"hiya doc. well for the last... maybe a week? my magic has been low and i've been pretty hungry. i just wanted to get checked out. maybe it's a pinched mana line or something." He shrugged, trying to play it cool despite his worry that it had to do with his accident. Maybe his head wound had some long lasting effects?
"Hmm, it might be. Have you been doing your exercises to keep your magic flowing?"
"yeah, jay’s been making sure i do them. but today i couldn't even float a bowl of popcorn…"
"No? That's not a very taxing thing to do, is it?" He looked a little concerned at that. "Well, I'll have to take a quick look at your soul, I think, make sure there's nothing wrong."
"nope, it ain't." Sans nodded and took a breath, then summoned his soul, a light, patient blue barely visible under the off white. There were a few cracks that had started to heal over thanks to the love of his boys.
The doctor held his hands under the soul, examining it closely. He allowed some green magic to flow into it - at the least, that might give Sans an energy boost.
"It looks like it's recovering... but there's something... Hm..."
Sans let out a breath at that, then cocked his head. "what do ya see, doc?"
"It's very small, I almost overlooked it, but..."
He looked more intently, double-checking, then smiled widely.
"That would explain it. Congratulations, Sans. You've got a soulling."
"w-what...?" Sans felt a bit faint. "ya sure, doc?" His tone was full of disbelief. Red was always so careful, and JR said Lust monsters couldn’t have kids.
"I'm pretty sure, but I can bring in a monitor to double-check for you?"
"yeah, please."
"Of course." He gave the soul back and left the room briefly to bring in a portable soul monitor on a wheeled stand. He directed Sans to put his soul on the flat examining surface, for the monitor to scan.
Sans took another deep breath. Then he put the soul on the cool surface. It sent a shiver through him, mildly uncomfortable.
The device scanned for a moment, and then an image of the soul showed up on the monitor but lit up in different ways. The cracks were darker, though not as bad as last time. But, indeed, right near the center, there was a small brightly glowing piece that looked much like a very, very tiny soul. The doctor smiled as he pointed to it.
"See, there it is. It's very new, I'd wager. Maybe only a week."
"oooh, oh, stars," sans breathed. "that's why my magic.... why i'm hungry..." Sans’ mind swirled with too many thoughts all at once, making him dizzy. 'What will Red say? He clearly doesn't want a baby yet. And Jay, his career is only just starting to bloom. Will they even want this baby?'
Sans stared at the little dot. Despite those worries… he wanted it. He had wanted a cute kid of his own for a long time now.
'Maybe… the others would be okay speeding up our time line a bit? he hoped.
"That does explain it, yes!" The doctor smiled, oblivious to the internal turmoil.
"What... do I do now, doc?" Sans asked slowly.
"Ah, so! I have some brochures for you, and I recommend picking up a few books, too, if you can. Be sure to eat more, and don't overwork yourself. Try to avoid stress. The soulling is very small, yet."
"yeah… i'll try. okay. thanks, doc." He de-summoned his soul and took the offered pamphlets to stuff into a pocket.
"Of course! And be sure to schedule a proper appointment with a monster obstetrician."
It all seemed so surreal. He wasn't sure what to do. So he did what he always did when stressed: He headed to Grillby's.
As he wandered down the street in that direction, there were a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
All the Lust monsters seemed pretty happy with the idea of children, but he had never heard Jack Rose himself say anything about wanting a child. Maybe it just had never come up…?
He opened the door to Grillby's and heard the familiar warm greetings, and they cheered him slightly. He waved to everyone and took his usual seat at the bar.
“hey, grillbz, a hamburger with fries please, and a large bottle of ketchup," Sans said, knowing he had to force himself to eat more.
The fire elemental dipped his head and sent the order back for the hamburger and fries, then set down the ketchup bottle. He then leaned on the bar to give Sans an inquisitive tilt of the head.
"hey. oh, i got a lot of thinking to do. i'm not sure what to do..." He gulped down half of the bottle in one go, his other hand in his pocket gripping the pamphlets the doctor had given him.
Grillby reached over and patted Sans' shoulder comfortingly, then crackled something encouraging in fire. He was willing to listen.
"do... do you think red and jay would be willing to start a family?" he asked softly.
Grillby popped a little in surprise, then nodded without hesitation, as if to say 'of course.'
"red said before that he’s not ready for kids." He wiped a hand down his face.
The fire elemental tilted his head to the side either way a few times, then made a pinching motion with two fingers. Maybe a little, but lots of people who don't feel ready still wind up happy with it.
"ya really think so?" Sans subconsciously rubbed his soul. "i really think he would be a great dad, personally. he’s so loving and protective. but what about jay? his career is just starting to take off."
Grillby popped a few more times and nodded more insistently. Pointed to a corner where some Lust monsters were fawning over a tale monster's baby. Sans glanced over to see, and then his expression softened. He finished off the bottle absently to put aside.
"they all seem to really love kiddos."
Another nod and shoulder pat. He got Sans another bottle of ketchup, then went to gather his burger from the kitchen.
Sans nervously played with the bottle. Grillby was right. They would be okay with this, definitely. He was also sure Papyrus would be over the moon, and so would Vex.
His burger was delivered to him with an extra large side of fries. When he took a bite of the delicious food, the warmth of Grillby’s caring fire magic followed the bite, soothing him. ’Maybe it will be okay. He pulled out the pamphlets with a little smile and read while he ate.
Once he had eaten a real meal, he was feeling a lot better, perky. "thanks for the food, grillbz, it was great. put it on red's tab, okay?" He chuckled.
Grillby gave a good-natured crackle and one last shoulder pat. Nodded. Then he waved goodbye and took away the dirty dishes to wash.
Sans made sure the papers were deep in his pocket; he wasn't sure yet how the others would take it initially. He’d have to find a way to ease them into it... He took a deep breath and ported, landing in the living room.
Red was just getting home from classes, tired but okay. He dropped his backpack and stretched, then came over to give Sans a hug and kiss.
"hey, sweetheart, everything go okay?"
"yeah, just fine. pretty as a peach. peachy keen, even," Sans said, trying to sound normal. "doc said nothing to worry about, just need to eat more and not stress."
He tilted his head. "you seem nervous...?"
"who me? nah. where is jay? i thought you two would have the movie up and going. wasn't your class over a bit ago?"
"had a few books to drop off, so i just got home, and i think jay's still at work..." Red was still suspicious, but he decided to let it go. "he should be home soon. what movie did you have in mind?"
"how about three men and a baby?" Sans joked, wondering how close it would be to real life.
He snorted quietly. "sure, alright. that one's funny. you want popcorn?"
"yeah, with lots of butter." Sans relaxed a bit and toed off his shoes.
"of course with lots of butter~"
He went to go make said popcorn, humming quietly. While he was doing that, there was another little pop, and Jack Rose appeared with a stretch and a groan, his sewing apron still on.
"mm, forgot what bending over a sewing machine so long does to you... hi, sweetie."
"hey, lover, it sounds like you need some good old feeling up," Sans said, sitting on the couch. "come sit between my legs and I'll help with that."
"oh, baby, i'll get between your legs any day~" He waggled his brow and made a v with two fingers to press his tongue between in a lewd gesture. But then he was good and sat in front of Sans, facing away to give Sans access to his spine.
Sans wasn't as good at this as Jack Rose, but he always gave it his best effort. He ran his hands over the bones carefully and caressed the disks of Jay’s neck in a repetitive motion. "how's that for fingering?"
He sighed, rolling his neck a little. "mm, not bad, sweetie. you're learning. little circles with the thumbs are best up there."
“right, little circles.” He did as he was told, taking care with his movements.
It paid off. Jay sighed again, melting from the attention. "that's good, mm, thank you, you're a perfect darling..."
He leaned over and kissed the top of Jay's head, making the papers crunch slightly in his pocket. "no problem.”
Sans tried to relax. Nothing was going to change. They wouldn't leave him and disappear. He knew that, even if that dumb little voice in the back of his head said otherwise.
Red came in with a big bowl of popcorn, leaned in to kiss Jay hello, then settled on the couch to find the right movie.
Sans’ nonexistent stomach gave a loud growl. 'You'd think I didn't just eat?' he thought, annoyed. Maybe he should avoid porting entirely for now…
"aw, sweetheart. you need more than popcorn." Red put the bowl down and hopped back up to trot into the kitchen.
"thanks redy. nothing too heavy, i did just eat."
"wait, you just ate, and your stomach is growling that bad?" He poked his head back out of the kitchen, concerned. "are you sure you're okay...?"
"you're not losing magic, are you?" Jay asked, also suddenly concerned.
"yeah, the doctor said i'm fine, really. it's natural..." Sans laughed nervously, scratching the back of his skull.
"that's not natural, sansy," Red said, coming back out. "what the fuck is your doctor thinking? maybe we should get you a new one...."
"...why are you lying to us?" Jay said quieter. "why don't you trust us?"
Red was surprised. "he's lying?"
"he's lying."
"hey now, i ain't lying. he said it was fine for my condition," Sans put his hand in his pocket, squeezing the papers and making a crunch before he realized it.
"you're lying about something," Jack Rose insisted, bright eyes - Judge eyes - looking right through him. "omission counts."
"sansy, c'mon... secrets?" Red was starting to look upset.
Sans looked away, guilty. "fine... i... don't know how it happened.... redy, you’re always so damn careful, and jay can’t..." He pulled the papers out and held up the crumpled flier.
"can't...?" Jay reached over to take the brochure and scanned it, then his sockets went wide. "oh... oh, stars..."
"what?" Red came back over, then also gawked at the brochure. "you're... you're pregnant? but- i, i always use condoms, how..."
"it's not... impossible," Jay said slowly, "for a lustie like me to conceive. it's just... very rare."
"It isn't... you can…?" Sans looked to Red guiltily. "you're not mad are you? i know you didn't want a kid yet," he back looked to Jack Rose, "and you're just starting your new career...."
"mad?” Red repeated. “sweetheart, no, i ain't mad. i-i didn't think i was ready for a kid, but... but if there's gonna be one, i'll do my best." He looked nervous, but determined. He came back over to sit beside Sans, wrapping an arm around him. Sans relaxed into his side, clearly relieved.
Jay slowly sat on his other side, still clutching the brochure. Looking down.
"i... the career isn't a factor. of course i want a baby. but..."
His eyelights went out as he re-folded the brochure.
"if that's mine... there's no guarantee it'll last. there have been so many miscarriages ever since our trouble started. i've seen multiple friends or acquaintances manage to conceive, and then lose it."
All of Sans’s tension reared right up at that. He clenched the fabric over his chest, wrinkling his shirt. A ton of emotions flashed over his face before he hid his face in Red's sweater.
'Are they going to leave like my father?'
"fuck…!" He choked on a sob despite trying to hide it.
Red’s own hesitant smile dropped, alarm flashing in his eyelights. He wrapped his arm tighter around Sans with a distressed sound, petting his skull. He gave Jack Rose a pleading look.
"but sansy's not a lustie, so he's got a better chance, right?"
"i... i don't know," Jay said in a whisper. "i haven't heard about any of the rest of us conceiving up here yet... i don't know. i'm sorry. i shouldn't have said anything-"
"no, no. if, if we know, we can do something about it, right? maybe there's... we have more resources up here."
Sans had never been optimistic, so Red’s reassurance didn’t make it better for him. "it's better to know before we get too attached, anyways." His voice cracked. It was true. He could try to pretend this was just a bad dream if it happened.
"like we're just gonna not get attached right away?" Red said. "sweetheart... don't... don't give up right away..."
Sans was quiet a moment, then sat up and wiped his sockets. "then… what do we do, red? i have to make an appointment... i'll call tomorrow and ask when they can get me in."
"well... we have to be cautious. no extra magic use, for one. and... yeah, an appointment... anything else, jay?"
"..." Jay was quiet again, eyelights still out as he so delicately folded the brochure and traced along the folded edges.
"jay?" Red nudged him from behind Sans, and he rocked with the motion and blinked, looking over.
"what? um. yes. appointment. um. i can... call shirley."
“...okay.” He nodded. It was something.
Sans looked between them. “so… do... do you two want to see them?"
Red rubbed Sans' back. "of course, sweetheart, i'd love to."
"of course," Jack Rose echoed softer.
Sans took a long deep breath and let it out over a 6 count. At the end, his soul formed in his hands. He held it up for them to see; a faint little dot of a soul was swimming within it.
Red watched it appear, and then his sockets went round. "wow... there it is... it's so small."
'and fragile,' Jack Rose couldn't help adding in his head. He set his head on Sans's shoulder, watching it. "it's pretty..."
"yeah," Sans sniffled. "red, can ya take a picture of us all?" It might be the only thing he would have, just like with his father. Just one picture.
"uh, sure."
Red didn't like how sad both his lovers looked right now. Something like this... It was supposed to be joyous. Unexpected though it might be, they all at some point wanted a child. They should all be happy to have one, young though they might be. Not... Not so sad as if this was a tragedy. Not already grief-stricken and terrified, like the soulling was already gone.
He pulled out his phone and got them all into the frame of its camera.
"smile?"
Sans put on his fake smile. "yeah, we want one nice picture."
"aw, come on. smile like you mean it," Red said, very nearly pleading. "hey, no matter what happens... right now, we've got a little symbol of our love right there. right inside of you. that's wonderful, isn't it?"
Jay closed his sockets briefly, taking a deep breath. Then he opened them again to look at that little light. He reached out to gently cup a hand under Sans's soul, and a smile appeared, soft and reserved though it might be.
"...i made this."
"you made that," Red agreed. "that's fucking amazing. right, sansy?"
Sans’ smile because more genuine. "yeah. our little speck of light. that is pretty amazing. "
"hell yeah." He smiled wider, relieved, and then snapped the picture. Three happy, hopeful smiles, and one shining soul housing a fragile new life.
He took a few more, just in case. Even told a few puns to see if he could get his lovers giggling. And it worked. Sans couldn’t hold back. Red's joke's were like a balm helping soothe the fear in him for now.
Right now they had a kid…
"you know, this is pretty amazing."
Jay managed to giggle some as well, eyelights getting brighter. "heh... it is, yeah. it's... it's really pretty."
“it is.” Red grinned as he took one last picture to send to them all.
From the kitchen, a shadow slowly dripped down in a dark puddle. It rippled and took on a humanoid shape. The head tilted inquisitively, looking at the soul in Sans’ hands.
The three skeletons in the living room never realized, fixated on the tiny light. But perhaps, as the soul was tucked away again, there was a ripple of unease…
Red went to wander back into the kitchen to grab that sandwich for Sans, somehow feeling hesitant. The inky shadow fled into a corner before being seen, but even so, Red could hear the sound of dripping. It was almost like a leaky faucet, but there was something profoundly off about it.
He shuffled closer to the fridge hesitantly, reaching for it to open for the lunchmeat and cheese. Paused. Looked around with a sense of worry, and rubbed his right wrist without seeming to notice.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Steady like a slow warped soul beat. It echoed off the bare floors and walls.
"need help in there?" he heard Sans calling from the living room, but it was distant, nearly drowned out from the sound encompassing this whole room.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The longer he heard that dripping, the steady rhythm, the more a sense of immense dread came over him. It set his breath quickening. He couldn't respond, sinking slowly to the floor, looking around in growing panic. He was sitting there curled up in a ball soon enough, his good hand shakily touching at his neck.
’stars, please, nonono…’
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
…
The next thing he knew, Sans was on the floor in front of him and the dripping had stopped.
Red made a sound halfway between a sob and a gasp, snapping his head up to look around. That awful dripping was gone, along with the sense of dread.
"what's the matter, red?" Sans didn't touch him yet, not sure where his mind was at. "come home to us, sweetheart."
Jay was beside him as well, so very warm even without direct contact. "breathe, sweetie. deep breaths."
A soft whimper left him as he reached out for both of his lovers, begging for the comfort of contact.
"i don't- there was- something is leaking," he managed, the panic not entirely absent from his voice.
Sans embraced him. "where did you see a leak?" he asked.
"i, i don't know, i didn't see... i heard it." He sniffled, trembling.
"we can look for it together, red baby,” Jay promised, “but something like that doesn't usually trigger your anxiety attacks...?"
"it... it felt wrong. it wasn't a normal leak."
"did it remind you of something else?" Sans asked
"um..." Still shaking, he again rubbed at his right wrist. "i think so, but... i'm not sure what."
Sans arched a brow bone at that. "okay. well, don't worry about it. let's get ya in the living room and relaxed, okay?"
"y-yeah..." He got up with their help and was going to head right there, but then Sans’s stomach gave a well-timed growl and he grimaced. "oh, i was going to make you a sandwich, though."
"i've got it, sweetie, you go sit," Jay assured. "both of you, off to the couch, hm?" He kissed both of their cheeks.
Sans kissed his back and helped Red to the couch. "how about an episode of animaniacs while we wait?" he asked, cuddling up with Red. He hoped the goofy show and closeness would help.
"yeah... yeah, that sounds nice," Red sank onto the couch and held onto Sans, taking another deep breath.
Sans flipped on the streaming service and started the show. He kept Red in his arms, caressing him all the while.
Red put his head on Sans' shoulder, nuzzling in a little, and focused on the show. And meanwhile, Jack Rose opened the fridge to take over making that sandwich for Sans. He worked quickly, concerned about both of his mates.
Once Red had calmed down, Sans asked, "do you want to talk about it?"
He nuzzled more. "i can try... i dunno how much it'll help?"
"it might make you feel better."
"i dunno... it was just... i dunno why. but it gave me the same feeling as... as when i almost-remember things from being little."
He rubbed at his right wrist subconsciously. Sans hugged Red’s skull and kissed the crown. He didn't know what to say.
In that quiet, Jay came back out with two sandwiches for Sans, and one for Red.
"here we,are, sweeties. i hope this helps."
"thanks, jay." He took the sandwich at another loud prompting from his non-existent stomach, then took a big bite. His eyelights lit up a little. "mm, this is really good," he said with his mouth full."you should try it, redy."
“yeah…”
As Red picked up the sandwich, Sans swallowed his bite and said, "red was saying he was remembering something from his childhood. red, was it the leak, or the sound?"
Red finished a first bite before giving a little grimace. "i... don't know," he admitted. "the sound, i think? it sounded... it sounded like a soulbeat, but off... wrong. and it..." He shuddered a little. "i don't remember a lot about my childhood, but... i remember terror. and spilled marrow. and pain..."
"what happened to you?" Jack Rose asked softly, snuggling closer.
"it... i don't know," he confessed. "i told sans a little bit, and i showed him something - uh, i can show you too later, it’s not important right now - but... most of it just doesn't exist in my memory. i can only put pieces together."
Sans rubbed and kissed Red's skull. "we'll get a plumber out here tomorrow. they can find the leak, and it won't scare ya any more."
He shook his head. "but it's gone now," he pointed out. "i don't... i don't think that was a regular leak."
"what else could it be?"
"i..." He rubbed his wrist again. "well... you know who i've forgotten, sansy... it's the same person everyone forgot from your place..."
Jay looked extremely curious and confused, glancing to Sans. "forgotten?"
"yeah." Pure unprocessed grief washed through Sans, and he closed his sockets to respond in a whisper. “my and paps’ father.”
"exactly." Red nodded.
"wait, what?" Jack Rose looked very confused. "everyone forgot your father?"
"uh-huh, their royal scientist. mine, too, i can't remember him, but i know he... made us, vex and i. and we know that berry's is... well. a piece of shit."
"wait a minute." The Lustie blinked rapidly. "how come you two are the only ones where everyone forgot?"
"well... what happened to yours?"
"uh, nothing. i don't think? well, he's..." He looked down, fidgeting a little. "cloister... he made the Lust serum that made us all turn out this way, to need sex to survive. but it was to try and help the population. when it, um, didn't work... well he had just kinda retired before that got really figured out? he just lives as a hermit somewhere, i guess. living off of the royalties or a royal stipend for his service, or whatever."
"well, it looks like it's even,” Sans said, finishing his sandwich. “we have two good and two bad royal scientists.”
"three bad," Red pointed out. "cause howl's..."
"right, three bad. but dad..." Sans’s breath shook as he talked. "...he was great one. he took good care of us. then just, poof. gone. our father, our house. our lives were shattered… papyrus was still so young, so i basically had a kid at 16."
"mm..." Jack Rose made a sad noise and hugged Sans. "my... our mother died giving birth to tai," he said softly. "and neither of us know our dads, or even if we had the same one... i was so young, i don't even remember her face. we got raised by just... the town. nobody in particular. everyone was nice? and tried? but we were always all we actually had for family."
Red hugged them both. "first thing i really remember is falling into the inn at something like eight years old. we slept on the couch in the front for years. i worked washing dishes at pyre's while vex stayed home... he used to get sick so often as a little kid. it was all i could do to help pay back the bunny woman who took us in and get him medicine."
"sounds like we all had it pretty rough... you're both very strong." Jay gave them both a soft kiss.
"you're both amazing." Sans laid his head on Red's should and touched Jay's face.
He was quiet for a moment, but then he went on, his gaze distant as he talked in a quiet voice.
"you know... i couldn't even grieve for him publicly. everyone i talked to about it thought maybe i was going crazy. after all, we had always been orphans to them. at one point, someone said maybe paps would be better off in the orphanage. i couldn't lose him too. that was when i stopped trying officially to get part of our old life back. but o kept looking, in secret. when I got a job at the core. i'd sneak to the lower level where he disappeared.
“there, i found the photo. it was in a busted frame near his desk by the core. it’s of me holding papyrus, and dad's mostly faded out. i took it so excited and went to leave, but the further i took it, the faster he start to fade. i had to keep it there for years and just visit it. time works differently there. a little kinda pocket dimension. a bubble of frozen time…"
"sounds awful," Red said, rubbing Sans' side gently. "i wonder why you remember him still... it can't just be that you were close, maybe it's something else?" He frowned, thoughtful.
"none of that is something i'd have an idea about," Jack Rose said apologetically. "i don't know very much about that kind of science. but... sans, sweetie, you have a wonderful family now. look how big it is! you've got us and papyrus, you've got vex and stretch, you've got berry, you've got daemon and howl, and of course tai and derby too. even your tori and other friends. you're not alone anymore."
"yeah, that’s true." That helped soothe the ache a bit. "as long as we don't forget." He sighed. "as for why i didn't, i'm not sure. maybe because i was a sickly kid and he would take care of me? he used core magic on me once. it was what gave me the power to port, and i didn't get sick so often after that. he was swallowed by the core, so maybe i have some kind of link?"
"yeah, that makes sense to me," Red said musingly. "exposure to the same kind of magic probably makes you immune to some of its effects, or something."
Jack Rose kept petting Sans softly. "so... you brought all this up because... you think the leak had something to do with it?"
Red grimaced. "it reminded me of when i think of my bad royal scientist, so... i think it was..."
"gaster," Jay finished quietly.
"but why would a leak start and stop... and feel like him?" Sans asked.
"well, i'm not sure, but we know he got real fucked up from that machine down there in his sanitarium... and vex thought he saw something weird on the way home from the hospital a while back? and berry's been feeling unsafe when alone... i think he's... probably not in the void? but something similar."
"that's fucked up." Sans shivered, and a phantom pain attacked his skull. "we’ve got to look into it. if he really is still alive then his lackey could be as well." His breath was speeding up.
"yeah..." Red held on to Sans tighter. "but he's never gonna touch you, sweetheart. never."
"yes, it's only that big brute wolf left, and if he ever comes near us, we'll rip him apart," Jay promised.
Sans tried to take comfort in their words and held Red tighter. He held his breath and let it out over a 10 count. After doing that a few times, he numbed a bit to the fear. "okay, how do we fight them?"
"i... don't know," Red confessed. "i mean, we could just fight them the same as normal and see how it goes, but other than that, i'd have to get together with the scientists and see what else we can figure out. there's gotta be something."
"i think we need to do that,” Sans agreed. “they could have gotten new powers from whatever happened and are just learning how to use them. th-the void has influence over space and time..." Memories of his father crossed his mind again. "i got my teleportation power after the core treatments. and my father was erased from everyone by that magic." He gripped Red's shirt tightly and leaned into Jay. "i'll share all my files from the search with ya."
"yeah, it does..." He nodded and held Sans closer. "sure, we'll comb through it and ask the alphyses and undynes what all they know too. it'll be alright, sweetheart."
"and for now, let's just... try not to let any of us be alone whenever we can help it, alright?" Jay suggested, also snuggling in.
"oh, shit." Sans’ eyelights guttered out. "red, call your bro. pucci sleeps in their own room."
"i think they don't anymore, but good idea..." He pulled out his phone and hit Vex's speed-dial. It rang twice, then picked up.
"GOOD EVENING, RED."
Splashing and baby laughter came from the master bathroom. Puuci was having a bath and popping bubbles on Stretch's face, laying on his chest.
"hey, bro. we were just talking about... some stuff." He grimaced. "about gaster."
"OH." He sounded a bit uneasy himself. "NOTHING'S HAPPENED, RIGHT?"
"uhhh, well..."
"we think he might not be dead." Sans said. "red had a visit from something."
"A VISIT, YOU SAY...?"
"yeah, it... i didn't see him, but i heard... dripping. and it felt like..." He shuddered. "i just... i know it was him."
"I SEE." He definitely sounded concerned. "I'VE FELT SOMETHING SIMILAR A FEW TIMES... ENOUGH TO BE JUMPY WHEN ALONE."
"yeah... bro, is pucci still in their own room?"
"NOT RIGHT NOW, NO. WE'VE MOVED THE CRIB TO OUR ROOM FOR THE TIME BEING. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE LEAVING THEM ALONE."
"good." Red sighed in relief.
"don't leave them alone," Sans implored, "we don't know what's going on, but it can't be good."
"OH, DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT, I'M NOT LETTING THEM OUT OF MY OR STRETCH'S SIGHT, EVER, RIGHT NOW," Vex said firmly.
Sans nodded even though Vex couldn't see him. "you're a good mate, vex. we'll work on it on our end and keep you informed. make sure you tell stretch too." Sans cuddled both his mates, trying to calm down.
Red and Jay both cuddled back, nuzzling in to help calm him.
"WELL, THANK YOU," Vex said, a bit surprised but flattered. "YES, I'LL TELL HIM. YOU BE CAREFUL, TOO."
"who is papa talking to?" Stretch asked Pucci loud enough for Vex to hear. "maybe uncle red? or someone from dance?"
Puuci giggled and laughed, patting Stretch's teeth.
“IT’S RED, I’LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT,” he called back. “APOLOGIES, IT’S BATH TIME.”
"ah, we'll let you go now, then. goodnight, vex." Sans said. He didn't have to say take care of them. He knew Vex would.
"YES, GOOD NIGHT, YOU THREE."
"night, bro," Red said, nuzzling more.
There was the click of the phone being hung up, and then Red tucked the phone away again.
"feel better, sweetie?" Jay asked.
"yeah, a little," Sans said, snuggling into the two of them.
They spent the rest of the evening cuddled up together, watching a movie and calming from the eventful day.
A week passed by soon enough, and it was finally friday afternoon. Movie day in Sans’ classroom again.
"mr. sans, why are you not magicing the popcorn?" one of his students asked.
"i'm still healing. need to save magic is all, kiddo." He winked to reassure his student, but his hand went to rub over his soul.
His magic had been feeling a bit off today. He almost felt like Papyrus, fidgety, with his leg bouncing on its own and his nerves frayed. He hadn't felt like this in a long long time.
He took a bite of popcorn. The small amount of food dissolved on his tongue quickly, giving him a sweet boost of magic. He still felt low on magic, but the pregnancy was giving him a bit of morning sickness the last few days, making it hard to make sure he ate enough at frequent intervals. Luckily the popcorn wasn't upsetting his magic today.
His could imagine he felt their little light dancing in his soul from the little boost-!!
He lurched forward out of his office chair to collapse on the floor, balling up. His magic tried to snap in place without his will. It stole his breath away.
"mr. sans??" some of the kids called, with frightened cries in the background.
Sweat gathered on his skull as pain began to gather in his abdomen. "k-kid," Sans panted, "g-go get t-tori." He bit back a moan.
The student ran out the door, and the room filled with more mumbles and worried sounds. Another student went to turn on the lights and stop the movie.
Sans fumbled for his phone. It fell on the floor, and he couldn't get himself to unball to get it. Some of the braver children came up to him.
"Mr. Sans?"
"Teach?"
“What should we do?”
"Here’s your phone, Mr. Sans."
The pain was getting worse. "c-code..." He drew a shape on the floor with one shaky finger, and the kid holding it out unlocked it by mimicking. "t-text red and jay t-to come."
“Okay!”
[Mr. Sans is not feeling good. Please come quickly.] The kid sent both people a text and then gently handed the phone over. "Done, Teach."
It took only a minute or two before Red popped into the classroom, looking around in concern.
"sans??"
He hurried over to his lover with wide sockets.
"what happened??"
Sans moaned, hugging his middle. His magic felt wrong. Bloated. It was trying to be bigger than what he was used to, than what his body was used to. It felt like too much, way more than he had the energy for.
"He was eating popcorn and rubbing his chest, then he flinched and fell and told us to get help," one of the girls said with a wobbly voice.
Red knelt beside Sans and yanked off his mitten with his teeth to put his good hand on Sans' chest. Green slowly sputtered to life as he tried desperately to figure out what was wrong.
"it feels like... i-i think the soulling is moving down...??"
Jay appeared then in his work uniform, and his sockets went wide as he saw what was going on.
"oh no, it's- ohhh, no."
He knelt on Sans's other side and grabbed both of them.
"we should go home," he said, voice shaking.
Sans gripped on to both of them. He tried to keep the tears in his sockets and not let them out. He didn't want to worry his students any more than they already were. The sound of a few of them crying behind him broke his soul a little already.
He leaned into Jay closely and whispered almost too softly to hear. "h-hurts..."
"i know, sweetie." Jay gripped him securely.
The door burst open with a worried looking Toriel and the child that had run to get her. "Everyone sit down. It will be okay. Mr. Sans's mates will be taking him to the doctor, so don't worry. Let’s give them some space, alright?”
She gently shooed the kids away from the skeletons to gather them closer and start comforting the more distraught ones.
Jay also grabbed ahold of Red, and then they were gone in a blip.
They arrived on the bed at home, and then Jay put both hands on the belly to start pouring in his own magic. His hands were shaking.
Red continued to give healing magic with his real hand, while a magic one grabbed his phone to dial up the doctor.
As the two of them poured in their magic, the pain subsided just a bit, from a 10 down to an 8. Sans was able to breathe again.
"i don't want to lose them. p-please..." He begged the Angel.
He knew this was going to happen, but he had just started to hope. He had thought the pregnancy was going well based on what he had been researching. Until now.
"i know, baby, i know." Jay's face was scrunched up, purple welling up in his sockets. "come on..."
"breathe, sansy, deep breaths." Red's hand was shaky on him as well, and he squinted in an effort to hold back tears.
As both of them kept pouring in magic, there were three long rings before the doctor picked up.
"Hello?"
"doc, there's something wrong with sans and the soul, what do we do?"
"What? What's going on?"
Sans took hiccuping breaths, trying to keep from sobbing. "i-i’ve been having morning sickness. was eating popcorn... then my magic tried to summon itself, but it felt-" He choked on another sob. "w-wrong."
The doctor sounded terse at that. "It sounds like it's trying to settle in your ecto, outside your soul, and it's not strong enough. Red, he needs to be put on a green magic machine right away."
Red took a deep breath. "okay. we're coming. okay. c'mon, sansy, we're gonna port again. jay?"
Jay didn't answer, sockets wide and blank, staring down at how the ecto was going pale and that little white light inside was getting dimmer and dimmer. His hands dropped away.
"no… it’s…"
"jay, please!"
Sans rolled up into a ball as more pain shot through him suddenly. He screamed, raw and agonized.
"sans!!"
Red's magic hand dropped the phone to clatter to the ground as it flew to him. He kept desperately pressing in more of his magic, as much as he could manage, desperation making protective alpha pheromones flood the room with the smell of apple.
Jay just sat there knelt on the bed, hands hanging limply, staring with blank sockets.
"red," he said quietly, "it's gone."
"no, we can still save it, don't give up on them!"
There was a pop sound, and the magic disappeared.
A tiny pile of dust settled on the bed.
And Sans passed out.
The room went silent for a long moment, the chaos of the last few minutes stopped as quickly as it had started.
Red kept pressing in magic a few more seconds, his namesake dripping down his face, before a broken little sob came out of his throat and he wrenched away. A few moments passed where he drew in frantic breaths between the tears, and then he touched Sans' cheeks gentler.
"s-sansy, baby..."
"he'll be fine," Jay said mechanically, staring at the little dust pile beside Sans’s spine. "it's over. it's fine."
"it's not fucking fine, jack rose, none of that was fucking fine!" Red growled, whipping his head up to glare with too-bright and too-small eyelights.
"it's fine," Jay repeated blankly. "i knew it would happen. it always happens. it's fine."
Red grabbed him by the scruff of his work apron, yanking him closer until their faces were inches apart, teeth grit.
"stop it! it's not fine, you're not fine! don't lie to yourself! or me!"
"it's fine," he whispered again, eyelights still not lighting back up. He was passive in Red's grip, not raising his head. "i knew."
Red squeezed his sockets shut, dragging in a deep breath, and forced himself to let go. He stumbled to his feet, barely avoiding stepping on his already cracked phone on the floor.
He dragged himself to the kitchen and got two glasses of water, then came back and set them down. He gently pushed Jay until he was laying down beside Sans, then frisked his pockets for his phone.
He unlocked it with shaky fingers and scrolled through the contacts until he found Shirley, then hit call.
After two rings, it picked up.
"Jay? Hi?" Shirley sounded confused on the phone.
"who heads the research team to prevent lustie pregnancy problems?" Red's tone was low now. Dangerously calm.
"Wha- uh, Red, what- um, I do?"
"congrats, then. you've got two new workers. i'm coming in with spire."
"I don't... What? Is Jay... Okay?"
"i'll be there tomorrow."
He hung up in the middle of her next protest and tucked the phone in his jacket pocket. Glanced back over at Jay, practically catatonic, and Sans, unconscious. He had to tend to them first, but then...
...He had a mission.
About an hour later, Sans came to. His body felt like he had been in a wrestling match against Undyne. His mana lines burned and ached.
"mmh, what?” he mumbled as he fluttered open his sockets. “what happened…?" Everything from right before he passed out was a blue of pain in his mind.
Jay was curled up beside him, awake but still looking numb, dim eyelights and one finger tracing the lines and wrinkles of the bedsheets.
Red, sitting at his other side, leaned closer right away to touch his cheek.
"sans, how do you feel? does anything hurt?"
The room was absolutely drenched in protective, possessive, angry alpha pheromones. The normally semi-sweet apple scent was almost sour. There was a tightness of his own eyelights, too bright, too saturated. His fury over the soulling's fate hadn't dimmed in the slightest, but he was directing it all as best he could into productive things.
Like the small mountain of snacks and water he had ready for Sans, and two extra blankets ready to be laid out.
"i feel like i went a round with paps and undyne," Sans groaned. “my mana lines feel like they're running dry…” He put his hand on his chest rubbing over his soul.
"you should eat, then." Red held out a bowl of assorted fruits for Sans to take, fork stuck in already.
But Sans didn’t take it right away, his hand still resting on his soul as the horror started to sink in. The dim memories of pain and fear.
"...the souling?" he asked in a choked whisper, looking up at Red pleadingly. "is our souling okay?"
Red’s eyelights flashed again, then went dim. Wordlessly, he used a magic hand to hold up a small mason jar. The meager amount of dust rested inside, leaving it not even halfway full.
Sans eyelights guttered out, and a strangled cry tried to escape him. He ignored the fruit and reached for the jar.
Red let him have it, putting the bowl of fruit aside just for the moment.
"i'm sorry, sans. i tried so hard, we both did. i gave everything i could, but... i'm sorry."
Sans held the jar to his chest just over his soul. He knew this would happen. He knew, Jay had told him, he knew. And yet…
"hhh..." Sans tried to talk, but only a whimper came.
He hugged the jar, cuddling into Jay. It didn’t immediately register that Jay just laid there limply, not even cuddling back. He just held out an arm to Red, needing his alpha's touch.
Red pressed close right away, wrapping his arms protectively around Sans and trying to make use of the few couple of inches and bulk he had on his mate.
"i'm sorry," he said again, quieter. "i wanted to think it would... well, it won't happen again. i'll find a way."
Sans tried to find comfort in that as he held the dust close. He was quiet in Red’s arms a long few minutes, just letting the pain wash through him.
"...we’ll make them a little place on the dresser," he said quietly. “a place where they are close." He hugged and squeezed the jar just a bit. "w-we never settled on a n-name." His voice cracked.
Jay closed his sockets at that, his hand finally going still from its restless tracing.
"better not to," he said dully, speaking for the first time in over an hour. "names make you attached."
Red made a pained sound. "jay..."
Ignoring the plea in Red’s voice, Jack Rose stiffly uncurled and got back to his feet, pulling away from Sans’s pleading grasp.
"i need to get back to work."
"what? just call out, sweetheart, you shouldn't work like this."
He disappeared. Red swore quietly and held Sans closer.
"jay..." Sans murmured, but he was already gone. He held the jar close, looking at Red with big sockets. "they deserve a name."
Red gently put a hand on the top of the jar. "if that's what you want, sweetheart."
"yeah." He nodded, trying to think of something good past the utter sadness. "how about dotty? they were our little dot."
Red clicked his tongue, dissatisfied. "i think we can do better than that, sansy... they were more than a dot, they were a light. a little piece of brightness. like a star… maybe... celeste, or aster, or lumen..."
"celeste sounds good. our little star in the heavens." He cuddled the jar with a sad little smile.
"yeah..." He held Sans tighter, nuzzling his neck. "please eat something, sweetheart?"
Sans knew he should eat; his magic was almost dangerously low.
But he didn’t feel hungry. He mostly just felt the pain of their loss. And he wished Jay had stayed. But that almost sour apple scent made it clear to him that Red was in a very protective state and wouldn’t put up with his bullshit.
It’s just, he wasn't ready to let go of this jar…
"only if you feed me. i don't want to let them go yet."
Red relaxed a little and nuzzled in again. "yeah, babe, i can do that." He picked up the bowl of fruits again and lifted the fork to feed him the first little chunk of watermelon.
Sans opened his mouth, grateful that Red was here with him. He dutifully ate as much as he could, easing Red’s protective anxiety with every bite.
Once half of the bowl was eaten, Sans shook his head. "i'm full. can you go talk with jay, bring him home with us?" He wasn't ready to get up. His body and magic still ached. It would probably be a few days before he could really move around. "maybe he wants to come and help take me to the doctor's for a check up?"
Red reluctantly put the bowl down.
"you're gonna eat the rest of this at some point tonight," he warned. Then he sighed, rubbing his face. "sans, i dunno if he's gonna listen right now. i can try, but he's not been responding."
"you think he is alright alone?"
"i dunno..." he said quieter. "he's at work, so there's other people, he’s not completely alone, but..."
He shook his head with a sigh, then squeezed Sans gently one more time before getting up.
"i can try. i'll go talk to him. i'll be right back, okay? i’ll be quick."
"thank you, starshine."
When Red left. Sans held the jar tight. More silent tears dripped down his face.
Red was gone for only about five minutes before porting back in. Not even long enough for the overprotective sour alpha smell to start to dissipate.
With a defeated sigh, he came onto the bed and held Sans close again.
"he doesn't wanna right now. but i made sure he wouldn't be just working himself to death.. i called mary. she's gotta know how to help him through it, right?"
Sans nodded into Red’s chest, the jar pressed between them. He cried quietly for the loss of their souling and the pain in their souls. The only bright side, small as it was, was at least at this time he could have closure.
Red held him all evening, petting, feeding him food and water, offering what words of comfort he could.
Tomorrow, he'd grab Spire by the shoulder and drag her into the Lust's lab with him, uncaring of any protests. She owed him, anyway.
And he would make sure this never happened again.
Notes:
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