Chapter Text
There was a knock on the door. Outer stood from his desk, wondering who was on the other side. None of his roommates knocked, and most of the others he had grown to know over the past two months were in the habit of at least saying something along with knocking, so who was this?
Vio sat up to look at the door, pausing whatever video he was watching on his phone, as Outer walked over and opened the door. It was another skeleton, one he didn’t recognize.
“HELLO!” The person was loud. That was the first thing Outer noticed. “I- UH, I’M LOOKING FOR MY BROTHER. IS THIS SANS-UH COMIC’S ROOM?” They looked a little anxious.
Before Outer could respond, Vio spoke up. “Sorry hun, he’s not here right now though. He’s in the band room.”
Outer nodded, “He’s been there a few hours, you tried calling but he didn’t pick up, correct?”
The other skeleton seemed surprised, “YES, I DID. HOW DID YOU-”
“Because he never picks up when he’s practicing. Mentioned something about keeping his phone on mute whenever he played in a group.” Outer thought a little more, “He keeps it on when he’s playing alone, so he’s probably practicing with someone else, Tone if I had to guess, not Night though, Dream was talking about taking him to see a movie today. Dust and Killer are going with them if I recall correctly.”
Vio sat up straighter, “Oh that’s where he went? By the way, have I told you how much I hate it when you go Sherlock mode?”
Outer laughed. “It really isn’t much, I just pay attention to details.”
“You literally pick up on everything… I doubt you were even a part of that conversation where Dream mentioned seeing a movie!” Vio said. He looked unimpressed with the explanation. He turned back to Comic’s brother, “Do you know where the music room is, or do you want us to show you?”
They shook their head, “THAT WOULD BE NICE! I REALLY DON’T KNOW THIS CAMPUS AT ALL.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Outer stepped out of the room, Vio quickly following behind.
As the three made their way down the stairwell, Vio seemed to be taking the stairs extra slow for some reason. “Hey, you never told us your name.”
“OH HOW RUDE OF ME! MY NAME IS PAPYRUS.” he replied quickly.
On their way to the music room, the conversation continued.
“I’m surprised Comic didn’t just stay in our room if he knew you were visiting.” Vio commented. “I wasn’t on the group chat, did Tone ask for help in there?”
Outer shook his head, “I’ve been ignoring that thing like the plague since the dad-bot situation…” He shuddered. Papyrus looked confused. “It’s a long story…”
“I FEEL LIKE… THERE’S A LOT OF INFORMATION I’M MISSING.” Papyrus said.
“About two years of information, but who’s counting?” Outer shrugged, then paused, “sorry, two months.”
Vio shot him a weird look.
The moment Outer opened the door to the building which held the band room, the faint sound of string instruments and a piano told him his suspicions were correct. It suddenly occurred to him that he had never heard Comic or whoever was with him play before now. Papyrus seemed fascinated by the noise.
“I thought the practice room was this way” Vio whispered, pointing down a hallway Outer passed. Outer doubled back and nodded in agreement.
“I don’t have any classes in this building…” He murmured back, a little embarrassed for almost leading the trio astray.
Vio gave him a comforting smile, “I don’t either, I was just exploring over here when we first came here.” He started leading the way.
Sure enough, the music gradually grew louder and louder until a few familiar faces came into view. Just outside the barely open door to the practice room was Dream, along with the girl he recognized as Tone’s sister.
Outer waved to get Dream’s attention. “I thought you and Night were going to the movies.” he whispered, trying not to alert the students inside, none of which were faced the door. It was very likely they weren’t aware they were being watched.
“I got the date wrong.” Dream whispered back. “Shhh.”
The music continued, a song Outer didn’t recognize yet he could pick out the three instruments involved quite easily.
Vio seemed mesmerized, staring at Night on the piano. There was something in his gaze, admiration mostly, but also something else. He watched as Vio’s attention moved to Tone, that same look of awe and wonder and a third thing Outer didn’t recognize. He knew the look, Geno looked at Reaper like that occasionally, Blue looked at Comic like that whenever he thought no one was looking, Dream had that look a few times but he could never tell who he was looking at, Outer just didn’t know what that look meant.
He was so focused on analyzing the people around him that he almost didn’t notice the song’s ending. Dream clapped, alerting all three performers and confirming that they hadn’t been aware of their audience. Tone and Comic both blushed slightly with embarrassment before both simultaneously recognized their siblings in the group.
Papyrus and Tone’s sister both approached their respective siblings, the meeting a little awkward as if none of them really knew how to respond in this situation. Comic fully put his violin away while Tone just set their cello against the chair they were sitting in before they finally broke the ice.
“Chi! I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to visit before christmas!” They hugged their sister.
“Nope! Surprise!” Chi literally picked up Tone and spun them around.
Turning his attention from the siblings, Outer saw that the twins and Vio were sitting on the piano bench, quietly talking and observing, while Comic and Papyrus were watching Tone and Chi. Comic then said something to Papyrus.
“WAIT WHAT?!” Papyrus looked shocked, then looked at the other pair of siblings who were now looking at Papyrus. “YOU’RE COUSINS?!”
Tone and Comic nodded, “we found out a few weeks ago” Comic said.
Tone grins, “I think you mean we’re cousins.” They looked a little dizzy from being spun around.
As Outer got a bit closer, he heard Chi murmur, “Well at least we know the height thing is genetic and not just a freak of nature.”
Papyrus nodded, “INDEED, YOU AND I ARE RATHER TALL, AND OUR BROTHERS ARE QUITE SMALL.”
“i prefer the term fun sized.” Comic retorted with a playful tone he hadn’t heard from him before. Tone just looks a bit embarrassed at his small size.
Night and Dream stood, along with Vio. “We were going to go get some lunch, would you like to join us?” Dream asked the group.
Chi nods, “Lunch sounds nice, and it would be even nicer to see what you have access to in terms of food.” She said, switching focus from Dream to Tone mid-sentence. Tone just nods in agreeance.
— — —
October 26, Saturday
A hook and a string. Quite a difference from the scarf he was knitting, crochet felt like a completely different skillset entirely. Error remembered learning the skill out of spite after the millionth time someone had asked him to crochet something while he was knitting, then having to explain the difference between the two arts.
To quote Outer, totally not something that would annoy a certain college student…
Currently, he was watching a video in slow motion, copying the movements shown on the screen as he worked the yarn between the hook and his fingers. He had made a tiny octopus, purple, and a little yellow chick already, now he was making a little black and white cow.
The future recipient of said little cow walked into the common area, eyes locking onto the intricate movements of Error’s hands.
“Is that a cow?” Cross asked, sitting across from him. Error nodded silently.
“I-I-It’s-s fo-for-r y-you.” He said, not looking up from his work. He heard Cross shift slightly though.
“I’m actually scared of cows…” Cross murmured. “Before you laugh, I had an incident when I was little where a cow almost trampled me and I had to go to the hospital for a broken rib.”
“Wa-asn’t-t-t go-gonna-a laugh.” He murmured again. “Y-you’ve-ve nev-ver laughed-d-d at-at me-e f-for b-bein-ing sca-cared-d of-of-of t-touch-ch-ch.”
Cross seemed to think on that for a bit, “Yeah you’re right. I just assumed there was a bad incident in your childhood like me.” Error stilled, then finally looked up at Cross. Cross’s expression changed, “Sorry… you don’t have to explain anything you don’t want to…”
Error looked back down. “I d-don’t-t-t r-rememb-mber it…” He adds a few more stitches before finishing his thought, “b-but m-m-my body-dy does-s. And-d-d I-I rea-ad-d th-the pol-lice re-repor-ort l-l-las-ast year-r.” He buried the emotions starting to bubble up at reading that stupid report… How reading it brought back some long-repressed memories.
Cross slowly nods. “I understand. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.” Error just nods back.
A few minutes of silence later, Error wordlessly adds the stuffing to the little cow, and sews on two beads for the eyes. A few finishing stitches to prevent the stuffing from escaping its yarn prison, and he sets the finished creation on the coffee table, its tiny face looking up at Cross.
Cross slowly picks up the little cow, it being the size of his palm, his eyes soften. “Thank you, it’s adorable!” He murmured, giving the little plush a hug. Error felt his own soul soften as well upon seeing such genuine love given to one of his creations.
He didn’t show affection outwardly, but this was his way of telling people he cared.
— — —
October 27, Sunday
Reaper sat on the piano bench across from Geno, who was tuning his guitar.
“hey bird brain? do me a favor and play an e on the piano. its the one to the right of the part with two black keys.” Geno said, waiting for the other to turn around and find the key. When it was played, Geno turned the tuning peg until it sounded like the E played on the piano. The only reason he had tolerated Reaper during his practice session was because he promised to not say a single word until the session was over. So far, he had kept his promise.
Once the guitar was tuned, Geno had a tablet propped up on a sheet music stand, pulled up with a song he was about to learn.
The first few chords were shaky, trying to squint at the chords above the lyrics, they were mostly minor chords, with some majors thrown in for flavor. As he strummed A minor, he remembered that one post where the instructions for the chord was horribly worded, to finger the chord should have never been the way to describe the action…
Reaper watched, intrigued as the chords were practice, how he ran through the chorus multiple times until it was consistent, how he started humming the vocals once he was getting consistent, how he stared with so much focus at the tabs, slowly letting muscle memory take hold and just enjoying the music being created.
Geno loved his guitar, but after about an hour of practice, his fingers were starting to hurt. Unfortunately, that was the consequence of not practicing for a while and weakening his calluses. Don’t ask how skeletons can form calluses, it's none of your business. He was sure the other string players could relate, he’d heard Tone and Comic both complain about aching fingers after a long practice session.
Finally, Geno stood with his guitar, running through the whole song with confidence. It was short, it was easy, but the feeling of picking up something new so quickly was a wonderful feeling. By the end of it, Reaper was smiling like a little kid and Geno felt satisfied.
“May I speak now?” Reaper asked.
“as long as it's not flirting, yes.” Geno said, pulling the guitar strap over his head.
“It’s not flirting, I promise.” He said with a grin, “I just wanted to say I loved how proud of yourself you looked when you played the full song. I’ve never seen you make that expression before, it suits you.”
Geno stilled, that was probably the first genuine compliment he had heard from Reaper, for once not something said to get a rise out of him.
“i… thank you.”
Reaper smiled. “No problem shortie.”
“ah, there’s the smartass, i almost thought you had gotten possessed or something.” Geno said with a snort.
“Don’t be like that! You know you love it!” Reaper said in a sing-song voice.
“i’m gonna hit you with my guitar.”
“Love you too.”
“what did you just say to me?!”
“:)”
“... did… did you just somehow manage to vocalize the smiley face emoji?”
“I am a bird of many talents."
— — —
October 27, Sunday
“uno!” Killer threw a card on the table.
“what the fuck how did you get rid of all your cards so quickly?!” Dust looked baffled. Poor Horror was just staring at the 20 cards in his hands. Dust grumbled and threw an 8 onto the deck. Horror stared at his cards for a bit, his expression changing from bewilderment to a slow calculation. Neither had given Horror a hard time about taking long on his turns, instead using the opportunity to banter with each other. Or sip their drinks.
Slowly, with dramatic flare, Horror placed a +4 card on the table. Killer looks betrayed, dramatically gasping and throwing a hand against his chest.
“how could you betray me like this?!” He wailed dramatically. Horror just grinned and looked at Dust with an expression that betrayed he had planned this from the beginning. Dust felt a glimmer of pride at his roommate, using psychological warfare on Killer.
Killer grumbled about betrayal as he drew his four cards. Dust placed another card on the pile, grinning at Horror, who promptly placed another +4 card. Killer all but screeched. The next turn was even worse, with Dust discreetly showing Horror he had a +4, to which Horror showed he had one more.
With a wicked grin, Dust calmly placed the draw 4, and Horror calmly placed his own card on top. Killer stares at the two in utter shock.
“did you two team up against me?!” Killer slammed his hands on the table, earning some dirty looks from the table near them.
“maaaaaaybe.” Dust grinned. To add insult to injury, after Killer drew his 8 cards, Horror placed a skip. Killer just threw his cards and stormed off to probably sulk in the cafe’s bathroom.
Dust just burst out laughing at Killer’s response, Horror was also laughing.
“planned that…” Horror said once their fit of giggles died down.
“that was glorious big guy!” Dust held out a fist that Horror bumped with his own.
When Killer comes back. “i hate you two.”
“love you too!” Dust mocked.
“weren’t we… weren’t we supposed to be… studying?” Horror asked.
“yeah, but killer brought uno and we never really got to studying.” Dust said. Killer looked proud of himself.
“i did indeed bring uno for the sole purpose of group procrastination.” He said with flourish.
Horror nodded. “should… we study now?” He asked.
“probably.” Dust nodded back, pulling out his backpack and grabbing a loose sheet of notebook paper while Killer gathered the cards to put away.
“what’re we studying?” Horror asked.
“either physics or language arts, whatever you want to do more.” Dust replied.
“i vote physics, i’d rather not get insulted by her again for turning something in late.” Killer grumbled.
“ugh, you know shes bad when killer of all people doesn't want to procrastinate on her homework.” Dust sighed, Horror nodded in agreement.
The questions at the very least aren’t very difficult, and the two helped Horror on the questions he was having trouble with. Overall once the uno madness was over, they had a surprisingly productive study and homework session.