Chapter Text
Darkness. A grey haze.
Time seems to stop here. Nothing moving, nothing making a simple sound. It’s almost peaceful.
Almost, as a ghostly figure stands at his ‘save point’. Something this child has dubbed it. A yellow glowing star, floating in the air. A band of color flowing next to it. Clips of time, almost like ghostly pictures dance inside. More solid the picture, closer it is to present day. Practically see through, Frisk strides on over to the colorful band, searching for his yellow star. However, a trail of crimson catches his attention, then harsh coughing.
“Wow, you were a hard one to get. Heya kiddo. Didn’t think you would see me?” Standing larger than ever, with the shining star in his hand, a massive blaster demon towers over. Four crimson beady eyes glance down at Frisk. Tail flicks across the ground.
“First time seeing a blaster monster? Amazing, am I? Well, funny you should ask.” Speaking like this currently mute child is talking to him, Red steps forward through the band of color and circles around Frisk on two digitigrade legs, long fanned tail dragging behind. Massive claws click along the ground.
“You wanna know how I got this way? The very same force that give you the ability to turn back time, only I wasn’t graced with as much as you. So you see, I managed to give myself a tiny boost and wadda know, I turned into a melting mass. Without a stronger soul, I was slowly dying but thanks to you, I’m whole! However, I still look gross. It’s not fun having your own trail.” Pausing for a moment, Red squeezes the yellow star, a section of the colorful band starts to glow.
“DT is a funny substance. It craves energy and well, my tiny boost gave me just enough to steal yours, meaning, I’m in control now brat.” With that final sentence, Frisk starts to laugh. Red tilts his skull and comes down lower, nose right at the child’s head.
“And let me guess, you’re going to reset to the time before you decided to level downtown? If you do that, I’ll have control again, because it will be before you killed me, nulling your actions. I almost killed that fish, I can do it again. Then I can go after Papyrus because he’s too stupid to fight back, leaving you all alone once again.” Smirking, Frisk pushes Red’s nose away from his head. The little smug brat crosses his arms. Foot taps. “Well? I don’t have all day.”
Red snarls in return and turns fast enough to use his tail to attack Frisk in this gray void, knocking him down. “No you stupid brat, I’m going to go back much further. You can handle one of me, but can you handle two? As in, I’m bringing Sans back, and If I want to keep you in line, all I have to do is eat my DT and kill another human with a soul like yours. They aren’t hard to find, usually a person in power.” Growling back, this blaster snorts and turns his back on the child. He walks back over to the band of glowing color searches for the brightest spot. Large claws lift up and go to strike its target, and with a simple thought, Red resets.
“I’ll turn everybody against you! You’ll see!” In one last desperate attempt, Frisk calls out as the darkness comes in fast.
“I’ll see you try brat.” A smile grows on Red’s face. Here he comes Papyrus. He promised he wouldn’t leave you.
Six months ago. Spring time.
The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and kids like you?
“Should be in bed and not working so late at night on their homework. Heya kiddo!” Sitting in his room, a short round and kind of chubby skeleton monster resides at his desk. His face turned up in a very familiar smile welcoming his house guest into his bedroom/office. A set of glowing white eyes shine brightly as Sans pats the top of his surface, guiding Frisk to his spot in the room.
Looking annoyed, Frisk narrows his eyes and strides into the room. His short frame sits in one of the open chairs, math book in hand. Let’s just get this over with.
So far, during the private lesson, nothing has happened. Frisk excuses himself to get a cup of water from the kitchen, passing Papyrus along the way, giving the tall skeleton a large smile. Papyrus was always his favorite after all, and pulls himself a cup. A glimmer of metal shines on the counter: the prized kitchen knives. One hit from these on a low level monster and poof, they’re dust.
A quick trip back to the room, passing Papyrus once again, who pats Frisk on the top of his head on his way to bed, he opens early tomorrow so he has to sleep, we follow this tall monster to his room. He’s sure Sans is punning his way through the math lesson and Frisk is learning something extra good! This child even gets to spend the night with the duo. Sans is allowing him to sleep in his bed, this time not a messy pile of blankets, after the lesson.
However, Papyrus has to go to sleep. The sun coming up and down every day has had a rather odd effect on his body. He’s become tired when it goes down. Enough to sleep. Sleep! Who thought of that? The Great Papyrus would need sleep, who thought of this. Not the Great Papyrus…
Anyway, Papyrus moves on to his room, turning off lights and laying down. Just before he closes his eyes, some strange feeling starts to bud in his soul. Something about this very moment, this evening. Like it’s happened before. Yea, Frisk has been over many a time for homework help but this time, something feels off. This younger skeleton responds by rolling over onto his side and tries to think of something else. He’s supposed to hang out with Undyne tomorrow but right now, he can’t but think about his brother. It’s muffled, but there is a thump in the floor. Sounds like its coming… there’s another.
Jumping out of bed, Papyrus is going to feel so silly when he finds out that Frisk dropped his books again. Down the hall in two steps, the light from Sans room peeks out from his cracked door. Voices are muffled, sounds… odd? Shaky hand goes down to push the door open and Papyrus finds his brother leaned over his bed, marrow all over the floor, Frisk wielding a knife. There is a chair on the floor, heavy breathing and before the once beloved child has a change to strike, his soul is turned blue and he’s thrown into the wall, knife clattering on the ground.
“Sans! Oh stars, Sans, are you alright? Brother?” Rushing over to his injured brother, Papyrus frowns. His hands shake has they cover the slashed shirt belonging to his brother, marrow falls out on the floor. Sans looks like he’s going to faint. Off comes this taller skeletons night shirt and is used to cover up his brothers wound. Both skeletons shake and clatter, afraid of the now detained monster in the room.
Once the bleeding stops, Sans requests his phone. This isn’t going to be a fun phone call. It’s very late at night and both aren’t very sure how Toriel is going to react to the news. The look that over comes Sans face reads one of relief. Finally, somebody understands that this child isn’t good. Papyrus no longer trusts Frisk.
The next morning however, Papyrus wakes cradling Sans in his arms. It’s like he was afraid of losing his brother or something. It takes this skeleton a while but he manages to patch most of Sans’ chest up, patting his brother on his skull and inviting him out for his outing with Undyne. It was going to be a long exercise related outing but after some convincing, Papyrus managed to turn it into a simple lunch date. He really doesn’t want to leave his brother alone after what happened. So the trio wonder down the street, laughing and joking, moving rather slowly for poor Sans. His dressing is outlined by his shirt so they have to take it easy. If it wasn’t for the higher level of hope he gained from being on the surface, Papyrus doesn’t think he would have survived. That was a rather nasty hit.
Off in the distance stands a lone figure, hiding in the darkness. Crimson and white color eye orbs gaze out from underneath a furred hoodie, tail flicks from behind. Clawed hands hold onto brick and the very same eyes watch on from a far, gazing at the trio. A rather toothy smile is silhouette, forming soft shapes.
Back across the street to the laughing trio, the tallest of the bunch pauses for just a single moment, eye sockets gazing around. They just so happen to pass by and make contact with the hidden crimson and white set back in the shadows, almost causing a small smile to grow on the skeletons face. The shadowed figure turns into the alleyway and tries to hurry off but Papyrus is already across the street before it has a chance to disappear. Shaky hand is placed on the figures shoulder and a voice that tries not to crack speaks.
“Do I know you?” Papyrus asks the figure in black and gold.
“Maybe, whose askin?” Rough voice, this hoodie figure doesn’t turn around, tail flicks behind him. He’s debating on whether or not it’s worth getting back into. This monster has about five seconds before Sans appears and it gets nasty, so be better act…
Soul is turned blue and the hooded monster is slammed into the ground, face first. Sans is over, blue magic blazing.
“Fells aren’t welcome in this world. Leave, now.” Sans snarls at the new figure. However, what he didn’t expect was that the figure would break free, turn and jump him, steam rolling from out of his pointed teeth, claws all but digging into the other skeletons shoulders.
“I’m the reason why you are alive at this moment. I figured I would at least see if Pap was alright.” Snarling back just as harshly, the proclaimed fell skeleton suppresses the urge to bite but instead is pulled off by Undyne. Sans doesn’t back down. Both team up and Papyrus stands watching the whole thing. Pap. Pap. He called him Pap. That’s so familiar. Something about this skeleton is so familiar yet distant. First he knew his brother was being attacked and now he knows this other monster. Crimson magic.
As arguing and growling commences, Papyrus thinks. The tail, the hoodie. Everything about this other, much angrier skeleton is almost welcoming. Were they friends in the underground? No, Sans called him a fell so his from one of those… other what’cham call it worlds. Looking back up, Papyrus notices that, Sans is summoning his blasters. Oh shit time to pay attention.
“Hey! I wouldn’t do that if I where you. He’s not what he seems brother!” Calling out, Papyrus tries to distract the three. His long legs carry him over to the fight. Totally unafraid, Papyrus grasps his brother’s hands and holds them in his own, trying to get his family to calm down. Something about this rough monster is so familiar, he can feel it in his bones. “I wouldn’t. He just looks scary, that’s all. He’s not bad Sans, just scary.” A soft smile returns to Papyrus face as he looks over to the newcomer, who stands up tall and brushes off his jacket. So much for having cover. Might as well get this over with.
“Name’s Red.” Having a change of heart, Red decides to stay. Once Papyrus got his name, long arms alright wrap around the shorter crimson skeleton. Sans braces for an attack but Red hugs Papyrus back, rather tightly.
“I told you I was staying…” Instead of Papyrus who gets the voice crack, it’s Red. Tears streak down his face as he embraces the tall skeleton back. Yea, he’s depressed that he no longer has his own brother but maybe, just maybe he can create the life he’s always wanted here.
Lunch date with the trio turns into the four. Red stays at Papyrus’ side the entire time. Sans, of course, doesn’t trust Red one bit but he did say that he’s alive because of him. Maybe that’s something they can chat about alone. Over lunch, however, Red gets tasked into seeing how much Papyrus remembers. Undyne doesn’t know a word of what’s going on but if her friends trust this monster, then she can, kind of, too. Thankfully to Red, the fish bitch doesn’t remember a damn thing.
It seems like Papyrus has bits and pieces. He knows something is different about Red and that they shouldn’t try to press it. Red will tell him when it’s time. However, this skeleton does in fact want to stay and needs a place to stay. Papyrus offers his apartment, Red declines. Sans presses that he takes the offer, so he can watch him closer.
Reluctant, Red does in fact finally take the apartment offer and bunks on the couch that night, and the next night, and the night after that. A week later he gains employment at Grillby’s brand new surface establishment as a dish washer. What do you know? He needed the extra hire and Red was perfect for the job.
Month later the largest storm the monsters ever got to experience comes crashing through town, but this time, Red was ready for what was to come. He allowed the roof to fall in, only this time not only was it just the duo, but Sans and his brother where in the building as well. However, Red allowed himself to be seen. Yes, that’s right, seen. He protected Grillby from water, stopped Sans and Papyrus from getting crushed and punched a hole through the fallen debris instead of an energy attack. It’s much safer that way. Once the Blaster came out of the opening for the others and the rest of the building fell in, proving that he was the one keeping it up, the poor baster had to flop over on the ground and take a breather. That was really heavy. After the crowd of folks stop panicking, they surprisingly welcomed Red’s other form. He’s a hero after all. Saved three other monsters from a falling building. Papyrus hugs his roommate’s muzzle, words of affirmation comes out of the younger skeleton. Sans stands in awe. He almost fought that. A little voice in the back of his skull tells him that would have been a very bad idea and now he’s started to take a liking to Red, oddly enough.
Every once in a while, different faces are traded out with the main three: Undyne, Alphys, and Toriel, Sadly, young Frisk used to enjoy in joining his family to their outings at Grillby’s but due to the recent events, the child got to spend a lot of time behind bars in detention for minors.
Mettaton did have his concert and much against Red’s disdain, he tagged along, often playing on his phone, trading puns with Sans throughout the evening. On the late night walk home, Red ambushed Jeremy in the alleyway, the young green furred monster with horns, and beat him to a pulp. Sans had to drag Red off of him and made the kid run away with a sheer look alone. After that, the streets felt slightly safer at night. Less muggings where reported. It was a huge relief that Red didn’t have to stich Papyrus’ back up again. The crimson skeleton even retold the story on why he did such a thing, at night over drinks with his two other skeletons and Grillby, who wanted to know why the dumper across the street was on fire the night before.
Another thunderstorm comes through and knocks the power off in the shared apartment. Red tells a spooky ghost story as things in the home get knocked around and the tv without any power clicks on to static. Que the repeat of, Papyrus, this is Pap, conversation and Sans clings to Red tightly. The other skeletons report lights turning off when they leave a room for too long. That night, Papyrus struggles to fall asleep on his own and in fact goes to his brother’s room. He also notices that Red isn’t in the improv guest room they set up for him, as he walks by the open door. Matter of fact, he’s not on the couch either after some looking. Giving up, Papyrus still heads to his brothers room and slowly opens the door. Lo and behold, who does he find with limbs wrapped around each other? Red and Sans. He did spot them holding hands the other day…
As fall comes in, Grillby still gets his new hires, giving Red a real life so he can spend time home with Sans and Papyrus. Mostly with Sans, as Papyrus is busy trying to reform Frisk. That fails, terribly and the child is forever banned from the skeletons house hold, and for reasons Papyrus won’t explain, banned from the park.
Once winter comes in, Red is completely out of information on the future, nothing repeats, even though it feels like it sometimes. To the other skeleton brothers, they decide that their grossly narcissistic land lord is very unfair when it comes to apartment rent and has raised the price on only the monsters. To fix that, Red knows of a location. A location that is extremely ironic in a sense but the rent is cheaper, the apartment is a tad smaller but a nice older human lady owns the place, and the complex? It’s called Snowdin Hills.
--- Fin