Chapter Text
Something was wrong. Dust could, heh, feel it in his bones as he looked around your apartment.
“oh, she got a new couch,” Killer walked by Dust, flopping onto said couch and stretching to take up as much space as possible, “probably got tired of having random clothes spat onto her floor.”
Maybe that was it, but....Dust didn't think 'new' couches had wear marks on the arms. The coffee table was missing too, and there was a lingering sense of wrongness in the room. A quick glance at Horror confirmed the larger skeleton had noticed as well.
With a frown, the cracked-skulled skeleton lumbered into the diminutive kitchen, the night's offering of food gripped tight in it's box.
“the hell-?...s'no food?”
'No food' to Horror could mean any number of things, from an actual lack of food, to a fully stocked fridge of nothing but vegetables. Curious, Dust peeked into the kitchen, and even Killer unbonded with the couch to take a look, his empty sockets squinting. Well, it wasn't 'no food', but certainly a lack of. The fridge only held milk, sodas, and a few apples.
“this....was full....last week,” the large skeleton seethed.
“maybe she got really, really hungry? don't worry about it, big guy, plenty of food in this 'verse, we'll get her set up again,” Killer plucked the tin from Horror's hand and side-stepped his way to the oven, dropping the soon-to-be-dinner in and setting it to 'warm'.
The sound of a key in the lock brought all conversation to an abrupt stop, all three skulls swiveling towards the door.
Finally, Dust thought, time to get all this sorted. But that sense of wrongness only increased when you stumbled through the door.
“oh wow, you look awful!” Well, Killer wasn't wrong. You were ashen, dark circles under your eyes and breathing a little too hard for someone who only went up one flight of stairs.
You jolted, freezing in place in the doorway. Paused. And backpedaled out of the room, ducking your head around the door.
“Yeah, this is me,” you mumbled, shuffling back into the doorframe, “So. Um. I think you guys are in the wrong apartment.”
“uh....no?” Eloquent as ever, Horror.
“Uh, yes? What are you-” your shoulders dropped, “Oh man, please don't tell me I'm the first one to ever get robbed by a monster. I don't even have anything.”
Dust sucked in an unneeded breath. You sounded tired. Broken. The Intent that rolled off your SOUL was just exhausted confusion. You were serious.
It clicked. Horrifyingly, seamlessly, the clues snapped together. The old 'new' couch. The lack of food. The missing furniture. How bad you looked.
“OH, THIS IS JUST DELICIOUS.”
“no, no nonononono,” Dust moved before he thought, ignoring his brother to reach for his human, his mate, his Starlight, but you...you panicked.
You jerked back in alarm, preparing to run, but Dust was faster than you. He caught you by your SOUL and pulled. At the same time, Killer must have figured it out too, but had forwent magic by jumping out and tackling you.
The sound you made was a wet, pained thing as you crumpled under the smaller skeleton, your SOUL left hanging, suspended in the air.
It was no wonder you looked terrible. All the magic laced over and into your SOUL was just...gone. A hollow gouge splintered out from the middle, a memento from your almost-murder and the only proof you had ever met them at all.
Horror was the first to say it.
“...a reset.”
Killer and Dust grimaced at the word. But Horror was right. They had left you here, alone and unguarded in this cotton-candy world. You had been so stubborn about staying, so sure you would be fine.
“YOU NEVER LEARN SANS. ANY WORLD WITH A LIVING FRISK IS UNSAFE.”
“i know, pap. i fucked up,” Dust admitted, reaching out and calling your SOUL towards him.
“Don't touch it!!” You kicked uselessly, trying to buck Killer off you from where he had you pinned on the floor.
“aw, it'll be okay,” Killer pat your head cheerfully. He could act fine all he wanted, but the increase the black ichor pouring from his socket betrayed his actual thoughts. Dust could see you cringe as the goo pattered steadily over the back of your neck and shoulders.
In spite of your flailing, you SOUL went to him easily, either recognizing him on some level or simply too weak to put up any resistance. Dust preferred to believe the former. It was so cold in his hands, glittering weakly around the gash in the center. You were dying all over again, just slower, this time. He could fix it now and deal with the fallout later...if you accepted his magic. If you rejected him, your SOUL might shatter from the attempt. No, not worth the risk.
“P-please. Give it back. Let me go...” You jerked against Killer again, but your energy was failing you fast. Dust didn't know if your tears were from terror, or anger, your Intent rising out of you like one long scream.
“can't.” Horror sounded genuinely regretful as he knelt in front of you, “you're dyin', lil treat...you're...you're real sick.”
“I'm...I'm not, please.”
On top of you, not that you could see, Killer shook his head, “he's right, birdie. let's,” he paused, looking up at Horror and Dust, his head tilting as he smiled deviously, “let's get you...somewhere safer.”
***
Nightmare had never personally experienced the trauma of a RESET, but he was beginning to get the gist. Ever since Dust had returned with you, the castle was steeped in a miasma of fear and anger. Though you had been given anything and everything you could ever want, you were stressed, and scared. Patience, they reminded each other, as the sound of your sniffles drifted through empty halls. You had loved them once. Time to see if you would be willing to do it again.