Chapter Text
Red tapped at his cheekbone idly, waiting for something. The sound of yelling, scolding, or if it were serious -to them- some badly disguised threats. Or maybe something breaking.
Hopefully, not the soon-to-be accused chick with the stupidly delicate bones.
Stars, he thought he and his counterparts were weak. Sure, they'd be down in one hit, only if they can land a hit, but this roomie of theirs has the resilience of a medium stick you think might bend as far as you want, but will actually just break in half as soon as you try.
It was a wonder that she sticks around for so long. Heh. But, anyone else would've, and had, buckled under the not-so-subtle harassment that the queen Bree's lies brewed within the single pile of skeletons.
'Cept for that Mutt.
Red had damn well been one of them, his little brother too. It wasn't so hard to believe when sweetheart gossiped about this new human, because who'd question Bree, their sweet, pretty mate?
Again, 'cept for Mutt. Oddly, that kid has a knack for sniffing out bs.
"HUMAN! HOW DARE YOU?! COME HERE NOW!"
There it was.
Red leaned back, his eyelights roving over to that pipsqueak, Black, then seeing the reddish stain in the carpet.
His teeth twitched. The human chick wasn't into wine. Nah, she went for, er, whatever the hell it was that first time he invited her for a drink at Grillbz'.
When he had enough of that damned Mutt's sly mutters, pointing out what should've been obvious.
Or maybe she did get wine. Red was too hammered that night to notice, once he realized she was no secret racist, abusive, living piece of shit.
"Uh, yeah?" There she was, strolling up to Mr. High and Mighty. Chick seemed nervous, as usual, but not so fearful.
Even the most violent of them had to learn to watch it when she had to get to the hospital at least four times.
Red swallowed dryly, clenching his fist when he remembered he pulled her arm just a little too hard the first time, wincing at the memory of the sound her arm made.
What a nasty piece of shit he was.
"BREE TOLD ME YOU CAUSED THIS STAIN, AND DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO TRY AND CLEAN IT!" Black barked at the chick, his hands twitching subtly.
"Hm. Yeah, no. I wouldn't wanna be caught drunk around any of you, if I'm being honest," She replied, giving a vague gesture of her hand to the stain.
"AND TO MAKE MATTERS ALL THE WORSE, THIS IS FROM MY PERSONAL COLLECTION! YOU… YOU WENCH!" Black blatantly ignored her, his teeth grinding down, looking dangerously close to stomping his foot like a child.
"Ooh, fancy-ish insults now," She chuckled, her voice, albeit, trembling as she took a step back, likely fearing a slip in his control.
Red felt ready to step in as well. He wasn't in the mood to hear the sickening sound of bones breaking.
"I don't know how to, eh, clean carpets. Tell you what, I'll pay for a new one," You continued, a drop of sweat running down your cheek, to your jaw.
Black didn't want to seem appeased, his teeth clenching down hard enough to creak, an unpleasant sound.
"oi, can't win them all. take the offer of hers, brat, and let bygones be bygones, yeah?" Red popped up between them, causing both to startle.
"YOU'VE GOTTEN WEAK AROUND THIS PATHETIC HUMAN. A MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER'S MAN'S TREASURE, EH, RED?" Black snarled, though there was little heat behind his words. Likely, maybe, thankful to be held back.
Not that he'd ever be given any clear answer for that from Black, though.
Red stuck his tongue out at his receding back, rolling his eyelights before turning towards the human girl.
"Ah, thanks Red?" She smiled at him, more of a question than a 'thank you.' Something like a 'I'm not sure what grounds I'm on with you.'
Red doesn't blame her. Just cause he knows she wasn't what Bree preached about, didn't mean he was gonna do a 180° around her.
More like, he doesn't know how to.
"don' mention it," Red responded, scratching the back of his neck. "like, ever."
"Got it," She chuckled, mirroring his action. Then realized it and froze, an awkwardness creeping into her features.
Thus, ensuing an awkward silence between the two of them. Both standing there, not too close, but not too far, unable to stare at each other, but instead the wall behind either of them.
Red felt like falling asleep. At least, it would give him an excuse to get out of this moment. Not as if he doesn't have the option to just take the first step, no, it would feel like he's succumbing to some kind of defeat, like they're in a staring contest, and the skeleton surely had a competitive streak and-
Oh. She's already spinning on her heels, walking off to wherever, leaving Red behind.
Well then. He'd won.
Red took a simple shortcut to his room, falling face first into his mattress. He'd already felt tired from the awkwardness of that whole interaction, that he didn't quite process the next thought that ran in his skull.
She smells sweet.
Red, once he woke up for dinner, had since refused to acknowledge such a thought. It was probably considered creepy, and he definitely should've thought it creepy to have thought it in the first place.
Despite this, he might actually prefer her scent over the sickeningly sweet perfume that Bree heavily doused herself with every morning.
Just about a week ago, Red had enough of Mutt's mutters, or hints rather, and went ahead and, well, followed Bree without her knowing.
Totally not stalking.
His then-mate had dismissed hers and Creampuff's date, as usual, and went out, presumably to her college library. To study.
Instead, Red found himself outside a seedy bar, soul wrenching with unease and suspicion.
Red had already lost trust in Bree when he took the other chick out to Grillby's. Whatever happened after this would either cement his relationship with her, or shatter it completely.
He'd gone in, keeping on the low, and soon found himself feeling numb when he'd caught side of his sweetheart Bree straddling the lap of some human guy.
Well. That was that, wasn't it? His sweet, pretty mate was actually some cheating bitch, and the human racist roomie was actually just a genuinely good person that was way too tolerant of their bullshit.
Obviously, the next step for Red was not to mindlessly rage out at everything in sight, but another way of coping.
Drinking until his soul was all shriveled up and guarded from others.
Or, well, it was his plan. But this universe's Grillby was less accepting of that and cut him off the moment he began to try.
Dumb, soft bullshit. How dare anyone think for his health.
Other than all that, he did get Edge to step out as well. He made some half-hearted attempt at getting the others to see the truth, too, but he underestimated just how intimately they all were wrapped around the queen Bree's fingers, and also forgotten how he'd been like that too.
Plus, he wasn't in the mood to do more shit than the bare minimum. If they can't bother to see the obvious, then he can just have a 'i told you so' moment when they all snap out of it.
Petty, but Red thrived on petty. Most Sanses did. Especially his particular ilk.
Though, Red doesn't get why Black won't try listen to his own brother. He gets that Sanses are also stubborn as hell, but it was his little brother.
Red definitely isn't gonna be that kinda 'down bad' for some chick more than a good brother. He might deserve to fall down hard once the ruse was up.
Red considerably loosens up around the chick. Not so much that he could consider himself friendly around her, no, he can't deserve that.
More like, carefully existing when they're near each other. It was a kind of distance that he felt comfortable with, felt that was all he can manage.
The queen Bree was, unfortunately, still a nuisance to him. She often kept bothering him, wanting to know what was wrong, but not acting as if she wanted to fix it. Like she just wanted him to get over it and get back with her, shower her with attention as usual.
As if.
Red ignored her, or barked at her to leave him the hell alone if he especially wasn't in the mood.
His past hurt and betrayal often made him want to do worse. To demand some kind of explanation from her, to shake some sense back into her.
(Or, at his ugliest, exact some retribution, judge her, take the free EXP-)
Yet, Red can take one look at Bree, and realize there never was any kind of common sense that she ever had. She didn't really care about fixing things, only about getting what she wanted. Spoiled, entitled, selfish, and two-faced.
Her sweet front hid the vitriol that she most often spat at the other chick, treating her worst than dirt when she thought no one was near.
Red didn't know how the hell no one ever walked in on Bree demanding too much and ordering her around, certainly never taking care to even be quiet about it.
His past affections were for a girl that didn't even exist.
Maybe, he thinks to himself, he should've gotten the hint the first time he tried to be vulnerable in front of Bree, to feel safe after years of hell in his universe, and was met with thinly-veiled disgust and told to 'man up.'
(Stars, he wishes he could be ugly right now. Violent and nasty as he was back home. It won't fly here, dumb, soft, universe as it is.)
"Hey Red."
Red opened his eyesockets, meeting the roomie chick's. His soul does that stupid jump in anticipation, obviously not understanding that this one should, is, off-limits.
"sup," Red replied, sitting up and facing her.
"So, I got this plan to head out to the carnival. Me and Mutt, actually, but he was thinking if you and Edge might want to follow along," She suggested, offering a smile of maybe-hope.
The others already went with Bree to the carnival, ditching him and Edge, since they obviously want nothing to do with the bitch.
Red didn't know what to respond with. Of course it was that little shit, Mutt's idea. He didn't know if she really wanted to invite him and his brother, of all monsters.
Sure, they stopped acting as hostile as the others still wrapped up in the queen Bree's fingers, but there should still be some sort of caution with Red and Edge.
They had been two of the four reasons she had to go to the hospital… Slips in their control still resulted in broken limbs.
While Red was still contemplating, Edge, as if summoned by his name, appeared behind Red, setting his gloved hand on his shoulder.
Red didn't jump at the contact, but he did feel the need to escape once Edge spoke up.
"OF COURSE, IF YOU'LL HAVE US," Edge accepted their roomie's invitation, his grip on Red keeping him from bolting.
Red watched for any subtle hints of dismay or disappointment, but couldn't find such. Instead, the chick actually seemed to light up, clapping her hands together.
"That's awesome. I'm gonna get my stuff, and we'll head up with my car, yeah?" She gave them finger guns before rushing off, forgetting Red could just shortcut them there.
"th' fuck was that for, boss?" Red muttered after Edge released him, a hint of accusation creeping into his tone.
"ATONEMENT TO THE HUMAN HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE," by Edge only, "AND IF SHE WISHES TO HAVE A MORE CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP, THAN WHO ARE WE TO REFUSE?"
Or, Edge taps into that Papyrus optimism and decides for Red, too.
(Red would like to upgrade to more friendly terms with the roomie. It also happens that Red doesn't think he deserves it.)
Once they get to the carnival, Red takes it upon himself to focus more on avoiding the other skeletons, and more importantly, Bree, than actually enjoying the festivities.
He doesn't really need to enjoy it. The other three can do that enough for him.
The chick doesn't get his silent memo and drags him along to various, obviously rigged games.
They all take part of the ring toss game. Red makes sure his brother 'conveniently' has good aim, and Mutt seems to do the same for their roomie.
They continue to do this with the games they can get away with, until they have enough prizes that Red realizes what they brought her car for.
Red imagines the others are doing this for Bree, as well. It's what he would've been doing too. Is doing for his brother, and the chick.
"Oh look. Wanna test your strength, Red?"
Red breaks off from his thinking to see her at one of those hammer games. He raises a brow bone, then realizes his brother and the Mutt went off to who-knows-where.
Leaving him and the roomie alone.
"nah, can't be bothered," Red shrugged, standing next to her. He made a less than half-hearted attempt to grab the hammer, and gave up, ignoring the way his soul thrums pleasantly in his chest by the sight of her expression.
It's warm. Sweet.
"Welp, I'm pretty sure I'm plenty strong," She insisted, grabbing the hammer herself.
Amused, Red watched her lift it up, then slam it down.
She got to almost halfway.
The roomie huffed and put on a pout, playful, yet a little displeased at the same time.
"try at it again, maybe ya gotta put some more 'oomph' into it," Red suggested, mimicking a strongman pose or whatever.
"Hm, yeah right," She rolled her eyes, but went to lift the hammer once more, anyway.
She rose it higher, then as she went to slam it down, Red used a little bit of magic to bring it down harder, making her hit it all the way this time.
He watched her whoop, cackling in delight as she threw her fist up in the air. She looked at him with the brightest look in her eye, though perhaps a little knowing.
She was about to say something, but was interrupted by what was the most unpleasant voice Red was quite used to.
"You know, you can't be serious if you think your fragile strength helped you," Bree appeared, a pitying look in her eyes.
"I dunno what you mean. I'm clearly tougher than I look," the roomie shrugged, wearing a firm grin. Good for her, not letting Bree get to her.
"I mean, you just have a horrible tendency of getting hurt. I just don't want to see you in pain, so maybe you should go home and take it easy," Bree remarked.
"knock it off. carnival's big enough for everyone, an' she's doin' fine," Red snapped, resisting the urge to rub his temple.
Bree snapped her attention to him, putting on that faux sweet expression he used to love seeing, though now he felt nothing but irritation.
"Oh, Red. My big guy, I miss you so, so, so much! Especially how your soul-" Bree cooed, about to go into intimate detail that Red definitely didn't want to hear, and felt a wave of revulsion wash over him the moment he realized.
Before he could process out the panic crawling up his spine, the roomie took his wrist and ran off with him, ignoring the indignant shouts of Bree.
Before he knew it, he was with her, next in line for the ferris wheel. Her hood was up, and he was tucked behind her, both obviously hiding from Bree, who he could still faintly hear.
"You don't have any problems with height, right? Cause you don't have to join me if you do," She spoke up, looking at him with something he can't read.
"..nah, 's fine," Red muttered, scrounging up the cash when they were up to go, giving the guy enough for both before she could get her own.
She gave him a mock disappointed look, but grinned as soon as the ride started up, their cart rising.
"This was a nice day. I'm glad you and Edge followed," She said, eyes roving over whatever.
Red kept his eyelights on her mostly instead of the sights, subtly though. His hand were next to hers on the rail. Swallowing, he inched his closer, not touching her yet.
"Did you have fun?" She asked, making his hand jerk away.
"Yeah, sure. was fine," he replied, cheekbones heating up.
"Just fine?"
His skull heated up more with her playful accusing tone.
"okay, i had fun, yeah. better?" Red responded, giving an exaggerated grin. It became more genuine when she laughed lightly.
"I'm glad," She smiled at him, something he shouldn't deserve. She rested her hand on his, ignoring his flinch. The arm he.. accidentally pulled too hard. It was already from months ago, yet he still remembered.
He didn't deserve anything as nice as her. His mistaken attachment for Bree affirmed that.
He did want it, though.
The roomie left her hand on his the rest of the ride. Warm and pleasant. Then, they left the carnival once it was close to closing, and Red felt all warm and tingly on the ride home.
Dumb, soft bullshit, and all.