So, Mutantalientrash, after a long wait, here’s your raffle prize. It might be a little more ‘getting-to-know-each-other’ and ‘becoming-a-family’ than ‘bad sans poly’, but I hope you like it anyways! This one’s a doozy. And sorry again about the wait.
“And you will serve me, and only me?” Nightmare circled the figure kneeling before his throne. The monochrome skeleton was on one knee, head bowed, and the glowing red sword was gripped in one hand. Nightmare circled the newcomer again, curious. There was strength in this one, and anger. Lots of anger, though he did a good job of hiding it. Nightmare was mildly impressed by the other’s ability to hide his emotions.
“Only you, my king.” Nightmare grinned, taking his position back in front of the kneeling skeleton. He could barely believe his luck, finding such a powerful monster before anyone else. Dream would have tried to temper the other’s anger, try to force him to let go of his desire to make others pay for the hurt he endured. But Nightmare was not his brother, far from it, and it was far more in his interests to nurture this monster’s need for vengeance. He could already foresee great outcomes for himself and his crew if he could keep this one complacent at his side.
“And you will obey my orders? You shall place yourself in my hands?”
“Yes, my king.”
“Then rise.” The other stood quickly, back straight and face set in stone. Nightmare walked towards him, gaze firmly on the other’s face. He noted the red eye and scar, they stood out so vividly on the otherwise black and white skeleton; what an appealing contrast.
“From this day, you are one of my people. You will obey my orders and carry out your duties. In return, I shall provide you with all that you need and want.” Nightmare could feel the desire within the other rise, the roiling tumble of emotions surging just beneath the surface. Nightmare wondered if the other could decipher what it was that he was feeling. “You will be shown the training area later and a test of your skills will occur in a few days. For now, I recommend that you eat and rest; the others will show you to your room. You are dismissed.” With that, Nightmare broke their gaze. He stepped back, and let Cross gather himself. To the newcomer’s credit, it didn’t take him long to find his footing again, and the monochrome skeleton made his way to the door.
“Oh,” Cross froze at the sound of his voice and turned back to face him. “And do try to lighten up a bit. You’ll find that your new comrades are quite vibrant; you aren’t going to be thrown out a window for showing some emotion.” Cross’ face flushed a deep purple at that; interesting, Nightmare thought it would have been red. The other gave him a stiff nod, shaking off the majority of the blush before exiting the room. Once he was gone, Nightmare let himself give a small smile.
“Dear Cross; I get the feeling you are going to be quite interesting.”
Horror cast another glance over at the newest member of their group. The other skeleton was standing at the entrance of the kitchen, looking around like he didn’t know what to expect or where to go. Horror watched Cross wring his hands, back perfectly straight, and he wondered how old the other skeleton actually was. He gave off the air of being both too young and too tired; one forced to be an adult before they were done being a child. Horror shook his head to clear it. It wasn’t any of his business and they didn’t know each other well enough yet for it to become his business. Horror fidgeted in the silence; he was used to everyone trying to speak over each other, but Cross hadn’t said a single word to him.
“Well, don’t just stand around like a spare end.” Cross jumped as he spoke, widened sockets turning in his direction. “Stew’s almost done, can you set the table for us?” The monochrome skeleton nodded at him and turned to the nearest cupboard. Horror watched with mild fascination as the other skeleton tried to find the bowls and the honest joy when he succeeded in doing so.
“Good job. Thanks.” Cross blinked at him like he wasn’t used to being thanked. Horror tried to give him a smile that wasn’t terrifying and maybe succeeded? Cross didn’t look frightened at least. He scooped the stew into the two bowls and took one for himself, leaving Cross with the other, and lead them over to the table. A spoon-chuck later, Horror was mildly impressed that the unprepared skeleton managed to snatch the cutlery out of the air, and they set to eating.
“It’s good.” Horror almost dropped his spoon at the sound of the soft voice. Cross was looking away from him, clearly not intending to say anything more, but that little was enough to bring a grin to Horror’s face.
“Thanks!” Cross shyly looked back over to him, and Horror watched as some of the stiffness in the other’s shoulders came undone. A tiny smile crossed the monochrome skeleton’s face, the first Horror had seen, and it only made Horror grin even wider. It faded as quickly as a shooting star and Cross returned his attention to his bowl. Horror found himself missing it already, and wondering when he’d get his next smile.
Killer laughed as he dodged another attack, sending his own attack as soon as he had his feet steady. The newcomer, Cross, he was a good opponent. Quick and fierce, though maybe a bit too intense for what was intended to be a friendly sparring match, but it suited Killer just fine. The other dodged his attack and rushed him with the claymore that he’d picked from the weapons room; it had been decided that his hack knife was a little too much for a casual spar but he’d wanted a weapon of some kind. Killer thought it suited him well and was perhaps a little smitten over how long Cross had spent in said weapons room, checking the balance of each weapon carefully and giving his final picks a few test swings. There was a monster who knew how to pick a weapon.
Killer leapt back out of range and a large grin overtook his face as he spied an opening. This time when Cross charged him, instead of leaping back, he slid forward. The sudden loss of height startled Cross, a mistimed swing left him off balance, and it was all too easy for Killer to kick Cross’ feet out from under him, knocking the monochrome skeleton to the floor with a loud crash. Killer pounced and pinned the other to the floor, his knife loosely at the other’s neck.
“I win.” His grin had not diminished in the slightest. Cross struggled briefly before hanging his head. Killer frowned, he was oddly sombre for a simple loss.
“Hey, come on. Cheer up. Maybe next time.” He removed the knife and let go of Cross, rolling off the other and starting to make his way to their stock of healing items. “Come on, heal time. You got some good hits in on me, and I know I landed a few on you.” He turned back with a smile but it dropped quickly into confusion. Cross was still on the floor, looking up at him in confusion.
“We are allowed to heal?” Killer had to process for a few moments what Cross had said because he honestly couldn’t believe it. “Wounds aren’t left to serve as a lesson to be better?”
“Who the fuck have you been sparring before now?!” Killer practically flies across the room, yanking Cross up by the hand and shepherding him off towards their healing stock. “That’s not how we do it here! Not at all! You are going to get a cinnabun in you and you are going to rest and I’m going to make sure that happens because What The Fuck?!”
And while he was busy fussing, Killer completely missed the tiny and tender smile that lit up Cross’ face.
Dust landed next to the newest member of the group, almost perfectly silent. To Cross’ credit, he barely flinched as the other skeleton unexpectedly dropped from the ceiling. The faint glow of the moon was the only light for the scene, other than the signature red knife the monochrome skeleton wielded. Dust eagerly awaited for when Cross would become more at ease with the group so that he could question him on where exactly he’d gotten such a unique weapon.
“It’s late.” No clock was present for him to check, but Dust was certain that it was past midnight by now. “Why ya up and roamin’ the hallways?” The other glanced around, almost like he was expecting some sort of trick, before he answered.
“Patrolling. Keeping watch.” Dust raised a non-existent eyebrow at him; kid had a need to work that put the boss to shame.
“If ya that eager to start work, ya better off talkin’ to the boss tomorrow mornin’ than assignin’ it to yaself. At least ya get a full night sleep that way.”
“I can’t sleep. I, uh,” The other moved to wring his hands before remembering there was a weapon in one of them. “One of my powers goes out of control if I do.”
Now that made Dust more intrigued. The monochrome skeleton had gotten slightly more talkative over the past few days, but not by much. Getting anything more than one or two-word sentences from him was like pulling teeth. And that pause in the middle…
“Ah don’ believe ya.” Cross’ eye sockets widened and he didn’t seem to know if he should fold in on himself or straighten up tall, but Dust kept his casual posture. “Look, you and ah don’ know each other that well yet. If ya don’ wanna tell, that’s fine but don’ lie about it. Does the boss know the truth, at least?” Cross nodded, looking down, and Dust shook his head with a smile. “Then no worries. Ah trust the boss knows what he’s doin’.”
“For now, do ya want some company? Ah tend to do a patrol myself at night, it’s better with someone to do it with.” Cross looked up; an unrecognisable look flashed across his face before he nodded. Dust grinned. “Then let’s get a-movin’. Lotta castle to cover before dawn.” With that, he slung an arm around Cross’ shoulders and led them through the castle. And as the hours droned on, he watched as the stiff and shy creature slowly began to loosen and smile. It made him smile too.
“Who are you?” The unknown voice made Error look up from his needles. He looked the stranger up and down; black and white clothing, red scar, this must be the new kid Nightmare was telling him about. Said new kid was currently looking at him like he’d grown an extra head.
“Name’s Error.” That made the new skeleton’s eyes widen and he stood up straight.
“The world destroyer?”
“That’s me.”
“You are...knitting?” The kid only looked more confused, glancing from his current project to the window to Undernovella he was watching. “And...watching a soap opera?” Error only shrugged.
“I am the destroyer of worlds. I also happen to like knitting and soap operas. Is it that hard to believe?” According to the kid’s face, it really was. It was probably the closest thing he’d get to seeing a ‘crash’ on someone who wasn’t an ‘error’. He could practically see the ‘does not compute’ flashing above the other’s head. It was mildly amusing. When the other didn’t say anything, he turned back to his show. But he kept noticing Cross fidgeting from the corner of his eye.
“Why are you standing around?” He didn’t look away from the window as he spoke but he still caught sight of the flinch. “Why are you so awkward in your own home?”
“It’s not my home.” That got Error to look over at the other. He was staring at his hands as he wrung them. “I don’t… I don’t belong here. I don’t fit in.”
“You don’t fit in yet.” Error sighed, watching as the kid only shrunk in on himself more. “Look, you’ve been here, what, a week? Obviously, you’re not going to be feeling completely at ease here yet, no one would and no one has. You’d be surprised how rough around the edges your comrades were when Nightmare first picked them up. They smoothed over with time; you’ll do the same.” He watched a bit of light return to the skeleton’s sockets but he still remained coiled up. Error rolled his eyes and sent some strings to wrap around the monochrome skeleton’s wrist, tugging on it lightly.
“Now get over here and sit down. We’re getting to the good bit.” Confused and curious and maybe a little hopeful, Cross did as he was told. He glanced from the window to Error and back and appeared to be about to ask something when he was interrupted.
“Oh, sweet! Is that Undernovella?” Killer had exclaimed from the doorway and, as if the shout was a magical summoning chant, Horror and Dust soon appeared beside him. Within seconds, all three had crowded around Cross, chattering happily with each other and with the silent Cross about Undernovella and drama and you’re gonna love this, Cross, watch!
Rather than being smothered by the three brighter personalities, Cross seemed to relax just a bit, not so much tension was held in his spine. When Killer threw an arm around his shoulders to help point out something, Cross didn’t flinch or back away. He was still shy, Error mused to himself, still so rough. But the others had been rough before too; unable to take a step without walking on eggshells and unable to speak without triple guessing themselves. They had healed, and Cross would heal too; he’d already started to, after all.
And so Error turned back to his knitting work with a smile, confident that it wouldn’t be too long before they got to meet the real Cross. He looked forward to meeting that person.
Nightmare’s face held a fond smile as he watched the scene from the doorway. Error was piled into an armchair, focused intently on his knitting. Undernovella was displayed in the window and Dust, Horror and Killer had sandwiched Cross between them. All three were talking at a million miles an hour, only quieting down for a dramatic moment for starting back up again. And his newest member, Cross; the monochrome skeleton sat wedged within the group. Not vocal, but not afraid. Not reaching out, but not withdrawing inwards. Killer handed the skeleton a chocolate bar and Nightmare watched as his eyes light up, taking a bite out of it with possibly the first carefree smile that he’d had since he’d arrived.
“Dear Cross,” he whispered to himself, eyes firmly on his boys, “I knew you’d be interesting… Welcome to our home, and now your home too.”
