[Razz, why the fuck is it your bro can be both terrifying and painfully cute?] – R

Razz glared at the text message. He didn't have time for this nonsense, he was busy! And he still didn't quite understand how it was that Red and some of the others could manage cross universe texting. Or why they insisted on using that ability to pester Razz even when nearly everyone was gathered at the Classics' Surface home, including the Classics' strange little human. How the human managed to be less irritating then, say, a certain honey guzzling idiot was a certifiable mystery to Razz. That it was one of the most tolerable beings in that house was stunning if given too much thought. And he'd only met them twice.

Why had Razz agreed to this again? Right, that was why. Because it was rather hard to turn down the invitation when Blue and Papyrus showed up in person to loudly declare the event in lavish detail. Especially when it was clear how much the idea excited his brother. The Mutt hadn't even needed the begging puppy dog face. No, Razz had caved to a simple soft, "It sounds fun, m'Lord."

Just like that, they were going to the Halloween Party Weekend the Classics were hosting. The holiday seemed a bit strange considering what he'd thought the Human tradition of it was about, but the way it had been presented had sounded interesting. If only for the enjoyment of watching his brother have fun. Honestly, sometimes Razz couldn't help spoiling the Mutt, just a little. So he'd sent his brother through to the Classics' a day ahead of himself with a reminder to behave. Then a promise he would be there the following day. He still had duties to attend after all. Duties that were not currently finished either.

[WHAT DO YOU MEAN?] was the snappish reply he sent back.

He continued marching towards Alphys's home. Unsurprisingly (irritatingly) there was a reply before he could even put the phone away.

[he means we go to your place or red's, guy's ready and willing to beat someone a new color. but we get back from the store and get this:] – CS

Before Razz could type a correction for the punctuation error or grumble about being stuck in some sort of group text, a video popped up. The static preview showed only an absurd pile of bedding sitting part way in a puddle of sunlight (actual sunlight, which might have been part of what made him inclined to agree to this silly vacation) and the small human Frisk. Not seeing what this had to do with the Mutt, he closed the phone and continued to Alphys's place.

When he left Alphys's home a short time later it was with both relief and annoyance. Yes, he could have simply called to inform the Vice-Captain he would be on leave and out of contact for the next thirty to forty eight hours. In truth, he had done so, but he had wanted to deliver some final instructions in person. It also finished up his patrol route rather conveniently. That didn't stop Alphys from being her loud, teasing self. She'd promised the Underground wouldn't burn down while he was gone, but she'd kept trying figure out where he was going. In the end, he'd had to promise to bring something cool back for both Alphys and Undyne to get her to stop. Then she'd asked who wanted his attention so bad because his phone wouldn't stop buzzing! Someone, Razz had a strong suspicion of who, had completely disabled the silent function. Alphys had chuckled good naturedly when he'd told her to shut up. She'd actually collapsed in laughter a moment later when her follow up question got an even sharper response.

"Got it! It's that Mutt brother of yours, right? He howling for some fun?" she'd asked.

"NO! SHUT UP! THE MUTT KNOWS BETTER. IT'S JUST A COUPLE IDIOTS WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO BUTT OUT!" he'd shouted in response, fists clenching around a bone weapon he was very tempted to throw at her.

He'd left her like that not long after. Sprawled on the floor, confirming the actual procedural protocols for the Captain to leave for even a short time. Now he could finally find out what demanded his attention so.

"How have they sent 24 messages in less than ten minutes?" he grumbled aloud.

Disgusted, he scrolled back up.

[like seriously how?] – CS

[FRISK DECLARES IT ADORABLE. I MUST AGREE WITH THEM.] –CP

[Awww, that's precious. Keepin that video.] –S

[like its freaking me out how he can be this cute] –R

[I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN HIM NAP. How Has He Not Woken Up Yet?] –B

[ALSO, TOO CUTE!] –B

[I HAVE TO SAVE THAT VIDEO AS WELL!] –B

[EH, I'D RATHER WATCH HIM BEAT SOMEONE A NEW COLOR.] –E

[Wow, there's a surprise, Edgelord.] –S

[FUCK OFF, ASHTRAY.] –E

[BUT EDGE, IT ISSS REALLY CUTE! AND DON"T TALK TO MY BROTHER LIKE THAT.] –B

[EH….] –E

[i'm wit my bro on this. think i'd rather watch him beat a guy.] –R

[you guys have issues, you know that?] – CS

[SANS, THAT'S RUDE!] – CP

[I DO NOT!] –E

[you do too dude!] –R

[sans, not you Boss.] –R

[ok, fair. Anyways, kid wants us all ta hush so slim can keep snoozing. paps went to put away groceries and stuff.] –CS

[I swear, if they starts petting him…] –R

Razz frowned at that. Even in a deep sleep, his brother would react swiftly and harshly to an unfamiliar hand on him. Though their alternates might get away with only a growl.

[nah, they're just smiling at him and taking pics. after all, best to let sleeping dogs lie, right?] –CS

[SANS, NO!] –B

[REALLY? MUST YOU?] –E

[noice.] –S

[ok, speakin of sleepin dogs, what's wit these?] –R

Another picture and Razz felt like his soul was suddenly being constricted. Shit! They had agreed to keep that a secret for the time being! The Mutt had been careless, which was unlike him, especially when it came to this. Razz scrolled furiously back to the top of the log and hit play on the video. It started with Frisk crouching near the pile of bedding. After a moment, they pointed to a fold between two blankets and what might have been a pillow. The camera zoomed in enough to reveal the edge of a phalange or two peeking through the gap.

"ho, damn, this'll be good. Go ahead, squirt,' Sans's voice whispered from of screen.

The image zoomed out part way as Frisk stood, leaned over the pile, and lifted the top edge of one blanket with surprising gentleness to reveal the Mutt's face. He was sleeping peacefully, skull tucked into the crook of his arm. The other hand, Razz absently noted, was loosely wrapped around his studded leather collar. The Mutt had nested. Razz wasn't even annoyed that he'd been napping. He had permission to do that while on this 'vacation'. But for him to nest like that after only a day's separation…

Razz scrubbed a hand down his face with a deep sigh. He'd seen the hint of purple fabric peeking out from his Mutt's sleeve in the video. If he checked when he got home, the bandana he'd worn to the last training would be missing from the laundry. A huff of mild amusement made its way past the swirl of emotions dancing around inside him. He needed to get there soon. Resuming his march at double time, Razz cursed the distance back to Snowdin. And his phone was still buzzing! Reluctantly, he looked back at the group text.

That picture…The human had moved the blanket back further and then evidently dropped it. But it had been enough. Just enough. His brother had fallen asleep with his hood up, that was clear, but it had shifted in his sleep. Just enough to reveal one large triangular ear covered in bone white fur doing a poor job of blending into the fur lining of the hood. Razz scrolled quickly on.

[RED, ARE THOSE REAL?] –E

[no Boss, someone taped 'em on while we were out. of course, they're real!] –R

[DO NOT BE SARCHASTIC WITH ME!] –E

[it moved when Frisk uncovered it. swear it. flicked up before layin back.] –CS

[look, the kid's confirming it. i think. holy fuck those hands are moving fast.] –R

[its confirmed. The rest is freaking out, 'so cool', and aborted wondering.] –CS

[I CANNOT UNDWESTAND AT ALL AT THAT SPEED BUT I CAN CONFIRM THE EAR!] –CP

[he ran in from the other room to check. it's pretty hair raising so i can understand.] –CS

[THIS IS NO TIME FOR YOUR HORRIBLE JOKES!] –E

[HE'S EVEN CUTER! SAVING THAT TOO. BUT I ALSO TOTALLY WANT AN EXPLINATION BECAUSE WHAT?!] –B

[Oy! Pocket Edgelord! Quite strutting in front of the mirror and talk to us!] –S

[HE IS DOING PATROLS AS I AM YOU USELESS LAZYBONES! SEEING AS HE KNOWS WHAT A WORK ETHIC IS!] –E

[Oh shut it, Spikey McEdgelord. Razzle Dazzle, I can see your read notes. Start talking!] –S

[or typing works too.] –CS

Razz realized he was no longer marching properly. He snarled and glanced around. By some luck, no one seemed to be around to see the lapse. With a deep breath, he forced himself back into a quick march. He was almost to Snowdin after all.

[THE MARVILOUS SANS IN BLUE AND BROTHER HAVE ARRIVED! Oh My Stars, It's Real!] –B

[RAZZBERRY] –S

[oh, nice pumpkins, guys.] –CS

Razz almost snapped his phone typing out his reply.

[CEASE YOUR INCESENT TEXTING! LET THE MUTT BE, I WILL BE TO THE MACHINE SHORTLY!]

[There you are!] –S

[dude, please explain.] –R

[YES, EXPLAIN. I WILL ALSO SOON BE AT THE MACHINE.] –E

[HE HAS A COMPLETE SET OF EARS, YES? DOES HE ALSO HAVE A TAIL TO MATCH?] –CP

[that's kinda anime standard so you'd expect.] –CS

[hah! That finally got the kid's yammering down.] –R

[for those in the audience, frisk just smacked stretch's hand when he tried for the blanket. Now he's getting the stern finger and one handed scolding bit.] –CS

[DID I NOT LITERALLY JUST SAY TO LEAVE HIM ALONE?!]

Razz wanted to strangle that useless skeleton! Probably had honey where his brain should be. Now he and these other idiots had Razz hoping that, for once, the Mutt would keep sleeping. At least Razz could apparently rely on the human.

[RED, I AM ABOUT TO JUMP. COME PICK ME UP SO I MAY SEE THIS FOR MY SELF!] –E

[sure thing, boss.] –R

Scratch what he'd thought about luck. He had none right now. Of all the times he needed a shortcut, it was when he absolutely could not get one.

[DO NOT WAKE HIM YOU STAR BLASTED NINNIES!]

[why?] –CS

[IS HE LIKELY TO BE DANGEROUS?] –CP

[DO NOT QUESTION ME!]

If he could throw his phone, he would just to relieve some of the building anger. Thank the hidden stars his home on the outskirts of Snowdin was in sight at last. Razz abandoned all semblance of orderly marching and raced for it. The furious expression on his face was more than enough to scare away most townsfolk who might think of looking at him funny. His phone chimed as he slammed open the shed door. Kicking it closed again, he opened the chat to another picture. This showed Frisk standing tall as possible with arms out stretched as Edge towered over them. Edge was wincing and holding a hand. The human was still trying to protect his Mutt. He was going to have to find a way to actually thank them, damn it.

[man this kid's got guts.] –R

Classic Sans started typing as Razz jumped to the machine. Why wasn't it set already?! Between punching in the appropriate coordinated from the memorized list Razz typed furiously.

[NO PUNS! NO JOKES! ABOUT TO JUMP!]

A pause and then, [omw] –CS

The machine hummed to life and tuned in. The seconds it took the portal to coalesce and form properly seemed to stretch for an hour. The instant is settled into smooth, immeasurable black he was stepping through. Razz hated going through the infernal thing. That instant between one place and the next was horrid. Then his phone chimed again. He was out.

[oh damn!] –R

"So what's the secret, Razzy?" Sans drawled from his left.

Razz snapped a glare at him.

"LATER. SHORTCUT, NOW!" he snarled.

Razz's brain kept circling between fury and trying to find anything he'd missed. Anything in his brother's behavior the might have warned him this could happen. But he couldn't think of any. And the Mutt never kept things from him. Especially not important things like this. It couldn't even be the visit because he'd been to visit several of their alternates before by himself and never had a problem. So what was different? All this rushed faster and faster as the portal shut down behind them and Sans tapped a finger to Razz's shoulder.

Shortcuts. They sucked. Felt like the portal in a lot of ways. Dark. Sensations of cold the penetrated deep into his bones. Then the world flooded back into being in utter chaos.

"guys, i was gone for like thirty seconds," Sins sighed.

The living room was crowded with the various alternates and there was yelling in all directions. Papyrus and Stretch were holding back Blue who was shouting about listening to people. Red was holding back his own brother who was screeching holy hell about what Razz didn't know or care. Something in his hand was leaking dark marrow though. The human was still holding strong, but now had arms crossed. The bedding was empty.

"ALL OF YOU BE QUIET!" Razz bellowed.

In the ensuing startled silence, Razz could hear the sound he was dreading. A quiet, distressed whine. There was his brother. Pressed back into the corner of the room, legs drawn in close to his rib cage, face hidden by his knees, and hands desperately clutching his hood over his skull. Razz's eyes blazed with barely restrained magic. Of the possible ways this could have gone, this was probably the best, but Razz hated it the most.

"EVERYONE OUT!" Razz ordered sarply, striding forward.

"YOUR DOG BIT ME!" Edge roared back.

Razz's blazing eyelights flashed dangerously, "AND I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE HIM BE!"

"I DID NOT TOUCH HIM!"

"he really didn't. he was reachin for the kid," Red interjected nervously, eyeing the glowing ice blue whip Razz didn't remember summoning.

"YOU WOKE HIM, CLOSE ENOUGH!"

"EDGE! LEAVE THEM ALONE OR SO HELP ME…!" Blue ordered sternly.

"YES, EVERYONE COME JOIN US IN THE KITCHEN. WE CAN START WORK ON THESE PUMPKINS!" Classic Papyrus added.

"boss, let's go. we can get answers later," Red wedeled.

"Yeah, we can bandage your little nip too," Stretch snickered.

"IT IS NOT A NIP! HE CRACKED MY…"

"I DON'T CARE!" Razz interrupted, "OUT!"

Edge looked affronted but reluctantly allowed Sans and Red to pull him away into the kitchen. Razz glared after them.

"HUMAN FRISK, STAND GUARD AT THE DOOR," Razz said in a clipped voice.

Asgore help him, he knew he should ask nicer. They'd already done more then he could have hoped for, but it was hard when his fury was still so hot. Thankfully, like the blessing this child apparently was, they nodded with resolution and gave him a thumbs up.

'Will he be ok?' Frisk signed.

Razz let out a long hiss of a sigh before answering.

"YES."

'What happened?'

"LATER. ONCE I'VE SEEN TO HIM."

Frisk nodded, gave another thumbs up, and went to go stand in the kitchen door. Finally, Razz was able to turn back to the huddled form of his brother. He had to tamp down his anger at the others. It would do no good now and would not help the Mutt in his current mental state. The Mutt…his brother…Papyrus, hadn't had a turn like this in a long while.

It only took a few breaths before he was able to shove down the feelings. His eyelights cooled back to their normal frosty blue and he was able to relax his shoulders. Feeling like he had at least a solid façade of calm, Razz took a slow step forward and gave a soft whistle. His poor Papyrus stiffened and huddled deeper. If his jacket weren't made of leather, he's claws would have sliced through to bone by now. Not good.

"It's ok, Papy. It's ok. Just you and me here," Razz crooned.

He kept his voice as gentle and soothing as he could. This was one of the few times where his commanding 'Lord' voice had little effect. Or at least not the right one. But something soft, like from when they were young, worked wonders to draw Papyrus back from the darkness. Razz continued his measured approach, pausing only to pick up what looked to be the heaviest blanket in the pile.

"Papy, you don't have to hide from me. It's only…only Sans."

It was hard to say it like that, even now. He'd worked hard for the rank and prestige. Shoving that thought down too, he kept up the soft flow of words. He could see Papyrus starting to relax a little by the easing of the tension on his hood. When he was finally close enough, he used a few bone constructs and the blanket to make a small, dim shelter around them. Then he got down on his knees just in front of his brother.

"Papy, come back. You're here, with Sans. You're not there. I'm right here in front of you, Papy. Just reach out to me."

With a shutter, Papyrus peeked over his knees. His eyes were wild, feral. They darted around, looking for enemies, but there was no one else in their little bubble. There was only the soothing twilight created by the light filtering faintly through the blanket and the soft glow of the bones. Papyrus suddenly focused in on Razz with a whimper. His fingers slid back to dig in where his ears were hidden.

"Gently, Paps. Gently. Come back to me. You're safe," Razz murmured.

Slowly, so slowly, the claws stopped digging in. Another moment and one hand finally lifted towards Razz. There was a moment of hesitation.

"Go on, Papy," Razz encouraged.

Papyrus took a shuttering breath before reaching the last inch. Three fingertips ran nervously down Razz's cheekbone. Then again. Then Papyrus took hold of Razz's bandana in a trembling grip as his eyelights dropped.

"M'Lord, Sans, m'Lord, tried to…fought… didn't mean to…sorry! So Sorry! Couldn't…didn't…"

His voice shook with whines and hiccups. Razz had to focus hard to keep the resurgent rage, a lot of it old and festering, from boiling out of him. Papyrus needed him grounded. Papyrus still called Razz his light in their most private moments. The shining star that he would follow and worship to the end and beyond. Now Razz needed to be the light the guided him. It was no time to indulge in the tempting wrath.

"I am not mad at you, Papy. I know you didn't mean it to happen," he said instead.

Papyrus let out another shaky whine, his grip tightening for a moment.

"May I have your other hand, Papy? To hold?" Razz asked softly.

Papyrus's eyelights flicked up to him searchingly. Razz kept his expression calm and open. He waited, more patient then most thought him to be. Papyrus's free hand slipped down off his hood. It hovered, unsure, before he finally held it out. With a soft smile, Razz took the offered hand and held it gently in his. Papyrus watched their hands with rapped attention.

"M'Lord…is not upset?" he asked in a fragile voice.

"Not with you, Pap," Razz said firmly.

Papyrus's eyelights flicked up again to meet his. The look was intense, pleading, hopeful. The wild light was starting to fade away. Razz's soul pulsed with love and sympathy. Razz allowed it to radiate from him. In response, Papyrus lurched forward and pressed his skull to Razz's chest. The move was so sudden and forceful that it almost knocked Razz over.

"Woke up to a hand and a figure standing so defiantly. Thought it was you, m'Lord. Then…then I was suddenly back...back in…," Papyrus trailed off with a bone rattling shudder.

"You're here, Pap. With me. Never there. Never again. I promise," Razz said with finality.

Papyrus took in a sharp breath and nodded against Razz's sternum. It made Razz's shirt ride up, but he didn't care. Papyrus had finally stopped shaking. He was finally starting to come back. Back to Razz, where he was safe from the horrors of their shared past.

"May I pet you, Paps?" Razz asked.

Another nod.

"Ok."

Ever so gently, Razz brought his hand up and brushed it down the back of Papyrus's skull just firm enough to be felt through the material of his hood. Papyrus stiffened for the briefest moment, then relaxed with a shuttering sigh, leaning even harder into Razz. It became a fight for Razz to maintain his balance. Razz may be stronger then when they were youngsters but Papyrus still had a strong, broad warrior frame. When he leaned most of it into Razz, he completely outweighed his little lord. Razz's spine gave a twinge of warning and protest.

"Papy," he started, trying to decided how best to phrase it. Then his time ran out and Razz collapsed onto his back with Papyrus draped on top of him.

"Urg! Papyrus…," Razz groaned.

Papyrus sniggered and nuzzled into Razz's sternum, "Thank you, Sans."

Then he glanced up with a mischievous glint in his amber eyelights.

"Just keep falling for ya~" he purred.

"Stars, Mutt, no!" Razz groused, hand coming up to cover his face.

Papyrus laughed again, louder this time and snuggled back down. Razz hummed his own amusement and lay contentedly for the time being. Between Papyrus starting to feel better, the dim lighting, and the comfortable weight on him, Razz could almost consider the near unthinkable. A nap. It would be nice. Make this feel more like a true vacation. The wonderful peace stretched out for several moments. At some point, Razz resumed his petting and Papyrus sighed happily. After a few minutes, Razz started to wonder if Papyrus had in fact dozed off again. Closing his own eyes, Razz drew took a slow, deep breath. A knot of tension that had wound itself tight somewhere in his ribs slowly loosened. He relaxed into the sleepy embrace.

"M'Lord…" Papyrus said softly sometime later, startling Razz out of a near doze.

"Yes, Pap?"

"Who did I bite? I can taste marrow on my teeth."

Razz couldn't help the dark little chuckle at that question.

"It was Edge. IA warning nip from what I saw, barely cracked a metacarpal," he reassured Papyrus.

Edge may have been bitching that it wasn't a nip, but if Papyrus had wanted to, had put serious Intent into the bite, Edge may have lost half his hand. Which would have served him right for not listening to what others said, especially when it came to their own property. There was a reason, several actually, that Papyrus was the strongest, most feared attack dog beast in the whole of the Underground. Papyrus hummed, digesting this new information. Razz knew without needing to check that he was also licking the little splattering of marrow from his fangs. The comforting silence returned, but Razz knew that Papyrus had more he wanted to ask. Razz waited, still grining at Edge's expense. After a moment, Papyrus spoke up again.

"We are going to show them aren't we?"

Papyrus sounded unsure again. Nervous.

"Yes, there's little point in hiding it now. May I see them first?"

Papyrus nodded, "Can pet 'em too."

Razz smiled and gently lifted Papyrus's hood. Both of his large furred ears sprung up and then hung somewhat limply in poorly concealed shame. Razz cupped one, running his thumb down the soft expanse of fur along the edge of it.

"Lovely," Razz crooned.

Papyrus gave a soft growling purr and leaned into the touch.

"How is your tail?" Razz asked.

Because of fucking course the Classics had been right. There was a tail to match the ears.

"Cramped," was the grumbled reply.

"You should free it."

"But then I have to move," Papyrus whined.

"You will feel better freeing it," Razz reasoned.

Papyrus grumbled against his chest and tightened his grip on Razz's hand. Razz shifted his petting to start rubbing around the base of each ear, starting with one, then switching to the other and back again. They tended to get cramped there being forced down by the heavy hood. Papyrus went limp against Razz with a low groan. Now Razz could feel the solid weight of his brother's concealed tail across his own pelvis. A weight that seemed to imply the tail was at full growth. How was it at full growth already? It had been at half brush just yesterday! Razz knew from careful study that the cycle matched up across universes. Dimension hopping shouldn't have change anything.

"Papyrus," Razz said, a little of his 'Lord' tone edging in.

"Ok, fine," Papyrus grumbled.

With a clear reluctance, he sat up, though he kept stubborn hold of Razz's hand. Razz smirked at the insistence and propped himself up on his elbow. He was half expecting the Mutt of make a show of it. Teasing would tell Razz Papyrus was feeling safe and content, even if it wasn't exactly proper when the only thing separating them from their alternates and the human child was a blanket. Instead, Papyrus just pulled the front of his sweater up to his clavicles. There, hooked over the right ilium, across the pelvic cavity and curling up against the inside of the left side hanging ribs was Papyrus's tail. It looked just as cramped as Papyrus had implied. Razz almost couldn't see the faint dusting of sienna tipped fur that ran down the top of it.

"Like what you see, m'Lord?" Papyrus purred suddenly.

There was the teasing. Razz felt relief cool some of the anger still pulsing in him. Dragging his gaze away from the tail and tempting bones, he smiled up at Papyrus.

"Immensely," he said in an answering growl.

Papyrus's cheekbones flushed with dark orange and he ducked behind his rucked up sweater. The flush even showed faintly in the inner cusp of Papyrus's ears. But despite ducking away, there was still a grin on Papyrus's face.

"Though," Razz continued, "this looks uncomfortable."

He reached into the hollow of Papyrus's middle and ran his fingers along the bunched tail. Papyrus gasped softly and nodded. Then he transferred the sweater front to his mouth so he could reach down to capture Razz's wrist. Razz allowed his hand to be pulled away. He could see Papyrus's eyelights getting a little hazy from the light touches. The tail was always sensitive at its full size, but with the sudden jump in its cycle and confinement it was probably even more so.

Razz watched as, with a muffled groan from Papyrus, the tail tip curled back further onto its self and twisted so it could duck out around the edge of Papyrus's ribs. Then it was dropped with a grunt to rest almost obscenely down from the valley between Papyrus's pubis, brushing lightly over Razz's own covered pelvis. Razz could feel his magic give an interested stir and clamped down on it. The tail was still caught over one ilia. Panting now, Papyrus released Razz's wrist so he could lift the right side of his jacket. A moment and then the tail was flipped over the hip. It settled heavily behind Papyrus where it belonged. With a breathy sigh, Papyrus slumped back into Razz.

"Ow…" he grumbled.

"Stiff?" Razz inquired.

Papyrus grunted, which Razz took as a 'yes'.

"Do you require assistance with that stiffness, Mutt?" Razz asked in a teasing tone that held more of his 'Lord' edge.

There was a quiet yelp and Papyrus scooted back a little in the available space, head shaking furiously. The flush on his cheekbones had brightened and spread.

"Thank you, m'Lord, no! I can…"

Razz enjoyed the embarrassed stammering as he sat back up. He really hadn't been expecting Papyrus to say yes. Not when his tail was still so very sensitive and they were, once again, in fairly close proximity to the others. Papyrus pulled his hand from Razz's to fidget with his collar. Razz smirked again when Papyrus glanced at him.

"Well?" Razz asked, cracked brow ridge raising.

Papyrus huffed. Then a crooked smirk stretched across his face and he pinned Razz with a heated look as he teasingly ran one hand around his hip to disappear behind him. Razz couldn't see him rubbing around his sacrum even if he could have looked down. He couldn't look away though. Not when Papyrus was pinning him with that look in his hazing eyelights. Then there was an audible 'schick' and Papyrus arched with a hastily muffled moan.

"Oohhh, fuck!'

Razz swallowed dryly, feeling a flush rising on his own cheeks and his magic positively hum with interest. Yeah, Papyrus was feeling much better.

"Mutt, if you keep up like that we'll need to shortcut somewhere far more private," Razz warned.

His voice came out rougher and sharper then he'd meant for it to. Thankfully, Papyrus just chuckled lowly and thumped his tail against the floor.

"Promises, promises, m'Lord," he said in a soft sing-song.

"Down, boy," Razz growled in rough affection, "For now, we have to face the others."

"As my Lord wishes," Papyrus murmured huskily, sitting back and looking away. He was still grinning.

Freed from that heated, tempting gaze, Razz closed his sockets and took a much needed moment to compose himself. At least now he understood why his Mutt had nested. With his tail suddenly in full brush and alone in a mostly unfamiliar place it made sense that he's seek comfort like that. Did he know why Papyrus was suddenly in full brush? No. No, he didn't. He could figure it out later. The important parts for now were that the Mutt's cycle had been thrown way forward and the secret they'd planned to keep a while longer was suddenly thrust into the open. That's what they would deal with for now. Resolve set, Razz stood and fixed his clothes.

"Papyrus, my dear Mutt, let's go," he said, slipping completely back into his 'Lord' voice, if not the volume.

"Yes, m'Lord."