Sci awoke again several hours later to a soft noise. He found that had nuzzled himself closer into Edge's ribcage in his sleep. He laid in silence for a little while, feeling high. He would've been happy to lay there forever if he had the chance. Briefly he wondered was was going through Edge's head. Was there even a fraction of a chance that he felt the same way? A sinking feeling brought him back down the Earth. He tried not to think about it, but once the floodgate opened it couldn't be stopped. He doubted that this meant anything to him. He probably just wrapped himself around whatever was closest. Edge would never care about him that way. Where he came from, love was seen as a weakness. He couldn't imagine his what his reaction would be if he found out how Sci felt.
'Disgusting. Weak. Pathetic.'
Sci internally scolded himself. Why did he care so much?! What exactly was he hoping for? Edge was an alternate version of the same person. He was literally another version of himself. A strong, growly, badass version of himself with a strangely addictive scent and a husky accent that he could listen to all day… What was he thinking?! What kind of narcissist was he? His head began to spin out of control. Edge stirred, pulling Sci tighter. Another wave of comfort washed over him. The voice in his head went silent, but the pit in his core remained. He hid his face in Edge's jacket. He was afraid of how much his expression revealed.
Suddenly, he heard fabric rustle on the other side of Edge. Someone got to their feet. Anxiety sent pinpricks across his cheekbones. Like a deer in headlights, he stayed frozen in his compromising position with no means of escape. He considered trying to worm his way free, but if Edge reacted the same way he did last time, there was no way they would go unnoticed. And on top of that, he doubted he could hide his reaction, either.
'Maybe if I don't move, they won't notice.' His inner voice mused amidst the internal screams.
They quietly approached, then stopped at their feet. Red hot panic burned him from the inside out. If his eyes had been open, they would've been dark and hollow. There was a quiet clicking sound. Sci couldn't quite place it. Maybe he had cracked a knuckle or stepped on a cracker. It was hardly even audible. But that didn't matter. In the blink of an eye, Edge was on his feet, his left eye blazing red. A cage of bones spiked up from the ground around them, angling outwards.
"Woah!" A familiar voice cried.
Luckily, the small figure was quick. He jumped backwards, landing on one knee. Even with the blur of motion, Sci recognized the blue scarf. It was just Swap Sans, and yet Edge was staring him down like a cornered animal. He stood over Sci, almost as if he was... Guarding him?
"BACK OFF!" Edge roared.
His fingers curled like claws, and Blueberry's soul began to glow in his rib cage. Suddenly he was yanked into the air and then slammed into the opposing wall.
"Edge, wait! It's me!"
Blue tried to snap him out of it, but it was no use. Words didn't matter. He was running on instinct. Everyone began yelling at once.
"What the hell?!"
"What's going on?"
"PUT HIM DOWN!"
A gaster blaster with bright orange eyes began to form over their heads.
"Papyrus, NO!" Blue yelled, "He's just confused!"
The blaster didn't leave, but the charge stopped. Sci stared into it's mouth like the barrel of a cannon.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Underfell Papyrus' voice carried over the others, "PUT THE BLUE WELP DOWN AT ONCE," he commanded.
Edge made a double take. Sci scrambled to his feet and grabbed his arm. He flinched, looking down at Sci's hand with wide eyes, and then up at him.
"It's okay! It's just us! You're at a sleepover, remember?"
Edge's eyes darted around the room. His breathing was uneven.
"Last night, we were roasting marshmallows. And we were going to light some fireworks, but Error threw them into the bonfire and we had to take cover. Then we made prank calls and your brother made a stranger cry!"
Edge's expression softened. He looked lost.
"And Blue started a pillow fight so you used an entire mattress! I attacked them from behind while you had them distracted."
His arm fell, and the cage around them faded. Blue dropped to the ground. He clutched the fabric over his chest.
"Don't startle me like that! You gave me a fuckin' heart attack!" Edge yelled. Despite his frustration, he sounded relieved.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you!"
Papyrus still stood at the back of the room with one eye burning orange. Sci clung to Edge's arm and watched apprehensively. The blaster faded a few moments later. As the conversation continued, the carrot wadded through the pillows and blankets and stood between Blue and the 'fell, slightly off to the side so that he didn't obstruct their view. Sci could tell that he was making an effort to appear casual about it, but it wasn't fooling anyone. The poor guy probably wouldn't be able to relax again for a while. The tall skeleton put his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, his eyes wary.
"Wow," said Classic Sans "Underfell really is hellish, isn't it?"
Sci had been thinking the same thing. He had never seen such clear symptoms of PTSD before in his life.
"What? Nooooo, it's a land full of rainbows, unicorns, and sunshine. People crawl through your window at night to leave you cookies and sing you lullabies," Edge replied sarcastically.
The pieces were beginning to fall into place. Sci's bedroom window made a clicking sound when opened. He never bothered to figure out why. If Edge's window worked similarly, that would explain his reaction to that strange clicking sound he heard earlier. Sci felt a twinge of concern. How many times have people tried to kill him in his sleep? How many times did he lay awake, afraid to fall asleep and leave himself vulnerable? He wished there was some way he could've helped.
"I'm sorry…" he said softly.
The concern in his voice must've caught Edge off guard, because suddenly his scowl fell. His pupils went white. There was a hint of guilt in his expression.
"Naw. Don't be. I'm the one that should be sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out like that…"
He put a hand on the back of his neck and avoided eye contact.
"It's okay! I understand," Blue replied.
As the tension in the room died down, Sci couldn't help but wonder… He and Blue were both good friends of his. Why did he attack one and not the other? In his triggered state, why didn't he see Sci as an enemy as well? He didn't know it, but his cheekbones were a light pink. He just couldn't get it out of his head. He tried to come to some sort of logical conclusion, but it was difficult when it felt like his insides were made of fluff.
'I wasn't the one who startled him. That's probably why,' He told himself, hoping that logic would help get his head screwed on straight.
It didn't work.
