Blue bounced in place excitedly, eagerly waiting for the first instruction. Red could tell he was overjoyed at getting to learn to teleport. But even still, Red felt a shred of fear in the pit of his stomach. His father had taught him when he was young. So, the memories weren't as fresh as they could be. It was likely that Blue could end up anywhere in the underground or get stuck in the void if he didn't explain it right. But it's not as if he doesn't teleport often himself. Teleports were used for his various shortcuts across the underground of course.

"Okay. The main trick to teleporting is visualization. You have to see or have seen where you want to go." Red took a breath, squashing his doubts. "the more familiar the better."

Blue grinned, almost jumping up and down in excitement. "Got it!"

Red wasn't so sure he wanted to do go through with this. "You sure you wanna do this? You step through the void to teleport. If you don't focus you could get lost forever."

Blue put his hands on his hips. "I'm sure it'll be okay. I can focus when I need to."

"You're going to need to focus now." Red sighed, "Blue, close your eyes."

"Huh? Why?"

"Just do it."

Blue closed his eyes, his posture relaxing as he listened for any further instructions. Red clenched his teeth a bit. "Focus on your magic. Expand it around you and encase your whole body like...like full body armor."

Blue smiled a bit at his example. It didn't take but a couple minutes for a blue aura to form around his body.

Red's jaw dropped in awe of the vivid blue before him. It was such a pure hue, a flash of a picture cane to mind. An old photo he'd seen in one of his father's books. The sky. Blue's aura was the color of the sky on the surface. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. If Blue hadn't spoken up, he might have stared for hours.

"Red? Am I doing this right?" Blue asked anxiously. "You're so quiet."

"W-what? Oh, yeah. Y-you're doing perfectly this far." Red stumbled over his words, trying not to think too much on it. "Do you feel the resistance around you?"

"Yeah, it feels a bit strange. It's not bad it's just...different." Blue replied, his voice uncertain. "Is that normal?"

"Yes, that is the void. It is all around us but on a different plane of existence." Red recalled that his father had described it as such.

"It's like that feeling of pushing two, um, magnets together." Blue said, nervously. He was anxious and a little scared to try this. "What do I do now?"

"Open your eyes and remember that feeling. Keep your magic up too." Red smiled, his soul pulsed in his chest almost to the point of aching. Blue opened his eyes, the stars were gone but his eyelights were still visible, just a bit small compared to normal. But Red could understand why though. Blue's facing a challenge he's never tried to overcome before.

Red stepped ten large steps away, making a line in the snow. "This is your goal."

"O-okay." Blue focused on the spot. "But how do I..?"

"The void." Red replied.

"I gathered that much." Blue sighed. "I meant how do you get to it?"

"Step forward and imagine it opening. Like a window. But the other side of that window is past that line." Red smiled, if only to give Blue that extra bit of courage. "Take your time."

Blue nodded, his smile dropping as he focused. For a moment there was nothing and Red had thought of doubt. Perhaps Blue couldn't just step through like he could. Red watched Blue as his aura brightened.

There was a flash of white and Blue was gone.

Red smiled a bit in pride. Blue had done it. He managed to step through the void. It took Red himself several tries to even leave this space and enter the void for passage.

A minute past and Red began to worry. Yeah, Blue had teleported...but he didn't reappear.

Red felt a sharp chill crawl down his spine. He looked around for Blue, searching for that flash of his little scarf. His soul ached in worry at his absence. He gave it a moment, knowing that sometimes there was a buffering time of sorts. But as a couple more minutes passed, his worry turns to fear. He felt the regret of teaching him begin to set in. What if he'd gotten himself stuck in the void?

"Blue!" Red called out, continuing to search. Why had he agreed to teach Blue how to teleport? Red knew the dangers. He had a far better teacher than he was himself. He clenched his teeth and called out again. "Blue!"

"Up here!" Red felt his soul stop is rhythmic pulsing as he looked up.

There Blue was, holding onto a branch in a nearby tree.

Red had never felt such relief in his life. He was about ready to sink to his knees and stay there awhile. "Well...I didn't expect this." Blue laughed nervously.

Red clutched his jacket just over his soul. It still ached badly. "Damnit Blue! Way to go, making me so worried!"

"I'm sorry, it took me a moment to realize where I was!" Blue called back, a huge grin on his face, "but I did it!"

Red sighed, smiling back, "yeah, you did."

"But I think we have a problem." Blue said, his happy tone slipping a bit. "I don't think I could safely get down from here."

Red frowned, looking up at the tree. Blue had places for foot holds until he would be still very far off the ground. It would be nothing for a normal monster. Normally, that size drop would lead to a possibility of a broken leg or twisted ankle. But for Blue, who holds only a single hp, the drop could be fatal. Even with his high defense.

Red could teleport up there and get him, but the branches looked like they'd give out from the touch of a feather, let alone his full weight plus Blue's. He didn't want Blue to try teleporting again just yet either.

"Get as low down as you can, I'll catch you!" Red called up. It was their best bet for him to get down safe. Red sighed, noting that he would need a very strong drink after this. Perhaps Muffet's sold hard liquor. Blue said it was a bar after all.

"Okay!" Blue replied, looking around himself for a foot hold. He could make some bones to walk on but they wouldn't last but a few seconds. It wouldn't be worth the magic it costed to make them. Blue slowly descended, he was sure his brother would think he was dreaming if he saw Blue being so cautious. Blue laughed at the mental image as he found footing.

Red watched with his arms out, ready to catch Blue at any moment. His soul thumped in his chest. After this, he'd probably convince Blue to take a drink too. He would need it just as much. "That's it. Slow and steady."

"If someone asked me what I was going to do today and I told them that I was going to accidentally teleport into a tree," Blue adjusted his hold and stepped down again, "they would have called me insane."

"If I knew that this would happen I'd have waited for another day to let you try. But hey, I'd rather this than you getting stuck in the void." Red took a deep breath, his soul fluttering as Blue settled on the last branch, carefully sitting. Here comes the tricky part.

"That's true. I don't think I'd want to be there either." Blue said shakily, carefully evening his balance as the branch shifted beneath him slightly.

"Yeah, the void is a touchy topic." Red sighed, getting beneath where Blue sat.

"So how do you-" Blue had started before crying out. Red froze only registering a large crack and Blue's shout before he moved. The branch had to have been fragile to begin with, snapping under the little weight that Blue had. Red watched, careful to avoid where the branch would land. Red raised his arms, more than ready to catch Blue but when he blinked, Blue was gone again.

"Blue?" Red looked around, making sure to include the tree line as he searched. Red jumped as the tree branch hit the ground. A moment later Blue stumbled into view as he reappeared. He tripped and fell face first into the snow with a small cry.

Red fell to his knees in relief, pulling his smaller double close. "Damnit Blue...crush my soul too why don't you?"

Blue laughed a bit, "Sorry, I really am."

Red just grasped him tighter, "I thought my soul was going to shatter for a moment there..." he whispered.

"I'm okay." Blue pulled back a bit, showing Red that he was alright. "See? I'm fine. Check me if you want to be sure." Which Red did.

Sans 'Blue' - 1/1 hp

*you feel your soul get a little lighter...

"Yeah...yeah, you're right." Red sighed, flopping back in the snow. "We've really got to work on your aim lil Blue. I thought I'd lost you. What would I tell your brother if...nah, I don't wanna even think about it."

Blue chuckled, standing and brushing himself off. "You wouldn't have to tell Papy anything. I'm still here so it's all okay."

"How are you so positive?" Red asked somewhat in awe.

"Well why not?" Blue asked back, "the worst that could've happened, didn't. So why keep thinking about it?"

Red just stared at him before laughing, "You got a point there kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Blue frowned, crossing his arms.

"Uh-huh, suure." Red teased, leaning back on his hands.

"I'll have you know I just happen to be a very short adult!" Blue said proudly, blush tinting his cheekbones.

"Oh? How old are you then." Red smirked, sitting up. "14? 15?"

Blue looked mildly offended. "I'm 19 mind you."

"Huh, same age as my Papyrus." Red noted. "Looks like things really are swapped here. I'm in my late twenties, the elder bro in my world."

"Papy is older than me but I wish he'd act his age." Blue sighed. "I'm know I can be quite childish but at least I get what needs to be done...well, done."

Red sighed, rubbing at his eyes sockets. A yawn was partially suppressed behind his teeth as he stretched. Blue held a hand out to Red who let himself be pulled to his feet. Blue stretched as he stood there, freezing as he seemed to remember something.

"We should go on patrol." He said slowly as if it were an afterthought.

"What about your brother? He's also sentry, right?" Red asked.

"Yeah. But he rarely ever goes on patrol. He sleeps at his station more often than not." Blue said, a slight irritation in his tone. "But his station is closer to the door to the ruins, so he doesn't usually come this far whenever he does do his job."

"But there's still the chance..." Red sighed, he had a feeling they might get caught today.

Blue caught his weary tone, turning to Red. "I won't let him at you. He can be brash at times but he's nice too. He just doesn't handle surprises well."

"Well another Sans just showing up out of nowhere is a pretty fucking huge surprise Blue." Red sighed, rubbing his arm. "Hell, how is he going to react when you try to explain all this to him?"

Blue seemed lost for words, just looking at Red. He reached out, gently taking one of Red's hands in his. Blue rubbed little soothing circles in the bone, "I know. This is not going to be easy but I don't want to keep him in the dark forever and I don't want you to have to leave."

Red felt the warms of magic gather in his cheekbones as he looked away. He nodded reluctantly. Blue was right about this not being easy. But at the same time there was the chance this Papyrus may dust him. Even if only by an accident.

"I'm thinking of telling him tomorrow morning or sometime tomorrow at least." Blue said, giving Red's hand a gentle squeeze as he led him along his patrol route.

"Why not today?" Red asked. He absentmindedly returned Blue's squeeze, following his direction. He sped up a little to be at his side.

"Papy won't be home tonight, today is one of those nights he spends at Muffet's." Blue's tone darkened a bit. "I can't ask him to stay home every night of course but I at least get the night with him a couple days out of the week. Which is...nice in its own way."

Red frowned, looking at the snow that hadn't yet been tainted by their steps. "Do you ever envy him?"

Blue stopped walking. "What?"

"Do you ever envy his relationship? Yeah, he may stay away from home a lot...but don't you ever what something like that for yourself?" Red asked, glancing up at Blue, catching his shocked expression.

Blue looked away, taking a deep breath. "I hadn't really thought about it...if I'm being honest."

"Would you want to?" Red put both his hands in his pockets, picking at the cloth inside. Why was he trembling? Why did his voice creak that way? "It just seems a shame that someone so nice has no one to call their own."

Blue smiled, and then laughed lightly, "I have tried in the past couple of years to start a relationship with someone. But I never seem to get past the first date."

"Whoever those people are, they must be blind." Red growled, his soul pulsing angrily.

"Why?" Blue asked, his tone a mix between sad and confused.

"I've only know you for less than a day but hell, I feel as if I've known you for years." Red said honestly.

"That's a good thing I suppose." Blue hummed.

Red chuckled, his tone softening, "I feel like I can trust you. You're so nice and always do your best at everything."

Blue smiled, his soul happily pulsing in his chest. "I don't know what to say to that...mweh-heh..."

Red grinned, "Honestly, you should have people all over you wanting to be your mate."

Blue blushed, "R-really? Gosh...thank you so much."

Red looked away, feeling his soul flutter. Why did it keep doing that? "Y-yeah..." Red ignored the heat in his cheekbones and coughed, "Oh, um...we should probably start that patrol."

"Ah, yes... w-we should." Blue agreed, grasping on to an escape from the awkward air around them. Blue took a deep breath as he walked back over to his post. He leaned over the desk, grabbing a bag from underneath before rejoining Red. "I need to recalibrate my puzzles while we're on route."

"Sounds good. I used to sit with Boss when he did his. Maybe we can find things to improve on with yours." Red said with another yawn.

Blue seemed to brighten with those words. "Really?!" He swung the bag over his shoulder, "let's go then. The first puzzle isn't too far from here."

He grabbed Red's hand and tugged him along at just barely a speed walking pace. Red just chuckled, letting him have his fun.

As Blue had said, it didn't take but a good five minutes to get to the first puzzle. It was simple but Red was still impressed by the mechanics Blue had created for it. The puzzle was simple. Just step over the tiles and the shape changes. The mechanisms for programming this puzzle were definitely higher than his brother's level. Of course, his brother made more traps than puzzles.

"And then if you have the sequence correct..." Blue stepped onto a button near the puzzle. There was a loud click and the spikes blocking the way retracted into the ground. "It opens. All the sentries know the sequence so it's rare that I have to open it for them. Only Doggo ever needs help, his eyesight is a strange wonder to the underground. Whoever only sees movement?"

Red shrugged, just content with listening to Blue talk. He was so enthusiastic and cheerful. It was...very refreshing to say the least. "You could install a key area to deactivate the puzzle for him. It might also help to activate them faster in the future."

Blue's eyes shined, "Brilliant idea Red!"

"It's nothing special. Boss did the same to his puzzles because the other sentries were always bitching." Blue gave him a stern look and Red chuckled, "Sorry lil Blue."

"I'm half tempted to set up a swear jar when we get back home." Blue grumbled a bit, his smile returning as he rearranged a couple wires before closing the control panel. "There!"

"All done?" Red asked with a yawn. "That didn't take long at all."

Blue grinned up at him proudly, "I arranged my puzzles so that they would be an easy fix should something happen to them."

Red returned the grin, "How're you so cool?"

Blue rubbed his cheekbone, leaving a spot of oil where his gloves touched. "I'm n-, I just try hard."

"I can definitely believe that." He looked around, pretending he didn't hear the slip in his words, "So how many of these puzzles to you have?"

"Um...just 5." Blue hummed, putting away his tools. "They are a bit more complex but most won't take longer than this one. One of them though will take roughly an hour or so. But I usually work on that one last."

Red smirked, speaking in an excited tone, "nap time is within my sights."

Blue laughed, "Papy takes enough naps for all of Snowdin already."

"I'll take enough for just us two then." Red yawned, earning himself more laughter. "Though I can sleep too much, might get ar-rest-ed."

Blue stopped laughing, "Was that a pun?" He groaned, laying back in the snow, "Gosh you and my brother are far too similar!"

"But different."

Blue looked at Red, "What?"

"Me and your brother maybe similar. But I'm definitely not him." Red said, a tone in his voice that Blue couldn't identify. "Plus, the fact that I'm from some other world out there."

Blue pondered his words for a moment, "That's true."

"Hey...Blue?" Red spoke up after a moment, "Can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Blue smiled, putting his tool bag aside as he turned to face Red. "I'm sure I can do it."

"Can you stop comparing me to your brother? I get that we're similar and all but I'm not him or another Papyrus. If..." Red paused for a moment, "If I end up back in my world ever, I'd like you to remember me as 'Red' not 'the sans who reminds me of Papy'."

Blue didn't know what to say, his soul aching. If Red left...'if' doesn't mean that it 'will' happen. Blue didn't like the thought either way. "Do you want to go back?" He found himself asking.

"Well...no. But as bad as Boss can be...he's...he's my baby brother." Red looked up at Blue, "I can't leave him all alone. No matter how sure I was that he'd be fine."

Blue nodded reluctantly, "If we can find a way to bring him here...would you stay?"

Red smiled, his tone more confident and honest, "Of course I would! I wouldn't want to go back to begin with except to get my brother back."

Blue felt his soul flutter. He said he'd stay! Blue smiled happily, a light blush dusting his cheekbones with a soft blue hue. "That's fantastic."

Red chuckled, moving to stand. "Let's go then. The sooner we get these done, the sooner I get my nap."

Blue couldn't help but feel a bit giddy as Red held out a hand for him to take. He couldn't help but accept it too. The way his soul warmed when they touched, it was getting addictive. Blue wondered if Red had the same reaction as they walked to the next puzzle.

It was a good two hours before they finished all the puzzles. Red leaning against a tree nearby as Blue fixed the randomize feature on his largest tile puzzle. It was certainly a sight to behold when Red first saw it. Though now he was dozing off, falling asleep to the sound of Blue's mumbling and typing.

Blue put the finishing touches on his puzzle, a proud smile on his face as he had managed to fix a small bug in the system which was really good. The machine had a tendency to give a lot of random tiles that were easy. He test ran the puzzle a few times until he was satisfied with the level that the puzzles were now set as.

Blue smiled and picked up his tools, taking them over to where Red sat. He smiled down at him. He looked so peaceful while sleeping. Blue sat down, quietly putting his tools away. Blue leaned up against the tree right beside Red when he was done, looking over his puzzle. It would keep up pretty well over this next week. He just had to be wary of snowfall for now. Perhaps next week he could find a way to make it weather proof. His thoughts trailed off as he happened to glance down, catching sight of several chips in Red's hand.

Blue gently pulled his hand towards him, not wanting to wake Red. Looking at it closer, it looked like his hand had been broken several times before and only given the minimum in terms of healing, forcing it to try and heal on its own, resulting in the fractured healing and the gaps where bone used to be.

Blue frowned, starting to channel his magic. It maybe late to try now, but even with his weak healing magic he should be able to at least fix some of the marks scarring his bones. Maybe it could be something they'd work on from now on. That is...if Red would let him do more than this.

Blue yawned a bit. He may have used too much magic earlier. His reserves were lower than they'd be on a regular day. Blue looked up to Red's sleeping face, perhaps taking a nap for once would do some good. Blue snuggled close to Red, holding his hand between his as he slipped into sleep, missing the crunching sound of someone's footsteps joining the pair in the small clearing.

A/N: A cliffhanger is my favorite way to end a chapter. =u= who is the person now with the sleeping skeletons? Maybe you'll find out next chapter.