Swapfell AU

Warning: this is not a happy story—and this is the toned down version of what is in my head. The full version would be M-rated due to violence, unhealthy relationships, abuse and disturbing imagery. I really wasn't sure if I'd post this considering how different it is from the other one-shots here, but I was in one of those author-moods where someone has to suffer or the darkness will never leave my soul and send me into the pit myself.

If you are triggered by any of the things above, there are references to it below even if there isn't graphic description. I will try and have something fluffy up soon.

Papyrus winced as the wind blew through his exposed ribs, the cracks in the bones stinging as they continually dripped marrow. He supposed he deserved it: he had disobeyed a direct order from his brother by not staying at his station for an extra hour. But, exhausted and not thinking of the consequences, Papyrus had gone home at the usual time for a nap before dinner. He'd been harshly awoken by Sans' sharp bone attacks before his older brother had ripped off his shredded leather jacket and pushed the taller, wounded skeleton out into the snow to "think about what he'd done."

Footsteps crunched nearby and the tall skeleton glanced up to see his—no, their—human approaching with grocery bags on her arms. When she caught sight of him huddled on the porch, her eyes widened and she rushed over.

"Paps," she breathed. Setting down her bags, she took off her snow jacket and wrapped it around his shoulders, pressing her warm hands against his cheekbones. "What did he do?"

"heh, 's my fault," he mumbled, not looking her in the eye. "i disobeyed mi'lord... it's just the natural order of things that i should be punished."

Tabatha's grip tightened and Papyrus felt a stone sink into his nonexistent gut. Oh no, she was ticked.

"What would you like for me to do about it?" she asked, her voice like ice. Papyrus didn't immediately answer. He'd have to be careful with his words because she would take anything he said in anger or hurt as permission to take...drastic measures. He could still so vividly remember when he learned how...protective she could be.

It had been a typical day: he messed up and Sans would punish him. It had just been a bit rougher than usual, that's all. He'd gone to Muffet's for some spider cider and had hoped to have a nice conversation with Tabatha. But he only caught one glimpse of her—her back to him as she walked into the back room. She hadn't come back out and Papyrus had been resigned to suffer in silence. When he did go home, he wasn't nearly as drunk as he wanted to be and the bruises from the crop were still throbbing even after the pastry he'd eaten.

When he walked in the door, though, he something was wrong: the entry hall was a shattered mess with furniture and dishes littered on the floor. There was also a smear of blood on one of the entryways to the living room. Then he'd heard the sound of his brother's riding crop against bone.

The living room was in an equally destroyed state, but it was what he saw in the center of the room that made his Soul go cold in fear: the human was on top of his brother, the crop in her hands as she tapped it idly against the floor.

"So you don't like being hit?" she asked in a venomous tone. "Hm. Then why do you do it to your brother?"

Sans caught sight of his brother from his position on the floor and immediately tried to regain control of the situation.

"THIS IS NO WAY TO BEHAVE, HUMAN," he snarled. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO SUCH THINGS TO THE MAGNIFICENT AND MALICIOUS SANS! RELEASE YOUR MASTER AT ONCE!"

"Ugh, you don't get it, you edgy drama queen," Tabatha spat, bringing the crop under the shorter skeleton's chin. "You aren't my master. You never will be my master. My love belongs to only one...and he is the only one who can save you now."

Tabatha had looked at him with such emotionless eyes that Papyrus flinched.

"Master, what shall I do with him?" she asked simply. Without thinking, he told her to make Sans quiet—his incessant shouting was aggravating his headache. Without hesitation, the brunette pulled off her boot, removed her sock and then shoved said article into Sans' mouth, holding his jaws shut with her hands.

"Would you like me to punish him?" she continued, ignoring the monster writhing under her. "Your wish is my will."

The fear building inside him reached a peak and he stepped back.

"Wh-why are you doing this?" he blurted.

"He hurt you. I want to hurt him back. But if you don't want it, I will leave him be and tend to you instead."

Papyrus had stumbled away in a hazy panic at that point and when he'd calmed down enough to brave returning, he'd found her in the exact same position, still waiting obediently. When he told her to let his brother up, she complied and rushed to try easing his pains, but—too freaked out by what she had done—he refused her. That seemed to snap her out of it, as she immediately fled to her room. Papyrus heard her crying later that night.

She hadn't left her room for two days after that, and had plead for the taller skeleton's forgiveness. When he eventually gave it, she snapped back into her usual cheerful self and did not mention it afterwards. But then, when he came back into Muffet's with a fresh cut on his cheekbone, the terrifying rage returned and Sans hadn't been able to look at the young woman without flinching for two weeks. It was at this point that she convinced Muffet to magically dye half her head burnt orange —Papyrus' color—to show where her loyalties and affections lied.

As time had gone on and a few more... incidents passed, Tabatha had gotten better at controlling her yandere tendencies and now waited for explicit permission before she did anything in a possessive rage. Papyrus was still disturbed by it—he'd never been given such power before and was scared to let her loose for fear that his lord would punish him all the more fiercely. But at the same time...it was flattering to know that she cared so passionately for him.

"What would you like for me to do to him?" she asked again, this time genuine concern and worry bleeding into her angry words.

"i...dunno," he mumbled, hissing when the wind picked up again. "human...please...help me feel better."

Tabatha wrapped him up in an embrace before opening the door and guiding him inside and up the stairs. As soon as he was sat down on his mattresses, she began to clean the cuts, kissing him every time he gasped in pain at the antiseptic. When she had finished, she took his skull in her hands and brought it to her chest.

"I'm sorry you're hurting, Master," she murmured, tone melancholy.

"stay with me," he whispered back. "hold me."

She pulled the tall skeleton into her embrace and began to stroke his neck in a soothing manner. She began to hum as she laid them down on the bed, being quiet for Papyrus' sake more than anything. The song was one she sang quite often, about a mother having lost her child and seeking revenge on the killer. But despite the harshness of the words, there was nothing but raw affection and devotion in her tone.

This human would do anything for him. And that scared Papyrus as much as it comforted him.

So it just hit me the other day that I haven't actually replied to anyone's comments here! I am SO sorry; I was kinda on autopilot transferring these over from my phone and Drive. Here is a quick shoutout to all of the reviewers so far!

vixenthief! UltimateGamer101! TabbyCat! Guest (11/22/16)! Kagayaku Hoshi-chan! Ksanj! And MachUPB! Thanks so much for your words!