Thank you to Cups and wyverns for the review on this story here it reminded me that unlike both my Archive and my Quotev accounts I had not caught this one up to the same amount of chapters as them which also means I hadn't posted the lasted chapter update or the announcement I made on the story on those sites. I will post the note at the end of Chapter 16 so when you lovely Reader Gremlings get caught up please be sure to read that note it will give an explanation to the slight hiatus I am about to take.
For now Enjoy!
They had been sitting in silence for a few hours now. Killer had circled their small clearing several times in that time, clearly becoming more and more agitated with every silent hour that passed. Horror had settled beside their Boss and scratched at the hole in his skull nervously, Dust having to stop him several times from hurting himself. Dust wasn't sure what they were gonna do if the Boss didn't wake up soon, but the silence was clawing at him with every passing moment. Paps would mutter to him that everything was fine, but it didn't stop Dust's growing anxiety. They needed to get back to Ink and the silence in these woods was far too similar to Dusttale despite Killer and Horror's movements filling the air when they moved.
Dust was playing with the strings on his hoodie when he heard the sound of a branch breaking underweight. All three skeleton's snapped their heads towards the sound, attacks appearing in a flash as they prepared to defend themselves and their unconscious employer. Instead they were met with the sight of a Sans with sharp teeth and a red eyelight staring back at them. One of his teeth was gold and appeared to be the upper left canine while his outfit consisted of the typical black pants, a black jacket with fluffy hood and actual tennis shoes instead of slippers.
"The hell are you doing here?" Killer asked, lowering his knife as he stared at the other.
"I could ask you the same asshole." The Sans shot back.
Dust slowly moved over to Killer, gaining the strangers attention and leaving Horror near their Boss.
"You know him?" He asked quietly, not taking his eyes off him. His bone attacks followed behind him poised to strike in an instant.
"Yeah, this is Underfell Sans. Boss has been sending me to negotiate an alliance with him for… well you know." Killer replied just as quietly.
"He seems a bit edgy." Dust commented, his tone bored as the other skeleton bristled.
"You're not wrong." Killer chuckled out, grinning as Fell!Sans glared at him, "Maybe that's what we should call you, Edge."
Dust snickered as Fell!Sans snarled at them both.
"The hell are you doing out here anyway, I thought you said you'd be gone for a few days?" Fell!Sans demanded. Killer tensed and looked to Dust for a second before looking back at the other.
"Boss needed a place to recover." Killer answered hesitantly.
Dust turned and looked at their out of commission Boss and frowned at the lack of healing he had done in the few hours they'd been here. His right side was still destroyed and only part of his ribcage appeared to have even started regenerating. It eased Dust a little that while clearly hurt, their Boss wasn't likely to dust as easily as any of them were if half their body was destroyed. However, at the rate he was healing they would be trapped in Underfell for a while with no way back to the Castle.
"Holy shit, what the hell happened to him?" Edge exclaimed in surprise, "I thought you said he was a Guardian? What the hell could hurt a Guardian?"
"Another Guardian. We had a run in with the Guardian of Positivity when dealing with a Negativetale AU." Killer replied, frowning at Boss's prone form.
Dust frowned as well, looking back to their audience.
"Damn, well what are you doing here then? Why not go back to your hideout or whatever?" Edge asked, his eye lights showing concern as he watched Nightmare.
"We can't. Boss is the only one who can open a portal to it." Dust replied, shoving his hands in his pockets as Edge looked to him.
"Damn, that's rough." Edge muttered.
Dust scoffed at his response and turned to walk back towards the Boss, leaving Killer to handle their unwanted guest.
"Well if you are stuck here, staying out here won't help him recover. Safest place nearby would be my place if you trust it enough." Edge suggested.
"What do you two think?" Killer asked, pulling Dust and Horror's attention to him. Dust looked at Horror for a brief moment before shrugging.
"You know Edge better than us. It's your call." Dust replied, ignoring the shout from Edge at the nickname.
Killer stared at them for a moment before turning back to Edge.
"Better to be inside than to remain out here. Lead the way." Killer said. Dust turned to Horror as the taller skeleton picked up their Boss and followed Killer and Edge. Dust brought up the rear of their little group, keeping his eye out for any possible attacks so that Horror didn't have to.
They were led through the forest and into Snowdin, Edge keeping them to the shadows of buildings to allow them to hide their presence in the AU. Once they reached the smaller skeletons house, they were let inside and Horror wasted no time settling Boss onto the couch in the living room.
"Are we going to need to worry about your Papyrus or is he out for a bit?" Dust asked, looking over his shoulder to his own Paps as the Phantom touched his shoulder.
"Nah, Boss is the head of the Royal Guard here, so he's not lived here in a long time." Edge replied.
Dust clocked the title Edge used for his own brother, but said nothing. He knew Underfell was different from Undertale in several ways, but had never realized it meant that the skelebros had a strained relationship. Hell, even their group didn't use Boss as a title at this point. They may not be as emotionally attached to Nightmare as Ink was, but they sure were attached to their Boss and used the title more as endearment than as an actual title.
Pushing that thought process aside for now, Dust helped Horror get their Boss comfortable. He took note of the fact that more of their Boss' rib cage had grown during the journey and he silently hoped that it was a sign that they wouldn't be here long.
"'Fraid there isn't many places to set you guys up here, so I hope you don't mind all piling in the living room." Edge said, moving around and picking up a few things off the floor.
"We'll be fine." Killer replied.
Dust took the time to settle on the floor in front of the couch and was followed by Horror who did the same each of them by Boss' feet and head respectively. Killer did not settle, instead taking to pacing the living room while Edge moved to the kitchen and returned to lean against the entryway with a bottle of mustard in hand.
"How long do you think it'll be before your Boss is recovered?" Edge asked, taking a drink of the mustard.
"No idea. All we can do is wait." Dust replied, leaning back against the couch and flicking his eyelights to Killer as he paced by again.
He could see the exhaustion on both his companions and he himself felt exhaustion dragging down his shoulders. But they couldn't rest, Boss was injured and they needed to all be prepared to move at a moment's notice. He waved his hand tiredly over his shoulder to try and silence Paps worried words for him to rest. He'd stay awake until Boss was well enough to get them home.
At least that was the plan. His body, on the other hand, had different plans. He soon found himself falling into a doze, the sound of Killer's pacing almost soothing in its assurance that someone was watching while he rested.
Dust jolted awake as a hand landed on his shoulder and he snapped a hand out to shoot a bone attack at the one touching him. A yelp and a crash followed as the person avoided the attack and Dust scrambled to his feet, deaf to Paps' attempts at calming him.
"Easy Dust, Edge was just trying to ask if you want something to eat."
The sound of Killer's voice pulled his attention over to the side of the room where his fellow skeleton stood playing with his knife. His eyelights snapped back to the one he'd attacked and dropped his attacks as Edge watched him cautiously.
"Sorry. I don't like being touched." Dust mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he hid in his hood.
It was a bit embarrassing to attack someone who was just trying to ask him a question, but it was built on many resets worth of caution and paranoia.
"All good, should know better than to try waking a sleeping skeleton." Edge mumbled back, looking away from him.
"You should eat." Horror rumbled from where he still sat by Boss's head.
"If that's the case, we all should. We haven't eaten since we left the Castle." Dust responded.
"I can go to Grillby's to get us something, not much of a cook myself." Edge offered, only to jolt as Horror pushed himself to his feet.
"No offense, but we'll take whatever Horror can make with your supplies. We don't know your Grillby." Killer said, twirling his knife as Horror headed for the kitchen.
Dust took this time to look their Boss over and was slightly relieved to see that his left side had begun to recover even more. However, it was clear it would still be a few days more before he'd be well enough to wake let alone portal them home. His eyelights flicked to Killer anxiously, the other's empty sockets slightly dripping with corrupted Determination revealing his own anxiety over being away from the Castle for so long. It eased Dust a bit to know someone else was just as anxious as he was, but that seemed to also make it worse somehow. They definitely would have to figure out a way to get themselves back to the Castle if the Boss was ever in a similar situation again.
Days passed like this, Edge would go get groceries and Horror would cook any food as they all silently watched the slow progress of Boss' recovery. The Guardian of Negativity never woke during that time, though occasionally his tentacles would twitch. Dust had even ended up stuck by the couch for several hours when one of them curled around his ankle and wouldn't let go. The Gang just equated it to their Boss reaching for Ink even in his weakened state. The thought had made them all worry even more.
Nearly a week had passed and they hadn't been back to see Ink. The baby bones was probably thinking they left him, like his creator once had. The longer they were away the more anxious and irritated the gang became. Killer had started throwing his knives at Edge's living room walls, said homeowner only grumbling but not restricting him since he seemed to sense the growing tension of the group. Horror couldn't keep from scratching at the hole in his skull despite Dust's interference and Dust muttered away more to Paps ignoring the side eyes that grew by the day from Edge when he would.
It was on the seventh day of them being holed up in Edge's house that things finally changed. Boss' body appeared to have completely regrown itself with only a few spots that appeared to still need to recover. And it appeared that this was what their Boss had been waiting for because not long after Horror had fed them a small breakfast (who could eat when Ink was probably waiting for them to come back) Boss twitched and then moved as his singular eye socket seemed to open.
"Boss!"
The cry came from Killer as he locked onto the movement first and converged on the couch instantly as he vanished his knife.
"Oh Thank God!" Dust muttered and sagged against the couch as their Boss slowly sat up.
"Where are we?" Nightmare demanded, his voice quiet and gruff from disuse.
"We're in Underfell. You managed to open a portal here before you…" Dust answered, his voice fading out as he twisted his fingers into Paps scarf.
"How long have I been out?" Nightmare asked, his eyelight sharpening as he seemed to realize the group's anxiousness.
Dust looked to the other two nervously, getting matching glances of nervousness.
"A week." Killer replied finally, tensing as the Guardian froze where he sat.
Another shared glance of nervousness passed between the Gang before they all jolted as Nightmare lashed a tentacle out and practically ripped a portal open. Dust scrambled forward as the Guardian nearly collapsed when he tried to get off the couch and helped him forward. Horror assisted while Killer hovered behind them, throwing words back at Edge who was watching silently.
They came through the portal and were all greeted with the sight of the castle entry hall. However, they quickly realized an issue when they were greeted by silence instead of the sound of running feet.
"Ink!" Killer called, stepping past them and listening for any answering sound.
It remained silent. Dust frowned as Killer looked back at him as if he had an answer to this, but he was clueless. He'd been with Ink since he arrived. He'd never seen how Ink would react to being left alone for so long anymore than Killer had.
"Horror help me look for the squirt, he's gotta be here somewhere." Killer instructed, heading for the stairs.
Dust silently hoped he was right and that Ink hadn't accidentally opened a portal somewhere while they were gone.
The other two disappeared further into the castle while Dust turned to their Boss and tried to help him to his feet where he had collapsed from exhaustion.
"We should get you somewhere you can rest, Boss." Dust muttered, only to jump when the Guardian growled and started pushing himself to his feet.
A glance at Paps revealed he hadn't imagined the sound, but he swiftly turned his attention back to the other when he began making his way to the stairs.
"Boss, you really need to rest! You haven't fully recovered yet!" Dust insisted, scrambling after him.
He went ignored and continued towards his office. Dust followed after the Guardian concerned what could be so important in the office that the other was insistent on getting there. He opened the door to the office as they reached it and watched silently as Nightmare all but collapsed on the couch in the room.
The Guardian appeared to take a moment to rest before one of his tentacles stretched out and over his desk. Dust tilted his head as the appendage disappeared under the desk before a squeak reached him and it retracted. Dust jolted forward slightly at the sight of a curled up Ink hugging a circlet and stuffie close to himself as his watery sockets clenched shut. At the sight, Nightmare appeared to sag and took the baby bones in his arms once his tentacle had pulled him close enough.
"I've got you, Ink. I'm so sorry." Nightmare muttered.
Dust felt his anxiety spike as instead of bursting into tears like he had expected, Ink was almost catatonic as he was cuddled close by the Guardian. They had all really messed up with this and Ink was paying the price for it. Hopefully the baby bones would recover quickly, not that any of them were gonna forgive themselves even if he did.
Deciding he'd go and find the other two to tell them where their resident child was, Dust turned and headed for the door. He glanced back only briefly to watch as Nightmare curled up on his office couch with Ink clutched close to his chest as he tried to ease whatever storm of negative emotions he was sure were raging within the tiny child.