HoneyMustard- Safe and Sound

Chapter 3~ Fort

Other Sans, who they had since named Red to stop the confusion, had now been with them for a week. Red hadn't gotten any closer to calming down around them, shaking any time Papyrus got close to him and nearly going into a panic attack every time Sans forgot that he needed to keep his voice down. It was difficult, living with someone who would freak out at the drop of a hat, but the only anger they held was toward Red's Papyrus. How could someone do that to their only family? Beat them into submission, break every bone they had, make them wear a dog collar to show ownership of their own brother.

Needless to say, it sickened the Swap brothers, who had already vowed to do everything they could to help Red settle in and get better mentally. Red still wasn't entirely sure what to think of their kindness. Hell, one day he had dropped and broken a plate, and instead of being beat within an inch of his life as he expected, they calmed him down with soft words and told him it was okay, that they weren't angry in the slightest. They didn't even make him clean it up.

"Hey Red?" Red jumped a little at Papyrus' voice, flinching out of reflect before peering up from the couch he was essentially hiding in. The cushions were a lot thicker than the one's at home and the Swap brothers still had their pillows, meaning that if Red balanced everything right, he could make a kind of fort on the couch to hide behind and calm down in.

"Y-yeah?" Red whispered, trying his hardest not to shake in fear. They didn't seem to like it when he showed them he was afraid; not that they had done as much as reprimand him for it. Papyrus smiled down at him, kneeling in front of the couch so that he could see Red eye to eye and not tower over him.

"Sans and I are going to go get some food at Muffet's, would you like to come with us? The food's really good." Papyrus spoke with only a soft tone, as though he could feel the tension Red was in. Red thought for a moment, before just nodding his head. He really didn't want to go anywhere, especially not into town where there were others who could kill him. But, he was hungry, and he was too afraid to refuse this strange, lazy version of his brother.

"S-s-sure." Red whispered before carefully getting out of his fort, setting the pillows back were they belonged before slipping on his coat and tennis shoes. Papyrus smiled down at him, then walked to the front door.

"Sans is already waiting for us there, so we can go ahead and leave." Red nodded minutely and walked behind Papyrus, making sure to stay at least three paces back once the taller had closed the door and began the small trip into Snowdin. He was terrified to be out in the open like this, but if this Papyrus was anything like his own, he wouldn't let anyone attack him. And who knows. Maybe everyone in this strange universe was weirdly kind like the brothers. The tiniest hope in his heart, Red continued on behind Papyrus, his eyelights pointed down.