Threadbare: An Errorberry Fanfic

*Anti-void, Aprx Day 111

The lamplight casted shadows throughout the room, yet lit up their countenances with its warm glow in the cool twilight. Sans shifted a bit, gripping onto the covers of his bed as he snuggled into his older brother's side, eyes wide and full of innocent inquiry as the taller skeleton of the two turned the page of the book he held in hand. "Papy, why is the bunny all alone?" Sans pointed at the picture on the page where it depicted a lone rabbit by a mulberry bush. Papyrus gently pat his head.

"I don't know, maybe it doesn't fit in with the others?" The small skeleton wasn't appeased by this and he gently pulled book from his brother's hands.

"It's so sad though... It isn't good to be all by yourself." Sans set the book upright upon the bed before pushing the covers back and stood, hurrying over to the bookshelf and returned shortly after with another book in hand.

"What are you doing, Sans?" Papyrus smiled kindly, wrapping his arms around the smaller skeleton once he climbed back onto the bed. "I'm going to make sure the bunny doesn't feel lonely anymore!" Sans lay the other book flat on its back upon the bed, resting the page of a small human family near the other book with its rabbit.

The taller skeleton of the two chuckled, shaking his head. "That's very nice of you."

Sans beamed and hugged his brother back. "Can you continue the story now, please?" The other nodded, and the small skeleton moved back under the warm blankets and snuggled into the other as Papyrus took up the book again.

His voice was soft, soothing as he proceeded to liven up the pages and its illustrations, painting the story in full before the two of them until the small skeleton was at last lulled to sleep...

Sans awoke in the blinding whiteness for what was about the fourth or fifth time, blinking as he sat up and rubbed at his eye sockets before looking round. The puppets which were still seated in place were adorned with small flowers and the remaining yarn which they solely consisted of lay strewn upon the ground by his side. All in all, there was no change made to this achingly steady environment and the small skeleton found himself already looking forward to his next moment of silent repose. Sans drew himself upright, stretching before starting a few ways away from the puppets and yarn which has become his domain for a good amount of time now. He rarely ever wandered far from this particular area, but now he was tempted to reach out into the white void to see if anything lay beyond it.

Drawn by an impulse to convey himself beyond the rudimentary remnants of life, the small skeleton started forward slowly, his gait hesitant yet determined as it began to pick up speed. It wasn't long before the other had broken into a run and he cast a glance back over his shoulder. Delight thrummed through his bones, through every fiber of his being once he realized that he could scarcely see the puppets, and he ran on heedlessly. The weight which threatened to crush him was now absent from his shoulders, the heaviness in his boots had also gone from him as well. A rush of freedom had overcome the small skeleton and he drove himself further into its arms, allowing it to captivate his senses, enrapture him so completely that his soul practically glowed with its shimmering light.

This feeling which had overtaken him was foreign, new and welcoming to the small being who resided in the blandness of everyday existence. He reached outwards, as if to clasp it in his hands and grip it tightly. How exhilirating it was, to give way to such waves of desire, to rush forth headlong in such a manner without there even being a need for it. It was alien, frightening and dazzling all at once and Sans flourished in its presence, joyfully, gleefully allowing its enthralling power to rejuvenate him.

It was the voice in the distance which stopped him dead in his tracks, the voice which commanded his senses to relinquish what they knew of this feeling and return to the blind whiteness which towered over him and crashed upon the small skeleton. Sans turned back, the excitement which coursed through him earlier fading a bit as he started back the way he came. The warmth which filled his soul slowly began to dissipate, all the glory and charm from his venture rippling away as his gait picked up speed again in the small skeleton's haste to return to his place of departure. Fortunately, it did not take too long a time before Sans reached his designated area, where his captor was presently standing by the yet open portal and looking none too pleased at having been kept waiting.

"Error, it's good to see you again!" The small skeleton flashed the other a brilliant smile, countenance yet flushed with the exhiliration of his much earlier run. His eyes were alight with a radiance that was incomparable to any other time since he was present in the anti-void, and he was far from disconcerted by the other's expression, so enraptured by his venture was he that it failed to dim his spirit.

This change in appearance came as quite a shock to his darkened counterpart who simply nodded, his annoyance fading into that of blind inquiry. "I came back a few minutes ago. Where were you?" The small skeleton made his way over to the puppets, taking up one of them with the small sewn flower in hand.

"Here! Just, not exactly here here, more like around! I was running for a bit, forgot what it was like to feel so free." Sans grinned as he turned and presented the puppet to the other. "Look! Aren't the colors nice? I've been having much fun with the yarn."

Error nodded but made no move to take it. "I can see that." He reached into the portal and pulled out a box, setting it upon the ground before the portal closed. "Here's the dust-free stuff I mentioned earlier." The small skeleton was immediately kneeling by the box, opening up the flaps and his smile increased tenfold.

"Wow, there's so much! Thank you Error, this'll keep me going for a while yet!" Sans pulled out the rolled up blanket and pillows, a small assortment of more colorful yarn and ribbons, setting them aside on the floor. Error cracked a small smile at the other's excitement and seated himself beside him, watching the small skeleton delightedly looking over the items.

"You're happy?"

"Yes, very much so! I nearly forgot what it's like to sleep without a proper bed, but the pillows and blankets are more than enough!"

His darkened counterpart reached out, hooking his phalanges in the back of the other's shirt before tugging. Sans blinked and turned to him. "What is it?"

Error simply grinned. "Come over here. Got something else for ya." The small skeleton did so, moving over to the other at once.

Days later, he would question if this show of complacency is what enflamed the other's desire, spurred on his madness and spun it upon a drivel which only proceeded to consume every aspect of his being with that fire which, once lit aflame, is intolerable and nearly impossible to snuff out.