A New Home

Rest

Paperjam trailed behind Dust, following the other into the dining room where Nightmare sat at the head of the table. The sludge-covered skeleton nodded at him, then pointed with an eyelight to an empty seat. Taking the cue, Paperjam sat, chest constricting with a small sense of anxiety. Were they seriously just going to let him stay? With no ulterior motives? He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Dust sat beside him, and he looked up, then around the table.

They were all skeletons except for the hybrid monster, Temmie, if Paperjam remembered correctly. There was Nightmare at the head of the table, tentacles waving behind him slowly. He noticed Paperjam staring and cocked a bonebrow at him, causing the latter to flush and look away. He didn't want anyone to think he was weird. Beside him was Dust, of course, and the quiet skeleton was eating his meal in silence, dual-toned eyelights focused on the plate in front of him. Across from Paperjam was a heavily built skeleton, a hood pulled far over their head, partially covering their face. A single dilated red eyelight glanced around nervously from under that hood. Paperjam looked away before the other noticed him staring. Sitting by the nervous skeleton was another who appeared to be more laid back, practically lounging in his chair. His sockets seemed to be leaking a similar substance that Paperjam's dad sometimes threw up when he got overwhelmed. Those same sockets were blank, but Paperjam got the sense that the other was staring back at him, this was only strengthened by the smirk on the other's face. Temmie sat by Dust, happily eating their food and being cute.

No one said anything, and the only sound was the clinking of silverware against the ceramic dishes.

A door slammed shut, followed by a swear. Paperjam stiffened, and everyone turned to see who entered the home. "You're late." Nightmare remarked.

The newcomer stiffened, "Yeah... Well, I got caught up on the way back."

"How so?" Nightmare inquired, but his tone made it clear he already knew.

"...just a little scuffle. I'm fine."

Nightmare scowled, "Lying to me is never a good idea." He stood, walking over to the other, "And where is Goth?"

The newcomer looked behind him, as if he expected this 'Goth' to appear from thin air. "Uh... He was right behind me."

"And where is Midnight?"

They swore, "With... with Goth."

Nightmare huffed in annoyance, "And where are you hurt? And don't bother lying this time, Cross, I can almost feel the pain myself."

Cross flushed, "It's nothing, I'll be fine." He tried to force his way past Nightmare, only to be blocked by a mass of tentacles.

"You lose both Goth and Midnight, then you refuse to let me heal you? Unacceptable. If you're so embarrassed about it then let's take it upstairs."

He was silent for a ten count, then nodded slowly, "Fine."

Walking away, Nightmare called to the arranged seating, "I'll be back in a few, Horror please make Goth and Midnight a plate."

The skeleton sitting across from Paperjam nodded, standing slowly. Paperjam, meanwhile, had been watching this all go down with wide sockets, and was reconsidering his decision to stay with Nightmare and his... whatever they were. Employees? Slaves? Did it matter? He picked at his food a bit longer, before setting down the fork with a sigh. What was he even doing here? He should be at home right now, not eating dinner at an unfamiliar table in an unfamiliar place with complete strangers. Maybe he could just leave? Would they even let him?

He looked around the table again, then slowly, quietly, slid out of his seat and walked for the door. They don't even notice, do they-

THUD.

Paperjam stares at the butterknife now impaled in the wall, dumbfounded.

"And where do you think you're going, hmm?" A voice grates by his skull.

Paperjam freezes like a deer in headlights, "Uh... Outside."

"Why?" They sneer, voice sending chills up the young adult's spine.

"F-for some fresh air?" Paperjam curses himself for both the stutter and the lilt at the end of what was supposed to be a smooth lie.

"Mmm, nah. Back to the table until Boss returns, pipsqueak."

Paperjam hesitates, and then slowly, very slowly turns to face his persecutor. It was the one who seemed so laid back earlier. Not anymore, apparently. "And why should I?" He asks, forcing confidence.

They tilt their head slightly, a smirk forming on their face. "Because you were told to."

"You aren't my dad." Paperjam retorts, then flushes, startled by his own brazen statement.

The empty socketed skeleton looks like he's about to respond when Dust snorts, wrapping an arm around the former's shoulders, "Daddy Killer, huh?"

Killer shrugs it off with a scowl, "Buzz off, Dust."

"Mmm, no. Read me a story Daddy , it's bedtime." Dust smirks, satisfied in Killer's reaction as he opens his mouth, then closes it, then storms off. "You forgot your knife... Daddy ."

Killer doesn't respond, flipping Dust off in silence, but he does come back to snatch the knife out of the wood, then proceeds to noisily stomp away, again.

Dust chuckles, before turning to the inkling skeleton, "You need some fresh air?"

Paperjam nods, his voice having shriveled up and died somewhere in his chest cavity.

"Alright, let's go for a walk then. We'll be back!" He calls to the others, walking out with Paperjam trailing behind. As they strolled past overflowing dumpsters and littered trash Dust asked, or really more stated, "You weren't actually wanting some fresh air, were you?"

Paperjam stumbled at the question that wasn't a question, "I- uh-"

"It's okay, I'm not mad."

"...I don't belong here." Paperjam muttered.

Dust looked at him sideways, "Then where do you belong? With your family? Didn't you run away?"

"I- yes, I did... but you don't really seem like you guys want me around, and I'm a stranger to you, and my parents must be really worried about me, and- and-" And hot salty tears were falling down Paperjam's cheekbones. He tried to wipe them away, but to no avail. "I miss my brother..." He whispers.

Dust's expression softens at this, and he stops, leaning against the side of a brick building. "You can go back if you want."

Paperjam blinks, "I- I can?"

Dust shrugs, "Sure, I ain't gonna stop you."

"Won't Killer be mad...?"

Dust shrugs.

Paperjam mulls this over. He could leave. Right now. Dust won't stop him. He could go back to Gradient... but that would also mean going back to Ink and Error and the constant never ending fighting. Back to the long sleepless nights where he felt like he was suffocating but no one ever heard his silent pleas for help. Back to the home where he felt like there was a death sentence on their family, and he was always waiting for the ball to drop. Just thinking about it made his chest tighten and his breath hitch. He shook his head, "I can't go back."

Dust nodded, "Then let's head back... home."