Sans AU One-Shots

❀Cross❀ || crack.

Pairing: XTale/Cross Sans x Female Reader
Prompt: You and Cross seemingly hate each other, and after another mission goes sideways because of it, the Boss has enough.
Length: 7.6k words
Background: This was an alternate plot for my nurse Y/n idea, but I decided to go with the current one for Cross instead (which was initially an idea for Swap lmao). Obviously I switched some things up so you can't tell and wrote it like a standalone, but still - enjoy some fun trivia ✨
Notes: I wanted to take a look at what would push a character like Cross to the edge so - instead of the sweetie pie I've written before - he's rough. I had such a great time exploring what would push him to do you like that, what would - shall we say - cause him to crack... 🤭

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The silence pressed in around us, and nobody moved to break it as Nightmare glared at each of us in turn. I shot Cross a glare out of the corner of my eye that he blatantly ignored, which made me scoff almost too quiet to hear, but it instantly drew Nightmare's eyelight like a magnet. My breath caught at the intensity of the turquoise glow and my gaze dropped to my feet.

But like a predator that sunk its teeth into prey, he didn't let me escape that easily. "(Y/n), do you mind explaining to me why you failed another mission?" I saw Cross subtly shift away from me like he was trying to get out of the scope of the intense glare making fear crawl up my spine, and I shot him a dirty look.

"Cross broke my focus, Boss." I met Nightmare's gaze – barely – and his attention shifted to the monochrome skeleton.

"This isn't true," Cross said immediately, his hands normally poised on his daggers tightening around the grips. "(Y/n) knew the plan, but she got distracted so our cover was compromised and we were forced to flee."

"I was doing my job," I shot back, the flame in my eyes burning hotter at how calm Cross was acting. "The guards were distracted, you were the one that stopped to get my attention so it's your fault they realized I was a decoy!"

"If I didn't stop, you would be locked up in the Royal Guard jail right now." His voice was even, as was his gaze on me, and it made my hands ball into fists.

"You saved me from the mess you created!"

"If you two hadn't been making eyes at each other, this would've gone off without a hitch," Dust grumbled, his eyelights rolling from within the darkness his hood cast over his face.

Killer snickered, playing with his knife as he leaned against Dust. "Yeah, talk about sexual tension." That received sharp looks from everyone else but his smirk didn't slip.

"This is not the first time your infighting has ruined a mission, minions," Nightmare growled, his tentacles snapping on his back like whips, restlessly curling and twisting in the air like all of his negativity needed to be physically expelled. Cross dipped his head humbly as I just scoffed under my breath. "As I cannot trust you to carry out my demands, I have a new assignment for you two." My head shot up, the fury in his gaze making my breath catch. "Mess this up and you can forget about returning to my castle." Killer put a hand over his teeth in shock as Horror's perma-grin slipped and he exchanged a worried look with Dust.

"We will not fail you," Cross said firmly, his easy confidence getting under my skin. He didn't even know what we were up against yet and he was acting cocky?

"Need I remind you that I have provided you two a home under the condition you work for me and do everything I ask, and should you fail me one more time, you will be as aimless as the day I pulled you from your meaningless lives."

I shifted my weight on my toes as I felt Nightmare's gaze linger on me, and I crossed my arms over my exposed midriff as I asked quietly, "What do you need us to do?"