A New Home

Your Weary Eyes

This was a mistake.

A very big mistake.

Paperjam swallowed nervously as Killer nailed him down with an icy glare, "Enjoy your walk , kid?"

Before Paperjam could even begin to think of responding, Dust butt in, "Yes, we did. Do you have an issue with that? Or are you just jealous because we aren't the Boss's little lap dog and are allowed to leave because we aren't on house arrest?" Dust tilts his head with a seemingly innocent smile.

"You little-"

"Little what?" The reverbent voice of Nightmare cuts in, "And aren't you forgetting the rules about fighting, and yelling, and all that lovely bullshit in the house?"

Killer looks away, thoroughly abashed.

"That's what I thought," Nightmare hums, voice not unkind, but also leering. "Dishes. Now." Killer looks as though he has half a mind to protest, but then just shrugs his shoulders and slumps out of the entryway. Nightmare watches him leave before turning his cool cyan gaze to Dust and Paperjam, "Don't I have rules about leaving the house after eight?"

Dust stares up at him, sockets lidded, "Kid wanted some fresh air."

"...don't let me catch you at it again." Nightmare warns, but there was something in his gaze before he turned away from them. A sort of understanding... softness? Paperjam shook his head, as if to clear it, then caught Dust's gaze. "What?"

Dust blinked, "Just... thinking. We should, uh, get you accommodated for the night. Uh... c'mon, I got some clothes that'll fit you." He walked up a flight of stairs without waiting to see if Paperjam was following. After a second the skelinkton did.

...

"Are you just gonna... stand there?" Paperjam asked the quiet skeleton who was lingering in the doorway.

Dust flushed, only slightly, "Boss asked me to do a... 'skin' check on you."

Paperjam blinked, "But we don't have skin?" Soon after the implications of what Dust said dawned on him and he flushed a tad as well, the vibrant pink coloring his dark cheekbones nicely. "Oh. Like they do in the hospitals that... yeah, yeah, that's fine."

Dust tilted his head, reading between the lines of Paperjam's trailed off statement, "We don't have to right now, if it makes you uncomfortable we can do it later."

Paperjam shook his head, "I'd rather just get it over with. Just... close the door please? I don't want... the other's to see."

Dust nodded, sliding the door into place behind him, then perching on the marble counter, feet resting on the side of the tub. He made a go ahead gesture, at which Paperjam quickly stripped off his dirty clothing showing the other his multi colored bones in full. Hands, feet, and ribs all look like they had been dipped in pastel paint, but while that caught Dust's attention momentarily it was quickly snatched away by the large gash going across the other's sternum. Unsure how to word his question he made a vague hand gesture accompanied with the word, "How...?"

Paperjam shrugged, he was clearly used to this reaction, "Birth defect."

Dust made a small noise of distress for the other, but quickly shut it down. Instead he nodded, noting several small marks on the other's arms and legs. "Did you make those?" He asked, pointing.

Paperjam flushed, this time from shame, "Er..." He was absolutely mortified, appalled at himself and the situation. The feelings of self-hatred grew as he felt his sockets well up with tears and he berated himself silently. He should've been stronger. He's weak, he doesn't belong here and Dust must see what a disgusting monster he is. They aren't going to let him stay, he can't even take care of himself. He-

"Hey." A hand. Gentle touch. An embrace. Warmth. Paperjam melted into it, shaking from withheld sobs. "It's gonna be okay," Dust whispered, feeling a pang in his own soul at the other's suffering. They stood like that for a while until Paperjam got his breath back and pulled away, embarrassed.

"...thank you." He muttered.

"No problem," Dust shrugged it off, uncomfortable with the appreciation. "You should shower, and uh, change. After you can uh... share my room for the night."

The slightly younger skeleton looked up at him, "...are you sure?"

Dust nodded, "I just hugged you while you were barebones. I think we're beyond casual stranger relationships at this point."

Paperjam flushed strongly at this and shoved Dust away, "Oh my stars, get out!"

Dust chuckled lightly and obliged, shaking his skull.

...

The skelinkton hovered outside the bedroom door, unsure. He knew that Dust said it was okay for him to stay the night in his room but...

He didn't get to finish that line of thought because the door swung open and a tired Dust stared at him. "Will you come in already? I can practically hear your anxiety."

Paperjam startled, then nodded slightly, embarrassed. He walked into the bedroom, noting, but not really processing the mess, his mind tired and sluggish after a long day filled with emotions. Dust walked back over to the queen bed and more or less flopped on it, quick to curl up into the blankets. He looked at Paperjam expectantly, at that moment looking like a large, lazy cat. Paperjam smiled inwardly at the thought, and walked over to the large mattress, setting himself down much gentler than Dust did and laying flat on his back. Now that he was lying down his mind felt wide awake as it ran through the events of the day. Dust clearly had no problem falling asleep, as his soft snores could soon be heard.

It took a long while, but eventually the skelinkton slipped into a dreamless sleep.

I love this story very much, and I also love reader feedback! Feel free to comment on anything about this series! Also, would you guys be interested in artwork based off this story?