Bite Marks

Part 11: oop-

It looked similar to Badger, except much, much more soft-seeming, with less sharp teeth and anxiety, along with a more blue aesthetic. A nice, nutty smell gently hit your nose, making you realize that this was probably a Soft Bones bitty.

It snored softly against your f/c sleeve, curling lightly into the fabric and making you subconsciously coo at it. It looked so cute and... fragile...

A wave of anxiety hit as you suddenly remembered why you never really interacted with Softie bitties— or bitties in general. (Well. Used to.)

These kinds of bitties were a little (lot) more fragile than others, and you weren't exactly the best at being careful sometimes, even with the, er, "practice" Badger's been giving you.

Stars, that's a weird way to phrase it.

It's more, you're getting better at being careful with small things because you have to take care of him; a small thing.

But you still were afraid to hurt him.

The Softie suddenly began to stir, and you tried not to outwardly panic. Did you wake it up? Were you shaking?!

"G'morning..." the sound of the Softie's absolutely tiny voice managed to quell your thoughts.

You tried to smile at it warmly, "G-Good morning, little one. Where is your, uh, parent?"
Instead of responding to you, they sleepily perked up and waved off to your side, making you turn and—

"Oh stars—"

You couldn't help but flinch back lightly at the sudden looming figure beside you.

It was that skeleton from before, his hood now down revealing... not much more. He was a skeleton, for sure, with a seemingly permanent wide smile. He had pale eyelights and obvious eyebags underneath his sockets.

His gaze just barely softened when his eyelights shifted over to your neck.

"so you're a bitty owner, too, huh?" his voice was.. oddly deep. You mean, you didn't expect him to sound like a mouse, but holy fuck.

You hesitantly nodded as he looked over at the Softie on your arm, and you noticed how slowly his eyelights seemed to move. It almost seemed as if he was bordering on exhaustion.

"and it also seems pecan here has taken a liking to ya."

So the Softie's name was Pecan? It.. definitely fitted them, now that you thought about it. The nutty smell was noticeably pecan-like, after all... maybe.

The skeleton suddenly held a hand out to you. When you only stared at it dumbly for a few moments, oddly stunned, he seemed to chuckle slightly.

"the name's sans," he said, "sans the skeleton."

Oh right, you usually shake someone's hand when you meet them.

With your free hand, you awkwardly took his and shook it, "Oh, right, I'm Y/n, heh.."

After you let go, he gestured to the bitty still sleeping peacefully in your scarf.

"where'd you find this one?" he asked, "i'm afraid i've never seen you or him at work."

"Work?" you echoed. Did he work at a bitty store? Maybe he was employed under the same business you were, though he didn't seem exactly very nimble with his fingers. You really had a weird knack for noticing these kinds of things.

"yup," he confirmed, "i have a day job at the local bitty shelter."

Oh. That makes more sense. You couldn't help but focus on that 'day job' part, though. Did he do something else during the nights? You couldn't help but think back to the bitty ring...

You voiced your curiosity— other than that last part —and managed to paint a surprised expression onto his face. Except it didn't actually change that much— being bone and all. Maybe it was his eyelights?

"well, I'm a foster dad," he chuckled lightly, "i take care of rescue bitties until they can be adopted by the public. to be honest, the job's definitely left me bone tired over the years."

You laughed back in understanding, "That does seem like a tiring job."

Then Sans grew an oddly unreadable expression— it was only there for a fraction of a second, but it instantly triggered you to realize that—

Wait, was that a pun.

"...I may be stupid," you accidentally blurred out under your breath, laughing before clarifying that you, indeed, missed the pun at first.

He's a skeleton, Y/n! you scolded, And you didn't even recognize the bone pun. Stars.

He laughed, "nah, 's fine. now, if you don't mind me asking again," the lightheartedness of his expression faltered, growing... intimidating? "where'd you get that bitty?"

Oh stars.

"I'm a rescue, too, so back off."

Badger's peeved voice almost right next to your ear startled you. When had he woken up? You hadn't felt him move at all for the last few minutes.

You craned your neck slightly to see him glaring at the much larger skeleton, almost bearing his teeth at the other.

"ah," the (maybe) figurative dark aura that had grown around Sans dissipated almost instantly at that, and he turned his attention to the bitty, "where ya from then, bit?"

Badger growled slightly under his breath, "Somewhere bad enough that I owe them now."

This might've been heartwarming, had Badger not said it with so much venom— thankfully not directed at you, at least. The way he phrased it, though, sort of bugged you.

"Well, I wouldn't really say it like that—" you tried.

The skeleton interrupted you, "ah, i see how it is."

Stars, your anxiety is not doing you any favors right now.

"well, i'll leave ya to it," he said vaguely and held out his hand, making you remember the bitty still sitting against your arm, "c'mon, pecan, let's get back to our seat."

You turned to the Softie, hesitantly waving goodbye to them with your free hand. They looked from you, to your hand, to Sans, then back to you, then Sans again.

"Can I hang with them for now?"

Well, that caught you off guard. Probably Sans, too, judging by the way his eyelights shrunk for a second.

Sans nonchalantly shrugged, "well, if that's what you want. don't forget to come back after a bit, kay?"

"Yup!" the excited grin on Pecan's face made you feel nervous— maybe even a little flustered.

As the skeleton said a quick goodbye, he gave you a look that you easily translated.

Hurt that bitty, and you're gonna have a bad time.

You let out a nervous squeak.