Chapter Text
Missions were always stressful, whether they were successful or not. Just the need to always succeed not to piss off their boss (who really needed to work on his fucking emotional issues, damnit) took a toll on them all as they stepped back into Nightmare's domain.
"Geez, is it me or are these missions taking longer and longer?" Killer yawned, stretching his arms far above his head.
"Yeah, wouldn't take as long if you actually followed the plan we made hours before." Cross huffed, landing face first on the couch closest to him "We could've gotten caught, you dumbass!"
"But we weren't" Killer replied with a cheeky grin "We didn't attract m̶u̶c̶h̶ attention to ourselves and the mission was done! A success is a success."
Killer wasn't technically wrong, Nightmare only wanted the task done and without any big outside problem, like the Star Sanses or someone annoying like that.
Cross grumbled under his breath about "carelessness" and "reckless idiots" while rolling his eyes before burying his face back in the couch's pillows with an exasperated sigh.
Horror, of course immediately went to the kitchen to get something to eat, not even sparing a glance to them, he'd always get hungry after an errand, and after Killer and Cross's arguing started, and before it, and during it. That skeleton was a starving mess. Just let him eat in peace.
"Does any of you want something to eat?" Horror asked, more out of politeness than actually wanting to share the snacks. To his dismay, Killer and Cross immediately perked up at the mention of food and ran into the kitchen as well.
Killer was the last one to jump over a sofa to enter the division that held the snacks, which made him stop in his tracks as he noticed the portal hadn't closed yet. Dust was the last one to enter through the dark swirl of magic that brought them in to Nightmare's castle, he was quiet, as always, but seemed more tense than usual.
"Hey, Dust bunny, someone pissed in your cereal? Why the long face?" Killer peeked through the doorway, teasing the quiet skeleton like he did to anyone who existed anywhere within 5 meters from where he was.
Dust only did a quick once over and walked over to who knows where that emotional constipated weirdo went when he felt specially depressed. Killer followed Dust with his gaze until the hooded one was out of sight. With a shrug, he walked back to the other two menaces in the kitchen.
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A few hours had passed by, Killer was in his room, a dark place, lit only by some nightlights because he refused to open the curtains and let some natural light in like a vampire or a broody teenager. There were knives scattered here and there, a bunch of clothes that should've gone to the laundry days (or even weeks) ago, but he didn't bother enough to pick them up and a bunch of plates stacked up on a barely visible desk because Horror forced him to eat.
He was passing the time by sitting upside down on his bed, juggling a knife, because of course this dumbass would, he had no sense of self preservation. He stopped abruptly as he remembered that he hadn't seen Dust since the end of the mission, hours ago, the knife almost hit his brainless little head as his mind was elsewhere.
He flinched as the sharp object hit the floor right beside his skull before sitting upright and picking it up to pocket it back in its place inside his jacket. He had to go find Dust, make sure that idiot hadn't killed himself or something like that.
He spent some good 6 minutes looking around the building before stopping and thinking, something he didn't do often. "If I was a depressed hazard, where would I go?" was the first thing he thought of. It really sucked, Dust could be anywhere, even in other AUs. This was going to take a while, and Killer didn't quite enjoy actually putting effort in things that didn't amuse him or gave him something in exchange, but part of him still worried for his friend.
He clicked his fingers as an idea where he might be flashed through his mind. If he wasn't in his bedroom, then he could only be in the only other placed that rivaled Dust's sad, hopeless lair! DustTale! Of course that depressed menace would be there! What better place to be broody and miserable than the timeline that fucked you up?
.
.
.
Killer walked through the empty streets of Snowdin from Dust's timeline, the snow crunching under his shoes was the only thing that broke the heavy silence of the place, it wasn't much different from his own AT, which made a strange feeling settle in his chest, his Soul slightly uneasy, as if expecting another Reset just to start killing mindlessly yet again.
He shook the thought out of his head, he had to focus on finding Dust before the other actually did something he might regret. His steps subconsciously quickened to cover more ground than if he just casually took a stroll.
After what felt like hours of searching, he noticed a figure on top of a building, not that they were trying anything, they were just standing there, leaning over the parapet. He climbed up the emergency stairs that were on its side with quick strides before finally reaching the top. As he had expected, Dust was there, scarf fluttering and smoke getting dragged away by the breeze.
"Figures" Killer said matter-of-factly before approaching Dust with a casual step, hands in his pockets and head cocked to the side a little.
Dust didn't answer, only kept his gaze forward, raising the cigarette back to his mouth before taking a long drag.
"That shit will kill ya"
"Want one..."
"Yeah"
Dust reached for his pocket, taking the pack of cigarettes out, before handing it out he shook it a little, the lightness of it was weird... Right, this was his last one.
"Well, too ba–" before he could even finish his sentence Killer just stole the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag.
"Yep, tastes as bad as I remember" Despite the comment, he inhaled again before handing it back. "Any reason you've decided to brood over here?"
"None of your business"
"C'mon man, don't be like that! I've walked a long way just to find you, the minimum you can do is tell me something!" Killer pouted like a little s̶h̶i̶t̶ child.
"Ever had weed"
"Huh?"
Killer froze in place, bewildered... That was NOT what he was expecting when he asked Dust to tell him something. What kind of answer even was that?
"Uh, no?"
"Wanna try?"
Killer was even more bewildered. What the fuck? Well, this was... something new (heh). He quickly composed himself, leaning his elbow on the parapet and resting his cheekbone on his palm.
"Heh, you've never been this bold before Dust bunny. Asking me directly if I wanna toke up?" His smirk came back fully as he leaned annoyingly close to Dust, who was already regretting indulging with this brat. "Aww, I'm flattered, pretty sure you've never asked anyone else this. Cross is too much of a goody two-shoes. Horror doesn't indulge in that kind of stuff. And Nightmare? Hah! I'd actually pay to see you try." The last sentence was said in a pensive tone, as if he was actually considering paying Dust to convince their boss to get high.
"That's not what I asked." Dust took another drag from his cigarette, which was almost down to the filter, blowing the smoke to Killer's face in a petty move.
"I know, I know" Killer complained, fanning the smoke away "I'll answer that, after you answer something for me" Killer waited for any acknowledgment, but when he got none he kept going "How are you this 'social', I'm almost compelled to call you a social butterfly" He mocked.
Dust only nodded with his head to the floor next to his slippers. Killer followed the lead, only to be dumbfounded again.
"You drank 2 bottles of vodka in these past few hours?" He hesitated, looking down at the empty bottles between them both.
"1 and five sixths" Dust corrected, weirdly specific, to which Killer sighed and rolled his eyes (or would, if his eyelights were visible)
"Yeah, yeah, as if that was much better. How drunk are you?"
"Sober enough to answer you"
"I knew I had noticed a slurr in your voice earlier" Killer laughed. Then he shook his head, as if disappointed. "And you didn't even offer me some? I'm hurt"
Dust picked up the bottle with the one sixth he hadn't drank yet and raised it between them both. Just as Killer reached out to take it, Dust took the swig, finishing the bottle in one go, which made the void eyed skeleton pout. He was about to protest when Dust leaned in suddenly.
Their mouths connected on the spot, Killer's breath hitched at the suddenness of it all. He could feel the alcohol getting pushed to his mouth, the taste was bitter, burning down his throat as he swallowed the crisp liquid. They parted only after a few seconds after the alcohol was gone.
"Is this vodka with bitters?" Killer asked bewildered after they leaned back to look at each other's faces "Man, your liver isn't going to like this"
"I just kissed your stupid ass face and all you care about is my godforsaken liver?" Dust frowned in disbelief and annoyance. Killer could make out the small "Unbelievable" that had escaped Dust's mouth as he turned back around, away from Killer.
"C'mon, little guy, let's get back, Nightmare will get our asses if we slack any longer" He grabbed Dust's shoulders and started pulling him to the emergency stairs so they could go back to Nightmare's domain without getting themselves killed when they got there.