#apologies made

Stretch didn’t expect that watching over Edge would be anything more than boring. From time to time, the Fell monster muttered in his sleep, usually nothing really understandable but on occasion he’d share divine revelations such as “Moose does not taste like shoes.” to an explanation of how to make the best quiche. Stretch was sure the process didn’t actually include throwing eggs against the wall as Edge described, but he also wasn’t really much of a cook so what did he know. The small snores he’d make in his sleep where equal parts adorable as occasionally frightening when it was accompanied by harsh growls. 

Stretch never deemed himself strong at projecting feelings but Red was not wrong in the need to share positive feelings whenever it seemed Edge’s sleep turned unrestful. But there were nights like tonight where no matter how much Stretch projected, the nightmares would end up being just too much. 

To say Stretch was startled by Edge’s scream would be an understatement. An odd mix of fear and aggression rose up from Edge’s throat, as if attempting to scare off whatever may have been in the nightmare. Darkened sockets open, though no eyelight ignited to show that Edge was fully awake. Edge was leaning forward, pushing himself up with his uninjured arm.

“Whoa, whoa, Edge, it’s ok. It just a dream.” Stretch reached out a hand, wanting to push Edge back to the bed, but knowing better than to do so until he was awake. One shattered window was enough, thanks. Luckily Blue got out of the way of that one quick enough. Quickly Stretch began projecting safety/calm/security to try to soothe the terrified monster. 

Edge sat there panting, before he closed his sockets to shake of the nightmare out of his system. When he opened his sockets, that fear melted away with relief. Edge reached out with his good arm, hand gently fell over Stretch’s cheek. Stretch froze as he looked into the crimson, sleep-hazed eyelights. 

“You’re ok?” Edge breathed, eyelights searched his face. 

“Yea, I’m fine.” Stretch whispered back as he reached up to hold onto Edge’s hand.

The moment shattered suddenly as Edge flinched and fell back into the bed as pain suddenly registered. Stretch managed to hold onto Edge’s hand as the injured skeleton tried to curl in on himself. It was at that moment that Stretch cursed that his magic was still on the fritz, a bit of a after affect of the stupid goop, a delay in being able to use magic. He would offer healing magic if he could, and all he could do right now was watch. 

Stretch could hear every haggard breath as Edge tried to breathe through the pain. The lightest pressure in his hand startled Stretch when he realized Edge was trying to squeeze his hand. Stretch managed to match that squeeze in an offer of comfort with the gesture. 

Edge’s breathing began to even out and just as quickly as when he woke, Edge was back to sleep. Stretch got up and began to straighten out the sleeping monster and blankets using his free. It was a little awkward but Stretch managed, even smoothed out the wrinkles before sitting back down, leaning close so as to not pull Edge across the bed. Stretch inspected the other’s hand, noticed the small scars and chips in the bone. The last digits of each finger, sharpened to a point like claws. Stretch curiously wondered if they naturally became that way or if they were filed. He shuddered at the thought of the later. 

Comparatively, his hands were smooth and thinner. Evident of his easier upbringing. Stretch never really dwelled on it much. The differences in their world, the choices they’ve had to make. Yea, all the skeletons had their varying degrees of having to be in that lab, another memory Stretch didn’t want to spiral down into.

Carefully, Stretch laid Edge’s hand back down on the bed, gave it a gentle pat before sitting back, and brought a knee up on the chair to rest his chin on. Edge managed to be the youngest of the Papyri, circumstance aging him both mentally and physically. Red and Edge rarely talked about their childhood, never mentioned any fond memories or shown any embarrassing photos. Stretch kinda wondered if there even was any. The more Stretch watched over Edge and the more he saw how Red interact with his injured brother, the more Stretch began to wonder about Edge. 

Red was right, he really didn’t know Edge. 

He could almost say the same about Edge knowing him, but with the way his brother carried on with topics that involved him. He kinda wondered what picture Edge painted for him since their first meeting. It apparently wasn’t all bad. And here he was blindly hating on Edge with his first impression, and every chance he potentially had to get to know the guy, he brushed off or did his best to snob the fell monster. The guy fucking risked his own neck for him, even after how badly he treated him. The stupid names he called him. Stretch treated him like he was less than dirt and Edge still defended him when he needed it the most. This guy is something. 

Maybe it wasn’t too late to start over. Maybe it was time to get to know the Edgelord for who he really was. The guy behind the scars, the glare and the Black and Red outfit. There was more to the puzzle of Edge, beyond the LV 15 status.

Stretch smiled into the darkened room. If he was honest with himself, he was already looking forward to getting to know the real Edge. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stretch looked over as the door creaked open, watched as Red shuffle in. A quick glance at his phone told him it was morning, time for the pain meds Red has been giving Edge. Good, the other could use them. 

“i see doctor hatchet has come to give the patient his pills.” Stretch commented smartly only to receive a single finger salute of the rude kind. It’s how he shows he cares. 

“eh, kinda,” Red paused a moment to scratch at his chin, “gotta reduce the dose for a bit. Those meds don’t mix well with the green magic. so if we wanna speed along some-o-the healin’ we gotta take away the pain meds. A few weeks out of comiss’ es betta than a few months, ‘specially for boss. the plus side, he’ll be more lucid fer a while.” Red brought out the vial and a syringe, the sight of which sent a shiver up Stretch’s spine, forced him to look away. 

“yea, yea, I don’t like these thin’s eitha, ya ain’t gotta be here if ya don’t wanna.” Red moved over to Edge’s bed and began prepping the medicine.

“got nothin’ better to do,” Stretch leaned back as he watched Red, “Blue’s declared me unfit for work with my magic being jacked, not that i don’t mind a vacation. But he’s basically ground me from going to muffets tho. Haven’t been able to go all week, plus i’d have to walk.” 

“shit should be outta yer system in a few days. Maybe afta this I’ll hop over and snag ya somethin’ fer watchin’ over my bro for me.” Red tapped the syringe in warning. 

Stretch looked away, not out of complete uneasiness of the act, but because Red preferred not to be watched. “dude, you spoil me too good, i may have to put Edge out of commision more often.”

“don’t” Red snipped back, though humor was in his voice. “well ‘cept when he over works himself, just do it in a way that doesn’t nearly get ya both killed.”

“sure i could figure out something.” Stretch shrugs as he looks back, Red tucking the blanket around Edge. 

“how was he last night?” Red tucked his hands back into his pockets, watching Edge sleep for a moment.

Stretch lets out a sigh. “he woke up to a nightmare, my projections weren’t up to snuff for it. he kinda hurt himself but his energy’s still shot so he passed out soon after.”

“figured it’ll happ’n, they’ll go away after a bit, i wouldn’t worry on et.” Red scratched the back of his head. “welp, imma head out, whatcha want from muff?” “tell her my usual. she’ll know what to get me. thanks man.” Stretch shot him duel finger guns. 

Red rolled his eyes and disappeared. Stretch was left to watch as the medicine took affect. It was interesting to see the tense lines on the sleeping skeleton slowly ease. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A yawn and a stretch, he popped the bones in his back. As Stretch reached for the door to the guest room, he could hear actual chatter coming from the room. The gruff voice of Red and a hoarse lower tone that rang familiar to the normally coarse voice that resembled Edge. Didn’t seem like he was saying much, but it was a change from the near vegitative state the fell monster had been in. 

From what it sounded like Red was catching Edge up on what was going on both with his recovery and things in Underfell. It didn’t sound like he would be interrupting anything private, so he turned the knob and entered the room. 

Stretch looked over to the bed, Edge was propped up with a few extra pillows, his eyelights, pale to their normal intensity, moved slowly over to look at Stretch. 

Stretch smiled, offered a small wave, “good morning sleepy head, glad to see you’re doing better.” 

Edge only gave back a low grunt, sockets lowered to a mild glare before he wavered a nod in his direction. “Stretch.” he barely breathed out the greeting before looking over to Red. 

Red looked at his phone before getting up from his chair. “Welp bro, I gotta get goin’. Undyne’s askin’ for reports and shit. If ya need anythin’ honeybun here can help ya.” Red pointed to Stretch before he pocketed his hands and shortcuts out of the room. There was a huffed “Thanks” from Edge before the monster shifted in his bed. 

Stretch took over Red’s spot. “how you feeling, Edge?”

Edge’s movements appeared to be excessively slow as he seemed to consider the question. “Been better.” He grunts, phalanges play with the comforter. “How about you?” he seemed a little slurred in his speech.

“doing dandy, magics not all there but i’m doing just fine.” Stretch shrugged as he watched Edge slowly blinked at him followed by the slowest nod he’d ever seen. It be funny if he wasn’t feeling so guilty about it. He glanced to Edge’s uncasted hand, noticing the strain he was putting on it as he clenched the sheet. “you’re in pain?”

Edge unclenched his hand and slowly shook it out. “Been in worse, LV numbs it a bit.”

Stretch glanced back up at Edge’s face. With all those injuries, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s in pain, but he didn’t know LV actually dulled it to a degree. Which means he would be in…. Nope, gonna step away from that guilt filled rabbit hole. 

“I’m sorry.” The words came out of nowhere, it was spoken so softly he nearly missed it. Stretch blinked, doing a double take at Edge who seemed to be doing all he could to not look at him. 

“what for? if anything I should be the one apologizing to you.” Stretch was confused. What the fuck does Edge have to apologize for?

 “For losing my temper.” Edge looked up at Stretch, their eyelights met for a moment before he glanced away. “I didn’t mean what I said,” Edge’s speech was slow but deliberate, as if to make sure his words weren’t misunderstood. “You’re not useless, an ashtray, yes, cigarettes are disgusting, but not useless. Far from it.” 

Edge took a deep breath, guilt and shame painted his features. “I… I lost control for a second. Was losing control.” Stretch waited patiently, watched as Edge grew more uncomfortable. “I, um, before you guys arrived for movie night.” Stretch could see Edge choose his words carefully. “Something happened while on duty.” His jaw clenched and unclenched as he seemed to struggle to continue. 

“My LV was riled up. I didn’t have time to calm it down. By avoiding your brother, or everyone, I was just trying to get it to calm down.” Edge looked every bit like a kid in stripes that had gotten into trouble. “Cooking, mostly the prep part, helps to calm it. When you came into the kitchen, it was nearly under control. I had to get you out of the kitchen, but my outburst was uncalled for, I shouldn’t have lashed out at you.” There was a subtle gulp from Edge as he looked up into Stretch’s eyes, “You didn’t deserve my anger. I’m sorry.”

“dude, no. i’m the asshole here.” Edge looked a little taken back. Stretch moved over onto the bed, and took Edge’s uninjured hand in his own. He felt the fell monster stiffen for a moment, confusion from the gesture on his face. “had i just left well enough alone, if i had not stormed into the kitchen to argue with you. had i known you were struggling, i wouldn’t have…’ Stretch sighed, “the point is, none of that was your fault. i riled you up to the point that you felt the need to get me to leave you alone before you did something you’d regret. It worked, i just was stupid enough to leave the house. I put myself in danger.”

Stretch ran his thumb over Edge’s hand, feeling the monster relax, marginally. “Look, I really haven’t been all that fair to you. I saw your LV the day we met and made a Judgement based on that alone. I never got to know you past that and made assumptions based on it. I had my head shoved up my pelvic girdle...”

“That sounds uncomfortable.” Edge commented dryly, snapping Stretch out of his rambling, and caused him to chuckle. And now suddenly Edge makes jokes. Stretch took a closer look, there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyelights. Something Stretch never would have noticed before, this was getting to be too much. Unfortunately that amusement was being overshadowed by exhaustion. Edge looked as if he’d pass out at any moment, but still not quite ready to fall asleep. Oh the fussiness of the higher energy brothers, they never seemed to want to just fall asleep, luckily Stretch did have a trick up his sleeve for that.

“for what it’s worth, i’m sorry. you didn’t deserve how i treated you at all.” Stretch began to message Edge’s hand bones, watched as Edge relaxed into it. He could almost put the fell monster to sleep with this alone. “if it helps, i accept your apology, even though you didn’t need to offer it. but you don’t have to accept mine, i’d rather earn it.” Stretch deepened the message, hearing a small sound, almost like a pur from the other skeleton. “not sure if you’d be interested, but maybe we could start over? i honestly would like to get to know the real you.”

Edge slowly opened up his sockets to look at Stretch, mostly in surprise but with a twinge of hope, perhaps. Stretch really was not used to being able to read Edge’s facial expressions. 

“I’d like that.” Edge replied, still speaking softly, his energy nearly depleted. 

“i should let you get to sleep.” Edge’s grimace and the shake of his head was down right predictable. Of course he wouldn’t want to go to sleep so easily. Stretch chuckled, “Alright, what would you like to do then?”

Edge blinked before responding. “Reading sounds nice right about now.”

Stretch smiled, and let go of Edge’s hand with one of his hands to search his inventory. “i got this little book i’ve been reading from. not sure if it’s up your alley.” Stretch handed the book over, letting go of Edge’s hand so he could grab it. 

Edge took the offered book and brought it closer to his face. Immediately, Edge was glaring at the book hard, as if trying to bore a hole right through it with his eyelights. 

“oh, uh, if you don’t like it, i could try to find you something else.” Stretch reached over to try to retrieve the book. 

Edge let out a heavy sigh as he lowered the book into Stretch’s hand. “That’s not the problem. I don’t think I can read right now.” There’s that ashamed look again, he really needs to stop doing that. 

Then it clicked. Edge wasn’t glaring at the book, he was trying to see the words. So when he entered the room, Edge wasn’t glaring at him when he entered the room, but was trying to actually see him. In all honesty, Stretch wasn’t sure how Edge managed to stay awake for this long. Even with the mostly empty magic bag, Edge didn’t seem to have enough magic to even see properly. But why did Stretch fell like he’d seen that glare-like squint before. 

“here, i got an idea.” Stretch took the book and moved himself to sit right next to Edge, side by side, careful not to jar any of Edge’s injuries. He opened the book to the beginning, held it with one arm while the other slung over Edge’s pillow. His knees bent upwards to help hold the book at a good angle.

“What are you doing?” Edge had stiffen again, glancing between the book and Stretch.

“i’m gonna read to you. hasn’t Red ever read to you?” Stretch questioned, like it was the most normal thing ever. 

“I haven’t been read to since I was a baby bone.” Edge countered, not all that defensive. “Not since the book go ruined.” 

“oh,” There was one universal constant in their worlds, The children’s book Peek-a-boo With Fluffy Bunny. It was a favorite for all the younger siblings, both Papyrus and Blue still enjoyed a nostalgic read through from time to time. Stretch did wonder if Edge did get to hear that tale before but maybe that was the answer. Perhaps the book perished due to their harsh environment, thus severed one of the few favored past times. There was a tug at Stretch’s soul at that thought. 

“well, um, i usually read to Blue this way. It’s pretty comfortable but if i’m making you uncomfortable I could move back to the chair.” Stretch moved to get up.

“No, this is fine.” Edge, again, avoided his gaze. “Go ahead and start reading.”

Stretch smiled and settled back down. He began to read the book, some story of a girl and some dragons. Absently, Stretch’s other hand ran along Edge’s head, mindful of bandages and scars, especially of the very tip of the crack that ran from his socket. That sound that nearly was a pur returned. A few pages in, Edge’s head tilted onto to his side, leaning against him as the injured skeleton began to relax. It wasn’t until the tenth page page did Edge let out a gentle snore, signalling he had fallen asleep. Worked every time with Blue when he was exhausted but refused to sleep.

Stretch set the book down as he watched Edge sleep. His features had softened as he sunk deeper and deeper into his slumber. Stretch couldn’t help to see a little bit of Blue in him, that ball of energy finally relenting to the need to rest. 

He ran his fingers over Edge’s head one more time before carefully removing himself from the bed and gently coaxing the sleeping skeleton into a better sleeping position. Pulling a bookmark from his inventory, Stretch saved the space they were on before  he flipped to the page further to the back of the book where he left off. Settled into the chair, Stretch made himself comfortable for his watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day came by swiftly, Stretch was fixing himself something to eat in the kitchen. Edge rested upstairs, no pain medicine given for the day. Later in the day Red and Comic where expected to show up and whip up that green magic for Edgy boy. Whatever helped him heal faster. Stretch gathered up his sandwich and two mugs of tea, one for Edge incase he was awake. Edge couldn’t really eat anything sol but a mild tea was still acceptable.

Stretch gently kicked open the door before using his elbow to flip on the lights so he could see better, the cracked open curtains just didn’t provide enough. Suddenly he is greeted by a hiss as Edge flinched at the light. Tea sloshed in the cups from Stretch’s near jump. After he made sure the tea wasn’t going to spill all over the place, Stretch quickly walked over to the bed and placed the mugs and sandwich on the bedside table before checking on Edge. 

“hey, Edge, you alright?”

“Shhhhhh, too loud.” Edge hissed back, his good hand pressed against his scarred socket and his blanket was poorly pulled up to try to block off the light. “Please turn off the light, it’s too bright.” Edge rasped as his bones rattled unpleasantly. 

Stretch hurried back to the door to do as he asked. He even shut the door to cancel out the light from the house before he went to the window to draw the blinds closed, submitting the room into darkness. A relieved sigh could be heard from the bed. 

As quietly as he could move, Stretch made his way back to squat by the bed. “hey, Edge, what’s going on?” He thankfully whispered.

Edge relaxed a degree as he adjusted to the pleasantly dark room. He let himself take a few shaky breaths before responding quietly, “Pain, in my skull, behind my socket.” A deep shaky breath interrupted him. “It happens from time to time. Everything just becomes too much.” 

“anything I can do?” Stretch leans back on his heels, taking in that information.

“Contact Red” Edge pleaded before he began to whimper, Edge seemed to want to curl up in a ball, the action made impossible by the bandages and casts. 

“ok, I’ll be right back.” Stretch stood up and rushed out of the room. Digging out his phone from his sweater pocket, Stretch found his contact for Red, hurried to press send. 

“what’s up Hun-bun, everything alright?” Red sounded concerned over the other line, must not have been around anyone.

“not exactly, Edge seems to be in pain, more than the usual pain. says it’s coming from his head, right behind that scarred socket of his. you know anything about it?” 

“shit, fuck,” Came Red’s growled reply. “good fuckin’ timin’ there. how bad you said it was?”

“he’s clutching his socket and seemed very sensitive to both light and sound. his bones are rattling pretty hard to, it can’t be good for his wounds. even started whimpering” Stretch leaned against the wall as he explained.

“oh, it’s a bad one then. Gonna have to give him the pain meds then. can’t heal him today. fuck.” Stretch can hear the scrape of bone as Red rubbed his face with his hand. 

“what is it?” Stretch asked in concern.

“Some of the fleshier monsters round here get it. call it a migraine, not surprise it doesn’t happen much in yer verse. but it’s never been seen in those monsters without organs like us. Boss just has to be the exception ta tha rule, i guess.” Red growled again. “its been happenin’ since he got them scars. fuckin’ hell, and it’s painful as fuck when its bad. i think i got somethin’ at the house that’ll put him to sleep. Seems ta be the only way to really escape et.” 

“anything I can do for him.” Stretch questioned as he shifted his feet. 

“nah, just keep et dark and quiet, maybe have a trash can handy incase he gets queasy. I’ll be over in two shakes, just keep him company.” Red hung up, leaving Stretch with his advice. 

Quietly Stretch slipped back into the room and crept over to the bed. His soul clenched as he heard Edge whimper, followed by a small choked sob. “Red’s on his way.” Stretch whispered as he carefully slid his hand up to Edge’s elbow and gave is a supportive squeeze. He caught the quick nod Edge gave in return.