"Sans? Sans!"
A voice pierced into older skeletons day dream snapping him back to reality. Sans was currently leaning against the counter of his new store in the human world. He couldn't complain, business was good and he still had a sentry position, protecting his new town.
When the monsters ascended from the underground, Frisk made sure that they were well represented and humans were more accepting of them than they thought. Most were at least. The monsters began to settle above ground while some stayed below, happy they could visit the surface any time.
The skeleton brothers couldn't bring themselves to get rid of their home underground but the also didn't want to be too far from friends so, a second house was built for them. They had the option to have separate houses which to them was outrageous. The younger skeleton couldn't find a reason why they would want to live apart…the elder brother however, he had only one. One he didn't voice.
Sans knew Papyrus would only worry about his brother all the time should they be apart due to his low health, which had been improving slowly with Alphys's help. Her confidence had spiked in her abilities a little since she came to the surface even if she was still shy and nervous. She had found a way to start helping the monsters with lower health be stronger and begin strengthening. Papyrus would also complain that Sans would literally never leave the house or do anything. He worried about the older skeleton far more than anyone knew.
Sans would spend more time with his brother than being alone in his own home too, making sure his younger brother was protected. His naïve nature always made Sans wary of who was near Papyrus. The younger brother had wised up slightly but his kind nature still made him an easy target for anyone wanting to do bad. While Sans single reason was enough for him to live away from his brother, it was also a reason he couldn't. Anytime he thought about it, Sans could feel his sins crawling on his back.
"Hmm?" Sans answer as he looked over to the culprit who snapped him out of his day dream.
His gaze quickly found Papyrus stood with his hands on his hips staring at him, annoyed.
"Hey bro." Sans smiled, saluting his brother.
"Don't you, hey brother, me! Do you have any idea what time it is!?" Papyrus called.
Honestly, no. Sans had no idea what time it was but looking out the window, it was dark.
"Um, night…time?" Sans answered with a grin.
Papyrus didn't look impressed and sighed.
"The store closed hours ago, Sans! It's after eight! Have you just been asleep the whole day?" Papyrus asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Sans looked around to the clock behind him. It was indeed after eight which would have been unbelievable if he wasn't staring at the clock. Looking over at the store door, he noticed the sign had been turned around to say closed and wondered if Papyrus had done it until he saw a box in his line of vision. Thinking for a moment, Sans remembered he'd closed at about six and had been restocking when his mind wandered off. Turns out he'd been leaning at the counter since then.
"Nah bro, restocking since I closed. Gotta keep up with demands, don't wanna get BOXED in with 't be very CONVINIENT for a store." Sans smirked up at his brother, the joke was poor and really not up to his usual standard but it was something.
Papyrus frowned at his brothers' pun, mostly because it wasn't like Sans to make a half attempt at a joke. Sans had been acting stranger every day since they came up from the underground but Papyrus was putting it down to missing the underground. It's all they'd ever known so the human world was…well besides there being a real sky and weather, it actually wasn't all that different.
The monsters kept to where they felt safe so not to end up in trouble or cause trouble. They could still be turned to dust but that's just how their lives worked, at least for now.
The younger skeleton brother supposed they had been above ground for a little while and he and his brother did have a house underground still. Maybe they should take a trip underground for a while? He was sure their friends wouldn't mind helping out with running the store. Frisk seemed to enjoy working there and Undyne was happy to make sure the skeleton brothers took a break from work. Many Temmie's were eager to help out too for some unknown reason, but they didn't question it.
Papyrus decided then that he would plan this trip for the two of them as a surprise to Sans.
"I see. Well I think it is time you come home. I've been waiting for you so I can make dinner." Papyrus sighed.
Sans bit back a smile when Papyrus complained. He liked that Papyrus cooked for the two of them still, it told Sans that nothing had changed and that everything was still okay.
"Plus…it's dark outside…" Papyrus added, mumbling.
This time Sans couldn't hold back his smile. Papyrus had always been afraid when alone in the dark, he'd been that way since they were younger. Sans remembered feeling his little brother patting him on the shoulder in the middle of the night, tears streaming down his skull telling him he had a nightmare. The dark emphasised the small one's nightmares and sometimes the younger one was sure he could hear someone in the dark.
Sans would always sleepily look at Papyrus and smile softly before picking him up and placing him in bed with him. Papyrus would hiccup quietly as he calmed down and nuzzled up to his older brother, settling to sleep, feeling Sans press a kiss to his forehead.
Unbeknownst to their friends, the skeleton brother still had this routine from time to time but it wasn't always Papyrus that had woken up crying and mostly the brothers slept in Papyrus's bed now. That was their secret, and one they were happy to keep between them.
"Alright Pap. I'll come home with you now." Sans spoke gently.
Picking up the box on the counter, Sans slotted it behind the desk and walked round and past Papyrus, opening the door and waiting for him.
Papyrus smiled happily. Finally, he'd be able to cook, and he'd have company at him. More importantly, he'd have Sans at home. While Sans could hold his own and fight, he still worried for his safety. Of course, there hadn't really been much fighting which pleased Papyrus, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering to what Sans could be doing and if he was okay.
Walking past his brother, Papyrus left the store and waited until Sans locked up to walk home. They didn't live far from the store which was convenient. The two walked home while conversation jumped around between them, including Papyrus sighing and shaking his head at Sans pun about the CONVENIENCE store. Really, Papyrus liked the puns but they were sometimes just too often and he felt that Sans wasn't being serious enough.
Once the boys were home Sans flopped down on the couch and Papyrus went straight to the kitchen. The younger brother wasted no time in putting on his apron and starting to cook. Sans already knew what they were having for dinner. Spaghetti. Amazingly Papyrus had stopped making his "famous" signature dish as much and was making other foods but they had both agreed on spaghetti previously. It then dawned on Sans why Papyrus was a little upset, he'd forgotten.
Sans had been spaced out a lot and had forgotten something with his brother. That barely ever happened. Sighing, Sans stood up and walked to the kitchen doorway, watching Papyrus, starting to cook. It looed like the younger had already gotten everything out that he needed and had probably done so hours ago, making Sans feel worse.
"Hey Pap?" Sans called across to his brother.
Papyrus looked over his shoulder questioningly and hummed in response.
"I'm sorry." Sans said quietly.
The younger one stopped what he was doing and turned to face Sans, not sure what he was apologising for.
"What are you sorry for? Did you do something wrong?" Papyrus asked confused and concerned.
Sans cocked his head to the side and smiled lightly. His brother really didn't see the problem. He knew Papyrus saw more than he said but did he really not see how distant Sans had been?
"For being late home. For…forgetting…you know about dinner." Sans explained.
Papyrus stared at his brother for a moment before smiling, "Nyeh! Is that it? I thought there was something really wrong! It's okay, I know that you space out sometimes and you said you were working."
That was a bad lie on Papyrus's part. Sans didn't space out at all. He was almost always alert unless he was properly asleep.
"Don't worry about it." Papyrus smiled, turning back to cooking, "I'll call you when dinner is ready!"
Sans smiled at his brother and returned to the sofa. He couldn't ask for a better brother than Papyrus and if he wasn't careful, he was sure he was going to lose him and thankfully it wouldn't be to death.
So, I'm not dead and this is possibly the worst start to a story I've ever written but this is the first time in a while I've written again! Yes this will be a ship and no I won't reconsider.
If you don't like that fact, don't read it? Or, do. I don't really care. Flames toast my marshmallows!
If you're new to my writing here's how it works:
Read and review, I love to know what my readers think.
If you review as a guest, I'll respond to you at the end of the next chapter and if it's the last chapter, I create a final response chapter.
For now, ciao my little monsters!