I thought I'd try something kinda cuter and sweeter than usual, and I haven't written AUs before. Have some skellie/ghostie cuteness.
Most of the time, Papyrus was fine.
If fine was the right word to use. He certainly looked fine, cracking jokes and being his silly, slightly annoying self that Sans secretly loved but didn't want to encourage. He frequented Muffet's and sang and laughed with her other customers, socialising and racking up a tab that he always promised to pay off, one day. And he left the house a lot more often since he had befriended a little ghost in Waterfall, a gentle relationship full of fond looks and soft conversations and peaceful companionship.
During these times, nobody had any reason to worry.
But then there were the low days. The days when Papyrus stayed in bed long past even his usual lazy sleep-in. The days where no matter how hard Sans tried, making the tastiest morsels or entertaining him with stories or begging him to come out, to speak, to do something, he couldn't get his brother to eat or talk.
Usually this would last a day or two and then Papyrus would be back on his feet without the slightest hint that he had ever disappeared. Any attempt to ask him about it would be swiftly redirected, and he would flash a lazy grin and some finger guns and insist he was fine. Sans often forced himself to believe him because what else could he do?
But today was the third day that month that Papyrus had retracted from the outside world, and Sans was at his wits end. Papyrus had duties, after all- he was sentry guard for Snowdin Forest and he couldn't keep calling in sick like this. Sans had tried to make excuses for him, but in the meantime, how could he help his brother?
This is how he found himself on the phone before he could stop himself, calling the only idea he had left.
Happstablook was a shy creature, one that Papyrus seemed to have clicked with when it came to emotions and needing to get away from the world. Sans knew of the quiet days they spent together, listening to music and hanging out in Waterfall. And of the feelings they had yet to admit to each other, although they did seem to have some kind of mutual understanding. They were probably closer than even he was to Papyrus, which is why he thought the ghost might be able to have an effect on a day like this.
They arrived quickly, bobbing nervously at the front door as Sans ushered them inside quickly, glancing up the stair at Papyrus' closed door. "Please," he requested gently. "See what you can do."
Sans had announced their guest and quickly left, but when Happstablook floated over to the still figure under the sheets, they received barely an acknowledgement. Papyrus was breathing slowly, and one might have assumed he was asleep if not for his half-open eye sockets that stared right past the little pink ghost, silent and unseeing.
"Papyrus," Happstablook whispered, bobbing into his line of sight. "A-are you ok?"
It took a moment, but then Papyrus stirred, blinking sleepily at his guest. "Happy. Hi. I'm, uh..." He coughed, voice a little gruff from disuse, and attempted a weak smile. It was barely a turn up of his teeth, but it was there, and it warmed Hapstablook's soul to see it, along with the nickname the skeleton had given him. "I'm a bit... tired... at the moment."
Happstablook understood 'tired'. They understood the exhaustion that came just from being awake sometimes, the overwhelming weariness that prevented one from accomplishing even the smallest of tasks. "It's ok," they said, drifting closer until they were close enough to put a translucent nub on his skull, making themselves a little more solid in order to be felt. It had taken them a long time and a lot of patience on Papyrus' side to get to the point where they were comfortable touching and being touched, so this tiny gesture was a big deal. "You don't have to get up today. But can I stay a little while?"
"Yeah..." Papyrus' answer was immediate, if a little drowsy. "Course you can. Long as I don't bore you."
"You could never bore me, Papyrus..." Happy replied in almost a whisper. They seemed nervous, bobbing up and down with the tiniest pink flush dotting their cheeks. "You know I like you too much to ever be bored of you."
Papyrus' only acknowledgment that he had heard them was the faint glow that grew on his own cheeks, and then he blinked and took a deep breath, shifting around under the blankets. A moment later, he lifted up the covers and gave a nervous smile. "Would you... like to cuddle with me?"
Happstablook only needed a second to decide. With a happy little wiggle, they gently floated into the space next to the skeleton, solidifying their body as he wrapped his arms around them. This was a huge deal- the two of them didn't have much excuse for touching each other generally, and the ghost had always been shy and reserved, but as their comfort around each other grew, so did their affection. They hadn't done anything like this before, though. Papyrus' hold was loose, leaving room for the other to adjust if they were uncomfortable, but the ghost simply snuggled closer, burying themselves in the soft sweater Papyrus was wearing.
"Tell me about your week," Papyrus said, feeling the more secure that he had in a long time with the ghost in his arms.
So Happy spoke about the farm and the flowers and the few people who had visited them that week, their slow, soft voice the only sound in the silent room. And Papyrus rested his skull on the top of the little ghost's head, nuzzling the pinkish, translucent ecto-flesh. His friend felt squishy and rubbery, but delicate, like they could disappear any moment, which they definitely could. Making themselves solid for long periods of time took a lot of energy, and the fact that they were tiring themselves out just because he wanted a little comfort made an unexpectedly overwhelming feeling rise in his soul.
Happy trailed off, able to feel the change in mood from their snuggly companion. The other's soul was pulsing with a new SOMETHING that was calling out to them, a hint of emotion leeching into them from the intent in Papyrus' touch. They slowly eased themselves around, Papyrus letting go so Happy could turn to face him, centimetres apart.
"Papyrus..." Happy whispered, usually wide eyes even wider as they stared into the skeleton's eye sockets. The other's orange flush deepened as they spoke, and the sight gave the ghost a funny feeling. "Are you... ok?"
"I'm... I..." He blinked, everything in him telling him to lean forward, close the distance, and he was flustered by his thoughts. And just like that, he knew, Sans' knowing looks every time he went to visit Happy made sense now. He loved him, of course. It was so clear. Why didn't he know this before? The expression in Happstablook's eyes changed in that moment, the moment he realised what he knew in his soul to be true, as if they knew. Maybe they did, intent transferred emotions, didn't it? He wanted to say it, but the words stuck in his mouth, behind his teeth, making his soul beat strongly.
Happy could see the struggle, the desire to come right out and tell them, and they knew what they wanted to do. Pressing forward, they tentatively brushed their lips against Papyrus' teeth. Was the shiver that went through them from the effort of holding this form, or something else? For one second, they worried that they had gotten it wrong, misread the signs, made a horrible mistake. But then Papyrus pulled them close, kissing them more firmly, but still gently, cradling them in his arms. And Happstablook was afraid that they might accidentally fade away from the excitement, the giddiness that this was actually happening.
Papyrus pulled away, grinning giddily at the pink-flushed ghost. "I love you." Then, again, just in case he hadn't said it properly or they hadn't heard. "I love you."
"I love you too," they whispered back, their tiny smile leaving no doubt to the sincerity of their words. It had been a long time coming, and the words had been said silently through little looks, their desire to share their music, the moments in which they leaned into a touch instead of shying away. Hearing them out loud was a relief.
It wasn't a complete cure for Papyrus' mood, but it was pretty damn near. And when the two of them finally emerged, blushing and smiling and nearly inseparable, Sans could have wept from the relief- both of Papyrus being up and about and the confession that shone through their faces.
Papyrus wasn't fine. But he was very close to it, thanks to Happstablook.
Talk to me! What did you think? I'm considering a nsfw chapter a bit later.