A week spent with Sans, and Payton had explored almost every inch of the Ruins and Home. He'd helped Sans manage the puzzles, had befriended most of the Monsters, and now he was getting restless.

A soft sigh escaped him as he tried to keep his focus on the book in front of him. A book he had read already, along with most of the others in Sans' collection that didn't involve some type of science or puns.

He was very grateful that Sans had taken him in, and though Payton got attached quickly to anyone who gave him attention, he could tell Sans was different. He listened, not out of pity or anything, but because he seemed to genuinely care about what Payton said, he was closer to being true family in one week than any foster family was in months.

But... Payton was bored.

He was an energetic youth. He needed stimulus, and there was only so much exploring an almost deserted city and wandering the same corridors could do before he got restless.

He huffed and closed the book, rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling from his position on the living room floor. He lay there for a moment before pushing himself up, elbows on his knees and chin in his palms as he stared at Sans, who was napping in his recliner.

He liked Sans, truly, he was Payton's first friend and as close to a family as he'd ever gotten. But he was low energy, easily falling asleep and not being very active when awake. Payton sometimes wondered if Sans had some type of narcolepsy, with how easy it was for him to just fall asleep anywhere. He even fell asleep standing on one occasion!

He debated waking Sans, but decided against it and stood, tucking the book back on the shelf and leaving the living room. He stood for a moment, considering if he should go to his room or outside, but his attention was instead drawn towards the stairs leading down.

He'd gone down once, only to be intercepted by Sans before he stepped foot off the stairs. When asked, the skeleton had told him not to worry about it, that it was just the basement and that he shouldn't go down there because parts of it were crumbling. He'd let it go, then, because he had no reason to not believe Sans, if he said there was nothing of interest and that it was dangerous, then he wouldn't go. Plus it'd be rude to wander his host's house without permission.

But now... it was mighty tempting. It was one of the only places he had yet to explore, and the mystery of it was starting to remind him of old movies he'd watched, where the mysterious basement held adventure and intrigue, and the occasional ghost. Though he doubted Napstablook was down hanging around Sans' dingy old basement.

He took a step, glanced at Sans, took another step, hesitated, then ducked under the locked chain that hung there more as a warning then as a barrier. He held his breath as his boot touched the first step, standing still as he listened for a break in the snores, and carefully continued down as they didn't stop.

There wasn't much light beyond the stairs, just a couple lanterns with crystals that lit up when he came near. All he could see was a long hall, the same purple brick as the rest of the Ruins, and at the end was a sharp turn.

He walked the hall slowly, cautiously looking at his surroundings, but Sans' claims about crumbling walls seemed to have been untrue, at least for now. Puffing his cheeks in a pout, he began to pick up his pace when suddenly a bony hand grasped his shoulder.

With a piercing shriek, he whirled around, stumbling as he threw himself away from what his mind told him was some kind of zombie or Grim Reaper. Except it wasn't, instead Sans stood in place of the cliché horror movie monster, with an upward quirk to his grin and a raised brow.

"woah, kiddo," He started, waving his hands calmly. "calm down, didn't mean to rattle your bones." He gave his own a small rattle, grin widening as Payton squinted at him with a pout, finally coming down from his fright.

"now, uh, Payton," Sans tilted his head, sockets narrowing a fraction, "whatcha doin' down here?"

"Oh, uhm..." He flushed, looking down and scuffing his boot on the ground. "I, uh, I was just curious..." He bit his lower lip and peered at Sans from under his lashes. "I'm sorry, I know you said not to come down here! But I've already seen all of the Ruins and most of Home, and I just wanted to see what's down here!"

Sans shrugged. "already told ya, kiddo, just an old, crumbly basement." He put his arm around Payton's shoulders, guiding him back towards the stairs. "c'mon, kiddo, s'about lunch time."

Payton cast one last glance behind them as he was led away.

Was it just him, or was there someone standing at the end of the hall?

Payton sat in front of Sans' home, the feeling the spot brought calming his scattered thoughts. It had been a few days since Sans had caught him in this basement, and the event wouldn't leave his mind.

He could have excepted that it was just an empty basement, but too many things didn't add up. Why did Sans exaggerate the state of it? Nothing had seemed to be in any disrepair, while he had only seen one part of it, it looked to be the same as the rest of the Ruins. Why had Sans seemed in a hurry to get Payton out? It had seemed to be more than just not wanting him to be hurt by debris.

And that figure...

He bit his lip, glancing at the front door, then the exit of the cavern. Sans was on his usual stroll through the Ruins and wouldn't be back for a while, especially if he decided to take a nap somewhere.

Slowly he pushed himself up, turning towards the house. It was more of a home then anywhere he'd stayed for his ten years of life, and that filled him with... something.

The strange ritual done, he walked inside, hesitating only a moment before ducking under the chain and going down the steps two at a time.

Nothing had changed, the hall was the same purple brick, the lanterns had the same crystals, but there was an almost oppressive air to it as he got further in.

He passed where Sans had caught him, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he turned the corner, only to gasp.

At the end of the shorter corridor was a large door, etched into the stone was a circle with wings and three triangles below, the same symbol he had seen throughout the Ruins, and the same symbol Sans had on his robes.

Hesitantly he approached, lifting his hand as he got closer, almost about to touch... when he heard the sudden scuff of feet behind him.

He whirled in alarm, a name ready on his tongue, but... no one was there.

He sighed in relief, ready to shake off the sudden rush, only to stiffen a moment later.

There was a hand on his shoulder. A thin, bony hand.

"Payton." A deep, raspy voice said, right behind him.

He yelped and threw himself out of the hand's grip, twisting and landing on his backside on the ground, staring up at the figure looming above him.

Blank sockets peered back, a usually friendly grin now strained. Despite his small, cuddly appearance and demeanor, Sans now struck a menacing image, seeming to appear many times larger than he actually was, his usual slouch long gone and the air seemed charged with held back power.

"S-Sans!" He pushed himself up, backing away. "I-I, uhm, I was just-"

"I told you not to come down here, Payton." Sans cut in, voice not as menacing, but still contained a hard edge.

"I just wanted t-to know what was down here!" He defended.

"Nothing. There's nothing down here that concerns you."

Payton grit his teeth. "Then why are you being so evasive?! If there was nothing down here, you wouldn't be trying to keep me away! You'd let me see and that'd be it! But no! You're trying to keep me from seeing what's behind the door!"

There was the creak and grind of bone as Sans clenched his jaw. "Payton, go upstairs. Now."

"No! I won't!" His fists clenched. "Not until you tell me what's behind the door!"

"You don't need to know. Go. Upstairs."

"You're not the boss of me!" In an uncharacteristic move, Payton lunged forward and shoved.

To a normal adult, it might of made them stumble, even another species of Monster their height could've shaken it off. However, Payton had a lot more mass, and the shove instead practically hurtled the skeleton back, his hood doing little as his skull smacked into the door with a loud CRACK!

Everything stopped. Blood rushed in his ears and he couldn't take his eyes off of Sans. The skeleton's sockets were wide and empty, face blank, as he slumped to the ground.

"S... Sans...?" Payton whispered, his anger leaving him as quick as it had come. He took a hesitant step forward and knelt in front of him.

Dim eye-lights weakly lifted to meet his eyes, flickering like a dying candle. "Sans are... are you okay?"

Bones clacked as Sans shuddered, chuckling frailly. "f-fraid not... kiddo.." He slumped more against the door, something red slowly dribbled down from his hood and into his eye socket. "you... got quite the shove there... knocked me right outta.. my skin..." And then suddenly he collapsed into dust, a small inverted, shivering silvery heart floating up, hanging in the air for a moment, before it shuddered and shattered.

His hands flew to his mouth as he rocked back on his heels, overbalancing and landing on his backside. He could only stare in horror at what had once been a living being, what had been someone Payton had come to care for like a brother, something he had dreamed of his entire life, and something he had just snuffed out in seconds. Nothing more than a pile of dust and clothing.

A choked sob escaped him, head shaking as his mind tried to process what he had just done.

"N-no.. no, S-Sans.."

He couldn't...

"No... No, no..."

Why did...

"No... No, no, Sans!"

He's...

"NO!"

And the world STUTTE R ED... .. …. .. .

He woke with a gasp, scrambling up and whipping his head around to get his bearings.

He..

He was... back in the Ruins... back in front of Sans' house.

He fell to his knees with a sob, hands fisted in his hair as he tried to make sense of what he'd just experienced.

It was just a dream, it had to have been, he wouldn't... he couldn't have actually..

"I-it was just a dream... I didn't... S-Sans didn't actually... It was just a-"

"It wasn't a dream, Payton."

His head shot up at the voice, eyes widening and mouth gaping as he stared at the figure in front of him.

It was a human, only it also wasn't. They had short, shaggy brown hair falling into brown eyes, faintly freckled tan skin, and they appeared close to his age. However, they were translucent, floating a couple of inches above the ground, and a faint red soul shone from inside their chest, a sizeable crack down the middle, looking as if two puzzle pieces from entirely different puzzles were forced together.

They gave him a sad, sympathetic smile as he stared up at them. "It wasn't a dream, it was real." They said.

Payton sucked in a shuddering breath, barely holding back tears. "But.. but it couldn't have been real!" He protested, a touch hysterical. "W-we were in the basement, and now we're here! And Sans is... Sans is alive!" He froze, staring wide eyed at the ghostly child. "He... he's alive, right?"

They drifted down until they were kneeling in front of him, smiling softly as they confirmed. "He is, don't worry." They pat his knee, their ghostly hand leaving nothing but a strange hot-cold tingle. "You reloaded your Save."

"What..? Reloaded a Save..? Wh-what does that mean? A-and who are you!?" He cried, mind reeling.

"I'm Frisk." They said. "And reloading a Save, means you went back to a time you felt most..." They thought for a moment. "Safe. Secure. A place that gives you Hope." They gestured to a spot behind Payton.

He gave them an incredulous look, glancing over his shoulder and back, only to quickly look again.

There, where he'd had that strange feeling in his Soul, was a shining, golden star-like light. It floated above the ground, shifting and shimmering serenely.

He tore his gaze from it as Frisk spoke again. "That's a Save Star." They began. "It appears where you most feel safe, secure, and hopeful in the moment, and Saves you a spot in time to go back to."

"But... how does it do that?" He asked.

They shrugged. "Dunno... Only humans can see it, and only humans have the ability." They considered him for a moment. "You triggered it due to extreme emotional turmoil. Now you can see them. For some reason, you can only see them after your first Reload."

Payton sucked in a breath. "So I... I actually k-killed him..?"

Frisk frowned sadly. "Yes..."

He choked on a sob, hugging his knees to his chest. "Oh my god..."

The ghostly child hesitated, unsure about how to help, but was interrupted by a familiar voice behind them.

"kiddo?" Sans said, frowning as Payton whimpered and buried his face into his knees as the skeleton got closer.

He knelt, placing a hand on the kid's shoulder. "hey, buddy, s'okay, why're ya crying?"

Payton keened, curling into himself more. "I-I killed y-you!" He wailed. "I-it was an accident, but I killed you!"

Sans stiffened. "what? payton, what are you talking about?"

"I went into the b-basement like you told me not to!" He cried, "I was j-just curious, b-but you tried to stop me and I-I got frustrated and pushed you! I-I didn't know wh-what'd happen! I didn't mean to!"

Sighing through his teeth, he gently pulled Payton into a hug, not caring about the tears soaking his robes. "oh, kiddo... i hoped you'd never find out about the saves..."

Payton sniffled. "Y-you know about th-them..?"

"yeah, kiddo, some of the other humans who fell before you told me 'bout 'em." He rocked them both in an effort to calm Payton down. "didn't really know what to think at first, but i kept getting... dreams and feelings, lotta déjà vu.. i hoped you wouldn't get into a situation that'd cause you to reload, it's usually never a good thing."

"H-how can you be so calm!?" Payton asked, pulling back to look at him. "I-I just told you that I killed you! You sh-should hate me!"

Sans' grin turned sad, eye-lights dimming. "aw, kiddo, i couldn't hate you, and you've already made it clear that it was an accident and that you're guilty about it." He pushed Payton's bangs away from his face to look him in the eye better. "but you shouldn't feel guilty, payton. you're a kid, i don't blame you for getting frustrated and acting in the moment, while you shouldn't push anyone, anyone other than me woulda been fine. i'm... not the strongest monster out there, kiddo." His grin quirked up. "i'm not even skin and bones, just bones!"

Payton sniffled, smiling tearfully despite himself. "S'not funny..." He frowned for a moment, glancing over Sans' shoulder. "B-but.. What about-"

Frisk shook their head quickly. "He doesn't know I'm here, he can't see me. Don't tell him. Please."

"what was that, kiddo?" Sans asked, brow raised.

"O-oh, nothing, nevermind..." He scrubbed at his eyes and yawned.

Sans smiled softly. "c'mon, you've had a rough time," He helped Payton up and led him into the house. "go get some sleep, payton, i'll wake ya for dinner, okay?"

"Okay, thank you, Sans." He bit his lip, eyes downcast. "You... you're sure you're not upset..?"

The skeleton pat his shoulder. "i'm not upset, kiddo. just... take my advice, don't reload unless you absolutely have to, okay?"

Payton nodded, "I won't, I promise." With that he headed back to his room, closing the door gently and collapsing onto the bed, asleep only moments after his head hit the pillow.

There was dust on his hands.

"...yton.."

It filled the air, choking him.

"..on, wake u..."

In his hand was a knife made of bone. Dust and blood coated the once pristine white.

"..Payton... wake up..!"

Golden light surrounded him, and in the shadows of a pillar was a tall figure, armor glinting.

"..wake up!"

The arm holding the knife raised the same time the figure faced him, one golden eye and one empty socket glaring with pure hatred.

"Payton..!"

The knife slashed down, red light flashed as the figure met the attack.

"PAYTON, WAKE UP!"

He jerked, eyes flying open as a cry tore from his throat. He threw himself up, frantically searching the room.

Frisk floated in front of him, hands up calmingly. "Payton, Payton, it's okay, it was just a dream."

He stared at them, face scrunching as he sobbed brokenly. "H-how... how can I kn-know for sure?"

The ghost frowned, opening their mouth to answer, only to be cut off by a knock.

"kiddo?" Sans poked his skull in, sockets angled in concern. "you okay? i heard a scream."

Payton nodded, scrubbing his face. "I-I'm okay, s'just a n-nightmare..." His lip trembled, new tears threatening to spill.

Sans frowned. "aw, kiddo," He came in fully, walking over and pulling Payton into a hug, "sshhh, s'okay kiddo..." He pat his back as the human buried his face into his robe.

They sat there hugging for a few minutes, the only sound being Payton's cries and Sans' quiet reassurance.

When they separated, Sans used his sleeve to wipe Payton's tears, putting his hands on his shoulders and meeting his eyes. "you okay now?" Receiving a nod, he helped Payton off the bed. "c'mon then, let's get some food and talk."

They sat at the table, quiet save for the clink of silverware, before Sans straightened, pulling in an unneeded breath.

"kiddo," He waited until Payton met his eyes. "i think... i think you should know what's beyond the ruins." Payton's eyes widened a fraction, pushing the almost empty bowl away.

"the ruins and home were where monsters first settled, after we were trapped down here." Sans began. "we stayed here for a long time, far away from where the barrier was erected. It took many years, when technology advanced and monsters were sure humans forgot about us. the caverns and tunnels that make up the underground are natural, so there was only a bit of digging needed to be done, but we expanded far past the ruins, set up our own weather and day cycle, suited for the different monster species."

He paused, thinking for a moment. "there are many, many more monsters in the rest of the underground, most of them are good folk, only wanting to live their lives as best as they can, but there's also a lot of desperate monsters. young who have never seen the sky and have only ever known confinement. the old who were forced down here because of what they are and not who they are, who may never see the surface they knew again."

He grew serious. "at the head of it all, is... is regent gaster, who took over when monsters were first imprisoned, after the king died of his injuries and the queen became week of bond-shock and supporting a growing boss monster." His fists clenched, eye-lights flickering. "he declared war on the humans after his son was injured by them, and now beyond the ruins, monsters are made to report or capture any human that arrives so that gaster can take their soul."

Payton gulped. "Why.. Why does he need human Souls?"

"because it took the power of seven human souls to erect the barrier, and it'll take seven to break it." His sockets closed, grin strained. "he already has six. he's already killed six humans, a couple being children around your age. He doesn't care whether you deserve death or not, whether you've come covered in dust or completely clean, it doesn't matter how old you are." He stood, beckoning for Payton to do the same and led him to the stairs and down into the basement.

Sans stood, looking at the symbol on the door. "i've met all six of the humans who've fallen, they've all had their reasons for coming down here, they've all had their reasons for trying to leave." He turned to Payton, eye-lights dim. "i know you've been getting bored down here, you're an energetic kid and the ruins are too small and empty for you to be happy in the long run." He reached into his robe and pulled out a bundle of fabric. "the underground is a diverse place, cold, wet, hot, and there are monsters whose job it is to look out for and capture humans, so you'll need something to protect and disguise yourself."

With a flick of his wrists, the fabric unfolded to reveal a bright red, hooded cloak with a heart clasp, the same blue as Payton's soul.

Payton sucked in a breath, grasping his scarf, the only connection he had to a family he'd never known. A family who'd given him up, for whatever reason. No explanation, no effort to contact him later in life, and now here was someone who wasn't biologically related to him, who wasn't even the same species, who took him in out of the goodness of his soul and didn't treat him like burden. With a new resolve, he took off the scarf, folding it and storing it in his phone's inventory, then he carefully took the cloak from Sans and threw it over his shoulders, clasping the blue heart in the middle of his chest.

He looked up to find Sans grinning fondly. "it suits a cool kid like you."

Payton grinned back, striking a pose. "It is definitely a cloak befitting of the Great Payton!" He calmed, grin turning into a smile. "Thank you, Sans." He frowned slightly. "Why don't you come with me? It must get lonely down here.."

Sans smiled, somewhat sadly. "i can't leave, kiddo, there's a barrier at the outer doors tied to my magical signature. if I try to pass, i'm just pushed back."

"You're trapped down here?" Payton whispered in shock. "Who.. Who would do that?"

Sans shook his head. "someone... misguided. who thinks he's always right, damned the consequences." He put his hands on Payton's shoulders. "don't worry 'bout me, kiddo, I've been here for a long time and I've gotten used to it. worry about yourself, it'll be hard out there, but you've got integrity, you're brave and kind. if anyone can get through the underground, i believe it's you."

Payton's lip trembled and he threw his arms around Sans, hugging him as tight as he dared. "Thank you, Sans, for everything. You've been like.. like a brother to me, you've cared more about me in a week than any foster family has in months."

Sans wrapped his arms around him, lightly bumping his skull to Payton's. "heh, kiddo, i'd be happy to be your bro, it'd be nice to have a cool lil bro like you." He pulled back enough to look at him. "and if we're gonna be brothers, i think it'd be fitting to give ya a cool skeleton name, to fit such a cool dude like you. what d'ya think?"

Payton nodded eagerly, in the time he'd been here one of the books he'd read were about skeleton culture, and giving a skeleton name to a non-skeleton was basically immediate adoption into the clan.

Sans grinned. "great! how about.." He considered him for a moment, before his eye-lights brightened. "papyrus. the great papyrus. how does that sound?"

Payton- Papyrus grinned and hugged him tighter. "I love it! The Great Papyrus! Nyeh hehe, thank you Sans!"

"hehe, anything for my fontastic lil bro." He said, grin widening as Papyrus pulled back abruptly.

The human glared. "I've changed my mind. Napstablook is my new brother." He smiled despite himself as the skeleton snickered.

"would that mean i'm-" The smile dropped at the mischievous tone.

"Don't."

"-sans a brother?"

"AGH!"

Now decked out in a new cloak and name, and armed with a large thermos of tomato soup, Papyrus exited the hall that had been behind the door where he'd left Sans. The room beyond was dark, reminiscent of the second room he'd arrived in when he first fell.

Including a smiling red flower.

Chara snickered. "You think you're so clever?" They asked, red eyes glowing with malintent. "You Reloaded, but that doesn't change the fact that you killed him. You must have felt that rush, right? As your EXP and LV increased. You won't be able to get through the Underground with just Mercy." They spat the word out like poison. "You're going to die, over and over and over, and eventually you'll snap." Their eyes flicked to Frisk, who'd been quiet during his talk with Sans. "They're filling your head with empty promises, with lies. The only way to get far in life is to put yourself on top, through any means necessary! Or else everyone else will stomp all over you."

Frisk grit their teeth. "You're wrong, Chara!" They said resolutely. "It's not kill or be killed, not everyone'll be nice, but that doesn't mean everyone's out to get you either!"

Chara growled, face twisting into what looked like a mockery of Sans' grin and sockets, red rings replacing calm blue. "I thought you'd understand, Frisk, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You always were weak."

"Don't call them weak!" Papyrus yelled, stepping in front of Frisk. "You're wrong, I'm not going to hurt or kill anyone! I'll show them all that we can be friends, and I'll help them reach the surface!"

The flower giggled, the sound sending chills down his spine. "Oh, we'll see~" And with that, they disappeared into the ground.

He sighed in relief, glancing over at his ghostly companion. "Are you okay, Frisk?"

They nodded. "Yeah, I've known Chara for a long time, nothing they say can really get to me anymore."

"How do you know Chara?" He asked. "How can they see you? I thought only I could."

"It's a long story..." They said, "I'd rather not talk about it right now.."

"Oh, okay, that's fine." He turned to the looming door in front of them, taking a breath to steel himself before starting forward. "Let's go."

He pushed the door open and stepped out into the cold.

Authors Note

Ta da, out of a hat I pull the next chapter! Enjoy

There is no Neutral route in this AU, only Genocide and Pacifist, both starting when Payton kills Sans, in Pacifist he involuntarily Reloads, while In Genocide he completely retreats into his mind, allowing Chara to take over