"Papyrus… Papyrus, wake up."
Pap jolted awake as he was shook gently. It took him a moment to focus on the fire leaning over him as he registered where he was.
The skeleton gave a light groan as he rubbed his skull and sighed softly, "How long have I been out?" he grumbled as he sat up on the couch.
"A few hours, most likely," Grillby replied as he moved away, "You were fast asleep when Sans stopped by to check on you. You must have grown bored while sitting in my office alone. That, or much like Sans, you tend to enjoy your naps."
Pap grunted softly at the small jab, "Nothing wrong with a little beauty sleep."
Grillby hummed in response to his retort before he turned away from him, "Come. The bar is closed. We're going home."
Pap stood and stretched out, letting his bones pop with a satisfied sigh. Then he narrowed his sockets slightly. Grillby's words held a commanding tone, one that was meant to be followed without question. Pap marked the red flag in the back of his mind.
"Your home at least," he mumbled as he began to follow the flaming monster. Though, as Grillby stopped at the entrance, Papyrus hesitated. He locked his gaze with the narrowed embers that glared at him from behind his glasses.
"If you prefer," he said, irritation heavy in his voice, "I could just leave you in the street and let you wander around, confused and lost in this new world," Grillby continued to glare before turning away to head down the stairs, "Show a little gratitude. I am opening my home to you as you have nowhere else to go. I do not need your attitude or snarky remarks."
Pap stood there for a moment as he scowled at the back of Grillby's head. 'Where did this guy get off?' the skeleton thought to himself. He followed the fire out of the bar and to the parking lot without another word. The only sound was of the monster's crackling flames. The skeleton stopped short as he realized there were no vehicles. He looked around before glancing to Grillby.
"Er… Don't you have a car? Or are we in walking distance?" Pap asked him.
"Neither." Grillby stated before heading for the other side of the bar. Pap blinked his sockets a few times before jogging after him lazily. He tilted his skull as he rounded the corner to find an odd looking bike on the other side.
"Uh… How do you pedal that thing? Isn't that how bicycles work?" Pap asked, raising a bony brow.
Grillby scowled at the skeleton as he moved his hand to adjust his glasses and rub the bridge of his nose, "This is a motorcycle. You don't have to pedal it. It runs much like a car." Grillby picked up the helmet resting on the seat and handed it to Pap, "Wear this. It'll keep your skull from breaking open if you fall off."
Pap took the helmet and examined it as Grillby climbed onto the bike and started it up. "Where do I sit?" he asked as he put the helmet on and buckled it under his jaw.
Grillby rolled his amber hues and scooted forward on the bike, "Behind me. Wrap your arms around my waist and hold tight. Otherwise, you will fall off and likely break something."
Pap eyed the monster, hesitant to climb onto something that could possibly kill him if the fire decided he was still cranky. But with no other options, the skeleton climbed on and adjusted himself on the seat. "This is kinda uncomfortable." Pap muttered as he leaned against the fire and wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"If you're going to complain the whole time, then I will make you walk." Grillby stated bluntly. Once he felt the other monster secure himself behind him, Grillby kicked the stand up and revved the engine a few times before moving his foot off the ground and pulled away from the bar.
Pap tightened his arms around the fire as they sped down the road. It only took them ten minutes or so before they reached the border of the small town. Grillby pulled up along a dirt road before they arrived outside a rather large cottage like house. The fire pulled up into his garage before killing the engine. Pap hopped off the bike and removed his helmet as Grillby set the motorcycle up on its kickstand. The skeleton set the helmet on a nearby counter as he glanced around curiously.
"Papyrus…"
Pap glanced over to see Grillby standing by the door. He motioned for him to follow, so Pap stuffed his hands into the pouch of his hoodie and followed the fire monster into the house. Pap had to admit, it was a very nice place. All the furnishing was modern with a color pattern of dark brown with accents of white. From the garage, the two monsters entered into the kitchen. The stone tiling mashed with wood panelings gave the place a very earthy feel.
"This will be your home until you can get on your own two feet," Grillby told him, "I imagine you're an adult. I won't bombard you with rules. Just make yourself at home and all I ask is you remain considerate of me. As you would with any roommate." Grillby lead Pap into the dining area. For someone who lived alone, he had a rather large Victorian style wooden long table. Eight matching chairs surround it, three on each side and one on each end.
"Have dinner parties much?" Pap asked him.
Grillby hummed softly, "Occasionally, I will host dinner for Sans and his family."
Pap looked around and gestured towards the door on the other side of the room, "Where's that lead?" he asked.
"That is just the basement," Grillby replied, "Though, it's quite damp and mostly used for storage. I keep it locked as to seal the smell of mildew out of the house." Grillby motioned to the next room, which brought them to the living room. The fireplace was lit, giving the room a cozy warmth. Pap looked around the shelves of random books and nicknacks. A flat screen hung on the wall above the fireplace. By the looks of it, Grillby didn't watch much TV. The remote sat on the end table, gathering dust.
Grillby led Pap down the hall past the living area. He stopped between two doors before turning to the one on the left. It swung open to reveal a guest bedroom, "This'll be your room. Do as you wish with it. All I ask is to avoid damaging the walls or carpet." Grillby told him, "The restroom is across from you if you are in need of it. My bedroom is at the very end of the hall." he explained. He watched as Pap stepped into the room. He examined the full size bed. It was neatly made with a patterned quilt and basic white sheets. An end stand rested beside the mattress. A cream colored lamp sat atop the small square table. It seemed that was the only furniture in the room.
"Thanks." The skeleton murmured softly.
Grillby cocked an eyebrow before closing his eyes and removed his glasses, "You're welcome," he said as he pulled a cloth free from his pocket and wiped them clean, "Now that you know where everything is, I'm going to retire for the night. Goodnight Papyrus."
Pap looked up at the fire monster as he turned away, "G'night." After Grillby disappeared into the room on the end, Pap shut his door. He pulled off his damaged hoodie and kicked away his warn sneakers. The monster collapsed onto his bed and heaved a heavy sigh. This was only day one. And as he began to drift off, he wondered how many days there would be until he returned home. That is, if he would ever be able to.
Pap awoke to a knock on his door. "You have a visitor." he heard Grillby call from the hallway before his footsteps fade away.
The skeleton slowly sat up and rubbed his sockets, "Visitor?" he murmured quietly to himself. Slowly, the skeleton lifted himself from his covers before exiting the bedroom. As he stepped out into the living room, he found the other Papyrus sitting on the couch while Grillby hovered over the stove. By the smell of it, he was preparing breakfast.
Once Papyrus spotted his alternate self, his sockets sparkled. He jumped to his feet and ran over to him, "Good morning Rus," he exclaimed excitedly.
Pap hesitated before giving a sheepish grin, "Mornin'," the skeleton was sure he would never shake off the odd surrealism of standing before himself. But the original didn't seem fazed in the slightest as he stood proudly with his hands on his hips.
"I, the Great Papyrus, have decided to show you around town! Sans told me you aren't from around here. So you don't know anyone or anything. Well, besides for him and now Grillby." The skeleton smiled widely, "And now you will have the Great Papyrus! And I will be your greatest friend!"
Pap glanced towards the fire monster who stood in the kitchen. The monster shrugged his shoulders at the skeleton before he returned his attention back to something on the counter. Pap focused on his doppleganger before he offered a small smile, "That's kind of ya, Papy. But-"
Before he could finish, Papyrus grabbed his wrist and began dragging him towards the door, "Come! Alphys and Undyne are also outside waiting for you!"
Pap yelped as he stumbled slightly, "H-Hey, Paps! Hang on a sec. Can I at least get dressed?" the skeleton motioned to himself as he currently had on a black tank top, his pants, and no shoes.
Papyrus looked back at the other monster before releasing his wrist, "Yes, of course! I'll go let Alphys and Undyne know you'll be out in a moment." With that, Papyrus ran out the front door.
Pap sighed before he rubbed the back of his skull, "Man, he sure has a lot of energy." he murmured to himself. He heard a small snort and glanced at the fire that still stood in the kitchen. Grillby was now leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Was your brother calmer?" he asked.
Pap hesitated then he scowled and looked away, "No, Sans was just as wired and hyperactive."
Grillby gave a small nod before he gestured towards a plate on the counter, "Would you like to eat something before you go?"
Pap blinked with surprised, "You made me somethin'?"
"Of course, you are my guest," Grillby stated.
"Well, yeah… But… I dunno, I was gettin' the vibe you didn't like me."
"I don't," Grillby told him bluntly.
Pap's jaw dropped a little, then he scowled and waved his hand dismissively, "Thanks, but I'll pass. They're out waitin' for me," he murmured as he began to head back to his room.
"Suit yourself," Grillby said plainly as he sat down to enjoy his own breakfast.
Pap slipped his hoodie back on and kicked his sneakers onto his feet. He then moved and left out the front door without acknowledging the flame monster at the table. The skeleton was greeted by his alternate self, as well as the nerdy Alphys who helped case up his soul. His sockets drifted to Undyne.
"Whoa, he does look exactly like ya, Paps!" the fish woman exclaimed as she approached the strange new monster. She held her hand out to him, "Heya Rus. Name's Undyne. But ya probably already knew that didn't ya?"
Pap took her hand and his bones groaned under her strong grip, "Yeah, kinda… But like everyone else, you're different from the Undyne I knew…"
"Yeah, Alphys was telling me about that! Like, everyone was all switched around where you're from! It's so mind blowing! You'd think something like this was outta an anime!" she spuded with a wide, sharp toothed grin.
Pap gave a half hearted chuckle, "Yeah, guess so…"
Papyrus smiled and clapped his hands together, "The Great Papyrus knew you two would make the best of friends! Come! Time to head back into town where even more friends await!"
"Yeah! Let's get movin'!" Undyne yelled with the intensity of a training coach.
To Pap's dismay, the two monsters began to run up the road. Pap blinked, then glanced at Alphys, "Y-You guys ran all the way here?"
Alphys gave a sheepish chuckle, "K-Kind of. P-Papyrus a-and Undyne c-can be p-pretty excessive w-when they're together." The two began to follow the other monsters, but held a slower pace. "S-So… How was your first night?" Alphys asked.
Pap shrugged, "Just settling. It's still hard to wrap all this around my skull…" the skeleton explained, "Plus, I think the Hot Head has somethin' against me. He keeps givin' me mixed signals." he told Alphys.
The lizard woman blinked softly, then gave a nervous smile, "G-Grillby d-doesn't really like a l-lot of people. From what I've seen, he only really enjoys Sans' company outside the bar. M-Maybe he's just a bit confused. C-Cause you act a lot like his friend, b-but you look like h-his brother."
Pap scowled to himself, "I dunno. Maybe…" the skeleton felt there was more. But he guessed it was better not to dwell on it.
"D-Don't worry too much. I'm sure G-Grillby will warm up to you. J-Just give him some time." Alphys said in an attempt to lift the mood.
Pap glanced at her, then gave a small smile, "Yeah, guess so. He's probably not too happy to have his space invaded by a stranger."
Alphys smiled, "I-If it gets too uncomfortable f-for you, I could always ask Undyne if you can c-crash with us. W-We don't have as big of a space a-and you'd have to sleep on the couch. B-But it's an alternative s-so you don't feel trapped t-there."
"That's generous of you Alphy," Pap gave a warm smile, "I'll keep it in mind."
Alphys blushed harshly before she gave a nervous laugh and focused ahead of herself. The two walked in silence until they caught up with Papyrus and Undyne. The two monsters were waiting for them at the entrance into town.
"C'mon ya slow pokes! Put some spring in your steps!" Undyne yelled as she jogged in place.
"YOU'RE JUST AS LAZY AS SANS, RUS! LET'S GO!" Papyrus called after.
Pap closed one of his sockets, "Gimme a break. I'm still bone tired."
"NOT YOU TOO!" Papyrus cried as he stomped his foot. Pap chuckled as the four monsters stepped into the town.
"This place is called Grayspell. It's the human town we found ourselves in after leaving from Mt. Ebott. Most of us have made homes here while others went to travel the world." Papyrus explained as they walked along the sidewalk, "The first year or so was rough. Some of the humans panicked. The human Guard even came! But with Frisk's help, we were able to make an agreement with the humans. And now we coexist!"
Pap guessed that was the short version of the story. There had to be more complications then that, but he decided not to push for details. "What made you guys stay?" Pap asked curiously.
"W-Well, U-Undyne got a job as the g-gym teacher at the local middle school. S-So we decided to stay together. I took a job as a professor at Grayspell University. I help teach humans about monsters and the anatomy of our souls and magic." Alphys explained.
"Sans and I of course joined the human guard! Well… To humans, we're known as the 'police'. Well, sort of. I work at the station! I answer phone calls, do paperwork, and help find officers for humans and monsters that are in need! Sans works more with the local courts. He's a stenographer. We also stayed in the area to help Toriel raise Frisk."
Pap narrowed his sockets slightly when Papyrus mentioned the kid, "I see." he murmured quietly.
Alphys and Undyne glanced at one another as Pap's composure changed, but Papyrus didn't seem to notice as he continued to babble on about the town's history and how monsters fought for their rights as sentient beings. Eventually, after many protests, monsterkind was recognized and made into legal citizens. Segregation was outlawed and everyone lived happily ever after. At least, that was the way Pap took it.
Seeing signs that stated, 'WE HAVE A RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO MONSTERKIND' outside some of the shops in town told a different one than the overly positive interpretation his alternate self gave. As the small group walked, a familiar sign caught the hooded skeleton's attention.
"You guys have a Muffet's?" he asked in awe.
Papyrus stepped up next to him, "Oh, yes~ Muffet's Bakery is quite popular among monsters. Many humans are put off from her store due to the rumor that she puts real spiders in her Spider Donuts."
Pap felt his soul ache at the mention of his old friend's treat. Before he could stop himself, he began to head for the shop. Papyrus followed after him closely as Undyne and Alphys glanced at one another. When the skeletons stepped inside, they were greeted by a bell. Pap closed his sockets and for a moment, he was back. The scent of cider and fresh baked donuts wafting into his nasal cavity.
"...Back again, Papyrus? Let me guess, you ran out of honey at your sentry station."
Pap grinned and opened his sockets.
"Fufufu… Hello Papyrus. And…?" Muffet gave a quizzical look towards Pap.
His shoulders fell as he took in the classic Muffet. She wasn't the same. This wasn't his old bar. She didn't know who he was. His ribcage felt heavy as a wave of grief hit him hard. He didn't know what he had expected. But this wasn't it. This wasn't home.
"...Rus, are you okay? Your sockets are leaking magic." he heard Papyrus ask as a gentle hand slipped onto his shoulder.
"Huh?" Pap wiped his socket, seeing an orange liquid smear off onto his hand, "O-Oh, s'okay. I'm fine…" He quickly turned and left the shop. Papyrus ran after him, now even more concerned for his new friend.
"Wait Rus! Tell the Great Papyrus what ales you. I'm your friend. You can trust me."
Alphys and Undyne also came over and gave Pap worried glances, "Yeah, what's up dude?" Undyne asked.
Pap's ribcage felt tight and he shook his skull as he backed away from them, "This is… This is too much. Too much right now…." the skeleton told them as he started to retreat.
"W-Wait, Rus. D-Don't leave… W-We can-" Alphys began in an attempt to comfort him, but Pap quickly turned away and ran.
The other monsters called after him, but before Papyrus could give chase, Undyne grabbed his shoulder, "He's right Pappy. This is a lot. Everything he ever knew is falling apart. Give him time. Let him go breathe." she told him softly. Alphys gave a small nod of agreement and they watched the hooded skeleton as he disappeared into the distance.
Pap ran back to Grillby's home, panting as he collapsed back against the front door. He huffed as his skull sank into his hoodie before he gave a soft sigh. "What the hell am I gonna do…" he murmured to himself.
Suddenly the door swung open and Pap yelped as he fell back and bashed his skull against the stone floor, "Geez, give a guy a warning, would ya!" he whined as he rubbed the back of his head.
Grillby stared down at the skeleton, "...Why were you lying against the front door? You could have just come in."
"I needed a minute…" he grumbled as he sat up.
Grillby moved past the skeleton before placing a packet of papers in his lap, "I am heading to work. Fill that out and have it down for when I get home." the fire told him.
Pap blinked as he looked at the papers, "What's this?" he asked him.
"Citizenship application. You will need to be legalized here so that you can apply for a position at my bar." Grillby explained as he headed for his motorcycle.
"...Eh?"
Grillby sighed, "You will need a job Papyrus. I am willing to give you one. But before I can, you will need citizenship."
Pap blinked his sockets, "For a guy who doesn't like me, ya sure are giving me a lot of favors…"
"The sooner you get on your feet, the sooner you will be out of my home." Grillby told him.
Pap stuck out his orange tongue, then stood and patted himself off, "Whatever you say, Grillbz…"
"Papyrus…" Grillby murmured.
The skeleton glanced at him and gave him a questioning look.
Grillby gave a jagged grin, "Careful who you stick that tongue at. You may regret it one of these days," before Pap could respond, the fire put on his helmet and sped out of the driveway. Pap stood there with a faint orange flush in his cheekbones. He looked at the application, then gave a soft sigh. "What a hot head…"
[Author's Notes: There have been some changes to this fic, if you have not noticed before. The rating has been bumped up to mature as I have some darker things I will be experimenting with in later chapters. And, I apologize for my spotty updating but I hope it was worth the wait ^^ Some trigger warnings for future chapters: Extreme violence, torture, physical abuse, emotional/mental abuse, non-con elements, and blood and gore. I will also place warnings in the chapters that do contain these as I know it's not something comfortable for everyone to read about. I hope you enjoyed the latest update and thank you all again for your love, support, and patience with me. Hopefully chapter five won't take as long.]