A *very* quick insight into what's going on in Papyrus's head during chapter 5 :)
I think I may do a Sans focused chapter next. I'm looking forward to it quite a bit xx


Papyrus sat at the security desk, slouched over the smooth wooden surface and dully staring into space. Just two more hours today then he'd be off. No lingering around or hoping for extra shifts. He would go straight home and be able to spend some more time with Sans, which he hadn't been doing for a while, having been distracted by worthless shit.

Sans seemed to be happier to see more of him. He'd certainly been acting nicer than usual with less strops and moaning about Papyrus's ability to keep the flat clean. He even offered to let Papyrus cook for once. Papyrus hadn't felt like it though. He'd rather just sit and listen to his brother talk about work and how he was much closer to getting a case.

Yeah, things were good. Better in fact. It was fine that you weren't around. Papyrus huffed and glowered down at his hands.

Damn, he'd thought about you again. He had to stop doing that. It was pointless and only served to make him angry both at you and himself for being fooled like that. You weren't kind, nor were you brave. You had a bloody conviction for abusive behaviour and you never even mentioned it.

Yeah. He was lucky Sans was still looking out for him...

He sighed, and looked around, trying to refocus on his job. Not that there was much to focus on. He gazed listlessly at a pair of giggling girls, a hoard of businessmen getting coffee on their lunch break and-

You.

Papyrus paused for a fraction of a second, meeting your exhausted gaze, before looking away.

What were you doing here? You were standing a distance away, just staring at him. Like you wanted to talk to him, to perhaps give some feeble excuse. He snorted to himself and looked back with a fierce glare, only to discover you were no longer there, which... which was fine. Papyrus didn't want you anywhere near him, not at all.

Papyrus spent the next hour watching the crowds very carefully, just doing his job properly and making sure no-

There you were. You were walking awa-wait- half walking and half running, as if something was following you. A woman shoved past you, almost sending you toppling to the ground and Papyrus caught sight of your face.

You didn't look good, not at all. Some vicious, distant part of his mind wanted to be pleased by this, that you weren't perfect and here was the proof, but most of his mind was taken up by your half ragged appearance, you unshaven jaw and the expression on your face. Your eyes were wide, sweat beaded at your brow and your chest was rising and falling like you had just ran a race. You were scared, terrified even, but why?

You regained your balance and rushed off, your figure melting into the crowd and fading from sight. Papyrus stared after you, for a moment forgetting all of his anger in the face of his concern.

The moment passed.

He sat back down on his seat, not remembering when he had stood up, and told himself whatever was going on with you wasn't his business. He didn't have anything to do with you now. You... you were probably just startled by almost being knocked over.

Or you had been scared of him. Papyrus frowned. It wouldn't be the first time a human's reacted to him like that. He had been pretty angry last time you saw him as well.

Papyrus glared down at his hands.

Well of course he'd been angry, he had a right to be. You had acted like his brother was the devil. You'd thrown stupid accusations around and acted like you were saving him or some shit. He didn't need someone like that. He didn't need you.

Mind made up, he pushed all thoughts of your frightened face away, and tried to refocus on his work.

This proved harder than he thought.