Chapter 13

Sans heard his name called but didn't turn around.

He just sat there hoping whoever it was would take the hint and move on. He didn't have the mental, emotional, or physical strength to talk to anyone at the moment. he just wanted to go home get cleaned up and take a nap that could rival his brothers.

Staring at the dark surface of the water Sans deliberately didn't move when he heard footsteps behind him approaching hesitantly.

"You okay there buddy?"

Dammit he knew that voice.

"I'm going home." Sans said in a strangely monotone voice.

Papyrus just sat down next to the small form in his jacket. How could he tell him no? How could he make him come back to a place he didn't want to be. But he couldn't let Sans go back to Snowdin, it was to dangerous.

"Listen I know you want to go hom-"

"I don't want to go home I am going home." Sans snapped cutting Papyrus off. The anger in his voice was something Papyrus hadn't heard in awhile. Even when he messed up Sans almost never showed anger just milad annoyance or disappointment.

"Sans." Papyrus started but Sans once again cut him off.

"Stop, we are not discussing this."

Now Papyrus was getting mad "You don't understand it's too dangerous what if someone found out?! What would happen then? We can't risk it, just come back to Undyne's. Please."

"Do you think I am stupid?" Sans said slowly turning towards Papyrus enough to show his dark sockets. "You think I don't know the risks? I have been living with this for years! I know what to do, how to act, I can blend in. Why don't you trust me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you!" Papyrus said throwing up his hands in frustration. "I don't trust other monsters! Do you know what they are doing in Snowdin right now?"

"Probably a human hunt." Sans said crossing his arms and turning to look away from Papyrus who was stunted. Sans knew?! and he still wanted to go home? Did the little asshole have a death wish.

"How do you...?" Papyrus asked under his breath talking to himself but the angry skeleton got up on his feet and loomed over Papyrus angry intent radiating off of him. Even though Papyrus was taller when he and Sans were standing it was easy for the older of the two to actually be bigger.

"I know, Papyrus, because I am not an idiot! I have been training with Alphys for four years now. I know the procedure if there is a suspected human sighting. Monsters don't bleed Papyrus they dust! If my blood as found, and how could it not be with the location, an investigation would be launched."

"Then why would you want to go back there?!" Papyrus said getting to his own feet "The dogs have your sent! They will find you and there would be nothing I could do to stop it!" He took a deep breath to calm himself and then gave his final almost frantic plea. "Please come back to the labs."

Papyrus was shocked when he saw Sans go from angry to crying in seconds.

"I can't!" The smaller of the two said covering his face with the long orange sleeves of his borrowed jacket.

"Why...why not?" Papyrus asked losing steam as well.

"She must hate me." Sans said face still hidden "I abandoned her when she tried to help me."

Oh... Oh

"Sans... she's not mad at you she's worried." he said going on one knee so he could be on Sans level. He went to put a hand on the crying skeleton's shoulder but when Sans felt the gesture Sans viciously pushed the hand away.

"S T O P" Sans growled out before he took a second to calm himself. "Just stop. Give me a second."

"I would love to but every second we stand here we risk being found. We should go."

"When did you become my boss?"

"Stop being so difficult! You're acting like a child."

"Well maybe I wouldn't act like one if you didn't treat me like one!"

Papyrus was caught off guard by this remark " I don't treat you like a child." Papyrus said somewhat lamely.

"Papyrus..." Sans said as he put his hands on his hips "That's all you've been doing since you've seen me without my mask. You've haven't even called me brother once.."

There was an awkward pause before Sans continued.

"I get it. I am not mad about that. I understand if you don't want to be brothers anymore... I know I lied to you. Now you know what a mess I am I understand why you would keep an emotional distance."

This obvious self hate was making Papyrus' heart lurch but he couldn't find a moment to cut in.

"But that doesn't mean you can treat me like some broken piece of china. Like some child who doesn't understand what is happening! I don't know if you forgot but I am the older of the two of us. I have been on this earth longer than you Papyrus and I have learned how to function even if I am an ugly broken human in a world I was never meant to be in!"

"You're not a mess." He tried to comfort but Sans wouldn't have any of it.

"I don't need your pity. I know my own mind. I am familiar with depression I know how to cope... or at least I did."

Sans looked up at him with big sad eyes.

"I'm falling apart Papy, I can feel it."

That's when Papyrus threw all caution to the wind and engulfed Sans in a huge bear hug.

" 'm here for you so is Undyne. She really isn't mad I promise. We want to help."

He wanted to say more but after a few false starts Sans just relinquished himself to the silent sobs that wracked him. He regretted everything he had just said. Why couldn't he just keep his big mouth shut? Papyrus didn't need to deal with his problems. Another part of him was saying he did the right thing though.

God he really was a mess.

"I'm sorry about not thinking about your feelings." He heard Papyrus say.

"...not your fault." He managed to say through his tears.

"But it-" but Papyrus didn't get to finish his thought as a third body rammed into the two hugging monsters.

"YOU FOUND HIM!" Undyne wailed at full volume as she too decided to join in the pity party as she too started to sob. All three of them fell to the ground from the force of Undynes tackle.

"I'm s-s-so s-s-sorry s-s-sans!" She cried as she kept the two pinned under her weight.

He really thought Undyne would be furious at him. So the fact that she was clearly not made a huge weight lift from his shoulders. Papyrus on the other hand was trying to push the sobbing heavy monster off of him.

" 'm glad to see ya too but can you stop crushing me and Sans?"

"N-n-no I can't! I a-a-am so h-happy S-s-sans is o-o-okay!"

The two bickering friends made Sans feel more at ease even if he was being crushed by two monsters twice his size. That was until a fifth monster joined the fray.

"HEY PUNKS!" A loud boisterous voice yelled from the other end of the small cavern. The participants of the dog pile looked up to see a familiar captain of the royal guard standing there. When she saw who was in the rowdy gathering a smile lit up her scared face.

"OH HEY GUYS!" She shouted as she began to jog towards them.

"Fuck." Papyrus murmured and for once Sans agreed fully.