The skeleton closed his empty eye sockets and waited for his demise to come. He knew thinking about anything now wouldn't help, but only bring him down. Still, as Papyrus' voice echoed in his skull, he couldn't help but to think of what his pure little brother was going to become without him to protect him from the cruel outside world. He wondered if he was ever going to find out how they arrived in Snowdin, if he'll ever stop being so soft, if someone was going to ruin him and if he's ever going to get better at his cooking. But the most concerning question was if he was ever going to get over him being killed by the human he adored. Thinking about it, Papyrus was never one to take negative things well and Sans remembered how he taught his little brother to always see only good in a person. With this kind of thing happening, with his loving brother and tutor turning into dust, he wondered if he was going to become just like the human.

Something hit him so that he fell to the ground.

The sound of the stick hitting something came, and Sans couldn't feel his body, nor the pain which was supposed to come before he'd melt before the human's eyes. He figured it was the shock paralyzing him. He couldn't open his eye sockets, he was afraid to. He felt some kind of pain striking his whole body, but he didn't feel like he was dying. Actually, it felt more like fear flowing through him. He then felt something touching his right arm and picking him up easily, as he felt an enormous force coming from right beside him. Soon, something pulled him harshly and he found himself curled up in a somewhat cozy, but cold place.

He opened his eye sockets and gaped at his little brother, seeing his eye was glowing in a reddish color. The younger skeleton's arm was placed over Sans' small body and was hugging him tightly, whilst his other arm was in the air, pointing at the human. Above the skeleton with high standards, there was a huge Gaster Blaster shooting a beam at the kid whom he still saw as a friend. The human was blown back, but remained standing on her feet, so Papyrus kept attacking. He then shot a dozen of bones through the air, shaped like a tremendous puzzle. He then sent more bones flying, but those were spinning wildly, some of them were blue, while some of them were white, normal. With the kind of speed the bones had, it looked impossible for the human to dodge. Still, she managed to dodge everything. Not even giving her a chance to fight back, he took a special bone out of his pocket. The bone was covered in yellow wrapping paper and a red bow was tied around it. The bone managed to hit the human's head. Although the last attack was kind of cute, Sans could never have even imagined that Papyrus was capable of fighting for real. The expression on his little brother's face revealed that he was reluctant to fight. The shirt he made by himself was now torn as the human apparently hit the baby bones' chest instead of the lazy skeleton lying in his brother's careful, but somewhat still weak arms. Not knowing how to respond, he looked around, only to see that the huge tree in the middle of the room fell down, forever stopping the leaves. He then just looked at the human, seeing that she was hit by a dozen of bones pointing right at her SOUL. She flew a couple of feet back and looked at the skeleton in surprise, but Papyrus just hugged his brother tighter as the human didn't look like she wanted to stop. She looked like she was filled with determination to turn him into dust now as well, but Papyrus didn't really care about himself, only about the lazybones whom he was keeping safely. As the monstrosity tried to approach the older of the skeleton brothers again, Papyrus couldn't stop his eye socket from glowing a second time and he turned her SOUL blue, after which he pushed her away, so that she hit the wall of the small, cute house. He took only 3 HP away, just because he didn't want to hurt the human. After all, he cared about her as well. He suddenly put his free arm on his forehead and closed his eye sockets, terrified of what he was doing. He then shook his head and smiled again, looking at the human who was still located at the same place as before.

YOU'RE… YOU'RE MY FRIEND…

As Papyrus didn't want to harm her, he released her after a few seconds and Frisk leaped up at her feet, and immediately after that charged at Papyrus again. Papyrus swiftly put his older, yet smaller brother down at the floor and stood right in front of him, with his arms being spread out widely. His legs were trembling.

HUMAN… PLEASE STOP THIS…* Papyrus' voice quivered and Sans looked up to see his brother's face darkened. He seemed close to tears.

*if i hadn't made that stupid promise, bro…

Frisk wiped something off her face as she started approaching slowly, a creepy grin on her face.

YOU… YOU'RE GOING DOWN A DANGEROUS PATH… AND… AND…

She charged at him again and wanted to strike him, but the young skeleton figured dodging wouldn't do any good because she was after Sans, not him. He made a bone appear in his hands and blocked her hit, but didn't attack back, even though he could have. He was just standing there, blocking the hits which were coming at him, but aimed towards his brother.

HUMAN… PLEASE… PLEASE STOP… I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT…

Frisk started hitting even more menacingly, so Papyrus frowned.

I BELIEVE IN YOU, HUMAN!

Sans looked up and clenched his hands into fists, but he knew he shouldn't interfere. Still, his SOUL was bouncing wildly.

Frisk kept pressing her stick against the bone he was holding. The one-day-fighting-training Undyne offered him seemed to have had an impact at his fighting style after all.

I… I ALWAYS WILL!* the skeleton widely smiled, *FOR YOU'RE MY FRIEND! MY GREAT, GREAT FRIEND! AND… AND I STILL WISH TO HANG OUT WITH YOU! CALL YOU NOW AND THEN… PLATONICALLY! TALK TO YOU ABOUT PUZZLES! TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY SLIMY BROTHER…

*hey.

Papyrus looked at him, *SORRY. BUT YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE*, he looked back at the attacking person, *FRIENDSHIP IS SOMETHING WHICH CANNOT BE REPLACED… AND TO LOSE A FRIEND LIKE YOU WOULD BREAK MY SOUL ON ITS OWN… SO, PLEASE, ACCEPT MY HUG OF ACCEPTANCE.

*whAT?* Sans actually yelled.

Frisk's Attack fell, but she kept on pressing the weapon against Papyrus'. Something shone in her dull eyes, but only for a second.

I… I KNOW YOU'RE STILL IN THERE, FRISK! I CAN FEEL IT! PLEASE, WAKE UP… THIS IS NOT YOU…

He stepped away and threw the bone away, spreading his arms again, just like he wanted to hug her. His legs were still trembling, though.

LET US BE GREAT FRIENDS AGAIN! THE GREATEST OF FRIENDS! PAPYRUS AND FRISK… UNPARALLELED FRIENDS! FOREVER!

Frisk slowly approached him as Sans tried to get up. He failed.

She stopped right in front of Papyrus.

WHAT DO YOU SAY? SHALL WE LET ALL OF THIS VISIT THE TRASH CAN… AND SHALL WE ALL EAT PASTA TODAY, LIKE A BIG FAMILY?

Frisk grinned.

*papyrus… don't do this, man…

SHUT UP, SANS!* he shouted as he looked at him,* CAN'T YOU SEE THAT MY METHOD IS WORKING?

Frisk got even closer and Papyrus looked at her. She was now standing close enough to him; it was her choice now if she was going to Attack him, or accept his hug of acceptance.

AND… AND I REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING AGAINST HER… BECAUSE SHE IS MY FRIEND. AND FRIENDS ARE OUR BIGGEST TREASURES! YOU TAUGHT ME SO!

*i… did?

YES?! YOU DID! YOU ALSO TOLD ME TO SEARCH FOR GOOD IN A PERSON'S SOUL. AND I FOUND GOOD! A LOT OF GOOD IN THIS HUMAN! EXCEPTIONALLY MUCH GOOD!

Sans went silent.

AND YOU TOLD ME TO WALK WITH THAT FRIEND! EVEN IN THE DARK! AND I SHALL DO SO! HUMAN! I SHALL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THESE HARD TIMES… YES! I, PAPYRUS, SHALL BE A TUTOR TO YOU! YOUR BFT. BEST FRIEND TUTOR.

Frisk's grin faded. Papyrus happily smiled to accept the human's hug, but Frisk just stroke him with her sharpened stick. Sans' eye sockets turned empty. Papyrus' smile got bigger. He fell to the ground, shaking.

NYEH… HEH… HEH… TRUE FRIENDS… STAB YOU… IN THE FRONT?* he silently said before looking at Sans who seemed just as helpless as himself, even though he wasn't hurt at all.

YOU… YOU ALWAYS CARED FOR ME, DEAR BROTHER… I JUST WANTED TO…

Sans just widely smiled before looking at his flowery wristband, playing with it a bit.

Frisk got 0 XP and 0 G.

Seeing that, Frisk widely opened her eyes and started shaking uncontrollably. She suddenly realized what she did, although everything seemed like a bad dream to her. She looked at her hands to see them covered in dust. She then looked at the small skeleton, than at the big skeleton. Papyrus didn't look like he was able to stand up, but he was still eyeing the human to see what she was about to do. The skeleton was still trembling in fear. The kid suddenly looked human again as light reflected in her eyes which got wet.

"What… What happened to me?!" she thought and put her hands on her hair, pressing her head as it started hurting. She looked at Sans again, seeing that there was his usual smile. His pupils reappeared as he seemed to care about the human. As she looked at Papyrus, she saw that he was trying to get up to help her, but just collapsed to the ground again.

"Why did I…?!" as she thought that, she terrifyingly looked at the skeleton brothers again, shook her head and ran off the fastest she could, trying to calm her beating, sad heart.

HUMAN, WAIT! I CAN STILL-

*papyrus*, Sans called his name and the other looked at him, smiling after a few seconds.

I COULD HAVE DONE IT, SANS. WHY DID YOU MEDDLE AGAIN?*he said, but looked like he was about to whine, so Sans managed to stand up and approached his brother, sitting right next to him. Papyrus' expression shifted again.

*let's go home, pap.

Papyrus widened his eye sockets, but widely smiled as he heard that coming from his brother. He nodded his head.

YES. LET'S GO HOME.

With that, Papyrus grabbed Sans' hand reaching out to him.

Snowdin was calm, calmer than usual. Sans was looking out the broken window, looking at all the plates he threw out the window the other day. He remembered how much simpler the times were back then. With the town being filled with cheerful atmosphere and kids running around the decorated pine tree, the place was never boring. Snow falling uncontrollably or not, he would always feel warm. Yet now there was no one in the town. The friendly shopkeeper wasn't around anymore, so getting supplies was a life-threatening choice of action, if there was a human with a weapon outside. The monsters would attack at random times, not only humanoid creatures, but other monsters as well. Everyone was fighting for survival, even if it meant getting rid of each other, outside the empty town. She only left a note which said 'Please don't hurt my family'. The shop wasn't robbed yet. The only person entering it now was Papyrus, who would always leave the Gold the products cost. The Inn, to Sans' amusement called Snowed Inn, was empty as well. Wind was blowing harshly and the snow was forming diverse objects. With everyone evacuated, the snow was slowly heaping up. The presents around the tree weren't visible anymore, and Sans remembered Papyrus never got his present waiting for him outside, which, of course, contained more figurines. Papyrus, however, didn't seem to care, even though television was the only thing that let him escape the harsh everyday life now. It was surprising the shows still aired, with a dangerous human let loose outside. Papyrus wouldn't watch it that frequently now, though. Sans was sure Papyrus wasn't thinking so much about the stuff happening around him, so he had to think twice as much. After he got sad by simply looking at their neglected environment, he turned his look back at the spaghetti on his plate. He propped himself up on one elbow and got close to the spaghetti which was still warm and actually smelt better than it usually would. He grabbed the fork to his side and started playing with the spaghetti by rolling it up on the fork. Then he'd raise the fork to let the slimy spaghetti fall down into his plate again. He sighed.

SANS.

He rolled the food up on the fork again and looked up at his brother. He was sitting right across the table, looking at Sans' pasta. He didn't eat anything.

STOP PLAYING WITH YOUR FOOD.

Sans rolled his eye sockets and started staring at the spaghetti again.

IT'S GOING TO GET COLD, BROTHER.

*i'm not hungry*, the older brother said and let the pasta fall into the plate again.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY?*Papyrus asked and lowered his eyebrows, *YOU HAVEN'T EATEN FOR DAYS, PROBABLY… YOU ALWAYS STARVE YOURSELF!

*hey. i'm a bit thick boned, so…

SANS… WHAT.

The skeleton's smile got smaller as he looked into Papyrus' worried eye sockets. He then got closer to the plate again, trying to scoop up some spaghetti, but it slid right out of the fork.

*this spaghetti is… quite… slippery.

SLIPPERY,*Papyrus repeated and half-closed his eye sockets as he didn't know what his brother was trying to say with that, * DO YOU MEAN SLIPPERY LIKE CAUSING THINGS TO SLIP ASIDE… ORNOT TO BE TRUSTED?!

Sans looked back at him and widely smiled, narrowing his eye sockets because of the smile.

*to be… or not to be.

SANS.

*this is the question, indeed.

SANS.

*or it might not be. but it is. to be, or not to be trusted, this spaghetti. this pasta, that lies on my death bed, whispering sweet lies to me as i-

ALAS, POOR PAPYRUS!*he put his hands on his skull, *ARE YOU TRYING TO BE NICE BY SPEAKING THAT WAY, OR ARE YOU JUST INSULTING ME?

Sans finally stopped and started playing with the food again.

*heh. sorry, bro. i was just being… myself again, you know.

Papyrus looked at his older brother who, even though he smiled, didn't look like he was happy. The skeleton remembered Sans when he was really happy, but couldn't think back when it was. He only knew it was a long time ago.

I… I DIDN'T SEE YOU BEING YOURSELF… FOR… QUITE A LONG TIME, BROTHER.

*i know.

BUT… YOU'RE STILL YOU, BROTHER.

*i know.

SO EAT MY SPAGHETTI.

*i know… not what you're talking about.

Papyrus heavily sighed, but couldn't hide the smile that appeared on his face. Sans noticed the smile, which cheered him up a little. He sat straight again and put the fork aside to look Papyrus in the eye sockets.

*i… i could have handled the kid by myself, pap. you shouldn't have interfered.

Papyrus widened his eye sockets as he wasn't expecting this kind of conversation. Sans was never one to open up and Papyrus didn't really know how to respond. He looked at his 'GIVING OUT FREE HUGS' shirt and saw the big cut in it as the sharpened stick cut right through it, reaching his calcium filled bones he got from drinking milk every day. If Sans hadn't told him to drink so much milk, he probably wouldn't have survived the fight. Papyrus just widely smiled and looked back at his brother who suddenly seemed very tired again.

YOU'VE GOT 1 HP, BROTHER. DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN'T INTERFERE IF YOU'D GET ATTACKED ALL OF A SUDDEN? I'M THE ONE WHO PROTECTS YOU, NOT THE OTHER Way AROUND, AFTER ALL.

*you sure are.

BESIDES… EVEN IF YOU MANAGED TO DODGE THAT ATTACK, YOU WOULD STILL TRY TO HURT THE HUMAN… OR YOU'D JUST WALK AWAY. THE OUTCOME WOULD BE BAD, FOR YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO HELP HER GET OUT OF THE SITUATION.

Sans remained silent.

AND WHAT KIND OF BROTHER WOULD I BE. IF I JUST LET YOU ALONE.

*heh. but you almost got killed out there.

SHUT UP, SANS! AND EAT YOUR SPAGHETTI ALREADY!

Sans' smile vanished for a second and Papyrus stopped every movement. It was like nothing else existed for a while.

*you think i'd forgive myself… if something happened to you?

After that question, the tension in the room dropped again and Papyrus smiled.

I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF… YOU TOLD ME I COULD DO ANYTHING IF I BELIEVE HARD ENOUGH!

Sans smiled and sadly looked at the spaghetti again.

*i told you a lot of things, haven't i?

A drop of sweat appeared on Papyrus' skull as he responded: UM… YES?

Sans didn't remove his pupils from the pasta which was slowly getting cold.

ARE YOU EVEN… PLANNING ON TASTING MY SPAGHETTI?

*i really lost my appetite, bro. maybe next time*, he wanted to stand up, but Papyrus practically fell at the table to grab his hand across it. He looked desperate.

BUT YOU TOLD ME YOU'D AT LEAST TASTE IT! I MADE IT ESPECIALLY FOR YOU...* he looked away for a moment, *FOR WHOM ELSE, THE WHOLE TOWN WENT ON VACATION AND LEFT US BEHIND…*he looked back at his brother and cutely smiled, *NONETHELESS! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MADE THIS FOR YOU. TO ENJOY IT. VERY MUCH. SO PLEASE, PLEASE TASTE MY CULINARY ARTWORK! FOR I HAVE PRACTICED! A LOT, ACTUALLY!

Sans rolled his eye sockets and sweetly smiled at his brother.

JUST… JUST TO MAKE YOU SMILE AGAIN…

Sans widened his eye sockets and tilted his head.

*um… bro. i don't know if you need glasses or something, but i'm kinda smiling all the time…

Papyrus sat up again and looked away.

NO… I MEANT… TO MAKE YOU SMILE LIKE OLD TIMES AGAIN…

Sans sweetly smiled at that and sat back at his chair which was heightened so he could reach the table. He took the fork into his hand again and looked at his little brother, wondering if he had already seen through his disguise. They were silent for a moment, each of the brothers looking at something else. Suddenly, Sans decided to speak up: *you have any ketchup?

SANS! OH MY GOD! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!*Papyrus got angry and Sans widely smiled, narrowing his eye sockets. Papyrus clearly couldn't detect that his brother did that on purpose, *YOU CAN'T JUST PUT THAT DEVILISH SAUCE ON EVERYTHING YOU SEE! THESE SPAGHETTI…*he pointed at his table with his whole hand* THESE SPAGHETTI RIGHT HERE! WERE MADE WITH LOVE! WITH CARE! WITH COMPASSION AND THE BEAUTIFULLEST OF THE BEUTIFULLESTEST NOODLES I COULD FIND IN THE MARKET THAT CLOSED DOWN A DAY AGO! I CHOSE EVERY INGREDIENT WHILST BEING EXTREMELY CAREFUL, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE EXTREMELY PICKY… AND NOW YOU WANT TO RUIN THIS… THIS MASTERPIECE?! IT CONTAINS SMOKED STREAKY BACON, I REPEAT: SMOKE STREAKY BACON, FINELY DINCED, ONLY THE FRESHEST OF CHERRY TOMATOES, PEELED AND DICED ONIONS, GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE, FRESH BEEF MINCE, NOODLES, OF COURSE… CELERY! TOMATO PUREE! ROSEMARY! OREGANO! OLIVE OIL! BLACK PEPPER! CARROTS, GOOD FOR THE EYE SOCKETS! PREPARED WITH EXTRA CAUTION! ONLY. FOR. YOU. AND NOW YOU WANT TO-

Seeing how Sans was just smiling at him, Papyrus suddenly stopped and calmed down. He then awkwardly smiled.

I MEAN… WE'RE OUT OF… UM… KETCHUP*, he looked away and Sans chuckled.

*sounds great*, the older skeleton responded and Papyrus happily smiled as he turned towards his lazy brother.

YOU MEAN IT?

*i mean it. and i don't mean it to be mean… i mean it to… mean it.

Papyrus just blinked at that, trying to look over the fact that his brother ruined the moment.

SO… YOU'LL TRY IT?

Sans looked at the pasta which was, somehow, still warm. Then he looked at Papyrus. Then back at the pasta. Then back at his brother. Then back at the spaghetti. Then he heavily sighed.

*…sure.

As Papyrus leaned forward to see his brother tasting the spaghetti, Sans took some spaghetti into his fork and managed to squeeze it between his teeth. After a few seconds, the skeleton hit the table with his head, covering his face. He suddenly started shaking and Papyrus, afraid he did something wrong, came up to him and started panicking.

SANS?! SANS?! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!

Sans didn't respond, so Papyrus put his hands at his back and started shaking him wildly.

FORGET THAT… ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!

Suddenly, Sans started sobbing and Papyrus laid him back at the table carefully. Seeing his brother sob like that for the first time, he didn't know how to respond.

SANS…* he got sad himself now.

*i'm… i'm sorry, bro…

ARE YOU STILL BY YOUR SENSES, SANS…?* he asked and waited for the skeleton to make a pun out of that, but nothing came. Worried, he pulled the skeleton's face away from the table, only to see that his brother was covering his tearful eye sockets with his palms. He was still smiling, though.

DID I… DO SOMETHING WRONG…?* Papyrus asked and Sans slowly shook his head.

After a few second, Sans responded by saying: *the spaghetti… it's great, pap.