Author's note: I did exactly what I said I wouldn't... Got carried away. A few more drabbles to come after this. Dang nab it.

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The Great Papyrus was a great many things: brave, noble, loyal, kind, presistent, confident, and with the sharpest of fashion senses. All the things the people would soon discover and he would finally get all the things he greatly deserved! He would finally achieve his dream!

Except... There was one more thing Papyrus was, though it had only sprung up that day. And that was... Confused!

"SANS?" Papyrus whispered, as much as he ever whispered. One had to ensure they were heard and sounded assured if they ever wanted to be taken seriously, and Papyrus most certainly was that. But right then, it didn't feel as true as it usually did. Because... "ARE YOU SURE THAT THE HUMAN DOES NOT SEEM FAMILIAR TO YOU?"

Sans eyed his brother, seeming curious.

"nah." Sans said finally. "what? do they to you? like ya know her?" Papyrus paused, he wasn't sure how to respond to that. Because it wasn't as if he thought he had met The Human before, no, he was quite certain that he hadn't, how could he have? But...

"NO. IT IS NOT THAT." Papyrus admitted allowed. "IT IS MORE AS IF... THEY KNOW ME." Sans raised a brow... kinda. "IT IS NOTHING! NOR IMPORTANT!" Papyrus declared, standing up straighter.

After all, he had a job to do. He had a quest to fulfill! To test their ability and capture them!

And he could see The Human approaching now, nearing his latest puzzle, one that was sure to stump them! Except... The Human was standing across from him, smiling that same smile they always were: bright, knowing, loving, kind, persistent, confident and with the sharpest of eyes. They looked as if they were genuinely pleased to see him, which he understood of course! Who wouldn't want to see The Great Papyrus in all of his Greatness? It was just... well... As Papyrus spoke, trying to declare to them their most certain stumpidness to come! They simply continued to smile, not at all seeming phased by his words. The Human simply stood there and seemed to be waiting for him to catch up to whatever it was that they had seemed to have decided since the first moment The Human and Papyrus had laid eyes on each other.

That was probably what threw him off the most in all of it.

The Human had had that knowing smile since the very beginning. Smiling as if they were excited to see him as much as he was to see a human. Papyrus was certain of their future capture, but in their gaze... he almost felt as if they were the ones sure of his capture. They never once looked concerned about his declarations. They never once seemed to believe he meant what he meant!

But he meant it! He was going to be in the Royal Guard! Popular! Praised! Appreciat...ed.

The Human... They had the same appreciative gaze, a light in their eyes, that he saw a lot of times on Sans' face whenever Papyrus did anything...

And The Human... They fluttered around Papyrus' side, an excitement in their step as they listened, the look on their face as if they had so many things to tell him, so many things that they wanted to say as well but had to contain inside.

"Sans, its fairly obvious that the Junior Jumble is much more difficult." The Human said, their arms crossed as they stared at his brother seriously. But then the smile returned as they looked up at Papyrus and something twisted inside him at their excitement. They seemed to be waiting for him to praise them back, but he, The Great Papyrus, was... at a loss for words.

The Human, and even Sans, seemed a bit concerned as he stumbled verbally and then away from them, even as he tried to regain his composure. But as he stormed away he could feel the tension between the two watching him make his escape. And he felt a prick of guilt. He had caused them both to worry! But...

The Human was as baffling as the daily horoscope. Their eyes seemed to know things, to expect them, and yet how could they? How could something know something before The Great Papyrus did? How could they be so certain?

And as he fumbled his deadly trap, the swinging missles, and the dog, and he told his excuses... That this was obviously too easy to beat The Human if he used it... but Papyrus could tell... There was that smile again.

Almost like a parent who listened to thier child's excited, ludicrous declarations, only to pat their head gently, all the while knowing that, while the child would in fact grow up to do wonderous things, it would most certainly not be in that the child expects at first. That the child would be great in their true calling! Only it isn't what he thinks... But something else. Something more. The child just hadn't opened his eyes enough to see it. Even if it was right in front of him.

What was Papyrus missing? What was right there in front of him that The Human and Sans could see but Papyrus couldn't?!

The Human... They stood across from him, smiling, waiting for the Fight to begin... And as their Soul burned red and bare before him, The Human lifted out their arms encouragingly.

"Let's hang out, Papyrus!"

Papyrus halted in place.

So they wouldn't fight?

But suddenly Papyrus could see it. His eyes opened wide. He immediately knew.

But he couldn't! He had to capture them! He couldn't be... couldn't be their...

Except, that look on their face.

Nobody, no really, nobody... Nobody except Sans would ever like him as much as The Human.

"I... ALRIGHT." Papyrus said, as he stood as straight as possible.

The Human's smile fell in sure surprise, and Papyrus was surprised too as their Soul returned to their chest. The two stood across from each other in silence, The Human's mouth open wide, finally not seeing something Papyrus threw at them coming. And Papyrus stood there, beginning to sweat as he wasn't sure what to do next.

He had just thrown away everything! Years and years of training! Of building up to this moment! But somehow... It felt right. And if in return he gained their true friendship, well... Then perhaps Papyrus didn't need anything else.

Undyne was going to be so disappointed in him... But how? How could he? When they looked at him so... like that!

The Human's face was breaking out in their most brilliant of smiles yet, genuine and excited as they raced across the former battlefield, and before he kew it, The Human was lifting their hands up and jumping. And immediately Papyrus caught them, and he knew for certain that yes, he had made the right choice. Giving all that up for this... it was the right choice.

"It has to be..." The Human breathed, as if reading his own thoughts. As if his thoughts were his own, and Papyrus jolted in surprise, not understanding what they meant and uncertain of if they even realized that they had even spoken aloud. There were tears in their eyes as they pulled away, and they wiped them away as they looked back up.

"I want to see your house!" The Human exclaimed. "All your things! Le'ts hang out!" The excitement was palpable. And he gave them a perplexed expression. Their own expression saddened, once again seeming to read his thoughts. "I know... I'm sorry.. I must seem so strange to you." They lowered their head. "I just... I really missed you." They looked up again, a sorry smile but something else in their eyes. As if they had indeed missed him. But not just missed him, but missed him most of all.

Papyrus still didn't get it, it only made it worse, and they... suddenly reminded him a bit of Sans, saying things that didn't make sense and keeping the explaination to themself, but it seemed... that his acceptance was all they needed regardless.

And as Papyrus was captured by the hand and basically dragged back to his own house, he hoped that he was going to be just as great at being somebody's friend as he was at everything else. Maybe... even better. Anything for someone who truly, truly loved being his friend.