Chapter VII

On our way

'Saaaaaaaans…'

'We're almost there, Paps.'

'Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaans…'

'I told you we would soon be there.'

'That's what you said three hours ago!'

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How can he be so noisy without having vocal cords?!

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The young boy sighs: he needs to stay calm...'

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'Saaaaaaaans…'

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… Even if Papyrus has been complaining for about an hour.

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Get a grip, Sans.

You do need to think clearly.

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'Saaaaaaaaaaaaaans…'

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Dammit !

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'Would you shut up for a minute?!'

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Oh... That was...

Uh...

Unexpected.

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Immediately, the kid started crying, making the older boy feeling really sorry. Even though they have been walking for the last three hours and are more than exhausted, even though the temperature is getting colder and colder, he shouldn't be that rude. Papyrus just lost his mother one day ago, and Sans knows he's being really brave right now. However, he remembers hearing him sobbing while he was changing his clothes into the new ones which were in the bag. He remembers hearing him sobbing the whole night...

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'I... I'm sorry, Paps. I didn't mean to-'

'No, I'm fine. You're tired, I know that…' He stops and tries to smile. 'But the Great Papyrus excuses you!'

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The kid is trying to act like usual, but he isn't stupid: Sans is afraid, he can see it. However, the young skeleton can't understand what's bothering him so much; each time they come across a monster, the older boy would become very nervous whereas Papyrus couldn't feel any danger. Darius, the centurion of the Royal guard, isn't on their tail anymore 'admitting he actually was at one point: they should be fine, right? Nevertheless, Sans refused to ask the good soldiers if they could help them every times Papyrus proposed to him so.

The young human, for his part, knows they can't afford to ask incautiously for help; Only a single wrong move might lose them both. Even though he knows that letting Papyrus unaware of what the Royal guard would do if they were caught isn't a good idea, he can't resolve to tell him. The little skeleton is so admiring, he just can't. He will not be the one who will shatter his dream.

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'You're lost?'

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At the sound, even though it's only a whisper — or maybe because it's a whisper, Sans jumps while Papyrus turns to face the voice.

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'Sorry... I didn't want to scare you…'

'Are you a living match?'

'Wha- What?!'

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Immediately, the way too stressed human bursts out laughing. Papyrus and the fire elemental monster are looking at him as he had grown another head, but he doesn't care: Papyrus's tactlessness and the monster's reaction are priceless! For the first time since Myriad's death, Sans isn't scared anymore. For the first time since that day, the smile she drew on the scarf she used to hide half of his face was actually hiding a real, bright smile. For the first time since that day, her "last touch" isn't hiding a painful truth.

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oOo

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A few minutes later, the three of them are heading to Snowdin, the closest village and native place of the young fire monster. According to him, they're not far from it and ten or twenty minutes should be enough to reach the place. Meanwhile, they try to get to know one another a bit : it's the only thing which can distract them, after all. Thus, Sans and Papyrus soon learns that their new friend is named Grillby and that he was looking for wood since his father no longer had some to fuel his bar's oven. Although Sans is happy to finally talk with someone about the same age as him, he's still a little wary; That's why he omits a part of Papyrus and himself's story, including the truth about Myriad's death. Papyrus has noticed it, but he wants to believe the teenager knows what he's doing.

When they reach the edge of the woods, a small village's view shows itself to them. However, Grillby asks them to wait there as he goes into his father's bar. He soon comes back with a little bag and a big blue parka.

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'I found you something to eat. It's from yesterday, so dad won't serve them to his customers.'

'Thanks, but... Why the parka?'

'Well, here is cold for a human.'

I know Paps may not be acting like he is in Undertale but, come on, he's ten! Or well, he is physically and mentally… Who knows how skeletons age? Same for Sans (no, he's not eight, that not what I mean), he's younger so he's not exactly the Sans from Undertale. Anyway, Gaster will not appear before a while (like seventeen chapters) so don't hope to see him too soon.

See ya!