Hooray for more angst! This AU will never leave me alone...

Warnings: eating disorders


Flowey waited until all of them had left.

Undyne's loud yapping and Toriel's fussing. Alphys had been nervously drifting across the room and even the trashbag seemed more lackluster in his usual smirking.

The kid had come and stared at them wordlessly, eyes burning into Flowey. He had to wonder what they were thinking, but found he barely cared.

He barely cared about anything, really.

Except maybe the skeleton sprawled across the bedsheets, looking at him with that infuriating smile.

"You're here," Papyrus says, and there is no wonder in his voice, just dull acknowledgment.

"Of course." Flowey pushes against the blankets. He doesn't think Papyrus can get cold, but he'd rather be certain. "You need to stop doing this to yourself."

Papyrus turns his face away, but Flowey knows it's not in shame.

Pride?

"How long?" he asks instead, not sure if he should fear the answer.

Papyrus looks back at him, eyes somehow emptier than usual. "Almost a week…"

"168 hours?" Flowey doesn't pull away when Papyrus touches him. "I'm impressed."

Papyrus laughs mirthlessly at his comment. "I'm not. It's nothing."

They sit in silence for a bit, both staring at a different corner of the room. When Papyrus tries to sit up he groans softly.

"Don't do that, Idiot!" The flower pushes him back with a look of irritation. Then, after a beat: "Should I get you some food?"

Papyrus laughs again, sincerely this time, as if Flowey made a joke. "I'm not hungry." He rolls over to lay on his side wearily, probably because every movement hurts, and looks up at his friend on the nightstand. "Do you think they know?"

"The trashbag knows," Flowey answers firmly, ignoring the way Papyrus is holding his vine, like he never wants to let go. "Alphys probably knows too, but she won't tell."

Papyrus closes his eyes and doesn't answer. Flowey wonders if he fell asleep as he sighs deeply. "Some family you have."

"They worry," Papyrus mumbles without opening his sockets, apparently not unconscious yet. "They just… Have a weird way of showing it."

"Yeah?" Sarcasm is dripping from the flower's tone.

Papyrus smiles into the pillow. "Yes. A bit like you."

Flowey scoffs loudly, frowning hard. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."

There is no answer as his breathing evens out, slipping into blissful rest. Flowey keeps scowling as he pulls the blankets up around Papyrus, tugging at the edges.

He doesn't leave the nightstand.


As always, thank you for reading, and a special thanks to the commenters!

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