At the very edge of Snowdin Forest there is a door. It is huge and foreboding and perhaps just a bit, definitely off limits. This feeling of being definitely, definitely just a bit tad off limits was definitely helped by the fact that this door was always locked. And locked from the other side.
One could go out. One could not go in.
And this ominous presence was only enhanced by the fact that this door... led into the Ruins. And out of the Ruins... has come each and every human that has fallen before.
This is why Sans is stationed there.
To watch.
But...
This big, closed off door in the shadows...
A giant door. In the middle of nowhere. Locked.
Begging, just begging.
... How could one pass up the urge to practice a few knock knock jokes to pass the day away?
The Door was perfect.
Especially when there was somebody on the other side.
Sans had his suspicions about who his joke partner was. Maybe a bit more than just suspicions. But she never said and he never bothered. The anonymity seemed to do the both of them good. Pretending. Pretending that there was nothing else but this beckoning door and their jokes and the company. And, well, Papyrus. Even then there was always Papyrus. The world wouldn't be complete without Papyrus. So here they were not knowing each other's names, but she knew everything about Papyrus.
But they could pretend. Pretend that nothing was bothering them. Ever.
Except one fateful day...
Fewer jokes. Fewer laughs.
And a promise.
A promise he immediately regretted. Had regretted while making it.
A promise Sans oh so deeply regretted right then, standing there in the snow and shadows. And how he oh so regretted that promise more than ever.
Because one cannot go in the door but others can come out.
Because somebody, something, was coming out.
And Sans...
There is this dread that lingers on his bones at all times. He can't help it anymore. Even when he is pretending... it is there. The weight. The knowledge of time snapping back and forth.
He cannot forget even though he cannot remember either.
Even when he tries his hardest.
Nothing lasts; this is the only thing for certain that he knows.
And the time for forgetting has come to an end. It was never going to last.
Because the door to the Ruins has opened once again and with the sound of it closing thundering across the cold, snowy cavern...
And Sans... He knows it is them.
He knows it immediately.
He hates them immediately.
He knows.
He hates.
All with just a glimpse of the red eyes.
Though they are smaller than he had expected, The Time Anomaly. Almost as if they were just a child. A human child.
Sans' brow furrowed and the rage sparked more hotly in his chest, the hatred aflame and magic sparking in his left eye.
So, a human child, huh? Great. He had to go and promise, hadn't he?
"Watch over them and protect them, will you not?"
Promised.
The universe just hated him. Sans could do nothing to stop them and he was now even expected to help them?
Well tough.
Everyone was entitled to their own sense of humor... but Sans didn't have to play along.
The Anomaly's head was down again but it didn't matter. Sans had already seen what he needed to know what they were.
A demon, a freak with complete control of time.
Complete control of Sans' life and everything he loved!
(He hated, hated, hated them)
Hated them. Hated them as they shambled down the pathway. Hated them as they didn't bother to even look up and see where they were going. Hated them as they didn't bother to seem awed or unfamiliar with what surrounded them. Hated them...
Sans teleported behind them and snapped the branch in half that they hadn't bothered noticing. It snapped with ease and a satisfying CRACK.
But still they didn't look up, indifferent to the sound and to Sans' raging magic. They only kept going. Going until they reached the bridge and the bars Papyrus had put over it.
(Dear god, Papyrus... what was Sans going to do about Papyrus?)
The anger shifted to uncertainty and his magic twisted uncomfortably.
Papyrus...
Even in his anger and hatred, still he couldn't' forget about Papyrus. And with it the fear...
But the anger came back and it gave him enough of a push to step in behind them as they stood there together in the snow.
"h um an."
The lights in Sans' eyes had gone dark and his smile twisted cruelly into a cringe as he stared at the back of their head.
"don't you know how to great a new pal?"
Sans had expected them to turn around and stare him down, the red eyes glaring. Perhaps give their own twisted would-be-stomach-curling smile.. But they didn't.
Their fingernails were digging into their palms and their shoulders were tense, but they remained motionless in what looked like barely concealed hatred and rage. Sans forced his eyes to spark back to life, but the magic was flowing around him in subtle warning.
But maybe Sans was overreacting. Maybe something good was there buried in Sans' forgetful skull.
(But something had gone wrong, so wrong)
But what could he do?
What could he do but threaten?
Nothing.
Not anything.
But if they were going to do this, then let's do this.
"turn around and shake my hand." Sans ordered.
The Anomaly turned around but did not lift their face. It was fallen and shadowed over.
But whatever. Sans didn't feel to keen on seeing it or the red eyes.
In fact, Sans didn't feel to keen on this entire conversation. This entire timeline.
Wish they would just quit while they were ahead.
Though actually...
Sans eyed them as he put out his hand, but all in all, he couldn't see a speck of dust on them. That meant nothing though, he reasoned. It's been there before, he knows.
And they weren't taking his offered hand.
Sans scowled after awhile, his fingers curled slightly as he stuffed his hand back into his pocket; whoopee cushion gone.
Welp. That was that then. Their last chance to turn his first impression around and they handn't even had the courtesy of trying.
"anyways." Sans moved along. "you're human, right?"
Sans stared at them for a second but their head feel a bit more to avoid it.
Yeah. Right. Human.
"that's hilarious." Sans concluded.
Really, truly, hilarious.
The 'Human' didn't respond.
Didn't respond to his name. Didn't respond to his claims that he was supposed to be on the look out. And on the look out for said 'humans'.
(And as Sans thought about The Door, the promise, he regretted that this was now in more ways than one)
But The 'Human' didn't respond. Seem to react at all except for maybe once. For a brief moment. For a brief moment Sans, though he didn't know what to make of it, or sure it was even there, but Sans thought he saw The 'Human' press their lips together a bit more tightly at the mention of Papyrus.
But other than that, there was nothing.
The 'Human' did not react nor respond.
They were silent and cast in darkness.
And all Sans could do was move them along; through the bars, to his station, to where the lamp stood.
And-
Sans froze, seeing his brother's figure approaching from a distance.
Of course, of course, of course, of course
He couldn't avoid it forever, but it was too soon, too-
The lamp.
But they would never listen to him, he already knew without saying it. But still he said it:
"quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp." Sans offered, eyeing them from the side.
And to his surprise...
They actually listened.
Silently, darkly, they turned away from him and walked over to the lamp. Disappearing behind it.
(Huh. Unexpected, but that was fine. Sans could work with that)
"SANS!"
Sans turned back to his brother, lighting up his expression as best as possible.
"sup, bro?"
"YOU KNOW WHAT 'SUP', BROTHER!"
Yeah. Yeah Sans did.
And if he could maybe, just maybe to get the thing behind the lamp to know it too, then maybe, just maybe, they could dodge a bullet (or the swing of a knife). Make the thing behind the lamp understand that Papyrus wasn't in anyway dangerous. That Papyrus was the coolest thing down here.
(The only thing Sans had...)
Then maybe... Just maybe... They'd leave him alone and Sans could relax some.
(Until it all Reset)
Papyrus, just as expected, didn't listen to Sans' prodding to look into the lamp. Just as expected, Papyrus chastised him for his attempted laziness and for the puns.
All before offering him one himself and laughing heartedly...
"NYHEH HEH HEH!"
And just as expected, as it was all said and done, Papyrus was on his way-
"HEH!"
Papyrus was on his way.
Out of sight. Safe and out of sight for a moment longer.
And Sans turned his attention back to The 'Human' who was still out of sight on the other side of the lamp.
"okay, you can come out now." Sans called. And then waited. And... waited. They didn't reappear.
Sans' scowl returned.
"you oughta get goin', ya know?" He told them. "he might come back."
Still nothing.
"if he does, you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes." Sans winked out of habit.
Nothing. Zilch. Nada.
Sans was almost outright scowling now. Or at least his eye sockets and brow. His smile remained like it always did though it was strained.
After another half minute, Sans sighed and gave up. He walked over to his station and sat down in his chair.
The 'Human' had sat down with their back against the lamp, their head still down. They were staring at their knees that they had pulled up to their chest and had rested their tight fists against them. Sans leaned over the counter of his station.
"ya know," Sans called out to them after a few more awkward minutes. "my bro has been sort of down lately, seeing a human could really cheer him up."
Again. No response.
"if you could, i don't know, start pretending to at least be one, that'd be nice?"
Suddenly, a soft laugh bubbled up from the being beside the lamp, a hand lifting to cover their mouth.
It made Sans' magic twist.
Of course, it was just playing with him. Of course.
"was that an 'okay'?" Sans asked thinly as the laughter faded back into silence. He already regretted his decision, but he couldn't take it back. It was done. Everyone's downfall had begun.
But The 'Human' stayed unmoving, seeming to hesitate even.
"heh. i get it, paps is so cool, you got some cold feet. but if ya stay here you'll really freeze to death before he even gets a chance to see you." Sans admitted.
Although it would be better for everyone if they did.
The 'Human' breathed out heavily, in what may have been resignation. They pushed themself up out of the snow and walked carefully past his station, making it a point to turn their face away from him as they went over by the path. Sans eyed them suspiciously as they seemed to hesitate once again. Their fisted hands shook as they took a deep breath.
Slowly, they turned their head back towards the station and lifted their face; a single red eye glancing his way through the bangs of their hair.
Sans froze and his smiling teeth gritted together painfully.
The eye met his and Sans held his breath; a sharp, brief image of a single red eye in the darkness of his nightmares with the swing of a knife surging through his mind.
This red eye, though, was examining him tentatively. (Almost fearfully) And Sans had to admit that he was caught off guard by the dark circle beneath it. The exhausted red eye seemed to be taking in his face, carefully looking for something out of place.
"ya got something to say, kid?" Sans asked, his voice darker than he probably should have allowed. They jumped and turned their face away, giving a slight shake of their head. "then i guess i'll meet you up ahead."
Sans lifted from his place and walked in the opposite direction of The 'Human', planning to teleport his way through the woods.
His boney hand rose to his cheeks and dragged his fingers down across them, self-conscious of how the kid had examined him. None of this was sitting right by him. It was uncomfortable and Sans knew, just knew, that it was all going to end very badly.
(Something'd gone wrong)
Had ended very badly...
He dared another glance back at The 'Human' just before he disappeared around the corner. They were standing there again, but this time fidgeting with their hands, and their teeth gritted together in a scowl.
[Something] [Anything]
[Please]
He turned his face away fast. Regretting everything he had seen. It had been better to keep them faceless.
Anything else he couldn't seem to stomach.
But he could hear them taking in a deep breath, and continuing on their way. Just as he did the same. Both taking the opposite ways but somehow still reaching the same place.
... Papyrus..
"CONTINUE ONLY IF YOU DARE!" Papyrus declared as The 'Human' stood across from them. "NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"
But the 'Human' stood there with their head down, the red eyes hidden behind their bangs, and their entire stance...
"you don't even bat an eye, do you?" Sans mumbled after Papyrus had left and still they gave no reaction except to turn their face even farther away from him... Sans couldn't see their expression but it was already clear what they were thinking in their behavior and their stance.. This didn't matter.
Sans didn't matter.
The lights in his sockets went out.
"welp. i'll keep a socket out for ya."
To make sure he knew exactly what was going on with then as much as possible.
Even if in the end...
There was still... nothing... nothing, not anything at all that he could actually-
Sans wasn't ready as they encountered their first Monster outside of Papyrus.
"Hey you!" The teen fluttered forth from snowhere and Sans was froze in his tracks as he watched helplessly. Uselessly. Even if he did something, The 'Human' would just restart and try again, wouldn't they? Useless- Helpless- And worse yet, Sans knew the kid a bit, too. He worked with the kid's pops at MTT every week- Sans knew the kid wanted to be a comedian. Knew how much of a hard time he'd been having since his mom... well...
And most of all, Sans knew the kid had recently run away from home.
His pops didn't even know where he was, and this might end so awfully, horribly-
But what could Sans do as the kid came first to test the fate of everyone else Sans knew?
"Wait up!" Snowdrake called out again and he sent a single attack flying past their head.
There was a sharp, biting sensation of sparking magic. Sans flinched and leaned back as The 'Human' tensed and there was a brief, intense flash of red light. When Sans' gaze refocused he lost his breath. The 'Human' remained with their back turned towards Snowdrake. But also... with their back turned to the Soul that had manifested itself.
A Soul...
It pulsed radiantly, beautifully against the white of the snow. Pulsed. Steady.
That Demon... actually had a Soul...
Just somehow... Sans hadn't expected The Anomaly to actually... The 'Human' sighed softly and Sans could see them stand up straighter. Almost preparing themself. And then... The red Soul was warm and The 'Human's' smile bright, but Sans felt colder than cold. Chilled... down to the bone.
Their smile was wide and for a moment, their eyes were closed. Closed and Sans felt-
There was an intense pain inside his chest and he lost his breath, the world seeming to threaten to fall apart like shattering ice beneath him.
That expression-
That face-
But quickly, the red eyes were open. The sensation vanished at the sight of them, only to be replaced with a burning anger. Sans gritted his teeth as he felt sick at how drastically The 'Human' had transformed.
Their smile was bright. The red eyes trying to blister with innocent excitement.
And it was all fake.
All of it. Every drop of sweetness.
Fake.
But the teen bought it. Completely oblivious as it fought to maintain its captured audience.
"I'll only let you pass after you hear me out!" Snowdrake told them, taking a threatening stance.
"I'm just on my way to Snowdin." The demon spoke kindly. Sans shrunk in on himself hearing the cheery tone, his magic racing and unsettled.
It was fake. Everything about it was fake. The tone. The voice, almost as if it didn't belong to them. Fake. And everything within Sans screamed with alarm.
"Why don't you just come along?" They offered the teen.
Sans' alarm skyrocketed.
But luckily, or unluckily to some point, Snowdrkae scoffed.
"You would just try to escape from having to listen." He grumbled and Sans was thankful for the mistrust. The skepticism. If there was nothing else- "Nah, I'll make you listen."
Sans' would-be-stomach was falling.
"Well, if you're so intent on hitting on me. Okay! Shoot!" The 'Human' said with a wink. Snowdrake frowned and there was a spark of magic in the air as he began to obey. Shooting.
Both physically and verbally.
"D-Don't think I'll go e-easy. I'll... F-Fight you in cold blood!" Snowdrake began, trying to sound assured but... failing. Miserably. But still... Normally, Sans would have been all interested in the puns and the play acting that was occurring. His frantic and panicked mind had already made puns several times since the start. But this time... This time he couldn't keep his eyes off of The 'Human' as they moved through the attacks.
The 'Human' laughed a bit as their feet settled back down on the ground.
"I don't know, maybe you should chill out." They offered, with yet another wink. The expression... That expression...
(Sans hated them)
Snowdrake seemed miffed.
"I've heard that one before." He replied coldly. The 'Human's' smile wavered but remained as Snowdrake sent out another attack. "Ice puns are 'snow' problem!"
The 'Human' laughed, trying to sound genuine, and this time Snowdrake perked up happily. Sans on the other hand was growing sicker by the second as he continued to watch the encounter.
And The 'Human' laughed again, with no prompting whatsoever.
The teen frowned again, seeming to catch on to The 'Human's' act.
"What are YOU laughing at now?" He demanded self-consciously as he let his next attack fly.
The 'Human's' smile disappeared entirely this time as they realized yet another mistake. But easily enough, they dodged the attack.
"You better not 'snow' flake out!"
The 'Human' stood up and recovered, laughing again even as they cleared snow off of their pants. Doing their best to sound honest.
And it wasn't.
But the teenager was too ecstatic (or desperate) to notice.
"See?! Laughs! Dad was wrong!"
"Of course!" The 'Human' exclaimed brightly. "But, I really do have to keep going."
[SPARE]
"Somebody is expecting me..."
"Ah. Oh. Right." Snowdrake agreed, sparing them back. The Soul shimmered before it disappeared back. "Snow use keeping you here still, is there?" Snowdrake mused, giving out a small chuckle. "See ya around?"
The 'Human' nodded enthusiastically but winked again.
"Not if icy you first."
Snowdrake didn't even hesitate this time before laughing, seeming appeased from their attention before. Not even realizing the possible meaning of that departing greeting... The real danger everyone was in just by this creature's existence. But Snowdrake didn't seem the wiser as he began to fly off, even as Sans couldn't take his eyes off of The 'Human' or shake free from his cold terror.
"Bye!" The 'Human' called, waving and rushing towards the trees and Sans' hiding place.
"Ice to meet you!" Snowdrake agreed, heading off in the other direction, possibly looking for more audience to capture.
And as soon as the teenager was gone, The 'Human' stopped and their waving hand fell.
Their smile faded and their expression became blank as they sighed, letting their shoulders fall. It struck Sans once again how exhausted they were... and how much that single encounter had taken even more out of them.
Acting would do that to you, wouldn't it?
And for Sans...
That had been... That had been so sick. Too sick. Pretending like that. They were sick.
Sans leaned against one of the trees as he stared at them. A different sort of hapless hollowed feeling gripping him. Because this, despite how sick it was, was exactly what he had asked them to do. To play along.
But now that he had seen it...
This game that they were willing to play... The feelings that tore through him, unlocked with their wide smile...
They were a demon trying to masquerade as an angel and Sans knew it. He knew it... Sick, just sick! Sick with a frozen, rotting Soul!
And he had asked for it. Not even a half hour ago.
(He hated them)
The 'Human's' head fell again with a hand lifting to their chest, fingers seeming to search before falling back down against their legs. The darkness covered their features and they turned to make their way to Doggo's station.
And Sans...
Sans couldn't move forward to watch and see how it would go.. He couldn't.
He just... couldn't...
Because somehow, Sans felt worse than if he had seen them cut the young teen down.
Because at least that... would have been honest.
It would have been less cruel than whatever that had been.
That smile.
That feeling...
Sans' mind was racing towards Papyrus.
What was Sans going to do?
He... He couldn't do anything. Anything but-
"remember." Sans said seriously, almost threateningly, as they stood across from him with a grimace and turned away gaze. "blue stop signs."
Sans felt the fire sparking in his left eye.
Blue stop signs for sure.
But they didn't say anything as they moved away from him once again. Seeming to not pay him any heed. He couldn't tell a thing that they were thinking... and it made Sans snarl as he teleported forward.
"SANS! JUST IN TIME!"
The lights in Sans' eye reignited and and lifted his head sharply as the world came back into focus and his expression transformed drastically. Sans turned around to face Papyrus.
"SANS! I HAVE THE PERFECT FIRST CHALLENGE FOR THE HUMAN!"
"that so? what's up first?"
Papyrus laughed.
"NYEH HEH! THE ELECTRIC MAZE OF COURSE!"
"ah. yes. no shock there."
"SANS!" Papyrus chastised. "THIS IS MY FIRST TIME CHALLENGING A HUMAN! PLEASE DO NOT RUIN THIS FOR ME!" Sans laughed softly.
"never bro. never."
Papyrus hesitated though. Seeming uncertain.
"REALLY THOUGH! THAT HUMAN!... DO I KNOW THAT PERSON?"
Sans nearly dropped his smile, the cold hollowing sensation returning.
(Their bright smile. Eyes closed. The red shimmering Soul)
But it passed and the hatred came flooding back because yeah. Yeah, Sans knew what Papyrus was referring to. The pain, the fear, the dust... But Sans didn't want Papyrus to realize what he was referring to.. Sans narrowed his eyes sockets in clear, playful skepticism.
"do you not know... who you know?" Sans asked, but he knew, he knew, he knew...
That familiar deja vu of the Resets he had and Papyrus also seemed to, but Sans dared not admit it to his brother.
"PBPBPPBPT!" Papyrus flared.
Sans caught movement in the corner of his sight and he glanced over to see The 'Human' standing there, lips pressed together as Papyrus continued to try and back pedal the situation.
"OF COURSE I KNOW WHO I KNOW!" Papyrus assured. "I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW.. I KNOW WHO I KNOW AS MUCH AS I KNOW I KNOW WHO I KNOW!"
The 'Human' and Sans caught red eyes to eye sockets and the sensation Sans felt in that moment were twisting awfully. The 'Human' looked away first and Sans turned his attention back to his brother, wishing he could have at least a small sense of gratification from that... It just didn't matter. A little, worthless thing. Worthless, absolutely worthless and imagined victory that didn't matter-
"... YOU KNOW?"
"yeah. i know."
The-
"OH-HO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES!" Papyrus said, turning towards them as he realized they were even there. The 'Human's' expression brightened, a smile forming... but... it was not the same. It was more hesitant and unconvincing than the one they had been able to conjure up for the teenager. "IN ORDER TO STOP YOU... MY BROTHER AND I HAVE CREATED SOME PUZZLES!"
Papyrus posed and pulled out the orb that was required to start activate the maze. The 'Human's' smile widened and there was a brief moment where Sans was thrown back towards feeling hollow but he hardened his gaze as he refused.
"I THINK YOU WILL FIND THIS ONE... QUITE SHOCKING!"
Once again. The 'Human' played along. 'Doing' the maze. Doing everything Papyrus asked of them, but nothing more. And as they went along the path to Snowdin and Sans watched, he saw the smile continue to come and go. Coming when someone was near, vanishing in an instant when they had gone. All except Sans, though. No. For Sans it did not matter. It seemed he was the only one they didn't even bother to act for.
And it made Sans feel even more miserable and worthless.
So... They didn't even care that Sans knew what they were up to. That they were lying through their gritted, smiling teeth. Maybe that was even the point. Not to just play with everyone in the Underground, but Sans specifically. Because he knew. And they knew that he knew, he knew it. It was all an act.
(Something had gone wrong)
And he. could. do. nothing. about. it.
Not a single thing. Nothing. Not anything-
Sans stood across the ravine in his usual place as he watched them buying Nice Cream; three whole things of chocolate. They were smiling as the vendor chattered excitedly at their purchase but the moment they turned around and saw Sans the smile disappeared. Their head lowered; Sans barely catching a glimpse of those red eyes. Sans stood still, watching them as they immediately headed towards The Ball Game.
The ball of snow sat waiting almost expectantly and they only hesitated briefly before plunging determinedly towards the playing field, perhaps determined to ignore him. Or determined to just show him how purposefully they could actually move- But Sans kept his smile as they worked. As they were quick and precise and the moment the ball entered the hole, the red flag was rising up to their eye level.
Red. Like their eyes. Like their Soul. Like their determination.
Yeah, the universe just liked to mock Sans.
The 'Human' was staring at it, their face still angled away and he couldn't tell what they were thinking, the only clue he had was in their rigid stance. And they kept staring at it, the flag.
And Sans watched them almost, just almost, curiously and he couldn't help it- He watched as their fingers coiled together into tight fists. The small body was shaking and a faint sound began to reach his ears: laughter.
The 'Human' pushed the flag out of their way as they passed, leaving the prize money behind as the post waved back and forth. As they moved forward, not bothering any of their time on him. Sans resisted a sigh as he followed after them, feeling tied to them even as he wanted to get as far away as possible, to not have to see just how sick they could be.
And The 'Human'..
They really were going along with Papyrus in everything. Everything. They even spent several minutes pretending to work at Sans' wordsearch puzzle. Pretend, though, because Sans could see the red eyes drooping in boredom, their head nodding forward until they caught themself and shook it off. And finally they stood up and offered Papyrus a sorry-seeming smile. They nodded enthusiastically that Junior Jumble was a lot more difficult than a crossword.
They didn't stay to hear what Sans had to say about it, though. Which a part of Sans was relieved. If they didn't stay, he didn't have to thank them. He didn't have to thank them again for messing with his brother. Didn't have to work to appease them any more than he already found himself having to...
But he knows, too. They were messing with him. And Papyrus. And all of it intentional.
Half shambling about like that, and he knows it has to be all part of the act too. They haven't died yet. Not once. And Sans knows it. They have not died. Time still felt of static but hadn't snapped back at any time since he had woken up that morning. So this shambled, almost tired act, it was exactly that. An act. Acting the whole time...
And maybe it wouldn't have hurt so bad- Maybe. Maybe it wouldn't have hurt so bad if Papyrus just... wasn't enjoying himself so much. If Papyrus... wasn't genuinely liking the little demon.
The 'Human' was bitter and frustrated each time his brother walked away, you could see it even under their smile too. Frustrated and bitter. Frustrated as Papyrus walked away after promising to make them "ALL THE PASTA YOU COULD EVER WANT! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH NYEH!"
And Sans hated them, hated it. He hated all of this.
"i bet if he keeps it up, next year he'll even make something edible." Sans suggested after Papyrus had twirled away, his latest puzzle (a Mettaton puzzle) a failure. Though Sans had his suspicions about that.
"H-" The magic in Sans' sockets flashed in completely surprise at the sound that escaped them, but quickly they turned their face away and it died in their throat. Their fists tightened and the frustration seemed to rise again. Sans scowled as they walked away.
He hated them...
But Papyrus didn't.
"BEHOLD THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!" Sans eyed his brother, already knowing how this would all play out. He didn't even need to be a time traveler. He just knew his brother.
He had to eye the dog curiously though, wondering what that was about.
"WHEN I SAY THE WORD IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE!" Papyrus decreed. The human was watching Papyrus blankly, seeming unimpressed. Already knowing how this turned out too. Papyrus went along excitedly anyways. "CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE!" He seemed hardly able to contain himself. "EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN! ARE YOU READY?" The human stared with their lips pursed. "BECAUSE! I!" Papyrus seemed to realize what he was saying and nearly hesitated. Sans couldn't help but smile genuinely as Papyrus continued to try and sound confident. "I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!"
Nothing happened.
Just like each of them had known.
Well, not Papyrus, but he was knowing it now. He just had to make sure the others didn't realize it. Not realizing it had already been realized before he had done the realizing.
"well?" Sans tried not to chuckle. "what's the holdup?"
"HOLDUP?! WHAT HOLDUP?!" Papyrus denied, turning away so the human couldn't see his face. Sans caught sight of another smile on their face, but it was almost sad this time. They caught him looking and they lowered their head, hunching their shoulders as it turned into a grimace. "I'M..." Sans looked back to Papyrus as he continued. "I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!"
There was another pause as Papyrus turned and watched the human, the dilemma clear on his face.
He couldn't do it.
"that, uh, doesn't look very activated."
"WELL!" Papyrus fumed. "THIS CHALLENGE! IT SEEMS... MAYBE... TOO EASY TO DEFEAT THE HUMAN WITH." He couldn't risk actually hurting them. "YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE!" And this is what was the best about his brother. "I AM A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS!"
If only the person he was showing MERCY to actually deserved it.
"MY PUZZLES ARE VERY FAIR! AND MY TRAPS ARE EXPERTLY COOKED!" Papyrus continued. "BUT THIS METHOD IS TOO DIRECT!" Too dangerous. "NO CLASS AT ALL!" Somebody, the human, could die! "AWAY IT GOES!"
The mass mayhem was gone. Dog included.
Papyrus breathed out in relief and turned around again.
The 'Human's' expression was the opposite of relieved. It was clearly, beyond angry. But the red eyes closed and they forced themself to take a deep breath. Sans watched it cautiously... as it transformed into another fake smile. Soft. Gentle. But it was strained...
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!" Papyrus demanded. "THAT WAS ANOTHER DECISIVE VICTORY FOR PAPYRUS!"
The 'Human' nodded for him in seeming agreement. Papyrus still appeared out of sorts.
"NYEH! HEH!..." Papyrus paused, not able to look at Sans or the human anymore. "HEH?"
The 'Human' and Sans watched Papyrus go without another word. In moments, The 'Human' was standing beside him, the bitter expression returning as they looked after Papyrus. And when they tried to walk away-
"hey kid," Sans said, cutting off their escape. "i'm not sure what my brother is going to do now, but i'll give ya some advice when it comes to fighting my brother." Sans' eye lights disappeared. "don't." The 'Human' has one foot in front of the other, ready to flee, but they were frozen in place. Their breath caught. "you wouldn't wanna have a bad time."
Their breath restarted and Sans could see that their chest was moving up and down quicker than usual. There was a strange satisfaction rising up in Sans' chest. A strange sense of power at having actually gotten a desirable reaction. And this time it stuck, even if only for just a moment...
"glad to see we understand each other."
They hurried away from Sans and he waited until they were just out of sight before he teleported to Snowdin, hiding once again as he watched The 'Human' enter town.
They made a beeline to the front of the shop but didn't go in right away to Sans' surprise. Their hand raised into the air and Sans scowled once more as they stood there for a second. Their eyes closed as they regained their breath. Once again Sans found himself proud to have gotten such a reaction to begin with, but he was confused by the action. They seemed to be mumbling to something under their breath as they kept their hand out awkwardly.
And then suddenly. They made their way into the store.
And once they re-emerged, Sans watched them make their way through Snowdin. Their fake smile returned as they greeted the residents. They lingered at the decorated tree, taking their time with one of the monster kids specifically.
Nothing but smiles and kind words.
And Sans thought, maybe, perhaps, they were stalling, too.
Or maybe just making sure to lay it on as thick as possible just so betrayal could be even sweeter.
They even slipped into Grillby's for a moment before Sans watched them return to the front of the store and touch the air again gently.
Sans stared at their fingers, heat burning his bones.
They were doing something, weren't they? Something to do with their strange ability in controlling time... Resets and Loads- It had to be.
When the red eyes reopened, Sans could see a small spark of determination gleaming in the redness. But it was too soon before they turned away and unknowingly hid their expression away from him.
And the two of them moved forward. The coming battle... no longer avoidable.
Despite the confidence and the threats he had offered, Sans still felt uneasy. Tense. Tense and helpless. His view was white and black with the weather, and when he squinted- The 'Human' was a dark shadow on the path. Sans risked getting closer, and when he did he noted The 'Human' had come to a stop; staring directly ahead, their lips pressed together but their shoulders arched upwards as they lifted their head high; still determined.
And...
And just like the smiles.
Just like everything else-
It was all fake.
Sans stood shocked by the realization, his mind trying to comprehend it. Trying to figure out what to do with it. But there was no time.
Papyrus appeared across from The 'Human' and a heavy weight dropped in from Sans' chest and into his stomach and he was tense again.
He... He didn't want to watch this.
But he couldn't look away.
Threatening. Watching.
It was... It was the only thing Sans could ever do.
"HUMAN."
(please papyrus... run! don't do this. please!)
"ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS."
(not papyrus. please, just not paps!)
Sans knew that was selfish of him, but he couldn't help it. Nothing mattered. None of this mattered. Except he couldn't stand the thought of Papyrus... Of Papyrus... Papyrus is the only thing that still mattered- And Sans just felt so.. helpless, hopeless... The feelings crushing-
"FEELINGS LIKE... THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE ADMIRATION FOR ANOTHER'S PUZZLE-SOLVING SKILLS. THE DESIRE TO HAVE A COOL, SMART PERSON THINK YOU ARE COOL. THESE FEELINGS... THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW!"
Sans forced himself to look at The 'Human'. They were staring with the same forced expression from earlier, but it seemed to be even more strained than before.
"I CAN HARDLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO FEEL THAT WAY. AFTER ALL, I AM VERY GREAT. I DON'T EVER WONDER WHAT HAVING LOTS OF FRIENDS IS LIKE."
(please... pap...)
"I PITY YOU... LONELY HUMAN..."
The expression The 'Human' was wearing... They noticeably flinched and grit their teeth as they looked down at the snow.
"WORRY NOT! YOU SHALL BE LONELY NO LONGER!"
(please... just... not paps!)
"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE YOUR..."
Sans' breath caught as his mind completed the sentence for him: friend.
He wanted to say friend.
Sans eyed his brother in disbelief but at the same time, how can he be surprised? Of course... Of course that was how his brother would feel. And yet...
But his brother, was turning around... You could see the mental dilemma in his stance.. And then, his sigh carried across the potential battlefield...
"NO..." Papyrus began sadly. "NO.. I KNOW THAT IS ALL WRONG." Papyrus turned back around, his face serious. "HUMAN. ONE CANNOT DENY IT. HUMAN, YOU MUST ADMIT AND SO MUST I. YOU.. ARE A BIT OF A WEIRDO."
The 'Human'...
The red eyes were wide, their head snapping upwards as they stared at them. And Sans knew, could see in their expression and feel it in his bones-
This was not the way it goes.
Not the way it was supposed to go.
Papyrus turned away briefly, his face lowering. But The 'Human'... Their teeth were gritted and the frustration was in their face. The anger rose up through them and both Sans and Papyrus had to shift their attention sharply back to them as they stomped their foot.
"That's not-!" They began to shout. It's not fair, their face seemed to say. "I did everything right! I did your puzzles and played along! I did everything like I'm-" Their voice broke but they covered it with another snarl. "I did everything like I'm supposed to! You can't..."
Papyrus' face was one of surprised but he quickly went back to work.
"OH YES." He told them. "YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I HAVE ASKED YOU, BUT EVEN WHEN YOU TRY TO ACT LIKE IT, I CAN TELL.. YOU DON'T SEEM TO REALLY WANT TO. YOU DO NOT LIKE PUZZLES IT SEEMS BUT YOU TRY THEM ANYWAYS. YOU JUST KEEP SHAMBLING ABOUT BUT ALSO MANAGE TO KEEP GOING. AND YOUR HANDS ARE SO FIDGETY. ITS LIKE YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY BUT CAN'T GET IT OUT. YOU... IT JUST... FEELS VERY FAMILIAR."
And those words... Sans felt even colder, he hadn't thought he could. And The 'Human'... It made them dig their feet deeper into the snow. Their fists clenched as they continued to snarl, but the shadows hid away their face.
"Fight me..." They ordered, but something in their voice sounded, felt, off.
"NO, SEE... THIS IS WHAT I MEAN, HUMAN. IT FEELS AS IF.. LIKE YOUR LIFE IS GOING DOWN SOME DANGEROUS PATH.. OR I AM NOT SURE.. BUT YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE SOMEHOW. AND I HAVE DECIDED... I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR FRIEND. YOU ARE HUMAN! I AM SUPPOSED TO CAPTURE YOU! THEN I AM SUPPOSED TO FULFILL MY LIFELONG DREAM! OF BEING POWERFUL! POPULAR! PRESTIGIOUS! WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ME: WHAT IS PAPYRUS? THAT IS WHAT I SAY. THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD." And yet Papyrus faltered again. "AND YET WHEN I LOOK AT YOU... ALL I SEE IS... YOU HAVE HATED EVERY SECOND BEING OUT HERE BUT YET YOU ARE STILL TRYING. YOU HAVE SO MUCH, GREAT POTENTIAL WITHIN YOU. SO EVEN IF IT MEANS... LOSING THE THINGS I HAVE WORKED UP FOR.. I WILL GLADLY BE YOUR-"
"FIGHT ME!" The 'Human' screamed. Sans hasn't moved, he's frozen, but The 'Human' was trembling. Trembling so much. How can one that small have so much pain- anger.. They pointed towards his brother. "You will start the Fight or so help me I will! I have to do something, and so help me..." Their voice trailed off... Their chest heaving. And Sans barely hears it, barely makes it out, when they start again. "It just has to be the same... Everything has to be the same..."
Papyrus was standing almost entirely still but then nodded.
"ALRIGHT." He said, almost gently. And Sans' felt sick as the world swirled with magic and the Fight commenced. The bright, red Soul... The 'Human's' breathing seemed to relax. Their entire stance... "IF THAT IS HOW I AM GOING TO GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS... THEN I WILL FIGHT YOU, HUMAN." The 'Human' swallowed but they took up their stance as they prepared. And then, they forced a smile. A forced, uneven, dulled smile...
"Well you know, Papyrus. I just have to play hard to get." They winked and to Sans' horror, blew a kiss... Papyrus didn't react how they seemed to want though. You could tell in how agitated their position changed. As Papyrus did not buy into their act and did not, this time, pretend to. "When all of this is done! We can go on a.." They faltered but pushed forward. "A date!"
Sans was frozen in abject horror, but Papyrus... his shoulders were falling.
"HUMAN..." But he did not seem to know what else to say. The red eyes closed again and Sans lost his breath as they swung their stick in front of them... but they miss Papyrus entirely... Like they weren't even trying...
The red eyes opened as they settled back in their place across from Papyrus, their lips pressed together tightly and their grip tightened and untightened and tightened again.. But they aren't looking at Papyrus, only the ground beneath his feet.
"But only after we Fight."
"...WELL... HUMAN... YOU MUST KNOW THAT I AM A SKELETON WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS."
"..." They did not respond at first, but then- "I have zero redeeming qualities." They admitted lowly, their head turning slightly away. Papyrus' expression was once again filled with real concern. Then, he lifted his head as he made a distraught expression.
"OH NO!" Papyrus exclaimed. "THAT HUMILITY..." The human was looking up again in surprise. "IT REMINDS ME OF, MYSELF! YOU'RE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS!"
"W-What?" The human began.
"JUST AS I SAID, HUMAN. YOU ARE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS! PERHAPS I WILL HAVE TO GO ON THAT DATE WITH YOU.." The 'Human' seemed... a whirlwind of mix-matched emotions they did not seem to know what to do with, much like Sans felt at the situation... "BUT... I SUPPOSE IF WE MUST FIGHT FIRST..."
The 'Human' still had the same torn, confused expression even as Papyrus summoned an array of bones to send their way. They weaved in and out of them, but still, their expression, their clear torn feelings-
"Papyrus..." They shook their head seriously as they breathed- "You're... You're an idiot."
"HOW SELFLESS! TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT FIGHTING YOU... I DON'T DESERVE-"
But his reaction only made The 'Human' more upset on top of everything else.
"I can't believe you!" They shouted suddenly as they landed on the ground again and Papyrus' attacks stopped- They took a half step closer, their expression truly, genuinely angry. "How can you just- Why are you always so trusting?!"
Sans frowned at the sound of tears in their voice. And also how... they were asking that question, but they also seemed to already know the answer.
"You're just... you're so foolish for believing in people! In me! Just... I can't!" They shouted angrily. Their hand pressed to the top of their head. "Dammit, Papyrus!"
"HU-"
"NO!" They continued, lowering their hand and making a violent swinging motion with their hand that made Sans even more tense, if that were possible- "This is stupid! You're being stupid!" They lifted the stick again... Such a simple, seemingly harmless stick, but in those hands... "Just Fight me, Papyrus."
"I THOUGHT I WAS." He told them. "BUT AGAIN, HUMAN, THERE IS NO NEED TO LIE TO YOURSELF. YOUR BARDS HIDE A HIDDEN AFFECTION! YOU EMOTIONAL CACTUS."
They falter, just a bit, in their grip, in their expression, but it hardens again.
"Fight me." They ordered, and they swing their stick again.
"ALRIGHT THEN. LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE MY FABLED BLUE ATTACK!"
Blue Stop Signs.
Their body sagged beneath the weight of the magic on their Soul as they barely avoid the last white bone Papyrus sent their way.
"YOU'RE BLUE NOW!" Papyrus' voice is proud despite the weird twists and turns this Fight has taken. Sans surely can't make heads or tails of it... The 'Human' sighed softly, but it seemed as if they had gotten what they wanted... and the Fight continued. Them, swinging, missing, and Papyrus sending out his own array of attacks. And Sans... Sans staying off hidden on the sidelines, relieved that whatever the 'Human' was planning wasn't happening right then...
But at the same time... The 'Human' was breathing hard as they maneuvered sloppily with their Blue Soul through Papyrus' attacks. They appeared super uncomfortable... whether physically or just mentally Sans couldn't tell... And again there was the re-realization of just how tired they looked...
"Ah!" The 'Human' cried out and jerked back as they accidentally hit a white bone, only to more right into an awaiting Blue one. Pain was clear in their expression, and... Sans had to tilt his head, his face serious in his confusion. He felt... mostly certain that they should have been invulnerable to that... The 'Human' breathed through clenched teeth as they staggered out of the path of a third attack, and lucky for them the attack was over, and-
"H-HUMAN... PLEASE... THIS IS STARTING TO-"
"AAH!" The Human charged again, swinging, missing... but closer this time... just enough to get their point across...
"Fight. Fight like you're supposed to!" The 'Human' ordered. "Like you did for-!"
The 'Human cut off, biting down hard. Their face is a deep, enraged scowl.
And Papyrus... He sighed loudly, but in the end... obliged with a new array of attacks. The 'Human' moved through them, getting his squarely on the chest again at the very end. Sans expected them to take out a healing item, maybe one of those chocolate Nice Creams but they simply... swung once again at his brother, making Sans' entire world freeze before starting again as they missed.
"Come on... Tell me. Tell me what you'll finally get once you're in the Royal Guard." They ordered. Papyrus hesitated, but as he summoned more attacks he began to speak.
"WELL... I'D HAVE LOTS OF ADMIRERS! BUT..." Papyrus paused again as he watched The 'Human' jump over his attacks with uncertain difficulty. "BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WORTH IT IF I HAVE TO HURT YOU."
The 'Human' let out a furious growl and began to turn towards Papyrus... Only to lose their footing in the snow. Their feet slide out beneath them and their expression was open wide in true fear. A hand shot out to Papyrus but it was already too late, they were hitting bone; the very attacks they had just jumped over.
They cried out in pain, but there was no chance of escaping as another bone managed to strike them before Papyrus stopped the rest of his barrage short. And that last bone.. it punctured them right through the chest.
"HUMAN!"
Sans was frozen in true horror and confusion this time-
They should have been invulnerable for at least half of those attacks! There was no denying it this time-
The 'Human' had lifted a frantic hand to their chest as they struggled to breathe...
"HUMAN!" Papyrus was racing through the snow towards them.
It was a trap-
"paps!" Sans called as he teleported after him. Papyrus was a mass of frantic limbs as he crashed down next to the 'Human', but their tearful eyes were darkening quick. Papyrus held them, and Sans could see the 'Human's' hand lift weakly in a failed attempt to touch his glove.. Their head slumped against Papyrus' chest as that same hand fell into the snow.
Their Soul shattered.
"I...I.. HUMAN!"
Sans lifted a hand out towards his brother.
"p-paps.. it's..."
It's fine? How could he say that to his brother? They'd died by Papyrus' hand and there was no way for him to know they'd be back. Papyrus had killed them. Papyrus. That'd never happened before! Wait... That'd never happened before?
Sans stared at the child's- the 'Human's' broken body, feeling sick as he did, stuck in place as his brother began to cry. Papyrus never cried quietly and the tears always cut Sans down to the bone.. And this.. This and the sight of those deadened, brown eyes... Sans was horrified. He was in a nightmare. He couldn't breathe.
"kid, please, no…" He had to force himself to swallow and take a step back. His grief didn't make sense… And he was, in fact, grieving.
But it would be okay! The kid would be back, those red eyes unfortunately burrowing into Sans' Soul. Like nothing had happened. Like…
[CONTINUE]
There, see? The world around him was blurring. He was being pulled gently back throu- No. The world was clear again.
Sans blinked in surprise, still staring at the broken body in his sobbing brother's arms; who hadn't noticed a thing. What... What had that-That had almost felt dreadfully famil-[CONTINUE]
Sans was snapped back through time violently; forced into place. His mind was reeling for a second as he blinked, but he could make out the 'Human' as they stood in Snowdin. They were recoiling back, their hand flying from the mysterious place in the air that they had been touching before, and to their chest. They fell back into the snow as they tripped up and they were breathing hard as they lay there. Off to the side, some of the Monsters were giving them funny yet concerned looks. The red eyes stared at nothing as they hyperventilated.
And Sans...
Sans remembered. At least just a glimpse. Which in itself was something rare.
Their Soul shattering in Papyrus' hands.
And he knew... They'd almost died for real.
He knew they had almost not come back.