Sans wasn't counting the amount of times Papyrus had wrung his wrists in the last hour and a half because it was a lot like the Resets, the specific number was already too painful. Papyrus in distress always put Sans in a twisted knot of emotions and this was no different. Except only maybe in the fact that it was worse... because the reason for it was their horrid, little guest.
The 'Human' was curled up warm and comfortable on the couch. Deep asleep.
They'd had a long day after all. The journey, the fighting all the way, playing along and lying. Crying.
Oh right, the crying... Their hug for Papyrus just not enough manipulation for them. They'd had to go and give those crocodile tears, too.
It was effective, anyways. In getting Papyrus to pick them up, carry them, as well as striking Sans exactly where it would hurt as he had watched from the sidelines. He hadn't noticed they were crying right away. They'd had their arms wrapped tightly around Papyrus' neck and their face hidden and buried as they'd been carried across the battlefield. But the shaky movement of their body, the sharp gasps, the realization came even though Sans didn't believe it at first. Comprehend...
But oh.. once he comprehended...
He was utterly enraged.
But cruelly, unfairly... there had been nothing Sans could do.
And that only enraged him even more.
Sans had just felt the tiniest bit of sudden, unexpected control, and they had ripped it away just as quickly.
And worst yet, it was his brother. The thing most important to Sans, his brother.
"just go meet up with her but not tell her anything specific. be vague. it's not technically lying it you don't really say anything after all." Sans told his brother who had wrung his wrist yet again. Sans' words only seemed to make Papyrus even more distressed.
"I DO NOT LIKE IT." Papyrus countered.
No, Sans didn't think he did.
But if Papyrus really was set on doing this. Protecting them, helping them, even against Undyne, then it really had to be done.
"just give your report about things you actually did, but just omit the details regarding our.. guest."
Papyrus sighed, his shoulders falling, and Sans knew that he'd finally caved. Even if he didn't like it.
"RIGHT. BUT I STILL JUST... I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM ALONE."
"undyne will only be worried and come running after ya if you don't go meet up with her like usual. you never miss a meeting." Still, Papyrus' expression. "and besides, they won't be alone. they got me, right?"
Papyrus perked up a bit and Sans thought he was about to nod but then Papyrus scowled.
"BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORK?!" He demanded. Sans shrugged.
"heh. does it really matter if i slack off here or there." Papyrus nearly stomped in frustration but resisted in consideration to their sleeping guest.
"UGH. BUT EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT CONDONE THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AT ALL, I MUST ADMIT THAT AT THE MOMENT IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE."
Yeah... but Sans knew that the two of them didn't see what that 'good cause' as the same thing. But still..
"always, paps." Sans said with a real smile. "besides, my job is to look out for humans, and well, technically, i'm looking out of this one if i stay here, right?" Papyrus sighed in frustration, but after a moment, Sans caught the genuine shadow of a smile on his face. But only a shadow as his brother turned back towards the human on the couch and once again... his hands fidgeted nervously.
"OKAY." Papyrus said inching towards the door. "REMEMBER, THERE IS SPAGHETTI IF THEY WAKE UP."
"haven't forgotten, bro." Sans promised.
"GOOD."
Papyrus hesitated one last time...
"NO. LET ME PREPARE IT REAL QUICK. JUST IN CASE THEY WAKE UP BEFORE I AM BACK."
"paps-" But there was no stopping him, Papyrus was already in the kitchen. Quickly fixing them a bowl that he put down carefully, even in his rushed state, beside the base of the couch.
"THERE."
Papyrus stood, watching them... and then... Then, finally...Finally, Papyrus was gone, out the door. Sans kept his smile plastered to his face for a few moments after. Waiting. But slowly, it became less genuine. Slowly it darkened and the lights in his sockets went out. Sans turned his attention back to the thing on the couch... The thing that had wiggled itself into his brother's rib cage and planted itself there like a nasty weed. Speaking of nasty weeds, Sans wondered if they knew anything about that flower Paps liked to talk about. The one that put Sans into an uneasy mood... It wouldn't have surprised Sans to learn that they were somehow involved with that too.
Involved in all the worst problems in Sans' life.
Sans huffed and leaned up against the wall. Watching them. His internal hatred rising higher every second, just eating away at him as he let his mind and attention linger. As he just let his resentment have its way with his emotions.
To Sans' surprise, it's not long before the 'Human' moaned sharply, their head turning on their pillow. It's yet another surprise to watch them jolt back awake, a sharp gasp of fear from their chest as they sat up... as if from a nightmare.
Sans was frozen in his place, watching them... The 'Human' let out a long breath and the red eyes closed as they lifted a hand to their forehead. The resentment Sans had felt began to transform into something smug again. The control they'd shattered with their tears was returning with the re-realization that tears were the only thing they had.
That they were failing, losing...
He'd thought of them as fast asleep, but watching them now... Their entire posture and expression... They looked worn and beaten. Bags under their eyes, that flinch in pain at the headache they couldn't hide.
The confidence and power were swelling up inside him.. So intoxicatingly warm in his rib cage..
"he made you spaghetti."
The 'Human' jolted then froze. The red eyes were wide, staring at the wall ahead of them. Their breathing that had only just begun to even out picked up again, quick. That only made the feeling inside Sans' chest stronger.
The 'Human' swallowed and began to turn their head, looking over to were Sans stood against the wall, half cast in shadow, his sockets still dark but his smile returned yet menacing. After all, with Papyrus gone, all hostilities could be on the table.
"that was quite the performance you gave him."
They did not speak, but they cast their eyes downward to avoid him.. only to notice the bowl of spaghetti. It had to be cold again, but it wasn't like it was edible to begin with. The 'Human' moved slowly, deliberately, as they bent down over the side of the couch and picked up the bowl and offered fork. And just as slowly, carefully, they looked over the contents of said bowl.. a sadness worked its way into their eyes, but then they smiled. It's forced and fake, but they manage it as they pretend to ignore Sans. Twirling their fork, they eyed the dish with dread before taking a small bite.
They sputtered instantly.. sticking out their tongue.
"Oh god- I'd-" They coughed, but the sadness that had been there beneath their smile began to disappear. The smile became a bit more genuine even as the red eyes closed. "I'd honestly forgotten how bad he was. It's worse than I remember."
They breathed in, tilting their head back and prepared themself.
They took another bite.
The 'Human' shook their head and gulped it down.
"I can't..." They half laughed, putting the fork to the side of the bowl again. "I really can't.."
Sans hadn't moved nor changed his expression. Maybe it had grown darker, more murderous, but he kept still. He was not impressed by their show.
The 'Human' stopped and sighed sadly again... The fork had moved back into the mix of noodles, pushing them around aimlessly, twirling them back and forth. They flicked at the bits of cardboard that could have passed as meat... if they really, really used their imagination.
"Believe it or not.. it only takes him six months with Mom to get him to make something edible..."
Sans glared at them.
"They always loved his ultimate cinnamon friendship pancakes with maple syrup." They continued and Sans' glared intensified. What were they getting at? What was their angle now-? "He made it for them every morning for a month straight once he got it down. But then one day, he... He started to make chocolate chip pancakes, too... Specifically for me..." They bit down on their bottom lip. Not softly, weakly, but hard. It had to be painful- "I didn't realize it at first."
There was silence... but then... the red eyes forced themselves upwards. Forced themselves to meet his terrible gaze.
"I really do like your brother." They seemed to promise.
The anger... the rage...
They could see it growing deep inside him and they quickly looked away... but they did not have the sense to. stop. talking.
"He... He was the only one to even realize I was there after we were up on the surface. Maybe you had your suspicions, sure, until Frisk actually told you. But he... he actually knew me. He liked me..."
Sans can't help but curl his fingers tightly.
All that they were saying was making all of this so much worse. Talking about a timeline that had now never come to pass. Because of them. What they'd done. What they always do.
The 'Human' flinched..
"I... I know you don't trust me." They said weakly. "And that.. I have no right to expect you to! You're right. I'm horrible. A demon!" Their face twisted painfully, and Sans could hear the tips of the fork scratch against the ceramic of the bowl. "I've ruined everything..."
"you're not helping your cause here none, pal." Sans growled.
"I'm sorry!" They cried, the red eyes closing. There is real pain in their voice, but Sans blocked it out, he snarled and hunched his shoulders as he seethed.
"Sorry-" Sans began, wanting to chew them out like they oh so deserved, but they weren't done. Their voice continued quickly, forcefully.
"I know I can't fix it. Change it.. Even if I RESET a hundred times, destroy the world and put it back again, I know that! But I need your help! Because even if I can't get everything back I can still do this! This one thing! What they'd have done! What they did! I can at least Save something from all of this!" Their breath was shuttering, those tears working themselves back up again perhaps... But they forced themself to calm.. steady... "Just... Help me get everyone up to the surface and you don't ever have to see me again... Please..."
Sans was breathing in and out forcefully. Trying not to let his magic explode around him and to just attack them right there..
"help you..." He managed at last, all but spitting out his words.. "when you're implying we've already been there and lost it all. sorry if i don't find myself all too interested."
They twisted away from him, their small frame shaking...
"It was an accident."
Their voice is just as small.
"riiiiiiiiiight." Sans managed not to laugh. "and killing everyone, too, I guess."
They were tense, their shoulders blocking their face from him.
"I had to get them back..." They whispered.
Sans scoffed.
"you know you keep referring to 'them' this and 'they' that, but i'm thinking it's all just another part of the game."
Their shaking had gotten worse as he had spoken and Sans had anticipated them bursting into tears again, but the change is instantaneous once it happens. One moment they were cowering, shaking on the couch, and the next they were staring him down; a comet burning itself up with its own rage.
"Frisk." They hissed. "FRISK!"
Sans found himself shrinking back a bit, just for a moment, and just unsure why-
"My- Our best friend!"
The lunacy of it helped Sans push the unease away with a small laugh.
"if they were hanging out with you, they couldn't be all that great." He shot. He'd just made the flames hotter- they shattered like tempered glass.
"Don't talk like that!" They shouted, the plate of spaghetti teetering dangerously on the edge of the couch as they leaned forward. "You'll regret it!"
"is that another threat?" Sans asked dangerously.
The 'Human' flinched back this time, blinking a few times...
"N-no..." They said, the anger was working its way out of them.. "Just..." They swallowed down as they composed themself. The red eyes closed again. "Just.. if you knew what you were saying.. You wouldn't want to talk like that.."
"oh so you know me now?"
They turned their head away from him again but this time looked up at the ceiling.
"Honestly... I might know you better than you know yourself at this point..."
The rage is still there, burning in Sans, but this knowledge, this possible fact of life, sat heavily on Sans' shoulders. He really did feel sick. At how much control they'd- but he had to remind himself that they were damaged, struggling in their own determination- even as they continued to speak..
"I can read you, you know?" They asked softly. "So can Frisk. They were maybe better at it, but... between the two of us, yeah... we know you..."
The silence...
"You're unsettled," They began again, breaking it, "but that's unavoidable; I'm unsettling. You're angry and that's another given, you have every right to be. I..." The silence again... Something dark... seemed to float in between the two of them.. but then they shook their head. "I just need to make it to Asgore and you can enjoy the surface with your brother."
Sans grabbed their Soul.
The 'Human' screamed as they were lifted roughly into the air, the plate of spaghetti clattering to the floor-
"if you think i'm falling for anything you have to say this time, then you don't know me at all." The fear in their red eyes that was so satisfying was too soon scorched away as their anger consumed them, but before they could get a word in, Sans felt something off as he tighten his grip on their Soul. He blinked but then let his magic flow over them. He couldn't help but smile. "nice hp."
5/15
"what happened to it?" He taunted.
"What happened to yours?" They spat back. His grip on their Soul tightened even further and they yelped at the painful sensation-
Sans hated them. He hated them.
He yanked them closer, holding them above his eye level in the air. The true fear had returned in their expression and he loved it just as much as he hated them-
"you're on your way out for good and you're just trying to use me. and use paps. and i won't stand for that. all you care about is your one last win, and i don't care to help ya with it."
"But what I want is what's- no." They stopped, their eyes closing even as their face gave away their discomfort from their position in the air. "You expect me to stab you in the back. To leave you all behind after taking what I want." They were clutching at their chest, the discomfort only growing and growing and their inability to hide it along with it. The red eyes opened again, a look that was almost genuinely pleading- "S-Sans..."
Yeah, yeah, yeah... What they wanted was to get monsters to the surface. blah blah blah. He's heard it. But like they've also said before, there's no way for him to believe that. Trust that.
But-
"You're right, I'm on my way out... But getting you all to the surface is the only reason I made it back at all!"
Sans laughed lowly.
"right, kid. like you're anything else but scared to die. you don't care about us. you don't care about anyone."
His grip on their Soul is too tight now, but he doesn't care.. even as he can see them wriggling in the air and struggling to breath.
He doesn't care..
Those red eyes can stare in fear.
"if it weren't for pap and a foolish promise i'd have killed you right there in the snow. maybe have tossed you over that bridge."
He chuckled.
"you can try to convince me all you want but i'm never helping you. in fact, i might even make your life a living hell while you still have it."
His smile widened.
"You stubborn idiot." They breathed. "You. stubborn. idiot!" They managed to rage heatedly, leaning closer to him. "You just don't know when to listen! Maybe I'm on my way out but I'm also the only one who knows how to get us to the surface!"
"the king killing you sounds alright to me." He hadn't realized they could get even angrier.
"How can you be so SELFISH?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH HE IS-"
"SANS?! HUMAN?!"
It's possible that to an outsider, the next few seconds could have been nearly hilarious.
The two had frozen. One with his hand and eye still glowing, his expression wide and horrified as he stared at his captive and they stared just as horrified back with their arms and limbs frozen twistedly in the air where they had just been kicking and throwing a tantrum before.
Sans threw them unceremoniously back onto the couch just as Papyrus opened the door in time to see the careless action.
"SANS!" Papyrus exclaimed in shock, he bounded to the 'Human's' side as they recovered.
4/15
[FLEE]
Their Soul disappeared as they stared up at Papyrus anxiously. Sans was frozen in place.
"P-Pap." They began.
"HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Papyrus turned to Sans before the 'Human' could even answer. "SANS, WHAT WERE YOU DOING?! THAT DID NOT LOOK LIKE TAKING CARE OF THE HUMAN!"
Well... From a certain perspective...
"Pap." The human began again, grabbing Papyrus' arm.
Sans had to stop himself from glaring death at them, knowing where this was going. Those crocodile tears again. And what could Sans say to defend himself when Pap had basically caught him in the act? No, not basically. He had caught him.
"It... It was my fault." The trembling 'Human' told Papyrus. Sans blinked and began to stare in disbelief. What? What were they doing? "I asked Sans if... well... I'd heard so much about your Blue Attack before fighting you and I hadn't even gotten to see it!" They continued more convincingly. "Sans was showing me how it worked, and we sort of got carried away."
"BUT I HEARD YELLING..." Papyrus said. They offered him the brightest smile and Sans felt the hit to his chest as their eyes closed. With the red eyes hidden and their smile like that... Sans felt... He didn't know what he felt... but it hurt.
"It was just too fun!" They told him merrily. "Like flying!"
It... The red eyes opened again. He hated them. He hated to see them lie to his brother.
"I'm sorry, I know I should have eatin' more of the spaghetti before we played." They looked at the mess on the ground somberly. "We ruined it..." They looked back up to Papyrus. "Sorry."
Papyrus had a curious expression on his face.
"S-SO YOU TWO WERE PLAYING?" He asked. The 'Human' closed their eyes and offered him another smile as they nodded brightly. "OH! I... I AM SO GLAD YOU TWO ARE FRIENDS NOW TOO!" His smile grew. "NOW YOU HAVE TWO FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T LONELY!" Sans caught the flash of pain in their eyes, but only for a second.
"I can't be lonely with you!" They told him earnestly. Papyrus was beaming.
"OF COURSE NOT!" He declared. But then he turned to Sans. "BUT SANS! THE HUMAN IS STILL REALLY WEAK! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER! I KNOW YOU'RE LAZY BUT I DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE THAT!"
"what can i say? the kid was feeling a bit blue, how could i resist?"
"SANS!"
"heh. sorry bro. we'll be more careful next time."
"MAKE IT NO TIME!" Papyrus advised. Sans shrugged.
"eh. too much work anyways." Papyrus looked down at the spaghetti.
"HERE! I WILL MAKE YOU SOME MORE TO HELP YOU GET WELL!" He said, picking up the plate and scooping the noodles on with his gloved hand.
"A-actually." The 'Human' began. "I'm really tired still... I think I'll just sleep it through."
"ARE YOU NOT HUNGRY?" They thought a second.
"No..." Sans lifted what would have been an eyebrow. He didn't think the 'Human' was lying, but he hadn't seen them eat anything all day. "I'm just too tired I guess." They said, slouching into the couch.
"OH! OKAY, HUMAN! THEN I WILL MAKE YOU SOMETHING GREAT IN THE MORNING! HERE I WILL TUCK YOU IN LIKE SANS DOES ME!" Papyrus continued excited, setting the plate down and grabbing the blanket. "AND IF YOU WISH I CAN READ YOU A STORY! I'LL PICK OUT MY FAVORITE ONE!"
"T-that's okay." They said. "I just want to sleep. Maybe later?" They asked. Their eyes opened a bit in alarm, seeming to have realized something.
"WHAT IS IT, HUMAN?"
"N-nothing." They lied this time. "Don't worry about it, it can wait." They assured. "I just want some sleep."
"IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, YOUR NEWEST, BESTEST FRIEND, WILL BE THERE TO HELP." They smiled softly.
"I know you will Papyrus, thanks..." He tucked them in and patted their shoulder through the blanket, a smudge of spaghetti sauce remaining though Pap didn't seem to notice, nor did the 'Human' really care.
"WELL GOODNIGHT THEN, HUMAN!" He said as he stood up. "SANS?"
"yeah, i'll be up in a sec, bro..." Papyrus went up the stairs. The 'Human' and Sans watched him go for a second. Sans stared at the human coldly. "i'm right there you know." He told them. "try anything and i'll end it no matter how paps feels about it." They press their lips together. They glance up the stairs nervously after Papyrus. Sans' brow raised curiously, they seemed to have something on their mind but they didn't bring it up, and Sans... just didn't care.
"I won't try anything, Sans." They said finally. "I promise... I really am tired." Sans huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets as he moved towards the stairs.
"i still won't ever believe you." He told them darkly. They shifted, turning over so their face was towards the back of the couch.
"It doesn't matter." They whispered angrily. "I don't need you."
Sans began to make his way up the stairs, that warmth, confident but twisted warmth, right there in his rib cage...
They were lying again.
"sweet dreams." He mocked at he reached the top of the stairs. He glanced back down with a knowing smile, but they simply laid back farther and covered their head with the blanket.
Their dreams would be anything but sweet.