Papyrus wasted no time in cooking up a quick meal for the two of them, making a quiche since he felt like showing off his below average cooking skills. He knew how to construct he food, but when it came to taste, it came up just short of edible. Some would say he had looking good but being awful down to a science. Still, it was a sort of peaceful activity for him; as much as he enjoyed the company of others, being alone with his own thoughts was a privacy he refused to take for granted. His thoughts were on the incidents of that morning. As much as his newfound roommate was quite the monster, he was still taken aback by every oddity he discovered as time progressed. For now, though, it was the almost prophetic way Dust knew about his schedule that threw him through a loop. He attempted to push it all aside, but he would admit that his curiosity was more than peaked.

The tall skeleton hummed to himself softly, finishing up breakfast and turning around to the table to serve it. He was stopped for a moment, noticing Dust waiting eagerly at the table. There were six chairs at their brand new table, just in case any of his friends came over, and yet Dust chose the exact chair Sans would always take when he decided to stay and eat. Papyrus was just about to tell Dust to pick another chair (politely, of course), as it was his brother's chair, but then remembered that Sans most likely wouldn't be joining them. So, to be a gracious host, he allowed the small skeleton to sit there, serving him the plate of magic food before going over to the pantry.

Dust picked up his fork, a starved expression evident across his face. That tired look lifted slightly, the grin widening as he skewered a piece onto his fork. Papyrus assumed he must be very hungry. After all, he hadn't seen the other eat at all the day before. He let out a small exhale to himself, pausing before grabbing his box of oatmeal and dinosaur eggs. It was quick and easy, and before long, he had a bowl of his favorite food in a small bowl. Taking it over to the table to eat with Dust, he was surprised to see all the food on the other's plate suddenly gone. He blinked his sockets in initial confusion, quickly bending down and searching under the table. Surprisingly nothing. He stood back up, brow bone furrowed, but with pride welling up in his ribcage.

"Breakfast was great," Dust complimented slowly, snapping the other's attention to him. "Can I…" He paused, looking away for a moment as Papyrus awaited the ending of the question. "Is there more?" The taller monster stared for a few seconds, before proudly leaping up. "Of course there is!" he declared, taking up the plate and quickly moving to the kitchen to retrieve seconds. "The Great Papyrus always makes extra for those enraptured by his food's astounding taste!"

Now observing more carefully, Papyrus now noticed the slight glimmer of joy in the other's mismatched eyelights as the taller skeleton returned, as if it was the first time he'd seen food in over a month. "Aha! It seems that you and your more than well-tuned palate wait for another taste of my craft, yes?" Papyrus told him joyfully, sliding the plate over. Dust just grinned in response, before promptly eating his meal at a fast pace. Well, "eating at a fast pace" was a bit of an understatement; the small monster practically inhaled the entire plate. Papyrus couldn't help but clasp his gloved hands in momentary glee, seeing as no one had ever really taken to his food in such a way.

His attention was soon drawn away, though, as he noticed the not-Sans get up from his seat and head over to the incredibly tall sink, presumably to go wash his plate. While he was, of course, surprised, he wasn't ever going to complain. A Sans that actually took the time out of his busy sleeping schedule and did his dishes was nothing short of a blessing in his mind. However, a small problem soon arose once both were reminded of the towering hight of their kitchen sink, all thanks to Papyrus' insistence. Dust stood there, staring up at the sink for a moment in what could only be assumed to be puzzlement as he looked at the enigmatic problem before him. Still, he just seemed to shrug it off and tried to somehow climb on top of the counters to reach the sink. His endeavor was quickly stopped when he felt two gloved hands wrap around his ribcage. He flinched, of course, nearly dropping the plate and doing something he knew he would regret, but Papyrus made sure to keep a sturdy hold on him. "It seems like you need a boost!" he told him confidently, lifting the other up to where he would be able to reach the top of the sink made for only the likes of the younger skeleton. Dust could only remain still, stiff as a board in the other's care, and as he seemed to slowly realize what had occurred and started washing his plate, he never once loosened up. Papyrus could count many times where he was forced to pick up his lazybones bag of a brother to transport him somewhere he didn't want to go, and each time Sans was about as rigid as a cooked spaghetti noodle.

He momentarily wondered what Dust's version of himself was like, but refused to think of such a thought any further after a few considerations.

As soon as Dust was set down, Papyrus pulled his hands away, taking a quick moment to look down at them. He quickly felt himself go stiff, his sockets widening in a horror that was not new new him in the past day. Covering the palm of his red gloves was a thin layer of dust, contrasted from handling the said skeleton for that short moment in time. Memories flashed of the dusted monster and the tightened grip on his soul from the irreversible consequences. Panic and shame quickly filled him and he slapped his gloves onto his clothes and brushed then off to wipe the powder off as hastily as possible. It looked almost as if he was attempting to put out a fire on his shirt, the same type of panic on his face that you would see on a man on fire. Dust merely watched, expression sagged as he slowly blinked his tired sockets. Papyrus clenched his hands, stuffing them into his pockets so as to not look at them and feel the disgusting and itching crawl on his bones of the powder that was no longer there.

"I b-believe it's time we get you cleaned up," he said stiffly, gesturing upstairs. "Your clothes are filthy, and I'm sure you need a bath with all that…" He cleared his voice, striding past Dust. "Come on, I don't mind you using ours. I can even get you some clothes!" He was sure Sans wouldn't mind if he took a few articles of clothing; he never wore anything else besides that hoodie and a pair of loose-fitting shorts, after all. Dust didn't argue, simply following the larger skeleton up the stairs and to Sans' room. Papyrus gripped the handle to open it, but soon found that it was locked as always. He let out a small huff of annoyance at his brother's difficulty, reaching into his inventory for something.

Dust noticed the small setback and stepped forward and Papyrus messed with the handle. "Don't worry, I can open it for-"

"No need," Papyrus cut him off, the door suddenly swinging open. The smaller monster stopped in his tracks, staring at the ajar door in initial confusion. "Just a little jam with the handle is all," the other continued, going into the room and quickly snatching up a few articles from the bottom of Sans' drawers in his dresser. What he had was a pair of black sweatpants and an old blue hoodie Sans could never let go of. He smiled to himself in satisfaction, turning around to face Dust, who still stood in the doorway with a look of slight confusion as he gazed at the door and its handle.

"Papyrus…" he drawled softly. "Did you just…?"

"Take a few articles of clothing? Of course I did," Papyrus hummed quickly, moving past the other and shutting the door behind him. Within seconds, it was locked again, and Dust's confusion expression turned into one of silent realization and thoughtfulness at what he saw. He said nothing about it though, and Papyrus knew that would be best for now.

He gave Dust a gentle hand on the spine to guide him along to the bathroom, complete with a tub and a sink that Sans would actually be able to reach. He retrieved a white towel from the closet and set it down on the sink counter with the clothes placed neatly on top. "There you are," he grinned, gesturing to the shower. "Take as long as you like, as long as you get those bones clean. I'll wash your clothes." The smaller was silent for a moment, staring over at the towel and clothes, before slowly tilting his skull up to look at Papyrus. "Paps… you don't have to do this for me," he mumbled in his usual hushed tone, but he skeleton in question seemed to just brush it off with a shake of his skull. "Nonsense. I needed to do my own laundry anyways." He looked down at Dust, placing a hand on his shoulder and feeling him stiffen. "Besides… I don't want you to stress yourself. It's obvious you've dealt with more than your fair share of worries. I want to make sure you're feeling alright. Maybe it will finally help you get a bit of rest. After all, how long has it been since you've had a nap? If you really are Sans, you must be far behind your busy napping schedule."

Dust paused as usual, taking be time to consider Papyrus' words. Sans was never so slow, usually replying with a painfully unfunny line within a second, seemingly having a response for everything.

The smaller skeleton's sagged features lifted some, the eternal smile pulled upwards as he placed a hand atop Papyrus'. "Thank you…" he mumbled, squeezing the other's fingers. "I… really appreciate it." The other just closed his sockets with a smiled, giving the shoulder a quick pat before removing his hand. "Appreciate me all you want," he grinned, a hand on the hip of his pelvis. "The Great Papyrus will take your appreciation as payment for his good deeds. Now, when you're ready, place your clothes outside the door and I'll come to clean them, understood?" With a curt nod as confirmation, he let out a small "nyeh heh heh" as he left the room, shutting the door behind him with an unintentional slam.

Once there was a door between them, Papyrus let out a small exhale, his clavicles slumping slightly as he looked back at the bathroom. It took him only a few seconds, but before long, he was straightened up again and marching downstairs confidently.

Everything was fine.

For now.

If you really are Sans, you must be far behind your busy napping schedule.

Sans stared at the closed door for a long moment, before beginning to search the bathroom, his motions slow and deliberate as his sockets took in everything that looked so new and yet so familiar. He could accurately name the brand of the soap used before he pulled back the curtains. Papyrus insisted on only one brand after all, after a marketer at an outlet mall had wrung his brother in by guaranteeing white and smooth bones. As insignificant as it may seem, Sans' skull still kept the fond memory, storing it away for future reminiscing.

If you really are Sans, you must be far behind your busy napping schedule.

They were back once again, though this time only in whispered hushes that pulled at the edges of his mind, attempting to snag his attention. It was unfair that his focus had been moved from them when all he ever paid attention for years had been them. Sans merely ignored them, choosing to undress despite their protests and silently placing his clothes outside the door. Starting the water, he placed the faucet on its hottest setting, steam quickly thickening the air and whitening the mirror within seconds.

Skeletons weren't effected by any temperature that didn't freeze their marrow or melt them on the spot. They could still feel it, but it never nipped at them or caused the slight tingling of pain that humans often described. Warmth wasn't a necessity for them. Most of the time.

Sans slowly slipped into the water, his cold, tired bones quickly heated by the scalding water. He was as rigid as a slab of concrete as he eased himself in, warm water a definite first for him in such a long time. He had never thought of his own cleanliness in forever, to the point where he had forgotten what such luxuries even felt like. Despite the temperature feeling near boiling, he could only feel ecstasy as he slid in until the water reached his ribcage. He ignored the small layer of light gray that was swarmed around him as the dust was washed from his bones. That would be all down the drain soon enough, and with it, that panic that Papyrus donned with each time he touched him. He never wanted to see that expression on his brother's skull again, ever.

If you really are Sans, you must be far behind your busy napping schedule.

His brow bone furrowed. They would let that one drop, would they? He let out a soft sigh, closing his tired sockets in attempt to shut them out.

It was merely a fluke. Papyrus had misspoken, that's all. There was nothing else to it.

It was a mistake.

Papyrus wouldn't say something like that to Sans unless it was a mistake.

'If you really are Sans.'

His sockets shot open, catching a flash of red out of the corner of his vision. The red had ducked behind the edge of the tub, wisps of red fabric disappearing in a single moments at the words echoed in his skull.

"I am Sans," he whispered in hushed tones, knowing the one that still stuck with him could hear him perfectly despite it.

'You're not his Sans.'

Sans had nothing to say to that, his expression unable to form a glare due to his restless nature. So instead, he replied with a question. "So what would that make you?"

'You have not forgotten, have you?'

A crimson, clawed hand latched onto the edge of the tub, it's movements sudden. Sans was quick to turn his skull, refusing to acknowledge the red. He wasn't going to fall for this. He was home, and he was with Papyrus. The voiced of they and him were quick to overlap, flooding him with their words and their deceptions. Flashes of red were always at the corner of his vision, attempting to grab his fleeting attention.

You are not supposed to be here.

'If you really are Sans.'

You need to continue.

'We need to go home.'

You need to finish what you started.

'Please don't push me away.'

Don't leave us.

'Please come home.'

Sans ground his teeth, his concentration faltering as he grabbed the soap. He would not be taking as long as he had originally hoped, but right now, he needed Papyrus. He was quick to wash his bones, clearing his white exterior of the layers of dust that only served as a reminder. They continued their vain attempts, hut for the first time in who knows how long, he dismissed and ignored them. The one he once sought care from now pushed away. He drained the water, sitting in the tub to watch with glee as the dirtied liquid was flushed down the drain. Even while he was drying himself off, though, they persisted, not taking any form of refusal as an answer. Sans quickly dressed himself in the familiar clothing, stopping in a stiff pose like a cat in a sweater. Once he was sure he was dry, he used the towel to wipe off the white sheet that fogged up the mirror, and once he got a look at his expression, the voices lessened. They continued their persisting, but grew weaker as he left the room with a faster hurry than he had showed so far. He had almost immediately bumped into Papyrus, who looked down at him in slight surprise.

They didn't let up, growing ever louder as he stared up at the monster he knew to be his brother.

He was home, and he knew that to be true.

Even still, they persisted.

"Papyrus…" he spoke, his grin stretching up slightly as he brought a shaking hand up. Papyrus seemed to know exactly what to do at that moment, grabbing the hand gently and grinning down at him. Sans obviously flinched, still sensitive to the contact of another. "See? Much better already! You look clean as can be!"

They were almost deafening at this point. He needed his reassurance, and he needed it before they broke him.

"Papyrus… can you… I…I…"

He brought his other hand up, a certain desperation apparent in his voice as he tried to calm the flurry. Papyrus tilted his skull, but seemed to recognize the movement in an instant, quickly bending down to bring Sans into a gentle hug.

Sans nearly lurched in surprise, his shaking frame unable to keep still. This was all so familiar. This was home.

"Aha! I see you need your daily dose of brotherly hugs, hmm? Don't worry! The Great Papyrus will be more than happy to fill you in!"

In an instant, they were silenced. Sans felt a warmth, resonating from deep within his soul, a type of warm feeling that rivaled the heat of the bath water.

He was home.