Chapter 7: Let's Try Again
AN: Have you guys ever watched/played Steins;Gate? Because I just realized the concept of this fic is kinda similar to a thing that happened in the anime. Anyways, I have no idea how many chapters this is going to be in the end, but I still have a definite idea where this is going. While it will be a sort of reset loop, something new will happen besides that. Thanks to all who read, favorited, reviewed, and supported me and this story and whatnot! I don't feel like this is my best piece of writing composition-wise, but nonetheless I'm quite proud of this and feel like it's the strongest work of plot I've posted. Okay I'll shut up now.
You whipped your head around to glare at Sans. While you couldn't blame him, you were still enraged. "Why the hell did you do that?"
Papyrus gave you a strange look while Sans' face remained emotionless. "No time," he he blurted, grabbing your waist and placing a hand steadily on his brother's shoulder.
Everything went white. You heard Papyrus' voice after a moment. "Sans? What is going on?" You try to look around but everything is blurry. After a moment, you see two figures, one tall and one short. Blinking, the scene clears up. You stood in your living room, Papyrus standing very close to Sans, who is leaning on him.
"Bro! Yo-you're safe." Sans croaks. He was practically glowing, staring adoringly at Papyrus, who returned his gaze with a worried expression.
"Sans? Are you alright?" Sans tried to stand, but collapsed on the tile, panting.
"Sans!" You and Papyrus yell, rushing over to him.
"He must be weak from teleporting us here." You muse.
"But- I don't understand. Why did he bring us back home?" Papyrus pondered aloud, looking to you for answers. You didn't know what to say. Should you tell him the truth, or lie to protect him?
"Well- Sans, uh…" You stuttered, shifting nervously under Papyrus' desperate gaze, but luckily Sans butted in.
"I saw an accident up ahead and I panicked," Sans said. "Sorry Pap, I probably wrecked your car."
Papyrus frowned. "Well, I guess it's okay if you were just trying to keep us all safe." He pouted, crossing his arms.
"Don't worry bro," Sans said, bringing him into a hug. "I'll make it up to you."
"Sure thing!" He grinned, holding the elder monster twice as tightly, bringing a smile to both their faces. You watched, endeared but also disturbed.
"Hey, Sans?" He glanced at you, eyes going dark for a moment before returning to normal. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure thing, kid. Papyrus, why don't you go make us some of your signature fresh spaghetti for lunch?"
He beamed, exclaiming, "Of course!" before running to the kitchen.
As soon as Papyrus had left, Sans pupils retreated once more and he sat down with great difficulty on the couch, no longer putting on a facade for you. "Sorry Frisk, but you understand. I had to."
You scowled. "There was no need to be so harsh about it." You rubbed your stomach, gut still tingling a bit. Whether it was from memory or injury, you were not sure. "I could've found another way."
"I said I was sorry." Sans stared at his feet. "You think I did that because I wanted to?"
"Maybe you did," you snapped back at him. "After all, you haven't been exactly honest with me this whole time."
Sans slowly looked up to glare at you. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Drop the act, Sans. You know exactly what I mean." You took a step forward, jabbing a finger in his face. "You remember more from that first reset than you claim to, and you hardly told me anything about what's going on with you in any of these timelines. I'm not finished," you barked when Sans opened his mouth to speak. "You don't think I worry about you? You think I want our friendship torn apart by what's happened here? I don't know if you blame me or yourself, but please, talk to me, dammit!" You hadn't meant to, but suddenly you were spilling your heart out to Sans, who simply stared at you blankly. "I don't know if I'm more angry with myself for not being there for you and only making your burden more, or if I'm mad at you for not talking to me or considering my feelings or keeping secrets from me or trying for my sake if not your own!" You were crying by this point, hands balled up into fists and shaking at your sides.
Sans looked annoyed with you. "We've both been through a lot. I'm not gonna argue who has it worse or point any fingers. I've done the best I can. I did what I thought I had to do, and for that, I'm not sorry. If I hurt you in the process, I hope you can forgive me. But kid, don't be all 'woe is me' and stop being so selfish."
You sigh. "You know, the first time this all happened, I told myself every day I was being selfish and should look out for you more. But is it really so selfish just to want to live?"
Sans cursed and scratched the back of his head, glancing around before setting his eyes on you. His pupils were dim. "I don't know, kid. I really don't. Maybe we're both too hard on ourselves and each other." He smiled weakly. "I'd like more than anything for things to go back to the way they were before, but I don't know if that can happen. I don't know how much more I can take of this… feeling." He let out a shaky breath.
You step towards him and place a hand on his arm. Before you said anything else to him, you hesitated. Not knowing if you were making the right decision, you second guessed yourself, not sure if either of you really deserved happiness in the end or if you had the strength to keep going and work together with Sans after all of this, but in the end you decided that neither of you could afford to lose each other. Maybe you could be close once again. "I'd like to trust you once more." When you didn't get a response, you continued. "I don't want to lose you either of you ever again. You guys are my only refuge. You're the only one I could ever talk to. I care too much to be mad at you forever. I want things to go back to normal just as bad as you do. Please, Sans."
Sans closed his eyes for a minute, brow ridges squeezed together. You watched as he thought everything over, felt each emotion over again and again, reliving emotional turmoil and tapping into each pang of guilt, sadness, and regret perpetually in his mind until he finally met your gaze. All you saw in his eyes was sadness. "Frisk," he croaked. "I'm sorry." He fell into you, finally cracking open. "For everything. I just-"
"Shh," you hushed him, rubbing circles into his back. "It's okay now. Papyrus is alive and I'm here for you. We're all with you now. It'll be okay." Sans sniffled into your shoulder and you smiled, glad you could finally comfort him and relieved that the two of you could just open up and feel at last.
Several months passed. Seasons changed, and the new weather brought better times for everyone. All the windows were cracked to let in the crisp, evening air, a beautiful sunset pasting the sky. You and Sans were chasing each other through the house, laughing and tumbling into each other, while Papyrus made you all dinner, cooking a creamy (and rather delicious, if you did say so yourself) Alfredo pasta dish whilst talking to Undyne on the phone.
"Papyrus!" You called, entering the kitchen, Sans hot on your tail. You gasped, seeing the tall skeleton on the floor, still as a corpse, the phone several feet away from him.
"No," Sans murmured, face dropping. "Please, no, not again!"
You both rushed to his side, Sans drawing forth Papyrus' soul and checking his body for any signs of life. You knelt beside him, hands clutching Papyrus', hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
After a moment, Sans drooped his head and backed away, resting his arms on his knees. "He's dead," he whispered, head in his hands. "Again."
You sat next to him. "Let me try loading my save point," you offered.
Sans just shook his head. "We can't save him," he mumbled into his hands
"We can try though," You insisted. "We have to try."
Sans merely shrugged.
"Papyrus wouldn't give up and neither should we."
Sans pressed his palms into his eye sockets for a moment before looking at you. "You're right."
You nodded, extending your hand to Sans. He gladly accepted it. "At least we have each other," you reassured him and he smiled meekly. "Together, we can go back," you told him, your simper spreading to a genuine smile. "We have to."
Not a moment after you had spoken, everything went dark and you felt like you were floating for a second before you were back in the passenger seat, Sans' grip on your hand never leaving for an instant. Even before you realized what had happened, that your determination had allowed you to load, you felt Sans grounding hold, fingers entwined with yours, bracing you for whatever was to come. Yes, you told yourself, together we can do this.