Alphys chewed on her claws, staring at Sans with wide eyes.
"Y-y-you k-k-k-k-k-know a-b-b-out the-the true l-l-lab!?" She stammered hysterically, her tail wrapping around herself as her senses began to restrict themselves to a small bubble around her. Sans gave a tired sigh and gently pushed her tail away from her.
"yes. and I'm not mad." Sans said bluntly. His eye sockets started to glow brightly, but gently "i listened to your logs. i know you didn't mean for that to happen."
"B-b-b-but-" she curled further in on herself.
"Alphys. Look at me." Sans prompted. Not sternly, rather a sluggish suggestion. She looked up timidly, tears blurring her image of his face. His grin grew wider "There. Good. It's just me, okay?" He slowly moved his hands back "Okay?" Sans began to lower his hands but they didn't get too far before Alphys's claws wrapped around them and brought them back.
"S-s-sorry-" she stammered, clutching his hands to her chest, arching her head over them. Sans let her and came closer.
"it's alright. i get it." Sans said gently, sitting right in front of her. Their knees touched as they sat across from one another. "so… have you seen any new animes?"
"E-er….yeah-" Alphys stammered. She sighed "S-Sans, w-we probably should ad-d-dress the pr-problem-…"
"you can't do that if you're having an anxiety attack." Sans pointed out. Alphys let go of his hands and wiped at her eyes. She took a few deep, deep breaths and clearly forced a smile that was clearly supposed to mimic one of Undyne's famous grins.
"No. I-I'm fine."
"are you?"
…
"NOPE!" she lurched foreward, clinging onto him. Sans didn't seem startled and simply returned the hug. She laughed hysterically, an odd mix of a chortle, sobs, and hiccups. "O-oh my god-…" she took in a wheezing breath before burrowing her face into the crook of Sans's skull and fluff of his hood. Again, for a while they just sat there, Alphys's sobs slowly fading away in favor of quiet snivels. Eventually, she spoke up again.
"I-I'm sorry S-Sans."
"what for?"
She sighed and moved away from him, wiping at her eyes. She took off her glasses and wiped them with the edge of her coat. "Th-this isn't about me. I-I shouldn't-"
"stop." Sans interrupted. "don't pull the whole 'i have no right to feel bad' thing with me. you were putting yourself through a lot to begin with and this whole situation just makes that worse." He winked "take it from me, it's no sin to take a break once and a while."
Alphys gave a light chuckle, despite herself. She took a deep breath again and stumbled onto her feet. Her bitter smile seemed genuine. "G-got it. Th-thanks-" her face turned a deep red suddenly. "Oh my god! S-s-sans I'm s-s-s-so sorry I didn't-" She did an…interesting, little dance and pulled her collar up, trying to hide her face with it. "OH MY GOD."
Sans didn't seem to care. He got up and dusted himself off before stuffing his hands back into his coat pockets. "well you seem better."
"SANS!" Alphys yelped. "You- y-you didn't f-f-feel awkward-!?"
Sans shrugged "this isn't an anime, Alphys. a hug doesn't equal romantic interest." He muttered under his breath "so don't get any ideas."
"I-I wasn't-!"
"wasn't talking to you."
"What?"
"anyway." Sans said. "you sure you good? i get it if you need a few more minutes."
Alphys shook her head "N-no. I'm fine."
"liar."
"I'm better than I was before."
"better." Sans shrugged. "if you're feeling up to it, we probably should go back. Pap's probably getting antsy by now."
Alphys gave a nod "Y-yeah." She fidgeted "B-but the True Lab…"
Sans gave a wink "whether you wanna tell them or not is up to you."
Alphys fidgeted. She took a deep breath and tried to speak without stammering "W-we need those notes."
Tried.
Sans's eye sockets widened in surprise. "woah. really?"
"Y-yes." Alphys swallowed nervously. She clearly was uncomfortable "We-we c-can tell them-" she trailed off a moment "We have to- t-to help you."
Sans stared at her a moment. He then laughed a little. "well. if you're sure. can't say I expected you to give up any of your secrets for my sake."
Alphys gave a forced grin and an even more forced tone of sarcasm "W-well don't think it's just for you then." She attempted a wink. Clearly she was unfamiliar with it "I-I mean y-you can go nuts and kill everyone."
Sans grinned though the lights in his eyes faltered "yep. i guess i can."
They needed all the help they could get.
Sans was being juggled between Alphys and Papyrus.
Alphys had explained the True Lab, what she used it for, and why they had to go there. She was terrified, it was understandable, but Sans lent an oddly comforting and encouraging presence. When this was all over and done with, Alphys really hoped they could be friends again.
Papyrus listened with a patient silence, offering his assistance to quiet Undyne's random questions and comments. Sans wasn't much help with that, as it is his comments just made her even louder. But eventually the story was out and Alphys bowed her head, awaiting her judgement.
"SO WE CAN FIND OUT HOW TO HELP SANS THERE?" Papyrus's question had been one-track minded. Undyne followed suit, stating she would think about her opinion on the True Lab after 'the chance of sans killing everyone is gone'.
So they're in the lab walking down its dark and musty corridors. Papyrus clung onto the edge of Sans's right sleeve, Alphys clung onto his left arm. Sans was in the middle, seemingly indifferent to the two while Undyne led the way.
None of the amalgamates had shown up yet. They were probably scared of all the strangers in what might as well be their house. Alphys cringed whenever they walked past one of the mounted logs, expecting one of them to listen to it in their curiosity. Apparently Sans already listened to them, but that didn't ease the feeling of terror in her stomach.
"Is this the door?" Undyne asked, looking back over her shoulder. Sans shook his head and they kept going. "How about this door?" another shake of his head indicated 'no'. "This one?" and Sans shook his head again and Undyne asked again and Sans answered 'no' again and this went on for maybe twenty minutes.
"here it is." Sans said in front of a wall.
The three other monsters exchanged looks and then directed their gazes toward where Sans was standing, slightly angle toward the said wall.
"There's nothing there." Undyne huffed.
Sans winked and tapped on the door twice, waited, another tap, waited, and then tapped twice again. A low beep was heard and the door bulged outward, revealing the wall to actually be a panel. It slid over, opening up a hidden hall.
"usually you have to do this annoying puzzle involving bubbles and how many beds and fans there are, but this works too." Sans said. He motioned into the corridor, indicating them to go ahead. After a moment or two of silence, Undyne stormed down the hall. Alphys followed timidly, casting Sans a glance as she passed. Papyrus took a step foreward but stopped, his empty eye sockets gazing down the dark hall. The footsteps of the girls slowly became muffled by the dust and dark.
The brothers were left alone in the hall.
"what's up bro?" Sans asked, putting his hand back into his pocket.
"…WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS BEFORE?" Papyrus asked after a moment, tilting his skull downwards to look at his older brother.
"tell you what?" Sans blinked.
"WHAT!?" Papyrus snapped, throwing his arms in the air. They sweeped down in an arch and motioned toward him "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOU!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS PLACE, ABOUT YOUR SOUL, ABOUT HOW YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT BEFORE-" his voice caught on his last word and his volume dropped, his arms and shoulders following suit. Sans's eye sockets widened and he took a step forward, his right hand leaving the security of his pocket and reaching toward his brother.
"P-pap, it had nothing to do with you-" he said.
"Sans, you're my brother." Papyrus said. "I-I just-" magical tears seeped out of his sockets and somewhere in their depths a white light flared up. "Sans, do you think I can't help you with this?"
Sans didn't respond immediately. When he spoke, his voice was low. "I…" he looked away "Papyrus, I didn't tell you because I already did." He turned his grin up as blue began to tinge the edge of his sockets "It makes no sense, I know. I know- just- just…." He looked away again and toed at the dust with his slipper. "Please just…. Trust me on this?"
Papyrus looked at him a long moment. And that's all he did. And all Sans did was toe the dust with his foot. Somewhere deeper in the lab, they heard a gargled bark. It echoed. They still stood there.
Quietly.
Dust swirled.
Papyrus dropped to his knees and pulled Sans into the tightest hug of his life.
"OKAY, BROTHER. I'LL TRUST YOU." Papyrus said.
Sans returned the hug and nestled his face in between Papyrus's skull and shoulder. "thanks. i'll explained to you when i can. I promise."
*DETERMINATION
"U-undyne?" Alphys stammered, looking back. "I-I-I think Papyrus and Sans are still out there."
"I KNOW." Undyne muttered. She kept walking. Alphys jumped a little, surprised by the sudden rise of her voice.
"E-er-…. Okay…" Alphys trailed off, shifting her feet and fidgeting with her claws. She continued to shuffle after Undyne, her tail dragging uncomfortably through the thick carpet of dust. They walked for a while in near-silence. Back at the mouth of the corridor Papyrus's voice echoed, spreading across the walls like cracks in glass. He sounded…angry. But a type of desperate, guilt-ridden, angry. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on.
"W-what do you t-t-think they're t-talking about?" Alphys asked timidly, desperate for both an answer and to break the silence. A low mutter was Undyne's response. "Wh-what?"
"I SAID Papyrus is probably finally giving Sans a mouthful!" she snapped, turning so suddenly Alphys almost ran into her legs. "Like he SHOULD BE!" She glowered down at Alphys, her red eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness. Her lips were parted at the corner of her mouth, curled up in a snarl to reveal her fangs.
Alphys was suddenly reminded of how much bigger Undyne was.
"E-er yes?" Alphys agreed meekly, tears blurring her vision of Undyne's eyes as the yelling down the hall became louder.
Something in Undyne's expression shifted. Alphys couldn't see it well through the blur of tears in her eyes that clouded up her glasses. Through the fog she could see was her lips relaxed, the shine of her eyes looking to the side. She knelt down to look at Alphys at eye-level.
Gently she reached forward, took Alphys's glasses off and wiped them with the edge of her shirt.
"I'll be honest." The warrior said quietly, focusing her eyes on the simple task in front of her. "I want to yell at you, too. But I know that won't work."
Alphys didn't respond. It felt as if something was caught in her throat, strangling her. She felt her heart began to beat quickly and her breath quicken into a panic attack. Claws tensed to her chest and she was suddenly reminded of how Sans had helped her earlier. She clung to that comforting thought of his hands.
Her vision suddenly sharped and she felt her glasses being slid back onto her face. And with the sharpening of her vision she saw Undyne's gentle smile, the careful tilt of her head.
"I don't want to make you upset, Alphys." She said quietly. Slowly she took Alphys's claws into her hands and folded her fingers in between them "I just need to know why you didn't tell me about this. I know you. This lab probably haunts the living hell out of you. And you didn't tell me? I could've helped somehow!" her voice rose near the end of her sentence but she cut herself off. Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. "…Why didn't you tell me?"
Tears clouded Alphys's glasses again. "I-I th-th-th-though y-y-you'd h-hate m-m-mee-" she hiccupped through her sentence. Undyne let out a sharp bark of laughter and forced her into a tight hug.
"You MORON! You couldn't MAKE me hate you even if you WANTED!" She yelled in a very Undyne-like fashion. Alphys clung onto her and cried from both relief, fear, and a new spark of hope.
They held onto eachother for awhile, neither willing to let go until-
"ARE WE INTERUPTING SOMETHING?" Papyrus said.
Undyne punched him in the chest(plate).
"NO! I HAVE NO EMOTIONS! BESIDES RAGE!" Undyne howled, her oddly long tongue curling up into the air. Alphys giggled a moment before a skeletal hand offered her a hankercheif. She turned a bit and saw Sans give a wink as he waved it in front of her.
Alphys smiled and took the rag.
A/N
WOWIE ZOWIE! WHAT A LONG CHAPTER!
Actually it was supposed to be longer, ending with the first redacted log but then those fluff-filled hurt/comfort things showed up and that last line was too perfect to not leave off on. And might I just say that I find Undyne INCREDIBLY hard to write? I think I (barely) pulled it off.
Okay Alphys had a panic attack early on. That's what I needed to do. Listen, I'm usually awfully comedic but that revelation to someone like Alphys is not something that could be shrugged off with a 'she tried' joke (although that still made it in there. Look back, only one chapter so far doesn't have that joke in it). And when I first wrote this chapter I was like '….Undyne and Papyrus are too chill about this'. So. Yeah. Confrontation was needed. …Personally I like the Alphyne this chapter.
(A/N/N: Undyne was originally going to say: "Oh Alphys, I would never hate you" but then I realized Undyne's not a disney prince and she'd never say it like that.)
Response to Reviews:
TheDeuctionist- The answer is Sans. Yep. Be scared for him
Cosmickatsu- There WILL be more tapes. But from who? Hmmm…
Hello Anyone There- Yep. Someone is here. And I'm so happy your enjoying this story so much! And I'm so, so happy you got that Gaster did care for him! But was still horrible. Honestly I was afraid no one would get that.
Frisk Dreemur- Axolotl. It's an animal, I call it the Mudkip-Salamander.
Tra la la, Dreemur wakes and Dreemur sleeps but which one who claims his soul keeps?