"Oh… we're here already…?" Napstablook hovered above their seat as the limousine pulled into Papyrus's driveway. The seatbelt went through Napstablook's incorporeal body, but they'd insisted on buckling it anyway.
"Don't sound so excited, Blooky!" Mettaton's fans whirred in anticipation. He stowed his phone in the pocket of his pink suit. It was a classic outfit, one that Papyrus always complimented. It felt fitting to wear on their first date after being separated for so long.
"Oh… sorry, Mettaton…."
"I am only teasing, my dearly beloved bandmate." He blew Napstablook a kiss, since most other forms of affection were ineffective on them. "My excitement is more than enough for all of us."
"We'll miss you, Mettaton!" Shyren said from above the driver's seat.
"Don't miss me too much, darlings. Just think of me posing dramatically until our next band practice." He squeezed to the front of the car and gave Shyren a quick kiss on the cheek, then bent down to press one to her agent's head. Together his two friends were able to drive the limousine without crashing into any lampposts, trashcans, or small white dogs, which was more than Mettaton could say for himself.
With them driving, he could focus on more important matters, like sending his boyfriend selfie updates every three-point-five minutes.
Normally Papyrus would respond with photos of his own, but all Mettaton had received since turning his phone off airplane mode were text messages. Maybe Papyrus had a glamorous outfit prepared that he didn't want to leak before their date. The possibilities made Mettaton giddy.
Would it be excessive to send a selfie from Papyrus's front yard? The hedges in the flower bed were manicured in the shape of his smile. They looked lovely, and he could pair the photo with a witty comment that would make Papyrus laugh out loud, and Mettaton would be able to hear his wonderful NYEH HEH HEH before even entering the house…
Or he could just walk up and ring the doorbell. Less extravagant, but after a month of being away, he was eager to see his boyfriend in the flesh. So to speak.
He waved goodbye to Shyren and Napstablook, and practically floated up the steps to the porch.
A fart noise blurted out when he rang the doorbell. Ah. Sans must have replaced it in the time Mettaton had been away. It was a small thing, but he worried about what else he'd missed. He loved the stage, the lights, the fans… and of course, he loved spending time with Shyren and Blooky again, even if neither knew his true identity. His cousin had a new light in them after finally chasing their dream. There was no point in burdening them with the past.
Mettaton's inner monologue nearly drowned out the noise of someone approaching the door. Not Papyrus. Mettaton would have instantly recognized his powerful footsteps.
"Good evening, dear," Toriel said when she opened the door. A purple scarf was draped around her neck, and a puffy silver coat hung over one arm.
"Hello, beautiful!" He kissed the air in front of her cheeks. He would never get over the magnificent feeling of owning lips. "I see you're prepared for cold weather. Are you headed out to my resort?"
"I am." Her smile held a giddiness he wasn't used to seeing on her. "It seems we both have dates planned tonight. Speaking of which, Papyrus is still getting ready. Come in."
She held the door for him. He knew about her date already, of course. Papyrus had sent him several excited texts about the latest "soriel" development this afternoon.
"Congratulations!" Mettaton shot confetti from his fingertip. Just a small amount. His boots were outfitted to vacuum it up afterwards. "And you chose my resort for the location? I knew you had excellent taste, darling! I hope you and Sans have a wonderfully romantic evening."
Toriel chuckled. "I am not so sure about romantic, but I do believe it will be fun."
Any chance Mettaton had of continuing that conversation was dashed as Papyrus shuffled out of the hallway.
He wore an oversized purple hoodie with a cartoon drawing of a snail and the words feeling sluggish on it. Was it coincidence? Was it fate? Had Papyrus learned of the past Mettaton had tried to bury?
He would confront those fears later. Mettaton was still overjoyed to see his boyfriend's beautiful face.
"Sugarskull!" Mettaton ran to him, leaping into his arms.
"Uh—" Papyrus grunted before catching him with blue magic. Mettaton loved the weightless euphoria of his boyfriend's magic, but normally he would also use his arms.
"Oh dear." Toriel covered her mouth. "Papyrus didn't tell you?"
Papyrus laughed. It was more of a low wheeze, nothing like the NYEH HEH HEH that Mettaton loved. What was going on?
"Darling, if you need space, I—" he began, but Papyrus cut him off.
"Uh, this is gonna sound real weird," he said. It already sounded weird. That was definitely not his love's voice. "Geez, I really thought he'd told ya…"
"Had told me what?" Mettaton crossed his arms and scowled. Papyrus—or not-Papyrus—still held him aloft with magic. It was starting to make his soul squirm. "I'm a star, darling. I don't do well in the dark."
"Stars are always in the dark. It's kinda their thing." Papyrus grinned. Suddenly Mettaton recognized his voice.
"Sans?" He gasped.
"Bingo. Uh, I'm gonna put you down now, okay?"
"Please lower me into my grave while you're at it," he muttered while falling back on his feet. He'd almost leapt into the arms of his future brother-in-law. How mortifying!
Sans snickered. "Try not to feel too low. My bro's already got that covered."
Mettaton's eyes widened. "Is he alright? If you're in his body, then is he…?"
"I'M SORRY, METTATON." Papyrus finally appeared behind Sans.
Sure enough, he was in his brother's body. He wore a tiny red suit that looked brand new, and a vaguely familiar locket rested over his chest. He covered his face with a wide-brimmed hat.
"Oh, darling." Mettaton brushed past Sans so he could place his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders. Mettaton usually towered a foot over Papyrus, but in Sans's body, he barely came up to his waist. "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"
It was no wonder Papyrus hadn't sent him any selfies recently. When had this happened? How had this happened? He was bursting with questions, but Papyrus seemed rattled enough without being interrogated.
"I'M PERFECTLY FINE! I AM JUST… SMALL. AND I CAN'T REACH YOU TO KISS YOUR GORGEOUS LIPS."
"Now that is a problem I can solve, darling!"
Mettaton scooped him up and pressed a smooch to his teeth. An electric tingle shot through him, just like it always did when he kissed Papyrus. It didn't matter what his body looked like; he was still his adorable, wonderful boyfriend.
"Welp. I'm leaving," Sans deadpanned. "Don't do anything weird with my body, okay?"
"IT'S ALRIGHT, SANS! YOU KNOW METTATON IS ASEXUAL, JUST LIKE YOU!"
Papyrus had brought that up when Mettaton first came out to him. It would be nice to bond with Sans over their shared experiences, but there never seemed to be time. Maybe one day they would go on a double date, now that he was with Toriel.
Sans shrugged. "Doesn't have to be sexy to be weird."
"SAYS THE ONE WHO DRINKS ABOMINABLE CONDIMENTS! ANYTHING I DO WITH YOUR BODY WILL BE PERFECTLY NORMAL IN COMPARISON!"
"Sure." Sans shrugged again. "You ready, Tori?"
"I've been waiting on you this whole time," she teased.
"Hey, it's not my fault none of my clothes fit. Thanks for the hoodie, by the way."
"It still swallows you," she chuckled while adjusting his drawstrings.
Mettaton breathed a sigh of relief. Papyrus didn't know of his connection to snails after all.
Though… would it be so terrible, if he did know? Mettaton would rather Papyrus learn the truth from himself than from Frisk or Alphys or, heaven forbid, Flowey.
No, this was supposed to be a fun, carefree evening. Mettaton wouldn't ruin it by dredging up useless history.
"GOOD LUCK ON YOUR DATE!" Papyrus called, waving from Mettaton's arms.
Sans looked over his shoulder and winked "I will."
"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE!"
"I know."
Sans and Toriel disappeared into the garage. Mettaton chuckled.
"You've been dying to use that one, haven't you?"
"ONLY EVER SINCE I SAW MEGAMIND! SO PRACTICALLY FOREVER!" Papyrus threw his arms in the air. "IT'S ONLY THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL ADVICE THAT TORIEL EVEN ASKED HIM OUT!"
"You're quite the matchmaker." Mettaton smiled and hugged Papyrus closer. As strange as it was for his boyfriend to wear Sans's face, there was some benefit to being able to cradle him like this. "Though I must say, my favorite match is still you and I."
"AWWWW." Papyrus smiled. "I MISSED YOU, METTATON. AND I… AM STILL SORRY FOR NOT WARNING YOU ABOUT MY, ER. CONDITION." He looked away.
"Darling." Mettaton leaned in, so their foreheads were pressed together. "Surely you know that I love you no matter what you look like."
A guilty voice inside him said that Papyrus would feel the same. So why did Mettaton keep hiding?
"OF COURSE. I KNOW THAT. I JUST…" He sighed. "I WANTED YOUR WELCOME HOME DATE TO BE PERFECT. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GO MINIGOLFING AT THE NEW COURSE I DESIGNED, AND CATCH FIREFLIES, AND DANCE IN THE MOONLIGHT… BUT NOW I'M TOO SHORT FOR DANCING! AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT I HAVE EVEN FALLEN INTO THE DESPICABLE HABIT OF NAPPING!"
His browbone furrowed. His frustration seemed to stem from more than just his current appearance. Papyrus… oh, dear Papyrus. Mettaton understood what he was feeling far more than he knew.
Papyrus could know. If Mettaton worked up the guts to tell him.
"We don't have to do all those things," he reassured Papyrus. "We're together again. Anything we do will be fabulous."
"BUT I WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS! I… I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT THIS WOULD BE. NOT THAT I CANNOT HANDLE IT!"
"You're the strongest monster I know, Papyrus," Mettaton said while carrying him to the couch. If they weren't going to go out, they might as well get comfortable. "You seem to be taking this much better than…"
Than I would, he thought.
"THANK YOU. I AM VERY STRONG… BUT THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. I MISS BEING TALL, AND MUSCULAR, AND HAVING BOUNDLESS ENERGY!" His expression looked pained as he laid in Mettaton's lap. "I ALSO HAVE WORK ON MONDAY, EVEN THOUGH SANS INSISTS I SHOULD TAKE A VACATION. I'VE NEVER TAKEN A VACATION FOR ANY REASON! AND I PROMISED HIM I WOULD TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIS BODY, WHICH MEANS EXERCISING AND EATING HEALTHILY, BUT ALL I WANT IS A BIG GREASY BURGER!"
He buried his face in his hat again. Mettaton knew how much Papyrus despised grease, to the point that Mettaton was careful to oil himself only on days when he knew they wouldn't be seeing each other.
"Papyrus. Darling. Vacations are wonderful. You don't get bishonen eyes like these without taking a few beauty breaks," Mettaton said while stroking the top of Papyrus's skull. It was strange, not feeling the same divots and bumps that he had memorized. "Index can cover your responsibilities until…"
Until when? How long would Papyrus be stuck like this? Mettaton might not mind what he looked like, but he didn't want to see his boyfriend in pain.
"ALPHYS IS WORKING ON A SOLUTION." Papyrus seemed to read his mind. "I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE. BUT, SHE SEEMED CONFIDENT! NOW IT'S MY TURN TO BE CONFIDENT IN HER!"
Knowing Alphys, it could be three days, or three years. Still, Mettaton trusted her. If there was a solution, she would find it.
"Then we will just have to be patient." Mettaton smiled down at him, though he felt like a hypocrite for it. He already had his perfect body. "What would you like to do for our date?"
"IT'S YOUR WELCOME HOME CELEBRATION! YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE TO CHOOSE!" Papyrus insisted. "I HAVE ALREADY SPOILED OUR DATE ENOUGH WITH MY UNWHOLESOME COMPLAINING! FORGIVE ME, LOVE."
Mettaton's circuits heated. Papyrus rarely broke out the pet names, but they always sent pleasant tingles through him.
"There is nothing to forgive, darling." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of his skull. "I only wish I could do more to help. I wasn't even here for you when this happened." He frowned. "What exactly did happen?"
Papyrus explained how one of Sans's shortcuts had gone wrong. Mettaton tried to hold back his frustration with Sans. It was an accident; Papyrus made that clear. But accidents still had consequences.
"IT'S FINE! I'LL BE FINE. I JUST NEED TO—" Papyrus yawned. "GET UP AND GET MY BLOOD PUMPING…"
"You don't have blood." Mettaton chuckled.
"FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING! I… I CAN DRIVE US TO THE RESORT, AND WE CAN STILL…"
"No offense, darling, but I'm not trusting you to drive in this state. How about we get something delivered and have a picnic? Then we can still watch the fireflies like you wanted."
Papyrus sat up. "AN EXCELLENT IDEA FROM MY EXCELLENT BOYFRIEND!"
Papyrus grabbed a knitted blanket from the back of the couch and headed into the backyard. Mettaton stayed behind to make a phone call. The dialtone rang and rang, until Mettaton was sure no one was going to pick up.
"Thank you for calling MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Glamburger. Sparkle up your day™." The voice on the other end sounded like it wanted to die.
"Burger—er, Brad?" Mettaton corrected quickly. "My favorite darling employee who I love?"
A muffled curse came across the line. "Uh—Mettaton! My ex-boss who I definitely don't hate!"
"Darling, you'll have to work on your acting if you want to make it in the big leagues."
"Customer service voice is harder than acting, trust me," Brad grumbled. He'd gotten a lot bolder ever since he'd taken Papyrus's confidence-training class. And since Papyrus had made Mettaton promise to be nicer to him.
"Yes, retail certainly is a thankless stage." Mettaton sighed, remembering his own decades of selling snails.
"Is that your way of thanking me?" Brad asked.
Mettaton's way of thanking him was by avoiding him whenever possible. Honestly, Burgerpants was still the worst employee. Monsters wanted their glamburgers flame-grilled, not cigarette-smoked. And they didn't want to be hit on while they ordered.
Perhaps Mettaton should've just ordered from Grillby's. But he wasn't sure that Papyrus would accept that level of grease, even in his current state.
"If I thank you, will you do me a teeny-tiny favor?" Mettaton asked through a grimace.
He wasn't technically Brad's boss anymore. Touring required him to delegate authority to other monsters. Tessella managed the resort's staff, and Sushane was head of the kitchens. Both the origami and fish monster loved Mettaton, but they wouldn't force Brad to run errands for him.
"No," Brad deadpanned.
"Wait, wait!" Mettaton said before he could hang up. "Would you do Papyrus a teeny-tiny favor?"
A crackling sigh came across the receiver.
"For the last time, I am not pressing his face into the steaks."
"I didn't ask for a Steak in the Shape of Papyrus's Face!" Mettaton wanted to bang his forehead against a blunt surface. He would have, if his very sturdy metallic plating wouldn't have dented the kitchen counter. "If I wanted that, he would cook one himself, obviously."
"Then what do you need me for? Did you kill someone?" He asked suddenly. "Wait, don't answer that. I'm not testifying for you in court."
Mettaton laughed. It was barely even forced.
"Braddy, you are hilarious. No. My wonderful boyfriend love of my life is having a particular craving."
"Oh my g—is he pregnant?"
Mettaton sighed and dropped his head to the counter. Gently. It barely left a chip in the wood.
"Congratulations. You've officially managed to suck even worse. I'm going to have to add a new song to your mixtape."
Papyrus had actually thrown away the Brad Diss Track Mixtape. It was a shame, since those had been some of Mettaton's catchiest tunes. If he recreated them with more universally applicable lyrics, he was sure they would top the charts.
"O-okay, I get it, that was bad. I'm gonna shut up now."
Finally, a smart choice.
"I'd like you to deliver two Glamburgers and one Face Steak to 915 Milky Way. As quickly as possible. Please."
"We don't actually, offer delivery…"
"I'll ask Tessella to give you a raise and three vacation days."
"The customer is always right!" Brad said quickly. "I'll be there in one sparkling second!"
The line went dead. Ugh. Mettaton sincerely hoped that Brad's acting career took off—mostly to get him away from the resort—but with those transparent lies, he wouldn't count on it.
Mettaton walked out into the backyard and found Papyrus already sprawled out on the blanket. His stomach rose and fell with breaths he shouldn't have needed to take.
Mettaton smirked when he saw that Papyrus's eyesockets were closed. He leaned over his sleeping boyfriend.
"Already wilting without my illuminating presence?"
Papyrus jolted awake, nearly cracking his skull against Mettaton's forehead.
"SORRY! THESE ACCIDENTAL NAPS WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!"
"It's alright. I know how it is to unexpectedly run out of batteries." Mettaton winked and sat down at his side, folding his legs beneath him. "Food is on the way. I'm sure it won't compare to your fabulous cooking, but maybe it will restore some of your energy."
"WHAT DID YOU ORDER?"
"Two Glamburgers for you, and a Face Steak for me. Or vice versa, if your craving for grease fades again." Mettaton wasn't picky about his own food. His electronic flavor-sensors could be adjusted to match nearly any meal. The one thing they couldn't seem to filter out was cigarette smoke.
"I PROMISED I WOULD EAT HEALTHIER. FOR SANS."
"Darling, your brother has survived on fast food for this long. I doubt that one more Glamburger will make a difference."
Papyrus sighed. "I SUPPOSE NOT. I WILL JUST HAVE TO EAT EXTRA VEGETABLES TOMORROW TO MAKE UP FOR IT."
It was cute how concerned Papyrus was for his brother, but Mettaton wished he would worry a bit more about himself. Too often Mettaton had watched him burn himself out while trying to help other monsters.
"I'll make you an omelette for breakfast with all the vegetables you want," Mettaton offered. He was still getting used to non-ghost food, but Shyren had taught him how to cook omlettes while they were on tour. Once he'd even managed to make one in the shape of her face.
"FOR BREAKFAST?" Papyrus squinted, then grinned. "YOU MEAN YOU'RE STAYING? OVERNIGHT?"
"Well." Mettaton's faceplates heated. "Welly well well."
He had implied that, hadn't he? And they wouldn't be doing anything… weird, as Sans would say. Mettaton just wanted to be here to take care of his boyfriend. It would be just like a slumber party with the band, only more wonderful and exciting because he could cuddle with Papyrus all night.
"WELL?" Papyrus's hand took his. Their fingers wound together, fitting differently than Mettaton was used to. Papyrus still wore gloves, at least.
"Well." Mettaton coughed, turning to hide behind his bangs. "If you insist, beautiful."
"CONSIDER ME INSISTING!" Papyrus beamed. It was the most awake he'd looked all evening. "BUT, DIDN'T YOU JUST GET HOME? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM THE RESORT? YOUR CHARGING CABLE?"
"Right here, darling." He patted his left hip. Beneath his pink pants was a small new hatch. Alphys had installed it before the tour, knowing how often he misplaced his charging cord. It wouldn't do to run out of batteries while performing. Thankfully, he'd had plenty of time to charge on the plane, so he likely wouldn't even need it.
"IN THAT CASE, IT'S A DATE! OR! A LONGER DATE, ANYWAY!"
Papyrus laughed, and Mettaton's soul fluttered.
Then a loud fart noise ruined the moment.
"UGH, SANS!" Papyrus leapt to his feet. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HE SWITCHED THE DOORBELL AGAIN!"
That must be Burgerpants—Brad—arriving with their dinner. Mettaton was tempted to let his boyfriend retrieve the food by himself. Papyrus made it around the side of the house before Mettaton remembered that Brad didn't know about the whole body swap ordeal.
Mettaton caught up to his boyfriend just in time to watch Brad's face contort through a series of hellish expressions.
"Brad. What did I tell you about making that face in front of customers?" Mettaton put his hands on his hips.
"This gremlin isn't a customer! He's the maniac who keeps stealing all the ketchup packs!"
Papyrus laughed. "YES, THAT DOES SOUND LIKE MY BROTHER. I WOULD APOLOGIZE FOR HIM, BUT I DOUBT IT WILL CHANGE ANYTHING."
Confusion was evident on Brad's face before all emotion disappeared.
"You know what? I'm not getting paid to ask questions." He passed a greasy paper bag into Papyrus's gloved hand. "That'll be 740 G."
Mettaton pulled out his wallet and flicked him two thousand-G coins. Brad fumbled to catch them, then stared at the gold like it might bite him.
"That's for not running your mouth," Mettaton explained. "Do you understand? No gossipping about my boyfriend to any coworkers or customers. I don't care how hot you think they are."
Brad looked up with a flat expression. "You realize this is barely enough to pay for gas and lunch, right?"
"MAKE IT TWO LUNCHES!" Papyrus gave him a tip in human cash. "NOT THAT BRAD WOULD GOSSIP ABOUT ME ANYWAY, SINCE WE'RE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS! RIGHT, BRAD?"
Papyrus gave his most sincere smile. Paired with Sans's face, it was somehow more intimidating than anything Mettaton could've pulled off.
Brad forced a manic-looking grin. "Again. Not testifying for you in court!"
He lit a cigarette as he walked back to the car. At least it wasn't a company vehicle, considering the Burger Emporium didn't actually offer delivery. Burgerpants could keep his stench to himself.
"CLASSIC BRAD." Papyrus laughed. "HE SHOULD TRY OUT FOR THE RESORT'S COMEDY SHOW. SANS COULD USE SOME FRIENDLY COMPETITION!"
"I wouldn't hold your breath. Unless it's to avoid that rancid cloud of smoke." Mettaton waved a hand in front of his face.
At least Brad had come at all. Mettaton would follow through on his word and talk to Tessella.
They returned to the backyard and set up their meal. Papyrus went a step further and hung a bedsheet from the side of the children's treehouse. With Mettaton acting as a projector, they were able to have dinner and a show.
The show happened to be Ratatouille, because that was the only movie saved on Mettaton's hard drive that neither of them had seen before. Alphys had uploaded some files for him and the band if they got bored, but Mettaton hadn't been particularly interested in rats. He expected it to play in the background as while noise while he and Papyrus cuddled and watched for fireflies.
Mettaton hadn't expected to see himself reflected in a young rat chasing his dreams despite his family's expectations. He sat completely still so that the projector on his chest wouldn't shake, but he held Papyrus tight against his side.
"METTATON, ARE YOU… CRYING?" Papyrus asked in a stage whisper.
"Shhh!" He didn't mean to be rude, but he had to hear what Remy said. How was the rat going to explain himself to his family? Were they going to love and support him, or would they throw him away for choosing a different path in life?
"I SEE WHY YOU AND ALPHYS ARE FRIENDS," Papyrus teased once the tense emotional scene was over. He wiped away Mettaton's tears with his soft gloves. "ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT SHE CREATED YOU, OF COURSE. YOU BOTH HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR CARTOONS."
It was much, much more than that, but Mettaton couldn't explain without delving into his whole tragic backstory. Well. Less tragic, and more… guilty.
The movie ended on a happy note. Remy brought his new and old families together. He got to do what he loved without losing the people that he loved. Mettaton had sort of done that… right? Blooky was still in his life.
It wasn't the warm acceptance that Remy had finally received. But Mettaton didn't deserve that. He'd kept too many secrets for too long.
"...METTATON?" Papyrus asked when the credits stopped rolling and Mettaton still hadn't moved. "WAS THAT MOVIE, ERR, TOO EMOTIONAL FOR YOU?"
Mettaton switched off the projector and looked down at him. His browbones were turned upwards in concern.
"It was a very compelling cinematic masterpiece." Mettaton sniffed. The action didn't calm his leaking tear ducts.
"UM, YES. IT'S CERTAINLY COMPELLING ME TO LEARN A NEW RECIPE, ONCE I AM TALL ENOUGH TO REACH THE STOVE AGAIN. BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT."
Mettaton chuckled. For all that Papyrus liked to feign obliviousness, he could be quite perceptive.
"It just hit a little too close to home," he murmured, resting back on the blanket.
Papyrus flopped back beside him, then propped his head up in his palm.
"LAST I CHECKED, YOU WEREN'T A SMALL RODENT LIVING IN THE SEWERS."
"I lived next to a dump. That's close enough, isn't it?"
Papyrus blinked. "YOU… I'M CONFUSED."
Mettaton was too. Why had he let that joke slip? It was better to keep hiding, wasn't it? Nothing useful could come of telling the truth. He was an actor. He was in a band. He had a caring boyfriend and wonderful friends who would be devastated to know he had lied to them his whole "life."
But on the other hand… it would be nice, to not have to lie about why a rat movie brought him to tears.
"I lived next to a dump," he repeated. He folded his hands over his stomach and stared up at the sky. "You know the place. Smelly, gross, and covered in human trash."
"OHHH. YOU MEAN ALPHYS GOT THE PARTS TO BUILD YOU FROM THE DUMP."
That wasn't what he meant at all, but it would be easy to let Papyrus believe it. Then they could just laugh this off and go back to cuddling.
"No," he forged onward instead. "Alphys didn't build me."
Papyrus opened his mouth, then shut it again. His eyelights urged Mettaton to continue.
"She built my body, and I will be forever in her debt for that. Before that, I… I was a nobody." He cracked a grin at the accidental pun. "No body."
"NO—OH, THAT WAS TERRIBLE!" Papyrus swatted at his arm and laughed. "THIS ISN'T JUST A BAD JOKE, THOUGH, IS IT? YOU ACTUALLY LIVED NEXT TO THE DUMP. AND YOU WERE NO BODY."
Mettaton nodded.
"WERE YOU… NAPSTABLOOK'S COUSIN? THE ONE WHO DISAPPEARED?"
Some of the tightness in Mettaton's core dissipated. It was a relief, not having to actually say it.
"That's me." He gave a melancholy smile.
"NO WONDER YOU TWO GET ALONG SO WELL! I BET IT WAS NICE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME WITH THEM ON YOUR TOUR."
"You're—wait, you're not surprised? Or… upset?" Mettaton rolled over and squinted at him.
"SHOULD I BE?"
"Well… no. I guess not." He frowned.
It was Napstablook and Shyren who might be upset. Undyne would probably want to skewer him for leaving them behind. Papyrus hadn't known him before, though, so it didn't make a difference to him. Mettaton could consider this a rehearsal for the more difficult confessions he would make.
And he would make them. He wanted Napstablook to know the truth. He wanted… he wanted his family to be together again. For real.
"IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS I NEVER TELL ANYONE, TOO."
"Really?" Mettaton blinked, and Papyrus nodded.
"MY DAD FELL INTO THE CORE AND SHATTERED ACROSS TIME AND SPACE."
Mettaton's circuits fizzled for a brief moment.
"...Come again?"
"IT'S ALRIGHT." Papyrus shrugged. "YOU WOULDN'T REMEMBER HIM. SANS AND I BARELY REMEMBER HIM. HE BUILT THE CORE WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG."
The CORE was… decades old, at least. Maybe even a century. Mettaton had thought he was older than Papyrus, but now he had no idea.
"Still, that must have been horrible. I'm sorry."
Did he sound sincere enough? He didn't have parents. Ghosts were created when the strong memories of humans combined with ambient monster magic. The closest he'd come to having parents was accidentally calling Alphys "Mom."
Of course, he and Blooky didn't parents to be cousins.
"DON'T BE SORRY! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTING YOU! THIS IS JUST ME BEING OPEN AND HONEST SO YOU CAN FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE BARING YOUR METAL HEART TO ME!"
Mettaton laughed. Papyrus did seem alright. And he had helped Mettaton feel better.
"Thank you, sugarskull." Mettaton kissed him between his eyesockets. "And, um… please keep this between the two of us? I'm not quite ready for the world to know that their star was once a ghost."
"DON'T WORRY. MY JAW IS SEALED." Papyrus winked. "AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BRIBE ME!"
"Oh, I don't?" Mettaton teased back. "I suppose I don't have to cuddle you tonight, then. What a shame. So sad."
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRIBE ME! BUT! I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH!"
Papyrus scooted closer, then turned so that his back was to Mettaton's chest. Typically Papyrus preferred to be the big spoon, but he must have realized that would be futile in Sans's body.
"Well, how can I say no to that?"
Mettaton snaked his arms around his boyfriend's ribs. They drifted off like together, with fireflies hovering above them.