Chapter Text
After falling asleep next to Neo on the couch, you had slept for a few more hours as the robot charged. Papyrus had plugged him in, having been unable to lift his heavy metal body without assistance. Peeling your eyes open, you tried moving your body but found yourself unable. Two arms were tightly wrapped around your ribcage as a face was pushed into the back of your neck. Neo unconsciously wrapped his arms around you in his sleep-like state. A hot blue magic grabs at your cheekbones as you feel his metal against your neck bones. Cold shivers rattle your bones as a growing embarrassment blooms inside you. You knew Neo had no idea what was going on as he peacefully lay in sleep-mode, but you couldn't help but be bothered by it.
From everything that Alphys had told the two of you, it was easy to deduce that Neo felt something, even if he didn't yet know what it was himself. With a sigh, you melt back into his embrace, lifting your skeletal hands to wrap around the arms that bound your ribcage.
Bright light shone through the window as the sun lit up the room. Several birds chirped outside and a few children could be heard running around outside, playing tag and monsters and humans. Papyrus descended the stairs, humming a tune. He looked at the two on the couch and quietly “Nyeh heh heh”’d. “Sans, are you having a good time?” he asked quietly, attempting not to trip Neo’s sensors and wake him up.
“Shut up,” he retorted, only embarrassment in his voice. “Did you call your robot yet?”
Papyrus pulled his phone out of his shorts and tapped the screen with his gloves a few times, “Yeah, Give me a minute.” The skeleton held the phone to the side of his skull, listening to the humm of the dial. “HELLO? METTATON?” “COULD YOU COME OVER, THE FOUR OF US CAN DISCUSS SOME THINGS.” Papyrus’s smile faltered some. “NO NO! NOTHING’S WRONG. Mettaton it’s alright,” Papyrus spoke soothingly into the phone, consoling his boyfriend. “Okay, come on over soon, I can make us something if you're up for it. Okay, See you.” Papyrus ended the call and put the phone back in his shorts.
You felt the grip around you loosen a bit and Neo shifting. The robot grumbles at the bright light and shields his eye with your skull.
Chuckling away a blush, you shake Neo the best you could with your current position. “Wake up lazy-bolts. You gotta be ready for today.” The only response you get is a disgruntled groan and a tight squeeze of your ribs. “Come on kiddo,” you urge, not wanting your ribs to suffer much longer.
“I GUESS, I WILL START THE SPAGHETTI PREPARATIONS,” your brother announces, walking into the kitchen.
You worm your way to face Neo and his eye is shut tight. You knew he was procrastinating on booting up. With a heavy sigh, you reached behind him and pulled out the charging cable. The robot’s eye burst open, the pink iris staring straight into your white lights. “Mind letting go? As much as I enjoy you being so forward, I don't want my ribs to break.”
Neo quickly let go of you, allowing the both of you to sit up. He looks slightly flustered and you chuckle at that.
You nervously run your hand through your synthetic hair as the other hesitates over the doorbell. Children ran around outside and one had pointed to you and whispered something to another, causing them to gasp and pat their feet enthusiastically. You tried to ignore them and focus on the current matter.
Papyrus had vaguely explained why you had been invited, but nonetheless you were nervous. You were about to see your brother for the first time in weeks. You had no idea if he would be angry with you, or if he never wanted to see you again. It was understandable.
Taking an unnecessary deep breath and standing up tall, you rang the doorbell.
Within seconds, a short and familiar skeleton opened the door and gazed up at you with his ever-present grin.
“Hello,” you manage, attempting to sound confident in yourself.
“Come on in, Papyrus made some ‘good news spaghetti’,” Sans motioned you inside and allowed you to shut the door behind himself.
Inside, you saw Papyrus humming happily as he stirred spaghetti in a pot, less vigorously than he usually did. Sans had moved to sit down on the couch and look at the show playing on the tv. Next to Sans, sat your brother.
Neo eyed you with an expression that you couldn't decipher. His face remained mostly blank, but his eye spoke dozens of hidden emotions. He looked sad but forgiving.
“It's good to see you again,” you say, watching his expression change into a smile.
“Good to see you too,” another word hesitated on his tongue but he couldn't manage to say it.
Papyrus set down his spoon and turned off the burner of the stove. “THE SPAGHETTI IS READY! MADE WITH EXTRA LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP.”
The two on the couch slipped off and went to the kitchen. This was going to be a long night.
Everyone had mostly finished up their spaghetti (that was surprisingly better than usual) and there had been tame chatter between the four of you. Neo and yourself had been mostly quiet, and the skeletons could sense the tension between the two of you.
With a huff, Sans decided to start, “So I guess you're probably wondering why uh.” The short skeleton searched for words and looked to his brother for assistance.
“AH YES!,” Papyrus began, more enthusiastic than his brother, “WELL, YOU KNOW HOW YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY ASKED ME ABOUT MOVING IN?” Papyrus held a happy color to his cheeks as he grinned widely.
Your eyes widened in astonishment.
“NYEH HEH, I SEE YOU DO. WELL, WITH NEO AROUND NOW, I’M SURE MY BROTHER WON’T BE SUCH A LAZY BONES. THE TWO GET ALONG REALLY WELL,” Papyrus rubbed the back of his skull and looked away from your eyes, a magic blush crawling up his cheekbones.
You weren't shocked that the two got along so well, Sans was one of the first people Neo had met. Upon seeing them hang out, you knew they would get along well. At first, it hurt to see Neo so Buddy-Buddy with someone else. Eventually, you figured out it was for the best and left him be. Your only regret was that you didn't trust Sans sooner. If you had, you could've prevented everything.
“Anyways,” Sans continued for Papyrus, snapping you out of your thoughts, “what do you say?”
“I-I, wow,” you began to grin widely and turn to Papyrus, “I would love that Papy dear!” You couldn't stop smiling. You could practically get up and twirl your boyfriend around in the air.
Neo smiled at you, seeing your happy expression.
Papyrus grinned so wide you thought his jaw would come right off. He was giggling like a teenage schoolgirl. He leaned over and nuzzled your face with his skull. You were going to die from that cuteness.
Sans chuckled, unable to resist grinning at the two. “Get a room,” he scoffed, grinning wider and leaning into his chair.
“WELL WE HAVE ONE NOW!”
Sans nearly knocked down his chair and you burst out in robotic laughter, leaning on Papyrus for support.
During the whole exchange, Neo was awfully quiet. You caught a glimpse of Sans leaning over to him and gently whispering to him. Neo looked down sadly when he did so, and murmured something to Sans. The shorter skeleton tapped his brother and they exchanged a glance before Papyrus’s face lit up.
“OH THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA SANS, LET’S GO FIND IT!,” Papyrus raced up the stairs, Sans in tow. The shorter skeleton gave your brother a wink before entering the taller’s room, leaving you alone with your twin.
Neo looked up to you, “Mettaton,” he started, his voice thick with held back emotion. “I-I’m,” He looked down, not meeting your eyes. “I’m sorry for before, Mettaton. I didn't mean to get so angry back then…” Your brother looked his feet and seemed as if he could cry any second. “I didn't mean to blast you. I didn't even know I could do that. I was just so… So angry. It's all I could feel.” Neo’s voice began to shake. “I felt like a beast. Something that shouldn't even e-”
You couldn't take it anymore. Getting up, you grappled Neo in a tight hug. “I’m the one that’s sorry. I didn't know I would cause so much pain with my decisions,” You spoke softly, Neo’s head on your shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry. You don't deserve this pain. It's my fault. Little darling, I didn't want this for you…” Fluid trailed down you back, soaking into your pink shirt, as Neo cried. You found it progressively harder to stop yourself from letting it all out, so you did.
You quietly cried into Neo’s embrace as the two of you wrapped your arms around one another. “Neo, do you regret being made?”
He looks up to meet your pink eyes and smiles, “Not in the slightest. It may be shitty, but I know I can change someone’s life for the better and that someone needs me as much as I need them.”
You couldn't help but smile back. You were grateful to be on good terms with your brother again. “I’m so glad I have a brother like you.”
“Same here Metta, same here…”