Chapter Text
Four fifteen in the morning, read the clock. As always, he’d fallen asleep in the middle of working on it, and this was his punishment. Sans had considered abandoning the project just to get some shut-eye in his actual bed, but, obviously, that was the option he didn’t choose.
...Heh.
He always does this.
Always.
Stretching a bit, he straightens himself out, only to find something soft and clothlike draped over his shoulders; already knowing what it is, he doesn’t bother to remove it, instead turning his eye-lights to look further in front of him.
Sure enough. A plate of spaghetti sits there, still steaming; along with a note beside it.
His expression softened.
“heh,” he chuckled out loud, going to rub the sleep out of his eyesockets.
He probably should go back in the house, but...
A few more minutes can’t hurt, surely.
**
He stands in the corridor now, its golden tile stretching before him forebodingly.
He’d told himself it was useless.
This whole charade didn’t make a difference.
...But he couldn’t afford not to care anymore.
**
“g’mornin’,” yawned Sans as he stumbled into the kitchen, roughly rubbing at his eyes with his right hand. His other hand was stuffed into his pocket, almost twitching, somehow. His fingers hurt.
His brother spun on his heel to face him, boring a bright grin. “GOOD MORNING, BROTHER!! I SEE YOU’RE UP EARLY TODAY!”
Technically speaking, yes, he was up early. (Did staying awake through the entirety of the night and getting zero sleep count? Probably not.)
“GO SIT OVER AT THE TABLE!” Papyrus’s boisterous voice interrupted his thoughts, the lankier skeleton pointing to said table in question. “I HAVE SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL FOR BREAKFAST THAT I WANT YOU TO TRY!”
Sans chuckled a bit, doing as instructed and sliding into his usual seat. “what is it?”
“IT’S A SURPRISE!!” Ah, of course.
Papyrus’s enthusiasm, unsurprisingly, rubbed off on Sans as he watched his brother with bright lights in his sockets, and even when was given something less than appetizing (it probably shouldn’t have been smoking like that), his day was made just a bit brighter.
**
His hands twitch at his sides, magic just barely sparking beneath the surface.
It’s only a matter of time, now.
**
It was only a matter of time that Papyrus found out.
Sans had a limit, as much as he hated to admit such. And recently, he’d been letting that limit get the best of him, instead of pushing it down.
He hadn’t been rubbing the dark circles under his eyes enough.
He hadn’t been putting as much effort into helping his brother.
He’d slept in the same clothes for weeks.
He blamed it on being lazy. He thought Papyrus believed it. He took it in stride, chastising him, saying he’d just have to motivate him himself from then on.
But one day...
One day, Sans couldn’t take it anymore.
**
He couldn’t take it anymore.
He was tired of waiting.
**
His tears stained his brother’s scarf, but Papyrus didn’t seem to mind.
**
His tears soak into his hoodie.
He misses having the scarf.
**
Sans clutched his brother close, his sobs being the only sound in the tense silence. Even then, Papyrus didn’t seem to mind. Papyrus just held him tight in return, nuzzling him against his chest.
“Things will be okay one day, Sans.”
One day.
“Even if they aren’t...”
I’ll always be here for you.
**
He isn’t anymore.
But it’s okay.
**
At first, the human had been a blessing, when he saw them.
They were sparing everyone.
The resets had stopped, because of them.
He hadn’t needed to give them the warning, but, just in case...
**
He hears footsteps, echoing through the other room.
Maybe it is them. Maybe it isn’t.
Just in case, he prepares himself.
**
They were a good kid.
Papyrus said as much.
Sans thought so too.
Papyrus had smiled.
“I’M GLAD THE HUMAN IS HERE!!”
No more resets. They had a chance.
“YOU CAN BE HAPPY NOW.”
He could be better now.
**
They couldn’t change.
Killing Papyrus was a testament to that.
**
The human reset.
Sans didn’t say a word to Papyrus about it.
But Papyrus knew.
**
He hopes they’ll reset,
even as they make their way towards him.
**
“...THERE’S STILL GOOD IN THEM,” Papyrus had assured, the day he’d left.
He believed in them.
“THEY’LL RESET.”
They didn’t.