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"Please don’t go."
"PAPYRUS..."
Edge sighed tiredly and tried to remove his friend’s grip from his wrist, but to avail. Papyrus had a pretty strong grip on him. When he started to put more effort into removing his hand, Papyrus pulled him into a hug. Edge shook his head but made no effort to pull away from his friend. Instead, he gently wrapped his arms around Papyrus and rested his chin against the top of his head.
He could feel Papyrus’ arms tightening around and heard him sniffle against his sternum."Please...Edge, please...I’ll miss you."
Edge raised a hand to rub the back of Papyrus’ skull in an attempt to calm the slightly smaller skeleton down. He sighed again, suddenly feeling more tired than he did just moments ago."HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP DOING THIS...YOU ALWAYS MAKE THIS HARDER THAN IT HAS TO BE."
"Until you and your brother stay here!" Papyrus yelled as he raised his face to look up at Edge, who had to look away so he didn’t have to look into his teary eye sockets. Edge didn’t think he could handle seeing him like this.
"YOU...YOU THINK ME AND MY BROTHER WANT TO STAY IN OUR UNIVERSE?"Edge whispered as he stared at the wall.
"Well, n-no but-"
"HAS IT EVER CROSSED YOUR MIND THAT WE WANT TO STAY IN THIS UNIVERSE INSTEAD OF THAT MISERABLE PLACE?"Edge said with a low growl as he took a quick glance at the portal that would return him to his own universe.
"I...I know it’s complicated Edge, but-"
"BECAUSE I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO LEAVE THAT HELLHOLE IF IT MEANT I COULD STAY IN THIS UNIVERSE WITH MY BROTHER AND-"Edge mentally cursed at himself as he felt his composure breaking. His arms were starting to shake and his voice was wavering. He felt a pair of hands touch his face and it took him a second to realize Papyrus was wiping away his tears. He didn’t even realize he was crying.
He hated crying, but found himself unable to stop the tears from flowing free from his eye sockets.
Edge closed his eyes tightly as he let Papyrus wipe his tear soaked face with his gloved hands.
"I...I DON’T WANT TO GO, BUT I HAVE TO. YOU KNOW THAT...IT’S JUST NOT THAT EASY-"
"I know. I-I know you can’t just leave, but...you will someday! I know you will! I wish someday would come a lot sooner, but...one day, you and your brother will stay here with me and my brother and we can finally become one big-"
"DON’T!"Edge turned to him and glared, but he knew it didn’t hold any anger behind it. Edge wasn’t angry at what he was about to say.
He was afraid.
"DON’T SAY IT...P-PLEASE, I CAN’T-"
Through his tears, Papyrus smiled at him and brought their foreheads together.
"We’re going to be one big happy family someday, Edge. I just know we will."
Edge felt like his soul was shattering into a million pieces as he finally broke down. He pushed away from Papyrus as he ran for the portal. He stopped just an inch from stepping into it, standing there as he was trying to catch his breath. He only took a few, long steps to get to the portal, but his soul felt so heavy in his ribcage. Ignoring how quickly his tears made a small puddle on the floor beneath him, he looked over his shoulder to see Papyrus giving him a small, sad smile with a tear soaked face.
"IS THAT A PROMISE?"
Papyrus didn’t hesitate to answer. He nodded."I promise."
"...THEN IT’S ONLY FAIR THAT I MAKE A PROMISE TOO."
Papyrus gave him a curious look, before Edge turned fully around and gave him a small smile."I PROMISE THAT UNTIL WE DO BECOME...A-A FAMILY, I WON’T STOP FIGHTING FOR IT."
Papyrus ran up to Edge and hugged him with all his might. Edge returned the hug as they both cried in silence for a few moments, holding each other as if their life depended on it, before releasing each other.
Papyrus wipes his wet face and sniffles before looking at Edge with a small, hopeful smile."See you tomorrow?"
Edge’s smile faltered a bit, knowing that as soon as he got back into his own universe, there was no telling if he would live to see tomorrow. Papyrus knew that too, but that never stopped the cheerful skeleton from hoping to see him again.
So why should he?
"See you tomorrow,"Edge said softly before leaning a bit to place a small skeletal kiss upon Papyrus’ forehead."brother."
He watched Papyrus’ eye sockets shine brightly, and his cheekbones turn slightly orange before he stepped into the portal. Once he step foot in his own universe, his own "home", he already felt homesick.