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"Did you. Just flip. My switch?"
On the screen, Mettaton's body seemed to go into some sort of overdrive; he almost struggled to keep his balance as the lights that made up his "face" flickered like never before. Papyrus stared at the screen. What exactly had his cool human friend just done?
A bright light flashed, Mettaton's catchphrase echoed throughout the room, and after the obligatory dramatic pause, some smoke billowed into the area. Shrouded in the smoke was the silhouette of someone Papyrus had never seen before, but when this someone spoke, the voice was far too familiar. Once this voice went on about his "new body", Papyrus knew for sure.
And then the smoke cleared and the lights came on.
Papyrus gasped at Mettaton's new look, and from the moment the star began dancing, Papyrus found himself instantly enraptured.
Wowie... he's handsome...
Truthfully, Papyrus had certainly thought Mettaton was handsome before; a little charisma went a long way, after all. But something about this new form... Papyrus wasn't sure what it was. Was it those long, nimble legs, gracefully moving him through each pose? Or was it just how expressive he'd become now that he had an actual face, from that "well, duh" smirk as he told the human that "legs" was indeed the correct answer to his essay question, to the utterly commanding grin as he bragged about his fans loving him? Maybe it had more to do with the total package instead of just one specific thing.
Whatever it was, Papyrus just couldn't take his eye sockets off the screen for even one second. If he had done so, he might have noticed the way his soul was quivering, or the orange magic creeping above his grin. In the past, he would sometimes fantasize about being friends with Mettaton and introducing him to all of his closest friends; now, however, with each passing second, the question of "what would it be like to date him?" felt a little less unnatural.
Unfortunately, the broadcast ended on a rather bittersweet note when Mettaton's battery gave out. Even then, Papyrus didn't turn away from the screen until he knew for sure that the broadcast was over; all he knew was that he would be waiting for Mettaton's next show with bated breath.
Despite technically not needing to breathe, Papyrus tried as hard as he could to keep his breath normal. Just inhale and exhale...
You can do this! You are the Great Papyrus! After all that you've been through, you can certainly handle sitting at a table with Mettaton... alone...
They were all at a karaoke club to celebrate six months of being on the surface. Being really close girlfriends, Undyne and Alphys of course wanted to sit at the same table, and they invited their respective best friends to sit with them. Papyrus expected to sit at Undyne's table, being her best friend; he did not expect Alphys' best friend to also be his personal hero.
And now, Undyne and Alphys had gone up on stage to sing together. Which meant it was just Papyrus and Mettaton sitting at the table.
At least Papyrus had an excuse to not have to strike up a conversation; their friends were on stage, and it would be rude to talk over their singing. He did his best to focus on the girls and only the girls, on Undyne's full-tilt enthusiasm and how Alphys, though nervous, seemed to be getting lost in the music. However, trying not to think of Mettaton only made him think more of the fact that Mettaton was right there; he suddenly became aware of his mouth being dry.
Briefly taking his eyes off the stage, Papyrus grabbed his drink and coolly sipped it as if nothing was wrong. Because nothing was wrong! They were just sitting together! People sit together all the time!
And that was precisely why Mettaton suddenly turned his head to glance at him for a bit.
It was also why Mettaton gave him a very curious smirk.
Papyrus nearly choked on his drink. Did Mettaton know...?! By the time Papyrus set his glass back down, though, Mettaton had returned his attention to the stage as if nothing had just happened.
Mercifully, it wasn't long after this that the song ended, and after Undyne shouted her thanks to the crowd, she and Alphys headed back to the table.
Mettaton was almost deliberately casual as he looked at Papyrus again. "That was fun, wasn't it, darling?"
"Y-yes! Very much so!" Papyrus forced a grin onto his face, tugging at his collar.
Alphys and Undyne came back and took their seats; Undyne was grinning fit to burst, as she often did. "That was awesome! We really tore it up, didn't we?"
For some reason, Alphys couldn't help but stare at her own hands. "Yeah... heh heh..." Mettaton whispered something to her, and she gave a bashful smile.
Papyrus did his best to swallow his nervousness. "Although the stage looks rather intact, that certainly was a great performance!"
He realized he wasn't in the clear as soon as Undyne gave him an odd look. "Hey... are you okay?"
"Of course!" Papyrus answered a little too quickly. "I, the Great Papyrus, am the picture of health!"
Just to prove his point, he stood up and jogged in place for a couple of seconds. Thank God Sans wasn't at this table (instead sitting at a different table with Frisk and Clone-Asgore, who apparently was actually named Toriel), or else things would really be unfortunate for him!
When Papyrus sat back down, Mettaton chuckled a bit. "Actually, I think... Papyrus, was it?" The others nodded. "Given that he's sharing a table with me, I think he's merely starstruck. And quite honestly, who could blame him? There are some days where even I make myself starstruck."
In that instant, Mettaton seemed to get an idea. "In fact, while I remember..." He took out a pen and a piece of paper and quickly wrote something down, handing it to Papyrus. "Just in case you would ever like to talk."
Papyrus took the paper and gasped; Mettaton had written his phone number on it. "W-wowie..." He was so focused on the paper that he didn't even notice Undyne mouthing the words "I knew it".
All too soon, Mettaton stood up. "Well, anyway, I do believe it's my turn on stage. Enjoy, darlings!"
Indeed, it wasn't long before Mettaton was on stage, performing a human song with as much vigor as if it were a professional performance and not just a karaoke night between friends. Between dramatic poses and facial expressions to illustrate the lyrics, and the little nuances he would put into his voice for the same purpose, he was clearly letting his natural talent shine through. As always, Papyrus found himself utterly captivated. Whether in an intimate setting like this, a more public setting, or even just on TV, he could watch Mettaton for hours upon hours.
Papyrus was one of many fans up on their feet and loudly singing along with Mettaton, who had utter command of the concert stage and was loving every minute of it. The backstage pass around his neck swung from side to side as he and all the other fans danced to the song (one of Mettaton's originals).
After an instrumental break, Mettaton strutted up to the edge of the stage. "Come on, beauties and gentlebeauties, let me hear you!"
The instruments fell quiet for a brief moment as the crowd sang the chorus to him, putting everything they had into it. Papyrus in particular was channeling his friend Undyne by throwing a fist in the air to emphasize certain words.
Was he crazy, or did Mettaton just look directly at him and smile? Even after befriending him, Papyrus still couldn't believe this was happening to him.
Eventually, that section of the song ended, and Mettaton pointed to the sky above, letting out an "Ohhh yesss!" as pyrotechnics went off. Now, Papyrus was no stranger to Mettaton's shows by any stretch of the imagination; he knew full well that Mettaton loved his pyro.
However, he was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to end up that close to the top of the stage. Nor was it supposed to ignite an actual fire up there.
He heard the band stop playing, and saw the security guard rush on stage. Mettaton was of course confused, especially after seeing the fans' worried looks, but upon having the very glaring problem pointed out to him, he too had worry cross his features. Deciding to handle the situation with some level of dignity, he quickly addressed the audience.
"Forgive me, everyone, but it seems we're having some technical difficulties. Please stay calm and allow the security guards to escort you out of the arena. We will give you updates as they come."
Papyrus followed the sea of fans as they left the arena and headed into the lobby, waiting for more news. However, unlike the other fans, he soon felt a vibration in his pocket. Taking out his phone, he discovered that he'd received a text message from Mettaton himself:
Meet me in my trailer.
Although slightly bewildered at first, Papyrus wasn't about to turn down a request from a friend. He left the lobby and walked around for a bit until he found Mettaton's trailer; with its rather gaudy design, it wasn't easily missed.
After giving the door a few quick knocks, he soon found himself greeted by a very dejected-looking Mettaton, whose hair nearly threatened to cover both of his eyes.
"Come on in, darling. Why don't we sit on my couch?" Hearing Mettaton's voice in a nearly flat monotone came as such a surprise to Papyrus; then again, considering what had just happened, it was understandable.
Papyrus entered the trailer and took a seat on the couch (bright pink, like a lot of the decor in the trailer). He watched as Mettaton trudged over and all but collapsed onto the adjacent seat, letting out a deep, disappointed sigh.
"That was not supposed to happen." Mettaton stared at the ceiling as he spoke. "I always have my technicians check everything thoroughly before each of my shows, so that these kinds of situations don't happen. They said everything was working properly, so what happened?"
"It was probably just an accident," Papyrus said; seeing his hero in a funk like this made him want to do anything to help. "Maybe something happened during the show that made it stop working properly?"
"But what, though? I've performed several shows like this one without incident." After a minute or two of contemplation, Mettaton's face fell. "Oh no... if the presses find out about this..."
Papyrus rested a hand on Mettaton's arm. "I'm sure they'll understand. You didn't want this to happen; all the drama, romance, and bloodshed in your performances is simulated, is it not? And I don't think anyone was hurt."
Mettaton sighed again. "I suppose you're right. Besides, they had to have noticed that I was concerned; I did tell everyone to leave." He looked down. "It is rather embarrassing, though."
Although he wasn't sure what to say, Papyrus did think of a different way to help Mettaton feel better. "Would you like a hug?"
Much to his slight surprise, Mettaton sat up and gently nodded before wrapping his arms around him. Papyrus returned the gesture, gently whispering in Mettaton's ear, "It's going to be all right. I promise."
For what felt like a very long time, the two just sat there in each other's arms, Papyrus continuing to whisper reassurances to his friend. Eventually, three loud knocks on the trailer door, coupled with an outside voice yelling "Security!", snapped them both out of it, and they let go of each other.
"It's unlocked!" Mettaton replied.
The security guard opened the door and briefly regarded Papyrus with a strange glance, but their features softened upon seeing his backstage pass. They looked at Mettaton with a smile. "Mettaton, sir, you'll be glad to know that we've put out the fire, and you should be clear to go back on stage very soon. As far as we know, no one was injured, either."
A relieved sigh escaped Mettaton's mouth. "Thank you so much, darling. I'll be over there in a hurry; the show must go on, of course."
As the guard left, Papyrus stood up. "Well, shall we return?"
"Absolutely; I wouldn't want to keep my fans waiting." Mettaton's spark returned to his eyes; this was the spark of a man who would not let setbacks get in the way of performing. He stood up and started for the door, before suddenly turning around. "And Papyrus?"
"Yes?"
With a smile, Mettaton put his arms around Papyrus a second time. "Thank you."
"Popcorn, my love?"
"Nyeh...!" Papyrus blushed slightly as he felt one of Mettaton's arms slip around his shoulders, with the star's free hand offering the popcorn bucket. "Of course! Thank you!"
By now, Papyrus was certainly familiar with movie theaters. He was also familiar with seeing Mettaton's movies in theaters; in the past, he'd even gone to one on the premiere date before. But seeing Mettaton on the big screen while the real Mettaton was sitting right next to him was certainly new. And as a date? An honest-to-goodness romantic date? (Their first date, to be specific?) That was the sort of thing that only happened in dreams.
But it was happening. Papyrus was sure of it.
The movie itself was full of excitement and emotional moments. Papyrus felt his bones tense up as he saw the jewel thief catch Mettaton's character off-guard, and the ensuing fight scene made his heart race. He laughed alongside everyone else at the snarky remarks Mettaton would make every now and then, and he felt himself want to cry when it briefly looked like Mettaton and his leading lady wouldn't make it.
Mettaton never once let go of Papyrus during the movie. He'd hold the skeleton especially close during the tense moments, and would gently run his fingertips up and down his arm whenever the love theme swelled on the soundtrack. And throughout the entire final scene, where Mettaton's character reaffirmed that he didn't need to auction off the jewels because the female lead had given him everything he really wanted in life, he tightly gripped Papyrus' hand.
For a brief moment, Papyrus thought, it felt like it was the real Mettaton speaking those words to him, not just his character speaking to an actress.
After the on-screen couple gave one last kiss and the credits started rolling, Papyrus felt Mettaton's breath near his skull. "Darling?"
"Hmm?" Papyrus turned to look at him.
Mettaton looked around a bit, before seeming to falter. "Actually, I'll explain it in the car."
Although confused, Papyrus shrugged. This environment wasn't very conducive to private conversations, after all.
Eventually, the two left the theater and entered the back of Mettaton's limo so Papyrus could be taken home. As soon as Mettaton slid up the privacy screen, the two began joyfully discussing their favorite parts in the movie. Mettaton even told Papyrus about some behind-the-scenes stuff.
"It took us two days before we were able to resume filming that scene. Two days, darling!" While it had presumably been stressful when it was actually happening, now it seemed Mettaton could do nothing but laugh about it.
Papyrus, too, chuckled, but when he saw Mettaton's face suddenly settle into a contemplative look, he raised his brow. "Is everything all right?"
Though momentarily startled, Mettaton cleared his throat. "Yes. Everything is all right." After a second of silence, he took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Although, truthfully... I've been thinking quite a bit over these past few days."
"Of course! It's good to think!" Papyrus hoped the levity would cheer Mettaton up from whatever bothered him.
"It is. However..." For once in his life, Mettaton looked like he was having trouble saying something, shaking his head before finally taking another deep breath and looking into Papyrus' eyes. "There's no sense in trying to dance around it, so I'm just going to tell you."
Papyrus felt the metal fingers sliding between his own as Mettaton continued to speak.
"Papyrus... I'm in love with you."
It felt like time stopped. Papyrus felt all the thoughts racing through him, his face frozen in shock. Somehow, he was able to find words again.
"Oh my god! Well then! It would seem!" Just like that, a huge smile was on his face. "That this is the greatest day of the Great Papyrus' life!"
In the span of just a second, Mettaton's expression went from worry to relief to unbridled elation as he threw his arms around Papyrus' torso. Their faces were inches apart, and when Mettaton saw no sign of protest, he pressed his lips against Papyrus' teeth and held them there like he wasn't going to let go. Papyrus, too shocked to do much else, only held on tighter.
When their mouths separated, Papyrus nearly went limp in Mettaton's arms, a lovestruck smile inching itself onto his face. "Wowie..."
"'Wowie' indeed." A light chuckle escaped Mettaton's throat as he struggled to remain composed; he'd known for years that he had the power to make people weak for him through the sheer power of being Mettaton, but now he had someone who made him weak. He felt like his heart couldn't stop dancing.
Papyrus felt the same; part of him wondered if this was just a dream, but it felt far too real. "If... if it's all right with you..." He swore he could feel his face burn. "Can we do that again?"
"We most certainly can." And their mouths pressed together a second time. Papyrus felt himself commit every detail of this to memory; from now on, he would get to look forward to many more of these. Something deep within his heart even wished he didn't have to go home right away.
Indeed, when the limo pulled up in front of Papyrus's house, he seemed almost reluctant to leave. But when Mettaton kissed his hand and reassured him that things would just keep getting better, he felt convinced.
As he walked into his house, his mind could only think of one topic: what would he and Mettaton do next time? Drive around town? Go dancing? Eat dinner?
The possibilities felt endless.
"...and now we add the noodles."
"Right!" Papyrus opened the box and let the noodles slide into the pot, reminding himself every second that the box wasn't supposed to go in there as well.
Sometimes he'd fantasized about appearing on Mettaton's show Cooking with a Killer Robot, and now it felt like it was happening for real. There were a few differences, though; Mettaton wasn't speaking to an audience, they were in a real kitchen instead of just a set, and instead of it being filmed, it was all happening in the privacy of their home.
Their home. Papyrus nearly let himself get distracted as he thought about it. After many months of dating, he and Mettaton had decided to move in together. They had just finished getting the last things put away that morning, and they had spent the rest of the morning and a good deal of the afternoon watching Delta Rune Network (the special-interest monster channel) while cuddling on the couch. Papyrus had found himself quickly gaining a new appreciation for just sitting around every now and then.
Of course, Papyrus had wanted to cook a special dinner to celebrate; when Mettaton offered to cook alongside him, he found it hard to refuse. Not only would it make sense for the two who just moved in together to cook dinner together as well, but he just loved watching Mettaton cook.
Mettaton always had a certain finesse about him in everything he did, and cooking was certainly no exception. From browning the meat to mixing the marinara to boiling the noodles, he did it all with his special brand of magic, both figuratively and literally (since if it wasn't cooked with literal magic, he and Papyrus wouldn't actually be able to eat it). This was certainly different from how Papyrus learned it from Undyne, but it was Mettaton, so he wasn't complaining. There were many delicious, savory smells floating through the area, something which Mettaton himself acknowledged as the noodles boiled.
"Mmm... can you smell that, sweetheart? I can already tell this is going to be delicious."
"Nyeh heh heh! Of course it will! We made it!" Papyrus nearly bounced up and down in place. "Wowie! You and I are officially living together, and I get to try spaghetti for the first time, because we made it together, and is everything all right, Mettaton?" He asked because the look on Mettaton's face became noticeably more perplexed as Papyrus spoke.
"Could you repeat that earlier part, darling?"
Papyrus tilted his head. "What? The part about us making spaghetti together?"
"No, before that."
"The part about us living together?"
Mettaton shook his head. "No, sweetheart. The part about you trying spaghetti for the first time."
"Oh!" Just then, Papyrus himself looked bewildered. "Wait a minute... if you knew which part you wanted me to repeat, why didn't you just say so?"
Mettaton smiled. "Because I adore hearing the sound of your voice." Papyrus felt his soul quiver as Mettaton continued. "But anyway... all those times you've made spaghetti, and you've honestly never tried it before?"
"I honestly haven't! I just make it because I think other people like it." His eyelights sparkled. "Also, learning how to make spaghetti was part of my Royal Guard training with Undyne."
At the mention of Undyne's name, Mettaton did his best not to sigh and roll his eyes. If he wasn't, well, Mettaton, Papyrus would have probably taken far longer to unlearn the methods Undyne taught him. At least Papyrus didn't burn his place down on a regular basis. Of course, Mettaton had nothing against Undyne herself; they sometimes rubbed each other the wrong way, but he still admired her work for the Royal Guard, and two of the people most important to him cared very much about her. It was just... where did she learn to cook? Gym class? He made a mental note to himself: if she came over and wanted to eat something hot, she would have to either use the microwave or wait for him or Papyrus to cook something (and even then, he wasn't sure about the former).
Eventually, the food was done, and after plating it, the two went off to enjoy their meal. Papyrus twirled some noodles onto his fork and took a big bite. The rich, hearty taste of the meat sauce, combined with the texture of the pasta, nearly overwhelmed him.
Mettaton eyed him curiously. "How is it?"
Papyrus swallowed his first bite and took some deep breaths before grinning. "Wowie! That was amazing! I'll have to take some more bites just to be sure, though."
As he started back in on his plate, Mettaton laughed a bit before eating his own food. The two both knew that they would have to cook together more often from now on.
Just then, Papyrus remembered that, since they lived together now, it would be a far more likely possibility than ever. No more having to say goodbye to Mettaton at the conclusion of a fun day with him; his line of work did require him to travel every now and then, but aside from that, the two would always be together.
Papyrus could almost hear his heart singing.
Mettaton lay back in the grass, gently smiling as he listened to Papyrus' music. For some reason, Papyrus wanted them to have some alone time together on top of this hill. Although Mettaton was slightly puzzled at first, he certainly wasn't complaining; not only did it provide a great view of the city, but Papyrus himself looked especially beautiful in the late-afternoon sun. He was strumming an acoustic guitar and singing a human song; Mettaton loved the way Papyrus would occasionally sneak glances at his phalanges to make sure he had the right chord. Papyrus seemed especially determined to not mess this up.
Once he'd sung the last note and strummed the last chord, he put the guitar away and took Mettaton's hand. "Did you know that song always reminds me of you?"
With his free hand, Mettaton wiped away a tear. "That was absolutely beautiful, Papyrus. I could really tell how much thought and dedication you put into it." He looked up at the sky. "Care to lie in the grass with me?"
"Actually..." Papyrus' grip trembled a bit. "I brought you here because I've been meaning to talk about something."
Mettaton felt his systems whirring slightly. That could mean anything...
Evidently he appeared more nervous than he'd meant to, as Papyrus quickly gasped. "I-I'm not breaking up with you! I promise. I wanted to talk about a very good kind of something!"
"I'm listening." Mettaton gave Papyrus' hand a reassuring smooch.
"All... all right." Tightening his grip a little bit, Papyrus slowly inhaled before looking Mettaton in the eye. "Mettaton, I've admired you for the longest time. You were everything I wished I could be, and sometimes I would wish to meet you so we could become good friends. And then we actually did meet each other and become good friends, and I thought, 'Wowie! Could this get any better?' But it did! We went on that date together, and that's when you told me you loved me. Now we've gone on many more dates, and we even live together! And if I, the Great Papyrus, had the opportunity to go back and do everything again, I wouldn't change any of it. Because I spent it all with you! You, Mettaton, are the most wonderful person a skeleton like me could ask for. And that's why... I wanted to..." He began trembling again; of all the times to run out of steam, why did it have to be before he got to the point?
A second smooch to the hand. "Deep breaths, sweetheart. Take as much time as you need to."
For a minute, Papyrus didn't say anything more as he took deep breaths, gathering his courage. Finally, he reached into his pocket. "Actually, I think I'll show you!"
Before Mettaton knew it, he was face-to-face with a ring in a velvet box, Papyrus on one knee in front of him, all but yelling the phrase "Will-you-marry-me-Mettaton?!" as if his life depended on it.
Mettaton brought a hand to his mouth as his jaw dropped, his whisper of "Oh my..." nearly inaudible. For a few seconds after that, all was silence, Papyrus in a cold sweat as he waited for an answer, and Mettaton still trying to process everything.
Finally, Mettaton stood up, a serious look on his face. "I have just one thing to say to that."
Papyrus tilted his head in confusion, the trembling nearly threatening to make him topple over.
But then, with a smile, Mettaton took the ring from its box, slid it onto his left ring finger, and leaned in close to Papyrus, whispering two little words.
"Oh, yes."
A cheerful laugh flew from Papyrus' mouth. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" He threw his arms around his new fiance, and the two actually did topple over into the grass. They held each other close, giving more kisses than either of them could count, thoroughly lost in each other.
Finally, once the high had mostly worn off and the two were quietly lying in the grass once more, Papyrus spoke. "Wowie... we're going to get married!"
Mettaton nodded. "And it's going to be the grandest, most beautiful wedding our friends and fans have ever seen." He pulled Papyrus a little closer. "Because neither of us deserves anything less."
Neither he nor Papyrus were anywhere close to being ready to leave. So they just lay there in each other's arms, in the soft grass beneath the orange-and-pink sky, unable to take their eyes off of each other.