Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For Eric the first step to coloring a picture was to read the label on the medium. He’d pick up one pencil after another, turning them over to see what color they were meant to be. He’d made an attempt to organize them earlier, make it easier on himself, but the order never stuck. The pencils would roll into one another and get mixed up again. He’d also forget where the pencil he had just finished using should go.

In the end however, it didn’t really matter. Most others like him had these habits. People who hadn’t found their Soul Mate were completely color blind. It’s not so bad when it’s all you’ve ever known since birth. It did leave the world looking dull and boring, at least to Eric.

Today’s project was on landscaping. They were given a few options to choose their inspiration on by the teacher. Because he didn’t really care for this mandatory class, he was one of the last people to pick what to draw. The pictures had labels on them to help the students know exactly what they were looking at. Most of the remaining pictures were of the sun setting or rising. Shit.

There were too many colors in those sceneries. Eric could feel his apathy for art growing as he tries to find something more reasonable to copy. When you don't know what blue looks like, other than a lighter shade of murky blah, sky sceneries could be a bitch. But that’s the same for anything really.

Basically, art class sucks. The almost two hour class was more akin to torture for Eric. He found an underwater picture to do, it didn’t look too bad compared to the sky ones or the gardens. When the bell finally rings, he lets out a sigh of relief. He gathers up his shit, tossing his supplies into his backpack before handing in his partially completed project to the teacher. He doesn't bother to listen to her comments. Eric knows he’s shit at art and he wasn’t in the mood to hear his art teacher’s condescending tone. Only because she could actually see what the colors were supposed to be.

Walking the halls of the campus, Eric tries to think how to kill the hour and a half before his next class. While calculus was only slightly better than art class, he was still just barely passing it. Memorizing formulas was easier than remembering how blotches mix to make new similar blobs. Only two more semesters and he'll be done with this two year community college. He's not sure what he wants to major in or if he even wanted to further his schooling, but getting his Ass Degree was better than nothing. Besides, if he does go on to a four year school he doesn't have to do all the stupid classes anymore. Like art.

During his wandering, a few classmates come up to talk with him. They were from his bio class asking if he figure out the lab assignment yet. He did. Now the sciences were the easy A classes he could sleep through. His classmates were begging to see his work. One even offered to buy him lunch if he’d let them cheat. So, Eric comes up with a quick lie to get them to leave him alone.

Now that someone mentioned lunch, he could feel his stomach growling. Sure, why not. He’ll grab a quick bite to eat somewhere and just chill. It had to be better than just aimlessly walking throughout the campus for the fifth time.

Eric headed straight to where the school’s shuttle bus picked up the students before taking them into town. There was no way Eric was eating at the cafeteria. The food there sucked, was way overpriced, and the people there could all choke on their melodrama. Roughly 5 minutes by shuttle and he had some real options to choose from. The Chinese take out place he frequents, the three generation owned pizzeria, some fancy shit he couldn't pronounce or afford, two different cafes and other places that, didn't matter.

As he walks down the streets, paying attention to the walking signals, he notes down any changes since his last visit. Oh wow. One of the fake posh restaurant finally closed down. Wonder what's gonna take its place? Looks like some sort of grill joint, if he based it on the name. Grillby. Grill-by? Whatever. The plan was to get some Chinese and head to the park to eat.

As he stands on the last crosswalk, Eric says a silent Fuck. The walk signal light looks broken. Now he has to rely on his shitty memory on which of the three traffic lights meant cars stop. Since only those who could see color were allowed to drive, there were no symbols on the lights themselves.

Was it the top one or the bottom one that meant stop? He could only remember that the middle light was yellow, which was pointless. Okay, looking both ways, Eric sees that the cars were stopping. He does a light jog across the damn street since he sure as hell didn't want to give some speedy metal death trap a bloody paint job today.

Reaching the safety of the sidewalk, Eric adjusts his backpack to a more comfortable position. Panda House was right in front of him so he enters the joint. The chick at the register, Becky calls out to Eric with a large smile. He was a regular at the place since his first year of classes. He knew the names of all the fish in the tank, and all the other regulars.

Everyone inside greet him as he walks by. They ask him how his classes were going and if he had any plans for his future. He gives them the usual generic answers while still being polite. The majority of the people here are of the older generation, the kind full of interesting stories. It’s because of this it takes him a while before he makes it to Becky and places his order. It's the Eric Usual, a real thing in the menu with how cool he is with the chefs.

Becky flirts with him for awhile, and he tells a few corny one liners back at her for shits and giggles. He compliments the print on her shirt since he can't really say the color goes well with her, anything. Her return compliment is just as hollow as his is, but it’s the thought that counts. He once thought about dating Becky, but it felt so wrong. His very soul shook so strongly against the fleeting thought that he gave up on it.

When he finally gets his food, the bell above the door jingles. Turning his head, Eric is surprised to see Monsters entering the store. It wasn’t that they weren’t allowed to, just that so few hung around the more human populated areas. One was a tall fish person with pointed teeth. The other was a walking skeleton, with a nice looking scarf.

Eric was impressed to find that both these monsters had such loud voices and personalities. Normally he'd want to talk to them and see what their deal was. Maybe even make some friends and kill some time. But he has food and a date with a very special bench to get to. So he pays Becky his tab, gives the two monsters a friendly smile, and waves bye to everyone else.

The park was a straight walk a few blocks down. Ah, he could have asked someone inside which light was which. Looking both ways, Eric sees there aren’t any cars coming so it didn't really matter. He chose not to jog this time, to avoid shaking up his food.

As he crosses the street he spots another skeleton monster walking around the corner. There was nothing special looking about them, other than the amount of chill radiating from them. It's when he was about to look away that their eyes met. It was only for a split second but, it was enough to knock Eric's entire world off kilter.

The skeleton, the buildings, the world looked, different now. The changes came bursting from the dull monotone surroundings he had always known. He could see more then just meh and blah as colors. He had no clue what color the monster’s jacket was, or his slippers. It didn't matter. They were nothing compared to how bright the monster’s eyes were. They were like the few stars he could see in the night. The only things before now that were an actual color.

White.

Eric stopped and turned back. He wanted to talk to the monster, find out his name. The numbing dullness that had been drowning him had eased up. It was like he could finally breathe, and the first gulp of fresh air was so sweet, intoxicating. He was confused and scared but so goddamn happy ?

HONK! HONK!

That, amazing skeleton had stopped walking and was staring back at Eric. The longer he stared at those star like eyes of the monster, the more giddy… elated his insides were becoming. The hand that was holding his food lifts as if wanting to grab hold of the skeleton. Do anything before they left. That fear welling up inside of him, Eric calls out.

EEEEEEEEEKKKKK!

"Hey wai-”

CRASH.

The sudden sounds startle Sans out of his daze. The human that had been staring at him with such intensity, was sent flying through the air. Sans had stopped making his way to his brother’s side when he had noticed the storm of emotions in the human's eyes. Sans had never once seen the color green look so, mesmerizing before.

That was when the city bus came running down the street and hit them.

Shaking his head, Sans hesitantly makes his way over to the fallen human. His fists clenching inside his jacket pockets, he felt like something major had just slipped through his fingers. People were starting to gather to the scene. Some had shrieked seeing the fallen human’s mangled body.

“BROTHER! WHAT HAPPENED HERE?”

“Yo half pint. What’s all the commotion? Oh stars! Is that a human?”

Sans clicked his teeth in annoyance from all the gawking. It was hard for him to see the fallen human anymore, a circle of people had blocked his view. An ache could be felt in his soul, he needed to leave. He's not sure why or how he knows this, but he's pretty sure that the pain had something to do with the fallen human.

“hey bro, this has nothing to do with us. did you get the food for the kid?”

Papyrus notices the tightening around Sans eye sockets. Instead of pointing it out, he starts telling Sans about all the people he had made friends with in the store. It was long winded and didn’t answer his question, but Sans was happy for the distraction. Undyne was the one to grab Pap into a headlock and answer Sans’ query. By that time, he had herded them back inside the store to wait for their meal.

There was an elderly human woman with a very no nonsense face manning the cashier. According to what Pap had said, there was a much younger human girl before. This elderly woman didn’t speak much, and it almost felt like she couldn’t hear either. Sans threw a few puns at her and got no reaction.

When they were given their food and paid in human currency, they leave. Outside, the trio can hear the whispering of the humans as the sirens start to ring through the streets. Sans tells Pap and Undyne that he’ll meet up with them at Tori’s house.

Without hearing their response, he walks away from them, putting the scene behind him. It takes a few turns and back alleyways before he can take a shortcut away from it all. Sans ends up back at the edge of Snowdin forest. The tall doors were cracked opened, the snow covering a portion of the Ruins hallway.

He sits by the open door, looking up at the falling snow. All he could see is the endless snow and rows of naked trees. No other colors but white and brown surrounding him.

Sans misses the color green already.

Chapter Text

It takes Sans three hours to get up and meet everyone back in Tori’s house for game night. Coming in from the backyard, everyone asks him where he’s been. He makes a pun about smelling the roses that has half the room groaning.

Following a familiar snorting chuckle, Sans made his way to the kitchen where Tori was bent over in mirth. Taking a seat at the table, Sans lets himself relax. Tori had been busy with pulling something out of the oven when he appeared. By the smell of it, it was cinnamon butterscotch pie. The kid’s favorite.

Slumping forward into his arms, Sans lets his heavy sockets close as he falls into a light sleep.

Toriel places the steaming hot pie on the counter. Telling the group in the living room that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, she tidies up. She can hear scampering feet fighting their way to the bathroom to wash up when she finishes. When she tries to wake Sans up, she notices wet patches on his shoulder.

Gently placing her paw on his shoulder, she could feel a hint of cold through her fur. Concern flashes in her eyes before she gets a blanket for him. When everyone sits down to eat, she waves away any questions that they may have about the sleeping bones. Papyrus kept his voice as low as he could as he kept everyone’s attention on himself rather than Sans.

When it was time to leave, Papyrus carried his brother back to their home. Halfway down the block and they were gone from sight.

~*~

One week passes before Sans notices that he can’t look at anything green. It all looks wrong to him.

It wasn’t hard for him to play off this new aversion to the color. He barely paid any attention to the talking weed in the first place. Ever since moving above ground it wasn’t uncommon for him to stare up into the sky rather than the ground. Any other times, he’d just pretend that something else had caught his eye. Almost no one caught on to what he was doing.

~*~

A month after the human’s death Sans’ patience starts to wear thin. On his day off, he goes through the city’s records to find out what the human’s name was. Eric Ray Starling. Sans was also able to find out where Eric was buried. It was a place out of the busy city, closer to the country. That meant it’d take Sans a few days before he could get the time to go there and find any shortcuts back.

Once there, it was simple for Sans to find where Eric had been buried. The tombstone was a simple slab of sandstone with the commonly used Times Roman font engraving. There was nothing really special said about Eric, or his life. Just a short human prayer for a peaceful rest.

Something about that ticked him off.

Sans stood there, staring at the tombstone. He had thought that the exceptionally short memory of Eric would fade. But rather than forget the way Eric had smiled at him, how he had reached for him, Sans could still recall every stitch of the clashing outfit Eric was wearing. A neon purple shirt, orange pants, with red and blue striped sneakers.

Sans puts his hand to rest on Eric’s tombstone, the grass surrounding the two still trying its best to hold onto the vibrant green shade it once had. Yet compared to even that short moment their eyes met, no green was as lively as Eric’s had been.

Heh... Poor taste in words.

Anger and grief starts to bubble and twist within his soul. It came so suddenly that Sans’ hold on the stone tightened in reflex. His grip only loosening when he remembers Eric's final moments. The smile that had been on Eric’s face before it was gone.

Without him noticing, a tear falls from Sans sockets. These random surges of intense emotions were confusing. He hadn’t known of Eric before that moment. They had just locked eyes with one another for a split second. Eric should just be another random face of a human in a sea of them. Why was it that, that random human became so important?

Sans could feel the anger threatening to return as his thoughts continued. He had to do something, stop himself from just blasting away the only source of minor comfort he’d found. One of the last remaining symbols of this, random human’s memory. Sans moves to sit before the stone, repeatedly tracing over Eric’s name. According to the engraved dates, he was only in his early twenties when he passed. Barely an adult in human standards.

He's not sure how long he sits there, in the quiet of the graveyard. The sky darkens and the stars start to come out. He indulges in his habit, pointing out all the constellations that he could see but, for a majority of the time, he just sits there next to Eric. The silence was oddly comforting.

Before sunrise, Sans gives the stone a pat farewell. The closest shortcut back home is just outside the graveyard gates. The longer distance takes more out of him, but Sans leaves with a sense of accomplishment.

~*~

Sans hadn’t planned to go back to Eric’s grave. He wasn’t all too sure why he went there in the first place. Yet, not even a week passes before he finds himself back in front of Eric.

So, Sans takes a seat next to Eric and starts talking. It’s all puns, for the first few trips anyway. Sometimes when he told a really awful pun, he thinks he could hear a deep gruff of a laugh next to him. Sans knows better than to look for its source. He doesn’t question it, only wonders if that was how Eric would have laughed.

Knowing that he would simply find himself back at the graveyard if he tried to stop, Sans allows himself to come back to Eric two to three times a week. Sans tells him any new puns he’d come up with and what he’d been up to. It reminded him a lot of his time in Snowdin except, more one-sided. He didn’t mind, because Sans just figured out that jokes about sockets got him that gruff laugh. The human sure did have a weird sense of humor.

~*~

The sixth month since Eric’s death, things start to change. Sans had to be careful when going to see Eric. Other humans were starting to come and talk to the tombstone. The first time he walked upon the sight, he was able to make small talk with them. Sans found out that they were Eric’s parents. Eric had his mother’s lips and his father’s nose. Neither of them had Eric’s eyes.

That realization alone was so disappointing, he found a reason to leave as quickly as possible.

Sans stayed in his room or lab the rest of the week after that. It’s only when his soul starts to tug at him that he leaves home. Pap had caught him on his way out and was so happy to see Sans doing something. The guilt of worrying his brother is a small bite in him before the pull turns into a yank.

He knows that Pap has questions. That Sans should take the time to sit with his brother and talk about the changes they’re both noticing in him. But then Sans would think of a new pun, or hear an interesting story, or want to remember Eric’s smile again. Then the talk with Pap just gets pushed off for later.

What Sans has come to learn now, is that Eric is the best listener. No, this is not because Eric couldn’t speak. Sans would swear that Eric was there sitting on the ground beside him. Eric would look at Sans as he talks about the mundane happenings of the world. Eric was there with Sans, he just knew it.

He knows that Eric is dead.

~*~

As the first snowflake falls, Sans tells Eric about his life in Snowdin. How Pap was training to be a part of the Royal Guards. The forgotten history of how Monster-kind was sealed underground, the dirty secret to their freedom. Sans tells Eric about Grillby and how he got so addicted to ketchup.

That was the first time Sans felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. It makes him stutter before he continues. He talks about the different territories of the Underground and the Monster King. When Sans tries to tell Eric about, Wi ngDiNGsgAs , the core he could feel the arm around him tighten in comfort.

When it was time for him to leave, the wind picks up and blows right through him. That warm sensation is gone just as easily as it came. Sans takes a shortcut home.

When Pap asks where he’s been, he doesn’t say anything. Sans just lays on his bed, finally allowing his bones to rattle as a sob escapes. The rest of the night, Sans buries his head in his pillow. He couldn’t bring himself to get up to read Pap to sleep. The house was deathly silent. Heh, another horrible joke in his life.

When he finally tires himself out and falls asleep, all he sees in his dreams is green. It's all he can dream about these days. It's not a bad deal. At least until he wakes up to see his ceiling is the wrong color. Any color that wasn’t the green of Eric’s eyes was wrong.

~*~

It’s yet another night spent with Eric. Sans hadn’t been keeping track of how often they’d happen anymore. Definitely more frequent than what he allowed himself in the beginning. Was it every night now? It had been a while already since he’d noticed he could recognize all the staff on the graveyard shift.

Sans brushes off the snow that had gathered on top of Eric’s tombstone before he sits down. He feels a nudge on his shoulder that has him chuckling. He explains how Skeleton Monsters don’t really feel the cold in the same way that humans do.

That night was spent explaining Monster physiology and how it differs from Monster to Monster. Eric had reached over to hold Sans' hand as he spoke. These moments, were what Sans lived for now. He’s reluctant to leave every night when the sky starts to lighten. It’s only when the wind blows Eric’s presence away that Sans heads home to sleep.

~*~

Gyftmas starts tomorrow. Sans had already gotten the important people in his life a little something. Pap had a holiday theme sock laying next to the regular floor sock. Tori got a new cooking pun book. Alph and Undyne were given body pillows of their favorite character from Mew Mew, something. Asgore got some How To garden books along with a few uncommon plants. Frisk and the talking weed got their own pet rocks to take care of.

The only person he had a hard time figuring out what to get was Eric. No surprise there. Sans had first tried to see what Eric liked with yes or no questions. He didn’t get any response despite many attempts.

With his patience, he went with plan B. When he went to see Eric next, he made sure that he would meet up with his parents. They were shocked to see him again, but Sans distracted them with puns and round about questions. In no time, he had them talking about Eric’s past.

A hand shoved him from behind when Eric’s parents had left. Sans’ innocent smile just grew as he tried to convince him he didn’t mean any harm. That got him another shove and a gruff laugh. That night was the most active Eric had ever been. It had gotten to the point where he could almost see Eric’s form in his peripheral.

He’s still wearing that blinding outfit Sans had first seen him in. It was horrible then, it was still an eyesore now. Yet Sans wanted nothing more than to be able to turn his head and take in Eric’s whole person. To reach out for once and know that he was really there.

He can’t. He knows, that Eric is dead.

~*~

Everyone loved their Gyftmas gifts. Sans found the basket filled with multiple ketchup flavors the kid and the weed got him to be especially impressive. Tori had baked him some butterscotch cookies that were gone in a blink of an eye. He promised to open his other presents later as he exchanged gifts with his friends. Pap refused to give Sans his gift until he picked up both socks from the floor.

Sans gives the group a backhanded wave as he shortcuts to Asgore’s apartment. He spends some time talking about old times with the former king. Asgore gives him a bouquet of orange roses with a single blue iris in the center.

Sans holds the flowers carefully in his grasp, as does Asgore when Sans hands him his potted plants. They look so small in the large Goat Monster’s arms. With a promise that Pap would stop by later, Sans leaves through a different shortcut.

There was another pile of snow on top of Eric’s tombstone. Brushing it away, Sans goes to settle in his usual spot. He tells Eric about Gyftmas and what it meant for Monsters. He stalls as much as he can before taking out a miniature stone statue of King Kong.

He waits until Eric gives him some sort of response. The warmth of Eric’s hand settling over his lets Sans know that Eric liked the gyft. He holds in a sigh of relief at his choice before getting the ape to hang on the side of Eric’s tombstone. He takes solace in the gruff laughter he hears.

Afterwards, Sans opens the rest of his gyfts with Eric. Alph had given him a copy of her favorite season of that cat anime she likes. Undyne had given him dumbbells in the shape of bones. There was even a letter listing a workout schedule she demanded he follow along with the proper poses to maximize total awesomeness.

Eric and Sans both laugh at the letter and gyft. It really felt great spending this time of year with those he cared about. He made a mental note to stop by Grillby’s later. Maybe give the Flame Monster a few G’s from his tab. Sans could already see the stoic Monster’s fire spiking for a second before his shoulders shook in silent joy.

As Sans got ready to leave he felt a hug envelop him from behind. The faintest whisper caresses his zygomatic just before the wind brought back the cold.

He’s not sure how he made it home that day. Or what Pap had said to him as he went up to his room. The only thing he was aware of, was his hand on his zygomatic trying to keep that sensation there longer. The voice Sans had thought he would never hear again echoing in his skull.

‘Merry Gyftmas.’

~*~

The seasons changed from winter to spring. The snow was slowly melting to give way to new grass and flowers. Birds were coming back and small animals were waking from their sleep. Life was in the air as people were heading out now that the temperature wasn’t below freezing anymore.

Sans however, doesn’t notice any of this. Not really. What he does notice is that more people were coming by Eric’s tombstone. After he introduced himself to them, he found out that these were Eric’s closest friends. They were easy to deflect prying question away from how he knew of Eric. After one conversation, Eric’s old pals had left with a great first impression of Sans.

When it was just the two of them, Eric gave Sans another hug. Sans sat between Eric’s legs on the ground, a new habit they’d developed since Gyftmas. Sans had to keep his eye sockets closed or risk having the wind take Eric’s warmth away too early.

‘Missed you.’

This was another development that Sans was all the happier for. He could hear Eric’s voice respond back to him now. It was only two words max, but it was something. He didn’t bother to think about it too deeply. It was nearly a year too late to question this, addiction he had for being with Eric. He had long since already been visiting as often as he could.

It didn’t matter anymore. Eric might be dead, but he’d never left.

Chapter Text

“SANS? CAN I HAVE A MOMENT WITH YOU, BROTHER?” This stops the hand that was already reaching for the door handle. “YOU KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST DISCUSS.”

Sans mentally curses the stars as he turns around to face his brother. Pap was standing by the kitchen entrance, his pairs of tibia and radius crossed over his chest. He stared down at Sans using his ‘very serious face’. With drooping shoulders, Sans makes his way to the couch to sit.

Eric would understand if he was late by a few minutes. He has been before, despite how much it’d hurt to.

“alright paps, what do you want to talk about? weather’s been pretty good lately.”

Pap doesn’t say anything as he moves to stand in front of Sans. He had brought over one of the dining room chairs so that they could maintain eye contact.

This was looking to be a long talk. Man, he was going to have to make it up big time to Eric when he sees him.

“I AGREE. THE WEATHER HAS BEEN STEADILY GETTING WARMER. NOW THAT POLITE CONVERSATION IS OVER, WE CAN GET TO THE POINT.”

Sans digs out the lost pen that had been wedged between the cushions a few days ago. “whelp, here it is. the point. now if you’ll excuse me, i ha-”

“OH NO YOU DON’T BROTHER!” Pap slams his hand onto the coffee table with a loud bang, “YOU DO NOT GET TO JOKE AWAY THIS TALK. YOU ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN. YOU WILL ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. THEN WE CAN WORK ON BEING BROTHERS ONCE MORE.”

“pap. we are broth-”

“ARE WE?” Paps’ voice wavered, “WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU’VE READ PEEK-A-BOO FOR MY BEDTIME STORY? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU STAYED WITH ME FOR THE WHOLE EVENT AT OUR FRIEND’S GET TOGETHERS?” Pap’s hand was still pressing down on the table, his sockets narrowing the more he spoke. “CAN YOU TELL ME THE LAST TIME YOU HELPED ME HOST ONE OF THOSE GET TOGETHERS?”

Not off the top of his head, Sans admits to himself. But he was busy. With all the work he has and growing his bond with Eric, there just wasn’t enough time in the day. “pap. look, i’m sorry. i’ll do better next time. okay? i’ll try to make time to read to you again and-”

“MAKE TIME?” Paps’ hand had abruptly left the table, “MAKE TIME? I DID NOT KNOW THAT SHOWING YOUR CARE FOR ME HAD BECOME AN INCONVENIENCE TO YOU, SANS.”

Sans shook his head, “that’s not what i meant. you know that pap.”

“DO I? IF YOU ARE NOT SLACKING OFF ON ONE OF YOUR MANY PART TIME JOBS, YOU ARE OFF DOING WHO KNOWS WHAT! I CANNOT EVEN FIND YOU AT GRILLBY’S ANYMORE! GRILLBY’S, SANS!”

He tries not to shrink into his jacket at that. He’d like to defend that he still hangs out with Grill and the rest of the Monsters there, but he can’t recall the last time he had. It couldn’t have been that long ago. He gave Grill half his tab on Gyftmas. Then he went on… It was when he was… Uh.

Sans was looking anywhere that wasn’t his brother’s glaring face. Pap was right. Sans, hadn’t been a good friend lately. He’d definitely been slacking in his brotherly duties. Sighing, Sans sunk deeper into the, softer than he remembered, brown couch? Stars, he didn’t even notice when Pap bought new furniture for their home.

Turning his head to look out the window, Sans soul tugged once more. The darkening sky made him anxious. Eric was waiting for him. He’s expecting Sans to show up any minute now for stargazing and to hear him tell cheesy puns. The places where Sans could normally feel the lingering embrace of Eric’s warmth felt so cold. He knew that the longer he sat here the emptier he’d feel in his soul.

“SANS? BROTHER?”

Pap’s voice was filled with concern as he called out. When Sans spun to look back at him, the glare was gone. Pap looked scared, his gloved hand reaching out towards him.

Eric reached for me before he died.

The pulling force that had lured Sans back to the graveyard day after day smashed through the depths of his soul. The images of his brother and Eric overlapping, winded him. Before he knew it, he’d stood, or attempted to before immediately falling to the ground.

“SANS! WHAT IS WRONG BROTHER? PLEASE, TELL ME? WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO YOU?”

“i-i don’t know.” Sans’ limbs shake as he tries to stand. He couldn’t handle seeing the last moment of Eric’s life played out in front of him again. It made his soul sick. What was equally bad was how Pap had hurried to kneel next to him. Sans could see from his expression that Pap just couldn’t bring himself to touch him, “pap? are you okay?”

“O-OF COURSE I AM BROTHER! IT’S YOU THAT NEEDS TO BE WORRIED AFTER. NOT ME!”

When Sans looks at Pap, really looked at his brother, he could tell that wasn’t true. There were bags under Pap’s sockets. His bones looked duller, as if Pap hadn’t been properly polishing them. Sans places his hand against Pap’s zygomatic, a small amount of bone dust gently falling off to the ground.

Pap’s eyes boggled as he pulled himself away. “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!”

“pap.” A smug expression crossed Sans’ face, “i think we need to have a talk.” He sits himself against the couch. “do i have to bring out mr. squeaks and mrs. bubbly?”

Sans found the way Pap glowered at him hilarious, the look sorely needed to break the tension. Pap takes a seat on the couch while Sans stays on the floor by his legs. Both looked and felt their exhaustion down to the bone.

“I CAN HEAR YOU PUNNING, BROTHER.”

“heh, sorry.”

They stayed like that for some time. However, Sans was very aware of how quickly time was slipping by. His limbs were having issues staying in one position for too long. Pap on the other hand had his hands hanging between his legs, head down, and had been in that pose since he sat down.

“I’VE BEEN GETTING ANXIOUS, LATELY.” Pap’s voice made Sans jump. “I START TO PACE BACK AND FORTH IN THE LIVING ROOM. I CHECK THE WINDOWS, RUN TO THE BACK DOOR AND BACK TO THE WINDOWS.” Sans stares up at his brother. He couldn’t see Pap’s eyes from his angle. “I CHECK OUR ROOMS UPSTAIRS, CONSTANTLY THINKING THAT AS I WAS RUNNING AROUND THE FIRST FLOOR SO MUCH, MAYBE I HAD JUST MISSED YOU COMING HOME.”

Sans could feel his throat clog. He wonders if there’s a dent in the floors from Pap marching around the house. A small part of him wants to check to see if it’s true. A larger part of him doesn’t want to face the reality of his mistakes. “p-pap…”

“I KNOW! I KNOW I WOULDN’T HAVE MISSED YOU ENTERING THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.” Pap’s hands ball into fists, his bones starting to rattle. “EVEN IF YOU HARDLY EVER TELL YOUR PUNS ANYMORE. I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST HEARD THE DOOR OPEN. YOUR BED SQUEAKS WHEN YOU LAY ON IT. YOU STILL DRAG YOUR SLIPPERS ACROSS THE FLOORS!”

Pap throws his arms up into the air. There were tears running down his scrunched up sockets. The boulder of guilt Sans had felt grew larger and heavier against his chest.

“I KNOW I WOULD HAVE NOTICE WHEN YOU COME HOME. I DO! BUT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE. I HAVE TO CHECK EVERY POSSIBILITY UNTIL I SEE YOU. BECAUSE A THOUGHT WOULD NAG AT ME ALL NIGHT LONG OTHERWISE.”

“i-i... you don’t have…” Speaking had become a nearly impossible feat for Sans. What does he say to this? Sorry? That felt more like an insult than him asking for forgiveness. He doesn’t feel like he deserves it either. Sans couldn’t tell him not to worry either. He couldn’t say anything without seeming insincere.

“I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOU SANS! THE NAGGING VOICE IS TELLING ME THAT I AM LOSING YOU. THAT WHEN YOU ARE OUT OF MY SIGHT, YOU MAY NEVER RETURN.” Pap finally looks back at Sans. A stream of tears rushing from his eye sockets. “IT’S RIDICULOUS. NYEH HEh Heh. YOU’D NEVER LEAVE ME. OR AT Least…. You’d Tell Me, Wouldn’t You?”

Paps wrung his hands in his lap, lifting them every once in a while in an uncharacteristically meek attempt at reaching for Sans’ arm. An arm, a shoulder, anything that could help ground him. Something to prove to him that Sans was still there, with him. Yet every time Pap tried they’d return to him. Trying to simply hold himself together.

Looking away from Pap’s face, Sans notices his own hands clenched at his sides. Realizing that even seeing Pap in this state hadn’t pushed him into action to help him. Of course he wouldn’t leave Pap. They were brothers. They were all they had anymore. So, why couldn’t he say that? Say anything? His brother had just opened up, poured out all his insecurities to him but, all Sans could do was sit there, staring.

“i-i have to go.”

“Sans?”

‘...wai-’

Sans quickly shuffles his way out of the house. He takes a shortcut just before the door fully shuts behind him.

In the room, arm extended, was Pap. His face stuck in an expression of sad disbelief. A look Sans had refused to see, what he thought he might have if he had turned back as the door clicked shut.

“Wait… Nyeh.”

~*~

Sans stumbles through the graveyard gate. The headstones and fancy monuments the only physical things keeping him on his feet. If only barely. When he finally makes his way back to Eric, he’s on his hands and knees. He’s sobbing heavily and shaking his head as a warm hand rubs his back.

“i-i’m s-so so s-sorry. so sorry. i’m sorry, please. please.” Sans hand reaches out to grab the edge of the cold stone. His eyes barely able to read the words he’s memorized by now.

“don’t leave me.”

~*~

He and Papyrus, they still talk. When Tori and the kid come over to visit, Sans tells his puns, and Papyrus states that he hates them. The kid laughs into their hand as Tori puns back. 

Papyrus gets it, he’s always known how Sans is. When they go over to Alph and Undyne’s apartment, Sans would talk science fiction. Alph would bring out some anime dvds she had found while shopping. Undyne and Papyrus would work out in the other room. 

They talk when Papyrus asks Sans if he’ll see him later. Sans would says he’ll be back late. Papyrus would remind Sans to bring an umbrella if it’s going to rain but would say nothing more. No one seems to mind since Papyrus would hold everyone’s attention as he went. Papyrus understands.

The kid had stopped him once. They had asked if everything was alright. They wonder when Sans will take them back to Grillby’s like they used to. They looked Sans in the eye as they waited.

Frisk had gotten taller than him. Huh.

Sans gives their hair a tussle and tells them, “some other day.” He walks out the door while Frisk grumbles under their breath. The talking weed starts to say something snarky and rude, but Sans is long gone by then.

~*~

The boxes were packed up. Each one neatly labeled with bold strokes in papyrus font. They crowded the upper hallway and most of the living room. Sans looks at the boxes, his hand in his pockets. He reads one saying Battle Armor. Sans couldn’t chuckle at the fond memory.

He passes ones that say Trash Tornado, Horrid Joke Books, and anything else that signified it was his stuff neatly tucked away inside. They were moving.

Again.

Papyrus was going to be living in the same apartment building as Alph and Undyne. Sans was going to the same building as Asgore. Papyrus was as excited as he could be. Sans was, unsure. Though he was certain that his new place, had a shortcut closer to Eric.

“ARE YOU SURE YOU DO NOT WANT THE COUCH?”

Walking in from the kitchen, Papyrus was checking off from his list everything that needed to be done. He didn’t look up from his list to look at Sans, just as Sans hadn’t looked away from the boxes to look at him.

“nah. you bought it. you should keep it. brown goes well with orange walls better than blue anyways.”

Sans moves his eyes to the couch. He’s slept on it a few nights by now. Though he tries not to. When he wakes up, there’s a familiar blanket covering him. The couch is just as comfortable as the old one was. Where did Papyrus get it? Maybe he should buy his own, a smaller one.

“BOUGHT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, BROWN? THAT OLD COUCH IS STILL THE SAME GREEN AS ALWAYS, BROTHER. HONESTLY.”

The quiet question that Sans lets out goes unheard as Papyrus went upstairs. Making his way to the bottom of the stairs, Sans shouts to Papyrus’s back.

“you’re telling me, that obviously brown couch isn’t new?”

“YOU ARE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE SANS. NOT THAT THAT IS ANYTHING NEW.” Papyrus enters his room to triple check his boxes are securely sealed so that nothing will be lost. With that part of his list done, he grabs a coat and heads back downstairs. He makes sure to not glance at Sans as he walks around him. “YOU EITHER TAKE THAT OLD KETCHUP STAINED COUCH WITH YOU, OR I BRING IT BACK TO THE DUMP. WHERE WE ONCE FOUND IT.”

The door clicks closed, announcing Papyrus’ exit. He was probably off to check out his new apartment again, or something. They don’t talk. They hadn’t talked. Papyrus, understands.

Sans goes to sit on the couch. His shaking phalanges running over the strange but familiar scuffs and tears he can spot on it. One of the stains that Papyrus mentioned had been scrubbed till it was only a faded spot. He hadn’t noticed it since it was only a slight shade darker than the couch.

But, it wasn’t always?

~*~

‘What’s wrong?’

Sans leans his back against a warm chest. Eric’s arms lazily wrapped around his waist as Sans’ iphone played some 80’s rock. His eyes were stilled closed, but he hums in response to the question. A soft hand pulls at Sans’ cheek. He pretends to bat it away.

‘Sans.’

“it’s nothing. just a long day is all.”

Today had been moving day. It took three hours for the movers to get everything in the trucks. Papyrus had directed them to make sure none of their belongings got switched. Then it was two and half an hour drive to Sans’ new place. It took only an hour for the movers to dump all his stuff inside his three room place.

Sans had only unpacked the things he was going to need in the immediate future before flopping himself onto his brown couch. A short nap later, he wakes up just as he had slept. The blanket still stuffed in one of the boxes. Sans left to come here. To see Eric.

‘What’s wrong?’

“nothing.” Sans uses his arm to cover his eyes, he doesn’t want Eric to see this side of him. “nothing’s wrong when i’m here with you.”

‘Liar.’

No. He wasn’t lying. He wasn’t alone. Sans still had Eric.

~*~

Tonight was the lunar eclipse. It was going to be a blood moon that lasted for an hour. Sans was excited to watch it with Eric. He had called out of work early to spend more time with him. Eric doesn’t appear until the first few stars come out, so Sans had time to set up the grave as a surprise.

Since moving closer to Asgore, Sans had been receiving flowers nearly on a daily basis. He puts them to good use decorating Eric’s little plot. He was no flower expert, but he thinks it looks okay. At least it hid all the brown grass around Eric.

‘Hey, Sans.’

Sans tries to busy himself as Eric takes in his surprise. In his peripherals he can see Eric moving through the flower field. So long as Sans doesn’t look Eric’s way, he can see his… 

His friend? They were closer than that. Family wasn’t quite right either. Partner? It was close, but no. They were a pair of two sock ingly punny people.

‘Punning again?’

Eric moves to sit next to Sans. He can tell by the warmth he could feel there. “maybe. why? want to hear some?”

‘Of course.’

Sans starts with some knock knock jokes. It helps pass the time, not that Sans wanted what limited time he has with Eric to go too fast. By the time the full moon had started to show itself, it was a rusty shade of red. They watch it climb the night sky in peaceful silence.

When the hour of the true lunar eclipse was nearing its end, Eric’s hand reached for Sans’ mandible. Turning his head, they once again stare at each other, eye to eye.

Eric’s eyes were a muddy brown.

A sharp fear strikes through Sans’ soul as Eric’s face comes closer to his. Sans dodged Eric’s, no it’s not Eric, it was never Eric, attempt at a… kiss? Attack? He didn’t know. Sans didn’t care.

‘Sans.’

He scrambles to his feet, trying to put some distance between them. He could see Eric. Sans bones start to rattle as he stares at the human he had been obsessing over close to two years now. Eric was slowly standing up, his hands out in the universal stance on meaning no harm.

‘Hey, wai-’

“no! i-it’s not possible.” Sans eye sockets widen at the sight in front of him.

There’s a human with eyes that are the wrong color but still as mesmerizing. He’s half turned as if he hadn’t planned on stopping midstep. In one of his hands is a white plastic bag with take out. A smile is slowly starting to form on his face. It looks so awkward, comical even.

“no-o. you-you’re…” Sans grabs at the spot where his soul resides as he takes unsteady steps back.

The human starts to reach out, the bag swinging with the motion. His mouth starts to move, forming the first and last words Sans had heard from them. ‘Hey, wai-’

Without conscious thought, Sans throws a bone attack before the human can finish. The human flies through the air, landing some feet away. Sans’ shoulder are heaving as he breathes heavy. He leans against the tombstone before slumping to the ground.

“what damned star is this.” Running his phalanges down his face, Sans lets out a shaky sigh. Across from him lies a mangled body, to his side is the clearing full moon. Behind him waits a cold empty apartment with italian take out in the fridge. “fuck. cursed underground hell.”

For the rest of the night, Sans stared at the body.

~*~

“Hey. Dimwit. Can you hear us?” Someone is kicking at his legs. His feet just flop to the side. His sandal almost slips off his bare phalanges. 

“Uh-Uh-Undyne? M-Mayb-be we should-d wait. F-For P-Paps?”

“He doesn’t look like he’s falling down, but what the hell is he doing in a graveyard? ‘s weird.”

One of the voices seems to be moving away from his left side. When they enter Sans’ line of sight his magic flares. A wall of bones appear between the source of the voice and where the human’s body lies. “Stars! That almost hit me you dimwit!” When the new voice backs away to a more tolerable distance, Sans magic dissipates.

The voices start to chatter to one another. He couldn’t make out the words, only their tone. One was high pitched and filled with hostility, the other soft with concern. The only feature he could make out from the blur were the colors blue and yellow.

Blue and Yellow don’t try to get near the sleeping human again. He’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t relieved. Sans isn’t sure how much magic he had left in him. It’s better to conserve as much as he could until the human wakes up.

The next time Sans becomes aware of his surroundings, it’s to see a white blur taking up most of his field of vision. The abrupt realization of this change causes a more, drastic reaction from him. Sans raises his hand up at White.

Vhirrrr

White jumps away, allowing Sans to see Yellow moving closer to the sleeping human. Moving his hand away from White, he changes his target.

Craaaaaah

Before the blast could get close to Yellow, a wall of light blue spears covers their form. When the dust settles, there is patch of lighter brown grass missing from the dark brown dirt. Yellow and Blue were huddled up back at their original spots while White was on Sans’ other side. 

“What kind of an attack was that!? Tch-”

“Undyne! Y-You’re h-hurt!”

Yellow was moving around Blue as their soft concern voice mutters about. Blue’s hostile voice had lowered as they spoke. White had stayed silent for the whole altercation.

Instead of speaking, they steadily made their way to Sans once more. Every time White stepped into Sans’ view of the sleeping human, Sans would fling bone attacks at them. It doesn’t slow White’s approach for a moment, but it does give the other two the idea that Sans was distracted.

A quick succession of bone attacks aimed at all three of them proved that thought wrong.

“Ah!”

Blue stands in front of Yellow as they deflect the bones with their spears. They have to keep jumping further back from Sans’ line of sight before he stops. White stands his ground as he fights off the barrage. Some land but, not enough to do any serious damage.

Since White hadn’t tried to bother the sleeping human, Sans doesn’t try to ward him off like the other two. It’s only when White gets too close to Sans that a bone wall blocks White’s path. White doesn’t try to attack the wall, or even try to touch it. They just patiently stand on the other side of it. When Sans feels like his point is made, he lowers the wall.

“CAN YOU HEAR ME.”

“It’s no use Pap! Dim- omph. Alphie!”

“S-Sans ha-hasn’t been re-respons-sive t-to v-verb-bal stimul-us.”

Their voices were just barely tolerable. They haven’t woken the sleeping human up, which is good. Huh, was the human a deep sleeper? That’s fine.

White moves away from Sans. He had a good idea were they were heading as he sets the Blaster to keep track of them. It floats above Sans head as it turns to follow its intended target.

“ERIC RAY STARLING.” Sans sits straighter when he hears that familiar name. He doesn’t notice the surprised voices from Yellow or Blue at his move. “BORN IN THE YEAR 19XX, DIED IN THE YEAR 20XX. THAT IS ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM BEING TWO YEARS AGO.” His hand aims towards where he can hear White’s voice.

Vhirrrrrrr

“Pap!”

“DON’T MOVE!”

Sans keeps a close eye on Blue and Yellow as he holds back on his Blaster. He’s approximately 63% certain that he wouldn’t damage the tombstone with his attack. Some of the flowers wouldn’t make it, but he could get more of those. It’s fine.

“Grr, are you sure Pap? Dim-uh, your brother isn’t really all there you know?”

“BELIEVE IN ME UNDYNE.”

He just has to keep the human, keep Eric safe. The three blurs were quiet, the air tense. Sans was tired, but Eric was still sleeping peacefully. That was what mattered.

“...Okay.”

White was moving again, but Sans couldn’t tell where. He could hear the shuffling of grass somewhere behind him. His Blaster even minutely adjusted its angle to follow it. There’s the sound of someone clearing their throat before White reads the prayer from the tomb.

“WE ASK NOT FOR MOMENTARY WEALTH, FAME, OR GLORY. GRANT US NOT THE WANT FOR FLEETING GREED. STEER US FROM THE THORNY PATH OF ENVY. BRING US T-”

“-to our eternal peace.” White goes quiet. Sans had recentered his gaze on the sleeping human. His voice sounds hoarse and weak, like he hasn’t spoken in months. It’s possible, Sans guessed. Time has always been weird. “we ask as one, grant us eternal peace.”

“IN ouR SpiRIt, oUR boDY, anD Our MIND.” Sans can’t tell how many times he’s read these words in the darkest hours of the night. 

“AMEN.” It was deathly silent other than the crunching of grass. Sans still wouldn’t let White near him, but he doesn’t use another wall to express this.

Instead the Blaster moves from above his head to floating directly in front of White. The air around the Blaster is warmer than it should be, given the season. It still has its attack fully charged, just waiting for the command to fire.

“SANS, CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

Sans remembers the first time he had read that prayer. He had thought it simple and lacking. He still does, but not as much. Eric’s immediate family weren’t spiritual people, neither were their extended families. The reason why there was a prayer there was because Eric had been the one to stumbled across it one day on the back of a religious self help book.

“SANS? CAN YOU HEAR MY VOICE? IT’S ME, PAPYRUS. SANS?”

His parents had told Sans the whole story. Eric’s high school junior project on world religion was due but, he hadn’t started it at all. He had nearly spent three days in the town’s library and bookstore reading about his assigned religion as quickly as he could. Ever since Eric found that simple prayer, he’d feel calmer after reading it out loud.

“B-BROTHER.”

Sans had never felt anything but grief when he read the words out loud. That was just how his life was, is. Was? Damn he was so tired. Maybe a nap would help replenish some of his magic. Sans rests his head against the tombstone, being careful of the King Kong statue still hanging on the side.

“Pap, lets go. We can’t help him.”

“I CAN GET THROUGH TO HIM, UNDYNE. I KNOW I CAN.”

“W-We can c-come back t-t-tomorrow? T-Try again?”

The three blur’s tones sounded just as tired as he felt. Then they were leaving. Sans went back to watching Eric sleep. He wonders how comfortable it could be to lay there with your limbs, twisted like that. Sans closes his eyes to rest as well.

~*~

The blurry figures come back three times after that. They don’t try to get near Eric, or himself anymore. He still can’t tell what they’re saying. It gets harder to even hear their tone. Sans is just so tired.

On the fourth day, a new blur arrives. Sans can’t tell if it’s purple or a lighter blue than Blue. Blurple and White are the only ones that come. The two don’t talk, at all. That’s fine with Sans. It’s been getting harder to keep his eyes open for long periods of time.

A loud, bright yellow, blur springs near him. A bone attack flies where the blur was before it gets sucked back into the dirt. The blur reappears by White and Blruple’s side. It looks more gold than yellow. Gold has a really loud and irritating voice. Sans throws another bone to get it to shut up.

“That smiley trash bag may be close to falling, but he’s still as much a damned cheater as always.”

One of Eric’s fingers twitches.

“Are you really planning on going through with this? Trash bag wouldn’t know the MERCY you two want to give him.”

“I-IT’S, T-THERE’S NOTHING.” Another finger moves and then an arm. Sans can feel the dread in his soul taking over. “I CAN’T REACH HIM ANYMORE. I DON’T… I FAILED HIM. FRISK, I AM SO SORRY.”

It pulls at him the more Eric wakes up. The twisted limbs correcting themselves as Eric gets on his hands and knees. Every motion Eric makes, Sans notices.

“If the smiley trash bag finds out what you did Frisk, he might show you another b a d  t i m e. But what do I care. I already told you to let him fall.” Sans releases a soft sigh as he closes his eyes. He remembers how beautiful green could look. “It’d be a true act of mercy.”

“I WILL NOT LET MY BROTHER DIE LIKE THIS! THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. WE DESERVE OUR HAPPY ENDING JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.”

“And you got it, you stupid creampuff. Three years of ignorant bliss above ground. Living your life with rose tinted glass everywhere.” When Eric stands, he sways on his feet. Sans wanted to go up to help him, he would if he wasn’t so burdened with doom. “Shouldn’t be surprised that the broken jagged pieces of your make believe lie would end up cutting you down.”

“FLOWEY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?”

Eric steps are awkward as he makes his way over to Sans. His head hung down, hiding his face from Sans eyes. Sans would like it if he could never see the wrongness in Eric’s eyes.

“I thought I was cruel and dangerous to all of Monster kind.”

“FLOWEY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? THERE’S NOTHING THERE!”

“If you two don’t hurry up, the trash bag might not make it in one piece.”

Sans didn’t want to see, but a shaking hand lifted his mandible to make sure he’d stare straight into Eric’s lifeless brown eyes.

“happy anniversary, eric.”

“We were safer trapped underground.”

~*~

[LOAD]

Chapter Text

“In later news, a local college student, Eric Rays Sterling, was hit by a speeding city bus as he was crossing the street on Juncture Lane. Find out how his family and friends will be compensated for this travesty by the city, tonight at 8. Now, back to Richard with the weekly forecast.”

Sans shuts off the t.v. feeling disturbed. This was the third station that was talking about what happened a few days ago. With how small this town was, it’s no wonder why that accident was all the media could talk about. He gets it. The underground wasn’t even half the size of this town, so any news was big news. It doesn’t mean he has to like how detached the reporters are. Maybe he was too used to Mettaton’s flamboyant, everything.

He hops off the couch and makes his way to the kitchen. It seemed Paps was cooking something new. It smelled a bit burnt, and for a skeleton to say that meant it was likely to be inedible to most humans. Wonder what the occasion was for?

“what’re you cooking there bro?” Sans says as he grabs a cool bottle of ketchup from the fridge.

“FOUR CHEESE RAVIOLI!” Pap was stirring up a large pot of what looked like boiling marinara sauce. “FRISK IS COMING OVER TODAY! THEY SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE TO ASK IF WE WERE BOTH GOING TO BE HOME FOR DINNER.” There were thick clouds of grey smoke rising to the ceiling. The fire alarm was more for decoration these days.

Sans snorts at that. Bad timing, ketchup almost came out his nasal holes. That felt both uncomfortable and strange, it’s something he would rather not have happened twice. “though the kid knew we always have dinner together. been above ground for months now for the kid to know our schedule.” Grabbing a paper napkin off the table, Sans cleans the edges of his mouth of where ketchup actually spilled out.

“YES WELL, I BELIEVE FRISK WAS JUST BEING POLITE. UNLIKE SOME UNCULTURED MONSTERS I SEEM TO KNOW.” Pap checked on the flaming lumps of tonight’s dinner before deeming it cooked.

Sans has no idea what the burned bricks are supposed to taste like, but they’ll taste amazing when he drowns it in ketchup. He finds it somewhat odd how Paps is calling the kid by their name. Didn’t his brother refer to them as the human just this morning?

“HELP ME SET THE TABLE SANS! FRISK WILL BE HERE ANY MOMENT.”

Paps hurries about the kitchen to complete his last minute preparations. The sight of it seems warmer than usual. Sans feels strangely reluctant to pun away the responsibility Paps had given him. Sans can check his lab after dinner.

“sure pap.” Sans goes to the drawer to grab the silverware. ”don’t fork -get that the kid eats smaller portions. it wouldn’t be knife for us to give them more than they could chew.” Of course he was still going to pun.

Pap’s yelling sounds like music to his non-existent ears. When the kid finally showed up, they had taken only a minute to understand what was happening before they joined in as well. That night was filled with puns, one liners, and horrible comebacks.

When the kid asked if they could sleep over, of course Sans and Paps agreed. It was late and thus safer for the kid to spend the night, even if this was the Monster neighborhood. Just a quick call to Tori to finalize everything and the trio was settled onto the couch for a movie.

“To those just tuning in, our field reporter had just made contact with the grieving Sterling family. Though the parents of Eric Sterling were unwilling to make any comments, close friends and relatives had a lot to say.”

Damn, Sans forgot he had left the channel on the news. Jeeze, give the poor family a break. They just lost their son two days ago. Sans hadn’t noticed how tightly he’d gripped the remote until Paps reached out to hold his hand. With a shaky smile, Sans set the television to the right input for the DVD to start the movie.

Right before the final climax of the movie, where the hero stops the mastermind from dominating the world, Frisk and Pap were snoring. Honestly, Sans has no idea what movie had been playing for the last hour and a half. It could’ve been the movie adaptation of Pap’s favorite bedtime story really. It doesn’t matter now that the credits are rolling. He shuts both the t.v. and DVD player off before hopping off the couch.

Sans goes about waking his brother up enough to lead the taller skeleton to his racecar bed. Pap’ll complain about not sleeping in his jammies, but oh well. Back downstairs, Sans lifts the kid back onto the couch before covering them with a nearby blanket. He gives their hair a good ruffle before moving away.

He really hopes he’s wrong. That when he gets to his lab, he wouldn’t find any weird fluctuations. Or even if there were, they would be small ones. Sans walks out the front door expecting the worst outcome. What he doesn’t notice is the golden flower sinking back into the floor.

[LOAD]

The whole gang had been at Tori’s house for one of their gatherings. It was loud, furniture was flying through the air, and Undyne was attempting to burn the place down in the name of passion. Everyone was doing their own 500 puzzle piece sets Tori had recently bought.

Sans hadn’t even opened his as he was much more comfortable watching the mayhem. Pap was half way done with his, in a sense, beating Undyne when the coffee table they were working on got blown up.

By the blushing, sweating Alphys. 

Why was her puzzle now a cardboard robot? With lazers. Oh well, Undyne had been praising Alphys on her smarts while Pap was crying over the slightly singed table. Sans watches as the little menace runs into the kitchen. He doesn’t say anything to inform the others about the dangers they were going to be in. Sans just gets more comfortable on the couch.

Soon after, Tori comes stomping into the living room with smoke rising out of her ears. Or rather, from her ears. Seems like the robot menace had shot its lasers at Tori’s head when she wasn’t paying attention.

Sans will gladly admit that Tori’s mom face was not something he could look at. Alphys was left to fix up the kitchen her robot had managed to mess up before Tori stomped on it. Undyne, Pap, and Sans were sent to get food. The kid tagged along since they said they knew the perfect chinese take out place.

For most of the walk there, the kid had kept pace with Pap and Undyne. Not surprising since Sans lagged behind, sometimes blocks away. Undyne still questions how Sans appears in front of them once he was gone from view. No one gives her a straight answer.

Everything is fine until the kid starts acting weird. They keep pace with Sans, so he starts walking slower and slower to mess with them. He expects the kid to huff in mock annoyance to play along. Instead the kid starts to visibly worry about something as they grab hold of his sleeve.

They tug at him to walk faster. Pap and Undyne are long gone by now, probably already at the chinese place, giving their orders. Sans only marginally speeds up but otherwise refuses the kids demand for him to practically run in this case.

“easy kid. what’s the rush? the place ain’t going no… where...” Sans eye lights notice someone in his peripherals. It was a quick glance that lasted only for a second.

EEEEEK!

He’s never seen such beautiful green eyes before.

“Hey, wait!”

CRASH

[LOAD]

Frisk had kept pace with Sans, even when he was messing around and slowing down on purpose. Frisk just laughs into their hands and slows down as well. The two of them keep this up until Frisk gets that certain look on their face. Something about that look unsettles Sans, but before he could grab the kid, they bolt and he misses.

Sans is impressed with the kid’s dodge, but he doesn’t run after them. He knows a shortcut. Rounding the corner, he’s just in time to see the kid bump into a human exiting out of a building.

“Oh, sorry there short stuff. Didn’t see you, excuse me.”

Before the kid could grab onto the leaving human, Sans had grabbed hold of their hand. “ ‘ey frisk! why’d you run off there bud?” He checks the kid over in a subtle manner, making sure they are okay. “you’ve been acting…” Once he was sure that Frisk was alright, he looked up at the other human.

He’s never seen green eyes before?

EEEEEK!

Panic quickly wells up inside him. Those eyes, that human. He notices the speeding bus and tries to tell them. “watch ou-!”

CRASH

[LOAD]

“kid, i ain’t moving a single step until you explain. what’s going on here?” Sans stands at the corner of the street. He crosses his arms as he stares the kid down. They had been looking spaced out all day. Didn’t even laugh when Alphy’s robot blew up the table. Instead, they were busy looking at the clock on the wall, as if they were waiting for something.

Meanwhile, Frisk was freaking out. They try to tell Sans that someone important was at the chinese takeout, but he kept asking too many questions. Now, Frisk was staring as the human, Sans’ soulmate, was crossing the street, in complete horror. “kid, what are you staring at?”

CRASH

The loud sound startles Sans as he turns around to see a human body flying through the air. He’s quick to cover Frisk’s eyes. A familiar sense of a missed opportunity settles in his soul. What was more heavy, was Toriel’s reaction when she learned that Frisk had seen such a tragedy under his care.

[LOAD]

Sans blinks as the kid, who had been walking ahead of him for sometime, dashes out of sight. He figures that they had something to ask Undyne or Pap, who had probably already entered the chineses restaurant by now.

By the time he rounds the corner, he sees the kid hanging off of some random human. The human, a young looking man, seems annoyed, but they aren’t laying a hand on Frisk. It actually looks like he has no idea what to do with his hands as they’re raised above his head. Neither of them notice that Sans’s there, the man has his head down as he tries to get Frisk to let him go.

“Look shorty, I don’t know what you want from me but I need to go. My food’s getting cold and I’m sure your parents are looking for you. Now, excuse me.”

In a last ditch effort, Sans watches the human shake Frisk’s grasp loose. The human had managed to shake Frisk off and started to cross the street. A small victory smile floats to the human’s face, their amazing green eyes lighting up before horror takes over. Sans could guess that the man had thought that was the end of it, but Frisk had become more determined to pull them back onto the sidewalk. The kid had run right after the man, pulling at his arm with all their strength.

Honk Honk!

“frisk!”

“Kid! Watch out!” The man had dropped all his belongings as he pushed Frisk back with all his strength. Frisk hadn’t wanted to let go, but how could they compare to an adult’s strength. They stumble backwards, nearly back to the sidewalk, before skeletal hands grab them into a blue jacket.

CRASH

Why did it take so long for Sans to move? Why did seeing those green eyes and that human’s smile make his soul pulse? It had made him hesitate, he does not hesitate. If he had reacted sooner, maybe he wouldn’t have pulled only one shirt towards him.

[LOAD]

Tori’s get-together had been canceled. Apparently the kid had caught some sort of bug. Tori wasn’t too sure what was wrong with them, human biology being far more complicated than the history texts had led Monsters to believe. But rest and some healing snail pie would help. The gang had agreed to reschedule for tomorrow, once the kid was better.

“COME NOW BROTHER, THE SOONER WE GET THE FOOD THE SOONER YOU CAN GET BACK TO WORK.” Papyrus said as he marched ahead the semi quiet streets. A few humans had given them strange looks, but Papyrus understands that it takes time for others to get accustomed to his amazing self.

“i’m pretty sure that’s not how you motivate someone, pap. it ain’t working for me.” Sans quips from behind his brother. He doesn’t pay any of the humans a glance as he keeps his head down, and shoulders slump. Sans had a strong sense of dejavu walking down these streets, and he didn’t like it.

“BROTHER! WHY MUST YOU INSIST ON MAKING SUCH HORRIBLE-” There was something bad, something really bad was going to happen. This feeling was almost soul deep, telling him to hurry before it was too late. “SANS? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING!?” Papyrus was going to yell at his brother for punning in public, but for the first time in his life, Papyrus saw his brother without his lazy posture. Sans face was frozen, eye lights gone in fear as if the world had played a cruel joke on him.

EEEEEK!

The sound of the tires skidding seems to snap Sans back from whatever trance he was in. Papyrus had his own horrible feeling in his soul, he reached out towards his stiff brother, but Sans had ducked in the last second. And then he ran towards the street.

“SANS! NO!”

CRASH

[LOAD]

“careful there bud. i don’t adoor having my face smacked with glass.”

“Sorry! I’m running late. There’s this creepy yellow flower stealing my shit!”

“huh. dude didn’t even notice he dropped his wallet.”

“You gotta be FUCKING KIDDING ME! Forget it! I don’t need to eat! I’m heading back to campus.”

“hey uh, eric? why does that name sound familiar?”

“Yeah, who called me?”

CRASH

[LOAD]

"What is this? Your 15th attempt, or your 30th? I stopped counting when I stopped caring." Flowey said, not expecting a reply.

Frisk didn't give him one.

"How much longer are you going to keep this up? They aren't meant to be together, Frisk. Just let them die!" Flowey just watched as Frisk stared down at their toy knife. A red glow soon started growing from its edge. "You're not going to try and cut the bus in half again are you? That was only funny the first time." He grumbled to himself, "You know, even I'm starting to pity them, and that's saying something!"

Frisk simply looked up at him, that look on their face saying it all. The brat really was going to continue.

"I'm done already. I've helped you enough. You know, this got boring real quick." Flowey's petals shook as he made his way up Frisk’s leg. "Call me when you're done being Determined or whatever!" As if he could talk some sense into them. Flowey settled himself to wrap around Frisk’s arm before closing his eyes to rest.

Frisk felt the soft grip of a vine on their wrist. Sticking to their last Save wasn't going to work at this rate.

They'd have to go all the way back, one last time.

[RESET]

Chapter Text

Frisk was hanging by the hands of Papyrus and their mother, Toriel, swinging as they laughed. The day was pretty warm, the sun was shining, birds were chirping. On days like these, the kid liked to bring the gang out for some fun. As they were walking, Frisk saw a poster on one of the wooden posts. Letting go of Papyrus’ hand, they point at it. 

“Hm? What is it, my child?” Toriel stops walking as they see what had caught her child’s attention. Seeing the poster, she and Frisk walk closer to better read it. Seems that it was the local community college’s advertisement about an art fair they were holding. “Oh look! There is an art fair happening today. Would you like to go, my child?”

Frisk nods their head rapidly with a large smile on their face. They even suggest that they should make it a group outing. Toriel agreed along with Papyrus, as they both pulled out their phones to make some calls. What neither of them saw was Frisk looking off to the side to see a disappearing yellow flower. They clench their fist and swear in their soul.

This time. For sure, this time.

~*~

“an art fair? fairly sure that ain’t my scene bro.” Sans said as he held the phone next to his skull. He had been busy reading the newest pun book about dad jokes. Now that was what he considered art.

“SANS! YOU ARE LONG OVER DUE TO EXPERIENCE THE TRUE CULTURE OF THE SURFACE WORLD.” Sans nods his head as his brother starts a very long and detailed complaint about Sans lack of sophistication. He hardly paid any attention to the speech, instead he read a few more pages of the book, jotting down some of his favorites.

By the end of the speech, Sans made an agreeing sound. After all that, there was no way he could say no. His cool brother would have started stomping his feet without Sans being there to see it. “alright pap, i’ll go. just give me a few minutes to get myself ready.”

Papyrus’ shouts of joy at his success puts a smile on Sans’ face. Well, a larger one than his usual one. With the phone call done with, Sans settles into the sofa as he continues to read.

~*~

Frisk and the gang, minus Sans, were standing outside of the college. They took their time to appreciate the architecture as they waited for the last member to show up.

“RAWR! When is that bonehead going to show up!? The fairs’ already started!” Undyne screamed to the sky as her patience was wearing thin.

Alphys puts a comforting hand on her girlfriend before Undyne finds a need to flip something over. “I-I-I’m sure h-he’ll be he-he-here soon.”

Frisk sighs as they start to tug at Tori’s hand towards the entrance. It was better they went on ahead instead of waiting here. There were people staring at them, and not in a good way. Though with the way Papyrus was posing at the staring crowd…Frisk wasn’t sure who was causing a bigger commotion.

Toriel chuckles into her furry paw as she successfully herds the group into the college and towards the section of the school that was holding the art fair. Apparently it was in a place called the greens. A small outdoor area of the school where stalls and exhibits were put up for the day.

The gang had split up to explore different parts of the fair. They agreed to meet up at the corndog truck at a certain time later. Undyne left with Alphys, while Toriel ventured off on her own, Frisk insisting that they wanted to be with Papyrus. They knew eventually his brother would find them.

~*~

There were too many people gathered. Eric’s gaze was unfocused as he walked around the greens. All the people who either found their soulmate, or never had one to begin with, were displaying their art. It was all tiring really. His stupid assignment for art class was to pick a piece from the fair and write a report on it. It was a pointless worksheet, but his teacher claims that it helps develop a better understanding of the many blah blah blah.

It was all bullshit.

As Eric walked around he spotted students he knew of, mostly from shared classes, mingling about. He'd nod at their direction if they waved at him, but otherwise, he'd walked by without much notice. It was when he decided to leave and flunk the paper that he had passed by a fish looking Monster and a hunched dinosaur one staring at some fanart of some anime.

Now this was interesting.

Eric wonders, can Monsters' see color with or without a soul mate? If they could, then it makes sense they’d enjoy the supposedly colorful shows. Sure, there were colorblind humans who didn't care that the shows were in black and white for them, but Eric would rather read instead.

“Uh-Undyne! Look! Th-They ha-ha-have it!”

The hunched dinosaur Monster started to point and tug at the Monster named Undyne. Who seemed to enjoy how the dinosaur Monster was geeking out.

“Alphy! I’ll get you that picture! Hey, human, how much G for your art!?”

Woah, Undyne was loud but sweet. It startled the students who were not expecting that volume. Some chuckled, others flared, but most just shook their heads and continued on their way. Eric stopped to watch the commotion till he had his fill. The art student was floundering around as Undyne started listing off numbers of G's.

It took a moment for Eric to remember that Monsters' use G, or gold, as a form of currency like dollars. But their sense of value was way off compared to humans.

He walks away as the two Monsters start to barter with the student. Nothing really catches his eyes afterwards. Eric walks absentmindedly until he sees a very large, tall white goat Monster. That Monster had a soft looking smile on their face. They seemed to be lost as they walked through the stands. Still, there was a strange air to them. Almost like a parental feeling, but more...powerful. Royal like?

Eric was going to keep walking until he bumps into a kid. Not thinking much of it, Eric says a quick sorry and walks off. He only manages to take a few steps before he’s held back. Looking behind him, and then down, he spots the same kid.

“Uh…hi?”

The kid smiles up at him. This was completely weird. Kids usually don’t like him, or maybe it was him who didn’t really like them? It was both.

“You can let go now.”

The smile on the kid's face gets larger as their grip gets tighter on his clothes. Where was this kid's parents? Come get your kid or something! Teach them stranger danger.

Eric takes a few steps to the side to shake them off, the kid follows. Seeing as they weren’t leaving his side anytime soon, Eric starts to look for a panicked parent. No one looked like they were missing a small person, but he was still going to shout out just in case. Yet, another much too loud voice stops him.

“HUMAN? WHO HAVE YOU GOT THERE?”

Blinking, Eric sees another tall Monster walking toward them. This time he manages to shout back, “Hey! Excuse me, is this your kid?” It isn’t until the Monster gets closer that he realizes that it was a skeleton type. It was surprising in a pleasant way, as Eric thought the towering Monster had to be the coolest looking one so far.

He completely forgets that the kid is there, latched onto his sleeve, until they start pulling Eric towards the Monster. Hardly putting any resistance as he was more than willing to talk to this Monster. Eric could feel some of that boredom ebbing away at the prospect of something new.

~*~

Sans walks down the street, slow and at peace. Being above ground for some years now has left him feeling just a tad more hopeful than before. He’s alone, going to meet up with his brother and Undyne. There’s hardly any humans around here and he’s grateful.

He turns the corner and the Chinese restaurant that the kid likes is in sight.

‘…Hey…’

Looking back, Sans sees the back of a human walking in the opposite direction. He can’t make out much about them, other than their eyesore choice of clothing. Shrugging his shoulders, Sans goes along with walking down the street. He can see Paps and Undyne way up ahead before they turn the corner. Sans smiles and decides to take a short cut into the Chinese restaurant before they get there.

‘Hey…w-‘

Blinking, Sans stops walking down the street. He turns but there’s no one there. Was there supposed to be someone? No, …yes, it’s Paps. His bro is supposed to be here. He’s just around the corner. Sans walks onwards and right as he can make out the red of his bro’s scarf…

‘…wai-‘

There’s green.

CRASH.

Sans takes a gasping breath as he awoke from his sudden nap. His bones were rattling and he could feel his soul shaking. The dream he now couldn't remember still left a lingering haunting sensation. He grabs at the book on his chest and tosses it to the side of the couch.

He needs a distraction. That’s when he notices the many missed calls on his upgraded Nokia and remembers about the fair. It just takes Sans a quick search to get the location of the college, followed by a quick short cut from his home to a street near the school. As Sans looks up at the building, he spots a yellow flower disappearing from view. 

He stares at the spot the flower was, before shrugging his shoulders and continuing on his way. Sans follows the fliers and posters that point to where the fair is held. When he entered the greens, he could see that there were a few different Monsters around besides their group. It brings Sans some comfort as he meanders about the place.

It doesn’t take him long before he hears his brother’s voice from somewhere in the area. Turning on the balls of his feet, Sans heads for Papyrus. It was never hard to find his very cool brother. He was usually the loudest of the crowd and had a shiny, new, blowing red cape. The old one from before sitting carefully in a memento box.

On his way he notices there was a crowd of people at the food trucks. Sans sees that the majority of the group was at a corn dog truck, but not his bro or even the kid. Going up to Tori, Sans puns his entrance. Tori’s surprised bark of a laugh was music to his skull.

“Sans, you and your corny jokes always get me.” Toriel says as she holds up her corn dog at him.

“i do like to stick to a grand entrance.” Sans winks at the group and asks about the two missing members.

“Paps and the twerp are at the fried donut truck.” Undyne answers as he scarfs down three of the dogs. “These taste so much better than your catdogs!”

“ cat you not insult my cooking? i work like a dog collecting them, you know?” Sans chuckles as Undyne’s face scrunched up in disgust at him.

“A-A hu-human male is w-with them.” Alphy interrupts before her girlfriend starts to shout at her friend. She knew that mentioning that a stranger was with Sans’s brother would take precedent.

“look at the sun, it’s shine for me to go.” Sans turned around and started to head for the truck that his bro was at.

Almost no one notices how his sockets furrow at the idea of a strange human getting close to Paps. Sure, the kid was there, but they were limited on the surface. Not like him. The sound of Pap’s voice reached him before his figure.

“ARE YOU SURE THIS IS NOT ART HUMAN? THOUGH IT IS GREASY, EVERY CHEF IN THEIR OWN WAY IS AN ARTIST OF THE CULINARY FIELD.”

“Uh yeah. Papyrus, right? It’s just food. You pay to eat it, not hang it up on your wall or something.”

As Sans was walking towards the sound of his bro, he could see Pap and the kid’s back come into view. What he couldn’t see was the person his brother was talking to. “hey bro, who art thou talking to?”

“SANS! WHY MUST YOU TARNISH THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE WITH YOUR PUNS?” Papyrus quickly turns around to glare down at Sans. The shorter skeleton just shrugs his shoulders as he laughs. “DO NOT LAUGH BROTHER! I AM TRYING TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND, I DO NOT NEED YOUR PUNS TO SCARE THEM AWAY.”

Frisk’s usual soft laugh was followed with a deep chuckle heard from the mystery person before they clear their throat. Pap’s horrified expression causing them to hide their laugh. Not that Sans minds. He’s glad to know that this person has a drawful sense of humor as him.

“Um… I should probably go though. Need to hand in this paper before my next class starts.” 

Papyrus would have felt whiplash with how fast he turned his neck to face the other person. Sans couldn’t see it, but he bet all of his joke books that Pap’s was giving this new human the teary eye look.

“No dude, no. Aw man, please don’t cry. I just have to get this turned in. I swear.”

“ARE YOU SURE HUMAN? YOU WEREN’T DISGUSTED BY MY BROTHER’S LACK OF DECORUM?” Papyrus sniffles as he wipes away at his sockets. The hidden human does something that reassures Papyrus before his brother finally calms down.

Sans saw Frisk trying to sneak up on him. He lets the kid have their fun and jump at him. Of course, he dodges out of the way at the last second. Frisks falls with a light omph, before playfully glaring at Sans. Dusting themselves off as they get up, Frisk asks for Sans hand. This leaves Sans questioning but complying as there was no harm.

Slowly, as if Frisk was coaxing a timid animal, they lead Sans to the human that was trying to leave. The first thing that Sans sees of them is their horrible sense of fashion. Not that it was anything too noteworthy. There were plenty of humans wearing strange color combinations, this human just seems to really like neon colors. Why pink pants with an orange shirt? Wait, was that supposed to be a yellow duck on it?

“SANS, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THIS HUMAN.”

Then Sans looked at the human’s eyes. They were the brightest, most enchanting green he has ever seen. 

“HIS NAME IS, UM… I AM SORRY HUMAN. I SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR NAME.”

“...Stars…”

“WHAT A PECULIAR NAME. WELL STARS, THIS IS MY BROTHER SANS.”

The human, who couldn’t stop staring back at Sans, shakes their head in a daze.

“Yeah, um no. I mean, that’s not my name. I’m Eric.”

Sans is rooted to the spot. There was a feeling inside him. Something like an impending doom was going to befall him soon. He couldn’t take his lights away from this Eric person. His green eyes were something astronomical to Sans. They transported him to lush forest, green meadows, and felt like the soft moss on old rocks. He was getting lost in them and missed what was being said.

It was when Eric reached out for Sans, that Sans snapped out of it. He can’t help the fear that courses through him like a tsunami. He dodges out of reflex and the hurt that seeps into those living green eyes causes Sans to panic. He reaches out before Eric could pull his hand back and holds on tightly.

Finally!

That thought settles into his mind and he doesn’t care where it comes from. He has Eric in his hand, it’s warm and soft and there.

“...eric.”

“Yeah…Sans.”

Finally.

Sans can look at Eric as much as he wants, and the human doesn’t seem to mind. A genuine smile takes hold of them, and Sans has never heard his name be called so sweetly before. He chuckles and cries and he can’t help it at all. He can see the concern from Eric and when Eric reaches out to Sans once more, Sans is eager to meet him halfway.

A tear slips out of Eric’s eyes, the human probably doesn’t even notice it rolling down his cheek. But Sans does and he laughs harder. “what a tear ful meeting.”

Another deep gruff of a laugh leaves Eric and Sans decided then, he’d say or do anything to make Eric fully laugh always.

“You’re a punny guy, Sans. Those one liners are no joke .”

Delight surges through him. Sans knew, his life was finally set on the right path.

~*~

Finally…

Frisk stands by the side, a yellow flower wrapped around their arm, and they have a relieved smile on them. They hide it from Paps who is very confused as to why Sans and Eric keep staring and smiling. Frisk goes and pulls Paps away to the side. It was best that they explain what is happening to their tall friend. The concept of Soulmates was something that Monster’s hadn’t yet learned about. Well all except Sans, who probably had a decent idea now.