Work Text:
“So THIS is the site, huh?!”
Undyne stepped out of the car, the wind whipping her ponytail behind her dramatically. It was hilarious how she always managed to look like an anime protagonist even in the most boring and routine of situations. It didn’t help that her wife trailed after her, regarding her with the same amount of wonder and starry eyes as she had when they first met.
“It’s…it’s…”
You braced yourself, fully anticipating her reaction. She was nice, but she’d always been blunt. Which was good in some situations where she could be up front about things to make sure you were keeping a realistic train of thought, but this subject was a little touchy.
“PERFECT!” she roared, punching in the air so hard you really thought that she would split open another dimension. “Look at all this SPACE! And it’s only like fifteen minutes away from the rest of us either way! FUFUFUFU! I KNEW that they would do a good job in picking something that suited you NERDS!”
Your face felt warm. You hadn’t realized just how on edge you were until she gave you her approval. Maybe it was because you guys had been friends for so long. Maybe it was that you finally understood the depth of her feelings for Alphys when you compared it to your own relationships. Maybe it was some small part of you that still wanted to impress her because she was really cool. Whatever the case, you knew that the gentleness in your expression was due in large part to her ranting and raving about the small patch of land that would soon be a home.
“T-this is a great place for building, too. You’ll have a lot of opportunities to plant things and grow your own g-garden, if you’d like. I have some ideas about a big flower patch or field in the back if you’d like, we can pick out seeds and equipment to make it s-shine!”
You laughed. “Okay, why flowers?”
“I…I don’t know, I thought it was a human thing.” Alphys shrugged. “It was just a suggestion, though!”
Toriel had wandered out and approached the house quietly. She had her paws laced together as she gazed up at the crumbling structure where it stood.
You trailed after her, wondering how many times in your life you’d done this exact same thing. When you were her assistant Underground, it was hard not to feel intimidated by her presence. Staring at her back and imagining the crushing weight of responsibility she shouldered all on her own. How she managed to push through despite the drowning cries of her people against the backdrop of their looming entrapment for centuries upon centuries.
“I never thought you would be here.”
“You didn’t?” You laughed. “Me neither. It’s still kind of surreal.”
“When we lived Underground, you were very…persistent in how you did things. How you handled situations, despite your fears. When we spent time together, I could see how your strength was tested time and time again. You were afraid that you would never reach the surface. That you would let your friends down. And not only have you gone against that fate, pushing forward to the world you once knew, but you have discovered so much in your time here. It…is very good to see that you have fallen in love with people who will take care of you. I am…overwhelmed at times with how wonderful it is to see all three of you working together and thriving in a world that was so unforgiving. This house is almost…”
You had a tough time interpreting her expression. She looked like she was about to cry, but it wasn’t necessarily sad.
“Tori…”
“Ha, ha! I know. I am just an emotional old lady.” She wiped the tears budding at the corners of her eyes. “Can you tell me something? I would love to hear it.”
“Shoot.”
“What are your favorite things about Sans and Papyrus?”
Your favorite things about Sans.
Well, for one, he was hilarious.
It wasn’t as if everyone else wasn’t funny. They always managed to make you crack a smile with their antics and their overwhelming support. But things with him were…different. In a good way!
When you first met him, you were a little uncomfortable with the concept of him. A walking, talking skeleton? Good luck in not reminding you that you might’ve just died on the way down the mountain. His puns were always off-beat, his sarcasm made your eye twitch sometimes, and you really didn’t understand some of the reasons why he would end up delving into an endless cycle of self-depravation on the down-low.
But Sans…was funny. Because as much as he put his heart and SOUL into things, he almost always gave the credit to other people. He wrote off his kindnesses as just run of the mill, daily things that was common for everyone. Which wasn’t true.
He was silly.
He would show up to your apartment with your favorite food after a long day. The bag still steaming hot and the smell of it cheering you up almost instantly. Kick off his shoes near the door. March up to your room. And set it on the endtable while he cornered you with a kiss that sent you both in a tangle of limbs on the bed. He’d cage you in his arms and you pretended to be helplessly pinned under his weight.
Funny.
How he would lift his hand and brush the strands of hair from your forehead, staring down at you like you were Fucking Everything.
Funny.
How he would reach out and hold your hand only when you thought you were going to lose yourself. In moments where you weren’t sure, when you second-guessed, when you sat there and wondered if you could make it out all in one piece.
Funny.
How he could always bring a grin to your face even when you were on the verge of tears. Picking the most awful joke that had you pushing him playfully out of frustration.
Funny.
How he could stretch himself onto the full length of your lap when you both lounged around on the couch. You could be on your laptop or reading a book, watching TV with your chin in your hand. He would just snuggle up to you close and shift around until you gave him the attention he wanted. Sometimes it was a hand on the top of his skull to trace the texture with your fingertips. In other instances, he would force you to feed him whatever snack you were nibbling on, shooting you a wink when you let out a huff of indignation for having your downtime interrupted.
Really, he was pretty much the whole package.
You never thought that the both of you would click so well. That he would grow on you so much. You would end up spending nights in bed thinking about him, pining away for a relationship that you weren’t even sure he wanted.
And oh. He totally did.
You liked quite a lot about him. You liked how he always poured pancakes into completely adorable and impractical shapes into the frying pan just to get a rise out of his brother. You liked that he and Toriel would hang out during the week, cracking jokes and unwinding, chilling so hard that neither of them did much but enjoy each other’s company. You liked that he was always critical – but encouraging! – of Alphys’s research when she asked.
But you loved quite a bit more.
You loved how attentive he was to your needs. How he could pick up on tiny expressions on your face when you were feigning certain emotions just to reassure everybody that you were fine. He made sure that he had your favorite food stocked in the fridge, courtesy of Papyrus’ massive shopping lists. On days when you were feeling sick, he would hang out with you and make sure you slept soundly through the night with regular doses of cough medicine, pain pills or warm, toasty blankets.
You loved when he would admit that he was excited about something. How the hearts in his eyesockets would blossom from his usually shapeless pupils, the light flickering against the inky background. He would reach up and touch your shoulder just long enough to capture your attention and redirect you to whatever he was admiring.
“hey, babe.”
“babe.”
“babe.”
“babe?”
All of them so infectious. How you could hear that nickname and just know it was for you. You perked up at the sound no matter where you were or what you were doing. Turning around to find yourself grinning at him, reaching for his touch, lingering just long enough that he returned it full force.
You loved that he was so talented. And intelligent. He could go through a thousand different solutions to a single problem in a manner of seconds. He was creative and smart, always ready with a biting comment and a wink. He would never admit it, but he could pick up anything and run with it. Becoming an expert. Learning so rapidly that it would make any hardworking pursuer of the art jealous.
You loved it when he said your name. In moments where he couldn’t even form coherent words.
You loved how quick-witted he was. With responses and quips. Always willing to snap at people who deserved it but otherwise keeping his cool. Protecting you and his brother with every last thing he could muster.
You loved it when the both of you were together.
Alone.
With him completely bare and vulnerable, his SOUL stammering underneath you while you bent down to taste him. How he tensed when you ran your tongue over the spot that made him see stars, his fingers tangling in your hair when he laughed weakly and let you have your way. Using laziness as an excuse to have you completely smother him with every last ounce of affection you could until the tension snapped and he arched into your mouth and sputtered out three little words that were rare and still wonderful to hear.
Those times were rare. Very. But still worth loving.
You loved that he would never leave you no matter what your self-esteem told you. You loved that he made the decision to be in your life and stay.
Your favorite thing about Sans was more of a giant conglomeration of all his traits, flaws and characteristics wrapped up neatly in a tight little ball.
You were okay with that.
You waited for the real estate agent to show up. They were supposed to meet the group out here and chat. Undyne and Alphys told you their name, but you were honestly still a little out of sorts with the way that they treated your boyfriends not a few weeks before, so you didn’t bother trying to remember it. You should’ve just let it go. Be the bigger person, turn over a new leaf.
Nah.
“T-there she is!”
Alphys and Undyne practically rushed over. You were surprised at how much they seemed to like her despite the things you told them. They had a right to their own opinions. Friends didn’t have to reign supreme in every single thing. Still, you were a little slighted that they were so quick to jump the gun.
“We should help her with the supplies,” Toriel chastised you. You groaned inwardly at her completely mature and correct stance on the situation, trudging over to the giant van filled with who-knows-what.
The agent looked much more chipper than they did the other day. It was nice to see them relaxed, far removed from that overly professional, dry attitude they held the other day. In fact, they were dressed in clothes appropriate for the outdoors this time. With a shirt that looked like it’d seen more painting days than actual cycles in the wash.
“Hello! We are glad you are here.”
Pfft. You weren’t. Still. You shot them a polite smile, which they barely noticed considering they had mountains of giant blueprints hoisted over their shoulder.
“The rest of them should be here soon.”
You weren’t sure what you expected, but following them into a giant trailer that pulled up was the last thing. Especially when you recognized the familiar faces posted up in the window.
“NYEH HEH HEH! SURPRISED?!”
“I thought you guys had some work emergency!” You stared at the brothers, who peered at you through the glass with cheesy expressions.
“THEN WE HAD YOU THOROUGHLY JAPED!”
“it was all my bro’s idea.”
“YES!!! SURELY SHE WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED MY BRILLIANCE SOONER OR LATER.” Papyrus brought his head back in. “JUST WAIT A MOMENT – WE ARE COMING TO YOU!”
You heard some comical crashing from inside and couldn’t stop laughing. You really thought that your first consultation with the team of builders was going to be something you’d just have to power through on your own. But just hearing your boyfriends’ voices was enough to lift your mood and apprehension about the entire process.
“SANS UNLOCK THE DOOR.”
“ok.”
“I’M BEING SERIOUS. I AM TRAPPED IN HERE UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING.”
You had no clue what was happening, but it still cracked you up. You trailed after the agent while they tore the door open, sending both of your boyfriend tumbling out onto the ground.
Papyrus caught himself almost immediately. Brushing off the blades of grass that stuck to the front of his outfit. After letting out a small noise of disapproval at the stains from the mud and grass, he recovered and put his hands on his hips.
“DID YOU REALLY THINK WE WOULD LEAVE YOU HERE ALONE?”
You grinned. “Kind of.”
“THEN YOU MUST NOT KNOW US VERY WELL! MY RECOMMENDATION AS A PROFESSIONAL BOYFRIEND IS EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION THROUGH INTENSIVE CUDDLING. STARTING NOW.”
Papyrus approached you and gently lifted you off your feet, pulling you in a warm embrace. You were a little shocked at first, seeing as how you hadn’t really mentally prepared, but he was so lovesick and attentive that you pretty much just let him get away with it.
“so. whaddya got for us?”
The agent sat down at the table and laid down some basic things. “I’ve had several architects collaborate together in order to make you something sturdy, dependable, long-lasting and suited to all your needs.”
They painted a picture for you. A house, smack dab in the middle of this plot of land. A driveway that led up to it with a large yard, nice enough for any kind of pestering canines that would’ve followed you all the way out here. A triple mailbox for all three of you that would stay outside the main path. They went into full, complex detail, with Sans grabbing a nearby pen so he could put his own additions onto the convoluted mess of lines and diagrams.
You were…a little overwhelmed. The prospect of this project at first was amazing, but now that you were faced with all the details and quotes of the cost, you were feeling a little queasy. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. It would’ve been so much easier to stay in the place you had now. You could just pack up all your things and move in. They were comfortable there, they had longstanding friendships with the neighbors and kids, and you weren’t even sure they had the type of cash that was required to make this happen.
You tapped the pencil that the agent gave you on the table, the clenching in your gut coming back full force.
“…AND I DEFINITELY LIKE THE IDEA OF A FIREPLACE!!! IT GETS COLD IN THE WINTER TIME FOR HUMANS, AND SHE IS VERY PRONE TO CUDDLES.”
Toriel laughed at that. Alphys and Undyne were so busy scribbling down notes in a notebook they shared that they didn’t even catch on.
“wanna take a break?”
You nodded. You and Sans slipped out.
“havin’ second thoughts?”
You knew he would be the first one to notice. “I’m…really happy we’re doing this, but I’m not sure how we’re going to make it work.”
He chuckled and leaned on the trailer door. “why’s that?”
“I’m really not making a lot of money. You and Papyrus do enough just to support yourselves. And I know that Toriel is thinking of pitching in, and Alphys and Undyne want to help, too. But I don’t want to feel helpless, you know?”
Sans closed his eyes and beckoned for you to follow him. “let’s take a walk, ok?”
You broke away from the excited shouts inside the trailer, the warmth from inside helping you get used to the chilling feeling that settled in your gut. Sans took you far away from the trailer and down the road to a giant tree that sat next to the entrance in the neighborhood. It had a double swing made out of a sanded piece of wood, the ropes sturdy and withstanding the test of time. You saw a few leaves break off from their respective branches as a rush of wind swept through, sending a shower of them on your hair and shoulders when you plopped down next to him.
He reached for your hand. Palm face up. Fingers outstretched.
Your fingers laced.
“tell me what you’re really worried about. be straight with me.”
You swallowed.
“I want to make sure that this is what you want.”
“heh. what i want?”
“I…” You stammered. “I know that we’ve been dating for a while now. And things are comfortable. You know how much I care for you. How much I love you. I would do anything for you. And I just hope that…you’re not going along with this because it’s what you think you should do.”
It was hard to hear anything but his gentle breaths and the distant sounds of cars traveling along the pavement. You were isolated enough out here since it was in the middle of the day and everyone else had plans.
“you wanna live with us, right?”
“Yeah, of course, but I—”
“then why can’t we do this? we've been makin’ it work with our place and yours, but it ain’t permanent.”
Permanent.
You gazed at him steadily. He didn’t seem to realize just what the weight of those words really was.
“can’t just settle forever, y’know? gotta make sacrifices. i'm willin’ to put the time in, and so is my bro. nothin’ would make us happier than knowin’ we have a place with you. where we could come home and you’d be there. so you wouldn’t have to go back and forth between our places. where we’d know that you’d be by in just a bit after work.”
“Where we could have dinner and pack leftovers just for the next day.”
“where we could brag about how you live with us.”
“I could change the address on my driver’s license.”
“could get all your mail delivered here. we’d put it in that little sorting box in our kitchen so nothin’ ever gets lost.”
“And I could hang around in your room on late nights.”
“yeah?”
“Mmhm.”
“think i'd like that.” He grinned and you could see from here how red his face grew. “like havin’ you within arm’s reach. like knowin’ that you would always come home to me.”
“Sans.”
“uh huh.”
“I love you.”
“i…love you too, babe.” He had to physically turn away so he wouldn’t show you how flustered he was getting. “we could have privacy. we could learn more about each other ‘cuz we’d have more time. and i'd learn all about your gross habits.”
You snorted with laughter. “Like what?!”
“like, i dunno. how you’d eat chug milk straight outta the jug when you think no one’s lookin’. or pick your nose and flick everythin’ around the house.”
“Oh my god, ew! Sans!!!”
“all humans do weird shit when no one’s lookin’.”
“How do you know?”
He shrugged. “monsters do, too.”
You laughed and kicked off the ground, the both of you clinging to either side of the swing and going along in a nice, calm rhythm. Staring across the way.
It really was a nice neighborhood. Tons of lots that were spread out across, with houses that had just the right amount of space between them. Some were small. Others were pretty big.
You liked the feel of the neighborhood, from the quirky permanent installation of the plastic flamingos dressed in formal wear to the giant flags whipping around in the wind with the symbol of Underground in bright, happy colors. You ran your eyes along the giant garden that one of the neighbors had, a greenhouse that sprayed a gentle mist along rows and rows of blooming flowers and plants. One of the people had about five cars parked outside and you could hear the telltale sounds of children screaming with laughter as the birthday party went along without a hitch, lilting voices singing songs of love and congratulations for reaching yet another milestone.
It was eclectic. There were monsters here. Humans. Coexisting. Thriving! You even saw a glimpse of a monster leaving the house down the street, but not before planting a kiss on their human significant other and climbing into their car.
This could work.
Right?
It would be difficult. It would be so damn difficult. But you had a lot of people to rely on. Whatever guilt you felt…whatever reservations you had, the brothers and the rest of your dorky friends were going to make sure you believed you deserved this.
You deserved to be happy.
With the people you loved.
That was the takeaway from this.
“Hey Sans, can I tell you a secret?”
“shoot.”
You leaned over and stopped him from moving away, planting a soft kiss on his mouth. He tensed at first, probably due to surprise, but melted and soon reached back to tangle a hand in your hair instead. Angling his head just right so you could deepen it, mouth parting. You could taste how much he wanted it, how he really was comfortable with this, and it was enough to send your heart fluttering.
You parted. Lips buzzing. Biting down on your tongue to stop from gushing about how good of a kisser he’d become (with a lot of practice!).
“heh. that’s some secret, alright.”
“My lips slipped.”
“kinda figured. but you’re real honest, so i'll keep ya.”
You knew that Sans wasn’t really…a romantic. He didn’t shower you with affection and gifts that most humans would’ve considered a staple. He could be awkward with his feelings and stumble on his words. He didn’t spend days trying to woo you, at least not consciously.
He didn’t have to. Because that might’ve worked for some people, and others needed constant validation through gifts and sweet nothings and touching and sex.
Love with him was easy and genuine.
You couldn’t ask for much more than that.
“ready to head back? we gotta make sure none of ‘em are suspicious that you were cryin’ like a baby.”
Huff. “I wasn’t crying!!!”
“heh heh heh.”
Your favorite thing about Papyrus was…
Well, everything!
It was hard not to find him perfect.
From the moment you met, you found yourself drawn to him. He was quirky. A little eccentric. Definitely hilarious and genuine and heartfelt and he wore his heart on his sleeve. He was a little naïve, but never childish, brave, someone that you could count on and trust with everything you ever had.
He introduced himself to you like it was nothing.
He made you feel like you were Everything.
He was heroic in a way that felt real. It wasn’t all about saving you from something that threatened to tear away at your psyche. It was more about distracting you from a near hopeless word. With his compliments and confidence and encouragement, he was always just around the corner with the right words to make you feel like you really were as Great as he thought you were.
You liked that he was friendly. He never once came off as being fake or disingenuous. He was always one hundred percent committed to supporting you through any means necessary. He said hello to people he’d never met and spoke with them like they were old friends. He gave a thumbs up and clapped and cheered on strangers on the street.
If you weren’t sure about a recipe, he would brave through it and sneak a taste. Always making sure that you were measuring things exact, rifling through your cupboards and drawers to gather all the necessary utensils before starting something new. Being the one to grab the oven mitts before you could even think to reach for them, tutting away and telling you that he was, “MUCH MORE FLAME RESISTANT, BECAUSE I AM ALL BONES!” You never believed him for a second, knowing he only did it because he was worried you would injure yourself somehow. All because of that one instance where you tried to throw in a tray of cookies and ended up scraping the top of the oven, leaving a visible burn mark that had him agonizing for the next few days because he should’ve been more “careful” in supervising you.
He was protective.
Never in a way where he interfered with your personal freedoms. But he saw that you were still human and still fragile when it came to some things. He was sturdier. More adept at dodging and fighting but choosing to pacify instead of inflicting serious harm.
He was brave.
He faced everything with a perpetual smile.
And a strong grip on your hand like you could take on the world.
You felt like you could if he was there.
You loved that he was a constant. Someone who wouldn’t leave. A person that stuck around no matter how crazy or unpleasant things got. He never took your bad moods personally, he always made sure to try and cheer you up, and all he ever asked for in return was you sharing something positive with him.
He was loving.
Gentle touches. Always touching now, especially since the initial discomfort wore off. Gloves on and off, stretching his hand out to you, stroking the inside of your wrist. Marveling at the switch in texture from skin to bone. Tracing his name on every flat surface he could find, learning your anatomy through experience and persistence.
You loved how he cared so deeply and so utterly. It was too much sometimes, viewing the way that he regarded the world with wonder and amazement. How he could find a new interest and obsess over it, learning every fact that he could recite. He had so many thoughts about nearly everything, wanting to absorb new knowledge with every day that he chugged along in life.
He was so earnest.
“LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!”
“THE ACTUAL AND LITERAL REASON FOR ME TO AWAKEN EVERY MORNING!”
“I AM SAYING THAT YOU ARE MY ENTIRE WORLD. IS IT COMING ACROSS?”
You told him yes. Because that was all you ever wanted with Papyrus.
A lifetime of yes.
Yes meant everything because it was a sign of trust. Of commitment. Understanding. Consent. Love. He never went through with anything less because he respected you and wanted you to be happy with him.
You loved him just because of that.
How he wanted the best.
How he would spend hours pouring over books just to make sure that he understood differences in human culture and functioning. He couldn’t just take things at a regular pace. He would make sure that he would give you the world on a silver platter simply because he thought you deserved it.
Practicing techniques that he was sure would get your attention and succeed.
Kissing. The angle of his head like this – no, no, not quite – but like that – was enough that you could close your eyes and sink into him. He put his hand on your cheek and kissed you with enough fervor that you were sure this was endgame. His teeth against your cheek and forehead, giddy giggles, planting soft smooches along his cheekbones and chest, all the way down to his fingertips and the ridge above his nasal bone. He loved it all, color rushing to his face, squeezing you and hold you tight while he rode out all of the attention in full force.
He didn’t let you leave. Not without making sure you were floating on a cloud.
He was good at what he did.
He was passionate in what he did.
Always asking first – taking his time. Knowing that sometimes the best part was rendering you speechless. Gripping at his shoulders and arching into him, biting your lower lip, seeing stars. Having him kiss the junction of your neck and shoulder, laughing your name into your skin, tightening his hold on you until you came undone. Sometimes it was so much that you could feel the tears crawl up and you refused to let him see you like that, but he always seemed to notice. Kissing them away before you could even think about pushing him away to recollect yourself. Bathing in the afterglow by hovering over you with warm kisses to ease the tension, to settle the mood, to make sure you were worshipped and thoroughly spent.
Liking Papyrus wasn’t even an option.
Not anymore.
You were too far gone.
“THERE YOU ARE. DID YOU SNEAK OFF FOR CANOODLES? YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME! I WOULD HAVE KEPT IT A SECRET!!!”
Undyne cackled. “They probably went off to SMOOCH up a STORM!”
You knew it was going to come to this. So. Embarrassing. It wasn’t that you were afraid of expressing your love for the brothers with other people, but it was still weird being teased.
“S-so we’ve made some progress while you were gone!”
“YEAH!!!” Undyne slammed a fist on the table and nearly snapped it in half. “Check it OUT! Papyrus and I are going to be recruiting a CREW for the construction process! We’ve already got this HUGE list of names of people that wanna help! You know, the basic people. Dogamy and Dogaressa are back from their Nose Nuzzling competition so they said they would be down to stop by! Lesser Dog and Greater Dog are planning to come so long as we have some toys for them to ease their tension, and Guard 01 and 02 are swinging by to do all the heavy lifting! If they can keep their EYES off each other for a second, FUFUFUFU!”
This was going pretty fast. “Wait, what about all of the technical stuff? Like permits and legal documents?”
Toriel chuckled and set down a plate in front of you. She made lunch for everyone. Of course. This wasn’t even her trailer and she managed to scrounge up enough for a hearty and healthy meal.
“You do not have to worry much about that. The two of us made a day of getting the paperwork out of the way. And it was expedited by the city’s mayor because of who you were! Normally I would not condone favoritism, but it is not very fun to hold up a project like this when you deserve it to be done as fast as possible.”
“W-we haven’t even talked about financial stuff, though?”
The agent eyed you. “I already told you it was being taken care of. Things are finished.”
Your blood ran cold. “Uh, wait…”
“YOUR SAVINGS WILL BE APPLIED TO THE BOTTOM LINE COST, OF COURSE! BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO SET THINGS IN MOTION. GUESS WHAT? METTATON IS FEATURING US ON HIS TALKSHOW FOR A PHONE-IN!”
What.
“YES! ALPHYS MANAGED TO TRACK HIM DOWN AND THEY WERE SPEAKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS, BUT SHE MENTIONED THAT WE WERE BUILDING A HOUSE AND HE SAID IT WAS COOLIO! SO NOW, TONIGHT, WE ARE ABLE TO DRAW ATTENTION FROM ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD TO PITCH IN!”
You swallowed. “I’m not okay with that.”
“WHY NOT? YOU HAVE HELPED MANY OF OUR FRIENDS BEFORE.”
“Papyrus, it’s not the same—”
“HOW IS IT NOT THE SAME?”
His argumentative stance was a little surprising. You never thought that something like this would be a topic he was passionate about.
“I don’t know what you mean…?”
He hummed. “MAY WE HAVE SOME PRIVACY?”
“no problem, bro. there’s a little bench we can pull out from the back. nice enough to eat outside anyway.”
“HA! You got it!”
“I-I’ve got a blanket in the car we can use in case of spills!”
Toriel smirked. “Is it the one with the anime character in a compromising position?”
“…m-maybe.”
“This is going to be fun! Let us use it.”
Undyne cackled. “TORIEL??? WHY!!!”
“It will give Sans practice eating on a cute girl.”
You couldn’t believe these things came out of her mouth. You knew she was only doing it to get a rise out of him, and it was working, judging by the way he pulled his hood over his shoulders and disappeared out of the trailer. The other three laughed at his reaction and gathered their things, the agent trailing after them, blabbing on the phone as someone gave them a call.
Papyrus scooted over so he was directly in front of you. Reaching over to clasp your hands in his.
“DO YOU REMEMBER THAT IT WAS YOU WHO GOT ME THE POSITION IN THE ROYAL GUARD?”
“Paps, we’ve been over this, I didn’t…”
“OR WHEN UNDYNE’S PIANO STRING BROKE AND YOU SPENT HOURS DIGGING AROUND IN THE DUMP TO FIND A REPLACEMENT?”
“I…”
“WHAT ABOUT WHEN ALPHYS LOCKED HERSELF IN HER ROOM BECAUSE THE SHOJO ANIME SHE WAS WATCHING HAD THE HEROINE PICK THE ‘WRONG’ LOVE INTEREST? AND YOU SPOKE WITH HER AT LENGTH ABOUT THE ‘DISCOURSE’?”
Oh god. That sounded even dorkier than you thought.
“WHAT ABOUT WHEN JERRY’S SNACK OF CHOICE WAS DISCONTINUED AND YOU SPENT HOURS OF RESEARCH TO FIND A GENERIC ALTERNATIVE? AND DID NOT EVEN STRIKE HIM WHEN HE TOLD YOU THAT HE CHANGED HIS MIND?”
You were speechless now.
“REMEMBER WHEN THE SNAILS ALMOST DROWNED AT THEIR NEW FARM BECAUSE OF THE HOLES IN THE CANOPY? AND THEY CALLED YOU BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ONE ELSE TO TURN TO ON THE SURFACE? AND YOU CAME DOWN DESPITE THE STORM AND SHELTERED THEM FROM THE RAIN BY BRINGING THEM HOME?”
You understood what he was getting at, but…
“THESE ARE FRIENDS AND FAMILY! PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU IMMENSELY. NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS I DO, BECAUSE THAT LEVEL OF ADORATION WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH. BUT YOU HAVE PUT MORE HOURS AND EFFORT INTO MAKING SURE MONSTERS ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY THAN ANY HUMAN I KNOW!!! YOU PROTECTED PEOPLE WHEN WE LIVED UNDERGROUND, AND EVEN WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE SURFACE, YOU CONTINUED TO HELP DESPITE IT NOT BEING IN YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION!”
You bit your lower lip.
“MONSTERS ARE NOT LIKE HUMANS. WE DO NOT SEE ACTS OF KINDNESS AS DESERVING OR…SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY BACK FOR FEAR OF HAVING A ‘FAVOR’ OWED! WE ACCEPT RANDOM THINGS LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF ADMITTING WE NEED HELP! IS THIS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PRIDE? DO YOU NOT THINK IT’S OKAY TO HAVE OTHERS CHIP IN?”
You shook your head. “I don’t. Honestly. Um. A lot of humans – are pretty individualistic. Most of us are raised to look out for ourselves and only count on others who we completely and utterly trust. Like family or close friends. Something like this is huge. It isn’t just like…helping us paint our house or pitching in to get us medical help or whatever. It’s. Just. Our problem. It’s supposed to be between us.”
You really didn’t know how else to put this. You were constantly floored with how selfless monsters were. They saw something like this as an ample opportunity to help. You saw it as a nuisance on them and nothing more.
Papyrus stroked your hands lovingly and chuckled. “YOU ARE VERY STRANGE. AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE YOU. YOU ARE FAR FROM BEING A PROBLEM. THE OTHERS DO NOT HAVE TO HELP IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO!!! BUT THEY WILL. NOT BECAUSE OF OBLIGATION, BUT BECAUSE DESPITE THE DISTANCE AND TIME THAT HAS PASSED, THEY CARE FOR US. FOR YOU.”
You really couldn’t believe that. The things you resolved Underground were minor compared to this, and it was still…
“I KNOW THAT YOU THINK IT IS LIKE CHARITY, BUT IT IS NOT!!! GIVING THINGS BACK TO PEOPLE YOU LOVE IS NOT A BAD THING. IT IS HUMBLING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO RETURN THEIR OWN HAPPINESS. AND WE MAY ALWAYS BE THERE IN THEIR TIME OF NEED IN THE FUTURE! WHO KNOWS, PERHAPS DOWN THE LINE THEY WILL ASK US TO DONATE SOMETHING TO THEIR CAUSE. AND WE WILL JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE FRIENDS!”
You laughed weakly. Papyrus stood up and beckoned for you to follow him to the window.
From here, you could see your friends and Sans all eating together. Laughing. The agent off in the corner and still on the phone, no doubt making arrangements that would continue to smooth over the process. The sun was shining. The sky was bright and blue. Clouds floated lazily along the spot where your house would be. It was a great spot. Something that would be teeming with memories in no time.
You could picture the monsters stopping by to help. All of them dressed in safe clothes and hardhats. Undyne shouting orders while she suplexed all the raw material over her shoulders. Papyrus swinging you around in the living room that you could call your own, lifting you up without any resistance and cuddling you close to his chest. Writing down your new address on any kind of application you filled out, sharing a home with the two people you loved the most.
It was a lot to take in.
You wrapped an arm around his and leaned into his body.
He hummed in approval. Blushing.
“EVERY TIME WE ARE TOGETHER, I KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! I WANT TO EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING TOGETHER. AND IF WE CAN’T, I WANT TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT. I HAD NO CLUE HOW FUN IT WOULD BE TO DATE. I HAD NO IDEA THAT I WOULD FIND SOMEONE WHO COULD MAKE ME FEEL SQUISHY EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO FLESH! WHO COULD…LOOK AT ME…AND THINK…THAT THEY WERE TRULY IN LOVE…”
You grinned. He was getting more and more inarticulate, which was a sign that this was really affecting him.
“FEELINGS ARE COMPLICATED. AND SOMETIMES UNPLEASANT, BECAUSE THEY CAN BE VERY DISTRACTING! BUT…I KNOW…THAT IF I HAD TO DO THINGS ALL OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NEVER CHANGE MY ACTIONS. BECAUSE IT LED ME HERE, AT THIS MOMENT! WHERE THE BOTH OF US ARE OPEN WITH HOW WE FEEL. WHERE I HAVE FOUND SOMEONE WHO IS WONDERFUL AND COOL AND BEAUTIFUL. IT IS SOMETIMES TOO MUCH, BUT I MANAGE, BECAUSE I AM…”
“The Great Papyrus?” you offered.
“E-EXACTLY! YES!!! SEE, THIS IS WHY WE ARE SO IN SYNC. THIS IS WHY I AM HAPPY WE MELDED, AND WHY SHARING SOULS IS SO EASY! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY, EVEN WHEN I AM STRUGGLING TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS. THINGS LIKE THIS CAN BE HARD, BUT…YOU MAKE IT EASY. YOU MAKE IT RIGHT!”
You stood there for a little while longer. Savoring the gentle glow of his magic as his heated words grew more passionate. He was having a hard time keeping it together, and that was why it was so amazing.
“WHEN WE DO THE PHONE CALLS, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO ONLY TAKE THINGS THAT WE THINK IS FAIR, IF THAT IS OKAY WITH YOU. BECAUSE EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS, AND PERHAPS YOU WOULD NOT FEEL SO BAD ABOUT ACCEPTING MONEY OR OFFERS OF HELP. AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BUDGET AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE SANS DOES NOT GO OVERBOARD WITH CALLING IN FAVORS. BUT WE CAN DO THIS! TOGETHER!”
You were okay with that, sure. It would’ve been…kind of weird, asking for help when you really thought it was supposed to be something resolved in just a small circle of people. But. Papyrus was right. There was nothing wrong with seeking out help, especially not from those who you’d been watching over for years.
He had quite the way with words.
And his actions always made you rethink ideals that had been ingrained in you for so long.
Humans, as a whole, weren’t very good at living and thriving in the way they should have. You knew that. You had learned so much when living Underground.
When becoming friends with monsters.
When falling in love with them.
When sharing your hopes and fears and learning to trust someone other than yourself.
You still had a long way to go.
But you knew that you would get there with Sans and Papyrus at your side.
The both of you came out of the trailer and you felt a little lighter at listening to him. Both of the brothers would do anything to ease your fears. They only wanted what was best. And if you could survive a little discomfort, you were sure that your friends and family would make it worth it.
“SO WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO DISCUSS?”
“W-we were just talking about colors for the house! W-what do you three like!”
“Um, I don’t really have a preference.”
“PURPLE.”
“purple.”
“Guys, no. We’re not painting the house the color of my SOUL.”
“aw. you're no fun.”
“OKIE DOKIE, BUT WE WILL AT LEAST MAKE YOUR ROOM PURPLE!!!”
That sounded like a terrible idea. “Nooo!”
“PURPLE LAMPS.”
“purple curtains.”
“PURPLE BEDSPREAD.”
“purple lights.”
“I would die, please don’t.”
“NYEH HEH HEH. ALRIGHT, BUT ONLY IF YOU ADMIT THAT YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS!”
You snickered. “Yeah, okay. I am.”
“WHOOPIE!!!”
“nice.”
Alphys and Undyne set up a group picture for all of you at the site. They said they were going to snap portraits of the lot with every big step that was made. To sort of document the entire process and save it for a day when you were living inside of it, cozy and happy, and couldn’t even remember a time when you weren’t together.
That sounded like a plan to you.