Work Text:
“Hey, guys! Glad you could make it!”
Sans and Papyrus entered the restaurant together, floored at how many people had shown up. When Sans’s coworkers said that they were throwing him a congratulatory party, he really hadn’t thought that the place would be packed. The guys reassured him that it was a small get-together, nothing big, but the bar and restaurant was filled with bodies. People from all sorts of places, those he recognized he’d repaired cars for, as well as several people who Papyrus knew from his own travels and work.
“heh. thanks for this. didn't really, uh, expect this.”
His friend clapped him on the back. It was meant to be friendly, so he didn’t stiffen at all from the sudden move toward his body. Monsters could be fragile when humans held bad intentions, so there was always going to be a guard up around him, but he’d slowly been learning to let it go lax after the past few years or so.
“Of course! We wanted this to be as special as possible. Hey, your girlfriend should be swinging by soon, right? Can’t wait to see her. She’s gonna be thrilled.”
Sans chuckled. You really didn’t think too much about massive parties like this, it put you on edge and made you nervous. But he knew that they meant well, and you would see their effort as a positive thing.
Sans and Papyrus sat down at the main table where drinks were being poured. He liked to drink; Papyrus didn’t, not so much, because he thought it tasted awful no matter what was mixed with it. Sans liked it just to unwind. If he was being honest, he drank less than anybody in his company. He just liked watching the alcohol go to work while they became more relaxed and comfortable with themselves. That was the best. It sucked that it took a little bit of low grade poisoning to do it, but eh. That was worth the price of a little smiles and laughs, he supposed.
The bar itself wasn’t Grillby’s, actually. He’d wanted to host it there, but the other monster had some kind of formal meeting arranged between his daughter and her girlfriend. Sans was a little disappointed that he wouldn’t be in a more familiar atmosphere, but this place was nice.
Humans were…hilarious.
Papyrus loved it here because of the décor. It was themed. Monsters loved themes too, it really didn’t matter if it meshed well together or not. Underground, they picked up a bunch of stuff from the dump and made it work. It was why there was so much going on in tons of places back there. But here? Humans could create whatever they wanted. They had so many resources and items to do it. Hell, some places were decorated to look like certain eras. A blast from the past. And there were some stores that only showed up in the malls during specific holidays. He thought it was great.
But Papyrus was having a blast, and that was what mattered. Everything around was an ode to something. Musicians and bands, people who lived through life with a smile on their face and music in their SOULs. From the live music flowing through the corner of the room, the giant photographs and autographs and vinyl records pasted on the walls, to the newspaper clippings that littered the tables and the guitar-shaped mugs, this place was amazing. His brother couldn’t stop wandering around and fixating on little things, asking questions about the trivia and concentrating hard to memorize every single fact he found interesting and important.
“There she is!”
Sans grinned. Immediately. He hopped down from the stool to greet you, but paused when he realized that several of his coworkers had gone up with cards in their hands.
“Congrats on your new house! We’re really pumped to come see it when it’s all finished.”
“Yeah, Sans said that you guys had a fundraiser for it last week? With Mettaton? Pretty cool, I woulda chipped in a few bucks had I known! My TV doesn’t get good reception with monster channels, I have to buy one of those magic converters for it.”
“Thanks for locking Sans down, we thought he was going to be the gross, single guy forever.”
“gross?” he echoed, laughing. “that’s real sweet of ya. now i know how ya really feel.”
You gravitated toward him. He met you halfway. The sight of you looking so flustered underneath all of the dim lights was enough to make him sweat.
“heya.”
“Hi.” You bent down and planted a kiss on him, sending a ripple of laughter throughout the crowd. It was just teasing and he knew it.
“AND NOW A DASHING INTERRUPTION FROM THE EQUALLY DASHING PAPYRUS.”
His brother swept you up and planted one on you in front of everyone. His brother’s attitude was so positive and airy that you found yourself smiling and you couldn’t stop. Even when he lifted you higher than he probably should’ve, gazing up at you like you were his entire world and he couldn’t ever see life without you. It really touched him to see that. To see that…his brother cared for you just as much as he did. That he knew what it was like to want to devote so much time and attention onto one person in a romantic sense.
“Whoa, get a room, guys!”
“WE WON’T NEED A ROOM ONCE WE HAVE AN ENTIRE HOUSE,” Papyrus responded smugly. “THEN WE CAN SMOOCH AND SNUGGLE AND CUDDLE AND CANOODLE WHEREVER AND WHENEVER WE WANT!!!”
You grinned at him. “Oh my god, don’t go telling everyone our secrets!”
“YOU ARE CORRECT. HOW SILLY OF ME.” He winked audibly. “ANYWAY, THIS PLACE IS REALLY INTERESTING. I AM GOING TO FIND YOU SOMETHING FUN TO TAKE HOME, IF THE MANAGER SO LETS ME! WAIT HERE WHILE I LOOK FOR THE MOST PERFECT PIECE!”
He dashed off and you watched him go, your chest warm. He really was too much.
You liked Sans’ coworkers, though they were a rowdy bunch. They were aware that he was going to be devoting less time to the auto shop and more into his own personal research, which only prompted major congratulations from them and support. They liked that he was expanding his horizons; because as happy as they were to have him around, they knew he was meant for bigger and better things.
The place got a few more people that showed up before the party was in full swing. You wandered over to the table where Papyrus was at. He had a pool cue in hand and was lining up his shot with pinpoint accuracy.
“THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING GAME. IT HAS TO DO WITH MATH AND ANGLES. I THINK SANS WOULD LIKE THIS VERY MUCH IF HE PUT MORE EFFORT INTO IT.”
You laughed. “Yeah, I feel like he would probably just play it and mess with you.”
“did someone say my name?”
You and Papyrus both jumped. Sans looked like he was ready to get down with whatever you guys were doing. He already had a cue and slung it over his shoulder like a total dork, the grin on his face telling you that he was already buzzed.
“Sans, are you feeling okay?”
“yep. peachy.” He was trying so hard not to slur. “who’s playin’? just me n’ my bro?”
“YES. I FEEL AS THOUGH THAT WOULD BE A GOOD START! BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER. YOU BETTER PLAY FAIR.”
“no promises.”
At least he was being honest. “Winner gets a smooch from me.”
“THAT IS HARDLY A REWARD! YOU GIVE THOSE OUT TO US FREELY. BECAUSE YOU LOVE US.”
“S-shut up? It’s supposed to make this more romantic!”
“winner takes you out on a date.”
You were surprised that he was interested in this. “Uh, okay. I’m game.”
“I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU. ALTHOUGH YOU ARE FAMILY AND I LOVE YOU, I AM NOT GOING TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH MY AMAZING AND WONDERFUL GIRLFRIEND.”
Papyrus had that determined air around him. You knew it was only a matter of time before he took things to the extreme.
Pool was a weird game. You never really understood the appeal, but you supposed in dimly lit bars with inebriated folks it was good to unwind by trying to wrestle with hand-eye coordination in something that required higher cognitive functioning. You grabbed the rack and got everything into position, trying your best to ignore the competitive glances exchanged between both of the brothers.
It was good to do this. Because as busy as you all were with getting things set in motion with the house, you deserved some time to just…take a step back and appreciate each other’s company. Between the construction preparations and the monetary approach to this entire thing, you were kind of overwhelmed. It was hard to enjoy being in the relationship because you were pulled in a thousand different directions, especially when the brothers had lives of their own.
You didn’t even want to think about actually moving out of your apartment. While the majority of your stuff had naturally gravitated toward their place, the prospect of having to dig through all of your possessions and trash to relocate was…kind of overwhelming.
No, don’t think about that. Enjoy the moment.
Sans had a dusty glow to his cheekbones. You’d never seen him like this before, and it was…kind of funny, actually. He was always the type of person to let loose when he was around people he cared about, but being surrounded by so many supportive people in this bar had really done a number on him. He kept thumbing the bottle he sipped from, wiping away the perspiration on the glass, a wider grin stretching along his face while he chuckled at everything and nothing.
Papyrus was on his toes. You didn’t need to pump him full of liquor for him to let loose, and that was great, too.
You had a feeling that despite the obvious disparity in their soberness, Sans was still going to give him a run for his money.
Papyrus was the first one to take a shot. He stuck his tongue out and lowered himself flat onto the pool table, aiming and changing the angle of the cue with every second that ticked by. Sans didn’t seem to mind, leaning on his own cue, fumbling with the tip, glancing around the party like his head was swimming. You wondered if he even knew where he was right now.
CRACK!
The balls split apart from each other and scattered along the surface. You watched them roll and stop in their tracks, friction getting the best of them and halting them in their tracks. Papyrus looked pleased with the final result, letting out a cheerful yip as he pumped a fist in the air. It was good to see him so proud of himself, and you had to admit, everything looked strategic from here.
“GOODIE!!! I’VE MADE QUITE THE IMPRESSION HERE ON THESE LITTLE ORBS, BROTHER! YOUR TURN! SEE IF YOU CAN TOP THAT!”
Sans stumbled forward and shot you a lascivious grin. It was enough to make your stomach clench.
“hey, don’t girls have a thing for guys with talent?”
“Um…what?”
“check this out.”
He kept his eyes on you, aimed his shot without even glancing over, and managed to snag a few of his own colors in the pockets of the table.
You gaped at him.
“Sans, how the hell did you do that?”
He winked. “not tellin’. did i impress ya?”
You weren’t going to let him win that easily, not with Papyrus’ cries of disbelief drowning everyone out in the background. “Hmph, that’s the best you can do?”
“oh. playin' hard to get tonight. ok. i can work with that.”
At this point, several of his coworkers had stopped by to watch. Some of them probably just wanted to chitchat, but once they saw what he was doing, they stopped in their tracks and couldn’t tear their eyes off. You had to admit, it was really impressive. With every time that Sans turned his back on the game, he continued to rack up a score that would make any pro jealous.
Which wasn’t to say that Papyrus wasn’t killing it – because he totally was. He didn’t have as much pizzazz and flare, but with very complex predictions and running scenarios through his head, he was able to hold his own. It was close. You could scarcely believe you were this pumped, especially when it was just a little pool game.
“THIS IS GETTING VERY COMPLICATED. SANS, MAKE YOUR MOVE! IT’S NOW OR NEVER!”
Sans looked at you straight in the eye and fumbled.
You weren’t sure if it was on purpose. You sort of guessed that it was, seeing as how Sans would always do his best to make his brother feel good and important. That was just a code between good siblings. But you had to admit, he really did look convincing, and maybe the alcohol finally caught up to him. Because from the way he swayed and shuddered, you could pretty much guess that he wasn’t really all there.
“NYEH HEH HEH! NICE TRY, SANS! IT LOOKS LIKE I AM THE VICTOR!!!” Papyrus thrust his pool cue toward the ceiling triumphantly. From here, you wondered how the hell he made it so that it looked like there was some kind of wind that pushed his tie backwards and had it flutter like a superhero’s cape. “I SUPPOSE YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT YOUR TURN WHILE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND I GO ON AN INCREDIBLE, SUPER SPECIAL, AMAZINGLY FANTASTICAL DATE!!!”
“ya got me, bro.” Sans laughed slightly. “hey, uh, i'm gonna grab some water. be right back. don't go anywhere.”
Papyrus swept you up in a kiss that sent an electric jolt down your spine. He was so amorous tonight. Maybe it was the happy mood or the fact that he was swimming in adrenaline from his win, but you found it infectious. You laughed and he bent down to rest his forehead on yours, wrapping his hands around your shoulders and stroking your bare skin with his fingers.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS GET-TOGETHER? I LIKE IT!”
You glanced around the room and shrugged. “It’s kind of overwhelming, but…you guys deserve a night off for everything you’ve done lately.”
The both of you were so busy chatting that you hadn’t realized how long it’d been since Sans left. You thought that maybe he was making his rounds and just chatting with people that stopped by, but it was unlike him to stay away from you for so long. Maybe that sounded a little possessive, but you had a bad feeling about this.
So while Papyrus was getting ready for another game against the self-identified pool champ, you wandered around the party to find Sans.
He couldn’t have gotten far. A lot of his friends were here to look after him, and it was pretty common for him to get caught up in long conversations since he was so easy to get along with. Between his lackadaisical attitude and his air of quiet confidence, it was really easy to waste away hours listening to his voice.
Still.
You weaved around the crowd and felt a little hot. So many bodies packed in this bar was enough to make you itch. It wasn’t that you were about to have an attack or anything, but the bodies so close together made it impossible to weave through the crowds without feeling someone brush up against you. and you were definitely not interested in that from complete strangers or acquaintances. If anything, you were a little overwhelmed at how affectionate and rowdy his coworkers were. Not to mention a lot of them brought dates or significant others or random friends along, so the familiar faces started to ebb as the night crawled on.
“…wait, so you don’t know?”
“know what?”
“A lot of human girls go crazy for it, Sans. You seriously can’t tell me that you’ve never tried it before. Or done something.”
“i don’t know what you’re…”
“Listen, it’s like this: humans have certain…parts. And those parts fit in so perfectly together that it drives them crazy. I mean, I’m still kind of confused as to how you make it work without it. What do you do? Just use your fingers? That can’t be fun, considering you don’t even have any skin.”
What.
“heh, this is…kinda weird to talk about.”
“Well I’m curious. I don’t get it at all. Like, more power to you guys, I guess? But I always just assumed that your relationship was celibate.”
“why would you think that?”
Who was this guy? You were almost afraid to intervene because it was clear how fucking smashed he was. He was one of those drunks. The type of person to sit there and talk so much shit and tear down anything and everything. Pessimistic, nosy, and just downright offensive with his limited worldview. How did Sans know him, again?
“You just…you’re a skeleton, dude. You don’t have a dick. How do you make her happy if you’re just bones?”
The little group surrounding your boyfriend went dead silent.
“Man, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’m just saying. She’s a big girl, you know? They like it hard and rough, that’s a fact! They need something big to satisfy ‘em. And he’s not exactly the most compatible. I just thought that they were like, holding off on sex and shit, it makes the most sense. Monsters do soul stuff anyway, it’s not like he’s butthurt, right? You could probably make her squirm by just…making out with her soul?”
“no…”
“Oh, I thought you could like, fuck around with souls and make them come that way. Guess I should probably learn more about it.” He shrugged noncommittally. “I’m just saying. They’ve got strapons and stuff, if you want to keep her around for another year, think about it. No shame in making sure she’s satisfied, it’s better than thinking everything is okay and then her breaking up with you because she has…needs. That are met with…other guys.”
You couldn’t believe what you just heard.
And the worst part was, when you tried to turn and find someone to share this exasperated expression with, you saw Papyrus standing there with two drinks in his hands. One for each of you.
He looked crushed.
“Paps…?”
He snapped out of his thoughts and placed the glass in your palm. “IT’S CALLED A SWIRLY TEMPLE! A TWIST ON…THE REGULAR DRINK. THE MAGIC INSIDE FORMS A LITTLE TORNADO AND MAKES THE FIZZ LAST FOR HOURS. I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE IT. ALSO THERE IS A LITTLE…CHERRY.”
He deflated.
“Paps…”
“I WILL BE RIGHT BACK. I FORGOT OUR NAPKINS!” He rushed past you before you could say another word, nearly kicking dust up after him.
Sans had never looked so lost. You saw him, in the midst of the crowing asshole who thought he knew absolutely fucking everything about you and your relationship, some of the other guys jumping up to defend him.
“Shut the hell up. You don’t know anything.”
“What? What did I say?”
“Get the hell out of here. Get your head on straight and fucking apologize tomorrow. You’re being a piece of shit tonight.”
While you were relieved that his friends had chased off the jerk, you knew that the damage had been done. No one wanted to address his words or even talk about how shortsighted it was. They just changed the subject and tried to cheer Sans up through half-baked jokes and compliments.
You felt like you were going to be sick. And, judging by his and Papyrus’ expressions, so were they.
Ugh.
You didn’t even know what the best approach was. Papyrus had run off, Sans was trapped in the middle of his friends and forced to play it cool, and you had no clue how to even process this. It was…difficult to even think that someone would be that insensitive.
After a few minutes of trying to decide what your best course of action was, you realized that Sans had just…shoveled all of his feelings down. He would bring it back up with you. He would probably deny that it bothered him at first, but right now, you didn’t want to cause a scene. Maybe it was cowardly to wait until things had settled down, but…
You kept a close eye on both of them for the rest of the night. Papyrus found himself in a card game and got roped into playing several rounds while he beat all of his challengers through solving the patterns of the deck. Sans walked around and interacted with nearly everyone he could, thanking them for coming and expressing his gratitude for their constant support.
You were the one to drive home in silence. Knowing that when you met them back at their place that they would pretend like everything was okay.
You parked the car and walked up to the house. Staring at the windows. Wondering what the brothers were doing inside.
Inhaled. Stuck the key in. And stepped inside.
“OH! YOU’RE HERE. I WAS HOPING YOU WERE SPENDING THE NIGHT, SEEING AS HOW WE HAVE OUR DATE TOMORROW!” Papyrus jumped up from the couch and immediately went to grab your purse from your shoulder. “I’VE GOT SOME WATER AND PAINKILLERS HERE FOR YOU. I WOULD NOT WANT YOU TO GET A HANGOVER IN THE MORNING, I HEAR IT IS QUITE PAINFUL! WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THEM NOW, OR WAIT? EITHER WAY, THIS WATER HAS YOUR NAME ON IT. LITERALLY, I WROTE IT ON THE GLASS BECAUSE I’VE SEEN YOU USE IT OFTEN.”
You appreciated his thoughtfulness, but didn’t like how he was quick to avoid the issue.
“Uh, where’s Sans?”
“I THINK MY BROTHER IS GETTING CHANGED UPSTAIRS IN HIS ROOM. YOU SHOULD PROBABLY KNOCK BEFORE YOU HEAD INSIDE, OR…WELL…MAYBE YOU DON’T NEED TO, I’M NOT SURE? I JUST KNOW HE IS NOT IN A VERY GOOD MOOD.”
You knew exactly why. “Paps…we’re having a talk later.”
“WE ARE?”
“Yeah. I think we need the conversation robot.”
“OH…OKIE DOKIE… I WILL GATHER THE NECESSARY SUPPLIES…”
You knew that this was going to be awkward, but you weren’t okay with everyone beating around the bush and treating the rest of the night like something that awful didn’t happen.
Sans was in his room. You knocked a few times but there was no answer, so you let yourself in and fixated on his motionless figure on the bed.
“Sans.”
“heh. heya.”
You settled in next to him. He flinched when you reached over to touch his hand.
“sorry.”
“No, I shouldn’t have…” You trailed off. “I know you don’t wanna do this, but we should probably talk about what happened tonight.”
“nothin’ to say, really.”
“Except there is. I can see how upset you are. You might think you can still pull the wool over my eyes, but I know you, Sans. And I love you. So please don’t push me away for something like this. I want you to hear what I have to say.”
He grunted. “whatever. let's just get this over with.”
You managed to get him downstairs where Papyrus set the table. It was brightly lit so you could discern everyone’s expressions. With some snacks set on the table even though you really didn’t have much of an appetite. There was also the action figure of the "conversation robot", something that indicated that the topic at the table was serious. As long as it was there, there were unresolved issues.
You settled into the chair and waited for the brothers to find their own prospective spots.
“NICE TRY ON THE WHOOPIE CUSHION, SANS. I FOUND AND REMOVED IT BEFORE I COULD MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF.” Papyrus settled down into the chair and his eyes bugged out while it let out a long, loud, ripping fart noise. “WHAT!!!”
“the decoy whoopie. a classic.” Sans laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyesockets, but you weren’t sure if it was genuine or just some mixed emotions escaping him.
“So.” You returned their attention to you. “I’ve got some things I wanna say about…the party tonight.”
Papyrus tugged at his collar. “I THOUGHT IT WAS FUN. KIND OF SMELLY AND DIRTY, BUT OTHERWISE, FUN! I EVEN GOT A SOUVENIR. IT’S A COASTER WITH THE BAR NAME ON IT AND A LIST OF SIGNATURE DRINKS TO MAKE! I HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED BARTENDING BEFORE, BUT IT IS QUITE INTERESTING.”
You tried not to take the bait. Imagining Papyrus as some suave bartender in a high-class place was a really nice thought, but this was just something he was using to distract you. Even though he would look snazzy in those suits and the flashy moves would be a cakewalk for him…
Wait, no! Focus!
“Guys. About what that dude said…”
“OH, WHICH ONE? I MET SEVERAL INTERESTING PEOPLE TONIGHT. DID YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MECHANICS THAT WORKS WITH SANS HAD A CRUSH ON YOU?”
“what?”
“YES. THE ONE WITH THE MOHAWK. HE SAID HE WANTED TO ASK HER OUT IF YOU WERE TOO CHICKEN TO DO IT. WHAT DOES POULTRY HAVE TO DO WITH LOVE?”
“i'm keepin’ an eye on him, i knew there was a reason why he liked askin’ about my latest photos so much.”
Ooh, jealous Sans. Wait! This was another ruse!
“Guys, please.” You pleaded with them the best you could. “This is about what the guy said. Can I just…go on my spiel?”
Sans and Papyrus were silent. Neither of them looked at you, instead focusing their attention anywhere else.
“Whoever that douchebag was, he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. He was drunk and just…kind of an asshole, so please don’t take his words to heart. What he said was…pretty fucking ignorant in the first place. Not every human relationship needs to have that part, you know? Lots of people get through just fine without it. They can still have successful relationships without it being there at all, so don’t ever think that you need to…”
Your face was getting hot. You hadn’t realized at the beginning of your ramble that this was going to be so…intense and difficult to talk about.
“So, like, let me put it this way: that’s…totally not something that needs to be there to make people happy. Like. There are tons of people who don’t have them, and they can please their partners. Using it as an excuse is just…kind of lazy, really.”
Sans frowned. “whaddya mean?”
You sighed. “I’m going to be…totally real with you guys. Dicks. Are. Overrated. Like, it’s kind of expected that every guy is going to have them, but that’s not the case. You’d be surprised to know that there are tons of dudes out there who don’t. I mean, it’s kind of insulting to sit there and think that it’s the only defining thing that would make a relationship fun in the physical sense. If you’re creative and devoted, you can definitely do anything to make your partner happy without having it.”
Papyrus shifted in his seat, looking flustered. “BUT HE MADE IT SOUND VERY IMPORTANT. THAT WITHOUT IT, WE WERE NOT…”
“I can tell you, one hundred percent, that I don’t even think about it. Ever. Not when I’m with you.” You grinned. “Not with the things that you guys do on your own.”
Both of them went completely red.
“NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT?”
“No.”
“A TEENSY WEENSY TINY…?”
“No.”
“WOWIE.” He buried his face in his hands. “I’M RELIEVED!!!”
Sans didn’t look so convinced. “it’s kind of a staple, babe, you don’t have to sit there and sugarcoat it.”
“I think you’re confused. Monsters make it work without them, why wouldn’t humans? That guy sounds really insecure, he was probably just trying to make you feel bad because he was jealous that I’m totally into you and he couldn’t figure out why. Because he has his own issues and insecurities. I wouldn’t take it to heart, Sans. Really.”
He closed his eyes. “just…seems…like maybe…it’s what’s missing. that if we could make it work somehow, things would…”
You didn’t like the way he was going with this. “Wait. So do you feel like our relationship isn’t where you want it to be?”
“no, ain’t that. i just…” He trailed off. “thought maybe you would keep it to yourself. if you weren’t…happy.”
You couldn’t believe he was being like this. “Sans. You know that I love you. I feel like I say it every day. You and I have been together for…forever, basically, and I can trust you with everything, including my life! We’ve done so much in our relationship and I’m literally dropping everything to move in with you in a house we’re building in our own image. How can you sit there, take that all in, and think that I’m somehow not happy?”
He shrugged. “sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, you just have to believe me,” you pleaded. “If you ever did something to make me feel uncomfortable or bad, I would’ve told you a long time ago. You would’ve sensed it, you’re good at that kinda thing! But the fact is this: you don’t have that part. And I would never expect you to substitute it just to please me, because I don’t care. I love you guys for who you are, and please, trust me when I say that you’re more than enough?”
“don’t even have skin, how can i…”
You pursed your lips. “You really think that this far into the relationship our anatomical differences are what I’m worried about?”
“heh, must still be kinda weird…”
Papyrus took this as his cue to disappear into the kitchen. He really did have a good eye for avoiding awkwardness these days, especially with stepping in-between two stubborn people.
“Are we going to play insecure ping-pong all night, or are you going to listen to me?”
“babe.”
“Don’t ‘babe’ me, Sans. I’m being serious. Why are you so bothered by what some rando says? You’ve made me…basically go to pieces before without ever needing that part of you. You’ve sent me over the edge and had me go to jelly. So why are you suddenly doubting it?”
“because he seemed so sure of himself. and no one said a damn thing.” The words came out so bitter that you were sure it physically pained him to say them. “everyone just stood there and let him go on and on about it. like he’d been holding back what they were all thinking. my friends and coworkers, the people i trusted, and they were all laughing because they don’t think i'm good enough for you. because i'm just a monster, and our relationships have gotta be childlike if there’s nothin’ like that involved.”
You scoffed. “Everyone was too floored to say anything. I couldn’t even believe he had the balls to go on the way he did. And once he was finished, your friends stepped up to the plate and kicked him out! Afterwards, all I heard was how he was such an embarrassment and how he showed his true colors. He was drunk, he was bitter, he was lonely and he was a piss-poor guest. That’s it. Did you even know him that well?”
His brow furrowed. “…no.”
“Then why do you care? Your friends – the people who threw the party for you – did it because they support us. Because they see our relationship as valid and something to celebrate. If some random jerk thinks that they can get between us from…what…not having what they consider ‘the right parts’, then they’re just a sad, pathetic loser that doesn’t know how close we really are.”
Grin.
“babe…”
“Yeah?”
“i like seein’ you this heated. let's do this again.”
“Absolutely fucking not,” you laughed weakly. “I’m still a little tipsy and really pissed off, so how about we just kiss and make up?”
“ok.”
You reached over the table and went straight for him. Not even caring that you knocked over the cup with your name on it. Sans tangled his fingers in your hair and smirked against your mouth, savoring every last smooch that you left on his bones. He knew that it was silly. He knew he shouldn’t have been so offended. He knew it was just the emotional week coupled with the booze that left him vulnerable, but you still managed to tear away those thoughts.
Papyrus came out of the kitchen and snapped a picture.
“WHAT? IT IS TO CELEBRATE ONE OF OUR LAST NIGHTS IN THIS HOUSE!!! WE SHOULD START DOCUMENTING IT IMMEDIATELY, AS WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN OUR NEW PLACE WILL BE READY FOR US TO MOVE IN.”
You pulled away from your boyfriend and glared at the other. “Paps. Give me. The phone.”
“NO! IT IS MY MOST PRIZED POSSESSION! I AM FRAMING IT AND PUTTING ONE ON THE FRIDGE AND ONE IN MY CAR AND ONE ON THE MANTLE!”
“Come back here!”
The house erupted into chaos. Papyrus narrowly avoiding you while you tried to track him down and delete the unflattering photo of you and Sans together. It didn’t help that he knew all of the best hiding spots, and was cunning enough not to get caught while you tried to track him down. Sans ended up trying to give you directions to find him, but you weren’t even sure if he was being genuine or not. So you ended up running around in circles while both of them worked in tandem to make sure you didn’t get your way.
Sans and Papyrus had quite a long list of their favorite things about you.
But there were a few things that stood out.
Perseverance.
You were a strong person. Someone dedicated to getting through life despite everything thrown your way.
When you lived Underground, you had so much up against you. The three of you were only acquaintances then, but they saw the power behind you. How, if you wanted to, you could probably destroy everything and everyone they ever loved.
But you didn’t.
Despite the trials and tribulations, you made sure to show them every ounce of kindness you could. Going out of your way to make sure that the monsters were comfortable and flourishing despite everything.
You moved back to the surface. Picked up where you left off. Never cut ties. And continued to work your ass off to make sure you were keeping your head above water.
Intelligence.
You picked up on little things. When Papyrus was upset. When Sans was angry. Most humans wouldn’t have noticed because their expressions weren’t as malleable, but you did. You never took what anyone said at face value. You seemed to analyze everything and search for ulterior motives. Making sure that you protected yourself through a combination of distrust and rationale.
You knew when to back off. When you knew that things were far beyond your reach. You knew your limits and only pushed when you knew that you had a good chance of success. You showed them things that could bridge both worlds and help them understand the surface in all of its confusing and chaotic glory.
You were never condescending, either.
“SO WHAT IS THIS HOLIDAY THAT HUMANS CELEBRATE? HALLOWEEN? I’VE SEEN SO MANY NAKED SKELETONS IN PUBLIC PLACES I’M ALMOST AFRAID TO ASK.”
“Oh. Pffft. It’s just a silly human thing, really. You want to hear more about it?”
“hey, babe. what’s that thing over there?”
“You mean…the plunger?”
“yeah.”
“Ugh, oh my god. It’s totally gross.”
“heh, now i really wanna know.”
“It has to do with human bowel movements.”
“neat. tell me all about it.”
“You’re such a dork.”
Fun.
You always made puns on accident, and they were often so good that Sans and Toriel busted a gut laughing. You always acted like you hated it, but Sans was convinced that you were really more interested in their reactions rather than the jokes themselves.
“heh. good one.”
“Good one what?”
“yer joke.”
“It wasn’t a joke, Sans!!!”
That only made him laugh harder.
Papyrus thought your sense of humor was unique. It was amazing. You would show him funny images on your phone and send them to him through text. He would always find himself laughing with the way you reacted to things. How overdramatic you could be depending on the topic. How you always managed to put a smile on his face even just by pointing out something that tickled you.
“WHAT IS THIS, AGAIN?”
“It’s a finger trap! I bet you can’t get out of it.”
“WELL I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE. HOW DOES IT WORK?”
You slipped it on and made him do the same. “There you go.”
“EXCELLENT. TIME TO TRY AND…WAIT A MINUTE…WHAT IS HAPPENING???”
The laughter that escaped your throat was enough to send him in a lovesick spiral. Enough that he couldn’t even concentrate on how the object wrapped tighter along his knuckle with the more you tried to pull away.
Kind.
It was rare to find in humans, Sans and Papyrus realized. They really were lucky to befriend someone that could be so compassionate and heartfelt. A person that they could rely on without expecting something to be returned. Most people looked out for themselves and no one else, but you were always there to lend a helping hand when you could. Sometimes it was because you were too afraid to speak your mind, but other times it was because you sincerely wanted to make sure that everyone’s needs were met.
Sans remembered that Underground. Monster Kid said he’d never gone to MTT resort before since it was too far.
You asked his parents for permission and carted him there.
Let him watch Sans’ comedy show. He saw you in the crowd and couldn’t stop lighting up.
The kid asked for his autograph afterwards and begged him to say hi to his new hero Papyrus. It made his heart swell to learn that someone else actually appreciated his brother.
He stayed in the hotel and played in the fountain despite being yelled at from the front desk staff. You didn’t mind watching after him once Toriel showed up and took care of things.
Papyrus remembered that on the surface. Sans took his car for the job interview and he desperately needed to get supplies so he could fix his uniform. He’d run out of thread at home and was distraught that he would make a bad impression on the dignitaries that Toriel was meeting.
It was late, enough that the shops were about to close when he realized the tear, but you immediately stopped by his house and picked him up.
When he forgot his wallet, you promised him that it was okay that you would pay for it. You chatted him up the entire way back home and made sure to spend time with him when he finally patched it up, despite how late it was and how exhausted you were from work.
Beautiful.
Sans found himself watching you closely. The way that the wind whipped at your hair and sent soft strands scattering along your face. The curve to your smile. How you always managed to be so damn soft when he reached out to touch you, stroking your skin, digging his fingertips into you just to remind himself that you were real.
He didn’t ever think he would find himself attracted to anyone, let alone a human. But he loved every inch of your body. He could explore it for hours. He wanted to put his mouth on every inch of you and make sure you knew how much he adored you. He could strip you bare, piece by piece, and set you down on the bed so he could go to work. Making sure that you could hear the amount of lust and adoration in his voice.
“you close, babe? don’t be shy. wanna hear it.”
You always told him you were going to come and that got him off more than anything. That you were so far gone because of him. He could spend the rest of his life between your legs if that meant he could get you to shiver and shake and buck up against him until you screamed out how much you loved him.
Other people saw your body as something that…wasn’t desirable. He didn’t see how. He loved how soft you were. How he could bury himself in you and feel like he was at home. You were warm. You felt so plush against him. How the stretch marks – the scars – zigzagged along your skin and reminded him of the lightning outside his window on rainy nights. It told him once again that this was real, he was here, he’d escaped, and you trusted him enough to see all of your imperfections and wonders on full display. No judgment. Nothing.
He would make sure you believed that someday.
Papyrus knew you were beautiful the day that he met you.
It wasn’t romantic back then at all. But he could appreciate your aesthetic. You were unlike anyone or anything he’d ever seen, and he found it fascinating. How you looked. He really wanted to impress you because he thought maybe he would be too scary, being a monster and not…looking as pleasant as everyone else.
You didn’t care. You grew to be a close friend. You reached out to him and supported him through everything.
And in turn, he admired you quietly.
He loved the way that your skin rippled with laughter and the brightness that came full force to your eyes. How parts of you jiggled when you ran or moved or just jerked away too hard. He liked how he could reach out and find something to hold. It was so different from the way that he looked and felt. He could reach down and place his hands on your belly, squishing it gently, moving toward your waist, gripping you tight and, eventually, when things were clearer, pulling you to his mouth.
He loved touching. A lot.
He loved feeling every inch of you. And exploring what made you squirm against him.
He loved the sensation of being inside of you, how you always managed to soak his fingers when he wiggled them around. It was slippery and warm and when you came, the tightening around his hand was enough to make him dizzy. Especially when you whispered his name at the end of your moan and he could swear that he had just fallen in love all over again.
He loved being affectionate with you. The small kisses on the top of your head, holding your hand, picking you up with ease. He loved your laugh and the way you said his name. How you always managed to cheer him up with a snorting giggle that had his SOUL reaching out far beyond his chest to get to you.
Both of them knew that things were far from over. That they still had so much to learn, discover and explore.
But that was their favorite thing.
A future with you.