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English
Series:
Part 8 of Open Requests
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Published:
2016-10-21
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4,485
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1/1
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25
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296
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The Confession

Summary:

Papyrus is an open and honest monster, but even he has some secrets.

Notes:

this is a belated birthday fic for the incredible babbybones! i’ve followed them for a while and they always manage to make me smile. a very talented artist, someone who helps me stick around in fandom, and probably the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. i hope they like this!!!

Work Text:

The first time you met Papyrus, you were about ninety-nine percent sure that he was lost.

Monsters on campus weren’t rare, but you’d never seen a skeleton one before, and definitely not one as snappily dressed. It was a little intimidating to stand around him in his staggering height, looking both powerful and engrossed in what he was reading. Posted up in front of the campus map, dragging his finger along the different routes, shapes and labels with every ounce of scrutiny he had.

The place could be pretty confusing, especially for freshman, so you decided to swallow your anxiety and approach him. Fully intending to help him out. Maybe even become his hero for the day with your super cool and totally collected explanation of where to go.

As you closed the distance, several thoughts ran through your head.

One, what if you were assuming too much?

Two, what if he thought you were being a pest for interrupting his thoughts?

Three, what if he needed to locate a building or room you’d never even gone to?

With every negative prediction, your confidence dwindled. So much that by the time you reached the spot by his side, you had completely lost faith in your plan. The sweat crawled down your forehead and the lump in your throat grew, every nerve flaring with alarm and nearly sending you in a dizzy fit.

It was quiet for a few seconds. It was too late for you to have turned around, so here you were. Just…standing next to this random monster and trying not to pass out from the sheer embarrassment of this ridiculously awkward situation.

About ten seconds passed before the monster next to you started talking.

“OH, HELLO! I DID NOT SEE YOU THERE. YOU MUST BE VERY GOOD AT SNEAKING.”

Oh, no. He was talking to you! You swallowed hard and felt yourself turn, inch by inch, to face him.

He beamed despite the complex expression on your face. “ARE YOU LOST?”

“Wh…I…”

“I SEE YOU ARE CONFLICTED. I CAN ASSURE YOU, I AM THE BEST AT DIRECTIONS. IF YOU’D LIKE, I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP YOU GET YOUR BEARINGS!”

You weren’t sure what compelled you to say it, but you blurted it out. “Yeah! Thanks! I would really appreciate that.”

“MAY I SEE YOUR SCHEDULE?”

You had everything memorized by now, but you still had it handy. The monster ran his eyes over it briefly before turning to the map and then nodding vigorously.

“AH, JUST AS I SUSPECTED! I WILL GET YOU THERE IN NO TIME, NOT TO WORRY, HUMAN!”

How did this happen?

You were trying to make the monster happy and get him around campus, but it looked like you were being roped into it instead. You’d been going to this school for years; you knew all of the best places to hide out in the library and what table at the café had the best wifi connection. You were pretty sure that you had about a thousand different ways to get to your next class, and none of them included being escorted by a six-and-a-half-foot tall monster.

“CAMPUSES CAN BE QUITE CONFUSING. I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANDERING AROUND AND RUSHING TO CLASS. LUCKILY YOU STUMBLED ON ME! THE MOST TALENTED NAVIGATOR YOU COULD FIND.”

You liked his enthusiasm. It was…kind of infectious. And he didn’t seem to mind that you were too nervous to say anything back as he rambled on.

“…DO YOU ENJOY THE SCHOOL COLORS? I WONDER WHY THEY WERE CHOSEN. IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT HUMAN INSTITUTIONS SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON SEPARATING THEMSELVES FROM OTHERS, BUT IF IT MAKES EVERYONE HAPPY, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A LITTLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION!”

Wait, where were you? You glanced around and saw that he was leading you through…one of the lab buildings? Why? This was like…on the opposite side of campus. But he looked so sure of himself, and you were so engrossed in his passionate speeches about everything that you hadn’t really noticed.

“AH…YES, SO THIS IS THE SCIENCE WING. JUST IN CASE YOU WANTED TO KNOW.” He didn’t bother acknowledging the slight waver to his words. “NOW, WHERE WERE WE? OH YES! TO YOUR CLASSROOM!”

At this point, you were…one hundred percent he was lost.

It wasn’t just the way he seemed to second guess himself and then play it off. It was the handful of dead-ends he led you to, somehow turning heel and pushing you the other way in order to make it seem like he was either distracted or that the school had undergone some recent major construction.

You humored him because you were kind of…tickled that he would go through this much effort to help you despite not knowing anything himself. It was kind of brave not to be afraid of making mistakes and being able to brush off embarrassment so easily. He didn’t seem perturbed at all that he was out of his element. You really wished you could be more like that.

In about half an hour, you’d somehow – through all of the twists, turns and roundabouts – gotten to your classroom. It even took gentle suggestions from you to get here, but you wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

He stood outside the door and turned to you, absolutely glowing with pride. “HERE YOU ARE! I HOPE FROM NOW ON YOU CAN REMEMBER HOW TO GET HERE. IF NOT, I CAN ALWAYS…UM…EXCHANGE NUMBERS WITH YOU! TO HELP!”

That was nice, but… “Uh, sure, if I could have your name first?”

He gasped. “OH NO. I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF?! I WAS SO BUSY IN SAVING YOU FROM DISTRESS THAT I NEVER DID! I APOLOGIZE!!! MY NAME IS PAPYRUS! AND YOU ARE?”

You told him your name and you were surprised to see that he looked a little flustered.

“OH. HUMANS HAVE SUCH INTERESTING NAMES…YOURS…I LIKE IT.”

Now it was your turn to feel overwhelmed. You weren’t sure what his deal was, but it was enough to get you stammering.

“T-thanks, Papyrus. I like yours, too.”

“O-OF…OF COURSE YOU DO. IT IS A FITTING AND POWERFUL NAME FOR THE GREATEST MONSTER YOU COULD CALL A FRIEND. OH. LOOK AT THE TIME! I AM ALSO GOING TO BE TARDY FOR MY CLASS IN THE LITERATURES!!! GOODBYE AND I WILL TEXT YOU LATER!!!”

You weren’t sure where he thought he was going, because he ducked inside the bathroom, but you were kind enough to leave so he could come out and find the real exit in peace.

A few days later, you received your first text from Papyrus.

It wasn’t that you weren’t interested in reaching out to him first – in fact, you couldn’t shake him from your thoughts because of how easy he was to get along with – but you were just afraid you’d come off as a creep if you hopped on the chance right away.

His texts were just as enthusiastic as his conversation with you.

HELLO. THIS IS PAPYRUS, THE DASHING MONSTER YOU MET A FEW DAYS AGO. I WAS YOUR TOUR GUIDE!!! HOPEFULLY YOU DID NOT FORGET? IF NOT, I CAN REFRESH YOUR MEMORY WITH A DETAILED ENCOUNTER!

You laughed at that, pausing from scribbling down notes. Hi, Papyrus! Of course I remember you. What’s up?

OH, GOODIE!!! I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY VERY BUSY, SO I AM GLAD YOU CAN STILL RECALL OUR TIME TOGETHER. I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WE CAN EXCHANGE BASIC PERSONAL INFORMATION AND SEE IF WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMON!

You didn’t see the harm in that. Okay. What’s your favorite color?

BLUE. IT IS THE COLOR OF MY MAGIC AND THE SKY! RED IS ALSO VERY NICE, I USED TO WEAR IT QUITE A BIT ON MY OFFICIAL UNIFORM! AND YELLOW REMINDS ME OF TALKING FLOWERS. IS IT OKAY TO LIKE MORE THAN ONE COLOR?

You weren’t sure why you thought you would get any kind of work done with him around. Because for the next four hours or so, all you did was text back and forth about everything and nothing.

WE SHOULD MEET AT THE CAFÉ TOMORROW! I HEAR THEY HAVE DELICIOUS BREAKFAST STUFFS. LIKE OATMEAL. DO YOU LIKE OATMEAL? MY FAVORITE IS THE ONE WITH THE CANDY DINOSAUR EGGS. IT IS NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS.

You were a little nervous about the meetup, but Papyrus convinced you to go anyway. It was hard to believe that someone you just met could make you feel so at ease.

So, despite the weather turning outside to a semi-unpleasant chill, and the wind kicking up a nasty storm of leaves that almost hit you in the face on multiple occasions, you were happy to leave the comfort of your place to the peaceful atmosphere of the café.

Some students were on their laptops, sipping away at hot cups of coffee and working on essays that were probably due in a few hours. The smell of baked goods, hot cocoa and the faint background music surrounding the approaching shift in the seasons was more than cozy.

“AH! HERE YOU ARE!” Papyrus jumped up from his spot at the table and wrung his gloved hands together. “YOU CAME.”

“Of course I did. I couldn’t wait to see you,” you told him honestly. “It’s nice to start the day with a friend.”

“I AGREE! I ALREADY ORDERED MY BOWL OF OATMEAL. I GOT YOU ONE TOO, I WAS UNSURE IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT. BUT IF YOU DON’T, I CAN EAT TWO PORTIONS! DOUBLE THE PROTEIN! AND IT CONTAINS A SPLASH OF MILK, WHICH IS GOOD FOR STRONG BONES.”

“I can see how that would be really important for you.”

“YES, WELL, HUMANS HAVE DESCENDED FROM SKELETONS, SO IT’S ONLY FITTING THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN BONES. I’M SURE THEY WILL APPRECIATE IT.”

The barista dropped off the small, steaming bowls of oatmeal and Papyrus extended a spoon toward you.

“A TOAST…TO NEW FRIENDSHIPS!”

You couldn’t believe how exuberant and excited he was over this, but found yourself grinning anyway. You thrust your own utensil forward and the both of them met in a satisfying clack!

The both of you dug into your meal. Papyrus was content to chat the entire time. He spoke about how he was enjoying the surface, how different things were from living Underground, and how he was still trying to figure out the best fit for him to earn a living. Apparently, he stayed with his brother who paid all of the bills, and Papyrus felt it was best to venture out and claim his destiny instead of sitting around and hoping something would fall into his lap.

You learned a lot about him. It was nice to spend your free time with someone so…bright and wonderful. He was attentive to what you had to say, encouraged you, and made you feel worthy. Which sounded silly, considering you’d just met, but you were comfortable with him. He made it easy.

Every day, Papyrus took you out for breakfast. It wasn’t always at the café, though they did serve some really delicious meals for students. It was a nice way to start the day, and he even walked you to class.

Seeing as how he was so tall, he had to slow way down in order for you both to move at a comfortable pace. While you always expected Papyrus to be in a rush and get to his destination as soon as possible, he didn’t seem to mind making sure you were at his side.

The weather still had a bite to it. The leaves on the trees shifted and shed from their branches, creating a warm splash of color that encased the entire campus. You were bundled up in your warm and fluffy sweater, along with your hand-stitched backpack that Papyrus made you “FOR FUN”.

You stepped on a nearby leaf and found yourself smiling at the satisfied crunch it gave. Between Papyrus’ voice and the wind rushing through the courtyard and ruffling the plants still clinging to life, you were at ease.

“…SO WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR YOUR MIDTERM PROJECT?”

“I’m not sure. Still brainstorming.”

“WELL, I DO NOT MEAN TO BRAG, BUT I AM SURE I WOULD MAKE A FITTING MUSE.” He winked audibly. “YOU CAN DO IT ON ME!”

You glanced at him and did a double take.

“Oh, give me a second.”

He stopped midway through his next step as you beckoned him to bend down.

“WHAT IS IT? HAS A LEAF GOTTEN WEDGED IN MY SPINAL CORD AGAIN?”

“Nope. Your scarf is just kinda tangled.”

You knew that he would’ve been mortified if he’d gone any further without you fixing it, so you made sure to unwrap it enough to make sure it was up to his standards. The material was nice and soft against your chilly fingers, warm, too. And while you didn’t think that you’d paid enough attention to Papyrus’ dressing habits to get his scarf just right, you were much more confident with the results once you pulled back just a bit to admire your work.

And Papyrus stared at you. Stars in his eyesockets.

When you made a move to retreat, he brought both hands up and placed them over yours. Holding them in place for just a few more seconds, leaning into your touch. You froze from surprise as he released you. Enough that he brought your linked hands down between the both of you and rubbed his thumbs over your hand briefly, as if savoring your touch.

“YOUR HANDS ARE…INTERESTING.”

“Interesting?” You snatched them away, embarrassment finally catching up to you. “Sorry!”

“NO. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE. I…NEVER MIND! WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE! LET’S GET BACK ON TRACK, SHALL WE?”

You weren’t sure what it was that had him so flustered, but you weren’t going to ask. Papyrus was an open and honest person. He shared his true feelings, sometimes without using a filter or considering how it might affect other people. But you liked that about him – how he was so unafraid to let others know what he was thinking and feeling.

Which was why you weren’t too concerned about his strange reaction. If he had an issue, he would’ve told you. If he had something on his mind, he would’ve shared it.

Today started out a little differently than most.

You slept in, first and foremost. Papyrus had an early morning class and wouldn’t be around to drag you out of bed until later.

You dressed in your favorite outfit. Something warm, practical and fun all wrapped up in one!

Sure enough, in the midst of your early snack (which was your favorite not-so-breakfast-food), there was a knock on your door.

“ARE YOU READY TO GO? OH!”

He paused and took a step back. Bringing his hands together and touching the tips of his fingers together, fumbling. Was he sick? Looked like he started to sweat and even stammer.

“T-THAT IS NEW. A NEW OUTFIT.”

“I thought it looked nice,” you shrugged. “Do you not like it?”

A few seconds of dead silence. “…WE SHOULD GET GOING BEFORE SOMEONE TAKES OUR FAVORITE SEATS!”

He walked a little faster than usual, and he almost tripped on the welcome mat that led into the shop. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well?

“I MISSED YOU THIS MORNING! IT WAS STRANGE NOT BEING TOGETHER.”

“Me too. I actually got to sleep in!”

“YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT! I AM TAKING AWAY ONE OF YOUR STICKERS FROM THE STAR CHART IF YOU’RE SERIOUS. THEN YOU WILL BE ONE GOOD BEHAVIOR FURTHER FROM GETTING THE ULTIMATE PRIZE!”

“You mean the water gun?”

He gasped. “WHAT? DID UNDYNE…NO, I AM NOT FALLING FOR YOUR TRICKS! YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO SE WHAT IT IS ONCE YOU SAVE UP ALL OF THE STARS!”

In the midst of your conversation, you received a text and found yourself smiling at the contents. Papyrus saw it right away.

“DID YOU RECEIVE A MEME? SANS SENDS THOSE TO ME QUITE OFTEN. MINE ARE MUCH BETTER.”

“Ah, no. Just a birthday wish.” You laughed slightly. “Want to see?”

As you turned the screen to him, something shifted in his face.

“I…I SEE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCE! IT IS THE DAY OF MY BIRTH ALSO!!!”

“What?! No way!”

It was strange. This long together and you’d never even bothered to ask. You sort of assumed that monsters didn’t celebrate birthdays because of their longevity, but now you knew better. You’d have to be more proactive in having Papyrus clarify little cultural things like this.

“Y-YES WAY! WHAT A SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS! WE SHOULD CELEBRATE.”

“Ah, no. It’s kind of embarrassing, I don’t want people fussing over me. I like my birthday, it’s just weird to have so many people bend over backwards. I might just do something for myself…”

“UNACCEPTABLE. WHAT TIME DOES YOUR CLASS GET OVER TONIGHT?”

“Uh, Papyrus…”

“WAIT! I THINK I REMEMBER FROM YOUR SCHEDULE. I WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS. GIVE ME A MOMENT!”

He dashed off before you could stop him. You weren’t sure if you should be afraid or not, but the steamy bowl in front of you was soothing in its own way. Hearing his voice echo outside of the café and staring down at the candy dinosaur eggs in your bowl turn into a variety of bright colors, you felt more at ease than you had in…a long time.

You’d been to Papyrus’ house a handful of times. He’d shown you a lot of neat things he’d collected over the years, taught you to make his favorite cake, and marathoned movies with you until you felt like you had permanent marks on your skin from his couch cushions. He set up an easel in the backyard for the both of you to sketch and paint, and helped him work on his car a few times, too.

“Are we having a party here?”

“OH, NO. I JUST WANTED TO DROP OFF OUR SCHOOL THINGS SO YOU DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEM.” He plucked your bag from your shoulder and headed inside. “JUST BE SURE TO REMAIN CALM!!!”

Somehow, him saying that made you want to do the exact opposite.

The place you eventually pulled up to looked…interesting, actually. Between the neon sign and the music drifting out from the double doors, you were curious to see what it was like inside.

“Is this…a karaoke bar?”

“ISN’T IT NEAT? IT WAS UNDYNE’S IDEA. SHE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO TAKE THE NEXT…I MEAN…UM, WELL!!! LET’S GO INSIDE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DUET TO!!!”

You really hoped he was joking, but knew that it wasn’t the case.

The place was much louder than you anticipated, but it wasn’t too uncomfortable. Papyrus led you to a private booth towards the back where all of your friends were already waiting. Alphys and Undyne had stepped up to the plate to break the ice, going passionately to some kind of anime OST that they were obsessed with lately. Sans was there, though he looked like he was trying to…gather up some CDs to sell near the entrance? Toriel was looking through the drink menu and she perked up once she spotted you.

“Ah! We are so glad that Papyrus convinced you to come!”

You smiled, embarrassed. “I can’t say no to him.”

“you hear that, bro?” Sans grinned off to the side, winking. “better take advantage of that.”

“SANS, YOU ARE BEING…INAPPROPRIATE. AND I AM GOING TO PREPARE MY VOICE FOR MY DEBUT. D-DO NOT DISTURB ME! I’LL BE IN THE BATHROOM!!!”

He rushed off before you could protest. Turning back to Sans, you squinted at him and found that he was downright tickled at your reaction.

“hey, you were the one who said it.”

“Don’t tease him like that.”

Grin. “ain’t teasin’, it’s the truth. and he liked hearin’ it.”

“He ran away and his entire face was red!”

“’cuz he’s embarrassed.”

“Yeah, because you’re teasing him.”

“nah…” He glanced off to the side, eyesockets crinkling. “hey, you like my brother, right?”

“Of course I do. We’re best friends.”

“ok. but do you like him?”

You weren’t sure what he meant, but you had a sneaking suspicion that this was another one of his pranks. “Yes.”

“good. hey, you remember when you guys met? in the courtyard?”

You blinked. “Uh huh…?”

“ask him about it.”

Papyrus returned with a drink for you, your favorite. You settled in the booth while Sans disappeared, probably to try and peddle those CDs that he somehow made in the short time he’d been here. Maybe he got permission from the bar to do it, maybe not. But Toriel got up and walked away to speak with an old friend she ran into, so it was just the both of you somewhat listening and watching Undyne and Alphys belt out sappy lyrics to each other.

In this lighting, you found yourself enraptured with his usually expressive face. It painted beautiful shadows along his bones and made your heart twist painfully in your chest. Papyrus didn’t seem like he was concentrating too hard on anything at all. Actually, upon closer inspection, he looked like he was sweating a bit. And his leg kept bouncing up and down, tapping his fingers along the surface of the table rapidly.

“Papyrus?”

“YES? DID YOU WANT TO GO UP ALREADY? I THINK I HAVE A FAVORITE WE CAN TRY.”

“Actually…” You wanted to ask him. Sans’ smug expression wouldn’t leave your mind otherwise. “When we met, in the courtyard…”

He froze.

A few seconds passed.

Agonizingly slow.

Papyrus buried his face in his hands.

“HOW EMBARRASSING. YOU FIGURED IT OUT. I DID NOT MEAN TO LIE TO YOU.”

Wait. What?

“I SAW YOU A FEW TIMES DURING THE CAMPUS TOUR AND WANTED TO KNOW YOU MORE!!! BUT I WASN’T SURE IF YOU WERE OKAY WITH MONSTERS.”

What was he…?

“I REALLY WASN’T SURE WHICH SCHOOL I WANTED TO GO TO, THIS ONE WAS QUITE BIG AND THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE! BUT THEN I SPOTTED YOU AND FELT AS THOUGH WE COULD BE GOOD FRIENDS!”

“I--”

“SO WHEN I SAW YOU AGAIN AT THE SCHOOL MAP, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY CHANCE!!! TO EXTEND THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP!!!”

“Um…”

“I BLURTED OUT THAT I WAS A STUDENT BUT I! DECEIVED YOU!!! IN ORDER TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOU AND INTRODUCE MYSELF!!! YES, IT WAS MERE COINCIDENCE THAT WE MET AT THE CAMPUS MAP…BUT IN ACTUALITY, I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS LOST!!! I WAS TRYING TO FIND MY WAY TO THE PARKING LOT AND GO HOME! BUT THEN WE TALKED AND EXCHANGED NUMBERS AND YOU WERE VERY INTERESTING AND FUN!”

“Papyrus?!”

“YOU WERE THE REASON WHY I FINALLY DECIDED TO ENROLL IN CLASSES.”

You weren’t sure how much more of this you could take.

“AND THEN THE TIME I SAID I LIKED CREAMSICLES WAS A LIE, I THOUGHT IT WAS CUTE IT STAINED YOUR SHIRT SO I KEPT BUYING THEM.”

You were too far gone, now. Blushing vehemently. Peeking at him through the spaces between your fingers while he continued his passionate confession.

“AND THEN WHEN YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T VERY FOND OF THE ‘KOOKY SPOOKY SINGALONG’ DVD I HID IT AWAY EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY FAVORITE ONE.”

He looked so distressed. It was a good thing that the bar was deafening, otherwise everyone else would’ve heard what he just told you. And…despite how hurt and embarrassed he looked, you couldn’t be happier.

“TODAY IS NOT EVEN THE DAY OF MY BIRTH. IT IS JUST WHAT I PICKED, SINCE IT IS MY FAVORITE DAY…BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH YOU. AND IF YOU DIDN’T EXIST, THEN I WOULD…”

You gazed at him steadily, lowering your hands so you could make eye contact. Papyrus looked as flustered as you felt, but you really didn’t mind this so much. Not when the rest of the world was drowned out from the sound of your heartbeat and the rush of blood thrumming in your ears.

“You…don’t have to worry about any of that, Papyrus. I’m happy just being with you. And we’re allowed to have differences in our tastes…”

“I KNOW. BUT I WANT YOU AND I TO BE AS COMPATIBLE AS I BELIEVE WE ARE.” He stammered. “WHOOPSIE. I DIDN’T MEAN TO CONFESS SO TERRIBLY. I EVEN ROLEPLAYED THIS SCENARIO WITH UNDYNE AND IT WENT NOTHING LIKE THIS.”

“I like it. It’s more…you.” You reached down and gripped his hands. He was happy to entwine his fingers with yours, marveling at the difference in sizes. “From now on, let’s be honest with each other.”

“OH, GOODIE! LET’S BEGIN. I’LL GO FIRST: I WANT TO SMOOCH YOU A LOT. ALL THE TIME. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT IT EVEN WHEN WE’RE TOGETHER. LIKE RIGHT NOW.”

Stutter. “M-Maybe not that honest? At least not yet?”

“OKIE DOKIE. I CAN WORK WITH THAT.”

Your night was spent laughing as Papyrus put on performance after performance for you. The rest of your friends actually had to drag him away from the stage at one point because he was so into it. You blew out the candles on the cake that read, “Happy Birthday Papyrus and His Human!”, something you knew Sans had a hand in. It had sparklers on it, something that Papyrus loved to play with, and he spent nearly an hour creating afterimages of your name in the darkened room. You took candid photos together and he immediately posted them to Undernet, showing you each and every comment he received on them from monsters all over town.

You went home smiling.

And woke up every day after that smiling, too.

Because he was by your side.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOODLING?”

You laughed and glanced over your shoulder at him. He’d just finished changing into his favorite sweater, one that he’d stitched together with your name on the front.

“Just something for myself. For fun.”

He flopped down behind you and tucked you in his lap. Putting his chin on the top of your head. It was a position that you enjoyed because of the size difference, but also because you liked feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest against your back.

“YOU ARE DRAWING US! IN THIS VERY SAME POSITION!”

“Yup!”

“HOW FASCINATING. TO DOCUMENT THIS SO ACCURATELY WITHOUT LOOKING.” He planted a kiss atop your head and snuggled in close, fixating on your work as you scribbled more at it. “WILL YOU DRAW MORE OF US?”

“If you want.”

“I DO.”

“Your wish is my command, Oh Great Papyrus~!”

“NYEH HEH HEH! I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!”

So were you.

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