Sans stared at himself in the bathroom mirror scowling; now he was confronted with his mirror image it was hard to miss. He had to admit he had been curious as to how he would be affected this time, still, he had hoped the changes would be a little more… discreet. Sans sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. There was no way he could hide THIS from Papyrus. His eyes had changed, his mouth had changed, hell even his fingers had changed. His pupils, though still white were now slits, half his teeth were spiked the other straight, both types meeting in the middle. The tips of his fingers were claws. This would have his bro worrying for days. Sans dragged his hands over his face, he wasn’t sure he could deal with anymore of Papyrus’s rants on how he needed help. He wouldn’t need any if that damned human would just stop coming back.
Sans pulled on his clothes and made his way downstairs. Welp, there was nothing he could do about it now, he’d just have to deal with it. Glancing around the living room he had to admit the flower did a good job. The place looked almost as good as new and he’d only been at it what, an hour?
“Watch it trash bag, that bottom steps loose.” Flowey grumbled as he moved to reach beneath the table for another beer bottle.
Sans shortcut over the step to stand beside the flower, who was diligently picking up the glass bottles and placing them in a trash bag. “Shortcut. Seriously?” Flowey deadpanned, staring up at Sans from his new position under the table.
Sans just shrugged and with a smile headed for the kitchen. “Don’t throw those bottles. Grillby’ll want them back for his, uh… stuff.”
“Yea, yea, I know. Didn’t think the old flame would take to moonshining. Desperate times I guess.” Flowey replied, tying the bottle bag and placing it next to the door.
Sans poked his head back into the living room. “Hey you guys hungry?”
The babybones nodded from her seat on the couch.
Flowey looked at him sceptically. “That depends. You’re not going to make any of that Sans-ghetti are you? Papyrus told me it was like how he thought torture would taste.”
“Pffft, na. I’ll go easy on you since you helped me out and all. Hot dogs or burgers?”
“Seriously. It’s 10am.”
“It’s lunchtime somewhere.”
Flowey sighed. “Why does Papyrus put up with this?”
“How about I make some of each and you can have both?”
“Fine. But you can deal with Papyrus when he gets back. He isn’t going to like this.”
With another shrug Sans headed back into the kitchen.
Moments passed. The only sounds coming from the microwave and Flowey as he yanked the last of the upstairs banister from the wall. Sans yelled up to the flower as he bought the food out to the table. “Grubs up.”
Flowey reached two vines down from the second floor then lowered the rest of himself, quickly making his way to the table. The babybones began to follow but stopped as the sofa made a strange groaning noise. She turned to the sound in confusion, finding a bundle of blue fabric sticking out between the sofa cushions. That wasn’t there before? Grabbing hold of the offending piece of fabric she pulled.
“KID DON’T!!!” Sans half yelled from his place at the table.
Too late! The small hoodie came loose, and a tidal wave of matching sky-blue hoodies cascaded from the centre of the couch, covering the lounge and half the upper floor in hoodies. Sans chuckled as the babybones wiggled her way out of a pile. He ran to help, pulling her out and sitting her on the top. She looked up to him with a mix of confusion and horror. “Heh. Don’t worry kid. The couch is weird like that. But hey, looks like these ones fit ya.” He took the hoodie from her hands and helped her put it on. Sure that she was now snug, He caried her to the table, seating her on his lap; she was too small to reach without a boost. He handed her half a burger and began to munch on his own food. At that moment Papyrus burst through the front door.
“Sans you’re up early” Papyrus looked at his brother with confused worry; Sans pretended not to notice.
Sans had changed again. Papyrus knew his brother would hate for him to bring it up and after last night, he wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. On the other hand, Sans now seemed content to hold his babybones. That was a good thing right? But didn’t he tell her to stay in the closet?
“You're going to the lab today. Thought I'd tag along. Ya hungry? I reheated some burgers” Sans voice cut through Papyrus’ thoughts bringing him back to the present.
“Sans you know that stuffs bad for you.” Papyrus gasped in shock and exasperation. “You fed that to the babybones? How could you?”
“Aww Pap don’t look at me like that. You can’t leave a babybones to go hungry, and they don’t wait. They can have your awesome spaghetti later.”
“Really?”
“Uh-hu. Parenting 101.”
“Fine” Papyrus Placed the babybones’ new clothes on the table and retreated to the kitchen to unpack the rest. The little skeleton looked curiously at the clothes making Sans chuckle. The way she was looking at them, it was like she’d never seen clothes before. Or maybe it was Papyrus’ fashion choices. A bright pink and white polka dot skirt, black leggings, red gloves, scrunchie and boots and a bright pink t-shirt with a red soul on it. Sans’ eyes lingered on the t-shirt. He might just make it disappear later. He’d get her a new one, the same colour so Papyrus wouldn’t notice, or maybe make her one, Papyrus would like that.
Sans watched as the babybones pulled the clothes down and tried to put them on.
“Hey there kiddo. Need a hand?” she nodded enthusiastically.
Placing her on the floor he dressed her quickly and lifted her back up into his lap. “There, all cosy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help kid. But, uh, just make sure you know who you’re asking it from, ok? Remember someone really cares about you. Wouldn’t want them to get upset if anything happened to ya, yea?” the babybones smiled up at him and hugged him tight.
Papyrus returned to the table with a big plate of spaghetti and sat opposite his brother, keeping a careful eye on Sans as he helped the babybones eat. Papyrus sighed heavily and returned his gaze to his food. He played with it for a while. Sans looked over to the taller skeleton in concern. Papyrus looked disheartened. It was something Sans would never get used to, even if it was becoming a common occurrence.
“Something up Paps? You took longer in town than usual.” Sans pried gently. He didn’t want to upset Papyrus anymore. Sans knew the argument last night had really got to the both of them.
Papyrus continued to play with his food. He tried not to meet his brother’s eye lights. He didn’t like being read like an open book, not these days. But Sans still needed to know. It always paid to be prepared. He answered his brother with a sigh “Three more monsters went missing last night. Two more lost all hope and went mad. They think they might have killed the others.”
Sans looked at him quizzically. That couldn’t be all. He wasn’t usually this upset about that kind of stuff; not anymore. “And?”
Papyrus looked up at him, sorrow written all over his face. Sans could see him fighting back tears. It broke his soul to see his brother like this.
“The Temmies were rampaging through town when I got there. We fought them back but before they fled they took one of Mrs Rabbit’s children.”
“Oh no” Sans grip tightened around the babybones making her squeak.
Papyrus nodded. “We chased them to Waterfall, but they made it back to their village and locked themselves in. The canine unit doesn’t have much hope of getting the child back.” Wiping away his tears, Papyrus slowly looked up to Sans. leaning over the table he scooped his new babybones up and cradled her close. It brought him some comfort to know she was safe. He promised himself in that moment that he wouldn’t let such a terrible fate befall her; Not as long as he lived. He turned back to his brother with determination. He knew his brother wouldn’t like it, but… well Sans would just have to get used to it. Papyrus was sure he could make this work, somehow.
“Please Sans. I know you don’t like that she’s here, but here IS the safest place for her. I couldn’t live with myself if I found out that something like that happened to her.”
“Pap”
“I know it’s strange. That I’m completely attached to her after knowing her for such a short time… I can’t explain it… It’s like I should remember something, but I don’t; but I KNOW it’s important, That SHE’S important. I just… Please don’t make me give her away Sans… Please.”
Sans looked into his brother’s pleading eye lights. He hadn’t seen Papyrus like this in a long time. He also had to admit, after that little stunt upstairs, he was curious, and if there was a possibility, no matter how small, that she could be dangerous, he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight. He’d made that mistake with another kid before, and look where it had gotten them; he wouldn’t do it again.
“Ok Paps. If Alphys can’t find her parents, and if it’s what you want, then ok. We’ll keep her.”
Papyrus’s face lit up like a Gyftmas tree.
“REALLY?!”
Sans smiled warmly at his brother. He could tell Papyrus had been rehearsing what he’d say all the way back home. And he said it with such conviction that even Sans was swayed a little. Papyrus was so cool. “Yea bro, really.”
“THANK YOU SANS!!!” Papyrus handed the babybones to Flowey and ran around the table, scooping Sans up in a crushing hug. He knew he could do it. He knew he could be convincing if he just tried hard enough. He was the great Papyrus after all.
After a few moments Papyrus reluctantly put his brother back on his feet. In all the excitement he had forgotten to ask Sans one verry important question. “....um, Sans?”
“Yea bro.”
“Why is the house covered in hoodies?”
Sans laughed; oh he was going to have fun telling this one.
With breakfast finished everyone gathered in the living room ready to head to the lad. Papyrus took Sans hand with a sigh of defeat. He usually would hate taking his brother’s ‘short-cuts’ but he supposed he had no choice, what with recent events and all.
Flowey Pulled himself up into Papyrus’ arms and wound himself around the babybones protectively, resting his head gently on top of hers.
“Are you coming too friend?” Papyrus asked with a smile.
“Yea. Hotland isn’t the safest of places. Usually I’d avoid it, the heats bad for my roots, but Safety in numbers right?”
“You’re curious,” Sans corrected the flower.
Flowey turned to him with a scowl, “That too.”
“Don’t you know it killed the cat?” Sans replied. He wasn’t sure how much he wanted this ‘flower’ to know IF they found anything at all. the less monsters who knew about her at this point the better. But then again, he had jumped in to save her and help him before, and maybe he could keep a secret.
“Good thing I’m a flower then, isn’t it?” Flowey retorted, covering the babybones eyes with one of his vines and closing his own.
Papyrus looked down at them in confusion. There was something oddly familiar about it, though he didn’t quite know why.
“Something wrong Pap” Sans asked in concern.
Papyrus shook his head turning to his brother with a smile. “No, No, Nothings wrong. Let’s get going. We wouldn’t want to keep Alphys and Undyne waiting.”
With a shrug, Sans gripped his brother’s hand tighter. The world fell out from beneath them and for a moment it felt like falling. The sensation was replaced quickly by the feeling of solid ground beneath their feet and a startled shriek from nearby.
“Oh. H-Hi guys.” Alphys stammered, picking up the papers she had thrown and trying her best to recover from the shock of the skeleton’s sudden appearance. “I’m glad you made it. we were worried you w-wouldn’t after what happened with the Temmie today. I-I have the place all set up ready. Follow me.”
“You heard about that huh?” Sans asked as they slowly made their way upstairs to where Alphy had set up a small examination room.
“Yea” Undyne replied, opening the door for them. “Got the news not long before you got here. I’ve put more people on it, but I can’t take too many from the capital right now. I’m sorry.”
“Yea. Me too.”
“This won’t hurt her will it?” Papyrus asked, looking over the equipment on the table and at the strange looking machine in the corner. He clutched the babybones tighter; he’d never liked the doctor’s office, and that machine looked rather, untrustworthy. Not that he doubted his friend’s skills when it came to building the thing. It just looked familiar somehow, and it gave him an uneasy feeling. Like if he let her go in there he’d never see his babybones again.
“Oh, n-n-no, don't worry Papyrus. It's mostly just scans. S-Since she's a skeleton there aren’t many other tests we can run on her.”
Papyrus reluctantly put the babybones down. Flowey refused to move from his perch atop her head however. His grip on her tightened as he stared up at the lizard monster fiercely, daring her to try something. He knew what she’d been up to lately; Hotland would freeze over before he’d let her try anything like that while he was there.
“What’s wrong with the weed?” Undyne asked, looking between the skeletons as if they had all the answers. Papyrus only shook his head; Sans shrugged and took a step closer.
“Careful there bud. You’re getting a little too overprotective, don’t you think? Keep this up and people might almost begin to believe that you care.”
“SANS!! That’s verry rude. Theres nothing wrong with caring for others” Papyrus chided.
“Yea your right Paps, maybe it’s a good thing that he’s turning over a new leaf.”
“Exactly, I- wait a minute. OH MY GOD! SANS!!!”
The loud groaning from everyone in the room was cut short at the sound of a small giggle. Papyrus turned to the babybones in horrified disbelief. “Look, look what you’ve done Sans.” He began, pointing at the babybones and turning on his brother. “I left you alone with her for an hour and you’ve already corrupted the babybones. You are a terrible influence.”
“I sure hope so.”
“NYEHH?”
“Ok, ok boneheads. Let’s wrap this up. Some of us have important work to get back to.” Undyne sighed, ushering the babybones towards the machine in the corner.
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