Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sans grumbled as he lazily shuffled through the snow, the carcass he drug leaving a bloody trail behind him of violent crimson to clash with the slightly grey tinged snow. He was grateful humans had been falling so frequently the last few months, it kept his brother and town fed. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t complain about it.

Honestly he hated how his joints constantly ached after every hunt, the LV stretching and growing his body the more he gained it. But he would be loathe to deny how much he enjoyed gaining it in the moment; the scent of frightened prey and the loud pounding of their blood through their veins that his heightened hearing could now pick up so well.

Really just made his magic surge in all the right ways.

Sans wouldn’t have pinned himself as a sadist before the famine. Then again he’d always been a lazy fucker, always just going with the flow and letting come what may.

He really should’ve just killed Frisk if he’d known they weren’t going to reset or come back this last time. He should’ve done a lot of things. Stupid judge. Stupid nihilism.

He sighed with exhaustion as the shed finally came into sight, the idea of stringing up the body for a few hours so he could nap tempting him beyond measure. That is until his engorged eyelight fell on Burr, the huddled and scrawny bunny shivering as she walked over to him. He could remember a time when her swirly eyes were caused by heavy drink and not by murderous LV ridden delusion. Those swirls he once considered cute now jittery and twisted.

“H-hey sansy.” A part of him warmed briefly at the old affectionate nickname, but quickly died at the deep scratch that stained her once smooth and velvet voice.

“burr.” He greeted neutrally. Wasn’t too long ago he was still hanging out with her well into the night, still screwing her. But do to recent circumstances had quickly dropped the habit, no longer finding comfort in something he had once delighted in. He was quickly becoming resigned that he'd just have to live with a constant libido that couldn't be satisfied...not willingly at least.

Just another thing the famine and his LV had taken from him.

His eyelight panned down to her forearm still splinted and bandaged from their last encounter and then moved back up to her nervous face. He didn’t blame her. He couldn’t. Not when he had enjoyed doing it. Not when it was the only thing that had gotten his magic to form in the first place.

Burr cleared her throat and looked over at the kill Sans had been dragging before quickly forcing herself to look at his face. He chuckled inwardly. For all her twisted and corrupted magic she was still a somewhat decent monster. He knew she wouldn’t try to fight him for it. Others would have died for that hungry look she had just directed at the town’s new meager food supply. His brother’s food supply. But the fact the intent wasn't there is what ultimately made him forgive her.

“G-grillby was wondering if you could c-check his traps for him later.” Sans let out a deep and throaty exhale as he looked off into the distance. One thing was consistent. He still hated working.

“tell him the usual payment. and I’ll be by later tonight with his medicine from the lab.” Burr nodded before shakily turning and walking away, a few passing monsters eyeing her up as she went. It was a good thing she was under Grillby’s protection. The fire elemental was suffering day in and day out but that didn’t change the fact that he had people to take care of. Sans kinda missed having his fun with him to. But with how his magic constantly hurt him he doubted the favored bartender could even get laid anymore, let alone have a moment that wasn't drowned in agony. It almost tempted Sans to go retrieve his medicine early. Almost.

Welp, at least he knew Grillby would have something nonhuman to eat waiting.

And that’s what mattered.

The door to the shed swung open with a slam as Sans kicked it, the old and rotting wood splintering slightly from the force. Paps was sure to lecture him about that later. With how scarce magic was becoming the wood that had once never aged was quickly falling into disrepair. Sans’s once precious snowdin was starting to look like shit, just like its residents.

It was almost methodical the next few steps. Sling the kill onto a hook, drain it, cut it. It was lulling. Old Sans would’ve been sick to see himself humming contently as he hacked a once sentient being to pieces so easily. It helped him ignore the hunger. It gave him a sick sense of pleasure. Once he was finished and wrapped the chunks into packages he was quick to make his way from the shed and to the house. He didn’t even notice the blood smear as he wiped his face.

Being home was always a relief for him. He couldn’t pin it but even with all the bullshit they now lived through home still felt normal. As normal as it could. He paused mid stride in the living room as he heard a soft voice echoing through the quite darkness that surrounded him. He closed his sockets and just calmly listened for a moment before letting out a growl as he stalked over to the source of the melody.

There you were washing the dishes as you sang about fireflys or some shit, he didn’t really care about the words. What mattered is that you were singing. You were in a good mood. He glanced over at the bare table and placed his load before stealthily moving up behind you. He could never get enough about how short you were in comparison to him; your head barely reached the top of his ribs. It made it easy to maneuver you like a toy.

His beloved and delicious looking toy.

His eyelight moved down as your hips swayed, the once pristine jeans you had arrived in long torn and faded but still accentuating your ass and hips nicely. What a loyal garment. Slowly he traced up the arch of your back with his predatory sight where your shirt still managed to cling just right despite the weight loss you had inevitably had to endure. Stopping once it landed on your slightly knotted locks, barely managing their life he was sure they’d have if they still had running water. As it was melted snow could only clean so much. And waterfall was far too dangerous to travel to.

His hands moved to grip the sink on either side of you making you jump abruptly. Oh? You hadn’t noticed he was in the room? That wouldn’t do. You’d both discussed this before, seemed he was going to have to punish you for it later. He hummed as he pressed you into the edge of the sink with his hips tight against your backside, your inherent shiver from the contact of his bulge making him chuckle.

“miss me?” He heard your soul sing happily as you smiled and turned.

“Think I should be asking you th—“ He watched as the light in your eyes blacked out and your soul let out a piercing screech. His sockets lidded dully as his mood quickly soured. He had blood on his face again didn’t he? With a learned grace you pulled out the rag you had been using to clean and smiled as you dabbed at his skull. He let you. You glanced past him to the table tiredly.

“Good night huh?” Sans grunted in response as you finished your cleaning and rolled his socket in annoyance.

“’s never a good night.” You frowned at the tone in his voice and then smiled as you trailed a hand along his chest, your fingers pressing in and avoiding where you knew from memory his wounds were. He shut his sockets and let you indulge in touching him. It didn’t do much but rile him, you knew that but sometimes he did like to pretend it did more. He also liked how it made you feel to be able to explore him. You never tired of exploring him. He hated that he couldn’t take pleasure from it like he could’ve once upon a time.

How fucked was the universe to allow him his soulmate after all the shit he had to do, only to be unable to touch her without losing her forever?

“Anything you’d like me to do?” You teased. He groaned and pressed against you, his evident arousal twitching beneath his clothing in sadistic want. Stars how you tempted him. His voice was rough with desire and regret.

“there’s a lot I’d like you to do. can’t though.” Your smile turned grim.

“If you –“

“no.” He felt his temper flare as you looked away from him. He couldn’t have your body he at least wanted your attention. He knew his refusal hurt you, it hurt him to. But he wasn’t about to risk your life in case something happened to him. Papyrus had already sworn to take care of you if he didn’t come home one day.

He wasn’t about to make that promise pointless.

His LV and head wound made him highly unstable but he wasn’t an idiot. Sex wasn’t worth the risk to your well being. In or out of bed. He cupped your chin and lifted your face to him, the dominating action making your cheeks tint that lovely shade of pink not related to adrenaline or fear. He could only imagine what your face would look like down on your knees. He let slip a purr as he intently stared into your eyes. He didn't mind hurting the others, playing with them till he had his pleasure met, but you? He'd never risk you.

“meine blume.” You smiled weakly as your soul gave a gentle hum. You knew his meaning whenever he said that. It was a token of affection and a command, to never doubt how much he wanted you. It was a promise. It made it easier to accept his flings, because you were the one that mattered. One day you’d all be free and he’d follow you wherever you’d want to take him. You'd belong to only each other.

Maybe find a way to be together without the fear his LV brought.

What mattered was he showed his devotion through how earnest he was learning German with you even if it was a possibility you’d both never use it, planning to travel with you across the surface starting in Europe, even if the mere idea didn’t seem to fit his personality and even finding a way to feed you though he starved. For all his indifference he was a sweetheart and loyal. You just wished you could give to him what he gave to you every day.

“Nach Deutschland?” He gave you a rare smile as he responded.

“nach deutschland.” You yelped as he suddenly lifted you and sat you on the table, both of you pointedly ignoring the ‘food’ piled next to you. Sans leaned into your hair and audibly inhaled your scent as one hand ran through it tenderly, the smell of apples and something earthy that he couldn’t place mingling in a pleasant harmony. You always smelled so good. And right now he felt like tasting something good to.

“i’m hungry.” He growled, his voice slurring and dropping as it cracked and rumbled, its vibration moving through you like a caress. You felt your heart slam urgently as he crushed your mouth to his, your soft lips almost painfully locked with the hardness of his mandible as his hands gripped the waistband of your jeans and removed them in three violent jerks down your legs. A part of you wanted to protest knowing his intention, at how unfair it was. But you knew deep down how much you wanted what he was able to offer you.

Now bared to the chill of the house Sans moved from your mouth to your neck, nipping harshly to bruise each time and licking over it just enough to dull the residual pain with his magic. Damn how salty and savory your skin was to his deprived taste! He huffed as he finally made it down to the crux of your legs and paused long enough to smell you, the deep inhale of his breathing making your heart flutter and then shiver as his hot breath exhaled against you. It was enough to make him start salivating.

“Sans!” You cried his name desperately, your body ready and willing as his hands slid from your hips to your thighs, their motions tossing your legs over his shoulders as he ducked in and gripped your ass. You moaned as soon as you felt his tongue press against you, the tingling of his magic as he gave a long languid lap of your core causing your legs to jerk.

“so good~” He moaned uncharacteristically weak and pathetic, a true epitome of a man well starved. It was enough to bring tears to your eyes even as he moved again and flicked your sensitive bundle of nerves sending sharp sparks of heat and electricity through you. It was as much arousal as it was pity and love for your suffering skeleton that made you spread your legs further for better access. His pleased hum making you fall back against the table as it stimulated you further. He might not have been able to take pleasure directly from you without injury but he could dole it out.

And he could do it for hours.

“All for you~” You groaned. It was a small whine that slipped from him, the only warning you received before he suddenly gripped your hips and flushed your core against his eager mouth. You fought not to yell as his tongue slipped into you violently and began to thrust and twist as it worked you, his muffled grunts and moans making heat coil in your abdomen as your muscles began to spasm.

Sans couldn’t think beyond the taste and feel of you, his beautiful human feeding him with your body and soul squirming and jerking beneath him. He made a strangled cry as your velvet walls clamped around his tongue, it should’ve been his magic they gripped. Should’ve been his body fully locking with yours that made you cry his name. It was unfair.

This whole world was so unfair.

He snarled as he nipped and sucked, his frustration as his shorts painfully tented and rage at his self-sacrifice making his mind cry out in indignation. How easy it would’ve been to let them all starve, to let every one of them out there gather and fluster for their own solutions to the core crisis. If he hadn’t of helped, if he hadn’t cared so fervently maybe he could’ve stayed who he’d been. Maybe he would’ve known what it was like to have you for a time…to deserve you.

He was fucking garbage. And he hated how right that flower was.

He came back from his thoughts as he felt your body lock up, and the taste of you gushed and ran down his throat. He swallowed with a blush as he eyed your thoroughly flushed body and trail of love bites he’d left as he messaged your legs through your orgasm. Something about this with you always hit a still sensitive part of him that clung to life. Those marks he always left may have annoyed you every time he did them, but it was the closest he could get to marking you. To being able to fully claim you.

You sighed as you came down and limply stayed in place on the table as Sans rose to his feet, his tongue lewdly running along his teeth the only effort he ever made to clean up on his end. Sometimes you wondered if that was so he could still taste you later when he wanted to. You had seen him lick his mouth on occasion whenever you and Papyrus would eat something. The thought made your spent body shiver.

Sans shuffled over and grabbed the temporarily forgotten packages and tossed them haphazardly onto a random shelf in the fridge before walking back over and lifting you into his arms. You looked up at him in question and he didn’t even glance at you as he started walking out of the kitchen toward the stairs.

“tired.” He ignored your false put upon sigh as he climbed. If you were truly bothered by it you never voiced it. He wasn’t about to not take advantage of that fact. Besides…he slept easier knowing you were tucked up safely next to him and not vulnerable while he slept. Once in the room he made straight for the bed and tossed you down onto it before collapsing next to you. You chuckled and curled into his side.

This was the closest he ever got to peaceful. He was close to falling asleep when he heard your voice low and quite.

“It’s my birthday you know.” Sans’s sockets blinked as he looked down at your head bowed against his collar bone. Had it been two years already? He forgot how to track the days on occasion, using how hungry both you and papyrus were usually to gauge his sense of time. He hummed and then pressed a kiss into your hair.

“can take you to the lab with me for a bit if you want.” You looked up at him in surprise.

“You never take me anywhere outside snowdin.” Sans shrugged.

“gotta make grillby more medicine. ‘sides,” Sans turned onto his side and wrapped his arms around you, his smile soft and slightly teasing as he stared at you. “i remember offering to play tour guide when we met.”

“Oh, you mean before you tried to kill me.” Sans rolled his eyelight and snickered.

“what can I say? one look and I knew you were just dyin’ to be alone with me.” You laughed against your better judgment and it made his cracked soul do flips in his chest. But all too soon you were frowning sadly, your eyes wet with unshed tears. Sans cupped your face and you shakily spoke.

“I love you Sans, I worry about you.” Sans sighed and pressed his forehead against yours being mindful of his sharp ridge. It was sweet how you worried for him. But you were the one who needed to be worried about. He was fine so long as you were. His brave soul willing to love a filthy murdering skeleton. He'd never forget how close his clever had come to your neck and the only words that left your mouth were those simple three. No begging for your life. But defiant declaration for his in your eyes.

He hadn't known how quickly he could go from blood thirsty to protective.

“i love you. soon, hopefully soon.” He whispered, his affection and pure unbridled emotion flooding him even as he silently cursed himself for being the one you were to soul bond with. You had been so unlucky to be his, you deserved someone not so broken, not so wanting and bitter. Your smile as you captured his lips healed and broke his soul all at once. What he wouldn’t give for you him and paps to be out of this place. To live a normal life being boring together till you three all died together. Sans found himself getting lost again but froze as your lips twitched against him.

You gasped and your soul cried out in pain.

Sans pulled back and looked at you in confusion as you started to spasm.

Panic.

He shot up and drug you into his lap, his hands trying to still you as if holding you would make it stop. His magic flaring in fear as your eyes rolled back. A strangled groan of pain fell from your lips as your fingers visibly curled and dug drawing blood from your palms.

“w-what are you doing!? what’s wrong!?” He cried out as he continued to try and hold and grope at you as if he could find externally what was bothering you. He didn’t even register his cry for Papyrus till his brother rushed into his room, his shrunken sockets locked on you in concern.

“BROTHER WHAT’S WRONG?”

“i don’t know—“ Sans’s sockets went wide as suddenly your body began to glow, your brilliant orange soul twirled with blue coming out to float above it. Sans and Papyrus watched in shock as it suddenly spun through a wave of colors and combinations seeming to shift apart into segments before violently slamming back together in a wash of loud noise.

It was like hearing the very heavens cry out in a multitude of angles falling to their death.

It was raining.

Sans stared at his empty arms in disbelief, unable to feel the pelting of the icy water into his clothes. His sockets widened as he looked around rapidly, his breathing loud and echoing as he sought for some sign of you, tried to feel out for your soul’s melody. He couldn’t feel you. He stilled as he noticed his brother a bit away staring upward and then slowly followed his gaze as it registered.

It was raining. From a canopy of grey clouds. The air was so much easier to breath. Lighter.

He felt his soul go very still.

They were on the surface. He shot to his feet and turned around himself trying to find you. They were above ground! They were free! But where were you!? Sans began to short cut around the clearing they were in, weaving in and out of trees before the calling of his brother’s voice stopped him. He turned to face him and locked up. Papyrus looked sad.

Please…no…

“i…i’m looking for…” Papyrus looked down. If he couldn’t feel you either…

Sans fell to his knees.

Whatever had happened you were gone. He looked at his hands, the mental image of blood flashing across them before fading. He had been holding you. Had his hands been so tainted he’d been unable to keep clinging to you? Two years…the only thing that had made him less of a bastard, gave him hope for two years…

It was your birthday…

They were free…you were free!

Your smile as you both talked about exploring the surface together…

How fervently you had sworn you would help them…

Those three precious words slipping from your kiss swollen lips…

Gone.

He started to laugh. It was all just one big fucking joke from this shitty universe. He hunched over as his laughter turned crazed, black saliva running from his mouth and blood from his sockets. His only reason to care, his only drive to maintain some sanity. He never got to fuck you-make love to you-bond with you-feel you-claim you-be yours-be whole and loved!

Papyrus stood still, not daring to approach his brother. The sound of footsteps drew his attention and he froze. The old Sans he remembered stood staring at him, the side of his brother he thought long dead. Ignoring his own tears he approached him.

Sans laughter died in his throat as he heard his brother speak…and a voice he hadn’t used in a long time reply back. He looked over and felt sick to his nonexistent stomach. He looked away ignoring his duplicate and sibling talking. He didn’t care.

Why should he?

“hey.” He looked up and felt a flare of rage at the pity filled look the smoother and cleaner him held on his face. If it wasn’t for his brother’s presence he would’ve dusted him then and there.

“she’s gone…isn’t she?” He found himself asking against his will. The way his double glanced down was all he needed for an answer. Sans looked down numbly before rising to his feet. It was a smug satisfaction to see he was taller than the alternate. It didn’t take long to hear what exactly had happened. Didn’t take any longer than that to piece it all together. He still didn’t care. His pure self shuffled his feet awkwardly.

“i have a place you can stay.”

“i want to be alone.” His duplicate and brother looked at him in concern. He shrugged.

“it’s her birthday.” The shorter Sans looked absolutely stricken at that and could only nod. He waited till they were both gone before he finally broke. The way his magic shot out from him sent dozens of trees uprooting and flying turning the clearing to a field. The noise was like whatever deity that existed had sent a hundred thunder storms down upon his enemies.

Sans collapsed into the wet dirt, ignoring how the rain fell into his sockets.

Not only had you been lost this day…

But so had the last of his will, to be anything but the monster he was.

He never wanted to hear the name Rose again.

Chapter Text

Sans and Papyrus never got along.

Not anymore.

It had been an act at first, something Sans had insisted needed to happen and that his brother was reluctant about. But Sans was the big brother, he had to play the role.

He loved his little brother too much not to.

What with his dangerous low health he didn’t want anyone thinking Papyrus could be used against him. Didn’t want anyone thinking he could be used against Papyrus who had a soul so sensitive he bawled stepping on a caterpillar in his youth.

A fucking caterpillar.

Sans was many things, lazy, violent, apathetic to a fault.

But he wasn’t weak.

Stupid could be debated he did dumb shit all the time. In fact looking back forging a false relationship of disdain and tolerance as a facade between him and Papyrus had been a moment where his dubious stupidity had played a role.

Sans had never meant for it to get out of hand like it did.

If he was asked he could honestly say he didn’t have a clue when the false fights and physical confrontations had become genuine. The playful snarky banter and comments turning bitter and rage fueled. All he could remember was it was after Paps had gotten his growth spurt, probably sometime after he’d gotten that scar he now sported while Sans had been away manning his second job.

The one he hated.

Well he hated all of his jobs, but he hated playing judge more.

Then again who’d love to be possessed by an ancient entity under code of law every time they entered a hallway? It always took lots of drinking to push that experience away from his mind at the end of the day.

The feeling of having your control torn away, to watch as some monster begged for their lives and honestly deserved them only to have no say in their condemnation. To hear himself laugh and feel an abnormal enjoyment when a monsters LV was so low a single scrape from a bone was enough to end their existence.

Having to bath in their dust under no willing fault of his own.

Sans would say he was slightly traumatized by it.

Only a little.

If he ever actually opened up to someone about it. He supposed that maybe that’s where he messed up with Papyrus. He had never told the other skeleton his reasonings for wanting to fake a strained bond of family between them.

Sans could still recall the night his brother had bought into his own act, tainted their real relationship forever. He had just come home from a long day in hot land, had casually fallen into a dead heap on their torn and lumpy sofa, thinking about how he might go ahead and indulge Paps just the once and watch some of that manic Mettaton’s shit.

He hadn’t expected his dear sibling to literally pin him to the couch by bones in a rage.

Especially over something as stupid as the damned sock.

There had been no warning, no buildup of frustration. Just a sharp glare and sudden assault.

What really made it worse was how it tarnished the memory of their little game, one of the somewhat normal and comforting parts in their twisted lives. One of the only things that had reminded them that there was something more than just killings and violence.

Sans couldn’t think back on it affectionately and snicker anymore.

Every time he did, he only saw his younger brother’s contemptuous scowl, heard him call him useless and actually mean it.

He’d blown the thing to smithereens while Papyrus had gone to work the next day.

The shorter skeleton admittedly lost perspective after that. His anger and bitterness quickly became authentic. Slowly turned to indifference and apathy. Even more so after Papyrus finally joined the royal guard and inflated his already ‘great and terrible’ ego.

The first day he’d been forced to wear the collar Sans had destroyed the shed.

Papyrus had cracked his jaw over it with barely a blink. No hesitance in his eyes or remorse.

But there you were.

On the couch with Papyrus.

Snuggling.

It was enough to make the older brother gag. You had been with them for about a month and already you had somehow wormed your way into his younger brother’s cold withered soul.

Just one fucking month.

Sans supposed he should give credit to the fact you were both their soulmate, a fact that had been disturbing at first given how rare that was and he wouldn’t deny he was drawn to you.

Papyrus certainly was.

Sans had even made the effort to put the moves on you a few times. Cracked a few rather saucy puns.

Only to get shut down.

Every damned time.

You had been nice about it too.

You’d think being his soulmate you’d want to get down and dirty with him. Then again he could silently understand the resistance you probably felt.

He didn’t ask for you to be his soulmate either.

Where Papyrus was overjoyed and complacent about the fact, Sans was a little resentful. If there was anything he truly hated it was the fact he hadn’t chosen you. Sans couldn’t stand his choices being taken away.

By anyone.

Even fucking fate.

His crimson eyelights slowly lingered on you from where he stood at the top of the stairs. Watching as you giggled at something Paps was muttering into your ear. Like a damn softie. He honestly couldn’t understand why Papyrus was even bothering. You had made it clear you had no intent on bedding either of them.

Not yet anyway.

So Sans really couldn’t understand why Papyrus was acting so happy, so beguiled and…like himself.

Had you two already soulbonded or something?

“Oh Sans!” He jolted at your tone, his sockets lidding in lazy annoyance as Papyrus was quick to straighten and glower at him once you’d made his presence known.

Great.

So much for sneaking off to Grillbys for a few drinks and a decent lay. He didn’t doubt for a moment Papyrus knew of his plans, his brother had stubbornly assured he hadn’t been able to just go and indulge ever since you fell into the underground. Something about potentially upsetting the blessing that was their soulmate or some shit.

Normally Sans might have been considerate about it, he wasn’t the cheating type or anything, wouldn’t willingly hurt someone that potentially was romantically into him in some form. Most monsters were that way. But like he already had told himself a hundred times before.

You hadn’t willingly chosen each other.

So screw Papyrus and his whole no getting into bed with people who weren't their soulmate spiel. And his no trying to kill yourself with alchol rant.

Sans muttered your name in greeting as he boredly shuffled down the steps. He tried to ignore the flare of heat that shot through him as your eyes lit up at his acknowledgement. You were always so damned happy to see him, so chipper like he was the fucking sun that brightened up your world.

He blamed it on the soulmate crap.

“Were you about to go out?” You questioned innocently.

Sans halted in his steps and let his eyes pan over to his brother, the taller monster’s sockets glaring in disapproval. Sans smirked. Papyrus could threaten him all he liked and force him to remain in the house, so long as you weren’t aware of it.

There was one advantage to your status in their lives.

Sans got to get away with shit under your attention.

“was thinkin’ ‘bout it.” He had to fight not to snicker as Papyrus’s grip on the couch arm tightened. Sans might have to pay for saying something later. But he didn’t care he was going literal stir crazy playing saint for your emotional needs.

Then you suddenly stood and went over to the coat rack, both brother’s gazes trailing you like hawks. Sans and Papyrus exchanged a look and one glance was all it took to see a restrained fury boiling in the lanky skeleton’s expression. It was intense enough to make Red sweat nervously.

“uh whatcha doin’ sweet cheeks?” Sans asked hesitantly.

please don’t be doing what i think you are…

You took a moment to raise an eyebrow at him, a bland look on your face from the nickname that made you snort humorlessly. As if it wasn’t obvious what you were doing. You smiled playfully as you slipped your coat on, making Sans’s soul thunder loudly in his chest as Papyrus’s head looked like it was about to explode.

“What’s it look like? I want to go with you!” Sans’s eyelights went out as he felt the searing glare of his brother, a phantom sting of bones impaling him making a shiver course through his body.

This was another tactic that not only foiled his plans but would most assuredly land him in bed recovering for a few days. All he wanted to do was simply numb himself to the world, not invoke skeletor’s bloody and vengeful wrath.

Couldn’t a monster just catch a break?

“listen we both know that’s not a good idea.” You paused with one shoe on to look at him, a frown upon your face. He and Papyrus both could hear your soul let out a small whine and it took a lot of control for them not to simultaneously flinch.

“I know, but I would like to spend some actual time with you.” Sans blamed the soul shit again as he felt a wave of guilt hit him. Honestly if you would just agree to fuck him you would probably get that quality time you wanted.

Sans would never admit it but he was a sucker for pillow talk.

And cuddles, Sans never turned down some post coital cuddles.

He even vaguely missed platonic snuggling too. That wasn’t something you could get in the underground without worrying about a knife to the back unless it was family. Sometimes even then you had to be on guard.

Papyrus got that aspect from him ironically, all the bedtime stories growing up.

Sans had to shake the thoughts from his head and forcibly ignored the magic staining his cheeks. Your soulmate bullshit was going to kill him he just knew it. All you had mentioned was wanting quality time and suddenly he was thinking like a sap.

Frustratingly he couldn’t think of what to say or even how to act in order to prevent you from insisting on following him. He really didn’t want to but shot Papyrus a pleading look that the other skeleton latched onto, if only to keep you safely indoors.

“WHY DON’T YOU BOTH STAY IN TONIGHT AND WE CAN BOND OVER A SHOW PERHAPS? IT WOULD BE A FAR SUPERIOR BONDING EXPERIENCE THAN THAT DEPLORABLE MUCK KNOWN AS GRILLBY’S.” Sans hated how his brother’s help was a double edged sword. You looked down for a moment before hesitantly looking back up, a surprising look of impatience on your features, and a defiant thrum from your soul echoing out.

Sans found he grudgingly liked it.

“Paps I haven’t been out of the house since the first day I got here. You got me a collar for occasions like this and I have yet to use it! Isn’t it supposed to protect me? Show who I am tied to?” Papyrus narrowed his sockets awkwardly and Sans resisted snickering at his sibling’s discomfort.

collar isn’t about protection girly, it’s about ownership.

“Besides,” You smiled. “I’ll be with Sans. No one’s going to bother me as long as we’re together right?” Sans felt his soul drop and you didn’t even notice. All you could feel was a rush of excitement and hopefulness as you looked at him.

“Have a little faith.”

He heard your soul sing.

fuck.

~~

Sans was grumpy the whole time you’d been walking. You figured it was because of the fact he had to walk in the first place but it was slowly looking like that wasn’t the real problem. Sans had been distant ever since you’d fallen into the underground. Even after discovering you were the brother’s soulmate that hadn’t seemed to open him up any towards you.

If anything it only seemed to make him more distant. Then again he had been particularly driven on trying to seduce you. But that wasn’t affection. Could he honestly fault you for wanting to spend just a little bit of time together?

It’s not like you hadn’t been aware of his real intentions tonight.

But he hadn’t outright stopped you from going.

“hurry up, don’ want to be out here longer than have ta.” He commented as his only lit eyelight panned a broken street sign in passing. You wondered why he kept one socket dark all the time as you said a quick apology, making sure to walk fast enough to stay beside him.

He looked so intimidating. It took you having to think back on all the times you’d caught him sleeping in random places and drooling like a fool to remind yourself of his laid back attitude.

Sans glanced at you assessingly before turning his attention back to his surroundings. Not only was he not going to be able to let loose like he’d wanted now he had to worry about babysitting duty. He didn’t allow himself to relax for even a moment until the old oak door to Grillby’s came into sight.

None to gently he gripped your upper arm and hurried you both inside.

You tried to pretend you didn’t hear his repressed sigh of relief once the door closed. Instead you focused on the loud yelling and chattering going on around the bar. A smash of a bottle on a table made you jolt only to calm once you saw it was simply a duck monster jovially face planting with a drunken snicker.

It was nice you concluded. Everyone looked so...normal.

Sans chuckled at how wide eyed you were, he supposed it would be odd to see another side other than bloodthirsty to the underground. Feeling more confident he let go of you and began to saunter over to his usual seat, throwing curses and insults back humorously as they were lodged at him in passing banter.

You followed and couldn’t resist laughing at something Sans shouted to a random ice bird. You had both barely been there for a full two minutes and already you felt like you’d made a smart decision in tagging along. Regrettably you hadn’t seen Sans this relaxed and happy the whole time you’d been here. It had taken Papyrus admittedly a week to even crack a smile for you, not even once had you seen him give one to his brother.

In fact you hadn’t seen them get along for more than a few minutes at a time.

It made you wonder if they were both secretly lonely.

Sans once securely on his reserved bar stool, bony coccyx planted firmly in the age old divot, turned and locked his eyelights on you. You were still walking over with your eyes focused on something being tossed between tables, probably a bit of food or something, the bell of your laughter standing out to him amongst all the ruckus.

It made him blush to think you were already attached to his favorite spot in this hell hole.

He decided to pull the 80 volt pad from under the seat next to him and shoved it within his coat.

Sans could come up with a better prank for you later, when you weren’t so busy being enchanted with his home away from home.

Damn he was going soft.

Yep you were going to get him killed.

You caught a slight movement from Sans as you approached the seat next to him, your eyes finally looking away from a magically flying burger that had been taunting one of the patrons, but the action had been too quick to register exactly what it was he had done. It made you automatically suspicious. You hesitated beside the barstool and raised a brow. Sans’s grin stretched mischievously.

“sup?” Slowly you looked down at the seat and gently eased yourself onto it, the whole time ignoring the way your short gremlin chuckled at your caution. Because that’s what he was, a gremlin. He hadn’t gone a day yet without some sort of prank. Usually a painful one.

You let out the breath you hadn’t been aware you’d been holding once you were securely on the seat and looked up at Sans in surprise. He snorted, his socket’s lidding playfully. The expression made you blush.

Sans awkwardly strained his smile at how your cheeks pinked and ignored the magic that rushed into his pants at the sight. You were so cute sometimes it annoyed him. The day he got to fuck you was going to be a good one. He was going to make sure you couldn’t walk and your soul would be singing so loudly it threatened to give out--

damnit.

“grillbs!” Sans called out towards the flaming bartender. The purple elemental raised a flaming brow as he sauntered over and locked eyes onto you.

“Who’s the cutie?” His voice came out a smoky rasp. On habit you blushed at the term of endearment still not used to so many people calling you other than by your name. Sans though read the blush wrong and threw an annoyed glare at his long time friend.

“this is the gal paps has been going on about.” Grillby leveled a measuring glance at the skeleton before smirking and looking at you with a smoldering leer.

“Ah, the famous soulmate. Pleasure.” He greeted with a sultry wink as he took your hand and placed a kiss against it. You didn’t see how Sans’s shoulders raised aggressively, too occupied at how it felt to have fire pressed against you skin but yet felt cool as water. You would never get used to the surprises the monsters kept throwing at you.

Sans coughed drawing your attention and a slow deliberate look from Grillby. One flick of his eyelights was enough to prompt the release of your hand, last thing the elemental wanted was Sans deciding to booby trap the door to his room in the back with a bucket of filthy river water.

Heh Sans was probably going to do that anyway.

Kissing your hand what a fucking joke.

He knew Grilby only did it to try and agitate him.

“two burgs.” Sans drawled. He didn’t take his eyelights off the bartender till he vanished into the back. Silently swearing if Grillby slipped calcium paste into his food again this time he wasn’t going to show him mercy by just vomiting on his bar top.

Antagonizing by touching what wasn’t his. Did any monster follow the ancient laws down here anymore? Your chuckle made him give you a sideways glance. You were still pink from Grillby’s bullshit.

Whatever.

You watched as a bottle appeared from below the bar encased in a glow of red, your eyes widening in fascination.

“I didn’t realize you could do that to just anything.” Sans was confused at first as he let the booze slip into his hand and then blinked as he understood.

“oh yeah, ‘pose ya only saw me use magic when you first got here.” He mumbled absently as he popped the cap from his drink.

When he had tried to kill you.

Sans tried not to think about what would’ve happened if Papyrus hadn’t just happened to be checking on him when he’d discovered you.

“Yeah.” You quietly agreed. Sans couldn’t think of a way to break the awkward silence that fell into place. So much for quality time. He was almost glad to see Grillby reappear with the food before quickly hustling down the bar to a new set of patrons. Of course the chance at some new dime was enough to keep the bartender from continuing to bug Sans.

Greedy Bastard.

You looked over and watched as Sans lifted the bun of his burger, checking both sides for something before looking satisfied as he gripped a bottle of mustard and slathered it on in a thick glob. While that kinda made your stomach turn it was still endearing how his face looked almost orgasmic as he took a hearty bit of the thing. Smiling you lifted your own and joined him in eating.

Hearing your soul hum pleasantly was enough to draw Sans from his greasy indulgence.

You looked over the moon just from being here and sharing a meal with him.

Sans silently realized how neglectful he’d been. With a silent curse and annoyed huff he decided to acknowledge the way his soul twinged at the thought.

Fine he’d make a damned attempt. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be a little selfish about it though.

“happy?” He questioned. You looked up at him with a mouthful, your eyes practically beaming in your joy as you nodded. Sans grunted and waited for you to swallow before continuing.

“you and boss seem to be getting along.” You stopped mid bite and slowly lowered your food to look at him in an expression he almost dared to label as sympathetic.

He didn’t though that would’ve pissed him off.

“...You call him that alot...Boss. I haven’t heard you actually use his name.” You saw sweat start to bead on his forehead but Sans only made an indignant noise as he pointedly looked away and took a bite. Carefully you looked down at your half eaten meal and slowly tried to voice the thoughts that had been bothering you.

“I...know you’re not really happy to have me as a soulmate.” Sans stopped chewing to look at you, swallowing his bite harshly as he caught the timidness in your face. He sighed.

“you don’ seem too thrilled yerself.” He muttered as his accent thickened and was mildly surprised when you looked at him in befuddlement. Your tone came out measured like one of those voices someone would use when trying to awkwardly explain to a child.

“I’m perfectly happy to be your soulmate Sans.” His bony brows lifted as he stared at you.

“really?” You tried not to let the mockery in the one word sting.

“Really.” Sans frowned, frustration slipping into his voice.

“you don’t act like it. all day i see ya hung up on boss, barely away from him yet you haven’ made any move towards me at all.” This time your tone came out frustrated.

“Maybe because all you ever ask me for is sex.” He looked offended.

“what’s wrong with that? yer my soulmate of course i want ta fuck ya!” You pinched the bridge of your nose and it took Sans a great deal not to pinch it himself.

“I don’t want to fuck Sans I want--” You sighed in exasperation.

“what? what do you want?” He asked in annoyance. He felt a rush of guilt as you looked up at him with glossy eyes.

Shit.

He hadn’t meant to upset you.

You sighed again while he was trying to think of what to say. Cutting off his thought process as you spoke slightly above a whisper.

“Do you know why I fell Sans?” He stiffened. This was approaching some emotionally deep crap. This was not his forte. Maybe Papyrus’s but most certainly not his.

“n-no.” He was happy you didn’t point out his stutter but simply continued as you absently picked at what remained on your plate.

“I had a hard life on the surface. Had to do some questionable things just to get by.” Sans already knew he didn’t like where this was going.

“I sold myself...for drugs, for bills. Stole and lied...a lot.” He felt a deep coldness settle in his ribs. Sans had not expected to hear that. The thieving and lying sure, he knew you didn’t have any LV so violence wasn’t a part of it.

He hadn’t expected his and Papyrus’s soulmate was a whore.

The thought sickened him.

“does boss know?” He asked tentatively. You nodded. Well Papyrus was going to have some hangups about that Sans was sure. It made a lot of sense now why you’d been so put off with him. Honestly it didn’t bother him you’d done it, he could care less how many people you screwed or drugs you’d taken. He was no saint himself.

It bothered him that you’d felt you had to.

That you hadn’t felt you had a choice.

just like me

“you tried to kill yerself.” He commented. You shook your head surprising him yet again.

“No I fell, because something told me I’d find something better. I had faith.” Sans felt his soul lurch almost painfully. Had you somehow felt the pull of their souls all the way above ground? Passed the barrier that kept them trapped?

Sans became dizzy as the theories and hypotheses rushed through his cranium. Each thought turning over in his head before rapidly being replaced by another. Your voice grounded him.

“So yeah, trust me I really am happy to be here with Papyrus and you. And I don’t want to fuck...I want more between us.” You whispered hopefully as you reached over and clasped his phalanges with your warm fingers. Sans stared down at where you held him silently as he mulled over your words.

He had been so insensitive hadn’t he? It was to be expected he confessed looking at where and how he lived. But you had been nothing but kind and understanding. Had tried your best to deal with your other soulmate acting the way he had.

No wonder you had been so clingy with Paps.

Sans silently swore to do better. He didn’t believe he could but he’d still try.

Starting with learning to be a little more considerate.

“you uh...want a drink? magic booze is pretty good.” You smiled as he looked off to the side almost shyly trying to obviously hide the neon bright blush on his face. It warmed your heart.

“Sure, just one.” Sans looked over at you and smiled before turning to call for Grillby.

Stopping as the door to the bar harshly swung open and jarred the place into silence.

He tensed and peered over, time slowing as he comprehended who’d just entered.

Sans took one look and silently cursed as he caught sight of the canine unit, literally felt his magic flare as he noted who was leading them. A basset hound holding a sharp ruby red spear with a scar over their snout.

Doge, the bitch with an authority issue.

And his brother wasn’t there to keep her in line. Sans knew shit was going to go down the minute her honey colored eyes locked with his eyelights. He was willing to bet she was still bitter over that prank he’d pulled involving her walking leash and a tree.

You were here and now in the middle of it.

Sans gave your hand a squeeze as they started slinking over to the both of you. He tossed back the last of his drink and gave your hand another brief squeeze of reassurance before releasing it and shooting Grillby a look.

The purple elemental glanced over to Sans and back to the unit, the words automatically falling from his lips.

“Not in my bar.” The dogs all exchanged quick looks before Doge snickered, tossing a heavy coin purse to the bartender that caught it with an expert flourish. Sans’s soul metaphorically dropped as he watched his old friends jostle the bag. A deep nausea hitting him when Grillby smiled and pocketed it.

shit.

Grillby’s one weakness; money.

He should’ve paid his tab last week.

“Have at it.” Grillby waved dismissively as he turned to walk down the length of the bar. Bitch probably paid enough to cover damages.

“da fuck grilbs!” Sans cursed. He gave you a glance and his soul nearly ruptured out of his chest at how terrified you looked. He may not have gotten along with you, hell barely tolerated you up to now but one fact remained.

You were still his soulmate, just as Paps was still his brother.

And no one fucked with what was his.

Especially after learning what you’d just told him.

Sans forced himself to sound calm and casual as he turned fully to address the interlopers; he needed you to believe he could handle this. You panicking would not help and he could hear how your soul whimpered.

Sans needed to believe he could handle this.

“doge buddy, out for a walk?” She raised a brow dully. Obviously walking was still a sore topic to bring up with her. He really shouldn’t be antagonizing right now.

Habits die hard though.

“Always...was wondering if you and your bitch would like to join us.” She simpered with a vicious gaze at your body. You swallowed dryly at the imposing guard’s height and intimidating posture. It took everything in Sans not to lash out violently at her derogatory term. He could feel your soul fluttering in anxiety.

stay calm babe, stay calm.

“nah thanks though, my soulmate and i were just about to head out.” He ignored the smug chuckling from the married bastards that hung around just behind their leader, the two axe wielders eyeing you like a new chew toy.

He’d take them down first if he had to, they were the strongest, and if you took out one the other was sure to follow. He could use their soulbond against them if they were going to threaten his own mate. Ancient law would be on his side if he was acting in defense.

“Ah so this is the legendary skeleton soulmate!” Doge called with false enthusiasm. Sans had to force his eyelights to remain on the snarky female in front of him as he saw you flinch in his peripheral. When you spoke it surprised him at how steady your voice was.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” Doggo let out a gut busting laugh while Doge scratched her chin in amusement. You tried not to look to Sans for help, he didn’t need to be distracted right now. Paps had told you in situations like this it was important not to distract either of the brothers.

Even if you felt the urge to cling to Sans in fear.

“Nice indeed.” Her eyes moved to lock with the shorter monster. “I’m guessing you think by invoking the claim of soulmate that that’ll protect her from us.” Sans glowered.

“it’s one of the laws still obeyed. not even the king is above it.” He reminded her. To his growing disappointment Doge shrugged carelessly.

“Last I checked he wasn’t here.” Sans was silent as he stared Doge down, the mutterings of the other patrons surging and dying as everyone kept their attention towards the building tension.

Sans made up his mind in a heartbeat as he heard his name spill from your mouth.

“Sans—“ He turned sharply and his hand was on you before he summoned his magic to propel the both of you through the void.

But Doge’s spear was quicker, the tip of the infernal thing piercing clean through your jacket to pin you to the bar. He had to force himself not to instinctively panic at your pain filled cry and the smell of copper permeating the air.

Luckily it looked to only be a graze as you weren’t outright sobbing.

You watched as Sans’s sockets widened and he cursed, turning as he summoned a plethora of dull red bones to soar at the assailant. Dogaressa and Dogamy both jumped in to block with a twirl of their weapons, easily deflecting the attack with howls of enjoyment.

He didn’t see Doggo launch at him, your startled shout the only thing giving him enough warning to block the dog’s dagger that had aimed for his right eye socket.

It wasn’t enough of a warning to prevent his fall though. A snarl coming from him as the bigger dog pinned him to the hardwood floor.

Doge took a step towards him with a victorious sneer.

“Drag it out…he has abysmal health after all.” Sans cried out as the rest of the unit pounced on him; Greater Dog ripped away the bone he’d summoned to keep Doggo at bay, the married couple pinned his arms, Lesser bit into his femur drawing liquid magic the color of marrow, and Doggo began to painfully and slowly carve into Sans’s chest. He didn’t notice the shredding of his sweater, only felt the burning of the blade as it was dragged purposefully down his ribs.

He went clammy and felt overwhelming fear as his HP dropped a decimal.

And in a cruel twist of irony all he cared about was that you were there.

papyrus where are you?!

Sans was going to be dusted right in front of you.

“Stop! Please!” You begged as you ran over and latched onto the basset hound’s arm only for Doge to wrap a paw around your throat, cutting off your pleas with a firm squeeze. Sans felt nothing but rage as a soft gurgle came from your lips, his soul pounding like thunder in a primal bid of protection.

He wasn’t even thinking as he let Doggo’s blade fall between his ribs, didn’t care as he violently bashed his skull into the mutt’s face earning a yelp that threw the canine’s holding him off guard just long enough that he managed to break free.

Sans didn’t give two shits about the fate of the underground or even himself as he ignored the rules tying him to the role of judge and summoned his blaster with all the desperation he could muster, the roof of Grillby’s erupting into shards at the sheer magnitude of its size.

Doge and every patron including Grillby froze in horror at a glowing maw the magnitude of a house, a whirling sound of power so sharp it was deafening.

But not as loud or as intimidating as Sans’s voice became, red smoke emanating from one lit crimson eyelight and his clothing billowing as flying debris swirled within the air from the magic his blaster gathered.

“let go of willow.” With a yelp Doge released you but you hardly noticed as your eyes were locked on Sans in shock. You had no idea he was capable of such strength and force, had thought that was Papyrus’s job to be the pillar of brawn.

And yet…

He kept shocking you at every turn.

Sans would’ve found your awe cute in any other situation, as it was he just wanted you next to him and to head home. He just wanted you safe.

He curled a finger towards you in a come hither motion and you were suddenly pulled over to him by his magic that only dissipated the moment his arm securely wrapped around you. Your eyes locked and your soul tugged painfully in adoration, his own practically spinning within his bones in relief.

He glared over at Grillby.

“i’m not paying for this, not after what you let happen with my girl.” The bartender had the decency to look ashamed and regretful as Red dismissed his weapon. Grillby’s expression was the reason Sans still considered him a friend. Grillby’s soul still felt despite the LV that tainted every monster of the underground.

With a huff he pulled you with him into a shortcut.

Sans spawned the both of you into his room. Where he promptly released you and fell numbly onto his bed, a sigh escaping as he sagged limply against it.

He’d used a lot more magic than he’d thought he had. And he also had some drama to face probably when the king found out about the infracture. But at least you were home. Sans’s sockets automatically closed preparing to fall asleep.

He needed to rest.

You stared at the tired monster a moment in silence before cautiously sliding onto the bed next to him, a socket of his cracking open to look at you curiously. You had never been in the same bed as him let alone his room.

Usually you slept in Papyrus’s.

He felt a spark of affection at how easily you trusted him enough to lay next to him, your head supported by an arm as you rested on your side facing him.

You looked good in that position.

In his bed.

“So…” Sans continued to eye you. “Your girl huh?” Begrudgingly his magic surged onto his face in another damned blush as he closed his socket again. You had made him fluster more today than he had throughout most of his life.

He didn’t answer as he turned over and pulled you into his chest, nuzzled into your hair in reassurance as he felt you tense. Gradually you relaxed and he finally felt the dark edges of sleep creeping in.

Then he felt you pull back and rub a hand over his teeth.

It painfully stung.

“da hell?!” He spat with surprise as he leaned away from you. Your face was scrunched up in concern as your eyes locked on his mouth.

“Your tooth.” His tooth?

Sans brought up a hand and tentatively ran it along his teeth, pausing as a phalange dipped into a blatant opening where a fang had once rested.

Fuck. He must’ve lost it when he’d head butted Doggo.

He was a skeleton that had knocked out a tooth. Sans didn’t know his face could get so hot.

“fugetaboutit.” He mumbled pulling you close again as he buried his face once more into your hair. He felt the apology forming on your lips before you could even say it.

“just—jus’ lay here wit ‘me would ya?” It wasn’t a plea, but his voice was gentle enough that it kept you silent. You even wrapped your arms around him.

“Thank you.” You whispered. Sans pretended a purr hadn’t started in his chest as he fell into slumber.

He woke up alone the next day, his bones all aching and sore from the night before. That wasn’t as annoying to him as the fact his human wasn’t—

His human.

Sans found himself staring at where you’d been laying and for the life of him couldn’t push away the fact that he didn’t want it empty.

Didn’t want to be alone.

Suddenly he cared about something so stupid that had never bothered him before.

With a grunt he pushed up and slid from his bed. Maybe you were already awake downstairs. Or Papyrus had snuck in to kidnap you.

He wouldn’t be surprised on that part.

Sans was surprised though to see both you and his brother waiting for him downstairs. He eyed the both of you cautiously, usually you’d both be snuggled on the couch or in the kitchen by now. Nope you were instead simply standing there staring at him.

Papyrus was glaring.

Damn his bro already knew. And he hadn’t come up with a good story to tell him.

“h-hey boss, what’s up?” He almost flinched at the slight lisp his missing tooth gave him. Seeing his nervousness you looked up at Papyrus and playfully nudged him. He cocked a bony brow as Papyrus looked down at you hesitantly and then back at him with an awkward grimace.

“I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE EVENT THAT TRANSPIRED LAST NIGHT. APPARENTLY YOU NOT ONLY DESTROYED HALF OF THAT FILTHY ESTABLISHMENT IN A FIT OF RAGE BUT ALSO CAUSED THE CANINE UNIT A GREAT DEAL OF EMOTIONAL GRIEF.” Sans had to bite back the puns forming in his head.

“y-yeah sorr—“ Papyrus held up a hand cutting off Sans’s response. He never turned down an opportunity to have him groveling. Sans became uneasy.

“ALL IN THE NAME OF OUR SOULMATE’S PROTECTION.” You smiled as Sans glanced over at you. All he could do was nod in confirmation. Papyrus’s shoulders tensed and his chest puffed out slightly as his voice came out strained and soft.

“I’m Proud Of You Brother.” Sans felt like his world had stopped, the floor had turned to water and he was being dragged under.

Papyrus…was proud of him?

He couldn’t breath as he watched his younger brother withdraw a small box from his pocket and held it out to him. Sans stared at it dumbly.

“We put together a portion of our savings.” You mumbled with a cute pinkness to your cheeks. Sans slowly looked between the both of you before reaching for the box and opening it.

Sans’s face softened as he felt a rush of pure affection for his brother that he hadn’t felt in years.

His eyelights were locked on a shimmering golden tooth, perfect in size and measure to the one he’d lost to Doggo. He wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t going to fucking cry—

“thanks…bro…” Papyrus ignored the blush on his face as Sans looked at him.

“OF COURSE! GOOD BEHAVIOR MUST BE REWARDED.” Sans didn’t even care about the condescending tone in his sibling’s voice in light of how he currently felt. Papyrus then promptly lifted the tooth up and using green magic that he hadn’t practiced in some time gently fused it into the open slot in his brother’s teeth. Sans nearly sighed as the sting from the missing bone vanished.

“THERE GOOD AS NEW. NOW DON’T THINK THIS EXCUSES YOU TO LOSE ANY MORE!”

“’course boss.” Sans muttered. The brothers both stared at each other silently before Papyrus promptly turned on his heel and made his way into the kitchen, Sans’s eyelights following him in awe and silent happiness. He wasn’t aware he could still feel so light so complete.

Papyrus had reached out and you…he didn’t feel so resilient about you being his soulmate anymore. Not when it helped to rebuild a long burnt bridge between him and his brother. Not when he quickly realized just how much he enjoyed your company.

He felt his hope for a brighter future reignite.

And his nihilism was surprisingly silent.

“Um.” He looked over at you and snickered as he saw your blush deepen. Watched as you tucked a lock of your hair behind your ear.

“You look good.” Sans hummed with lidded sockets as you looked away from him shyly.

“do i? hard ta believe when ya can’t look at me.” You frowned and gazed at him to make a retort only to lose your breath at his closeness. You shivered as he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you flush against him, the heart in your chest picking up in a fierce rhythm.

“come back to bed with me?” His voice came out startlingly soft. Sans didn’t even wait for you to answer before he was teleporting you both back to his room.

Papyrus watched with a silent huff from the entryway to the kitchen as you both vanished. He had expected the tug of war for your affections to begin eventually…oddly enough though the taller monster found he didn’t mind. He’d simply go retrieve the both of you after he finished preparing lunch.

It was a start to their healing.

But they barely got another week with you before they both lost you.

Before both the brothers fell apart again.

Chapter Text

He made you feel loved, wanted.

Every brush of his hands, the coarse texture against sweat soaked skin. Every nip of his teeth, gentle coaxing of his tongue along your sensitive swollen lips. His voice in your ear sometimes praising and adoring, other times derogatory and smug.

Saejun made you feel like you were the center of his world.

His moans and growls a cascade of adoration and longing that you earned all simply by breathing. The shocks of pleasure received from his thrusts, tender and slow, brutal and fast left you dizzy and weak as they dragged you under a veil of passion and respite.

Respite from the long hollow days that only grew more empty and meaningless the longer you existed.

Your husband didn’t love you, your children you shared despised you, you no longer had family alive to support you. Every attempt you made to fix your marriage was met with harsh abuse and sharp bitter words, the times you tried to bond with your son and daughter only got spoiled and festered under the glare of your mother in law, and there was no one to turn to; to cry on and hold you at night.

It had been close, the car you’d stepped in front of one rainy morning after having been locked out of your own house for the hundredth time, nearly connected.

Nearly tore you from the pathetic excuse of a life to hopefully greener pastures.

Unfortunately hard, stiff arms had wrapped around your waist and your world had lurched. You’d felt for the briefest moment as if your silent sickened prayers had been answered, had been granted as you’d peered up into hollow sockets that gazed at you in panicked concern.

But slowly small specks of light had gradually spawned, brightened up from the darkness to lock with your eyes.

The car you had chosen to be your one way ticket out had sped away without even a pause leaving you half sprawled half held in the arms of a skeletal monster who you couldn’t look away from no matter how hard you tried. His hand had tentatively risen up to brush the rain soaked hair from your forehead but paused as your voice came out ragged, broken.

“Are you death?” He had looked at you silently, his sockets gently lidding as he’d cupped the back of your neck.

“do you want me ta be darlin’?” The tears had forced themselves down your cheeks as you’d wrapped your arms around his shoulders, shaking with despair and bleak hopelessness. You’d pulled and pushed against him as if it was the only good thing you might get out of this life.

“Yes.” His arms had shifted and embraced you with just as much ferocity as he’d planted his face within the arch of your neck. His breath warm and comforting against the cold chill of the rain that continued to pour, hit the brim of his straw hat with muted taps.

Your world had gone dark as you’d clung to each other.

The next time you woke it was to clean sheets in a dimmed room, a single candle all the light that existed as it rested on a nightstand beside you.

You couldn’t recall how long you stared at it, numb and mesmerized as it flickered and swayed before you heard the voice again.

The soothing, deep baritone of the one that had rescued you.

“finally awake.” He stood at the foot of the bed, half submerged in shadow as his brilliant eyelights pierced the darkness. A smile not fully reaching his sockets but calmly resting on his face as he regarded you.

You didn’t want to speak.

Shame at having been caught, as well as embarrassment as you recalled how you’d reacted, had cemented your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. His sockets once more lidded as he took cautious, measuring steps until he stood beside where you lay. Gradually lowered to sit on the bed next to you and languidly reached out to again brush the hair from your face.

You didn’t move, let him run abnormally thickened phalanges through your locks and trace lightly over your forehead where small goosebumps formed under small sparks of static from his touch. It lulled and soothed as he continued the action again, his eyelights never leaving your face as he did so.

His hand dropped to caress your cheek, a thumb brushing along the line of your jaw as he’d finally spoken.

“tell me all about it angel.” That was all it had taken to get you to bawl like a child, spill half muttered half shouted sentences as he pulled you gently up and into his chest. Quietly listened as you sobbed and whimpered your woes and you didn’t notice the way he’d subtly tightened his hold on you when you mentioned your husband.

By the time you had finished you’d fallen asleep and didn’t wake up until the next morning.

You’d spent three days on his farm getting to know both him and his brother as you healed, worked the land in thankfully mindless tasks that didn’t let you linger or dwell on the future. It had been the most uplifting and carefree days you’d had since before you’d ever gotten married.

Still you had to go back home.

You had obligations.

Pilsu, Saejun’s eccentric brother understood.

But Saejun...he’d given you an unreadable look before telling you their door was always open. Insisted that you remember that if you ever felt you needed them...him.

When you’d gone home it was like no one had even noticed your absence.

Your husband and children had simply demanded to know what was for dinner.

Life quickly became unbearable again.

Then you’d gotten a particularly nasty beating and you found yourself walking unseeing through the dark until you realized you were in front of Saejun’s door.

You’d raised your fist to knock but hesitated, only to watch as the door opened without it.

The skeleton you’d become fond of was standing in rumpled clothing looking hastily thrown on and his sockets were wide as he had taken you in.

“ruby?”

You’d been unable to move could only shake as his eyelights panned your body, lingering on bruises that dotted your pale skin. It jolted you with how he’d pulled you into his arms, his voice muffled by your hair but still clear enough to hear dark promises of violence and soothing words of reassurance.

He had been angry when you’d left the next morning.

Had thrown a tantrum, even snapped at his brother who’d said it was your decision. You saw it in his face beneath his outrage and confusion. The thing driving him to act so out of character.

Fear.

You spent an hour calming him down and reluctantly he’d let you go.

And that’s how the pattern developed, how your life changed.

Abusive mornings at home.

Recovering nights with Saejun and Pilsu.

Saejun had even attempted to try and give solutions to the issues plaguing you, how to reach out with your husband, to get across to your kids how much you loved and cared for them. You wouldn’t let him interfere the way he wanted so that was what he did, suggested, placated and planned. Your gratitude knew no bounds when it came to him.

But nothing ever worked.

It was when you showed up during the day, breaking the routine you’d established and limping that Saejun finally had enough. He’d barely managed to keep it together to heal your swollen and blackened knee before finally exploding.

“look at ya! you could barely walk nigh a mile and with how swollen your knee was i wouldn’ be surprised if he damned near shattered it!” You flinched at his loud tone but took a breath as you calmly placed a hand on his arm. The anger in his narrowed sockets not letting up for a second.

“Saejun it’s fine I--”

“it’s not fine!” His left socket flashed like an emerald flare and the paint he’d been using for the tractor exploded, splattering red everywhere like blood.

You froze, your hand curling tightly into his jacket till you white knuckled.

Saejun breathed a curse and forced his hand to cover the green eyelight until it vanished. His breathing was ragged as he gently reached up to take your hand from his coat and held it as if it was made of glass within his gloved palms. Tenderly rubbed between your fingers where you knew your metacarpals rested as he forced his voice to sound calm.

“i...can’ lose you. honey, you have no idea what ya mean ta me.” You were confused as he suddenly pressed forward and captured your lips.

Time stopped as you stiffened.

You didn’t understand what he was doing, you were married!

He knew that, he…

You shook as a wave of heat and desire surged through you, went pliant as he roughly pulled you against him and gasped as you suddenly felt the world tilt. What had been an almost stifling hot atmosphere in the barn was now a canopy of familiar satin sheets and cool air as Saejun pinned you into his bed.

His hands roamed along your sides and carefully rubbed green magic into every bruise he passed, alleviating the aches and pains that had been throbbing in dulled agony. Saejun continued to kiss you, what you had thought was a hard ridge around his teeth bending and flexing like bony lips with your own.

You arched as he reached your hips and he broke the kiss with a pant.

Saejun’s eyelights were large and diffused, taking up a good portion of his sockets as he ran a jade colored tongue along his teeth with a deep chested rumble that reverberated against you deliciously. You hadn’t been touched like this in so long it was making your head fuzzy as endorphins and shivers wracked your body beneath him.

He ran a gloved thumb along your bottom lip as his voice came out husky and laced with desire.

“open your mouth for me darlin’, been havin’ a real need to see just how sweet ya taste.” Your heart slammed so harshly you gasped and he was on you in moments, a hot slickness gliding into your mouth that brushed and stroked every inch it could touch. His tongue felt like pop rocks and tasted of watermelons, making you groan as you begun to return the kiss with a fervor.

Saejun growled encouragingly and lifted your shirt high enough to expose your ribs, his hands once more expertly finding where the marks on your frame were before rubbing more of his healing magic into them.

He had seen them so often he didn’t even need to look to know where they were.

His movements became fierce and irate at the thought and the more excited he seemed to grow the more the magic he used began to vibrate, pulse through you like a heartbeat. You broke the kiss, you were getting too heated, too aroused.

“Saejun we can’t I’m--”

“mine.” He snarled as he bucked against you. You trembled as it made your stomach twist, your muscles going tight as your lungs locked in a hitch.

“you’ve been mine from de moment i met ya, think i care for one fuckin’ minute about dat rat you call a husband? boy don’ even deserve to be called a man.” The way Saejun’s voice became laced with restrained righteous fury, how his eyelights flickered in his declaration made you groan.

He leaned back to tug off his gloves bringing cool phalanges to frame your face as his voice lowered.

“i want you darlin’, always have. and damned de fool who thinks himself capable of keepin’ ya from me.” Your hands came up to grip his, your whole body shaking as you grappled with the possible consequences that could come from this. His thumb tenderly traced along your bottom lip again, this time the feeling of his bare bone along your heightened nerves lit up your chest in an all encompassing warmth.

Your response was barely a whisper.

“Okay.”

Saejun claimed your mouth and his hands went to work disrobing you, pushing healing magic into every uncovered mark and bruise his hands passed over. He was gentle and adoring; each kiss as he trailed them down your throat wiping away the memory of an impacted fist, each prodding of his fingers into your supple flesh soothing and relaxing the phantom ache of sharp, needle like pain from thrown glass and porcelain shards.

Your back arched as his teeth nipped at the base of your neck, sighed as his steady green glow encompassed your thighs as he kneaded them and gently coaxed them apart causing desire filled jolts of electricity to course through your muscles, and a relaxed unwinding in its wake that drew a pleased moan from you.

“Saejun…” You half whined half choked his name as you pulled at his shirt and he only answered with a deep rumbling growl that wound your arousal tight within you to the point your heart threatened to give out with how fast it raced.

You shook as he situated himself, the evidence of his restrained want and lust firm against your exposed center but only relaxed as he slowed enough to run his phalanges through your hair.

His eyelights comforting before your anxiousness.

“i gotcha sweet thing, goin’ ta worship every inch of your gorgeous self.” Your heart leapt into your throat and you could only stifle a whimper as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, widened your legs even further for him and watched the way his eyelights hazed at the silent offering as he reached down to free himself.

Your eyes widened at how vibrant his cock was, just as green as the coloration of his tongue and it was hard to look away from the sheer size of it and the knot at the bottom that rested against his bones. You were breathless as he rested it against you, the buzzing warmth enough to cloud your mind.

He groaned at the contact and his bones tightened at the joints pleasurably as he continued to trace and memorize every mark on your body, counting them as a tally of how many sins your husband carried, how many times he’d enjoy tearing him apart if ever given the chance. You felt so good against him, so much better than he’d imagined, looked more stunning than even a fifth of his thoughts could conjure in the night.

His sweet little gem, his soulmate.

Your hand slid under his shirt and brushed a rib.

A keen whine that was positively inhuman came from Saejun’s partially slacked jaw as a green flare of magic dusted his skull and the way he rolled his hips against you caused a pulse to shoot through your center down to your knees.

You locked gazes with him and this time you leaned in to kiss him, tangling your tongue around his as you felt his magic brush your entrance.

You both became lost as he entered and your body gave to him.

A bolt of lava at how he bit your shoulder, shocking vertigo that made your toes curl, and a sense of peace filled release as you wrapped your legs around him.

You took every inch of love and magic he gave to you with barely a thought.

Rose to meet every thrust and kiss like a woman starved.

“doin’ so good for me, killin’ me~” Every word he murmured encouraged your movements and noises to increase, spun a tapestry of worship and indulgence that you knew you’d never have enough of.

Just once wouldn’t be enough.

The fire inside you turned to a raging inferno as you felt his magic began to throb as it moved; a searing warmth from his cloth covered ribs all but burning the skin of your chest and you couldn’t resist the urge to pull him closer. Something cried out to press against him, yearned for not an inch of space between you.

“C-close--” You choked and Saejun’s pace took on a new rigor as he chuckled. The mirth in it making you smile contagiously. He nuzzled your cheek affectionately and embraced you as he lapped at the indention he’d left on your shoulder.

“dat’s what i like ta hear, cum for me darlin’.” You cried his name as your world shattered, got drug under a blanket of spine tinging and mind numbing erasure that left only the feeling of him following close behind you with a groan and the brush of his mouth on yours.

The wave of bliss following the peak of pleasure he took you to left you quaking and tucking into his chest as he held you, his phalanges tenderly running through your dampened hair as he hummed happily into your ear.

Saejun made you feel complete, like a person. You hadn’t felt such love like that even when you and Jack had first—

That’s when you felt the nausea form in your stomach as you peered over to the darkened window.

You’d lost track of time.

You’d only meant to come over for a bit to heal your injuries but...before you could even speak you felt Saejun tense, his arms tighten as his voice came out strained.

“leave him.” A deep seeded mania surged through you as you so badly wanted to say yes, but you said something else instead as rationality stung you.

“...I can’t.”

The growl that slipped into your neck was hostile.

Protective.

“darlin’...”

You didn’t even glance at his expression as you buried your tear stained face into his sternum. Seeing it would’ve broken you, made your already weak resistance even weaker.

You were a mother and wife.

That wasn’t something you could just walk away from. And he knew it too. You could tell in the way he shook, how his bones almost rattled with his ragged breathing.

“we should’ve found you sooner…” You hiccupped and sobbed.

“You’re here now...please...don’t leave me.” You couldn’t see how his sockets narrowed nor the luminescent magical tears gathered within their corners as he gently rocked you against him. You were too torn up and emotionally vulnerable to see the exact same emotions blooming and growing in him.

The regret and self-loathing, the longing.

“never.” The way he said it, whispered it like a vow made you believe it and as your eyes slid closed you heard words tenderly muttered into your hair.

“i love you.”

Saejun had officially stolen your heart.

You kept going to see him every chance you had. Spent time together like he was the one you were married to, enjoyed talking with Pilsu while Saejun worked the morning labor.

All the time you kept coming over and visiting soon turned into Pilsu confessing love for you as well.

Not the type of love you and Saejun shared he made that clear. But love stronger than that of simply being a brother. Somehow this strengthened you even more than Saejun’s love had.

Life was bright and enjoyable.

Then you messed up one day.

Jack had caught you humming while doing the dishes and you failed to notice the scowl he gave you. You didn’t even think twice of how friendly he was before leaving for work. You’d simply been too eager to see the skeleton brothers again.

It had slipped your mind how it was his day off.

Jack ended up following you, and had watched from outside Saejun’s window as he’d rode you, watched as Pilsu had cuddled and fed you in the aftermath while the three of you lounged while watching a movie together.

When you stepped outside to go back home his presence stilled you.

Saejun and Pilsu had looked at you curiously but both of them recognized how tense you’d gone. If it hadn’t been for the death grip you suddenly had on their hands Saejun would’ve been on Jack in a heartbeat.

As it was you shrunk in on yourself to hide from the disdained look in his eyes as he scanned the three of you.

“Jack—”

You tried to think of what to say but found your mouth empty as all words left you.

Guilt and regret made a pit form in your stomach but rather it was because of how you’d hurt him or the fact he’d caught you was a question that left you shocked.

Saejun and Pilsu both eyed your husband wearily as he chuckled incredulously.

“You know I work my ass off for you and those brats. Barely catch any shut eye when I can because of it and yet here you are, wandering off to fuck around with some monsters.” His eyes hardened. “Like a two bit whore.”

“alright now, dat’s enough.” Saejun’s words were casual, but the way he eyed the man staring at you was murderous.

Pilsu took a step forward.

“I’M AFRAID YOU NEED TO LEAVE. WE DON’T TAKE TOO KINDLY TO TRESPASSIN’.” Jack raised both his brows before snorting like a pig.

“Is that supposed to intimidate me?”

Pilsu and Saejun didn’t move an inch as they stared him down and the tension began to worry you. The thought of him lashing out at them made you nervous. Jack had enough malicious intent you wouldn’t have put it passed him to dust the boys with a single hit.

After all that was all it took to usually break one of your bones.

“Look I’m sorry I ran off like that. I’ll come home with you and—” Saejun looked enraged at your words but quickly frowned as Jack let out a nasty laugh.

“Home? Sorry babe but you don’t have that right anymore.” You blinked back tears.

“What?” He rolled his eyes.

“You honestly think I want some whore around my kids? No, don’t need you influencing them.”

“You’re...kicking me out?” Hope tainted with bitterness hit you at the prospect. On one hand you’d have freedom and could start a new life over but on the other you’d lose everything you had left, everything you’d fought and suffered for.

However the pain was dampened standing between the skeleton brothers for a reason you still didn’t understand.

“Wrong again dear. You see I want a divorce.”

You paled.

“And what was it we always said a divorce would equal to back when we first started dating?” Back when you both still loved each other, when you were a hopeless romantic and young and dumb and joking.

The realization came a second too late as he pulled a shotgun from out behind his back and aimed it at you.

Saejun and Pilsu only had time to widen their sockets as he spoke while pulling the trigger. “Only divorce that counts is with a bullet.”

All sound drowned out as unfathomable pain and an intense ringing flooded your ears. You felt an impact into your back but it was nothing in the way of the searing pain in your gut. A muffled cry of Saejun’s voice barely pierced the red haze gradually settling over you as shock began to set in.

Something moved you and before you knew it your hearing returned as the pain that had quickly begun to numb became horrendously painful.

You shouted and tried to struggle but you were so weak. Bony hands gripped you as you were pulled into a stiff lap and your vision cleared enough alongside your hearing to reveal Saejun hovering over you, one eyelight extinguished while the remaining one shone like fire in its jade hue.

“it’s ok i got ya darlin’—i got ya—” He was talking so fast and nearly mumbling that you knew it was more for him that he was saying it than for you.

Saejun was scared.

Peering down it soon became clear why; there was so much blood and it was coating the both of you as if the flood from the shining had passed through.

What a weird thought to have, a movie reference while dying.

...You were dying.

Saejun had you half propped on his lap as both his hands moved rapidly, bony green magic coated phalanges digging into your torn and serrated flesh in agonizing fire as he extracted bits of metal while simultaneously attempting to heal you.

Your eyes drifted over and widened as you saw Pilsu attacking Jack, your husband trying to use his gun defensively against the skeleton farmer’s weapon of bone before having it violently wrenched from his grasp.

You tried to speak, to beg Pilsu not to hurt him but only blood shot out of your mouth.

Saejun’s gaze turned horrified as sweat beaded his forehead. He snapped his gaze away and upon seeing his brother pin Jack to the ground with a well placed bone to his shirt shouted for him.

“pilsu! help me!” The taller sibling was next to you before you could blink and all it took was one glance at what Saejun was doing before he was mimicking him, coating his hands in magic and digging for the shrapnel preventing your recovery.

It hurt, it hurt so much!

“S-sae-jun…”

“shh, we got ya darlin’. j-just remain calm.” You could only stare at him, take in how desperate he looked before flickering your eyes over to Pilsu who looked just as worried and anxious, only he had tears building in the corners of his sockets.

It was getting cold.

How much blood had you lost?

The convulsions were quick, you didn’t even feel them, could barely feel the wheat Saejun had summoned to help hold you still against your body.

Shock, this was shock.

It was terrifying how analytical your head was being as your life gradually began to try and fade out. You had lost so much blood; even if they both managed to heal the wounds surviving was very unlikely.

The irony that was a calm indifference pierced your chest.

You didn’t realize how unafraid of death you were, now that it was here you found yourself uncaring about it.

Only the thought of your boys was enough to make you feel some hesitance.

“Sae..jun…Pil...su…” Saejun continued to work, his movements growing more frantic.

That was fine, you’d already gone numb so it wasn’t hurting you anymore.

Still it was telling in just how quickly your end was coming. Pilsu though noticed as reached out to grip Saejun’s arm.

His older brother froze and carefully looked at your face.

You wondered what it was he saw to make his eyelight extinguish so abruptly, to make his mouth go into a closed line and somehow pale his already white skull.

Slowly his hands withdrew and so did the magical plant binding you before you were shifted into his arms in a cradle.

It made you happy how limply your head rolled into his sternum, you always loved nuzzling into it and you hadn’t the strength to move if you tried.

Small blessings you guessed.

Pilsu moved even closer himself, his forehead meeting his brother’s so that both of them could hold your gaze as they looked down at you.

There was something right about this position, something that culminated all of your emotions as you smiled up at them. This was where you belonged and it made you so happy that tears managed to run down your cheeks.

Wait…

These were green and orange tears…

Their magic was always so pretty to you…

“I...love you...both…” Saejun let out a sob as Pilsu sniffled and returned your smile, the both of them running their hands through your hair uncaring of the blood still staining their hands as they echoed their love back to you.

You tried to press into their touch and they understood as they let their hands rest at your crown.

You looked at Saejun and chuckled.

“Don’t lo...so sa...be...posi...ive…” You barely managed to wiggle your blood stained fingers, more like flinched them but he caught the subtle movement.

Saejun screwed his eyes shut as he let out a whimper before opening them and forcing a smile that was so clearly faked.

“now you crack a joke...and they say my timin’ is awful.” Pilsu looked empty as he also forced a smile, both of them trying to present strong fronts despite the gravity of the situation.

They were always so good to you.

It saddened you that you had never returned the favor. Had wasted your time with them by being so weak and needy. If you had one last wish...it was for them to be happy. For them to find a new start where they could forget you. Because you loved them, and they didn’t deserve to live with the guilt you knew you’d be leaving them with.

A new kind of pain hit you.

Both the brothers jolted as a bright light erupted from your chest, a heart of darkest purple floating above you that left you feeling oddly out of time and space.

Was this death?

You screamed as every nerve in your body began to feel like it was rupturing, your lungs squeezing painfully as your heart thundered and ached.

Your life flashed before your eyes.

Every memory from the moment you were born spawned and broke apart into pixels, their pieces scattering and engulfing the light that was the very pinnacle of your being before quickly fading from your mind.

Try as you might you couldn’t recall them even as you tried to hold onto them, couldn’t remember up from down, right from wrong as the speed in which they appeared increased into a sprawling frenzy.

Suddenly everything stopped and the image of Saejun and Pilsu hovered before you.

Every memory involving them, every sense of smell and taste experienced with them, all the laughter and pain wrapped around you like a blanket as you stared at them mesmerized.

Tears raced as you shakily reached out to their spectral visages, your hand pixelating and slowly scattering just as your memories had.

Blinding light followed by darkness was the last thing you knew.

Their names nothing but a soundless echo as you vanished.

Chapter Text

Papyrus loved his brother and his soulmate.

Not a day passed since the human had fallen that Papyrus hadn’t seen his brother gradually improve with his temper. It was subtle, barely noticeable to anyone who wasn’t paying attention. But Sans hadn’t made a morbid joke in weeks, hadn’t laughed at something he’d found ironic and assumed Papyrus didn’t understand.

Papyrus saw his brother actually trying under his human’s influence.

And it made him want to try too.

He’d been so angry…hurt when he’d been tricked into eating human meat that he’d grown bitter. He had purposefully began to act willfully ignorant and started to intentionally irritate his older sibling by pretending not to hear him too well.

The actions may have been considered petty and small, but they did have an impact.

Papyrus knew that they hurt Sans; he could see it in the other’s bloated eyelight when it would pan his jagged teeth and scope over his shrunken sockets. Sans began to legitimately believe they were side effects of what he’d put his baby brother through and Papyrus was not eager to reassure him otherwise.

Papyrus found a dark satisfaction in it that he hated having. Just as much as he hated having the hunger and craving. But his soul had started to thaw, had begun to gradually forgive Sans every time he watched him visibly shake and refuse to grab his socket in his attempts to be good to both him and his human.

It made Papyrus wonder if he had a soulmate…one that could help him be good too. If there was someone that could help heal him the way Sans was being helped.

It was so hard to be a good monster.

Sometimes he felt as if he gave into temptation easier than his brother.

Admittedly he felt a draw to Sans’s mate, a vague echo of a pull. But he wasn’t foolish enough to believe they were destined for the same person. There was still a part of him that felt the cosmos hadn’t screwed them over any more than it already had.

If anything; the link he’d sometimes experience with the human he’d better equate to the feeling of his sibling’s connection to him, their bond once so strong and to a degree still was, allowing him to very rarely experience what his brother felt on occasion.

So Papyrus went searching.

It was a long shot, very unlikely to yield the results he was looking for given the current state of the underground and how many monsters had already turned to dust, and if he hadn’t found them before why was he likely to now?

But Papyrus had never been this dedicated before. Not since his days when he still wished to join the royal guard, to become part of something more meaningful and greater than even himself. It took weeks, months of exploring areas of the underground he hadn’t even known existed. He was sure if Sans hadn’t had his soulmate he would’ve chased him down and put a stop to these excursions ages ago. His older brother’s paranoia was the worst he’d ever witnessed.

But he was glad, because after a year and a half of looking he found himself standing before the barrier behind Undyne’s throne room, his soul in his bones giving such a rush of euphoria and blessed chill that he couldn’t help but let out a soft whimper.

Papyrus made sure he was truly alone and ever so carefully sat just the barest inch away from the magical spell keeping them all locked inside their prison of rock and lava. He had never been this close to it before. It was blindingly white, impossible to see through, and even the sound it gave off could only be described as deafening.

However there was the vaguest chime, a clear and stubborn echo that rang louder than any noise Papyrus had ever heard in his life. Nervously he sucked in a breath and he asked himself if his soulmate was a human too, or maybe a descendant from the ancient line of monsters that had just barely managed to escape the war.

Either way Papyrus didn’t care truth be told.

“H-hello?” He rasped hesitantly.

There was nothing but the drone of the barrier.

Frowning Papyrus merely stared at the magic surrounding the exit, and contemplated maybe if he tried hard enough he could somehow bring it down with his glare alone. An impossible thought he knew, but still one fun to imagine.

Click
Tap
Rooo

Papyrus blinked at a pebble as it erupted from the white and finished it’s semi-turn spin before collapsing onto the ground. Slowly he looked between it and back to the barrier where it had skipped through with confusion. He hadn’t expected the rock to be able to slip through, wasn’t this supposed to be an all-powerful spell held aloft by ancient human soul magic?

He reached forward hesitantly but his hand met a solid and unyielding wall. Letting out a huff he pressed against it and felt a painful shock race up his arm and straight through his scapula down to his soul.

“AH!” Papyrus quickly yanked his arm back and cradled it as he shot the thing a snarl, the urge to tear it to pieces— It took him a moment to reign in his bloodlust. He sucked in a breath through his constantly aching teeth.

Well he supposed it made sense a rock could get through, it wasn’t composed of magic or harbored a soul, and he could feel a faint brush of wind if he focused hard enough. Still it put a damper on his mood as he picked up the pebble and stared at it.

Realistically this was probably the closest he’d ever get to the surface.

The thought hurt.

Numbly he eyed the barrier and rubbed fitfully at his chest, the pull on his soul more like a lead weight than the uplifting hope he’d felt previously. Papyrus knew without a doubt now his soulmate was out and about in the world without him, and he didn’t know if he’d ever meet them.

If he even deserved too.

With a roll of his sockets he tossed the pebble back through the barrier. “At Least One Of Us Can Be Free.” Bitterly he fell backwards and laid spread eagle as he thought on all the struggles he and his brother were going through, all their friends.

Ironically he’d never…truly blamed Frisk for leaving them all down here. Had never once been angered at how they’d taken their only means of freedom with them when they’d escaped the underground and killed their king. They had been but a child, one that had wanted to go back home.

How could he find fault in them for that?

Even now as he dwelled on his imprisonment and the likelihood of him dusting or his soulmate expiring before any hope of freedom could be found he still couldn’t bring himself to hate the human he had called friend once upon a time.

His bones ached as he slowly sat up and craned his skull to peer into the darkness shrouding the roof of the cavern far above him. It was strange, how a place could give the impression of being so large while still being so small. Was this the claustrophobia Sans had mentioned feeling on occasion? What had been the catalyst for his brother’s constant sleeping habits and depression?

Papyrus supposed he understood him a little better now.

CLICK
TAP
ROOO

He blinked as he looked down at the pebble beside him. His breathing picked up as he shakily reached for it and lifted it close enough to his shrunken sockets to examine it, his thumb brushing along the back of its smooth surface.

It was the exact same one he’d tossed.

Papyrus whipped his head back towards the barrier and scooted as close as he could to it. “H-HELLO?”

Silence.

Feeling his soul race he looked back down at the pebble and tossed it once more, and waited. The droning of the barrier was silent as he focused; there was nothing but the steady in and out of his shallow breaths.

CLICK

He shot to his feet.

TAP

He covered his mouth with a hand.

ROOO

Tears beaded in his sockets.

Someone was out there. There was a living being, a surface dweller just a few feet from him. This was such an enormous moment, the context of it slumping his shoulders like the weight of the world had been placed upon them as his breathing became rushed and quick.

Maybe he could get a message to them—they could bring help—monsters could go free—

Swchik

His sockets went as wide as they could go. It was a tiny cylindrical tube of paper that had come through this time, stopping just before his feet. Patella’s weak; he let gravity drag him down into a hunched over kneel, his hand hesitantly reaching for the object and unrolling it with trembling fingers.

hello?

Papyrus felt his world stop.

In a blind rush of disbelief he dropped the paper to the rocky floor and brushed it flat, an indignant noise escaping him as he spotted a small pencil roll out and away from him. He scrambled to catch it and rushed back to the paper, his mind racing how best to summarize everything going on and to plead for—

He stopped.

Absently his fingers rose to touch his jagged mouth.

Not only was it rude to put so much responsibility on someone he didn’t even know, but even if they did listen and find a way to free him and the others they…were too horrifying not to be attacked on sight. No he had to do this smart, he needed to establish a repertoire of trust first. To show the monsters weren’t…monsters.

And something in him, told him this was important for more than just his people.

This was something important for him.

Papyrus shook as he responded, and constantly had to relax his grip so as not to snap the pencil as he wrote back in wobbly script that would have irritated him at any other time.

HELLO! WHY HOW CONVENIENT! IT’S NOT EVERYDAY A PEBBLE, LEAST OF ALL A PENCIL AND PAPER COME TO VISIT!

…that was a sufficient introduction, not too scary or desperate, rather friendly and unassuming.

He frowned. It was exactly the way he would have greeted someone back when he was still normal. Had he always sounded so…naive? Papyrus didn’t want to think about that. Carefully he rerolled the note and pushed it delicately across the barrier. He then waited, and waited.

Papyrus wasn’t even aware he was holding his breath as he started to nervously wring his hands until he inhaled so sharply he coughed. Instead of the paper being rolled back through it was a small black box. He narrowed his sockets.

No wait, it was a cellphone.

Excitedly he picked it up and flipped it open only to let out a disgruntled groan as it refused to turn on no matter how many times he pressed the power button. Looking it over it was plain to see it was low quality, probably one of those disposable ones he’d found on occasion in the dump when he still used to go searching for his action figures.

Odd, he remembered seeing Sans talking to Frisk on a phone after they’d left. So, surface electronics couldn’t come through undamaged? Papyrus made a mental note of that as he slid it back through the white wall. This time the wait was longer but eventually the paper and pencil came back through, the writing a bit uneven and shaky.

Sorry! I thought that was going to work, I was hoping it would at least. From here it’s looks like the paper just vanishes into thin air!

An apology. Well at least whoever he was writing with wasn’t rude, and they couldn’t see the impossible wall of light? It explained a few things, like why no one had stumbled upon them sooner or even why there hadn’t been more humans to fall into the underground.

He rubbed at his chest briefly as warmth spiked through it. The timing of this meeting though made Papyrus furrow his bony brows. What were the odds of encountering someone at the same time he’d decided to go on his quest?

Could this person be…?

THAT’S FINE, I EXPECT YOU’RE JUST AS BAFFLED AS I AM! AFTER ALL IT’S NOT EVERYDAY SOMEONE MEETS THE GREAT PAPYRUS! MAY I KNOW YOUR NAME?

His soul hammered as he slid the paper hesitantly through.

The reply was quicker this time.

The great Papyrus? Okay that’s too cute~ My name is Dani, nice to meet you! Sort of lol

The moment Papyrus read your name his toes curled and the ache from his teeth vanished in the overflowing rush of heat and possessive claim that drowned him. His soul was racing so fast he was illuminating the sparse shadows the barrier missed with his own burnt orange magic.

Dani what a fitting and perfect name for his…

WHAT A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU DANI! MIGHT YOU BE A HUMAN PERCHANCE?

He’d never fumbled so quickly to snatch the paper up when it came back.

Yeah, what about you?

Just like his brother, his soulmate was human.

Papyrus jumped to his feet, the paper pressed firmly to his ribs as he paced back and forth. There were so many questions to ask; so much he wanted to know! How old were you, where did you live, did you like cars and lasagna, would you like his spaghetti?

What did you look like?

It was so easy for him to picture someone smaller than him, maybe coming to just the bottom of his ribs! How cute would it be to be able to hold you bridal style with only the need of one arm to do so, what an adoring image of you blushing an off color like humans tended to do as he cuddled you—pressed kisses along your neck—moved between your thighs—

Papyrus went ramrod straight and froze.

What was that? Why—

A familiar curling sensation in his pelvis made him look down and let out a startled gasp. Dread made a light sweat break out across his skull as his sockets locked on the tent in his torn and well-worn shorts. Ever since the famine started…this wasn’t an unfamiliar action anymore but…it hurt something in him at the same time it called forth an excited hunger at the thought his body was reacting this way for you.

But he didn’t even know you yet!

He didn’t—

Papyrus supposed…even if you were his soulmate, his tainted LV was not going to react the way it had before the famine. He was sure if he was still himself the lust and desire he currently burned with wouldn’t have existed. Or maybe it would have?

Being isolated and starving with his mentality slipping just like everyone around him, Papyrus wasn’t a virgin anymore, not by any means. His heats had been too harsh to ignore given his new survival instincts and sometimes...he guiltily admitted he wanted the distraction.

It often made his partner happy, him as well, and he’d learned a thing or too that could maybe make you happy in the future. It was natural he supposed to want your soulmate in that fashion, hopefully. Hopefully his LV didn’t ruin him for you.

You wouldn’t care that he wasn’t...as great as he once was right?

He stared at the cavern wall lost to his thoughts before remembering you were waiting on a reply. He closed his sockets in concentration, willed his pent up magic away before turning and sitting back down where he tapped the pencil against his jaw in thought. You were his destined beloved...What harm was there in being a bit flirty? He’d seen Sans act that way with Rose and she’d liked it. Would you?

WHY I AM A MONSTER, ONE OF MANY TALENTS AND SKILLS! *WINK* He snorted at himself with a roll of his sockets. Unable to resist smiling he passed the note back. It was the quickest reply you’d sent yet.

Oh a monster hm? A smooth one too, damn, think I found my new best friend <3

You’d called him your best friend…and had drawn a little heart! His dick was back but he ignored it with a blush as he wrote back enthusiastically. The note passing went on for a while, each exchange teaching him just a bit more about you.

You loved dancing, to which he’d made a hypothetical about keeping up with you on the dancefloor. Realistically he couldn’t dance to save his life but he could learn! You apparently lived just a city over from Ebott and were here on vacation. Papyrus had silently wiped away tears to learn his destined partner had been born and raised so close to him all this time.

To his joy and relief you hadn’t seemed disturbed by him being a skeleton, though he had left out quite a few details about his appearance. Also how you had cracked a bone pun had irritated him somewhat but hey, that was something you and his brother could bond over he guessed. He could teach you some proper ones later.

In only a few hours it felt as if you’d both bridged the span of years of not knowing the other, as if you both had grown as close as Papyrus felt Sans and his own soulmate were. It was to the point Papyrus honestly believed without a single doubt if you were before him he’d be able to tell your moods and thoughts with a glance.

He wanted so badly to tell you, so he did.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN SOULMATES?

Of course! I’m super spiritual, so it’s always been a romantic thought to me.

WHAT IF I WERE TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU WERE MINE?

You didn’t respond as quickly as you had been.

Papyrus felt the magic in his joints go numb.

Had he rushed this? Been too forward and upfront when he should have waited? Sans had mentioned humans not being connected to their souls so it could vary on when or if they felt a connection at all. He tried his best not to picture you running away.

The paper came back.

Okay.

He frowned.

OKAY?

The pause was long again. You were debating on if this was true or not weren’t you?

I’ll be real with you, I’ve had a lot of heartbreak, more than a few players that have said the same thing to me before. So this is kind of hard for me to believe, you feel me?

Papyrus hated how right he was sometimes.

I HAVE NO REASON TO LIE TO YOU. I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU LOOK, NOR AM I A HUMAN MALE WITH EXPECTATIONS. I AM BEING HONEST, IT’S NOT MERE COINCIDENCE WE MET TODAY.

It was an hour; he knew he counted the minutes, before your answer came back.

Give me time.

It took a week.

A week of talking; of voicing dreams and frustrations, of moments where he wanted nothing more than to comfort you as you cried about abuse and unfair treatment, times where he hated how you couldn’t hold him as he mentioned starvation and betrayal.

Just a week of bonding before you said something.

Let’s trade pictures.

Papyrus felt his bones rattle, cooling vibrations traveling his spine and slipping into his soul as he read and reread the note to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. The leylines of his magic stung with both anxiety and hope as he wrote back.

ARE YOU SURE?

Lol how else am I going to know what my soulmate looks like?

And that was it for him. You’d called him your soulmate.

You accepted him.

He hastily responded and was rushing home before you could write back with a change of heart or something similar. It could probably be a long time before he was free and he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to potentially pledge yourselves to each other.

Papyrus wasn’t even thinking as he ran up the stairs and hurried into his room, carefully snatching up as many of the photos on his wall to give you as he searched for an envelope and pen. All he could think was that ‘this was it’ as he wrote countless notes on the back of the pictures.

He was set on confessing how he felt and what his wishes were. Maybe plan out a date or two with you once he was free and offer you all the hugs he could never give you, hold you through the night to make up for all the loneliness you’d both suffered out of no choices of your own.

Papyrus’s sockets locked on one of the photos he forgot to put in the envelope.

He stopped and lifted a hand away from what he was scribbling to gingerly touch at his teeth, and almost whimpered as he felt their crooked and jagged unevenness more acutely than he had before. He looked so clean, so neat in that old picture beside Grillby and his brother.

A profound sense of self-doubt hit him.

Would you still care once you knew? Could you be with a monster like him after what he’d done? A painful throb in his bones had his hand dropping to clutch at his ribs, right before a soothing warmth unfurled and ran the length of his sternum.

You were his soulmate.

If you couldn’t understand or bring yourself to love him who would? Smiling softly he stared at the newly sealed letter in his hand, his shrunken sockets widening affectionately as he brushed his thumb over it and the pictures it contained.

It was a risk what he was doing but you both had already grown so close. Papyrus honestly couldn’t see you being cruel enough to even turn away his friendship if that’s what you wanted out of the bond.

Taking a deep breath he sent out a silent prayer and—

“papyrus!”

He flinched out of his nervous thoughts at the raw fear in his brother’s echoing baritone. Sans never sounded so unhinged or desperate like that unless someone was about to dust.

Papyrus didn’t even think as he placed your letter on his bed and rushed to see what had sent his sibling into an emotional tirade, his soul slamming fitfully and ominously in his chest as he slammed Sans’s bedroom door open.

He stared in confusion at his brother’s soulmate writhing in his arms.

“BROTHER WHAT’S WRONG?”

Sans’s expression was terrified, his eyelight a pinprick. “i don’t know—“

He jolted as his brother’s mate arched and their soul erupted from their chest, the dazzling brilliance engulfing the room and causing Sans to take on a bewitched look in his sockets. Something tugged on him as a light ringing filled the room and Papyrus shook as that tug became almost painful the more dazed looking Sans became.

Something told him he could try to resist, pull back and away from what this was but his loyalty and concern for the only family he had forced him across the room and to his sibling’s side. He didn’t know what was happening as the world shuffled into a chaotic rainbow of color and went white.

He didn’t know that right outside the barrier you were waiting for him, a letter of your own clutched in your hand with a smile on your face. But when day turned to night, and then night into several days without response you felt your chest ache.

You’d pushed several notes through, had tried countless times to reach him with no sign from him. Recalling all that he had told you about the underground and its dangers, the risk he faced every breath he took, you had set your shoulders and made your way to the other entrance he’d told you about.

You tried once more to toss down notes but still no one answered you. Your chest roared and pounded with sorrow and longing before you reached a decision. A quick trip back to the lodge you were staying at and you returned. Backpack in hand, filled with supplies and everything you needed for survival. With determination burning strong in your chest you stared down into the void.

“I’m coming Papyrus.” You grabbed a lone vine and lowered yourself into the hole. Nothing was keeping you away from your soulmate.

The void stretched endlessly, and you continued to descend, no end in sight.

Chapter Text