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Dark. Everything was so dark. No light could penetrate this imposing darkness, because he had become blind to all those things, sometimes so simple, which made him happy before. Until this day… He had to come back. He had to come and ruin everything. Everything was so perfect, everyone was happy. Now, that happiness no longer existed, drowned under the black tears that flowed from his eye sockets, because he had just realized something else: she was gone... Yes, that's right... he helped her to escape. He didn’t want her and their future baby to undergo all the transformations that happened so brutally in the Underground. He thought he had done the right thing. No... he was convinced it was the right thing to do ! So why did he feel that horrible feeling that something was going to happen to her ? Unless it has already happened... But he thought it was impossible because he would have felt it. His soul was tied to her, and that bond would only break if one of them died. Even though he knew she was far away from him, he could still feel her. At first, it was a good sign. Nevertheless, he hoped it was true. He had never felt so confused in his life. His thoughts were disturbed by footsteps coming from the kitchen. His brother was cooking his famous spaghetti that he loved to eat. He thought he didn’t deserve him, not after what he had tried to do to him... He still couldn’t believe it. He had tried to devour him ! But why ?! In spite of all the reproaches he was making about himself, he couldn’t control himself at that moment. There was something very bad about him. He could feel it in the depths of his soul. This thing ravaged his being slowly, but surely. He couldn’t stay long with his brother. Next time could be fatal. His empty stare stared at the floor as the tall skeleton sat next to him, noiselessly, displaying a worried look. "Sans...?" His brother asked gently, handing him the dish. "Do you feel better now ?" The older brother turned to him, showing a meager smile. He did his best to reassure him, but his expression wasn’t credible. "yeah... a little better... i guess", Sans says with some hesitation. He took the dish filled with delicious spaghetti. Nothing but the sight made him want to eat them. And then he remembered what had happened earlier... and he lost his appetite. He lowered the plate while his brother was watching him, still a little shaken by the recent attempted murder. Nevertheless, this didn’t prevent him from showing great concern for Sans. He was still his brother, despite everything. He came closer to him and rubbed his back in a comforting manner, giving him a sincerely affectionate smile, though a little weak. "Don’t be mad at yourself Sans. There is something really bad in the Underground now. It's not your fault." His voice softened at the end of his sentence, his hand slipping on his brother's arm. Despite the guilt, Sans was moved by the kindness his brother showed him. "i-i don’t know pap ... i could never hurt you, but... i felt i couldn’t hold myself back. as if there was something that had taken control over my mind for a moment. everything is so confusing..." Despite the huge hole on the right side of his skull that made him almost scary, his face showed a sad expression that split Papyrus's heart. He couldn’t bear to see him so melancholic. After all, he couldn’t understand how his brother felt. He didn’t understand at all what was happening right now. He would never have thought that Flowey, the one he'd considered as a close friend, could be the cause of all this mess. His feelings were more divided than ever, not to mention that he had a grudge against Undyne who had nearly killed Sans. But despite his resentment, he wondered if she was fine, if she was sick too. Nevertheless, he had faith in the strength of his friend. She was able to recover from any kind of situation. He would call her only if something very serious happened to her. Papyrus placed his big hand in Sans's who automatically squeezed it. Once again, the older skeleton appreciated the compassion shown by his younger brother. "It is true that I can’t put myself in your place," said the tall skeleton, his sockets fixing their clasped hands. "That it must be horrible to feel this... hunger. But I know one thing : you are strong. You managed to resist the temptation. That's why you didn’t do anything to me." His thumb slowly brushed Sans's who could barely smile. His eyes were still empty. "papyrus ... how long had i been in a coma ? did... frisk come back ?" His brother’s gaze was more saddened. "It's been three weeks since you were unconscious. You can’t imagine how scared I was. And as for Frisk... she hasn’t come back yet." He felt his hand shake lightly in his, seeing his blue soul shine faintly through his ribcage. His bones seemed dull now. "i see…" He turned his gaze to another direction, looking dejected. "i miss her a lot." Papyrus felt his heart tighten. It was so rare to hear Sans using such a sad tone. "I miss her too", the young skeleton said, staring at the floor. "But I'm sure she'll come back. It takes time to find souls. You just have to be patient. And be determined." Sans's blue ward appeared in his left orbit, surprising Papyrus a little. He guessed that his magic had changed a lot, as if it had dissociated itself. He didn’t know if he should rejoice or be afraid... Anyway, Sans looked up, as if the words of his brother had animated him. How many times had his wife told him to keep hope ? She was a true source of wisdom. Even though she was no longer there, the warmth of her soul was still there. In spite of his despair, he was convinced that he shouldn’t give up. As long as he could feel Frisk, he would continue. "yes... that's right, Sans finally said, looking at Papyrus who looked relieved. i know she's still here. if she doesn’t give up, then i will not give up, even if it will be difficult." With a warm smile, Papyrus brought his brother's hand to his chest, sharing with him the warmth of his soul. "Don’t worry Sans. Even if the world changes, I will always be there with you. After all, you are my dear brother. And when Frisk returns, everything will be better. I’m sure of it. And then, you will be healed, like the others." Sans touching the gaping hole that replaced his right eye. Healed, maybe... but not entirely. "In the meantime, I’ll try to repair your wound. I can’t restore your face like before, but I can strengthen your skull." "heh... you truly are the best." "Of course I am ! I’m the Great Papyrus after all." They laughed softly before becoming serious again. Sans leaning towards his brother and resting his forehead against his chest, happy to know that he wasn’t alone. "thanks pap. and... i'm really, really sorry for what happened earlier." He felt his brother's arms curl around him, squeezing him a little closer to him. "You don’t have to apologize Sans. Like I said, it's not your fault. Until Frisk comes back, I'll take care of you." They said nothing more, appreciating the proximity of one and the other. Things were going to be very difficult and they would have to deal with the brutal changes that were going on in the Underground, but they would face it together. As long as they had the belief that Frisk would come back, they would keep hope. It wasn’t like things could be worse than that, right...?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After their discussion, the two brothers were still together : finally, Sans had eaten his brother's spaghetti and he had never felt so good from the point of view of his invisible stomach. But he didn’t know whether to take that as a good thing... because before all this mess, he had never felt that way. After that, they turned on the TV to watch the news presented by Mettaton. This sounds very bad... For three weeks, there was only special edition that recalled the safety rules to protect themselves from this disease and that all the monsters reached by it should be put in quarantine. And in the end, a message of hope came, in a way, to reduce this tense atmosphere. Given the circumstances, Sans had a hard time believing it, but since Frisk had managed to come to the Surface, everything was possible. But in the meantime, how many monsters would give up to this terrible phenomenon ? According to what Papyrus told him, some of them were dead. And still, his brother was unable to tell him the exact number... But it's not as if he wanted to know it. The evening arrived fairly quickly. After eating again, Papyrus decided that Sans sleeping in his bed to watch over his health and always be near him. The tallest skeleton had tried to heal his brother's wound, but to no avail... it was just too deep. However, as he had told him, he had managed to consolidate his skull. Really, his brother was so cool. - Nyeh heh heh !! Of course I am ! Papyrus answered after Sans complimented him. After all, what would you do without me ? - heh... not much, i guess. The younger brother dropped a soft "nyeh" as he walked to his small library to pick up one of his favorite books ("Peek-A-Boo With Fluffy Bunny" is a must-have after all !) And read it to the older skeleton. When he saw him with it, he felt a little embarrassed. - so ... you’re gonna read a story to me now ? - Why not ? You need to think of something else. And me too. He took a chair from his desk and placed it near his own bed to sit on it. Despite his embarrassment, Sans was happy to know he wasn’t alone. The warm soul of his brother had made him a little more invigorated, in spite of his grief at feeling so far from Frisk. He hoped to see her again as soon as possible and be able to get out of there with all his friends. At least, with those who remained... After listening silently to the story he knew by heart, Papyrus put the book back on one of the shelves in his library and came back to sit near his bedridden brother. - Do you feel better now ? The tallest skeleton asked, displaying a sweet smile. Sans returning his smile, his eye half closed. - much better. thanks bro. His brother laughed affectionately, happy to have been able to bring comfort. Even if their hearts kept twisting when they thought of Frisk, they still had hope and if that could make them a little happy, then it was always better than nothing. "say paps," Sans whispered, wanting to change the subject, "you didn’t tell me how was undyne going. i guess you still blame her, but you're her friend. so…" "She's fine," his younger brother cut him off, lowering his eyes slightly guilty (Sans knows that Papyrus wasn’t a very good liar). "By the way, before you woke up, she had phoned me. She seemed to blame herself for what had happened, but other than that, nothing else to say." Sans couldn’t help but raising an eyebrow. It wasn’t entirely the truth, but it wasn’t entirely a lie either. He could read in his brother as in an open book. Judging by his slightly fugitive look, he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, which his older brother respected. Papyrus noticed that and seemed a little more relieved. He smiled again while addressing his brother. - Are you still hungry ? I almost spent all my time cooking spaghetti. We have enough for several months. - no kiddin’ ! Sans exclaimed, looking amused. hope you think about resting too. - Nyeh heh ! Of course !! And given the circumstances, it seems to be the most important thing now. - yeah... otherwise, to answer your question, i'm not hungry. it was so delicious that i was sated for a long time. Flattered by his compliments, Papyrus, even while sitting, proudly put his hand on his ribcage, displaying a luminous air. - Then, I'll do more for you to be sated forever ! Sans smiles a little more. How lucky he was to have someone like him... However, he couldn’t help but feel slightly anxious about something, which he ended up expressing. - but... what will you do when there will be no more spaghetti and when the shops will close...? there will be nothing else. Papyrus seemed to come back down to earth. Nevertheless, he seemed determined. - Well, assuming all this happens, I'm sure there will be another solution. For example, I could always harvest fruits and vegetables. After all, the Queen had a big garden at New Home. Also, I could search for seeds and plant near our home. See ? So don’t worry brother !! As his brother mentioned Toriel, Sans couldn't help but feel sad. She was such a good friend... After all, she was the one who took care of Frisk's education and made her the human he loved. She hadn't deserved to die like this... Despite his grief, he was trying to laugh softly at what Papyrus said. - as long as you're here, i don’t really have any reason to worry. As Papyrus was satisfied, he turned off the light and slipped into the bed where his brother was sitting, pushing himself a little to give him some space. - so, you’re going to sleep with me ? i thought you’re going to sleep on the couch. "Certainly not !" exclaimed the taller skeleton, looking disgusted. "You know very well that it’s in bad shape and it’s very uncomfortable. And when I think of all those bottles of ketchup that you hide in..." - heh heh. in this case, why dontcha use my bed ? - For the same reasons. Nyeh! Sans couldn’t help but chuckle. It was true that his brother was a real maniac. - I want to sleep with you because I have to make sure that you’re feeling well. If something goes wrong, you can always wake me up. - heh. that’s true. thank you. Papyrus took his long red scarf that covered Sans's neck to wrap around them to get warmer and closer to each other. While he was doing this, his eyesockets rested on the heart-shaped red medallion his brother wore around his neck. - I hope Frisk is fine, the young skeleton said pensively. His brother lowered his blue eye to the precious jewel. His little blue soul was squeezed only by the sight of the object. - hope too. i can’t wait to see her again. As he saw his distressed look, Papyrus tenderly squeezed his big brother against him to comfort him. Sans humming softly, enjoying the comforting gesture. His hand wrapped around the medallion, which he held closer to his soul. At least he was surrounded by two things he loved the most. "As I told you, don’t worry," Papyrus murmured quietly. "Remember that : you are not alone." The older brother snuggled a little deeper into the arms of the tallest skeleton, wanting to feel his familiar warmth. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come and take him. - good night paps. and... i love you. He felt his little brother’s soul warm up at these words. - Good night Sans... And I love you too. That night, the two brothers fell asleep, a soft smile stretching their tired features on such a day.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Surprisingly enough, the two brothers had slept well. Maybe it was because they were reassured to be together. Even Sans, who was the most troubled of the two, managed to get a good night's sleep. However, he had to be careful not to fall asleep on his gaping wound that was threatening to crack a bit more despite the magic that Papyrus had used. It bothered him, but he probably could never sleep on his left side anymore. Anyway, after the older skeleton woke up, his younger brother seemed genuinely happy that he was still standing - though technically he was still sitting on his bed. Nyeh heh heh... - and offered him a comforting hug, which Sans accepted without hesitation. Then, the latter returned his long red scarf while thanking him for sharing it with him. Papyrus was smiling at him softly in response. With great delicacy, he took the time to check the hole that replaced the left eye of his brother to make sure it hadn’t weakened, which wasn’t the case. As for his soul, the two skeletons were surprised to see that a strange black stain had appeared, which wasn’t reassuring. It was rather small, but it was obvious that they shouldn’t underestimate it. After all, none of them could explain exactly what it was. They should find an answer as soon as possible ! Hoping it doesn’t progress too fast… While they were having a very rich breakfast - especially for Sans -, they heard someone knock at the door. It had surprised them because, according to what Papyrus had said to his brother, they hadn’t received any visits since the young skeleton brought Sans back home. Papyrus was too upset and, at the same time, too busy taking care of his brother for that sort of thing. He had even completely ignored Undyne's call to return to the Royal Guard to set up quarantine for some monsters in the first week. After she almost nearly killed Sans, he didn’t really know what to think. Despite what she had done, he could never hate her, especially since afterwards, he realized that she hadn’t intended to hurt Sans. At a time when, apart from his brother, he had no friends, Undyne was his very first friend and she had taught him so much. He would always be grateful. But still, that didn’t calm his grudge. He sincerely hoped that it wasn’t her behind the door, otherwise he wouldnt’t know how to deal with her. But while he left his older brother on the couch to open the door, he was relieved to see that it was Alphys, the latter sporting a more nervous look than usual. And also, he could see how tired she looked. "H-hello Papyrus", she said weakly, fingering the handle of her bag feverishly. "M-may I come… in ?" "Good morning Dr. Alphys", the tall skeleton replied, opening wide the door, casting a brief glance at the city, which seemed to him more sad than ever before fixing the doctor again. "I guess it's not just a courtesy visit ?" - N-no. You’re right. He let her into the house, the yellow monster's eyes meeting Sans's who was resting on the couch, his eyesocket shining with a bright blue light. First, she was surprised to see him finally awake. The last time she saw him, she was sure that he had died for good, even though Papyrus had insisted on trying to heal him. Then, her soul froze at the sight of the hole in his skull that her girlfriend had accidentally created because of her anger. It was worse than she remembered. However, this wound didn’t seem to bother the skeleton anymore. He looked surprisingly calm despite his withered appearance. She felt no sense of danger in his company, unlike her. Knowing that, she relaxed a little more, but however, she didn’t lose her seriousness. Papyrus invited her to sit on a couch, which she did fairly quickly. She put her bag aside while the tall skeleton stood in front of her, a little tense but striving to smile as best he could. He didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. - So... do you want to drink or eat something ? He offered, clasping his hands. - T-that's nice, but it'll be fine. Thank you... Alphys politely declined, playing nervously with her fingers. Her tranquility had quickly disappeared. At the moment, she had the impression to feel San’s piercing look on her, although there was nothing threatening about it. Despite this, Papyrus sat down next to his brother, looking worried, something the older skeleton answered with a reassuring smile. Then he turned again to Alphys, looking slightly quizzical while smiling as usual despite the situation. - so what brings you here ? some news from the rest of the underground ? At this question, Alphys's face paled considerably, to the point that the two brothers were thinking of bringing back something to drink before she collapsed on the floor. But fortunately, it didn’t happen. She managed to get a grip on herself, but couldn’t help but stammering a lot : - T-to be honest, I don’t r-r-really know where to start. S-so much has happened the last few w-weeks. You can’t imagine how much the Underground has c-changed. When she looked up, she could see that something seemed to be tapping the old skeleton, as if had a question on his mind. This surprised her because, until now, he looked so peaceful. However, he didn’t need to say something because the doctor had already guessed the bottom of his thought. "F-Frisk didn’t come back", she admitted, lowering her head again. "We would have h-hoped to hear from her, but nothing... nothing at all." This news seemed to have an effect on the two brothers, especially Sans, who stopped looking at Alphys to fix the floor, looking sad. He was trying to hope, but when your beloved is so far away from you, it’s quite complicated. Luckily Papyrus was there because the first thing he did when he saw his brother like that was to hugged him on the side since he was sitting to his left. This gesture, at once tender and comforting, sufficed to alleviate Sans's pain, which put his hand on the arm of his younger brother. - ‘s okay bro. thank you. Alphys didn’t know how to react. Right now, she just felt like she was over here. Yet she knew she couldn’t leave yet. Once Sans had reassured his little brother, he turned to the doctor, looking more placid. - and so... to get back to the news about the underground... - Y-yes ! A-as I said, a lot has happened. But… they’re far from good. Just hearing this caused some anxiety among the two brothers. It was the first time in their lives that they were facing a situation as serious as this one. - Since this flower attacked the capital, the Underground is upside down. T-there’s a strange phenomenon that happened shortly after he disappeared. For some unknown reason… m-monsters started... e-e-eating other monsters. The young skeleton felt his soul freeze. He had just remembered what had happened yesterday. He didn’t need to be a scientist to understand that this hunger was related to all this mess. But why didn’t Mettaton talk about the cannibalism of some monsters on TV ? Probably not to cause further panic in the souls of the inhabitants, hence the reason why the newscast was rather vague on the true nature of this disaster. Sans must have noticed his fear because his hand tightened around his, trying to bring him some comfort. Papyrus appreciated his gesture and gave him a sincere little smile despite his stress. He didn’t want to worry his brother because he feared to weaken his health. - A-all the evidence suggests that this will spread to other monsters with a more fragile physical constitution. They’re the ones who give in most easily. T-the captain may have imposed quarantine, i-i-it’s clearly not enough. Things are g-getting worse by the day and people are despairing. Many of them are thinking of going to live in the Ruins because they think it’s the most immune place in the Underground, since the doors were always closed, even when Toriel had become Queen. I‘m not totally convinced because nothing proves it scientifically. But as I said, monsters are so scared. I… I can understand them in a certain way. The doctor nervously tightened her long white jacket, her eyes staring at the floor while Sans and Papyrus took the time to digest all this news. They’d dared to hope that things would work out, which wasn’t the case. As Alphys mentioned Undyne’s name, Papyrus took the opportunity to ask a essential question to the Captain’s girlfriend. - Alphys... I would like to know... how’s Undyne ? Is she better than the last time ? This question didn’t surprise his brother at all. Even though Papyrus was kind of angry at his best friend, the tall skeleton was the kind of guy who always cared about his friends. That's why he thought he was so cool. "S-since you brought Sans back to your house, she blames herself so much", Alphys said, worry in her eyes. "Because of her high responsibility, she stays in the lab very often, but she’s as upset as the inhabitants. She’s so angry with herself that it’s hard for me to reason with her. She tried to reach you several times over the phone or even on the Undernet, but you never answer her..." Papyrus couldn’t help but feel sad to hear that. Although she could be very impulsive, Undyne was still thinking about her friends before thinking about herself. It was a quality he liked a lot about her. It had somewhat calmed his grudge. "I'm really happy that she's still alive", the young skeleton admitted with a small smile. "But... I don’t feel able to talk to her yet. When you see her again, tell her I'm fine and that's the same for Sans. I just… still need to think." "All right. I-I respect your decision. Apart from all that ..."Alphys changed the subject because there was another reason she had come. "I brought all my material to check on Sans's health. Y-you may be affected by this phenomenon." "know that this is already the case", confessed the older skeleton, the latter still averting his eye. "i… i almost killed pap last night. i still can’t believe it..." She was silent, her hands pressing against her mouth, while Papyrus squeeze his brother's hand to show him that he didn’t blame him. He didn’t like to see that dark look. Then, once the shock passed, Alphys asked him : - Y-you mean... you tried to... e-e-eat him...? His silence was enough to answer the doctor's question. Despite some discomfort, she continued but on a more nervous tone : - O-okay... I-I should have expected it. A few d-days after Undyne hit you, I was wondering about your health. I was hoping you wouldn’t be affected by this phenomenon, but... She took her bag and opened it to take out her doctor's instruments. Sans understood that she intended to make a diagnosis to better determine his health. Papyrus let her work, remaining silent. It lasted a few minutes because Alphys took the time to analyze the extent of the gaping hole that replaced the older skeleton’s eye socket and his little soul stained by this strange black stain that the two brothers had seen when they had woken up. They hoped the doctor knew what it was. Once she was done, she took a few steps back, looking serious. "W-well, here's what I think : your wound, despite its size, is stable and, unless you're still injured, will stay that way. I-I guess it's thanks to Papyrus...?” She turned to the younger brother who nodded. "Unfortunately, it’s too deep to be completely healed. As for your soul, I’ve already seen this stain on other souls and there’s e-every reason to believe that it’s related to everything that happens now. T-this is a symptom that shouldn’t be ignored. Your soul begins to be corrupted by this thing that lives in the air. And the more time passes, the more it will grow. And the more your hunger will become insatiable. " Sans had sadly doubted it, but it didn’t fail to shock Papyrus who stood up, looking Alphys right in the eyes, his heart tightening in his ribcage. - B-b-but if Frisk comes back and manages to get us out of here, his soul will be normal again and those of all the other monsters, isn’t it ? After all, y-you said that all this was related to this phenomenon that lives in the Underground. So, there’s definitely a hope, right…?? “oh bro..." Sans only managed to say, touched by his brother's concern. He wanted to hug him and tell him that everything would be okay if Frisk managed to bring human souls. He wanted to hang on to that hope too. - P-probably. We just have to hope that it stays here and that it doesn’t go back to the Surface. It sounded almost obvious, but after all, Frisk said there was almost no magic atmosphere up there, so it might be impossible too. But for the moment, they were all in uncertainty. They hoped that she would come back as soon as possible before the situation degenerated completely. As she had finished what she had to do, Alphys packed her things and headed for the door, preparing to return to the capital. The two brothers stood behind her, their anxiety not being alleviated despite her visit. "I'll come back every week to see how your condition is changing", she says, standing in front of the entrance. "We have to make sure it doesn’t get worse. I think it would be better to do the same for you Papyrus." The idea that his brother could be touched by this strange phenomenon hadn’t even crossed Sans's mind. Actually, it was really terrifying. He didn’t want a soul as sweet and pure as Papyrus’s could be tarnished by any harmful magic. Instinctively, he took his brother’s hand who looked surprised. However, the latter didn’t reject his hand from his. He was just happy to know that he had someone as wonderful as Sans by his side. "you're right al", the older skeleton agreed, showing his usual smile to hide his fear. "i don’t want anything bad happening to him." His younger brother was smiling at him tenderly. Sans was often worried about him, but he wanted to prove to him that he was strong, even though he was aware that he was certainly not immune to this phenomenon. - O-okay. Take care of yourself and be careful if you go out. Do it only if it’s very urgent. - gotcha. - Please be careful Alphys. And take care of Undyne too. She nodded, determined to do so despite the reluctance of her girlfriend. - It’s nice of you. Now, I have to go. If something’s wrong, just call me, okay ? They nodded, then Alphys finally came out of their house to return to New Home by the water way as she used to do. And given the circumstances, it was the safest means of transport. In a way, they were relieved that she was able to answer some of their questions. But they still had some doubts, but the situation was far too confusing. They would have to be patient. But for how long ? Who knows what could happen by then...?