A Novel Kind of Love

by TheLibrarbrian

Summary:

You've inherited your grandmother's home and you're moving back to Ebott to start your new job at the public library. It's been a long road, but you're so close to finally having a safe place to land. Maybe someday you'll have someone to share it all with.

This will be a self-insert reader romance between Underswap Papyrus, and eventually Underswap Sans as well.
Expect lots of fluff, angst, friends to lovers, and found family.

Chapter 1: Check-ins

“Huh” you think, “It’s not nearly as intimidating as you remembered it.”

The “it” in question was your grandmother’s house, and the intimidating part about it was all the memories of your relatives (grandmother notwithstanding) that you encountered here over the years. In fact, if someone had told you at the start of this year that you would be coming back to your home town and now owned a legitimate house that you could call your own, you would have laughed in their faces.

Yet here you were. After your sweet grandmother had passed away, it was a shock to your entire family – yourself included - when they found out she had left everything to you. It wasn’t a fortune by any means, but to someone with maybe fifty dollars to their name, and a mountain of student debt, it was a dream come true. It promised enough to get a head start on life after finishing up college and put a stable roof over your head for the first time in over a decade. In fact, it had been practically serendipitous that you managed to land a librarian job as a cataloguer at the Ebott public library.

To say your “family” were furious was an understatement. Years of dislike and bullying became all out harassment as they attempted to get the will overturned, but your grandmother had made sure it was iron clad. The legal harassment may have stopped, but they still were finding ways to disrupt your life whenever they could.

~*~

After spending the better part of a week moving your few belongings in and starting to go through a lifetime’s worth of memories, you’ve managed to carve out a bedroom you can call your own, a living room that feels cozy for all the nonexistent friends you could have over, and some space in the kitchen for your ever-growing collection of silly mugs.

Oh, and an endlessly growing laundry list of home improvements that you could spend the rest of your life trying to work through and still never make a dent in.

But that was a problem for future you. Current you was deciding on which cardigan you wanted to wear for your first day of work at the library. Eventually you settle on the green. It’s embroidered with mushrooms and acorns and has been a longtime favourite. Today is about making a good impression and keeping your nerves in check. This designated “comfort” cardigan will be doing a lot of heavy lifting.

The day is crisp and clear as you lock up your home and being the walk to work. The library itself is only about ten minutes away on foot – a route you can remember taking time and time again with your grandmother as a kid. She was one of the main reasons you fell in love with the place and eventually got into this line of work.

As you turn the corner and the library comes into view, you feel your breakfast like a rock in your stomach. There are happy people and monsters entering and exiting the library, several with books tucked under their arms, or cracked open as they navigate seamlessly down the steps. You see a monster with four tentacles for arms, each carrying a different book pass by a group of kids and monsters alike who are wandering over from the next-door daycare for the daily story time. All of them have a favourite plushie hugged to their chest, or trailing behind them on the ground as they get dragged along. “Must be a themed story time today” you muse to yourself as you climb the steps, swing open the door and run face first into the chest of a tall, lanky skeleton.

Your sudden jarring halt causes you to stumble backwards, dropping your lunch pail as you land sorely on your ass. “Greatttttt.” You think. “Just what I needed.” You feel your face flush as you realize several of the children who had walked in before you are pointing and giggling on their way to the story time circle. Grabbing your lunch pail in one hand, you do your best to fix your glasses that have bumped down your nose when you notice a bony hand reaching out to help you up.

“Can’t say that I’ve had anyone fall for me that quickly before.” He chuckles as you blush even more furiously, accepting his hand and getting to your feet. “You alright?” He asks more seriously, looking you over for any sign of injury. “We’ve got a first aid kit in the back for minor bumps and bruises.”

“No, no. It’s ok.” You say before it dawns on you that he’s talking about the library like he works here too. “I ummm…that is to say, it’s my first day.” You utter, mortified that this was to be your first impression to the first coworker you meet.

Despite your embarrassment however, he seems perfectly at ease. You notice the lanyard around his neck with the name “Paps” printed neatly across the bottom. He’s wearing a green vest with a striped orange button up underneath, tucked into belted brown slacks. Typical librarian wardrobe, casual comfort above all else. At the mention of your first day, his eye lights flash a brilliant orange and he perks up a little more. “The new cataloguer!” He says with excitement. “I’ll be sure to marc this moment in my memory.” He winks – you’re not sure how, but appreciate the gesture all the same.

Feeling a bit more at ease, you smile and introduce yourself. He grins, flashing his badge at you. “Full name’s Papyrus, but everyone just calls me Paps.” He looks like he’s about to say more but is cut off by a rather stern voice behind him.

“PAPYRUS.” You hear a woman say loudly with an annoyed tone to her voice, noting that apparently not everyone is willing to call him by his chosen moniker. “You’re supposed to be starting story time now, not chatting up friends. Don’t think I won’t write you up if you continue to slack off.”

Not thinking that was very fair of her, you inhale, gearing up to say something before Paps beats you to the punch. “Kathy, this is the new hire, I was just getting her situated, pointing her to your office so you can get her settled.” Turning to you, he smiles sheepishly. “Looks like I’m all booked up today.” He says loudly and jovially. Quietly aside to you, he whispers “try and enjoy your first shift.” With the same level of friendliness, but decidedly less enthusiasm in his voice. With that, he walks off towards the children’s section, eliciting a small round of cheers from the waiting kids.

You see Kathy roll her eyes at his back before turning to you with a smile. “Required diversity hires. I’m sure you know how it is.” She says it with disdain and a dismissive wave of her hand. You’re frozen to the spot. Now that you look at her, you remember her face – one among three that hired you through a zoom interview last month as you were finishing up your degree. She seemed so nice over the computer, but a sinking feeling has taken root in the pit of your stomach where the nervous butterflies once lived. “I’m the head librarian at this branch. If you have any issues, you can direct them to me, but you seemed so promising in the interview, I’m sure you’re going to absolutely excel here.” She begins to walk, motioning for you to follow her as she rounds the main circulation desk and heads to the back.

You pass several workers helping patrons check out books, and several more in the back organizing holds that have come in from different branches around the city. There’s general chit chat and mostly good humour on their faces, but you do notice they all get a bit quiet as Kathy passes by. She leads you down a long hall, pointing out the staff lunch room, and lockers for personal belongings. After you place your lunch in the fridge and lock up your backpack, she directs you to a large processing room where three other ladies are sitting around chatting as they process books for circulation.

“Ladies, this is our new cataloguer. She’ll go through the training and then be able to jump right into that backlog of new popular titles that have been building up. Make her feel welcome and answer any questions she may have.” With that, Karen glances at her smart watch, turns on her heels and walks away.

You manage a small smile as you nod to your new coworkers who all look at you with different levels of disinterest. “Soooo, as I was saying…” one begins before they all turn their backs on you and go back to their silent discussion.

“Oh wow.” You think. “This must be a new record for me or something. It’s like they decided to dislike me in advance.” You can’t think of anything you may have said or done wrong to these ladies, but there is a clear sense of shutting you out among their group.

One of them looks up to you slightly annoyed and says “Why are you just standing there? Your desk is back in that corner.” She points with her chin to a dark makeshift desk in the corner by shelves of books, presumably waiting to be catalogued. “Your password is under the keyboard and the training videos are all on your desktop. Lunch is at noon.”

You startle, as you realize you’ve been standing there, wondering what to do before you scurry off to your desk. Maybe it’s just been a hard day? Maybe they’ve been overworked without a cataloguer to keep up with the heavy work load? Regardless, the sooner you’ve completed the training and figured out the new system, the sooner you can be of use to your coworkers and maybe get to know them better.

You think about how long it’s been since you’ve had friends beyond passing cordiality. You thought you would have met a few close friends in grad school, but between the demanding course work and the sheer number of jobs you had to do just to stay afloat, there hadn’t been any time. Coworkers had always been nice, and your classmates were always pleasant when working on projects with you. They’d even invited you out a few times, but you were always busy working an extra shift or trying to find the time to fit a nap in between school work, and nothing serious had manifested.

Uugh, why are you like this? You wonder, as you sit at your desk and fire up the computer. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think there was something wrong with you, and if you give it much more thought, you’ll start to spiral. Truth is, you’re tired. Tired of fighting for everything, tired of everything being so hard, and most of all, tired of being alone. With the exception of one longtime friend living hours away, you’ve got nobody. But this is a huge opportunity to get your life on track and after all the work you put in for this degree, there’s no way you’re going to blow it because some of your coworkers appear a bit standoffish.

With that mini-stress spiral quelled down inside of you, you open the training folder on your desktop and spend the morning with headphones on, watching video after video on your new ILS (integrated library system) and how their cataloguing module functions.

~*~

You’ve lost track of time, focusing so much on training and getting yourself logged into the system before you notice your coworkers all standing and leaving. With a start, you glance down at the clock on the computer and realize it’s time for lunch. As if on cue, your stomach makes a grumble in protest as you rub your hands over your eyes in defeat. Time to take a break.

As you enter the lunch room and retrieve your lunch from the fridge, you look around and realize there are no empty tables. Sure, there are a few seats here and there, a couple groups having animated conversation with each other. You can see your coworkers from the back room occupying the large table in the middle, and while there are seats available, the side eyes and whispers among them is enough to put a stop to that option.

Just as you being to wonder if you should eat outside or perhaps at your desk, you notice Paps alone at a small table off to the side. He’s looking up from the book he’s reading, and over to the table of your less than friendly coworkers, his face expressionless. His eye lights dart over to you, then across the table to the empty seat. With one smooth motion, he nudges the chair across from him out with his foot and looks up again with a curious expression on his face.

Grateful, you head over and take a seat. As you do so, a large burst of laughter comes from your coworkers table, but you pay it no mind.

“So, how’s your first day of work going?” He asks tentatively (did you detect a touch of sympathy in his voice?)

Sighing, you shake your head and look down, focusing on your lunch pail. It’s still slightly squished from your fall this morning. “Definitely not what I imagined.” You say, forcing a laugh. You are really trying to remain jovial but your laugh sounds slightly unhinged, and is that - oh stars, it is – a quaver to your voice? Shit.

“Don’t let the walking red flags over there get to you. They’re kind of horrible to everyone.” He once again lets his eye lights drift over to their table. They all have their cell phones out and are furiously typing back and forth, occasionally looking over your way and laughing to each other.

You know this song and dance. Have been through it with your family growing up. Always scapegoated for something you didn’t do or had no control over. You’d experienced it in high school, like everyone was in on some huge joke and you were the punchline. It was exhausting.

“I’ll try not to.” You smile, a little more reassured this time as you begin to unzip your lunch pail. Inside you find that your thermos is now sporting a crack in it and the hot soup you had brought has leaked all over your sandwich. “Great…juuuuust great.” You mutter.

Paps glances up with a concerned look on his face. “Moist be your lucky day. That lunch looks soup-er.” You stop, mid-trying to salvage the apple slices you prepared as a snack and can’t help it, you crack a small smile.

“D-did you just roast my lunch?” you say, unable to stop the chuckle that’s slowly building inside of you. It’s a mixture of nerves and absolute relief that you have an outlet for all the pent-up anxiety you’ve been holding in.

 “Let’s just say your lunch makes my brother’s cooking look gourmet.” He grins again, before fishing a bag of popato chisps from his own lunch and tossing them over to you. “A little monster food for some extra brain-power this afternoon.” He winks.

You pick up the chisps and look over the bag “NTT Brand regular old popato chisps” is splashed along the top featuring a picture of a manic looking mascot holding out a bowl of chisps. “Thank you, Paps.” You’re touched. It’s a small gesture, sure, but it matters on days like today, especially when kindness is in such short supply in your life in general.

Not realizing how hungry you were, you finish the chisps in record time. You manage to salvage your apple slices and honey cinnamon dip, offering one up to Paps in return. “Who am I to say no to sugar?” He muses, popping the apple and honey in his mouth. You watch, fascinated as it disappears. While you’ve encountered monsters before, this is your first time sharing a meal with a skeleton.

“Oh that dip is fantastic!” He says, closing his eye sockets and breathing a large sigh of contentment. You’re not exactly sure how that works, but you’re fascinated none the less. “I almost figured out what’s in it, but just couldn’t get to the bottom of it.”

You blink as you realize he’s paused dramatically, waiting for you to acknowledge the pun. “If only I had a thyme machine, I’d take you back to when I made it last night.”

You pass the vibe check you realize as he shakes his head and chuckles to himself. “I’ll come check on you this afternoon if you like. I have some off-desk time for program planning, so I’ll be back there anyways.” With that, he gathers up his lunch bag and book and stands. Giving you a wink, he wanders back out to the public. You’re left alone with a fluttery, happy feeling in your stomach.

Maybe you’re on your way to making a new friend.

~*~

You complete the training an hour after returning from lunch. Your manager, Kathy comes by to sign off on your work so far, answer any questions you have, and then points to a large shelf of books next to your desk. “We’ve been stacking the overflow here in anticipation of your arrival. If you could begin cataloguing these, they’re the most requested titles and take highest prescience. After you’re done, you can hand them off to Beth over there for further processing.” Kathy glances towards the other three ladies sitting with their desks clumped together. One of them waves warmly at the two of you, completely negating the way they’ve been treating you all morning.

You just nod back in a bit of a daze. “I’ll get right on it. Thank you.” You say as you grab the book closest to you and get down to work.

As nervous as you are about a lot of things, cataloguing is something you know inside and out. There’s always been something calming about how organized it all is. Numbers and lines on a computer screen, looking eerily similar to coding are all just key field indicators to slip metadata into, letting anyone organize a world of information and make things easy for patrons to find. Bringing order to chaos was what you liked most about it. It was calming. Something you actually had control of.

You manage to catalogue one whole book before you’re interrupted by your coworkers.

“I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot.” The woman you now know as Beth says. “We just wanted to let you get settled before we introduced you to the group.” She says in a fake, singsong voice, motioning to the other two women behind her.

You’re not the greatest at reading people, but you’re already extremely on guard. “That’s okay.” You say neutrally. I was just busy with training this morning anyways. I’ll start getting through that backlog as fast as I can.”

They cut you off before you can continue to ramble. “Nonononono, don’t worry about that. We just wanted to come over, properly introduce ourselves and get to know you a bit better silly! You know my name is Beth, but these two ladies over here are Claire and Brynn.” You see the other two women hovering behind Beth, waving and giggling sedately.”

“A pleasure.” You say as professionally as possible. You feel like this scene could have been ripped right from a Disney movie. Time to meet the sidekicks to the villain.

A silence hangs in the air for a few seconds as they look at each other, clearly hoping you’ll take the bait and say more. Eventually, Beth picks up the conversation again.

“Just wanted to give you a heads up about your lunch buddy today.” She starts, innocently. “If you want to make friends at this branch, you probably shouldn’t start with him.” She says the last word like it’s a bad taste in her mouth.

“Your opinion is duly noted.” You say deadpan, averting your eyes from them and going back to the second book you’ve selected. They stand there for a few moments longer before shrugging and wandering off. An ominous “Don’t say we didn’t warn you” trails in their wake. You roll your eyes and get back to work.

When monsters surfaced in Ebott over five years ago, you were a long way away from your hometown and only read about it passing in the news. Legislation had to be written and re-written, social programs had to be set up, and integration had been and still was a bumpy road. Your home town was basically a social experiment at this point, seeing how well people and monsters mixed, and if you were going to find tolerance, it would be here. Unfortunately, with tolerance came a lot of hate and fear as well. Clearly there were some strong opinions in your workplace that you did not share, nor would you entertain those who did.

It was around 4pm when Paps wandered back. He cast a look to your coworkers happily gossiping and processing the books you had catalogued. You had gotten through a fair bit of them, having copy catalogued from other libraries marc records as opposed to having to original catalogue much. It was a steady process after you had begun to figure out the quirks of the new system.

Eventually his eye lights landed on you with a grin. There was an empty desk close to your workspace that he plopped himself down at exhausted, before turning on the computer and sighing to himself.

“I really do love my job.” He says, “but the public can be a real novel experience after a while.”

“Sounds like you should submit a nap-plication for a break.” You reply, grinning as you continue to catalogue (ironically) a book on puns.

He looks over to what you’re doing. “Ahh, trying to brush up on your social skills, I see. You look like you have some great pun-tential.” He’s about to say more when his phone vibrates. “Sorry, just gotta take this.” He gets up and wanders to the corner of the back office furthest away from your gossiping coworkers.

You don’t mean to eavesdrop, but it’s so quiet back there, you can make out what he’s saying perfectly. You attempt to rustle papers to keep your coworkers from hearing him too.

“Hey bro.”

“No, no luck yet.”

“Yeah, busy day, good day.”

“Uh-huh. I’ll tell you about it when I get home.”

Then, a long-suffering groan.

“Veggies for dinner again. Uugh, you’re killing me with the healthy human food.”

“S’no problem. I’ll grab it on the way home.”

“K, bye.”

He chuckles to himself as he hangs up and wanders back over to you, pulling a sucker out of his pocket and popping it into his mouth before he sits.

“Sweet tooth?” You inquire.

He nods as he logs into the computer and beings to pull up documents.

“Yeah, my bro is making a casserole for dinner tonight. Needs some eggplant. Yummy.”

You recall him saying his brother was a bad cook during lunch and smile sympathetically. “Casseroles are pretty easy to manage.” You say. “Maybe it’ll be a hit?”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Guess, I sold my bro a little short this afternoon. He’s not a bad cook, I just don’t like vegetables all that much, but he’s obsessed with ‘em. Particularly with casseroles since I brought home a few cookbooks from the library at his request.”

“Aww, don’t beet yourself up about it. Sounds like you really made him happy.” You say, seeing if you can slip another pun in without him noticing.

He nods and smiles. “You’re right. My bro is a pretty great guy. But look at me, getting all arti-choked up about it when I’ve still got work to do!”

The rest of your work day passes in good company as he shows you a program for a cook-book club he’s putting together. You end up bumping two promising new cookbooks up the list to catalogue so he can use them to prepare, and before you know it your first shift has come to an end. Your coworkers have already left by the time you and Paps shut off your computers and wander to the front of the building.

“I hope you had a good first day.” He says, stuffing his phalanges into his jacket pockets. It’s almost October, and refreshingly chilly after what felt like a never-ending heat wave this summer. A few other colleagues wander past the two of you, politely nodding a good evening to Paps as they head home for the night. He looks like he wants to say more, but stops himself. “Anyhow, I better beet it. I’m on the hunt for those…” he shudders “eggplants for dinner. Better get a move on before I lose my nerve.”

He holds the door open and the two of you wander down the front steps. “Well, you’re a big part of why my first day was a good one, so thank you.” You feel yourself flush, not used to having people pull out this straightforward side of you, but he was such a great coworker today, you just had to let him know.

Blinking, he smiles. “Well then, let’s see if tomorrow can be even better. G’night y/n.” He says, with a wave as he heads towards the market. You turn, squashed lunch pail in hand and begin the walk home. You can’t help but wonder how nice it would feel to have someone waiting at home for you, warm casserole in the oven. The daydream leaves that same fluttery feeling in your stomach that you had earlier as you round the corner and head up your driveway.

“Perhaps someday.” You say to nobody in particular, heading in for the night to cook a frozen dinner for one and continue going through your grandmother’s belongings in an effort to slowly make this house your home.

Notes:

Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of my little fic. It's been floating around my head for literal years now. I have so many ideas, and so many little quirks for what I think Underswap would look like on the surface. There's more to come!
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

 

Chapter 2: Curiouser and Curiouser

Summary:

In which we enter into a spider's web of pastries.

After changing into a hoodie and joggers, you make a quick microwave burrito and get down to work. Tonight’s task is to begin organizing all the piles of paper atop your grandmother’s - well, you suppose it’s yours now - piano in the hall. You get down to business, idly snatching bites of the burrito as you create a pile for shredding, a pile of just trash, and a file for what you think might be important documents. This of course, is the smallest of the three by far.

After a few hours of work, you’ve shredded old phone bills and banking information that never made it to a filing cabinet. You’ve thrown away countless flyers and coupons that were long since expired, and trashed bits of paper with random notes on them for appointments and phone numbers for people you don’t know.

In the important documents pile, you’ve saved some of her original songs and sheet music. Another thing your grandmother had passed on to you, was her strong love of music. You find an original piece by her titled “Y/N’s Sonata” and tear up a little, unable to help yourself from bringing it to the piano and sitting down on the bench. While you never reached the levels of talent your grandmother possessed, you could still play decently enough.

As you begin, you marvel at how soft and delicate the song sounds, almost as if the music itself is asking permission to take up space in the room. It tiptoes around for a few moments longer before building to something more complicated. You feel like your left hand is chasing your right as the piece speeds up, hinting at an underlying complexity to its subject matter that most people wouldn’t notice. By the end of the song you’re openly crying by just how much you miss your grandmother. She was the last person you truly felt loved by.

All in all, you eventually fall into bed exhausted, but happy with your discovery. You have this good feeling, like the house is going to keep unearthing little treasures for you as you drift off to sleep.

~*~

It’s early in the morning when you're jolted awake by the sound of a loud bang. It rattles the walls as you jump from bed, heart hammering in your chest. Groping for your glasses, you manage to get them on your face and tiptoe down the stairs, listening for any sounds of a break-in. A few tall piles of papers have fallen from the table, but otherwise the house seems locked up and secure. It isn’t until you get to the front door that you notice it’s dented inward along the bottom, like someone ran up to it and kicked it as hard as they could.

The door itself is thankfully, still secure. All locks have held, but the small depression along the bottom is sending a steady draft of cold air whistling in. With shaking hands and rattled nerves, you ball up a scarf and try to stuff it into the crack until you can properly fix it when the sun is up. There's no way you'd even chance opening it up right now. Eventually, you wander back to the living room couch and sit down in a daze. Should you call the police? Could it be neighbourhood kids just being stupid?

Your breathing is shallow and rapid as you try to quell a rising panic attack. You have your suspicions, but deep down you just KNOW it was your uncle Doug. You cringe involuntarily as you remember the white-hot fury radiating off of him when he discovered you were the sole inheritor of his mother’s house.

What started out as a trip home for a funeral turned into an all-out screaming match in this very living room as the lawyer went over the last will and testament with the family. A hole was punched through the wall that you have since hid a picture over in an effort to suppress the memory, culminating in the police being called to drag him away. The rest of your family was equally shocked at the news in the will, but not so much at him - they hid their anger better. You let them take whatever they wanted from the house – after all, it was never your intention to hoard your grandmother’s belongings, but they surprisingly wanted none of the “small” things, as they so dubbed them.

In the end, most jewellery and antiques were snatched up quickly, like you would change your mind if they took their time or lingered too long, leaving you with the bits of your grandmother they felt weren’t worth the time to try and sell. It no longer comes as a surprise to you when you witness people’s capacity for cruelty.

You don’t know how you manage it, but your frayed nerves eventually give way to a growing exhaustion and sometimes in the remainder of the night, you’ve fallen asleep on your downstairs couch. You wake up to sunshine filtering in through the window and pillow marks along your cheek at around 8:30am.

Doing a double take at the clock on the wall, you race upstairs to grab your phone on its charger. It can’t be so late already. You have to be at work for 9 and barely have enough time to make it there, let alone look presentable and grab breakfast or a lunch. Groaning, you begin racing around the house, looking for a quick outfit to throw together when all you’d really like to do is just hide today and fix your door.

As much as hiding sounds like the better option, you know the only thing that’s going to help you fix this house is money so you can afford the upgrades this place so desperately needs. At this point you’re thinking straight enough to reason uncle Doug won’t come back in the daytime, and are fairly certain he chose the middle of the night just to scare you.

Yes. This is a worry for a later time and place. Right now, your top priority is pulling yourself together and getting to work on time.

~*~

You don’t know how, but you’ve managed it. Running up the library steps two at a time, you enter through the front door with five minutes to spare. Paps looks up from the circulation desk and begins to wave a greeting to you, but his hand stops in mid-air as he takes you in. He looks quizzically at you, his brows knitting together in what appears to be concern.

Oh Shit, you think. You really thought you had gotten yourself together despite the time crunch. Only in retrospect, with cheeks flushed, no lunch pail, hair pulled back into a clip and – shit, shitty shit, is that a hole in your tights? - that you realize you must look a right mess.

As you approach the circulation desk to cut behind into the back workroom, he leans over to you as his partner is helping an older lady look up a phone number and discretely asks if you're all right.

You both notice your hands shaking slightly before stuffing them into your pockets. “Yeah. It was just a bad night.” You muster, trying to convince yourself as well as Paps that everything is okay.

He’s looking at you with a healthy dose of skepticism mixed in with his concern now, but eventually shrugs it off with an easy smile. “Okay then.” He says calmly. You nod in thanks and begin to walk to the back office, but before you’re completely out of hearing range, he throws in “If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.”

You stop and turn, a small smile on your face. “Thank you, Paps. I really do appreciate it.” Your voice only cracks a little bit, but you know if you stay up front any longer, your anxiety-fueled mask will slip away completely.

Thankfully you make it to your desk with minimal contact from your other coworkers. Claire and Brynne don’t appear to be at their stations this morning, and Beth looks like she has headphones on and is in a meeting, her head nodding along in agreement every once and a while.

You try and pull your tunic dress down lower to cover the hole in your tights and attempt to make your hair more presentable, running your fingers through it in a last-ditch effort to brush it out, before giving up completely and just fluffing it, sighing as you try and embrace the whole dishevelled vibe you've adopted today.

The computer fires up slowly, the bright logo of Ebott Public Library flashing to life as you log in and settle down. Before digging into the new stack of books freshly piled atop your desk, you bring up the library search engine and type in “DIY and Home Improvement.”

You get several pages of hits, but decide on a few promising titles that you can easily get off the shelves at your current branch. You place a hold on How to Fix Anything and The Ultimate Guide to Home Ownership and Home Repair, determined to not let last night get to you. Your books should be ready for pickup at the circulation desk when you go home later today.

The morning goes by in a blur. The ball of anxiety in your stomach slowly begins to unravel, as you shake off the lingering brain fog and focus on the metadata.

055: call number

100: author

250: book title

500: description

Your brain goes into autopilot as you enter data under their correct categories and subject headings. Some books are harder to locate information on, but you find it all the same. A few books have their copyright page tucked at the back instead of traditionally at the front, but as always, it’s slow, steady and calming work.

Eventually you notice a bony hand touching the side of your desk. It’s attached to a smiling Paps, who had been patiently waiting for you to notice his presence. Perking up when you meet his gaze, he taps his wrist, imitating checking the time.

“Getting pretty close to lunch. Thought I’d stretch my legs and take a walk to Muffet’s Café for some spider doughnuts and tea. Care to join me?”

Was he just being nice, or had he also managed to clock the fact that you hadn’t brought a lunch with you today? Regardless, Paps was one observant monster. “That sounds wonderful, actually.” You say as you lean back in your chair, raising your arms above your head in a loud back popping stretch. Getting up would do you some good.

Grabbing your jacket, the two of you head outside in the crisp autumn air to Muffet’s Café. You chat amicably with each other, just enjoying the day and the company. You're struck by how easygoing and effortless it is being around him, and you wonder why anyone at your library would ever have a problem with Paps as a coworker.

You notice people on the street having a variety of reactions. Even after five years of living on the surface, you find it weird that so many people will openly react negatively with dirty looks or suspicious side eyes. It doesn’t even look like Paps notices. He’s putting out an air of nonchalance, but you see the way he hunches over in his jacket, leaning in on himself, taking up less space and perhaps you think, trying to look less threatening.

You don’t know if he’s even aware he’s doing it, or if you’re just so hyper-aware because you’ve been doing your own version of that your whole life too. Hoping your family doesn’t take notice of you quietly reading in the corner. Hoping they don’t blame you for something completely out of your control. Hoping they just don’t feel like picking on you for no reason. It could have been something as simple as accusing you of stealing from one of them, or wearing the same colour top as a cousin just to upset her.

NO, you think. Shaking your head, you snap yourself out of the past. The present is where you’d much rather be anyways.

“Muffet’s pretty much has the best honey crullers in the city.” He says dreamily, anticipating the coming sugar rush. “I’m glad she decided to keep her café going once we got to the surface. It’s hard to find a good spider-made doughnut these days.”

“This will be my first spider cafe experience!” You say excitedly. Despite the fact that you’ve been back in Ebott for a few weeks now, you’ve barely left the house.

“Heh, you’re going to love them!” He smiles “So hole-some and sweet.”

“Yeah,” you fire back “You doughnut want to get between me and my baked goods.”

“Now that’s a pun that would really make my brother groan.” He chuckles.

Mentioning his brother once again, you wonder how the casserole went last night. Saying this to Paps gets a sheepish look of him, followed by a chuckle. “As well as can be expected. He made enough to feed us for a week, but I err…sorta, forgot my leftovers at home today.”

You wonder if forgetting was the word he really meant to use, and smile. “So even though it was good, it didn’t quite meat your expectations?”

“Heh. He can healthy up my dinner, but he can never take away my lunch!” Paps says with mock determination as you both turn up the walk to Muffet’s Café. Leaning over, he reaches out and grabs the door for you, letting you pass under his arm.

You get the faintest hint of butterflies in your stomach for a moment, but before you can process that feeling further, you’re greeted by the warm sugary smell of pastries, the soft savoury tones of soups, and bold rich blends of coffee. It’s a cozy bit of heaven as far as you’re concerned, and standing in the middle of it all is a spider monster behind the counter.

She has shiny black hair cut to in a bob with bits pinned up into tiny space buns. Her skin is a rich purple, and you think she’s absolutely stunning in the striped pinafore dress she sports, flowing easily as she slings drinks with two of her arms, rings up an order with another two and waves warmly to Paps and you as you walk through the door.

The café itself is decorated in rich purple tones. The tables look like they’ve been ripped from the pages of the Mad Hatter’s tea party and you can’t help but quote him under your breath. “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.” You whisper in wonder to yourself.

Before you know it, Paps is leaning down, adding his own Alice and wonderland quote with a wink. “The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile. It’s then, only then, that you’ll find Wonderland.” He grins, hand gently squeezing your shoulder, before he wanders up to the counter.

Your brain needs to take a moment to review what just happened. Oh stars you think to yourself, are you really THAT starved for friends? Not quite knowing how to process the easy fast friendship growing between the two of you, your body settles on an embarrassed flush of red blossoming across your cheeks before your legs remember to work and you catch up with him at the counter.

“Let me guess, Paps, you’ll have the usual?” She smiles regally at him, truly the queen of her domain. It’s then that her eyes lock on you. “Or…maybe something different for the new friend? Something to share perhaps?” Muffet inquires with a tilt of her head. Her speech is long and slow. It’s mesmerizing, like listening to words stretch gracefully, filling the room and taking up space.

He grins and shrugs innocently. “Honestly, as long as there’s a honey cruller or two on the table, I’ll be happy…but since this is her first time here, why don’t I leave our lunch selection up to the expert? On my tab, of course.”

Her smile momentarily falters as she rolls her eyes at him. “On my tab.” She mimics good-naturedly. “For your new friend, I will craft a sensational selection. As for you,” she says, pointing a Paps with a dramatically long pause, “you’re lucky I like you so much.” Her grin picks up again as she waves the two of you away with all of her free hands. “Now shoo. Take a seat and my spiders will attend to you shortly.”

You follow Paps to a small corner table by the wall. It’s a great place for people – and monster – watching you notice as you take your seat. “I can pay down my portion of the tab.” You being to say, not wanting him to feel obligated to buy your lunch.

He just waves the idea away. “Nahh, S’okay. Muffet and I are old friends. She wouldn’t accept money from me even if I tried. Besides,” he says “It’s your first time here. She loves to impress.”

It’s true. After a swarm of spiders wanders over with a pot of tea and some cups, the food begins to arrive. Two warm bowls of pumpkin soup are placed before you, as well as a hot flaky piece of what Muffet calls humble pie. It’s got meat and potatoes in it from what you can tell, and it smells like Christmas spices.

“Why only once piece, Muffet?” Paps whines.

She just chuckles “Ahuhuhu, because your brother Blue would give me a huge lecture about ruining your dinner. I’m already giving you two doughnuts for the road. Now shush.” She says as she places the pastries down on the table “and maybe your friend will share if you ask her nicely.” She winks at you before wandering away.

The two of you dig in and oh goodness it's so, so good. The soup warms you up from the inside out and leaves you feeling content. Paps is happily slurping from his own bowl, periodically checking his cell phone that keeps vibrating in his pocket.

“Uh oh.” He laughs. “My bro has noticed the casserole was left behind.” He wipes a tear of laughter from his eye socket as he turns the phone towards you. On it, you see a picture of an annoyed looking skeleton dressed in blue. He’s taking a selfie with the casserole, with a look of long-suffering frustration on his face.

You can’t help it, you giggle too. “Your poor brother!” you spurt out, taking a sip of your tea before you accidentally choke on your humble pie.

Paps types furiously for a few moments, absentmindedly taking sips of his soup. You can hear the little dings of messages being fired off and returning in rapid time. His brother must be writing a novel and sending it one line at a time.

“Hey.” Paps says. “What’s your number? I can keep you updated on this dish-aster as the drama plays out.”

You happily tell him, letting him send you a little skeleton emoji as you add his own contact info into your phone. Eventually, he puts the phone back in his pocket and eyes you enviously as you take another forkful of pie. “Want some?” you ask happily.

You don’t have to say it twice. He nods and grabs his fork, reaching across the table to scoop up a piece. The face of pure bliss he makes as he pops it into his mouth is cute. “She doesn’t make the humble pie all that often. I’ve seen fights break out over who gets the last piece.”

You nod back in agreement. It really was that good. Paps turns to his doughnuts, breaking off a piece and handing it across the table to you. “Fair’s fair.” He says. “You need to try the cruller.”

As you take the offered treat, your hand brushes his. You hadn’t noticed it yesterday when he helped you up because so much was happening, but he’s incredibly warm. It must be the magic humming through him. You muse. You had no idea skeletons could be so cozy.

You realize suddenly that your hand is still hovering, holding the piece of doughnut in midair. You catch him smiling warmly at you, before you avert your gaze, focusing all your attention on trying the doughnut. Willing your cheeks not to flame red again.

No surprise, the cruller is also fantastic. “Wow.” You mutter, through bites, making a satisfied “mmmm” sound as you finish off your treat. “This was great Paps. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

He beams, straightening up a bit. “Knew you’d like it. You looked like you could use a little cheer this morning.” He winks and polishes off his remaining tea.

He isn’t wrong. Today started off so rough, and you know you’ll have the same problems to confront when you leave the cozy reprieve of this moment, but you feel bolstered by the fact that you know at least one person in this world is concerned about you.

After your dishes are bussed away, Muffet makes her way back over to your table, grinning knowingly to you. “Soooo, what’s your final verdict darling?”

“Ten out of ten! No, ELEVEN out of ten. It was the best meal I’ve had in a very long time.” You say enthusiastically.

Muffet grins to Paps. “I wasn’t sure when she came in with you, but it appears your new friend has exquisite taste after all.”

He just chuckles. “Hey, I’m a fungi. I’ll grow on you over time.”

She lightly punches Paps on the arm with the familiarity of long-time friends before turning back to you, arms open wide, pulling you into an unexpected but welcome six-armed hug.

“Paps has great taste. Please come back any time my dear.” As she lets you go, she gives you air kisses on each of your cheeks with loud “Mwah! Mwah!” before turning on her heels and heading back behind the counter. Paps helps you back into your coat, hands lingering on your shoulders for a moment before the two of you head out into the chill autumn air and back to the library.

~*~

Your afternoon passes in a blur. You spend another few hours at your desk happily cataloguing, while Paps randomly sends you text updates about his brother.

PAPS: Now my bro has threatened me with kale tonight. KALE!!!

YOU: I can’t beleaf your luck!

PAPS: I’ll love you forever if you can think of a way to get me out of this!

You can feel yourself blushing as you put your phone down on your desk for a moment. You could invite him and his brother over to dinner at your house. It would be nice having guests over, and to start creating some good memories in your new home – especially after this morning. Besides, with the lunch and chisps Paps has treated you to, you like the idea of being able to send some of that kindness back his way.

With your mind made up, you pick up your phone again and type before you lose your nerve.

YOU: Tell him your awesome new friend has invited the two of you over to dinner tonight!

His normally quick reply slows down. You hope you didn’t read the situation wrong as you see the three dots appear and disappear repeatedly. You’re just starting to get nervous that maybe your rusty social skills have made it awkward when he pops – literally pops – into the back room right before your eyes.

Startled, you drop your phone as you jump from your chair. Monsters can do that? Papyrus most certainly can.

He grasps what he’s done as a lovely shade of orange dusts across his cheeks. He’s blushing you realize – and it’s kind of adorable. “Ahhh sorry, I just got excited and took a shortcut. Sooo…w-were you serious about tonight?”

Recovering a bit, you nod and smile. “Yes, I was serious, and sorry, that’s pretty neat magic, I-I just wasn’t expecting it.” You laugh, relief washing through you.

Before you can say anything else, he picks you up in a big hug with a “thank you thank you thank you, you’re a lifesaver! I’ll text my bro and let him know kale is off the menu!” As he puts you down, he does a little wave and then disappears again, leaving you alone in the empty workroom.

I’m going to have to find a way to get used to that! You think to yourself. Even when they return from break, the catty laughter of your coworker Beth can’t tamper down that feeling of contentment building in your chest. You happily ignore her and set to finishing up today’s work, nervously anticipating tonight, meeting his brother Blue, and most definitely not being distracted by how easily Paps picked you up just now. Nope, you’re definitely 100% focused on your work.

Notes:

I was listening to City Lights by Austin Farwell when I wrote the piano scene. It's just such a beautiful song.
I wish I could write faster, but I'm slowly and surely getting it all out.
I hope you enjoy these thoughts. It's been wonderful getting them out of my head.
Find me on @Tumblr

Chapter 3: Crepe-ing it Real

Summary:

It's getting closer and closer to dinner time.

You spend the better part of your shift wondering what to make for dinner, before settling on crepes. You can have sweet options for Paps and healthier savoury veggie fillings for his brother. Briefly you contemplate adding kale to the menu as more of a joke than anything, but instead settle on spinach and mushrooms, as they’re leftovers you’ll actually want to eat.

After mentally making a small grocery list for the walk home, you finish up the last of your work for the day and head to the front to pick up the books you placed on hold. Paps is already waiting, coat on and books in hand.

“Hope you don’t mind. I was the one that pulled the holds this afternoon and noticed these were for you. They’ve already been checked out.”

You take the books from him, flipping through quickly to see if they’ll cover the very specific home improvement project you have in mind and find them satisfactory. “Thank you, Paps.” You say, tucking them into the library tote bag you bought this afternoon to make grocery shopping a bit easier.

He’s looking at you expectantly, an earnest expression on his face. You realize you never said a time for him and Blue to come over. “I have to make a quick stop at the market to grab a few things for dinner. You’re more than welcome to come with me!”

“Oh, absolutely! Blue texted me and said he’ll meet us at your house after he gets off work so I sent him the address you messaged me this afternoon. You’re gonna love my bro. He’s so cool.” His eye lights twinkle at the mention of Blue and you wonder if that’s an excited reaction to those he cares about. If so, it’s beyond sweet.

As you wander out into the cool air, he offers to carry your tote bag for you. “S’no trouble at all. They’re light as a feather for me.” He shrugs nonchalantly, shouldering the bag and stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.

The market is fairly close to the library, bustling with people picking up last minute dinner items. There are once again more people here than monsters, but they seem more focused on getting in and out than staring at you and the 6-foot-tall skeleton by your side. Despite the crowd, people seem to give the two of you a wide berth - which is fine by you. Having a monster friend has its advantages!

Grabbing a cart, you mentally roll through the shopping list you’ve created. “I was thinking we could make something easily customizable.” You say excitedly. “That way I could make sweeter for you and savoury with veggies for your brother. Umm…does he like mushroom and spinach? Is there anything he doesn’t like or that either of you can’t eat?”

Paps thinks for a moment “He’s not the biggest fan of chisps or candy, but I don’t think he’s ever met a vegetable he didn’t like.” Making a silly show of it, he shudders at that last bit. You can hear his bones rattle slightly over the bustle of the shoppers around you. “Other than that, there’s nothing we can’t eat.”

“Sauteed kale it is!” you declare boldly, wandering over to the leafy greens.

Paps stops in his tracks, placing one hand over forehead, feigning shock. “You’re killing me!” He laughs. “Have a heart!” He says as he picks up an artichoke.

You snort, realizing the minefield of potential puns you’ve just wandered into. “I can’t be-leaf you don’t find that a-peeling.”

He puts the artichoke down with a laugh, eye lights trailing over your every move, watching your hands as they hover menacingly above the leafy greens. You take a bit longer than necessary, pretending to truly debate over the kale before you move on and grab a fresh bunch of spinach instead. Next, you find a paper bag and start picking out some good button mushrooms.

Paps wanders up behind you, tilting his head curiously. “I know you spared me the kale, but what are you doing to me?”

“Oh hush.” You say jokingly. “It’ll be great, I promise.”

“You know you’re sounding an awwwwwwful lot like my brother right now. Did you somehow coordinate this attack?”

Laughing, you move out of the produce section and towards dairy to grab a small carton of milk and then down an aisle to pick up a jar of honey.

“Ooh NOW we’re talking.” Paps says, eyes lighting up as he trails over the bottles of golden sweetness.

“Is there a particular brand you prefer?” Honey has always just been honey to you, but he seems a bit of a connoisseur.

Grinning, he nods, bending down to the lower shelves, finding a beehive shaped bottle with a local farm logo plastered across the lid. “S’orange blossom honey.” He says, handing you the bottle to put in the cart. “I’ve always liked the way it smells.”

He looks so happy, like you’ve just made his day by asking his preference. “I think we’re done here.” You say, surveying your cart. “I’ve got everything else I need for what I’m planning already at home. Is there anything you want, Paps?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m good. Thanks for asking though.”

With that, you head up to the cashier who greets you with a smile before his eyes shoot up to Paps nervously. Not giving him the chance to say anything, you draw his attention by plunking your items down in front of him with a loud clatter. “We have our own bag.” You say, matter-of-factly.

“Oh-oh yes. Of course.” He says, snapping out of his temporary shock as he begins to ring your items up. The total comes to around $35.00, as you mentally tally how much you still need to set aside for the end of the month bills tomorrow. You’ll still be good, but not good enough to take on any larger fix-it problems in the near future. Still, you know you’re better off than most thanks to your grandmother’s help, so you just chalk it up to a needed expense and bag your groceries.  

Paps once again takes the grocery laden tote as you head out into what remains of the autumn sunshine. The walk home seems twice as quick with good company by your side. It seems like Paps is really enjoying the new neighbourhood now that there’s less people around. He points out how the leaves on the trees are already changing, and even stops for a moment to move a snail from the sidewalk to the grass so it won’t get stepped on.

It's not until he’s picked up his third dandelion that he notices you watching him with a smile on your face. He blushes sheepishly, that same dusty orange across his cheekbones you noticed earlier.

“Even after five years on the surface, I’m kinda still in awe at the colour and variety of it all. S’why I like oranges and yellows so much. They were the warmest, brightest things I could find.” He says, shrugging comfortably as he twirls the stem of his latest dandelion between his thumb and index finger.

You had never really given it much thought; his reaction makes so much more sense now. For perhaps the first time ever, you really imagine what it must have been like living in the underground for all those years. Simple things that you take for granted, like flowers and fields and even sunshine are still a novelty to him. “Oh Paps.” You say kindly, giving his arm a friendly nudge with yours. “That’s really sweet.”

“Sometimes it still feels like a dream. Like I’m Alice gone through the looking glass.” He chuckles, adopting that easy, carefree stride again. “I’m just content to observe and take it all in. Now my bro on the other hand, he’s all about experiencing as much of it as possible. You’ll see for yourself when you meet him.” He grins. “Since we’ve been on the surface, he’s thrown himself into cooking classes, dance classes, painting lessons, language lessons, jogging – well, to be fair, he did that one in the underground all the time – so I’m not sure that should count….”

It’s like his whole frame inflates when he talks excitedly about his brother. His strides are longer, his back straighter, his descriptions more animated. Not for the first time, you get the sense that he would do just about anything for him; except maybe eat kale.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting him!” You say, and mean it. Normally new people are overwhelming for you, but you get the feeling he’s the kind of monster that others feel at ease around. Noticing where you are, you point up the driveway and say “this is us.”

Paps looks up, taking in your home. A large maple tree stands in the middle of the yard. Leaves tinged with orange and red as the season progresses. The remains of a summer flower garden hang underneath the windows, though most of them have gone dormant for the season. The house itself is probably close to 100 years old. A craftsman that your grandparents, and then eventually just your grandmother had lived in for the better part of the last 40 years. It’s painted a sage green, though it could use a fresh coat, but you don’t think Paps is noticing any of that. In fact, when you look over at him, his eye lights are flickering in what you’re starting to recognize as excitement.

“Oh stars!” He exclaims. “What a neat house!”

You feel a sense of pride as happy tears sting your eyes. “I’m still settling in. It is, was my grandmother’s” you say, rambling on, “so I apologize for the state of some of the rooms, but I’m slowly making my way through organizing everything.” You unlock the door and step inside, Paps right behind you.

“What could you have to apologize for? This place is great!” He says, looking around from the front foyer. You kick off your shoes and take his coat, hooking it on the rack by the front door along with your own. Following you into the kitchen, he brings the groceries, starting to unpack them on the counter for you.

“Hey,” you say, “would you mind if I just ran upstairs for a bit to change? It was a pretty hectic morning and I would love to get out of my work clothes.”

He nods. “Of course! Is there anything you want me to do while you’re upstairs?” He motions to the pile of groceries.

You were thinking of saying no, thinking he might find it rude to be invited over and then asked to prep his own meal, but you don’t get that impression from him. Everything about Paps just feels sincere; and heck, you wouldn’t be opposed to him washing and chopping up the mushrooms and spinach to save on prep time. After pulling out the strainer and a cutting board, you show him where the block of knives is, thank him profusely, and add that he can just make himself at home once he’s done.

You notice him tossing a dish towel over his shoulder as he gets to work, and are reassured at how comfortable he seems in the kitchen as you make your way upstairs.

First thing’s first, you begin gathering up a pile of clothes from the floor that you had haphazardly flung everywhere in your morning rush, and deposit them into the hamper before selecting a comfy outfit and heading to the bathroom. You wouldn’t normally consider a shower when you have guests over, but the truth is, you had planned on getting one this morning before you left, and felt grimy from all the cleaning and worrying you had done the night before.

With a determined nod to yourself, you make up your mind and quickly turn on the hot water. Soon, the room steams to a comfortable temperature as you peel yourself from your dishevelled work outfit and hop in for a quick, but much needed shower. Oh stars, that feels nice, you think, as you wash up in record time, get out and dry off.

Your chosen outfit is just a well-worn university sweatshirt and leggings, but it’s clean and cozy and perfect for a night in with friends. You quickly run a brush through your hair – miles better than this morning’s look, before gathering it up and securing it in a simple clip. Catching one last glance in the mirror, you determine you are once again presentable before heading downstairs, laundry basket in hand, wanting to get a load started before you tackle dinner.

As you walk down the stairs, you see Paps in the living room, two mugs of tea in hand.

“Thought you might like a cup.” He says, grinning at the selection of mugs in his hands. You notice he’s pulled some of your Halloween mugs from the kitchen and smile as he takes a drink out of the skull shaped mug. “Too much?” he says jovially as he wiggles his brow bones at you.

You can’t help but burst out laughing – of course he would pick that mug! Placing the laundry basket on the floor, you gratefully accept your own mug of hot tea and take a sip. It’s exactly perfect. “How did you know I liked it with just a little milk?” You ask curiously.

“Noticed at lunch today.” He says, smiling warmly as he takes a seat on the sofa.

“Thanks, Paps.” You say, plopping down on the couch next to him, laundry temporarily abandoned.

“Everything is chopped and in bowls waiting for you.” He grins. “I would have done more, but I don’t exactly know what we’re having.” He cocks a brow bone at you, clearly fishing for answers.

You sit for a moment, letting the steam from the mug fog up your glasses. Taking a sip first, you let your fingers wrap around its warmth with a happy sigh. You can’t remember the last time someone made you tea that you hadn’t ordered in a restaurant.

“I’m going to make crepes.” You say with a grin. “I thought I could prepare a bunch of different fillings so Blue can have veggies and healthier options, while you can have something sweeter.”

His eyes open wide in surprise. “Oh. Wow. That’s…that’s incredibly thoughtful. Blue will be delighted.” He smiles, turning towards you so your knees bump together. “Thank you for thinking of the both of us.” He says, a small bit of wonder in his voice, like it’s never occurred to him that people would be so kind back.

You sit companionably for a while, sipping tea and listening to the wind rustle the leaves in the tree outside.

“Do you play?” Paps asks, gesturing to the piano across the room.

You nod. “A bit. My grandmother taught me when I was a kid.”

He smiles. “I’d love to hear something sometime.”

You grin back. “I’m a bit rusty, but I’ll think about it.”

“Suppose” he leans in conspiratorially, “if you were to play the piano for me, I’d be inclined to play the guitar for you sometime.” He wiggles his brow bones at you, catching your eyes in his. “It’s the one hobby I bothered learning after we got to the surface. Blue forced me into trying something -anything really, and it unexpectedly stuck.”

Why does the thought of Paps playing the guitar bring those butterflies right back to you?

And oh stars, those eyes…

It takes you a minute to realize you’re staring right back, a soft blush surfacing across your own cheeks. Even though the only thing touching are your knees, he’s radiating a comforting warmth. Were skeletons supposed to be so cozy?

“So,” he begins, breaking you from your daze. “I wanted to ask now that we’re alone, how your first few days of work have been.” There’s a tentative look of concern in his features as he says it, and you get the feeling he’s holding something back.

“Well, my immediate coworkers aren’t exactly the most welcoming bunch…” you begin, placing your mug down on the coffee table and folding your hands onto your lap. “In fact, I tend to get an uneasy feeling around them – Beth in particular - but they haven’t done anything to me. It’s more of an exclusionary feeling.” You trail off, not wanting the entirety of your experience to be tinged with a negative brush.

Paps nods thoughtfully. Taking a final sip of his tea.

“Why?” you inquire. “Is there something I should watch out for?”

He looks up, pulled back from wherever his mind had wandered. Placing his empty mug on the coffee table, he continues. “Well, long story short is…I don’t really know. They’ve always been rude to people they don’t like, but…” he stops, shaking his head. “Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but they seemed to know who you were before you started.”

It feels like the floor has dropped out from under you. A small pit of anxiety begins to form as a lump in your throat while you pour through your memories, trying to figure out how they could possibly know you.

Sensing your shift in mood, Paps reaches out and places a hand on yours. “It’ll be okay.” He says, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I was in the break room earlier this week and they were talking about you. Sorry for not paying as much attention as I could have. I just assumed our boss let your name slip and they were looking you up on social media…but it felt wrong. Like it was more personal than that.”

His thumb is absentmindedly tracing circles along the inside of your wrist as he tries to calm your racing pulse. “Of course, the fact that they instantly didn’t seem to like you only made me think we’d get along even more.” He winks, attempting to add some levity to the conversation. “I just really wanted to let you know so you could tread carefully. Our fast friendship…well, that was an unexpected bonus.” He smiles sincerely, looking down at his hands, realizing he’s still holding onto yours. He gives your hand one more squeeze before letting go sheepishly. “Just wanted to let you know I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

You’re tempted to let it all out. The house, your uncle, the scapegoating and harassment from people who should have loved you unconditionally from birth, and now this extra added drama at work. It feels like too much to carry all by yourself. Maybe just one worry. You think. I won’t scare him away if it’s just one thing. And you’re about to do it, too. About to open your mouth and say something, when Paps’s phone vibrates from in his pocket.

“Oof. I bet it’s my bro.” He says with a smile, quickly taking the phone out and confirming his guess. “Yup. Says he’ll be here in about a half an hour or so.”

“Oh stars!” you jump from the couch. “I need to get dinner started!”

Chuckling, Paps gets to his feet too, grabbing your mugs. “We need to get dinner started.” He smiles. “Just think of me as your sous-chef tonight.”

Okay…maybe tonight isn’t the right night to let him in on what’s troubling you. You think. But it’s a nice feeling, knowing you have someone in your corner for once.

~*~

“Oh wow!” You say, impressed at the cleared counter tops. There are two bowls with perfectly washed and chopped veggies ready and waiting. He once again takes a dish towel and slings it over his shoulder, rolling up his sleeves, exposing ulna and radius up to his elbows.

“Okay,” you say, flipping through your gram’s old recipe book on the counter. Pulling out the hand-written crepe recipe, you pass it over to Paps. “List the ingredients and I’ll gather them all up.”

Nodding, he begins rattling off the usual suspects. Flour, eggs, milk, butter and sugar - it goes smoothly until you get stuck on vanilla, trying to grab it in the back of the cupboard, frustratingly out of your reach, even on tiptoes.

Just as you’re contemplating climbing up on the counter, you feel him, warm against your back as you look up. He’s grinning down at you, arm reaching out over your head and into the cupboard as he wiggles his brow bones teasingly.

“Here, let me.” Leaning in closer, he feels around in the back of the cupboard. You tilt your head further back, looking at him completely upside down now, watching the determined expression on his face as he concentrates on locating the item. He pulls his arm back triumphantly, little bottle of vanilla in hand, and presents it to you.

“Thanks Paps,” you say, taking the vanilla delicately from his phalanges, “you’re a real sweetheart.” You smile earnestly, and hoo boy, does that get a blush.

“Nahhh, s’you who’s been the sweetheart.” His eyes are looking down at the floor as he rubs a hand along the base of his skull. “Sweet as honey. But like buzzing, energetic honey.” He chuckles softly. “My little honeybee!” he says, reaching out and tousling your hair playfully.  

You grin back, trying to will your traitorous brain to stay firmly planted in the here and now. A lifetime of never being good enough for your family has really done a number on your mental health, and to have so much kindness directed at you for so long is a bit overwhelming. A huge part of you just wants to carry him around in your pocket and never let him go, but another, darker part of your brain is wondering when he’s going to realize you’re just not worth the effort and move on. Feeling like this all the time is exhausting.

He seems to pick up on your conflicting emotions and takes it as an opportunity to tilt his head ever so slightly and really look at you.

Don’t ask if I’m okay, don’t ask if I’m okay, don’t ask if I’m okay. Your brain repeats like a mantra over and over again, not sure you could keep it together if he flat out asks you what’s wrong.

Instead, he surprises you yet again. “Hey Honeybee,” he says softly, “you’ve had a rough week, haven’t you? Looks like you could use a hug.” With that he opens his arms wide, letting you decide to receive the affection or not.

In the end it doesn’t take much convincing. You close the distance between the two of you and accept the embrace, quieting that dark part of your brain as you sink into his warmth. He smells like an autumn day and spun sugar – probably from the nature he’s collected on your walk home and the pocket full of lollipops he always has on hand. It’s so uniquely him and wonderfully comforting.

One hand is slowly rubbing small circles on your back, while the other is softly placed on the nape of your neck and oh stars he’s good at this. He rests his chin on top of your head, rocking you gently in place as he intentionally takes deep breaths, willing you to match his steady breathing.

It’s working. You can feel that sadness and panic inside of your stomach start to uncoil, and the ragged breaths that would have led to tears are slowly, calmly subsiding. This must be some form of magic you think. How else can you explain the way he just settles you down like that?

He lets you take as long as you need, only letting go after you reluctantly break the hug first. You’re startled to find you’ve balled your hands up in the folds of his sweater, holding on like this is the first hug you’ve received in a very long time. Though sadly enough, you suppose it is.

Not sure if you fully trust your voice just yet, you smile and take one final deep breath in, eyes closed. When you open them, he’s got this dreamy, half lidded look in his eyes, like he’s just as happy to be around you too. It’s a wonderfully new feeling for you, and silently in that moment you make yourself a promise to be the best damn friend to him that you possibly can be.

“Suppose we better get a move on with dinner.” He winks, walking over to the counter, picking up the recipe again.

“Right! Prepare to be ‘wowed’ with my cooking skills.” You say jovially, cracking your knuckles dramatically in preparation. It’s time to get down to business. You’ve got guest(s) to impress!

Notes:

When I think of US!Paps and his personality, I like to think of him as a UT! Sans type of jokey personality, but with the genuine kindness and innocence you would find in US!Papyrus. Yes, he's a lot more mellow, but he really cares about his friends and family and is really emotionally mature. He picks up on a lot and is a good counter to anchor his brother and MC in place.
Thank you for the kudos and kind notes. I love how the story keeps evolving as it comes along.
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Chapter 4: Guest to Impress

Summary:

Blue comes to dinner, and finally some hard truths come out.

Paps looks on as you ladle out a bit of batter, lightly coating the pan. Crepes are a waiting game. There’s a moment when they suddenly cease being liquid and release from the bottom of the pan. You enjoy carefully picking them up with the tips of your fingers to flip them. Paps seems to like it too, because it’s not long before he’s taken over and is successfully flipping his first crepe, and his second…and his tenth.

A stack of about 20 slowly form. You’ve completely given the crepe station over to Paps after his little “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” reassure you he’s having a blast. Instead, you grab another pan and set up next to him to sauté the vegetables. With the veggies cooked and placed on the heating rack in the oven to stay warm, you begin filling dishes with jams, and syrups and placing cold cuts and cheese on plates.

Paps takes it upon himself to set the table for three, going through your mismatched cups and plates, selecting the ‘perfect’ dinner set for each of you. You want to inspect his handiwork, but he stands directly in your view. “It’s a surprise!” He grins. You’ll just have to wait.

You pretend to lean to one side, but he’s quick to block your view, shooing you back to your station at the counter. “Just tell me when your meal prep is ready and I’ll add it to the table!” He says, making a soft “nyeh” as you hear cutlery being arranged behind you.

It’s right about then that you hear a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it!” You say, knowing full well Paps wouldn’t leave you in the kitchen alone to peek at the table. You wipe your hands on a dish towel and scurry out to the enclosed porch to open the door.

Greeting you is a smiling skeleton roughly your height. He’s wearing an open jacket with a blue turtleneck on underneath and has a bag of – wait, is that rice cakes in his hands? You smile, a little confused as he thrusts the rice cakes towards you.

“A GIFT FOR THE HOSTESS!” he exclaims, but then stops. “BUT FIRST, I MUST ASK, ARE YOU EXPECTING A HANDSOME SKELETON TO GRACE YOUR DOORSTEP TONIGHT?

You nod an amused yes, a small grin forming at the corner of your lips. Your hand is doing a little wave as you confirm. “T-that would be me.”

“OH THANK GOODNESS BECAUSE I MAY HAVE SORT OF ACCIDENTALLY HUGGED YOUR NEIGHBOUR! I’M THE MAGNIFICENT SANS, BY THE WAY, BUT MY FRIENDS CALL ME BLUE.”

You chuckle, stepping aside to allow him in. “Nice to meet you, Blue.”

“LIKEWISE. AND SINCE YOU JUST CALLED ME BLUE, I GUESS THAT MEANS WE’RE ALREADY FRIENDS.” He says before he envelopes you in a quick hug.

“I guess so, friend.” You say smiling as you accept the (slightly squished now) rice cakes gratefully, if not a little confused by the gift. It’s at that moment Paps pokes his head out of the kitchen and wanders over to the two of you in the foyer to take in the scene.

“Hey bro. What’s with the rice cakes?” He nods to the bag in your hand curiously.

“AHH WELL THAT’S A FUNNY STORY. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT HOSTESS GIFT – BECAUSE A GOOD GUEST ALWAYS COMES PREPARED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE MEETING A NEW FRIEND FOR THE FIRST TIME – AND SO I THOUGHT I WOULD GET COASTERS – HUMANS ARE ALWAYS ASKING GUESTS TO PUT DRINKS ON COASTERS AND WHATNOT, BUT I WASN’T NEAR ANYWHERE THAT SOLD COASTERS, SO I FOUND THE NEXT BEST, FLATTEST THING. PLUS, IF THE MOOD STRIKES, YOU MAY EAT YOUR GIFT.” He does a formal little bow as he says that last part.

Paps chuckles. “Very logical bro.”

“OF COURSE! MY PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS ARE LEGENDARY.” He says, standing straight again, chin held high. His eye-lights are glowing a brilliant shade of light blue.  

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a more practical, well thought out gift!” You exclaim, and mean it. Unconventional, sure, but his thoughtfulness isn’t lost on you.

“You’ve arrived at the perfect time, Bro.” Paps says. “We’ve just finished making dinner. Everything is warm and ready to go!”

Sans sniffs the air, looking at his brother suspiciously before he turns to you. “IT SMELLS WONDERFUL…WHICH IS INTERESTING IF MY BROTHER HAD A HAND IN IT. CLEARLY YOU MUST HAVE TAKEN CHARGE.”

Paps rolls his eye-lights in mock indignation. “Truly, I’m hurt bro. You can trust me to cook up something you’ll like. Come on and I’ll show ya.” With that, Paps takes your hand in his and leads you and his brother to the kitchen.

“Ta-daaaaa!” He says, squeezing your hand in excitement, and the table is – well, it’s beautiful. He’s found an old tablecloth your grandmother had tucked away in a closet. It's bright and colourful like a patchwork quilt and works so well. The dishes are all orphaned from old sets she had owned through the decades, but put together they form a cohesive picture. He’s even made little place settings, but judging by the mugs you could have guessed where he wanted everyone to sit.

You see the skeleton head mug from earlier next to a brightly painted orange and yellow plate and just know Paps plans on sitting there. To the left, the spot for his brother features a kitschy Christmas mug that proudly declares “I mistle-tone it down for nobody” paired with your gram’s favourite blue and white davenport China. Your seat gets one of your favourite mugs, ridged and shaped like a beehive with a little chip on the top rim after you had dropped it in the sink washing dishes with your gram all those years ago. The plate is a warm buttery coral with delicate flowers painted along the edges.

There is a huge stack of crepes in the middle of the table, as well as all the fixings in the small dishes you had prepped, and a vase containing the three dandelions that Paps had picked on your walk home.

“Oh wow, Paps!” You say, absolutely delighted, trying to take in all the little details.

Grinning, Paps pulls out your chair for you, helping you into your seat before sitting himself down next to you.

Blue is already seated, peeking around at everything on the table, a look of shock on his face. “THERE’S A BOWL OF SPINACH AND MUSHROOM PAPS! YOU MADE A VEGETABLE?” He says, incredulously, looking up to you, “YOU GOT MY BROTHER TO MAKE VEGETABLES??? I DIDN’T THINK HUMANS HAD MAGIC OF THEIR OWN! YOU MUST REALLY BE SOMEONE SPECIAL.” He says that last part reverently, his eye-lights twinkling like actual stars for a moment!

“Oh wow, I didn’t know your eyes could do that!” You say, blushing at the compliment and more than a bit curious. “I don’t really know much about monster magic at all.” You admit.

Even more excited, Blue makes his eyes twinkle like stars again for you. “I’M PRETTY GOOD AT THE STARS, CAN PRETTY MUCH DO IT ON COMMAND NOW, BUT THERE ARE OTHER HARDER SHAPES THAT MOSTLY ARE JUST REPRESENTATIONS OF OUR EMOTIONS IN A SPECIAL MOMENT.” He points around the table to emphasize his point. “EACH MONSTER’S MAGIC IS DIFFERENT, BUT MINE AND PAPS’ ARE PRETTY SIMILAR.” he states excitedly “THOUGH PAPS COULD NEVER GET THE SHAPES TO APPEAR ON COMMAND. THEY JUST KIND OF HAPPEN.” He says like he’s letting you in on a serious revelation.

You look to Paps who’s grinning sheepishly, a slight dusting of orange across his cheekbones. “That’s why my bro’s the magnificent one.” He says, picking up a crepe and putting in on his plate. “Let’s eat while the meal’s still hot!”

You’re not sure why this seems to embarrass him, but you take the hint, gladly picking up a crepe and filling it with meat, cheese and a bit of spinach. Blue follows your lead, heavy on the veggies, while Paps opts for meat and cheese, with minimal veggies on his portion. The three of you dig in, the crepes you both made are light and fluffy, the perfect pockets for all toppings you’ve laid out.

Blue and Paps eventually confess after their second helping, that they’ve never actually had crepes before. Pancakes, yes, but they always thought these would be too hard to prepare for some reason. You’re glad you were able to not only make a tasty meal but also come up with a new experience for them to try.

By the third crepe, the three of you have all switched to dessert. Paps is piling his high with his orange blossom honey and banana, while you and Blue are layering with strawberries and a bit of maple syrup. 

“Hey, bro, what do you call a pancake that works out?” Paps asks, a mock serious look on his face, sucking Blue into what you can clearly see is a set up.

Blue ponders for a moment. “THAT’S PREPOSTEROUS. PANCAKES CAN’T WORK OU-”

“You call them crepes!” He chuckles, taking a huge bite of his dessert.

Blue stops, mid bite and just shakes his head in exasperation. “BROTHER! HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO MAKE SUCH A GREAT NEW FRIEND WITH THESE JOKES?” His response sounds long-suffering, but ultimately not serious, like he was more annoyed with himself for walking into that trap.

You can’t help but laugh, almost choking on your mouthful of crepe. After a quick drink of water to clear your throat, and a concerned look from both brothers, you say “I think your jokes are egg-celent, Paps. They always crack me up.”

It’s funny, how you simultaneously see one face light up while the other wilts, crestfallen. Paps gives you a thumbs up while Blue shakes his head, resigned to his fate.

“I SEE NOW HOW YOU BECAME SUCH FAST FRIENDS. YOU’RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER.” He’s says, completely deadpan, which only makes it all the funnier, but you can see the warm smile on his face underneath the annoyance.

This must be what it’s like to have a family that cares about you. The thought blooms into existence in your mind so quickly before you can even think of distracting yourself. Instead, you swallow down the rest of your crepe and take a big gulp of water in an effort to push past the knot threatening to form in your throat.

You can keep it together. You have for all these years. It’s just because you’ve had more social interaction in these last 48 hours than you’ve had in the past year. That is fine. You can handle it.

Thinking you’re in the clear, you make the mistake of glancing up and meeting Paps’ eyes. He’s watching you covertly, a worried expression on his face, but says nothing. Blue is very animatedly telling a funny story about one of the first events he attended as a former Royal Guard/ambassador for monster-human diplomatic relations. It involves misunderstood customs and accidentally mistaking an adult human for a child because they were wearing stripes and – you think you understand the plot so far.

“…BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MONSTERS, IT’S JUST EASIER TO DRESS OUR CHILDREN IN STRIPES UNTIL THEY GROW UP TO INDICATE THEY MAY NEED THE HELP OF AN ADULT. HOW WAS I TO KNOW STRIPES WERE SIMPLY CONSIDERED FASHION HERE? IT’S BABYBONES STUFF WHERE WE’RE FROM.” He shrugs, letting out a “MWEH HEH HEH. IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY THOUGH, ME ASKING IF THAT AMBASSADOR NEEDED TO BE PUT DOWN FOR A NAP!”

Thankfully, the image of Blue trying to find a quiet room to let the ambassador nap in is enough to pull you out of your sad thoughts and you laugh, genuinely at the thought of it. Come to think of it, you may have actually seen Blue on tv before, posing in official press releases alongside Queen Toriel and her head of the royal navy, Alphys.

“Do you still go to many diplomatic events?” You ask curiously.

“NOT NEARLY AS MANY AS BEFORE. I-WELL, I GOT BURNT OUT AND HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK.” He looks a bit crestfallen for a moment, but snaps out of it, a large smile on his face. “I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO CALL MYSELF THE MAGNIFICENT SANS IF I DIDN’T PRIORITIZE MY MENTAL HEALTH.”

Huh, you think, wondering what that would look like for you. Are you on the right track? You seem to have everything you’ve always wanted, but wait, no - that’s not entirely true. You have your basic needs met – food, shelter, water, clothing, sleep, but moving up Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, you’re stuck on that second tier: safety and security. The truth is, you don’t feel entirely safe and secure in your environment so far. Paps and Blue are the closest you’ve come to a true feeling of safety and friendship in quite a long time, and it’s all so new, it could make you cry.

“Honeybee?” you hear Paps saying, but don’t fully notice him until he gently places a hand on your shoulder.

Snapping out of it, you look up to him and smile. “S-sorry. I just got lost in my thoughts.” You explain. “Why don’t you guys take this conversation to the living room and I can begin to clean up?” You say, getting to your feet.

He just looks at you, shaking his head. “Nahhh, we won’t leave you with the hard stuff. What kind of friends would we be if we stuck you with the dishes?” He grins, taking your empty plate along with his to the sink.

“Oh, I, mean, I…thank you.” You say, looking around for something to do. Blue is already filling the sink with hot water and dish soap, a comically large number of bubbles forming. “YOU WANT TO DRY, PAPY?” he grins, using a pet name for his brother as he tosses him a dishtowel.

You opt instead to gather up the extra food and make lunches for everyone for tomorrow. Rummaging through the cupboards, you find your grandmother’s extensive collection of Tupperware and get to work. Paps gets mostly dessert, Blue gets mostly veggies, and you take a mix for yourself. As you pack up, you occasionally deposit more dishes in the suds as Paps and Blue talk excitedly among themselves. The stack forming next to the brothers is quite impressive, and you decide your next task will be to put some away before they topple.

The three of you clean the kitchen in record time. As Paps goes to put back the table decorations, you ask him to leave the tablecloth. He smiles warmly, and arranges the vase of dandelions in the middle as a finishing touch before stepping back to stand beside you.

“Thanks for tonight.” He whispers, putting an arm around your shoulder in a friendly hug.

“I should be thanking you.” You say, looking up to him with a smile. “There hasn’t been a whole lot of joy in this house yet. I want nothing but good memories moving forward.”

He looks down at you again, a mixture of warmth and concern. “We can help with that.” Then, more quietly, while Blue is busying himself with filling the kettle for the three of you. “My offer still stands…if you need to talk about anything, Honeybee.”

You nod your head vigorously, not-so-covertly brushing a tear from the corner of your eye as you do so.

You can hear his sharp intake of breath, making a little “oh” sound as he catches the motion.

“Don’t worry, Paps. Happy tears, I promise.”

He gives your shoulder another squeeze before the three of you head to the living room to unwind and chat after dinner. On a whim, you open the rice cakes and take three out to use as coasters. Blue, of course, is thrilled.

~*~

Drinks finished, the three of you have cracked into the board games and are in the middle of a round of dominoes. The game is winding down and you’re all starting to lose interest. Paps has stood up and is looking over the bookshelf in your living room, appraising the collection. It’s a mix of your grandmother’s books and yours. You’ve got classics, fantasy, science fiction and romance mostly.

You’ve turned on a lo-fi hip-hop channel for ambience, as the tv displays a hearth, burning an inviting fire for hours on end. Blue is still concentrating, his hand hovering over the dominoes, eyes darting to the trains formed, plotting his next move.

“I’M ALMOST READY.” He says, but looks up again and around the room. “DOES ANYONE ELSE HEAR THAT TOO?” He muses out loud? “IS THAT COMING FROM THE MUSIC?”

Not sure what he means, you mute the YouTube video to listen along with him, and that’s when you hear it. The sun has set and the wind has picked up again like last night. There’s a steady Ssssssssssssss of a whistle as wind whips in through the dent on your front door.

“Oh.” You say, looking deflated. “I’m sorry about that. It’s the door. It’s kind of…broken.”

Paps' brows shoot up in surprise as he follows the sound to the door and examines the dent. “S’cold.” He says “Is that why you got the home improvement books?”

You nod. “Y-yeah. This is a recent problem. I don’t have the money for an entirely new door and well…I hope I can handle fixing it.”

Blue gets up excited, wandering over to the front door with his brother. “I’VE NEVER HELPED ANYONE FIX A DOOR BEFORE, BUT I’M SURE IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THE TWO OF US TO TACKLE, BRO!”

You smile at his earnestness. “I have the day off tomorrow. I was thinking of cracking open the books I got to try and find a solution.

“YOU’LL NEED TOOLS AND SUPPLIES! BROTHER, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TOMORROW?”

Paps sadly shakes his head no. “Not during the day. I’ve been asked to cover a shift at the reference desk.” He sighs.

Blue ponders for a moment. “THEN I SHALL ASSIST OUR NEW FRIEND!”

“That’s very kind of you, Blue, a-are you sure? I would hate to take you away from anything important.” Despite his offer, you feel like you’re imposing. Like you would be monopolizing his time.

“NONSENSE. I HAVE THE DAY OFF TOMORROW AND MY NEW FRIEND NEEDS ME. I COULDN’T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SPEND IT.” He smiles earnestly, running his hand along the dent, feeling the draft coming in. “THIS WON’T DO, NOT AT ALL. OUR HUMAN WILL FREEZE ONCE IT GETS COLDER OUT.”

“How’d this happen anyways? You try to move furniture by yourself?” Paps chuckles, wandering over to his spot next to you on the couch.

You don’t know how to answer that without making them worry, but you want to be truthful. You seem so far removed from the moment now, but there’s a growing suspicion that once they leave, you’ll feel very unsettled again.

The quieter you get, the more concerned Paps looks. Blue has even noticed your silence, making his way back to the couch, and squashing himself down next to you on your other side.

“Someone kicked it in last night when I was sleeping.”

They both gasp at the same time. Blue puts his hands to his mouth in shock, while Paps is leaning in, trying to catch your eyes.

“Oh Honeybee.” He says tenderly, and that does it. Those two words are what finally make you break wide open inside, a rush of emotion pouring out.

It starts with a tremble in your hands, but quickly devolves into tears and a jumble of words all fighting to get out first.

“I, I didn’t know what to do, if I should have called the police. I don’t know who did it or if I n-need security cameras. If it was just kids being s-s-stupid or if it was targeted…and I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but I’m so scared of being alone right now and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for crying and dumping this on your lap and…”

You don’t get another word out before you’re pulled into a hug by Paps. “S’okay. S’okay.” He says soothingly. He’s running his hands through your hair, smoothing it out and away from your face. You can feel Blue’s hand running up and down your back, giving it little pats of comfort as well.

“WHY WOULD YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR?” He asks sadly. “THAT WOULD BE A SCARY SITUATION FOR ANYONE, MONSTER, OR HUMAN…AND, AND IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW LONG WE’VE KNOWN YOU. YOU’RE OUR FRIEND AND WE’RE GOING TO HELP.”

His kindness only makes you cry more. You can’t seem to get it under control and worry if you don’t figure out how to stop, you’ll trigger a panic attack. It’s so much more than just that door that’s threatening to come out. Eventually, you hear Paps whispering in your ear.

“S’okay Honeybee. I want you to match my breathing. Focus on that, just on that for now. Nothing else matters. Just breathe.”

You feel his ribcage rise and fall slowly and struggle to do the same, panicked hiccups of sobs escaping at first before you gradually start getting them under control. Face buried in his sweater you breathe in, his hands running up your back. “Hold it…” he says before following it up with “…and release.” He runs his hands down your back as you breathe out, repeating the exercise a few more times until you can match him with minimal effort.

“You’re doing great, Honeybee. We’ve got you.”

Eventually your traitorous mind sends out signals for your body to calm down. You manage to steady your heartbeat and calm your tears. If you’re being honest, you’re not sure you have any tears left in you to cry.

Slowly, you pull back from Paps’ sweater. You’ve left it a mess of tears and snot and want to be embarrassed about it, but your body is just too exhausted to respond to the thought. You can feel his hands pressed to your cheeks, wiping the tears from your eyes.

“You’re going to be okay.” He says kindly, before directing his conversation at Blue.

“Hey bro, what do you think about having a little sleepover tonight?” He asks evenly.

Even though you can’t see him, you feel Blue behind you bounce slightly on the couch.

“AN OUTSTANDING IDEA FROM MY MOST EXCELLENT BROTHER!” he says soothingly back. “DO YOU RECOMMEND OUR HOURS OR YOURS?”

Paps thinks on that for a moment before looking to you. “We won’t impose if you don’t want us to, but we’ll gladly stay the night. If you’re not comfortable here, you can always come back to our apartment with us. We’ll make sure you get a good night’s sleep, safe and sound.”

“T-that sounds wonderful” you say, hands still shaking. “I-I would like that very m-much.” You take a deep breath in again, willing the fear to subside, fear that you hadn’t realized was affecting you quite as much as it was.

Paps takes your trembling hands in his with a timid grin and a nod. “Then I guess the only question left to really answer is your place, or ours?”

Notes:

Paps: "asking for help isn't a weakness."
Blue: "OF COURSE NOT. IT ONLY MAKES YOU STRONGER."

Took me a while to get Blue's voice right. I didn't want to make him over the top, but at the same time, he needs to be honeybee's emotional support extrovert.

Hope you're still enjoying the story. I know I'm enjoying writing it.
Once again, thank you for all the kind words.
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Chapter 5: Fight or Flight

Summary:

Fluff and fights go hand in hand sometimes.

Your first instinct is to run. You can get a moment’s peace from what you assume is your crazy family and just hide at the brother’s apartment. Fight or flight is real, and flight is sounding mighty good right now. However, you know that hiding isn’t going to solve the problem, and a larger part of you just doesn’t want to abandon your home. You’d just end up spending the night worrying about what you’d come back to the next morning.

“What would be easier for the two of you? I want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep, and I haven’t been able to clean out the guest bedrooms yet.” Your mind is racing at a mile a minute pace, wondering where you’ll put them, but you’ve truly worn yourself out and your body feels like it’s trying to run through molasses.

Blue and Paps both chuckle.  

“I WON’T BE GETTING MUCH SLEEP.” Blue explains. “I’M VERY EFFICIENT THAT WAY. I’LL BE STANDING GUARD, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I’VE TAKEN A SABBATICAL FROM MY ROYAL DUTIES, I NEVER WANT TO LET MY GUARDING SKILLS GET RUSTY.”

Paps just smiles. “I can sleep just about anywhere, on any surface. It’s a gift.”

“IT’S TRUE.” His brother says, rolling his eye lights. “PAPS ONCE FELL ASLEEP OFF THE SIDE OF A PICNIC TABLE. HE FELL BACKWARDS AND JUST DECIDED TO STAY LIKE THAT FOR FOUR HOURS.”

“Neyh heh heh…thanks for waking me up that napternoon bro.”

Blue sighs, just pointing at his brother in emphasis saying “I REST MY CASE!”

You giggle, asking if the pun was intended, to which Blue looks shocked he accidentally cracked a joke.

“OH NOOOOOO. THE TWO OF YOU ARE RUBBING OFF ON ME.” he sighs, getting up from the couch to pace.

“Then if it’s absolutely OK with the both of you, can we stay here please?”

“Consider it done, Honeybee.” Still on the couch next to you, he rubs your back reassuringly. “Might send Blue to our apartment for some supplies, but that shouldn’t take too long, eh bro?”

“I’LL TAKE THAT SHORTCUT OUT BACK AND RETURN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.”

You look at the two of them, slightly confused. As far as you know, your house backs onto a large forested area. Sure, you don’t know where they live, for all you know it could be out back like Blue says. Maybe their apartment is conveniently through the forest?

“Thanks bro. Could you get my pj’s and whatnot. Ooh, and a change of clothes for work tomorrow?”

Blue nods. “I’VE GOT YA PAPY. BE BACK IN A BIT.” With that, you hear him wander back to the kitchen and exit out the back door.

Paps, in the meantime, turns to you. “Thanks for trusting us enough to help.” He says. “I had a feeling there was something weighing on your mind.”

You nod, able to take a deep breath now and center yourself. Even though you had only said the bare minimum, letting that little bit out had really helped. You still feel like you owe Paps some explanation though.

“It’s just because…well, I’ve been on my own for a very, very long time now. I’ve moved a lot, worked a lot while I went to school, and really don’t have many people in my life I can count on as friends. I’m…good at not making myself a burden to others.” You say, eyes downcast, like you’re embarrassed to admit that last part.

“I don’t get where you think relying on friends would make you a burden. I’m sure you’d be helping us if the roles were reversed.” He looks up at you seriously, “would you consider that a burden?”

You shake your head no. “Of course not.” Knowing you would be there in an instant for your new friends without judgment. However, saying and knowing it to be true are one thing, but genuinely getting yourself to believe it is a completely different ballgame. “I-I’ll try to remember that, Paps. I just need a bit of grace. I’m pretty rusty when it comes to making myself a priority.” You smile sadly at that revelation and shrug your shoulders. “But oh stars, am I glad I found the two of you.”

He sits up a bit straighter, slight blush back on his cheeks before wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you in for a hug. “Feeling’s mutual.” He says before resting his head on top of yours.

That’s when Blue can be heard opening the back door.

“Wait…did he forget something?” You ask, confused.

Entering the room, Blue deposits a backpack down in front of Paps, setting his own next to the couch. “I THINK I GOT IT ALL. YOU’RE GOING TO LOOOOOVE THE CHANGE OF CLOTHES I PICKED OUT FOR YOU TOMORROW.”

Paps rolls his eyes. “I’m in the damn blue argyle, aren’t I?”

“INDEED, YOU ARE!” He grins, clapping his hands with glee. “ANY CHANCE I GET FOR YOU TO WEAR THE BEST COLOUR; I’M GOING TO TAKE IT! MWEH HEH HEH.”

“But how did you? So fast? How close do you live to me?” You ask, looking from brother to brother, utterly bewildered.

“We live about twenty minutes across town.” Paps says sheepishly. “Blue just…took a shortcut.”

You blink, their words starting to add up. “Like this afternoon in the workroom?”

Paps nods as Blue explains further. “IT’S PART OF OUR MAGIC. WE CAN SORTA KINDA TAKE SHORTCUTS - FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. MAKES COMMUTING A SNAP THOUGH!” he laughs awkwardly.

There’s just so much about monster magic you don’t understand, but know that in time you will. You sense the boys are waiting for some kind of response. There’s a nervous energy building in the room and it’s for once not coming from you. “I think it's pretty neat to know you’re only a shortcut away if there’s ever an emergency. I had no idea it could work over distances that far!”

Blue and Paps both sigh in relief. “It’s not a bit of magic we generally share with people. Most tend to get weirded out if they know you can take a shortcut into their homes. But like, why would we want do that? All of the good snacks and napping spots are in our own home.”

You smile at Paps for that logic. In the hands of the wrong person or monster, a power like that would be truly concerning, but with these two it seems fitting. “You’re like superhero material.” You say with a chuckle.

Blue and Paps side eye each other before laughing. “Why would you say that, Honeybee?” asks Paps.

“Well, you only use your powers for good – or naps and snacks, I suppose. But both are worthy causes!”

Blue breaks out into a loud laugh. “MWEH HEH HEH, I LIKE THAT! QUITE THE STEP UP FROM ROYAL AMBASSADOR.” he declares, wiping a tear from his eye socket. “DON’T THINK I’VE GOTTEN THAT HIGH OF A COMPLIMENT BEFORE. THANK YOU, FRIEND!”

~*~

The three of you joke around for a bit longer before Paps asks to use the shower and get changed. Making your way upstairs, you show him how to jiggle the handle if the hot water is being stingy, give him a big fluffy towel, and head back downstairs to flip through the home improvement books with Blue. He’s looking up at you from one of the chapters, several pages dog-eared, waiting for your input.

“I MADE A CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE DOOR AND THINK IT’S JUST A DENTED PANEL. IT CAN PROBABLY BE FILLED IN WITH SOME WOOD PUTTY AND SANDED OUT!”

You can tell he’s excited about learning a new skill as he goes on. “HOWEVER, I THINK THE WHISTLING FROM THE DOOR COULD ALSO EASILY BE FIXED WITH SOME NEW WEATHER STRIPPING AROUND THE PERIMETER. IT SHOULD ALSO FIT SNUGLY IN ITS FRAME AFTER THAT. NO MORE JOSTLING AROUND IN THE WIND.”

You nervously start looking up prices to the items he’s listing, but breathe a sigh of relief when you see they’re easily manageable. It looks like you might be able to repair it all for under $50 – maybe even less if your grandmother had some tools in the garage.

Relaying this info to Blue, the two of you make a plan for tomorrow. You’ll start with a quick check of your current supplies before heading to the hardware store in town for the remainder of what you need. You’re both stuffing the bottom of the door with anything you can find to keep the cold wind from getting in when Paps makes his way downstairs again.

He looks relaxed, wearing an old pair of orange jogging pants and an extra-large black t-shirt with the phrase “I found this humerus” on the front, complete with bone.

“Nice shirt.” You say, grinning.

“Oh, this old thing?” He laughs. “Yeah, it’s a real rib-tickler.”

Blue just rolls his eyes again. “DON’T ENCOURAGE HIM. HE’S ALREADY GOT A SUBSTANTIAL COLLECTION OF PUN-RELATED T-SHIRTS. MORE THAN ANY ONE BEING SHOULD LEGALLY BE ALLOWED TO OWN!”

“Bro, don’t be jealous. You’re more than welcome to bone up on your wardrobe by taking a few pointers from my style.” Paps smirks, sinking himself down onto the cough, a sleepy look on his face.

“I think I’m about ready to turn in for the night, Honeybee. Where would you like me to rest my weary bones?” He smirks, glancing towards you with eyelids half open.

“Well, I’ve got the couch here and just my bed.” You say, pointing to your bedroom upstairs. “It’s fairly large and I don’t mind sharing, but I don’t think it would accommodate all three of us. I could take the couch if the two of you would be more comfortable upstairs. There’s plenty of blankets and pillows in that chest over there.” You point.

Blue doesn’t even look up from the home improvement books he’s been leafing through. “I’LL TAKE THE COUCH. PROBABLY WON’T BE TIRED FOR A GOOD LONG TIME.” He says, waving the two of you away with one hand, eye lights never leaving the page.

You can see Paps blushing slightly and wonder if you’ve made him uncomfortable with the suggestion. “I mean, I could take the floor if you’re not comfortable with sharing.” You begin to say, but he shakes his head, quickly recovering.

“S’no problem with me if it’s no problem with you, Honeybee. Just lead the way.” He says, once again pushing his tired bones up from the couch. He stops briefly to rest a hand on Blue’s shoulder. “I’ll be down to check in on your watch a little later.” He says to Blue seriously… “Just as soon as I can keep my eye-sockets open for more than a few minutes.” He yawns loudly. “Wish I wouldn’t have taken that extra shift tomorrow.” He mumbles, smiling lazily to you.

You find yourself wishing the same thing. The idea of spending another whole day with Blue and Paps sounds wonderful you think, as you and Paps make your way up the stairs to your bedroom.

~*~

Paps is nervous and he doesn’t quite know why. You’re a delightful human, and he’s already grown quite fond of you, but the idea of sharing a bed with you has him feeling a certain kind of way.

It’s been him and Blue for a long time now. They both have good friends and acquaintances from the monster world, but truth be told, he’s been pulling back from all of them for quite a while now, focusing the bulk of his remaining time on his brother. The most social interaction he gets these days is through work, and that usually tires him out to the point where he’ll find an excuse – any excuse to get out of plans.

Heck, if he’s being honest, he’s felt bad ever since Blue had to take a step back from his job; even if that step was clearly the right choice for him. Paps can actively see his brother thriving now because of it, trying new hobbies and learning new skills and just relishing in the joy of being on the surface, but at the time it had been a hard blow for the both of them.

As stupid as it sounds, Paps feels like he was the one who missed something and let his brother down. It’s been eating at him longer than he would like to admit. It’s also, he thinks, why he’s formed such a quick attachment to you.

Sure, he had just felt bad for you that first day at work. You were so frazzled, and you both had some horrible coworkers, it made sense that you'd bond over those shared hardships. It was really the past 24 hours that followed that had been downright magical. What had truly cemented his feelings was the way you effortlessly made his brother feel welcome in your home with no hesitation - and then the way Blue just seemed to light up again completely was enough to make him want to just hold you in the highest of esteem.

The panic and fear you were currently working through – well, he could help with that. Maybe this time he could fix things for someone he cared about, if you were willing to let him in. He could be there before you got so overwhelmed you’d have to take a step back from work like Blue and, and, and…

“Paps?” He hears you saying and realizes he’s standing at the door of your room, slightly zoned out. Stars, she probably thinks I’m uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons. He smiles as brightly as he can despite his exhaustion and steps into the room. “Sorry, guess I’m falling asleep on my feet. What were you saying Honeybee?”

“Just asking if you preferred a certain side of the bed. I usually take the right, but I can move things from my nightstand.” He can see you nervously picking at a loose thread on your sleeve and wants to quickly put you at ease.

“I’m fine with whatever side you want me on. Honestly, your bed looks like the comfiest thing in the world right now.” He’s not lying. He’s out of practice socializing this long, and even though you’ve been a ray of sunshine all day, his social battery has taken a serious dip after that warm shower.

“Ahh ok then! Looks like you get the left side.” You say as he watches you crawl into bed. He quickly follows suit, sinking into the plush mattress, just letting the feeling of how soft the bed is wash over him.

Oh stars he thinks, it even smells like you. Despite his exhaustion, he can actually feel his soul flutter a little, catching him off guard.

He lazily watches you turn off your bedside light and snuggle down on your side of the bed. “Goodnight Paps. Thank you for staying. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“S’no problem at all, Honeybee. Rest easy tonight.” He whispers, already feeling his lids close before sleep takes him completely.

~*~

Paps wakes up in a daze. At first, he doesn’t know where he is. This room is unfamiliar, this bed is softer than his, and he almost starts to panic before he looks down and sees you, peacefully wrapped around him, softly sleeping on his ribcage.

Oh stars he thinks, taking a deep breath and relaxing. He realizes his arms are enveloped around you, one entwined in your hair, the other resting on your hand that’s softly grasping onto one of his ribs over his shirt.

When did that happen? He wonders. He’s not a particularly wild sleeper. In fact, he’s been described as a bit of a rock by Blue, normally impossible to move, but from the looks of it, he’s the one who migrated to your side of the bed. 

Its at that moment the moon decides to show its face through your window, peeking out from behind a cloud. It lights up your skin, giving you an otherworldly glow, just as you take a deep breath in, slowly releasing it in a comfortable sigh. Paps realizes this is the most relaxed he’s ever seen you, and the most content he’s felt in a very long time.

He allows himself a few minutes of this peace, letting your hair snake between his fingers before it falls, splashing back onto the pillow, running his other hand gently up and down your arm, tracing invisible shapes, marvelling at how soft your skin is.

Paps is very decidedly not thinking about how it’s making his soul flutter in his chest. Nope. Not one little bit. This is a perfectly normal situation the two of you have managed to get into - in your sleep no less! Apparently, you both reached out subconsciously for comfort in the night. Yup. Perfectly normal.

He knows he needs to get up, check on Blue, and take his turn standing guard. Blue may say he needs less sleep that Paps, but that doesn’t mean he can run on an empty tank. But oh stars, how he wants to stay in the easy, quiet reprieve he’s found in your arms for just a little longer; so, he lets his mind continue to wander.

There had been something in the way you described the trespasser earlier that kept nagging at him. What was it again? Something about you thinking you needed security cameras…that it might be targeted? Yes, that was it. Most people would think something like this was probably random unless…He looks down at you again, still sleeping peacefully and sighs sadly. Who has you this scared, Honeybee? He wonders and, in that moment, feels as protective of you as he does his brother. He knows the world isn’t fair, has experienced it time and time again, but he’s so tired of it beating down those he cares about…and yes, he acknowledges, he does care about you. A lot more than the short amount of time you’ve been in his life would suggest.

As nice as this moment is, he knows he has to remove himself from this warm cocoon the two of you have created and head downstairs. He has to make sure Blue is taken care of and has the opportunity to get some sleep. Mind reluctantly made up, Paps slowly begins to untangle himself from you, making sure the covers are pulled up around your shoulders, trying his best not to wake you.

He’s almost successful too, but as he pulls the covers up, he hears a small sigh and a whispered “Paps?” in a low voice, still drunk with sleep.  

“I’m here, Honeybee.” He whispers back, letting a finger brush a stray piece of hair from your face.

“Mmm…” you say in acknowledgement. “So warmmm.” It sounds like you’re drifting off to sleep again, as if in a dream. “Care … you so … much.” He hears you say in little snippets, before your breathing evens out and you’re once again wholly asleep.

“Oh stars.” He whispers to the quiet room, practically having to drag himself out the door before he creeps downstairs, careful not to make too much noise and wake you again.

~*~

Blue is assembling a bed on the couch unfolding blankets, and fluffing a pillow as Paps makes his way downstairs. He notices tabs all through the DIY books and a small pile of notes on the coffee table. It’s so very like Blue to come up with a detailed plan of attack for your project tomorrow and Paps loves him for it.

It’s 4:00am, and Paps has managed to get a solid five hours sleep. He’d love more – the bags under his eye sockets would agree, but Blue needs to get some rest too, no matter what he says.

“YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD USE A FEW MORE HOURS SLEEP, BROTHER.” He ends up saying, mirroring your thoughts. “I DON’T HAVE TO WORK TODAY, BUT YOU DO. ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE READY TO GET UP?”

Paps smiles, putting on his air of casual indifference. “S’no problem bro. Five hours sleep is good enough for me. Besides, it’s an easy day at work tomorrow. I’ll get by with a little afternoon nap.” Paps tries to wake himself up further by browsing your bookshelves again, and would be totally impressed if he was actually coherent enough to appreciate their contents.

He’s just pondering the merits of making a highly caffeinated cup of tea when he hears it – the sound of a muffled voice and gravel crunching on the side of the house closest to the kitchen.

Blue hears it too, because in an instant he’s standing next to Paps, eerily silent as they both listen to the sounds steadily growing closer.  

The brothers don’t have to come up with a game plan. They’re on the same wavelength. Paps glances to Blue quickly, pointing to the front door and back at him. Blue nods and disappears to check if there’s anyone around front. Paps decides to shortcut to the side of the house for a little chat with your late-night visitor.

~*~

Paps peeks out from behind the garbage can on the side of your house just as the moon dips behind a cloud. It makes the shadows deeper, easier for hiding in until he can figure out what to do. It’s cold out and he’s still only in his pj’s, barefoot on the gravel driveway. Skeletons don’t generally feel the cold the way humans do, but they do eventually get cold. In that moment, however, it’s the last thing on his mind.

A hooded figure with a low, gruff voice appears to be whispering into a phone. He either hasn’t noticed Paps or isn’t expecting anyone, because he only makes a few cursory glances towards the side of the house to check for movement within before he passes right by the garbage can, headed for your car. Paps can make out snippets of conversation.

“Yeah…I’ll let the air out of the tires and scratch something nasty into it.”

A muffled voice whispers back on the other end. Paps can’t make it out.

“Yeah yeah, asshole. I’ll make it threatening. Don’t you worry. She won’t be sleeping for a month.”

Soft, muffled laughter, more murmured conversation and then the call ends.

Paps waits, a calm, calculated anger building up inside of him. While Blue is all energy and emotion, Paps is good at balancing him out, staying levelheaded in situations like this, seeing the things Blue might miss. He chooses to silently walk up behind the man just as he bends over to start messing with your tires.

“Nice night for a stroll.” He says emotionless.

It has the intended effect. The man jumps up from his half-crouch, stumbles, and falls flat on his ass before looking up. Paps’ eye lights are out, and he’s still in shadow, standing stock still.

“Woah buddy, I don’t know what you think this is, but it’s definitely none of your business.” He says, struggling to his feet. Once up, Paps can see the moment his stance changes. The man sizes him up, mistaking his tall, lanky frame for someone – probably a human, who clearly doesn’t know how to take care of himself. He literally watches the confidence return to the man’s body as he enters a fighting stance, ready to take care of business if needed.

We can’t be having any of that now. Paps thinks.

The air around the two of you begins to crackle. It feels charged, and Paps knows the hairs on the back of they guy’s neck are probably standing on end right about now.

That’s when he chooses to light up an eye. It glows his typical orange, but the amount of magic he’s holding around him makes the light shimmer, appearing to flicker like a flame from his eye socket.

That elicits a gasp from the man who, moments ago was squaring up to fight. “Hey freak, I don’t want any trouble.”

Paps pulls a bone into existence, it makes a charged hissing sound as it appears in his hand. “So lemme get this straight. You don’t want any trouble, but you’re more than happy to cause it?” He raises his eye light from the bone to the man’s face, all confidence now gone.

“Look. I’m just doing what I was told-“

“By WHOM?” Paps growls out, not letting the man finish his redundant thought. Great he thinks, don’t appear to lose your cool, Paps. Keep the upper hand.

“I-I-I don’t know.” He stammers, backing further away from Paps nervously, until he bumps into your car.

“You’ll have to do better than that.” Paps says, faking the amusement in his voice to unnerve the guy further.

“Look, I work odd jobs, reply to requests on message boards and online chats. This guy was asking for a little muscle just to scare the bitch.” He says, fumbling for his phone.

“You’ll refrain.” He says, angrily, “from calling her that.” The air goes static around them as the two of you notice Blue wandering up the driveway, eye lights blazing in anger, two long bones held in his hands at his side.

The man quickly opens his phone and shoves it in Paps’ face. “H-here, look. It’s the message I was sent…”

Blue calls up several of his own bone attacks from the ground, effectively surrounding the guy, cutting off any chance of escape until he's finished his interrogation. He always had been better at managing large bursts of magic, and it showed. His emotions were always able to feed the fire of what he could handle, and it was eerily impressive.

Glad his brother has arrived, Paps now feels confident enough to focus his attention on the outstretched hand, taking in the text messages sent from a private number.

I’ve provided the address.

You need to go in the early morning.

Keep the incidents discrete. Nothing that could be linked to anyone in particular.

Kick the door, throw eggs, spray paint, let the air out of the tires.

SEND. A. MESSAGE.

Scare her.

Paps turns his head in disgust. “You’re a real piece of shit.” He says plainly.

Blue is watching the interaction intently, waiting for an indication from Paps that the fight might need to be escalated, but it looks like this guy is pretty much a coward. Figures, Paps thinks, it takes a coward to commit cowardly acts.

“I want to hear his voice. Do you have a saved message?” He asks, flatly.

Slightly trembling, the guy scrolls through his text messages until he finds a sound recording. It isn’t long, but he plays it a few times for Paps and Blue.

“The job is for $200. I’ll pay $50 up front, and the rest when the week and your tasks are complete.”

The voice itself sounds like it belongs to an adult male, angry and personal, but beyond that, Paps and Blue aren’t the best at placing the ages of human voices.

“Take out your wallet.” Paps says.

“M-my wallet?” The man asks, confused.

“DID HE STUTTER?” Blue shouts, making the bones surrounding the guy just a little bit sharper, a little more jagged. He takes the hint, reaching into his back pocket, handing the wallet over to Blue.

“Take a picture of his I.D. and give it back to him” Paps says.

Blue nods, pulling out a driver’s license and snapping a picture on his phone before tossing the wallet back.

“As far as you’re concerned, this job is DONE.” Paps says. “We see you back here, YOU’RE done. Got it?”

He nods nervously. As Blue chimes in again. “WE DIDN’T HEAR YOU. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?”

“Y-yes. Shit. Yes.” He squeaks – actually squeaks - as he nervously tries to put his wallet back into his pocket. “Job didn’t pay enough anyways. Not worth the hassle. Don’t know and don’t care what the bi—err, uhh lady has done. No longer my concern.” His eyes are nervously darting between the two skeletons as he begins to ramble.

Fight drained out of him; Paps looks to Blue. “Let him go.” He says. “His info will go straight to the police if he so much as thinks about this street again.”

Just like that, the crackle in the air dies down and the bones evaporate. The man takes one moment to look around nervously, before taking off down the driveway, faster than either brother would have given him credit for.

“OH BROTHER!” Blue says, worriedly looking towards Paps. “WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO OUR NEW FRIEND? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS?”

Paps just shakes his head. Now that the adrenaline has subsided, he’s starting to feel cold. “Let’s go back inside and get a few more hour’s sleep. We can all sit down and figure this out in the morning. I don’t think we have to worry about anyone coming back tonight.” He says, worn out.

I’ll keep you safe, Honeybee. He thinks, as they both take shortcuts back into the warmth of the house to regroup and recover from the night’s events.

Notes:

Blue: "SHE REALLY USED THE ONLY ONE BED TROPE?"
Paps: *blushing* "It worked, didn't it?"

~*~

Thank you again for the kind words. I'm having a pretty fun time bringing this idea to life! Hopefully I'll have lots of time to write over the Christmas break.

Also, I enjoyed the quick change to Paps' POV. I hope to utilize that and Blue's POV more as the story gets larger.
Find me on @Tumblr

Chapter 6: Tea for Three

Summary:

In which a lot of heavy realizations come to light and things are talked out over tea.

You wake up to arms wrapped around you, and a warm skeleton dozing softly against your back. Paps seems to have migrated to your side of the bed and is twitching slightly in his sleep, muttering incoherently into your hair as if caught in a dream.

Stars, this is nice. You think, marveling at how safe and wanted you feel for the first time in a very long time. You also know the alarm is going to go off soon and that when he stirs, he’ll probably realize he’s accidentally latched on to you in his sleep and end this dreamy moment of perfection.

Only, the alarm doesn’t go off before he wakes up. Instead, you hear a sharp intake of breath and a jolt as Paps is ripped from his dream and briefly freezes in place. You wait for the inevitable disentanglement of limbs and awkward apologies, but they don’t come. Instead, you hear him breathe a sigh of relief before pulling you tighter to him in a hug. You know he’s awake, but are also afraid to break the silence of the moment.

“You okay, Paps?” You eventually whisper, feeling out the situation.

“S’okay.” He says, muttering into your hair. “Bad dream. Thought I’d lost you for a second there.”

You don’t know what to say to that. You’re touched by the concern and want to comfort him; assure him you’re not going anywhere. Ultimately, you settle for laying your arms atop his and hugging him back in thanks.

After a few moments of uninterrupted, easy silence, you find you’re about to drift back to sleep when the alarm actually does go off. There’s a reluctant groan from Paps as he rolls over and snatches up his phone, silencing the noise. “Why did I volunteer for an extra shift today?” He grumbles tiredly.

You feel a bit guilty at that. You’re sure he would have gotten a better sleep in his own bed, instead of having to stay here with you because you were scared. You feel a bit foolish now that it’s morning.

“Hey, thanks again for staying the night. I’m sorry you didn’t get enough sleep because of me.” You begin. “Looks like I was just overreacting.”

His brow bones raise up at that. “You weren’t overreacting, Honeybee. We, uhh, we need to talk about what happened last night.”

For a confused moment you think he means snuggling up next to you and your face drops in disappointment before your brain plays catch-up. “Wait…” you say, connecting the dots. “Did someone actually come back?”

He nods, putting his phone down and rolling back over to face you. “Yeah. ‘Round 4am. Blue and I could hear him walking up the driveway.” Paps watches you, concern evident on his face as he gauges your reaction.

Was it your uncle they caught? How do I handle this? How much more can I ask of Paps and Blue? Your mind is racing a mile a minute.

Paps notices your reaction, how your eyes are darting around, and when your breathing becomes more rapid, he takes your hands in his, drawing you back to the present. “Whoever he is, Blue now has a picture of his license on his phone. He WON’T be coming back. We’ve got you, Honeybee.”

You focus on his phalanges, his thumbs are running up and down the back of your hand, and you nod, trying to fight back the endless emotional exhaustion you’ve been feeling lately. “I think I need to fill you and Blue in on a few things.” You say, not willing yourself to look up at him, as you try to unsuccessfully blink back the tears pooling in your eyes.

He reaches over and gently wipes a stray tear from your cheek. “How about we head downstairs and talk with Blue then? We’ll have some breakfast and it’ll all seem more manageable over a cup of tea. I promise.”

That did sound nice, so you nod in agreement, seeing him smile through your watery vision. As pleasant as it would be to preserve this moment a bit longer and ignore reality, you know that the only way through a tough situation is by moving forward, and the sooner you start, the faster you’ll feel relieved. It’s still such a new sensation, knowing you’ve got friends by your side to turn to, as you try to mentally prepare to describe to them the shit show that was your family life growing up.

Determined, though more than a little sad to be leaving your nice, warm bed, you agree, getting up and heading to your closet to choose an outfit.

“I’ll just get dressed quickly in the bathroom.” He says, grabbing the pack his brother prepared for him on his way to get ready for work.

You let your hands linger over your shirts, knowing that whatever you choose is just going to be matched with another pair of warm leggings. It was now early October, but the weather was reading more November, with an unexpected cold bite to the air.

Just as you settle on a band t-shirt you found in a thrift shop with a plaid button-up, Paps wanders back in, uncomfortably pulling on the edges of the blue argyle sweater his brother was alluding to last night. “Uuugh, Blue, I swear. He knows I can’t stand this thing.” He grumbles to himself.

You can clearly see his discomfort. The outfit itself is a bit more academic than his usual style, but his distress seems to stem from how short it appears on his arms and torso. “If you don’t like that sweater, why do you even own it?” You inquire curiously.

“Well, when we lived in the underground, there wasn’t the same amount of choice that humans have up here when it comes to clothes and possessions.” He pulls at his sleeves while talking, as if willing them to stretch longer. “Most of the time monsters would just repurpose castoffs we’d find from the human world, which is why this doesn’t fit the greatest. The reason I’ve kept it for so long is because it was a gyftmas present and I just can’t seem to shake the ‘just let it go’ mentality.” He complains, itching at his ribcage, “but I would SERIOUSLY make an exception at this point. Blue knows it drives me crazy!” He rolls his eyes exasperated, desperately trying to pull the sweater down further.

Holding up a hand and indicating for him to wait, you rush back to your closet and begin to dig. “I think I may have something…” you say, voice muffled as you push further to the back. When you reemerge, you’re holding an orange cardigan and plain black t-shirt. “You can use this if you like.” You say, tossing him the outfit. It’s always been a bit too long for you, but think it would work well on his tall frame.

Paps looks it over and nods. “Us librarians and our cardigans, eh?” He chuckles softly before really feeling the fabric. “Oh STARS YES, thank you. This feels so soft.” He happily takes off the argyle he’s wearing, tossing it on the bed, before pulling the t-shirt on over his head.

You swear you don’t mean to look, but he’s ripped the offending sweater off so fast, you’re presented with a clear view of everything. Long, delicate collarbones attaching to sternum and ribcage, all supported atop a thick spinal column that dips down to a pelvis and…oh stars you practically whip your head away when you realize you’re staring. Suddenly the clock on your nightstand is the most interesting thing in the room. You can feel your face flush red hot as you bend down to examine the time, unsure if Paps saw your admiring gaze.

Wait, was it admiring? Well yes, you suppose it was. That was a feeling you were going to have to unpack at a later date because as you stare at the clock you realize you’ll have very little time to talk to both brothers together before Paps heads to work.

You hear a sigh of relief and brave a look behind you. Paps is admiring himself in your bedroom mirror and you were indeed correct, the cardigan looks good on him. Moreover, it was at least several inches longer than the argyle, and hung in a relaxed fit. He looked comfortable, plus orange really was his colour.

“That looks great on you!” You blurt out, cheeks still red from earlier.

Not seeming to notice your embarrassment, Paps just grins, running his hands down his chest, straightening out the cardigan. “Thanks a million, Honeybee. You’re tee-rific!”

You can’t help but smile at that, bolstered by his good mood. You can do this, you think. The three of you can work out a plan. You CAN rely on someone’s help for once in your life. “Shall we?” You say, motioning to the door and downstairs.

“Certainly!” Paps says, extending an arm and bowing slightly. “Lead the way!” He says as you head to the door, his hand resting gently on the small of your back as he trails behind.

~*~

The sounds and smells of cooking greet you both as you come down the stairs. You can hear Blue in the kitchen, rummaging with dishes, softly humming to himself. Your grandma’s portable radio is playing a top 40 countdown, some popular song providing a peppy, upbeat background to work to. You look back at Paps, with a quizzical look on your face.

“Blue’s a big fan of healthy breakfasts.” He says, shrugging. “Probably wanted to make sure I ate something that wasn’t Eggo’s and honey.” He chuckles. “Hope you don’t mind the impromptu use of your food.” He says, a little unsure for a moment.

“Oh, not at all.” You smile, reassuringly. “I just wasn’t expecting it. I hope he didn’t feel obligated.” You say.

Paps just chuckles at that. “You’ll find that Blue kinda just goes with what his heart tells him. I don’t think he knows the meaning of the word obligation.”

Smiling warmly back to Paps, you both round the corner and see Blue at the stovetop, flipping what looks to be the makings of an omelette. You can see green peppers and canned mushrooms on the countertop, ready to go. There are already two perfectly plated breakfasts waiting on the table. When he notices you, his smile brightens considerably.

“I WAS JUST ABOUT TO COME AND WAKE YOU BOTH UP!” he says, spooning the veggies into the pan. “I HOPE YOU BROUGHT YOUR APPETITES.” Blue grins, sprinkling a bit of cheese on top, closing the omelette around the toppings before he stops, taking a closer look at Paps. “NICE CARDIGAN, BROTHER.” He says winking before going back to his dish.

“Oh Blue.” you say, “You didn’t have to go to the trouble of making breakfast, but thank you so much.” It’s a welcome surprise, as you probably would have settled for a cup of tea, a piece of toast and not much else.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WE’VE GOT A LOT TO TACKLE TODAY AND IT ALL STARTS WITH A WELL-BALANCED BREAKFAST!” The sheer exuberance behind his words is enough to make anyone grin. “PLEASE, DIG IN. I BREWED A POT OF TEA. IT’S ON THE TABLE. I’LL BE JOINING YOU PRESENTLY.” He says, slipping the now finished omelette onto its plate and wandering over to the table.

You and Paps take a seat as Blue fills both of your mugs with hot tea. It’s been steeping for a good long while now and is thankfully extra bitter. You can practically feel the caffeine being absorbed into your bloodstream, giving you the determination to try and tackle the day. You take a bite of your breakfast, and oh gosh it’s good. The eggs are cooked to perfection. Such a simple thing to make in theory, but you’ve always had difficulty getting your omelettes to flip in one piece.

“Blue, this is fantastic!” You say between bites. He practically glows, eye lights dancing with stars.

“I WISH MY BROTHER APPRECIATED MY COOKING AS MUCH AS MY NEW FRIEND DOES.” He says jokingly to Paps.

Paps, on the other hand just grins and shrugs “I appreciate you bro, your sheer dedication to making sure I eat a vegetable every single day is un-beetable.”

“I’VE GOT A PARTNER IN CRIME NOW TO HELP ME WITH THAT.” He grins, pointing an omelette filled fork towards you before continuing on with his breakfast.

Eventually the three of you clear your plates and sit sipping your cooled down tea. You know deep down that this would be a perfect moment to bring up your family, but it’s so hard to break this calm happy mood that’s settled over the three of you.

Eventually, it’s Paps that gets the ball rolling. Looking at you over his cup of tea, he’s the first to speak up. “Honeybee, I know you had mentioned you wanted to tell us something.” He says encouragingly.

Gulping down your mouthful of tea, you place the cup back on the table and nod. “Y-yeah. I, I mean, Paps mentioned that someone had come back last night and that you had a picture of him in your phone Blue, and I was wondering…I mean, maybe if it was my uncle Doug?” You say meekly, embarrassed at having to add the uncle bit to the end of that statement, all the while knowing you’re rambling, but can’t seem to rid yourself of the nervous jitters.

Blue swiftly takes out his phone and brings up the picture of the man’s license, offering it to you across the table. Almost afraid to look, you take it gently and glance down at the screen. There’s a stranger staring back at you. He appears to be in his mid 20’s with the name Holden Chase printed underneath an angry looking face on a driver’s license. “Oh.” Is all you say at first, wondering why this random person would possibly be repeatedly harassing you.

“When Blue and I caught him last night, he was rambling on about being hired to do this job. He said he didn’t know you at all, but also didn’t know the person who hired him, just that he wanted to scare you.”

You glance up at Paps, sad, but not surprised to hear what he has to say. “A-and what was he planning on doing?” You ask, unsure you want to know.

“HE WAS GOING TO LET THE AIR OUT OF YOUR TIRES AND GRAFFITI YOUR CAR.” Blue chimes on sadly. “I DON’T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD THINK THAT’S OKAY TO DO TO ANYONE.” He looks as dismayed as you feel.

“I-I might have an idea.” You say, suddenly incredibly embarrassed at your past. You’ve spent a lot of time trying to heal and convince yourself you weren’t to blame, but seeing the majority of your family at your grandmother’s funeral has brought all that hopelessness flooding right back to you.

“I’ve not had the best time of things growing up.” You begin, daunted at just how much there was to cover, and wondering what you could say to convey the horrible way you were treated growing up.

Paps reaches across the table and squeezes your hand in encouragement. “You’ve got this, Honeybee.” He whispers.

Nodding, you collect your thoughts and then go on. “There’s a lot of history I won’t get into, but long story short, my dad wasn’t in the picture and my mom died quite young. My grandmother raised me and was the one constant bit of love in my life, the rest of the family were resentful.” You take a deep breath before going on, letting your fingers absentmindedly trace the pattern on your mug of tea.

“I don’t know what prompted it, but they were mean for lack of a better term. Really hateful, just horrible.” You say, the words flowing fast now, trying to encompass a lifetime’s worth of emotional abuse in a few short sentences. Not wanting them to feel bad for you, but at the same time needing the boys to understand why you’re so afraid of your family; especially your uncle.

“When my grandmother died, it was as much a shock to me as it was to them when I was left the house. I have never seen my uncle Doug so mad in all my life – and there was always plenty of opportunity for him to be mad at me. T-that’s why I think it might be him.” You say, focusing really hard on the mug in front of you. “The m-mystery person who hired that guy last night. I don’t know how to prove it, but I’m scared. I think he felt entitled to this house and is doing what he’s always done; blaming me for something I had no control over.”

You can hear Blue gasp at that revelation. Paps just holds your hand tighter, but you don’t meet either of their eyes. You’re afraid of what you might see if you look up. You know it’s irrational, but you’re worried they’ll come to the conclusion that if an entire family treated you so badly, surely it MUST have been something YOU had done wrong. There is even a small part of you that is currently screaming inside your head that this is what you deserve, despite rationally knowing that isn’t the case.

You’re so laser focused on your mug that when you hear someone breathe in, ready to speak, you involuntarily flinch, feeling very much like the child you were when you dealt with the trauma initially.  

It was Paps who first noticed you flinch, a small “oh” escaping his mouth before Blue hurriedly picks up the conversation.

“HOW DOES FAMILY DO THAT TO ANYONE?” Blue asks, incredulously. “YOU WERE JUST A BABYBONES.” You see him shaking his head, finally looking up at the two of them.

“I must have done something wrong I guess.” You say meekly, finding those familiar words harder and harder to believe with the support system you now have in front of you.

“BUT, BUT, BUT…YOU WERE JUST A BABYBONES!” he reiterates more urgently. “FAMILY SHOULD BE THERE TO GUIDE YOU AND LOVE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU. BABYBONES COULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO WARRANT BEING TREATED LIKE THAT.” He looks desperately at his brother now, seeking support.

Paps nods, clasping his other hand over yours as well. “Blue’s right, Honeybee. You were a child and they should have loved you. This isn’t on you. It’s on them. None of this is your fault.” He says gently. “You do know that, right?”

“I mean…I…” You swallow down the lump in your throat, so very tired of crying. This was something you thought you had dealt with long ago. An unfortunate part of your youth that you’d tackled and come to terms with. So then why was it so hard to admit to yourself that it indeed, wasn’t your fault?

Blue is the first one out of his seat. He stands in front of your chair, bends down slightly and just gives you a hug. “IT’S ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT NOT YOUR FAULT.” He repeats as you relent to what you’re feeling. There’s a small hitch to your voice that you can’t seem to banish.

“T-thank y-you.” You whisper.

Paps slides his chair closer to you, gathering both you and Blue up in his arms. “My bro’s pretty smart.” He whispers in your ear. “You should definitely believe in him if you’re having trouble believing in yourself right now.”

His words have managed to calm the worst of the storm building inside of you as you realize once again that you had been conditioned for far too long to feel like you didn’t deserve this. You had truly thought friendship was beyond your reach and are only now realizing that maybe it had been something you were purposely denying yourself because why? Because your uncle and family conditioned you to believe you were worthless? You take deep breath at that realization, letting it out slowly as you sink into the love that your new friends are providing.

When the hug ends, you smile – genuinely smile at the two of them. There is still a world of trouble to deal with, but your soul feels a little bit lighter, having finally allowed yourself to open up a little. You just need to say this one final piece though before any of you decide to proceed any further.

“I needed to tell you because well, it’s a lot to ask of anyone; especially brand-new friends. If you want to walk away and not get involved, I really wouldn’t blame or hold it against you. I feel like I come with a lot of baggage and that I’m not worth the trouble.” Oh stars that hurts to say, but there’s a big part of you that is demanding you give them an opportunity to walk away, as much as that would emotionally crush you right now.

The brothers are staring silently at you as if you’ve grown a second head. Slowly, you see Paps’ and Blue’s eye lights trail to each other as if some mutual unspoken conversation is happening between the two of them. You can see Paps’ eye lights look static for a moment, as if they’re going in and out of focus. He looks like he’s struggling to maintain composure, his hands, you notice are balled up in the tablecloth. Blue widens his eye sockets ever so slightly at his brother, before letting his gaze drift over to you a fresh grin firmly planted on his face.

“I’M AFRAID YOU’RE STUCK WITH US, FRIEND.” He says matter-of-factly, placing a hand on your shoulder, jokingly consoling you with their decision. “I COULDN’T CALL MYSELF THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE IF I WALKED AWAY FROM A FRIEND IN NEED.” He winks reassuringly at you.

There’s nothing but genuine warmth in his voice and for the first time in this whole conversation, you realize you have been clenching your muscles, bracing for the worst outcome. Letting out a long breath, you release the tension in your body, trying to relax. They’re your friends, they’re sticking by you. You’re not quite sure what transpired between the two brothers just now, but you chalk it up to something monster-related that you aren’t yet aware of. You can respect that.  

Grinning up at Blue in thanks, you turn to Paps who has been unusually quiet, looking for reassurance from him as well. He’s released the tablecloth and is smoothing it out calmly, a distant look in his eye lights.

“Paps?” You ask tentatively. “You okay?”

He looks up at you as if coming out of a deep daydream and smiles. “Yeah, Honeybee. I’m good. We’re not going anywhere.” He reiterates Blue's sentiment. “Looks like you’re stuck with us. Well, presently just Blue since I have to go to work, but I’ll be back!”

Chuckling, he pushes himself up from the table, resting a hand on your head and affectionately ruffling your hair as he passes by.

Something is not completely right with that interaction, but you don’t know how to put it into words. Instead, you settle on standing up and wandering over to the fridge.

“I prepared leftovers for all of us and made you a lunch for work today.” You smile warmly, handing Paps the crepes packed up in a brown paper bag, decorated with his name neatly written on top in your loopy handwriting.

He takes it affectionately, running a finger across his name, lingering in the kitchen door a bit longer than necessary. It’s Blue that finally sets him back into motion.

“BROTHER, WE’LL BE FINE! YOU’VE GOT FIVE MINUTES TO GET TO WORK!” He chides, shooing him to the front door.

“I’ll be fine bro, I know a shortcut.” He smiles looking up at you, winking playfully before disappearing.

You do a little hop back and chuckle to Blue. “It’s gonna be a while before I get used to that!”

“HE’S JUST BEING A SHOWOFF.” Blue muses, rolling his eye lights. “LET ME SHOW YOU MY PLAN OF ATTACK FOR TODAY. WE CAN DISCUSS THE HEAVIER STUFF TONIGHT WHEN PAPS IS BACK, BUT FOR NOW, LET’S TALK HOME IMPROVEMENT!”

You nod, following Blue into the living room, open home improvement books scattered on the coffee table, and get ready to start your day.

~*~

Blue, earlier:

“I feel like I come with a lot of baggage and that I’m not worth the trouble…”

Blue hears you finish, but isn’t able to fully process what that means before he feels the wave of emotions radiating from his brother’s soul. Humans wouldn’t notice, but it’s enough to make any monster in the vicinity stop and take stock of what’s going on. A great wave of energy is building around the three of you, as Blue realizes Paps is trying to stop his soul from pulling you into an encounter.

OH STARS. He thinks. THIS IS UNEXPECTED. Standing stock still, he slowly begins to pull his eye lights from you to lock eyes with his brother. He can feel Paps struggling, holding back with a sheer force of determination not often exhibited in monsters. When he realizes just how hard a time Paps is having, Blue jumps into action. 

“I’M AFRAID YOU’RE STUCK WITH US, FRIEND.” Blue says, trying to break the tension and hopefully snap his brother out of it. He places a hand on your shoulder, willing you to look at him and not his brother, giving Paps a moment to gain control over his emotions once again. He’s usually so cerebral and calm all the time, Blue never would have seen this coming. Paps likes you. Really likes you. The fact that he’s actively fighting against the natural urge for a monster to pull the object of their affection into an encounter speaks volumes, coming into sharp focus for Blue.

“I COULDN’T CALL MYSELF THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE IF I WALKED AWAY FROM A FRIEND IN NEED.” He winks, feeling the steady build of energy reach its crescendo before slowly ebbing away. There is genuine relief in his voice as he feels it dissipate and fizzle out. Blue notices you look mildly confused, as if you picked up on the faintest threads of something that has gone completely over your head. SMART FRIEND. He thinks.

To his brother’s credit, he composes himself faster than Blue would have thought possible. Paps is able to take advantage of the fact he has to go to work and extracts himself from the situation to go clear his head.

Stars, why has he not noticed this easy affection earlier? He has never seen Paps act so relaxed so quickly around anyone before. Sure, he always presented himself as calm and chill, but Blue knows the subtle signs to look for that lets him know his brother is truly comfortable. Heck, this is the first genuine human friend he’s ever made that he’s bothered to introduce Blue to.

It was just such a wonderful feeling to be invited out by his brother and new friend, that he didn’t pick up on the normal signs he might have otherwise gleaned. Blue would make sure to carve out the time to have a private conversation with his brother later. If Paps wanted to pull you into an encounter, he was sure it wouldn’t have been like that. Everyone’s emotions were so raw and on edge. It would not have been the right moment.

Oh stars, he was happy for his brother. For the longest time he felt like Paps had been withdrawing more and more into himself. You must really be something special to get his brother to react like that, to him, you glow like starlight.

Blue snaps back to the present with that thought at the forefront of his mind as he watches you get up and hand his brother a lunch. It sure looks like you care about him as much as he does. At that moment Blue knows he’s going to work his hardest to ensure the two of you become the BEST of friends, and he hopes that when the time is right, you’ll be gentile with his brother’s soul, no matter how you may or may not feel in return.

Blue knows he’s getting WAY ahead of himself though, so with much effort, he pushes those thoughts aside for now and follows you into the living room. After all, he has home improvement plans to hammer out and a door to fix. His goal by the end of the day is to make you feel safer in your home than you currently do, and Blue isn’t one to fail an undertaking.

Notes:

I've always liked the idea that monsters can't really control starting encounters when big feelings are involved. It nicely explained why when playing the game you're pulled into all these encounters against your will. They're all motivated by fear.
But what if they're motivated by ALL the big feels?

Also, Blue is already clearly excited. If I let him continue his thought exercise any longer, he'd probably be planning their wedding.

Blue: I JUST LOVE LOVE, ALRIGHT?
Paps: You can heartly contain yourself, eh bro?
Find me on @Tumblr

Chapter 7: Future Plans and Caffeine Fans

Summary:

It's time to start the day. There's errands to be run and unfortunately, a job to head off to.

“OH YEAH, WAY TO GO GRANDMA!” Blue exclaims as you triumphantly hold up a putty knife. You’re finding out that your sweet, piano playing, cookie baking granny also had an extensive collection of tools and materials stored away in the garage, more than enough to maintain a properly functioning home.

“Gotta say, even I’m surprised at how well stocked this is.” You grin. When all is said and done, it looks like all you’ll have to buy is the weather stripping and some wood filler, as the tube you found in the garage had dried out and hardened over the years.

Blue gathers up the tools the two of you have located and, giving one final cursory glance at the wall of storage behind you, gets ready to leave. “YOU KNOWWWW,” he says, drawing out the words, “WE COULD REALLY ORGANIZE THIS SPACE SO EVERYTHING IS EASY TO FIND.” Looking over at you, he stops mentally redecorating your garage and grins sheepishly. “AFTER THIS INITIAL PROJECT IS TACKLED, OF COURSE!”

“If you’re offering, I would not turn down your help! I’m clean and tidy, but am not the best at organization.” You begrudgingly admit.

His eyes light up in little excited stars now that you’ve encouraged him. “YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT SKELETON THEN! I SHALL DEMYSTIFY THE ART OF EFFICIENT ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR YOU. DON’T WORRY. I GUARANTEE IT WILL SPARK JOY.”

You grin and lightly push his arm. “You’re such a goober. I didn’t know you were secretly Marie Kondo.”

He laughs, bolstered by your good mood. “I KNOW, RIGHT? DON’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT MY SECRET IDENTITY THOUGH, IT’S MY ONE KON-DITION.”

You stop and stare at him for a moment, a sly grin on your face. “I thought you didn’t like Paps’ puns, and here you are, being a regular comedian.”

“ERR, DON’T TELL HIM, OKAY? I KNOW HE LIKES TO THIIIINK HE’S THE FUNNY ONE IN THE FAMILY, BUT HE GETS HIS BEST MATERIAL FROM ME.”

“Suuuure he does.” You grin, exiting the garage and locking up behind you as you head inside the house to deposit the tools and take final stock of everything.

“Do you think we need the books?” You motion to the living room where they’re still resting on the coffee table.

“NAHHH. I’VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF TABBING SOME FUTURE PROJECTS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN, BUT WE WON’T NEED THE BOOKS AGAIN UNTIL WE’RE ACTUALLY CHANGING THE WEATHER STRIPPING.” He says matter-of-factly. “SHALL WE START OUR DAY OF ERRANDS?”

Nodding, you grab your wallet and keys, silently thankful yet again that the brothers were here last night to prevent further damage to your home and car.

“I KNOW I’LL GET IT REGARDLESS, BUT I JUST LOVE SAYING IT. SHOTGUN!!!” Blue shouts as he bounds out the side door, with more energy than anyone should have on just a few hours sleep. You grab a hoodie on the way out, taking into account how cold you felt in the garage earlier, before you lock up and hop into your car.

She’s an old girl, but still works fairly well as you back down the driveway and out onto the street. You’re extra happy your car was spared last night as you just had the oil changed and the gas tank filled. Being within walking distance to work was going to help keep your maintenance costs down, but it would have been hard for you to justify spending extra money to get a scratch covered – even if the scratch was a threatening message.

You tell Blue he’s in charge of the music, which of course makes him light up with delight. After a few moments of figuring out how to connect his phone to the Bluetooth, he’s playing DJ with a surprising mix of pop and musical theatre songs. They are as high-energy and happy sounding as he seems to always be. You don’t know half of what he’s playing, but are enjoying the new sounds regardless.

By the time you pull into the parking lot of the hardware store, you’ve learned half the lyrics to “I’m in Love With You” by the 1975, which – as Blue assured you, would be easy since they are primarily just repeated refrain. It doesn’t matter to you one bit. It’s upbeat and stuck in your head now and you’re having a great time poorly dancing through the parking lot with him as you approach the building.

Much like Paps in the grocery store, you notice Blue’s demeanour changes once you enter the shop. He doesn’t hunch and try to appear smaller, but the bubbly happy-go-lucky version of him is more subdued. He still exudes the same level of confidence, just wields it in different ways. Where Paps avoids most interactions, Blue meets people’s eyes when they look at him and nods or waves hello.

His demeanour has the intended effect on most people. They either turn away sheepishly, realizing they were staring, or wave back and go on with their shopping. The two of you are stopped at the busy main entrance reading the wayfinding signs, so there is lots of opportunity for people to stare, but you just don’t get why even after five years on the surface, monsters are still getting so much attention just trying to live their lives. Though, come to think of it, you notice monsters are also equally staring at Blue, a look of admiration in their eyes.

Before you can give it more thought, Blue taps your shoulder and points down the rows of aisles. “I THINK WHAT WE NEED IS DOWN AISLE FIFTEEN.”

You look at him, impressed. “I had no idea you could see that far with the naked eye.” Squinting, you try and see what’s written under the big 15, but can barely even make out what’s printed on the aisle 5 sign from here.

“ONLY TOP NOTCH MONSTERS ARE ADMITTED TO THE ROYAL NAVY” Blue says proudly before deflating slightly again.

You remember him mentioning how he took a step back from that role, and every indication would lead you to believe he was happy with that decision, but clearly there was something eating at him a little. “You know it works both ways, right?” You begin, gently bumping into his shoulder as you wander down the aisles. “You can always talk to me about anything on your mind too.”

He smiles back gratefully to you. “I KNOW, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.” Grabbing you by the sleeve he tugs you down aisle fifteen. You weren’t paying attention and had almost walked past it. “IT’S NOT ANYTHING WORTH WORRYING ABOUT, AND I HAVE ENJOYED ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT I’VE THROWN MYSELF INTO. I GUESS I JUST WISH I COULD HAVE FIGURED IT ALL OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO STEP BACK, YOU KNOW?” He looks up at you, seeing if you understand him.

“I get it. You wanted to be all things to all people.” You say, attempting to figure out the root of the problem.

“YES AND NO.” he goes on. “IT WAS MORE LIKE I WAS PUTTING TOO MUCH OF MYSELF INTO THAT JOB THAT I EVENTUALLY BURNT OUT. I WAS ALWAYS ON CALL, ALWAYS PUTTING OUT FIRES, ALWAYS THE FACE OF MONSTER-HUMAN RELATIONS, ALWAYS CAPTAIN SANS SERIF OF THE ROYAL NAVY FIRST AND FOREMOST.” He smiles wistfully. “I PUT SO MUCH OF MYSELF INTO THAT IDENTITY, I HAD NO CLUE WHO I WAS WITHOUT IT.” He slows, scanning the aisle as he continues talking.  “I’VE BEEN GETTING TO KNOW THIS VERSION OF ME SINCE I STEPPED BACK AND AM FINDING OUT I LIKE BLUE A LOT MORE THAN THAT OTHER GUY.”

You smile at him. “We’re all works in progress, Blue. Even though I didn’t know Captain Sans Serif, I’m sure glad I’m getting to know this you now.”

He blushes, a light dusting of blue across his cheek bones before chuckling softly. At that moment you can see so much of his brother in him and it melts your heart a little to have noticed it. “THE FEELING IS MUTUAL. I THINK BOTH PAPS AND I HAVE HAD OUR LIVES ON AUTOPILOT FOR A WHILE NOW. YOU SEEM TO BE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO SNAP US OUT OF IT.”

“I promise to try and live up to that, Blue.” You say earnestly as you both stop in front of the weather stripping.

“YOU’RE ALREADY DOING A GREAT JOB, STARLIGHT.” He says, kneeling down to grab the right stripping from the bottom shelf. “I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT DIFFERENT BRANDS, BUT THIS LOOKS THE MOST ECONOMICAL.”

It’s true. The brand he’s chosen seems to be on sale and you’re grateful to him for catching that. 20% off is money in your pocket. It doesn't pass your attention that he's called you a sweet nickname as you beam from the inside out. “On to the wood filler.” You say warmly.

With exaggerated embellishment, Blue offers you his arm, which of course you take, looping yours inside his with equally exaggerated movements, the two of you talking and joking quietly to each other while hunting down the rest of your supplies.

He’s in the middle of regaling you with a story, chronicling gyftmas presents the brothers have gifted each other over the years as you head up to the self check out to pay.

“I DON’T KNOW HOW HE DID IT, BUT I SWEAR ONE YEAR PAPS FOUND US MATCHING SWEATERS. I’M WILLING TO ADMIT DEFEAT; NOT THAT IT’S A COMPETITION, BUT PAPS ALWAYS MANAGES TO FIND THE BEST GIFTS.” Blue says reflectively, “HE’S ALWAYS BEEN THE MORE OBSERVANT ONE. DON’T GET ME WRONG, I CAN READ A ROOM, BUT HE CAN SIT BACK AND PICK UP ON THE NUANCES THAT MOST MONSTERS WOULD OVERLOOK. TOGETHER THOUGH, WE’RE A GREAT TEAM.”

You can tell Blue is lost in a memory as he absently bags the items you scan. “What do you think is the best gift you’ve ever found for him?” You ask inquisitively, wanting to keep the conversation going. You’re enjoying learning about their past as you run your debit card through the machine and collecting your receipt.

“NOW THERE’S A QUESTION THAT DESERVES SOME THOUGHT. NO MATTER WHAT YOU GIVE HIM, HE’S GOING TO ENJOY IT. IN THAT WAY, HE’S BOTH INCREDIBLY EASY TO GIFT, AND ALSO VERY HARD. THERE’S ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF TIMES WHEN I NOTICED HIM GOING BACK TO CERTAIN GIFTS AGAIN AND AGAIN. THAT’S WHEN I KNEW I GOT IT REALLY RIGHT.” Blue ponders as the two of you exit the store making your way back to the car.

“BOOKS WERE ALWAYS A REAL TREASURE TO GIFT. YES, WE HAVE A LIBRARBY IN SNOWDIN, BUT MOST OF WHAT’S IN THERE IS MONSTER MANUALS AND HISTORIES. THERE’S JUST SOMETHING THAT HITS DIFFERENT WHEN WE’D FIND A BOOK OR MOVIE FROM THE SURFACE.” He gestures around the old parking lot fondly, like he’s imagining standing in the middle of a Barnes and Noble. “HUMANS ARE INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, AND PROLIFIC! HOW DO YOU MANAGED TO COME UP WITH SO MUCH ENTERTAINMENT?” He says rhetorically.

You smile at that; it makes sense that Paps wound up at a library. It seems to fit his disposition perfectly, even if some coworkers are less than stellar. “What are some of his favourite books?” You ask curiously as the two of you get in the car.

“OH STARS, HE READS SO MUCH IT’S HARD TO KEEP TRACK. I SEE HIM MOSTLY WITH FANTASY AND CHEESY ROMANCE NOVELS, TRUTH BE TOLD.” Blue laughs affectionately at that revelation. “THEY’RE DEFINITELY HIS GUILTY PLEASURES.”

“Awww” you say between chuckles “that’s adorable! How about you? What was the best gift he ever got you?” You ask, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main street.

“ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.” Blue trails off, pondering for a minute, the only noise between you is the soft hum of the car’s engine. “BEFORE I WAS IN THE ROYAL NAVY, HE MADE ME A CAPTAIN’S UNIFORM.” He smiles at that, looking out the window, lost in a memory. “PAPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL LIKE THAT. HE KNEW HOW BADLY I WANTED TO JOIN, SAW HOW HARD I TRAINED AND DECIDED I NEEDED A UNIFORM TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL.”

You’re at a stop light when you glance over to Blue, catching him quickly wiping a happy tear from the corner of his eye socket. You pretend not to notice, but inwardly are touched. This relationship runs deep through their bones. It brings up good memories with your grandmother and in that moment, you get it completely.

“I’ll have to try to think of a really good gift for him this holiday season.” You say, bringing Blue back to the present.

“OH STARS YES! IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP, YOU JUST LET ME KNOW. TOGETHER WE SHALL PREVAIL!”

“I’ll have to think of a good one for you too.” You say, a sly grin dancing on the corner of your mouth.

“OOH, I DO LIKE A CHALLENGE. I KNOW IT’S EARLY, BUT EXPECT A GREAT GIFT FROM ME THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TOO!”

There’s that energy you’re used to from Blue. You have to laugh at how earnest the guy is, already planning for the holidays when you still have Halloween to look forward to. He eventually goes back to picking more songs from his playlist as you roll up to a drive-thru, your body demanding more caffeine.

“Want anything, Blue?” You ask as you roll down the window.

“I’D LOVE A PEPPERMINT TEA. MY TREAT THIS TIME.” He says, pulling out some money.

“Oh, thank you Blue. You don’t have to! You’re already doing so much for me.”

“NONSENSE. I LIKE HELPING, AND YOU MADE US A WONDERFUL DINNER LAST NIGHT.”

“Well, you made us a wonderful breakfast this morning.” You point out.

“YEAH, WITH YOUR FOOD!” Blue shoots back playfully.

“Touché.” You say, accepting the money with a laugh.

Soon the two of you are on your way home, ready to tackle your first real home improvement project. Even though it was born from a bad situation, you’re pretty excited to being putting your mark on your house.

~*~

 Paps makes it to work on time, and outwardly he’s the same calm, pun cracking employee his regulars have grown accustomed to interacting with, but inwardly he’s incredibly distracted. Thank goodness he’s just on the circulation desk today. He doesn’t think he has the mental capacity to come up with any last-minute programming ideas or reference questions.

He tosses his lunch in the fridge and heads up front, sitting down next to Riley, one of the nicer coworkers of the bunch. Riley usually likes to talk about the latest manga they’re reading or video game they’ve picked up. While Riley is kind and enjoys talking to everyone, Paps is especially appreciative of the fact that they’re also not into gossip and really just into doing their own thing. Riley usually keeps conversations light, and today of all days, it’s a win that Paps will take.

As he logs in on the computer and brings up the circulation software, Paps notices his hands are still trembling slightly. Once finished, he quickly removes them from the keyboard, stuffing them into the pockets of his (your) cardigan. And there it is. You. You and these complicated feelings and the fact that he knows, he knows that it’s not enough time for a human to process something that monsters take for granted.

It would have been so simple had you been a monster. You feel a tug on your soul, they feel a tug on their soul, you come together in an encounter and lay your souls bare to each other. When he felt the tug on his soul this morning in bed, he had tried to dismiss it at first. Surely it was just the drama of the night before. Everything had been super charged with emotion and he was deeply worried about you.

After all, the friendship was still so fragile and new in and of itself, but when that wave of magic hit him again at the table this morning, he had known beyond a shadow of a doubt. Paps desperately wanted to pull you into an encounter and tell you what he was starting to feel for you.

He's broken from his reverie by Riley tapping him gently on the shoulder. “You okay man? I asked what you thought of the latest manga the library got in and got nothing in return. Earth to Paps. Calling all Papyrus’s in the building.” They let out a good natured chuckle and wait for your reply.

“Oh, umm, I haven’t had the chance to go over them.” Paps says halfheartedly, using the welcome distraction of a family coming to check out books to focus his attention elsewhere.

Riley though, is waiting patiently for the transaction to end, and immediately picks up the conversation where Paps had left off. “That’s okay man. I know you’re more into romance novels at the moment anyways.”

Paps blushes at this. He thinks back to the last book or two…or five that he’s checked out and how they have all indeed been romance novels.

“No shame in that Paps!” Riley goes on chatting. “I like a good love story myself from time to time. Why, the last arc of my manga featured the two main characters finally confessing their love for one another!”

Riley animatedly takes a deep dive into their latest obsession and Paps, while he doesn’t mean to, kinda loses focus again as he tries to figure out how to make sense of his very large feelings. While lost in his thoughts, his phone vibrates in his pocket, startling him out of his reverie.

Pulling up the phone, he opens the text messages to see a selfie of you and Blue in your car, holding up drinks and making funny faces at the camera.

Honeybee: Miss you a-latte!

Paps chuckles, rapidly firing off a text back to you.

Paps: You’re a braver soul than I, giving my brother more caffeine!

There’s a brief pause and then three dots appear as you write your reply back.

Honeybee: Mistakes were made. I think he might actually be vibrating with energy. That’s bad, right? ;)

Paps: You made your choice, now deal with it!

He puts the phone down and chuckles softly to himself. Riley had apparently noticed the picture as you brought it up on your phone because shortly after you look up, they comment.

“Haven’t had a chance to really talk with her yet, but the new coworker seems pretty nice, eh?” They ask innocently.

Paps grins at his phone and nods. “Yeah, nice.”

“Glad you’ve befriended her before certain people in the back did.”

Struck by this last comment, Paps looks up at Riley. So rarely do they talk about specific coworkers in a negative light. It’s refreshing and a little jarring. “Yeah, hon-err, umm, she is fast becoming a good friend.” He says smiling to himself.

“Well, glad to hear it man. There are a few good eggs around here, glad to know she can be added to the err, umm, carton?” They stumble over their word salad before laughing loudly, garnering odd looks from several patrons.

“I get what you’re saying, Riley.” Paps chimes in, saving them from further comparing you and your coworkers to eggs.

They nod, going back to sorting the book cart for shelving, but stop to glance at Paps again. “I know I usually don’t say much of anything to my coworkers, but you should know that you’re a good egg too, Paps.” With that, Riley gets up to deliver a sorted cart to a waiting book page.

Paps smiles warmly at that. He knows he has good coworkers and that a lot of the time their personalities are just overshadowed by the few – well, bad eggs that also work at this branch. He’s been so introspective this past year, he’s completely missed this revelation.

Paps decides to put that on the back burner for now as he takes a deep breath and goes back to trying to get a handle on his emotions by throwing himself into his work, and it does work for a time. It’s not until he’s tapped on the shoulder once again by Riley to let him know he should go take his lunch that he’s realized half his shift has passed.

Walking to the back, he’s checked his phone again and is greeted by a flurry of texts from you and Blue. Grabbing his lunch from the fridge, he sits down to sift through the wall of texts.

Blue: HOW ARE YOU DOING, BROTHER?

Blue: I’M ALWAYS HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

Blue: DON’T DO THAT THING WHERE YOU SAY EVERYTHING IS GREAT BUT YOU GO AND INTERNALIZE IT FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR BROTHER.

Blue: I KNOW YOU TOO WELL, REMEMBER?

That gets a chuckle out of Paps as he continues to scroll through the messages.

Blue: OUR NEW FRIEND IS REALLY QUITE SPECIAL, ISN’T SHE?

Blue: WE’VE ALREADY BEEN INVITED OVER FOR GYFTMAS EVEN THOUGH IT’S MONTHS AWAY! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Blue: I DON’T THINK SHE REALIZES I AM NOT TO BE TRUSTED WITH THIS MUCH CAFFEINE.

Blue: MESSAGE ME BACK WHENEVER YOU CAN! I’M ABOUT TO FIX A DOOR NOW.

Paps smiles at his brother’s exuberance. It didn’t go unnoticed what he did for him this morning at the breakfast table. He puts his phone down for a moment to take out the lunch you packed. Three perfect crepes filled to the brim, and a handful of candy sprinkled loosely in the bag. As he takes the lunch out, a folded note flutters to the table, unnoticed at first under the pieces of candy.

Tentatively, he picks it up and unfolds it grinning like a fool, as he traces a long finger over the loops in your writing. It reads: Paps, I didn’t have time to find any dandelions, so I drew you the biggest, brightest flower I could think of instead! Have a great day, -your friend. You’ve even drawn a small honeybee next to the ‘your friend’, as well as a pretty darn good rendition of a sunflower. Between that and the lunch, he’s made up his mind. He wants you in his and Blue’s lives and knows he absolutely has to get a handle on his soul magic for that to happen.

They’ve on the surface now and since this is new territory for most monsters, he’s going to take it slow, get to know you better and do his best to keep his soul in check. He knows the right moment for an encounter will eventually present itself, but in the meantime, he’s going to give himself the best chance of a favourable outcome as possible by letting your friendship build first.

Mind made up, he takes a long slow breath and tries to make peace with the soul fluttering in his chest. He distracts himself by reading your series of texts and laughing as he has his lunch.

You: Fine, but I must warn you that Blue and I are planning on getting up to some serious mischief together.

You: If it all goes south, I’m blaming this on you!

You: The door is officially off its hinges.

You: Oh stars! Blue is running around the front yard with the door. How? Is he fueled on caffeine?

You’ve attached a picture of Blue, mid jump, with a door balanced over his head, stars glistening in his eyes as he runs across your lawn. Paps almost coughs out the bite of crepe in his mouth as he laughs out loud.

Of course, the only other people in the break room are Brynne and Claire, and of course they shoot him dirty looks from across the room. He pays them no mind. They’re all bark and no bite without their ringleader, Beth anyways. There’s something itching at the back of his mind though, but with everything else he’s focused on, Paps lets it drop. There’s half a shift to finish and then he can meet up with you and Blue again.

He feels like he’s gotten a better hold on his emotions now and is ready to figure out a long-term plan for your problem and also have a private conversation with Blue about this morning.

So what if he decides to keep your note safely tucked inside his phone case moving forward? And so what if he wonders how long he can go before he has to give you back your cardigan? Yup, he’s most definitely got everything under control now. Nothing to worry about at all. He’s got this.

As if to prove it to his brain, he sends you back a laughing emoji, waits a little bit and adds a pun to the mix for good measure.

Paps: Caffeine + my brother = bad idea.

Paps: Words can’t espresso what you mean to me.

No. He erases that last bit and tries again. I’ve been thinking about you a latte? You’re the cream to my coffee? The sugar in my tea? Gahhh, it’s like all his easy puns have been wiped from his brain to make room for the big emotions in his soul.

He eventually settles for stay grounded, rolling his eye lights as he hits send. He knows it’s not one of his best puns, but it’s the best he can do at the moment. With that, he packs up his lunch and gets back to work, making a mental note to flip through some bad joke books if he has the opportunity.

Notes:

I'm not sure why I struggled with this chapter so much, but I eventually wound up in a place where I'm happy.
I really wanted this to be a slow burn and felt I was moving a bit too fast. Can't help it, I absolutely love writing their relationship dynamics.
We needed some fun after the intensity of the last few chapters.
Hope you enjoyed!
Find me on @Tumblr

Chapter 8: Emotions Cut Deep

Summary:

In which reader finds out she may also be developing a crush.

TW: Blood (but like the smallest little paper cut of an injury)

After the initial confusion over where to put the door, you and Blue manage to rest it in the garage as you administer the wood filler, leaving it alone to dry while the two of you tackle the weather stripping. Blue only references the DIY books again once and is doing a pretty decent job of installing the new stripping with your eager help. The repair seemed daunting at first, but once you got into it, breaking it down into manageable tasks made it a heck of a lot easier.

The two of you eventually take a break to eat your leftover crepes amicably at the kitchen table, tossing the dishes in the sink for the time being. The day was quickly turning into afternoon and you wanted that door up before it got really cold tonight.

“I THINK IT’S DRY.” Blue says, touching the patch job lightly. “ALL THAT’S LEFT IS TO SAND IT AND THEN WE CAN PUT THE DOOR BACK UP.”

You nod, surveying your handiwork. It’s been a busy day, and while fun, you’re fading fast. Even Blue, with his boundless energy, finally looks like he’s put in a hard day’s work and would like to relax.

Taking the sandpaper, you get to work on the last task, brushing the wood dust away as you finish up. It doesn’t aesthetically look the greatest, but it’s now smooth to the touch and Blue assures you it can be covered up with stain or painted to look as good as new.

Standing up from the workbench he was leaning on, Blue makes a show of cracking his knuckles and stretching out his bones before picking up the door with ease, heading back towards the house. You lock up the garage and trail behind him, thinking you’ll forever be impressed by his boundless energy.

By the time you catch up with the hardware, he’s already in the process of balancing the door on its hinges. You take the opportunity to insert the pins and hammer them in. Soon, all that’s left is to pull it closed and stand by the door, marvelling at how quiet and warm it is inside.

“Oh gosh, it’s perfect!” You say excitedly, bits of sawdust falling from your hair.

Blue looks equally impressed with his handiwork. “I CAN’T WAIT TO TACKLE OUR NEXT PROJECT!” he says proudly. “JUST…MAYBE NOT TODAY.”

Laughing, you affectionately pat his shoulder, watching little clouds of wood dust puff up, and yeah, you’re both pretty grimy from the day’s work. “We’ll have to start small. I don’t have the money for a lot of back-to-back projects at the moment.” You sigh wistfully, gathering up your tools and what remains of your supplies to toss by the back door in the kitchen until tomorrow.

Blue trails behind, checking the time on your wall clock. “HEY, PAPS SHOULD BE FINISHING UP WORK SHORTLY! I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW HIM OUR COMPLETED PROJECT.” He smiles proudly, trying to wipe his brow clean, but just ending up smearing the dirt around on his forehead.

You chuckle, fairly certain he hasn’t realized what he’s done, also aware that you’re probably looking no better at the moment. You reach out a hand and attempt to brush the smudge from his skull, Blue watching your every move."I MADE IT WORSE, DIDN'T I?" He says in resignation.

"Let's just say I think we could both use a chance to freshen up and then maybe think of a meal?” You ask questioningly. “That is, if the two of you would like to stay for dinner again?” You tack on, suddenly shy and a bit apprehensive at the thought of being alone. You know it’s bound to happen, but you’re a little less emotionally equipped to deal with it now. It’s like you’ve gotten a taste of friendship, and you’re craving it even more.

Blue grins “YOU READ MY MIND. WHY DON’T YOU TAKE SOME DOWN TIME, SHOWER, REFRESH, AND I’LL POP HOME TO DO THE SAME? PAPS AND I SHOULD RETURN IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND WE CAN THINK ABOUT DINNER THEN AND MAYBE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE TOUCHED UPON THIS MORNING? I'D LIKE TO ENSURE WE HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR SAFETY.”

A sigh of relief escapes your lips as you see that Blue has picked up on the worry you were holding in. “Thanks Blue. That sounds lovely.”

Nodding, he looks around once more, reminds you to ensure every door is locked up tight before you hop in the shower, and then with a wave, promises he’ll be back soon before disappearing.

Smiling at the space he just occupied, you pull out your phone and fire off a quick text to Paps.

You: Project officially complete! I can’t wait for you to see our handiwork. Covered in grime and dust, gonna get changed. See you soon!

You snap a quick pic of yourself looking comically exhausted, send it along with your text and run upstairs to take a much-needed shower.

~*~

Ten minutes left to go and Paps has completely mentally checked out when suddenly his phone starts blowing up. Stars, that’s a cute picture of you, even covered in dust and debris, he thinks. For the hundredth time today, he curses the extra shift he picked up and wishes he had been able to stay and help.

Most of his other texts are coming from his brother though. He’s greeted by a familiar wall of messages as Blue sends sentences rapid fire to his phone.

Blue: OKOKOKOK I’M AT THE APARTMENT.

Blue: COME HERE DIRECTLY FROM WORK SO WE CAN TALK.

Blue: WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS, RIGHT?

Blue: ALSO, DO YOU MIND ORDERING A PIZZA ON YOUR WAY HOME?

Blue: I WANTED TO SURPRISE OUR NEW FRIEND, BUT DESPERATELY NEED TO TAKE A SHOWER.

Blue: THANKS BRO! YOU’RE THE BEST.

Paps chuckles as he opens the pizza app and orders their usual. Hawaiian for him because sweet and salty are truly a beautiful thing, and a classic veggie deluxe for Blue. He wonders what you’d enjoy the most and makes a mental note to ask tonight. He’d text you now, but Blue indicated that dinner was to be a surprise. Thankfully soon enough the library is officially closed and he’s able to grab his things and head out with his just thoughts to keep him company.

The remains of the day are stretching thin, but instead of shortcutting home, he decides to walk the distance to further clear his head. Buttoning up your cardigan, he begins his stroll to the pizza place.

Even after five years on the surface, he’s acutely aware of humans outright staring at him wherever he goes. He knows if he were to stand up straight and actually display his opposing 6’2 frame with confidence, he’d get even more looks. So he hunches over, stuffing his hands in his pockets and tries to shrink down in the most unimposing stature he can muster. Sure, he’s doing a number on his back, but the price is worth the cost.

Some monsters don’t seem to be bothered by the looks – Blue included, but they usually like the extra attention and are more outgoing in general. He just feels like people would find him intimidating – especially after experiencing Halloween decorations for the first time on the surface. Why would people buy a 6-foot skeleton and display it naked on their lawns? It was weird. Give the poor guy some clothes!

It had taken almost an entire year of working at the library for his regular patrons to grow accustomed to him. He just generally likes to be left to his own devices, more of an observer than the centre of attention.

It was a wonder he invited you to sit at his table that first day at all.

His thoughts have once again circled back to you as he enters the pizza place. He and Blue frequent here enough that the workers know them by name and order. Even here, it took a few months and a lot of puns before the workers had loosened up.

“Threw in some extra garlic knots for you guys, on the house” the owner says jovially. “You’re some of my most loyal customers after all!”

“I’m dough-lighted by your generosity.” Paps grins accepting the pizzas before he makes his way back out onto the street. He can hear the guy at the counter laughing at his pun as he rounds the corner to their rental.

Their apartment sits on the top floor of a three-storey walk-up that has seen better days. Paps knows to inadvertently skip the fifth step on the first flight of stairs, as the wood has rotted through. Maybe with Blue’s newfound love of home improvement, he’ll take it upon himself to fix the step before someone gets really hurt.

Humans have labelled a lot of what has been set up for monsters in the past five years as great strides and grand gestures, but for some reason they’ve woefully been lacking when it comes to actually housing them anywhere. Everyone seems to talk a big game about caring about their well-being, just never in their own back yards.

At first, landlords flat out refused to rent to monsters, stating that they fell outside of who the law was created for. Over the past 5 years Blue had worked tirelessly as a public relations ambassador to fight against that open discrimination, but with rentals already being so hard for humans to afford, there wasn’t much hope monsters would take precedence when it came to finding safe places to land outside of the underground.

Instead, there was now a grey area between where it had been legislated that monsters couldn’t be discriminated against, and people who were going to continue exploiting every loophole they could to keep monsters away from their neighbourhoods. Most of the time when faced with an eviction, fighting back wasn’t worth the energy and hassle. Better to save your strength for the upcoming house hunt instead if you found your rental costs ballooning to double what a human would pay.

Paps considers it a win that they hadn’t had to move in over a year, but moving three times in the last five years was starting to take its toll on his mental health. There were still unpacked boxes in his room from the last move that he just didn’t have the energy to deal with. What was the point if their year long lease was coming up soon? Their future at this address was uncertain at best.

~*~

Paps barely makes it through the door before Blue is grabbing the pizza boxes and ushering him into the living room.

“BROTHER HOW WAS YOUR DAY AT WORK? HOW ARE YOU FEELING AFTER THIS MORNING? I HAD NO IDEA YOU FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT OUR HUMAN FRIEND ALREADY. SHE IS DELIGHTFUL THOUGH, BRIGHT AS STARLIGHT. I CAN SEE WHY YOU CARE FOR HER ALREADY!”

He’s speaking in his usual excited clip, but tonight Paps can’t quite keep up. Instead of the calm jovial monster that usually rolls with the punches, he just kinda flops down on the couch in a daze and stares at the wall.

“Blue. I’ve never almost pulled someone into an encounter like that.” He says rattled, still slightly shocked now that he’s allowing himself to talk about it. “Up until this morning, I thought emotional encounters were something only monsters could experience with other monsters. This feels like uncharted territory.”

“THAT’S JUST BECAUSE MONSTERS DON’T REALLY TALK ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF ENCOUNTERS WITH OTHER MONSTERS, PAPY. THEY’RE ALWAYS SO PERSONAL AND UNIQUE, I’M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME BETWEEN HUMANS AND MONSTERS BEFORE.” Blue sits down on the coffee table directly across from his brother. He extends a hand and rests it on his brother’s arm. “PERSONALLY, I THINK THE TWO OF YOU WOULD BE A PRETTY GREAT FIT FOR EACH OTHER.”

Paps smiles, ready to speak, but Blue chimes in again before he can get a word out.

“I’M GOING TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW THE ARGUMENT YOU’RE ABOUT TO MAKE. IT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE THESE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN SO EMOTIONALLY CHARGED AND IT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK SHE’S ALWAYS JUST THIS NICE TO EVERYONE. PAPS, I REALLY THINK SHE LIKES YOU TOO.” He implores.

Paps stops, words drying up in his mouth because dang his brother, that was what he was going to counter with. Instead, he rests his head miserably in his hands and sighs. “Still, it’s not the right time. She’s going through so much right now Blue; I wouldn’t want to add another layer of drama to an already complicated situation.”

Blue rolls his eye lights at the melodrama. He knows his brother internalizes too much, makes decisions that he feels are appropriate and right for the moment, but in doing so, Paps never seems to understand that in making these big decisions for other people, also means taking away their agency to choose for themselves.

“YOU KNOW I’VE GOT YOUR BACK HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO HANDLE THIS BROTHER. BUT ALSO, DON’T WAIT TOO LONG. I THINK YOU’D BE DEPRIVING THE BOTH OF YOU OF SOMETHING SPECIAL.” He smiles at Paps as he stands, stretching. “AND HONESTLY, IF SHE DOESN’T FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT YOU, WOULDN’T YOU RATHER KNOW SOONER THAN LATER? YOU’RE JUST GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE ATTACHED AND MAKE IT HARDER TO CONTROL YOUR MAGIC AS TIME GOES ON.”

Paps scowls inwardly to himself. Stars, when did Blue get so good at this? Talking to him earlier in the day might have prevented more than a few of his mental spirals. He needed time to mull over Blue’s words in his head, but for now, the pizza was getting cold and Paps was hungry. “Should we head back over?” He asks, finally glancing up and really taking in his surroundings. Blue is already way ahead of him again. Pizza boxes in hand, he’s standing at the door, waiting.

“READY WHEN YOU ARE BROTHER. I SUGGEST WE TAKE A SHORTCUT TO KEEP THE DINNER WARM.” He grins, ensuring their front door is locked before disappearing back to your house.

Paps stands and smiles, preparing to make the jump too, anticipating your excited face as you and Blue show him the project you’ve worked on all day. His soul flutters with eagerness as he shortcuts back to your house.

~*~

 You’ve just sat down on the couch with a book when you hear the knock at the front door. Apparently, you’re still a bit on edge because you jump at the initial noise. Shortly after though, you hear Blue shouting “ANYONE ORDER A PIZZA IN HERE?” in quite possibly the worst Brooklyn accent ever and you have to laugh, releasing the residual tension left inside. As you open the door to Blue, proudly balancing pizza boxes with one hand, you spy Paps a few steps behind, hunched over, hands in his pockets. As you catch his eye he smiles warmly at you, trailing Blue into the house.

“Hey, Honeybee.” He says softly as he walks past. “You guys did a great job on the door.”

With a smile and a nod, you proudly display your patch job, feeling as excited as Blue while you show off the new weather stripping and parts of the door that you sanded down.

He just chuckles at your energy, letting you lead the way into the living room where Blue is excitedly waiting with the pizzas. “WE CAN EAT IN THE KITCHEN IF YOU LIKE.” He says, getting ready to pick up the boxes.

You shake your head no. “Here is fine, but you guys didn’t have to do this.” You say, gesturing towards the pizza, before grinning and adding “but I’m sure glad you did! I really didn’t want to cook anything tonight.”

“Didn’t know exactly what you liked, so I just went with our usual order.” Paps says, opening the boxes.

“Oh, all pizza is good pizza.” You say with a smile, helping yourself to a slice of the Hawaiian. “But if you’re looking for my go-to order, I highly recommend you try feta cheese and tomato.”

“OH STARS, THAT SOUNDS GOOD!” Blue perks up.

“You would say that with your love of all things vegetable.” Paps laughs jovially at his brother.

“Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it, Paps!” You laugh warmly. "It's nice as pie." you say with a wink.

The three of you curl up on the sofa, all within reaching distance of the pizza with you in the middle controlling the tv remote. You wind up putting an old serialized sci-fi adventure show on after Blue’s eyes shine like stars while you’re flipping through the channels.

“We actually had a few seasons of this in the underground growing up!” Paps explains as Blue is now glued to the screen. “Old Star Trek videos were always playing in the background when Blue was just a babybones. He absolutely loved it – still does.” Paps whispers conspiratorially, not thinking Blue is paying him the remotest bit of attention.

“I RECALL YOU MADE YOURSELF A CAPTAIN KIRK OUTFIT WHEN WE WERE KIDS.” Blue pipes in, not taking his eyes off the screen for a second.

Paps blushes. “Is there anything you don't catch, Blue? I sometimes forget you’re always tuned in.”

Blue nods in agreement, ignoring the pun. “ALWAYS.”

You sit there, smiling in content silence at the two of them before standing to head to the kitchen. “I’m getting myself some water. Does anyone else want something to drink?”

“ROMULAN ALE! BUT IF YOU’RE OUT, A GLASS OF WATER WILL SUFFICE.”

Blue laughs at his Star Trek reference, and it’s cute. You can appreciate the heck out of a dedicated fan.

Paps nods too. “I’ll help. Might be difficult carrying three glasses back.” He casually stands, following you to the kitchen.

“I’LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON WHAT THOSE CRAZY KLINGONS ARE GETTING UP TO THIS TIME.” Blue chuckles, winking at Paps as he blushes sheepishly, trailing behind you.

“So how was work today?” You ask while rummaging through a cupboard for the glasses. Only the oven light and lamps from the living room are on, casting a warm glow over everything in the kitchen.

“S’fine.” Paps says casually, wandering to the fridge. “Ice?”

“Yes, please.” You say, juggling the three glasses over to the sink. Just as you make it to the lip of the counter, one of the glasses slips from your hands and shatters into the base of the sink. “Dang it.” You say, placing the other two glasses down before reaching in to collect the larger pieces.

Just as Paps is looking over in concern, your finger accidentally brushes across a shard of glass you just hadn’t seen. You hiss in pain, recoiling your hand and cursing softly under your breath.

He’s closed the distance between you in a blur, concern clearly knitted on his brows. “What happened?” He asks, half reaching for the hand you’re currently cradling against your chest, before he stops himself. 

“I-I think I may have cut myself.” You say, annoyed at your own clumsiness.

“May I?” he asks, holding out his hands for your injured one, the ice tray abandoned on the countertop.

Acquiescing, you volunteer your hand. Upon opening your fist, you both look down, and yes, you have indeed cut your index finger from roughly the distal to middle phalanx. It doesn’t appear deep, but it’s enough to have drawn blood and it stings pretty badly.

Blanching, you ask nervously. “Do you think it’ll need stitches?” You can’t afford a trip to the ER right now.

“No, no worries. It’ll be fine Honeybee. Just a quick fix. Let’s get you seated and I can take care of it.”

You nod, and quickly find yourself picked up and placed gently on the counter next to the sink, and oh stars, he did that like it was nothing. Like you were lighter than air, and not for the first time, you find yourself wondering just how strong monsters actually are.

Distractedly you notice you’re now eye level with him, close enough to see the static fizz of his worried eye lights assessing the situation more closely. They’re the only thing betraying his current emotional state. Outwardly, he still looks calm and collected. “Let me clean up this mess and then we’ll get you taken care of.”   

Paps makes quick work of clearing the sink of any stray shards and chuckles softly. “Maybe next time let the skeleton clean up the broken glass? Pretty sure I’m immune to slicing my finger open.” His voice is soothing and calm as he runs the water, warming it up to room temperature. “This may sting a little, Honeybee.” He says, gently guiding your finger to the water, so focused on your care that he’s completely missed his own pun.  

It does sting, but you find you’re more focused on his hands guiding yours than the water itself. You’re transfixed at how warm his bones are, even after grabbing ice from the freezer and running cool water. It’s like he’s practically radiating warmth from within.

Nervous energy taking over, you just start spouting out whatever is on your mind. “How are you so warm all the time, Paps?” You say, slightly embarrassed at your perceived bluntness, but are really just more curious than anything.

He laughs and blushes slightly. “It’s our magic. It’s why the cold takes longer to affect us. Plus, I’m getting ready to use a bit of it on you, so I’m like your own personal heating blanket right now.”

“What will it feel like, the magic, I mean?” You ask in wonder.

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I’ve never healed a human before. I know it won’t hurt though, but you’ll have to tell me what it's like.”

“Can do.” You say as he turns off the faucet and gives you a clean dish towel to dry your hands. “Can all monsters do this?" Stars, you had a hundred and one questions burning inside of you. Despite your aching finger, you just wanted to know more about him.

Paps laughs softly. “All monsters can learn healing magic, but not all monsters do. Sort of like how all humans can become librarians, but not all of them do. It’s good for minor bumps and scrapes, but it has its limits. Like, I couldn’t cure a human cold; they would just have to ride it out, nor could we tackle anything as complex as a disease." He stops and thinks for a moment. "Maybe, I could knit a broken bone back together, but that would be at the very limits of my skills.”

You think you could listen to him talk softly to you all night as he stands in front of you, moving in closer, and takes your hands in his. “I’m going to start now, if that’s okay with you?”

You nod and he begins by closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in. You watch, fascinated, as a soft green light emanates from his hands into yours. It feels tingly, warm. Like your hands are being kissed by butterfly wings. It’s pleasant and earnest and feels like Papyrus. You don’t know how to explain that last part, but it just does. You get the impression that you would be able to pick out his magic in a crowd full of monsters, like a very intimate part of him has just been shared with you.

“Oh stars.” You whisper, drawing his attention back to your face. The green light fades as his eyes meet yours, still holding your hands gently in his. “That was incredible, Paps.” You say with wonder, looking down at your finger as he releases your hands. The cut is completely gone. In its place is a warm lingering feeling that you can’t help but marvel at, as your whole face lights up in a smile.

When your eyes meet again, you let out a happy “oh” of delight. “Paps, your eye lights.” You say warmly. “They’re little hearts!” It’s quite possibly the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen. 

“They are?” He blinks, a blush immediately blooming across his face. As fast as the hearts appeared, they vanish again back to his regular soft orange circles. “Sorry, I’m not very good at holding shapes.” He says, a small chuckle escaping his throat.

Overwhelmed by the gift you just received, you wrap your arms around him in a hug. You’re not going to let this chance to embrace him at his actual height pass you by. At first you feel him freeze up and for a moment think you’ve misread the situation, but he soon melts into your arms, the tension leaving his bones as he wraps himself around you in return, resting his head in the crook of your neck, arms circled around your lower back. “Thank you.” You whisper to him as you let your healed hand run along the back of his skull and down his top vertebrae.

You can hear a content sigh escape him, as he nuzzles further into your neck. It tickles pleasantly, similar to the magic you just experienced, like an intimate caress across your skin leaving gentle tingles in its wake. You’re suddenly feeling weak in the knees for completely different reasons than before. His hands are a steadying force on your back as he slides them up to your shoulders, massaging little circles into your skin.

“Honeybee, I…” He begins in a low, breathy voice before he’s cut off by Blue, shouting from the living room.

“HELLOOOOOO IN THERE. ARE YOU COLLECTING THE WATER FROM A WELL OUT BACK?” Blue jokes. “THEY’RE ON A DESERT PLANET AND I’M PARCHED!”

You feel his whole body shake against you and realize Paps is quietly laughing in your arms. “Oh Blue.” He mutters into your hair with a sigh, lingering a bit longer than strictly necessary before reluctantly pulling back. You’re disappointed at that, like a vital part you hadn’t realized was missing is suddenly pulled away, and now you’re left wondering what he was about to say, and if you can recapture the moment.

“I guess we better go water my brother.” Paps chuckles softly. “Here, let me help you down from the counter.” You let him lift you and pull you into his arms again for a moment, both of you knowing his help isn’t necessary, but neither of you willing to admit it.

Stars, what has come over you? Maybe the use of monster magic is simply emotionally intimate? Or maybe it’s more in line with how you felt waking up in his arms this morning. But surely this is just one-sided projection on your end? You’ve been alone for so long now, that any bit of attention is bound to feel special, right?

And yet, the fact that you’re both still lingering in front of each other, how his hands are still resting at your elbows in a loose embrace as if he doesn’t want to be the first to break contact would suggest otherwise.

Trying your best to find your words, you eventually croak out a “y-yeah, water.” You hope the way you said it conveyed everything you couldn’t seem to give voice to, like:

If I could just stop time for a moment, I'd keep us here a little longer…

Or

I’m having some pretty big feelings right now and would you be open to the possibility of letting me work through them by kissing you?

But all you do is continue to hold his gaze, and all he does is look back with half-lidded eyes and a warm smile on his face before gently squeezing your elbows and leaning over you to grab another glass from the cupboard.

Oh stars! Oh no. You think to yourself. You don’t remember the last time you had a crush on someone and the thought both delights and scares you. Broken from your trance, you help Paps get the water, standing shoulder to shoulder at the sink, a playful wall of banter slowly building back up between the two of you. You’re left with questions and yearning and a warm feeling gathering over your heart like an embrace. It’s both reassuring and painful with how much you’d like to reach out to him again.

You decide to give your feelings some time to settle. See if what you feel at this moment somehow cools down during the course of the evening. After, you'll be able to look at it again from a different angle and…then what?

Well, you’ll just have to cross that bridge if and when you get there.

“I can get Blue’s glass.” Paps says, taking two and leaving you with the other one. “Let’s get back to our dinner.” He says, letting you lead the way to the warm glow of the living room. “I think I know what episode this is. I’m sure Blue has so much lore to fill you in on if you’re not as big a fan as he is.”

Smiling, you take your place again in between Blue and Paps to settle in for a few more hours of entertainment with your friends, willing the evening to not reach its natural conclusion.

Notes:

It's head cannon to me that Blue and Paps would love Star Trek, just as I am CONVINCED Hawaiian pizza would be Paps' favourite.
Also also, I agree with reader. Tomato feta pizza is simply delightful.

Paps: That's the chapter she gives us and all she wants to comment on is the pizza?
Blue: Cut her some slack, she was having big feels while writing this.

As always, thank you for reading! I'm going to miss all this free time I've had over the break when I get back to work later in the week.
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Chapter 9: Have to Start Somewhere

Summary:

In which Paps decides to take Blue's advice.

Paps leans back on the couch, only half listening to you and Blue in a heated discussion over the pros and cons of sci-fi and fantasy. He’s attempting to process what just happened in your kitchen, replaying the way you had pulled him in for a hug, and how he could feel his freshly administered magic humming just under your skin like the dying embers of a fire.

There had been a moment during that embrace when Blue’s words had finally gotten through to him:

PERSONALLY, I THINK THE TWO OF YOU WOULD BE A PRETTY GREAT FIT FOR EACH OTHER.

IT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE THESE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN SO EMOTIONALLY CHARGED.

IT’S NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK SHE’S ALWAYS JUST THIS NICE TO EVERYONE.

PAPS, I REALLY THINK SHE LIKES YOU TOO.

I REALLY THINK SHE LIKES YOU TOO.

Oh stars, I think she does too. He had felt it the moment he had let himself sink into your arms.

It was like a spell had been cast. Were you aware of how sensitive his bones were? How monster magic heightened everything? He didn’t think so. How could you have known the way you touched him, ran your fingers over the vertebrae in his neck just so, was incredibly sensitive? How it had made him intrinsically slide his hands up your back, pulling you even closer like his centre of gravity had shifted?

He had resolved to tell you then and there, had fought through the headiness of the magic intoxicating his senses, and had actually been able to form the words, until his brother’s comedically bad timing had broken the magic of the moment.

And yet, he still hadn’t wanted to let you go, his hands lingering on your arms. You had smelled like shampoo and fresh laundry and were so soft and trusting with him. It was such a welcome contrast to the way most people stared and gave him a wide berth. He marvelled again, at how on that first day you met, you hadn’t even hesitated in accepting his help. If Paps had knocked most other people down and attempted to offer assistance, they would have shied away nervously.

“BROTHER, WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Blue says, the both of you staring at him eagerly as he emerges from his thoughts.

“Uhh, sorry Blue, what were you saying?”

“SCIENCE FICTION OR FANTASY? WE’RE HAVING A DEBATE. WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON?”

He notices you look flushed, your face animated like you’ve been excitedly debating with Blue this entire time while he was in his own little world.

“Uhm…romance?” Paps replies to their equal dismay.

“SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WASN’T GOING TO BREAK THIS STALEMATE!” Blue groans.

Looking at Paps, you place a hand on his arm, grinning. “See, that’s what I was trying to tell Blue, I had a feeling you would add a third contender. However, I do want to point out that romance is much more prevalent in fantasy than science fiction, making it the more versatile of the two genres!”

Paps grins back, picking up the rhythm of the conversation, starting to get into it. “While you’re passionate about your opinion, and I can tooootally respect that, wouldn’t it also be a good reason to argue that love conquers all? Yanno, since romance is featured so heavily in literally every genre?” He wiggles his brow bones at you and Blue.

“BROTHER, YOU’RE NOT HELPING.” Blue harrumphs. “THIS WAS STRICTLY BETWEEN TWO VERY CLEAR-CUT OPTIONS!”

“Blue does have a point there, Paps.” You grin, trying to egg him on. “Why should we let a new contender enter the ring?”

“Because I think I can convince you that romance has a place in any genre, thus making it the best.” Paps smirks, but also makes a mental note to put aside a few books at the library he thinks you’ll enjoy if he manages to win you over. “I want you to go over to your bookshelf, and find me some of your favourite fantasy novels.”

You take the bait as he watches you jump off the couch and start browsing your books before pulling out the Lord of the Rings.

“I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” He quotes from memory. “Arwen and Aragorn are such a power couple, don’t you think? What else do you got for me, Honeybee? That stuff was babybones.”

“I just threw you an easy one to gauge what I’m dealing with here.” You reply, redoubling your efforts. He sees your fingers hover over Howl’s Moving Castle, pausing, knowing it would be too easy before moving on.

“A heart’s a heavy burden.” He chides, unable to resist the Howls’ Moving Castle quote.

“I didn’t stop there for a reason.” You laugh.

“Ahhh, but I asked you to choose your favourites, not books that you think will stump me, Honeybee!”

“Fair enough.” You grudgingly concede. “I’ll admit, the romance between Sophie and Howl is one of my favourites.”

Blue’s eye lights keep darting between you and Paps, a growing look of suspicion on his features. He knows he’s lost, but he’s also slowly realizing Paps is going to get you to agree with him wholeheartedly by the end of this debate as well.

“Bet you wish you would have left me to my own devices, eh brother?” Paps can’t help but tease as he meets his brother’s eye lights.

“IT’S AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE HOW WELL READ YOU ARE.” Blue shoots back, pouting.

“Ahh, but our Honeybee is also a voracious reader and librarian too. I would say I’m more than evenly matched.”

“Says the skeleton who’s apparently able to recall quotes from memory!” You chime in.

“Nyeh heh heh. Okay then, I’ll made it easier on you. Find me your favourite book from ANY genre. No cheating.” Paps knows he’s taking a risk here. You could say something like Frankenstein and he’d really have to stretch to make his argument land, but something tells him you won’t let him down.

He can tell by the way you freeze that he’s got you. “Oh Honeybeeeee…” he starts in a singsong voice, “why did you stop looking, Honeybee? What’s your favourite book?” Lounging back on the couch, a smug grin plastered across his face, he waits for your choice.

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT, STARLIGHT!” Blue shouts. “IT COULD BE VERY PRIVATE AND PERSONAL TO YOU. STAY STRONG!”

“I appreciate the support Blue.” You say “but it’s over. Paps has won.”  He notices you’ve hidden a book behind your back as you wander over to the couch. Sitting down next to him, you begrudgingly present your much loved, much read, heavily annotated copy of Pride and Prejudice.

“Oh wow.” Paps says in surprise. “Is this really your favourite book?”

You nod. “I’ve read it so many times at this point, that I’ve lost count.”

Paps knows exactly where to flip to. He even suspects that he could hold the book open and it would just fall to his favourite quote judging by the cracks in the spine. Even though he doesn’t need to read it, he wants to see if you’ve written anything in the margins.

“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” The quote is highlighted and underlined with little hearts all around it and the words “I wish” and “someday” printed in the margins. It’s adorable. You’re adorable and also…

“It’s my favourite book too.” He blurts out, wondering why he suddenly feels so vulnerable.

Blue sighs loudly at that, rolling his eye lights. “A GENTLEMAN ALWAYS KNOWS WHEN TO ADMIT DEFEAT.” Pouting, he salutes the both of you with a fist to his chest and stands to collect the pizza boxes. “I’LL JUST PUT AWAY THE LEFTOVERS.” Sulking as he heads to the kitchen.

You grin back to Paps, scooting yourself closer to him, hair falling in your face as you look down at the page. “How did you know it was my favourite quote?”

“Just had a hunch,” he smiles warmly. “S’my favourite too.” Stars, why is he so self-conscious? “Team romance, remember?” He gives you the most awkward thumbs-up of his life and cringes inwardly at himself.

You take the book from him, closing it gently, running a hand down the spine. He hears you murmur “team romance” under your breath with a small smile dancing at the edge of your lips.

Again, Blue’s words from earlier play in a loop inside his head, this time more persistent.

WOULDN’T YOU RATHER KNOW SOONER THAN LATER?

YOU’RE JUST GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE ATTACHED…

DON’T WAIT TOO LONG. I THINK YOU’D BE DEPRIVING THE BOTH OF YOU OF SOMETHING SPECIAL.

Dang it, Blue was right. Sure, he wasn’t ready to pull you into an intense encounter just yet, but maybe he could start small, test the waters and find out at the very least if he should continue falling as hard as he was right now. How would a human approach it? Stars, he was so bad at this.

“Uhm, Honeybee. I uhh…” he trails off. Get a grip, Paps. Why is this so hard? You have literally been talking to her all night.

You look up at him, hair falling into your eyes as you tilt your head in curiosity. Paps decides right then and there that you really have no right looking as cute as you do.

“Yes, Paps?”

“You’ve got a hair just. There, let me…” He reaches out, sweeping the stray lock behind your ear, his fingers lingering slightly longer than necessary until he realizes they’re unsteady with nerves. Pulling back, he takes a deep breath and tries to find his words again.

“Can I umm, can I ask you a question?” Oh stars, he can feel his entire face light up in a blush.

“Just did.” You say, winking. He watches as you finally clock his distress, and immediately switch gears, reaching out for his hand in comfort. “You know you can ask me anything.” You say earnestly, concern on your face.

Way to go, Paps. Now you’ve made her nervous. Just breathe. He closes his eyes and quickly blurts out a “wouldyouliketogoonadatewithme?”

Smooth Paps. Real smooth there ‘team romance.’

The words hang in the air between the two of you. You look confused at first; probably because you could barely understand what he had just said, racing through his words like that. Heck, Paps hardly understood, and he’s the one who’d said them.  He takes a deep breath and tries one more time.

“Honeybee.” He begins, “I like you. Like, really like you.” He takes your hand that he’s been holding and places it against his rib cage, right over his soul. “I was wondering if you would you be interested in going on a date sometime with uhh, with…me?”  

There. He’d said it. Maybe not as eloquently as he would have liked, but he’d gotten it out. So why does he feel so ill all of a sudden? Wasn’t he supposed to feel better after getting something of this magnitude off his chest?

He can see confusion eventually giving way to surprise as your eyes widen and your mouth forms into a little circle of shock. Even though you said that he could ask you anything, this was probably the last thing you ever expected he would ask you. Paps lets his nerves get the best of him, immediately trying to backpedal.

Looking off to the side, he begins rambling. “Ha, joke didn’t land, I guess. It’s okay Honeybee. It was just a goofy idea, don’t worry about it if you don’t want to, it’s really ok, just forget I said anything...”

You gently reach over, softly resting your hand along the side of his face, directing his gaze back to you.

“Yes. Of course, yes. I really like, like you too.”

Wait. Did he just hear you say yes?

Eyes wide, he voices his thoughts, just to be sure. “Did you just say yes?”

You just nod, an amused grin growing on your face.

The tension in the room suddenly evaporates as Paps practically purrs with relief. Eyes closed; he tilts his head forward, resting it against your forehead with a contented sigh. He’s still holding your hand loosely to his chest, his fingers slowly entwining with yours. This feels right. Comfortable.

His eyes flutter open just as you bite your bottom lip, a slightly embarrassed, but happy look on your face. “Paps, I’ve never actually been on a date before. I-uhh, I hope that’s okay.”

“My sweet honeybee. Don’t worry about that. I’m not the most well-versed myself, truth be told.” He chuckles, thinking back to the few failed attempts at dating he’d managed while in the underground. It’s actually initially how he and Muffet became friends.

She had watched as he struggled through an unsuccessful blind date with a rabbit monster named Cinna, tripping over his own words in an attempt to keep a conversation going that desperately wanted to die. After the date had ended, Paps just sat there in deflated shock. Muffet eventually brought him over a croissant and coffee, free of charge for the sheer carnage she had just witnessed – her words, not his.

This feels vastly different. Past attempts had felt forced, like he was just going through the motions, hoping his feelings would play catch up. This time it’s like something in his soul has ignited.

“Let me handle the preparations!” He blurts out enthusiastically, not sure why he says it, only that he wants to impress you SO. DANG. MUCH. “It’ll be a surprise. Do you trust me?” Paps asks, not the slightest hint of an idea in his head of where to take you.

“Of course I trust you, Paps.” You say, smiling.

“Great! I swear this will be the best date you’ve ever had!” Then, sheepishly remembering you just told him you’d never actually been on a date; he shakes his head and chuckles. “I mean, sure it’ll also be the ONLY date you've ever had, but that just means I’ll be 100% accurate with my promise!”

You pull back your head to give him an odd look before bursting out laughing. “Oh Paps.” You say between fits of giggles. “There is no doubt in my mind that it’s going to be great.”

“The greatest.” He corrects, laughing back.

Wiping tears of laughter from your eyes, you look up at him again briefly before something catches your attention, pulling your focus from him. Twisting his head, he spies his brother standing at the doorway to the kitchen, hands clasped to his mouth in delight, while the huge twinkling stars in his eyes dance and fizz about excitedly, practically mooning over the two of you.

“OH. MY. STARS!!!” Blue grins. “IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING, PAPS? YOU REALLY ASKED OUR LITTLE RAY OF STARLIGHT OUT ON A DATE?” His excitement level is matched only by the pitch of his voice, both continuing on a steady upward trajectory. “IT MUST HAVE BEEN AT THE ADVICE OF THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE!” He bounds over to the couch, a relentless ball of energy wrapping the two of you up in a tight hug.

“Aww thanks Blue, you’re a sweetheart.” He hears you laugh along with him, muffled in the crook of Blue’s arm. Paps is jammed between you and Blue’s skull, chuckling as he pats his brother on the back, trying to tap out. “Can we come up for air there, bro? This pose is really cramping my style.”  

“OH, OF COURSE! YES.” He says, blushing, letting you both go to lean back and sit on the coffee table. “I’M JUST SO PLEASED FOR THE TWO OF YOU. I MEAN I KNEW YOU’D EVENTUALLY TAKE MY ADVICE, BUT I DIDN’T THINK I’D MADE QUITE THE IMPACT THAT I DID SO QUICKLY.”

“What can I say, bro? You really got down to the bare-bones of the situation. Tibia honest, you really cracked it into my thick skull.”

“PAPY, WHY MUST YOU RUIN SUCH A NICE MOMENT WITH YOUR PUNS?” Blue says jokingly, pretending to be annoyed.

“You know I aim to please, Blue. I could never deprive you and Honeybee of my charming wit.” He glances over to you, quietly watching their exchange on the couch and marvels at the biggest smile he’s ever seen is lighting up your face. He's struck by just how much he can’t wait to be the one to put it there again and again.

Paps thinks he may even enlist his brother to help him plan the perfect first date for you. He begins his scheming as the night goes on, happier than he’s been in a good long while.

~*~

The night is reaching its natural conclusion. Dinner has been put away, the movie is nearing its climax, and you keep sneaking side glances at Paps next to you on the couch.

Had that really just happened? Did he really ask you out on a date? The thought runs through your head for the umpteenth time, mentally replaying the moment, grinning like a fool because, yes, it was real.

The two of you have managed to remain touching in some form or another throughout the evening. At first, your shoulders and knees would innocently bump together as you sat on the couch, but eventually your hands found each other on the sofa, as you casually run your fingers over all the bumps and ridges of his carpals. Both you and Paps had pretended to be extremely intent on the movie, but when you gave him a sidelong glance, he had the goofiest grin on his face.

There were a few moments when Blue had pulled you back out of the trance you’d fallen under, mainly to clarify a piece of the conversation the three of you were supposed to be having in earnest about your family and how the brothers could help. For the first time in a long time, it didn’t seem as daunting bringing them up, especially with Blue meticulously going over the fine points, his Royal Navy Ambassador training really taking centre stage.

In the end, it boiled down to communication. You would let them know if your uncle was harassing you, or if you encountered something unexpectedly weird or malicious. For their part, Blue and Paps would easily be able to ensure one of them was always available if you needed their immediate help. You even went so far as to set up the tracking feature on your phone and link it to theirs; a measure you had at first felt was overkill, old feelings of being a burden trying to creep back into your brain, but those thoughts were quickly banished whenever you met their eyes. They were in this. They would be there for you no matter what, and that was so incredibly comforting in a way you had never experienced before.

As the movie winds down, all the stressors of the day start melting away, leaving you with a dreamy, half awake look on your face. Your eyelids feel like they weigh ten pounds each. Maybe I’ll just close them for a moment…

Soon however, it’s evident that one moment has become two, and two, a few more, before you’ve completely fallen asleep. You never do get to see the end of the movie, but it wasn’t important, you hadn’t been paying much attention anyways. Eventually, it’s the feeling of Paps scooping you up in his arms, carrying you up to bed that stirs you.

“Sleep, Honeybee. S’okay. We’ve got this. We’ll make sure everything is locked up before we head out.” His voice is low, soothing, a comforting purr to his words that urge you back to sleep.

You fight through the brain fog however, as he lays you down and tucks you in. Finally, you manage to reach out a hand, grabbing at the edge of his shirt. There’s so much you want to say, but it all boils down to a look and a single question.

“Stay?”

A sweet smile turns up on the corners of his face, as realization dawns on him. “Sure, Honeybee. Let me just tell Blue. I’ll be right back.”

The last thing you remember as you fall into a deep sleep is the feeling of Paps climbing into bed, immediately wrapping himself around you with no pretenses this time. You hear a happy sigh escape his throat, and swear you can feel a low purr of contentment humming through him. It’s not a far stretch, considering just how happy you are right now too. You’re about to get one of the best nights of sleep of your life.

Notes:

I had SO MUCH FUN writing this particular chapter.
Desperately wanted Blue to have a nickname for reader too, but I cannot settle on one. I'd like it to be celestial in some way shape or form, which is why I added in starlight...but, that might change as I think of something else.
Suggestions welcome!
As always, thank you for the kind comments. They're like little shots of serotonin and really make my day. I love knowing other people are enjoying my version of the bro's too.
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Chapter 10: Panic! At the Biblio

Summary:

Paps takes too much on himself and really wants to impress you.
TW: panic attack

It’s been little under a week since he had asked you on that date. Paps is sitting at the reference desk, tapping a pencil relentlessly atop the page of his notebook, several ideas crossed out.

He’s got nothing. Both of you had decided on this upcoming Saturday for your first date, but the closer it looms, the more he’s immobilized with doubt, convinced that whatever he chooses will be wrong.

It’s been a while since he’s allowed his thoughts to negatively spiral like this, and he’s forgotten how bad he is at handling new unknowns that aren’t completely in his control. His brain keeps screaming at him that this is uncharted territory and he doesn’t know what will happen. Plus, reliving his handful of past terrible dates is making him irrationally think you’ll realize you’ve made a mistake.  

He looks down again nervously at the list of rejected ideas:

Dinner and a movie too simple.

Coffee Already went to Muffet’s.

Slam Poetry are you even into this? Wait, is he even into this?

Ski lessons on Mount Ebott IT’S. NOT. SNOWING. Think, Paps, think.

Hot air balloon ride Impractical. He’s also pretty sure he just got that idea from his latest play through of Stardew Valley.

Concert Paps doesn’t have that kind of money to spend. Plus, He wants to joke around with you and really make you smile, not get jostled in a crowd and have a drink spilled on him. As much as you both love music, you’re also both not fond of crowds.

Resting his head on the desk in defeat, a quiet groan escapes his throat. He’d happily hide there all day until he thinks of another useless idea, but soon his phone dings, pulling him from his increasingly panicked thoughts.

You: How are you doing on reference?

Paps: I’ve showed three people how to log into their emails. Soooo, I’m kind of a hero.

You: Lol. Well, I’ve catalogued nothing but thesauruses all day, so I am feeling tired, weary, exhausted, and fatigued.

Paps snorts with laughter at that, a patron giving him a dirty look from over the top of their book.

Paps: I’m almost done my desk shift on reference. I’ll be back there soon enough to distract you for a bit.

You: Please hurry. Beth is being particularly mean today.

Paps fumes at that. This past week, it feels like those three have been scrutinizing the two of you like specimens under a microscope. They’ve been relentless with their secretive chatting and side-eyed glares. You, sadly, think this is their normal behaviour, still being so fresh on the job. However, Paps has noticed a heightened hostility from them towards you that none of his other coworkers have experienced, and it’s driving him crazy that he can’t figure out why. It’s just another thing added to the pile of things darkening his thoughts.

Paps: Hold on Honeybee, Riley is just about to relieve me.

You: ♡♡♡

While waiting, Paps scribbles out a small letter for you, tearing it out of his notebook and stuffing it into his pocket. It’s just a random book quote that pops in his head; he’s never been the best at finding his own words, but he hopes this will convey what he wants to say. He’s always been more of an actions speak louder than words kind of skeleton, which is why it’s driving him crazy that he can’t think of a viable date idea to save his life.

Even while trying to keep busy, the minutes tick by like hours. Eventually, Riley makes their way to the reference desk and Paps jumps up, thanking him as he all but sprints to the back.

Wandering down the hall, he can hear their laughter long before he gets there. With a deep breath, he steels himself for their onslaught. However, upon turning the corner, they see him and go radio silent, suddenly absorbed in their work. It’s eerie. Beth for some reason is quietly staring daggers at you from across the room.

Angry, Paps accidentally on purpose bumps into her desk, startling her so badly she drops her phone.

“Oh sorry Beth, guess I’m just a bit clumsy today.” Paps says completely deadpan, while she’s stuck crawling on the floor to retrieve her cell.

“You better hope I didn’t crack my screen.” Says her muffled voice from under the desk.

Sitting back up, all of her ire is now focused on him. Well at least it isn’t Honeybee any more.

“Watch where you’re walking, monster.” The way she spits it out with such vitriol, he just knows it’s meant to be an insult. Only, he suspects it’s just vague enough to not be considered a threat by HR. She’s really trying to cover her bases, as he technically is a monster.

“It was just so quiet in here for a change, guess I didn’t see you.” He shrugs as he shoots back, not-so-accidentally tripping the switch on her power bar before he walks past her. “Whoopsie doopsie! Terribly sorry about that.” He says, with a mock sarcastic tone to his words.

Not giving her the chance to reply to him before walking away, he hears her cry out in frustration as her computer shuts down. Paps suspects she’ll retaliate in some form later, but he can’t find it in him to feel bad. Petty? Yes. Deserved? Also yes.

You’re trying your hardest not to laugh as he walks up to your desk. “Paps, you’re gonna get in trouble!” You whisper with a chuckle.

“Nahhh. I’ll be fine. Beth, however is in danger of detaching her retinas with the amount of eye rolling she’s been doing at us.” He pulls up a chair at the desk next to yours and logs on, ready to work on some programming ideas. “How bad has it been today, Honeybee?”

You look down at your desk before speaking. Paps can see your hands tremble and he. Is. Livid. “There was an implied insult on my whiteboard when I got here this morning, really nasty without being directed specifically at someone…but I knew who it was for.”

The way you say that last part, how it completely erases the rest of your smile, breaks his heart. He reaches his hand out to yours under the desk and gives it a little squeeze. He’s palmed the note he wrote for you, and as you realize there’s something there, you give a surprised little start.

“For when you need to remember there’s more to your life than what’s in this room.” He whispers and watches you open it, a tentative smile trying to find its way back onto your face. It’s a quote from Little Women that reads Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds. Paps correctly suspected you could use the pick me up.

Thank you, you mouth the words to him, eyes misty, before tucking the note in your pocket for safe keeping. Earlier, you had mentioned that you were afraid of leaving any personal effects at your desk after a few things had been broken. Half-hearted apologies were made. They had said your desk had accidentally been bumped into as a shipment of books had been dropped off for cataloguing.

It was complete bullshit and everyone in this room knew it.

The two of you companionably work side by side, you showing him new books you think he might find interesting, him describing outreach program ideas for school aged children, getting your input on the types of books you’d bring to a class visit.

As you get more and more into the suggestions, your face begins to come alive again. He wonders if the two of you could collaborate on a project together. Something that would remove you from this room and get you acquainted with the other, friendlier staff.

He’ll add it to the list of things he needs to take care of; right after planning your first date, recommending those books to you, finding out what was up with their three horrible coworkers, ensuring you’re safe and taken care of and…and…and...

Sometimes it’s too much, thinking of how helpless he feels when he can’t shield those he cares about from the world at large. A tightness is forming in his chest as he remembers having similar emotions when Blue took his step back from the Royal Navy. Blue was strong, so much stronger than he felt right now, and you were going to be too. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

He feels eyes on him and looks up, catching you watching him closely. Shit, it must be showing on my face. Paps compensates by smiling warmly to you, eyes half-lidded in lazy contentment.

You return the smile with only a small bit of lingering suspicion, and he internally breathes a sigh of relief. However, your next question has him right back in that mental spiral from earlier.

“So, I’ve been wondering…I know it’s a surprise, but should I be dressing casually this Friday, or do I need to find something fancier? I’m a bit nervous I’ll get it wrong.” You admit bashfully.

Oh stars, what do I tell her? “I dunno,” he grins slyly, “what do you think you should wear?” It’s a sneaky move, but maybe Paps can glean an idea from your response. He feels guilty for doing it though.

“Oh, umm…casuallll?” You say questioningly, going over the answer in your mind. “I mean, I’m assuming it’ll be something relaxed and easy; but that isn’t to say dressing up can’t also be a cozy night. Paps, help!” You chuckle.

He feels bad. He’s the one who talked a big game and now doesn’t want to disappoint you. Instead of opening up, he once again internalizes this self-imposed pressure. He knows you would help if he just asked, would probably be delighted to plan the date alongside him. So why can’t he bring himself to say it?

You like him just as much as he likes you, though Paps sometimes doesn’t have the slightest idea why. He can’t even seem to plan a date right. He couldn’t even see the signs of his own brother’s burnout before Blue had to step back. What if he was missing something big here too? What if he can’t protect you like he couldn’t protect Blue? A small voice in the back of his skull is trying to scream at him to stop, to recognize this pattern of thought as unhealthy, but it only comes out as a whisper. It’s trying to remind him he’s beginning to spiral, that these thoughts aren’t constructive, but it’s so easy to ignore the rational part of his brain when he gets like this.

Outwardly he presents as his usual calm self, relaxing back into his chair, taking a sucker out of his pocket, but struggling to remove the wrapper as his hands start to shake. Paps knows Blue would have caught the signs of a growing panic attack. Would have seen how eerily still he’s becoming, how his eye lights have narrowed to pin pricks, would have seen how shallow his breathing was. Blue often would ask grounding questions to snap him out of the catastrophic thinking he was engaging in and be able to shut it down before it got much further.

Instead, he tries to take deeper breaths as his vision narrows. He focuses his eyes on the computer screen, but it’s all blurry. Oh stars, not here, not now. Paps has always been able to control his anxiety at work. You wouldn’t know what to do or what was happening. What if he scared you?

What if he scared you?

That’s the thought that he can’t seem to shake. He doesn’t think he could handle you looking at him with that unsure wariness the way most people do. The more he wills himself to calm down, the more his brain feeds him anxiety. At some point he freezes, dropping the sucker from his hands, completely immobile. That’s why it comes as a surprise when your touch manages to ground him again.

~*~

“Paps? Hey, Paps.” You say as he looks down, noticing your hands in his for the first time. “Paps, you’re looking a little lost. Come back to me, please.” You’re whispering, as close to him as you can get without your coworkers catching on. It was none of their damn business anyways.  

You had been chatting happily about footwear, hoping to get some further clue out of him about your date when he suddenly leaned back in his chair, going completely still. It was the dropped sucker that really tipped you off though; and still you think that if you hadn’t experienced them in the past, you would never know how good he was at masking a panic attack. He looks fully functional, like he’s in deep concentration over something on his computer screen.

A strangled little “huh” is all he can manage right now, giving your hands a light squeeze in return. You see his eye lights get marginally bigger, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

“Yeah, that’s it. Focus on my hands.” You murmur, rambling on, talking about nothing and everything in soothing words just so he can hear your voice, follow it out of the storm his brain has trapped him in.

“I’m always surprised at how warm you are, even now in this cold room. Your bones feel so alive. Thrumming with energy. Paps, it’s absolutely magical.” You begin to trace your thumbs along his carpals in repeating patterns, hoping he’ll follow the movement. “YOU, are absolutely magical. Thank you again for that quote, by the way. You don’t know how much it means to me. I’m so glad every day that you’re a big part of my life outside of this room.”

You seem to be getting through to him, so you keep going. You compliment his puns, the sound of his voice, how he still hasn’t played guitar for you yet, and how you pressed those dandelions he picked for you in between books so you could keep them forever. Eventually, your smiling face is waiting there to greet him when he’s finally able to meet your eyes again.

“S-sorry ‘bout that, h-honey b-bee.” He stammers, breathing not quite stable yet. It’s only evident though, when he tries to talk, so you take charge again for him.

“Breathe for me, sweetheart.” You whisper. “Follow my lead.”

And he does, matching the rise and fall of your chest until once again, it starts to become second nature again.

“Perfect, honey. You’re doing great.” And you mean it. You’re not happy he’s going through this, but you are grateful you were able to recognize what happened and return the care and compassion he showed you when you were losing your own battle with anxiety that first night you met. “You’ve got this, Paps. You’re so important to me.”

Risking a side eyed glance, you clock what your other coworkers are up to, and surprisingly, thankfully, they seem to have left. It was a small mercy that the two of you were temporarily alone in the back room and you let out a sigh of relief.  

Paps looks embarrassed, absolutely exhausted when he meets your eyes again, breathing finally steady.

“Uugh, I’m so, so sorry Honeybee.” He says sheepishly, eyes downcast.

“Shusssh, you have nothing to be sorry for. How else can I help? You wanna talk about it later when we’re not at work?” A huge part of you wants to take him in your arms and just hold him, but aren’t sure how comfortable he’d be with that while at work. You really don’t want your coworkers walking back in on that, especially after your first encounter with Beth essentially telling you to stay away from him.

He nods, rubbing his face with his hands, trying to wipe the exhaustion away. “I don’t think I want to be alone with my thoughts right now.” He sighs, looking defeated. “Blue is out at…oh stars, I don’t remember. I think it's his fencing lessons tonight? Won’t be back until after nine.” 

“It’s settled then. I’m coming home with you. Besides,” you say, glancing at the clock on the computer, “I figured out why the room is empty. It’s after 5 and our shifts are done. They all went home without telling us. Let’s get out of here.”

He nods in agreement. “Y-you mind if we use a shortcut? I don’t think I’m up for walking home right now.”

“How would that work? You take a shortcut and give me your address?” You ask, confused.

Shaking his head, he stands. “Grab your things, Honeybee.”

You quickly slip into your coat and grab your few possessions as he slips on his messenger bag.

Still looking confused, you ask “Ok, what’s next?”

“C’mere.” He says, reaching out his arms to you in what looks like an embrace.

You step into his arms, thinking he just wants a hug, which he does give with a reassuring squeeze, but instead of releasing you, he whispers. “Hold on tight. I think it might help if you close your eyes.”

Before you have a chance to question him further you feel the room lurch around you, and suddenly holding on tight is all you care to focus on. Before you take his advice and close your eyes, it’s like everything around you fades into nothing, leaving you clinging on to him, dangling in an endless black void. It feels like you’re standing on solid ground, but everywhere you look is just inky blackness.

You squeak in fear, clinging to him tighter until eventually you feel his hands running through your hair. “S’okay. We’re here. I’m sorry for how abrupt that was. I just…really couldn’t be there any longer.”

Slowly, ever so slowly you open your eyes. You’re dizzy, but the room is slowly starting to right itself and come into focus. You don’t know where you are, but it certainly isn’t the library any more. Tentatively, you loosen your grip on him and look around. There are boxes piled up in the corner with the word Paps etched onto them in bold black marker. Some have other writing underneath, like ‘personal’ or ‘books’, but most just sport his name in faded letters.

The rest of the room is sparse. A small unmade bed and nightstand hug against one wall, dark blinds are drawn, and a chair with half a closet of clothes draped over the back sits at a cluttered desk piled high with paperback novels and notebooks. The hardwood floor is old, similar to your grandmother’s house, but in this instance, it looks like the landlord hasn’t cared for it in decades. A colourful but threadbare rug adorns as much of the floor as possible and there’s a guitar case leaning up against the wall by the door.

Paps watches you take it all in, slumping down into a sitting position on his bed. “I’m so sorry this is your first impression of our apartment.” He says miserably, loosening the top two buttons of the collared shirt around his neck. “I couldn’t breathe in there.”

You take a seat next to him, the bed creating an impression that slides you closer to him. “You want to talk about it? I could make you a hot drink while you get more comfortable.” You say, rubbing his back tenderly.

He breathes in a huge sigh. “Yes, please.”

You give him a little side hug before standing. “I should be good. I’ll find my way around the kitchen.” You start to walk away, but his hand catches your wrist gently, pulling you back into his arms in a huge hug. “Thank you thank you thank you.” He whispers into your stomach, as you cradle his head in your arms.

Eventually, reluctantly, he lets you go. As you open the bedroom door out onto the rest of the apartment, you almost lose your bearings, the whole feel of the space changing instantly.

The rest of the two-bedroom apartment is spotless. You can still tell the landlord doesn’t care about the state of the structure, but what the brothers have done with it feels homey and inviting, and you’re starting to suspect that Blue has something to do with the vast majority of it.

You pass his open door. He’s not there of course, but glancing in you see it’s nicely decorated. He’s got one of the fluffiest beds you’ve ever seen brimming with enough pillows to open his own bedding store. There’s a star pattern adorning the sheets; instantly reminding you of his eyes and you can’t help but smile. Of course, it’s perfectly made and looks like it could be featured in a house and home magazine.

Two nightstands adorn either side of the bed with matching lamps. A clean desk houses a laptop computer and journal, pen and pencil precisely lined up next to them while an office chair is neatly tucked in its designated space. His blinds are up, letting in the late afternoon sunlight. Shelves house random knick-knacks. Mementos, you suspect, of his past year and all the hobbies he’s taken up. It feels lived in and cared for in a way that Paps’ room just doesn’t.

Why doesn't Paps feel settled here? You wonder as you continue down the hall. Did they just move? Is that why he still has so many unpacked boxes? Maybe Blue took care of the decorating because he’s had more time?

The living room features a sofa and love seat, coffee table and small tv. There are a few video gaming systems neatly stored next to the tv, with an organized shelf of games and movies along the far wall. Several house plants hang from hooks or rest in pots on shelves, but mostly every other space is crammed with books. You smile, Paps’ and Blue’s distinct personalities easy to recognize here. It leaves you with a warm feeling.

As you make your way into the kitchen, you’re caught off guard, not expecting Blue to be standing at the sink, washing dishes. Both of you jump back a little in surprise.

“I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE HERE, STARLIGHT!” He says, a shocked, but happy look on his face. “IF YOU HAVE COME TO VISIT ME, I’M JUST CLEANING UP MY DINNER, BUT I’LL MAKE YOU SOMETHING IF YOU’RE HUNGRY.” He looks behind you, seeing an empty hallway. “IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR PAPS, HE SHOULD BE HOME SOON.” Blue trails off, noting the strained look on your face. “SOMETHING’S WRONG, ISN’T IT?” He says, wiping his hands on a dish towel before reaching out to you. “ARE YOU OKAY? IS MY BROTHER OKAY?”

You nod quickly, not sure how much you should say, but figure with how much Paps loves his brother, he would want him to be aware of what happened. “Paps had a panic attack at work.” You sigh sadly. “We took a shortcut here. He’s in his room, and I’ve come to make him some tea.”

Blue’s smile drops as you fill him in. His eye lights keep glancing down the hall in the direction of Paps’ room. “LET ME GET THE KETTLE STARTED FOR YOU. DID HE TELL YOU HE WAS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK?” He asks curiously. “HE DOESN’T NORMALLY DO THAT AND IS VERY GOOD AT HIDING IT…” Blue trails off, a concerned expression on his face as he takes down a few mugs from their organized cupboard.

“No. I just…knew. I was able to pick up on it.” You say worriedly. “He’ll be okay, right? I don’t know what could have caused it.” You say, wondering if he was having second thoughts about asking you out. That’s stupid though, why would he bring you home with him? You push down your doubts and carry on.

“Has he told you anything was bothering him?” You ask as you fidget, folding and unfolding your hands nervously, almost afraid Blue will confirm your worst fears.

“NOT RECENTLY.” Then, understanding what you weren’t saying, he quickly adds “MY BROTHER IS QUITE SMITTEN WITH YOU AND IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR DATE ON SATURDAY. PLEASE DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT.” He says reassuringly, giving your arm a quick squeeze.

You nod, not trusting your voice. It might be possible that Blue is getting even better at picking up on what you’re feeling than Paps is.

“CAN I ASK YOU TO MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME WHILE I HAVE QUICK TALK WITH MY BROTHER?”

You nod, earnestly. “Of course, Blue. After all, I’ve got tea to make!” A bit too much enthusiasm in your tone. “Would you like a cup too?”

He nods affirmatively. “THANK YOU FOR TAKING SUCH GOOD CARE OF MY BROTHER, STARLIGHT. YOU’RE THE BEST. NEVER FORGET THAT.”

With that, he wanders down the hall, leaving you alone in the kitchen with his half-washed dishes and a kettle starting to boil. You decide to be useful and roll up your sleeves, tackling the few pots and utensils he has left while you wait for his return.

~*~

Blue taps gently on his brother’s door before letting himself in. Paps has changed from his work clothes this morning into pajama pants and his orange hoodie. He’s laying curled up in a ball on his bed. Blue can tell by the slight widening of his eyes, that he was the last person Paps expected to walk through that door.

“BROTHER, WHAT HAPPENED?” Blue asks gently, taking a seat at the foot of his bed.

Paps pushes himself up and kicks his feet over the side to a seated position. “There’s just been a lot on my mind lately.” He says vaguely, trying to look calm and collected.

“DON’T SHUT ME OUT PAPS. WHAT’S TROUBLING YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU’VE MANAGED TO MAKE OUR HUMAN WONDER IF YOU’RE REGRETTING ASKING HER OUT ON A DATE?”

Blue notices Paps actively flinch like a wounded animal at that. Narrowing his gaze, he's back on him in a second.

“SO, WHAT IS IT THEN? I BET I CAN GUESS. YOU CAN’T THINK OF ANYWHERE TO TAKE HER, CAN YOU?”

Paps deflates and nods in the affirmative. “Nothing seems good enough.” He says miserably, reaching into the messenger bag next to his bed to show him his list of crossed out date ideas. “What if I screw it up and she hates it? I promised her it would be magical.”

Blue looks through the list of ideas and shakes his head. “BROTHER, YOU ARE LITERALLY MADE OF MAGIC. SHE DOESN’T CARE WHERE YOU TAKE HER, AS LONG AS YOU’RE TOGETHER, IT WILL BE MAGICAL.” He sighs, feeling sorry for Paps. He piles too much pressure upon himself for things that are out of his control. Blue knows Paps acted the same when he stepped back from the Royal Navy, like Paps would have been able to single-handedly stop the avalanche of burnout if he had he just noticed that first loose stone.

If only Paps could see how much he had helped simply by being there, cracking his puns and lifting his brother’s spirits, encouraging him to try anything and everything he had ever wanted, but couldn’t do when they were underground. It was healing in a way Paps never seemed to realize he had initiated.

That’s what Paps always seemed to get wrong. You couldn’t stop bad stuff from happening all the time, but you could always be there to help your loved ones get through it, grow from it and become better, stronger. He wishes Paps could see himself through the eyes of the those closest to him.

With a deeper understanding now, Blue can clearly picture his brother’s thought process as the week has worn on. How in his mind, the closer he’s been getting to date night, the more pressure he’s been putting himself under to make it perfect. Blue sighs to himself, knowing exactly what he needs to do.

“YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE HER APPLE PICKING.” He says, throwing him a metaphorical bone.

“Huh?” Paps says, looking up from the notebook he’s still absentmindedly holding out for Blue.

“APPLE PICKING.” Blue repeats, matter-of-factly. “NEXT, YOU’LL COME BACK HERE AND MAKE CIDER. I’LL FIND A RECIPE AND LEAVE WHAT YOU NEED IN THE KITCHEN. I’LL EVEN LEAVE SOME OF HER FAVOURITE DVD’S BY THE TV. I ASSUME YOU’LL HAVE ENOUGH BOOKS TO TALK ABOUT?” He says jokingly, looking around the room.

“W-when? What made you come up with that?” He blinks confused, the oddest expression on his face.

“WE’RE FRIENDS. WE TALK AND TEXT ABOUT RANDOM THINGS. ONE RANDOM THING WAS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE SEASON. DID YOU KNOW SHE ABSOLUTELY ADORES AUTUMN? LOVES APPLE PICKING AND APPLE CIDER AND THE SMELL OF COLD, CRISP AIR AND BONFIRES AND CLEAR NIGHTS.” Blue stops himself from rambling, getting back on track. “SHE HASN’T GONE SINCE SHE WAS A BABYBONES AND HER GRANDMOTHER WAS ALIVE TO TAKE HER, SO IT WOULD BE EXTRA SPECIAL.” Blue looks down at the floor, complicated feelings racing through him as he paints Paps a picture of what your first date will be like. He wants it to be perfect for you. It's where he would take you if he were in his brother's shoes.

“Oh Blue…” He says gratefully, “Thank you. I never would have…I-I mean, that’s such a great idea.” He sees Paps perk up a bit, and while he suspects that your date was not the sole thing to bring on his panic attack, he’ll take the win regardless. It’s baby steps with his brother sometimes, and anything to centre him again is reassuring to Blue.

A small, insignificant part of him feels just the tiniest bit sad, but he’s able to dismiss the thought without too much trouble.

“NOW IF YOU’RE READY, I’D LOVE TO JOIN THE TWO OF YOU IN THE KITCHEN FOR A CUP OF TEA BEFORE I’M OFF TO MY FENCING LESSON. I’M MEETING ALPHYS THERE AND WE’RE GOING TO SPAR TOGETHER. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?” He grins. “IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME AND SHE SUSPECTS I’LL BE OUT OF PRACTICE!" He chuckles at that. "ME, THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE, OUT OF PRACTICE? I DON’T THINK SO.” Blue is excited to see his old friend after his long hiatus from work. His mood is infectious, because it coaxes a small chuckle out of Paps as he gets up to join the two of you in the kitchen.

And Blue is almost able to completely forget that little disappointed part inside of him as he heads down the hall, Paps patting him on the back in encouragement, ensuring he would point out all the best fencing jokes to him upon his return.

Yup, he’s almost able to suppress it until he sees you’ve washed and put away the dishes, have placed a freshly brewed teapot on the table with three mugs - and stars, he thinks you’re just so darn good. He’s so lucky to have you as a friend.

Notes:

Poor, sweet Blue swears he is not catching feelings.
Blue is much farther ahead in his healing journey than Paps.
Our sweet Paps may be backsliding a little bit, but mental health never runs in a straight line, right? Just so long as you keep picking yourself up and trying again.
Next chapter: Dating Start! (I mean probably...unless my brain comes up with something to stick in between. But sure, we'll say dating start for now)
Find me on@Tumblr Now with art of the boys. It's adorable.

Chapter 11: Dating Start!

Summary:

In which a promising date begins!
(It was getting so long I decided to split it into multiple chapters!)

Paps has been awake now for hours, pacing his room, panicking, and digging through the pile of clothes that has reasserted dominance on the back of his chair. In anticipation of his bringing you back to their apartment later today, he had found the motivation to take care of his laundry and clean his room, determined to make it feel less sad in there. Heck, he had even washed and made his bed, something Blue remained absolutely shocked by.

It was spotless for almost an entire 24 hours before anxiety had him picking it apart. He had even tried to choose an outfit before he went to sleep last night, thinking it could make his morning go more smoothly. In the light of day though, his choice didn’t feel right. Nothing did; hence the pile of clothes.

Paps was excited and currently had enough nervous energy to outpace Blue.

And what was he using it for?

To go rooting through his closet once again?

To toss everything out and find something different to wear again?

Undoing all of his hard work again?

Uuugh Paps, calm down. It’s going to be fine.

Blue leans against the frame of his door, an amused look on his face as he watches Paps dig through his closet. “LOOKING FOR NARNIA BACK THERE, BROTHER?” He jokes, and Paps jumps in surprise, hitting his head on the top closet shelf.

I’d settle for an outfit.” Paps sighs, rubbing his skull sorely, tossing yet another sweater across the room in frustration.

“YOU COULD WEAR THAT CARDIGAN OF HERS THAT YOU STILL HAVE…THEN IT WOULD BE LIKE SHE DRESSED YOU FOR YOUR DATE.” He laughs, dodging as Paps tosses a dirty sock at his head.

“Not helpful.” He grumbles, wandering over to his chair to look through some of the discards again.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ONE YOU PICKED OUT LAST NIGHT?” Blue looks on with curiosity.

“Felt weird.” He mutters as he rummages.

“YOU COULD WEAR THE ARGY..” This time the sock actually hits Blue before he can finish the sentence.

Paps lets out a little victory “nyeh” without looking up. Eventually, he pulls out his favourite hoodie, looking to it more for comfort than style. He knows it’s the wrong choice with its frayed edges and torn pocket, but maybe with the right jacket?

“DON’T EVEN THINK OF IT PAPS!” Blue takes that moment to jump in, snatching it from his hands. “I’M AMAZED YOU EVEN WASHED IT, BUT DON’T PRESS YOUR LUCK.”

Defeated, he sits down on his bed to survey the damage. “None of this mattered to me before. I’d pick an outfit; I’d go about my day. I’ve always felt presentable. It’s always been easy.”

“I GET IT PAPS. YOU WANT TO IMPRESS HER. THOUGH I’M FAIRLY CERTAIN YOU COULD SHOW UP IN ANYTHING AND SHE WOULD BE ENTHRALLED.” He stops himself momentarily, quickly adding “STILL DOESN’T MEAN I’M GOING TO LET YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE IN THAT HOODIE. WE ARE SKELETONS OF VERY HIGH STANDARDS, AFTER ALL.”

Paps watches as Blue walks over to his closet and hangs the offensive hoodie back up. He begins surveying the clothes, anything he disapproves of getting neatly put away. Eventually, he’s left with two options, a burnt orange turtleneck and a brown knit sweater.

“A OR B?” He says, holding them out to Paps.

“These are my final options?” Paps inquires as Blue just nods.

“ORANGE IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR. I THOUGHT YOU’D APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST THINK THE BROWN SWEATER WORKS WELL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.” He shrugs, dangling the two options before him again.

Eventually Paps settles on the orange and feels a small weight lifted from his shoulders. It’s not much, but it leaves more room for excitement and anticipation to sneak back in. It’s also not lost on Paps that Blue has managed to clean his room in five minutes flat before flitting off to whatever he was doing before. He hopes the cider they make later is good because Blue deserves a cup in thanks.

Once he’s changed, Paps wanders to the kitchen where he finds his brother now putting away groceries.

“IT’LL ALL BE SET UP BY THE TIME YOU GET BACK. DON’T WORRY ABOUT A THING, BRO.” He hands the recipe to Paps to look over, relieved to see that it appears simple enough to follow. Plus, the apartment is going to smell fantastic tonight.

“I don’t know if I’ve thanked you properly yet, Blue.” He smiles warmly. “Kinda got stuck in my own head there, this past little while. Thank you for helping me find my way out.”

Blue stops putting away groceries to wander over to Paps and take him by the arms. “YOU KNOW I’VE ALWAYS GOT YOUR BACK, BROTHER. I JUST WANT TO SEE YOU AND OUR NEW FRIEND HAPPY.” He pats his arms, looking him in the eyes, a serious expression hard on his face. “YOU KNOW YOU CAN ALWAYS CONFIDE IN ME WHEN THINGS GET DIFFICULT, RIGHT?”

Paps nods, looking sheepishly to the side. “I know, bro. Guess there was just a lot more happening all at once than I realized. Plus, yanno, Honeybee just kinda crept up on me. I never expected to fall quite so hard.”

Now Blue is the one nodding. “I GET IT. SHE’S PRETTY SPECIAL.” Paps notices that he pauses one beat too long before snapping out of it, heading back over to the groceries. “WE’LL KEEP HER SAFE, PAPS. I CALLED IN SOME FAVOURS WHILE I WAS SPARRING WITH ALPHYS. SHE’S GONNA DO SOME DIGGING. QUIETLY, DISCRETELY.”

A wave of relief washes over Paps, and suddenly worrying about what he was going to wear today seems trivial. “Stars, that’s wonderful, but what exactly are they going to be looking for?”

“I SHOWED HER THE LICENSE OF OUR LATE-NIGHT VISITOR. SHE’S GOING TO SCOUR SOME CHAT ROOMS AND SEE WHAT SHE CAN COME UP WITH. I’VE ALSO ASK THAT THEY KEEP TABS ON HER UNCLE AND RELATIVES.” He sighs, sounding frustrated. “IF SOMEONE IN HER FAMILY HIRED A GUY TO SCARE HER, I WORRY THIS ISN’T OVER. I’D RATHER STOP IT BEFORE IT HAS THE CHANCE TO FURTHER ESCALATE.”

Paps nods in agreement. “With royal navy resources working for us, it should be easy enough to dig up any dirt now!” He’s excited by this development, and is kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner.

He wishes now that he would have tried to contact Alphys, or his buddy Undyne, and regrets how much he has isolated himself from his friends this past year out of concern for his brother. Paps tries to think back to the last time he even got together with any of them.

“Hey Blue, when was the last time we saw Undyne and Alphys?” He tries and fails to sound nonchalant as he asks.

Blue glances over at his brother, an odd expression on his face. “PAPY, YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THEM SINCE THEIR WEDDING LAST SUMMER.”

Stars, Paps is shocked! How has so much time gone by in such a blur? He pulls his phone out to verify by opening his text messages and sure enough, as he flips to first Undyne and then Alphys, there’s well wishes from their wedding, a few candid photos from the evening, followed up by a long break in time before finally the concerned texts start popping up. They were urging him to come out, asking if everything was okay, and eventually just gave up with a please reach out if you need us, as he’d left their last messages on unread.

I’ve really been a bad friend. He thinks sadly. It’s something he’s going to have to work harder on after his date with you today. After all, if things go as well as he hopes, he wants to have friends to introduce you to.

Blue finishes unpacking the groceries and then glances at the time. “UHHH PAPY, YOU’VE SET YOUR DATE FOR 10AM, CORRECT?”

Paps nods. “Yup, why do you ask?”

“BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES TO GET THERE.” He chuckles, rolling his eye lights at how Paps jumps in surprise.

“SHIT!” He shouts, running back to the bedroom to grab his jacket and scarf. “I really would have hated to start out the date with an untimely entrance.”

He can hear Blue groaning at his pun from the kitchen as he finishes getting ready, before taking his usual shortcut to your front door.

Materializing in your yard, he stops to collecting himself, looking up at your house in awe. He allows himself to recognize the amazement once again at how fast you were becoming a permanent fixture in his life.

Up until this week, he never would have trusted anyone but Blue to bring him down from a panic attack like that. Thinking back on the kind words you said, your concern and care of his well-being, shielding him from your coworkers, and how despite his fears, you had seen him at his worst and still welcomed him into your life with kindness. Still made him feel needed and appreciated. He would never again worry about you turning away from him in fear, and he absolutely could not wait to have you back in his arms again under much better circumstances.

~*~

Hair down and fluffed, lip gloss applied, knit sweater on, and you’re ready to go, examining yourself in the front mirror for the fifth time this morning not-so-patiently pacing the living room with excited butterflies in your stomach.

When you moved back to Ebott, you had hoped deep down that you’d meet someone, but never really expected it to actually happen. After all, you’d been longing for a connection like this for all of your adult life, never quite able to make yourself fit anywhere with anyone, why would coming back here be any different?

You’re not sure how things changed for the better so quickly. Some days it felt like Paps had just been waiting patiently for you to come along, and for the first time ever, things were effortlessly clicking. There’s still a small part of you that’s afraid if you exhale, this dream will scatter to the wind like dandelion fluff, a fragile, beautiful thing.

When the knock on the door finally comes, you’re practically buzzing with excitement, and have to stop yourself by taking a deep breath in, to try and calm nerves that are brimming with joy. You’ve seen Paps every day since you started at the library, but despite telling yourself this, you’re still just as excited to spend more time with him. If your day is going to be the promised best date ever, you suspect things are once again about to change for the better.

Nervous with first date jitters, you open the door and there he is, standing straight at his full height, a look of awe on his face as he takes you in. Somehow, he’s more handsome than you remember, and you think to yourself oh stars, I’ve got it bad for this skeleton. He’s wearing an orange turtleneck tucked into brown corduroy slacks underneath a buttery smooth tan jacket. A hunter green scarf hangs loosely around his neck, and you find you have to grip the door for support, did this guy just make you go weak at the knees? HOO BOY!

He smiles gently, through half lidded eyes, a light dusting of orange across his cheeks as he crosses the threshold into your home and fills the space between you. “Hi, Honeybee. Miss me?” 

“Hiiiii.” You sigh happily, completely forgetting how to use your words.

Chuckling, he wraps his arms around you. “I get it” he says, “I’m surprised I’m forming coherent sentences.” Resting his chin on your head, he adds in a soft whisper “You look so damn beautiful right now.” Those last words sound gravelly, like he’s just waking up from a dream and oh stars they make your insides turn to liquid.

Eventually you come down off your emotional high long enough to remember that there is a whole day of fun to be had! It’s not just going to be hugging at the front door; though honestly, you would be okay with that option at the moment.

“You look so good, Paps.” Fingers trailing down the scarf draped over his neck you can’t help but wonder if it was effortless, or if he had spent as much time going through his wardrobe as you had.

“Thanks, Honeybee. I hope you like where I’m taking you today!” There’s a look of excitement lighting up his features, like a kid at Christmas, finally able to let you in on a big secret.

“Honestly,” you say with a blush, “if it’s a day spent with you, it’s going to be great.” There isn’t anybody you’d rather have by your side, and even if it’s just for today, you’re able to temporarily forget about everything that’s been troubling you and just live in the here and now.

Just as you’re about to head out, you remember the small gift for him resting on your kitchen counter. “One second!” You exclaim, dashing into the other room and coming back with a marigold picked from your waning October garden out back. They were probably the last flowers of the season that were still in bloom, and the pop of orange this morning reminded you of the soft blush that constantly dusts Paps’ cheeks.

You tuck it into the front pocket of his jacket, smoothing down his scarf as you inspect your work. “There, now we’re ready to go.” He’s smiling sweetly at you the entire time, hand gently going to the flower, running his fingers delicately along the petals.

After slipping into your own jacket and locking up, you toss Paps your car keys and watch as he manages to fit his tall frame behind the wheel of your tiny car. “You sure you don’t want me to drive?”

“Nahhh, I got this.” He says, starting the engine and backing out of the driveway. The two of you chat amicably as you zip through the city, trying to guess where he could be taking you. It’s exciting to be the passenger for once, as you get to look at how much Ebott has changed in the decade since you left. When the houses start thinning and you realize you’re headed out past the surrounding townships, you start growing extra suspicious, honing in on country activities.

“Is ittttttt a hike in the woods?” You say, starting to ramble off possible date ideas.

“There will be walking, but no. Try again.” He grins, eyes on the road.

“Are we going to a pumpkin patch?” Excited at the prospect of doing something seasonal.

“You’re getting warm, my dear, warm as a cup of cider.” He chuckles, one hand on the wheel, the other casually resting on the center console by the gear shift.

You perk up at that, a wave of nostalgia hitting you all at once. I know this road…I remember where it leads. “Oh Paps.” You gasp in delight. “Are we going apple picking?” 

“Even if we weren’t, how could I say no after a reaction like that?” He jokes, taking this opportunity to interweave his fingers with yours. You gently squeeze his hand back in affection.

“Guess you’ll have to cancel that helicopter ride over Mt. Ebott?” You laugh.

“Yup. No skydiving lessons for us today either. Not when there are apples to be picked!” He says forlornly.

“Trip to Hawaii cancelled. I need to drink cider.” You muse back.

“Truly sorry we won’t be jetsetters until at least the third date, Honeybee. I hope you’re not too disappointed.”

You sigh exaggeratedly. “I guess I’ll just have to make due.”

The friendly banter continues as you drive past fields that turn into orchards. You haven’t let go of his hand, the warmth of his magic radiating into you, a peaceful easy feeling settling over the car as you complete the last leg of your trip, before pulling into the parking lot, and shutting off the engine.

There’s a group of people milling about, collecting baskets from the owners and being directed down various rows of trees. You can see excited children and families mixed in, mostly human, but also a few monsters. The day is crisp and bright, like Paps conspired with the weather to create the perfect day and now you can’t wait to get out into it.

Paps is out and around to your side of the car in the time it takes you to release your seatbelt. Opening your door, he reaches in a hand, to help you out. “Ready to be the apple of my pie, Honeybee?”

“More like Honeycrisp today.” You joke, accepting his hand gratefully as the two of you get in the queue for a basket and instructions. There are a few people glancing your way, but it feels more like a passing curiosity than anything with ill-intent. You notice the monster families don’t pay you the slightest bit of attention. Paps, to his credit seems to be beaming, unaffected by their looks, he only has eyes for you right now.

“We have Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Granny Smith varieties of apple available right now.” The worker begins his rehearsed speech, making little x’s next to the corresponding rows on an orchard map. “Depending on what you’re looking for, I recommend the Granny Smith for baking. If you just want apples for eating or making cider, our other options are less tart and more popular.”

You look expectantly to Paps as he collects the basket and map from the worker.

“If you need more baskets, they’re over there” He points to a pile stacked up against a bale of hay. “Payment is based on weight, and you’ll be able to bring your apples up to the barn after to get that all sorted on the way out.” He motions behind him with his thumb, like the two of you would have missed the giant red barn had he not pointed it out.

“Thank you.” Paps says to the worker, before handing you the map, letting the basket hang loosely at his side. Once you’ve started making your way further down the rows of trees, Paps nudges you playfully in the arm. “You’re not going to believe this, but it’s my first time in an apple orchard.”

“Yeah? I never would have guessed. It looks like you’re finding it appealing.”

“It’s got all the core elements of a good time.” He quips back, wrapping his free arm affectionately around your shoulders.

You think to yourself for the umpteenth time today how right this all feels. Initially, you had been worried that dating would somehow make things awkward between the two of you, but it turns out that couldn’t have been further from the truth. If anything, you’ve both been extra affectionate, like you’ve been given the green light to finally acknowledge these growing feelings and are just having fun figuring it all out.

All indications point to similar feelings from Paps. He keeps finding new, sweet ways to display his fondness for you. He’ll bump your shoulder, brush a strand of hair behind your ear, loop his pinky finger with yours, as if testing the waters, seeing what feels right. Honestly, it all does.

You both decide on Honeycrisp, as you make your way to row thirteen to start leisurely filling your basket. It’s an enjoyable day. Casually strolling, pointing out apples to Paps on the top branches that most people can’t reach. You both lose an hour just to walking, talking and enjoying each other’s company. “Do we have a plan for all this fruit, Paps?” You ask, standing on your tiptoes, trying to reach a particularly beautiful apple.

“That’s what the second part of the date is for.” He grins, leaning over you to pluck the apple you’d been eyeing.

“Hey!” You laugh, “that’s cheating.” You playfully turn to him, trying to grab it from his hand, but he’s still holding it above your head, dangling it just outside of your reach.

“All’s fair in love and core.” He chuckles, leaning in to wiggle his brow bones at you.

At some point during this exchange something changes between the two of you. He’s still being playful, smirking down at you, but the mood has shifted, feeling electric, like all it would take is a single spark to ignite something.

If all’s fair than…

You lean up and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. It has the intended effect because you can literally see the moment his brain short circuits. The apple drops from his hand as his eye lights flicker, turning to hearts for the briefest of moments. When he finally comes back to his senses, there is such a look of adoration on his face, you’re struck by just how much you’ve grown to care for him in such a small amount of time.

“Honeybee.” He whispers, reaching for your hands. “And you accused me of not playing fair?” He manages to get out, along with a small “nyeh” as he leans his head down to rest against yours. “What am I going to do with you?” He says, eyes closed, just taking in the moment with a long, happy sigh.

You notice a heat building inside of him, like how he had felt right before he healed you last week in the kitchen. The magic feels like it’s dancing across his bones. It’s inviting and intimate, wanting to pull you into its glow. Reaching a hand up to his face, you cup his cheekbone softly. “Paps?” you begin, feeling him lean into your touch, nuzzling into the palm of your hand with a soft sigh. “You alright, sweetheart?” You ask with a smile. “You feel so warm right now. Magic working overtime?”

He looks up, lost in your eyes. “You can feel that?” He says, sounding slightly dazed.

“Mmmhm. You’re so warm. Reminds me of last week.” You laugh softly, still resting your head against his. “You planning on doing some big magic I should be aware of?”

That gets his full attention. He lifts his hand to yours, holding it softly against him as he nuzzles into your wrist. “Actually…” He trails off and you’re intrigued. “There is something I need to talk to you about when we get back to my place later.”

A comment like that would have thrown you into panic mode last month, but from him, it doesn’t worry you at all. Not when he’s focusing all his attention on your wrist, like it’s the most important thing in the world right now. Whatever it is, you’re intrigued.

“Oh, planning on taking me back to your place, are you?” You grin mischievously as he laughs softly into your hand before pulling it to his chest.

“How else are we going to make the cider?” He asks innocently, the heat emanating from him slowly subsiding.

“Cider! Really?” You light up. “Oh Paps, that’s going to be so much fun. How did you know? I haven’t made it in years!”

He scoops you into his arms for one final hug, twirling you around the orchard as you laugh into his chest before he sets you back down again. You really want to kiss him again, but are self conscious with all of the families present. You don’t think parents with children would be all that pleased to turn into your row and find the two of you canoodling under the apple trees.

Then it looks like we better get the rest of this basket filled if we ever want to make it home.” He grins sweetly, watching you with an absolutely smitten look in his eyes, as you bend down to retrieve the dropped apple.

“Agreed.” You wink, tossing it into the basket. “We’ve got no time to waste!”

With an unspoken urgency, the two of you get to work filling the last bit of basket, ready to get on with the rest of your day. So far, Paps has indeed been accurate, this was shaping up to be the best date you’ve ever been on.

~*~

Ten pounds of apples and one excited drive home later, you’re making your way into the apartment, caught up in an animated discussion about the different types of monster magic and what the brothers can do with theirs.

“So you’re telling me you can just create body parts at will?” You ask, incredulously.

Paps snorts in laughter. “Yeah. One time I made some comically large ears all just so I could wear a pair of novelty glasses I bought to annoy my brother.”

Laughing, you’re having a hard time wrapping your head around it. “Can, you show me?” You ask curiously.

He smiles and suddenly sticks out a bright orange tongue at you. You jump back, thrilled at this new trick.

“Oh wow, impressive!” You laugh, before catching yourself thinking of what that might mean for other things, immediately turning a deep crimson red.

Paps sees the blush, can pretty easily extrapolate where you mind has gone and takes pity on you by ignoring it. Instead, he rolls up his sleeve, wiggling his fingers theatrically before a soft orange translucent skin emerges down his arm and hand. It reminds you of the flush across his cheekbones, but more solid. It’s strangely beautiful. Like the manifestation of the magic you always feel humming through his bones.

“C-can I touch it?” You ask, timidly and he chuckles.

Nodding, he reaches out his hand to you, brushing a stray hair behind your ear before running his fingers along your jawline and down your neck. His eyes never leave yours, as his fingers, always warm to the touch, are now also actively making your skin tingle under the path he’s tracing. “Oh stars.” You whisper. “Is it the magic doing that?”

Now Paps looks confused. “Creating the ecto-skin? Of course, Honeybee.” He smiles.

“No, not that. Paps, I can still feel where you touched me. It’s…tingly, lingering.”

His eyes widen at that. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

You shake your head in earnest. “No no no, it feels…well, it feels nice. Really nice.” You say, emphasizing the really in an effort to get him to understand.

Paps relaxes again, grinning sheepishly. “Oh. Oh. I umm, I didn’t know it could do that.”

You smile, reaching out to take his hand in yours. The same sensation now dancing all down your palm, soft, electric, and incredibly intimate. Oh my. You think. I was not expecting this. “You’re amazing, Paps.” You whisper, watching the orange fade slowly from his arm, his hand still in yours.

Paps grins at that compliment, helping you out of your coat. This entire interaction had you locked in his gaze, leaning up against a wall by his front door, completely weak in the knees again. How does he keep doing that? You wonder.

He’s about to say more on the subject of his magic, but something catches his eye in the kitchen, making him stop in his tracks. You turn your head to see and let out a little gasp of delight.

The kitchen lights are out, and the whole room is filled with small, battery powered tealight candles. You see a crock pot on the counter with an array of ingredients neatly laid out for cider making. There is a huge bouquet of flowers resting in the middle of the kitchen table. It looks absolutely magical.

You take a tentative step forward into the kitchen, touched by the effort. “It’s beautiful.” You say, taking it all in.

He comes up behind you, hands resting on your shoulders, looking equally delighted. “I. Wow. I’m glad you like it.” He says, sounding utterly surprised.

You turn with a grin. “You sound stunned. Did you not think I would?” You give him a hug that he returns, timidly at first, like he’s trying to work through something in his head, but soon enough he melts into it.

“Best date ever, remember?” He coos softly into your hair.

“Best date ever.” You agree, stepping from the hug to examine the flowers.

“Wait. How?” You turn to him, astonished. “How did you find my favourite flower at this time of year?” You’re practically giddy with excitement as you lean in to smell them. “I absolutely adore irises.”

He’s standing unsure in the middle of his own kitchen, like he’s taking everything in for the first time too, and it gives you pause.

I don’t recall telling him my favourite flower.

Did Blue have a hand in setting this up?

Come to think of it, apple picking was also a conversation with Blue as well…

You’re not willing to voice those thoughts in your head as you look into the eyes of your sweet, uncertain skeleton. He looks happy but slightly lost, like he can’t quite believe his surroundings either.

Wanting nothing more in this moment than to reassure him, you close the distance between the two you and wrap your arms around his neck, standing on tiptoes you plant a soft kiss on the corner of his jaw. “Thank you.” You whisper, “Thank you so much, Paps.”

Your intent was just one, but as you feel the tension leaving his bones, you do it again…and again, peppering small kisses along his jaw whispering thank you, thank you, over and over like a mantra.

He leans in closer to you and taking your chin with one hand, tilts your head ever so slightly up to him to meet his mouth. You close your eyes, caught up in the moment, expecting to meet teeth, but feel the softness of lips form around yours, magically leaving a lingering caress of tingles wherever they touch. You can’t help it, an involuntary moan of pleasure escapes you, Paps answering back with a low purr of contentment from deep within his throat. And when you do finally come up for air, arms wound around each other, words of praise still heavy on your lips, he looks down at you with wonder, the only word he’s able to utter is a reverent wowie through his own breathless whisper.

You chuckle at that. “Well said, sweetheart.”

He’s blushing. Blushing, and happy and so damn precious in this moment that you could cry. You want nothing more than to do that again. Again, and again and again and again. Instead, you try and pace yourselves, letting him take your hands and guide you to the counter and ingredients, knowing on some level that if you don’t start making the cider soon, your date will be completely sidetracked by both of your touch-starved addled brains.

It takes everything in you to stay the course, despite how much your beating heart is trying to escape from your chest. You’re not sure if it’s the magic talking, but you want to know him heart and soul, want to match this electric attraction building between the two of you with the affection you’ve have for him from day one. You ponder this happily to yourself as Paps takes his place at the counter next to you, up for anything, as long as the two of you are doing it together. After all, the night is still young and you feel the growing excitement of getting to just spend more time with him.

Notes:

Paps: Hey Blue, where did you disappear to all night? I forgot to ask.
Blue: Oh you know, I just took a long long long long long walk to take my mind off of things.

I always wanted Paps to be the quick fire while Blue is the slow burn.
Even as a quick fire, Paps and Y/N didn't kiss until I hit page 100!

I was absolutely overwhelmed at the start of this chapter, but ultimately like where I decided to end it at. This is by far the longest chapter I've written to date.

More fluff coming soon! I love them so dang much.
Find me on@Tumblr Now with art of the boys. It's adorable.

Chapter 12: Dating Continue!

Summary:

Cider must be made, encounters must be had.
I was heavily listening to "Oh You Delicate Heart" by Hawksley Workman as I wrote this chapter.

The cider had been prepped and left to simmer in the crock pot, making the apartment smell absolutely amazing. The two of you are now resting in the living room, casually chatting, a movie playing in the background that neither of you are paying much attention to. It’s peaceful, in a way Paps hasn’t felt in his own home for a very long time.

He loves learning new things about you and for the first time outside of Blue, he actually has someone who equally wants to know more about him in return. It’s an odd feeling, letting his carefully guarded walls down for you, but one he’s enjoying tremendously.

“Yes” He answers your latest question. “Snowdin was a great place to grow up, but it was lonely at times, I’m not gonna lie. Thank goodness Blue has always been a great older brother. He always snows how to make me laugh.” He grins fondly, trailing off with his memories. 

“It makes me happy, knowing the two of you always had each other’s backs like that.” You say, shifting slightly to snuggle closer to him on the couch, a wistful tone to your voice. “I wish I would have had that growing up.”

He knows that you were just musing out loud, but it still breaks his heart, knowing how you were out there on your own for all those years, despite your grandmother trying her best. Paps thinks you’re incredibly strong, but also deep down in his soul, wants to make sure you never feel alone like that again. “I know I can’t change the past,” he murmurs, “but you’ve definitely got us in your future.”

You smile at that, wrapping yourself tightly around him in a deep hug. “Thank you, Paps.” Then, more quietly you follow up with a “that really means a lot to me.” Barely above a whisper you add “I’ve never had a real family before.”

Paps doesn’t think he was meant to hear that last part as he returns the affection, whispering words of comfort into your hair, holding you closely. “I’ve got you, Honeybee. Never doubt that.”

He’s been creating a bit of ecto-skin at the tips of his fingers off and on through the night, and as he runs his hands through your hair, he can feel you shiver in delight under his touch. He’d had no idea his magic could do that, monsters had never been affected the way you were right now, and he secretly loves it. Maybe, he muses to himself, it’s just how the magic works between monsters and humans? Though he suspects there’s got to be something more to it.

The conversation turns back to lighter topics as you begin describing your favourite books, things you’d like to do around the city, and home improvement projects you’re excited to tackle with his and Blue’s help. Paps loves how passionate you are about making your house a home, and decides that while things are light and easy, that now would be as good a time as any to introduce you to the concept of encounters.

“Hey Honeybee,” he begins, “remember when I mentioned I had something to talk with you about earlier?” He’s not sure why he’s suddenly so flustered. Experiencing monster magic was one thing, but an encounter was something else altogether. You couldn’t lie or bend the truth; not even to yourself. If there was something you weren’t willing to admit, an encounter didn’t care…and Paps worried that whatever was in his soul he wasn’t ready to face would somehow scare you away.

You sit up on the couch, an intrigued look on in your eyes. “Of course I do! What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” His hand is still lingering in yours, where you’ve begun absentmindedly tracing lines over his super sensitive carpals. It was making it hard to concentrate with how good it felt, becoming deliciously distracting.

“When monsters are seriously considering a datemate, we’ll usually get to know each other first and then if we mutually think it’s a good fit, we’ll pull each other into an encounter to see if we’re truly on the same page.”

He can tell you’re really trying to understand, but based on the look in your eyes, you aren’t quite getting it, and how could you? Paps didn’t know how to properly describe an encounter to a human who would have had no basis of comparison.

“Aren’t we having one right now?” You ask, confused. “Is it similar to a close encounter of the third kind?” You smile, wiggling your eyebrows at the joke as you try to understand, and he adores you for it.

He sighs, frustrated that he can’t find the words to explain it properly to you. You look hurt, as he quickly realizes he may have come across as annoyed at you. Pulling you closer, he places an exaggerated kiss on your forehead with a loud “mwah.” Only after he hears you laughing, is he satisfied with its intended effect and goes on. “To clarify, I’m annoyed at myself for not adequately being able to explain this to you, Honeybee. Please don’t think you’ve done anything wrong.”

Nodding, you take his hand, placing a slow, soft kiss along each of his knucklebones and he just melts, wondering how he’s even sustaining a conversation with you at this point when all he wants to do is pull you into his arms again.

“You could just show me, sweetheart.” You say softly, and he’s in such a daze at your touch he just nods along.

“Mmhng. Yeah. I could just…” He closes his eyes, slowly losing himself before snapping out of it.

“No. Not like this. I need you to understand what it means first. They’re uhh, stars, they’re pretty intimate things.” He chuckles nervously, “I’m trying to figure out how to word it.” He takes a deep breath and gives it a try. “It won’t hurt us; I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, but it will be a very different experience for a human. Something you have no basis of comparison for.” He brushes his teeth across your knuckles in the ghost of a kiss before continuing. “Because I’ve been putting this off, I’m starting to have a hard time controlling my magic. You may have noticed that I run a little hot these days.” He chuckles at that, awkwardly before he goes on.

“It’s because this is the way monsters determine if our souls are meant for each other, and mine has really been calling out to yours lately. I need to stress that this is a no pressure situation though! I just wanted to tell you what’s going on in case you were worried or wondering why I was overheating all the time, not to guilt you into anything without consent.” Paps smiles inelegantly, silently cursing himself for not being more articulate.

To your credit, he watches as you straighten up, realizing the gravity of what he’s trying to tell you. “I’m sorry, Paps. I don’t think I completely comprehended what you were saying at first. Still don’t, truth be told, but I see how important this is to you, and my offer still stands. I trust you. If this is something you need from me, then I’m all in.”

Excited, he presses on, needing to get it all out before you agree. “You need to know that we won’t be able to hide our true feelings from each other, good or bad. An encounter knows your soul completely, literally takes it and lays it bare for the other person.” He’s holding your hand, squeezing it in earnest as he watches your expression change as you take it all in.

He knows he’s being uncharacteristically serious, hoping it’s not unnerving you like it is him. He worries that if he cracks a joke, you won’t get the gravity of what he’s asking.

“Has it been hurting you? Controlling your magic like that?” You ask, concern clearly written across your face.

Paps nods reluctantly. He may as well come clean. You’ll just find out anyways if you agree to the encounter. “Not a great deal, but as I said, it is putting a strain on me that I’m starting to have a hard time controlling. Since monsters are essentially made of magic, there are some things that our bodies just demand from us. This has been…particularly hard to ignore.”

“What could happen if you keep holding your magic back, Paps?”

You squeeze his hands back in support as he thinks about it. “It would eventually throw my magic out of whack. When humans get sick, they catch a cold. I guess this would be the monster equivalent of that.”

“Oh stars, why didn’t you tell me before now?” You ask, clearly worried about his well-being, and he begins to feel foolish, reviewing his reasons why.

“I umm…well, I didn’t think you would want the added stress in your life.” He says, deflating as you look at him in disbelief, realizing how lame it sounds now that he’s saying it out loud.

“The added stress of what? You?” You say, incredulously. “Oh yeah sure, I wouldn’t want the added stress of the sweetest soul I’ve ever met telling me he’s got a crush on me.”

Paps chuckles, embarrassed at himself. “Sounds kinda dumb when you put it that way.”

“Sweetheart, you are a great many things, but dumb will never be one of them.” Smiling, you go on. “But, please remember that you should never have shouldered something like that all by yourself.” You say sincerely, running your thumbs along the back of his hands. “Especially when I can so easily help you. Please let me in Paps. Trust me to handle the big stuff like I trust you.”

He looks down at your hands in his and sighs. “I do trust you, Honeybee. And I’m truly sorry. I thought I was getting better at recognizing this pattern of thinking and asking for help before it umm,” he rubs the back of his neck embarrassed, “well, before it gets out of hand and manifests as a panic attack at work.” Looking up at you, he grins guiltily. “Still not perfect at it, I suppose. But I promise to be better, more mindful about letting you in.”

You smile at that, leaning in to plant a kiss on his nose ridge. “I’ll take that promise any day.”

“Honestly,” Paps continues, “an encounter is the ultimate way to let someone in, so I would instantly be making good on that promise!” He chuckles, “but again, it’s like I said, it’s also very intense. If you need more time, please don’t feel pressured.”

He watches you mull it over briefly, and sees the exact moment you’ve made your decision, determination burning in your eyes as you meet his and nod.

“Show me.”

“Really?” Paps perks up, feeling a huge wave of relief wash over him, knowing he’ll soon be able to let go of the added stress of constantly controlling his magic. “Thank you, Honeybee.” He says, “this really is a gift you’re giving me, and it’s not even gyftmas!” Turning to face you, he takes your hands in his as the magic starts tugging at your souls, pulling them together.

And oh stars, it’s absolutely beautiful.

~*~

The same lurching sensation that accompanied you when Paps pulled you through a shortcut is present again, only now it’s tugging at something in the centre of your chest. Thankfully, this time you’re not as dizzy, but are still plenty disoriented.

The room around you has gone dark like someone has cut the power in the apartment. You can still feel the couch beneath you, see Paps sitting across from you with a solid, steadying grip on your hands, only now there’s two glowing hearts in between you.

“W-what is this, Paps?” You say, holding onto your head as the dizziness subsides. It all feels a bit surreal, but you trust that Paps will help you navigate back to familiar shores.

“S’okay Honeybee. You’re doing great.” He coos, calming your rattled nerves as the disorientation fades.

You see him staring reverently at the hearts in between the two of you. The one that floats closer to Paps is inverted, shining a brilliant white light that casts a warm glow on the two of you. You can feel the magic radiating from it and just know it belongs to him somehow.

The other softly glowing heart hovering near you swirls with ribbons of green, orange and purple. You find yourself strangely drawn to it, like it’s anchored to you; and suddenly the words Paps said earlier start taking on a brand-new meaning.

An encounter knows your soul completely, literally takes it and lays it bare for the other person.

He hadn’t meant metaphorically.

“Oh stars. Paps, is that my soul?” You say with reverent wonder. You have so many questions along with a huge jumble of feelings, and – you’re willing to admit - are a little nervous mixed in with a whole lot of excited.

“Why is only one so colourful?”

He chuckles at that, reaching out for, but not quite willing to touch your soul. You’re not sure what it would do, but you’re so curious to find out.

“Well, human souls are just built different. The colours represent your personality traits, things that monsters have, but not in the same quantities as humans. Ours are pure white, a mix of every colour, of every potential combination because we are pure magic.” He smiles warmly to you. “Your soul is absolutely beautiful, Honeybee.”

You don’t know why, but you blush. It feels like too intimate of a compliment, like he’s seeing a part of you very few will ever get to know. “What do they mean, Paps?”

He points first at the most represented colour. “Green means kindness. It’s the soul trait that overwhelmingly embodies you. It couldn’t be more accurate if it tried.” He smiles with such adoration in his eyes. “You are so kind and good; I would have been more surprised if your soul didn’t have any green in it at all.”

“And the other two?” You ask, a childlike wonder in your voice.

“Orange is for bravery, and purple is for trust. It’s just so incredibly fitting for you.”

You’re teetering on the edge of wonder and awe that he would trust you with something so personal. Oh stars, don’t screw this up! The more you think about it, the more your mind begins to wander.

How am I okay? How is Paps okay? Don’t I need my soul inside of me? What if I hurt him? They both look so delicate.

You try not to let the negativity win, letting the logical part of you mind take over.

Calm down. You trust him. He literally asked for your permission and you consented. He needs this and you gave it willingly. Would give it willingly again if he asked. It’s going to be okay. Paps has this under control. You’re fine.

Do it for him.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. When you open them, you see the growing concern on his face, his attention laser focused on you right now, like a radio dial tuned in on your panic. “It’s okay. I promise I won’t be angry.” He blurts out quickly, “I know this is a lot to take in. We can end this encounter right now if it’s too much for you. I’ll be fine.”

You shake your head no, starting to get a handle on your nervous anxiety. You did this for Paps and were going to see it through. “It’s ok babe, I’ve got this.” You grin.

He smiles back in relief, and you can so clearly see in that moment just how much magic he’s actually be holding back. It’s practically making the air crackle with static around the two of you.

“I don’t know how well this will work between humans and monsters, but let me try to ease your fears. I hate knowing this is frightening you in any way. It’s supposed to bring us closer together.” He says shyly, before gently reaching out to your soul.

As his fingers finally make contact, you don’t know what to expect, but it isn’t this. It’s almost instant, the wave of pure love that washes over you, calming any residual fears you may have been harbouring by channelling the joy Paps is feeling in this moment, and oh wow, it’s reassuring and comforting, and immediately puts you at ease.

As his connection with your soul lingers, you start noticing voices in the back of your mind. No, that’s not entirely correct. Not voices, but just one voice that sounds surprisingly like Papyrus. Yes, you think, that’s it. You can hear Paps. He’s coming in quietly at first, like a television playing in another room, gradually getting louder and clearer.

…So beautiful right now…I hope this works…I don’t deserve her…I can’t screw this up…She’s so damn important to me...Can’t believe she trusts me like this...I’m so damn lucky…

You chuckle, absolutely delighted once you realize what’s going on. “I’m so damn lucky too, babe. Of course I trust you.” There’s a wonder to your voice, knowing this must be fueled by monster magic, but stars, this was something else altogether. “How are you doing that? How can I hear you in my mind?”

He instantly turns a deep orange, holding your gaze with an excited grin. “That’s what an encounter does. It lets you in. Allllll the way in. It’s all there for you, good or bad.” He chuckles, before he continues. “Sorry about that, by the way. It may get weird in here.” Tapping the side of his skull, he laughs wholeheartedly, so full of joy right now.

Your eyes widen in surprise, fully grasping what he just told you.

Can you read my mind too?

Paps smiles and nods proudly. “Loud and clear, Honeybee.”

Oh wow.

Oh wow .

This is incredibly intimate. He wasn’t exaggerating, you’re nervous but also very excited by how he trusts you enough to bare his soul to you. He’s really something special.  

“Thank you.” He whispers. Oh stars, I’m completely head over heels for her.

“Ditto.” You whisper back, leaning your forehead against his. You can hear him chuckle again softly, absolutely brimming with delight, and think how it’s so wonderful that you can feel his glee running through you now. You both take a moment to gather your thoughts, letting the noise in your heads subside until you’re left with a calm clarity.

“This feels like a fancy monster lie detector test.” You joke, breaking the calm as a wave of uncontrollable laughter starts, unable to regulate the giddy delight spilling out of you.

He’s grinning back wholeheartedly, tears of laughter forming in his eyes unbidden as he shakes his head. “I had no idea it would feel this way.”

“You’re supposed to be the expert here!” You joke playfully, completely caught up in the moment.

“I’m more like a tourist with a really good map.” He chuckles. “I’ve never had a reason to enter an encounter before, so I only know what’s taught to monsters. We’re both in uncharted waters here, Honeybee.”

“So, tell me what you do know, sweetheart, and we’ll figure this out together” You smile, delighted by the possibilities.

Paps nods, trying to figure out where he should begin. I’m so bad at this. I’m so flustered and nervous and excited and in absolute awe of her. Say something, Paps. You’re supposed to be the one leading the dance here.

Despite his joy, you recognize he’s also a bit nervous; and you can sense that if you don’t step in, he’ll start to manifest the responsibility of the entire encounter on his shoulders; a heavy burden to bear for your sweet skeleton who is only just beginning to recognize that he doesn’t have to shoulder the responsibilities of everyone alone. “Hey babe, we’re in this together, remember? Just say what’s in your heart.” Remember your promise. Let me in.

He smiles wistfully to you and nods, redoubling his efforts. Stars, she’s so good…wonder what she sees in a knucklehead like me…Things this good just don’t happen to me…I don’t deserve her.

“Okay then. Let’s start simple, why do you like me?” He wiggles his brow bones at you, attempting to sound smooth, like you hadn’t just heard that complete mess running through his head.

It breaks your heart to hear he thinks he doesn’t deserve this. “Oh baby…” You whisper. “How could I not?”

He perks up at that, surprised at the intense amount of reassurance you’re sending his way. You’re leaving no room for doubt, trying to feel out the nuances in his emotions that aren’t allowing him to fully believe what you’re saying. Why on earth does he think good things shouldn’t happen to him?

“Paps, I love how kind you are, how you know when something is bothering me and how you’ll be there, no questions asked.” You move over to his side of the couch to snuggle into his arms, the both of you looking out at your souls together. “You make me feel safe.” You say, taking his hand in yours while he wraps the other tightly around you.

His chin rests against your head, another lifeline anchoring the two of you together. Stars, I adore you, Paps.

He softens against you, sighing tenderly, sinking further into your touch. You can feel his mind reaching out, searching for anything to contradict what you just told him, and upon coming up empty, how he’s left with only feelings of warmth and surprise.

“Can I ask a question back, sweetheart?”

He nods against the top of your head. “Whatever you like, Honeybee.”

You’re nervous, worried this might cut too deep, but can’t get it out of your head. You’re fairly certain he already knows what’s coming if he’s able to read your thoughts as easily as you are his.

“Why do you think you don’t deserve any of this?”

Even thought he saw it coming, you still feel him flinch, a sharp intake of breath the only noise breaking the silence.

Because I failed Blue.

“I…don’t…know?” He says weakly, knowing full well you can see right through him.

Turning, you look up at him questioningly. “Blue’s fine, babe. He’s happy, he loves you, he’s thriving because of you. How could you possibly think you’ve failed him?”

He won’t meet your eyes, and you can tell he’s desperately trying and failing to prevent any thoughts from surfacing. I should have seen the burnout coming. I could have prevented it, saved him the pain.

The absurdity stops you in your tracks. Paps’ thoughts derail completely as he’s hit with a wave of confusion coming from you.

“Babe, you know you can’t stop all bad things from happening, right? Sometimes, it’s just life.”

Erm…yes. I realize that on a fundamental level, but….

“If I had just been more attentive, I could have picked up some of the slack, made it easier on him.”

You shake your head in a firm no. “Blue and I talked to each other about this, and his burnout would have happened regardless of how much you perceived you were helping. He was growing out of a version of himself that was no longer compatible with who he wanted to be. He needed that to happen to him in order to allow himself to grow.” You frown sadly, hoping he’s getting it. “He doesn’t blame you for this, so why are you blaming yourself?”

And that’s it. That’s the question he’s truly been afraid of. The one that he’s not even ready to acknowledge himself. Why was he blaming himself for something completely out of his control?

“Stars, Honeybee. I - I don’t know?” He says questioningly, trailing off…  Yes you do. You don’t feel good enough. Everyone, all your friends from the underground are thriving, Blue was thriving, is actively turning into a better version of himself, and you’re just what? Nothing. Same old Paps, not changing the world. Not doing anything meaningful.

“PAPS!” You cry, stunned. “I don’t know how you can’t see it when everyone around you does, clear as day.”

“See what?” He asks, embarrassed at his own perceived weakness.

“How needed and wanted and loved you are.” Oh stars, what am I missing here? Paps, can you see how important you are to me? How much you matter?

He grins sheepishly. “Everyone else is doing such big things with their lives though, and I just don’t want that for me. I’m happy with my simple little life, and I guess I just don’t feel like I’m in the same league as any of them any more.” And there it is. I’m afraid if you see this is it for me, that this is as far as my ambitions stretch, you’ll not want me any more. And if I can’t fix my friend’s problems, then what good am I to anyone? I’ll just be holding you back.

He blinks as the thought surfaces, just as startled by the admission as you are.

You both say “oh” at the same time. Paps, exhausted at the truth he’s been burying for so long now, and you, so very sad he can’t see his worth. Too caught up in defining it based on what he thinks others want to see from him.

“Paps. Look at me.” You say, waiting until he meets your gaze. “You are not defined by your ambitions. You are not the job you have, or the level of responsibility you aspire to. You are defined by your actions, how you keep showing up for everyone, how you care so damn much for the people most important to you. Your friends and family who love you.”

I love you.

“Oh.” He utters.

Oh.

He looks down at you, a wide-eyed expression of shock on his face. “Was that just a passing thought, or…”

You’re on him before he can finish his thought, practically tackling him in a hug, kissing him before he has a chance to finish his sentence. He purrs back in response, arms wrapping around you, pulling you down on top of him.

I love you too, Honeybee.

You may have prevented him from talking by keeping his mouth otherwise engaged, but his thoughts and emotions are pouring over you in torrents, and not for the first time, you’re marvelling at how much more intimate this is than anything you’ve ever experienced before.

How could you not see it before, Paps? Please, please tell me you get it. You are so damn important to so many people.

He just nods, breathless, happy tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “I didn’t know an encounter would provide this level of clarity.” Yes, yes, oh stars yes, I get it now. I may have bad days in the future, but I get it. I will keep this in my soul long after this encounter ends.

You’re delighted to hear it as you kiss along his jawline, cursing the turtleneck he’s wearing silently in your mind, not remembering that he can currently perceive your thoughts until you hear a low, throaty chuckle from deep within his chest.

What if we…you start to think, trying to stop yourself as your mind betrays you, flashing images of what you would like to be doing with him right now. Surprised at how boldly vulnerable it all feels when he has access to your most private feelings.

You stop kissing long enough to look down at him, face framed by a halo of your hair, his cheeks flushed in pale orange, and the sweetest look of love in his eyes. “I would never presume…I mean, I know we’re both in a state of very heightened emotion…I need to ask before…I go any further…” He trails off.

Because I want you so badly right now.

You nod, whispering an urgent “yes” in response, and that’s all it takes. He’s scooped you up in his arms, movie forgotten, apple cider left to simmer as he carries you to his bedroom, your souls dancing, trailing behind, intertwining and casting a soft glow on everything.

Notes:

Paps is the king of consent. If you're not comfortable, he's not doing it.

I have written and re-written this chapter so many times. I don't know why it was so hard to get right, and I really REALLY hope I did it justice, but it's taken me forever to be simply 'just satisfied' with it.

And look, if y'all want something that isn't "fade to black" like it is at the end of this chapter, please let me know. I will write a spicy one-off of their night and post it as it's own separate thing and link it here, but only if you want to read it! So sound off in those comments!

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Chapter 13: Heart and Soul

Summary:

The date continues...
*Please note I changed the rating of the story to Mature, just to cover my bases.
I didn't think at the start I would be compelled to write spice, but it has since evolved in such a way that I absolutely wanted to try writing some "I am so in love with you" spice.
Also, this chapter brought to you by the entire discography of Cigarettes After Sex.

Paps can hardly believe the culmination of the day has led to this. Holding you in his arms as he crosses the threshold into his room, soul on absolute fire with the amount of need overwhelming him in this moment. The declaration of love still fresh on your lips.

Oh stars, you really do love him back.

He still can’t believe it, even though he knows what an encounter means when it comes to the truth.

He HAS to believe it; there’s simply no room left for doubt because it just doesn’t exist.

It feels freeing, being able to admit it, being able to see himself through your eyes. Paps never in a million year would have thought someone had the capacity to love him like this.

Yes, he knows people care about him, and he knows his brother loves him, but for some reason Paps always felt like it was despite some of his self-perceived worst traits. Like, their love came with exceptions, Paps is great and all, but I wish he could just get his act together and amount to something. He never could figure out what that something was. Librarianship was a perfectly acceptable career choice, but compared to what all his friends were doing it seemed insignificant.

It honestly just never occurred to him that what he chose to do with his life wasn’t all that important to his loved ones. If you were any indication of how everyone he cared for felt, then as long as he was happy, they were happy for him.

It’s a foreign concept for someone who has spent the majority of his existence feeling guilty for having small, simple dreams. But that’s for future Paps to further mull over. He has more important things to attend to right now.

“Thought I’d lost you for a second there, sweetheart.” You say, smiling warmly as you sit on the bed patiently waiting for him to work through some big emotions. And oh stars how he loves you for it. The way you just know he needs a minute to process a thought, no judgement, no annoyance, just acceptance. He can’t believe how much he needed this encounter to figure it out. His soul was unequivocally, unmistakably yours. Literally too; the way the two souls were pulsing and dancing together over your heads. Yet another thing he had never known could happen in an encounter.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Honeybee.” He says as he makes his way over to the bed and just stops, to take you in a moment longer. Your souls light the room with a soft, warm glow. And the way you’re looking at him with love and longing, biting your bottom lip in anticipation of what’s to come is slowly driving him mad.

“C’mere” he murmurs, reaching out for you. And as you stand, your body now connected to his, sends an electric jolt of desire all through him. He cups your face gently in his hands, bringing it to him for a slow, hungry caress. While he kisses you, he begins to let his fingers slide down your neck, tracing the curves of your soft skin until he reaches your sweater.

Hearing you sigh in pleasure, he goes on, trailing his hands along your curves, down to your hips, letting his fingers dip under the bottom of your shirt and up your back. Oh stars, are you this soft all over, Honeybee? Paps knows he’s all sharp lines and strong angles, but you’re literally the softest, sweetest thing he’s ever touched.

You chuckle against his neck at that. “You’ll have to find out for yourself, sweetheart. Please report your findings back to me.”

You’ve been leaving soft, slow kisses along his neck, and as you laugh you notice your breath tickles his vertebrae by the soft shivers he’s making under your touch. He can feel you perk up in his arms at that. “Stars, Paps. Are you ticklish?” You say in a low, raspy tone, the hum of your voice causing a delicious chill to travel up his spine.

Yes.

“I will not dignify that with an answer.” He says wilfully, knowing full well that his mind has already given him away.

You grin innocently at that. “I’ll be gentle with this newfound information. I swear…but only if you help me. See, I’m taking strong issue with this turtleneck getting in the way…” You let your fingers walk along the collar of his shirt playfully up until he reacts to your request.

He’s literally torn the shirt from his frame in the time it takes for you to finish your sentence, wrapping you back up in his arms for another kiss before he dips his hands back under your sweater again, determined to slowly raise it up over your torso this time, fingers leaving echoes of his magic in their wake as they expose your soft skin inch by inch, the ghost of a touch lingering over your breasts.

Soft. So wonderfully soft. He thinks.

He’s torn between his desire to just rip the clothes from your body and wanting to prolong every moment, really taking his time to properly worship every bit of you. Patience wins the war as he notices you tremble in pleasure, stepping back to raise your arms, allowing him easy access to finish sliding the sweater up and over your head tortuously slowly.

Stars, he’s glad he noticed that. He wants to remember everything about tonight.

As he tosses your shirt across the room with his own, he notices your eyes on him, taking him in. It feels strangely vulnerable, you admiring him like that, and Paps’ first instinct is to be self-conscious. In the past, the one night stands he’d had while still living in the underground always felt transactional. Both parties were only there in search of pleasure, and oftentimes that was lacklustre at best, which is why he stopped seeking them out years ago when they’d surfaced, convinced he’d never find the connection he was looking for.

But now, the way you’re staring, that small shock of surprise on your face as some of that jumble in his head gets through to you, has him flushed with desire.

Sweetheart, they didn’t know what they had when it was right in front of them.

Fools.

The lot of them.

You grin wickedly, as you reach out your hands, caressing along his clavicles, and down over his ribs. He takes in a sharp breath at how good something as simple as your touch feels, how sensitive certain parts of him are, and how you just seem to know where to hone in. “Must be human magic.” You whisper jokingly, placing kisses along his sternum.

Well, two can play at that game. He grins, leaning in to give some much-needed attention to your neck. He starts by tracing his tongue up from your collarbone to your earlobe, stopping to blow gently on your skin. Heightened by the tingles his magic is leaving behind, you audibly gasp as you lean into him, one hand wrapping around his neck, while the other, grips a rib in shock.

“I think I have the upper hand, Honeybee.” He chuckles into your neck, nipping at your earlobe before dragging his teeth lightly along where he just touched you. He feels you practically melt under his touch, quickly wrapping his arms around you to keep you upright.

“Oh starsss.” You moan. “That’s just not fair.”

“I could stop.” He replies innocently.

“Don’t you dare, my love.” You murmur, pulling him to you for another kiss.

It’s the casual use of my love that really sends Paps over the edge. Deliberate slowness be damned, as you both make quick work of your remaining clothes before falling to the bed in a heap of tangled limbs and caresses.

“I truly can’t get over how soft you feel.” He mutters reverently, planting kisses slowly down your stomach. Paps is absolutely fascinated by the parts of you he has to make magically appear on himself. “You just get to be soft and cuddly and touchable like this all the time?” He laughs tenderly.

You watch him fondly through half-lidded eyes as he explores your body. He keeps sensing overwhelming waves of happiness rolling off of you, but they’re tinged with a small, niggling bit of doubt, so faint he almost misses it.

“What is it, Honeybee?” He says curiously, looking up from your lower abdomen where he’s been slowly running his tongue over an area you find particularly sensitive, heightening the sensation with his magic. Enjoying every small shiver he manages to pull from your body.

“S’nothing, babe.” You mutter through your pleasure. “Don’t worry about it.”

Instead of continuing, he pauses his exploration until you open your eyes and meet his gaze. “Paps.” You say breathlessly. “It’s nothing, I promise.”

“Mmmmm…ok. I’ll just wait patiently until that bit of nothing goes away then.” He rests his chin tantalizingly close to your inner thigh, happily willing to stay there in your softness all night.

You sigh in frustration. How can I tell him it’s my first time…ever? It comes unbidden, brought to the surface by your traitorous brain, as he watches you flush a brilliant red in embarrassment, hiding your face in your hands, and oh stars, you’re adorable.

“Really?” He asks incredulously. I had just assumed a human as attractive as you… He blushes now too, not needing to finish that thought, finally understanding your embarrassment.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to.” You frown. It’s just that nobody’s wanted me like that before. Ever. He feels a wave of shame now accompanying your embarrassment and frowns.

Paps picks himself up from his resting place on your thigh and crawls back up the bed to you. “Hey, Honeybee,” he whispers, to your still covered face. “Look at me, please?”

You let him slowly remove the hands from your face as he waits for you to open your eyes, glancing up at him with a poorly hidden sadness on your features, a few errant tears escaping down your cheeks. There’s a raw wound here that neither one of you were expecting to stumble upon, but sometimes that just happens in encounters and you have to deal with it by navigating your way through.

“I don’t know why it bugs me so much.” You try to laugh it off. “I’m not mad I’ve never made love before.” I’m sad because I’ve always been overlooked and up until now, I’ve always felt a bit broken because of it.

“Oh Honeybee.” He murmurs, leaning down, kissing away the tears from your cheeks. “We’re both a bit of a mess, aren’t we?”

That makes you burst out in laughter; the embarrassed tension popping like a bubble. “How do you do that?” You ask, incredulously.

“Do what?” He chuckles back, placing kisses down your collarbone.

“Make me feel so loved.” You sigh happily. “Make everything I’ve ever thought was wrong with me seem so trivial.”

“I believe you were the one who recently told me I was good at doing that for my friends and family.” He grins, kissing down between your breasts. He thinks he could spend an entire evening just marvelling at their perfect softness. “I’m only living up to my full potential, darling.” Muttering, he continues heading south, stopping briefly to once again pay tribute to the softness of your stomach and thighs. “And besides, they were all fools if they met you and didn’t instantly fall in love with you.”  

He hears your breath hitch the lower he gets and loves that he’s the one responsible for it. “Since it is technically your first time, it would be a shame if you came away with anything less than a stellar experience.” He grins, his voice taking on a gruff, lustful tone as his need for you steadily grows.

Stars, you’re so damn beautiful. He thinks, his head resting inches above the dip in your legs. Why had nobody ever noticed you before? He felt like it was a small miracle someone as amazing as you had just fallen into his lap one day.

“Best date ever, my love?” You whisper softly, a small whine of eagerness in your voice.

“Mmmm…best date ever, Honeybee.” He says, before nuzzling in between your legs, his nasal cavity hitting you in just the right spot as you cry out in pleasure, arching your back underneath him.

He enjoys watching you come undone. Knowing that he’s the one making it happen, watching as you cry out again and again, one hand holding on to his, the other desperately clenching and unclenching the sheets of his bed with your fist; It’s…well, it’s hot.

Just as you’re coming down off of the waves of your first orgasm, still pressed down between your legs, he lets out a puff of air through his nasal cavity the same time he casually flicks his tongue into you, searching for a very specific reaction. Paps is not disappointed when you gasp, shivering underneath him in pleasure, all of your nerves raw after his warmup.

“Oh stars, Paps.” You moan as he takes his time coaxing a second orgasm from your willing body. He doesn’t stop until you’re unable to form coherent thoughts in your head, leaving nothing but impressions of emotions and a soft happy laugh from you that’s so damn cute, he thinks, as you come down off your second high.

When thoughts finally do come back to you, he’s pleased to hear it’s all about your enjoyment. It feels so good. Why didn’t I know it could feel this good?

“My sweet Honeybee.” He purrs, drawing out his words in a slow drawl as he kisses his way back up to your waiting arms. “We’re just getting started.” I need to taste more of you before this night is over.

You’re panting underneath him, trying to collect yourself as he nuzzles into the crook of your neck, leaving little kisses and nips from his teeth wherever he goes. Eventually he feels you surface from your pleasure enough to grab onto him, running your fingers along his spine as he leans into you with a desperate moan.

He hears your thoughts as they form, unbidden. So very thankful that the two of you decided to extend the encounter longer. Not wanting this connection with you to end. It feels so natural, having you this caught up in him, leaving no room for doubt.

Oh stars, I love you so much Paps. So damn much.  

He smiles, materializing ecto-skin along his abdomen as you gasp in delight. He can’t help but grin at how thrilled you are, and the way you look at him tentatively, questioningly. Can I touch you?

He looks down at you, hungry with want through you half-lidded bedroom eyes. “Please.” He whispers longingly, before rolling over on his back, letting you take charge. I’m all yours, my love.

You waste no time pressing kisses along his body, scratching lightly with your nails across his ribcage, as he tries and fails to not show you how much it both tickles and feels good at the same time.

He knows you’re purposely spending extra time there, until he’s practically begging for mercy, senses heightened as you alternate running your own tongue and kissing along his ribcage. Eventually you relent with a satisfied sigh, finally moving on, softly letting your hands drift over his abdomen. The pale orange glow of his skin casts a warm light over your features and Paps stares at you, transfixed by the beauty of you right here, right now.

If he could figure out a way to freeze time, this would be the moment he’d choose. The way you look right now, eyes heavy with desire is a memory he could drown in. Your hand is tracing down his abdomen until it’s pressed up against his length, grasping it gently at first, gauging his reaction as he melts into your touch.

He murmurs out your name in a low, needful moan as you begin stroking him steadily, desire lighting your features. You’re managing to do it in just the right way again, can sense how you’re enjoying how unravelled he’s become. How do you know exactly what I like? He thinks, momentarily forgetting you’re there with him in his thoughts.

“You show me how with every thought and impression, babe.” You murmur with a grin as you place your mouth against his tip, and it’s all he can do to not completely fall apart under your touch, surprised at just how turned on you are by his pleasure.

He looks down at you, a dopey, love-drunk smile plastered across his face. “R-really? This is what does it for you?”

Stopping briefly to look up at him, you roll your eyes playfully. “I must not be doing a good enough job if you’re still talking.” You laugh, a wicked grin forming at the corner of your lips. So blissed out, he’s not catching the trap you’re setting.

“Oh no, Honeybee, you’re doing grEEUGHH.” He begins to say before you’re back on him, taking his full length in your mouth, and that’s it. Any coherent thoughts he might have formed have been completely short circuited as he rides the wave of pleasure he’s on.

He’s so damn close now, not wanting this high to end. Eventually, you manage to pick up on his desperate attempt to prolong the moment, as he moans for you, calling you up to his waiting arms, willing you to come kiss him, wanting to feel as much of your body pressed against him as possible.

“Too quick.” He pants through his lust. You just grin, straddling him, circling your hips achingly slow against his hardness, your breathing coming out in ragged, wanting gasps.

He’s breathless now too, looking up at your desperately.

Can I?

He begs.

You nod hungerly. “I want you inside me, Paps. Please.”

You return the kiss hungerly as he rolls back on top of you, taking charge. You’re already spreading yourself wider for him, moaning little breathless “yeses” in response. Through his haze of his desire, he vaguely remembers reading something about human anatomy that gives him pause.

“I’m not going to hurt you, am I?” He asks, surfacing from his lust-filled thoughts long enough to really look down at you, how trusting and ready you are lying there beneath him. The flush of pink dusted across your pale cheeks, lips wine red and swollen from kissing.

You shake your head no. “Just go slow at first. It’s bound to hurt a little, but I’ll let you know if it becomes too much.” You say through your own pleasure filled brain fog, pulling him to you, urging him on. He relents, heeding your words, as his length slides into your warmth. He can feel you shudder and moan under his touch, as you urge him on with little pleading whimpers.  

When he finally slowly enters you, he comes up against resistance at first, and watches your face for any sort of negative reaction. “A little more Paps, ‘sokay my love, ‘sokay.” Your eyes are closed, and you’re moaning softly in his arms, leaving little bites of desire along his humerus. “Please. Please Paps, keep going.”

He accommodates gladly, pushing softly against the resistance until finally he slides in with a deep shudder. He manages to make a strained growling noise, deep in his chest as he’s overwhelmed by how good it feels, making sure to look down at you to ensure you’re okay.

There’s a dreamy look in your eyes as you cling to him, with soft sobs of pleasure on your lips as he slides in and out of you slowly, marvelling at how good your heat feels around him. You tremble as he picks up the pace, wrapping your legs around his hips, pulling yourself further into him. It’s all he can do to stay upright as he’s gripped by the powerful need to release, orgasm quickly building in his core.

In an effort to drag the moment out even longer, he pulls you up into a sitting position, wrapping his arms around you, letting you set the pace.

Take whatever you need from me, Honeybee.

You sink into his embrace with a smile, taking a moment to get your rhythm, as you slowly roll your hips against his length, building the most delightful heat between the two of you. He notices how you now have to grip onto his ribs to keep upright, your body shuddering against him as you build towards your climax. He’s holding you so close, careful to ensure you don’t collapse, pulling your hair back from your eyes as he buries his face in your neck, moaning your name softly.

I love you so much. My heart. My soul.

He can’t hold it back any longer, his pleasure coming to a crescendo in waves with a low moan forming from somewhere deep inside him as he calls out your name. You fall against him in spasms of your own desire, moans of pleasure on your lips in between little tired gasps of residual orgasm. As you both collapse to the bed, he sighs in contentment letting you melt into his arms, draping your whole body over him as you try to slow your beating heart.

“Oh Paps.” You begin. “That was…I mean…I’m. Oh stars, that was incredible.”

“I know, Honeybee. I know. You were so damn amazing.” He whispers into the top of your head, hands still tangled in your hair. He was absolutely spent, both physical and magically, the soft glow of your souls fading as the encounter has finally ended. He knows beyond any doubt that you are his, and he is yours, body and soul.

“Paps.” You whisper.

“Mhmm, my love?” He replies, fighting a losing battle to keep his eyes open.

“Can we do that again?”

Chuckling softly, he holds you tighter. “Of course, Honeybee. You don’t have to ask. Just need to wait a few moments. Recharge my batteries.”

“No” You shake your head. “I know we’ll do that again, and again.” You smile. “I had meant the encounter.”

“Oh.” Oh. He thinks. It’s not something monsters normally needed more than once, but he wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of sharing that bond with you again. “Sure, Honeybee.” He casually says, knowing full well he’d give his entire soul to you if you asked for it.

“Mmm.  Thank you. I really liked knowing you like that.” You say dreamily as you yawn into his chest.

As the room darkens without your souls to light it, it doesn’t take long for you to fall asleep in his arms. The wonder he feels at holding you to him is the only thing still keeping him awake. Paps doesn’t think he’ll ever get over this feeling inside of him. He’s found you; he loves you, he’s never going to let you go. You are his datemate, his soulmate and he’ll protect you with all he has inside of him.

Notes:

This was my first time trying my hand at spice. Gotta say, I actually really enjoyed writing it!
Maybe in the next chapter they'll finally get to drink their cider.
That, and I'm really starting to miss Blue. He should be home soon.
Find me on@Tumblr

Chapter 14: The Heart Wants

Summary:

Blue come home with a heavy burden.

When Blue arrives home later than anticipated, he’s on edge. He got a call from Alphys with some important information and all he wants to do is ensure the two of you are safe and sound and then let you in on what he knows. He doesn’t expect to be bombarded by the smell of a still-simmering crock pot of cider, and it throws him off.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?  He thinks, wandering into the kitchen to unplug the appliance. Now that the pot is safely addressed, he takes a closer look at his surroundings. The television is still on, a random show playing at low volume in the living room, but where was everyone?

He didn’t think 10 pm would have been that late. Honestly, Blue expected to come home to either find the two of you chatting at the kitchen table, or Paps cleaning up after a successful date. Did you go out for some reason? No. That didn’t make any sense. Not with the cider still simmering.

Blue heads back to the front hallway and interesting…Your shoes are still there, your jacket hung in the closet. Did the two of you actually go to sleep this early? He wonders if the date went well, or if Paps is in his room, uncertainly replaying where things went wrong. That could be it, he was pretty nervous this morning. But why would your shoes be here then? Blue is just considering knocking on his brother’s door to check on him when he hears a toilet flush and water running.

WHO IN THE..? He heads down the hall, fully expecting Paps, and is greeted by a sleepy looking you instead. You’re in a pair of his brother’s boxers and his ratty orange hoodie, hair an absolute mess, but you look so happy.

SO BEAUTIFUL. The thought surfacing unbidden before he can repress it, a surprisingly sharp sting in his chest as he admits it to himself, shaking his head.

There’s this dreamy look in your eyes as you turn out the bathroom light, oblivious to the fact that he’s standing right there. “HEY STARLIGHT.” Blue whispers so as not to alarm you.

You turn towards his voice, finally noticing him leaning against the wall and smile warmly. “Hey Blue!” You say with a happy, sleepy quality to your voice. “Are you just getting home? I hope you don’t mind me spending the night?” You ask uncertainly.

He quickly shakes his head. “NOT AT ALL! YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT FROM ME. YOU’RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE.”

Your shoulders drop as the small amount of tension you were carrying subsides. “Thank you Blue.” You say, really taking a moment to look at him. “You alright? You seem…tense?”

“OH. HAHA. NO. NO. I’M FINE.” He says as he crosses his arms nervously, looking for a way to change the subject, not ready to bring up more serious matters now that he knows the two of you are okay. “DID YOU LIKE THE FLOWERS?”

OH STARS, NO. NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION TO ASK. THINK BLUE, THINK.

He sees you raise an eyebrow at that, stepping closer to get a better look at him. “I absolutely adored them Blue, but you knew that already, didn’t you?” Is all you say at first, pausing a beat too long to make your point before you tilt your head curiously at him and smile, adding a whispered “Thank you for helping Paps pick them out.”

He has a feeling you’re throwing him a lifeline here and decides to wholeheartedly take it. “OH YES, YES! HE JUST WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT! DID-DID YOU ENJOY THE CIDER? IT SMELLS LOVELY IN HERE, BY THE WAY.” He adds, hoping he’s not walking into another word trap. He can’t remember the last time he felt so flustered. It’s not a feeling the magnificent Blue is well acquainted with.

Instead, you blush a furious red. “Well, actually, we haven’t tried it yet.” Your gaze is drifting anywhere except to Blue’s face and it hits him all at once. How hadn’t ne noticed it before? He can feel the residual magic coming off of you. This whole apartment is steeped in it. Oh stars, Paps had pulled you into an encounter.

Should he ask how it went? No, that was too personal. He thinks back, unbidden, to his own encounter that he initiated a few years ago and what a disaster it turned into. Nobody knew, not even Paps. It has always been too painful, too personal for him to really think about.

It couldn’t have gone the same for you and Paps…you were still here looking happier and more content than he’d ever seen you. You had been headed back to Paps’ bedroom, wearing his clothes and oh no. The final piece of the puzzle snaps into place for Blue.

He’s happy for the two of you, he really is. He doesn’t know why it also hurts so much. Nope. Not something he’s willing to even think about at the moment. Ignore the fact that he can now sense traces of Paps’ magic along your body clear as day, and oh stars, he needs to stop this train of thought and think of something else. ANYTHING else, before all the memories he’s managed to repress during the months leading up to his burnout resurface. He thought he was doing better, finally over the things he’s never said to anyone about why it all came crashing down around him so fast.

Sure, Blue has the sanitized version of his story that he’s been telling for so long now he almost fully believes it; as he should, it’s all true - it’s just not the whole truth, and he’s quickly finding that even after all this time, he’s not ready to relive it.

So instead, he puts on a smile and attempts to barrel right through his feelings. “IS PAPS AWAKE? DO YOU MIND IF I TRY SOME CIDER?”

“He was fast asleep a moment ago, but to be honest, part of the reason I got up was to get myself a drink too. I’m sure Paps would be okay if we had a cup. That is, if you don’t mind the company?” You look at him questioningly.

“OH UMM, SURE!” Blue replies nervously, “AFTER YOU.” He adds, sweeping his arm before him to let you pass as he trails behind you into the kitchen.

You move silently through the apartment padding on bare feet and Blue suddenly feels clunky following along. The oven light is on, but that’s it. Blue watches as you consider turning the kitchen light on, but you just breeze past it, headed to the cupboard for some mugs.

“You can turn it on if you like.” You casually say, taking down the cups. “My eyes have adjusted to the dark, but I don’t mind either way.”

Blue opts to leave it off, following you in to examine the cider. “UHH, DON’T YOU HAVE TO MASH IT AND STRAIN IT FIRST?” He doesn’t mean to point it out like that, but at this point he has the recipe memorized and can clearly still see apple pieces and cinnamon sticks floating on the top.

You turn and raise a brow at him. “Oh yeah. I guess we didn’t get as far in the process as I thought. Didn’t know you’d made cider before, Blue.” You smile warmly at him, setting up the strainer and empty pot and he swears you give him a wink, like you know he masterminded the whole thing.

“H-HERE. I CAN HELP WITH THAT!” He says, taking a potato masher from the drawer and getting to work squashing the apples. He knows darn well that you know he hasn’t made cider before. It had come out in one of the long text conversations the two of you have been having. He was talking about things he’d like to try so he could gain a better understanding of why you like autumn so much. You had actually mentioned you’d be more than happy to make cider with him someday…and how bittersweet it was setting this all up for the two of you.

He doesn’t say anything else to the effect, just takes a deep breath and works next to you, a feeling of contentment slowly washing over him. He’s glad to know that you and Paps are here safe and sound, despite his mixed emotions. The anxiety he initially had upon arrival has now taken a back burner to the joy he feels getting to spend some time with you. He gets so caught up in the moment, he almost misses the question you’ve been trying to ask him.

“Blue?” You say, waving your hand in front of his face. “Earth to Blue?”

He shakes his head and grins. “SORRY ABOUT THAT. I GUESS I JUST GOT REALLY INTO THE APPLE MASHING. WHAT WAS IT YOU WERE ASKING, STARLIGHT?”

“I was hoping to umm, borrow the shower, but I don’t suppose either of you have shampoo by any chance?” You laugh amicably.

It takes a minute for it to click in. “AHH, BECAUSE WE’RE SKELETONS.” But then he just laughs loudly. “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS, BUT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE SHAMPOO.” Blue rolls his eyes, knowing you’re going to ask why.

“Ok.” You start. “I’ll bite. Why do you have shampoo when neither one of you have hair?”

“PAPS THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY.” He sighs, his shoulders shaking as he tries to hold back the laughter. “NOT ONLY THAT, BUT HE PURPOSELY BOUGHT THE WEIRDEST BOTTLE HE COULD FIND JUST TO LEAVE IT IN THE SHOWER FOR ME.”

You snort in surprised laughter at that. “Oh stars, tell me you don’t have mane ‘n tail in there.” You trail off as you look into his eyes. “BLUE! Tell me Paps didn’t buy a bottle of horse shampoo just for laughs.”

He can’t keep a straight face. You both stare at each other, grinning like fools for a moment before just bursting out into laughter.

“IT’S THE EXTRA-LARGE JUMBO SIZE TOO!” He snorts, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Stooooooop.” You cry, doubled over as you clutch your stomach.

That’s the state Paps finds the two of you in as he wanders into the kitchen sleepily. He looks dishevelled in just boxers and his open robe as he takes in the scene before him, but he perks up when he hears your laughter.

“Honeybee, you’re the one who stole my hoodie!” He laughs, crossing the room to pull you into his arms before he gives you another look over. “Looks really good on ya.” He winks.

Blue straightens up, going back to mashing the cider as he tries to ignore what feels like an intrusion on his part into an intimate evening.

“Blue was just telling me you have a huge bottle of horse shampoo!” You laugh up at him.

“Ahh yes! Mane ‘n Tail! I can’t believe you didn’t pick up on that with how healthy my hair is.” He grins as he tosses his imaginary locks behind his shoulders dramatically. “I’ll let you use some. I only bought it to commit to the bit.”

Both you and Blue roll your eyes at him while he laughs proudly at his horse pun. It’s only when Blue goes back to mashing up the apples once again that Paps notices what he’s doing.

“Oh, thank you brother. We umm, well, we lost track of the time a little. Let me just toss something on and I’ll help finish it up. I wanted you to join us for a cup anyways!”

He’s gone before Blue can protest, bounding out of the kitchen with an excited energy that he doesn’t normally possess. The cider is almost done at this point anyways, no need for an extra pair of hands, but he can’t deny his brother, not when he’s happier than Blue has seen him in a long time. He sighs, calling you over to him. “IF YOU DON’T MIND, COULD YOU HOLD THE STRAINER OVER THE POT PLEASE?”

Nodding, you take up your station as he begins to pour slowly, catching apple seeds and cinnamon, clove and core as the amber liquid pours seamlessly into the pot below.

“THANK YOU, STARLIGHT.” Blue says, slightly subdued, as he takes the now brimming pot and empties it back into the main crock to simmer. Stars, he needs to focus. The two of you are safe and sound and he can talk to Paps tomorrow about what Alphys and Undyne have found. He can also work out these complicated feelings for you that he still swears up and down he is not experiencing.  

“THE ONLY THING THAT’S LEFT TO DO IS SWEETEN IT TO TASTE.” He says, grabbing a spoon to stir as he begins to add sugar.

“Does that mean I get to be the taste tester?” You clap excitedly, hopping up on the counter to sit and watch.

“IT’S A THANKLESS JOB, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.” Blue continues to stir until all the sugar is dissolved before holding out the spoon to you.

Pulling your hair back, you lean over to his steady hands and take a sip, instantly flapping your arms in a “too hot” motion before you manage to swallow the cider and give a thumbs up.

“AWW GEEZ, SORRY ABOUT THAT. I SHOULD HAVE BLOWN ON IT FIRST.” He says sheepishly. Thinking he really should have caught that had he been paying more attention.

You shake your head. “No worries, Blue. Honest mistake. I should have thought of it too. And hey, before I burned the taste buds clear off my tongue, it did taste pretty good!” You declare, laughing.

He laughs back, but still feels pretty bad as Paps reemerges into the kitchen, pajama pants and joke t-shirt on. Tonight, it features a unicorn kitten flying through space with a stylized Deadpool riding on its back while holding soft serve ice cream for some strange reason.

“Paps, sweetheart. Who is supplying you with these t-shirts?”

“Ahh, you like what you see, do ya?” He smirks, doing a slow turn in the kitchen door before sliding over to the two of you.

“THAT WASN’T A COMPLIMENT, BROTHER.” Blue laughs, ladling out cider into three mugs for everyone.

He hands you yours first, watching as you close your eyes and take a deep breath wrapping your fingers around the warmth of the mug with a little satisfied sigh. “Thank you, Blue.” You say, this time remembering to blow gently across the liquid before drinking.

Paps takes his mug and leans up against the counter, bumping you gently with his shoulder. You lean back onto him, casually planting a soft kiss on his cheekbone before going back to your drink with a tentative sip.

Blue takes his drink and watches from the kitchen table, absentmindedly running a finger around the lip of the mug. SO, THIS IS WHAT A SUCCESSFUL ENCOUNTER LOOKS LIKE, he muses. There’s a familiar intimacy between the two of you now, that hadn’t been there before.

He’s truly happy for the two of you, is so glad his little family has grown with the addition of you, but he also can’t seem to shake that disappointed feeling inside. He’ll have to work extra hard to ensure nothing comes between the two of you – including him.

Blue is not about to be the reason either one of you gets hurt. He cares for you both way too much to ever let that happen. So, he sits. Sits and sips his drink with a huge grin on his face, and tries not to notice the small part of his soul that still feels broken after all these years.

~*~

You hope Blue didn’t take your comments in the hallway as accusations.

I absolutely adored them Blue, but you knew that already, didn’t you?

You were going for I appreciate you so damn much, don’t think I didn’t notice. But worry it sounded more like Umm, bit much, don’tcha think?

Had you been dressed in anything besides his brother’s freaking underwear at the time, you would have given him a hug for his thoughtfulness, because right up until you saw those flowers, and realized he was the one who put together that amazing first date for the two of you, you would have firmly placed his feelings for you in the friendzone, but now you have your doubts.

You ponder these thoughts as you scrub a generous dollop of mane ‘n tail into your hair, and dammit Paps, it really did make you laugh when you saw just how big the bottle actually was.

Of course, that makes you think about your sweet soul of a datemate in the next room. He stayed behind in the kitchen to help Blue finish up as you begged a shower, more energy in his step than you’d ever seen despite the short nap the two of you had taken after your encounter had ended.

And oh stars, that encounter.

Even in the shower you swear you can feel the ghost of his touch lingering on you, making you wish he had opted to join you in here; not that you would have been comfortable offering up that option to him with Blue in the room.

Needless to say, there was a lot swirling around in your head at the moment, first and foremost thought, was wondering what the odds were that Paps had a hairbrush tucked away somewhere for comedic purposes too.

After finishing up in the shower and conducting a thorough search, you come up empty handed. Tossing the hoodie and boxers back on, you make your way down the hall to the living room, trying to brush your wet hair into submission with just your fingers, hopefully avoiding the largest knots until you can properly tame it again.

As you round the corner, you hear concerned murmurs from the boys on the couch. “Oh wow, what happened while I was gone? The vibe has definitely changed without me!” You smile with a joke as you enter the room.

When Paps catches your eye, you know something’s up. Instead of taking your place on the couch next to them, he’s pulling you into his arms, hugging you tightly, head buried in your stomach. “Oh wow. I didn’t think I was gone for that long sweetheart.” You stammer nervously, trying to alleviate the tension, running a hand over the back of his skull tenderly.

Blue just meets your gaze sadly from across the couch as you mouth the words what happened?

“I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND STARLIGHT, BUT I’VE BEEN DOING SOME RECONNAISSANCE WORK ON YOUR FAMILY SINCE THE ENCOUNTER WITH THAT STRANGER.” Blue starts. “…AND WOW, THEY ARE NOT NICE PEOPLE.” He tries to release some tension with a half-hearted laugh, but it dies out pretty quickly.

Paps has pulled you onto his lap, unwilling to let you go. You find he’s more distraught than you are, but you suspect it’s because you’ve had your whole life to fully grasp how horrible they are; the boys are getting a crash course all at once.

“What did you find out, Blue?” You ask, strangely disconnected. You have a feeling you already know the answer, he’s just about to confirm it for you.

“WE TRACKED IP ADDRESSES AND DID SOME DIGGING ON THAT GUY. YOUR UNCLE DID INDEED HIRE HIM.” He sighs, shaking his head. “I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND. FAMILY DOESN’T DO THAT TO FAMILY.” Blue looks mystified while you feel a strange mix of relief at having your suspicions confirmed and worry, knowing that once your uncle gets something in his head, he won’t quit.

You think back to all those times growing up when you had faced things alone. As your grandmother got more and more ill, you actively choose to involve her in less and less of their mind games, opting to repay her kindness over the years with fabricated peace.

At least you don’t feel alone any more. It’s still absolutely horrible what’s happening, but having Blue and Paps with you makes you feel like you can face things easier this time around just by knowing someone has your back; and Paps literally has yours, holding you to him, a sturdy force behind you, bolstering your confidence.

“So…what happens now?” You ask Blue.

“RIGHT. NOW, WE WAIT AND WATCH AND PLAN OUR NEXT MOVE BASED ON WHAT THEY WILL DO. IT WON’T JUST BE US THIS TIME EITHER. I CALLED IN SOME FAVOURS, AND ALPHYS WILL ENSURE THAT A MONSTER GUARD DISCRETELY STARTS PATROLLING YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD REGULARLY.”

You feel Paps breathe a sigh of relief behind you, and you pat his hands gently in return. “That really makes me feel better, Blue. Thank you so much.” You look him in the eyes as you say it, trying to impart how grateful you are for the help. He just blushes and goes back to his drink on the coffee table.

“IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO NOT BE ALONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.” He says, and you can feel Paps nodding behind you. “NOW THAT WE KNOW YOUR UNCLE INSTIGATED THIS, WE’RE GOING TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, SEE WHAT HIS ENDGAME IS. INTRODUCE HIM TO A FEW OF MY MONSTER FRIENDS FROM THE ROYAL NAVY, POLITELY OF COURSE. MAYBE JUST HAVE A FRIENDLY CHAT.”

There’s a cold anger coming out of Blue that you’re not used to, but you sure as hell appreciate. Before you can stop yourself, you’re asking the first thing that pops in your mind. “You’ve known all night, haven’t you?”

He just nods. “YOU LOOKED SO HAPPY, AND PAPS LOOKED SO HAPPY. WANTED TO JUST LET YOU BASK IN IT FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. FELT LIKE I’D BE BREAKING A SPELL.” He smiles sadly.

Paps, you notice, has been uncharacteristically quiet during this exchange. You try your best to twist yourself so you’re looking back at him, just to gauge how he’s feeling. “You okay back there, sweetheart?” You ask softly.

He nods in return. “Just don’t like knowing your family – if you can even call them that – are a bunch of crazies.” He hugs you closer to him. “As far as I’m concerned, Blue and I are your family now; you don’t have to worry about a thing. But I’m just wishing you hadn’t had to deal with this your entire life. Really leaves me rattled.”

You smile faintly. “Yeah, it’s been a tough go at times, but you know I’d do it all again just so I could wind up exactly where I am right now.” You lean back into him, snuggling closer. “Not gonna say it didn’t suck, because, wow did it ever, but it also kinda made me into the person I am today.” Huh you wonder, when did I become such a glass half full optimist? Having souls in your life that love and care about you is really doing a number on your well-being.

“I’m going to choose to believe that I would have found you in any timeline, even one that was a whole lot kinder to you.” You can feel Paps smiling into your back, starting to sound softer, less stressed.

“AND YOU DEFINITELY WON’T HAVE TO FACE THIS ALONE.” Chimes in Blue.

“I know.” You smile to him. “I-I think that’s why I’m handling it so well this time. Without the two of you, I’m pretty sure I’d be an absolute mess right now.”

Even with the amazing support they’ve giving you, you’re extremely tired now that the initial shock has worn off. All you really want to do is continue leaning back into Paps and shut off your brain for the night. You can tell everyone senses the shift in mood, as the amped up anger and anxiety begin to subside.

Blue leans across the couch, closing the distance to the two of you to give you and Paps a hug. You find yourself suddenly squished between two skeletons and think, not for the first time that you’ve really lucked out in life to have wound up here.

“SORRY FOR RUINING YOUR NIGHT WITH THIS NEWS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU BOTH HEARD IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE COULD ALL START TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONS.”

You squeeze Blue’s arm in thanks. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, Blue. You’re both looking out for me. How could I ever think that was a bad thing?”

“Yeah, brother. You’ve really done something good here.” Paps chimes in, gratitude in his voice as he yawns, his exhaustion finally reemerging.

Blue smiles at the two of you, as he stands and collects the mugs. “WHY DON’T YOU GUYS GET TO SLEEP? I CAN FINISH CLEANING UP AROUND HERE AND GET THE CIDER PUT AWAY.”

You can feel Paps nodding in agreement behind you, but you feel bad, so you throw in a quick “are you sure you don’t want our help? It’s no trouble, and it would make the cleanup go by faster.”

He just shakes his head as he wanders to the kitchen. “NAHHH. I ENJOY TIDYING UP. IT’LL GIVE ME SOME TIME TO UNWIND AND UNPACK WHAT ALPHYS TOLD ME. GO ENJOY YOUR NIGHT.” He casually waves a hand at the two of you as he turns the corner out of sight.

You weren’t crazy. You could hear a sadness creeping into his voice as he finished that sentence, purposely not looking back at the two of you as he enters the kitchen.

“You heard the skeleton! I say we hit the hay.” Grins Paps.

Nodding in agreement you get up, taking Paps’ hand and letting him lead you to the bedroom.

“Goodnight Blue.” You call as you pass the door, catching a glimpse of him in the kitchen, hands gripping the counter as he leans over the sink, staring at nothing. It looks like the stance of someone with a lot on his mind, and your heart goes out to him because it seems like he’s facing whatever it is alone.

Once back in the bedroom, you both settle down under the covers, ready for sleep, but something keeps eating at the back of your mind.

“Hey Paps” you begin after the two of you have cocooned yourselves under the blankets. “Did Blue seem off to you just now?”

You’re curled up in his arms, head nuzzled against his neck as he takes a deep breath in. You can tell by his body language that he’s giving the question some serious thought. “Not particularly, no. Could it have just been because he was worked up over the news he brought us? Why? Did you notice something, Honeybee?”

Nodding your head, you sigh. “I’m sure you’re right. Maybe I’m just hypersensitive to emotions after the encounter we had.” You smile, kissing his clavicle softly. “It really was the best date ever, Paps.”

“Hmmmm…so glad.” He whispers sweetly, half asleep. “Love you…so much.” You hear him sigh happily, and a few moments later as his breathing steadies you know he’s fallen asleep in your arms.

You’re not far behind as you snuggle even closer, letting the quiet hum of his magic lull you to sleep. Your dreams as sweet as your skeleton.

Notes:

Paps: Hey Blue, Honeybee said you were acting strange. Wanna talk about it?
Blue: STRANGE? STRANGE HOW? I'M NOT STRANGE. YOU'RE STRANGE. WHO BUYS HORSE SHAMPOO?
Paps: Ummm, people who own horses?
Blue: GAHHHH

I promise Blue is in good hands. I love him too much.

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Chapter 15: Ready to Rumble

Summary:

Things can change oh so quickly at work sometimes.

Even with the distressing news about your family, you feel like you’re walking on air. Days are brighter, shifts at work seem shorter, and your soul just feels lighter. You don’t know if it’s all in your head, but whenever Paps passes by at work, you swear you can still sense his soul. Just a small impression of love that passes directly from him, straight to your heart. You can’t help but smile.

He keeps coming up with little excuses to touch you. A brush of fingers against yours as he hands you a book, your shoulders bumping together as you walk to lunch, the way he lets his hand linger on your lower back as he pulls out your chair for you. Every touch feels electric, and even though the two of you have opted for privacy at work, you somehow wonder how nobody seems to have noticed just how much you love each other. You feel like you’re wearing it openly like a neon sign.

Blue, on the other hand, has become emotionally distant. You still text regularly, and the two of you have started working on another home renovation project together, but there’s a wall between you now that you can’t seem to penetrate. He’s still the same, sweet Blue he’s always been, but now there’s a cordial formality to him that simply never existed before. The two of you will be having a great conversation and he’ll be on the verge of opening up about what’s been bothering him, but then he pulls back and closes himself off.

It saddens you so much because you still stand by your initial assessment that he’s working through something alone and would benefit from talking to one of you, but you’re not about to push. He’ll hopefully come around in his own time. Paps has noticed too and is keeping a close eye, not quite sure how to approach him yet about what he’s going through, but is working himself up to try.

There is also a part of you that wonders if he has feelings for you. You’re hopelessly inept at picking up on these things, and so you’re quick to dismiss it, but there’s something about the way he’s acting that keeps itching at the back of your brain. There is also a part of you that fully admits your own feelings for Blue and how they could have easily extended past friendship if you hadn’t met Paps first. But you firmly tamp down that idea, as you would never do anything to hurt Paps in any way. It just hurts to know that it might be at Blue’s expense and there’s nothing you can do about it.

So instead, you’ve been throwing yourself fully into your work. After three more weeks on the job, you’ve managed to complete the backlog of cataloguing you had, and are finally ahead of the game. You’ve organized your workspace for efficiency and are prepping a list of items for deselection when your boss Kathy walks up to you, pulling you from your thoughts, looking her usual default of flustered and mildly annoyed.

“Just wanted to say you’re doing a good job.” She starts, and your hackles are instantly up. This woman does not randomly give out compliments.

Setting aside your work, you turn from your computer and look up with a smile, giving her your full attention. “Thank you. I’ve completed the backlog as requested and am getting a head start on some weeding.” You motion to your spotless desk and empty shelves behind you.

Kathy, on the other hand just keeps barreling on with her monologue like you haven’t spoken. “In a joint effort between city council and” she briefly pauses to roll her eyes, “monster ambassadors, each municipal department has been asked to put forward representatives to plan and present a report on programming initiatives for monster/human relations.” She looks like she has something unpleasant that she’s mulling over, but is having difficulty spitting out.

“That sounds pretty exciting! The library is doing all sorts of-” You begin, about to say more, but she cuts you off.

“For some reason the city has specifically requested that you and Papyrus work on this project together.” It sounds accusatory, like you had something to do with it despite this being the first time you’ve heard of it.

“Why me?” Is all you can think to say, completely flabbergasted.

“They didn’t enlighten me as to their reasons, merely sent the request.” She narrows her eyes. “You and Papyrus have been getting pretty close…” She looks like she wants to say more on the subject, but restrains herself. “At the very least, that just means you should have an easy time transitioning to working on this project together.” You feel like she’s holding back again. She’s probably annoyed that she wasn’t consulted as branch manager, or at the very least, wasn’t able to put forward her own suggestions.

“Oh! Ahh umm well, I’ll really make our library proud.” You’re not sure what else to say, but want to sound appreciative nonetheless, even if she had nothing to do with it.

The shared workroom with your other coworkers has not gotten any easier in the weeks since you’ve settled in, and you’re suddenly excited at the prospect of a break from them. You appreciate every time a staff member from the up front comes back to work on off-desk programming, as the vitriol is significantly less when someone else is around.

Speaking of which, you catch Beth once again staring daggers at you from across the room, clearly straining to hear what Kathy is saying.

“If I’m being honest, I think you’re too new, and Papyrus too aloof. My recommendation would have been for more…senior staff to take the lead, but apparently, it’s out of my hands.”  

That rubs you the wrong way. Sure, you may be new, but you know Paps loves his job, and is particularly passionate about the outreach programs he facilitates within the community. Her real problem with Paps is his aloofness toward her. She hates that she can never seem to get a reaction from him, no matter how rude she is; and that her attitude ultimately boils down to the fact that she just doesn’t really like monsters all that much.

Deciding to take a page from Paps’ book, you fold your hands in front of you and smile serenely. “I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised, Kathy. We won’t let you down.”

It’s amazing how well his approach works. She hovers for approximately thirty seconds, words on the tip of her tongue that she’s clearly looking for any excuse to say, but is stunted by your non-reaction. She eventually gives up when you don’t take the bait, instead begrudgingly filling you in on the major project details before saying Paps will be around shortly to get you up to speed with the bulk of the information.

You are still expected to keep up with your cataloguing, but all other projects like weeding and general systems maintenance will be set aside to focus on this. You both would have a few months to create your report and would then be presenting at the city’s winter gala later that year along with other municipal departments. This was all in an effort to celebrate and close out a year that had been designated as a pilot project for fostering a growing cooperation and understanding between monsters and humans in Ebott city.

You’re still shocked as Kathy leaves the workroom, barely clocking the fact that Beth is making her way over to your desk, not trying to hide her anger.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, pulling shit like that.” She says, hands on hips, face redder than you’ve ever seen it. You actually worry she might lunge over your desk and hit you, as you discretely roll your chair back, putting as much distance between her as possible without making it blatantly obvious.

In situations like this, you’re brought right back to your childhood; how you always tried to hide away, and make yourself smaller as your uncle and other relatives would yell, imposing over you with loud, booming voices. When you were alone it bothered you a great deal more, but now with the support of Paps and Blue, you feel emboldened, wanting to attempt to stand your ground.

“I don’t know what you’re referring to, Beth.” You say in as calm a voice as you can muster. Just because you’re standing up for yourself, doesn’t mean you want to get into a yelling match. Too bad she seems to have missed that memo. Anger just pours off of her, and you find yourself pondering if you should let her hit you just once. That would force HR’s hand and probably get her fired. Was it worth it?

“You’ve been here barely a month, act like you’re better than everyone and get a project like that just dumped in your lap?”

More like get a project like that over her. Is what you think she wants to say.

“I didn’t even know this was a thing until just now, Beth. How could I have possibly expressed interest in it?” You’re long past the days of hoping they would come around and be civil towards you. You weren’t seeking their friendship, just basic human decency at this point. Now though, you just wanted to be left alone.

“I see the way you’re attached at the hip with that monster of yours too.” She growls – literally growls. “It’s disgusting. You’re disgusting. He’s probably got some sort of connection with monster ambassadors. Don’t they all know each other or something?”

Despite the fact that she’s yelling at you, she does begrudgingly make one good point. Did Blue somehow facilitate this? You put that aside to deal with later, wondering if you can figure out a way to distract her and get out of here, as your brain slowly realizes that standing your ground and engaging is only making things worse. You’re becoming more frustrated and liable to say something you’ll regret.

“Look, Beth. Whatever you think happened, didn’t. I don’t know why I was chosen. Maybe they wanted a monster’s perspective and a set of fresh eyes to clearly see the pros and cons of what the library has to offer. Or heck, I don’t know, maybe they just wanted someone who actually likes and respects monsters to represent them? I don’t really care about their reasons. All I know is that I’m going to enjoy every minute of not being back here with you.”

Whoops. You can’t believe you just said that. Neither can Beth from the looks of it. She’s clenching and unclenching her fists now, clearly oscillating between wanting to use them on you and trying to regain control.

“I extended you an olive branch on day one when I told you to stay away from that monster. I was giving you solid advice and you ignored it.” She huffs.

“If your idea of an olive branch is to alienate someone else, then I want nothing to do with it. Go live in your sad little hate-filled life, but leave me out of it.” Your brain is short circuiting with how mad you are. A lifetime of always avoiding confrontation at all costs has you on edge. It was easier to do when you were the one being targeted, but here now, you’re finding it near impossible to ignore when it comes to Paps. There’s a deep visceral part of you that needs to defend him.

“You’re gonna regret that.” She growls angrily through clenched teeth, balling her fists and taking a fighter’s stance.

Uh-oh. You think. I might get to find out what a punch from her feels like after all. On a normal day that thought alone would have stopped you cold, but at this point, you’re in too deep, so you just keep on going, driving your point home.

“Pretty sure I won’t. You’ve hated me from day one and I don’t even know why!” You cry, exasperated, tired, and just wishing this argument would end.

As it turns out, you get your wish pretty quickly because Kathy has returned to the back room completely composed, with a look of pure professionalism on her face. She is trailed by what appears to be a delegation of official looking monsters and humans.

You spot Blue instantly. He’s leading the group, chatting animatedly with a confident looking lizard monster. There are two humans following close behind, talking among themselves and Paps trailing in the back, a small grin on his face like he knows something big is about to happen.

Everyone stops short as they take in the scene. It’s chaos as a red-faced Beth has her fist drawn back and aimed at you in a punch. Before anyone can fully get a grasp on what’s going on, Blue has already acted. He’s fast. So fast in fact, the humans in the room all startle as he’s suddenly standing between the two of you, hand over top of her fist in an iron grip.

“HELLO HUMAN. I DON’T THINK WE’VE MET.” He says flatly, tilting his head to the side as he gives Beth a slow smile. It’s enough to drain the fight right out of her. She snatches her hand back to her chest like she’s been burned, and scurries right into Kathy.

“Beth, what do you think you’re doing?” Your boss asks incredulously, catching her before she knocks the both of them down in a panic.

She just stammers. “I-I-I wasn’t going to hit her, I swear.” Looking more agitated and desperate than you’ve ever seen her. You feel no sympathy. She’s never shown you any, relentless in her efforts to be an absolute horrible human being to you from day one.

“My office. Now.” Kathy says, voice clipped with anger. You’ve never seen it directed at Beth before, but clearly, she’s embarrassed. You have a feeling she was probably talking her up on the way in, only to be made to look like a fool at how her senior, more qualified employee was behaving. 

While all of this is going on, you’ve managed to stay focused solely on Blue, and have a front row seat to the moment his sockets widen in recognition as his gaze snaps to the lizard monster across the room. She gives him a confused look at first before narrowing her eyes at Beth with extreme distaste.

What was that all about? You wonder.

As you’re pondering this, you feel Paps slide up next to you, arms on your shoulders, drawing your attention. “Did she hurt you, Honeybee?” He whispers, a look of pained concern in his eyes.

You shake your head no. “I’m fine. It was just a verbal fight.” but as you think about it further, you quickly add “I’m sure glad everyone got here when they did though. Umm hey, Paps, who exactly is…everyone?” Your eyes quickly dart to the chaotic room at large.

“Well,” he begins, still checking you over to make sure you’re okay “delegates from city council and monster ambassadors were coming in to officially meet the new library project reps. They wanted to snap a couple pictures to use for PR. I don’t think anyone was expecting this though.” He nods towards the commotion in the back room as Beth gathers up her things, storming off to wait in Kathy’s office. The city officials are huddled around your boss in concerned discussion, angry looks on their faces, all directed at her.

Blue and the lizard monster wander over to the two of you and it suddenly dawns on you. You know who she is. You’ve seen her on tv and in pictures on the news.

If you hadn’t still been on edge from that fresh argument, you might have been able to conduct yourself with more decorum. Instead, brain misfiring, you just blurt out “Oh stars. You’re Alphys!” in complete awestruck shock.

“Hey Blue, I see your human has great taste.” She winks, “or does my reputation precede me once again?” She slaps Blue on the back affectionately, making him stagger a few steps forward into you with her strength. You put out your hands to steady him as he straightens up.

He laughs back, clearly embarrassed about something. You wonder if it might have been her casual mention of your human, as your mind darts back to what you were thinking earlier about how he’s been extra sensitive to anything of that nature these past several weeks.

“UHH YEAH, ALPHYS. MUST BE YOUR REPUTATION!” He chuckles. “STARLI----I MEAN THE HUMAN AND PAPS WILL DEFINITELY DO A GOOD JOB REPRESENTING THE LIBRARY.” He says, adopting a straight backed, militaristic pose.

“Missed working with you, Captain.” She grins. “Maybe this project will lure you back to work sooner rather than later?”

“WHO KNOWS?” He laughs awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable, while Alphys remains oblivious to all of it.

Finally turning her attentions to you, she smiles, extending a hand in greeting. When you take it, her grip is so strong, she’s practically rattling your arm out of its socket as she vigorously shakes it. “Blue has told me so much about you!” Then looking at Paps, she adds “I’m sure you would have too, if we’d seen you more than once since the wedding.” She grumbles good-naturedly.

Paps shrugs casually, taking the comment in stride. “You know how I am, Alphys. I was too wrapped up in my own head to realize what a bad friend I was being. Got caught up in that hermit lifestyle. Really sorry about that, by the way.” He frowns sheepishly. “I really mean it. I kept wanting to reach out to the two of you, but my brain kept telling me it wasn’t a good idea. Had some shit I needed to work through first I guess.”

She nods in full agreement. “You’ll just have to make it up to us. Come to dinner, bring the human! Undyne and I want to officially get to know the person who actually managed to get you to pull your head out of your ass!” With that she laughs wholeheartedly, clearly already accepting Paps’ apology and startling the other humans in the room out of their conversation in the process.

Alphys is satisfied as Paps nods, pulling out his cell phone. “I’ll text Undyne some dates, see what she thinks?” He says inquiringly, quickly firing off a volley of messages before the other humans wander over. Everything seems to be happening so fast, as Paps finishes what he’s doing, shoving his phone back into his pocket before taking his place next to you. He reaches out and wraps his pinky finger discretely around yours in a display of affection. Your head is spinning, but you’re still somehow managing to hold yourself together.

Kathy appears nervous for the first time ever as she looks you over. “I promise this will be dealt with accordingly. There’s no tolerance for abuse in the workplace.” With that, she turns on her heels and walks out of the room to deal with Beth, noting how the city council officials watch her every move.

Is she about to get fired? You wonder, discretely glancing up at Paps, an equally shocked look on his face. Again though, there’s not much time to process anything, as the delegates all bombard you at once, shaking hands and offering formal greetings to you and Paps as they have you line up for pictures.

It’s a whirlwind of

Can’t wait to see what you’ll put together!

And

Here’s my email if you have any questions or concerns.

Your head is spinning, you’ve got three business cards tucked into your pocket, a binder full of policy and procedure to study, examples of what other departments have put together in the past, and permission to work off site as needed for the duration of the project.

There are instructions for logging your hours and in the process, you discover that you will no longer be reporting to Kathy. This branch will still be your home base, but you now have a different project manager in head office that you and Paps will be periodically checking in with moving forward.

All in all, it takes about fifteen minutes before everyone is heading out, the humans waving as they turn into the hallway, followed by Alphys and finally Blue. He gives a little wink and a smirk as he rounds the corner. You’re definitely going to have words with that skeleton later! You think, as a cautious grin spreads slowly across your face, gravity of the gift you’ve been given finally sinking in.

Claire and Brynne are still sitting across the room, stunned into silence. They look scared at how quickly the axis of their world has tilted. It’s not until you meet their gazes, that they both noticeably flinch, standing suddenly and leaving like the room was on fire.

“Paps, w-what just happened? It feels like everything changed for the better?” You ask questioningly, guardedly happy, but emotionally spent. He’s there to gather you in his arms, let you lean into him, as your brain tries to make sense of what just transpired.

“That was…a lot.” He agrees. “When I got the email this morning and an annoyed one-on-one with Kathy, I was shocked. Blue must have been working on this for weeks now.” He mutters, lost in thought. “I had no idea he was in contact with Alphys again in any sort of working capacity. I thought he was just catching up with an old friend.” Paps appears distracted as he runs his hands up and down your back. “You wanna grab these binders and head to the apartment?” He smiles warmly. “No sense in sticking around when I think Kathy might actually be afraid of us right now!”

Nodding, you agree. “Yeah, I’m very ready to not be here any more today. I just want to sit down and process what happened.” You say, as you gather up your stuff.

“Mind if we take a shortcut, Honeybee?”

You relent this time, feeling the exhaustion of the afternoon creeping into your body. Learning from your past experience, you firmly grasp onto him, making sure to close your eyes this time for the whole trip. You trust Paps completely, but you also have no desire to see that place in between places again.

“I’m ready.” You whisper as he slides a hand affectionately along the back of your neck, carefully holding you to his chest. His other arm is wrapped firmly around your back as you soon begin to feel that familiar tug through your body, like you’ve been ripped through a hole in time and space.

You’re still dizzy, but at least you know what to expect this time, keeping your eyes firmly shut until he’s running his fingers through your hair and planting a soft kiss on the top of your head with a murmur. “You can open your eyes now, love.”

You do so, slowly, giving the room around you time to stop spinning as you breathe in a sigh of relief. You’re just winding down, feeling the sharp edges on your nerves beginning to subside as Paps sighs happily against you, sliding your book bag with all the binders and information from your shoulder.

“Let me just take that for you while you sit down. I’ll get us some drinks, then we can talk about” he gestures, wildly flailing his hands “whatever that was!”

All you can muster is a soft chuckle as you accept his offer, shrugging off your coat for him to hang up before you unceremoniously sink down to the couch, finally taking a moment to breathe. Your body is processing a whirlwind of emotions right now as you hold out your hands, willing them to stop shaking by the time Paps comes back to accept the mug of tea he’s prepared.

“So…yeah.” He says, curling up close to you on the couch, wrapping an arm around your shoulder as you sink into him, drawing comfort from his touch. “Can I ask what we walked in on, or is the wound still too fresh?”

Taking a sip from your mug, you nod. “Y-yeah. She overhead Kathy telling me about the project and absolutely lost it.” You shake your head, reliving the moment. “I tried calmly explaining to her that I knew nothing about it until the moment our boss told me, but she was hurling accusations and then started blaming you.”

“Honestly, if I had known I could make her day that horrible simply by taking on more projects, I would have tried that angle a long time ago!” He chuckles. “Wish Blue would have told me what was going on though before it was sprung on us.” He frowns. “You are right, he’s been very distracted lately. Acting a bit like he did leading up to his burnout if I’m being honest. I’m both happy he managed to do this for us, but also worried about him again.”

Paps frowns, putting your drinks down on the table so he can wrap you up in a hug. “Appreciate you going to bat for me, Honeybee.” He adds. “Know how overwhelming confrontation like that can be.”

“It’s funny, had she kept it about just me, I would have disengaged. My natural default is to shut down when anger is being hurled at me, but the moment she went after you, I just wasn’t having it.” You chuckle, nerves spiking again as you relive the events of the afternoon.

“You’re like my librarian in shining armour. Riding in to save the day on an enchanted book cart, and I absolutely adore you for it, Honeybee.” He says, planting a few light kisses along your neck in an effort to tickle you.

You snort, glad you aren’t drinking your tea at the moment as you add to the scenario. “I’d choose the blue one. I think someone named it Trolley Carton. That would definitely be my noble steed!”

Paps laughs at that, “what, and leave poor Kim Kartdashian in the stable? What about Descartes? Shelvis Presley?”

“All worthy options. I actually considered Paul McCartney, and Paul Cart: Mall Cop, but ultimately had to leave them behind for Trolley.” You’re shaking with laughter at this point, tears forming in the corners of your eyes.

“Then I’d be right by your side, your ever faithful Sancho Panza riding in on his noble steed, Carty McCartface.”

The two of you lock eyes before falling on each other, completely dissolving into fits of laughter, and it feels so dang good to release all that tension in a positive, healing way. Eventually you calm down enough to giddily ask “Why are librarians like this?”

“Pffft, because my love, clearly we’re super cool and have the sharpest of minds for a clever joke.”

“Must be it.” You agree, planting a quick kiss on his cheek bone before reaching for your backpack and the binders within. “Why don’t we go over this together while you tell me what your meeting with Kathy was like.”

Paps nods, wrapping his arms around you so he can rest his chin on your head to read over your shoulder, the two of you starting your first work from home shift together. Soon you’re building on each other’s excitement as ideas for the project begin to manifest. For the first time in a long time, you’re enthusiastic about the prospect of taking on a new task for work.

Notes:

Blue: KIM KARTDASHIAN? LIBRARIANS REALLY NAME THEIR BOOK CARTS?
Paps: Books carts, book drops, computers, anything for a laugh, really.
Blue: CAN'T EVEN ROLL MY EYES AT THIS ONE. THEY'RE ALL PRETTY CLEVER NAMES.
Paps: I knew I'd convert you, bro! You should see what we do with all the googly eyes from the craft supplies!

~*~
I needed the plot to plot a little more, but OMG this chapter game me so much trouble. I ultimately know where I want the story to go. It just took me a bit longer to articulate this time!

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Chapter 16: Hurt people hurt people

Summary:

Paps makes amends while Blue makes it home...barely.

It doesn’t take long for your energy to wear off again. After all, it has been an emotionally exhausting day for the both of you. Paps thinks it’s adorable as he watches you try and fight the urge to sleep. First, it’s the paperwork in your hands slowly slipping through your fingers as it becomes too heavy. After he takes it, you’re suddenly snuggling further into his chest, your breathing becoming steadier until he’s pretty sure you’ve fallen asleep in his arms.

Every once and a while he’ll ask your opinion just to hear you softly sigh or mumble something back in the cutest sleepy voice ever, but he eventually takes pity, scooping you up in his arms, and gently carrying you to bed for a nap.

You only stir once as he pulls the blanket up around you. “Mmm love you Paps.” Is the only coherent thing he can make out as he places a soft kiss on your forehead, whispers he loves you too, and shuts the door. He’s decided to let you sleep for a few hours so he can clean up and start dinner.

It’s tempting to just crawl into bed with you, but he resists the urge for now, wanting to give you something nice to wake up to instead. Besides, there will be plenty of time to cuddle later tonight, and he’d rather have you well fed and rested beforehand.

It's cold, so he figures he’ll make a soup. That should also get on Blue’s good side as there are a bunch of veggies in the fridge he can toss in and use up before they go bad, and he wants him in a good mood as he’s been meaning to have a genuine talk with him about a few things.

Paps has been playing the same thoughts on a continuous loop in his head now for weeks. There is absolutely no doubt in his mind that you love him. You are his datemate, his soulmate, and nothing will ever change that. He’s solid and very secure in your love for him. He also knows you have feelings for his brother. Felt them that first night during your encounter, buried so deep he’s fairly certain you hadn’t even acknowledged them to yourself yet.

He continues to ponder as he chops up the onions, garlic and celery. Admittedly, he didn’t quite know how to feel at first. It wasn’t uncommon for monsters to be in what humans called polyamorous relationships, though he had never personally considered it for himself. But then again, he had also never thought he’d find someone as wonderful as you.

Someone he was willing to do just about anything for; including entertaining the idea of letting you and Blue find that same joy in each other. He’s given himself the time to sit with it, to try on the knowledge of the two of you starting a relationship together, and is surprisingly okay with it. His love for his brother wasn’t diminished by his love for you, if anything it was enhanced. Why would he ever think the same would be true the other way around?

Sautéing the onions, garlic and celery in butter and white wine, he leaves them to cook down in the pot as he goes on to peel potatoes, muscle memory taking over as he replays the last month in his mind. Blue had orchestrated that magical first date the two of you went on, encouraged him every step of the way to pursue your love, knew all the right things to say and had been building him up in ways he didn’t even know he needed.

He loved his brother so damn much. Knew that if there was anyone else on this planet that he would ever trust the love of his life with, it would be him. Paps assumes that Blue has been at war with his feelings for a while now. Yet despite that, he’s still managed to put them aside and find a way to once again make your lives better.

He continuously looked out for you, provided a level of care for this little family of theirs in ways that Paps couldn’t offer by himself. And truth be told, Paps couldn’t imagine a future that didn’t include him right there beside the two of you, helping take care of each other.

Hell, he’s also noticed that every time he says he’ll be there for you; every single time he reminds you that you’re not alone any more and that you’ve got a family now, he always includes Blue.

Every. Damn. Time.

Honestly, the more he thinks about it, the more it feels right. He knows it isn’t his decision alone, but sooner rather than later, he wants to give the two of you the option to pursue whatever this might be if it’s something you both want.

The potatoes go into the pot along with the vegetable broth. He’ll leave them to boil until they’re soft before adding more butter and blending everything together. He doesn’t really have a recipe in mind, just decides that the end result is going to be creamy celery soup.

Main prep done and everything left to boil finally gives him the chance to clean up after himself and set the table. The work documents are put away, dishes are washed, and counters are wiped down before he has a moment to pull out his phone and finally check his messages.

There are several texts from Undyne that have come in through the course of the afternoon ranging in emotion from complete shock to welcoming him back with open arms. He knows despite the quick forgiveness on her part, he still has to somehow make it up to them. Paps had never meant to distance himself so severely from his friends, and only in retrospect is realizing the lasting damage he almost caused.

Undyne: New phone, who dis?

Undyne: Just kidding. I know it’s you, Paps.

Undyne: You like my joke? I’ve been working on my pun game.

Paps laughs at the fact she thinks she made a pun. Undyne was perpetually ten years behind current trends, but he always appreciated the effort.

Undyne: Oh yes, dinner! Here’s a list of dates…

She proceeds to forward him shots of her desk calendar, several dates circled in bold red strokes that could work, and oh stars he’s missed just talking to his friends. Laughing at how precise and clear Undyne always was despite her nervous personality.

Paps: Sorry to keep you waiting. It’s been quite the day.

He watches for a moment as those three dots appear and smiles as he easily falls back into a familiar rhythm with her.

Undyne: Oh stars yes! Alphys filled me in. And you have a human now? You’re in love? Paps! Where have you been??? I need details!

Paps: You’re going to love her. She’s smart and kind and has the most beautiful soul.

He grins, knowing she’ll immediately pick up on his wording.

Undyne: YOU PULLED HER INTO AN ENCOUNTER??? I’m literally screaming and kicking my feet rn!!!

Paps laughs because he knows she means it. He can see her sitting on the couch, squealing into her phone and telling Alphys, begging her for details from when she met you today. He hopes Blue still isn’t there. He should have thought of that before he mentioned it casually over text.

Paps: Promise I’ll fill you in on everything. Btw, is Blue still with you?

Undyne: No, he left a while ago. He’s not home yet?

Paps: Not yet. Did he say he was going anywhere first?

Undyne: Alphys said he needed to finish something up at the office, but didn’t mention anything else.

Paps: That must be it, I guess. I’m sure he’ll be home soon. Gotta go for now. TTYL for all the details!

Undyne: YOU BETTER!!! XOXO

Paps smiles as he quickly brings up Blue’s contact info and sends him a message.

Paps: I made dinner bro. You almost home?

It remains unread for a few minutes. Not unheard of, but not incredibly likely for Blue. Still, the night is young. Blue could just be distracted.

He puts his phone down and sighs. Now that he’s made up his mind, free time is not his friend.

Maybe I’ll set an alarm and curl up with my Honeybee after all. He muses, just waiting around to blend the soup so he can turn the stove off. In the meantime, he reaches for a lollipop from his secret stash in the cupboard that Blue hasn’t found yet and sits down to let his thoughts wander in circles around his head.

~*~

Blue feels the phone buzz in his pocket and dismisses it for the time being. He’s currently hiding in a bathroom stall in his old office, desperately tearing at the tie around his neck.

It’s so tight.

He doesn’t remember it being this tight when he got dressed this morning.

He doesn’t stop until it hangs loosely around his neck, accidentally popping the top button off of his shirt in the process. Now if he can only catch his breath.

He was not ready to be back here, that much was evident. He had thought he could handle one day, a quick visit to the office with Alphys just to get all the formalities of this municipal project taken care of and then he could turn that part of his brain off again until he was ready.

Though, if he’s being honest with himself, he still didn’t have any clue what ready will look like.

Blue was doing good at first. It had been fun to catch up with old colleagues again, and making the rounds to show up unannounced at your library kept his mood in high spirits. He so badly wanted to surprise the two of you, to see you smile at him and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this time he was the one that did this for you and Paps.

He was absolutely stunned to find your coworker almost throwing a punch when they got there. Both you and Paps had said she was terrible, but he had no idea things were this bad.

When he had recognized her, everything instantly clicked into place. Alphys wasn’t far behind once he shot her that look. Beth was actually her middle name. He and Alphys must have overlooked that when they were building the profile on your family, because Marie Elizabeth had only recently married your uncle Doug, but seemed to have adopted a lifetime’s worth of hatred for you no problem.

It made him sick to have missed it for so long. It bothered him even more thinking about what might have happened had they not been there in time. The old Blue, Captain Sans Serif would have noticed it right away, but he just wasn’t that monster any more, and hadn’t been for a very long time.

The more he mulled it over during the course of the day, the more uncomfortable he started feeling in his temporarily revised role; especially as Alphys fell right back into step, treating him like her superior, trying to pull him into side conversations all day, getting his opinion on things he had no business even knowing any more. It was overwhelming in a way he was all too familiar with, but it also solidified his decision to step back.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he had just come back to the office to drop off his security clearance day pass, turned a corner and saw her.

Laney.

She was idly chatting with a group of execs, her eyes meeting Blue’s for a split second before quickly averting her gaze, purposely refusing to look up at him again. She had started out as his assistant, but it seemed she had long since been promoted in his absence.

Guess you got what you really wanted after all.

The thought comes unbidden, the hurt and embarrassment still very much there, even if his feelings for her had long since evaporated. He doesn’t think he’s ever met someone who was so good at manipulating emotions. Hell, it had practically destroyed him.

That encounter had been the catalyst. The misstep that had caused the burnout; because after that night for the first time in Blue’s life, choices felt overwhelming. What if he misread the situation? Made another colossal misjudgment of character? Work started to overwhelm him instead of challenge him, and so he had stepped back, forever thankful to Paps for giving him the luxury to do so.

Yes, it had been the right choice, and yes, he was slowly getting better, but his refusal to come to terms with this very big piece of the puzzle was continuing to hold him back.

He’s leaning against the wall of the stall now, clutching at his chest, soul panicked, pulsing against his ribcage. Eventually Blue lets it out, cupping it gently in his hands as he really takes a good look for what feels like the first time in forever.

It still pains him to look at it, to see what he’s been carrying around for all these years now. There’s a small crack down the middle from that day that’s never fully mended, no matter what new interest or passion he throws himself into. She had quite literally broken his heart.

He hasn’t shown anyone, nor does he intend to. His HP remains the same, thank goodness, but since that day he’s always felt slightly off. Blue doesn’t even like looking at his soul any more, because it feels like a constant reminder of how poorly he misjudged someone’s character.

If encounters were meant to fundamentally change monsters in some way, to help them see with clarity and move forward in life with or without a partner, then what Blue seems to have gleaned from his was that his trust was now hard-earned, and his love would be closely guarded.

He still sought out new friendships, as he was an extrovert to his very core. He still enjoyed engaging with people, but he was afraid to put his heart out there again. What if he made the same mistake and the next person finished the job?

He guiltily thinks back to how he urged his brother into an encounter with you, deep down wanting him to tear off the band-aid, figuring that the sooner it happened, the less of an emotional impact it would have on Paps in case things hadn’t worked out.

That was before he really got to know you though.

Blue never expected to catch any sort of feelings for you in the process. He didn’t think that part of him had the capacity to care any more after Laney had so thoroughly destroyed it.

All it took was for you to just be you; everything that Laney wasn’t.

Where she would have exploited opportunity in Blue’s weakness, you would have looked to help build him up. If her driving ambition was power, yours was compassion. Blue would forever treasure the fact that he had found a genuine soul in you. He was willing to admit a small part of him wished it could have been him, but he’s genuinely happy that you and Paps compliment each other so well.

Laney had been cherished by him at one point, but Blue would feel forever foolish for not seeing her true nature sooner. They worked so closely together every day. They joked, flirted, and confided in one another. He had thought they were building towards something slowly, and he was willing to take his time and wait for her to be ready.

As he spirals, his mind can’t help recalling that horrible night; his repressed memories flooding to the surface as he tries desperately to regain control of them.

Blue had been working late once again. Two years on the surface and things were really starting to change for the better. They had just wrapped up another gala after officially signing monster rights into legislation and he had been on top of the world, pleased at his role in making it happen.

He had shortcut back to the office for a second, just wanting to pop in and grab a file for his next big project. He remembers being pleasantly surprised to find Laney still there. She was always working late and putting in extra hours, and when she noticed him, she had greeted him with a huge smile and a hug.

Blue had been absolutely smitten. Partnered together for almost one year now at that point, he had taken her under his wing, showed her the ropes and Laney had eagerly absorbed all he taught her.

Intellectually, she challenged him, emotionally – he thought – she completely understood him. That’s why on that night in particular he had finally let his guard down, excitedly telling her about what happened at the gala.

“Next time you should bring me with you!” She joked, affectionately blowing him a kiss. “I’m tired of being benched for all the fancy stuff, Starboy.”

He flashed her a grin, letting his eye lights blip into stars with a twinkle at the newly dubbed pet name. Laney clapped her hands in delight.

“I MEAN, I DO HAVE A PLUS ONE IF YOU EVER WANT TO JOIN ME. I DIDN’T THINK YOU WERE INTERESTED.”

He remembers blushing at her boldness, the way she moved so confidently through the office, pressing herself up against him with a smile.

“I’m always interested when it comes to you, Baby Blue.” She whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

Blue can remember his emotions taking over. Surely after a year of friendship and casual flirting, this was his human’s way of finally saying she was ready for that next step! Without hesitation  he’s wrapped her up in his arms, returning the kiss as he effortlessly pulled her into an encounter.

It caught her off guard – that’s the first thing he can recall as she watched their souls appear before them. Hers was a brilliant red – pure determination, so strong, so true! He was completely overjoyed, instantly reaching out to caress it, a flood of emotions spilling from his mind all at once.

“What’s happening, Sans?” She asked bluntly, quickly getting over her initial shock.

“OH STARS, I’M SO SORRY LANEY. I PULLED YOU INTO AN ENCOUNTER. HERE, LET ME TRY TO CONVEY TO YOU WHAT THAT MEANS.”

He eagerly started pouring his love and affection into her, trying to show her how important she had become to him over the past year and the significance of encounters to monsters. He was so excited to finally have someone to share it with.

“I-I’M SORRY. MY EMOTIONS JUST TOOK OVER. NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU FIRST, BUT I WAS JUST COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED, DARLING!”

She nodded in understanding, a smile plastered rigidly across her face, and for a moment he was overjoyed…until he started hearing her thoughts.

…what the ACTUAL fuck is this?...

…I just wanted to advance my career, not marry the guy for fuck’s sake…

…thought he was a safe bet. Wouldn’t have to actually fuck anyone to get where I needed for a change. I mean, he’s a skeleton, right? They’re not even equipped for that shit...

…Wait, why can I hear him in my head?…

Blue flinches, dejectedly recalling the exact moment she realized what was going on. Laney was always smart, after all. It didn’t take long for her to understand that she was in his head too.

To her credit, she didn’t try to backpedal. She merely took a step back, placed her hands on her temples and sighed.

“Oh Starboy. Why’d you have to go and ruin a good thing like that?”

He was crushed. He thought he understood Laney – thought she had cared for him. Blue could never fathom ever leading someone on to just further his own ambitions. That’s when he felt his heart breaking.

All she did was look on, fascinated, not a hint of remorse on her face as he grasped at his soul, pulled it back away from hers, overwhelmed by its ferocity.

The encounter ended pretty quickly after that, soul slamming back into his chest, his magic so raw around the edges it hurt to think.

He remembers being unable to meet her eyes, telling her cordially that as of tomorrow she should find a new mentor, and then he just disappears, not caring one way or another if it startled her.

He shortcut into his room, his magic completely drained, making him feel sick. All he can think to do is lock his door, lay down on his bed, and cradle his broken soul. He can hear Paps in the hallway begging him to talk about whatever had happened, but he remains silent and sequestered for days.

He remembers Paps never leaving his side. Pulling out his guitar that he had only recently started playing, and sitting on the floor outside his room while he practiced his chords. He would talk about random things that happened during the past week and generally refused to leave Blue alone with his thoughts while still managing to find a way to give him his space he needed to work through it.

It must have driven him mad, trying to fill the silence when he was the introverted one.

Stars, he didn’t know what he would have done without his brother there to pull him out of it.

Blue looks down at his soul one more time, break still prominent, before forcing it back into his chest, a familiar heavy feeling that he’s been carrying around for years now. Taking a deep breath, he finally gains some modicum of control over his grief, pulling the phone out of his pocket and bringing up his brother’s message.

It appears Paps sent him a text over twenty minutes ago. Blue looks around the stall again, confused.

HAVE I REALLY BEEN IN HERE THAT LONG? He shakes his head tiredly before unlocking the door and emerging.

Wandering to the mirror, he gives himself a once over. “YOU’RE REALLY LOOKING ROUGH, BLUE. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER.”

Turning on the tap, he splashes cold water in his face. He’s trying to revive himself in an effort to look at least somewhat presentable before shortcutting home. As he gazes at his reflection in the mirror, he sees Laney enter the washroom, locking the door behind her, invading his space.

NONONONONO.

Blue can feel the panic in his soul revving up again, as it flutters in his chest. He’d cut out of here immediately if he could manage it, but with the state he’s in, he can’t fully trust his magic not to shortcut him into a wall. Instead, he desperately tries to protect his broken heart.

“TO WHAT DO I OWE THE PLEASURE?” He asks warily, voice sounding more hurt than he would like to admit.

Laney smiles and takes a few casual steps towards him, slowly closing the distance. “Can’t I just check in on an old friend after all these years?” The fake concern is so evident now. It pains him how he never noticed it before.

“FRIENDSHIP IS A TWO-WAY STREET, AND AS I RECALL, YOU NEVER CARED FOR ME.” Blue hates how hurt he still sounds.

“Not true, Starboy. It just wasn’t in the way you wanted.” She smiles sadly, leaning against the counter.

“IT’S SANS TO YOU.” He says, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

“Now, is that any way to treat someone you shared an encounter with?” She coos. “I regret not knowing the significance of what you were doing at the time. I could have mentally prepared myself, let you down more gently.”

She chuckles at that and it sends chills down his spine. “THAT’S NOT HOW AN ENCOUNTER WORKS. I WOULD HAVE SEEN…” then sighing, he cuts to the chase, not wanting to get into it any further. “WHAT DO YOU WANT, LANEY? IT’S BEEN A LONG DAY AND I JUST WANT TO GO HOME.”

“To tell you about my life since that night of course! Yanno, catch up with my former Baby Blue.” There’s an arrogant quality to her voice now, masking her own hurt. Blue never did figure out what had caused her own pain, the encounter hadn’t been nearly long enough for that - only that she was uncomfortable with big emotions and he had caught her off guard that night.

She reaches out a hand to him and he takes a huge step back in response. Shrugging, she goes on. “At first, I was furious. I thought I had wasted a whole year on you, thinking it would get me somewhere that wasn’t just your assistant. Up until that encounter I thought you were just stringing me along until I upped my game.” She rolls her eyes.

“Never in a million years did I think you actually loved me! Like, who does that? We were just casually flirting.” She tilts her head at him like she’s observing an exotic animal in a zoo. “I just don’t get you Starboy, even if that night did give me a good look in there.” She taps her skull and points to him as she says it.

“THAT’S THE POINT OF AN ENCOUNTER. WE FOUND OUT WE WEREN’T RIGHT FOR EACH OTHER. JUST WISH I WOULD HAVE REALIZED HOW WRONG I WAS BEFOREHAND.”

Laney’s whole demeanour suddenly changes to sadness. “You know, since that day I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” Looking down at her hands, a small smile forms on her lips. “I didn’t think souls like you existed, to be honest. Took me a long time to realize what you had showed me was sincere.”

Blue can hardly believe doesn’t believe what he’s hearing, not any more. “SORRY IT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO MEET SOMEONE GENUINE, BUT THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM ANY MORE.”

She nods. “I know that now. Guess I blew it big time, eh Captain Sansy?” Laughing in a singsong voice, she adds “Just wanted to see if I could still make you swoon over my sad little puppy dog eyes again. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

Pushing herself up from the counter, she stretches slowly, all pretenses dropped. “Couldn’t believe I managed to make you quit your job. Don’t think I’ve ever utterly destroyed someone so thoroughly before.”

“DON’T GIVE YOURSELF TOO MUCH CREDIT FOR THAT.” He says in a clipped tone, soul feeling like it’s being ripped to pieces all over again. “WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS, LANEY? I THOUGHT YOU WERE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SOUL AT ONE POINT.”

She shrugs. “Because love is an illusion and the world is a hard place. If you want something, you need to rely on yourself and yourself alone to get it. Remember that Starboy. You’re gonna need it if you ever think of coming back to work. There are a lot more foxes out there than rabbits.”

Waving over her shoulder at him, she meanders to the door. “Once you left, I survived like I always do. Worked my way up under someone else.”

Blue would have to be an idiot to not read between the lines, suddenly feeling sorry for her. “I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU’RE LIKE THIS; DIDN’T SPEND ENOUGH TIME IN THAT HEAD OF YOURS TO FIND OUT, BUT I HOPE YOU FIND SOME GOODNESS IN YOUR WORLD, LANEY. IT’S A LONG LIFE TO SPEND ALONE.” He frowns inwardly at that, knowing full well that’s exactly what she’s turned him into these past several years.

She just raises a brow at him and chuckles. “Grow up, Starboy. That’s not how the world works. Can’t believe I didn’t realize I was dealing with a literal child all those years ago.” With that, she unlocks the washroom door and exits, once again leaving him in shambles.

Blue leans against the wall, completely rattled. His emotions are all over the place as he tries to take stock of what just happened.

WHY WOULD SHE EVEN BOTHER COMING IN HERE? SURELY NOT JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT?

But the more he thinks it over, the more accurate to her personality it feels. Laney wasn’t living life looking for connections, she was playing a game by her own rules and he had just been an unfortunate pawn. He wonders if that self-righteous anger of hers is because she had lost him, just not on her own terms.

I’M LIKE THE SUNK-COST FALLACY TO HER. SHE PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO ME, SHE’S ANGRY I NEVER PANNED OUT IN THE WAY SHE WANTED.

Oof, that hurt, however accurate it was.

Blue wanted nothing more than to go home, and he absolutely did not want to spend an hour crossing town in a taxi to get there the way his magic was coursing through him, mimicking his erratic emotions.

THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA; YOUR MAGIC IS TOO UNSTABLE. His mind keeps trying to scream it at him, but he ignores it, convinced he can handle this one quick jump.

He knows he should just walk it off, or even text his brother and ask him to come get him. Too bad he’s not thinking very clearly at the moment.

SHE ALWAYS DID HAVE A WAY OF DOING THAT TO ME. He muses miserably before taking a deep breath and shortcutting home, convincing himself he’ll be fine.

To his credit, he makes it. Blue appears in the front hallway, looking up to see you and Paps having dinner in the kitchen. You both notice his arrival at the same time, spoons frozen in mid-air, looks of concern on your faces.

“HONEY, I’M HOME!” He jokes. “THAT SMELLS FANTASTIC GUYS!”

He’s trying to put a smile on his face for the two of you, but his magic has had enough. Like someone who’s pushed themselves way past their breaking point, he tries taking one more step before his body gives out and he crumples to the floor.

The last thing he remembers is you screaming his name before his world goes dark.

Notes:

Say it with me now: Laney is a right bitch.
I am so so so so sorry Blue. You didn't deserve that.
If you've been emotionally affected by this chapter, you might be entitled to compensation.
Find me on@Tumblr

Chapter 17: Soul on Fire

Summary:

Blue finally gets some comfort.

Paps is instantly by his side as you jump up from the table, chair clattering to the floor behind you.

“What’s wrong? Is he okay?” Your panicked voice going dangerously high as you skid to a stop in front of them. Paps carefully picks him up off the ground with a frightened look on his face, as Blue hangs limp in his arms.

“Get the bedroom door, Honeybee.” He says as you run ahead to Blue’s room, swinging it open with a crash in your panic.

“Pull back the sheets please.” He’s trying to remain calm as he gently places Blue on his bed. “Can you feel his forehead for me? You’re better at gauging temperature. Is he hot?”

You nervously reach out to Blue. He’s completely out of it, whimpering softly in discomfort. There are large dark blue circles forming under his eye sockets. He looks absolutely exhausted, face flushed with angry feverish magic.

You touch his forehead gently with the palm of your hand, further confirming your suspicions. “He’s burning up, Paps.”

He nods as if he already knew the answer. “Could you run to the bathroom and get a cold facecloth please?” He pleads, the look in his eyes absolutely breaking your heart.

“Of course, sweetheart.”

You dart out of the room, almost sliding past the bathroom on the wood floor in your worried state. Running the water, you search through the cupboard before pulling out a facecloth, letting it sit under the tap to get extra cold before wringing it out.

You’re back to the bedroom in record time. Blue’s work clothes now lay crumpled on the floor, Paps having swapped them for an old t-shirt over his boxers. He is now trying to decide whether to cover him up or leave him exposed as you walk back into the room.

“If he’s burning up, I don’t know if it would help to cover him. Won’t that just make him uncomfortable?” He looks lost, on the verge of breaking down, so in spite of the fact that you don’t really know what you’re doing, you take charge.

Sliding up next to Paps, you look down at Blue and notice he’s shivering despite his fever. “If I were to treat this like a human flu, I’d cover him up baby.” You say in soothing tones, taking the blanket from his trembling hands and tucking Blue in.

You place the cool cloth against his forehead and even though he’s still out of it, he does seem to settle.

“Is this what monster magic looks like when it’s out of balance?” You can remember Paps describing it like this weeks ago before your encounter.

Paps nods, sinking down on the edge of Blue’s bed. “Yeah, it looks like he almost burnt himself out. I just don’t understand what could have caused it. He looked so happy and sure of himself this afternoon.”

You wrap your arms around Paps. “He has been acting distant lately. Sometimes people are really good at masking.” You muse, feeling him return your embrace, burying his face in your chest.

“I just wish he’d talk to us about whatever is going on. He’s going to feel like he’s been hit by a truck when he wakes up later.” He sighs.

“Can you heal some of this with your magic babe? I don’t really know what type of hurt this would qualify as.”

Paps shrugs his shoulders against you. “Maybe? I don’t exactly know the extent of what we’re facing here, but I’ll definitely try.”

He looks up at you with a soft smile. “Thank you, Honeybee.”

“For what, my love?”

“Just being here. You’re making a difficult situation easier. Giving me clarity instead of panic.” He stands, planting a kiss on your forehead. “I know how much you care for Blue, and I love you for it.”

You nod. “You’re my family. If I could take some of this hurting from him, I would.” You frown sadly, wishing there actually was something more concrete you could do besides just be there.

“I know, Honeybee, I know.” He stops, oscillating between turning to his brother and turning back to you, like he’s making a difficult decision.

“What is it, Paps?”

“S’nothing overly important, but it feels like the right time to say it. Yanno?”

You tilt your head, confused. “Then talk to me babe. If you need to say something, I’m here to listen. Always.”

He takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders and gives you his full attention. “I need you to know how very much I love you. You’re my soulmate, ok?”

“Okayyyyy.” You say, nervously. “Sweetheart, you’re scaring me a little. What’s going on?”

“Sorry sorry, no. Don’t want to scare you.” He takes you in his arms. “I just wanted to say again that I really know how much you care for Blue.”

You look up, confused at his emphasis on really know. “Of course I do.”

“Dang. I’m not explaining this correctly. What I mean to say, is that if the two of you have feelings for each other, I’m okay if you want to explore them.” He looks down at you, love in his eyes, but all you can do is stare wide-eyed back at him.

This was not a conversation you thought you would ever be having with your datemate, especially not now in Blue’s room as you’re so emotionally raw at the thought of him hurting.

“How? What? I mean, are you breaking up with me? I don’t-“

He stops your rambling with a kiss. “NEVER, Honeybee. You’re my soulmate, always. I just needed you to know that if you and Blue wanted the chance to explore; to see if there’s something between the two of you, I don’t mind.”

You’re speechless. You don’t know where to begin, too many emotions to process at once. How did he know? I barely let myself acknowledge it.

“I felt it during our encounter, love.” He grins, like he’s reading your mind as he cups your face gently in his hands, running his thumbs softly over your cheeks. “Been really thinking about it for a while now. I-I think you’d both be good for each other, if it’s something you really wanted.”

“Oh stars, you really mean it, don’t you?” This both terrifies and excites you. You can’t deny the pull you’ve always felt towards Blue but have had to ignore. “I need to collect my thoughts, babe. But like…if I ever did pursue something and your feelings changed.”

“They won’t.”

You shake your head. “If they do. If you wake up one day and there’s even an inkling of jealousy, you need to promise me you’ll tell me. This absolutely cannot ruin us. I love you too damn much, Paps.” You say, pulling him in for a kiss.

He melts into your arms, holding on to you like a lifeline. “I promise, Honeybee. This only works with consent and trust, both of which I freely give to you, my heart.”

Never in your life did you think you’d be presented with an option like this, and you’re absolutely staggered by it. It’s almost a relief when Paps shifts his attentions back to his brother, readying his magic.

The room has that same charged feeling like it did the night he healed your finger. You close your eyes, allowing yourself to bask in Paps’ specific brand of magic for a moment before opening them back up. There’s a soft green glow forming around his hands.

“Alright bro, let’s see what I can do to fix you up.” He concentrates, placing his hands over Blue’s chest, coaxing his soul from his body.

The cry of alarm from both of you as Blue’s soul emerges from his chest could have woken anyone up under normal circumstances. Blue remains completely out of it.

“Oh!” You hear Paps gasp in alarm. “Brother, what happened to you?” he whispers.

You wipe the tears from your eyes as they come unbidden. “Paps, is this mendable? Is he going to be okay?”

Paps looks on, stunned. “I-I don’t know.” Wiping his own tears with the back of his sleeve, he reaches out gently, cupping his brother’s soul in his hands. “I don’t even know if this happened tonight or…” He stops, going cold.

“What is it sweetheart?”

“What if he’s been carrying this around with him since his burnout?” Voice cracking as he speaks his concerns. All you can do is reach out your hand and stroke his back in comfort.

“Paps, listen. If that’s the case, then he’s strong. Stronger than either of us ever knew. We’re going to help him through this. I promise.”

He nods, closing his eyes; taking a deep breath as he lets his healing magic pour into Blue’s soul.

You watch Blue nervously. As the healing begins, a look of emotional anguish starts to appear on his face. Tears pool in the corners of his closed sockets before rolling down the sides of his skull. It doesn’t take long for him to start sobbing, still trapped in his magic-induced fever dream, and it’s all you can do to not reach out and wrap him up in a hug.

What hurt him so badly?

Or was it a who?

Paps is visibly shaking now with his efforts. You have to reluctantly whisper to him to take it easy. It wouldn’t do either one of you good if both of them were incapacitated. He listens, slowly tapering his magic off until the green fades and he sinks to the edge of the bed. You hold him up in a sitting position while he leans against you, taking a few calming breaths.

“You did so good sweetheart.” You murmur softly as he collects himself with a weary smile.

“Check on him, please.” He croaks, working on regaining his energy.

Nodding, you turn to Blue and watch as his soul slowly sinks back into his chest. He’s still softly crying as you reach out uncertainly for him. He looks so lost as you remove the wet facecloth from his forehead and run it gently over his cheekbones wiping away his tears.

You whisper random words of comfort, unsure of who currently needs them more, but it does seem to help everyone in the room as you hear Paps sigh softly behind you. You talk until his crying slowly subsides; watching as he sinks into a restful sleep, the lines on his face relaxing.

You can feel Paps leaning against your back with exhaustion, suddenly knowing what you can do for them.

“Let’s get you to bed, my love.”

Shaking his head no, he’s about to protest but you stop him with a softly placed hand over his teeth.

“No babe. You’ve done the hard part, now it’s my turn. I’ll check on you both through the night and come get you if anything changes.”

He still looks torn, as you move out of the way to show him his brother.

“Look sweetheart, he’s sleeping soundly now. He’s going to wake up feeling a whole lot better and it’s all because of you.” You place a soft kiss on his cheek. “But I want you to wake up refreshed too, okay?”

He finally surrenders after agreeing Blue looks more peaceful now. “Okay, okay Honeybee. I relent. You’re right.”

Standing, with a stretch, his shirt raises enough for you to see the top of his hip bones and the long curve of his spine. He scratches the back of his head as he looks down at you sheepishly. “I’m glad I let you nap earlier, but I have to admit it was for selfish reasons.” He flashes you a tired smile. “it’s because I wanted to keep you up all night, Honeybee.”

He lets his eye lights roam up and down your body for a moment, and even in his exhausted state, he leaves no question about his intentions for you. “Promise we’ll have that night soon?” He says with a dopey smirk as you nod, shooing him off to bed.

Emotionally exhausted and physically awake can be a dangerous combo, but it’s working in your favour tonight as you begin picking Blue’s clothes up off the floor to place in the hamper. You idly notice his dress shirt is missing a button, so you set it aside, knowing there should be an extra one sewn onto the washing instructions tag. You can easily fix that while he’s sleeping.

You guess his tie hangs on a rack with several others, and after you remove the belt from his pants and check his pockets for his cell phone and wallet, you toss them into the hamper along with his socks.

Phone goes on the charger, wallet on the nightstand.

Next, you tackle the kitchen, putting away the soup, fully planning on warming a cup up for Blue when he wakes up tomorrow. You wash the dishes, pick up the chair you knocked over and tidy what little mess there was. You put on the kettle, figuring you’ll make yourself a cup of tea for an added caffeine boost.

After an hour or so of cleaning and tea drinking, you manage to find a small sewing kit tucked in the back of their junk drawer as you make quick work of his shirt in the light of the kitchen.

Eventually, you tiptoe down the hall to check on Paps. You wouldn’t be opposed to a quick cuddle if he’s still awake, but he’s fast asleep, clutching a pillow to his chest as a placeholder for you.

Stars, you loved that skeleton so much.

You consider going to him, but know he’ll pull you under, will happily let you drown in his arms and not let you up for air until morning. But as lovely as that sounds, you promised him you’d take care of Blue, so you gently close the door, leaving him to his hopefully peaceful dreams.

Finally, you end your roaming in Blue’s room once again. A cup of water is placed on his nightstand before you roll the desk chair next to the bed and sit silently for a while, watching him sleep. You don’t think you’ve ever seen him stay in the same position for this long. His eyes still sport deep blue circles underneath them, but now that his fever has broken, you crack the window open to let in the night breeze and occasionally dab at his skull as he sweats his fever out, refreshing the facecloth as needed.

As the night stretches on, your nervous energy finally gives way to fatigue, your head slowly beginning to dip while you fight the urge to nod off. You reason that you can just rest your head on the side of the bed for a moment. After all, you’re not tired enough to fall asleep sitting up, right?

Logic seeming sound, you curl up on one arm, the other resting along the edge of the bed to stabilize yourself on the rolling desk chair and close your eyes for just a moment.

Of course you doze off.

Even with a nap, your body has been running on mostly adrenaline and anxiety all day. The more your brain tries to fight you, the more you double down, and soon you’re in a deep sleep.

You’re confused later when you feel someone gently squeezing your hand.

Paps? Where am I?

Groggily, you open your eyes before it all comes racing back. Blue. You actually managed to fall asleep on a desk chair, leaning against his bed and oh man, is your neck gonna pay for that later.

You squeeze his hand back, raising your head and are greeted by two dimly lit blue eye lights. “Welcome back darling. You gave us quite a scare.” You whisper. “Want me to get Paps?”

He shakes his head no slowly as he attempts to whisper the word “WATER.” It just comes out in a dry rasp – something you try not to think about too closely as he doesn’t have vocal cords that you are aware of.

Oh! You stand, glad you came prepared and grab the cup from the nightstand. You watch, as he keeps trying to push himself up to drink without spilling on himself, but he’s still too weak.

“Here, let me help.” You murmur, waiting for his slow nod of consent before sitting on the edge of the bed as you gently lift him up to a sitting position, letting him rest his back against you. He’s fully leaning on you for support as he shakily takes the water from your hands. You let him take the lead, but reach around to support the cup at its base should he lose his grip.

After a few tentative sips, he lets out a sigh of relief before handing you the cup back. “THANKS ST-STARLIGHT.” He tries to say, but it comes out in a strained whisper.

“Do you want to lay back down or remain sitting for a bit longer?” You want to give him the choice, knowing how much it can hurt staying in one position for too long.

“THIS…PLEASE?” He asks questioningly, and you nod as he relaxes into you.

“I’ve got you for as long as you need me, Blue.” You whisper, wrapping your arms around him in a quick hug of support. If you could absorb his pain through osmosis, you’d hold him all night long.

For the first time since he put the idea in your head, you start to seriously consider Paps’ words from earlier.  

If you and Blue wanted the chance to explore; to see if there’s something between the two of you, I don’t mind.

With the worry of hurting Paps out of the way, you’re free to finally acknowledge to yourself that this feels right too; and that if Blue felt the same, it would be something you’d be more than willing to explore.

While you mull your thoughts over, you almost miss how lightly his shoulders seem to be shaking against you.

Wait. Is he crying?

You slowly lean your head to the side, clocking the tear he tries to covertly wipe away.

“Let it out if it helps.” Is all you can think to say, hoping it comforts him as you rub his arms gently.

Once he knows you’ve caught him, it only becomes worse. “SORRY. I CAN’T HELP IT.” He says miserably. His voice hitches as he wilts against you, leaning his head on your shoulder.

You wrap your arms around him, just letting him cry it out, whispering “s’okay, s’okay” over and over again. He raises one arm weakly, clutching on to yours like a lifeline, the other planted on the bed to keep himself steady as he rides his wave of sadness.

You hope he doesn’t notice how you’re tearing up behind him. It’s breaking your heart to see him like this, not knowing if you’re helping or making it worse, while you simultaneously are fantasizing about finding the person who did this to him and making them pay for every single tear.

Eventually, Blue’s sobs expend the small amount of energy he had, as he asks to lay down again. After making him comfortable, you stand, stretching, planning on taking up your position on the chair again, but he reaches for your hand softly.

“I DON’T THINK I CAN BE ALONE RIGHT NOW.” A look of pure panic on his tired features.

You shake your head. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise, Blue.”

He nods as his eye lights watch you put the desk chair away, grab one of the many throw blankets from the bottom of his bed, and curl up next to him on top of the covers. You slide your fingers up his phalanges until you’re holding his hand in yours.

“If you need me at all, just squeeze. I’m right here beside you, Blue.”

You smile softly, feeling him give a gentle practice squeeze as you return the gesture warmly, watching and waiting until he falls back to sleep again before you close your eyes. You promise yourself you and Paps are going to get him through this as you drift off to sleep. One way or another, he will no longer be carrying this burden alone.

Notes:

As hard as it was to write chapter 16, this one just POURED out of me.
I so needed to give Blue some love and care before we move on to the double? thruple? date with Alphys and Undyne.
Also, anyone who wants reader to kick Laney's ass, raise their hand.
Paps: I could get in on that action.
Reader: Me too, sweetheart, me too. Blue just needs to tell us who needs to have a bad time.
Find me on@Tumblr

Chapter 18: A Turnkey of Events

Summary:

Some very important plans are made and laid.

Paps wakes up to the feeling of sun on his face and a pillow in his arms instead of you. Looking around groggily it takes his mind a moment to play catch up with his body, shooting up in bed when he remembers last night.

Blue.

You convincing him to get some sleep as he obliged, absolutely exhausted.

Kicking off the blankets, he tosses the pillow to the floor and trips out the door, hurrying down the hallway to check on the two of you. He stops short at the sight, the panic unclenching in his chest as he rests against the door frame in relief.

You’re still curled up in a ball fast asleep, tucked under one of his many throw blankets, with your fingers entwined gently through Blue’s. His brother looks peaceful. Miles better than when he first came home, and even better than when Paps reluctantly went to sleep last night. There are still heavy circles under his eyes, and he doesn’t doubt Blue is still going to feel horrible when he wakes up, but that knot of worry Paps has been holding onto is finally able to loosen.

He thinks to what he told you last night, searching himself for any signs of jealousy, but as predicted, there are none. It actually warms his soul, knowing you’ve taken such good care of the two of them through the night.

He backs out of the room slowly, wanting to let you both sleep for as long as possible. Wandering into the kitchen, he notices you’ve left him a kettle full of water and his mug out on the counter with a tea bag in it next to a jar of honey and a little hand written note.

Paps, in case you wake before I do, I love you, my soul.

You drew a little picture of a bee as your sign-off. The whole thing makes him smile as he turns on the kettle and pulls out his phone to confirm a date with Undyne and Alphys. Instead, he’s greeted by a formal email from their landlord.

Greetings Renters,

As you know, the terms of your year long lease will expire this November 1^st. We regret to inform you that due to building maintenance and the rising cost of living, we are increasing rent for all tenants by 50% on current rates.

Paps has to do a double take, nearly dropping his phone in the process. He knew there would be a raise in price – there always was – but 50% more was crazy. It was grossly more than anything his salary alone would ever be able to cover.

He slumps into a chair, feeling utterly defeated. November is pretty darn close. The email goes on to say they tried to reach them via letter to let them know of these changes last month, but received no response. That this was just a reminder. A courtesy sent out by their landlord.

He’s had deal with enough property-owners these past five years to smell bullshit - even when it’s presented to him on a silver platter. They purposely withheld this information until the last possible moment, hoping to either clean house of monsters in their building or get more money than the place was clearly worth.

The thought of having to find another apartment in their price range so quickly with Blue very much not able to help, is enough to make him want to scream in frustration. Instead, he tosses his phone on the kitchen table and buries his head in his hands with a moan of frustration.

Can we not just catch a break?

“Morning sweetheart. Uhh, are you okay?” He hears you say from the doorway as you make your way over, placing a glass of water on the counter before you close the distance to him.

His first instinct is to hide it from you. He doesn’t want to burden you with yet another one of his problems, he’ll find a way to figure this out himself; but you’ve been in his head, know him better than anyone save maybe Blue, and he made a promise to let you in that he plans to keep.

He sighs, wrapping you in a hug, loving how he gets to rest his head against your softness as he’s sitting down. He feels you place your arms around him, caressing the back of his skull with soft fingers, and even with the stressful news, he now feels more centered; like he can handle this just knowing you’re beside him.

He takes a few moments to enjoy your touch, nuzzling into your stomach as you stroke gently down his vertebrae. He loves the smell of you, finds it very calming. A pleasant mix of laundry detergent, and some sort of citrus body wash. It still lingers on you, despite the fact that you slept in your clothes and haven’t had time to change since yesterday, and it brings back thoughts of how he planned to be spending last night with you.

Easy there, Paps. No sense in working yourself up again for different, albeit better, reasons when you’ve just calmed down.

Reaching for his phone, Paps brings up the email before silently handing it over with a frown.

He watches as you read, first with surprise and then with anger. “That’s absolutely outrageous! How do they expect anyone to comply with such short notice? This is completely unacceptable. I’m so freaking MAD.”

Paps just nods, having felt all of your big feelings many times before, but is now just resigned to having to deal with it. You eventually hand him back his phone, pulling up a chair at the table.

“That’s why you never unpacked your room.” It’s not a question, more a puzzle piece sliding into place. You understand him too well to have to ask.

You’re both quiet for a while, lost in your own thoughts before Paps watches you perk up suddenly.

He raises a brow. “Did ya find a solution to our problem, Honeybee?” He means it as a joke, knowing there really isn’t any way around it. They’ll have to move again.

“Move in with me.”

His eye lights snap to you in surprise. “I couldn’t ask that of you. We couldn’t impose like that.” Though, stars that would be such an easy option.

You shake your head incredulously. “You’re not the one asking me. I’m the one asking you. Move in with me. You and Blue. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

You’re getting more and more excited as you go on, rapid firing off a list of pros on your fingers for why they should move in. “That house is huge. I’m all alone with more than enough space. I love you. I want to make good memories in there to replace all the bad ones. The two of you are my family, and let’s face it…it’s going to happen sooner or later. I’m just opting for sooner.” You laugh happily at that, practically bouncing next to him in your seat.

He has to admit…you do make valid points. On any given night he’s either staying over at your house or you’re in the apartment. You’ve barely gone twenty-four hours without seeing each other since you started dating, and when he’s not there, Blue has been helping you with various home improvement projects around the house.

“Lemme talk to Blue about it, Honeybee…but umm, if he’s of the same mind as me, it looks like you may be shacking up with a couple of skeletons soon.” He grins, not expecting to feel this light. “I can’t believe I almost didn’t say anything.” He chuckles, looking at you sheepishly.

“Good thing you promised to let me in then.” You say smugly, throwing yourself into his arms for a kiss. “Now go talk to your brother. He sent me out here to get you.”

“Okay, okay!” He jokes as he stands, unable to resist the temptation of scooping you up in his arms and spinning you around the kitchen as you laugh with joy. Paps allowing himself to get completely caught up in the moment before he walks with a happy step down the hall.

“I’m going to warm Blue up a cup of soup. See if I can coax him to eat something.” He hears you call to him.

Blue has been propped up to a sitting position, artfully arranged by you, by using over half the pillows on his bed. He looks worn out, but content, a weak smile on his face as he watches Paps enter the room.

Taking a seat across from him on the side of the bed, Paps starts. “Hey brother. How are ya feeling?”

“I’VE BEEN BETTER, TRUTH BE TOLD.”

His voice sounds raspy and much more subdued than normal.

“You want to talk about it?” Blue goes quiet, averting his gaze and Paps sighs. “You scared the shit out of us Blue, and then when I tried to heal you last night-“

“YOU WHAT?” He asks, a panicked look on his face. Paps notices one of his hands unconsciously clutching at his chest and frowns. “DID SHE SEE IT TOO?” He looks so sad.

“Well yeah, bro. We couldn’t exactly ask you if you needed help. Kinda had to make a snap decision.”

Paps watches his brother slowly fold into himself, guarding his soul as he crosses his arms over his chest. All he says is a dejected little “OH.” In response.

“How long has it been, Blue?” Paps asks gently, giving him the time he needs to collect himself for a response.

“ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW.”

Paps sucks in a sharp breath as Blue flinches. “When you locked yourself in your room for days?”

Blue just nods.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Paps asks desperately.

“EMBARRASSED. I GOT MY HEART BROKEN PAPS IN THE WORST OF POSSIBLE WAYS.” He looks up helpless. “NOTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE TO HELP ME.”

“I could have been there.”

Blue just shakes his head. “YOU WERE. YOU GOT ME THROUGH IT. MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW. THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY HAD I TOLD YOU.”

“Who hurt you, Blue?”

“DOESN’T MATTER. SHE’S NO LONGER IN MY LIFE.”

It’s strange to Paps how guarded he’s being. He’s fairly certain the only reason Blue is saying anything is because they accidentally saw his soul. “We’re going to fix it, Blue. We’ll find a way, the three of us.”

He flinches at that too, and Paps feels like he’s grasping at straws. He’s missing something big that Blue flat out refuses to talk about. He decides to try a different approach, not sure how it’ll land in his present state.

“I know you care for her, brother.”

He starts, face flushing a soft blue before looking away. “I’D NEVER BETRAY YOUR TRUST LIKE THAT.”

“What if I gave my blessing?”

He tracks Blue’s eye lights as they briefly shoot up at him before locking back on the blanket in his lap. Paps knows Blue is aware of what he’s talking about. They grew up in the same underground, after all. They’ve just never discussed their feelings towards it with each other.

Paps is determined to say it now.

“She is aware of how I feel. If the two of you wish to pursue something, I’d be genuinely happy for you both.”

He doesn’t understand why Blue still looks so sad. He thought this might perk him up a little at least. Did he misread the situation completely?

“PAPS, HOW COULD SHE EVER WANT SOMEONE WITH A BROKEN HEART?”

Oh. Who the hell did this to his confident, extroverted brother?

“Blue, she’s interested. I promise you. I felt it way back on the night of our encounter. She’s always cared for you.”

He’s looking at Paps like he’s just not willing to comprehend. “YOU’RE…FINE WITH THIS? TRULY, PAPS?”

He nods, reaching out to rest a reassuring hand on his brother’s arm. “You’ve taken care of us every step of the way. Don’t think we didn’t notice and appreciate it all, and you keep showing up, again and again. Trust me when I say I am completely fine with it. The two of you would be very good for each other.”

Finally, he gets a reaction. It’s not much, but as he watches Blue lower his hands back to his lap and sit up a little straighter, he’ll take it.

“I NEED SOME TIME TO PROCESS THIS.” Is all he says, still unsure, but thoughtful.

Paps nods, hoping it was the curveball he needed to perk him back up. Then, chuckling to himself he decides to go in for the kill.

“By the way I just got an email that they’re raising our rent 50% starting next month and Honeybee told us we could move in with her and I kinda said yes as long as you’re okay with it.” He spits it out as fast as he can, the words slurring together into one big mess that has Blue’s head spinning.

“YOU. WAIT, WHAT?”

Paps already has the email up on his phone, and just silently hands it over to Blue who tiredly accepts it. He shakes his head as he reads it over, exhaling in an exhausted I’m so tired of this bs kind of way that Paps is all too familiar with.

“So…are ya interested in taking Honeybee up on her offer? Finally able to settle down somewhere that won’t evict us every year?”

He watches Blue’s face as he really takes in that last bit. Even though he makes every effort to turn their rentals into homes, Paps knows it’s been wearing him down slowly over time too. He also knows how much Blue has been enjoying helping you with small home improvement projects. With their pooled resources and the promise of a forever home, Paps thinks this might just be what the both of them need to finally put an close on this past chapter of their lives; really allow them to move forward.

Blue is just about to say something when his eye lights raise to the door. You’re walking in slowly, a mug of soup in hand with a smile on your face. “Thought you could use something other than water in you.”

You turn the mug so Blue is able to grip the handle, gently taking it from you as he nods in appreciation, taking a tentative sip.

“OH WOW STARLIGHT. THIS IS FANTASTIC. THANK YOU.”

You just shake your head no as Paps chuckles behind you. “I didn’t make it, I just warmed it up!”

Blue’s eye lights shoot to his brother. “WHEN DID YOU WILLINGLY START COOKING WITH VEGETABLES?” He chuckles a little for the first time since yesterday.

Paps stops and thinks about it for a moment. “Wow. I guess since I genuinely wanted to make something nourishing for the people I love.” Shaking his head he adds. “The two of you are clearly a bad influence on me. Let me go add some sugar to the rest of the pot.”

“BROTHER NO!” Blue laughs, protectively cradling his mug of soup.

He pretends to stand up as you jokingly push him back down on the bed. “I don’t even think so, buddy!” You’re using the most authoritative voice you can muster, which only elicits a giggle from both brothers as you stop and look at them incredulously.

“IT’S NOT THAT WE DON’T FIND YOU INTIMIDATING.” Blue begins with a smile.

“It’s just that you’re so damn cute when you try to take charge!” Paps finishes before falling over on the bed in laughter.

Accepting your fate playfully, you wander around to the other side of the bed and climb in under the covers. “Guess I’ll just have to work on my tone.” You wink at Blue as he nods.

“First order of business.” You say in a clipped, militaristic tone. “Drink. That. Soup.” You turn your head eerily slow towards him as he mock widens his eyes, bringing the mug to his mouth.

“SIR, YES SIR. RIGHT AWAY SIR!” He grins, taking another sip.

“Your next order of business is to get yourself better, okay hun?” Your façade crumbles as your voice returns to normal. You’re much better at this kindness thing anyways than barking out orders.

Blue nods content. “I PROMISE.”

Paps is still laying across the foot of the bed, grinning like a fool at the two of you. “Why doesn’t that ever work when I tell you to do things?”

“BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO IMPRESS OUR WONDERFUL HUMAN, NOT YOU.”

Your eyebrows shoot up at that. “Oooh, tell me more about this wonderful human of yours, and remember, flattery will get you everywhere!”

Paps snorts at that, both of you looking expectantly at Blue as he stammers, trying to find his words. “WELL UMM…THAT IS TO SAY I UMM THINK YOU’RE REAL NEAT.”

“Neat?” Paps laughs. “Golly gee, you sure are an old-fashioned type.”

You shoot him a look and he clams up.

“I think you’re real neat too, Blue.” You pat his arm affectionately as he glances up at his brother, an adorable grin on his face.

All of you enjoy a few moments of silence before you look to Paps questioningly. “Soooo…is it official? Is my family moving in with me?”

Paps just shrugs, looking to Blue, grin slowly forming on his features.

He nods happily. “I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH, STARLIGHT. IT WILL BE REALLY GREAT TO FINALLY FEEL SETTLED.”

You gently wrap your arms around him, beaming with delight. “I’m so excited right now! We’ve got so much to plan, so much to move. You’ll have to choose your rooms and then I’ll have to pack up some stuff for storage and donation and wow there’s a lot to do, but it’s okay! Once you’re there we can work on organizing and planning projects, oh wow, this is really happening!”

Paps looks up at you with a smile. “Are you crying, Honeybee?”

You nod, wiping away the errant tears. “Tears of happiness, I assure you. Just a little overwhelmed in the best possible way, sweetheart.”

Blue leans his head over to rest it against yours. “FEELING’S MUTUAL, STARLIGHT.” As the three of you start to excitedly make plans for the future.

Notes:

EEEEE! It's finally happening.
Did y'all know I've been planning for them to move in together since chapter one?
Blue is smiling, Paps is happy, Reader is ELATED.
Get ready for some home-improvement fluff as they all settle in.
I really wanted to get Reader to kiss Blue in the previous chapter, but I don't think he would have appreciated it just yet. Not until Paps had the talk with him too.
We've got a green light now though for exploring more feelings.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

 

Chapter 19: Side Quest

Summary:

This chapter was HEAVILY influenced by the following songs:
Starlight by Muse
Near to You by A Fine Frenzy (It's kind of exactly what he's going through in his mind)
This is pure, hard earned, much needed fluff for Blue.

The next few days are a whirlwind. Blue is still not really up to using his magic, but has regained enough energy to have Paps bring him to your house, helping you organize and empty out a few bedrooms. Blue chooses one down the hall from you upstairs, while Paps opts for the downstairs main floor bedroom at the back of the house because, as he puts it, “it’s close to the snacks.”

When Blue points out it’s also close to the laundry room, he almost changes his mind.

You and Blue have packed up your third car full of items to donate, ready to bring them to the local thrift shop. Both of you are tired, but satisfied with how much progress everyone has made in such a short amount of time.

He’s only able to handle one box per trip instead of just trying to take everything in one go. This will be your last drive of the day, as you don’t want to push him past his limits. While the two of you have been slowly chipping away at that, Paps has been taking care of contacting their landlord and officially tying up any loose ends on the legal side of things.

Blue hops into the passenger seat, bouncing happily as he buckles up. It's been so hard to gauge how he’s feeling because he keeps acting like he’s back to his same bubbly, extroverted self; despite the fact that you can still see the heavy rings under his eyes, still catch him leaning against a surface when he thinks you’re not paying attention, and still hear him as he tries to take quiet, steady breaths if he overexerts himself too much.

Besides acknowledging that the both of you would be open to exploring a relationship with each other, things haven’t really progressed much further. He’s a bit freer with his affection, leaning against you on the couch, or touching your arm casually as he hands you something, but he’s holding back, like he’s not quite sure what he should be doing.

I mean, fair. There has been a lot thrown at everyone in a very short amount of time, but you have a feeling he’s primarily trying to work through whatever his previous love did to him.

All you’ve managed to glean from him so far is that her name is Laney and she works with Blue – or worked, since he’s still very much on leave. Every time you try to get more information from him, he evades you by making a joke before changing the subject.

You understand that his emotions might still be raw and you don’t want to push…well, you could be convinced to push Laney off a dock into some swamp water, but you’re willing to give him the time he needs to heal.

You now just automatically pass your phone to Blue as the car starts, letting him curate a playlist. It makes him happy and you enjoy his picks for the most part, though you are noticing a few heart wrenching lyrics coming through, even in his more upbeat selections.

At this point, the people at the thrift shop know you by name as they thank you for another load of treasures. Blue can’t help but befriend them after they get over the initial shock of seeing a skeleton pointing and laughing at their skeleton Halloween decorations.

“OH STARS, PAPS WOULD BE SO CREEPED OUT BY THE NAKED SKELETONS. HE ALWAYS HAS BEEN SINCE WE GOT TO THE SURFACE!”

You can’t help but laugh at that, vowing to discretely donate the skeleton decorations your grandmother has stored in the basement, right under their nose ridges. Or maybe, you muse, you could dress them up before sitting them outside…

After the last drop off is complete, you pull into a drive-thru, not wanting to wait a moment longer for some hot caffeine. You get Blue his regular tea, noting how he wraps his phalanges around the cup contently, pulling the warmth into himself. You’re starting to think a warm beverage might be the answer to all of life’s problems.

He’s gazing wistfully out the window, trapped between the present and the past. You’ve tried cracking jokes and showing affection all day, but can’t quite pull him completely from his trance.

It’s that thought that makes you spontaneously decide an impromptu adventure is needed, hoping it will at the very least put a smile on Blue’s face.

He picks up on your devious plan when the car zigs instead of zags and glances to you, intrigued.

“TAKING THE SCENIC ROUTE, ARE WE?”

You just nod, smiling as you turn down a quiet road towards Mt. Ebott.

“NOT REALLY DRESSED FOR A HIKE RIGHT NOW.” He jokes, becoming more interested as the scenery continues to change. “GONNA BE DARK SOON ANYWAYS.” He’s perked up more than you’ve seen him all day, like he’s found a bit of that spark again that you adore so much about him.

“When I was a kid, I loved nature. I would often slip into the woods behind my grandmother’s house and hide there for hours. My cousins could never find me and I felt safe.” You smile sadly, but keep going. This is about making good memories.

“My grandmother couldn’t go on some of the bigger hikes that I would have liked to try, but she did take me here regularly. It’s quiet, out of the way, and has the most beautiful view of the town at sunset you’ve ever seen. Thought we could both use a little break since we’ve been working so hard all day.”

“OH! THAT SOUNDS LOVELY.” Blue smiles, admiring the fall colours still clinging to the trees all around him. “WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE UP HERE, STARLIGHT?”

You really have to stretch back in your memories. It’s impossible in the moment to know that you were experiencing your last time up there, and it stings, knowing that it’s all just a memory now firmly rooted in the past.

“It must be close to a decade now.” You say, shocked, even though it makes sense with how long you’ve been away from home. “It was right before I left to go to school. My grandmother and I came here, brought a thermos of tea and just reminisced. I was so excited to get away, and she was happy, but also sad she’d be losing me to the big wide world soon.”  

You turn into the dirt lot while Blue texts Paps to let him know you’ll be a little late and not to worry, as the two of you have taken on a quick side quest.

Blue laughs and shows you the picture he sent of an old Zelda game reading: It’s dangerous to go alone, take this with a picture of a bone underneath it.

“Does he have a meme saved in his phone for every occasion? I can never figure out how he always responds so quick!”

Blue nods. “YUP. OVER 3000 PHOTOS ON HIS PHONE, ONLY ABOUT TEN PERCENT OF THEM ARE ACTUAL PICTURES HE’S TAKEN WITH HIS CAMERA. THE REST IS ALL INTERNET BRAIN ROT.”

You laugh at how accurate that seems as you put your car in park, reaching out to squeeze his hand gently. “I hope you like it as much as I always have.”

The walk isn’t very far, maybe fifteen minutes from the car on a very slight incline. If you can, you should really try to bring the boys here for a picnic before a storm shakes the leaves from the trees. It’s like walking through a fairy tale in the light of the setting sun. Paps would absolutely adore collecting leaves and mushrooms and random rocks here.

You pass a few people on your way, but they all seem to be heading down to the parking lot. It makes sense at this time of day. When you arrive, the bench is thankfully empty and the view doesn’t disappoint. Blue appears to be tiring fast and for a brief moment you wonder if this was perhaps too much for him too soon, but after he sits and takes a moment, the smile on his face tells you all you need to know.

“OH WOW. YOU WERE RIGHT, THIS REALLY IS THE MOST AMAZING VIEW.”

“I’m glad you like it, hun.” Only, when you glance over, you notice he’s looking at you and not the scenery. You smile at how wonderfully right this all feels, using this opportunity to scoot yourself closer to him on the bench. “Also, it’s the perfect time of day to stop here! Everything is so”

“BEAUTIFUL.” He says, finishing your sentence as he looks down sheepishly. He notices what appear to be some of the last wild flowers of the season growing along the foot of the bench. Plucking one, he gently tucks it behind your ear with a smile. “JUST LIKE YOU.”

He practically whispers the words, like he’s still not sure he should be saying them. Had you not been sitting so close; they would have been lost to the wind. In response, you tentatively take his hand in your lap, making sure he’s okay with it before softly tracing down his phalanges, metacarpals and carpals one by one.

They’re mostly smooth, but are more chipped than Paps' are. You suspect it’s all the passion projects he throws himself into, never holding back, always giving his whole heart and soul.

Not for the first time, you wonder how anyone could have intentionally hurt him so deeply. You can imagine him pouring his whole self into what he thought was a budding relationship only to be heartbroken at the betrayal. You’ve never seen Blue give anything less than one-hundred percent, and it makes you furious inside that anyone would have taken advantage of his love, not realizing what a gift it was.

You glance over to him again. His eyes are closed, head turned toward the setting sun, basking in the final rays of the day. He looks at peace in this moment. You smile, catching little shivers from him as your fingers trail along what you think might be a ticklish bit of bone at his wrist, mentally putting that information away for later.

Eventually, he opens his eyes and looks to you, so sweet and unsure it makes you melt.

“STARLIGHT. WOULD IT BE OKAY IF…” He trails off nervously, you waiting patiently for him to find his words and confidence again.

“Yes Blue?” You urge gently, squeezing his hand in encouragement.

“IF…IF I KISSED YOU?” He whispers timidly.

You nod with a small smile and a whispered “thought you’d never ask” as you lean in.

He’s all nervous energy at first, almost like he’s afraid you’ll bolt if he moves too quickly. Unhurried, he raises his free hand to your cheek, gently drawing you in for a kiss. It’s slow, and sweet and you swear you can feel a soft moan of contentment escape from behind his teeth as you come up for air. It’s over far too soon for your liking.

You feel him lingering close to you, running the back of his hand softly down your cheek as he rests his forehead against yours. “Oh stars.” You whisper in the space between your breaths as he chuckles tenderly against you. Silently, you desperately beg the sunset to slow down, wanting to bask in this moment with him a little longer.

His magic leaves an impression along your lips, making you want to dive right back in, but you’re determined to let him set the pace at his comfort level.

Eventually he grins as he looks up at you. “STARS, WHY AM I SHAKING?” He holds out his hand to show you the slow tremble that’s making him laugh. “SO, THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.”

“Like what feels like, hun?”

“FALLING FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY CARES FOR YOU BACK.”

Oh. Oh. You nod in full agreement; already aware you’re falling for him too. “I don’t need to know the full story to feel angry at what she did to you, but I can promise that you didn’t deserve any of it.”

He nods and frowns. “IT’S TAKEN ME YEARS TO PUT ASIDE THE SHAME OF IT. THOUGHT I’D MANAGED TO DO IT TOO, BUT IT TURNS OUT I JUST HAVE A TALENT FOR REPRESSION. I ONLY REALIZED HOW BADLY I HAD FAILED AT IT AS IT ALL CAME FLOODING BACK.” He takes both your hands in his before going on. “DID YOU KNOW I WAS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK THAT NIGHT IN THE WASHROOM WHEN SHE CAME IN? SHE LOCKED THE DOOR BEHIND HER JUST TO FORCE A CONVERSATION. I WISH I WOULD HAVE SEEN JUST HOW BROKEN SHE WAS. I FEEL BAD FOR HER, BUT ALSO SAD FOR ME.”

You remain quiet. This is the most he’s ever spoken of that night and you don’t want to break the spell he’s under, compelling him to finally get it off of his chest.

“I DIDN’T THINK I’D EVER PUT MYSELF OUT THERE AGAIN. HONESTLY, IT WAS THE WAY YOU TREATED MY BROTHER THAT MADE ME REALIZE I HAD SEVERED SUCH A HUGE PART OF MY SOUL.” He takes a deep breath, composing himself before going on. “I’M STILL SO, SO SCARED, BUT I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER WHEN I’M AROUND YOU. PLEASE, JUST GIVE ME TIME. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THERE’S NOBODY I’D RATHER HAVE BY MY SIDE.”

You smile. “I’m going to let you take the lead on what you’re comfortable with, but just know that I’m in this for the long haul, Blue. Take all the time you need. I’m honoured you trusted me enough to let me in.”

He beams at that, wrapping an arm around you as you snuggle into him in the dying light. There is a moment where you know walking back to the car is going to be a pain, but you’ve both got flashlights on your cell phones and he’s just so happy, you’re not going to be the one to break the spell.

The darker it gets, the more his face comes alive. Soon Blue is pointing out constellations and planets as they wink into existence in the fading light.

“YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PLANET AND A STAR BECAUSE STARLIGHT FLICKERS AND DANCES WHILE THE LIGHT FROM PLANETS REMAIN STATIC BECAUSE IT’S BEING REFLECTED AND NOT GENERATED.”

You glance at him skeptically before taking a good look at the night sky and oh wow, he’s actually right. Focusing in on a star, you see it shimmering like flames in a bonfire. You’re excited when you finally spot what you now know is a planet, as the light emanating off of it remains stable.

He leans in close to your face, as he points, trying to direct your line of sight to a particular planet. “SEE THAT PLANET HANGING LOW IN THE SKY? THAT’S MARS. YOU CAN TELL BY THE REDDISH HUE OF IT.”

Putting your head next to his, your let your eyes travel up his arm to the unassuming planet. “That’s so cool Blue!” You say as you gasp excitedly upon finding it. “How do you know all of this stuff?”

“THIS WAS MY VERY FIRST HOBBY WHEN WE GOT TO THE SURFACE. I’D SPEND HOURS ON THE ROOFTOP OF OUR APARTMENT LEARNING ALL I COULD.” He grins excitedly as you watch his eyes form into stars for the first time since before that night. You think they’re lovely, how they twinkle and dance in the moonlight.

“I absolutely love your eyes. They’re the most beautiful shade of blue.” You say, unable stop yourself.

He sits up a bit straighter at the compliment, clearly pleased. “THANK YOU, STARLIGHT. IT MEANS A LOT, COMING FROM YOU.”

The two of you continue star gazing for a while. At one point you both see a shooting star and gasp excitedly as it passes overhead. Eventually you can hear Blue chuckling in the darkness.

“What is it, hun?” You say, squeezing the hand that you haven’t let go of since you sat down.

“I JUST REMEMBERED WHY I STARTED CALLING YOU STARLIGHT. IT’S A BIT EMBARRASSING, BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HEAR IT.”

You perk up at that, captivated.

“WE WERE IN THE HARDWARE STORE; IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE REALLY GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER. I THINK THAT’S THE EXACT MOMENT I STARTED HAVING FEELINGS FOR YOU, THOUGH I NEVER WOULD HAVE ADMITTED IT AT THE TIME.” He grins. “I JUST REMEMBER THINKING YOU WERE THE BRIGHTEST SOUL IN THE BUILDING, THAT EVERYONE AROUND YOU WAS JUST REFLECTING THE LIGHT BACK THAT YOU WERE PUTTING OUT INTO THE WORLD, AND I WAS AMAZED THAT NOBODY ELSE SEEMED TO NOTICE IT.”

He’s blushing furiously as he tells you, his face lighting up in the dark. “That…just might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, Blue. And look” you add nervously, “I know I said I’d let you set the pace, but if you wanted to kiss me again, I wouldn’t be opposed.”

You catch the faintest blur of hearts in his eyes, surer of himself this time as he pulls you in for a proper kiss. His hands wrap firmly around your back, holding you solidly against him. Even in his weakened state, he’s strong and solid and you can’t help but melt into his touch.

This time you definitely hear a moan of satisfaction from him, as he bites your lip playfully, unable to hold back your own squeak of surprised arousal at the feeling of his teeth on you. You find you’re gripping the back of his jacket, knees weak at the surprising intensity of his embrace.

And that’s when you hear a chuckle from deep within his chest before he swings you around and dips you low in his arms, your brain short-circuiting in the process. At one point you’re sure you’ve forgotten how to breathe at how dizzyingly intoxicating the moment has become. It’s all you can do just to hold onto him, as you gasp his name in a brief moment of clarity.

His strength never waivers. There isn’t a moment you ever feel like he’s going to drop you, and you get the impression with his arms wrapped tenderly around you, that he could cradle you here all night, just showering you with kisses under a sea of stars.

Eventually he returns you safely to your former upright position, breaking the kiss by tugging at your lip gently with his teeth. You moan softly, not wanting the contact to end.

“DID I DO IT RIGHT?” He asks innocently, watching as you sit there with a stunned, moonstruck look on your face.

Your eyes meet his in the dark as you start giggling. Blue tilts his head curiously as you hold up your hands. “Oh stars! Now I’m the one who can’t stop trembling!”

That’s all it takes to get one of the sweetest, most pure laughs you’ve ever heard from him as he pulls you back into his arms for a hug. “THAT WAS…PURE STARLIGHT.” He whispers against your ear. “I’M SURE WE MADE THE NIGHT SKY JEALOUS.”

You can’t help but love knowing the meaning behind the nickname. It makes his words that much more powerful. You settle back into his arms for a bit longer before the chill of the night air starts making you shiver.

“YOU’RE COLD! WE SHOULD HEAD BACK TO THE CAR.” Blue stands, pulling you up. “WHEN DID IT GET SO DARK?” He laughs, pulling out his phone and flipping on the flashlight as you do the same. “WE’LL JUST HAVE TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL WALKING BACK.

You nod, taking his hand in yours. “I know this path like the back of my hand, but we should definitely take it slow.”

You’re not sure where the sudden chill came from, as your body was overheated moments ago in his arms, but are content when you’re both safely tucked into your car, heat turned on as you rub your hands in front of the vent.

“HERE, LET ME.” He says, taking your hands in his, enveloping them in his warmth. “MY MAGIC IS MORE ALIGNED AGAIN. I CAN FEEL IT HUMMING THROUGH MY BONES LIKE NORMAL.” With a soft sigh he adds a “THANK YOU FOR TAKING SUCH GOOD CARE OF ME, STARLIGHT. YOU’RE A HUGE PART OF THE REASON WHY I’VE HEALED SO QUICKLY.”

“I didn’t do anything special.” You giggle. “Just forced soup into you and actually made you rest!”

“AS PAPS CAN ATTEST, THAT’S A LOT HARDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAN YOU THINK. I’M NOT EXACTLY KNOWN FOR SITTING STILL.”

“Point well taken, darling.”

He smiles fondly at you. “I LIKE THAT. NEVER BEEN ANYONE’S DARLING BEFORE.”

“Well, get used to it, because after a kiss like that, you’re officially stuck with me.”

He barks out a surprised laugh as you back out of your spot, heading home. Blue is looking lighter, like he’s one step closer to confronting the part of his past he’s tried so hard to forget. You have every bit of faith in him that he’ll do it too. After all, he never does anything half-assed, not even something as simple as a kiss.

Notes:

That was cathartic to write.
I like to think that after Blue gets his confidence back, he's 100% the one who likes to take charge.
Fun fact: I was looking for a celestial nickname for reader, but nothing felt quite right until I found Starlight. It was the name of a cat featured on our local humane society website! Thank you good kitty, I hope you've been adopted into a loving home.
I just so desperately needed to write a fluffy little scene for him. I cannot believe how fast I wrote this.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

 

Chapter 20: Campfires and Cocoa

Summary:

We've officially moved in!
We're having guests over!
If I could LIVE in this chapter, I would.

The house is a mess. There are boxes everywhere and piles of clutter manifesting on every surface as the three of you settle in to your new living arrangements. Normally, the state of things would have driven Blue crazy, but he’s happier than he can ever remember being. He’s starting to feel like himself again, can use the occasional bit of magic without feeling overexerted, and is enjoying organizing his room with the knowledge that it truly is his. He wasn’t aware of how much he had been affected by the constant relocating over the past five years.

Plus, having you just down the hall from him is a HUGE plus in his books.

After that perfect night of sunsets and stargazing, he’s desperately been trying to work harder on getting past the mental roadblocks he’s put up over the past three years and be the best version of himself for you. He wishes he could approach you with a fresh heart, unscarred by his past trauma.

Instead, every time he tries to show the slightest bit of intimacy, he’s overwhelmed by the irrational fear that you’re just humouring him. Blue is very much aware that it is just that - completely irrational, but old habits die hard, and walls take time coming down.

Still, you had managed to get through to him on that night, and you’ve been patient and kind while he keeps working on himself; even if what that looks like is him trying to go in for a kiss before panicking, stopping short, and excusing himself from the room. The emotional whiplash he’s giving you must be severe.

But when he’s alone in his room at night, knowing you’re only separated by a wall and two doors, he can’t help but think of how good it felt to hold you in his arms, and that one flawless moment where he was able to just completely let go and be himself.

Stars, how he wants to give you that version of him. Just walk down to your room and be brave enough to wrap you in his arms and tell you how much he needs you. That level of intimacy terrifies him, but he’s craving it, especially after he had a taste of what it could be like.

Instead, he gets a marshmallow thrown at his skull by his brother. “Earth to Bluuuuuue. We’re headed outside now, brother! Can you be sure to bring the extra thermos of cocoa when you come out?” He’s in the kitchen, staring at the kettle as you and Paps stand at the side door, laden down with blankets and fixings for smores. Alphys and Undyne will be arriving shortly and there’s a nervous excitement in the air.

He nods. “OF COURSE. I’LL BE RIGHT OUT. JUST FINISHING THIS LAST BATCH.” He says, before picking up the marshmallow lobbed at his head and tossing it in the trash. The door clatters behind them and he’s alone once more.

Having them over had been his idea. Paps kept getting texted by an impatient Undyne wanting to meet their new human, and Blue had finally relented, promising you and and his brother that he had felt up to hosting, but just wasn’t ready for going out. Weird words for the extrovert of the family to say, but that’s just been his vibe lately.

With the house a mess, you had been the one to suggest the bonfire. The air was crisp, the night clear, and the woods behind your yard still sported a beautiful showing of fall leaves. Blue grinned inwardly, knowing how much you loved being outside in the autumn. How could he have ever said no?

The kettle starts to whistle as he removes it from the element and pours it over the cocoa, watching as it slowly fills up the thermos. He’s just about to stir it up when you pop back into the kitchen.

“Whoops! Can’t start a bonfire without matches!” You laugh, rummaging through the junk drawer next to him before stopping to inspect his work. “Want to know a secret?” You say, placing a hand on his arm.

He grins at you, thrilled at the sudden contact and nods.

You lean in, dramatically looking left and right before whispering next to his skull. “Vanilla extract.” He shivers at your voice, wanting so badly to hold you again, not fully computing what you’re saying.

“H-HUH?”

“For the cocoa. Makes it taste really good.” With that, you’re reaching past him into the cupboard to retrieve the bottle. He thinks you smell like cold air and autumn leaves. It’s absolutely intoxicating. “May I?”

Nodding dreamily, he hands you the spoon and watches with interest as you add a generous drop of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon before stirring it up. Once satisfied, you take some out on the spoon and bring it to your lips, blowing gently; and stars, he can’t seem to stop staring at them.

Satisfied with the coolness, you eagerly hold the spoon out for him to try. He carefully wraps his teeth around it as the warm liquid lights up his mouth with flavour. His sockets widen in surprise at how much the taste has changed. It’s richer, deeper now. He makes a little “MMM” sound in delight as he feels you run a thumb softly against his jaw.

“Spilled some. Sorry.” You smile, as you bring your finger to your lips. Before you make it, he acts on instinct, his hand stopping you, as he slowly brings it back to his mouth, manifesting his soft blue tongue to lick it off the pad of your thumb.

He hears your breath quicken, sees your pupils dilate as you smile. “Whoops! I seem to have missed a bit more. May I?”

He just nods, enchanted by you in the moment as you slowly lean in and place a soft kiss on his jaw. “Oh stars, I think I found some more.” You murmur, before returning to your ministrations, kissing him all along his jawline. “Sorry I’m so messy, Blue.” His breathing is shallow and rapid as he stands there, completely head over heels for you. He finds he has to grip the counter tightly to steady himself.

Eventually you reluctantly pull away, soft smile dancing across your lips as you grab the matchbook out of the junk drawer with a wink.

“I think I got it all, but I can always double check later if you like, my darling heart.”

Blue just nods, completely forgetting how to use words for a moment before he manages to cobble together a reply. “YOU’RE AMAZING, YOU KNOW THAT?”

You reach back into the junk drawer and – oh my stars - hilariously pull out a reverse uno card, presenting it to him with a flourish. “Back at ya, Blue.” You grin, bumping the drawer shut with your hip as you lean in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek before heading back outside.

He just stands there, stunned at how you can make him come apart so easily with a simple touch and an uno card.

Blue is still lost in his thoughts when Alphys suddenly peeks in. Blue notices she’s wearing a long jean dress with a turtleneck underneath because 9 times out of 10 when he sees her, she’s always in uniform. It looks nice. He almost sometimes forgets she’s got a civilian life outside of her career.

“Hey Undyne, I found him! She shouts, entering the house now that she knows he’s there. “What are ya doing in here all alone, and why are you holding an uno card?” Pointing at his hand and laughing good-naturedly.

“OH! HI ALPHYS” He chuckles, pocketing the card as she gives him an odd look. “EVERYONE ELSE IS OUT BACK ALREADY GETTING THE BONFIRE STARTED. I WAS JUST GRABBING EXTRA BEVERAGES.” He holds up the thermos in emphasis as Undyne wanders in behind her dressed in a bomber jacket, white sweater and blue jeans.

“Hey friend, where’s your human? I’m so eager to meet her!” She does a little jump of excitement, long red ponytail bobbing behind her as she clasps her hands together in joy.

“Hey babe, Blue says she’s out back already with Paps. Why don’t you head back there and I’ll join you in a second?”

Nodding eagerly, Undyne pops out the door with a spring in her step.

“So, this was a pretty quick move, eh?” She grins, looking around the kitchen discerningly. “Nice place you two wound up in, though of course, we’ve had our eye on it for weeks now with her family trouble and all.”

Blue nods sadly. “ANY FURTHER WORD ON WHAT HAPPENED TO HER COWORKER RELATIVE?”

Alphys grins wickedly. “I made sure to personally follow up with that one. She’s been let go, and her manager reprimanded. Apparently, she tried to make a huge stink, but with what she almost did, she’s lucky you haven’t pressed any criminal charges.”

“STARLIGHT AND PAPS WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR IT.” He says absentmindedly, Alphys’ brow raising in curiosity.

“You’ve already got a cutesy nickname picked out? I didn’t realize you had caught feelings for her too, you punk!” She laughs loudly, walking over and putting Blue in a headlock so she can administer a noogie. “I’m assuming this” she waves her free arm in the air dramatically “arrangement is to everyone’s liking?”

Blue flushes a deep cyan as he pulls himself from her headlock and nods. “DON’T BE QUITE SO FORWARD ABOUT IT, BUT YES. THE THREE OF US ARE HAPPY WITH OUR CURRENT SITUATION.”

Stars, he does not want to be having this conversation with Alphys, but better him than everyone rehashing it awkwardly at the bonfire. Alphys was a great friend, but social cues were not her strong suit. She’d just barrel ahead with her questions like she was conducting an interrogation. Completely forgetting that people – even friends – are entitled to their secrets.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you fall for someone before, Captain. Though, there was a time when I thought you had a cute little puppy dog crush on that one coworker of yours. But honestly, I’m glad that never panned out. If I can speak frankly, I always thought she was bad news, even though I know you try to see the good in just about everyone. It’s what’s makes you such a great ambassador.”

Blue can’t believe how surreal this conversation feels as he finishes closing up the thermos. Had everyone seen through Laney but him? “GUESS IT ALL WORKED OUT IN THE END.” He shrugs at Alphys, trying to remain casual as he slips into his jacket and steps outside.

The bonfire is well underway by the time the two of them make it back. You’re curled up under a blanket with Paps as Undyne happily talks your ear off on your other side. She’s describing her favourite anime to you in great detail. Blue has heard this conversation many times before. He’s sure she appreciates a new captive audience. Alphys grins knowingly and waves at everyone as she makes her entrance sitting down on a log by the fire.

Undyne soon starts ranking her favourite first meeting tropes, rattling them off on her fingers before stopping long enough to ask how you and Paps met.

“Ooh! So you literally ran into Paps the first time you met him? That is such an adorable meet-cute.” She says with a dreamy sigh to her voice. You’re laughing good-naturedly, having completely hit it off with her.

“You can say that she really fell for me.” Paps winks, happily nuzzling against your neck with a purr before going back to check on the marshmallows he’s roasting over the fire.

Alphys and Undyne let out a loud groan in unison as you chuckle softly.

WISH I COULD CASUALLY GIVE YOU AFFECTION LIKE THAT WITHOUT MY STUPID BRAIN TRYING TO SABOTAGE ME. He thinks as he takes a seat on the last empty log, pouring himself a cup of the cocoa you just made. Even though it warms him, it’s a poor substitute for you.

It’s nice catching up, especially for Paps, he thinks. Blue has at least been working with Alphys off and on these past couple of weeks, but Paps really hasn’t seen them for over a year now.

Blue feels content to just watch and listen as he passes around the thermos of cocoa, happy to be here, but finding he’s already starting to feel drained.

If he’s being honest, he’s paying less attention to what’s being said around the campfire and more attention to how it felt to have you kissing along his jawline earlier, completely under your spell. Part of him hopes that offer to come find you later wasn’t just a throwaway line, knowing full well he’s not brave enough to follow through with it, regardless of what he wants.

The discussions meander from topic to topic as Blue tries to maintain focus, but as the evening wears on, he just completely zones out, opting to stare into the flames instead in hopes his friends won’t pick up on how unusually quiet he’s being.

When he resurfaces to try and pay attention, he notices Undyne has since gotten up and is now cuddled next to Alphys as she’s urging Paps to go get something from the house.

He tries to pick up the threads of conversation, but his mind is starting to feel sluggish and tired now. With you and his brother, he’s been fine, but maybe he wasn’t quite as ready to entertain guests as he previously thought.

He sees Paps stand with a grin and an “okay, okay” before wandering back to the house. You’re glancing at him from across the fire, concerned look quickly flashing across your features as you hold the blanket open in invitation. Knowing he could use your support, he decides to get up and join you; thankful, as you wrap the blanket protectively around his shoulders, giving him a comforting squeeze as you do so.

Alphys grins knowingly while Undyne looks on, wide-eyed. “Waaaait…Blue and you too?” She’s practically giddy at this revelation as she shakes Alphys’ arm in an are you seeing what I’m seeing moment.

This is the closest Blue has ever felt to having a fan club and it’s making him extremely self-conscious. You seem to sense his discomfort, covertly sliding your hand into his under the blanket as you field Undyne’s question.

“Yeah, but it’s still quite new, so I’m afraid I don’t have much to comment on just yet.” Then, with a wink you add a loudly whispered “But I’ve got a pretty big crush on him, so don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Alphys responds with a snort and a chuckled “nerds” under her breath.

Undyne nods happily, more subdued than a moment earlier. “Absolutely. Ooh, I’m so excited for all of you!”

“Thank you, Undyne. I really appreciate it.” You smile sweetly as the knot of embarrassment Blue is feeling slowly begins to unwind. He squeezes your hand in appreciation as you casually run your thumb up and down the side of his carpals.

Paps returns soon, guitar in hand as everyone gives a little cheer. Blue can hear him plant an exaggerated kiss on the top of your head with a loud “MWAH” before taking a seat in Blue’s former spot as he asks for requests, quickly tuning his guitar.

Alphys and Undyne immediately start listing off a litany of songs as his eyes widen. “Woah, woah there. I can’t Handel that much information at once. Slow down!”

Blue feels you chuckle softly as his friends roll their eyes. It’s easier following along now that he’s next to you, pulling strength from your solid presence beside him. It seems like his normally extroverted nature is still very much on holiday.

Or, maybe it’s just that they’ve been so busy this past week and he’s pushed himself with too much, too soon. His magic may be stabilizing again, but he still feels bone tired. He decides to keep that last thought to himself, despite how much Paps would appreciate the joke.

In the end, Paps looks to you and nods. “Host’s choice, love.”

You ask to hear some Bon Iver as he nods, with a “good choice, Honeybee” before happily obliging.

Paps smiles dreamily as he gets lost in his playing. His brother has gotten quite proficient over the years, instantly bringing all conversation around the fire to a close as everyone just stops to listen.

Blue smiles as he rests his head on your shoulder. Another perfect moment, in his opinion. THEY’RE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY THESE DAYS. He thinks happily, allowing himself to snuggle closer to you.

He isn’t aware that he’s closed his eyes until you’re gently whispering his name. Caught in that space between awake and dreaming, he sighs softly and nuzzles into your neck before he fully realizes he’s still sitting up. Upon opening his eyes, he sees Alphys and Undyne watching him, completely captivated with the sappiest grins plastered across their faces. Paps just shakes his head and chuckles as he strums chords absentmindedly on his guitar.

The fire has died down and it looks like the evening is coming to a close as he groggily sits up, running a hand along the back of his skull in mild confusion. ‘HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN ASLEEP?” He asks, looking to you questioningly, as he realizes your hand is still entwined with his.

“Paps has been playing for about thirty minutes now.” You say amicably. Then, in a soft voice meant just for him, you whisper “You want me to walk you inside? You look pretty tired. We can say our goodbyes and Paps will lock up.”

He nods, hoping to graciously excuse himself before they start wondering if he’s feeling well, which will lead to a whole new set of questions from Alphys that he just doesn’t want to deal with. After he agrees, you take charge, standing and crossing the distance to their guests.

“I’m so glad we finally got the chance to get to know each other!” You smile, arms open wide as you let Alphys pull you into a huge bear hug, lifting you clear off the ground. Alarmed, Blue hears the sound of your back popping and the air leaving your unsuspecting lungs as you get squeezed harder than expected.

When she puts you down you have to bend over to catch your breath. Undyne completely ignores your posture as she swoops in for a lighter, but just as enthusiastic hug, patting you on the back as you greedily gulp in more air.

“Doesn’t Alphys just give the best hugs?” She says dreamily as you nod and give a silent thumbs up while still doubled over.

“I’ve got your number in my cell phone! We can text like besties now! I’ve got so much anime I’m going to introduce you to, and I’m going to want all the embarrassing details on these two knuckleheads.”

You smile jovially with a nod, having finally collected yourself. “I look forward to it.”

Seamlessly, you carry on “I’m sorry everyone, but I need to call it a night. I feel a migraine coming on. Probably a little too much bonfire smoke.” You wince, putting a hand to the side of your head. Turning to him, you continue softly. “Blue, would you mind walking me to the house? I’m starting to feel a bit dizzy. Paps, sweetheart, would you mind locking up?”

“Not a problem Honeybee. Take good care of her, Blue.” He smiles as he begins to collect the blankets.

Blue stands, trying not to openly marvel at how seamlessly you handled that. He’s been out with Alphys and Undyne before, and they do not easily let a night end. He lets you drape your arm around his shoulders as he wraps an arm protectively around your waist, pretending to steady you. Once you’re inside, you both quickly sneak upstairs, knowing they might follow behind shortly.

“Your room or mine?” You conspiratorially whisper before you see the panic in his eyes at the choice you’ve given him. In the end you thankfully decide for the both of you, pulling him into your room and closing the door.

“Didn’t mean to startle you with a choice like that, Blue. You’re more than welcome to curl up here and sleep for as long as you want, in case they come into the house to continue the party, we can say you’re taking care of your human.”

His mind wants to be anxious and weird again, sure you’re just being nice, but he’s too drained to care as he just nods, removing his sweater before climbing into your bed without protest. “STARS, I’M TIRED, I HOPE I DON’T MAKE YOUR BED SMELL LIKE A CAMPFIRE.”

“Don’t worry about it, you always smell fine to me.” You grin, as you begin to remove your own sweater. He turns his back to give you some privacy as you slip into your pyjamas. It’s just a ratty oversized t-shirt and shorts, but oh how he loves to watch you wander the house in them.

“I’m decent.” You say, seeming pleased that he’s going to get some rest. “I’ll just curl up on my rocking chair over here. The bed is yours tonight! I don’t want to make you feel nervous, darling.”

He smiles softly, pulling up the covers for you. “IT’S OK. I ACTUALLY COULD REALLY USE THE COMPANY RIGHT NOW. FEELING A BIT OUT OF SORTS STILL.”

BESIDES, IT’S YOUR BED, he thinks. He would feel bad if he fell asleep and made you feel like you couldn’t use it all night.

That’s all the invitation you need, as you slide into bed behind him, and wrap yourself around his back. He’s never been held like this before and finds that as his body relaxes into you, he thoroughly enjoys it. “WOW, YOU’RE CUDDLY.” He sighs, happily.

“Can’t help it, you’re so warm.” You chuckle in response. “If you want, I can build a pillow wall down the middle of the bed and stay on my side.” You wait a minute, at first he thinks you’re joking with him, but he soon realizes you’re serious.

“OH STARS NO, THIS IS REALLY NICE.” He whispers, while in his head he’s screaming to himself: DON’T RUIN THIS, BLUE. PLEASE DON’T LET ME GO STARLIGHT. I THINK I COULD EASILY GET USED TO HAVING YOU NEXT TO ME EVERY NIGHT.

 “So, how was hosting your first get-together in your new home?” You ask, speaking softly into the back of his neck.

He smiles, liking the sound of that: HIS NEW HOME. “I THINK IT WENT WELL. DIDN’T EXPECT TO TIRE OUT SO QUICKLY – THAT WAS NEW; BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS NICE SEEING PAPS REKINDLE HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH ALPHYS AND UNDYNE. HE AND UNDYNE ESPECIALLY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLOSE, NERDING OUT OVER THE MOST RANDOM STUFF!” Blue says this jokingly, like he doesn’t also have some incredibly niche interests of his own.

“You’ll be back to running marathons up Mt. Ebott in no time. Besides, I personally think you’re doing great. Entertaining friends so soon after a move is a big ask at the best of times. We were all pretty chill tonight, but I’m glad I didn’t have to do much more than roast marshmallows and feed logs to a fire.”

Blue is enjoying the casual closeness of the conversation, the way your breath tickles down the back of his vertebrae, and how your solid warmth behind him is comforting in a way he didn’t know he needed. This feels intimate; healing for his soul.

“I SUPPOSE SO. JUST NOT ACCUSTOMED TO EVER BEING SO TIRED.” He laughs at that. “GUESS MY LOW ENERGY LOOKS A LOT LIKE PAPS ON A HIGH ENERGY DAY.”

He feels you chuckle softly against him. “Point well taken. I’m not entirely sure how magic sickness works, but if there’s anything else I can be doing to help you, just let me know.”

Blue shakes his head. “YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW WONDERFUL YOU’VE BEEN. I COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR ANYONE BETTER BY MY SIDE.” He waits a moment, before mustering up the courage to go on. “I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH ME. I KNOW I’VE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH MY EMOTIONS.”

He feels you shaking your head against him. “Nothing to thank me for. Like I said that night on the bench. I’m in this for the long haul. You take it at the pace you’re comfortable with.”

Blue sighs happily as he feels you pull him closer in a gentle hug.

“Oh, and Blue.” You whisper. “Thank you for trusting me with your heart. I promise I will cherish it always.”  

OH STARS, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. He thinks as he finally lets his eye sockets close softly, drifting off to sleep cradled in your arms.

Notes:

Look. looklooklooklook.
I got a taste of Blue fluff and there's no going back.
I know I need to pace myself. There is still so much I want to happen, but our boy is healing and his chapters are making me so darn happy right now, so I shall meander and continue to write fluff and just give him all the moments he deserves.
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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 21: Difficult Conversations

Summary:

We need to tie up a few loose threads.

“Blue and I are heading to the grocery store now, do you want anything specific, Honeybee?” Paps calls from the front door as he puts on his jacket. Blue is following suit, pulling up the hood on his jacket around a bright blue scarf. It’s been colder than normal for mid-November, and even though skeletons generally have a higher tolerance for frigid temperatures, it still just goes right through them.

Paps laughs at his joke in his head, while Blue gives him an odd look before heading outside, not wanting to know.

You’re on the couch, hair held up with a pencil as you read over the notes the two of you made earlier that day, organizing them in a meaningful way for your ever-expanding library project.

“Ooh, I’m out of my orange shampoo actually, if you don’t mind grabbing me a bottle.”

“Mane and tail it is.” Paps laughs as he quickly shuts the door, listening to you shouting behind him.

“BROTHER, WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER TO GET THAT REACTION?” Blue chuckles as Paps quickly closes the distance between them with his long legs.

“I just came up with an excellent idea for our presentation and she was overcome with joy.”

Blue rolls his eye lights exaggeratedly. “I ALMOST BELIEVE THAT TOO.”

Paps just grins back. They have been working pretty steadily on their library project so far, and he was starting to get excited at how well it was coming together.

There were a several branches of the Ebott Public Library, and the two of you were slowly visiting all of them. Armed with laptops and cameras, you have interviewed staff, patrons (both human and monster) and local community partners. You’ve captured school visits and outreach programs, bookmobiles and monster meet and greets, all with a focus on friendship and community, and the general consensus around the city has been surprisingly positive.

Kids have talked about their monster pen pals at a library facilitated letter writing program between schools. A seniors group started a crafting circle that has formed lasting friendships with older monsters, teaching them how to knit and crochet. And even teen programs have been a success, centering around sharing music and entertainment across cultures.

Thanks to the regular dose of sweetness he’s been getting from the city at large, Paps is standing at his full height these days. He finds he’s not automatically shrinking down around humans any more, but is instead trying to adopt Blue’s method of dealing with people by treating their stares with friendliness and a nod. It’s been surprisingly effective.

They walk in easy silence through the neighbourhood – their neighbourhood now, and Paps can’t help but feel a sharp burst of happiness, it bubbles to the surface like fizz in soda. They were the only monsters on the block as far as he could tell, but besides the odd glance every now and then, the community has been surprisingly accepting.

He had even put aside his general weirdness surrounding Halloween and helped hand out candy. Children had been thrilled when they discovered the skeletons they assumed were props were actually real and – according to them – were handing out the best candy on the block.

Paps felt a particular pride at that. He’d picked it all out himself at your prompting. You truly knew the way to his soul. By the end of the night, he had to begrudgingly admit that naked skeleton decorations aside, it was actually a pretty cool holiday.

Getting to spend it together with the two of you really helped as well.

Blue was feeling genuinely better too. Paps noticed his full energy officially returning as the deep cleaning and organizing of their home kicked into high gear. He was once again chiding Paps for leaving his books everywhere and running around behind him to make sure he didn’t make too much of a mess for you.

In fact, you seemed to be the only force in his world that could actually calm him down now. You exerted some sort of power over his brother that caused him to stop and sit – actually sit – for an entire movie. Paps still secretly suspected humans had magic that they were unaware of, because you had certainly been wielding it liberally with the two of them.

It’s taken a long while, but with you looking after the two of them, Paps can finally breathe a sigh of relief. He doesn’t feel alone any more. He feels safe and protected. Looking down at Blue, he’s sure his brother shares his sentiments.

Blue is strolling with his hands in his pockets, bounce in his step and head raised to the evening sky. He looks like he’s walking on air. Eventually, he notices Paps looking at him and tilts his head.

“WHAT’S UP BROTHER? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’VE GOT SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND.”

“All good, Blue. Honestly, I’m just really happy right now.

Blue nods, smile on his face. “I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING.”

They both look at each other and start laughing. They don’t have to elaborate further to know where the source of their joy is coming from.

“I’VE BEEN THINKING. IT’S TAKEN ME A WHILE TO WORK THROUGH SOME THINGS, BUT I THINK I’M READY TO TAKE STARLIGHT OUT ON AN ACTUAL DATE, AND I WOULDN’T MIND YOUR OPINION.” He asks tentatively, looking up at him with a raised brow.

“Of course, bro. For a while there, I didn’t think a skeleton like yourself would have the guts to ask her out. What did you have in mind?” Paps is sincerely happy to hear it, plus the added bonus of the pun was just the cherry on top.

“STARS, PAPY! YOU JUST COULDN’T RESIST, COULD YOU?”  

He shrugs affectionately, shoving his brother on the arm. “You know me by now, bro. Just gotta take the good puns with the bad. Seriously though, what did you need my opinion on? I’ll try to refrain from joking for the duration of this conversation.” Paps nods solemnly, strong emphasis on try, he thinks to himself.

“WOULD ANYTHING BE TOO MUCH FOR HER?”

Paps stops. “Uhh, you’re gonna have to elaborate on that, Blue. That’s a pretty vague statement.”

He chuckles nervously. “I WANT TO GO ALL OUT AND I HAVE ALL THESE IDEAS, BUT SOME OF THEM SEEM VERY ELABORATE AND MAYBE…TOO MUCH FOR A FIRST DATE?”

“Awww bro, you’re sweet. Are we talking fine dining and theatre, or like what? You do know that she just wants to spend time with you, right?” He bursts out laughing at that, quickly explaining why. “Just a few months ago I believe we were having the same conversation but the roles were reversed.”

Blue stops what he’s about to say, finger raised in the air while he ponders that. “HUH, I GUESS SO. HAD I REALIZED HOW GREAT OF A DATE APPLE PICKING WOULD BE, I WOULD HAVE SAVED IT FOR MYSELF!” He laughs warmly as they enter the grocery store and Paps grabs a cart.

“I think you should do what you did the last time you thought up such an amazing date. What has Honeybee been excited about lately? A story from her past? A band? A new restaurant? She’s been trying to get back into playing the piano again, so I’ve been goofing around, playing guitar with her. Could you take her to a classical concert?”

“WHERE WERE ALL THESE GREAT IDEAS WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO PLAN YOUR FIRST DATE, BROTHER?”

Paps laughs as he willingly puts a bag of carrots into the cart, unprompted. “I’ve taken a lot of cues from you, Blue. You’ve always been great at really listening to people and responding to their emotional needs. So, what do you think she emotionally needs right now?”

Blue ponders this as he bags a couple of apples, nodding to a family of four who can’t seem to stop staring at them. They quickly look away sheepishly before moving on. “SHE HAS BEEN FEELING SORE LATELY. HAVE YOU NOTICED IT? I THINK IT STARTED THE NIGHT ALPHYS HUGGED HER GOODBYE AT THE BONFIRE.”

Paps nods and frowns. “A hug is what we’re calling it now? Looked more like she rearranged her spine. Poor Honeybee has had a sore back for weeks now. Doesn’t help that the work we’ve been doing has her hunched over a computer all day. Why? What are you thinking, brother?”

“EBOTT SPA? MOUNTAIN HOT SPRINGS?” He asks uncertainly. “IT’S NOT TOO MUCH, IS IT? I DON’T WANT TO OVERWHELM HER.”

Paps laughs and pats his brother on the back. “Blue, never change. If this was the type of date where the two of you were meeting for the first time, I’d say it was too much, but you both are way past that already.” He smiles, wheeling the cart into the baked goods section, making a bee line for the honey buns.

Blue counters his brother’s sweet tooth by placing a sensible loaf of bread in the cart as well as a baguette before steering him on to the next section of the store.

“SO, I THINK THAT’S WHAT I’LL DO THEN. S-SHOULD I BOOK AN OVERNIGHT STAY? WOULD THAT BE TOO FORWARD OF ME?”

Paps just rolls his eyes. “Brother, we all live together. Every night is an overnight stay at this point. I think she’d appreciate it, to be honest. She’s always talking about how she’s never had a real vacation before. True, this is more of a staycation, but regardless, she’ll be thrilled.” He stops absentmindedly tossing snacks in the cart for a moment, formulating his own plan. “Maybe I’ll tackle a renovation project while you’re gone. Surprise her when she gets back?”

Blue looks at him suspiciously. “WHAT DID YOU HAVE IN MIND THAT CAN BE TACKLED IN A DAY?”

Sighing sadly, Paps goes on. “Ever notice that oddly placed painting in the living room? There’s a hole in the wall behind it. When I asked about it, Honeybee told me her uncle actually punched his fist through the wall the day he found out she was getting the house.”

“BASTARD.” Blue mutters under his breath, balling his fists in frustration. “SOMETIMES I FORGET THAT SHE HAS SUCH A HORRIBLE FAMILY. HOW DID SHE TURN OUT SO GOOD?”

Paps just shrugs. “Diamonds are formed under extreme pressure, after all.”

Blue nods thoughtfully, as they continue down aisles, randomly ticking canned goods and cereal boxes off their list as they fill up the cart. As they stop in the shampoo aisle to grab your brand, a random shopper keeps loudly having a conversation on his phone, his voice grating at Paps’ nerves.

“So I said to the kid at the coffee shop, if you can’t make a simple fucking cup of coffee right, you don’t deserve the cash for it…yup…I drank it in front of him and walked away. BHUWA HUWA HUWA. Kids these days aren’t good for shit.”

Paps turns to Blue to roll his eyes and make a comment, but he’s surprised to see him stopped a few feet back, eye lights out and staring straight ahead. Abandoning the cart, he rushes over, taking him by the shoulders, worried this has something to do with the magic sickness he was sure he had gotten over. “What is it brother? What’s wrong, Blue?”

“THAT’S HER UNCLE DOUG.” He whispers urgently as Paps stiffens, turning around slowly.

He appears to be in his 50’s and is standing, staring at a wall of axe body spray looking every bit the asshole Paps pictured him to be. The voice suddenly clicks into place from that night so long ago hearing it tinny and distant on that cell phone in your driveway.

“Nahh, made the special trip out to the old neighbourhood store again. Yup, one of these days I’ll run into her, really scare the shit out of the bitch. Beth didn’t deserve that.” He finally looks up, noticing the two skeletons standing in his direct path and narrows his eyes. “Gotta go. This place has gone to shit. They let monsters in here too. Yup. Later.”

He flips his impossibly old cell phone closed before clipping it into a holster at his hip, sauntering up to them, actually thinking he has control of the situation he’s about to get himself into.

“Ain’t this a treat?” He begins, taking a wide stance as he crosses his arms, attempting to look more confident. “Beth couldn’t stop talking about the piece of shit skeletons that managed to get her fired and lookie lookie who I run into?” He says, shit-eating grin plastered across his stupid face. He looks like the kind of human who has more bravado than brain cells. Like he’s the original default model of perfection, and everyone else in the world is just some lesser version of him. Honestly, Paps thinks, he’s giving off BIG Gaston vibes.

Paps is impressed at the control Blue is displaying. Normally intense emotions would be setting him off, but he just stands there, eerily silent, eye lights out, like he’s taking a page from his brother’s book. Paps knows what Blue’s magic is capable of. The fact that he’s more in control of it than ever before should make Doug scared. Unfortunately for Doug, all he sees is Blue’s size and thinks he can take him in a fight.

“THE WAY I SEE IT, FRIEND, IS YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES IN THIS MOMENT.” He takes a step closer and Doug, finally doing something smart, takes a step back; less sure of himself than before. He’s clearly not the type that gets his bluff called too often.

Paps feels that familiar static electricity of their magic building in the air around them. If Blue is going to be the intense one this time, he’s going to fall in line as the casual backup. They’ve always worked well off each other, and this is no different.

Paps reaches a hand in front of him and leisurely pulls a bone out of thin air, letting Doug hear it hiss as it slowly materializes. It’s no bigger than a pinkie finger – he doesn’t want to risk drawing too much attention to them in the middle of the grocery store, but it gets the point across nicely. Paps starts casually flipping it around in the air, forcing Doug to split his attention between the two of them, unnerving him even more.

“FIRST CHOICE.” Blue goes on “YOU CAN GRAB YOUR DEODORANT AND GO ABOUT YOUR DAY, NO HARM, NO FOUL.” He shrugs his shoulders casually, large grin on his face as he takes another step forward. This time causing Doug to back into the shelving behind him, rattling the sticks of deodorant and bottles of body wash dangerously.

To Doug’s credit, he does manage to find his voice. Unfortunately for him, it would have been better had he kept quiet. “Fuck you, freak. I’m not going to be intimidated by someone half my size.”

“AHHH, I SEE YOU PREFER MY SECOND CHOICE THEN.” He shrugs, turning to Paps and glancing up at the ceiling. “SHOULD WE TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?” Before turning back to Doug, one eye light lit in an angry bright cyan. “I THINK HE WANTS TO HAVE A BAD TIME.”

Paps understands where Blue is going with this, and starts scanning the aisles, waiting for the moment when nobody is passing by, giving them the time they need to take Doug on a little trip. He assumes Blue meant the roof with his subtitle glance up.

“Now, brother.”

Blue grabs Doug and before he can even register what’s happening to him, they’re gone. Paps looks around casually once more before he follows suit.

It’s cold on the roof. The sun has fully set, and without the added shelter of buildings and trees, the wind feels like it’s whipping right through them. Doug is on his knees, disoriented, clutching his head as the dizziness passes.

“The fuck did you do to me?” He spits out, hint of panic in his words, sounding decidedly less sure of himself than before.

Blue waits until his eyes look up, meeting his before he lets two long jagged bones form slowly in his hands. “I THOUGHT YOU HAD CHOSEN OPTION TWO? HAS THERE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING?” He tilts his head curiously as Doug gets to his feet, clear look of panic in his eyes.

“Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot here fellas.” He begins, raising his hands in front of him nervously.

It never ceases to amaze Paps at how easily bullies crumble when stood up to. He’s absolutely disgusted at the thought of this man causing you so much grief growing up, not wanting to let him get off so easily. “Hey bro, let’s give him some new choices perhaps? This time I’m sure he’ll be paying much more attention to his options.”

Blue pretends to ponder his words carefully, before turning back to Doug. “WHAT DO YOU THINK? WOULD YOU LIKE SOME MORE CHOICES THERE, FRIEND?”

He nods agreeably, finally realizing where he is, knowing there really is nowhere to go.

“EXCELLENT!” Blue claps. “CHOICE ONE, YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY NEED TO LEAVE YOUR NIECE ALONE. IF I SO MUCH AS FIND OUT SHE’S SEEN ONE OF YOU IN PASSING, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES…AND I CAN VERY MUCH MAKE THEM HAPPEN. DISTINGUISHED MONSTER AMBASSADOR AND ALL THAT POMP.” He says, waving his hand like it’s no big deal. Doug seems to get it though. Good for him.

“Ooh, I like that choice, Brother.” Paps says jovially behind him, flipping his small bone across his knuckles absentmindedly. “That’s the one I would pick were I in his shoes.”

Blue holds up a hand to his brother, silencing him. Paps clams up with a grin on his face.

“CHOICE TWO. I FIND AN EVEN HIGHER ROOFTOP TO LEAVE YOU ON.”

Doug has to blink a few times, waiting for him to elaborate. Paps watches as his mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water in disbelief. His face is visibly getting redder and redder in repressed anger. Paps has to pretend to cough to hide the laugh building in his throat.

“I knew you were helping that bitch someho-” but he’s cut off by Blue, having grabbed his collar, holding a bone to his throat.

“SEE, WHEN YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT, IT MAKES ME THINK YOU’RE LEANING TOWARDS OPTION TWO AGAIN.” He pretends to scan the city line, finally resting his one lit eye light on a radio tower atop an apartment complex. “WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF I LEFT YOU UP THERE? IT’S GOT A GREAT VIEW!”

Doug visibly quakes where he stands, feeling about as low - Paps reasons - as he’s made you feel so many times growing up. Stars, Blue in control of his emotions is absolutely terrifying.

“I’ll stop.” He whispers through clenched teeth, barely audible over the wind.

“SAY THAT AGAIN, FRIEND. I DON’T THINK I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.”

“I said I’ll leave her alone.” He shouts, deflating as the fight drains out of him.

“That wasn’t an option.” Paps pipes up as Blue nods.

“W-wait. We’ll all leave her alone. ALL of us. I swear.” Alarm flashing in his eyes again as he amends his previous statement.

“FANTASTIC!” Blue claps in mock-sincerity. “I KNEW HE’D PICK THE RIGHT OPTION THIS TIME, BROTHER!”

Paps waves the bone away, shoving his hands in his pockets with a shrug. “Was worried for a second there, but you were right. You’re so good at reading people, Blue.”

They turn away from Doug, walking a few steps in the opposite direction before they get ready to shortcut down.

“WAIT! Aren’t you going to take me with you?” He asks, tentatively reaching out.

Paps and Blue both glance at each other. “I don’t believe that was ever an option.”

“CORRECT BROTHER! OPTION TWO JUST STATED THAT I WOULDN’T LEAVE HIM ON A HIGHER ROOFTOP, IF I’M NOT MISTAKEN.”

“Oh come ON.” He says, frustration creeping back into his voice. “How am I supposed to get down from here?”

Paps shrugs. “Dunno. Don’t particularly care. You’ve been using that voice of yours to yell at and intimidate others for most of your life. Why not put it to good use for once and shout down from the rooftop until someone hears you?”

Blue nods. “EXCELLENT IDEA! I’M SURE YOU’LL BE DOWN IN NO TIME.” Then, turning on his heels, he begins to walk away. Stopping suddenly to turn back to a confused, but hopeful looking Doug one final time. “I’M SURE THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT THIS NEVER HAPPENED. NOT UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO HAVE A BAD TIME?” He grins at the implication, letting an array of blue bones shoot up from the ground in front of Doug, as he jumps back with a start.

“N-no. Of course not. I was fucking around and got stuck up here myself.” He cries, finally, firmly put in his place.

“GLAD TO HAVE CLEARED UP THAT FINAL MISUNDERSTANDING. LET’S FINISH OUR SHOPPING, PAPS.”

With that, the boys shortcut off the roof and casually saunter back into the grocery store like nothing happened. They manage to find their abandoned cart and finish up pretty quickly, only noticing a scene beginning to form outside as they’re checking out at the register.

Paps looks questioningly at the cashier as his shakes his head and shrugs. “Some crazy person found his way up to the roof. We’ve got security searching for the key to the door to get him down, but if we can’t find it soon, we’ll have to call the fire department.” He looks vaguely interested at the commotion before returning to his work tiredly, muttering a “uugh, people” under his breath. Paps immediately likes him.

They each take a bag and exit the store, stopping with the rest of the crowd to look up at a shivering Doug still shouting profanities at the parking lot in frustration. His gaze eventually lands on the two of them as Blue discretely waves with a grin, instantly shutting Doug up as he waits patiently for his rescue. The boys don’t stick around to the see the end result.

They pass several blocks in silence before Paps finally glances at Blue questioningly. “Felt good, didn’t it?”

Blue is grinning from ear to ear. “OH STARS DID IT EVER!” He laughs. “YOU KNOW I’VE HAD A FEW MONSTERS DISCRETELY TRY AND TALK WITH HIM? GUESS HE NEEDED A LITTLE MORE THAN WORDS FOR IT TO FINALLY SINK IN.”

“Some people just have thick skulls.” Paps shrugs, jokingly trying to knock on his brother’s head as Blue dodges effectively.

They both laugh and continue on, turning the corner on their street.

“THINK I’M GOING TO MAKE A FEW CALLS WHEN I GET IN. BOOK AN OVERNIGHT TRIP AND SURPRISE STARLIGHT NEXT WEEKEND. YOU OKAY TO PUT THE GROCERIES AWAY TONIGHT?”

“Absolutely, brother. I don’t mind being all domestic.” He snorts. “Putting away groceries always makes me feel grape about my life choices.”

“WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND RUIN A PERFECTLY GOOD MOMENT, BROTHER?” Blue laughs affectionately.

“All joking aside, because I don’t say it enough to you specifically, but I’m really proud of you brother.”

Blue looks at him skeptically for a moment to make sure his words aren’t followed by another bad joke, but Paps notices as he subtly swells with pride.

“THANK YOU. I’VE…REALLY BEEN TRYING LATELY.”

Nodding, Paps smiles. “We’ve noticed. You’re doing great, Blue.”

At that, they head into the house to find you finishing up your notes exactly where they had left you, blissfully unaware of their eventful night.

“Honeybee, I’m hoomeee.” He grins, taking the second grocery bag from Blue before heading into the kitchen.

He watches as his brother takes his coat off and pulls you into his arms for a kiss. You appear surprised at first, but delighted.

Bout time, Blue. He thinks, setting the groceries down on the counter before getting to work, letting them finally have their moment.

Eventually, you find him in the kitchen just as he’s finishing with the groceries.

“Hey, sweetheart.” You say dreamily, wrapping him in a hug from behind. “Sorry, was just coming to offer you some help in here.”

He turns in your arms, planting a kiss on your head as he returns the embrace. “S’no problem, love. I caved and bought you the orange shampoo.”

Chuckling against him, you snuggle into his chest. “Thanks, babe.” You say with a yawn. “Getting sleepy. Back sore from sporting that shrimp posture over the computer for too long.”

“Think I can help with that. Why don’t you take a nice hot shower, and come and join me after for a massage? I’ve been learning more about human muscles and desperately need to practice my new skills on a willing subject.” He feels you shiver in his arms, knowing he’s got you right where he wants you.   

“I suppose I could oblige… since it’s to help you practice and all.” You smile, pulling the strings of his hoodie so he leans down for a kiss. “Or” you begin, with a breathless whisper “you could join me in the shower.”

You don’t have to ask twice. He immediately shortcuts you to the bathroom, temporarily re-appearing in the kitchen as he frantically grabs for the new bottle of shampoo before returning to your waiting arms. Only a fool would pass up an invitation like that, and Paps was no fool.

Notes:

That was therapeutic. I'm surprised at how much ground was covered with a simple trip to the grocery store.
Sorry for the fade to black at the end there. The chapter was getting long. *wiggles eyebrows suggestively*
I wrote this as I was coming down with the flu and am now second guessing this fever dream of a chapter.

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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 22: Play Silly Games, Win Fantastic Prizes

Summary:

I felt like Paps was being put on the back burner, so please enjoy some fluff and spice and everything nice before we continue on with our dear Blue.

You’re resting in Paps’ bed, hair freshly washed and muscles loose after a hot shower. He wasn’t lying when he said he had been learning massage. Of course, it was exactly like him to do something like this for you. At this point, you didn’t know how it was possible, but your heart melted a little more for him each day. You feel absolutely relaxed as his phalanges expertly work a knot loose in your lower back you hadn’t even known existed.

“Ooh thank you, Paps.” You sigh happily. “I think you got it.”

You feel him cuddle up next to you gently after he finishes, not wanting to undo all his hard work. “After that wrestling move of a hug Alphys had you in, I’d noticed you’ve been looking a little sore.”

Nodding into the pillow, you have to agree. “I know she meant well, but there was a moment I felt my back pop where I was sincerely worried for my well being.”

You can hear him chuckling into the back of your neck as he takes a finger and starts lightly drawing on your back. At first, it’s just random doodles, but soon he’s making a game of it.

“Guess what I’m drawing next, love.” He whispers as you close your eyes, trying to concentrate on the movement of his finger.

One arch…

Two arches…

A point….

“Is it a heart?”

You’re rewarded with a soft nuzzle against the extra sensitive part of your neck as you shiver in delight, goosebumps rising across your skin.

“That was your warm up. They’ll be harder moving forward, but the reward will also be greater.” He chuckles, allowing himself a moment to linger against you, his breath warm and inviting on your neck.

Eventually, you feel his finger return to the middle of your back, as he whispers a “ready, Honeybee?”

You nod and murmur a “yes” in response, thrilled at this new game as he begins the next round.

Long line…

Small circle…

Arches, arches, arches dancing around the circle…

“Is it a flower, sweetheart?”

He responds by dragging his teeth along the side of your neck, leaving playful nips in his wake as you gasp in delight. Stars, this is fun. You think to yourself, biting your bottom lip in anticipation.

“Round three?” He murmurs questioningly as you nod happily into the pillow.

This time it’s decidedly harder.

Lines…no, rectangles…

Long, squiggly lines leading down to the rectangles…

Tapping, tapping along your back…

What in the world?

“Humm…is it raindrops falling?”

You feel his phalanges lightly graze along the side of your body, tickling you gently. “Nope.” He chuckles. “Try again.”

You squirm under his touch, as he continues to run long, lazy circles down your side along your most ticklish areas while you desperately think of what else it could be. “M-mercy love, mercy. Give me a hint?” You beg between fits of giggles.

“Stars, I really thought you’d light up this one.” He chuckles, as he dips lower, tickling along the orbit of your hips.

Light..stars…umm…

“Campfire! Is it a campfire under stars?” You rasp out as his tickling stops. Instead, he starts purring softly into you, nuzzling resumed, only this time you can feel the tip of his tongue trailing lines of magic along the back of your neck. You begin to squirm for different reasons now as your whole body comes alive under his touch. Jokingly, you ask “Is this still you trying to make up for the shower, love? You know I’ve forgiven you, right?”

He stops what he’s doing long enough to let out a low chuckle. “Not gonna let that one go, are you?” He says as he resumes his exploring, running his hand down the softness of your back and up the soft curve of your cheeks.

In his frenzied hurry to shortcut you to the bathroom, he had forgotten that it made you dizzy. Thankfully for such a quick trip, you were just a little disoriented. You couldn’t help but feel bad for him as he kept apologizing profusely, even as you pulled him into the shower with soft kisses and caresses. You had used his solid strength to lean against him as he tenderly washed your hair; that – you think, was worth the ride alone!

“Ok love, final round.” You snap back to the present and don’t have to be looking at him to know he’s grinning like a fool. “Pay attention.” He beings, “Because it’s a really good reward if you win.”

With those words, he beings again. This time it feels different, the outline stays with you, like he’s put a bit of ecto skin on the tips of his fingers and is using it to ensure the whole drawing remains, lingering in residual tingles along your back.

He starts at the top this time, in large looping circles. It doesn’t take long before you realize it’s not a picture, but words in his long, delicate handwriting.

“I…”

“I…l-love…”

“I love you?”

 He chuckles. “I love you too, Honeybee, but this is something else.” He says, kissing you softly as he whispers “try again.”

He continues re-tracing the words as you try to follow along.

“I need you?” The last word is definitely a you.

“So achingly close.” He murmurs as his fingers dip lower past your buttocks, between your legs, resting just above where you so desperately want him to touch. You arch your back in response, but he just shakes his head against you. “You haven’t won your prize yet, Honeybee.”

Evil. Pure, delicious evil. You think as you moan softly. “Please, Paps? I want you so badly.”

He doesn’t waste any more time as he gently presses his fingers into you, stroking softly. “Well done, Honeybee. I knew you’d get it.” He purrs tenderly.

“H-huh?” You gasp out between moans. Oh stars, he feels good. Completely forgetting the game you were just playing.

“That was the answer. I want you too, love. Always.” He says, pulling you on your side so your back is cradled against him, bottom pressed up against his hip bones. He doesn’t stop touching you, merely slides his hand around front and continues where he left off. “There, just needed a better view. Tell me if this is too much for your back.”

You look up at him, love in your eyes, as you reach your hand up, bringing his face down to yours for a kiss. He obliges, happily purring against you as your body begins to tremble in response to his touch. “Honeybee, please?” He whispers, voice raspy as you gasp, suddenly feeling his hardness pressed up against you.

You part your legs just enough for him to slide easily inside you from behind, a muffled moan escaping him as he buries his face in your neck and hair. “Feel so good.” You hear him mutter as he lazily slides in and out, creating the most wonderful friction between the two of you.

Caught trembling between his hardness from behind and his deft phalanges in front, you gasp as small shivers run through your body, but he doesn’t stop, letting you ride the wave of your first orgasm with soft whimpers of pleasure.

“Stars. Oh stars Paps.” You moan, panting as he just keeps up his agonizingly slow and steady rhythm. All you can do is deliberately grind against him in hopes he’ll pick up the pace.

“Just wanna take my time. You feel amazing, Honeybee.” He sighs happily, bringing his hand up to your stomach, holding you solidly in place against him; and you have to admire him for it. You adore how making love with Paps is all about the connection. Every touch is intentional, like he’s slowly memorizing you bit by bit, mapping his hands over your body, cataloguing the dips and curves of you for later reference.

The agony of the build up is always worth the sweet release you trust he will bring you to.

It’s already starting. You feel his resolve melting as his speed increases. His hand gently grips on to your stomach now, and he bites down ever so gently on your shoulder, soft moans increasing in urgency from behind you as your sweet skeleton starts to reach his climax.

“That’s right sweetheart. Come for me, baby.” You moan as he thrusts desperately into you, unable to keep up his previously steady rhythm. You help by arching your back, giving him even deeper access as he gasps, finally releasing as you feel him shudder against you.

Somewhere along the way, his hand had once more slid down from your stomach and started stroking you again, as you get pushed over the edge into a second unexpectedly intense orgasm of your own. You come undone with a hitched moan of pleasure and a frantic “Hnghh Paps” from your lips, before melting into him, riding little waves of pleasure as your body reacts, super sensitive to any movements like an earthquake’s aftershocks.

Eventually the two of you settle, breathing slowly returning to normal as he pulls the blankets over you and hugs you close in his arms.

“That was some reward!” You teasingly whisper to him as he laughs softly into your hair.

“Don’t worry Honeybee, even if you had lost the game, you still would have been sent home with a parting gift of your very own blender and lifetime supply of kisses, provided by me of course.”

You snort in unexpected laughter, turning around to face him; both taking a moment to readjust and settle yourselves as he lays back and lets you wrap yourself around him, your fingers casually tiptoeing playfully along his ribs. “Any chance I can still get that parting gift?” You grin, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his cheekbone.

“I wouldn’t do it for just any contestant, but for you, I’ll gladly make an exception.” He smiles, pulling you in for another kiss.

You can’t help yourself as you affectionately look down at his sweet face and break the mood completely by saying “perfect, because I could really use a new blender!”

He blinks his eye sockets a few times before bursting into laughter, pulling you close into a hug. “Stars, I love you so much.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.” You say, snuggling down on him as you enjoy his warmth. You can feel him absentmindedly drawing circles along your shoulder and down your arm. You’re close to falling asleep, catching snippets of conversation in passing, his soothing voice pulling you under.

“…Blue would only let me get one box of honey buns this time…”

“…I really love the smell of your orange shampoo. Every time I get a scent of citrus; it reminds me of you…”

“…it was really windy on the rooftops. Glad we had our coats on…”

Wait. What?

You resurface from your almost sleep, dazedly meeting his gaze. “Did I dream that?” You ask, soft smile on your face.

Paps looks like he’s about to fall asleep too as he smiles fondly at you. “Dream what? This evening? Definitely not, but I’m always willing to go again if you need a reminder.”

Planting a quick kiss along his clavicle you go on with a chuckle. “No babe. Did you just say you were on the roof? Stars, what were you doing up there?” You’re sure you must have misheard him as you snuggle back onto his chest so he can continue lulling you to sleep with his calming voice.

Instead, you’re greeted by silence as you feel him stiffen underneath you.

That fully wakes you up.

You glance back up at him as he purposely looks away, a guilty expression on his face.

“Paps?” You begin, propping yourself up on your elbow as your other hand slides to his face, gently turning it towards you. “Something you wanna tell me, sweetheart?”

“Not particularly, no.” He sighs, nuzzling into the palm of your hand sweetly.

“But you’re going to, regardless?” You encourage him.

He sighs, knowing you’ve got him. “Of course, Honeybee. We were going to tell you in the morning. Didn’t want to worry you before bed.”

Worry me?

“Babe, what happened?” You ask, mind instantly racing through a litany of worst-case scenarios.

He can see the look of concern on your face and props himself up on an elbow too, looking you in the eyes as his hand gently strokes your cheek.

“We ran into your uncle tonight, and he has very kindly agreed on behalf of your entire family to leave you alone.”

You try to process those words, you really do, but they just don’t mesh well together in your brain. “W-what? Babe, WHAT?” His words sink in, but they still don’t make any sense. That’s not your uncle’s style. He doesn’t easily back down from anyone or anything.

“Blue and I just had a little chat with him. He was perfectly reasonable.” Paps lets out a loud cough and a string of mumbled words “…afterwelefthimontheroof…”

“Again, but slower this time babe.”

“After we left him on the roof of the grocery store.”

You don’t think it’s possible for your eyes to get any rounder. You are shocked into silence for a few moments as you let your mind play catch up with this new information. Oddly enough, the first thing that bubbles up from you is laughter. Nervous, hysterical laughter that feels so good as the reality of what Paps is saying sinks in. It literally brings tears to your eyes.

“You left him on the roof?” You say incredulously, needing to repeat it just to make it more real.

“Well yeah. He wasn’t the easiest person to reason with in the toiletries aisle. He just needed a change of scenery…and maybe a thinly veiled threat or two.” His cheeks are dusting orange in embarrassment and you think he must be misinterpreting your reaction, because it looks like he’s readying himself to get scolded.

Instead, you tackle him with a laugh. It’s unexpected, you can hear the little “oof” of surprise as you’re on top of him, landing volley after volley of kisses across his face before he finally realizes what’s going on.

“Oh. OH H-honeybee.” He laughs back, hugging you closely to him. “I know it was never officially discussed how to handle him, but we saw our opportunity and took it. Blue actually did most of the heavy lifting on this one.” He smiles. “I was more the casual backup muscle. You should have seen him, he was fantastic!”

You’re overwhelmed. Nobody has ever been in your corner like that and for the first time ever you feel protected, knowing you have a real family to rely on. It’s enough to bring an actual tear to your eye.

“What’s wrong, Honeybee?” He asks.

“It’s y-you and Blue.” You smile through your tears. “I just love you both so much. I’ve never felt so cared for in my entire life. It’s not something I ever thought I’d get to experience.”

Paps sits up, cradling you in his arms as he strokes your still drying hair, carefully brushing out the knots with his long fingers. As he kisses your head gently, he starts to chuckle, and you just know he’s got something funny to say.

“What?” You say grinning, looking forward to the laugh.

“Let me get this straight.” He begins as you look up, waiting for the punchline. “You just told me you’re in love with Blue before you’ve even told him?” He hugs you to him, resting his chin on your head as he softly chuckles to himself.

You stop for a moment, going red in embarrassment as you replay your words back in your head. “Paps no! You know what I meant by that.” You say halfheartedly, deep down knowing the truth if you stop and let yourself admit it.

He raises your chin gently, forcing you to meet his gaze. “You’re forgetting, my heart. I know you inside and out.” He nuzzles against your cheek gently as you sigh, easing into his touch.

“Don’t tell him, okay?” You say, resigned, knowing full well you can’t get anything by Paps. “I’m letting him take things at his own pace, and I’d hate to stress him out with the knowledge of something big like that until he’s ready for it.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Honeybee.”

You sigh relieved, letting yourself melt into his embrace as he gently works through a particularly stubborn knot in your hair. “A-and you’re still okay with everything?” You have to ask once more, needing to hear his confirmation again before things progress further.

“Let me ask you this. Do you love me any less now that you love Blue?”

“Stars no, Paps!” You say, confused.

“Can you tell me why though?” He grins, waiting to hear your answer, gently rocking you in his arms.

“There’s no limit on the amount of love I have. It’s not a finite sourc- ohhhh. I see what you did there.”

He chuckles at your response. “That’s my Honeybee. Trust me when I say this is one thing you don’t have to worry about.”

You nod. “Okay then. I believe you.”

“Good, because I am about to tell you in great detail how badass my brother was tonight and wanted to give you permission ahead of time to swoon if, and when needed.”

Laughing, you lean back against him and listen as he recounts the meeting in full, right down to your uncle’s fearful reaction to the threat of being left on top of a radio tower.

“Would he have actually done it?” You say with wonder.

Paps nods. “If that’s what it would have taken to get him to stop, there’s no doubt in my mind he would have done that for you. Stars knows I would have.”

You laugh to yourself. “Is it bad of me to say that I would have loved to see the look on his face when he realized he wasn’t the tough guy he thought he was?”

“Not at all. Had I known, I would have taken a picture for you.” He grins wickedly.

“And it sounds like Blue is truly over his magic sickness. The control you were describing. Paps, that’s amazing!”

He beams back at you and laughs, elated. “I know, right? Usually, Blue is all emotion and huge surges of magic. He’s always been the stronger of the two of us, but the fact that he was so calm and in control would have given me goosebumps if I had skin!”

You smile, curiously probing further. “Hun, obvious dirty jokes aside, what does bone magic look like?”

“Dirty jokes?” He stops for a second before wholeheartedly laughing. “Ahhh, you want to see if bone magic is different than what we did earlier.” He wiggles his brow ridges at you as you roll your eyes playfully back at him. “I can show you!”

With that, you feel the familiar hum of his magic as he reaches out in front of you and pulls a bone from the air. It literally materializes in his hand with a soft hiss. It’s small and tinted with a faint orange glow. You can just tell it’s the culmination of Paps’ magic. It feels right. “Oh wow that’s so neat, Paps!”

You watch as he tosses it in the air and catches it again, randomly balancing it on his finger as it spins like a basketball. “I had no clue you could do that. Can I touch it? Will it hurt me?”

“Well,” Paps begins, “it is a form of attack magic, so it might not feel pleasant. I’m not sure I’d want you to test that theory and hurt yourself.”

You nod, slightly disappointed, but content to watch it dance over his phalanges before he waves it away, dissolving into nothing. “That’s amazing, and you can both do this on command?”

He nods, clearly pleased at your praise. “Blue even worked on a special attack when we were still living in the underground, though I never did get to see what it looked like. He was very secretive about it.” Then, conspiratorially to you he adds “You’ll have to get it out of him sometime and report back to me.”

You smile and laugh at that before he goes on.

“Hey, wanna see the special attack I was working on?”

You nod excitedly as Paps pulls you close to him and points at the bottle of water on his desk across the room.

“Ask me for a drink!” He grins.

Taking the bait, you play along. “Paps, I’m thirsty. Do you have anything to drink?”

With a snap of his fingers, a bone shoots up from the desk directly under the bottle. You think the intention must have been for him to launch it gracefully across the room to his waiting hand. Instead, the bone comes up too fast, essentially exploding the bottle of water all over the room.

You sit there in stunned silence for a moment collecting yourself before looking up at Paps slowly. He’s sitting there, mouth open in shock as he looks down at you, covered in water droplets as you burst out laughing.

“That’s never happened before!” He says sheepishly. “I swear!”

This of course, only makes you laugh even harder, gasping for air as you steady yourself against his chest.

“Paps…I…can’t…br…breatheeee!” You wheeze as he playfully pats your back.

“Come on. It’s not THAT funny.” He says, but you know he’s close to cracking. You can hear the laughter he’s trying to hold back slowly escape in the silence between his words.

Eventually, he loses the battle, doubling over on top of you as your own laughter picks up again in renewed fits. In the end, it takes a while to burn out, subsiding slowly in little hiccups of hilarity that punctuate your ragged breathing as you try to tame your joy.

“You want to sleep in my room tonight, sweetheart?” You chuckle, wiping a particularly large droplet of water from his browbone.

Looking around the room, Paps nods. “Think I’ll take you up on that offer, Honeybee. Though I suppose we should at least run a mop over the floor.”

Nodding, you slide off of his bed and make your way to the closet, liberating dry clothes for yourself.

“Hey!” He laughs. “My favourite hoodie!”

“Thanks. I think it looks pretty good on me too.” You grin, shoving it quickly over your head as he wraps his arms around you.

“You’re lucky you’re so cute.” Nuzzling against your forehead, he lets you keep the hoodie as he chooses a tshirt with yet another ridiculous logo on it. You remind him to physically wander up to bed with you instead of just shortcutting you there this time – after you graciously help him clean up the mess he made of course.

Stars, you love this skeleton.

Notes:

I can 100% see Paps making that his special attack out of convenience.
The back drawing game is so...*swoon* My biggest worry was describing the drawings well enough for everyone and uhh, different words for "butt" because I dunno, I like a challenge?
I kinda love that reader accidentally realizes her feelings for Blue before he does. It seems right that she's more sure of it than he is, because sweetheart is still so scared but is GETTING BETTER I SWEAR. HNGH I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE ITTTTT.
Ok, it's 2am and I'm clearly very tired and in the throes of a cold. I bid you all goodnight.
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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 23: Eepy Morning Surprises

Summary:

Our boy finally gets the nerve to ask you out.

Blue is awake early the next morning, putting the final touches of his morning plans into place. He may have gone overboard He has gone overboard, and he finds he doesn’t much care. In fact, it brings him joy. This feels right. This feels like how he has wanted to cherish you from day one.

He’s already made a special trip to Muffet’s for tea lattes and a bag of honey crullers. Blue thinks his brother might actually faint clear away when he sees them, or at the very least suspect he’s been replaced by an alternate version of himself. Muffet sure had looked surprised as she took his order, but he just couldn’t help it. Everything felt a little sweeter today.

Dealing with your uncle had shot his confidence right into the stratosphere. For the first time in years, he felt like he did when monsters had first surfaced. When being Captain Sans Seriff felt more like a calling instead of a chore. Blue missed how good it felt to truly open himself up and trust those around him again. He’s sad Laney had almost completely taken that from him, but isn’t willing to waste another moment dwelling on it. He has an abundance of lost time to make up for.

A small envelope rests on your plate at the table. It’s nothing fancy, just a hand written note on a blank thank-you card that he thinks you’ll get a kick out of. He found it in one of the nooks and crannies around the house as the three of you have slowly been organizing. Given the time restraints, he’s working with what’s on hand.

When he and Paps got home, Blue had felt on top of the world. He was done letting his fears control his love life. Doesn’t mean they’ve gone away completely, but he’s ready to try and be the old, joyful version of himself for you and really see where things could lead.

The absolute surprise and delight on your face as he had pulled you into an embrace last night was enough to cinch the deal. Whatever walls were remaining had officially come crashing down. He wanted to make you feel like that every damn day and was frustrated it had taken him so long to get there. He will always be grateful to you for letting him set his own pace. He now desperately needs to show you he was worth the wait.

The fact that he had felt his soul fluttering softly in his chest, calling out for the first time in years had nothing to do with it.

With your touch still lingering on his bones, he had bid you a goodnight and headed upstairs to get to work planning. First order of business, book the spa. No sense in asking you out on an official date if he didn’t have a place to take you.

Ebott spa looked absolutely beautiful. They’d managed to harness the power of the area’s natural hot springs, essentially building private onsens onto mountainside balcony suites. The best part was that they were completely sequestered from prying eyes. The moment Blue had seen a room was available next weekend; he immediately booked it before he lost his resolve.

Now he was just pacing around the kitchen, phone in hand, scrolling through far too many open tabs. It’s no wonder he didn’t hear you coming. Padding in softly on bare feet, you’ve managed to sneak up behind him and wrap your arms around his shoulders before he even notices you’re there. He startles in surprise, quickly shoving his phone into his pocket before relaxing against your inviting warmth, like you’ve thrown a bucket of water on top of his jittery nerves.

HOW DO YOU EFFORTLESSLY MANAGE TO CALM HIM LIKE THAT?

“Morning Darling.” You say, still half asleep as you plant a soft kiss against his cheekbone. You haven’t noticed the table yet, having opted instead to show him a little love first. STARS, HE WAS SMITTEN WITH YOU. HOW COULD HE HAVE EVER FEARED IT WAS ALL AN ACT?

Turning, he pulls you into a hug, wanting to watch as you slowly wake up in his arms. “Still eepy.” You mutter, snuggling further into him, resting your head against the crook of his neck along his collarbone. You absentmindedly begin running a hand over the patterned design on his blue sweater with a whispered “mmm..soft.”

“WOULD A TEA AND A DOUGHNUT FROM MUFFET'S PERK YOU UP?” He grins, the sudden sharp intake of your breath against his neck sends shivers right through him.

“I could be enticed to form coherent sentences…” You begin. “Caffeine do make brain work well. But skeleton soft. Warm. Want cuddle.”

Chuckling, he caves, letting you linger in his arms, despite his growing excitement. One hand begins winding its way up your back until it meets the nape of your neck, kneading the muscles gently as you sigh in pleasure. His other is playing in the soft waves of your bed head, the scent of your orange shampoo lighting up his senses.

Blue is a tree now. He’d happily put down roots right here and hold you forever, but the enticing scent of tea eventually tempts you awake.

Shifting the both of you around gently so the table is finally within your line of sight, he feels your head rise slowly from his clavicle with a little whispered ooh. Before the lure of baked goods pulls you completely away from him, you look up. Nuzzling your nose against his cheek bone with a whispered “you’re the best” you proceed to leave a trail of delicate kisses along the side of his skull.

He really can’t help it as he holds on to you tighter, torn between the anticipation of what’s to come and the perfection of this simple moment. Blue feels your chest rise as you take a deep breath in, letting it tickle along his jawline. With just one more small kiss planted at the cusp of where his jaw meets his skull and a whispered “mmm…always smell so good” he’s yours, fully malleable in your hands to do what you want with him. You don’t even realize the power you wield over him in this moment.

“More cuddles later?” You ask hopefully, his head nodding vigorously in response. He’d sit through a movie marathon if it meant you would be curled up beside him the whole time.

“Thank you darling.” You say, finally heading to the table. He’s right behind you, pulling out your chair as you take a seat before he slides up alongside you in his own.

Handing you a latte, Blue watches the upward curve of your lips as you take a sip, finally noticing the card. Placing the drink on the table, you carefully pick it up with an intrigued look on your face, curiously glancing at him for direction. Nodding in encouragement, you go on. He smiles as you wipe the sleep from your eyes and focus on the words, your lips moving along silently as you read.

STARLIGHT,

WOULD YOU DO ME THE HONOUR OF ACCOMPANYING ME ON OUR FIRST OF MANY OFFICIAL DATES THIS WEEKEND?

DESTINATION: IT’S A SURPRISE!

DURATION: OVERNIGHT ADVENTURE

ALWAYS AND FOREVER,

YOUR DARLING BLUE

P.S.: DO YOU LIKE ME? CIRCLE ONE: YES / NO

You glance up with a chuckle before your eyes wander back down to read it again. He loves watching your face light up, knowing he’s the reason you’re smiling.

Really paying attention to your surroundings now, you let out a laugh as you notice the pencil he’s discreetly tucked next to your plate.

Picking it up exaggeratedly slowly, you pretend to give the card deep thought, biting on the end of the eraser and narrowing your eyes in concentration.

OH STARS, TO BE THAT PENCIL RIGHT NOW, CAREFULLY BALANCED BETWEEN YOUR LIPS.

Finally, you make your choice, circling an answer with a small note before you close it up, handing it back to him with a playful smirk on your face.

Blue still gets a thrill as his phalanges graze against your skin. Any contact with you seems to kick him into high gear as he takes the card from your hand, and despite all you’ve been through, it still manages to make him excited and nervous somehow.

Flipping it open, he glances down. You’ve circled YES using a big bold heart, underlining it for emphasis. You’ve also written a reply underneath:

Yes, yes, YES! I look forward to the first of many adventures with you. XOXO.

Blue glances up in time to see you slowly leaning in as you place a kiss on the tip of his nose ridge. “In it for the long haul, darling.” You whisper before pulling away and taking a long, slow sip of your tea.

Blue dishes out the crullers as you face each other, affectionately bumping knees and discussing the week ahead. Eventually, you sit up with a start and a smile, taking his hand and lacing your fingers between his.

“Oh yeah! Paps told me what happened at the grocery store last night.”

Blue searches your face for signs of disappointment or worry. Finding none, he smiles sheepishly. “I DON’T THINK ANYONE HAS EVER MADE ME MORE UPSET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. HONESTLY, I WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO GIVE ME A REASON TO LEAVE HIM ON A HIGHER BUILDING.”

“You mean his stupid face wasn’t enough of one?” You stare at him seriously for a moment before bursting into laughter. Blue joins you as you affectionately rest your forehead against his.

“GLAD PAPS WAS THERE BACKING ME UP. KEPT THINKING OF HOW HE ALWAYS STAYS IN CONTROL IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. GLAD I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO HARNESS SOME OF THAT ENERGY.”

“Brother!” Paps gasps, appearing at the doorway to the kitchen, half asleep. “I talked you up big-time last night and instead of taking all the credit, you’re in here singing MY praises? I’m touched.” He chuckles, casually wandering in before he spots the Muffet’s bag on the table. “Is that what I think it is?” He asks, eye sockets wide as his eye lights brighten in delight.

“THAT BEVERAGE IS ALSO FOR YOU, BUT I’D POP IT IN THE MICROWAVE IF YOU WANT IT TO ACTUALLY BE HOT.”

Paps pays him no mind, pulling up a chair at the table and digging in to the remaining doughnuts. “Mmf…feel free to admire me all the mmf time if it means crullers!”

“BROTHER! DON’T TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL.” He grumbles affectionately, handing over his lukewarm beverage.

Paps doesn’t even bother warming it up, just takes a long drink and relaxes into his chair as the three of you resume your conversation.

Blue thinks he could stay lost in your eyes all day, but he has things to do, and plans to follow through on – all stealthy - that are going to make your first date a complete success. Standing to stretch out his back, he leans down and plants a kiss on your head.

“I AM OFF FOR NOW, STARLIGHT. WHAT ARE THE TWO OF YOU PLANNING ON DOING WITH YOUR DAY?”

Grinning, you pull your cell phone out from the pocket of Paps’ hoodie. “I’ve actually been texting with Undyne. She’s been wanting to hang out since the bonfire and today is the day. We’re going shopping.” Then, with an added grin, you ask “Is there anything special I should be getting for our date this weekend?”

Paps perks up at the mention of a date from the other end of the table. “Ooooh, so you finally asked her, eh? Way to go brother!” He winks conspiratorially and it’s all Blue can do to not blush profusely. “Don’t worry, mum’s the word on any details. I don’t care what she does to try and get information out of me.” Then, turning to you, Paps grins mischievously. “Please feel free to try, Honeybee.”

“YOU’RE INCORRIGIBLE PAPS, DID YOU KNOW THAT?”

Your laughter gets both of them to stop and smile fondly at you, as Paps stands to quickly clear the table. He takes this opportunity to steal a kiss from you in passing, making a big show of walking your empty plates to the sink. “You cooked, I clean, bro. I’ll take care of this mess.”

“WHAT MESS? I BROUGHT HOME PASTRIES!” Blue laughs, shaking his head.

“All I’m hearing is thank you, and don’t worry, you’re SO welcome! Have a good day Blue.” Then, cackling to himself, Paps turns on the water and pretends he can’t hear him any more.

“Don’t worry darling” You smile, before standing and pulling him in for a hug with a whispered “You’re the real hero of the morning in my books.” With that, you give him a final kiss goodbye and it’s all he can do to not stay with you all day, secret errands be damned.

~*~

Undyne: I’m chilling in the food court.

Undyne: I’m the big blue monster; in case you forgot.

You: I didn’t realize I was going shopping with Cookie Monster!

Undyne: Alphys was right. You ARE a dork. I thought my jokes were bad.

You can see that red ponytail flipping back and forth as you make your way through the mall food court. She’s grinning wickedly at her phone before she looks up and notices you.

“I am psyched to catch up! I know it’s early, but I like thinking about gyftmas presents before December rolls around. You going to get those bonefriends of yours something nice this year?”

“Oh.” You say. Suddenly remembering a conversation with Blue from a few months back about how Paps always manages to give the best presents. It had seemed like such a far-off thing back then, but time is creeping up on you. “I suppose I should start thinking about that too! I actually wanted to find a nice outfit today. I umm..well, Blue asked me out on our first official date this coming weekend and I really would like something special.”

Undyne’s shout of excitement echoes through the food court. Several people swing their heads in your direction as she pays them no mind, gathering you up in a much lighter hug than her wife did. You may have been prepping her through text messages for just how sore your back was. You appreciate she remembered.

“Wait, first date? I thought the two of you were already dating. You looked pretty close at the bonfire.”

“Prelude leading up to the main event. Can I just say it’s complicated and you accept it for what it is?” You laugh, looking hopefully in her direction.

After a brief moment of deliberation, she nods in agreement. “Fine, but you need to give me all the details. Where is he taking you? How fancy are we talking here?”

You blush as you explain it’s a surprise, and how it appears to be a running theme between the two brothers. You can tell that Undyne, the ever scientific-minded, is already formulating ideas in her head.

“I may be closer to Paps, but I’ve known Blue for a long time now too, and I have some theories.” She’s practically dragging you through the mall at this point, dodging people easily as they mostly just get out of her way. “For as long as I’ve known the guy, he’s always put one hundred and ten percent into everything he does. I can almost guarantee it will be a grand gesture, something completely over the top.”

You nod in agreement as she pulls you into a store sporting several fancy dresses in the display window. “You’ll want to go all out, right?”

“I don’t really know what that entails though. Paps and I went apple picking for our first date. I wouldn’t want to be dressed up and find out it’s an outdoor activity. Plus he did say overnight. What if Blue is taking me camping?” You’re overwhelmed with choice as Undyne looks at you oddly and straight up laughs.

“Blue is NOT going to take you camping! But overnight you say? Humm…I have a few more clues to work off of now.” She ignores your indecisiveness, wandering deeper into the store as you trail behind like a lost puppy.

“Wow, some of these are really beautiful!” You’re drawn to a sparkling blue one, wondering if he would notice it matched the colour of his eyes before you look at the tag and audibly gasp. Sure, you may like the idea of new pretty clothes, but can you really justify the price attached to them?

Undyne turns and stares at your choice for a moment before laughing mischievously. “Thinking of matching his eyes, are we?”

Stars, she was too observant for her own good.

“Why not save that for some sexy lingerie instead?” Giving an eyebrow wiggle, she goes on. “You would make quite the gyftmas present to unwrap. I bet it would short-circuit his brain.”

You flush a brilliant red at that. Sure, compared to Alphys, Undyne had seemed practically timid, but alone in her element, she’s quite sure of herself and very open about her sexuality. That, you didn’t mind. In fact, you wish it came as easily to you as it did for her. You just really don’t know how to act around friends, since you’ve had so few of them in your life.

She, of course, picks up on that too. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides, there’s no way I’d ever believe you haven’t already been intimate with Paps. Not a chance. That boy has been touch-starved his whole life! And I can just tell by the way he looks at you, the fact that you’re soulmates…it’s a monster thing. His magic is practically all over you right now!” She gives you a toothy grin at that as you blanch.

“Wait.” You say, whispering. “You can see his magic on me? Can all monsters detect that kind of stuff?” You’re suddenly aware of how many monsters you’ve passed on the street today, and are mentally replaying any perceived odd looks in your head.

Thankfully, she can see you’re struggling. Taking your hand, she leads you to a bench outside of the fitting rooms in a quiet alcove and practically forces you to sit. “No, we can’t tell just by looking at you. I know their magic, have practically grown up around them and am just attuned to it after all these years. You’re not walking around with a huge sign advertising anything. Sorry to have freaked you out. Sometimes I forget humans aren’t aware of this stuff, and I’m not the best at reading social cues.”

That, you understand. “You and me both. I don’t have too many friends. I’ve been alone for a very long time and Paps and Blue are kind of my everything. I want to be more open…it just might take a while to figure out what I should and shouldn’t be saying.”

Undyne chuckles and shakes her head. “How did two social rock stars like us ever manage to become friends?”

You hold up your cell phone jokingly. “It’s technology’s fault. Always allowing us to put our best selves forward. Everything always feels easier behind a screen.” You mean it as a joke, but it’s also very much the truth.

“Let me know if you’re ever uncomfortable with a topic, okay? If I cross a line, I want to be made aware of it.”

“Deal.” You smile, looking around at the fancy clothes. “I’d love to hear some of your theories about where you think he’s taking me. I’m honestly a bit overwhelmed with the idea of another surprise.”

“Seriously, what is it with them and the imagined allure of a surprise? You want to be ready and to make your own plans to compliment theirs!” She perks up at that, pulling out her phone, quickly searching up a few options. “We’re going to fix that here and now! Hypothesis number one is little bed and breakfast about a half hour outside of the city.” She holds it out to you and as you flip through the pictures, it does look nice. Quaint, quiet, but not quite Blue.

“It’s a contender, but somehow I don’t think that’s it.”

Nodding, she agrees. “Honestly, it’s where I’ve been thinking of taking Alphys for our anniversary, but I had to throw it out there just in case! Call it my warmup, because I have more.” She gets to work pulling up a second option. “There’s a pretty swanky restaurant and swing dancing at this one hotel downtown that actually does big band nights with a full brass orchestra. Blue has always talked about going there, loves to dance and would absolutely adore showing off his favourite human.”

You smile at this option. “It feels like we’re on to something with this one. My only concern is that I don’t know how to swing dance, or dance at all really; but I’d sure love to learn some day. Do you think he’d take me here when he doesn’t know if I’d enjoy dancing?”

Undyne ponders for a moment before answering. “No. You’re right. Also, your back has been hurting. Blue would certainly have taken that into consideration.” She trails off, eyes wandering around the store as she thinks.

You see the moment she gloms onto a new theory, the way she mulls it over in her head and nods to herself before she types something into her phone. “Royal guard would be lucky to have me with this level of intel. My brain is wasted on science! This is it. I just know it.” Laughing triumphantly, she hands you the phone.

“Ebott spa and onsen?” Flipping through the photos reveal that wow, it is beautiful. You blush; you can’t help it. The thought of being there alone with Blue, surrounded by nature, curling up in one of those private baths. “I know it’s supposed to be a surprise, but Undyne, this FEELS right. There’s a restaurant on site that actually has live music, there’s walking trails and private baths.”

“I mean, I don’t want to brag or anything, but you’re dealing with a very smart cookie here. My hypotheses are usually pretty sound.” She grins, pleased at your response. “If this is the theory we’ll be working from, then these dresses may be a bit overstated.”

“And here I thought you didn’t like my cookie monster joke from earlier!”

Rolling her eyes, she takes your hand and pulls you to your feet. “I think there’s a department store a bit further down that might have some solid options.” Undyne says as you make your way out of the fancy dress store.

Someday you hope you’ll have an opportunity to wear a dress like one of these…you sigh to yourself.

As you get to the department store, you make your way past the perfume counter and into the women’s clothes. There are some sensible options, but as you look, you can’t help but fixate on what Undyne jokingly said earlier.

“’Dyne?” You ask, timidly.

She looks up curiously from a rack of clothes. “Sup dork?” She affectionately asks, taking a phrase form Alphys’s playbook.

“D-did you really think lingerie would be a good idea?” You feel yourself growing warm under her scrutinizing gaze, a wicked grin forming on her face.

Stars, I’m glad Undyne is my friend. She would be one terrifying enemy!

Once again, she’s pulling you along behind her, making a bee line right to the lingerie section and suddenly, you’re overwhelmed by choice. How are there so many options?

All you own are sensible, cheap bras and underwear. You’ve never once bought anything remotely sexy in your life, not having a reason to before. Now though, every time you think of Blue, you can’t help but wonder how he’d respond to you in something like this and it’s exciting. There’s so much you want to be and do for him, that it’s never crossed your mind that you yourself would be his perfect gift.

Both of them would be thrilled with you in just about anything, but you think Blue would be the one to devour you slowly with his eyes and unwrap you like a present. You’re still not over that kiss under the stars when you got your first glimpse at what his unguarded heart looked like, and you want more. You need to bring that out in him again, let him see how loved he truly is.  

“I don’t know where to begin.” You say, snapping back to the present as you run your fingers along a piece of sheer pink satin. It all feels so luxurious and out of your league somehow.

“I got this, don’t you worry.” Directing you to the counter, Undyne practically shoves you at the sales associate. “She needs to be properly fitted for a bra. We’re looking for lingerie and need to get the sizing correct.”

You’re staring wide-eyed at the woman like a deer caught in headlights, but she just smiles like she’s done this a hundred times before and ushers you to a fitting room.

Stars, you think, she HAS done this a hundred times before. It’s her job. Get a grip!

“What type of lingerie were you thinking, dear?” She begins, instructing you to put your arms up while she wraps a tape measure around your chest.

“Umm…blue maybe?” You say weakly with a smile.

She just chuckles in sympathy. “First time then?”

You nod, convinced she can smell your fear.

“We won’t get you something too complicated to start off with then. I swear I don’t even know how to take some of these things off. Too many buckles and hooks.” With a wink she finishes taking your measurements and wanders out to Undyne. You don’t know if she was just being nice, but you feel more at ease.

“Just sit tight and we’ll be back with some options for you to try.”

You do just that, taking a seat on the bench in the fitting room as you hear their muffled voices wandering just outside the door. Soon enough a small mountain of lace and ruffles is being thrust upon you, and now it’s time to get your hands dirty.

Undressing, you slip into the first two-piece set, instantly knowing it isn’t the one. You turn to admire yourself from the back, but there’s something about the way it pinches at your hips and shoulders that makes you want to rip it right off. Before you can start removing it though, Undyne is at the door, peeking in.

You jump with a squeak as she stops in her tracks. “Is this a case of me not recognizing my boundaries?”

Laughing nervously, you nod. “Maybe just knock first next time? I’m not used to showing off so much of me to myself, let alone my friends. Though I kinda do want a second opinion.”

Looking you up and down, she nods appreciatively. “You’re beautiful.” She states simply, bolstering your confidence just as you need it the most. “In a totally platonic, strictly besties way!”

“Of course!” You nod in agreement. “I’m not used to having eyes on me. I honestly don’t know if I’m doing it right.”

“Doing what right?”

“Umm, doing sexy right?” You realize as you say it how goofy it sounds.

Undyne blinks before bursting into laughter. “There’s no right or wrong way to do it! You simply are it. STARS! If you feel good in it, you’re sexy in it. Simple as that. That being said” she trails off, waving her hand dismissively at you “I don’t think this is the one for you. You don’t look comfortable in your own skin.”

“Stars, how do you DO that?”

She just looks at you confused.

“You’re REALLY good at clocking people. Is that where Paps gets it? He could so easily pick up on what I was feeling as soon as I met him.”

Grinning, she puffs up her chest. “I don’t want to brag, but I did teach him everything I know. Anyways, I’m getting out of here. Try on something else.”

With that, you work your way through a few more options, none of them feeling particularly right until you slip into the last one. The bra and panties are soft; up until this point, you didn’t think sexy lingerie came in soft. It’s been all scratchy lace and poking wires.

The bottoms hug your hips in just the right way, and the bra is phenomenal. You don’t think your breasts have ever looked so great. What you love the most is the long shimmering layer flowing out around your waist and hips to the perfect length. And it’s all just see through enough to make anyone want to explore further.

It's also simple to get on. There are no hooks, simply a few strategically placed ribbons that you imagine Blue will luxuriate in slowly pulling off of you.

This time when you hear a knock, you open the door for Undyne, striking a pose against the wall as she wolf whistles at you with an firm nod. “Yes. Absolutely yes. So much so in fact, that I would have bullied you into buying it if you didn’t like it.”

“And” You smile fondly, “it’s the exact shade of his eye lights.” You run your hands down the front of it lovingly as you say it out loud, knowing he’ll pick up on it immediately.

“Oh man, you’ve got it bad for him.” She smiles warmly. “Look. I was going to give you the mandatory friend speech about taking good care of them because they’ve been through a lot these past few years – Blue in particular, but I’ve seen how much better they are lately, and I have you to thank for it. I hope you realize this makes you officially part of my family too.”

You’re touched. If you weren’t standing in a fitting room wearing lingerie, you’d probably give this socially inept, wonderfully nerdy, slightly intimidating monster a hug. Instead, you settle on a “Thank you. It feels like I started the day with a friend and ended it with a sister.”

You’ve somehow managed to get Undyne blushing as she turns to exit the fitting room with a “get changed so we can get some lunch, you sentimental fool.”

Getting changed and paying for your purchase, you lovingly hug it to your chest. If Undyne is correct about where you’re going to have your date, you have less than a week to think of ways to make it just as special for Blue as you’re sure he’s going to try and make it for you.

If there are any doubts in his mind, any worries, you want to put them to rest and hopefully help mend his broken heart; even if you don’t have a bit of magic in you, you’re determined to find a way.

Notes:

Paps: Has the surprise date been done too much?
Blue: Nahhh, she loves it, just look at how relaxed and at ease she is since I'm planning the whole thing.
Paps: It kinda looks like her eye is twitching a bit there, bro.
~*~
I can see reader wanting to take charge and turn the tables by planning her own secret date.
I was stuck on this chapter for a bit before a lovely friend stepped in with some suggestions. THANK YOU!
I really enjoy the concept of reader becoming more sure of herself. They're all growing off of each other's love and I love how reader is starting to come into her own and find her confidence too.
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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 24: Journey Before Destination

Summary:

The date has arrived...now can something just go right please?

The rest of the week goes by in the blink of an eye. You manage to get your special purchase into the house unnoticed with the help of Undyne barging in and blocking a confused Paps and Blue from your line of sight. Her shouts of “OFFICIAL BESTIE BUSINESS” have you in stitches as you run up the stairs. You couldn’t stop laughing as she wandered up to join you, complimenting her on her subtility. Beaming with pride, she just shrugged and said “It worked, didn’t it?”

You can’t argue with results. It’s now safely tucked in the back of your closet along with a few small gyftmas presents you had managed to snag for the boys.

Once you began operating under the assumption that you were indeed going to Ebott spa and Onsen, things just sort of clicked into place. The covert hints Blue dropped through the week made more and more sense until you were sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that was where you were heading. Stars, you were excited!

Blue has been mysteriously unavailable for most of the week. Always out running some errand, or shut up in his room working on something. Weird to think it, but even though you lived under the same roof, you missed him.

At one point a few nights ago, you and Paps had been snuggled up on the couch reading when a sudden shout of joy rang through the house from upstairs. It made the two of you jump in surprise before turning to look nervously at each other.

“Umm…should I be worried about that?” You ask, sliding your bookmark in between the pages.

Paps’ finger is hovering over his book, ready to turn the page as he glances up the stairs and back to you. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” He continues casually, grin forming on the corners of his mouth. “That’s how I remember planning our first date!”

You laugh and shove him playfully, willing the weekend to get here faster. You can’t wait to spend some quality time with Blue.

~*~

It’s the morning of your date, and you’re woken up to the soft, docile sounds of skeletons clattering around in the kitchen yelling about something. You can’t help but chuckle fondly while rolling out of bed, eager to start your day. You were SO ready to hit the road.

Getting dressed, you grab your already packed overnight bag and head downstairs, noise from the kitchen intensifying. Soon snippets of conversation start floating up to your ears.

“S’okay brother. Happens to the best of us. I’m sure she’ll be pleased at the effort.”

“IT’S DECIDEDLY NOT OKAY PAPS. I NEVER BURN BREAKFAST. YOU JUST DISTRACTED ME AT THE EXACT WRONG TIME.”

Setting your bag down at the doorway, you choose that moment to wrap your arms around Blue from behind in a hug. “Something I can help with, Darling?”

Despite his frustration, your touch still manages to calm him down as you feel him gently returning the embrace, hugging his arms around yours. “NO, IT’S OK. I JUST BURNED THE BREAKFAST. SORRY ABOUT THAT STARLIGHT. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE EGGS.”

You glance over his shoulder at the charred remains in the pan and laugh softly next to his skull. “It’s the thought that counts, Blue. I’m perfectly fine with something small. I’m just really excited for our date to start!”

He perks up at that, energy renewed. “YOU’LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THEN, THAT THE TOAST TURNED OUT PERFECTLY!”

That gets a laugh from both you and Paps as you sit down to a breakfast of toast and peanut butter. It’s not long before Blue is up, grabbing your bag and running outside to pack up the car.

“I hope the two of you have a great time.” Paps grins sincerely, giving your hand a little squeeze from across the table. “Stars knows he’s been yapping my ear off about it all week.”

“I promise to take the best care of him, love.”

“Oh, I know you will. What I don’t think you’re prepared for is a Blue with a fully charged battery. I hope you come back refreshed!” He laughs, downing the rest of his drink before standing and planting a quick kiss on the top of your head. “See you in a few days my love. Don’t worry, I’ll save a nap and a cuddle for you.”

With that, Paps heads out waving goodbye and you suddenly realize this will be the longest you’ve be apart from him since you’ve started dating. It’s funny in the best of possible ways how you wound up here. You wouldn’t trade either of them for the world, because as far as you’re concerned, they are your world.

Ten minutes later you’ve cleaned and locked up and are officially on the road, Blue frantically flipping through his phone looking or something.

“I JUST DON’T GET IT.” He begins, scrolling hurriedly through his music. You had expected he’d jump right into being the car DJ like usual, but something is bothering him as you roll through the neighbourhood.

“Don’t get what, Blue?” You ask, trying to keep your voice calm and happy. I hope it’s nothing serious. He’s starting to look distressed…

“I HAD MADE YOU A FIRST DATE PLAYLIST AND SAVED IT TO MY PHONE, BUT I CAN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE.” He’s crestfallen, closing his phone and turning on the radio instead.

Poor sweetheart. This, I can handle.

You look around before pulling over on the side of the gravel road. He gives a start as you put the car in park and bring his hand to your lips. “Blue, look at me.” You say, kissing along his knuckles, waiting for his eye lights to trail up to your face.

“I’m so” kiss “very” kiss “excited” kiss “for today” kiss. “Now, I know you remember at least some of what was on that playlist. Why don’t you do an impromptu recreation for me?”

He smiles with a sigh, eye lights twinkling into little stars. “YOU’RE RIGHT.” He says, settled once again. “I JUST WANT EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT FOR YOU, BUT THIS IS NOTHING TO GET UPSET ABOUT.”

“Correct, darling. And I can promise this trip will be perfect because I’m with you.” With that, you lean in and give him a soft forehead kiss as he sighs happily back. It’s not until he looks at the time that the spell finally broken.

“OH STARS, WE NEED TO GET THERE FOR TWO O’CLOCK!” He grins enthusiastically. “I MAY HAVE A SURPRISE OR TWO PLANNED FOR YOU.” You smile excitedly, leaning into his touch as he runs his fingers down the side of your cheek.

I’ve got a few surprises for you too, Darling. You think as you take the car from park and carry on your way.

It doesn’t take long to get the happy-go-lucky Blue back. He’s recovered from the little hiccup of weirdness this morning and is once again on track, cueing up what he remembers of the playlist and giving you fun insights into why he chose certain songs. The day may be overcast, but the mood in the car is pure sunshine.

Eventually the straight city streets connect with the slow, winding vertical road up the mountain as the scenery starts taking center stage. It’s a crisp day in that odd part of November just before the snow starts falling, when you can almost trick yourself into thinking autumn still has the upper hand.

You’re making good time, having passed through the scary bits of road that skirt along the edge of the mountain cliff, and are finally relaxing into the easiest last leg of your journey. As luck would have it, your tire decides to choose that moment for a blow out, sending you fishtailing unexpectedly across both lanes as you desperately try to regain control of the vehicle.

Letting out a frightened scream, you frantically try to think back to your hazardous driving lessons as you suddenly feel the car stabilize beneath you. Once in control, you slow down, letting your car limp to the side of the road, hands shaking as you put it in park again. When you look over at Blue, you see a strained grin on his face, beads of sweat forming on his skull.

“D-did you use your magic just now?” You ask, heart racing, hands clenched around the steering wheel in an effort to steady them as you try to calm down.

“YEAH. GLAD IT WORKED TOO. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE USED SO MUCH AT ONCE THAT WAS PRETTY SCARY. ARE YOU OKAY?”

You see he looks strained, but appears okay. “I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t been here.” It’s scary how accurate that is, how close you were to completely spinning out. The two of you had been very lucky, and it was all because of Blue. You hope that didn’t drain him too much. “Thank you thank you thank you Blue.” You say, pulling him into a shaky hug. “Do you need time to recover your magic? Is there anything I can do?”

With a grin, he puffs up his chest in fake bravado as he holds you back, clearly a little rattled too. “I MAY NEED TO TAKE A NAP A LITTLE SOONER THAN NORMAL. GOOD THING WE’RE GOING TO SUCH A RELAXING PLACE.” He hugs you tighter in reassurance until you begin to relax.

“LET’S SEE HOW FAST WE CAN GET THE SPARE TIRE ON, AND THEN WE’LL BE ON OUR WAY.” He’s still smiling, but you see the strain behind his eyes, convinced he’s putting on a brave face because you’re so rattled.

You remember to pop the trunk unprompted as he gets out of the car and heads to the back, beginning to rummage around for the spare. The time on the clock is now 1:51. Any chance of arriving by 2pm has just evaporated as you climb out of the car to help.

There’s a huge nail embedded into the side of your completely ruined tire, as you silently curse to yourself, thinking of the money you’ll have to spend in order to replace it. Blue already has the jack out and the car raised up in the time it takes you to locate the lug wrench. You try to put on a happy face for him, clearly sensing his rising stress levels, and honestly? Fair. It’s been one interesting morning so far.

You decide to take the initiative and attempt to remove the first bolt, straining pitifully against it as he looks on with amused surprise. Stars, this is hard! How does everyone make it look so easy?

Blue is rightfully upset. This has been such a weird start to a date, it’s okay to be in a funk, but you really need to help him find a way to shake it off. As far as you’re concerned, as long as you’re with him, the weekend IS already special. He’s just needs to see it too.

Winking, you beckon him over with a sly “little help here, darling? I’m apparently nowhere near as strong as I thought I’d be for this.”

Blue smiles, shaking off the storm cloud in his thoughts as he comes up behind you and wraps his arms around yours. “SHALL WE TRY IT TOGETHER?” He whispers against your ear. You can’t help but shiver at his touch, his voice sending a ticklish jolt clear through you. You know you’re not imagining it as you feel his arms wrap around you tighter in response.

Good. You think. If my words aren’t enough, feel how much I enjoy your company through my actions.

Suddenly, changing a tire is the most fascinating thing in the world. The way he holds you against him, shielding you from the road…the way you’re responding to his touch. Stars, Blue, THIS could have been our date and I would have been happy just being with you. You think, completely shocked that even though you’re just changing a flat tire, it rings true.

His arms are so strong against yours. You can see that corded strength running through his bones as he effortlessly loosens the first bolt from the tire, and you can’t help but thrill at the thought of what else those arms could be doing with you in them.

After a few more bolts, you can feel him shift, running his hands tenderly along your forearms. “DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE OVER FROM HERE, OR SHOULD WE KEEP GOING TOGETHER?” He asks hesitantly and stars yes Blue, I don’t care if this takes all day, please just keep holding me against you on the side of the road of a mountain pass. You laugh warmly, knowing he’ll be completely confused at your response if you don’t audibly answer out loud.

“Together lo…uuh Blue.” You whisper, and stars, what is this boy doing to you? You secretly hope he picks up on your almost slip of the tongue. The urge to tell him how you feel and just shower him with affection is incredibly strong. You can’t help but wonder if this is the human equivalent of wanting to drag him into an encounter.

You’re safe with me always, love. Please, Blue, feel it. Trust me with your soul the way I trust you with my heart.

One by one, you continue to loosen the bolts together, steadfastly refusing to let him do it by himself. You know it would have gone by quicker had you stepped aside, but you can’t bear to be the one who breaks contact with him, not when this is the first time he’s held you in his arms for so long since that night after the bonfire. You’re practically touch starved for him at this point.

Even with you slowing down the process, you’re disappointed at how quickly it ends. Tossing the jack and lug wrench back into the trunk, Blue comes around front and holds out his hand for your car keys. “WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY ON THE SPARE, STARLIGHT?” He asks as you gladly hand them over, relief washing through you at the thought of not having to get behind the wheel again today.

“Thank you, Blue. I’m still a bit shaky after that.” You say, holding your hands out in demonstration, suddenly caught up in the memory of that night under the stars. You are determined to find a way to bring out that bold assurance again before this trip is over as you climb into the passenger seat and continue on to your destination.

He doesn’t talk much for the rest of the trip, lost in his own head, but he does notice how you keep reaching out, resting your hand gently on his arm, wanting to maintain some form of contact. It calms him, so you gladly carry on, tracing small patterns up and down his sleeve.

Upon arrival and without prompting, Blue easily gathers up all of your bags with a smile in the time it takes for you to stretch and take in everything around you. The grounds look immaculately kept, with paths leading off down walking trails and the steam of hot springs rising up in the distance. You can’t wait to enjoy it all with Blue, hoping now that you’re here, you can help him get back into a more positive mindset.

The main entrance is just as fancy as you check in. There are a decent mix of humans and monsters mingled together in the lounge, casually sitting around admiring the view from ceiling to floor windows in front of a huge stone fireplace. You faintly hear the bustle of the on-site restaurant in the distance as you watch people wearing robes and slippers happily walk from their rooms to the main public onsens.

A friendly dog monster is stationed at the check in desk, their ears perking up as you approach. “Welcome to Ebott Spa and Onsen Captain Sans Seriff! I saw your name on the room booking and just HAD to be the one to greet you. When we first got to the surface, you actually helped my parents settle. I think there was even a picture in the newspaper of you shaking hands with me while I was still in stripes.”

You see him stand a bit taller in pride as the dog monster smiles. Stars, he really needed this reminder of how amazing he is. You’re so proud of him not just in this moment, but as you learn more and more about the things he’s done and all the people and monsters he’s helped since coming to the surface.

“I REMEMBER YOU! FINN WAS IT? AND PLEASE, YOU CAN JUST CALL ME BLUE. I HAVEN'T BEEN A CAPTAIN FOR A VERY LONG TIME NOW.”

“Yes, it IS Finn! I can’t believe you remember! It really means a lot to me.” Then conspiratorially, they lean in and add, “No offence, but you’ll always be a Captain to me Mr. Ser- ahh, Blue.” Before going back to checking you in and gathering room keys.

Finn turns to pull a receipt from the printer, as you catch a glimpse of their tail wagging happily. It makes you smile, as you bump your shoulder affectionately into Blue. His eyes look soft again, more in the moment, like he’s finally starting to relax and let go of this morning’s series of unfortunate events.

It may not have played out exactly as planned, but standing here in the moment, he looks happy again; ready to get your day back on track. Your only expectation for this weekend is to make sure he comes away from it feeling loved and cherished, and it’s a job you plan on taking very seriously. Grinning and leaning over, you plant a soft kiss on his cheek with a whispered “You’re amazing, Blue.”

This gets him visibly blushing just as Finn turns around with paperwork and room keys in hand. There’s a conspiratorial grin on their muzzle as they slide the invoice over for Blue to sign. “Don’t tell anyone, but I may have accidentally-on-purpose upgraded your room to the deluxe suite, free of charge. There was a last-minute cancellation and it would have just gone to waste otherwise.”

Blue looks shocked, but all you can think is FINALLY, a win. Everything about this place is magical, but with the way your morning has been going, you don’t think Blue has really seen that yet. He’s been too discouraged.

Of course, though, as he takes the fancy fountain pen to sign the credit card receipt, it explodes all down his arm and sweater. “OH COME ON.” He sighs in frustration as Finn’s ears drop, tail tucked between their legs.

“I’m so sorry about that, Blue. I’ll send someone to your room immediately to collect your clothing and dry clean it for you, free of charge.” Finn is desperately handing him tissues so he can wipe the worst off of him, completely flustered.

You place a hand on Blue’s shoulder, squeezing gently in support as he takes a deep breath in. You decide to speak for the both of you but adding a “Thank you, Finn, we appreciate it. It’s just been a bit of a rocky start to the day, but we are truly excited to be here.”

Blue nods in agreement, collecting himself wearily as he tosses the tissues into the garbage. Finn looks to you with a tense smile before handing Blue the keys, another apology forming on their lips.

“IT’S OKAY, REALLY IT IS. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT.” Blue waves with a forced smile.

You take charge, picking up the bags knowing he won’t want to get ink all over them. “Come on, Darling. We have a room to check out and an adventure to be had!”

He tries to perk up again, smiling as you head down the hall, but you notice from the corner of your eye that his shoulders slump in defeat the moment he thinks you’re not paying attention.

You let it go for now as he opens the door to your upgraded suite and steps inside with a muttered “oh wow” under his breath. You don’t know what you were expecting, but it sure isn’t this.

The room is spacious, the bed somehow managing to be both massive and unobtrusive, cloistered in a cozy alcove along the wall, leaving room for the massive fireplace cozily burning away. Soft leather couches and a huge fur rug adorn the living area, and the entire back wall of the room is dedicated to a large balcony with a stunning view. It leads outside to the showers and down a series of carved stone steps to the hot springs below. The very secluded, very intimate hot springs below. The rising steam practically beckoning you forward.

You catch the smile as it lights up Blue’s whole face, he’s watching your every move, completely smitten as you deposit your bags on the couch. “C’mere babe. Let me help you get that sweater off so you don’t get ink all over your face.”

He nods and smiles warmly as you carefully untuck his shirt, dipping your hands underneath and sliding them up along his ribcage. You’re mainly focused on getting the shirt over his head without staining his skull, but you can’t help and admire the view as his ribcage slowly reveals itself beneath your fingers.

He slides his arms out and thankfully, the ink on his phalanges appears to be minimal. Just some minor staining on his left hand along his index finger and thumb; the sweater having borne the brunt of the assault.

You’ve only seen him shirtless a handful of times and never for this long. You find yourself unable to stop admiring. Where Paps is long and lean, Blue is built sturdy and solid. You hope you’re not being too forward, but find you can’t help the compliment as it races past your lips.

“Stars, you’re beautiful.” You mean every word of it, yet feel it’s still inadequate and clumsy. In this moment you want nothing more than to run your hands along his ribcage again, kissing along his clavicle until he knows just how much you love him. If you can’t say it, you can at least strive to show it.

He blushes a deep cyan he watches you deposit the shirt in a garment bag, throwing it out into the hall for staff to deal with. Soon you’re closing the space between the two of you, falling into his waiting arms.

He's attempting to manifest a real smile for you, even though you can clearly see a sadness lingering behind his eyes. “Penny for your thoughts, Blue? You look so sad.”

He slumps his head against your shoulder as you hold him close, running your hands along the ridges of his spine gently. “I JUST WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT FOR YOU.” He whispers. “I’M SORRY YOU’RE HAVING SUCH A BAD TIME.”

Wait, what did he just say?

“Stars, Blue. What gave you the impression that I’m having a bad time?” You hold him at arms length, resting your hands on his shoulders as he looks up sadly at you.

“HOW CAN YOU NOT BE? I BURNT YOUR BREAKFAST AND LOST YOUR PLAYLIST. WE’VE HAD CAR TROUBLE, MISSED OUR CHECK IN, AND BECAUSE OF THAT YOU DIDN’T GET THE MASSAGE I HAD BOOKED FOR YOU. EVERYTHING I’VE TRIED TO PLAN FOR YOU TODAY HAS JUST BACKFIRED IN MY FACE AND YOU’VE HAD TO PAY THE PRICE.” He wilts, looking so lost. You haven’t seen him like this in quite a while and it breaks your heart.

You shake your head vehemently. “No. Not true. Blue, listen to me. See this through my eyes, darling. Just being here with you is magical. I’m having a great time, even through burnt breakfasts and scary flat tires because YOU have been there next to me the whole time.” He tries to interrupt, clearly not willing to hear what you’re saying, so you just keep barrelling on.

“You try so damn hard all the time to make me happy without realizing you already effortlessly do, just by being you. STARS, Blue, give yourself some credit. This is our first date, not just mine. I love how special you’re trying to make this for me, but I…”

You trail off, face flushing a brilliant red, but needing to get the rest of it out.

“…I wanna make it special for you too. You’re not the only one who planned something this weekend.”

That gets his attention. He tilts his head curiously at you, hopeful look in his eyes as you pull him back into your arms for a slow, deliberate kiss. It doesn’t take long before you feel his arms wrap around you, clinging to your shirt like a lifeline as he hungrily returns the embrace.

Yes. This feels right. This is the tipping point that helps you decide in that moment exactly what you’re going to do. Pushing Blue gently down on the bed, you smile and tell him to wait right there as you grab your bag and head into the bathroom.

He watches you go, dreamy expression on his face.

You begin rummaging around for the lingerie. For some reason you feel like he’s been trying to impress you, not realizing how much you already adore him. Something needs to change to put him at ease, to make him see beyond a shadow of a doubt how much you love him and all he’s done for you. You need him to believe it so he can put whatever Laney did to him truly behind him. She didn’t deserve him, she never did, and you’re determined to let him know that someday when he’s ready, he’ll be able to trust you with his whole heart and soul.

Taking a deep breath in, you try to channel how confident you felt in the store with Undyne as your personal hype squad, her words coming back to you.

STARS! If you feel good in it, you’re sexy in it. Simple as that.

You hope Blue will think you’re sexy in it too.

You hope that this isn’t all too much for him.

You hope you’re not about to make a colossal mistake.

You hope…that he absolutely loves it as you smooth it down over your body and step out of the bathroom to an audible gasp.

Notes:

THIS. This chapter right here is now the top contender for hardest to write.
I re-wrote it THREE times.
A HUGE thank you to MilesHasGoodMannersAndThatsWhatMatters for looking it over for me and putting me back on track when I was completely stuck.
I hope you like it. I just want to do Blue right.
Bonus props if anyone knows where I pulled the inspo for the chapter title from.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 25: Body and Mind

Summary:

Extra spicy, for your pleasure.

Blue doesn’t know what to expect as you head into the bathroom; just that he’s thrilled as you pushed him down on the bed and told him to wait. His best guess is that you’re pulling out a gift for him, wanting to make sure it travelled well and isn’t damaged. It’s probably something cute and thoughtful and so incredibly you. He feels so down, like you’re only giving it to him now to be nice.

Blue knows that this is technically both of your dates. What you said makes perfect sense; He just can’t get it out of his head that he had put so much thought into this trip for you and it was all fraying at the edges. How was he ever going to show you he was worthy of your love?

And stars, he loved you. When he had finally been able to admit it to himself earlier this week was when the panic had truly begun to set in. Was he moving too fast? Laney had led him on for over a year. He knew you weren’t like that, but he was also so scared of what you would think of his soul if he pulled you into an encounter. You had experienced Paps’ soul, knew what the love of someone not broken looked like. How could he ever think he’d compare?

He's crestfallen. Even with your kind words, Blue just doesn’t feel like he can give you what you deserve. Maybe when Laney broke him, it was for the best? Maybe he’s been fooling himself into thinking he’s getting better? Maybe you’ve just been humouring him because you’re simply so kind? THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MAGICAL. He really thought he was making progress.

He's about to get up, cross the room and tell you to enjoy this weekend without him; has himself absolutely convinced that this is the correct course of action and you’d be happier relaxing on your own - when you open the door and timidly step into the bedroom.

Blue gasps like he’s had the wind completely knocked out of him, knowing in that moment he’s spent too much time in his head acting like a fool. Had he actually almost let his negative spiral stop him from experiencing you like this?

YOU LOOK STUNNING, he thinks, with your hair cascading around your shoulders in loose waves, as his eyes trail up and down your body. He barely dares to move in case he’s dreaming. Blue couldn’t bear it if he somehow broke this spell he was under. So instead, he watches silently as you gather your courage and look up, searching his features for a specific reaction as you bite your bottom lip nervously.

“Surprise?” You say uncertainly, voice shaking. “I…I really hope you like it, Blue.”

LIKE IT? HE LOVES IT. He continues watching, stunned, as you force yourself to stop playing with the hem of your lingerie and stand up straight. You’re slowly closing the distance between the two of you, delicate fabric flowing around your frame, bare feet tiptoeing across the floor. Oh how he wants to reach out and touch you…

“YOU’RE BLUE.” Is all he can think to say. Where have all his words gone? YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL, AN ANGEL SENT TO EARTH, STARLIGHT PERSONIFIED, THE LITERAL WOMAN OF MY DREAMS. PICK ONE, BLUE.

“You noticed so quickly!” You beam in delight.

Blue doesn’t know why those were the magic words that lit you up, but his soul starts madly fluttering in his chest, practically begging him to say more. “YOU DID THIS FOR ME? CAN I…TOUCH YOU? HOLD YOU?” It comes out in a questioning waver. He’s so afraid this will be some sort of misunderstanding.

“It is, and you may. Babe, this is all for you. Yes. A hundred times yes to anything you can think to ask.” You sound breathless, bubbling with nervous energy as words tumble out of you all at once.

He reaches out a hand shyly, resting the tips of his phalanges along your thigh, slowly running them up your leg, feathering their way over your underwear before tracing their way past the curve of your hip. His other ink-stained hand joins the first, parting the sheer fabric just enough to display your bellybutton.

It doesn’t feel real, almost like he’s fantasizing. If Blue admits it, he’s held you like this so many times in his dreams he’s lost count; but he never could have predicted how soft you truly were, and how warm your skin was under his touch. He’s practically shaking as he leans in and softly nuzzles you directly below your bellybutton before resting his head against your stomach, breath shuddering, trying to get his bearings. You smell so good, hints of citrus mixed with the oils of your skin. HOW DO YOU SMELL SO GOOD ALL THE TIME? HOW IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO HIM?

“STARLIGHT. I. YOU’RE. OH STARS.” He whispers as you wrap your arms around him, softly tracing down the back of his skull. WHY CAN’T HE THINK STRAIGHT?

“S’okay Blue.” You whisper tenderly as you lean down to kiss the top of his head.

It finally frees him from his brain fog he’s fallen under as he raises his head and really takes you in. BLUE, LIKE THE COLOUR OF HIS MAGIC. Suddenly cluing into that detail, soul beating wildly against his ribs. FUCK, YOU LOOK SO GOOD IN HIS COLOURS.

That once loud, relentlessly negative part of his brain has hastily retreated, taking most of his worry and doubt along with it. You were not Laney. He had been doing better, and he had almost let a morning of bad luck unravel this moment of sheer perfection. This was not how Blue normally handled things, but he had let himself get caught up in worrying about the “what-if’s” he’d almost completely ignored the “right now’s.”

Suddenly all he can think about is how he wants you everywhere. On the bed, surrounded by soft silk sheets, stretched out along that huge fur carpet in front of the fireplace. Against the wall, pinned safely in place by the sheer force of him as he slowly unwraps you like the gift you are. He doesn’t know what to do, now that he’s been given permission to act on his deepest desires, never thinking he would get to this point with anyone, let alone the human he loves above all others.

“ONE, TWO OR THREE?” He asks, voice strained with need, hoping you’ll put him out of his misery and tell him where to take you first – because he is most definitely exploring all three options.

Tilting your head in that adorable way you do when you’re confused, you play along. “One?” Asking tentatively as a grin spreads slowly across your face. IN BED. CLASSIC. GIVES ME A CHANCE TO WORSHIP EVERY BIT OF YOU FIRST.

He starts slow, restrained, taking a ribbon between his phalanges and tugging gently, revealing a few more inches of skin along your stomach, goosebumps forming wherever his magic grazes.

Blue releases another one. It’s so quiet in the room he can actually hear the soft shhhhh of the fabric sliding from its knot. He spies ribcage, torso, the lace of your bra waiting just underneath that last ribbon. It takes all of the focus he has left to simply not tear the whole thing off of you and throw you to the bed.

NO. THERE WILL BE TIME FOR ALL OF THAT. YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM A GIFT, MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW BY PUTTING THIS MUCH TRUST IN HIM, AND IT DESERVES TO BE SAVOURED.

You straddle him against the edge of the bed as he pulls you into his lap, hands resting firmly around your back. He would never let you fall. It feels so good to simply hold you here. Safe in a way he hasn’t felt in a long time.

With his hands otherwise engaged, Blue grins wickedly up at you, taking the final ribbon between his teeth and tugging gently. He can feel you chuckle tenderly against him, hair tumbling into your face as the gossamer fabric opens, sliding softly from your shoulders and pooling around your arms as he pulls you in for a kiss.

This time feels different, like Blue has somehow been untethered from all of the stress he’s piled onto himself since that night so long ago. It’s freeing, like that one perfect moment under the stars when he had thrown caution to the wind and held you the way he wanted. Blue had been chasing the feeling of that moment ever since, but had never managed to come anywhere close again until now.

The softness of your mouth keeps inviting him back for more; and he finds he can’t stop himself from leaving small nips against your bottom lip as you come up for air. Blue eventually shifts focus to your neck, running slow circles along it with his tongue, holding you against him, never wanting to let you go. You gasp in surprise and tilt your head back, dropping your arms to your sides as the delicate fabric slips to the floor.

When you raise your head and open your eyes, he meets your gaze, checking to see how you’re doing, and oh stars, he’s never seen you so happy. Your eyes are half-lidded, lips swollen with kisses and cheeks dusted a beautiful pink. He’s choked up as you find words for this perfect moment.

“I love the way you hold me, Blue. Never felt safer. Never felt more wanted.”

They twist up exactly the right way inside of him. He thinks he could literally cry at how happy he is. This is so incredibly different from his last experience with what he thought love was. How he had ever mistaken that first time for this is beyond him.

“STARLIGHT…” He wants to say it so badly before he loses his nerve again. He’s so close. Instead, he allows himself to get distracted as the strap of your bra slips down your shoulder, absolutely needing to trace along its route with the tips of his fingers.

Blue can feel you shiver against him, ecto skin forming along his arms and hands, all the while marvelling at just how close the colour actually does match your lingerie. You really were spectacular, and thoughtful, and kind…and soft. So wonderfully soft. He’s back at your neck, kissing and nuzzling along your collarbone as you pull him closer to you, hands grasping firmly onto his ribcage.

His other hand is unsuccessfully attempting to work the clasp along your bra strap. You look up chuckling softly. “Need help, Blue?”

He just nods, unable to form complete sentences, watching as you toss your hair behind your shoulders and tilt back, completely trusting his hold on you, slowly undoing the hooks from behind. “Use your teeth, babe.” You whisper needily as his brain nearly short circuits with want.

Barely able to hold back his growing excitement, Blue intentionally locks eyes with you, gently kissing along the top of your breasts before he latches on to the middle of your bra with his teeth, slowly tugging forward.

He watches you grin and intake a small gasp of air as the cooler temperature of the room greets your breasts, making your nipples bud up before his eye lights. It almost sends him completely over the edge. He waits until you’re holding tightly onto him again before sliding his hands under your legs, standing with you safely held in his arms, before turning around and placing you gently on the bed.

You’re laying there laughing and breathless, so trusting, so joyful, beckoning to him with open arms as he slides out of his pants, joining you on the sheets, leaving a trail of magic in his wake as he kisses and caresses his way up your body.

“SO BEAUTIFUL.” He murmurs, tongue circling a nipple as you squirm under him in pleasure. “CAN’T HAVE YOU MOVING AROUND THAT MUCH, STARLIGHT. I MIGHT ACCIDENTALLY BITE.” He laughs wickedly before going on. “GONNA HAVE TO FIX THAT.” He says, eye lights playfully trailing along your body as he takes your hands in his, bringing them up over your head and pinning them there with one as the other begins to roam.

Oh.

OH STARS, THIS IS HOT.

The look you’re giving him is intense in a way he didn’t even know existed. Blue suddenly finds he’s compelled to draw it out of you like air from lungs. He could happily drown in this feeling. The thrill of wondering what he’ll do next is written all over your face. That, coupled with the complete trust you have in him is an intoxicating combination.

The rational part of his brain doesn’t want to work at the moment. Completely controlled by need and emotion, he can’t even say your name, it just comes out in a low, hungry moan before he’s on you again trailing kisses down your neck, gently sinking his teeth around your collarbone as his phalanges graze along your breasts.

Your breathing becomes erratic, little moans of pleasure escaping between your lips as he dips his hand lower, feeling your hips buck up against him. “Please. Blue, please.” You cry in little whimpers, his fingers trailing delicately along the band of your underwear before dipping between your legs.

Oh stars, you’re so wet.

He can feel it right through your underwear as you grind against his hand in desperation. Relenting, he nudges the fabric aside and lights the pad of his thumb up with ecto skin, exploring you deeper.

The result is immediate and electric. Blue has a soft, wondrous grin across his face as he makes you cry out in pleasure. You’re desperately trying to wiggle your arms free, to pull him closer to you, and it’s driving him mad. He loves how much control he still wields over the situation while he achingly slowly rubs his thumb against you. Blue finds he very much likes being the one to bring you to the edge. Secretly, he promises to bring you past the tipping point no less than five times tonight, as thoughts of your dinner reservations and all the other things he had planned melt away.

You’re the most important thing in his world now.

He’s going to make love to you until your legs turn to Jello. Then he’s going to take care of you, sit with you in that onsen until your batteries recharge, order in food, hand feed you your dinner, before making you his dessert.

Who knows, he may even find the courage to tell you he loves you somewhere along the way.

~*~

Blue is relentless, he has you trembling into the mattress, completely undone by another orgasm as you weakly raise a hand to the skull buried between your legs. To say the lingerie was a success would be a complete understatement.

“B-b-babe, please.” You whisper, so incredibly tender down there, needing a few moments to recover in his arms before you can even think of returning the favour.

There’s a heady, lustful look in his eyes as he slowly, hungrily crawls up your body to your waiting arms. Somewhere between his first touch and the what, third? orgasm, he discovered what his magic did to you, and oh starssss he’s been using it effectively.

If that kiss on the bench was a glimpse into the intensity of his affection, you were now staring directly into the sun.

Blue wastes no time nuzzling softly against your neck, cuddling into you with a happy sigh. “WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT IF MY STARLIGHT NEEDS A BREAK, I WILL HAPPILY OBLIGE.” You feel the hum of his magic warming against you and can tell he still has an abundance of excited energy. It’s evident as he speaks up again almost instantly. “THAT BEING SAID, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING DARLING? OH I KNOW, HUMANS NEED TO STAY HYDRATED!” Without the chance to get a word in, he jumps up from bed and runs to the mini fridge, retrieving a bottle of water. “FOR YOU, MY DEAR.”

You’ve managed to slide yourself to a sitting position on the end of the bed as you gladly accept the water. “Thank you, Blue. Guess I worked up quite a thirst crying out your name.” You say without thinking, taking a long drink of water before meeting his eyes with a smile.

The absolute sweetheart is blushing the deepest shade of cyan at that, pulling you up into his arms. “I MEANT WHAT I SAID ABOUT JUST GETTING STARTED.”

On some level you very much knew to take Blue at face value, but you’re still completely blown away at the amount of energy he has. Instead, you rise to the challenge - albeit wobbly, but very much willing - for another round. “When you told me to pick a number before, what would have happened if I had said two?”

Sappy grin on his face, he unexpectedly scoops you up so you’re straddling him with a happy squeak, as he walks you over to the carpet. “CHANGE OF SCENERY” He whispers, kneeling the both of you down in front of the warm fireplace.

“Oh. Oh stars, Blue.” You say, wonder in your voice while you watch his beautiful blue ecto skin form down his torso. You desperately want to run your hands over him, energy suddenly very much renewed, but he seems to have other plans.

“DO YOU TRUST ME, STARLIGHT?”

“With my heart and soul babe.” You watch, as the sincerest look of love blooms across his face. Stars, you want to just say it.

“THEN CLOSE YOUR EYES UNTIL I SAY OPEN THEM.”

With just about anyone else, you would have felt too vulnerable, too exposed. Instead, you shiver in delight as you sit there on your knees, hands resting in your lap, and eagerly close your eyes for him. Almost instantly, your other senses are heightened. A warm breeze softly tickles against your skin before you feel him gently pulling the hair back from your face.

“SO AMAZING. I’M SO LUCKY…”

You shiver, his phalanges suddenly running down your sides, trail of magic lighting up your skin like wildfire. As quick as it starts, it stops, leaving you waiting for his next touch. How has he learned to control his magic so well? It would have lingered, fading slowly with Paps. Blue seems to be able to turn it off and on at will. Come to think of it, the air around the two of you is thick, like you’re swimming through waves of his magic. It’s as different and unique as Paps’ is. Making you feel safe, enveloped in layers of his affection.

His breath is suddenly on the back of your neck, sending goosebumps racing across your skin. “YOU’RE LIKE AN ANGEL.” He whispers, “I KEEP WONDERING IF THIS IS REAL.”

He’s nibbling along your earlobe, a soft sigh of love rising up from inside of you as his hands encircle your waist from behind. Would now be a good time? He has to know, right?

“LEAN BACK. I WON’T LET YOU FALL.”

Slowly, you obey, trusting he’ll catch you. Landing safely against him, you can feel the smoothness of his ecto skin tingling along your body while you bask in how good just being connected to him feels. You can’t help but wonder how heightened this would be in an encounter, but something about the mystery and blind trust of it all is also making you swoon.  

“IF AT ANY TIME YOU NEED OR WANT TO STOP, NO MATTER THE REASON, JUST SAY THE WORD. YOUR COMFORT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN MY PLEASURE.” He murmurs into your ear, planting soft kisses along your neck.

Nodding in silence, a shiver of anticipation runs through your core, hyper-aware of how his body is practically humming against yours. “I’LL HOLD ON FOR THE BOTH OF US. JUST ENJOY THE RIDE.” He whispers, before sliding his hands between your thighs, lifting you up off the ground.

You gasp in delight as you fall even further back, legs completely splayed against him even wider than before in the most vulnerable position you’ve ever been in, as he slowly sinks you down onto his hardness. You feel every inch as a low moan of pleasure escapes your throat, Blue crying out your name in a sharp gasp.

“THANK YOU.” He pants, “FOR TRUSTING ME.”

There’s so much you want to say in this moment.

How could I not?

I absolutely adore you, Blue.

I love you. I love the way you make me feel, I trust you so damn much.

I mean, look at what we’re doing right now.

That makes you cry out in joy. He makes your heart soar, and you wish so badly that he could be in your thoughts, finally understand.

His hands are wrapped firmly around you, ensuring your comfort as he achingly slowly begins to slide in and out of you.

You don’t know what to do with this sheer overload your body is experiencing. It feels like your soul is calling out to him.

Can humans even do that? You don’t think so, but that familiar tug in the centre of your chest is practically screaming for you to listen.

Getting into a rhythm with him is easy as you grasp onto his one hand resting against your torso. The other has found its way between your legs making you spasm against him, small whimpers escaping your throat.

“OPEN YOUR EYES, STARLIGHT.” He practically coos into your ear. “I WANT YOU TO SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.”   

As your eyes adjust to the light of the room, you start in surprise. The angle you’re at leaves nothing to the imagination. You see every inch of yourself wrapped in his embrace; the soft cyan of his magic sliding in and out, his fingers expertly stroking against you, and his other, strong hand bracing you firmly against him. You see the glow of sweat dusting your skin, with its flush of desire just beneath the surface.

“ADORE YOU. CAN’T GET OVER HOW PERFECT YOU ARE.” He’s panting, warm against your neck between soft moans in your ear.

You raise your free hand to his face, gently turning it towards you for a kiss. You can feel yourself already starting to come undone, desperately wanting him to speed up, not knowing how long you’ll last if he keeps up with the way he’s touching you.

Managing to cry out his name in sheer desperation, it’s like Blue reads your mind as the intensity of his thrusts increase. You climax first, clenching against him, riding your wave of pleasure to completion. You’re practically limp in his arms at this point, so thankful he’s holding you steady as your legs give out from under you, completely spent.

His hands grip tighter around the softness of your stomach, crying out your name in one final gasp of desire before you feel him shudder beneath you. Even now, in the grips of his own pleasure, he never lets go, never stops thinking of how he’s cradling you in his arms, the two of you riding the aftershocks of lust as you come down off your high together.

Finally, gently, he lays you down on the carpet. You’re trembling, shaking at the exertion, completely undone in the best possible way. Blue practically collapses next to you, pulling himself closer as you wrap your arms around him.

“Babe. Wow. I…Just WOW.” Is all you manage to get out, feeling him laugh contently next to you.

“I KNOW, RIGHT?” He laughs. “STARS, YOU ARE AMAZING. I’M SO SORRY FOR HOW DOWN I WAS THIS MORNING. TRULY FOOLISH OF ME.”

All you really have the energy for at the moment is nodding, using most of your concentration on tracing small hearts along his ribcage with your finger as you both catch your collective breaths. The funny thing is, you can still feel that tightness in your chest, like something is tugging at your soul.

That’s odd.

Mustering up your remaining strength, you push yourself up on one arm and bring your hand to his forehead.

He’s scorching hot, and not in an afterglow, next to the fire sort of way. In a very much like Paps trying to hold back an encounter, yet he doesn’t look strained in the least.

“Blue, sweetheart.” You begin, trying to remain calm. “You’re burning up. Is everything okay?”

His sockets are opening and closing like he’s falling asleep on you. That’s odd, where did all of his boundless energy suddenly go?

“MMM…NEVER BETTER STARLIGHT.” He murmurs, reaching out a hand, running it down your cheek lazily.

Something isn’t right. You can feel it in your soul. You’re not sure if his broken heart is literally getting in the way of him realizing he needs an encounter, or if that’s even how these things work, but suddenly the thought of not telling him how you feel has immediately been taken off the table.

“Blue, babe.” You begin as he turns his head slowly, smile on his face.

“YES HUN?”

“I need to ask you to do something for me, and it might be scary, but it’s real important.”

He perks up at this, groggily rolling onto his side. “WHAT’S WRONG STARLIGHT? WHAT DO YOU NEED?”

You smile at that, having to trust your instincts on this one. “I want you to pull me into an encounter.”

That gets his full attention, his sockets shooting wide open, eye lights nervously darting around the room before landing back on you. “ARE YOU SURE? I MEAN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO IF YOU DON’T WANT TO. I WOULDN’T WANT TO SUBJECT YOU TO…”

You cut him off with a finger placed gently to his teeth. “I love you, Blue. I love every part of you and want you to know it. Really know it, down to your soul.”

He closes his eye sockets, taking a deep breath in as he shrinks into himself. You see him struggling with his emotions before finally coming to a conclusion. He’s starting to shake from exhaustion? Nerves? Oh. He’s tearing up. Why is he crying?

“I LOVE YOU TOO, STARLIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GIFT YOU’VE GIVEN ME.” He takes your hand, bringing the back of it to his mouth as he nuzzles into it gently.

Why does it sound like he’s scared? He can’t truly think you’d turn away from him after seeing his soul, does he? “It’s gonna be all right Blue. I promise.”

Nodding, he looks at you fondly one more time before pulling his soul from his chest, a fragile fluttering thing, so starkly contrasted with the boisterous lovable skeleton before you. You feel that familiar tug as your soul practically races to join his, cracks and all.

There won’t be any room for doubt when I’m through with you, Blue. You think, as you reach out to gently caress his soul.

Notes:

Look. The gremlins in my head gave me ideas and I had to listen. They withhold serotonin if I don't.
A few thoughts: Have I mentioned Blue's song? The one that buried itself in my head and basically describes his whole arc? Go check out the lyrics to "Near to You" by a Fine Frenzy. Our boy is on the cusp. Almost there.
He about to work through this last bit of his bs before we go collectively curb stomp Laney.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments you've left so far.
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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 26: Heart and Soul...now with even MORE heart!

Summary:

Oh Stars, we finally doing this!

How can two encounters feel so vastly different?

Either that, or you’re growing accustomed to their magic. This time, as your soul races to greet Blue, you don’t feel dizzy or lightheaded. It could be because you’re snuggled up to your skeleton on the softest plush rug you’ve ever touched. It could also be because you’re still basking in the afterglow of what the two of you just experienced. Regardless, you were going to get through to him before the night was done.

Perhaps that’s the reason you’re more confident this time around?

Reaching out your hand to hold his soul, the look on Blue’s face suddenly halts you. He’s nervous and wait…did he flinch just now as you almost touched it?

That stops you completely in your tracks.

“Blue, darling? This isn’t going to hurt you in any way, is it? Am I allowed to touch a monster soul? Help me out here babe.”

He looks up with a weak smile. “IT’S OK, LOVE. JUST BE GENTLE, IT’S FRAGILE.”

He says it with such a sad look in his eyes, like even now, he’s still worried you’re about to take his measure and find him wanting. Hair slipping over your shoulders, you lean down, letting it cascade around his face, tickling his skull. He softly chuckles despite the pained look in his eyes as you start to leave a soft trail of kisses over his brow bones and nose ridge. “I love you, heart and soul. I’m not going anywhere Blue, I promise.”

Nodding, his perks up a bit.

“Do you trust me darling?”

“ALWAYS, LOVE. ALWAYS.”

“Then it’s your turn to sit back and enjoy the ride.” You say as you give him a cheeky wink, before reaching out your hand for his soul.

Blue is holding his breath as you make contact. Gently cradling it in your hands, you have to admit that he’s right, it does feel fragile, scared even. You didn’t think a soul would feel like its own separate entity, but it very much does as it trembles in your hand.

Interesting.

“WHAT’S INTERESTING?” He inquires, suddenly realizing he’s already in your head.

“I hadn’t known that holding a soul would feel so different from simply having mine held. There’s a weight to it, a responsibility that I’m not about to take lightly.”

HOLD ON, DID YOU JUST MAKE A PUN ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF MY SOUL? OH STARS, WHY AM I NOT ANNOYED LIKE I WOULD BE WITH PAPS? I REALLY MUST BE IN LOVE!

Blinking, you look at him before bursting out in laughter. “Pun not intended! I swear!”

I was just trying to put you at ease because I want this to feel l i g h t h e a r t e d and joyful.

You pause a beat before he clocks it, rolling his eye lights and groaning. “LIGHTHEARTED? STARLIGHT, HOW COULD YOU?”  

“Just wanted to see that smile of yours love.”

Blue tries to grin, taking a moment to just breathe. WHY AM I STILL SO NERVOUS?

“I don’t know, good question. Wanna try unpacking that?”

Outwardly Blue is laughing, but inwardly a tornado of mixed emotions is bombarding your senses. You’re amazed. Had you not been in an encounter, there would have been zero indication as to what was going on just below the surface.

STARS, YOU’RE A BEAUTIFUL SOUL, AND YOU REALLY DO LOVE ME SO DAMN MUCH. I CAN FEEL IT COMING OFF OF YOU IN WAVES.

THERE’S NO REASON WHY I SHOULD BE NERVOUS AROUND YOU.

I’M JUST SAD I COME WITH SCARS. I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN LOVE ME SO BROKEN WHEN I WAS PERFECT FOR HER AND SHE STILL DIDN’T WANT ME.

These thoughts are accompanied by a spike of anxiety knotting into your stomach so suddenly you hiss, sharply sucking air in between your teeth at the intensity. “Babe, everyone comes with scars. You don’t love me any less because of mine. Help me understand why you think you’d be immune to it?”

He’s looking around for something to do, settling on pulling a blanket off of the couch and covering the two of you up. It’s nice, you hadn’t even realized you were starting to get cold. Blue is already so naturally in tune with you, he’s absentmindedly picking up on your needs faster than you appear to be.

“I WOULD NEVER TRADE THE LIFE I HAVE NOW FOR ANYTHING, BUT THERE WAS AN EASE TO LIVING IN THE UNDERGROUND I SOMETIMES MISS. EVERYTHING WAS SO SURE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. I KNEW WHAT I WANTED, I WAS GOOD AT WHAT I DID AND I MANAGED TO SUCCEED IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES.” He laughs half-heartedly, running his phalanges along your arm in distraction while he continues.

“YOU KNOW I PRACTICALLY RAISED PAPS, RIGHT? I HAD TO BE THE STRONGER OLDER BROTHER SO HE COULD JUST BE. WOULDN’T CHANGE IT FOR ANYTHING THOUGH. I’M SO PROUD OF WHO HE’S BECOME.”

It's been a while, but you can still vaguely remember Paps echoing similar praise. He loved his brother, Snowdin was lonely at times, but Blue was always there for the two of them. Still, that was a lot of responsibility to place squarely on the shoulders of one soul; especially one so young, regardless of how well Blue had risen to the challenge.

All of this is playing on a loop in your brain as Blue looks up and nods. “I KNOW IT’S TRUE, BUT IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO HEAR PAPS APPRECIATE HOW I WAS THERE FOR HIM, ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL THIS TIME. I TRIED SO HARD TO BE THE PERFECT BROTHER AND ROLE MODEL THAT HE COULD LOOK UP TO. AND AT THE TIME I HAD WANTED IT TOO. AFTER ALL, CAPTAIN SANS SERIFF WAS PRETTY MAGNIFICENT.” He puts his hand to his chest in a mock salute, briefly throwing you a mental image of him standing up, striking a triumphant pose using the blanket as a cape.

He pulls you closer as you chuckle softly against him. “You’re such a goober and I love you so much.”

Waves of affection pour from him as he nuzzles against your cheek. “FUNNY HOW I FELT THE SADDEST AFTER I GOT EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I HAD ALWAYS WANTED. I MEAN, WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE OBTAINED PERFECTION? SHOULDN’T I HAVE BEEN HAPPY EVERY SINGLE DAY?” He sighs at that. “EVEN BEFORE LANEY, THINGS WERE FEELING OFF. IT WAS SO EXCITING WHEN MONSTERS FIRST GOT TO THE SURFACE. I WAS INITIALLY DOING SO MUCH GOOD, FORGING BONDS, MEETING PEOPLE, AND REALLY FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.”

He's showing you glimpses, a reel of moments he’s proudest of. Settling monsters in and around Ebott, working closely to draft legislation, charming the pants off of the right people and always, always being the perfect shining example of what monsterkind could be.

“Oh babe…” You begin, letting his soul go so it can float up and dance with yours again. You just want to pull him closer. “That would be a lot of responsibility for anyone to carry, regardless of how good you were at it.”

I think you might be confusing perfect with the best…because you were the absolute best at what you did, but nobody is perfect.

Blue raises a brow bone at you, mulling over the words in his own mind.

Even before you had ever come home to Ebott, you can remember seeing him on the news, reassured by how approachable and genuine he had looked. In a world where you didn’t put much trust in politicians to follow through on promises, he had always struck you as someone who wanted to help, simply because it was the right thing to do. You’re happy that your initial assessment had been so very right.

“YOU THOUGHT THAT OF ME BEFORE WE HAD EVEN MET? STARLIGHT, I’M TOUCHED.”

“It was just in passing, just a general impression of you. It never even dawned on me that first day we met that you were that same person! Paps had just always called you Blue. I never associated it with Captain Sans Seriff.” You chuckle, “probably would have been so nervous having a decorated ambassador over for dinner!”

“I THINK YOU’VE HOSTED THIS DIGNITARY QUITE WELL SO FAR.” He says, wiggling his brow bones at you suggestively.

It’s startling at first, to suddenly see yourself so desired through his eyes. How he had felt the moment you walked out of the bathroom, his sheer delight in pulling the lingerie from your body with his teeth. It sends a delicious chill racing up your spine. You’ve never felt more attractive in all your life.

“More time for that later, love.” You chide affectionately.

He lets out a playful long-suffering sigh before continuing. “THE WORK SLOWLY STARTED TO CHANGE. HUMANS WERE SO STARTLED BY US AT FIRST, THAT THEY EAGERLY WANTED TO WORK TO CREATE A NEW NORMAL. WE WOULD GET TO RESETTLE, AND THEY WOULD GET INSIGHT INTO OUR MAGIC.”

He’s still casually running his phalanges along your body as you talk, knowing full well how it’s making you feel. Concentrate. You think loudly to yourself, but he ends up jumping with a laugh too, before continuing.

“THE SHINE WORE OFF FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED. THE SAME POLITICIANS WHO HAD ADVOCATED FOR US IN THE BEGINNING WERE NOW REALIZING THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE LIVING ALONGSIDE THEM PERMANENTLY. SUDDENLY, THEIR HANDS WERE TIED.

SORRY, SO MUCH BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE TO GET THROUGH. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS!” He mimics, sugar coated falseness to his voice.

“ALL THE GOOD I HAD BEEN DOING CAME TO A GRINDING HALT.”

You can feel how deeply saddened he still is about it. “INTERNALIZED A LOT. IT’S WHY I COULD ALWAYS RECOGNIZE IT SO CLEARLY WHEN PAPS DID THE SAME THING TO HIMSELF. AT LEAST HE CAME BY HIS ANXIETY HONESTLY.”

“Oh Blue.”

“SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THE CATALYST THAT FINALLY TIPPED THE SCALES, BUT I HAD FELT BROKEN LONG BEFORE LANEY FINISHED THE JOB. I HAD HONESTLY THOUGHT SHE WAS A SIGN. THINGS WERE STARTING TO FALL APART, BUT HERE WAS SOMEONE WHO STILL THOUGHT I WAS PERFECT…” He breaks off, pained.

Even though you both know the purpose of an encounter, it still feels like you’re encroaching on a private moment, seeing her through his memories. She’s beautiful, you’ll give her that, but there is a cruelty behind her eyes that Blue just had not been able to recognize. You’ve met people like her before, so it’s easy for you to clock. Heck, she would have felt right at home in your family tree.

The way his heart breaks makes you involuntarily clutch at your own chest, the pain ripping through your soul the same way it did to Blue. Holding him closer, you try to shield him from reliving the memory again as he rides it out in your arms.

Suddenly, you’re standing there in a hall, pulled completely into his past.

Oh stars, I didn’t know this was a thing that could happen. His magic is so STRONG.

Paps is sitting on the floor outside his door playing guitar, worry carved deep into the shadows under his eye sockets. He’s not nearly as proficient a player as you currently know him to be, but you can see the beginnings of his talent taking hold. You try to reach out and get his attention, but your hand goes right through him.

Turning, you try and touch the doorknob. It’s as immaterial as Paps had been. Mind made up, you close your eyes and take a confident step forward though the door into Blue’s room; definitely trying not to think too hard about what exactly is keeping you solidly planted on the ground under your feet.

Everything looks so smoky and undefined, the edges of the room slipping off into inky blackness. The only solid looking thing in this entire memory is Blue, and he’s curled up on the bed, completely unaware of your presence.

As you cross the floor, it’s like walking through molasses, the resistance slowly increasing until you’re straining against what you now recognize as the weight of Blue’s full magic. The same magic that wrapped you up so lovingly earlier, is now actively fighting to push you and anything away that might remotely break through to him.

Even shouting has no effect. The memory eats up noise like a meal, the silence so complete, you can hear the blood pulsing in your ears.

Hand stretched out, you attempt another step forward, inches taking small eternities to claim before you finally give up, determined there has to be a better way.

I’m in his mind. He has to hear me, right?

Blue, love. This isn’t your reality. You’re not alone any more. I’m right here with you.

Turn around. Please.

You’re crestfallen at first, convinced nothing is helping as you scream his name in your mind.

BLUE!!!

A start. You catch it, the soft jump like he’s been jarred awake from a dream. Encouraged, you go on.

You did everything you could. It wasn’t you. Sometimes the world just sucks the light from people, no matter how bright they shine.

He begins to uncurl, skull turning to glance over his shoulder. “I DON’T WANT TO BE AMBASSADOR ANY MORE.”  He whispers, deafening in the silence.

…and you don’t have to, love. Nobody is telling you to go back to what you were before. Paps and I support you and love you no matter what…

He meets your gaze, recognition flaring to life behind his eye lights. “YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE. NOT AT MY LOWEST. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE THIS?” He’s confused, turning to sit up on the bed as you feel his magic lessen it’s hold around you, finally letting you in as he confronts this moment. In one sudden motion, you jolt forward, not realizing you were still straining to reach him this whole time.

Colliding, you wrap your arms around him, pulling Blue as close as possible. “Said I wanted all of you, remember? The good and the bad.”

“OH.” You can see him physically processing, searching your mind as doubts race through his head.

…BEEN WORKING TOWARDS A GOAL I NO LONGER WANT…

…THEY’RE ALL EXPECTING ME TO COME BACK…

…HOW CAN I FACE IT WHEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT MOVING FORWARD LOOKS LIKE?…

…HOW DO I COMPLETELY START OVER AGAIN?...

The memory slowly begins to dissipate as you once again find yourself on the floor of the onsen, clinging to Blue like you’re his lifeline.

“You take it one day at a time, love. You’re thriving. Goals change as people change. It’s okay to let go of what you think you wanted and leave room for something new.”

“I WANT YOU.” He whispers. AND I WANT YOU TO BE PROUD OF ME.

“You have me, and I’ll always be proud of you.” You’re grinning, coming down off of the intensity of what just happened. “I can’t wait to see what you do next, and I’ll support it with my whole heart.”

Blue is beginning to liven up again, his eye lights turning to hearts as he holds you in his gaze. “STARS, YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING, YOU KNOW THAT? I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE SOME DOUBT FOR ME TO LATCH ONTO, BUT IT’S ALL JUST SO MUCH SUPPORT.”

“Reverse uno, love.”

Bursting out into laughter, you push yourself up on wobbly arms, motioning to the couch as he joins you, tucking the blanket in around your bodies, wanting nothing more than to just snuggle up against him.

Easily picking up on that, he pulls you into his arms as you rest your head in the crook of his neck. All the while Blue is laughing softly against you. The magic in the air has dissipated considerably, feeling more constant and steadier now. His bones no longer feel like they’re overheating.

Thinking you had been so sly about checking in on him, you jump, startled as he responds to your covert ministrations. “YES, MY MAGIC IS STABLE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL.”

“Ha! Keep forgetting you’re up here.” You tap the side of your head gently. “Just couldn’t help it, I was really worried about you.”

“I KNOW, AND I’M SORRY I PUT YOU THROUGH THAT. GLAD SOMEONE WAS PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW BAD IT WAS GETTING, BECAUSE I WAS REALLY REPRESSING, CONVINCED THINGS WERE FINE. MIX THAT WITH THIS MORNING’S OVEREXERTION OF MAGIC IN THE CAR...” He trails off, lost in thought, his turn to forget that you’re still in his head.

YOU REALLY SAVED ME FROM A HORRIBLE CRASH AND BURN. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE THAN LAST TIME, SO CLOSE ON THE HEELS OF MY MAGIC SICKNESS.

“I’ve always got your back, love, just like I know you’ve got mine.”

He chuckles because at the moment he’s tracing little lines down your spine while you dreamily look around the room. It doesn’t take long for your eyes to find their way back to your souls, calmly resting together in front of you.

…what if I…

“YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE UP TO SOMETHING.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?” You trail off, curious thoughts scratching at the back of your mind. You suddenly need to try something. Eyes casually glancing up to Blue, you put the idea in his head and wait for a response.

Blue lets out a little gasp.

“I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE.” He begins. “OUR SOULS REALLY PICK UP ON THE INTENT BEHIND THE EMOTIONS. COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT HUMAN SOULS ARE SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL, IT COMES BACK TO US TENFOLD. I THINK THAT’S WHY MY HEART WAS BROKEN SO SEVERELY…”

“Would you be willing to let me try?”

He nods, a ball of excited nervous energy.

Reaching out, you gently cradle his soul in your hands again, glancing at him for one final nod of consent before bringing it slowly to your lips.

Blue instantly melts into you.

“OHH…STARSSSS.”

You feel his arms around you droop down to your waist as he shudders against you. There’s a low purr in his chest, barely audible even in the peaceful room. Up until that moment, you weren’t aware Blue could purr.

I’ve managed to turn my skeleton to liquid.

You may not know completely what it feels like for him, but the way he’s now desperately nuzzling into you, arms holding on with renewed strength as residual waves of pleasure and contentment roll off of him are enough to make you sigh happily in return.

“THAT WAS…INCREDIBLY INTENSE.” When he’s finally able to raise his head, there are tears in his eyes. “DON’T WORRY, THEY’RE HAPPY, I PROMISE! STARLIGHT, THAT WAS JUST SO…EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I FELT IN MY LAST ENCOUNTER…” He trails off, staring at his soul in your hands.

The very whole, very unbroken soul in your hands.

Your own is resting content above his, a faint white swirl now visible running through it.

How did I do that?

“HOW DID YOU DO THAT?”

It’s comical, the way you both glance at each other, eyes and sockets wide, reverent look on his face as he keeps glancing between you and his inverted heart in wonder.

When the shock wears off enough for you to really notice, there’s a stark contrast in how Blue’s soul is now behaving. Whereas before it was slow and timid, it’s now bursting with speed, pulsing against yours, appearing to match the same energy he always brings to everything.

“Does it feel any different, love?” You ask, suddenly timid, unable to process the level of intimacy just shared between you.

It takes a minute for him to cobble together a response, his mind a jumble of emotions and impressions.

LIKE A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED…

A VITAL PIECE OF ME HAS BEEN RETURNED…

“I FEEL WHOLE AGAIN. I ACTUALLY WANT TO BEGIN TACKLING WHAT I’VE BEEN NEGLECTING FOR SO LONG.” There’s a growing energy inside of him you know won’t be contained for much longer, humming right below the surface as he turns his full attention back on you.

Without warning – even in your mind - he’s pulling you in for a deep kiss. His phalanges ascending up your back, entwining through your hair. You slide your arms around his neck, firmly grasping onto his ribcage in response. It feels like you simply cannot get close enough to him, even though the two of you have barely broken contact with each other for hours now.

A low rumble is building in his chest, matching the deep moan of need escaping your lips in return. Suddenly, you’re catching a very different type of impression running through his mind.

Oh stars, THAT’S what choice three was?

“DON’T WORRY, I KNOW YOUR LEGS ARE STILL WOBBLY FROM LAST TIME. ONCE WE GET STARTED, I’M NOT GOING TO LET YOUR FEET TOUCH THE GROUND.”

He waves his hand nonchalantly and grins at you suggestively when the shower magically turns on outside.

You laugh. He’s smooth and he knows it.

You thought you were tired only moments before, but the look in his eyes is waking your body up again in all the right ways.

Oh stars, you want him so badly right now. Desire spiking readily through you like he hasn’t just brought you to the brink and shattered you wide open.

“FILLED WITH DETERMINATION, ARE WE? I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM SUCH A WONDERFUL DATEMATE.”

A small warmth floods your chest, radiating outwards. “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me datemate.”

“WON’T BE THE LAST, LOVE.” He growls, face buried in your neck as you grasp onto him. In one swift move, he picks you up like it’s nothing, walking you to the shower, legs wrapping around his hips in response.

“WHAT DO YOU SAY, DIRTY ONE MORE TIME BEFORE WE GET CLEAN?”

You don’t need to say anything. He just knows; can feel it coursing through every bit of you as the patio door swings open and you’re greeted by the crisp November air. It’s such a stark shock to your senses when you go crashing into the wall, hot water snaking down your bodies, the steam making everything around you private and dreamlike.

“There’s a pun in here about getting me extra wet.” You mutter, kissing along the top of his skull currently buried between your breasts.

“STARLIGHT, DATEMATE, LOVE OF MY LIFE. YOU WILL NOT SULLY THIS PERFECT MOMENT WITH PUNS.”

“But I thought you loved every bit of me.” You whisper, gasping sharply as his tongue flicks over your nipple.

He chuckles softly at that, undeterred in his singular mission, you’ve discovered, to see how many times he can get you to cry his name. I’LL CONSIDER IT A PERSONAL FAILURE ON MY PART IF I CAN’T MAKE YOU CRY OUT MY NAME AT LEAST TWICE.

You consider attempting to see how long you’ll last, but honestly your brain is in overload, barely remembering to breathe at this point with how easily Blue is able to draw pleasure from you. If your back starts slipping, he’s there propping you up. Just as the intensity gets too much for one breast, he’s already slid his tongue up your torso to begin focusing on your neck.  

It’s somewhere in between the neck nuzzling and your soft wanting moans that he’s suddenly thrusting into you again, and you absolutely can’t help it as you shout out his name.

“THAT’S ONE, MY LOVE.” He chuckles, nose ridge buried in your neck, teeth against your collarbone as he increases in speed.

Your whole body is lit up. You hadn’t been paying enough attention to where he’s been leaving traces of his magic, but starsss…it all tingles. It feels like he’s leisurely been claiming you this entire time while you’ve solely been focused on clinging to him in desperation.

I SEE YOU’VE NOTICED.

He’s given up on trying to form coherent words in lieu of focusing his concentration…elsewhere, but his undeniable need for you is still coming through between the strained moans he’s making in your ear.

 I WANT YOU TO WAKE UP AT NIGHT REMEMBERING THIS, STARLIGHT.

It’s all you can do to nod against him, pleading whispers of yes, yes escaping your lips. The power of your climax slowly building inside of you.

KNOWING I’M JUST DOWN THE HALL…

In front of the fireplace had been slow and intentional, drawing every touch out with care. This feels desperate and frenzied and you absolutely want it all as he picks up the intensity of his thrusts, matching the needy begging in your head with a well of energy you never knew could exist in one skeleton.

UNTIL YOUR NEED FOR ME IS TOO GREAT AND YOU FIND ME…

Stars, how he’s making you crazy. You’re practically clawing your nails over his ribcage, whimpering. Blue shifts the angle of his thrusts and suddenly he’s found the exact right spot.

“Hnnngnggghh Blue.”

TWO

You bastard.

YOU LOVE IT.

And oh stars, he’s right. He’s in your head and he knows exactly what you want and is only too happy to oblige. Blue chuckles as he continues thrusting, your body slowly coming undone against him.

WAKE ME UP AT 3 IN THE MORNING…I DON’T CARE. I’LL ALWAYS BE YOURS, HEART AND SOUL…

You’re riding a wave of pure ecstasy as you feel Blue shudder against you, your name achingly drawn from between his teeth. Moments later, your reach your own intense orgasm, curling around him as you spasm deliciously in his arms with a moaned “Fuuuuuck, Blue.”

THREE. I LOVE YOU, STARLIGHT.

He holds you firmly against the wall until you stop shaking, breathing returning to normal between soft kisses along his jawline. Honestly, you could just stay there cradled in his arms, nuzzling into his neck all night as you feel him softly slip out of you.

“I don’t know if I can stand on my own at this point!” You’re only half joking as you say it, but he’s already way ahead of you, gently placing you down on the cedar bench in the shower area, kneeling down in front of you.

“YOU WERE AMAZING, MY LOVE. LET ME TAKE CARE OF YOU AND GET US BOTH RELAXING IN THAT HOT SPRING.”

You nod happily with shaky limbs as you watch Blue reach for some complimentary soap and a washcloth, lathering it up before running the cloth gently up your leg. It smells like cherry blossom and almond, comforting and unique. As you look down, you see the water of the shower washing away the culmination of Blue’s magical residue left between your legs as he tenderly cleans you up.

He blips into the room again, grabbing the half-finished bottle of water for you, before sitting himself behind you on the bench, holding you in his arms as the hot water rains down on your faces.

HAIR WASH?

You nod happily in his arms as his phalanges massage your scalp. It’s so relaxing you think you could fall asleep against him. He picks up the pace, knowing how excited you are for the hot soak, and how much your muscles could use it after the day you’ve both had.

“STAY WITH ME, STARLIGHT. LET’S WATCH THE SUNSET OVER THE MOUNTAINS TOGETHER.”

You hadn’t realized how close you were to nodding off, but redouble your efforts to stay awake as the water washes the soap from your hair. Eventually, you stand on legs that resemble wobbly noodles as Blue leads you down the stone stairs and into the hot spring below. Blue takes a seat before pulling you against him, arms circling your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder. This moment is as close to perfection as you think you’ve ever gotten in your life.

Gradually, your soul finds its way back to you, settling under your skin, the last impression you remember is a feeling of warm contentment radiating off of Blue, before leaning further back in his arms. If you could figure out a way to bottle this peace, you’d make a fortune selling it to others.

He’s rubbing a tender spot along the back of your neck, expertly massaging the muscles, the gesture so much more heightened in the healing waters of the hot spring.

You manage to last ten minutes before the intensity of the water is too much to take.

“I’m tapping out, love. I thought my legs were spaghetti before, but they’re now bordering on overcooked pasta. Stars, it feels so good though.”

Blue nods against the side of your head. “I’LL ADMIT, IT’S EVEN MAKING ME FEEL SLEEPY. BESIDES, IT’S TIME TO GET SOME FOOD INTO YOU! I BELIEVE YOU’VE ONLY HAD TOAST TODAY. WHAT KIND OF A DATEMATE WOULD I BE IF I NEGLECTED YOUR NEEDS?”

As if in reply, you hear your stomach answer with a growl. “Fair enough.”

He helps you out, wrapping you in a pillowy soft housecoat provided by the onsen and directs you take a seat on the couch to dry off, running to grab the hairbrush from your overnight bag.

“MY ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO TAKE YOU TO DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT DOWNSTAIRS.” He looks at the time displayed on a wall clock and shrugs. “WE CAN STILL MAKE IT IF WE HURRY. THE RESERVATION IS IN FIFTEEN MINUTES.”

He doesn’t see the face you make as he sits behind you, running the brush through your hair. “BUT WHAT I SUSPECT MIGHT BE THE BETTER OPTION IS TO JUST ORDER IN.” Blue laughs as he watches your head nodding vigorously, shoulders relaxing in relief.

“I have a dress fully packed and am willing to go if it really means a lot to you, darling.” You begin, turning sideways to face him. “I know how much thought you put into planning things for our date.”

“I AM EXACTLY WHERE I WANT TO BE. YOU AND THIS ROOM ARE MY WORLD AT THE MOMENT, AND I’M NOT ABOUT TO BREAK THAT PEACE FOR ANYTHING.” Blue takes his cell phone from his robe pocket, quickly pulling up a menu before handing it to you. “CHOOSE ANYTHING YOU WANT LOVE.” He casually says, before going back to brushing out your hair.

In the end, you have a lovely meal, delivered to your suite by room service, complete with candles and fancy silverware. Blue even orders a bottle champagne on ice, both of you admitting you’ve never tried it before as you clink your glasses in a toast. The bubbles tickle your nose, and you think it tastes like citrus and pure bottled happiness.

Blue, of course, says it tastes as sweet as starlight.

Both of you decide to change into your fancy outfits, the feeling of his phalanges along your back still sending little thrills of pleasure down your spine as he zips up your dress, smoothing it out, letting his hands linger along your hips longer than strictly necessary.

Blue surprises you one more time as he slips into his dress outfit; a blue tweed blazer with lines of rich burgundy running through it, a solid knit burgundy turtleneck residing underneath. He has it belted into a pair of rust-coloured slacks, your heart skipping a beat as he steps from the bathroom, holding out a hand to you.

“SHALL WE DANCE?”

You smile affectionately and accept his hand. “Where’s the music, love?”

As if on cue, the television flicks on, displaying one of the hotel channels. It’s a live feed from the restaurant down the hall, featuring the piano player, and it sounds absolutely lovely.

Sun officially set, fireplace and candles casting a soft glow around the room, he pulls you into a slow, easy waltz, taking his time to walk you through the steps. “Sorry, I’m not the best dancer.” You begin; excuses ready to tumble from your lips.

“YOU’RE A PERFECTLY CAPABLE BEGINNER.” He smiles reassuringly, gliding you across the room. “IF YOU’RE INTERESTED, I’D LOVE FOR YOU TO BE MY PARTNER AT MY WEEKLY DANCE LESSONS. I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO BALLROOM, BUT WOULD PREFER LEARNING WITH YOU RATHER THAN A RANDOM CLASSMATE.” He slowly stops to tuck a stray hair behind your ear, leaving you wondering if you could possibly love him any more than you do in this moment.

Oh stars, he’s too good at this.

“LOOK HOW EASILY YOU’VE MASTERED THE BASIC STEPS OF THE WALTZ. YOU’VE BARELY STEPPED ON MY FEET AT ALL.”

You gasp in mock-indignation before planting a kiss on his teeth. “Flattery will get you everywhere darling.”

He chuckles, before gently picking you up and spinning you around the centre of the room. Wrapping your arms around him you laugh in delight, pulling him into a deep kiss before your feet touch the ground.

“AFTER ALL, IT’LL BE GOOD PRACTICE FOR THE GALA. AFTER YOU PRESENT YOUR LIBRARY REPORT, DANCING IS PRACTICALLY MANDATORY.”

“Wait, what?” You chuckle nervously, having not given much thought as to what a gala actually entailed.

“MMHM…” He goes on. “PRESENTATIONS FOLLOWED BY ENTERTAINMENT, FINE DINING, LIVE MUSIC AND A DANCE FLOOR FIT FOR A QUEEN. YOU’LL BE THE MOST STUNNING HUMAN IN THE ROOM, I GUARANTEE ALL EYES WILL BE ON YOU.”

You shiver as his phalanges find their way up the back of your neck, the whisper of a touch against your skin as he sways softly with you in his arms.

“PAPS AND I ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DANCE. HAD TO LEARN FOR ALPHYS AND UNDYNE’S WEDDING. CAN’T HAVE OUR STARLIGHT FEELING LEFT OUT.”

You’re completely under his spell, swaying in his arms as he holds you close. “Looks like I have no choice. I bet you set this whole date up just to get me as a dance partner.”

“MWEH HEH HEH. FELL RIGHT INTO MY TRAP. YOU WERE NO MATCH FOR THE MAGNIFICENT BLUE!”

He dips you without warning, causing you to cling to his neck. “How many times are you planning on sweeping me off my feet tonight, Blue?”

“AS MANY TIMES AS I CAN GET AWAY WITH.”

You believe him, know at this point he’s completely capable of staying up all night, but that hot spring plus the dinner and the dreamy quality of the room is making you sleepy. Of course, Blue picks up on it immediately.

“THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF SWEEPING YOU OFF YOUR FEET, MY LOVE.”  He says, grinning, pulling you up from the dip. “WOULD YOU PREFER YOUR LINGERIE OR YOUR COMFY PJ’S?”

Catching the look in his eye you laugh, opting for comfy as he twirls you around pulling your back softly to him. “LET’S GET YOU OUT OF THIS DRESS FIRST.”

No complaints are made as he sweeps the coils of your hair over your shoulder, sliding the zipper of your dress down your back. As much as you would willingly participate in spirit, your body is exhausted. Blue, the perfect gentleman that he is, kisses your shoulder once softly before wandering away to drape your dress over the couch and grab your pj’s. After you’re cozy, you find the energy to return the favour, fanning your hands into his jacket as you slowly slide it down his arms.

“You look so handsome in this, babe. It’s almost a shame we didn’t opt for dining in person. Heads would have turned.” You smile, dreamlike, eyes threatening to close as you kiss him softly before tugging at his belt.

“CAREFUL, STARLIGHT.” He grins. “YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO ME.” He says it desperately, and you can see how easy it would be to fall into his arms in that moment and let him carry you away again, but you’re pretty sure you’d fall asleep the moment he put your head on a pillow.

“Give me the chance to recharge my batteries, and I promise I’m all yours. Besides,” you say, yawning “there are several things that I would like to try on you later, but I just need the energy first.”

His breathing is laboured, like he could easily take you again in this moment, but he behaves, dipping his head into the crook of your neck. “STARS, I LOVE YOU.”

“I love you too, Blue. Now let’s get some sleep.”

Happy to oblige, he lets you crawl into bed first, wrapping himself around you, nuzzling his head into the back of your neck. “I THINK YOU HAD THE RIGHT IDEA HERE. THIS BED IS SO SOFT.”

“Mmhmm. Warm. Love. Blue…” You fall into one of the most peaceful sleeps of your life, the feeling of Blue’s warm bones and whispered I LOVE YOU the last thing you remember before tumbling into sweet dreams.

Notes:

So this chapter turned out to be DOUBLE the length of most of my other chapters.
I just didn't want to stop writing it.
I also don't think I'll ever get Blue out of my system.
Hope you all enjoy!
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 27: The Morning After

Summary:

It's so sweet when you can see the progress and growth they've all made.

You briefly wake up some time in the night having rolled onto your back, Blue cuddling against you, fast asleep. The blankets have been kicked off and your pj’s have ridden up, but the bedroom is warm enough that the cooler air is welcome. Blue’s hand is resting softly across your stomach, twitching every once and a while as he dreams. You take a moment to just marvel at the fact that you get to hold him in your arms, and experience his unguarded love.

This might be the deepest sleep you’ve ever seen Blue in. He looks happy, like he’s having the sweetest of dreams. You stealthily try to readjust yourself, getting your neck in a more comfortable position, but as you stir, he sighs softly and cuddles closer. In the end, you decide to forego trying to reposition your arm, willing to risk letting it fall asleep, as you place a soft kiss on his head before closing your eyes once more.

It’s still early the next time you wake up. The sun is just beginning to rise, bathing the room in soft morning light. This time Blue is awake, propped on one arm, tracing small circles around your bellybutton. He hasn’t noticed you’ve opened your eyes yet as you watch his content smile, completely absorbed in his task. Yesterday feels like a wonderful dream.

“Morning, love.” You groggily croak out, raising your hands over your head in a long stretch. As your shirt rides up more, he nuzzles against your stomach, leaving a trail of kisses wherever he goes.

“DID YOU SLEEP WELL, STARLIGHT?”

Nodding, you gently pull him to you for a kiss. He practically melts.

“THERE WAS A SMALL MOMENT AS I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WHEN I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN A DREAM. LITERALLY HAD TO CHECK MY SOUL TO BE SURE. I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER BEEN HAPPIER.”

He lays down next to you, distant but content look in his eyes as you switch positions, draping your arm and leg over him, cuddling into the crook of his neck.

“Penny for your thoughts, Blue?”

“OH.” He laughs. “WELL, ADMITTING I DIDN’T WANT TO REMAIN AMBASSADOR ANY MORE FINALLY GOT MY MIND RACING. THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OTHER THINGS I WAS INTERESTED IN, BUT JUST REFUSED TO EXPLORE, YANNO?” He seems nervous, like he’s working himself up to finally voice something big. “ALSO, YOU WERE RIGHT EARLIER; I STILL WANT TO HELP PEOPLE IN SOME WAY. IT JUST CAN’T BE POLITICALLY ANY MORE.”

You perk up at that, running your fingers up and down his ribs. Your touch seems to calm him as he takes a deep breath and goes on.

“ALPHYS AND I HAD ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT STARTING A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FAIRLY EASY TO GET GOING WITH ALL THE CONNECTIONS WE’VE MADE. I-I THINK I WANT TO REACH OUT TO HER AND REALLY CONSIDER TAKING IT ON AS MY SOLE JOB.”

“Oh Blue, that sounds like such a good fit for you.” It’s easy to tell he’s excited now by the way his face lights up at your response, like he was worried you would shoot it down at first.

“I THINK SO TOO! ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE WOULD BE TO FOCUS ON HELPING MONSTERS FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO BE A BIT OF A CATCH ALL. PROVIDE FOOD AND EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR THOSE REALLY DOWN ON THEIR LUCK. WE COULD DO GYFTMAS TOY DRIVES FOR MONSTERS STILL IN STRIPES AND RUN WORKSHOPS THROUGH THE YEAR! OH STARLIGHT, I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS!”

His energy is coiling tight like a spring, and you know despite how comfortable you are in his arms, it won’t be long until he’s up and ready to start the day. It’s one of the many things you love about Blue; you just wish this peace could last a little longer.

“Feel free to utilize the fact that you’re living with not one, but two librarians! We’ll help you research anything you need!”

You giggle in delight as he pulls you into a hug, before rolling on top of you. “I WAS THINKING OF ASKING THIS LIBRARIAN TO HELP CONDUCT A LITTLE RESEARCH OF MY OWN RIGHT NOW.”

“Oh yeah?” You laugh, incredibly turned on. “What did you have in mind?”

“WELL, YOU SEE, I’M A VERY THOROUGH SKELETON, AND I MAY HAVE ALSO THOUGHT OF SEVERAL NEW POSITIONS I’D LOVE TO TRY.” He kisses you deeply. A low moan escaping your throat. “I NEED HELP PERFORMING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.” He grins wickedly as he grinds his hip bones into you, a warmth spreading out from your core in response.

“I think I can assist with that research, love. I bet we can get through at least…” You pause for dramatic effect “three more scenarios before heading home.”

His eye lights blip into little hearts. “THEN THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU MY LOVE, IS ONE, TWO OR THREE?”

This, you think, is a fantastic way for Blue to expend some of his never-ending energy.

~*~

Paps and Undyne are staring at the living room wall, heads tilted slightly to the left, looking confused.

“Uhhh, did we really do it?”

Undyne nods in response. “I think so?”

“I dunno. Still looks crooked to me.”

Squinting, they stare at the newly hung picture on the wall covering their patch job. Alphys wanders in from the kitchen, chuckling under her breath as Paps feels two hands grasp the sides of his skull and straighten it so he’s looking at the picture head on before moving over and repeating the process with Undyne.

“There, you nerds. Picture looks fine.” She laughs before continuing on to the couch.

They both glance at each other with stupid grins. “We actually DID it!” It doesn’t take long for them to begin jumping around the living room as Alphys looks on in amusement.

“All you nerds did is manage to drywall a hole. A hole, I might add, that was substantially larger than the one you started with.”

“All I’m hearing is you did a fantastic job, babe. I’m sooooo proud of you, my sexy, handy nerd!” Undyne coos in her best impression of Alphys while Paps snorts with laughter.

As big and tough as Alphys tries to be, Undyne can always manage to make her flustered. She quickly pretends to clear her throat and change the subject. “So, what made you think you could tackle something like this alone, Paps?”

He shrugs. “Thought it would be nice to surprise her is all.”

Alphys snorts. “That would have been one hell of a surprise to come home to. Smart move, calling us for backup.”

“Me calling for backup? You practically insisted once I sent you a picture of my progress!”

Undyne blinks at Paps. “Well yeah, we really like your datemate. We didn’t want you to scare her away. She’s my new bestie, after all!”

Paps smile warmly at that. They really had been a huge help when he accidentally cut the drywall too small for the hole at first…and then forgot to support the piece he had added, and then cursed as it fell into the wall and he had to start all over again. It did look good as new though.

Paps even had time to add a fresh coat of paint and completely replace the old art hanging on the wall that you didn’t like. His original intent had been to save it for a gyftmas present, but this was just too perfect of an opportunity to waste.

In its place was a group selfie of the three of you he had snapped on that first day they moved in. He thought you looked lovely – ok, he always thought you looked lovely, but this time you had been particularly beautiful.

It was taken during golden hour, the sun casting the warmest glow on your skin, completely lighting up your face. You had been making bunny ears behind Blue’s skull as he looked on adoringly, stars in his eyes. Paps was resting his cheek bone against your head, happy grin on his face.

It reminds him of home. It reminds him of you.

He knows it’s only been one night, but stars he misses you.

“Paps? Hello there? Earth to Papssss?” Undyne is waving a hand in his face as he shakes his head, snapping out of it.

“Umm sorry ‘bout that. What were you saying?”

“Oh man, you’ve got it bad.” Alphys laughs, hitting him on the back affectionately.

“I was just letting you know that they’re on their way home.” Undyne says nonchalantly as he perks up excited.

“What? How do you know that?”

She waves her cell phone in his face before giggling profusely. “Blue is driving because they got a flat and she’s nervous using the spare tire to get down the mountain, so it’s slow going. I keep in touch with my bestie at all times.”

Paps pulls the cell from his pocket, and sure enough, there are messages from you.

You: We’re just leaving now. Blue is driving on the spare tire. >:(

You: Can’t wait to see you sweetheart.

You: Picture in case you forgot what I look like. ;)

He taps the icon and opens an absolutely stunning photograph of you in a green dress standing by an indoor waterfall. His soul just about leaps out of his chest with how much he currently misses you. Stars, you look so happy. Paps can’t wait to hold you again.

Paps: You look beautiful Honeybee. Can’t wait to see you soon. XOXO

You: D’awww shucks. I’m gonna give you so many SMOOCHES.

Paps is grinning like a fool. As isolated as he let himself become these past few years, he really doesn’t do well alone. The house was too empty last night when he tried to fall asleep. Every creak jolting him awake, even though he knew it was just the old house settling in the wind. He sincerely hopes you’ll want to cuddle up with him later, as he’s desperate for a good night’s sleep.

Undyne is glancing over his shoulder as she whistles appreciatively. “Your human is stunning. I wonder if she’d let me borrow that outfit sometime.”

At first, all Paps can do is nod, dreamy look on his face as he thinks of you coming home to him. “I’ve never seen her in that dress before. Wonder where she got it.”

“Oh! I can answer that too!” Undyne perks up, scrolling back through her messages. “She found it in a trunk. It belonged to her grandmother!”

There’s something about the way you cherish your grandmother’s things that makes his bones hum with warmth. It’s that old underground mentality of repurposing items because they’re precious that gets to him. He sees a lot of excess up on the surface and loves that you prefer to craft and mend things before buying something new.

The friendly conversation continues on for the next half hour as they tidy up the living room and kitchen. Undyne insists they stay until you get home because she wants to say hi to her bestie, and Paps is more than happy to oblige after all the hard work they helped him with.

It’s not long before he can hear the crunch of gravel under tires and car doors slamming as you and Blue make your way up the path to the house. Lightly muffled laughter can be heard as the two of you come up the walkway, and Paps breathes a sigh of relief.

Your return makes this house feel like a home again.

Opening the door, you step inside first, lighting up when you see him. He knows you would have come right over, but Undyne is already there, wrapping you in a big hug as Alphys shares a glance with Paps, rolling her eyes affectionately. Paps just shrugs back, grin forming along the corners of his mouth, happy to wait his turn knowing you’re safe and sound.

Blue walks in shortly after, luggage in hand with a happy smile on his face. When he had left yesterday, Paps could tell he was incredibly nervous. Looks like a night away did him good.

“HELLO EVERYONE! HELLO BROTHER!” Blue nods to him before placing the bags down in the hall to remove his coat. Paps watches as he then helps you remove yours, not a bit of that former insecurity to be found, as he rests his hands on your shoulders and slides the coat off. Everything about him seems more confident and effortless now.

Alphys wastes no time pulling Blue into a conversation about work before Paps hears him jovially interrupt. “ACTUALLY, THERE IS SOMETHING I’D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU ON THAT MATTER.” He says, waving affectionately to his brother before ushering her into the kitchen for a private discussion.

Is Blue going back to work? Paps would have said no yesterday. He didn’t get the vibe that he was ready quite yet. Apparently, there’s a lot he’ll need to be filled in on.

Finally, Undyne lets you go, excusing herself as she heads into the kitchen to join Alphys, winking and giving a huge thumbs up to Paps as she passes by.

Not obvious at all. He thinks, affectionately.

It’s finally just the two of you.

“Hey Honeybee.” He smiles, wandering over to playfully bump your shoulder.

You’re staring at the picture on the wall misty eyed and smiling. “Oh Paps, I knew you were up to something. This is so incredibly sweet.” You wipe a tear away with your sleeve before reaching out and running your fingers along the length of the frame. “I remember this moment. Had no clue that picture turned out so well.” Turning to face him, you curl around his lanky frame in a tight hug.

As he wraps his arms around you and rests his chin on your head, he hears you sigh softly, whispering “now I’m home” into his knit sweater.

Stars, it feels so good to be in your arms again.

“Guilty admission. So, I know it was only one night, but I really missed you.” He chuckles sheepishly as you nod into his chest.

“Me too. I just like knowing we’re at least in the same home together. Is that offer of snuggling still on the table? Once our guests take off, I’d like nothing more than to curl up with you for a nap.”

 “Oh absolutely. Want me to kick them out for you right now?” He grins as you burst out laughing.

You raise your hand to your forehead and swoon playfully as he catches you. “My hero!”

“By the way, wall’s fixed too.” He says nonchalantly, smug grin on his face while he holds you in his arms.

Your face lights up in surprise. “Wait, really?” Your eyes are practically sparkling as you look up at him.

“Yup, but you gotta pay the toll if you want me to let you up to see.” He wiggles his brow bones at you, knowing full well you’re enjoying every minute.

“Truly diabolical!” You laugh. “You’ve got me right where you want me. Extract your toll, sir!”

Leaning down, he nuzzles into your cheek as you place soft kisses along his teeth. Paps can’t help it as he starts to purr. He may be the one holding you, but clearly, you’ve got the upper hand as he slowly pulls you up again.

Laughing, you head over to the wall to take a closer look. “You extract a fair price.”  He knows he’s not as handy as you and Blue – has really been more of a cheerleader and tool fetcher for the two of you, but it’s nice as you run your hand over the wall appreciatively knowing that he’s the one who fixed it himself for you.

“Feels like this place is slowly becoming a little bit more ours every day.” He says tenderly.

You nod in agreement, about to say something further when you both suddenly hear Alphys laughing loudly from the other room, a shouted “NOW WE’RE TALKING!” Practically rattling the walls.

Locking eyes, you briefly glance at him with raised eyebrows before motioning to the kitchen in curiosity. “Should we join them? I have some inkling about what’s going on in there. Didn’t think Alphys would be quite so overjoyed though!”

“Care to fill me in, Honeybee?”

You nod. “The TL;DR version is that Blue doesn’t want to go back to being an ambassador…ever.”

Paps raises a brow bone at that. “NOT the reaction I would have expected to news like that.”

“Well, the second part of that, is that Blue would like to be the head of the non profit they’ve been talking about starting since they got to the surface.”

“Oh stars, that’s RIGHT! I remember them constantly mentioning it! There was just so much to do when we got to the surface at first, it was always put on the back burner.”

You nod excitedly, eyes darting side to side as you deliver more overwhelmingly positive news.

“Paps,” you whisper as he leans closer. “His soul isn’t broken any more. He’s gonna be ok.” You’re blushing profusely, pink right to the tips of your ears as he just gapes at you astonished, unsure he’s heard correctly.

“Wait. What? HOW?” Then, quickly shaking his head, he stops you before you speak again. “No, not how. That’s private and between the two of you. I wouldn’t expect or ask you to say anything, but truly? My brother is truly ok again?” His voice cracks, tears forming in the corners of his eye sockets, soft orange magic pooling before tracking down his face, unbidden. He’s completely overwhelmed.

You just nod as he leans in and rests his forehead against yours. “You take such good care of us.”

“No.” You begin. “We take such good care of each other. You’re my family. I’d be lost without the two of you.”

He can’t help pulling you back into his arms again, as you rest your head on his chest, little cry of joy escaping him as he scoops you up and spins you around the living room. There’s just so much love inside of him right now, that it’s practically overwhelming his senses.  

He smiles as you wipe away his tears, pulling him into a soft, slow kiss. “Let’s get in there and witness our Blue in action.” You grin cheerily, taking his hand in yours, as your fingers curl around his phalanges.

Blue and Alphys are seated at the table, poring over his laptop. You hadn’t even noticed, but Blue must have shortcut up to his room to grab it. Undyne is leaning against the counter, arms crossed with an amused look on her face. The excited energy in the room is at levels Paps can’t remember experiencing in years.

“AND THEN WE…”

“Yes, yes, punk. We could use that old government building. It’s sitting vacant right now.”

“OF COURSE! I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING. PLENTY OF ROOM TO TURN IT INTO A TEMPORARY SHELTER.”

“And there’s a kitchen on the main floor.”

“THE STORAGE WOULD BE PERFECT FOR FOOD, BOTH DRY AND FRESH WITH THOSE LARGE REFRIGERATORS.”

“There’s some office space as well, could easily get you situated. You can choose a few people from our workplace if you think any would be interested, but I’ll leave the recruitment up to you.”

Blue nods, typing madly, looking more animated than Paps has seen in years – and after what you had said, he’s really scrutinizing him now, looking for signs that he’s truly better. Paps believes you but is just so amazed he can barely trust his own eyes.

As if reading his mind, Blue looks up from his computer directly at him and smiles. “BROTHER! WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT I’VE GOT PLANNED! WE’VE GOT SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. COME OVER AND TAKE A LOOK.”

You let go of his hand to stand next to Undyne as he crosses the kitchen to lean over his brother’s shoulder, looking at the word document on the screen. Paps has to smile to himself, Blue already has the headings created and the list stylized enough to look like an official report as he reads Non-Profit Organization: Proposal Points along the top. Blue always has been excellent at staying organized.

“BROTHER, APLHYS AND I ARE GOING TO OPEN THE FIRST MONSTER-CENTRIC NPO IN EBOTT, AND I’M GOING TO RUN IT!”

Blue is practically vibrating in his seat, the excitement so great he can barely contain himself. Paps rests a hand affectionately on his shoulder. “That’s real great bro, real proud of you.” He’s trying desperately not to appear as choked up as he feels. The stars in Blue’s eyes are shining like they once did, the dullness once so predominant, finally wiped clean.

He glances up at you chatting happily with Undyne, scrolling through your phone showing her pictures of your trip and is once again absolutely taken aback by how their lives have done a complete 180 since you literally ran into him on your first day at the library.

He knows he’s going to spend every day cherishing you, but he’d also like to do something special, maybe bring Blue in on this action, really wow you with a gyftmas present, or a huge sweeping gesture. Paps puts that idea in his back pocket for now, determined to come back to it at a later date.

Instead, he watches as Blue and Alphys rise from the table. “If we head to the office now, we can get at least get the paperwork started. It’s Sunday, it should be deserted. What do you say, Blue?”

He nods in agreement, tucking his laptop away in its satchel before realizing there’s still a room full of people. “OH UM STARLIGHT, IS IT OK WITH YOU? I KNOW WE JUST GOT HOME AND ALL, BUT THERE’S LUGGAGE TO UNPACK AND LAUNDRY TO WASH AND…”

You smile warmly at him and nod. “Go. Enjoy yourself. Tell me all about it when you get back, my love.”

Blue just beams as Paps raises an eyebrow in amusement. Finally said it, I see. No wonder he has so much energy. I was on top of the world when I found out you loved me.

He’s smiling fondly as Undyne picks up on it too, leaning forward with a huge grin, trying to get your attention.

Your face is flushing pink as you pretend not to notice her, but you’re failing miserably. She is not a monster that can easily be ignored. Paps chuckles as her gaze gets even more intent, slowly moving towards your line of sight.

Blue, completely oblivious, runs over and gives you a huge hug, causing Undying to jump back thwarted while giving him the side-eye. There’s a look on her face as she finally catches your attention that just screams don’t think I’ll forget this…we have much to discuss, before giving up to stand next to Alphys. Paps simply sits back and enjoys the show.

~*~

The three of them leave pretty quickly after that, Blue’s excitement ushering everyone out the door, Undyne all the while looking like she’s trying to figure out how to get more information out of Blue. You breathe a sigh of relief, just wanting to be alone with the sweet skeleton wandering up behind you.

You wave to them from the open door as Paps rests his chin on the top of your head, draping himself overtop of you. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re the perfect height for this?” He jokes warmly.

Leaning back on him, you close the door. “No. Never, my love.”

“Your bed or mine?” He whispers tenderly to you and stars, you can’t wait. His warm solid presence is always so comforting when you’re trying to sleep.

“Tough choice. They’re both wonderful options. Let me get a load of laundry started and the suitcases put away first, then we can make this very important decision together.”

He helps as you bring your overnight bags to the laundry room, wandering away to hunt down soap as you load the washer up. Once the load is started, you store the empty bags away, and with a final bout of energy, choose your room, heading upstairs for your nap with Paps excitedly trailing behind.

You’re half way up the stairs when you trip, accidentally placing your foot too close to the edge of the next step. It sends you careening backwards with a shout of alarm and a sudden jolt of fear coursing through your body.

Paps manages to catch you unscathed, but your heart is racing out of control as he slowly rights you on the step, holding you safely to him until you stop shaking.

“Oh stars, that could have been a disaster. You alright, Honeybee?”

You nod, about to say something when the both of you unexpectedly hear Blue yelling from the kitchen in alarm.

“STARLIGHT, WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU OKAY?” It comes out panicked as he runs into the living room and spies the two of you staring blankly at him from the landing.

Shakily, you and Paps walk down the stairs as he runs over to check on you, alarmed look on his face as Paps watches in confusion.

“How are you here Blue? I thought you had left with Alphys and Undyne.”

“I DID.” He’s talking fast, nervous energy around him as he continues to look you over. “WE WERE DRIVING TO THE OFFICE WHEN SUDDENLY I FELT THIS SPIKE OF PANIC RACING THROUGH MY SOUL. I JUST…IT FELT…I KNEW…STARS STARLIGHT, I KNEW IT WAS COMING FROM YOU SOMEHOW.” The scared look in his eyes is starting to soften now that he sees you’re ok.

“I tripped going up the stairs, but Paps caught me before I could hurt myself. It was pretty scary but…I don’t understand. How did you feel that?”

Paps is quietly watching the two of you with a growing look of concern on his face. “Blue. As far as I’m aware, that’s…not possible.”

His eyes dart over to his brother before landing back on you. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. I GUESS WE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING NEW TODAY?” Now that the initial panic has worn off, Blue is letting go of some of that anxiety with nervous laughter.

“Honeybee…may I see your soul?”

It’s such an odd question if you stop and think about it. Literally would not have made a lick of sense five years ago, but it now seems so vital, so important and intimate. “Of course,” you nod, a ball of curious nervous energy.

Paps very softly draws the soul from your body and lets out a small “oh” as he notes the swirl of white monster magic now running through it. You watch as he reaches out and briefly wonder if he’s about to unwittingly pull you into another encounter. He stays his hand though, despite the fact that untethered to your body, you can feel your soul crying out for theirs.

It must be equally as powerful to them, because Paps quickly returns your soul to you, taking a moment to collect himself. Blue looks equally as pained, but smiles as you meet his eyes, easing your fears.

“Are the two of you ok?” You ask nervously.

Blue nods. “YEAH, WE’RE FINE. THAT WAS JUST THE MAGICAL EQUIVALENT OF YOU PHONING US...AND WE BOTH DESPERATELY WANTED TO ANSWER THE CALL.”

Paps nods in agreement. “Good analogy, brother. May I see your soul now?”

Blue startles, involuntarily clutching at his chest before sudden realization dawns on him. “OH.” Is all he says as he pulls the soul from his ribcage.

It’s perfect and whole and you’re suddenly hit with your own wave of desperation, needing to get to him, wanting nothing more than to reach out and cradle his soul to your chest. Paps must see it in your eyes too, as he takes your hand in solidarity with a gentle squeeze.

You know you’ve already told Paps, but seeing it healed and whole is clearly having an effect on him. His hand is gripping yours back tightly as Blue smiles, and you wonder if you’re holding on to him for support as much as he’s holding on to you. It doesn’t take long after Blue pulls his soul back to him before Paps is grabbing his brother, enveloping him in a fierce hug.

You watch as Blue stands frozen in shock for a moment before warmly returning the embrace. Paps is openly crying, and you find yourself tearing up watching as they reconnect on a very personal level. It’s like all the unspoken care and worry they’ve held for each other all these years has finally made it to the surface.

“Brother, I’m so happy for you. You’ve always been so strong, I’m amazed by you each and every day and am so, SO happy you’re well again. I was so worried for so long.”

“AND YOU’VE COME SO FAR TOO PAPY. YOU’RE LETTING ME IN AGAIN.”

You feel like you’re intruding on a very private moment. Wanting to let them bond, you slowly start to sneak back, thinking you’ll make a quiet retreat, but Paps just grabs you, pulling you into the hug with the two of them.

“Not so fast, Honeybee.”

“YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.” Blue chimes in.

Your head is resting between Blue’s forehead and Paps’ ribcage. You can feel his tears of joy as he sobs gently against the two of you, Blue equally teary eyed and happy. Your hands find their way to their backs, grasping onto their shirts with small fists as tears of your own begin to fall.

My family. You think to yourself. All I’ve ever wanted and never thought I’d have. Stars, I love them so much.

Notes:

So did Undyne and Alphys even realize he teleported out the back of the dang car, or did they just keep talking to nothing for the entire rest of the trip? XD
Please assume he texted them shortly after and took a shortcut to meet them at the office!
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 28: Once More, with Style

Summary:

It's Paps' turn to deal with Doug and Beth
TW: Bullying, snowball injury, freezing water

The rest of November seems to fly by in a blur. You and Paps are steadily making progress on your report, having gathered all the in-library interview data weeks ago and are now just compiling it into a comprehensive presentation for the gala, and stars, there is a lot.

Twenty plus hours of interviews and program footage, hundreds of pictures and brochures, as well as dozens of emails from people and monsters who have comments and compliments, suggestions and stories that were born out of programs put on by their local library branches.

The challenge now has been to condense it all into a twenty-minute presentation, showing the best moments of the past year and highlighting what will be carried forward into the future. The both of you are also working on a larger, more comprehensive report that's already threatening to exceed 80 pages.

Paps seems to enjoy the minutiae of editing, creating and clipping long videos into manageable chunks, while you work on a script and slideshow of pictures to compliment his video. He’s on the couch in the middle of sifting through interviews as you slip your arms around him from behind and kiss the top of his skull. “Gonna head into the library for a bit. Have that backlog of cataloging to catch up on. Anything you want me to grab on the way home while I’m out?”

Paps tilts his head back so he’s looking at you upside-down. “Shoot me a text when you’re done. I’ll need a break by then and we can head to the grocery store together. What timeframe are we thinking? Two hours or so?”

You nod, leaning down again to kiss his nose ridge as he hums with a smile. “Love you Honeybee.”

“Love you too Paps.”

“You sure you don’t want me to shortcut you there? Snow trouble, really.”

“Nahhh, you know I love walking in the snow, sweetheart!” You grin, sliding your toque over your head before donning your mittens. “Besides, I’ve been hunched over a computer for too long today. Need to stretch my legs before I get to work and hunch over a new computer for a few hours.”

He chuckles with an affectionate wave as you leave the house. It’s a winter wonderland outside. The snow has been falling steadily for about two hours now, enough to leave a decent blanket on everything. Not many cars are out driving at the moment, so the world is currently that very special kind of quiet that only comes when snow arrives.

It’s still too soon for kids to be out building snowmen, but you enjoy the pleasing squeaky crunch it makes under your feet as you wander up the street, satchel slung over your shoulder. This will be good snowman making snow. You think, judging it solely based on the noise it makes as you walk. You wonder if Paps and Blue might want to build one with you later.

Mind on Blue, you think back to these past few weeks. It’s taken some getting used to, once you both figured out your souls literally calls to each other, that small sliver of magic transferred between the two of you connecting Blue like a lifeline to your heart.

After many discussions and lingering concern from Paps, the three of you agree to reach out to Undyne and see if the royal scientist-turned-magical sciences specialist can offer any more insight. She was absolutely fascinated by what had happened, but with so little recorded encounters between monsters and humans, she didn’t have much precedent to compare your situation to.

Still, Undyne was very eager to run tests, determined to figure out exactly what was happening. In the end, her results were fairly conclusive, lining up perfectly with the hypothesis you and Blue had already put forward. The intent you had poured into Blue’s soul during the encounter had transferred his magic to you, essentially binding your souls together. You had healed his broken heart, and now a small piece of his essence lingered within your own soul.

Undyne explained that while it wasn’t unheard of for monster magic to linger after a truly powerful encounter, this bond seemed to have clung more tightly to you—and it didn’t let go; most likely because you were human. It was as if your shared love had decided to take up residence within each other’s souls.

She was able to find exactly one reference to it in the ancient textbooks behind her desk, noting that it was a deep and lasting love between the two souls and she quoted, that they could respond to each other’s wants and needs through the power of suggested emotion alone. They were so in-tune with each other, it transcended words.

Of course, Undyne immediately then asked if she could publish a report on the phenomenon, promising to keep its subjects anonymous for future reference. She was confident this would become more relevant as more monsters and humans entered long-term relationships and had encounters like yours.

All three of you ended up refusing, worried that despite the anonymity, it could still be traced back to you. There weren't enough monster/human relationships on the surface yet, especially with someone like Blue who was still very much recognizable as a public figure. Neither one of the boys wanted to risk your privacy like that.

Attempting a new angle, Undyne had wanted to investigate the source of Blue’s broken heart – an idea you gently but firmly shut down. Every relationship was unique, the circumstances too varied for any meaningful data to be gathered; it would all amount to little more than speculation. You could sense overwhelming relief coming off Blue in waves after turning her down. While you appreciated your bestie’s enthusiasm, your priority would always be Blue and Paps. 

So here you were, caught somewhere between an encounter and something entirely new. It hadn’t been obvious that first morning at the onsen, when you were both so happy and content, feeding off your shared love. It was only when Blue sensed you were in danger that he reacted so viscerally - as your soul tried to call out to him in alarm. You couldn’t read each other’s minds, but you could feel the strongest echoes of each other’s emotions.

Learning to control it has so far been a steep learning curve, but you were making progress. Fear, however, remained the hardest to contain, most likely because it was a raw, instinctive reaction – something you felt before you had a chance to process it.

Blue had learned to text you first if he sensed you were startled, after shortcutting home while you were just watching a horror movie with Paps. Turns out he was a pretty good real life jump scare, appearing moments after the on-screen monster, worried sick over you. You've been finding random pieces of popcorn in the living room for weeks now.

The connection goes both ways too. There’s a constant hum of contentment radiating from Blue – a steady warmth that he LOVES sharing with you. If anything, it puts you in the best mood of your life, a constant reminder you’re loved, even when alone. He jokingly keeps calling the soul bond your secret super powers. Blue rarely seems down these days too, so excited with his new calling and figuring out this new found soul bond between you.

The only downside to all of these new developments in your lives is the sheer amount of time his new position demands of him. Blue has been working late every day for the past two weeks, and on weekends, having wholeheartedly thrown himself into starting up the NPO. When you do manage to see him, he’s a whirlwind of stories and excitement, always ready to shortcut to his next meeting or dash off to put out another fire somewhere. It’s understandable, and Blue promises the work won’t always be so time consuming after it’s up and running, but it’s still admittedly hard.

When you asked Paps if this was what life was like when Blue was ambassador, he just nodded and chuckled. “Yeah, but if you miss him, just tell him. He’ll make the time for you, I promise.”

Turns out, you don’t need to say a word. One unexpected bonus of your connection is that Blue can feel your sadness as he gets ready to leave. On one particularly tough day, he was only gone for five minutes before rescheduling his meeting and rushing back to you. Without hesitation, he pulled you into his arms from behind, his love and affection flooding through you. He trailed soft kisses up your neck, whispering promises in your ear — vows that he would always make time for his soulmate.

You cherished the gesture, but it only strengthened your resolve to learn how to better control the soul bond. The last thing you wanted was for him to feel guilty about going to work every day just because you missed him. The truth was, you were going to miss him every time he left the house — but it wouldn’t be fair to let that weigh on his soul. If you ever needed to talk about his work habits, you’d do it the old-fashioned way.

He’ll be home tonight, so you and Paps have decided to make crepes just like on that first night you met. You’re even planning on buying him some rice cakes to rest his drink on, knowing he’ll find it absolutely hilarious.

Looking back on this summer and fall, you’re amazed at how far your life has come. You never imagined experiencing a love like the one you’ve found with the two of them. Now, your thoughts turn to how you can show Blue and Paps just how much you care — by doing something truly meaningful for them. But what?

Rounding the corner, you spot the library in the distance, but strangely enough it’s closed.

Huh. That’s odd. It should be open today.

Frustrated, you shake your head and pull out your phone, standing on the steps by the front door as you open your work email.

Loading…

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~~IMPORTANT NOTICE~~

You find it buried under ten other emails you had absolutely meant to go through, cursing yourself for missing it because you can’t keep your inbox organized. Paps wouldn’t have gotten this email either, as he’s not currently assigned to this branch at all.

The Ebott East branch will be closed for the next two days to make repairs on our central heating system. Please continue to monitor your emails for further information regarding closure updates, and please prepare for shift relocation assignment emails for those employees scheduled during this time.

“Crud.” You grumble, wandering down the stairs. You wouldn’t be on any shift relocation email lists as you didn’t actually have set branch hours. So much for the cataloging. Sure, you could go back home and continue working on the project with Paps, but you’re creatively burnt out on powerpoint and canva, and had just needed a break.

You’re willing to admit that, yes, you are indeed a nerd—cataloging would have been the break you were giving yourself. Still, you manage to regroup quickly, deciding instead to take a walk in the park that you passed on your way here. It’s so peaceful and empty right now, and as the snow continues to fall, it’s practically calling to you from across the street.

You’re so drawn to it, in fact, that you miss the sound of an engine cutting out and car doors opening. It isn’t until you’re hit in the ear by an icy wet snowball, pain radiating down the side of your face, that you notice your uncle and former coworker taking aim again.

“Finally got you alone, you fucking bitch.” Beth screams, hurling another snowball at you with impressive accuracy as you dive behind the wall of the park. Suddenly, the deserted gardens don’t feel like the most ideal choice, but with nowhere else to go, you run deeper into the park, boots crunching through the snow, as their angry voices trail close behind.

It’s impossible to hide - the snow clearly displays your tracks as you blink back tears of pain. The side of your face stings with cold where you were hit. Unsure if any real damage has been done, you start to look around for something to put between you and them.

“Not so tough without your little bodyguards around to protect you this time, huh?” Your uncle says, lining up his aim with another snowball in hand. “Don’t worry though, we just want to talk.” He says in a mocking tone, lobbing the snowball at your head at the same time Beth launches hers. You manage to dodge the first one, but the second hits you square in the face, bringing you to your knees with a small whimper, as you hurriedly try to wipe away the stinging snow from your eyes.

It’s somehow worse now than in childhood. You often felt your grandmother was the only thing holding him back from truly hurting you, but with her gone and him still furious about how everything turned out, he’s legitimately dangerous now.

Apparently, the warning from Paps and Blue didn’t leave a lasting enough impression, or maybe enough time has passed that all Doug remembers is the sting of embarrassment. With Beth as a constant source of anger in his ear, he’s probably convinced himself the situation was always within his control, he had just been caught off guard.

The realization that you’re completely alone with them sends a spike of fear running through you, as you stagger back to your feet. You’re sure that Blue feels it, but can he track your exact location? Is there any way you can send a text to Paps without them noticing? They’re both approaching you from opposite sides of the bench as you back up slowly, nowhere to go except into the barely frozen man-made lake behind you.

“You ruined my life.” Beth snarls. “I can’t get another job now because of how you got me fired from my last one.”

The second snowball to hit your face brings tears to your eyes as they instantly freeze against your lashes, making the sting running through your nose all the greater. You need to keep them talking, stuff your hands in your pockets and blindly try to call Paps or Blue.

“I don’t know why you just won’t leave me alone. Your actions got you fired Beth, not me. I’ve never done anything to either one of you and I’m still met with constant hatred.”

“You got my wife fired,” Doug begins, counting on his fingers. “My mother should never have had to raise you. It was my fucking sister’s fault - and that deadbeat father of yours, leaving her stranded when she got sick. YOU STOLE MY HOUSE FROM RIGHT UNDER MY NOSE, AND NOW YOU’RE LIVING WITH A BUNCH OF FUCKING MONSTERS. YOU DISGUST ME. YOU DON’T DESERVE ANY OF IT.”

Oh Paps…oh Blue. You're so much more than what these horrible people reduce you to.

He screams, and you flinch, feeling every bit the helpless child again as they take another step closer, invading your personal space.

You’re fumbling with your phone, but Doug catches the movement. In two swift steps, he reaches you, grabbing your wrist, yanking your hand—and your phone—out of your pocket as he wrenches it from your grasp.

“Trying to call for backup? Not today bitch. Today is a day for settling scores between family.”

With a vicious sneer, he arches his arm back and hurls your phone into the lake. The fragile ice cracks with a muffled thud as you cry out in fear.

~*~

Blue is content, happy with the work he is doing, knowing it feels right. The office space is coming together right on schedule, and he's currently working on staffing several key positions along with the handful of coworkers that joined him from his former job. It’s a good mix of monsters and humans who were eager for a chance to be more hands on with the community. The day is going so well, in fact, that Blue is going to surprise you and Paps by coming home early.

He's currently in the middle of conducting his last interview of the day for a Fundraising Manager position when he feels his world suddenly get yanked out from underneath him. Fortunately, he’s seated, because the overwhelming wave of terrified sadness nearly knocks him off balance. He clutches his chest, his eye lights flickering out completely as he desperately tries to make sense of the surge of emotion crashing over him.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He can vaguely hear the interviewee, alarmed look on their face. “Umm sir, are you ok?”

He knows he should say something, but fear catches his words before they can leave his body.

This isn’t like those other times when you’d accidentally been startled by a jump scare in a movie or when he first felt that small spike of fear when you fell down the stairs. Those had resolved instantly as Blue got better at recognizing and reading your emotional shifts.

This was pure terror. You are in trouble and it’s chilling him to his very core, his soul practically beating out of his chest in an effort to reach you.

He doesn’t even apologize, merely stands, barely remembering to run out of the room before shortcutting home, screaming your name. 

Paps shouts, startled, and jumps a good foot off the couch, papers flying everywhere as he spins around. Blue is standing there, looking feral — desperate to find you and reassure himself that this was all just some misunderstanding.

“PAPS WHERE IS SHE?” Blue screams, tears clouding the corners of his eye sockets as he dashes around the first floor, still hoping you’ll come out of the kitchen and surprise him.

It only takes a few moments for Paps to quickly catch up, a look of pure panic on his face mirroring Blue as he grabs his phone. “L-library. She went to the library.”

Blue is gone before he even finishes his sentence, shortcutting directly into the empty building, confused by the eerie silence. He’s frantically shouting your name, running back to your office in the dark as Paps appears, close at his heels. He looks disoriented and confused too, but no less panicked now that he sees the building is completely empty.

“SHE’S NOT HERE. NOBODY IS HERE. PAPS SHE’S SO SCARED.” He cries, clutching at his chest as he leans against the circulation desk, another strong wave of emotion hitting him all at once. He looks up at his brother, tears falling from his eye sockets. “SHE’S HURT AND WE'RE NOT THERE.”

Blue is tearing through the library like a wild animal, checking every row of books to make sure you’re not tucked away in a back corner, unsure what to do next. You’re close by — the pull of your soul is stronger here than it had been at the house — but it’s still not close enough to pinpoint. He silently curses himself for not making time to practice honing this ability with you more since he started working again.

Trying to be the calmer of the two, Paps begins pacing, his brow bone furrowed in worried as he processes Blue’s revelation. “She was coming here for a few hours to work on cataloguing and then I was going to meet her afterward to grocery shop. It hasn’t been long - twenty minutes, tops.”

“DID SHE EVEN MAKE IT HERE THEN?” Blue anxiously glances outside, spotting a set of footprints by the front door, already being swallowed by the snow. “SHE MUST HAVE. OH PAPS, I’M SO SCARED FOR HER. I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE TRACKS. MAYBE THEY’RE HERS.”  

Thank goodness Paps is thinking clearly. He holds up a hand, pulling out his phone. “Wait! Let me check the GPS tracker. Remember when we convinced her to turn it on all those months ago?” His hands shake as he opens the app, waiting what feels like a small eternity for your cell phone’s location to ping.

Blue watches as Paps’s face drops. “She’s in the park—in the… lake? That can’t be right.”

Their eye lights lock on each other in terror as they both shortcut across the street, frantically searching for any sign of you. Three sets of tracks lead toward the water, your satchel abandoned along the walkway as the footprints continue on. Paps grabs it as they break into a run.

They hear you before they see you - a loud splash, followed by a low, pitiful cry. “Over there!” Paps shouts, pointing toward the lake. Two figures stand above the ice and – wait - are they laughing?

Dread needles through Blue’s bones like jagged fractures, quickly giving way to seething rage when he realizes who’s with you. One way or another, after today, these two won’t ever bother you again. The sound of their laughter as you struggle in the freezing water will be burnt into his mind forever. Blue is going to make sure they pay.

Paps catches the look in his brother’s eye lights and grabs his arm. “Honeybee first. She’s our top priority.”

Blue nods, breathing steadier, thankful his brother is there to ground him. Priorities straight, they shortcut over to the lake.

~*~

The water shocks your system as you claw desperately at the brittle ice, fingers numb and trembling as it breaks apart under your grip. The lake is shallow, but the muddy bottom clings to your feet, making it nearly impossible to stand. Freezing cold bites into your skin like needles, and your chest heaves as you cough up the icy burn of water in your lungs.

Their laughter echoes in your ears as you struggle, tears mixing with the freezing water dripping down your face. How were you ever going to get home without frostbite? Would they even let you get home? Panic spikes as your mind spirals through the logistics - what would happen to the house without you?

Surely he wouldn’t go that far?

Oh Blue. Oh Paps. I’m so sorry for getting into this situation.

Just as suddenly as you were pushed into the lake, you’re being hauled back out — Paps' strong arms wrapping around you as he floods your body with as much warm, healing magic as he can manage. You’re still freezing, but the sharp pins and needles in your limbs start to fade to a more manageable sting.

“Shhhhh Honeybee. S’ok, s’ok. We’ve got you.”

“GET HER OUT OF HERE PAPY. I NEED TO HAVE A TALK WITH THESE TWO.”

Blue’s voice leaves no room for argument, vibrating with a cold, calculating rage that rolls off of him in waves. But even through your exhaustion, you're more terrified for him than for your uncle. You clutch at Paps, shaking your head despite the violent shivers wracking your body.

“Please, Paps” you croak between ragged coughs. “Don’t leave him alone. He needs you r-right now. I’ll be fine.”

You double over, hacking up what you hope is the last of the water in your lungs as Paps pats along your soaked back, his magic thrumming under his touch in an effort to help ease your suffering.

Blue has trapped your uncle and Beth behind a cage of jagged bone bars as they scream in alarm. He glances back at you, his eye lights wild and burning with barely restrained fury. If you weren’t so completely drained, you’d try to send calm reassurance to his soul - but your heart is pounding so erratically, you know you’re only throwing off fear and exhaustion.

“SHE’S FREEZING PAPS. GO. NOW!”

Sweet, loving Paps glances between you and Blue, his expression torn. But you see the exact moment he makes his decision – his face hardening with quiet resolve.

“She’s right, Blue,” he says, his voice heavy as he pulls you closer to his chest. “I’m just as furious as you are, but this isn’t a path you get to go down alone. Besides,” he adds, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous rumble, “it seems the first warning didn’t hit home as hard as we’d hoped. I think we both need to remind them exactly what happens if they ever so much as think about us again.”

Blue opens his mouth to protest, but Paps silences him with a sharp look – a rare, uncharacteristic hardness to his features.

“Don’t do anything until I get back.”

Blue nods reluctantly, jaw tight, as you glance up at Paps in alarm — the world already blurring as he pulls you into a shortcut home.

~*~

Paps wastes no time bringing your freezing body straight to the bathroom. He carefully peels off your waterlogged clothes, placing your satchel on the floor as the soaked fabric hits the tile with a wet smack. You stand there trembling, shivering in protest.

“G-get back to him, please.” You plead, your voice fragile, eyes filled with sorrow.

Paps grabs a towel from the counter, wrapping it gently around your shaking frame.

“He’ll wait for me, I promise, you’re more important right now.”

He sits you down on the closed lid of the toilet, turning on the faucet to fill the tub with hot, steamy water. The room slowly fills with warmth as he kneels in front of you, eyes scanning your face as he winces.

He lets out a soft, broken ‘oh’ as he brushes your damp hair back from your face. “You’re cut right above your eyebrow…What did they do to you, Honeybee?”

His voice waivers as he carefully tilts your chin, inspecting the bloodshot eye and swollen lip. His phalanges ghost over your skin – gentle, meticulous - before they graze your ear. You flinch as he startles. The skin is red and raw, scraped like it had been dragged across rough stone.

“S-snowballs,” you whisper, the word barely leaving your lips before you crumble, dissolving into quiet, exhausted sobs.

“I’m so, SO sorry, love,” Paps breathes, guilt weighing heavy in his voice. “If I’d thought for even a second that they’d come after you, I never would have let you out of my sight.”

But how could he – how could anyone - have predicted the chain of events that led to this?

He holds open his arms as you gratefully allow yourself to be folded into his embrace, silently crying in small, pitiful gasps while he holds you close, gently rocking you.

“Please, Paps,” you beg between broken sobs. “You have to go back to him. I need to know you’re BOTH home and safe. I’ll be f-fine until you get back.”

Stars, how was he ever supposed to leave you like this?

But it’s the fierce determination in your eyes — the same unyielding love for the both of them that he knows so well — that eventually strengthens his resolve. He runs a phalange down your tear-streaked cheek, lingering for just a moment before reluctantly rising to his feet.

“I’ll be back as soon as we finish taking out that trash.” With that, he shortcuts back to the park.

You were right to be worried. Blue may not have physically acted, but his body language is a coiled spring - the bones holding Doug and Beth in place are jagged and vibrating with his barely contained emotion. He’s been learning control, but in this state, with his magic amplified by the resonance of your soul, he’s liable to burn through his reserves faster than even he expects.

Blue jumps the moment he sees Paps has returned. “IS SHE SAFE?”

He nods to his brother, before turning his attention back to the two people who have relentlessly tormented you since you moved back home. Forcing himself to project a calm he absolutely does not feel, Paps steps toward Doug, every movement deliberate.

“Here’s how this is going to go down, since you didn’t seem to get the message last time.”

Blue looks like he wants to say something, but this time it’s Paps’ turn. Whatever Doug and Beth think this is, they’ve crossed the line long ago. He’s done watching his family suffer at the hands of someone else’s delusional sense of self-righteous entitlement.

“I value my family’s peace above all else, you two keep violating it.”

“Oh, shut up you fucking monster. You don’t get to call any human part of your family.” Beth shouts, not nearly as nervous as she should be.

“Beth, just listen.” Doug says, eyes anxiously watching his every move.

Oh yes, he’s been here before. He remembers our promise.

Maybe Doug thought enough time had passed, or that maybe their magic threat really didn’t have the teeth behind it he so clearly felt that night. Or perhaps Beth’s constant stream of hate slowly chipped away at his fear until his resolve wavered. Regardless of whatever stupidity led them to attack you, they had seen the opportunity to hurt - and they took it. Only now reflecting on the choice they had made.

Paps turns to Beth, a tired look in his eyes.

“It’s all surface level to you, isn’t it? You’re so blinded by this hate or fear, or” -he waves his hands dramatically- “whatever’s rattling around in that brain of yours, you’ve convinced yourself that different must mean bad.”

She just glares at him as he continues.

“I’m willing to bet it doesn’t stop at monsters. I bet you only like a certain type of person, a certain ideology you’ve wrapped your whole personality around. You’re so sure that anyone who doesn’t look and act like you must be wrong. Nothing I say today will get through to you, so my actions are going to have to speak louder than my words...”

Paps sighs, drawing deep on a well of magic he rarely taps into. Two large floating skeletal heads materialize behind him, orange lights flickering menacingly in their eye sockets. He allows himself the briefest of moments to chuckle under his breath, just knowing deep down that you would absolutely try to pet them and make friends. The thought of your imagined happiness gives him the strength to stay calm.  

“…so I want you to meet my guard dogs.”

Even Blue gasps. He’s only seen them a handful of times, and only ever in the underground in dire situations. They drain so much of Paps’ magic that he almost never bothers, preferring to talk his way through a fight before resorting to the hidden aces up his sleeve. Most of the time, the mere sight of them is enough to end things. He hopes that will be the case now - Paps wants to have enough energy left to heal you when they finally get home.

“Well, I guess 'guard dogs' is a bit of a misnomer.” Paps tilts his head, pretending to mull it over as the color drains from Beth and Doug’s faces. The blasters drift closer, inspecting them like curious predators. “They’re more like, oh, I don’t know… magic particle cannons? They’re pretty good at completely eviscerating anything in their path. And they love scritches right above their nasal ridges.”

One of the skulls lets out a low rumble, sniffing at Beth. She’s frozen solid, her face locked in an expression of pure terror.  

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, am I right?” Paps shrugs and strolls closer to them, resting a hand tenderly on one of the floating skulls.

“I know you’ve only seen one side of me, Beth. You probably think I’m quiet, keep to myself – bit of a pushover, letting things roll off my back. And to an extent, you’d be right. Most of what you do doesn’t bother me. What do I care if you don’t like me? It doesn’t affect my life in the slightest.”

Paps glances over at Blue and the frozen lake they had pulled you from moments ago, before slowly turning back to face them, eye lights completely gone out.

“But the moment you let that hatred affect my family,” he says, voice low and cold, “we’re going to have a bad time.”

One of his blasters begins to charge, magic coalescing between its jaws as the wind whips around them. Blue stares at him, wide-eyed, hopefully aware that Paps won’t actually fire — though his shock is convincingly real.

“UMM BROTHER…” Blue starts, his voice echoing through the icy air. “SOMETHING TELLS ME STARLIGHT WON’T WANT YOU ACTUALLY EVISCERATE THEM, AS TEMPTING AS THAT MIGHT BE.” He winks, subtle enough that only Paps catches it. Relief mixing with pride at Blue’s flawless acting.

“Woah hey hey look Mr. Paps? Was it?” Doug stammers, throwing his hands up in a desperate attempt at deescalating the situation. “I’m sure we can work something out. You want us out of her life? Done. It’s over. This was a temporary lapse in judgement. We saw her from the car and made a stupid choice, that’s all. We’re done. I swear.”

“Not good enough any more.” Paps’ voice is flat as his second blaster starts to hum, magic building like a storm. The dry crackle of static clings to the air, growing louder as the energy swells – nearly drowning out Doug’s terrified shouts.

“Tell us what you want. We’ll do it. Just…PLEASE STOP! Don’t use those things on us.”

Paps knows he needs to end this soon. Even letting the magic build for effect like this is draining him, and Blue is starting to sweat from the effort of maintaining the bone walls around them. But aside from those subtle tells that only Paps knows how to read, Blue remains a silent wall of menace behind him.

“Move. Not just out of the city. I want you to move out of state and to stay out.”

The words come without hesitation. Paps knows he’ll never feel comfortable as long as they’re around, no matter what promises they make. Today has made it glaringly obvious that they can’t be trusted. He wants you to feel safe in your city - to see you happy and confident, not constantly looking over your shoulder in fear.

Beth’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, her voice lost to panic. Doug stammers, his words catching in his throat.

“W-w-wait just a minute. This is my home. I have roots here.” He pleads, scrambling for anything that might change Paps’ mind.

“You have one month.” He replies, utterly remorseless.

The magic in the blasters begins to fade, the air still crackling as Doug tries again to protest.

“THIS ISN’T OPEN FOR DEBATE.” Blue screams, finally dissolving the bone prison around them.

Paps nods, his words cutting like a knife. “Maybe you’ll have better luck finding a new job out of state, Beth. Somewhere far away, where they don’t know you. Honestly? I don’t really care.”

She looks like she wants to argue, but Doug places a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head no.

“We’ll be gone,” he mutters, defeated.

“GOOD,” Blue grows, a wicked glint in his eyes. “WE’LL BE SURE TO FOLLOW UP - SEND YOU A NICE HOUSEWARMING PRESENT.”

A single bone shoots up from the ground in front of them with a sharp crack. Beth shrieks and jumps back, nearly knocking Doug over in her panic.

“Hopefully this is the last time we’ll be seeing you in such a…state.” Paps adds, unable to resist the pun. It might fly over their heads, but he knows Blue caught it.

“Shall we go home now, brother? We’ve got someone very special needing our attention.” He glares at the two of them, daring them to say something. Smartly, they remain quiet.

Blue snorts, shaking his head. “THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER ASK.”

Without another word, they shortcut home to you.

~*~

You eventually stop shivering, submerged in the hot water with your legs tucked against your chest, arms wrapped tightly around yourself. You rock back and forth; the water turning a murky brown as bits of lake mud dissolve from your skin. The real turning point comes when you feel Blue’s rage slowly being to subside - the panic in your chest loosening enough for you to finally breathe.

He’s safe. It’s going to be okay.

You try to shrink your world down to this bathroom, grounding yourself as the shock ebbs, leaving you drowning in a sea of emotions.

The deep ache of hurt at what they did to you.

Shame, despite knowing none of it was your fault.

Fear at the thought of being alone.

Grief for the happiness they shattered.

Not for the first time tonight, you can’t imagine what your life would look like if you hadn’t met Paps and Blue when you did. You’re sure Doug and Beth would have scared you clear out of Ebott by now. The thought bringing fresh tears to your eyes, and you wonder if you’ll ever truly escape the shadow of your fear for them.

Your heart nearly seizes when you hear noises outside the bathroom door, terror spiking sharp and fast - only to dissolve when you recognize the familiar sounds of Paps and Blue finally safely home. Their muffled voices drift through the bedroom, quiet hum of a decision being made, before there’s a gentle knock on the door.

“It’s just me, Honeybee.” Paps calls softly, cracking the door open as you usher him in. “Let’s get you looked at properly now that we’re both home.”

“Are you okay? Is Blue okay?” The words spill out of you, voice raw and shaking as the sight of him safe and sound eases your overflowing emotions.

“We’re both fine,” he reassures you, kneeling by the tub. “Blue went to throw your pajamas in the dryer so they’re soft and warm for when you get out. In the meantime, let’s work on getting that dirt out of your hair, yeah?”

You don’t protest as he gently lifts the showerhead, carefully running warm water through your hair. You hadn’t even thought about it, too consumed with thawing out and trying to hold yourself together, but Paps tends to every strand with unwavering patience and care, only stopping when he’s completely satisfied.

He reaches into the murky water to pull the drain, then helps you slowly step out of the tub, wrapping you in a warm towel he had ready. Without a word, you melt into his arms, clutching on to the front of his hoodie as he holds you close. He rubs his hands along your back through the towel, his voice breaking as he whispers:

“I’m so sorry, Honeybee.” He rocks you gently, steadying you as your breathing hiccups out of you in ragged bursts. “I promise you’ll never have to see either of them again.”

“Never?” You look up at him, hope flickering in your eyes, desperately wanting to believe him.

“Mmhmm.” Paps hums, his voice steady and certain. “They’ve suddenly decided to relocate to another state.”

Despite the ache, you raise a skeptical brow. “Another state?” You echo, incredulous.

“I’m very convincing when I want to be,” he says, a playful glint in his eye. “Managed to convince you to fall in love with me, after all.”

“There you go again,” you murmur, a fragile smile tugging at your lips. “Always managing to make me feel better.”

“If I can’t make you smile, I’m not doing my job properly, my heart.” He presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head. “Now, let’s get you dry and dressed so I can heal those cuts of yours.”

Blue arrives shortly after, with your fresh clothes warm from the dryer. He helps you slide into them, careful with every movement, before immediately pulling you into a tight hug.

“FELT LIKE MY SOUL NEARLY SHATTERED AGAIN,” he whispers, voice thick with emotion. Paps quietly slips out, leaving you alone with Blue for a moment as he gathers up your wet clothes to toss in the washer.

You break down, clutching onto the back of Blue’s work short, the familiar warmth of his bones radiating through the fabric. “I’m so sorry for scaring you like that,” you choke out between sobs.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I’M SORRY I DIDN’T GET THERE SOONER,” he insists, his grip tightening like he never wants to let go. “ONCE YOU’RE BETTER, WE ARE SO WORKING ON PERFECTING THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN US. I WANT US TO BE SO GOOD AT FINDING EACH OTHER, WE’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK AGAIN.”

He manages to make you laugh in between your sobs as he runs his hands through your hair. “I LOVE YOU SO DAMN MUCH, STARLIGHT.”

He grins through his own misty eye sockets, fighting to remain upbeat for you, as he gently wipes your tears away with soft pads of ecto skin on his thumbs. But when he fully takes in the damage done to your face, his resolve crumbles. The battle lost, his tears finally spill over, streaking down his cheekbones in delicate blue trails of magic.

Picking up on the ache in his soul, you’re now the one comforting him. “S’okay Blue. Paps will heal me. I’ll be good as new soon.”

“STARS, I WISH I WAS BETTER AT HEALING MAGIC,” he bursts out, a shaky laugh escaping as he pulls you even closer. His voice softens to a whisper. “YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HIM. PAPS WAS SO AMAZING TONIGHT.”

Smiling gently, you take his hand and guide him over to the bed. “I need to sit down, but please - I want to hear all about it, my love.”

Encouraged, Blue nods and carefully tucks you in under the covers before settling beside you, launching into a vivid retelling of the night’s events. He details how Paps singlehandedly stopped him from doing something incredibly stupid and handled his business, protecting his family.

You’re so incredibly proud of the both of them and completely awed anyone would ever do that for you. You continue listening, wide eyed as he describes Paps’ blasters, before stopping him to interject. “Wait - he can summon floating skulls just like that?”

“TO BE MORE ACCURATE, I’D SAY THEY’RE CANNONS.”

“Yeah, but you literally said they looked like giant dog skulls. Stars Blue, do you think he’d ever let me meet them? Or, like…pet them?”

A soft chuckle from the doorway interrupts your excitement. “How did I know you’d want to pet the huge magical skull weapons? Stars, you’re wonderful.” Paps says, leaning against the frame with a fond smile.

“You are gonna show me someday, right?” You ask, practically vibrating with anticipation.

Paps crosses the room, his eyes filled with nothing but love for you. “By now you must know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, my soul.” He murmurs, settling on your other side. “Ready for some healing magic?”

You nod as Paps arranges himself, Blue lacing his fingers with yours in support. He starts with your brow, carefully tucking a stubbornly loose curl of hair behind your ear before his magic begins to flow. The familiar warmth blooms along your skin, gentle and soothing.

You close your eyes as his phalanges ghost over your eyelids, each touch like a trail of butterfly kisses along your face, gliding down to your lips.

Next, he moves to your ear, the raw sting dissolving beneath the steady green glow of his healing magic. The ache fades, replaced by a quiet relief that spreads through your entire body.

When you finally open your eyes, the glow has vanished, leaving behind a tired but undeniably happy-looking Papyrus gazing sweetly back at you.

“Hello, beautiful,” he whispers, voice soft and full of adoration.

“Hi there,” you sigh, leaning forward to rest your forehead against his, feeling safe and more loved in this moment than you ever thought possible.

Blue is the first to notice his brother looks worn out. “YOU DID USE UP A LOT OF MAGIC, PAPY.” He says, pressing a kiss against the back of your hand before rising from the bed. “WHY DON’T THE TWO OF YOU TAKE A NAP WHILE I GET DINNER READY FOR THE THREE OF US?”

Under normal circumstances, you and Paps would have protested, wanting so badly to celebrate his night off with crepes, but you can clearly see how completely wiped out he actually is just by the way he’s leaning against you, barely able to hold himself up.

“A nap sounds lovely. Thank you so much Blue…for everything.” You smile, letting as much warm contentment as you can muster make your way to his soul, watching as his worried brow unfurrows, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

“I’LL WAKE YOU UP WHEN DINNER IS READY. SLEEP, MY FAMILY.” He smiles, turning out the lights as he heads downstairs.

Paps looks at you, bleary-eyed, a sheepish grin tugging at his face. “Guess I used more magic than I thought.”

“You could have waited until you were feeling better before healing me.”

“And see you in pain? Absolutely not. Besides,” he chuckles, rubbing at his eye sockets. “it’s nothing a rest with my favourite cuddle buddy won’t fix.”

“Your favourite, eh? That implies the existence of others.”

Still laughing, he peels off his dirty hoodie and pants before crawling into bed next to you. “Well yeah, it’s hard curling up with the dog skulls - they’re so bulky.”

You laugh as he wraps himself around you, nuzzling his head comfortably against the side of your neck.

“All joking aside,” he murmurs, trying to stifle a yawn. “I don’t want you to be scared of your uncle any more. He has been dealt with.”

You nod against his head, your fingers absentmindedly tracing the smooth curves of his ulna and radius. His breathing evens out as he drifts off to sleep.

“I love you, my sweet Paps,” you whisper, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead before letting sleep take you, too.

Notes:

Reader is 100% gonna name those blasters.
This chapter was quite long and could have gone in several different directions.
I'm happy with where it ended up.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 29: Bits and Bobs

Summary:

Some fluff before we get to the gala

“HOT SOUP, MY SOULMATE!” Blue says, putting the bowl of chicken-noodle down in front of you. Although Paps had healed your physical injuries that day, your body had still struggled with the lingering chill of that icy lake plunge, compounded by the stress your uncle and Beth had put you through, it came as no great shock when the cold settled in like a parting gift. Honestly, you think, it was a small price to pay for never having to see them again.

You look down at the soup and laugh - goldfish crackers float on top, arranged in a lopsided happy face before coughing into your arm.

“Nice touch, Blue.” You say, reaching for a generous portion of hot sauce, determined to make this bowl of soup work miracles on your sinuses.

“I HEARD THAT FOOD IS BETTER FOR YOU IF IT’S MADE WITH LOVE.”

What an absolute sweetheart.

“Yes, that is completely accurate darling.” You reply with a smile – just not in the way you’re thinking. He’s made it a special point to come home every day to serve you your lunch after hearing Paps would have just been content to bring you whatever baked goods were fresh from Muffet’s that morning.

You’re only half-jokingly mourning the loss of a fresh croissant and tea as you dig into the soup. It’s fantastic. You knew it would be. Blue spent his entire day off on Sunday scouring the market for ingredients and making the broth from scratch. You sat idly by for as long as you could, wrapped up in several layers of sweaters and blankets cheering him on. Eventually, Paps had to relocate you to the couch where you promptly tipped yourself over in your cocoon of blankets and immediately fell asleep to the soothing sounds of them cooking in the kitchen.

Today, you think, you might finally be turning a corner. You’re able to stay awake longer than a few hours at a time, and the persistent chills that have been haunting you for days now have finally started to subside.

The soup is doing a wonderful job of clearing up your sinuses as you happily listen to Blue describe the progress he’s made at work. It’s one of your favourite parts of the day - listening to him excitedly talk about what’s been bringing him joy.

“REMEMBER LAST WEEK WHEN I SAID WE HAD REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND MARKETS? WELL, ALL OF THEM HAVE OFFICIALLY GOTTEN BACK TO US WITH A PROMISE TO DONATE ANY LEFTOVER FRESH FOOD TO THE PANTRY THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE GONE TO WASTE! THIS AFTERNOON I’M WORKING ON COORDINATING DRIVERS FOR DAILY PICKUPS.”

He smiles fondly at you from across the table, slowly working through his own bowl of soup as you feel a bright burst of happiness light up your soul.

“STARS, YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL.” He adds, grinning as you blink at him in astonishment.

“Babe,” you laugh, shaking your head. “I look rough right now and you know it!”

“NAHHH,” he insists, a light dusting of blue across his cheekbones. “YOU’RE ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL TO ME.”

Another wave of love and affection radiates from him, even stronger than the first, as you blush too, unsure what sparked the sudden surge of extra emotion.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” You say, matching the energy pouring from his soul into yours. “Any particular reason why this version of me is really getting to you?” You chuckle, grabbing a tissue to deal with your runny nose.

“I JUST…WOULDN’T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU.”  He says, voice softening as you toss the tissue into the trash within reach of the table.

“Like, for lunch?” You tease, grinning.

“LUNCH, LIFE, ALL OF IT.” He says, growing more serious. “PROBABLY WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN REPRESSING A BUNCH OF THINGS I NEEDED TO DEAL WITH - COMPLETELY BYPASSING THE MAIN THING I NEEDED TO WORK ON.”

You smile and shake your head. “Blue, you’re giving me too much credit. You’re the one who did the hard work. Be proud of yourself!”

“I KNOW I PUT IN THE EFFORT,” he insists, unwavering in his sincerity. “BUT YOU MADE ME WANT TO DO IT. I…I REALLY DON’T THINK I WOULD HAVE EVER STARTED TRULY WORKING ON MYSELF WITHOUT YOU IN MY CORNER, STARLIGHT.”

You don’t know what to say. The love flows both ways, as strong and steady as the magic connecting your souls. There’s so much you feel compelled to do simply because Blue and Paps are firmly in your corner. Finally, you settle on a reply - simple, and heartfelt.

“Reverse uno. I completely understand, darling.”

Blue immediately jumps up in response, reaching into his pocket as you watch in delight. It takes a moment to flip through a few things in his wallet before he triumphantly presents you with a slightly crinkled reverse uno card, holding it out to you with a dramatic flourish.

“You carry around an uno card in your wallet?” You take it, turning it over in your hand, amused confusion written across your face. Blue just grins, waiting patiently while you put two and two together.

That night at the bonfire…

He didn’t…

He did.

Blue leans in, a sly grin stretching across his face as he sees the recognition spark in your eyes.

“YOU’VE GOT A BIT OF SOUP ON YOUR CHIN. HERE, LET ME…” He leans in, pressing a kiss to your jaw.

Your brain stalls.

“OH STARS, THERE’S MORE…” He murmurs, trailing more kisses along your skin as you freeze, overwhelmed by the way your body reacts. How could you possibly feel this good while still being so miserably sick and drained?

“THERE. I THINK I GOT IT ALL,” he whispers, voice thick with affection, “BUT I CAN ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK LATER IF YOU LIKE, MY DARLING SOUL.”

Stars, did I really do that to him? How did he remain on his feet? If I wasn’t seated, I’d be melting into a puddle on the floor right now.

It’s all you can do to smile and nod dreamily as he slips the uno card from your fingers, carefully tucking it back in his wallet before taking your hand, nuzzling softly into your palm.

“AS SOON AS YOU FEEL BETTER, I’LL CHECK AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT,” he smiles, and the knowing look in his eye lights tells you he’s very aware of exactly what he’s done to you.

Straightening up, Blue glances at the time with a sigh.

“AS ALWAYS, LUNCH WAS FAR TOO SHORT, MY SOUL. I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE FEELING BETTER AND I GET TO SHOW YOU AND PAPS AROUND THE OFFICE. THERE ARE A FEW SURPRISES I’M EXCITED FOR YOU TO SEE!”

Still riding the tail end of your very unexpected arousal, you manage a grin and a nod.

“I look forward to it, Blue. Bet it looks fantastic.”

“UNTIL TONIGHT, STARLIGHT.” He says, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead before shortcutting back to work.

Stars, for a fleeting moment, you’re tempted to send him the fiery wave of desire still smouldering inside you - just to see what he’d do with it. But you decide to save that for another day when you’re feeling better and you know he has time to play.

You savour the idea, letting it take shape in your mind - picturing him faltering mid-conversation at work, words trailing off as the heat of your longing unexpectedly floods through him like a summons he can’t ignore. You wonder how long it would take for him to make excuses, and drop everything just to get back to you, wrecked with wanting.

You shiver at the thought, and for the first time since you’ve been sick it’s not from the cold.

~*~

A few more days go by, and you’re well enough to work again, though a lingering cough and a rasp in your voice remain. Despite steadily sipping some form of hot beverage all day, running through the presentation with Paps for what feels like the dozenth time is really doing a number on your throat.

You’ve nearly perfected your speech, determined to get it right for the gala in a week’s time. After the excitement of the event fades, Gyftmas will only be another week away, and it’s starting to feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get through all you need to do – especially with you feeling under the weather for so long.

“We should go through it again. I feel like we’ve almost nailed it.”

Paps pulls you to the couch, wrapping you up in his arms. “You’ve nailed it, Honeybee, and honestly, I don’t think your voice can take much more. What’s this really about?”

You sigh, taking comfort in his steady strength as you lean back into him. “Just nervous about the presentation, and the gala in general. You know I like to repurpose my things before I buy something new, but I don’t think I have anything fancy enough to actually wear to a black-tie event.” You play with the frayed edge of his hoodie sleeve in comfort.

“We can easily fix that. We’ll go out when you’re feeling up to it and get you something stunning. Next! What else can I do to help?” He smiles, nuzzling into the back of your neck where he knows you’re particularly sensitive. You giggle happily, relaxing as you lean into his touch.

“Okay…Well, I’ve only taken a few dance classes with Blue so far. I don’t think I’m good enough for what he described the gala as,” your voice trails off as Paps hugs you tightly before ushering you up to your feet.

“I can help with that too, and look, I know he probably fed you a line about how we know how to dance, learned for Alphys and Undyne’s wedding bla, bla, bla,” he rolls his eyes with a chuckle. “But I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. We learned a basic waltz with a few flourishes. That’s it. Why do you think he wanted to take you to dance class with him? To re-learn all the moves he already knows?” Paps chuckles. “I’m always happy to practice with you, love.”

Taking out his phone, he connects it to the tv and pulls up a slower song with a graceful, flowing rhythm. He places your arm atop his chest, and taking your hand in his, he wraps his other around your back. “Stand on my feet, Honeybee. I’ll literally walk you through the steps. S’okay. You’ve got this.”

With his encouragement, you place your feet on top of his as he pulls you closer, holding you steady in his arms. It’s a bit wobbly at first as you both being to move, but soon you’re closing your eyes, trusting that he won’t let you go as you concentrate on his whispered directions. He’s even describing the steps you should be taking, despite the fact that he’s doing the mirror image of what you’re doing.

“…back two three, side two three, front two three…Yup, you’ve got it Honeybee. That’s it, love. Just needed a good teacher.” He coos encouragingly.

Another song cues up as you begin the process all over again, this time standing on your own two feet. Paps is so calm and soothing; the earlier worry over your abilities you had been feeling starts to melt away. It’s still not perfect, but you don’t get flustered when you make a mistake, you just get a grin and an affectionate hand squeeze as you correct your trajectory and keep going.

As the second song comes to a close, he raises your hand to his teeth, grazing the ghost of a kiss along your knuckles before bowing to you with a wink. “We’ll practice a few times every day until the gala. You’ll be fine. I’ll even teach you the few flourishes I remember.”

Breathing a little easier, you head back to the couch as Paps jumps up with a start. “Oh, I almost forgot. I made you a little something,” he says rushing to his room. “Be right back!”

You can hear him rummaging through papers on his desk, followed by the sound of a pile of books crashing to the floor. You chuckle as you catch his muffled “Oh come on,” from down the hall, before he returns triumphantly to you on the couch.

“It’s not much, but lately when I find myself awake at night, I’ve been working on a new hobby,” he says, holding his hands behind his back shyly. “The last time I was at the library, there was a box of discards that was going to be thrown out, so I saved an older copy of Pride and Prejudice from the pile. It was in pretty bad shape, so I started using the pages to practice origami.”

He sheepishly hands you a delicately folded heart with a bow, all made from a page of your favourite book. It’s beyond thoughtful. It doesn’t escape your attention that the heart you hold just so happens to have your favourite scene from the book on it.

He continues, his words spilling out in a rush. “I’ve just been practising…I’m not very good yet. I made a bunch of them, and I’m almost half way through the pages of the book, but I keep messing up or they look crumpled. This is the best of the bunch, though, and I thought you might like it. If you don’t though, it’s totally fine I just- mmphf…”

You silence him by pulling him into a kiss. It’s amazing to you that the novelty of new love hasn’t worn off yet. After all this time, he still melts under your touch, moaning softly before drawing you onto his lap. As you pull back for air, you murmur soft thank-yous against his jaw, as he hums happily in response.

~*~

In the end, it’s Undyne who takes you on her errands, begging time away from Alphys so she can do a bit of Gyftmas shopping on her own.

“I swear she gets extra nosey this time of year,” Undyne grumbles. “It’s almost impossible to keep a secret from her. Hiding the presents has become a nightmare - she’ll tear through the house looking for clues.” She wanders beside you, hands stuffed into her pockets as she passively glances into store windows, a thought forming. “Do you think I could hide her gifts at your place this year? They’d finally be safe and oh,” she trails off, her grin sharp and mischievous, “the smug look I’d get to keep on my face would be priceless.”

You laugh, nodding affectionately. “Absolutely! She’ll be surprised this year for sure.” As you walk, your steps slow in front of a boutique. The window display is enchanting - each dress looks like it’s been plucked from the pages of a fairy tale, reminding you, with a sinking feeling, that you still don’t have anything to wear for the gala this weekend.

Undyne follows your gaze, glancing from you to the window, and back again. Then, mind made up, she squares her shoulders, grabs your hand, and drags you through the door. Your protests of, “but it’s too expensive,” dissolve the moment you cross the threshold.

Inside, the shop is a world of its own. The window had just been a preview, a small taste of the overwhelming choice within. The dresses are laid out in a rainbow of colours and fabrics, each more luxurious than the last. Soft piano music drifts through the air, blending with the scent of fresh flowers – lavender, you think - despite the chill outside.

A saleswoman instantly hones in on the two of you, a sleek looking deer monster with one of the sweetest demeanours you’ve ever encountered approaches with a smile.

“How can I help you find the gown of your dreams today?” She asks, her voice as inviting as her expression.

Undyne nudges you forward, but you don’t resist. The glow of the lights, the softness of the fabrics, the gentle music — it all pulls you in. And maybe, just maybe, you’re ready to let it.

Yes, you’re totally in control of this situation, and the last time you checked, trying dresses on is completely free, after all. Maybe you can just get a sense of what you like and then search for something similar in a store that fits your budget.

“I umm…I have a gala to attend this weekend,” you admit, feeling a little sheepish.

Her eyes light up with understanding. “I know exactly the one you’re talking about. I’ve already assisted a few people in attendance.” She leans in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper – a line, you suspect, she’s perfected over time. “But since I already know what they’re wearing, I’ll make sure you really outshine them.”

Oh, she’s good.

Even Undyne gets caught up in the excitement, tossing out introductions as you’re shepherded down the aisles of silk and velvet, lace and satin. In the process, you discover your sales associate’s name is Flora as she puts you through a rigorous interview of what you do and do not want in a dress.

Up until that moment you didn’t realize you had preferences, but apparently you do.

Soft, spring pastels don’t feel right for this time of year.

You want something that shimmers (who knew?) - something that makes you feel magical.

You’re surprisingly open to bold choices: a plunging neckline, a slit up the side. You would’ve shied away from them before, but lately, you’ve felt more comfortable in your body.

You’re drawn to fabrics that shift the light, tricking the eye with an array of colours.

Eventually, Flora claps her hands, satisfied. “I’ve got it,” she declares, and suddenly, you’re being ushered toward the fitting rooms while an assistant is dispatched to help her pull dresses.

You’ve been instructed to change out of your clothes and wait.

Undyne just laughs. “I had no idea things could get so intense until I went shopping for my own wedding dress.”

You chuckle, not minding her presence in the fitting room as you slip out of your sweater. She’s already been enlisted by Flora to help you in and out of dresses.

“Do you think that’s where your relationship is headed with the boys?”

Oh stars, you forgot how blunt she could be. Only this time, it doesn’t feel like she’s overstepping. You’re closer now - better friends than you were even just a few weeks ago - and you feel comfortable around her now, safe enough to share.

“Honestly, ‘Dyne? Yeah.” You grin, admitting it out loud to yourself for the first time ever. “I couldn’t imagine a future without them in it. Never thought I’d find this kind of love once, let alone twice. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way.”

And stars, wouldn’t you know it - the two of you are already getting misty-eyed. Sensing a shift in mood, she playfully punches your arm and shouts “DIBS ON MAID OF HONOUR!”

Laughter bursts out of you, uncontrollable and free, tears streaming down your face for an entirely different reason now.

When you finally catch your breath, you ask, voice quieter, “Do you think that’s where they see things heading too?” You ask timidly, suddenly worried there may be an additional step that needs to happen with monsters, much like the encounters you were pulled into.

“Oh absolutely,” Undyne says without hesitation. “Mind you, I know Paps a little better than Blue, but he’s always been the quiet romantic type. I’m willing to bet he’s already got ideas for what a ceremony would look like for the three of you.” She smirks. “And Blue? With your soul bond, I imagine you’ve been getting those vibes from him for quite a while now.”

You nod, letting her words settle over you like a warm blanket. Giving yourself a moment to focus on your bond with Blue - on that steady, ever-present hum of happiness and support that he’s always sending you.

Concentrating, you send him an overwhelming burst of love in return. It isn’t hard, not with how full your heart feels right now.

Your new, recently replaced cell immediately starts ringing from your pants pocket.

Undyne snorts, handing you the phone with a questioning look. “Seriously?”

You laugh, wiping your eyes as you answer.

“Hi Blue.”

“HI STARLIGHT. I…I JUST SUDDENLY NEEDED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE.” His excitement is palpable — you can practically hear him one step away from kicking his feet and giggling. “I TRUST YOUR OUTING WITH UNDYNE IS GOING WELL.”

You grin at how composed he’s trying to sound, like he’s not bursting with joy. “Are you busy right now, love?”

“YES, I’M JUST ABOUT TO START A MEETING, BUT I WAS JUST COMPELLED TO CALL.” His voice dips into flustered territory, and you find it utterly endearing. “YOU JUST…I MEAN. STARS, I DON’T KNOW WHAT I DID JUST NOW TO MAKE YOU FEEL THAT WAY, BUT WOW, LET ME KNOW SO I CAN DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN,” he laughs, delighted.

“I love you, Blue,” you say, knowing that’s exactly what he’s trying to express beneath all the rambling. “I won’t keep you, but I can’t wait to see you tonight.”

“YES, STARS YES! TONIGHT IT IS. HAVE A GREAT SHOPPING TRIP. TELL UNDYNE I SAID HI – AND STARLIGHT. I LOVE YOU TOO. SO, SO MUCH.”

You end the call and hand your phone back to Undyne, who stares at you like you just grew another head.

“You did that with just your soul bond?” she asks, incredulous.

“Well yeah. I just sent him a burst of love. Pretty easy to do, considering what we were talking about just now.”

Undyne nods, looking genuinely impressed. “If I could do that to Alphys…” she trails off, lost in thought, a dreamy look in her eyes.

You don’t get to continue the conversation, though, as you’re suddenly bombarded by some of the most breathtaking dresses you’ve ever seen. Flora, having returned in full force, shifts from kind and welcoming mode, to kind and no-nonsense mode, her sharp eyes reading every flicker of your expression like a book. “This one first,” she declares, holding up a gown that looks like it belongs on a red carpet.

Before you know it, Undyne and another sales associate are helping you step into one of the most buttery-soft green velvet dresses you’ve ever seen. It drapes like liquid over your skin, with a plunging neckline and no back to speak of, the fabric pooling elegantly on the floor. Flora tuts as she bustles around, fetching some high heels in lieu of your sneakers to properly gauge the hem’s length.

Once appropriately attired in heels, Flora smooths the dress one last time and steps back, letting you take a full look at yourself in the mirror.

All you can do is stare, open mouthed.

You’ve worn dresses before, but this one feels like it’s wearing you. It hugs your figure; tracing lines and curves you didn’t even know you had. You turn slowly, noting how the fabric dips in the back, pooling just above the curve of your hips like it belongs there.

“Holy shit.” Undyne breathes, stepping back to take you in. “This has to be some kind of human sorcery, because I am completely under your spell.”

You laugh, heat rushing to your cheeks at the intensity of her words – but the truth is, you feel enchanted too. “I umm, I really like it,” you manage, voice soft but certain.

Flora – clearly a seasoned expert in such matters, just nods and snaps her fingers. “NEXT!”

Before you can protest, you’re whisked out of that dress and into the next one.

When you question why, she just smiles knowingly. “You’re going to look stunning in all of our gowns,” she explains, “but I’m waiting for YOUR reaction to match that intensity. Then we’ll know we’ve found the right one.”

You cycle through four more dresses, each just as beautiful as the last. Any one of them would be a dream to own, and if someone handed you one as a gift, you’d accept in a heartbeat. But she is right, something is missing, something you don’t know how to describe until you slip into the next dress.

Oh stars.

The gown is midnight blue, and as you move, the fabric seems to catch the light like a starry sky, glittering with every turn. It sports an equally plunging neckline, but the craftsmanship is so impeccable that you feel secure, like you could twirl and dance all night without a single worry.

And the moment you see yourself, your heart skips a beat, your breath catching in your throat.

Flora watches you carefully, her smile growing.

This is the one.

Undyne is speechless, her mouth slightly agape as she slowly lifts her phone and snaps a picture of you, mid-twirl, the dress catching the light like a constellation of stars. “I have to send this to Paps.” She whispers, glancing at you first for permission. You nod, heart thudding in your chest, imagining Paps’ reaction to you wearing this.

Flora ducks out of the fitting room with a knowing smile, giving you space to be “alone with the dress.”

It doesn’t take long for Undyne’s phone to start vibrating relentlessly. Laughing, she holds the screen up to show you the incoming flood of messages.

Paps: OH STARS

Paps: Is that really my Honeybee?

Paps: Undyne, is she currently wearing that dress?!?!

Paps: WHERE ARE YOU???

Paps: Help. I NEED to be there NOW.

Undyne snorts, barely holding herself together. “Do I put him out of his misery?” she chuckles, eyes gleaming with mischief.

You nod, face reddening in embarrassment, but secretly glowing with delight.

Less than a minute after she sends your location, you hear a familiar voice at the front of the store, slightly frantic, being directed toward the fitting rooms. Stars, he must have shortcut right over.

You both turn, a soft knock on the door drawing your attention, as Flora peeks in with a gentle smile. “There’s someone here looking for you. Would you like me to send him in?”

The butterflies in your stomach begin to kick up, as you nod, barely able to contain your excitement.

Flora steps aside, holding the door open just wide enough for Paps to slip through before silently closing it behind him, leaving the three of you in privacy.

His gaze meets yours — and everything else just fades away.

Paps doesn’t move at first. He just stands there in the doorway, breath catching in his chest, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as if he doesn’t know what to do with them. His expression shifts—wonder, awe, something like disbelief flickering in his eye lights as he takes you in.

“Honeybee…” His voice is barely above a whisper, as if saying your name too loudly might break the spell you’re both under.

You shift under his gaze, suddenly shy, smoothing your hands over the front of the gown’s skirt. “You really like it?”

“Like it?” A grin forms on his face as he takes slow, deliberate steps toward you. “I—stars, my heart, I don’t have the words.”

There’s something almost hesitant in the way he reaches out, phalanges ghosting over the shimmering fabric near your waist before he stops himself. He swallows hard, blinking rapidly. “You look… ethereal.” His voice is hushed, reverent. “Like you stepped out of my dreams.”

Your breath catches, a warmth spreading through your chest.

Behind you, Undyne makes a strangled noise, failing miserably at pretending she’s not swooning over the two of you like she’s reading a romance novel.

Paps finally lets himself touch you, his hands settling carefully at your waist, veneration in every movement. His thumbs brush over the shimmering material, slow and deliberate, like he’s committing the texture to memory. His eye lights flicker into little hearts, unable to control how happy he is in the moment.

“I can picture it,” he murmurs, voice low and emotional. “You… in this dress. Moving with me like pure magic across the dance floor.” His grip tightens ever so slightly, like the thought is almost too much for him. “And me, following wherever you lead.”

You reach up, brushing your fingers along the edge of his jaw. “I thought you were supposed to be the one leading the waltz,” you chuckle softly.

He exhales, hands gliding up your back, as his phalanges trail reverently along your skin.

“Yes. Wait…what were we talking about again?” He laughs softly, leaning his forehead against yours.

Standing in your heels on the raised platform, you’re almost eye level with him for once. “Just about the amazing time we’re going to have at the gala, sweetheart. Commit this to memory though, because I have to find something elsewhere that’s actually within my budget.”

He shakes his head disbelieving. “Nahh, can’t show me this and then expect me to just leave it here.”

“But sweetheart,” you whisper. “Look at the price tag.”

You turn around so he has easy access to the tag hanging from the zipper, but he just looks and shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, so?”

Turning to face him again, you blink in astonishment. “I would never ask you to—”

He just chuckles, placing a soft kiss against your lips. “Good thing you’re not the one asking. We’re getting you this dress, my love.”

“Paps—”

“No.” His phalanges curl slightly as he raises them to your cheek, caressing softly with a look of love in his eye lights. “It was clearly made for you.” He pauses, swallowing against whatever emotion is threatening to overtake him. “Please Honeybee. Let me do this.”

Undyne, beside herself at this point, wipes aggressively at her face. “Okay, you two have got to stop being so damn cute, I am not about to start crying in a dress shop.”

You laugh, breathless, overwhelmed, and full of love. “Okay,” you whisper. “But you are not paying for this on your own. Stars knows it costs half a month’s salary.”

He nods happily, wrapping his arms around you and lifting you clear off the platform in a little spin, just to watch the fabric shimmer and glow around the two of you.

And just like that you’ve got your dress.

~*~

It’s the next day; your presentation is perfected, the report is finished and submitted to head office, and you and Paps are getting ready to visit Blue at his new job. He’s cleared his calendar for the afternoon and can’t wait to give you both a tour of what he’s been working on so diligently this past month.

Yesterday’s shopping trip was a complete success. You asked Paps to keep the dress a surprise from Blue until the night of the gala, and he happily obliged – especially after you sweetened the deal by texting him up to your bedroom last night, pretending the zipper had gotten stuck just so he could peel it off of you. He’s been drifting around with a dreamy expression ever since.

While he’s been distracted, you managed to sneak down to the laundry room and swipe his favourite orange hoodie from the dryer. You’ve been waiting for as close to Gyftmas as you can possibly get to snatch it, but time is running out. You’ve decided that one of your presents to Paps is going to be mending the frayed edges of his shirt and adding some new fun embroidered details, but if you have any hope of finishing it before the holiday, you need to start now.

You’ve also managed to find a few small token gifts for them for the gala – little treasures you cannot wait to give them.

“Honeybee?” Paps calls from the living room as he buttons up the cardigan you lent him months ago. You’re well aware it’s his now, and you’re perfectly fine with that.

“I’m ready to go when you are, sweetheart,” you reply, stepping out of the kitchen with the lunch you’ve packed for the three of you. It’s neatly tucked in an insulated bag that Paps takes from you without a word, slinging it over his shoulder before pulling you into his arms.

“You planning on bringing shoes with you?” He teases, glancing down at your feet with a quiet laugh.

You follow his gaze, startled. “Ha! One minute!” You yelp, dashing to the front door to slip on a pair of shoes. You flash him a mischievous grin as you straighten up. “I’m knot kidding when I say you’re laces.”

Paps groans, shaking his head. “I thought I taught you better puns by now, love.”

“I’m just trying to sneaker in a last-minute joke or two.”

He stares down at you, incredulous, before wrapping you back up in his arms. “What am I going to do with you, Honeybee?”

You shrug, grinning up with at him. “Love me, I guess.”

He chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Always.”

With that, you feel the familiar tug of the shortcut—then the sudden pull in your chest just by being close to Blue. Your souls instantly honing in on each other as you open your eyes.

You’re standing in Blue’s office. Even though he was expecting you, he jumps up from his computer with excitement, coming around the desk to you in greeting. “I’M SO GLAD YOU MADE IT!” He pats Paps affectionately on the arm before pulling you in for a hug.

You take a look around as you get your bearings. His office is modest, with a framed picture of the three of you on his desk, along with a few other personal effects decorating the shelves. Your eyes catch on a small flower, delicately pressed in a glass frame. Tilting your head curiously, you glance at him for an explanation.

“OH,” He chuckles, a light shade of blue dusting across his cheeks. “THAT MAY HAVE BEEN FROM OUR FIRST TRIP UP THE MOUNTAIN WHEN WE WATCHED THE SUNSET TOGETHER.”

Your smile softens, as your eyes light with recognition. You’d been convinced the flower he had tucked into your hair had fallen out on the walk back to your car in the dark.

“I’m glad it wasn’t lost along the path,” You murmur.

“Brother, you’re as sentimental as I am!” Paps claps his hands in delight, taking a seat and leaning back in his chair with an amused fondness on his face. The two of you join him at Blue’s desk.

You start unzipping the insulated bag, doling out containers of freshly packed lunches. Today you had put together a quick stir fry of fresh vegetables and chicken, extra hot sauce on yours, extra honey mixed in for Paps. Blue smiles, picking up his pair of chopsticks and digging in.

“THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING. I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO FINALLY SEE WHAT WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON OUT THERE. PLUS, I’VE BEEN WADING THROUGH NUMBERS ALL MORNING AND REALLY NEED A BREAK - IT’S BEEN NOTHING BUT SPREADSHEETS…SO MANY SPREADSHEETS.”

He shudders, as you and Paps exchange a knowing nod, sharing the unspoken pain of endless data crunching and report writing.

The three of you eat in companionable silence, Blue absolutely thrilled at the hot lunch you packed. Despite being on break, he seems overly excited, eyes darting around his office like he’s hiding something.

“You ok, brother?” Paps asks, picking up on Blue’s mood.

Blue jumps, startled.

“NO, I’M FINE, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I’M NOT FINE? I’M HAVING A LOVELY TIME WITH THE TWO OF YOU AND CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW YOU AROUND…”

“Woah, woah, woah there, Blue,” Paps chuckles. “Forget I asked!”

Blue sighs in relief, going back to his food. You reach out, sending curiosity and support gently to him as he looks up to you and smiles.

“REALLY, IT’S FINE. I AM JUST EXCITED TO SHOW YOU AROUND.”

Nodding with a smile, you go back to finishing up your lunches before Blue ushers you out the door to start the tour. Grinning, he takes your hand and pulls you along with infectious enthusiasm, with Paps casually trailing behind in your wake, soft smile lingering on his face.

In the office, a small team of dedicated staff works diligently on various projects. Blue is in his element - effortlessly answering questions as he moves through the crowd, directing donations to the appropriate monsters and managing client intake questions for new frontline staff. His employees clearly adore him. You haven’t really seen him in a work setting this busy before; but it’s obvious he loves helping others, it comes across through his every action.

Stars, you’re so proud of him.

Blue picks up on that pride, puffing his chest out more and walking a little taller as he adoringly introduces you and Paps to his coworkers.

Blue manages to make everyone feel seen and special - and there are a few, you note, who seem to let their gazes linger on him a bit too long. You can’t help but feel a bit dull next to some of them, especially after recovering from your cold and choosing to visit his office in jeans, sneakers and a slouchy sweater. Some of them look stunning, matching every bit of the energy he throws out into the world. You know you shouldn’t, but it briefly makes you feel inadequate, desperately trying to squash down that irrational feeling, lest Blue get the wrong impression. Sometimes you can’t help but feel things in the moment, regardless of it they are true or not.

Blue casually ignores the lingering glances, making sure to pull you close and proudly introduce you as his soulmate to anyone and everyone he meets. You’re not sure, but you think you catch a few jealous stares as he moves on, ready to show you the next area.

He takes you and Paps through the food pantry, soup kitchen and emergency shelters, before winding his way to the front reception area, getting progressively more and more nervous as the tour goes on.

“Busy place,” Paps observes, watching a steady stream of people and monsters pass through the front entrance.

You’re happily taking it all in, when your focus is drawn to the bold lettering above the main desk. You have to do a double take as you read it over again.

“Paps,” you whisper, drawing his attention. “Look at the name.”

His gaze follows yours, as his eye lights flicker with realization. “Oh, stars,” he laughs, pulling out his phone to snap a picture. “I had no idea he was going to do that.”

When he turns around, there’s a timid grin on his face as he searches your expression for a response. “I WANTED IT TO BE A SURPRISE,” he whispers sweetly. “I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND, MY SOUL.”

You glance back at the sign. Starlight Harbour: A Safe Haven for Monsters. Your throat tightens with emotion.

“So… this is what I think it is?” you ask, not wanting to assume anything.

Blue nods, pulling you in for a kiss. “I MADE IT JUST DISCREET ENOUGH THAT WE WOULD KNOW THE REAL MEANING, BUT GENERAL ENOUGH TO APPEAL TO ALL MONSTERS. I WANTED IT TO FEEL SPECIAL WITHOUT DRAWING UNWANTED ATTENTION TO YOU. I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND. BUT YOU WERE THE SPARK THAT STARTED IT AFTER ALL.”

You can’t help but get misty eyed as you smile. The gesture is beautifully unexpected, overwhelming in the best kind of way.

“Thank you, Blue,” you whisper. “I’m absolutely honoured.”

Notes:

We're getting close to the end and I just...don't want to let them go quite yet.
Also, I'm very tempted to write that one-shot scene where reader calls Blue back, desperate with want.
Will probably do it as a separate extra after the main story is done. So keep your eyes peeled.
Also, kinda want to write their commitment ceremony.
This story may be reaching its natural conclusion soon, but I will be revisiting their world.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 30: Blue Calls

Summary:

I was thirsty, and if y'all read this, you're thirsty too.

It’s so rare you find yourself truly alone these days; and that’s exactly the way you like it. You love the sounds of Blue and Paps casually going about life; chatting in the kitchen, watching television, or just doing housework. Sometimes you’ll stop whatever you’re doing just to listen to the soft strumming of Paps playing his guitar, smiling at the skeleton-shaped curveball life has thrown you.

But today the house is quiet. Paps was hanging out with Undyne – catching up over coffee at Muffet’s before ‘running errands’ as he liked to call it. You knew it was secret code for gyftmas shopping followed by groceries.

You had woken up this morning to a soft kiss on the forehead from Blue, having fallen asleep in his bed last night, curled up in his arms. He was getting ready to go to work, gently soothing you back to sleep as you tried to keep him with you for as long as possible.

“S’too early,” you say groggily, slurring your words. “Sun’s not even up yet.”

He laughs, taking a moment to nuzzle softly against your neck. “IT’S TWO DAYS BEFORE THE GALA, AND I NEED TO FINISH THE REPORT. PLUS THERE’S A MEETING—"

“On a scale of one to ten, how important is it?” You interrupt, tugging him to you for another kiss.

“OH STARS, DON’T DO THIS TO ME, MY SOUL.” He whines playfully. “I’LL BE HOME AS SOON AS I CAN. I PROMISE.”

Reluctantly, you let him go, watching as he glances back at you wistfully before shortcutting to work.

That had been six whole hours ago. It was now one o’clock, and you’d spent the morning prepping a crock pot of soup for dinner, embroidering Paps’ present, doing laundry and having a quick lunch before finally hopping into the shower to warm up.

Once out, you toss on your robe and collect the laundry, bringing it upstairs to put away. It’s a basket of light colours, having asked the boys if they had anything to contribute in order to make a full load. Paps hadn’t, but there were several of Blue’s work shirts mixed in.

That’s how you find yourself back in Blue’s room, idly hanging up his shirts, breathing his scent in deeply as you open the closet. He smells like fresh cotton mixed with the faintest trace of metal. At first, you had thought the metallic note came from his belt buckles, hanging neatly in a row on the back of the door, but it lingers deeper than that – as if the armor he wore in the underground had left an indelible impression on his bones.

The entire room smells like vanilla, a mix of scented candles and his choice of body wash. You absentmindedly start thinking of Blue in the shower, the sturdy curve of his spine, how you love scratching your fingers along his ribcage just to feel him shudder under your touch, kissing along his jawline as he softly moans into your neck, holding on tightly to him as he bites along your clavicle, pinning you effortlessly to the wall, as he takes you again and again–

Oh stars.

Now that you’ve had a full night’s sleep and a quiet morning to yourself, you’re overwhelmed by how much you crave him. You’re almost annoyed now at how tired you both were last night, content to just curl up and listen to a podcast in bed. But now you want more.

Eventually, your mind wanders back to one particular afternoon this week - the day Blue came home to make you lunch, leaving you flushed and aching for his touch. You remember the delicious idea that had sparked in your mind, the one you’d set aside for when you were feeling better.

Well, you’re feeling better now.

Excitement slowly builds inside of you, as you wonder if it will actually work. You look around, already flustered as you crawl into his bed, parting your robe just enough to touch yourself, sending a tidal wave of yearning and want directly to Blue.

~*~

Blue has just finished presenting his portion of his NPO’s 5-year plan, clicking through the last slide before opening the floor to questions when he starts to feel it.

At first, it’s just a subtle wave of love pouring from you, filling his soul like sunshine; it feels like you’re cheering him on, sending support! He eagerly returns the gesture, answering questions with even more energy than before, bolstered by your affection.

But halfway through his second response, something shifts. The feeling twists up inside of him, morphing into a deep, aching longing that cuts right to the center of his soul, making him stumble over his words.

“MWEH HEH HEH. SORRY ABOUT THAT, WHERE WAS I?” He rifles through his papers, quickly finding his place and pressing on, but his mind is racing. What were you sending him? SURELY YOU DIDN’T MISS HIM THAT MUCH SINCE THIS MORNING…

…HNGHHHH.

Blue abruptly stands up, realization crashing over him as his ecto skin involuntarily materializes beneath his clothes - very much reacting to the sudden, overwhelming flood of lust pouring through the bond.

“Oh, umm, sir?” One of his coworkers pipes up hesitantly. “Are uhh, are you all right?”

He’s sweating bullets, blue magic pooling on his forehead in large beads. Hastily grabbing his papers and holding them in front of his lap, desperation creeps into his voice.

“JUST ATE SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T AGREE WITH ME. HAH HAH. YOU CAN UMMM…HANDLE THE REST OF THIS WITHOUT ME? YEAH? I HAVE TO GO. NOW.”

Blue backs out of the meeting room, blurting out apologies before sprinting to his office, locking the door behind him.

OH STARLIGHT, he thinks, chest heaving. I DIDN’T KNOW THE BOND COULD DO THIS.

He tries to compose himself, but it’s hopeless. The more he paces, the worse it gets — his entire body thrumming with need, until he’s practically delirious with it. With a frustrated growl, he fumbles at the buttons of his shirt, trying to loosen the fabric - now achingly restrictive against the ecto skin that had formed unbidden in response to your longing.

Logging into his computer is painfully slow. Blue fumbles his password, finally getting it right on the third try. His phalanges tremble as he opens his calendar, hastily clearing all his meetings and marking himself as out of office. The moment it’s done, he shortcuts home, stumbling into the banister as he lands in the living room.

The house is strangely quiet, save for the sound of his ragged breathing. He loosens his belt, tossing it across the couch – and then he hears it.

A soft, needy moan from upstairs.

“Hnnhh…Blueeeee,”

His brain goes haywire as he tears off his shirt, flinging it down the stairs, taking them two at a time, as his soul flutters against his ribcage. His first thought is your room, but it’s empty. He stops, chest rising and falling, staring at your bed in confusion until he hears you again – a breathless, needy whimper that sends a shiver of lust down his spine.

Without thinking, Blue kicks off his shoes, practically tripping as he struggles out of his pants and boxers. They’re barely off his ankles before he’s running down the hallway to his room, magic thrumming through his bones like a tidal wave crashing ashore.

He finds you sprawled across his bed, robe slipping from your shoulder, exposing one of your breasts. You’re softly stroking yourself, eyes half-lidded and dark with desire as you moan a soft, “Hi, Blue, you’re home early,” innocently to him.

OH STARS, YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING.

Blue barely manages to cry out your name as he grips the doorframe to keep upright before he loses the battle entirely. Magic be damned – instincts override reason as he shortcuts straight to you, skipping the final few steps and ripping your robe open with his shaking hands.

“HOW COULD YOU?” he moans, voice thick with need as he sinks into your touch, letting you pull him closer, your body a magnet, irresistibly drawing him to you.

“How could I not?” You grin peppering his cheekbones with kisses, flushed bright blue in response, basking in the way he trembles against you. “I just…couldn’t stop thinking about you, love.”

“STARLIGHT,” he looks down at you, almost desperate with want. “I HAD NO IDEA THE SOUL BOND COULD DO THIS. I NEED YOU SO BADLY IT L-LITERALLY HURTS.”

“You’ve got me, love.” You say, rolling over so you’re on top of him, playfully pinning his arms above his head as he gasps in surprise. “I just want you to sit back and let me take care of you today.”

You smile down at him and he thinks his soul might shatter into a million pieces in the best of possible ways.

~*~

When you called out to Blue this afternoon, you had no idea it would work so well. You’ve never seen him so flustered - so utterly unravelled beneath your touch, the desire you sent out amplified and crashing back into you. Heat coils in your core, your ache of want mirroring his own.

In the future, you would have to remember to use this sparingly.

He’s manifested his tongue, hungrily pulling you into for kiss after kiss as you slowly slide against his length. You’re not ready to take him just yet – though the craving is undeniable. You want to draw this out, to make it all about him, and just pay homage to every part of his body, heart and soul, ecto and bone.

“Can I try something, love?” You ask, remembering Blue’s deepest fantasies from your encounter. You ache to draw pleasure from him the way he had for you that first night at the onsen.

“OF COURSE,” he says, looking up at you with hearts in his eyes. “ANYTHING, MY SOUL.”

With one swift tug, you free the belt from your robe and carefully wrap it around Blue’s wrists. Gently, you lift his hands above his head, securing them to the headboard with a firm knot. His breath hitches with excitement, and honestly, you feel it too. Blue is usually the one in charge, but you know how much he craves moments like this: the thrill of surrender, the deep want in his gaze when control is stripped away, and you’re more than happy to oblige.  

“UMM, WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?” he’s practically purring as his entire body rattles with excitement.

“Just making sure you’re well taken care of,” you say innocently in response, reaching onto Blue’s nightstand for his eye mask. His sockets widen as you slip it over his eye lights, planting a light kiss on his nose ridge as he makes an excited moan of pleasure. “If at any time it gets too much, or you want to stop, let me know, love. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy every minute.”

He nods eagerly in excitement, a dusting of blue all down his skull as he turns his head, trying to track you by sound alone. For fun, you pick up one of his many pillows, tossing it across the room so his head snaps in the wrong direction before you’re on him, pressing kisses against his cervical spine his startled laughter quickly turning to moans of pleasure.

Next, you focus on his clavicles, letting your nails drag softly along his warm bone, as he shivers in desire. Using your tongue, you trace a slow line down his sternum, noting where the ecto skin meets up with bone while Blue continues to let out soft moans at your touch.

You spend time along every rib, his chest rising and falling with breaths he doesn’t technically need to take. There are several ticklish spots you discover along the way, making sure to pay extra attention to any areas he gasps at, drawing pleasure out slowly as his arousal builds.

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re absolutely magical, Blue?” You say, kissing softly along where his ribs meet ecto. You feel him chuckle softly under your lips.

“I-I AM TECHNICALLY MADE OF MAGIC, STARLIGHT.”

Humming against his ecto skin, you laugh, the vibration of your voice causing an added layer of pleasure to reverberate through his body. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“I KNOW, I KNOW. IT’S JUST THAT EVERYTHING IS S-S-SO HEIGHTENED RIGHT NOW. STARS, HOW I NEED YOU.” he sounds desperate as he tries to move his arms. You grin, knowing he wants to touch himself, his erection standing at full attention, a slight buildup of precum beading along his tip. You move your mouth close enough for him to feel your breath along his skin.

“I can see how heightened things are getting, Blue,” you say, letting your fingers walk slowly down his abdomen. He groans at your pun while eagerly thrusting his hips forward in need. You gasp in mock indignation. “Now, now darling. I thought you gave me complete control.”

He whines at the loss of contact as you sit up, going perfectly still; Blue searching for you like a compass seeking North. You’ve never been the best at withholding affection; especially when you so eagerly want to give it, but despite his cries, you can feel the utter arousal through your soul bond, knowing he’s enjoying every minute of this sweet torture.

“Tell me what you want, love,” you murmur, your voice low with desire as your fingers trail along his femur. He melts back into your touch, crying out in relief as he tentatively shifts closer, silently searching for more contact.

“YOU. I WANT YOU,” he moans, a stray tear escaping from beneath his sleep mask as you let your fingers trace circles along his ecto skin again, his entire body trembling under your touch. “PLEASE.”

His needy please strikes your soul, a wave of emotion crashing over you. Blue aches for your touch, completely blissed out, savoring every moment of your slow exploration.

You stretch it out just a little longer, waiting until he’s teetering on the edge of what he can endure. Then, reaching out, you wrap your hand around his erection as he shivers so intensely that his bones rattle, a purr of pure pleasure rumbling from his chest.

Slowly, you begin to stroke, matching your movements to the rhythm of his delighted whimpers. His head turns to the side, face partially buried in the pillow. You marvel at how smooth is his, dragging this out as long as possible, feeling him throb in your hands before bringing you face closer.

He’s urgently whispering your name, hips nudging and fingers twitching as he writhes beneath your touch. Then, deciding to completely push him over the edge, you lean down letting your tongue circle his tip, and he falls apart completely, consumed by the sensation.

You take as much of him as you can into your mouth as he shudders deliciously underneath you. It will be worth the potential soreness in your jaw later, just to hear Blue gasp your name — his voice hitching as tears slip down his face beneath the mask. Slowly, your tongue slides down his shaft, your teeth grazing the other side as you accommodate his girth the best you can.

His muffled cries of “PLEASE…DON’T STOP…FEELS SO GOOD,” are more than enough motivation to carry you on.

Your hands and mouth work in tandem, stroking his base as you suck up top, picking up speed. You can hear his desperate whimpers, his breaths ragged and uneven, each cry of pleasure slipping past his lips, tangled with words of love that make your heart swell. You’re grateful the windows are shut against the winter cold outside, because you’ve never heard Blue this vulnerable, this raw before—completely undone, his body trembling under your touch. And the fact that it’s you bringing him to this state, that he trusts you enough to fall apart so completely, fills you with an aching, overwhelming love.

Stars, you think, this is so incredibly hot.

He arches his spine with a surprised cry, head pressing against the pillow as he crashes over the edge, hot blue magic spilling into your mouth, taking it all as you push him over the cusp of his pleasure.

The intensity catches you off guard - the way he continues to roll his hips, chasing every lingering spark of pleasure. You keep going, letting him ride out the aftershocks as small spasms continue to rip through his body.

When you glance up, you notice that the sleep mask has shifted, partially exposing one of Blue’s eye sockets. He peeks out from under it, his vivid, heart shaped eye light watching you timidly.

“I’M SO SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE WARNED YOU I WAS COMING. IT JUST HAPPENED SO F-FAST.” He shivers as he speaks in a rush, still coming down from his pleasure. His ecto skin hasn’t dissipated yet – strange, you think, as you slowly kiss your way up his abdomen, gently sliding the sleep mask from his skull.

“No need to apologize, love,” you whisper softly, untying the knot that binds his wrists. As soon as he’s free, his arms wrap around you, pulling you close to press soft nuzzled kisses into your cheek.

“STARS! YOU HAD ME SEEING ACTUAL STARS,” he laughs, bones rattling gently as he shivers in delight. “I’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED…THE SOUL BOND, THIS. IT WAS ALL…”

“…heightened?” you finish for him and he nods against you.

“STARLIGHT, I…” his breath catches as his eye lights look down at his still very present, very prominent erection.

You chuckle into his arms. “Still not sated, my love?”

“I DON’T THINK I COULD EVER BE SATED WITHOUT KNOWING YOU WERE TOO.”

You shake your head. “It’s ok Blue. I wanted to do this for you. That was pleasure enough for me this time.”

“NOT GOOD ENOUGH,” he grins. “IF YOU’RE FULFILLING MY DESIRES…YOU KNOW I LOVE SEEING YOU COME UNDONE.”

He’s so earnest as he says it, heart-shaped eye lights staring intently at you, making you instantly flush under the intensity of his gaze.

“I WANT TO WATCH YOU CLIMAX ON ME. USE ME COMPLETELY AS I LAY HERE AND TAKE YOU IN.” He doesn’t stutter, doesn’t laugh jokingly, just stares at you through lust-filled eyes as you slide yourself across him, straddling his hips.

~*~

“THAT’S RIGHT, MY STARLIGHT,” he purrs as you press yourself against him, delighted by how excited you still are and how good your wetness feels against his hardness. To think you almost denied yourself this pleasure, for what? As if anything less than you coming undone with him could satisfy this fire inside. Not on his watch, not when his soulmate called out to him with such need.

His phalanges find your hips, guiding you down onto him, gasping as you sink inch by inch onto his erection. He eagerly takes you in as you close your eyes, tilting your head back, and begin rocking your hips in slow circles as you find your rhythm.

HOW ARE YOU THIS BEAUTIFUL? His soul aches for you, even in such close proximity, irrationally worried he’ll wake up and find this had all been some dream.

Blue reaches his thumb down, drawing circles along your clit, making you moan at the heightened pleasure, letting out little whimpers as you quickly build to your own climax. The first waves rock you as you fall forward, hands grasping onto the headboard, picking up speed. He adores watching you chase your own pleasure, knowing he’s the cause, watching as you pull it from his body with every move you make.

What he doesn’t expect is to quickly approach a second climax himself, crying out and shuddering against you as he watches you come undone on top of him. Your souls hum in shared ecstasy, finally sated by the call of longing you sent him earlier.

“Hnghh Blue,” you gasp, falling into his waiting open arms utterly spent.

He nuzzles softly into your neck, gently brushing back your sweat-dampened hair from your face. “YOU WERE SO PERFECT, MY SOUL,” he coos, running his hands along your body as you continue to shiver against him, pleasure still rippling through you.

“Oh my…” you murmur, pressing your face into the side of his skull as emotion spills out in breathless laughter. “Blue, that was absolutely amazing. It feels like I’m trembling all over.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU ARE!” He laughs, pulling a blanket over you to keep you warm.

Blue holds you close, his touch tracing idle patterns across your skin. “ARE YOU COMFORTABLE, MY SOUL? DO YOU NEED ANYTHING?” he asks, his voice softer now, wanting to ensure all your needs are met before attending to the mess he’d left in his wake when he shortcut home so abruptly.

You nod, placing gentle kisses along the curve of his jaw bone as you snuggle closer. “Just need a few minutes to catch my breath and then I’ll get up. Looks like I might need another shower,” you say, laughing softly.

Blue grins, “MAY I JOIN YOU AFTER I CLEAN UP THE TRAIL OF CLOTHES I LEFT ALL OVER THE HOUSE.”

You laugh warmly, nodding in agreement. “Of course, my heart. I guess I didn’t quite realize the intensity of what I unleashed on you. I hope you weren’t –“

“IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEETING?” he finishes for you, brow bone arched as he meets your gaze.

Your own brows shoot up as you blush a brilliant pink. “Oh stars, I’m so sorry Blue!” You try to sound sincere, but you can’t seem to stop the giggles bubbling up.

“HEY NOW! AS MUCH AS I WOULD GLADLY DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN, MAYBE NEXT TIME WE DON’T USE OUR SOUL BOND AS A BOOTY CALL…AT LEAST WHILE I’M AT WORK?”

You snort, laughter spilling out as you flash him a wicked grin. “I make no promises. The heart wants what it wants, when it wants,” you tease, rolling on top of him again and playfully pinning him to the bed as you start peppering kisses all along his skull.

Blue bursts into laughter, squirming beneath you with mock protests. “MERCY! MY SNEAKY, WONDERFUL, PERFECT SOULMATE!”

The two of you dissolve into joyful chaos, your blissful energy feeding off each other as the afternoon drifts by in a haze of love and laughter.

Notes:

I was having difficulty coming up with a very specific plot point, so I decided to roll with this chapter of pure self-indulgent fluff while I figured some things out.
Plus I really wanted to write another intense emotion coming through that soul bond besides fear.
Plus yanno, Blue deserves to get his dick sucked.
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ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 31: Not on MY Watch

Summary:

The plot be plotting again. That last chapter REALLY helped me get over some writer's block. Buckle up, it's time to plot again!

“Do you think the tie is too much, Honeybee?”

Paps paces nervously between the closet and mirror as you watch him from his desk chair, his usual pile of clothes tossed over the back. He’s given you strict orders to not set foot in his closet until after Gyftmas, so you can’t exactly help him sort through the chaos.

Your sweet introverted skeleton is finally starting to get nervous now that the gala - and your presentation - are tomorrow.

Today isn’t much calmer. The two of you have a scheduled trip downtown to Blue’s former workplace, where you’ll meet with city and royal officials, take photos, go over reports, and run through the itinerary for the evening ahead. You’re tired already just thinking about all the bureaucratic red tape waiting for you today.

You suspect that Paps is anxious about handling this without Blue. He’s used to hanging back while his brother takes care of the talking and logistics of bureaucracy.  

Shaking your head in answer to his question, you push yourself up from the chair and cross the room. You take his fumbling hands in yours, pressing gentle kisses to his knuckles before lowering them to focus on his tie. He lets out a soft hum, relaxing under your touch.

“I think it really ties the whole look together,” you say, stupid grin plastered across your face in an effort to ease his tension.

His eye lights flick down to you, as a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “You’re not just shirting with me, are you? Is this outfit really good enough for a trip to the embassy?”

“Are you a tailor? Because your outfit really suits you,” you quip back.

Finally, a chuckle escapes his mouth, and his shoulders sag with relieved tension.

He’s wearing dark denim jeans, paired with a blue dress shirt and tie. An orange sweater vest hangs loosely around his frame as you pull it closed, buttoning it up to complete the look.

“Thanks, Honeybee. Seams like I’ve got a case of the jitters. Never much liked being the center of attention,” he admits, gaze dropping to where he idly plays with a stray thread on his sleeve cuff.

“Hey,” you say gently, taking his hands again and choosing to ignore that last pun. “I’m right there with you, sweetheart. If you need me to, I’ll do the talking today. We’re going to represent the library, have a fantastic evening tomorrow and then enjoy a well-deserved vacation for the holidays.”

That last part is especially enticing. The past few months have worn the both of you out. What started as a manageable task quickly became a full-fledged passion project—one you were both determined to get right. Now, with the finish line finally in sight, excitement and nerves are giving you both the jitters.

Paps takes a deep breath and nods in agreement. “You’re right. Eyes on the prize. That vacation is almost in our grasp!” He squeezes your hands playfully, his usual humor peeking through.

“How do I look, by the way?” You spin in place, showing off your sweater dress and leggings. “Not too casual, I hope? I never know how to dress professionally in the winter, so I’m just going to pair it with my tall boots and hope for the best.”

Paps smiles, warmth in his gaze. “Lovely as always, my heart.”

He checks the time on his phone before slipping it into his pocket. “Guess we should get going.”

You nod, slipping into your boots before Paps gathers you gently in his arms and shortcuts you both to straight to the embassy.

~*~

The first thing you notice is the biting cold as the two of you appear in the alley around the corner. Paps quickly ushers you inside where you’re greeted by a no-nonsense receptionist. She efficiently checks you in and hands over two brightly laminated access cards on lanyards, instructing you to wear them around your necks at all times. With a curt nod, she directs you to the main foyer, mentioning that someone will be along shortly to collect everyone.

The large group milling about in the main foyer is easy to spot. You glance up at Paps. “Guess we’re in the right place.”

He shrugs, hands in his pockets as he scans the room. “Should we at least try and look like we’re socializing?” He chuckles, nodding toward the noticeable gap between you and the main crowd.

“Heh, yeah, I suppose so. Really would be easier with Blue here dragging us along like the emotional support extrovert he is.”

Paps smirks. “Since our regular shifts at the library have stopped, our social skills seem to have atrophied.” His hand settles lightly on your lower back as he guides you toward an empty couch.

“I mean, it’s probably like riding a bike, right? Once you learn you never forget and all that jazz?” You take a seat, relaxing into the middle cushion.

Paps slouches into the corner seat on your right, while the monster on your left turns their head and greets you warmly. They’re from parks and rec, here with their partner and are excited to talk about the public spaces they’ve cultivated for monsters and humans to collectively come together in. Their enthusiasm is infectious, easing your nerves. The conversation is surprisingly easy to slip into, and even Paps joins in with a few well-placed jokes as you idly pass the time waiting for the day to being.

Eventually a human official arrives, capturing everyone’s attention with a loud, no-nonsense whistle. You look up in alarm, Paps catching your apprehensive expression at you stare at the person drawing everyone’s attention.

Of fucking course, it would be her, you think.

Your eyes narrow as Paps’ eye lights flicker between you and the object of your attention, trying to figure out the source of your instant dislike.

“Care to fill me in, Honeybee?” He whispers, snapping you out of your laser focus.

You casually lean into him, about to whisper her name when she beats you to it.

“Hello everyone. I’m the project supervisor responsible for guiding you through today’s itinerary. My name is Laney and I’ll be your main point of contact for the duration of your visit. We’re going to move everyone to the main conference room now, if you’ll all follow me.”

Her gaze sweeps over the crowd—impersonal, professional—until it lands on Paps. She lingers just a beat too long before turning away with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

The moment she says her name, you feel Paps go rigid beside you, bristling just as you had—on behalf of Blue.

“Didn’t think she was attached to this project at all,” he says casually, his tone even and friendly. That same easy, nonplussed smile settles on his face – the one he always uses to handle difficult coworkers at the library. “Might be best if we play this like we’re just coworkers for now. Got a bad feeling about this, my heart.”

You nod in agreement, following along at a companionable distance. As you walk, you slip your phone from your pocket and fire off a quick text to Alphys. You might not be nearly as close to her as you are to Undyne, but you’ve exchanged the occasional message over the months. You like to think there’s a mutual respect between you.

Undyne insists Alphys loves hearing any cutesy relationship updates about the three of you—though you suspect it’s mostly so she can put Blue in a headlock and tease him about it later.

You: Thought we’d see you here today. Last minute staffing change?

Alphys: I’ll be along later. Craig is good people, though. You’re in good hands.

You: Craig? Laney is currently hosting us.

Alphys: …

Alphys: I’ll get back to you.

Huh. THAT’S not foreboding at all. You can practically feel the rage seeping through those three little dots as you shove your phone back into your pocket and head into the conference room.

Once everyone has taken a seat around the rather large table, Laney brings up her PowerPoint and hands out bound itineraries. “We’ll do brief introductions, followed by noted changes to the presentations tomorrow,” she says, gesturing to the group on her immediate left. “We’ll go clockwise starting with you.”

You wait your turn as a few groups go before you. Parks and rec, housing, public transport and finally libraries.

“My name is Papyrus - Paps for short please - and I’m a librarian with Ebott Public Library, particularly a children’s librarian. My coworker and I have spent the past several months putting together information…” He continues, outlining your roles as Laney watches and nods politely. You’re trying to figure out if she’s paying closer attention to him as he speaks or if you’re just being paranoid. As far as you’re aware, Blue and Paps are the only two skeleton monsters in existence.

Soon enough her eyes are on you.

“Oh well, hi everyone! I’m a cataloguer with roots in this city that run deep. I offer a fresh perspective and have thoroughly enjoyed representing the communities we serve. I look forward to discussing programs that have worked, as well as initiatives we would like to see developed upon further in the future.”

Seemingly satisfied, Laney goes on to the next group of people while you and Paps exchange a casual glance.

As the meeting shifts to reviewing talking points, you’re struck by how Laney stops certain people mid-sentence with a raised finger and a shake of her head. “No, no, we won’t be talking about that. I’ll need you to pivot to the third point you have.”

The entire room stares at her, incredulous, as she casually guts sections of presentations. And it’s not subtle—every topic she’s scrapping is monster-related. Public parks get a free pass, but housing initiatives? Gutted. Public transportation expansion? Fine—unless it includes upgraded seating to accommodate monster bodies. Then, suddenly, it’s off the table.

You catch the way Paps balls his fist in his lap, the only tell that he’s furious. You’d love to offer your hand in support, but in this room under her watchful gaze, you don’t dare move.

Libraries come away fairly unscathed. Apparently, children’s programs and knitting groups don’t seem like much of a threat to her.

At the last moment, you make a split-second decision - conveniently forgetting to mention plans for expanded branches into monster-heavy communities and a push for more robust equity and diversity committees for monsters.

Whoopsie Doopsie.

If it happens to be in your presentation tomorrow, well - that’s hardly your fault, right? Just a few extra initiatives that you wanted to include last minute.

You don’t dare look at Paps, the only other person who knows what you just did.

Eventually, an angry Alphys bursts into the meeting room trailed by a timid looking human.

“Thank you so much for filling in for Craig,” she says, her voice tight with forced politeness, “but we’ve reassigned the heavy work load he was accidentally given yesterday and put him back on task. You’re no longer needed here Laney.”

You can practically hear Laney’s teeth gnashing together, but she simply picks up her binders, smiles gracefully at the room, and nods—completely unfazed—as she strolls out the door.

“Thank you, Alphie,” she calls over her shoulder in a singsong voice.

Alphys bristles behind her.

If you knew nothing else about Laney besides today’s first impression, you would already dislike her immensely. She’s clearly entrenched herself on Alphys’ bad side – and judging by this exchange, it’s well deserved.

You can’t help but wonder how manipulative she must be at work to have the power to remove someone from a project so easily. You’re also grateful Paps had the foresight to keep things professional today, despite how much you’ve both grown accustomed to seeking comfort from each other’s touch.

With her gone, the rest of the reports run much more smoothly. Craig proves to be a wonderful host, quickly getting caught up and setting things right. Once the final presentations wrap up, your group is then ushered into a bright, windowed area with a small stage for pictures and mini-interviews. Everyone waits their turn, idling in small clusters. Apparently, the king and queen will be arriving later, after the interviews have finished.

Since the wait is fairly long, you take the opportunity to gently touch Paps’ arm, catching his attention to let him know you’ll be right back before heading to the washroom.

As you wander down the hall, you take in just how busy the embassy is. People stride purposefully in all directions, their expressions serious, each carrying an agenda, clipboard, or stack of file folders.

Maybe all you need to look busy in a place like this is a brisk walk and something in your hands? The thought makes you chuckle under your breath - just before you turn the corner and run into her again.

Of course you would see her again. You can’t seem to escape this woman today.

This time she appears to be casually flirting with another coworker tucked in an alcove by the washroom doors. She twirls the end of his tie around her fingers, playfully pouting up at him.

“But you said I could expand my portfolio.”

“Laney, my hands are tied. I can’t just give away departments to you.”

His laugh makes your skin crawl. It’s the kind of laugh that invites a challenge, practically begging you to read between the lines.

I can’t just give away departments to you…for free, you’d have to do something for me first.

Laney chuckles, but as you swing into the washroom next to them, you catch the tail end of her response.

“We’ll discuss this further tonight.”  

You’re tempted to stay hidden in your stall when you hear her enter and head to the sink, the soft rustling of fabric can be heard as she pulls a makeup bag from her purse. You have a feeling she’ll be here for a while and you need to get back for your interview. With a quiet sigh, you finish up and step over to the sink next to her.

She glances at you, casually striking up a conversation. “Libraries, right?”

You nod, running your hands under the automatic sensor for soap hoping to get through washing up as quickly as possible.

“That skeleton monster your boyfriend?” She asks with a grin.

 You freeze.

You and Paps have been very careful – so why lead with that?

Before you can respond, Laney throws her head back and laughs. “I’m just kidding, relax. Oh man, you should have seen your face just now. I only ask because they seem pretty rare and I dated one, once upon a time.”

Your brow lifts as you turn off the faucet, giving her your full attention. “You don’t say?”

She’s smug—like she expects you to be impressed. Like dating a monster is something to flaunt for clout.

Trying hard to channel your inner Paps, you keep your expression calm and neutral as you let her go on. All it takes is making her believe she has your undivided attention.

Fucking narcissist, you inwardly think, a polite smile plastered evenly across your face.

“You probably know him,” she continues, your stomach in knots. Is she messing with me?

“He used to be the monster ambassador back in the day before I got through with him.”

What is it with this woman and jump scaring you today?

“Before you got through with him?” You pretend to be interested – rather than absolutely disgusted – as you fluff your hair in the mirror.

“Oh yeah. I guess when I say I dated him, it was more a puppy dog crush on his part.” Laney waves a hand dismissively. “Had him wrapped around my little finger for a while - really made some progress climbing the ranks here. But like, girl, he’s a skeleton monster. How would that have even worked? I wasn’t about to be in a sexless relationship. You get it, right?”

She tucks her hair behind her ears, pulling out her eyeliner from her makeup bag.

Bitch, if you only knew what you threw away…

You physically have to remind yourself to reign in your emotions - lest Blue think you’re in a fight and come running to help. The flicker of concern already trickles through your soul bond, as you quickly send back a wave of reassurance.

“So,” she continues, entirely unaware of the rage simmering beneath your skin. “What’s your skeleton coworker like? Don’t think there’s too many of them out there, from what I recall. I think mine mentioned a brother once, but I never really asked too many questions about his family. Didn’t really care.”

Your stomach flips as she brings up Paps, a sudden visceral need to protect them both washing over you. Could I punch her in the throat and run?

“Oh um, he’s a very diligent worker?” You offer, knowing full well she’s fishing for gossip.

Laney sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Come ON, girl! Has he ever come on to you? I was kissed by one for fuck’s sake! It was like kissing the grim reaper.” She makes a gagging sound.

You swear you want to take her head and stuff it in the toilet.

“I mean, I know it’s a long shot, but I was stunned when I saw him today. I’ve just never had anyone to talk about this stuff with until now. I know you’re just coworkers, but you’re literally the closest woman I’ve ever met to even remotely being in my shoes. Plus, my skeleton was just so open and needy. Are they all like that? Is it a monster thing?”

You inhale deeply, forcing your expression to remain neutral even as your fury spikes. She shouldn’t be laying claim to something that was never truly hers.

Your soul bond thrums with barely contained anger. The need to protect Paps and Blue is instinctual, primal.

Laney rummages through her makeup bag again, pulling out mascara. “I might have actually entertained the idea of dating your skeleton if we’d been working together,” she muses. “I love a man who’s taller than me. Then again, I also love a man who has genitals, so…toss-up I guess!” She laughs wildly at her own stupid joke.

“Nope, not needy,” you say, forcing your voice even. “He’s been a perfect gentleman the entire time. Genuinely loves his job, is great with kids and teens –“

She cuts you off before you can finish. “Oh yeah, he mentioned he was a children’s librarian. Don’t you find that weird? Letting a grown ass male monster around kids like that? It’s all this equity and diversity bullshit in the workplace, but you and I both know a human would have been better qualified for that job any day.”

Oh great, you think. She’s bigoted too. Stars, Blue, she must have put on one hell of a great act for you.

“Speaking of jobs,” you say, trying to steer the conversation in a more useful direction, “whatever happened to your skeleton monster? Didn’t you mention he used to be ambassador?” It kills you a little inside to call him hers, even in passing.

She claps her hands together with a laugh. “Did I forget the best part? Ok, so after a year of strategically using him to get a foothold here - oh sorry, you know how it is, us women have to girlboss the hell out of men just to get anywhere – anyway, he comes back from an event I kept hinting I wanted to go to, and I decide I need to be bolder. The office is empty, so I make my move. Gross, I know, but I basically threw myself at him.” She stops to shake her head before carrying on.

“Next thing I know, I’m being pulled into some weird monster ritual. Turns out he’s confessing his love for me, and then suddenly—get this—he can read my mind. Can you believe that? What if all monsters can do that?”

“No. I cannot believe it.” You say emotionlessly through gritted teeth, masking your fury behind a sympathetic smile.

She grins, leaning in like she’s letting you in on a secret. “I don’t know how their dating stuff works, but I literally broke his heart. Like, watched it crack in half right in front of me. For a second, I was actually worried he’d dust on the spot, and I’d get blamed for it. Looks like I wrecked him so bad he quit his job. If we could do that for every man in our way, we’d be set, am I right?”

She laughs, swiping the mascara through her lashes before tossing it back into her bag. You force yourself to chuckle along.

“He’s working again now, but it’s his own charity thing at arms length from the embassy. So frustrating. He keeps getting handed these wonderful opportunities, but couldn’t even handle the ambassador role. What makes these people think he can run an NPO?”

She rolls her eyes as you nod stiffly, struggling to keep your expression neutral.

“See, you get it. I bet you’ve lost out on opportunities to monsters in the library - roles that should have gone to humans. This whole gala tomorrow? Just a bunch of performative bullshit. Be happy there are people like me there, quietly steering it in the right direction.”

“Oh,” you say, feigning casual interest. “Do tell.”

“I’m sure you noticed the ridiculous dinosaur that barged into our meeting earlier? She’s been watching me like a hawk these days, but like, she’s not my direct boss so I don’t care.” Laney waves a dismissive hand before plunging it back into her makeup bag for another product. “I refuse to let more of the city’s resources go towards things that will only benefit monsters. Ebott needs to be human-first again. That’s why my next big project is getting on the oversight committee for that new monster-centric NPO.”

You almost choke, barely managing to disguise it as a cough into your hand. “How the heck would you pull off something like that?” you ask, feigning curiosity.

She nods toward the door while applying lipstick. “You saw that idiot outside the washroom? He’s the son of one of the top politicians here, and he’s pretty sweet on me. I’m going to get on that committee one way or another and shut down funding wherever I can. Really pisses me off they gave that monster another shot after how long he’s been off, like his actions didn’t have consequences. We need to stop coddling monsters and hold them up to human standards.”

“Oh yes. Totally.” You say, smiling through gritted teeth. Is there an off button for this bitch? Your mind races. I will NOT let this woman hurt Blue again. Think, THINK. How can I stop this?

She snaps her makeup case shut and turns to you with another syrupy smile. “Mark my words, he won’t get a dime from the city after I’m on that committee. That place will unravel at the seams and people will finally see that he isn’t capable.” There’s an anger present, simmering under her words that feels personal. It makes you shiver in concern.

“By the way, I’m willing to bet that skeleton coworker of yours will get a promotion long before you do—just for being a monster. It’s not fair.”

Then, rummaging through her purse, she puts her makeup bag away and pulls out a business card, handing it to you.

Delaney Paige is embossed in gold lettering along the top, her socials listed neatly beneath.

“Keep in touch,” she says. “I’ll eventually get on a board that directly deals with libraries. I don’t mind helping a fellow woman out over a monster any day.”

You stare down at the card in your hand. “Thanks. I’ll be sure to hold on to this.”

She nods approvingly, giving you a once-over. “I think our office has a records management division if you ever want me to put in a good word for you! No more dealing with the monster public every day. No more musty pelts of furry monsters on rainy days – ugh, have you seen their king and queen? Disgusting. I swear, some days it’s like working in a petting zoo.”

You stare at her, incredulous. This woman just keeps talking.

“Anyways, I believe you have a group to get back to. But seriously, keep in touch. I’d love to have someone to talk to about skeleton monsters. The stories I could tell you about the weird shit I’ve seen him do… Does yours blush? I swear, don’t get me started on how unsettling I think they are.” She touches your arm affectionately before tossing her hair over her shoulder and striding out of the bathroom.

Visibly shaking with anger, you grip the sink in front of you. Your vision is red, and all you want to do in this moment is throttle that woman. You try to compose yourself, feeling overly protective about not watching Paps’ back as you try to compose yourself enough to go back out there.

It takes several minutes of slow deep breathing before you finally uncurl your fingers from the sink, straighten up, tug down your dress and pull open the door. You mask your churning emotions with a placid smile as you exit the washroom and approach a worried-looking Paps.

“You were gone for a while. Everything ok, Honeybee?” You can clearly see him want to reach out to you, stuffing his hand in his pocket instead.

“Short answer, no, but I’ll be fine for now.” You glance up to him. “Long, complicated answer: we’ve got a new side project to tackle when we get home.”

His brow bones raise as he exhales slowly. “So much for our relaxing afternoon. I’m with you though, every step of the way.”

You close your eyes and nod, comforted by his unwavering support. You’re about to say something in return when he’s called up for his interview.

Both yours and Paps’ interviews go smoothly. They’re basic fact-finding questions to get a sense of your hobbies and passions before they turn to more library related topics. Before you know it, you’re all gathering on the stage for photographs as the king and queen themselves are ushered in.

This is your first time in the same room with them. They’re tall, with Asgore impressively towering over everyone - even Paps - and Toriel almost reaching his height. Everyone lines up for photos, and soon you’re left to mingle with the royals.

As they approach the two of you, there’s a spark of recognition in their eyes, a warm familiarity that passes between the three of them. Paps goes to shake the queen’s hand with a polite nod, but Asgore pulls into a warm hug instead.

Well, that’s surprising. You note, as Paps blushes sheepishly at the very public display of affection drawing eyes to them.

“Sorry Papyrus,” he says. “It’s just been too long since we’ve seen each other. I forget myself. I was just so pleased to hear that you and our favourite ambassador are doing well, I got excited.”

Toriel gives him a stern look, clearly the more diplomatic of the two. You get the sense that Asgore might just be along for the ride. You know the basic story of what happened in the underground, the fallen child, the…difficult decisions Toriel had to make —but you never really heard much about Asgore.

Her eyes shift to you, standing off to the side behind Paps, as she nods gracefully. “And you, my child, tell us a little about yourself. How has working alongside Papyrus been? I hope you’ve become fast friends.”

The two of you can’t seem to meet her eyes. Under normal circumstances, Paps would have introduced you to them as his soulmate, but with so many eyes on you, neither of you is sure how to react. When you glance up at Paps, you notice a light dusting of orange across his face. You’re sure you have a matching blush. You feel hot as you try to fumble your way through an introduction.

Toriel raises a brow, observing your reactions with keen interest. This woman does not miss a beat. “Say no more. Love blooms in the most unlikely of places.” She smiles as Asgore perks up at the word ‘bloom.’

Asgore looks between the two of you before focusing on Paps. “We really need to make the time to have you and Sans over for dinner. Feel free to bring any…special companions along with you.” He smiles knowingly to you before he and Toriel move on to greet the next group of people. You’re just relieved that most eyes have shifted elsewhere. All you want now is to go home and tell Paps what happened.

~*~

Safely back in your living room, you lean into Paps’ embrace as he holds you tightly, a sigh of relief escaping him. You both rock gently in his arms, drawing comfort from each other.

“Well, that was intense.” He chuckles, pressing a toothy kiss to the top of your head. The familiarity of his touch slowly helps the stress leave your body. “Somehow I feel I don’t know the half of it though.”

He’s looking down at you knowingly as you nod, needing a moment to collect your thoughts before unpacking what you learned. “Tea?” You ask hopefully?

With a small chuckle, he nods in agreement. “Tea.”

Kettle boiled, tea steeped, hands wrapped firmly around your bee mug, you slowly begin recounting the impromptu conversation you’d had with Laney in the washroom, making sure to go over every detail you could remember.

Paps stares into his mug, eye lights almost completely dimmed as he processes what you tell him with cold anger brewing underneath the surface.

“What an absolutely vile human,” he says, shaking his head. “How were you able to pick her out so easily? I didn’t think you’d met before.”

“Saw her in my encounter with Blue,” you admit sheepishly. “Oh Paps, what a mess.”

He sighs and nods picking up the business card again, reading over the name with frustrated determination. “Alright, so what are we doing about it? I know that look of yours.”

You glance up, a small smile tugging at the corners of your mouth, your eyes focused and calculating. “We do what librarians do best. We research the HELL out of her and see if we can dig up any dirt.”

Paps nods with a smile before standing. “I’ll get our laptops.”

One stop to Muffet’s and a quick change into comfy clothes is all the two of you allow before diving into your work. An entire afternoon flies by, and you’re both still huddled over your computers at the kitchen table, notepads filled with scribbled information and leads. You look like you’re about to give a lecture on conspiracy theories to a room full of wide-eyed students.

“Paps, I can’t find the sticky note with her reddit username on it. Help!”

Without looking up, he reaches out and rifles through the stack of papers in front of him, plucking a single Post-it from the pile and slapping it onto the side of his skull facing you.

You burst out laughing as you peel it off. “Thanks, you big goober.”

“Feel free to use me for all of your most damning evidence. There’s a lot of real estate up here,” he quips, tapping the side of his skull.

You could kiss him right now—so you do, pulling him into a slow, deep kiss that has him humming softly against you.

“What was that for?” he whispers breathless, resting his forehead against yours.

“Motivation,” you murmur. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Mmmm,” he agrees, dreamily. “Good motivation. Though,” he sighs theatrically, “I’m still feeling a bit on the tired side.”

He chuckles against you as you pull him in for another kiss, wrapping your arms around him, fingertips trailing from the back of his skull down along his cervical vertebrae. You’ve been working nonstop for hours—this is a welcome break.

“C’mere,” he whispers, tugging you into his lap and wrapping his arms around you protectively. “Love you, Honeybee.” His voice is warm as he nuzzles down your neck, his phalanges sneaking playfully under the hem of your sweater.

“Thank you for taking such…”

Kiss

“good…”

Kiss

“care…”

Kiss

“of us…”

You giggle and squirm under his teasing attentions for another few minutes—until both of your phones vibrate at once, making you jump. When they go off together like that, you know it’s the group chat. Undyne, finally getting back to you about what you sent over.

Undyne: It can be done

Paps: You’re the BEST

You: Seriously ‘Dyne, thank you so much.

Paps: Wait, you’ve got a nickname for her? We’ve been friends waaaaay longer and I don’t even have one

Undyne: That’s because we’re besties

Paps: AND WE AREN’T???

You: It’s different

Undyne: Yeah Paps, you wouldn’t get it

Paps: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BESTIE AND A BEST FRIEND???

You: Please don’t shout, sweetheart

Undyne: BWAHAHAHA. You’re starting to sound like Blue

You: XD

Paps: Unbelievable.

You: I’ll send you over what we have. Paps is working on the video. You should have both by the end of today. Plenty of time to get ready for tomorrow

Paps: Thank you again. You’re the best

Undyne: Just remember, maid of honour at your wedding

Paps: Wait, what?

You: Oh haha. Have to go now. TY ‘Dyne

You put your phone down, face burning from your neck to the tips of your ears as you yank the drawstrings of your hoodie tight.

Paps, of course, has a shit-eating grin on his face as he leans over your shoulder, trying to get a look at your expression—one you’ve quickly hidden behind fabric. Trying to escape wouldn’t help, as he still has his arms wrapped firmly around you.

“Mind filling me in on something there, my soul?” Amusement colours his voice, and you can practically hear the smirk in it.

You shake your head vigorously as he sets his phone down on the table. His phalanges pick up right where they left off – trailing along the hem of your shirt. “I could just take the whole hoodie off y’know,” he coos, fingers tickling at your sides as he tugs your shirt upward.

“You’re absolutely WICKED!” you shout, squirming in his arms as he laughs against you.

“And you love me enough to talk weddings with Undyne, apparently,” he says smugly, squeezing you tighter. “You loooooove me. You want to marry me.”

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Oh, and you don’t?”

He sputters, caught completely off guard.  

“I—I mean, I. Well, o-of course! I—that is to say—hey, would you look at the time? Blue should be home soon! We should, uh, we should get dinner started.”

Before you can react, he vanishes, shortcutting right out of the kitchen.

“PAPS!” you shout, “That’s cheating! Where did you go?”

No answer—just the telltale squeak of his desk chair shifting across the floor.

You take off down the hall, bursting into his room, only to find him in his chair, face buried in his laundry pile. Admittedly, Undyne’s comment caught you both off guard. You assume she forgot it was a group chat between the three of you, and as much as you’d love to tease him, you can’t find it in your heart to torture your sweet skeleton any further.

Stepping forward, you drape your arms over his shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to his skull.

“Love you, Paps.”

He still doesn’t look at you, face still bright orange, but does shift in his chair, pulling you close so he can bury his face against your stomach.

“Love you too, Honeybee. So damn much.”

And even though neither of you are quite ready for that conversation yet, you know—when the time comes—it’s a future you both want.

Notes:

We bout to throw down for our boy. Laney gonna get right messed up.
Congrats to reader for her restraint. I would have stabbed the mascara wand in her eye.
Paps and reader are so damn cute together.
Undyne 100% forgot she was in a group chat btw. She wouldn't do her bestie dirty like that.
As always, comments are ALWAYS appreciated. I LOVE hearing what you think and all of your kind words.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 32: They All Fall Down

Summary:

This chapter took the longest time to just cooperate.
I really hope you like it.
It's by far the longest I've written so far.

Undyne: So, umm, sorry about yesterday

You: Whatever do you mean?

Undyne: C’mon. Don’t make me type it

You: Wouldn’t dream of it ‘Dyne

Undyne: I’m sorry for forgetting we were in a group chat. May I still please be your maid of honour?

You: XD Apology accepted

Undyne: How did Paps handle it?

You: With poise and grace

Undyne: …

Undyne: …

Undyne: $20 says he shortcut away from you

You: This conversation is over!

Undyne: XD

You chuckle, placing your phone on the counter, returning to your makeup. You wore it so infrequently that applying it always took extra time – you wanted to be careful, ensuring you didn’t smudge the eyeliner or make a mess of the lip liner. The motions, though unpractised, were calming and soothing - perfect for letting your mind wander back to yesterday, replaying everything you and Paps had uncovered about Laney.

It’s not every day you were preparing for a gala and to take someone down.

Yesterday’s research session had been enlightening. Even if Blue wasn’t involved, you and Paps quickly realized that Laney had no business being part of an organization meant to further goodwill between monsters and humans.

It started with Laney’s professional profiles – everything perfectly polished, neutral and unassuming.

Good thing you and Paps were trained research professionals.

At first, you started focusing on the comments under her pictures, resulting in a few promising leads to divide and conquer—coworkers, men she was dating, and friends outside of her work social circle.

While Paps started searching the boyfriend profiles, you zeroed in on her friends. They were the ones who showed the most realistic glimpses into her personal life—the people she vacationed with, smiling along next to her in more candid moments, and — fortunately for you, randomly tagging her in photos she had forgotten to untag herself from.

That turned out to be the real jumping-off point.

Laney’s comments in these posts were far more candid. Crude, even. Occasionally, her replies contained links to message boards and news articles.

Paps had volunteered to follow that rabbit hole after the boyfriends had proven fruitless. One post from a friend caught your attention—someone complaining in the comments about a monster ‘ruining the moment’ by simply walking through the background of a photo. Laney’s reply had seemed harmless at first: just a link to a Reddit forum.

But that forum was not harmless.

It was filled with candid photos of monsters just going about their lives—captured without their consent and turned into memes, the captions and comments full of mockery and contempt.

Paps had gone tense beside you. His anger was palpable, only growing stronger as he recognized some of the monsters in the pictures—monsters he knew who didn’t deserve this.

Heck, nobody – monster or human, deserved this.

“If you need me to take over, I can, love,” you offer gently.

Paps sighs, running his phalanges over his face in frustration. “I know I’m missing something. Wouldn’t mind if you took a peek. I think I’m too close to the source material to be impartial. My anger’s getting in the way.”

With that, you opened a few more tabs, before pulling up a spreadsheet to cross-reference usernames and profiles.

It isn’t until you find a second link to a separate Reddit forum that everything clicks into place. It’s inconspicuously buried under twenty comments complaining about how difficult it was to find a restaurant that didn’t employ monsters. Laney didn’t even add a comment - just dropped the link and left it at that, its popularity bolstered by the number of upvotes it received.

This forum was even more vile than the first. Not only was it about mocking monsters, but it was also organized too. A hate group disguised as a community board, where people could coordinate protests to disrupt monster events.

Monster festival at the waterfront? Get people to clog up traffic so monsters have a harder time arriving.

A parade celebrating monster-human unity? Send people into the crowds to hurl slurs and hateful rhetoric.

It goes on and on linking important dates and initiatives in great detail, sometimes weeks before they’re announced to the public. Almost as if someone with inside information is making sure these hateful protesters have the time and resources to gather effectively and cause chaos.

Popping top contributors into your spreadsheet, you start cross referencing user names that are active in both forums. There are a few that catch your eye.

@Paigegirl

@Mem0ryLainz

@SkeleDeL8tr

“Paps,” you say, drawing his attention. “Can you help me with this? I think one of these three might be Laney.”

He starts working through @Paigegirl while you start on @Mem0ryLainz, searching for any breadcrumbs that could connect Laney to either account.

Most people, you’ve discovered, are very attached to their online personas, often using some variation of the same name across multiple platforms.

Bingo.

It doesn’t surprise you when @Mem0ryLainz turns out to be fruitful—but what does surprise you is just how much anger this woman harbours; particularly toward Blue.

Through an old Tumblr blog, of all things, you piece together a twisted narrative—one where she had once cared for him in her own warped way. Seeing into his soul had forced her to confront a painful truth: Laney would be pure poison to him. Slowly chipping away at his trusting nature as he uncovered the kind of person she truly was beneath all her sugar and spice. She had instantly known that Blue would have never given up on her, and that had scared her the most.

Ultimately, it boiled down to one thing—she hated how open and vulnerable he had made her feel.

Because how dare someone get past all her perfectly constructed walls.

Because how dare he make her see herself for what she truly was.

So she lashed out, violently expelling him from her life and heart, completely breaking his soul in the process. Truth be told, it was a blessing in disguise, so thoroughly severing her from his life in every conceivable way.

“Oof,” Paps says, reading over your shoulder. “Really leaned into the hate after Blue stepped down.”

His voice is uneasy, as you feel him nuzzle closer, seeking comfort from you as he absorbs some of the vilest, most unhinged lies about his brother you’ve ever read – lies repeated so often, you suspect, that she’s started to believe them herself.

The information gathering goes pretty quickly after that. Energized by the volume you’re finding, you and Paps compile a comprehensive list of events Laney has leaked, damning comments she’s made, and even a few videos she’s taken – including one particularly concerning clip.

She’s standing amid a large, riled up crowd, dust swirling in the air.

Its caption?

The aftermath.

Even if this had been staged, bile rises in your throat at the implication.

You turn to Paps, his sockets brimming with tears as you pull him close, heart aching protectively as you hold him in your arms. “We need to get Undyne involved. She can search IP addresses, confirm our findings and make sure we have indisputable proof.”

He nods into your shoulder in agreement, phalanges grasping your shirt in comfort before you pick back up, twice as determined to get every bit of dirt on this woman as you possibly can.

And that has led you to where you currently are now—IP addresses confirmed, and a damning package of evidence ready to be sent to top officials. Alphys had taken your warning seriously after having been alerted to a potential disruption at the gala, ensuring security was heightened for the event.

Now, all that was left to do was get ready and push forward, more determined than ever to not only fight for your family, but to ensure monsters everywhere had the best chance at safety by removing Laney from a position she should never have been allowed to occupy in the first place.

Embarrassed, you realize you’ve zoned out, staring at your face in the mirror as you replayed the tougher parts of yesterday afternoon in your mind. Shaking your head, you finish up your makeup, before heading back to your bedroom to change out of your robe and get ready for the gala.

~*~

Your gown is on, hair pinned messily at the nape of your neck, as few choice curls loosely frame your face. Your makeup is flawless. You toss the lipstick and a few other products into your small clutch - perfectly matching your dress – before slipping in a pair of silver earrings and stepping into your heels, taking a moment to admire your reflection in the mirror.

Huh, necklace would have been nice. But you’ve always erred on the side of caution when it came to spending money, and nothing in your collection felt fancy enough for this gown. The earrings would have to suffice.

Laughter drifts up from the living room below, Paps and Blue’s familiar voices filling the space. You smile, remembering at the last moment to grab the small gifts you picked out for them before heading downstairs.

Blue’s back is turned to the stairs as Paps notices you first. His expression instantly softens, the corners of his mouth turning up in a warm smile as a pale orange dusts his cheekbones. He’s seen the dress before, but not like this – not with your hair done, your makeup perfect, and every detail in place.

You wonder if he’s thinking back to those unspoken words between you yesterday, lines you both had meant the other to read between when it came to your love. Sure, Undyne was only half-serious about that maid-of-honour joke, but you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t, in that moment, imagined him looking at you just like this on your wedding day.

Stars, you love them both so much. You will not cry. This is a happy moment. But after yesterday’s emotional rollercoaster, everything feels just a little more intense right now.

Blue notes Paps’ sudden distraction, turning around just as you reach the base of the stairs. His eye lights instantly turn to stars, shimmering with wonder as you approach.

“Hey Blue,” you whisper softly as he reaches for your hand.

His mouth works, but no sound comes out.

“Has she rendered you speechless brother?” Paps quips kindly, though his voice is rougher than usual—like he’s pushing the words out through his own surge of emotion.

Blue looks at him embarrassed. “NO BROTHER, SHE’S JUST-,” he shakes his head before quickly turning back to you, “I MEAN, YOU’RE SIMPLY STUNNING, MY SOUL.”

He lifts your hand, spinning you gently. The light catches the shifting colours of your dress as it flares around you.

“Oh! I have something for the two of you,” you manage, laughing as Blue releases you from the twirl.

Two sets of eye sockets open simultaneously as they both perk up in the exact same way. Most of the time you only vaguely remember they’re brothers, but when they do something like this, it comes back to you in startling clarity.

You laugh as you set your clutch down and hand them their respective presents.

“I umm, it’s not much,” you say, suddenly feeling shy. “But I hope it’ll be like carrying a little piece of me with you wherever you go tonight.”

Blue opens his box first, beaming as he lifts out a small star pin.

“YOU LITERALLY GOT ME STARLIGHT!” he exclaims, practically vibrating with joy. He hands it over to you so you can pin it to the lapel of his jacket, leaning in to press a kiss on his nose ridge just to watch him blush. “OH STARS PAPS, YOU’RE GONNA HAVE HEALTHY COMPETITION FOR BEST GYFTMAS PRESENT THIS YEAR!” He stands taller, his chest puffing up slightly as he admires his gift.

Turning to Paps, you watch as he tips the contents of the small bag into his palm, looking down at two delicate honeybee cufflinks, grin spreading across his face.

“I umm…just thought they were really cute?” You smile as he bursts out laughing, gathering you in his arms for a hug. He presses a quick kiss to your forehead before stepping back, letting you fasten the cufflinks onto his sleeves.

“WE GOT YOU A GIFT TOO, STARLIGHT.” Blue announces proudly. “FACE THE MIRROR AND CLOSE YOUR EYES.”

You feel Paps move behind you as something light clasps around your neck. His phalanges purposely linger just enough to tickle, making you shiver against his touch.

“Hey, that’s not playing fair,” you joke. “I can’t even fight back!”

“All right, all right. I relent,” he chuckles, as his phalanges linger even longer, almost unwilling to break contact. “Go ahead and open ‘em, Honeybee.”

When you do finally get to open your eyes, a silver pendant holding a honey-orange stone on top of a light blue stone rests comfortingly against your suprasternal notch. You reach up a hand in surprise, fingers tracing along the almost glowing stones.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” you whisper, not quite believing how delicately it sits on your neck. You don’t think you’ve ever owned a piece of jewelry this nice. You certainly didn’t inherit any, as you family completely raided any of your grandmother’s possessions with a monetary value attached to it after her death. “Thank you. Both of you.”

“The orange stone is called hessonite.” Paps murmurs, his voice gentle. “Lady at the shop said it represents truth, transformation and protection. Couldn’t think of a better symbol of our love, Honeybee.”

“AND THE LIGHT BLUE STONE IS HEMIMORPHITE,” Blue adds eagerly. “IT REPRESENTS EMOTIONAL HEALING, PERSONAL GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION…IT’S PERFECT FOR EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN THROUGH.”

You will not cry, you will not cry, you will not cry.

You tear up.

Laughing softly, you wrap an arm around both of them, holding them close. “You really know how to make someone feel cherished,” you murmur. “I love that we all had the same idea—carrying a little piece of each other with us, wherever we go.”

“Plus,” Paps grins, waggling his brow bones, “we imbued the stones with a little bit of our magic. It’s why they look like they’re glowing.”

Your eyes widen, hand going to the necklace again in wonder. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“IT’S SOMETHING MONSTERS DO FOR EACH OTHER IN RELATIONSHIPS. IT’S NOT QUITE AS POWERFUL AS OUR SOUL BOND, BUT WE’VE POURED LOVE INTO THOSE STONES, AND IF YOU TOUCH THEM, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FEEL IT WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.”

Oh my word. These two were so absolutely sweet. How did you ever manage to luck out like this?

“I-I’m touched. This is just beyond special.”

You’re dabbing happy tears from your eyes as the city appointed limo arrives to carry you to your destination in style. Paps drapes your coat across your shoulders as Blue holds open the door for you, and you’re off; hopefully fully prepared for the wild night ahead.

~*~

The three of you roll up to the gala in style, eyes widening as you take in the venue’s stunning transformation. The city has worked with the building’s natural architecture, illuminating the Roman columns and arched domes with brilliant lights. Chandeliers hang high overhead, casting a dazzling glow, while large pine centrepieces and intricate ice sculptures adorn the tables and alcoves. It looks like a winter wonderland.

As you enter, you spot Alphys and Undyne standing off to the side, looking quite the pair. Alphys is dressed in a black suit, her vest buttoned up, a pocket watch tucked neatly in place. An earpiece loops discreetly around her ear—a subtle but clear sign she’s on the job tonight, though that doesn’t mean she won’t enjoy herself. Undyne, in contrast, is ready for entertainment, wearing a sleek black dress, her red hair cascading loosely in waves down her back.

They call the three of you over, Undyne sporting a huge grin as she elbows Alphys in the ribs.

“See hun, I TOLD you her dress was STUNNING.”

Alphys nods appraisingly before affectionately wrapping an arm around Blue’s shoulders. He looks slightly nervous – understandable, given the stories he’s told you about her infamous noogies. Surely, she wouldn’t, not here at a gala… right?

“I’m gonna take these two library nerds off your hands,” Alphys announces. “Gotta get ‘em backstage and ready for the presentation. In the meantime, I’m entrusting my beautiful wife to your care.”

She releases Blue - mercifully unscathed - before pulling Undyne in for a kiss.

When they part, Undyne turns to you with a wink. “I’ll be sure to return him to you in one piece, bestie.”

“You better,” you laugh as Blue leans in, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek before he bends his arm, offering it like a gentleman to Undyne, who accepts with a flourish.

“WE’LL SAVE YOUR SPOTS AT THE TABLE STARLIGHT!” Blue calls with a wave as they make their way inside.

Good. You want him to enjoy the evening as much as possible. He looks so damn happy right now—standing tall, stars in his eyes, a huge smile on his face. Confidence radiates from him. You've watched him change over time, sure, he’s always been confident, but as he’s put in the work and slowly pulled himself back from his broken soul, allowed himself to trust again, there’s a light behind his eye lights again, a radiance that can’t be faked.

Even without the soul bond, anyone can clearly see how comfortable and joyful he is in this moment. You watch as he and Undyne share a quiet joke before disappearing around the corner.

You, on the other hand, were nervous, and not just for the presentation the two of you were about to give. Laney would be here. Alphys had confirmed as much when she looked at the guest list earlier. While she was on high alert for any potential disruptions to the gala, you and Paps were on high alert for the sake of Blue. You would not put it past Laney to corner him tonight, inflicting her own special brand of cruelty.

And for what? Because he had the audacity to care for her once?

It makes you sick with worry.

“Undyne has it set to send the moment you give the word,” Alphys says, leading you and Paps down a back hallway. A satisfied grin spreads across her face—this is just as much a win for her as it is for you and Paps. She’s been trying to nail Laney for inappropriate workplace behaviour for over a year, and now, with undeniable proof in hand, she’s practically vibrating with excitement. She always suspected Laney was a terrible person, but after hearing exactly what happened between her and Blue? Now she’s out for blood.

You and Paps exchange a nod. If Laney stays away from Blue, the information you gathered will quietly make its way to the right people at Alphys’ workplace bright and early Monday morning, where it will be handled discreetly. If, however, Laney decides to make a scene…well, you’re prepared to make a much bigger one.

Nobody messes with your family.

If Blue and Paps can get your uncle to move out of state, you can certainly put Laney in her place once and for all. All you want is for Blue to feel safe, just like both boys have made you feel.

Your grandmother had always done her best to make that happen, but finally truly knowing peace, feeling comfortable in your own skin and in your own home has done wonders for your mental health. Soon, you know you’ll be able to extend that feeling into your city too; not having to worry about letting your guard down, always wondering if your uncle Doug is just around the next corner. Only now with him gone do you realize how truly exhausting it has been.

You muse over all of this backstage, as you and Paps chat idly with members of other departments until your names are called. Presenters take the stage two by two, the lights dimming as spotlights swivel toward them. Thankfully, Laney’s attempts at sabotaging this portion of the evening seem to have failed - as Craig righted everything she tried to disrupt.

Finally, you and Paps hear your names being called. Drawing comfort from each other, you squeeze his hand before stepping up onto the stage to give your presentation.

It goes smoothly – all that practice paying off.

The nervous jitters Paps had felt before stepping into the spotlight seem to vanish. If you weren’t so attuned to his subtle tells – things only you would notice – you’d think he did this all the time. He’s at ease, cracking jokes delivering his portion with a confidence he did not fully possess when you had met him. Looking perfectly at home on stage amid the sea of people, he even manages to pick up the thread of the speech when you falter with one of your own lines. The audience responds warmly, laughing at his easy puns.

You’re fairly certain you can hear Blue’s groan when he closes with a pun - louder than the resounding applause that greets you at the end of your presentation. Casting a quick glance to Paps on stage, the telltale smirk on the side of his mouth confirming your suspicions.  

Before long, you’re back at the table with your friends and family, heartily congratulating you as dinner is served. The meal is divine – a collection of monster and human dishes are passed around as everyone chats excitedly, giving everything a try.

As you eat, the gala is treated to live performers. Jugglers, contortionists and harlequin clowns weave through the tables, delighting guests, while aerial acrobats perform high above the main stage. Blue keeps tapping your shoulder, excitedly directing your line of sight to someone in the air doing flips as Paps sits back and watches the two of you fondly. There’s a content smile on his face that you don’t need a soul bond to understand. As far as you’re concerned, you agree. You have your family by your side and all is right with the world.

After dessert and hot beverages, the tables are pushed aside. New seating arrangements are set along the perimeter of the room, as a classical ensemble of strings, brass and piano takes the stage.

“Wait, there’s actually a live orchestra?” you exclaim, completely stunned as they strike up their first song. The chandeliers are lowered as the ceiling lights up with stars – courtesy of some seriously impressive monster magic.

It looks like you’re staring at the night sky as Paps leans over and whispers ‘gems from waterfall. These were our stars when we were trapped in the underground.’

There’s an almost sad nostalgia to his voice, but he quickly snaps out of it as he looks down at you, wrapping an arm affectionately around your shoulders with a little squeeze, like he’s trying to ground himself in the present with something solid.

While you have never outright talked about it, there were lingering memories, glimpses caught through your encounter that you’ve never been able to make sense of. Things that both had and hadn’t happened at the same time. Strange how you had never picked up on that with Blue. It doesn’t make any sense to you, and you would talk about it, but have a feeling this is something you need to let Paps bring up with you first.

Since your encounter with Paps, you are very aware that there is a well of sadness buried deep inside of your skeleton, something he still carries with him, but has been drawing from less and less as the years go by.

While you couldn’t possibly understand the context, you do understand the feeling. The hurt your family put you through has left it scars, but being around Paps and Blue has allowed you to put a lot of that behind you. Even if you can never fully understand what they’ve gone through before making it to the surface, you’ll always be there to help them more forward.

Broken from your rumination, your attention is quickly drawn back to the present, as the band strikes up and guests take to the floor. Alphys laughs, calling out to the boys as she’s pulled out to the dancefloor, “I hope you remember something from the wedding, nerds,” she says, before sweeping Undyne away in her arms.

The three of you chuckle as Paps extends a hand to you.

“Care to take me for a spin, Honeybee? I’ve got a skele-ton of moves to show you.”

You burst into laughter as Blue groans dramatically. “PAPY, IT WAS BAD ENOUGH WHEN YOU PUNNED YOUR WAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, HOW MANY MORE DO YOU HAVE TO INFLICT ON HER TONIGHT?”

“As many as it takes to keep that smile on Honeybee’s face, bro!”

Grinning, you give Blue a quick kiss on the cheekbone before taking Paps’ hand.

“Sorry, Blue!” you laugh delighted before you’re swept onto the dance floor. “Save the next dance for me,” you say as Paps twirls you into the night.

~*~

You’re taking a break from dancing with Paps, to mingle idly with guests and grab a drink. Through it all, you’ve been keeping an eye on both Paps and Blue as the night goes on, watching them laugh and chat, noting how confident and at ease they both look. It makes your heart swell with happiness as you drift in and out of their orbits, pulled into conversations, introduced as their soulmate on more than one occasion to a select group of approving monsters. It’s enough to give anyone butterflies, leaving this warm syrupy feeling behind in its wake.

Eventually you spot Undyne in between conversations, imploring her to head to the washrooms with you to freshen up.

“I absolutely cannot believe that woman.” Undyne is furious, finally able to vent to you about the extent of Laney’s involvement. “The number of times I’ve seen Alphys come home completely devastated because someone has pulled funding from one of her projects is infuriating.” Her fists are balled at her sides as she paces back and forth. “She’s always had her suspicions, but to think it’s all because of one woman.” Undyne throws her hands up in frustration, continuing to pace around the empty washroom as you reapply your makeup.

“Trust me, I know. If you could have seen her yesterday, monologuing like some Disney villain.” You get quiet, grow distant as you replay the gamut of emotions that conversation put you through yesterday. Things you normally didn’t feel, things that compelled you to act out some pretty dark thoughts in your head if it meant just getting her to leave Blue alone. Sharing that encounter and seeing Blue’s soul fracture firsthand has made you uncharacteristically angry.

“I didn’t know how to act besides smile and nod. She scared me, ‘Dyne. The intensity of her vendetta against Blue is fierce. I felt it during that talk, but as Paps and I researched…” you trail off. “Well, I’m just glad we were able to find as much as we did.”

“Unfortunately, I’ve run across my fair share of people like that,” she says, shaking her head. “Sometimes I don’t know how humans have survived all these years without being able to check each other’s intentions.”

You nod, thinking back to how explosive your family was growing up, how you had to learn to read their shifting moods – that ever present mean streak hiding just below the surface. “It’s…tough, and a lot of the times it breaks you. Even those who are very good a picking up on cues sometimes get things wrong.”

“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, bestie, and I’m glad you found your way to us. Now we just need to find a hobby that you and Alphys can bond over so you can have a backup bestie when I’m busy.” She winks at you. “She’s so amazing…and as an added bonus, you’ll be able to properly appreciate it when I GUSH about her!” Undyne sighs happily, a dreamy look on her face as you chuckle.

“Is that what I look like every time I talk about Paps or Blue?”

“HA!” she snorts. “Nahh, you’re ten times worse!” Undyne pauses for a moment, growing serious as she turns to lock eyes with you in the bathroom mirror.

“I wanted to thank you too. Felt like we were losing them for a while there. We knew something was wrong, but they had just…stopped reaching out and we couldn’t figure out why.” Undyne looks up sadly at you, caught in a bad memory. “Even when Alphys would go out with Blue, he was distant – distracted. We didn’t have a clue what had happened.” Then, quieter, she adds. “We would have helped. We would have been there.”

You squeeze her arm in comfort. “I know that. THEY know that. Depression can do funny things to your mind – make you feel hopeless, turn inward and isolate, even while appearing outwardly fine.”

She throws an arm across your shoulders and pulls you in for a side hug, heartened by your words. “I thought to myself that anyone who could pull them out of that funk was someone worth meeting—someone worth paying attention to. And I’m just so glad you proved me right.”

Her voice softens, just a little. “Guess I’m just happy we’re besties, y’know? And that I completely understand why some of my oldest, closest friends love you so much.”

You’re shocked, Undyne rarely gets so emotional. A warm happiness grows in your chest as you lean into the hug with a grin. “Maid of honour at the wedding for sure.”

“OH HELL YEAH!” She laughs back.

~*~

You’ve exited the washroom, and are waving fondly to Undyne as she gets swallowed up by the crowd when it hits. You feel it long before you see him, that sharp twinge through your soul bond letting you know Blue is in distress. It’s disorienting, surrounded by the fanfare all around you. Like searching for one head bobbing alone in an ocean of restless waves.

Stop. Think. Where did you last see them before heading to the washroom? The dancefloor? No - off to the side, in a lounge area. Blue had been telling a story to a small appreciative crowd – his former coworkers congratulating him on his latest endeavour. Paps had been watching from nearby, admiration softening his features, an amused smile touching the corners of his mouth.

They won’t be on the dance floor.

Alright. New plan - get to the perimeter, walk along its edges, and scan the crowd. Feel the pull of your soul bond while dodging well-wishers eager to congratulate you on a job well done. Then – there. You spot Paps ahead, holding a drink and chatting with the monsters from city housing. He looks…happy. Relaxed in a way he rarely allows himself to be in such large gatherings.

You curse Laney for taking that away from all of you tonight.

There’s a steady flow of people between you and Paps, filing in and out of the ballroom as you search for the best way to reach him. He catches your eye and raises his glass in greeting. You mime looking around, and mouth the word ‘Blue” to him from across the distance as you attempt to make your way closer.

Paps shoves a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the general direction he last saw him in before turning his head to verify. You can see the moment his shoulders freeze, and your suspicions are instantly confirmed.

Laney must be with Blue.

His gaze darts back to yours in mutual understanding. You had planned this moment – methodically mapping out every possible scenario in case Laney ever got Blue alone. Paps knows exactly what to do: find Alphys and Undyne, prepare for a potential information drop tonight instead of after the gala.

You are responsible for Laney.

The fact that he’s put so much trust in you – how Paps knows you will protect his brother as fiercely as he would is staggering. You know how much they care for each other, you know how much they care for you, you will not mess this up.

Frustrated, you apologize your way through the steady flow of traffic, walking with purpose to where Paps pointed his thumb. You’re watching faces, trying to see over heads when suddenly the crowd parts for one perfect moment and you see them.

They’re tucked into an alcove. Blue’s back is to you, his normally upright posture is sagging. He looks like he’s shutting down, retreating inward as Laney smiles casually, cruelly at him, drawing her pleasure from his pain. You notice, with a twinge of love, that one hand is resting up on his lapel, stroking the star you placed on his jacket earlier.

You don’t have to guess what she’s saying. You’re close enough now to hear snippets of conversation.

“…was so looking forward to seeing you again…”

“…and working with you again…”

“…WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS, LANEY?..”

“…CAN GET YOU HELP IF YOU NEED IT…”

Blue, sweet Blue, still willing to see the good in people. Still offering them the choice to do better, even through his pain. Stars, you love him so much. She doesn’t deserve his kindness. She should be begging for his forgiveness.

You hope she feels her sins crawling on her back.

“…got your NPO transferred under my portfolio…”

A sharp spike of anxiety, tipping into sadness, crashes through your bond. He’s very aware of what that means.

I’m coming, Blue. Hold on, love.

“…that’s right, we’ll be working together again soon Baby Blue…”

The way she wields his name like a weapon breaks your heart. Makes you flinch at the same time Blue does. When this is over, you’ll whisper his name over and over again in the darkness of your room, kissing him softly, until you’ve erased all memory of it coming from her lips.

Then, she sees you. Her expression brightens, and your stomach twists.

“Hey, Library!” she calls, grinning as she waves you over. You feign surprise, stepping forward. “Remember that skeleton I told you about yesterday? The needy little one I used to date? Well, here he is!”

She’s practically giddy. You don’t need to see Blue’s face to feel the way her words wound him.

I’m here Blue. You’re not alone.

“I was just telling him the good news about how we’ll be working together again soon.” She winks at you, clearly pleased with the outcome of whatever transpired last night. “It’ll be just like old times again, eh Blue?”

Blue turns to you, looking lost—caught between confusion and quiet hurt. You wander up to them slowly, sending him love and reassurance through your bond.

“Funny thing,” Laney muses, voice light and breezy. “I saw him come in with a monster tonight. At least he’s finally trying to date his own species this time.”

She turns her attention back to Blue, about to launch into some smug remark about you working with a skeleton yourself, —some flimsy attempt to imply camaraderie— when, without hesitation, you slide your hand into Blue’s, hugging his arm possessively. Making it incredibly clear who you came with tonight.

His eyes meet yours, wide and pleading, as if he’s drowning and you’re the only thing keeping him afloat. It cuts deep, the way his pain echoes through you, like a shared wound. You feel torn between wanting to just hold him close to your heart while simultaneously wanting to throttle Laney for the way she’s making him feel. It’s as if you’re reliving his encounter all over again, so many elements are eerily similar. The only difference now is he doesn’t have to face it alone.

“I’m here, Blue,” you whisper, squeezing his hand in support.

He closes his eye sockets, taking a deep breath in, drawing strength from your presence. You can feel something in him shift the moment he steps out of the past and back into the present. He knows he’s not in danger – that his soul is in the best of possible hands, your presence is a solid reminder of that, and the panic he’s feeling is solely for the NPO he’s worked so hard to get off the ground.

You turn your head slowly, a calm smile creeping onto your face as you look back up at Laney. “We’ve actually already met, and you’re mistaken,” you trail off, as if your hand in his wasn’t enough of a hint. You want to spell it out for her. “He’s actually here with me tonight,” you say smoothly, as she looks at the two of you, stunned.

Eventually, Laney laughs. It’s not long, just one surprised “HA” puncturing the silence before she falters. “You can’t be serious, right?”

Ahhh, there it is. The doubt, the realization, the fear setting in.

You’re not generally someone with a great deal of bravado, but in this moment with your heart racing, and liquid anger flowing through your veins, you’ll make an exception. Maybe it’s the dress, maybe it’s the way Laney is staring with disbelief, or the way Blue is looking at you with the utmost trust in his eye lights, but you feel the need to demonstrate just how serious you are about being here with him tonight to this woman.

You lean over and press a soft kiss into the side of Blue’s skull, inwardly laughing at the accidental lipstick mark you hadn’t meant to leave with your freshly applied lipstick.

Sorry darling. You think, I’ll help you get that off later.

“So, I’m going to give you a few options right now,” you begin, forcing your meekness down, speaking calmly. You just presented to this entire room of people – this is nothing in comparison. You can do this for Blue.

“Option one: You can save face tonight. Step down from the committee and your position yourself.” This isn’t a lie. You and Paps built in an option for her to do the right thing, knowing Blue would insist on it. He believes everyone has the capacity to make the right choice, even if they don’t deserve it.

“Use the rest of this gala and weekend to gain some perspective, do some soul searching. Find a different career path to follow while your credentials are still intact.” You pause, then deliver what you know will be her most likely choice. “Or, you can take option two: continue down this path and face the consequences now instead of quietly later.”

Oh stars, was this really you talking? This is the firmest, most confident you’ve ever outwardly been, even if it feels like your insides are turning to liquid. You catch Blue’s subtle head tilt toward you, but push forward, determined to finish. “Just know that regardless of what you choose, you won’t be involved in Blue’s life any more in any capacity after tonight. I’ve made sure of it.”

It’s Laney’s turn to shift uncomfortably now. Her eyes dart around the gala, searching for some perceived unseen threat. She thinks you’re bluffing—after all, Disney villain monologue aside, she believes she’s been careful.

You see Undyne and Alphys standing off to the side, waiting for their signal discretely behind her, as Laney tries to weigh her options.

“Empty threats. You’ve got nothing on me.” She smirks – but that telltale quaver in her voice indicates otherwise.

“Do you really want to test that, Mem0ryLainz?”

The colour drains from her face as Blue looks between the two of you with confusion.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She recovers quickly, feigning innocence as if leaning into it will make it true.

“Really? Because we’ve confirmed IP addresses.” You inspect your nails, feigning boredom. “Not your brightest moment, sending some of those posts from the work Wi-Fi.”

The look of wonder slowly creeping across Blue’s face as realization sets in is the only thing keeping you steady right now. You were not only here for him, but are swiftly handling this situation in a distinctly you manner. You can feel the anxiety through your bond fade away, replaced by a mixture of love and awe.

Laney looks like a trapped animal as the implication of what you said sets in. “People like you disgust me,” she spits it out like venom, only you can’t be bothered to care. You’ve run out of patience for the lifetime’s worth of hatred you’ve experienced at such a young age.

“I’m going to say it one more time. Think about what you want from this, Laney, because it’s not going to be Blue. You can walk away unscathed, or scorch your reputation on the way out. Your choice.”

You say it levelly, really hoping she’ll take the high road. She’s a horrible person, but if she chooses to pursue this, there won’t be many places left in the city that will hire her after people discover what she’s done.

“If you think I’m walking away from everything I’ve worked for, you’re crazy. I’ve made enough friends, I’ll be fine,” she chuckles, starting to regain some of that confidence from before.

Beside you, Blue mutters something under his breath.

Sunk cost fallacy? What is he talking about?

“SHE WON’T STEP DOWN, STARLIGHT.” He says, knowing she’s going to go out kicking and screaming.

“Fuck you, Blue. Stay out of my head.” She practically snarls at him, fear flashing in her eyes that you suspect may be over the fact that someone had ever managed to get that close to her. People are starting to take notice, glancing her way.

“I’M SO SORRY LIFE HAS TURNED YOU INTO THIS.” He sighs at her and you can feel it, a sadness coming through your bond, and a fear almost.

Blue then turns to you, pressing your hand to his teeth in a gentle nuzzle. Some very complex emotions coming your way.

“I’M SO GLAD YOU TURNED OUT THE WAY YOU DID, STARLIGHT, DESPITE EVERYTHING LIFE HAS THROWN AT YOU.”

Oh. You suddenly understand the fear. This was a path you could have taken had your family managed to harden your heart. This is why Blue thinks everyone deserves a chance, because their choices lead them to where they want to be. For every soul like Laney, there’s another like yours.

“I don’t want a monster’s pity. Go dust yourself.” She glares daggers at the two of you as you sigh, finally glancing to Alphys and Undyne with a sad nod. You can hate her all you want, but you’re still disappointed it has to be this way.

Undyne doesn’t hesitate. She pulls out her phone and sends off the email to everyone in the room. It starts small, a few pings can be heard in the crowd before someone finally opens the email and begins to read. As more and more phones are opened, more and more eyes swing to Laney until someone gets up on stage, stalling the music in a hush.

Silence.

It’s eerie, how an entire ballroom goes quiet. Then the sound of a video playing—one of many attachments you included, ensuring there’s no coming back from this. If it also happened to get sent to a local news outlet, well…that’s hardly your fault, right?

“What the fuck just happened?” She’s starting to hyperventilate, looking for a means of escape, but there’s no shying away. All eyes are either on her, or are casting glances in her direction, too far away to see what’s happening, just knowing where the action is.

It’s Alphys who breaks the spell, approaching you in full work mode, resting a firm hand on Laney’s shoulder. “There are some people in the hallway who want to have a word with you. You’re going to be coming with me.” She leaves no room for argument. She grips Laney’s arm and leads her out as the whispers start.  

You realize people have been recording this interaction since the email was sent to everyone, suddenly wanting nothing more than to hide yourself from the spotlight before they start asking questions. Blue senses your discomfort, pulling you protectively to him.

“I THINK OUR EVENING IS JUST ABOUT DONE, WANT TO GO HOME, STARLIGHT?”

Now that it’s over, now that people are talking and looking at the two of you in a world where monster human relationships aren’t all that well known yet, you start to feel incredibly exposed. Standing there in his arms his skull still smudged with lipstick, you nod. It’s time to go home.

Paps takes this opportunity to saunter up casually blocking your view of the crowd. “Exciting night, hey Honeybee?” He smiles down kindly, wrapping a protective arm around your shoulders. “Undyne knows a quiet, out of the way place, and I just so happen to know a shortcut home. What do you say we call it a night?”

“Yes please,” you whisper.

With Undyne’s guidance, the three of you slip down a service exit away from the crowd, murmurs of people behind you asking questions, demanding answers as to why someone like her had ever been allowed to work there at all. The relief is palpable when Undyne ushers the three of you into a janitor’s closet, nodding knowingly as she shuts the door to deal with the aftermath.

You hold on tight to both Blue and Paps as the three of you shortcut home.

Notes:

For some reason I could not get out of my own head with regards to this chapter.
I think I'm satisfied. I think.
Your kind words and comments sustain me.
This chapter nearly did me in.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan

Chapter 33: Fort Night

Summary:

This chapter is dedicated to that one irl friend who found my story.

If you're reading this, you know you shouldn't be.

I hope you feel your sins crawling on your back! XD

It’s late, but you’re home. All three of you are now freshly showered, dressed in comfortable clothes, and settled on the living room couch. An old episode of Star Trek plays softly in the background as Paps brings everyone a mug of their favourite warm beverage.

You hold Blue’s jaw gently in one hand, running a warm washcloth over his skull with the other. Your tongue sticks out slightly in concentration as he squirms softly under your touch. 

"IT’S REALLY NO TROUBLE, IT’LL COME OFF IN TIME, I’M SURE.”

“I swear I didn’t realize it would stain,” you say, a twinge of guilt in your voice. Most of the lipstick had come off in the shower, but the faintest trace of red still lingers on the side of his skull. Blue laughs it off, assuring you it’s fine, but you worry that if this story gains more traction than it already has, he might have to be in front of a camera sooner rather than later.

Why won’t he hold still?

“Wait, are you ticklish there?” you ask, pausing with the cloth held just above his head.

“N-NO,” he replies unconvincingly, a helpless grin forming as he tries his best to pretend your touch isn’t affecting him.

Paps, sitting beside you, isn’t helping—he’s making faces at Blue over your shoulder. When he’s not teasing his brother, he’s refreshing websites on his phone, and reading off texts from Undyne and Alphys as the night wraps up.

“She’s officially been fired,” he starts, turning his phone around to show you and Blue the screen.

Blue sighs as you nod. He’d received the email as well, has been trying to process the amount of hatred Laney holds in her heart for him, and how things have spiraled so far out of control since their encounter all those years ago. To say he’s unnerved would be an understatement.

“I KNOW ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES…” he begins hesitantly. “BUT WHAT IF THIS JUST FURTHER SENDS HER DOWN A PATH OF HATE?”

You steal a glance at Paps, already having voiced this same concern to him last night. Back then, you hadn’t fully grasped the weight of the situation—hadn’t understood just how angry she really was. But after tonight, after seeing it firsthand?

Did you think that people could change? Yes, anyone was capable of bettering themselves.

Did you believe Laney could—or would even want to? No, you didn’t.

Blue was right. If anything, tonight’s events had likely cemented her convictions, convincing her she had been right all along.

And then, of course, there was that picture.

It was making the rounds online—a candid shot capturing the moment you had looked at Blue with worry in your eyes, his arms wrapped protectively around you, a lipstick kiss prominently marking the side of his skull. It’s a small wonder that Paps had been left out of the equation, considering the cameras had been rolling before he had even stepped in to block the crowd from your sight. You chalk it up to human perception—people weren’t as open to the idea of polyamorous relationships as monsters were. They had quite literally failed to see what was right in front of them.

Regardless, you’re happy that at least one of you gets to remain out of the spotlight – doubly so that it’s Paps. Blue has a certain comfort in front of a camera that Paps just does not possess nor want. Truthfully, you’re in a similar boat, but don’t really have a choice in the matter after tonight.

And yet, if given the chance, you’d do it all over again for Blue. No hesitation. No regrets.

Like it or not, you and Blue—the apparently still very prominent former ambassador—were now the faces of monster-human relationships. Your name and information were spreading fast—at least in Ebott. What that meant, you didn’t yet know.

The discourse online had been… mostly positive. People who hadn’t attended the gala were outraged—rightfully so—that a full-fledged monster hater had been operating in their midst. Many were calling for stricter background checks on public officials, as well as an audit of policies surrounding hiring and human/monster resources.

There was a smaller but rapidly growing subset of voices however, that were focusing on the two of you. Some were offering support. Others were prying, asking crude questions, while some were just outright hateful. There have always been monster/human relationships, but they were quiet, private things. The public now had a face for it to focus all its commentary on.

Paps, ever protective, has been purposefully filtering out the worst of the hate, focusing instead on maintaining a quiet, peaceful evening between the three of you. Too bad you know his expressions too well.

Pausing your ministrations with Blue, you turn to face him, watching as he scrolls through his phone, eyes quickly daring over text and images. Without a word, you reach out a hand and gently take the phone from him, turning it off. He startles, then sighs.

“It’s not worth it tonight,” you say softly. “We’ll deal with the consequences tomorrow. Right now, I just need you here in the present with me, sweetheart.”

His gaze softens. There’s exhaustion and sadness there, but mostly love as he gathers you in his arms. “Sorry Honeybee,” he murmurs, nuzzling a gentle, lingering skeleton kiss on the top of your head, breathing in your scent to ground himself in the moment.

The mood is heavy. You desperately need something to lift everyone’s spirits before tomorrow arrives.

A grin slowly spreads across your face as an idea takes shape.

“Hey,” you begin, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Have either of you ever built a blanket fort?”

Judging by their intrigued glances, you know you’ve caught their attention. Blue, of course, looks ready to whip out blueprint paper and draft detailed plans, while Paps leans back with a soft smile – the first genuine one he’s managed since you got home. It reaches his sockets, lighting up his entire face. He looks at you lazily through half-lidded eyes and nods.

“Used to do it all the time when Blue and I were babybones. S’been a long while,” he chuckles.

“I AM QUITE THE CAPABLE BUILDER; I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW. TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE AFTER AND I SHALL MAKE YOU YOUR DREAM BLANKET FORT PALACE!”

You laugh, delighted and stand. “I say we clear the coffee table, find everything in this house that’s even remotely soft and warm and cozy, and pile it all here between the furniture to make a nest. If we can construct the fort over the couches and stretch it to the TV, we can watch movies, have snacks and just enjoy each other’s company.”

The boys share a look and a nod between them, before standing.

“You get the snacks, Honeybee, and leave the rest to us.”

Excited, you clap your hands before running to the kitchen. You bypass most cupboards, heading straight for the emergency snack pantry —the one you’d insisted on keeping stocked with storm chips in case of a blizzard. The boys had given you amused looks when you first explained the concept, but it hadn’t taken much convincing to get them on board.

The weather may be calling for clear cold temperatures tonight, but you figure this is more than a good enough reason to break out the storm chips.

You toss a bag of popcorn in the microwave for good measure, grabbing a tray to arrange the chip bags neatly. A selection of soda and sparkling water joins the lineup, along with freshly sliced apples for Blue. You take a moment to blend a quick almond butter dip for him, hyper-focused on making sure he has plenty of options. You’re so focused, in fact, that you barely register the muffled chaos coming from the living room as the boys begin construction on the blanket fort.

Once you’re absolutely sure they’re occupied, you kneel down and covertly reach into the back of an often-ignored cupboard, pulling out a hidden stash of Halloween candy. It’s not that you wouldn’t share - it’s just that, had Paps known about its existence, it would have disappeared in under a week. But tonight, you’re going all out, wanting to make this moment just as special as the gala had been, though for different reasons.

It’s late, you’re all tired and on edge, uncertain about what tomorrow will bring. All you want is to preserve this little pocket of peace for as long as possible. The thought of sleeping alone tonight - or with just one of them, but not the other - feels wrong. An impromptu sleepover is the best way to keep your little family close together.  

You scatter the candy along the edge of the tray, making a point to move the suckers to one side—Paps’ inevitable first target. Smiling to yourself, you think about how much they deserve this. Lately, all of you have been working so hard that you’ve nearly forgotten to have fun. Had you not been drawing comfort from each other, this autumn and winter would have been much harder to endure.

With the popcorn transferred to a bowl and the snack tray perfectly arranged, you head back to the living room—only to stop in your tracks.

The blanket fort is huge. It stretches from the couch all the way up to the TV wall, fairy lights strung along the top as Paps meticulously arranges them. Blue appears beside you, carefully taking the tray from your hands.

“GO CHECK IT OUT, STARLIGHT,” he urges, beaming.

Paps pulls back a blanket inviting you inside.

Cozy is the first word that comes to mind. They’ve raided every bedroom in the house. You recognize pillows from both your bed and Paps’, but unsurprisingly, the majority come from Blue’s. The couch cushions have been rearranged into a makeshift mattress on the floor, layered with your grandmother’s handmade quilts. The softest, warmest blankets rest on top, an inviting nest in the heart of the fort.

With a pleased sigh, you flop down right in the middle.

Once you’re settled, the boys flip off the main lights, leaving only the fairy lights to cast a soft glow across the fort walls. Paps crawls in first, sliding his guitar over before stretching out beside you. Blue follows, balancing the snack tray with practised ease before nestling in on your other side.

As you and Blue get comfortable, Paps leans back against the pillows. He’s tired—you’d bet he won’t last an hour before falling asleep completely. But before sleep can claim him, he starts softly strumming his guitar.

This is exactly what you all needed.

You both lean against the pillows, Blue resting his head on your shoulder as Paps hums along to the tune. It’s one of your favourite songs—Somebody Loved by The Weepies. He learned it for you after hearing you play it on the piano one night months ago. Now, you can feel the care in every chord, each note played just for the three of you.

Eventually, though, he tires. Blue gently takes the guitar from him and returns it to his room as you shift closer, whispering a quiet “thanks Paps, love you” against his cheekbone, pressing soft kisses along his jawline.

Tomorrow, your worlds are about to change. But tonight, you just want him to know how much you love him and will continue to love him through all of it.

Blue returns and gets re-settled, turning on the tv for tonight’s entertainment and sliding the tray of snacks within everyone’s reach.

“SINCE THIS WAS YOUR IDEA, YOU SHOULD PICK WHAT WE WATCH.” Blue says, handing you the remote.

You scroll through the options, searching for something light and happy, aware that you all need a little escapism tonight. You scan over movie after movie before narrowing it down to two classics.

“I’m torn between Kate and Leopold, or Ever After.”

Paps and Blue glance at the screen, reading the synopsis of each.

“Tough choice, Honeybee. Do you want time travel romance, or fairy tale romance?” He chuckles as his eyes dart down excitedly to the Halloween candy. “How? Where did that come from?” he says with delight, reaching for a lollipop.

You grin. “There’s a little something special on there for each of us.”

Blue’s eye lights flicker to little stars at the apple slices. “THANK YOU, STARLIGHT!” He laughs softly, leaning into you.

“Of course, Blue,” you murmur, resting your head against his.

You pick Ever After, and as the movie starts, the three of you settling in with your snack of choice.

The apples and Halloween candy disappear quickly, followed by most of the popcorn. You munch on a few handfuls of your storm chips while Blue provides his usual running commentary through the movie. You don’t mind. You love seeing his thought process, watching as he delights in the retelling of the classic fairy tale.

You notice Paps starting to doze, his sockets dipping lower and lower as you slide a blanket over him. He softly hums in thanks, turning on his side to snuggle in. Your fingers linger on his skull, stroking gently until a deep, contented purr rumbles happily from his chest. You’ve only ever heard him this loud a handful of times; always when he feels truly safe.

Blue and you watch the movie until the end credits start to roll. “ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL,” he whispers. “THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING IT.”

You smile, but you can see something weighing on him. A hesitation. A difficult thought trying to take shape.

You take his hand, tracing along his carpals like that night under the stars all those months ago. You’ll never get tired of feeling the soft hum of magic coursing through him, as you wait for him to find his words.

“NOT SURE IF I EVER PROPERLY THANKED YOU FOR WHAT YOU AND PAPS DID TONIGHT,” he says quietly as you give him the time he needs to go on. “THIS HAS BEEN…A LOT TO PROCESS.”

You squeeze his hand in encouragement.

“I’M SO SORRY YOU’RE NOW IN THE SPOTLIGHT. I KNOW THIS WASN’T WANTED. THINGS MIGHT BE…DIFFICULT FOR A WHILE.”

His expression is so sad it breaks your heart.

“Blue, even knowing what I know now, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat for you. My choice is always going to be to protect my family – no matter the consequences.”

“AND I LOVE YOU FOR IT, MY SOUL. JUST KNOW THAT I WILL EXTEND THE SAME TO YOU, ALWAYS. THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT CAN BE…DIFFICULT.”

You know he’s experienced it – still experiences traces of it with a grace and natural comfort that comes from a lifetime of confidence and conviction. You, on the other hand, were about to get a crash course in unwanted attention on a much larger scale than you ever dreamed possible; and were not yet equipped to deal with it.

“I…umm, I may need your help to navigate this,” you admit. I don’t quite know what I’m doing.”

Blue sits up, pulling you into a hug. “I’LL BE BESIDE YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.” He’s rubbing soft circles along your back in comfort. “I KNOW YOU DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS OR WANT THIS, BUT YOU WON’T BE ALONE. PAPS AND I HAVE YOU.”

You sink into his embrace, comforted by the fact that your family has your back. Yawning, you nestle deeper into his arms for a few moments longer. Turning the tv off, everything is bathed in the soft glow of the fairy lights.

“I’m just gonna…lay back…on the pillows here,” your words trail off, sleep tugging at you as you wiggle down under the blankets.

“I’LL CLEAN AND LOCK UP. BE RIGHT BACK, LOVE.”

You smile drowsily. “I’ll try to wait up…”

The wind rustles the trees outside, making the blanket fort feel even cozier as your eyes drift shut.

~*~

Blue wanders to the kitchen with the tray, placing it on the counter before grabbing his phone from the charger. You absolutely don’t know what’s coming for you and it makes his metaphorical insides twist up in knots. He’s thankful you provided these few blissful hours together, as he plans on getting back to you and Paps as soon as possible.

But first he just HAS to check. He needs to know what the last few hours have brought.

The screen floods with notifications.

Urgent emails. Dozens of missed calls.

And Alphys’ texts:

Alphys: Laney was fired, but there may be others like her at work.

Alphys: The embassy wants to spin this in your favour—interview, PR, the works.

Alphys: Asgore and Toriel want to set up a lunch with the three of you.

Alphys: Her info leaked. Press will call soon.

Alphys: General public are big mad. Out for blood, want to do background checks on everyone. This is surprisingly good news – means we have supporters.

Alphys: That photo of you two is everywhere.

Alphys: As a precaution, I’ve sent agents to watch your house.

Blue exhales, gripping the counter. He expected as much, but it still pains him to read. He doesn’t even want to begin thinking about what the emails and voicemails will contain.

For now - for just a few more hours - he’s content to let the world wait, eagerly returning to you.

~*~

It’s still dark outside, some time in the early morning hours when a nightmare jolts Paps awake. He’s disoriented at first, wondering where the heck he is before turning his head to find you and Blue asleep beside him.

Oh yeah. The living room. Blanket fort. A night of peace.

He breathes in a sigh of relief, sinking back into the pillows as he steadies his nerves.

The nightmare had been a murky, nebulous thing. Running through dark corridors, searching for the two of you. Flashing lights, the feeling of being left behind. More emotion than story.

He hasn’t had one in over a year, not since the days when worry for Blue weighed so heavily on his shoulders; when he thought he had to carry it all alone. The instinct to ‘fix’ things still lingers, even now, as he turns on his side to watch you sleep.

You look so peaceful in this moment; the traces of worry that have been knit into your brow are gone. Maybe you’re dreaming about something nice—your lips are curled just slightly, in the ghost of a smile.

Paps isn’t sure how to feel about what’s coming. He remembers so vividly how Blue thrived in the spotlight, effortlessly charming skeptics, his warmth and energy making the transition to the surface smoother for everyone. He had been the exact right choice for the job; the perfect face for monsters.

But you? You were more like Paps—quiet, steady, always happy to lend a hand in the background. You never sought attention, only stepping forward when either of them was under scrutiny. And now, the press was about to dissect your lives under a microscope.

In that moment, Paps makes a silent vow: he’ll be your refuge, your safe harbour in the coming storm.

He reaches out a hand, gently running his phalanges along your cheek. He knows what a long day you’ve had, but stars, how he wishes you were awake right now, having fallen asleep during the movie, missing half of your evening together.

Instead, he presses closer, draping an arm protectively around your shoulders. He lets his eyes drift shut, willing himself back to sleep with your body safely tucked in his arms.

You stir at the warmth of his touch, shifting in your sleep, burrowing closer.

When he glances down, he finds your eyes open, gazing up at him.

You smile dreamily, silently mouthing, "Hi."

Paps’ breath catches for a moment, soul fluttering, his sockets softening.

You shift again, pressing your forehead lightly against his clavicle, your body warm and drowsy against him. He can feel the steady rhythm of your breathing, the way you naturally fit against him like you’ve always belonged there.

"You okay?" you whisper, your fingers ghosting lazily over his sternum.

He hesitates for half a second before giving a small nod. "Yeah. Just... thinking."

You don’t push, and he appreciates that. Instead, you nuzzle a little closer, tracing soothing shapes against his ribs. A quiet, grounding gesture. He exhales, his tension ebbing bit by bit, sinking into the comfort of your presence.

He lets his phalanges drift up and down your spine in slow, lazy strokes, reassuring and gentle. He’s not sure the exact moment when it started feeling so natural to hold you like this—to tuck you against him like a promise—but he knows he doesn’t ever want to stop.

"Go back to sleep," he tells you softly. "Long day tomorrow."

You hum in agreement, but you don’t move away. Instead, you shift just enough to press a barely-there kiss to his jaw before settling back into place, your breaths slowing, deepening.

Paps lets his eye sockets slip shut again. He doesn’t know what the morning will bring, what the press will attempt to pry into, how much of your life is about to be turned upside down. But here and now, in this quiet space between dreams and dawn, nothing else matters.

You’re here. Blue is safe. The night is still peaceful.

It’s all he’s ever wanted for the three of you.

Notes:

This seems like an appropriate place to end it.
Nobody tells you just how bittersweet an ending is.
A friend of mine quoted this to me, and he was so very right:
"There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle And a very happy start.” ― Shel Silverstein
I have ideas for a part two.
Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. I have loved writing these characters so, SO much.
I just needed a moment to process that last chapter. The story was winding down, but Paps and Blue paid a visit to my brain and said "no, there's still a bit more that needs to be written."
I'm standing at a precipice, and could take this story in two VERY different directions. I'm almost wondering if I should end "arc 1" and wrap this up before moving on to a sequel. (spoilers: im ending arc 1 and formulating a sequel)
Ok, so maritime Canadians will know what storm chips are. Chip companies even put out bags of chips with the words "storm chips" on them now.
I highly recommend picking some up before the next blizzard hits! You'll thank me when you're snowed in and craving salty potatoes.
I'm never going to get that harem au started...or that flowershop soulmate au...or or or...so many ideas.
Find me on@Tumblr
ARTS OF MY BOY. I love him so much. Thank you. I've been smiling all day!!!
Lil doodle of Paps by stwbwwychan