Chapter Text
The first thing I noticed upon entering Frisk’s home were the flowerpots, seemingly filled with nothing but dirt. They were everywhere , with at least one placed on every available surface. It quickly became apparent what they were for, however, as Flowey stretched his vine-like stems out towards a nearby pot, resting on top of a high shelf, and sunk his roots into the soil, sliding off of Frisk’s arm in the same instant. The ambassador bent down, allowing me to hop out of her arms, before standing back up to address her flower friend and housemate.
“I’ll go put away the fish stuff we bought, and then I’ll order us some pizza. Are there any toppings in particular you fancy, hun?”
Flowey tapped a leaf to his ‘chin’ in thought.
“Hmm... Maybe something with mushrooms? And make sure they add extra cheese this time!”
Frisk giggled, giving him a wink as she stepped into the next room.
“Okay, bud , will do.”
Flowey shot her departing back a disgusted look.
“Wish she’d stop hanging out with that smiley trashbag. I keep telling her he’s nothing but garbage , but she refuses to listen to me. Urgh...” he grumbled to himself, folding one leaf over another as if crossing his ‘arms’. Unlike when talking to Papyrus, Flowey’s voice was filled with genuine disdain, bordering on hatred, for this other person.
I tilted my head up at him. Was he... talking about Sans ? It seemed strange to me, since Sans struck me as an easy-going joker, laidback and fun-loving. I couldn’t imagine him doing anything to make someone hate him the way Flowey clearly did. Huh ... I frowned to myself in thought. I wonder what happened between them, for Flowey to dislike him so much .
Flowey noticed my attention on him and sneered at me.
“Don’t even think about peeing on me, runt. I’m not some simple weed, and if you try anything...” his face morphed into a truly devilish expression, his voice growing oddly distorted, “I’ll show you what I can really do.”
His evil smile held the promise of pain, and something told me that it was no empty threat. Despite looking like nothing more than a common, golden flower, albeit one with a face, I could sense that Flowey was more than capable of backing up his words. I (wisely, I’d say) turned away and decided to ignore him, in favour of exploring the rest of the room. His gaze followed me the entire time.
The sweet scent of flowers filled the room, not surprising considering who lived here, but they weren’t all from Flowey, so I guessed that there must be other flowers around, perhaps in the garden I’d caught a glimpse of when I arrived? I could also detect a hint of cinnamon and butterscotch lingering in the air. Mmmm, yummy ... I really hoped that I would get to have a taste of whatever was making that smell.
The room, which I assumed to be the living room, was warm and cosy, furnished with a plush couch, a few comfy-looking armchairs, a glass coffee table, and a large television. A massive fish tank lit up most of one wall, filled with all manner of colourful fish. The only objects of real interest to me, however, were the numerous picture frames decorating the walls, and lining the shelves alongside the flowerpots. Intensely curious to know more about Frisk, both because of her achievements, and because of her friendship with Papyrus, I carefully took in each and every photo.
The vast majority of them featured Frisk (and a very clearly reluctant Flowey) with various monsters, most notably to me, Sans and Papyrus. The three of them were often pictured together, and were obviously very close. I also recognised the king and queen of the monsters, Asgore and Toriel, who both seemed to regard the human woman with a great deal of warmth and affection. I’d heard about the monster rulers being incredibly friendly, and clearly that extended to their ambassador as well. Two other monsters who appeared frequently were a tall, fierce-looking fish monster, and a plump, timid-looking lizard monster. The fish monster was also often photographed with Papyrus, the both of them seeming to get on well, so I assumed that they must be good friends.
I felt my heart grow warm as I gazed at Papyrus’s bright smile in so many of these photos. He looked so happy, surrounded by his friends. I’m glad he has so many people who care about him . He was such an out-going, gregarious guy, I couldn’t imagine him being on his own. The very thought made my heart hurt. Thankfully, he was clearly quite popular. As he should be , I nodded to myself.
Curiously, there was another human who appeared in several of the photos, though usually only with Frisk and Flowey. I couldn’t help but notice the striking resemblance this other human bore to Frisk, both in terms of physical appearance, including fashion choices funnily enough, and in their expressions. They must have been related, perhaps even siblings, given their obvious closeness. I wondered if I’d get to meet them some day.
“That’s my little brother, Kris,” a soft voice suddenly spoke up from above me, and I yelped in surprise. Frisk smiled apologetically down at me. “Sorry, baby floof, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She then bent down and stroked my back, coaxing my fur to settle back down. I could hear Flowey snicker from somewhere above me, but I resolutely ignored him, choosing to instead focus on the pleasant pampering being bestowed on me, by gentle hands. Frisk’s warm, soft flesh made an interesting contrast to Papyrus’s not-exactly-cold, not-exactly-hard bones, though I found both to be enjoyable. Frisk’s stroking soon evolved into massages, as she rubbed soothing circles along my head, and around my face and ears. I felt too blissful to even wag my tail properly, and just laid out across the floor, my legs stretched out, as I languidly basked in the comfort. I could hear Frisk cooing at me in a baby voice, but her words were lost on me, as I floated on cloud nine.
My impromptu pampering session eventually came to an end when the doorbell rang. Frisk leapt up and rushed to the door, returning swiftly, holding a large pizza box in her hands. I still felt fuzzy from the massage, but the enticing scent of hot pizza kicked the dog portion of my brain into gear, and my tiny paws automatically brought me towards the tantalising food. Frisk laid a plate with a pizza slice on it, down on the ground in front of me, and I eagerly dove in. Ooh, extra cheese! Yay! Flowey must be happy!
Once lunch had been devoured, and the plates and pizza box cleared away, Frisk brought me out into her garden, which was as much of a flower paradise as I had expected it to be. Flowey followed us, moving from flowerpot to flowerpot, before finally sinking into the soft earth outside. I took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, and feel the sun on my fur. It truly was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming. On days like these, dogs like me should be smelling the roses , I thought to myself, as I trotted over to the nearest flower and stuck my nose in amongst its petals, inhaling deeply. And promptly sneezed, as the pollen flew into my nostrils. Oof... bad idea ...
Flowey cackled at my misfortune, the evil plant, but Frisk was a lot more sympathetic, using a tissue to wipe away the remaining traces of pollen from my poor nose. I gave her a miserable look, and she bent down to give me a soft kiss to the top of my head. It sadly didn’t break my spell, but it did let me know that I had a friend in her, which was just as good, honestly. I’d made two friends in two days! And all it’d taken was messing up a spell so badly, it’d left me stuck as a rat-dog! I was the greatest witch ever!
Seeing that I was once again in high spirits, Frisk decided that it was playtime, as she took out a familiar object. That’s the Cool Flame Ball Papyrus got for me! I barked excitedly. With a practised motion, Frisk tossed the ball into the distance, and some canine instinct immediately took over, compelling me to run after it. The ball flew through the air for a bit, before it fell to the ground and bounced a few times, until I eventually managed to grab it in my jaws. Pride swelled within my chest, as I strutted back to Frisk with my prize, my head held high.
When I dropped my ball in front of her, Frisk showered me in praise, crouching down to pet my head. I wagged my tail proudly, feeling like a very good dog indeed. Hey, wait a minute! I froze, my eyes wide in realisation. I’m not a DOG! I’m a human! I’ve gotta snap out of it and stop - The ball flew through the air again and my legs were moving before I knew what was happening.
At some point during this mortifying game of fetch, Frisk had passed my ball to Flowey and somehow managed to convince him to play, though not without a lot of exaggerated complaining on the flower’s part. His aim was a little off, and he’d sometimes put too much, or too little force into the throw, but my bloody dog brain couldn’t care less, and I was having the time of my life, whether I wanted to or not (and I definitely did not !). A smile eventually crept onto Flowey’s face, and Frisk couldn’t help pointing it out, her own, knowing grin on her face.
“I see someone’s enjoying himself,” she giggled, tone gently teasing. “I told you you’d have fun.”
Flowey blushed, waving his leaves wildly in the air and spluttering his denial.
“I-I’m not having fun!” he insisted stubbornly, frowning at his human friend. “This isn’t fun ! I-It’s just a silly game, that only complete idiots would enjoy! How could I ever have fun throwing a stupid ball for some dumb mutt to catch?! The only one who’s having any fun is that brainless loser of a dog!”
What the fuck?! Not only do you insult me , but you also insult my Cool Flame Ball?! I growled at him, my earlier caution melting away into righteous fury and indignation. That’s it, you little shit! Feel my wrath! Doggy Drool Attack!! I then launched myself at Flowey and started vigorously licking him all over, putting my entire heart and soul into the task of completely covering every single inch of him in as much dog slobber as I could produce (which, to my great delight, was far more than I thought my tiny dog tongue was capable of; I swear Midnight’s tongue was not that wet!).
Flowey screeched in disgust, spitting and sputtering, and shaking violently under the deluge of dog saliva. Ha! Serves you right for being such an asshole! My tail was a blur, as it wagged for all of the satisfaction I was feeling. I was a little surprised that Flowey didn’t try to attack me, despite the long tendrils of thorny vines erupting from the ground around us, quivering ominously in the air. Maybe it was because I was “Papyrus’s dog”, or maybe it was because of Frisk’s presence, but regardless of the reason, it seemed like the sentient flower wasn’t as willing to hurt me as he pretended. That didn’t mean I was about to show him any mercy, though. No one disrespected my Cool Flame Ball and got away with it.
Frisk was on the ground, clutching her stomach, with tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, as her laughter rang through the air like the tinkling of bells. Suddenly, a much deeper baritone joined in on her laughter. I paused my assault to look up at the unexpected newcomer. Sans was leaning against the back door to the garden, hunched over as he chuckled, loud and unrestrained. Frisk’s eyes lit up, a bright smile gracing her face, as she stood up and went to go greet her guest.
“Sansy! What a pleasant surprise! We weren’t expecting you today.”
She wrapped her arms around his stocky form, and Sans returned her hug, smiling widely at her, his eyelights brightening.
“pap told me he’d left his new dog with you, so me, bein’ the good big brother that i am, i volunteered to fetch the lil’ pooch for him. saves him havin’ to make the trip. you know what a busy monster he is, and what a stand-up guy i am.”
He winked at her, and Frisk smiled warmly back at him. I blinked. Wait, you mean SANS is the older brother? Really!?
“Well, aren’t you just the sweetest, Sugar Skull,” Frisk leaned towards Sans, her smile turning flirty, and the skeleton monster bashfully averted his eyelights, a noticeable blush tinting his cheekbones. Beside me, Flowey scoffed in disgust, as he vainly tried to shake the dog spit off his leaves and petals.
“Urgh... Just great. The last thing I needed to make this day even worse, was to see you , Smiley Trashbag,” Flowey glared at him, genuine animosity in his tone. Sans returned his glare, his expression colder than I thought him capable of. It made my fur stand on end.
“hello to you too, weed,” his voice was equally frosty, clear hostility in the sharpness of his gaze and his tight grin.
“Hmph,” Flowey turned away from Sans, and towards his human friend. “Frisk, I’m leaving. I need a bath, because of this stupid mutt. Both of these idiots better be gone by the time I’m done.”
And without waiting for a reply, he sunk into the ground, disappearing completely into the earth. With him gone, the tension in the air evaporated. I sighed with relief, glad that nothing serious had happened. I don’t know what I’d have done if they’d started fighting.
Frisk let out a soft sigh, frowning at Sans in disapproval.
“I wish you two would make some effort to get along,” she crossed her arms, her tone exasperated. “He’s my friend, as well as Pap’s. It’d mean so much to us if you two could be friends. Or at least, not enemies.”
But Sans shrugged unabashedly at her scolding.
“not happening, frisk,” his tone was firm, completely unwilling to yield to Frisk’s plea. “i may not remember what the weed did, exactly, but i can guess. i’m a pretty good judge of character, after all.”
Frisk gave him a helpless smile, lightly shaking her head in resignation.
“I know, Sans. You’re no fool, no matter what anyone says.”
Sans’s expression softened, and he shoved his hands into his pockets, looking fully at ease once more. I stared curiously at the two of them, wondering what deeper meaning hid behind their words. I was clearly missing something here, some important context, but had no idea what it could be.
Clearing his non-existent throat, Sans gazed very deliberately at the vibrant flowers blooming across the garden.
“beautiful place ya got here. i can tell you worked really hard, takin’ care of these flowers,” he remarked with forced casualness. Frisk smiled happily at his compliment.
“Thanks! You’re right, it was a lot of work, but the results are more than worth all that effort,” she looked out at her garden, looking proud and satisfied. “Though I couldn’t have done it without Gorey. His tips and advice were so helpful! The guy really is an expert when it comes to flowers.”
“yep, old king fluffybuns has goat quite the green thumb,” he joked, and his smile widened at Frisk’s responding giggle.
Once her laughter had subsided though, Frisk stared at Sans for a bit, seeming to mull something over in her mind, before she bit her lip, looking uncharacteristically hesitant.
“Sans... tell me honestly... how are you doing? Are the nightmares still troubling you?” she asked him softly, concern lacing her voice.
Nightmares? My ears perked up in interest. Does Sans suffer from nightmares? Poor guy ... My heart clenched in sympathy. Sans let out a deep sigh, and plopped himself down on the ground, leaning back on outstretched arms. Frisk joined him on the floor, sitting close to him, as she gazed at him worriedly.
“they’re... not as bad as they used to be. it’s getting a lot easier to sleep through the night,” Sans confessed, his voice low and serious, his smile flatter than I thought it could get. “i’m sure they’ll go away for good, once i finally manage to fix the machine. just wish it weren’t takin’ so long. after all these years, i’ve still barely made any progress.”
He sounded incredibly frustrated, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists into the soft earth beneath his phalanges. Frisk scooted closer to him, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. My eyes were fixed on them, as I listened intently to their discussion. What machine is he talking about?
“Isn’t it about time you asked someone for help?” Frisk pleaded gently, her brow furrowed. “Alphys is the current royal scientist, after all, and she knows a great deal about machines. And Papyrus is far from stupid, you know that, and this concerns him too, I’m sure-”
“ no ,” Sans’s rebuff was firm, as he shook his skull, his expression hard and unyielding as stone. I narrowed my eyes. This concerns Papyrus? Does he know? “this is my problem to fix, and mine alone. i won’t involve anyone else. especially not papyrus. his life is finally going great. i refuse to ruin that for him, and burden him with my problems.”
Frisk’s lips thinned as she frowned at him, disapproval shining in her eyes. She clearly wanted to argue with him, but she seemingly chose to hold her tongue on the matter, as she eventually looked away and sighed in resignation. I was less willing to let it go, however, not if this concerned Papyrus. Sans was clearly hiding something from his brother, and I was determined to find out what.
Not wanting them to spot me eavesdropping, regardless of the fact that I was currently a dog, and thus would likely be above suspicion, I snuck into a nearby patch of golden flowers, as stealthily as possible. For the very first time since this entire ordeal began, I was grateful to be a chihuahua, as my diminutive size allowed me to easily hide amongst the taller flowers. I felt pretty confident that the other two wouldn’t be able to see me here. Unfortunately, I was so small that I couldn’t see them , either. At least I could still hear them just fine.
“you sure no one will be able to stumble upon the machine by accident?” Sans’s deep voice drifted into my ears, and Frisk’s reply came a moment later.
“Positive. The basement door stays locked at all times, and you have the only key. No one can go in there except you, not even me, or Flowey. Not that he wants to go down there, anyway. He wants nothing to do with that machine.”
“good. i don’t want anyone messin’ with dad’s machine, ‘specially not the weed.”
My eyes widened. Their “dad’s machine”? This involved Sans and Papyrus’s father ? How could Sans keep something like this from his brother?! My ears were fully alert, standing up straight and facing towards the two voices, as I tried to focus all of my attention on their enlightening conversation. Just then, a small, white butterfly drifted into view. Against my will, my eyes were instantly glued to the fluttering creature.
Many cultures associated butterflies with the souls of the deceased, so I always made sure to be extra respectful to any who crossed my path. Which was why, no matter how much the dog in me wanted to chase after those rapidly beating wings, I forced myself to stay still. It took every ounce of my willpower, but I refused to budge. The white butterfly flew to one of the flowers, and landed on a bright, golden petal. I heard Frisk sigh.
“It’s over, Sans. For good this time. I’m sure of it. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. You don’t have to hide anymore. You don’t have to be alone anymore. What good is a happy ending, if you’re too stuck in the past to enjoy it? It’s okay to have hopes and dreams again. No one will take those away from you. I won’t let them. I promise. And I don’t make promises lightly, either.”
There was a long pause. I really wished I could tell what expression Sans was making. The white butterfly took to the air again, fluttering around for a bit, before landing on a different golden flower. I heard movement from the other two, the rustling of clothing. And then, faintly, I heard a voice, Sans’s, though I couldn’t make out what he was saying, muffled as it was. Frisk’s voice was much clearer, filled with determination and conviction.
“Whoever or whatever force had control of the timeline before... they’re gone . I can feel it. The power to Reset everything, all that we’ve done, all that we’ve achieved... it’s mine now. And you know that I’d never use it. I promise . So you don’t have to worry anymore, Sans. Trust me. It’s over . The anomalies are gone, and everybody is happy. And I’ll make sure we all stay that way. Please, believe me... We’re free .”
“heh... i know... i know... i... i trust you, frisk... more than anyone,” Sans’s voice sounded a little wobbly, and thick with emotion. Another rustle of clothing. “... i dunno what i’d do without ya, frisk. you’re the only person i can really talk to, the only one who knows about... everything . all that time, underground, i had to keep it all to myself, all this terrible knowledge. it was unbearable , frisk. and even here on the surface, i just can’t -...” A deep sigh. More movement. “some days i feel like you’re the only thing keepin’ me sane...”
And then silence. The white butterfly took off, flying higher and higher, until it eventually vanished into the sky. I stayed still, rooted to the spot. My mind was whirring, a maelstrom of chaotic thoughts, as I tried to process everything I’d just heard. So much of it made no sense to me. I didn’t know what to think, honestly, it was all a little too much for me right then. I’d need some time to go over everything, and figure out what I was going to do about this. And I was going to do something. I refused to let this matter lie. Papyrus deserved better.
After a while, Frisk eventually spoke up, her voice reassuring and compassionate.
“You know that I’m always here for you, whenever you need me. You’re not alone, Sans. Remember that.”
“heh, i will. you’ve always been with me, even in the dark. like a light, shining in my soul. i won’t forget, frisk. i promise .”
There was an odd weight to his words, yet another hidden meaning which was lost on me. I heard more movement.
“welp, this’s been fun, but i’d better get goin’ now. pap’s waiting for us at home, anxious for his new pal to help him prepare dinner, and i don’t wanna let him down. stars know i do enough of that as it is.”
“Sans! Stop talking like that! You don’t let him down, he’s just worried about you! And for good reason, honestly. I worry about you, too.”
“i know, i know. i’m sorry, frisky. i really am. i’m gettin’ better, though. i’m really trying nowadays. and it’s all thanks to you. i owe you... so much ... too much, honestly. i dunno how i’ll ever be able to repay you for everything you’ve done.”
“Oh, I’m sure I can think of a few ways,” a giggle, flirtatious and full of innuendo. I heard Sans let out a nervous laugh. Frisk continued, voice light and airy. “Now off with you, before Papy starts calling me, asking me where you two are, and I tell him all about the unspeakable things you and I get up to when he’s not around.”
“please don’t put any weird ideas into my bro’s skull. i’m the one who lives with him, ya know,” Sans sound mildly exasperated, though I could detect a hint of amusement in his tone. Then his voice raised, as he called out, “c’mere, girl! time to go!”
With a jolt, I realised he was calling for me. I dashed out of the flower patch and towards his voice. He and Frisk were standing up, looking around, presumably for me. When Sans spotted me, he sagged a little in relief.
“there you are, buddy. i was worried i mighta lost ya. pap would never have forgiven me if i didn’t bring you home, safe and sound.”
He bent down to scoop me up into his arms, and I yipped at him in reassurance that I was fine. Frisk smiled warmly at the both of us.
“Before you go, could you wait here a second? I have a little something for you to take home.”
Without waiting for a reply, she ran off, back into her house, returning shortly with a large pie in her hands. It smelled heavenly, my tail wagging and my mouth watering, as the sweet scent of butterscotch and cinnamon wafted into my nose.
“I baked this earlier, hoping to give it to you at some point, so now’s the perfect time,” she offered it out to Sans, who shifted me to one arm, while the other took the butterscotch-cinnamon pie. “I’m quite proud of how this one turned out, if I do say so myself. Tori really is an excellent teacher.”
Sans gave her an appreciative smile.
“nah, you’re the one who’s a good student. you’ve always been a fast learner, heh.”
Frisk shook her head in denial, looking sheepish.
“Oh no, I’m really not. I just had a lot of practice.”
Sans winced, for some reason.
“uh... sorry, frisk. which i’d been more help to you, back then. i really should’ve been a better friend to you.”
Sans sounded genuinely apologetic, but Frisk merely rolled her eyes, a fond smile on her face.
“You were a great friend, Sans, and the emotional support you gave me meant more to me than I can say. Even if you did blow it in the restaurant, and in the Last Corridor.”
She stuck her tongue out at him cheekily, and Sans looked embarrassed, at a loss for what to say to that.
“eh heh heh... ahem . welp, we’re off! it was nice seein’ ya, frisky. bye!” he said hastily, before backing away.
As Frisk waved us off with a radiant smile, I noticed a butterfly with deep, crimson wings land on her shoulder, just as the entire world blinked out of existence. A moment later, it came back, but Sans and I were no longer in Frisk’s garden, but were instead standing in the middle of his living room. I knew he could teleport! I was fairly buzzing with excitement at this discovery, and Sans quickly let me down.
Just then, Papyrus poked his skull into the room, probably alerted by my high-pitched barking. His face lit up once he saw us, and with an exclamation of delight, he rushed towards us, arms outstretched for me to jump into, which I wasted no time in doing. Those familiar arms wrapped around me, along with his comforting scent, and I felt at home.
“YOU’RE FINALLY BACK!! I MISSED YOU!! SO MUCH!!”
I snuggled closer to him, woofing contentedly, feeling at peace. Papyrus let out a pleased “NYEH HEH HEH”, before turning to Sans with a deep frown.
“SANS! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?! YOU LEFT AGES AGO!!”
Sans looked entirely unapologetic as he smiled, and I sensed a bad pun coming.
“heh, sorry bro. frisk really wanted to ketchup with me,” he held up a bottle of ketchup, grin wide and mischievous, his eyelights brightening in gleeful anticipation of his brother’s reaction. And Papyrus did not disappoint him.
“NYEEEEH!!! SANS!!!”
Deep, rumbling laughter filled the room, while Papyrus fumed, the arms holding me trembling slightly, though not enough to make me feel uncomfortable. Papyrus eventually calmed down, and turned away from his brother with a huff.
“HMPH!! I’M OFF TO PREPARE DINNER NOW! WITHOUT YOU! AND YOUR TERRIBLE PUNS!!” he then glanced down at me, his expression brightening considerably. “AT LEAST YOU’RE HERE, LITTLE LADY. I’M GLAD I HAVE SUCH A GREAT HELPER WITH ME!”
I am the best helper! I agreed. Papyrus had been nothing but kind to me since the moment we met, helping me when I was at my very lowest, and I wanted to do all I could to repay his kindness, and help him in return. And I knew exactly how I would help him.
Today had been full of surprising revelations, and I’d learnt that, for all that Papyrus was the brightest ray of sunshine imaginable, he was being kept in the dark about a lot of things. His own brother was keeping secrets from him; deep, dark secrets which clearly tormented him, but which he refused to share with anyone save Frisk, despite some of them concerning his own family, namely their father (whom I’d yet to see, or even hear about).
As a witch, I knew very well the necessity of keeping some things secret, but not from one’s own family! All young witches learned their family’s craft at their mother’s knee, and I was the same. My mother had taught me everything I knew about magic, until it was time for me to set out into the world, and seek out knowledge on my own. I couldn’t imagine keeping any secrets from her, and I had complete faith that she would share with me all that she knew, when I was ready. We would never hide anything from each other. Surely all families were the same, right? I’d always thought so, at least...
Beyond that, it also greatly troubled me that I, too, was hiding something important from Papyrus, namely the fact that I wasn’t, in fact, a dog, but a human, and a witch to boot. But no matter how much I wanted to reveal this to him, I wasn’t sure how. I couldn’t talk to him in a language he could understand, and I lacked the opposable thumbs required to write out the truth. I genuinely had no clue how I could convey to him my real form. All I could do, was to break my spell as quickly as possible, and tell him everything once I was human again. Hopefully, he would understand and forgive me. Until then, I’d just have to be the very best friend I could be to him.
Also, I was pretty sure his dog was actually some manner of eldritch abomination. I had no idea why it had crossed into our world, nor why it chose to take the form of a small dog, but I assumed that, like most cosmic entities, it was out of simple curiosity. Extramundane beings tended to get bored very easily, and sought out entertainment in some pretty bizarre places, after all. This one seemed harmless enough, and Papyrus was clearly attached to it, despite how annoying it was, so I thought it best to leave things as they were, and not interfere unless necessary. It would probably be fine.
But as for the rest, I vowed that once I was human again, I would make it up to Papyrus for deceiving him like I was, despite having no other alternative. And I would find a way to convince Sans to tell his brother all of the truths that he’d been hiding for so long. Even if that meant resorting to witchcraft. No matter what it took, I would make sure that there were no more secrets.
They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and I must have been having an incredible amount of it, given how quickly the following days passed by. I wasn’t sure how long I spent, exactly, as a dog, living with the skeleton brothers, but it felt like a lifetime. Every day was an adventure, and there was never a dull moment with those two, and all of their friends. And, speaking of, I soon got to meet all of them. And what an interesting bunch they were.
Frisk came by to hang out several times (and she even brought back my Cool Flame Ball, which I’d forgotten that first time! What an angel!), and had cemented her position as a true friend, one whom I was very grateful to have in my life. She really was a good person, who deserved nothing but good things. Flowey less so. I could’ve done without him joining Frisk everywhere she went, but the woman was adamant on not leaving Flowey alone, all by himself. In my opinion, he didn’t seem like the type to get lonely, but I guess appearances can be deceiving. Regardless, any friend of Papyrus and Frisk’s was a friend of mine. Even if Flowey was creepy at times.
One of Papyrus’s best friends, Undyne, was another frequent visitor, with her girlfriend, Alphys, tagging along with her on occasion. I was wary of the former, given how she’d tried to suplex me upon our first meeting, though, thankfully, Papyrus had intervened and rugby tackled her to the floor before I could get hurt. She’d retaliated by raining spears down upon him, all of which he’d managed to dodge or deflect with his own bone attacks. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. From then on, I made sure to keep a safe distance from the scary fish monster at all times. Her girlfriend was much safer to be around, and Alphys had also introduced me to the wonders of anime! Papyrus didn’t seem too fond of them, much as he tried to fake interest in the subject, but I was utterly entranced by the amazing imagination and imagery on display. Many shows felt out of this world and more into, well, mine . It made me a little homesick at times, honestly.
King Asgore and Queen Toriel were as friendly and welcoming as I’d heard, although the queen could be quite intimidating at times. She had the kind of glare that would make even unruly little children sit quietly and obey, which was perfect for a teacher. By contrast, Asgore Dreemurr was never without a jovial smile, and was always ready with an offer of tea. His golden flower tea had instantly become my new favourite drink, and I couldn’t wait to start growing some golden flowers in my garden, to brew the tea for myself, whenever I had to spend long hours concocting complex elixirs, or poring over ancient, musty tomes. One thing I'd noticed, was how nurturing and protective the two boss monsters were towards children. It made me wonder why the two of them never had any kids of their own. They seemed like they would make good parents, but I guess they thought differently.
Papyrus had snuck me into his workplace one time, when nobody else had been able to look after me. He’d introduced me to his fellow chefs, who’d all chipped in to keep me hidden from their boss. I had a sneaking suspicion that the head chef was fully aware of what was going on, the whole time, but chose to turn a blind eye to my presence, probably out of fondness for Papyrus, given how popular he was amongst all of his coworkers. Everyone kept sneaking me scraps from all of their dishes, whenever they thought no one was looking, and by the end of Papyrus’s shift, I was full to bursting from all of the scrumptious food I’d been given. That was a good day.
Moreover, from what I gathered from passing conversations, and a few comments here and there, it seemed like Papyrus hadn’t always been the culinary expert he was today. Quite the opposite, in fact (which had apparently been as much of a shock to Papyrus to learn, as it was to me). But the head chef had been so impressed by his enthusiasm and dedication, that he’d hired Papyrus as a simple kitchen porter, thus allowing him to learn the ropes from the other chefs, and Papyrus had worked exceptionally hard, quickly proving himself and rising through the ranks, eventually becoming the restaurant’s sous chef, and second-in-command in the kitchen. Papyrus never ceased to amaze and inspire me. It made me more determined than ever to hone my own skills and master my magic, and one day become the kind of talented witch I’d always dreamed of being.
And then of course, there was Sans. Despite living with the guy, he still remained mostly a mystery to me. One moment he seemed, for all the world, like little more than a prankster and comedian, with his clever wit and his fondness for bad jokes and worse puns, and even a dog like me hadn’t been safe from the dreaded whoopee cushion prank. But then another, he’d be empty eye sockets, and emptier smiles, too little said in too many words, and I’d realise that I really knew very little about him. Did anyone know the real him? Did Papyrus? Did Frisk?...
But no matter how much I’d come to care for and appreciate all of these wonderful new friends I’d made, no one could hold a candle to Papyrus.
The Great Papyrus had come into my life at one of its lowest points, when I was at my most desperate, and had given me hope and friendship and spaghetti. He’d been my hero when I’d needed one the most, and I would forever be grateful to him for all that he’d done for me. I’d never met anyone as kind or as brave as him, and I doubted I ever would. He was special, one-of-a-kind, and truly unforgettable. With bright smiles, encouraging words, gentle hands, and warm hugs, his presence had steadily grown in my heart, until he’d taken over completely and claimed it as his own.
And as I lay on his sternum, the both of us relaxing on his bed, while his skeletal hands trailed over my head and down my back, I thought to myself that I really loved this man. And that thought did not surprise me in the slightest. When had my feelings for him grown this strong? When did I realise their existence? Was there a point in time, or had they been there since that first, fateful meeting? Had I always known? I had no answers. All I knew was that I loved Papyrus, with all my heart and soul.
And so, with that knowledge in mind, I leaned forward, towards that brilliant smile I loved so much, and pressed my soft, fluffy lips to his left zygomatic bone. I had just enough time to feel cool, hard bone beneath my lips, before-
* poof *
I was engulfed in smoke. Once my vision cleared, I felt... different. I saw out of the corner of my eyes, human hands. Very familiar human hands. Those are MY hands! I realised with a start. And those are my arms! I noticed, looking further down. I brought my hands up to feel my face. Soft, smooth skin over warm flesh greeted my searching fingers.
I was human again.
A strangled noise from in front of me caught my attention, and I looked up. Papyrus’s shocked face was staring at me, his eyes seeming to bulge out of his sockets. Oh, right. Shit.
“Uh... I can explain...?” my voice came out hesitantly, and my heart skipped a beat as I heard my own voice again, for the first time in what felt like forever .
Papyrus stared at me, stunned, for a few more, tense seconds, before his gaze drifted lower. His eye sockets widened even further (which I honestly hadn’t thought was possible), and colour bloomed all across his skull. With a strangled yelp, he turned his skull away from me, removing his hands from my back to cover his eye sockets.
“W-WOWIE...” his normally loud voice was barely above a whisper.
Huh? I looked down. Oh. Oh fuck .
Given how long it’d been since I’d botched my spell, I’d completely forgotten that my clothes hadn’t transformed along with my body. I was currently laying on top of Papyrus, stark naked, and I’d just given the man I loved an eyeful of my very bare tits. Fuck.
With a scream, I drew back, and away from Papyrus, towards the edge of his bed, as I hastily covered my breasts with my arms, bringing my knees up to hide my nether region as best as I could. I was beyond mortified. I’d had more than my fair share of embarrassing moments throughout my life, given how often I’d screwed up a spell, but this... this topped them all. Easily. This was the worst moment of my entire life.
My vision began to swim, as tears gathered in my eyes. I squeezed them shut, wishing to block out the world, wishing desperately that none of this was real, that it would all fade away when I opened my eyes again. I felt a tear start to fall down my face, when a familiar phalange wiped it away. A bony hand cradled my cheek.
“PLEASE... DON’T CRY... WHATEVER IS MAKING YOU SAD... WOULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT IT? SO THAT I CAN TELL IT TO STOP MAKING YOU SAD?”
I opened my eyes, and was greeted by Papyrus’s concerned expression. I sniffed, and clumsily wiped my teary eyes with my shoulder, taking care to keep my chest covered. With halting words, I finally told Papyrus the truth of my situation, which I’d been longing to reveal to him all this time. Throughout my explanation, Papyrus didn’t interrupt me once, except to make sympathetic or surprised noises at several points in my tale. When I was done, I gave him a pleading look.
“Papyrus, I know that this all sounds crazy, and you probably don’t believe me-”
“OF COURSE I BELIEVE YOU!!” he interrupted me, and I sucked in a surprised breath. He gave me a wide, toothy smile, with not even a hint of doubt in his gaze. “WHY SHOULD I NOT? YOU ARE MY FRIEND! WHETHER YOU’RE A DOG, OR A HUMAN, YOU ARE STILL YOU! AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY VERY GOOD FRIEND! AND A VERY GREAT PERSON!! NYEH HEH HEH!!”
I beamed at him, feeling my eyes tear up again, though for a completely different reason this time. Papyrus then looked directly into my eyes, looking faintly bashful, for some reason. He was blushing again, though nowhere near as brightly as before.
“BESIDES... YOU HAVE THE SAME BEAUTIFUL EYES AS WHEN YOU WERE A DOG.”
Oh. Oh my. My face felt hot, as I looked away, though I couldn’t contain my happy smile. My chest felt warm, my heart beating hard, as my stomach fluttered. A genuine compliment! How was I supposed to react to that?!
“Th-thank you, Pap...” I mumbled. His smile brightened.
I tried to pull myself together enough to have a proper conversation with him, something I’d been dying to do since we’d met. I was finally human again and could actually talk to him! I couldn’t mess this up, just because of a little (well, okay, a lot of) embarrassment!
“I’ve been wanting to meet you properly this whole time, actually. There’s so much I want to tell you! So much I want to do with you! Oh, I can hardly wait! I, uh... just need to find some clothes, first...” I trailed off, feeling shy once more.
“OH! RIGHT! CLOTHES!” Papyrus exclaimed, as if he’d forgotten that I was completely naked. I wasn’t sure how I should feel about that... “PLEASE, FRIEND! TAKE MY SHIRT!! I’LL GET YOU SOMETHING BETTER LATER!”
Before I could protest, he lifted the t-shirt he was currently wearing up, and over his skull, and then handed it out to me. His skull was facing purposely away from me, his other hand covering his eye sockets for good measure. My heart warmed at his consideration. My face burned at the sight of his bare torso, however, his rib cage on full display. I’d never found bones attractive before, but I found his oddly alluring. Must be because they were his body, and everything about him was irresistible to me.
With no small amount of effort, I tore my eyes away from his ribs, and the teasing glimpse of his iliac crest, peaking out of the top of his long shorts. I quickly donned his shirt, feeling much better now that I had some actual clothing on, even if it was just a t-shirt. Since Papyrus was so tall, with such broad shoulders, his shirt fell to the middle of my thighs, covering up all of my private parts, although it was so wide, it left one of my shoulders bare, and dipped dangerously low. I cleared my throat.
“I’m done. You can look now, Pap,” I called to him. He lifted his hand slightly, peaking at me to make sure that I was decent, before fully uncovering his eye sockets and turning to face me properly. I gave him my brightest smile, “And thank you, Papyrus. Not just for the shirt, but for, well, everything . I... I can’t tell you how much it means to me. You really are my hero, you know? You saved me, took me in, cared for me, introduced me to all of your friends and family, did your very best to make sure that I was always happy, and now... You broke my spell. Gave me my true form back. I couldn’t have done it without you. So, thank you .”
Papyrus gave me an oddly intense, thoughtful look.
“I BROKE YOUR SPELL? THE ONE WHICH NEEDED TRUE LOVE’S KISS TO BREAK?? DOES THAT MEAN THAT... I AM YOUR TRUE LOVE?!?”
I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart pounding in my chest, and my face heating up again. I gripped the edges of his shirt tightly.
“W-Well, m-maybe? I-I mean, it was just a hypothesis, really, I wasn’t sure how exactly the spell worked, given how badly I’d messed it up, so who knows what kind of love was required to break it...”
As I babbled to him, Papyrus’s face slowly fell, noticeable disappointment in his expression the more I seemed to refute his last statement. I bit my lip. He was right. He was my true love. And I shouldn’t deny it, not to him. He was always brave, always confident. I wanted to be more like him. Which meant that I needed to put all of my heart and soul into my words, and confess my true feelings to him, regardless of the consequences! I sucked in a deep breath, and steeled my nerves.
“No, you’re right, Papyrus. You are my true love. I’m sure of it. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I... I love you. Romantically. In case that wasn’t clear.”
I held my breath, as I awaited his response. Papyrus gazed at me with wide eye sockets. Little flecks of light shimmered in their depths, growing brighter and brighter the longer I looked. A blush soon spread across his cheek bones, as his smile widened.
“WOWIE... YOU LOVE ME... YOU HAVE FEELINGS FOR ME...! ROMANTIC FEELINGS! FOR ME!! WOWIE!!!” his voice got louder and more excited as he spoke. He looked downright giddy. Hope blossomed in my chest. “I-I’M STILL NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT MY FEELINGS FOR YOU ARE, SINCE I’VE ONLY KNOWN YOU AS MY VERY COOL DOG UP TIL NOW... BUT! THE MORE I TALK WITH YOU! AND THE MORE I LOOK INTO YOUR VERY PRETTY EYES! THE MORE MY SOUL FEELS... WARM. YOU MAKE MY SOUL GLOW. IF I SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOU... WILL THOSE FEELINGS GROW?? I WANT TO FIND OUT.”
I gulped, feeling a little light-headed from Papyrus’s own confession. That was... better than I’d dared hope for. It wasn’t a rejection, and he seemed to feel something for me. Something that made his soul glow . And from the spark of white I could faintly see, shining within his rib cage, that wasn’t merely an expression. His soul appeared to be literally glowing. Oh wow. That was... Wow...
Papyrus leaned in towards me. There was something a little... seductive in his expression. Which wasn’t good for my poor heart.
“AND THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT... IS WITH A KISS... RIGHT?” my heart skipped a beat. Yep, really not good for my heart. “IF I KISS YOU... I’M SURE I’LL FIND OUT JUST HOW... ROMANTIC MY FEELINGS FOR YOU ARE. YOU KISSED ME, AND YOUR SPELL BROKE. SO THAT MEANS THAT I’M YOUR... TRUE LOVE ... IF I KISS YOU, THEN I’LL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT IF YOU’RE MY TRUE LOVE AS WELL. RIGHT? RIGHT! NYEH HEH HEH... I’M A GENIUS.”
I could barely hear him over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. All I could do was nod, my breathing getting heavier. He leaned forward a little more, and I unconsciously leaned back.
“AND BESIDES... YOU ONLY KISSED MY CHEEK BONE! AS A DOG! THAT WASN’T A PROPER KISS! AND YOU DESERVE A PROPER KISS! DON’T YOU? MY GOOD GIRL...”
Ah fuck. I would never be able to resist this guy, would I? His dating power was just too strong for me.
“SO... WILL YOU LET ME KISS YOU? PLEASE??”
I nodded breathlessly, feeling hot all over. But Papyrus waited, not seeming satisfied with just a nod. Did he want to hear me say it? Oh boy... I wet my suddenly dry lips, taking note of how his gaze followed the movement, brightly burning eyelights shooting to my tongue, and then staying fixed on my lips. I gulped.
“O-Okay... Sure. I... I want to k-kiss you, as well. That last one... really didn’t count as a proper kiss. True love’s kiss should be more... well, more . So... please, kiss me properly, Papyrus.”
His gaze grew heated at my whispered words. He looked feverishly into my eyes, desire sparking in his eye sockets, specks of light burning fiercely within their depths, like miniature stars. He leaned further towards me, and I leaned further back in response. Until my back hit the mattress. Papyrus loomed above me, his arms coming up to the sides of my head. I could see his soul glowing brighter, now fully visible as an upside-down white heart, pulsing slightly. His skull came closer and closer, and I closed my eyes, eagerly anticipating my long-awaited kiss.
It was at that moment, that the door swung open and Sans walked in.
“hey bro, you seen my-”
The shorter skeleton came to an abrupt halt, as he took in the scene of a shirtless Papyrus leaning over me, as I’m wearing nothing but his brother’s shirt (and a dog collar, couldn’t forget that ), the both of us laying on his bed. Sans’s eye sockets went black, sweat beading on his brow as a bright blush lit up his entire skull.
“woops, sorry for bargin’ in, i see you’re busy there, don’t mind me.”
He quickly back-pedalled, slamming the door behind him. As my mind descended into chaos, only one coherent thought managed to drift to the surface.
I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer for that kiss.