Welcome Home, Serial Killer

Chapter 21 - A Brothers Dinner

Sans didn't know if he was angry or sad. So he let himself be both. One moment angrily punching the pillow, the next sobbing into that very pillow.

Safe to say Alphys and Undyne were now in a strained relationship with him. Sans couldn't even bring himself to look at their messages.

What could Sans say to them? "Hey, I know we've been friends for only like a really long time, but it's totally fine you guys literally excluded me from even knowing about your wedding just because you didn't want me to come. Totally cool. Tea tomorrow?"

Toriel and Papyrus weren't excluded on Sans' anger list. They both knew, and didn't even stand up for Sans. Toriel maybe Sans could understand, as he's been friends with her the shortest, but Paps?

Sans felt betrayed, in a sense. His brother didn't even consider Sans' feeling in this. Instead, he pranced along, happily including himself in the girls post history on Facebook. Bragging about being the best man for Undyne.

It was that night when the truth of the situation finally dawned on him. Why everyone always acted so weird whenever Sans mentioned his friends and brother, why they always looked so sad for him. They knew. It happened to them before, of course they'd know. And they knew it was happening to him.

If their relationships were fixable, Sans wasn't sure what could fix it. So, instead he just lounged around, letting the CreepyPasta fill him in on everything they had found out about his friends behind his back. The way they talked crap about him the moment he left at the festival. How they purposely excluded him from events they were looking forward to. Asking him for favors but never returning those.

The only message Sans could bring himself to look at was Papyrus'. A simple request for them to rekindle their failing relationship. And there was a chance to rebuild that. This was a major breech in trust, but it wasn't an 'ends all' one. It'd take time. And a damn good explanation.

"Are you seriously going to go meet that fucker?" Jeff asked.

Sans paused in his movement. He was gathering his signature blue hoodie, the jack in a box stuffed inside, ready for a trip out to meet Papyrus. Somewhere new. Papyrus wanted to try some new restaurant. No Grillby's.

Even when their relationship was failing Papyrus still refused to properly treat Sans. Go figure.

"I mean, I have to try, right?" Sans asked quietly, turning around. "He's my brother."

Jeff sighed. He moved to Sans' bed, arms crossed.

"Listen, I'm not uh... I've never been good with emotional shit," Jeff mumbled, "But I had an older brother. Liu. He was all I had. We talked, gamed, sometimes played, you know... typical kid stuff. Then the fire happened. And then I was... this." His hands reached up to cup his own face. "Then he acted different. He started to hang out with my bullies, let them laugh at me, took my confessions of pain and spread them out for people to make fun of me. It was awful. I trusted him one last time. I wanted to go to the store, be normal again. But he told the bullies where I was going, and they were waiting. He laughed, Sans. At me getting beaten up. So then I snapped. The only reason I made it out alive that day was in spite of Liu. And now he's dead. By my hands." Jeff squeezed his hands. "Blood doesn't mean shit when it's so easily spilled."

Sans walked over to Jeff. He really did trust this kid, serial killer and all.

"Jeff, your family sucked, there's no denying that," Sans said quietly, "And I will never blame you for what you went through, and how you reacted. But taking it out onto others isn't... fair." His gaze lowered to his own hands. "But I get to decide if I trust my bro or not, okay? I want to at least try. I gave you all a chance, and I don't regret that, but that means I also have to give other people a chance. That includes Jane and Papyrus."