Secrets Are Ba(n)d

Chapter 9: Thick *Skin*

This is a pretty heavy chapter, be careful moving forward traveler (real strong self harm, drunk argument)

"N-no.. what do you mean?" Papyrus held himself, half in an attempt to cover some of the dark bruises plaguing his light complection. "dont play dum with me papyrus." His voice was cold but slurred. Of course. Papyrus sighed, "Sans, you're drunk, you should get some sleep." He took off his boots, wincing. "Papyrus dont ignore me." His voice raised slightly, "You're getting into fights? Attacking monsters?" Even through his drunken stupor, worry seeped into his words.

"What happened to you?"

The question was laced with so many different emotions, it was hard to recognize even one. "I don't know what you're talking about" Papyrus' voice lowered to a mumble, his voice starting to quiver. "that wont work on me buddy ive known you your whole life and if you're anything youre a terrible liar."

"..I was with a friend" he spoke quietly, leaning against the wall as he avoided eye(socket) contact.
Something seemed to snap in the shorter ones head as he groaned in annoyance, quickly catching himself from swaying.
"Oh please you dont have-"

.
.
.

The silence after was almost worse than the words he was about to say. "Dont what, Sans?" the hurt made his voice shake, but the fact he wouldn't even finish the sentence? The very monster that had sworn he was the coolest in the underground, the most popular and loved, finally had something true to say, and refused? "thats.. thats not what I meant to say" his words were more sober now, his smile downturned. Before some excuse or pun could rattle around in the drunken skull of his brother, the quiet Papyrus turned to the stairs and left, slamming his door behind him.

He couldn't help the bones that barricaded the door nor the magic flowing from his eye sockets as he pushed back a sob. What else did his brother say about him? And all of those kind words and encouragements, were they really just empty compliments?
Frustration built in his soul with every internal question, a banging on the door shaking in his skull, his whole body aching as he looked around for something to distract himself from the painful tears falling from his sockets. Untill his eyes landed on his own bruised and bloodied body. What had become of his carelessness and unwillingness to fight back. His thoughts couldn't keep up with him as he held his hand out, a small attack forming with what little power he had left, one motion, his hp drained even further.

-1

-1

He continued, the feeling was almost familiar in a far off way.

-3

-5
-6

His vision was blurry, he couldnt tell if it was tears or exhaustion, maybe both, but he barely saw the bones in front of him as he gave into the familair strikes.

-7
-7

-30

And the soothing darkness of sleep welcomed him. Along with the ground.

Waking up was a battle with his senses, his 'ears' ringing, and every part of him begging just to stay still on the soothing cold of the floor. He stayed lying there for what seemed like hours, his limbs sprawled and the faint smell of dust echoing through his nostrils. 'How long has it been since I swept?' He thought bitterly. The events of the night before, or maybe it was the night before that depending on how long he slept, barely clinging to his memory. Judging by the makeshift bone barricade on his door, he knew nobody had, or could have, visited him. While everything in him ached to stay, some part of him, call it his soul, call it clinging to memory, forced him to stand. The damage he took was almost enough to be alarming, hospitalizing if he played his cards wrong, and so he chugged the stale water on his desk and got to work cleaning and bandaging himself in just a way that could be hidden under a shirt. He was thankful he took that medical course for the royal guard now.

After some pacing, he finally decided to check his phone. The cracks were noticeable, but not enough that it was unusable.

One missed call - Undyne

732 words
(I'm so sorry this took ages, it's been really hard figuring out where I want this story to go, but I'll keep trying my best)