Secrets Are Ba(n)d

Chapter 15: They Didnt Know, or Did They?

"well WHY ELSE, WHY ELSE WOULD HE RUN AWAY?" The lowercase skeleton almost sobbed, his tears dripping onto his phone as the monster on the other end sighed. "He hurt somebody and ran away so he wouldn't get in trouble." The Head Guards-monster growled, hardly believing her own best friend would do something. Maybe something in her didn't believe it, but she had a duty, a king to protect, a kingdom. Her emotions just got in the way of important decisions, so she stopped using them.

"he.. he believed in you. And you don't even have the guts to do the same" he sniffled, clutching the collar of Papyrus' sweater. It was too big on him, and smelled of oregano and cheap MTT cologne, but it was Papyrus'. "I.." Undyne started quietly, but stopped as the phone held a long beep.

Again, Sans cried. Of all the things to happen, he never thought Papyrus would hurt someone, or that the underground would so easily believe something like that. That *he* believed something like that, over his own family. The skeleton that obsessed over puzzles to protect monsters and had practiced a cool laugh just to be liked, and they turned against him on a dime.
Sans couldn't handle spiraling in his thoughts again, he could handle the numb, the dust, the blood, but a scar so fresh, so sudden, just kept bleeding. He tossed his phone to the side, it falling to the floor with a small *clunk* as he grabbed the TV remote, turning to the first channel that played something mind-numbing enough to distract him from the cold of the tear stained sweater.

"AND WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, WE HAVE THE PREVIOUS FAN FAVORITE, COLD SOULS!"

'The new MTT show, Papyrus would love this' he thought, though with a bitter aftertaste. He only saw a few minutes of the last episode, though he recognized the singer. He sang a cheesy love song, not his style. But before he could press another button, the guitar pulled him in. Something about the two, it was familiar, the lyrics slowly setting in and weighing on his soul.

"You tried, to rationalize your fragile disguise. Why?"

The words hit like bullets through his mental walls, it was like he was being spoken to directly.

'It was to protect him..'

"Is finally going to force your review.. of the shit that you do."

'It was one lie, if he knew he'd be heartbroken'

"One will turn to two, will turn to five.. until your truths and your lies come undone. "

The TV speakers became all too much, Sans fiddling with the buttons, hardly able to tell between them through the tears, his finger slipping. The room was silent, the TV frozen on a still frame, the masked stranger staring into the crowd with a broken gaze. "What have I done?" he whispered as he held his skull in his arms.

"I.." She started, before being interrupted by the long beep of an ended phone call. She could have broken the screen with her death grip, "how.. DARE HE" she shouted to no one, throwing the phone at the wall as hard as she could with a scowl, her teeth grinding. Of course he wouldn't cooperate this *one time,* oh he was so fired, she shouldn't have hired him in the first place. She only ever did it for Papyrus-

'No, stop thinking about him, he's a criminal.'

She repeated to herself once again, her eyes still puffy from the last update on how the guards still couldn't find him. She hated being so soft, so vulnerable when someone so dangerous was out there. Someone who could manipulate so strongly, could put on such a persona. That was what happened, end of story.

'That's just what you were told.'

God, she hated that voice. The little voice in the back of her soul, a weak little monster telling her that she knew better, that she still needed her best friend. Undyne knew what she was doing. She had to.

Eventually, she couldn't escape her thoughts in the quiet, sitting on her torn and tattered couch with a huff as she turned on the first channel.

"You made a choice to resume,
And bid your sense adieu.." The monster sang, surrounded by lights.

'I had to make the decision, to protect them' she thought, feeling silly about talking to the TV.

"The importancе of regret is how you deal with it,
The bruise you feel inside your chest won't let you forget"

'I can't regret this, it's too late now'

"Don't play the part."

The lyrics hit her like a spear to the chest as she threw the remote at the screen, the cracks only freezing the frame on the masked musicians.

"..I'm sorry, I have to." She mumbled barely over a whisper, her cheeks now wet with tears, burning, angry, sorry tears.

848 words
(Kinda short chapter, but also a quick update! I've tried to add more spaced between paragraphs as I tend to group stuff together, hope it looks OK!)