Secrets Are Ba(n)d

Chapter 18 : Relatable

Now Alphys was truly stressed.

Does she trust Papyrus, who's evaded the guard for ages, or the vulnerable deer monster that started the whole ordeal? She paced around the dark room, the monitors connected to hundreds of cameras being the only light to keep her from tripping over her own claws.

Cameras that led her to him in the first place.

Cameras.

If she had the footage of the attack, she could prove if Papyrus was innocent or not once and for all, without a doubt! She rushed over excitedly, rolling up her sleeves as she recalled the date and time the news had said. Then, without a second to waste, she clacked away on the buttons, finding the recorded footage easily. Unfortunately, then came the hard part. She fast-forwarded every snowdin camera, rewinding and examining each screen with great haste, until she saw a glimpse of what she wanted. Or, close enough to it.

The lanky skeleton ran into frame for only seconds, and after slowing down the footage, she almost had to look away. His bones were grooved with damage, formerly spotless costume now torn as he limped. After searching more cameras, all she could find were snippets of him, panicked and fleeing from the large blindspot where the attack happened.

Something wasn't right. That wasn't a monster that just attacked someone, that was fear, that was tears, that wasn't the face of the attempted murder the news had painted. After all that he'd said, and a feeling in her soul that she couldn't overlook, she knew he deserved more credit, and this was evidence to support that.

Unfortunately, she also knew something else.

It wasn't solid proof. And, knowing Undyne how she did, she wouldn't give up until she had it. That was how the system worked, and with how he was being described, Papyrus wouldn't have enough support from monsters to avoid the fate they were promising.

Papyrus stared at the ceiling, imagining what it would be like in prison, if he wasn't deemed too dangerous and executed. That was a little dramatic, but he hadn't kept up with news about what they considered him, and there's always a first. One thing did scare him, he wouldn't be able to sing anymore, and Napstablook would probably never get to show off their talents. Then, before he could pity the ghist too much, he was startled by the woosh of the metallic door.

"...I-I checked the cameras," the shorter monster said softly, Papyrus sitting up to see her guilt-ridden face as she approached.
"There isn't solid proof of what happened, b-but.."

Papyrus's moment of hope passed quickly, though the part of him that was still stupid enough to think he would get away remained.

"..I don't think you did it."

Now it was Papyrus that was confused. Confused, and relieved. Without much thought, he reached his arms out to her, wrapping her in a skeletal hug. It was only instinct, a thank you for the kindness that was the benefit of the doubt she'd given him.

At first she froze, expecting the worst, but feeling the softly shaking bones, she couldn't help but hug back. The act wasn't familiar to either of them, but in a way, they both needed it.

The embrace ended as quickly as it started, though the two couldn't help but still feel closer because of it. A weight off of both their chests, Papyrus sighed.

"Sorry, it's been awhile since I've talked to other monsters," he admitted with a laugh, wiping away the small tears that threatened to spill from his sockets. Alphys wiped tears of her own, smiling herself.

"I-I understand that more than you think, but.. I have to warn you a-about something," she trailed off with a mumble, Papyrus giving a patient look despite how anxious it made him.