Secrets Are Ba(n)d

Part 19: Pals and Buddies

"Papyrus.." Napstablook tried to break the silence, Papyrus sitting against the wall with his head in his hands. "I know, I know it's dangerous, but I don't want you to get mixed up in this Napstablook." His tone was dead straight, leaving almost no room to convince him otherwise. Small tears formed in the ghosts eyes, Papyrus already regretting having told them anything. "but.. friends are supposed to stick.. together." They said with a shake in their voice, still stubbornly fighting the decision. Papyrus was proud of the demeanor change in the ghost, but knew it was for the best, at least that's what he thought. "And we have! but friends also protect their friends, and jail is no place for a monster like yourself." Papyrus looked up, the ghost only staring back transparently. "..and it is for you?" "It'll have to be, it's for the best Blooky." "Maybe for you, what about Cold Souls? We have the biggest show of our lives coming up.. you're just going to.. give up?" The anger that fueled them quickly burnt out, leaving the ghost in the teary ashes. "I'll stay for the songs, then you can take over yourself. I know you have the talent for it." Even the compliments fell short, a look of betrayal glued to the ghosts features.
"I'm.. I'm sorry. I wish I could stay, I just couldn't live with myself if I got you hurt." Papyrus pleaded defeatedly, Blook letting out a sigh and floating till they were against the wall beside him.

"..I'll miss you." "Yeah, me too." They sat, Blooky leaning their head onto Papyrus the best they could. After the tears dried, Papyrus perked up. "Hey, let's work on the song! It has to be a real showstopper, something never seen before." He waved his arms for effect, the smaller monster laughing quietly. "Yeah.. let's do this, Froid." 

'10 missed calls from Fishface
3 missed calls from Grillbz
1 missed call from-'

Wait.. Alphys? Sans groggily sat up from the couch, the third nap of the day having a toll on his back more than usual. Him and Alphys hadn't talked in ages, if she was calling, it had to be important. Dialing the number, his would-be stomach turned in knots, the ringing stopping after exactly three rings. "S-Sans?" "Dont wear it out." he coughed, only then realizing he didnt say the joke correctly. "I mean-" "I-I have you show you som-something, are you ok t-to meet here?" She cut to the chase, the anxiety in her voice present as ever. "Slow down and breath, what are you talking about?" He rubbed his temple, trying to ignore the ache in his skull. "It's about Papyrus."

He hardly fixed his jacket by the time he got there, Alphys jumping slightly when he opened the doors. "H-how did-" "took a shortcut. Now what is it about my brother, is he here?" He smiled, desparation seeping through his sockets, The look on the scientists face only crushing him. "He.. he wanted me to te-tell you he was ok." She said with pity, fiddling with a paper in her claws. Sans almost shook, in a different time he might have looked to her for comfort, but now they had strewn far from that. "But th-theres.. something I should show you." She said hardly over a worried mumble, turning to walk down the hall. The walk was long and awkward, words left unsaid filling both their heads until they passed a large hole in one of the doors. Alphys didn't dare look back, knowing the skeleton had already figured out who'd made the hole, feeling the scowl in his expression. The agony only continued as she entered a dark room, waving away dust as the door whooshed open.
"You don't need to show me, I know what he did." Sans stopped in the doorway, heartbreak in his voice as he heard the words leaving his mouth. "I.. I don't think you d-do. I don't think a-any of us do." She said as she clacked on the keyboard, the old screens returning to the date of the incident. Sans stepped in hesitantly, eyes adjusting to the dark as the door closed. That day.. he'd hardly let himself think about it, the anger and worry it brought being drowned out by visits to Grillby's. "J-just a second.. th-there!" She pointed to a screen to her right, Sans squinting to see his brothers dim figure. He could've thrown up at the sight, his brother looked so afraid, so hurt. "Sh-she fought back, so what" he said as his bones shook slightly. "You d-don't believe that, do you? Lo-look at him, Sans!" Alphys raised her voice slightly in anger at his willful stubborness. Deep down, no, he didn't. He hadn't for a long time, and he hated that he ever pretended to. The Dino monster calmed down quickly, risking a hand on the skeletons shoulder for comfort. "He sa-said he was safe with a friend, you know he's tougher than most g-give him credit for." She smiled lightly, Sans only staring at the dim screen, eyelights dark. He didn't even know he had other friends, he didn't know anything about his own brother anymore. Without warning he closed the gap between the two, his bones rattling as he hugged the monster. Alphys welcomed him with tears of her own, though quickly drying them. "Yknow.. you t-two are so similar, he did the same thing" she laughed, getting a weak chuckle from the other. "Yeah, he's a pretty cool guy." "Co-cool is an understatement, he's friends with th-the Cold Souls!" She smiled, both pulling away only slightly awkwardly. "That new shiny singer?" "Oh a-and he's apparently got a crush on someone, goodluck with th-that one." She teased, Sans looking back in surprise. "A crush? Him?" He repeated, her only laughing harder. "He's not a b-baby bones Sans, it was bound to happen" She said through breaths, a large smile on her face. Sans stayed deep in thought, a face she was still all too familiar with. "Wh-what are you going to do?" "You said he was staying with a friend.. you don't think he's staying with those singers do ya?" "I-I mean it's possible, b-but no one kn-knows anything about them re-really." She stuttered, practically seeing the light bulb apear above Sans head. "You work with Mettaton, yeah?" 

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(Sorry for late chapter updates, I'm working on other stories [Papyrus centered of course] that I haven't posted yet, would you guys read them if I did? Happy reading!)