A Second Chance (Papyrus X Flowey/Asriel)

Fruits of your Labor

And that's what brought him here, half soulled and laying on the couch, feeling more emotions than his own.

"Why are you laughing? you almost died, you dummy." Asriel chuckled, the cocktail of emotions in him still unfamiliar territory.

"I don't.. exactly know." Papyrus spoke weakly, his voice lowercase and wavey.
To be honest, he hadn't planned this far. He'd dreamed maybe, and maybe a few of them did include him being carried off into the distance, but the recipe he'd so carefully planned ended here.

He knew he had to do something, the ache in his bones telling him he was being a bad host just about fueling him enough so he could lean up, when he was stopped.

"You aren't being lazy you just, like, half died. You need to rest," the goat scolded, Papyrus looking down at him perplexed.

"I didn't.. say anything."

They looked at each other curiously. Though, Papyrus admittedly more at Asriels features than his expression.

Asriel was familiar in some ways from his previous times being in the similar Godlike form, but Papyrus was always so far away, he'd never gotten to really look at him.

Of course, just as he'd gotten the chance, Asriel looked away nervously, moving to grab the container from the table. Maybe it was the lack of partial soul, but Papyrus didn't shy away embarrassed, instead experiencing something strange. His internal monologue, it wasn't his for just a moment. For just a second, he could feel something else, something unfamiliar, yet his all the same. He yearned for an answer, so right before Asriel could stand again, he placed a shaky hand on his shoulder.

-Papyrus? Is he OK? Maybe I should make something else to eat..-
"You dont have to feed me, how are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling a lot right now, but-" The royal cut himself off, realizing what had just happened.

Hesitantly looking into the others sockets, he listened.

-Maybe I should get my notepad, this could be important.-

After all this time, after every reset, every genocide, every crushed dream and fallen soul, Papyrus still managed to surprise him, Asriel thought. Something about that last bit made Papyrus' cheeks turn red-ish, a reaction Asriel couldn't quite explain at that moment. Of course, he wouldn't have to, thanks to the quiet turning of the front doorknob, making both monsters literally and figuratively jump. "Shit shit shit, dont let him see me." Asriel panicked in a whisper/yell, sprinting for the closest open room. Unfortunately, that being the very open kitchen.

Papyrus, being couch ridden, instead planned out a lie like the rest of his soul depended on it. Quickly, he wrapped himself in the blanket just under him, wiping his face of any leftover red and dramatically sniffling, as if he had a stuffy nose, or a nose at all.

"paps? What'r you doin home so early?" He heard his brother call from the doorway, sauntering over to see the sickly skeleton.
"jeez pal, you're 'snot' looking so good," he punned, Papyrus groaning. His weak voice came in handy as he spoke, even if his brother visibly became worried in the process.

"It seems I've indeed fallen ill, Brother." he rehearsed, Asriel stopping himself from smacking his forehead at the unbelievable statement. What surprised him more was that the smiley trashbag of a brother believed it, though causing a new problem in itself.

"just uh, relax for a sec, i'll get you some food, k?" the short monster started, Papyrus quickly thinking of what to say in a panic.

"No! No, I'm much too tired to eat, however a.. milkshake.. sounds good right now." he barely coughed out, his brother looking more puzzled than he'd probably ever seen.