Us. {papyton}

Chapter 9

I love you all <3

There are many kinds of sadness. There is the soft heartache of pity, and there's the crushing sense of loneliness. Among them is grief, perhaps the worst kind of sadness, the kind to mourn someone you love so dearly it hurts.

When Papyrus finished locking up the café, he could almost feel the sadness in the air. The children weren't running around and hiding from Toriel as they usually were this time of night and every light was turned on. He could even hear gentle weeping from upstairs.

Stopping to check the clock, Papyrus headed upstairs, dreading what he would find.

When he reached the landing and pushed open the door, of the apartment, he was met with the site of a sobbing Toriel and frustrated looking Sans.
Perhaps if they weren't already preoccupied, Sans would have chastised Papyrus for storming out, but he didn't.

Toriel whipped around in her seat when she heard the door creak open. "ASRI?--Oh h-hello P-P-Papyrus." She sniffled.

Papyrus looked around. "What happened?! Why are you crying?!"

Neither of them answered for a moment, but Toriel blew noisily into a tissue. "T-The Ch-Children....They're g-gone."

Sans ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. He looked near tears as well.

"Gone?! Why, where did they go?" Papyrus ran into the hallway and burst into the children's room, as if hoping to find them there, ready to jump out and say it was just a prank.

"A-A-Asgore took th-them b-back to his p-place! H-He said th-they.....they couldn't l-live here anymore!" She finished her sentence with a fresh round of sobbing.

"Why they can't live here?" Papyrus walked back into the dining room and looked desperately at Sans.

"I don't know if you've noticed, Papyrus, but we're kind of going out of business!" Sans snapped angrily.

Papyrus stepped over to Toriel and hugged her gently. He didn't know what to say.

"The landlord came." Sans continued morbidly. "We have 3 weeks to scrape together enough to pay for rent or we're out of here." It was almost scary how upset Sans looked. He never got upset.

Papyrus looked around the apartment. The sadness seemed denser now that he knew why.

"W-Well...! Then we just have to work harder!"

"B-But we c-can't." Toriel sighed. "No one ever comes anymore a-and..."

"We will work harder." Papyrus said, filled with determination.

Sans looked up at him in amazement. "It's gonna have to really hard, and you know I don't like to work hard-"

"I can take on an extra job!" Toriel said suddenly.

"As will I!" Papyrus replied. "I can work over at--!"

"Any place other than Blooks Family Drinks." Sans said firmly, salt from earlier rising.

Papyrus stood up straighter. (A/N: though it did no good) "Brother. I will work there and you can't stop me! Maybe they pay a lot!"

"And maybe they pay almost nothing!"

"At least I'll get to see my friend!!"

Sans opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Toriel wailing when she realized Asriel had left his stuffed flower behind.