EndTale - Galactic (revising w.i.p. - check desc for update notes)

Chapter 2: Arrival

I wasn't sure when during our "Cooking With a Killer Robot" marathon I fell asleep. By the time I woke back up, the TV was off, and Papyrus was next to me with a blanket draped over our legs. His skull was resting on my left shoulder.

I sighed, taking in the silence. My eyes wandered to the ceiling, only the glow from the kitchen light allowing me the ability to see. I stared for a long moment before my gaze snapped to the clock on the wall. 7AM? Shit. Paps should be waking up by now.

I raised a hand to rub my skull, groaning as I did so. How long was I even asleep? More than 12 hours again? And Papyrus just let me?

I peered at Papyrus, who was starting to stir in his sleep. I meant to spend more time with you, awake. I'm so sorry bro....

Almost as if on cue, Papyrus wearily opened his sockets. He stared at me for a moment. "Awake again? When I don't expect you to be?" He pulled his body off of mine.

I rubbed my left shoulder tenderly. "Sorry bro, I don't mean to keep crushing your expectations of me." I used a teasing tone of voice so he knew I wasn't being serious. He gave a slightly amused smile. "I had no nightmares, though."

Papyrus exhaled. "That's good. Being with me must really help that then, hm?" He looked to me expectantly.

I shrugged my shoulders, looking away self-consciously. "Heh. I guess." Since when do you ever hear about the big brother needing comfort from his little brother? I'm a mess.

"I'll keep that in mind." Papyrus stood up fairly quickly, making the couch creak. "I'm going to start getting ready. Feel free to join me whenever you'd like, but we leave in 30." He was looking at the clock, calculating the remaining timeline before our shift started. "If you don't join me before then, I'll carry you myself."

A few sweat droplets formed on my forehead. "Heh- that won't be necessary bro. Just give me a few minutes, okay?" Thankfully, you only choose to embarrass me in private.

He nodded. "Alright." Papyrus headed into his room, leaving me to sit by myself.

I exhaled again, sockets darkening depressively. This morning, the human would arrive.

After the 30 minutes had passed, me and Papyrus headed out. He locked the door behind us. "I hope you're as ready for today as I am, brother! I have a good feeling that I can't explain, but surely, we must be close to capturing a human soon!" He strutted energetically, voice peaking with enthusiasm.

"Oh yeah?" If only you knew. "I gotta feeling about today too."

"Really??" Papyrus temporarily stopped in his tracks to look back at me.

"Yeah-" I grinned up at him. "-a feeling that I'll get loottts of rest before I Ketchup with Grillby later."

Papyrus groaned, resuming his walk. "And I thought you were replaced by a different Sans."

I chuckled at his response, hands in my pockets as I trailed him.

Papyrus escorted me to my post, leaving me with an assuring pat on the back and a friendly wave. I gave him my best smile before watching him march off into the snow, scarf waving in the wind like a hero's cape. I don't tell him enough how cool he is.

I leaned back in my chair, counting the seconds as they passed. The human always arrives today, and almost always around the same time. I'd come to expect the usual in every reset. Genocide, pacifist, or otherwise.

As always, there wasn't much for me to do, so I waited.

And waited...

And waited...