Us. {papyton}

34

Whoops accidental non - papyton chapter prepare for angst @ hayley u made me update thank u

Sans hated hospitals for as long as he could remember.

A collection of different memories and experiences all bundled up into one big unpleasant feeling when he stepped into one.

But now, here he was, stuck in one. He was sure if he was ever going to get to leave again.

A different memory surfaced, as Sans slipped away into sleep in his uncomfortable hospital bed.

When he was ten, and Papyrus five, he had broken his arm playing outside. He had begged his father not to take him to the hospital, cried and screamed 'anything but that!', and kicked up a storm. His father had cried, and Papyrus cried even though he didn't understand why. It was an awful day, that ended with him being dragged there, and having an anxiety attack.

Sans' trip down memory lane was interrupted, when the sliding glass door opened and Toriel stepped in. Her smile was happy enough, but her eyes were squinted with worry. "Hello. I brought you some food, if you're not too tired."

"Aw thanks Tori, it means a lot." He carefully took it from her, and ate it in silence. She sat beside him, with a soft smile. "So. I've been thinking of baby names."

Sans perked up a little. Just a little. "Oh? Do tell."

"For a boy, Arial. And for a girl...." she paused.

"Candara." Sans said with sudden confidence. "Candara for a girl."

Toriel stood up and kissed his cheek. "Candara. Sounds cute, but I need to go check with the kids, I'll be back later."

"I love you", Sans called as she left. "So much."

Toriel smiled back, a worried smile. "I love you too."

~

It was possibly 20 minutes, possibly an hour, possibly longer when he finally fell asleep. He dreamt of the strangest things, of grey skies and rocks, flowers and red scarves. His dreams were fervent and peaceful, unaware of any dangers. In his mind he played with his newborn baby, a small cooing bundle with curly brown hair.

In his mind he lived to see them.

~

"Stick em up!" Papyrus's voice cracked. He bounced around on the grass of their backyard "I won't hesitate to use this!"

Sans laughed, clutching his stomach and almost falling back on his butt laughing. "Just try and catch me, shrimp!" He giggled again at the stick his younger brother brandished.

Papyrus leapt forward and whacked him on his head, already tall enough at 5 years old. "Die meanie!" He shrieked.

Sans turned his back to run away, away from his little brother, not watching where he was going. "Ahh  the Great Papyrus will catch you!" His brother called. Sans kept running, his foot catching on a rock and landing hard on his arm.

There was a cry of pain, a gasp of shock. This was familiar, Sans thought. Then he began to fall, something different from this early memory.

He was tumbling down a hill, a soft yellow flower covered hill. Laughing...he was laughing, a stark contrast to the pain he had just felt. Behind him a woman giggled, she was falling too. "Sans!" She called.

They landed at the foot of a hill, joy and love radiating from both of them. The fall down was hard, but the landing was in a patch of flowers.

He took the woman in his arms, even though he was bigger than him, and out of breath from their trip downhill, they kissed. "Is your idea of a first date, pushing each other down hills?" She whispered, eyes glimmering. Sans felt as if he could never be sad again, lying in the grass with his woman.

For a moment there was darkness, her laughter echoing in his ears, like the prettiest song he'd ever had the pleasure of listening to.

Then he was cold, so very cold. The cold dotted his body in spots, like rain. Maybe it was rain. There was a casket in front of him, being lowered into the ground slowly. Gray, everything was gray. The sky, the casket, the ground at his feet.

Papyrus said something to him, but it was muddy and distant. His eyes never left the cold gray casket in front of him, not until it was gone into the ground and someone was handing him a shovel to cover it.

They all took turns shoveling dirt, everyone dotted with spots of cold from the rain. They shoveled until the casket was gone from sight. A lady Sans had never met before sniffled into a hankerchief sadly. Had she meant that much to his father, if he'd never met her before? Were her tears geniune if the most precious people in Gasters life knew nothing of her?

Sans debated this, as the memory faded. As Papyrus buried his face in his favorite red scarf, a present from their father to keep him warm when he was cold. Cold, so very cold.

Sans was cold for a very long time, cold until he met a woman with laughter like music.

For the first time in years, lying in this hospital bed, he was cold again. Would he ever be warm? Were memories of playing with Papyrus and loving Toriel enough to keep him alive?

Only time would tell.