Senses Crashing Into One

Chapter One- Dust-Crippling Pain

It was a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing Flowers are blooming. On days like these- Sans chuckled. He had repeated that saying way too many times to count.


Sans stretched achingly at his station, giving a quick glance underneath the desk. The hidden shelves are still littered with empty ketchup bottles. But anything else, everything is still peaceful.


A little beep rang from his phone. The message read, "shift finish." Sans groan in satisfaction. He was rather excited to get off the darn chair and all. 'Papyrus would be shocked to hear these words,' Sans chuckled to himself.


As the short skeleton readied himself for a shortcut, Sans fell to the snow with a silent thud. His soul pulsed and convulsed violently as his bones rattled loudly. He looked around warily. Nobody is in the same vicinity as him, which provided a little relief to the horrible pain his body is experiencing.


Sans hunched painfully within his station, waiting for the bout of agony to pass. He tried to control his heavy breathing, which is taking near to all his effort to do so. The pain ebbed away after what felt like forever.


It still hurt to get up, but Sans managed just barely. Taking a really deep breath, he jumped into a shortcut-


-Only for Sans to crashed into the establishment rather loudly. The customers fell into shocked silence. Bones rattled in his attempt to get up from his embarrassing position. Several hands helped him up.


"-Sansy are you alright?"


"Hey, you 'kay there?"


"Oh dear, what happened?"


Wet noses prodded intrusively at his body, down from his skull, body, down to his feet. Sans brushed off the dogs with a wave of his hand. The sudden amount of monsters crowding all around him overwhelmed him for a bit. But he knew better than to snap at people.


"i'm all good, sorry to worry you guys," Sans said nonchalantly as he allowed the worried monsters to carry him safely to his favorite spot. He waved off an appreciative smile before making himself comfy in his usual seat. He felt the seat welcome him back wearily.


His attention was grabbed by the soft tale-telling whisper of the fire cracks. Grillby set down a plate of his usual order; one burger with fries, alongside with a bottle of ketchup. Sans laughed to himself at how his favorite bartender knows him so well. He thanked Grillby for the delicious grub before chugging down at his drink.


He hesitated on his first bite of the burger, feeling the burning glare pierce through his direction from the elemental. He sighed. He already knows what comes after this.


"...What happened?" Grillby asked. Most people can't hear the flame unless they have exceptional hearing. That applies to people that don't really have ears in the first place.


"nothing grillbz. you worry too much. i know what it looked like, barging into your place like that, but it's just a mislanding. you know me. too excited to get a fill from you since i'm all tired and hungry all the time. forgot to get my aim right this time heh."


But despite his flawless skill of lying, he knew that the elemental already knew that he's lying.


Grillby sighed in resignation, knowing that nothing will come out for pushing the skeleton. He had known Sans for how long, and can be quite stubborn for keeping his own tongue held back... metaphorically of course.


"..." Grillby simply nodded. He walked off, attending to the demands of his customers. Sans breathed out a relief, glad to be not pursued any further. He ate his meal in peace.


Sans was down to the last bite of the burger before he felt his body shatter into dust. He was petrified before he couldn't keep a good hold of his body, tumbling down to the wooden floor in sheer pain.


He couldn't fight off the inevitable yelp coming from his body as he shook in agony. The canine guards approached him in great worry as he wheezed a silent guttural scream, scratching his throat raw despite barely letting himself let out a noise.


Grillby was calling someone on the phone. Sans can still feel his body shatter into dust, despite not a single grain of him come off from his bones. He can hear himself pant like a cramp got ahold of his leg, except it's his body experiencing the sensation.


Sans has never felt any more relieved from the pain ebbing away. He can still feel the ghost of whatever state his body was in but in a much more tolerable way. He shivered.


He didn't notice the loud bang of the door being swung opened and a tall figure approaching him with haste. The people surrounding him opened a way for the familiar figure to run straight to the short skeleton.


"-SANS ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! I HEARD A CALL FROM GRILLBY THAT SOMETHING BAD WAS HAPPENING TO YOU?! ARE YOU STILL IN PAIN?! DO YOU STILL NEED A DOCTOR?! PLEASE SANS TALK TO ME!" Papyrus screamed at him relentlessly.


Sans groaned into the much louder voice infiltrating his hearing. Papyrus took notice of this and allowed himself to lower his voice in what people would consider normal.


"Ah, sorry Sans. But I got really worried! I don't know what happened to you since it sounded really bad. Can you please explain to me brother?" Papyrus pleaded.


Sans felt bad for hearing his brother talk in such a way that did not fit the image of the way the tall skeleton normally acted. He huffed as he sat himself up more properly, not wanting to look like a beaten meat lying awkwardly on the floor.


"i'm alright papyrus, i'm fine. just... uh, not feeling up the most well today. i don't need a doctor since i feel fine now. but honestly bro? i just kinda want to go home for the record. today just wore me out more than normal, don't worry."


Sans just suddenly thought how he has spoken much more than he would usually done in more cases. But Sans still has it in him to make sure that people won't worry. That's not what they should feel inclined to do anyway.


Papyrus still looked worried, which is quite understandable. The tall monster picked up Sans like a fragile glass, but firm and strong. Sans instinctively snuggled up to the red scarf that cladded his brother all around. It always felt soft despite being worn out every day, and Sans loved it.


Papyrus passed through the crowd while giving a thankful nod to Grillby, who nodded back. The siblings stepped off to the cold snow as the chilling cold wind greeted them.


None of them spoke to each other, settling for a quiet walk back to their home. Sans opted to listen for the crunches of the boots against the snow. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch. And it was pretty satisfying to just relax against the welcoming and safe hold of Papyrus.


It's like magic really. Papyrus, no matter what timeline or world, always makes him feel safe. Bad days and timelines are constant for Sans though, and many of them create despair, but his brother makes them go away pretty quick. The way shadows crawl back to their depths as light shine in through.


Sans got really comfortable as they approached their house. Skeletons don't produce heat the same way humans do, but the coldness of the soft falling snow and the warm arms Papyrus has with his chest, Sans feels contented.


Papyrus opened the door and felt the relaxing chill of Snowdin dissipate into the heart-warming aura of their house. Sans was dropped carefully into the green sofa. He heard the calming and preparing breath being inhaled in.


"Sans. I really need to know what is going on. You can't keep things like these to yourself forever."


The short skeleton remained silent. Papyrus took this as another chance to continue.


"I was really worried! Grillby was worried. And so does everyone. Does it truly bother you to tell me what is wrong?"


Sans could hear underlying whine underneath his brother's voice. Sans felt bad. He didn't want to cause Papyrus any kind of trouble. He just doesn't. But he doesn't want to tell him either. He didn't want to cause any more worry such as things like him being in excruciating pain for absolutely no reason. As if the sensations he feels himself is from somewhere else and he doesn't really know what to do.


Sans realizes that Papyrus is still waiting for an answer. Papyrus is still standing up, gaze fixed intently on his brother.


Sans can feel that Papyrus won't be moving anytime soon until he gets an answer.


"oh come on paps, it's nothing that bad-"


"Spare me your bullshit Sans, this is no laughing matter."


Sans felt reality crashing into him the moment Papyrus swore. Papyrus nearly never swears, and only in big extreme cases that Papyrus is either really desperate enough or that his patience is wearing thin. Or a mix of both.


"okay okay alright, i'll come clean alright?" 'But not everything,' Sans thought.


The tall skeleton's gaze pierced a burning hole into the shorter one. Sans felt like he was being judged, which is pretty ironic. The Underground's Judge being judged. Heh.


"i didn't mean to worry you, but okay..." Sans inhaled slowly through his nose bridge captivities. "things are just going weird. just sensing... pretty realistic feelings of death."


Papyrus frowned deeply at that, but remained silent for Sans to continue. "i really don't know how to explain this, but i'm just feeling pains okay? should go away, or so me thinks."


"Is this related to your nightmares?"


Sans frowned on this question this time. He thought that he had been keeping himself up tight on that one. Although it is understandable that he can't really control himself when asleep.


"i... guess? maybe that's the reason. and... how much do you know about this?" Nervous magical saliva went down Sans' throat with an audible gulp.


"Plenty enough I would say! I hear you sob in pain and cry out my name several times. It's hard to wake you up, but when you look at me, it still looked like you were still asleep. I was hesitant on touching you, but I don't think that whatever I say, you weren't awake in the first place to hear it. But... I think when you are half conscious, you would cry and shiver on me. Then you go back to sleep. I don't think you remember those episodes..." Papyrus murmured sadly.


Sans was scratching his head. He can't remember anything about this. This was the first time he heard about it. Sure he has nightmares, but he wasn't aware of Papyrus actually visiting his room to try and comfort him.


"But Sans that is not the point. I want to know what causes this. I can't bear to see you in pain brother and I am getting sick of this..." Little magic droplets are starting to seep out of Papyrus' eye sockets. They didn't fall or shed, but it seemed like they're about to.


"oh paps come here," Sans opened up his arms as an invitation to a hug. His brother nodded sadly as he walked up to the shorter brother, enveloping Sans in a bone-crushing hug. Sans groaned at that but forced himself to pat on Pap's back.


They remained silent, except for the occasional sniffles in the air, until Papyrus himself broke away from the connection. The atmosphere was much kinder than the one in the beginning of the much-needed conversation. It was much light-hearted and less heavy.


But overall, Sans don't know what to do at this point. Should he say something, or wait for Papyrus to make a call? How should he even act-


"So brother..." Papyrus cut in, "You really sure that you're alright? Is it just... day nightmares? If so, you would really need all of the rest that you can get. I don't mean the lazy naps like what you do, you lazybones! I meant actual healthy, quality sleep! Here, I'll carry you to your bed!"


Sans flushed a deep blue as he was picked up like a princess by his brother. The blue-jacket monster spouted out little sputters of disbelief as the thuds of the stairs was heard.


"jeezus chri- paps i'm not a kid. i can carry myself!" Sans all but moaned a flustery shade of his magic. He heard a light, but softly audible chuckle from the chin of the head he was under from.


"Nonsense! You can barely have the energy to stand up yourself brother! The least thing I can do for you is to carry you to your room safely!" Papyrus snorted as he uttered the last word, "...princess."


Sans sputtered once again from the new description he had acquired. He did not like being treated like a fragile child already. Instead, he just freaking became a god darn princess.


"papyrus, you wouldn't dare."


Papyrus was laughing harder now.


"I can already imagine you wearing a dress! Something that the exiled queen used to wear! Ooh, that sounds extremely exciting! Perhaps Alphys has the skills to make you one!" The tall skeleton squealed for a little bit.


"paps, i beg of you-"


"Oh, Sans just imagine! If you were to be the queen, then I would be the... king? And you shall be showered by thousands of kisses every single day. Oh, but you'll be a slobby queen though. Spraying all of those ketchup all around, ruining your beautiful dress!"


"pap, this line of thinking is scaring me. stop imagining me in a dress."


"Oh but brother, you would look extremely lovely with a dress! I will certainly go to Doctor Alphys first thing after training tomorrow! I bet she would love to make you one! After all, she does have her fantasies from her anime! Oh boy!"


Sans let out a loose, slow groan. A bad feeling rises up from how Papyrus might actually do whatever he was actually implying. Still, he can hear the humor in his voice creeping in.


"sigh alright paps, i think i'm actually gonna go and pass out on the bed for all eternity. you probably should do the same thing." Sans said tiredly.


Papyrus burst out laughing, his loud raucous voice booming and bouncing all over their walls. Pretty sure the whole entire town of Snowdin can hear the powerful guffaws of the loud skeleton. The walls trembled and shook as Papyrus still bellowed with laughter.


Sans kept up an unamused poker face, although inside he was chuckling. The loud laughter was infectious and sooner or later, he was also laughing alongside with his brother.


Papyrus sighed as he continued his trek to Sans' room. He opened up the door, which revealed the uncleaned mess scattered all over, forcing him to scrunch his nose in distaste. However, that isn't the utmost importance. Papyrus placed down Sans very carefully at the white, soft mattress. He would have to replace that sooner or later too. May help out with providing good night sleep too.


Sans wordlessly cuddled up under the blanket Papyrus has surrounded him with. The act itself provided some sort of warmth that was something you wouldn't normally get from a blanket. More like a soul-warming kind of thing it was getting tingly. Sans liked it quite a bit.


Papyrus sat down on Sans' bed and watched him with loving eyes. The taller, yet younger brother, knew that Sans wouldn't appreciate being left alone before he slept. The nightmares were getting... to the point it was not considered normal.


Nightmares are normal, but not something anyone should adjust to anyway. Monsters shouldn't walk up to a bar and just drop in excruciating pain all of the sudden. Sans has an unnatural dislike for doctors, except for Alphys. She's more like a scientist really, but that too is a discomfort for the short skeleton.


Papyrus wouldn't ever forget the time where his older brother had a really bad bone fracture. Papyrus begged to take him to the doctor, but Sans vehemently refused to. Sans was very persistent and utterly would not budge to the point where he would use a very deep, dark voice that still sent Papyrus shivers up to this day. He would prefer not to have a repeat of that.


A few minutes have passed from the skull pets Papyrus gave to Sans, which in turn drowsily purred in satisfaction. The tall skeleton found it really cute. He was tempted to grab his phone in his pocket to quickly snap a picture, but don't want to risk disturbing Sans from his much-needed sleep. Besides, Sans will most certainly get upset for being seen as adorable.


A snore rose up in the air, deep inhales filling up near the belly area of the sleeping monster in bed. Sans really don't have his ecto bellies summoned up at the moment, which doesn't explain how his 'stomach' can rise up like an actual and physical, functioning stomach. But he supposes it's magic.


Papyrus quietly chuckled. He bent down and pecked a quick kiss to his brother's forehead... skull. He walked silently to the door, stepping off and closing it with an audible click! A satisfied sigh was released.


Honestly, Papyrus really wants to squeeze out the truth from his brother, who is so darn secretive. Papyrus dropped down everything he was doing and ran straight to the bar. He could see the crowd muttering and Sans still breathing heavily as he spared no time heading towards him.


The scarfed monster quickly waved off the scene playing in his head. He shouldn't dwell too much on the past and focus on the present. Papyrus went down to the kitchen and brew a hot cup of tea, sipping on the hot, relaxing drink. He has a brother to help out, and he would find out the truth sooner or later.