Archive of Our Own ^beta

Papyrus giggles to himself, scarf wrapped tight around his neck as he hides away in a bush. There wasn’t any school today! So of course his Great self had convinced his lazybones of a brother to indulge in a tactical drill! They had to be prepared after all!

He covers his mouth with his mittens as the soft plodding of very familiar slippers crunch in the snow. His older brother’s low drone hardly disturbing the woods as he followed along with Papyrus’ game.

“coulda swore i heard somethin’ head out this way… musta been my imagination.” Amusement drips from the words as Sans makes a show of shrugging where Papyrus can see him between the leaves of his chosen hiding spot. 

Clicking his teeth together in feigned disappointment Sans goes about rummaging through some of the lower set tree limbs and bushes. His movements purposely drag at a snail's pace as Papyrus lets a few giggles past his hand barrier.

“huh, must really be gettin’ old if i’m hearin’ stuff,” Crouching he inches closer to Papyrus’ bush bit by bit as his grin grows. The kid was laughing his head off. “y’know ghost of the forest i gotta really cool younger bro think ya might really like ‘im.”

Papyrus’ sockets widen as he grins. That was him! He was the cool younger bro! It was to be expected. Papyrus had the highest grade in school this quarter! 

“mm-hmm, yeah he’s super cool,” Sans continues grinning wide when he sees a bush practically vibrate. Scooping up the far smaller form out of his hiding spot Sans skates his fingers over his younger brother’s rib cage until he breaks down into a loud, pitched giggling. “he just made it through one of his first human drills!” 

“I DID! I DID!” With a special kind of care that Sans reserves for his brother, his pet rock, and his quantum physics book, he settles his younger brother on his shoulders. Laughing when Papyrus’ hold around his skull takes out the vision in one of his eyes Sans tries to not to stumble. “ARE YOU PROUD?”

Wading through the snow with one usable socket is… not an odd occurrence for Sans by now with how often his little brother likes to cling like one of those koala’s they read about, but it’s still jarring for the first few minutes.

“yeah,” He breathes, some of the snowflakes twirling around from the sheer fondness in his font that nearly makes it physical. Sans was always proud of his little brother. Always. “we gotta get ya home soon though… kids are opening their gifts in the square. you don’t wanna miss santa do ya?”

Papyrus gasps rising to an awkward bending-stand as he points an excited finger in the direction of Snowdin. “NO! HURRY, SANS! WE MUSTN'T MISS THE GIVER OF GIFTS!” 

Huffing Sans speeds up as safely as he feels comfortable with the way his little brother is practically trusting everything in Sans to make sure he wouldn’t fall. He was still such a tiny thing— all wiry bone and still malleable bone. It made him worry. Just a bit.

Papyrus was such an excitable monster, moving a mile a minute and Sans feared that one day he wouldn’t be able to keep up one of the few times that Papyrus really needed him. He looked at the world like one did when they found a new passion, except he did it each and every day.

“what d’ya think he brought ya this year, bro?”

“A CAPE!” 

Smiling Sans can’t help but shake his head. He got that alright, and a few other things, but the answer was amusing nonetheless. 

“what else?” Sans prompts slowing down from his light jog when Papyrus wobbles. “‘m sure a cool monster like you has the best ideas on whatcha want.”

“HMMM,” 

Papyrus’ face scrunches up as he burrows his head into the ball of Sans’ hoodie when a particularly rough gust of wind threatens to send him flying. Settling his knees back over his brother’s shoulders he latches on with all his might again.

“pap? you doin’ good, buddy?” 

“I’M FINE! JUST NEED TO THINK.”

Slowing to a walk just outside of town Sans coaxes his brother down a fond whistle coming through his nose as Papyrus’ first instinct is still to tuck behind his leg. Sans was… quite aware that his little bro didn’t have too many friends but they were missing out! Papyrus was an exuberant kid that was for certain, but he was creative, amazing at puzzles and as sincere as they came. 

These kids just didn’t see that. They thought his brother was weird and Sans couldn’t really do much more than talk to the teacher and be there to encourage as much as he could. 

Squeezing his hand Sans nudges him forward. “ya see the ones with the dinosaur wrapping?” At the slow nod Sans continues, slowly walking forward with his little bro, “i think those are for you. dontcha think?”

“I AM THE ONLY MONSTER IN SNOWDIN THAT REALLY LIKES DINOSAURS,” Papyrus muses his eye lights sparking to life in curiosity, the bright blue blazing stronger than the sun— Sans had seen it. Once before, when a human came down, long before Papyrus had been created— in its intensity. 

His little bro really was the coolest. 

“you are… so those are definitely for you don’t you think?”

Papyrus inches closer. Bit by bit. Then, as all children tend to, he succumbs to his excitement, letting the death grip he has on Sans’ hand go. Boots slinging up snow he practically comes to a slide in his attempt to slow down before he crashes into any presents, or worse the tree. 

Laughing at the tinsel that’s wrapped around his little bro Sans crouches to help get it unlooped. 

“Oh my, is he alright?” It’s the lady from the item shop. Sweet. Sans liked her… she helped him feed Papyrus when he was first created and Sans had absolutely no clue on what to do. 

“That was a rather nasty trip,” She adds, offering a smile to Papyrus when he flushes in embarrassment.

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD NEVER BE DEFEATED BY A TREE! I DO APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT STILL.”

“yeah he’s had a few tumbles, but nothin’ we ain’t been able to handle yet.” 

Once the tinsel is removed and placed back onto the tree Sans motions to the gifts. There were a surprising amount of monster children in Snowdin, most were rabbits of course, a few bears, some elemental monsters; ones who could stand the chill. Had some kind of protection. 

Sans and Papyrus… well they couldn’t feel the effects of heat or lack of it, but Sans made sure they were bundled up enough. 

Papyrus looked like a walking burrito if Sans had ever seen one. 

“go on,” Sans urges legs crossed with Papyrus firmly settled in the space between them. He was still a nervous child out in public, still as outspoken as ever, but he didn’t like to stray far. Sans wasn’t worried. Some kids needed a bit more time. “everyone else is opening theirs you don’t want to be last, yeah?”

Handling the wrapping like it’s something special Papyrus unwraps it methodically. Leaving no mess besides the wrapping as it had originally been made: flat and square like with the only signs that it wasn’t just freshly cut being the tape and creases. 

“IT’S SO BRIGHT!” He waves around the little cape. It isn’t perfect by any means, jagged at the bottoms with some odd holes here and there, all courtesy of Sans’ attempts at creating something. “TIE IT? THAT WAY I CAN BE LIKE THOSE SUPERHEROES.”

“okay, okay hold still!” 

Papyrus vibrates in place with the new reserve of energy as Sans creates a little knot for him that he hopes doesn’t give out and sends his bro flying. It’d be funny of course once he made sure the younger monster was fine, but he would really appreciate not having soul palpitations. 

Zero out of ten he didn’t recommend. 

“there you go! going to give the sky a real breeze huh?”

“SANS!” 

“sorry bro, can’t help it. you’re the chillest monster around.” 

“YOU’RE KILLING ME SANS. YOU’RE KILLING YOUR BROTHER!” 

“ah, nah,” Sans chuckles, passing his brother the next box. “‘m just preparin’ you for the trials you’ll face when you get bigger.”

“THEN AT LEAST PUT SOME BACKBONE INTO THEM!”

Laughing he flops against the snow as he hears Papyrus start the process of unwrapping the newest gift. Man, Sans really did get lucky. He had the coolest little brother in the whole underground. And he occasionally went along with punning. 

Definitely the best. 

“well how is it?”

Before he can even fully sit up, bony little arms are putting him in the choke hold that Papyrus considers hugs. With a soft ‘oof’ Sans curls his own arms around him to complete the hug, smile turning fond.

“take it you like it?”

“IT’S A MANUAL FOR PUZZLES! HOW COULD I NOT LIKE IT?” -The tugging at his jacket is the first sign that Papyrus wants him to stand up, the second being,- “CAN WE GO TO THAT LITTLE AREA BEFORE TOWN? OR EVEN A LITTLE FURTHER? I WANT TO MAKE PUZZLES FOR ANY VISITORS FROM THE RUINS SO THAT THEY FEEL WELCOME!”

“yeah, yeah we can do that. let’s get some stuff out of the shed, yeah?”

Papyrus is taking off in that very direction before Sans can finish. Oh well, nothing a little shortcut won’t help with. 

***

“SANS!”

Opening a socket only when the patter of his bro’s boots are audible, Sans offers up a lazy wave. They were out by the bridge today, or rather, Papyrus’ current art project.

“how’s it going?”

“I’VE FINISHED IT!” 

Getting dragged from his rock of choice isn’t really how Sans expected this to go, but you know, there’s been odder occurrences.

“i’m becoming one with the snow pap… if you catch my drift.” -Papyrus lets out a strangled yell even as he continues to drag Sans through the snow.- “really though, did you?”

“YES! MY ARTISTIC PROWESS TURNED INTO QUITE A DRAMATIC SCENE DON’T YOU THINK?”

Lifting his head from the pile of snow he’s collected over the short journey Sans whistles through his nose. He always knew his little bro was talented but this was really something.

“did you chisel down the bigger rocks?” Poking what is clearly a painted bridge and knowing it’s made out of rocks, but not feeling the rocky texture is… odd to say the least. 

“OF COURSE!” Papyrus even puffs like those birds they had read about.

Clicking his teeth together Sans looks over all the paint stains with an exasperated kind of fondness. His little bro could be pretty exuberant when it came to his interests and this was a display of that exuberance if Sans had ever seen one— and he’s seen plenty. 

Papyrus always enjoyed showing off his work. Whether it was his first crude drawings on a Junior Jumble page or a masterpiece such as this. His little buddy was an artistic genius and Sans was willing to bet all his gold on that.

“that’s pretty impressive pap. you have any ideas for some puzzles to go with it?”

“OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS THINKING OF HI-JINKS! LOW-JINKS! DANGERS! PUZZLES! BEHOLD!” With an amused raise to his sockets Sans watches his younger brother grab hold of a stick to the side, not moving from his spot when Papyrus starts to draw out a diagram of some sort.

Yeah. Sans had the coolest monster as his younger brother. 

“THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” Standing up to look at the whole diagram Sans can’t help, but chuckle. “IT IS THE ULTIMATE PUZZLE, SANS! A FITTING FOE FOR SUCH A DRAMATIC AREA.”

“yeah,” -careful not to smudge any of the drawing out of place he points to two of the weapons sketched out and labelled.- “‘s a great idea pap, ‘m sure any visitors would love it… but, uh, where do you think you’ll be getting a cannon and a mace?”

Everything else was pretty easy. The dog loved his bro and refused to leave him alone so as long as they could get the thing a bone he’d play along. The spears… Undyne, his bro’s first real friend— who Sans really wasn’t too certain of. She’s a spitfire certainly and Papyrus loved hanging out with her, but their house really couldn’t handle more damage from their play-dates after school— would probably give some up for something so cool. The fire pit, well, they could probably convince Grillby. Somehow. 

“NYEH HEH HEH!” 

“bro?”

Hardly coming up past his shoulder now Papyrus tilts his skull in the air looking all too similar to a haughty rich boy. “I PROPOSE THAT WE MAKE THEM!”

“so spelunking, huh?”

“YES! THE GARBAGE ALWAYS HAS SOME INTERESTING THINGS UP FOR GRABS. IT’LL BE NO TIME AT ALL BEFORE WE HAVE A CANNON! AND THE MACE! IT’S JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DANGER FOR ONE TO BREAK A SWEAT.”

Sans looks down at the diagram. “yeah, just looking at it maces me want to sweat.”

“SANS! NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE SULLYING MY GENIUS!”

“heh, sorry bro i really canon help it, i just gotta make a knife compliment whenever i see such a heated puzzle.”

Papyrus stomps his foot against the snow even as he smiles. Sans considers it a win. “LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO! YOU REALLY NEED TO PUT MORE WEIGHT INTO YOUR JOKES, SANS!”

“l’ll keep it in mind bro. we should probably get goin’ huh, before all the good junk is taken.”

His little bro’s head bobbles up and down so quickly that for a brief moment, Sans wonders if it can come loose. Ah, that would probably be the worst thing that could happen. Not because it was particularly harmful, but he could just imagine the kind of chaos his little bro and Undyne would get up to if they realized they could throw Papyrus’ head like a ball.

Yeah, best to never let that happen. 

***

Finding themself in a ring of bone isn’t exactly how Frisk expected their day to go. Yeah they’d fallen down a mountain and met a really sweet goat-lady who gave them pie! But, still… this wasn’t how they expected it to go. They wanted to go home. Really, really wanted to go home. 

Looking around at the admittedly small bone ring, Frisk takes a moment to decide if it was worth it to continue. They couldn’t go back… mom had said that Firsk couldn’t return once they made the decision to leave. 

Pursing their mouth they decide to hop over the fence obstructing their path. More monsters then. Frisk hoped they were nice. 

“A HUMAN!” With a stumble and wide eyes Frisk catches the excitable bundle of… bone? They were holding a skeleton. A real, bone-afide skeleton without skin. Well, things certainly couldn’t get any weirder. “I’VE CAUGHT YOU! YOU HAVE TO BE MY PRISONER NOW!” 

Frisk blinks. Yeah. weird. 

Are you lost?

Because this was a child. Frisk wasn’t an adult yet of course, but they definitely had to be older than this monster. Holding them up to get a better look they nod. Yup, still a skeleton. 

“NO I AM NOT LOST! YOU’RE MY PRISONER! I CAUGHT YOU, I HAVE TO TAKE YOU TO THE PUNISHMENT SHACK.” The skeleton says as if that’s a completely normal thing that children say.

Can’t do that. I have to get home… but I can take you to your guardian? Did this kid even have one? 

Looking around and… yup. Same old woods. Same old snow. Same old lamp and cardboard box. 

“YOU’LL HAVE TO FACE MANY PUZZLES, HUMAN!” -oh they were still monologuing.- “A TRUE TRADITION HERE AND YOU WILL BE FACING THE GENIUS OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS! PREPARE YOURSELF! FOR HIGH JINKS! FOR LOW JINKS! DANGERS! PUZZLES! CAPERS! JAPERS! BEING CAPTURED! AND OTHER SORTS OF FUN ACTIVITIES. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED... IF YOU DARE!”

Frisk smiles, an awkward amused thing as they settle the now known Papyrus on their shoulders. Kids. they could be really cool sometimes, seems like it was just the same down in this place. 

So what are these puzzles of yours like?

“NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR VISITORS AND HUMANS ALIKE!”

With a huff Frisk continues on their way careful with the literal child made of bone on their shoulders. And to be honest… it’s not bad. Mom was wonderful, a sweet lady, and Frisk already misses her… but Papyrus is fun. 

The kid is excited. About everything and solving the puzzles isn’t half bad when you have a personal cheerleader.

“YOU SOLVED THAT LIKE IT WAS NOTHING.” Papyrus says in awe practically scrambling on Frisk’s shoulders to look over their head where they’ve solved the xoxo ice puzzles. “THESE TOOK ME FOREVER TO ALIGN! WOWIE, ARE ALL HUMANS THIS SUPERB AT PUZZLES?”

Frisk shrugs skating over the ice with nary a wobble until something cold lands on their head. Snow. 

“OH! GO DOWN!”

Got something new for me to try out?

“A SCULPTURE FOR THE AGES. OF MYSELF AND MY BROTHER! HE’S A LAZYBONES WHEN IT COMES TO PUZZLES, BUT JUST AS PREPARED TO SHARE SOME CAPERS OF HIS OWN!” 

Smiling Frisk trudges through the snow raising an amused brow at the snow sculptures they come to see. Yeah, the kid had some talent, they were definitely cool.

Who made the lump?

“UGH! SANS! HE WROTE HIS NAME IN KETCHUP AGAIN.” 

He’s your brother right? Where is he usually? i’ll drop you off with him. And the Frisk would very much be on their way to go home. The kid was nice and Frisk really did enjoy the puzzles… but they missed home. A lot. 

“SOMETIMES HERE. SOMETIMES THERE.” Papyrus offers up, legs swinging carefully on Frisk’s shoulders. “I RAN OFF TO SEARCH FOR HUMANS TODAY. AND I CAUGHT YOU! IT WAS THE BEST DECISION!” 

Frisk… well they didn’t think so, but the kid was honest at least. That was something.

Okay. Then we’ll just keep going forward then.

Papyrus gasps, practically vibrating with excitement. “THE GAUNTLET! HE’LL BE THERE!” 

With a shrug Frisk nods in not really understanding— because they had no clue what the monster meant by gauntlet — but acknowledgment. Since now they had some kind of marker, or scheme, or puzzle to look out for where the kid’s brother might be. 

Which as it turns out, doesn’t really take too long. They pass by a really odd box with noodle arms. Which, probably not the oddest thing they’ve encountered in this place by far considering they met a weird flying whale monster and a deer monster ransacked with gifts they didn’t want. So, the box isn’t the weirdest thing by far when it comes to the things that Frisk has seen on their journey already. 

Wobbling when Papyrus starts to wave at a speed they’re pretty sure broke the sound barrier, Frisk feels a dip in their stomach when they see the bridge, Papyrus’ enthusiastic yelling the only thing that helps to distract them from it. 

“SANS LOOK I HAVE CAUGHT THE HUMAN!” Oh yeah. That was them.

Offering up a weak smile to the newcomer Frisk can’t help, but feel as if they’re being scrutinized for every single thing they’ve done. Intense much? 

Uhh, I found your sibling?

The scrutinizing ends as soon as Papyrus launches off their shoulders toward the other… skeleton. “yeah… i can see that. thanks for going along with his puzzles.” 

“THEY’RE AMAZING AT PUZZLES SANS! THEY DIDN’T EVEN NEED MY HELP TO SOLVE THEM… I WAS CONSIDERING THE GAUNTLET, BUT AFTER SEEING THEIR PROWESS IT NEEDS MORE!” -Frisk looks around the bridge feeling a bead of sweat form on their brow. That was… a lot of sharp, pointy, dangerous things.- “MORE FIRE! MORE SPEARS! MORE DANGER!” 

Sans just chuckles as if this is normal— and honestly, Frisk is starting to think it is. They’re not sure how, but no other monster has been phased by the fact that there are just random puzzles everywhere!— before setting his younger brother back onto the ground. 

“we can work on it later. why don’t we and your… pal head on into town?” 

Yeah Frisk was totally still being judged for something… and oh there they went. Feet keeping up with a mind of their own as Papyrus tugs them along, Frisk can’t hide the smile on their face. They really just met the coolest monster in this place. Without even trying!

“HURRY UP! HURRY UP! THERE’S SO MUCH TO SHOW YOU IN SNOWDIN, I CAN EVEN SHOW YOU TO UNDYNE TO SHOW THAT I DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TO FIGHT YOU TO MAKE YOU MY… MY FRIEND?” It sounds so hopeful.

Yeah we’re friends!

Sighing from far behind the two, Sans strolls along keeping an eye on the human as Papyrus shows them around everywhere. They weren’t too bad he supposed. The old lady had made him promise and they didn’t have a speck of LV in them. They could gallivant with his little bro for a while… Papyrus deserved some more friends. 

Sans just hoped that they didn’t end up getting coerced into one of the more destructive games or puzzles that Papyrus— or worse Papyrus and Undyne — came up with.