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There are some days when he doesn’t know why he moved to this stupid beach to finish his stupid novel. It’s never going to happen, and everything is going to fail. He’s going to fail like he does at everything. He should have listened to his family and stayed with the stable job he carved out for himself in the city.
But, it was all so overwhelming.
At least, out here in Pelican Town things are quiet.
He sinks down onto the dock and puts his feet in the ocean water.
It’s windy today, and it’s starting to get cool. Summer is nearly over, and that’s starting to depress him. Fall means winter is coming. Winter means that the shack on the beach will be cold. It also means that he won’t really be able to stick his feet in the water like this because, even if the water isn’t frozen, his feet could still get frostbitten.
A sudden gust of wind causes his black hair to get stuck in his eyes. So, he sticks his hand in the salty sea water in an effort to smooth it back. It helps for about a minute.
He sighs deeply and puts his head between his knees.
“What am I doing wrong? I’ve tried everything to get this project right. I’ve dedicated my whole life to it! I even moved for it! I’ve concentrated my brains out over it! I’ve made every dumb decision a person can make for it! What am I doing wrong, darling!?” He shouts.
Suddenly, he hears something crack behind him, and he shoots upright.
“I HOPE I AM NOT INTERRUPTING ANYTHING!” Papyrus, the local inventor, says.
Mettaton blinks quickly and shakes his head, as a blush comes over his cheeks.
“No. NO! Not at all. No, darling.” He fumbles.
Papyrus sits down on the dock and offers Mettaton a hot chocolate.
“GUS TOLD ME TO BRING YOU ONE OF THESE. HE SAID THAT GRILLBY MADE IT EXTRA HOT FOR YOU BECAUSE, ONE, IT’S GETTING COLD, AND, TWO, YOU LIKE IT THAT WAY.” Papyrus explains.
Mettaton smiles and accepts the hot chocolate from Papyrus. Everything Papyrus has said is exactly true.
The two of them sit in a comfortable silence watching the waves flow in and out of the ocean over the dock. The sky begins to turn from a soft orange and pink into a pinkish purple and, before long, the stars have begun to show the first signs of their twinkling smiles.
Mettaton sets the mug down on the dock, and Papyrus gathers it in his lap. Then, after a moment, Papyrus fidgets with the handle.
“YOU SEEMED KIND OF UPSET EARLIER. DO YOU MIND MY ASKING WHAT YOU WERE UPSET ABOUT?” Papyrus offers.
Mettaton blows out a long breath.
“Oh … that … well … it’s just a project I’ve been working on for ages is not going well to … um … to put it mildly, darling.” Mettaton explains.
Papyrus hums his acknowledgment of what Mettaton has said.
“WHEN I GET FRUSTRATED WITH THINGS, I USUALLY PUT IT AWAY FOR AWHILE AND THEN LOOK AT IT AGAIN FRESH IN A FEW DAYS.” He suggests.
Mettaton blinks rapidly at Papyrus in confusion.
“Huh? What do you mean, darling?” He asks.
Papyrus chuckles softly, in that friendly and sweet way that longtime friends do when someone has said something so much themselves that one cannot help but admire his commitment to his own special truth.
“I MEAN, YOU SHOULD TAKE A BREAK ON YOUR PROJECT TOMORROW. DO NOT LOOK AT IT. CHANGING LOCATIONS, BUT STILL WORKING ON IT ONLY HELPS A LITTLE.” Papyrus winks.
Mettaton looks out over the ocean. He has never really considered taking a break and putting his work away for any length of time.
“I don’t know if I can, darling. What if I lose the thread and all the progress I have made disappears?” Mettaton whispers.
He can just see it now. He’ll take a day off and everything will get lost. He’ll completely forget where the plot was going! He’ll forget who the characters are!
Then, Papyrus’ hand rests on his back, and he slowly comes back to himself.
“I DO NOT THINK THAT IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS YOU WILL LOSE THE PLOT OF A BOOK YOU HAVE BEEN WRITING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK WE SHOULD SPEND THE WHOLE DAY TOGETHER, JUST THE TWO OF US. DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE FUN? BECAUSE I DO!' Papyrus says, with a bright smile.
Mettaton’s heart melts just a little as Papyrus smiles at him. He is still a little anxious about taking time away from his novel, but Papyrus is fun, and handsome, and funny, and handsome, and brilliant, and handsome.
Mettaton takes a deep breath as he nods.
“It’s a date.”He agrees.
Papyrus’ face splits into a wide grin.
“WOWIEE! I WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE LOTS OF FUN TOMORROW! YOU’LL SEE!” Papyrus assures.
The following day, as Papyrus’ promised, is full of fun.
The two of them go for long walks and pick flowers together, and they enjoy foraged berries in the woods. They have a picnic lunch just outside of Marnie’s Ranch, and they gaze up at the clouds.
Papyrus sees a puzzle piece, a dog, and a dragon in the clouds.
Mettaton spies a microphone, a cat, and a stage.
As the afternoon rolls by, the two of them drift closer together, and they hold hands more freely.
Mettaton’s anxieties about losing the plot of his book begins to melt away as he curls into Papyrus’ side under the warm sun. His cheeks are a little flushed, despite remembering to put on sunscreen.
Finally, as the pink and orange light of dusk rolls into the sky, Papyrus walks Mettaton to his shack on the beach.
“I don’t think I’m ready to go in just yet, darling.” Mettaton whispers.
Papyrus smiles widely.
“THAT IS FINE, METTI! I KNOW! WE CAN LOOK FOR SEASHELLS!” Papyrus suggests.
Mettaton smiles and nods eagerly as the two of them begin to roam the sandy beaches looking for any spattering of rainbow amongst the sand.
As their feet shuffle through the still warm beach, Mettaton feels the pull of a smile tugging at his lips. He finds himself unable to resist the desire to pull Papyrus in for a hug.
“Hug in coming, dearest!” He shouts.
Papyrus laughs and stretches out his arms as Mettaton falls into them. Papyrus pulls Mettaton into his chest and twirls him around as sand goes flying around their feet.
“T’nk you.”
Mettaton’s voice is muffled by Papyrus’ chest.
Papyrus simply laughs.
“ANYTIME, METTI.” He assures.
Mettaton awakes the next morning, showered, and well rested.
“I have an idea!” He shouts.