Restart Malfunction - HoneyMustard

Chapter 7 - Differences Aside

Notes:
- Contains Swearing
- 2721 words

Setting: Underswap
Trigger Warnings: Talk of poison.
__________________

"Anything yet?"
"No, you?"
"Nu-uh"
"This is taking forever!" Papyrus groaned, rolling his head back on his shoulders. "We'll never get him back at this rate!" Sans frowned, glancing to him for a second.
"We've only just started, Beanpole. If your bro is anything like me, He'd have been researching this stuff for a long time"
"This...This isn't Sans' stuff" Papyrus mumbled. "It's mine, and I've been researching a while, yeah. I guess it would take us time to find the stuff, but it's just frustrating knowing the information is just...HERE somewhere!"

Sighing to himself, Papyrus turned and looked back to the machine, the numbers long since stabilized. Remembering what this Sans had told him, he looked back to him.
"Hey...you got pulled through that weird...portal thing, right?" Sans nodded, a little confused at the sudden question. "Do you remember anything about it?"
"It was pretty dark. I wasn't in there long, but the darkness just kept growing. It...It kind tingled I guess, but that fuzzy feeling of pain you get when you're in one spot for too long. It was like the shadows were cutting into me" Sans explained, furrowing his brow bones and pouting a little as he tried to pinpoint his words and memories. "The longer I was in there, my soul felt like it was just...going to shatter. I was just kind of floating, but then I was spat out."
"Into the blizzard?"
"I was on the edge of it. It was just a tube shape, it wasn't anywhere else. I heard screaming, and that's when I saw you curled up in the middle of it. I thought you were...someone I used to know, so I pulled you out."
"Who?" Papyrus asked, started to type on the machine. Sans' gaze dropped, his pupils fading to a dark burgundy. Remembering yesterday when his eyes faded, Papyrus didn't push for an answer. "My bad" He stood back from the screen. "Here, do you recognise this?"
Looking up from the tiles on the floor, Sans approached the machine.
"Yeah. This is the physical representation of the timelines endings and beginnings" He frowned, pressing a bony finger near the left corner of the screen. "My machine shows the centre point near here though"
"That might be where your universe is?"
"Maybe. That gives us an idea of the distance of us to your brother at least, if he is in my universe" Papyrus nodded, hope sparking in his soul. Cracking the joints in his fingers, Papyrus yawned.
"'m getting cramps. We've been in here for 3 hours now. Sans'll yell at me for not opening the door for air or something, wanna walk around for a bit?" He offered. Looking away from the machine and eyeing the door sceptically, Sans narrowed his sockets at Papyrus.
"Are you trying to get us killed? You can't just 'walk around' without-"
"Not your universe" He reminded. Sans paused, rethinking the offer before reluctantly nodding.
"Fine. But don't expect me to let my guard down anytime soon" Papyrus shrugged.
"Wasn't going to. C'mon, let's go to Muffet's"
"The spider? Why not go to Grillby's, it's literally just down the street? Saves the walk to Hotland" Sans asked, flipping his hood over his skull and following Papyrus out the now open door. "Even with a shortcut, It'd take longer."
"Muffet, in Hotland?" Papyrus chuckled, shaking his head. "She would not be a fan of the heat. And who? Grillby...isn't he the fire monster near NSB resort?"
"Don't you mean MTT?"
"No, NSB. Napstabot Resort"
"It's Mettaton Resort...MTT?" Papyrus stopped; a puzzled expression on both of the skeletons' faces.
"You...don't have Mettaton? The robot that Alphys....ohh" Sans stopped. "I think....never-mind"
"What?"
"I think Undyne can help explain. Go after lunch?" He asked. Papyrus nodded.
"She wanted to see you again today anyway. Sent me a text this morning, your results should be coming in soon."

     ...

Sitting down at on a royal purple sofa with a black table and glass top, Sans tried to sink into the leather seat, trying not to draw attention.
"Hood down" Papyrus whispered, keeping his voice low as he realized what the other was trying to do. "You're drawing more attention to yourself with it up"
Listening to his order, Sans shrugged the hood down, the mustard fur gathering around his neck.
"Greetings, dearies!" A happy voice sang. A happy grin spread on Papyrus' face as he looked up at the spider. She leaned over to another table, refilling an empty glass and putting down two plates. Holding a pen and paper in another pair, and adjusting her glasses with her free hand, Muffet giggled joyously. "Couldn't resist my pastries?"
"I'd never pass up an opportunity for your baked goods" Papyrus answered, sending her a cheeky wink. "Two pastries, two boxes of six doughnuts, and two honey bottles please" He ordered. Muffet simply nodded, scribbling down the food before skating smoothly away. Sans shook his head quickly, confused before leaning over the table a little. On Muffet's' feet were a pair of dusty rose coloured roller skates. He chuckled a little, it was a rather efficient way to serve quickly, he would admit.
"So...you don't have a Muffet's?" Papyrus asked. Sans shook his head.
"No, we have Grillby's bar. It's usually quiet in there. Guard's hang out there a lot so nothing crime related tends to go down inside. That and you don't want to piss off the bartender." Sans chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "He uh...he has a fiery temper on him, but he's a cool guy. Helped me and a bunch of other monsters out over the years. He's a nice guy" Sans said, a small yet sad smile on his face as he looked at the table. Papyrus thought for a moment, noticing he seemed a lot calmer when talking about this monster. He didn't want to anger him.
"He sounds nice" Papyrus agreed. "Y'know...I know they're not the same monster but...we're going into Hotland anyway to see Undyne" He started, catching Sans' attention. "Wanna go see our Grillby?"
With a small nod and a half smile, Sans agreed rather quickly.

"Here you are, my dearies. So sorry for the wait!" Muffet exclaimed, placing their food and drinks down on the table in front of them. Catching notice of Sans, she seemed startled for a moment. "Oh my, trying a new look Sans?" She asked, mistaking his cracks for makeup. The two skeletons shared a glance before looking back to the spider.
"Uh...sure" Muffet giggled.
"Oh, you and your trends! I remember when you burst in here for the first time wearing basketballs on your shoulders! You tried a cape the next week, but tripped right into my best waitress!"
"Oops?" Sans shot a quick glance to Papyrus, seemingly asking for help. Trying to hold back a laugh, Papyrus leaned towards Muffet, pretending to whisper to her as he placed his right hand by the left of his mouth.
"He found out Napstabot went through a 'dark' phase in his early creation stage" He explained. Muffet held a hand over her mouth, muffling her giggle. Sans frowned, hitting Papyrus' arm. Rolling her eyes playfully,  Muffet simply skated away back to her counter. Sliding over a pastry and a plate of six doughnuts to the other, Papyrus grinned as he held up the honey. 
"Heaven in a bottle" He commented, placing one in front of Sans. Raising an eyebrow, Sans read the label.
"The hell is 'Honey'?" He asked. Papyrus almost dropped his doughnut at the question, looking baffled.
"You haven't got honey where you're from?" Sans shook his head. "Drink it."
"That sounds dodgy."
"Trust me."