~{ Please Kill Me }~ (Read the description!!)

~ Chapter Twenty four ~

~ Hatred and grief ~

Reaper sat there, his arms and clothes covered in blood and dust.

He stared down at the clothes left behind and the dirt, blood and ofcurse dust covering them.

He first stared at them, then at his bloody hands.

He could feel it in his hands, how he grabbed the kings neck and ripped it off, he could feel the strength he used for it. Adrenalin still running through his body.

He looked down at the clothes, then at his hands again.
First at his left, then at his right hand.

Every secund his breath grew faster and his body started shaking more.

He killed him.
He killed the king.
He killed his father.

The blue light in his eye socket died out.

He looked back at the clothes, then at his left hand, and then at his right hand.

His eye socked filled with tears he wasnt able to stop.

The voice in his head went silent... For the first time in a long while.

Papyrus stared at the scene, shaking.

Geno and Lust just now showed up, Lust running to Papyrus and dragging him back, since he was dangerously close to the older prince.

Simon who just now showed up gasped and with open mouth said "oh my god... The king is dead..."

Geno, now having enough information to imegine the settings, take a few steps towards Reaper.

Reaper covered his face with his hands. He started sobbing, making soft bird like noises.

Geno took few more steps closer, and with soft voice adressed his apprentice.
"Reaper... Can you hear me?.."

Reaper looks up at Geno, but the moment Geno took another step, getting only two steps away from Reaper, he quickly gets up.

Shaking and still crying, he took few steps back. His whole body trembling.
"Reaper... Look at me, please..."

But Reaper shakes his head and turns around, running through the forest as fast as he can.
"REAPER! PLEASE STOP!"

Geno attempts to follow him but unsuccessfully as he runs into a tree.
"FUCK! Fucking blindness."

Catty walks to Geno, helping him up while Geno mumbles angrily to himself.

(...)

Later as they are all sitting around the campfire, Papyrus is oddly silent. He doesn't look sad, or pretty much anyhow... He is just silent. Expressionless.

Lust and Catty go to hunt for wood, Catty looks pretty angry.

"Whats wrong dear?"
Asks Lust while he examines some sticks and if they are wet or not.

"I just... Why is his death such a big deal? He has been the reason for mages suffering for so long. He has been the evil we all had to hide from. But Reaper felt guilty? About killing him? Why him? Why feel guilty about killing Gaster?"

Lust looks up, thinking.
"Its not that easy. Yes, we do hated him. And the emotions haven't left after his death. But nothing changes the fact he was Reapers and Papyrus' father."

Catty sighs.
"So the fact he was their father makes him better in their eyes? Is it that simple?"

Lust shakes his head.
"No. It doesn't make him better. It doesn't make him different. But you need to understand, Reaper lost a father. A man that was in some factors still very important for him, a bond between a child and a parent will always somehow be there... No matter how toxic it is. It is possible to break ties with your parents, but its very painful. And very hard."

Lust takes another stick and continues.
"Also... Reaper not only lost him, he saw him die by his own hands. He killed him. And thats something he or Papyrus could hardly get over. No matter how much they disliked him, the grief will still be there. Not for the father he was, but the one he could, and should had been."

(At the same time, at a different place.)

Papyrus quietly sits by the campfire, staring at the flames.

Geno walks over and sits next to him.
"Hey... How are you feeling?"

Papyrus doesn't look away from the fire but he does answer the smaller mage.
"Im fine. I think. Shouldn't you be celebrating? The king is dead and you didn't had to get your hands dirty."

Geno sighs.
"I think you have a false image of what I tend to act like. With absolute honesty, I dont care for his death. I did hated him, but I dont feel the urge to be happy about his death. It doesn't bring me satisfaction."

Geno gets a bit closer to Papyrus.
"But I want you, to know that no matter what, no one here will judge you for your grief. And I believe you should grieve. You should let the emotions out, because they might hurt you in the long process."

Papyrus is silent for a bit, then he starts shaking, Sobs filling the silence.
"I-I just... H-he... A-and... R-reaper... I-its just... F-first Ink... Now him... I-i feel like... He doesn't deserve m-my grief."

Geno pulls even closer, leaning a bit on Papyrus.
"Your grief is not gonna help him. Its just so you get rid of those emotions, those heavy... Important emotions."

Papyrus looks at Geno.
"What is grief even good for? Its just painful."

Geno shakes his head.
"When you grieve, when you cry, you get rid of this sadness. And that lets you move on. To live again. And I can tell you life will be better after."

Papyrus sighs.
"How can you say that? We both know theres a high chance he will just murder us all."

Geno takes the Prince's hand in his.
"Look at me. I'll promise you, as long as I take breath. I'll fight to get us out of here and home safely. No matter the cost."

"Dont promise that. It will be more painful to see you die. Now promise me this. Will you keep my brother safe? Will you make sure he will stay alive?"

Geno nods.
"Okay... If you want it this way, I promise I'll make sure your brother will stay alive."

Lust and Catty who just returned hearing their discussion walk closer, Lust putting the wood in the fire and joining in.
"When you talk about Reaper, I feel like face to face confrontation and a fight to settle this all, is getting closer and closer."

Geno nods.
"I also believe so"

Lust then adds
"Im scared it wont be easy. For anyone here."

Geno smiles a bit ironically and gets up.
"I actually look up to it. Fighting is easier than running all the time... And I am not scared of him. Im not scared of death."

~ End of Chapter Twenty four ~

Lust and Geno arent wrong. But theres still one event to go before the final fight.

Remember Geno's promises. Remember the promises he made. Remember the promises he is supposed to keep.