I Never Meant

Chapter 5-Sans' Social Issues

Papyrus really seemed to be a paradox.

He wanted constant attention, but if you were even in the same room as him, he seemed to count it as attention. Sans wanted attention too, it was obvious. He required actual interaction, although he didn't want it as often. And it didn't seem to have to be from me.

His daycare/kindergarten seemed to fill up his need for social attention. He'd always come home with stories about what he and his friends had done that day. They always seemed to get into trouble, but never anything serious. He enjoyed the learning, that was also obvious. I was proud of my son for his almost instant curiosity. He'd looked confused from the moment he came into the world, and with each passing day, his confusion seemed to lessen.

So when he came home and didn't have a single story, and didn't say much of anything, I knew something was wrong. He wouldn't talk about it at dinner, and he went to bed rather early that night. After Papyrus' bed time story (reading should start early) I stopped by Sans' room. 

"Is something wrong son?" I asked, sitting down on his bed. He nodded slowly, and moved to hug me. "What is it?"

"There's a new kid at daycare."

"And? Are they being mean?" 

"No, she's just........made of fire."

I instantly held him close. I figured he'd have a fear or fire for the rest of his life, but I didn't expect him  to meet someone that was literally made of fire. He might have thought about his mother and sister, and what he probably saw that day. 

A thought I'd been trying to push aside for almost a month. 

"Do you know the best way to face your fears Sans?" I asked, rubbing the top of his head. It was the closest I could get to running my hand through his hair, and I knew he found it calming. 

"No." He whispered, leaning up into the touch.

"You have to face them head on. You have to be brave."

"But she's scary! How can I be brave when I'm scared?"

"Being brave doesn't mean that you're not scared, it means facing your fears even if you are scared." I said, bending down to place a kiss on the top of his skull. He giggled, and jumped up to wrap his arms around my neck. As he hung slightly, he quickly kissed my cheek, before letting to and falling gently back on his bed.

 "I think I get it. I'll try to talk to her tomorrow." He said, crawling back under the covers. I began to hum a lullaby. He fell asleep quickly, and I could tell he was having good dreams, or no dreams at all. His right eye always begins to glow when he's having a nightmare.

                                                                                             ************

"Dad! Dad, guess what?" I turned to the door as it burst open, and Sans rushed in the house. He seemed very excited, and I hoped it was because he'd talked to that fire boy.

"What is it Sans?" I asked, putting down my notes. Nothing dangerous was happening, so I assumed it'd be safe for him to stay down here.

"I talked to the fire girl! We're friends now, and she's really not scary at all!"

"That's great! What's her name?"

"Scorch!" Sans continued to talk about his new friend, and it made me smile.

Front the way he was talking, I could tell they'd be friends for a long time.

(Scorch is the green fire monster in Hotland. I assumed she was in college rather than high school.)