UnderCorrupt

9 ~ Sans is Patient

And so it continued. Papyrus would go to school on the weekdays, and immediately go to the lab when he got home. He did his homework there while Gaster did experiments, some on Sans and some not. Then, if Sans was awake, Papyrus would try to talk to him. Sometimes, Sans would ignore him. Sometimes, Sans would listen. And sometimes, Sans would talk back.

Sometimes, Gaster had to tell Sans to stop talking. To stop using that kind of language, to stop describing the level of violence, to stop insulting Papyrus.

As far as Sans was concerned, what he said weren't just insults, but also facts. Gaster still didn't like it.

And Papyrus still believed in his brother. He continued to insist that Sans was a good person, even if he didn't believe it.

Sans continued to tell Papyrus he was a naive little idiot. He also continued to take advantage of that.

But he still could not find a way to escape.

Not yet. He knew he would sooner or later.

And still, Papyrus was sure he could be good.

~o0o~

Papyrus was running, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his Magic too unfocused to form anything resembling an attack.

They were right behind him. If he stopped, he'd die.

He could hear them, too. Harsh screeches in a language he didn't know. Howls of adrenaline, their thrill in the chase. If he slowed down even just a fraction of a tiny bit, he felt their hot breath on the back of his neck. Their claws scraping at his heels. One of his shoes was torn off his foot. He didn't have time to stop and mourn the loss, nor think about the sharp rocks that stuck up between the bones of his foot, pushing uncomfortably against his bones with each footfall.

Where do you run to, little one?

The voice sent a chill down his spine.

You cannot escape.

He stumbled. Fell.

There is nowhere for you to go.

They were on him in an instant, ripping him apart, clawing their way to his Soul, beating wildly between his ribs.

You are m͖͉̲ͥi̦͕̘͖̩͍n̹͖̙̺͕̿ͅe̤̮̬̝̖̞̩ͪͦͭ̄̐ͦ.

Papyrus sat up, gasping and choking. Or, he tried to. His sweat-soaked sheets were tangled so tightly around his limbs that he couldn't really sit up.

It took a little while in his panicked state, but he eventually managed to disentangle himself and stagger out of bed. From there, still shaking and gasping with fear, he crept to the door of his room, flinching at every shadow and sound.

Papyrus started to open his door, and when it creaked loudly, he bolted in fear, running down the hall to his dad's room. Gaster was sprawled out on his bed, sound asleep. Papyrus shook his shoulder, urgently whisper-shouting for him to wake up. But Gaster only just moaned and rolled over, too deeply asleep to be woken. Papyrus continued to whisper loudly for Gaster, his fear making the shadows seem to grow.

He was on the verge of a mental breakdown, when-

Sans! Sans always helps me with nightmares!

Without stopping to consider that going to Sans would not only mean leaving the house in the middle of the night, but also that he would be going into the lab alone, Papyrus ran out of Gaster's room, down the hall, and out the door.