Flipping the script(swapfell)part 1

chapter 10

Sans had to practically order Papyrus to relax and enjoy the day off, but it seemed to him that Papyrus didn't MIND that aspect, per se. Even outside of bed, Papyrus seemed all to eager to be given an order and made to obey it, and Sans was more than happy doing the ordering.

Still, Papyrus had to be ordered to do ANYTHING that required a decent day off, be it sitting on the couch to watch that Mettaton and Napstaton garbage he somehow liked so much, or Sans having to remind Papyrus that a nap required actual sleeping and not staring up at the ceiling in worry.

If Sans didn't know any better, he would think that Papyrus was being this difficult on PURPOSE...but he honestly thought Papyrus was incapable of relaxing unless he was completely spent. It was sad and pathetic and...

...and it made Sans MAD.

Before his promotion, Papyrus had been an easygoing guy—lazy, even. But then the spot for Captain opened up, and it seemed like overnight Papyrus became a workaholic insomniac incapable of unclenching his proverbial ass long enough to enjoy a single goddamn day off doing absolutely NOTHING.

And not the 'sit-in-the-window-contemplating-suicide-and-the-meaninglessness-of-life' nothing he was apparently prone to, but just......NOTHING. Enjoyable nothingness.

Not for the first time, Sans debated shadowing Papyrus at work on one of his own days off to see what the hell they were doing to him. It could NOT be normal to run ANY member of the Royal Guard as hard as they do Papyrus.

Sans glanced over at Papyrus, who was taking his nap on the couch, and actually SLEEPING once Sans made him comfortable enough. Gods, Papyrus looked so blessedly beautiful when he slept...like all of the battle damage and emotional duress melted away from his bones and just left the little brother Sans once knew and failed to appreciate before he was taken away and beaten down under the responsibility Sans always harped on him to get.

Papyrus told him that he wanted to be the little brother again, and Sans found himself wishing the exact same thing. He wouldn't have tolerated doing everything around the house simply out of GUILT of their biggest fight those years ago...no, he LIKED doing those things. He LIKED taking care of Papyrus. He LIKED being depended on, and not in that disgusting mockery of a way the other scientists piled up on him. This was his different.

Papyrus was his little brother, and genuinely appreciated everything Sans did for him. And even though there was no need to PROVE his appreciation, Papyrus still let Sans do whatever he wanted, and the appreciation showed on his bones, plain as day. If it wouldn't cause something of a ruckus, he knew Papyrus would KEEP those marks, and display them proudly.

Sans deftly touched his skull crack, getting a hint of an idea before immediately smothering it down. No. As...tempting as the thought was, he wouldn't deal his brother a blow to the skull hard enough to leave a permanent scar. He'd find some OTHER way.

He was absently debating between the merits of bone carving and branding when Papyrus woke up from his hour-long nap. The younger Skeleton rubbed his eye sockets and sat up, looking around blearily. Sans smiled, putting down the book he wasn't even reading anyway. “Have a good nap, Papyrus?” he asked.

Papyrus stretched out his arms, giving Sans a small nod; after the fuss he'd internally put up, the nap was incredibly great, and much needed too. “Yeah, it was,” he replied. “...I...can make lunch, if you want.”

“I could eat, yes,” Sans replied, standing up out of his chair and walking over to Papyrus. “But first....do me a favor, Paps....put your hands on the back of the couch behind you.”

Papyrus gave pause at the odd request, but raised his arms and put his hands behind his head on the couch behind him. Sans smiled, tugging the blanket off of Papyrus's lap, dipping his fingertips under the hem of Papyrus's pants, tugging the down. “Hips up.” The younger Skeleton's cheekbones turned orange as he arched his hips, watching Sans slide them down and drop them carelessly on the floor.