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Time is running out.
Soon they’ll be found—soon his brother will be taken away, and he won’t know if he’s okay, if he’s alive, if he’s…
Sans chokes on a sob, burrowing his face further into the red-orange blanket that has Papyrus bundled. He doesn’t want to leave him, he can’t, but what choice does he have?
As though sensing the distress in him, the baby in his arms fusses, tears starting to prick at his sockets.
“no, no it’s—i-it’s okay,” his voice comes out hoarse, broken, as Sans presses his teeth hurriedly but soothingly to the little one’s skull. “we, w-we’re okay.”
Between Sans’s shaking and the way he clutches him closer, Papyrus doesn’t look so convinced.
He starts crying, not in his usual loud way; but in a way that’s somehow subdued. As though he, too, knows what’s to come, that they’re moments away from danger.
…Yet still,
Sans manages a grin, just for him. Shaky as it may be.
“shh.” He rests his own skull atop Papyrus's, murmuring, “y-you’re okay. i promise.”
He hesitates, still…
“not gonna leave you, Papy,” he tells the baby gently, “’m gonna keep you safe, no matter what. okay?”
The younger skeleton blinks pitifully up at him, cooing fretfully, to which Sans shushes him again.
And, as hoarse as his voice may be, he begins to sing.
goodbye may seem forever…
He’s not sure where he heard it from now—he’s not sure they’re the right words, or if this is truly how it goes.
farewell is like the end.
But…
in my heart’s a memory
The worry seems to dissipate from the younger skeleton.
He sleepily latches onto Sans’s finger as he listens, sockets slowly starting to slide shut.
Despite the tears starting to flow down his cheekbones, the older chuckles to himself, breaking up the lull of the lullaby.
“…and there…”
He brushes a kiss to Papyrus's forehead once more, the last of the song escaping his teeth in an almost whisper,
“you’ll always be.”
Despite everything,
Sans can’t stop smiling.
“…i love you.”
He holds Papyrus to his chest, praying—Hoping that what his little brother wouldn’t understand through words, he’d understand through the beating of their souls next to each other.
A part of Sans would always be with him.
Even as he was dreaming,
and no matter how far away…
.
.
.
When Papyrus wakes up,
he is in someone else’s arms.
.
.
.
Sans is gone.