Chapter Text
Papyrus had been planning this for a while.
For as long as he could remember, Sans had been taking care of him, from his very first memory on. There wasn’t a day in his life that hadn’t included Sans in some capacity, from the most mundane of days to the most life-changing. Sans had kept him warm and safe and fed, had protected him and defended him, had helped him to grow into the person he was now.
Papyrus, despite his great intelligence, had to admit that he wasn’t always the most observant. He hadn’t realized until partway through his teens just how much Sans had done for him. For some reason, it had just never occurred to him to question the many, many things Sans had done for him, taking them for granted.
Sans had given up everything for him. When they were very small, before they had a home, Papyrus had often been hungry and cold, but Sans had never hesitated to give him anything.
His memories of the time were vague, but he could distantly remember Sans rummaging through dumpsters, open cuts on his hands and feet worn and ragged, staying up all night long with dark bags under his eyes, wearing nothing but a rough and threadbare shirt from the dump, large enough to be a dress on his tiny form, and going without food for days on end, all without a single complaint.
Even when they’d managed to gain their current home, Sans hadn’t changed. He’d still given Papyrus anything and everything he wanted, whether he asked for it or not. A racecar bed, handmade clothing, help with homework, cooking supplies, puzzling supplies, books and bedtime stories, love and care and affection and time .
No one else liked Papyrus all that much. They thought he was weird, hushed whispers and strange looks following him wherever he went. The only person other than Sans who’d spend any time with him was Undyne, and he could tell that she’d only hung out with him at first because she felt bad for him.
He adored Undyne, of course, and they’d grown rather close over the years, but he knew that she didn’t believe in him the way Sans did. Sans was overprotective, yes, and it was exasperating, but it was because of his traumatic past. Even so, he tried to get Papyrus everything he wanted, even if it scared him.
Papyrus knew, even if Sans tried to hide it, that Sans didn’t want him in the guard, that he worried about what would happen if something went wrong or the next human showed up. And yet, Sans had helped him fill out an application, had helped him train, hadn’t uttered a word of complaint, encouraged Papyrus whenever he was down.
Sans was the most wonderful being in the world. No one else could be so kind, so forgiving, so giving. No one else could take on as much as he did and still have time for Papyrus, every single day.
And yet, Sans didn’t seem to see himself that way. Even now, years and years after they’d acquired a home, his clothes were threadbare, the bags under his eyes dark. He spoke cruelly about himself, never seemed to eat, and spent all of his free time lying in his miserable, filthy room. Nothing Papyrus had done had ever helped.
Papyrus had felt useless for a time, had even hated himself for not doing more to help his beautiful older brother, but he was over that now. He’d come to realize, after years of listening to Sans’ drunken rambles, that he was the only reason Sans was still alive.
He’d tried everything to help. This wasn’t his first resort, or his second, or even his tenth. He’d never wanted to have to do this, but needs must.
And, very, very selfishly, he couldn’t help but feel slightly glad about it. Sans would hate it, for sure, would fight and cry and struggle, but Papyrus would finally get the only thing he could never have.
Besides, it was all for Sans’ own good.
With that in mind, Papyrus didn’t hesitate as he picked up the small, delicate silver bracelets, each one twisted into an infinity symbol inside a circle, the insides heavily padded to protect his brother’s fragile bones.
It was almost pitifully easy to slip into Sans’ room, his brother deeply asleep. The room was disgusting, trash piled on the floor, the sheets in a gross, sweaty ball on the bare and filthy mattress, everything covered in a thin layer of grime. Papyrus felt a small ache in his heart, knowing that this was only partially from Sans’ laziness, almost entirely a byproduct of Sans’ severe depression.
Mindful of the mess, Papyrus very gently lifted Sans into his arms. The smaller skeleton didn’t stir, sighing softly in his sleep and turning to cuddle closer into Papyrus’ hold. Sans was always so cuddly in his sleep, body seeking for what he denied himself while awake.
Carefully, Papyrus brought Sans to his own room, settling him on his soft, fluffy mattress. Papyrus usually only slept three hours a night, if that, and frequently had sleepovers with Undyne. As such, his mattress, despite being several years old, was still in perfect condition. He’d changed the sheets and pillowcases just a few hours ago, the scent of fresh laundry still clinging to them, and Sans sighed softly, snuggling into the mattress. Papyrus was sure it was the most comfortable place he’d been in a while, and he allowed a small smile to creep onto his face at the sight of his brother’s enjoyment. Hopefully, he'd be seeing it much more frequently from now on.
With that in mind, Papyrus only felt a little guilty as he gathered Sans’ hands, gently slipping the bracelets onto them. They clasped perfectly around his small bones, glinting softly. As he closed them, the openings disappeared, leaving the bracelets as perfect, seamless loops around his brother’s wrists, impossible to remove. Sans would have to tear his arms apart to get them off- though it wasn’t as if Papyrus would let him.
Sans didn’t stir, even a little, his breathing deep and even as Papyrus released his hands, watching fondly as the small skeleton slept. If he had a nightmare, Papyrus would be right there to comfort him, but until then he’d let his exhausted brother sleep.
He’d more than earned it, after all.
Unfortunately, Papyrus now found himself as a bit of a loss. He’d spent so long getting things ready, making sure every detail was perfect, and now he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Surely he couldn’t just… sit here and watch Sans sleep, right?
…or could he?