Bits of Fics

There are truths, about soulmates.

You only know someone is your soulmate when they say your name - your real name. Nicknames are useless for this.

Your soulmate is someone - anyone - everyone - who you need in your life to make it better, who gives you something - support, pleasure, trust, encouragement - that no one else can.

Being soulmates does not automatically mean you will have a romantic or sexual relationship. (It doesn't automatically mean you won't, either, though other circumstances might.)

One-sided soulmates happen.

People can stop being soulmates, and only know it when they next hear their name spoken by their ex-soulmate.



Undyne rolled her eye as she dug the latest whoopee cushion out of the sofa. "You know, I kinda thought that you'd stop sharing a house with your brother now we're all up-top," she said to Papyrus, not quite grumbling.

Papyrus gave her a puzzled look. "DONT BE SILLY! OF COURSE I'M GOING TO KEEP SHARING A HOUSE WITH MY SOULMATE!"

"Oh! OH! Shit, I didn't have a clue!"

"EVIDENTIALLY!" Papyrus agreed.

"hey, bro," Sans interrupted, popping in from who-knew-where, "things good?"

"BROTHER!"

Undyne doesn't pay attention to their next words, too busy keeping herself from voicing to a sudden thought.

She's pretty sure neither of the skeleton brothers has said the other's name since Frisk released everyone.

She forces the niggling suspicion out of her head. It's ridiculous. It's stupid. It's an insult to both of them. How desperate would someone have to be, to pretend they were still an ex's soulmate?



Maybe they don't want to admit that they aren't soulmates any more.

Maybe it was always unrequited, and why not sidestep admitting how unequal their relationship is?

Maybe 'bro' and 'BROTHER' are truer names from each other than 'Papyrus' and 'SANS' ever could be.

The skeleton brothers are the only ones who know. And they won't tell.

It's no one else's business.

Undyne is frothing water surging through a deep gorge, a line of fires lighting the way home and they may hurt you but it’s not their purpose, a quiet moment of peace safely hidden in a roar of power.

Undyne is amazing, and Papyrus wants to be her friend.



Sans is a friendly pat on the back, the warmth of a blanket and the way the couch sags just enough to reach the perfect state of comfort. Sans is blades laid flat and packed away because no one wants to use them, a rope to hold while you walk the bridge, guidelines that might take the long route and show you things you weren’t expecting but they get you where you need to be eventually.

Sans is home and comfort and safety, and Papyrus can’t imagine not having him in his life.



Doggo is rich soil underfoot, just soft enough to land on comfortably if you fall; wind calling through the trees to let you know you aren’t alone; hot breath and cold air intermingled.

Doggo is a good person, and Papyrus thinks they might even become friends someday.



Mettaton is dazzling sparkles, spotlights highlighting everything people want to see about themselves, music loud enough to drown the thoughts no one wants to hear, a perfectly sharp-sweet moment melting on your tongue.

Mettaton is breathtaking, and Papyrus doesn’t think he’ll ever have too much of him.



Papyrus knows other monsters don’t see people the same way he does. He could probably see what they do if he tried - Undyne’s scales and sharp teeth, Mettaton’s metal box, Doggo’s soft fur, Sans’ easy grin - but why would he want to?

Why would he ever restrict himself to only seeing their faces, instead of seeing them for who they are?

"okay, let's try this, brother. you have one ration bar. He gives you another one. How many ration bars do you have?"

Papyrus frowned thoughtfully, muttering to himself for a few moments. "TWENTY-TWO!"

Sans blinked. "huh?"

"I MUST HAVE EATEN THE FIRST BAR IN THE PUZZLE, OR HE WOULDN'T GIVE ME ANOTHER. SO IF I'M MEANT TO COUNT THE BARS I'VE EATEN AND THE BARS IN THE PUZZLE, IT COMES TO TWENTY-TWO!"

"uh." Sans tried to count up how many ration bars he and his brother had had. "yeah, it does." He shook his head. "let's try this. you have one puzzle. he gives you nine more. how many do you have?"

"FIVE, OF COURSE!"

"...because you'd share with me?"

"EXACTLY!"

Sans shook his head. "brother, what's five plus nine?"

"FOURTEEN."

"eighteen minus twelve."

"SIX."

"three plus seven."

"TEN."

"so if you can do the sums just fine, why does me ignoring the stupid details he adds to them make you the dumb one?"

Papyrus stared at him blankly. "...I DON'T KNOW?"

Someday, Papyrus tells himself, he will have a Very Best Friend.



Flowey doesn’t want to know that Papyrus remembers Resets.

It makes sense; Flowey wants to believe that Papyrus’ trust in him is naivety, not choice. If Papyrus remembers, then he knows what he’s risking every time he agrees to meet Flowey secretly.

His lonely soulless friend has so few satisfactions in his existence, Papyrus can’t bring himself to destroy the satisfaction of thinking that Papyrus would change his mind or behaviour if he remembered.



Sans doesn’t want to know that Papyrus remembers Resets.

Sans always gives himself the most ridiculous tasks, and then blames himself for failing them:

Rescue a person he couldn’t even remember, by fixing a machine he’d never worked on or seen working.

Stop the Resets, when he only knows they happen because of some odd readings from an old sensor array, and has no idea how to find the responsible party.

Protect Papyrus’ innocence, as if who Papyrus is will be damaged beyond repair if he’s treated as an adult.

Sans is so fragile. Sometimes Papyrus worries that...

If not knowing makes Sans’ life a little easier, Papyrus can put up with being seen as a bit childish.



Frisk doesn’t want to know that Papyrus remembers Resets.

Papyrus gives them little hints whenever he talks to them, but they aren’t particularly good at picking up on them - which is fine! Most monsters aren’t, either, so it doesn’t say anything against them that they aren’t paying attention!

Frisk doesn’t really want to know much about Papyrus, which suits Papyrus because he’s never been comfortable telling people about himself.

He just wishes, sometimes, when he’s lying in bed trying to figure out how to sleep, that he had someone to talk to about them.



Undyne doesn’t remember Resets.

Not any more than other monsters do.

Bringing them up just made her confused, and mad at herself for not remembering something so very obviously important.

It’s a little painful how easy it is to fall into the habit of not telling her about them. Papyrus plays his role, and tries not to think that he’s treating her the same way everyone treats him.



Someday, Papyrus tells himself, he will have a Very Best Friend.

He’ll know he’s found them when they let him talk about the Resets.

Built from this idea.

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