Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Humming cheerily to himself, Papyrus held up the pacifier to the light, squinting to see if he could find any imperfections. A box of other equipment for babies sat next to him, carefully balanced to keep out of the water as Papyrus meticulously went through every single item in the dump to see what might be of high enough quality for his precious baby brother to use.

Unfortunately, Papyrus didn’t own very much that was suitable for someone as young as Sans. His brother had never seemed to mind, always far too independent and mature for a babybones, but Papyrus had always felt bad about not being able to provide for his needs.

He had to admit, he was not a very good caretaker. He… well, for some reason, it had never really crossed his mind that Sans needed to be cared for. He supposed it was because Sans had never really felt like he needed to be cared for. The babybones acted like he was a full adult most of the time, with the humor of an immature middle schooler.

A stubborn tear welled up in Papyrus’ eye socket, which he angrily wiped away. He loved his brother. He loved him more than anything. It wasn’t his fault his brother was so fucking stupid!

As loath as he was to admit it, Sans was very good at hiding and lying. Diversions seemed effortless to him. Between his maturity and skill, it had simply never occurred to Papyrus that maybe a babybones shouldn’t have a degree in quantum physics or work four separate jobs. It had just seemed natural for his brother to be like that.

It hadn’t been until Alphys had said something that he’d realized. 

It was such a small thing, a throwaway comment she’d made, but it had struck Papyrus deeply.

“Y-you know, Monster Kid r-really spends a l-lot of t-t-time outside f-for a kid his a-age. M-m-most monsters d-don’t u-usually let their k-kids out alone u-until t-they’re almost in their t-t-teens.”

The topic had moved on quickly after that, but Papyrus kept turning it over and over in his head. Monster Kid was older than Sans, though not by much. He’d never thought to compare the two before, but once he did the differences felt alarming.

Sans had a college degree in quantum physics. He had four or five full-time jobs, though they were rather easy. He was always out and about, with no supervision, interacting with everyone, including people that Papyrus had never met. He frequently went to the labs in Hotland and the Capital and was on a first-name basis with the King. He paid the bills, read Papyrus bedtime stories, and honestly acted more like an adult than he did.

Monster Kid, on the other hand, was always running around, playing, having fun, causing trouble, following people around, being in awe over Undyne, and talking about their parents. They complained about childish things and probably wouldn’t be getting their first job until they were in their mid teens. 

…Monster Kid was older than Sans, yet Sans had so many more responsibilities…

It felt unfair. More than that, it felt horrifically wrong. How had he ever thought that this was okay? Why had no one ever pointed this out to him?

Finally deciding that the pacifier was good enough, Papyrus set it in the box of salvaged items with care. Now that he’d gathered whatever he could from the dump, it was time for the next step: going to the king. 

The king knew Sans. To add to that, he’d had several children of his own. Surely he’d be able to give Papyrus some advice on what to do with his beautiful, precocious baby brother. 

Smiling a bit, Papyrus picked up the box, readying himself for the long run to the capitol to meet with the king. He really hoped this would work…

The run to the capitol seemed simultaneously too long and too short to Papyrus. He knew the way, of course; after enough time you became familiar with the entirety of the Underground even if you’d never been out of your house before. Besides, it was pretty much a straight line through the Underground to the capitol.

Still, Papyrus found himself hesitating before the door to King Asgore’s house, still clutching the box, entirely unsure whether he was ready for this or not. Regardless of how this went, things were going to change. 

This was for Sans, he reminded himself, and finally brought himself to rap smartly on the door. 

It only took a few minutes before Papyrus heard heavy footsteps, straightening up expectantly. This was it. He was about to meet the king of all monsters!

The door opened, a fluffy monster smiling down at him. 

“Well, hello there!” Asgore greeted cheerfully, opening the door wider. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“ACTUALLY, YES!” Papyrus said, meeting the king’s eyes with as much intensity as he could muster - which was quite a lot. “MAY I ASK YOUR OPINION ON SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT?”

Asgore’s expression turned serious, though he never dropped the smile. “Of course. Would you like to come in?”

Papyrus nodded gratefully, adjusting his grip on the box as Asgore stepped aside to let him pass.

“Will the kitchen suffice, or would you prefer elsewhere?” He inquired softly, gesturing with one paw towards the kitchen, which was nicely out of sight.

“THE KITCHEN IS FINE, YOUR FLUFFINESS!” Papyrus exclaimed happily, leading the way. Once there, he hesitated, unsure of what to do with the box of baby supplies he’d gathered. 

“I’ll make some tea,” Asgore said reassuringly, stepping around him to pick up a kettle that was presumably filled with water already. His hands lit up with brilliant orange-yellow fire, with some red, and the kettle was whistling within seconds.

Pleased, Asgore set it down on the spotless stove, turning to grab two mugs. He paused as he saw Papyrus standing helplessly in the middle of his kitchen, holding the box tightly. “Ah, if you’re comfortable, you can just set that down right next to your seat. I promise it’ll be safe.”

Sighing with relief, Papyrus set the box down with care, taking a seat in the chair next to it as Asgore poured them each a cup of tea. The anxiety of not knowing what to do had been so uncomfortable…

Asgore brought both the cups over to the table, setting them down gently before taking a seat. 

“Now,” he said softly, “what was it you wanted to discuss?”

Papyrus awkwardly took a sip of his tea. “UM… WELL, I’M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO SAY THIS…” 

“It’s alright,” Asgore assured him. “I’m sure we can work it out.”

“OKAY…” Papyrus said, thinking for a moment. 

“SO… I’M HERE ABOUT MY LITTLE BROTHER, SANS.” 

Concern immediately blanketed Asgore’s face. “I know Sans,” he said, sounding worried. “Is everything all right?”

“YES, YES, OF COURSE!” Papyrus rushed to reassure him. “IT’S JUST… SOMEONE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION RECENTLY THAT SANS MIGHT HAVE A FEW TOO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIS AGE.”

He paused for a moment to drink some more tea. “AFTER A BIT OF CONSIDERATION, I HAVE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT SANS IS TAKING ON FAR TOO MUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE AS MUCH OF THIS AS I CAN, BUT I AM UNSURE HOW TO GO ABOUT THIS. THINGS HAVE BEEN THIS WAY FOR QUITE A WHILE AND I FEAR THAT SANS WILL TAKE IT POORLY.”

For some reason, Asgore only looked more and more alarmed as Papyrus talked. “I… your name is Papyrus, yes?”

Perplexed, Papyrus nodded.

“W-well, Papyrus…” Asgore looked rather uncomfortable. “You see, I have known your brother since he started going to college. This entire time… well, I’m not saying that I don't believe you, but… I have always been under the impression that Sans was… well, a full adult.”

Papyrus blinked, poleaxed. “WELL… MY APOLOGIES, YOUR FLUFFINESS. I HAD ASSUMED YOU ALREADY KNEW HOW YOUNG HE IS.”

If anything, Asgore looked even more stricken. “No,” he breathed, looking like he regretted every life decision he’d ever made. 

“WELL!” Papyrus said cheerfully, choosing to move past it, “SANS IS, IN FACT, A CHILD! AND A FAIRLY YOUNG ONE AT THAT. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY, VERY MATURE FOR HIS AGE, SO I SUPPOSE IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE FOR YOU TO THINK HE WAS OLDER THAN HE REALLY IS!”

“I-I see,” Asgore said softly. “Is… is that who all those baby things are for?”

He sounded shaken. Was it really that much of a surprise? Sans was tiny. If he wanted to, Papyrus could easily hide him in his ribcage and empty torso with room to spare. To be fair though, the king probably thought of everyone as small to him. 

“INDEED!” Papyrus said, deciding not to comment on the king’s strange behavior. “I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD APPROPRIATE SUPPLIES FOR HIM BEFORE AND HE NEVER SEEMED TO MIND IN THE SLIGHTEST! I BELIEVE IT WILL GREATLY HELP HIM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THINGS SUITED FOR HIM FOR ONCE.”

Asgore nodded, looking like he’d aged a thousand years over the course of their conversation. “Of course. If you would like, I can put out a request for any spare baby or toddler supplies. I’m sure that many parents - myself included - have supplies that we no longer need.

Smiling in relief, Papyrus nodded. “THAT WOULD BE A GREAT HELP, YOUR FLUFFINESS. I’M SURE THAT ONCE SANS REALIZES HOW MUCH NICER LIFE IS WHEN HE’S BEING CARED FOR, HE’LL BE MUCH HAPPIER!”

“It is no problem, Papyrus,” Asgore said, finishing off his tea and rising. Papyrus quickly stood as well, grabbing the box of items and holding it close. “I shall make sure to spread the word throughout the Underground that Sans is much younger than we previously thought and to not give him any jobs for adults or any work that requires hard labor. Our youth are precious and we must protect those few we have.”

Smiling, Asgore led Papyrus back to the door. “Is that all you came here for?”

Papyrus nodded, feeling relieved warmth spreading through his soul. “YES, YOUR FLUFFINESS. I’LL GET STARTED ON GETTING THINGS SET UP FOR SANS.”

“Of course,” Asgore said softly. “I’ll get the news spread as quickly as I can. I hope everything goes well for the two of you.”

“THANK YOU,” Papyrus said. “AND FEEL FREE TO DROP BY ANYTIME YOU LIKE! SANS SPEAKS QUITE HIGHLY OF YOU AND I’M SURE HE’D LOVE TO SEE YOU… EVEN IF HE MAY BE A LITTLE MAD AT FIRST. HE’S HAD HIS INDEPENDENCE FOR A WHILE NOW AND MIGHT BE UPSET AT LOSING IT SO ABRUPTLY.”

If possible, Asgore’s face softened even more. “Of course. I am quite fond of the little one myself and would love to see him once he settles down a bit.”

Papyrus beamed at him as they shared their final goodbyes, setting off for home in high spirits.

The rest of the day passed all too quickly. The jog back to Snowdin had been thrilling and setting up a few subtle things for Sans had made Papyrus’ soul thrum with a new kind of energy, hopeful and excited. 

So far, he’d hidden most of the things he’d brought home, not wanting to scare his shy brother off. A sippy cup and a bottle in the cabinet, so Sans could pick which one he liked better, actual sheets and a few soft blankets on his mattress, and a thick blanket sleeper were all he’d set up for now. 

He’d also picked Sans’ room up a bit, shuddering at how bad he’d let things get. Of course Sans wouldn’t know how to clean his room. Why had Papyrus ever assumed that he would just magically know how to pick his stuff up and use cleaning supplies? The child didn’t even have a bedframe!

How had he ever let things get this bad? Layers of grime coated everything in Sans’ room, the few clothes he owned wrinkled and left on the floor, a literal tornado of trash circling away in the corner. Once he’d be able to do it without Sans freaking out, Papyrus would probably scrub and disinfect every inch of the room before allowing his precious baby brother to even set foot in there. He’d also need a proper bedframe, with bars so Sans wouldn’t fall off in his sleep and dust himself.

Oh… that’s why he didn’t have a bedframe yet. Papyrus remembered now. He hadn’t been able to afford a proper crib, or any bed at all really, so he’d found a mattress in the dump and decided that would work.

It felt so long ago now… 

Stars, where had the time gone? Sans wasn’t a baby anymore, or even a toddler, but old enough to do so many things. Had Papyrus even been there for half of Sans’ life so far? It felt like he hadn’t been there at all.

No wonder he always looked so sad and tired. Papyrus had been so, so selfish, never thinking twice about anything.

Sans was maybe a bit old now for baby bottles and cribs, but… well, he’d never had any of those in the first place. He’d grown up too quickly, and now Papyrus had a chance to give him the childhood he should have had all along. It was worth maybe going a bit too far back.

Everything else, Papyrus put back in the box, which he then set on top of the fridge. Sans couldn’t reach that high even if he climbed on the counters. He never used the fridge other than for a few bottles of ketchup anyway, so he probably wouldn’t even notice that anything was off.

Chapter Text

Sighing tiredly, Sans trudged up to the door of his house, feeling his bones ache. Today had felt like a lot.

He wasn’t doing any more work than usual, either. He’d done his sentry job in Snowdin, popped in to wash dishes for Grillby, done his sentry job in Waterfall, and manned his hot dog station/Hotland sentry job in between. Yet somehow, he felt exhausted.

He had to keep going, he reminded himself. His brother needed him. Papyrus didn’t technically have a job at all and wouldn’t be able to keep the electricity on and the fridge stocked. They would probably both die - or worse, have to live off of charity. 

It wasn’t that bad. He’d been working for a while now. Today was just a bad day, that was all. He’d go lie down with a bottle of ketchup and take a nice long nap and then tomorrow everything would be fine.

Opening the door, Sans blinked as he was suddenly assaulted with the scent of cleaning supplies. Had Papyrus spent the day cleaning again? He hadn’t seen him since the morning but had kinda just assumed he was off doing cool things elsewhere. 

Shuffling in, Sans made his way to the kitchen, opening the fridge to grab a bottle of ketchup. It was half-empty from the last time he’d allowed himself to indulge but still had enough in it to make for a nice snack. Nice. He hadn’t eaten since Grillby’s and was starting to get kinda hungry again. 

Yawning, he made a beeline for the stairs, more than ready for bed.

Each step felt like it took forever, his aching bones protesting the effort, but he made it to his room before long, opening the door. 

To his surprise, his bed was made, dark blue sheets with constellations on them covered by several soft blankets. His pillow had seemingly duplicated, both of them wearing pillowcases that matched the sheets. 

Aw, had Papyrus done this for him? He’d have to thank his brother in the morning. His bed looked real comfy. Perfect timing too. 

Sans took a step towards the bed, intending to lie down, before his eye was caught by something light blue. Were those… pajamas?

Stars, he hadn’t owned any of those since he’d been a babybones. They looked even more comfy than the bed somehow.

Well… it was more effort than he’d usually put into something, especially with how tired he was, but he could use the comfort right now.

Not letting himself think too hard about it, Sans stripped his clothes off, shoving them into a pile next to his bed, unzipping the pajamas and stepping into them. They were even softer than they looked, warm and fluffy against his cold bones.

He couldn’t suppress the soft purr that escaped him as he zipped them up, grabbing his ketchup bottle and lying down on his obscenely soft mattress. For once, he actually got under the covers, snuggling into the warm cloth as he fit the nub of the bottle into his mouth and started sucking.

Instantly, his eyes lidded, eyelights fuzzing as the motion continued. It was so soothing…

Between that and the softness surrounding him, Sans was asleep in minutes.

Chapter Text

Everything was going splendidly until the next evening. Papyrus had been cooking dinner spaghetti when Sans stormed in, looking pissed. “papyrus!” he shouted, and oh, Papyrus could hear the tears he was struggling to hold back thick in his voice. His poor brother.

“mind telling me why, exactly, everyone in the entire damn underground suddenly thinks i’m a child?!” he asked furiously, voice shaking. Maybe, if Papyrus didn’t know him so well, he’d have thought that Sans was actually angry, but as it was he could tell that the small, precious thing was just scared and upset.

“YOU ARE A CHILD, SANS,” he reminded his brother gently.

If anything, this upset Sans more, tears beading up in his large, cute sockets. “they didn’t have to know that! now everyone’s gonna treat me different and it’s all your fault!”

Turning the heat off, Papyrus set everything down, walking the few steps necessary to lift his distressed brother into his arms. “SHH… EVERYTHING’S ALRIGHT, BROTHER. I’M JUST TRYING TO FIX THE MISTAKES I’VE MADE.”

Sans scowled up at him, sockets watery, but didn’t make any move to try and escape, legs wrapping around Papyrus’ spine. Oh, his poor baby must be really upset to let Papyrus hold him like this. He always tried so hard to be mature…

“everything was fine before. what the hell do you think we’re gonna do if i get fired? we’ll both be out on the streets again ‘nd this time there won’t be any hope of me getting a job.”

Papyrus couldn’t help the tears that welled up in his sockets. “OH, SANS…” 

Holding his precious baby brother close, Papyrus brought him over to the couch, settling them both down without ever letting go. “I’M SO SORRY.”

He didn’t give Sans a chance to argue before continuing. “NONE OF THIS SHOULD HAVE EVER BEEN YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IF ANYTHING, I SHOULD BE THE ONE SUPPORTING US. NOT YOU. NEVER YOU.”

Carefully, he tilted Sans’ head back a bit to meet his eyelights. “I’M SORRY THAT I WAS SO NEGLIGENT. IF I HAD ONLY TAKEN BETTER CARE OF YOU, MAYBE THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.”

Sans’ eyes widened. “paps, no-” he argued, but Papyrus interrupted him before he could even get started.

“NO, SANS,” he said gently. “AS BOTH AN ADULT AND YOUR OLDER BROTHER, IT IS MY JOB TO CARE FOR YOU AND PROVIDE EVERYTHING YOU NEED. I’VE BEEN DOING A VERY, VERY BAD JOB AT THAT.”

He hesitated, unsure of whether to tell Sans about everything else or not. “...I’M GOING TO START DOING BETTER FROM NOW ON, OKAY? IT MIGHT BE A BIT OF AN ADJUSTMENT, BUT I SWEAR I’LL DO RIGHT BY YOU.”

Making an unsure sound, Sans pulled in on himself, burying his face in Papyrus’ exposed spine. Even so, his voice was barely muffled at all when he asked “...‘re you gonna make me quit my jobs?

He sounded so lost and despondent that it made Papyrus’ soul ache. “...NO, SANS. NOT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO. BUT WE’LL HAVE TO SET SOME RULES SO YOU DON’T OVERWORK YOURSELF.”

The first tears came after that, followed by shaky sobs. All Papyrus could do was hold his brother close, gently rubbing his soft skull as his brother cried out all his emotions. 

A few hours later, after Sans had been put to bed, a loud knock sounded at the door. Already knowing who it was, Papyrus hurried over, opening it before Undyne could wake his tired brother. 

“PAPYRUS!” She yelled, “WHAT’S THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOUR BROTHER BEING A FUCKING CHILD?!”

“QUIET DOWN A BIT, UNDYNE,” Papyrus said, stepping outside and closing the door. “SANS IS SLEEPING.” 

She softened a bit, but her brow was still pulled into a frown. “What the fuck, Papyrus?”

He sighed, looking her over. “I’M GUESSING YOU DIDN’T KNOW EITHER?”

“OF COURSE I DIDN’T KNOW!” she cried, offended. “YOU THINK I’D LET A CHILD INTO THE GUARD?”

He shrugged helplessly. Maybe Undyne saw a bit of his inner turmoil, because she paused, brow knitting. 

“I… DIDN’T KNOW THAT NO ONE ELSE KNEW. I THOUGHT EVERYONE KNEW THAT SANS WAS LITTLE. I’M… SORRY.”

She softened further, brow loosening. “...it’s okay, Papyrus. Why… what happened?”

Papyrus looked away in embarrassment. “SANS HAS ALWAYS BEEN… VERY MATURE FOR HIS AGE. FOR SOME REASON, I NEVER THOUGHT TO QUESTION IT WHEN HE STARTED WORKING AND GOING TO GRILLBY’S AND DOING OTHER ADULT THINGS. IT ALL SEEMED NORMAL TO ME. IT WASN’T UNTIL ALPHYS SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MONSTER KID THAT I REALIZED IT WASN’T GOOD FOR SANS TO HAVE SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.”

Undyne sighed softly. “...I get it, Papyrus. I really do. But I’m really, really uncomfortable with the fact that I gave a child three jobs, one as the literal first line of defense for the entire Underground.”

Relieved, Papyrus nodded. “...SANS IS VERY UPSET OVER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. HE’S REALLY WORRIED ABOUT GETTING FIRED AND THAT WE MIGHT END UP ON THE STREETS AGAIN. MAYBE… MAYBE ONLY FIRE HIM FROM ONE OR TWO POSITIONS? IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM.”

Looking tired, Undyne sighed again. “Look… if he’s really that upset about it, he can keep whatever damn positions he likes, as long as you’re with him the entire time. Hell, if it makes you feel better, I’ll switch it so you’re getting paid instead of him so he doesn’t even have to come if he doesn’t want to.”

Papyrus grinned, feeling warm. “THAT WOULD BE PERFECT, UNDYNE! HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL HELP HIM ADJUST TO ALL THIS BETTER!”

“Yeah…” she trailed off, looking uncomfortable. “Listen, Paps, I’m letting you off the hook for this, but you need to start being more careful, okay? I’ve put Sans in a bunch of positions that aren’t okay for a child simply because I thought he was an adult. I haven’t been very careful with him and I bet there’s a bunch of others who haven’t been either.”

Oh stars, he hadn’t even thought of that. Sans spent most of his free time at a bar. Papyrus had no idea how much alcohol he might’ve drank or what he might’ve smoked. He could have easily been tricked into sleeping with someone without ever knowing what was happening.

Stricken, he nodded. She softened further. “I’m proud of you for noticing, Paps,” she said gently. “Do you want any help with him?”

Actually, come to think of it… he did!

“YES, ACTUALLY! I BELIEVE THE KING HAS PUT OUT A REQUEST ASKING FOR ANY UNUSED OR UNWANTED CHILD SUPPLIES, SO I MIGHT NEED HELP CARRYING THEM OR SETTING THEM UP! IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF YOU COULD HELP!”

“HELL YEAH!” Undyne shouted, eyes alight with fire. “I’M GONNA HELP YOU SO HARD! WE’RE GONNA GET EVERYTHING FUCKIN’ PERFECT FOR THIS CHILD!”

Quieter, she added, “I’ll come back tomorrow. We can go through what people are offering and get what we need so we can set everything up well. Do you know what he likes?”

Immediately, Papyrus rattled off everything he could think of. “KETCHUP, STARS, SPACE, QUANTUM PHYSICS, PRANKS, BAD JOKES AND PUNS, NAPS, BLUE, SOFT THINGS, GRILLBY’S…”

He trailed off, shame choking him as he realized he didn’t know anything else. What kind of brother was he? He couldn’t even list a dozen things his brother liked. They’d lived together ever since Sans was born, and yet he couldn’t do something so ridiculously simple?!

Undyne looked confused for a moment before her face smoothed in understanding. “It’s a start,” she assured him. “I’m sure we’ll figure out more as time passes.” 

She raised her voice excitedly, taking off running. “NOW LET’S GO GET’EM! NGAAAHHHH!”

Papyrus smiled fondly after her. With that discussion, he was sure half of Snowdin now knew about Sans and would spread the word. Undyne was so thoughtful like that. Hopefully, they would manage to get everything his beloved brother would need. 

Maybe, if they were lucky, Sans would even appreciate it. It wasn’t likely - his baby brother could be quite stubborn when he put his mind to it, but time was the best way to wear him down. 

And oh, did Papyrus have time.

Satisfied, he went back inside, closing the door as gently as he could. The kitchen light was on, illuminating the downstairs enough for him to see without waking up his sensitive, distressed brother.

Now that Sans knew what was going on, Papyrus could afford to be a bit less discreet, which he immediately took advantage of. Glowing stars were stuck on the walls in slightly messy constellations, plush toys were arranged on the couch, books were stacked, piles of clothes were set aside for Sans to try on later, the sharp knives were set high up, cushions were scattered around the living room, soft blue plastic dishware set in the cabinets along with a few more sippy cups and bottles, a stack of bibs placed in a drawer by the towels…

He was as thorough as he could get with what he had. If he was lucky, someone would give him materials to pad the corners and maybe even the floors to keep Sans safe. A simple trip or fall could easily dust the fragile child.

Oh stars, why had he ever let Sans out of the house in the first place? He could die by rolling out of bed! What if he fell down a hill or got hit by a branch or tripped on a rock or any other number of small things?!

Hyperventilating, Papyrus sat on the bottommost stair, cradling his head in his hands, and sobbed as he thought of all the many, many, many ways he had failed his precious baby brother.