[See, Sans, that was your chance to ease the sudden case of heebiejeebies that Papyrus is feeling. Continuing to be all mysterious was the opposite of what your brother was going for.]
[...Okay, okay, he knows. Old habits are hard to break.]
Erased, forgotten... those really aren't good words. Why do I feel like, whatever you're going to tell me, was worse than...
[Sans, just come home, standing brokenly in the doorway in a sooty labcoat. Papyrus greeting him cheerfully, jokingly asking him what exploded this time, and saying he'd ordered out for dinner. No questions about their father, no sign that he knew anything was missing.]
[No calls or visits from concerned neighbors, because nobody knew the young men had any reasons to be grieving. Not even one of them.]
[Sans' sudden decision to retire, to move somewhere with new opportunities ("hey, maybe you could get a position in the royal guard if we're in some smaller town, pap? they're pretty full up here..." "THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!"]
[Ah, but here's the thing, Papryus, Sans isn't deliberately being mysterious...]
heh.
no they're not. [Sans draws his knees up and hugs them.]
unfortunately, that's all i really remember about what happened to dad. there was an accident and... well, that's it.
[It was the beginning of the downward spiral that he was trapped in. Papryus's bright, driven kid brother had become dimmer that day, he was so quick to squander the potential that everyone who knew the brothers said he had.]
we've got a second chance, though. dad's here now... we can catch up on lost time.
...I guess. I could ask him about it? At the very least I'll want to talk to him and introduce myself properly!
[That last comment earns another sideglance from Papyrus. Sans, you know, that whole second chance thing, doesn't just apply to interacting with Gaster... right?]
Wow, you're right about that! That certainly is the case. Being in this world is a second chance, for all kinds of things, isn't it?
[Huh, funny coincidence. That sounds a bit like when Papyrus was trying to remember your old job. See, this is why you talk to your older brother about things, Sans. He might have experience with the same sort of problem, and could give you advice.]
[For example, instead treating your mind like a Junior Jumble where the things are right there and you stare at them long enough that you notice them...? Treat them like horoscopes, where you only see bits of it and you have to infer the connections based on the things that aren't there.]
[Yes, Papyrus knows that he's terribly insightful. He's impressed too.]
[Wowie. Sans isn't filling the room with jokes to cover up the fact that he's uncertain. He's just trailing off honestly. That's progress too! Papyrus is just so proud of him right now, gosh.]
[He smiles a little more gently, and nudges his brother.]
I don't expect anything to happen overnight! But, I'm sure it'll help, in time.
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2015-12-13 02:03 (UTC)[Of course it does! The Great Papyrus called it, did he not?]
And... not the fun, super-power granting kind...
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2015-12-13 02:13 (UTC)no subject
2015-12-13 03:10 (UTC)no subject
2015-12-13 03:26 (UTC)except he didn't fall down, papyrus.
[Falling down would have caused less pain for everyone.]
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2015-12-13 03:45 (UTC)[...Okay, okay, he knows. Old habits are hard to break.]
Erased, forgotten... those really aren't good words. Why do I feel like, whatever you're going to tell me, was worse than...
[Sans, just come home, standing brokenly in the doorway in a sooty labcoat. Papyrus greeting him cheerfully, jokingly asking him what exploded this time, and saying he'd ordered out for dinner. No questions about their father, no sign that he knew anything was missing.]
[No calls or visits from concerned neighbors, because nobody knew the young men had any reasons to be grieving. Not even one of them.]
[Sans' sudden decision to retire, to move somewhere with new opportunities ("hey, maybe you could get a position in the royal guard if we're in some smaller town, pap? they're pretty full up here..." "THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!"]
[Snowdin, as far away as it was possible to go.]
no subject
2015-12-13 04:09 (UTC)heh.
no they're not. [Sans draws his knees up and hugs them.]
unfortunately, that's all i really remember about what happened to dad. there was an accident and... well, that's it.
[It was the beginning of the downward spiral that he was trapped in. Papryus's bright, driven kid brother had become dimmer that day, he was so quick to squander the potential that everyone who knew the brothers said he had.]
we've got a second chance, though. dad's here now... we can catch up on lost time.
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2015-12-13 05:27 (UTC)...I guess. I could ask him about it? At the very least I'll want to talk to him and introduce myself properly!
[That last comment earns another sideglance from Papyrus. Sans, you know, that whole second chance thing, doesn't just apply to interacting with Gaster... right?]
Wow, you're right about that! That certainly is the case. Being in this world is a second chance, for all kinds of things, isn't it?
[SUBTLE HINT HINT]
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2015-12-13 05:38 (UTC)yeah, maybe you should do that. he probably recalls it better than i do.
[Of course it applies to more than just Gaster.]
yeah, it is. maybe i can make up for lost time, too?
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2015-12-13 05:55 (UTC)[For example, instead treating your mind like a Junior Jumble where the things are right there and you stare at them long enough that you notice them...? Treat them like horoscopes, where you only see bits of it and you have to infer the connections based on the things that aren't there.]
[Yes, Papyrus knows that he's terribly insightful. He's impressed too.]
Then that's what I'll do.
[A triumphant smile!]
That's exactly the kind of thing I want to hear!
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2015-12-13 06:05 (UTC)heh. really?
[He seems almost surprised]
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2015-12-13 06:27 (UTC)Yes, really! I'm not even sure why you're surprised?
[Is he allowed to feel proud?]
Ever since we, talked? I've been hoping to hear you think of this as a chance for things to get better!
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2015-12-13 06:29 (UTC)[Of course you are!]
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2015-12-13 06:47 (UTC)No! No more "without saying," Sans! Feel free to say things! I'll listen!
[Even to puns, if you must, but he means the important things.]
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2015-12-13 06:58 (UTC)no subject
2015-12-13 07:07 (UTC)[What was that the other Papyrus was saying, about letting the Sanses bring things up on their own? Too slow, that's what.]
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2015-12-13 07:10 (UTC)[There's a lot of uncertainty in that one word...]
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2015-12-13 07:29 (UTC)[He smiles a little more gently, and nudges his brother.]
I don't expect anything to happen overnight! But, I'm sure it'll help, in time.
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2015-12-13 07:34 (UTC)no subject
2015-12-13 07:38 (UTC)[A very long time, between the time Papyrus remembers and all the reset memories that Sans has.]
But I'm not going anywhere.
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2015-12-13 19:23 (UTC)[For putting up with him.]
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2015-12-14 01:45 (UTC)[What are brothers for?]