ribticklers | Inbox

[It doesn't take a full tour of the house - the next ajar door proves to be another bedroom, one with a full size bed rather than a kid's twin. The limited decorations to the room are more adult, for the most part - a few articles of clothing over a chair, a suitcase by a closet door, some photographs and paintings on the walls.

On the bed, though, is a teddy bear. And a few feet from the bed, a colorful mobile playing a faint lullaby hangs from the ceiling. Below it, a crib stands out from the room's overall decor, and a soft voice burbles incoherently from within it. The baby, if examined, is several months old - old enough for hair, and for eyes to widen at the general figure of light approaching.

In the basement, the human's making choked up sounds, and the Papyrus with the monitor has gone dead silent. The other one coos at the sight - either not noticing the change in the mood, or taking the opportunity to assert a new one.]

[Oh, this is a baby. Sans hasn't actually seen many humans this small up close. Sure, there's plenty in the city, but he's not exactly stopping people to ask to see them. There's some degree of simple curiosity that makes Sans approach. There's nobody here to stop him, after all. If the baby freaks out, he can just leave.

All of Sans's positive emotions are with the other Sans. Still, Sans can't bring himself to have the kind of paranoia he has for kids with a baby. He leans over the crib, still curious, though considering he's absolutely silent this may look more ominous over video.]

[Sans is silent, and that leaves a lot of audio space free for the Papyruses to hear the choked weeping and comments about "formula" and "fridge" and "just needed, just need" coming out from the father.

But it's not a creepily fully silent scene, not with the monitor's lullaby playing in the background, or the baby continuing to babble at this mystery person. No freaking out - if anything, he reaches a curious little hand up in an attempt to grab, or at least pat, at the glowing figure.

Positive Papyrus's adoring cooing gets louder at the sight of the little fingers curling and spreading near the video feed, blurred as they get with the camera's focus on the baby's face. Negative Papyrus turns on the human (mind still focused on the feed of the video) and demands to know, why would he risk getting caught - getting jailed - if he's responsible for such a tiny human?? What was he thinking? Why not just... ask for help??? It's a break from the bad cop persona, entirely too earnest anger - and if there's some tangle of hurt essential to Papyrus's personality over the pain of a father disappearing in childhood, he doesn't have the multitasking to examine it closely.]

[The video shifts as Sans moves the phone to one of his invisible arms so he can reach out with one of his normal ones. Honestly, even adding monster babies to the equation, it's been a while since Sans has been this close to any. He has memories of Papyrus grabbing onto his fingers, of trying to pick him up when he was a baby bones, although Sans was young enough that this human seems even smaller. There might not be that much of a real difference, though.

He doesn't want to be thinking about those memories. There's no warmth in them as long as Sans is like this, just bitterness at the voids and gaps in his memory, like something got ripped out of them. This baby and their sibling--there's probably a similar gap in age as the one between himself and Papyrus. Another fact that sits strangely while he lacks half his emotional range.

He lets the baby touch him before extracting himself, taking a few steps back from the crib like the baby might be able to follow him if he doesn't. No reason to be hanging around here anymore, he got he footage. The video stops, and Sans reappears in the basement an instant later.]

[The baby's gaze follows him, at least, eyes not able to take in all the details of what's going on but fascinated by the glow he could feel. Another little babbling serves as a farewell as Sans disappears.

In the basement, things haven't exactly resolved. The Papyrus who can smile is doing so, eyes soft with residual proximity to baby, and only vaguely glances in Sans's direction as he returns. The other Papyrus...

"-get it, okay, I get it, I'm sorry, but... You gotta see, I need power for his formula, he's... he can't eat food yet," the human is telling him, arms trembling from trying to tug out of the home-made shackles again.]

Okay, that all sounds great and all - but you had to steal for that??? You couldn't... ask to buy the generator, or knock on the door to ask to share the fridge, or something?? Those are normal people things to do!!

[The good cop / bad cop scenario has been abandoned in favor of Papyrus just yelling back at the captive. There's a guilty sweat to his face as he raises his voice with each exchange, like if he wins the argument through volume he'll be able to 'compromise' with a return home.]

[Things seem to have gotten kind of sidetracked while Sans was gone. It sounds like they're talking about the baby--something about what kind of food babies have to eat. Sans doesn't really know a lot about how that works.]

You could've just stolen someone else's. Someone who isn't a robot. [Sans offers, helpfully. He doesn't really care about this guy being a thief except for how he stole from them specifically.

Papyrus... Looks guilty, actually. Having second thoughts, maybe. Kind of late for that.]

[The human looks like he'd be tugging on his curls if his hands were free. He turns too-wide eyes back on the fucking angel of death that just touched his kid, his gaze dancing around all of Sans's features. "I wish I had, oh god, I wish I'd gone anywhere else. If I could go back, if I could... I swear, I swear I would." Pleading still, with different words - to believe him, to have mercy on them.]

Okay, none of that, no time travel is happening in this basement! [The guilty Papyrus snaps this, latching onto the loud echoes of fear, anger, helplessness in the face of that kind of problem - trying to shove the guilt away.]

You'll have another chance to steal from someone else, later! [The other Papyrus chimes in, not so caught up in reviewing the video clips that he's lost track of the conversation. His focus turns more to the present tense, and his voice more hinting.] In fact... how about now? We can wrap this off, everyone break for a nap, start fresh in the morning...?

No. [The monitor only shakes a little, but his hands tremble.] The human's... not scared enough. Not enough to not try this again, or...

[The human protests, promises of being plenty afraid, impressed by their abilities, willing to do anything to get back to his family and look after their needs in ways that don't inconvenience them at all. Negative Papyrus thrusts a towel into a bucket of cold water.]

Edited 2022-06-06 06:44 (UTC)

[Sans bristles at the mention of going back in time, even knowing this human doesn't have that kind of power. It doesn't stop the low growl, more like an animal than a monster.

Then another Sans appears, drawn by the muffled noises coming from the basement and the weird text he'd gotten while he was asleep.]

Hey. What are you guys doing down here?

["Another one?" the kidnapped and tear-streaked man says, voice hoarse from fear and pleading. There's another muffled metallic thunk as he presses the shackles against the wall again, trying to make himself smaller and out of the way in case this monster turns out to be even worse than the others.

The Papyruses have nearly opposite reactions, one playing it cool as he turns to look, the other recoiling at the sound and sight of this Sans in the basement at this time of all times.]

Oh, hi Sans! [The cheerful greeting is casual and literally fearless, offering a wave and smile with intent to distract.] We weren't expecting you, since--

Why are you awake? [Negative Papyrus's voice is even more accusatory than usual, panic at discovery and fear for his brother's well-being alike fanning the flames. His screen flashes an image of the towel in the water, before overriding with scene of a cartoonish angel slumped across a table, a low battery signal above it.] You should be sleeping, it's dark out.

[The Sans who just arrived stands with his hands in his pockets, unruffled, surveying this scene. It sure is a scene.] Well, first of all, it's like five in the morning. [The sun isn't up yet, but it's started lightening up. Enough that Sans might theoretically wake up, if something alerted him. Something like...] Heard some weird noises downstairs. And when I checked my phone, there were some weird texts.

Anyway, we're gonna put him back where he came from. [Sans says, gesturing to the human.

Negative Sans, meanwhile, turns his growling on his counterpart, not that he thinks it'll really do anything to mister-no-negative-feelings.] We're kinda in the middle of something.

[A gloved hand slaps against the monitor screen with a little more force than a screen should be taking, as negative Papyrus flinches at both that belated realization and Sans's remark about texts alike.] Stupid, I forgot to isolate the number, what was I thinking.

[The simplest is that he wasn't, obviously - they should have waited another night, should have started earlier when they were less likely to be interrupted... The train of thought isn't voiced, but his shoulders both slump and tense up as he chastises himself.]

We are in the middle of something... [The more positive Papyrus chimes in, voice aiming for something like supportive as he looks between the other two kidnappers.] More like the beginning of the middle of something...? Either way, very not the end of anything. Unless we really speed this up.

[Positive Sans ignores his negative counterpart's growling except to look momentarily confused about how the other Sans is even making that noise. Not exactly the point right now, though. Anyway. Speed things up? Sure.]

Okay.

[Positive Sans vanishes, reappears for a barely-perceptible instant next to the human, and then vanishes with said human. Negative Sans squawks in indignation.]

If I go after him we're gonna wake up the whole neighborhood. [It'll turn into some weird loud teleport fight or something. Not subtle. But there's a lilt at the end, like a question; he'll still do it if Papyrus wants.]

[Both Papyruses briefly stare at where the human had been, even as the negative scrapes his hand down the screen more noisily. It's clear enough where they went - back to that address he so helpfully left in both his brothers' texts. And Sans - the real-feeling one, the one who's actually angry and helping with things, is right.]

Fuck. [He shakes the monitor Sans's way, and turns on his counterpart with a shove.] What did you say that for?? [Grabbing shoulders, the better to shake him for emphasis here and there.] Now he's gone and ruined it, there's no way that human will forget what we look like, we'll get arrested again...!

I'm sure it can work out! [Papyrus offers an encouraging, reassuring smile even with the shaking, hopeful that one of these times it'll work again. His hands don't have to move to grab his phone, and he pings a text that hits both of Sans's phones:

HEY SANS,
DO YOU HAVE ANY SECRET DREAM POWERS,
THE BETTER TO GIVE THE HUMAN A LIFE LESSON ABOUT NOT STEALING?
WITHOUT IMPLICATING US IN ANY TINY LITTLE CRIMES.
OR WOULD THAT EMOTION THING DO THE TRICK?]

[It takes some time before Papyrus gets a response. Sans's phone multitasking abilities have improved with more eyes and hands, but not anywhere near Papyrus's level, and he's busy.

But eventually he does reply:

kinda

Negative Sans has been obnoxiously invading Papyrus's personal space to see the text, since he won't be able to see the other Sans's reply otherwise. But once he does...] Kinda? What kind of-- [But even he has to stop, because no matter which Sans they're talking about, that's exactly the sort of infuriating reply they'd give, huh? But this does mean negative Sans is probably the best interpreter of Sans texts in this room right now.] Well. He probably at least thinks he's got an idea.

[With the delay in the response, the Papyruses continue their back and forth - fearful anger directed at the nearest target, reassurances poured down the metaphorical drain. But once the text comes back to them both, Sans's whole intrusive leaning thing gets in the way of frustrated shaking, and negative Papyrus almost moves to shove his brother out of the way - but a flare of fear and self-loathing stops him in time.

It's enough for guilt to boil over and keep him from turning away, instead letting Sans read whatever it is that's showing on his... face. The other Papyrus helpfully shoots the contents of his text across their power-generating connection to clue him in, at least - and that text pops up on the screen too.]

Any idea what to say so he gets we need him not to blow this? [He gripes to his brother instead, forcing his hands to fists at his sides.]

[Papyrus doesn't follow through, but the interrupted motion is enough to make Sans flinch back anyway, given all the paranoia and instinctive caution that can't be tempered by anything more positive right now. He considers saying something, but there's more important things to think about right now. There's always time to argue later.]

I dunno, it's not like he gets worked up about anything. [There's envy there; this Sans can't stop getting worked up about things, meanwhile.] I can try I guess.

[And so, a short Sans text conversation that he'll let Papyrus watch while it's happening:

you get he needs to not send us all to jail right

ok

come on don't do this to me i'm literally you

ok

ok that was stupid of course i'd do that to myself
but explain anyway
papyrus is gonna have a meltdown
it'll be an explosion of shrapnel and dust
really gorey

gimme a sec

And, although it's more than just one sec later, positive Sans reappears, unruffled as always.]

Would've been easier to speed things up if you guys weren't texting me the whole time, y'know.

I'm not going to have a meltdown. [Given his clenched fists tighten enough for inner mechanisms to grind as he says that, too aware of the way Sans flinched back, it's not the most convincing story. Instead of following it with more protests, negative Papyrus turns to stare at the freshly returned Sans.] Hey, you're the only one trying to 'speed things up.' What did you even do over there? Is it something that will actually work, and not all...

[He gestures at the other Papyrus, who isn't worked up about all the ways this can still go wrong if any clues were missed - and who, aggravatingly, didn't stop offering encouraging sentiments during the texting.]

I think they're disappointed about canceling our plan. [Positive Papyrus offers this in a stage whisper, almost apologetically, before either Sans replies. The better to be understanding about their ongoing moods, he figures.]

I gave him enough positive emotions to make him delirious and put him back in bed. Pretty sure he'll just think he had a weird dream once he can think straight. [Sans shrugs; negative Papyrus and Sans really get too worked up about the wrong things. They're the ones going off kidnapping people. Of course, it looks like both Papyruses participated in that. He looks at positive Papyrus.] Why'd you help out?

[But negative Sans interrupts.] Uh, you what? That's fucked up.

J-Just like that? [Negative Papyrus recoils a step, his monitor flashing with a cold sweat emoji at the casualness of the explanation. Fearful, and a bit furiously envious too - could that power give him positive emotions, again? Has either Sans been skewing his feelings, through all this...?

The negatives have this chance to react and chime in without needing to talk over anyone - the addressed positive Papyrus isn't bothered by the explanation or the question, feels no particular need to defend himself. If anything, he shakes his head.]

I mean, I suggested it. No physical evidence, that way. [He remembers being scared by the power, even if he isn't freshly flooded with concerns that his feelings have been messed with recently. With that, positive Papyrus shrugs at the recently re-arrived Sans.] To help out, of course! They had some wild ideas going on... And being on hand meant I could help make it go better.

[The welded lock is no longer glowing with residual heat, but it's very much still welded. The makeshift shackles, which fell to the ground with a clatter when Sans teleported the guy back home, sure still exist too. As does the bucket of water, the partially wrung out towel draped over it. Papyrus doesn't acknowledge any of these with an ease that speaks of practice - or of genuinely forgetting, without anxiety to keep them active in his thoughts.]

It's less fucked up than kidnapping. [Positive Sans didn't do anything illegal, technically, in that there has not been enough time to make laws about magic use here. Really, even with the kidnapping, Sans's objections are on principle rather than emotions; he still can't exactly get upset.] The way I figure it, the best way to help out now is to turn this place back into a basement. Y'know, instead of a dungeon.

[Seriously, you have a welded shut cage and shackles and everything! Also that bucket, which Sans has an idea as to the potential use of (it's not as if he can't look at the network too), but isn't going to bring up. Negative Sans and negative Papyrus are even worse at talking about things than when there was only one of each of them, and there's no being sure if it'll explode into rage or tears or both.]

So, we've got the generator back, you guys gave that guy the scare of his life, and nobody's gonna get in trouble. Job done.

[Negative Sans rolls his eyes. He has a lot of eyes to roll.] I know you're just ignoring the specifics so you can say we're done on a technicality, y'know. [That's his trick too!

Positive Sans just shrugs at him. He doesn't feel bad about it, and he doesn't think he would even if he was capable of that.]

Saying we're done, just like that... [Given the whole thing was Papyrus's idea, he's still more invested in the outcome of it all than his brother(s). It's beyond him how feeling deliriously happy would convince the human not to steal, or to reach out for help from neighbors. This outcome doesn't even leave any protection for that baby, either, which...

He's not sure when he started feeling like that was his problem (the moment he saw the crib), but he can't even reach out with advice or action to make it better now. Not when that'd re-implicate him, and Sans has just gone through a little work to hide the evidence... Oh. He sees red, or maybe the monitor flashes an angry dark red, and his hands reform fists.]

You're just making the whole problem go away! [Try as he might, it's not just positive feelings out of grasp - even reasoned neutrality is beyond him, with the intensity of things he feels. Seems like the only remaining way to stop feeling one kind of awful is to shift to feeling something else, and anger with Sans is so practiced.] Y-You... I bet you'd make us go away, too, if you could.

[The other Papyrus startles at the idea, taken aback by the notion that hadn't even begun to cross his mind. It's not news that their thoughts are diverging, lacking the respective emotional contexts, but this is even more than he'd realized.] Hey, that's not true. We're trying to help.

And you! [Negative Papyrus turns on him, gesturing an empty hand threateningly close to that unflinching positive skull.] You're just humoring me, to buy time! I heard you. 'Make it go better.' You're both... managing us, until we're gone.

Edited (small -_-) 2022-07-02 23:32 (UTC)

[Both Sanses look surprised at the accusation, though of course positive Sans's surprise is milder while negative Sans looks like Papyrus might as well have kicked him in the chest. Which is stupid, in negative Sans's opinion, because Papyrus wasn't even talking to him.]

[Positive Sans's response is calm, of course.] Nah, I wouldn't do that. Why would I? You're my bro. [Or half his bro. Or one of his bros. Something like that. The specifics aren't really important there.]

[The reassurance of family connection goes over especially poorly right now, what with that example of a scared and protective father hanging over the whole scene. Papyrus shakes his head to try dispelling it, and reject Sans's answer, and generally push himself to actually answer. He has to push, there's a strong impulse to say never mind and pretend he didn't say anything, but that kind of avoidance of difficulties is all too much like Sans, and... that's the problem, isn't it?]

Because you don't want us?? [He gestures at himself and negative Sans, in case it's not clear enough what he means by 'us'.] You never have!

[The puzzled frown on positive Papyrus's face gives away that he suspects he's included in that 'you', and only starting to grasp what his negative counterpart means by all this. They're both going to disappear to be one Papyrus again sooner or later, aren't they? It's not like anyone's dying for real.]

You're allowed to have negative feelings, y'know. [Positive Sans remains calm. He's aware that that kind of attitude might not actually help, but he can be calm or he can be even more positive, and he's sure that won't help.] Works better when you've got both kinds of emotions, but--you're part of Papyrus. I don't want you to go anywhere.

[He doesn't mention negative Sans, not once. Of course. Negative Sans's expression shifts from startled by this entire conversation to bleak amusement.] Hey, I get it. I wouldn't want me around either. [Not like that, though negative Sans isn't being clear. He died once, he doesn't want that to happen again. But he's got a lot more negativity in him than Papyrus, he's sure of it. Who would want all that around?]

[The monitor's dim red fades to black as he stares blankly back, then swivels - wordlessly - to look at negative Sans. The specification of Papyrus didn't go unheard, there.]

I want both of you around. Unless you're feeling restless, and want to go somewhere else for a while! [In contrast to Sans's calm, positive Papyrus brings a tone of cheer and welcome, and something almost apologetic - or at least a decent imitation of it.] I'm sure I'm not alone in that!

Could have fooled me. [It's a low, tense mutter for negative Papyrus, but still loud enough to hear, in the quiet unpowered basement.] With how he treats himself.

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this brushes up against suicidal ideation though it's not exactly that

it's hard to describe, yeah