#undertag

the diabolical precision with which ALL OF YOU kept this a secret from me

feat @pictureswithboxes & @chanto-love

If you tell Sans that Papyrus is uncool he tells you that sarcasm isn't funny (it's also v interesting to me that Sans never says an untruth if he can help it but hides a bunch, while Papyrus is occasionally dishonest, but usually for benign reasons). I've seen theories that Sans is also autistic and having difficulty reading tone (which is oftentimes the bulk of sarcasm) is a big one. Which is also neat to me is that Sans is really good at reading expressions. So in short, Sans typically only says something dishonest if it's blatantly part of a joke with an incoming punchline, right? And he doesn't like sarcasm, never uses it.

Papyrus will get sarcastic and cutting regularly when talking with Undyne when you call them both. The few times she misinterprets these it tends to be in the direction of "continuing a bit Papyrus might not have realized he started", not outright confusion. There's few if any times she legitimately fails to understand when Papyrus is being sarcastic, in a way that makes her feel bad; they're almost always in agreement or doing a bit.

What makes this really interesting to me is that while Papyrus tends to act kind of overblown with Sans - even moreso than usual, probably because he knows Sans won't be bothered with it or will go along - he never seems to use dishonesty or sarcasm when conversing with his brother.

Papyrus also has a lot of negative things to say about Hotland, but he only says "Glad I don't live in Hotland!" before you befriend Undyne. When he complains after that, it's always about specific aspects, usually of puzzles, a thing Undyne doesn't like much so they can have an agreement or fairly constructive conversation about it.

He also changes his opinion on Grillby's to agree with Undyne, but is fine making jabs at her love of anime, so he's not being like... obsequious at all times.

Summary: The human is arriving in Snowdin, covered in dust. Papyrus goes to face them, and this time...

This time.

This time.

Papyrus padded through the deserted town. Sans had gone who knows where, but his brother had an uncanny ability to appear wherever he needed to be, so Papyrus wasn’t worried. Sans could take care of himself. He had before.

Still, he was concerned. They hadn't hid from him. They hadn't responded to sans's terribly funny puns. They hadn't played the puzzles! Walked through them as if they were nothing. And those horribly cold eyes...

Papyrus was snapped from his thoughts by a bump against his legs. He looked down to see the Innkeeper and her daughter. The girl was trembling. He smiled at her, and directed them to the nearest evacuation route. He saw Sans at the entrance, beckoning them in. Sans, always where he needed to be. Papyrus took a deep breath and went on. This time.

As he passed the eastern edge of town, he stationed himself to meet the human. Excitement and dread battled for dominance in his soul. This time…The air grew colder and quieter until, three and a half minutes later, the fog rolled in like clockwork. A shadow formed in the distance.

He hoped sans was safe. He hoped the Innkeeper and her daughter were safe.

He hoped the human could be saved.

Papyrus took a deep breath.

“HALT, HUMAN!”

They moved forward a step. Like clockwork. Papyrus felt a cold sweat break out on the top of his skull.

“HEY, QUIT MOVING WHILE I’M TALKING TO YOU! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY.” The human looked back at him with cold eyes, but did not respond. “FIRST: YOU’RE A FREAKING WEIRDO! NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT LIKE PUZZLES. BUT THE WAY YOU SHAMBLE ABOUT FROM PLACE TO PLACE…THE WAY YOUR HANDS ARE ALWAYS COVERED IN DUSTY POWDER.” He glanced down, but there was really no need. Even from a distance he could see the dust glinting in the low light, sparkling gaily as if it were only powdered crystal. His hand shook, but he stopped it as best he could. He could almost hear sans in his head, telling him to run or to fight, but…this time…

“IT FEELS…LIKE YOUR LIFE IS GOING DOWN A DANGEROUS PATH.”

The human’s hands clenched, as if they were…ashamed? Papyrus’s soul did a great leap in triumph. This time…

“HOWEVER! I, PAPYRUS, SEE GREAT POTENTIAL WITHIN YOU! EVERYONE CAN BE A GREAT PERSON IF THEY TRY! AND ME, I HARDLY HAVE TO TRY AT ALL!!!” He laughed. They would laugh with him, they would—

“HEY, QUIT MOVING!” The human stopped in their tracks, but not after they had closed the distance considerably. They put a hand in their pocket. Papyrus fought the urge to hold them, to shake some sense into them.

“THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT! HUMAN! I THINK YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE!” If his words were affecting them at all, they didn’t show it. But Papyrus saw the light behind their eyes. They were in there. They hadn't even skipped his words like last time.

“SOMEONE NEEDS TO KEEP YOU ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW! BUT WORRY NOT! I, PAPYRUS…WILL GLADLY BE YOUR FRIEND AND TUTOR! I WILL TURN YOUR LIFE RIGHT AROUND!!!” He smiled at them, a picture of Sans and himself holding the human in their arms, together and happy, forming in his mind. He thought they may have remembered the same thing, for he saw some recognition flash behind their eyes.  Papyrus didn’t take his eyes from theirs as they advanced again towards him. He stayed exactly where he was.

“I SEE YOU ARE APPROACHING.”

This time. This time, they would listen.

“ARE YOU OFFERING A HUG OF ACCEPTANCE?”

This time. This time, they would change.

“WOWIE!! MY LESSONS ARE ALREADY WORKING!!”

This time. Once again, he knelt and held out his arms.

“I, PAPYRUS, WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS!”