Please, Kindly Stay with Me

A Bit of Revelation

                                                                      -=X=-

"You did it again?! Sans, this isn't good!" I think I heard Papyrus' voice, but it seemed so distant.

"Ya know how I am; I can get a little carried away sometimes. I didn't mean to. At least I gave them a treatment for it."

"At least. Sans, you said you would be careful! I might have to get you and the human away from each other. Your horrible puns did this!"

"You mean—"

"SANS..."

"—Horribone?" I exploded into laughter. They both burst into Pap's room. Sans was holding my inhaler. "Jess, you okay? Please don't—" Too late.

                                                                     -=X=-

Papyrus was sitting in a chair next to his bed. He held a book in his hands, but I couldn't see what it said. Everything was blurry. I groaned as I tried to sit up, but Papyrus got me to lay back down.

"No, no, human. You must rest your lungs. You passed out twice today from Sans' puns. You have to be more careful. Either you sincerely like puns, or you have some sort of breathing problem."

"Call it a case of asthma."

"You need to be more careful, human. This isn't good for you." Papyrus set the book down and sat on the edge of his bed. He lifted up my inhaler. "You were lucky Sans knew what he was doing, medically speaking." He gave the inhaler back to me. "Unfortunately, he still needs to work on self-control and his puns."

"As much as it's terrible passing out, I really enjoy his jokes. I haven't had this much fun with friends since—well, ever."

"Do you not like your friends on the surface?"

"It's not that." I turned so he didn't see me tear up.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you, human."

I didn't want to keep things from Papyrus since he was so kind. "No one likes me. I'm from a dysfunctional family, and everyone knows it." I started to cry, and Pap hugged me. In between sobs, I explained, "Each one of us has either a destructive habit, an incurable disease, or is affected by either one. No one seems to understand."

"Is that why you only talk about your grandmother, since she's the only one who understands you?"

I sniffled. "Yes. She has the same problem. We both see things the same way, and she knew that I needed a better home. I've been living with her since I was ten and a half."

I let go of Papyrus so I could face him. "So you've been there quite some time?" Papyrus asked.

"Almost two years. I'm glad Gram saved me, too. They don't have the right to be called 'my parents.' After the stress they put us through, I don't want to be associated with them."

"How's baby bones doing?" Sans came in, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm doing better. I'm glad you knew how the puffer works."

"I felt I would need to know. Luckily, someone taught me." Sans sat in the chair next to the bed, putting the book on the floor beside him. "Jessey, how much sleep did you get before you came to the underground?"

"Not much. Why?"

"Could ya be passing out for so long because of that? You're out for few hours at a time."

"Could be. I just wasn't... able to sleep."

"Why is that, human?" Papyrus inquired of me.

"Fear."

Sans and Papyrus looked at each other with confused faces. I knew they were going to ask me 'what fear,' but I didn't have the energy to say anything.

"Yawn, I am tired. Guess I need to get some rest." Papyrus got off the bed and tucked me in. Sans teleported away for less than a minute and returned with a tall glass of water. I gulped down the whole thing. "Thank you, both of you. You've been so kind to a stranger."

"Do strangers share their lowest moments? No, they rarely ever do." Sans winked. "Sweet dreams, baby bones."

"Good night, human."

Papyrus flicked the lights off, and I plummeted into deep, peaceful sleep.