"...because he was BONELY!"
Sans couldn't help but chuckle slightly as Toriel finished her act. He was right. Toriel WAS very good with jokes.
He looked around the room at the many faces from the Underground, but then at the sun setting through the window outside. It was hard to believe it's only been 3 weeks since the barrier broke and monsters could come to the surface once more. It was hard to imagine, but it was true. After finding a house and getting everyone situated, they were finally able to celebrate. Sans was happy to see his friends happy after so much time spent underground.
'Dad would've loved to see this..." he couldn't help saying in his mind, making his smile weaken only slightly.
W.D Gaster. The father of him and Papyrus for nearly 12 years. Before an accident in his lab took him away, leaving Sans alone to look after and raise Papyrus. Sans knew deep down that there was nothing he could've done to prevent what happened, but he also couldn't help it if small things reminded him of his father. Like the science lab in the back of the house, or the scarf Papyrus always wore. Or the sound of music in the air. Sans could remember clearly when his dad would sing with him when he was younger. His dad loved music.
"SANS!"
The sound of his brother's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Hmm? Oh...hey bro. Heh...what's up?" Sans managed to say, barely snapping out of his stupor.
"Their doing KARAOKE brother! Can we do it together? It could be fun!"
Sans head instantly filled with memories of singing to Papyrus late at night before going to sleep, and of listening to showtunes in the lab with his father, and of humming tunes in the forest during walks. It all felt...painful to him. Not to mention he hadn't sung in front of anyone in years.
"Um...Pap...I...I don't know..." Sans answered nervously, instantly letting Papyrus into the fact that something was wrong.
"Brother? Why not? I've heard you. Your voice is even better than MINE...and I am very great."
Sans gave a nervous laugh and could feel his face flush slightly from the compliment.
"Heh...well...thanks bro...but...I'm...not really comfortable with..."
"Do my ears deceive me? Does Sans...my own BROTHER...have STAGE FRIGHT?" he asked, genuine concern mixed with a teasy tone.
"Um...uh...sorta...I guess...um..." Sans managed to stutter before bringing his hood over his head.
"But brother. I'll be right up there with you. And it's a duet song. I can't just sing it alone."
Sans gulped.
"Yeah...but...I'm sorry Pap...but...I don't think I can do it..." Sans said, hanging his head slightly.
Papyrus took one look at his brother's face and instantly knew the problem.
"Brother...is...this about dad?"
Sans eyes widened before looking up at Papyrus, tears emerging within them.
"Um...maybe?"
Papyrus couldn't help but tear up himself. He was very young when the accident happened, and wasn't as close with their father as Sans was. He DID know however, that as well as science, their father loved music. And Sans did too. It was what helped the two bond. Papyrus can remember clearly the way Sans would sing when they went on walks in the forest, his voice clear and smooth, as if he were telling a story through his voice. But after the accident...he never found reason to keep it up. That must've been why Sans looked so upset now. He unintentionally opened old wounds.
"Brother...I...I'm really sorry..."
Sans sniffed and wiped a tear.
"It's okay bro. You didn't know."
Papyrus knew deep down that bottling emotion the way Sans did would bite back eventually, and knew that singing tonight would help. But would SANS be up to it?
"Sans...I...still think we should do this. It hurts to see you afraid to do something you used to love so much. Dad would want you to try and move on with something you both cherished...wouldn't he?"
"I-I guess...but..."
Papyrus couldn't help interrupting.
"Besides. It's only tonight. Tonight only and every time after that, I promise not to even ask. Please Sans...just for tonight. I...haven't heard you in so long and...I've seen how happy it makes you. Please...just for one night? Just this once Sans? For dad?" Papyrus asked, his eyes pleading for an answer.
Sans felt more tears well up. He hasn't sung a single note ever since their dad passed. The memories of when he did just left him feeling hollow and upset, making him never want to try again. He probably didn't even sound any good anymore. But the way Papyrus begged him...he could almost imagine his father behind him, giving a comforting smile and saying he could do it. Papyrus was right. Music was what brought Sans and their father closer, and avoiding it will only make things hurt more. Besides...it would be only once right? It was time to start opening old wounds and heal them properly.
"I...um...okay bro. Just this once. For you." Sans said, a nervous look on his face.
It was time to overcome his painful, memory induced stage fright.
"NYEH HEH HEH! THANK YOU BROTHER! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" Papyrus shouted with joy, hugging his brother tightly.
And that was how he found himself dragged onto the make-shift stage next to a karaoke machine with Papyrus in the next few seconds, looking scared to death.
"HELLO ALL! I...the GREAT Papyrus...and my brother Sans...will be singing!"
The clapping and cheering heard around only made Sans more nervous, his face flushed with nerve.
"Um...heh heh...Pap? What...song are we singing exactly?"
Papyrus only grinned as he slowly held up the CD to show him.
Sans read it slowly.
"Drop Pop Candy? SERIOUSLY bro? You're JOKING right?" Sans instantly said with distaste, a little skeptical of the image of a pink haired, human girl on the cover.
Papyrus never lost his grin.
"C'mon brother! It's a good song! I promise! It's very popular here on the surface!"
Frisk nodded in confirmation nearby before turning on the karaoke music.
Sans knew then that this could only end so well.
"Papyrus...this is really dumb." Sans muttered, trying to sound tough to get off the stage, but failing as his stage fright showed in his voice.
"Aww come on Sans? Just this once?"
Sans' paranoia only increased when Frisk handed him a sheet of lyrics.
"Kid not you too..."
Sans couldn't help looking around the room, fear racing through his mind. Everyone was looking at him. Everyone was going to HEAR him! And he didn't have his dad to back him up. Sans searched the room for any signs of comfort, but stopped in the corner of the room. Was that...no it couldn't be. Sans knew deep down it wasn't him, but he thought he saw his father in the corner of the room, giving a thumbs up and a smile of encouragement. Though it didn't expel his fears, it at least made him willing to begin singing before he missed his cue.
With a glance at the lyrics, he began to sing.
"Um...Umbrella at your side. It's raining but you close it tight..."
Papyrus soon jumps in with his line.
"And how are you, purred a cat just passing through!"
Sans couldn't help but give a light smile.
"Those heels that you like are soaking, but is that alright?"
Sans almost chuckled as Papyrus' signature "Nyeh" began to be heard as backup vocals for the verses to come.
Sans looked over the lyrics again and dropped he paper before going to the next verse, a bit of his nerve vanishing as he began to sing once more.
"Let out a sigh for another day the same as the last. Come on let's try, dye it blue and change it up from the past. Reflecting up from a puddle but then gone in a flash. Is that the most that you can dream or wanted to see? But look around..."
Papyrus grinned.
"Dance up and down..."
"The world is now..." Sans sang with smile.
"Still going round..."
"Just feel it pound!"
"We're skyward bound!"
Sans couldn't help but grin as he sung the last line with Papyrus..
"Move at the top speed of sound!"
Sans took one more look around the room before grinning and singing the chorus, the voice heard unlike anything anyone has ever heard from him, putting shocked looks on everyone's faces.
"Running to another day! I wanna break away and take the leap! Do do do do...Ba da da! Ba da LA la la! As your stuck on yesterday, no sun to rise would be okay with me! Do do do do...every day! Every day is okay! Taking it step by step...we'll always move ahead! Our love is growing red. Need me more! Need you more! You fall down seven more times, I'll be there seven eight nine! As we keep trying we'll find...we're always singing the same TUNE!"
Sans grinned before turning to his brother as he began to sing.
"Now falling to her side, the drops of rain that mix with light!"
Sans grinned and jumped in, his baritone tone contrasting Papyrus' tenor almost perfectly.
"Stealing a glance, hid a cat who turned his back..."
Papyrus then jumped in for the next verse.
"Their heads starting to sink! This boredom is too hard to fight!"
Sans began humming to add the background sound to his brother's next verse.
"Just spinning lies with the only thread of kindness we saved! Or if we're blind and the truth is just a painting in grey. Drowning us out, all the noisy drops that fall in the rain. But fingertips traced every line and opened my eyes. I'll paint it blue..."
Sans jumps in with grin.
"I'll play a tune!"
Papyrus smiles, thrilled to see Sans having a good time.
"I'm wishing too..."
"For something new..."
"It WILL come true..."
"With me and you!"
The two brothers put arms around each other as they sang the next line in harmony.
"And then we'll FINALLY break through!"
The embrace broke as Papyrus sang the next chorus, but Sans never lost his happy grin as he watched and listened.
"Swimming through the milky way, I wanna break away and take the leap! Do do do do...ba da da! Ba da nyeh nyeh nyeh! Since we're falling anyway, no moon to rise would be okay with me! Do do do do...every night! Every night is alright! Taking it step by step...we'll always move ahead! Our love is growing red. Need me more! Need you more! Cry to me! Know that I care! Lean on me and I'll be there! As we keep trying we'll find, you're always gonna be there TOO!"
Sans coudn't help but smile, his fears now seeming unreasonable in the light of the stage and the sound of the music. He was ENJOYING this! More importantly...everyone ELSE was enjoying it too.
"Shining down on me you're my blue moon!"
Papyrus put an arm around Sans as he sang.
"Dreaming forever to find now. I'm awake!"
"I need to FIND tomorrow!"
The two brothers smiled before singing together once more.
"Can you take me away and go the top speed of sound!"
Sans and Papyrus nodded to each other before they began singing the final chorus.
"Running to another day! I wanna break away and take the leap! Do do do do...Ba da da! Ba da LA la la(Nyeh nyeh nyeh)! As your stuck on yesterday, no sun to rise would be okay with me! Do do do do...every day! Every day is okay! Taking it step by step...we'll always move ahead! Our love is growing red. Need me more! Need you more! You fall down seven more times, I'll be there seven eight nine! As we keep trying we'll find...you're always gonna be there TOO! We're always singing the SAME TUNE! Every day from now on!"
As the music stopped, Sans could hear nothing but applause and cheering as he and Papyrus stepped off the stage.
"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Frisk cheered, a surprised and shocked look still on their face.
"I didn't even KNOW Sans could sing!" Undyne admitted.
"I don't...usually..." Sans said with a small laugh.
"Well you should more often. Your voice is amazing." Toriel complimented, making Sans' face flush instantly.
"Oh...um...uh...I-I-I don't know about that..." he stuttered.
"Oh come now. That's HIS decision to make everyone. But I must say, for a first time doing a duet, we did pretty good Sans." Papyrus said with a grin.
Sans smiled.
"Yeah...we did."
With those words, as everyone kept talking and complimenting the two brothers, Sans' focus was on W.D Gaster, whom gave a small wave and wink before disappearing into nothing. His son was opening up again and was beginning to REALLY heal.
His work was done.