When Papyrus came home from school, he found Sans and Gaster yet again sitting on the couch.

He sighed. "Was there another acc-"

And then he cut himself off, noticing just how still Sans was. His brother was completely limp, unmoving except for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

"Dad? Is- is Sans okay?" Papyrus hurried over to the couch, not even caring that he had left his backpack on the floor.

Gaster sighed. "Y'know how these nightmares have been keeping him up lately?"

"Yeah...?"

"He can't function on that little sleep. I told him to come home, get some rest. But he's afraid to sleep. So I gave him a sedative. It... it really wasn't that strong of one, but... he was just so exhausted, that he just..."

"... Oh." Papyrus sat down on the couch next to Gaster, and reached out to hold one of Sans' hands. "But... But he'll be okay, right?"

"... I hope so."

~o0o~

Sans woke slowly to the all-too-familiar sensation of healing Magic. And, had it not been that healing Magic felt good, he would have pulled away, whining at the memories of the Bad Days that suddenly assaulted him.

But healing Magic did feel good, so instead, he only just started to stir, sitting up a little more in what he realized was Gaster's lap. That did bring him a little more comfort, the knowledge that Gaster had kept his promise.

As Sans woke up, Jeff pulled away, hands lifting off Sans' shoulders. "That should be enough."

"Wowie!" That was, of course, Papyrus. "He is waking up! Can you teach me how to use healing Magic, Jeff?"

Sans opened his eyes. He was indeed still snuggled in Gaster's lap, still on the couch in the living room. The only difference was now Jeff and Papyrus were there, too.

"Of course I can." Jeff smiled at Papyrus. "It's not too difficult to learn basic healing Magic, and it should come especially easily to someone so caring as you."

Papyrus let out a happy "NYEH-HEH-HEH" before flopping onto the couch next to Gaster and Sans. "And then I'll be able to help you, too, Sans!"

Still half-asleep, Sans reached out a hand and clumsily wrapped it around Papyrus's shoulder. "y'already do, bro."

Papyrus grinned.

"Speaking of which, though," Gaster said to Sans, "how are you?"

Sans made a vague, still-half-asleep noise.

Gaster hugged him a little tighter. "Can you clarify that at all?"

"... nnnngghh... not great. but not quite as bad, either."

"And no nightmares?"

Sans shook his head a little as he let it settle back against Gaster's shoulder.

"Well. That's something, at the very least."

Sans closed his eyes again, and was relieved to find that, for the time being, at least, he still wasn't having nightmares.

For several minutes, Sans just leaned against Gaster, eyes closed, quiet as Jeff and Gaster talked about something or other.

Then he looked up at Gaster. "... hey, dings?"

Gaster immediately looked down at him. "Yeah?"

"what... how long was i asleep?"

Gaster looked up at Jeff, who, in turn, looked at his wristwatch. "It's ten twenty seven."

Gaster looked back to Sans. "That would make it just under nineteen hours."

Sans blinked, frowning. "... nineteen... but-... but what about going to work? and- and doesn't papyrus have school?"

Gaster waved a hand dismissively. "I put the Fold project on hold for now, and called Papyrus in absent from school."

"you didn't need to-"

"Yes, we did, Sans. And before you say 'I'm okay,' you are most definitely not okay, and the last time you denied that, you had an entire psychological breakdown."

"but pap-"

"Is fine missing a few days of school."

"Especially to help you!" Papyrus added, smiling at Sans.

"and the entire fold project-"

"Was put on hold because you, Sans, are my priority right now. So shut up and accept the fact that we love you, and we're going to take care of you."

Sans just stared for a second. Then he let out a breathy laugh, once again letting his skull fall on Gaster's shoulder. "welp, if the royal scientist tells me i have to, i guess i have to."

Gaster's arms tightened around him. "Glad to see you're finally figuring that out."

~o0o~

Papyrus was just a bit nervous, to be honest.

Jeff had helped him learn the most rudimentary healing Magic, with the promise he would teach Papyrus more later, before leaving. From there, the small family spent the afternoon more or less trying to keep Sans comfortable, and keep his mind off-...

Well. Papyrus didn't actually know what it was that kept giving Sans nightmares and had scared him so badly, but whatever it was, they were keeping his mind off it, and that was the important thing.

Towards the evening, Sans had fallen asleep again, tucked up against Gaster's side, with Papyrus leaning against his other side.

And then, about fifteen minutes ago, Gaster had gotten a call. Apparently, something was wrong at the CORE, and they needed Gaster there. He had left the house saying a number of things about interns and idiots that Sans had told Papyrus many times to not say, ever.

And then Papyrus was left alone with Sans, who was still asleep on the couch.

And now, it looked like Sans was slipping into another nightmare. He had started twitching a few minutes ago, and then that was accompanied by the occasional unintelligible sound. Now he was flopping side to side, letting out sharp cries of protest every couple of seconds.

Papyrus knew he had to do something. He had tried to calm Sans down through Gaster's method-- he pulled Sans into his lap and snuggled him-- and while that did seem to help a little, Sans was still trembling and whimpering.

Papyrus knew he had to try to use healing Magic. He was nervous though, because he didn't know if he could do it-- didn't know if he had enough skill or energy to.

For Sans, though, he had to try.

So Papyrus slipped his hands under Sans' shirt, pressing his hands against Sans' ribs. For a moment, he just held them there, feeling how Sans struggled under Papyrus's hands, and the wild beat of Sans' Soul between his ribs.

Then Papyrus drew on his Magic. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply. Let the pulse of his own Soul slow into something calm and quiet.

He reached inside himself, feeling for something warm and soft and comforting, something healing.

And slowly, he pushed that outward, down his arms, through his hands, across his fingertips, trying to give that feeling to Sans, trying to wrap it around him.

After a few minutes, Papyrus felt his energy begin to flag.

And then he realized that Sans had calmed down a lot. But he was still trembling fiercely, and his breathing was hard and panicked. So Papyrus kept at it.

Another little while went by, and Papyrus started running his hands along Sans' ribs and sternum. He was really starting to get tired, and Sans had calmed down a lot, but he was still shivering, and still gasping a little. So Papyrus kept it up.

Papyrus didn't know how long he sat there, rubbing healing Magic into Sans' chest. Eventually, he heard Sans' voice, words slurred and groggy. "... tha' feelzz real g'd, bro..."

Papyrus realized Sans was totally relaxed, his breaths even and slow. He had also fallen back asleep.

Papyrus didn't want his brother to have any more nightmares, though, so he pulled again at his Magic.

He was tired, so tired, but Sans needed him.

He kept at it, the slow, calm beat of Sans' Soul more than enough motivation.

Sans just slipped deeper into peaceful slumber beneath Papyrus's hands, his nightmares warded off by Papyrus's healing Magic. Papyrus fought onward, paying less and less attention to his surroundings as he focused more and more on keeping the Magic flowing into his hands.

Papyrus was barely aware of it when the door opened, and Gaster came in.

Wha-? Papyrus, what are you--...

There was something under his arms, lifting him away from Sans.

No. No! I have to help Sans!

He tried to hold on. Stay there.

It's alright. I've got it.

Had to help Sans.

Sans will have nightmares!

Pulled away, settled on his back, hand in his chest, gently forcing him to stay down.

Everything's okay, I'm here now. You did an excellent job.

Had to help...

I'm here now. Just go to sleep, I'm here...

Had to...

I'll take care of Sans. Just rest, Papyrus.

... had to...

You did a great job...

~o0o~

Papyrus woke to the soft murmur of voices. Sans and Gaster's voices.

He realized they were lying on the couch, all together. Gaster was in the middle, with Sans between him and the back of the couch. Papyrus was on the outside edge, Gaster's arm wrapped around him, with his head resting on Gaster's chest.

Papyrus yawned and stretched a little, and the voices tapered off. Gaster started rubbing his back.

Papyrus reached up to run at his eyesockets a little, before opening his eyes. Both Gaster and Sans were looking at him, smiling.

Immediately, Papyrus looked at Sans. "Are you alright?"

Sans' grin widened, and he laughed. "yeah, thanks to you, pap. gaster told me that when he got home, you were half passed out, you had used so much healing magic on me. i didn't have any bad dreams at all."

Papyrus smiled sleepily. "That's good."

"Well, that part is, yes." Gaster said. "But had you kept going for much longer, you might have completely depleted your Magic. And, well, much as I love Sans, he can go an hour or two with nightmares so that you don't die. If something like this ever happens again, just try to conserve your Magic a little more, alright?" Gaster paused a moment. "... That's not saying I'm not proud of you. That was an extraordinary amount of healing Magic, especially for your first real-use situation."

Papyrus grinned. He was good at healing Magic! "Well, I'm glad I was able to help you, Sans!"

Sans reached a hand across Gaster's chest to rub the top of Papyrus's skull, just like he used to do when Papyrus was younger. "you always help me, pap. more'n you could possibly know."

Papyrus just grinned.

§

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