Sicktember Day 26: Heart Condition/Cardiac Arrest - Undertale

“It wasn’t your fault, bro. I just…overdid it.” Sans’ chuckle was too raspy and pained to pull off. “Ugh, never thought I’d be the one saying that.”

Papyrus could only stare, unsure if he wanted to scream, slap that fixed, false smile off his brother’s face or simply burst into tears. Flippancy wouldn’t get Sans out of this hospital any sooner. It wouldn’t purge the terrifying memory playing again and again behind Papyrus’ eye sockets: watching Sans hit the ground, sockets blacking out as he struggled for air…watching his soul sputter, HP dropping to 0.6. Cradling that fragile soul in desperate hands, turning it blue to keep it beating…

It wasn’t your fault. Why did his loved ones always resort to lying just to make him feel better?

“Brother…how can you say that? How can you just—just brush it off?! If I hadn’t dragged you out of bed this morning, insisting that some exhaustive exercise would be good for you,” he choked out, “this might not have happened!”

“…Yeah, well, you could say the same if I had told you I wasn’t up for it. I didn’t,” Sans sighed, shrugging tiredly into his pillows. “For all we know, even if I had stayed home, I could’ve had a soul stall right there in bed. They can happen anywhere, anytime, and low-HP monsters are more predisposed. S’nobody’s fault, s’just how it is.”

“But I should have paid more attention!” Papyrus lamented. “I-I should have noticed something was wrong before it came to this! I should have taken better care of you!”

Sans’ eyelights softened sadly, as did his voice. “It’s not your job to take care of me, Pap.”

Of course it is! After everything you’ve done for me, after all the ways you’ve suffered in silence…Now more than ever.