"i'm not--"

He doesn't manage to finish. Tim's Shadow keeps going. Sans glances back at Tim. It's true, he's not saying anything, but he must just be overwhelmed, right? Sans is feeling pretty goddamn overwhelmed himself. It's inertia that's keeping him going at this point.

You're the one. Always pushing yourself on him.

Sans finds himself looking down at his Shadow, who has curled into a ball and buried his head under his arms.

So. This really is him. A clingy, emotional parasite.

"i..."

Tim's Shadow keeps going, but Sans doesn't even really bother trying to be heard. The Shadow is right. That last conversation with Tim went so wrong, and he spent hours afterward trying to figure out what he'd done wrong. The Shadow is right. He pushed too hard, didn't give Tim any room to breathe.

And here he is shoving himself into Tim's problems again.

Sans's Shadow mutters into his tear-sodden sleeves. "give up. just give up. it's easier. it hurts less. just give up. give up. you're a parasite, so just let go and give up. they'll all be so much happier."

Sans shoves his hands deeper into his pockets.

"i'm...not...gonna just walk away. i know he needs space, i...know i fucked up, i know i'm still... i can't walk away if you're gonna hurt him."