[OPEN] now that's real, real, real

[sciencelizard]

Who: Alphys, Mettaton, and YOU!
Where: The bathhouse, outside the safe zone
When: During the Shadow event (Nov 17th-20th)
Rating: PG/PG-13 for possible sex jokes. I'm sorry in advance.
Summary: Alphys and Mettaton try to get out there and face their shadows. Unfortunately, their Shadows decide a tag-team might be a better use of their time, and not in the way anyone really wants.
The Story:

i. [shadows] boy toy named troy used to live in detroit

[Somewhere, a few floors up in the bathhouse, the sound of Alphys and Mettaton screaming can be heard. It’s unmistakably horrified, painting a picture that these two might be in danger, and certainly could use a rescue.

Of course, the situation, once someone comes upon it, is rather different. The real Alphys and Mettaton stand at one end of the room, looking aghast; Alphys’ screaming is slightly muffled by virtue of her hands being crammed over her mouth, and Mettaton’s hands are over his eyes, fingers not quite blocking the scene. They’re looking across the room, to where another Alphys and Mettaton stand, looking less horrified and a little more a different word that starts with ‘ho’. Shadow Alphys and Mettaton are caught in each other’s arms, lips locked, messily kissing in a way that suggests neither of them care who’s watching. The Shadows finally break from each other, faces close, tilting their heads back towards the pair of reals near the doorway as the fake Alphys speaks first.]

Mm, Metta, I might have to fix your fan after this, you’re burning up.

Oh, I’ll always run hot for you, baby.

[They immediately go back to pressing their faces together, eliciting another round of screaming and ‘NO NO NO NO’ from the reals. This only seems to egg the shadows on further.

Someone put an end to this. These crushes are years old and this is the worst possible outcome for them both.]

----

ii. [safe zone] this dude named michael used to ride motorcycles

[If anyone wants to find these two later in the event, they can both be found in the safe zone, either together or separately as the rest of the event goes by. They seem… not too intent to go back in there, though might be a little hesitant to actually talk about why. Regardless, they’re present, should someone need to find them.]

[ooc: The first prompt is a 3 way thread, but please specify if you want Alphys, Mettaton, or both for the safe zone! You can reach out to us on plurk at cancerously and pbmajesty if you have any questions or want a closed prompt.]

Comments

oh my god

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys squeaks once, trying to hold on with all her might-- and thankfully, Mettaton stops fast enough to get a word in edgewise.]

Mettaton, no!! We're just going to get hurt! You have to stop!

[She'd make a move towards her Shadow, but she can't while she keeps Mettaton at bay, so instead she just looks at her defiantly.]

Okay, y-you win, alright?? Yeah, Mettaton's hot! I designed his butt, I know how hot he is! And yeah, maybe it would-- maybe it would be nice to have people chasing me and calling me hot all the time! But I don't want to be shallow, or m-mean, I just... want to be wanted. You know?

[Meanwhile, as soon as Alphys starts talking, the Shadow watches, enraptured. As she continues, she even pushes a bit away from him, hand still on his chest but the rest of her moving from his arms, eyes fixated on her.]

... Do you understand, then? D-Do you see it?

sweet christ

[punful]

[Sans flinches when Mettaton says that, because oh god, this really is going to go to hell in a handbasket, isn't it.]

metta, no, don't fight them. don't.

[Fortunately Alphys is backing him up. Alphys is so good at figuring out what needs to be done, even if she's reluctant to do it. Some of the tension leaves him when Alphys starts to accept it.]

there we go. there we go, see? it's okay, guys.

[He should at least do something to help more than just repeating himself. The worst part, though, is that there's only one real way to encourage this self-acceptance. And that's to back it up.]

[Which, fuck. He really does hope that they all just never speak of this again. Or maybe this event will come with a nice memory wipe.]

and...al, you're...you're cute as hell.

[He says it in a bit of a rush.]

look, i mean, i don't--really get aesthetics and--what counts as cute or hot or--whatever. but al, you're objectively adorable. and hot--i guess, because you're passionate, and passion is--hot, i think, right? undyne's lucky to have you. i'm lucky to have you as a friend. just, uh, a friend.

[Fuck his entire life honestly, this event is so unfair.]

and--metta, obviously you're hot, and there's nothing wrong with--uh, wanting--intimacy--from people. and i know you care about alphys, it's not like that's a...secret. listen, the three of us shared souls, we all...we all already know this. and...hell, we said then we'd try to be more...open with each other, so...

just. come on, metta. you and i, and...you and alphys, we all...we know already.

[mettatonvevo]

[The shadow Mettaton looks vaguely offended at shadow Alphys pushing away from him a bit but he doesn't move to stop her. Instead he watches Mettaton intensely as Mettaton listens to Sans.]

But... I...

[Alphys's words rattle in his brain and Sans's words make him flush and he stays quiet for a moment, looking to this shadow with an unreadable face.]

...you're right. I like who I like. I love who I love. I just... am terrified of how it would look to others who would see me. My reputation, what I have built, it's... everything. If I slip, no one will respect me anymore. How can I expect that? How can I...

[He looks away, unable to look anyone in the eyes.]

How can I trust other people to see me how I need them to see me?

[It's vague and awkward and he looks pleadingly to his shadow. He knows his shadow could press him to be more specific but he hopes that he won't. The shadow continues to watch him, his own expression unreadable.]

So, yes. I am ashamed of who I like because they may not fit to what society thinks is cool but I still want to like them because I want... I want to be close to people who have been good to me. I don't want to be afraid. And I want to be better than judging people based on their looks or interests.

[The shadow tilts his head to the side, closes his eyes, and smiles.]

Well darling. Look at you. You're making me proud.

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys blushes as Sans starts talking, getting ready to backpedal massively, but Mettaton speaks and everything seems to calm. For the first time, she doesn't look at her Shadow, but at him. He... barely ever talks about himself, like this. But he did when it mattered.

Alphys shifts a bit closer to him, reaching up and taking Mettaton's hand. The entire time, her Shadow is silent, watching the two of them enraptured.

Eventually, she laughs just a bit, leaning back into the Shadow Mettaton's chest.]

Well. B-Better than us after all, huh?

[She doesn't wait for his response, straightening up and looking towards the real Alphys across from her.]

See? Wasn't as hard as you wanted it to be.

[The Shadow finally detangles herself from the other, and Alphys lets go of Mettaton's hand in time. They meet each other in the middle of the room, and meet each other's hands for just a moment before the Shadow disappears.]

[punful]

[There it is. They're accepting themselves. Sans stays quiet as Mettaton speaks, some of the tension starting to unwind itself from his soul. Alphys reaches for her own Shadow, and it promptly disappears. That's one down. And unless Mettaton royally screws this up in the next few seconds, the other will be following shortly.]

[The danger is passing, and Sans isn't going to have to watch his friends die to some sex-crazed lunatics.]

[So now is a good for Sans to slide down the wall to the floor and just sorta crumple a little.]

finally. jeez, guys.

[mettatonvevo]

[When Alphys reaches for Mettaton's hand the robot lets her take it, giving it a squeeze as her shadow speaks. When she moves he lets her go without holding her back and watches, enraptured, as they meet. The shadow Mettaton lets the shadow Alphys go with a smile, watching fondly as she steps forth to the real Alphys. When she disappears he sighs and looks to his counterpart with a calculating look.]

Well darling. We both know you haven't told the complete truth here.

[He walks over towards the three of them, his demeanor not at all threatening and Mettaton steps forward, meeting him in the middle. The shadow reaches out and gently touches Mettaton's cheek and his face breaks out into a smile once more.]

That being said, I don't need to hear you say it out loud to know you accept me. But sweetheart... do consider letting more people in, hm? Alphys here is more than worthy of that closeness. As for the skeleton...

[He looks to Sans, quirks an eyebrow, and then shakes his head in amusement at Mettaton.]

I think it wouldn't be a mistake to share things with him too. You don't need to hide.

[He lowers his hand from Mettaton's face and holds it up.]

Shall we?

[Mettaton nods and places his hand against his and in a flash, his shadow disappears as well. The air in the room seems to relax completely and Mettaton looks at the spot his shadow stood for a moment longer before turning to look at Sans and shaking his head.]

Finally, you say, as if facing anything like this is easy.

[sciencelizard]

[Finally, when the danger has passed, Alphys can find it in herself to smile.]

Yeah, Sans, you w-weren't the one doing all the uh... embarrassing confessions.

[She does blush a bit just thinking about it, though.]

Also, we’re agreed to, uhm, n-never talk about this to anyone else, right? Like ever? Good great I agree that’s fantastic let’s not.

[punful]

[Mettaton's Shadow gives Sans a pointed look and Sans, just as pointedly, looks away. He doesn't have any energy left to be embarrassed, but that doesn't mean he has to acknowledge what the Shadow is saying.]

[And then it's over. The Shadow disappears. Sans lets out a shaky sigh.]

yeah, yeah. been there, done that. you can ask ford for the gritty details. and yeah. we'll never speak 'f this again.

meantime, though, i think i'm gonna...

[And he promptly tips over and passes out.]

[mettatonvevo]

Sans!

[Mettaton lets out a surprised yelp and then, after looking at him for another moment and seeing he's still, well, alive, shakes his head and looks at Alphys.]

Thank you, Alphys. I... I couldn't have said what I said if you hadn't been brave yourself.

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys squeaks nervously at Sans, but... you know what, he lives there now. He just lives there. She sighs, looking up at Mettaton in turn.]

I wouldn't have b-been able to either, I mean... if I didn't want to protect you.

[She reaches over and takes his hand... and then looks towards Sans on the ground.]

Can you carry him? We should get back to the, uhm, lobby.

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton's smile grows at her words and he grasps her hand tight in his. Then scoffs at her question.]

Him? Of course I can carry him. He's just a sack of bones.

[He laughs a bit then, letting go of her hand to walk over and pick Sans up. Ok, maybe he's a little heavier than he expected it to be. He considers trying to play it off, like he's pretending that he needs to exert a little more energy to pick Sans up. He waves that thought away pretty quickly; the only person here is Alphys and he doesn't have to pretend to be anyone other than himself here. So he hauls the sleeping monster up over one shoulder and, after a bit of adjustment, walks back over to Alphys and takes her hand with his free one once more.]

Let's go to the lobby, shall we?

[sciencelizard]

[She giggles a little bit as Mettaton hauls Sans up, not quite like Papyrus but with the same sort of care. It’s sweet. Really sweet.

She wonders how long it’ll take until the two of them properly confess. But that’s not a discussion for right now. Right now, they can just get back to where it’s safe, and they can all sleep it off.

Alphys squeezes his hand, and smiles.]

Yeah. Let’s g-go.

[And off they go, for a semi-sweaty cuddlepile.]