I don’t have specific characters in mind, but I’d love if you tackled the fear of an aro character losing their person (platonic) to a relationship. Like they are afraid that their person’s partner wouldn’t be okay with their presence or how close they were even if it was platonic Then fluff where in instead of losing a person they just get another person.
Papyrus smiled brightly at Undyneand her new girlfriend, ignoring the ache in his stomach. His best friendlooked so happy with Doctor Alphys at his side, actually leaning into him in away Papyrus had never seen anyone dare to do her. His soul pulsed with anxiety.
“Alph is my girlfriend now,”she told him, joy shining in her eyes. Doctor Alphys nodded, smiling shyly athim. Papyrus swallowed away the ill taste lingering in his mouth, fear makingthe air itself taste rotten. The last time a friend of his – one of his few friends – had started dating, he’dbasically lost them. They hadn’t had time for him anymore, too preoccupied withtheir new partner.
Eventually, he’d stoppedcalling them. It hurt too much. And he wanted to know if that was going tohappen now too. If Undyne would cancel their regular cooking nights and moviemarathons so she could hang out with the doctor.
“I’m so happy for you!” hesaid instead. And he was, he really was. He’d helped her to get this date, hadencouraged her to confess her feelings. He wanted her to be happy, and hewanted Doctor Alphys to be happy. Nonetheless he could feel his fear in his bones.
Her grin widened and she sweptout her arm, pulling him down into a headlock. “Nyeeeeeh!” he whined as shestarted rubbing his skull with her fist, knuckles running over the bone. “Undyne!”
Chuckling loudly, she let himgo, and he rubbed his lower spine as he straightened. Despite her amusement, therewas concern in her eyes. “C’mon you big nerd. What’s wrong?”
Papyrus blinked. “Nothing!” hereplied, feigning innocence. He didn’t want to make her worry or seem clingy. Beingclingy was never good, that’s what his friendship manual said. She stared athim, unimpressed, and his smile brightened. “I promise!”
“Alright then.” She didn’tsound convinced. “Well! Alphys and I are going to dinner! See ya, punk,”
His soul throbbed painfully.“Have fun!”
Steam rose from the boilingwater and the kettle whined in the background. The hotplates on the stove burnedred and there was a slight scent of burning in the air. Papyrus grinned,watching Undyne shove the spaghetti into the boiling water, yelling as shesummoned a spear to defeat the spaghettis who didn’t fit into the water. To beat them into submission.
He himself grabbed coupletomatoes from the basket on the kitchen sink, smashing them down on the surface.One of them bounced to the side, but the others splattered all over the cuttingboard he’d put out beforehand, because he was a responsible cook.
“Wait!” came a shrill voice from behind them, and both of them spunaround. There, Doctor Alphys stood, staring at them in horror. Papyrus’ smiledropped for a moment before he managed to put it back, and he tilted his head.“That’s not how this goes! You’ll burn down your house again!”
Undyne frowned. “What do youmean, Alph? I think we’re great atthis.”
The scientist smiled nervouslyas she stepped forward, turning down the heat on the hotplates not in use yet.They’d been making sure they were appropriately warm before they started withthe sauce. She shook her head. “I’m not a cook but you can’t do it like that.Something is going to get destroyed.”
As she set out to explain howto properly cook spaghetti and make tomato sauce, Undyne watched her withadoration, a dopy smile on her face. And Papyrus wanted to be happy for her, hereally did. And he wanted to be happy that he was learning new things.
But all he felt was annoyanceburning in his bones, and he had to keep his breathing even and focus onkeeping his smile when all he wanted to do was glare at her. This was his time with Undyne, what was she doinghere? Why was she criticizing their second favourite activity?
The worst thing was that heknew he was being completely irrational. She was Undyne’s girlfriend, andsurely a lovely person. By the Angel, he didn’t want to feel like this. But he did. His fingers itched for him to clenchhis hands.
“You’re very smart, doctor!”he said cheerfully.
“Alright what the fuck isgoing on?”
Papyrus twitched at the harshwords, sitting up in her dark blue couch. His hand was bandaged after theirfight and there were some drops of marrow leaking through the bandages. Thebattle had been fierce and he’d had great fun, it was absolutely worth nearlybreaking some of his fingers. But now her voice was demanding, though worryshone in her eyes as she stared at him, daring him to break eye contact.
“Going on how?” he repliedinnocently. It surely wasn’t about what he feared it was about. He’d been greatat hiding his resentment, if you asked him. Not even Sans had noticed anything.Her glare strengthened and he had to resist the urge to lean back in his seat.
Undyne narrowed her eyes. “Youknow exactly what I’m talking about, Paps. What’s your deal with Alphys? Andyou’ve seemed so down lately.”
Damn it. Anxiety coiled in hisstomach and he picked at the bandages, averting his eyes to stare down at them.He didn’t want to have this conversation. Didn’t want to hear her tell him thather relationship with Alphys was the most important thing now, and that he camesecond. He didn’t want to lose the best friend he’d ever had.
“Cut it out, Papyrus.” Thatwas an order. Instinctually, he clacked his mouth closed, nodding. “I’m worried.”
“You’re my best friend, andshe’s my girlfriend. I want you to get along,” Undyne confessed. He daredglance up, and she looked strangely vulnerable as she met his eyes.
“I-” he began before cuttinghimself off. She nodded encouragingly. Papyrus took a deep breath. “I’m scared.”His voice was small, pitiful. “I’m scared you’re not going to want to hang outwith me anymore now when you’re dating Doctor Alphys. That I won’t be importantto you anymore.”
“Aw Pap.” She shifted in thecouch until she was sitting next to him, the cushions sagging beneath her addedweight. Slinging her arm over his shoulders, Undyne pulled him close. Herelaxed against her chest, the familiar chill of her body seeping through thefabric of his shirt. Putting her hand on his head, she made him look her in theeye. “You’re my best friend. I’d never stop hanging out with you, and you’ll alwaysbe one of the most important people in my life. I love you, nerd.”
His soul warmed, and henodded.
“Alphys joined you up there among my most important people, she didn’t takeyour place.” He nodded again. Undyne jabbed her clawed finger into his side,and he twitched. “But Alph is really worried about how distant you’ve been withher.”
Hiding his face in his scarf,Papyrus blushed, ducking his head. “I’m sorry Undyne.”
“Don’t apologize to me, punk.”
“You’re right.” A weight feltlike it had been lifted in his stomach and he settled in against her, relaxingfully for the first time in he didn’t know how long. As his shoulders sank, itfelt like everything maybe would be good. “I’ll apologize to the doctor thenext time I see her.”
“Good!” Undyne’s grin returnedin full force, and she reached up with her hand to noogie the top of his head. Hewhined loudly, but didn’t otherwise protest this time. “Now I’m gonna get youinto anime if it kills me!” Her hand jerkedout to grab the remote.
Papyrus frowned, fighting notto grin at her. “But I’m not a baby.”
Her shriek rattled the glasseswith cider on the table.
Laughing, he jogged in placeas he watched Alphys stumble after him, dressed in pink sweatpants and a purpleshirt with a cat girl on it. Her movements were slow, but they were happening.The sun shone above, warm against his bones, making the asphalt of Ebott City oozeheat. “Come on, Alph! You can do it! Almost home!”
He was the only one of themwho wasn’t miserable right now. Alphys was panting, attempting to smile at himbut it dropped flat from her exhaustion. And Undyne, though jogging in place aswell, poured another bottle of saltwater over her head. “Angel,” she muttered. “I hate summer.”
“Positive thoughts, ‘Dyne!” hetold her, grin widening as she glared at him.
“Easy for you to say. You don’thave skin.”
Nodding, because that was true,he jogged back to Alphys, who was far after them. She was trying to come withthem sometimes to get in shape and get better confidence. Her arms wereshaking.
“Come on, Alphys!” he encouragedher. “Let the world know how great you are!”
“I’m- I’m amazing,” she gaspedout, chipping for air.
“Hell yeah!” Undyne calledfrom behind – or rather, in front – before the sound of another bottle beingpoured out came.
Papyrus chuckled. “You are!”
Happiness made his soultingle. They all were amazing. And life was certainly good.