• THAT STRANGE MAN BEHIND THE TREE

kid kris’s POV. don't be weird.

and yea the forgotten man is papyrus, because i like this theory

For a long time now, the hill behind the house had been a special, almost sacred place for Kris. It was there that the strange tree grew, its canopy blazing with bright, eternally autumn crimson leaves that refused to fall, whether in the heat of summer or the dead of winter.

Behind that spreading trunk, Kris could always find the very same companion. A tall, graceful skeleton invariably loomed there, draped in a long, coal-black robe that swept the very grass. Looking at him, Kris couldn't help but wonder how he had managed never to trip or get tangled in that endless stretch of fabric. Yet the thought quickly dissolved, making way for a far more important truth.

This incredible guest was always ready to jump into any idea Kris brought to him, no matter how wild. Why, even their own brother, Asriel, would sometimes brush off their pleas for just one more game of checkers, refuse to read a spooky story before bed, or decline to look at their latest drawings. But *he* never did. Not once. He agreed to everything with unwavering enthusiasm.

"Papyrus!" Kris called out brightly, popping suddenly from behind the trunk.

The skeleton, who had been sitting quietly in the shade of the crimson leaves, gave a slight flinch of surprise.

"OH MY GOD, KRIS!" his voice echoed, high-pitched and calm, yet laced with a soft, familiar rasp. "YOU DO KNOW THAT SNEAKING UP ON PEOPLE LIKE THAT ISN'T VERY POLITE, RIGHT?"

Papyrus let out a good-natured laugh, turning fully to face Kris. The moment he set eyes on the child, he caught their signature, slightly exaggerated mischievous smirk. It paired devilishly well with the headband featuring bright red horns- which Kris hardly ever took off - and the hands tucked conspiratorially behind their back.

"OH, I SEE YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING..." Papyrus rested his palms on his knees, neatly draped under the folds of his robe, and leaned forward with genuine curiosity. "SO WHAT DID YOU BRING THIS TIME?"