Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, golden and sunset red leaves were drifting in the fall breeze--and you were stuck in your least favorite college course. You stared boredly out of the broad lecture hall windows and sighed as a bird flew from the colorful leaves of the maple tree in front of the window, out into the vast blue sky. Prof. Macmillan was drowning on about something at the front of the room. You knew it was probably important and that you should probably be taking notes, but you couldn't shake off the wonderful daydream you were writing in your journal long enough to care. You wished that you were that bird so you could-

"And don't forget about the test next Wednesday," Prof. Mac's voice cut through your daydream like an annoying buzz in your ear. Hey, you really didn't mind him, he was a good person. He was actually one of your favorite professors. It was just that his voice was connected to a something headache inducing. Your head jerked up at the sudden clatter of activity from the others around you. How long were you out? The other students were already packing up and filing out of the room. You stood to do the same. “Could I have a word with you?"

You turned to the older man, looking at him with a tense smile. Uh oh... You hoped he hadn't caught you daydreaming. You pushed your reading glasses back up the bridge of your nose and fidgeted with the bandana that tied back your hair, trying to play to cool."Yes, Prof. Macmillan?"

"Frisk is in the office lookin' for ya," he explained, his slight accent deepened with concern. His weathered face tightened as he studied your face. "The office called said they looked like they got into a fight."

At that your feigned calm demeanor melted away. Concealed anger twisted onto your passive features as you thanked your professor and stormed out of the room. Damn it! This was the third time this week! When are those kids at the foster home going to leave Frisk alone? Just because they were a little different doesn't mean that those- those kids had to pick on them! Angry thoughts ranted through your irritated mind, making it hard to keep your hands from shaking. You stormed down the hall towards the stairs that led down to the office on the ground floor. Before you pushed the large doors open you took a deep breath and gave yourself a mental pep talk. Okay, think calm thoughts... Be patient with them. They were just troubled kids with problems of their own. With those thoughts to encourage you, you entered the ground floor.

The office door soon came into view and you slammed into the office with much more force than actually needed to push open the door. You winced apologetically as the poor door slammed against the wall, making the other occupants in the room jump and turned to see who made such a loud entrance. One of the startled people staring at you in disbelief was your beloved charge, Frisk. The other being the receptionist, a snake of a woman, who was glaring at you with enough venom to kill a large mammal. You glared back with just as much ferocity before your face softened in concern as you hurried over to tend Frisk.

"Frisk, sweetie, are you hurt?" Your wide eyes scanned the nine-year-old's face for any signs of injury. They shook their head, their shaggy hair falling further into their eyes and grinned. You sighed as relief flooded your heart. The only thing that seemed out of place on the kid was their dirt smudged clothes and a few scraps. You smiled soothingly at the child as you patted down their dirty hair. Then you stood up, your eyes narrowed and lips frowning. You lead Frisk up to the receptionist's desk. You took a calming breath and steeled your patients. Mrs. Dorsey had a history of being difficult.

"Mrs. Dorsey," you called politely, though your voice was strained. The older women grunted in an irked acknowledgment without looking up from her computer. You sighed and grabbed Frisk's small hand into your own. "Can you let the rest of my classes know that I won't be coming today. It's a, uhh, family emergency."

The snake...woman... whatever she was today, face twisted like she had just bit into a lemon. But she nodded nonetheless which satisfied you. You stopped worrying at your lip and put on a smiling mask. "Thanks."

***

After you stopped at the Frisk's house to tell your aunt the situation you were on the road back. Frisk had been moved into your aunt's home 5 years ago after being dropped off at your town's local foster agency by your scatterbrained cousin with only a name and all their important papers. So the agency found your small family and placed them with your aunt who ran a foster home.

You turned your car onto a long road that was missing it's street sign, heading towards your father's house (your apartment wasn't the best place for a rambunctious nine-year-old and you knew your roommate would not appreciate it.) You were suddenly thankful that your father and your siblings went on vacation without you. You knew they needed it after-

Well, That meant none of your siblings could torment Frisk like they normally did. You turned your attention to the back seat. Speaking of the kid....

"So, Frisk, remind me again how you keep getting into these fights with the other kids and how many times do I have to tell you not to walk to the campus by yourself?" The tone of voice you were using on them made them shift guiltily in their seat. Soft, troubled eyes gazed patiently at Frisk in the rear-view mirror. They shrugged and picked at a loose string on the striped pullover sweatshirt, trying their damnedest to avoid the disappointed look that you were throwing at them. They knew it wasn't pointed at them but it made them feel bad for making you worry. They heard a pensive sigh from the front seat as your eyes flickered back onto the long stretch of pavement and thick forest before you. Your rugged fingernails picked at a loose string of leather that stuck up out of the worn steering wheel absentmindedly, something you did when you were deep in thought. Frisk huffed a quiet breath of cautious relief, but Frisk knew that they might not be out of the woods yet, so to speak.

You rode through the forest in silence for a few minutes before you cleared your throat, startling the child in the back seat. They looked up at you with a face full of hair and a slightly open mouth. You chuckled and apologized quickly, smiling back at them in the rear-view mirror. You had been thinking that a break was long overdue and you both needed one. You just hoped that Frisk would like the idea that you came up with...

"Frisk," the messy haired child looked at you through their long brown bangs. You reminded yourself that they were in desperate need of a haircut--anyways, back to the point at hand... "Would you like to go on a camping trip with me this weekend--well...tomorrow?"

When you nervously glance back at your young charge you found your anxiety to be in vain. You smiled happily and puffed out a silent breath of relief Frisk danced excitedly in their seat, hands moving frantically as they sighed, the tension of the day momentary forgotten. A laugh escaped your lips as you watched for a moment before you turned your eyes back to the rode. A excited energy buzzed through you while your mind happily busied itself with a list of things you would possibly need for the camping trip. It had been a while since you had had something to be truly happy or excited about. But ever since this amazing little person crashed into your insane life there had been too many exciting things happening to you to count.

'I am truly blessed...' You mused, fondly glancing at the ball of bouncing energy grinning at you from the backseat. You grinned back and pulled into the driveway. Your dad's two-story house stood proudly in front of you. The sight of the familiar house made you exhale tiredly, slouching back against the headrest.

The excitement of the day was finally catching up to you and the child in the back. Their eyes and head were drooping with the effort of fighting off sleep. You checked the time on your phone: 8:00 pm it read. You blinked in surprise. You had forgotten how long it took to get from the city to here.

As you put your phone away from your eyes softened with a smile and coaxed the kid out of the car. Sleepily, they stumbled into the house and up the stairs with you in toe. After having to practically throw a protesting Frisk into the bath tube you finally got the sleepy child into bed.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." You whispered as you tucked Frisk into bed. They sleepily waved in reply. You gently shut the door behind you and grinned, plugging your beloved earbuds into your phone and placed them in your ears. Your hips swung to the beat of the song as you grabbed your well-loved backpack from the couch. Time to get packing! They had an early as hell day tomorrow and you wanted to get this done as quickly as possible so you can go to sleep. Besides, after all of the stress today you needed it. Being angry always tired you out...

While you busied yourself with preparations for a trip in the morning a sense of dread settled in the pit of your stomach. With a frown, you pulled an earbud out, looking out the window and out into the moonlit yard. Nothing seemed out of place, well nothing you could see from the kitchen that is. Then why is your heart still thumping loudly in your ears? You swallowed thickly and licked your dry lips before you shrugged off the feeling. You were probably just being paranoid... Again.

Too bad you didn't know that this little camping trip will change your life forever, for better or for worse. That feeling of dread was just the beginning.

***

The next morning flew by in a caffeine-induced blur. After you woke Frisk up you went about throwing various bags into the trunk of the car while Frisk (read: grouchily) ate their breakfast. So when you came whirl winding into the living room where they sat, chatting animatedly about the nice sunny weather and reminding them to bring a jacket since it was a bit nippy, they pouted and scowled at their innocent cereal. The slightly hyper you spun on your heel and ruffled the child's hair affectionately, making the kid grumble and swat your hand away, before you walked off, humming a pleasant tune.

A little while later, after Frisk was dressed and a little more awake you helped them pack a small backpack of their own.

"Ready sweetie?"

The nodded and grinned mischievously before they shoved passed you and towards the front door. You laughed and raced after the troublemaker. The dreadful lump in your stomach from last night was all but forgotten as the raced each other out of the door.

The car ride to the mountain trail cracked with excited energy as the two of you laughed at small jokes and puns you threw back and forth. Soon the huge mountain came into view, Mt. Ebbot. You pulled up to the security station and rolled down the window, coming face to face with a tired looking guard in a dull grey uniform. A matching hat was pulled tight around his receding blond hair.

"State your name and business on the mountain." He rumbled robotically while he typed away on his computer. You cleared your throat awkwardly and gave him the information. This whole process was familiar to you but dealing with the guards (or people in general) never ceased to make you uncomfortable. When he was finished taking your info and handed you a pass, he gave you the usual lecture about not being on the mountain after dark. You rolled your eyes as he droned on about the missing children in an uncaring voice. You knew about those poor kids already. You were apart of the search party a few years ago when the most recent kid fell.

And besides, everyone that lived in the town knew that story like the back of their hands just as they knew the legends of monsters and other mystical that made their home on the mountain. You know, the type that you tell a child to make them behave. You had been told those very same stories as a kid. If you climb the mountain you will never come back. The monsters will eat you up. However, in your experience, humans were more monstrous than other spices you saw, real or otherwise. Anyways, the guard moved to open the gate and you were through it before it was all the way open.

You parked and sighed tiredly. Social interactions always tired you out. You helped Frisk out of the car and they grabbed everything they needed out of the car. You grabbed Frisk's hand with a grin.

"Race?"

Race!

***

The crisp fall air felt good on your heated skin as they walked through the forest. The mid-morning sun drifted down to the forest floor through the sunset red and golden leaves that swayed in the chilly breeze. The coffee was finally wearing off and you were really starting to feel the aftermath. With a huge yawn and a stretch, you trailed after Frisk, who was jogging ahead with boundless energy that you envied. The breeze chilled your skin through your jacket, raising goosebumps on your arms. With a shiver, you pulled the fluffy fur that lined your hood closer to your ears and hurried up the trail after your little charge.

"Frisk! Slow down a little will ya!"

A faint smile graced your face when you caught the little squirt. You picked them up and flung them over your shoulder with a breathless laugh.

"I gotta ya, kid," you panted. The kid protested by not so gently (but not enough to really hurt) beating on your shoulder blades. You set the wiggling child down and grinned down at them. They met your grin with a frown and puffed out cheeks, but laughed mutely when you ruffled their hair affectionately. You grabbed their hand and led them further down the trail. "Come on, nerd. Let's keep going."

By the time you found a clearing to settle down in the sun was high in the sky, chasing away any fair weather clouds before they had a chance to form. Frisk was sitting on a fallen branch looking up at the beautiful sky while you went about setting out a blanket and unpacking some of your food. You took this small moment of peace to study the child. Their warm cocoa brown eyes were covered with hair so thick that it must have been hard to see.

A small hand on your shoulder cast your musings to the side. Oops... you had been rambling to yourself again.

What's the matter? Aren't we going to eat? They signed, staring at you with a wrinkled nose, poked out lip and puffed out cheeks. It took all of your willpower not to break down and laugh at Frisk's pouty face.

'Yeah, sorry. We're going to eat now.' Your fingers moved fluently and gracefully into the designated letters and motions. It took you a while to learn sign language but now it was no problem. Frisk was so much better though. Their signing was flawless; you had to admit (though you were quite envious of their feat)

A ham sandwich was transferred into tiny hands and a grin of happiness was your payment for the nourishment. While the kid chowed down, You unwrapped your own sandwich and took a big bite, reveling in how good it tasted after a long morning of hiking. The sandwiches were gone in a matter of minutes and a collective sigh of delight floated around the small clearing.

"That hit the spot, huh Frisk?"

A big grin spread across their face as they nodded in agreement. Then they stood up and brushed the crumbs from their shorts, and then they held a tiny hand out to help you up. The sweet gesture made a big, bright smile stretch across your face. You grabbed their outstretched hand and let yourself be pulled up by the surprisingly strong child.

"Wow Frisk, with those muscles you must get all of the babes." Your tone was light and teasing in nature, but that didn't stop the big, bright blush that spread across Frisk's nose and cheeks. Then they surprised you by smirking and shooting guns at you with a flirty wink.

"Oh my gosh Frisk!" You wheezed out a laugh as you bent over to place your hands on your knees. Tears of laughter beaded at the corner of your eyes. You hadn't had a good laugh in a while. It took you a moment to recover but when you caught your breath and looked back up Frisk winked at you again. You snorted out another laugh. "Where did you even- no, actually, never mind. I don't think I want to know."

Frisk grinned up at you mischievously and waggled their eyebrows. You stuck your tongue out at them and started packing up their supplies. After everything was put away safe and sound you nodded.

"Alrighty, little buddy. Let's keep going," you hiked up the backpack on your narrow shoulders and ushered Frisk back onto the dusty trail. When the child didn't budge you looked back. They had an expression on their faces that you had only seen once before. It wasn't good. Concern pulsed through you as you walked back and looked in the direction Frisk was fixated on. "What's the matter, Frisk?"

Without gracing you with an answer they took off down the overgrown trail. Icy fear raced through your veins as you raced after them, calling out for them to stop. They didn't stop. Whatever they were doing they were set on doing.

"Frisk! FRISK! Where are you going?!" your voice was high with worry. You panted as your heart plummeted against your rib cage. Tree branches yanked your hair and cut into any visible skin. How did they run so fast through the underbrush like that?

You had to stop them before-

They came to a screeching halt.

"Dammit Frisk! Don't run off like that," you scolded the kid breathlessly as you grabbed them by the back of their shirt gently. However, they paid you no mind as they stared down the huge hole that they stopped in front of. You came up behind them and peered down the hole curiously. It was completely dark save for the stray ribbons of golden sunlight that trickled down through the trees. Whoa, that was a long way down... You instinctively took a step back while your heart skipped a beat, sweat beading along your hairline. But Frisk seemed bent on get closer, much to the worry and dismay of your heart. They took a small step forward...

"FRISK!!!" You cried as your tiny charge tripped over a vine and stumbled forward into the hole. Out of fear and desperation, you lunged forward and grabbed Frisk's striped sweater. But the momentum sent you tumbling into the hole after Frisk. A breathless scream fell from your parted lips, and the dark world around you started to fade. But before blissful sleep took over you pulled silent Frisk to your chest and held them tight. The world faded to black...

Chapter Text

It was dark...

It was so dark…

The darkness was pressing in on you at all sides, like wolves pressing in for the kill. It dulled your sense and numbed you to the point of nothingness. Static buzzed around you and in your head, right behind your eyes. Your lungs ached for oxygen, but you couldn't breathe. You were suffocating. But you couldn’t muster up the will to panic. You were too tired. The darkness shifted around you, through you, in you and you welcomed it. The abyss beckoned you, embraced you, ebbing the pain and lulling you back into a deep sleep.

The next time you woke up you were so cold it hurt. It sunk into your skin like vicious fangs, tearing through your clothes and into your warm flesh hungrily. Your body didn't have the energy to shiver and everything hurt too badly to move, so you floated there in delirious agony.

A flicker to your right.

The darkness was watching you.

The darkness was pulsing, shifting. Concerned. Comforting.

There was pressure in your chest, something fighting to get free. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt! It pulsed and yanked and burned a freezing path through your flesh and bones. Through your very being.

You wanted it to end.

.

.

.

.

.

Dark.

Darker.

Yet Darker.

.

.

.

.

The pain ebbed, then stopped. The healing darkness wrapped around you softly, like a velvety hug. It overtook your senses and you could breathe. Slowly, you fought the gummy webs of sleep that clung to your brain…

………….

Then there was softness, like the softest blanket was being wrapped around your aching limbs. Your eyes fluttered under your eyelids as you flexed your fingers over the soft ground. Your throbbing eyes fluttered open in hazy confusion.

They were flowers. Pretty little yellow flowers had cushioned your fall. You inhale slowly, their sweet scent was intoxicating. As you lay there trying to gain your bearings your limbs began to throb, one by one, hot pain seared through you. Your body broke out in a cold sweat. You laid there trying to catch your breath as tears ran down your face. Moving your limbs to see if anything was broken was pure agony, particularly when you moved your right arm, which was definitely broken. The rest of your body only suffered from bruises and a few shallow scratches as far as you could tell. What had happened to you?!

Memories washed over you one by one, coming in waves. Frisk fell and you tried to catch them. You had both fallen down a hole in Mt. Ebott. Wait. Frisk? Where the hell was Frisk?! How long had you been laying there? And how were you not dead? Were you dead?

Panic welled up in your chest and threatened to take over as you frantically looked around the dark cavern for your lost charge.

You called out for the child. Your voice wheezed through parched lips. The low light of the fading sunlight far above your head provide little light to aid in your search, but Frisk wasn't there. You called out for them again as you struggled to your feet, clutching your bartered arm to your aching chest. But nobody came.

***

Your boots crunched through the gravel beneath them as you made your way through the strange room you wandered into from the previous room. You had long since left the patch of flowers, and after a short walk down a dark hallway, you found yourself in an almost pitch black room. The cave walls soared above you, making your small footfalls echo around you loudly. Dust particulars flouted in the air in the strange, unnatural light that drifted down from the ceiling. How was there light this deep underground? You readjusted what was left of your backpack on your good shoulder. Your head hurt...

Clutching your arm closer with a shudder of pain, you limped quickly through the pitch black room and into the light. Tiny dots drifted across your field of vision as your head throbbed. You blinked them away furiously. No! Not now! You were not going to pass out now! You had to find Frisk! Your heart pumped hard against your ribs and your breath came in pants as the dots darkened your vision again, dammit you were not going to pass out! You persevered for a few painful steps before you faltered and your vision darkened around the edges. The room spun around you as you carefully sat in the little patch of grass in the center of the room. You just needed a break. That was all. Just a tiny break.. Then you can go find Frisk. Just a tiny... Break... Just a... Break... Just...

…….

You are filled with Fortitude

***

Frisk…

When you regain consciousness again your stomach had twisted itself into painful knots. Your arm pulsed painfully on your chest and your head was spinning. And you were flying. Wait... What?!

You looked around up and your blurry eyes met kind reddish-brown eyes framed by soft looking snow white fur. Fur…? Your senses gradually returned and the fog was lifting. Wait. Fur? Was she a monster?! Like from the stories? They were real?!

With a quiet gasp of surprise and a panicking heart, you struggled to get out of this mysterious person's iron grip. But you found that your limbs refused to move. (Okay calm down. This was just a fever dream. You were still unconscious at the bottom of the hole you fell down. You were just in delusional from the pain. You would wake up soon.)

"Oh, you are awake my child," Your mysterious rescuer cooed happily. Their voice was feminine and very soothing, like a mother's touch or the ocean waves. You relaxed slightly as it washed over you. She put you on your unsteady feet and stepped back to give you room. All at once the world lurched beneath your feet and you stumbled forward before a furry paw (hand?) caught you. You looked at the women, taking her in. Your mysterious rescuer was a very tall goat-like monster with beautiful white fur. She was wearing a pretty purple robe-like dress with an odd symbol on the front. “Are you alright, young one?"

When you shook your head slightly the goat monster narrowed her eyes at you, studying you coolly like she was searching for something. You shifted uncomfortably under her intense gaze.

Just as the silence grew too uncomfortable Toriel drew back, still regarding you with searching eyes.

"What is your name young one?”

The tension was suffocating. Your eyes darted around the room, trying not to meet the goat woman's roaming gaze. You quietly tell her your name, eyeing your dirty boots.

The pressure in the room thawed a little as the monster bent down to your height to study your slightly battered face again. Her face softened a little. She must have found whatever she was looking for. “Ahh… Such a nice name.”

“W-well… Thank you, ma'am, ” you averted your gaze again. The lady's towering stature and the regal air about her made her seem rather intimidating, despite the calming air about her. You suddenly felt like you were a child again, feeling shy in her presence.

You were so confused.

You looked down the hall wearily, then you looked back at the concerned goat women. “I'm sorry if this sounds rude but I have to go. Thank you for your help.” You had to keep going. You had to find Frisk.

The fur around her mouth shifted as she frowned, She put a paw on your shoulder to prevent you from leaving. "Wait. You are still quite injured. Let us go to a safer place so I may patch you up.”

You frowned hesitantly and looked down the path again. You didn't have time to worry about yourself right now. You had to find Frisk and make sure they were okay. After that you had to figure out what the heck is going on here. The women picked up on your hesitation.

“I am sorry for startling you, dear. I was merely trying to see if you posed a threat. It's just that it has been a long while since I have seen an adult human, not since-,” the woman’s smile turned bitter, but it was replaced by a warm one in the blink of an eye. The expression was reassuring. "Well, there will be time for that later. I am Toriel. I am the caretaker of the ruins so I know them quite well. So please young one, at least let me guide you through this place.”

You gritted your teeth and looked at your shaking hands. Your arm throbbed. You weren't sure if should trust Toriel, especially if Toriel already thought you might be dangerous. On the other hand, you were in no shape to navigate this strange place yourself. She also might know where Frisk is. So throwing caution to the wind, you nodded. Something in you whispered that Toriel was trustworthy, telling you to let her help. Besides, nothing ever came from sitting on your hands waiting for something to change. A smile wormed its way onto your face as courage filled you, making warmth blossom in your chest. The feeling was welcoming. “Thank you Ms. Torial. I'll take you up on the offer.”

“Excellent. Please just call me Toriel,” Toriel said happily, clapping her paws together. She motioned for you to follow her. “My home is deeper in the ruins. There are many puzzles throughout this place so please stay close. Do you feel well enough to walk, dear?”

You wanted to tell the truth and say no, you were not feeling well enough to walk but you knew you would feel like a burden if you let Toriel carry you again. So you swallowed your pain (okay, oww. Nope this was definitely not a dream.) and slapped on what you hope was a smile. “Yes, ma’am. But umm… Before we leave can I ask you a question?”

“What is it, child?”

“Has another human passed through here? They would be about this high," You placed your hand at your midsection. Toriel looked at you thoughtfully but didn't say a thing so you continued with your description of your young charge. "They have long dark brown hair that falls in their eyes and a long blue sweater with purple stripes."

Toriel nodded carefully with her paw under her chin. “...Yes. They have. How did you know that?”

Hope fluttered through you like butterflies. It must have shown on your face because Toriel was looking at you with cautious curiosity.

“They're my…. I'm their guardian. When we fell down here we got separated somehow,” The shaking in your good hand increased when your mind drifted back to the fall. Gosh, you really hoped Frisk was okay. The worry was suffocating. “Please. Please tell me they're okay…”

Toriel put a comforting hand on your shoulder and began to lead you down the long empty hallway. “Yes. I meet them on my daily walk. They are the one who sent me to find you,” Toriel smiled softly as her eyes followed the vines that ran along the brightly lit hallway. “They are very determined. They made it through some of the Ruins all by themselves.”

Oh, thank goodness they were okay. Your tense muscles relaxed slightly with relief. You wouldn't completely okay until you saw the kid with your own eyes though. "Thank goodness.....thank you Toriel. I was really worried about them."

"You are very welcome. It is my job to make sure people who fall down here are unharmed, after all," The gentle smile that had lit up her features slowly faded and you frown in concerned. "Although, they were doing a very odd thing with their hands. I had to resort to reading their Soul intention to understand what they were trying to convey to me."

You frowned. What was a Soul? You had to ask Toriel about that later. "Oh, they were using ASL, well, that is American Sign Language. They're, uh, mute."

"Mute? They cannot speak?"

You shook your head in response. Toriel frowned deeply, her eyes narrowed."The poor dear... You know what happened, do you not?"

Again you shook your head and bit the inside of your lip as frown tugged them down. "I've known them for few years or so, but umm... they don't talk about themselves much."

The small conversation tapered off and they continued down the huge hallway in a rather uncomfortable silence. You fidgeted with the bandana around your neck awkwardly as you studied your surroundings. Vines crawled along the walls and the ceilings, twisting together in leafy knots. Further down the hall, you spotted something that piqued your curiosity. There was a small spot of color down the hall, the dark purple standing out against the light lavender of the hallway.

“Hey, Toriel, what's that?” Toriel looked down at you with a friendly smile. Instead of answering she lead you further down the hallway. Wait… You recognized the color.

“FRISK!”

Frisk looked up from their drawing and gasped silently, dropping their stick in the process. The kid jumped up from their spot on the ground and ran to you, wrapping their skinny arms around your waist. As they buried their face in your midsection they squeezed you until it was bordering on painful. Relief flooded through your tense body, making your shoulders sag.

You sank to your knees with a tired sigh, bringing the silently protesting Frisk down with you. You held the child close and buried your nose into their thick brown hair.

Then, you pulled back and held Frisk by the shoulder, studying them through narrow eyes. They shifted in your grasp like they were trying to avoid your burning gaze.

“Frisk, you had me worried sick! Why did you run off like that?”

They held the hands out in front of them and signed slowly, almost sheepishly.I'm really sorry… I didn't mean to scare you. You weren't waking up so I thought if I explored a little I could find someone to help… their tiny hands shook a little at the end.

You sighed, all of the stress that you had been holding dissipated. You held them close again. “As long as you're safe, sweetie.”

When Frisk began to wiggle you let them go and stood, with a little difficulty, to your full height. You clutched your arm to your chest with a pained hiss. Damn… The pain was getting worse. Frisk pulled on your shirt to get your attention.

Are you okay?

You nodded and put on a smile so they wouldn't worry.

Toriel placed a hand on your shoulder. “My child, maybe it would be best if I healed you now. Your injuries seem more severe than I thought.”

Heal you? What was that supposed to mean? Your confusion must have shown on your face because Toriel giggled and motioned for you to come closer.

“Close your eyes dear.”

You, although a little skeptical, did as you were asked and closed your eyes. Your senses prickled when Toriel moving closer to you. Hands were placed gently placed on your injured arm. You cringed and bit your lip to keep from crying out. The pain didn't last long though. A strange, soothing warmth enveloped your arm and trickled down to the rest of your body, collecting in your chest like fire. You sighed as the blissful feeling soothed your bumps and bruises. Then gradually the warmth ebbed away, leaving you warm and your skin buzzing. Your chest felt light.

When you opened your eyes Toriel was smiling sadly at you. Your brow furrowed as you opened your mouth to ask what was wrong, only to whimper in pain when your arm throbbed. You flinched.

“Oh dear. I'm sorry. I've healed your arm completely but it is still sore, is it not? It is one of the side effects of my healing.”

You nodded but gave Toriel a smile. “Yeah, but it's okay, Toriel. I know how to keep it from getting worse,” you said through a strained smile. You knelt down to Frisk’s height and motioned them closer. “Could you get the first aid kit out of the backpack and pull out the wrap?”

Frisk nodded with a glance at your arm and trotted around you. They gripped the zipper of the worn backpack and, with a sharp tugged it fell open to reveal its contents. Frisk grabbed the equally beat up first aid kit. Then, they trotted back around and tossed it haphazardly on the ground in front of you. You cleared your throat and looked pointedly at the abused box they tossed.

Sorry. They sighed with an apologetic smile. They picked up the box and dusted it off before handing it to curious Toriel. She narrowed her eyes in confusion. When she didn't take it Frisk shook it at her and looked to you with a pleading look.

“They need your help wrapping my arm up, the wrap should be in the big section in the front,” they shuffled through an assortment of medical supplies until you spotted what they were looking for. “Ahh! There it is. It's that long piece of wrapped up brown cloth.”

You began explained the process of wrapping an injury to Toriel but she held up her had to quiet you, then she nodded and proceeded to carefully wrap the cloth around your arm. Despite her big paws, Toriel was extremely gentle. In no time at all your arm was wrapped up tight.

"Thank you Frisk, Toriel," you examined your arm with a smile, it was very well done. Toriel was really good at healing people. You frown lightly. It was almost as if she had done it before... You flexed your fingers and let the thought drop, it was none of your business. The cloth was loose enough not to constrict the blood flow in your arm, but it was tight enough that it could support your arm. "You two did a really good job.”

"Thank you, child," Toriel replied with a soft sad smile. She stood to her full height in a flourish of elegant cloth. She grabbed Frisk's hand and gestured for you to follow with the other. "Come children. Let us continue to my home."

***

Toriel’s soothing voice reverberated around the walls of the ruins as she explained the process of dealing the overly curious monsters that made their home in the nooks and crannies of the Ruins. While she explained, you had flipped to a clean page in your notebook and began to write everything down as you listened carefully. Your reading glasses were perched carefully on the edge of your nose and almost came flying off when Toriel suddenly came to a stop. She turned to face the two of you.

"I want you both to practice encountering with this dummy. In the underground monsters may force your Soul out and pull you into an encounter. Encounters themselves are not dangerous unless you or the monster you are encountering attacks. In encounters such as that, you must 'Act' a certain way to resolve the encounter as quickly as possible." The soft fur around her eyes crinkled as she took on a serious air. You looked around her to see a cute little stuffed dummy sitting silently by the wall. It stared back with unseeing black button eyes. To the right stood a door, waiting for the three of you to pass through its towering frame.

Frisk agreed excitedly and darted forward to stand in front of the dummy. When you didn't follow they looked back with a quizzical tilt of their head, motioning you to follow them. You rolled your eyes with a fond smile. It was childish, but you decided to humor them or you wouldn't stop hearing about it later. You stood beside Frisk, who seemed to be having a staring contest with the poor dummy.

"So. Toriel. What's supposed to happen now?" You asked in mocked curiosity, playing along with the little game. The goat lady gave you a smile and put an up in the universal signal to wait. Suddenly there was a little tug at the center of your chest. You jumped at the sensation and your brow lowered in confusion. The tugging became more insistent and a strange warmth slowly blossomed across your chest. A panicked chill ran down your spine as you fought against the foreign feeling, but the tugging continued despite your silent protests. You placed your hand over your chest with a deep frown. Suddenly, the tugging stopped and the warmth in your chest turned frosty. All of the colors bled from the surrounding area, turning the walls black and white. The only spot of color was bobbing in front of Frisk's chest. When you looked down at your own...

"What the hell?!" There was a small, crystal-like cobalt heart pulsed in the air right in front of your chest, emitting a gentle warm like a little flame. It was about the size of your palm, and you couldn't help but notice that your’s was quite a bit dimmer than Frisk's blazing red heart. The sight of your own strange heart encouraged you and terrified you all at once, making your head spin in confusion. It felt weird. Like… like everything you are and everything you've ever done was on display. You couldn't tear your eyes away from it. Before you could panic you reluctantly glance back at Toriel, wide-eyed, only to find that you too had lost all of her colors. The goat lady paid it no mind.

"Language, child," she scolded you gently. When you gaped at her she smiled a small smile at you. "That is your Soul, child. It is the essence of your very being. Both humans and monsters have one. Here in the Underground it is your most important asset and is to be protected. Do you understand?"

You nodded dumbfoundedly as Frisk nodded ecstatically. You rose an eyebrow them. They must have felt your eyes on them because they turned their head and flashed you a toothy grin. You returned it slowly, then you turned back to Toriel for further explanation.

"Now, to 'Encounter' a monster just face it and it will pull out your soul. After it does I want the two of you to make a friendly conversation with it."

A friendly conversation? It was a dummy! How were they supposed to talk to it? You looked at Frisk, who was still grinning in your direction, then looked back at the Dummy. Frisk began to sigh at the Dummy, their bright little SOUL bobbing with the hasty movements of their hands. You went into full translation mode. You watched Frisk's rapid hand gestures and began to speak for them.

"Frisk says that you are very cute, Mr. Dummy."

Never in all your years would you have imagined that you would see a Dummy blush. But as the spots of color painted the Dummy's white cheeks you couldn't hold back a disbelieving laugh. This whole situation was making you question your sanity. Man, you really needed to lay off the fantasy books for a good long while.

"Very good, my children," Toriel smiled cheerily, and with a swift wave of her paw the room once again flooded with color as the SOULs retreated back into rightful places. You let out a relieved breath that you didn't know you were holding as the warmth slid back into your chest and blossomed across the rest of your body. "Thank you for listening. Now, let us continue."

"That was..." you grimaced as you followed Toriel and Frisk through the door to the next room, clutching your worn winter jacket above your Soul. You struggled to find the right words to describe the emotions that were running around your head. It was-

It was…strange, but it made you feel lighter for some reason. It was enlightening…? But it also felt… wrong to have your Soul out.

You started when you felt a small, warm hand slide into your own. You glanced down. Frisk was looking up at you, their forehead creased with concern.

What’s wrong? They sighed out with one hand. The small motions made you grip their other hand tightly, a forced smile played on your lips.

Nah, nothing’s wrong, shorty. I'm just a bit dazed at all of the stuff that's going on. You sighed in return. Your hand movements were shaky. You quickly hid it by signing again. Anyways, seeing my Soul was pretty soulful.

You grinned as Frisk’s face morphed from concerned to a huge grin, a silent laugh shook their shoulders. That was terrible.

A laugh spilled from your grinning lips. “You know you liked it,” you pinched Frisk’s slightly chubby cheek. “See? Your smiling.”

Frisk swatted your pinchy hand away with a mock frown and trotted up to Toriel after sticking their tongue out at you. You smiled fondly as you watched them run ahead to investigate a sign on the wall. No matter how bad things looked at least you still had them at your side.

Chapter Text

The Ruins, at first glance, seemed like a huge place. But after Toriel left the two of you with an ancient cell phone and a warning to be good you set off to explore. Only to come to a shocking realization: The ruins were so small. It had only taken you two an hour or two to solve most of the various puzzles and mazes in between calls from Toriel, Encounters, and just general exploration. You had the distinct feeling that almost every single monster living in the ruins up to that point had encountered you or was trying to encounter you. And for some reason, Frisk knew exactly how to dissolve an encounter with all of them, despite never meeting them before. When you questioned them about it they shrugged and attempt to distract you with a barrage of questions until you dropped the subject. You were still going to ask about it later.

The encounters themselves were getting more and more comfortable for you. So much so that when the saw a monster you began to expect the slight tug and no longer fought against the sensation. Well, until that ran into a certain adorable roadblock that is.

“So, uh… How do you suppose we ‘wake’ the little guy up?” you wondered aloud as you and Frisk squatted down next to them as they continue to repeat z loudly. You smiled discreetly down at the monster. They really were adorable. They kind of looked like those little finger puppets you made for your little brother before-

Frisk signed with one hand. Their hand movements slow and steady, calming. Placing a hand on your shoulder. You were fine. Everything was fine. You took deep breaths until your chest stopped constricting and the ocean of your memories ebbed. With a small grimace, you patted Frisk’s head.

“I'm good, sweetie. Thank you,” you were both used to this by now. One of you would have a flashback or a nightmare and the other would be the rock to ground them. Frisk, with their calming presence and surprising maturity and insight and determination to help. And you with your encouraging words and calming hugs, persevering through the worst of Frisk’s thrashing and strangled screams of terror during the night. No words were said during those times or after, none had to be. You both understood and respected each other's privacy. You shook your head of any lingering thoughts that clung to your brain. You had to focus on the task at hand. “Anyways, Got any ideas about this one?”

Soon Frisk was distracted by the small ‘sleeping’ ghost monster and you let yourself be distracted as well. They looked at the monster thoughtfully. Then they got the strangest far off look in the face like they were looking at something that wasn't there- well, something that you couldn't see it at least. Something shimmered at the corner of your eye near Frisk but when you blinked it was gone. Your senses prickled, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Something or someone was watching you. What in the-

Move it with force? Frisk poked the monster very gently in the side. The ghost jumped slightly and their eyes shot open with the tiniest monotone gasp. They floated up from the pile of blood red leaves they had been resting on. Your gaze snapped back from the spot and looked at the monster. They looked so sad...

Frisk’s gaze was focused on the ghost monster as their familiar red Soul was called out, front and center above their striped sweater. It shone brightly, so bright that it out shown your own weary cobalt Soul by a long shot. It seemed to suck all of the colors out of the room. They signed something to you, asking you to move back? Why would you do that? You didn't want Frisk fighting alone. It could be really dangerous. From your experience with Encounters, the monsters more often than not attacked out of fear. Not that you blamed them. If two strange creatures came of nowhere and started tromping noisily around your home you'd be scared too. But still, you were worried about Frisk fighting on the own.

You must have said that out loud because Frisk gave you that ‘I would be fine and I know what I’m doing’ expression that they used on you often. The monsters here wouldn’t hurt them. You bit your lip and nodded your head reluctantly. You stepped back enough to be out of the way but close enough to jump in if you were needed. The smell of ectoplasm filled the air.

You watched patiently as Frisk sighed encouraging words to the timid, quiet spoken ghost. They looked confused at the hand motions and awkwardly floated back and forth with unshed tears in their eyes. Frisk’s shoulders slumped a little in disappointment and looked over for help. Poor kid.

You smiled gently and quietly translated the kind words, “Frisk said that they believe in you Naspstablook.” Aww, Frisk could be a really sweet kid when they wanted to be. The ghost, Naspstablook, had a ghost of a smile on their face. They looked a little better. Well… as far as you could tell. They still looked pretty down in the dumps.

Their attacks turned out to be tears, you concluded as Frisk expertly (something that you were quite jealous of) dodged around the white liquid coming from Napstablook’s eyes. During the breaks in the attacks, they sighed small words of encouragement to cheer them up.

“here let me try,” Napstablook whispered, sounding… Confident? They started crying again and Frisk’s shoulders tensed in anticipation for the next attack, but none came, much to your anxious Soul’s relief. Instead the droplets of--water? Ghost matter? Whatever it was gathered in a vague top hat shape on their head. Aww… That was too cute! “i call it the Dapperblook. do you like it.”

“Yes Napstablook, it is so cute! It's really well made.” you cheered from your place on the sidelines while Frisk nodded vigorously in agreement, their Soul bouncing and glowing brighter with the happy movements. You must have taken the words right out their mouth, or hands in their case.

“oh geez…” Napstablook shyly averted their eyes at the compliment while spots of pastel blue painted their cheeks. The color flooded back into the room as Frisk’s Soul sank back into place, safe in their chest. You sighed in relief and walked up to Frisk, who was signing slowly to Napstablook. The ghost timidly looked at you for translation.

“Frisk wants to thank you for showing us your Dapperblook.”

Again their cheeks flushed a faint pastel blue that seemed to glow. Was that a blush? Oh my… That was too adorable! Your face stretched into a bright grin you fought the urge to grab the ghost a squeeze them in a hug. Napstablook’s face got impossibility blue when you grinned at them.

“oh geez,” they repeated softly. They drifted a little bit closer, stopping a few feet away from Frisk. “usually the ruins are my safe place when i want to get away. but today i meet two nice people. oh….. but you have somewhere to be don't you? i’m in your way aren't i?”

Both you and Frisk protested immediately but Napstablook wasn't having it. They shook their head. “i’ll just get out of your way now.” And like the wind they were gone. You shook your head dejectedly, the poor cute ghost… Before you could lose yourself in your head there was a small hand tugging on your sleeve.

Are we gonna keep going?

“Of course, nerd. We can't keep Toriel waiting now can we?”

Their nose wrinkled at the fond insult but nodded nonetheless. You hoped you were almost there. The trek through the Ruins was taking a toll on your still slightly sore body and Frisk was looking a little worse for wear too. You walked a little ways further where the path cut to the north and east. As you contemplated which way to go next Frisk was pulling insistently at your good hand, pointing to the room adjacent from the door you just exited out of.  So with a chuckle, you let yourself be lead into the next room.

“Geez, what's the rush speedy? Whatever is in thh- uhhh... Frisk? What the heck is that?”

There, in the corner of the small room was two spider webs, one humongous one and a slightly less large one. Your skin crawled.

Your nose scrunched up and Frisk giggled quietly at your weariness, grinning cheekily up at you. They motioned you forward. Oh, the little shit. You glared playfully down at them before taking a careful step toward the sticky webs. They looked just like normal spider webs to your surprise. You were half expecting a huge, hairy spider to crawl down and wrap you up-

Nope! That thought process had to die. There was probably just a really nice spider monster family that lived there. Not the creepy, crawly ones that you were used to seeing topside. You shook yourself and squared your shoulders, though your brain was screaming that going toward a giant spider web was not the brightest idea you had ever had. But Frisk was right behind you and the monsters here were really nice. They wouldn't purposely hurt you. There was nothing to worry about.

As you approached three tiny spiders crawled down to greet you. A yelp of surprise bubbled up in your chest but you forced it down by biting your lip and smiling nervously at the newcomers. Frisk must have found the whole situation hilarious because their shoulders and hands shook as came up beside you, signing something to the spiders.

You glowered at the giggling child as you translated. “They want to know if they can have a doug-” your forehead wrinkled with a frown. You looked down at the child in confusion and they gazed back up with a raised eyebrow. “Umm… Frisk? Are you seriously asking for a doughnut? From, uhh, spiders?”

They nodded. The look they had on their face made you feel like you were the crazy one. They produced a flyer out of their backpack and handed it over to you. Your eyebrow rose as she read the purple writing on the thick parchment paper.

Spider Bake Sell!

Come enjoy baked goods made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders!

All proceeds go to real spiders!

Spider Donuts: 7G

Spider Cider: 18G

A few cute drawings of spiders, webs, and delicious looking baked goods littered the page around the words. Okay, that flyer was hella cute. You put the flyer back into Frisk’s awaiting hands and turned back to the tiny spiders who were waiting patiently for you to place an order.

“Umm… We’ll get… 2 spider doughnuts and a jug of spider cider, please.” One of the spiders crawled back up into the small hole in the ceiling while the other took the money you stuck in the web and counted it. It gave you back 18 coins and when you made a noise of confusion it pointed over to the larger web with one of its tiny legs.

This was going to be a long process…

                       **********

One long translation process late you and Frisk were traversing what was left of the Ruins, delicious spider donuts in hand.

“So, spiders bake things here in the Underground is a, umm… thing,” you pondered jokingly around your mouthful of spider doughnut, which tingled and warmed you inside out. Huh. It kinda reminded you of Toriel’s Magic. Maybe the spiders cooked with magic? You’d have to ask when they caught up with Toriel.

Anyways, you had asked the kid a question, didn't you? You looked down at them to find them nodding, then they took a huge bite out of theirs with a gleeful smile. They had never smiled like that on the surface. What had changed? Well, whatever it was you were happy to see it happening. You didn't want a kid that young to have to smile too much or laugh too hard to hide their pain like you did. You wanted them truly happy with real smiles on their face.

Are you okay? You look kind of dazed.

You blinked away the clouds of your thoughts and nodded with a small smile. “Yeah, I'm just getting tired. All of this walking is tiring this old person out,” you slowed your walking down to a shuffle and dramatically stretched out your back with a tired groan, then you leaned down to rest your elbow squarely on Frisk’s head. “You’ll just have to carry me to Toriel’s.” You snickered when Frisk twitched in exasperation and tried to shake you off.

Come on get off of me, you lazy butt! You can walk just fine on your own! You're not even that old!

With a playful smirk, you leaned more of your weight into the protesting child. “Methinks doth protest too much, child.” Frisk huffed and crossed their arms before coming to a complete standstill, causing a still walking you to stumble forward from the momentum…. Straight into a cracked section of floor. You fell comically through the floor with a surprised gasp.

Groaning in pain you sat up and rubbed your throbbing arm. You looked up through the hole you just fell down. It wasn't very high up but at your height you would never reach the top without a ladder. Well shit.

You looked around the tiny room, if you could call it that, to see if there was another way out. Then your eyes focused in on something, a familiar ghost shaped monster that rested on the ruby red leaves that covered the ground. There was also a small, faded strip of ribbon beside the pile of leaves.

“Oh, heya Napsta. Fancy meetin’ you here.” You approached the shy ghost with a soft smile. They lifted themselves halfway off the ground and meekly returned the smile.

“um… hello. i see you fell here too…”

You crossed the small room and crouched next to them, picking up the ribbon as you did. “Yeah, I'm clumsy as always,” you commented with a chuckle before straightening back up and glanced around again.

Ahh… There was your ticket out. A small opening to your right looked promising…. You just hoped there was a ladder or stairs or something to help you get back to the first floor. You turned back to the ghost monster, pursing your lips in thought. “Will you be okay? Ghost monsters can float right?”

The monster jumped as if you had startled them. “ahh… umm… yes… we can float…i’ll be fine, i think.”

The corners of your eyes crinkled with a smile at that. Then, you waved as you headed for the door. "Alright, I'll catch you later then.”

To your surprise, there was a small ladder waiting for you in the shadows. With a sigh, you grabbed the first rung. It was oddly warm beneath your fingers. Weird. Your shoulders lifted as you brushed off the oddness of it and continued your climb back to the top.

…. However, when you pulled yourself out of the hole your young companion was nowhere in sight. You shot to your feet and frantically looked around for the child.

Well, double shit.

Chapter Text

Of Explanations and Revelations

"More puzzles. Why am I not surprised." You sighed through your nose as you pressed the last button of the puzzle. "I hope I never have to do another puzzle in my life."

The spikes blocking your path slid down into their slots with a loud thump. Wiping your brow you plopped down to the ground for a rest. Between all of the battles and the two falls you had earlier, you were bushed. As you rested you took the spider cider out of your backpack and took a tiny sip. You smiled as the magic infused cider soothed your aching muscles and sent an energizing buzz though you.

Now that you were somewhat rested you hopped to your feet and to look around for your lost charge. How had they gotten so far ahead of you?  

Ribbit? Confused you looked around when the equally confused monster croaked at you. The now familiar sensation of your Soul being pulled out chilled your bones and the room around you dulled to black.

“Oh, umm… Hello,” the froggit blinked up at you curiously as you greeted it. Instead of answering it opened its mouth, spewing a swarm flies at your exposed Soul. Breathing an oath you narrowly ducked under the oncoming attack, your Soul following your hasty movements. Damn, you thought as you swerved around another swarm of flies. This was a lot harder than Frisk made it look!

“Hey! You have very pretty eyes!” the compliment was out of your mouth as soon as there was a lull in the attacks.

The Froggit paused. Then it's face turned a bright color that you couldn't describe. The room's color flooded back and the fluttering of your SOUL was back where it belonged. The froggit refused to look you in the eye as it hopped up to you and sat beside you, holding your pants leg in one of its flippers.

With a small laugh, you knelt down and, after a moment's hesitation, patted the tiny monster on the head. Its skin was slightly slimy, but it wasn't cold like you thought it would have been. It was actually pretty warm and you could feel a slight thumping, like a heartbeat under your hand. It was a lot smaller than the rest of the froggits that you and Frisk had Encountered so far. Was it a child?

You looked around the area from where you kneeled you saw no head nor flipper of a Froggit. Where was this little guy parents? You looked back down at the tiny frog monster, who was watching your movements carefully. Your forehead scrunched up with a frown. “Are you lost, little guy?”

The Froggit flinched at the sudden sound of your voice and fixed you with a stare. Then, to your astonishment, it nodded. Oookay, that was new. You had thought that the Froggits didn't understand you. “Err… well, do you want me to help you?”

Again, it nodded and you nodded back. You scooping the hand-sized frog up in your good hand and sat it on your shoulder. You smiled as it clutched your shirt and hair as you began to move.

“Oh, by the way, do you know where Torial's is?”

************

You found the Froggit’s parents sitting under a black tree a few rooms later in the room the Froggit pointed out where Torial's place was supposed to be. They looked terribly worried as they talked to Torial and Frisk. As soon as your shoulder companion saw its parents it climbed down as fast as it could and rushed to them. Torial and Frisk looked up in surprise at the sudden appearance of the young Froggit, then smiled when they spotted you lingering in the doorway.

As you walked toward Torial and Frisk the Froggit's croaked their thanks and hopped off, their family whole once again. You smiled after them. But the smile soured as you turned to a very sheepish looking Frisk.

“You left me again Frisk.” You huffed indignantly. You fixed the child with a miffed look. The look cleared a moment later, though. You just couldn't stay mad at the imp when they look at you with those big brown puppy dog eyes. Instead, you bonked them over the head gently with your fist. Their hands immediately flew to their head to rub the sore spot, narrowing their eyes venomously at you to which you responded by blowing raspberries at them.

“Children, please,” Torial giggled into her paw as the scene unfolded in front of her. The pair paused their sign bickering and turned to her, eyes widened curiously. With a sweeping gesture, the goat monster gripped the younger humans hand and the older humans shoulder. “Come, my home is just over here.”

***************

Torial’s house was the coziest little house you have ever been in, you decided after Torial gave the two the grand tour. Right after the tour, you made Frisk lay down for some much-needed shut-eye. Today had been a long, trying day for both of you.

Now you and Torial were sitting at the table nursing calming tea and munching on delicious Butterscotch-Cinnamon pie. Despite the seemingly calm atmosphere, an unsettling silence hung in the air around the two of you.  

“Torial, can you please explain to me what is going on here,” you pleaded while you held your head in your trembling hands, shoulders slumping. The shock of everything that had happened today was finally settling on you now that you had slowed down enough to process everything. “I'm honestly really confused right now.”

The said lady took on a serious, almost regal expression and set her tea aside. “How much do humans know about monsters at the moment?”

A frown clouded your face as you looked up at Torial. “Well, where we come from monsters are nothing more than a legend,” You spared an apologetic glance in Torial’s direction. “A bedtime story.”

Torial didn't look the least bit offended like you thought she would. Instead, she nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. “As I expected. It has been quite a while since humans have seen monsters,” it was Torial's turn to look apologetic. “You humans have a way of making myths and legends of thing you don't understand…”

Yes, what Torial said was very true. Humans did have a way of creating myths about everything. So why should monsters have been any different? You bit the inside of your cheek and nodded in agreement.

The goat lady patted your slouched shoulder. “Why not go get some rest? We can continue this conversation when both you and Frisk are recovered.”

You opened your mouth to protest, to say that you were fine but Torial fixed her with a no-nonsense look that screamed 'don’t argue with me, young lady’. You shut your mouth so fast that your teeth clinked together. You gulped with a nod. Torial made you nervous when she was serious….

A kind smile returned to her face, “Good, come with me dear,” As you stood Torial when to grab your hand but, after a moment's hesitation, shook her head and let her hand fall to her side with a fading smile. You blinked curiously at the action as Torial led you down the hallway. She probably tried to grab your hand out of habit. Torial glanced over her massive shoulder at you, taking in your puzzled expression. “Forgive me. It seems old habits die hard.”

You shook the apologie off and grabbed the goat women's paw, feeling childishly happy. She jolted and looked down at you with a distant smile. “Thank you, dear.”

***********

Frisk sighed happily as they cuddled deeper into your side, enjoying the peace of the moment. Today had been a really long, hard day for the both of them and Frisk was more than happy to take the comfort their caretaker was providing with your loose hug. As they drifted off they felt the older human shudder and mumble something incoherent, shattering the fragile peace. You settled back down much to the relief of the child in your arms.

Frisk let out a gasp as they were flung out of their comfortable position and onto the cold, hard floor. They glowered at you, while you looked at the child with reddening cheeks, red-rimmed eyes and quickening breaths. You had had a nightmare it seemed. The irritation faded, leaving worry in its wake.

After a moment you scurried out of bed, leaving a string of apologies in your wake. You helped them untangle from the sheets and tucked them back into bed. With another apology, you kissed them on the forehead and whispered that you were getting some water.

They yawn and settled back under the sheets just as you slipped out of the room.

“Frisk.” The said child jolted at the voice and sat up slowly. A pale figure sitting on the bed at their feet, smiling gently at them. The figure had an otherworldly feel that set Frisk at ease. They smiled at the newcomer. “I have a feeling that your friend saw me earlier. You have to tell them about everything sooner or later.”

The sleepy child’s shoulders sagged at the thought of telling you about the whole ordeal that they had accidentally dragged you into. They didn't understand why this happened this time. But they knew they were right. You had the right to know. They were still terrified of telling you though. How would you react? What if-

They looked down at their shaking hands to see a pale one wrapped around them. It was a cold but welcoming reassuring anchor in their sea of doubts. Frisk smiled at them and squeezed their hand to tell them that they were fine now.

“Think about it, okay Frisk? You don't want them to find out on their own without a proper explanation, it would only complicate things further for them to be confused.”

Frisk’s eyes narrowed determinedly and they nodded. The pale enigma smiled.

“Good. Now, get some sleep.”

And in the blink of an eye, their mysterious helper had disappeared through the slightly ajar door without a sound.

The remaining child sat quietly on the twin sized bed, contemplating what was just discussed. After a few minutes of listening to the house settle around them the floorboard right outside the room creaked, alerting them that you had returned. The door creaked in protest when you pushed the door open slowly.

“You’re still awake? Are you okay, sweetie?” You looked at them with tired concern as you crossed the room to sit next to them on the bed. Up close Frisk could see the faint bags under your eyes and they frown at you with their own concern. You weren’t sleeping well again. Your eyes softened with a smile as you pulled Frisk into your lap for a hug. They hugged you back fiercely, a fire of determination lite in the pit of their belly. They would succeed this time. They had to. For you and everyone else.

They were D̷̩̥̂̾̽̎̍͆̈͗̚͘Ë̵͙̯͂̉̌͗̽̒̂̚͘͝T̷̜̝̜̣̱̫̹̽͌Ë̵̢̥̙̯̺̟͋͋̒͗̽́̚͝R̷͇͕͙͉̦͖̗̱̺̍͒͛̅M̷͇̳̪̰̬̘̟̘͊I̴̗̟̫̒̈́͋̃͒̄͛̏͝͝͠Ñ̸̡͕̥̪͓̤̰͓̙̔̉̔̋̒̚̕Ẻ̸̛͔̗͍͗͜͝͝D̴̼̮̦͆͘.

*********

It had been about three days since they started staying with Toriel and Frisk was starting to get antsy. Torial had already explained everything about the Underground to you and Frisk (well, to you mostly).  Now they knew that they absolutely had to tell you about everything sooner or later. The latter was preferable but sooner was the best way to go about this since you knew about the Underground already. You were very observant, you would find out on your own without trouble if they weren't careful. They spared you a sidelong glance. You were sitting beside them at the kitchen table with them, nursing a cup of golden flower tea and reading a book while humming a light tune under your breath. You looked really funny with glasses, Frisk noted with a sly smile.

You had stopped humming and squinted at them, lifting a brow when your eyes met theirs. “What? Is there something on my face?”

With a mischievous twinkle in their eyes, they nodded and held up their hands. When you tilted your head with a nonplussed expression they snickered and pressed their index fingers and thumbs together before holding them up to their eyes to make mock glasses. You huffed and pushed the affronting object back up your nose before you pinched their cheek playfully. Frisk knew you weren’t really upset though. You were trying to hide a smile. Your eyes drifted back to her book, effectively ending the moment.

It was way too much fun to tease you. Your reactions were the best. Frisk snickered, then leaned their chin on the hand and attempted to read over your shoulder. By that time Torial had entered the room the platter filled with an assortment of delectable looking breakfast foods. Their belly rumbled in delighted at the sight and smell and they grinned up at the kind monster as she set a plate of magical pie in front of them with a soft smile of her own.

Thank you, Mom! Frisk sighed before grabbing their fork and digging in. It was great, as always. The magic in the food tingled down their spine, leaving them full and energized with just a few bites.

Torial’s bell-like laughter rang across the table as she placed her plate down and took a seat. “Slow down, my child! The food isn't going anywhere!”

They grinned at her cheekily and continued to scarf down their meal at a fast pace, much to the older monster and humans amusement.

“So Frisk, what do you want to do today?” You asked as you placed your book aside after effectively marking your place. Frisk thought for a second, tapping their chin with the back of their fork. The two of them had already fully explored the Ruins… twice, Frisk was tired of reading, and they were sure Torial and you were tired of them wreak havoc around the tiny house. They were actually really just delaying the inevitable. They had to leave, and very soon. They didn't want to-

“Frisk?”

“My child?”

Torial's and your concerned voices snapped them out of their revere. When they looked up from their plate and at their faces, they felt a pang of guilt at their worried gazes.

They felt their friend shift uncomfortably beside them. “Frisk, we need to get this over with. We've already been here long enough,” they placed a supportive hand on their shoulder.

With a sigh, Frisk brought their hands up and smiled carefully. “I'm fine! Just a little tired.”

Torial narrowed her eyes at them sharply in a way that made them sweat before going about eating her breakfast and by the way you were stiffly sitting in your chair, narrow eyes trained on them, they could tell you were far from convinced either.

‘We'll talk later.’ Your eyes promised. You thanked Toriel for the meal and went out for some air.

After a beat Frisk copied your actions and followed your path out the door. Torial’s call of ‘be careful!’ followed them out the door.

***********

Sometimes it would be nice to have a voice again. This thought ran through Frisk’s mind more than once since they decided talking just wasn't for them. Now would be one of those times. They walked through the not so maze-like ruins, wishing they could just call out to you. Their friend trailed behind them slightly, their eyes shifting as they aided in the search.

Do you see anything? They huffed at the silly question and drifted up to face Frisk, a smirk playing on their lips. "If I saw something you would know it, wouldn't you?”

Oops, they were right. With rosy cheeks, Frisk stuck their tongue out at them, then sighed and turned the corner into the Froggit room. The three (four including the tiny Froggit it the wall) greeted them with cheerful croaks. A smile lite up Frisk face in a sort of greeting.

“Ribbet. If you're looking for your friend they went that way.” The biggest Froggit waved a flipper onward, deeper into the Ruins. “I think they were going to see Napstablook, where the red leaves are.”

Frisk thanked them with a nod, squared their shoulders, and went on their way.

********

The red leaves crinkled underneath you as you laid on your back beside Napstablook, head pillowed my your arms. The silence was comfortable and it gave you a chance to reflect on the past three days. Your mind was still reeling with all of the information overload from the past few days. The nightmare last night came flashed through your mind. Your body shuttered involuntarily and you struggled to push those memories back into the box you locked them in. You had thought that you had worked passed all of that since you hadn't had an episode like that in a long time. Maybe it was caused by all of the stress that was pressing in on you after everything that had happened recently. You shook your head and filed that train of thought away for later. The next thought that bubbled up to the surface was the explanation that Torial had given the two of you. According to her, the monsters beyond the Ruins were after humans for their SOULS. They would kill any human the past through and take the SOULS to King Asgore. Another shiver slithered down your spine and your hand shot up to grip you grungy shirt above your fluttering SOUL beneath.

You closed your eyes, willing yourself to calm down. Once your heart was beating steadily again you move on to the next thing you needed to give some thought. Frisk. They’ve been acting strangely since you fell. You decided that it was probably due to stress.

You sighed softly, your thoughts drifting away like wisps of smoke. You had been doing that quite a lot recently. It's no wonder why with what you and Frisk had been through, what with all of the twists your lives had been taking lately. Falling into the Underground, meeting monsters, taking care of Frisk, and not to mention you have no idea if you'd ever make it home or not. The last thought made your newly discovered SOUL tighten painfully. You narrowed your eyes at the ceiling. A warmth pulsed from your chest and spread throughout your body. No matter the danger, you had to get out of the Underground. Frisk could not grow up in a place like this. They needed to grow up in the sun. Your family was probably worried sick about the both of you by now. You had to get back to them. The warm feeling burned through you, bring more thoughts of leaving with it. You wouldn't give up, no matter what.

You sat up, feeling lighter than you had since you fell. An unconscious smile wormed its way onto your face. You thinking session had done you a lot of good.

Your train of thought wreaked midway as your attention drifted to the rapid footfalls above you. What in the world…?

Frisk came barreling down the ladder and came to a halt before they could trample you to the ground, startling Napstablook so badly they disappeared instantly. You placed a hand on their shoulder to steady them. As soon as they were steady they started signing so rapidly that even you had trouble keeping up, you only caught mad at me, trouble, and sleep. Their usual neutral expression was replaced with a more distressed one. You placed your hands on their cheeks gently and then, after making sure they were calm, let go of them in order to sign. When they were stressed they responded better when you used sign language instead of talking.

“Slow down, Frisk. I can't understand what you're telling me when you sign that fast,” your hands moved slowly and soothingly. Slowly the tightness in their face relaxed back into their neutral expression.

With a nod, they started to sign slowly. Sorry if I upset you at breakfast. I need to- their hands paused as a look of pure determination crossed their face. You blinked at the sudden change in their posture. A chill crept down your spine. I must tell you something really important. But we cannot talk here. Come with me.

Frisk grasp your hand in their surprisingly fridged one and began to lead you away. As you let yourself be led away you studied their rigid posture, something was very off with them.

But it was your job as their guardian to encourage them when they want to talk so you tried to push all of your worries down and focus on them for the time being.

“Frisk, I wasn't angry with you this morning, I just-” they cut you off by looking back at you so intensely that it made you draw away from them slightly. “Frisk…?”

They dropped your hand and tilted their head back to look at the ceiling. You followed their gaze. You were back in the flower room. The sun was setting high above your heads, painting the walls red and gold. It would have been beautiful if you had not been so uneasy. You wanted to know what's going on here, right? Why we’re in the Underground in the first place?

You nodded, bewildered by the sudden change in them. It was like they were a different person. Another shiver rolled through you and something buzzed uncomfortably behind your eyes and in your ears. That weird presence was back again.

Frisk closed their eyes and took a deep breath. Right. First I must introduce myself.

You blinked rapidly. Introduce-? Did you just mistranslate what they signed? You opened your mouth to ask them to sign that again but no words came. Instead, you inhaled sharply.

Frisk opened their eyes.

Red.

“Greetings. I am Chara.”

Chapter Text

You stared at the child for far longer than you meant to. Your brain was scrambling to process what had just happened and all you could do was stand there gaping. The child you had been with for months had just talked. They never talked. You swallowed thickly as the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end and your body broke out in a cold sweat. Your features crinkled uneasily.

Fr-Chara’s red eyes flickered with some unreadable emotion as you stared down at them. “Wh-What,” your voice squeaked out unintentionally, making you flinch and clear your throat. “Fri- I mean Chara…. I-”

They put a hand up to stop your oncoming ramble. Then they sat in the middle of the small flowers, looking older and more worn than a child should ever look. Your chest throbbed. You felt a rush of… something for this child. Something that you couldn't place. But it was so intense that you just couldn’t ignore it. So you ACTed on that feeling. You pushed all of your lingering negative emotions in a box in the back of your mind so you could focus solely on the child before you.

You sat beside the child and gently grasped their hand, feeling calmer and more collected than you had a few moments ago. They tensed uncomfortably and turned to stare at you, red eyes wide.

“I'm listening, sweetie. Just tell me whatever you feel comfortable with. You can start whenever you ready, okay Chara?”

They nodded and sighed quietly, rubbing their face with their free hand. “I’m sorry, I see what Frisk was talking about now. This is really hard to talk about.”

You smiled patiently. “Just take your time, Chara. I'm not going anywhere.”

They took a deep breath and looked up at the stalagmite covered ceiling. They looked so damned tired. You tighten your grip on the child’s hand as the burning in your chest intensified. They closed their eyes and the floodgates opened. They told you about the first time Frisk fell and how they had awakened their SOUL from a deep sleep through pure DETERMINATION. They told you about the RESETs, oh gods, the RESETs…

While they were talking their hand started to shake uncontrollably. You pulled them into your lap gently so you could comfort them when they needed it. But they didn't seem to notice. They just kept talking as they stared off into the distance like their mind was somewhere else. At one point Frisk came back out and clung to you as they explained how hard it was to remember anything before RESETs started sometimes. How hard it was to remember each and every RESET. How most of the time everything just blended together in their memories. How you never showed up in the Underground before.

They told you how Chara helped them through the Underground and RESETs.

They told you that you would have to leave the comfortable embrace of Toriel's house and face the rest of the Underground. You would have to Fight Toriel, from what they could remember.

They quieted down after a while and the room fell into a somber silence. The kind of silence that made you jump at the smallest noise and the shadows dancing on the walls press in close, waiting to choke the happiness out of you. Your body shivered as you began to process what Frisk and Chara had just told you. RESETs, sharing a body, SOULs, lost memories, it was all so much! Frisk climbed out of your lap when you gripped your head with a small groan. They put their hands over yours with a face full of concern.

“F-Frisk, I need a moment to think, sweetie,” they yanked their hands back as if you had burnt them but you grabbed them before they could go too far. Their face was emotionless when you gently placed your hands on their cheeks but their eyes were screaming sadness and betrayal. That hurt you worse than anything that had happened recently. You swallowed your own weariness and gathered them in your arms, stroking their hair soothingly. “Oh, honey… I promise I'm not angry with you or anything like that. I'm very glad that you told me all of this. I'm so proud of you. You are so strong, so Determined, to be able to go through all of the things that you when through. But Frisk. Most people aren't used to hearing that their lives for the past year have been RESETting over and over again and that SOULs even exist or that any of this exists. I'm just a little overwhelmed right now.”

They reached around to grip the back of your shirt and buried their face in the crook of your neck. You ran your hand through their thick hair in a calming gesture. They were so brave. You couldn't even begin to imagine what they've been through with the RESETs and the Underground and Monsters… you mentally gave yourself a shake. Those thoughts could wait until later when you had time to sort through them. You wondered how long they kept all of this bottled up?

Your chest burned with a fiery... something that you haven't felt in a long time. It burned you down to your very SOUL filling you with...Something you couldn't describe.

...But...

...You wouldn't allow anyone or anything cause this much pain to this child… no these children, including Chara, ever again.

***

You and Frisk returned to Toriel's house shortly after you got a concern call about your whereabouts. She scolded both of you for skipping lunch and being late for dinner. After an apology from you and a hug from Frisk, she calmed down and sent you both to wash up for dinner.

Dinner was delicious as always. You were going to miss it when you left. Guilt nagged at the back of your mind. You and Frisk were going to break Torial’s heart by doing what you had planned out for in the near future. But it was for the best. You had to get back to the surface, back to your family, back to the sunshine. It would be hard but you would make it somehow, you would make sure of that. Frisk deserved that.

Speaking of Frisk, they were back to their normal mischievous self and Chara hadn't talked to you since explaining the RESETs. It was odd… two children in one body. You were still trying to process the whole situation and you had to admit, you were still a bit freaked out about it. But, you knew that you would expect Chara no matter what. Chara was apart of Frisk and Frisk was family, no matter if they had to share a SOUL. It had to be tough on both of them though. You wondered how long they had been like that. Would they go-

Frisk's warm hand wormed its way into yours. When you glanced over at them they smiled at you reassuringly. You smiled back, squeezing their hand to reassure them as well. You felt Toriel's warm red-brown eyes on the two of you. She was worried. You could tell by the way her normally bright eyes dulled when she looked at Frisk.

Maybe you could convince her to go with you. The Ruins are no place for someone to live, especially not by yourself. She must have been so incredibly lonely, waiting for months or even years for humans to fall only for them to leave her in the end. You wanted her to be happy too. You had to find the right words to convince her.

Dinner was quiet that night. Frisk was dosing in their chair, half-eaten dinner growing cold in front of them. It had been an emotionally taxing day for them. Poor kid. You and Toriel exchanged a meaningful glance and you cleaned up dinner while she put Frisk to bed. You were thankful for the small moment to yourself. It gave you enough time to process the information overload today had been. Your mind wandered as your body when through the familiar motions of washing dishes. The thought that stood at the forefront of your mind was the fact that you had to break Toriel's heart in the near future. The image made the stone that had formed in your stomach earlier ten times heavier. You didn't want to-

You couldn't even finish the thought, instead, you focus all of your attention on a particularly stubborn spot of stuck-on food on Frisk's plate. You were so focused that you didn't hear Torial enter the kitchen. You jolted when she placed a warm paw on your shoulder. You looked over your shoulder at her, eyes wide with surprise.

She smiled a soft smile that didn't meet her eyes and you immediately felt the blood in your veins turn to ice.

She knew. How did she..?

You schooled your stormy expression into a small smile before it gave away any of your thoughts and turned to her, drying your wet hands on the nearby hand towel. “What's up, Tori?”

“Oh, I just wanted to have a chat. We've barely had a chance to get to speak with each other lately.” She was smiling that smile that made you think of home and family. Your stomach flipped guiltily. It was the least you could do for her.

“Sure Toriel,” you grabbed the still damp teapot from the rack where it was drying and filled it with water before placing it on the stovetop. While it was heating you walked over to the cabinet were Toriel kept her tea. “What type of tea would you like?”

Her voice drifted quietly from the dining room. “Golden Flower tea will be fine, dear.”

You grabbed two pouches of the desired tea and grabbed two cups from the rack just as the pot began to whistle. You took it off quickly, then set it on an unlit eye. You flipped the knob of the lit eye off before preparing the tea to you and Toriel's liking. The sweet aroma of Golden Flower tea filled the air.

“Thank you, dear,” Toriel took the cup from you with a grateful smile and held it up to her muzzle with a content sigh. You sat in the chair beside her with your own sigh. You sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying each others company. After a few moments of sipping on tea, Toriel set her cup down with a small clank and shifted in her seat to face you. You copied her actions hesitantly, fiddling with your fingers in your lap. “Now, I don't mean to pry, dear. But you seem troubled as of late. Is everything alright?”

Her expression was so open and understanding that you had to look away, swallowing around the painful knot that was forming in your throat. You twisted your fingers together as you tried to put your inner worries into words. “We-well, I...I’ve just been trying to get used to being down here, y’know? I'm fine, Tori.”

It wasn't a total lie. You had been struggling to adjust to all of the madness in your life as of late. You placed a hand on her paw, revealing in how soft her fur was for a moment. She placed her other paw on your hand. You’re struck again at how much bigger her hand was than yours. Everything was so different in the Underground.

“My child,” your eyes flicked up from your joined hands to meet her gaze. You almost wanted to look away again from how fondly she was looking at you, your cheeks flushed. You'd never really had someone mother you as Toriel did. But you held her gaze as she squeezed your hand comfortingly. “I know how differently everything worked in relation to the surface. It took me a while to gather my bearings when we were forced behind the barrier as well. However, you are a strong young woman. I believe in you.”

That annoying knot was clogging up your throat again and you smiled weakly up at the goat woman, warmth filling your chest- your SOUL as Toriel brought a huge paw up to your hair before running it through your hair soothingly, much like you did for Frisk. You unconsciously leaned into the warmth of her paw with a content sigh, a crooked smile playing on your lips. “Thanks, Tori. I really needed this.”

Toriel huffed out a quiet laugh. “It is no trouble, my friend. I'm very glad to have you and Frisk living here with me.”

You stiffened, guilt pulsing through you once more. You pushed it back down and forced a smile, stretching the back of your head with a shrug. “It's no problem, Tori.”

Toriel stood with a tired sigh, smoothing the wrinkles out of her dress in the process. “Goodness, I've kept you much too long! It is very late. We should both retire and get some rest.”

You nodded and stood quickly. The awkwardness of the previous conversation was making you antsy. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. G'night Tori.”

“Goodnight, dear.”

***

Frisk didn't sleep well that night. Not even when you finally crawled into bed and let them curl into your warmth. They always hated this part of the RESETs when they remembered. Fighting Toriel was one of the hardest things they had to do in the whole Underground. But... At least they had you to support them this time. They had Chara of course, but there was only so much a spirit could do.

Frisk rudded their eyes tiredly, but the nerves energy in their body refused to let them sleep. They glanced up at you from their place tucked into your side. You were lying on your back, staring at the ceiling. Were you as worried as they were? You looked down at them with a tired smile and turned onto your side to take them into your arms, tucking them under your chin. They wrap their arms around you and snuggled into your stomach with a content sigh.

Worrying about how this RESET would go wouldn’t change the outcome. All they could do was hope that everything would go to plan.

They were DETERMINED to get this RESET right.

Chapter Text

“Would you mind joining me in the dining room for a chat, my friend?” You glanced up from the book you were reading with an affirmative noise and closed it after marking your page. It had been a few days since you and Frisk had your discussion but neither of you was ready to leave Tori yet. You weren’t sure you’d ever be ready. Toriel was the closest person you’d had since you were little. With a quiet sigh, you uncurled from Toriel’s comfy chair and followed her into the dining room. When you entered Toriel motioned for you to join her. The massive table was covered in books and ancient-looking documents. The book lover in you drooled over all of the information that covered the table as you took a seat beside Toriel. 

“Whoa…” you sigh, snagging a nearby book and eagerly scanned the cover: Feeling with the SOUL. When you looked back up at Toriel she was watching you, eyes warm and amused. Your face flushed a little, feeling slightly embarrassed at your excitement. You mumbled out a quiet apology and put the book back down on the table. Toriel giggled and patted your shoulder fondly before she picked the book back up, pressing it back into your hands. 

“Do not worry, my child. I brought them out for you,” Your eyes widened as they roved over the expansive collection. Did she bring all of this out for you ? There had to be over twenty books stacked up in front of you! And they all looked really old. Was it even okay for you to touch them? Toriel must have picked up on your hesitation because her bell-like laugh filled the space around you. You giggled along with her despite your embarrassment. “Why don't you take the day and read, dear? I'll take Frisk out for a picnic in the meanwhile.”

Your mouth turned down into a small frown. Why was Toriel doing all of this all of a sudden? It felt like… it felt like she was saying-

“My dear, are you alright?”

You scratched your cheek and frowned at the table, trying to collect your thoughts. “Umm…While I do appreciate you doing all this for me I gotta ask, why?”

“You are always so eager to learn and you have already read most of the books I have in my home. I just thought that you would like to learn more about our kind.” 

Your eyes widened as you looked up at her, then a toothy grin overtook your features. “Thank you, Toriel.”

You spent the next hour or so pouring over the books as a person starved. Your journal laid open on the table. Many books were scattered about the table, also open. Your pen worked furiously across a clean page of your journal as your eyes darted across the page of the current book you were eating your way through, trying to absorb as much information as you could. Monster kind was so interesting! 

You put your pen down with a quiet groan and closed your journal. You had been sitting at the table for far too long. You stretched your arms above your head, sighing in relief when several places on your spine popped. It was definitely time for a break!

You ran a hand through your messy hair with a sigh. After all that reading you were itching to do something else. With that thought, you strolled out of the dining room on your way to the room you shared with Frisk. The basement stairs caught your eye as you walked passed them. You peeked over the railing, peering down into the darkness. Toriel had forbidden Frisk from going down into the basement, and to an extent, you as well. However…

The burning need to know what was down there was killing you.

Your grip on the railing tighten as you fought with yourself. Toriel wasn’t home and you would be quick.

It would just be a peek…

But...

Toriel would be highly upset with you...

…

Several minutes later you found yourself in front of a huge door at the end of the basement. Your heart was hammering in your chest. What was this door doing down here? A cold draft seeped through the door, turning your anxious shaking into shivers. This was a bad idea. Your dad always did say you were too curious for your own good. You should really just go back upstairs and forget the whole thing. Why were you even down here? You were usually so cautious…

But… you're already down here so…

…

You, who had the survival instincts of a goldfish decided it was a good idea to knock on the strange door. Probably not the brightest thing you had ever done. No. The place was still held by that time you-

You were getting sidetracked. You shook your head to get ahold of your racing thoughts and focused on the task at hand. Your hand was shaking as you bring it up to knock on the door.

Knock knock

The sound of knocking echoed around the empty basement as you listened carefully for a moment…

Nothing . 

Maybe it was just a storage room or… 

What if this was the way out? To the rest of the Underground?

You flinched away from the door at the thought, your forehead creasing as you frowned. If that was the case, is that why Toriel told you and Frisk to stay away from the stairs? Was she really-

Knock Knock…

You jumped and yelped out a curse. Somebody just knocked on the door what the Fuck! Your heart jumped to your throat, beating a mile a minute.

“you’re supposed to say ‘who’s there’.” a highly amused voice called from the other side of the door. Their voice was, despite being muffled by the thick door, unexpectedly pleasant and relaxing. You felt your body coming down from flight or fight mode at the sound of it, your shoulders relaxing, despite the very real danger you could be in at the moment.

Should you answer?

...

You swallowed dryly, “A-ahh… umm… w-who's there…?”

“avenue.” 

Your head tilted and your face scrunched in confusion. Avenue? What…? “Avenue who?”

“avenue knocked on this door before? you should know the rules by now.” they finished the joke with a small ba bum tss that you couldn't help but snicker at. Your previous inhabitants melted away as you stepped closer to the door.

“Pfff. No, uhh… this is actually my first time down here. Were you expecting someone else?”

They made a small noise and mumbled something quietly enough that you couldn't make it out even after you pressed your ear to the cold door. After a small, awkward silence they spoke again. Their laidback voice filling the space around you.

“uhh… usually, another lady comes to the door. she out today or somethin’?”

Your shoulders tensed at the mention of the lady of the house. Toriel must come down here to talk to this person a lot. You really hoped they didn't tell Toriel you were down here. You seriously did not want to get into an argument with her at all. You hated confrontation.

“Y-yeah. Umm… usually it's-” You paused for a moment, mulling over your words in your head. This stranger, despite knowing Toriel, didn't seem to know her name. They just kept calling her lady. Maybe she wanted to keep it that way? “Mom is usually down here but she's out today.”

“mom,” the stranger echoed, sounding equal parts inquisitive and suspicious. You rubbed your sweaty palms across your jeans. You wondered just how much this stranger knew about Toriel. Had she told them about you and Frisk? You highly doubted that was the case but…

“Mhmm.” 

Very eloquent, great job.  

“she didn't mention having kids.” 

“Well… she not really my mother. She took us in a few weeks ago. Me and my little sib stay with her.” Which wasn't a total lie. Toriel did take you both in and you did see Frisk as a sibling.

“huh. yeah, sounds like somethin’ she would do.”

Warmth seeped into your voice as you hummed in agreement. Toriel was a really good person. She didn't have to take you and Frisk in or teach you everything she taught you in your short time together. 

“She's a really good person,” you said, smiling fondly as you leaned against the door with a sigh. You and the stranger talked for a good while, about anything and everything. They made you laugh with a well placed joke or pun and stories about his younger brother and you returned the favor by telling them funny stories about the shin -anagines (you learned very quickly that skeleton puns were a weakness of theirs) you, Frisk, and your brothers got into once upon a time. Except, y'know, leaving out the whole human thing and all that jazz.

You huffed out a wheezing sigh as you came down from the laughing fit they just caused you with their last joke. You wiped your eye with the back of your hand. You had to leave soon. You realised somberly. Toriel would be back soon and you had to make sure you were back upstairs before she was. “Hey, uhh… I hate to cut the chat here but I gotta go. Maybe I'll talk to you again soon?”

You heard movement on the other side, like clothes shifting against the door. “sure, kid. let's ketchup soon.”

His jovel tone forced a snort out of you. Why did that sound suspiciously like a pun? You shrugged. “No problem, dude. Thanks for talking with me.”

With that, you hurried back through the winding hallway that made up the basement. Your SOUL fluttered happily in your chest. You enjoy talking with that person more than you thought you would enjoy talking to anyone besides your close family, Frisk and Toriel included. You hoped that you would get to talk to that person again.

                                     ***

That night after dinner you and Frisk were sitting side by side on the bed, telling each other how your days had been. The picnic with Toriel had gone great. Frisk adamantly signed about how Toriel took them to get spider donuts and how they got to talk to Napstablook, who was visiting the ruins today. 

Then, me and Mom when to the room with the yellow flowers. We eat water sausages and b-scotch pie for lunch!

“Sounds like you had a great day today kiddo!” their excited smile was contagious and you found yourself smiling brightly right along with them. They nodded their head vigorously, shaggy brown hair flying in every direction as they did. 

How was your day? They asked after they brushed their hair back. You paused for a moment, your day had been great. You got to go through a small library’s worth of knowledge and you finally found out what was in the basement. On top of that, you meet someone that was fun to talk to. 

“Well, Toriel set me up with all that sweet knowledge you saw on the table earlier and I spent a little while reading through those,” you told them proudly. They made their sounds really boring face and stuck their tongue out. You grabbed them around the shoulders with an offend scoff and nuggied the squirming rascal. After a few minutes of laughter and roughhousing you relented, letting the kid go. They scooted away from you with an annoyed huff. “Aww… don't be mad Frisk! Here, I'll make it up to you. Don’t you wanna know what else I did today?”

They eyed you, eyes narrowed suspiciously. You smirked and dropped your voice down to a whisper. “I found out what was in the basement.”

I already knew what is in the basement. They replied, their eyes half lidded and their lips smirking smugly.

Your smirk slipped a bit. Damn, of course they did. They remembered for the previous RESETS. You tapped your chin in thought. They didn't know that you met someone.  

You frowned inwardly. Should you tell them? You didn't want them to get in trouble with Toriel for going down there too. A light pat on your forehead made you blink, pulling you back out of your thoughts.

You were doing it again. Frisk signed, looking at you dryly. That being getting stuck in your own head and over thinking. You shook your head. 

“Sorry ‘bout that Frisk. Guess all of the excitement is getting to me.” you yawned and flopped down the plush comforter, bring Frisk down with you. They sighed through their nose and you caught a glimpse of a fond smile before they buried their face in your shoulder. The two of you laid their for a quiet moment, just enjoying each others company. You felt the air shift slightly. When you looked down your eyes clashed with red.

“Frisk is really glad that you fell with them this time, even if they won't say it,” Chara rasped, Frisk’s unused voice cracking slightly. You smiled knowingly, petting Chara's hair much like you do for Frisk. Their cheeks were dusted the same color as their eyes and they looked down at the patterned comforter. The spoke so softly that you had to lean down further to hear them. “I-I am too. It is… nice to have you around.”

You didn't say anything. You didn't need to say anything. You hugged them tighter to your chest in hopes to convey the warmth their words gave down to your very SOUL. Their hands hesitantly squeezed your nightshirt to hug you back.

The moment was broken when Chara pulled out of your embrace and sat up. The look in their eyes told you everything you needed to know.

It was time .

Dread hit you in the chest powerfully and you stiffened, muscles tightening. “So… were going to do this tomorrow, huh?”

“We can't wait any longer. The longer we wait the harder it will be to leave.”

You knew. Gods, did you know that but… 

You buried you dread and reluctance deep a box in the back of your head to unpack later and nodded.

You had to convince Toriel to come with you tomorrow or break her heart when you leave without her.

                                  ***

                                   
The next morning came too fast. Toriel cheerfully woke the both of you up with breakfast like always, but there was a certain energy in the air that set your nerves on edge. Frisk was just as cheerful as always, eating their way through two slices of quince and a razzleberry muffin. You looked down at your own half eaten muffin and wished, not for the first time, that you could pretend that nothing was wrong like Frisk could. All throughout breakfast you could feel your anxiety hitting you in waves. It was all you could do to keep your leg from bouncing under the table or pinching your thighs out of pure stress. By the time breakfast had been cleared away your hands were shaking so badly you had to stuff them into the pockets of your jeans to hide it. It was time. You were going to ask her. 

You had to ask her.

She turned her head as you approached her from the kitchen. She was sitting in her comfy armchair in front of the fire, reading a book whose title you couldn’t see from where you were standing. She smiled such a warm smile when you stopped beside her that you almost said to hell with the plan, almost . 

“Is something the matter, my friend? You seemed truly distressed this morning,” she said, looking so genuinely concerned that you felt the guilt you were burying surge back so strongly that it made your stomach lurch. You couldn’t meet her eyes. You didn’t say anything for a few moments, trying and failing miserably to collect yourself. She put a warm paw on your arm and said your name quietly. When you lifted your eyes to meet hers she was searching your face with a frown. You looked away again. “Toriel I-”

She closed her book and set it aside with a tired sigh, suddenly looking like she had seen a lifetime of sadness. “I see. I must go check on something. Please stay here with Frisk until I get back.” She abruptly stood up stiffly, expression icy. 

“Toriel-” The words stuck in your throat. Your hand shook as you reach out, fingers barely catching the edge of her soft sleeve before she disappeared into the foyer. You stood there, body and SOUL shaking with guilt for a few seconds before you steeled your nerves. You knew it was a long shot to try and talk to her beforehand, Frisk had made that point perfectly clear when the three of you (you, Frisk, and Chara) discussed your course of action late into the night last night. But you, being as stubborn as ever, at least wanted to try and make her understand. To try and get her to come with you so she wouldn't have to be alone again.

You flinched when you feel a warm hand pat your arm. You looked down to see Frisk smiling a sad, knowing smile. You ruffled their hair with a tense smile of your own. “I'm okay, kiddo. We both knew it was a long shot.” 

They nodded and slipped their hand into yours, leading you into the foyer. The dread of what was to come hung heavily in the air between the two of you. It was time to face Toriel.

You felt Chara's presence beside your left shoulder as you descended the stairs. You could feel them buzzing with nervous energy. “Don't worry, Chara,” you murmured in their direction. You felt the air shift behind you slightly and a cold breeze ghosted across your shoulder. You smiled lightly, patting your shoulder where you felt their hand. “Everything will work out in the end.” 

It had to.

The basement was eerily quiet as you lead Frisk by the hand through the dimly lit space. Toriel was waiting for the two of you at the end. She was facing a huge purple door with a familiar symbol painted across it. Her shoulders stiffened when you approached her and she turned to face you. The chilly scowl on her face didn't suit her at all, and not for the first time that morning you wished there was another way to go about this without leading to heartbreak. You took a deep breath, squared your shoulders, and looked Toriel straight in her hardened red eyes. “Toriel,” you addressed her, voice coming out a lot more steady than you felt at that moment. You felt Frisk squeeze your hand reassuringly and you squeezed back. “We really, really hate to leave you but we can't stay. Please you-”

The room temperature dropped rapidly, cutting of your words and sending goosebumps ripping across your skin. The air was so thick with magic that you could almost taste it. Frisk shifted slightly so they were standing right beside you, their small hand tightening in yours. You could feel their hand trembling in yours as the temperature began to climb in time with Toriel's rapidly gathering fire magic. You felt sweat along your hairline and on your palm where it was connected to Frisks. 

“...You wish to return ‘home’.” Toriel's voice was soft and tired, and so so cold. Your heart broke at the sound. When you dared to meet her eyes again you immediately wanted to turn tail and run back upstairs. Toriel looked…absolutely terrifying . Her face was set in an expressionless mask. The fireballs that she had summoned were drifting rapidly around her intimidating frame, casting shadows across her face in the dim basement light. You felt Frisk tense beside you, squeezing your hand to the point of it being painful before they let go and place themselves in front of you, bravely facing Toriel's rage with pure Determination.

“Frisk!” you hissed, trying to pull them back behind you and out of danger. They pay you no heed as their SOUL was pulled into the encounter, bright red making shadows dance across their face and the walls. Yours had been pulled out too, but your sole focus was on Toriel, who was scowling at you. 

“Why must you make this difficult,” she snapped, but there was no anger behind her words, only sadness. Heat licked at the skin when she attacked and you had to scramble to get out of the way. Frisk dodged with ease, letting the flames pass harmlessly by their head as they danced around them. When her attacked eased off she held your gaze coolly. “Outside of these Ruins are monsters who are willing to kill you and Frisk for your SOULs! Their King, Asgore, will make sure of it!”

Your SOUL visibly trembled at the thought, but you shoved the fear aside. You knew that you'd be in danger the moment you stepped outside of the Ruins. But you had to. You had no choice. You had to get home. Toriel took your momentary lapses in concentration to attack. Shit-! You had no time to dodge out of the way-

A hand yanked you to the left, out of the way of the scorching flames. You stumbled, caught yourself last second, and yanked yourself upright to plant yourself between Frisk and Toriel. Your SOUL burned with the need to persevere through the worst of her attacks to protect the child behind you. You sighed a quick thank you to them. 

“Toriel, I understand that you're just trying to protect us but we need to- we need to get back to the surface! We don't want to fight you, so… please Tori,” you opened your arms in a sign of peace. Your SOUL floated in front of you, the cobalt heart pulsing soothingly to calm Toriel’s rage and your anxiousness. You were Sparing her. You smiled shakily. “Please. Let us Spare you.”

The room came back into sharp focus as you SOUL rushed back into your chest. All of the tension left your body as relief flooded your veins and you closed your eyes. When you opened them again the scene in front of you was enough to make your heart melt. Toriel was down on her knees holding Frisk in a tight embrace and Frisk was squeezing her back just tight. When they separated, Toriel pressed something into their hands, running a massive paw through their hair. When she stood to her full height you could see wetness on the fur around her eyes. She turned to you with a pained smile.

“Please stay safe my friend and watch over the child, will you not?” Toriel's voice shook slightly as she swept you up into a warm hug. You buried your face into her chest, shaking slightly. Tears burned at the corners of your eyes. You hated saying goodbye.

The past few weeks had been heaven. Toriel was like the mother you never had. She had taught you so much in the short time you had been with her and Frisk was the happiest you'd seen them in a long while. You didn't want to say goodbye to her for good.

When you separated you smiled up at her gentle monster and nodded. “Of course, Tori, ” you swept a tear off of your cheek and you took her paw into your hands, face pleading. “You could come with us.”

Her smile faltered a little before she could catch it. “I'm sorry, but I cannot. Please don't insist that I do. It will only make things harder.”

You nodded while your heart broke for the monster in front of you. 

There was a beat of silence as you gathered Frisk's hand up and lead them toward the intimidating door that Toriel had been guarding. With one last look over your shoulders, you and Frisk pushed the open as Toriel disappeared back down the dark hallway. 

The door led to another dim hallway of the same purple as the others. You let out a breath and pulled surprised Frisk into a tight hug. They returned it fiercely, grabbing the back of your jacket in two small fists. “Are you okay Frisk?”

They nodded, face still buried in your stomach. When they pulled back they were smiling faintly up at you. I'm okay. Are you okay?

“Yeah, sweetie,” you ruffled their hair affectionately before you sighed through your nose to calm you still racing heart. “How's Chara?”

The atmosphere around Frisk shifted and their posture changed. They stood a little straighter and red eyes met your own. “I am…okay. I appreciate your concern.”

You smiled. “No problem, kiddo.” They seemed to grimace at the nickname and they withdrew back into Frisk with an irritated grumble. You rose an eyebrow at their unusual behavior but shrugged it off, instead, you turned your attention to the long hallway stretching out before you. It was even more foreboding than the previous hallways back in the basement. Welp, guess it was time to get traveling. 

The only sound in the hallway was you and Frisk’s footfalls echoing off of the walls. A chill traveled down your spine the further you walked. At the end, the hall opened up into a dark room. A patch of sunlight leaked into the room from a large hole in the ceiling and at the very center was a patch of grass with a single yellow flower. The foreboding feeling spiked as you approached the flower and you unconsciously started edging Frisk to walk behind you, eyeing the flower carefully. Frisk sidestepped around you and hurried toward the flower with a purpose, ignoring you hisses to get back and to stay with you. The flower fucking m o v e d.

You heart sputtered to a stop when the flowers beady black eyes looked followed Frisk’s approach. It smiled cheerfully when Frisk stopped in front of it and started signing so fast that even you had trouble keeping up. Your fear spiked when the flowers face began to morph into something so hateful that a chill seeped through you SOUL and it began to lift its vines out of the ground. Oh hell no.

You snatched Frisk back by the back of their sweater with a protective snarl. Frisk stumbled back into you arms just in time for you to see needle-sharp vines shoot up out of the ground right where Frisk had been standing. The child was shaking slightly as they extracted your trembling hands from around them and started signing it’s okay over and over with shaky hands. The flower was gone when you glanced back at the patch of grass. Thank stars. (Toriel had really rubbed off on you with that saying. You loved it to bits.)

“What the hel-heck was that Frisk?!” you demanded, trying to keep your voice even and calm. You ran a hand through your hair with a stressed sigh as the child rubbed their arm with a face full of guilt. 

That was my friend Flowey. He's not very...nice right now. He’s going through a lot. I was trying to keep him calm and explain when he… attacked. I'm sorry.

You rubbed your face with a sigh. Then you smiled warily down at them. They couldn't meet your eye. You couldn't have that, now could you? You had to lighten the mood somehow. “You know,” you started, keeping your voice light and amused. Frisk finally looked up, still looking upset. You smiled teasingly. “We really need to start making friends that don't want to kill us.”

Their shoulders finally relaxed and they grinned with a nodded. We really do.

When the shock of Flowey had worn off and the pair of you had rested enough you set off for the next set of huge purple doors. The same doors you passed knock knock jokes through to the stranger on the other side. You would get to meet them soon, you realised. The thought comforted you as you faced the doors, your expression set in a determined frown. A chilly breeze drifted through the crack of the doors and you subconsciously pulled your arms closer to your body. You felt Frisk press closer to you in an effort to keep warm.

Your grip on their hand tightened and you pushed the heavy purple door open with your shoulder, tugging Frisk with you. The door creaked open letting the bright light of the outside spill into the Ruins. 

You and Frisk exchanged firm nods. Frisk's eyes burned with Determination, making your SOUL burn with an intense emotion again. You let it flow over you and you took a deep breath to calm your racing heart. 

You stepped out into the cold, unknown Underground…

…

And immediately sunk calf-deep in freezing snow. You bit back a yelped curse and scooped Frisk up under one arm out of the snow. You fought through the snow until you got onto the stamped down path, trying to ignore Frisk's shaking shoulders against your ribs. Your face and ears burned with embarrassment. You put the cackling child down and huffed. “Yeah, that's so funny Frisk. Laugh it up.”

They doubled in silent laughter, wiping tears from their eyes. That was hilarious! They signed once they were calm enough to. You scowled, but it shifted into something warmer when Frisk looked up at you with smiling eyes. It was hard to stay mad when they looked at you like that. You ruffled the hair playfully. “Alright pipsqueak, let's make tracks.”

You shrugged off your jacket and secure it around their shoulders despite their protests of But you need this jacket! and I already have something warm! You chuckled at their weak attempt to pull the jacket back off and you reached down to secure it around them further. You shifted your bag more comfortably across your back with a frown as you began to walk. It was a lot lighter than you would have liked for a journey like this. You had packed food and other necessities for the trip but it wouldn't last long if there wasn't civilization close by. You mention this to Frisk.

Frisk rubbed their chin, and after a few moments their face lite up. There's a town called Snowdin up ahead. It’s a really awesome town! They have a restaurant their named Grillby's that I really want you to try. And we could go the Librarby to learn more about Monsters! A fond smile crossed their passive features as they signed. You couldn't help but smile as they rambled on about Snowdin. Snowdin sounded like the perfect place to rest and restock before you planned out the next move. You hoped-

The thought was cut off by a startled yelp when the toe of your sneaker snagged a huge fallen branch, causing you to pitch forward onto the snowy ground. Grumbling profanities under your breath you careful pick yourself back up and brushed yourself off, trying to ignore the burning blush on your cheeks and Frisk’s bouncing shoulders. You match forward with a purpose to save the little bit of dignity you still have left. They caught up with your stride and gripped your hand, shoulders still shaking with laughter. When you scowled at the that sheepishly rubbed the back of their neck signing, Sorry. Are you okay?

You rubbed your stinging palm against your thigh and nodded with a small grimace. You really hoped that your palm wasn't bleeding. Blood was a bitch to get out of jeans. Something you'd learned from experience.“What I wanna know is why that branch decided to sleep like a log in the middle of the path.”

They rolled their eyes in exasperation at your weak attempt at a joke but you could see their shoulders relax a small fraction. They turned to you, hands up in mid-sign when...

…

SNAP

…

Both of you jumped at the sudden noise in the otherwise quiet forest. The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end as you and Frisk turned to see the branch smashed to bits. Your muscles tensed as you studied the splintered wood Frisk’s grip was like iron as you glanced at each other, eyes wide with panic. Oh, jeez… what the hell could have done that…?

Without a second thought, you both sped off down the path, tripping and stumbling over the snow. Your heart hammered harder against your ribs when your hypersensitive ears picked up on faint footsteps stopping and starting behind you. 

Damn damn damn! Your mind chanted. There was a bridge ahead and if you could just … 

Just as the two of you reached the bridge you noticed huge, thick bars blocking your path. You came to a screeching haul with a sharp intake of breath. Frisk slammed into your back when you stopped. Your breath was coming out in harsh puffs of steam as you looked around wildly for a way out as the footsteps got closer.

And closer.

And closer.

It stopped.

It was right behind you.

A chill ran down the length of your spine. 

...

Shit.

Chapter Text

You hauled a protesting Frisk behind you and turned toward the… skeleton? H-he was a skeleton… wearing a blue jacket with a white shirt underneath and black basketball shorts with… pink slippers? You probably would have laughed at the oddity of his choice in footwear if you hadn't been so terrified. 

A freaking grinning, living skeleton was standing right in front of you, what were you-

He held out a gloved hand and you flinched at the sudden movement, your grip on Frisk grew just a little tighter. His grin was a little stiff around the edges, guarded, and his shoulders were tense despite his calm, almost lazy, demeanor. You didn't blame him. You were feeling the same way. When you looked up from his extended hand again you were met with empty eye sockets that held white lights that served as pupils. His eyelights were sharp as they drifted across your features curiously like you were a puzzle to be figured out. “don't you know how to greet a new pal?” 

The quiet baritone of his voice sent a chill down your spine. His voice was deep.

...

Wait… you recognized that voice...

You gingerly reached out a trembling hand out and gripped his gloved bones and…

...

Pffffffffffftttt

… 

Oh… oh no... Was that…? Did he just really…? Frisk was losing it behind you, leaning one hand on their knee and beating a fist on your back while their shoulders shook with laughter. You tore your wide-eyed gaze away from the mysterious skeleton to give them a stern look after the internal shock had passed. Your stern mask cracked, however, when you glanced back at the skeleton. He had the biggest shit-eating grin plastered across his skull and his eyes were bright with mirth. You snorted! Your laughter echoed off the trees as you lost it with Frisk. And just like that most of the guarded tension left your shoulders. Any guy that could pull off a prank like that was okay in your book.

“ Oh my stars ,” you wheezed, still trying to recover from your laughing fit. You straightened from your previous position of leaning your hands on your knees and grinned brightly at the skeleton. “That was great, dude. Oh man...”

You held your hand back out to the skeleton, who was patiently waiting for your giggles to die down. His shit-eating grin dropped back into an easy smile as he took your hand again. You tell him your name, still smiling brightly. “And this is Frisk. It's nice to finally meet you in person. You're that funny guy that I talked to through the door, right?” 

Frisk sidestepped around you to shake the skeleton's hand before returning to your side. “the name's sans. sans the skeleton. and yeah, the ol’ whoopie cushion gets ‘em every time,” he winked in your direction as he stuffed his hands back into his jacket pockets, taking on an actual casual, lazy air this time. The small laugh that threatened to escape was quickly smothered by your hand. All of the skeleton jokes made so much more sense now that you'd met him. “so… i suppose i tickled your funny bone with my jokes through the door, huh?”

“You definitely did. Your jokes are very humerus .” you said merrily as you brushed some snow off of your shoulder. Frisk paled and started rapidly signing. 

Nononono! Don’t get him- Frisk’s hands stopped when Sans barked out a laugh and his grin sharpened into something mischievous. “you like puns too, do ya?”

                                  ***

“S-sans, for the love of everything please, stop.”  Your stomach was aching. Your ribs hurt. And you were pretty sure Frisk and Chara had checked out of the conversation a long time ago, opting to quietly converse amongst themselves. Sans hadn't stopped punning and telling jokes the whole walk. He knew your weakness and hoo boy did he know how to push it. He finally relented when you entered a huge clearing with a strange-looking lamp and a little building.

“so, I was actually supposed to be on the lookout for humans, but that’s more my bro papyrus’s thing. he's a human-hunting fanatic,” he must have noticed you pale and pull Frisk closer because he smiled reassuringly. “don't worry, he's harmless. wouldn't hurt a fly.”

The nervous tension in your shoulders lifted and you loosened your grip on Frisk. Your weariness ebbed further when you looked down at Frisk. Don't worry. Papyrus is a really cool guy. You’ll love him! Frisk signed, a grin brightening their face. 

His eyelights focused on something further down the path and his grin widened. His eye lights drifted back to you and Frisk. “hate to ask ya this but could you two hide over there?”

You and Frisk exchanged a glance, then you shrugged, leading Frisk to the (conveniently shaped) lamp that Sans gestured to. Then you hurried behind the strange building, ducking out of sight behind it. Your eyes scanned the various condiments under the counter. Ketchup, mustard, and relish were all stored messily in large bottles and what looked like homemade hotdog buns were sprawled out in bags across the rest of the available surface… Was this a hotdog stand? You shook the thought away with a chuckle. How odd.

You curiously peeked back over the side just in time to see a much taller skeleton match over to Sans, hands on his hips. This new skeleton was wearing some kind of chest plate and a bright red scarf with boots to match. A very cool outfit .

“sup, bro?”

“SANS, THERE YOU ARE,” His shrill (but not unpleasantly so) voice boomed across the clearing, rattling your bones. ( snk.You'd have to tell Frisk that one later ).  He was at least six feet tall, towering over Sans by a good foot or so. From where you were hiding you could just make out the scowl on his face (Skull? You didn't really know how monster skeleton anatomy worked.) Sans was smiling up at him. Well, he seemed to be always smiling but that was beside the point. “IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T RECALIBRATED YOUR PUZZLES! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?”

Sans shrugged. “just hangin’ around this lamp. it's pretty cool, yeah? wanna take a look too?”

Papyrus narrowed his eye sockets, looking vaguely in Frisk's direction before he rounded on his brother again, stamping his foot indignantly. You let out a small sigh of relief when he didn't notice Frisk crouched behind the lamp. Sans and Frisk reassured you that he wasn't dangerous but… you couldn't help the little nagging voice in your head that whispered to be cautious, despite your curiosity.   

“NO, I DON’T HAVE TIME! WHAT IF A HUMAN PASSES THROUGH HERE,” you almost laugh at the irony of his words. If only to the poor skeleton knew. “I WANT TO BE READY!” 

As they banter playfully you began to notice just how cold you had gotten since you stopped moving. Your skin was covered with goosebumps and an occasional shiver sent your teeth chattering. Your ratty old sweatshirt was very little help in blocking the biting cold. Damn, if you didn't get somewhere warm soon you'd be in trouble. You peer back over the counter at the brothers, rubbing warmth back into your numb arms.

“YOU LAZYBONES! ALL YOU DO IS SIT A BOONDOGGLE! YOU GET LAZIER AND LAZIER EVERYDAY!” 

“hey, take it easy. i’ve gotten a ton of work done today, ” Sans held out his hands in front of him in mock defense. There was a best of silence and you could have sworn you saw Sans smirk in your direction before he grinned at his brother. “a skele- ton .”

You quickly stifle you laughter behind your hand. Dammit, Sans. 

“SANS!” Papyrus groaned, fixing his brother with an irritated scowl. You didn't know why but you felt that Papyrus and scowling just didn't go together. He really was too cool. Sans winked good-naturedly at him. “come on bro, your smiling.” 

Papyrus sighed, letting his shoulders slumped in resignation. There was a small, reluctant smile pulling at his teeth. “I AM AND I HATE IT!”

A small giggle slipped passed your lips as the playful argument continued. These brothers were hilarious! After a few well-placed jabs and puns Papyrus took his leave yelling about attending to his puzzles and for Sans to put more backbone into his work. After he made sure he was gone, Sans motioned for you and Frisk to come out of hiding. 

***

No matter how hard they tried Frisk couldn't decipher the expression Sans was wearing as he watched the two of you approached. Through the last few RESETs, they thought they had gotten better at reading him, but he was just as unreadable as he was the first time they met him and that bothered them. 

They were definitely out of their depth, and they hated it. This was all so new. You were new. This timeline wouldn't be predictable as the others had been. They wondered if Sans was just as out of his depth as they were.

You were an unpredictable ‘variable’ as Sans said in a long past timeline when they had talked about such things. They just hoped that he could see that you weren’t a dangerous variable. Maybe… maybe you could help…? 

They felt more than heard Chara scoff in the back of their mind. What childish thinking. That kind of thinking will get someone hurt.

Even though it hurt they knew Chara was right. They couldn't ask that of you. They couldn't fight the sadness that invaded their SOUL. Chara stirred uncomfortably. They are already involved enough as it is. The only reason we told them about the RESETs is so they wouldn't panic if something happened to us. There is no need to be sad.

Yeah… but-

A sharp bark of surprised laughter startled them out of their negatively spiraling thoughts. You were grinning proudly as Sans cover his teeth, his eyelights bright with astonished mirth, laughing at the no doubt crappy joke you told. They smiled in spite of the heavy weight that settled on their SOUL. 

You and Sans seemed to get along. But they knew from experience that Sans was deceptively good at getting along with everyone, even if he was wary of them. He was probably just hanging around to keep an eye socket on you. They were worried. They just really wanted this timeline to work out. For everyone's sake. 

“You okay, Frisk?” Your voice shook them out of their thoughts again. They seemed to be getting lost in thought a lot lately. They rearranged their face into a smile before meeting your gaze and nodded energetically. They didn't want you to worry any more than you already did about them. You had more than enough to worry about as it was. You narrowed your eyes suspiciously, studying them intently before you smiled back, seemingly satisfied with their answer for the moment.

“If you're sure, sweetie.”

Yep, I'm fine! I'm just ready to get exploring already!

Your face brightened as they took your hand, then you turned to Sans, who was watching your exchange quietly. You rocked back on your heels awkwardly. “So, uh, If you have somewhere to be me and Frisk should be okay now.”

Sans is a bone-ified lazybones! He doesn't have anything better to do. They grin jovially at Sans as you suck in an offended breath through your nose. Sans narrowed his eyes in mock offense as you sputtered out an apology in their defense. Sans winked at Frisk, making them giggle behind their hands before his eye lights flickered back to you. He waved off your apologies with an amused grin.

“nah, ‘s snow problem, pal. kids right, i am a bone-afide lazybones . ‘sides what kinda comedian would i be if i couldn't take a joke?”

You seemed to relax at Sans dismissal of your apology. You rubbed the back of your neck awkwardly. “Oh, hahaha…that’s good. I was worried you'd be offend- wait, you know sign language?”

Sans nodded, “yep.” Frisk felt their SOUL thump happily. They had forgotten that Sans knew sign language too!

“but uh, i do actually have to go. gotta catch up with paps,” He started to leave the clearing but suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the two of you. He looked like he was contemplating something as his eyelights ran over you and Frisk. “actually, could i ask ya to do somethin’ for me?”

Frisk nodded before you could get a word out. Sure! 

“my brother’s been kinda down lately ... and he’s never seen a human before so meetin’ you two might just make his day.”

Frisk looked up at you with pleading eyes. Internally Chara was snickering along with them. They knew exactly what that expression does to you. They watched your nose wrinkle in annoyance as you fought the power of their big brown eyes before a big sigh pushed passed your nose. You had been defeated once again! They gave Chara a mental high five as your weary expression softened into a friendly smile when you turned your gaze back to Sans.

“Well, as long as it makes Frisk and your brother happy who am I to deny such a request?”

A small thankful smile pulled at Sans’ teeth. “thanks a million.” He gave you a two-fingered salute before stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking off… in the wrong direction.

You stared after him dumbfoundedly as Frisk snickered. Sans was always so full of surprises.

***

“Magic is so cool.” You remarked excitedly as you end a friendly confrontation with the punny Snowdrake. The said snowdrake shuttled off, muttering joke ideas under his breath. Your SOUL felt light and happy as it nestled back in your chest where it belonged. You turned to Frisk with a smile…

“Frisk what in the world are you doing?”

The child in question was standing a few feet away, rummaging through a small wooden box that sat just off the path. They looked at you with a triumphant grin as the held up a single worn pink glove in their hand and waved it. You close the distance between the two of you and pluck the glove out of their hand to examine it. The strangest thing seemed to happen when you studied it more closely. 

*Tough Glove

*A worn pink leather glove. For five-fingered folk.

Words echoed in your head softly, just on the edge of your consciousness. You jumped slightly at the suddenness of the strange voice, eyes going wide as your eyes darted around the forest. What the hell was that?

“You checked the items description,” Chara explained, their voice taking on an amused lite. Your eyes darted to them, meeting their smug expression with your own disbelieving one.

“I did what now? You mean like you would in a video game?”

“It is more complicated than that but that is one way to describe it.” they took the glove out of your hand and put it on in a fluent motion, flexing their fingers experimentally. 

You watched the snow drift lazily from the ceiling as you collected the new information, storing it away to write down when you had time and started walking along the path again. “Okay, so let me get this straight, I can check the ‘descriptions’ of things now. Why couldn't I do that before? Like when we found that ribbon in the Ruins?”

Chara was quiet for a while and stared at the cloud cover ceiling as the mulled over your question. You let them be. You knew how hard it was to explain something to someone when you’d never had to explain it before. They nodded their head suddenly.

“My best guess would be that the magic in the rest of the Underground is a lot more potent than that of the Ruins and it is affecting your SOUL. Maybe you are absorbing the extra magic since your SOUL does not contain any?”

That would make a lot of sense. You have been feeling more connected to your SOUL since you stepped out of the Ruins. Your SOUL might be just absorbing leftover magic from the air and using it to fill itself up. However, something that Toriel let you read debunked that theory.

“I’m not a mage. Why would my SOUL absorb magic if it doesn’t need it?”

Before Chara could answer a loud voice began to echo off the trees around the further you walked down the path. Frisk grabbed your hand with a huge grin. That sounded like…

“AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT UNDYNE-”

Yep. The lanky skeleton paused mid-sentence as you and Frisk approached, leaving his mouth hanging open comically. Despite the nervous fluttering of your SOUL you had to fight to keep in the laugh that was threatening to escape. He rounded on his brother, grabbing his shoulder and turning the both of them around completely.

You leaned down to whisper in Frisk’s ear, the corners of your mouth twitching upward in amusement. “What are they doing?”

Papyrus is just surprised to see us. I guess Sans forgot to mention the two humans running around Snowdin Forest.

You choked on a quiet laugh. Yeah. That’s probably the case. Sans did say that Papyrus has never seen a human.

“Oh My Stars, SANS. Are Those Humans?!” Papyrus stage whispered, loudly . Sans, being the troll he seemed to be tilted his head, his expression the picture of mock confusion. 

“uhh... actually, i think that’s a rock.” Papyrus visibly deflated, folding over himself slightly, arms hanging by his side limply. A small disappointed “Oh.” slipped passed his teeth.

You snickered quietly, exchanging an amused glance with Frisk. Poor Papyrus. Your eyes caught Sans’ jovial grin as his eyelights focused back on you from over his shoulder. He winked as you shook your head, a bewildered smile on your face. 

“but, i think there was something behind the rock?” Papyrus swung back around so fast that you feared he might hurt his spine. He squinted at you, studying you and Frisk for a moment before his eyesockets when wide. You swore you could see sparkles in them.  

"They Are Human, Aren’t They?”   

Sans snickered. “yes.”

Okay, there were definitely sparkles in the darkness of his sockets that time. He looked between his brother and where you and Frisk were standing ecstatically. You pressed a hand over your mouth to hold in a giggle. Those two brothers…

“OH MY- SANS! I FINALLY DID IT! UNDYNE WILL- I’LL BE SO - SO... POPULAR,” he exclaimed, then cleared his throat(?) with an audible ‘AHEM’ and took a long look at the both of you, pausing for effect before he smiled, posing confidently with on hand fisted on his chest and the other on his hip. His bright red scarf fluttered in the chilly breeze dramatically. Damn, that was a cool pose.  

“HUMANS! YOU SHALL NOT PASS THIS AREA! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU! THEN, I SHALL DELIVER YOU TO THE CAPITAL! THEN… WELL, I’M NOT SURE. IN ANY CASE, CONTINUE IF YOU DARE!” He ended his speech with a series of NYEH HEH HEHs while making his climactic exit. 

The silence that followed his exit was defending as the three of you watched the exuberant skeleton sprint off. You could literally hear the almost silent breeze blowing through the trees. You rubbed the back of your neck. “So...uhh… He was kidding about taking us to the Capital I hope.”

You meant to sound lighthearted but nerves still crept into your voice despite your best effort. Frisk squeezed your hand. Sans shrugged nonchalantly, “nah. the worst he'll do is challenge you to some of his puzzles."

Your shoulders sagged and smiled sheepishly at him, "Oh good. Puzzles are cool."

Sans chuckled at your more than obvious relief. "don't sweat it, pal. I'll keep an eye socket out for ya." he winked and followed his brother further along the path.

You and Frisk exchanged an amused glance before you both broke out in loud laughter. "Oh, man. Papyrus is quite the character! He's always like that?" 

Frisk nodded as their shoulders shook with their laughter. Their hands shook a little as they signed. Yeah, that's one of the reasons I like him so much. 

"I can definitely see why," you pulled your shirt closer to your body with your free hand. In all the excitement the cold hadn't bothered you so much but now that you were still it came creeping back upon you. You shivered. "Well, let's not keep the puzzle master waiting, kiddo."

Frisk nodded with an eager grin and shot passed you further down the path. With a fond grin and a sigh, you followed, albeit at a slower pace. You were beginning to like it in the Underground. Everything seemed to be going fine. Maybe Toriel was wrong about the Monsters who live on this side of the Ruins. You dearly hoped that was the case. 

***

The chill of Snowdin Forest was doing little to dampen Frisk enthusiasm as they scampered through the last bit of the maze Papyrus set up as a puzzle for them. Papyrus watched, flabbergasted, as Frisk stopped in front of him with a huge grin. You watched too, standing beside Sans with a proud smile. It looked like they were having a great time.

"INCREDIBLE, YOU SLIPPERY SNAIL! YOU SOLVED IT SO EASILY.."  Papyrus rubbed the top of his skull, looking perplexed. He took the orb that he placed on Frisk's head earlier with a twinkle in his eyes. He stowed it away and posed proudly. "HOWEVER, YOU SHALL NOT SOLVE THE NEXT ONE SO EASILY HUMAN! IT WAS DESIGNED BY MY BROTHER SANS! YOU SHALL SURELY BE CONFOUNDED!"

He proclaimed… loudly before he left the clearing to set up the next puzzle. Or at least that's what you assumed he was doing as he 'NYE HEH HEHed' away. You watched him fondly until he disappeared in the dense snow that was falling. He kind of reminded you of your younger brother. So full of life and joy and-

"...kid? you still with us?" You jolted a little as you came back to reality. Your eyes met the pretty eyelights dancing in his dark sockets and you blinked the fog from your brain in time to see Frisk trotting to your side.

She spaces out like that a lot. They inform Sans with a cheeky grin. Sans snickered as you pinched their cheek with an offended huff. 

"I trusted you, Frisk. How could you betray me like this?" you placed a hand on your forehead melodramatically and close your eyes, the picture of true betrayal. Your frown twitched when you opened one eye to see Frisk rubbing their forehead, looking to the cavern ceiling for guidance. Then, without so much as a twitch of their fingers to sign they marched off after Papyrus. 

After a few silent moments, your serious facade cracked when your eyes met Sans amused sockets. "you sure like drivin' the kid mad."

You sniffed innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"sure-"

"BROTHER, TALLER HUMAN! THE TINY HUMAN WISHES TO INFORM YOU THAT IF YOU DO NOT HURRY THAT WE WILL LEAVE YOU BOTH TO FREEZE IN THE SNOW."

You and Sans shared a grin and finally follow after them.

***

The next few hours were filled with puns and puzzles and laughter (and dogs, so many cute dogs!) And strangely, a plate of frozen spaghetti that Papyrus japed you and Frisk with. You'd never laughed so hard in your life. Frisk was happier than you had ever seen them above ground. They were smiling. Like actually smiling! Not those practiced smiles that you'd grown used to seeing. You smiled at their back they signed something to Sans from their perch on Papyrus's shoulder. You had to admit, you were feeling a little less… stressed since the brothers started with their japes and jokes. The anxiety was definitely still stirring in the back of your mind but…

…

Your overactive thoughts were so quiet now. It was nice.

…

But as you watch Papyrus set up his last puzzle you felt the anxiety creeping up the back of your neck, signaling the beginnings of a stress headache. Sweat was beading along your forehead despite the chill in the air. This puzzle…

It could possibly be the end of your miserable existence. Hoo boy…

"Uh… Papyrus…?" you called across the vast crevice that stretched between you. You looked down and shivered. You didn't like this one bit. Frisk squeezed your hand in an attempt to calm you.

"YES, TALLER HUMAN?"

"We-Well, I'm not sure that this puzzle is safe enough for us to do." you eyed the various weapons (and strangely, a small white dog) hanging across the bridge ominously. Papyrus's gaze shot up for where he was fiddling with a homemade looking remote. He studied the puzzle with a critical eye.

"HMM… I SUPPOSE THIS PUZZLE IS A BIT ADVANCED IN THE GREATNESS DEPARTMENT FOR YOU AND THE TINY HUMAN, " He rubbed his chin, then his eyes lit up. "THAT JUST MEANS THE BOTH OF YOU WILL HAVE TO TRAIN WITH ME! TO GET YOUR GREATNESS TO AN ADEQUATE LEVEL!"

Frisk nodded along with his plan ecstatically while you bit your lip to hide a nervous smile. You really didn't think you could handle whatever training Papyrus was suggesting. Maybe he would let you off the hook if-

"-YES SMALL HUMAN, SNOWDIN DOES HAVE A PLACE FOR YOU AND YOUR TALLER HUMAN TO WARM UP! WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHOW YOU THE WAY?"

Yeah, that sounds like a great idea! Can I ride on your shoulders again? Frisk was signing. You smiled fondly as Papyrus grinned and scooped up Frisk before depositing them safely on his broad shoulders.  

"Hold on tight, okay Frisk?" you called up to them worriedly. They flashed you an ecstatic grin and a thumbs up. They twisted their small hands into Papyrus's scarf and looked pretty secure, much to your relief. You knew Papyrus wouldn't let them fall or anything but…. You really couldn't squish the worry down no matter how irrational it was. 

"TALLER HUMAN! COME ALONG NOW AND STOP BOONDOGGLING! MY LAZY BROTHER DOES ENOUGH OF THAT FOR THE BOTH OF YOU." You giggled quietly as Sans placed a hand over his nonexistent heart, looking absolutely heartbroken.

"bro, i'm heartbroken. i though you loved my boondoggling."

Papyrus rolled his eyelights at his brother dramatics and fixed him with a deadpan look. "PLEASE SANS, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A HEART TO BREAK."

"Oh, Papyrus. Have a heart ." Your mock frown twitched slightly when both he and Frisk scowled at you. If Papyrus had ears they would probably have steam pouring out of them. You snickered into your hand when you and Sans lock eyes. His grin was so big that his the corners of his eyesockets were crinkled.

"yeah, pap. i thought you love me with all your-"

"SANS DON'T YOU DA-"

"heart!"

At that moment you could have sworn that you broke Papyrus. His face with the physical representation of the blue screen of death. He let out an inhuman shriek similar to a tea kettle and threw hands up in the air. "I HATE YOU BOTH SO MUCH RIGHT, " He turned on his heel and stomped away, leaving you and Sans to lose you shit cackling.  "I WILL ESCORT THE TINY HUMAN SNOWDIN SINCE THEY ARE THE ONLY SANE PERSON HERE. SANS, TALLER HUMAN! I EXPECT THE BOTH OF YOU TO PULL YOURSELVES TOGETHER AND FOLLOW IF YOU WISH NOT TO FREEZE."

With a huff, he turned again and walked away, loudly discussing with Frisk about what buffoon you and Sans were. Oh Stars, that was amazing. You couldn't believe he just called you a buffoon. The thought just made you laugh harder.

"Hoo God, I-I-" You squeezed your eyes shut in an attempt to calm yourself. The jokes themselves were even that funny. It was Papyrus's reaction to them that was hilarious. You took a deep breath and straightened up form where you were leaning on your knees. Sans was wiping blue translation tears from the corners of his eyesockets.

"that was great, kid. i haven't heard him make a sound like that in a while."

You snickered. "Seriously. They both looked so offended. I think Frisk disowned me."

"pff! are you kidding? paps disowned me years ago."

Your ensuing laughter echoed off the trees until you caught up with Papyrus and Frisk.

Chapter Text

Snowdin was just as cute as the description Frisk had given you made it out to be. You paused by the multicolored sign that said Welcome to Snowdin! to stretch your sore muscles and observe the quaint little town. Shops lined the path that had been worn into the snow. An inn was just ahead and to the left of you, further down you spotted a huge Christmas tree right in the center of town. A warm feeling stirred in your chest as you stroll further into town. You could just make out Papyrus and Sans strolling ahead. They left you to explore the quaint town at your own pace. According to Papyrus, the town was best observed through fresh eyes without citizen input. 

And Sans… 

Well, Sans just said he was two- tired to give you and Frisk the grand tour. (then he pulled out a two-pronged popsicle called he called a Bisicle from out of nowhere and pressed it into your hands with a wink while you stared at him dumbfoundedly.) 

“So, where should we stop first, kiddo?” 

The shop! I want you to try a Cinnamon Bunny!

Well then, to the shop you go. When you push open the door and step in warmth and the smell of cinnamon and spice hit you and a nostalgic smile brightened your face as you shook the cold numbness out of your limbs. Jeez, it smelled so good . The shop was small and a little crowded but it just made it feel cozy. The shelves were lined with an assortment of food and other nicknacks, some of which you had never seen before.

“Welcome travelers! Feel free to look around,” a pleasant voice rang out and shook you out of your thoughts, pulling your attention from the shelves. You headed to the counter where a bunny monster stood, observing you and Frisk with a smirk. Her purple fur shimmered slightly under the low yellow light of the shop, just like Toriel's did under the right light. It was really pretty. Was it magic?

She cleared her throat and you snatched your gaze from her bare arms to her face, startled. She raised an eyebrow, looking highly amused as you stammered out something that resembled an apology.

“I-I’m so sorry, ” you finally choked out, picking at your fingers nervously without looking up. “It’s just that…! Your fur is really, um...really pretty.” 

…

Her fur was pretty?! Really? Why would you say that?! Way to go, weirdo, why couldn’t you just be normal for once? What was wrong with you?

…

Frisk facepalmed while the bunny laughed boisterously, crossing her arms over her chest. You wanted to melt into the cracks of the floorboards you had been studying. That would be okay, right? Just turn into a puddle of embarrassment in the middle of the lady's shop?

“Why, thanks darlin’,” she drawled, grinning. Your face felt hotter if that was even possible. Frisk was signing are you okay? with a mischievous grin which you pointedly ignored. Instead, you shoved your mortified thoughts away and met the monster's gaze again, albeit a bit sheepishly. She waved you closer to the counter. “The name's Anise! If you have any questions about anything feel free to ask.”

You introduced yourself and Frisk as you stepped up to the counter and held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Her smirk softened into a cheeky grin as she took your hand and gave it a hearty shake. Her grip was strong and something fluttered softly against your hand where it met hers, leaving your skin a bit tingly. It kind of reminded you of when Toriel was carrying you when you first met her. You felt a calming pulse when you rested your head against her chest and you felt a similar pulse when you touched her as you did when you shook Ansie's paw. Unlike Toriel's calm, steady pulse though, Anise's pulse was stronger and a bit more rapid, more energetic. 

Maybe it had something to do with their SOULs? Or maybe their magic? The books Toriel let you read didn't mention anything about the subject. You would have to read more about it in the Librarby that Frisk told you about. 

The bunny smiled as she pulled back her hand and reached under the counter. "Likewise," She pulled two small, bunny-shaped treats wrapped in paper out from under the counter and handed them to you. They were warm in your hands and smelled like heaven . Your stomach growled lowly. "Those are my specialty. Cinnamon Bunnies."

You handed one to Frisk, who snatched it and started munching on it immediately with a distracted thank you. You chuckled fondly and ruffled their hair before digging out a few G out of your pocket. When you tried to give it to her she waved it off, smiling kindly. "It's on the house, honey."

"Ahh… thanks… that's really kind of you." you shoved the money back into your pocket, feeling a bit flustered. Were all Monsters seriously that kind for no reason? You really weren't use to strangers being so kind. 

"So, I haven't seen you two around here before. Where are you kids travelin' from?" Anise asked over her shoulder as she turned to reorganized the shelf behind her. You paused mid-bite and smiled nervously as you lowered your Cinnamon Bunny from your mouth. What did you say to that ? While it was true you definitely weren't from Snowdin you couldn't tell her were you and Frisk had actually come from. You bit your lip. 

"From the Capital," you stated rather loudly, saying the first thing that came to mind. Your voice cracked slightly with the stress of being put on the spot and you cleared your throat to cover it. Anise hummed thoughtfully and turned back to face you, her light brown eyes focusing solely on Frisk.

"The Capital huh? Well, little one. How are you enjoying Snowdin? It must be a big change from the city." she crossed her arms and leaned over the counter to get a closer look at them. Frisk, whose face and hands were still sticky with cinnamon and icing, beamed up at her. 

It's great! Snowdin is so much more peaceful and less crowded than the Capital. And I love playing in the snow! They looked up at you with such big adoring eyes that you felt your heart and SOUL stutter under their affectionate gaze. You smiled back, resisting the urge to smooch their messy cheeks and tell them how adorable they were. They turned their eyes back to the shopkeeper and you took a moment to collect yourself. Your sibling was just too cute for words at times. I'm really glad Sis brought me here on vacation.

They snuck a glance in your direction as you translated what Frisk was saying. You winked at them. Nice alibi, kiddo.  

Anise smiled. "Oh thank you for the translation honey, but most monsters can read a SOULs intent to understand each other."

You perked up a bit at the new information, letting Frisk's hand go to lean against the counter. They wandered off to pursue the various remade human produces that filled the shelves."Oh! A friend of mine said something similar a while ago. Could you tell me more?" Any information you could get about Monsters, Magic, or the Underground was great to know…y'know, for research purposes. Totally not to satiate your never-ending curiosity.

…

Yeah....totally not because of that.

Anyways…

Anise grinned teasingly at your enthusiasm, her front teeth gleaming slightly in the low light of the shop. "Didn't you pay any attention in class," she teased, gesturing to a large shelf of books that took up most of the right wall. A happy grin spread across your face as you drank in the sight and you finished off your Cinnamon Bun in a hurry. "There should be a few books that you should have read in school on Monster history."

You nodded impatiently and darted over, running your index finger across the well-loved spines. There were so many books! You even spied a few human books throughout the extensive collection. They looked like they had seen better days though. Several of the spines of the human books were so worn and ragged that they were impossible to read. And many of them looked like they were repaired by hand. Your SOUL thumped excitedly, a warm feeling spreading across your chest and limbs. You quickly set your bag down and tugged you reading glasses from the side pocket. Once they were securely on your nose you plucked the nearest book from the shelf and scanned over the title. 

A Soulful Connection: The Connection between the SOUL and Magic

You hummed a happy tune as you flipped to the table of contents and scan the chapters with great interest. You flipped to a random page.

Chapter 4: Monster and Human SOULs

For both Monsters and Humans, the SOUL is the very culmination of their being. The SOUL houses the very core of self, a being's very emotions, memories, personality, and throughs. Each SOUL has a "song" or pulse that is unique to the individual. If two SOULs are compatible or beat on a similar frequency they could SOUL-Link. [see SOUL-Bonds: SOUL-Link pg. 45]

For Humans, the SOUL depends on the physical body while a Monster's body is dependent on the SOUL. Only sentient beings house a SOUL.

Monster SOULs:

For Monsters, the SOUL is all they are. Their very existence depends on the SOUL. The SOUL shapes their very being and life and unlike a Human SOUL, a Monster relies solely on the SOUL.

Monster SOULs are said to be made of Hope, Love, and Compassion. While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, behavioral studies paint an accurate depiction of Monster culture. Monsters are very positive and giving beings. The community is very tight-knit and every Monster plays a part in the community. Studies show any exposure to negative emotional stimuli can be detrimental to a Monsters HP. [see Monster Health: HoPe pg.58]

Monsters are exceptionally conscious of the SOUL. They are acutely aware of the SOUL since it is quite literally their entire being. Monsters are able to read the intent of a SOUL. Monster culture and everyday lives revolve around the care and importance of the SOUL. Without a SOUL, a Monster will Fall Down [see: Monster Health: Falling Down pg.64] and Dust.

Human SOULs:

You blinked dazedly and drug yourself out of the book to look around. What…? Oh, you were still in the shop in Snowdin. Guess you got lost in a book… again .

Oops.

You closed the book with a dusty snap and tucked it under your arm for later. You felt a blush creep across your nose and down your neck as you turned back to the shelf self-consciously. Your shoulders hunched up to your ears. How long had you been standing there reading? 

You grabbed a few more books and headed back to the counter with your spoils. Frisk was still rummaging around the store so you set the books on the counter with a sheepish smile to Anise and joined them in there perusing. Frisk looked up from the package they had been examining when they heard your approach. 

"Find anything interesting, kiddo?" you inquired, examining the package they were holding. It was a package of Monster candy. 

"You want that?" 

They nodded eagerly and slid passed you to put the candy on the counter in front of Anise. When you gave them a stern look that said 'ask first' they looked up at you through their bangs with their big brown puppy dog eyes. Can I get them, please?

You rolled your eyes goodnaturedly and nodded before you turned to the merchandise. There were many of the produces that you recognized as human, but they were very different than what you would find on the surface. You picked up what looked to be a go-pro that had been redesigned with odd-looking tech. It almost didn't look like a go-pro anymore. 

...You weren't really sure what it was supposed to be. You quietly put the mysterious device back on the shelf and grabbed the supplies you came in for; A coat for Frisk, nonperishable food… a refurbished action figure for Frisk… 

You placed your thing on the counter and dug out the appropriate amount of Gold to cover the cost as the Anise pulled a palm-sized box out from under the counter. You watched curiously as she pressed one of the many buttons along the side, making a hologram of many boxes appear from the small dome at the top. You couldn't help the awe in your stare as she started placing your items into the small boxes. The items seemed to shrink and sunk into the holographic boxes when she pressed them in. When the last item sunk in she pressed another button, making the hologram disappear back into the open dome. The dome closed with a snap and she placed the box in your hand.

You blinked when the warm box met the skin of your palm. It was kind of heavy for such a small box. Anise grinned at your dazed expression. "There ya go, darlin'. Is there anything else I can get you?"

You smiled at the generous monster and shook your head. "I think we're good. Thank you, Anise."

"Well, have a good day then, you hear?" She waved goodbye as you and Frisk head out the door. 

"You too Anise!"

***

Sans watched from the shadows as Frisk and their older sister strolled through the snowy streets of Snowdin. He still didn't know what to make of you. You seemed friendly enough and you were nice to Papyrus. You appreciated a good joke too. In some ways you reminded him of the old lady. But…

...You were even more of a mystery than the kid, and that was saying something. Still, the old lady trusted you. And he was normally a pretty good judge of character so… 

He would give you a chance. 

For now he would keep an eyesocket out for you like he promised you and the old lady. His eyelights followed you as you entered the Snowed Inn, probably to turn in for the night.

His bones warmed as his magic gathered to take a shortcut. With one last glance at the Inn he stepped into the Void to do the same.

Hopefully… 

Hopefully he could trust you. You seemed like you could be a good pal.

***

Chara watched in amusement as you fiddled with the Dimensional Cube from their lounging position against their pillows. You were sitting across from them on the bed, studying (playing with) the Cube. You were just like Frisk when they fell the first few times; so full of questions and curiosity. You were fascinated with everything. It was rather entertaining. They wondered idly if they had ever been as captivated with magic and the Underground as their two companies were. They don't remember much from the early days of their life in the Underground, only the things the Dreemers told them once upon a time. Not that any of that mattered. They were stuc-

"Frisk," The suddenness of your dulcet voice made them flinch out of their thoughts. Their red eyes flashed up to your face and you smile apologetically when your eyes met. "Ah, Sorry Chara. Anyways, I've been meaning to ask. Why have you and Frisk been Resetting so much in the first place? What are you after?"

The question wasn't accusing in the slightest, you just asked it out of curiosity. Still….it made Frisk and Chara flinch. Your sharp eyes must have picked up on the slight movement because you quickly backtracked, an understanding smile painted across your lips. "You know you don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, sweetie."

Chara's shoulders relaxed and they nodded. They really didn't want to talk about it. Frisk was scared that you'd get upset if you found out the reason and Chara… they just weren't ready. 

They were still the one in control.

"-should get some sleep. It's been a really long day and you look a bit pale." You were rambling, but Chara didn't have the heart or the energy to tell you. They felt oddly tired... like their energy was being sapped away. They jumped when you put your freezing hand on their forehead. What were you-

"You're warmer than usual. Well… warmer than usual for Frisk," you removed your hand from their forehead and their muscles relaxed. They still weren't used to being touched them yet. You were digging around in your bag, the tip of your tongue sticking out of the side of your mouth. They leaned around you to try and catch a glimpse of what you were digging for but at the angle you were sitting they couldn't see much. They could barely make out your mumblings of: "I really hope you're not getting sick."

Their eyes drifted shut, your soft mumblings and gentle touches against their forehead and warmth of the room lulling them into a light doze.

The last thing Chara heard was you whispering goodnight. You pressed your lips against their forehead. They smiled gently and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

"You... you want to stay in Snowdin a while longer." You stared down at the shivering child, unsure. You... really didn't know what to say.  You had been staying in Snowed Inn for the past week, tending to Frisk as they recovered from the cold they caught. In that time, the Monsters had welcomed you into the tight-knit community. And you were truly happy to have new friends...!

But…

You were running low on Gold and it was the last day you would be able to afford the Inn fee. Anise's sister Cinnamon was already cutting you a break by letting you stay for half the normal price since you were friends with her sister. Her kindness, while appreciated, was starting to make you feel guilty. You felt like a nuisance. 

"How much longer-" You paused when you saw the expression on the young child's face. Their already red cheeks redden further and they sniffed pitifully. To put the pity party cherry on the pity party cake they poked their bottom lip out in the most calculated pout you had ever seen. You faltered for a second too long. You could see it in their eyes that the knew they won.

Please! It would mean a lot to me if we could stay longer! I promise it's all apart of the Plan. 

Ahh yes. The infamous plan . You wished they would tell you what the plan was already instead of being so damned cryptic about it. You breathed out a slightly exasperated sigh through your nose and ran a hand through your already messy hair before you smiled weakly. “Fine, you win. But only if you tell me what this plan of yours is! I need to know so I can help you know!”

The smile that lite up Frisk’s face made everything that you would have to do to stay longer worth it. They gave you an affirmative thumbs up and snuggled back down into the downy comforter with an exhausted sigh. You didn’t blame them. They had been up all night coughing and blowing their nose. Bless Cinnamon for teaching you how to cook the Monster equivalent of soup for Frisk. Thanks to the soup and the monster candy she'd been giving you, Frisk was looking a little better every day. You leaned over their resting form, pushed back their hair and kissed their forehead with a fond smile before getting to work. 

You pulled out your trusty ol’ notebook and got down to business. First things first, you would definitely need to get a job to support yourself and Frisk. And you still needed to go to the library, err… Librarby, to research this Asgore person Torial warned you about. When you asked around town yesterday everyone you ran into (after giving you a particular look… well, except for Papyrus. But Papyrus was too nice to give you any funny looks.) explained that he was a big, fuzzy pushover. His nickname was Fluffybuns for star’s sake. How can a guy with the nickname Fluffybuns be dangerous? Maybe Toriel was just being paranoid? You sure hoped so. Despite the itch to get back to your family on the surface, the Underground and it’s people were really starting to grow on you. You looked down at your list of potential jobs that you had been absentmindedly writing down as your mind wandered and nodded to yourself, satisfied. 

Okay, everything was going to be okay. You could work with this, whatever this was. You and Frisk would get through, even if it would be hard.

You glanced back at the bundle of blankets on the bed. Frisk was out cold and probably would be for a while unless Papyrus decided to visit again. So theoretically you had at least two hours to yourself to look around for a job and maybe finally pop into Grillby’s to see what it was all about. From what you could tell when you passed by it to visit Sans and Papyrus it was a heavenly diner. You could practically taste the burgers and fries on your tongue every time you passed the place. And with the way, Sans talked up the burgers there… Stars, you hadn’t had a good burger in ages . Just thinking about it made your stomach growl irritably, reminding you again that you dared to skip breakfast that morning. You had been too busy chatting with Cinnamon about recipes when she brought Frisk some porridge and Monster Candy for their sore throat. 

Yep, you would definitely visit Grillby’s for lunch after you were done, and hey, maybe you could ask the owner about any job openings while you were in there. Feed two birds with one seed, right? With a plan and an empty stomach pushing you forth, you exited your room with a bright tune on your lips.

*** 

About an hour and several (heartfelt apologies from store owners) job rejections later, you were starting to get tired and discouraged. You only had one more place to stop. You looked up at the glittering orange neon sign the hung proudly above the entrance. You had saved Grillby’s for last so you could pick up you and Frisk a treat for lunch but now that you were there you were starting to feel a bit nervous. Despite how hard you tried to hide it, you were really bad at talking to strangers. While that didn’t really apply to the monsters you had met so far that nagging anxiety that was always stewing in the back of your mind reared its ugly head again.

You took a calming breath and pushed the door open. A wave of warmth and the scent of wood burning washed over you as soon as you stepped over the threshold of the building, making you sigh pleasantly. You soaked up the warmth and the smell while you looked around the establishment. It was beautiful! There was one table maple table in the middle of the bar and red booths were lined up against the wall by the door. And the centerpiece, the bar, sprawled proudly along the far wall next to a door that likely lead to the kitchen. The few patrons that were seated around the diner had turned in their seats to see who entered. You pulled awkwardly at the sleeves of your jacket as you met the curious, observing eyes around the bar before dropping your gaze to the floor. You avoided eye contact as you walked toward the empty bar tepidly. Once you slide into a seat at the bar the murmuring of the other patrons resumed like normal. 

You let out the breath you didn't know you had been holding and relaxed on your elbow against the bar. Now, where was the bartender? 

You tensed and squawked loudly when a hand was placed on your shoulder. A familiar baritone chuckle had you scowl playfully over your shoulder.

"heya." He said your name impishly, a playful gleam in his eyelights despite how tired he looked. Over the past week or so you were starting to learn how to read the mysterious skeleton. At first, he was as impossible to read as Frisk was when you first met them. But you learned to look past that ever-present grin and to pay closer to his eyes. You turned in your stool to face him as he took a seat beside you. 

"Sans, you bonehead! How do you keep sneaking up on me like that?" You grumbled and he snickered at you. The bone around his eyesockets crinkled and his eyelights brightened mischievously. You narrowed your eyes at him suspiciously. Over the past few days, you learned from poor Papyrus that the grin he was sporting meant trouble. You were either about to be the butt of one of his jokes or he was about to pull a prank on you. You… you weren't really sure what was worse from what you'd seen him do to Papyrus and Frisk.

"Sans-" you started warningly, but the sudden glow and warmth at the bar made you pause. When you looked…

…

...The bartender was on fire.

Why was the bartender on fire!?

Sans must have caught the panic that crossed your face and your body jerk away slightly because before you could react further he had his arm wrapped around your shoulder, holding you in place while he introduced you to the fiery bartender.

"grillbz this is my buddy," he told the bartender your name and squeezed your shoulder reassuringly, glancing at you from the corner of his eyesocket. "This is Grillby. He runs the place."

You breathed out and smiled shakily at Grillby. You held out your hand as you took in his flawless dress shirt and vest ensemble. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Grillby," he took your hand and you did you best not to flinch but to your surprise, his hand wasn't hot like you initially guessed. It was pleasantly warm, like holding your hand over a bonfire on a cold night. It was like holding a solid flame in your hand and there was a strong, gentle pulse where his hand met yours. The warmth of his hand was comforting. You retracted your hand reluctantly, your cheeks painting themselves pink when you looked up at his featureless face. "You, umm… you have a nice diner."

His flames burned a bit brighter and he adjusted his silver glasses. "...Just Grillby is fine. And thank you. You're very kind, human." 

You sputtered and glanced at Sans, who winked at you goodnaturedly before turning his attention back to Grillby. "told ya she was a good one. has a good SOUL,"  his grip on your shoulder tightened a little when you tensed further. "relax pal, he knows about you and the kid. you're safe here."

"This is a safe space for everyone, including you, young one." His soft, wispy voice eased you a bit. Chara warned you that some monsters might react badly if they found out you were human, especially a group called the Royal Guard and their leader Undyne. They said to be careful not to draw attention to yourself. The thought made your SOUL jump nervously against your sternum.

"Thank you Grillby, Sans. That means a lot."

Grillby's flames crackled pleasantly. "...My pleasure. Now, what can I get you to eat?"

"my usual, grillbz." 

"Errm… can I get a burger?" You fought to keep your voice even as your excitement grew. Ooh… you couldn't wait to taste it! Your SOUL danced in anticipation. Grillby bowed his head slightly before disappearing into what you assumed to be the kitchen.

"so, i'd say you had the hots for our fiery bartender." Sans had his signature cheeky grin on his skull and you were sure that if he had eyebrows he would be wiggling them at you. You pressed your lips together as you pinned him with a deadpan stare. His wide grin broke your facade. 

" Wow , two puns in one sentence. You must be on fire today." You snarked back with your own toothy grin. Sans sockets crinkled in amusement as his grin sharpened into a smirk. "ya challenging the pun master? kid, i don't think you got it in ya." 

Pfff… of course you knew you couldn't beat him. You'd seen the kind of trauma he put Papyrus through with his catalog of puns at his disposal. You knew you couldn't keep up even if you wanted to. So, you did the next best thing. A distraction.

"Says the guy with his arm still wrapped around my shoulder." You patted the gloved clad hand clutching your shoulder with a coy smile. His reaction was immediate. He jerked his arm off your shoulder and stuffed them back into his jacket pockets, his eyelights small and sharp in his sockets. The beginnings of strange blue sweat started to build along his cranium and a bit of cyan magic (you think?) was dusted across his zygomatic bone. At first, you thought you had done the impossible. You thought you finally found a way to fluster the skele. But of course, Sans being Sans found a way to play it off. The bastard only shrugged with a lazy smile and a wink.

"what can i say? you make a very comfy armrest. lazy guy like me couldn't resist."

You groaned and let your head fall onto the bartop. "Why do you always win?" Your grumbling was muffled by the way your cheek pressed against the bar as you glared at him. He patted your shoulder with a mock look of sympathy.

"you'll win one day, buddy."

You huffed as you sat up so Grillby could put your burger down in front of you and a bottle of catsup in front of Sans. It smelled exquisite. Your previous gripes against the prankster skeleton beside you were dashed aside as you focused solely on the greasy goodness in front of you. Sans cleared his throat beside you.

"would you like me to give you and the burg some privacy?" 

"Shut it, Sans. You're gonna ruin the moment."

***

Later that evening, while you were bundling Frisk up to visit the Skeleton brothers they asked you the oddest question. One that you were understandably having trouble processing.

Why can’t we just go live with them? Then you could save up your money. That’s why you got the job application for Grillby’s, right? ‘Cause we’re running low on G?

You tensed, letting your hands still where they had been wrapping Frisk's scarf around their neck. Damn it all. 

You internally curse the child’s perspective nature and forced yourself to relax as you pulled their hand-knitted beanie down over their ears. You stayed quiet as they studied you, catching every microexpression that crossed face. Your heart sank as fussed over Frisk. You felt like a burden. You were supposed to be the responsible adult! You were supposed to be making plans and managing your resources. You knew you could do better than this! But instead, you had to rely on everyone else to help you because you weren’t good en-

Frisk’s gloved hands grabbed your face gently and they pressed their forehead against yours. The softness of their gloves and the warmth of their forehead took effect on your aching chest immediately. Their presence was calming as you gathered your thoughts. You sighed and rubbed your nose against theirs in an Eskimo kiss. They giggled and rubbed back before releasing you to give you some room. You rubbed your eyes with the palm of your hands with a weary sigh. 

“I’m sorry I'm such a mess, Frisk."

They huffed and crossed their arms across their chest, giving you The Look™ . 

You are not a mess. You're the most persevering person I know and you always try your hardest. You're a very strong person! Their hands were steady and comforting as they signed. 

You huffed out a disbelieving snort but didn't voice any of your self-deprecating thoughts. Instead, you stood to your full height and smiled affectionately at the child.

I swear it's like your one taking care of me sometimes.

A smug smile took up residence on Frisk's face. They puffed out their chest pridefully as they signed back. I'm more mature than you give me credit for!

"Pfff! Whatever, nerd." You pulled on your own jacket and secured your own beanie on your head. You held the door open for Frisk to head out while you locked up. Frisk's question was still running circles in your head. Why don't we just stay with them? You couldn't think of any valid with not to stay that Frisk would be satisfied with. And they had a good point. It would save you the trek through the snow to get to their house for dinner the four of you shared every other night, per Papyrus's ecstatic request.

You should talk to Sans about it after dinner. Papyrus had been asking you and Frisk to come to stay with them the first night you met. He would be delighted if you came to stay with them. The thought made you smile…

But…

You didn't want to be a burden. You… you were so used to taking care of others that the thought of having to rely on someone… it made you feel… strange. Like you were losing your purpose.

"Oh! Are you going to see the skeleton brothers?" Cinnamon's ever-cheerful voice released you from your prison of thoughts. You manage a small smile. 

"Yep! Papyrus invited us over for dinner again tonight."

Cinnamon nodded sagely. "That skeleton is such a sweetheart," She was rummaging around in the candy jar that she had on the front desk. The pink fur around her mouth shifted as her mouth curled in concentration before her brown eyes lit up in victory. She held out two pieces of Monster Candy. "Here ya go, Frisk! Just in case your throat starts to hurt."

Thanks! I appreciate it.

"No problem, sweetie. Have a nice dinner and be safe out there!" 

You waved back to her over your shoulder as you ushered Frisk out the door. "Will do! See you later, Cinnamon!"

***

Frisk giggled at the way Papyrus was hovering over your shoulder as you stirred the pasta sauce you had all prepared together. You were singing a little tune under your breath. Frisk smiled. If you were singing that means you were recovered from your 'episode' from earlier. They hated seeing you so… sad and defeated like that. 

"HUMAN! ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO STIR THE SAUCE SO DELICATELY? WHERE IS THE FIRE? YOUR PASSION?" Papyrus was fiddling with the hem of his KISS THE COOK GREAT PAPYRUS! apron. 

...And, Papyrus's ever present aura of positivity was doing wonders for your mentality. 

Your expression made Frisk's shoulders shake with another poorly restrained laugh. It was like you couldn't decide if you wanted to smile or grimace so your expression settled for a mix of the two.

"Paps my passion is…I'm pretty sure it's way more delicate than yours. Plus, umm… this is the way we cook it where I come from."

Papyrus absolutely lit up at the notion of learning something new. His dark eye sockets glittered and he clapped his hands together excitedly. "YOU'RE TEACHING ME A SPECIAL RECIPE? OH THANK YOU, HUMAN! YOU ARE VERY KIND!"

Your cheeks turned red, flustered. "Mmhmm. No problem, Paps. But, I'm really not all that great."

"WE WILL NOT BE HAVING ANY OF THAT NEGATIVITY NOW, HUMAN! YOU MUST THINK MORE HIGHLY OF YOURSELF." Papyrus admonished, waving his own spoon at you. Then, Papyrus turned, his red boots squeaking on the squeaky clean floor, to face Frisk. They looked up at the tall skeleton from their place at the table that Papyrus had produced from who knows where when they first started coming to dinner. "HUMAN FRISK, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO FETCH MY BROTHER FROM HIS ROOM, PLEASE?"

Frisk's heart and SOUL thumped in tandem, nervousness shooting down their spine even as they grinned with a nod to Papyrus. They scampered out of the kitchen with a shaky sigh. The last time they were alone with the older skeleton brother…

…

Their hands rubbed their quivering hands on their jeans uncomfortably. The silky feeling of Monster dust still lingered on their hands no matter how many times the scrubbed their hands raw. They… they still weren't sure what happened. That Reset…

That Reset, no that Timeline was...different. They didn't feel like themselves. It was like… it was like someone else was in control. Someone who wasn't Chara. Someone who-

Their chest was tight as they shook the thought away and trudged the rest of the way up the stairs. They schooled their expression back into their normal mask. They couldn't afford to let the past drag them down. They had to stay Determined and keep pushing forward. 

Their knock on Sans's door was timid at best. Chara scoffed when they didn't get an answer. Why did Papyrus make us get the Smiley trashbag?

Frisk cut their eyes in Chara's direction. Chara, please. You promised to be nicer this Reset. 

Chara sighed and threw their hands up in defeat, rolling their red eyes. Yeah, yeah, I know. "They are our friends" and all that noise. You are way too nice, Frisk.

Frisk grinned and nodded at the accusation before knocking again. This time the air pressure beside them fluctuated, making their ears pop. The smell of ozone filled the air as Sans stepped out of one of his 'shortcuts'. 

"what's up kid?" Sans leaned against his door lazily, watching the child as they fidgeted with the sleeve of their striped jumper. His expression was unreadable. Frisk felt pinned under those intense eyelights. A shiver crept along their spine. The moment passed when Sans's smile softened. Whatever he read from their expression must have been what he was looking for. Their smile was much more genuine when their brown eyes met his eyelights again.

Papyrus said that dinner will be done soon.

"cool. well, let's not keep them waiting. shortcut?"

Sans offered Frisk a gloved hand and Frisk snickered, feeling much better now that they were no longer pinned under his inquiring gaze. The kitchen is just downstairs, Sans. We can walk.

"no can do, bucko. that sounds like way too much walking for me."

Lazybones. 

Sans winked as Frisk took his hand and he pulled them through a shortcut. They held their breath and closed their eyes as pressure pressed in on them on all slides, making them feel like they were being suffocated. Just as the feeling came, it passed as they stepped out into the kitchen. They took a deep breath. 

"OH FRISK, SANS! YOU ARE JUST IN TIME! THE ARTISAN PASTA CREATED BY YOURS TRULY (AND THE MUSICAL HUMAN, OF COURSE)!"

You chuckled as you set about placing noodles and sauce on their plates. "'The musical human' Papyrus?" 

"YES HUMAN! IN FACT, SANS HAS BEEN CALLING YOU 'BIRD' WHEN YOU ARE NOT AROUND!"

You turned to face Sans after you set the pot back on the stove. You rose an eyebrow at the skeleton. Frisk pressed their lips together to keep the laughter building in their chest at bay. Sans, to his credit, didn't even look phased. He was the picture of nonchalant as he leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his skull.

"what? thought it suited you." 

You huffed out a laugh, taking your seat beside Frisk. "And why, pray tell, does it suit me so well?"

Sans shrugged and his cheeks went cyan. "well-"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE CUTE AND SMALL, AND YOU SING REALLY WELL, AND- HUMAN FRISK, WHY IS SHE TURNING RED? AND WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING SO HARD," Papyrus demanded, sounding every bit worried as he looked. "SANS! I THINK I BROKE THE HUMANS?!?"

Frisk was losing it. Chara wasn't doing much better. Their laughter echoed around their mind. Frisk hadn't heard them laugh like that in a while. They… they felt content. They really liked this Timeline. As the laughter died down and light conversation took its place they smiled softly.

This Timeline was going to stick. They could feel it.

They were filled with Determination.

***

A fond warm swept over you as you draped a blanket over Papyrus and Frisk. They had fallen asleep together on the couch during the weekly mandatory movie night that went along with dinner at the end of the week. Papyrus thought it imperative that he and Sans get to know you and Frisk as quickly as possible, so you could be "THE BEST OF FRIENDS!"

You shook your head with a soft chuckle as you tucked the blanket more securely around them. Papyrus was quite the character. It was scary how quickly how fond you had become of the exuberant skeleton in such a short time. You didn't usually make friends this quickly if you made friends at all. But with monsters-

"hey," you could proudly say that you barely flinched when Sans 'ported behind you. You turned, careful not to disturb the sleeping pair behind you. With a finger to your lips, you pointed to the dimly lit kitchen. His eyelights brightened in understanding and he nodded before moving to the kitchen, his slippers shuffling across the carpet. 

"so, uh. 'bout that question you asked me earlier," his eyelights shrank slightly, and you braced yourself for the inevitable rejection. Of course he wouldn't want extra people in the house. They didn't really have the room in th-

"-tay... bird? still with me?"

You blinked dazedly, coming back out of your head. "...Sorry, Sans. I didn't… I wasn't… umm… could you repeat that?" You muttered sheepishly. He huffed out an amused breath, his grin softening a bit. 

"i donno, i usually charge for repeat performances." 

"Sans." 

He snickered before his eyelights softened around the edges. "nah, i'm just ribbin' ya bird. i said you and the kid can stay. i wouldn't be cold-hearted enough to leave ya out in the snow."

A soft smile brightened your face and you had to fight the urge to hug him out of habit. Instead, you patted him on the shoulder, marveling for a moment that, despite being made of bones he was relatively soft. 

"Thank you, Sans. You have no idea how much this means to me."

His zygomatic bone dusted cyan for a moment before he turned his head to look into the living room where his brother slept peacefully. "really bird, it's no problem. paps will be over the moon to have you and the kid here with us. he'd probably never forgive me if i even thought about turning you away."

"Pfff… yeah. Pap would have you coccyx on a silver platter."

His eyelights brightened as he chuckled. "yep. my bro is so cool."

You had to agree. Anyone who could treat someone with respect and kindness regardless of how they looked or how different they were was a star in your book. Papyrus was cool. And kind. The brightest star.

You smiled softly as you looked at the couch. "He's the coolest." You smiled cheekily without looking at him. "His brother isn't bad either."

When you glanced back at Sans he was staring at you searchingly, like he couldn't quite puzzle you out. Before you could ask what he was looking for his easy grin was back in place, like he donned a mask. 

"i'll just settle for second best then." He elbowed your ribs teasingly, laughing in his deep, smooth voice when you swatted playfully back.

"Alright bonehead. Go to bed. You look like the dead. "

"heheh. nice one. really tickled my funny bone."

"OH MY STARS, WOULD YOU TO BUFFOONS CEASE YOU TOMFOOLARY AND GO TO BED?! IT'S 12:00 IN THE MORNING!"

You scurried to your pallet beside the couch, cackling lowly. 

Once you were settled and drifting sleepily, a thought crossed your mind. 

I'm going to miss them when we go home. Maybe… just maybe there is away to break the Barrier?

Chapter Text

The darkness pressed in slowly, shadows grew and shifted. Pulsing with concern. Comforting you.

Something flickered. A small sound. Colorful. Dark.

Cryptic whispers. Static, garbled. Just out of your reach.

Have you been here before?

It was so cold . You could not breathe ...

…

…

You remembered this place.

…

..

.

You took a deep breath, filling your aching lungs as you jolted awake. Dread crept along your spine as you gathered your blankets tighter around you, shivering with the sudden cold and anxiety. Your breath came out in quiet pants and your chest constricted, your eyes darting around the dark room to gather your bearing. You were safe. You were at Sans and Papyrus' house.

Ten.

Look for ten things to ground yourself. You could hear Frisk and Papyrus' quiet breathing to your right where they slept peacefully on the couch. 

Nine.

The hush of snow pattering against the window. 

Eight.

Soft light spilled in through the parted curtains…

Seven.

Shadows

Concentrate! The subtle trembling of your exhales as you focused your breathing.

Six.

Your heartbeat slowed and your shivering subsided slightly. The uneasiness still lingered, making your joints stiffen as you sat up and rubbed your face with both of your trembling hands. Your breath rushed out as an exhausted sigh. 

What the hell was that about? You had never woken up to an episode like that before. A memory stirred in the back of your mind; a dream? Something about Darkness...?

…

...Wait. What were you thinking about again? You frowned. Weird. You couldn't remember. You wiped your eyes, frustrated. What time was it?

Your fingers brushed across the carpet in search of your phone, which had miraculously survived the fall with minor damage. Not that it mattered all that much. It was little more than a paper weight in the Underground. Ah well, at least you could still listen to your music. The light of the screen blinded you when you turned it on.

2:45.

You huffed out a groan. There was no way you were going to get any sleep after whatever that dream was. With a sigh, you resigned yourself to your fate of being up before dawn and untangled yourself from your blankets quietly, trying not to wake Frisk or Pap.

Tea. You needed some tea to warm you back up. A lump of anxiety was clawing its way up your throat as you padded your way to the dimly lit kitchen. Golden flower tea would do the trick…

"Oh…!" You hesitated when you entered the kitchen to find Sans slumped over at the table, his phalanges wrapped around his own cup. He didn't so much as flinch when you slowly approached him, taking in his slouching form with a concerned frown. "Sans…?"

He looked up slowly, his empty sockets gradually regaining their light. His eyelight were fuzzy and unfocused when they met your eyes. His usual grin was nowhere to be found, and in its place was an exhausted grimace. When his eyelights finally focused his sockets widened and he quickly rearranged his features into a laid-back smile. It bothered you that the smile he was wearing was the same one he wore everyday.

You….you weren't sure which expression was worse.

Your expression fell as you settled in the chair across from him. "You okay?"

He shrugged halfheartedly. "yep," he mumbled, waving the cup clasped in his hand. A few drops of tea spilled over the rim, the hot liquid dripping down his phalanges. You tilted your head slightly, your concern deepening, as he slouched further into his hoodie. "just grabbing a drink. it's tea- riffic."

You cracked a smile despite the dread and worry clinging to your SOUL. "That was terrible, Sans."

"hey, they can't all be winners." 

Your quiet chuckle petered off into a melancholy sigh. You looked down at your hands clenched on the table. You wondered what had Sans up this late. Was it a nightmare like you? Or was it-

A cup was placed in front of you and when you looked up Sans was resettling in his chair. You smiled softly. "Thank you."

You took a grateful sip, then pulled the cup back with a hum of surprise. Just how you liked it. The tea warmed your shaking fingers through the ceramic of the mug. You cradled it closer to soak up that warmth, to absorb it into your cold hands.

Sans was watching you when you glanced up from your cup, his eyelights sharp and observing. You felt a sudden chill that had nothing to do with your current mental state. You hoped he couldn't pick up on how uneasy you were. 

"So, umm… I know you don't want to talk about whatever has you up right now and truthfully, neither do I… so. Do… do you mind if… I told you a story? It could get both our minds off of whatever, y'know?"

Sans had that look that he often wore when he looked at you and thought you didn't notice. Like you were some enigmatic being that he couldn't figure out. The crease in his brow softened and he put his hands behind his head and sat back in his chair, eyes closed. "sure. what kinda tale do you have brewing in that head of yours?"

You smiled and relaxed back in your chair as well. "Do you have any requests?"

"well, usually i'm on the telling end of these so… surprise me."

"Okay. I can tell you about the time my little brothers and Frisk painted the dog for Halloween..."

Shhh, Papy. You're going to wake them up! Sans groaned quietly and pulled his hood up over his head when the kids 'voice' rang loudly in his skull. Jeez, it was way too early for him to be conscious. There was a quiet shuffling coming from the entrance of the kitchen. Sans cracked an eye socket open and lifted his head up slightly from where he had rested it on his folded arms.

"But Human Frisk! I Must Get Started On Breakfast! They May Move To The Couch Now That We Have Vacated It." 

Ahh… he must have fallen asleep at the table... again. Huh… no wonder his spine was killing him. He let his head fall back to his arms with a sigh, knowing Papyrus would just pick him up and move him to the couch if he was patient. Sure enough, he felt Papyrus lift him up from his chair by his armpits and gently tucked him under his arm like a football. 

"Come Now Human Bird. You Cannot Be Comfortable Resting At The Table! The Couch Is Far More Comfortable." Sans could hear quiet grumbles of protest. A chair creaked. He glanced up sleepily to see Papyrus and the kid ushering a very haggard you out of your chair. 

"M'kay, Pap…" you rubbed your eyes, yawning drowsily, and let yourself be guided into the living room. Sans couldn't help but notice how endearing drained you looked when he looked at you from the corner of his socket. He wondered what had you up so late last night.

Sis, are you okay? Why were you sleeping at the table? The kid asked quietly, their 'voice' gentle and soothing. Sans shifted in his brother's hold to get a better vantage of your faces. Your lips were pursed in thought and a frown was working its way onto your face.

"Mmm… just a nightmare, sweetie. Nothing to worry about." 

Frisk's eyes narrowed, calculating and discerning, in an expression that Sans was far too familiar with. He closed his eyes as a chill slithered down his spine. That expression reminded him too much of-

Papyrus set him on the couch gently, jarring him out of his thoughts. He sank gratefully into the worn cushions, the softness doing wonders for his sore spine. Maybe if he sank into the couch enough he could become one with it.

"There! Now, Human Frisk, We Shall Cook Breakfast While These Lazybones Lounge Around!" Papyrus declared, ushering Frisk back into the kitchen. The couch dipped as you settled beside him and tossed the blanket that was thrown over the back of the couch over him. He snickered as it settled over his skull, filling his vision with soft baby blue fabric. 

"Oops, sorry Sans." Your giggle made Sans' SOUL warm. He didn't know when you had wiggled your way passed all of his inhibitions and planted yourself in his life but… here you were, making him relax in your presence. His smile softened into something more genuine. He was glad that he gave you a chance. You really were becoming a good pal.

He pulled the cover down. "it's cool. you're just tryin' to warm up to me."

You made a playfully sour face and made a thumbs down gesture. " Boo. That was bad. "

There was a clang and a cheer from the direction of the kitchen. "FINALLY! HUMAN BIRD HAS REALIZED HOW TERRIBLE MY BROTHERS JOKES ARE! WELCOME TO THE LIGHT SIDE, HUMAN!" You broke down into hysterical giggles while Sans sulked ironically.

"oooh, tough crowd. maybe i should go where my jokes are appreciated." He said that, but the couch was luring him deeper into its cushiness. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. You elbowed his humerus and when he looked you had a teasing smile on your lips. "You mean Grillby's? You know I'm the only one that appreciates your jokes there, dude."

"ouch. now you're just being hurtful. i thought we were pun pals, birdie."

You grinned toothily, patting his blanketed knee. "Sure, sure, we're still pun pals, I swear."

"good. i'd hate to have to give your position back to pap. neither of us would make it."

Sans poked his head over the couch, counting down it his head for Papyrus' retort.

Three...

Two…

On- And there it was. He was rewarded with another clang and Papyrus poking his head out of the kitchen, sockets narrowed. "YES BIRD, PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE MY BROTHER'S 'PUN PAL'. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CONTINUE MY BRAKE FROM HIS TASTELESS PUNS!"

Sans cackled when Papyrus gave him a stern look before returning the kitchen to finish breakfast. "he like my puns, he just pretends he doesn't."

He returned his gaze to you in time to catch a fond smile settling on your lips as you watched him and his brother rib each other. "I think he knows you live for his reactions. He always grins like he won a prize when you laugh at his reactions."

"yep," he'd caught that same grin more than once when Paps didn't think he was looking. It actually made him feel bad. Papyrus shouldn't have to fake hating his pun just to make him smile. His SOUL felt heavier than before. "he's the coolest."

"Mmm… He's the best." Your voice was admiring when you talked about his bro. He was glad you were good to Papyrus. You-

"Hey Pap," you called through the banging and clanging of the kitchen as you stood up. You stretched your arms above your head and several places in your spine made a pop! Sans flinched and your sign of relief made him feeling anything but. He buried himself deeper into the blanket.

Stars .

He really wished you wouldn't do that.

"Could you watch Frisk for me for a little while? I'm going to head to the Librarby for a minute."

"OF COURSE, BIRD. HAVE FUN AND BE CAREFUL! SLIPPING ON ICE IS BAD FOR YOU FRAGILE HUMAN BODY!"

Despite his discomfort Sans had to take the opportunity. "it'll be snow problem, paps," He popped his head out of his blanket burrito and gave you a two finger salute, while Papyrus reprimanded him for his  mediocre  puns in the background." icy you later at Grillby's Bird."

You paused, letting you jacket hang from your shoulders like a cape to shoot him a scowl, though he could see a faint smile playing on your lips. "That was a stretch and you know it."

"you're smiling."

You finished putting on your winter gear with a huff. "Goodbye, bonehead!" He snickered as you walked out the door. He caught a grin breaking out on your face as you shut the door behind you. A grin lingered on his teeth.

Once you were gone though…

His signature grin slipped as fragments of his nightmare drifted back to the forefront of his mind. He wrapped the blanket tighter around his bones as a sudden chill overtook his SOUL.

Darkness.

Why now?

The flower watched the figure scurry through the thick flurry of snow, huddled in a thick jacket that blocked their features. The flower knew them. The flower hated them. They sneered, jagged teeth gritting together as the figure passed them without noticing them. 

Good.

It would ruin the fun if they found them too soon. A sinister giggle bubbled up and spilled passed razor sharp teeth. This was going to be their best game yet.

The smell of aging books and ink was a comfort as you let out all of the tension that had been following you all morning in a deep exhale. Waking up at the table had been quite the odd situation and it had you back and neck in knots. And on the way to the Librarby you had the strangest feeling that you were being watched. You were convinced you caught something following you in the trees when you passed. Talk about creepy ...

You stepped into Librarby from out of the cold. The warmth of the seeped into your shivering form and you did your best not to get snow all over the plush carpet. 

"That blizzard is raging something fierce out there! You okay, lady?" You shook your jacket out carefully and quirked a smile at the Lizard monster behind the counter, who was leaning over it,  watching you. 

"Yeah Ty, I'm good. I got in just as it was getting worse." 

"Good, good, " he nodded along with your words. He leaned back and straighten up. "What can I help you with today?" 

Your smile brightened as you stepped further into the building, shrugging off your damp jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "I just have to return these books." You placed a small stack of books you pulled from your bag on the counter in front of him. That done, you made your way to the shelves that lined the back wall. Let's see… you needed to find a few books about the Underground… and maybe some about the King…

You returned to your table with your spoils and settled in an empty chair, the silence of the library soothing your frayed nerves further. You took a deep breath and grabbed the book from the top of the pile. The pages were yellowing and the spine looked hand-bound. The book must be very old. You traced the worn title with your finger.

UNDERGROUND: A History 

What a creative title…. You cracked a smile before carefully opening the book. Handwritten symbols you had never seen before greeted you on the first page. 

What…? What kind of-

You turned the page. Your head throbbed with an oncoming headache. Odd… you couldn't remember what you were thinking about. Oh well, must not have been that important.

Once upon a time, Humans and Monsters and Mages lived together in peace under the sun. All three races prospered under the influence of Magik and SOULs. 

Huh… some of the words were illegible… you squinted at the scratched out words, trying to figure out what they could possibly say. Something gray shifted in your peripherals, startling you out of your musings. Your eyes darted over to see...

Nothing? But… you could have sworn you…

…

Your eyebrows pulled together in confusion and you turned in your seat to survey the surrounding tables. Were your eyes playing tricks on you…? Huh… maybe you were seeing things because you didn't get enough sleep last night? Yeah, that had to be it.

You took off your reading glasses and rubbed your tired eyes. Ugh… you would definitely need to take a cat nap before your shift at Grillby's.

First things first though…

Peace could not last forever, however. Humans grew discontent with having to share the Earth with their Monster allies. Humans grew fearful of the Magik Monsters held. Monsters had the power to absorb a Human SOUL. The Humans attacked, suddenly and relentlessly.

Countless Monsters were slaughtered. They could not match the power and DETERMINATION of a Mage Human SOUL. The surviving Monsters, wounded and terrified, retreated to Mt. Ebott, where the Humans forced them Underground. Humans trapped them Underground with a Magikal barrier with the power of seven powerful Mage SOULs.

Oh, stars… no wonder…

…

Your stomach flipped and you pressed your hand over your mouth, suddenly feeling very ill. No wonder they were after human SOULs. Humans… 

Your kind trapped them Underground…

…

Your SOUL ached. Monsters didn't… Monsters did not deserve to be trapped. Every Monster you've met so far... They've all been so hospitable and giving, taking care of you and Frisk like you were apart of the community instead of two strangers that just suddenly appeared.

You closed the book, mind whirling a mile a minute. Fuck … You had to find a way to get not just you and Frisk out now, you had to find a way for everyone out of the Underground. You couldn't just leave when there were so many Monsters trapped down here for no good reason.

A sensation welled up in your chest, sending your limbs tingling. One that you couldn't describe. The only thing you knew was that you had to help in any way you could, no matter how hard it would be. You would just keep striving .

The walk to work was just as unsettling as the walk to the Librabry had been that morning, even with the living symbol of positivity walking beside you. You were trying to pay attention to what Papyrus was saying. Really. But the unpleasant feeling of being watched was making uncomfortable chills run along your spine.

"...AND THEN I TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD BE AS GREAT AS ME IF HE… HUMAN BIRD, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? YOU HAVE BEEN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY QUIET THE ENTIRE WALK."

You smiled wearily up at him from under your snow-covered hood. "Yeah, I'm okay, Pap. I'm just a little tired." You hated to lie to the sweet skeleton but you didn't want to make him worry. 

"...WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO HOME BIRD? I'M SURE GRILLBY WILL UNDERSTAND IF YOU ARE FEELING ...TIRED." His narrowed sockets were trained on your face, and you knew he knew you were more than just tired. Papyrus was far more perspective than anyone gave him credit for. "And, You Know We Will Take Care Of You. You Are Not Alone. Your Problems Are Our Problems."

You pulled your hood lower over your head so he couldn't see the tears welling up in your eyes. He always knew just what to say. "Yeah… I know Pap. I'm okay though, really."

The path ahead was lit by the light spilling out of the windows of Grillby's and you sighed in relief as the sensation of eyes on your back left. You turned to Papyrus. "Thanks for walking me to work, Pap."

His grin was dazzling. "YOU ARE VERY WELCOME, BIRD! MAY I HAVE A GOODBYE HUG, PLEASE?"

You blinked, taken aback by his sincerity and enthusiasm. Then a warm smile overtook your face, making the corner of your eyes crinkle. You opened your arms. "Of course, Papyrus. Your hugs are always welcome." 

He scooped you up in his long, strong arms and squeezed you tightly. He was warm and the magic strong humming through his bone was calming. You took a deep breath, letting yourself relax in his hold. Then, just like that, it was over. He put you back on your feet and opened the door to Grillby's for you, letting the warmth and the smell of greasy food out into the snow. You thanked him with a smile and walked into the comforting warmth of the restaurant.

"HAVE A VERY GOOD NIGHT AT WORK BIRD! I WILL MAKE SURE FRISK GETS TO BED ON TIME, AS PER THE USUAL! I WILL SEE YOU WHEN YOU GET HOME!"

Home . The word sent both warmth and sadness through you as the door swung shut. You sighed as you got to work, smiling as the patrons of the bar greeted you exuberantly. You exchanged your coat for your apron, greeting them back carefully cheerful.

All the while, pictures of home drifted through your mind.

…

Only…

They were no longer just memories of the surface. Of your father or your brothers. There were also memories of your time spent with Frisk and Tori and the skeleton brothers and-

You weren't sure how to feel about anything anymore.

You sighed tiredly as you closed the door quietly behind you, shaking off the cold and snow that clung to you. Your 5th shift at Grillby's had been exhausting. It seemed like everyone in Snowdin came tonight. And every one wanted to talk, on top of everything else. You leaned against the door and rubbed your face, letting all of your pent up stress out in a heavy sigh. 

Okay.

You were okay .

You peeled yourself off the door, toeing off soaked boots and shrugging your jacket off. You paddled your way into the kitchen. You wondered what-

A strangled scream made your heart jump to your throat as you diverged from your route to the kitchen and darted upstairs. That was Frisk. W hat  the hell was going on?

You shoved into Papyrus' room, looking around wildly. Where was-

"O-OH, HUMAN BIRD! THEY-" you rushed over to where a very distraught Papyrus was cuddling a struggling Frisk in an attempt to get them to calm down. You gently placed a hand on Papyrus' shoulder before you climbed into the bed. 

"It's okay Papyrus. You're doing great. They're just having a nightmare." You said softly as you stroked Frisk's hair. You began to hum softly. Frisk's eyes flew open and they darted around the room frantically. 

"Shh… it's okay Frisk. You're safe. Everything is okay," Slowly, their muscles relaxed and their breathing slowed. You smiled. "There you go, sweetie. You're okay." 

"i heard a scream. everything okay?" You flinched harshly when Sans spoke up behind you. You didn't even realize that he came into the room… 

The smell of ozone lingered around him.

"Yes Brother, Everything Is Okay, I Think? Frisk Was Having A Nightmare And Bird Was Singing To Calm Them."

You turned so you could see Sans. He looked even more tired than yesterday, you noticed guiltily.

"Sorry if we woke you, Sans." 

"nah, i wasn't asleep anyway," He scratched the back of his neck, his phalanges making a quiet scraping noise. "the kid okay?"

I'm okay. It was just a bad dream. Frisk's hands were slow and shaky as they signed. They peeked thought their bangs at Papyrus. Sorry if I worried you Papy.

A soft smile stretched across his teeth as he scooped Frisk up from your lap and into his arms, making them giggle. A warm feeling spread through your SOUL as you watched them.

“Well! As Long As You Are Okay Frisk! I Propose We All Return To Bed!"

Can Sis sing me a lullaby first? She always does after I have a bad dream.

Papyrus perked up. "OOH, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ONE AS WELL, BIRD!" 

How a skeleton of all Monsters could accomplish such effective puppy dog eyes was beyond you, but here you were, bearing witness to the phenomenon. Well, you might have a lullaby or two in you.

You cleared your throat. "Okay, any requests?"

Frisk seemed to hesitate and shrink into themselves a little. Could you… could you sing my favorite? Their hands were slow and unsure. Their gaze darted away every time you tried to meet their eyes. I know it's a little kid song but! I just really like it…

You smiled fondly and shook your head. They were embarrassed, poor kid. You had no idea why though, their favorite lullaby was a great song. "Of course I'll sing your favorite Frisk. There's no need to be bashful. It is in no way a 'baby song'."

They just nodded, their cheeks reddening slightly. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes, letting the melody and lyrics wash over you.

Come stop your crying

You wiped the tears lingering on their cheeks away with an affectionate smile as Papyrus petted their hair.

It will be alright

Just take my hand

And hold it right

They wrapped their hand in yours with a yawn. They closed their eyes, snuggling into Papyrus' bone cover pajama shirt with a sigh.

I will protect you

From all around you

I will be here

Don't you cry

For one so small,

You seem so strong

My arms will hold you,

Keep you safe and warm

This bond between us

Can't be broken

I will be here

Don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart

Yes, you'll be in my heart

From this day on

Now and forevermore

You'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart

Always

You whispered the last lyrics and stood up from the bed carefully, trying not to disturbed Frisk or Papyrus. You moved to the door as Sans pulled the blankets up over the snoozing pair and held it open for the two of you to leave. 

"Phew…" you said as soon as you and Sans were in the safety of the living room. You flopped on the couch with a huge sigh. Today had been a rollercoaster. 

"rough day, buddy?" Sans plopped onto the couch beside you, his eyelights gleaming through the darkness. You groaned, rubbing your eyes as a headache formed behind them. "That, my friend, is the understatement of the century."

"so? tell me your woes. i've been told that, for a guy with no ears, i'm an egg-cellent listener."

You gave him a skeptical once over, an incredulous smile. "Sans, my dude. That doesn't even-"

He cut you off, reaching into his pocket with a wink. "make sense? on the contrary birdie, it makes perfect sense if i have this."

With the flair you wouldn't have guessed the lazy skeleton had, he offered you a hard-boiled egg, his grin once again reaching shit-eating territory. You stared at the egg. What does someone even say to something like that?! 

"Sans."

"yeess?" His grin hitched up another level, making his eyesockets crinkle delightfully. His eyelights seemed to dance in his sockets, soft and bright. You shook your head with a disbelieving grin. You couldn't believe he- 

Did he really…?

"Sans, did you really carry around an egg for stars knows how long just to tell that joke?"

He shrugged, tossing the egg at you, and smirked when you fumbled with it. "a good magician never reveals his secrets."

He does jazz hands at you. Freaking jazz hands. You scowled, sticking your tongue out childishly. "Fine. Keep your secrets then."

When your giggles finally died down, you fell back into the plush cushions with a soft huff. The cushions shifted as Sans did the same, the bones of his leg brush across your arm when he threw his legs onto your lap, effectively trapping you. You threw him a deadpan stare.

“Pfff! Really Sans?” He crossed his arms behind his skull and sank deeper into the couch. He looked comfortable. At least one of you was. 

You….You hands no idea what to do with your hands now. Do you stick them in your pockets or…? 

“you can put your hands back in your lap. i don’t bite.” Sans yawned. His knowing wink was infuriating. You had half a mind to shove him off the couch. But in the end, you gingerly set your hands on his shin bone. His bones were warm under your fingers, and far smoother that you would have thought. His bones were far thinker that any human’s bones, stronger too. The magic humming through his bone was slow, boarding on lazy. However, you could feel a hidden strength deep below the surface. It was extremely relaxing. You didn’t realize you were lightly trailing your fingers along his tibia (you think that’s what the bone was called) until he giggled and shifted his legs away from your wandering fingers.

Oh stars . You were just… you...just feltuphisbonesohmystars!

You jerked your hands away with a noise similar to a teapot, stammering out apologize will Sans guffawed loudly, holding his stomach (or lack thereof) as you slowly melted into a puddle of embarrassment that once resembled a human. God, he was never going to let you live this one down, was he? 

“ stars your face! dude, that was hilarious!” He was wiping blue translucent tear from the corners of his eyes when you finally worked up the nerve to emerge from hoodieland. You smiled despite your chagrin. This was the first time you saw him smile like that. A real smile. 

It was…. It was beautiful nice.

Chapter Text

"So… you want to go to Waterfall." You rose an eyebrow, putting their plate of fries on the bar in front of them before leaning on the bar. They nodded, excitedly kicking their feet against the barstool they were seated in, tucking into their fries like you hadn't fed them this morning (which you had, mind you; after awkwardly trying to get Sans' legs off of you without waking him. Stars above, that was embarrassing.) while you shook your head.

You lowered your voice and glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. Thankfully, your conversation was covered by the ambiance of clinking dishes and chatter around you. "You mean the same Waterfall where, y'know, the leader of the Royal Guard lives? The same that wants to snatch our SOULs for the King? Super scary? Ringing any bells?"

They looked up from their fries to glare at you, but the effect was ruined by the ketchup smeared across their face. You bit your lip to keep the smile off of your face and grabbed a napkin. Stars, they were precious.

The glare dropped into a deadpan. Hahaha, yes you're so funny. I know all of that but we have to go through Waterfall eventually.  

"Yeah, yeah I understand. BUT, that doesn't mean I'm okay with it. We really need to be careful, okay?" Just the thought of encountering Undyne made your skin prickle uncomfortably. You'd heard some pretty scary rumors about how Undyne fights. 

...Let's just say you really did not want to be on the business end of any weapon her arsenal, magical or otherwise. 

A shudder ran through your chest. You forced the uneasiness and doubt aside, like Frisk said, you had to go to Waterfall sooner or later. You sighed. "Okay. We can go after I leave work and change my clothes if I get off early enough."

They nodded, diving back into their fries with a vigor that you wished that you had. You sighed and ruffled their hair affectionately before moved down the bar to serve the other patrons. 

Your lips lifted into a smile when the air shifted ever so slightly a few minutes later. Well, it was about time. You were starting to wonder if he was going to show up today. You turned and shouted to the kitchen: "I need a Sans special, please!"  

Right on cue, just as the cook gave his affirmative shout, the familiar smell of ozone permeated the wood smoke of the diner.

"Your order is being made as we speak," You informed him, a toothy grin threatened to overtake your features. Your eyes didn't leave the fresh bottle of ketchup you were placing on the counter until you heard the creak of his favorite stool. A low whistle made you chuckle as you pushed the ketchup to him before folding your arms and leaned over the counter with a cat caught the canary smile. His eyelights were sharp pinpricks of surprised amusement. "Finally on lunch break, I take it?"

"heh. you're gettin' good, birdie. careful, though. you might give grillbz a run for his money." He popped the top of the ketchup and tossed some back, the ketchup vanishing into the void behind his teeth. You watched, fascinated by the way the ketchup just disappeared . 

Magic was so interesting . You had asked him once, in the midst of one of your curiosity driven question-a-thons (he was so patient with your endless curiosity, bless his SOUL), exactly how it was possible for someone without organs to function like he and his brother did. And how his shortcut worked. He had that smug, 'i'm probably about to piss you off' grin stretched across his skull when he answered, with a wiggle of his phalanges, that it was magic. That was it. Just magic. Needless to say, you almost smothered him with your pillow during the ensuing pillow fight that both Frisk and Pap joined in on not too long after.

"Ehh… I'm not that great, really. Just doing my job."

Sans set his ketchup on the bartop and rose a brow bone at you. His eyelights were bright and thoughtful as he rested his elbow on the bartop, chin in his hand. "bird. you do know you the only person that grillbz has hired in years, right? he wouldn't let just anyone work here. this place is his life."

Your shoulders hitch up to your burning ears as you pulled out your rag and wiped the bar to avoid looking at him. You knew he was right. Grillby loves this place. If he didn't think you were capable then he would have hired you. But…

"Yeah, but only because-"

…

A series of indignant hissing crackles made you cringe, your teeth locking into a grimace. Uh oh. 

"yep, she was doubting herself again."

"I was not, you tattletale!" Your face burned red as you threw your (clean) rag at the jokester skeleton. It landed on his skull with a plop . Damn, you were hoping it would land in his eyesocket.

That would have been hilarious .

Grillby crackled scoldingly, folding his arms over his immaculate vest.

 "...Really now, Bird. I thought you were more mature than that."

Sans and Frisk snickered together as you got your dressing down by the annoyed flame Elemental. You glared and signed stealthily; Remember, I know were you both sleep.

That shut them up…

...while you were looking, that is. 

About an hour later after your scolding, you were set to the other side of the bar to clean. Your mind was still tumbling through the reprimanding Grillby gave you about proper behavior while serving a customer. Even if that customer was an impossible, cute , infuriating skeleton that caused said reprimand. You may have been scrubbing the bar a bit harder than necessary but darn it! You were embarrassed! You could still feel your ears burning.

"...Sans, must you?" The exasperation in Grillby's voice made you perk up from vigorous scrubbing and immediately shook your head with your own exasperation. Typical. You walked over to stand in front of the snoozing skeleton, hands positioned on your hips. 

You admired his ability to fall asleep anywhere, however inconvenient it may be at times. You wished you could fall asleep that easily. You turned your gaze to Frisk, who was swiping fries off of Sans' half-eaten plate and leaning on Sans' shoulder, looking very bored.

"Frisk, I'm going to finish up here and make sure this bonehead gets back to his station before Paps notices. Will you be okay walking home by yourself?"

They perked up immediately. Yeah, I'll be okay. Can I play with MK for a while? I'll be home in time to go to Waterfall, promise!

"Mhmm. Just be careful and make sure not to stay out too long."

Sure! Love ya, Sis. I'll see you later!

Your heart melted as they hopped up from their seat and ran around the bar to give you a goodbye hug before they hurried off, shoving their arms into their jacket as they bustled out the door.

"I love you too!"

Stars above, you loved that kid.

Grillby's warm chuckle made your smile grew as both of you went about your tasks in comfortable silence. First things first, finish up your shift so you could get this goober off of the bartop and back to his sentry station before Papyrus came looking for him.

"See ya later, Frisk!" MK shouted, his striped yellow poncho fluttering behind him as he ran off…

...Only to trip over a snow poff and land face first in the snow. Frisk felt a concerned noise building in their throat as they step forward to help their armless friend. But before they could help him up the yellow dino monster was already up on his feet hollering an enthusiastic: "I'm okay!" Before he was off again, his tail swing cheerfully behind him.

Frisk giggled and shook their head, their newly trimmed bang swinging just above their eyes. MK was such a klutz sometimes. Their smile lingered on their face as they trudged through the snowy forest. Snowdin Forest was as eerie as always. But, for some reason, despite the eeriness, they felt at ease. Snow fell gentle around them, catching the light of the glowing stones embedded in the cavern ceiling high above their head. Frisk looked up at the foggy ceiling with a sigh. Their breath puffed out in a cloud, not unlike a dragon, making them giggle. They did it again, this time deliberately, watching their cloud drift away with the fluffy snowflakes on the breeze.

Cold hands rested on their neck. They recoiled with a silent shriek and placed their hands over their bare skin to defend from any other attacks. They glared over their shoulder. Chara was innocently inspecting their nails, a smug smirk stretched across their pale face. Your hands are cold Chara!

Their smirk widened. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Frisk pouted, a retort on their mind…

"Well, well, well. Looks like I finally caught you alone Frisk." Frisk's jumped to their throat and a cold sliver of fear imbedded in their SOUL. No…

No no no!

Please…. Not now .

They weren't ready !

This wasn't part of the plan. They thought they had more time….

They took a shaky breath before clenching their fists, their fingernails digging in their palms. Determination flowed faster and faster thought their SOUL as they turned to face him.

His mouth was pulled up into his infamous innocent smile, his yellow petals bright and perky as always. He bounced slightly, making his petals sway to a song only he could hear. His black beady eyes were trained on Frisk's face. They slipped back into their expressionless mask.

Hello Flowey. What can I do for you?

"Oh, Frisk… I think you know exactly what you can do for me." Flowey giggled, extending a thorny vine from his stem. Frisk's muscles tensed in anticipation. Their eyes blazed red as Determination pulsed through their SOUL, magic crackling around their fingertips, waiting to be put to use. Their SOUL fluttered harshly as Flowey pulled them into an Encounter. Color bled from the white world, starkly contrasting the pulsing red of the SOUL. They just had to distract him long enough to fle-

Flowey cackled maniacally, face morphing into something terribly deranged. "DIE!"

The vines surged forward.

Sans jerked awake with a snort, his SOUL quivering against his ribs. He sat up slowly, blinking the sleep from his sockets, tired confusion made his brow furrow. His eyelights darted around, taking in the familiar bar and monsters around him. The quiet lull of conversations and the clanking of dishes made the rapid flow of his magic slow a bit. He was still at Grillby's…

Why was he…?

Didn't you take him back to his sentry station? He remembered you waking him up, walking with him through the snow, he asked you…something… And then…?

An intense feeling of deja vu shivered down his spine. Was it just another dream? Another blip in the timeline…? A familiar emptiness chased away any warmth in his SOUL as the thought echoed in his mind. He was bones hurt , a marrow-deep ache that left him constantly exhausted. So, how much time was lost this time? Apathetic thoughts murmured hollowly around him. He sagged in his seat as he glanced at the kid. They were pale. His brow bone furrowed as they pulled their striped sweater tighter around their trembling body, clutching their chest. He recognized the signs. They must have just Reset.

He would have to check-

"Grillby, I'm fine. It was just a little dizzy spell. I can still work," Your dulcet voice cut through the noise of the pub and the persistent buzzing of his thoughts in his skull. Your voice was tight like you were trying not to be sick. His eyelights followed you as Grillby supported you as he lead you around the bar and made you sit down before going back to tend to the stragglers at the bar. You glared after him. "Stubborn old flame." 

There was no heat to your grumbling. No, you just sounded as hollow as he felt. You took your signature bandana off and ran your hand through your hair, blowing out an irritated breath before retying the bandana in your hair. You smiled tiredly at him, he couldn't help but return it.

"So, since I've been officially put on break-" your brow furrowed when you looked passed him. The kid made a small noise and curled in on themselves further under your gaze. "Frisk honey, what's wrong?"

They shook their head. Yet the way they clutched their sleeves told Sans that they were lying. Something was bothering them. Sans could read it in their body language. 

You got up from your seat and pulled Frisk from their ball. When you put your lips to their forehead they clutched onto the sleeves of your white button-up. "At least you don't have a fever. Sweetie, what happened? Was it another-"

They cut you off by burying their face in your shoulder with a shudder. You ran your fingers through their hair, your expression cloudy.

"Maybe I should-" Sans locked eyes with you, making your sentence taper off into nothing. You held his eyes for a long moment. You pressed your lips together in a firm line and bit the inside of your cheek, conflicted. 

"i can take the kid home." He offered before you could say anything else. You fidgeted with the bandanna in your hair as your face twisted into a stressed frown. 

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

Sans let his normal easygoing grin into something more genuine. "' course bird, i'll keep an eyesocket one 'em. no bones about it."

A grateful smile lite up your face. You let out a long, slow breath. "Thanks, Sans. I'll be home as soon as I can." 

You pushed Frisk back by the shoulders gently, stooping down to maintain eye contact. "Frisk," 

Sans hopped down from his stool to stand beside you, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. Maybe he could ask Frisk what happened once they calmed down enough to talk. Poor kid. He wondered what happened to trigger that type of episode . "Sweetie. I'll be home as soon as I finish up here. Sans is going to take you home, okay?"

He watched, brow furrowed in worry, as you coax Frisk off of their stool. They clung to you, nodding their head against their side. Their eyes were a dull brown as they start off into the distance. Sans slowly reached for them and pulled them into a shortcut. They wrapped their arms around him, their hands clutching the back of his jacket. The darkness of the Void pressed in, the cold making it hard to breathe-

...

He stepped out into the living room and lead Frisk over to the couch. Their shoulders lifted with a sigh as they settled into the cushions. Sans flopped down beside them after tucking your blanket around their shoulders. His eyelights flickered over to Frisk's still shivering form, sockets narrowing with concern. "wanna talk about it, kiddo? my non-existent ears are all yours."

Frisk shifted, their eyes narrow and focused. It was eerie how serious they could to be when they wanted to. No. I'm okay. I just…

They hesitated, head tilting like they were listening to something. 

"kid, you don't-"

They tensed, their eyes darted over to him. No! I...I want to! I just…. I'm scared. I...I don't want you to be mad or- their breath trembled out of their mouth and their hands were shaking so badly that they couldn't sign. Sans sat up straight, his eyelights shrinking in alarm.

"woah, woah! easy kid," he doesn't remember the last time he'd seen Frisk so agitated before. 

Not since…

Oh.

Oh jeez…

Kid...

The last time Frisk was this shaken up was…

"frisk," he said softly. They looked up at him, their brown eyes filled with unshed tears. He pulled them close by their upper arms and ran his phalanges through their hair, much like you had earlier. They relaxed slightly as they took a deep breath. They sniffed and held his concern gaze. "what made you reset?"

Sans watched their face attentively. Did they know he knew about the Resetting of the Timeline? Maybe they talked about the Resets in a previous Timeline? That would explain the bewildering lucid dreams he'd been having recently... Dreams were he remembered doing stuff and the next thing he knew he was waking up, feeling like he was forgetting something...

...

Frisk flinched, their muscles tensing under his phalanges, eyes widening. A small bead of sweat trickled down their cheek. But, despite the nervousness they were trying to hide, they held his gaze determinedly.

They nodded to themselves and their chest heaved as the took a slow, deep breath. Finally, they brought up their hands, still shaking like leaves in a fierce wind.

A silent look passed between them. No more secrets.

They began to sign.

The vines surged forward, but for Frisk, everything shifted into slow motion as Chara's consciousness yanked them back and took over, nimbly sidestepping the lethal vines. Sloshy snow and dirt soaked through their jeans and wool socks as they dodged around a barrage of petals. Their red eyes narrowed in on the cackling flower. 

Frisk, I'm going to Reset! Brace yourself! Chara concentrated on the Determination flowing through their SOUL, reaching into the current, feeling for the familiar sensation of a Reset. Their SOUL brightened on command, flickering faster as it gathers the necessary magic to send them back.

Only…

Flowey beat them to it.

"Reset to the beginning Frisk! We were having such a good time with our game before you brought your babysitter along! We have to get rid of her!"

Anger flashed through Chara at the very thought of you getting hurt, making their concentration slip. The flower smiled mockingly, "Hehehe! Looks like I hit a nerve. Maybe I'll go pay your " Sis" a visit?"

Leave her alone! Chara bared their teeth in a snarl before they had time to compose their emotions. Magic leaped from their agitated SOUL, flaring across the ground in red arches.

The distraction was enough.

A thorny vine stabbed through their fragile SOUL. Chara doubled over in agony. A sharp breath. Pain radiated over their whole body. Then it was dark. So. So dark.

...

And cold.  

Then…

…

A warm glow. Red. Chasing away the dark and cold.

…

RESET

…. 

Continue?

*Yes      No

*STAY DETERMINED

Frisk breathed deeply to calm their racing heart. There. Sans knew everything now. No more hiding. No more secrets. A chill brushed over their shoulder as Chara put a supportive hand on their shoulder. They may not have agreed to tell Sans but…

They were glad they were here for them. They wouldn't be able to survive all of the Reset shinagines without their constant solace. Especially after…

…

After such a rough Reset.

They hated when their SOUL shattered.

They chanced a glance at Sans. He was slouching beside them with his hand stuffed in his pockets, starting off at the far wall, deep in his mind. They decided not to bother him, instead they snuggled deeper into your blanket- their favorite, the light blue one with stars on it. They basked in the warm relief of having the Resets out in the open. Telling Sans was always the hardest part of the Resets if they decided to tell him. They knew he already knew about the Resets from talks in the previous Timelines but it always felt so much better when Frisk told him themselves.

After all, communication was key. They had to learn the hard way.

Maybe Sans could help them with-

"so, let me get this straight. this...flower. he, uh, he's the one who caused all of those timeline blips before you fell."

A nod.

"and when you fell your determination was stronger than his. now you have the power to reset. or so i've told you in the past timelines."

Another nod.

"and this flower is angry with you because you won't reset us all back to the beginning. so he shattered your soul."

A slow nod.

"...i feel like you've told me all of this before."

A hesitant nod. 

Sans slouched further into the couch, his face carefully neutral. His eyelights were roaming over their face like he was searching for something. They resisted the urge to look away.

"how many times?"

Frisk looked at their lap, biting their lip guiltily. I'm not sure. After the first dozen or so I lost count. They all just meld together after a while. All of the memories.

Sans sighed, his shoulders deflating slightly. Then his expression softened, his eyelights duller than normal.

"ok."

Sans-

"it's late. how about i tell you a story while we wait for bird?"

But I-

Sans eyesockets narrowed in tired amusement. He reached out and ruffled Frisk's hair. They giggled and swatted his hand away. "jeez kid, ain't you tired yet? i know i am. 'specially after all of the excitement this afternoon. must be nice to have boundless energy."

Frisk deflated a little as their giggles died off. Sans shut himself off again. No matter how much they tried there felt like there was an impenetrable wall between Sans and the world. With a quiet sigh, they nodded and curled up into the skeleton's side, dragging the blanket with them. Sans let them settle into his side. 

What about Papy? Doesn't he need his story?

"nah, not right now. pap's at undyne's. he'll be back later."

Oh, m'kay. 'M ready then.

Sans cleared his non-existing and winked at them when Frisk giggled.

"once upon a time…"

Snow drifted passed your eyes as you lifted your gaze skyward. A sigh passed your chapped lips, your breath crystalizing in the fridge air. It hung in the air, glistening in the street lights of Snowdin, before drifting away. Untouched snow crunched health your boots, leaving footprints in your wake. Colorful light reflected on the pure snow as you neared your destination.

Home.

Thank the stars you were finally home. You pushed the door open with a sigh of relief. Warmth seeped into your numb cheeks and nose as you stepped into the house, tapping off your snowy boots on the doorstep.

"...then fluffy bunny snuggled under their favorite blanket and their momma tucked them in with a kiss. 'good night, fluffy,' she said, turning off the light. 'sweet dreams, my dear.'"

You halted in your tracks when you hear Sans' voice coming from the couch. They hadn't heard you come in, it seemed. 

Aww…. Sans was telling Frisk one of Papyrus' favorite story.

You quietly shucked off your dampening jacket, the melting snow seeping into the cloth, and hung it on the coat rack. Then you toed off your boots, all the while keeping quiet so you could hear the heart-melting cuteness going on mere feet in front of you. 

"'good night, momma.' Fluffy Bunny said sleepily. They smiled as they drifted off to sleep. Dreaming of playing with their friends in big fields of grass. the end."

You heard Sans sigh contently as you snuck up to the couch and peeked over, carefully leaning against the back. You had to press your lips together to keep from awwing out loud at the scene in front of you.

Frisk was cuddling against Sans' side and Sans had an arm thrown over their shoulders, an all too familiar book sitting across their blanketed laps.

*Goodnight with Fluffy Bunny

*A classic almost as great as Peekaboo with Fluffy Bunny.

*Seeing Sans reading to Frisk fills you with happiness

Sans? Frisk's gestures were slow and tired. They could barely keep their eyes open, the poor kid. The corners of your mouth lifted into a tired, but fond smile. Sans shut the book and reached out to place it on the coffee table, moving slowly as to not jostle Frisk from their half-asleep state. 

"yeah, kiddo?"

You're the best big brother I could ever ask for. 

You pressed your lips together to keep the noise building in your throat as Frisk snuggled deeper into Sans' hoodie and closed their eyes, leaving a very baffled skele in their wake. Stars, that was adorable.

A small amount of magic gather on Sans' zygomatic bone, dusting them a light cyan. From what you could see his eyelights dilated in surprise, casting a white-blue glow over Frisk's drowsily smiling face.

"aw jeez bud. you got it all wrong. paps is the best bro." He deflected, his smile tilted just this side of flustered. Frisk opened their eyes, their smile growing slightly. You held your breath to keep from giggling.

Pap is coolest bro. You're best.

Awwww!

You snickered, unable to hold it in anymore. Sans' eyelights darted over to you, his sockets widening in shock. You threw your arms over the back of the couch, leaning further into the back of the cushions. Frisk signed a sleepy good night. Their breathing slowed and they were asleep in a matter of moments.

"Thanks for taking care of them while I was at work. You're really good with them Sans." You reached out and brushed their bang back with a soft smile. Your glad they got to sleep okay. Usually they didn't sleep that well after an episode . But Sans got them to sleep, no problem. A smile you turned on Sans when he tired shrugged off your compliment. Was it just your imagination or was his face bluer than before?

"heh. nah. the only reason that i'm so good with kids is because i raised papyrus." He informed you, stuffing the hand that Frisk hadn't captured into his jacket pocket.

You blinked in surprise, you hadn't been expecting that. I mean, you knew they were extremely close but…

Your brow furrowed. "Where were your parents?"

His grin tilted into a half-smile. "you have to be at friendship level five to unlock backstory."

"You and I both know we're at friendship level five, " you snarked, then your face softened. "You don't have to talk about it." 

He lifted a shoulder in a shrug, looking off into the distance. His smile nor his eyelights betray any of the thought running through his skull. "nah, it's okay. honestly, i have no idea. i don't remember much from childhood. only living in this house with paps, " He looked at you at the corner of his socket, his grin hitching up at one side. "and from the expression on your face i get the feeling that you know the feeling?"

You scrunched up your nose, a frown crossing your face. Poor Sans and Papyrus. Not knowing who your parents are is sad. But, you had the feeling that Sans had no desire to discuss his parents so you kept your thoughts to yourself. "You know, your ability to read faces is downright eerie sometimes, " You moved around the couch and plopped down on the remaining cushion. "And yes, to answer your question. I do know the feeling."

He motioned for you to continue if you wanted too and you sighed, looking away for a moment. With a determined nod, you turned to him.

"I raised my baby bro from when he was little. My mom and dad had split up when I was thirteen. But dad worked two jobs so I had to take responsibility and help with Cole. He was four at the time."

His browbone furrowed sympathetically. "that must have been pretty tough."

"Mmm, yeah. It was tough sometimes but Cole's a good kid so… it was definitely tougher on you. Not having any parents around." A sudden ache of sadness made you sag against the cushions. You missed him. You missed them. Your family. Well, your human family. What would it have been like, having to raise a child all by yourself? You shudder to think about it. Sans was so strong to have to go through that.

To take your mind off of the sadness you turn to Sans, who was nodding off, his head leaning back against the cushions. You nudged him, a mischievous smile breaking out across your face. His eyelights drift over to you, brightening when he catches your grin, his own growing. 

"Wanna hear about the time I baked brownies?"

"why do you say that like your about to deliver a joke?"

You grin grew. "Oh, that's because it is, my friend, " you winked as he snickered. See, these were no ordinary brownies. They were brown E's!"

His sockets narrowed and his grin brightened as the joke registered. "oh stars, you didn't."

"I did! I cut out all these brown construction paper Es and put them in a brownie pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Imagine the looks on my family's face when they when to get a 'brownie'!"

"pff. hehehe! that's great bird!" His quiet laughter made you beam. You loved making him laugh like that.

Just then the door opened, a chilly draft breezing passed. Papyrus, in all his greatness, walked passed to stand in front of you, hands on his hipbones. "HELLO, DEAR FRIENDS AND BROTHER! I SEE YOU HAVE STARTED FAMILY BONDING TIME WITHOUT ME! THAT IS QUITE ALRIGHT. THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL FORGIVE YOU IF YOU LET ME JOIN YOU ON THE COUCH SO THE BONDING MAY CONTINUE!"

A chuckle slipped passed your lips shared an amused glance with Sans as you scooted over until you too were pressed against Sans' side. He stiffened at the contact but relaxed almost instantly when you settled and patted the spot beside you.

"Come on, Pap. Plenty of room on the couch for you." He bounded over, a delighted smile on his teeth and slotted himself into the space you provided. 

"SO, WHAT ACTIVITY WERE THE TWO OF YOU PARTAKING IN BEFORE I CAME IN?"

"bird was just telling me about the stuff she and frisk did while they were on the surface."

"WOWIE! I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOU AND FRISK'S SURFACE LIFE AS WELL BIRD!"

A smile warmed your face as you got comfy between the skeletons and Frisk as climbed over Sans to lay across both of your laps. You stroked their hair as your brain reeled through memories that would make a good story. Finally, you decided.

"Okay, so this one time me and Frisk were taking a walk when I hear someone shout: 'incoming!'"

They both nodded, Papyrus looked mildly excited.

"Of course I recognize the voice as my younger brother Joe and when we turn all I see is this huge stream of water-" 

That night you all shared stories of childhood shenanigans and past laughs. You all fell asleep on the couch, all curled up in one big pile. Just like a family. 

Chapter Text

Dull light filtered in through the partially open curtains, casting shadows of falling snow over the room and its occupations. The light spilled over the couch, making Sans shifted his face away, his magic throbbing in his skull. He buried his face into the softness he was leaning against to escape the light assaulting his sockets. The room was cold, but the warmth of the couch chased away the chill. The pillow he was resting on moved rhythmically beneath him, almost as if it was breathing-

 What…?

He cracked an eyesocket open, blinking the blurriness of sleep from it. A tousled nest of hair was the first thing to greet his eyelights when they finally focused.

...

It was you. 

He was leaning his head against your shoulder. 

...

Huh… He was right. You did make a really comfy pillow.  

He huffed a chuckle, shifting to give you space. However…  

Frisk was still laying across both your lap and his, sleeping more soundly than he'd seen them sleep in a while, effectively keeping him in place. Papyrus wasn't helping matters much either. He was leaning against him, spine pressing against his arm, pinning him against you.

…

Welp, this was a thing. 

He breathed out a sigh through his nasal bone as he resigned himself to his fate of being stuck in a cuddle pile, sinking deeper into the couch and its warmth. His sockets slowly slid closed as his grin relaxed. Ehh… He was never one to turn down a few more hours of sleep anyways.

The next time he woke up it was a bit lighter outside. He lifted his head from your shoulder carefully, trying not to wake you. He stretched, grunting when his joints popped in several places, letting his magic flow more properly through his bones. The house was still and peaceful. Paps and Frisk must have left, most likely to recalibrate Pap's puzzles. Your blanket had been thrown across both of you, carefully tucking the both of you in for maximum warmth potential. His grin softened, Paps must have put it on the two of you when he left this morning. His bro was the best, always looking out for his family like he does. He untucked himself from the blanket to wrap it more securely around you, chuckling when you curled into the warm blanket.

You shifted a little, a sigh falling from your lips as you stretched your arms above your head. You blinked, your nose wrinkling as you reached up and rubbed your eyes with the back of your hand before turning your gaze on him.

"G'mornin' sleepyskull." You muttered through a yawn, covering your mouth with your hand. He watched through half-lidded sockets and a lazy grin as he leaned back against the cushions, gloved hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. You were adorable .

"morning, bird. looks like you nested good." You tilted your head, a small pout frowning your lips and your forehead furrowed in confusion.

Heh… 

He gestured to your hair. Your frown deepened as you reached up and patted your messy hair. His grin sharpened when your eyes widened and your face turned a wonderful shade of red. 

"Oh jeez, I must look a mess right now." You said, your voice high in embarrassment. Sans snickered as you ran your fingers through your hair, trying to get it at least somewhat under control. 

...You weren't having much success. He had to hold himself back from teasing you. He kind of wanted to do that for you. Your hair always looked so soft.

"nah, you look fine, kid. stop fussin'."

You quirked a cheeky smile, but you stopped fussing with your hair in favor of stuffing your hands back into the blanket, curling into it once more. "Pfff… sure. Whatever you say, dude-"

…

"Sans? What's wrong? You kinda zoned out on me." Your face was drawn up in concern as you leaned over to get a better look at his face.

Sans blinked, focusing back in on you when he realized you had been talking the whole time. When had he zoned out? His head felt kind of fuzzy… His SOUL was warm against his sternum. Why was his SOUL...? 

"heh. nothing, kid. i guess i'm still bone tired . "

The corners of your eyes crinkled as you snickered. "Well, get some more rest then." You unwrapped the blanket from around yourself and stood up. Then you turned and threw the blanket over him, tucking him in with a soft smile. The warmth of your smile warmed his SOUL and he couldn't help but smile back despite the strange tightness of his magic flow. 

His SOUL constricted painfully in his ribs, making his grin strain as he fought down a grimace. His focus waned and he almost missed you saying you were going to start on breakfast. His bone felt too hot all of a sudden. His magic felt a bit… 

off…

…

Like it had been feeling for the past few days...

…

Oh jeez…

…

He nodded, his easy-going smile never slipped as you padded into the kitchen, humming a happy tune that he was beginning to recognize. You hummed it often. As soon as your dulcet tones fade into the kitchen he burrowed deeper into the blanket. His phalanges gripped the front of his hoodie where his SOUL was beating erratically.

Ooh boy… he really hoped he wasn't getting sick SOUL sick.

...Again.

His brow furrowed as his SOUL shivered and his body warmed further with wayward magic. He pulled himself from the couch with a quiet groan, preparing his magic for a shortcut. He dropped through the void and onto his bare mattress with a huff. He reached up to wipe the wet magic buildup across his frontal bone with his hoodie sleeve. 

Ugh. His skull was swimming just from that small jump. 

…

A sigh passed through his teeth at the realization of his current predicament. He was going to have to try and hide his sickness until it went away. He knew he couldn't fool Papyrus but…

Maybe he could act normal enough to keep you and the kid from worrying. 

Welp, the only thing he could do was eat some Monster Candy and sleep.

His grin stiffened ruefully as he curled into his ball of sheets and blankets. Sleep was one of the only things he was good for anyway.

Papyrus joined you in the kitchen when he and Frisk got back from checking over his puzzles. Frisk, as soon as they changed out of their soaked clothes per your request, commandeered the ancient TV/VCR combo to watch one of the few refurbished Disney tapes the brothers had. You hummed along to Hakuna Matata when it drifted into the kitchen.

While Papyrus…

He…

...At first, he was content to watch and hold a conversation.

Then you turned on your music and…

Well…

...You underestimated the impact of your music on the ball of energy and sunshine dubbed Papyrus.

Bubbly melodies floated through the air as he danced you around the kitchen, a bowl of pancake batter in one hand and Papyrus' hand and a wooden spoon in the other. He twirled you carefully, less you spill the batter.

"Papyrus," your stern tone breaking into a giggle. He grinned innocently when he released your hand and you brandished your spoon at him. "Pap, I have to cook."

"BUT I REALLY LIKE THIS SONG YOU ARE PLAYING! AND! YOU WERE DANCING SO! I WANTED TO JOIN! THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS DO! WHAT IS THE NAME OF IT, BY THE WAY?" 

"It's called 'To Noise Making' but that's beside the point! You can't dance with said friend while they are cooking! And I was not dancing." 

He posed heroically while you poured the batter into the warm pan and readied a spatula, your face warming as you grumbled. "YOU WERE DANCING HUMAN. NEVERTHELESS, TODAY IS THE MONTHAVERSERY (GIVE OR TAKE A FEW DAYS) OF YOUR STAY UNDERGROUND! WITH US! WE MUST CELEBRATE! AND YOUR PEOPLE SOMETIMES CELEBRATE WITH DANCE! THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK SANS AND I READ SAID!"

Stars above , had it been a month already? A sudden pang of distress stabbed through you. It had been, hadn't it…

How was your family doing? Were they worried about you and Frisk? 

…

...best not to dwell on things you cannot change. For the time being, at least.

You nodded, putting on a brave face. "Yeah, in most human cultures people celebrate through dance. How do monsters usually celebrate?"

"I SEE! MONSTERS USUALLY USE OUR BULLET PATTERNS IN CELEBRATIONS, MOSTLY. IT IS SO MUCH FUN GETTING TO SHOW EVERYONE HOW GREAT YOU ARE WITH VARIOUS ATTACKS!"

"Cool! Bullet patterns are those things that monsters use in Encounters, right?" You asked, flipping the pancake. It was a nice golden brown. Perfect. You turned your attention back to Papyrus once you had more batter poured, eager to hear more. You loved learning about magic and the monsters that made their home in the Underground.

"THAT THEY ARE, HUMAN!"

"What does your bullet pattern look like?"

Papyrus gasped, literally saying to word out loud, and slapped his gloved hands to his cheekbones. They made a muffled clank! of clothed bone against bone. Papyrus pulled off the most picturesque look of dismay you'd seen anywhere this side of Hollywood. You chuckled at his dramatics, flipping the pancakes on to the stack of pancakes you already had prepared.

"ARE YOU SAYING I HAVE NOT SHOWN YOU MY MAGNIFICENT ATTACKS?!? WHAT A THOUGHTLESS FRIEND I AM," He grabbed you by the shoulders the second put the plate of pancakes on the table and spun you around to face him. You tried not to grin as you looked up at the taller skeleton. You were used to the tall skeleton's dramatics by now. "WE MUST REMEDY THIS PREDICAMENT AT ONCE! A MOCK BATTLE IS IN ORDER!"

The back of your neck broke out in a cold sweat. You really didn't think…

Oh man… 

"Uhh… Pap? I don't think-"

Papyrus pressed his mitted phalange to your lips to quiet your protest. "NOW, NOW, BIRD. YOU LEAVE THE PLANNING TO THE GREAT PAPYRUS! YOU MUST EAT AND RESERVE YOUR STRENGTH! YOU ARE GOING TO WATERFALL WITH FRISK TODAY ARE YOU NOT?"

"Well, yes but-"

"THEN WE MUST TRAIN! IF YOU WERE TO RUN INTO UNDYNE SHE WILL PROBABLY WANT TO FIGHT YOU! EVEN THOUGH I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND MY LESS GREAT BUT STILL OKAY BROTHER SANS WILL NOT LET ANY HARM BEFALL YOU OR FRISK!"

"Haha… Thanks, Pap. I know you and Sans wouldn't let anything happen," you placed the last pancake on Frisk's plate and set about grabbing silverware while Papyrus got cups down from the cabinet. You grinned as a memory came to mind. "After all, Sans promised to keep an eyesocket out for us."

Just as your laughter and Papyrus' protests about the pun died off the air beside you fluctuated. The smell of ozone mixed with the pancake as Sans stumbled into your side. He caught you off guard but your reflexes were quick enough to catch him. You threw your arm around his shoulders before he could collide with the table. A noise of concern was building in your throat. But Papyrus beat you to it. He fiddled with his gloves as a troubled look clouded his sunny smile.

"BROTHER, ARE YOU OKAY?"

Sans shrugged off the concern with a grin. "i'm good bro. i just, uhh, forked up my shortcut." He plucked a fork from the pile on the table and waved it. Papyrus brow bones furrowed skeptically as he studied his older brother, the pun not even registering. Sans' normal grin strained awkwardly, his eyelights darting to the side before settling back on his brother. Sweat beaded along his cranium as he patted your hand, signaling that he was fine to stand on his own. You let him go, but you kept a hand near him, just in case. You wondered, with major concern, what actually made Sans stumble through his shortcut like that. He'd never had trouble with his shortcuts in all the time you knew him. You stared at his side profile with a worried frown. His grin was weary. 

The way Papyrus paused and evaluated his brother through narrowed sockets told you that he didn't quite believe Sans was being entirely truthful. After a tense moment, his normal cheerful look was back in place."OF COURSE, BROTHER. YOU WILL TELL ME IF ANYTHING IS WRONG, WON'T YOU?"

A bead of sweat trailed down the back of his cranium. "sure bro. anyway, my nonexisting ears are burning. you two talking about me?"

"Mhmm. I was just telling Pap that you're not as smooth as you think you are. I know you 'keep an eyesocket out' for Frisk and me when we go out."

Sans pulled out a chair and flopped into it, looking more tired than usual. Frisk, who just trotted in from the living room, flopped down beside him, grinning at their full stack of pancakes. Sans reached over and ruffled their hair teasingly once they got settled. "jeez… you wound me bird. see i'm bleeding."

"Sans, you can't bleed. You're all bones." You countered, giving him a deadpan look before you paused and stared at him, wide-eyed. "...Wait. You can't actually bleed, can you?" 

"nope, not in the traditional sense. that honor is reserved for you fleshy human types." He pinched your cheek when you leaned over to pour syrup on Frisk's pancakes. You swatted his phalanges away from your face with a noise of protest. You couldn't help but notice how much warmer his phalanges felt, the vibration of his magic much faster. You tried your best to shake off the worry. Sans was a grown monster. He knew how to take care of himself better than you could. He would tell someone if something was wrong.

…You hoped. Though... knowing him he would just suffer in silence, not wanting to worry anyone, thinking he could take care of everything on his own…

...The two of you were similar in that regard. 

… 

Your eyes were drawn to back him as he chatted with Frisk and Papyrus. He was driving Papyrus crazy with his tomfoolery, like normal. But every reaction was just a tad slower than normal. His grin a bit more forced. You really hoped he was okay...

You sat down at your own seat and forced down the mounting worry. Sans would be okay. Papyrus, you, and Frisk would look out for him. You picked up your fork, ready to dig into some delicious pancakes. 

" This 'flesh human-type' just made you breakfast," you waved your pancaked fork at him. "So I'll have no cheek from you, young man."

"don't get cheeky with me, kiddo. i'm way older than you are."

"You wanna go, Bones? Come on, pun at me, bro. You can't beat me."

Sans' grin sharpened into a smirk as Papyrus covered his face with a noise of dismay. Frisk was gesturing Nooooo.

"HUMAN! NO! PLEASE DON'T-"

"you're challenging the pun master? are you sure you got what it takes?"

Your war of puns made Papyrus and Frisk vacate the table that morning with reactions so great that you'll be telling stories about it to your grandkids. It was glorious .

After you and Sans finished your laughing fit and you cleaned up the kitchen you set off to look for your wayward pals. Papyrus had shouted (albeit sounding very annoyed) something about going on patrol when he left the house with Frisk on your heels. With that in mind, you followed the pair of footprints imprinted in the freshly fallen snow, leaving your own in your wake. The path wound out of town, following the river. The constant crunch-crunch-crunch of your boots in the snow and the gentle babble of the sound that flowed along the path was a calming and familiar sound. The snow was falling more gently now than it had been this morning. Your eyes followed the snow from its path from the ceiling. The neverending haze that hung low below the roof of the cavern almost gave the illusion of being on the Surface again. The constant dimness of the Underground shattered the illusion pretty quickly though. Your breath streamed from your mouth in a misty sigh. As much as you were enjoying being with your monster friends, you missed the little things on the Surface. Like the rain and the stars and the sun. Your family…

...

"-STAND STILL! ...OH! HELLO, BIRD. ARE YOU AND MY BROTHER DONE WITH YOUR TOMFOOLERY?"

...Of course, you would find them here. You would always find them here, 'training' and make traps and puzzles. You came to a stop a few feet in front of them, the dense fog that always seemed to coat this part of the path made it hard to see them if not for Papyrus' bright red scarf.

You pulled your scarf over your mouth to hide your amusing grin. Frisk scampered over to your side. You signed hello with a smile. They stuck their tongue out at you before stuffing their hand in your pocket, stealing a piece of Monster Candy. You waved a finger at them. In response, they simply grin mischievously up at you. "Yeah, we're done. Sorry about the pun war at breakfast, Paps."

He held up a gloved hand with a perturbed look. "PLEASE, BIRD. DO NOT MENTION IT EVER AGAIN. THE TRAUMA FROM THE MEMORY IS JUST TOO MUCH." He draped a forearm over his forehead dramatically. Despite your best effort to hold it in, a quiet giggle slipped past the barrier of your lips. Papyrus gave you a playfully sharp look. 

Oops. 

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest plate, a move that Frisk mimicked, their face twisting into a feigned scowl. You pressed your lips together. 

"WELL! I SUPPOSE SINCE YOU MEAN TO MAKE A MOCKERY OF ME I SHALL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT THE THING (AUDIBLE WINK) I AM TEACHING YOUNG FRISK HERE."

Frisk covered their mouth, barely hiding the smug smile that stretched across their face as Papyrus picked them up. He placed them gently on his armored shoulder before turning on his heel and marching further down the snowy path. To add insult to injury the little imp on his shoulder turned and stuck their tongue out at you.

"W-wait! Pap I'm sorry! I wanna learn too!" Your protest bounced off the cavern walls as you jog after the pair, your boots spraying fresh snow up your shins. Papyrus' impossibly long legs kept them ahead just enough that by the time he stopped long enough for you to catch up you had to stoop over, resting your hands on your knee, in order to catch your breath. When you looked up you noticed the fog had lifted and there was a warm, muggy breeze blowing from a dark opening of the cavern wall some distance away.

"THIS PATH WILL LEAD YOU INTO WATERFALL! HOWEVER..." he explained, pointing to the opening. The snow was melting around the entrance, giving way to the midnight blue stone underneath. The river kept flowing into the darkness of a path it cut into the rock of the cavern. If you looked close enough you could just make out small glowing rocks embedded in the walls that guided the river into the next room. When you focused back in he was striking his signature pose. Then, with a flash of tangerine, duel bones appeared in his hands. With a suave smile, his posture dropped into a fighting stance. "YOU MUST PROVE YOU ARE GREAT ENOUGH! IF YOU FAIL, I WILL BE FORCED TO CAPTURE YOU (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TECHNICALLY ALREADY CAPTURED YOU! SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING AT MY HOUSE FOR THE PAST MONTH!) I AM TRAINING TO BE IN THE ROYAL GUARD AFTER ALL! BUT! WORRY NOT! I SHALL NOT TAKE YOU TO THE CAPITAL OR HAND YOU OFF TO UNDYNE! SINCE, FOR EXCELLENT REASONS, YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOT FIGHT HER!"

Before you could get a word out after that moving speech the familiar feeling of your SOUL being pulled into an Encounter sent a chill through your body. Faint music that reminded you of Papyrus danced through the air. The surrounding area faded into black as your SOUL pulsed in front of you. Your eyes were drawn to it, like a moth to a-

Oh.

Oh… that's new…

"Uhh… Frisk? Is my SOUL supposed to change like, umm... that?"

Your SOUL… wasn't it cobalt and with small purple cracks it last time you saw it? Why was it...?

Why was there purple bruised over the cobalt surface? If you looked hard enough you could see a bit of cyan peeking from the center amongst the purple and cobalt. It was also brighter than you remembered. Wait… you read about this in a book. It said that adult SOULS can change or pick up new traits, depending on their experiences in life.

Oh! Your SOUL has new colors! And it’s brighter too! You could almost hear the words they were signing as their bright red SOUL bobbed excitedly. That's awesome! You couldn’t help but smile at their excitement. You didn’t think your SOUL was all that exciting but...

Papyrus cleared his 'throat', interrupting your thoughts. "WELL! THAT IS EXCELLENT, BIRD! YOU ARE GROWING AS A PERSON! REGARDLESS, WE ARE HERE TO TRAIN! SO! THE FIRST LESSON IS CHECKING IN AN ENCOUNTER!"

“Checking?”

“YES! IN AN ENCOUNTER YOU CAN CHECK YOUR OPPONENTS ‘STATS’ AND HOW THEY ARE FEELING, AMONG OTHER THINGS.”

How do you Check someone, Pappy?

“AHH, A VERY EXCELLENT QUESTION FRISK! FOR MONSTERS, CHECKING SOMEONE IS AS EASY AS SEEKING OUT THEIR SOUL MAGIC AND THEIR INTENTIONS. FOR HUMANS, IT WORK MUCH THE SAME! HERE, TRY TO SENSE MY MAGIC!”

He opened his arms in a welcoming gesture, an encouraging smile brightening his face. Feeling his magic... You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, letting your thoughts fall silent. The air around you fell silent and stagnant as you focused on the faint pulse of familiar magic coming from Papyrus. Then, like magic , words started to echo in your head.

*Papyrus

*ATK 8 DEF 2

*Likes to say: Nyeh heh heh!

Oh! You recoiled slightly in surprise as the words faded out. Papyrus' cheekbones were a bright tangerine when you looked up at him. His small eyelights were sharp with surprise, clearly flustered from something Frisk had sighed. “F-FLIRTING?! FRISK!  W-WE CAN D-DATE? LATER…? I MEAN...NYEH HEH HEH! YOU BOTH DID FANTASTIC!” You turned your gaze on Frisk, eyes narrowing into a look of scrutiny. Sly red eyes and a cheeky smirk stared back at you before the expression melted into a softer version, Frisk's brown eyes sparkling with mischief. Papyrus caught your attention again, after gaining his composer again. “NOW… WE WILL PRACTICE DODGING.”

A transparent tangerine aura coated his hand as he waved it, the afterglow sending spots dancing across your vision. Suddenly, a heavy weight settled on your SOUL, making you stumble forward onto your knees. Surprisingly, you couldn't feel the chilling snow soaking through your gloves and worn jeans. What the-

“YOU’RE BLUE NOW!”

Blue?!

Your eyes shot to your SOUL. It was blue! Frisk giggled as they pulled themselves off the ground, their bright red SOUL a dark blue. You followed suit, albeit a bit more slowly- your flabbergasted mind still trying to process what just happened to your SOUL. Before you could gain your bearings a bright cyan bone was hurled your way. 

  Whoa! Sis don’t mov-

You dove out of the way with a surprised exclamation, but with how heavy your SOUL was your reaction time was a tad too slow. The bone grazed you and…

Disappeared?

...What?

Pain blossomed across your SOUL, cutting off whatever Frisk was saying and sending an aching throb across your limbs. You let out a yelp of pain and shock as you tumbled to the ground again, your heavy SOUL spasming with aftershocks of pain. With a groan, you accepted Frisk’s outstretched hand. 

“What in stars was that?”

“NYO HOO HOO! I’M SORRY BIRD! I THOUGHT WE INFORMED YOU ABOUT BLUE ATTACKS!” Papyrus looked understandably distressed, knowing what a mother hen he was. You waved off his fretting and apologies with a smile.

“It’s okay, Pap. It was an honest mistake. Just...umm… warn me next time, yeah? And… uhh, what’s a blue attack?” 

“A BLUE ATTACK IS AN ATTACK THAT TURNS YOUR SOUL BLUE. WHILE YOU ARE BLUE YOU MUST STAY STILL AND PATIENTLY WAIT OUT YOUR OPPONENT'S ATTACK.”

Frisk grabbed a Monster Candy from your pocket and unwrapped it for you. You popped it in your mouth with a signed thank you, letting the distinctly sharp non-licorice flavored magic candy snap and fizzle across your tongue before it melted away, the dull throbbing of your SOUL going with it. 

"Ok. Let's try this again. You ready Frisk?"

They nodded their affirmative, bracing for an attack. You did the same. "We're ready Pap!"

"OKIDOKI!" This time a twin white bones tore through the ground and raced your way. With some difficulty, you forced your heavy legs to hop over the incoming bone, successfully dodging it. "WOWIE! YOU TWO ARE GREAT AT THIS! OKAY! JUST A FEW MORE PATTERNS! IT'LL BE A GOOD WORKOUT!"

A little while later, You were laying on the ground, letting the blessedly cold snow seep into your sweaty clothes and screaming muscles as you gasped for breath. Papyrus had indeed given you 'A GOOD WORKOUT'. You were sore all over and you were pretty sure you were dying from a heart attack. 

" Frisk," you wheezed between pants, reaching from the child as they stood above you, arms crossed over their chest, looking very unimpressed with you. Their eyebrow climbed beneath their bangs as they started down at your pathetic form. "I'm dying. "

They ran their hand down their face with a sigh. Papyrus came over while you groaned, his dark sockets alight with concern. "FRISK IS BIRD OKAY? I DIDN'T BREAK HER DID I?!"

No, she's fine. She's just being dramatic.

"I'm insulted, Frisk. I'm never dramatic."

They rolled their eyes and flopped on your stomach, squishing the air out of your lungs with a huff. You are too dramatic. 

Papyrus let out a series of NYEH HEH HEH'S as he hoisted you and Frisk up out of the snow and into his strong arms.

"WHEW! I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE NOT DYING BIRD. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAVESTY!"

"Pfff! Thanks, Pap. Glad to see someone appreciates me around here."

"OF COURSE! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS AFTER ALL!" He set you both back on solid ground and regarded you both with an encouraging smile. "NOW! BEFORE YOU GO TO WATERFALL YOU MUST GO CLEAN UP AND HAVE SOME LUNCH SO YOU CAN RECOVER YOUR HP! OFF YOU GO! BACK TO SNOWDIN WITH YOU!"

You and Frisk let yourselves be herded back into the thick fog of the path leading to Snowdin by the brash skeleton. The conversation was a lively rendition told by THE GREAT PAPYRUS and Frisk of the unbelievable battle that had unfolded moments ago. You oohed and ahhed as the pair passionately acted out the tides of battle, leaving a mess of kicked-up snow and soil in their wake. By the time you made it back to town, the two were even dirtier than they were before! Frisk had sticks sticking out of the matted hair and dirt smudge all over their face and clothes. Papyrus was no better. He had dirt smudged across his battle body and gloves. Still, they were both grinning from ear to ear, or lack thereof, so you couldn't be too upset about Frisk's messy state. It would take you days to get all the stains out though. You were not looking forward to that at all.

...Maybe Anise had something at her shop that would get stains out quicker. You might pay your bunny friend a visit later. 

When you got back home you sent Frisk upstairs to get washed up while Papyrus went to his room to change. When he came back down a few minutes later he was in a crop top that said Cool Dude and a pair of red short shorts. 

You whistled playfully when he strutted in and struck a pose. "Lookin' good, Pap."

He seemed to sparkle when he joined you by the stove, where you were making grilled cheese sandwiches. "WHY THANK YOU HUMAN! I KNEW YOU COULDN'T RESIST MY CHARMS FOR LONG! SADLY, FRISK HAS ALREADY ASKED ME TO DATE THEM!"

Ooh boy...

You plated the sandwich that you just finished and passed it to him with a raised eyebrow, taking on the airs of the overprotective sibling that you were. "And when is this date Papyrus?"

"WHEN YOU GET BACK FROM WATERFALL!"

You shook your head with a smile. "Alright. Just be gentle with them, will you?"

"YES! WE SHALL HAVE A GOOD TIME! DOING THINGS THAT YOU DO ON A DATE! I SHOULD KNOW! I READ MY DATING MANUAL!"

Dating manual? That's adorable. You smiled to yourself. Could Papyrus be any more of a cinnamon roll?

You finished making the last grilled cheese and set it at Sans' seat. Wiping your hands on the towel looped in your belt loop you turned back to Papyrus, who was setting the table with glasses and napkins. 

"I'm going to check on Frisk and get Sans. You can go ahead and eat so you can leave. You said you had a meeting with Undyne this afternoon, right?"

"YES. I HAVE TO MEET HER IN WATERFALL IN A FEW MINUTES! THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME, BIRD! I'll HAVE TO TAKE LUNCH WITH ME!" He snatched up his sandwich from his plate and grabbed a lunch bag from the drawer, stuffing the sandwich in it. He hurried out of the kitchen, boots clomping up the stairs as he fetched his battle body. A few minutes later, he zoomed past you as you ascended the stairs. "GOODBYE, BIRD! I'LL SEE YOU LATER!"

"Bye Paps! Be careful!" You hollered back as he slammed the door closed in his hurry. You chuckled as you stepped onto the landing and headed to the bathroom door. Where did he store all that energy? You could hear Frisk splashing playfully. You smiled fondly when you knocked on the door. 

"Frisk? Lunch is ready." They knocked on the wall twice, letting you know they heard you. You nodded and moved on to Sans' door. Your gentle rap went unanswered. 

"Sans?" 

… 

Maybe he went back to sleep? Or he could be out at Grillby's again. You knocked again, harder this time, and after receiving no answer, you decided to put his sandwich in the fridge and leave him a note. He didn't seem to be feeling well this morning so if he was asleep you didn't want to bother him.

As you turned away from his door, worry gnawed at your SOUL.

You hoped he was taking care of himself...

A warm, muggy breeze kissed your face when you stepped through the entrance of Waterfall with Frisk at your side. The gentle babble of the river gave way to the sound of rushing water that seemed to echo all around you and, to your amazement you could see small waterfalls framing the path further ahead. The smell of rain and something sweet you couldn’t place permeated the air. Stars, you missed the smell of rain. You took a deep breath in through your nose, letting the smell wash over you. Before you could get too wrapped up in your own head, Frisk tugged on your shirt. When you turned your gaze to them they were smiling knowingly up at you.

It’s nice here, huh? Waterfall is my favorite place, besides Snowdin. It’s always so peaceful. Their hands were relaxed and slow as they signed. The tension that always seemed to linger in your neck and shoulders relaxed a little as you listened to the sound of rushing water. You smiled. “Huh… now that you mention it, it is pretty peaceful.”

Come on. There’s something I want to show you. You’re really going to like it! They captured your hand eagerly and lead you past the rushing waterfalls into an indention in the cavern wall. You waved a sheepish hello to the startled orange fish monster as Frisk hustled you past. They slid to a stop with a quiet happy noise. A small yellow armless dinosaur monster was staring at you, looking very confused. 

“Yo! Who are you,” They asked you before turning his attention to Frisk, who was grinning at the small monster. “Is this your sibling you talk about all the time?”

You raised an eyebrow with a teasing smile, reaching down to pinch Frisk’s rapidly reding cheeks. They swatted your hand away indignantly, their scarlet cheeks puffing out. Stop that! 

You chuckled and looked back down at their armless friend, who was watching the whole exchange with a tilted head and a look of befuddlement. You told the little monster your name with a smile. They smile back. "But everyone calls me Bird. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m Monster Kid,” They introduced themselves, the confidence in their voice made you chuckle. “But everybody calls me MK for short! Frisk talks about you all the time y'know!”

MK! Frisk’s protest fell on deaf ears as MK laughed and headbutted them in the arm, then grabbed their hand with their tail. “Come on Frisk! Let’s go check out that huge waterfall over there! It has rocks falling over it! It’s AWESOME!” 

You tried not to panic as they rushed off. “Frisk! Stay where I can see you, please!”

MK turned back and shot you a plucky smile. “Don’t worry, Ms. B! We won’t go any further than the waterfall,” he exclaimed, before pulling Frisk along again, leaning over their shoulder to whisper something. “Man, your big sib is a worrywart!”

"i have to say, i agree with mk on that one." The familiar baritone voice made you smile and turn toward the source. He was sitting at the sentry post you failed to notice, slouching on the countertop with his chin in his gloved hand, watching you through half-lidded sockets. Your smile diminished a bit when you noticed the faint patches of pale blue under his sockets and small beads of sweat dotted around his cranium. "Hey Sans. Did you get your lunch I left you?"

He nodded, pulling said sandwich out from under the counter. "yep, thanks. by the way, i'm pretty fondue of the cheesy pun you wrote in your note."

"I thought you would. It was pretty sharp if I do say so myself," you responded, the corners of your mouth tilting up as you leaned on the counter of his station. You let your gaze run over his face, your smile falling away into a serious expression. He must have noticed the change in your demeanor, because his eyelights sharpened, watching your face closely. "Are you doing okay, Sans?"

"i'm good, bird. don't be such a worrywart." He reassured you with a shrug and a grin. Your expression fell into a worried frown. 

"Sans-" you sighed, cutting yourself off when he started to retreat into his hoodie. You smiled sadly. "Okay. I'll stop pestering you. But! Please… please let us help you if things get too much. We're all here for you."

He slouched even further in his stool, his eyelights dimming as he looked away "i know." 

You took the gloved hand that was resting on the counter and gave it a reassuring squeeze. You needed him to know that people were there for him, whether he realized it or not. His eyelights shot up to stare at your joined hands, then up to your face, his nasal bone steadily glowing cyan. "uh…"

You smiled softly and-

"WHOA Frisk! Watch out, dude!" MK's exclamation echoed through the hall. Your head shot in the direction the kids ran off in. Sudden anxiety weighed on your shoulders as you turned your wide eyes gaze back to Sans. 

"it's okay. go check on the kids." Sans gave your hand one last squeeze before letting you go. 

What in the stars did those kids get into? 

Fear shot down your spine. Oh stars, you really hoped that Undyne didn't get to Frisk. If they were hurt you would never forgive yourself.

...It turned out you had nothing to worry about.

You pinched the bridge of your nose with an exasperated sigh. You didn't even know where to begin with the scene in front of you. Frisk and MK had some sort of mud covering them from head to toe. 

"Do I even want to know what happened?" The pair shook their heads in unison, guilty smiles plastered across the dirty faces. You ran a hand down your face and took a calming breath, letting the worry wash out of you.

You fought to keep the relieved smile off your face. These kids were going to be the death of you

After a moment of collecting yourself, you nodded to yourself and fished out your Dimensional Cube from your pocket. You couldn't help but chuckle at the relieved expressions on the kids’ faces.

"So, here what we're gonna do," you declared, pushing the open button at the top of the cube. You pulled out an outfit you stored in one of the glowing boxes for Frisk. Then, after a bit of searching, you found something that you figured would fit MK. You passed the clothes to them. "You're going to ask Sans nicely if you can use his station to change, and then we’re going to explore Waterfall. Sound good?"

The tall, dry grass tickled your nose as you crouched beneath it with MK and Frisk. Nervous sweat trickled down your spine as you listened to the conversation going on the cliff edge above you intently. How the hell did you get in this situation…?

You had just gotten MK and Frisk changed and hyped to go through Waterfall when a familiar voice halted you in your tracks. Papyrus sounded uncharacteristically uneasy as he spoke to the heavily armored person in front of him. 

"W-WELL, YES. I DID FIGHT THEM. BUT…"

…

Papyrus shuffled his feet and fiddled with his gloves nervously. "NO, I DID NOT CAPTURE THEM," He took a sharp breath in at something his companion said, his voice high with nerves. "YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT THEM YOURSELF?"

…

"UNDYNE YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT… I Understand. I… I Will Help You In Any Way I Can." MK fidgeted by your side, tail flinching with his impatience. You held a finger to your lip to calm him as Papyrus took his leave above you, leaving Undyne standing on the cliff on her own. 

MK fidgeted again, his tail accidentally lashing out against the grass around you. Your heart leaped to your throat, every muscle in your body tense as Undyne's head whipped down, her armor clanking noisily. Her bright yellow eye burned with anticipation as her gaze swept over the grass. The air crackled around you like static electricity, making the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Your eyes widened and you pulled MK and Frisk close as a bright cyan spear appeared in her hand and she pointed right at your little group. Your heart hammered with panicked terror and you felt Frisk grab your shirt, the sweat from their hands soaking through. After a tense moment of holding your breath and waiting for your doom the static feeling dissipated from the room when Undyne dismissed her weapon and disappeared into the shadows.

Oh god… 

You felt like a puppet after getting its strings cut. All of the strength left you, causing you to sag. Your body shook from the leftover adrenaline and panic. 

…

You could have died. The thought sent a chill through your SOUL. 

A small hand stroked the backs of your shoulders in a calming gesture. You glanced up with a drained smile. "Thank you, Frisk. Are you and MK okay?"

They gave a shaky thumbs up. MK, who was quiet during the whole exchange, let out an excited whoop. "That was totally awesome! Did you see how cool Undyne looked when she summoned her spear! I wanna be strong like that when I grow out of my strips!"

You picked yourself up from the ground and dusted yourself off. "Maybe you can if you practice hard enough."

Frisk nodded along and signed something to MK, who grinned confidently. You shook your head and let them conversate among themselves while you lead them onward, deeper into Waterfall.

A good part of your journey through Waterfall was mostly uneventful. The three of you solved a few puzzles and you got into a few encounters and read a few depressing signs describing what monster had to go through after humans trapped them Underground, but other than that you were free to explore with Frisk and MK.

Then, you entered the Wishing Room. 

"Whoa…" you whispered breathlessly as your eyes scanned the ceiling where millions of glowing blue crystals jetted out of the darkness. It reminded you of the clear starry nights you and your family would go stargazing.

It was beautiful, but also… bittersweet. They were so close to looking like the real night sky that…

…

Monsters… most of them have never seen the real night sky. The Wishing Room was the closest thing they have.

You sighed quietly, hoping that the children walking in front of you don't notice your melancholy state. A gentle whisper drifted past your ear. You flinched and looked over your shoulder, wide-eyed.

What was that?

A tall blue flower was all you found behind you. Did the flower…?

...Nah, you must have been hearing things. You past be another flower and…

...

" Want…"

…!

It was the flower!

You crouched down by the flower excitedly. How was it talking?

You eagerly pulled your journal from your Cube and jotted down a few observations about the flower. Beside the notes, you sketched flowers. It was a bright cyan and, like most of the other flora you have encountered in Waterfall, it was bioluminescent. The corolla was about the size of your hand if you spread it out and it had six lighter blue petals. When you stood up you noticed that it was the same height as Frisk. It smelled like freshly fallen rain and freshly cut leaves and flowers.

When you brushed your fingers over the soft petals it glowed brighter.

*(You hear a passing conversation)

*We'll never see the real stars.

A pang of sadness ran through your SOUL as you moved on to the next one, almost not noticing Frisk and MK listened intently as well.

*What is the sun like, Mom?

*It is beautiful, my darling. It's like the biggest, warmest hug you can get.

*I wanna see it!

*I do too, my sweet. We must keep hoping.

*I'm losing hope of ever seeing the Surface.

*Will the King ever get the last SOUL?

…

Oh…

You… 

You had to do… something to cheer them up…

You bit your lip, trying to think of some way to at least bring some hope back into some of their SOULS. Frisk tugged on your shirt.

"What's up, sweetie?"

They had that determined sparkle in their eye that you have grown used to seeing. You smiled. What if we say encouraging things into the Echo Flowers?

"Good idea! I want to help too!" MK rushed over to an Echo Flower and in his quietest voice began to whisper.

You and MK set about whispering encouraging and hopeful things into the Echo Flowers while Frisk signed things they wanted you to say for them.

"You can't lose hope."

"You have to persevere."

"I believe in you!"

"You're going to be alright..." 

"We will all bask in the sun one day, you'll see!"

"Stay Determined!"

It was the most uplifting thing you had seen in a while

It gave you the will to Persevere.

You are filled with Perseverance.

Chapter Text

A warm breeze ruffled the water sausage lining the worn wooden dock, sending the Echo Flowers into a chorus of airy  shh-shh-shh  as the water sausages swayed. The wooden dock swayed under your feet as the water lapped at it. Frisk and MK ran ahead, plucking the long grass from the water and using them as makeshift swords. 

"Be careful, you guys." You called after them. You shook your head with a smile. Honestly, those two… 

Something grey darted across your peripheral. You froze in place, your breath catching in your throat and your heart stuttered in your chest as you swung around and-

…? 

Your eyes scanned out into the darkness gingerly, looking for any bursts of color amongst the cyan glow of the Echo Flowers. 

Please don't let Undyne find us… 

Goosebumps rippled across the exposed skin of your arms. Your heart hammered against your ribs. You felt  sick . Your feet froze in their tracks with dread. Oh god… what if she…? 

Two small hands grasped your clenched fist. You flinched harshly, the panic-induced adrenaline receding into the back of your mind like a tide, leaving you feeling sweaty and sickly. Frisk was looking up at you when you tore your eyes away from the darkness. Their brow was furrowed worriedly. Flexing your fingers, you unclenched your sweaty hand to hold theirs properly. 

OK? 

You nodded, squishing down the anxiety swirling in the back of your mind, and squeezed their hand reassuringly. "I'm okay, sweetie. I just… I just thought I saw something," You released their hand and motioned them forward, where MK was waiting anxiously for them to continue their game. "Go ahead and play with MK, I'm fine." Frisk hesitated for a moment longer before they nodded. MK's eyes lit up and he hopped in place excitedly when Frisk rushed forward to join him, the water sausage grass bouncing in his mouth with every motion. You exhaled tiredly through your nose, running a trembling hand through your messy hair. 

Man… 

… 

Your eyes caught sight of something unusual on the wall. You stepped closer, brow furrowed in confusion. There were glowing glyphs scrawled in signs across the dark stone. You reached out, fingers pressing against the cool stone, tracing the runes. It looked like it was in a different language…  

… You couldn't quite make out the words. 

Huh… 

You pulled out your phone and snapped pictures of the signs, one by one. Maybe you could find a book to help you translate it when you got back...

… 

… Wait. 

Silence. 

With a sharp breath, you swung around. Oh no… where did the kids go? Wide-eyed with worry, you glanced around the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of Frisk's striped sweater. Further down the path, you caught a flash of purple disappearing into the darkness. With a galloping heart, you raced after them before they got too far ahead. Your boots pounded against the dock. It swayed and groaned under your feet. Another flash of color in the darkness, and then…

Splosh!

Swears flew from your mouth as you plunged waist-deep into the dark water where the dock ended, feeling disoriented. You pulled yourself back up onto the dock, mind whirling in disbelief. Where did the rest of the dock go?! When you stood back up your socks squished in your shoes and your jeans stuck to your legs uncomfortably. 

Jeez...

You squinted out into the darkness, taking a deep breath to calm your pounding heart and racing thoughts. How did they get across…? The splashing of water against something caught your attention and when you peered into the darkness a small wooden raft drifted up to the dock. Maybe the kids caught the raft to the other side?

Cautiously, you stepped down onto the raft, holding your arms out to the side to keep your balance. As soon as you were settled the raft started to move automatically, making you glance around in bewilderment. It must have run some sort of magic.

After a few minutes of floating through the eerie darkness, the raft bumped into the dock on the other side. The oppressive pressure in the air sent a shudder down your spine as you slowly climbed onto the dock, taking in your surroundings cautiously. A harsh, unnatural light draped across your body, casting a long shadow on the planks below you. The contrast with the familiar darkness ahead was unnerving, setting your already rattled nerves alight. Your every instinct screamed at you to run, forcing shaking legs into motion. You had to hurry and-

“Fuck!” You reeled back as the cyan spear pierced the dock where you had been standing, splintering the wood with a sharp  crack!  Your SOUL quivered in your chest when you looked to the left and your eyes locked with her burning yellow one. She glared at you as you skirted around her weapon and sped off. 

This could  not  be happening!  Your mind was racing with panic fueled fragmented thoughts. Fear coursed through your veins, spurring your burning legs faster as cyan flashed to your left. You sidestepped and evaded the spears when they embedded themselves in your path and flew passed your head as Undyne chased you down from her path to your left. 

You had to get away!

You had to- 

Oh, thank the  stars !

Just ahead grass was waving serenely in the breeze like it was calling you to it. You could hide in the grass! With one final push, you forced your exhausted body to persevere a few more feet before plunging into the grass, sinking low to the ground. You covered your mouth to quiet your noisy panting, breathing deeply through your nose. You held stock still, limbs locking up in terror. The grass crunched under Undyne’s armored feet as she bore down on you. Sweat rolled down your face and back, your eyes roving the now silent grass around you. 

…

Slam!  Undyne’s fist shattered the ground inches above where you were hunched. Your breath hitched through clenched teeth, stifling a gasp. Your very  SOUL  shuddered in your chest as you curl further in on yourself, wide eyes staring into the darkness. You waited with bated breath for Undyne to walk away. After a charged moment she finally took her left. You stumbled to your feet and darted in the opposite direction once you were sure she was gone.

Once you were safe in the next room you sat against the wall and put your face in your hands, trying to regain your composure. Your breath quaked through your chest and your limbs shook as the adrenaline left your veins.

You leaned back until the back of your head leaned against the unforgiving stone behind you. The stone cooled your overheated body as you rested against it. You took measured breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, willing yourself to calm down. 

That was  way  too close. 

After a few minutes, you puffed out a big breath and forced yourself to your feet. You had to find Frisk and MK.

You hoped they were staying safe.

Frisk glanced over their shoulder worryingly, amber eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of life. They couldn’t believe they got stuck on the raft  again ! They thought they learned their lesson last reset. They hoped you were okay. Undyne was supposed to ambush them on the bridge they just crossed…

…

A spark of Determination sent a thread of energy through their SOUL, making them turn on their heel to march back in the direction. They couldn’t just leave you to face Undyne by yourself! They had to-

“Yo Frisk, where are you going? The cool stuff is this way!” MK caught Frisk by the hand with his tail before they got too far, tugging them forward without letting them protest. The bright blue luminesce of the next room momentarily blinded Frisk, making them shield their eyes behind their forearm. They blinked rapidly to clear the spots from their eyes as their eyes adjusted. 

“Isn’t all the glowing stuff cool, dude? ...Oh! Sans is here! Yo Sans!” 

Frisk trailed behind MK, casting a wary look behind them, hoping to see you emerging from the darkness. 

… 

…No such luck.

"heya kiddos," Sans greeted as they trotted up to him. He was leaning against his telescope causally, hand stuffed in his pockets. "where'd you lose bird?"

"Oh, uhh… wasn't she behind us?" MK let go of Frisk's hand and glanced over his shoulder with a frown. 

We got stuck on the raft while we were playing. She was still on the dock last time we saw her.  Frisk explained, trying to squish down the worried frown that was threatening to overtake their face. 

MK rubbed the back of his neck with his tail, looking abashed. "Oops. Sorry dude. I guess we got carried away. Didn't mean to leave your big siblings behind."

It's okay MK. I didn't notice either. I'm sure she'll be okay. 

Sans patted their shoulder. "she's a tough little birdie. she'll be fine kid," He lead them away from his telescope and in the direction of a nearby cave. "welp, while we wait, why don't we get some nice cream?"

"Alright!" MK exclaimed, his tail thrashing excitedly behind him as he ran ahead, almost falling on his fancy in his rush. Frisk fell into step with Sans’ easy unhurried stride. They glanced up at him, taking in his nearly permanent grin. They always wondered how Sans could stay calm no matter what situation he was thrown into. They...They worried about him sometimes. It was always like he was hiding away from the world behind a cheesy joke and a disarming grin. They wished…

All of the wishing and hoping in the world will get you nowhere.   Frisk flinched slightly at the sudden intrusion but the momentary jolt fear quickly morphed into joy when they felt Chara’s presents again.

Chara! You’re okay! 

Of course, I am. A little Reset like that could keep me down for long.  Frisk could almost feel the pride radiating off of their companion. Frisk resisted the urge to roll their eyes at their preening. 

You were asleep for two days, Chara. 

I...what? ...I...I see.  A ripple of worry that was not their own swept through Frisk’s SOUL. Before Frisk could make a move to comfort them Chara retreated into the depth of their SOUL, leaving Frisk with the strange, empty feeling that they had been feeling for the past two days. That was...worrying, to say the least. They’d never felt Chara that shaken up. They wanted to talk with Chara more to see if they were okay but…

“-isk. Yo Frisk,” MK’s voice cut through their musings, yanking them back out of their head. They blinked in surprise and took a hasty step away so that their nose was no longer pressed against MK’s snout. MK's boisterous laugher joined with Sans’ low snicker set Frisk’s cheeks alight. “About time, dude! You were spacing out big time!”

Sorry. 

“don’t sweat it, kid,” Sans reached over and ruffled their hair. They batted his hand away with a playful scowl of protest. He chuckled and lead them up to The Nice Cream Guy’s stand. “come on, guy’s waiting on you to pick your flavor.”

The sound of MK’s vibrant laughter was music to your ears as you rushed into the blue incandescent glow of the next area. You spotted them standing beside a worn-out telescope with Sans, safe and sound. Your shoulders sag as you sighed with relief. Thank goodness… 

Frisk was the first to spot you as you made your way over to them. Their face lit up with a bright grin and they threw themselves at you once you got close enough, knocking the breath out of your lungs when you caught them. 

"Easy, sweetie." You wheezed, shifting them so you could hold them properly. Their arms tighten around your neck before they let go, letting you put them back on the ground. 

Sorry. I'm just glad you're okay! 

"I'm glad you're okay too," You pinched their sticky cheek, giving them a stern frown. "But you  have  to stop wandering off. You're going to worry me to death one of these days!" 

"Uhh…" MK cut in. You released Frisk cheek and turned to him instead. He fidgeted under your gaze, eyeing the ground sheepishly. "It was, uh… my fault. That we got separated. Sorry."

You sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay. Just be a little more careful next time."

He beamed up at you and nodded vigorously before shooting off to play. Frisk waved before joining their friend by a glowing blue pool of water nearby, before disappearing around the corner. 

"I swear those kids are going to be the death of me." You sighed, rubbing your forehead wearily before following them after bidding Sans farewell with a tired smile and a wave. 

"good luck, bird," Sans called after you with a teasing look of sympathy. You grinned snarkily over your shoulder. "i'm rooting for ya."

"Thanks, Sans. I'm gonna need it."

Waterfall was a beautiful place, and besides the fact that the Royal Guard's leader was hunting you down, it was a very serene place. You could almost forget all of your worries just by listening to the distant sound of rain and the constant sound of water flowing throughout the place. You wouldn't mind spending all of your time there if there weren't more pressing matters to attend to. 

…Like your current predicament for example. 

… 

Onion- san  was a  very  interesting character, to say the least. 

…And, well… he was a bit… yeah… 

You smiled awkwardly as Onion-san prattled on about aquariums. You…were not sure what to say to him. Not that he let you have a chance  to  say anything. 

"Have a good time in Waterfall, ya hear?"

You waved and ushered the kids into the next room. "Phew… he's prattled on more than my great aunt Selma."

Frisk wrinkled their nose.  No one talks more than auntie Selma. 

"That sounds like my grandma. She's, like, a bazillion years old. Mom says that she was born right after we were trapped Underground. She  loves  to talk too!" MK interjected with a laugh, wrapping his tail around your wrist while frisk took your other hand. You smiled down at him.

"A bazillion years, huh? That's a long time."

MK beamed, swinging your hand with his tail in his excitement. "Heck yeah! She tells the coolest stories though! This one time… Oh, look! It's that room with the weird piano I was telling you about Frisk! Come on, let's go check it out!"

MK ran ahead with Frisk on his heels. The sound of MK's excited chatter about their discovery echoed down the empty hall while you trailed behind, taking in the sadness that was pressing in on your SOUL. Why did you feel so… melancholy? The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end. 

Someone was watching you. 

You jerked around just in time to a light grey something retreating around the corner. That looked like… MK? 

"MK?" You called. He poked his head out of the room, head tilted in confusion. 

"Yeah? What's up?" Frisk was watching you closely, eyes narrowed in the observation way they only used when they knew something was up. You looked away and back down the hallway, trying to catch another glimpse of… whoever that was that you saw. 

"It's nothing." You returned your gaze to the pair, smiling reassuringly. Frisk frowned but they didn't say anything. They just sighed and retreated into the room. 

"If you say so, dude," MK said, giving you a strange look. A chill shivered down your spine as you took one last glance back at the corner the stranger disappeared around before following the kids into the room. That was too weird…

“...What if we try this?” MK was saying as he played a small melody. The kids were standing by a small toylike piano against the wall. Over the piano, there was a strange pattern across the wall. It looked like...buttons on a controller? They lit up as MK pressed on the keys on the piano. What in the world?

I don’t think that’s it…  Frisk looked up at the pattern thoughtfully, then they turned on their heel and strolled out of the door without a word. You and MK exchanged a confused glance before following them out into the corridor. 

You spotted them further down the hall, standing in front of a rundown statue with an umbrella in their hand. They looked up at you as you approached before they balanced the umbrella on the statue’s arm, blocking the rain from falling on it. Inside the statue, a music box began to play. A melancholy melody echoed down the hall, sending a pang of sadness through your SOUL. It felt… familiar, for some reason. 

…Why did it sound so familiar? 

"Whoa… I didn't think that old music box would work again," MK said quietly, sounding astonished. His tail swayed along with the quiet melody. You closed your eyes, letting the calm melody wash over you. It was the type of doing that you could listen to over and over and it would still have the same effect. MK spoke up after a moment, his normally loud voice quiet, "Maybe that's the melody we have to play on the piano?"

You hum thoughtfully. That was a possibility. "Maybe. There's only one way to find out." You lead them back down the hallway, humming the melody under your breath. 

Back in the room, Frisk plays the melody on the piano, humming along as they played it. There was a loud thump that caused the three of you to jump before the far wall fell away, revealing another room. 

"Whoa! Cool!" MK exclaimed, rushing forward to check out their discovery. Frisk grabbed your hand and pulled you with them, eyes sparkling with excitement. You followed with a chuckle. "Hang on, Frisk! No need to pull… is that a dog?"

There was a small white pomeranian sleeping in front of a pedestal that featured a large red jewel in the center. 

It looks like it. What's it doing in here?  Frisk reached out and ran their fingers through the dog's long, white fur. 

"Frisk-" You warned. The dog stirred and you resisted the urge to pull Frisk away. You didn't know if the dog was dangerous or-

The dog yawned, wagging its tail sleepily. It pushed its head into Frisk's hand with a grunt. 

"Aww… look! It's friendly," MK said, his tail joining Frisk's hand in their petting. They both looked up at you with large, puppy dog eyes. "Can he come with us, pleeease?"

Your face scrunched up, trying not to fall for their act. "Guys I don't think-"

The dog trotted over to you and put his paws on your boot, looking up at you with a tilted head and shining eyes. 

…Oh my god. That was adorable. 

… 

"... Fine. You win. He can come along."

The kids grinned at each other in victory and went back to cooking over the dog, who basked in all of the attention. You sighed, smiling fondly at the scene. You were a pushover. 

After the short break, the three (four!) of you continued down the path, huddled together under the umbrella you were carrying. The conversation was lively and laughter often filled the corridor, mixing with the pitter-patter of the rain and the far off melody of the music box. MK ran ahead, jumping from puddle to puddle with a huge grin on his face. 

"Be careful, sweetie." You warned, a smile tilting your lips. Frisk squeezed your hand to get your attention. 

You worry too much, sis.  They signed, staring at you with a deadpan expression. You stick your tongue out at them. You knew it was childish but hey, you could be childish sometimes if you wanted to. They returned the favor by blowing razzberries at you. 

"Hey! I'm gonna run ahead! I found a cool shortcut! You guys can go on without me. I'll catch up!" MK shouted as you closed your umbrella, shaking the rainwater. A tiny spark of worry beat through you. Oh… jeez. You  did  worry too much. You shook it off. MK would be okay. 

"Okay! Just be careful not to fall." He nodded before running off… and tripping over his feet. Before you or Frisk could check on him he hopped up, shaking the mud off. 

"I'm ok!" He called before taking off again with the dog on his heels. You shook your head. Actually, maybe you worried about the right amount… these kids were going to turn your hair gray by the end. 

"Welp, I guess it's just me and you for now." You said, looking down at Frisk who smiled and nodded. They lead you forward with a small tug of your hand. 

There's a really pretty view up ahead that I wanted to show you. 

You wondered what it could be. If it was anything like the rest of Waterfall then you were sure it was beautiful. 

"Okay, lead the way, sweetie." 

They lead you into the next cave. It opened up into a huge, dim room and at first, you were sure what Frisk wanted to show you, then your eyes caught the view. 

It was breathtaking. 

Your eyes widened with wonder as you stared across the yawning chasm into the distance, where a grand castle stood silently. It glowed ethereally in the dim light of the sparkling crystals that dotted the high ceiling, creating the illusion of a starry night. 

"Whoa…" You breathed, eyes wandering over the glowing crystals. It sent a nostalgic chill through your body. You missed the actual night sky but… 

This was… this was amazing. 

You tore your eyes away from the view when Frisk squeezed your hand. Their face broke out in a bright grin when your eyes met, one that you mirrored. 

It's pretty, isn't it? It's one of the prettiest views in the whole Underground.  They gushed. Then they sighed, their bright grin dimming into a bittersweet smile. Your brow furrowed in concern and you squeezed their hand to comfort them. They squeezed back.  It's also one of the most bittersweet. 

"What do you-"

"That's the Capital, where King Asgore lives." Chara let go of your hand, eyes hardening like rubies. Their hands tightened into a fist as your throat tightened. So… that was where Undyne was going to take you and Frisk if she caught you… 

…The view wasn't as pretty as it had been before. Suddenly you felt very small and exposed staring out into the darkness of the abyss. You turned away with a heavy SOUL. 

…You weren't sure how much longer you could keep dodging your fate. 

Oppressive silence pressed in on you, making you pull Frisk closer as you walked into the darkness. Your boots were loud on the wood of the bridge you were walking on. Fear tingled down your spine. Something didn't feel right… 

In an instant, bright blue circle surrounded you and Frisk. You yelped and yanked Frisk to you as you slid to a stop. Spears pierced the dock all around you.  

Your heart dropped. Oh shit, what were you-

The spears retreated suddenly, creating a path for you and Frisk to retreat through. The static of Undyne's magic building spurred your fear numbed legs into action, propelling you forward and out of danger. 

The bridge was a maze of deadends and between Undyne's constant attacks and your terror, you couldn't pull yourself together long enough to think, making you feel trapped like a rat in a maze. 

Spears pierced through the plank inchs from where you had just been. You sucked in a breath. Oh god-

"FRISK!" Their hand slipped from yours when they fell. You rushed back and urged them to their feet. You had to hurry and-

The static in the air fizzled and popped across your skin, making you freeze in place. Undyne was right b e h i n d y o u. 

You swung around, blocking Frisk from view. With clenched teeth, you braced yourself for the spear in her hand to pierce through you. You had nowhere to go. You were trapped and if she was going to get anyone's SOUL it was going to be yours. You'd be damned if you let her hurt  your child. A fierce burning lite up your SOUL as you looked down the business end of the bright blue spear Undyne hurled at you, aiming straight at your SOUL. You closed your eyes, preying that your SOUL persevered through the attack. You didn't want to die! 

☟⚐☠☜💧❄☹✡📪 ✡⚐🕆 💧✋💣🏱☹✡ 👍✌☠☠⚐❄ 💧❄✌✡ ⚐🕆❄ ⚐☞ ❄☼⚐🕆👌☹☜📪 👍✌☠ ✡⚐🕆✍

What?  Your head throbbed, sending you stumbling backward and when you regained your balance you looked up just in time to see the spear flying away from you.

What the hell?  Before you could even remotely process what was going on Undyne was on the offensive. Frisk yanked at your hand, determination radiating off of them in waves. Both of you took off. 

… It was a dead-end.

Your heart thundered in your chest as you cast a fearfully glance over your shoulder then into the chasm below, weighing your options. You squeezed Frisk's hand.

"Frisk," They looked up at you, the amber eyes blazing with determination. You took a deep breath. "Hold on to me and don't let go, okay. No matter what."

They nodded and you picked them up, holding them tight to your chest. "I love you, sweetie." 

The squeezed you tightly, burying their face into your neck. You could feel the trembling of their breath. 

You jumped into the dark abyss below. 

... 

📬📬📬 ☟⚐🕈 ✞☜☼✡ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝📬

Chapter Text

🕈✌😐☜ 🕆🏱📬📬📬

You jerked awake with a sharp inhale, eyes flying open only to slam them shut again as spin radiated through your head. A groan tumbled from your mouth as your consciousness slowly returned, bringing pulses of pain with it. Your SOUL and heart throbbed erratically as you gripped your head with a whimper. It felt like someone was trying to drill an ice pick into your head. You forced your eyes open, trying to regain your bearings. It was too dim to see much of anything… 

...What happened ? 

You remembered running from Undyne, then… what? The throbbing in your head intensified as you sat up, racking your brain for a fading memory… but it slipped away like smoke through your fingers when you tried to grasp it. You gripped your hair with a growl of frustration. Why couldn't you remember ? 

Something shifted against your side, scattering your thoughts. Frisk sat up slowly, gripping your shirt to steady themselves. You wrapped your arm around them to steady them further and to offer a bit of comfort while they gained their bearings. A golden flower fell from their hair when they rubbed their face with their hands with a tiny noise of discomfort. You rubbed their back. 

"Are you okay, sweetie?" They nodded slowly before looking up from their hands, mouth set in a grim line. 

Yeah, I'm okay. My head just hurts. You gently massaged their head like you always did when they had a headache. They began to relax beneath your menstruations. 

“Better?” You asked, running your fingers through their hair, golden petals drifting from their hair to the flowers that broke your fall. They flinched when your finger caught a knot. With a quiet apology, you removed your hand from their hair. 

Yeah, thank you. Anyways, what happened? Did we get away from Undyne? 

"Yeah, I think so…" You looked up to the place that you'd fallen from. The darkness above was never-ending… 

A chill ran through your bones. How… how did you survive that fall…? 

You shuddered and ushered Frisk to their feet, the sudden feeling of encroaching danger made the hair on your arms stand on end. 

"Let's keep going, Frisk. It's not safe to linger." They grabbed your hand with a nod, and together you ventured into the darkness, the sound of waterfalls and your splashing footsteps the only sound around you. 

The Dump was… 

Well, for the lack of better words, depressing. You and Frisk trudged through the dark water and around huge piles of trash, some of which contained brands from the surface that you recognized from what you could make out in the dim lighting. This… this was what the monsters had to dig through to have a means of surviving…? You dodged around a moldy, beyond repair piece of clothing that floated by with an uneasy frown. Your SOUL ached, you couldn't imagine having to sift through all this just to find something usable. 

The smell of mold and decay was almost unbearable, making you pull up your bandana from around your neck over your nose as you and Frisk hurry through the debris. 

Frisk's head was turning to and fro, eyes sharp and observing. Occasionally they would take a detour, pulling away from your clutching hand to pick something up or to look at something they found interesting, much to your dismay. You really didn't want to linger there any longer than you needed to. Your nerves were alight with anxiety and every little shadow or noise made you jump. Frisk on the other hand… 

They were utterly fascinated. 

"Frisk, honey, we really ought to-"

They trudged back to your side and squeezed your hand with a comforting smile. It's okay. We're almost out. 

You swallowed around the anxious lump in your throat and nodded, squaring your shoulders as the pair of you pressed on through the darkness. You had to be brave for Frisk. If they could press on courageously then so could you. 

There… 

There was a faint blue light up ahead. A tiny sigh of relief escaped through your nose before you could stop it as you and Frisk stepped out of the murky water and onto dry land. 

You spotted a familiar face, floating into an alcove a few feet away. 

"Was… was that Napstablook?" 

Frisk was tilting their head when you looked back at them, hands at the ready to answer your question. 

I… think so…? Their face twisted into a look of confusion before they followed the ghost into the alcove, pulling you along with them by your hand. Let's go see.  

It was indeed Napstablook that you saw disappearing into the alcove. They were floating just ahead of you, on their way into a dark blue ghost-shaped house. 

A smile graced your face as you called out to your ghostly friend. "Hello, Napstablook! Long time no see."

They turned to face you, a look startled surprise crossing their face before a shy smile overtook in upon recognizing you and Frisk. 

"ahh… hello, you two… it's nice to see you," They floated over to you hesitantly. "if… you have time… would you like to come in for a while…"

"Sure Napstablook, that would be great." You offered the shy monster a warm smile. They returned it, albeit more slowly, as they lead you into what you assumed to be their house.

Hanging out with Napstablook was an adventure all in itself. When you entered the house you couldn't help but notice how bare it was. Napstablook watched insecurely as you and Frisk looked around the small room. You smiled and reassured him that his house was lovely. It seemed to soothe his uncertainties. The three of you spent an while just listening to tunes Napstablook made and laying on the floor, feeling like garbage. All in all, you had a great time catching up with your ghost friend. And from the grin plastered across Frisk's face, they did too. But, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. You bid farewell to Napstablook and continued your journey through Waterfall, hand in hand with Frisk. 

The next few hours were filled with quiet conversations between both of you in between encounters. You even found an interesting cave carved into the wall of the cavern where an ancient turtle monster ran a shop. He regaled you with tales of prophecies and runes and Asgore while you and Frisk looked around his shop, taking in all of the strange foods and do-dads he had for sale.You, of course, had plenty of questions for the old monster about monster history and he humored you for a time. You ended up buying far more than you bargained for while he answered your inquiries… the old turtle was far more persuasive than he looked! 

After you left the shop and took pictures of the intriguing signs that lined the path, you and Frisk stumbled into a dark room, lite only by glowing mushrooms with a maze of glowing rocks as a path. The mushroom path lead you to the strangest place you'd seen in the Underground so far. 

Temmie Village was… 

…Well, it was oddly cute to put it lightly. At least Frisk enjoyed themselves while you were there. 

…And, among the other quirky residents of the elusive village, you had a pleasant conversation with Bob, a very normal speaking Temmie, while Frisk skipped around the small room to talk to the others.

After leaving Temmie Village you continued your trek across the dimly lite path until you finally stumbled out of the dark and into the next room… 

Only… when you stepped onto the path… the path began to darken with each step you took. Your grip tightened around Frisk's hand as you hurried to the next lamp before the path could disappear. After a bit of rushing from lamp to lamp the rocky path gave way to… 

Darkness…? 

Your footfalls mixed with Frisk's lighter ones as they echoed into the empty darkness, your free hand sliding along the wall to guide you. You squinted into the dark, the sweat of your hands mixing with Frisk's against your palms as cold uneasiness settled like a rock in your stomach. After a few minutes of shuffling along your feet plunged into the chilly water. You bit back a yelp of fear and Frisk flinched, their hand squeezing yours impossibly tighter. Your heartbeat reverberated loudly in your ears. 

…Was that light? 

When your eyes adjusted you could just make out a dim light ahead. It was… an echo flower? 

Frisk reached out and brushed their finger across the petals softly, causing the flower to glow brighter and… 

"B e h i n d  y o u… "

With a sharp breath, you swung around, shoving Frisk behind you protectively as you stood face to helmet with Undyne. She stared down at you menacingly as she slowly stalked toward you. The air was so thick with tension that it was hard to breathe.

"...Seven," She said suddenly, her rough voice soft, yet powerful as she spoke. "With the power of seven human SOULs, our King, Asgore Dreemurr, will become a God. With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the Barrier and take back the Surface from humanity and give them back all of the pain and suffering we have endured." She paused, her yellow eye boring into you from beneath the shadow of 

her helmet. "...Understand, humans? This is your only chance at redemption. Give up your SOULs or I'll tear them from your bodies."

Fear and guilt shot through your SOUL, but before you had time to process the feelings Undyne was already preparing for an attack. The atmosphere around her seemed to shimmer as static built and fanned out, the powerful magic forcing you to step back until you were against the wall. A sinister aqua glow built in her outstretched hand and a spear appeared as she dropped into an attack stance. Your grip tightened on Frisk and their hand tightened in your shirt as you braced yourselves for-

"Yo! There you guys are! That shortcut was- Oh!" MK burst out of a wall of reeds beside you, the white fluffy dog close at his heels. His enthusiastic presence effectively broke the tense atmosphere. His eyes shone with excitement as he bounced in between you and Undyne. "You finally met Undyne! Dudes, she's right there! You-!" Undyne dismissed her weapon and surged forward to grab MK by the cheek. He squeaked in surprise as she dragged him off, glaring daggers over her shoulder at you as she walked away. 

"H-hey! You're not gonna tell my parents about this, are you?" MK's voice echoed worriedly through the dim room as he straggled along behind Undyne, the pup trotting along after them. After a few seconds of letting your racing heart settle you turned to check on Frisk, who was peeking around you to watch Undyne drag MK off into the darkness. 

"Are you okay, sweetie?" You asked quietly. 

Yep, I'm okay. I should be asking you that. They took one of your hands in theirs with a worried frown. You're trembling.  

Huh... you hadn't even noticed. You rubbed your shaking hands together with a weak smile. "I'm fine, sweetie," You intertwined your finger with theirs. They gave your clammy hand a reassuring squeeze. "Let's keep going. I'm pretty sure we're almost to the place Sans said to meet him."

The room was lighter thanks to the echo flowers that were scattered around the area and you were immensely thankful for what little light they provided. You were getting a bit tired of stumbling around in the darkness, thank you very much. The thought brought a small humored smile to your face. 

The room lead off into a large room filled to the brim with echo flowers. Your eyes widened in wonder flowers and Frisk waded through the water and waist height flowers. You had to bite your lip to hold in a laugh when you looked down and found your young companion nearly buried in the flowers. They batted the flower away from their face, wrinkling their nose in frustration. They glared at you when a giggle slipped passed your lips. 

It's not funny! Their hands were fast and lively as they scolded you. You forced down the smile fighting to lift your lips. 

"Sorry, honey. Here," You grabbed them under the arms and lifted them out of the ankle-deep water. They wrapped their lanky legs around your waist as you placed them on your hip. "Better?"

I guess… they pouted and looked at the far wall like it was the most interesting thing in the world, cheeks painted red as they avoided your gaze. 

Your face softened and you continued through the field of flowers without another word. Whispered conversations floated on the slight breeze like haunting melodies, just soft enough to be unintelligible. Fireflies danced through the air all around you, lights reflecting on the water as you treaded through. The sight was beautiful. 

…It made you think of Sans for some odd reason.   

It made you feel homesick for some odd reason… 

Sans' Hotland sentry stand is just over that bridge. Frisk signed after you set them on dry, solid ground. 

"Good, it feels like we've been walking for days… my old lady bones could use a rest." You nudged Frisk teasingly, who stuck their tongue out at you. 

You're not even that old! They protested as you crossed the bridge together. You ruffled their hair with a lopsided smile. "It sure does feel like it some days…"

The bridge swayed slightly as you and Frisk marched across, footsteps echoing off the high ceiling of the stalactite covered ceiling. Small footsteps rushing toward you made you pause and look over your shoulder to see who was following you. Your eyes widened in surprise when you saw who it was. 

"MK? What are you doing here? I thought-"

"W-wait! I wanna ask you something," MK cut you off, his normally confident voice wobbling slightly. He gulped, eyes darting around before settling on the worn planks below his feet. He refused to look you in the eye. "So, like, umm… I've never… had to ask anyone this. Man… like… Undyne said, 'Stay away from those humans!' Are… are you guys human…or not...?"

Your brow furrowed sadly as you swallowed harshly, the hand not clutching Frisk's hand balling into a fist. You looked down at the little monster, who was giving you the most heartbreakingly hopeful expression you'd ever seen as he awaited your answer. You took a deep breath. "Yes, MK. We're both humans."

A look of hurt and disappointment flashed across MK's face before it passed into a watery smile. "Oh…man, I knew it… haha...S-so I guess that makes us enemies or something...right? But… Man… I really stink at stuff like that..." He sniffed. Frisk stepped forward, a slightly shaking hand held out to comfort their friend. MK took a wary step back. A hurt frown flickered across Frisk's face before it settled back into a hollow neutral expression. You wrapped a comforting arm around their shoulder as they stepped back and leaned into your side. MK bit his lip, eyes narrowing as he contemplated something. "Hey… say something mean so I can hate you… please…"

You felt Frisk shaking their head frantically against your side and MK's lips wobbled. "You-you're gonna make me do it, huh," He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath before his mouth tilted down into a frown. "You-you guys are the worst! I-I hate your gu-guts!"

You… you knew he didn't mean it, of course. But…

…It still hurt to hear. 

Frisk sucked in an almost silent breath and gripped your shirt in their clammy hands. MK swiped his eye with their tail as he looked away guiltily. "Man… I'm such a turd… I-I'm going home how…"

You watched with a heavy SOUL as he turned and ran back down the bridge. You wished… you wished that it didn't have to be that way. You just wanted… 

"Whoa!" MK yelped as he tripped over his feet and fell over the edge of the bridge. 

"MK!" You shouted as you and Frisk rushed forward to help the dangling child back to safety. But just as you reached the little guy Undyne's pounding footsteps made your heart skip a beat and ice run through your veins. Your eyes darted between the dangling child and Undyne, indecision threatening to overtake you. MK desperately needed help but Undyne could turn you into a freaking shish-kabob-

Frisk ducked under your protective arm and darted forward, grabbing MK by the back of his poncho and struggled to pull him back onto the bridge. You rushed forward to help, throwing caution to the wind as Undyne bared down on you and hauled MK back to the safety of the bridge. 

You set the trembling child on his feet, keeping a hand on his shoulder until he was steady. You met Undyne's piercing with your own fierce (albeit a bit shaky) glare, putting a protective hand on each child's shoulder. Shakily, MK stepped forward, courage blazing in his eyes as he walked passed you to stand in front of you and Frisk. 

"Y-y-yo….dude. if-if you want to hurt my friends… th-then you're gonna have to go through me first." MK stood his ground as a flicker of surprise flashed through Undyne's eye. Her eye flickered up to you, the anger you found there burned deep into the marrow of your bones. You forced down a shudder, meeting her burning gaze with your own cool glare. You couldn't let her intimidate you this time. 

She stepped back, her eye running across the three of you before she turned and stalked off, the metal of her suit clanking as she went. 

The temperature and tension began to drop rapidly after she left. MK turned to you and Frisk, a relieved smile painted across his face. "You save my skin just now. You could have just left me and ran from Undyne… but you didn't. Thank you, dudes," He headbutted you gently against your side and did the same to Frisk's shoulder. You smiled as Frisk headbutted him back, a bright smile blazing across their lips. MK grinned. "Guess being enemies was just a nice thought, haha. We'll just have to keep being friends instead!"

You rubbed his scaly head affectionately. "That's right, little dude. You're stuck with us, whether you like it or not!" He laughed and swatted at your hand with his tail as Frisk joined in on the pestering. 

MK went home not too long after, saying his parents were probably worried about him. You and Frisk said goodbye to your little dinosaur friend and crossed the bridge without any further incident. 

A shudder ran down Frisk's spine as they neared the place that they would have to face off against Undyne. The magical static swirled through the wind that was howling through the cavern as they approached the exit. 

They took a breath, reaching deep within their SOUL, feeling for the Determination there. Chara stirred in the back of their head, appearing beside them in their non-corporeal form. 

It is time to face Undyne, huh? Just…don't die this time. Remember what happened last time we faced her?  

Frisk pursed their lips, resisting the urge to roll their eyes. Thanks, Chara. That's really helpful . 

A shard of irritation latched on to their shared SOUL as Chara narrowed their ruby eyes at them and flicked them in the head. I don't need any of your sass, human. 

Frisk rubbed the pinging place that Chara flicked with a scowl. You're so mean sometimes Chara.

Chara shrugged nonchalantly before disappearing back into their SOUL with a huff. Sometimes you have to be Frisky. If you're too kind this world will eat you alive. Frisk rolled their eyes. Really, Chara could be so dramatic sometimes. 

"What's with that expression, Frisk? You look like you just swallowed a bug." You had an amused smile on your face as you took their hand in yours. 

Nah, Chara was just being a drama monarch.  

Your eyes crinkled at the corners as your smile widened. "Pfff… they can be a drama monarch, can't they?"

Frisk nodded with a grin of their own. But… it didn't last for long… 

Undyne was waiting for them, standing high above their heads, on the peak of a yawning cavern entrance. She had her back to them as they approached cautiously. 

"Seven. We need seven human SOULS, and King Asgore will have the power to destroy the barrier." She said lowly, her voice reverberating off of the tall walls and through the cave opening. Frisk gulped as she half turned, looking off into the distance, her yellow blazing with fierce resolution. "Six. That's how many we have collected thus far. Understand? Though your seventh and final SOUL this world will be transformed. First, however, as is customary for those who make it this far, I will tell you the tragic tale of our people. It all started, long ago…" 

She paused, and Frisk waited with bated breath for her to continue. They felt you tense beside them and your hand tightened around theirs, waiting to see what she would do next. 

"...No. You know what," She suddenly turned to face the both of you. You took a startled step back, causing Frisk to stumble back in the process. "SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I TELL TWO YOU ANYTHING?! YOU'RE BOTH ABOUT TO DIE! NGAAAAAAAAA!"

Frisk heard you gasp in surprise when Undyne whipped her helmet off passionately, revealing her dark blue skin and piercing yellow eyes, one of which was covered with a thick black eye patch. Her blazing red hair flowed in the fierce wind that bellowed through the cavern. Frisk's heart jumped to their throat when turned to glare heatedly down at the two of you. 

"YOU TWO! You're both standing in the way of everyone's hopes and dreams! Alphys's history book made me think that humans were cool with their giant robots and their flowery swordswomen. BUT YOU TWO? You're both just cowards! Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again! And let's not forget your goody-two-shoes schtick," She smirked down at Frisk and you mockingly, her sharp teeth glistening in the red and purple lights of the distant lights of Hotland. "Ohh! I'm making such a difference by making friends with random strangers! Do you know how you could REALLY make a difference?! IF YOU WERE BOTH DEAD! Both of your continued existences are a crime! Right now, your lives are the only things keeping us from our freedom! Now humans! Let's end this! Right here, right now! I'll show you just HOW Determined monsters can really be! Step up when you're ready to be PUMMELED! Fuhuhu!"

Frisk took another deep breath, summoning all of the Determination they could muster. They couldn't lose to Undyne this Reset. Not when they had you to protect! Their eyes gleamed red as Determination flared up in their SOUL, crackling like static around them. They felt your eyes on them, but they could afford to break their concentration so they pushed everything except the upcoming battle out of their mind. Chara amplified the Determination blazing through them, making their body tingle. 

They took a step forward, letting go of your hand to stand in front of you protectively. They couldn't let you go through the same agony that they went through every time they faced off against Undyne. Not if they could help it! They felt you follow them hesitantly.

Undyne smirked excitedly. "That's it then! NO MORE RUNNING AWAY!" she roared as she vaulted herself down at the two of you, spear first. The world faded to black and white as everything slowed to a crawl. Frisk bright red SOUL pulsed rapidly with Determination as they sidestepped Undyne and her spear and watched as you dove out of the danger zone, your cobalt and lavender SOUL soaring after you. 

"Shit!" They heard you utter as you picked yourself up off the ground hastily. You started to run over to them but Undyne's spear turned your SOUL green before you could get far. 

"En garde," Undyne shouted, turning Frisk's SOUL green as well. A blue shield appeared in front of Frisk SOUL. "As long as you're green YOU CAN'T ESCAPE! Unless you learn to face danger head-on, you don't stand a chance against me!"

Frisk braces themselves for the onslaught of spears headed toward them, hand held out to control the shield that protected their SOUL. They chanced a glance in your direction to see you copying their actions, hiding behind a...purple shield? They shook it off. They couldn't afford to get distracted. Undyne flashed a menacing smile as the spears hit the shields, casting cracks and fissures across the sturdy magic. 

"Please! We don't want to fight you!" You cried, your voice meek, yet unwaveringly determined as you stood your ground against Undyne's attacks. Your plea was whipped away by the fierce wind, falling on deaf ears. Undyne continued her onslaught like you hadn't said anything at all. 

"For years we've waited for a happy ending and now sunlight is just within our reach," She bounced impatiently from foot to foot as she spoke. "I won't let either of you snatch in away from us!"

Frisk signed frantically, hoping that their feelings would reach Undyne. We just want to be friends with you! For a moment, her hard gaze softened into something close to nostalgic, before the look passed and her face was hard as an unforgiving stone again. She swung her spear and your SOULs returned to normal. You rushed over to them as soon as you realized you could move and snatched them from the ground, ducking and stumbling around spears as they flew passed. 

"HEY! GET BACK HERE YOU COWARDS!"

"Nopenopenope!" You muttered breathlessly between gasps of air. Over your shoulder, their wide amber eyes locked with Undyne's furious yellow one and a shutter shot down their spine. You raced passed the WELCOME TO HOTLAND! sign without pause with Undyne hot on your tail. Frisk gripped your shirt like their life depended on it as you made a mad dash for the safety of Sans' Hotland sentry station. 

Spears shot up from the ground, blocking your path, forcing you to skid to a halt before you plowed into them full force. You swore under your breath. Your eyes were wide with panic as they darted around frantically in search of an escape route. Your chest heaved as you fought to get air into your lungs, holding Frisk tight to your chest. They wiggled down from your grip and stood in front of you protectively as Undyne rushed towards the two of you. 

"Frisk, no! Don't-" They ignored your protests, and instead stood firmly in front of you. It was their turn to protect you. Undyne growled and waved her hand and the color bled from the scenery around them as their SOULs were yanked into an encounter again, trapping both of your SOULs in green once again. 

"Alphys said humans were determined! I see what she meant by. But I'm determined too," She released a barrage of spears, coming from all directions. Their hands moved the shield protecting their SOUL swiftly as the spears circled you and Frisk. The spears hit your shields with a loud ping, sending crack splintering across the shields but they held steady. Undyne flipped her spear impatiently, then pounded it on the ground in frustration. "NGAHHH! JUST DIE ALREADY YOU BRATS!" 

She swung her spear again and your SOULs returned to normal. The second they were free they fleed, grabbing your hand as they ran passed. Undyne shouted out in frustration as she gave chase, spears circling her before shooting at your retreating figures. 

"STOP RUNNING AWAY!"

Sans' station was just ahead and relief flooded their SOUL like a tidal wave. They would be okay now! 

"Sans!" You called once you spotted him sleeping at his station. The skeleton jerked awake, eyesockets wide with bewilderment as his skull swiveled in their direction. His eyelights shrunk into pinpricks when he saw the reason for your panicked state. He flashed a reassuring smile when the two of you jogged up to his station, motioning you onward with a wave of his hand. As you ran passed he laid his head back down on his arms. A sly grin spread across their face when they realized what his plan was. If Frisk wasn't so out of breath they would have laughed. Sans was just too clever sometimes. Sure enough, the fast-approaching footsteps paused in front of Sans' station. Not even a minute later they heard Undyne chewing Sans out for sleeping on the job and letting them get away over the panting of their labored breathing.

They shoot across the bridge with you in toe, your palm sweating against their own. Sweat streaked down their face and spine as they hurried over the glowing lava glowing under the bridge. Once you were both safe over the bridge you both stopped to catch your breath. 

"Holy pineapples," You gasped, wiping sweat from your brow. You cast a worried look at the bridge as you straightened up. Frisk climbed to their feet as well. "Do you think-" 

Slow, dragging footsteps made you pause, your face paling despite the scorching heat. Undyne, in all of her terrifying glory, was dragging herself across the bridge. The scales of her face were flushed purple as the heat seeped into her heavy metal armor. 

"...Can't...give...up…" Her teeth were grit in a grim line as she slammed to her knees, her yellow eye blazing with determination before it fluttered shut and she crashed to the ground. Frisk took a wary step toward her, a concerned frown flickered across their face. They felt you pulled at their shirt with apprehensive hands. They glanced back at your uneasy face before they spotted a water cooler behind you. A sudden idea hit them and they plucked their shirt from your hands. They grabbed a cup and, despite your protestings they approached the downed captain of the guard. After a moment's hesitation, they kneeled and poured the cool water on her heat flushed face. Her eye snapped open and she jerked away from Frisk like they burned her. Her yellow eye searched their face, a perplexed expression furrowed her brows. After a tense moment, she stood and, after looking over Frisk to catch your eye, stalked back across the bridge. 

You collapsed in a relieved heap behind them. 

"Thank the stars…"

You were in the middle of relaxing at Sans' station (which still had snow on it???), eating a well-desired lunch when Sans' phone rings. 

Ahh… this was so much better than being chased and running for your life through murky water and darkness. 

"hey bro." He yawned. He was looking better than he did this morning, thank the stars, but he still looked more tired than usual. You took a bite of your hotdog, your head whirling with worried thoughts about Sans that had been pushed to the back of your mind by all of the Undyne worries. You jolted out of your thoughts when a phone was dangled in front of your nose by a grinning skeleton imp. His grin widened when your dazed expression shifted to a displeased furrow of your brows. You took it back. You weren't worried about that gremlin one bit. 

"paps wants to talk to you, space cadet." You took the phone, sticking your tongue out at him. He shrugged with a sly grin and… stuck his glowing blue tongue- 

…?! 

Since when did he have a tongue?! You gasped in surprise as he cackled in impish delight at your reaction. 

"SANS??? DID YOU GIVE THE PHONE TO BIRD YET?" You shook your head to clear your thoughts. You could deal with that strange situation later. 

"A-ahh...Hello, Papyrus!"

"OH, THERE YOU ARE! HELLO BIRD! HOW ARE YOU AND FRISK?" Papyrus answered cheerfully. You smiled, the tension lingering in your shoulders relaxing slightly at the sound of his voice. Today had been an ordeal and a half. 

"Well… we're okay now. What's up?" 

"COULD YOU MEET ME IN WATERFALL?"

You raised an eyebrow. What could Papyrus want to meet you in Waterfall for? "Err… sure Pap. Where do you want to meet?"

"NEAR THE DUMP! WE'RE ALL GOING TO HANG OUT WITH A FRIEND OF MINE!"

You looked down at your mud and sweat-stained clothes with a grimace. You definitely needed to go home and take a shower first. You glanced at Frisk, who was chowing down on their hotdog ferociously, getting ketchup all over their already messy face and clothes… 

… 

Yep. Definitely needed to go home and get cleaned up. "Uhh… yeah. We could hang out Pap. We just need to go home and get cleaned up first."

You could feel his understanding smile through the phone. "OF COURSE, FRIEND! I'LL BE WAITING!"

You smiled as you hung up the phone. Ahh, Papyrus… what would you do without his boundless positivity? 

"You okay to use a shortcut Sans?" You asked as you handed his phone back. He stowed it in his jacket pocket with a shrug. 

"yeah, why wouldn't i be?" Ahh… playing dumb, is he? You gazed blankly at him with a raised brow until magical sweat started to dot his cranium and his eyelights darted this way and that to avoid your stare. 

Finally, he gave in. "...yeah. i'm okay to shortcut."

You smiled and patted his gloved hand. "Good. Thank you for letting me know."

You heard Frisk snicker around the last bite of their hotdog. Sans reached over and ruffled the little imps hair with a grin in retaliation before he stood up. "you ready to go?"

You stood up as well and took his outstretched hand while Frisk took his other one. You met his grin with a smile. "Yeah, let's go."

It was about an hour later when you finally made it to the meeting place Papyrus picked out. And let's just say… 

…You had a bad feeling this hang out session was going to end very badly… 

"You didn't say we were going to be hanging out with Undyne." You hissed as Papyrus ushered you into the alcove where a dark fish head-shaped house stood ominously. You could feel the unease and tension twisting in your stomach already. He smiled innocently down at you. 

"Oh, you've met Undyne already? Excellent! I'm sure you'll become good friends." He winked… out loud… as you stared up at the sunny skeleton in disbelief. 

...Dammit, Papyrus. You blew out a tense breath. You couldn't find it in your SOUL to stay mad at the goober though. He was just trying to do what he thought was best. Even if that means having you hang out with the fish lady who tried to skewer you and Frisk on several occasions. 

"Pap… seriously. I don't really think this a good idea…" You protested weakly. Now that you were closer to the door you could hear a soft melody flowing through the cavern. Undyne plays the piano? 

Papyrus gently placed his gloved hands on your shoulders. "Everything Will Be Okay, Bird. Trust Me. I HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE THE THREE OF YOU GREAT FRIENDS!"

You took a breath and let it out slowly, calming your frayed nerves slightly. Frisk squeezed your hand and when you met their gaze they nodded encouragingly, resolve set in their amber eyes. Papyrus turned to knock on the door, satisfied that you wouldn't run like hell the second he turned away (you still might… but you trusted Papyrus. He wouldn't let anything happen to you or Frisk… you hoped.). 

"Okay, Papyrus. I trust you so we'll hang out." Frisk clapped excitedly and hugged you around your waist while Papyrus smiled brightly. 

"EXCELLENT! STAND BEHIND ME," You and Frisk his behind the lanky skeleton. He nodded his approval before taking something out of his…pocket…?(There were so many things that didn't make sense with those skeleton bros…) He passed it to Frisk. It was a yellow bone… 

…Strange.

"MAKE SURE TO GIVE THIS TO HER! SHE LOVES THESE!"

…Okay. You were going to attempt to make friends with the angry lady that threatened to rip your SOULs from your bodies a few hours ago… no big deal… 

…

…She was going to skewer you to her wall. 

The door slid open and Undyne stepped out wearing a toothy grin. She was no longer dressing in her armor, in its place was a simple black tank and worn jeans with some badass combat boots. 

…Actually you wouldn't mind having a pair of those. 

"Hi, Papyrus," Undyne greeted brightly, and you could tell by her fond tone that she and Paps were close friends. Her normally ferociously pointy smirk was a soft, fond smile. "Ready for your extra special, one-on-one training?"

"YOU BET I AM! AND! I BROUGHT A FEW FRIENDS!" He stepped to the side, revealing you and Frisk.

"Hi, I don't think we've met-" Nervous sweat trickled down your spine as her friendly smile morphed into… was that a sneer?

...It was kind of hard to tell since it looked like she was fighting to keep the smile in place. "Why don't. You guys. Come in." 

She stepped back to let the three of you into her home, her posture tight and defensive. Your shoulders tightened in response as anxiety swept through you. 

…You didn't like this. Not one bit. 

"HERE UNDYNE! MY FRIENDS BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU! ALL ON THEIR OWN!" Papyrus said, clearly not phased by the heavy tension in the air. You wished you could be like that. This heavy atmosphere was making you very tense indeed. The forced smile on Undyne's face made it clear that it was getting to her as well. Papyrus held out the bone he showed you before. 

"Uhh… thanks. I'll, uh, put it with the others." She took it with a confused furrow of her brows and placed it in a long drawer behind her. 

"So, uhh… ready to start?" She rubbed the back of her neck, face locked in an awkward grimace. Papyrus turned his to look over his shoulder at you and winked, a sparkle of mischief in his socket. 

...Oh stars, no. What was he going to-

"WHOOPSIE DOOPSIE, I JUST REMEMBERED! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! YOU THREE HAVE FUN!" With that, he turned and-

… 

Crack!  

… 

Did… Papyrus just… YEET HIMSELF OUT OF THE WINDOW?! 

You, Undyne, and Frisk stared at the broken window in stunned silence with varying expressions of shock and amusement. Then Undyne turned and glared at you. 

"So why are YOU TWO here? Gonna rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me even further? IS THAT IT?" 

You shook your head vigorously, holding your hands up in defense. "N-no! That's not it at all!"

She frowned, a look of suspicion crossing her face. "Then why are you here?"

Her eye narrowed as Frisk started to sign an explanation, but before they could finish her face twisted back up into a sneer. "Oh, I get it. You think I'm gonna be friends with you, huh?"

Frisk nodded, a faint smile crossing their lips. Undyne clapped her hands together, a mocking smile on her face. "Really? How delightful! I accept," Anger heated your face and prickled across your skin at her high, mocking tone. Who does she think she is?! "Let's all frolick in the fields of friendship! … NOT! Why would I EVER be friends with either of YOU? If you weren't my houseguests, I'd beat you both up right now!"

Your hands clenched in your pockets as she continued. You took a shaky breath, trying to calm your racing heartbeat. This was for Papyrus. You were doing this for Papyrus. She's Papyrus' best friend. You couldn't be rude and possibly damage their friendship. Frisk grabbed your wrist, eyes narrowed in sadness and concern. 

"I WILL NEVER BE YOUR FRIENDS! Now get out of my house!"

The anger you had been trying to force down boiled over, words of retaliation clawing up your throat. You stepped forward, bitter-tasting words on the tip of your tongue when-

"DANG," You jumped when Papyrus' face appeared in the hole in the window. "I THOUGHT UNDYNE COULD BE FRIENDS WITH YOU GUYS. BUT I GUESS… I OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE!" 

…He was gone again. What in the world was that skeleton up to…? 

"CHALLENGE?! WHAT," Undyne shrieked, jogging over to the shattered window. Her boots crunched through the broken glass as she peered out. "Papyrus! What a second…!"

… 

"DARN IT! He thinks I can't be friends with THEM?! Fuhuhu! What a joke! I could make friends with wimpy losers like you any day! I'll show him," She turned to you, a fierce fire of resolution burning in her eye. "Listen up, humans! We're not just going to be friends. We're going to be… BESTIES! I'll make you like me so much, you won't be able to think of anyone else! Fuhuhu! It'll be the PERFECT revenge!"

She ushered you to the table, a big toothy grin plastered across her face. "Why don't you have a seat?"

… 

…This was NOT going to end well.

"-and that's what happened. So now Undyne needs a place to stay for a while." You were all seated around the dining room table, mostly empty plates of what was left of dinner in front of you. You side-eyed the two troublemakers, your eyes narrowed sternly. They avoided your gaze, guilty grins spread across their tomato and spot covered faces. Sans, who had been relatively quiet up till now, quirked a smirk and-

"at least you're all getting along now. It was all… fire nothing," You threw your hands up in the air and walked away just as Papyrus shrieked and picked Sans up to shake some sense into him. A small smile quirked up your lips as you walked. At least he was feeling better. Sans' voice rang from the kitchen, full of mirth as he called after you. "aww… come on bird. you know that one was funny. no need to get so heated ."

"Are you done?" You called back, fighting back a smile and trying not to let your amusement color your voice. 

"yeah. i'm done… for now," You rolled your eyes and made your way back into the kitchen where everyone was sitting. "so, what i'm hearing is, you guys set undyne's house on fire and now she needs a place to stay." He quirked a browbone at Frisk and Undyne. 

Undyne rubbed the back of her head, "Uhh, yeah… if you guys wouldn't mind."

Sans shrugged, "we don't have much room but knock yourself out," He turned to Papyrus. "guess we're gonna have to share our rooms, bro."

Papyrus clapped, a giddy smile lighting up his face. "OH GOODY! I CALL FRISK! IT WILL BE JUST A SLEEPOVER EVERY NIGHT!"

Frisk nodded ecstatically, their hands moving excitedly as they signed. Papyrus picked them up and placed them on his shoulder, carting them off to his room. He turned to address the room. "WE SHALL BE OFF. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE!"

Good night, everyone! See you in the morning!  

"Good night Frisk, good night Papyrus," You stood on your tiptoes as they leaned down to hug you goodnight. Then you kissed Papyrus on the forehead while he was leaning down. "Sleep tight, you two."

As Papyrus' boots clomped noisily up the stairs you began to gather up the dishes. "So, you're going to take the couch, Undyne?" You asked as you deposited the dishes in the sink and began to fill the sink to wash dishes. 

"Yeah," She stood from her seat and stretched. "Seriously, thanks for letting me stay. I know we didn't start off on the right foot so…"

"It's fine, Undyne. You were just trying to do what you thought was best." She grinned toothily at you before she disappeared into the living room.You smiled over your shoulder at Sans. "Guess that means I'm your bunkmate, Bones."

He watched you through half-lidded eyes, his grin going soft around the edges. "you'd better not keep me up, then. i need my beauty sleep, ya know. stayin' up too late is bad for my skin."

"You don't have skin, bonehead."

"heh, guilty as charged. so, uhh, how are we gonna work this out?"

"I can take the floor. I'm not going to kick you out of your bed." You dried your hands on the hand towel after you put the last dish in the drain and took a seat beside Sans. 

"i'm not going to make you sleep on the floor, bird."

You frown, perturbed. "Sans. There's only one bed. Someone's gonna have to take the floor."

"...we could, uhh, share it? i guess?"

… 

…You could probably cook eggs on your face right about now. 

You stared at the bed like it was going to jump up and eat you. You clutched your blue star blanket to your chest, shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. Sans was watching you from the mattress with a affectionate soft, amused smile. 

"well? come on, I don't bite." Heat prickled up your neck as you shuffled around the debris strewn across Sans floor to the bed and sat down on the edge. He patted the extra pillow beside him with an infuriating smirk. You glared at him before you gingerly laid down, wrapping yourself up in your blanket like a burrito. With a wave of his hand, the lights flickered off, plunging you both into darkness, save for the dim light filtering in through the holes in the blinds. 

"Good night, Sans." You said, your voice slightly higher pitch with nerves. Sans chuckled deep in his chest, his voice right behind your ear. A shiver jolted down your spine. 

"g' night bird." He snickered softly as you buried your face in your pillow. Great stars, he was never, ever gonna stop teasing you after this, was he? You couldn't help it though! You'd never shared a bed with a friend before. You'd never had any close enough to have sleepovers with. You… 

Your mind slowed mid-thought as Sans' slow, steady breathing calmed your frazzled nerves. Your heartbeat slowed. You could feel the calming pulse of his magic through the covers. 

Your eyes slid closed. And your thoughts… 

… 

They… 

… 

.. 

. 

You jolt awake, your heartbeat jumping into overtime as all of you muscle tense with sudden fear. What…? 

Mumbling and thrashing beside you drew your attention. Sans. You were in Sans' room. 

Was… was he having a nightmare? 

Slowly you muscle unclenched as you reached over and shook the skeleton gently, a worried line knotting your brow. 

"Sans," You whispered calmingly, shaking him again. "Sans, wake up."

"■□📬📬📬 ■□📪 ♎□■🕯⧫📬📬📬 ♎♓■📫"

The air thickened with magic, making the hairs on your arms stand on end. You could practically taste it. Your heart jumped to your throat as your mind jumped back to Undyne and you bit back the fearful knot in your throat. Focus. You had to focus on Sans. 

"Sans!" You hissed quietly, your voice catching in your throat. His ribs jerked under your hands and grabbed your hands roughly, holding you in place when you subconsciously jerked away. Your hands shook in his grasp. 

His breath was coming out in fast puffs and you could feel the frantic flow of his magic through his clammy phalanges. You bent your head to get a look at his face, swallowing roughly around the know in your throat. 

"Sans…?" He finally looked up, his warm eyelights nowhere to be found in the empty darkness of his sockets. You forced down a shudder as you carefully extracted your hands from his now lax grasp. You hesitated for just a moment before you took his clenched fists into your hands. His bones rattled as small trembles ran through his body. You took a calming breath and let it out slowly, 

"Sans," He tilted his head. You took that as a sign he could hear you. "Is it okay if… if I hug you...or, maybe hum you a lullaby? It always seems to help with nightmares."

His sockets brightened slightly as his eyelights returned, albeit really dimly. His teeth, which had been set in a grim line, lifted a little in a tired little smile. 

"...i'm fine, birdie. go back to sleep."

"Please, Sans? I… I really just want to help you sleep. You always look so worn out..."

His eyelights drifted across your face. He had that look on his face again… like you were a puzzle that he was having trouble with. 

Finally, after a few minutes of having a stare-off, he relented. "alright, you win."

A shy smile brightened your face as you scoot over to him and wrapped your arms around him. "Here, lay down. You'll be more comfortable that way."

With some maneuvering, you managed to find a spot where you were both comfortable. A comfortable silence settled over the two of you. You hummed a quiet lullaby until you started drifting into a light doze. You twitched when you felt his skull move under your chin. 

"hey. what's that thumping sound i hear? it sounds like it's coming from your chest."

"That's my heartbeat. That's the thing that keeps me alive and breathing." You replied, voice thick with sleep. 

"...'s soothing."

He was adorable .  

"Mmm… 's nice to listen to someone you care 'bouts heartbeat."

You drift off listening to Sans' steady breathing and the feeling of his gentle, but strong magic flowing through his bones where he rested against your chest. It was the best night's sleep you'd had in a long time. You hoped Sans rested well too.

…He needed it. 

Chapter Text

Dull morning light filtered in through the blinds, small dust particles floating lazily on the gentle breeze provided by Sans' trash tornado (you had been very surprised to see it spinning by the foot of his bed. It was a very odd sight, to say the least!). You watched their shadows dance across the far wall, eyes half-lidded with lingering sleepiness, a serene expression relaxing on your normally taunt face. The warmth of the blanket and the monster that was cuddled against you threatened to drag you back into blissful unawareness. But… you wanted to enjoy the calm stillness of the early morning for a few more moments before you had to get up to join the hustle and bustle of the outside world. You didn't want to leave your tranquil bubble just yet... 

You glanced over at the skeleton sleeping peacefully against your side and another flush of flustered heat crept down your neck and up to the tips of your ears. Your thoughts flashed back to when you first woke up, wrapped up in the skeleton's embrace, legs twisted together, his arms thrown over your waist. Your head was under his chin, face resting against his surprisingly soft ribs, hand twisted in his stained t-shirt. You covered your red face with your hands, hot ears practically steaming with embarrassment when you thought back to the way you buried your nose in his shirt to take in his soothing scent of petrichor, snow-covered pine, and not surprisingly, a hint of ketchup. Your half-asleep mind through it was a good idea to sniff him like some kind of weirdo. Thank the stars he was still asleep.

Sans grumbled quietly when you shifted in his grasp, accidentally jousting him as you did. His arms tightened reflexively around your waist as he nuzzled deeper into your pillow. His visible socket peeked open a moment later, his eyelight fuzzy and dim with sleep.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." You whispered once you were settled in a more comfortable position on your side, facing him.

"'s ok." He yawned, his voice thick with sleep. He gazed at you through half-lidded sockets, a smile far more content than you'd ever seen relaxed on his teeth, his face inches from yours. Your cheeks heated under his gaze and you looked down at the blanket between you, flustered.

"Did you sleep well?" You asked, fingers picking at a loose seam in the blanket. He shifted, drawing your attention when his arms tightened around your waist. His face was tinted blue and his eyelights were dilated in his sockets as he glanced away, smiling sheepishly.

"uh, yeah. best sleep i've had in a while tibia honest," His smile softened as he met your eyes, his eyelight soft and warm. You loved that expression, all warm and flushed cheeks, and a real smile."that, uh, heartbeat of yours... 's really relaxing."

You matched the warmth of his smile with your own. "Thanks... Glad you slept well. I-"

You both jumped apart when a pounding knock rattled the door. Sans, who was on the outside edge of the bed, tumbled to the floor with a grunt of surprise, taking you with him. You both landed with winded gasps in a flurry of tangled limbs and sheets. You lifted yourself off of his chest, flush faces inches apart as you stared down at him, frozen in place and wide-eyed. He blinked up at you and a sly smile slowly spread across his teeth just as the door opened, revealing Papyrus with Undyne and Frisk peeking around broad shoulders and his legs.

"BROTHER, HUMAN! IT'S TI- OH!" You jerked your head to look over your shoulder, eyes wide with mortification. His grin was not unlike the one his brother was wearing.

"WELL, WELL! GOOD MORNING, YOU TWO CUDDLE FIENDS! WE'LL LEAVE YOU TWO LOVEBIRDS ALONE FOR THE MOMENT. WE'LL BE WAITING DOWNSTAIRS WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED! WINK!" All three of them cackled as they bounded back down the stairs, footsteps pounding on the carpet.

You dropped your head into your hands, effectively muffling your scream of embarrassment. Sans' gravelly chuckle made you peek through your fingers. He was staring up at you, hands behind his head, eyelights fuzzy and his sockets lidded, full of mischief.

"if ya wanted to jump my bones, all you had to do was ask." He drawled leisurely, guffawing when you scrambled off of his lap with a noise not too dissimilar to a whistle.

"I-I'm-! I'm sooo sorry! I-!" He shushed your stammered apologies with a wheezing giggle, wiping away a translucent blue tear from the corner of his socket as he sat up on his elbows, watching your face as you regret all of your life choices. 

"it-it's ok bird," He breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath. He sat up fully, untangling his bones from the mess of sheets and blankets. A pout formed on your lips as he made his way over to you, eyes sharp with a glare. He held out a hand with his infuriating grin and a playful wink before his expression softened into something you couldn't quite make out. Something close to endearing? "c'mon, they're waitin' for us."

You sighed, letting your glare fall away into a soft smile as you took his outstretched hand, his phalanges warm against your cold hand. "M'kay. Let's go face the music."

… 

Breakfast was a… flustering affair, to say the least. Teasing glances and playful snickers and puns (so many puns!) mixed with the light conversation as breakfast was served. You stared down at the porridge Papyrus made (he was getting pretty good, after the 'training' you'd been giving him.), stirring it around with your spoon.

"Sooo," Undyne drawled, her mischief laced voice made you cringe. Your fingers tightened around your spoon as you braced yourself for the onslaught. When you looked up she was grinning at you cheekily. Ooh boy… "Pretty interesting morning, huh?"

You hid the embarrassed flush of your cheeks behind your cup of tea, avoiding the teasing eyes of the monsters around you, especially Sans'. "Mhmm."

She snickered at your avoidance, sharp teeth flashing in a grin when she locked eyes with Frisk, who was chowing down on their breakfast, a sly smile painted across their porridge covered face. Calmly, they set their spoon in the now-empty bowl and held their hands up, their eyes crinkling in delight as they began to sign the k-i-s-s-i-n-g song that plagued your school years.

"Ohmy stars- " You buried your face in your hands as Undyne howled with laughter, her heavy palm slapping the table in her mirth, making the dishes rattled. Large gloved hands patted your shoulder sympathetically. You didn't even have to look up to see who it was. He was your only ally against these teasing gremlins.

"Thanks, Papy." You mumbled, voice muffled by your hands. You looked up at the bright skeleton, who was smiling kindly.

"THERE, THERE BIRD. EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT," He looked away to address the two jaunty imps snickering to themselves across from you. "NOW, NOW, YOU TWO! IT'S NOT NICE TO TEASE SO RELENTLESSLY!"

Undyne sat back in her chair with her hands behind her head, grinning 'a cat caught the canary' grin. "AWW, come on Paps! We're just having a little fun!"

"YES, WELL. THERE'S A LIMIT! NOW! FRISK, IT'S TIME TO GO ON PATROL!" Frisk clamored out of their seat and darted up the stairs to change into their winter gear, Papyrus moved to follow before turning back to address the table with a stern expression, like a parent scolding misbehaving children. "AND YOU TWO! BEHAVE WHILE I'M GONE!"

"sure bro, we won't stir bird up anymore. it would be a mistake to ruffle her feathers ."

Papyrus narrows his sockets, his eyelights brightening in exasperation. "SANS-" He cuts himself off by throwing his hands in the air. "I LOVE YOU BROTHER, BUT SOMETIMES YOU REALLY PRESS MY BUTTONS. NO MORE PUNS! YOU! YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MAXIMUM!"

With Sans and Undyne adequately warned he turned on his heel and left the kitchen to don his uniform. Undyne sighed once he was gone, "MAN! Papyrus is no fun," She shrugged. "Oh well. See you punks later." She stood from the table with a fanged grin, marching away to get ready for her daily duties as well, leaving you and Sans alone at the table.

"so, you okay there?" Sans teased, watching with delight as your face flushed red again. You swatted at his arm playfully before pushing away from the table, gathering the dirty dishes.

"I'm fine, just...just a bit flustered," You answered without turning from the sink, shoulders tense. You heard the creak of Sans' chair and you figured he left but the quiet shuffle of slippers against the laminate told you otherwise. "Really Sans, I'm okay!"

You jumped slightly when he appeared by your side, slouching against the counter. "that so?"

His voice was as casual and lazy as normal, but there was a hidden note coloring his voice that made you meet his snowy pupils. "Err… yeah. Uhh… just brought up some… memories. That's all."

There was a brief silence, the only sounds were the running water and clanking dishes. You sighed, shoulders slumping as a rueful smile took up residents on your lips. "Kids on the surface can be cruel to those who are different," You started quietly, swallowing dryly. Sans stood a little straighter beside you, listening intently. You stared at the soapy, swirling water as long forced down memories came flooding to the forefront of your mind. "I…I never really had friends when I was younger, besides my brothers of course. And… people loved to bully loners. They… They always used to do this thing, where someone would come up to you when you were just minding your own business and normally you wouldn't even know the person! But, anyway, they would come up to you and say "Hey, so-and-so likes you!" And walk back to their friend's snickering and stuff. It was never really that big of a deal but…y'know. Today just… brought back those memories. I know-! I know you guys were just teasing-!"

You flinched when Sans put his hand on your arm, pulling your hands out of the soapy water and away from the pan you were vigorously scrubbing. He took your dripping hands and pressed a hand towel into them, his teeth pulled down into a serious line.

"Sans-"

"you have friends now, bird. that sort of thing won't happen to you again," He smiled his causal smile, the one that eased your ever frayed nerves and your ever-present worries. "you have people who really care about you."

A smile lit up your face and you had to turn your head to hide the sudden surge of emotion that threatened to overtake you. You tossed the towel aside and wrapped your arms around the skeleton, burying your face in the shoulder of his well-loved hoodie. He stiffened in surprise for a moment, before slowly, he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around your waist.

When you separated, his teeth were set in a Cheshire grin. "that'll be 10g for the hug."

"You-! You goblin !" 

He cackled and held up his hands to defend from the droplets of water you flicked at him in retaliation. " Water you upset for? I gotta make the dough somehow. "

He flicked a bread crumb in your direction from his jacket. It landed on the counter by the sink. You deadpanned, but before long you were fighting down a grin as he waggled his browbones. You turned back to the sink to let the water out. "Sans. You have, like, twenty jobs. You make plenty of dough already."

He shrugged, "ehh. you caught me," He shuffled into the living room as you dried your hands. "anyway, paps volunteered me to walk you to work, and by walk i mean shortcut. you don't mind do you?"

"Of course I don't mind, you goober."  You hip-bumped when you passed him on your way to the living room, making him stumble with a surprised little chuckle, before flopping on the couch to wait for you (and probably nap too). 

You shook your head, a fond smile lingering on your lips as you changed your white button-up and uniform slacks. You threw on your heavy jacket and hustled back down the stairs. Sans was snoring away on the couch, just like you thought he would be. 

Hmm... You wondered if... 

With a slightly shaking finger, you poked Sans' cheek. It... It didn't feel like bone... 

It felt like... rough porcelain, just... more porous?

"told you already. if you wanna jump my bones all you have to do is ask." You yanked your hand away at the sound of his voice. Sans snickered, opening his right socket, his eyelight trained on you. 

"You-! I just-! Let's just go!" You stumbled away to fetch your snow boots, a vivid blush painting your cheeks and ears red. 

Once you were ready, Sans grabbed your hand in his. You avoided his teasing grin as the cold and breathlessness of the short cut washed over you. Your hand tightened around Sans', the warmth of his bones through his gloves keeping you grounded. It was getting hard to breathe and-

... 

You're standing in the middle of the break room of Grillby's. You took a deep breath, letting the warmth of the room wash away the cold and dread still clinging to you from the short cut. Sans dropped your hand as you reached for your locker where your apron was. Once you had it on you turned back to Sans with a smile. 

"Thanks for walking me to work, bone boy."

He winked. "no problem, kid. have a good shift and i'll be back to get you when it's time."

"Per Papyrus' request, I take it?" You grinned as Sans shrugged. 

"somethin' like that." You blinked and he was gone. 

Grillby's was warm and welcoming as always. The atmosphere around you and Sans, however, was not. It felt like someone submerged you into an ice bath, chasing away the warmth of the pub. Your hands were frozen on the bar top where they had been busy wiping up the drink you knocked over after Sans startled you by shortcutting back in to wait for you, the quickly melting ice seeping through the bar rag and chilling your damp hand. 

"Wh-what? What are you talking about Sans?" Your eyes flickered over the skeletons unusually serious expression, trying to glen something, anything , from his snowy eyelights. 

"talking flowers. have you ever of them?"

"You mean the Echo Flowers?"

Sans rested his skull in his hand, his strangely malleable cheek dimpling slightly, and reached out to grab a fry off of his plate with the other, his eyelights trained on your face. "yeah. they're all over the marsh. if you say something to it, it'll repeat it back, over and over."

You rested your elbows on the bar, leaning closer to hear him over the ambiance of the bar as his voice grew softer. 

"What about them?" You inquired, your voice equally soft. 

"papyrus told me something interesting the other day. sometimes, when no one else is around, a flower appears and whispers things to him," He paused as Grillby slid by you to serve another customer, giving you the 'wrap it up and get back to work' crackle as he passed. You nodded before turning your attention back to Sans, nerves sending shivers down your limbs. "flattery, advice, encouragement... predictions. weird, huh?"

"That is pretty eerie..." You muttered, your mind jumping back to that strange yellow flower that tried to skewer Frisk way back in the Ruins. Another shiver tingled down your spine. 

...You really hoped they weren't connected. 

Sans' voice brought you back to the present. "what's with the glum face, bird? i'm sure it's just someone playing a trick on him. just... keep an eye out, ok?"

You offered him a small smile. "Alright, Sans. We'll be careful."

That grin that you'd grown used to over the past few months returned. "thanks, kid. and try not to be such a worrywart. I promised to keep an eye socket out for you."

"Pff... Alright. I can try. But as you can tell, worrywart is my middle name." You said jokingly, trotting off to clear a vacant seat at the bar. All the while your mind was reeling with talking flowers and ominous warnings. 

Sans' warning shifted to the back of your mind as the week dragged on and in its place headaches plagued your waking hours. You rubbed your temples to try and soothe the building pressure in your head. When that didn't work you groaned softly and laid your head on the kitchen table, hoping to cool wood would help at least a little. 

...No such luck. 

"You okay, nerd?" Undyne asked when she strolled into the kitchen. She headed straight to the fridge to raid it for a post-workout snack. You watched her through hooded eyes, pain crashing through your head in waves. She raised an eyebrow as she munched on what looked like some kind of snack bar, watching you expectedly. 

Finally, you worked up the energy to answer. "I'm alright."

Her eyebrow slid higher, a disbelieving expression crossing her face. "Uh-huh, sure. And I'm the queen of Waterfall. C'mon! Tell me the truth!"

A quiet whimper that you couldn't quite catch slipped passed your lips when Undyne raised her voice. "Okay, okay! Just... speak quieter. Please ."

With a quiet creak, Undyne sat across from you, a look of genuine concern taunt on her face. "Hey seriously, are you okay? You don't look so hot."

"...I've had body aches and a headache that I can't shake all week and today is the worst yet." You mumbled, your voice muffled slightly by the way your face was pressed against the table. "Grillby even made me stay home..."

"Why don't you go see Dr. Alphys? She's the Royal Science. She might be able to help you out."

You lifted your head slightly to look at her, the motion making you slightly dizzy. "Do you think it'll be safe? I don't want-"

She shushed you with a wave of her hand, the muscles of her arm rippling slightly with the motion. Her teeth flashed in a fond grin. "Alph is cool. She's one of those nerdy, gentle types, like you. Couldn't hurt a fly if she tried."

You mulled over the idea for a moment. If this Alphys person could help you then... 

There was only one problem. If Alphys was a scientist then it would be painfully obvious that you were human. And-

"C'mon, nerd! Everything will be fine! Stop thinking so hard about it."

You managed a weary smile. "Alright. Do you really think she'll help me? I am human after all."

"Sure she will! She's fascinated by you humans and your history. She'll be excited to meet you."

"...Okay, I'll go a little later today."

The air in Hotland was stifling. Sweat began to bead along your hairline and slide down the back of your neck as soon as you stepped out of the freezing nothingness of Sans' shortcut. Frisk, who had insisted on coming with you, pulled their sweater over their head and tied it around their waist after straightening out their yellow t-shirt. 

Sans let go of your hands and stuffed them in the pockets of his hoodie. You stared. How the hell was he in that in this heat?! His teeth quirked up into a smirk when he caught you staring. 

"what's up? skeleton go your tongue?" 

"I-you-how are you in a jacket in this heat?!" You exclaimed. Dry heat licked at you, making you skin prickle. He shrugged, his eyelights brightening. 

"well, i am a skeleton so-"

Oh no, you could see where this was going. You-

"the heat goes straight through me."

You rubbed your sweaty hand across you equally sweaty forehead (ok, eww. Gross.) in exasperation. "Sans. I've seen you sweat. How does the heat not bother you?"

"maaaagic." He waggled his fingers, his grin approaching shit-eating territory at your unimpressed look. Without a word you turned and marched toward the Lab, leaving a cackling child and skeleton to fend for themselves in the heat. A reluctant smile graced your lips when you heard their giggling. What a bunch of goobers. 

The huge, blocky building loomed over you, it's sterile white appearance making a foreboding shiver trickle down your limbs despite the heat, immediately chasing away the laughter and teasing from earlier. The place was intimidating... 

You took a deep breath, the hot, dry air burning your nose and throat before you squared your shoulders. 

The automatic door slid open with a loud whirl as you approached. The sterile air was a relief as you stepped into the cool darkness of the lab. Your eyes drifted around the dim room cautiously. Was anyone even here...? 

Your footfalls echoed off the high walls as you ventured further into the lab, keeping a hand wrapped tightly around Frisk's. They squeezed your hand, offering you a reassuring smile. 

"Sans, are you sure she's here?" You asked the skeleton behind you quietly. You glanced over your shoulder at him as he shrugged, offering nothing more. You pursued your lips. As helpful as always... 

A light flickered in the dimness ahead. A huge monitor stood against the wall to your right and-

...Was that you and Frisk? 

On the monitor, your's and Frisk's wide eyes stared back at you. You could even see Sans dark, hollow socket stare from over your shoulder in the monitor, eyelights nowhere to be found and shoulders tense. Oh stars, someone was watching you and Frisk! Wh-

A whirl of a door opening startled you out of your thoughts and lights flickered on overhead, momentarily blinding you, sending throbs of pain through your head. Your head jerked in the direction of shuffling footsteps, pulling Frisk closer. 

A squat yellow dinosaur monster in a lab coat, glasses perched precariously on their snout, stood frozen a few feet in front of you, looking just as startled as you felt. A door whirled closed behind them. 

Their mouth opened and closed a few times, flashing their overbite teeth as if they were struggling to find something to say. 

"Are...are you Docter Alphys?"

The scientist flinched, her long claws clicking together as she fiddled with her hands. You could see the sweat glistening on her forehead from where you stood. She looked a nervous wreck, the poor dear. 

Her eyes flicked around the room frantically, looking anywhere but at you. "I-I-I! Oh-Oh my god, you-your he-here! Already! I di-didn't expect-! I haven't showered! I'm bearly dressed! It'sallamess ! And-!"

She paused and turned away to collect herself, a deep, shuddering breath whooshing passed her teeth. Then, she turned back to face you, a wobbly smile on her snout. "H-H-Hiya! I'm Docter Alphys, Asgore's Royal Scientists! Umm... But, you already knew that didn't you, hehehe..." 

She fiddled with her claws again, giggling nervously. As you watched her fumble her way through an introduction you couldn't help but wonder, she was the Royal Science Undyne told you about? She really wasn't what you expected. You had expected... Well... You hadn't really known what to expect but still... 

"B-b-but! I'm not out to get you! Actually, since you stepped out of the RUINS I've, umm, been observing your journey through my console. I was originally going to stop you, b-but, ahh... Watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them. S-so, ahh, now I want to he-help you! I-"

Her rambling lapsed into silence, the yellow scales of her freckled face going red with mortification, eyes wide. "Oh my gosh, I-I'm ra-rambling aren't I? I'm so sor-sorry! Umm... Yo-you, ahh, came here fo-for a different reason, right?"

When you didn't speak, too wrapped up in trying to get your pain laden brain to process what Alphys was saying, Sans stepped up instead. Alphys' eyes widened behind her glasses. 

"heya, alph." He waved lazily while Alphys stared, obviously flabbergasted. 

"S-Sans? Wh-wh-what-" She cut herself off, shaking her head slightly before she continued, voice smaller than before. "What are you doing here? I thought you... I thought you weren't coming back...."

The worry on Alphys' face told you that you were missing something, something important. You glanced at Sans. He shrugged, offering nothing but his usual grin as an explanation to your inquiring gaze. 

"nah, i'm just dropping these two off. bird needs a, uhh, check-up." He said, before turning to you. "I'll see you guys later, just call papyrus when you're ready to go." With that and a wave to Alphys, he walked through one of his shortcuts, disappearing into thin air. 

"We-well, umm... I-I'm not sure how much I can do for a human, bu-but! I can try my best?"

She... She didn't sound very confident. You offered a friendly smile to try and ease her nerves. "Thank you for offering to help, Dr. Alphys. By the way, I'm," You introduced yourself before putting a hand on Frisk's shoulder. "But everyone just calls me Bird. And this is Frisk."

They sign a hello, smile brightly before the scampered off to check out the console that Alphys had been watching you from. 

"It's ni-nice to meet you, Bird," Alphys said, smoothing out her lab coat, expression nervous. "Uhh... So... Wh-what seems to be bothering you?"

You told her about the body aches and the headaches and the small pains in your chest. She nodded along, frowning thoughtfully. 

"I'm not sure what it could be..." She trailed off, biting her lip. Then, she motions for you to follow her. You told Frisk you'd be right back, then followed her up the stairs into what looked like a loft room. Bookshelves lined the walls, books, papers, and folders crammed into every available space on the shelves. Passed the bookshelves there was a strange machine filled with something green. You...weren't sure what it was used for. Beside the machine was a wooden workbench cluttered with tools and blueprints that made the throbbing in your head worsen when you tried to read it. 

Alphys lead you to a messy couch. She offered a stammered apology as she moved the various blankets and clothes from the cushions. Once you were both settled on the cushions she cleared her throat, looking uncertain. 

"I... Umm... I've never had to treat a human before soo, umm," Her claws clicked together as she twiddled her thumbs anxiously. She took a breath, and let it out slowly, calming herself. "Okay. I'm going to pull you into an Encounter so I can examine your SOUL to see if there is anything unusual. It'll be just like any other Encounter, except I won't be sending you bullet patterns, I'll be checking your SOUL. Is that okay?"

You nodded slowly, trying not to jostle your head too much. "Go ahead, Doc."

She nodded and breathed in deeply before, with an outstretched hand, she beckoned to your SOUL. It stirred painfully in your chest, dragging as it popped out of your chest. You forced down a pained whimper. It never hurt coming out like that before. You relayed that to Alphys who had gone white against the black background of the Encounter. She frowned in concern, focusing on your SOUL. It was dimmer around the edges and a lot brighter in the center than normal but other than that it looked like it normally did. 

"S-so, it looks like your SOUL has been absorbing a lot more magic than normal a-and that rapid influx of magic flooding your SOUL is throwing your body out of balance," Another thoughtful frown crossed her face as she rubbed her chin, muttering softly. You had to strain to hear what she was saying. "That should be impossible. That would mean..."

She cut herself when your SOUL shrunk in on itself insecurity, dimming even further. She backpedaled frantically. "O-oh no! Do-Don't worry! It just means, umm, that your SOUL might just be absorbing residential magic from the air around you! An-And you just need lots of rest for your body to get us to it," She cleared her throat as you stared at her, dazed. "S-so, you should stay home and rest for a week. You-you might also, umm.... Get a fever? So just take it easy."

She gently pushed you SOUL back to you and it sank back into your chest, making you feel heavy and sluggish. You just wanted to sleep... 

Alphys was saying something, but her words came out muffled like she was speaking underwater. Cold hesitant hands gripped your shoulders, forcing you to lay back on the soft cushions. 

... 

Cold porcelain fingers brushed your forehead. They felt so nice on your heated skin... Your head shifted to meet touch and it disappeared, as if surprised. Then, a deep voice said your name softly, muttering something that you couldn't quite make out, readjusting the covers around your shoulders. The plush pillow beneath your head was heaven-sent for your throbbing head. You opened your eyes a crack and darkness greeted you, so you closed them again. 

"go back to sleep." The voice murmured soothingly. Hard fingers carded through your tangled hair, scratching your scalp. It felt...so nice... 

... 

The next time you opened your eyes it was lighter in the room. A chill racked through your body, sending your teeth chattering and your muscles tensing. A quiet, horse groan pushed passed your dry lips, scratching your raw throat. 

"Bird?" Papyrus' face appeared in your line of vision, a concerned line furrowing his browbones, then a bright smile chased away the cloudy expression. 

"P-Papyrus...?" You rasped, teeth chattering slightly. He helped you sit up, pressing a warm cup into your unsteady hands. A soft sigh slumped your shoulders as the warmth seeped into your trembling fingers. A small, hot weight in your chest drew your attention from the relief of the warmth, replacing it with cold worry. 

"Papyrus? What's wrong with me?" Papyrus glanced away, fiddling with his scarf, a nervous habit. 

"Dr. Alphys Said That You're SOUL Sick. Too Much Magic Is Flowing Through Your SOUL, Making You Sick." He explained after a moment, the concerned expression from before making a reappearance. His cold phalanges to your forehead. You blinked in dazed surprises. He was gloveless for once. You took his hand, ignoring the unPapyruslike squeak you caused, and examined it in delirious fascination. 

"Human, What Are You Doing?" He said, sounding amused. His hand flexed in yours, drawing your eyes. His hand was so much bigger than yours your foggy mind realized and, with a giggle, you held your hand up to compare like a child would to their older siblings. You glanced up at him with a tired smile. 

"Your hand is bigger than mine."

He chuckled this time, gently removing his hand from yours. "Yes Bird, I Am Aware," He replaced his hand on your forehead. "It Seems Your Fever Has Gone Down! This Is Excellent News!"

He leaned over to retrieve something from the bedside table and pressed it to your mouth. "Here! Take Your Monster Candy And Get Some More Rest!"

You took it and settled back against the pillows, your head swimming with drowsiness all of a sudden. You closed your eyes, letting sleep drag you under again. 

"Papyrus I feel fine! I can get up and do stuff now, seriously!" Papyrus' gentle, but firm hand pushed you back down to the couch when you attempted to get up again. It was true though! You'd been feeling a lot better today. 

"DR. ALPHYS SAID YOU ARE TO REST FOR A WEEK! IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO DAYS! AND WHILE I COMMEND YOUR VIGOROUS WORK ETHIC, YOU MUST FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S DIAGNOSES!"

"Papyrus..." He cut you off before you could argue with a wave of his gloved hand, his face softening as he tucked the blanket that he draped over you more snuggly. 

"NO BUTS!"

"YEAH! You tell her Pap!" Undyne's voice joined the fray from the kitchen. You scowled, suddenly feeling like a child again, all of the adults in your life making all of your decisions. 

"Not helping 'Dyne..." You grumbled under your breath. With a heavy sigh, you flopped back on the cushions, resigned to your fate. "Can I at least go to the librarby to get more books?"

Papyrus paused and rubbed his chin, considering. Finally, after a moment, he shook his skull. "I SHALL GET THEM FOR YOU!"

You groan dramatically, but you didn't argue further. At least you were getting more books to read while you were stuck on the couch. You gave him a list of books you'd been meaning to pick up defeated thank you. There was a pop of the atmosphere beside you, then the smell of ozone drifted your way. 

"Papyrus, pleeeeasse?"

Sans snickered. "you're not gonna win against paps, birdie. it's best to give in."

You glared at him, crossing your arms in defiance. "Well, I-"

"SANS, MAKE SURE BIRD STAYS ON PUT, PLEASE." Papyrus said, cutting off any further protests without looking back at the couch, donning boots. 

Sans flopped over onto your lap, shifting to get comfortable as you squawked in protest. "shh...just let it happen," His grin taking on a more mischievous air as he patted your shoulder. Then his eyelights turned to Papyrus. "sure bro, can do. are you takin' the kid with you?"

"YES, UNDYNE WILL BE LEAVING AS WELL! SHE HAS GUARD DUTIES TO ATTEND TO," Just as he said that, Undyne strolled out of the kitchen, giving you a suggestive eyebrow wiggle that set your cheeks ablaze as she passed the couch. "FRISK, WE'RE LEAVING NOW!"

Small feet pounded down the stairs as Frisk bounded down them and landed in front of you with a flourish, holding out their arms as if to say, tada ! 

When they got a small applause, they bowed with a grin, then they rushed over to you to give you a hug and a quick peck on the forehead before joining Papyrus and Undyne by the door, pulling their boots and winter sweater on.

"See you guys later!" You called from the couch as they walked out into the snow. 

... 

The house was so quiet now. Too quiet. You sighed, absentmindedly stroking the smooth dome of Sans' skull while your mind wandered. Without all of the activity that usually plagued the house, it being this quiet was...eerie. The introverted part of you was drinking in the quiet and the stillness. But... A part of you that you discovered just recently, ached for the hustle and bustle of your new-found monster family, even though they just left. 

...Well, at least you still had Sans to keep you-

Annnnd ... He was asleep. Typical. You shook your head as a small fond smile cracked the grumpy facade. Your train of thought shifted to Sans. You and Sans... You've gotten closer over the past few months and you dare say that the punny skeleton was your best friend. A gentle smile crossed your face. Yeah, he was your best friend.

... 

Did he feel the same? You-

A soft rumbling drew your attention. What was...? You looked down at Sans, who still had his head in your lap, eyes closed and face content. Was... was Sans... purring ? Your finger drifted gently across the dome of his skull and the purring got louder. 

... Oh my stars, Sans was purring! 

A spark of glee shot through your chest at the realization, showing on your face as a bright smile. Oh my god, that was adorable ! 

...And very relaxing. A yawn rattled your chest as you settled back into the couch, letting the rumbling of Sans' purring lull you into a light doze. 

... 

Papyrus had your books for you, as promised. They were waiting for you on the living room table when you woke up, with a noticeably lighter lap. You wondered where Sans-

"HUMAN I HAVE BROUGHT YOU SOME TEA!" Papyrus called, strolling into the living room, steaming cup in hand. You reached out for it when he held it out for you. 

"Thanks, Paps, where is everybody?"

"UNDYNE TOOK FRISK OUT ON PATROL WITH HER AND SANS IS... WELL, HE'S AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE!"

A familiar distinctly sweet scent wafted from the cup when you held it under your nose. It smelled like... Echo Flowers? You looked down into the cup, your surprised reflection stared back up at you from the icy blue surface of the tea. It was glowing too... "Papyrus, is this made of Echo Flowers?"

He took a seat beside you. "YES! IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR THE SOUL! SANS DRINKS IT WHEN HE GETS SOUL SICK AS WELL!"

You hummed quietly as you brought the warm cup up to your lips, letting the surprisingly minty tea. It was pretty good. The tea warmed you right down to the SOUL. 

With a relaxed sigh, you placed the half-empty cup back on the table, then you turned to smile gratefully at Papyrus. "Thanks, Paps. The tea is delicious."

He beamed and took your cup, replacing it with a worn hardback book. "HERE YOU GO! ONE OF THE BOOKS YOU REQUESTED!"

Papyrus left you to your reading, toting the cup back into the kitchen. Your eyes scan the cover of the book as you picked it up, fingers tracing the threadbare title. It was in that odd language that you encountered back in Waterfall.

ᚧᚪ᛫ᛗᚪᚾᛋᛏᚱ-ᚻᚷᚢᛗᚫᚾ᛫ᚹᚪᚱ

With a furrowed brow, you opened the book to the table of contents, trying to figure out what language it was.

ᚧᚪ᛫ᛗᚪᚾᛋᛏᚱ᛫ᚻᚷᚢᛗᚫᚾ᛫ᚪᛚᛁᚫᚾᛋ

ᚠᛁᚱ᛫ᚫᚾᛞ᛫ᛗᛁᚪᚪᚾᛞᚱᛋᛏᚫᚾᛞᛁᛝᚪ

ᚧᚪ᛫ᛒᚫᛏᛏᚪᛚ᛫ᚪᚾ᛫ᛗᚪᚹᚾᛏ᛫ᛖᛒᚪᛏᛏ

The line between your brow deepened as you tried to make heads or tales of the runes but your mind came up empty. Rubbing your temple with one hand you closed the book with a sigh and set it aside. Maybe you could get Grillby to help you read it later. 

...Once you were allowed out of the house that is. 

With a quiet chuckle, you reached over and grabbed another book from the stack, settling in for a long reading session. 

It... It looked like a journal of some kind... 

... 

It was very dusty and frayed with time. You wondered who it used to belong to. Maybe... Maybe it was... A cold finger of uneasiness sent a shiver down your spine. 

... Did it used to belong to one of the humans that fell before you and Frisk. With shaky fingers, you traced the faded cover before you opened it. 

Neat script looped across the page. It looked... familiar... A warm wave of nostalgia settled over you for some odd reason. 

September 12th

I met a charitable lady goat monster who kindly took me in after I took a tumble into Mount Ebott. Mrs. Toriel tended to my wounds and treated me to a delicious meal. I am thankful for her hospitality. But I have to move on as soon as I can. There's someone I have to find.

September 15th

Mrs. Toriel let me wander through RUINS by myself today. I was glad to take the chance to stretch my legs and look for my companion, maybe while I'm exploring I can study the RUINS and the monsters that make their home there.

Below the text are several drawings of Froggit and Whimsuns and descriptions scribbled hastily beside each one. Why did the handwriting look so familiar to you...? 

A tingling sensation buzzed in the back of your head, like a brush of a memory from long ago that you'd forgotten. The sensation faded before you had a chance to process it, leaving you dazed and a little confused. You blinked, shaking your head to clear it before you continued to read, trying to brush off the odd feeling. 

September 16th

I need to find a way to leave the RUINS. I hate to leave Mrs. Toriel like this but I need to find my companion. I know they fell down here too. They must have a way to move on. I think it must be down in the basement that Mrs. Toriel doesn't want me going down into. I'll start there tomorrow.

You turned the page but the writing was too faded to read properly. With a sigh, you shut the journal. Too bad. 

The next book you picked up was a huge tome that you had to heave into your lap with both hands. Jeez, that sucker was heavy! 

SOUL Biology was written across the cover in big bold letters. 

Sweet. 

SOULs are primarily heart-shaped vessels that every living being carries. There have been several different SOUL types studied and we speculate that there may be more that we have yet to discover.

Human SOULs come in several different types. Each color represents a different type. For example, a red SOUL represents DETERMINATION.

A pop of color among the text caught your eyes, drawing them down the page. There were seven different types of labeled SOUL diagrams under the passage. Orange for BRAVERY, Yellow for JUSTICE, Green for KINDNESS, Cyan for PATIENCE, Dark Blue for INTEGRITY, and Purple for PERSEVERANCE. Around the SOULs the different parts were labeled accordingly. The humps of the heart were labeled the bells and between them, the cleft. The middle of the SOUL was darker and labeled the Core. The line around the SOUL was thicker, labeled the outer membrane. The tip of the heart was labeled the base. 

Mage SOULs are much more powerful than any SOUL we have studied. The SOUL grants the carrier special abilities that make them unique among their peers. It is said that it would take every Monster SOUL in the entire Underground to make up even half of the power of a Mage SOUL. They are also capable of being extremely dangerous to themselves and others around them without proper training.

The whole paragraph was too faded to make out... You rubbed your eyes in frustration before you moved down to the next paragraph. 

Boss Monster SOULs are the most powerful type of Monster SOUL. They enjoy boons such as greater Magik, an extremely long life, and may persist after a Monster dusts for a few moments. Two examples of a Boss Monster SOUL are our King and Queen, and the Snowdin bartender, Grillby. They have lived exceptionally long lives.

Monster SOULs are the weakest type of SOUL physically speaking, yet Monsters are so in tune with their SOULs that they have an understanding of themselves humans will never have. Most Monsters SOUL grant the carrier Magik capabilities we call Bullet Patterns.

The Monster SOUL were labeled much the same as the Human SOULs except they were upside down and snowy white. The tip was called the peak. The Boss Monster SOULs, on the other hand, were snow-white except for a halo of cloudy color surrounding the thick membrane. 

"BIRD!" Papyrus' voice broke through your revere and you looked up, blinking. 

"Ahh... Yeah, Papy?"

"I HAVE MADE YOU SOME SOUP! WOULD YOU LIKE IT NOW?"

After you set the book aside you stood up, stretching your cramped muscles before making your way into the kitchen. "Sure, Pap. That sounds great."

Three days later, Papyrus finally dubbed you well enough to leave the house. You loved the skeleton to death, but jeez he could be such a mother-hen! The mental image of Papyrus in a frilly apron brandishing a wooden spoon made you smile. He was such a character. 

Your footsteps crunching through the fresh snow was refreshing after all of that time in the house. You hummed a cheerful tune as you walked, the new messager bag that Papyrus found bounced against your legs, heavy with a book, Toriel's letter, and the rest of your things. You'd been writing her letters and sliding them through the crack of the door ever other week since you settled in Snowdin. You hoped she was getting them...

Snowdin Forest was quiet around you, except for a stray birdcall or two of birds that could handle Snowdin's frigid temperatures and the occasional scurrying of an animal. 

You took a deep breath, drinking in the crisp air and the smell of pine. Ahh... This was-

A snap of a branch sent your heart shuddering against your ribs. Your eyes surveyed the dark winter trees warily, then after a moment, you scoffed at your jumpiness. It was probably just Sans trying to pull a fast on you. Well, it wasn't-

"Howdy!" 

...Well, shit .

Sweat trickled down the back of your neck as you froze, your breath shuttering to a stop in your throat. A chill of dread shot through your chest. 

Oh god. It was that flower, wasn't it? 

"Well, aren't you gonna turn around and say howdy back? You wouldn't want to be rude, would you? What kind of manners would you be teaching little Frisky?"

Your body and mind automatically jumped into mama bear mode the moment the flower mentioned Frisk. With a silent snarl, you swung around, pinning the yellow flower with a glare. He merely smiled cheerily up at you, swaying to a song you couldn't hear. 

"Ohhh! So scary," His happy go lucky smile dropped into a sarcastic grin. "Looks like I hit a nerve, huh? You humans are so easy to rile up." The end of his sentence trailed off into a sigh, as if he had been disappointed, or that you board him. 

Your jaw set and your shoulders hunched defensively, sharp eyes watching the flowers every move. All you had to do was run like hell once he was distracted. Then-

He giggled. "Oh, no need to be so tense, friend ! I just wanna have a nice friendly little chat, that's all. I'm Flowey the flower, by the way."

Thick, thorny vines wrapped around your ankles before you had time to react, digging into your skin. You swallowed a yelp of pain and surprise as trails of hot blood began to soak into your socks. You wouldn't give this flower the satisfaction of knowing you were in pain. 

A high, childlike giggle filled the clearing and echoed through the dense trees, setting your nerves on edge. 

"Now now," He tsked chastisingly. His childlike voice was patronising as his vines snaked up your pants leg, digging in painfully. You bit the inside of your cheek. "It's not nice to leave while someone is talking to you. Sheesh, are all humans this rude, or are you a special case? Now... Where was I... Oh, yeah!"

Vines grabbed your wrists, thorns biting through your skin, turning the snow below you red. "Listen, we both know what I want so let's not beat around the bush. You tell Frisk to Reset to the beginning, without you , so we can continue our game or..."

The vines tightened, twisting across your stomach. A whimper slipped passed your gritted teeth. Yet, even as your heart beat out of your chest and your limbs shook from pain and fear your defiant glare stayed firm. 

"Go...to... hell ." You spat and for a split second his smile morphed into a horrendous flash of teeth and glares before he blinked it away, his smiley mask back in place. 

"Okkaay... Don't say I didn't warn you."

Suddenly, the ground around you cascaded with tremors. Thorny vines erupted from the ground, twisting and twirling in a terrifying dance of thorns. And Flowey... 

Your stomach dropped and your heart jumped to your throat as Flowey grew and grew until his height rivaled the ancient trees around you. His face was twisted into something horrid, all sharp teeth and white, pupil-less eyes.

"If Frisk won't Reset willingly and you won't make them then I'll just have to make them...by killing you over and over and over again until they have no choice! HeEHe hEEh !"

White-hot pain ripped across your midsection, tearing a choked scream from your throat. You looked down at the thick, thorny vine protruding from your abdomen with a watery cough. Pain radiated like fire through your stomach and SOUL in surges.

No no no nono nonono

You… you couldn't…

You… didn't want…!

…

Fuck...

…You were going to die. You could feel your SOUL beating weaker, dimming painfully with every fleeting moment. Flowey's cackling, high pitched and gleeful, was like static in the background of your muddled, slowly fading mind. Your lifeblood was staining your clothes and making a red puddle on the snow below you.

"Help…" Your voice was cracked and garbled, almost unintelligible to your own ears. A whimpering sob passed through your tightly clenched teeth.

...

Tears rolled down your cheeks as you took shallow breaths through your mouth, pressing your uninjured hand to the wound in a last-ditch effort to stop the bleeding. Your blood was warm under your fingers. You were so cold…

You were… scared .

… you were going to die. You were going to die. Youwere goingtodie ! You weren't ready! You still...you still had to…

Frisk still needed you!

You couldn't die yet!

You wanted to…

Help.

" H...el- "

You…

…

You

         couldn't…

...speak.

You were so...

           ...tired

You couldn't see

You couldn't

        feel... 

You were…

       going

Numb…  

…

...

You were so cold… 

…

It was so dark…  

…

…

…

📬︎📬︎📬︎🕈︎☜︎☹︎☹︎📪︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎⚐︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ✌︎❄︎ ✌︎☹︎☹︎📬︎

Chapter Text

The silhouette of a tarp-covered machine loomed in the corner of the room like a dark cloud, taunting. Bursts of color danced in the darkness of the room as lines flickered across the screen in stops and starts. Sans paid it no mind, though, as he shouldered the door shut against the growing snow pile outside. Checking the timeline would have to wait until later. Right now he had other things on his mind.

With a distracted wave of his hand, the buzzing florescent lights flickered on above, the noise sending a tingle of a memory through his mind as he felt for the pen among the many monster candy wrappers in his jacket pocket. This lab was full of memories, that was for sure.

...He hadn't been down in a while. Every surface was covered in a thick layer of dust, and some drifted through the chilly breeze that blew in from the door, not that it bothered him much. The cold blows right through him.

...heh.

A sigh ghosted through his nasal bone. He hadn't been down here since he'd...

...Welp. He wasn't always the punny, lazy skeleton everyone knows. He was punny back then, sure, but... He had a lot more passion.

He meandered to the messy storage desk that was pushed against the far wall, his damp slippers shuffling against the slightly sticky laminate tiles of the floor.

He shoved aside the blueprints and junk strewn across the desk to make room and reached into one of the drawers, pulling out a worn journal.

Timeline ??? was written across the dusty cover in messy comic sans. He hoped he could find what he was looking for before Papyrus caught on or he'd have a bone to pick with Sans for keeping secrets again.

He flipped the journal open to the middle, his eyelights skimming through the scrawl inked across the pages. Something was off about this timeline in particular. According to his past self's notes, Frisk wasn't the sweet, fun-loving kid that they were in this timeline. The bone about his sockets crinkled as he read further, an uneasy feeling threading through his SOUL. The journal only when as far as Snowdin before it just...

...Stopped.

... 

The rest of the pages had been torn out...

A chill that had nothing to do with the sudden drop in temperature crept down his spine. Why did his past self tear out the rest of the pages? What happened-

A harsh buzzing made him jolt in surprise, fumbling with the journal that he was clutching tightly in his phalanges. It cluttered to the floor as he dug his phone out of his pocket, SOUL pounding against his ribs.

"what's up, bro?" He forced his voice into his normal casual drawl, relaxing back in his rolling chair.

"SANS! WHERE ARE YOU?" The poorly hidden panic in Papyrus' voice made him sit up straight. His bones heated with magic as it responded to his brother's distress, SOUL reaching for his familiar family bond with Papyrus.

"papyrus? what's wrong?" He asked, his magic flaring in his SOUL in preparation for a short cut. Papyrus took a breath on the other end of the line. "WE CAN'T FIND BIRD ANYWHERE SANS! SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HOME FROM HER WALK ALREADY! AND! SHE'S NEVER LATE! HAVE YOU SEEN HER?!?"

You weren't home yet? He pulled the phone away from his skull to check the time. 8:00. His browbones knitted together. You should have definitely been back by now. Unless you got sidetracked... 

On the other end of the line, Papyrus continued on his tangent, not noticing the silence on Sans' end of the call. "UNDYNE, FRISK AND I ARE SEARCHING WATERFALL FOR HER! WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AROUND SNOWDIN BUT COULD YOU DOUBLE CHECK AROUND JUST IN CASE SHE TURNED UP?"

"will do, paps. hopefully she just got sidetracked and lost track of time."

"I Hope Your Right Sans." Papyrus said. The worry in his normally exuberant voice was telling. Papyrus rarely let on when he worried, so as not to worry Sans. To hear his voice quiet and almost uneasy...
Papyrus had to be really shaken.

"we'll find her bro."

"Yes, She Couldn't Have Gone Far. We Will Get Back To Searching Waterfall! GOOD LUCK BROTHER!"
Sans pocketed his phone with a deep breath, trying to calm the magic raging through his bones. He wasn't sure why he couldn't shake the lingering feeling of dread that begun constricting his SOUL. You'd be fine. You'd meet them at home, smiling that beautiful warm smile of yours, and-

He pushed away from his desk and stood from his rolling chair, pocketing the journal he'd dropped. Overthinking wouldn't help find you. He'd more than likely find you at Grillby's at this hour. You were probably chatting with Grillbz.

You were fine.

After a quick check around the house Sans was sitting in his usual seat at Grillby's bar. The familiar atmosphere did little to quell the mounting dread stirring in Sans' SOUL. Despite his inner turmoil, he said his hellos to the regulars like it was any other night, a joke, or an equally boisterous greeting always on the tip of his metaphorical tongue.

Once Grillby worked his way down the bar to him was a different story. The flame monster took one good look at him before he was tilting his head and crackling his inquiries.

"nah, everything's cool, grillbz," He tried to reassure his buddy. He knew he couldn't pull off the nonchalant act with Grillby though. Sure enough, Grillby placed the glass he had been cleaning aside and stowed his rag in his back pocket before crossing his arms over his chest, pinning Sans to his stool with an all too familiar Look™. Sans picked up the drink Grillby placed in front of him casually, even as sweat began to bead along his cranium and drip down the dome of his skull. "you, uh, haven't seen bird around today have you?"

When Grillby shook his head, his faint expression growing more concerned by the second, Sans' SOUL does a little worried flip against his ribs. Maybe... Maybe you were at the Librerby...?

No. They would be closed at this hour. As Sans racked his brains (or lack thereof), Grillby study Sans for a moment longer, his observant gaze picking up every uneasy twitch in his friend's body language that he tried to hide, before he was removed his apron and grabbed his coat from under the bar, crackling loudly to the other patrons. The ambient conversations cut off as several pairs of eyes stared, wide with confusion.

"...I am closing early." He crackled. A wave of worried mumbles swept through the crowd as they all headed for the door, heads together in quiet, concerned conversations.

"...Sans." He looked up as if he had been shaken out of a stupor.

"...I'm going to help you look for Bird. Is...there any other place she could be?"

Sans was already standing and heading for the door once Grillby rounded the bar to join him, umbrella in hand. "the only other place i can think of is the forest. not sure why she would be there this time of night though."

Grillby nodded silently, opening the restaurant door for his long time friend, and followed Sans out into the freezing night air.

The forest was quiet. Eerily quiet. It almost felt unnatural. The forest was normally alive noise, even at this hour. Usually, there was the occasional sound of animals scurrying through the snow or the stray call of a night time birds. But tonight...

Tonight the air was charged. The feeling of eyes on his back made Sans pulled his hood down further over his skull while his eyelights, shining brightly through the darkness, scanning their surroundings warily.

Grillby's ever-shifting flame sent shadows dancing across the snow and trees beyond, casting dull, but welcome light to chase away the pressing darkness. His umbrella shifted in his grasp.

"...Sans. The ground." Grillby's said, a cautious edge hardening his normally calm voice. Sans' eyelights shrank as he surveyed the mess of snow and mud and roots ahead. Uprooted trees blocked the path and bits of bark and pine needles covered the kicked up snow. Small fissures split the earth, leaving scars in their wake.

Sans' eyelights roved over the damage until a spot of color caught his eye and his magic ran cold.

It was your bag.

What...?

His SOUL skipped a beat when he looked further down the path.

What the hell happened?

It was you.

His magic surged and he was through a shortcut before he even had time to process. The snow was cold on his bones when they hit the ground beside you. Magic roared through his SOUL as he frantically surveyed the damage. Bloodstains covered your shirt and hoodie and melting snow around you from the wound in your abdomen. His magic hummed through his bones, green magic glowing softly across the tips of his phalanges. His hands shook slightly as he pressed them gently over your wound, blood staining his bones. Sweat beaded across his cranium, and his SOUL slammed against his ribs. He forced his voice into a calm rumble, even as it shook with worry. "come on birdie, stay with me. you gotta stay with me."

He barely noticed when Grillby joined him by your side, his hands already glowing with healing magic.
"Sans." Grillby didn't look up from his hands, his brow creased in intense concentration. The green glow from his hands reflected on his glasses.

"Sans," He called again when he didn't get an answer, his voice gentle but firm. After a moment Sans finally looked up, eyelights nowhere to be found in the void of his sockets, and his breathing ragged. Grillby didn't flinch. "Sans. You need to calm down. We need to get her somewhere warm and I need you to focus."

With their combined effort, the wound slowly closed leaving an angry gash blazing across your skin. With the wound in your abdomen stable for the moment, the green faded from his hands as he scooped you up in his arms, holding you close. The warmth of his flame began to melt the snow as the glow from his flames intensified, trying to warm you back up before hyperthermia set in. Below him, still kneeling in the snow, Sans took a deep, shuddering breath and climbed to his feet.

"...yeah," He took another measured breath. Seeing you like that... It- he ran his hoodie sleeve across his forehead, pushing the thoughts and images out of his mind. His eyelights were dim in his sockets when he finally met Grillby's gaze. He needed to focus on getting you somewhere warm. "let's get her to alphys. i'll call papyrus when we get there."

He grabbed Grillby's arm and wrangled his frantic magic back under control. With some difficulty, his magic flared and after a moment of breathless falling, they were standing in the sterile air of Alphys' lab.

"alphys!" Sans called, his voice echoing off of the high ceiling. There was a crash and a quickly cut off almost swear, then the sound of bare feet padded toward them. Alphys, cheeks flushed and out of breath, hurried toward them. Her hands fumbled with the rob she'd thrown over her pjs.

"Sans! Wh-wh-what-" When she finally looked up from her robe breath caught in a gasp and her hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes were wide with horror. "Oh my god!"

She rushed them upstairs and directed Grillby to place you on her bed after she striped is and threw a thermal blanket over the mattress. With shaking claws she examined your wound, peppering them with questions, voice steadier then Sans had heard it in a long time. Sans and Grillby answer as best they could, and when she couldn't squeeze any more useful information out of them, she sent them back downstairs so she could stabilize you and examine your SOUL for trauma.

Grillby took to pacing while Sans called the others.
Papyrus picked up not a second after the first ring. "BROTHER? DID YOU FIND HER? IS SHE OKAY? WHAT-"

"we found her bro but, uh, she's not in good shape, bro," Sans hated to cut his bro off, but once Papyrus got started it was hard to stop him. The worried tone of on Papyrus' voice as he relayed the information to the Undyne and the kid made Sans' SOUL clench. He tried to make his voice as reassuring as possible. "alphys is checking her over."

There was a heavy pause. "A-Ahh... I-I See."

Sans could hear Undyne's growling voice through the phone as she shouted swears and threats. Papyrus tried to calm her. "SANS SAID DOCTER ALPHYS WAS LOOKING AFTER HER! SHE'LL MAKE SURE BIRD MAKES A SWIFT RECOVERY," There was a thinly veiled waver in Papyrus' voice that he forced down with false confidence. "WE WILL BE AT THE LAB MOMENTARILY SANS."

Sans slumped to the floor after he pocketed his phone, resting his skull against the wall behind him. His mind whirled, thoughts racing dizzily through his mind. What the hell happened? How did you end up like that?

You were fine just a few hours ago. You'd just recovered from the SOUL sickness that plagued you the week before and now...

"...Sans." Sans looked up at him vaguely, eyelights dull and unfocused. Blood dotted the crisp white sleeves of his button-up and he'd shed his ruined vest. Grillby knelt down beside him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, offering his bar mop from his back pocket. "Your hands."

Ignoring the rag Grillby offered him, he looked down at his hands. Dried blood caked his phalanges and the cuffs of his jacket. His eyelights blinked out.

That was your blood.

His metaphorical stomach flipped as he stared down at his hands with wide sockets.

Papyrus' voice carried from the front entrance, jolting Sans back to reality. He stood up, hiding his hands in his jacket pockets, and met his brother and the others by the entrance.

-Found her in Snowdin Forest, Grillby was signing when he stopped by his side. Papyrus was running a hand over Frisk's hair as they clung to his
leg. ...They looked like they'd been crying. They met Sans eyelights and their expression crumpled miserably, fingers tightening around Papyrus' pants as they glanced away. Poor kid... We are still not sure what happened. We brought her straight here.

"When I get my hands on-" Undyne snarled, but cut herself with a growl when Papyrus a calming hand on her arm. She looked away angrily, clenching her hands into fists.

"THERE HAS TO BE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS! SOMEONE WOULDN'T JUST-"

With an angry huff, Undyne shook Papyrus' hand off and began pacing, hands gesturing wildly as she ranted. "What could explain finding someone bleeding to death-"

"UNDYNE, PLEASE-"

Undyne paused, her eye softening a little as her gaze flickered down to Frisk, who was hiding their face in Papyrus' legs. Then she sighed and marched toward the door, grumbling about needing some air. Papyrus sighed quietly when the door slammed shut behind her.

The silence that followed was deafening.

All eyes were on Alphys when she came down sometime later, looking haggard and worried. Frisk sat up from their curled position in Sans' lap, their eyes following Alphys as she rushed by. Their shaking hands clung to the soft fabric of Sans' worn jacket. Alphys tried to smile reassuringly when their eyes met, but between the paleness of her face and the slight quivering of her lips, they could tell it wasn't genuine. The fleeting smile was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"HOW IS SHE, DOCTOR?" Papyrus asked as Alphys shuffled past him to her cluttered desk. She glanced at him briefly before her eyes darted back to the mess that she was rummaging through, sweat trickling down her cheek.

"Sh-she i-is stable for-for now th-thanks to the healing, an-and what ever stabbed her missed any vital organ as-as far as I can tell," Her words tumbled out in a quick, distraught jumble. Frisk had to strain the hear the next words that she mumbled. "But... Just... He-her SOUL... It's-" She broke off, pulling a contraption and a stack of papers from the piles of junk and hurried back upstairs without another word. A chill shook their SOUL her words. Something was wrong with your SOUL...? Sans tensed under them. He must have heard too...

"W-WELL! THAT'S GOOD NEWS AT LEAST!" Papyrus piped up, breaking the tense silence. His voice was overly cheerful, but the ridged line of his shoulders and the small drops of sweat dripping down his temporal bone was telling. Their fingers tightened around the fabric of Sans jacket. A skeletal hand wrapped around theirs. When they looked up Sans his grin was set in a grim line. He gently sliding them from his lap and settling them on the floor where he had been sitting, before following Alphys up the stairs. They watched him go, shoulders tight and head bowed. The cold feeling of dread that seemed to encompass the room made them shiver. Determination rushed through their SOUL. They wouldn't let this happen.

Will it work this time? Chara wondered, a faint pulse of worry flowed through their shared SOUL, mixing with their own. Uncertainty churned in their stomach before they took a deep breath, focusing on the warm pulse of Determination flowing through them. They had to try.

Their Determination pulsed faster, preparing their SOUL for the Reset. Their SOUL burned in their chest, beating rapidly to try and keep up with the sudden influx of Determination and then...!

They waited. 

And waited... 

Waited for the chill of a Reset. Looking for the warmth that flowed through them right after. 

Then... 

...Nothing.

The Determination faded, leaving Frisk shivering with the sudden temperature change.

They... They were still in the Lab...

Still sitting in the same spot Sans left them in.

...Still watching Papyrus' ever bright smile be snuffed out by cloudy worry.

Tears of frustration stung their eyes. Why couldn't they Reset?!

What...

What was wrong with them?

What if... What if they lose you and... 

Fear curled in the pit of their stomach and a cold chill passed through them.

No.

Nononon!

Frisk! Calm down!

You couldn't-

Frisk, please! You have to breathe! They'll be okay-

They couldn't lose you.

Frisk...

Not you too!

Large, gloved hands scooped them up and strong arms held them close. They clung to his well-loved scarf as tears streamed down their cheeks, and ragged breaths puffed passed their lips. Papyrus murmured comforting words in their ear while he stroked their hair. They just wanted to go home...

If someone had told Sans that he'd be in the lab, watching Alphys hook your SOUL to a stabilizer he would have laughed. But now, as he stood beside you while machines beeped away around you, took in the gauze wrapped around your abdomen and the shallow rising and falling of your chest, he could think of a million other jokes that would be funnier. Anything but this...

Life's funny that way. Especially his.

"how're her readings looking, alph?" He sounded tired, even to his own theoretical ears. And that was saying something.

Alphys let out a squeak and swung around to face him, a wire from the stabilizer still dangling from her claws.

"S-S-Sans! Yo-you scared me," He shrugged apologetically. She huffed and turned back to the machine, hooking wires and such into it. Inside, a purplish-blue glow pulsed dimly through one of the small windows. "Her-her readings ar-are on the desk."

The paper crinkled under his tight grip. Your states looked normal...

LV: 1
EXP: 0
HP: 1/10
AT: 4 (2)
DF: 10 (5)

Below your stats, diagrams and labels surrounded a grey scan of your SOUL. On the scan you SOUL had a huge dark crack running through it. That alone was enough to send a concerned chill rattlimg through him. His sockets narrowed as his eyelights drifted down the page, scanning various numbers and readings. Shallow cracks in the outer membrane around the base... A large fracture cutting through the outer membrane I to the core... Dimming of the core... Tremors... Shock... While his interests were never really in the medical sciences he knew enough to know that your SOUL was in bad shape.

The numb, foggy helplessness he'd been feeling since they'd found you pressed in on his SOUL. Would Alphys even be able to help you...?

... 

Without a word, he shrugged off his jacket and exchanged it for a lab coat hanging across the couch. If he was going to put effort into something, it might as well be to help out.

That's what friends are for, right?

Cold.

It was so...cold...

... Was it cold?

The air... Was there even air?

Were you even breathing?

...

Was it dark...? Or light?

Were you...? Moving? Or still?

...

Where...were you...?

Is there even...a "here"?

...

Who...are you...?

Was there even a "you"?

...

Was someone else here?

...

*Hello? Were you speaking? You couldn't feel anything...

...

☟︎♏︎●︎●︎□︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎■︎♑︎ □︎■︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♑︎□︎□︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♐︎♓︎■︎♋︎●︎●︎⍓︎ ❍︎♏︎♏︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎📬︎ You turned, or at least you think you did and saw nothing. Fear, or what you thought was fear, slowly began to mount in your chest. Then, something moved in the ever-changing darkness. Your eyes widened alarm and you took an instinctual step back as a shifting shadow stepped out of the darkness. The shadow's stark white face shown like a beacon.

A black cloak was draped over a white turtleneck sweater. Their smile stretched across their face almost meeting the thin crack below their right eye. Above their left eye, another creak caught your eye when he tilted his head.

☞︎□︎❒︎♑︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎♏︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎■︎♑︎ □︎■︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♐︎❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎📬︎ Strange symbols seemed to imprint in your mind, sending a throb of confusion through your head. You... Did you recognize those symbols?

*Who...who are you? Where are we?

💣︎✡︎ ☠︎✌︎💣︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎📬︎👎︎📬︎ ☝︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☜︎☼︎📬︎ 🕈︎☜︎☹︎👍︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📪︎ 💣︎✡︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎📬︎

Chapter Text

Frisk wasn't sure when they fell asleep. All they remembered was being curled against Papyrus' chest, trembling fingers clutching his soft casual shirt; then voices, too low for them to make out. When they woke up they were curled under a blanket that smelled of home. They buried their face in the familiar fabric, wishing that this was all just a bad dream, wishing they could just Reset it all away. That they could go home and find you and Sans goofing off in the living room, or you helping Papyrus in the kitchen, or-

Determination flared through them, warm and familiar. But, when their SOUL hesitated it wavered and sputtered out like a flame. 

Ever since they fell into the Underground and gained the power to Reset they... 

They hadn't had to... to... 

... 

They were so used to Resetting every time something when wrong that they weren't sure how... 

...

How did they cope with this...? 

The wooshing of the lab door drew their attention away from their racing thoughts. When they lifted their head out of their blanket burrito they caught a glimpse of Undyne as she thundered by, armor clanging with every heavy step. Her shoulders were set in a ridged line and her teeth bared, looking every bit Captain of the Royal Guard at that moment. 

Papyrus straightened up as she approached him, shoulders back, at attention. Undyne's mouth moved furiously, rough voice too low for Frisk to make anything out. Papyrus nodded at whatever she was relaying to him, teeth set in a grim line. They wiggled out of their blanket prison, the firey determination raging in their chest again, stronger this time. That couldn't just wallow while everyone else was trying their hardest to help. It didn't matter if they couldn't Reset this all away. They had to help somehow. 

"-scouted the area and-" Undyne paused, head turning, as Frisk marched up to them, face set in a determined frown, eyes blazing like glowing embers. 

"Are You Feeling Better, Frisk?" Papyrus asked, his voice missing its normal zealousness. Despite that, he still forced a smile to ease the almost palpable unease encompassing them. 

With a tight nodded, they locked eyes with Undyne. I want to help.

"💣︎✡︎ ☠︎✌︎💣︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎📬︎👎︎📬︎ ☝︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☜︎☼︎📬︎ 🕈︎☜︎☹︎👍︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📪︎ 💣︎✡︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎☼︎📬︎"

A chill jolted down your spine when the entity drifted closer, white skeletal hands raised soothingly when you flinched back. 

"✋︎❄︎ ✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☹︎☼︎✋︎☝︎☟︎❄︎📪︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎📬︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✋︎☹︎☹︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ ☟︎✌︎☼︎💣︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📪︎" Confusing letters and symbols echoed in the empty space around you, all static and garbled. "📬︎📬︎📬︎✋︎❄︎ 🕈︎⚐︎🕆︎☹︎👎︎ 💧︎☜︎☜︎💣︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👍︎✌︎☠︎☠︎⚐︎❄︎ 🕆︎☠︎👎︎☜︎☼︎💧︎❄︎✌︎☠︎👎︎ 💣︎☜︎📬︎📬︎📬︎" You covered your ear with trembling hands, trying to block out the all of the noisy, buzzing static that filled your head and the emptiness around you. 

Something wasn't right. This...place. It wasn't natural. It couldn't be. This place couldn't exist. But here you were, stranded in an impossibility, freezing nothingness burning through your throat to your lungs. Fear shrouded your SOUL, covering it with inky emotion. Closing your eyes only made it worse, the darkness bright against the backs of your eyelids. 

Cold, hard hands touched the backs of yours, gently pulling them away from your ears. With a sharp inhale, you tense, muscles trembling with your distress. When you lifted your head two disembodied skeletal hands were floating away, toward the entity. They came to a rest on either side of his head, while he folded his hands behind his back. He looked...very...unimpressed with you... 

Above his had the floating hand began to move. NOW, NOW. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THAT BEHAVIOR. YOU ARE SAFE HERE FOR THE MOMENT.

That was...Monster Sign Language... 

Grillby taught you MSL when you started working for him so you could communicate with him and the other customers better. Did... Did that mean that this entity, Gaster, was a Monster...? 

The fear running rampant through you slowly calmed, leaving apprehensive curiosity in its wake. Who was this monster? What was he doing here? What was that strange language they were "speaking" before? 

Incredulous, you slowly lowered your hands from your ears, choosing to wrap them around yourself instead. That seemed to please him. He perked up ever so slightly. His hunching back straightening and the expression, from what you could read, brightening. 

"THANK YOU. NOW, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME. YOU WILL BE LEAVING THIS PLACE SOON AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS I MUST CONVEY TO YOU. THIS PLACE," He made a broad arch with their enthrall hands, gesturing to the vast, shifting nothingness that surrounded the two of you. "IS THE VOID."

The Void? You swallowed dryly around the lump in your throat. *How did I get here?

"TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, I BROUGHT YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS HERE. AT THIS MOMENT YOUR SOUL IS ON THE VERGE OF SHATTERING FROM SHOCK. I PULLED YOU HERE TO PREVENT IT." He paused, his white pupils studying your expression in an almost familiar way as he waited for you to process the information he just dumped on you. Your mind whirled as you stared at him, eyes wide in disbelief. Shattering...? How...

... 

That flower. Echoes of pain blossomed across your abdomen. The memory sent a numbing chill through your body. You... You died. That flower killed you. Or, if what Gaster said was true, would have killed you if Gaster hadn't stepped in and saved you. 

... 

Oh god. You could have... 

A hand flew up to your mouth as the implication hit you, sending another burning chill through your blood and a tearful whimper tumbling from your lips. Your body shook with every quick breath that shuddered through your chest. Foggy panic swirled, clouding your mind and thoughts and freezing the air in your lungs, pressing like a weight on your chest. 

No no no, deep breaths.Breath. You took a breath in through your nose and held it, before exhaling it out through your mouth in a shuddering sigh. Panicking wouldn't help your situation. You... You just needed to calm down. 

After a few minutes and a dozen more deliberate breaths, you felt slightly calmer. Definitely still freaked out, but not on the verge of a breakdown like before. 

"HAVE YOU CALMED DOWN NOW?" Gaster asked, waiting patiently for you to get yourself under control. You sighed and ran a hand across your eyes. 

*Ye-yeah, I think so. Please... Tell me what you know.

"VERY WELL." Gaster studied you for a moment longer before his hand began to move again. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU AGAIN FOR SOME TIME.

*We've met before?

"THAT IS CORRECT. WHEN YOU FELL INTO THE UNDERGROUND, YOUR SOUL SHATTERED AND ENTERED THE VOID TO AWAIT A RESET. I FOUND YOUR SOUL FLOATING AIMLESSLY AND I ATTEMPTED TO HEAL YOU. WHEN THAT FAILED I KEPT YOUR SOUL FROM GETTING LOST IN THE DARKNESS. NOW YOUR SOUL IS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE VOID-AND TO AN EXTENT, ME. THEREFORE, IT APPARENT IS THAT YOU COULD BE OF SOME HELP TO ME...OR RATHER, I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD HELP ME," A muted sadness flickered across his face. You caught the barest of glimpses before the no sense frown was back in place. "YOU SEE, I WAS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST BEFORE MY SOUL WAS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT TIME AND SPACE. MY ASSISTS AND I WERE RESEARCHING WHAT MAKES A HUMAN SOUL SO POWERFUL IN HOPES TO FIND A WAY TO DESTROY THE BARRIER. ONCE WE FOUND THAT POWER, IT LED US RESEARCHING TIME ITSELF. DURING OUR RESEARCH WE DISCOVERED A TIMELINE. IT WAS THE BREAKTHROUGH WE HAD BEEN WORKING FOR. IF WE..."

His sentence trailed into silence, browbones furrowing. His silence left you feeling confused and worried. Why had he stopped in the middle of his explanation? 

*If you...? You prompted wearily, trying your hardest to calm your racing heart. Everything about this place made your skin crawl. It took everything you had to force down your gut feeling to run. Gaster closed his eye sockets, a pained expression crossing his face. 

"FORGIVE ME. THE VOID, IT AFFECTS ONE's MEMORIES IF EXPOSED TO IT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. IF WE COULD LEARN TO HARNESS THAT POWER, THEORETICALLY WE COULD BREAK THE BARRIER-OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT WE HOPED FOR. HOWEVER WHAT WE FOUND...IT... IT WAS BEYOND IMAGINATION. A PLANE OUTSIDE OF OUR REALITY. AN ENDLESS NOTHINGNESS BETWEEN TIME AND SPACE. A 'VOID'."

Machines hummed around your still form as Sans slouched in a desk chair beside your bed, watching the faint pulse of your SOUL through the small window of the SOUL stabilizer, eyelights dim and somber. He could hear Alphys scurrying around behind him, words fragmented and disjointed as she muttered to herself. He paid her little mind through. His thoughts were elsewhere. 

He tugged your chart from his lab coat pocket, smoothing out the folds and creases that formed in the paper, studying the various numbers and charts scattered across the page. He couldn't-

"Ye-Yes, you can come up a see her," Sans looked up from his musing in time to see Alphys leading their little ragtag group the stairs. Papyrus was in the lead, holding hands with a haggard-looking Frisk, followed by Undyne, teeth gnashed and gaze intense. They were all uncharacteristically morose. Though, given the circumstances, he couldn't blame them. Alphys tighten her lab coat over her pjs with a weary smile, tired relief clear in her shaky voice. "We were finally able to stabilize her SOUL."

Undyne smiled down at the doctor, placing a gauntlet covered hand on her small shoulder. A bright red blush blossomed across the doctor's snout. "You're terrific Alph."

"Ehehehe... T-thanks, Undyne. Uhmm... So... While S-Sans and I were trying to stabilize her SOUL and cleaning he-her wound we-we found something odd stuck to her clothes," She reached passed Undyne to retrieve a green object from the desk. When she held it up, Sans watched all of the blood drain from the kid's face at the sight of the thorn. 

...That means his theory was correct. When their eyes met Frisk shook the head, subtly that had he not been watching them closely, he would have missed it. But before he could look any further into it they turned away, extracting their hand from Papyrus' while the others discussed the thorn in hushed voices. They wandered to Bird's bedside and pushed back her hair to kiss her on the forehead before carefully curling into her side, burying their face in her shoulder. Poor kid. They must be having the roughest time out of all of them. He stood, ruffling their hair softly as he did, before grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair and draping it over the two of you. 

"-Organized the Royal Guard. They don't know she's human, just that someone got hurt. I'm going to join them, but I wanted to come back a see how she was doing," Undyne was saying when he took his seat again. She shifted her helmet in her hands, eye narrowed and unforgiving. Her voice is rough and angry as she donned her helmet and turned on her heel to leave. "Papyrus, keep me posted."

"OF COURSE, UNDYNE." 

After she was gone, Alphys cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "She should be fine to-to go home tonight, as long as she st-stays stable when we take the SOUL stabilizer of-off." 

The drop in tension was plausible. "THANK GOODNESS! I SHALL TAKE FRISK AND PREPARE A COMFORTABLE BED FOR HER WHEN SHE RETURNS!" The lanky skeleton carefully picked up the sleeping kid, waving goodbye as he descended the stairs. The room was silent, save the humming of machinery and Alphys' shuffling. 

"I, uhmm... Wan-wanted to thank you, Sans, for you he-help." She said, voice quiet and uncertain. Sans' grin softened. He stood to help the nervous doctor, who was fluttering around unhooking wires from the various machines around the bed. 

"no problem, alph. that's what pals are for, right?"

She sniffed, wiping a hand under her moist eyes with a shaky smile. "Yea-yeah."

"HOWEVER... WE WENT TOO FAR. OUR EXPERIMENT... WE TRIED TO HARNESS THIS 'VOID'S' POWER AND PAID DEARLY FOR IT. I WAS RIPPED FROM THE TIMELINE, ALL MEMORIES AND TRACES OF MY EXISTENCE ERASED FROM HISTORY. EXCEPT FOR MY... SONS."
 
Sadness flickered across his face, almost too quickly for you to catch. Your own sympathetic pity weighed heavily on your heart. *Your sons? Who-

He shook his head, dismissing your question. "NEVER MIND THAT. I MUST MAKE A REQUEST OF YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE. SINCE A PIECE OF MY SHATTERED SOUL ATTACHED TO YOURS IN YOUR INITIAL FALL INTO THE VOID I AM ABLE TO USE YOUR DORMANT MAGIC-"

*Magic? I don't have magic. You really hadn't tried to cut him off, but the idea that you could use magic was borderline laughable. Only Mages Monsters could use magic. There was no way-

Gaster did not look happy to be cut off. "AS I WAS SAYING. YOU DO IN FACT HAVE MAGIC. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU SURVIVED YOU INITIAL ENCOUNTER WITH UNDYNE? I USED YOUR DORMANT MAGIC TO SHIELD YOU."

Your breath caught in your throat as the implications hit you. That would mean... 

*I-I'm a Ma-mage?

"CORRECT. THE YOUNG CHILD YOU CARE FOR IS A MAGE AS WELL. I WILL HELP YOU UNLOCK THE MAGIC BURIED DEEP WITHIN YOUR SOUL IF YOU HELP ME LEAVE THIS VOID."

You weighed your options carefully. Should you help this unknown monster? You didn't know anything about him. But... He did help you on more than one occasion and he's been nothing but pleasant since you woke up in this terrible place. 

Mind made up you looked up at the monster, determination blazing in your eyes. *I'll help you.

"EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, MY DEAR. NOW, THERE ARE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. WE ARE NOW CONNECTED. THAT MEANS WE CAN COMMUNICATE THROUGH YOU MIND," Your expression must have shown you displeasure because he quickly added, "I CANNOT READ YOUR MIND. IT'S ALL ABOUT INTENT. IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO KNOW YOU MENTAL WALLS WILL SIMPLY LET THE INFORMATION THOUGH. NOW, YOU WILL BE WAKING IN SOON. PLEASE, GET SOME REST."

The darkness wrapped itself around you like an ebony blanket, making you feel safe and secure. Your eyes slipped closed, the warmth and darkness pulling deeper and deeper and deeper...
 
Darker, yet Darker... 

Chapter Text

Cold... 

Static... 

Dark...

The scratch of your father's beard. 

Lullabies. The smell of your mother's perfume.

Running barefoot, children's laughter, wheelchairs... 

Staying strong. Persevering... 

You are filled...with... 

... 

.. 

. 

. 

Monsters, Humans. Blood. Dust floating on a smoky breeze. 

WAR. 

Fear, Trapped, Losing HoPe. 

... 

☟︎✋︎💧︎ 👌︎⚐︎✡︎💧︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ ☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🏱︎✌︎☼︎❄︎☠︎☜︎☼︎📬︎ 

☟︎⚐︎🏱︎☜︎📬︎ 

☞︎✌︎☹︎☹︎☜︎☠︎ 👎︎⚐︎🕈︎☠︎📬︎📬︎📬︎

... 

Darkness... 

✌︎☠︎ ☜︎☠︎👎︎☹︎☜︎💧︎💧︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎📬︎ 

✌︎L⚐︎N☜︎.

... 

DETERMINATION. 

👎︎☜︎❄︎☜︎☼︎💣︎✋︎☠︎✌︎❄︎✋︎⚐︎☠︎  

Soft whispers brushed against your subconscious, just on the edges of your awareness. Images flickered across your mind's eye, strange and confusing. Memories? 

A young skeleton, fearful but courageous, clad in soft magical armor, magic pulsing, at the ready. 

A red scarf, fluttering across the ash blanketed sky. 

Humans. Metal armor glistening in the flames, faces grim. 

The taste of fear and desperation. Weapons clashing. The static of angry magic. 

Blood. Dust. Death. 

WAR. Defeat. Trapped... 

... 

HUMAN . A quiet voice stirred in the back of your mind, low and soft, the familiarity of it soothing the fear that had begun to well up in your SOUL. The images slowly faded from your mind, leaving you disorientated and shaken. 

Who...? 

The voice chuckled, a warm, comforting sound that set you at ease. Then through the gummy cobwebs of sleep, on the very fringes of your mind, a name whispered across your subconscious. 

* Gaster...?

You sensed more than heard his affirmation. " CORRECT. IT WOULD SEEM EVERYTHING WENT ACCORDING TO PLAN, " Pride that was not your own blossomed in the back of your mind. " MY THEORY WAS CORRECT. THE FRAGMENT OF MY SOUL SUCCESSFULLY COMBINE WITH YOUR OWN --"

The deep, raspy quality of his voice was slowly lulling you, your mind getting heavier as he rambled on. You were so tired...

He paused, seeming to finally notice your lack of response. " HMM... IT WOULD SEEM THE TRANSITION FROM THE VOID BACK INTO YOUR BODY HAS HAD UNSEEN SIDE EFFECTS ON YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STATE... I WILL HAVE TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS... " As he continued his quiet ramblings, mostly to himself, you let yourself fall into a comfortable doze. You would ask about those strange memories you saw when you woke up... If you remembered... 

A dull, constant throb of pain in your abdomen and the scratch of bandages was the first thing you registered when you opened your eyes. The next thing you noticed was that you were at home, wrapped up in a blanket that you remembered being on the floor at the foot of Sans' bed. You weakly rubbed your eyes, blinking hard at the cracked ceiling.

* Gaster...? You called. 

... 

No response. Maybe he's asleep? 

What happened...? 

Your sleep-addled brain fought to remember what happened. The last thing you remembered was... 

A chill ran down your limbs. That flower, Flowey... He... Your SOUL recoiled in shock and horror, making your hands curl into the blanket. Swallowing around the lump in your throat, you reminded yourself that you were at home and you were safe. You're okay. Breathing in through your nose you brace yourself and sit up on your elbows. The muscles of your abdomen spasmed painfully in protest. Your eyes narrow in discomfort, breath hissing out through gritted teeth, as you force yourself up. You have to get up and check on Frisk. You had no idea how long you were asleep or what-

Light spilled into the room as the door creaked open, breaking up the dull darkness with warm golden light spilling in from the hallway. You freeze in your attempts to sit up, eyes locked on the door. Sans stepped in and pushed the door closed, leaning against it with a sigh. He looked more haggard than you'd ever seen him. If you had been more yourself you might have asked him what was wrong and offered him an ear or a hug. But, in your current state, you could barely string two thoughts together. 

When his gaze finally left the floor and drifted up to where you were half sitting up on the bed, his eyesockets widened and his previous dull eyelight brightened. With a click and the faint smell of ozone, Sans was by the bedside in a blink, hard hands gentle on your shoulders as he pushed you back down to the pillows. When you protest, hand shakily latching on to his hoodie sleeve, his grin strains. 

"take it easy. everything's okay. but you shouldn't be moving around yet." 

"But I...Frisk-" You rasped, parched throat burning. Sans sat on the edge of the bed, bony fingers stroking your arm reassuringly. "relax, bird. they're downstairs with pap and undyne."

Your breath sighed out through your nose, exhausted body collapsing back down to the fluffy pillows. "Ho-how long was I out?"

There was a heavy pause, and you lifted your head as his hands left your arms to fix the blanket around your shoulders. "Sans?"

His grin was strained when he met your eyes. "a while. as in, two days, a while."

You sat up so fast that your abdomen constricted. White-hot pain stabbed through you, radiating through your body. Your knuckles are white against the dark comforter as you ground your teeth together, chest straining to hold in your cry of distress. Tears welled up in the corners of your eyes, willing your body not to curl in on itself.

Okay. That was a really bad idea. Fuck .

"-woah, woah, you okay buddy?"

"Yeah, I think so," You said through clenched teeth, breathing through your nose. When the pain dulled again you slowly relaxed back into the pillows, tired eyes focused on Sans. "I-I was out for two days?"

He averted his gaze, eyelights dimming. His phalanges glowed green with magic. His phalanges hovered inches above your abdomen and magic began to sink through the bandages into your skin. His magic felt different from Toriel's or Papyrus'. It...was warm, but unlike Paps, it was calmer, and...mysterious? Like there was a hidden strength buried deep down in his marrow. It was… comforting calming. "yeah. that, uh, flower did a number on ya."

When he pulled back, your hands absentmindedly drifted down to your torso, fingers picking at the bandages there. You could feel the faint outline of puckered skin through the cloth. Your fingers tighten around the blankets. "...How bad? Who...Who found me?"

You almost didn't want to know the answer, especially with the way Sans' smile dropped into a grimace and eyelights winked out. He closed his sockets as your hand wrapped around his, bones cold against your flesh. "...Did...did you...?"

His blank eyes rest on your clasped hands, eyelights glowing dully when they return. "yeah. me and grillby found you in snowdin forest."

Carefully, you leaned forward and wrapped your arms around him, burying your face in his old hoodie. You felt him stiffen under the contact, before slowly, he returned the hug, face resting in your hair. 

You stayed like that until he pulled back with a wink and a weak pun to ease the tension. The giggle you uttered out was feeble at best, but man did it feel good to laugh again. He stayed with you for a while, keeping you company in comfortable silence. 

... 

After a while, you felt the bed shift, waking you from your light doze.

"Mmm...Sans...?" You mumbled, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. You could just make out his eyelights through the darkness when he turned to face you. His voice was fond quiet when he spoke. 

"just going downstairs, bird. you can go back to sleep."

You nodded, snuggling back down into the covers. You were asleep in a matter of minutes. 

... 

You were dreaming. You had to be. Nothing in the waking world could smell as delectable as what you were smelling. Ahh... And dream you were no longer in a lot of pain, lucky bird. 

"Are You-Oh! Good Morning, Human!"

Papyrus? 

You opened an eye, blinking blearily at the dull morning light spilling in from the crack in the blinds. It must be morning. With a quiet groan of protest, you bury your head in the pillow. Nope. You weren't awake yet. You were still asleep. 

From your small blanket fortress, you heard Papyrus tsk. "Come Now, Human. You Have Slept Long Enough! You're Starting To Act Like Sans!"

Oh, you should tease him. With a grin, you snuggled deeper into your burrito. "Would that be such a bad thing? Sans is the ultimate role model."

"WHAT! NO NO NO! YOU'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG. CLEARLY, I AM THE SUPERIOR ROLE MODEL!" You could almost hear the pose in his voice and the thought made you grin, almost forgetting about the dull ache throbbing through your body. You peek out of the blanket fortress. He was setting a delicious looking bowl of soup on the dresser by the bed, teeth set in a teasing smile. "WELL, I GUESS SINCE YOU THINK SO LITTLE OF ME I WILL HAVE TO EAT THIS SPECIALTY MADE FOR YOU SOUP BY MYSELF!"

What? No! You wanted some soup too! You pulled the covers down and sat up, being careful of your injury, eyes locked hungrily on your prize. Papyrus held out a bowl with that ever-present sunny smile. 

"THERE YOU ARE, BIRD! ENJOY WHILE I HEAL YOU," The bowl was pleasantly warm in your chilled hands. You breathed in the steam rising up from the broth. Mmm... It smelled just like Anise's soup. She must have given Papyrus the recipe. "ALSO! HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?"

"I feel fine, Paps. All of the healing you guys did while I was out really helped." You murmured around a mouthful of soup. The flavor, and healing magic tingled pleasantly across your tongue. Stars, you were so hungry.

"EXCELLENT! THE GOOD DOCTOR SAID YOU CAN BE UP AND ABOUT TODAY! ISN'T THAT GREAT?" He said happily, hovering his magic tinted hand over your injury. The energizing warmth of his magic cascaded over you, washing away the achy fatigue and anxiety that had been plaguing you. The remaining aches vanished. He pulled his hands back with a satisfied smile. With a sigh of relief, you reached over and placed your bowl on the dresser and stretched your cramped muscles, bones popping in several places. Ahhh ... It felt so good to be able to stretch without pain again. You still felt pretty weak, but you were well on your way to recovery. 

You looked up at Papyrus meeting his beaming grin with your own. "Thanks, Papyrus. It doesn't hurt anymore." 

The lanky skeleton scooped you up from the bed in a bear hug, ignoring your squeak of surprise, and swung you in a small circle. 

"Papyrus! Wait-!" You giggled, arms latching around his broad shoulders to keep your balance. His cheerful Nyeh heh hehs! nearly drowned out your half-hearted protests, and you couldn't help but laugh along. After everything, it was nice to hear his laughter. 

When Papyrus carried you (yes, carried you, in a princess carry, like a dork. Stars, he was the greatest.) downstairs where the others were gathered around the TV. The moment Papyrus' feet touched the floor Undyne had already shot up from her seat on the floor and bounded over to snatch you out of Papyrus' outstretched arms, hugging you hard enough to squeeze the air from your lungs. She rubbed her knuckles against your head exuberantly, unintentionally spiking up your already messy bedhead. 

"Glad to see you up and about, punk! You had Papyrus worried to death! He cried like a baby!" Her scaled hands were cold and rough on your skin as she held you under her beefy arm. Really, these guys knew how to make you feel like a sack of potatoes. You gasped for air as soon as her vice grip on your body loosened. Ahh! Sweet, sweet oxygen! How your lungs missed it! 

"AS I RECALL, YOU WERE JUST AS WORRIED UNDYNE! ALSO! PLEASE DON'T NOOGIE THE HUMAN! THEY ARE FRAGILE!"

"NGAAAHHHHH! I WASN'T WORRIED! COME HERE YOU BONEHEAD!" she tossed you on the couch like so much garbage, right in between Sans and Frisk, before tackling Papyrus to the carpet with a battle cry. You bounced off of the lumpy cushion, landing Sans' lap. He grinned, jauntily. 

"hey, buddy. howzit goin'? Come here often?" 

"Uhh... Hiya." You chuckled sheepishly, scooting off of his lap with a smile, cheeks warm. His impish grin wasn't helping matters much. What did you expect from the goblin though? His grin sharpened into a smirk, eyelights brightening as he looked at you from the corner of his sockets. 

Below you, the wrestling match continued. "PLEASE DON'T NOOGIE THE SKELETON! WAIT! WAIT! NOT THE SUPLEX OF FRIENDSHIP?!?"

You cringed when Undyne picked up the lanky skeleton and suplexed him, laughing uproariously as she did. "FUHUHU! Come on, Papyrus! I know you can do better than that!"

"Should we stop them?" 

"nah. they'll be fine. they do that all the time. might have to start movie night without 'em though." Sans said, scrolling through the Undernet on his phone, body sinking into the couch like he was becoming one with it, nonchalant as usual. You rolled your eyes and shoulder bumped him, earning you a chuckle and his infamous wink.

Nerd. You thought with a fond grin. You relaxed into the cushions with a sigh, opening your arms so Frisk could curl into your lap. They buried their face in your shoulder. You run your hand down their hair, fingers catching small knots along the way, expression falling as you looked down at them. They must have been so worried when Sans and Grillby found you. Poor kid... Your arms tightened around them, holding them close. You silently vowed that you would try your damnedest not to make them worry like that ever again. They lifted their head, shaggy hair falling in their eyes, to smile at you. 

I'm glad you're okay.

Me too. I'm sorry I worried you, sweetie.

They shook their head, laying their head on your shoulder again, clinging to you. The wrestling match seemed to be over for the moment, given the lack of boisterous noise and roughhousing coming from the floor. 

"Are you two okay?" You called peeking over the back of the couch. The two contenders were sprawled out across the floor, long limbs stretched out across the carpet, both totally out of breath. Undyne held up a webbed thumb, grinning sharply at you before she hopped up and vaulted over the back of the couch, almost sending you and Frisk to the floor when she landed beside you. 

"Yeah, punk! What are we waiting on? We're gonna start this movie night or what?!?" 

"OF COURSE," Papyrus answered, popping up from behind the couch, holding a beat-up DVD case. It had a familiar picture on the cover. Was that...? When he held it up proudly, boasting about how cool the movie looked and how he picked it specifically for Mandatory Movie Night™, it clicked. Treasure Planet! You've loved that movie since you were a kid! "BUT FIRST! WE MUST CREATE THE CUSTOMARY BLANKET FORT!"

Oh.Hell.YES ! 

"SANS! YOU BARELY MOVED THAT PILLOW! IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO OVER THERE!"

"ok."

"NO! NOT THERE! OVER THERE!"

"ok."

"SANS!"

"ok."

"UGH, GIVE IT TO ME! THIS IS A JOB FOR US TALL MONSTERS! NYEHEHE!"

"hey! i'm not short, i'm just conveniently sized for ease of transportation."

Through the brothers' banter you could just make out the sounds of popping popcorn and the familiar music of the movie's menu music, all blended together to create a relaxing ambiance. You picked up another handful of buttery popcorn and munched on it as you watched the chaos from the safety of the couch, an amused grin lingering on your lips. Papyrus wouldn't let you help (FOR YOUR SAFETY!), even though you insisted you were well enough to. So you begrudgingly agreed and kept out of the way as everyone worked on the biggest, most detailed blanket fort you think you'd ever seen. It was a sight to behold. 

...You weren't sure how they were keeping that colossal thing up and at this point, you were too afraid to ask. 

A tug on your shirt pulled your attention from the commotion in front of you. 

"What's up, Frisk?"

Frisk's expression immediately set you on alert, your smile dropping into a frown. They looked conflicted. You set aside your bowl and gave them your full attention. 

They hesitated, hands pausing mid sign, before they sighed. I was thinking about Resetting...

They bit their lip, eyes locked on the lap. Resetting? Why would... 

Oh. 

Oh, Frisk... 

"Oh, honey..." You pulled them close, hand rubbing their back. They tensed, hand clutched in their lap. "We said no abusing the Resets, remember?"

Their hands burst into an agitated flurry of movement, face set in a frown. But you got hurt! Really badly! You almost died! I just want-

They slammed their shaking hands onto the legs, clutching their jeans, eyes shining. Their sniffles sent a pang through your chest. Your voice was thick when you said their name sadly. 

*just want everything to be okay...

"Everything is okay, Frisk. I'm okay, Papyrus is okay, Sans is okay... Everyone is okay. Nobody is leaving you, not anymore. Besides, it'll take a whole lot more than a puny little flower to get rid of me."

They wiped their face with the sleeve of their sweater and nodded. M'kay .

"Good! Now, it looks like they're almost done with the fort. You wanna join them in front of the TV?"

Yeah!

"Wait. You're telling me you guys have never seen Treasure Planet?"

Three heads shook simultaneously and you swore you could feel yourself vibrating with excitement.  You and Frisk exchanged a giddy smile. You had to bite your lip to keep from grinning like a weirdo. 

Oh, man . This was gonna be good!

"You guys are in for a treat!"

Undyne rose brow intuitively. "Is it really that good?"

You gasp dramatically, clutching your imaginary pearls, putting on your best offended expression. 

"UNDYNE, I THINK YOU BROKE THE HUMAN!?"

"WHAT?! How?!"

Frisk rolled their eyes and shoulder past you to hit play. Ignore her. She's just being dramatic.

"OH, PHEW. I THOUGHT UNDYNE BROKE THE HUMAN."

"First of all, Rude," You sniffed, folding your arms over your chest in mock offense. "Second, I'm never dramatic."

"plus, she doesn't have a stage. can't put on a good drama without one." Sans piped up for the back, sinking into a bean bag chair that you had no idea they had. Where had it come from? 

... Actually. You didn't think you wanted to know. 

You toss a piece of popcorn at him. It bounced off of his skull and landed on the blankets below. He picked it up and popped it in his mouth, chewing noisily as he did, much to your carnage. You wrinkled your nose. "Shush you. I don't need any comments from the peanut gallery. Also, That's gross."

"five second rule, dude." He shrugged, grin hitting near shit-eating levels as he snuggled back into his hoodie and closed his eyes. 

"Jeez." You muttered, a reluctant smile pulling at your lips. 

All was quiet when the movie began... 

"WHOO! THAT WAS HECKIN AWESOME! DID YOU SEE THAT SHI-I MEAN STUFF!?! THAT KID JUST FLEW THROUGH THAT FAN!"

"I SAW IT TOO UNDYNE! WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOMETIME!"

"Uhh... Pap? I don't think that would be a very good idea..."

"yeah bro. not a big fan of that plan."

"SHUT UP, SANS! YOU'RE GOING TO RUIN THE MOVIE WITH YOUR RIDICULOUS PUNS!"

"what're you talking about bro? my puns are pun derful."

A collective groan drowned out Sans' rimshot and laughter. 

"MY LIFE IS AGONY!!!!"

FASCINATING ... Gaster's voice echoed through your shared connection, cutting off the quiet murmurings of the others. You had to physically force yourself not to flinch at his sudden reappearance. 

* You scared me! A little warning next time would be nice.

His smugness pulsed through the connection. OF COURSE, HUMAN. I MUST SAY, THAT SPACEPORT IS A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL. IMAGINE THE TECHNICAL ADVANCES HUMANITY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH JUST TO REACH THAT LEVEL OF TECHNICAL SOPHISTICATION... he proceeded to spout tech babble and equations that made your head spin. 

*... I have no idea what you just said, but I'll take your word for it.

HMPH. YOU HUMANS HAVE NO COMPREHENSION OF HOW SERENDIPITOUS YOU ARE TO HAVE THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY YOU HAVE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.*

*Yeah, you're right, Gaster.

The warm feeling of agreement flowed through your connection, and inwardly, you smiled. 

"Ooh, ooh! There's my favorite character!"

"WHO? THE CAT LADY?"

"Yep. Isn't she cool?"

"Dude, I love her accent."

"so you're saying she's the cat's meow ?"

"SANS!!!!"

"take it easy, bro. i'm just kitten around. don't be a sour puss ."

"Pfff...! ANYways, I love the Captain and Mr. Arrow's banter. It's the best!"

"would you say it's purr fect?"

"You have got to be kitten me."

"HUMAN! I TRUSTED YOU! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL!!!"

"FUHUHU!"

"Sorry for my a paw ling behavior, Paps. I couldn't help it."

"heheheh! that was a claw ver one, bird."

"THIS IS A CAT ASTROPHE! NYEHEHEH...!"

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!?!? DID THAT AS - JERK JUST-!NGAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Undyne! Please don't suplex the TV-"

"-NYOHOHOO! WHHHHYYY!!! WHY DID MR. SCHOOP CUT MR. ARROW'S LIFELINE!?!"

"Oh Papyrus, please don't cry! It'll be-"

"If I could reach through the TV I would grab that bug-eyed freak and-"

"POOR MR. ARROW! POOR JIM! "

"oh boy... you started an uproar bird."

"Phew... Lemme pause the movie until they calm down..."

... 

... 

... 

"AHHHHH!"

"HOW COULD MR. SILVER DO THAT?!?"

"I know right?!?"

"hey kid, pass me the remote would ya? we might have to pause the movie again. i have a feeling things are about to get loud."

Good idea. This part always makes everyone mad. They might be discussing this for a while.

"you're probably right kiddo. wanna grab some more popcorn while we wait?"

Sure!

"THAT WAS SUCH A TOUCHING END! THAT WAS A GOOD MOVIE!"