Work Text:
“I know that it keeps you up at night Sans.”
He flinched at the sound of their voice, the chime of conviction and a hint of madness. The sharp contrast between their voices, so similar in appearance to Frisk yet with subtle differences, such as voice, the touch of dark orange in Chara’s hair instead of dark muddy brown of Frisk’s. Their hair was thicker, with a but of a curlyness instead of being straight and smooth like Frisk's.
Part of him wondered how someone so kind could look so similar to a demon.
Chara stood in his doorway, their bright red eyes glinting in the moonlight. Moonlight. They were still on the surface, the realization still shook Sans even though that he had been on the surface long enough for a house to be built for Papyrus, Toriel, Chara, Frisk, the Prince and him. So many in one house yet it felt as if The house wasn't as homley when one of them was away.
They were walking forward. Sans gave them a glare to try and stop them, avoiding their eyed, but sighed in defeat when they sat next to him on the edge of the bed, undaunted by his hostility.
“Frisk isn't going to reset, I won't let them.”
Surprised, he stared at the pale human for a moment. A second later the surprise melted away to sadness, he hid it with a bitter glare, not even bothering to take a smile after all the times their knife slashed through helpless monsters . He turned his head away and looked out the window.
The expanse of stars glittered outside of his window. The moon, like a imprint of a fingernail, cast silver shadows over the wooden floors of his room. He should find comfort in the light but he doesn't, all he can feel is the pangs of longing in his chest for this too last.
“Why should I believe you?” He asked without looking away from the stars, taking in every detail because he knew it would be gone any moment. “After all the suffering you caused. After how many fuck times you killed him!” His voice came out as an exhausted whisper that broke at the end.
“That wasn't me, you know. I never wanted to kill.” Chara said simply. Sans snorted in disbelief, “Yeah, right. Now that you have a body you somehow weren't the red eyed demon that killed me over and over in those golden halls.” He said so bitterly that it was almost a growl.
“Frisk always started the run. The EXP made them too numb to finish it so they forced me to do it. I only got half of the power that they felt, but by that time their LOVE was so high that I was too far gone by the time I got to you.” Chara explained, unsaid hatred boiling in their words. Their eyes met his in the reflection on the window, Sans could plainly see the pained regret in their blood colored eyes.
Sans pushed it away, refusing to to see this thing as anymore than a demon
Suddenly rounding on them grabbed them by both shoulders. “How do you know?” He gave them a shake. They gazed at him without flinching. “How do you know that Frisk won't reset? I do you know that I won't wake back up to snowdin, knowing this all was for nothing?!” Desperation made his voice waver.
“Sans, let me go.” Chara’s voice was barely over a whisper, he almost thought they didn't say anything in the first place. But then they grabbed his arm gently but firmly and Sans knew he didn't imagine it. He let go and ran a hand over his skull and sighed.
“They finally saved me and Asriel. They don't know how to duplicate it so they don't want to lose what they worked for." They explained, "I can't promise they won't load back when they want but,” they moved their hand to tilt Sans’ chin up, forcing him to meet their eyes. He flinched at the contact, their skin ice cold but flaming hot as if they had a fever. “I can promise you that you won't wake up in Snowdin.”
Sans didn't believe them completely. He couldn't trust them, not yet. The human had done too much. Yet he still allowed himself relief at their words, like a weight lifting from his shoulders. Closing his eyes, he let out a slow sigh, a bit of tension leaving his bones.
When he opened them Chara was still staring at him. He suddenly noticed that they had deep lines under their eyes. Their red orbs were deep pools of regret, he could almost hear the screams echoing from them. Looking away he saw their cheeks were flushed a cherry red, as if they had a fever. Sans had heard enough stories of their death to know that it was stained that color forever from the sickness that took their life. Their hand, still on under his chin, felt as if their was no other body heat than the sickness. Sans didn't doubt the fact.
“Chara?”
They both looked up at the new voice, Chara’s hand dropping from his face. Frisk stood in the door, their olive skin tinged silver in the lighting. A small, kind smile was on their lips, their eyes tired.
“It's late and Asriel is calling for you.”
Like clockwork Chara stood and walked away from him without a glance back. Frisk, though slightly taller then them, hugged them for a moment as they stood stiffly against them. Standing, frisk smiled at him, their brown eyes reflecting the moonlight from the door.
‘They forced me to do it.’
Had Frisk just. . . Commanded them to leave? Sans blinked in confusion, Chara's words bouncing around his skull. The kind smile on Frisk’s face seemed so real.
Then he saw the small twitch of their lips just at the corners, like the smile wanted to run away.
He wouldn't have seen it if he hadn't been looking for it. Part of him thought he imagined it, since it was gone a heartbeat later. But there was no mistaking it and there was no trace of the prince’s voice in the quiet night like Frisk had said. Suddenly, the smile seemed a lot less genuine.
Both of the Humans walked away, their footsteps softly thudding against the wooden floors. His door clicked shut and he was left alone to his thoughts.
Maybe he should speak to the demon more.
The thought buzzed around his head as he laid his skull against his pillow and closed his eyes, echoing as he drifted away.
--0-0-0-0-0--
Sans was woken by a knocking on his door. The smell of cooking food drifted to his nostrils. He inhaled the amazing scent.
"Knock knock." Came Toriel's voice through the door, as it did every morning.
"Who's there?" Sans called back.
"Figs!"
"Figs who?"
"Figs the doorbell, so I don't have to knock!"
Sans chuckled as Toriel titterrd behind the door. He pushed the covers off of himself and stood, slipping his feet into the slippers by the bed. Opening the door he cracked a grin at Toriel.
"Eggcellent joke, Tori," He chuckled with a smirk. Toriel laughed for a moment.
"I've made breakfast." She said as she caught her breath.
Sans brightened even more. "Ketchup?"
Toriel nodded.
"aw, thanks Tori, ya know just how to keep me from becoming skin and bones!"
Toriel smiled brightly and started to walk down to stairs. Suddenly remembering his jacket he wave at her, "I'll be down in a moment."
She nodded with a bright smile and walked back into his room. He grabbed his blue jacket and slipped it on, the smell of ketchup and home wafted around him from the fabric. A cozy warmth settled over his bones as he looked out the window.
Birds twittered in the distance. A warm sunshine filtered through the window, replacing the moonlight. It was weird how often it changed up on the surface.
Sans wondered how long he could see it before the next reset.
He pushed the thought away, recalling the conversation from the night before. he took a deep breath. Chara had promised that Frisk wouldn't reset. Sans didn't believe them, of course, but then why would they lie to him.
But Why wouldn't they?