Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Wise men say, only fools rush in..."

Chara strummed on the ukulele. Frisk took another breath, wide smile on her face not keeping her from singing. "But I can't help..."

"Children!" Toriel called from the kitchen. "Come inside, now!"

Frisk laid a hand on her sister's arm, a gentle smile placating Chara's annoyance. They silently stood up together and went inside.

Toriel was pulling the pies out of the oven. "Here we are, girls. It's perfect now, so eat it up."

They wasted no time cutting themselves slices. Sitting together at the dimly lit kitchen table with Toriel, the evenings were the most peaceful time of each of their days.

"How goes the war?" Chara asked, shoving a piece of pie in her mouth. Frisk slapped her arm.

"Don't ask that!" she hissed.

Toriel laughed, the weariness behind her eyes obvious. "It is all right, my child. You have a right to know. It is not going very well at all, sadly."

"Is the war goddess giving you trouble?" demanded Chara.

Toriel shook her head. "None of them are giving me trouble, dear. All they have done is try to get through the barrier."

"Stupid." Chara muttered. Frisk rolled her eyes, but couldn't help agreeing.

"They should know by now that they can't pass through it. Shouldn't they have learned by now?" she asked.

"They want to get through to give me a message, apparently." Toriel leaned back in her chair. "They need to learn that I am never going to make peace with them, nor am I going to let them attempt to make peace with the humans."

"That sounds a bit harsh, mama."

Toriel sighed. "It does. However, none of them can be trusted. Especially not that miserable Asgore."

"The king?" Chara snorted. "I bet we could take him."

"No, we probably couldn't." Frisk had to laugh at her twin's audacity. "You're always looking for a fight."

"I'm justice, after all. I enact justice!"

"No, you don't." Frisk pointed out. "You just want to beat somebody up."

Chara gestured widely, shrugging. "True as well."

Toriel groaned. "Don't make me regret splitting my gift of peace into two parts any more than I already have."

"Like you had a choice." Chara stuck out her tongue.

"Don't act like a child." Frisk shook her head. "Or we'll never get out of that garden."

"We are children. Toriel says so." she grinned.

"You are both twenty. Any terms of endearment I use do not change that fact." Toriel grimaced. "You are meant to help me communicate with humans, not fight them."

Frisk elbowed Chara, went to the sink and began scrubbing her dish. "Mama..." she said quietly. "Isn't twenty the marrying age for humans?"

"I believe it is. Why?" She raised an eyebrow. "Do you have someone you wish to marry?"

"Well, since we're never let out of the Ruins of this city, no." Frisk turned to her mother with pleading eyes. "But now that we're adults, you can bring us out to meet even more of the humans!"

Toriel was shaking her head. "Not yet," she said gently. "You both are still too young. And with my magic, you can stay twenty physically as long as you need to."

Catching Frisk's heartbroken expression, she added, "If you find someone you wish to marry, be my guest."

"Ugh." Frisk huffed, turning away. Toriel was hiding a smile.

Chara sighed dramatically. "Told you it wouldn't work. C'mon, let's go to bed."

Frisk crossed her arms and followed her sister into the small room where they slept.

"Goodnight, my chil-- I mean, the pride and lights of my life!" Toriel called after them. Frisk rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling. Toriel was so difficult to stay angry at.

Like every other room in the house, the girls' room was filled with flowers in pots. Two small beds with identical bedside tables were on opposite ends of the room.

Chara flopped down on her bed. "Did you really expect her to allow us to leave the Ruins, just like that?"

"We weren't even from the Ruins originally." Frisk complained, pulling her flower crown off and thumping it down on her bedside table. "We were delivered to the doorstep of her house when we were freaking one. She just adopted us and made us into demigoddesses when we turned twelve."

"I'm aware of our life story, yes." Her sister's voice was entirely too amused for the drama of the situation.

"I don't like the Ruins!" Frisk rolled onto her bed, her robes fluttering around her. "They're so small!"

"At least you've got your own garden, right?"

"Some garden." She rolled over and propped her head up with her arms, facing Chara with a pouty expression. "I can only grow daffodils."

"Not the worst flower to grow."

"Come on, sympathize with me a little here!" Frisk demanded. "You're not totally stifled here?"

Chara contemplated, then grinned. "Nope. It's fine."

"There are five families here!" Frisk exclaimed. "And they're all dedicated to keeping the Ruins healthy! They're practically priest and priestesses of Mom! And they're super boring!"

"The kids can fight." Chara shrugged.

"You're exasperating."

"I know. You love me."

"Do I?" Frisk turned to face the wall.

"Yup. Goodnight."

Chuckling, Chara leaned over to blow out the candle on her nightstand.

"SANS! AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMETHING?"

He glanced up from the book. "I dunno, bro. Am I?"

Papyrus glared from across the library. "YES. YOU ARE. YOU NEED TO MEET UNDYNE AT THE SQUARE UP ON THE SURFACE IN TEN MINUTES."

"Eh, ten minutes is plenty of time."

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Papyrus exclaimed. "PUT DOWN THE DARN BOOK AND GET DRESSED!"

Sans glanced down at his attire. It was the same gray robe as he always wore. "...I am?"

Papyrus groaned. "YOU'RE NOT GOING IN THAT, ARE YOU?"

"What's the problem?"

"YOU'RE GOING WITH UNDYNE TO MEET WITH ASGORE. THE ASGORE."

"And he'll want to see me in something different?"

"OH, FORGET IT."

Sans pulled his hood up over his head. "That good?"

"IT WILL HAVE TO DO. GET GOING."

With a wink, Sans appeared in the town square in the center of New Home, at the top of Mount Ebott. Instantly, the monsters who had been roaming around the town scurried out of the street and into shops and houses. Within moments, the streets were deserted except for a few stragglers, who were all glancing apprehensively at the skeleton monster.

It was his own fault. If he hadn't been so completely hell-bent on keeping to himself, they wouldn't all be frightened of him.

Or they would. God of death, not very popular.

... Unless you were the god of a merciful death like his brother.

Justice is almost always frowned upon, no matter who's exacting it.

Sans sighed and leaned up against the cobblestone wall, waiting for the goddess of war to make an appearance. They were almost always summoned together, probably because they complemented one another's personalities well.

In the sense that when she lost her cool, he was calm. And the things that could upset him wouldn't faze her. And they could generally calm one another down.

Life and Death. Justice and Mercy. You can't have one without the other, and you can't have one with the other.

He idly wondered how Toriel was holding up, as both placeholder for Justice and Mercy of Life. Gotta be strange. At least he could stick to what he did best... judging people.

A little bunny monster, who was either very brave or very stupid, sidled past him quietly. He directed his stare onto it.

It squeaked in terror and fled.

Someone across the courtyard burst out laughing.

"Hey, Undyne."

"Jeez, Sans. What the hell? You can't even avoid scaring kids?"

"Like you're one to talk," he shot back, smiling despite himself.

Still chortling, she shook her head. "C'mon. Asgore will be waiting for us."

"What does he want to talk to us for?" Sans asked as they began walking quickly towards the palace. He had to take three steps for every one of hers. Resentment.

"Something to do with Toriel." she rolled her eyes. "He's never gonna give up on her, you know that?"

"Ha." he said without humor. "Well, once you find the person you're in love with, I guess it'd be hard to just let them go like that."

"He doesn't have a choice in the matter!" she snapped. "And besides, there's the war."

The war with the humans.

It had gotten started long ago when Asriel, the Prince of monsters and humans, had gotten killed by a rogue band of human warriors.

They'd been attacking the palace. They thought, take the prince hostage and you can get whatever you want from these gods. They hadn't realized what low HP the child had had, and by the time they did, it was already too late.

Asgore, filled with rage, decided that humans did not deserve the gifts monsterkind had to bestow upon them. He had declared war on the entire human race.

And Toriel, without another moment's thought, had raced to their protection, leaving Mount Ebott. With the help of the strongest sorcerers in the land, she created the barrier, a powerful spell to trap the gods on the mountain forever.

Of course, the gods and goddesses could still act upon the mortals. They could be entertained, courtesy of Mettaton. They could do research, courtesy of Alphys. They could still die, courtesy of Sans and Papyrus.

But it was never quite the same. The golden era of communion between the monsters and humans had come to an end... except between the goddess of Life and her beloved race.

"What about the war?" Sans asked, shaking himself out of his reverie. He didn't need to reflect on the rash decisions of the King and Queen many years before.

"The point is, Asgore can't make peace with Toriel unless he makes peace with all the humans. Which I don't think he'll want to do."

"You never know, with King Fluffybuns."

She snorted.

They were in the throne room. After the necessary introductions, Asgore had asked them to sit down. They did.

"I'm sure you have some idea why I have called you here," the king of the gods rumbled.

"Is it about... Toriel?" Undyne asked hesitantly. "We couldn't get the message through the barrier this morning, I'm sorry."

Asgore's head bowed. "It is not about that... and yet, it is entirely about that."

"What does that mean?" Sans asked.

"I want to end this war."

There was silence for a moment.

"We can't-- Asgore, no monster can pass the barrier!" Undyne cried.

"You are right."

"But--you don't mean... surrender?" she spat, as if the word tasted awful in her mouth.

"No." Asgore turned to Sans. "And I do not need either of you to pass the barrier."

Sans's permanent grin became a bit frozen. "So..."

"The Ruins are not past the barrier. They are in the no-man's-land in between. No one had reason to live there before... but now I have reason to believe that Toriel is staying there with two human children."

"Human children?" Undyne gasped. "Why would she--"

"She is a mother, Undyne. Primarily." Asgore's voice shook. "She would have bestowed her gift of life, and peace, onto these humans."

Undyne made a sound of shock and outrage. "She wouldn't have made humans into demigods!"

"This is our opportunity." Asgore turned to Sans. "For the first time, she has weaknesses. So I need someone to find those humans, and bring them here until she agrees to meet with us in order to get them back. We can then reach an exchange. We can get her back as mother of the gods... and the humans can receive our gifts to the fullest once more."

Sans stared at the king. "You want me to sneak into the Ruins and abduct two children."

"Just one will suffice, I feel. It might be even better to have one of the humans with her to encourage her to meet with us, since her pride has always been... something of a stumbling block."

"You want me to sneak into the Ruins and abduct a child."

Asgore stared back at him, entirely serious. "Is it too much for you?"

There was a pause.

"Nope, think I can handle it." He already knew his sarcasm would be lost on the king.

He was right. "Thank you."

Undyne stepped forward. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need to you be in charge of communicating with Toriel after the hostage is taken. I fear she will not speak to me."

"Very well." She turned to Sans. "Where will the hostage be kept?"

"...uh..." He scratched his head.

"You have ample space in the Underworld, yes?" Asgore nodded at him. "You can keep the human there."

"Great." He mentally glanced over the floor plan in the underground palace he and his brother shared. "The best guest room is trashed right now. I'm gonna have to clean."

"That will be all."

The two turned to walk out.

"Oh! One more thing--"

"Yes?" Undyne responded, turning.

"Thank you for everything." His eyes were filled with tears.

Undyne and Sans's eyes met, with identical panicked expressions.

Oh, no. Emotion.

"It's no problem, Asgore!"

"We'll just be on our way now. Bye."

As they rushed out, Undyne leaned over to him. "You're really kidnapping a human."

"Seems so." he replied wearily.

"You gonna scope out the area tonight?" she asked excitedly. "That's what I'd do if I had a stealth mission like this."

"That's... actually a good idea."

The night was quiet, but Frisk still couldn't sleep. The song she and Chara had been singing was stuck in her head, repeating itself until she felt she would burst. The blanket over her, normally so comfortable, was stifling her. She rolled around until she couldn't stand it anymore.

She grabbed the candle and relit it, using up several matches in her struggle. Swinging around, she slipped out of bed. She paused. The crown of golden flowers she always wore--kept alive by her mother's presence--was sitting on her bedside table as well. Out of habit, she gently placed it on her head and stepped out into the dark hallway.

No wonder I wasn't able to sleep-- I didn't change into my nightgown. Berating herself for her stupidity, she quietly opened the back door and walked out onto the porch with her bare feet.

The night was chilly, chillier than it usually was in the Ruins. She shivered and held the candle a bit closer to herself. Unnatural. Something seemed off tonight.

She sighed and leaned on the porch railing. It felt exciting to be out so late. And Chara was usually the one who got into adventures. Here she was, out all alone at night. Even if it was just on the porch.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of cold wind. It really was unnaturally chilly. Maybe she should go inside--

A dark figure was standing in the garden. A pair of glowing eyes were staring at her.

She scrambled up in a panic, tripping over her own feet in her haste to get back inside--

Two cold hands closed over her shoulders, it wasn't in the garden, it was behind her--

A scream was cut off abruptly, almost before it had the chance to begin.

A dark candle was rolling on the porch. The darkness and peace of the night fell again, as if nothing had happened at all.

Chapter Text

Someone's screaming.

...Oh, yeah. It's me.

I was just kidnapped.

Frisk whirled around, the dizziness gone. The monster in the dark cloak that had grabbed her in her own home was standing a few feet away, hands up in the air in a form of surrender that made her chest burn.

"What are you doing? Who do you think you are? What are you? Where am I? What's going on?" she screamed in a single breath.

He put his hands over--he was a skeleton. He was a skeleton. He didn't have ears.

"You don't have ears!!" she hissed.

"Your shrill tone still hurts them." he said. "...Is that really the question you want answered right now?"

"--No, it's not." she shot back, furious. "Wh--"

"Don't start, don't start. Jeez, I should never had agreed to this. It's too late for this." He checked his--he wasn't wearing a watch, either!! --"Why weren't you in bed when I came?"

"I couldn't sleep, I needed some fresh-- why am I answering your questions? You need to answer my questions!!"

"You know what, I'm just gonna--" He made a fist, and Frisk felt a crushing weight on her heart--her SOUL--before everything went black.

That wasn't a child. That wasn't a child at all.

"SANS. WHY WOULD THERE BE A HUMAN IN OUR GUEST ROOM." Papyrus squinted at his brother, who shifted nervously under his gaze.

"She's a guest of Asgore's, she's gotta stay there for the time being." he explained lamely.

"A GUEST. A HUMAN GUEST. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR."

He sweated. "Yup."

Pause.

"THEN I MUST GREET THEM!" Papyrus exclaimed. "THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOESN'T LET ANY GUEST OF OURS GO WITHOUT HOSPITALITY! HAVE YOU OFFERED THEM ANYTHING TO EAT?"

"Uh.... she's unconscious."

Papyrus stopped halfway to the door. He turned slowly. "WHY WOULD THEY BE UNCONSCIOUS, SANS."

"Uh... she was really tired from the long trip."

Papyrus loomed over Sans. "ARE YOU SURE YOU AREN'T LYING TO ME, BROTHER?"

"Positive."

"ALL RIGHT! I'M GOING TO FIND SOME WINE TO OFFER THEM--HER, YOU SAID. SHE'S GOING TO BE SO HAPPY FOR THE DURATION OF HER VISIT!"

He rushed over to the door, and skidded out into the hallway. After a second, Sans jumped up and followed in hot pursuit, calling after him--

"Wait, bro, I don't think you should wake her--"

Too late. Papyrus kicked the guest room door open.

--She was already sitting up, glowering. Her flower crown was still on her head, though slightly askew. Her long, auburn hair that fell over her shoulders was messy from the struggle, and her floor-length white cloak was wrinkled.

She still managed the air of a haughty princess as she stared directly into Sans's eyesockets. He felt himself begin perspiring.

"--you should not have been able to recover that quickly," he muttered under his breath. Papyrus, however, was delighted.

"AH! YOU ARE AWAKE! GOOD! WOULD YOU LIKE SOME WINE?"

She glanced in between the two, as if trying to decide who to attack first. She was too furious for words.

"... oh, wow. she is pissed."

Her eyes had the fires of hell behind them. "You KIDNAPPED me, you disgusting piece of--"

"Hey, bro, why don't you go get that wine?" Sans interrupted hastily. "Me an' the human are gonna have a chat real quick."

"ALL RIGHT!" Papyrus bounded out of the room.

Suddenly, his head popped back from behind the doorframe. "UM, SANS? I STILL EXPECT EXPLANATIONS WHEN I GET BACK."

"So do I," the girl said furiously.

"K."

He was gone.

Slowly, Sans turned his attention back onto the girl sitting cross-legged on the guest bed, looking very small and very fragile, but not any less angry for it.

"So... Ready to be a little more pleasant?" he asked, trying not to smile at her rapid expression change. Shock, even angrier than before, forced calm.

"Where am I."

"You're in the Underground--the Underworld. Where spirits come after they've died."

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. "I'm--"

"You're not dead, you're here physically." he hastily corrected. "Me and my bro aren't dead either. We're in charge down here."

"You're ... the god of death." She raised a shaking finger and pointed at him.

"Half right. I'm death, and justice. Justice of death. Sans. Papyrus is mercy. And death."

She blinked. "Death can have mercy?"

"Apparently." He grinned.

The girl rapidly shook her head. "No. Why am I here?"

"You're a hostage, so the gods can win the war with the humans."

"And Toriel." Her voice shook.

"Yeah."

"How do you know that I'm not just some random human? Why would you kidnap me? Why would Toriel care what happened to me?" she challenged.

"Please." He rolled his eyes. "You were living in the Ruins--that's no man's land. No humans have lived there for hundreds of years, and now suddenly Toriel's staying there with a couple of human kids?"

"I am not a child." She sat up straighter.

"That's right." Sans replied. "You are a demigoddess. Toriel managed to turn a human into a god, or a half-one, at least."

"How do you know that??" she demanded furiously.

"Look at you." He gestured at her, and she shrank back. "You're not normal."

"I'm ... not?"

Her rust-red eyes blinked rapidly, making her thick eyelashes flutter unnecessarily. She was clearly trying not to burst into tears. Smooth.

"I didn't mean-- I mean, you're glowing." he added hastily.

"...huh?"

It was true, literally and figuratively. A faint golden light emitted from her physique, a clear sign of power that all the monsters had... and she was unnaturally gorgeous.

"So, you kidnapped me, and are holding me hostage in the Underworld." she recounted in a forced cheerful tone. "How long am I going to be here?"

He shrugged. "As long as it takes. Toriel will have to respond to Undyne's outreach, and you'll just be staying with us until she agrees to meet with Asgore."

The girl shuddered involuntarily when she heard the king's name.

"Until then, it'd probably benefit both of us for you to cooperate. Quietly. Oh, and did I mention that time passes a bit more slowly down here? It might seem like longer than it is on the surface. So hopefully you mother decides to respond sooner rather than later."

Taking her silent glare as benevolent compared to her previous yelling, he turned away from her, glancing out into the hallway. "Ok, Paps is gonna be back soon with food. We can talk quietly, and--"

A vase came hurtling through the air, right at his head. He whirled around, barely catching it with his magic. It floated, suspended, and he turned his gaze upon the girl, who now looked more terrified than angry.

"Well, then. It's gonna be like that, is it?" He allowed his displeasure to creep into his tone.

She was standing next to the bed, hands clasped over her mouth. She shook her head rapidly. "I didn't--" she squeaked.

He took a step towards her--partially because her expression was adorable--and she suddenly took off straight at him.

Instinctively, he sidestepped, before realizing a half second later that was what she was expecting him to do. She ducked slightly under his arm and ran directly past him, out the door, and sped down the hall, bare feet slapping against the stone floor.

Sans stumbled out the door, kicking himself for letting her get out so easily. Almost tripping on his robe as he turned, he turned into the hallway, and almost laughed at the sight before him.

Papyrus was walking calmly back to the room, the girl slung over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Her face was red, but as angry as ever.

"Looks like you caught a human, bro."

Papyrus gave him a look. "YOU'RE COMPLETELY AWFUL, SANS."

The girl was sitting at the dinner table with them, but she refused to open her mouth, even to take a bite. Sans was fine with that. He didn't need to hear any more of her shrill complaints, and his face still held remnants of blue from his embarrassment at being outsmarted so easily.

Papyrus seemed more worried. "AREN'T YOU GOING TO DRINK YOUR WINE?" he asked anxiously.

Tight-lipped, she shook her head.

"... ARE YOU GOING TO EAT, AT LEAST?"

She shook her head again.

"Shame." Sans put in, grinning. "This is some pretty good meat." He waved a piece of it on his fork before shoving it in his mouth.

Her face went white. Instantly, both skeletons realized what she was thinking.

"IT-IT'S NOT HUMAN MEAT!!" Papyrus looked horrified at the thought. "WE--IT'S BEEF, IT'S BEEF!!"

"Yeah, kid, we're monsters, not animals."

She colored, and scowled even more.

"SO..." Papyrus cleared his throat. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US YOUR NAME, LITTLE GODDESS?"

She glanced up at him tensely, then resumed staring at her untouched plate.

"... WELL, MY NAME IS PAPYRUS! I AM THE GOD OF DEATH, AND THE MERCY OF DEATH... AND I AM VERY SORRY THAT MY BROTHER BROUGHT YOU HERE WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION!" He turned to scowl at his brother, who shrugged. "BUT I'M SURE IT WAS FOR A REASON. AND I'M SURE YOU CAN GO HOME SOON! BUT FOR NOW, LET'S ENJOY ONE ANOTHER'S COMPANY! WE NEVER GET VISITORS."

His voice sounded so pained that the girl glanced up at him with a guilty expression.

It isn't his fault you're stuck here. Clearly, he didn't even know you were coming.

She sighed.

"Frisk."

"Gesundheit."

She scowled at Sans, then turned to Papyrus with a small smile. "My name is Frisk."

Papyrus's eyes popped out of their sockets. "FRISK?? WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME FOR A BEAUTIFUL GODDESS! WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE, FRISK!!"

Frisk smiled. "Thank you, Papyrus."

"WOULD YOU LIKE SOME VEGETABLES?" He offered her a plate of broccoli.

She nodded quickly. She was starving.

"So, this is your room."

"Fine."

"You're gonna sleep here, and stay here unless me or Paps brings you somewhere else."

"Fine."

"And, uh, if you have any questions, you can ask one of us."

"Fine."

"Say fine."

"Fi- no."

He chuckled. "All right, see you later, Frisk."

"Don't patronize me, skeleton." she hissed, face red.

"Good night."

"Shut up and get out."

He stepped out and closed the door.

What a day.

The hostage was not nearly the weak, terrified human he'd (foolishly) expected. She was a straight-up honeybadger.

"I need some alone time." he muttered to himself, heading down the hall towards the library. Only a bit of reading could cure this headache.

But even as he raised his hand to snap his fingers, he heard a little sound from the room. Curious, he leaned closer to the door.

Frisk was crying.

Instantly, an overwhelming feeling of remorse arose in his SOUL.

He'd taken her away from her home, into this black pit that even he despised being cooped up in. What was he doing?

He crushed the feeling. It's a war. he told himself sternly. You have to do hard stuff sometimes. Morally gray stuff.

Aren't you supposed to be just?

His own thoughts betraying him, Sans changed his destination to the kitchen.

He needed a drink.

Chapter Text

Frisk slowly lifted her head off the pillow. The suspiciously comfortable pillow.

She was surrounded, not by the familiar lavender and sunset orange wallpaper of home, but with the shades of gray of an alien stone wall.

Her head flopped down on the pillow as the memories came flooding back. Kidnapped. Skeletons. Death. Underworld.

Frisk sat up, comforter sliding off her robes. She felt grungy. I haven't changed in two days, ew.

The golden flower crown was still alive, and still sitting on the bedside table. She gently placed it on her head. The only thing I have left from home, besides the clothes on my back.

She slid out of the bed and glanced around the room. The only decoration was a painting on the wall--a monochrome painting of a bone. Pathetic.

She was the only color in this entire palace, it seemed.

Frisk glanced at the door. I'm not supposed to leave until one of those skeletons comes to-- wait. She mentally slapped herself. Am I really gonna obey that sack of bones? If I'm trapped here, I'm gonna be comfortable!

Not to mention, there's an entire palace out there ready to be explored, and I've never even been out of the Ruins...

Woo, adventure. Exciting. she thought sarcastically, pushing open the door.

Sans was standing right there.

Frisk gasped and fell backwards. He seemed similarly surprised, leaning against the wall to steady himself.

After a moment, he grinned. "Well. Aren't you an early riser."

"It doesn't feel very early," she said, confused, before realizing she was supposed to be angry at him.

"It's not. I was making a joke. Ha-ha."

She squinted at him. There was something utterly different about the way he was acting. Too little... snark.

"Look, I just... I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I didn't want to kidnap you. I'm just doing my job. I don't want you to get mad at me."

"Too late."

Sans sighed. "I just want to re-introduce myself, if that's ok." He stuck out a skeletal hand gingerly, as if afraid she would bite it off. "Hey. I'm Sans, the skeleton. And the god of death."

Frisk glared at him for a moment, trying to read his expression, but it seemed pretty genuine. Finally, she sighed and took his hand.

"Fine. I'm--"

A whoopie cushion sound effect echoed through the halls loudly. Startled, Frisk jumped backwards.

"Heheheh. Old whoopie cushion in the hand trick." He stuck his hands back in his pockets, grinning widely. "It's always funny."

"Who the hell are you??" Frisk demanded, torn between laughing and throwing another vase.

"I just told you. And you are...?"

There was a pause.

Well, he did get me out of the Ruins, even if he did grab me from the porch...

"Frisk. Frisk the human-goddess of mercy, determination, and flowers."

"Flowers?" He raised a bonebrow. "Never would have guessed that."

She opened her mouth, ready to object, before he burst out laughing.

"You're wearing a flower crown, honeybadger. Of course I--"

"Honeybadger?" she demanded, reddening again. She wasn't used to sarcasm!

"It's an animal that fits your personality." he explained.

She growled, trying not to smile. "Is this all?"

"No. I have something to show you. After I ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"Do you know how to read?"

She was offended. "Of course I do."

"Ok, do you like reading?"

"That's two questions," Frisk pointed out.

"Bear with me. You like reading?"

"Yes, I do. A lot." Many long, lonely hours of her life had been spent curled up beside the fireplace, reading fantasy novels that Toriel had deemed appropriate. Chara always went more for history--she said real things were more interesting. Frisk crushed a wave of homesickness that instantly hit her.

"Come with me." Sans gestured, then started strolling down the hall.

Frisk followed him, confused.

After passing a few rooms, they reached a large pair of ornately carved oak doors. Frisk raised her eyebrows at them--they were much fancier than anything else she'd seen, except for the entrance and exit rooms to the Ruins.

"Well?" he said. "Go on in."

After a moment of difficulty--they were heavy--she shoved the doors open and stumbled forward, gaping.

It was a library. A gorgeous, beautiful, filled-to-the-ceiling-with-bookcases library.

She was wrong. She wasn't the only colorful thing down here. Each book was a different bright, beautiful hue. On the opposite end of the room, there were a few easy chairs and a fireplace. On the east wall, there was a grand piano.

Sans chuckled beside her, and she jumped away. She'd forgotten he was standing there.

"This is where I spend most of my time."

"I can see why," she said breathlessly.

"... aren't you gonna go in?" he asked, cocking his head.

Frisk was just staring at the books, as if they demanded reverence. "Can I?" she whispered.

He laughed. "Of course you can, why would I have brought you over here if I hadn't--"

She was instantly inside, climbing up the nearest bookcase, pulling out random novels and stacking them in her arms.

After a few hours, she was curled up by the fireplace, reading to her heart's content. Sans just sat in one of the easy chairs, watching her with a genuine smile on his face.

It's been so long since we had a visitor. Much less a visitor like this.

Her face was entirely peaceful, and he could see for the first time how beautiful her face was.

Eyes cast downwards, a slight smile on her lips. She quickly brushed a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She glanced towards him and caught his eye.

He was blushing. Quickly, he looked away.

Just because you've been alone for so long, you're going soft. You're death, for goodness sake.

Papyrus gently pushed open the door. "DOES ANYONE WANT SOME FRUIT?" he asked, still shouting, but somehow quietly.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." Frisk said, propping herself up by her elbows.

Papyrus smiled and brought in a plate of assorted fruit. He set it on the floor next to Frisk. "WE HAVE MANY WONDERFUL FRUITS THAT WE GROW DOWN HERE!"

Frisk eyed them with a smirk. "Well, I guess they're all right for being grown underground. And by two men."

Her comment was, however snarky, true. The fruit wasn't nearly as full and colorful as fruit grown on the surface--and near Toriel. I'm probably used to the most perfect fruit in the world, come to think of it. What a disappointment.

She reached for the pomegranate, which seemed to be fuller than the rest. Sans quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Not that."

"What?" she asked, confused. She dropped the red fruit back onto the plate.

"OH! I FORGOT! MY APOLOGIES, FRISK." Papyrus grabbed it and quickly shoved it in his cloak pocket.

"What's wrong with the pomegranates?" She was puzzled. "There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it. Were they-- poisoned or something?"

"It's Underworld fruit." Sans explained. "It's the only thing that grows naturally down here, and if you eat it, it'll bind your SOUL to the Underground permanently."

Frisk's eyes widened. "Bind? Permanently?"

"WE USUALLY FEED IT TO THE SOULS WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE." Papyrus confirmed, nodding. "IT ISN'T WHAT KEEPS THEM HERE-- SPELLS DO THAT--BUT IT HELPS THEM FEEL MORE AT HOME."

"So, of course, we can eat it, too." Sans shrugged. "It won't force you to stay here forever or anything... it just creates this connection in your SOUL to the Underworld. It does kind of... make it difficult to leave, though. You wanted to go home, yeah?"

"Yes." She looked paler, but grabbed an apple off the plate. "Is this good?"

"Should be fine."

She took a bite.

"Oh wait! Is that an apple?" Sans gasped.

Frisk spat it out instantly, jumping to her feet, eyes wide.

"SANS! STOP THAT!!" Papyrus yelled.

"Gotcha." He was clutching his sides and laughing.

"OH, you absolute piece of garbage, why would you do that?" she demanded shrilly.

"To see the look on your face." he chuckled.

She flounced to the other side of the room with her book and plopped down in a chair, burying her face in the novel to hide her blush.

"Honeybadger," he sang out.

"Shut up!"

"Maybe you should start thinking more about other people, then!"

Her ears ringing from the crash of the pot breaking, Chara stepped back onto the porch and glared at Toriel.

"How could you say that?" her mother cried. "Don't you know that everything I've done is for you? And the human race?"

"But you're not willing to try to make peace to save my sister!" Chara threw another pot, which smashed on the deep purple-gray wall behind her mother.

"Stop acting like a child. If you have a... a problem with my actions, you need to tell me like the adult that you are!"

"Oh, I'm an adult now?" Chara hissed. "I thought I was a child until you said so! You know maybe this wouldn't have happened if you'd agreed to let Frisk out of the Ruins! You knew how unhappy she was here! This is your fault!!"

Toriel fell back, as if her daughter's words hurt her physically.

"You do not understand."

Her voice was cool, but it shook.

"Oh, I understand, all right. I understand that your hatred of Asgore is more powerful than your love of Frisk!"

"That is not true!" she cried, falling to the ground. "Chara, you must understand. I cannot simply give up because they have taken a hostage, even if that hostage is--"

"They didn't even ask you to give up. They just want you to meet with them! You can't even do that!" Chara yelled, tears falling from her face.

"Chara--" Toriel reached for her daughter.

"Don't touch me!" Chara ducked past her and ran out of the courtyard, red, orange, and brown leaves fluttering in her wake.

Toriel sat down on the porch and buried her head in her arms, sobbing.

Hopelessness was a new feeling to the goddess of hope and life.

Chapter Text

Sans knocked gently on the door. "Honeybadger? You in there?"

Silence.

"Frisk, if you tried to escape again, I swear--"

Her muffled voice rang out from behind the door. "I'm here."

He gently opened the door. "Frisk--"

She was curled up on her bed. The pile of books lay abandoned on the floor.

"Huh, I was sure I'd come in and find you reading, since we allowed you to bring these to your room." he said, trying to smile.

"Mm." She buried her head deeper in her arms.

"Are you ok?" Sans was standing in the doorway awkwardly. "What's wrong?"

She peeked at him, then quickly shoved her head down again, embarrassed.

"Come on, what is it, honeybadger?"

"My ... crown."

She sniffed and flopped over on her bed, still curled up.

"Crown?"

He noticed the crown of golden flowers she'd been wearing constantly sitting on her bedside table. It was wilting visibly.

"Can't you make a new--"

"It's the one I've had since I was a baby!" she cried. "It always stayed alive when I was with Mom, but now that I'm in the land of literal death, it's dying!"

Sans winced. "Just the one, huh?"

"Yes, and it's all I have left from home besides this stupid dirty robe!" she said angrily.

He scratched his head. "So, if that flower crown was fixed, you'd cheer up and stop crying?"

Frisk sniffed again. "... yeah."

"Come with me. I think we might be able to do something."

He held out his hand to her. She glanced at it suspiciously with eyes swollen from crying.

"C'mon. I'm not gonna bite."

She grasped his hand. He pulled her up to a standing position, allowed her to grab the crown and place it on her head, then hurried out of the room.

They walked, Sans muttering, to himself as much as to her. "Now, if your m--if Toriel's presence was what kept your crown alive, then we should be able to simulate that using the lifegiving presence she created for us years ago that keeps our garden sustained."

"What?"

He walked faster, forcing her to jog. "I mean, she created this --stand-in her to keep the Underworld alive, to a certain extent. It emanates a feeling of peacefulness and keeps the plants growing, but more than that, it sustains the life of the Underground. So, maybe if we bring your crown there, it can restore it the same way Toriel did."

They were at the glass door. Sans shoved it open and pulled Frisk inside. "This better?"

Her eyes were filled with tears. "It feels like her."

The garden was, admittedly, not as vibrant as the ones she was used to, but it was close. Close enough to make her feel like she was home again. The aura of peacefulness and hope radiated over her and penetrated her very SOUL.

Frisk sighed deeply and leaned on Sans, who stiffened instantly.

"Doesn't it feel wonderful?"

Truth be told, he didn't like the garden. The feeling reminded him too much of his old friend-turned-enemy and had grown distasteful to him. But with the girl--nope, to the woman leaning on his arm, it was the best feeling in the world. Blue blush spread across his face.

He almost didn't notice the flowers until one of them popped open, making a small sound. Glancing up, he grinned.

All of the flowers in the garden--from the big ones in their own pots to the little ones growing on the vines on the wall-were growing and blooming and glowing in the presence of the goddess of flowers and mercy.

"Your crown is alive again." he pointed out.

Gasping, Frisk pulled it off her head. She looked down at it, then burst out laughing. "It actually worked?"

"Don't sound so--"

She threw her arms around Sans's shoulders and, standing on tiptoe, placed a kiss on his cheekbone.

Instantly, his face lit up. She didn't seem to notice, pulling back with a huge smile on her face and bounding over to the daffodils.

"You know, these are my personal flower."

"A-are they?" He mentally smacked himself. Talk.

"Yeah, they're the only ones I could grow in my garden back home. Let's go to the library."

Frisk walked out. He did a double take.

"You don't... wanna stay here, where you can feel at home?"

She turned back with a mischievous expression. "You know, I was kinda feeling cramped at home. It's only in there that I completely remembered that. I'm fine with staying in the palace for another few days, if only to be somewhere new before I get locked back up in those Ruins." she sang, skipping away.

After a moment, Sans followed her, the tingling of the kiss still lingering on his face.

While Frisk was still curled up on her bed, Chara was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She and her twin had a similar problem.

"Mom, the flowers are dying."

Toriel didn't lift her head up off the kitchen table. Was it really just a few days before that they they were all sitting there together, laughing about the monsters' stupidity in trying to get across the barrier?

"They're dying. You're letting everything die. Don't you care?"

There was more truth in that statement than Chara even realized. It wasn't just the flowers in the Ruins that were shriveling up. All the plants all over the land were slowly losing color and life.

"You can't let this happen." the girl said quietly.

"I already have." her mother whispered.

"This--what's happening to the Ruins-- it isn't because Frisk's gone, though!" Chara cried angrily. "This is because you aren't trying to sustain life! This is-- does this happen every time you get sad?"

"Chara, go to your room." Toriel's voice was low.

"You've got to respond to Undyne's messages, or more things are going to die. And we'll never get her back."

"I cannot."

"Why can't you?" she screamed. "This is so stupid, you're not even going to try? Don't you realize I miss her, too??"

"Of course I do."

Chara laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. "You're so lifeless, Mom. How can the goddess of Life be lifeless?"

"Chara, go to your room."

Chara ran to her room, jumped on her bed, and screamed into her pillow.

"Here."

Frisk raised an eyebrow. "How daring."

"Shut up." Sans shook the dark cloak he was holding out to her. "You said you were unhappy your dress was dirty, so I grabbed you a new one."

"It's black."

"Actually, it's coal gray," he corrected. "Go put it on, hostage."

She made a face at him, snatched it, and flounced off.

Sans leaned back in his chair and breathed a deep sigh.

She popped her head back in the library. "Can I get a bath, too?"

"Bathroom's three doors down to the right." he said wearily.

"Thank you~!"

She was totally taking over. Four days into her capture, and she'd already made the flowers overgrow a huge amount. Papyrus had had no idea what to do with the sudden overflow of greenery, but Frisk had decided that they should be put in the other rooms to brighten them up. At first, Sans was unsure they'd be able to sustain their brightness--or stay alive at all--outside the garden, but he needn't have worried. The aura had seemed to be absorbed by the plants, so rather than spreading the feeling thin, they extended it.

Next, she had demanded that color be added to the rooms and the hallways. Papyrus had an old acrylic paint set in the storeroom, as well as some canvases, and she had set right to work painting bright colors in excited bursts.

When asked, Frisk had replied haughtily that she was painting "the feeling of happiness, because this place needs a little less gloom."

They were all still drying in the storeroom, but Sans couldn't help but feel a bit excited about his. She had painted a red, orange and bright blue one for Papyrus, and a blue, bright green, and white one for him. Even though they weren't supposed to be anything, they still resembled, somehow, the monster they were made for.

"Any other secret talents?" he had asked her. She blushed at that, and shook her head rapidly.

"None to speak of, no."

Frisk was certainly bringing life to this lifeless pit. He leaned back into the chair, thinking about how angry she had been when first brought here.

Funny. Now all she could think about was being free, or at least captive in a different place. She knew she was safe.

That much was obvious, from the way she recklessly ran around the castle.

"Is there an exit?" she had asked, breathless, after sprinting around the circular halls a few times.

"Only..." he allowed his sockets to darken, "through your d e a t h."

"Ha-ha. I'll ask Papyrus."

He couldn't even scare her anymore. Sans sighed deeply. What a shame.

"This is entirely too big."

He started, waking up from his half-sleep in front of the fire. "What?"

"The robe. It's too big." She was standing in front of him, hair dripping, in the huge dark robe that fell over her petite figure in a rather lumpy way.

"Whoops. That's my robe."

Her face lit up in red. "Why would you--what--"

"Let me just--" He teleported to the storeroom, grabbed the box of clothing, and appeared back at the library.

"What's that?" Frisk asked, peering into the box.

"We used to have servants here. When the war started, nobody wanted to stay. There was some stuff left behind. These are the clothes. You can probably find some old servant's dress in here."

"Weren't they all monsters?" she asked, pulling out another huge black cloak and eyeing it with disgust.

"Some."

Catching his warning tone, she shrugged and continued digging in the box. "Oh! This looks nice."

It was a white dress, sleeveless and short. He blinked and began perspiring.

"No, you probably don't want to--"

"This is fine." She snatched it up and scurried out of the room.

Oh. Ok.

After a minute, she appeared back in the doorway. He sat up.

Looking a bit less grungy was one thing. Wearing a floaty dress that only came down to just above her knees was another. His face exploded in blue.

"Wow, what's with your face?" Frisk giggled. "Is that how you blush?" She stepped lightly over to him and ran a finger across his cheek. "Am I just too beautiful to comprehend?" she whispered.

He stood up abruptly. "I'm gonna finish reading in my room. Enjoy yourself."

Frisk's complaint was cut off when Sans teleported into his room and collapsed into a chair, rubbing his temples.

She's gonna go home soon. She's gonna go home. She isn't yours.

No matter how much you want her to be.

Chapter Text

It had been a week.

It felt like a month.

And it could end any moment.

All too aware of this, Sans found himself cherishing every moment he spent with the lively girl. Even the moments when she forced him and Papyrus to wear flower crowns she'd woven herself.

Especially those moments.

"Do I look as ridiculous as I feel?" he chuckled, trying to look in the mirror Frisk was holding. She pulled it away.

"Ah ah ah! Not until I've finished arranging it." She stuck her tongue out of her mouth in concentration.

Papyrus's crown of red poppies was already on his skull, and he kept fidgeting with it. Frisk caught sight of him touching a flower in the mirror. She whirled around angrily.

"Paps! Stop!"

"I WASN'T GOING TO RUIN IT!" he cried. "I JUST WANTED TO FEEL THE PETALS! THEY'RE VERY SOFT!"

"All right, but be careful!" She turned back to Sans, and finished. "There."

"Grant me the honor of seeing your handiwork, Miss Frisk?"

She flushed pleasantly. "Princess Frisk will do. Here." She handed him the mirror.

He glanced down at his reflection. "Lilies?"

"They suit you." she explained. "They're melancholic, somehow."

"Hm." He moved the mirror to inspect all angles. "You seem to have done an impeccable job."

"As always!" she said, smiling proudly. "We should take a picture."

"And keep record of our humiliation?" Sans pretended to be horrified. "No way."

"Please? I know you've gotta have some kind of camera." she wheedled.

"We've probably gotta get back to the SOULs, actually." Sans glanced out the window into the dark and gloomy landscape of the Underworld.

"WE'LL BE BACK, FRISK!" Papyrus exclaimed, jumping up. "DON'T WORRY!"

"Just stay here." Sans instructed, standing up as well.

She grinned. "Where I always am? No problem there."

They were, naturally, in the library.

"Right. See you later, kid."

They left. She watched them go with a sad little smile.

This isn't going to last.

She tried reading, but her mind was focused on home.

...Did she want to go home? She missed Mom, of course, and Chara. Terribly. But the Ruins... This place was darker, but it felt like her place, somehow.

The skeletons had given her free reign over the place after the third day. She'd basically redecorated it herself. And there were her friends.

Oh, yes. The gods of death. Friends of the goddess of mercy and life. Ridiculous, but true. They had been forced together by the war, but instead of clashing (well, after she'd gotten done clashing) they had gotten close.

Lonely. The word popped into her head, and she laughed aloud. Yes, she was lonelier with her family than with these monsters. Sans, he was probably going to bring her to the surface soon, from the way he'd been acting.

She blushed. Why now? Why did the first guy who could make her laugh have to be him? Why did she have to be so easy to fall?

That song was stuck in her head again.

Frisk glanced at the piano, but she didn't know how to play it, and she didn't want to sit and try to figure it out.

Was there an instrument in the garden? She seemed to remember a few random things lying around in there. It was her best bet, since she didn't know where the storage room was.

She left the library.

Sans stretched and pulled his hood down, strolling into the library. "Hey, kid, sorry we took so long..."

She wasn't there.

Instantly, panic rose within him. Did she find a way to escape? Had she left, just like that? He thought she was enjoying herself!

A melody came drifting down the hall, an enchanting voice in the distance.

Confused, he turned and followed the sound, until it grew clearer and clearer and he was right outside the garden room.

Frisk was sitting in the center of a ring of flowers, all faced towards her golden glow. She was singing to her heart's content, perfectly at peace.

"'Cause I can't help... falling in love with you."

A movement caught her eye, and she glanced at the door, but nobody was there. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she returned the guitar to the shelf and rushed out, hugging her arms to her chest. They're probably back, I should be in the library. He asked me not to leave that room.

But when she walked into the library, she was met with a gorgeous melody from the piano in the corner. The ominous hooded figure who had so terrified her on her porch that night was singing.

He was singing to her.

"Take my hand..."

Her voice, acting of its own accord, joined in as she walked over to lean on him from behind.

"Take my whole life, too..."

He glanced back at her, smiling gently, not stopping his playing.

"Cause I can't help... falling in love with you."

She rested her head on his shoulder. He stopped abruptly and reached up, pulling her down on the piano bench beside him. She was laughing.

"Good song, huh?" Sans said casually, trying to still his going-completely-crazy SOUL.

"Shut up." Frisk muttered, pressing her mouth against his.

His hands found the back of her head, and he pulled her even closer, relishing the softness of her hair and her skin. She reached up and around his head, bringing her hands down his back, kissing him harder, becoming breathless. He felt his hand move down her spine--

She jumped away at once. Her face was scarlet, and she was wringing her hands.

"I'm--I'm going back to my room." she whispered.

Silent as a mouse, Frisk vanished out of the library.

He let out a long, shuddering sigh, sinking down on the bench.

Wow.

Wow.

He could die happy now.

"SANS!"

"What?" He rolled over in his bed. It couldn't be earlier than five.

"SANS, GET UP!" Papyrus's voice shook.

It was enough to get him rolling out of bed and pulling on his cloak in an instant. He popped his head out of his room. "What is it, bro?"

Papyrus's face was strained. "UNDYNE IS HERE TO SEE YOU. SHE SAYS IT IS TIME TO RETURN THE HUMAN HOSTAGE."

It couldn't last.

Chapter Text

"Asgore."

"Toriel."

They stared one another down, the intensity of the scene almost too much for the human girl fidgeting beside her mother. Chara glanced in between the two nervously.

"Chara."

"My child, why did you say your own name?"

"Nobody else was gonna say it." she shrugged.

Asgore cleared his throat. "You have come to meet about the hostage."

"My daughter."

Chara had to hand it to her: once the old lady pulled herself together enough to agree to Undyne's message, she was full of energy and spirit enough.

Asgore smiled sadly. "Your daughter?"

"Do not play dumb with me, Asgore." Toriel's voice was venomous. "I know that you have taken her. Where is she?"

"She is staying in the Underworld with the gods of death. I assure you, nothing has been done to harm her."

"Sans and Papyrus?" she asked, incredulous. "They didn't even want to be a part of this war."

"But they want to be a part of ending it." Asgore shifted in his seat. "You see, our only intention is to make peace with the human race. Our own last attacks were more than twenty years ago--all the monsters have done since then is attempt to communicate with you. You have ignored us."

Toriel's face flashed with guilt. Chara blinked and it was gone. "You have no right to try to play the victim here. You declared war."

"And I am asking for peace now." Asgore stepped off his throne and walked forward. Toriel stood stock-still.

"Please, Toriel," he pleaded, "come back to your place as queen and mother of the gods. Your presence is sorely missed among us. And we know that our gifts and direct help is sorely missed among humanity. A new golden era could begin; all we need is your cooperation."

Her eyes flashed. "You think you can force me to rejoin you by dangling my daughter above my head? I will not speak with you of peace until Frisk is returned here safely!"

"So be it." Asgore motioned with his hand, and the guards opened the door.

She was standing there with Undyne and Sans.

"Frisk, wake up."

"Never. Let me sleep forever."

He laid a cold, skeletal hand on her bare shoulder, sending her shooting up in an instant. "Aah!"

He chuckled dryly. "S' time, kiddo."

She rubbed her eyes. "Time for what?"

"Time for you to go home. Your mom has agreed to talk to Asgore."

She blinked. "That ... that was it? All she had to do to get me back was talk to the king? Really?"

"Yup. We didn't expect to have you here this long, tibia honest."

She didn't laugh. "And now I'm just ... going home, like nothing ever happened?"

"Yup." He turned and walked out of the room. "Come on."

She jumped out of bed and followed him. "But--wait, really? You're just gonna let her lock me back up in the Ruins?"

"Would you rather be locked up here?" he joked.

"Yes."

He stopped walking. "'scuse me?"

"You heard me. I like it here. You guys... treated me like a queen here. Instead of a prisoner. Mom... I love her, and I miss her, but she was keeping me locked up. Besides," she added, "I don't think you were gonna have the heart to keep me in this castle for much longer."

Sans blushed. He had been planning on showing her around New Home, since she said she'd never met more than a few people. He'd been looking forward to her face when she saw the bustle of the streets and the loud, cheerful conversations that the citizens had with strangers. But she had no way of knowing that.

"You only like it here because you get to sit and read all day," he said, turning away. Not now. He had to give her back.

"That, too. But I have another inquiry. You and Papyrus judge the SOULs, yes?"

"That is the point of us, yeah."

"You know, having two men in charge is hardly the neatest way of handling the afterlife."

He stopped. "What in the world are you insinuating?"

Frisk stopped as well, silent. She was staring at the ground.

Suddenly, Sans turned and took her by the shoulders. "Frisk. Stop."

Her eyes were wide. "What?"

"You know you've got to go home." He said it just as much to remind himself as her.

"I know," she said quietly, "but why can't I come back to visit?"

"W-visit?"

"Yeah. You guys are my friends. My only real friends outside of my family. I can't just leave you behind."

Releasing her, he stepped back. "You want to be able to come back to visit?" he asked incredulously.

Suddenly, tears were streaming down Frisk's face. "I really, really like you...both. Both of you."

"Frisk..."

"Do you care about me?" she demanded.

"You're the only thing I care about at this point." he snapped. "If I could keep you here forever, I would. You're not making this easier, Princess."

"Wh-what?"

"We love you. This place--" he gestured at the gray walls around them-- "sucks. You made it beautiful. You think we wouldn't keep you in a second if it were possible? I love you."

Sans was grasping her small hands tightly. Quickly, he released them.

"But that doesn't matter."

"It... yes, it does."

"It isn't gonna keep you here."

She stared up at him. He recognized the fire behind her determined eyes. "Are you telling me that I would not be imposing if I found a way to stay here?"

He almost laughed. "No. Of course not."

"And you're not just saying that? You love me?" Frisk's voice was suddenly tentative.

He pulled her into a hug. "I love you," he muttered, his voice breaking.

"Okay." She pulled back, sighing. "We can go, then."

Undyne was waiting at the door. When they turned the final corner, she groaned. "Finally! What took you so long?"

"The human was trying to escape." Sans grinned.

She flushed and shoved him. "I was not."

"All right, all right. Let's go."

Sans held out his hand, and both women grasped it. The three vanished.

"My child!" Toriel raced towards her, arms out.

Frisk, despite herself, ran forward and accepted the hug. Her mother clutched her tightly, as if afraid she would vanish into smoke.

"We missed you."

Blinking back tears, she looked around for Chara. Her twin was suddenly there.

"You dummy. It took you long enough." She was hugging Frisk, too.

"Toriel, are you going to end the war?" she whispered to Toriel.

"I only agreed to speak to Asgore." she replied coldly. "We are going to go home as soon as possible, do not worry."

"Why?"

Toriel fell back, looking her in the face incredulously. "They took you!"

"They were as kind as you are. They seemed just as normal as the humans are. They only took me because you were refusing to talk to them..."

Toriel shook her head. "You don't understand."

Chara glanced in between them, unsure of who to agree with. "Um, Mom? Aren't you going to try to make peace?"

Toriel closed her eyes. "Children, you must understand," she whispered. "Peace cannot come from a violent act. I cannot agree to their terms after they kidnapped you."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Frisk sighed. She pulled back from her mother's embrace and reached into her pocket, pulling out a pomegranate.

Wise men say, only fools rush in

But I can't help

Falling in love with you

Chapter Text

"For each seed I eat," Frisk said loudly, "my SOUL will belong more to the Underworld."

"Frisk! What are you doing?" Toriel gasped.

"I'm going to bind my SOUL to the Underworld unless you agree to try to come to a compromise with Asgore. I'm only twenty, but I know you, Mom, and I know it's your pride that's keeping you from talking to him."

Her voice was firm.

"I cannot!"

Frisk stared at her, a look of pure determination in her eyes. "I will do it."

Toriel's face was panic-stricken. "I cannot lose you forever, Frisk. Please, give me the fruit." She reached for it. Frisk deftly stepped back to avoid her, ripping open the fruit and pulled out a clump of seeds, deftly shoving them in her mouth.

Toriel's eyes widened as she grabbed at her daughter, but Chara was faster. She grabbed hold of Toriel's arms. "Stop! She's just gonna eat more!"

The goddess froze.

"Mom, I may not know much about the war, but I know you." Frisk pleaded. "Humanity isn't flourishing the way you want it to, is it? We need the monsters' gifts. Please agree."

Her mother simply stared at her.

Frisk sighed heavily, grabbed another bunch of seeds, and opened her mouth.

"I will do it!"

Her daughter blinked. "You'll do it?" she said suspiciously.

"Yes. I will." Toriel swallowed hard. "Just ... please, don't eat any more of that."

Frisk, still clutching the pomegranate in her now red-stained hand, took a step towards Toriel, who was hugging her in an instant. After a moment, Frisk hugged her back.

Chara breathed a sigh of relief. So did Asgore.

Sans, in the doorway, sighed as well.

Undyne was just confused. "What the hell is going on?" she hissed at him.

"We just witnessed a murder." he said simply.

"What?"

"Her SOUL is mine."

Undyne whirled around to stare at him, but his expression was totally different than the cold, possessive grin than she'd expected.

It was a dazed, genuinely happy, wide smile.

"...what happened down there?" Undyne demanded.

"A lot."

"You didn't swallow any of that, did you?" Toriel was pleading, clutching her daughter.

"Um, actually..." Frisk rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"For real?" Chara burst out laughing. "Wow, you must have really enjoyed your stay there. Can I get some of that?"

"No!" Toriel knocked the open pomegranate to the ground. "Asgore, they cannot take her. I will do anything."

"Well, she did not eat the whole thing." Asgore mused. "Perhaps we can forgive..."

Sans stepped into the room. "She ate enough. It's the rules."

Toriel glared at him, furious. "You. I thought you were my friend."

"What, we aren't?" He spread his hands and raised his bonebrows.

"You stole my daughter!"she cried.

"I returned her. It was for political purposes only, anyway." Sans shrugged.

Toriel's eyes flashed. "She is not going back."

"What, I'm just gonna stay in the Ruins some more?" Frisk challenged. "I liked being down there."

"She redecorated and everything." Sans put in.

"They treated me very well."

"It is--you're telling me that you enjoyed staying in hell?" Toriel was halfway between confused and terrified.

"You know, I don't know where that rumor got started," Sans said, "but the Underworld is only the judgement place. The SOULS move on from there based on our decisions. Hell is deeper down. It's actually closer to what you'd call Elysium where the castle is--"

"Nevertheless! I can't believe we're talking about this!"

"I'm twenty, mother." Frisk said firmly. "I should at least get a say in where I stay. And if the barrier is going to be coming down anyway, I don't really need to be protected, do I?"

Toriel's angry face was gone.

"You're just going to leave me?" she whispered.

"No! Of course I'm not!" She hugged her mother tighter. "I love you. You're my mother. But you can't protect me forever. And I've found someone I--"

Sans grinned, raising a bonebrow. She broke off her sentence, blushing.

"Wait. You want to marry that guy?" Chara demanded. "Why? How?"

"At this point, she's mine already, so it doesn't really matter." Sans shrugged, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She ate the seeds, so..."

"You didn't say anything about rules when you mentioned these," Frisk mumbled accusingly at him. "You just said, an emotional attachment..."

"I said that's what they caused emotionally. I didn't say there weren't other results as well. Normally, spirits eat the seeds when they first die. The seeds symbolize--"

"Enough about the seeds!" Toriel shouted. "There has to be something I can do."

Asgore spoke up. "You can ensure that peace is kept between monsters and humans, so that your daughter will be safe in the Underworld."

"She isn't staying there forever." Toriel demanded, a bit less viciously this time.

"I can stay for six months in the Underworld, and the other six months on the surface with you," Frisk suggested.

Asgore's face lit up. "That would work."

Toriel glanced helplessly between her daughter's hopeful face and the king's identical hopeful face. She sighed heavily.

"Can we have this discussion in a more civilized setting, please?"

"Let's discuss it over breakfast. It is too early for all this shouting." Asgore said, stepping down from the throne. He took off his crown and, smiling at it for a moment, set it down on the chair's seat.

The group walked down the hallway, Frisk at her mother's side. Chara caught up. "What happened down there, Frisk?" she whispered. "You look... better."

Frisk was smiling. "I feel better."

"Um.. are you sure about that skeleton guy? He's weird." Chara grimaced.

"I'm sure."

"Haven't you known him for like, a week?"

"Don't most immortals have to marry other immortals anyway?" she responded. "I mean, helping to rule the Underworld? That sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

Chara fell back, looking thoughtful. "You're marrying the Justice guy?"

"Yes."

"Is the mercy guy available?" she asked innocently.

Frisk burst into a giggling fit, earning a look of confusion from her mother.

Some things are meant to be.

Chapter Text

"Like the river flows surely to the sea..."

The singing was coming from the library, but she was busy at the moment.

"See you at Gyftmas?" Frisk asked, pulling away from her sister's embrace.

Chara grinned. "It's a good thing we decided to switch out. I like fall."

"Too cold."

Chara stepped back, grinning widely. "Well, it's lucky you're in hell for all of winter, right?"

Frisk rolled her eyes. "Have fun with Mom. She's got a surprise for you."

Her twin gasped. "A puppy?"

"I'm not telling you that."

Frisk's face still betrayed her.

"I knew it." Chara whooped. "What kind?"

"Go find out!" Frisk gave her a shove. "Where's Papyrus?"

"Crying in his room."

"Is he really?" She was surprised at that, and sad.

"Well, he won't admit it. But he really hates it when I have to leave."

"Good thing he's the absolute king of visiting, right?" Frisk elbowed her.

"It's not the same, but whatever. I like being on the surface, too. It's... energizing, life-giving, I don't know. Being with Mom."

"She's sure gotten a lot better these past few years, hasn't she?"

"I think she still resents you for eating those seeds." Chara whispered loudly. Frisk laughed aloud.

"If that's true, then she resents you even more for swiping some when you visited that first year and throwing yourself at my brother-in-law."

"Hey!" Chara laughed. "I take offense to that. If anything, he was throwing himself at me."

"Okay, Chara." She smiled. "Get out of my castle."

Heading for the elevator, Chara snorted. "It's just as much mine as it is yours, Frisk." she called over her shoulder. "And I bet it's a beagle!"

Shaking her head, Frisk started down the hallway towards the library. The piano grew louder and louder as she grew closer.

She walked into the beautiful room and sure enough, her husband was sitting at the piano, singing. When he heard her come in, he stopped.

"You've been playing all day, haven't you?" she asked, smirking, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Waiting for my honeybadger." Sans said, grinning.

Frisk laughed. "You really should stop calling me that."

"Never. 's too accurate to your personality."

He swept her into his arms, cutting off her laugh by pulling her into a deep kiss.

She sighed into his shoulder after pulling away.

"I missed you."

"Same here, sweetheart." he mumbled into her hair.

"How was Chara this time?"

"Unbearable. As always." He rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you know you enjoy her company."

"Not as much as yours."

"Well, that goes without saying."

She hugged him tighter and looked up at the ceiling, which she'd painted to look like the starry night. His favorite thing about the surface.

"So, any new additions to the library?"

Oh, take my hand

Take my whole life, too

Cause I can't help

Falling in love with you.