Chapter Text
(Sans)
If it wasn't the bad dream that woke him, it was the horrible pain that the dream caused. After the first year of being on the surface, his dreams had become progressively worse. They were approaching the second year of freedom, and the nightmares had reached a point that he no longer felt numb to them. They were causing him a lot of stress, which resulted in more trouble than poor sleep. It was upsetting the other side of him… the blaster side. And this time, it had been enough to trigger him to start changing shape.
Every bone had started to ache as they shifted and changed, causing him to curl in on himself. At least he could be "thankful" he wasn't fully changing, he was spared that for now. But only because his magic hadn't fully recovered from the last full shift. That new limb he hated so much thrashed and displayed his overall annoyance with all of this.
He glared at the tail, resisting the desire to attack it only because he was already in so much pain, moving anymore just seemed like the worst idea possible. A thought nagged from the back of his skull, telling him he had forgotten something. But at that point, he didn't care, staying a sad pile of bones on the sofa until his body stopped popping and cracking.
(Toriel)
Toriel walked up to the front door of the skeleton brothers’ home with a warm smile on her face. It was so nice to be able to visit them again after her duties at the school had kept her so busy during the past weeks. But tonight she finally had some time to herself, the whole weekend in fact. She had made plans with the brothers to spend some time with them while Frisk was spending their own weekend with their favorite aunts, Undyne and Alphys.
She was excited to see them both again in a more personable setting. And, not so secretly, excited to talk with Sans especially, having had come up with quite an array of puns over the past week she was dying to share with him. He was, perhaps, the only monster who'd truly appreciate their greatness. Even with his odd withdrawn behavior as of late, she was sure it would be enough to get one of those wonderful laughs out of him.
With all that in mind, she grinned and gave two playful knocks on the door, wondering if the skeleton in question was near enough to hear them and be amused by the reference to their old days in the Underground.
(Sans)
He heard two knocks and the nagging thought was quickly answered. He forgot Tori was coming. How could he forget Tori was coming over to spend the weekend? He pulled his hood over his skull, which was already starting to look a bit misshapen, to hide it from view. But what about the tail? That he can't hide so easily. Even more pressing, what was he going to do? He felt terrible thinking of turning her away... but he didn't like the idea of Toriel seeing him like this.
He grabbed a blanket to wrap around himself while calling out, "who's there?" Papyrus was out at his engineering class and he said he would pick up groceries on the way home. That meant Sans had to answer the door.
Standing on his feet, pain radiated through them as they weren’t sure if the weight of his body should be on the ball of the foot and toes or remain at the heel like normal. As the pain shot up his legs, he decided to lift his heels off the floor for now. He kept the blanket wrapped around himself and hoped that claiming he was sick would be enough to keep Tori from wanting to stay... and seeing him like this.
(Toriel)
Usually, hearing the expected reply would have sent a pulse of familiar joy through her. And it did... for a moment. But then that feeling dulled as the nature of his voice became apparent to her. He sounded... somewhat off, voice a touch shaky and not carrying the happiness she expected.
It caused a bit of worry to well up within her soul, but she decided to fire back her reply regardless, never one to break the fun from their usual routine if she could manage it. Perhaps she had only just startled him awake and he was still gaining his bearings from that.
"Justin" She declared, keeping up her cheerful tone as much as she could manage.
(Sans)
"jus-" he started to reply, but a pop from his ribs as they shifted caused him to make a short yelp that was muffled by burying his head in the blanket.
Though he forced himself to quickly recover; or, at least, he thought he recovered. His voice was shakier than before, which caused him to inwardly wince.
"justin who?" He reached a shaking hand for the doorknob, seeing the sharp points of claws already forming.
He started taking deep breaths, trying to calm down so he wouldn’t appear so distressed.
(Toriel)
Toriel blinked, surprised to hear his tone of voice grow more unsteady, rather than even out as she had expected. Not only that, but he stuttered and made a sound like he was in pain. When his reply finally did come, it sounded like he had forced the words out, rather than shoot them back in the fond, playful manner she was used to.
All of that made the spark of concern in her soul grow to a full on wave, making the urge to drop the jokes immediately grow inside her. But she knew Sans would probably find some excuse to blow off her concerns if she voiced them now.
If she wanted to find out the reason behind his behavior, she needed to get inside and be able to ask him face to face. Nothing could be solved with a door between them after all. So, though it was far more difficult than before, so finished the joke with the most jovial voice she could manage.
"Justin the neighborhood, thought I would stop by!"
(Sans)
The forced nature of his chuckle was clear. Per their ritual, he opened the door upon hearing the answer and he quickly pulled his hand back to hide it in the blanket. He looked up at her, hoping his face looked somewhat convincing that he would be fine if just given time.
"hey, tori. i think i got a cold, sorry." He said, surprised at how well he was able to say that.
There was some shakiness in his voice, but not as bad as he feared it would be. How many times had he said something like this that it sounded so easy to say? The worse thing, at the moment, was that his legs were trembling from supporting his weight, along with the growing skull ache as his skull was threatening to start changing more soon.
(Toriel)
Toriel's unease was not assuaged when she heard his laugh; so very forced it sounded. It was not the laugh she knew and loved, the one she had been waiting all week to hear. It was the laugh he offered when he wanted to hide something or wave away concerns. Nonetheless, she was relieved when he opened the door and she could meet his gaze. Her suspicions seemed to be justified by his appearance.
He looked miserable, even with the small grin he was managing, all wrapped up in a blanket with those all too familiar deep dark circles under his eye sockets. Not only that, the shakiness in his voice was mirrored by the way his legs seemed to be trembling beneath him, as if he were struggling to keep himself upright. Something else about his appearance seemed off as well, but she couldn't quite place it. Upon hearing his explanation, she was able to feel a bit of relief to know the reason for his behavior.
Still, she frowned and shifted the pie she'd brought them both to her other paw to better address him.
"Oh, my friend. I am so sorry. You should have texted me, I would have brought you some tea and soup. And here I am waking you up with jokes when you should be resting." She eyed him sympathetically. "Is it bad? You certainly do not look well."
(Sans)
“sorry, i was... well, i forgot," he admitted.
He was lying enough as it was. With all the secrets that he kept, lying was a natural response to things like this. Still, he hated lying to her but she didn't need this in her life, on top of everything else going on. He needed to offer her some sort of reassurance that he'd be alright. With some effort, he gathered all his strength for one last bluff.
The changing foiled that plan, though. A shock of pain in his skull caused him to wince and look away, interrupting that attempt before it could start. He managed not to make a sound this time but it took a moment before he said weakly,
"i'll, uh, ... i'll be fine, j-just need to rest." When he finished saying that, his eyelights focused on the sofa. It was just a short distance away, yet, it looked so far right now.
(Toriel)
The flash of pain in his eyelights and his rather feeble assurance made Toriel's nurturing instinct flare up immediately, and she moved then to support him, gently cupping his back with her paw. Her concerns deepened again, his behavior making it clear his claims were not at all representative of the true severity of his ailment. She had not missed his longing look at the couch, and, agreeing with his likely thought, did not waste another moment.
"Do not worry about it." She soothed quickly, softening her voice. "Come now, let us get you settled back on the couch dear. I will see what I can find here to help." With that, she took a step towards the inside, hoping to help him over to the piece of furniture in question.
(Sans)
His eye sockets widened as he saw her step into the house. And with her paw to his back he just hoped she didn't feel his larger than normal spinal processes. He was supposed to convince her to leave, and now she was coming in the house.
"i'll be o-okay, thanks tori, but i-" he said as he started to side step to move away. But as he did, he stepped on his own tail, causing the next sound to come from him to be a yelp as he tripped and fell backwards.
Surrendering to the pain, he just curled up, mostly covered by the blanket, except for the tail that was trying to curl around him.
(Toriel)
When he had begun his protests, Toriel had begun formulating her rebuttal just as quickly, especially as she could now feel the tension his small frame contained. It was an odd tension too, as though the bones were moving in an unnatural manner against her paw. Before she could speak her own defiance or comment on that though, he suddenly tripped and collapsed before she could react.
Her instinct was to leap to his aide and catch him or at least help him up to his feet again. But she didn't move, she felt utterly frozen by the sight of him there on the floor. He was writhing and curling up tight with pain, certainly not what she could consider a normal symptom for someone with a mere cold. But that was most definitely not what had rendered her wide eyed and frozen in place. No, that reaction was solely thanks to the sight of a bony tail wrapping tight around his wracked form.
A tail that was, undoubtedly, connected to him and far too long to be something she had somehow missed all this time. After a few moments, her compassion and worry for him won over her shock and she quickly moved to set the pie down on a side table next to her before rushing to his side. She knelt on the floor beside him, soul twisting up inside her with worry, but adrenaline pushed her not to let it overwhelm her.
"Sans..." She managed to get out at last, hesitantly reaching out towards him. "Wh-what is wrong, my friend? What is... Why do you have a...?"
(Sans)
He can feel his face starting to lengthen with a series of cracks and it made him want to just stay hidden under the blanket. For a moment, the pain kept him for remembering what else had been going on before. It was when he heard her voice that his mind returned focus on the here and now. As terrible as it was to have her see him like this, having her here gave him something other than the pain to focus on. But he didn't want to depend on her. She didn’t need that, him being more of a burden than he already was.
Her voice sounded close and he looked up at her, startled. He reached his hand out to try keeping her from touching him, but then he saw his own claw tipped phalanges and started to pull his hand back to hide it. The corners of his smile tightened as he shook his head.
"i'm s-sorry tori, so sorry... i... this is ... you..." his eye sockets start to fill with tears as he struggled to think of what to say.
Tori was such a caring person, too caring for her own good. Anything he said won't easily convince her that she was better off just forgetting what she saw.
(Toriel)
It didn’t seem possible, but she felt her worry deepen even further and a growing sense of horrible dread bloom within her soul alongside it as she heard his bones creaking and cracking audibly. Something was happening to him, happening to all of him. His face seemed to be... by the stars... stretching out? She found herself staring into eyelights full of pain and shame. Her mind whirled, not knowing how to process any of it. A feeling only furthered when he reached out a hand briefly before pulling it back, allowing her to see it too was changing, tipped now with dagger-sharp claws.
His tearful words tore into her, making it feel as though they were wrapping around and squeezing her soul like a vice. It was clear he didn't know how to communicate what was happening to him either, or simply couldn't bear to, but clearer still was the fact that he was suffering. That fact was all she could afford to focus on right now. Her confusion and shock be damned. He needed help, something was happening to him and it was hurting him. And she certainly couldn't give him much of that while he was a twisted knot of bones on the floor.
His actions just moments before indicated that he likely did not want to be touched, but she saw no other way to move him otherwise. He was no state right now to get up and walk on his own, so she supposed she may just have to risk him being a bit sour at her for it, if it meant she could figure out what was happening to him. So after taking as much of a steadying breath as she could, she gently moved her paws so that they began to tuck under his shaking, agonized form.
"Sans, I-I am going to pick you up now okay? I am going to move you to the couch." She said in a trembling voice, gentle but with just a hint of firmness to it as well. "W-we can talk about it there."
(Sans)
That look. That look in her eyes. The shock... the worry... the concern... it tore through him, sinking his soul. He looked away, feeling defeated. Why did he have to drag her into his life? With luck, after this, she will see that having such a close friendship with him is a horrible idea. Maybe she will still want to be friends... but perhaps it would be best if they weren't.
He just had to develop feelings for her. He squeezed his eye sockets shut as another wave a pain traveled through his skull. Knowing what was coming soon, he used his revealed hand to pull the hood down further, hoping to block her view. Upon hearing her voice, he found within his soul some strength from what little hope her tone offered. As much as he wanted to continue tearing at himself internally over what pain he had caused her, he was too tired. That firmness in her voice was like a piece of driftwood for him to cling to.
Still, the idea of being touched caused his body to shiver more, adding rattling to the already painful noises his body was making. As soft and gentle her paws may be, and as much comfort he may feel, there was still going to be pain. But then again, his own bones hurt where they touched each other already, and the floor hurt as well. Not wanting her to worry, as he knew he would flinch the moment she touched him, he decided to make sure she was aware he was accepting of her plan.
"o-okay," he offered, hoping his verbal agreement to her actions would offer her some comfort.
He didn't want to whine but the sound came out anyway with the word. With his magic now split between him and this beast-like self, he will have to accept more embarrassing things like that are bound to happen.
(Toriel)
It was the approval she'd been seeking, but the shaky way he gave it along with the pained whine that came with it clawed at her soul again. For him to agree so quickly must mean he was truly suffering. Fear was beginning to grip him too, as noisy rattling added to the terrible symphony of sounds coming from his changing form. Noting that with another pang in her soul, she gave him a nod in response, fighting to keep as calm as possible.
Slowly, she slid her arms under him, feeling him flinch the moment her paws touched him. She kept with it regardless, but kept her movements as soft as she could. Then, she gathered him gently into her arms, feeling the full severity of the painful sensations wracking him. His bones were shifting unnaturally, each pop and crack causing another fierce wave of pain to overtake him. It made the task of keeping her mind focused far more difficult, panic wanting so badly to sink its claws into her.
She cradled him, keeping him swaddled somewhat in the blanket and willing her composure to hold out. She moved quickly, but mindfully, over to the nearby couch, knowing that being carried like this likely only made the pain he was in worse. Once she reached it, she sank carefully to her knees beside it and gently laid him on the cushions. As she did though, his tail briefly got caught up underneath him and she gently guided it away, not wanting him to have to lay on it.
Touching it, however briefly, feeling the way it reacted to her touch, made it all the more real to her, and her soul did another confused, anxious flip flop inside her chest. Once he was settled there, she was unsure what to do next, panicked options flooding her mind. Quickly though, she spoke again, praying to the stars he could manage an answer.
"Sans, what is happening to you?" She asked once more, able to keep her voice a bit more even. "Do I need to call Papyrus... or even Alphys maybe? Is your life in danger?"
(Sans)
Every movement hurt, but it ultimately felt better than being on the hard floor. The house may have carpet, but carpet only provides so much padding, especially to sore, shifting, cracking joints. He barely noticed as his tail, reacting to his need for comfort, wrapped around her wrist when touched, as if begging her to stay there.
The rest of him tried to close himself off. The couch cushions cradled him enough to be more comfortable, and most of the change was now over. But he could feel the last of it coming and he buried his face into the couch cushions, while withdrawing into the blanket as much as he could. He could hear how upset her voice was, even though, as she continued talking, she tried to hide it. Any and all ways to get her to know he was alright had failed so far. He took a deep breath, ready to try again as he hoped his voice would come out somewhat steady though muffled.
"it's okay, i-i’ll be okay... this... this happens now and then."
There were two last loud snaps as the last wave of pain flooded his senses. He thought he yelped, but he wasn't sure; all he heard then was the sad whimper that followed. He was unaware of his tail tightening its grip on Toriel's wrist. At least it was over, now that his bottom jaw was split and there was the split running up from his nasal cavity to between his eyes. He tried to sound better than before, but his voice was quivering like a leaf and strained at best.
"s-see... it's o-over, n-now. j-just n-need to rest. y-you don't n-need t-to stay... p-p-pap will b-be home soon..." He finally dared to look up at her the best he could through the tears in his sockets.
His weak attempt at a reassuring smile was called out by the soft whines he still made with each exhale.
(Toriel)
When his skull let out those two violent cracks and he cried out in pain, Toriel's soul cried out right along with him, only worsening when he laid there openly whimpering afterwards. She felt his tail wrapping in an almost desperate manner around her wrist, as though clinging to her in a way that he would not allow himself to do otherwise. By some sort of instinct, she lightly wrapped a few fingers around it, brushing her thumb gently over the bony ridges.
He didn't seem aware of his new limb's actions as he managed to speak to her again. His claims that whatever was happening was over seemed to be somewhat believable, as the worst of the terrible sounds escaping him finally stopped. And it was enough for the worst of her panic to ease. But to hear him try to dismiss her, after all that, she just wouldn't stand for it, and it did sting a bit to hear.
The way his tail was so tightly clinging to her though, nearly pleading her not to even back up, much less leave him, seemed to communicate how he truly felt about the situation. His tearful sockets bore into her, and she thought she saw some of that plea in them as well. But all that could hardly distract her from taking in his changed appearance. His muzzle was longer, almost beast like, like her own, and a long crack ran from his once small nasal cavity to the space between his sockets. His jaw was split as well, accommodating for its new length and his whole skull was now adorned with new ridges.
For a moment, she could only stare, feeling faintly ill for all the confusion and sympathy she felt for him. But then she forced herself to snap out of it, hardening her gaze just a bit and running her thumb lightly over his tail again.
"Sans, I am not going to leave you like this." She said, before slowly, lightly slipping her free arm around his quivering form and pulling him just a little closer. "Whatever... just happened. It has clearly hurt you. I will not force you to tell me what is going on right now, but I will not leave you alone, I know you do not truly want that."
Her tone grew more pained, and she met his gaze with a plea of her own. "Please Sans, let me help you. Tell me what I can do."
(Sans)
He was startled by her hardened gaze and his will to fight her on this decreased. As much as he didn't want to trouble her, he didn't have the energy to convince her. He felt himself pulled closer to her and was torn between resisting or leaning into her. He settled for just lying there passively. He listened to her, finding comfort from her affirming that she won't leave him, but he also felt guilt that continued to dig at him. Opening the door was a mistake... but he couldn't just leave her out there, staring at the door like they were in the Underground again.
Another shiver traveled through him at that thought. Of her just standing outside feeling helpless to do anything for him. That was something that he would regret more than this, at least now there was one less secret between them. He took a shuddering breath and sighed.
He didn't know what she could do other than just be herself. In that quiet moment he noticed a soothing feeling and finally noticed his tail.
His hatred of that thing returned and he started to reach for it until he noticed Tori's thumb lightly running over it was the source of what he felt. Again, he looked up at her feeling a mess of mixed up emotions. He struggled to get words out through his conflicted and tired magic, and his voice reflected that as he barely croaked, "i don't know."
(Toriel)
Those quiet, strained words from him did little to ease her worries, but did promptly remind her of one thing. Sans was exhausted, thoroughly. Hardly surprising given what had just happened to him. More than anything right now, he needed to rest. The fact he'd allowed his tail to remain in place on her wrist even after noticing it was a relief, as it least allowed her to feel as though she were doing something to offer him comfort.
She kept it up, making the motions more rhythmic as her paws stopped their slight shaking. Still, she couldn't be sure if his allowance of the act was a good or bad sign in the long run. She softened her gaze again, willing it to be comforting, gentle, now that she was fairly certain he would not to try to make her leave again. Options as what to do spun about in her head for a few moments more, before she reached with her free paw to grab a pillow from the couch and gently eased it under his misshapen skull as much as she could manage.
Then she tucked the blankets more snugly around him, leaving only his tail free so it could remain wrapped around her wrist. She ended the task by rewrapping her arm around him and resting her paw on his back.
"How about this then." She crooned, softening her tone as well. "I will stay here until you can get to sleep... if you think you can manage that right now." She began moving the paw on his back in slow, tender circles, watching carefully to gauge his reaction. "Are you still in a lot of pain?"
(Sans)
Sans rested his head on the pillow as she tucked him in. It was a nice feeling but he still was struggling to just let himself relax. He didn't like worrying her, and he could tell she was. This was something that had happened since he was young. As much as he hated it, it just is. Was she going to worry each time? Part of him wanted to try again, to convince her to leave and not get wrapped up in this cycle of pain he is trapped in.
But... Tori is Tori. She had surrendered her title for not only strangers, but humans, and a chance to save them. So, what chance did he have to make her change her mind on him? His sockets started to tear up again as he watched her, wondering how he managed the luck to meet a friend like her with such a sense of humor. His tail tightened its grip on her again, but this time he was aware of it.
When her arm moved around him again, he just watched her, silent, unsure if he could make a sound. Her voice broke the silence and his thoughts. Sleep generally wasn't too hard for him, but right now his magic still felt off, and he couldn't. He considered saying something about that when he felt the circles being pet onto his back. His smile relaxed at that and some of the tension he felt eased away.
"no. well, uh, i'm a bit sore from it all but it's fading," he still sounded weak, but there was some peace to his voice now as he spoke.
As Tori continued to move her hand in those circles, and Sans relaxed, he started making a soft sound without really thinking about it. It was a rumble almost like a cat's purr but deeper in pitch. Once he noticed it, though, it stopped and he couldn’t help but feel his magic flush into his face with embarrassment. He watched Tori, wondering if she had heard that or if it had somehow been soft enough not to be detected by Tori's ears.
(Toriel)
Relief eased some of the fretful tension that had been present in her own body as she watched him relax under her touch, rather than flinch from it as he had before. That relief was furthered by his words, and the fact that his tone seemed to to be closer to his usual voice, if still rather weak. There were still tears shining in his sockets though, but she can't quite place the reason. Nonetheless, his relaxing in front of her reassured her of one thing, that when he said this "happened sometimes" it likely meant it was something he was used to and was not as horrifying an event as she had feared.
Still, to know he endured such terrible pain on a regular enough basis like this... A pulse of emotion shot through her at that, and when his tail tightened its grip on her again, she lightly squeezed back in response. She kept on gently rubbing his back, noting absently that he had dodged the first question, but supposing that itself was enough of an answer in his case. He wasn't going to be able to sleep, not for a little while at least. It was more than understandable that he was shaken up by the event, quite literally in some respects. She tried not to stare at his transformed face, attempting to ensure her eyes remained locked to his gaze or down at the couch cushions rather than let them wander.
She was about to reply to him, when a sudden soft sound began to escape him again. But this one was... not unpleasant like before. Odd, but not unpleasant. It almost sounded like a cat's purr, or a deeper version of one of her own, and it made his whole body vibrate lightly, down to the tip of his tail. Plus, the contented expression that crossed his misshapen features only added credence to her theory. But could it really be that he was...? He abruptly cut off the sound, and the light blush that appeared on his face seemed like answer enough. He had been purring... that combined with his more animalistic features and the tail... her mind spun with a million questions at once, but she held to her promise not to press him on the issue right then.
Despite it all, a bit of a smile appeared on her face, though it was still hesitant.
"Hmm... I take it that... that means you are enjoying this?" She asked, pointedly sweeping her paw in a bit of a larger circle across his transformed, unfamiliar back.
There was perhaps the slightest bit of teasing entering her voice, laced with a questioning tone.
(Sans)
The feeling of magic flushing his face increased as she smiled. He was fairly sure she heard the purr, and, after what she said, he knew for sure. He looked away, mind racing on what to say to maybe get some of the attention off of what he just did. Not that he didn't like Tori's attention on him. But, having it when he was like... this, especially if it were for something that could make this form positive, he was uncomfortable with. He didn't like being like this, and wasn't sure he wanted to find anything good about it.
Before he could get far into those thoughts though, her paw started making larger circles and the rumbling purr started up again reflexively. It just felt too good and calming to not give into that instinct. This time it was louder and clearer. He looked back at Toriel, sure that blush had practically covered most of his beast-like face. Well, there was no use hiding it or trying to change the topic, so he might as well just roll with it.
He smiled, though sensing some awkwardness in it, "that could be a purrsibility." Hopefully the pun would release the tension he was feeling and maybe get her to laugh.
(Toriel)
When he blushed further at her words, her smile increased along with it, just a bit. She didn't want to embarrass him too badly after going through something so awful. Still, she couldn't deny that it was... cute. It would probably be more so if she knew what the hell had happened to him, or was fully assured of his wellbeing, but she couldn't deny it was endearing. It seemed this new form he'd taken on came with quite a few quirks along with his changed appearance. Her now more confident attempts at comforting him were continuing to work too, as the purring sound started up again even with the clear embarrassment still evident on his face. The light blue color now totally spread across his misshapen features, making his transformed face not seem quite as alien as it had at first.
His little quip that he fired back was so unexpected that it summoned out a soft giggle from her, despite everything, giving his tail a little reactionary squeeze along with it. If he was still in good enough spirits to make jokes, it was a good sign that he was doing much better than she thought. She allowed the smile to remain on her face, though concern still kept it from growing any stronger.
"Well then I am happy to hear it." She said, sweeping her paw slowly up and down the length of his spine then, now sure he was okay with it. "You know I always love to hear your purrsonal flavor of puns, my friend. Even in situations like this..."
She paused, feeling her relief at it all and the receding adrenaline bring some tears to her own eyes.
"Oh, Sans... I am just so glad you are okay..." She murmured, a little breathlessly, and with a shakier smile as she gripped his tail a little tighter between her fingers.
(Sans)
The squeeze on his tail felt so reassuring. Tori was taking this far better than he would have hoped. Even still, he could see her smile wasn't its full size. He just wanted her to be happy and not be bothered with his issues. A pang of sorrow at this caused his soul to sink. Still, she seemed happier because he was acting happier. So, that's what he needed to do until she was finally like herself. What smile she did give, though, was enough for him to smile back. He loved her smile, and her giggles. He also found he loved the feeling of her paw sweeping down his back like that. In fact, he liked it so much his body leaned into it and the purr increased in volume. The feeling of embarrassment slowly faded as contentment took over, with him knowing that she seemed to enjoy this reaction.
Her pun caused a soft chuckle from him and he started to think of a nice reply to offer her to hopefully get a stronger giggle, or maybe even a laugh. She was still thinking about what had happened and he wanted to distract her from it like her kindness was helping him. But that thought didn't sound finished and he looked at her. He saw her tears and the purring stopped as he worried he had done something wrong or maybe what all had happened had finally caught up... Listening to her words he looked at her a moment before deciding to put on his usual smile. It looked odd with his muzzle, so hopefully she won’t see through it.
"yeah, tori. this has been happening since i was young. kinda... not fun, heh, but i'm okay," he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, but upon seeing his own hand he hesitated.
He didn't want to possibly hurt her... or comfort her with that. He pulled it back and tried to act like he was only trying to reposition himself.
(Toriel)
She blinked back the offending moisture in her eyes, irritated with herself for letting it happen. The last thing Sans needed to worry about right now was comforting her when he was the one who had just gone through... stars she could be so selfish sometimes. He had been looking so much happier and then she had to spoil it by being so reactionary... as usual. She forced her smile back into place to match his own, pulling back her paw briefly to sweep it over her eyes again. It only took a pass or two for the tears to stop, throttled by her anger at herself. With that, she was able to work up a more believable smile, one that only faltered a bit when he spoke again.
By the stars... he'd been living with this all his life? Ever since he was a child? Imagining a child enduring such a painful transformation... it made her soul clench up inside her and she had to fight to keep her smile from falling too much as she offered him a simple nod of understanding in reply. She was distracted from that thought by the sight of him trying to flash his usual grin at her, though it looked rather odd on his misshapen features. It was still enough to quiet her soul a bit, even if she knew it was likely nearly fake as her own smile. He reached out his clawed, transformed hand to lay against her shoulder briefly, before pulling it back quickly. She caught the flash of self hatred in his eyelights as he did so and her soul gave another pang for him, realizing just how much he must hate being like this.
In an effort to assuage those feelings a bit and refocus her thoughts back where they belonged, she reached out her free paw again and laid it against his side.
"Oh Sans, do not be ashamed dear." She implored, meeting his eyelights again. "I know you must... not like being this way, especially with how painful the process was for you... but, this form... it is still you, is it not? It is... part of you. I am not afraid or unnerved by it, I promise."
In an effort to prove that, she moved her paw to offer it to him, palm up and silently indicated to the clawed hand he was hiding.
"May I... see?" She asked, voice gentle.
(Sans)
Watching her force back the tears to put on a smile reminded him of how much she was like him in a way. They were both hurt in their own way, and knew it; yet, they both put on a fake smile for eachother. Seemed silly, but he knew why he wore his. He didn't want to burden Tori with his problems because she has been through so much already. So much... years, upon years... far longer than he has lived. His pain, while physical, couldn’t be that different than her emotional…
Granted, he didn’t know everything she lived through, his pain from being this thing, and that timeline nonsense…, and dad…. He might know his, but looking at Tori he sees that same hidden pain he sees in himself. He just wanted to see her happy without it lurking in the background. So, when his words didn't help, and her smile fell, even a little, he felt a pain of failure. All he had done today is cause her more pain.
He caught himself from commenting about not feeling ashamed. The way he felt about this shape is past ashamed,but he doubted that would help. Tori didn't need to hear about how much he hated everything about this... thing he was. 'Not like being this way' is more than an understatement. He really didn't like her seeing this face, or even that horrible thing wrapped around her wrist. Thinking of it, he glanced at the tail again, loathing that it existed and was attached to his body... or was even touching Tori.
Right now she was waiting, paw extended to him and offering to take his... 'hand.' He felt a shiver start as he looked between the offered paw and to Tori's face. He feared seeing how she would react to seeing him and seeing the same rejection in her eyes that he felt for himself. But he didn't want to just turn her down with a 'no.' His mind quickly turned to the answer he usually had, deflect with a joke and laziness.
"uh, heh, as handsome as i'm sure you'll find it, i just can't knuckle down to move again. just pawsitively tired," he offered those puns up, hoping that'd do they trick.
It was bad enough she had to see that tail and his skull... she didn't have to see more.
(Toriel)
She understood the jokes he shot her way were a kind, gentle way of denying her request, as well as simply an indulgence of his usual methods of deflection. The reasons behind that reflected in the light of his eyes and the shivering that overtook his body once the question had left her. It made her feel a harsh twinge of guilt for upsetting him to that level, and admittedly, another little sting of rejection. Clearly he was even more self conscious and hateful of this other form of his than she had expected. She hoped at least the meaning behind her offer had sunk in a bit, even if he wouldn't accept them just yet.
The jokes still brought a light giggle to her regardless, just able to penetrate her more negative emotions. She pulled back the paw she'd been holding out to him to cover her mouth as she did so. But once the spike of joviality left her, her expression softened into something more apologetic.
"Clever as always, my friend." She said, tone a bit heavier than it probably should be. "I apologize, I hope I did not make you uncomfortable. You do not have to show me anything more if you do not wish to, of course. I should have not have asked such a thing." She paused, eyes growing a bit hazy before she shook herself and smiled again.
An idea of what to ask instead came to her then, some other way she could feel like she was doing something constructive. She gave his his tail another gentle rub between her fingers, finding the action rather soothing herself now, and happy he at least allowed her to continue with that for the moment.
"Would you like me to get you anything, my friend? Some water or... maybe even ketchup in your case?" She asked, a more fond smile crossing her face. "I also brought you both some pie, if you feel up to eating."
(Sans)
Hearing the giggle brightened his mood and he smiled when she covered her mouth. He had been able to get her to sound and look happier than she had been since he opened the door. He couldn't help but smile at the praise. Though her tone was not as happy as he would have liked. He just wished that air of apology wasn't there, but he understood why when she finally apologized.
With a sigh he tried to shrug a little before saying softly, "s'okay, tori, really."
Perhaps he should have been brave and showed his hand to her after all, but still... if she... It's hard enough looking at himself.... And... this wasn’t even a full change. He felt a small tremble travel through him, hoping Tori never sees him fully changed. He couldn't... He felt his smile slip but he struggled through, not wanting Tori to worry anymore than she already was. The feeling of her rubbing his tail had helped him stay strong. In response the end of the tail did a slow, calm wag, rubbing against her.
At the thought of food he chuckled. Yeah, he was hungry.
"pie sounds good... or any food, really. the... 'process' of changing takes a lot of energy..."
The more he thought about it the hungrier he was. How he failed to notice this before was beyond him. He smiled back at her, and he noticed the scent of the pie, and it smelled great.
(Toriel)
His reassurance did give her some relief, believing at least that he was not upset with her for her tactless request. Still, she could see the lingering pain and fear in his eyelights, directed no doubt at himself and potential scenarios he was conjuring in his mind. When she rubbed his tail again though, it seemed to relax him a bit once more and she smiled more genuinely when it even gave a little happy wag. This form of his had both cat like and dog like quirks it seemed. She made a mental note of that, but decided not to call further attention to it, not even for any playful teasing.
Clearly there was a deeper risk of hurting him with those sorts of words than she previously considered. Still, she found it hard to bring herself to gently free her wrist from his tail, knowing he'd likely not allow it to reattach to her that way again. But if she were to fetch him and herself any pie, she couldn't very well drag it along with her. So once she carefully unwrapped it, she laid it back down at his side before giving him another slow, especially gentle stroke over the transformed hills and valleys of his side.
"Very well then, I will go cut us both a piece. You wait here and continue to rest." She murmured, before slowly standing up.
Then a more playful, almost mischievous tone entered her voice as she walked over to get the pie she'd left on the side table.
"I think we can break the rules a bit and eat dessert first for once. And on the couch no less! We should probably not tell your brother though. He may not be very hap-pie with us if he finds out."
With that, she carried the pastry into the brothers' kitchen, happy to find it was still pleasantly warm beneath the protective covering, and retained it's wonderfully sweet scent. Borrowing a knife, two forks and two plates from Papyrus' well organized kitchen setup, she cut them both a decently sized slice of pie and then returned to the couch. She carefully sat down beside him, not wanting to jostle him with her notable weight hitting the cushions next to his likely sore skull. Once settled though, she moved to offer him his plate but then stopped, eyeing him with a hint of concern again.
"Do you think you can sit up, my friend?" She asked, setting her own plate in her lap in order to free a paw to help with the task if need be.
(Sans)
Sans watched as Tori freed herself from his tail. He had loosened his grip but it seemed to still act on its own and make her do the work verses releasing her. He stared at it for a moment after she set it down. His body tensing as he did. His thoughts almost turned dark before Tori’s paw moved over his side. Her stroke brought some peace to him and he sighed, a soft rumble of a purr with it.
“ok,” resting was a request he could always easily follow.
He closed his sockets as he listened to her playful tone of voice. He liked hearing that. It was good to know she was feeling good enough to be playful.
“we have a while longer, his class isn’t out yet. so, this disregard for the rules of eating will stay between us. seems a shame though, that papierus will be missing out on this chance,” he replied, happy for that pun break.
As she entered the kitchen, his tail just had to playfully flip while moving closer to him. He had held himself back before, but he couldn’t anymore. Like the predatory creature he was, he pounced on it, though his right hand was tangled in the blanket, causing only his left to hold it down. As it thrashed under his sharp hold, his anger being the cause of that behavior, he grabbed it in his jaw. He held onto it until he remembered Tori was coming back. She didn’t show the same disgust he had for it, and he feared she would be upset seeing him like this... considering before... If his eye socket tearing up from the waves of pain indicated anything, he had done some damage to it. She couldn't see this... he hastily shoved the limb under himself, but not into the blanket cocoon.
He pulled his arm back into the blanket as she returned, and smiled at her. He saw the concern again and he worried she saw some indications something was possibly wrong. Her words eased that stress away. Though it did mean he would need to sit up while still keeping his tail hidden.
“sure,” he said as he started to move, was mindful of her angle as he tried to keep the tail as hidden as possible.
It hurt as he put more of his weight on it, but not severe enough to keep him from doing so. While moving, he shifted over a little to make sure the small spot made by magic seeping from the small wound on his tail, a drop or two most likely, onto the couch was hidden. He didn't think there was any on the blanket, so he tried to to worry about that. He did offer her a smile once situated.
(Toriel)
Toriel was glad to see he still had the strength to sit up, though she didn't miss the flash of pain in his eyelights as he did so. It was sharper than she expected and she wondered if he was lying about merely being sore at this point. He was almost certainly keeping that cute little tail of his hidden now too, which admittedly made her a bit disappointed. She had grown to enjoy the sight and little quirks of it. She considered saying something, but decided it could at least wait until they both had their pie. He did say he was hungry after all.
So once he had sat up, she handed him his plate, but paused again, trying to figure out where exactly his "lap" was in this new form. She considered simply letting him hold the plate, but then she remembered how uneasy he was about her seeing his transformed hands. And they likely would not be as deft at operating something like a fork. Would he simply snap up the whole thing in his jaws in one bite?
With everything else in mind that could very well end up being the most viable option. By this point she felt a bit awkward just holding it there, indulging her curiosities, and offered him something of an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, uh... How would you like to...?" She trailed off, not even sure how to finish that question without potentially sounding demeaning.
(Sans)
Sans noticed her hesitation and he understood why. He had a decision to make. It would be easy to just grab the pie slice up in his jaws and chomp it down. His teeth really weren’t meant for chewing like this. He didn’t want to do that though, it would feel like a crime if he was honest with himself. Her pies were meant to be enjoyed, not wolfed down without a chance for the flavor being acknowledged. But the only other option meant showing her his hands. They were currently stuck in a weird state of being either a hand or the forepaw of some four legged beast.
He listened as she trailed off and he offered her a weak grin. Decision made, he slowly freed his hands from the cocoon and took the plate with care. She wanted to see them, after all... handling a fork wouldn’t be easy, or eating off of one. But he had done it before.
“thanks, tori,” he said softly while offering a smile to show it was okay.
He understood her confusion, this was new to her and not easy to deal with.
“and don’t worry, ok? i know you’d never mean to upset me,” he added, hoping that she’d feel more free to speak her mind.
(Toriel)
She smiled when he took the plate, glad he made the decision before she made an even bigger fool of herself. The fact he could smile while doing it, even weakly so, was a reassurance too, far better a reaction than his anxious trembling before. She only allowed herself a brief glance at his transformed hands before looking back to her own plate, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. From what she glimpsed, they seemed to be a mixture of an animal's paw and his usual hand, existing somewhere between the two. That thought made a more worrying one briefly cross her mind, wondering if it was indeed a "half-way" point, did that mean that there was a... more complete version?
The idea dissipated quickly though, as she remembered he had assured her his ordeal was over. It was harder than before to force down all her questions, but his assurance to her that he offered after taking the plate was enough to distract her again. It even brought a comforting, warm feeling to her soul that worked its way into her smile too.
"You are most welcome." She said, red eyes soft. "And I appreciate that, my friend. But still, if I do say or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, even if I do not intend it, do not be afraid to let me know, alright? I... I want to be here for you through this, not add any further stress to your situation."
The words came out a bit more weighty and affectionate than she intended, and a light blush burned at her cheeks briefly. She quickly turned her attention back to her pie slice, taking a bite to distract herself and hopefully hide any potential pink color coloring the tips of her long ears.
(Sans)
Sans silently stared at his pie in thought. There was so much he wanted to say, but so much of it could hurt her.
“alright,” he said, looking up at her, “but only if you do the same... tori, i...,” he looked back at the pie. “i’ve never had a... friend like you before. pap and i... we just always handled it ourselves since we figured it would...”
He sighed and looked back at her, “well, i felt no one else should have to see this... thing.” He closed his eye sockets to calm his thoughts so he could get to the point, “basically, i tend to push others away because i believe it’s for their own good. and if i say or do something that hurts you... let me know.”
He didn’t know for sure, but he was just inclined to believe her continual distress from earlier was from his insistence of her leaving. Based on her reminders that she was staying with him to help, it seemed to be on her mind still. He... loved her too much to hurt her like that.
(Toriel)
She gained the will to meet his gaze again as he began his reply, chewing her bite of pie thoughtfully. His thoughtful words, surprisingly open in their display of his feelings, may not have helped her get the flustered feelings within her soul to quiet down, but they did add to the growing warmth inside her. To hear such things from him... meant a lot. Especially considering he, as he had admitted, tended to shut out her and others during his times of struggle. Now she knew one more reason as to why. But his willingness to be a bit more open about it now was a good sign, and one she dearly appreciated.
She considered her response for a few moments, wanting to ensure her words were more thought out this time. "Very well." She began, in regards to his last request. "I will honor that, Sans, thank you." She knew to truly to hold to that, she needed to be honest about how she was feeling too. Almost subconsciously, but not quite totally so, she shifted just a bit closer to him, just enough that their sides lightly touched.
"I understand why you would be afraid of letting me and the others know about this. But to speak for myself at least, it is much more painful for me when you shut you me out to try to spare my feelings. I would much rather endure some heartache in the midst of helping you than to have to watch you suffer from afar. Being unable to help others... to offer them my help... I feel that would cause me more pain than anything else. My biggest vice may very well be my tendency to worry too much." She paused then, realizing she may have been a bit too long winded with that. She had a bad habit of going off on wordy tangents from time to time, perhaps a lingering quirk from her days as Queen.
Mindfully, she went on in a lighter tone, letting warmth enter her voice again along with it. "Sorry, I do not intend to chastise you or anything, my friend. I meant what I said before when I told you that you should only share what you are comfortable with. But just know that no matter what you tell me or show me. I will not turn away from you, I promise. You are my dearest friend Sans, I owe you that much for all you have done for me."
(Sans)
When their sides touched his soul did something he wasn't sure he could explain. Trying to take his mind off of his mixed up emotions he focused his sight on his pie. His depleted magic reminded him that he was still hungry and that this pie wasn't going to eat itself. But holding a fork takes some concentration, and Tori's heart filled speech wasn't allowing for that. Still, he started to pick up his fork but his hand began to tremble again as tears blurred his vision. "heh, you've...," he looked her in the eyes, "got a big heart. i hate to be a cause of ache for it... but i'd never want to break it. if being a source of ache will save you from more pain, then i guess..."
He let out a shuddering sigh. He knew she didn't mind the tail, and considering what she just said, he figured hiding what happened would only hurt her more in the long run. His voice strained, "i'm sorry, for all the pain." His tail moved out from under himself and moved over to Tori. The chips his fangs had made had stopped any seeping of magic and were small, but noticeable.
He didn't want to see her react, so he looked at the pie again trying to get a piece on the fork, looking like a child still learning how to eat properly. Yet, he did it then got piece in his mouth by scraping it off the fork against his fangs, as he obviously lacked lips or a tongue, and like this, the flat incisors that normally did the job.
(Toriel)
His reaction to her words was a little painful to witness, especially with the tears she could see brimming in his sockets. But she could tell that he had accepted her words rather well, even if his instinct was to immediately dive into self loathing a bit again. She reminded herself though that this was to be expected in his case, and it was still quite meaningful for him to apologize this way despite that. He had taken a small, but notable step with those words, even if he didn't realize it.
She offered a warm, hopefully comforting smile. His tail settled against her again, a little act that made her smile grow stronger, but she let it be for the moment as she replied.
"Do not worry about it, my friend. No pain that comes with helping you with things like this could ever hope to measure up to all the joy you have brought me. And it is more than worth enduring it, if it means I can help you feel better as well." She assured him, only then reaching out to gently cup his tail in her paw, holding it as Sans took an awkward, clumsy bite of pie.
It was clearly not an easy task for him but he managed well enough and she turned her attention back to his tail. As she did, she noticed how stiff it was. At first, she assumed that was just due to his nervousness in presenting it to her again. But then she actually got a good look at it, and felt a spark of concern grip her. There were a few small marks in the tail, stained a bit in a way that showed they had been leaking magic. Those had certainly not been there before...
"Oh Sans, what happened to your tail?" She asked, trying not to sound too worried.
Her paws almost immediately began to glow with a soft green healing magic, and she started lightly running her paw over the marks. As she did so, she couldn't help but think they looked a bit like... bite marks? She didn't want to ask that though, fearing it might be a misguided assumption to make.
(Sans)
Sans felt the warmth of her healing magic and guilt started to tear at him. He should have known she would have worried about healing his wounds, even though there was no point. The thing about having your body shred itself to reform into something else, is it makes you oddly durable.
"y-you don't have to worry about healing it," he said weakly, "it'll b-be fine when i... change back."
His body started to shiver, mixing with the slight tremble he already had. He wasn't sure how to say what happened to his tail. He wasn't going to lie about it because this isn't the first time; nor, will it be the last. If she was as committed as she said, and he had no reason to doubt her, at one point or another she will see that. And there was no point not saying anything, she's smart enough to understand his silence. So he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He could let her guess, or continue this series of honesty. Maybe this could be the last thing for the day... before changing back. It just felt like so much. Normally he would eat then curl up in a ball of misery. Opening up about all of this had been exhausting in more ways than one. Though, he had to admit, this was nicer than the usual. Unable to properly hold the fork anymore he set it on the plate; which he then held with both his hands to make sure he didn't lose his grip.
"i-i happened t-to it," he finally croaked out, "i j-just... d-don't like it."
He broke his concentration on the pie to offer Tori an apologetic look.
(Toriel)
The way he trembled in response to her question made her soul ache a bit for him, but she heeded his words and reluctantly cut off the flow of green magic. She could see he was struggling to come up with an explanation, and a terrible guilt burned in his eyelights. When he finally did give his explanation though, it reaffirmed her earlier suspicions and she glanced down at the now fainter marks with a small frown. He really had bitten his own tail.
Not picked at it or swatted it away, but bit it. It made her realize how much deeper the animalistic instincts must be for him in this form. All she really could feel was sympathy on his behalf, and gave the tail a tender little rub in response with her paw, sure to avoid the sore spots.
"I see... I am sorry dear. That must be very frustrating for you." She said, deciding then to gently slip an arm around him, to hopefully soothe his shivering a bit. She did it in a way that invited him to lean against her, but did not force it, the touch light enough to easily be brushed off if he wished.
She gave his arm slow a rub like she did his tail, hopefully in a way he'd find reassuring. Looking at him again, she could see terrible exhaustion in his eyelights, making them seem to waver slightly in the darkness of his eye sockets. Exhaustion that was certainly only exacerbated by all her prying, even if it was likely still beneficial to them both in the long run. She lowered her voice to something gentler, continuing to work her paws slowly over his tail and shoulder as she spoke and leaving her plate resting in her lap.
"How about we both finish our pie and then just relax for a while? maybe lie down and try to rest again. I think you need it, my friend." She observed with a sympathetic smile. "I am guessing there is still some time before you... change back, yes?"
A bit of nervousness crept into her voice again with those words, hoping it would not be as agonizing a process for him as the initial transformation had been.
(Sans)
As she gave the tail a rub it again started to wrap around her wrist as it displayed his feelings of insecurity. Sans didn't know what to say or do and just shrugged to the apology. He felt her arm move around him and tensed up at first. He had so much self hate for this... shape, that the notion that anyone would want to be that close to him right now just confused him. It caused the his shaking to worsen... and yet... a part of him felt starved for suchf contact.
Upon understanding the invitation, he closed his eye sockets and he leaned against her. It felt safe and yet he couldn't help but feel horrible about it. The arm and tail rub were reassuring, and a strained purr did start to let her know. She seemed surprised to see him, but not... disgusted. He could say she did looked shocked at times but not scared, or, at least, scared of him. But how would she react if she saw the full thing and not just this small part? With luck, she never would.
He didn't know if he could speak, feeling as though he had no voice. So he just nodded to both of her questions and looked at his pie again. Resting before his body changed back would be nice. And he really wanted to finish the pie. While still leaning against her, he tried to pick back up his fork. He found it more of a struggle then before, as his thumb was no longer ideal for holding things.
With a sigh, he figured he would need to change up his eating plan. He moved the plate closer to his mouth and took a bite, finding that easier then using a tool with his shaky hands. Not that holding the plate was that easy right now either, but with both hands holding it at once, it was a little better. He looked over at Toriel, hoping that she saw that as another approval of her suggestion. Knowing he will soon have a chance to rest increased his feeling of needing to sleep, and he was really starting to feel the full force of his exhaustion.
(Toriel)
She was quite relieved when he showed signs of accepting her attempts to comfort him. First with the subconscious act of his tail re-wrapping itself around her wrist, an act she reciprocated in part, by lightly wrapping her own fingers around it in return as though it were his hand she were holding. Then with him accepting her silent invitation and leaning against her side. As he did though, she could sense his internal distress. He initially shook harder at her touch, rather than be soothed by it, and she could sense he felt badly about allowing himself to accept her comfort.
She didn't fully understand why he hated this form... to the point it would warrant such heavy self-disgust. Hating the painful process it took to turn into it, that was understandable. But hating this form itself, what was so awful about it? Sure it came with a bit more... feral instincts attached it seemed, and limbs that were difficult to manage. But that didn't seem enough to justify the depths of his loathing for it. Surely he didn't simply think himself ugly? His new form was a fair departure from his normal appearance and a bit rough around the edges, yes, but there was nothing that undesirable about it.
She found it... somewhat cute even, making him look a little more like one of her own species. But if he truly hated it this much, there was probably something deeper to it all, and that was simply something she'd have to wait and see if he'd be willing to share another day.
For now at least, she simply took comfort in the idea that he was accepting her comfort, however little it actually did to ease his troubled mind. She wasn't surprised when he didn't give any sort of verbal reply to any of her words, practically feeling the exhaustion draining him more and more by the moment.
Sparing energy to address such heavy questions was likely a non option to him at this point. She was also not surprised when he gave up on the fork and took a bite of the pie in a way that far better suited his current form. It also seemed to serve as his way of showing his agreement with her proposal, and she offered him a warm smile to show her understanding. In that moment, she also came up with an idea to hopefully cheer him up a bit.
She picked up her plate again with her semi-free paw, still happily allowing his tail to remain wrapped around her wrist as she did so.
"I imagine that is a much easier way of eating in your case." She said, in a more jovial tone. "I think I will give it a pie as well.“ With that, she brought the plate up to her own muzzle just as he did and took a wonderfully undignified bite out of the dessert.
She offered him a playful smile as she chewed and shot him a wink, hoping it would prompt a laugh out of him, or maybe at least a smile.
(Sans)
Sans watched as Tori took a bite out of the pie in the same manner he did. That was something he never expected from her and it left him in a state of shock. His purring paused and his shivering quieted while he just sat there, staring at her. He didn't feel the magic spreading across his face as feelings for her started to stir stronger in his soul. But he did feel the sudden feeling of love washing over him, as that had to be among the cutest things he'd seen her do.
And... it was kind... It felt silly, like he was some animal, eating like he did. Then she mimicked the behavior, making him feel connected, or at least not alone. He was feeling so smitten, it took a moment for him to notice the playful smile on her face. He was sure she was hoping for more from him then a wide socket stare, so he smiled. With the smile came a chuckle, which was short, but... honest. Feeling less embarrassed by his own situation he went back to eating his own pie that way. His tail petting her arm like it did before in a content wag that he was unaware of.
The pie was so good that once he started eating without the fork or worry of how he might look, he finished it quickly. It also helped that he lacked the ability to chew so each bite was practically swallowed whole, with a few being broken down to smaller chunks with a chomp or two. It felt good having something in him to help restore his magic. With all that new magic within him, exhaustion took over and he yawned. As he did the two halves of his bottom jaw opened, then closed with a click as his mouth shut again. He looked over at Tori, and decided to wait until she was done before trying to rest. Until then, he opted to stay leaned against her. It was then he noticed he had stopped shivering. He wasn't sure when that had happened, but it was nice to have that over.
(Toriel)
His reaction was more than she could have wished for, and joy at her success in restoring some happiness in him flooded through her. That little smile and laugh felt more rewarding to get out of him now then perhaps ever before, and the sound of it practically made her soul sing. It also brought back that warmth again, the warmth of her love for him. And it was a warmth she dared to believe he shared in that moment, given the blush that covered his face and the deeply fond shining of his eyelights.
It was another moment where she almost dared to bring up the nature of their relationship again, a relationship they constantly danced around and he especially seemed avoidant of, despite showing in moments like these that he surely returned her feelings. But now was not the time for that, and she was able to push that thought away rather easily, happily trading it for the contentment that came with seeing some happiness on Sans' face again. When he polished off the rest of his pie, snapping it up into his jaws, he seemed far more confident in it, not showing the signs of the self-consciousness that he had before. And the wagging of his tail against her wrist only made her smile all the more.
On top of all that, his fitful shaking had finally ceased as well, leaving him seeming far more relaxed than before. She gave him a light squeeze with the arm still looped around his shoulders and then finished off her own pie as well, finding it sort of fun to eat it in such a silly manner. She licked her lips once she'd finished, ridding her face and exposed fangs of any lingering crumbs or filling.
Beside her, Sans let out a yawn, his jaws opening wide and the bottom of his transformed jaw opening and spreading out in a fascinating display before shutting closed again with a soft click. She again found it both intriguing and endearing, and then felt herself yawn a bit in response as well, hiding the action a bit by instinct with a paw. It was a good sign that they should both take it easy for a bit. Once it passed, she gently took the now empty plate from Sans and her own and set them aside on the small side table beside the couch. Then she turned back to him, considering what she was about to say carefully.
It might be a bit risky of her to offer, but given the fact he so clearly enjoyed the close contact and shows of comfort she'd been offering him, despite his self-hatred driving him to resist it, she figured it was worth proposing. She grabbed his pillow from before and set it in her lap before giving it a few meaningful pats.
“Come now, my friend, how about you lay down? I am sure you will be more comfortable this way.” She said, with a warm, inviting smile.
She also continued lightly rubbing his arm in a more purposeful manner, a silent sort of offer to keep doing the same in order to hopefully soothe him to sleep.
(Sans)
Seeing her eat like that was interesting, but when he saw her lick her lips he wondered if he had pie on his face. There was no real way for him to check, so he figured if he did, Tori would tell him. He let her take his plate and watched as she set them aside. He was figuring out where and how he wanted to sleep when he saw Tori put the pillow he used before on her lap. As she patted it, he felt his soul leap within him while at the same time his mind started to shut down as too many thoughts raced at once.
His tail tightened its grip as the wag also increased it's speed. More magic entered his face, as he looked up at Tori, trying to figure out if there was some other meaning than the one he thought she meant. When no other possible answer came to mind, he reclined with his head on the pillow. He looked up at Tori, seeing her from what felt like a whole new angle. It felt good and weird and as much as he wished it wasn't this... half form... getting this treatment, he wasn't about to turn it away. He sure hoped he wasn't taking advantage of this situation. He doubted it... but still, he felt so... happy right now.
...
He felt happy. He could hardly remember the last time he’d felt like this while in this half form. There was no way he could possibly repay her for all she had done today, but he could still make sure she knows. He smiled up at her, tail still subconsciously wagging as he spoke.
"thanks, tori... for everything." He looked away for a moment before looking back at her, his voice sounding more sober as he said, "really... thank you."
He decided to avoid the details for now as he smiled back up at her, wanting her to stay positive. She seemed so happy as well, he didn't want to ruin it by dragging her thoughts back to the darker things his mind often dwelled on. More thoughts went through his mind but they started to become scattered, incoherent even. He struggled to find some order to them only to notice his sockets were half closed and his vision was blurred. He yawned again, and then sleep quickly overtook him.
(Toriel)
It seemed her gamble had paid off, and she had been quite right in her assumptions of how he'd enjoy the offer. Even during his moment of hesitation, where that blush colored his face and his eyelights wavered with indecision, his tail wagged and squeezed her tight, showing his true eager approval of the idea. She could tell it had made him happy, happy enough that he allowed himself to accept it. Her soul swelled with elation when he laid down in her lap, and the warmth inside her spread out until it felt as though it had enveloped her whole body.
She met his gaze when he looked up at her, so glad to see the happy shine of his eyelights there. He looked more at ease than he had the entire time she'd been there, and the smile he offered matched that sentiment as well. She found that, despite what he likely thought, he wore a smile well in this other form. It was different, but still so sweet and so undeniably him. He kept up that smile as he thanked her, only letting it fall just a bit to ensure the weight of his thanks was properly communicated. It stirred up her soul all over again, so incredibly happy to hear that she had indeed made a difference by being here for him, and that he sincerely appreciated it.
She was happy to reply to his thanks with a soft and equally earnest "You are most welcome, my friend." Before she tucked him more snugly under the blanket and started to run her paw down the length of his side in slow, soothing strokes.
It only took a short time after that for him to let out another yawn and then quickly slip into sleep. Little snores escaped him, carrying a slightly different tone to them, like they were mixed somewhat with the purring from before. His transformed limbs and tail also twitched a bit in his sleep occasionally. She found it all incredibly endearing, and it further fueled the warm smile on her face as she kept up those stroking motions.
Her endless questions and thoughts about the whole situation buzzed through her mind again like a hive of angry wasps, but her own quickly growing sleepiness kept them from manifesting into anything worthwhile. Eventually, she too was so soothed by the peacefulness he exuded that she leaned back a bit into the couch cushions behind her and drifted off as well, leaving one paw resting on top of his sleeping form and contently wrapped up in his tail.
