Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were jogging towards the Dreemurr School, because you were an horrible parent.

Ha.

Work kicked your ass again and you had to rush things with your current project to come pick up Momo. It was a blessing that she was so patient… And an overall chill kid.
It was the beginning of summer and you were absolutely drenched. Her school wasn’t far from home, that, you were grateful for, but that also meant last minute bad decisions.

Such as running down the street in slippers in a tank top and no bra on.
You didn’t really care honestly? You just would’ve rather your brain check in with you before doing those kinds of things to you. Freaking out was a common thing in your life, but it somehow calmed down since… Well since you had Momo. And a mostly stable job. And your own tiny house.

You made a tight turn right and you could finally see the school’s gates from far away. You could also see that there were only two kids left waiting and Momo was definitely one of them. The principal, Toriel Dreemurr, was the sweetest most understanding woman ever. She was really understanding of your… situation and always offered help. Even as to invite Desmonda in her own house if you couldn’t make it.

But your child was honestly something you’d rather have around than not. Of course you’d let her go out and have fun with her friends, but you didn’t want work to keep you from spending time with her.

-« H-hey! Sorry for being late…ugh… » You should run more often.

-« Ma ! » Momo ran to you and jumped lightly, flapping her little bee wings.

-« Hello dear ! » Toriel smiled warmly and patted your back « We have water if you’d like ? »

You tried to catch your breath, to no avail, as your heart was beating wildly in your chest from the effort and the panic.
-« No thank you, it’s… very sweet but I’ll get water at home … I work all day there, a-a little run shouldn’t make me so tired, ah… »

Toriel didn’t look too convinced at that statement. You looked down at Momo and extended your hand to her, which she happily took. The other kid that was there, a little human boy saw his father from a distance. He quickly asked Toriel if he could join him to which she agreed to, IF he didn’t run.

« Ma, do you want my bottle ? » You couldn’t help but smile at her.
«  No I’m ok honey, but it’s nice of you to offer. » You bent down and picked her up and sat her on your hip. You smoothed out a bit of her iridescent fur. Her hair was always a wild thing, and you made it your goal not to leave her get really bad knots in it.

« How are you doing love ? » Toriel stepped towards the two of you, closing the gate behind her. You sighed a bit.
« Commissions are crazy right now. And I have to still illustrate that children’s story book I told you about. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if art is really for me. »

Toriel had a look of compassion and slight worry on her face.
 Momo had her head buried in the crook of your neck, playing with the hair on the nape of your neck.

« Please don’t say that my friend. You shouldn’t let your insecurities stop you from loving what you do. You should take a break. »
You sighed again.
« But I never really feel like I’ve done enough. Plus it’s going to be summer break soon, I’m gonna try to take some weeks off to spend time with Momo! »

Momo’s wings flapped a bit in excitement, but not showing much emotion other than that.

« That’s why I’m trying to get a lot done, that’s all. » You smiled at Toriel. But that wasn’t all. You hated working, you hated being under pression, you hated the constant stress and anxieties.

The worst was that Momo could feel it.
That was one thing you were absolutely amazed by about monsters. How in tune they were with souls. Momo often told you you were purple, which frankly you didn’t understand, but thought was cool. Your bond with her was obviously very strong, which meant she felt happy when you were, or anxious, or… any strong emotions.
Having panic attacks while she was around was a no go.

« You know, I have a few friends who could babysit Desmonda, if you wouldn’t mind meeting them sweetie? » She said as she stroked Momo’s hair gently.
« Mhm. » Was the only answer she gave.

You shrugged a bit.
« I mean you would be my go to babysitter Tori, but if you have good… friends? Why not? I wouldn’t want to impose or make Momo uncomfortable though. »
« Neither of you would be imposing, sweethearts. One of my friends will help at the school tomorrow, if you’d like, you could meet him, both of you! You’d get to see him first Momo! » She smiled and looked at your little bee with hope in her eyes.
Momo shrugged and nodded at the same time. 
You stroked her back gently.

« You don’t have to like him, baby. When I’ll meet him after school, you’ll tell me if you like him or if you don’t. You’re not forced to do anything. »
She seemed to relax at your words, and you nodded and smiled at Toriel.
« Sure, why not ? I wouldn’t mind meeting with a friend of yours. »
She looked relieved and clapped her hands together.
« Then I will inform him of the babysitting possibility! »
« Sounds good! Bye Toriel, It’s snack time, hahaha! » You waved at her and turned around, walking back down the street. The trees were a vivid green, and the sun was lower in the sky.
You looked down at Momo, still in your arms and looking around.

« What would you like to do once we get home ? »
« Listen to the mitski lady ! »

………

You really hope she wouldn’t pick up on your bad habits…

Chapter Text

When your alarm rang, you woke up with your heart thumping wildly in your chest. Loud noises in general had this effect on you. Having to catch your breath as you just awakened wasn’t your favorite way to start the day. Taking deep breaths and pushing your palm against your chest, you tried to calm down as much as you could.

You could faintly hear Momo in the living room, already watching TV and probably eating breakfast. She always woke up early, one could say she rises with the sun (you wondered if it had anything to do with her bee appearance).

You hoped she didn’t feel your slight distress as you got out of bed to put some close on. You didn’t really try these days, some shorts and a large T-shirt were enough. You did like to dress up - Your closet could attest - but you didn’t… feel like it ? Having to put clothes on felt like a chore in itself. 

Before leaving your room you stopped to look at your jewelry box and makeup choices. 

After some seconds with not any mouvement on your part, you grab the box and one big colorful palette of eyeshadows before leaving your room.

Desmonda was already awake when your alarm rang. She was pretty quiet and was old enough to know where to find the cereal box. You quickly got dressed and walked to the living room where you found Momo in front of TV. She was on the couch with a bowl of 'Falling Starz' in hand (a monster cereal brand you got well acquainted with over the years). Her fluffy hair was all messy and smushed on the side where she slept.

She was still half asleep with a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. After a sweet little good morning kiss on her cheek, you let her choose the color of your makeup for today (which was blue). You were done when she finished eating, and you held her hand all the way to the bathroom.

As you brushed out her fur, you started to feel pretty bad about her standing in the sun all day. Well… not all day. Class happens obviously mostly inside, but you remember how the playground is completely exposed to the sun. 

You try to reassure yourself by telling yourself that Toriel is obviously responsable enough to protect the children from heatstroke.

« Ma? »

« Yes? »

« Can we put on music? »

« Sure! » You used your other hand to grab your phone, unlock it and give it to her. « You pick. »

She proceeded to just skip through your library of songs while you finished combing her hair. In the end, she also got the t-shirt and short treatment, but had a hat and sandals bonus.

You grabbed your bag as you walked out of the house, Momo was already waiting for you on the side walk. You had to go to the bookstore right after dropping her of to school, to see how the last picture book you illustrated looked like, now that it was on actual display.

She immediately grabbed your hand and started to gently skip towards school with you walking sluggishly by her side.

——————————————————————————————

You walked into the bookstore and immediately noticed your book. It had it’s own little stand in the back, you greeted the shopkeeper and beelined towards it. There weren’t many costumers at this time of day, and you were the only one in the back of the store.

You gently picked up one of the books and inspected the cover. Running your hand over it, feeling the way the textures varied between the title and the illustration. You diligently started to read the story, even if you read it times and times before. It was like discovering it for the first time again.

The author that commissioned you to illustrate it was new and up coming. You remembered feeling surprised when you got their email one morning. A monster.

Now, you didn’t feel out of your element with monsters at all. You had monster friends, hell, you had one as your child. But these monsters were all mostly suspicious about you when they first met you. It was, unfortunately, how most monsters felt towards humans in general. 

Even after the monster liberation, and the multiple laws passed about the equality between humanity and monsterkind, a gap among the two species remained. There were humans still scared of the uncertainties that monsters represented, and monsters were afraid of humans’ violent and distrustful nature.

In your specific situation, the author contacted you after having looked through your portfolio, as well as your social medias. They told you, in all honesty, that they decided to contact you after seeing you had adopted a monster child. It made them feel like they could trust you. And while that could be seen as somewhat sad, you were glad to be able to work with them.

Maybe one day it won’t be so complicated, but for now, you were satisfied.

The story book in question was a children’s story about souls. It was mostly for monster children, but could also be considered as an educational book for human children as well. 

You tried to convey the softness in which the author talked about souls in a visual way. No hard lines, pastel colors, soft glows.

You admit having asked Momo numerous times how she saw souls when she CHECKed others (she was very helpful).

You were already going to receive a free copy soon, that you were going to gift to Desmonda, but you were considering buying one for Toriel.

A fond smile formed on your lips as you felt content at a job well done.

-« Practicing yer monster biology? »

You almost screamed at the sudden noise. You inhaled sharply as you looked over at the person who so rudely (not really) disturbed your intense reflexion.

-« Yer ok little human ? »

This monster was obscenely tall. He was wearing dark sweat pants with a burnt orange turtle neck, couple with a cropped jacket. A fluffy hood framed his face. 

It’s the first time you met a skeleton monster. There was a crack running along his jaw, with two gold fangs as his top canines. He regarded you with tired eyes(?).

-« I-I’m okay. I was just checking out this new picture book. »

« Don’t see humans in the monster section often. »

You looked around, and discovered that you were, in fact, in the « monster » section.

-« Interested in souls? »

You shrugged slightly.

-« I mean, sure, I co-produced it. »

He raised a brow bone and picked one of the books off of the shelf, holding it up with one of his massively long hands. He chuckled softly as he looked through it.

-« We had some of those back in the Underground. »

You balanced from a foot to the other, somewhat waiting for him to give you his opinion on it. You felt tense about a monster reading something you created that was specifically made for them.

-« What’s yer name? »

-« (Y/n). »

-« So yer the artist? I like it. »

You couldn’t help a small sigh of relief from exiting your lungs.

-« Thanks, ‘appreciate it. What’s your name? »

He closed the book with hand and put it back with the others.

-« You can call me Rus. »

-« Nice to meet you. »

He had small smirk to his teeth as he took your hand into his and shook it. 

Yep, he is GIGANTIC, holy cow…

-« I was wondering what someone was doing in a bookstore in the middle of a thursday morning. »

-« Well, what are YOU doing here? »

-« I work here. »

-« Oh. »

-« Nyehehe. »

You continued to talk with Rus for a little while as you walked back to the front of the store to purchase the copy you choose for Toriel. As you had a bit of small talk, he told you about how he got to be the assistant of Alba, the older human woman that ran the bookstore. How his height was helpful (he could reach the highest shelves no problem), and how it was a nice second job to have on the side.

Once the book was paid for, you told him your break was over, you had to get back home to work.

-« Sure sweetheart, hope to see you around again. »

You couldn’t help but fell your cheeks heat at the nickname. You waved Rus and Alba goodbye as you almost ran out of the bookstore, trying to be on time to catch your bus.

———————————————————

The rest of your day was uneventful. Responding to emails while finishing some of your pieces. It was pretty calm now that the book was published, and you kind of took this opportunity to laze around.

Though throughout all of this, you couldn’t keep yourself from thinking about Rus. You knew monsters came in a lot of different shapes and forms, but you had never seen one so imposing, or… Roughed up?

He seemed to have lived some type of harsh experience deducing by the state of his face, though he looked pretty laid-back and friendly…

As your mind wondered, you found yourself trying to sketch him from memory on a new canvas on your computer.

And then came the time to go get your little bee.

This time, you managed your work well enough to not be late. You walked at a tranquil pace down the streets of Ebott city, headphones on as you tried to ignore the crushing heat of june. The school wasn’t far, and you started to notice more and more children with their parents walking home. 

The « Delta rune » school was opened to all children, but was mostly made up of monsters. Most human parents didn’t feel a school run by a monster headmistress would be safe, though there were some exceptions.

As you turned a corner you finally saw the school’s gate, with Toriel standing by it with an… Oddly familiar silhouette.

As you got closer, you saw Momo holding the familiar monster’s hand. Once she saw you, she tugged to get their attention and you heard a joyful exclamation as they turned to look at you.

-« OH WOWIE DESMONDA! I DIDN’T KNOW YOUR MA WAS A HUMAN! »

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Momo visuals!