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Darkness, then sudden resolution as the world came into focus. The sharp pixelated edges of the other side of reality fell away, until only soft realness remained. Flowey opened his eyes after the familiar feeling of reloading faded away. No, not Flowey. Asriel. He stared stunned at the unfamiliar reflection that gazed back. He knew it was him, it felt so right and yet… he could see the traces of his parents in his matured face and the reminder left him reeling. That, and the fact that he was completely stark naked. He quickly averted his eyes from the floor to ceiling mirror wall. Nudity wasn’t uncommon in the underground but seeing his original princely form without its usual stately regalia, it just felt wrong. He didn't have time to dwell on his thoughts though as a faint noise drew his attention.
“Oh shoot!” He forgot about Alphys. She wouldn't come to the specimen room for a while but sneaking around in his current body was going to be a challenge. Thankfully he had memorised her route after countless runs, escaping the lab unnoticed shouldn't prove to be too difficult. He grinned, this was going to be too easy.
Asriel escaped the Lab with minimal effort as he predicted. While he no longer had the ability to burrow underground like his flower form he was nothing but adaptable. He even solved his clothing dilemma by stealing some bedding on his way out. Blanket togas may not be the most dignified of formal wear but they would serve him well in covering his new face. He did not need the denizens of the underground fawning over him, mistaking him for a better groomed version of his father.
Having solved his first dilemma he began to walk aimlessly, avoiding the more populated areas where he could. Random monsters would smile and greet him as he passed and he couldn’t help the knee jerk sneer that formed in the shadow of his hood. Gross. Something twinged inside him for a moment. He paused. Then he shook off the strange feeling. It was unimportant, just like those passing him by.
Asriel walked and walked, he had missed having legs once upon a time but he was quickly growing bored of needing to use them. Tedium, how familiar, it always seemed to catch up to him eventually. Like an old friend. Speaking of old friends, his aimless wandering had led him to the icy plains of Snowdin. He wondered what Papyrus was up to. He laughed to himself, if there was anything he could count on it was Papyrus being unpredictable. He loved the thrill of figuring him out. In every reset his antics had almost made him feel like he had a soul again. He felt his chest flutter with excitement and he smiled. Huh, that one almost felt real.
It took him longer than he expected to track Papyrus down. He was on his own running patrol drills in Snowdin forest, churning up the snow with a flurry of bone attacks. Asriel couldn’t help but marvel at his technique. There were no wasted movements as he attacked, his expression was focussed on the target ahead and his attacks landed with deadly accuracy. Asriel felt his cheeks burning and realised he was smiling, beaming in fact. What was wrong with him? He slapped his cheeks using the sting of pain to force the smile down a notch.
“Papyrus!” He called out to get the skeleton’s attention as he left the shadow of the trees. Papyrus paused, looking up. His tense expression shifted into an easy smile though his eyes looked at Asriel quizzically.
“OH! Hello!” Papyrus greeted him with practiced ease though the question remained. He seemed to be deliberating something with the way his shifted his weight from foot to foot.
“Have we met before?” He blurted out. Asriel giggled. Classic Papyrus, this was one of the many reasons he liked him. Ever inquisitive yet blunt, Straight to the point.
“Hehe no, I’m just a huge fan.” Asriel replied with a wink. Papyrus blushed slightly before looking him up and down.
“You must be if you leapt from your bed so quickly it followed along with you!” Papyrus grinned. It was Asriel’s turn to blush as he had completely forgotten he was dressed in nothing more than a layered sheet and blanket toga.
“Ha ha… I’m trying out a new look.” Asriel lied, thinking fast as he looked away, “Bedroom Chic. Fashion for the motivationally challenged!” He quickly finished by striking a pose. He felt ridiculous but his gambit paid off. Papyrus sockets glittered with barely contained excitement as he surveyed the slapped together outfit with new appreciation.
“Wowee! I have to introduce you to my brother! He could use some tips from such a fashion minded individual!” Papyrus crowed, positively rattling with delight.
“Oh, no. That's ok.” Asriel felt dread forming a heavy knot in his stomach. He had enough run-ins with Sans to last a lifetime over the numerous resets. He didn’t know how but he was certain Sans could sense his soulless nature.
“Nonsense! You simply must come over.” Papyrus insisted and Asriel was powerless to stop him.
Sans was thankfully not home when Asriel was dragged inside. He felt the tension melt from his body momentarily. That quickly returned when Papyrus dragged him up to his room. Flowey had only been up to Papyrus’ room a few times over the resets. They were all pleasant memories. Memories where Flowey could pretend he truely was friends with Papyrus. Because of that there was something about the space that made him reluctant to desecrate it. He don't want to ruin the fragile boundary he had established. Outside was the game, in here everything felt real.
"Welcome to my magnificent abode!" Asriel flinched at the suddenly loud noise. Being here made him feel so small, so vulnerable. The echoes of emotions he had kept feeling felt too real, it was starting to get overwhelming.
"New friend? Are you okay?" Asriel looked up to meet Papyrus' concerned face. His gut twisted painfully and he couldn't imagine what expression was on his face.
"It's Asriel by the way but uh yeah, yes. I'm okay…" Even he's not convinced with his lackluster tone and clearly Papyrus wasn't either. He frowned before ushering him to sit down on his bed. Asriel didn't fight him. He felt some realisation clawing at the back of his mind and was desperately trying to suppress it. He was broken out of his spiraling thoughts by a crop top being deposited on his lap.
"Huh?"
"When I'm feeling down I find a change of clothes can change my perspective." Papyrus was looking kind of awkward as he went back to searching for a bottom to match.
"Actually that top is a favourite of my friend Flowey!" Asriel chuckled, of course the ever thoughtful Papyrus would remember something so trivial. His clawed hand smoothed over the fabric. He froze. He had hands, he wasn't Flowey right now. Even if he was, he was at the beginning of a reset. How did Paps remember? How??? He started to hyperventilate, his chest clenching painfully as his soul pounded. His soul, he had a soul. It hurt. Everything he'd done, all the regret and guilt at the hurt he had caused. He only realised he was crying when Paps brought him into his arms, wrapping him a warm hug.
"Asriel! What's wrong? What's going on?!"
"Why? Why don't you hate me? If you remember it all, why didn't you abandon me?" Asriel sobbed.
"What? I don't..."
"I'M FLOWEY!!! I'm the one who hurt you, your friends, your family and everyone you've known or loved. I..." Asriel fisted the fabric of Papyrus' shirt. "I'm the one who killed you..." His voice sounded so fragile as it trailed off. Papyrus looked at him with an expression he couldn't decipher and Asriel curled up waiting for the metaphorical blow as Papyrus rightly rejected him and threw him away.
"Asriel I," Papyrus cleared his throat, "I could never hate you." Asriel looked up at him, stunned.
"How? Why???"
"Because you were my first friend… and I believed in you. You may have done some… not so good things, but I believe you could turn it around. Plus, the Great Papyrus never abandons their friends!"
"Seriously?" Asriel laughed, loudly. The noise sounding borderline hysterical.
"I never could figure you out. I can't, I can't understand you." He wiped the tears from his eyes leaning deeper into Papyrus' arms.
"That's okay, as long as you understand I'll always be your friend."