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The third night of freedom was their first opportunity to look at the clear night sky.
The first night had been a bit hectic, as there was nowhere to move to so monsters still remained in their homes underground for the most part. Some stayed the night in the surrounding forests, but freedom, while beautiful and astounding and invigorating, was a process that most did not feel like starting with a night sleeping on the ground. Monsters liked real beds as much as humans, after all. Plus, who would want to sleep outside on a cloudy night.
The second night was preceded by very intense discussions involving the local human leaders and the party of monsters representing the residents of the Underground. It was messy, but Frisk, while not an extensive talker by any means, was very persuasive. Monsters were quick to move the belongings that they could carry, but this too would be a process. Most were so tired out that they went to bed soon after the sun set (bed time based on the sky was also a thing many monsters had to adjust to-all their lives spent considering “night” to be a time interval told to them by a clock only to have a giant burning ball in the sky telling them that it’s time to wake up!).
But the third night was, in a word, chill.
At least, it was for a specific group of representatives who currently had joint care over a human child/ambassador until the humans figured out where the kid came from in the first place. The kid certainly wasn’t talking, so that, again, was a process that would be started eventually. Maybe. If anyone remembered.
Not too far from the exit of the Underground was a clearing between the trees, far off from any human settlement that they knew of. Some forest-dwelling monsters slept on the edge of the circle, still apprehensive about the animals that already lived deeper into the woods. This was not the best place to rest, for the group of monsters who were not there to sleep were (of course) extremely loud and obnoxious.
“Sans! I thought the moon was a circle, not some…croissant…thing.”
Papyrus had been looking at the moon and stars with everyone else for about 30 minutes, asking questions that Sans would answer, sometimes truthfully, usually with bullshit. Frisk knew enough to differentiate between answers, and their laughter gave him away immediately. It was a good time for everyone involved considering the stress and chaos of the last couple of days. The Q&A session quickly gave way to the group splitting up into smaller divisions: Undyne and Alphys doing their thing with Asgore as a relatively non-irritating third wheel; Papyrus switching over to Frisk as a less irritating source of information on the heavens; Sans settling in a little closer to the edge of the clearing for a nap of indeterminate duration-well, that was what he had started to do, anyway.
“Sans?” The hushed voice woke Sans. He looked up to see Toriel kneeling next to him, a hand slightly stretched out. “I’m sorry if I woke you, but I wish to talk to you about something.” Sans remained in his current position, hands behind his head, and considered this for a moment.
“Go for it, Tori. I’m no ears.” Toriel laughed like he knew she would and sat beside him, looking up at the sky.
“I wanted to say thank you for keeping your promise.” She looked down at him, but Sans seemed to be focusing his gaze into the dark wood. “I know that it was a bit strange, me not even knowing your name and yet asking you to take such responsibility, but I’m grateful that you did as I wished.”
“Hey, I sold hot dogs and cracked jokes. The kid did all the real work.”
“You were a sentry in those woods, were you not?” Sans didn’t flinch at this line of questioning but still averted his eyes from direct contact. “Tasked with capturing humans for the Royal Guard.”
“It was a part-time gig my bro got me, yeah.” He rested his elbows on his bent knees.
“Frisk mentioned you while describing their adventure. They mentioned you quite a bit, actually. They even knew how the two of us met, and how you made the promise to me, some silly old lady behind locked doors who never even asked you your name.” Toriel waited for some kind of response. He let out a sigh. "How you did not hurt or capture them as you might have if that promise was not made."
“Riiiiight. I figured the kid will tell you about that convo eventually.” Sans stretched his arms out in front of him, fingers laced together to block his view of the stars, then sat up. “What else did the kid say?” There was no outward dread in his voice-only a vague acceptance of whatever was to come.
“That they were glad to have you there.” Sans’ face moved in a way that resembled the raising of an eyebrow, and he shot a glance at the child from across the clearing. Papyrus had their full attention with his questions.
“Not doubtin’ your proficiency for jokes, Tori, but I think the kid might be pullin’ one on you.” All he received was a smile.
“Oh no, you should have seen how Frisk described you! ‘My first friend outside the ruins!’.”
“Look, Tori, I-”
“Maybe you did not protect them as I asked, and perhaps things might not have turned out well if I hadn't asked you to make that promise.” Toriel looked down into her lap. Sans waited. “But for whatever reason, you made and kept that promise. You were there to make them laugh, and you were there as a familiar face in scary, unfamiliar places. I of all people understand what a gift it can be to have a friend when things seem hopeless.”
“…”
“So perhaps you were not a perfect guardian, but you kept your promise all the same- at least, that is what Frisk thinks, and I’m inclined to believe them when they say you really made a difference in their eyes, even if you do not believe that anything you have done matters.” Both had their eyes turned to the sky. What could be called a comfortable silence from a certain point of view sat squarely between them for a minute or so.
“Gee, I knew the kid was kinda sappy but I had no idea it was this bad." He shook his head slowly with his palms upward. "I had a lot of jobs that just happened to be where the kid was going next. It was all luck really,” Sans said with a shrug. “But hey, glad to have glowing reviews from the savior of monsters. Maybe I can use the kid as a recommendation for my next job. I need those legally-required work breaks, y’know.”
“Well, you still get a very heartfelt ‘thank you’ from both myself and Frisk.” Toriel smiled warmly before laying herself down on the grass, closing her eyes and folding her hands on her stomach. “It is always nice to know that someone cares.”
Sans stayed upright, staring at Frisk. Even after that conversation at the hotel, the kid was still set on being friends with everyone, including him. Even after the whole "You haven't died a single time" thing that he still wasn't completely sure about. That look said something different, but he couldn't be sure about anything with what little information he had.
At that moment, Frisk caught him staring. Sans smiled as always, hiding how goddamned confused he was about the whole thing. In return he got a quick smile and a double thumbs-up. What a weird kid.
“Frisk also mentioned something about you baking a pie recently. Is that true?”
Frisk kept smiling at him with a steady focus and something like-
Oh.
As far as ambassadors go, Frisk was probably the best choice the monsters could have made; however, it was evident to most that, if Frisk could have any profession, they would most likely be the host of some matchmaking reality show. It was a gift the child had, and they used it to the fullest- 100% success rate, no customers left unsatisfied.
This specific case, however, would be a bit of a process.