Work Text:
The little diner glowed with warm amber lights. Flowery had even managed to attach the mixtape he'd made for Asgore to the speaker, filling the quiet room with songs he hoped his king would enjoy.
Asgore sat quietly in the booth, gazing at the wall. Flowery's eyes stayed glued to him.
His smile remained as bright as ever, but his thoughts circled endlessly. He wondered where Asgore's mind had wandered. More importantly, he wondered what else he could do to ease the weight that always seemed to rest upon those broad shoulders.
"Gorey, my dear friend." Flowery reached across the table and gently rested a hand atop Asgore's, hoping to pull him back to the present. The sensation still fascinated him. The king's thick, impossibly soft fur brushed against his palm. Monsters truly were remarkable.
Asgore shook his head, returning to reality.
"Sorry," he said softly. "I was just thinking."
Flowery leaned in. "You can tell me anything. I'm always rooting for you." He gave Asgore's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Best friends help each other grow, remember?"
A chuckle escaped Asgore. "You always know how to make me smile."
"I try." Flowery giggled. "I'd hate to leaf you all by yourself."
The king laughed again, the sound warm and genuine, before his expression softened into something wistful. "I was thinking about Toriel."
Flowery's smile never faltered. "Oh?"
Asgore looked away again, his voice becoming quieter. "We used to dance. Even a few times at a diner. Whenever the kids were asleep, she would put on a record and insist we move the furniture aside. We'd dance in the living room just because we could." A fond smile crossed his face. "She always teased me because I counted every step out loud."
"Oh, how lovely..." Flowery nodded.
"It was."
"I'm glad you have memories like that." Flowery continued to smile.
But inside...
Something withered.
He had seen them dance. He remembered their wedding. He had been part of the bouquet Toriel carried down the aisle. A simple flower among countless others, close to everything. Every little moment that had flourished between them. He had watched Toriel rest her head against Asgore's chest. Watched Asgore look at her with the same gentle eyes he wore now.
Then the wedding ended.
And Flowery never saw them dance again. Along with the other flowers, he returned to the shop. He wasn't growing in their living room. He wasn't there for those quiet evenings after the children fell asleep. He wasn't there for the countless little moments that became treasured memories.
He hated the jealousy inside him. It curled around his heart like an invasive vine, tightening with every story Asgore shared.
But his smile never slipped. Because Asgore was here now because of the grace of the dark fountain, and now Flowery could give him anything he wanted if it meant seeing that smile and keeping his dream alive. All the mixtapes, freshly squeezed orange juice, and fancy skating tricks.
Anything.
Anything to make his Gorey happy.
After all...
Toriel wasn't here anymore. Neither were Kris or Asriel.
There would be no more nights where Toriel took his hand and pulled him into the living room to dance. No more moments where Asgore tried desperately to reconnect with a family that felt too broken to reach back.
Flowery hated that a small part of him felt relieved. He hated that he was grateful for a space someone else had left behind. Because he knew that space had come from pain. And he knew Asgore deserved happiness because Asgore was lonely. And Flowery knew what it was like to feel forgotten.
He would do anything to make his Gorey feel loved.
"You know," Flowery said lightly. "Despite my many talents, dancing isn't exactly one of my strongest stems. Blue has that talent, but I seem to wilt whenever I try."
Asgore chuckled. "I find that hard to believe. I think you'd do just fine."
"You really think so?"
"I do."
Flowery beamed. "Well then... maybe there's hope for this little flower after all."
In one fluid motion, he hopped onto the booth table with an exaggerated flourish. He spun dramatically, arms spread wide like a performer taking the stage, before extending one hand toward the king. "Would you care to dance?"
Asgore froze. He looked at Flowery's outstretched hand before glancing away.
"I don't know..." he admitted. "I don't think this is exactly a dance kind of song."
Flowery's eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers. The music changed. Asgore's eyes widened before he clapped.
"Oh! I remember this song."
Flowery watched him carefully. That smile. It was all he wanted. Flowery's grin grew brighter. "Don't let anyone stop you from dancing, Gory." He tilted his head.
Asgore looked at him for a moment. "Perhaps you're right. I suppose a few dances wouldn't hurt."
He stood, reaching out with one massive paw to gently take Flowery's much smaller hand. The music grew louder, filling the diner with a warm melody that chased away the quiet loneliness of the night. Flowery carefully guided Asgore onto the empty floor. The king stumbled at first, his large feet struggling to find the rhythm, but Flowery only laughed and patiently helped him along.
"See?" Asgore said with a gentle smile. "You're doing wonderfully. Better than me!"
"Yes. Yes. Yes!" Flowery declared proudly, his grin widening. "I lied, my king. I knew I was natural!"
Asgore carefully spun him, and Flowery laughed as he twirled.
As they danced. For once, Flowery didn't think about the memories he could never have or had to witness with limited control. He didn't think about the dances he had missed or the years that belonged to someone else. Those moments would always exist, and he could never change that, but right now, Asgore was here, holding his hand and dancing with him.
The little flower who had once only been part of a bouquet was no longer watching someone else's happiness from the sidelines. He was holding his King, creating a memory that belonged only to them.
Flowery looked up at Asgore's face, and his own smile grew brighter.
The dream he had carried for so long was finally real.
A dance with his king.