#i need to talk to my doctor about getting a booster to go along w/my adhd meds

[fridayyy-13th]

wow. not even a week into college and i'm already behind on work. fucking lovely.

[gh0stfacesho3]

Memories

Pairing: Aizawa x Reader

Word Count: 2,227 words

Warning: Mentions of rape and self harm.

Author’s note: This was a commission by a friend, please be warned. This is very dark stuff so read at your own risk. 

Quirk: Brain. You can remember things extremely well and have an incredible iq. The only draw back of this quirk, besides remembering things you wished you didn’t, you get horrific migraines after using your quirk too long.

“Come on Mika.” You spoke softly as you shook your child awake. “It’s time for breakfast.” You said with a smile.

“Otay!” The three year old spoke, wrapping her arms around your neck for you to pick her up.

You pick up your child and bring her to the dining room, buckling her in the booster seat at the table. You placed a plate that had different sections in front of her. She smiled, looking down at the rice with scrambled eggs, cut up sausage, and some strawberries.

—Flashback—

You were walking back home from the convenient store with a slushee in one hand while your phone resided in the other. The sun was setting but it didn’t bother you much, being that you always went for late night walks to get your mind off of things, and also to get a cherry slushee from your favorite 24 hour convenient store. While walking, you hear some shuffling down an alley way. You look to your left but shrugged it off, assuming it was a raccoon. You started to walk again but felt as if you couldn’t move. You stood still, looking around while your head stayed still before you started to non-conscientious turn towards the alleyway.

‘W-what is this?’ You thought to yourself. You tried to speak but couldn’t, it felt as if you were out of body or paralyzed. A figured showed up in your vision as you continued to walk.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in. What a beauty.” The mystery man said as his face came into view. You remembered that voice, he was some random guy at the store. When he walked past you, he placed his hand on your shoulder before apologizing about passing by.

“Oh will I have fun with you.” He said, as he pushed you against the brick wall. You came to the conclusion that his quirk had to do with control but he needs to touch someone with all five fingertips in order for it to work.

“W-.....why!” You were finally able to speak. “What are you doing?” You said in discomfort as his hands revenged your body.

“Don’t worry darling.” He said as he placed his chapped lips against your cheek. You cringed at the sensation, trying to remove yourself from him.

“STOP PLEASE. SOMEONE HELP! FIRE! FIRE!” You yelled out.

“Keep yelling, it only gives me more pleasure. No one will hear you because my friend created a sound barrier. No one will hear you so keep going.” The man explained. It went on and on, the touching and groping. After everything was done, you were left in the alley, stripped of everything you had: your clothes, your pride, your confidence, everything.

“Help...someone...please.” You laid there, sobbing, coughing up blood from the amount of screaming you did. You laid there for about an hour before pulling on the remains of your clothing. You walked home slowly, crying softly before pulling yourself into the shower. Sitting on the floor of the shower, you sobbed into your knees. You were sick to your stomach, causing you to vomit in the toilet. This process happened for about a week before you went to the doctor to tell them what happened. You filed a police report and went through the entire process of telling them what happened, when, where, and taking DNA tests. The doctors made you take a pregnancy test and once you got the results, it said you were pregnant. You were about 5 months into the pregnancy by the time you told your parents. You wore a lot of over-sized hoodies, that’s how they never noticed your growing stomach. You told your parents you were pregnant but they didn’t allow you to explain yourself and immediately kicked out.

“You’re such a disappointment to this family. Get out of my house you whore!” Your mother yelled at you. 

“You have one month to get out of here...I’m sorry y/n.” Your father told you as you started to pack your things. Your father was always more caring towards you. He ended up helping you pack, allowing you to explain what happened. He ended up crying and holding you close.

“I wish I could change your mothers mind but you know how she is...I can maybe get you an extra month of time.” He said as he cupped your face, running his thumb over your cheek. You flinched lightly, pulling away from the contact.

“That’d help a lot dad, thank you.” You spoke softly, running a hand through your hair out of habit.

Two months went buy and this was happening during the summer but you were able to reach out to your teachers from UA, explaining the whole situation. They did a lot of talking but figured it be the safest to stay with Aizawa. You were going into your last year of school, so you weren’t going to be too much of a bother to them. By the time school had started back up, you had your child and were completely moved in at Aizawa’s place. The school year went on, allowing you to graduate and start a living. You became a teacher at UA. Aizawa wanted you to go into teaching because he didn’t want you to worry about finding a new place and taking care of your child alone. It was also easier for everyone, especially you.

—End of Flashback— 

“Mhm....morning.” Aizawa groaned as he trudged into the kitchen.

“I fixed you some coffee, it’s on the table.” You said quietly.

You’ve been at Aizawa’s place for three years now, meaning that it’s been two year since you graduated. Throughout your last year, people found out about your child but everyone let you explain and they all adored Mika. Mika loved Bakugo and Todoroki the most, her favorite part was their wild hair. She also loved Tokoyami because of his soft feathers. The students still visit you here and there and the girls were your saviors. They’d always babysit for you when you went to work.

“Thank you so much.” Aizawa said with a small smile. He sipped on the coffee, sitting down to Mika.

“Come on, eat up kiddo.” He said as he scooped some rice and eggs into her mouth. She smiled brightly, chewing her food before trying to give him a strawberry. You slide over to Mika and snatch the strawberry in your mouth before kissing her on the forehead.

“Moooommy!! That was for zawa!” She whined. You chuckled softly before sitting on the other side of her, across from Aizawa.

“I’m pretty sure he didn’t want strawberries with his coffee.” You explained as you continued to feed her, swallowing your strawberry as you did so.

She looked over at him with a pout before handing him another one. He rolled his eyes and went to take it from her to eat.

“Nooo zawa!” She said pulling it away from him before putting it closer to his face. Aizawa looked at you, rolling his eyes again as he took the strawberry in his mouth.

“Yep, she’s definitely your kid, a stubborn, caring, cute, little brat who always gets her way but always makes you smile.” Aizawa said with a small smile. You chuckled softly, blushing in the process.

“She took all of it didn’t she?” You rhetorically asked. “Also, you think I’m cute?” You asked, getting all red in the face.

“Mommy, you look like a strawberry!” She said holding up the fruit. This caused Aizawa to choke on his coffee as he laughed out. You covered your face, laughing along with Aizawa.

“Well of course I think your cute. You’re a beautiful women y/n.” Aizawa said, looking down into his coffee cup that was half empty. This only caused you to blush more before shaking it off.

“It’s not good to lie Aizawa.” You said standing up, looking down at your feet. You picked up Mika, bringing her empty plate to the sink, washing her hands before setting her down to walk before washing her dishes.

“Who says I’m lying?” Aizawa asked as he stood up, looking over at you.

“Facts. Now it’s 7:24:32.” You said to him, reminding him he should get ready for work.

“Why do you need to tell me the seconds?” He asked with a groan.

“Because it’s habit and also my quirk remembers them time better like that.” You explained as you headed to Mika’s room to get her ready for daycare.

Aizawa shrugged it off before going get ready for work. You smiled as you dressed your child into some cute clothes. She twirled in her dress with a giant smile on her face. You brought her to daycare, watching her run off to her friends, before heading back home. You saw Aizawa was ready so you nodded over to the door for you guys to walk to UA.

“Why do you want me to stay here with you?” You asked with your head tilted.

“It’s safe. Also you cook really well.” Aizawa said with a straight face. You nodded and chuckled. That entire process was a daily thing but the conversation was always different.

One day, you weren’t feeling to good, mentally that is, so you took a sick day. Shouta was nice enough to bring Mika to the daycare before he went to work.

You laid in your bed, pulling your sheets close to your face. Today made three years since the incident, making you remember everything. You put your headphones in, listening to some music to hopefully drown out those horrible thoughts. To no avail, tears streamed down your face; you shook with a horrible chill before pulling yourself to the bathroom. You started to run yourself a bath, slowly pulling off your clothes, tears falling down your face. You looked at your scar-littered legs, rubbing over them with your thumb. Your phone had died so you placed it on the bathroom counter. Pulling yourself into the tub, you sank down being engulfed in the hot water. You sat in the water, crying softly as you could see everything so vividly. 

“Stop...please stop.” You mumbled to yourself, pulling at your hair, wishing it would trigger something in your brain to shut up. 

All while this happened, Aizawa was sitting in class, watching the students take a pop quiz. His foot tapped anxiously as he never got a response from you. He stepped out the class, calling you but got sent straight to voicemail. He knew what day it was and was extremely worried. He walked into principle Nezu’s office, explaining the situation and asking if he could take the rest of the day off to go check on you. Understanding everything, Nezu excused Aizawa for the rest of the day.

Once Aizawa got home, he quickly walked to the bathroom, knocking softly, hopping for the best. This took you by surprise causing you to gasp and pull your knees to your chest to conceal your body.

“Its me, Shouta,” Aizawa said with a sign of relief. “Can I come in please?” He asked in a calm tone. While he knew you had depression and PTSD, he didn’t assume you had self harmed.

“Y-...yes” You said in defeat. He walked in with his eyes on the ground. He pulled out a towel, holding it out as he helped you out the tub. He wrapped you up, holding you close to him as you cried into his chest.

“Please don’t leave...” You cried out. Aizawa held you tighter shaking his head.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He spoke softly, pulling you to your room. He sat you on your bed and helped you get dressed. He couldn’t help but notice the scars on your thighs from under the towel. Aizawa brushed his thumb over the scarred skin, looking up at you. You avoided his gaze at first before being reconnected with it when he gently turned your head to face him. You couldn’t explain it but he looked at you in a way that wasn’t pity but almost like admiration.

“You’re so strong Y/n...” he said softly, wiping away the tears with his thumb. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through but whatever it is, you don’t have to face it alone.” Aizawa explained, his hand resting at the nape of your neck.

You hadn’t realized how close the two of you had gotten until your forehead made contact with his once you looked down. You looked up and nodded softly. You felt another tear fall before you felt Aizawa’s lips against yours. You kissed back and for once, you didn’t feel completely alone. Aizawa pulled away slowly, looking anywhere but your eye, ashamed that he kissed you without your consent. You noticed this, so you pulled him close, connecting your lips to his. The two of you then laid in your bed, cuddling as you listened to each other’s heart beat. 

A/N: I feel like I could have ended this better so if you want a part two, let me know. Also, REQUEST ARE OPEN! Feel free to request whatever you want( read the rules first please)

[deku-lily]

A (late) b-day gift for Perf and TK!

This here is just a little something I wrote to celebrate Time Kid Sans’ birthday (and to thank Perf for, you know, bringing him into the world in the first place.) It’s pretty late, but the idea popped into my head and wouldn’t leave! >//w//< So, here we go! ^o^

TK!Sans and all the other Time Kids/the QuantumTale gang are PerfectShadow06’s babies. I’m just writing about them for kicks and (hopefully) laughs. :3

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

It was a nice day out. The birds were singing, the flowers were blooming… A young skeleton known outside of his universe as “TK” lounged beneath his favorite napping tree, staring up at the sky through its leaves. However, he wasn’t napping, this time. Today, he was thinking.

TK Sans had unique abilities, allowing him to travel to other worlds and their timelines. In them, he met other versions of himself. Almost all of them were older than him, and that made him wonder. Was he one of them, in the making? If so, which one would he be? Was that something he could decide, or would Fate ultimately decide that for him?

He hoped Fate stayed out of it. Some of those other Sanses were pretty ticking weird, when they weren’t total goobers or just plain insane…

His thoughts were interrupted when Undyne stomped up to him and, without any preamble, boldly said, “YO, nerd punk!! How old are you?”

Sans sat up, raising a brow ridge at her as he asked, “why d’you wanna know?”

Undyne rolled her eyes impatiently. “Because Papyrus told me it was your birthday, today! And there’s this human tradition I heard about, that I want to try. But it depends on how old you are, so just tell me, already!”

Sans didn’t immediately answer. He hadn’t realized it was his birthday, already. But leave it to good ol’ Papyrus to remember, for him. Sans couldn’t help but chuckle at how cool his baby bro could be. Finally, he said to Undyne, “before i tell you, what’s this tradition you heard about?”

She grinned before telling him, giving him a really bad feeling.

“It’s a good luck tradition, where the birthday boy (or girl, I guess) gets spanked once for every year they’ve lived, plus one. And guess who gets to try it out today?” She cracked her knuckles with a smile that did NOT bode well for Sans.

The skeleton sat upon the ground for a second, blinking at his friend. Then he calmly stood, brushed himself off, looked her straight in the eyes and said “no tickin’ way,” before running for his life. He heard her roaring behind him.

“NGAAHH! GET BACK HERE, YOU BONY COWARD!!!” Sans didn’t dare look back, but he knew she was gaining on him.

*not good! The young skeleton reached into the bag of tricks he kept on hand for emergencies like this. Finding what he was looking for, he chucked a special little surprise behind him. Undyne was stopped by a cloud of smoke and confetti, letting him slip away. She wasn’t going to be happy with that, but if it got Sans away from the spearfish hunting for him, it was all good to him.

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

He decided to hide in the lab, for a while. Upon entering, Sans tip-toed his way around all the bits and pieces scattered on the floor. It looked like Alphys was working on her latest pet project (that, or it blew up. Again.)

Suddenly, one of his shoelaces caught on something, tripping him! His arms windmilled as he fell chin-first into a box full of miscellaneous parts. He heard Alphys’ surprised voice as he struggled to heave himself out of the box, his legs kicking in the air and unable to find any purchase.

“Oh my god! S-Sans? Are y-you alright? I-I didn’t hear you come in…” Finally, she got over her shock and pulled him out by the back of his coat. A couple of gears were stuck in his eye sockets… Sans grinned at her, pointing at his face.

“oh, you know me. just gearing up for my next big adventure!”

Alphys didn’t laugh, but she did take the gears out for him, letting Sans see her unamused expression. It still made him chuckle.

“If you can joke around like that,” said the budding scientist, “then you’re fine. But what are you really doing here?”

Sans shook himself and his coat, a little, making sure no smaller parts were rattling around, anywhere. As he did, he said, “undyne had this stupid idea, just because she found out it’s my birthday. there was no way i was just gonna go along with it, so i got outta there.”

Alphys smiled as she clapped her hands together. “It’s your birthday? Tanjobi oumedetou!”

Sans stopped shaking to stare at Alphys. “…huh?”

She was blushing miserably as she said, “Um… th-that’s how they s-say ‘happy birthday’ i-in anime.”

“oh… okay. thanks, al.” He smiled at her. It wasn’t surprising that Alphys didn’t know it was his birthday. He usually didn’t tell people, since it wasn’t all that important. But it brought up a good question. “wait, why did paps tell fish lips it was my birthday?”

Alphys shrugged uncertainly, unsure whether the question had been directed at her, or if it had been rhetorical. She didn’t get to find out because a loud, insistent knocking was visited upon the lab’s front door.

“Hey, nerd, open up! We need to talk!” Bam, bam, bam, bam went Undyne’s fist, making Alphys worry about the door’s structural integrity.

As a comedian, Sans was offended. He shook his head with one brow ridge raised as he said, “worst knock-knock joke ever.” He shoved his hands into his coat pockets and started walking in the opposite direction, to the lab’s back door. “welp, time out.”

Alphys tried to stop him, reaching a hand for him. “H-hey! You can’t j-just leave me here to deal with her, alone!”

Sans said, over his shoulder, “sorry, al. but i’d kinda like to stay in one piece ‘til my next birthday, yknow?”

His lizard friend’s hand fell as she said, “I see your point.” Undyne then burst into the room, but Sans was already long gone.

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

Back outside, Sans sighed. Was the fish stick going to chase him all day, until she got her hands on him for that stupid human thing? Why did Papyrus have to sic her on him, this way? Then again, he probably didn’t know she’d be doing this sort of thing, so it was hardly his fault. He was probably just trying to do something nice. He would have to track Papyrus down and ask him. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen his bro since breakfast. Granted, he hadn’t been back to the house in a while. Maybe that should be the first place to look? But before he could head that way, another familiar voice stopped him.

“Hello, Sans! What brings out here?”

He turned around, finding Toriel behind him. She was in her clinic uniform, and was carrying a box in her arms. “oh, hey tori. nothin’ much. just about to head home, actually.”

Toriel smiled. “I am going home, as well. I was asked to run an errand, and-” She stopped mid-sentence, focusing intently on Sans’ face.

It made him a little uncomfortable. “uh, do i have something on my face?”

“Yes, you do,” said the princess. “There is a small hairline fracture along your mandible, on the right side.” She grabbed him by the hand and started hauling him behind her. “You are coming to the clinic to have it treated.”

“aw, c’mon, tori! i’m fine!” Even as he said that, Sans touched his mandible and finally felt it. It was a tiny thing, so small he hadn’t even noticed it before she pointed it out, but it was there. It must have happened when he fell into that box of metal and plastic parts. It stung a bit…

Without looking behind herself, Toriel said, “I have heard that one before, Sans. I am still treating you.”

The time bug rolled his eyes. “fine. but you don’t have to hold my hand! i can walk by myself.”

She didn’t let go. “If I release you, you will run away.”

Sans scoffed. “oh, puh-lease! name one time.”

“Last Thursday. You were due for your booster shot and ran off before it could be administered. You have not visited the clinic, since.”

Sans blushed, having forgotten about that. “oh, right. heh! sorry, tori. i, uh, don’t like needles.” He had been dealing with the things all his life. Could he be blamed for not wanting any more stuck in him?

Toriel, still facing forward, didn’t notice any change in Sans’ expression. But she did say, “I am well aware of your discomfort with needles, Sans. But your health is of greater concern to me.” Her hand tightened on his. “So please, do not run away, again.”

He thought for a moment, then sighed as he said, “oh, alright.” She really was a good friend, even if she was a bit of a worrywart.

The treatment didn’t take long. Just a little healing magic to his mandible and he was good as new. But before he could leave, Toriel smiled brightly and said, “That is right! Sans, permit me to wish you a happy birthday.”

Stopping mid-stride, Sans stared at her. “how’d you know that was today?”

“I met your brother, while I was on my errand. He was the one to tell me.”

“he did, huh?” Just what was the little rascal up to? “anyway, thanks, tori.” He tried to leave again, but Toriel’s hand grabbing his wrist prevented that.

With a pleasant smile, she said, “I do believe there is still the matter of that booster shot to attend to.”

Sans was filled with dread. He tried wheedling his way out of things. “aww, but it’s my birthday! you can’t expect a guy to deal with that on his birthday, can you?”

Still smiling, Toriel said, “Had you received your shot when you were supposed to, we would not have to do it today.”

Sans couldn’t argue with that. He tried to pull his wrist away, but Toriel wasn’t making it easy. In fact, he knew she could drag him away to see the doctor, bag of tricks or not.

A chill wind blew through his bones. It looked like he was getting ticking shot, after all.

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

Sans rubbed at his chest, since he couldn’t rub his soul in public. That magic booster shot always hurt! He didn’t even need it, but he got it every couple of years, anyway. Doc Gaster always said there was no harm in it, but Sans’ opinion differed on matter. Vehemently.

He sighed. Welp, what was done, was done. There was no point in wasting energy whining about it. He still had to find his little brother and ask him what the tick he thought he was doing, telling all their friends about his birthday. Though he seemed to have missed Alphys… that or Sans had run into her before Papyrus had the chance to tell her. Still, it raised the question of “where was he, now?”

Probably not at the castle. Prince Asgore Fluffybuns was way too busy with royal stuff to entertain unannounced guests. Probably not Gorgette’s house, since they didn’t know where she lived (and Sans REALLY hoped Papyrus wasn’t going to tell her.) Of all their friends, that just left the Blook cousins and…

Just as he was thinking about them, Sans saw Frisk up ahead. They were reading a book while sitting under a tree, which gave him an idea.

A little sneaking and a little blue magic later (much easier than climbing), Sans was above Frisk, in the boughs of the tree. He started dropping handfuls of leaves on their head, confusing them for a little while before they thought to look up. Their face met more leaves, making Sans chuckle.

Frisk was smiling, too. “I guess it’d be asking too much for you to get down and leaf me alone?” they asked.

And so, the pun-off began. Sans retorted with, “why should i? trees are the best place fo-rest.”

“You don’t look very rested to me. You look sapped of energy.”

Sans suddenly didn’t feel like playing, anymore. “ugh, don’t remind me.”

Frisk was concerned. “What’s wrong?”

Sans climbed down the old-fashioned way, sitting next to Frisk as he said, “undyne has this stupid idea about spanking me, just because it’s my birthday. she says it’s something humans do.” Incredulously, he asked, “do you seriously do that sorta thing?”

Frisk nodded, but also said, “They aren’t supposed to be real spanks, though. Just fake ones to embarrass you in front of your friends. But it doesn’t sound like Undyne knows that…”

Sans shuddered, rattling slightly. “pretty sure she doesn’t. and she’s already tracked me down twice.”

Frisk looked up, and in the general direction of the clinic. “I think she’s working on number three.”

Sans followed their squinty gaze, seeing the tall dust cloud that somebody was leaving in their wake as they ran. Sans softly said, “no tickin’ way,” as Undyne became visible.

Frisk put a hand on his shoulder, saying, “Quick! Hide behind the tree. I’ve got an idea.” They stood and left the shade, making themselves more visible to Undyne as Sans hid. The royal guard-in-training arrived shortly afterward, skidding to a stop and making her dust cloud expand. Sans peeked around the tree as much as he dared to watch them while they talked.

Thankfully, Undyne hadn’t seen him before he hid. To Frisk, she said, “Hey, punk! Have you seen Sans, today?”

Frisk, coughing on the dust a bit, shook their head. “Can’t say I have. Why?”

Undyne reached into a pocket, pulling out some kind of piece of paper. “It’s the dweeb’s birthday, and Papyrus asked me to have our friends sign this.” She gave Frisk a pen, and the human signed whatever-it-was. Sans was curious, but Undyne wasn’t done.

“I’ve already seen Alphys and Toriel. I’m supposed to go see Asgore now. But if you see that bony coward, stall him. Papyrus doesn’t want him home before 4pm!”

“Okay. But one thing, first.” Undyne raised an eyebrow at them, just before Frisk said, “Since you don’t normally do stuff like this, does that make you a fish out of water?”

Sans had to hide completely behind the tree, covering his mouth as he struggled not to laugh. Undyne’s face had been priceless!! But Frisk boldly went on.

“It’s odd that you would do anybody a favor. Are you feeling alright?”

Undyne spoke through clenched teeth. “I. Am fine. Thank you.”

“Are you sure? You’re looking a little… green around the gills.”

“SHUT UP!!!” Undyne glared at Frisk for a moment, but then…

“Whatever you say, sturgeon general.”

Undyne roared, and Frisk bolted while dodging spears like a pro. They led her away from Sans and the tree, and the skeleton finally let himself laugh out loud.

~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~***~~~~~

After recovering from his belly-laughing, Sans went home. It was a little after noon, and he was hoping to catch Papyrus in the middle of whatever-it-was he was doing.

Sans snuck in quietly, wanting to surprise his brother. But he wasn’t in the living room, or the dining room or kitchen, and everything seemed normal. Maybe he was in his room? Or outside? But when Sans opened the door to Papyrus’ room, he was met by something unexpected.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. With no other leads, he went outside. Again, there was nothing to indicate anything was going on. Sans was left scratching his skull.

Was he too early? Was Papyrus off somewhere, gathering whatever supplies he needed for his plan? What did he think he could do, all by himself? Where was he?

*…is he okay? he knows he should be home, by now. did something happen? what if-

Sans’ thoughts were interrupted by a sound, coming from his room. Papyrus didn’t normally go into his room…

He grit his teeth. *a burglar? i swear, if they did something to paps…!

Sans ran up the stairs. He kicked opened the door, eyes glowing and ready to rumble. He startled the intruder, who was laying on his belly on the floor.

“NYEH?! BROTHER? YOU’RE HOME! I-I MEAN, DON’T LOOK! IT’S NOT DONE, YET!”

Papyrus was trying to cover up a large piece of paper with the upper half of his body. As relief flooded Sans’ body he looked around, finding all manner of things that he hadn’t had in his room, this morning. Colorful chains made with construction paper, ready to hang wherever, party hats and little party favors, rolls of streamers, the list went on.

Now calm, Sans asked, “paps, what’re you doing in my room?”

Busted, the little skeleton stood up, clutching his project in his hands. Hesitantly, he confessed.

“I KNOW I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN HERE, WITHOUT PERMISSION BUT… JUST IN CASE YOU CAME HOME EARLY, I WAS HOPING THIS’D BE THE LAST PLACE YOU’D THINK TO LOOK FOR ME! YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS SLEEP ON THE COUCH, FOR YOUR AFTERNOON NAP! AS FOR WHAT I’M DOING…” Papyrus turned the paper he was holding around, letting Sans see it. It was a half-colored drawing of the two of them and Doc Gaster, with all their friends surrounding them. Sans was in the middle of it all, with a big smile on his face. Papyrus continued while he looked it over.

“YOU’VE BEEN QUIET, LATELY. WELL, QUIET FOR YOU, I MEAN. AND A LITTLE SAD, EVERY NOW AND THEN. I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING NICE, TO CHEER YOU UP, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT COOL BROTHERS DO!”

Sans was a little stunned. “so… you’ve been planning a birthday party, for me?”

“YES!!” Papyrus grew more animated as he revealed everything. How he had enlisted Undyne to help everyone sign a special birthday card, and keep Sans from coming home too soon. How he had figured out Sans’ favorite cake flavor, and had asked Toriel to help him bake one up, later. How he was going to make all the decorations by himself, so everything would be extra special! Toriel had said she’d help him hang them up, too. But now…

“EVERYTHING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE! BUT NOW IT WON’T BE. I WAS HOPING UNDYNE WOULD KEEP YOU DISTRACTED, LONGER!”

Sans held back a laugh. “s-sorry, pap. she was the one that got distracted. she ran into frisk, and they tried out some puns on her. you know how she is with puns.”

Papyrus nodded. “EXACTLY! I THOUGHT SHE’D BE CHASING YOU AROUND FOR MOST OF THE DAY!”

Sans’ smile became a little fixed as he thought, *so he DID sic undyne on me… Aloud he asked, “were you the one who told her about the human birthday tradition?”

Papyrus tilted his head. “WHAT TRADITION?”

“nothin’. forget i asked, buddy.” Sans pat his brother on the head, relieved that he was innocent of THAT much, at least. Still, he hadn’t realized his thinking about the future had been that obvious. Had he really been that much of a mope about it? He didn’t mean to worry anybody, especially not his little brother. He might have to take his thinking someplace else, from now on…

Changing the subject, Sans said, “sorry about the surprise being spoiled. y’know, i could always pretend to be surprised. i can be pretty convincing, look!” Sans feigned surprise, knowing full well it wasn’t very convincing, but giving it a shot, anyway. Papyrus wasn’t amused.

“THAT DOESN’T COUNT!” He pouted up at his big brother, looking adorable despite his frustration.

“heh! sorry, pal.” Even as he chuckled, Sans did feel a little bit bad. Papyrus had clearly been working hard on this surprise. It was a shame he hadn’t managed to pull it off. But running around today, seeing all his best friends, having a laugh or two… All-in-all, it had been a pretty good birthday (minus that shot but hey, a guy couldn’t have everything. At least Toriel had meant well.)

It all made Sans think, *i’m a pretty lucky guy, aren’t i?

The older brother smiled. “hey, paps. you wanna know somethin’?” When the younger brother nodded Sans knelt down, meeting his eyes. “you did manage to surprise me with one thing. you reminded me of how many cool friends we’ve got. and how i’ve got the coolest little bro in the world.”

Papyrus was beaming. “REALLY??” At Sans’ nod the brothers embraced, though the elder added a bit of a noogie for the whole Undyne thing. But he was laughing as his brother tried to wriggle away from him.

Just for today, the future could wait. All those timelines, all those possibilities, Fate… they could wait, too. Right now, metaphorically surrounded by his friends and family, Sans’ present was looking pretty sweet.

[askmicrowaveayem]

Boink! Life is Better With You Pt. 17

[Previous]

[Archive]

“What is it?” One asked Endogeny, walking over and looking down at the skeleton behind the bones skeptically. “Do you know it?”

As Alphys slid in their attention turned to her. One tried to keep her out while the others moved to try and do the same with Endogeny.

--

Too late, Alphys had already seen what was in the room. She moved with the ones trying to send her out, but looked up at them all the same, wide-eyed. “Wh-what happened?!”

Endogeny dodged all attempts to be taken out, reaching out towards the wall of bones and scratching at it the same way they’d scratch at a door.

They didn’t seem to be in pain from the contact, if they understood pain at all.

--

“Don’t worry about it.” One said, trying to lead her away, not wanting her to get involved.

“Someone go get some meat!”

“Just throw the skeleton for them to chase!” One gestured down to the doctor.

“What’s wrong?” Another asked Endogeny.

--

“But- I-I can’t just…” she glanced back at Endogny, and at the dust, and.

And even if she didn’t know what was going on, she knew there was something wrong here. And maybe she needed to make sure it didn’t… go worse?

Hah. If she could even do that…

Still, she stiffened at the cry to ‘throw the skeleton,’ and stared back again at Doctor Gaster on the ground.

She tried to slow her escort.

Endogeny continued to paw at the wall, sniffing around it, trying to find a way in. At the question, they replied as best they could with whines and grunts.

“(friend-thing is hurt!)” “(protect friend-thing.)”

--

The guards continued to try and lead Alphys away.

“We can take care of it.”

“We’ll bring Endogeny back as soon as we can find some meat or something to lead them in, don’t worry.”

A few of the guards back in the room looked at one another.

“You know it?”

“It killed the King! It’s a clone of that!” One pointed at the doctor, “It’s no friend!”

--

Alphys hands trembled.

She dug her heels in, and refused to be moved.

“T-tell me what happened,” she said, face set, eyes determined. “....p-please.”

Endogeny continued to scratch, but Alphys still heard a faint amount of the conversation from the back of the room, turning to see. Watching the doctor flinch on the floor, still desperately trying to keep the wall of bones up.

“H-he’s not bad!” she called finally, trying to sound as confident in her voice as she felt in her heart. “Th-the skeleton’s been under my watch for d-days. H-he’s not a bad p-person. Endogeny l-likes him, h-he fed them!”

--

One of the guards escorting her turned to Alphys, “They killed the King. We don’t know how but the clone went in, then the doc, and only a few minutes later there was screaming and an explosion and now the clone is passed out and the doc is going on some crazy tangent about different worlds.”

--

Oh. Oh, oh, oh, she was not at all prepared for any of this! Oh no.

Alphys’ fidgeting grew worse as she became more nervous, suddenly regretting getting invovled. What if the dogs thought she was crazy too? What if they thought she was stupid for believing their crazy story? What if they really had been lying.

She swallowed heavily, her claws clicking togehter.

She nodded.

“That…. That’s w-what I was t-told, too… l-last week…”

--

They shared a look.

“... What did they tell you?”

--

Alphys stood a little taller, trying to feel a little braver.

“Th-that Doctor Gaster accidentally s-stumbled into another world m-months ago, when he went missing… a-and it was the ‘clone’’s world… S-so Doctor Gaster was living with him for m-months before they suddenly f-fell back into th-this world… I know it sounds c-crazy, I thought so, t-too! B-but he showed me things he h-had in his pockets. A l-little machine that multiplies numbers and r-runs off sunlight, and a p-pen that has solid ink that d-doesn’t need to be dipped….”

--

The dogs looked at one another again before turning to lead Alphys back into the room where the King had been killed.

Once she was there they glared down at Doc, “Tell us that fucking crazy story again.”

--

Doc looked up, still shaking, his eyes still tinted purple, but no attacks came towards them.

“...five months ago I had an accident and stumbled into another world where we lost the war…” he said, fully aware it was his fucking fault the war had been won. “...I stayed there with him. I never intended to come back. I don’t know how it happened, but we ended up in the town square together and I’ve been here ever since… we were trying to get back, and when the King found out, it… it escalated…”

--

The dogs then all looked to Alphys, “And you believe him?”

--

Cringing under their gaze, Alphys nodded. “...I-I saw their n-notes.. The ‘clone’ h-helped me f-figure out.. What went wrong with Endogeny…”

--

Their ears perked, yips and growled circulating throughout the guard.

“Do you think he can help them?”

“Would the doc know that?”

--

Doc’s eyes followed the conversation unevenly, trying to not frown, not knowing at all what they were talking about.

“I-I don’t know, I.. I think it’s t-too late to separate th-them…” she hung her head, guilt radiating. “...b-but we can ask. A-and at least I know, s-so at the v-very least, we don’t have to be scared of it h-happening again somehow…”

--

One finally turned to Alphys and looked at her seriously, “What do you think we should do with the skeletons?”

The King had been the alpha. Without one to make the decisions, they needed one. Alphys wasn’t the highest ranking monster in the castle by any means, but the prince was still young and they had no one else to ask who was so close to the situation.

--

Alphys had to think a moment, frowning a little. She didn’t think the doctor was dangerous, especially as he was now, but she knew the dogs would never accept that until they had a better explanation for what had happened in here.

“B-bandage them up a-and y-you can put the D-doctor in a cell until the c-clone wakes up,” she said, hoping this was the right decision. “Th-then we can ask him what h-happened and know what to d-do better.”

--

The dogs looked around at one another and agreed with Alphys’ decision. As much as they hated the Doc, well… he had answers that needed to be collaborated with once the clone woke up.

One of the dogs reached for the sword pinning Doc in place, touching it to make sure it wasn’t as hot as the room around it looked before pulling it out. Once free they grabbed his shoulders, hoisting him to his feet.

--

Doc gasped as the sword was pulled out, his eyelights fading entirely to black for a moment, the wall around Gaster flickering.

He stumbled when set on his feet, struggling to put any weight at all on his burnt leg, but for the most part, he managed to hobble slowly through the crowd of dogs, avoiding the dust as best he could and limping outside, sending Alphus a grateful look.

--

A few of the dogs followed him back to his lab, where he would be allowed to patch himself up.

Once the wall of bones was gone a few others would scoop up the clone and carry him along with Doc, knowing that he was the best person for the job, despite everything.

If he tried anything funny they could just kill him.

--

Instead of following along, Alphys stayed in the room, looking around. Surveying the damage.

Despite its concern for its friend, Endogeny stayed with her, head held high and surveying the empty, battered, dusty room silently.

She began to look around.

Doc hobbled all the way to his lab, eyelights blacking out again several times, but somehow powering through until he collapsed in his bed in the back, digging out the medical supplies from under his bed.

He had a lot of them. Though he was a medical doctor, he had many more bandages and creams hidden in his personal chambers than could really be excused as simple on-the-job worry.

He smeared the numbing agent over his hands and the hole in his leg, just to have the ability to properly look Gaster over, pulling his shirt down to inspect the brandings as soon as he’d finished with an energy-booster.

He frize, peeling off the bandages, and stared at the dogs.

“...this is real, right? He’s really dead this time?”

--

“Seems that way.” One of them grumbled, watching warily as Doc inspected the clone.

The brand on Gaster’s arm had been reopened and irritated from being stepped on and the one on his collarbone was worse, dust flaking off at the center where a deeper hole had been stabbed from the King’s trident in the center of the brand, where it should have been healing.

--

A smile spread across his face.

A giddy laugh leaving his throat.

He picked up the sealant cream and slathered it all over the two brands, filling in the hole and re-sticking the flaking one, the brands themselves rapidly fading--not fading entirely, but definitely no longer as fresh and visible as they had once been.

--

Aside from those two additions to his burns the only other injuries to him was the burn from previous on his shoulder blade and a new scuff across his face that would probably heal all on it’s own.

Perhaps Gaster was lucky that he wasn’t around to have to deal with the stress of the aftermath.

The dogs just looked at one another, still not quite comfortable showing any sort of glee that their King was dead, even if they had it. Once Gaster was patched up they would take him back to Alphys for her to decide where to keep the unconscious clone to recover, then leading Doc down to a cell to spend the rest of his week.

--

He was relieved, looking over his friend. Far less injured than he’d first assumed when Doc first came into that room and saw him on the floor.

He put more cream onto the shoulder blade brand, trying to smear it from sight and then taping the bandages back on, even though they might have been considered redundant.  Though the scuff on his face would likely heal just fine on its own, with his magic drained, Doc smeared a very small amount of cream over his face anyway, trying to help his friend along in any way he could.

Only afterwards did he lean back and take a closer look at his own injuries, trying to wipe off some of the nerve-numbing cream on his hands before putting something to help the burns along and wrapping them loosely, hoping it would be enough to keep him for the week.

The only restraints he had on his joy of knowing the King was dead was the dogs in front of him. Even if they might have disliked him somehow, he’d still been their alpha, and Doc wasn’t yet so far gone he’d celebrate openly in the face of that… even if he couldn’t quite seem to stop smiling.

He stood and passively allowed himself to be led to a cell, waiting until the dogs had locked him in and were at least mostly gone to curl on the floor of the cell, laughing and crying.

Alphys, out of a lack of anywhere better to put him, had Gaster moved to his bed in her laboratory, posting two guards by his door to keep an eye on him at all times and let her know immediately when he woke.

She expected it to be much sooner than a week.

--

It wasn’t sooner.

It was later.

A week came and gone and still the skeleton lay still and unconscious. He had suffered a lot of trauma, been hurt not just physically, but emotionally, had barely eaten and slept for over a week. His meager magic reserves had been pushed to their very limits. It was a surprise he hadn’t dusted right then and there after putting so much of himself into his blaster to try and be sure it would kill the King.

But, after another few days passed, Gaster finally awoke.

The lights of his eyes dimly appeared and he sucked in a haggard breath as his body shook anew, instantly shoved back into the trauma that he felt had happened only second before. He was so weak he could barely move his head, but he did.

It lolled to the side as his eyes scanned the room. The lab. Alphys’ lab.

… Oh gods.

What if he had failed?

--

The guards had started wondering if the skeleton would ever wake up. If the Doctor had somehow done something to him when they let the bastard bandage him up. If his magic really had hurt him so badly.

The doctor was still in his cell, monitored by the few dogs who knew a thing or two about countering his magic, and after Alphys had told them where to place both skeletons, she had somehow… kept telling them where to place things. How to do things. How to survive while the King was dead.

Realized that someone was going to have to tell Asgore about his father.

It had been a long, awful, stressful week, and only compounded in that they were still at war, now with no one to lead them. But they’d survived so far.

It was time again to do the periodic checks on the skeleton, but the dog whose turn it was groaned, not wanting to do it.

He was certain that one day he’d open up the door and find nothing but a pile of dust on the bed.

He may have seen many more horrors, participated in them even, but he still wasn’t looking forward to the timid skeleton’s dust when the fucker hadn’t even done anything wrong.

Still, the time came, and the dog slowly opened up the door.

--

As the door creaked open Gaster let his head roll to the other side to look at it, eyes focusing on the blurry image of the guard’s face.

That was usually never a good sign, to see a guard.

He felt his chest tighten as he stared at them, whatever little fear he could manage to convey on his tired face plain to see.

--

The guard’s eyes widened, and he turned quickly to his companion. “He’s awake!”

His partner raced off to tell Alphys and whoever else might need to know, while the first guard stepped into the room, walking towards Gaster’s bed.

“You still in there?”

--

Gaster wanted to roll off the bed and run as what he had done started to sink in. He had either killed the King, in which case he had killed the King and was a goner, or he hadn’t killed the King and he was goner and probably Doc was too. “D-... m-...” He stammered, unsure of what to say or how to remember how to talk. “Y-yeah....”

“D-... Doc.” Gaster looked up at him with pleading eyes. “H-hows Doc?”

--

The guard blinked, shocked he could talk, before shaking his head and focusing again on the task at hand.

Frowning at the question.

“...Gaster’s in a cell. We’ve been waitin’ for you to wake up to figure out what to do with ‘im.”

--

Gaster sighed in relief. At least he wasn’t dead.

“Th-the King-” He stopped himself as he came to a horrible realization, a feeling inside his chest and deep within his soul.

His LV had raised.

It hadn’t just raised one either, but four.

Gaster choked out a pained noise and shivered, weakly reaching up to grasp at his chest. The added LV felt… wrong. Horrible. He hated the strange sensation of it, hated knowing how he had gotten it.

Felt like he was going to puke, even as it had boosted his HP and other stats, it wasn’t welcome. He didn’t want it.

Like dark little worms crawling around his soul and through his bones, frazzled wires dug deep into his marrow and sending more power and energy throughout his body that he didn’t want and had never asked for.

--

The dog frowned a little more deeply at that reaction, watching the skeleton clutch his chest and choke.

The dog didn’t touch him, just watched, and planted himself at the edge of the bed.

“Just relax. The reagent will be here soon.”

Not a few minutes later, his packmate returned the door carrying a small tray of very simple food, Alphys scurrying behind them.

“Y-you’re okay!” she cried, hurrying in.

--

Gaster looked over at Alphys as she entered, still trembling and horrified.

As weak as he was he couldn’t stop himself as his mouth just started to move, trying to catch up with all of the happenings that felt like just moments ago.

“I’m- I’m sorry. I’m s-sorry.” He stammered, tears building in his eyes as the realization finally sank in. As horrible and ruthless as he thought they King had been, he had never wanted to kill another thing in his entire life.

“H-he was… was going to hurt Doc and- and--”

--

The guard looked at his packmate, frowning again as Gaster spoke, wondering if the story was going to come out before they even had to ask.

Alphys scurried to the side of his bed, reaching out to touch his shoulder gently and try to comfort him. “I-it’s okay! I-I m-mean, it’s n-not okay, b-but it’s okay? Y-you’re not in t-trouble, th-they know you were just protecting your, u-uh, your alpha. A-and he’s safe, s-so you just need to, need to take deep breaths and t-try to heal.”

--

Gaster nodded and tried to regain his composure, but failed horribly.

He had killed him.

He had taken a life.

His hands raised to hide his face and he sobbed feebly, barely having the energy to keep it going but being unable to stop.

--

Alphys glanced around, unsure of what to do before deciding she should maybe just…. Let him. Cry a lot. For a while.

Everyone needed to cry a lot sometimes, maybe? Right?

“M-make sure give him th-the food when he c-can eat it,” she said, “A-and let him know what’s happening! A-and come get me if he needs me!”

She shuffled out uncomfortably a moment later as the dogs nodded.

--

He didn’t hear Alphys leave over his own grief, sobbing into his hands despite the holes made in his palms.

Gaster cried for a few long minutes that felt like hours, his body already weak and drained and now tired all over again.

He calmed slowly, taking in deep breaths and staring up at the ceiling.

His chest still ached.

The dots of his eyes looked over at the dogs, “... H-have I been out for a week?” He asked, knowing that was about appropriate for using his blasters.

--

The dog nodded while his packmate brought the food into the room as Gaster appeared to calm, setting a bowl of broth on the bedside table.

“Yeah, one week,” the dog said, not questioning how he knew, before reaching over and sliding his paws around Gaster’s middle, trying to slide him into sitting upright against some propped up pillows, like a sick child.

--

Gaster couldn’t help him much, his arms feeling like noodles any time he tried to put weight on them, although he was nothing but bones and easily propped up.

After nodding at the news he took an unsteady breath, his hands resting in his lap as he stared down at them.

“... I can’t believe I killed him…”

--

“I can’t believe it either,” the guard said, barking a single laugh.

Not laughing at the King’s death. But just… the absurdity of it all. That this skeleton who could barely sit himself up, who the guard would have to feed, now--that this was the monster that finally landed the fatal blow on their powerful king.

“...how the fuck’d you do it, Bones?”

--

The same way I had killed that human child.

Gaster swallowed, “I… turned him green--”

Hold them in place.

“-- ...and summoned my blaster.”

Charge the shot.

“It’s… it’s not something that would ever exist here.”

It not the most pleasant-looking thing I’ve made. He had once said to Doc, talking about the CORE. The reality of it was that every creation, every time he became more and more absorbed in machines and metal and wires, it had warped his blaster to fit.

It was a monstrosity made of metal, steam, oil, and magma now.

But it does it’s job! He had said.

His blaster was the same. It did it’s job. It burned everything away, just like it was supposed to.

“... It’s an attack that’s also a machine.” He tried to explain.

--

The dog frowned a little, picking up the soup and the spoon, holding some up to Gaster’s mouth.

He needed to eat to recover.

“I thought you couldn’t use magic.”

--

He drank what was offered, talking only after swallowing and realizing then just how dry his mouth and where his throat would have been was.

“I… I can’t. Not really. My soul is too weak to maintain anything like normal. My blaster causes me to pass out for a week. Smaller attacks a few hours. So I might as well not be able to use it at all.”

--

The dog grunted a bit, holding up more soup for him to eat.

“...fine,” he said, grudgingly believing that. “What’d you mean by “‘it’s not something that would ever exist here,’?”

--

He ate more as it was given between words.

“It… I… I’m not from here. I’m not a clone. I’m from somewhere else that’s far in the future. We have steam power and oil and electricity. All of those things make up my blaster.”

“Those things don’t exist here yet.”

That really sounded nuts. He hoped they believed him like the King seemed to before he...

--

The dog gave a frustrated, almost upset groan, and looked back at his companion.

“I can’t fucking believe they’re all saying the same crazy shit….”

--

The other dog just shook their head in agreement.

Gaster shrank a little, “I-I know how crazy it sounds, honestly. I wouldn’t believe it myself had it not happened.”

--

The dog snorted again and fed him a little more. “And you and the Doc met, how…?”

--

“He… He somehow stumbled into my world months ago. We still aren’t sure how. I took him in and helped him adjust. He’s my friend.”

Gaster swallowed, feeling on edge suddenly around these dogs. “In… In my world we lost the war. We were sealed underground. There’s been nothing but peace for hundreds and hundreds of years.”

“It’s… It’s nothing like this…”

--

The dog huffed again, but continued feeding Gaster, completely misreading his apparent nervousness.

“I bet his was a fucking terror to have around, huh..”

--

“D-Doc?” Gaster asked, looking surprised, “No. No, not at all.”

He continued to eat when it was given to him, feeling better with every spoonful of broth.

“It was the first time he had been able to relax in… ever. He didn’t have to do those horrible operations. The King wasn’t looming over his shoulder making him… do…” His face went tense.

“... I’m… I’m not saying he’s innocent, but… when we came back and he was forced to do all those things again after so many months of being free of it, he- he broke down. He cried. He’ll never do anything like that again now that the King is gone.”

--

The dog fell silent. Stony.

He had seen too many packmates go under that skeleton’s knife and come out strange and horrified, sometimes half skeleton. Sometimes half of another packmate, permanently combined in a more painful, confused unity than Endogeny had ever been.

And the Doctor had always had that same, terrible look on his face. Cold and unaffected. Aloof to their pleas.

He could not picture that sort of creature breaking down crying, much less over his own transgressions.

The dog just fed Gaster more.

He liked this nervous little skeleton well enough. And a friend of Endogeny’s was a friend of his.

But he would not forgive the doctor, even if he’d fulfill his duty and relay the story to the others when the time came.

--

Gaster shrank, “I’m- I’m sorry. J-Just…”

He took a shaking breath, “Th-The King was going to make me learn it too. H-He was going to make me do those things. I-I couldn’t…”

His throat locked up at the thought.

--

“Stop,” the dog said, the order sharp, but not cruel. “The King is dead. Alphys is your regeant now. It’s up to her what happens to you and your friend. So eat and recover. She won’t let anyone experiment on our kind again.”

--

He flinched away, but nodded.

Gaster would say nothing more as he finished his meal with the guard’s help.

--

When the meal was done, the guard stood again, helping the skeleton lay back down flat once more. “We’ll come check in on you later,” he said, voice gruff. “Rest some more until then.”

He turned to leave the room and tell his comrades what had transpired.

--

Gaster nodded and lay back down, trying to rest.

His head and soul swam with the actions of what felt like yesterday and the increased LV inside of him.

But still he slept, exhausted from crying the the low amount of energy keeping him going.

--

The dog left, finding his packmates and telling them how the skeleton was finally awake, that he’d been fed and was still resting, but had confirmed the story of the other worlds without prompting and claimed that without the King, the doctor wouldn’t attempt anymore of his terrible experiments.

Now, all they had to do was figure out what came next.

--

It took a few more solid days of bedrest before Gaster was feeling well enough to finally stand and walk on his own. He could feed himself, sit up, and walk with a little help, and that alone was enough for him to ask one of the guards if he could be taken to see Doc.

He needed to see him. It had been way too long and he was still frightened that he was hurt or scared and definitely alone in this big world that seemed to hate him so much.

--

The guard was the same as he’d been the last few days, and didn’t like the idea of Gaster going to see the Doctor, but relented anyway, forcing Gaster to eat a little extra before attempting the trek.

“You have to go to him. We’re not letting him out.”

Not nearly yet, in any case.

He led Gaster down the halls and deeper into the castle than he’d likely ever gone before, finally reaching the dungeons and the cellblocks there.

Doc was in the same cell he’d been placed in over a week ago, but no longer laughing. Nowhere near laughter anymore.

He was curled in the corner of his cell, staring at the floor resignedly, equations and ideas scratched on the walls from where he’d grown so hideously bored that he’d had to do something.

Loose bandages were still wrapped around his arms and legs, his wounds untended except for the occasional painful airing-out of the burns.

He looked up slowly at the sound of feet approaching, confused. It was far too early for him to be fed.

--

Gaster understood. He walked along with the guard down further into the castle than he had ever been, into the cold dungeon that he had never hoped to ever see.

He spotted his friend instantly, even if he was curled up and a few cellblocks down.

“Doc!” He called, breaking away from the guard to rush over to the bars.

--

His eyesockets widened, lighting up brighter than they’d been in days at the sound of his name. Doc scrambled to his feet, limping as fast as he could to the bars and reaching through them, pulling his friend into a hug.

“Gaster! You’re okay!”

--

Gaster reached for him, pulling him close and clutching his shirt. “I’m so glad you’re alright…” He said, breath shaking along with his legs.

After a moment he noticed the bandages.

“Wh-... what happened?”

He had no idea it was his fault.

--

Doc paused a moment, looking down at his own bandages, and realizing exactly that.

Gaster didn’t realize the same attack that had killed the King had hurt him so badly. He probably thought Doc had been hurt somehow over the course of the week while he’d been unconscious.

Letting out a nervous laugh, Doc didn’t look at his friend as he tried to comfort him, saying, “They’re nothing. I just… I was too close to your blaster’s fire. That’s all. It’s nothing to worry about.”

He said nothing about his leg. About his chewed-up arm.

--

He looked horrified.

“Oh… Oh gods I’m so sorry.” Gaster clutched at his friend. “I-I didn’t even think and-and I just acted. I just… just he was going to hurt you and-... I hurt you. Oh god I’m sorry.”

He started to slide to the ground and sit, not out of grief, but… he was already exhausted from the journey to the dungeon. Knowing he had hurt his friend just made his legs all the weaker.

--

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” he said, struggling to sit as well, his leg protesting.

He didn’t tell Gaster that he could’ve just given himself new legs. That he could’ve sewn his old ones back on, if given them quickly enough.

“I’m okay, I-I just haven’t had much time to heal up. It’s fine.”

--

Gaster nodded, although the words didn’t seem to comfort him much. He reached through the bars to take his friend’s hand.

He was silent for a few long moments before finally saying, “... I can’t believe I killed him…”

His voice was not proud or happy in the slightest, despite how much better it made their situation.

--

Doc held the hand tightly, despite his burns. Ignoring the pain to instead squeeze Gaster’s hand, leaning against the bars of the cell.

He didn’t know what to say. He’d never thought it could really be done.

“...some people have to die.”

--

Gaster’s face fell. “... I wish they didn’t…”

He leaned against the bars and clutched his chest again, the feeling of his LV still unsettling and horrible inside of him.

“B-but at least we’re safe. Right?” He looked at Doc. “Are we?”

--

Doc glanced over Gaster’s shoulder at the guard still standing them, watching them.

He nodded.

“Y-yeah. As safe as we could hope for…. You helped a lot.”

--

He sighed and nodded, trying to smile. “Now we can work on getting home.”

--

His smile came more easily. Eyes a little brighter.

“We’ll see our kids again.”

He was finally going to see his kids again.