Arriving at his apartment that night, allowing the human girl to sleep on the couch once again, Sans couldn't help but exhale to himself in exasperation when he flopped onto his bed, landing on his back with his legs dangling over the edge. His two white pupils focused on a random spot on the ceiling, just thinking the day over as he rested his forearm on his skull, before slowly slipping that arm over his eyesockets, sending his sight into nothing but darkness. He couldn't help but be annoyed with himself for a moment when he had let himself falter in that bar in front of Frisk. Instead of getting mad at her, and telling her to mind her own damn business, he thanked her. Now she'd probably think that was an invitation to feel the need to "be there for him" whenever she wanted. But he didn't need pity, sympathy, or anything of the like. Friends were the kind of people who felt terrible for you when something bad happened, and a friend wasn't something he needed. Especially with the girl who had caused that bastard to get away on the day he met her. 

What was worse about Frisk was that she was so, so sceptical about using a gun. True, he had been the same when he had first joined the Mafia, but all you had to do was pull the damn trigger. It was likely only a matter of time before Frisk would probably get put on a mission with him, (seeing as Asgore insisted on him being her babysitter), and she wouldn't be able to do anything other than run and hide as possible bullets flew. All she'd be good at is getting herself killed, or running away.

Sighing, the grumpy skeleton decided to turn over onto his side and he closed his eyes to drift off to sleep. One of these days, he needed to enter that group's hideout that were likely keeping Gaster hostage. It just might not be possible to do it alone. He knew Grillby would offer to go, after all the guy wasn't just good at making food or pouring drinks just because he ran a bar. He was actually part of the Mafia when Sans was a little kid, alongside his father. But then things changed. Especially the things you never expected to change.

****

"ya have gotta be kiddin' me." Sans was saying the next day, being back at the headquarters. Asgore had asked to speak to him, in private, without the human there. And what he heard from the large goat man, made him want to stomp his foot and growl no in frustration. Basically, to put it simply, Asgore was asking, no, more like telling, Sans to take Frisk on a mission with him. Why, he did not know. "can't ya get her to go with someone else?! seriously, all ya've been doin' is makin' me babysit her!" Sans complained in annoyance.

"But you're the only one who she appears to trust. Not to mention you're one of the best we have." Asgore pointed out with an eyebrow risen at the shorter skeleton, staring at him from behind his desk. Sans wasn't sure if Asgore was just saying that to butter him up and make him accept. Thinking that stroking his ego would make him any happier about having a mission where not only did he have to do something important, he had to keep an eye on Frisk too. "She's going to need to be doing a couple of missions eventually. She can't just keep doing training all the time. This mission might give her an idea of what it is really like."

"but the girl can't even use a gun properly!" Sans snapped. "she's only gonna get herself or me killed! it's too dangerous for her!" Sans argued. But Asgore only seemed to shake his head in disagreement. Dammit, if only Toriel was still here with her husband, she probably would have agreed with Sans, that sending Frisk out on a mission that could have been dangerous was too soon. He didn't want to have to be held responsible for anything that may happen to the girl if he wasn't able to protect her. What was worse was that he didn't want to protect her because he wanted to, at least that's not how he saw it. He protected her because he had to. If he had gotten Frisk killed and Toriel was to somehow hear about it, he'd get an earful. He'd never hear the end of it. 

Begrudgingly, Sans eventually gave into Asgore's request. Eventually, Frisk was allowed to sit in Asgore's office with Sans, and the two were briefed on what they had to do. All they simply had to do was take down this group that seemed like a threat as of lately. Make sure that no one had escaped. Sans thought it was ridiculous, sending the girl who didn't like to kill out on a mission like this for her first. He could tell she was spooked when they got out of the office and were heading for the elevator. "We have to... We have to kill them, don't we?" Frisk croaked, as they stepped into the lift. 

"what do ya think?" Sans grumbled, going to press the up button on the elevator. He exhaled. "look, if you'd rather just stay in the car outside as i handle everythin' ya can do that. because... personally, i think it's dumb that asgore wants to send ya on a mission like this for your very first. i know how ya feel about killin', even for self defence... you're not ready." Sans went on, which did earn a shocked expression from Frisk. She was expecting him to tell her to take it and suck it up, but he was offering her the choice of not having to go through with it? He must've noticed the look upon her face, seeing as he went on. "look, don't mistake anythin' i've been doin' for ya as of lately like i suddenly care about ya. that's not what it is. all it is is that i agreed to tori that i'd take care of ya. and i ain't ready to break a promise." Sans explained. 

"Promises seem like a big deal to you... Is it just because it's Toriel or...?" Frisk wondered, which caused Sans to scoff.

"what? no! it's nothin' like that! don't get the wrong idea!" Sans snapped at her. 

"Sorry... It's just you two seemed..." She trailed off. "...I don't know. Like there was something there." 

"no, kid. even if the two argue like crazy, tori's with asgore. even if she wasn't, i don't see her like that. we actually don't get on a lot more than ya might think. promises are just... a big deal to me, is all. nothin' more to it." 

"Oh." Was all Frisk replied with, as the elevator doors slid open and they both stepped out, waving to Grillby on their way through the bar before stepping out into the shadowy, spooky alleyway. After that conversation, not another word was exchanged between the two. They just reached the car, got in, and stayed silent. Frisk allowed her two eyes to watch the scenery of buildings and stores pass them by as Sans drove along, keeping his two pin pricked pupils on the road. Dreading the mission that they had been set, Frisk couldn't help but bite the end of her long fingernails. It was fine... Everything would be fine.

After all, she could just stay in the car, right?