Hey y'all!

So this ended up taking way longer to post than I originally expected. If you guys want a better understanding of what's been up in my life, I'll be explaining more at the end. For now though, I know you're all here for the story!

Art by me! (Art skills have improved since you last saw me >:3)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frisk's POV

"I'm going to head out for a little while. Do you want anything, dear?"

I wipe my hands dry with an old rag as I just finished washing the dishes and call out to Aliza from the kitchen. As I walk towards the exit, I hear a soft thump, and when I make it to the living room, Aliza is on her feet from the couch, her eyes wide as she stares at me.

"What?! No, no, no, no!" She rushes towards me, grabs my arm, and pleas, "Y-you can't go out!"

I smile and wrap my arms around her. "There's no need to worry, sweetie." I lovingly pat her hair and kiss the top of her head. "I've gone outside before. I'll be back before you know it."

"Yes, but that's because you're usually with him!" She hisses, the "him" dripping with some resentment. "If you go out there alone... y-you don't know what will happen!"

"Sweetie-"

"Queen Undyne might show up with a surprise roll call, or Flowey might not be around to help you!"

"Dear, I think-"

"Even if you decide to wear one of his jackets to cover up your scent, it'll only take one whiff of human flesh to tip any monster over the edge and eat you! It's dangerous! There's no point or reason for you to go out there-"

I softly sigh as she continues to ramble about all the ways I could get myself killed, being eaten alive as the most cause of death. But she also threw in some other methods, such as mutilation, cooked until medium-rare, poisoned, suffocating under blue snow, and much more. Aliza is usually very soft-spoken and gentle, but I noticed when she starts to panic or becomes angry, her voice becomes shaky and aggressive. I've even heard her drop a swear word or two a few times, which troubles me sometimes because of how young she is. As she continued to talk, I took her by the hand and slowly guided us towards the couch. I then sat us down.

"Aliza."

She stops for a moment and realizes we are now sitting down as I place a hand under her chin and make her look up at me. Her eyes fall to the side for a moment before they look up at me. I see the fear that clouded her lovely purple eyes.

"I promise I won't be out for more than an hour," I slide my hand up to her cheek as I reassure her. "So don't worry about it, alright?"

She pulls away and shakes her head. "No! I... I'm always going to worry about you mam-" She pauses for a moment as her cheeks start to flare up. Her eyebrows furrow as she lets out a loud grunt, looking away from me. She stays silent for a moment.

'Aha... she's mad at me.' I nervously think to myself.

'I wish she wouldn't worry about me too much. She's experienced so much for a 12-year-old girl, things any other girl her age should not even have to go through. I sometimes wonder how her parents are doing without her. Do they miss her? Are they looking for her? She's never denied not having them, but she never likes talking about them either. I wonder if they-'

I shake my head.

'No.'

While she is under my care, I will make sure nothing happens to her. That is why I must go out.

"Please, dear." I try to talk to her again. "We are nearly out of food. Water and..." I pause for a moment, feeling my stomach begin to turn. "... whatever Papyrus brings home for us is not going to sustain us."

At the mention of the tall skeleton's food, I can see Aliza shiver for a moment and lower her guard.

"I have to try and find more food for us."

There was a moment of silence.

"If... i-if you don't come back in an hour," She finally says. "I won't forgive you..!"

~~~~~

After quietly snatching one of Sans' jackets, I give Aliza one last goodbye hug and exit the house.

The weather today wasn't as harsh as it usually was. Ever since I returned, it seemed to be hailing heavily almost every day. Right now, there wasn't even a speck of snow falling from the mountain's top. You couldn't even hear the rustling of the trees, almost as if the wind had stopped blowing. Despite the lighter weather, my body still shivered when I stepped outside. My bare feet sink into the white snow, and my tattered purple dress is barely able to keep me warm, or covered for that matter.

I check my surroundings and see no monsters out and about in the village. The silence was eerie.

'They're most likely at Grillby's right now hoping to get some lunch...'

As I pull the jacket closer to my body, I begin to walk towards the only destination I could think of at the time.

~~~~~

Third Person's POV

'Remember, when Papyrus comes home and looks like he hasn't eaten, hide in Sans' room.' Frisk's voice echoes in Aliza's head. 'You know how he gets when he hasn't eaten. And if Sans gets angry, tell him I instructed you to hide there. I love that skeleton, but sometimes he can be so hardheaded.'

The young girl shivers at the thought of having to invade that monster's room, but here she was.

The tall skeleton brother had come home and looked like he was ready to eat whatever he saw since he walked straight to the kitchen. The sounds of the fridge opening and items being thrown around. She was up the flight of stairs and cautiously crawling her way to the last door at the end of the hallway.

When she makes it to the end of the hallway, she dreads opening the door to hell. But the sounds of footsteps starting to exit the kitchen made Aliza sucked it up and quickly enter the monster's room. She makes sure to shut the door quietly behind her.

The room is dark, the only light in the room coming from the window. There wasn't much furniture in the room. In it were a mattress that laid on the floor in the corner and a single bedside table with a busted-looking lamp on it. There was a wall closet for clothes, and the floor was carpeted. Even though the room sounded barren, it was in a state of chaos. Clothes sprawled across the floor, most of them stained with blood and filth, and Aliza swore that some of them were too small to belong to the skeleton. The carpeted floor had rips and tears in some places, while the wood walls were full of scratch marks. The mattress had springs poking out, fluff spilling out because of all the holes, and stained with all sorts of things. One of the closet's doors was missing, while the other was barely hanging off its hinges. There was also an odd smell that filled the room.

It was a disaster.

And lying in the middle of the disaster on his mattress was... him.

Sans has been taking a nap since this morning. Aliza nearly forgot he was even alive with how much he slept. His back was facing her as the monster snored. Even from the entrance of the room, she could hear him growl as he breathed out.

The low rumble sound that came from the monster almost made Aliza run right back outside. The small human pressed her back against the door to stay as far away as she possibly could. Being in the same room with the monster that killed and ate her in multiple timelines was the last place she wanted to be.

'Please, uncle Papyrus, leave and find something to eat..!' She thought to herself.

She froze when the skeleton rolled around and was now facing her. The girl held her breath as one of his eye sockets slowly opened, revealing a glowing red eye.

"... whadda hell are ya doing here, fresh meat?" He growls, his eye socket glowing brighter.

"M-mama Frisk s-says... I can stay here when Uncle P-papyrus is hungry." The girl nervously replies. "H-how did you know I was here..?" Aliza was sure that she closed the door without making a sound.

At the mention of Frisk, Sans' eye socket dimmed. He groans, turning to face away from her again. "I could smell yer scent the moment ya entered the room, bite-size. Now leave."

Sans did not want to have to deal with this bothersome human girl. He was too damn tired from searching for food yesterday. All Sans found were two small mice that he couldn't even eat them. The first one he gave to Papyrus, which he immediately scarfed down. The second he had offered it to his lovely human, but she smiled and declined. Instead, she gave it to the younger human to eat. That Aliza was just an extra mouth to feed. She could go outside and get eaten for all he cared for.

Aliza's fists ball up. She hates Sans with almost every fiber of her being. However, she did not want to be turned into a meatball and get eaten by his brother. Shaking, she spoke:

"I... I'll tell mama Frisk you kicked me out if I lose an arm..!"

Sans scowled his fingers digging into the mattress. 'That little-'

"Fine. Just stay where ya are and don't bother me. Any closer, and I'll gladly tear ya apart. Got it, appetizer?"

"Mmm..!" She squeaks.

Aliza pressed her back against the door further and sat down. She let out a breath, bringing her legs close to her chest in a hug. They stayed together in silence for a while, which she thought was for the best. Snow began to fall as the wind started to pick up. As her body began to shiver and the sounds of rustling trees, she started feeling drowsy.

'I hope mama is coming home soon...'

But before she could embrace her land of dreams, the skeleton suddenly shot up from his place. He spun around to face her, his one eye socket glowing so brightly that it practically lit up the entire room. Seeing the anger in his eye made Aliza's own eyes widened with fear.

"Where. Is. Frisk?"

Aliza was silent. She tries to press herself against the wall, even more than she already had, to get as far away from him as possible.

"Somethin' felt off the moment ya came waltzing in here." Sans started, standing up. "I was too tired to realize it, but you and I both know we'd rather be on different planets than here with each other."

'Amen, sir-'

"And why would ya be hidin' from Paps if Frisk was here? Not even hunger could make my brother eat her." He glared daggers at Aliza.

"I... I uh..."

She couldn't find the words to explain to him that Frisk had left into the dangerous outside, practically unarmed and unprotected. Should she even tell him? It might make him even more upset and take it out on her.

"Don't play games with me, hotdog fingers." He barks, approaching the girl.

Aliza's lilac purple eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape. But the skeleton was in front of her sooner than she had anticipated. His tall and wide figure towered over her small and frail body as his eye socket bore into her. He brings his face closer to hers and lets out a low growl.

"Where. Is. S H E?"

~~~~~

"R I N G!"

The bell hanging outside the door let out a low ring as Frisk entered Grillby's. In the past, when entering the pub, it meant getting hit with the scent of greasy food as the patrons happily greeted you while music played in the background. The interior was always bright with mood lighting. She remembers everyone smiling and laughing while they joked around and talked. She misses those days. It was such a warm and safe place.

Now, however, as she walks into the establishment, everyone goes dead silent. The place smells rotten, the warm environment replaced with a hostile one. The jukebox couldn't play any more music. The place was decaying as some of the floorboards and walls were growing fungi and falling/breaking off. She looks around at all the monsters watching her intently, noticing some missing friends and empty seats. She feels her heart ache.

Frisk closes her eyes and pulls Sans' jacket closer around herself. She carefully makes her way to the bar section of the building.

"She's here..."

"We can take one of her legs. She already has two of them..!"

"Human..."

"Even just one of her eyes will do...~"

The human shiver at the murmurs and low growls that came from the monsters she calls her friends, if they even still wanted to be her friends. When she made it to the end and took a seat, the fire monster that stood behind the bar table turned to face her.

"... what are you doing here?" Grillby says.

His face almost looked like it was melting, even though he was made of fire, as his voice sounded raspy. His usually clean and tidy suit has become dirty and is falling apart. Frisk gulps as he stares intensely at the girl. Well, at least he didn't scream at her and try to fry her again.

"Good afternoon Grillby." Frisk tries to greet him warmly, with a smile.

"... where's Sans?"

"Ah, he's... resting at home, haha..." She laughs nervously.

Grillby watches the girl's every move carefully. He doesn't have to look away to know that every monster in his pub was plotting some way to get her, now that Sans wasn't guarding her. He could also feel his own hunger build up as he stared at the girl. The fire monster could already picture all the different ways she could be prepared and cooked. If he could ration her body parts well enough, he could feed everyone in Snowdin and himself for a week. As he continued to observe her movements, he knew that she was weak.

Frisk's small frame shivered under the faded oversized blue jacket from the cold. Her toes curled as she looked down, making her hair fall to her face, not sure if she could continue to stare at the silent bartender. She fidgets in her seat as her eyes dart back and forth between Grillby and the floor. She would be easy to take down.

However, there was always this aurora around her that made monsters hesitate to attack her.

Before Grillby could act on his thoughts, he sees the girl tuck strands of her hair behind her ear, revealing a set of bite marks. He flinches, taking a step back. He could practically see the magic emanating from it. The fire monster lets out a deep grunt.

If something happens to this girl, Snowdin and the rest of the Underground would be facing something they are not ready to handle.

Frisk notices Grillby's sudden change in mood. "Is something wrong?"

Grillby takes a deep breath to regain his composure. Before he answers her questions, he conjures a wall of flames that surround the pair. The girl's eyes widen as she looks at her surroundings.

"G-G-Grill-."

"... too many monsters." He says. "... all hungry..."

Frisk feels the hair on her neck stand up. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat as her toes curl in even further. Then she shakes her head.

'Focus Frisk..!'

She takes a deep breath. "I need your help."

"..."

Grillby stays quiet. What could this human want from him that's worth risking her life? Why would she come to him of all monsters when she knows he's in a place filled with creatures ready to devour her?

"Y-you are... You were close with Muffet," She started. Grillby's fire dimmed for a moment as she continued. "I-is there a slight possibility that... are there still some of her baking ingredients left?"

Grillby let out a short laugh. That's why she came here? What a joke!

The fire monster places both his hands onto the counter and leans in slightly. His looming figure makes Frisk almost run for it, afraid he was about to attack her again.

"Listen, human..." He begins. "If Muffet-," His voice wavers before he continues. "... if she had left any baking supplies behind, it would be for emergency purposes only."

"Please Grill I-"

"E N OU G H!"

The flames around the two suddenly change from a soothing orange to a burning bright red as the fire closes them in further. She feels her body temperature rise with the fire, getting hotter and hotter. The girl begins to panic about making him angry and looks around for an escape or a solution. She couldn't die yet! Not without at least completing this mission! As the flames close in and Grillby reaches his hand out to grab her and turn her into today's special, an idea pops into her head.

"MY HAND!" She exclaims.

Just before he could snatch her, he stops. "... what?"

"M-my hand." She repeats. "I offer you my left hand... in exchange for some ingredients."

Frisk's conscience was screaming at her to take back her words. Instead of listening to her inner voice, she confidently raises her hand as it balls up into a fist.

"If it does not suffice, I offer you my left eye as well... and my toes..!"

Grillby backs away slowly, letting her words sink in as his flames cool down and expand around them. He looks at the girl's raised hand, snapping him back to what little sense he had left.

'No... even if Sans never finds out who...'

Grillby wordlessly turns around and disappears behind the firewall. Then there was a sudden sound of fire burning, followed by the shuffling of feet. He soon comes back with a sack and drops it on the counter in front of Frisk. The bag was quite big, at least half of her size. She cautiously opens the bag and gasps. There was flour, sugar, expired butter, old chocolate chips, and so much more aged ingredients. She could hardly believe all these things were right in front of her! She looks up to see the fire monster facing away from her.

"... that's all." He mutters, glancing at her. "The only thing I used up was all the eggs... most of it is more than likely rotten and expired, but if you're this desperate... it will do..." He then looks away again. "...not much of a baker like she was."

Frisk smiles, relieved to see that deep down inside, her friends were still here. She takes a deep breath, mentally prepares herself, then brings her left hand to him. But, before she could say anything, Grillby raises his hand in front of hers, careful not to touch her.

"... no need." He says. "Just... stay safe."

With that, he leaves. The walls of fire that surrounded them slowly fade away and Frisk is surprised to see the bar is now empty. Where has everyone gone?

As she ponders, she takes the sack, which was a lot heavier than she anticipated, and hurriedly exits the place.

~~~~~

Frisk's weak body makes it difficult to carry the sack all the way home. It did not help that snow started falling, and the winds began to blow again. She shivers as she practically drags her ingredients behind her. She has been gone for more than an hour, so she expected Aliza to give her an ear full when she gets home. She has to be back before Sans wakes up from his nap.

"Come... on!" She huffs.

From the shadows, a tall monster watches the human struggle. They let out a low growl, just loud enough for Frisk to pause. She was only halfway towards her destination as she scans her surroundings.

Before the monster could strike, something tackles them to the ground and bites hard into their neck. It let out a hellish scream, trying to push off the mysterious attacker. Pain shot through their entire body as the other monster tore a part of their neck and then ate it. Then the attacker sinks its sharp fingers into the sides of the first one as they pin them down. They continue to tear apart the flesh of the monster. No matter how much they fight, they can't set themselves free. The mystery monster was out for blood.

Frisk turns towards the forest, sees faint silhouettes behind all the trees, and hears the loud cries and growls. A rush of adrenaline finally pushes her to carry the bag and run without any struggles. Huffing and puffing as she gets farther away, all she hears is the panting of her breath and the crunching of the snow. In her rush to get home, she trips and drops her bag, making some of its content spilling out.

"No..!"

She sits up and gathers her things. Soon she hears footsteps approaching behind her. She quickly picks herself back up and starts to run again. When she looks behind her, she doesn't see anyone. The snow behind her had shoe footprints that suddenly stopped a few feet away from her. Confused, she slows herself down.

She then bumps into someone.

But instead of falling over as she thought, arms wrap around her and catch her fall. The faint smell of blood and ketchup fills her nose. Her feet wobble for a moment as she turns to her catcher.

"S-S-Sans!?"

The skeleton looked down at his delicate human. No new scratches, scars, bruises, missing parts...

He, on the other hand, was covered in blood, making Frisk panic.

"You're covered in blood!" She squeaks. "W-what happened? Are you hurt? How long-?"

Sans was barely listening to her concerns and stays silent as he hugs her tightly. She was close to being someone's dinner tonight. But she was safe, and that was all that matters to him.

He runs his boney fingers through her hair and causes the girl to stop talking, looking up at him. Her bright candy red eyes stare at him with tears threatening to fall, full of concern as her lip quivers. He was supposed to get mad at her, but seeing such an expression made his soul sink. He hugs her even closer as she grips into his shirt. Resting his head on her shoulder, he whispers:

"Home... now."

~~~~~

Frisk's POV

Sans had teleported us both safely home along with the ingredients I acquired from Grillby. Aliza exits Sans' room to quickly greet (mostly me) us. Just like I predicted, she started hitting my chest lightly with tears in her eyes. As I hug her, the small girl angrily returns the hug and continues to scold me. Papyrus hears all the commotion and exits his room. Soon, he happily approaches me, lifts me into the air, and spins me around. The small girl protests after being separated from me, and all I could do was smile nervously. Amongst all the noise, Sans was silent.

After everything calmed down, I dragged my ingredients to the kitchen and got to work.

~~~~~

"Thank you so much!" Aliza says as she stares at the dining room table in awe.

"WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE, HUMAN! NO WONDER YOU WERE GONE WHEN I HAD ARRIVED!" Papyrus claps enthusiastically.

I set the table with some chipped plates, utensils, and different kinds of glasses. In the middle of it all is a single cinnamon pie with questionable ediblity. Aliza and Papyrus's mouths are practically watering as they stare at the desert. I softly laugh as I gesture for them to eat. They scramble to their seats and start digging in. Another pie is currently baking in the oven (which thankfully was still working). But I didn't want everyone to wait any longer. It's been so long since we've had a meal like this, and seeing them eat dinner like this fills my heart with joy. Even if our meal was made with questionably old ingredients.

Sadly Muffet left no butterscotch, but I smile, thinking about how she has fed us today. I was still wearing Sans' jacket as I pulled it closer to me and buried my face in the fluff of the hood, thinking about my old friend.

While Aliza and Papyrus eat, I look around and see that Sans isn't here to join us. I sigh. 'He's probably waiting for everyone to finish eating. That skeleton, honestly...'

I go and kiss the girl on the forehead and then hug the tall skeleton before I make my way to Sans' room. When I arrive in front of his door, I knock. No response.

"Sans it's me. May I come in?"

There was a pause before I heard the door unlock, and it magically opened slightly. I enter the room and find Sans lying on his bed, facing me. Only one of his eye sockets is open as he stares expectantly at me. The ends of my lips curl upwards as I walk over to the ruined mattress. I plop myself down on it and laid down beside him. He immediately pulls me to his chest and buries his face in my hair.

"It's time for dinner, love," I say, looking up at him.

"I'm not hungry." He grunts.

"Sans," I look up at him sternly. "You and I haven't eaten in two days. Monster or not, I'm sure you're just as hungry as I am, if not more."

"I had a snack right before I found ya..." He murmurs.

Stubborn. Sans never used to be like this. It breaks my heart thinking about what happened to the relaxed skeleton I left behind. His missing eye socket, the crack on his skull, and his overall aura sadden me. He barely even recognized me when I returned. Maybe if I hadn't left...

I turn to face him and lift a hand to his cheekbone, making him face me. I lightly kiss the bridge of his nose, making his cheekbones glow a faint red. My thumb caresses his cheek as he sinks into my hand. His face relaxes, and his usually alert and stiff body loosens.

"Thank you," I said to him.

He gives me a weird look. "For what?"

"For taking care of Aliza and me." I start. "I know things are hard right now, but I appreciate everything you do for us, even Papyrus." I shift myself closer into Sans' embrace. "I made cinnamon pie. Aliza and Papyrus are eating their shares right now. I made a different pie for us to share. Think of the pie as a thank you." I smile

"Ya didn't have to go through all of that for a thank you." He rests his head on top of my head. "Just stay alive... that would be enough."

We lay in silence for a while. Sans runs his boney fingers through my hair while I reach my hand to his cheekbone again. I bring his head down and give him a light kiss. He smiles. Not a twisted smile like when I first saw him again, not a sarcastic smile he gives to Aliza when they argue, and not a forced smile he puts on when telling Papyrus and me things are fine. A genuine smile that made my heart melt. The hand that was stroking my hair pushed my head back to him into another, deeper kiss. I smile brightly when we pull away, giggling as I wrap my arms around his neck, my heart racing. I feel an overwhelming sense of love and I begin to give him more light kisses all over his face. Words can never feel enough to describe how much I love this skeleton.

Sans lets out a short and slightly flustered chuckle. After I shower him with kisses, I lay my forehead against his and we stare lovingly at each other as he wraps his arms around my waist. Being alone together like this felt very calming, so I savor moments like this. It was a short escape from the depressing reality that surrounded us every day.

"... okay." Sans lets out a deep and tired sigh. "You win... I'll eat some of yer pie."

"I'm glad, love." I let out my own sigh of relief. "Our pie is still in the oven, so I asked Aliza to call us when it's done baking. We can spend a bit more time together."

He seemed satisfied with that as he let out a quiet, "Mmm." I got ready to relax myself, but a bunch of thoughts crossed my mind and I suddenly sat up from my bed, disappointing the skeleton.

"Actually, maybe I should keep an eye on it. I never got to taste test the first pie... and because of the ingredients, I'm not sure how safe it is to eat... Sans, how well do monsters handle expired food..? Oh my gosh I should have checked it before letting Aliza eat it..! Love, I think we need to-"

While I started worrying and rambling about the potential risks from the pie I made would have on the two innocent souls downstairs, Sans grabs me by the waist and pulls me back down. I yelped in surprise. As he brings my body close to him, my back presses against his chest and he grunts in frustration.

"Paps will be fine, some old pie won't hurt him." He mumbles. "... and the small one doesn't die no matter how hard I try." I give him a look of disapproval when he says that and he coughs. "Bite size is... persistent. Overly cautious even. Fear is gonna keep that thing alive."

My eyebrows furrow as I was about to give him a stern talk. I should have at least checked the pie before letting anyone eat it. I was so excited Grillby was able to give me ingredients that it slipped my mind that I should have been more cautious about letting my family eat it. Before I could protest I felt his grip around me tighten, making me turn to face him. His eye sockets look like they were struggling to stay open, barely able to focus on anything. My expression softens.

"Rest for a bit with me... please..."

I can hear the fatigue in his voice as he pleads for me to stay. I give in to his request and rest my head against his chest. I hug him gently and run my hands up and down his back. He relaxes, letting himself rest as he closes his eyes.

"Okay, love..." I whisper softly. "Let's get some rest."

It wasn't long until I heard his snores echo the room. They were loud, breathy, and every once and a while he'd let out a low growl. I can't help but let out a chuckle as I adjust myself and get comfortable. I don't feel like taking a nap, so I decide to plan the rest of our day in my head, and prepare for what might happen if the pie ends up giving us digestive problems. Maybe I could find some herbs and mix something up for stomach pains.

Papyrus is probably already done with his share of the pie, and I imagine Aliza had started washing their dishes. How long had I been here with Sans? It feels like I've been here for hours, but the pie only needs to be in the oven for 45 minutes. Aliza would have called me by now if I had been here for so long.

What should we do after we eat? We can't watch Sans and Papyrus' tv anymore. Not only was it not working, but I heard they stopped broadcasting anything. I frown at the thought as I grab onto Sans' jacket. How is Mettaton and Alphys? In the past when I tried asking Sans about them, he went completely silent and his eye sockets became empty. He looked... guilty? Maybe scared or remorseful. It was hard to tell. He wouldn't talk to anyone for a while after that, locked himself in his room and refused to come out for days. His reaction gives me chills whenever I think about it. If they didn't make it...

I shake my head. Maybe Sans was just trying to protect me from that thought, or still grieving over their loss if it was true. I pray those two are still alive somewhere, safe and sound.

Then I start thinking about Undyne. I could barely wrap my head around her being the Queen. Aliza told me about how many children have been slaughtered under her rule. If there's one thing Aliza and Sans can agree on, it's keeping me away from our old friend. Even Papyrus tells me she's not the same spear of justice the Underground relied on when things got tough. I can't help but have this sinking feeling in my stomach. If I can go see her again, maybe she'll recognize me and I can help her somehow.

My train of thoughts were interrupted when I felt Sans hug me tighter in frustration.

"Sleep." He grumbles. "I can sense yer feeling sad... I don't want ya to be sad." I look up to his face and his eyes open slightly to gaze at me. "It makes me... want to rip yer bad thoughts away... and eat them."

I can't help but giggle at his words, causing him to grunt loudly. "I'm being serious!"

"I know, I know love." I smile and cup his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Imagining you eating my thoughts is very funny."

He growls as his eyes shut. He hides his face in my hair, embarrassed. I look up to kiss his chin.

"The thought is sweet. Very amusing, but sweet." I reassure him. Sans opens his eyes again and looks down at me. "I don't mean to disturb your sleep with my troubled thoughts, love. To be honest, I don't feel like sleeping."

He stares at me concerned. His mind looked like he was trying to find something to say. I reach for his hand, intertwining our fingers and giving him a gentle squeeze.

"You can continue sleeping if you're still tired, Sans." I begin. "But... I'd actually prefer to spend my time relaxing and talking with you." My eyes glance down for a second before I continue. "You spend most of your time sleeping or out looking for food. I mean I understand of course it's for our survival and it's exhausting making sure we're all safe..! But, it feels like we don't have time to be with each other."

Sans was silent for a moment. I was worried for a bit that I had said something wrong, but he started to speak.

"I... I am tired." He began. "So much has happened, and I'm sorry things are rougher here than when you first fell down."

"Sans I-"

"No." He quickly cuts me off. "I know what yer gonna say, but ya have nothing to be sorry for." He squeezes my hand back. "How were ya supposed to know things would get this bad after you left?" He suddenly lets out a loud growl. "I'm more frustrated with how I let myself spiral down this bad... and how much I tend to revert back to it." He grits his teeth. "Gah dammit..! Ya know I'll rip apart anyone that hurts ya. So if I'm the one hurting ya-!"

"Alright, alright love." I cut Sans off before his thought would bring him to much darker thoughts.

Sans takes a deep breath and sighs. He looks down and stares at me for a while, gathering his thoughts. I smile patiently up at him for reassurance. Soon he shuts his eyes and kisses the top of my head.

"I'd like to take a nap... but we can spend time together after we have pie..."

"Alright." I kiss his cheeks. "Thank you, love."

And just like before, it wasn't long before the skeleton fell asleep. I'm happy we got to talk for a bit, even if they were kind of a downer topic. A small weight was lifted off my chest after telling Sans how I'd been feeling, and I hope this means we'll be able to relax a bit more in the future. For now, I let Sans have his rest.

It wasn't long till Aliza came up into the room to fetch me, much to Sans' dismay. I asked Aliza how she was feeling, and she said she hadn't been this full in a long time, so I relaxed for now. After we had our pie, all four of us spent the rest of the day in the living room talking and being together like a family. This was the first time in a while since we had done anything like this. So I live in the moment before another day passes us here in the Underground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for making it to the end!

If you wanna hear what's been happening to me you can keep reading, I'll try not to make it too long. If you're not interested, that's okay! I'll see you in the next chapter (hopefully won't take years to write XD)!

Where to begin...

I'm currently in my last year of college taking things like Thesis and doing Internships. It's been a wild ride, and taking up most of my time.

My mental health has also had it's ups and downs, so I've had to prioritize different things. Had family problems, and a loved one is still currently going through some health related issues. For a while my family and I stayed over to help them.

Things are looking out for the better right now tho. I'm currently talking with a guidance councilor and working on my mental health.

Have I given up writing and this ship?

HELL NAH!

I have like 26 drafts of different story ideas still yet to be released into the world! I'm still a little rusty after not writing for so long, but it feels so good to do it again!

Ngl, Wattpad has changed a lot since I last posted anything, so I'm going to have to get used to it. I've also expanded! You can find the last chapter and this chapter on AO3! I'm StarySkies over there. AO3 is really different to Wattpad, so that's a whole different thing to get used to XD.

Here's the link in case you don't see me: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41682918/chapters/104560335

I'm not sure how often I'll update, but I'll update whenever I can. Miss these two so much y'all TvT!

If you're an OG reader still here for the ride, thank you so much. Your patience means so much to me. For all you newer guys, what's up! Nice to meet cha!

Until next time my Reader-Chans (haha omg been so long since I said that)!