'STOP IT. Right this instant.' The voice in his head hissed. Deep within him, he ached to tell Frisk everything. He wanted to reach out and just sob in front of her.

But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.

After all, he wouldn't let those efforts go to waste, now would he?

It was hard, but eventually he took control of himself. Well, at least controlling half of himself. He looked into Frisk's eyes and sighed quietly.

"M-Maybe I shouldn't... I shouldn't have told you that..." He mumbled.

"No, it's fine. Thank you for opening up to me..." Frisk smiled lightly.

Suddenly, for the first time in a long, long time, something happened. Something so rare.

He smiled.

And not a menancing or creepy one, but a sweet, genuine kind smile. Almost like he was thankful. Frisk gasped quietly. Frisk's face lit up when she saw the corners of his lips slightly twitch upwards.

But the smile was gone as quickly as it came. Frisk's happy demeanor faded, but her eyes still held hope.

"You know, human... you're not that bad." Asriel mumbled, too quietly for Frisk to hear but she heard it anyway.

A pink blush lightly covered her cheeks. "U-Uh, thank you, I guess...?" She stuttered.

The King glanced out the window. "We should go back outside. After all this room is still pretty dusty. I'll have someone clean it if you want to visit it again." He said, oblivious to his sudden action.

He hated that room. Mostly it's because that's where Chara and him used to stay often. He didn't even want to look at it, that's why it gathered so much dust. He never opened it in a long time.

And now, just because of this human, he was having it cleaned so she could be comfortable inside?

The human was already changing him, and fast. But he was oblivious to that fact.

Frisk lit up at his words. "Thank you, Asriel..." She smiled. Asriel stopped for a moment, looking at her. Her smile was beautiful. It was bright, hopeful, kind, but most of all....

Determined.

He had never seen Chara smile like this. When she laughed or smiled, there was always a hint of doubt. Sometimes she even hesitated. Sometimes she would force it. She thought no one would see but Asriel somehow noticed it one day.

Chara was a good liar, however. She could easily manipulate somebody's perspective of her, without even trying. The monsters didn't know anything.

They portrayed her as a kind, sweet, loving, and inoccent young girl. Having her live in the Underground for so long made the monsters grow quite fond of her.

Then that day came. The day in where everybody still tries to forget. The day where Chara died. And Asriel started ruling.

Asriel had poured inoccent blood on his hands, just for his sick sense of humor. Monsters died on his feet, and he could barely bat an eye. He did it mercilessly, even killing his old friends just for the sake of it.

He knew that their families would never forgive him for his cruelty. He knew that the rest of the monster population hates him. He didn't even know if he could face his people again. He knew that the only one who accepted him right now....

Was smiling right in front of him.

A small smile tugged at his lips when he saw her, but it was gone again.

Frisk was determined to let that smile stay on his face. Even if she had to die trying.