Sans was never so fucking thankful that he made sure to make notes of what was around last week for Sally and Jeff.

He and Smile Dog had worked together, when it was agreed on the adoption, to find a map and circle all important places he might need to know. Smile Dog highly recommended a pharmacy to buy medicine from for Jeff first. In case of emergencies. Of course Jeff fell down the stairs like the bright young lad he was, which meant Sans finished off the locations for Sally while Smile Dog went to go check if he was okay. It was a miracle the boy wasn't caught by the Police yet.

One of the places was a few towns over, but damn it if Sans didn't note it down. A toy store. Not even on any of the main maps, either, Sans only knew it was there because a monster mentioned it once. Sure, there was other toy stores, but this one was different. Not only did the person there apparently sell toys and make soaring suggestions, but they also repaired broken ones. While Charlie didn't seem to grow old material wise, Sans didn't think the decapitated head would suddenly become fixed. Thus, the toy fixer.

Sally ended up calming down a few minutes after they drove away, holding onto the broken bear after Sans gave it to her. She probably stopped crying after she figured out Sans was driving to fix her bear.

"Kiddo, I'm so sorry Paps did that, I dunno why he wasn't careful," Sans said, "And I dunno why he insulted Charlie, either. It might be my fault, though. I haven't been a good at keeping contact with them ever since I uh... yeah, let's just say he might be a little stressed because I practically cut myself off from him for a bit. I know he has a bunch of support groups, but Paps might've been super worried because he doesn't know about any of you guys. I'll talk to him about it."

"Okay, thank you!" Sally said, "But... can I go with you whenever you go with them anymore? I don't want them to rip apart any of your friends either."

Sans snorted. "If you feel comfortable trying again with them, sure. I promise they ain't normally like this."

"But if they are, you and I can play more. And I like that more."

Sans took a small glance at her. He really didn't understand why Papyrus was so rough with her bear. Paps was usually so careful around kids. Was he taking the blame for Undyne? He would do something like that.

"Can you explain what exactly happened again, kiddo?" Sans asked.

Sally paused. She then looked up at him. "He asked to see Charlie, then said he looked weird. Then... then Charlie..." She couldn't finish, sniffing again. "We're gonna save him, right?"

"Of course! Charlie is going to be just fine. Then maybe we can even buy you a few toys, too. For your room."

Since Sans only just adopted her, he hasn't managed to fully finish her room for her yet. He felt kind of bad for kicking Jeff to the couch, so he set up a little corner in the basement with his extra mattress for the teen to stay at.

Wait, if he started hanging out with his friends and brother again, they might be coming over more. Maybe he should adopt Jeff too? No, Undyne's seen him. It wouldn't work.

Why couldn't caring for young serial killers be easy?

"What was the phone call about?" Sally asked.

"Oh, yeah, that," Sans sighed, "I thought it had something to do with last night, but it turns out Jeff just was looking for the cheetos I bought. So I helped him and Smile Dog find that in the cabinets."

"Oh, okay! I was worried. I dun't want you to be hurt."

The 'dun't' in her sentence made him almost squeal from how freaking adorable that was. He tried to remain calm the rest of the ride, keeping conversation flowing.

The store was small when they arrived, but had a polished look to it. Glittery windows that didn't allow you to see the inside, colorful walls, and a bright blue door on the front. That looked misplaced, too, off to the side. Almost as if the entire store was a doll house.

"Do they have fruit punch in there?" Sally asked.

"What's your obsession with fruit punch?" Sans snorted.

"Didn't you say you used to eat ketchup?" Sally asked him.

Right. Used to. Sans wasn't sure if he could handle it just yet. He was still... well, learning to be himself still. Sans hasn't even said many puns yet. He was significantly better now, but... still not there. Not yet. Sans figured that was the final step of gathering enough serial killers, when he'd finally feel fully like himself again. But it was nice to feel better enough to work over the trauma of the incident.

He just had to wonder how much of it was his own PTSD and how much of it was from that Slenderman guy? Would Sans even have nightmares if it wasn't for that curse? It's not like he hasn't seen a dead body or dust pile before.

"Hello!" Sally sang as she pulled open the door, stepping inside.

Sans paused, halfway between the car and the toy shop. He really...

Sally was good with strangers. She wasn't shy at all. This proved it. She came to him asking for help, too. So why was she so shy around Sans' family?

"Sally?" he called out.

She looked back, a foot inside of the establishment. "Hm?"

"Was it really... nevermind, let's go in."

It didn't make sense why she'd willingly break Charlie. Sally just probably was a little scared around the idea of extended family. Papyrus was just covering for Undyne probably, and that's why Sally's answer to what happened seemed a little weird.

Woah.

The short skeleton glanced around the toy store in full awe. It was like a child's wonderland in here. So many toys, all lined up on the shelves without a missing space. Each toy different, too, no obvious factory mass production here. The wooden toys were perfectly painted, and Sans could see the small marks where the crafter carved out each one. Dolls, on the other side, were stuffed to carefully. But everything just looked amazing. It was ridiculous how good everything was.

"One moment!" Someone shouted from under the counter, followed by several thuds, sounds of clinking metal, and one final loud "FUCK" before a face slowly rose from behind the counter. Honey colored eyes blinked at Sans.

Sans blinked back. "Yer shouldn't curse in a store for kids, man."

"Toys aren't just for children, I fucking hate children," The mysterious man muttered, flicking his wrist at Sally. "Shoo."

"So the target audience for dolls and toy trains are adults?" Sans asked, pointing up and over at the collection of toys.

"No. I hate adults too." Zero hesitation with that response either.

Sans quietly moved over and covered Sally's ears. "Then who the fuck -"

"FINE!" The man groaned and climbed from his knees to his full height. "I'll sell you a toy. Then get out. I just like making the toys, I don't like bothering with the business or people stuff."

Sans' neck groaned in protest at this guys height. Easily six foot. And with Sans' measly four foot height, safe to say he was really turning his neck.

The man was wearing an old styled outfit - a uniform for the store, Sans assumed - with thick red hair on his head. Sally didn't bother with any small talk, quickly bouncing up to the counter and carefully placing Charlie onto it.

"I need you to fix my friend."

More preciously than the man even treated other people, he lifted up Charlie. More stuffing fell out. "He was hurt on purpose, I can tell. This was no accident." His eyes bore down at Sally. "What happened?"

Sally looked back at Sans. She then motioned for the toymaker to come closer. And, when he leaned in, she whispered a single sentence into his ear.

"Charlie gave up his neck to help me keep my family from being distracted."

Sans didn't hear, just keeping an eye on them to make sure the man didn't do anything. He already had a stellar introduction, so safe to say Sans was on edge around him.

"A good friend you have here, then, willing to give up something for... fine. I'll fix him."

"How much?" Sans asked, pulling out his wallet, "Mr...?"

"Jason. Jason the Toymaker." His gaze never left the bear, more interested in the stuffed object in his hands. "And it depends how long this'll take. How old is your friend?"

"As old as me." Sally pointed to herself.

"And how old are you, brat?"

"Yes."

"The bears a few years old," Sans lied.

Jason shrugged. "Two hundred dollars."

Sans sighed. Whatever. A bit expensive for just doing a simple sowing job, but this dude was clearly an expert. The price was probably for his experience. So he brought out all of the cash he carried on him and placed it onto the counter. Jason turned and stared at it.

"Holy shit, I didn't think you'd fall for that fucking price."

Sans' face immediately turned a bright blue shade, grabbing his hoodie and pulling the top over his skull. "THEN HOW MUCH IS IT?"

"Just fifty. It's an easy fix."

Face still hot, Sans grabbed the other bills and left a fifty on the counter. He now wanted to crawl into a pit and die.

"I have to fix it in the back," Jason said, "Come follow me. Just you. Leave the girl behind."

Sans looked back. Sally seemed entranced by the other dolls, staring up in wonder at them.

"You stay here, Sally," Sans said.

"Okay!" She said happily, reaching up to touch one.

The back was the workshop, Sans could tell. Tools littered the walls in an organized fashion, each one held up by nails, ready for the next job. In the middle of the room sat a large table, filled with numerous unfinished toys. He lightly pushed them to the side and set down the bear.

"You're lucky I'm such a nice person that I'd let you know the price I gave you was ridiculous," Jason said, running a hand through his red hair. "Just saying. You should thank me."

"Fine. Thank you."

"I didn't hear you."

Sans' eye socket twitched. Right. It's been awhile since he's met someone super freaking annoying. "And I'm not repeating it, dude. You heard it."

Jason glared at him. "Oh. So it's going to be like that, huh."

Yup. Annoying. Super annoying.

"It doesn't have to be like anything, the first price just kinda pissed me off," Sans muttered, crossing his arms. "Every kid deserves a toy, and hiding it behind a lotta money means a lot of poorer kids can't get shit."

Jason already started at repairing Charlie, but seemed caught off by Sans' statement. His eyes, briefly, softened. "Every kid does deserve a toy. Everyone does. But I'm guessing you're too old to have toys now, huh?"

"If people like toys, let 'em have toys. We don't needa lock stuff behind a gender or age for some things, ya know? And, to be honest, I would'a killed to have a toy when I was younger. Just one. So that's why I was willing to pay so much for the bear. Might as well help her get a better life than me."

Well, the best sort of life she can have in her position. If his childhood was shit, might as well make sure hers was a little bit better. He did that for paps, too."

"You never had a toy?" Jason asked, quietly.

"Nah. My Dad was real anti toy. Said toys were fucking pointless in a society around knowledge and shit."

Just one toy. Sans spent hours alone in his 'room', just one would have done splendidly for him. Instead, he had nothing to do but think. And that's why he's as fucked up as he is today.

"You want one?"

"What?"

Sans glanced over. Miraculously, somehow, Charlie was already completely fixed. Shit. That was fast. And there was Jason, already having cleared the table of his most recent mess, staring at Sans with an unreadable look.

"Hold on!"

Excitedly, now like an eager child, he quickly ran into the back and opened a bin. Jason continued to pull out several toys, rummaging through it, before he found one.

"She's been a little lonely, but I feel like she'd like you," Jason said, cradling a small object. Once he reached Sans, he gave him the toy.

A... sloth?

It was a stuffed sloth. Small and round, with long arms he could wrap around his shoulders and clip to keep the sloth upheld. Small, beady eyes stared at him.

"Is this another insult?" Sans asked.

Jason stared at him. "Either you take the free damn sloth or I will make it an insult."

Okay then. Guess he was getting a sloth plush then.

"Why are ya giving this to me?"

"Because I am such a nice fantastic guy, I have lots of friends and I always give them plenty of stuff!" He placed a hand on his chest and smiled, narcissism glowing through his smile.

"Uh... sure?" Sans said, "Thanks?"

"Aren't I such a nice guy?" Jason asked.

Seeking validation. Definitely a narcissist of some kind.

"If you want someone to compliment ya more, bud, maybe just get a date. Or a dog. Either works." Sans snagged Charlie, then offered a curt wave. "And you already said I get this sloth for free and have the money so bye now!"

And like that, Sans fled from the very weird turning conversation. Grabbing onto Sally's hand and making his grand escape.