Co-authored with StormDacana and Omicron the IceQueen
Added note: The start of this is a little rocky as a warning, Sans decided to change the detection of the story and this is what we got.
Protective
The small figure huddled in the cold caught him off guard, the rail thin human girl had bruises wherever skin was exposed, making him twitch subtly. "No need to be frightened kiddo I just didn't want you to be bonely is all." Holding his hands up to show hopefully the Monster wasn't intending to hurt.
An achingly familiar giggle reached him, though it was tear choked compared to when he'd heard it earlier through the ruins door.
The Monster hesitated, looking around before stepping to his right twice, turning and plopped down into the snow, putting his hands into the pockets of his over jacket. Taking a deep breath, he eased back on his magic, compacting it a little so he wasn't as large and...fuffy.
The girl looked like she needed a friend, or just anyone she could feel safe with, now that he was seeing her better it was obvious why.
Danni eyed his changing form warily, suppressing a shiver from the cold. Or could it possibly be fear? She stayed out of arms reach, though with how battered she was it was doubtful she could run from him if it came down to it. Glancing to the side, Sans stared a long moment or two before sighing. Sometimes he felt like he was getting too soft when he shouldn't... but then... Rumbling low under his ribcage the Monster shrugged off his jacket. He was gone from his spot when the human glanced away and back.
The thick, large jacket dropped over Danni, "You shouldn't chill out this much, and that's coming from me of all people."
Giving a startled squeak was about all she could do, the jacket dwarfed the girl and nearly swallowed her whole. Which was pitiful when Danni peeked out from under it at him, "...w-won't you get cold?" Her voice was naturally very soft not in volume but tone.
"Nah," Sans plopped back down closer, but not too close to the girl, reaching over to lift the hood of the fur lined jacket, and then pulled the hood up of his sweater, "I got layers, you look like you're the one that might freeze to the bone."
Danni gave a slight giggle at the irony of his statement. A few moments if silence passed as she faced him abit more. "...How come you're out here with me?"
One glowing white orb moved to look at Danni, the sockets of the skull had a black backdrop so the 'eye' stood out, showing where he was looking, "Was on my way to the door. Looks like you fell out." There was a pause, "Or you got through that mouse hole...?"
"You're the one that told jokes at the bar?"
"Yeah, its me," The talking skeleton Monster lifted his hands, lifting the pouch pocket they were in before pulling now gloved hands out and offered one, "Name's Sans."
Danni hesitated before taking the offered hand wary, "Danni." The whoopie cushion though not loud was unexpected and startled her so bad she actually ended up nearly on his lap trying to figure out the source. Trembling again in confusion.
The Monster froze, arm still extended out, the white irises glowing brighter, a flicker of blue in them. Then a low rumbling laugh vibrated through him, his arms warping around the human and blue jacket, holding her as he pulled the glove off his left hand, and pulling the small red thing that was inflating. Sans was trying not to laugh though his grin widened more at this reaction. The bone hand gentle squeezed the small whoopie cushion twice to make two little farting noises, "Works every time."
She was even more tiny when he actually got to feel her frame. Danni blinked at what he showed her fingers cautiously touching it and his hand before she started to giggle realizing the joke. "Never had anyone do that to me before"
"Well, glad I'm you're first." The Monster chuckled, the pale bones were surprisingly warm as Sans wiggled his fingers at the human in a tease, dropping the small red cushion in her hands. "Here, make good use of it."
Danni studied the small cushion seemingly not registering she was huddled against the big skeleton. Looking up at his face curious. "I don't know how I'd use this to be honest..." big hazel eyes peered out at him from a scarred and bruised face. Her lip was spilt on one side but wasn't doing her from talking.
"Squeeze it." Sans said helpfully, the Monster's gaze not missing anything as the tilted his head under the hoodie. Shifting as if adjusting his hold, the other hand feeling through his blue jacket subtly.
Danni humored him, giggling at the resulting noise. She really was innocent that finding so simple a thing entertaining.
"Good thing I came back down here," Sans noted, the monster wrapping both hands around the girl, there was a slight shift, and when Danni looked up they were standing. Or rather Sans was standing and she was cradled in his arms now, the Monster seemed bigger again, tall like he had been few minutes ago when she first saw him.
Squeaking she eyed the ground then him warily. "...where are you taking me?" No longer near her size he made her really small seeming now.
"Somewhere warm, I can heat my bones, but not another person," The Monster winked, full on and fast enough that the girl didn't see the details but it was a wink. "Don't worry, I know a short cut. Ready?" He held her a little tighter through the jacket.
"I uh...okay?" Danni let him hold her though she looked a little worried.
"Doubt you've felt magic before." Sans half explained, pulling the large hood over Danni's head, blocking her sight if the outside world just before everything shifted in a way like and unlike before. It was stronger, along with a pulling sensation in the girl's chest and stomach, leaving a queasy, dizzy feeling before the cold air seeping in under the hood turned warmer. Still cool but not enough to support snow like in the Underground, and light from a setting sun was momentarily blinding.
Whining slightly as her stomach rolled, the girl hid her face against Sans as she clung. Disoriented and a wee bit dizzy. "...Nngh.." Yeah the hood was a life saver but the inertia feeling still made her feel out of sorts.
"There we go, back up on the surface," Sans said, his voice vibrating against her and... was that a few pants as well? That seemed odd as he was a skeleton, "Biggest trip out of the way..." the Monster padded down the sidewalk, looking around with brighter eyes to see if anyone was around that didn't look good. But he had timed the spot just right. "You okay in there?"
"I'm ok..." the small girl peeked out of the jacket hood around them, only slightly pale from the ordeal. The queasy feeling was already subsiding.
"...how'd we get here so fast?"
"Short cut," Sans winked at her again, his hold moving again so that Dannie wouldn't be suffocating in the fur lined jacket as it warmed up faster now. For a few moments as the Monster walked, he looked almost like he'd been sweating. "Pretty good one if I do sans myself."
Danni face him a confused look at the sweating, but didn't ask. After a moment she giggled as she came up with a timid pun after catching his. "Pretty sansational from what I can tell"
The Monster grinned wide, and the made sure he wasn't showing any fangs after a moment. "Nice one kid. What did you say your name was?"
Smiling in slight pride she answered him sounding almost shy, "Danni." It was obvious praise wasn't something she was used to.
Sans glances around again, walking across a street, "Nice to meet ya." He paused at a gate, and beyond to a house and door, then down at the girl. the monster managed to flip the hood over her head again, shifting through another short cut through space and get inside, setting the jacket wrapped human onto one of the couches. "Here, you can park there."
Danni squeaks at the hood flip, giving herself a shake at that odd inertia feeling. Being set down made get curl up as she peeked out of the jacket to see where they were now.
The Monster was moving away from Danni, to one of the open door ways that looked like a kitchen. there was a large lazy boy chair, and the couches were big, but it didn't be just for Sans. The whole house seemed to favor high ceilings and archways. Nothing seemed too 'fancy' with how everything was set up, but it was clean, and not a lot like it was still new and just moved into, though the TV looked impressive.
"You like chocolate kid?" Sans voice called just out of sight.
"I don't think I've had it before..." Danni heard of it but when trying to get just normal food was an effort will special things were less likely to happen.
"Really?" Sans asked, as if half mindedly, and it might be a good thing the girl didn't see a flare of blue in his eye sockets and at the fingertips. The Monster flexed his hands to make sure his claws weren't forming. after a minute he came out with a warm cup of hot chocolate, but not that strong, "Here you go, that'll help get rid of the rest of the chill from Snowdin's woods."
Taking the mug and studying it curiously she cautiously sipped and perked in surprise. "That's chocolate?" A small smile formed just enough to reveal a dimple. (She wouldn't know better obviously still a treat n.n)
"One kind." Sans tilted his head, studying the human for a few moments as she enjoyed the treat, and then before she noticed he was moving back again to walk back in the kitchen. "Not too bad?" he asked getting a smaller bowl next.
"Its good," The girl admitted shyly sipping the sweet drink. "Definitely never had it before..."
"Yeah, I liked it too. And that coffee stuff." Sans said from the kitchen, and after another few minutes he came out again, hold a small bowl. The Monster kepted it balanced as he sat beside the girl, offering her the little bowl of oatmeal, sweetened with some brown sugar and a spoon sticking out, "Here you go, not much but its warm."
Carefully taking the bowl she murmured a thank you before nibbling at it. Danni was careful when she got a hold of larger portion meals even small ones considering since her tummy was only so big. Danni hummed at the taste of the warm food though. Simple things like that made her happy.
The Monster leaned back, making sure he wasn't taking up too much space as he seemed to settle, reaching out for the for the remote to start flipping through channels, he kept watching the news for a few minutes at a time. Sans was giving the girl time to calm down, and get used to him. He wasn't like most of the other monsters or humans.
She managed to eat a small amount of the oatmeal before between the hot chocolate in her tummy and what she ate Danni was full. Carefully setting the bowl out of the way she huddled against Sans side. Danni knew it was a risk but...she was young and comfort was really something she rarely got.
Sans lifted his left arm, and draped it slowly over the human, it wasn't the first time, and his hoodie gave some soft buffer along with his magical field. It left his hand in semi sight, the body hand relaxed so the youth could reach out for it, but sans kept his fingers lax so not to scare.
Some humans where freaked out at bones sometimes.
She seemed more curious if anything as her much smaller hand found his. Fingers lightly curling around the bone hand feeling the odd hum of magic that he gave off. The fingers wiggled lightly, he was aware of the touch and Danni could see some odd looking, fainter lines in the small bones almost like streach marks. Resting her hand to his to see the size difference she smiled, childishly gripping a couple fingers since her hand was just small enough she couldn't easily hold his hand. The human was obviously just soaking up any affection he'd offer.
Sans smiled, wrapping his hand around on the girl's for a few moments before the monster letting his hand open so she could pull back in case. The girl seemed content where she was, nor did she seem to mind his being a skeleton. Burrowing into the jacket she gave a squeaked yawn. The monster let her, planning on letting the human nap for a few hours at least, long enough to work out any lingering chill from being underground, and from being alone down there before he'd try and clean her up.
Danni was nearly hidden against his side, falling asleep quickly while hiding her face. Being as tall as she was for her age, it was surprising how well she could seemingly disappear.
Sans tilted his head, and then his left iris in the eye socket flailed blue. He was running his fingers feather light over the girl's exposed arms, inspecting the scraps and what looked like old scars, pausing over the wrist as Sans used his ability See, finding the remolding on the girl's own bones, a healed break. Several of them.
