It was early morning, and the sun was beginning its journey across the sky. Rays of light were peaking through the curtains of Toriel's small apartment. It shimmered over old photographs, reflected off the surface of her shinier belongings, before settling on the two bodies sleeping in the large bed.
Toriel's eyes fluttered open, and was confused to find someone else breathing under her covers. She slowly brought the covers back, and peered at the small thing curled into her. A warm smile came to Toriel's face.
Frisk's tiny body was tucked as close to Toriel as possible. Toriel wasn't sure when they had last spent a night in the warmth of a real bed, or the last time they had anyone close to keep them warm. It had only been yesterday that she found the poor thing, dirty and hungry, trying to survive in the streets of Ebott. Toriel tried to help them initially, but Frisk was so scared of her, that they had run. She searched the city all day and most of the night. But just before she could give up, she found Frisk in front of the large house she once shared with her ex-husband. In fact, it seems she was not the only one looking for the child, finding a small crowd of people, Frisk's new friends.
Toriel still felt the hug Frisk had given her, tears in her eyes, begging to forgiven. It seemed that somewhere along the line, they had learned that there are people out there who want to help them. It was a bitter happiness she felt when Asgore told her he would make sure she could adopt Frisk.
So, it had been in the earliest hours of the morning that Toriel and Frisk, hand in hand, arrived back at her small 1-bedroom apartment, and quickly passed out in her bed. Toriel finished reminiscing, before bending over to plant a kiss on the child's forehead. They barely responded, and Toriel quietly decided to leave them to their sleep. They deserved rest.
In another part of Ebott, another friend of Frisk decided to sleep in. But for Sans, sleeping in was just the only way to live. And it was Sunday, so he didn't even have his bro trying to wake him up: Papyrus was with his closest friend Undyne at the gym. Sans began to settle back into bed, before realizing that perhaps he should wake early today. It was only yesterday he'd helped a kid find a home.
It was like any other day in this town. Sans had nearly fallen asleep at his hot dog stand, when something unusual had happened: he had a customer. More unusual however, was that the poor kid looked like they hadn't eaten in days. Just skin and bones. So Sans took pity on them and gave them a 'dog for free. Actually, a few 'dogs. But before he could get in his usual head-dog joke, Paps showed up.
It was the usual antics, but when the kid disappeared, Sans decided to close the stand and keep an eye out for them. Seemed like they had a knack for making pals. When Sans found himself at the Mayor's mansion, the kid had rounded up a squad of friends, most of which he knew. His brother, Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton. And himself, Sans supposed. That's when the lady showed up.
Frisk ran through the group to the unknown lady. Sans had heard her approach, but hadn't been prepared for what he saw. She was tall, and pretty, and pale. Very pale. Albino, in fact. Her hair was long and blonde, and she wore a long purple sun dress. Though he had never met her, Sans felt like he already knew Toriel. He was so lost in thought, that he hadn't even noticed that she had asked him something.
"Huh?" he managed. Toriel giggled, and Sans thought it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.
"I said," Toriel said politely, "you are the one who's been watching over little Frisk all day, no?"
Sans tore his eyes away from her so that he could form a coherent sentence. "Uh, yeah." Perhaps not quite a sentence, but it answered her question.
"Thank you. I owe you so much." Toriel said.
"Aw, it was nothing." Sans replied, combing his suddenly nervous hands through his short black hair. But before he could say more, he was suddenly aware of the sensation of the lady's lips on his cheek.
Shaking himself from his stupor, Sans checked his phone. Two new messages. One from Papyrus, telling Sans that the nice lady invited all of Frisk's new friends over to her apartment. The other was from an unknown number.
Greetings. This is Toriel. We met last night. I was hoping that perhaps you would join me at my apartment. I was hoping to speak more in depth with all of you regarding Frisk. I have baked a pie.
-Toriel
"Welp," Sans thought, "can't say no to free food."
In no time at all, Toriel's small apartment was fuller than it had ever been. It had been so long since she had had anyone visiting. First to arrive were Alphys and Undyne. Frisk greeted them by jumping up from the table to give the couple a group hug. Toriel greeted them with a warm smile, and told Frisk to finish their breakfast. Seemed that, hungry as they were, Frisk loved their friends a whole lot.
Next to show was Mettaton. Toriel didn't keep up much with modern celebrities, but he carried himself with the confidence of one.
Toriel was reluctant to open the door to Asgore, but Frisk had insisted that he come too. "Why did it have to be him?" she thought, but offered tea as a courtesy.
The last to arrive were the brothers, but as Toriel observed, they didn't look like brothers: Papyrus was taller, thinner and had lighter skin than Sans. Not to mention that they acted nothing alike. Toriel found it odd that Sans barely formed a response as she welcomed them, but Papyrus made sure to speak loud enough for both of them.
After tea had been served, her guests sat around her living room, though some not in seats. Toriel sat in her armchair, with Frisk quietly sitting on her lap. No matter how old they might have been, Toriel insisted that no-one is too old for affection, and Frisk needed some after the life they've had. Mettaton was resting in the desk chair Toriel had rolled out of her room, though to call it sitting would have been a lie. No, Mettaton was posing. The brothers had taken the two dining chairs she had. Undyne elected to sit on the floor, and practically pulled Alphys into her lap. Asgore sat across the room from Toriel, staring at the floor and sipping his tea.
After a few moments of silence, Toriel spoke up. "Well, greetings to you all." she began. "I am so glad to have you all here. I apologize for the lack of space, I never expected to meet so many nice people so quickly. And it's all thanks to this one." As she said this, she ruffled Frisk's short brown hair. "I already expressed my desire to adopt Frisk last night, and they have decided to live with me." She paused, and Frisk took the opportunity to nod as fast as they could, before giving their new caretaker a hug. The collective "awww" from the room was immediate.
After the hug finished, Toriel began again. "I need to ask all of you a huge favour. I know that all of you do not know Frisk or me very well…" Asgore looked up, as if to say something, but went back to his tea as Toriel's eye shot daggers at him.
"...but I need all of your help. I have not taken care of a child in...some time. And I never prepared for this to happen. You have already helped me so much, watching over Frisk…" a look at the brothers.
"...protecting them…" A glance at Undyne and Alphys.
"...encouraging them..." a view of Mettaton.
"...and," leering at Asgore, "teaching them." she finished.
"I don't have much to offer, but if you would help me…" Toriel's interrupted by Undyne's voice. "We'll help in any way we can Mrs. Toriel! We love the little squirt!"
"Y-yeah!" Alphys stuttered. "F-frisk helped us so much, we'd do anything to help them!"
"Anything for my little darling!" Mettaton told her.
"I'll do whatever I can Tori..Toriel." was Asgore's response. Then the group looked to the brothers.
"Absolutely dabsolutely Mrs. Frisk's Mom! Me and my brother will support you and Frisk! Right bro?"
Sans had never had trouble speaking as much as he was having now. Of course, the kid had grown on him, and he would never have said no. But now, he figured he'd be spending more time with Frisk. And that meant more time with the pretty lady.
"Sure thing T" was his response. But Sans' mind was screaming:
"I think I love you."
