Steelcode, who owns Sage, asked for this one. Here you go, Amigo! Enjoy! :)

Undertale belongs to Toby Fox. I own nothing.

The Scars I Bear

It had been a couple months since the incident with Frisk and the bullies, and she was getting out of school for the day and looked to find Sans talking with Sage. The young man had become good friends with the skeleton and the two often would exchange puns with the young man keeping up with the skeleton, who was impressed with Sage's wit and pleased to have a friend who enjoyed puns as much as he did.

Sans happened to see Frisk coming towards them. "There she is," he said with a smile as the young girl ran up to them.

"Whoa, look at her go," Sage said, chuckling. "She might break the sound barrier."

"That would be a bang," Sans said with a chuckle as Frisk came up and glomped him in a hug before glomping Sage, who chuckled.

"Hey, Frisk, how you doing?" He asked. "Those bullies haven't bothered you again, have they?"

"Nope," she said with a grin. "They got seat restriction and detention."

"Good," the young man said.

"Hey, Sage," Sans said. "Toriel asked me to invite you over for dinner tonight. Would you be interested?"

The young man paused a moment, looking a bit surprised. "Uh, yeah," he said. "That sounds great. What time?"

"Six o'clock," the skeleton replied, curious as to Sage's behavior.

The young man nodded. "That gives me a chance to do the chores and get changed," he said before heading away. "I'll see you guys tonight."

Frisk looked curious. "Why did he seem surprised?" She asked. "And…hesitant?"

"Maybe he's got to check with his folks first," Sans said before picking her up. "Well, what do you say we head for home? Do you have any homework?"

"Just some math," she replied as they teleported home.

Sage went to his home and did the chores, thinking about Toriel's invitation. He didn't have any parents and worked alone on the ranch. While he was a ward of the state, the social worker who checked on him allowed him to stay home alone and to work. He was a teenager after all and almost out of high school. He sighed and decided that maybe he could share some of his past to the monsters who he considered to be friends.

That evening, dinner was wonderful at Toriel's place and they were soon relaxing on the back porch while Frisk and Papyrus messed around in the backyard, making the others laugh in amusement, especially when Asgore got in on the fun. Sans then turned to Sage, who was beside him, while Grillby and Toriel were on the other side of the young man. "Sage, can you be honest with me?" The skeleton asked.

"Sure," the young man replied.

"When I gave you the invite, you acted hesitant. Have you never been invited to dinner with friends before?"

Sage was quiet for a moment and took a deep breath. "Honestly, you guys are the first ones I've accepted a dinner invitation from in a long time," he said softly before looking out in the distance. "There was a reason I helped Frisk."

"You didn't help her just out of the goodness of your heart?" Sans asked.

"I did, but there was a reason behind it too," the young man said honestly. "And a reason I wasn't afraid of you guys when we first met."

"I have been wondering that," Grillby said softly.

Sage stood up and sighed. "What I'm about to show you…very few have ever seen," he said before he lifted up his shirt to reveal his back and sides.

Toriel gasped in shock, her face having a look of horror. Grillby was in shock and felt anger fill him and Sans felt his left eye light up blue in anger. Sage's back and sides had scars all over that crisscrossed each other. "Whip marks," Sans said, his voice bordering on a growl.

Toriel stood up. "Sage, did…did your parents do this to you?" She asked.

He nodded. "They're gone now, and I live by myself," he said.

"But you're still a child according to the state," Grillby said. "Surely someone checks on you."

Sage nodded again. "A social worker checks on me, but I'm allowed to stay by myself because I'm old enough to do so and to work on a ranch," he said.

"Is there any other family that would take you in?" Sans asked.

The young man shook his head. "None," he replied. "But it's okay. No one bothers me."

"That's why you helped Frisk," Grillby said. "You helped her not only because it was right, but because you've been in her situation before."

Sage nodded. "Yes," he said before lowering his shirt. Sans placed a gentle hand on the young man's back, making him freeze a moment before relaxing, seeing the skeleton was curious about something.

"Those scars have thankfully healed right," he said after a moment.

"Sage," Toriel said gently. "You didn't fear us…because you…had been abused prior?"

"That and…I've seen monsters," he said. "You guys might look different, but you don't act like monsters. I don't think the term even applies to you guys."

They were all quiet for a moment before Grillby spoke up. "Sage, if you were offered a home, would you accept it?" He asked.

The young man looked at him. "You mean…have someone adopt me?" He asked.

The fire elemental nodded and Sage looked thoughtful. "Well, I guess that would depend on who wanted to adopt me and if I met them and decided I could trust them," he replied and then looked curious. "Out of curiosity, why do you ask?"

Grillby smiled. "Would you be against it if I adopted you?" He asked.

The backyard was absolutely quiet, so quiet not a sound could be heard. Sage looked at the fire monster in surprise, shock, and…a little hope? "You…You want to…adopt me?" He asked.

"If you'd like," the fire elemental said.

Sage was still stunned. "Why…Why do you want to do that?" He asked. "You…You don't really know me that well."

"You saved our Frisk from bullies and you trusted us with a dark secret of yours," Grillby said gently and patiently. "And we know what your characteristics are. Those and your actions speak highly about you."

"Besides, you deserve to have a good parent," Sans said. "Grillby would treat you the way a son should be treated."

The young man looked down for a moment before looking around at them all. Toriel gave him an encouraging nod, Frisk was grinning brightly, Papyrus was looking hopeful, Grillby had a patient and understanding look on his face, and Sans had an encouraging smile on his face. Sage then looked at Grillby. "You…You really mean it?" He asked, sounding hopeful.

"I mean it, Sage," the fire monster said reassuringly. "I'd be more than happy to call you my son."

The fatherly tone in Grillby's voice made Sage believe that if he said 'yes', the fire elemental would adopt him right then and there. He nodded. "I'd…I'd like that," he said finally, looking up at him. "So…this means you'll be my dad?"

Grillby nodded, a smile on his face. "If you have your social worker's number, I'll call them at once and have the papers drawn up to sign."

Two days later, Grillby signed the adoption papers, making it official that Sage was now his son. The young man had tears in his eyes that he was trying not to let fall, but Sans noticed and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "No shame in shedding tears of happiness," he said gently to him.

Sage gave him a grateful look. "Thanks, Sans," he said.

"Hey, you deserve it, kid," he said honestly before looking up. "Here comes your new dad."

The young man stood up and hugged the fire elemental, who returned the hug. "It's official, son," he said happily.

"Thanks…Dad," Sage said, feeling happiness well up inside of him.

While the scars on his body had healed, the true healing could begin now that he had a new, caring father. He didn't care that Grillby was a monsters or that he was made of fire. He was a person who had just given Sage a second chance at having a loving father.

And that was the best gift ever.

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GoldGuardian2418