Ask The Lonely

by AlexanderMugetsu

When you have lost loved ones, isolated yourself as a defense form that hurt, very few can get you out of this. You don't have enough LV. But maybe someone, who knows the same pain, can show you true LV. Collab idea with Celfwrdderwydd.

Mt Ebott. Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return. This was a story that is said to exist for centuries, and may exists for centuries after. Those who dare to risk ascending this mountain are said to be forever lost, whose fate will be to live alongside the angels in the clouds.

And like an angels who's winged just burned up in the heat of the sun a figure was falling down a hole in the mountain, the light of the hole highlighted the character from above during his descent, no screams of anguish or fear, just acceptance as fell down and finally landed with a thump onto the inevitable floor, laying motionless for a number of seconds.

Slowly, the figure began to rise up, the first sight that caught his eyes, were bright yellow flowers, as it appeared he had landed in a small patch of them. The first feeling he got however was an incredible pain that shot through his arm as he tried to stand up, having to settle instead with kneeling on the patch of flowers as he inspected his arm.

The figure moved his arm around to investigate. Indeed, it was twisted, nothing major, but it might be a noticeable determinant considering he was now stuck underground. A curse word escaped this person's lips once he realized how much bad luck had befallen him.

"Howdy!" A sudden voice spoke. And within a moment of regaining his sense he kneeled himself back up, and to his surprise not standing in front of him was not another human, but instead... a flower. A flower with a face; two eyes and a mouth as it's centerpiece.

"I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower!" The plant stated ever so cheerfully. The figure pondered either he's still unconscious right now and he's experiencing a dream, or he's dead. He had no clue which idea made the most sense considering the situation.

"I'm...Giles." The masculine voice of the figure replied back, seemingly not forgotten his manners, even when talking to a sentient plant.

"Hmmm...You're new to the Underground aren' tcha?" Flowey looked him over. Wait, Underground? Well he certainly wasn't in the sky now, was he?

"I believe so I…" He was remembering exactly what had happened moments ago that led him to fall down here. "If I'm still alive and awake then..." He looked upwards, seeing the hole he fell through high above. It seems if he wants a way out, back the way he came was not an option now, no walls surrounded the hole, just an opening in the ceiling.

"Golly, you must be so confused." Flowey stated. The plant wasn't wrong there, he was indeed in a bit of a dizzy. Though besides his arm still hurting, the rest of his body felt fine, and he wasn't in any critical danger. The most he needs right now should be a short rest.

"Look I don't know what's going on here, but if you could be so kind, could you show me the way out of here?"

The flower shook his head at him. "Why would you want to do that? That's not how things work down here!" Flowey said, not losing his grin. "Besides, you're quite weak right now." While definitely in not the best condition, Giles didn't see himself as predominantly weak, just mildly hurt. "You don't have enough Love. If you wanna get stronger, you'll need some Love. See, I'll even share some with you." Suddenly, five strange white pellets floated out from behind the flower, hovering in mid air. "You want some more Love, don't you?" Flowey offered as they floated his way, stopping close enough for Giles to grab them. "Take some, they will help you get stronger."

Giles in turn reached for the pellets as they spun around in mid air, but stopped his hand just shy of actually grabbing them. Something felt off, and it wasn't just the fact he was talking to a sentient flower with a face.

"No." Flowey smile disappeared at Giles remark, it's eyes furrowed in annoyance.

"Excuse me?"

"I said thanks, but no. Look, I, I don't know what's going on here, but I would just like to get back up to the surface and get home." He tried to stand up, but in doing so he put weight on his bad arm, the pain instantly shooting through and ceasing his attempts to stand up.

"Golly, do you know you have such a strong soul? A very strong soul indeed?" He heard flowey state as he focused himself on his own pain. "I can see that your Determination is very high as well."

Determination… "Look listen please, I only need to get back home." And as he looked up from his position, his whole body froze as a monstrous site appeared to him.

" N' !" The once cheerful tone of the flower had now changed to that of a malicious screech, it's one peppy face now malformed to a vile expression, and without warning a whole stream of those white pellets now surrounded him blocking him from all sides like a sphere. " FOOL?" The pellets being close in on him from all a sides. " L, R!" Multiple thick roots began to lash out the ground behind Flowey, smashing through the stone floor with ease.

"D I E !" What could Giles do? There was no way to go, no way to be safe. Dread filled his body as the once kind flower now laughed in utter malice at his upcoming demise. Is this how he will meet his end.

But as soon as those pellets were within distance of touching him, their powers he did not know of but he knew from the way Flowey was looking at him there weren't of kind origin, a sudden ball of fire sprang from somewhere and landed right where the flower once grew, and the pellets that surrounded him disappeared into light.

The flames quickly dissipated, leaving only a scorch behind as another figure walked forward from beyond the shadows.

"What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent..." Those soft, gentle words of a female stopped as both figure, the fallen Giles and the one who saved him looked at each other in shock, either unsure of what they were seeing as real, with Giles rose to his knees. "...man."

With the eyes of Giles he caught the sight of a more humanoid figure approaching him; this one reminding him of a goat somewhat, with floppy ears and stubby horns, and elongated mouth, and wearing a purple and white robe of some kind. She was walking upright and her body shape and dimensions more like a human than any goat he's known.

The goat-woman was in shock too, and kneeling on the flowers was not what she had expected to fall down here; it was a human too, but much older than she anticipated. Quite older, nearing 40 if one were to guess, his hair was already showing signs of age, wingtips of white streaks on the side of his head, and a bushy, yet unkempt beard on his face, though this did not hide the fact the human was still in shock, his body trembling.

Nonetheless the female stepped forward towards him, holding out her hand for him to take. "Do not be afraid. My name's Toriel. I am the caretaker of these ruins." While feeling somewhat hesitant to take her hand, the past experience of meeting another...creature still dwelled in his mind, but looking at her, the genuine smile she wore actually calmed him, and her eyes didn't burn with fever but were instead soft, like velvet.

Slowly, Giles reached a hand out for her, and as she grabbed she gently lifted the human to his feet.

"Thank you." Giles said in earnest as he rubbed his hand. "Name's Giles and...thank you for saving me."

"That is all right, Giles. But...why are you down here? Did you fall down by accident? Are you hurt anywhere?" The human was surprised by Toriel's kindness, a deeper contrast than the previous character he had met since falling down. "It's just...my arm became twisted once I hit the ground. I put it back in place but-"

Toriel grabbed his hand lightly as she inspected it, looking it over before letting it go, as if satisfied by what she sees. "Come with me. I can guide you through the catacombs and to my home. I don't want you spraining yourself now." He didn't take her hand like before, but instead brushed himself down as he thought over her words. He does need to let it rest. And zero clue where he was and even less with knowing how to get out, he figured, for now at least, he should take up her offer. He had no specific place to be right now anyway, plus, in regard to the flower from earlier, their could be more dangers in this place, even worse maybe, and at least Toriel could protect him. She's knows this place, as well, so she said, so he believed it best to stick close to her for now.

Keeping his twisted arm close to him with his free arm Giles followed Toriel's lead. "I ask you to keep close to me now, Giles. There's a few traps we need to get past along the way, but don't worry, they aren't meant to harm anyone."

"Are there any things like that flower from before around here?"

"Hmm...ah, oh no, nothing of that horrid creature. Besides, if any mean monster comes along I can just shoo them away. It's not right for them to attack an injured human like yourself."

While she talked Giles used this time to look at the way Toriel carried herself. She seemed like such a gentle...goat? He did not know what she is, but he felt no reason to think of her only as a thing, but rather another person. Her tone carried no malice with her, and even with how she walked she seemed so genuine to him.

Giles sticked by Toriel's side during the longer-than-anticipated walk back to her home. Besides a few other creatures getting in their way, a few frog-like largely sized animals and a sleeping ghost of all things, Toriel managed to lead the way back to her house.

The human was unsure what to make of all this. It felt like a surreal dream to him, and this whole place seemed so out of place. It looked so aged yet not dead, where people living down? Granted, people might be a bit of a stretch to call what these creatures were, even Toriel, to an extant, still are they really living down here.

Within no time Toriel lead the human to her, in his words, humble home, as she gently applied an ice pack to his arm, resting it on living room table, as he felt the calming pain soothe him. Toriel sat on the other side of him as he pushed the pack down on his arm.

"So, If you could tell me Giles." He turned her way. "What brings you down here? I don't believe it was on purpose you came down to our world." Giles took in a large inhale before he explained.

"I...needed to get out of the house for while." She could see, with how he refused to look her in the eye it wasn't as simple as that. "To the mountain? Seems a bit far for a walk."

"I wanted to go from a long walk. Somewhere different, a place that didn't hold memories of...just somewhere to clear my head. I came to the woods to think, and when I saw Mt Ebott, I remembered hearing those legends about whoever goes up there never returns. So I...went to go see for myself. What had I got to lose? I climbed up, past a cave, and reached close to the top and sat down, just for while, to enjoy view and the breeze, with it being fall and all. Next thing I know, the ground beneath me gives way and I fell down here." While Toriel nodded at the story, there was something that seemed off about it to her. Though, she could feel the real hesitance with his words.

"Are you hungry at all, Giles?"

"I'd rather not impose." He politely had to declined.

"I can assure you I don't see it as any imposing. Is there anything you would like to eat?" Giles scratched his beard in thought. "I...I'm rather tired actually. Do you have a spare room for me, or even a couch."

"A couch? Oh no no no, I could never let my guest sleep there. Please, follow me I'll show you to a spare room." Both of the two stood up and walked away as Toriel lead him down the corridor and to the end, with a door holding the sign 'Room under renovations.'

As she opened it for him Toriel told the human. "I apologies for the mess. I wasn't expecting an...guest to drop in. Please make yourself at home." Giles walked in and spied his surroundings, true, it wasn't totally clean like she said, but when compared to the state of his bedroom back at his house, it was easy to see which one looked better.

"Goodnight Giles. I'll wake you up in the morning with breakfast. Please get some rest, and make sure you prop up that arm with a pillow."

"I will. Goodnight, Toriel." With a smile she closed the door behind her, leaving Giles to himself in the room. Taking of his shirt and shoes, Giles climbed into the bed and settled down under the covers.

And as he began to drift, he felt himself lulled into a blissful sleep, the last thoughts he had before nodding off was of Toriel herself, as he felt, for a time longer than he would ever want, in good company with someone.

---

"Wakey wakey Giles, it's morning, time to get up." The almost sing-song voice of the goat woman spoke from the doorway of the room as she entered in to awaken the sleeping human. Giles slowly emerged from the covers, the sheets covered his head as he moved to get out of bed, put in his drowsy state, he less 'got out' of bed and more 'fell' out, becoming twisted in all the sheets as his head hit the floor first.

"Oh dear, are you alright, Giles?" She called to him in worry as the human began to sit up under the bed sheets, his head still covered.

"Uh...morning? What are you talking about it's still night." Toriel couldn't help but giggle at his remark as she pulled the sheets off him. Revealing the still half-awake rubbing his eyes, though to her shock, she could see his bare chest in full view.

Toriel quickly turned and looked away, covering her cheeks in embarrassment as Giles rose and stood up. "Uhh, I'm not good with mornings. Oh, and good morning to you Toriel...is there something wrong?" He noticed she refused to look her way.

"You um, you're er..." She tried to wave her arms in discomfort as she failed to formulet her words. "You're not wearing a shirt." She whispered through her teeth as Giles realized he was indeed sporting a bare chest. "Oh I'm so sorry Toriel." He picked up his shirt and put it back on. "I kinda forgot that...I wasn't alone in the house."

"That's fine, Giles. Let's forget about that and move on to breakfast shall we." Toriel walked away as Giles followed behind, though despite the smile she wore underneath her mind was going haywire. What is wrong with me? Have I not had the company of another man in so long seeing just the bare chest of the human makes me hot under the collar. Oooh Toriel calm down now, it's just your mind going silly, breathe in and let the memory pass.

And while Giles walked behind her he stopped when he noticed a slightly ajar door. Toriel hadn't noticed him stop as he look at the door with interest, his curiosity getting the better of him a he just took a peek look into the room, wondering what he saw inside the room that got his attention. He could see inside a small bed, child-sized, with some toys kept in a box and some stuffed animals at the side. However it was empty and dark in there, and Giles backed away with a frown, the room reminded him too much of back home. Right now he'd rather forget about those memories, even the happy ones, so he trudged forward and into the living room as Toriel called out from the kitchen: "Please sit down, I'll bring you in some pie to eat."

Hmm, pie for breakfast. A woman after my own heart. He joked in his head as he spied the piping hot mug sitting on the table. Taking a sniff, he realized it was neither coffee nor tea, but hot chocolate. With where he was placed, he assumed it must have been his seat, back to the kitchen doorway. "Which kind of pie would you prefer, Cinnamon or Butterscotch?"

"Butterscotch please. Not the biggest fan of cinnamon." He replied, and within the span of only a few moments Toriel came into the room and holding a plate of a large piece of Butterscotch pie, with a nice dashing serving of whipped cream on top. "Here you go, Giles, enjoy." And with a thank you he grabbed the spoon on the side and dug in, moaning a little in delight from the taste. "This is delicious Toriel."

"Oh please stop." She tried to brush his compliment off.

"No really. The best homemade pie I've ever eaten." Giles said while eating, catching himself quickly, it was rude to talk with your mouth open.

"Well, I dabble." She hid her blush with a smile, and as her eyes drifted she noticed something on the floor nearby the human. Crouching and grabbing she noticed it was a wallet, with something sticking out of it. Interested, she pulled it out, the item in hand looking like a crumpled up photo, and folding it out she gasped at the sight: It was of Giles himself, looking younger than he was now, alongside to other humans, another adult, a female, and a younger female, a girl. Toriel could tell instantly who these people.

"Oh this your family?" She asked as she held the photo aloft. "You're just so cute together. Oh dear, if they must be worried sick of you, you must be feeling so bad being stuck down here with-"

"Burn it." Toriel's gushing over his family stopped short as Giles words caught her off guard, looking to the human she could see him...shaking. He didn't look her way either, as if refusing to.

"I...I am sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"Just...get rid of it." Toriel lightly walked towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Giles, are you okay? Gi..Giles?" He stilled looked towards her, even with her leaning over him. She looked to his plate, noticing it was already finished. "Giles, do you want to talk to me about it?" She didn't get an answer from him. "Talking to someone else, anyone can help. If you ever want to talk to me about it Giles, I will gladly listen. Not a moment before." She took his plate and walked away, her frown not fading as the tension of dread hung in the air.

"They're both dead." The human finally managed to blurt out to her. He had suppressed himself like this for so long he knew it was going to come out someday. Toriel stopped and looked to his back.

"I...see, Giles. I am sorry for your loss. I...if it helps, I understand the pain of losing a loved one." She turned to walk back to the kitchen but he continued before she could resume.

"It isn't as simple as that." She could hear him talking in a deep, raspy breathe. "I was away, for a time abroad, but my wife she...she had some sort of mental breakdown when I wasn't there...not long before I was scheduled to return home...and..." Toriel listened with sharp interest.

"When I came back home that miserable day, I came home to see that my wife...had killed our own daughter...then herself." The sudden sound of a plate breaking got the human to tense up, but still not look to her, as he didn't see the sight of Toriel's whole body going stiff, her eyes wide, and her pupils tiny. Did...he couldn't mean...no mother could ever have...to their own child? Surely not, she must have heard, she has to have heard wrong. With her fingers twitching Toriel managed enough strength to turn herself around.

"Giles...please." Her own breathing was ragged. "Tell me what I heard was a lie. Please tell me...that you are joking. I cannot...how?" Tears were starting to form around her eyes. A mother? Killing her own child? Toriel was completely unable to wrap her head around this notion.

"It wasn't even a week..." Giles breathed. "Before I came back that it happened. There was no other conclusion, nobody else involved...Cassandra she-" The human could say no more as a pair of powerful arms wrapped around suddenly, the one they belonged to resting her head on his shoulder. "Shh, Giles. You've told me enough." Toriel whispered as she practically hugged the stuffing out of him. "Please, for your own sake don't go into detail." She could feel his tears against her cheek as she tried to soothe him, letting him sort out of his emotions as his eyes weep as the memories of that day came back light an uncontrollable train. Toriel stroked his cheek, with her soft, pink finger pads brushing his tears away, and her tender voice cooing gentle comfort in his ear, whispers of "I'm so sorry." traveled down his ear canal.

"Giles, you have tell me: Do you blame yourself, for any of this?"

"I can't help but do so. In various ways, I always feel like it was my fault." He choked after a few seconds

"It never is, Giles. I know exactly what if feels like to lose a loved one. The pain of losing those that mean the world to you. Let me tell you from experience; the pain never quite goes away, it only dulls over time. That's all we can do."

Giles didn't reply to her comment, though he heard her quite clearly, his words stuck in his throat, as he so wants to tell that's want he wants to feel right now, not a sharp knife piercing his heart but a dull blade, too blunt to hurt as much.

"You don't wanna return, do you?" She loosened her hug as she backed away a little, though her arms still were hugging him. "You can't stand it at home, is that why you came here?"

"It's been over a year now. My life still feels like shit, even today. No matter what, everything at home reminds me of them. I...I needed to get away, to the woods, just to think. I came here by accident. At least..."

"Giles. Look at me." She pressed a hand on his cheek and guided him to turn his head to her. She didn't force it on him, merely showed him to look at her, to her eyes. Though, even with the tear-stained eyes, her expression was still soft. "You don't need to say any more for now. You've said enough. So if I may offer you this: You can stay with me, Giles. For as long as you like."

"You mean it." For the first since she met him he wore a smile, this one completely directed at her.

"I mean it Giles. You can stay with me for as long as you feel you need."

---

By the next day Giles had already settled in nicely as Toriel's guest. The tension which hung in the air had dissipated, leaving them both in a relaxed state. And now both were happy to talk willingly to each other, as the two were able to talk for hours about their past lives, having conversations that went on forever as both as they both found some form of solace simply being in each others company.

"So 'Queen of the Monsters' huh?" Giles jolled as Toriel had just told him a very interesting story about her previous occupation, sitting comfortable a new chair Toriel had brought for the home. After all, she couldn't let his guest sit for hours on those wooden dining chairs, could she?

"EX-Queen of the Monsters." She corrected with a wave of her finger.

"Even still, I'd never have taken you for being royalty. You just seem so..."

"Yes?"

"Well...humble. Down to earth really. I'd wouldn't have been able to guess you'd have lived in such a lavish palace when you seem so settled in such a...quant home."

"Well this was the home we...I had before ascending to the throne. In some ways I prefer it. I don't have to walk a mile just to go to the bathroom." She joked, Giles chortling in return.

"But still, you were a Queen, servants and subjects waited on you hand and foot. It must have been a big step to from there to...being all alone in an isolated house like this."

"It...took a little time, I'll admit, but before long I had gotten used to living alone."

"But honestly, no good person like yourself, deserves to live alone."

"I thank you for the compliment, Giles, but it's not as bad as it first seems. I mean...it's not as if I don't have anybody to talk. There's actually this nice fellow I know behind some doors who I talk to sometimes. We share puns and jokes. Like updog."

He looked at Toriel in confusion. "What is up dog?"

Toriel giggled at him as she replied. "Not much dog, what's up with you?"

Giles froze for just a moment, and seconds later the human slowly started to clap. "Clever girl." Toriel continued giggling as Giles thought of something.

"All right then: What did they say when the surgeon said he was going to become a nose specialist?" Toriel held her mouth on her hand, still giggling as she replied. "I don't know, what?"

"Snot for you." Toriel was brawling completely out loud now, having to hit the sides of her chair to hold back her laughing fit. "Oh no, that joke was just so bad!" Giles laughed alongside her at his joke as he waited for her to die down.

"My my Giles, you never told you were a connoisseur of the art of bad jokes?"

"Well, I've learnt a good few in my time. A largely did it because my little girl used to love them..." A deathly silence hung in the air as both realized what Giles had said by accident, Toriel already knowing exactly what state he is turning into now, their smiles gone now.

"Giles?"

"I'm sorry, Toriel." The human apologised as he refused to look her way.

"No, don't be Giles. You have nothing to be sorry for." Toriel statements did little ease him. The monster figured Giles had much more to talk about, the pain is still strong with him, and she knew the only way to ease the pain was to let it out.

"Do you wanna talk about?"

Giles now looked back at her now, for a few seconds he said nothing, just letting the tension hang in the air, before finally talking to her again. "I was just thinking, about my wife." Toriel nodded to let him continue. "Of how small things about her had struck me as odd. Like she would get very flustered at times, almost to the point of panic attacks, but I knew she was better with me around. Even with this, I never could have imagined she was truly crazy, let alone capable of doing what she did." The female thought all this over, and she could agree with what the human was saying. "Is that all about her?"

"Well...they are a few more things I can think of. Looking back on it now, I can see that we just didn't work well together; she was more than just clingy, and she would interrupt me when I was doing important projects for my job, just little sabotages here and there, it even extended into the...um..." Giles caught himself as Toriel looked at him with confusion, the human acting as if something was caught in his throat.

"Yes, please go on, Giles."

"I...I don't wanna say… its..." He fiddled with himself. "It's about our...bedroom...hijinks."

Toriel softly laughed at him. "Come now Giles. We're both mature adults. You don't have to be embarrassed. You can tell me these kinds of stuff. I won't mock you, if you are worried about that. Go on, if you will."

"Well it's just...in the bedroom, I prefer to be a more of a...gentle, tender lover." He coughed in his hand. "But Cassandra she only wanted it rough instead, and liked to do things like bite me, even painfully scratch my back at time."

"She bit you?" Toriel said, astonished of his memories. "I can understand people liking to do different things in the bedroom, but biting someone, that doesn't sound romantic that sounds..."

"Sadistic." Giles finished her words. "If only I had known these things before hand... I don't know what, but it must have changed something for the better."

"Giles." Her voice turned gentle. "We are often blind to the faults of our loved ones, or lie to ourselves about them. Even back then, you really had no reason to think she was dangerous." The human gave a few nods to her, as it seemed she was getting to him.

"Your daughter, do you want to talk about her as well?" Giles started to smile now, to her surprise. "Honestly, I don't think I have much to say really." Toriel looked stunned at him, but he quickly corrected. "Lily was the apple of my eye, my own flesh and blood, I loved her above all else. I don't know...I don't know how I managed to get out of that shock when I first heard the news." As he crawled his head in his hands, Toriel waited a moment, just to see if he had anymore to say.

"You know, at the end of the day I think I was trying to make it work for Lily's sake. I even thought it might have been good to get us counselling when I got back, when I could afford it."

"Do you believe you could have made it work out in the end? If it didn't happen?"

Giles breathed out a large sigh as he contemplated her question. "The thing is, even back then, I was never very sure. At least now, I am sure of what the outcome should have been. If only I could go back and take Lily away with me, as far away as possible. Then maybe I could have had a better life than we do now."

"I feel the exact same way too, Giles. I wish the same thing every day."

---

"Haack, cough..." These rather gross sounds vibrated around the room as Giles laid down in his bed, wiping at his forehead with a wet cloth as he got quite pissed at his whole situation, his headache pressing down on his head like an anvil.

"Great." He mumbled to himself as he stared blankly at the ceiling. "Been here less than a week and already I'm coming down with sickness."

"Now don't beat yourself up Giles." Toriel called as she entered the room. "It's not your fault you got sick. Here, I made you something." He looked over to see Toriel coming in carrying a plate with her; a mug of something hot and little plate on top.

"Now I used some herbs to make you a tea, drink it before it gets cold." She passed it to him as he sat up a little to drink out the mug. "Tastes horrible." He commented as he forced himself to drink some more.

"Perfect. That's how you know it's good medicine." She joked as she settled the tray down on the bedside table. "I was also able to make a salve, though I have to ask you to life your shirt off, since it's needs to be rubbed on your chest." Settling his mug down he steeled his body to sit up, grabbing the hem of his shirt as he lifted it off and threw it to the side. "Now please lie back for me please." He does as she commanded as she grabbed the plate with one hand dipped her fingers in the substance with the other. Getting enough of the gel on her fingers she gingerly started to rub the salve over his torso.

Unconsciously glad she didn't pay on extra attention to his bare torso like the last time Toriel rubbed the cool jelly over his chest.

*sniff sniff * "Smells like peppermint." Giles commented blankly as Toriel slowly rubbed the substance over him, not giving any resistance to the thought, the female nodding her head in silence as she contractrared on his body. In silence she was marveling at the human's lack of hair, at least when compared with monsters. If anything, she could say she found his bare skin quite attractive.

"Ugh, it must be working, I can feel my head clearing up a little." Giles gave her a smile as nodded back, her attention now on something else she keeps finding; as on various parts of his body, from his side of his shoulder, seems to hold its own deep scar.

"Giles, dear, may I ask you a worried question I have?" She stopped her rubbing as she looked him dead in the eye.

"Of course Toriel, what is it?" His nose felt less clogged now thanks to that tea, she could could talk less stuffy now.

"I keep seeing a number of scars on your chest. Where, do they come from?" She had to fear the worst.

"Oh those? Let me think...Oh right, I got them from a shrapnel hit from a grenade, years ago, when I was in the army." He told her, as she stopped observing the scars and looked to the human in surprise.

"You served time in the military?" She blinked as she looked him over. "If you don't mind me saying, you don't strike me as the type of man who'd take the job of a soldier."

"Well, to be honest I only joined for help with jobs and education. Actually I was training to be an architect, but since becoming one isn't cheap, I joined to get financial help. Plus some job training along the line wasn't a bad thing either."

"Did you ever have to..." She cut herself short, but the way her expression was downtrodden he was able to understand what she was asking of her.

"No. I never killed anyone during my time at the frontline. I was actually a medic, so I had to do as little fighting as possible. Which was good, I hate fighting. Really the only time I 'thought', was when I ambushed a terrorist with the old 'put a bucket over their head and bang it' trick. Managed to catch him without killing him." Toriel giggled at what he said, her laughing reminding him of the other soldiers doing the same when they found him doing that.

"I have to say your time in the military must have been quite interesting." Toriel commented.

"I suppose. I was sent out as part of the US Army when trouble started flaring up in Northern Ireland. I didn't have to fight, which I suppose I should be thankful for, as I only had to shoot my pistol at paper targets, and I'm a lousy shot anyway. Heh, you know you're a bad shot when even paper targets laugh at you..." Toriel covered her mouth to suppress her laughter at him.

"Yes yes, get it out of your system." Giles said in mock annoyance.

"I'm...I'm sorry Giles." Toriel was able to say between her laughs. "It just sounds so...so ridiculous!" She burst into a heavier hit of laughter now as Giles could do nothing but smile on, as he waited for her to finish.

When she finally finished her guffaws, she rubbed the rest of the salve on his chest before telling him to finish his tea and to stay in bed for a while, Toriel left him to himself as she walked out.

However, her smile ended as soon as she turned the corner, looking down at her own fingers. Taking a look back to the guest room, she sighed with worry.

She could feel it, under his muscles, the way her fingers drifted over his ribs. He was malnourished, and the goat monster can only guess, in the depressed state she imagined him to have been in, he had been neglecting his health dearly. Hell, if he hadn't fallen down here, it could have gotten life threatening.

And to think, all she's been feeding him are mostly pies and other non-nutritious food. That settles it, he needs more protein in his diet. Fish and eggs should do the best...and definitely some extra portions as well.

And with that, Toriel walked off to prepare a very heart meal for the human.

---

"72 uses for snails, and not once does it mention Escargot." Giles commented as he stood next to Toriel by the kitchen counter, both idling talking to the other

"Well we've been down here for such a long time new-age cuisine might not have reached us. That doesn't even sound like a real word. Es-car-go. Sounds like the name of a bad boat." Giles snickered at her comment as he placed a pan down on the counter as both him and the boss monster were setting up their cooking utensils and food, as they were preparing to show the other their culinary skills.

"Besides, I thought humans didn't eat bugs at all. Or were you just lying to me to get out of my snail pie?" Giles laughed at her mocking tone as she smiled back.

"Well we don't normally. Insects aren't part of our normal diet. Escargot is a french cuisine, though I'm pretty sure the idea of it eating commonly through France is just an exaggeration...I hope."

"Well if you don't mind me asking, how do you know how to cook it that way?" She was quite curious of how Giles knew so much about cooking, as he never mentioned anything about it until today.

"I like to learn some things. Whenever I got bored at home, I had always found myself drawn to baking something or the other. Don't know why. Maybe I was just hungry." He quipped to her.

"Well now, Giles, you certainly now your way around a kitchen. But tell me, do you know how to make a Butterscotch-cinnamon pie? And if not, would you like me to show you how to make it?"

"Well, I know how to make pie, but not of that particular concoction now. And before you say; yes, I'd love to learn how to make it." With a smile she quickly whipped out the pie crust or them to proceed, though as eager as Toriel was to teach him, as Giles could see the pie crust being pulled out gave him a thought.

"Though...Toriel." She stopped before she could continue. "You've been such a generous host to me. At least let me show you how to make something delicious for you first?"

"Well I...suppose that's fair. Go on then, tell me, what do you want to make them."

"It's called a quiche. Keep that pie crust, we need it."

"Oh, is it like a pie then." Toriel asked him as he opened the fridge and checked through the stocks.

"Only with the crust really, the filling is more like custard than anything. If you could, please do up the pie in the tin as normal, if you could." He answered as he started picking things up from the fridge. "Now let's see onions, spinach..."

"Okay, done." Toriel stated after a moment, picking up the tin lined with the crust as Giles started putting some of the ingredient to the side; milk, cream, eggs, cheese.

"Do you have anything like onions, spinach, mushrooms or asparagus?" Giles said like he was ticking off a list.

"Yes, I believe I have the first three. What do you want me doing?"

"Preheat the oven at 350. We need to blind bake it first, so the crust doesn't become soggy. Pass me the tin, I need to freeze it for 30 minutes." Toriel looked at him curiously. This idea was new to her. Though she didn't ask him any questions as to why, she trusted him indefinitely in regard to this; if he believes this is how to cook a 'quiche', then she believe he is right.

"So what's the next step?" Toriel asked with a clap of her hands, her fingers buzzing, waiting to be used for Giles requests.

"Can you cook the onions, spinach and mushroom for me until their cooked through and dry? I'll prepare the filling."

"Got it." As Toriel got to work on preparing the vegetables (and fungi), Giles got to work whisking the eggs, milk, cream, and a little salt, into a bowl, doing so until frothy, or rather, until the sound of Toriel softly giggling peaked his curiosity.

"What?" Giles questioned as the female didn't stop.

"You."

"Me?" Catching on he had no idea what she was snickering about Toriel pulled out a free hand and wiped at his beard with her finger, revealing a little doplet of the filling that was smeared on his facial hair.

"Now dear, I may not know how to prepare a quiche, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to put the filling on your beard now, are you?" Giles face turned impassive as Toriel continued to cackle at him. Having a little too much of Toriel laughing at him the human quickly flicked a little of the mix on his finger than smeared on the tip of her nose. That got her to stop.

Now it was Giles turn to laugh at the other, with the surprised Toriel quickly rubbing the mix of her nose with her hand. "That's not fair, yours was an accident, mine was on purpose."

"Yes, but even still now we're both even." Giles quickly pulled out his whisk and brandished it to her like a weapon. "Now don't make me use this. I will flick more custard at you, you know I will." Despite his threat, Toriel half-sour faced turned into a grin as she laughed alongside him. "Oh Giles, I haven't had fun like this for a good while."

"Thanks." He replied as he continued whisking his bowl. "Course nobody said we have to stop today. I know a lot more recipes I bet you'll love: fruit turnover, pumpkin pasties-oh, Cornish pasties I know you'll love them." Despite having little idea of what any of the stuff Giles just listed, she could already feel her mouth salivating from the sounds of them.

"Well then, just tell me what you need to have and I'll buy them in advance."

"Oh no, Toriel I could never force you to-"

"Now now, don't you dare. I won't hear any of it. I'm getting you those ingredients and you can't stop me." The human nodded with understanding at her.

"Okay, but at least let me make you tomorrow's breakfast. I know how to make a fine scramble. I will need some potatoes and chives though."

"Mmmm." This time Toriel nearly did salivate at Giles words. Oh did she want to eat every single dish Giles knew about. With the thoughts of delicious human food entering her mind she continued back to cooking the fillings. Meanwhile, the man was currently ruffling his own fingers through his beard, only now realising just how rather big and unkempt his beard had gotten.

Hmmm. "Hey Toriel, do you happen to have and scissors or a razor with you?"

---

Giles smothered his beard as she looked at himself in the mirror of the bathroom, roughing out strands of his hair as he tested how long they have gotten. He had really get his hair and beard grew, really, only time he had his head cut was when it became too long for him to start noticing.

Toriel was watching nearby, quietly, as Giles prepared to shave himself.

"You gonna just look or do you want to shave me yourself?" The human commented, having already noticed she was standing by the door watching him. It was a shame, she liked bearded males. But she supposed, if he is starting his life anew, so to speak, he needs to freshen himself up. New life, new look.

"I'd prefer just to observe, if you will." She replied back as the human strained the tips of his head hair through his fingers, paying special attention to the growing area of white in his hair, looking at them with irritation. "Since how long have I been growing grey hairs."

"Oh don't say it like that, there's nothing wrong with getting old. Besides, it makes you look distinguished." Giles snorted at her response. "More like make me look fat and old." This earned a giggle from the female.

"You're not fat Giles. But I am working on correcting that." She gave two playful pats on her own stomach to signify this, getting a chortle out of the human as she laughed with him.

"In any case, it's time I trimmed this beard down now." Picking up the razor and hovering it over his mouth the human contemplated how far deep his trim should go, and within a few moments too long, if the offside mirror look on Toriel was any indication he began cutting his beard. Carefully going over the facial hair, since his only equipment to use was a sharp razor and no shaving cream in site, he cut along the edges of the beard, with the grain.

Toriel waited patiently for him as he silently shaved his bear down. Minutes passed as he cut patch after patch, under his chin and removing any remnants of sideburns. In not too long he was finally finished, turning on the tap to shower the dropped hairs he splashed some water on himself before drying them off, making sure any hair still stuck on him was gone.

"How do I look?" Giles asked as he turned around to the woman, presenting his face for her to judge. And…

Oh my. Toriel has now only realized just how handsome Giles looked underneath all that hair. Not completely shaven, as he still kept himself a rather bushy moustache under his lip, he still looked rather remarkable to her. Handsome even. Why is she getting so hot and bothered by it?

"I-um yes, Giles. I think it, quite suits you. You'll looking quite good-the shaven beard, I mean." Giles looked at himself again in the mirror, smothering his beard with a smile as an image of someone popped into his mind.

"Until you've been beside a man! You don't know what he wants! You don't know if he cries at night..." The baritone singing of only a man could do died down when Giles realized he had suddenly just burst into a song right in front of the female, who was eyeing him curiously.

"Oh sorry. This style reminded me of someone." Toriel only blinked when he said that, as she was rather captivated by his singing.

"Oh no, actually I quite enjoyed it. Never knew you were such a good singer."

"Me? Naw." He laughed it off. "I ain't any real singer. Now Mr Segar, he's a real singer. Though I'm guessing you might not have heard of him."

Toriel just shrugged it off. "I'm afraid not. We haven't had much in the ways of human music. I'm sorry to say I don't know of any human musicians from your world."

"No I suppose not." Giles got to thinking as something relayed on his mind. Yes, in the guest room he did spot something rather noteworthy. As out of date it was compared to the technology of the humans of today, if it still works...hey, it might be kinda fun.

"Hey Toriel, would you wait in the living room for me. There's something I want to show you."
Her curiosity peaked, and already assumed if she asked what he'd refuse to tell her the surprise. And not wanting to waste any time playing guessing games she quickly removed herself from the doorway and to the dining room, with Giles walking to the other direction as he headed back to the guest room, where he rummaged through one of the opened boxes and pulled out exactly what he wanted.

"Hey Toriel! You never told me you had this stashed away." Giles announced as he came into the living room, as Toriel sat up from the chair she was resting patiently moments ago. The woman eyed the item he was holding in his hands. It was one of her's for sure, but the intended use of which was lost to her.

"To be honest, Giles, I'm not exactly sure what that was. I never paid much attention to what it was, and I've had it placed away for so long, I never cared for whatever it was for."

"It's a tape player. It plays music on it. Look, I've even found some tapes for it. Listen." Giles placed the device on the table and inserted a cassette into it. And with a turn on Toriel ears were suddenly caught with the fast percussion beat of a drum started booming from the device, followed seconds later by the sound of a man singing accompanied by an electrical guitar rift. Though, with her ears focused on the rather enticing music, her eyes were instead focused on the human, who was jigging, if for a lack of a better word, in place, as he swayed his legs and clicked his fingers to the rhythm.

She had to laugh. It was impossible not to, with the sight of the human dancing himself with glee as he shimmied with the music. "Oh Giles, whatever are you doing?" She tittered to him as he turned around to face her, not stopping with his dancing.

"It's Twistin The Night Away. Come dance with me, show me your moves." He pulled out a hand for her but she only brushed it away lightly in return.

"Oh please dear. Don't be silly. Besides, I was never a good dancer in the first place. I wouldn't know what to do."

"Then I'll show you." Giles reached over and pulled Toriel right to her feet, grabbing both her arms with his hands as she pulled her with him, and started to dance with her hands as the rest of Toriel's body stayed in place, the female too embarrassed to move by herself.

"Oh Giles, please stop. We look so silly." Though despite her protest Toriel made no move to stop it; as despite how ridiculous the situation was there was a strong part of her that wanted to dance alongside him.

"No one's gonna see us. Just follow my lead." Toriel was giggling at this point. He was right, it was just the two of them. Bur before she could speak any further Giles had already started to move the rest of the body with him; twisting and turning her body with him as she could do nought but but laugh and yip in surprise.

"See just like that." He let go of her as he started to dance on his own, leaving the woman suddenly feeling left out. Not wanting to be alone for this Toriel could only shimmer her body like him, not so much dancing as it is bobbing your own body to the tune.

"Nah, not like that Toriel, put some more heart into it." Giles commented as he started dancing more quickly now, jerking his body more outwardly.

"Like this?" Toriel did the same, mindly shaking herself out to the rhythm of the music, even clapping as they both rollicked to Rod Stewart, laughing and smiling as they danced without a care, the melody getting them bounce in place, even coming towards each other just to throw the other back in delight. "Yeah, let the rhythm take you!" Giles whooped as the two twisted and turned to the music, paying attention to little else and only stopping when the singer no longer sang, and all the music was left to present was the guitar rift dying down.

Both the human and boss monster could only bend their body forwards and pant as the two tried to regain their breaths, their age getting to them as the adults half-panted and half-snickered.

"I haven't...danced like that...in ages." Toriel spoke out between her breaths as both were now able to stand back up straight.

"Same." Giles breathed as he wiped at his sweaty forehead. "Though I hope that's not the only song on the cassette." As if on cue the device kept playing, the next song already started. This one, as Toriel listened intently, sounded a lot softer by comparison, and as Giles commented with an "Ah. Almost Paradise." he turned back to the Toriel he, rather gentlemanly she had to add, leaned himself down to the floor on one knee, head bowed down and a hand presented to her as he asked, smoothly. "Would the lady like this dance?"

How could she say no to that? She gave him her hand and Giles stood up from his position, taking her hand in his as the other carefully wrapped around the female's waist.

"Do you at least know hot to dance like this?" Toriel grinned to the human. "Actually, Giles, I think now it's time for me to take the lead. That is, if you can dance as nicely as I can."

The man grinned right back. "Well we shall see about that, won't we?" And with the two now started to dance in tandem with the rhythm, softly, in line with the music.

They could only hope there's a lot more songs on that cassette tape.

---

The soft yet sharp sound of the fire were like a melody to the human as he sat in awe and wonder looking at the fireplace as the smooth burning of logs kept him relaxed. The warm glow and crackle of the flames gave him such a comfort, as simple as it was, as the smell of oak rafted in his nostrils.

As strange as it was to feel the joy of the simplicities of a fireplace, to Giles it meant the world to him, a special happiness he felt sitting with Toriel, talking to someone he liked as they both finished up the rest of their fruit tart, all by the light of the flames, to Giles it was all magical.

It was a far cry from his old home, of how cold it had come to feel, not just in the fact he had hardly turned on the heat, but of how lonely and quiet it was. It stopped being a home by then. Just an empty building that needs to be torn down and forgotten.

"...Giles?" The human took his attention away from the fire to look up to the female sitting on the opposite side of the fireplace, looking at him with worry on her face.

"Are you okay? You've been staring at the fireplace rather intently for the past few moments." Tear it down or burn it all in flames. He only wanted it to be gone now.

"Yeah yeah." He replied lamely as he straightened himself up on the chair, looking down to his tart he kept in his hands, the cream already more melted than not by now. Digging into it with his spoon he took a bite as he allowed the delicious flavours to encompass his mouth before speaking some more; after he swallowed, of course.

"I'm just...haven't sat down with burning fireplace in so long. Wanted to enjoy the moment." While Toriel accepted this answer. She could already see this wasn't the complete truth. Though, if Giles didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't push it, she wanted him to tell her in his own time.

"So er...do you like the clothes I got out for you?" Toriel said, attempting to turn the conversation over to someplace else. Giles older clothing had gotten worn down and dirt for the near month he's been with her. And of course, lacking any spares she got him some others that were as good a size as she could get coming from a different civilization.

She didn't like his drab colours, so she got some newer pants for him to have, as well as some shirts that accent his broad shoulder and thin waist.

"Yes. Thank you for these, I don't know how I could repay you."

"Oh please dear, don't think of them like that. They were a gift after all." She waved him off with a smile.

"But still. I would like to do something nice for you in exchange. As a show of thanks."

"Don't worry, Giles. I'm not expecting you to do anything in return. I only want you to be happy after all...and maybe a bit fashionable as well." She laughed as Giles examined his clothing, he had to admit, this clothing did look good on him.

"It's amazing they're quite the right size for me. They fit so nicely."

"Well I'm glad they do, you had no spare after all. It's not as if I could lend anyone of my own anyway. They are meant for a woman, after all. Besides, you're far too small for them."

"Are you saying I'm short." He retorted back.

"Oh perish the thought Giles." She hid a smile as she continued. "I would never make fun of you height. I could never stoop that low." She had to hold in her giggles as Giles shook his head at her gag, laughing alongside her from the humor.

"The funny thing is, I was always a big kid. In fact, at school I was so big the bullies feared me, even though I never actually thought any of them. Good thing I was there to protect the smaller kids, I was the 'Gentle Giant' of my school. I think that's where my pacifism came from." Toriel heart warmed of his tale. She was happy Giles was always such a kind boy, turning into an absolute gentleman like he is now. "In fact, one time a bully did hit me, I only smiled at him, the kid in so much shock I didn't fall he ran off crying." He laughed.

"I can imagine that." Toriel commented. "You being such a gentle child even in your youth, never lashing out or hurting others."

"Yes, I can tell you'd imagine that so easily. You always have your; head in the clouds." He sneered back. So, going for a tall joke now, are we?

"Well, I am glad to know you've always been rather down-to-earth."

"I would say my jokes just fly past your head but I don't think they could jump that high."

"Keep up those puns and I may have to ground you."

"I suppose being that tall it must be nice to talk with the birds." That one got her, as both he and Toriel erupted in howls of laughter no longer to tell any more jokes, the puns too much as the two could no longer even breathe cackling and laughing their heads off for a moment or two too long, as they took in the battle of the height jokes.

"I think it's fair to say I won that round, eh Tori." Giles head was on his palm now as he struggled to contain himself.

"Ha...not fair Giles-tee hee." Toriel was still in the afterglow of her chortles now. "Yours was too funny."

"That was kinda the point of the game wasn't it. I was funnier, there for I had won. Don't blame me, it's the rules look them up." Giles said in reply to being irritation at her loss.

"Maybe I shall...I have to say, you really know your comebacks. You must tell all you know."

"I'm not sure I have the time to tell you them all. I think we would need all night for every joke I know."

"I'm not planning on doing anything." Toriel leaned her body body, crossing her legs and smoothing her dress, making herself comfortable for the, hopeful, hours of bad jokes, puns and gags, and maybe a few more funny stories of the human's life spread evenly throughout the hours, the anticipation already murder as she stayed as patient as possible, not wanting to seem too eager, lest she embrasses herslef in front of the human.

"Well, I did warn you." Giles too leaned back into his chair, cracking his knuckles and twitching his toes. Now let's see, how to start. Tortilla the hun? Naw she might not get that one. Ooo! How about...

"What do sharks eat in their sandwiches..."

---

Snail hunting is hard work. But someone has to do it. This was the mentality of Toriel after a long, hard day of snail hunting. Walking into her home carrying a big filled quite a large number of the gastropods she brushed her plain feet on the doormet to remove any loose mud stuck between her any other woman the idea of waddling through dirt barefoot searching for snails sounded like a punishment, but for Toriel it was one of the few times in her life she gets to be down and dirty with nature.

"Giles, you in?" Toriel called out as she ascended the stairs, walking into the living room as she headed for the kitchen, but stopped in shock as soon as she entered the dining room, as she spotted the figure of Giles sitting on one of the wooden chairs, his upper body laid backwards, arms swinging freely at his sides. The woman smiled softly at the sight of him, napping soundly on the table.

However, this was not what surprised Toriel. Rather, in front of the human, standing upright was a statue made of clay on the table. And walking to it, she noticed it was a statue of not only her; but a small human child as well, holding the hand of Toriel gently. She looked so sweet and motherly as she looked down on the human, as the child looked up to the woman smiling warmly at the human.

She was shocked by how life-like it is; as even the littlest details, the folds in her sleeves, the say of her dress as she walked, even a very convincing impression of her fur had been sculpted.

...Was she really this tall? The figure of her looked to be perfectly in scale with her own. And who was this child she was so happily in the company of? She couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl. The short but not-too-short hair could go either way. Either way, it is amazing in Toriel's eyes. She felt her heart swelling with gratitude from the figure.

Leaning down to the human's face she nuzzled her nose on his own with a smile. "Oh, your such a sweetheart." She whispered as she gave him some eskimo kisses-

"Oh!" She caught herself as her body flashed back up straight, covering her mouth in shock. Did she really just...oh bother she was blushing now, she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Why did she do that? What events lead to her to nuzzle with the human…

During Toriel's confused unanswered questions the human in question snorted as he awoke, his mind groggy as he blinked tiredly.

"Wuzzat...oh where am I?" He spoke out, not noticing the female standing next to him.

"You're at the kitchen table, dear. You'd fallen asleep after making this." Giles turned his head to see Toriel holding onto the figurine of her and a human child.

"Did I? Oh sorry Tori, let me just-" He tried to stand up from his seat, but his body was still half-asleep as Toriel caught Giles before he could make a mistake, as she could see he was still tired from his nap.

"Easy now Giles, you don't have to get up just for me. Here let me walk you to a more comfortable chair." Grabbing his arm sturdly she walked the human over to his own seat, gently placing him down on the comfortable chair as he leaned onto the back.

"Do you like it?" Giles yawned out as he wiped at his eyes. "I made it for you."

"Most certainly dear. It's absolutely beautiful, I had no idea you could make something as articulate as this." She stared at the figurine in awe.

"Well, I ain't no artist, but I have designed several statues for buildings in my time, so I at least know a thing or two about sculpting."

"Where did you get the idea for this anyway."

"Hm...Oh, I came across a sculpted clay figure of a dinosaur from the guest room., and it reminded me that it had been a long time since I last sculptured something. So I figured: why not. Thought I might make something for you."

Clay dinosaur, must have been- "It's lovely Giles. Thank you for the gift. Here, why don't you just lay back and rest while I make dinner, okay." Giles didn't oppose this idea as he shuffled in his seat, closing his eyes and laying his arms in his lap.

Toriel couldn't deny it now. With his kindness, caring and maturity, he had found his way into her old and slow heart. She had felt so isolated and living alone, and she had succumbed to the idea of spending the rest of her days as a troglodyte, but this human male, he...he had her wishing to spend the rest of her life alongside him.

She finally realized the truth; she had fallen for him.

And she could only feel nothing but worry with the thought he may never return her feelings.

---

Much has changed throughout the years on the surface world for the humans. True, Toriel had somewhat expected this, it's not as if life for the monster underground hadn't changed in any way since the banishment, but to such an extent for the humans that-

"Seven billion?!" Stated in shock as her and Giles were sitting comfortably in their chairs, by the fire late this night, like what they always liked to do before calling it a night, as Giles was talking about what life was like for humans nowadays in the surface world.

"Really. Seven billion? My my! And they say rabbits breed fast!" Giles laughed at her comment, retorting with a "Don't badmouth bunnies, Tori."

"I know, it's just...seven billion? That's a lot of humans on your world. How does earth keep up with it all." Well, it didn't really. But it's best not to bog down there fun with the disastrous way humans are ruining their only home, or at least Giles thinks so.

"Well, many do try to make sure it's a good place to live. And it's a big planet as well, a lot to explore, a lot to learn and so many places to live." He instead offered.

"A lot must really have changed in such a time. You must have seen so much change and grow in your lifetime. Do humans still have castle's? Or taverns or blacksmiths?"

"Well taverns and blacksmiths still are around nowadays. But castle haven't been used in centuries. Nowadays they're usually just ruins or museums about the past. I had actually been to one once when I was younger."

"Really?" Toriel hadn't seen a castle in such a long time, and she's never even seen a human one before. "You must tell me. Oh please do, Giles. Go on."

Giles smiled over Toriel's bubbling like a little excited girl. She was always interested in his own past. Though, with been down here so long it made a lot of sense she would love to hear of the outside world. To the same degree, he did like listening to her own stories when she was queen. "All right then, since you asked so nicely: Well when I was a youngster, I went to visit some relatives across the sea's, in a country called Ireland. Was a beautiful place, misty hills, forests, moors, it was amazing to see, especially so young."

"Yes yes." Toriel could barely hold back her excitement. She had not seen the surface world in a very long time, she would give anything to see it at least once more in her lifetime.

"Well...anyway during my stay there me and my relatives got to explore and old, crumbling castle. Oh it was breathtaking. It was just so silent and dark, you could only imagine what it looked like during a siege. Walls of stone built by ancient celts and romans, standing stones form the megalithic age, a deep, misty surrounding the building it was like living in a fantasy. It's a shame we don't have those kinds of things in my country, it's not old enough for that. Actually funnily enough one time I actually came across a rusted hilt of a broken medieval sword in some weeds and vines in a hedgerow." Giles shook his head as he remembered something. "I think I still have that old sword somewhere at home. I think I left it in the attic...Tori." Giles only now realizing that the woman hadn't said anything to him, going dead quiet, as he was unaware of Toriel's own inner thoughts.

Home…

"Toriel?" He spoke a little louder this time, enough to grab Toriel's attention once again as she was jerked out of her mind. "You Okay?"

"Ye-yes Giles, I was just...thinking about something." Her statement, while honest, was not the complete truth. Toriel knows by now how much she has came to love Giles, not just appreciate him as either a adult, or a human, but a person, someone she could call a friend, and an amazing one at that. But she knew, not matter how hard she would deny it, or how it's impossible, or of how it's just her mind playing tricks, confusing platonic friendship with romantic love, that in her heart she had succumbed to the love bug, one aimed directly at the human.

But like she said, he was a human. She was a monster of the underground. For all she knew Giles could never love her back the same way she does for him. Does he-can he look at her like a romantic partner? She was not a human. Could it work?

"Tell me Giles, do you ever wish to return to the surface world? Surely you must have friends and...other family that misses you?" That was an unexpected question from her. Well, he was talking about the outside world, so it seemed this question would come up sooner or later.

"Er well...to answer the first question I'd say: not specifically no. Sure there's things I miss up there, but my house, my hometown...I can't say I've ever had much desire to go back up to see those. If anything I'd be more to stay away from them."

"And the second?"

"I..." He swallowed in his throat. "I didn't have a lot of friends in the human world. Or at least, not many after I returned home. The rest of my family is dead or just so too distant of a relative now for me to see them as close enough. I suppose, no, I doubt anyone's even looking for me up top. Hee hee, probably save for my electrical supplier, that is." He joked, and that, at least, put Toriel at ease. "Why ask the question so suddenly."

"I was just wondering, that's all. Of how much of your life you've made up there. I wanted to know if you ever desire to return."

"Hmph. Like I said, not really. Never even thought about it much since the day after I first got here. Sure, the human world has a lot of great stuff and all, but...honestly now, there's not much the world up their has that I want."

"Maybe it's not what it has but who it might have Giles." The man looked at her with curiosity, and she continued before he could ask. "You might meet someone nice you could...get to know and like."

"What do you mean Tori?"

"Tell me Giles, do you...have you ever thought about going into a new relationship? I mean, meeting another human woman who you could...fall in love with. Have you ever thought about that?"

Giles was eerily silent, being in deep thought was plastered all over his face. "All in all; no. I haven't thought about falling love again. Never tried to since then."

"But your wife she...do you deep down still pine for her loss?"

"No." This answer was much quicker than the last. Too quick. "If she hadn't killed herself then I would have left her the moment I found out what she did. In a sense, I think I already stopped loving her when I realized my only desire to return home was to see me daughter. I have stated before I was only still with to make it work with my little girl. We had grown apart as a couple, but married or not; I...I don't love her now. I only look at her with disgust for what she had done."

"And do you refuse to love again after what had transpired, Giles?"

Giles didn't answer her as she looked at him. He studied her over, wondering why the sudden intake of question regarding his lovelife. "Why are you asking me these questions, Tori?"

"I was just...um..." She was dodging the questions. "I just want you to be happy, that's all. I wasn't sure if you felt...unhappy with the current situation. Of not having a woman to love, I mean." Something more was up, that was blatant to the human.

"What is this really about, Tori?" She didn't try to answer it with her words, but rather, he watched her she slowly rise from her seat and walked over towards him, her expression hard to read.

"Would you love somebody if they ever told you they love you?" Her voice but a whisper.

"I...suppose I can, if that ever happened. But that doesn't seem realistic to me. Even if that happened I would at least like to have known then for a good while, you know, get to now their character, spending a long time as friends who gradually fall for the other."

"And if that did happen? What if someone had spent months knowing you, getting to know you, being fond of you, and ultimately...fall in love with you? What would you say to them then, Giles?"

"I'm...I'm not sure what you're getting at Toriel."

"You know what I'd say Giles?" She leaned down, until her face was inches from his own. "I'd say, thank you, my dear, for falling love with me. Thank you for being my friend, and thank you...for this." Toriel closed the gap and placed her lips upon his, kissing him gently, calmly, no extra movement save for her hands coming and grasping the human's cheeks, holding him closely as she slowly moved her lips back, a sweet smile adorned on her face, her eyes half-lidded, and a single thumb was rubbing against his cheek.

"So what do you say Giles, if that ever happened to you? What would you say to them then?" Two hands grasped around Toriel's cheeks as the human spoke to her, his voice a whisper like hers.

"I would say; she should have told me sooner." He pulled her head towards his to partake in another gentle kiss, lasting only a few seconds like before. "And not to beat around the bush about telling, or to be scared I wouldn't return her own feelings, as she is without a doubt the most amazing woman I have ever met, no contest. Goat lady or not, she's as perfect a woman as I'd ever meet."

"And if she said 'I love you' what would you say back?"

"I would say 'I love you too'."

"Giles?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." They wasted no time in kissing once again after their little exchange, Toriel almost fiercely wrapped her arms around his back, being careful as to not hurt him as she pulled him close, Giles doing the same in kind, as Toriel leaned her body forward, almost enrapturing him with her body, losing herself to her desire too as the sensation was driving her wild, her tongue grazing along his lips pleading for an entrance.

"Ah...Tori." Giles broke the kiss as the feel of her tongue wanting to invade his mouth took him by surprise, and this reaction got Toriel to pull back in surprise, apologising profusely in shame.

"Oh Giles- I-I'm just so sorry. It has been such a long time, and-and I didn't mean to- I'm so sorry-" Her quick words of an apology were halted as Giles placed a single finger over her mouth, silencing her. "Don't fret, Tori. I was just surprised by what you did, not angered by it. I kind of...forgot that feeling all of a sudden,"

Toriel tittered to him, feeling her worry put at ease. "I guess it...has been a good while for the both of us." Giles nodded, though he was just embarrassed as she was. As few awkward silent seconds past, Toriel moved first, holding out an outer palm for him. "Would you like to try those feelings again, Giles? That is, if you are willing tonight."

"What do you mean, Toriel?"

"I mean, my dear Giles, is would you like to accompany me to my bed tonight, and take me as woman. If you desire me tonight, that is. I don't want you to feel pressured, Giles, just say the word and we can call it a night." Giles looked to her open hand as he thought over something. "You're right, it has been a good while. I've never even tried to think about sex until today, I think I was even apprehensive to the idea of it." He took her hand. "But that shouldn't discourage me forever. Nor should it. I would love to accompany you to the bedroom Toriel, whatever you want from I'll give it you." Toriel's face softened as she pulled him up and out of the seat, pulling him closer to her as she, not lip kiss, but Eskimo, nuzzling his nose with her own as she pulled him close, and with a nonchalant wave of her hand the fireplace was instantly douse by her power.

"Then follow me Giles." With their hands still attached Toriel lead Giles to her room, both staying in complete silence as the human entered the room behind her, closing the door behind them with Toriel leading him to the bed, letting him settle down on the sheets as he observed Toriel's room.

Seems a pretty plan but tidy place to live, a sole cactus was in the far corner and a pretty set of bright vibrant yellow flowers sat at the top of the bookshelf. Her bed was bigger than normal human bed, but too small for a double bed. A queen-size? Maybe in Toriel's case that would make a lot of sense.

He was nervous, just as much as she was, rather unsure how to start but refusing to let it ligger for too long. "Are you ready for this?" Giles was the first to speak.

"I would say I am, yes Giles." She answered. Her hand still holding his.

"Are you completely sure?"

"I...I'm not sure, Giles. I think I am but..."

"I know. I feel the same." Neither was looking at the other, embarrassment hung in there, but Giles made her look at him as he squeezed her hand. "How about we start it off simple, then see where it leads?" This time he held out his hand to her, and she graciously accepted without hesitation. "I would love that Giles." He slowly pulled her down to his level as they let go of their hands and wrapped them around their partner's torso, pulling them close as they hugged the other, nestling their bodies as they held each other close, Giles rubbing his hand up and down Toriel's back, and the female moving her head back and lifted up the male's chin as they engaged in another kiss, letting their lips caress the other, deepening in their own time as they bobbed their heads. Toriel didn't just kiss Giles but suckled on his lips, making his flesh tingle from the sensation, and Giles only warmed to this feeling, whether it was his lack of intercourse or not waned little as he only wanted more.

Toriel licked across Giles lips, like before, only more slowly this time, not wanting him to be taken from suprise, or rebut her advances. To her glee, he opened his mouth for her tongue to enter, to his surprise her tongue was longer than his own as hers tasted all around his mouth; it was as if she didn't want him to fight back, to submit to her whims, as he only moaned deeply from the pleasure.

His whole body went tense from the sensation, but as Toriel was almost not holding anything back she continued pushing her lips on his, driving her own interest further until without warning, his body leaned too far back and Giles collapsed backwards, Toriel falling forward with him as the bed squeaked from the sudden weight, the female lying on top of him as she took only a moment to realize where she was.

"Oh-Giles, are you alright. I didn't mean to fall on you." Giles blinked as he realized what had just happened. "You never told me you were such a good kisser." He smiled, caring little to have the woman sprawled on top of him.

"Oh I, well I've learnt a few things in my time." She replied in kind as Giles moved a hand over and rubbed softly along Toriel's cheek, looking deeply into her beautiful maroon eyes. They have such a lovely shade of red. Neither tried nor wanted to say anything as they held each other close. Giles lightly trailed his hands around Toriel as he held her close, feeling along the curves of her back, little tingles shot up her spine as his fingers draped past those parts.

"Enjoying, yourself, are we?" The rhetorical question came from the female situated on top of him, trying to put some of her weight of him and on her hands keeping her up.

"Just feeling how good you feel, Tori." He replied simply with a smile.

"Oh, I guess you are a very hands-on human, aren't you, my little 'Cuddlecake'?"

"'Cuddlecake' eh?" Giles smirked at her pet name. "So does that mean I get to give you a cute nickname as well?"

"Tori is just fine." She sighed, relaxing under his feeling. "You don't need to go out of your to give my a pet name."

"Then what if I want to?" He said back. "No hurry. Besides-" He stopped moving his hands around her back and instead positioned them both on her cheeks, cupping them and refusing to get her head turn to away.

"-I want to know how good you feel without any of these pesky clothes in the way." Toriel's smile faltered, only just a little.

"Are you sure Giles?" A little kiss on her nose confirmed his desire, and, with a little reluctance, Toriel moved off of the human and stood up, standing a few feet away from him as he sat up on the bed.

"Well, let me show you myself without these clothes on then." She stated as she grabbed the bottom hems of her dress, and pulled them over herself as she took them off, Giles looking with interest as she dropped the dress on the floor next to her.

Giles's jaw nearly dropped to the floor at the sight of the nearly-naked woman standing forward from him. She wasn't completely nude, as she still wore some clothes underneath; what resembled a fundoshi covering her private area and a sarashi over her modest b-cup sized breasts. Sure, she wasn't a supermodel, but to Giles she was GORGEOUS, wide hips and thighs just muscular enough, and her soft fur makes her feel so soft to the touch, and with nothing covering her belly she looked utterly huggable. She could put many human woman to shame, not just with her looks, but with her kind demeanor.

Though Giles thought her curves were lovely it seemed Toriel might not have seen her body that way, as she was shifting place covering herself with her hands, and not making eye contact with him, instead opting to look away, embarrassed of her figure.

Giles caught on to this, calling to her with a "Tori, look at me." And when she turned to see him holding out his arms for him with a smile. The female wasted not time in walking over and hugging the human tightly, snuggled into his hair. "You're beautiful Toriel. Don't ever think differently. You're in better than me anyway."

"Oh hush, my Cuddlecake. You're in good shape as well."

"Yeah, round!" He joked out, getting a hardy laugh from Toriel, Giles happy to see her at ease, though without warning he suddenly yelped when he felt a hand grab his rear. "Speaking of round...very nice." Giles leaned forward and pulled her into a kiss, lasting only a few seconds before pulling away. "You're perfect...in every way." Giles murmured under his breath, taking in her figure towering over him.

"I should say the same to you Giles." She nuzzled his nose from the compliment. "Though I do have to admit I have...let myself go throughout the years." She looked over her body with distaste, she has had little reason to watch her figure over the years, and she had never thought until recently the idea of being naked with another male, so why keep herself perpetually in good shape?

"You're gorgeous Toriel. I think you're perfect the way you are."

"Thank you, Cuddlecake. I am glad you think so, but still...there some things about my body I wish to change."

"There's nothing about you I would change even if I could."

"Even my breasts." She looked downwards to the two mounds on her chest, dangling from their position neatly bundled up in her sarashi. "I always thought they were a little small." This sentence she barely managed to whisper out, yet still loud enough for Giles to hear.

"They're fine Toriel. I was never bothered by how small a woman's boobs are anyway."

"Oh? Not a bust man, are we?" Toriel teased the human. And here she was thinking all men liked big breasts. Though, she could now never see Giles as just 'another' man. He was more than that.

Giles only grinned as he reached around and stroke along Toriel's ears. "Nah, I'm more of an ear man myself." Toriel giggled as she took delight in him stroking her ears so delicately, giving them a little scratch which she could only melt from the feeling.

Not wanting to be the only one with little clothing Toriel starting to take off the man's shirt, starting at the top of the line of buttons as she sensually took the first one off...no not that way the other...no take the buttons out not keep them in harder…

Giles started to take the buttons off himself as he realized the struggle Toriel was having, probably not as easy to take buttons off from the other side. With the barest of "Sorry" coming from the woman, the desired sensual actions diminished slightly but how inability to take if off herself, though this changed the male's interest little as he took his shirt off quickly and threw it to the ground, Toriel instantly massaging along Giles torso, feeling along his chest and sides, along the human's own curves.

"You're not round at all Giles." She commented as her fingers trailed along his shoulders, feeling the deep muscles under his pecs, marvelling in wonder of just how buff this human used to be in his military days. "Maybe, but I know something that is." Giles smirked as his hands were not at Toriel's sides, latching onto her sarashi, and pulling it off the lady, letting the cloth drop to the floor, and letting her breasts droop freely.

Gently cupping her b-sized breasts with his hands he felt around her mounds, supporting them and gently trailing his fingers along them, brushing against the nipples with his thumb, just a feather-like touch, taking his own delight of how perfectly they were shaped with his hands.

"Oh Giles. Your touches are amazing." Toriel exhaled out, holding back from wrapping her arms completely around them and there.

"Yours feel amazing as well." It had been far...far too long for any woman to touch him such a way. Not even his previous woman was even close to what Toriel could do, though as nice as it was it wasn't the main course of this meal of love-making, just the appetizer, Toriel knowing this as well, as her fingers laced into the top of his pants, between the clothing and the pants themselves.

"Giles dear, would you mind shifting your body a bit?" Toriel asked as she wanted to pull them straight off. Giles stopped his massaging of her breasts to grab the hems of his own trousers.

"Allow me, my dear." Giles leaned his body back, lifting himself up of the bed lightly and quickly removed both his pants and underwear in one fell swoop, leaving him completely bare, save for his socks, and not attempting to hide his member from Toriel's gaze, she was liking what she saw.

"Well now, I guess it's my turn." Toriel stated as she took began to finally undress, lifting down her fundoshi and settling it on the floor as Giles took in her completely nude sight; she was truly a woman of perfection and beauty.

"How should we begin this?" Giles was the first to say as both sat/stood there in somewhat awkwardness. Toriel wanted him as close to her as possible, to hug and keep him close, though she didn't want to dominate the human, rather wanted them to be as partners.

"I know the perfect way for us. My Cuddlecake, if you could please back up into the bed for me, would you dear." Giles did as she asked sitting with the length of the bed, leaning his body back on his hands as Toriel crawled onto the bed, the bed groaning from the sudden extra weight, as she dragged herself over to him, pulling him close to her and kneeling over his lap, cupping his cheek with one hand and giving him a long deep kiss for the the shortest of seconds.

"You ready, my love?" She softly sung in his ear as she pulled in close, reaching a hand down to grab his member and aim it upwards at her own-

She looked down to see his manhood was not yet as erect as she might have thought it would be, the shaft only half way up.

"So...sorry about this." Giles refused to make eye contact in shame. "It's just that it's been a while and-"

"Shush." Toriel placed a finger over his mouth. "You're right, it has been a while. No shame in that, is there? Don't worry, let me remedy that for you." She stroked along his member with her paw pads, dancing and twirling her fingers around his length, the member throbbing in her hand as Giles let her play with it, switching to pump it as it began to fill with blood and grow.

Once she was satisfied with it's length she let, earning a little whine from the human due to the now lack of contact. Giles wrapped an arm around her back, keeping a firm loving grip on her as he spoke out to her. "I'm ready."

She said nothing in reply as she lowered herself down, slowly, stopping when the manhood was only a little inside just to revel in the feeling, lowering herself down even more until it was as far down into her as she can get in this position, nuzzling her face into his neck as she let out a sigh.

"I haven't had a man's touch like this in such a long time." She murmed out.

"Neither have I. A woman's touch, I mean." Giles replied, Toriel moving her hand back to smile at him, meeting his chocolate-brown eyes before closing the distance and touching foreheads with his ease. "Don't worry I will go slow to start." She clarified and began to rock her body on him, pushing up and down Giles's shaft with moderate movements, enjoying it immensely, draping her arms down his back as she held him still.

He rubbed along her back and ears like before, stroking along them with an almost searching pattern. Toriel giggled at his touch, asking him. "Whatever are you looking for, my darling?"

"I'm looking for your pleasure points, my dear. I wanna find out which parts make you squeal in delight." He answered as he still checked around.

"Well, Cuddlecake, they're not there, silly. Here, I know where they are." She reached around and gripped his arm, rolling down to his hand as she moved it over and placed it on her thigh. "I love being touched here." He stroked his hand now around here, earning a beautiful sounding moan from her throat.

"Just like that, my love." She whispered out, caressing his face with her paw, running her fingers through his short, neatly cut hair. "Though shouldn't it be fair I touch your sensitive area as well?"

"I suppose that makes sense." He replied as he looked over Toriel's hands, noticing the cute pink pads on her fingers and palm. "And I think I found mine." With his other hand, no longer needing to for support, he gripped the back of Toriel's hand and laid soft, gentle kisses on the pads, tentative touches over them.

She loved his touches, but she wanted to know his genuine areas. "I'm being serious Giles."

"My waist." He answer back simply, reluctantly letting her hand be free as she moved it to grip his waist. Pressing her fingers into his skin. As intimidating as her claws could be, he held no fear of them. Toriel would never hurt him, with those nails or not.

He wanted to hold her close to him at all times, ever and forever, each pump on his member like a soft embrace, each movement of her hands, one on his waist the other supporting him on his back, were like an angel's touch.

Her fur was exquisitely soft as he run his hands over her, the hair so fine and smooth he believed it would fetch the highest price if a coat was ever made from it. He wanted to feel every part of her, her thighs, chest, legs, breasts, face. He wanted to touch all of her, to hug her with his whole body and more, refusing to let go until they were joined permanently.

"Urrr...I wish I had two pairs of arms just hug you twice as must." Toriel heard the human under her, groping at her thighs firmly as he breathed in sharp pants. The female smiled as she rode him, rocking her hips gently with every thrust on his lap, leaning in to his ear and whispered: "Why stop at two? Why not three pairs instead?"

Giles caught on quickly to what she was getting at, whispering back. "Or four?"

"Or five?"

"Nah, six is better?"

"How about seven?"

"Or even-pfft!" Giles could say any more as he spluttered the words, erupting into fierce laughter, with Toriel not to far behind, giggling herself silly at the thought, her movements halted as she kneeled over him, his shaft sitting still inside her.

As their laughing died down Giles and Toriel simply looked each deeply in the eyes, both silently wondering how they managed to find themselves with someone so perfect. The male was the first to make a move, pulling a hand out and tapping her on her nose, telling her "You're such a sweetie, you know that?"

Toriel beamed him a smile as she leaned down and gave a peck on his head, before continuing to carefully rock her body on him, starting the intimacy anew, Giles hands firmly on her hips as Toriel pulled the human to his chest, one hand on the back of his head as he placed his face in between her breasts, cuddling the human as close to her body, giving him a scratch as Giles made no attempted to discourage her actions.

As both of his hands were on her thighs, rubbing and touching all around Giles had one start to move away, wanting to feel more of Toriel's body, finding what other pleasure center's the female had. He groped around her butt feeling every curve of her cheek, every inch of her round buttocks and move around to the middle of her rear, finding a short, fluffy object sticking out of her behind, as he might have suspected considering her likeness to the species, groping it lightly and earning a hiss from the female.

"Sorry, Toriel, I didn't hurt you did I?" Giles-reluctantly-moved out of her chest to look up to the female above him.

"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt, I was just surprised, that's all." She rubbed the back of his head to ease his worry.

"Is it better that I hold it like this?" The human had his hand wrapped her tail lengthwise, holding it carefully in his hand like he would her own paw, his touch soft.

"Better. Now get back in here." She pulled his head back to her breasts, sandwiching him between her boobies like a pair of soft pillows as Giles gave her little kiss on her breasts in return. "Mmm Giles, keep that up. I don't think I can last much longer." She moaned out, her words true as the female was close to own orgasm, her body twitching in the upcoming release.

"I'm getting close to my end too." Giles spoke out from his position. "Toriel, do you want me to pull out or stay in?"

"Don't you dare pull out." She playfully warned, giving her thrusts a little more force and speed as she was reaching his impending orgasm, barely able to contain herself as the pleasurable want of an orgasm overtook her, her walls clamping down on his member as she rode him with vigour.

Giles held her close, groping at her sides as he felt him about to reach his limit. He held himself still as he came moments later, painting her insides white as he moaned in her chest, letting the feeling of release wash over him as Toriel continued to rock her hips, her own climax came a few moments later, the female letting out huge moan as her body trembled from the sudden shock of the release, her toes were curling from the sensation, this feeling so old to her she couldn't contain it, with her body relaxing, her knees went weak and finally she fell forward, pushing the human down with her as she panted.

Nearly a minute passed before Toriel could finally move, leaning off him and apologising for pushing him down. Giles laughed it off, smiling at her as he held her close.

"It has been far too long since I felt that again." Giles admitted, with never a hint of embarrassment.

"Count yourself lucky, I think the space between my second to last orgasm until now are older than you." Toriel said, squeezing the human softly as she hugged him dearly, Giles hugged back as the two laid their, basking in the afterglow with glee.

"You know Toriel..." Giles spoke after a few moments. "I just thought of the perfect name for you."

"And what's that, Cuddlecake?" She leaned her over so it was hovering over his, looking down and meeting his eyes, not seeing the human sneakily move a hand around until she suddenly felt two fingers, lightly, pinch one of her cheeks.

"Sweetiecheeks." Giles stated as he let go, grinning as Toriel looked at him with a bemusement, only to grin back at him, leaning down and leaving a lingering kiss on his awaiting lips, snuggling up with him, resting her head next to his, as she let herself start to relax.

"...So are you going to get off me so I get us both under the bed covers or not?" Giles asked as Toriel did not shift from her position.

"Later." Was all she said, snickering a little as she refused to let him go just yet, rubbing a finger over his cheek as she wanted him, more of him, and moving her head back and capturing her lips on his once again, with passion but with little force behind him, calm, like the sea.

She was so soft and warm, even the coldest day would not matter as long as she holds him close to his body, every part of her he wanted, every laugh he wanted to hear and every smile he wanted to see from this woman.

"...Can I at least take my socks off."

---

The monsters have been through so much and suffered a lot for something that wasn't deserved of them. Toriel told him all this, the stories of the monsters, and why they are now sealed down here. To Giles, this was unjustified and cruel, even if they deserved, surely by now their punishment has ended. Humans and monster should coexist together.

Naive for thinking it was just that simple? Maybe. But this didn't matter to Giles, the monsters have faced enough hardships in their life. It was now time to be freed.

They was a door out of Toriel's area, a lone strong door that separated the ex-queen from the others, almost like a self-purprosed exile on the lady's behalf.

He wanted them to be freed, he would help them anyway he can, try any idea, all he needed to do was go to them.

She was there, by the door blocking Giles way as he turned the corner and faced those same doors. Her back to him, she slowly turned around to face him, yet she didn't look at him, she looked away, her face in an unhappy scroll of sorts as Giles stood a number of feet away.

"Giles...every human that has fallen down here meets the same fate." She already had told him, about the other humans, the children that have left Toriel to return home. How they never come back.

"I have seen it again and again. The come. They leave. They die. If you leave the ruins...you may never return. They...Asgore...will kill you." Giles said nothing in return to her, only looking waiting for her to finish.

"We have a good life down here; me and you. We laugh, we smile, we are happy. Why change that?" This was more rhetorical than not, she already knew why the human wants to leave.

"You want to leave so badly? You want to save everyone, to make everyone else happier even at the cost of your own life?" Toriel made a move, reaching out a hand towards as Giles moved forward to her and-

Took her hand in his own. "So do I. Too long has been spent down here hidden and doing nothing to help. For once, I want to make a difference. I want to settle things and set them right." The grip on his hand hardened.

"So I can't let you leave alone. I will have to go with you." This was her ultimatum.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my sweetiecheeks." Giles beamed leaned forward and taking Toriel in a soft kiss.

"Shall we, Toriel?" With his hand still holding hers Giles moved to stand by her side, facing the closed doors.

"After you, my cuddlecake." With their other free hands both touch the sides of the door, and opening them the pair walked through, the light cascading out the opening being made, and with strong determination, they left the ruins, together.

Peanut butter and jellyfish.

Hope You Enjoyed.