Frisk stared into the horizon with wide, glistening eyes. She had almost forgotten what the heat of sunlight had felt like, or the way it tinged orange and pink around the edges when it would set. The sun was drifting just above some mountain peaks, illuminating the crags and clouds below it with a vibrant yellow glow. Hot tears began to press at the edges of her vision as she reached up for Toriel's hand, but grasped at thin air.
"You know we can't stay behind forever, don't you?" Sans's nonchalant mutter came from the entrance to the Underground. Remembering her friends had gone, and she had chosen to stay at the cliff. Staring out into the distance. It was soothing.
Frisk nodded abruptly and opened her mouth to speak, but there was nothing to say.
"Wow..." Sans breathed. She could tell he was as awestruck as she was as he stepped forward and stood beside her; their shoulders brushing. "Geez, kid. I had forgotten what... what sunsets looked like." Frisk looked up at him. "This... I mean..." his voice locked. "This is a sunset, right?" when Frisk nodded, he let out a sigh. "Wow..."
"I wish Toriel had stayed, though she's probably helping Alphys control Undyne/" Frisk said, amusment lining her tone. Sans's mouth twitched.
"Yeah, I guess so," he agreed. He shut his eyes and shrugged. "She's off with Pap and the others, though."
"You should have gone with her."
"Me? You kiddin'?"
"All of you guys... you would have been happy without..." Frisk's breath caught in her throat. She gathered herself and started again. "You all could have had a fresh start; a clean slate. Together."
"And leave you behind?" Sans's left eye opened a bit, revealing a light blue glow. His usual wide smile vanished.
"Sans, if you so much as-"
"Listen, kid," Sans said as a brightly colored red flower arose from the ground amid a sea of light blue flame; it landed in her hand. "We couldn't just leave you. Not after that."
"What do you mean?"
A deadly silence followed, marred only by the sounds of singing birds preparing for sleep.
"I mean... just..." Sans voice came out in short, wavering bursts, not wanting to continue.
"The resets?"
Sans stood rigid and dared a mortified glance at Frisk.
"I just don't want it to happen again... not after..." his voice dissolved. Frisk edged closer and grabbed his bony finger with her own hand and squeezed reassuringly.
"I don't want anymore, either," she whispered.
Sans managed a meek grin. "Neither do I."
"I promise, it won't." Frisk pulled Sans closer and into an embrace just as the sun began to lower behind the clouds and mountains. And... lord above...
A great, whispy green smoke filled the night sky, forming a hazy belt across the horizon. Bright flashes of blue and white filled out empty spaces. The edges of the mountains were still tinged a flaming orange, but beyond that there was nothing but starlight. Frisk gaped up at the stars, having grown accustomed to the jewled caverns in the Waterfall. She'd spent many hours there with Sans and Papyrus, sometimes Undyne, gazing at the glistening rocks. Frisk would point out ones that looked like constellations, followd by gasps and slow intakes of breaths from her companions. Now, she had a chance to show the real thing. She was about to point to the Big Dipper when she saw Sans leaning in, as if trying to soak up all the beauty in the sky.
"I'd completely forgotten what... what stars look like... I thought... I thought..." Sans's voice was withering into almost nothing. "I thought I'd never see them again..." A smile spread across Frisk's face, going ear-to-ear.
"They're pretty great, huh?" Frisk said. It looked as if Sans had hardly heard her. He was still leaning towards the cliff, his head high and his hand gripping Frisk's with such force it shook. Frisk new it was out of fear more than anything. She wrapped her fingers further around his hand reassuringly.
"Yeah..." Sans whispered, his tone a mixture of wonder and sheer terror.
The belt of stars was almost overwhelming, and they were left in almost complete darkness. It reflected off a distant shore and rose back through as if it continued through the water. Dark blue and purple splotches had replaced the green, now making pockets in the already imperfect belt. There were so many stars, it was hard to count them all. The mountains and trees in the distance had the light behind them faded; now reduced to a blurry silhouette. A light yellowish tint lit up the very middle of the band of stars.
"You know what that is?" Frisk asked. Sans barely shook his head, still in awe.
Frisk giggled as she stared up again. "I heard from Alphys it's a... galaxy or something..." Sans stammered.
"More than that. It's our galaxy. It's called the Milky Way. We live in it, alongside thousands of other solar systems."
"What's a... solar system?" Sans's voice was barely a whisper.
"I'll explain on the way," Frisk said. "We should really get to the others. I'm sure Undyne is having trouble subduing Papyrus, wouldn't you think?"
Sans nodded, prying his eyes away from the sight. Frisk took his hand so he could still stare at the sky, and led him down the hill. She began her explanation on the universe to a wide-eyed and eager Sans.