-1.1-
As Alphys lay breathless and satiated, Undyne was next to her and slowly traced the myriad scars upon her chest, making Alphys shiver. "Undyne," she whispered, her eyes still closed. "Please do that again."
Undyne grinned and rolled back on top of her, and she gasped, her body still sensitive. "Right now?" Undyne teased, her voice low.
"I-if you want me to die," Alphys admitted, her breaths going raspy. Undyne laughed and slid back down beside her, resuming her tracing - something Alphys found very soothing. "Connecting the dots?" she wondered.
Undyne stayed quiet. Though it had been several years, and the scars had faded over time, the birdshot she'd been shot with left many round, indented scars, ones that Undyne both hated to see - the memories hurt - and also were proud of - as her wife was a warrior who survived.
Alphys slowly began stroking Undyne's loose hair, and she relaxed, putting her head on her shoulder and curling close, her arms going around her wife tight. Alphys sighed and nuzzled her nose against Undyne's forehead, making her smile.
It was late at night, Basket asleep in her room, after hours of hyperactivity. She was going to school tomorrow and was so excited about it. She, like Nicky, was going right into first grade and was over the moon about it. She had refused to sleep, vowing to stay awake all night until it was time to go to school in the morning. She'd barely made it to 22:30 before she was asleep.
"Alphy," Undyne murmured, breaking her from her reverie. "I love you." Her eye was closed, a small smile on her face.
Alphys smiled. "I love you," she replied.
"What are you going to do tomorrow while Bass is at school?" Undyne wondered sleepily.
Alphys thought about it, her heart falling a little. "Not sure. I suppose I could think about going back to teach part-time."
"It'd be nice to have you at school again," Undyne admitted.
"But then, Toriel seems so fully staffed, and I don't know how well Basket will handle both of us working there."
Undyne looked up at her. "Nicky doesn't mind."
"Nicky is also... very different," Alphys said delicately.
"You mean not a demon," Undyne snorted.
Alphys smiled and shut her eyes again. "Maybe just a little." She paused, her smile fading. "I'm going to miss her," she admitted sadly. "I'm going to miss everything. She made the days sweeter."
"She's not going to war, Alphy," Undyne teased gently.
"No." Alphys agreed. "But I'll still miss her."
Undyne was quiet, before slowly sitting up, straddling Alphys and leaning down to kiss her again, cupping her face between her hands. Alphys slid her arms around Undyne's waist and returned it, unexpected desire rekindling and spreading through her. Soon, when Undyne's kiss deepened, and her hands slid down from her face to her breasts, Alphys felt her whole body go hot. "Undyne..." she whispered against her lips, as Undyne's leg slipped between hers and she pushed close, causing Alphys's already sensitive body to go even hotter. She hooked her legs around Undyne's, already shifting herself against her, and Undyne murmured Alphys's name in return.
After, when Undyne lay prone atop Alphys, both gasping for breath, she whispered, "I love you so much." Alphys looked down at her, and to her surprise she saw that Undyne was in tears, her eye shut. Alphys pulled her closer, unspoken but inevitable sadness filling them both, even as Alphys returned the words as best she could.
The three walked hand-in-hand, Basket jumping up and down as she walked. Her fiery red hair hung into her face - she insisted on keeping it short enough to show off her ears, a feature she was proud of - and her tail wagged with each jump. She had grown quite a great deal in six years, her body growing long and gangly like Undyne's had been at that age. She'd started wearing glasses that year, and her tough feet, like Alphys, never needed shoes. However, she also had both of her mothers' varying tolerance for both hot and cold, and preferred moderate seasons, like fall - like now.
But she was also a terror. She had Undyne's acerbic wit and Alphys's quick mind, and if they weren't quick enough, Basket would easily outsmart her mothers faster than either could even blink.
She loved loose clothes in bright colour, was vain about her hair, ears, and tail, and had the loudest voice either of her parents had even heard a child her age have, Yet to them, she was still absolutely the perfect daughter.
Mostly.
Basket grinned up at Alphys, her sharp teeth showing quite nicely. "Mummy!" she said loudly. "You'll be there at lunch, right?"
Alphys nodded, smiling back. "Nothing would make me happier," she agreed.
Basket screamed happily. Neither of her mothers winced at this, as both were used to this line of affection. Basket had no volume control, and didn't seem to care, even when both Undyne and Alphys still tried.
"Mom," Basket said to Undyne, "are you gonna teach me?"
"Nope," Undyne replied. Basket scrunched up her face in disappointment. "Not this soon, but in a few years."
"Can I watch you teach? Or visit you?"
"Nope," Undyne repeated, and Basket stomped her foot in frustration. "We'll see each other at lunch, Peridot, and that's the way it is."
The pet name - named for the colour of her skin and 'how precious' she was to Undyne - seemed to mollify her, just a bit. Until, "But, Mummy, you'll be there too, right?"
She stared up at Alphys, who bit her lip before answering. "N-no," she said gently. "B-but I'll be back at lunch, sweetie."
Basket sunk into a sudden silence that had Undyne and Alphys exchange glances over her head in worry. They'd explained this to Basket the night before, but clearly the excitement overruled anything they had said that was negative.
The silence lasted until they reached the school, where Nicky was already waiting with a big grin and a wave. "Nicky!" Basket screamed, flinging herself at her almost-cousin and immediately getting hugged back. At twelve, Nicky was already taller than Alphys, having inherited her father's height instead of her mother's. At once they began to chat, Nicky looking up to wave at her aunts with a warm grin as Basket chattered endlessly - something she learned from Alphys.
Undyne took the time to turn to Alphys and pull her into a hug, holding her close. Alphys bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't cry.
"Are you going to be okay, Alphy?" Undyne murmured.
Alphys swallowed hard, trying to speak but finding no words would come to her. So she just nodded, hoping Undyne would believe her.
She didn't. "Get your ass here for lunch. Spend the morning vegging out in front of the TV with junk food. I command it."
Alphys closed her eyes and smiled, burying her face into Undyne's shoulder. "Okay," she promised. "I will."
"Mom! Mummy!" Basket shrieked. "Nicky's here! Look!" She waved her arms and screamed happily, and Nicky winced but was smiling bright and waving as well.
Undyne waved back with a grin, then turned back to Alphys. "Try to stay busy, okay? Lunch will come by faster that way."
Alphys hugged her again, unable to help it, the tears she fought so hard against springing free. Undyne held her close, rubbing her back, until the first bell rang. Then she hesitantly let go. "See you soon," she promised Alphys, before turning to catch up to Basket and Nicky. Once there, she grabbed Basket into her arms and held her upside-down, causing her to scream in delight and Nicky to laugh.
When they vanished into the school, Alphys turned away, walking towards home and crying, not caring who saw or how loud she was. She couldn't help it, anyway.
When Alphys got home, she shut the door and leaned on it, then slid down and curled up, her arms going around her folded legs and her head on her arms. She let herself sob, the sobs shaking her and causing her to choke a bit.
She already missed Basket so much. Bass wasn't an easy charge, but her wonderful qualities always made Alphys blind to them. She'd learned so much with and from Basket, and adored all of the time spent with her. Now, it seemed as fleeting as water through her claws, and it hurt, badly.
So she sobbed.
When Undyne could, she sent a text message out to the only person she knew who could comfort Alphys almost as well as she could. She was thrilled when the answer came back positive, and was grateful, too.
She just hoped it worked.