AN: Well, we're back! And with another new story! This one is a bit shorter, but hopefully you still enjoy it!


"So, this is the place, huh?"

It had been a few weeks since the Barrier had broken, and humans and monsters were getting along relatively well. Quite a bit of news and press, and Asgore mostly away dealing with political figures, but still, things had finally started settling down.

While most of the monsters had drifted off to live in other parts of the world, or even explore, Frisk and the others had stayed in her hometown, finding houses and places to settle down. Frisk's last home had been sold and cleaned, and she, Sans, and Toriel were getting ready to move into their new home near the more outer edges of town. Frisk looked to be excited, at least. She was bouncing at their sides, grinning widely. "Which one's my room? Is it big? Does it have lots of windows? What color is it?"

"Your room can be whichever you pick first, it's probably pretty big from what we saw, each bedroom has at least two windows, and we can paint the room whatever color you want." Sans seemed rather amused, having settled in well when it came to caring for a rambunctious human child. Frisk laughed, leaving them to rush inside and explore the new house, rambling off about how this was neat, or that was so cool.

Sans only followed along at a more sedate pace, catching up with Toriel in the kitchen, who was already mumbling under her breath about what should go where as they moved in. A quiet laugh, Sans nudging her. "So, having fun, I take it?"

Toriel blinked, looking a bit surprised. "Hm? Oh, yes, I suppose I am... I haven't moved in quite a while."

"I figured as much," Sans mused, looking a bit amused before he tugged Toriel's robe a bit. "Bend down a second, I have something to show you that I've been working on." Toriel rolled her eyes, though she did as he asked, tilting her head.

"What is it?" Sans was smiling sweetly as he laid a hand on her cheek, sending a warm burst of magic into it by the contact and smiling a bit wider, the energy showing warmth and love and care and and utter adoration.

"Skeletons can't really kiss, so I thought up something that might be an alternative, here and there." Toriel's eyes widened, her cheeks a bright blue and okay. She certainly had not been expecting that.

"You guys you guys I found my room and it's great and there's like a million windows and why are your cheeks blue?" Frisk was looking at Toriel and huh. That was new. Sans only gave a genuine laugh, going over and scooping Frisk up into a hug, nuzzling at her forehead.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie, just a new thing. So, you were telling us about your new room with a million windows? Because, that's a lot of windows."

"It's like a million bazillion! Come on, it's upstairs." She nudged Sans upstairs, grabbing on Toriel's robe to drag her along. The two easily went along with her, Sans humming happily while Toriel still blushed, and, yes, he had a good feeling about the future. "Lookit lookit lookit!" Frisk squirmed out of his arms and threw open the door, revealing a bright room with a window seat and carpet.

"It looks great, kiddo," Sans grinned, looking around the room, and, yes, very nice. "You wanna keep the walls or paint over them with another color?"

"We should do blue and- and lots of blue. But red, too. Can we do that?" She looked up at him with excitement, barely able to hold back her giggles.

"Yes. Blue and red seem like great colors to use. We can definitely do that- As long as Undyne doesn't help paint. Cause otherwise you're gonna lose a wall or two. And maybe some of the ceiling."

"Okay. Which one's your guys' room?"

"Mm, not sure yet." Sans hefted Frisk up onto his shoulders, heading out into the hallway to look at the other rooms. "Hey, Tori, what do you think? Which room?"

"I'm...not sure, exactly. I think the one downstairs is the biggest, so that may fit well." Sans nodded, turning around and heading back down the stairs with Frisk, heading to the room and looking around and nodding again.

"Yes... Yes, this shall work well." Toriel was already in the doorway, Sans walking around before pausing in the space right under a window. "The bed will go riiiight..." Trailing off, he flopped to the floor with Frisk, laying down. "Here." Frisk giggled, looking amused as she poked at his head, scrambling up to run out of the room, and around the house. Sans only stayed where he was, stretching out largely before curling up into a teeny tiny ball. Toriel rolled her eyes, though let him be. She nudged him with her foot, though.

"Lunch is in an hour." Sans' only reaction was to snap out and cling to Toriel's foot, cuddling closer and looking to already be asleep. Sighing, Toriel only called out, "Frisk, could you come here for a second?" Frisk was running back into the room and coming to a stop next to her, looking up curiously with a tilted head. Toriel bent down and picked Frisk up, laying her down on top of Sans.

It was hardly a second before Sans was mumbling something quietly and shifting to curl around Frisk instead, tucking the child under his chin and curling around her as much as possible, looking for all the world like the protective parent he was. The woman only gave a nod and left the two there, leaving to go get some food. "Wait- Mom!" Frisk whined, struggling to try and escape. "Mooom! Show Mercy!"

"You'll be fine!" Frisk whined again and struggled with all her might to escape from Sans. But nothing happened. The closing front door showed Frisk she was truly on her own, Sans only cuddling around her more and humming happily. Frisk sighed, and relaxed. Honestly.

::

Toriel paused in her knitting, looking at Frisk curiously. "Frisk...do you attend any type of school?" Sans was sitting on the couch beside Toriel, looking hopelessly confused because while he had been holding the yarn for her, he was now horribly tangled up in it.

Frisk paused, looking just the slightest bit embarrassed. "...Oh yeah." Toriel raised an eyebrow at that, a silent look to explain. "We- Well, when I fell down the mountain, we weren't in school! I think..."

Toriel gave a small sigh, shaking her head a bit. "I suppose we will have to call tomorrow and explain the situation. Did you have any homework you needed to complete before going back?" Sans was struggling in his yarn prison, looking a touch upset before he squeaked as he hit the floor, still hopelessly tangled.

"...I dunno."

"Well, never hurts to double-check, and stuff. Although you probably don't have any, considering how young you are, and stuff," Sans added on, struggling to escape his prison of horrible yarn suffocation.

"I dunno, we were starting to learn our letters, and how to read little words, before the break." Toriel only picked Sans back up and set him on the couch, patting his head while smiling at Frisk.

"That sounds lovely. Would you like any help going over what you learned, or reviewing any of it?"

Frisk shifted a bit, going back to her coloring. "I don't remember that much, anyway."

"That's perfectly alright. It makes sense, considering you were just beginning. If you have any troubles when you go back, however, tell us and we will be glad to assist."

"Okay... I think I have school tomorrow."

"Would you like us to walk you there?" Toriel had easily extracted Sans from his yarn prison of death and destruction, the skeleton skittering away to sit by Frisk instead. Less chance of disaster.

"Yes, please!"

"Kay, we'll get you there safe and perfectly on time," Sans smiled, flopping down to see what she was coloring. "So, whatcha coloring?"

Frisk looked down at the scribbles, where a puppy was supposed to be. "I dunno." Sans only chuckled while patting her head, stretching out beside her, going limp as he happily soaked up the warmth of the fireplace that was lit. And maybe fell asleep. Possibly. Tilting her head at him, the girl looked up to Toriel. "He's been really tired, hasn't he?"

"I'm not sure if it's that, or if it's simply a part of who he is," Toriel mused, looking rather amused at the snoozing skeleton who was curled into a little ball next to Frisk. Due to being curled up so much, he actually looked smaller than the five-year-old.

Giving a giggle herself, Frisk poked at him. "He's a cutie patoot." Her retribution came in the form of Sans snatching the hand and cuddling it close, curling up a bit more. Toriel only chuckled, looking rather amused. Sans was indeed a cuddle monster. "Daaad. That's my coloring hand!" The problem was soon fixed by Sans cuddling all of her. "Daaad."

It took a bit of wiggling and struggling but Frisk finally managed to free herself, laughing in triumph. She was then snatched by Sans and dragged onto the couch to be cuddled next to Toriel. Frisk gave a whine, looking up at Toriel pitifully, asking the woman to save her. "Honestly, Sans. You torture her far too much," Toriel tsked, trying to hide a smile as she easily 'rescued' Frisk and set her back down by her coloring books. Sans only stretched out over her lap, completely docile and peaceful. Smiling widely, Frisk settled back down on the floor, going back to coloring her picture.

Toriel smiled softly and returned to her knitting, and...yes. This was quite peaceful, and nice. Much better than how it had been before.

She could easily see her life remaining like this for quite a long time.

::

"Hi."

"Ooh, the little human returns." Flowey sneered at Frisk, turning away as best he could. "Enjoying your family?"

"..." Well if that was how he was going to be. She sat down next to him silently. "They're dead." That caused a pause, Flowey pausing before looking at her, and...what? "They were somewhere that no one comes back from."

"...Oh." There was nothing but silence for a while, Flowey's voice a bit more subdued. "Why are you here."

She gave him a smile. "I promised I'd visit." Flowey only huffed and turned his head again, sulking and pouting. Although he didn't say anything cruel again.

"...Are they all happy, up there?"

"I think so. I dunno. It's...weird." Though Frisk shrugged, she remained smiling, tilting her head a bit. Flowey only tilted his head back, eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean weird? They're either happy or they're not."

At that, Frisk gave a small frown. "No, that's not how it works."

"Oh? Then tell me, human how does it work?"

"You can be sad and happy, flower," she mocked. She was smacked in the arm for her troubles, although considering Flowey came out of it looking slightly dizzy and ruffled, it was probably fine.

"That's stupid."

"Your face is stupid." She lightly shoved at him, sticking her tongue out at him. Flowey only stuck his own tongue out, whapping her in the arm again.

"Your face is stupider."

"Your face is stupidiesterest."

"...Stupidface."

"Jerkbutt."

"Stinkyhead."

"Hey, guess what."

"...What?"

"Your face is a butt."

Another whap, Flowey pouting horribly. "Your face is a stinkier butt."

"Prove it."

"Stinky human."

"You're in the ground. That means you smell way worse."

"Nuh-uh. You're a smelly sweaty human. That means you smell way worser."

"Nuh-uh. I had a bath earlier. Hey! Maybe you just need a bath."

"I will bite you! Or papercut you! Or something! I don't want your nasty smelly water!"

"Hang on! I'll be right back!" Frisk was up and running to the Ruins in a flash, laughing the whole way. Flowey only whined and threw a fit, petals ruffling in sheer annoyance and frustration. Although there seemed to be a hidden smile on his face.

It was a little while until Frisk was coming back with a bowl filled with water, the girl walking quickly but carefully. Flowey leaned away from the bowl as much as possible, looking dubious. "...You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what?" She bent down, pouring the water into the ground where Flowey was planted. Flowey shuddered, making an expression as he tried to lean away.

"Don't you know how to water a flower?! You have to do it gently, all at once and you could damage the roots!" A huff, Flowey settling down as Frisk took his advice and slowed it down. "...Weird human."

"Weird flower," she immediately shot back. Flowey only huffed, looking a bit better with having been watered.

"Yeah, yeah, just make sure to spread the water. Too much in one place is bad."

"Mmkay." Frisk was quietly humming, looking as though she were genuinely enjoying herself. Flowey huffed, and...he supposed this wasn't too bad. Even if the child was kind of annoying. "Hey, guess what."

"What?" Frisk kissed at one of his petals, giggling and looking amused. Flowey blinked before blushing, swatting at her and huffing and pouting about how he was an evil being of darkness who was to be respected! He was terrifying!

"You're a happy sunshine flower." Flowey pouted and swatted at her again, although this time it was gentle, and he lingered long enough that it almost could have been mistaken as a hug.

"Ridiculous human."

"Silly flower."