WARNING! This fic contains mentions of depression, suicide references, swearing, goats and lizards, angry fish ladies, fluffy white dogs, and more potentially offensive content. Read at your own risk!
I'm sorry, Alphys. Please respond...
I couldn't object to Toriel!
Are we still on for Sunday?
Alphys, if u wanna talk about it just tell me.
Did I do something wrong?
ALPHYS! PLEASE JUST LEAVE ME ON 'READ' OR SOMETHING!
Alphys couldn't believe how many texts Asgore had sent her during the night. It'd only been 14 hours since she'd been dismissed from her position as Royal Scientist, and Asgore apparently didn't believe in sleeping. He'd been spamming apologies and memes since... 9 AM?
She had overslept again. Her phone's time read 1:47. She quickly typed out a response, not caring if she made a typo.
OMG, I'm so sorry! I overskept... Of coirse we're still on! Don't worry about it. You didn't screw uo at all, I did.
She kept her phone in her hand as she stumbled over to her closet, slipping on an inside-out MTT t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. The phone eventually vibrated, causing her to almost drop it on her bathroom's hard floor or worse.
(T-T) You terrified the sh*t out of me there...
Relief and guilt flooded through her. After the way she'd broken down on him last night, Asgore had obviously suspected the worst. Before she could reply, her phone vibrated once more. An image showed up, blurred as if the phone was moving as it was taken. She could see Undyne and Asgore in it, but she couldn't make out the rest.
SET AN ALARM GIRL YOU HAD THIS FURBALL CRYING ON THE COUCH FOR TWO FRICKIJUTRHGWEFDQ
Undyne stole my phone (T-T)
She set the phone by the sink, hoping it didn't go off again. Maybe, by a miracle, it would never vibrate or ring again. Alphys contemplated what she would eat for breakfast as she shoved her toothbrush into her mouth. She wasn't even hungry at this point.
You still there? I got her to leave...
Yeah, I'm still here. Did I actually worry you that much? I can't believe I actually slept this late...
You do realize I've been dealing with an 'it's complicated' relationship status and the death of my son for like, centuries, right? The guys at the meetings I used to miss would still be on my case...
Alphys' dog barked outside the bathroom door, wanting to be let in and given affection. Or food. It was hard to tell. It had randomly appeared outside of her fourth-floor apartment one day, and she had opened the door, unknowingly letting it bolt inside. It walked itself, spinning around on her bed or roaming around the tiny apartment until it wore itself out. It refused to leave ever since it came in.
She opened the door and let the dog run in, jumping up and trying to lick her clean face. The phone vibrated again. Alphys picked up the fluffy white thing, keeping its mouth away from her face or phone and walked into her living room, setting it on the couch.
If you want, we can go to that new restaurant near the park? It sells waffles all day!~
It sounded wonderful. Well, the waffles part. She honestly just wanted to stay home and cuddle the puffball dog.
Sure. When will we meet?
Check your window.
She opened the curtains to the small window on her door. She was greeted by Asgore's smiling face.
"A-Asgore! It's only... wait... oh yeah... hehe..."
She unlocked the door, the dog ambushing Asgore as he walked inside the apartment.
"Hey there buddy!" Asgore got down to his knees, inevitably letting the dog position itself in his lap. "Oopsie... When your pup gets tired of me, we can leave... and your shirt's inside out."
Alphys blushed. She hadn't even bothered to check if it was inside-out. At least she knew he wouldn't care anyway.
"Oh my God! L-let me go fix it..." She rushed into her room, quickly removing the shirt and properly fixing it so that it was inside-in(or outside-out). When she opened the door, the dog was asleep on Asgore's lap.
"Maybe we won't get there after all, heh..." He stroked the annoying little canine's back as it wiggled around, trying to get comfy. "Ahahah..."
'Thank God...' She was happy she wouldn't have to go out, at least now for a while now. It'd just be her and Asgore alone (of course, accompanied by the snoring dogger).
"Aaaaaaanyway, is there something troubing you? You haven't overslept like you have been since... before we were even friends, I suppose!" He let out a sad chuckle. "I'm still sorry about yesterday. I couldn't quite disagree with Toriel... you'll make a great game designer though, I'm sure of it!"
She fought back the warmth forming on her cheeks. Only Asgore knew of her dream to become a video game designer. She'd been modding games since she was thirteen. He knew everything about her.
It was hard not to notice his ruffled fur, the remnants of pain in his eyes and voice. He really had been crying. She'd really made him think that she had... She banished the thought from her mind. It didn't matter now. He was here. He was fine. Everything was fine. Everything except Alphys, of course.
"D-don't worry about it... I figured it would go worse, r-really. It's j-just... really hard, suddenly... letting everyone know what a horrible person I am." She sighed in embarrassment as a hot tear escaped her eye. Asgore reached over, wiping it away.
"You're not a horrible person, Alphys. You just make mistakes like every other person in this world. If you truly were a horrible person, you would have never admitted to those mistakes and you probably wouldn't even feel bad about it. You're so sweet and you fought through the pain for, what, eight or so years? You're fighting now and you fought to reveal the truth. I really respect that. It's something I'd never be able to do... Even I sometimes break. Ask Toriel, hehe..."
Alphys moved closer to him, prompting his sweet smile to grow. They sat in silence for a minute, only interrupted by the dog's soft snoring.
"Marshmallow Creature..." Alphys mumbled. The white dog's eyes slowly opened and blinked a few times, and then its ears perked up, followed by the rest of its body. Then it simply jumped into her lap instead. "I don't know why, b-but it always responds to me when I address it as 'Marshmallow Creature'..." She picked it up and sat on the couch, Asgore doing the same.
"I wish I had known that..." He continued to pet the dog, now snoozing in Alphys' lap instead of his own. "I think it could definitely pass of as a four-legged, barking marshmallow!"
The dog let out an annoyed little 'rrrr...' before squishing itself in between Asgore and Alphys, causing them both to laugh. A satisfied smile crossed its face, and it continued to snore, but now obnoxiously snorting instead of before.
"Adorable, really!" Asgore mumbled quietly. "Maybe if I'm lucky one just like this one will appear at my doorstep one day."
Alphys found it so amazing that Asgore could take a tense situation and make it a bit happier. She'd never truly lost all of her feelings for him, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that she had. Asgore sighed, a hint of laughter still lingering in his voice.
"I'm just, ahahah... REALLY glad you simply happened to oversleep, and nothing more..."
"Yeah, guess I-I am too..."
"Next time you sleep past ten, gimme a warning, would ya?~" He started to get up out of his seat. The dog growled, leaning againt Alphys some more.
"Oh! Are you... l-leaving?" She sat up, trying not to disturb her pet's slumber.
"Yeah, if that is alright. I feel like you would like to be alone, correct?" He pet the dog one last time before making his way to the door.
"Oh... yeah, kinda. I would get up, but..." She put her hand on the dog's head, prompting a happy little 'brf.'
"Do not disturb the creature's nap, just relax or whatever. Oh, and don't oversleep on Sunday, okay?" Before Alphys could respond, Asgore waved goodbye and ducked through the door, shutting it quietly.
"Stupid softie..."