Strange how a body so small could hold so much hate. Sans eyes the thing across from him with lidded sockets, focusing on their right hand, the one holding the knife. It is trembling. He lets the silence draw out and stretch like a taut rubber band, and is half-startled when the knife clatters noisily to the ground.

The spell breaks. The thing before him transforms into a child. All their easy confidence fades from their limbs, and they slouch slightly, mirroring his posture. They look lost, and heartbreakingly young. (The thought disheartens him.)

''you're sparing me?' 'Sans closes his eyes and reopens then, in time to catch their barely-there nod. 'finally.' He sighs. 'buddy… pal. i know how hard it must be... to make that choice. to go back on everything you've worked up to.' Sans softens his grin, so it looks less like a grimace. ' i want you to know... i won't let it go to waste.' He holds his arms out. 'c'mere, pal.'

They hesitate. Then they lift their head, brushing dusty bangs out of their eyes, and steps forwards.

He makes it quick. That's more than they deserve. 'get dunked on!' he hollers, pointing finger guns at their body. The moment of triumph fades. Sans looks away, leaning his skull into his hand. His slippers are wet.

He waits. The passage of time is marked by a steady drip-drip, where the body is, making a mess on the floor. Sans slumps against a pillar, watching dust motes dance in the light streaming from the windows. 'c'mon kid,' he murmurs. 'any minute now?'

Ten minutes pass. It feels like an eternity. Sans kicks off his slippers, now dry and uncomfortably corpse keeps its silence.

Twenty minutes is a long time to think about the long list of failures you've accumulated in life. Sans paces, bare feet clacking out an agitated beat on the floor tiles. When it becomes clear that they won't return, he pauses in front of the body. His eyes are hollow. 'huh,' he says absently, 'guess you really meant it this time.' Then he stretches out a skeletal hand and traps the soul hovering above their body in blue. Sans starts walking towards the throne room, soul trailing behind him. Something giggles behind him, high and child-like.

He stiffens. Sans whirls around, and sends a barrage of bones in their direction. He stumbles, suddenly dizzy. The scent of flowers is overpowering. Golden flowers? an idle part of him wonders. On second thought: no, buttercups.

'Don't you know how to greet an old friend?' says a voice, part-dry, part-amused. He scans the room. There are no stats, no tell-tale thrum of magic or souls. The shadows condense themselves into the outline of a child.

'you.'

'Me,' they say affably. They tilt their head. 'Surprised?'

'not really. you're, uh, quite the chara-cter.' He winks, long and slow. 'let's cut to the chase.' Sans gestures at the body, curled and small. ''kiddo's gone. you're still here. what are you, a leech?'

They bare their teeth in a snarl. 'Not voluntarily.' Their form is more solid now- wine red eyes peering up through dark hair. Their hands are swallowed up by the sleeves of their oversized sweater. 'And believe me, Sans, I've tried.'

'k.'

'You have to believe me!' they say, voice hysteric. They dig their hands in their hair, gripping their head. 'I can't do anything right. I can't die properly. Sans, don't you understand?' They laugh. 'I keep on coming back, and back, and they won't let me!'

'not my problem.' Sans shoves his hands in his pockets and starts walking. They linger at the edges of his vision. He clenches his teeth.

'I told them to stop. I begged like a dog, do you understand? They killed mom. They killed your brother. And they did it again, and again. I only finished the job.' Chara's features drip like molten wax. 'I just wanted to show them that their actions had consequences!' Sans continues walking. 'Stop ignoring me!' they cry, and materialize in front of him, blocking the way with their arms. Sans walks through them, and they grimace, reforming in front of him. 'Stop blaming me and listen!'

He stops and looks at them with dark sockets, waiting.

They tremble, and lower their head. Hair shrouds their eyes. 'There is nothing left for us here,' they say. They think they see a flash of emotion shutter over his face. 'I know what you desire, and I know how to make it a reality. You know mine. Let us put aside our differences, and work together as partners.' They outstretch a hand. Sans stares. 'That's your cue to take my hand,' they say desperately.

'fine,' he says. He doesn't shake it. 'but if i find that you're lying to me…'

Chara rolls their eyes and retracts their hand. 'I'd be in for a bad time.' they finish. 'Besides... I'm stuck with you.'

The skeleton laughs like it's the funniest joke in the world, and doesn't stop. They laugh too.

When the guilt-ridden king opens the door to the judgement hall, he finds nothing but blood and dust and bone.

...)xxxxx[;;;;;;;;; ...

Here's a joke:

A murderer and a skeleton walk into a deserted bar.

'Knife to meet you,' says one to another. There is a glass in front of them, filled with melted snow. It is half-empty.

'I'd greet you the same way,' says the other, 'but we're both dead inside.'