A/N: I have lost all control. A new chapter for Don't Let Go (NSFW) and for The GameKeeper's Daughter will be posted soon. My hiatus is overish, but this class im taking is REALLY time consuming. So bear with me, guys. This will be a bit more fluff than anything, but it ties into Don't Let Go, and tells other sides of the story with Sans and Gaster. Also, Gaster is speaking in Windings, we can just read it in English.
The Royal Scientist was worried. His two young sons followed him closely to his lab near New Home, but this was the first time he had decided to go back to work since Papyrus was born. Sans was a few years older than his brother, and carried the youngest skeleton easily.
W.D. Gaster looked back, pausing as Papyrus was trying his damnedest to get out of Sans' grip. Their father chuckled, and walked towards them.
"I got it!" Sans insisted, readjusting his little brother. The older boy was very independent. Papyrus stopped squirming, and made gurgling noises at his father.
"I know." Gaster squatted down. His long, thin legs pointed outward, and he watched Sans struggle. "Are you sure you don't need a break?" Never mind the fact that they were late.
"Da! Da!" Papyrus struggled harder. Sans gave up, and passed his younger brother to his father. Gaster stood up, and took Sans' hand.
The little boy ogled the hole in the center. None of them knew how they had gotten there, nor how he had gotten the untreatable cracks in his skull. It didn't matter. He was their father, and that was that.
"Sans, don't sulk." A gentle reminder, not a scolding. Gaster didn't believe in scolding his children. Reminders, warning and punishments were better to him than shaming his children. The boy made a face.
"I'm not sulking, I just don't know why Papyrus hates me." He said. Gaster looked down at Sans. His overly large blue sweatshirt was nearly swallowing him. It had belong to their-
Gaster shook his head. He always tripped over something in his speech, but it didn't matter. It wasn't terribly important.
"Papyrus doesn't hate you. He's too young to understand hate, and if I have my way about it, he never will." The baby bones was gnawing on his favorite toy. Sans huffed. They walked into the lab, and the monsters that worked there stopped.
Gaster was not a commanding person, but his presence, intellect, and charisma required respect. No one questioned why he had two children with him, they simply waved to the boys, and went about their work. He set Sans and Papyrus in his office. It was half full of toys, and books, but Sans knew that Gaster's desk was off limits. Papyrus, well, he would take time to adjust to constantly being at work with his Dad.
Since it was his first day back to work, Gaster expected King Asgore to drop by. He was right, but not so that the King could see the progress of The Core, but to meet Papyrus. Sans loved playing with the King. He would bring sweets he picked up on the way for Sans, and would read to him or play games. His own sons had both died years before.
Gaster successfully completed more experiments, and when the time came, he found Sans fighting to stay awake, with Papyrus fast asleep on his lap. He smiled, and gently pulled Papyrus from his brother's arms. Convincing Sans to get up, he escorted them out the door.
"M-Mister G-Gaster S-sir!" A young girl called after him. He turned around, and the young reptilian was carrying a heavily wrapped package.
"What is it?" He faced the intern. Her glasses were askew on her nose, and she seemed frightened by him. "Alphys, right?"
She blushed. "Y-yes sir… It's just.. S-someone dropped this off a little while ago. Th-the note said not to o-open it wi-with your bare ha-hands…" She held it out to him, and realized as he began to chuckle that Sans was holding tightly to one arm, and Papyrus was fast asleep in the other. "I-I'm sorry!" She began a ramble. Gaster held up his centerless hand, Sans grabbing on his lab coat.
"Follow me, Alphys. I can study it at home." She turned red, and nodded. They headed towards the river person. Sans hated taking the boat, but Alphys couldn't take short cuts like he and Gaster could, so they sat on the edge of the boat. Papyrus was still fast asleep on his dad's shoulder. The River woman hummed a little song.
"The boy in blue will know more than you." She said in her sing song voice. Alphys jumped, and Gaster stared at her. "His power will grow, though it not yet known."
They arrived in Snowdin, and Gaster left the woman a smaller tip this time. He knew she was only rhyming because she enjoyed it, but that was… specific. Sans was pulling Gaster along to their house, and the other citizens waved to the small family.
They opened the door, and Gaster ushered Alphys to the kitchen. She waited as he put Papyrus to bed. Sans was seated on the couch while some mindless, and inaccurate, science program played.
"I apologize for the wait." Gaster said. Alphys looked uncomfortable. He stared at her, and gasped. He laughed at himself. "I am very sorry!" He began using sign language. "My sons can understand my language, so I forget that no one else can."
She sighed with relief. "I'm sorry I didn't speak up! I just…well, I was hoping you'd sp-speak English."
Sans leaned over, watching. The lizard woman set the strange package on the table. While he couldn't speak sign language, Sans could understand wingdings.
"I'm not sure wh-what it is, sir. They said it was some sort of artifact, but if-if we can-can't touch it-"
"Alphys, It doesn't matter. Gloves were invented for a reason." He was smiling, but being patient with her. Sans knew because he did that with him. "You and I will study this together. We will simply have to entrust the core to our coworkers." He told her. She gasped.
"Oh-n-no! Mister Gaster, I-I can't ask you to do that!"
"It was delivered to you, Alphys. You will study it with me, starting tomorrow. Now go home, and get some rest."
She left, protesting the whole way. Gaster said nothing. He ushered her out the door gently. Gaster tried not to sink against the door, knowing that Sans was watching him. Another setback, another distraction from the Core. He turned around, mustering a smile for his son.
"Come on, Sans. It's bed time." Gaster scooped him up.
"Daaaadddd!" He whined, slumping across his shoulder.
"Sans, it's late. You know you can't stay awake this late." The yawn that escaped from his son proved his point. "Besides, tomorrow you will be with Grillby. He agreed to watch you while I go to work." He had texted Grillby, at least. The silence usually meant yes.
"I want to help you!" Sans yawned again, his eyes drooping against his will. He buried his face into Gaster's chest as he carried him to his room. His father smiled softly. "I'm smart…"
"Yes you are." Gaster laid him on his bed. Sans mumbled another protest, but slipped into sleep.
The Royal scientist checked on papyrus, who was snoring away still. After shutting the door, he finally let himself deflate. There was already so much distracting him from his family, and the Core.
Oh, the Core. That was his most prized project. It would be the saving grace of the monsters, and more importantly, his boys. They would get to feel the sun on their bones like he had when he was younger. Getting up, Gaster looked at the clock. It was already past 10 PM. Ignoring his body's cry for food, he carefully unwrapped the orb.
It was red, shiny and circular. The note that Alphys spoke of fluttered onto the table. It was brief, but Gaster picked it up to read it.
Whatever you do, do not touch this.
Huh. He leaned against the table, pondering the note. It wasn't until he felt the awful burning that he realized he was doing exactly what the note said not to. Bones blistered even as he ran cold water over the wounds.
Whatever this thing was, it was extremely powerful.