On a bright and sunny afternoon, on a route usually taken by one single child at this time of the day, two children walked side by side.

"Frisk, I don't know if this is a good idea... maybe I should just go b-ba-" he stuttered to a stop as his lips were mushed back by an unforgiving finger. Frisk looked stern as they firmly reiterated that no, he wasn't going back to his dad's place tonight. Not ever again if they got their way...

"But- but I can't- Frisk I don't know if you've noticed but your mom is scary." Sam insisted, "And it's really not that bad, I'm used to i-"

Frisk shook their head vehemently. No way! Absolutely no way they were going to just leave him to deal with- They took a deep, calming breath and consciously unclenched their fists at Sam's pained expression, an apology offered before they even really thought about it. And their mom wasn't scary! She was just... strict.

Sam snorted and offered them a wry smile, the first one today. Frisk felt smugly satisfied about that. "She is scary! When she gets mad at someone she gets this face-!" His attempt at imitating Toriel's admittedly intimidating expression of utter disapproval were lackluster at best and got a giggle out of Frisk, but, yeah, ok, they could see his point. They guessed only knowing her as a teacher, the other kids at school probably didn't have the cuddliest impression of their mom.

And well... she was really, really busy. Like, unhealthy levels of busy. Even after charming her way through a job interview at the local elementary she'd never actually stopped (reluctantly) helping Asgore out with the legal and societal nightmare that was monster integration. Toriel tried to hide her exhaustion, of course, but Frisk had always been much too perceptive. Adding another child with this kind of tangled up issue onto the mix... it probably wasn't the brightest idea.

Frisk squeezed his hand reassuringly as they walked, but didn't say anything. Letting Sam go back wasn't an option on their book, but if he couldn't stay with them, then whom? Undyne and Alphys?

….No. They loved those two, but... no. That could go wrong real quick-like. Asgore? Well, he had a full schedule trying to get his people situated, integrated and safe so... nope. But who else was caring and friendly enough and wasn't perma-stressed? The only person that came to mind for that description was-

….oh.

Oh, yes. That could work.

Their steps quickened just a tad as a smile stretched across their face, a spark of mischief in their eyes.

Sam almost stumbled in his hurry to keep up, "F-frisk! What-" Frisk flashed him a blinding smile. They knew exactly where to bring him now. Sam's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you sayiiiiwaaaaahhh!" He yelped when Frisk just tugged him along and started borderline running, "Frisk, wait-!"

They tried very hard to keep their balance even as mirth shook their whole body. Of course, Sam caught on and, with the beginnings of a smirk, shoved them with his shoulder. He didn't, however, account for the fact that he was still holding their hand and thus got dragged along in their mad, stuttering scramble to get their feet under them before they could fall.

It made for a very comical sight as the two children entangled their legs in an ultimately futile attempt to stay upright and eventually fell onto the unforgiving concrete of the sidewalk.

"Ow." Sam managed to get out and Frisk groaned right alongside him. They stood up and took stock of this severe situation: a scraped knee, and somewhat scraped elbow on Sam and generally scuffed clothes. Could be worse, they shrugged and helped the boy up. They were almost there, no time for dawdling!

Sam sputtered as they walked, "You started it!"

Frisk stuck their tongue out. Did not!

"Did too!"

They huffed in mock indignation. How dare he, they were always a perfect example of decorum, just not in that many big words, thank you very much.

Sam muttered something that sounded awfully like "liar" and got an elbow in the ribs for his troubles.

Somehow, they reached Frisk's appointed destination without getting into another playful scuffle. It was an old apartment building, and not a pretty one either. But it seemed sturdy if weathered. Frisk waltzed right through the front door which was unlocked for whatever reason, and Sam followed after only a moment of hesitation.

Three flights of stairs and only a few teasing comments about his lacking athleticism later, Frisk skipped along a carpeted hallway until they stopped at a specific door that really wasn't much unlike the other doors around it.

Aside from the colorful Christmas lights, that is.

Sam stared at the door in awe and wonder. "But it's July..." he muttered, and Frisk tittered. Oh that didn't matter! It's not like these were actually Christmas lights. They were just... lights!

He gave them a doubtful look, "They are Christmas lights."

Frisk shook their head. Nuh-uh, they weren't!

Sam looked ready to retort but Frisk gave the... interestingly decorated door two sharp knocks and he suddenly remembered why they were here in the first place. He started fiddling with his sleeves and stared up at the peephole as they waited for an answer.

Finally he heard some shuffling on the other side which stopped right at the door. Oh no he was getting nervous. He side-eyed Frisk to reassure himself. Alright, okay, they'd open the door any moment now and then he'd know who-

"who's there?" a low voice came to the door and he stopped in his tracks. Wait what?

Frisk snarked out a response with a shit-eating grin (not that either of them would use such wording, of course not, they were good kids) and after a moment the voice replied with a clear air of amusement, "lettuce who?"

Let us in! Frisk giggled and a deeply appreciative chuckle came from the other side before the door opened, revealing... a skeleton. A short, sloppy one at that. Sam blinked, wow monsters really did come in all shapes and sizes.

The skeleton raised an eye... ridge? "'us', huh? that your friend?" he asked, gesturing towards Sam, who smiled shyly as Frisk nodded with great enthusiasm. He huffed, "now, why would you bring her here?"

Sam's smile froze at the same time as Frisk's did. Ah, with them there to distract him, he'd forgotten about the- about the-

About the dress.

The skeleton's permanent smile lessened a bit at the tense atmosphere and Frisk sent both of them an apologetic look before addressing Sans because yes there was a reason they were here and their friend was called Sam and he kinda maybe possibly needed a place to stay for a little while? Pretty please?

Sans' eye sockets widened a fraction (how?) and he gave Sam a rueful look. "sorry kid. won't happen again. and about staying, uh..." he seemed to think something over, "hmm, maybe come in first?"

Frisk let themself in without trouble, almost shoving him out of the way on their way in, much to Sans' exasperated amusement. Really, Frisk felt way too at home in all their friends' places. He turned his gaze to the other kid offering a lazy grin. "heya, 'm sans the skeleton. wanna come in?"

Sam snapped out of it, shy smile making a slightly strained comeback, "Sure thanks, uh, sir?"

That startled a snort out of Sans, which quickly devolved into full blown laughter. Sam stared in bafflement and turned to Frisk for some sort of explanation, but to his dismay they were laughing too. Traitor!

"aw, kid." Sans finally managed to huff out between leftover chuckles, wiping a... was that... yep, that was an actual blue tear. What. "you don't have to call me anything. sans is just fine."

"How about bonehead..." Sam muttered in equal parts spite and embarrassment the way only a preteen could. When he looked up, however, Sans' eyes were almost glittering with contained mirth and he realized what he'd just said with an almost disbelieving huff of laughter. "Oh fine, whatever." he said, cheeks red, and finally managed to enter the apartment proper.

The skeleton gave another chuckle behind him as he closed the door and followed the children to the nearby seating arrangement, sitting on the sole armchair while they took the sofa.

"so what's this about needing to stay somewhere?" he prompted, and while his posture and grin were relaxed as always, something about him seemed tense.

Sam looked down, fiddling with his sleeves, so Frisk tried to explain that, well, his mom's place wasn't really the... best place for him right now and they really just wanted to get him away, at least for a night.

Sans took a good long look at the both of them, lingering somewhat on the skirt of the dress with a mild frown, before somehow sagging even more and sighing, a hand coming up to scratch nervously at his cheek... cheekbone?

"well... i'm not sure kids. wouldn't your mom, uh, notice?" the question was asked in Sam's direction and he answered without thinking.

"She wouldn't really care much..." He winced. Uh, oops.

Sans' brow furrowed (how?!) and he closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them again his expression was relaxed as usual. "welp," he popped the p, "guess that's settled then. i'm sure paps will love having a guest over."

Frisk cheered and promptly leaped out of their seat and straight into Sans. "oof! careful kid, handle with care. i'm fragile wares." His tone was stern but his fond grin completely ruined the impression and Sam found himself smiling despite himself.

"Um, thanks. For- for letting me stay... and all..." he stumbled over his attempt at gratitude, much to Sans' amusement.

"that's alright kid. not like it's a problem for us or anything. but, uh..." he raised an eyeridge in consternation, removing a pouting Frisk from his personal space. "you kids got any plans for after tonight?"

The children looked at each other, perplexed.

"Ummmm." Sam responded rather eloquently.

Sans seemed wholly amused and entirely unimpressed.

AN:

hi and welcome to my new de-stressing project cause my last one developped plot that i actually gotta think about now. expect sporadic updates and varying chapter lengths

WARNING: this story will deal with a heck of a lot of sensitive topics ranging from discrimination to abuse to homelessness and so on. my kids go through some shit alright? ye've been warned