Summary

A short story set after "Ripples". Chara and Frisk continue to recover from their ordeal and learn what it means to share a body. Slowly but surely, Frisk learns about Chara's past.

Notes

Heya guys. It's me, Mr Welsh again. I'm going to do short, three chapter stories set in the same timeline as my previous work "Ripples". Like most of my stuff, this work is actually already pre-written, but I do take suggestions for fiction if you want to message me. Undertale is pretty much a sandbox in terms of writing (as there are explicitly multiple timelines) so anything that you want me to write (the isn't complete smut) will be considered seriously. Anyway, onto chapter 1!

Recovery

Frisk gripped the two beams of the frame, shaking as they tried to hold themselves up. They managed to get a bit further this time before their inevitable collapse. Nearly a whole meter.

"Very good Frisk." Dr Soren said catching the teenager before they hit the ground. "You've made several great strides since we began treatment."

"I'd go more with shuffles." Frisk joked. "Are we going to try again?"

Soren shook his head. "No, we'll end physical therapy for today." He picked Frisk up from the floor and helped them into their chair. "You've been eating well I hope?" He huffed.

"Yeah, mom has been cooking up a storm." Frisk smiled. "Anything I want."

"Your condition is interesting…." Dr Soren said. "You have lost most of your muscle mass, you need to keep eating. Put some weight back on and all that." He grabbed a dossier of notes from the table. "If you don't mind me asking, how did this all happen? Your file isn't very clear on….the specifics of your condition."

Frisk shifted in their chair. "Um…don't laugh okay, but, magic was involved."

Soren huffed. "Well, I suppose these days anything is possible. Forgive me if I remain a skeptic of all of this "magic" business, habit I'm afraid." He shook the manila folder. "Right, I'm going to give this to my secretary, you sit tight okay?"

He turned and left the room.

"I don't like him, he's a jerk." Said Chara. "You saw how he was around Dr Gaster and Papyrus. He doesn't like monsters."

"He's trying to help us." Frisk sighed. "He's allowed to be scared Chara, everyone is. A bunch of old fairy tale legends, monsters and magic turned out be true all along. That's scary, people on both sides are scared. They were scared the first time this happened and they are scared now." Frisk sighed. "And we, both of us, can help fix that. So try not the ruin the reputation of monsterkind's ambassador to be by making us do something we'll regret."

Chara grunted in Frisk's head. "Fine, we'll be civil around him. Doesn't mean I have to like him." Chara had been more vocal recently which made Frisk more than a little worried. Frisk was pretty sure they could trust Chara, they had helped Frisk in their time of need. Without them Asriel would have remained slave of the other Chara, along with all of their friends. Frisk still didn't like to think about that day, the cold pain was still somewhat a fresh memory.

"Just…stay quite. I can't talk to you when other people are around without freaking anyone out okay?" Frisk said quietly. "You've been very vocal since we've been coming here for treatment….you aren't normally this talkative."

"I'm…scared."

"Oh." Frisk said with legitimate surprise. "Scared of what?"

"I don't like doctors." Chara said flatly.

"You don't mind Dr Gaster." Frisk responded.

"I mean medical doctors Frisk. Not scientists like Gaster."

Frisk waited for more but nothing came. "And that is because..?" They prompted.

"I don't want to talk about it." Chara said softly.

"Does… does this have something to do with why you ran away?" Frisk asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay." Frisk nodded. "We'll talk about that when you want to."

"Which is never."

Before their dialogue could continue Dr Soren came back into the room. "Did I hear you talking Frisk?"

"Nope." Frisk said quickly. "Must have been someone else."

"Could have sworn…" He trailed off. "Well, your uh….guardians are here for you anyway. I'll take you out." He began to wheel Frisk out into the hall, the sound of crying became apparent. When they reached the waiting room of the surgery Frisk spotted two familiar skeletons. Dr Gaster was cowering in the corner of the room whilst Papyrus was attempting to placate a screaming child and her terrified mother.

"SMALL HUMAN, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR!" Papyrus said proudly. "My father and I are here to pick up a friend. A human like you. We aren't going to eat you, why would we, I prefer the taste of spaghetti myself. Do you like spaghetti small human?"

It was immediately clear to Frisk that Papyrus and his rambling was only making the situation worse.

"Uncle Papyrus." Frisk called out trying to get his attention. "I'm ready to go."

"AH, young nephew Frisk!" Papyrus cried turning to Soren and his patient. "It is good to see you, me and dad have been waiting diligently for you ever since you first entered hours ago. Is that not right father?"

Dr Gaster was seemingly fixated on the screaming toddler. He didn't break eye contact with her or her mother plastering himself into the furthest corner of the room.

"You freaks are in charge of that child?" The woman said after looking at Frisk and back to the skeletons. "Surely that should be illegal!"

Papyrus was either utterly oblivious or intentionally ignorant to the woman's racism (Frisk was never quite sure which). "No I assure you madam it is quite legal. I am their honorary uncle you see and official adjunct in their position of ambassador in training."

"Their?" The woman snorted. "Obviously you monsters haven't learnt English down in those caves. You use him or her depending upon…" She looked at Frisk and squinted. "The sex of the child."

Papyrus shook his head. "No…no. I am quite correct. I am using their as a singular pronoun to refer to Frisk. You see, my nephew…"

"So you'd use him then." The woman said smugly. "If he is a boy."

"Actually…" Frisk began from their wheelchair.

Papyrus didn't give Frisk time to explain. "Look here. My nephew doesn't have a gender, this was a conscious decision they made. I use gender neutral language whenever possible. When it is not, in the case of nephew and niece, Frisk is quite alright with either title."

The woman look incredulously at Frisk. "No gender? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"Well…" Frisk smiled trying their best to be personable. "..I don't think it really matters what gender I am, I don't feel that being a boy or a girl is really that important. But that's my choice, I don't mind if you're a boy or a girl or whatever."

"Quite right Frisk!" Papyrus said a little aggressively. "I think we shall take our leave now." He grabbed Frisk's wheelchair away from Dr Soren. "Thank you Dr Soren. Come on dad."

Soren looked at the powder-keg before him and decided wisely to leave before it detonated. He gave a little bow and retreated back up the hallway.

Gaster was silently signing something over and over again in the corner. Papyrus sighed and wheeled Frisk over before taking his father's hand. "Hey…hey dad. It's me, your son. Papyrus."

Gaster was unresponsive, moaning softly.

"Is he okay?" Frisk asked concerned.

"He's fine Frisk…he just…"

"Your "father" scared the living daylights out of my Sarah." Said the woman trying to calm her crying child. "Coming in here, doing those weird things with his hands, talking in that funny voice."

"I apologize for my father's eccentric behavior. He means well, he's just a bit unstable. Is all..." Papyrus said still trying to get a response from his father.

"Well maybe you should keep your father at home instead of taking him out to scare innocents like my daughter. You monsters are all the same, you're all weird and you're dangerous. If it were up to me you'd be put back under that mountain for good."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Papyrus said trying to lead his catatonic father to the door. "This is the first time he's had an episode like this, I apologize….."

"Maybe you should keep your retarded father at home before he hurts himself or someone else." The lady yelled. "Or better yet back under that mountain with the rest…."

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP YOU INSENSITIVE BITCH?" Screamed Chara through Frisk's mouth.

Everyone turned to the human in the wheelchair, their eyes glowing red with malice.

The mother squirmed in her seat, her daughter ceased her crying. Chara made sure to show their supernatural red eyes to the woman staring deep into her soul.

"You stupid UGLY cow." They continued. "Don't you know who you are talking to? This is Dr W.D Gaster, one of the greatest minds of the CENTURY! Don't you dare…DARE insult him or any of my friends like that!"

The red glow faded from Frisk's eyes. Frisk put their hands to their mouth.

"Sorry." Chara said in Frisk's mind. "Couldn't help it."

"What happened back there nephew?" Papyrus said as he drove. "I've never seen you act like that before."

Frisk was more concerned with Dr Gaster. Their grandpa hadn't said a word since they'd left the hospital. "What happened to your dad Papyrus? He…he isn't himself." Frisk reached out a feeble arm and petted the melting body of the skeleton. He emitted a low moaning purr.

"I don't know, that child began crying, that woman began yelling. He couldn't take it, he started to freak out. And then you came out and…." Papyrus shook his head. "That was very rude Frisk. Very unlike you. I know she wasn't being nice but we have to be the better party here. You'll be brushing up against all sorts if you want to be an ambassador, some of whom you probably won't like. It's important to have a thick skin, you can't be having outbursts like that at every occasion."

"No." Frisk said directing their voice inward. "No I can't now can I?"

"Sorry." Chara grumbled.

"We really need to talk." Frisk whispered. "Tonight, when everyone's asleep."

"What now Frisk?" Papyrus said turning down the radio. "I couldn't quite catch that."

"Nothing uncle P." Frisk said holding Gaster's hand again. "Nothing."

W.D suddenly shuddered and looked down at his grandchild. "Hey….Frisk." He said sadly, still not quite aware of what was going on. "When…when did we get in this car?"

Frisk feebly hugged their grandpa. "You okay big guy?"

"I'm….okay." Dr Gaster said uncertainly. He smiled and ruffled Frisk's hair. "I'm feeling far better now."

Frisk was tired after their ordeal in the surgery. Gaster was soft enough. Frisk squeezed a little tighter. "Love you."

Gaster chuckled nervously. "Oh…um….yes….quite right." It was already too late once he noticed that Frisk had fallen asleep splayed out over his legs. Gaster squirmed as thin line of moisture dribbled over his legs. "Oh…oh no…they're drooling…Papyrus help."

Confessions

Chapter Notes

Not the longest chapter, so maybe I'll put part three once I've finished it. In any case I hope you all enjoy as always.

It was late at night. Late enough for nobody else to be up. The room was silent but for Asriel's snoring in the bunk above them. Due to Frisk's erratic sleep cycle they were quite often awake around midnight. It gave them good opportunity to have late night chats with Chara.

"You awake?" Frisk whispered, staring at the bunk above.

"I'm awake whenever you are Frisk." Chara said.

"I want to talk."

"You always do you goodie two shoes you." Chara chided. Frisk was glad they sounded different to the other Chara. They were still very quiet and reserved, but their voice was a touch warmer.

"I wanted to talk about you. About today."

Chara was silent for a time before they eventually spoke. "I said I was sorry."

"You took control without asking me. Don't do that again." Frisk said sternly. Their voice softened. "Please."

"My sincerest apologies. I was very upset, upset by that doctor, upset by that woman. It won't happen again."

"I want to help." Frisk whispered. "I want to help you. You said you were scared. That you didn't like hospitals. What do you mean by that?"

"Frisk… I."

"I'm not going to leave you. How could I? We're literally inseparable." Frisk said softly. "I won't think any less of you. Just be honest and I'll listen. Please."

"Okay…" Chara whispered. "I just want to warn you okay. This isn't nice stuff."

"I didn't expect it to be."

"I mean it Frisk." Chara said coldly. "I don't want to make you upset okay. I…I like you. I don't want to dump my problems onto you."

"If you like me then you'll talk to me about it." Frisk replied. "Help me, help you."

There was a terrible silence.

"I'm not going to tell you everything at once. I don't want to." Chara said eventually. "But I think I ought to give you an explanation for today."

"Okay…" Frisk breathed. "There's no rush."

"I don't like hospitals okay. When I was a kid, my parents, my real parents….weren't very nice. Sometimes they'd really hurt me and they'd have to take me to this doctor in the city so I wouldn't die. But this doctor Frisk, he didn't tell anyone, he kept what was happening to me secret."

Frisk was silent for a good time. "And so you don't like doctors?"

"No. I don't trust them. He could have stopped what was happening to me but he took part in it."

Frisk was dead silent.

"Don't say you're sorry Frisk. It had nothing to do with you." Chara said finally.

"No, I am sorry. You should have told me before we went to see Dr Soren. We would have figured something else out."

"No Frisk. You…we need to get better. If you want to be ambassador you need to be walking again, and I need to face my fears so that I don't do something like I did today."

"You sure?" Frisk whispered. "I don't want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable okay. You say the word and we'll stop."

"I'm sure Frisk."

Frisk watched the top bunk as it rose and sagged for some time. "Are you a boy or a girl Chara? Nobody ever said, I'm sorry if that's rude but if we're going to get to know one another I'm going to do this right. I want to know more about you, if we're going to be partners in all this."

"No I'm like you. I don't want a gender." Chara said flatly.

"Oh." Frisk murmured. "Sorry I didn't…."

"It's okay Frisk." Chara said. "I know you weren't trying to be disrespectful. It's confusing for most people as I'm sure you'll know. And some people, like that lady today…. I don't know they annoy me Frisk. You understand right?"

Frisk nodded. "Sure."

Frisk couldn't fall back to sleep.

"Chara?"

"Hmm?"

"You can be in charge some times. If you want. Just ask me first okay?" Frisk said.

"You mean that?"

"We could even work something more permanent out. Maybe like a schedule or something?"

"You don't need to do anything for me Frisk." Chara said softly. "You've already helped me so much."

"I want to. It wouldn't be fair to keep you couped up like that." Frisk smiled. "You just ask okay."

"Th…thanks."

"Don't mention it." Frisk whispered.

"Frisk. Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I know you can change. You have changed. You were hurt badly. I can help you. I like to help people, it's what I do." Frisk felt a warm glow as they said that.

Chara began to cry. It was an odd sensation. Frisk could feel the emotion spiking in their head.

"Shush Chara. It's okay." Frisk said quickly. "I..I didn't mean to upset you."

"Sorry it's just…you and Azzy and your friends… your all so nice. And I know that all that emotion I feel for them is just because I'm leeching off of you….and…and if I didn't have your soul I'd be…..bad again."

"I'm happy to let you use my soul." Frisk cooed. "Hey…please don't cry."

Chara was getting inconsolable. "I…I just…don't know what to think any more. I should be happy…but I feel so sad about so much. I'm really messed up Frisk. You….you'll stick by me right Frisk? Right?"

"I promise Chara. I'll do whatever it takes to help you. I'm always here for you okay, always."

"You…you aren't afraid of me."

"No." Frisk smiled. "You helped me. You saved my life from….from that other you."

"But that's what I'm talking about Frisk. You know how I'd turn out without you, you know I'm bad news."

"Which is why I'm here for you Chara. I don't want you to end up like that and I know you don't either."

"I…I don't think I'll ever understand you." Chara cried. "But…I like you. I really, really do. You're so…nice. Not like me at all."

"I think you're neat too Chara." Frisk yawned finally getting sleepy. "You and I are going to be okay, I promise."

"You're going to be an awesome ambassador." Chara said shakily.

"And you…" Frisk said snuggling back into the sheets. "You're going to be a good assistant."

Effort

Chapter Notes

Before you ask, no, you won't find out what happened to Chara. I'm leaving it vague. Whatever it was it was bad, take my word for it. The reasons for this are twofold. 1. I don't want to write something terrible enough to warp a person as badly as Chara. I'm not into gratuitously vulgar stuff and worst of all I fear whatever it was I could write wouldn't feel mature.
2. Having the answers can actually somewhat lessen the impact. In my experience "take our word for it" is often more scary than actually being shown something. The ambiguity leads people to draw their own conclusions and nobody is disappointed by the answer (or in this case the lack of one). There will be more hints in future works. I have ideas as to what happened, but I'm not going to explicitly say what they are. You make up your own minds. To balance out the darkness I had to make the rest of the chapter sickeningly sweet so prepare for that mood whiplash Undertale is known for.

"Ready to try again Frisk?" Soren asked.

"Just a minute." Frisk huffed sitting on a stool in between the frame. "Let me get my strength back."

"No need to rush." Soren chuckled. "We can take as much time as you want."

"Can I try?" Whispered Chara.

Frisk panted. "Yes. If you want."

"I do." Chara replied.

"Did you say something Frisk?" Soren asked a bit confused.

"No doctor." Chara said aloud. "I'm ready to try again."

"Your voice… it's…"

Chara pushed up against the bars of the support frame and took some tentative steps. It was difficult but they were determined to succeed where Frisk had failed.

Foot in front of foot Chara took on a shambling gait. They managed to get slightly further along the rail than Frisk had.

Chara collapsed back onto the stool, the dim red light fading from their eyes.

"I failed Frisk." Chara grumbled. "I couldn't do it."

"You haven't had practice walking in ages Chara and you nearly did as well as me. That's pretty good." Frisk whispered.

"Are you talking to yourself again?" Soren asked. He sighed and sat down on a chair next to Frisk's stool. "Don't berate yourself, you've improved so much since we started. In fact your one of my better patients."

"Oh?" Frisk said surprised.

"You've responded remarkably to treatment. Another month and I reckon you'll be walking. With a cane of course."

Frisk smiled. "I couldn't do it alone."

"And you don't have to." Soren said. "Maybe I'm a bit set in my ways, but I can tell you really like those….monsters. As a doctor, I can never condemn having a solid support network. No, nobody should have to do stuff like this alone okay." He got up. "I need to pop into my office for a minute, you stay tight okay. Don't try anything without me, got it."

Frisk nodded and he left the room.

"Did you hear that Chara. It's okay to get help." Frisk said shifting on the stool.

"I heard." A pause. "I do need help. I realise that now. I didn't let people help me before. I was scared, sacred that they'd hurt me. In the end I hurt myself way more than anyone else ever could."

"Then let me help you." Frisk pleaded. "Please."

"Fine. Frisk I'll talk but you can't rush me. You promise you'll let me tell you at my own pace."

Frisk put a weedy arm to their chest. "I promise Chara, I swear to you, we won't do anything that you don't want to do. Say the word and I will stop."

"Okay. I…I promise I'll talk to you about….stuff."

Chara sounded uncomfortable. Frisk regretted pressing the issue. "We don't have to talk if you don't want to okay?"

"No…no I want to talk about it. It's eating me up inside. I need to get all of this off my chest."

Soren returned to the room. "Sorry about that. Ready to try again?"

Sans was waiting for Frisk this time, the squat skeleton reading a pulpy sci-fi novel on one of the many chairs in the waiting room. Papyrus was seated next to his brother, reading a celebrity gossip magazine that had a familiar rectangle plastered along the cover. Frisk noted that the other humans present gave the brothers wide berth, sticking to the far walls of the room. Sans seemed relatively unbothered, engrossed in his book, Papyrus was trying and failing to make a good impression

"Hey guys." Frisk said getting their attention.

Sans looked up from his book. "Oh hey kiddo. Nice to see you." He sprung up off the seat. "I'm here to pick you up if you haven't already guessed."

"Yeah I figured." Frisk said smiling. "Wouldn't think you'd be coming in for muscular therapy."

Sans laughed. "You look a bit better since I last saw you. More meat on those bones huh?" He walked over and took the wheelchair from Soren.

"Yes!" His brother agreed. "Must be all that spaghetti I've been bringing over."

Sans shook his head. "So kid, you want nicecream?" He began to push Frisk out of the room.

"When are you going to ask mom out?" Frisk said giggling as they left the foyer. They pressed the poor skeleton on the issue every time they saw him.

"Kiddo, when are you going to stop asking me that?" Sans sighed. "I mean, you said she makes the first move."

"Should have happened already." Frisk smiled. "I think you may have spurned here a bit and with Asriel and me, her hands might be too full for her to ask you out."

"Then I'm not going to bother her, she needs to be a good mom to you and the prince. Besides, it would be weird now with the little guy around." Sans grunted. "I'll….give it a year."

"What are you two blabbing about?" Papyrus questioned. "Is this about the queen, I've told you Sans as royal guard it is my duty to inform you she's off limits!"

"She can be the judge of that uncle P." Frisk laughed. "Maybe when I'm feeling better I can take Asriel off of her hands for a bit. Besides we only have him for the weekends….so plenty of time for you guys to do date stuff."

Sans scratched the back of his skull. "Geez kid, is this really a good idea? I mean….things are different now."

Frisk shook their head. "You'll be fine. Dad."

Frisk could feel the wheelchair shake as the Skeleton convulsed with surprise. "Do we really get that close kiddo? I mean, father and child kinda deal."

"Sure do." Frisk smiled.

"Wow." Sans said a bit uncomfortably. "Well, I guess I could make an effort for you…"

"I'll see if I can set something up." Frisk said grinning maliciously.

"It's so nice of you two to pick up Frisk for me. I had to collect Asriel from his father's you see." Toriel said sweetly showing the skeleton brothers into the longue. "So as thanks I baked the two of you a nice cinnamon pie."

"Thank your majesty." Papyrus said bowing. "I am greatly flattered."

"Oh no need to be so formal dear." Toriel laughed. "Now make yourselves comfortable."

The three of them heard the soft pitter patter of tiny feet against the wooden floor. Asriel ran out into the longue. "Howdy Frisk!" He yelled jumping onto Frisk's lap.

"Ow…" Frisk grunted as their brother flopped down happily on their lap. "Hey Azzy, how was your time at dad's house?"

Asriel huffed. "Dad is making me do all this princely stuff and getting me to dress up in stuffy outfits. He says when I appear formally that I need to present a good image." He yawned and looked up at his sibling. "It's all really boring. Not nearly as fun as hanging out with you Frisk."

Frisk ruffled his brother's head causing him to give a tiny bleat. "Maybe when I'm feeling better I can turn up to some of these sessions with your dad. I mean I am going to be ambassador so may as well practice with my future king right?"

"Future king…? Does that mean I can order you around?" Asriel asked.

Frisk hugged their brother. "Yes my liege, your wish is my command."

Asriel giggled. "In that case I order you to get better!"

"Already on it your majesty." Frisk laughed.

Sans cleared his throat. "So Frisk, are you gonna do that…uh thing?"

" ?" Frisk looked at the skeleton.

"If…you wouldn't mind."

"I thought you didn't want to say it face to face?" Frisk said.

"Say what face to face?" Asriel and Papyrus asked in unison.

Sans looked around. "I've changed my mind….I'm going to do it….right now…"

Sans got up off of the couch and then plonked back down again. "Nope…changed my mind again."

"Brother! Your being weirder than usual, which is to say, incredibly weird. Stop it." Papyrus bemoaned. "Eat this pie and we'll be on our way."

"Awww…." Asriel pouted. "You guys just got here!"

"I have…very important…hotdog business!" Sans said quickly. He had developed a near neurotic fear of talking to Asriel in the past month, terrified that he might upset his mother. "That's it kid…no funny stuff here hehe."

"Oh that's too bad." Asriel grumbled. "For a minute there I thought you were going to try and smooch my mom."

Sans physically fell over onto the floor, shivering and shaking on the ground.

Asriel giggled. "You're funny Mr Sans."

Papyrus was not so amused. "Get up brother, now is no time for a nap." He pulled his brother up bodily by his hood and placed him back on the couch. The poor skeleton was a shivering wreck.

Toriel came back into the room holding the freshly baked pie. "I would have done snail flavour but I know nobody here likes that other than me and….." She spotted the shaking Sans. "Oh dear Sans, are you ill? Did something happen whilst I was in the other room?"

"No he's fine mom." Asriel said look up at his mother from Frisk's lap. "We were just talking about how he wants to smooch you."

Frisk burst out laughing, even Chara gave a tiny inward chuckle. Other reactions were varied. Papyrus groaned, Asriel looked up in dead seriousness and Toriel nearly dropped the pie on the ground. "Oh…" She looked at Sans. "Is this…."

"I GOTTA GO, SEE YOU GUYS LATER!" Sans yelled suddenly. The entire room went dark for a sliver of a second, like everyone had blinked their eyes at the same time. When the light returned Sans was gone, everyone left looking at the spot where he had just vanished.

"I forgot he could do that." Papyrus said annoyed. "Lazy bones couldn't be bother walking home. He just had to teleport." Papyrus clicked his teeth. "Typical."

"W….will you still be joining us….Papyrus." Toriel said after an age.

"But of course." Papyrus said bowing from his chair. "I would not be so rude to refuse such hospitality. Besides, I wouldn't pass up a sweet quiche of yours for the world."

Asriel hopped off of Frisk's lap. "I'll get you a piece Frisk." He said taking a slice and a plate back to his sibling. "Here you go."

"Thank you…." Frisk said, taking the slice and wolfing it down.

"Ask for seconds." Chara said. "I'm starving."

"So are you ready?" Frisk said quietly looking at the top bunk again.

"Yes." Chara said.

"You only talk as much as you want to okay? I don't want you doing anything your uncomfortable with."

"I understand."

Chara began to talk. Setting the scene, describing every brutality and torment in horrifying detail. All of this was said in a cold clinical tone, devoid of emotion as if Chara was merely reading items from a list rather than telling a brutal recount of their life story. They went on and on. Just when Frisk thought it couldn't get any worse Chara would take the tale to new heights of depravity. About five minutes in Frisk began to cry softly, ill to their very core.

Chara stopped immediately. "I apologize, I went on too long."

"Chara…" Frisk whimpered. "Chara….that's so horrible. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault." The response was devoid of any emotion.

"You sound so…dead about it Chara." Frisk sobbed quietly. "You told me all of that like it was the easiest thing in the world."

"I've had a lot of time to reflect on it. It doesn't rile me up any more." Chara said flatly. "Again, I apologize. I knew this was a bad idea."

"No…no…" Frisk cried. "That shouldn't happen….that shouldn't happen to anyone…"

"And now you know. Some of it at least." Chara replied. "I won't speak of this again, it would only upset you more."

"If…if I could hug you right now….you know I would right?"

A tiny bit of feeling leaked back into their voice. "…Right."

"You aren't going to be hurt like that again Chara. I promise. I promise nothing like that will happen to you….I promise." Frisk smothered their sobbing into the pillow.

"This was a bad idea. Go back to bed Frisk. Forget this ever happened."

"How…how can I?"

"I warned you Frisk. I warned you and you didn't listen." Chara said. "I thank you for your consideration, but it's obvious you can't help me here…."

Frisk cut them off. They forced the tears to stop flowing. It was difficult but they had to try. They had to try for their friend. "You're holding back for me. Don't, I'm doing this for you okay? So…just say what you have to say."

"Frisk I…"

"How are you ever going to get better with that on your chest?" Frisk said trying not to yell. Frisk brought their voice down again. "I…I promise I won't cry this time."

"You promise."

"Yes." Frisk said resolutely.

"I won't hold back you understand."

"I don't want you to."

"It's just…you have so much empathy. I know you couldn't help but feel bad for me. It would be cruel of me to extend such pain onto you."

"Chara tell me. Please."

"…Okay."

The night was sleepless for the two of them.

To their credit, Frisk hadn't cried. It didn't mean they didn't feel terrible.

They looked at the bowl of cereal for almost ten minutes.

"I'm hungry. Eat." Chara whined. "Go on."

"I'm not."

"Is this about last night?"

"Yes." Frisk said.

"You want to make me happy right?"

"Yes."

"Then eat the cereal."

Frisk took a tiny mouthful. It tasted foul, spoilt by the horrors of the night before.

"Not so hard was it?"

"How…how can you be so… relaxed?"

"About what?"

"About….last night. What you told me, it sounds like you just don't care about it."

"Because I don't care about it Frisk. I care about you and mom and Azzy now and what you've all done for me."

"Was that really everything?"

"Yes."

Frisk pushed away the bowel. "Not hungry."

"I am. Eat."

Frisk took another shaking spoonful. "Just…just for you okay?"

"Thanks."

Asriel ran out into the kitchen. "Morning Frisk! Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah." Frisk lied hoping the bags under their eyes didn't really show. "How about you?"

"Oh… my night was fine." Asriel said after a short delay. "I…I was dreaming about you getting better."

"Awww, he's so cute." Chara gushed. The only time Frisk could detect something akin to happiness in Chara's voice was whenever it concerned their little brother.

Frisk smiled for the first time in hours. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Well I was thinking you could tell me about your adventure!" Asriel begged. "Pretty please."

He'd been desperate to know the specifics of Frisk's trials and tribulations to save him. Frisk still wasn't sure of how much Asriel already knew and how much they should tell him, if anything at all.

"Don't, we promised we wouldn't talk about it to him." Chara whispered. "He's already been through enough."

Frisk tried to change the subject. "I was thinking you could push me round the park."

Asriel shook his tiny head. "No, mom says I'm not to go outside without an adult. She wouldn't want anything….to happen to me again."

Frisk felt a roiling torrent of emotion build up inside. They couldn't stop Chara from coming out.

"Asriel. I'm really sorry that happened. Can you forgive me?" Chara said to their brother, eyes glowing a dim red.

"Ch…Chara?" Asriel said in disbelief. "That…that's…"

"It is me Azzy. I'm…I'm with Frisk right now. We are sharing this body okay. It's really complicated but I don't want to keep it a secret any longer. At least from you"

The goat reached out and touched the human. "Are…are you going to hurt us?"

"No." Chara cried. "No, I wouldn't dream of it."

"You….you were with me and Frisk. In the cold place." Asriel whispered. "I was scared. You called out to me."

"Yeah, that was me." Chara said sadly. "I really stuffed up. I understand if you don't want to see me again…but….but could you….just tell me if you forgive me or not."

Asriel crawled up onto their lap. "I love you Chara. I know you did some silly things but you made up for it in the end." He looked up with dewy eyes right into their face. "Of course I forgive you."

Chara's breathing got funny. They hugged. It was a full minute before they let go of one another.

"Frisk?" Chara said softly. "Can… Can I be in charge today?"

"Absolutely."

"Th… thanks." Chara whispered.

"Who were you talking to Chara?" Asked Asriel.

"I was just asking Frisk if I could spend the day with you. They said yes." Chara smiled. "Now come here. I've got a present for you."

Asriel took a tentative step forward.

"Close your eyes."

Asriel did as he was told. He was rewarded by a small poke in the snout.

"Boop."

"You booped me on my snoot." Asriel giggled. "You always used to do that."

"And I'm afraid I'm going to do it again." Chara giggled flicking his nose a second time.

Asriel retreated away from Chara's chair. "You can't get me Char!"

Chara grumbled. They didn't really know how to operate the wheelchair. An idea popped into their head.

"No." Frisk said.

"Yes." Chara grinned.

Casting off the blanket around their legs Chara adjusted themselves in the chair.

"Chara… what are you doing?" Asriel asked. His question turned into a squeal of delight as Chara slowly but steadily got up from the chair.

Pushing up against the table for support the human grimaced. "These feel like jelly." They looked up and saw Asriel beaming at them. Chara smiled. "But I'm determined to boop that snooter."

Taking a shaking step Chara managed to get away from the kitchen table and shamble over to their brother. Asriel dutifully stood on his tippy toes to receive Chara's finger.

"Boop."

Asriel grabbed Chara's leg. "So does this mean Frisk can walk now too?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Can you help us back to our chair?" Chara said, a little winded. "I'd hate to really hurt Frisk. Their kind enough to lend me this, let's not disappoint them."

Asriel helped his sibling back into the wheelchair. "Frisk is really nice huh?"

"Yeah." Chara said happily. "The best."

"Don't sweat it." Frisk said internally. "You two have fun okay… and try not to get me hurt."

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!