Co-authored with StormDacana and Omicron the IceQueen

Protective

Danni was nearly hidden against his side. Falling asleep quickly while hiding her face. Being as tall as she was for her age, it was surprising how well she could seemingly disappear.

Sans tilted his head, and then his left iris in the eye socket flared blue. He was running his fingers feather light over the girl's exposed arms, inspecting the scraps and what looked like old scars, pausing over the wrist as Sans used his ability See, finding the remolding on the girl's own bones, a healed break. The touch only made her shift marginally in her sleep. Brow furrowing as her face hid against his side firmly. It was obvious even in sleep the girl was uneasy trembling occasionally ready to jerk awake at the first sign of danger. The old wounds were just that-old and varying ages. Danni was young but already had lived a very hard life.

It took a few moments for the Monster to realize that the low hissing sound was coming from himself, and then eased it down so not to wake the human. Sans kept half his attention on the tv, slouching down inch by inch every ten minutes or so, until he could hook one slippered foot under the autumn and drag it over for him to prop his feet up. Soon he was the picture of contented laziness on a day off.

Every now and then he would look at Danni, studding what he could see and See.

Once he was more laid out then being upright the girl in her sleep seemed...well she was apparently a snuggler if she felt secure. Danni, as he sank down...she slunk up. Ending up nearly on his chest curled up like a little kitten. It gave him an easier view of what he could see but really with the jacket and her beat up baggy clothes he wouldn't see a lot. 'See'ing" at least let him see she honestly would probably cry if she hurt a fly.

Sans lifted his free right hand, scratching at a spot behind his jaw and then ran the hand over his skull. He huffed, and then sighed, though his chest barely rose and fell with the sound as his left arm moved around over the girl, his right bracing her from sliding off. Danni gave a sleepy squeak but otherwise seemed secure in her new resting place. Giving a sigh as she snuggled.

When the tv was changed to that nature channel, an awesome amazing thing to learn about the surface even after a few years, the Monster pulled out his cell. Texting Undyn to make sure his brother was extra tired out that day and for tomorrow too. But it wasn't near the time that his brother would be back from 'another epic and great training day with undyn!'

After awhile the girl woke up blinking owlishly at Sans and her surroundings as she did so, body instinctively tensing ready to bolt incase.

A low rumble vibrated under her, Sans shifted his attention almost slowly, like that happy tv daze. the white lights flickered before forming fully into the white irises again. "Heeey kiddo, sleep well?" he asked softly.

Danni actually seemed confused a moment like she was surprised she'd actually slept and woke up on her own, looking around before back at him and giving a nod. "I...yeah."

"Want to finish that oatmeal?" Sans asked, before moving or giving her the idea yet.

"I think I'm still full." Danni murmured unsure if she needed to move or not. Studying his face after a few moments trying to gauge him.

The male smiled a little wider, then tilted his head back to the tv and make sure his fangs were retracted, not giving Danni more than a glimpse. Not wanting to scar her, "Want to watch some tv before or after we clean you up?"

Danni blinked. "...clean?"

"Yeah, patch you up," Sans' boney hand brushed Danni's hair back to look at a scrape.

The idea of that didn't seem to appeal to her. But she didn't flinch away from his hand. "O-okay"

"You want to get it over now? Or watch some tv?" Sans offered the now skittish girl.

"L-lets get it over now." She would just stress thinking about what was coming after watching TV. Watching TV after might help her calm down.

Maybe.

Sans hummed a bit, and then tilted his head with a more smirk then grin, "Going to let me up buddy?"

Danni realized she'd somehow ended up on him and carefully slunk to the side to sit next to him instead, legs tucked up as she watched him. She really didn't weigh much, he probably barely noticed a difference other then her little body heat. The monster gave an exonerated stretch, unlike a human his joints didn't pop, or really rattle like one might expect them too. Sans flopped back, as if gathering the will to move again to shift the foot rest aside and then sit up.

Watching him with tired eyes Danni just waited for him to decide to get up and show her where she was supposed to get clean. Her eyes weren't a tired in the sense of sleep, but emotional exhaustion. She wanted to believe he was a friend but was just so worn down and weary of fully trusting his intent just yet.

Sans got up, looking back down before offering a hand, "Come on buddy. It's not far."

Danni unfolded from her little huddle taking the offered hand as she stood.

Sans helped her up, and walked Danni into the kitchen, letting her hang onto his hand as they moved over near the wide sink. The Monster paused and looked at Danni, "Will you be okay if I pick you up?" he asked, now that she was moving on her own

Danni looked pensive at the arm of her unheld hand carefully wrapping around her ribs gingerly. Seeing how she was moving was a big indicator there was a lot hiding under his jacket and clothes. "I...if you're gentle I think so?"

Moving to carefully grip more on the human's hips after spotting where she was shy, Sans picked Danni up and put her on the counter top. The Monster stepped back to grab several wash cloths out of a drawer- it looked like a rainbow collection was in there, and Sans took a handful of the cloths and dropped into the sink to soak with warm water. "Aren't you getting hot?" Sans asked glancing over, as the girl was still holding his fur jacket wrapped around her.

The girl visibly relaxed realizing it wasn't tub bath, which was odd since she probably needed one. Shaking her head at his question, she ended up gingerly taking the jacket off.

"Not really...though its kinda hard to clean up if I'm covered huh?" She was trying at least to not to utterly terrified. But in the light, things were very obvious now. One deep cut on an arm was infected, further irritated by the scrapes from being tossed down into the underground. As for how she wasn't overheating, she had no body mass to help her retain heat.

While the sink was filling partly, Sans hummed thoughtfully before fishing something out from under one of the cabinets. He came over to danni with a warm cloth, and with a wider grin swipped it over her face, but the touch was oddly very gentle.

Danni had make up on. The dirt and the make up came off as he cleaned up the concealer. Head tilting at him in bafflement and surprise at how gentle he was being. Sans hummed half mindedly, his voice was calming even if he wasn't speaking right now. Trading out the cloths to finish cleaning the girl's face, and neck, but he would let her get a hold of his hands to examine them. If it let her not be afraid of him Sans was willing.

She didn't seem to be trying to get his hands, just quietly closing her eyes when he cleaned her face to only open them to watch his face. For some it might be unnerving that quiet yet seemingly intense stare. Danni wasn't trying to make anyone uncomfortable. It was her way of 'See'ing someone. As her mother she had to watch the crazed woman's eyes to know what was about to happen.

After a bit, the monster looked up, and the white irises flickered blue and back, as the Sans grinned. As if it was a trick. The girls eyes narrowed faintly catching the odd flicker. While timid and scared she wasn't foolish or stupid by any means. At a sensitive spot she glanced to see the cut he passed over wondering if that one was new from the fall or not absently.

"What?" Sans asked, moving the strap of the tank top to be sure he got it clean and back. He traded out for another cleaner warm cloth to clean Danni's right shoulder and arm, slowing to be extra careful around the infected area, frowning as the eye ridges dipped down.

"You're different." It was a vague answer but an answer none the less. Pain didn't seem to phase her when the sensitive areas were cleaned over. There was a lot admittedly, but Danni was used to it.

"No bones about that," Sans agreed, and when he moved to change out the cloth again, he paused to send a text message on his phone for a few seconds.

Clasping her hands in her lap quietly the girl looked down at them. Time wasn't something she ever paid attention to, so even if he took an hour she'd probably be in the same position. Danni closed her eyes in thought, internalizing whatever was on her mind.

"Hey, don't look so... bonely." Sans said suddenly as it looked, "Just texting a friend, she's coming by, might be able to help you out better than me for that." Sans pointed at the infected, older wounds before starting to clean Danni up again.

Danni gave him a surprised look when he suddenly spoke up, giving a small dimpled smile at the pun before giggling faintly. Her head tilted and her brows furrowed in worry, glancing at the wounds he was talking about before his face. At least not fussing at the rag bathing.

"I-is she nice?"

"Oh yeah, one of the nicer humans I've met, she's one of the few that can still use human magic." Sans assured the girl, pulling up a few pictures on his phone of the indulging silly selfie pictures he'd taken at the pub a few nights ago, "Here, that's her with me."

Looking she studied the girl, smiling at just how silly the two were being. "You guys are silly."

"Yeaaah, that was the first time I got her to drink monster made drinks, and ketchup." Sans seemed to preen at that last one, letting Danni hold the phone.

"...Ketchup?" Baffled at that part.

"They're isn't nothing wrong with drinking it." Sans grinned wider.

"...Never...tried it." The girl slowly blinked in bafflement at him, somewhat caught off guard.

"Its good." Sans assured, cleaning the girl's hand and examining the smaller scraps and a cut in her palm. He frowned, "This looks older, but not old. When did you get this?"

Danni went quiet looking at the mark. Biting the unsplit part of her lip a moment in anxiety. If she tried to tell it usually ended up badly for her but... Her eyes glanced up at Sans inwardly hoping maybe he was different and could keep her mom away. "...that was when I had to block moms knife." she finally muttered.

"Was it dropped?" Sans didn't sound like he believed that, yet there was no anger in his voice. Nothing directed at Danni other then worry.

There was silence and an unease that spoke more than words just by the expression on her face. "...No."

A different shade of blue flickered around his left eye socket, "Tell me what happened Danni?"

"...Mom doesn't like me. Says I'm horrible, made dad leave." Hugging herself, a familiar self comfort. "She...she keeps trying to beat the evil out of me that drove him off so he'll come back." her eyes were shadowed and sad as her head bowed. "...I don't know what I did."

The warm, dry bones came into Danni's line of sight, so when he touched her knees she wasn't scared. Rumbling softly as he moved slowly, pulling the human child into to an honest hug, something she looked like she needed. Tears pricked the girls eyes and she sniffled abit. Tentatively reaching up to hug him back, scared of rejection of some cruel trick to lure her into a sense of security.

The rumble turned into what could be called a purr, though rusty or sandy sounding as if it had been a while. Sans reached up and pet the dirty hair, wondering how he was going to get her fully cleaned up, or if his friend could help.

Regardless there would tears and a terrified young girl clinging to something for dear life. Her face buried against his front, not minding the fabric brushing on ribs. She really didn't care he was a skeleton-only that he was nice to her.

Sans held her for a few minutes, until the small shivers he felt eased. Only then did he lean back, giving Danni a smile, if she looked closely the skeleton's teeth seemed a bit sharper, "Tell you what kid, you can stay here, its just me and my brother."

"...why would you want me?" It was genuine confusion, since she'd just told him her own mom didn't want her. To Danni it made no sense. The sharper teeth went for the most part un-noticed.

A boney hand lifted and ruffled her hair, "I like strays you can say. And I found you in my old home, so you're my responsibly now." He hoped that would pass with her for now.

Danni let him ruffle her hair, not minding the odd affection though she peered at him with a slight brow raise, aged eyes warily sizing up if he was being honest before having the childish moment of rehiding against him in a hug, a cute hug but more faceplant. "Okay..."

The Monster ruffled her hair again, lend leaned down. His teeth and bone were hard and the teeth of the skeleton Monster catching slightly as he gave a small nuzzle and harmless spark-buzz.

It would take a moment or two for Danni to realize that this was Sans' way of giving a kiss.

It took a moment to really register, but Sans knew when the girl did as she hugged him harder in response. The affection was something she'd not ever really gotten so to receive it was a blindside to her. Not unwelcome but she genuinely was caught off guard.

Sans stood there, keeping his arms around the girl, doing that sort of purring sound again. Petting Danni's back through the thin shirt, and keeping the touch very light as he hadn't checked for injuries there. He gave another small nuzzle after a bit, making a note to talk to his brother when he got back. Her back generated heat abnormally which was a sign, despite it she didn't fuss at betting touched there. Danni was starved of affection so even if the gentle touch caused pain she

"Lets get you cleaned up some more." Sans said after a bit, ruffling her hair again. "That okay with you?"

"...Okay." so far it hasn't been bad so she'd allow it. Danni hummed.

"Can you turn some?" Sans asked cleaning the cloths and getting a new on.

Shifting on the counter to do as he asked, the girl watched him from the corner of her eye.