undertale: the human equation

chapter 4: I have the guts to break the ice

Sans:

Sans and Frisk walked through Hotland quietly. Sans found himself nervous, and still trying to understand his own body. Just the sight of Frisk was sending different, strange urges coursing through him. Sans had known that humans used their bodies to create other humans, and that it was a normal need but he had no idea how it felt. It was like an itch and he had every temptation to hold her and kiss her and do other things that made him blush and turn away.

Then there was that nagging name: Oliver.

As they neared the ferry Sans finally broke his silence. 'Oliver sounds like a neat fellah,' he said.

Frisk nearly jumped out of her skin.

Sans studied her carefully. 'So, you got a boyfriend,' he said with a shrug.

'What? No, no,' Frisk started.

'Where would you like to go?' the ferryman asked.

'Snowden,' Sans said before Frisk could speak. 'And don't worry, Frisk, it's been five years. I'da been surprised if you stayed single.' Especially lookin' the way you do, he thought.

'Sans, Oliver isn't my boyfriend,' Frisk said, stepping onto the ferryman's boat.

Sans settled in the boat and it set off for his old home. 'Look, you don't need to try and spare anyone's feelings.' Even though he sounded calm and supportive, Sans was incredibly dissapointed. He gave Frisk a hard look. 'You were thirteen back then, Frisk. That's a real young age to decide on matters of the heart.'

Frisk's cheeks reddened and she crossed her arms defiantly. 'You're not listening.'

'Yes I am. If this Oliver kid's not a boyfriend, then what is he?' Sans asked. He struggled to keep the edge from his voice. He didn't expect Frisk to wait for him--or maybe he did, he just wouldn't be mad at her for moving on. After all, he had been gone for five years. Shit, this is awful, he thought to himself.

Frisk put a hand in her hair. 'He-he's a bodyguard.'

'Bodyguard?' Sans tilted his head to one side.

Frisk sighed. 'There was an assasination attempt.'

Sans's heart fell. 'What? When? Are you okay?'

Frisk blinked in surprise. 'Well-yeah, it was a few years ago.' Frisk lowered her head. 'Oliver...he came out of nowhere, really, and asked to protect me. He did it to show that despite the hatred some people have for monsters, there is good, too.'

'Sounds pretty important.' Sans wasn't trying to be sarcastic but he still couldn't keep the edge from his voice.

'Sans,' Frisk started. She reached forward and took one of his pale hands in her tanned ones. 'Please, listen to me.'

Frisk:

'Frisk' came a voice as the ferryman came to a halt.

'We have arrived,' the ferryman said.

Frisk closed her eyes at the sound of the voice. She knew it all too well. She opened her eyes and turned to see Oliver standing on the banks of Snowden. His bright eyes passed from Frisk to Sans.

'Hey,' Sans said.

Frisk stepped lightly fromt he boat to the banks. 'Is Papyrus at home?' she asked.

'Yes,' Oliver said and eyed Sans as he stood beside Frisk. 'But-Frisk, who is this?'

'I'm Sans,' Sans said with a shrug. 'C'mon, Frisk.'

'Wait-Sans?' Oliver cried.

'When did Paps move in with you?' Sans asked. 'Where do you live?'

'I didn't want to move too far away from the Underground,' Frisk told him. 'So, everyone helped me build one near the hole I fell through when I was a kid. We even made a stairwell leading up to the surface. Alphys is working on an elevator.' Frisk had so much she wanted to ask, but she simply couldn't. She wanted to demand why Sans had wanted to be human at all, but how could she? He seemed happy and healthy enough. 'Papyrus never said he was lonely, but we could tell. And he kept going to Undyne's house at three in the morning with spagetti telling her that he couldn't eat it all by himself.'

'Yeah,' Sans said guiltily, 'that's no good.'

Frisk and Sans and Oliver climbed the stairwell to the surface. Frisk told him about the humans and the monsters and how things had become peaceful, but the humans needed to speak with the rulers of the land about what was happening. She didn't quite know what that would mean, but she would protect her friends regardless.

By the time they were inside of Frisk's house, it was night time. Sans paused and stared at the sky. Frisk did, too, but she had run out of words and could think of no more small talk.

'What're you doing?' Oliver asked.

'Its just...I didn't get to see the night sky before I fell asleep,' Sans admitted. He glanced and Frisk and grinned.

Her heart went aflutter in her chest and she quickly turned away, willing herself to calm down. All he did was grin, she thought. That's no different then he used to act. Get ahold of yourself!

Together they stepped into Frisk's house and she sourly wished that Oliver would go away. Normally he went home when the sun hit the horizon.

Frisk stepped lightly through the backdoor and into her kitchen. 'Paps?' she called, hurrying deeper into her home. She was thankful to get away from the men, if only for a minute.

'Human! I have just discovered that they came out with a new model of the car I drive!' Papyrus lumbered into the hallway. 'It's big enough to carry everyone, too! We could all go on a trip to the human cities!'

'Papyrus,' Frisk said breathlessly.

'Ah, Frisk.' Papyrus took Frisk's shoulders in his boney, gloved hands. 'Your face is red and you are out of breath. Have you been watching anime with Alphys again?'

'No, I,' Frisk started.

'Aha! So you've been training with Undyne,' Papyrus said. 'That must have worked up your appetite. Let me make you the most delicious sandwich.' Papyrus stepped into the kitchen, and Frisk followed him.

Sans simply grinned and shoved his hands in his pockets as his brother stepped onto the tile. Oliver studied everything closely, and skeptically.

Papyrus stared at Sans before tilting his head to one side. 'Wowie, you're dressed just like my brother used to! Who are you?'

'Hey, bro,' Sans said.

A flicker of orange magic briefly shimmered in Papyrus's eye socket. 'Sans?' he asked.

Sans nodded and ran a hand through his white hair. 'Sorry I didn't have the guts to see you before now.'

Papyrus gasped and put his hands to his face. 'I thought-we all thought you might not wake up!' His joy quickly turned to anger. 'Do you have any idea all the trouble I've gone through for you? I did not miss you, not one single bit!'

'I'm pretty hard to miss,' Sans said, still grinning.

'Your pet rock has been thrown at my door multiple times and every time I feed it sprinkles it just sits there!' Papyrus cried. 'The swirling vortex of garbage in your room collapsed and now you're room's a mess, and I haven't been able to clean it for five years! And our house-I couldn't-now I,' Papyrus stopped.

Sans teleported forward and put his arms around his brother. Papyrus looked as though he didn't know what to do for a moment. He put his arms around Sans.

'I didn't miss you at all,' Papyrus said. 'I was strong and I helped the human.'

'I know, Paps,' Sans said. 'I'm sorry I was gone for so long.'

'So...this is all real?'

Everyone froze and looked at Oliver, who still stood by the door, staring incredulously.

'What do you mean?' Frisk asked.

Oliver ran a hand through his dark hair. 'I thought Papyrus made Sans up and we were all just being nice.'

Everyone went awkwardly silent again, and Frisk's stomach was doing nervous summersaults.

'Frisk, c'mere for a second,' Oliver said, taking Frisk's arm.

'Wait,' Frisk started, but Oliver ignored her. As he pulled her out of the house she was aware of Sans's gaze firmly planted on her. Jesus, this does not look good, she thought.

Oliver pulled Frisk into the garden and let her go. He ran his hand through his hair and paced under the silvery moonlight.

'Oliver, what's the problem?' Frisk asked. 'He's an old and dear friend.'

'I've never met him,' Oliver started, and put his hands on his hips. 'Toriel mentioned him once or twice but I didn't really think about it at the time.' He studied Frisk carefully. 'She seemed really mad at him.'

Frisk laughed and shook her head. 'She was.'

'Why?'

Frisk frowned. 'Well...before Sans decided to try and become human, I sort of...told him I had feelings for him.' She couldn't look Oliver's way, because she knew he'd be disappointed. Frisk had never wanted to be Oliver's girlfriend, but she had always suspected that he wanted more.

'You were thirteen back then,' Oliver said. 'He was taking advantage of you.'

Irritation swept through Frisk. 'He left for five years,' she said with a hollow laugh. 'He...never answered to my feelings.' She looked at Oliver angrily. 'He said that we couldn't do anything and that I was too young.'

Oliver shook his head and looked at the ground. 'Frisk...just...be careful.'

Frisk was still irritated but she couldn't help but smile. 'I don't need to be careful around Sans. He doesn't want to hurt me.'

Oliver scoffed and crossed his arms.

'Hey,' Oliver suddenly said. 'Tomorrow, I'd like to take you somewhere.'

Frisk's mind went blank for a moment. 'Well, I,' she started, trying to think of some excuse.

'No excuses,' Oliver said with a smile. 'You're going out on the town with me, and that's that.'

Frisk sighed. Well, I have to let him down at some point, don't I? 'Where?' she asked.

Oliver simply smiled. 'It'll be a surprise. I'll come around in the morning. Until then…' Oliver glanced inside. 'Don't be alone with him.'

Frisk wanted to argue again but Oliver turned on his heel to leave. Frisk watched him go and lowered her head. I do not want to go out with him tomorrow, she thought, stepping inside. Sans just woke up.

As she stepped into her house, she heard Papyrus excitedly say: 'And it'll be so wonderful, and you can live here with us!' He was squeezing Sans and grinning like an idiot.

Frisk froze when she stepped through the door.

Sans looked her way and offered a cheesy grin. 'So...I guess I'll live here, then.'

Frisk stared at the two of them and as Papyrus let out a: 'YAAAAAAAAY!' He let go of Sans, babbling about cars and humans while he ran into the living room.

'So. What'd prince charming have to say?' Sans asked.

Frisk couldn't help but let out a groan and she put her face in her hands.

'Sounds good so far,' Sans said.

'He doesn't trust you and he wants to take me out tomorrow,' Frisk said.

'Not like a boyfriend at all,' Sans said cooly.

'Bodyguard,' Frisk said.

'Frisk, it's okay,' Sans told her.

Irritation filled Frisk again. She stepped forward earnestly. 'Sans, you don't understand,' she said. The sight of him, trying to tell her that she should date someone else, filled Frisk with determination. 'I never,' she started but Papyrus interupted her.

'Sans! The humans invented this can of what's called silly string! Come, look!' he cried in delight.

Sans stared at Frisk for several seconds before saying: 'I'll be right there, Paps.' Then he turned to Frisk and gently touched her shoulders. 'We're gonna have to save this conversation after your date.' He turned quickly but Frisk stamped her foot.

'It isn't a date!' she cried.