Kit - I have finally recovered! Expect a bit more regular updates. Hopefully.

Chapter Twelve

::

It was more of an absent realization than anything.

Sans was sitting in the kitchen with Toriel and doodling down various equations for a project he had agreed to help Alphys with, the others were all in the living room watching television with Frisk, and...he just kind of realized. Frisk was ten. It had been five years since the Underground, and...

She hadn't thought of Reseting even once. Not a single time. She had promised that she never would, and she had kept that promise. Not one mention of it to him, Toriel, Flowey, anything. She truly had no plans to Reset and take them all back to the Underground. Put them back in that grand adventure that was so very different from the peaceful day-to-day life they now led. If it was anyone else they would have, but Frisk...

It was an absent realization that had Sans standing up, walking into the living room, snatching Frisk into his lap, and cuddling her closely and possessively. Frisk blinked, looking incredibly surprised by the show of affection from Sans. Typically, she did something to trigger things like that, but not at the moment. "Dad?"

"Hush, I must cuddle my daughter." And, okay. Frisk may have beamed a little at that and relaxed in his hold. She knew that she saw them as parents, but it was always nice to be reminded it went the other way. Although the other three on the couch seemed upset since it wasn't that big of a couch to begin with, Alphys having already been sitting near in Undyne's lap.

It was resolved with a little shifting, tugging, and finally just shoving Sans onto Papyrus' lap. Although the smaller skeleton hadn't really reacted beyond curling around Frisk more and happily nuzzling against her. And Frisk appeared to be perfectly alright with this, nuzzling back before going back to watching whatever was on. And it was things like this that made everything...

Perfect.

::

A few hours later found Sans bouncing around Hotland in the abandoned MTT Resort, closer to The Core than he typically came, and rambling very quickly. "Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Da-"

"Sans, I'm here, what is it?"

"There's not gonna be a Reset." Sans was beaming and bouncing and grinning, looking much like the child he had been when Gaster had vanished.

Gaster, though incredibly amused, tilted his head. "You're certain? There were a few runs you thought the same."

"It's been five years," Sans grinned, not stopping his bouncing, and instead bouncing around in little circles around Gaster, who was rather clear at the moment - at least for Sans. "Five entire years and it's not been brought up one time. Not to Flowey, not when she's roaming the Underground on her own, not to me, not to Tori, not once. Five years. It's been five." The smile grew wider. "This is the longest it's ever been."

"Alright, alright. I suppose I'm happy for you. Remind me to thank her, in the next one." Sans paused, blinking owlishly at Gaster for a moment before narrowing his eyes.

"Have you no shame when it comes to the meaning of spoilers?"

"It's fun, riling you up." He gave a small, helpless 'what can you do' shrug. Sans was suddenly speaking before he could.

"Don't you dare-"

"Honestly. So short-tempered."

"IT IS NOT MY FAULT YOU TWO ARE FREAKING GIANTS!" Sans was throwing his hands up in frustration again, looking aggravated.

"Four."

"UGH!" Sans dragged his hands down his face, huffing as he pouted at Gaster. "You are insufferable."

"That would be where you get it from." Sans only stuck his tongue out, looking more pouty.

"Yeah, yeah." A moment's pause, Sans speaking up a bit quietly. "So, that whole 'I suppose I'm happy for you', that was just stubborn speech thing...right." If asked for his constant doubting and breaks he would blame the crippling depression and anxiety.

"Of course. I'm happy that you're so much happier than you were, down here." And, really, he was emotional, he was allowed to tackle hug people. Even if it never ever worked- ...Okay. He was hugging solid body, there. That- Screw it. Question later, cling now. Gaster only chuckled, looking amused as he scratched at Sans' scalp. "You do know my granddaughter is down here, yes?"

"I figured. She always sneaks out when I do, it's a habit, at this point. Now shut up and let me hug you. You need more of them."

"Alright, alright."

::

"Yo, almost ready to go, kiddo?" Sans had taken a bit of a leisurely walk to the Ruins, letting the two talk as he talked with Gaster - although it was harder and harder to see him as they moved away from the Core.

"Yeah, Dad! And boy howdy are they gonna be blown away by my presentation!" Sans had to bite back a snort of laughter, and oh, man, so that was where those phrases had been coming from.

"Yeah, yeah, they're stupid humans anyways. At least you are somewhat...somewhat... Aaa...aaaaaaa."

"Are you sure that one isn't also yours?"

"It's a fine line some days," Sans mused quietly, looking amused as Flowey suddenly tried to hide in Frisk's sweater.

"What is he doing here what have you done why are you doing this I swear I'm not that bad I haven't even tried to kill her and I really don't want to and nope nope see I promised I am not messing with the skeletons why are you doing this."

"Uh...Flowey? What's up?" Like, she knew Sans had been cruel to him, but not to that point.

"The freaking shadow one beside the skeleton." Sans blinked at that, looking to Gaster with a confused, curious look.

"...Why is he acting like you're the most terrible, cruel thing to ever come into creation, exactly?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't remember that Reset."

"Flowey? I don't know who it is you guys are talking to, but I don't see anything." Flowey only continued his crusade of trying to hide under Frisk's sweater, looking far more like Asriel than Flowey.

"Nooo I said I'm sorry, I laid off the skeletons, I never even went after them again!" Sans looked to Gaster with narrowed eyes.

"What did you do to him?"

"/Your little power? I think you call it Gaster Blasters?/" A muttered comment about how he had been seven at the time. "Well... It had to come from somewhere."

"So, uh, Dad? Who are you talking to?"

"Your dead grandfather."

"My imaginary friend."

"Right. So am I." She gestured to Flowey, tilting her head. At that, it was Flowey to give the utter snort of laughter, looking heavily amused as it trailed off into a burst of giggles. "...Look what you did!" That got more giggles, Sans only chuckling himself.

"Nope, that one was all on you, kiddo."

"All your fault, Dad, and whoever he's talking to."

"Santa Claus." A sudden snort of laughter from Sans this time, who was covering his mouth and trying to hide it, and dammit why was Gaster so funny. "I'm hilarious."

"Hi, hilarious, I'm Dad." Sans was unable to hold back his laughter at his own joke, looking so proud. As attested to his shit-eating grin.

"...Nice to meet you, whoever you are. If you can make Dad this bad off, you can't be too bad."

"Where did you think he got it from?" Renewed giggles from both Sans and Flowey, each looking down for the count.

"...Wow, this is awkward. But, to be honest, they're weak. It's probably not that funny."

"I'm the tooth fairy and I'm going to steal your teeth while you sleep." Sans was now on the ground, hood pulled over his head as he tried to stay silent, shoulders shaking with the effort and really. He needed to stop leaving Gaster on his own for so long. Flowey wasn't much better off. "You two are a much better audience than the lava. Or that old turtle."

Frisk only shook her head as she patted Flowey's petals gently, and, really. For as ridiculous as the situation was, it was...almost perfect.

But, she still had some time to work out how to get the rest of the way there.

"Dad, come on, we gotta go." Sans nodded and recovered valiantly, still giving the occasional giggle as his energy started swirling around, wrapping around the two of them as he got them ready to teleport. "Bye Flowey! Bye Grandpa!"

And, yes, those shocked expressions were wonderful. She would very much do her best to remember them, and how things felt just a little bit better. She still had plenty of time, after all.

A whole life of it.

Kit - Gaster has been left on his own for far too long...