-What was that for?-

Alex pulled away, in shock. He shook his hair as much as possible to his face to cover the badly blushing cheeks. Chara just then realized what she did and her already always red cheeks got even redder, but Alex couldn't see it with still slightly sick eyes.

-I... I thought it'll make you feel better. Don't... Friends do it? Sometimes?-

-I don't know about friends, I know that siblings do, but... Uh... Uhm... Khm...-

Alex looked down, thinking.

-We are more of a team than siblings, actually... So uh, I don't know.-

Chara understood that he was uncomfortable talking about this, and she didn't even know why did she kiss him, so she decided to get off the topic.

-Team? Why team, and not just friends or family?-

-Hmm?-

-I said why did you say "team"?-

-Uh? Well. Friends just share fun and problems, and we get problems on our neck, we deal with those problems, get more problems... And not just problems, live action problems!-

He looked clearly relieved to slip off the topic. Chara chuckled nervously in response, even though Alex had a totally straight face.

-So, uh... I will be back home soon, and until then, watch over Cameron. If his mental health is getting worse, it's not something healing magic can help. Try to make him forget about the nightmares, busy him with something.-

-He doesn't want us to tell Toriel and Asgore. But it helped him when we all slept together after that.-

-Hmmh... I'll explain everything when I come back... Meanwhile just go through with him...-

Alex's voice got quieter and he burst out coughing to the point where his eyes watered. Chara had no idea what to do at this situation, but she realized that he wasn't in shape for long visit. When the cough was over, Alex sighed loudly.

-I think I'll be going now... Asgore is waiting. He wanted to have a conversation with you too...-

-Okay, see you later. Tell Cameron that I'll be home soon.-

-Sure.-

Chara left the room to collide with Asgore who was intensely discussing something with Gaster and Sans. Chara waited to the point when they paused and clicked her fingers before Asgore.

-You wanted to talk to Alex, right?-

She asked.

-Oh, oh, yes, but you talked so long, Gaster said that too much load is bad for Alex right now. I'll talk to him next time, or we can talk when he comes home.-

-Oh. Okay then. I'll be waiting outside, it's kinda dark here.-

Chara hopped out of the lab. Asgore smiled at her.

-Maybe eavesdropping is bad, but at least I know that he isn't blame of shooting Mike.-

The king said with a smile. Sans began snickering.

-And at least I know that Chara and Alex do have a thing for each other...-

SHMYAK! Sans received a fluffy slap on his skull.

-Excuse me, these are my children you're talking about!-

A LITTLE LONGER THAN A FEW DAYS LATER...

Alex promised to come back as early as possible, and kept his promise. Another week passed and he was home, still with some untreated burns and sick, but he convinced Gaster that he was enough in shape to be dismissed. He still coughed and his fever would jump badly sometimes, but it was under control to the point when he was on feet.

Throughout the week, in order to keep Cameron from having nightmares, the children slept in one bunch and everybody complained on having aches in their backs, because indeed sleeping as a blob of four people was uncomfortable.

PRESENT TIME

Mike was practicing his healing magic on Alex's burns, since Alex couldn't do much at the moment anyway- his fever got worse and he was lying on his bed with a wet towel on his forehead. Mike applied the magic to a burn on Alex's arm, which was a second degree one.

-Do burns hurt more than a shot?-

Mike asked.

-I think it depends where to be shot, but from my experience yes, much worse.-

Alex rasped in response.

-How did you get shot?-

-Mmmm?-

-You said you got shot, how did it happen?-

-I guess Cameron didn't tell you this story. When we fell down, we got separated, and when Chara found me, I remembered people saying that she was a demon... So we fought.-

-You fought each other?-

Mike got fascinated and lost concentration on healing, giving too much power and accidentally touching a nerve. Alex hissed at him.

-My arm!-

-Oh, I'm so sorry!-

Mike quickly fixed his mistake. He was silent for a minute before finishing with the burn and getting curious again:

-Is Chara good at fighting?-

Alex shrugged wearily before responding:

-She is great with knives.-

-So that's why every time she helps Toriel in the kitchen she works with a knife?-

Mike deducted thoughtfully.

-Tsk. I doubt it's related to our fight, although she cut my gun in half and shot me with the other one... She's admirable.-

-Do you have a crush on her?-

This question left Alex speechless for a moment.

-Why do you think I do?-

He asked.

-Well... You talk with her a lot, you spend time together...-

-By this logic I should assume that you have a crush on my brother.-

The older boy joked, and his eyes shot wide when he heard a totally serious answer:

-I'm not too sure yet, but... Maybe I do.-

Mike looked at the floor and the normally pinkish cheeks turned as red as Chara's. Alex lifted himself from the pillow, sitting up and taking the towel off his heating forehead. His brain was processing the information. This kid. Had a crush. On his little brother. He wasn't dreaming.

-You... Have a crush on Cameron?-

He questioned, his mind getting fogged.

-I don't know, I mean, he's nice and listening and kind... And... Cute? I really like spending time with him, but he's so sad sometimes, and tells so many sad things...-

-Sad things? Wait... Wait a moment...-

Alex held his head in pain as another headache struck. Mike waited patiently before Alex opened his eyes again.

-Does Cameron tell you a lot?-

He asked, lying down again.

-Tell me what?-

-About himself.-

-Yes, he told me a lot really... He even asked me not to tell you some things...-

-What?-

Alex felt thunderstruck and his headache increased, but he didn't let it show up. He realized that the more he was worrying, the worse his headache was getting.

-You won't tell me those things, right?-

He asked.

-I can tell you. You are his brother after all... You must be worried about him...-

-Yes... Yes I am.-

Alex closed his eyes and prepared to listen. Mike applied magic to Alex's half healed third degree burn on his leg while talking. He was telling about Cameron's worries, feelings, nightmares and opinions... In short everything Cameron told him. Alex could understand most of the things, but when Mike was speaking very hesitantly of what Cameron was feeling... Alex held his head with both hands and groaned out of pain. Mike got terrified.

-I'll call Toriel!-

Mike ran to the kitchen and came back dragging Toriel by her paw.

-Oh my God! My child...-

She brought medicines and quickly gave Alex pills and water.

-You'll feel better soon my child.-

She said, rubbing his curly hair before turning to Mike.

-I told you not to distress him, remember?-

She said strictly. Mike lowered his head, crossing his hands in shame.

-I'm sorry, Toriel...-

-No, no, Toriel, I started the conversation.-

Alex assured before turning his look towards the wall wearily.

-You need to rest and not worry about anything, all right my child?-

-Okay.-

Toriel waited until Alex felt better and left back to the kitchen.

-I'm very sorry, Alexander...-

Mike mumbled.

-It's okay, I'm fine. Don't tell Cameron that you told me everything. He will get angry. I'll confront him later. Where is he, by the way?-

-He went with Chara and Asriel to help Asgore in the garden. Oh, and... You didn't answer me... Do you have a crush on Chara?-

Mike was more hesitant now. Alex vented softly and looked at the ceilings, studying the branches that were preventing from Chara's mattress to smash him.

-I don't know.-

LATER

Mike continued practicing healing magic on Alex, who in the meantime was reading a book about snails.

-Are snails interesting?-

Mike asked out of the blue.

-It says that... They're good in a... Pie? Sorry what?-

Alex looked at the book as if it had a huge tarantula sitting in the middle of the page. Mike's pink cheeks got green from disgust, and he looked like a cartoonish character that was being nauseous.

-But snails are so cute... Who would eat snails...?-

-I don't know what's so cute about snails, but people do eat them in France...-

-Don't they eat bagguetts?-

Silence... Alex's eyes looked like a pair of 1 hryvnia coins while he was thinking about the point of the question.

-Yes, they do.-

He mumbled. Mike looked at the carpet, definitely thinking about snails.

-I think I healed your legs enough for you to stop limping.-

He said inexplicably. Alex frowned before lifting his brows.

-Are you sure? I don't want to step around and feel like I stepped on a LEGO helmet of batman. And believe me, I stepped on one of those once! When Cameron had a weakness for LEGO...-

-No, I think I did fine... I tried hard...-

Mike's brain began to process the last sentence and he asked sheepishly:

-Does Cameron like LEGO?-

Alex was left with his brain turned off before hearing the question. He was still getting used to Mike striking a conversation and changing topics out of the blue.

-Yes, I guess.-

He said and, using the chiffonier to lean on, got on his feet. Taking few steps around, he realized that his legs were back to normal, except for a few stretching feelings in the areas of the scars left.

-You did a great job. Your healing magic is very strong!-

He said, amazed. Mike, for once in a rare case, smiled sincerely. Suddenly they heard the front door opening and stormed out. Chara, Asriel and Cameron were standing in the doorway. Chara and Asriel were battling each other with mud while Cameron expressed the entire sentence with his face: "What the fuck am I doing here?". Behind them, Asgore was kicking the Prince and the Princess towards the shower.

-Go and wash yourselves now!-

He half demanded and half begged. While he entered their battle, Cameron crutched towards the room to see Alex walking around freely, with no signs of aches in his legs.

-You... Healed?-

The younger brother questioned, looking how Alex was getting his strict stance back.

-Yes, a bit.-

Alex waited for anything but instead got Cameron rush up to him and clutch him in a hug. Every time he was hugged, his brain cells would faint altogether.

-Why is that?-

He hissed through stiffed teeth, as Cameron had touched an aching scar. Cameron didn't answer and just buried his face in Alex's shoulder, where luckily were no painful marks left.

-Cameron, why are you hugging me so suddenly?-

Alex asked, but of course grasped his brother in a hug in response. Weird thing was, he felt that Cameron was colder than normal and in a moment he got slightly shaken. The Justice Soul owner made out something like a cracking sound, but backwards. Alex convinced himself that these were hallucinations from the fever being much above his regular temperature at the moment, also explaining him feeling his brother's temperature differently.

-I feared that you'd end up like me.-

Cameron suddenly said. Honestly Alex was more than weirded out to hear this, but decided to give his brother a cheer up for once:

-Even if I did, we'd have crutch races around the house. But I guess it won't happen thanks to Mike.-

Nobody expected Cameron to turn around and pull Mike into a hug as well. The expression that appeared on the green eyed boy's face was priceless and he got as red as his face allowed. Alex would have made a pun about it if he had the mood.

-If you are having a lack of hugs you can just tell us.-

Alex said, a bit weirded.

-I just feel like it's a fitting situation to hug something that isn't a stuffed plush cat. Is it that weird?-

Cameron responded with more rudeness in his voice. Both other boys shrugged in response when Chara let herself fall through the doorway, hanging on the bar above the door.

-Heeeeeeey guys do you want to go with me to Waterfall today?-

She said in a drunken voice.

-Chara? Are you high?-

Alex asked carefully, taking a step back.

-High? Nah, I just have sooooo much energy! Tickle battle! Everyone ooon...-

-No, Chara, please don't!-

Cameron pleaded her, jumping onto his bed and holding his crutches like weapons.

-What the fuck had happened in the name of...-

The oldest of the humans wanted to shout another slur, but a violent cough stopped him and he sat down, holding into his chest around the area of lungs.

-There was some kind of brutal weed growing in the garden and Chara tried to tear it out... She has an... Overdose of some kind.-

Cameron explained. When Alex's episode ended, he sighed and facepalmed. Chara meanwhile breathed out and looked at the boys.

-Will you come with me to Waterfall?-

She asked again. It sounded almost like she was asking the to marry her.

-Yes.-

Already afraid of her hyperactivity desire to tickle people, the boys answered in one voice. That's when Toriel broke into the room.

-No, Chara, not all of them will come. Alex has yet to finish his cycle of medicines before he is in shape to go around. Cameron and Mike are free to go if they have all the schedule of homework for today finished.-

-Aww.-

Chara tipped her head and puffed her lips. Honestly, seeing her high was the mostly off thing the boys expected to see in this world, also because her facial expression resembled the regular one of Asriel...

-I'm scared.-

Mike whispered.

-Just don't let her want to tickle you.-

Cameron answered in the same whisper. Fortunately for him, Cameron was saved from going to Waterfall when Toriel found out that he hadn't finished his homework.

-I didn't understand some things.-

He said guilty. Toriel studied his notebook with a face of a teacher before deciding:

-Alex, you will help your brother with homework. Others can go for a trip.-

It hadn't to be repeated twice. Alex and Cameron went to suffer through half of their energy wasting on random knowledge while Chara took Mike and Asriel and went to Waterfall. Mike was in Waterfall only once, Cameron brought him to the quietest area of it - he was being there for the first time as well. - and they had their deepest conversation there. Toriel was looking for them for hours before they returned home. Now Mike, knowing only one area of it, was constantly grabbing Chara's or Asriel's hand because he was afraid to lose concentration for a moment and they'd turn somewhere in this beautiful maze, and he'd get lost. He already couldn't remember how they were walking from the riverperson's stop to the point they were at now.

-Here! Let's stay here!-

Mike pleaded when they entered the mostly beautiful area of Waterfall he had seen until now. Blue grass, some small echo flowers growing there and here and making noses they last heard - it sounded like someone was humming a sad but a very beautiful song -, white and yellow sparks flying around, slightest fog, small mushrooms glowing in soft blue light, rare blue and cyan crystals that colored the fog and the waters in gracious shades of blue with gentle water lilies floating on those waters too perfect to leave at the moment. Now the boy regretted that he didn't remember the way while going here, but he knew for sure that he was going to ask Asriel to show him around until he remembers.

The peaceful environment got destroyed for Mike the moment Asriel exclaimed loudly:

-Look! Over there!-

Mike and Chara turned around to where Asriel was pointing. A handful of grass growing really tall was moving and noising, giving away a SOMEONE hiding there. Chara's high mind got almost sober from the adrenaline. She deducted immediately that the one hiding physically was definitely smaller than Asriel, otherwise they wouldn't be able to be covered entirely by grass.

-Let's go check.-

She offered, going first. She saw prints there and here leading to the grass where the water left the ground soft. The prints were left by small shoes. Chara estimated that the prints were around the same size as hers were when she was around seven years old. Yes, she had actually memorized how her feet looked five and a half years ago.

-Are there many monsters that have such small feet? I didn't see small monsters wearing shoes actually.-

She thought aloud.

-Why is it hiding anyways?-

Asriel questioned. Mike, staring into the grass, couldn't stand the temptation and reached his hands there.

-Hey, what are you doing?-

Chara thundered from behind in warning.

-I want to see.-

Mike leapt away from the grass the moment Chara's voice sounded. She moved ahead and very cautiously moved the grass.

-Look.-

She said, as the grass was covering her face and preventing her from seeing anything. Mike and Asriel looked into the one hiding in the grass and gasped from surprise.

Wearing a blue shirt with an orange stripe, blue wide pants and grey with orange stripes sneakers, holding a sharp plastic toy knife with a orange- reddish ribbon tied to its handle in one hand, owner of short, wavy black hair and cyan eyes was no one else but a human kid.