It was the afternoon when Gaster got informed that he was getting a visit from his children. Gaster already wasn't in the best mood, because he's had a meeting with the therapist earlier. In his opinion, it was all pointless, but since he was just a patient here, he had no choice but go through the "therapy". And now, he was getting a visit from the kids he couldn't remember despite the effort. "Oh gods… Them again..?" - he thought - "What do they gain by coming here, exactly?" Before the kids entered the room, Gaster saw that Papyrus was with them in the corridor. The younger skeleton had a serious look on his face, as though he wanted to talk. Gaster assumed correctly, as Papyrus walked up closer to him and said:
"I SHALL LEAVE YOU THREE ALONE. I JUST WANT TO REQUEST YOU SOMETHING. SAM AND PIPER COME HERE BECAUSE THEY MISS YOU A LOT. SO COULD YOU MAYBE BE LESS... COLD TOWARDS THEM THIS TIME? PLEASE?"
"I don't see how my attitude is your business." - Gaster replied, his tone devoid of emotions.
"IT IS MY BUSINESS, BECAUSE THE TWINS ARE MY GRANDCHILDREN AND THUS, THEIR WELLBEING MEANS A BIG DEAL TO ME." - Papyrus said seriously - "I GET THAT IT'S HARD FOR YOU, BUT IT'S EVEN HARDER FOR THEM. I CAN'T ORDER YOUR MIND TO REMEMBER THE CHILDREN. I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO BE NICER TO THEM."
After a moment, Gaster nodded slowly.
"I can't promise you anything." - he said - "But I can make an effort at my choice of words."
"DON'T EMPHASIZE ON THEM BEING HUMANS, ALRIGHT?" - Papyrus requested.
"Fine, if it can please you." - Gaster replied, looking away.
"I'M NOT THE ONE YOU MUST PLEASE, IT'S SAM AND PIPER."
Then, Papyrus stepped aside to inform the children that he was done talking and allow them enter Gaster's room. Papyrus then walked away long the corridor to the waiting room. Now that Gaster was alone with the twins, he turned to them and said:
"So, um… what brings you here today?"
"Well… to see you?" - Piper said a bit awkwardly.
"Ugh, what a stupid question…" - Gaster thought to himself, mentally facepalming.
"Are you doing better?" - Sam asked - "Is your skull okay? Are the people here good to you?"
"My skull healed, so it doesn't hurt anymore." - Gaster replied - "As for the people… well, except that I have to endure meetings with the therapist every two days, they're okay I guess."
"That's a relief to know." - Piper said with a shy smile - "Anyway, we have a gift for you!"
"I didn't ask for anything." - Gaster let out a sigh.
"Isn't that the point of a gift..?" - Sam remarked, raising an eyebrow.
Before Gaster got any chance to protest, Piper handed him the wizard goat plush. Gaster took it in his hand and studied it with a surprised expression. After a moment, he looked back at the kids, his look puzzled and a little unsure.
"It's a... plushie? Of a Boss Monster..?" - he finally spoke up.
"A wizard Boss Monster!" - Piper clarified, smiling - "Keep it near you and it'll make you feel better."
Gaster scoffed at this, the idea to trust his problems to a toy sounding ridiculous.
"Do you like it?" - Sam asked.
"I..."
Gaster looked at the toy in his hands again. He wasn't sure what to think of all this, the twins' gesture confusing him. It was the first time in his life that he was receiving a gift from humans. Humankind was usually known for being unmercyful towards monsters and not very understanding or open-minded about things like magic. They barely showed any interst in genuinely getting along with his kind. And yet… here, the twins gave him a toy representing a monster with magic. And it wasn't any kind of monster, it was a Boss Monster. A kind that Gaster came to associate with family. If the twins really were his children, they'd surely know about this. And thus, gifting him a Boss Monster plushie was actually very thoughtful from them. "No, they're probably just trying to win my affection!" - the negative part of him spoke up in his mind. But for some odd reason… Gaster wasn't willing to listen that paranoid voice this time. The kids said wanting him to get better, and their words sounded genuine, without a hint of slyness.
"I don't dislike it." - Gaster finally answered with a casual tone.
The skeleton then laid his plushie down on his bed, as he could feel some funny warmth spread from his SOUL. A little more and his cheeks would heat up… "Compose yourself!" - Gaster mentally ordered himself.
"How shall you name it?" - Piper asked.
"Why would I name a toy?" - Gaster asked back - "It has no consciousness or anything."
"Naming things make them more real." - Sam pointed out.
Gaster paused for a very short moment. He was about to reply something, as a familiar voice interrupted him. It was Patty, standing at the doorframe.
"Hey, Gaster! I was wondering if we could play check-... Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had a visit."
"Don't mind them, they won't stay for too long." - Gaster replied to the cat monster.
The twins gave him a look, not liking that he was speaking for them. Gaster ignored their glance.
"Okay… Wait, so they are your children?" - Patty asked as her eyes shone and her face turned into one of excitement.
"Y-yes, they are." - Gaster said, looking away.
"Oh my gosh! I knew you'd be cute, but I didn't expect you two be so freaking adorable!" - Patty exclaimed as she stepped forward to come closer to the kids - "Hi! My name's Patty. What are yours?"
"My… name is Sam..." - Sam replied shyly.
"And mine's Piper…" - his sister said on her turn.
"Such lovely names!" - Patty commented with a smile - "You should visit your father more often. I can see that he needs it."
"Really?" - Piper asked.
"Yeah! I'm sure two sunshines like you can light up his gloomy self and-"
"Anyway!" - Gaster cut her off - "You came because you wanted a checkers game, right? Then just wait until I'm done here. Now, shoo!"
Gaster waved his hand quickly in a dismissing manner.
"Fine, fine, I'm going." - Patty walked to the door, then turned to the kids - "But really, take care of him you two. Deep down he's-"
"Do I need to repeat myself?" - Gaster said with a hint of annoyance.
Patty grinned a cat-smile before going out of the room. Gaster let out a tired sigh, and the twins looked up at him.
"Who is she?" - Piper asked curiously.
"Didn't you catch her name?" - Gaster asked back, but as the kids gave him an unimpressed look, he said - "She's just a lunatic nextdoor."
"She seems to know you well." - Sam remarked - "How close you two are, exactly?"
"What a strange question. As 'close' as two mental patients can be, I suppose..?" - Gaster replied with a shrug.
Later, when the twins left, Gaster went play checkers with Patty like promised. The checkers play was now a daily routine for Gaster. Like usual, he was sitting face to face with Patty, who was currently staring at the board with a very concentrated look on her face. She was obviously trying to think her next move. As Patty's eyes were fixing the board, Gaster's eye was fixing her. Some questions were running through his mind since the morning. In the office of the psychiatrist, he accidently noticed Patty's file. Gaster could only sneak a peek, but from what he had the time to read, he found out that months ago, Patty went through a phase of confusion of reality and fantasy. During that phase, she was convinced that she was engaged to Prince Asriel. She actually believed that they loved each other and that Asriel wanted to marry her. But also, according to Patty's imaginaion, the king and queen disapproved their love, thinking that Patty was not good enough for their son, and thus decided to entrust her to the psychiatry staff. That way, she and their beloved son couldn't be together, and hopefully Asriel would move on. When Gaster read this, he wasn't sure if it was funny or concerning. The discovery of Patty's belief was quite a surprise. At first, Gaster was just annoyed that Patty permitted herself to fantasy about Asriel out of all people, the son of Gaster's foster parents! But then, Gaster remembered who Patty was, so those thoughts were quickly forgotten. He then got actually intrigued by this story. Rationally, Gaster knew that Patty and Asriel haven't even met. But on the other hand, he still couldn't help but wonder on the matter. After all, he had no idea for how long Patty's been confined in the psychiatry ward.
"Patty, could you tell me… for how long are you in here?" - Gaster asked.
Patty looked up at him, then pondered on his question. It didn't take her too long to give him a not very helpful answer.
"I'm not sure… A few weeks? Months? Years..? You tell me!"
"I see." - was all that Gaster replied.
The uncertainity wasn't helping at all. But Gaster then thought: "Logically, if Asriel really was engaged with a woman his parents disapproved of, Toriel or Asgore would surely have mentioned this incident. But they didn't, so that can only mean Patty's beliefs are all false." The conclusion was logical and satisfying. Prince Asriel was undeniably a rather cute young man. A real prince charming of monsters. It only made sense that Patty would succomb to his charm by just seeing his face in a newspaper or on tv. Being a woman with an ill imagination, her infatuation for the prince could only turn into a love story in her inner world. "The scenario she came up with is kind of funny, actually." - Gaster thought to himself - "Patty really has a wild imagination. Just… how much was she infuniated by Asriel to come to that? Is this made-up story what attracted the attention of the medical staff? Or was she already in here when it happened? I wonder if she healed completely from this, or…" Gaster didn't pursue the train of thought and decided to ask Patty questions instead. This was all way too intriguing, he needed to know more.
"You really don't know for how long you're here?" - Gaster asked.
"Huh..? Sorry, I don't want to rush my move..! I'm trying to win for once, you know." - Patty replied.
She obviously already forgot about Gaster's previous question.
"No, I meant… in the hospital." - Gaster clarified.
"The hospital? The hospital…" - Patty muttered to herself with a confused frown, until her eyes rounded in realization - "Oh, right. Um… no, I don't know. All I know it's been a while now that I haven't been outside."
Gaster noticed Patty's moment of confusion. It looked like for a brief moment, Patty was no longer realizing where she was. This made Gaster wonder how frequent those moments were. But he focused back on the Asriel infatuation mystery.
"You surely miss your life outside. I suppose it was an exciting one?" - he asked.
"Not really, honestly." - Patty said casually, as she finally made her move with a pawn - "I didn't have many friends, 'cause people tended to avoid me. I don't get why, though."
"No friends at all? Not even a 'special somebody'?" - Gaster inquired with a raised in interest eyebrow.
"You mean, like a boyfriend?" - Patty asked back.
"A boyfriend, a girlfriend, a spouse, a partner, a fiancé… whatever." - Gaster masked his directed interest by the diversified notions, before moving a pawn on his turn.
"That's an odd question to hear from you, Gaster." - Patty said with a light chuckle - "But no, things just never worked out that way."
"Interesting…" - Gaster thought to himself,-. Then he said:
"I'm not one for romantic relationships, but I guess it's a shame that you ended up here, before you ever got a chance."
"Y-yeah, that's a pity…" - Patty replied, look down.
Gaster tilted his head curiously. "Is she getting embarrassed?" - he wondered - "I'm pressing the right buttons, I might be getting close…" He decided that now was the time to ask the question. Taking a casual tone, Gaster asked:
"But how did you end up in the psychiatry ward in the first place?"
"I..."
But Patty stopped before she said anything. She was fidgetting, averting her gaze. She could sense Gaster's expecting and curious gaze on her, while she was meddling her blond hair between her thin purple fingers.
"...I don't want to talk about this." - she finally said.
"If you don't remember, just tell me so." - Gaster said, his gaze still fixed on the cat monster - "Or is it some very embarrassing story?"
"No! No, it's neither of those..! It's… Can we change the topic? Please..?"
Patty was now looking at Gaster, who got surprised to see the expression on her face. Her eyes were literally begging him to not pressure on the matter. She didn't want to talk about the reason of ending up in the psych ward, but it was obviously not one Gaster thought of. It was now clear to him that Patty never actually met Asriel, and thus the Dreemurrs had nothing to do with her confinement. Her fake love story was nothing but a fruit of pure imagination. Gaster could see this by the look in Patty's eyes. The fidgetting that he first interpreted as embarrassement or shame, was something different. Patty's fingers were clutching hard the fabric of her pajama shirt, as if she was insecure. But it was more than just insecurity. Patty's big golden eyes spoke volumes; they reflected fear. Or a trauma of a sort. Had her confinement been a result of an unsuccessful love story, the look in her eyes would've been different. One part of Gaster was proud of his clever analysis, but another part of him realized that he upset Patty. He watched the cat lower her gaze again, trying to focus back on the checkers game they've been playing. But her mind clearly didn't move on.
"Patty, I'm sorry." - Gaster then said.
The cat monster looked up at him. After a moment, she responded him with a weak, yet forgiving, smile.
"It's alright." - she said quietly, before moving her pawn - "Your turn, Gaster."
Gaster just nodded in response. As the two kept playing, the skeleton was thinking about what he just did. He made one of his mistakes again. Was satisfying his scientific curiosity worth the pain caused to people? "Why did I care about this in the first place?" - he finally asked himself. An interesting question actually. Gaster realized that he gave much more interest to the fantasies of a crazy woman than he should. In other circumstances, Gaster would've ignored this kind of information, being irrelevant to him. So why did it matter to him this time? "I'm a scientist." - Gaster told himself firmly, while moving his pawn - "A scientist is never satisfied with a half-solved puzzle. It's as simple as that."
In the evening, Gaster was lying in his bed, writing another journal entry. Too many things happened that day since the morning, so he needed to write it all down.
Entry n°4
This has been quite an... eventful day. In the early morning, I had a meeting with the therapist in his office. What's even the point in talking about my problems with him? The therapist can't magically solve them or make me remember. What makes him think he can help? Nobody can. Like I expected, the meeting was pointless. He's been asking me how I feel, what my dreams are about, etc. He also advised me to try find links between the me I know and the forgotten alter-ego. Easier said than done.
However, I made an interesting discovery in his office. At some point, the therapist had been called by a nurse for an apparent serious talk. I was left alone in the office for a couple of minutes, but it was enough for me to notice a recently browsed file on the desk. The reason why I noticed is because I saw a corner of a drawing showing up from the folder. I peeked into that file to get my suspicion confirmed: it was Patty's file. I could only recognize her drawing style. (She's shown me her many drawings yesterday.) The drawing itself was quite a surprise, to say the least. It represented a couple dancing on a fancy ball. But the maid was Patty and the man was no other than Prince Asriel. To the drawing were attached some notes written by the psychiatrist. I had just enough time to read some of it. From what I got to read, my neighbour went through a weird phase three months ago. She used to firmly believe that she and the prince had a love story, but the king and queen disapproved of their relationship and thus locked her in the psychiatry ward so they couldn't be together. It would've made a funny plot for a tv drama, actually. But it's pretty clear that my excentric neighbour made the story up, she never actually met Prince Asriel. It wouldn't chronologically make sense. Anyway, today's discovery displays how far Patty's insanity goes. By the way, I noticed an improvement in her checkers strategy this afternoon. If I wasn't the genius I am, she would've won.
This little incident aside, I also got the visit from the twins today. I still can't remember them. Things weren't that different from the last time. They came, they chatted about trivial things, they left. Except maybe that they came with a gift. They gave me a plushie of a wizard Boss Monster. I'm pleasantly surprised by their thoughtfulness.
Gaster realized what he just wrote, and then he quickly crossed out that last line.
They're quite insisting on trying to earn my affections. I wonder how long their persistance will last. They know I can't give them what they want, right? Sooner or later, they'll live a disillusion. It will be only for the best of everyone.
Gaster closed his journal with a sigh. He hid it under the mattress like usual, and then he tried to relax. He was tired and he was having another headache. It wasn't coming from his once cracked skull, since it completely healed now. It was more likely due to his thinking about the Sam and Piper issue. Everyone was expecting him to remember. But if medicine, nor the children themselves could make him remember, then what could? People were maybe asking him the impossible. Maybe the best solution was to just move on from that past he couldn't remember? "If my mind doesn't want to remember, there must be a reason to that." - Gaster thought to himself. He then turned around and found the plushie the twins gave him. Gaster then grabbed the toy and laid down again, closing his eyes. His mind was tired, he needed some sleep. And so, uncharacterisically for him, Gaster fell asleep pretty early, with his toy - that he named Ralsei - in his arms.
Meanwhile in the house of Noelle's family, Papyrus was pacing nervously in his room. Something's been bothering him for the last couple of days and he felt like he needed to share his worries with someone. He peeked out of his room and saw that Noelle and the twins were watching a movie together. "NO... I CAN'T BOTHER NOELLE WITH THAT." - Papyrus thought - "SHE ALREADY HAS A BURDEN ON HER SHOULDERS, SHE CONSTANTLY THINKS ABOUT PROTECTING EVERYONE FROM AN UPCOMING THREAT. THAT, AND THE WELLBEING OF HER CHILDREN." So, Papyrus decided to not bother Noelle with his problem for the time being. In that case, he decided to turn to the only person who's always supported him in the darkest of hours when there was nobody else for that - his brother. Papyrus walked out of his room and went to knock at Sans' bedroom door. A faint "come in" was heard, after what Papyrus entered the room. The taller skeleton let out a sigh. Like usually, this room was a mess. Sans was lying on his bed, and by his expression one could easily tell that he was half-asleep. But he made an effort to stay (relatively) awake for his brother.
"you okay, bro?" - he asked - "you look kinda pale."
"SANS, DON'T…" - Papyrus sighed, rubbing his forehead - "SOMETHING'S BOTHERING ME A LOT, AND I CAN'T KEEP IT FOR MYSELF."
"uh? what's wrong?" - Sans asked, getting more alert.
Papyrus sat down on the bed next to his brother and after a silent moment, he finally decided to explain.
"SOMETHING ISN'T QUITE RIGHT WITH FRISK LATELY... AND I CAN'T PUT MY FINGER ON WHY."
"something's wrong with frisk?" - Sans arched an eyebrow - "what do you mean?"
"I... I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN." - Papyrus fidgetted his fingers - "BUT SHE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL."
"different around you? or in general?"
"I'M NOT SURE. A LITTLE OF BOTH?"
"so are you saying your couple is in crisis?"
"NO! IT'S NOT THAT! IT'S DIFFERENT! IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN CLEARLY EXPLAIN..." - Papyrus then sighed - "ALRIGHT, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE… NORMALLY, FRISK AND I CUDDLE IN OUR SLEEP. WE HOLD EACH OTHER IN OUR ARMS. BUT SINCE VERY RECENTLY, SHE'S KEEPING DISTANCES. FRISK IS SLEEPING ON THE EDGE OF THE BED, TURNING HER BACK TO ME. I DIDN'T DARE TO ASK HER WHY THIS CHANGE… FOR SOME REASON, IT FELT WRONG TO INSIST AND WRAP HER IN MY ARMS."
"well... it does sound like a couple problem to me." - Sans said.
"I'M TELLING YOU THAT'S NOT IT!" - Papyrus exclaimed with an irritated sigh - "FRISK DID BECOME MORE DISTANT, YET THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN SHE'S BEING... TOO SEDUCTIVE."
"if you didn't want her being seductive, you shouldn't have married her." - Sans replied.
"YOU DON'T GET IT, SANS... IT'S NOT THE FACT SHE'S SOMETIMES SEDUCTIVE, IT'S RATHER THE WAY SHE IS. LIKE, WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT FEELS OFF." - Papyrus attempted to explain again - "SINCE VERY RECENTLY, WHEN FRISK GETS FLIRTY, IT ALMOST FEELS... FORCED."
"what do you mean by 'forced'?" - Sans asked curiously.
"LIKE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO FEEL GOOD, BUT FOR SOME REASON, IT DOESN'T." - Papyrus replied - "UGH, I'M SORRY I CAN'T PUT IT IN BETTER WORDS..."
It was true that Papyrus couldn't explain. Frisk's flirting moments used to be different until very recently. It was teasing, yet it was sweet and simple. Even cute, in its own way. Now, it was as if Frisk was trying to put into her seduction an unnecessary intensity. But how could Papyrus ever word those things to his brother..?
"look, pap. ketchup being my only love, those things are out of my domain. but it seems to bother you a big deal, so i'm giving you a simple advice. if you really feel something's off between you two, you should talk with frisk about it." - Sans said seriously - "only you can find an answer to this mistery of yours, papyrus, not me."
"YOU... YOU'RE RIGHT SANS." - Papyrus said as he slowly stood up - "I'LL TRY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH FRISK."
"you really should. don't let your relationship become toxic." - Sans replied, still serious.
"I WON'T... I WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG." - Papyrus said determined, before exiting his brother's room.
Sans then frowned, intruigued by what his brother just said. What could this possibly mean?
In the parallel destroyed timeline, Frisk straightened herself when she saw Chara appear. She wouldn't look pathetic in front of her. Besides, Frisk promised herself she'd stay determined and have faith. "I won't let her break me, whatever she has to say." - she told herself firmly. Chara walked up to Frisk, smiling widely:
"What's with the silent greeting? Sisters are supposed to say hello to each other when they meet."
"You and I are not sisters." - Frisk said quietly but firmly.
"Ooo, how bitter." - Chara said mockingly - "Anyway, I came here to say that everything's going for the better back home. I'll inform you that your family's doing well and that nobody died… yet."
Chara got a nasty grin when she said the last word. She hoped to get an entertaining reaction from Frisk. But to her disappointement and surprise, she didn't get the reaction she wanted. True, there was a shadow of fear that crossed Frisk's face. And yet, the determined look in her eyes didn't leave. Frisk kept her proud posture, never averting her gaze from her captor. Chara frowned for a second. Why wasn't Frisk broken by this point?
"Nothing to say? I can understand how my charismatic presence can leave one speechless." - Chara said in a dramatic boasting way.
"Sorry to say that it doesn't." - Frisk said calmly with a casual shrug.
"Come on, stop that acting! You can pretend to be unaffected as much as you want. But I can see right through you, Frisk." - Chara then lowered her tone to sound more spooky - "You're in fact very very desperate. Desperate to get out of here, to return to your family… you think that feigning carelessness will make me bored and let you go. That's almost funny."
"Desperate, you say? Oh no, you got it all wrong, Chara." - Frisk shook her head with a smile that reflected the strength of her spirit - "I'm not desperate, but hopeful. I have faith that I'll get out of here and that in the end, you'll lose. I'm not afraid of you, because I know that nothing in the world, not even you, can break the bond that unites my family and me. You may think I'm pathetic to believe in the strength of our love? But in fact, you're the pathetic one, thinking that you alone can break it."
Chara felt her blood boil in her veins. She didn't expect Frisk to be so strong-spirited and faithful at this point. And Frisk… she was feeling stronger at every passing moment. She's been consuming the dreams generated by the beautiful memories all the time Chara's been gone. At first, the dreams healed her physical injuries, but then it also helped her feel better on a more emotional level. It raised her spirits, which helped her have faith despite the black void she was in. And so, Frisk kept going, not fearing Chara's reaction.
"You and your LV can't break my family or our love. Because our love is true. And it's magic." - Frisk said with a determined tone - "A very powerful magic that you sadly will never know."
Chara then grabbed Frisk by the collar of her shirt and placed the silver blade of her knife under the throat. Frisk gasped but did her best to look into her enemy's red eyes. Chara pressed the blade very lightly to her skin, just enough to make a small cut. It didn't pierce any of the organs, the cut holding a warning purpose. Frisk gulped nervously and whined quietly as she felt the light pain from the cut, while Chara grinned in mild satisfaction, as she saw a small thread of blood run down the metal of the knife. Chara then released Frisk who immediately brought her hand to her neck. Frisk shivered a bit when she saw her own blood cover her palm and fingers.
"That's better. I prefer when you're silent, after all." - Chara said.
Chara then turned her back to Frisk and started to think. She didn't expect her to stay so determined after spending days in the destroyed void-like timeline. "It looks like I have to take stronger measures… and quick." - she mused - "I hoped I could postpone 'that act' for yet a little while… but it seems I'll have to do it tomorrow." Chara gained back her composure and determination. She smiled wickedly and turned around to face Frisk again. The latter still had that determined and hopeful look in her eyes. Chara knew what could shatter that hope. She leaned down closer to her and said:
"You know, I almost envy you. Papyrus is such a great lover."
At once, Frisk's eyes widened. "No..." Frisk's heart pounded faster. "No, she can't be meaning…" Frisk's face paled. "No, Papyrus would never… not with her…" Chara's twisted smile widened, after what she turned around and glitched out of the black scenary. Frisk's head was spinning and felt like she needed more air. Her body was shaking. She was trying her best to not lose her determination and her faith in Papyrus. She closed her eyes and remembered everything she and him went through and progressively, as she was living those moments again, she calmed down. "Chara must've lied…" - Frisk then told herself - "She wants to break me; what she said can't be true!" And so, Frisk decided to keep believing. Papyrus never deceived her until now, so he wouldn't now. Chara's poisonous lie only gave Frisk more motivation to keep believing. "I will get back home." - she told herself. As she was hoping again, it slowly healed the cut on her neck. Along with some of the emotional pain.
The next day, in the early afternoon, Papyrus was pacing alone in his room. He waited for Frisk to return home, so they could both talk about his concerns regarding his wife's behaviour. She was currently at the Dreemurrs' house, while Noelle, Sans and the twins were also outside, doing their own business. Papyrus just hoped that the house would remain empty enough time for him and Frisk to talk properly, without external interruption or pressure. He wanted to know what was going on in his wife's mind. He knew that she wasn't doing alright. Aside from noticing the oddities in Frisk's behaviour, Papyrus had also been feeling a strange distress in his SOUL. But he knew the distress wasn't his own, because he had no reason to feel that way. Thus, it could only mean that Frisk wasn't doing well and he was somehow sensing it. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, FRISK. BUT WHATEVER IT IS, I KNOW YOU NEED HELP. AND I WILL HELP YOU, TODAY." - Papyrus promised mentally. It was at that moment when he heard footsteps come up the stairs. The door opened, to reveal a smiling "Frisk". She walked up to Papyrus and said:
"What's with that serious face? Did something happen, dear?"
"WE NEED TO TALK." - Papyrus said seriously.
"Okay... When one says that, it can't be something good." - Chara said with a joking voice.
"FRISK, THIS IS SERIOUS." - Papyrus said as he sat down on the bed and tapped next to him to invite her sit next to him.
As Chara complied and sat next to Papyrus, the skeleton spoke up his concerns.
"FRISK, I... I'VE NOTICED THAT YOU'RE NOT ACTING NORMAL LATELY. NOT THAT WE CAN'T ALL HAVE MOOD CHANGES SOMETIMES, BUT… YOUR CHANGE OF BEHAVIOUR WAS TOO ABRUPT. ALMOST UNNATURAL, IN FACT."
"What's wrong with my 'behaviour', exactly?" - Chara asked casually.
"THE WAY YOU ACT AROUND ME IS STRANGE. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU'RE A BIT DISTANT, TAKING SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF, WHILE THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHEN YOU'RE BEING... EXCESSIVELY SENSUAL." - Papyrus blushed as he said the last part.
"Can't a woman have some alone time every once in a while?" - Chara asked innocently, before her voice turned breathy - "Or can't she treat her favourite skeleton?"
"YOU'RE... YOU'RE DOING THIS AGAIN." - Papyrus remarked, feeling not very at ease from this - "DON'T TRY TO AVOID THE TOPIC. I'M BEING SERIOUS FRISK, I KNOW SOMETHING'S WRONG."
Even though Chara didn't display it, she got alarmed. So apparently, despite her flirtuous moments, she wasn't behaving like Frisk enough? Who would've thought that the naive skeleton would notice some minor differences? "I still have a chance." - Chara told herself - "He's still calling me Frisk, he doesn't fully suspect me yet." This meant that Chara really could no longer postpone.
"I HAVE LIKE A FEELING THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING OKAY. SO PLEASE, TELL ME WHAT IT IS. AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO FIX THAT FOR YOU." - Papyrus said with genuine concern.
"This is now or never." - Chara decided. She put on the sweetest smile on her face and took Papyrus' hand in hers. She leaned closer to him and she said with a quiet, yet flirtuous tone:
"Papyrus... Why does something have to be wrong with me? Maybe I just wanted to… spice things between us a little?"
Chara's hands then traveled up Papyrus' arms and rested on his shoulders, while she brought her lips to his neck. Papyrus blushed hardly at her actions, but feeling more embarrassed than pleased. But why was that?
"FRISK, NO... THIS ISN'T RIGHT, TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG..."
"I've already told you, nothing's wrong." - Chara spoke against his neck, while massaging his shoulders - "Now, can you just relax and enjoy what I give you?"
"WE SHOULDN'T... NOT NOW..." - Papyrus tried to protest.
At that moment, Chara slid her hand under his shirt to feel the ribs under her fingertips. Papyrus tensed and felt his SOUL tighten in fear. But why was he afraid? Frisk had run her hands over his ribs many times before… So why did it feel different now? What was wrong?
"S-STOP... DON'T... THIS ISN'T RIGHT..." - Papyrus said shakily.
"Just forget your fears, and it will feel right." - Chara replied as seductively as she could, even though she was getting a bit impatient.
There was only one thing to do. She stopped her ministrations under the skeleton's shirt. Closing her eyes, Chara leaned to his face and pressed her lips to his mouth. And she gave that kiss her best shot. She moved her lips in a teasingly sensual way, hoping to wash away Papyrus' worries and concerns. Papyrus, on the other hand, felt like paralized. It didn't occur to him before, but the past few days, his wife hadn't kissed him on the mouth. But now that she did… "IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT." - his mind said again. And then, at once, it all made sense to him. As Chara moaned against his teeth, Papyrus quickly pushed her away from him. Chara huffed in disapproval. Papyrus stared at her with wide eyes that, for a moment, glowed purple. He brought his hand to his mouth in disbelief. He finally understood why it all felt wrong those past few days. He understood it from the kiss.
"YOU... YOU'RE NOT FRISK." - Papyrus said quietly.
A/N: Frisk's lecturing to Chara might sound cliché, but trust me when I say her words will have its importance later.
As for Papyrus getting that "Frisk" wasn't actually Frisk... well, it has been inspired from a scene in season 1 of "Once Upon A Time". ^^ The moment when Prince Charming is seduced by a Siren, who took the appearance of Snow White, but Charming doesn't succomb to the evil creature's charm because he knows how True Love feels like. (Which wasn't that when the Siren was kissing him.) The same happens here. The moment will be better explained in the next chapter, but basically Papyrus would know Frisk's kisses anywhere. And Chara's kisses were not that at all.
Now that Chara failed at seducing Papyrus, this means Frisk can be rescued soon! Yay!
Oh, and in case you're wondering, the reason of Patty being in the psych ward is fake, like Gaster assumed. (Thus no, Patty isn't in love with Asriel!) The real reason will be explained later. :)