It was two a.m.

The movie you all had been watching continues on in the background. You had turned it down a while ago, barely having reached the remote trapped under Frisk. Now it was just quiet white noise to help everyone sleep. Everyone who had stayed, at least.

Mettaton had gone home early. Of course without first kissing a metal kiss to your forehead much to Sans annoyance. He had his charger back home and couldn't very well charge while sleeping like the normal peons. He had sashayed out before you could even ask him to stay longer. Asgore had left then, too. He said it was because he had work to do in his new tea shop he'd open up, but you knew it was for a different reason. You were still working with Asgore on his anxiety being included. You imagine part of him made him feel like he didn't deserve to have a family, even if it was just a family-like group of friends.

You hear someone mumble something under their breath. You refocus on the friends that you had here now, piled around you.

Toriel was leaned up against the side of the couch, her arms draped over the arm of the sofa so that she could gently run fingers through Frisk's head of hair. The kid was smooshed against your side, drooling on your shoulder. They'd wiggled their way into the small space so that they could snuggle during Jurassic Park. Plus they wanted to have easy access to Toriel's head, since they'd taken up practicing braiding. It left Toriel's head of hair with corkscrew braids half started and half finished, but the woman was happy enough to leave them in, even when she went out shopping or around the neighborhood.

Undyne and Alphys were on the ground in front of the couch. They were curled in on each other, most of Undyne's body draped over Alphys's. Around them a blanket with an anime character's large face was tucked. Undyne was snoring quietly, but it didn't seem to bother Alphys as she gently nuzzled her face further into her wife's neck.

Papyrus was also on the ground, but he had taken up the space right in front of you. His head was laid back in the spot between your knees, one of his boney arms hooked around the back of your calf. His warm cheek bone pressed into your left knee and you could feel his breath, a weird feeling since you knew he didn't have a pair of lungs. The skeleton was prone to sleep talking. It felt like every time he was mid conversation in his dream he'd say something out loud and then squeeze your ankle where his hand rested.

Sans was near Paps too. He sat on the couch next to you, stretching out so no one else would have a spot too close. His head rested on your stomach, face turned inwards, one hand on his chest while the other was tangled in yours out of sight. You don't remember how'd he gotten himself in this position. You're sure he'd just been slowly falling against you the entire night. If you asked, you're sure he'd just say he was too lazy to hold himself up any longer. You didn't really care what his excuse was because you were a little too happy to have the skeleton's head in your lap. Your free hand gently rested on his scalp, circling patterns with your thumb as you drifted in and out of light sleep.

You were happy.

Here, in this quiet moment, surrounded by the literal and figurative warmth of your friends, you're reminded of the kindness they showed you.

You're reminded of their love.

You're reminded of how far you've come and how far you still have to grow.

For once, you couldn't wait for the future.

For once, you knew you deserved this happiness.

You prayed nothing would take this from you.