Two Worlds: Two Souls

by Halloween Witch

I flinched when I felt the rocks move from under us, no longer able to hold our weight. I latched onto my sister just as the earth shattered beneath us and gave way to a free fall. Frisk screamed and I struggled to hold her to me. To use my body as a cushion when we made it to the bottom. One way or another, I wouldn't let her die.

28. Instead

Two Worlds, Two Souls

Chapter 28: Instead

Frisk's Point of View:

"Little Frisk! Where did you go?"

I giggled in response to Papyrus' question as I hid behind some of the regular customers at the grocery story. Many more people were getting used to the idea of my sister and I being around that even the locals who once upon a time looked at us in fear or confusion now looked on differently, like they were just seeing other people or children walking down the road. It made my sister a lot happier to see that as our time in the underground extended.

If those people were able to accept us, perhaps the rest of the underground would come soon after?

I dove under the table of the vegetables, which probably wasn't a smart idea as the mist sprayer was turned on. I quickly got wet, clothes saturated though to my skin, and I knew my sister and Papyrus would be cross with me for doing such a thing. I would need to find a warm spot to warm up, or I would need a bath when home.

But it was always so much fun to tease Papyrus and make him sweat a little…

"Little Frisk! What are you doing down there?"

I yelped as I was yanked from under the table, water dripping off my brow as Papyrus held me upside down by my ankle. The inflated face that Papyrus showed me was enough to prevent me from giggling at his behavior.

"Your sister is going to rattle my bones for letting you catch a cold. Here, hold still."

I was surprised when Papyrus unwrapped his signature scarf from around his neck and re-wrapped it around myself. Papyrus never did that, his scarf was always on him, even when he slept in the night. I'd only seen him without it when he would wash it. But never had he offered it to any of us to keep warm. Mostly because Sans didn't really need it and my sister always made sure that we were kept warm in the clothes she bought with money she earned or that Tori made for us.

"What?" Papyrus' comment pulled me from my thoughts as I'd apparently been staring at him. "I'm not about to ignore the needs of my best friend. Besides, your sister will still be cross with you once we get you home for doing such a bone-headed thing."

"Pft…" I struggled to hold back the snicker as Papyrus accidently said a pun.

"Wha-oh gosh darn it!" Papyrus stomped his feet while I struggled to hold back my laughter. "Goodness Frisk, go on and get moving! I've paid for our items and you need to get into dry clothes! I will not be calling Sans and having him teleport you home due to your foolishness!"

I ducked out the range of his fingers. Papyrus merely huffed as he saw I was being childish and carried the bags behind me. I scurried away, eager to escape his grasp as we headed home.

I should have been more careful however, my clothes that were wet quickly chilled in the snowy air and I shivered at it. Papyrus' scarf was warm, keeping my neck and nose from freezing, but the rest of me was chilled. I'd only made it a few steps before I felt the gloved boney hand of my companion.

A sigh escaped him. "Come along Frisk, let's get you home and warm."

Papyrus didn't carry me, I was both grateful and not at the same time. I wanted to keep moving because I was cold, but at the same time, I knew Papyrus could get me home faster if it was him walking around town. His longer legs and strutting like walk certainly handled large distances quickly. But I knew if he did that, I would feel the wind in my face from him moving so fast and it would freeze me faster.

So in that sense, I was thankful he didn't help me along.

Papyrus and I made it back down the street passing the library on the way. As we passed it, an older fox looking lady seemed to be passing out flyers. She seemed to have gathered quite the crowd around her as papers were passed about.

"Come along everyone! Come take a flyer for this year's talent show!" The woman shouted over the murmuring of the town. "This year's donation will be going to Hotland's orphanage! Please, we'd love to get as many people as we can for this even to put together acts for the other towns! Auditions will be held this Friday!"

"Talent show?" I paused for a moment, ignoring the cold settling into my skin.

"Oh they're bringing that back?" Papyrus halted for a moment to approach the woman. "May I take one please, Scarlet?"

"Of course, Papyrus!" He was handed one without any resistance. "See if you and your brother may want to participate! Or even those cute little human girls! We could use all the help we could get!"

Papyrus took a few steps away from the crowd before looking over the flyer in his hands. Using my incredible strength (and a bit of magic) I crawled up his body to look over his shoulder at the flyer in his hands. Apparently, the town was trying to help out an orphanage of younger monsters who were left behind after some illness went around the underground that took their parents' lives. This would give them money to repair a section of their home as well as gather them some supplies for school.

It looked fun, not that my sister would let me be included for safety reasons.

But that didn't mean Papyrus couldn't.

Or would that affect the promise that Angel made to Robert?

"Hmm… if we can't bake because of that promise, do you think Angel will agree to help me set up an act for the people to enjoy?" Papyrus glanced over at me on his shoulder in question.

"Maybe, you can ask her." I shrugged, not really knowing what my sister and Sans would think. "Maybe you could try and convince her to teach you to sing a Christmas song? Sis loves to sing and does it every so often."

"And I would love to do something. I still feel quite guilty from not being able to help out with the fair…"

I huffed and jumped down to the snow, I shivered as the wind blew against me, but the anger I felt was enough to keep me from freezing entirely.

"That jerk has to apologize to you before we can help. He's the only one who can do that and we're not going to do anything else until he gets off his pedestal and handles his end of Angel's promise!"

"Yes, yes. I know Little Frisk." Papyrus sighed, looking upon the paper hopefully. "I still just want to help, in any way I can. So! Let us talk to Angel and see if she and or my brother are willing to help!"

"Ok-achoo!" I shivered, trying to respond to Papyrus while trying to stay warm.

"And we better get you warmed up. You'll catch your death out here and then Angel will really rattle me…"

Angel's Point of View:

A yawn escaped me while I struggled to wait patiently for Papyrus and Frisk to return with my groceries.

It had been a stressful few days after the attack Robert had planned. While I wasn't necessarily frightened or afraid of him, the stress he put on Papyrus and the anger in Sans certainly made it difficult to sleep. I could feel their own anxiety in the house and it prevented me from being able to sleep. And with Frisk mostly staying with Papyrus to help him sleep, I was all on my own.

It was almost to the point that I was napping in the middle of the day…

At the moment it was just Sans and I in the house. He was causally watching the weather and science channel on the TV, looking quite bored with it and almost ready to doze off himself. I felt my head keep bobbing as I sat next to him, struggling to stay away since I knew the younger ones would be back soon and it would be chaos as soon as they got back.

"Ya know, Angel, it's not a crime ta take a nap." A snort came from Sans as he watched me struggle.

I tried to stretch and move, to do anything to prevent that from actually happening. "I know, but once the younger ones get back, I have things planned to do with them. I can sleep later."

"Yer body seems to be tellin' ya otherwise." I heard him sigh as my fight continued with the exhaustion. "I'm the one who's made ya tired, haven't I?"

"It's a combination of things, not your fault."

"But I ain't been helpin' either."
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

"Yeah… Precious, those bags under yer eyes say otherwise."

"It's alright." Another yawn escaped me and my will power was beginning to fade. I'd been running on fumes for the last few days with little to no sleep and I was starting to cave.

"C'mere." I felt the boney fingers of my friend against my side as he pulled me onto his shoulder. A gasp came out of me, though it sounded more like a whine as I ended up leaning against my roommate. I felt him move under me and soon Sans was laying down, his head propped up by the arm of the couch. I was laid out against him, trying to fight the blush in my cheeks as I curled into his ribs. "We both need a nap."

"Sans-" I tried to fight against him, just to get out of the situation we were in or to get ready for the kids came back.

But Sans wouldn't listen.

His grip on my side tightened and his tone sharpened slightly. "Sleep."

He was comfy… he smelled like cinnamon… I couldn't help but feel my body relax against his, even my will was fading against him.

Perhaps there was more to our relationship then I wanted to believe.

"Okay…"

Sans' Point of View:

What the hell did I get myself into?

I couldn't believe what I'd just done. Convincin' the girl I was livin' with ta finally take a nap, and on top of myself no less. She was warm, warmer than anythin' I'd ever felt in my life. It was also the closest I'd been in physical contact ta some else besides Papyrus in a long time. I wasn't really a touchy, feely guy, this was new for me…

But I couldn't get enough of her.

Her soul had been so potent when I first met her, suffocatin' when yer within her grasp. And yet, after those first few encounters with her months ago, it then felt like a protective glow. It was strange to meet a person with a soul like, it perked my interest. Then it grew on me, somethin' I came to crave every day.

Then I came ta enjoy her voice. I would hide just out of reach ta listen ta the songs she'd sing, regardless of their happy or depressed nature. She would never go for very high notes, and I didn't think she could reach them, but the melodies she'd sing were allurin', drawin' me in with every sound.

And then she walked outta those stone doors with her sister. The physical attraction was beyond incomprehensible when I met her in person the first time.

I'd never seen a human in all my years of livin', but my father had. He talked about them, the last two humans that fell over the years that he lived. They all came with different colors of skin, different styles of clothes and different colored souls. He'd mentioned how they were aggressive or frightful, always keeping ta their selves until eventual capture and death by the current king of the time. Dad had lots of drawin's to show me of what they looked like and the research he conducted before and after their deaths, which at least gave me an idea of what to look out for.

But nothin' coulda prepared me for meeting Angel in the flesh for the first time.

The flowery scented shampoo I could smell on the wind and even then when she laid there. It was potent, but the smell made me think of her gentle nature every time I smelled it. Her hair… it looked like chocolate when I first saw it, all pulled back into the braid she had cascadin' over her shoulder. Her jacket looked so much like my own, fluffy and comfortable, but able ta keep her warm. Jeans coverin' her legs, her long legs that just looked so-

Damn it, bonehead, keep it together or you'll wake her up!

Taking a shaky breath, I attempted to calm down. It wouldn't do any good to get riled up over somethin' as ridiculous as her ever agreein' ta be with a lazy ol' monster like myself.

Rememberin' those times though brought such a calmness over me. Those special memories of meeting Angel, when she told me her first pun. A sad attempt that'd been used too many times ta count, but coming from her meant all the world ta me.

She was special, special ta me that is.

I couldn't believe my luck as she was a carin' soul that Papyrus started ta look up to, and agreed to live with us. Our lives had changed so much since Angel and the tiny terror had come ta stay. She made everyone want to act like a family, and that was somethin' I'd been cravin' for a long time.

I hated ta ask anythin' of Papyrus. He was all I had left after Dad died and Mom a long time ago. I did the best I could for raisin' him, but even I wasn't always enough. He had female role models and friends in his life now that gave him hope and everythin' that I couldn't. He had a brighter outlook on everythin', he treasured them like they really were the family we were pretendin' ta be to all other areas of the underground…

The door openin' woke me from thoughts ta see the said younger ones returnin', just like Angel had said.

"Sans, we're home-" before Pap could get out any other words, I tried ta shush him. Both Frisk and Papyrus peaked around the edge of the door ta see Angel and I layin' together. Frisk struggled ta hold back the squeal from her mouth if I hadn't used my magic ta flin' her back out.

She'd wake Angel if I wasn't careful.

Frisk came back just as quickly as I'd thrown her, tryin' ta hide the color in my cheek bones from our moment bein' disturbed by the young ones. Lookin' on carefully, they closed the door behind them before takin' in the scene.

"She's been tired, stay quiet."

"Wowie… I never have seen Miss Angel nap before." Papyrus kneeled down ta look at her face as the group whispered between each other. "Is she alright, Brother?"

"She admitted ta not sleepin' well." I would have shrugged, but I would have moved and woken her then, I had to still my movements while Angel slept. "Said it's been a few days."

That made Frisk a bit more worried than I would have liked. "She said that?"

"Yeah?" I raised and eye brow at her.

"It's my fault then…" Frisk sighed as she carefully looked over her sister's sleepin' face, not tryin' to wake her. "Sis needs to sleep with someone. She rarely sleeps at all when she's alone… I thought she was sleeping with you all the nights I'd been with Papy?"

I carefully shook my head, cautiously lookin' at Angel. "No… she always just headed to her room."

"Damn it… she was hiding it from me…" Frisk pouted, but it didn't hold the same playfulness it normally would have. "Angel hides stuff from me, always, especially when she doesn't feel good. After we had to run away, Angel just… couldn't sleep without me anymore. Some nights I remember were really hard when I was mad at her and slept in a different room or just out of her reach, and she'd end up staying up for days strait until we made up. I don't know why, but she just couldn't seem to let herself rest unless someone's actually touching her."

"She and I were just watchin' TV before you guys got back and she was noddin' off. I tried ta get her to take a nap and she wouldn't listen, which… kinda led to this…"

"Jeeze, you two really do like each other." Frisk rolled her eyes at our position.

Goddamn it that little shit…

"Little Frisk, that is hardly appropriate!" Papyrus scowled at her, which wasn't lost to the little brat. "Now go up and take a bath, those clothes of yours are still saturated. Place them in the hallway and I will wash them."

She groaned before marchin' away, makin' it painfully obvious that she was upset. "Yes, Mother."

When the little girl was gone, that only left Papyrus and I while Angel slept on top of me, still curled into the edges of my jacket, her fingers wrapped around my clavicle. My brother watched me intently for a few moments before tiltin' his skull.

"Sans, in all seriousness, do you care for Miss Angel in the way that Little Frisk was implying?"

I struggled ta hide the feverous heat that made it ta my cheekbones.

"Oh Brother, it is not shameful to find her attractive nor to like her as more than a friend." Papyrus kneeled beside me while I tried to hide my face beneath my arms. "I think that Miss Angel would make quite the pleasant partner for you, should you decide to pursue a relationship with her. Besides, I already consider her a sister. She has been kinder to either of us than any other monster of the underground has been."

"…Pap… can we not talk about this when she's right on top of me?"

My brother sighed, but nodded and stood. "Oh, all right Sans, but don't think you've escaped this conversation. I would like to hear more of your opinion of Miss Angel. Perhaps when she has left to do errands?"

Knowin' that Papyrus wasn't about to drop the conversation, I nodded ta him, at least escapin' it for a little while longer.

I wanted ta dream a bit more, about the impossible desire of a human and a monster fallin' for one another.

Angel's Point of View:

I felt quite dazed as I woke from sleep much later in the day. I blinked away the haziness in my eyes and released whatever it was that I was holding onto.

Leaning up from where I'd been laying, I yawned before I felt something move under my hand. I yelped and flung myself backward… which ended up with me lying on the floor.

The couch moved and my vision cleared quickly to see it was Sans sitting there with a wide-eyed look as he watched me sit on the floor after my fall. I was too stunned by the moment to feel any pain as we stared at one another, startled more or less than anything.

"You okay, Angel?"

"Yeah… I forgot that you were there, Sans. Sorry about that. I'd forgotten that you'd ordered me to take a nap with you."

That cause him to snort at me. "C'mon Precious, ya know I ain't the type to order around anyone."

"Oh hush, Darling. You just do it when you know you have the upper hand on a defenseless young maiden."

His eye socket's narrowed at me. "Oh, really now?"

"Ah, Miss Angel! You and Sans are awake!" Turning away from Sans did I look over at Papyrus. "Oh goodie! And just in time for dinner! Little Frisk and I made a gumbo tonight!"

My body instantly felt a lead fill sack of dread fill my gut at that comment. Papyrus had improved so much over the last few months, but this was the first chance he would have cooked on his own since before I entered the picture. I couldn't avoid the feeling that I wasn't sure how his cooking was going to be without my supervision.

"Oh? That's sweet of you Papyrus. Have you had a chance to see how it tastes yet?"

"No, not yet, but Little Frisk has been sneaking pieces as I was cooking and says it's delicious! Of course, nothing less would be expected of the Great Papyrus!"

And just like that, the anxiety washed away. If Frisk was eating it and of her own free will and without us, it most likely was pretty good. Being the foodie she was, it was hard to pull her away from good food.

Perhaps my hard work had finally paid off.

"Well then, let's not let it go cold, shall we?"

Papyrus eagerly led us to the dining table where he'd already set up plates for both Sans and I, Frisk already seemed half done with hers and hardly spared us a look while she ate. Fresh looking biscuits also seemed to be made, which surprised me quite a lot. They smelled wonderful too and seemed soft to the touch when I held it. Carefully dipping it into the liquid of my gumbo, I took a bite and was pleasantly surprised that the meal was more than edible, it was phenomenal.

My look wasn't missed by Sans either as he quickly followed suit and ate at his meal as well, opting to go straight for the gumbo. One spoonful entered his mouth before he sighed in content.

"Yer the coolest, Bro."

Papyrus beamed in pride. "Why thank you Sans! Though…" he cast his gaze away for a moment which caused everyone at the table to glace at the younger male. "I must admit that I became aware after Miss Angel and Little Frisk moved in with us that my cooking wasn't all that… amazing. I was just so eager to help when you were struggling that I didn't even notice that my food was, in fact, harming you. I'm sorry for that, Brother."

"Look... Pap, it wasn't like that-"

"Sans, spare me the non-truth. You spent all your time at Grillby's to eat and make up for all the food I near poisoned you with. It is alright, I'm… thankful that you allowed me to keep trying and kept my spirits high, just that I didn't realize how much it hurt you until Miss Angel came along and helped to teach me." Papyrus turned his gaze to me. "I thank you, Miss Angel. For teaching me all these new skills and types of food. I've learned so much from you!"

Carefully setting down my biscuit, I allowed my hand to touch his own. "It was my pleasure Papyrus. We always have something new to learn. I'm glad I was able to do so for you."

"Thank you, then perhaps I could ask something of you?"

I blinked as Papyrus seemed nervous before pulling out a flyer he seemed to have hidden within his pants pocket. He had mentioned to Sans and I once that he would wear his battle armor again once he began patrol after Christmas. Captain Undyne had allowed him that time off after the incident that took place less than a week ago. Not that he really needed to ask, but she allowed it anyway since he never took off time for himself.

The flyer I was handed was red in color and made notion of a talent show that apparently the town was hosting in order to help out an orphanage a few towns over. Apparently, they were in need of supplies and the community seemed to want to put together a donation of sorts for them. All proceeds of the talent show would go to them while the fair's funds would go to the town.

"I wanted to ask for your help to put together an act to perform. Sans and Little Frisk have always commented that you're a wonderful singer, and I've wanted to learn to try and help gather money for those in need. I'm well aware of your promise to Robert and won't ask to help out with that, since you've told me no every time already… but… I would like to do this. I want to help out those children. They're in a place where I would have gone if Sans hadn't been able to adopt me with special permission from the king when I was little after Father died. I would have ended up there and I can only imagine how hard that would be. So, I'd like to help them in any way I can." Papyrus looked at me with those watery sockets of his when he really wanted something that he knew asking for perhaps was taboo. "This… it won't affect your promise to Robert at all if you help me with this, right?"

"Hmm… I don't believe so, since this is for Hotland rather than Snowdin." I turned to the eldest of the house. "What do you think Sans? I wouldn't be affecting my promise with helping Papyrus prepare an act for the show, right?"

Sans waved me off, leaning back in his chair and appearing very relaxed compared to any subject with Robert involved. "Robert's got nothin' ta do with the talent show, that's all Scarlet and her gals. She does this every year, chooses a place that needs some extra funds and the talent show is for it. Wasn't able ta do it last year since most of Scarlet's group got sick, but I'm glad to see its back. Seems good ta me."

"Well then, I'm more than fine helping you with that Papyrus." I smiled and set down the flyer beside my plate, taking up another bite of food. "So, it sounds like you wish to sing at the event?"

"Yes! Though... if my singing is anything like what my cooking was, it's most likely not good, but hopefully can be improved upon!"

"I'm sure it can. How about this, after dinner, we'll go ahead and look for some options to work with and get started on making a performance for you, how does that sound?"

"It really does sound wonderful, Miss Angel."

Witch's Note:

MY GOD! THIS TALL, BEAUTIFUL SKELETON IS THE MOST ASTONISHING CINNAMON ROLL EVER!

Sorry folks, I had to get that off my chest. It's not enough that this amazing young man keeps trying to get Angel to help out with the fair despite her promise, but even after she says no so many times, he goes out of his way to try and help the talent show who's proceeds go to other unfortunate kids who suffered just like he did? Oh, my Lord! How in the world do any of us deserve such a special skeleton?!

Plus, this was a great break from all you wonderful freaks that want to kill off my characters!

And I am so excited to hear what all of you think of those moments between Angel and Sans! I told you I had some serious development! Please tell me what you all think! Enjoying the slow burn? Wanting to hurt me for taking so long to get them together? I want to hear it all!

And now to respond to our reviewers!

RoseCentury: Glad everything's good on your side! Hope you loved this week too! Its one of my top ten favorite chapters for this story!

ShunGod: My lord you and Mystic Girl are so bad! Do you even have any idea how much she screamed at me and near ripped the laptop out of my hands for simply writing these pieces?

Love you all and see you next week! Please don't forget to review! I really would love feedback on this chapter with the Angel and Sans' scene!

Halloween Witch