"SANS!"
Frisk ran over to the skeleton, who was curled up in the snow, trembling.
She could see tiny blue sparks around his eye, like his eye was trying to activate his magic. But it couldn't. He was breathing heavily and quaking, small moans of pain escaping his mouth.
Frisk knelt beside him and put her hand in his shoulder, her heart racing. Tears of panic burned her eyes.
What could she do?
"Sans, are you okay? Can you hear me?" Frisk tried looking him over, but he didn't let her turn him over. There seemed to be no blood.
Sans wheezed in response.
Frisk heard snow crunch ahead of them.
"His magic capabilities have been disabled. That would normally kill a monster. Looks like he had more magic than I thought. But, now you're both harmless and vulnerable…" Uno flashed her a wide, snarling grin.
Frisk grabbed Sans protectively.
"What do you want?!" Frisk snarled.
"Your death. That's what!" Uno snapped back.
"You killed my brother! You killed him! He was our leader, our inspiration! He was the person I looked up to most, and you turned him to dust!"
Frisk flinched.
"I…I…"
"Frisk…" Sans groaned, opening his eye quickly before shutting it again.
Frisk felt an overwhelming surge of heat.
How. Dare. He.
Frisk's expression hardened with the burning rage.
Spike and Treyco flinched behind Uno, seemingly uncertain of their current situation.
"I killed the coward because he was going to kill us. And if you don't want to meet the same fate I suggest you leave. Now." The last word was drawn out, full of venom Frisk never had before.
I finally found I place, people I would defend. He. Is. Not. Taking. That. Away.
Uno took a step forward, while his underlings exchanged nervous glances.
Frisk felt a tug on her arm.
She looked down at Sans, who had turned himself over and was panting, breath coming out as puffs in the night air.
"Fr… risk… don't… just go…"
Frisk's brow furrowed.
"What? No."
"Please… I don't want… you… you to end up like… me… just leave me… here… I'll be fine…" Frisk could almost feel his pain just from his voice.
"Sans, I said no. I'm not leaving. If I have to fight, I'll fight. But I won't leave. I've always been a goddamn coward. You've saved my life time after time. It's time I get my coward ass out there. And, you know what? I'm still being a coward. Because I'm more scared of losing my pack than losing a fight."
"P…pack?"
Frisk gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, pack. We're both wolves, right? Two wolves are a pack. And a wolf never leaves a pack mate, right? I'd think you get it, since I'm talking your language."
Sans opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it, returning her smile.
"Enough of this nonsense. You're both gonna be dead." Uno growled.
Frisk stood up, stepping in front of Sans.
She was oddly calm. Whether it was the alcohol or not she didn't know. But her mind was a sharp shard of ice, and her determination ablaze.
"Last warning. Leave."
Uno tilted his head.
"Hmmm… how about... no. Let's go!" He barked.
He moved forward, the cat and dragon both moving to cover a side of him.
Frisk snarled.
I don't have my dagger… I have nothing to fight with… if worse comes to worse, I can try to lead them away from Sans…
Frisk saw Uno exchange a quick glance with Treyco.
Suddenly, Uno leaped forward.
Frisk saw Treyco running off to her side with her peripheral vision.
Uno snapped at her, his teeth mere inches from her face.
Frisk turned to face Treyco, who had come up from the side with claws unsheathed.
Frisk ducked the cat's slashing claws, hearing her scarf rip above her.
Seeing an opening while Treyco's arm was still outstretched, Frisk rammed her body into the cat's stomach as hard as she could, sending Treyco rolling in the snow.
As she did, teeth clamped down on her arm.
Frisk cried out and hit Uno, trying to get him off her arm. He grabbed her shoulders hard with his paws, digging his claws into the flesh.
Frisk struggled to get free as Spike came up from the side, readying his tail.
Frisk finally got the dog to let go by swiping at his ear, putting a deep nick in it with her nails. The dog yelped and jumped back, spit flying in his wake.
She was too late, however, and was slammed by Spike's heavy tail.
Frisk's cry was cut off as she slammed into the snow, the breath leaving her body. Everything spun as she fought to stay awake.
Blood crept its way up her throat and out her mouth.
"Who's gonna save you now? No one! You disgusting, pitifulcreature." Uno snarled above her.
This was followed by a swift kick to her ribs.
Frisk couldn't make a sound, instead letting out a strangled wheeze. She coughed up blood, the liquid appearing black in the night.
It hurt.
Uno kicked her again, then kicked her head so she turned over. This time she managed to let out a screech.
She couldn't breath, couldn't move, couldn't-
There was loud, deep barking somewhere to her right.
"Shit-"
There was savage snarling as something huge came and tackled Uno, smacking him away with a large spear.
Frisk recognized that armor. Royal guard armor… fluffy…
Rocky?
Everything was still blurry.
Rocky bent down in front of her, his face wrinkling with concern.
"Frisk! Are you okay, oh jeez, that look-"
Frisk forced herself up, whining at the pain in her entire body. It screamed at her to lie down and just give in. She tried to fight the tears forcing their way into her eye.
"N-no, stay still. Jeez, you're bleeding a lot…"
"I'm fine…" Frisk managed, her voice rough.
Rocky exhaled, before standing up. He dug his spear into the ground and glared at the gang, his expression now stern.
"What do you think you're doing, beating up a helpless girl! How low can you get?!"
Frisk got to her knees, cursing internally.
I am not helpless…
Uno tilted his head, sadistic smile returning.
"Oh, look, it's a royal guard runt. I've seen you, acting all nice and righteous. Well, in war the nice side never wins. You're gonna regret the day you chose kindness over common sense." Uno rubbed his shoulder, and Frisk noticed red staining the fur.
Frisk finally found her feet, swaying slightly.
"I heard a lot of commotion, and came over to see what was up. I'm glad I did…" Rocky said to her.
"So am I… they attacked Sans and used some weird gun to drain his magic, and… he's hurt…" Frisk looked back over at Sans, expecting to see him passed out in the snow.
But he was very awake.
He was staring directly at her, one hand over his chest. His eyes were wide and dark, lights gone. Tears trickled down his cheekbones.
Frisk cringed.
Does it hurt that bad? I've never seen Sans cry… those bastards!
Frisk felt herself bristle, clenching her teeth as a loud growl shook her body.
Rocky blinked, a little surprised.
A bark rang out.
Uno and his gang rushed forward again.
Rocky jumped and aimed at Treyco, then spun around to hit Spike with the side of his spear. Treyco tried to jump on him, but Rocky slammed the cat back.
While Rocky was busy with those two, Uno faced Frisk once again.
Frisk leaped forward this time, taking all the strength in her good arm and slamming her fist into Uno's face.
Uno barely budged.
"That's all you got? You're a joke." Uno pulled back his fist and hammered her in the face before she could move.
Frisk snapped at his hand, swiping her nails across his arm. She felt her claw-like nails cut through the skin. Air escaped Uno's mouth in a hiss.
Frisk jumped back, but Uno didn't let her get distance. He kicked her in the side, where he kicked her before, sending her to the ground.
This time, Frisk knew better. She went with the flow of the hit.
While his one leg was still in the air she swept his other leg out from under him, causing him to crash to the snow.
He snarled and tackled her, running his claws along her torso while his hind claws dug into her leg.
Frisk yelped and bit his arm with all her might. She felt her teeth sink through the flesh and blood gush into her mouth.
While they struggled, Uno got her ear in his teeth and bit down hard. Frisk screeched, her head going dizzy with the horrible pain. It traveled down her ear and into her neck, the sensitive appendage tearing under his fangs.
Frisk couldn't get out from under him, no matter how hard she thrashed.
He slammed his knee into her stomach, causing her to lose her breath again.
He shook his arm free from her teeth, the flesh tearing. She was kicking at him, trying to get him off, but he had a firm grip on her with his claws.
The next thing she knew teeth flashed in front of her throat, hit breath hitting her face.
Frisk's heart skipped a beat.
Snarling, with saliva dripping from his mouth and onto her, Uno grabbed a sharp hold of her injured ear and pulled.
Frisk didn't know she could scream at that pitch.
He pulled her head back, exposing her throat.
"Say goodbye, little human. See you in hell, wh-"
"Get. Off!"
Uno looked up for a brief second, only to be thrown off by a black-and-white blur.
What sounded like the most intense, harsh dog fight ensued, snapping and growling. Snarling, rough barks, yelps.
Frisk sat paralyzed for a few moments, mouth agape as she tried to recover her breath.
Th-that wasn't R-Rocky…
Frisk heard panicked , weak yelps.
"Oh my god, Uno!" Treyco called from where both he and Spike and been fighting Rocky. They had all stopped.
Frisk shot up, wincing in pain.
She would never forget what she saw.
Sans and Uno were struggling in the snow, Uno desperately kicking and clawing and biting Sans, trying to get him off. Sans sounded like a real wolf, his growls deep and animalistic. He had his sharp, wolf teeth buried in Uno's throat, blood rushing from the wound and covering both him and his opponent.
Frisk could only stare as Uno struggled in vain, as he slowly got weaker and weaker.
"Frisk, get him off!" Rocky called.
Frisk looked over at him, shaking. Rocky's eyes were wide.
"S-S-Sans, s-stop!" She tried to get up, but stumbled back down.
Sans froze. Uno was hardly moving now.
She could see his eyes widen as he looked down at his blood-soaked opponent.
Frisk stared in horror as Sans stood from Uno. He was covered in crimson, and it dribbled from his chin in long lines.
She couldn't stop her shaking body, the sick feeling in her gut. There was so much blood- on Sans, on Uno, scattered around the glittering snow...
Uno sat up, blood pouring from his torn neck. He looked up, his dull eyes set with one dying sparkle.
"You…" his speech was accompanied by an ugly gurgle.
"You two… really are… demons… wolves… demons that come when Called. Just like that… pussy King of ours… you're all servants of death, beckoned by evil… you act all cute, all noble…. But… you're not like us… you're dangerous… deadly… all of you wolves… all… of…" Uno gave one last cough as all light left his eyes, and he collapsed on the ground.
His body faded to dust, dull against the glittering snow.
"He's… he…" Frisk stammered.
She heard a low, pained sound beside her.
She looked over, to see Sans looking down. His eyes were dark.
The wolf ghost- his- was beside him. The wolf was shaking, eyes wide. Suddenly, a patch of fur on its flank darkened, and turned black.
Wh-what's… happening?!
She could see Rocky staring down solemnly at the pile of dust.
"They… they are… traitors to our kind. He was a traitor… I… I didn't want him to die, but… maybe it's for the better, y'know? I don't know…" Rocky said, looking off to the side.
Frisk noticed Sans's hand tighten into a fist.
Treyco and Spike exchanged glances.
Treyco raised his paws.
"We surrender. He was our last leader. We want no more of this death. Or you demons." Treyco looked up at them, eyes dark.
Frisk flinched. Sans didn't react at all.
Rocky turned to them.
"Then you are under arrest. You will be sent to the capital for trial."
Frisk coughed. Her whole body hurt so much. She felt dizzy and lightheaded, disoriented. Blood was still leaking from the wound in her arm, and she was bleeding in plenty of other places as well. Looking down, Frisk realized her sweater was torn to shreds. Uno's claws had gouged deep lines into her skin, and tore the fabric covering it. Where it wasn't torn it was soaked in blood. How much of it was actually hers she didn't know.
Her left ear- the injured one- was ringing terribly and she was certain she couldn't hear out of it. Her head hurt bad, and she was almost sure she had a concussion. She had to have at least one broken rib.
Thorn was calm and calculated, and got where he needed fast, without tearing up the package. Uno had been driven by rage, tearing and tearing until he was torn apart himself.
Frisk heard crunching footsteps.
She turned to find Sans walking away.
"Sans! Wait!" She tried, but he completely ignored her.
Something's wrong…
Frisk looked back at the pile of dust before forcing her legs to move. She couldn't move nearly as fast as he was, but from his direction she guessed he was heading home.
Rocky didn't say a word.
Thank you… Rocky… but Sans needs my help…
She was left with a feeling of distress as she limped after him, watching him get further and further away. She was trying her hardest, but her body just didn't want to move.
Eventually, they reached the house.
Papyrus was at the door.
"Brother! I heard lots o- oh my god…" Papyrus put his gloved hands over his mouth.
"Move." Sans's voice was shaking.
Papyrus's gaze turned to her as she finally reached them. His eyes widened even more.
"H-HUMAN! You… you're hurt! You're hurt bad! What happ-"
"Don't worry about it. Let me in." Frisk had never heard Sans talk to Papyrus like that.
"B-but Sans, I have to worry! You both come home hurt and I'm not supposed to worry!?" Papyrus sounded hysterical, and Frisk didn't blame him.
"JUST LET ME IN!" Sans yelled, catching the both of them off guard.
Papyrus's eyes went even wider if possible, and he silently moved to the side.
Sans stormed into the house.
Frisk slowly started to follow.
She could see tears in Papyrus's eyes. She felt terrible… like her guts were being ripped apart by his eyes alone.
She paused before passing him.
"I'm sorry, Papy… I'll explain later, ok? Something is wrong with Sans right now… I'm sure he didn't mean to yell." She said softly.
Papyrus wiped his eyes, his shoulders shaking.
Frisk almost cried herself.
She followed Sans inside, not stopping to wipe her feet. She followed him up the stairs, a low whine escaping her throat from the pain.
Everything was on fire and she couldn't stop it.
As he went into his room and grabbed the door, she put her arm in the way to stop him.
His eyes were still black.
"Move your arm."
Frisk looked at him with concern, panting.
"Sans, wait, please-"
"There's nothing to wait for. Leave me alone."
"No! Not after that! Just wait a few minutes, please!"
Sans opened the door wider.
"Go. You shouldn't be around me,."
Frisk blinked.
"Wh-what do you mean…"
"You saw. He was right about me. I was stupid to try to think otherwise."
"Are you really listening to him? He's the crazy one. Look at what he did to both of us!"
Sans's expression twisted.
"And he wasn't the first! Not to mention, all of this would be avoided if you just fucking left me. This is my fault, just leave me in peace now. You've already rubbed it in enough."
Frisk's hand turned into a fist.
"What, I leave you, they kill you, what after? They would find me and kill me too. So what's better, huh? And it wasn't your fault." Frisk's voice was surprisingly quiet.
However, Sans's got louder.
"Oh, so you're gonna play the innocent, accident game? Well, wake the fuck up, because this is reality. That wasn't a fucking accident. I meant to kill him. It wasn't like your accident in Waterfall."
Frisk's eyes widened slightly.
"No, you didn't, y-"
Sans got closer. He still had blood all over his face.
"Yes, I did. I knew what I was doing. I saw what he was doing to you. And I thought "I am going to tear his throat out." And that's what I did. I knew what I was doing."
Frisk was quiet for a moment.
"… then why did you look so scared?"
"Because no matter what I do I can't escape the fact that I'm always going to be covered in blood. Mine or someone else's. Now just let me suffer alone."
"Yours…" Frisk felt her gut drop.
She saw a glimmer of light, and his ghost wolf appeared behind him with its ears lowered and tail tucked between its legs.
Frisk's eyes turned to his right arm. She held a dark feeling in her gut.
"Sans. I'm not leaving you alone. You just pushed your brother away, and I know you've done it before. You need to talk to someone, and I'll be fine if that's me, or if you go down to talk to Papyrus. Or anyone else."
"I don't need to talk shit."
"Yes, you do."
"What?! Do I just go down to Papyrus and tell him that I just fucking killed a person?! Of all the things I've done wrong!? Fuck you!"
"I gave you a choice." Frisk said patiently.
"I'm not talking to anyone. These are my problems and mine alone. Leave."
"No."
Sans went to close his door, but Frisk kept her arm in the way.
"Leave." Sans ordered again.
Frisk took a step forward.
"No. Sans, why is your right arm the way it is."
If Sans's eyes weren't dark before, they certainly were now.
"None of your business."
She pointed at the spot where she knew the deep scars were hidden under the fabric.
"How did that happen."
"GO!" Sans snapped.
Frisk looked him in the eyes, feeling hollow herself.
She knew her answers now.
His wolf looked at her fearfully.
"You did that to yourself, didn't you."
Sans looked like he was about to tackle her, but just barely controlled himself in time. His body was shaking without control.
"Leave me alone."
"You see them too, right? The wolves. Sans, I'm learning. You can't hide from a wolf, remember?" Her voice was so small, so sad.
Previously, she would have snapped and yelled at him for being such an asshole.
But…
Back then she didn't know just how broken he was.
"G-get away from me. NOW."
Frisk didn't say anything, but stared. Sans moved her arm away himself and slammed the door so hard she thought she heard it crack.
"I'm not leaving. So either you come back out or I stay here until you do."
"Stay there all night then." Sans snarled from behind the door.
She heard the lock click.
Frisk sighed and leaned against the door, letting her body fall.
She was so tired.
Sans… how could I never have noticed? I have no idea what he meant… about any of that. But that's why his wolf brought me down there. Because he knew how troubled Sans is. Sans made the same mistake I did, but apparently multiple times. Or… I guess he said it wasn't a mistake. But why would he be so bothered if it wasn't? No, you could still kill somebody purposely and be ashamed. He has anger flashes. He gets so angry, so fast, and it's so quick. He must not have been thinking right. Just like now. I'm sure he'll calm down shortly, and if he doesn't tonight he'll be fine tomorrow. Heh, when did I ever start making so many excuses for him?
Frisk let herself make a tiny, sad smile to herself.
She noticed Papyrus standing on the top of the stairs.
"H-h-human… I don't know what I should do about your injuries… you look very badly hurt." Papyrus sounded so scared. Frisk scolded herself for making him scared.
She rested her head against the edge of the wall.
She wasn't going to deny she was badly hurt. She could feel it.
"We'll worry about it tomorrow. Sans just needs a little time alone, and I'm waiting here for him. You should go to bed. Everything will be okay." She found herself falling into the same habit Sans did when handling Papyrus.
Papyrus averted his gaze.
"B-but I… Sans always reads me a bedtime story."
Frisk exhaled.
"If it would make you feel better, I'll read you a story."
…
After reading Papyrus his book, Frisk went right back outside Sans's door.
She coughed every now and again, and sometimes dark blood would come up. It wasn't very much, though, so Frisk ignored it.
Well, she was still bleeding elsewhere, including the fact she still had her period, so she probably didn't have enough blood to cough up.
She remembered she forgot to change her pad. Oh well. More blood on her clothes wouldn't hurt.
She also wondered if she should be dead yet. A normal human would at least be passed out from this, but maybe being Moon-Blood changed that.
She wanted to sleep so bad.
Thinking back to it, she could see what Sans meant. He had the demeanor of a savage wolf, tearing apart its prey.
And they thought he was harmless after his magic was depleted.
She chuckled weakly at the irony.
The only sound in the house was her coughing, wheezing and the click-click of the clock. She sat at the door for hours, mind empty. Just surviving. She was lucky. If she was thinking, she would be thinking about how much pain she was in.
It wasn't an extremely intense pain in one spot, rather a continuous one all over.
She hadn't though about Resetting at all.
She realized she really had been brave back there.
She let herself bask in her achievement. When she first fell she would've run. She wouldn't have known how to fight at all. She wouldn't have let her wolf side guide her. She wouldn't have drank at Grillby's. She had already grown so much, and she still had so much to do.
But maybe it was time the growing focused on someone else. Someone who was a little too stubborn.
Frisk heard a click.
Her good ear pricked.
She could see his feet under the door. He stood there for a long time, not moving.
Eventually, the door opened slowly.
She looked up.
Sans had discarded his jacket. He also looked a little better cleaned up, but blood was still dotting his undershirt.
"…Frisk…"
"Don't say it. I know you're sorry." She could tell by his guilty, burnt out expression.
Sans's shoulders slumped even more.
"… do you really have to sit there?"
"Yes."
"You're bleeding. I can see blood on the carpet from inside my room."
"Whoops."
"Frisk… why are you doing this? You're hurt. You could be fast asleep resting now."
Frisk closed her eyes.
"Remember what I said? I said that I wasn't leaving you. That didn't apply just then, you know. Even if you're being a douch. Because you said you'd always be there for me. Well, I think it's only fair if it goes the other way too. And I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted too. Everything hurts like hell. Maybe I could pass out from blood loss, heh." Frisk chuckled.
Sans's brow-bones fell.
"Frisk… please don't joke like that. I…" his voice was starting to shake.
Frisk's head snapped up in surprise when she heard a sniff. Sans had tears in his eye sockets.
"I don't know why I have to be this way… I get this ability, I get to be a Moon-Blood, a wolf, and… and I screw it up. I screw everything up. Why try, I always say? Why try when you fuck everything up? Why try when it could always be reset anyways? Why the hell…" Sans put his fist on the doorway, looking down. Tears were dripping onto the floor.
Sans…
"Y'know… I really started trying for you… I've never done that for anyone other than Paps… I really started to think it was worth it. Look at you. You're the kind of person who deserves to be a wolf. Yes, you make mistakes, but… but that's what they are. Mistakes. The ghosts naturally go to you. You learn to follow them on your own. You're a natural, you know. It took me forever to do any of that. That's why I read so many books on them… and all you had to do was exist. Heh." Sans wiped his face.
"Sans… I'm only that way because of you, you know."
Sans shook his head.
"I doubt it. I really do. I should've never been able to have this ability. I should have never been given any chance… at anything. I just want… I want it to stop, dammit, but I can't… I can't talk either… I just can't…"
Sans started crying again. She could tell he was trying his hardest to compress it by how hard he was shaking, but he was failing. Small, strangled sobs made their way out of his throat.
It brought tears to her eyes as well. The sound was unbearable.
"Sans…"
She stared for a few heartbeats before grabbing the doorframe, slowly pushing herself up. She grunted from the new pain and limped over to him.
He didn't look up.
Frisk grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder-bones. She had to tilt her head slightly to keep her bad ear from touching his skull.
Sans sobbed again, this one louder. She could feel it.
He slowly eased into the hug, raised his arms and pulled her closer. He buried his head in her shoulder.
"Sans…" Frisk closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."
I need a tissue :c I am legit crying right now.
My god.
And you thought everything was fine again.
These poor guys don't get a rest.