Two Worlds, Two Souls

Chapter 37: Suffer In Silence

Angel's Point of View:

The humid Friday afternoon in Waterfall was only just starting to get to me as I painted away for a client. Sweet old man Gerson sat with his shop before me, a hand waving to myself and other passersby that were intrigued enough to look at his collection of teas from his own private garden. Apparently, it had been a passion of the older turtle's since he went into retirement a few years go and requested myself to do a painting of him and the strip on the streets of Waterfall.

The poor older man had asked me to paint all I could before he could go back to assisting his customers while I continued to create the surrounding people and landscape. I'd hope for him to enjoy it afterword, granted, it was for a friend of his rather than himself. So, it would be up to them.

Just off in the distance, the middle of the square had been taken up by a group of kids, Milly and MK included that Frisk was playing with on that day. It was the other children's apparent recess and the children had come down into town for either food or time to relax. Frisk was eager to play with so many kids. She begged Sans to keep the score while she and the others kept at it, only cheering or so when someone made a goal.

Speaking of the older skeleton, he sat near me on the ground. He was fast asleep, not even trying to keep score after he fell under an hour or so ago. My dear friend appeared to be more tired lately, and more uneasy. You could see it in the lack of sleep he was getting from the dark ridges of his eye sockets. He was sleeping more than normal, even so that Papyrus had noticed, but… didn't say much yet.

Which was also really strange… I would have to ask him about it when I had the chance.

I kept it upon myself to keep score for the kids while they were playing and most of my painting was nearly complete. I had a few finishing touches I would need to add, which I would do back at the house and bring it back to Gerson within the next few days. There were a few that I had to do. I had many people asking for paintings or wanting to look through the small stock I had of them.

With the help of Papyrus and getting on the undernet and making a website (which he helped me check daily) I had a few leads of what people wanted from me. I would arrive at the location, preform a rough sketch for them on the spot within a few minutes and discuss the detail that I would include. Most people would love the ideas and ask me to continue, giving me a small down payment of a hundred gold, not much in the eyes of many people down here. However, it was a cover charge. It would at least cover most of my materials if they didn't like the finished product. If the final product was to their standards, I charged them the additional five to nine hundred gold, depending on the size and the amount of detail and time that went into it.

Sans really helped me out with setting that up, especially with the cover charge to make up for if anyone tried to cheat me out of a free design…

"We got one!" The team that Frisk was one loudly cheered before we could hear bells ringing off in the distance to tell the children to begin their walk back. Many of them groaned while Frisk was quick to rush up to Sans.

"Sans! Sans, what was the score?" She shook him quickly, the rough rocking instantly had him awake and sitting up. His posture went ridged and I felt a flash of fear run through him. He stared with wide eye sockets at my sister before signing, relaxing his stance. His eye had just begun to glow blue in those moments and it made me tense that he was tired enough to the point where he would possibly…

No, don't think like that. He probably just had a bad dream, it happens.

"Sup Kiddo, what's goin' on?"

"The score Sans! You said you'd keep track of it for us!"

"…Damn…" The skeleton swore while he rubbed his sockets. "I'm sorry Kiddo… Seems like I slept pasta time."

Normally that would have gotten a chuckle out of my sister, but I could see the worried look she was showing him. Sans wasn't acting like normal and was much more tired than he normally was. He let his head fall to his rib cage and that caused me to stand up.

"Sans, are you okay?" My sister questioned him, worried at his behavior.

"Just didn't get enough sleep, Kiddo. I think I betta go home and nap."

He nodded off again then, struggling to keep his eye lights lit.

"Sitka, come help me pack up my things! I believe it's time to go home." Frisk quickly looked over at me, though she quickly hurried to my side while the kids left somewhat disappointed. I waved over the ones from our home town. "Milly! MK! Come over here for a second!"

"Yes Miss Ravie?" When the two other children arrived at my side, I quickly showed them the score I had painted on some scrap paper. The kids jumped in surprise, then in glee.

"Take this back with you kids, you won by a single point. It was a great game and make sure to tell all your friends so they try even harder next time, okay?"

"Yes Miss Ravie!" Both of the kids hurried after their schoolmates to tell them the exciting news while I was left to clean up my supplies with the help of my sister. The paint had dried for long enough and I put in its special container that the guys helped make to keep the painting from smudging during our trip back home. Frisk helped me take care of my paints and find a public bathroom to wash out my water jar with and brushes.

When everything was clean and carefully packed away, I helped my sister to carry the painting and the bag full of my supplies before I looked back to our sleeping friend, knowing that it would be best if I carried him home.

Frisk gently tapped my shoulder. "Is Sans okay?"

I frowned, knowing she couldn't see my facial expression while under my hood. "I'm not sure, but one thing I know we need to do is get him home. You carry those things for me and I'll carry him, okay?"

"Yes, Sis."

With my sister carefully loaded, I reached over to my friend and using my chains to carefully pick him up and place him on my back, using the same chains to hold him to me. Sans' arms quickly wrapped around my shoulders and I felt his face tuck into the side of my neck. He was snoring, an indication that he was deeply asleep, whereas when he was napping and still somewhat paying attention his breathing was softer, very little snoring (if any) and he could be woken very quickly.

Sans hardly stirred as I moved him into a more comfortable position and grabbed at his upper femurs to hold him to me. Once he was settled, my sister hung close to me as we walked back home in a quiet manor to let our friend sleep.

Later That Day:

"Brother! Miss Angel! Little Frisk! I'm home!" I leaned out around the painting I was touching up in the living room while Frisk was playing a few games in between helping me. She had finished her school work early so I had allowed her to chance to play. She was entirely okay with that, as I knew she would be.

She never had been a fan of school work.

"Papy!" Frisk flew from the couch, climbed up his lanky form before hugging him. The skeleton laughed at her actions before setting her down.

"It is good to see you Little Frisk!" Papyrus turned the corner of the house to see me from behind my painting as I began to put things away. "Hello Miss Angel!"

"Hello Papy. Ready for dinner?"

"Oh yes! What are we having?"

"I thought a stew would be nice with biscuits. It will be easy to heat up for Sans later when he's ready to eat. He's been a bit more tired today than normal."

"Oh. I see." Papyrus hesitated for only a moment when I mentioned his brother like that before he shook his head. "Well, that sounds delicious regardless! Shall we eat?"

"Yeah!" Frisk eagerly yanked on her boney best friend. "And then can we have a movie and gaming marathon? Sis promised she'd play with us!"

"And I'm starting to regret it…" It was difficult to hold back a smirk as my sister pouted at me. I quickly ruffled her hair, showing her affection. "I'm kidding Frisk. I promised, so I'll play a bit. And most of my paintings are done, so I'll work on those more tomorrow."

"Oh, this sounds delightful!" Papyrus quickly pulled us both into the kitchen. "Let us set aside some for Sans for when he gets hungry and then we can enjoy your culinary master piece!"

"Of course, Papy,"

In The Middle Of The Night:

The first thing I felt or knew was the fear. It shot me up off the couch and had me looking around the home we lived in with the skeleton brothers in alarm. When I saw the darkened house was in silence, other than the small light in the kitchen, I quickly calmed down, if only slightly. The fearful jolt to my soul was still there, as if I'd woken from a nightmare, but I knew I hadn't. It had been someone else in the house.

I looked first over at my sister who had been curled into my side. She was still peacefully sleeping on the other side of the couch, curled into the other arm with a fluffy pillow under her head, though threating to fall out from under her. She hardly seemed to notice as she curled into the heavy blanket laid over her.

With Frisk at least safe, I rose then from the couch to see if I could see if it was a brother that had woken me. Glancing over at Papyrus' room, I could hear his wispy like breathing from his room easily enough in the eerily quiet house. He must have gone to bed after turning off the television and seeing how both Frisk and I fell asleep. I didn't dare climb the stairs after I saw a shadow in the kitchen.

There was only one other person it could be…

I quietly stepped into the kitchen, following the shadow-cloaked figure of the eldest brother who seemed to know his way around the kitchen too well in the dark. It seemed this hasn't happened only this one time…

"Sans?" He sucked in a sharp breath and froze when he heard me speak. Without turning around, I saw him put away the cup he had been reaching out for. He must have teleported down from his room with his magic to not wake anyone.

"Oh, hey Angel." Sans slowly turned around in the dark so I could make out the outline of the front of his face. "Ya hungry too?"

"Huh?"

"Hungry… I… came to make a midnight snack."

"And that midnight snack was coffee?"

Sans' soul I felt painfully ache when I said those words. I had found him out.

"Sans… do you want to talk about it?" I slowly approached him. "I don't mean to preach to any choir, since I'm no better, but it's not good to keep things bottled up. You showed me that it's good to open up. Let me help you."

"Nah, Angel, I'm fine." Sans waved me off and slowly moved away from me. "Sorry for wakin' ya."

"Sans…" As he passed me, I reached for his hand. It was so cold when it landed in my grip, and I could lightly feel his shaking. He was trying so hard to hide it from me, but I could feel it through his soul, and now I had physical proof.

"Angel." His tone was rougher then, more serious. Sans had never spoken to me like that before, and it startled, my hand let go of his own. "I'm fine. Don't push it."

That stung. I hurt to hear him be like that to me. Sans had never been even remotely like that to me, so to hear him being any bit unkind with words that I wasn't use to actually hurt… a lot. I couldn't help the sting that echoed in my heart, nor the tear that escaped my eye.

"Ah shit…" Sans cursed as he saw the glitter of the liquid on my cheek and heard it plop on the tile floor. "Angel… c'mon, don't cry… I'm sorry… just…"

He reached out for me, only for a moment. But he hesitated. He only lifted it enough and lowered it almost just as quickly. His hand landed in his pocket and his head turned downward, seemingly ashamed of what he'd done.

"Night."

He left then. Not even bothering to hide himself, he teleported back to his room where I could feel all the anguish in his soul. I wanted to hurry after him, but I wanted to give him the chance to come to me. I didn't want to force him, but I knew he needed comfort.

But how was I going to convince him to trust me with such painful knowledge?

I quickly stepped outside of the house, hoping that the brisk air would help with the raising temperature of my own flesh from the dreadful emotions. I felt helpless then, I couldn't help my friend. Never had Sans acted this way, but never had I pried too much either…

Maybe it wasn't that he didn't trust me, but he just wasn't good at talking things out, or talking over feelings?

Mom always used to say it was more difficult for certainly people (men mostly) to be willing to talk about feelings and how things affect them. Remembering back to those moments, she used to tell me that Dad, as expressive as he was, hated when she pressured him to talk. Eventually she figured it out and just was there for him, holding him until he was ready, and even if he ever wasn't, she was his shoulder to cry on if he needed it.

Would that help Sans though? I couldn't help but think negatively at it, but I couldn't write it off until I tried.

That night I wouldn't do it, as much as I wanted to. I think I angered him and made him unreceptive of anything I could try in those hours. But I could promise that if it happened again, and I had a dreadful feeling it would, that I would be ready and waiting that next time.

I glanced then up to Sans' room. I could almost feel his stare on me as I stood under the crystals glow outside. He remained in his room for the rest of the night.

Witch's Note:

What in the world? I don't I've ever seen Sans even remotely close to mad, nor seeing Angel so emotional! What in the heck is going on? Guess you guys are gonna have to read the next chapter to find out!

I don't know if any of you have been looking at the most recent reviews, but it would seem that Mystic Girl and one of our beloved reviewers, ShunGod seem to be at a stand off when it comes to finding that lovely bear Robert of ours! I'm not sure where this war is going on anymore!

And now onto our reviewers!

ShunGod: I would love to know what made you change your mind from being on Mystic Girl's side! Do tell what's going! Details! Details!

RoseCentury: My goodness! It always seems like your poor little ginuea pig or yourself isn't feeling well! Feel better and hopefully enjoy this newest chapter!

And that's the end of another week! Hope to see you all next time. Seriously, I need help over here because of these two start an all-out war while I'm trying to write, we're gonna have some serious problems…

Love you all and see you next week!

Halloween Witch