I woke up the next day groggy from using my attacks. It took several minutes to get up, dressed, and another few minutes to get myself downstairs. I still had the thoughts from the previous night rushing around. I'd already decided I'd be talking to my dad about Sans. I needed to tell an adult that would understand the situation.

Getting into the bar I saw my dad setting up things. Blue flames relaxed and focused. He looked up from polishing a glass and sparked at me. "You're up early," Flinter said. "Want to help me polish these?"

I took up another rag and sat across the bar from him. "So, dad, I've got a question."

"Is it about that bunny girl you hang out with? I think she's a little boy crazy for you."

My flames flickered. "No, dad. I told you we were just friends." I did feel more comfortable now thanks to that. "It's about the kids- Gaster's kids. Well, one of them."

"Are you done watching them?"

"No I love those kids. They're wonderful.."

"But?"

"Yeah. It's Sans. He's keeping a secret from his dad. A big one. It took me the past few days to gain his trust and I don't want to break that, but this secret he's got is... soul threatening."

Flinter put his glass down. "Go on."

"First I want you to promise you won't tell Gaster either. If anything I'd rather be the one to tell him."

A moment and then my father nodded. "Alright. I guess I can do that, but if I say you have to tell Gaster about this that you will. Promise?"

I sighed, setting my own glass down. "Yes."

"Good. Now spill it."

I took a deep breath and did, "Sans stole something from Gaster's lab, one of his experiments. He just wanted to help test it out since his dad always talked about how he had no volunteers but when he took it - ate it, it was a pill - it hurt him. His soul began changing colors and he has a weapon he can't control-"

"Wait- change colors?" Flinter moved around the bar and joined me on my side. "Are you sure it changed colors? He specifically said that?"

I blinked. "Y-yes? I can see the remainder of the yellow in his eyes. His soul is turning blue. I thought he was one of the rare mixed souls, but I guess not."

"You need to tell Gaster."

"Why? Is it really that bad?"

"Very! A soul changing colors can shatter! They're extremely weak until the change completes itself. A lot of colored souls go through that change in their teenage years, but a forced change like that at a young age can be soul threatening."

I felt my fire flicker. "R-Really?" The feeling I got the night he fell asleep on the couch with me, how fragile he was… I had a shiver run over my flames. "He did say it made him weak… and a lot of monsters like to pick on him at school." I could almost feel the panic welling inside. One wrong punch and… poof.

Flinter took a breath. "I know you're still wanting to keep this kid's trust, so why don't you bring him to the bar? I work alongside his father. I can't guarantee I can solve anything but I'd still like to check him over and see how serious this is."

I didn't know how Sans would feel that I'd told someone about his condition, but I did worry about him. Especially if he had a weapon like his Gaster Blaster. Checking the time I figured Gaster would already be at work. "The bar doesn't open for another hour. You want to come with me to their house? It might be easier on Sans if we're there."

My dad nodded and we left the bar. Snow drifted down having us both dawn our hoods. Flakes settled on the fabric encasing us. Reaching the door I knocked and waited. On the other side can a sleepy "Hello?"

"You're supposed to say 'who's there'."

The door flew open. "Fireman!" Papyrus jumped past the door and hugged me. His eyes moved up to my dad then. "Blue fireman!" He stepped back and put his hand out. "I am the great Papyrus!" he exclaimed.

Flinter laughed warmly. "Ah yes, my son tells me much about you, little one."

It was almost like Papyrus had forgotten they'd met before. "Papyrus, this is my dad, Flinter."

The tiny skele stopped shaking his hand and instead hugged him. "Fire dad!"

We both snickered. "These kids really are adorable," my dad mentioned as we stepped inside.

I didn't see Sans. "Pap, where's your brother?"

As the small child crawled onto the couch to continue playing with his action figures, he huffed, "Sleeping probably." He grabbed up his toys and began hitting them together, making 'BOOM' and 'POW' noises. "He's a lazybones. Sleeps aaaaaall day long."

I couldn't help grinning. "I'll go wake him up. Can't have him nap all day." Leaving my father to keep an eye on the youngest one, I wondered upstairs and knocked on the boy's shared room. No sound came but I could feel the presence inside. I cracked the door, my flames matching the lights already inside. For once it wasn't dark. "Sans?"

"Grillby?" He sounded tired, sitting up under his sheets. After a moment he pulled the sheets off of him. "Yo, Grillbz, wha time's it?" he slurred.

"Morning?"

"...Too early." And he plopped back down.

I laughed, coming in and pulling his blankets off of him. "Wakey wakey, sleepy bones."

He sat up again, glaring at me but smiling. "Fine. Ah'm up."

"Good. Now, Sans, I need to talk to you."

"And ah'm asleep again." Before he could fall back into his pillow, I caught his shoulder.

"I'm serious. Sans… I know you're going to be upset, but I told my dad about your… condition."

The skeleton jolted and scooted away from me. "You what?!" he hissed.

"Hear me out. That blaster you have is dangerous. I can't teach you to control it yourself. I can try, but you'd need professional help. Also my dad promised not to tell Gaster." I paused to let that sink in, but Sans was still stiff and wide eyed. I sighed. "When I mentioned your soul changing colors, my dad said it's really bad. I brought him over to give you a checkup."

"Oh no! Heck no- Not happenin'!" Sans scrambled around me and shoved the window open. I caught him and closed it. "Ah'm not- No one is lookin' at mah soul!" A yellow flash blipped and faded in his eye. "Dad will know that-"

"Calm down! Sans, it's just my dad, not yours." I moved Sans back to his bed and sat him down. "My dad is nice. Trust me. He's just worried about you, and so am I." The skele relaxed some but now refused to look at me. "I don't think you understand exactly how bad it is that your soul is changing colors. I didn't even know."

He crossed his arms and continued averting his gaze. "So what. Ah did the research an' souls can change colors. Older monsters have it happen when their souls er solid colors. They get sick - like I did - an' then they're fine."

"Yeah, but that's older monsters. You're still a kid." I gave his shoulder a squeeze. "It's dangerous for a monster your age to go through this. Your soul isn't stable enough to go through such a dramatic change."

Finally he glanced my way, a dim blue glimmering in his socket.

"My dad said he can look you over and see how bad it is. If it's bad enough that we have to tell your dad-" I paused when the glint turned into a full blue ring. "-then… we will have to tell him." Feeling the stiffness returning to his form, I added, "It'd be for your own good. You understand that, right?"

The child kept his distance and even moved enough that my hand left his shoulder.

"Sans… I only want what's best for you."

He glared my way, blue eye flaring. "I don't think you know what's best fer me."

It was that same coldness as when I'd first met him.