Author's note:

Another short one this time.

Chapter 6: Blood, Dust, and Other

Weeks passed since their stay in Hometown. Frisk kept in contact with her brother and sister as often as her studies allowed. Exams were around the corner, and Frisk barely even had time to spend with Asriel lately. The final weeks of school would pass soon, she consoled herself. Then she was free to do as she pleased throughout the summer break.

Frisk was in amidst reviewing the history of diplomatic relations between humans and monsters when her phone rang. She read the caller ID and answered. "Hi, Mom!"

"Hello, Francine. How are you?"

"Busy," Frisk sighed. "Studying for the exams."

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No, no! I need a break, actually."

Frisk spoke with her adoptive mother for half an hour. Her parents were humans who had met late in their lives and couldn't have children of their own. Nothing could ever fill the hole in Frisk's heart made by the death and separation of her family, but her new parents did their best to help her. They had been overjoyed for Frisk when she told them she had reconnected with Chara and Kris several months ago.

"Thanks for calling, Mom," Frisk soon said. "I really should get going, though." Asriel was due to arrive at any minute to take her to their dinner date.

"Before you go, Francine. There's… something I want to speak with you about."

The shift in tone put Frisk on edge. "Yes? What is it?"

"I'm aware that you've been going out with this Asriel boy for a few months now. Now, I know that college years are a time for young people to explore their horizons, and I've tried to provide you that freedom. However, I'm starting to suspect that your relationship with this boy is becoming… serious."

Frisk grew confused. "Well… Of course, we're serious. We have been for a while now." What was happening right now?

"I see," her mother said. "Francine, your father and I have spoken about this, and we're concerned that dating Asriel might not be the best idea for you."

"What are you talking about? Asriel is a sweet and caring guy! Why shouldn't we be dating?" Could this be about Kris and Asriel being brothers? Surely not! Her mother would have said something sooner if that was the problem.

"Francine, we love you. We just want you to be happy. But I'm worried that there will be things that you'll want to do in life that you can't have by marrying a monster."

"Marrying? Jeez, Mom! We've barely been dating for a year!" Frisk exclaimed. "And what on Earth do you mean by 'can't have?'"

"You know very well that humans and monsters aren't… anatomically compatible. What if you decide to have kids of your own but can't because…?"

"What?! So, just because Asriel can't put a baby in me, I shouldn't date him?! Were you this judgemental when you and Dad got together?"

"You know that it's not the same!" her mother answered crossly. "Look, when I met your father, I couldn't conceive. You can, though! I want you to be able to experience the parts of motherhood that I never could!"

"And what if I don't want to?" Frisk snapped. "What if I'm content to adopt a child who lost their family, like I did? What if I decide to adopt their brothers and sisters so that they don't have to be torn apart like my mine were?!"

"Francine! That's not what I meant!"

"You listen to me," Frisk hissed. "I love Asriel. He cares about me just as much as I care about him. He is a good person. And he is important to Kris. My little brother. My. Actual. Blood! No matter what you or Dad think, Asriel will always be a part of my life; and I want him to be whatever part of it that I wish he can be someday. So, you can both either take it or leave it."

"Francine, wait!"

Frisk hung up the phone and threw it across the bed. She fell onto the mattress and buried her face into her arms. Hot tears soaked into her sleeves. A sob shuddered in her chest.

The door knocked. Each tap was faint and spaced out; tentative. Frisk dried her eyes and answered. Asriel stood outside. He gazed upon her with concern. "Hey… Are… Are you okay?"

"Just fine," Frisk said, trying not to show she had been crying.

"I… I heard you shouting just now." He took hold of her hand. "Did something happen?"

Frisk sighed. The ruse was over before it began. "You could say that."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Might as well. If he had overheard half the story, he might as well hear the full version. Frisk led him inside and sat down. She told him about her mother's phone call, as well as the concerns that her parents had against their relationship.

"I mean, can you believe that?" Frisk ranted with tears down her face. "They've known we've been dating for ages and only decide now to say that they don't approve."

Asriel remained calm throughout the conversation. Saddened, but not expressing any further feelings one way or the other. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"God! My mom is being such a hypocrite! Would she have still married Dad if he were a monster? It'd be about the same for all the good he'd do to her uterus!"

"Is that… something you're particularly worried about?" Asriel asked.

"What…? No! That's not the issue! I mean… It is, but not like that! I just…" Frisk took a breath to gather her thoughts. "Well… What would you want? How would you want to have kids?"

Asriel scratched around the base of his horns. "I haven't really given it any thought," he said sheepishly. "But… I think you have the right of it. I mean, life's been great having Kris as a brother. It wouldn't matter to me if he had been born a monster or not. If my only option to have kids was to adopt, then I'd take it as good as any other way."

Frisk took his hands and squeezed them. She loved him so much. "Thanks, Azzy. I really needed some help with this."

He leaned forward to kiss her brow. "I hope that your parents come around eventually. It doesn't make sense that being different species means we shouldn't be together."

Frisk laughed without humour. "You're being a lot nicer to them than I'm feeling right now."

"I'm sure that will pass." He pulled Frisk into a hug. "So… do you still want to go out tonight, or would you rather stay in? Ham sent me a promo code we could use."

"Can we stay in?" Frisk huffed. "I'm not really feeling like it, anymore."

She had turned her phone off when her mother tried to call and text her again. Frisk stuffed it into her sock drawer, where it could no longer bother her. Asriel stretched across the bed, scanning an app for something Eastern and rich in sugar. Frisk snuggled against his chest. His free arm pulled her closer. She adored the smell of his shampoo. It smelled like buttercups.

End note:

We have the family. Now starts the drama.