A.N: Long chapter ahead! And one of my favorites, honestly! Things are finally getting going with our two Skele-bois! Now, how to bring this up with the parents? What will they have to say about this budding relationship? Let's find out, shall we?

Chapter 22

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

The walk back to Hotland went smoothly for the two. They walked slowly, finally discussing the things they'd been dreading. As it turns out, Dr. Gaster was still bitter about "the incident" and he did still hold Sans responsible for what happened.

Of course, Corbel found the whole thing to be completely ridiculous. How could his father possibly still blame Sans for what happened? It wasn't as if Sans was the one who set up the cave-in. It wasn't as if he knew what was going to happen. How could he hold Sans accountable for an accident!?

And come to think of it, in the first few days after he woke up, Sans had been saying similar things. He'd believed it to be his fault as well until Corbel insisted.

Still, he'd have to bring it up with his father when they saw each other again. His mother still wanted to get together for dinner. Maybe he could use that invitation to his advantage.

He mentioned the idea to Sans to see what he thought. After a few moments, Sans nodded slowly, hesitantly agreeing. He was still apprehensive about any kind of meeting with Gaster . . . But this development . . . right after the Doc had expressly ordered him to stay away from Corbel . . . This was bound to stir up trouble . . . Which was the last thing he wanted to do for Corbel or his family.

He expressed the situation to Corbel, approaching it with a cautious "By the way . . ."

Corbel groaned at the information, and shook his head slowly with a scoff. He already had a full counter argument ready. And he was ready to stand up for himself and for Sans and their mutual decision.

It was decided that Corbel and Sans would both attend the dinner to discuss this ridiculous overbearing behavior with his parents.

Sans pointed out that Corbel seemed confident about the discussion and earned a smile from him in return.

"What's the worst he could possibly do?" Was his response.

Sans hummed with his hands still firmly in his pockets. He clenched and released his fists. It was a situation over which he felt he had no control whatsoever. Essentially, he was in the center of a family dispute. He had no authority or right to butt in.

Yet, he found himself in this situation, his only saving grace walking beside him.

Damn it . . . When had he become so useless . . . ?

To his left, Corbel kept step, inwardly stewing over the situation himself. It seemed as if Sans had some sort of target over him, something his father painted there and wouldn't give in on no matter what. But what if Corbel stood in the way of that target? What if he could force him to see the bigger picture? Would it be enough?

He could feel Sans' uneasiness at his side and when he shifted his eyes, he found Sans withdrawn in his own thoughts, his shoulders pulled in to cover his ears as he muttered to himself.

Sans was torn almost violently from his thoughts when a hand gently took his wrist and slipped into his pocket to join his.

"Corbel . . .?"

"You look upset." Corbel responded, "It'll be okay, you know. It's just a little talk and not even the most stressful one we've ever had. Plus, we'll do it together, so I know we'll come through it alright."

Sans groaned again as his grip tightened on Corbel's hand. He wasn't even aware he was doing it. Soon, he removed both of their hands from his pocket and they continued walking in near silence. His posture opened up a bit and he seemed to come out of his more negative thoughts.

"Heh, isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" Sans chuckled, "I'm supposed to be the one comforting you."

"Now, what makes you say that? Didn't we agree that this was a partnership?"

"Tch well, yeah . . . But still . . . there are certain . . . roles . . . that I was kinda expecting to . . ."

"And why would you assume that role would automatically be yours?" Corbel chided with a smirk, "Maybe that's my role. And DON'T say it's because you're older than I am. You're only like a year older . . . I think . . ." Corbel stopped walking, realization hitting him hard, "Actually . . . Sans, when's your birthday, anyway?"

Sans actually laughed out at that, "Aaall this time, and you don't even know my birthday!? What kind of boyfriend are you!?"

"The kind who . . . Celebrates his boyfriend everyday for who he is, not just one day for how old he is!"

"Ooooh damn." Sans continued with his laughter, "That's actually a really good answer!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm good."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head."

"Whatever." Corbel shrugged, "So, you gonna tell me or what?"

"Tell you what?"

"Sans . . ."

Sans scoffed this time with a grin, "Nah, I'll keep it secret. I've actually kinda liked it like this."

"Pfff . . . Whatever." Corbel repeated, looking back toward the snow, which was steadily becoming thinner as they traveled into Waterfall territory. For a few moments, his thoughts were consumed by how little information Sans had given him about himself. His home, his family, his childhood, even his age. Why did he keep all of that secret? Why, after all of this time, did he still feel the need to hide himself away?

But then, he was still adamant about needing to "protect" Corbel and to "look after" him. What did that mean exactly? Why would he prioritize Corbel while pushing his own life to the back burner?

Why did it sound so familiar?

It didn't sound like Sans . . . It sounded more like . . .

"Undyne . . ."

"Wha-?" Sans asked, utterly confused.

"Oh, I . . . Well, it might sound random right now, but, when I first woke up after . . . everything that happened . . . there was something you said. Granted, I was still pretty out of it for a while afterward, but you just said something that reminded me. And it all just sounded more like someone else. Like, they weren't your words, but someone who might have talked to you beforehand, maybe?"

"And you were thinking that-"

"Sans, did Undyne get to you too? While I was out?"

Sans went quiet. During this time, his hand tightened slightly and he turned his eyes away.

"Man, you're good." He finally answered.

Corbel let out a long steadying breath, grumbling curses to himself. His hands tightened as well.

"Damn it all!" He hissed, turning his attention once again toward the other, "Sans . . . You can't let them get to you, okay? Dad and Undyne . . . They can both be really intense . . . And I'm sure that they were really upset . . . And they were scared, but that's no reason to take it out on you! They needed someone to blame . . . I'm sorry it ended up being you."

"Hey, it's no big deal, really." Sans shrugged, "It's not like they said anything to me that didn't already cross my mind . . . Really, it was just confirmation that I wasn't actually alone in my thoughts."

"Sans . . . It's not your job to take care of me. I can do that just fine on my own! In fact, I can-"

"But what if I want to do it . . .?" Sans cut off with a low mutter, "I know you can take care of yourself, Corbel. You're strong and resourceful and brilliant. I've known all that for years. But just because you can doesn't mean you have to. I've been in a situation for most of my life where I've had to . . . and that's something I never want to see you go through. So . . . just because it's 'not my job' doesn't mean I don't want to help out. I'm . . . I'm here now. I'm with you so you don't have to do it alone."

Caught off guard, Corbel went silent. It was an angle he'd actually never considered. At least in Sans' case, it wasn't pity at all. He didn't say he wanted to protect or take care of Corbel because he thought he was incapable of doing it himself, but because he knew he could and wanted to anyway.

"I-I never thought of it that way . . ." Corbel admitted.

"I know." Sans answered with a soft smile, "Or, at least, I figured. I have a feeling no one's told you that before, have they?"

Corbel shook his head.

"Well, do you get it now? Where I'm coming from? The 'why' behind it all?"

Corbel nodded, his smile returning. Something swelled within him and despite the cold surrounding him, he felt warm.

"Y-you know, the same is true for you too, right? You have had to do it alone for a long time . . . Even before we met . . . But things are different now. I'm here too. You're not alone anymore."

Sans nodded slowly, listening to Corbel's every word. He had to admit, it felt nice to have that confirmation. After so long, to say that he actually had someone.

He had someone . . .

He really wasn't alone anymore.

"Thanks." He said quietly as he led the way forward once again, "That actually, means a lot to me. You really do have a way with words."

"I know. I'm good." Corbel repeated.

They continued through Waterfall and Corbel showed Sans every shortcut he knew to get through as quickly as possible. Having grown up in the area, he knew all of the secret passageways and lesser traveled avenues where they could continue their conversation uninterrupted.

There was one instance during their travels that Corbel hesitated for a moment, looking down an empty street toward what seemed to be nothing.

Sans noticed the hesitation and looked down with him.

"Do you wanna stop by and say hello? We are in the area."

Corbel continued to stare. After the moment passed, followed by one or two more, he pried himself away and pulled Sans in the direction of the last shortcut to Hotland.

"We'll see Mom next week." He answered, "And I'm sure Dad's home by now and I don't think we're quite ready for that yet."

"Well, you know, I could head home from here and you can go. We'll call it a night."

"Heh, thanks, but here's the thing. If I go now, I can't guarantee I won't just spill everything. I can't hide any secrets from them. Especially mom."

"So, pretty much a bad idea all around?"

"Yeah, maybe . . . But just until next Friday."

It was always the same ever since the first "accident"

No matter where they went, they were always looked at like that. Like they were a monstrosity. The scum of the Earth.

It wasn't their fault! The world just didn't understand! They didn't get how difficult it was just to keep going after something like that.

And their parents were just part of that massive throng. Stupid, ignorant, blind, flawed.

There had to be a way to fix them. Fix them all. Fix the world! Then, things would be better. Then they'd understand. Then they all wouldn't look at them like that.

It really was an accident when they realized that they had that kind of power . . . magic. They never meant to jump back in time like that, but it was only to fix a mistake and at first, no one even noticed . . . Or they would just call it Deja vu and keep going with their lives.

But then, they realized they could use their magic to shape things to be more to their liking. If they wanted it, they could go back and change one thing. One piece of a puzzle, one domino in the line-up that would set things in motion for their success. Trip the girl in front of them so she wouldn't have a chance to take the last good ball at school. Set an alarm five minutes earlier so they wouldn't have to wait at that light for that train that randomly came through and made them miss the first 20 minutes of the movie.

. . . Strategically place a toy truck at the top of the stairs so their dad would "accidentally" fall and not have the opportunity to take his frustrations out on them or their mom . . . If he fell the right way . . . he'd never do it again. It took a few resets to get the position of the truck just right, but eventually, their dad never moved again, having fell down the stairs and snapped his neck. And even when they'd gotten the angle right and they found the right setup so everything would go smoothly, it was just a lot of fun to watch him fall over and over again!

They thought their mom would be grateful. She didn't have to worry about that man coming home slobbering drunk and in a bad mood. She didn't have to worry about him barging into her room just looking for something to work his frustrations out on . . . She didn't have to worry about him doing the same to her child.

But she was actually where those terrible looks started. She knew about their magic and she knew how it worked. She suspected them from the moment they realized it was the truck that sent her husband tumbling down the stairs.

From that day on, her vengeance was exacted on them. There was never a day that went by that she didn't curse her child for what they did.

Her "accident" took a little more time to plan. It had to be perfect. Only the best for dear mommy. They had a hard time getting all the circumstances just right. The weather, the time, the people around. The bus coming down the street. The kid's nonstop crying that would inevitably set their mom over the edge. The power cord lying in the sidewalk where it shouldn't have been. The birds that would get in her way and cause her not to see the power cord. The light had to be green or else the bus would be stopped.

It took several resets, but eventually, it worked out just the way they wanted it to. From that day on, mommy never bothered them again.

At first, the others said they pitied them. That they felt sorry for them for losing both of their parents so close to each other. But it didn't take long for the rumors to start, especially when they didn't seem to hold any emotion during their mother's funeral. They'd smiled when they lowered her casket.

It was a cousin who took them in. And they thought the circumstances would be better . . . but it seemed as if they'd come from a family of crazy, of addiction, of neglect, of rage. The cousin pretty much abandoned them. At first it was ideal. They didn't know the cousin. The cousin didn't know them. About the only thing they did for them was show them to their new school on the first day. Other than that, though. Nothing. No food or supplies. Not even the basic necessities . . .

It was such a shame the cousin had to get so sick. It must've been something they drank.

That only took two resets. Just to make sure the cousin grabbed the right beer.

By then, they were "the cursed child" they had "the touch of Death" Everyone looked at them like they would meet with a terrible accident if they got too close.

And at school, it was worse. The kids cursed them, bullied them, stole their things and destroyed them, ganged up on them.

They never said anything about it. They never told a teacher. The teachers didn't care. No one actually cared.

The science lab fire and resulting gas explosion took twelve resets.

They were passed around from foster house to foster house and everywhere they went, it was the same. They pretended to be nice people, but it was always a lie. They could hear them talking when they thought they weren't listening. There were constant murmurs no matter where they went.

"Why did it have to be us?"

"This was a mistake."

"Are we gonna die next?"

"Why do they do shit like that?"

"That child is cursed."

"You can see it in their eyes."

"That child should just leave and never come back."

"That child should have died when . . ."

All of them were such bad people. Two-faced liars. Manipulative scumbags just in it for money. ABSOLUTE IDIOTS!

They would teach them. They would teach them all! The world had to be fixed no matter what . . . No matter how many resets it took!

They learned about the legend of Mt. Ebott in school and about what lived below. They learned about the monsters and their thirst for the destruction of humankind. They learned about the spell keeping the monsters trapped.

They all said they were only stories. Legends. Fairy tales. When they asked for more on the stories they called them delusional and childish. Like believing in Santa or the tooth fairy.

Well . . . they were eight years old . . .

. . . Still, if there was any truth to the stories, it was clear what they had to do . . .

They would have to get the monsters out. The monsters would help them fix the world by getting rid of the stupid humans who inhabited it.

Now . . . how to get to Ebott . . . ?

Corbel switched from foot to foot anxiously as he shifted his gifts in his hands.

At his side, Sans chuckled a bit with his hands firmly in his pockets as he tried to hide his own trepidation.

"Hey, what happened to all of that confidence from before? I think you're more nervous about this get-together than I am and they're your parents."

"Yeah, I know." Corbel answered, "I just . . . I just want this to go well, you know? I mean, they already know who you are, so I don't have to introduce you at least . . . But I didn't even hint that we were . . . dating. I just told them that there was something important I wanted to talk to them about and to expect a little extra company."

"Yeah, that's not much to go on, but at the same time, I think that given the other factors, they may be able to put it together even without you saying anything."

"Yeah . . . Yeah, you're right." Corbel breathed, his hands trembling slightly. In response, Sans, noticing that nervous tremble, reached out to take one of the gifts, a bottle of Mrs. Gaster's favorite wine, in one hand. At the same time, he took Corbel's hand in the other in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"It's okay." He reassured, "We got this. Just breathe."

Corbel did, clenching firmly into Sans' hand as he drew in a long steadying breath and let it out slowly.

"There we go." Sans smiled, "Now, you ready to do this?"

Corbel chuckled, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Heh, nope. Not really. But, let's do it anyway."

"And I'll be right there with you. Don't worry, we got this."

"We've got this . . ." Corbel repeated with a sigh as he lifted his hand and knocked at the grey door. "We've got this."

There was a tiny hand squeeze from Sans.

It didn't take too long after that for there to be an answer. Within the minute, a cheery Skeleton woman pulled open the barrier.

"My baby's home!" She exclaimed, not even bothering to look at the scene before her. "Welcome back, Corbel!"

"Mom!" Corbel cheered right back, the energy instantly filling him as well. He pulled away from Sans to step forward toward her.

Immediately, Mrs. Gaster took her son in her arms, holding him firmly with a hum.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" She sang.

Corbel couldn't help the wide smile pulling at his mouth as he embraced his mother. It really wasn't that often that he was able to see her this happy. It was such a nice and comforting feeling that he very nearly forgot to respond.

"It's only been a couple of weeks." He teased.

"Well, yes. But how long has it been since you came home!? We miss you around here, you know!"

"Hmm. I guess you do have a point." Corbel admitted, "It has been a few months."

"Um, yeah!" Nyala pushed, "Way to leave your mother worried about you. You could at least check in a little more often."

"Or," Corbel pushed right back, "You could get a cell phone, Mom. That way, I can call you even when you're not at home. Go figure, right!?"

"Oh you!" She giggled, finally releasing her son and distancing herself with a playful shove. It was in that moment that she noticed the other Skeleton standing there.

"Sans!" She smiled, her enthusiasm still unwavering, "It's been a while! How have you been!? You look well!"

"Hey, Mama Gaster!" Sans greeted with his own broad smile in place, "I'm great, thanks. Good to see you again!"

"Ooh! 'Great', huh?" Nyala grinned, "Well, that's comforting! The last time I saw you, you were barely 'okay' let alone 'great'. It's definitely an upgrade."

"'Mama Gaster'?" Corbel repeated in a near scoff, "Did I miss something? When did that start up?"

"Oh, not too long ago, actually." Nyala shrugged. "Sans and I have actually been building up quite the rapport. Isn't that right, Sans?"

"Oh yeah!" Sans answered brightly, "Your mom and I are BFFs now. Didn't you know?"

"Well, that's great. Now I'm the third wheel."

"As long as you know where you stand." Nyala giggled.

"Oh, gee thanks, Mom."

Again, she took Corbel in her arms and laughed quietly with him.

"Oh, Honey, you know you'll never be my third wheel." She cooed, "Now, come inside. Both of you. No good standing outside."

"Before we do." Corbel replied, "We've come bearing gifts!"

"I see that. You brought libations! And it's a good one too! Thank you, boys. Very thoughtful!"

At the cue, Sans stepped forward, offering the glass bottle over to her. She accepted the bottle and gave Sans a hug in the process. Taken by surprise for the moment, Sans kind of froze, trying to decide how to respond. In the end, he returned the embrace.

"Welcome back, Sans." She said in a quiet voice, "How is your leg, by the way? Is it still giving you problems?"

Sans thought it over for a moment before responding.

"Wow, I guess it really was that long ago, huh? Well, I'm a lot better now, thanks." He responded. "It's nowhere near as bad as it was before. Just the occasional twinge here and there."

"Good. Good to hear. And you seem to be in much higher spirits than the last time I saw you."

"You know, I really am." He admitted to himself as well as to her, "I had a lot of help. And quite a bit of it came from you . . . So, thanks for what you did. You . . . Really saved my ass."

"I'm glad I could help, sweetie. Now, really, let's get inside and get this wine on ice."

She ushered Sans inside, stepping slightly to the side to make entry easier for the Sans and Corbel.

As he approached, Corbel hesitated in the doorway with the second gift.

"Um, where should I put these?"

Nyala beckoned her son inside, closing the door behind him before really taking a look at his gift. A bouquet of vibrant yellow, white, and blue flowers. They were obviously chosen for the color more than the arrangement or the type of flower. He knew she would appreciate adding more color to the house. And he was absolutely correct! What a thoughtful boy!

"I think these would look perfect on the coffee table in the living room. Don't you? If you don't mind putting them in a vase and setting them up in there. You remember where I keep the vases, don't you?"

"I remember. Cabinet over the sink, right?"

"That's right." Nyala grinned, lifting a hand to gently tilt Corbel's head down. She also had to lean upward slightly on her toes in order to give him a quick kiss to his forehead. "Thank you so much for the flowers, sweetie! They're beautiful!"

"Oh . . . You're welcome, Mom. Glad you like them."

A tiny huff of laughter sounded off somewhere beyond the immediate area and Corbel shot a quick glance into the living room area where Sans stood with a chiding grin of his own as he witnessed the exchange between mother and son. It was cute and maybe even a bit embarrassing for the younger Skeleton. Yup, there was the tell-tale blush.

"I-I'll go put these in water." Corbel announced, dismissing himself momentarily.

Nyala smiled and nodded, lowering her hand and allowing Corbel to pass her without contest. Of course, she noticed the slight blush as well as what sparked it. When she looked back to her son's plus-one, she found him with his head lowered and his hands in his pockets as he fought to stifle his laughter. His eyes, however, were glued to Corbel's retreating back.

"I hope you're hungry, Sans." She distracted, "It's going to be a spaghetti dinner. It happens to be Corbel's favorite. A meal he's never been able to refuse!"

"Oh yeah!" Sans responded, turning his attention for a moment back to Nyala, "He's told me about it before and I gotta say, you've got a bit of hype to live up to! I've been looking forward to trying it."

"Oh!?" Nyala questioned, her eyes widening slightly, "Well, it was sweet of him to talk up my cooking. I hope I don't disappoint."

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fantastic. I can still remember that soup you made a long time ago. It was amazing then and it wasn't even your specialty. I can't wait to see what you've got on a recipe you've perfected."

Nyala had to take a moment to compose herself so she could prevent her own flattered blushing, "Oh . . . Well, in that case. You'd better hold onto something when you try it. I put everything I have into this. For now, will you help me set the table?"

"Of course!" Sans grinned, taking a step forward and removing his hands from his pockets.

From his spot at the kitchen sink, Corbel pretended not to watch the two of them. Sans said it jokingly, but it really did seem as if he and his mother were a lot more friendly toward each other than they had been in the past. Sans was even making her blush. It was comforting to see. His mom liked his boyfriend and they got along well. That was one obstacle down.

. . . And one to go.

"Hey, Mom?" Corbel tried to start nonchalantly, though the slight waver in his voice gave away his true feelings on the situation.

"Yes, baby?" She acknowledged.

"Where's Dad? He should be back by now, shouldn't he?"

"Oh, well . . . He's running late today. He actually told us to start without him and he'll catch up."

Corbel hesitated in his task. Something in her tone struck a familiar and irritating chord within him.

"Mom, how often has this been happening? Has he been coming home late a lot?"

"Honey, honey." Nyala stepped in, sensing the rising tension in Corbel's voice, "Everything's fine. It's not all the time and it isn't nearly as bad as it was before. You have nothing to worry about."

"Ugh . . . He's slipping again." Corbel muttered more to himself than out loud to the others, "And sounds like Mom's covering for him again too. Damn it. I thought we were past this. Maybe . . . Is it like this because of what happened? Are they so short-handed at the lab that he has to stay and cover because I can't be there . . . ?"

From his side, Nyala reached over and shut off the faucet.

"The vase is overflowing, sweetie." She said softly to him. She took the vase from him then and poured out the excess water.

"Corbel." She continued in the same tone, "I promise, everything is alright. You shouldn't worry so much."

Corbel released an irritated breath, "You know, you said the same thing last time. And last time was extremely bad. Just . . . Don't let it get that way again, okay?"

With a slight sigh, Nyala handed the stone vase back to Corbel.

"Alright. You have my word." She agreed with a tilt of her head, "Will you take the flowers to the living room? We'll start dinner when you get back."

"Okay . . ." Corbel conceded, accepting the vase and stepping away from the sink.

From his spot setting the placements at the table, Sans watched silently as Corbel and Nyala conversed. They were both speaking very softly to each other and it seemed that Corbel was getting upset about whatever it was they were talking about. And whatever that was, Sans obviously wasn't supposed to hear it. With a soft touch, Nyala sent Corbel to the living room and Sans watched him go. When he left, Nyala let out a short breath and turned again toward Sans.

"How's that table coming, dear?"

Sans snapped his head back to see her, "I-I just got one more place left . . . is he okay?"

"Oh, Corbel? Yeah, he's fine." She answered with a quick look back to her son. "He can get a little passionate when it comes to . . . certain things."

Sans tilted his head in silent question, but he didn't pry more than that.

"Yeah, I can see that." He answered standing up from where he was finishing the settings. "Alrighty, I'm all done here!"

"Good, good. Now, one last favor. Do you mind taking the salad from the refrigerator and putting it in the center of the table?"

"Sure thing." Sans answered.

In the next few minutes, Sans and Nyala finished setting up the meal. Nyala brought over a plate of garlic toast as well as a pitcher of her own special blend of iced tea. When he returned, Corbel also contributed, taking the plates from three of the four settings to serve the spaghetti. Once he returned, dinner was served.

Once the three were seated and the meal was underway, it seemed as if all tensions were instantly dissipated. Corbel showed off his mother's cooking, praising her style and technique and acting as her hype man. He regaled her as an artist in several mediums including culinary arts as a home cook. Though all of the praise, Nyala just smiled, trying to talk down the hype and telling Sans not to get too incredibly excited. Sans answered saying that if she made it, then it was sure to be good.

When it came time for Sans to actually try the food instead of just listening to the two talk about it, both Corbel and Nyala went dead silent and waited for the verdict. It was a little nerve-wracking actually.

But, just like with the soup five years ago, Sans was very nearly absorbed by the meal. Everything seemed to have a little something extra about it. The pasta noodles were 100% homemade as was the tomato sauce, which had its own unique balance of sweet and tangy.

Just like she said, Mrs. Gaster obviously put everything she had into this meal. She probably did it with the thought that it was her son's favorite meal and it was for him. She put all of her love into the dish and it showed. It was absolutely delicious!

Corbel sat with a smirk on his face as Sans ate, trying hard not to interrupt with an "I told you so." He knew Sans would enjoy it as much as he did. His mom was an amazing chef. Eventually, he turned back to his own meal and ate with conviction. When he took a bite of his own, he paused for a moment with a soft hum.

"You killed it again, Mom! You really have to teach me to make this so I can cook it at home!"

Before he could stop himself, Sans was nodding in earnest.

"D-derff-enit-ly!" He agreed around a mouthful of pasta. He covered his mouth with his hand as he finished his bite and before he spoke again, "I know I could probably eat this every day and never get tired of it. It's incredible, Mama Gaster!"

"Aww, you're sweet, boys." She hummed, a thought crossing her mind, "Maybe next time, I'll hold a master class and I'll teach you both. But I warn you, it's an all day event if you're using fresh ingredients!" She gave the boys a wink.

"Oh heck yeah! I'm in!" Corbel cheered with a fist pump, "Whaddya say, Sans? You in too!?"

Sans smirked for a moment, "Heh, maybe I'll just let you cook for me. Since it's a family recipe and all! I don't wanna mess it up!"

"In other words, you want to sit back while I do all the work, lazy ass!"

"Now whatever gave you that idea!?" Sans asked in mock shock and offense, "This is a special mother-son bonding moment! Who am I to get in the way of that!?"

Corbel glared at Sans and eventually rolled his eyes at him, "Whatever, lazy ass." He repeated, "Alright, Mom. You should mark us both down for your lesson!"

Nyala giggled watching the two. They really had their own dynamic and when they got into it. It was as if the rest of the world didn't matter to them. If only for a moment at a time, they were in their own secret level of existence and in that moment, they were both the happiest she'd ever seen them. It was both cute and amazing to witness.

Again, she hummed as she thought it over. Her smile, now seemingly a permanent part of her face.

"Sounds like fun." She answered, "We'll work the details out later. I look forward to seeing the two of you in class!"

"It's a date!" Corbel cheered. He shot a victorious look toward Sans, his smirk returning.

"Aw man!" Sans groaned in playful defeat. "I thought I could get out of it. I mean, who can argue with free spaghetti? ESPECIALLY at this level!"

"Well, look at it this way." Corbel encouraged, "You get to learn from the best. Not everyone gets an opportunity as rare as this!"

Sans answered, his smile and his tone softening slightly. "Guess I really lucked out, then, huh?"

For a moment, Corbel hesitated, instantly recognizing the subtle change in Sans' voice as well as what he meant by it. He was calling attention to the fact that they would be taking this class together, and after today, it would be "as a couple". After today, even Mrs. Gaster would be aware of their relationship. So when Corbel so innocently declared "it's a date" it would become literal in just a few hours.

"Y-yeah." He answered, having to turn his eyes away once again, "Lucky you."

From her side of the table, Nyala watched the exchange with a studious eye. She didn't quite catch the change in Sans, but she definitely caught her son's not-quite-as-subtle-as-he-wanted-to-be reaction to the comment. For some reason, that comment flustered him and that was worth noting at least.

She knew Corbel had always had a crush on Sans . . . but there was something about his demeanor that was different . . . what shifted?

"Anyway." She stepped in, "Per Corbel's request. I did make extra. So feel free to go back for seconds if you so choose. Just remember to save some for Wingdings so he has dinner when he comes home."

The evening continued smoothly. Both Corbel and Sans did end up going back for seconds on the spaghetti, which was a confidence booster for Nyala.

After dinner, Corbel insisted he clean up while Nyala took Sans on a short tour of the home. He hadn't taken the opportunity to explore last time he was there. Granted, last time, he'd been in recovery from his heat exhaustion. Sans agreed to the tour with the added and secret stipulation that Nyala tell him every embarrassing story she could remember about Corbel's childhood. Nyala was happy to oblige.

When the used dishes were clean and drying and the remaining food was stowed away, Corbel rejoined the other two chuckling and giggling Skeletons at the end of their tour. When he appeared, the other two went suspiciously quiet. Whatever they'd been laughing about just now, it was obviously at his expense.

"Mom, what the heck were you telling him!?"

Nyala raised a hand in defense, though the smile on her face never faded and when she spoke there was a lingering hint of her former laughter.

"Oh, nothing important, sweetie. Sans was just curious about a few things from when you were younger, so I showed him your old room."

Corbel's face drained and his eyes widened. Moments later, his face flushed again with heat and a deep blush crept in.

"Sans . . ." He began again cautiously, knowing full well the power he wielded, "What did you find in there? I know you . . . you definitely went snooping, didn't you?"

"Eh, not too much." Sans answered with a wave, "It's a normal teenager's room after all. Some old action figures, some models here and there. Who knew you had a car phase, though!? Maybe an old drawing or two from a long time ago."

"My . . . art projects . . . ?" Corbel responded, still trying to fight through the embarrassment.

"Yeah, your mom told me about the outings the two of you would take where she would take you painting. You actually have some pretty good drawing and painting skills. How come you don't do that anymore?"

"I . . . well, I . . . as a kid I really wanted to be . . ."

"He idolized his father." Nyala explained, "He wanted to be a scientist just like Wingdings. You saw the shelf on the back wall full of books and the geode display, right? There was even a time when he was five when Corbel dressed up as his father for show and tell at school. The lab coat was way too big on him and he was swimming in it, but he refused to take it off. He wore it the whole weekend and did little 'experiments' around the house."

"Aw, that's actually adorable." Sans grinned, an impish grin on his face, "Too bad there weren't any pictures to go along with that. Little scientist Corbel sounds cute."

"Of course there were pictures!" Nyala cheered, "Hang on here, I'll be right back!"

"MOM!" Corbel protested as Nyala rushed back to her bedroom, "You're giving him ammo! You know he's just gonna turn around and use this against me, right!? MOM!?"

"Corbel, honey! Can you grab the wine and three glasses!?"

". . . she's ignoring me . . ." Corbel muttered, defeated, "Sans . . . why? Why do you hate me so?"

Sans chuckled softly, reaching out for a second to take Corbel's hand and lead him back toward the kitchen. "I don't hate you, Daydreamer. I'm entertaining your mother. She loves to brag about you. And I get to see what you were like as a kid. You really were adorable, you know. And such a sweet kid."

Corbel grumbled as they made their way back to get the wine. "And of course you're gonna use all of this new info in your act."

"Only on days when you're there." Sans smiled. He stopped for a moment once they'd rounded the barrier separating the walkway and the kitchen and turned to face his boyfriend.

"Corbel." He assured, "You have absolutely nothing to worry about. I won't lie and say I won't use the material, because I absolutely will. But I won't do anything that will paint you in a bad light. I just wanna show you off, is all. You are amazing and you deserve others to know that like I do. Like your mom does."

Sans continued to hold Corbel's hand for a moment longer as he closed the distance between them and briefly touched his mouth in a quick kiss.

That helped a bit. The corner of Corbel's mouth pulled back in a soft smile. Once again, Sans was able to rid him of his own anxious thoughts and focus on the good.

"Besides, your mom seems to be having a great time." Sans continued as he pulled away toward where he saw Nyala stow the wine to chill.

Corbel grabbed the three wine glasses and took them to the living room with Sans to set up where the rest of their evening would take place.

It didn't take Nyala long to return with a folder full of laminated pages upon pages of photos. She sat on the larger of the couches and invited Sans to come sit beside her. Both he and Corbel took her up on her offer and all three of them looked over the album. Of course each picture had a story that went along with it and Nyala was more than happy to tell each one. Even when Corbel pushed that maybe Sans didn't want to hear all the details of his pirate phase, She continued in a hushed voice as if that was any better. Sans looked along with various expressions ranging from amused to endeared to full out laughter.

Along with the pictures, however there were other things that stood out to Sans. In the early pictures, Dr. Gaster had been a prominent part of the scene, laughing and having fun with his family in a way he'd never seen him do before. He looked so happy and his family looked happy. Then, as Corbel grew, Dr. Gaster's presence in the photos diminished. The only photos he would show up in were those where Corbel had fallen ill and was bedridden and that was because everyone was in those pictures including Undyne and the Blooks and a few other of Corbel's classmates. And in the back were his parents. They'd all gathered around to wish Corbel a speedy recovery. It was a sweet gesture. Around that same time, Corbel had gotten his first pair of cuffs and, of course, Nyala commemorated the occasion with a photo. Corbel seemed happy enough to have five fingers per hand again and he showed off the cuffs proudly.

As time went on, the photos tried to be on the positive side, with Nyala and Corbel posed in different locations around the Underground, some in odd situations or with goofy expressions. But Sans noticed something a little different. Corbel almost always had his hands in his pockets and his smile seemed to have faded. Others might have seen it as Corbel growing into his angsty teen years, but knowing what he knew about Corbel now, he suspected that Corbel was doing his best to hide his cuffs. Like a child with braces who never opened their mouth to smile. Where he'd once been proud of the device, he seemed embarrassed to even show them. Perhaps something happened that caused that shift. Had he been bullied because of his cuffs or because of the disease itself? How cruel, especially since this was the result.

He also noticed that Dr. Gaster was almost non-existent in these later pictures, but in his stead were Corbel's friends. Heh, there was even a picture of the four of them as they practiced for their band. A few of them . . . and a candid shot of Corbel writing lyrics while Undyne played piano. And more pictures of Corbel with Undyne and more. There hadn't been this many of the two of them since the times when they were both kids and in their superhero/ pirate/ explorer/ knight/ racecar phases. Perhaps Nyala had secretly hoped that maybe something would bloom between the two of them . . . ?

"Oh and this one was from their first dance."

"Well, my first dance." Corbel corrected, "Undyne had been to a few of them before."

"Ah, yes, that's right! Look how handsome you were, Corbel! I think I still have that vest and tie here somewhere! Look at what a gentleman you are! Wow, sometimes I still can't believe how quickly it all happened."

Nyala tore her eyes from the photo album to look over toward her son and the lingering effects of the blush covering his face from all of the stories told about his past. "Of course you're still handsome. But now, I suppose you're your own fully grown monster at this point, aren't you?"

"Mom . . ." Corbel sighed.

As the two of them spoke, Sans studied the picture. There was something in Corbel's expression that didn't sit well with him. He wore a smile, sure, but it wasn't genuine in the slightest. He seemed distracted and upset. What happened?

As if on cue, the door on the far side of the living room creaked open and a tall Skeleton man shuffled through.

"I'm home." He announced, already in the process of removing the outer articles of clothing as well as his shoes to put them in their places.

Immediately, Nyala stood, handing the album fully to Sans as she made to cross the room.

"Welcome home, Honey." She cheered, greeting him with a kiss.

From their spots on the sofa, both Corbel and Sans were stricken with that nervousness from the beginning of the night. Now that Gaster was home, there would be no more evading the main reason they'd chosen to meet that evening . . . in just a few moments, he would notice them and everything would come to a head all at once.

Gaster embraced his wife and returned her kiss.

"It smells incredible in here, Dearest." He complimented, "It seems you've been busy today. Where's Corbel? Didn't he say he'd be dropping by today?"

At the cue, Corbel stood from his spot on the sofa and instinctively, Sans stood as well, even though his back was stiff and his legs felt like jelly.

"He's here, in the living room as well as a special guest."

"Oh, is that ri . . ."

Looking into the living room himself, Gaster caught eyes with the other two. Corbel stood with a bit of a nervous smile. At his side stood-

"Serif. What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"I-I invited him." Corbel stepped forward, "He's my guest."

"Your 'guest'?" Gaster repeated, "And what compelled you to invite that . . . into my home?"

"Honey!" Nyala snapped sharply, "There's no need to be rude! He's a guest in our home! Treat him as such!"

With a glare, Gaster let out a sigh, his mood instantly soured. "It's nice to see you, Corbel." He greeted, ignoring the other Skeleton altogether.

Nyala took Gaster's hand in that moment, leaning up to whisper something in his ear. After a moment or two, Gaster sighed again, his shoulders visibly less tense. He didn't seem to be in any better of a mood, but he was able to look directly at Sans.

"Good evening, Serif." He finally conceded.

Sans swallowed hard past the solid lump in his throat, "Sir." Was all he was able to say to him.

"It seems as if everyone was having a good time at least. Don't let me ruin the mood."

"Of course not!" Nyala pressed, "We were waiting for you. How about you change out of your work clothes and we can get back to it. There's a glass of wine with your name on it!"

Gaster hummed, "Yes. That does sound nice."

The doctor took his momentary leave at that moment and as soon as he was out of sight, the other two let out the breath they'd been holding.

"Boys." Nyala addressed, "There's no need to tread so carefully now that Wingdings is here. I understand that you're nervous, especially after that . . . less than warm welcome. And Sans . . . I apologize for that. But that doesn't change the fact that you both came here with a purpose in mind, correct?"

Corbel nodded, his eyes darting back to the hallway every few seconds or so, expecting his father to reappear.

"Don't let him deter you from that purpose, do you hear me? No matter what it was you two came here to discuss, I hope you can do so with confidence!"

"I dunno, Mom." Corbel tried, his voice withered, "Judging by that reaction just now . . . I can pretty much guarantee that he won't like what's coming."

At his side, Sans let out a few steadying breaths as his hands tightened into fists for a moment before he released them again. He did this a few times, trying not to reach out for Corbel at that moment. Instead, he shoved both of his hands in his pockets and looked off to the side, silently.

"I know, baby." Nyala addressed again, "I can see how much this means to you. And I know how much our reactions mean to you as well. Just . . . I hope you both can find the courage to talk to us normally about this. You've already come so far. I know you can do it."

"Thanks, Mom." Corbel answered softly. He looked back again toward Sans who seemed completely deflated. It took all he had not to reach out for him, but . . . it was still too soon.

"Sans . . . ?" He tried instead, "Hey . . ."

Sans managed to lift his eyes back toward Corbel and his nervous smile. He looked the younger Skeleton up and down, but otherwise remained silent.

"We've got this . . . don't we?"

Somehow, just that was enough to get a little bit of life back into Sans. He gave the tiniest of smiles and continued to fight to get his hands to stop trembling in his pockets.

"Yeah . . . we got this."

Again, Nyala crossed the living room and scooped her son into a comforting hug.

"You certainly do have this, baby." She whispered to him, "And just so you know, I'm so proud of you. By now, I have a pretty good idea of what's going on and I know how difficult it is to come to your parents about something like this, even without all of the extra circumstances . . . So I wanted to let you know right now, that no matter what, I'm proud of both you and Sans for taking this step and I love you."

Corbel returned the hug, letting out a deep breath. "I love you too, Mama . . . Thank you."

After a moment or two more, she released Corbel and repeated the process with Sans. She whispered to him as well, giving him encouragement and advice. After a moment, Sans wrapped uncertain arms around Nyala and held tightly onto her. It really was what he needed to hear and it was almost enough to move him to tears. If he didn't still have to deal with what was coming, it probably would have.

Down the hall, the door to Dr. and Mrs. Gaster's bedroom opened and they could hear as the doctor made his way back to the living room. When he appeared again, he was wearing a significantly less authoritative outfit. The suit and blazer had been discarded in favor of a loose-fitting sweat shirt and denim pants. Just the change in outfit was something that helped tone down the serious mood. In this environment, he was not Dr. W.D. Gaster the Royal Scientist, but Wingdings Gaster, Corbel's dad. It was still intimidating to be facing him, but significantly less so. It had been a while since either one of the two younger Skeletons saw him in a less formal light.

"Thank you for waiting." He began, making himself known and visible as he entered the living room and found a seat across the table where his wife had been seated before. "I hope everyone has been having a good time so far."

"Yeah." Corbel answered, trying to do his part in lightening the mood, "Mom's spaghetti turned out really well and she said she'd teach us how to make it some time."

"'Us'?" Gaster repeated, his eyes drifting to the other Skeleton seated in near silence on the other couch with Corbel.

"Yup. Me and Sans."

"'Sans and I'." Gaster corrected.

"Actually, it would be 'Sans and me'." Nyala double corrected. "'Mom will teach me to make spaghetti' would turn into, 'Mom will teach Sans and me to make spaghetti'. Take out the other person and if it still makes sense as 'me' then keep it and list the other person first. If 'me' doesn't make sense, then switch it to 'I' and still list the other person first. In this case, 'Mom will teach I to make spaghetti' makes no sense, so 'me' it is."

There was a short silence that took over the area for a moment. During that time, several Skeletons had to blink in order to regain their footing.

"Are we really here for an English lesson right now, Dearest?" Gaster questioned, breaking that silence.

"Hey, you're the one who started it. I was just making sure the information was correct."

The momentary delay seemed to help. Corbel and even Sans were able to crack a small smile at the derailment.

"Anyway," Corbel began again. "That's what we've been up to. Spaghetti. And we brought Mom some wine so, we've been drinking that."

"Speaking of." Nyala remembered, pouring another glass of wine into her own glass and handed it to Wingdings, "Here you are."

"No, Nyala. I'll grab my own."

"Sweetie, it's fine. It's more important that you relax for now."

With a sigh, Gaster accepted the glass and took a long sip of the wine, perhaps in anticipation for what was to come.

"So, how was the lab today?" Corbel asked, settling into his own seat once again, "Must've been busy if you're just now getting home."

"Hm?" Gaster responded, "I thought for certain Serif would have told you the whole tale by now. If what I hear is correct, the two of you spend nearly every day together these days."

"I . . ." Corbel hesitated, ". . . well, I . . . where did you hear that?"

"It doesn't matter." Gaster answered, shaking his head.

"We didn't talk a whole lot today." Sans finally spoke up, "We needed to get here, after all. We were kinda preoccupied, you know?"

Gaster hummed, but didn't respond to Sans, "Work has been piling up lately." He explained, "The interns are working at full capacity. But even with all of us, it isn't enough. It just keeps piling up faster than we can take care of it."

Corbel thought it over . . . so it was because of him. If he'd been able to continue to work, then they'd be able to keep up with the workload.

"Don't think it's on you." Sans spoke up, noticing the look Corbel wore. "It's okay. I'm sure there's a way we can catch up."

Again, Gaster hummed, and again, he didn't respond.

"All of these niceties and this idle chatter is drawing away from the real reason you wanted to talk. Don't think I didn't notice. You said there was something important you wanted to discuss with . . . Your mother and me . . . ?"

Nyala nodded her agreement.

"Well, you have our full attention. What did you want to talk about?"

Corbel drew in a deep breath and at his side, Sans did the exact same thing.

"A-abo-about that . . ." The youngest Skeleton began nervously, "I-it's kinda . . . . it's kinda difficult to say. I-I-I-I mean. It's . . . it is a big deal . . . it's important. A-at least- at least to me . . . to . . . t-t-to us . . ."

Corbel choked on his words then, unable to speak. He was breathing heavily and his hands were both trembling as he tried to continue for both of them.

For a moment, everything seemed to swirl out of focus and the edges of his vision seemed to blacken. Soon, he couldn't see anything at all in front of him.

There was a pull on his hand that snapped him back to reality. He gasped, his eyes widening as he turned his attention toward the one who had his hand. Sans held him tightly, though he didn't turn his eyes to look at him. His eyes were glued solidly to the doctor in sheer determination.

"We got this, Daydreamer." He said firmly, "Just breathe. And I'm here too, remember. We got this!"

Corbel obeyed, taking a deep breath as he held tight to Sans' hand. He'd used his nickname for him. He was holding his hand while challenging his father with direct eye contact. Sans wasn't backing down. This was it.

Corbel tried again, "S-so-s-so . . . so, for the last couple of weeks . . . S-Sans and I . . . have been . . . w-w-we . . . are . . ."

Gaster's eyes narrowed as he watched the two of them. To his side, Nyala clasped her hands together in anticipation, her eyes as determined as Sans'. She nodded, a small gesture to encourage the boys.

"We . . . are . . . d-d-da-d-dating . . . now." Corbel ended with a bit of an awkward smile. He did it! He said it out loud to his parents! He confirmed it with his hand laced in his boyfriend's. With him right by his side in support. The two of them together as they announced themselves!

He caught his mother's eye from the other side of the table. She nodded again, her eyes wide in excitement and her grin stretched clear across her face. He did it! Her little boy! It finally happened!

He felt light, now that it was out in the open. That huge weight instantly dissolved and floated away from his chest and now that it was gone, Corbel could smile. He and Sans were both-

"No." Gaster said solidly. There was no inflection. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't use any extra energy. He was just as stone-faced as ever as if looking at and talking to a pile of paperwork . . . no, the pile of paperwork would have probably gotten more of a reaction.

"Wh-what . . . ?"

"Absolutely not." Gaster spoke again with the same lack of feeling, "I cannot allow that."

"I-I don't . . . we-we're not asking your permission." Corbel spoke back, something chipping away at the timid nervousness, "This-this is already happening. We . . . we've already started."

"And I'm ending it. Right here and now." When he looked back across at the two of them, his eyes were hollow and devoid of any light as he glared. There seemed to be just an aura of black radiating from him and in his hand, the wine glass he held trembled as he fought to hold in his sheer anger for the situation.

"Serif. Do you remember what I told you?" He grit through his teeth, that malice reaching over and honing in directly at Sans, "My order to you when we got back from the Ruins after you nearly got my son killed!?"

Sans's grip tightened and Corbel's tightened right back in reassurance.

"I remember." He said solidly.

"And yet you have elected to completely ignore that order."

"With all due respect, sir, I think that maybe-"

"No one asked you what you think!" Gaster fumed, shifting to be on the edge of his seat. He set his glass down on the table to avoid the risk of it breaking in his grip, "I told you! I ordered you to stay away from my son! That you would only hurt him again! You knew then and yet you still went behind my back and-"

"Honey!" Nyala snapped, grabbing at his sleeve and pulling harshly to gain his attention. He was exhibiting a level of anger she hadn't seen in years . . . not since those days. Not since the humans. "These boys have been on this path for years! You've known that and you can't ignore that! And now that it's finally happening for them- now that they have finally found their happiness, you're looking to rip them apart!? Think of what you're saying! Think of who you sound like!"

"I absolutely refuse to acknowledge any relationship involving my son and that . . . that monster."

"We're not asking you to!" Corbel snapped back. "No matter what you say, Dad, you can't change this!"

"And tell me, what happens when this all goes south . . . again!? What happens when he leaves you broken and alone? That seems to be the pattern going on here. And you're an idiot if you can't see that, son!"

Corbel's breaths became more and more shallow the longer he listened, "You're wrong, Dad! It's not like that! Sans and I . . . "

"Are caught in the aftermath of what happened in the Ruins! As simple as that. Corbel, we were all afraid that you were going to die. Your mom and I, your closest friends, and yes, even Serif. And now that you've made a recovery up to this point, there seems to be a joint sigh of relief from everyone involved. And for the two at the epicenter of the crisis, you and Serif, that sigh has blown you together. But it's only a breath. A moment in your lives. It's temporary. It's fleeting. And when it ends, when that guilty conscience subsides, where will you be then?"

"Wait, what!?" Sans hissed in response, "You're saying that I'm doing this as what, a way to soothe my own shame!? My 'guilty conscience' for what happened!? You said! You told me that you knew how I felt! That those feelings were genuine! You understood! What happened to that!?"

"I never said you didn't feel it, Serif. Only that it was a temporary phase, sparked by the events of the cave-in. You never would have done what you did if that event didn't trigger it."

"What he did . . . ?" Corbel questioned, feeling like there was something missing, "What happened? What did he do?"

"You were on the brink." Nyala explained softly, "And when it looked like there would be no way to save you, Sans did something that would be impossible if it didn't come from a true and pure emotional place. He sacrificed his own Max HP in order to save you."

Again, Corbel gasped and he shot a look to Sans . . . he had no idea. He did something like that for him . . . ? How!? How was that even possible?

"How could you possibly deny that level of love, Wingdings!?" Nyala pressed, "You know what something like that takes! You know what that kind of sacrifice can do to a person! But still, you refuse to acknowledge them!?"

"If it was anything other than that, then, why did it take this long to spark a relationship? Why didn't it happen before when Corbel first confessed how he felt to you and you crushed him . . . or any time after that? Why now!? After this! Why did it take his death to catch your attention!?"

"Dad!" Corbel stepped in again. He could feel Sans' hand trembling violently in his and though he tried to hold it back, he could see how much these words were hurting him, "Stop it! Just stop! Can't you just back off of him for a second!?"

"Absolutely not!" Gaster continued, "That creature is solely responsible for what happened. The two of you had no business being in that part of the Ruins and even if it was because there was someone inside, it was never your job to launch a rescue mission. You are not the Royal Guard. And it was only because he insisted that you were in there when the cave collapsed. It wouldn't have even collapsed at all if you weren't in there to trigger it!"

"Dad! No! I made a choice that day to follow. Sans . . . he told me not to. I told him I didn't agree and he said that I shouldn't follow him in . . . I made that choice."

"You were being a diligent lab partner to a complete idiot. You went along to protect him from his own stupidity! And if you weren't there to save him, he would have been the one beneath the mountain. That was the way it should have played out! That would have been what he deserved! He should've been the one fighting for his life in the wake of his idiocy."

"Dad!"

"Wingdings! Stop! Stop it!" Nyala fought back from his side. He was going too far, but how could she get him to shut up and listen!?

"And now that everything is 'okay' again. Now that you are no longer teetering on the brink of death, he thinks he can swoop in and pretend that he somehow deserves to have you by his side? That he's somehow suddenly worthy!? That's not love! That's guilt! And the only way this goes on is if he continues to feel that overwhelming guilt. Corbel doesn't deserve that, Serif! Corbel doesn't deserve your obligation! Your need to 'make it right' or to 'make it up to him'! He deserves someone who won't lead him further and further into a cavern of bad decisions only to be left alone when he needs it most! He deserves someone who deserves him, and that someone is not you! That someone will never be you!"

The air went suddenly silent as Gaster finished his rant. On the same couch, Nyala held a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide and gave a slight shake of her head. Across the way, Corbel's mouth fell slightly open.

"Y-you're You're wrong!" He fought, "That's not what this is at all! Sans and I are partners! We get into messes together and we get out together! THAT'S who we are! That's who we've always been! We've always been on each other's team and we've always had each other's backs! This has never been about who's 'worthy' of whom! Sans never needed to prove himself to me! I chose him, because he's what I wanted. Because he's the one I fell in love with! And now . . . he's chosen me too! My partner! If we fall, then we'll fall together! When we rise, we'll do it together! When we fly, I know he'll be right there! We'll fly together! You're so wrong about him! You're WRONG!"

"Am I?" Gaster asked softly, gesturing to Corbel's side. Somewhere during the two rants, Sans had taken his hand back and lowered his head. His eyes were closed tightly and he seemed to have a hard time gathering a steady breath. He was no longer trembling, but he didn't look well at all. It was as if he shut off completely.

"Sans . . ." Corbel asked softly, reaching out for him again, "Hey, Sans . . .?"

Sans snatched his hand back and put a sizable distance between the two as he shifted to stand.

"I see I've overstayed my welcome." He grumbled, "If you'll excuse me."

"Sans . . . ?" Corbel tried again, "No. Don't let him-"

"You should stay, Corbel." Sans continued as if he hadn't heard, "Your parents miss you and you should spend time with them. I'll see you later, okay?"

"No . . . Sans, wait. If you're leaving, then wait for me. I'll come with you!"

"It's okay, Daydreamer . . ." Sans sighed, turning back to face Corbel for a moment. His smile seemed off. He was in pain and he was suffering every moment he was inside this house. Still he leaned over to press a soft kiss to Corbel's skull. "We'll catch up later."

He stepped away and crossed the living room, past where the doctor was ignoring his presence once again with his arms crossed and where Nyala was stricken speechless as unshed tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

Corbel was shocked into immobility as he watched Sans leave.

"Sans, no!" He squeaked, his throat closing up on him, "This wasn't what this was supposed to be! Sans, don't . . . Wait . . . Hold on! Just let me grab my things!"

Corbel sprang to his feet and followed behind Sans who had already made it outside. He very nearly forgot to put his shoes back on and only slipped into the sneakers, standing on the heel in his hurry. He rushed out of the home and slammed the door behind him.

"Sans! Sans, wait!"

"Corbel, don't follow me. I mean it this time, okay? Just stay here and have a good evening with your parents. It'll go better if I'm not there."

"No! Damn it! Sans, stop!"

He did and turned again to face Corbel. He'd been trying to hide it, but now that there was no one else around, Sans' frustration, his anger, and his sadness was clearly visible on his face, staining his cheeks in the form of silent rage-filled tears.

"We don't have to take shit like that from him!" Corbel growled, seeing what this evening had done to Sans. "Everything was going so well until he came home and fucked it up! What do you say we go back in there and we-"

"Corbel . . ." Sans said softly, "He's right."

Corbel stopped dead, "Wha . . . Sans, no. Don't let him do that to you! Don't let him get to you again! We already said that you are not to blame for anything! And what we have is so much more than just a guilty conscience! We are more than that, aren't we?"

Sans sighed, "I'm gonna go. Maybe after you finish your night here, you can stop by my place and . . ." He sighed again, the rest of his bravado fading, "I dunno. I just . . ."

"Sans . . ." Corbel said again softly, his hand outstretched.

Before he could take a step forward, a familiar discomfort settled in around his chest and he was unable to move. Magic. Blue Magic surrounded him and prevented him from moving at all.

At his side, Sans' hand glowed in the same blue as he turned to walk away.

"Sans . . ." Corbel called after him, "Sans!"

He tried to use his own Blue Magic to undo the effects of Sans', but Sans was better at it than he was and he couldn't budge.

"Sans! Please! Don't do this!? Sans! SANS!"

Inside the home, Nyala's chest closed in on her as she listened to her boy screaming again in pain and in anger.

She shoved harshly at her husband and stood from her spot, her own anger coming to a head.

"What have you done!?" She fumed, her tears still threatening to fall, "No wonder they were so afraid to talk to you! They knew you would do something stupid like that!"

"I only spoke the truth."

"You spoke your own frustration and threw it at them like garbage! The fact that you dare to call that 'truth' would be laughable if it weren't so damned infuriating!"

Gaster remained silent.

"Finally! FINALLY our son was happy! He was happy again after so long of forcing himself to smile for our sake! He'd finally found his own happiness and you shot it down! You wrote it off as a phase! As a fleeting affair! A guilty conscience! What the HELL do you think that will do to Corbel if not completely destroy him!?"

"I'm saving him now from being destroyed later! I'm doing him a favor! Opening his eyes to the harsh reality of the dream world he created."

"You're driving him away!" Nyala cried, "It's been months since he's been home. And now, I doubt he will ever visit again! You're ruining our family again, Wingdings! And the sooner you get your head out of your ass long enough to realize that, the sooner we can attempt to fix it!"

She lost control of her frustration then and she lowered her head into her hands in an attempt to shield her tears.

In response, Gaster stood as well, crossing the short distance in order to comfort his wife.

Again, she shoved him away, "Don't touch me!" She demanded.

Outside the door, there was a long cry and even inside, they could feel the pain that resonated in that cry. That was their son, broken once again.

In addition to that cry, there was a sharp creaking sound that sounded like wood being stressed. Both parents looked then toward the grey door to see the faint glow around it . . . it didn't have a specific color, but they knew it was their son's magic.

With the sound of an explosion, the door shattered. Pieces of wood and debris flew inside from where the door used to be and now there was just an empty archway. They had no choice but to cover their faces or risk being struck by bits of flying wood, remnants of the grey door.

Through the archway and out standing in the middle of the road in front of the house, Corbel stood with his hand clutching the air. His magic flowed from his own body and to into what was left of the large magic hand he'd summoned, especially to destroy the entryway to the home. His eyes glowed a fierce orange when he looked back through to his father.

When he spoke, it was in a low gravelly voice meant specifically for him. The words were spoken in a nearly forgotten cipher. A dead language to everyone except the three present.

"Fuck you. Dad. I hope you're fucking happy now."

Nyala's eyes went wide. She didn't understand a lot of wingdings, but she knew enough to understand just what Corbel said and the intensity to which he meant it.

A moment later, Corbel disappeared from sight and he took off at a sprint after Sans.

"Hey! I think it's coming from over here!"

"We shouldn't be in here! Not after the cave-in. Isn't it dangerous?"

"It's more stable over here! And besides we went through Home! Home is much safer than going through the ruins."

"Oh look! There they are!"

"Is that . . . another human!?"

"Hi there . . . ?"

"Uh . . . h-howdy! Oh wow, you really are another human, aren't'cha?"

"You wanna tell us your name? That way, we won't be strangers anymore!"

" . . . Chara, huh? That's a funny name. My name is Asriel. And this is my friend, Alia. We're here to help."