As I am apparently doing a skele-fic (Who knew? |D) Fonts are going to be mentioned. My own personal headcanon is that 'Fonts' are like accents, affecting the way words are said. So, Gaster's font, being Wingdings, is like trying to listen to a broad highland scotsman after 30 pints as someone who comes from the south of england. He's... definitely making words, but you have no idea what he's trying to say. (I love a scottish accent, btw. Completely unrelated, I know, but I figure it is a good comparison hehe). Sans' tendency to round fonts is like having a west country accent as another example. and if my spellings don't make it abundently clear I am english, there you are. *hides* And no, not saying those are the exact accents they have, just how they affect the speech patterns.
With that out of the way... please enjoy :)
Set before the last chapter
"DR. GASTER! YOUR ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY!"
The door to his lab slams open, and a rather harried looking assistant sticks their head in the room as the announcement blares. "Med lab!" And they're gone. Gaster discards what he's doing and follows without hesitation. They all but run to the med lab, moving in a hasty and tense silence. The doors swoosh open, and he's greeted by the sight of every healer in the building either snapping instructions or following said instructions around a small table in the middle of the room. Everything else except a scanner has been moved to the edge of the room.
Gaster steps into the hustle like he has been there the whole time.
"Situation?"
"HP dropped lower than 1, but stable at a decimal which is something I've not seen before. The older patient had severe trauma to skull, especially right eye socket. We've been able to repair this already, however the soul seems to be unstable but refusing to break, but their maximum hp is also dropping at an alarming rate, and we can't figure out how to stabilise it. Won't let go of the other patient. Other patient completely stable and seemingly unhurt. Nothing known about either patient other than the royal guard found them out in waterfall and bought them here immediately."
That draws his eyes to the table. Two little skeletons lay there, the bigger of the two has his arms completely wrapped around a smaller one which is wrapped in a blanket bundle.
He thought he was the last one left. What-?
Doesn't matter. Save them, then ask questions.
"We've tried everything we can think of."
"Everything?"
"Except for magical cell transplantation to try and prompt his own magic to hold itself together, but cross-species compatability is low in adults, we wouldn't attempt it on a child in this situation."
Gaster nods at them. So, that's why they'd called him down. He was fine with this. "Begin the process."
They try to move the smaller child from the bigger, but they have no success. Gaster even tries to remove it with blue magic, but somehow the child still manages to hold on. Gaster speaks soothingly to the seemingly older skeleton, taken by a moment of almost parental instinct, and knowing that he wouldn't be able to see as his eye sockets were firnly closed, Gaster has someone speak softly for him reading the signs his hands form.
"Come now, little one. He's safe, you did well. We are going to take good care of him too, but you need to let go of him now so we can heal you properly. We could hurt him accidentally, if we try to save you with him there."
Everyone pauses for a moment, then the vice-like grip on the small blanket bundle releases. Two assistants lift it gently from him, and rush him to a small plastic crib at the side of the room they'd pushed aside earlier. Everyone lets out a breath they were holding collectively, and the moment of almost peace melts back into bustle. Gaster places both his hands over the ribcage and nods ready.
"We're going to channel your magic straight to his soul and using healing magic, hopefully it will take and hold it together."
"I'm becoming magic duct tape for hopefully?" He wasn't taken to sarcasm in urgent situations usually, but it comes out of his mouth before he can stop it.
"Yes." The lead assistant doesn't even look up from her prep, talking as she moves. "Even in adults, even with same-species transfers, success is not guaranteed. The nature of souls is finicky and the nature of healing them is even more so. Children are an added complication due to the unstable nature of their magic, having yet to mature enough to manifest it correctly which is part of the stabilization process towards adulthood. Also, we are further complicating things by using matured magic to attempt to heal the child. They-"
"He. Number of ribs and pelvic area." even with the clothing and sheet, one skeleton knows what to look for in another.
"Sorry. He may not be able to accept your magic to bolster his own enough to heal just down to the nature of the difference in age. Hands over his soul and keep them there, focus your intent on fixing. And even if everything comes off fine without a hitch-" green starts coming from every pair of hands around him "-there may still be side effects or unforseen issues in the future. It could be emotionally due to the fact the magic would be holding together a soul that should have broken, it may be issues with his manifestations due to it being forced to accept mature magic prematurely, if he can even manifest at all. It could be all of the above, or he could lead a perfectly happy and healthy and uneffected life. If it is successful at all. We don't know. This is an all new territory for us, as we have never had to use an adult to donor for a child."
He doesn't miss how her tone softens at the end. "Even if we had another skeleton child to fetch, we wouldn't have time to do the fetching. We would still be in the same situation. Do as you must."
And with that, the assistant finishes up quietly after a nod and they're ready to begin. The lab falls into a tense silence as they work, except for a small hesitation when the magic starts visibly effecting gaster, who snaps at them to continue.
"S-sorry, Doctor, we had no idea that…"
"It's fine." He shrugs off the concern. "You are sure he's stable now?"
"Yes, all his scans have come back with slightly strange but positive results, which we can monitor but it's not unexpected due to the nature of the procedure. The maximum HP has not yet risen back up, but he's alive and I am sure that through the normal means it can be raised. We would recommend you yourself go rest up, we can bandage you and give you some pain relief if your hands and skull are giving you trouble."
"No need. They aren't painful, and really …" he stares down at the new holes in his hand. "It's a small price to pay, in the end, isn't it?"
"... We thank you." The assistant settles for with a courteous nod. Sacrifices still don't sit well with the medical monsters but it seems to be for the best right now. Normally, one of the assistants who had been greatly upset over the cost of saving the little one explained tearfully, donors are either monsters who are fallen down or related. Especially the second one with children; siblings is most common. Never without informed consent. Maybe we shouldn't have- He'd stopped her there, assuring her it was fine and dismissing her for today to give her time to soothe herself and destress.
A shrill cry pulls all of their attention, and someone goes hurrying over to the littlest skeleton who has awoken and begun crying almost immediately. As they're trying to quiet him, the elder shoots up to consciousness, clawing at his chest and gasping wordlessly, pain on every inch of his face. HTen it looks like he's going to move out of bed, even through the pain, pupils darting around the room to find the source of the noise.
"He's not supposed to be awake yet, he won't heal if he doesn't-"
The room becimes a flurry of hands rushing to try and stop the elder little skeleton. He struggles under the many hands that are trying to keep him in place, trying to keep him still with the best of intentions. He's having none of it, and Gaster sees that his arms are reaching out for-
"Give him the smaller child." The commotion freezes like he just stopped time. "And get them both some food. Now."
Everyone snaps to action. He runs a hand over his face, feeling the other parts of him that were used as donors unwittingly, feeling exhausted. That sensation was going to be one to get used to, but at least the lines were clean and painless. They were just... missing, not broken or sliced. He'd refused their offer of an in-depth check up. He watches the elder immediately settle and as he quietly holds the baby, cogs ticking over in his skull by the looks of things. Then he looks back at Gaster, and he notices the eyesockets take the curve of his grin at the bottom. He nods in response to the gratitude. The little ones are bought food, which the older slowly and carefully feeds the younger before slowly eating himself. Gaster watches in quiet contemplation, looking at the two little mysteries that had fallen into his lap suddenly. They were very young, the oldest must have only been about 4 years in age at a guess, give or take in either direction, and the little bundle was probably 18 months at most. Gaster was sure that he was the last of his kin, and yet here they were and if they were this young, they must surely have parents somewhere. He shoots a quick test to Grillby, knowing that if anyone would know anything it would be him between the guards that drink there and the fact that the fire elemental probably knows everyone whether through the grapevine or through age.
*Have you heard anything about more skeletons in the underground?
He doesn't want to say anything more or less just yet. He feels an odd sense of protectiveness over the two patients, between them being lost kin and the fact they're so… tiny. He sighs at himself - Tiny-ness shouldn't be a factor. Then there's the fact that the older one is being held together by magic that had literally taken parts of him.
He goes and sits by the children, getting a stare from the older one but the child doesn't move away save for shifting the younger one protectively.
"Do you have names?" The pupils flick between his mouth and the magic signing hands, and his head cocks questioningly. It was worth a try, at least, but Gaster wasn't expecting much different.
"He asked if you have names." One of the assistants comes over and translates. She receives the same look and silence.
Gaster puts his hand on his chest. "Gaster." And a moment's delay before it's repeated in common font. The little brow bone furrows, and they give him a moment to think on it. Then, the left hand touches his leg, and he hears "gaster." but oddly, It's repeated in his personal font. It's more roundedl, but it's a near perfect mimic other than that. Then, "gaster?" This time in common font, mimicking again but this time Gaster was able to hear the child's own font. Again, it's curved and rounded, a lazy drawl probably tinged in humour under normal circumstances.
"Sounds like we've got a fast learner here Doc."
"Indeed it does." He replies with a smile, fondness welling in his chest. He puts his hand on the child's chest, and simply says "Comic Sans." The child screws his face up in something that looks like disgust, which makes Gaster chuckle. "No? That's your font, which would be your name traditonally. Hmm…" he taps his chin. "How about just 'Sans' then?" the assistant repeats just the name, which earns a repetition in both fonts.
"A fast learner and stubborn. Sounds like you're going to have your hands full until we find who they belong to."
"Why do I have a feeling I should apologize to my parents retroactively?" Gaster says still with a fond smile, and the assistant barks a laugh.
"I think we all should do that, to be honest." She gently lays back the skeleton now named 'Sans' and says to him gently - "Sleep, little one." She shuts her eyes, laying her head on the pillow next to him so he can see it, and smiles at him. "Sleep."
The word is mimicked, and he closes his eyes. The toll of the day doesn't take long to catch up to him and he curls around his companion (Gaster is assuming brother from behaviour, but then there is also very very little resemblance in bone structure so he couldn't say for sure) and drifting off into sleep quickly. The assistant gives the little skeleton's skull a stroke as she straightens up, and puts a hand on Gaster's shoulder. "You should sleep too, Doc. It's taken a lot out of you both. Give us a call if you get any problems with anything."
"Thank you. I shall stay long enough to make sure they are settled well, but I think I'll spend the night in the overnight room."
"As you wish." She nods, and leaves to continue her shift for the night. As he sits listening to the sound of them softly sleeping, Gaster's phone alerts him to a text.
*You are the last I know of. Why are you asking again after so long?
*You will have to see it to believe it.
He sends a picture of the two sleeping children. He doesn't have to wait long for a response.
*Cute. This explains what the dog couple were talking about earlier. Royal guards are trying to find parents, I will let you know if I hear anything.
*Thank you.
He goes to slip his phone away, then sends a second text to him.
*Cannot get to library at the moment. Would you please be able to get some early learning books? Pre-school sort of age.
*Will be with you soon.
He puts his phone away, and goes to leave the room, but finds himself lingering in the doorway. Again, that little protective flutter in his chest, but he tells himself that logically the best option is to sleep in the chair as if the little ones wake it is best for them to see a face they are familiar with.
Yes, logically the best option.
That's how he ends up napping in a chair next to the bedside until he's woken by an intern who'd come to find him to let him know he has a visitor. Grillby catches his eye in the doorway, and he gestures wearily. Now that he's had some sleep, but not quite enough, he can feel the effect of sharing magic with Sans. His friend enters, and passes the stack of books.
"What happened?" Concern crackles through his flame as he takes in Gaster's appearance. Faster gives him the entire rundown, and Grillby listens intently. Concern crackles stronger as he does. "Do you know what happened to them for them to get in that state?"
"It is a waiting game at this time - either he learns enough language to tell us, or find the parents. At the minute it is hard to tell if he doesn't know words because of a developmental delay or simply because he was taught some other way of communicating or in a language none of us know - he hasn't spoken save for learning my name and the word sleep. Regardless, those the only ways we are going to find out in this case." he gets a nod in response.
"Where are they staying? Here?"
"For the time being. Once they are settled, I will return home."
"Let me know if you need anything else then." Grillby nods as he says it, and takes his leave.
Gaster has nothing else to do but sleep, so that's what he does.
The next week is spent on recovery for both of them. Gaster finds himself loathe to leave the little ones at all, and also finds them growing on him quickly. The smallest skeleton makes himself to be known to be very vocal very quickly, despite it being wordless baby talk. The elder is quieter, but repeats everything told enthusiastically, eager and quick to learn. Both are full of energy, but it's readily apparent that Sans is quick to tire, often found crashing out suddenly if he does too much or under high amounts of stress. Mind you, Gaster himself finds himself tiring faster than normal, also, and he is assured it is just from the stress of the procedure they underwent.
Nothing is heard of as to where they came from; if the underground had a sky, they may well have fallen from it.
He's sat watching Sans and as-yet nameless child number two, Sans showing and repeating the words in the book when he watches the oldest boy pause on a page. He swears he can see the cogs turning in the skull behind the pupils in his eye sockets. He pokes at the baby gently, and says with delight "brother" and connecting the meaning of the word in the book with the younger skeleton. The little one giggles at the contact, picking up on the b sound and repeating it with gusto. Suddenly, he makes eye contact with the older one and-
"BUBA! BUBA!"
Sans stares at him, and then wraps him in a massive hug, tears streaming. The little one's font is one that's as different as his (apparently) brother's, neither font was common when skeletons were more prolific in the underground.
"Sans." Sans ignores him, cheering on his little brother, and Gaster goes over to them. "Sans, look." This time he pauses, looking at Gaster quizzically and with an edge of frustration like he was sure that nothing Gaster would have to input right now would be nowhere as important as the youngest skeleton's new advancement.
To be fair, Sans is almost right. Almost. Gaster puts his hand on the little skeleton's chest (which makes him squeal happily) and grins at the elder skeleton. "Papyrus."
There's a beat as he stares at Gaster, and tilts his head considering. Then he points at the assistant who is clearing around the children, humming to herself. Gaster draws her attention and spells out the name of the little one for her to announce the name out of his font for Sans to hear it both ways. Sans thinks about it, and nods decisively. "papyrus. it's good." The tone is firm and happy. Papyrus picks up on the happiness surrounding him right now, and starts repeating his word for brother excitedly again which Sans revels in and encourages fully. Suddenly, with no warning, Sans tilts forward and quiet snores can be heard from him face down on the floor after a couple of moments. Laughs erupt all around, and Gaster hands off Papyrus before he can start drumming on his brother's head (as the little one has been known to do when he crashes in front of him, completely unpeturbed) to be fed while he picks up Sans and settles him on the bed they had been using, chuckling quietly to himself. "Too much excitement for you, hmm?"
It's another week in much the same vein, and still no word to say in either direction as far as their origins are concerned. A month passes quickly, and Asgore has caught wind of the two new additions to the underground in this time, but has now finally been able to make time to visit the area set aside from the healer's wing that has been temporarily modified. Papyrus had been quick to be friendly, but half an hour in and Sans had sat watching them interact without interacting himself, sat silently watching on edge as the imposing figure of the king gently played with his brother. Gaster goes and picks the child up, placing him on his hip in the hopes his tense frame will relax. The eye sockets never leave the two, even as the tension eases a little.
Asgore looks up at the two of them, and laughs quietly. Gaster raises a brow bone in his direction.
"It suits you, you know. Never thought I would see the day."
Gaster is puzzled. Very, very puzzled. "What?"
"Well. You're obviously very taken with these two."
"Oh." The hint is as subtle as a tonne of bricks. Gaster considers it for a moment, but shakes his head with a small sigh. "yes, they have proved to be very endearing for sure. However, it's not like that. Once the family are found-"
"no." The voice drifts from his side, bony fingers tightening their hold on him.
"What's up, little one?" Asgore asks, a touch of concern in his voice. He had recognised that word without a sign.
Gaster looks down at him. "No? No what? No family?"
"no family like in book - brother, sister, mommy, daddy. no… house?" He thinks on that, decides it's not the right word for what he means, and shakes his head before continuing. "just brother. just pap and sans." Sans repeats softly. He then puts his hand on Gaster's chest, the way he associates names with people. everything he's said has been in his rounded approximation of Gaster's font, the way he seems to learn best and put new thoughts together. Gaster wonders if that's because he's spent the most time with them or one of the as-yet mysterious but possible 'side effects'. His musings crash to a hard and full stop as Sans finally speaks again. "gaster. gaster daddy."
And oh stars above, Gaster feels his eye sockets well. This was not what he signed up for. Damn it all.
"What? What did he say?"
Caught up in the moment and forgetting signing to translate to Asgore and unintentionally leaving him out of the loop, he replies "Is that really what you want? That's… very fast."
He gets a small shrug in response. "i… uhhn… i… me..." Sans huffs in frustration, not knowing the words he wanted. He touches himself, then touches the new slivers of skull that are missing on Gaster's face. His little face is resolute.
"Ah, so the gravity of the situation was not lost on you after all, even if you don't know the words for it. I did wonder." He smiles fondly at Sans, who cocks his head.
"big words. don't know them big words." his brow furrows again, trying to find the words again to make his thoughts known. Gaster just waits patiently, having almost completely forgotten Asgore was there. Sans tuts himself, frustration levels rising quickly. Gaster goes to stop him, worried he was going to stress himself into a crash, but then there's a small nod from the child. "nearly not sans. now me and pap... and gaster. and learning, and fun. want all of it. you…" Gaster notices the hesitant and almost sad edge to the last part of his thought. "you not want it?"
"I…" Who was he kidding? It might not be what he signed up for, but he'll take it more than happily. "I think I do."
Sans grins, now relaxed and seemingly content, and turns his attention back to watching Asgore.
Oh, damn, Asgore.
Asgore who is looking both puzzled and amused. Gaster summons hands so he won't have to put Sans down, throwing out signs at a rapid pace.
"Sans says there's no family, just the two brothers. At first he said no house, but I don't know if he knows what he meant by that. Which doesn't answer where they come from, or the parent question, but does explain why there has been no word about a family."
Asgore thinks on this, then grins. "that wasn't everything though, was it? I know that look you had."
The hands pause, then continue somewhat slower. "He seems to understand more than we thought about the situation we found them in. I had doubted that he was old enough to, given his young age." The hands formed 'doubted' but the mind says 'hoped'. "Due to this and the subsequent time spent together with the two little ones has prompted him to…" the hands falter, he can feel the pang of an unfamiliar pride. He grins despite himself. Then they form the word "dad" gaster unable to articulate anything more towards it
Asgore, predictably, melts like the big, fluffy softy he is. "How sweet! When are you taking them home?"
Gaster looks down at Sans, and finds he's fallen asleep. He yawns himself, two parts sympathy and one part feeling a little drained himself. "Admittedly, it was never in my plans. I believed we would find the family - hoped might be a better word."
"For them or you, my friend?" Asgore asks simply. Gaster sighs, Asgore knew him too well.
"For all of us. It would mean I wasn't the last, and would mean the little ones are going back to a loving home."
Asgore picks Papyrus up in his massive paws, eliciting a round of giggles. Gaster's bony sloth attached to his side stirs slightly in response, but doesn't wake. He hands the baby to Gaster in his free hand, and smiles at the sight.
"Give it a couple of days, then take them home. You don't need any more skeletons to show up to give you exactly what you just described. Make the most of what you have. All three of you."