Toriel's soul felt lighter than it had in ages by the time she reached home. There was a sense of accomplishment and optimism that gripped her that seemed adept at banishing any attempts of her more negative thoughts or worries to creep in. That didn't mean some anxiety didn't linger, but it was more out of excitement than any sort of real dread. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in ages, maybe had never felt to this extent.

"Goodness, look at me, practically acting like some besotted teenager." She thought with a chuckle at her own expense as she walked up the steps to the front door.

She paused before opening the door though, trying to prepare herself for what she would say to him. Potential ways the impending conversation could unfold spun about in her mind, just as they had for most of her walk home. Finally she shook those endless thoughts away, letting them fade back into the veil of bliss and mentally preparing herself for what she might find inside. After all, she had gotten a text from Frisk while she was still at Asgore's place. It had informed her that her child and Flowey had arrived back home from their outing with their friends, and were with Sans and Papyrus, who seemingly had headed back home early from Grillby's. She needed to be able to keep a straight face around the human child and younger skeleton at least, until she could find a chance to talk to Sans alone.

Unable to keep a little smile off her face, she shifted the flowers in her arms to free a paw and open the door. She was met with an empty kitchen and dining room as she stepped inside. Well, empty except for a certain small, white dog was quick to rush into the room and jump up to greet her. Perhaps if she wasn't in such a good mood she would have been somewhat perturbed the animal was still in her home, no doubt getting up to some sort of mischief. But as it was, she simply smiled down at him and gave him an affectionate rub between the ears. As she did, she perked up her own ears a bit to listen, seeing if she could hear where any of the others were.

It was still oddly quiet for a moment, as if everyone else in the house had fallen silent. But then she heard the familiar sounds of Flowey shouting at some video game from Frisk's room, and then the clipped tones of Papyrus' voice coming from the living room, uncharacteristically quiet. Curious, she stepped around the dog and headed in that direction. When she rounded the corner, she found herself faced with a far more somber scene than she expected. Papyrus was sitting on the couch with Frisk, who was curled up in his lap, and the skeleton had a sad look on his face. Frisk looked rather worried, at least past the clear signs of sleepiness in their expression. Her entrance into the room garnered both their attentions, and they eyed her in an oddly wary manner.

"H-HELLO TORIEL…" Papyrus managed after a moment, offering a weak smile.

He fidgeted his gloves together nervously, sharing a nervous look with Frisk.

"H-HOW DID IT GO? WITH ASGORE I MEAN..."

She blinked, realization settling in again quickly. Of course, they were expecting her to be a wreck after everything that happened, and here she was sauntering in with a big dumb grin on her face. She blushed a bit and cleared her throat, trying to mask the more joyful emotions still buzzing about her soul. The smile wouldn't totally leave her face, but it did fall to a more neutral expression.

"It went quite well, my friend." She assured him, going to set the purple hyacinths on the coffee table. "I was able to find out what was bothering him and we settled things from there. We settled… quite a few things in fact. I cannot tell you exactly what happened due to the nature of some of it, but I assure you he will be alright."

She met her child's eyes then with a warm smile, brushing the flowers out to display their full vibrancy.

"How was your movie Frisk? Did you have fun?" She asked, practically by instinct.

Frisk blinked up at her, looking a touch dumbfounded. Both Frisk and Papyrus' expressions communicated they were confused, surprised, but still rather unconvinced by her earlier words. After a beat though, her child did raise their hands and sign to her a simple (Yeah it was fun.) before shooting a puzzled glance at the flowers. They pointed at them in a questioning manner, quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh, these were a thank you gift of sorts from him." She said, still holding the other pot close in her free arm. "You know Asgore, always with the flowers for any occasion."

A bit of her usual snark crept into her voice then, but it was still tinged with much more good humor than usual. Papyrus smiled in response, but there was still some nervousness behind it and he and Frisk shared another brief look before he spoke again.

"NYEH HEH, YEAH… HE ONCE GAVE ME AN ENTIRE VASE OF FLOWERS AFTER I WENT OVER THERE FOR TEA, TO HELP MOTIVATE ME IN THE TACKLING OF MY NEW DUTIES AT THE SCHOOL. QUITE UH... THOUGHTFUL."

Another awkward silence followed his words, and Toriel tried to look inconspicuous as she glanced around and listened for the one monster who wasn't present. The one she was secretly burning up with eagerness to see. It brought back a stronger smile to her face despite herself. Papyrus caught her little gesture and only seemed more confused by it.

"YOU SEEM AWFULLY… HAPPY, FOR SOMEONE WHO GOT YELLED AT IN PUBLIC. AND THEN WENT TO TALK WITH THEIR ESTRANGED EX-HUSBAND." He noted, cautiously.

The observation made Toriel snap back to the present and she offered a more sheepish grin. Oh goodness, he was right. She was acting ridiculously odd given what had transpired earlier. Her mind grasped through a pile of reasonable excuses, but she inevitably had to speak before getting much time to think it through.

"D-do I? Well… I guess I am just glad it... went well." She managed, trying to feign her more usual, weary type of smile. "Things worked out as best as they could for now. And I am sure Undyne will apologize once she talks to Asgore. No need to dwell on it, right?"

They seemed moderately placated by that, though still fairly skeptical. The reappearance of the dog happily leaping onto the couch kept any more awkward silences from forming though, to her immense relief. Frisk giggled and pet the dog cheerfully while Papyrus just shot the animal a frustrated kind of glare. The dog showed no sign of interpreting the meaning of said glare, promptly jumping up to give the skeleton a playful lick on the face. Toriel felt a little better about letting a giggle escape her at the sight, especially when Papyrus recoiled so much he nearly fell over the back of the couch.

Of course, laughing only made her think of Sans again, and she couldn't help but voice the question burning on her tongue.

"Did… Did Sans come back with you from Grillby's?" She asked, hoping she came off as casual.

Papyrus grumbled and wiped his face clear of canine saliva with his scarf before nodding, and a more worried expression formed on his face again.

"YES BUT… I THINK HE'S SICK AGAIN TORIEL!" He exclaimed, with his usual dramatics. "WHEN HE CAME BACK TO GRILLBY'S FROM ACCOMPANYING YOU TO ASGORE'S PLACE, HIS SKULL WAS ALL FLUSHED AND SWEATY. AND HE KEPT STUMBLING OVER HIS WORDS AND SPACING OUT WITH THIS WEIRD SMILE ON HIS FACE! HE KEPT TRYING TO BRUSH IT OFF BUT HE WAS ACTING LIKE HE WAS HARDLY AWARE WE WERE EVEN THERE! NOW HE'S HOLED HIMSELF UP IN HIS ROOM AGAIN, GIVING ME THAT SAME "I'M FINE" EXCUSE AS ALWAYS. EITHER HIS ILLNESS HAS RETURNED OR HE SNUCK EVEN MORE ALCOHOL WHEN I WASN'T LOOKING!"

He ended his short tirade with a huff and crossed his arms, making it seem like he was suspecting the latter more. Toriel struggled not to laugh, knowing all too well why Sans had been acting so strange. It brought another warm sort of fluttering to her soul again as well, happy to hear his joyful state had endured on even once they'd parted ways. She couldn't show all that on her face though, not wanting the younger skeleton or her child to know the truth of the situation just yet. But she also couldn't let Papyrus worry too much.

"I see…" She replied eventually in a more neutral tone. "Well try not to worry too much Papyrus. I am sure it is not... as bad as you think. I will try to talk to him and see if he is okay. After I put Frisk to bed."

He heaved a sigh, giving Frisk's head an anticipatory pat of farewell.

THANK YOU TORIEL. I HOPE… THAT YOU CAN GET THROUGH TO HIM AT LEAST…" He grumbled, unable to keep some personal pain from seeping into his tone.

Toriel's soul gave a small pang for him, seeing a glimpse of how his brother's refusal to be honest with him was truly hurting the younger skeleton. There was little she could do to assuage that pain, all that power was in Sans' hands and could only be solved when he felt ready to tell Papyrus the truth as he had with her. Or to be more specific… tell him the truth again. She didn't allow herself to become too wrapped up in the emotions that came with that thought, still far too giddy deep down, but she did settle on something she could do to hopefully at least cheer the younger skeleton up.

"I will do my best, my friend. I promise you that." She said, scarlet eyes softening.

Then she rounded the table to stand beside him, setting the other flower pot down for the moment before offering out her arms to him.

"Come now, you did say you would give me a set of Papyrus hugs every day, did you not? I think we could both certainly use it after all that." She said, smiling warmly.

Papyrus blinked up at her for a moment, looking surprised. From his lap, Frisk reached up with a smile and gave the skeleton's scarf a tug of agreement.

"Frisk would like one too." Toriel said with a bit of a chuckle.

A happy bark from the couch's other occupant also voiced its assent.

"And the dog."

Papyrus' sockets narrowed a bit at the mention of that last one, but then they were quick to sparkle again. He stood with a dramatic pose, sweeping the canine and Frisk up with his arm in the same motion.

"OF COURSE! I WOULD NEVER DENY SUPPLYING MY WONDERFUL HUGS TO MY DEAR FAMILY!" He declared with a wide grin, stepping over and wrapping Toriel in a tight embrace, one she promptly returned.

All four of them ended up in that hug, including the dog, who wiggled excitedly from the attention and gave Papyrus' cheek another lick.

"I WASN'T REFERRING TO YOU, YOU MEDDLESOME CANINE!" He declared in response, not pulling away at all though.

All of them shared a laugh as the dog simply barked again, tail wagging wildly. Despite Papyrus' claims, perhaps if the animal continued to hang around like this, he may very well be considered part of the family in time. All of them maintained the hug for a few more seconds, taking comfort in a shared familial warmth between their souls before Toriel shifted Frisk into her arms and stepped back, still with that strong, perhaps too bright smile. Papyrus followed suit, looking far more at ease than he had before. The expression faltered when he realized he had somehow ended up holding the dog like Toriel was holding Frisk. They all laughed yet again as the dog playfully bit onto his scarf and the skeleton tried in vain to tug him off.

Eventually he gave up with a frustrated sigh, but still with far more warmth in his sockets than before. The dog simply hung there, still contently wagging his tail.

"THANK YOU AGAIN TORIEL… I… I NEEDED THAT." He admitted, expression softening up again before he willed up a more determined expression. "I WILL SEE TO IT THAT UNDYNE APOLOGIZES TO YOU FOR HER RUDE BEHAVIOR. AS HER VERY COOL BEST FRIEND IT IS MY MORAL OBLIGATION TO SEE THAT SHE TAKES THE NECESSARY STEPS TO MAKE UP FOR HER WRONGDOINGS. I HAVE ALREADY LEFT HER A STRONGLY WORDED, BUT SENSIBLE VOICEMAIL FOR WHEN SHE WAKES UP TOMORROW."

Toriel grimaced a bit at that, remembering just how drunk and unstable the fish monster had been at the bar. Though she was getting a bit antsy, she couldn't help but ask about her. It only seemed right.

"About that… Is Undyne alright?" She asked, adjusting her grip on Frisk as they sleepily nuzzled into the crook of her neck. "Were you all able to get her home okay?"

Papyrus nodded, mirroring her grimace momentarily.

"YES… AFTER YOU LEFT... SHE WAS RATHER QUIET FOR THE REST OF THE TIME. WE DIDN'T STAY TOO LONG AFTERWARDS, MAYBE ONLY AN HOUR OR SO. ONCE SHE TRIED TO CONVINCE US TO LET HER HAVE MORE DRINKS AND WITH SANS ACTING ALL WEIRD AS WELL, I DECIDED THE NIGHT WAS DONE. I DROVE HER AND ALPHYS HOME, BUT ODDLY, ALPHYS TOOK HER THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR, ALL SNEAKY LIKE. WELL AS SNEAKY AS TWO DRUNK MONSTERS CAN BE… I GUESS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN YOU AND ASGORE."

That made Toriel's soul clench up a bit, unprepared for such a revelation. Stars, they had been there during all that? Fears as to what the couple could have overheard welled up in her soul for a moment, and she couldn't suppress a small shudder. The idea of Undyne especially hearing those incredibly personal, painful things she and her ex-husband had shared did not sit well at all. Despite the nagging anxiety, Toriel willed those thoughts away again, determined not to let even that put a damper on her good mood. She could worry over that another time, once the conversation she so dearly wanted to get to was behind them.

"That is... good to hear." Toriel replied, managing to maintain her smile and purposely avoiding that last bit. "I do hope the poor thing is not too hungover tomorrow. "

Papyrus waved a hand in a dismissive manner, finally able to pry the dog off of him with his other hand.

"DON'T WORRY TORIEL. UNDYNE HAS BEEN THROUGH FAR WORSE. I HAVE BEEN AN UNFORTUNATE WITNESS TO SUCH THINGS." He said, an uncomfortable expression briefly crossing his features. "THE ONLY THING THAT SHOULD BE BRINGING HER ANY UNPLEASANT FEELINGS COME MORNING SHOULD BE HER GUILT FOR HOW SHE TREATED YOU."

Toriel didn't know how exactly to feel about that, nor what to say in response, so she only offered a small nod of acknowledgement. The skeleton set down the dog and turned his attention to Frisk then, smiling warmly.

"GOODNIGHT FRISK, SLEEP WELL. I KNOW SANS SAID GOODNIGHT TO YOU EARLIER TOO, BUT I WILL SAY IT AGAIN IN HIS PLACE, SINCE HE'S UH… NOT HIMSELF AT THE MOMENT." He said, giving Frisk's hair a ruffle.

The child giggled lightly, signing back their own little goodnight to the skeleton before looking back up at Toriel expectantly. She gave them a nuzzle which prompted more wonderful giggles to leave them, and then the fur on her muzzle caused them to sneeze. It was a little sneeze, like a kitten, positively precious. In moments like this, it was so easy to forget what a troubled, multifaceted figure her dear child truly was.

She pushed away that bothersome thought as she had the others, bidding Papyrus goodnight as well before turning to carry Frisk to their room. She would not let any such thought poison her happiness, not tonight. At least for tonight. Surely the universe could let her have that much. It was with that resolve that she went about getting Frisk and Flowey ready for bed. Oddly, the flower monster cooperated without much of fight this time, giving Toriel a lot of long, heavy looks but not voicing much dissent. Part of her knew it must be because Papyrus had told him of what she had done. After all, Flowey did make it clear that he had a strange amount of interest in the idea of her and Asgore reconciling.

For all that interest though, he stayed mostly quiet as she tucked Frisk under the covers and gave them their kiss goodnight. The little human was tired enough that they slipped into sleep before she had even left the room, curled up tight beneath their heart patterned blanket. When she paused by Flowey's pot and lightly patted his head as his goodnight gesture, he met her eyes and finally spoke.

"You actually did it." He said quietly, just over the sound of Frisk's quiet snoring. "I never thought I would see the day. This is... truly a first for you Toriel. I don't say that often."

She blinked down at him, casting a nervous glance at Frisk by instinct to see if they'd heard. Her child was still fast asleep though, and she faced Flowey again, unsure how to feel about his words. When no reply came to her, Flowey went on, actually seeming to lean into her touch a bit. Though maybe that was just her imagination.

"I didn't think you had it in you." He admitted, voice far softer than usual. "Do you… think it will last?"

The question came with a rush of conflicting thoughts and emotions, and it took her some time to formulate a reply. This time he waited patiently though, looking up at her with uncharacteristically weary eyes.

"I believe it will." She said at last, a small smile returning to her face. "Asgore and I will never have what we did before… but I think we can be friends again now. If we take things slow and give it time. I do not think either of us wants to suffer because of our past anymore, at least over things like this that can be addressed. We have agreed to move on, as much as we can manage. "

Something of a sparkle shone in Flowey's eyes, but just a bit, and it faded so fast that she wondered yet again if she had only be seeing things. He seemed… contented though. Which was an emotion she had never seen from him before. After a few moments he nodded, then fidgeted as he seemed to be trying to work up the nerve to say something else. Something of a grumble escaped him, only a few words being decipherable.

"C-could you…" He said, then trailed off, sinking lower into his pot with more low grumbles.

Toriel was surprised to see he almost looked… embarrassed? Nervous? As he avoided her gaze and twitched his leaves with indecision.

"What is it?" She asked gently, leaning down closer to his level.

There was a moment where she though he'd drop the subject, but then he let out a long frustrated sigh and met her eyes again, just barely peeking over the rim of his pot with how far he'd sunk into it.

"Ugh… Just… Could you also… call me what you call Frisk? Y'know… like…"

He couldn't seem to finish, likely finding the request far too embarrassing. His meaning was not lost on her though. She knew what he was asking, and her soul churned with some unease as she considered her answer. But then she cast another long look at Frisk, and reminded herself of the fact that she still deeply loved them, even with all the terrible things they'd done. Thoughts of taking steps to make peace with Asgore's actions came too, along with Chara and their struggles, and even the other fallen children.

Asriel entered her thoughts as well, but the exact reason escaped her, even as it brought another dull ache to her soul. The fact was, Flowey was a child who needed guidance and love perhaps more than any other, and she was never one to turn away from any child in need, no matter their past sins. So long as there was some small desire in him to change, to be better, there was hope she could help him. A gentle smile crossed her face again and she leaned down to place a little kiss on the flower monster's forehead, just as she had with Frisk.

"Very well... my child." She said, the words heavy, but warm.

He let out a sound somewhere between a squeak and an irritated grumble, petals closing inwards as if by instinct as a small blush formed on his face. She found the gesture almost cute, even with the rather fake looking glare he was shooting her. But there was a hint of gratitude to his eyes, even though he certainly wouldn't put it into words.

"J-just keep the mushy stuff to a minimum okay?" He grumbled yet again, huffing in a manner that blew a few of the petals out of his face. "Geez, you really haven't changed much at all…"

The comment struck her as odd, but she reasoned he must just be referring to some other timeline. She was growing used to such things, in a way she never thought she could. And in any case, it could not penetrate her enduring bliss, only strengthened by this. Today had been hard, but the good that was coming from it was proving to be far more impactful than any of the bad, in so many ways. She and Flowey shared another meaningful look, before she turned towards the door and spoke to him over her shoulder.

"Goodnight, my child."

There was a pause, and she froze in place slightly as she turned away to switch off the light, when Flowey spoke his reply.

"Goodnight… Mom."

There was a touch of sadness to his voice, sadness, guilt, but just enough of a hint of returned warmth to make it feel sincere. But beyond all that, there was something strange in the flower monster's voice. No, it wasn't just that, It didn't… sound like his usual voice. It sounded like… like

Her soul skipped a beat, and that old sorrow blossomed within her again, harsh and abrupt. She turned back to look at Flowey with wide eyes, but he was already curled up in his pot, facing away from her. She kept staring for a few moments, gripping at the spot on her chest above her soul. But eventually the truly ridiculous thought that had entered her mind was pushed aside by logic and reasoning.

"You are imagining things again you old goat." Her mind chided her, not quite as harshly as usual though. "You just settled all this today. Asriel is long dead. Likely finally at peace. Just like the others. It is not fair to Flowey to compare him to what you lost."

It was right of course, and she shook herself to clear her head again. It was a minor hiccup she supposed, but that was likely to be expected. Healing was never a straight shot after all, even with all the steps she was taking. With all that in mind though, she still cast one long last look at the flower monster before switching off the light and closing the door behind her.

She took a moment when she went back into the living room to catch her breath. Luckily it was empty by now, Papyrus and the dog seemingly having headed to bed themselves, so she had some time alone to take in what had just happened. The fact that she had just gained another child, Flowey of all monsters, by his own request, it was nearly enough to make her head spin. By the stars, he had called her mom

As with many things today, she chose to hang onto the warmth that instilled in her soul, rather than any of the baggage that came with it. That warmth mixed in with the other rapturous feelings stirring inside her until her earlier giddiness had been restored in full. With a wide smile and bright eyes, she leaned down and picked up the forget-me-nots from the coffee table. It was time at last, to face her dear skeleton once more.

Though Papyrus had claimed Sans had retreated to his room, she had serious doubts that she would actually find him there. Acting on that hunch, and with a bit of a spring in her step, she headed to her own room instead. Upon reaching the door, she couldn't help but press an ear to it and listen. Sure enough, after a few moments, she heard someone moving around inside, pacing perhaps. Grinning at the fact she been right in her assumptions, she took a deep breath before tapping out two gentle knocks on the door.

The pacing inside stopped and there was silence for a moment. She unconsciously held her breath, waiting. Then her soul fluttered within her as his reply came, close enough that she knew that he was just beyond the door. How silly, interesting it was, that she was the one knocking on the door this time.

"who's there?" He asked, voice light, and just a touch shaky.

"Canoe." She shot back, not missing a beat.

"c-canoe… who?" He asked, and she could practically hear the nervous little smile behind it.

"Canoe let me in? It is rather lonely out here."

The expected bit of wheezy laughter came from the other side, breathless chuckles that left him unable to heed her request for a moment. It was so good to hear such happiness in his tone still, his laughter stirring her soul all the more. He recovered after a few moments and then the door was finally pulled open.

Sans stood there in the doorway, looking like he didn't know what emotion to project on his face. Thankfully all the options he seemed to be sorting through were some flavor of positive, with the expected nervousness mixed in. His cheekbones flushed a bit immediately upon looking at her, and his eyelights repeatedly darted away in a somewhat shy manner. That wobbly little smile of his remained though, ever warm throughout it all.

"h-hey tori…" He said, fiddling with one of his hoodie's drawstrings in an nervous little motion. "g-good to see you back… and uh… glad to hear it went well with fluffybuns and all, heh."

She smiled down at him, hardly even surprised to learn that he'd been listening in. He stepped aside to let her into the room and she obliged, closing the door behind her before replying.

"So am I…" She said, red eyes sparkling a bit as she turned back to him. "And I fear that I may not have had the strength to get through it as I did, if not for you. If not for… what happened before."

The color on his face increased considerably at that, and sweat beaded down his skull. All he could seem to offer at that moment was another nervous chuckle, and Toriel promptly knelt down to his level to hopefully ease those nerves a bit. It did at least seem to give him the will to meet her eyes again.

"y-yah… about that…" He replied, through something of a chuckle. "w-we should probably uh…"

He seemed lost for words for a bit, eyelights bright and shimmering with a million different things he clearly wanted to put into words, but simply couldn't at the moment. Toriel decided to show him some mercy and finish the sentence for him, handing him the pot of flowers as she did so.

"We have much to talk about, do we not?" She asked, feeling a blush of her own lightly warming her face.

He looked down at the flowers before taking them with somewhat shaky hands. The intentions behind them were clear and somehow made the poor dear blush all the more. He quickly attempted to compose himself though, clearing his metaphorical throat and holding the pot to his chest.

"yup, we uh... sure do, heh." He managed after a moment, before his eyelights were drawn back to the flowers. "and g-geez tori... flowers? you didn't h-have t-... that's so…"

Toriel giggled into a paw, beginning to walk to the bed and motioning for him to follow.

"Cliche?" She asked, grinning in a playful manner.

"well uh yah sure, b-but they're still really nice and all, heh" He said, following her and climbing up onto the bed. "you really uh... rose to the occasion, huh? are they uh… what're they called… forget-me-nots?"

Toriel nodded, giggling again at his pun and resting her back against the pillows. This time she did not have to invite him in. He was happy to take his place at her side, settling in next to her as he had so many times before. He was notably more nervous about it this time though, the new overlaying connotation of the action nearly palpable in the air. Toriel willed herself to keep calm during the impending conversation, drawing in a deep, steadying breath. One of them certainly had to stay level headed throughout this, and judging from his behavior, Sans was not going to be accomplishing that any time soon. When the warm buzzing of her soul had been tamed a bit, she shifted to face him on the bed, prompting him to do the same.

"I cannot take full credit for the flowers." She admitted with a somewhat sheepish grin, rubbing one of her long ears between her fingers. "Asgore actually gave them to me to give to you. I believe it was his way of showing his... approval."

Sans blinked, eyelights shrinking a bit in shock, the same sort of shock that had surely appeared on her own face earlier.

"woah... really?" He asked, glancing down at the flowers again. "he's… he's okay with the idea of…?"

He couldn't quite finish that statement, blush flaring up on his cheekbones again. He tapped his phalanges anxiously on the edge of the pot, another nervous chuckle escaping him. Toriel couldn't help but giggle in response, though she did her best not to let it come off as too teasing.

"I was just as surprised as you about that." She said after a moment, crossing her paws in her lap. "But that is what he told me. And apparently he uh…"

She swallowed, and her own cheeks burned a bit hotter beneath her fur.

"He saw… what we did… through the window…"

At that, Sans' eyelights vanished completely, and he shrank down a bit behind the flowers as he somehow turned even more blue in the face. Almost enough to match the hues of the forget-me-nots.

"oh... oh geez…" He wheezed, though it was punctuated by a bit of a bewildered little chuckle too.

He met her gaze again, eyelights slowly reappearing. Then something passed between them. What is was, Toriel couldn't be sure, but it caused them both to burst out laughing. The whole situation was honestly so ridiculous that it felt like the only thing they could do. Toriel had to struggle not to let it let herself get too loud, covering her mouth with a paw. But oh it was just too funny. Sans flopped against the pillow and pressed his face into the flowers as he shook with breathless chuckles. With their descent into joviality, much of the tension in the air dissipated and they found it far easier to relax once they both had regained their composure.

Toriel wiped her eyes of any tears of mirth, keeping a small smile on her face when she finally addressed him again.

"Sans, before I say anything else… I do want to apologize for just how… impulsive I was about all this." She said, allowing some weight to re-enter her voice. "I realize in hindsight that what I did could have gone very wrong quite easily."

Sans shot her a grin in response, before levitating the flowers over to the side table with his magic. Once they were set down, he faced her again and waved a hand in a dismissive manner.

"its fine… m-more than fine really, heh." He assured her, another notable blush forming on his face. "i mean… i kinda… prompted you to d-do it after all, with what i said y'know? and we were both pretty tipsy at the time. no worries t..."

She considered his response, unable to keep her smile from strengthening somewhat at his clear approval. Still, the driving thoughts behind why she'd made the statement in the first place remained and she pressed on with it.

"Yes, I suppose." She conceded with another light giggle. "But I do want you to know that going forward, I do not want to do anything like that again without knowing you are okay with it. That sort of thing is important to me. Do you understand?"

The question was met with a nod, and some deeper understanding of her words showed in his eyelights. Her choice of words in particular had not been lost on him, and he fiddled again with one of his hoodie drawstrings in a nervous little motion.

"yah, i getcha t." He said, before his grin became a little more unsteady. "but uh… what exactly does… "going forward" mean for… us?"

The question inevitably cause her soul's magic to swell a bit, and her mind to begin whirling. This was it, there was no more playfully dancing around the issue. It was time to address it head on and find the true answer to his question. But as she prepared her response, one she'd been rehearsing in her head for quite some time, she could tell Sans really wanted to speak, though he was struggling to find the words. So she stayed quiet for the moment and gave him an encouraging look, waiting expectantly. His skull became deeply flushed again and it took a few moments more for him to gain the will to speak.

"i-i guess its pretty damn obvious now huh?" He asked, a lilt of laughter still to his voice.

He took a deep breath before continuing, letting it slowly whistle out through his teeth. Most of the humor faded with it, leaving his eyelights still ever bright, but more heavy with a touch of seriousness.

"ah geez…okay… look…" He began, curling his hands into fists in his lap. " i… i r-really like you tori. like a lot... i have for… a good while now. hell maybe even before i even knew who you really were, when we were just chatting through the door every day. i tried to d-deny it or tell myself i couldn't let myself get wrapped up in those sorts of feelings but… with how things have been going recently, with how you've been so… willing to help me out with all this shit i'm dealing with. With how often we're… y'know… together… i-its.. its gotten to the point where i can't get myself to ignore it. n-not like i used to..."

The admittance was in the air now, lingering there like the warmth from a shaft of summer sunlight. Though Toriel had been aware of his feelings to some degree for a while, to hear it coming from him directly, at long last, was enough to make her soul soar within her. Her eyes shone as she listened on, unable to keep the smile off her face. In front of her, Sans kept his eyelights directed down towards the bed, not quite brave enough to meet her eyes during all this.

"i-i admitted it to pap a while back. he was pretty damn excited to hear it, o-obviously, heh. you just... you're just so great tori. you're amazing, in so many ways. the fact you bother putting up with someone l-like me at all is so… i can't believe it sometimes. you've kept me from falling to pieces, literally even, heh. you listened to my inane rambling and believed everything i told you, you've helped me feel so much better… about everything. and you're just… gosh… so funny and nice and smart and… and pr-pretty…"

That last word came out as something of a croak, and with it, some of his confidence seemed to dwindle a bit. Sweat dripped down his skull and he started talking faster, as though afraid he'd be unable to continue if he stopped for a breath.

"geez… l-look, its totally okay if you d-don't like, feel the same about me, and only d-did that, and all this to like… spare my feelings or whatever. i just had to tell you, because we've b-been making a point to be honest with each other and i don't want to lie to you about stuff anymore and-"

Without saying a word, Toriel reached over and laid a paw on his arm, cutting his ranting off. He stiffened and then looked up at her nervously, but still with a shaky grin on his face.

"Sans." She spoke his name, voice carrying a soothing, reassuring warmth. "I do feel the same, dear."

To finally be able to say those words brought a rush of elation within her that made her feel light as air, like a massive weight had finally been lifted off of her. It was a relief she could tell he shared, enough that she could feel the joyful waves of magic meeting her own through her paw. But within the little lights of his eyes there was also a glint of disbelief, a feeling shown through his expression as well. Slowly though, that shock melted away, leaving his eyelights shimmering merrily like they had after she'd kissed him.

"r-really…?" He stammered out, grin widening. "but..."

Once again, she silently cut him off, moving her paw to lightly cover his mouth as she had before. It was a playful gesture, and one that he was happy to play along with, eyelights continuing to sparkle as the weight of her words sank in further.

"It is my turn to speak now, alright?" She said, in a tone that was sweet as cinnamon butterscotch pie, but still with just the right touch of firmness.

Sans nodded, and she pulled her paw away before moving to gently take both his small hands into her own. There was no hesitation in the gesture now, and he met her eyes with far more confidence, squeezing her paws back with his thin phalanges. Toriel then had to gather herself, formulate the words she'd been holding inside and running over in her mind a million times into something impactful and clear. The shared warmth between their souls made finding the strength easy, but admittedly had her giddy enough that focusing her thoughts was a bit difficult. But regardless, it did not take long for the words to begin flowing, like a river breaking over the edge of a waterfall.

"I too have been harboring feelings for you for quite some time Sans." She said at last, gripping his hands a little tighter. "And like you, I spent a lot of time denying it to myself, telling myself that I was not capable of feeling such a thing again, after what happened with Asgore. I felt as though I did not even deserve it. The scars of my last relationship left me hesitant and perhaps even fearful of entertaining the possibility of feeling that way for another monster again."

Toriel eased her eyes shut, losing herself briefly in memories of her dear skeleton, and letting the emotions that came with them carry in her voice.

"But… as time went on, I realized just how important you had become to me. I have told you before of how you were my light during the darkest times of my life. That small spark of happiness offered to me in the face of the century's long isolation that I endured. You restored my hope, my joy, even just by your willingness to spend time with me. Those times were marked by silliness, yes, but sometimes the silly things can mean the most in the end. They certainly did to me."

She re-opened her eyes, and the scarlet red shone with a deep fondness she could now allow to show freely without fear. He blinked up at her, simply listening and clearly taking in every word.

"And ever since we were able to bond in person here on the surface, craft this new life with everyone… I could feel myself being drawn in deeper by those feelings, especially now that there was no door to divide us. You and I spent so much time together, and only grew closer over this past year. Then with what has been happening recently, with you finding it yourself to open up to me about all this… I… felt as though I truly knew you at long last, the darkest, and lightest parts of your soul. And that you knew the true me as well, perhaps better than anyone else."

She could feel his soul warm further at that, pulsing in a show of intimacy that stirred her own soul even further, making it so it felt as though her magic buzzed inside her. It was all rising to a crescendo inside her, pushing the words she had so desired to speak forth further and further to the forefront of her mind. In all reality, she could continue to sing his praises and talk of the wonderful moments they'd shared for days on end. All of that could wait, for right now, she had to ensure he knew the full depths of her devotion. She had to say the words.

"That was… well… kind of the tipping point for me I suppose." She went on, eagerness seeping into her voice ever so slightly. "I held off as long as I could manage to avoid adding needlessly to all your stresses… But I suppose now there is no point to hiding it any longer."

There was a beat, where their souls sang and their magic continued to reach out to the other. Then her ancient eyes met the those brilliant little lights, so very much like the stars above. Then the words came, and she spoke them as much with her gaze and her soul as she did her voice.

"The truth is, Sans… I love you."

The words hung in the air, making it suddenly feel as though the rest of the world had fallen away, and that she and Sans were alone in the universe. As though all that existed were their souls blazing forth, and the precious bond forged between them. Sans' eyelights shrank a bit in response to her words, shock once again gripping him. But even quicker than before, they softened back to normal, then eased further to give way to an expression that was warmer, happier and more carefree than she'd ever seen cross his features.

It was mirrored just as strongly in his soul, brimming with newfound strength nearly enough to make its glow visible through his clothing. He gave one, rapturous little chuckle, cheekbones flushing a more controlled, soft cyan, and a faint flicker of tears shimmering at the edges of his sockets. Then he returned her words.

"i… i love you too tori."

A few moments passed where they simply stared into each other's eyes, feeling perhaps a million things at once. Then they communicated something in that gaze, and this time it was expected and accepted by them both. They moved in tandem close enough for her to press another kiss against his teeth, and they freed their hands to hold the other close all the while. This one lasted longer than the other, and was more tender and natural for it. All the while their souls joined in that rapt sort of dance again, the magic swirling and joining in a joyous sort of familiarity. Though they spent quite some time that way, it somehow still felt too soon when she inevitably had to pull away.

When they met each other's gaze again, still close enough that their foreheads nearly touched, she found those same heart shaped eyelights looking back at her, just as uniquely wonderful a sight as before. When he'd recovered from the happy sort of haze the kiss had left him in, he blinked a few times and they returned to normal, still shining just as brightly. The act summoned the lightest of giggles from her, and he chuckled right back as they joined their hands again, sounding just as breathless as she was.

"s-so… uh…" He managed to speak again at last, voice still a bit unsteady from it all. "are we like… d-dating now?"

She laughed once more, more heartily this time. The question was so sincere yet so very blunt that it was honestly silly. But it was like he had said to her the night they'd destroyed his old lab, it was only silly in all the right ways. She moved to press her forehead fully to his and gave his small hands a gentle squeeze.

"If that is alright with you, my dear." She replied, with a purposefully sweet tone. "If you will have me."

Her words had the effect she was expecting, as the skeleton's face flushed a bright cyan again at their open affection and his breath caught audibly, rendering him speechless once more. Toriel offered a smile that was a touch apologetic.

"Sorry, was that too dramatic?" She asked, eyes still carrying a faint sparkle of mischief beneath the gentleness.

It seemed he couldn't help but chuckle at his own expense, grin returning in full as he recovered from his momentary flustered reaction.

"a-all this was dramatic, heh." He replied once he could get the words out. "but y-yes, yah it's alright with me, m-more than alright. i'd… i'd like that. a lot."

She beamed, fangs flashing as she did so. Then she couldn't help but plant another little kiss on his forehead, one he took this time with equal warmth but far less surprise.

"Very well then. I must say it brings me great joy as well, to be able to call you mine." She murmured, letting her cheek rest atop his skull.

"s-same. heh." He quickly stammered out in reply, likely by instinct.

He shifted over a little closer then and she happily wrapped him up in her arms, feeling the elated pulses from his soul match those of her own. They settled more comfortably against the pillows then, holding one another close. For a while after, they simply relished in that, allowing this new, wonderful step they'd taken to settle on their souls. Toriel felt as though it was perhaps the happiest she'd felt in long, long time, and she hung on to that feeling with all she had, letting its warmth renew her soul. From how difficult it was to distinguish between the emotions flowing from their souls, it was fair to say Sans was feeling quite similarly at the moment.

Beyond all that warmth though, some more serious thoughts did begin to make their way back into her mind, causing her to tighten her grip on him just a bit. For all the joy she felt, she knew also that now that they had crossed this line, it meant that she had far more of a responsibility to be there for him, to help carry his burdens. She was no longer just his concerned friend, doing all she could to help him. She was fully devoted to him now, and him to her. Their souls were bound by that devotion, marking them as partners in more ways than one. Perhaps that was indeed an old fashioned way of viewing it, but regardless, It was something she hadn't and wouldn't ever take lightly.

That cruel voice attempted to speak up again then, whispering mockery in her ears about how she would fail him as she had failed so many others in her life. But she willed it away in a moment, not even entertaining the possibility of giving it an audience. She let her thoughts drift back into that warm giddiness again, pushing back the heavier aspects of what had just occurred to be reflected upon another time. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy this, enjoy the company of her dear skeleton, who was truly hers, at last.

"heh, welp, this is a… a first." The skeleton in question said after bit, shifting back just enough to meet her eyes. i've never uh… d-dated anyone before. given my situation it was never something i really gave any real thought towards…"

His tone was still light and rather giddy, but there was the faintest bit of disquiet in his voice as well, just enough to be noticeable. Toriel gave a sympathetic smile and moved her paw to gently cup the side of his face.

"It is okay to be nervous Sans." She assured him, smiling further as he laid his small hand over her own. "This is my first time dating as well, so I would be lying to say I am not also feeling my share of nerves."

Surprise replaced the nervousness on his face for the moment, then he quirked a brow ridge in confusion.

"what? but... but you…"

When he didn't finish and simply looked at her expectantly, she was happy to clarify for him, smile becoming a bit sheepish.

"Me and Asgore were an arranged marriage." She explained. " I suppose i never mentioned that before… It is the… tradition for royalty. We knew since we were very young that we would be married one day, and while there was a bit of a courtship, it was more ceremonial than anything else. We ended up being happy together, but the fact remains that it was not a relationship I chose to pursue for myself. Princesses get very little say in those sort of matters, that certainly did not stop me from complaining though."

Sans seemed to consider all that for a moment, humming thoughtfully before offering a more unsteady smile.

"guess your parents wouldn't be too thrilled bout you being with me, huh?" He asked, with something of a nervous chuckle.

Toriel shot him another reassuring smile, hoping the idea wouldn't cause him too much worry. Still, she did decide to answer honestly, feeling a momentary dull ache in her soul as she pictured just what her parent's reactions would be.

"My father likely would have found it in himself to allow it, even if it meant ending the boss monster bloodline and facing all kinds of outrage from the masses. My mother would have certainly been… displeased though. To put it mildly."

That last part was spoken with a bit of pain to her voice, but she realized that quickly and moved on, before either of them could linger on that idea too much.

"There are definitely perks to having left my royal status, I will not lie. This... being one of them." She said, with her warm tone restored.

He blinked, perhaps a hint of concern shimmering in his eyelights before he nodded and his soft smile was restored. Toriel was relieved, but decided to be safe and change the subject, voicing a question that surely had to be on both their minds.

"I guess the question now is… How soon do you want to tell the others? I feel we must tell Papyrus soon at least, poor dear thinks you have fallen ill again with the way you've been acting."

Sans' smile faltered a bit at that, carrying nervousness along with a small flash of guilt at the mention of Papyrus. It wasn't hard for her to understand why he'd be hesitant to tell the others though. The idea of how their extended family would react to the news was both heartwarming and somewhat anxiety inducing to think about. Reactions would surely be mixed. Yes, many of them would be ecstatic or at least be happy for them. But others like Flowey and Undyne, and maybe even Alphys might not be too thrilled at the idea, even if they too likely expected it on some level. And that was all without mentioning how the general public would take it… especially now with their image of her further soured by today's incident.

Sans seemed far less worried than her though, more casual smile returning quickly. He simply gave a little shrug of his shoulders before shifting over to press close to her again, resting his skull against her chest.

"we've got enough secrecy crap going on as it is, we don't really need to add this to it." He said, surprisingly confident in his response. "plus, most everyone will be happy as hell about it. specially' pap and the kiddo. we're in for an intense few days, dealing with everyone's reactions, heh."

His casualness about the idea helped ease her fretful thoughts, and she willed herself to listen to him and try to emulate his calm. She nodded, closing her arms around him again and resting her chin on his skull. It surprised her then, when he slipped his arms around her neck and nuzzled closer as well. A rather bold little gesture on his part, but one she no less was happy he felt comfortable enough to do.

"but… let's at least keep it secret for tonight. y'know… e-enjoy this while we can." He said, his muffled voice betraying he was still quite flustered about the whole thing.

A soft giggle shook through her and she gave him a little squeeze before adjusting to accommodate his new position.

"Sounds good to me, my dear." She murmured, allowing her eyes to ease shut in contentment.

They remained shut like that as the two of them slipped into a comfortable silence again. Or rather, a silence in that there was an absence of spoken words. But their souls were engaged in their own sort of conversation, sharing and syncing their magic with each other in a way that was becoming more and more natural, and oh so soothing. It was almost enough to make her slip into sleep, and she was rather surprised he hadn't already.

But as the minutes ticked by, she found the reason amongst all the emotions she could feel in the waves from his soul. It was faint at first, but then grew more noticeable until she felt she had to comment on it. She eased her eyes open again as she did, casting her eyes towards the starry skies out the window.

"You still seem worried about something Sans." She murmured, gently.

Despite her attempts at softening the words, he still stiffened in surprise at the sudden nature of them. When their meaning had sunk in, she felt a chill of fear grip him before he attempted to subdue it again, only partially succeeding. He hesitated, then she felt him shake his head.

"n-nah, its… its stupid, don't worry about it." He said, in the most relaxed, dismissive tone he could manage.

Toriel frowned at that, but recognized there was more to his avoidance than his usual reasons for it. And it was flimsy at best, something he seemed to recognize as regret began creeping through his soul almost immediately after speaking the words.

"If it is troubling you, then it is certainly worth discussing." She reminded him, in a firm but gentle tone. "Please Sans, talk to me."

There was little resistance he could offer in the face of that, and she could detect his concedement settling over him, making him deflate a bit in her arms. He tightened his grip on her as the fear returned to his soul, bringing a small feeling of shame along with it. It took him a moment to answer, but eventually he sighed quietly and spoke in a soft, lightly apologetic tone.

"i just…" He rasped, pausing to seemingly find the right words. "i'm... i'm scared y'know?"

The admittance came easier to him than many of his others had, but it still caused him to stiffen up in her arms as he continued.

"i'm not… i'm not supposed to do things like this… because it could just get… ripped away any moment. and… i really don't know if i have it in me to try to regain anything again if i… have to lose all this. i'm getting so a-attached. to everyone, to everything, and i don't know how i'll ever be able to recover if the kid resets again. i'm diggin' myself a deeper and deeper grave. another reset might just… break me for good y'know?"

Toriel's soul panged for him, his fears making perfect, acutely painful sense. Part of her had known such thoughts were likely to spring up in his mind eventually, but she had hoped they wouldn't beset him so quickly. Without missing a beat, she moved to gently rub his back in a soothing manner. The action did seem to relax him a bit, but also caused frustration to rise up inside him as well, meeting her own magic like a small static shock.

"damn it, sorry, this is supposed to be like... a happy moment or whatever. i d-don't want to spoil things with this crap again." He said, words dripping with self-loathing.

She gave him another little squeeze, shaking her head in the same motion before letting it rest atop his skull again.

"You are not spoiling anything, my dear." She assured him, in that same firm tone. "It is okay be scared, I know this is incredibly difficult for you. Do not be angry with yourself for feeling that way. Just try to remember what Frisk promised you. Keep it in your mind. They are not going to reset. You are staying right here, we all are, everything is. And I will be happy to remind you of that as often as you need."

The words could only do so much, but they were enough to banish a good deal of the tension he was holding in his small frame. He pressed his face into the fur of her neck, mumbling out a soft "alright… thanks..." as he did so. But she could tell he still wanted to say more, that there were still other hesitations trying to win over the newfound happiness in his soul and quash it back into its usual hopeless apathy. And eventually he had to give voice to those concerns in order to quell that assault.

"its not… just that i'm worried about." He admitted through a sigh, tone not quite as heavy, but no less still pained over what thoughts his mind was wrapped up in.

Before he went on, he gently pulled away, and Toriel let him go, watching as he settled just far enough back from her to meet her eyes again. He wrapped his arms around himself now, digging his phalanges in tight. His eyelights were pale and wavering, but managed to meet her own without flinching. The happiness still lingered in them, but it was being thoroughly choked by his insecurities and that looming fear that may never truly be banished from him completely.

"tori… be honest... do you really think i'm… c-cut out for this?" He asked, suddenly looking very tired. "i'm not exactly the best at… well, any of this. and you deserve the best after going through so much shit with your last relationship. i don't… i don't know if i deserve to be with someone like you. i'm still such a mess. i might just make everything worse for everyone involved."

It was painful to hear him talk this way, and perhaps more so to hear him say it all in such an increasingly detached manner, as though part of him were giving into his old apathy in order to dull the sudden overload of mixed emotions. Even if she could understand why he'd do such a thing, she wouldn't stand to watch it happen. He didn't deserve to have every happiness offered to him consumed by his fears. She reached out to gently cup the side of his skull in her paw once more, encouraging him to meet her gaze.

"Sans, listen to me, okay?" She implored, but still with a tone that showed her resolve.

His eyelights brightened with faint surprise, likely at her lack of hesitation in the act. But regardless, he gave a little nod and kept his gaze on her. She was surprised how easily the words came then, considering they were not ones she'd really thought over before, like with her confession earlier. Nonetheless, she was glad for it and did her best to ensure they would be enough to banish the worst of his worries.

"Please do not speak of such things as "deserving" someone else, my dear. Do not think less of yourself by trying to compare your worth to mine. I find that idea terribly foolish. My royal status, my history, my species, it does not make me higher than you in any way. You are not beneath me, in that regard, or any other. At the end of it all, I am a flawed, damaged monster, but one that can heal and have hope for the future, just as you are. I could state countless numbers of my own fears regarding how I could somehow fail you, but I will not pay them any heed, and do you know why?"

Her ruby red eyes shone with determination, as bright as though a fire burned within them.

"Because I believe in this, I believe in you, and I am beginning to learn to believe in myself again. This relationship between us will not fix our deeper problems, I know you will struggle, I know I will struggle. I know we will both make mistakes and that there will be far more difficult times ahead than we wish there to be. But I know that we can continue to help one another heal. Nothing i've learned about you or seen from you changes my feelings at all. I chose you Sans, and I love you, scars and all."

Her somewhat stern expression slowly shifted in a warm smile then, and her eyes softened considerably. Warmth flooded through her soul anew, and she hoped he could feel it through her touch.

"And based on the fact you have stayed by my side even as you learn the true depths of my faults, I feel it is fair to assume you feel the same, do you not?"

The question was, in part, for both their sakes. But its effect on Sans was far more impactful, especially on top of everything else she'd said. When his eyelights brightened again, reignited by the emotions he'd been fighting against, it brought her own soul a wonderful sense of comfort as well. Slowly, his expression softened, and then a small but far more meaningful and genuine smile spread across his face. His soul began to respond to hers again as well, sending back warmth that steadily grew to match her own.

"yah... you're right." He conceded, ducking his head a bit and threading his phalanges with her fingers. "a-and much more uh… articulate about it than i could be, heh. stars... what would i do without you at this point?"

With that last part both of them were a bit surprised when tears welled up in his sockets again, spilling over before he seemed to even realize it was happening. He stiffened and laid a questioning hand against his cheekbone. It came away wet, and he stared down at the sudden moisture on his phalanges with confusion before wiping at his sockets with his sleeve, letting out a nervous chuckle as he did so.

"geez, sorry, i-i don't know what's wrong with me…" He stammered, voice thick and sounding genuinely confused. "i'm not even really upset or anything…"

Toriel's simply offered a sympathetic smile and used her thumb to gently wipe some of the tears away. She was surprised he did not pull away at all or get more embarrassed about it. He simply kept on talking while seemingly trying to figure out what was triggering the abrupt waterworks.

"eheh... guess my d-dumb soul isn't really used to me being h-happy." He croaked, rubbing the heel of his palm against his sockets. "its trying to sabotage me or something, heh. really though... what the hell?"

Her soul gave a little pang for him, but her smile remained, understanding what was happening here. It was honestly more sad to know that he didn't understand, that the concept was such a foreign one to him.

"It is fine, my dear." She assured him, voice warm. "Do not worry. One does not shed tears purely for negative emotions after all."

He blinked, her words seemingly making the idea finally click in his mind. The action also caused more tears to roll down his cheekbones as well, but he still smiled back at her, eyelights soft.

"heh, g-guess not." He sniffed, running his now damp sleeve over his face again.

Silently, Toriel invited him back in for a hug. He accepted without hesitation, huddling up close and holding on to her tight. She wrapped her arms snugly around her dear skeleton, giving his cheekbone a little nuzzle in the same motion. It only took a few minutes for his soul's instability to even out again, it's joyful warmth having been restored. It was a glorious feeling, and one that was somehow even more wonderful to share with him now than before. Eventually he spoke up from within her embrace, once his sockets were dry again.

"thank you tori." He breathed, nuzzling his face further against her neck and tightening his grip on her by degrees. "y'know i hate promises... but i'll... i'll try harder not to get so wrapped up in this shit. i-it's not fair to you…"

There was a pause, then he finished the statement in a quieter voice.

"or… or to me."

That little addition made her soul swell a bit within her, almost wanting to bring tears to her own eyes. She gave him a little squeeze, something akin to pride adding to the warmth within her.

"I am glad to hear that Sans, and I promise, I will do whatever I can to help you with that." She vowed, before slowly sweeping a paw down his back. "You have truly come such a long way since the start of all this, my dear. And I know you will continue to get better. I hope that someday, you can see yourself closer to the way… that I see you."

The surprised reaction at that from his soul that melted away into gratitude was clear and comforting, almost enough that one could get lost in it and be soothed to sleep just by being near him. But then it shifted a bit, and she felt his more mischievous, jovial side returning to the magic flowing from his soul. It made her perk up by instinct and she peered down at him curiously.

"i hope so too." He replied, in a much stronger voice. "because if i don't, i'll have to apologize again, and that would make it a sorry sight to see."

The pun, so very out of the blue as it was, hit a bullseye with her. She immediately succumbed to giggles, and had to free a paw to muffle them so they did not further descend into boisterous laughter. A few snorts escaped her against her will, and that had Sans giggling as well, quite pleased at her reaction. The little happy rattle of his bones as he laughed only made the effect intensify.

"Th-that was unfair." She chided him through her tapering giggles, gathering him more properly in her arms and sitting up on the bed.

He grinned up at her, giving his shoulders a playful shrug. Then something seemed to occur to him and his eyelights suddenly took on that wonderful little star shape.

"oh man, does this mean i can finally use all my dumb flirty puns i've been stockpiling over the years?" He said, grin almost maniacal.

She shot him a wide grin of her own in response, fangs flashing.

"Oh yes, please do. I would love to hear them" She said, before quirking an eyebrow playfully with a more mischievous sort of smirk. "But I will warn you, my dear. I too have quite the impressive reserve to pull from, and experience using them, I do not think you have a chance at matching me."

With a blink, his eyelights returned to normal, but retained their bright, joyful shimmer all the same. He narrowed his sockets at her and grinned even wider.

"we'll see about that, old lady." He declared, sitting up fully. "you're all the inspiration i need, in fact you could say that you make my soul bleat faster whenever i'm around you."

Damn, it was a good start, and she had to fight not to give into the blush it summoned on her face, or the laughs it brought to her throat. She could hardly stand to lose on the first one after all. She leaned down over him and offered her own confident grin, giving him a playful poke in the ribs.

"When you are by my side Sans, I never feel a-bone. If I were to name all the ways you stir my soul, why there would simply be a skele-ton~"

It was a bit cruel, and maybe something of a cheat to hit him with two at once, but seeing his reaction made it all worth it. Despite the bright color that returned to his face though, he endured her tactful strike, only taking a few moments to fire another pun back at her. One she countered yet again with ease. It went on and on that way, both telling those truly awful flirtatious puns, a genre they'd never really delved into in the past, trying to get the other to crack. It was great fun, pun-ctuated with much laughter on each side as both slowly began to lose their resolve.

It was a wonder they didn't wake the whole house, or at least that she didn't. Not everyone could be blessed with a naturally soft voice like Sans' after all. In the end she had ended up winning their little game, eventually able to render her dear skeleton a blushing mess again, as well as have him begging for mercy on account of his ribs aching from all the laughter. She told him though that she was sure he would win someday, a sentiment that seemed to mean more to him than she realized it would. After all that, they found it had gotten quite late. So they got ready for bed and settled in for the night, now free to snuggle up together without any reservations about it… not that they'd really let that stop them before… but it was still meaningful this time nonetheless

Equally meaningful was the kiss she pressed between his eye sockets before bidding him goodnight, a gesture that he had then attempted to return, to the best of his ability. Even though it amounted to little more than a bony nuzzle, she still found it did the job just fine, and was just as endearing. They were still somewhat awkward and clumsy about it all, but that would surely change with time, and only seemed to add to the humor in their case. It took only a minute or two after that for Sans to fall asleep, thoroughly enveloped in her arms and skull resting against her chest.

His soul was so calm and peaceful in his sleep too, in a way that made her feel sure he'd rest well tonight, with no night terrors to torment him. She wished she could say the same for her own situation, but it seemed clear by now that her nightly visions were not something that could be avoided, not even with a clear mental state. It was distressing, especially the longer it went on, but the fear felt small and manageable tonight. So long as she was assured she'd wake up by his side, she knew she could face whatever lost memory wished to return to her.

Before she allowed herself to slip into sleep though, something became apparent to her. Something felt... different. And not in the expected ways regarding what had just happened. It was a faint sensation only noticeable now that the wondrous distraction of the night's events was absent. She couldn't explain it, but the feeling seemed to be drawing her eyes to Sans. To his soul. Then something clicked, and it compelled her to perform a CHECK on him. What she saw was enough to make her own soul leap inside her.

*SANS, 1 ATK, 1 DEF, 3/3 HP