"Please!"

"I've barely finished eating, Undyne."

The blue hands clasp together in an air tight lock. The bundle of fingers plead desperately. Knees go down on the kitchen tile floor, again pleading entire souls worth. The eyes go soft, a mix of eagerness and desperation clash together forming watery tears that distort the widened pupils begging for hope, begging for the human to accept what the soul behind the yellow eyes long for.

Undyne puts her elbows on Aofil's thighs and shakes her hands together, "Please! It will look so cool! Just a tiny bit, just a tiny tiny bit?"

Aofil pushes away Undyne's pointy elbows from their thighs and massages away the pain, "Are you sure even Asriel wants?"

Undyne flies up on her feet again and throws her hand towards the backyard, "Look at him!"

Asriel is sitting on a bench warming up his shoulder. He's changed into a more loose fitting shirt with Undyne's face on it.

"He's just as desperate as I am to see you two fight! Even more so!"

Aofil shakes their head, "This might comes as a surprise to you."

Undyne starts beaming with excitement.

"But somehow I'm not convinced."

And immediately after her face sinks down along with her shoulder. Her uneven teeth are exposed in an irritated underbite that she's grinding side to side, "Don't have so be dramatic about it."

"Look who's talking!"

Undyne waves the accusation off with her hand, "What's the worst that can happen?"

Aofil's face does the talking. Their stone cold, non flinching face. Doesn't appear to be enough for Undyne though, so Aofil mouths a very clear, and very articulated, "No!"

Which just slips past Undyne like a sigh in the wind, "You don't have to go toe to toe or anything. Just lean your feet a bit against each other or something? You know, just a couple of fireballs between friends. I do it all the time with Papyrus, but with spears. Big spears."

"Which translates to big fireballs between me and Asriel?"

"No, no, no. Didn't you hear what I just said," Undyne pinches two of her fingers together while narrowing her eyes at them, "just small ones. Who knows, maybe he can muster up enough magic for a big one when you're battling him."

Aofil crosses their arms, "And why would that be?"

Undyne shoots a glance outside to make sure Asriel's busy. She leans in closer to Aofil, "I've heard him say stuff about you. When he's going hard on the boxing bag," Undyne throws a couple of punches in the air, "I mean, I say your name too. Just the usual though, nothing like what he does."

Aofil's eyebrows shoot up, "What?"

"You know, the usual. You being a human, and how easy I defeated you when we sparred on Mt Ebott. So I thought you would spend your time away training to beat me. Which meant I had to keep up!"

"The usual?" Aofil repeats with their eyebrows still high into their forehead.

"I guess… kinda?" Undyne's hands fall down at her sides, "I had to rationalize you leaving us somehow..."

Oh god, she's playing that card, and it hits Aofil's heart perfectly. Piercing right through. The card works, god damn does it work. Aofil's here because it works. Guess Undyne has to get at least one good use of it before Alphys fixes it for Aofil.

But she hasn't yet, so Aofil's forced to go with their consciousness. They nod.

Undyne didn't quite catch it.

Aofil nods again.

Undyne regains her composure, but she still has to wipe away a small tear that barely formed in her eye, "It's for Asriel sake."

"Sure it is," Aofil sighs through their lips, "sure it is. I think I need some new clothes though," they cock their head towards the bathroom, "The ones I had before have been lying around in sweat for a while now. I know you don't have a nose, Undyne, but..."

A swift, but loose, bump on Aofil's shoulder from Undyne shuts them up, "Don't make statements you aren't willing to back up in battle, punk. I'll get you some more clothing, Aofil. Go and have a chat with Asriel, see how he wants you two to fight."

Aofil clears their throat and halts her in her step out of the kitchen, "Isn't it better suited if you do it."

Undyne throws a thumb over her shoulder, "I'm off to get you suited though. Besides, I like to be surprised! And more besides, if I know what you're doing I might be biased."

"Or you might know what we plan to do so that you can interrupt if things go too far," Aofil counters with a tilt of their head and eyebrow.

Undyne returns a wide smile, "I can defeat both of you with both hands tied behind my back. So interrupting you will be no problem whatsoever. Now get out there to the smaller Asgore and get him to spar with you. Ngah!"

She disappears around the corner before Aofil has time to voice any more concerns. Not that she would listen and or take note of them if she stayed. Now that she's gone though, maybe Aofil can talk a bit to Asriel. See how he feels about yesterday. Maybe break the ice before they break each others noses. Hopefully it won't be that extreme.

Asriel was a bit pissed when they departed each other last night though.

Well, time to grab the bull by the horns, the goat by the horns, the Boss Monster by the horns. Aofil blows their lips as they stand up and head for the patio door. Yes, Toriel said she didn't mind to be called a goat nowadays, but Aofil's pretty sure Asriel would still take mind to it. Gotta keep it to just sparring, not actual fighting.

Although Aofil also wonders if they really should even call him a Boss Monster. He was a bit down and out about the whole concept yesterday, to say the least.

Why even address him with anything besides his name to begin with?

"Careful..."

Aofil trips over a dumbbell lying in the grass. They stumble for a bit before regaining their balance clumsily, and find themselves right next to Asriel, who looks at them perplexed and a bit dazed by the spectacle.

Aofil smiles and stands up straight, "Hello, Asriel. How're you doing?"

Asriel breaks eye contact and returns to his sit ups, "Stuff and things."

Aofil takes a seat on the bench that looks the least sweatiest, "Feeling better since yesterday?"

He shakes his head without breaking away from his session, "Nope."

"Alright," Aofil nods to themselves. Good job there, idiot. They put their hands together innocently, "You wanna talk about it?"

Asriel keeps his eyes looking at the horizon instead of acknowledging Aofil, "We did plenty yesterday."

"Maybe now that you've digested it a bit?" Aofil proposes while turning their neck around to make sure Undyne is out of hearing distance. They spot some of Alphys' tail through the basement window, but she should also be out of ear's reach.

Asriel stops to drink some water. He washes it around his mouth before swallowing hard, "I'm still confused about you, about Chara, about me," he counts on his fingers, "about my place, about being alive, about why, about how, about when, about everything," Asriel reaches down under his bench and picks up some dumbbells before lying down on his back with them stretched over him, "So you know," he laughs with a faint snarl hidden, "the usual."

His exhales take a more frustrated tone, and his movement becomes more harsher, more violent. Aofil might as well just ask him before they dig this conversation further down into the ground, "So, wanna spar?"

Asriel turns his confused head to Aofil. His lips are curled in such discomfort that it peeks through his befuddled expression, "What?"

Aofil nods towards the house behind them, "Undyne's suggestion."

"But why?"

Aofil shrugs, "Something about me being a human, and that you might get stronger if you fight one. Her logic, not mine."

Asriel carefully puts down his dumbbells and sits up facing Aofil, "Does she know about your curse? Is that why she suggested it?"

That's a great question. Does she? Aofil's not entirely sure, "I'm gonna say no, but I'm not certain of it. I sure damn hope she doesn't."

"Hm," Asriel looks at his hand. He flexes them open and close, staring deeply into them. He flicks his wrists, and two flames form inside his palms. They're small though, barely providing enough light to color his fur orange and red. He clutches his fists together, "Dammit," he mutters, and slams his fist down on the bench, "Dammit..."

With a deep sigh Asriel drags his hand over his head, "You think..." he halts his words to think, but it only seems to make him more frustrated, "You think you can handle it? My magic, that is. Without feeling your curse?"

Aofil takes note of the shift in Asriel's tone, but they decide not to mention it, not directly, "So sparring sounds like a good idea to you?"

"I guess? If Undyne thinks so, then maybe it is a good idea?"

"Just like that?"

"Wasn't that what you just wanted?"

Aofil lifts up a hand, "It wasn't my idea, it was Undyne's. You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Asriel looks around for the joke Aofil's apparently telling, but he doesn't find it, "But I want to," he lifts a hand of his own, a baffled hand, "I just said that I wanted. If Undyne thinks it's a good idea, then it is a good idea."

"Don't know if I totally agree on you there."

Asriel's brow furrows into stone, "You haven't seen her for years, you don't know her."

Aofil motions for Asriel to calm down, "I was just kidding."

Asriel picks up his dumbbells again, "Sure," and returns to his chest presses.

Undyne's taking her sweet time finding some more clothing. Aofil again checks behind them. Still no sight of her. Is she scheming up a plan or something? Or is she giving Asriel and Aofil time? How long does she think the two of them need?

"Mom and dad sent their thanks for the snails, by the way," Asriel informs with a muttery tone. Sounds like he just wanted to get it out of his head and not think more about it.

"And Frisk?"

"Haven't had theirs yet."

Aofil nods, "Right."

"Mom wonders if you'll be staying for dinner," Asriel continues. Still just to get it out of his head.

"Maybe," Aofil answers with a shrug, "depends. I'll answer in good time though."

"Dad also wonders," with an angry grunt Asriel throws down his weights, "Why?" and flies up like a springboard, "Why you? Why can't they ask themselves? Why send me? I'm so sick of this!"

Aofil jerks back a bit, but Asriel doesn't advance in on them.

"I'm so sick of the thought of you. About all of them clinging on to you despite you abandoning them. Why can't they move on? You made it perfectly clear that you didn't want anything more from us when you left, so why did they treat it as you just going out for groceries?"

Aofil waits for Asriel to run out of air to retort, "They didn't though."

Despite not having his breath under control Asriel still continues, "The worst thing," Asriel coughs as he cuts off his breathing rhythm, "the worst thing is hearing how great you were. What did you actually do, Aofil? I want to hear it from you."

"I…I just met them. They popped out of the cave, and I was the first human they met on the Surface. Didn't have anything better to do, so I stuck around."

"Until you didn't."

"Well, yes, that's true," Aofil throws their shoulders and arms up, "but what is it you want me to say, really?"

"I don't know..." Asriel leans his head into his palms. He takes a moment to try and collect himself, drawing tired sigh after tired sigh until he balls his hands under his chin, "I just look at you and I become so frustrated. I don't know why. It just happens. Like there's something that just takes over me. Like I'm overwhelmed by anger."

Sounds familiar. Not a good sign.

"Maybe it's because you feel it reminds you of how they acted when you and Chara died? Sounds the same to me."

"Maybe," Asriel scratches his muzzle, "maybe. Or perhaps life just wants to throw whatever shit it has on me now that I'm alive. I came back from the dead so I'm not allowed to complain, right?" Asriel scoffs, "I'm acting like a child. Fucking joke, everything."

"To be fair, I'm the only one you can take it out on. Might even be the best choice even if I wasn't the only one."

Asriel shakes his head, "Shouldn't even take it out on you. What good is a prince if he can't handle his emotions."

"At least the prince is alive," Aofil reminds.

Not to great effect, "Alive to feel all the shit weighing me down," Asriel drags his hands over his eyes, "I just want to not think about it, not think about anything from before."

"I know," Aofil nods along while looking off to the side, "I know. You feel a bit better talking about it though?"

"Yeah," Asriel admits, "I do. Thank you."

"I don't want to sound rude or anything," Aofil taps their fingers together while searching for the least hostile words to use, "but have you tried talking to a professional? Not about Chara or that, but about what you can talk about. Like being a prince despite you not feeling like one. It might not take all the weight off you, but it might help a bit."

"Mom and dad have noticed, but I've always played it off. They haven't suggested it, and I don't want them to, ever. I know how to fake emotions."

"Not really because of a good reason that you learned to though."

"Besides, who can I talk to? Humans wouldn't understand, and neither would any monster. The only one I can think of is that small dog that's running around, but only because it wouldn't even understand the words I'm saying. It's not intelligent enough to not understand my situation."

Aofil puts their hand up while curling and stretching their lips while debating whether or not to say something, "I mean..." slips out of them though.

Asriel shuts Aofil down with a glare, "I've already tried. Didn't work."

"Alright then. If you say so."

"I'm saying so."

With a sympathetic nod Aofil agrees to drop the subject, "Fine."

"Thanks."

"You just tell me if you want to talk more," Aofil offers, "you're still a kid, after all."

"You have your own problems."

"I know," Aofil rubs their arm through sheer reflex. Luckily they realize and stop before Asriel notices, "but you're the prince so you take priority."

"Don't. Please."

"Right," Aofil tilts their head to show that they're sorry, "don't bring it up."

The patio door opens a couple of silent minutes after, and Asriel and Aofil welcome the whatever change in subject the person might bring.

It's not Undyne though.

"Asri..."

Frisk's mouth shuts close hard when they spot Aofil. They freeze for a split second, and then drop their pile of towels and water bottles in their hands. Their neck twitches, and they rush back inside. It's not long before they're out of view, but during the few seconds Aofil sees them through the kitchen window Frisk is clasping their head and weaving as if they're losing their balance.

Asriel takes after Frisk, almost knocking over his bench when he springs up on his feet, "Frisk!" Aofil decides to follow. Asriel holds the door open for them and the two of them follow Frisk out the front door and down the gravel path leading to the street.

Frisk is taking support on the anime decorated mailbox at the end of the gravel path. Their hand is clutching the mail box, and almost crushing it too. Asriel reaches Frisk first, and they jerk back in fear when Asriel puts their hand on their shoulder.

Asriel's in a state of close panic, "How are you? Are you hurt?" he quickly checks Frisk for any wounds or anything that could explain it, but he doesn't find anything, "What is it?"

Aofil catches up to the siblings shortly after, "Should I fetch Alphys, Frisk? She knows some human medicine."

Frisk shakes their head and motion for both Asriel and Aofil to stay away.

Asriel fumbles through his pockets, "You want me to call mom?"

Hard shake. Frisk takes one final glance on Aofil before they burst up the road towards their home. Asriel wants to follow, but Frisk motions for him to stay where he is. He watches them run all the way up the road. Frisk slams the door behind them once they reach their home.

Asriel stands still, breathing heavily. He's too stunned to know how to react. He looks over to Aofil, but they can only shrug, "First time Frisk did something like this?" they ask to try and understand themselves.

Asriel shakes his head, "Yeah, never seen them do something like this. Can it be a human illness or something?"

"Anything that involves sudden pain in the head is a bit worrying, but Frisk shouldn't have anything. It's usually much, much later in life that something like that should happen."

"Usually..." Asriel hangs on the word, "Their resets," he whispers.

Aofil realizes that it was the wrong thing to say, "And by that I mean that it rarely ever happens in the first place," they try to salvage, "Forget what I said. No, I don't think it's a human illness."

Too little, too late?

Arsiel stares towards his house with eyes that seem to go right through the door, "Maybe..."

Maybe?

A notification sound escapes his pant pocket, and Asriel picks up his phone. He reads it for a bit before showing it to Aofil.

"Sorry for scaring you, bro. Just had a huge headache all of a sudden. It's fading now, but I'm gonna skip the gym today. I'll have mom check on it, just in case, but I feel fine now. She's home now, so keep doing your workout," the message from Frisk reads.

Aofil hands Asriel his phone back, "Still sure it's nothing?" he asks with worry in his voice.

"Could be the sun? Maybe not enough water? If it's fading then it maybe was just a one time random thing that just, you know, happened, all of a sudden, without rhyme or reason. Just breezed by, so to speak. I've had some of that for myself before."

Asriel nods, but Aofil can tell he's not completely convinced.

"Frisk said that Toriel's home too. She can heal it, if it's still there."

Asriel looks down at his hands. He huffs angrily at them and snap his head to Aofil, "Undyne said that you sparring with me might help my magic?"

"Something along those lines, yeah."

"Then let's do it. If it happens again then I want to be able to heal Frisk so that mom doesn't have to worry."

Good a motivation as any. Aofil puts up an encouraging thumb, "I'll do my best. Just need to wait for Undyne to get me some training clothes."

A loud and sharp whistle from Undyne and Alphys' house cuts Aofil and Asriel's ears. They turn around to Undyne hanging her head outside the bathroom window, "Where do you think you're going, punks?" She forms a spear in her hand that's dangling outside the window along with her head, "No way am I letting you run away from this! You're gonna spar!"

"I need my clothes for that!" Aofil shouts back.

"Five more minutes in the dryer! Now get back behind the house and clean up unless you've already done it! I don't want you tripping over stuff and embarrassing yourselves."

Undyne closes the window.

Asriel looks up the road again. His fists clenches tighter, "Please let this work."

Aofil takes lead back up the gravel path. They spot Alphys tinkering with a microscope through a window in the house foundation, "Same here, kid," they pray under their breath.