There was a knock at the door, before it opened to reveal Toriel and Asgore, grinning and holding up their cameras. "Howdy!" Asgore called.
Nicky ran to them immediately, her grin huge. "Ehmma! Ehmpa!" she cried, throwing herself at them and hugging them together. Both laughed and hugged back.
"Hello, my dear!" Toriel greeted happily. She pulled Nicky away and looked at her, her eyes misty. "Oh, look how lovely you are!"
Asgore coughed, unable to help it, nodding in agreement. "It's hard to forget you've grown up when you look like that," he admitted.
Nicky made a face, though she was blushing. She adored her grandparents, almost as much as her parents. They'd been at her side, been her champions, for as long as she could remember.
Asgore was also holding a bouquet of flowers - golden flowers, from the garden at New New Home - which were her favourite, and she took them with a smile, burying her face into them. "Thank you," she said happily. "Come in, please!" she then added, almost forgetting her manners.
"Oh, dear," Toriel said the moment she saw her son with tender eyes. She went over to him and sat down beside him, giving him a hug, something he had needed very much, and he relaxed into it, tearing up again. Alphys gave Asriel a pat on his shoulder, then stood up, walked over to Basket, and hugged her tight.
"Uh, Mum," Basket blinked, blushing. "Why?"
"You're my daughter," Alphys replied. She looked at Undyne, who grinned and hugged both of them tight. Basket sighed, rolling her eyes, thought Nicky could easily tell she loved it.
"Howdy, Dr Alphys, Undyne, Basket!" Asgore greeted with a grin. "How are all of you?"
"Help," Basket answered.
"We're good!" Undyne replied, lifting both her wife and her daughter off of the ground a few feet to prove it. Frisk laughed, unable to help it, even as she moved to hug Asgore.
"Asriel," Toriel said softly to him, "are you alright?"
He hesitated before answering. "I'm worried, Mom. Don't say anything, but..." He lowered his voice. "I'm afraid for Nicky. I'm afraid we're missing something, and she could get hurt."
"Things have changed quite a bit, Asriel," Toriel said gently. "Especially for Nicky."
He nodded; it was true, after all, and logically he knew that. But it didn't stop his feelings all the same.
"Well," Toriel added, able to see his doubt, still. "Are you able to remember that things have changed, for today, for both Nicky and Frisk?"
Asriel blushed, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He certainly felt he'd earned that. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
Toriel smiled and pulled him to his feet. Nicky was already at their side, and Asriel stared at her for a moment before hugging her tight. This was her father in a nutshell, Nicky thought: full of love, very sensitive, and almost angry at both. She knew it was his way, and was always generous with his hugs - something Nicky adored. When he let go, he was teary-eyed but smiling.
"I'm sorry," he said again, to her this time. "You're my baby girl. It's hard to adjust is all."
"Oh, Papi," Nicky whispered, tearing up a bit herself. "I'm still your girl. I always will be."
He hugged her again, and now they both sniffled. Nicky had inherited her father's penchant for easy tears. Or, to put it simply: she was also a crybaby.
"Let go-!" Basket pleaded, now being held up along with her mum and Frisk - both of whom were laughing to tears.
"Never!" Undyne replied - and then yelped. Asgore had not only hugged her, but began to lift all of them up off the ground with a loud laugh of triumph.
Toriel held a hand to her cheek, her eyes bright and a smile on her lips. "Gorey, you still have it," she observed breathlessly.
Asriel made gagging noises, which in turn had Nicky giggling. She was glad he was cheering up. She never liked seeing him sad - even when she was small.