Asgore hears a click as he twists his key in the knob, before he delicately pushes open the door to his home's additional room, the hinges squeaking as a gentle yellow light pooled inside. Two large bookcases lined the left wall, along with a chair next to them, a grand piano, and numerous canvases on the ground and walls, all of which were draped in white curtains.

His keys jingled as he hung them on the door's knob, taking in the dusty old room which he hadn't stepped a foot in since… Well, it must've been years at this point.

He hadn't visited this room since he retired here in New Home many years ago, and it was apparent that nothing in this room was kept up to date with. Dust caked every surface of the room, there were webs in certain crevices with a little note that says for him to visit Muffet's bakery—which he'll make a mental note of later for him to ask her not trespass on his property—and the wood and wallpaper had slightly darkened and frayed in some areas due to neglected cleaning.

He took another step into the room, sauntering through as he slowly raised each object's curtain. Paintings he had done were the most well-kept, while every other keepsake had been left to rust or drain of pigment either because of the natural elements, or because of the dust. Perhaps for the best, considering some mugs contained mercury. Or so he heard from Alphy's.

Though one painting stood out from the rest.

Asgore pushed the curtain to the side, revealing a painting he didn't recognise. It was a portrait of a young man, likely in his early 20s, playing a composition he didn't recognise on the piano. The monster could tell it was a painting he had done, considering it was obviously done in his style, but he wasn't sure who it was.

He examined the features of the man in the artwork for a moment, eyes gazing over the long sleek black coat he wore with the Delta Rune emblem stitched on his back, as well as how his slim fingers hovered over the keys, as if unsure of what to play.

If he were to look further, he could make out the faint outline of a smile, though the face was indiscernible, left blank and to the imagination.

It looked cosy.

A warmth, comforting feeling etching itself in his body.

Yet a part of him was solemn, longing to be there with the man.

It wasn't a simple feeling to get rid of, and his heart only ached further the longer he stared.

But why?

He pushed the curtain to reveal more of the painting, and in the background, faded, he could make out delicate lavender-coloured draperies, along with a vase of golden flowers that sat on a table next to a window with a ray of golden, afternoon light, beaming and lighting up the man further.

The painting was antique, likely dating back before or after the human and monster war if he were to take the man's clothing into account. Which was strange, Asgore found, finger ghosting over the corner of the canvas. Surely he would remember painting such a portrait?

Especially of a human wearing the Delta Rune emblem.

Humans who wore the Delta Rune emblem supported their cause. Of course, humans saw them as traitors, and they were forever classified as vile people in historical books. But, even with very few supporters, Asgore valued their efforts and kept each of them in his mind for the rest of his life. So it seemed weird for him not to recognise a supporter.

He narrowed his eyes in thought, peering closely into the painting as if it were about to come to life. He wished it did. But it didn't move, remaining forever an image frozen in time.

"Hey, King!" Undyne's voice called from down the hall.

Asgore returned the call, his gaze fixed on the portrait. "Yes?"

Her heavy steps caused the wooden floor to creak as she continued to talk, making her way towards him. "Most of the monsters are almost ready to move to the surface, think you could- whoa!"

The goat monster turned to look at her, her eyes and mouth hanging wide open.

"Holy crap, Asgore, that's a pretty sick painting!" She praised, sliding to stand next to him to stare at the painting. "Who made it? The old queen?"

He shook his head and grinned bashfully. "It's an old one I did. Probably predates the underground itself."

"Holy crap!" She repeated, her mouth hanging further.

"It's not very good, but I've gotten much better over the years." Asgore says, awkwardly scratching his wrist.

She half-scoffs, half-laughs. "It's been 500 years Asgore, if you hadn't improved, that'd be the most shocking thing. Wait-" she paused, furrowing her brows. "Why the hell haven't you told me you could paint? I've known you since I was a baby fish, man!"

He sheepishly shrugs. "It didn't come up?"

Undyne punches his shoulder, toothily grinning. "What the hell! You 'never told me' you had these sick skills because it 'never came up'?"

He shrugs again and earns another punch to the shoulder. "We coulda painted together!"

He chuckles and watches as she turns back to the painting with a tilted head. "Who is this, anyway?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Asgore responds frankly. "It's been a couple of centuries; this could've been a commission from a human to do a portrait of them."

It didn't feel right to say it was a commission, since he felt it was more of a gift for someone. Someone he cherished. But that was the only explanation he could give Undyne at the moment.

"Really? You don't even know his name?" She asked.

Asgore frowned. "No. I'm afraid not."

It's on the tip of his tongue, and he knows he should know the name. It was and still is extremely important for him to know. For some reason. One was because this was a painting of a supporter, and two, because he just felt that way. Felt like he should know it. But what was it? Gas? Jester? Jevil? Pastor? It was something, but…

"Well, the past's in the past I guess." Undyne said, shrugging. "I'm sure his name'll come up eventually."

"Yes…"

"Anyway, we could use some help movin' the bigger stuff out of the underground! 'Parently, some humans are helping us out by 'U-Hall-ing it' or whatever they called it."

Asgore nodded and stood up with a grunt, his bones creaking and popping. "Alright. I'll be there in a second. Let me put these away first."

"You got it! You'll see us when you come out!"

Undyne trotted out of the room then, Asgore carefully tucking the fabric back over the painting and sweeping away the dust that caked on the material.

He'll worry about this old painting later.


Apparently, he couldn't stop worrying about it.

He kept thinking of the man in the painting no matter what he did.

There was just something about him that made Asgore feel lost.

And it was becoming apparent to the others that he was lost in thought.

"You alright, Asgore?" Undyne asks, setting down a box to come to Asgore's side after he had stubbed his toe.

"Yes, I'm quite alright." He answers.

"Alright? But you've been spacing out for a while. I can take over if you need me to."

He shook his head. "No, no, you don't need to do that. I've just been thinking, is all."

She tilts her head. "About what?"

"That painting. I just can't place my finger on where I've seen him before."

He knows he's seen that man. But it was frustrating to not know where he saw him.

"Hmm…" Undyne crossed her arms and put a hand on her chin. "Maybe go to Gerson then, he might know."

And so he did.

He neatly packed the artwork and carried it to the spot where Undyne had last seen him, and by the time he arrived, the turtle was half-way to tipping off his chair asleep.

"Old friend." He greeted, waking up the turtle in the process.

"Wah?" Gerson blinked when his eyes landed on him, before he squinted, then relaxed his gaze. "Oh, king fluffy buns. What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Ah," he scratched his cheek in embarrassment at the nickname, "I was just wondering if you could check something for me."

Gerson straightened himself… Well, as straightened as he could be with a shell weighing him down. "Don't draw it on, show me watchu got there!" He said, pushing the supplies on his table to the side to make room for the painting.

"Oh, yes! It's a painting I think I did before the war, and—" as he spoke, Asgore carefully laid the painting flat on the table, before he gingerly lifted the curtain to expose the man who had been on his mind all day. "I was just wondering if you know who he is."

Gerson leaned forward, squinting as he held a magnifying glass to the painting.

"Nope." He said after a moment, tapping the side of the canvas. "Can't tell who it is without the face."

Asgore visibly deflated. "I see…"

"Say," Gerson said, continuing to look at the portrait with an unknown expression, "where'd you find this anyhow? Have you been taking care of it?"

Been taking care of it? He didn't think Gerson would be concerned about that. But he figured that with all the old items the turtle kept, he'd want him to take care of his own old stuff as well.

"I found it in my extra room with my other keepsakes. I'm not sure how long it's been in there for." He answered.

Gerson hummed noncommittally. "Keep care of it then. Something tells me it's important."

Asgore blinked at the response, and even though he knew he should be taking care of it, the warning was still useful. "…Yes, I'll be sure to do that."


Some time had passed since that conversation with Gerson.

With the assistance of Frisk speaking on behalf of the monsters, most monsters were able to move to the surface, with the humans even assisting by funding the establishment of a town for them.

After a while, Asgore began working as a florist by opening a flower shop, which Undyne and Gerson had playfully named "Flower King."

And even still, with everything going on, the painting weighed on his mind.

It stayed in the back of his mind, burning with a sense of desire and curiosity that he couldn't get rid of.

It wasn't until he was babysitting Frisk that he finally found his answer.

Frisk's steps sauntered into a halt, Asgore turning back to look at why they had stopped. "Child, what is it?"

Frisk pointed at the painting that was hung up in the hallway of his home. "That."

"What about the portrait?" He asked.

Even if he hadn't known Frisk for long, perhaps an hour or two, he knows from what others say that they're immensely curious about the underground and what it has to offer. Them being curious about this painting was no exception.

"I've seen him before." Frisk said, saying it with such certainty that Asgore wasn't sure whether they were lying to make him feel better, this was a crude joke, or both. Either way, he appreciated the effort.

Asgore chuckled. "It's been well over five hundred years. I doubt he would be alive by now."

"No, I've seen him before." Frisk repeated firmly, looking up at him with a determined pair of eyes. "He's that scientist, right? Uhhh… W.D… Gaster?"

And it clicks.

The name just clicks.

W.D. Gaster.

His expression was like Frisk had just told him he'd won the lottery. And win the lottery he did.

"W.D. Gaster." He repeats, liking the way the name just rolls off his tongue because it just makes sense.

W.D. Gaster.

He ignores the way his throat clenches at the name, the way the bridge of his nose burns, and how his eyes become wispy, only concentrating on how warm just hearing the name makes him feel.

"Golly… the name certainly makes sense." He said, turning to look at the portrait. "Tell me, where did you see him?"

He doesn't care if this was a fake story, if it was a false lead, or if he was being overdramatic about a man, he doesn't even remember. W.D. Gaster was his name, and this child somehow, miraculously, found it out.

"I can take you there, but…" Frisk started. "It probably won't make any sense until I tell you everything."

"Young one, I'd be more than willing to listen to whatever story you have." Asgore says, impatiently making his way to the front door with the child trailing closely behind him. "Tell me on the way there."

Frisk nods, and off they both went, going to where Frisk had apparently seen W.D. Gaster.


Notes:

Another summary for this fic is that I just got inspired by Kanrix's kingding's fanart and decided to make a fic out of it. Even if they aren't too into undertale now, still go check out their stuff, it's good!

ANYWAY, EN GARDE TO THE NEXT CHAPTER!