A/N: picks up directly after the previous chapter.
Chara, be nice, Frisk said inside their headspace.
Why? They're fine, Chara thought back. Besides, this could mean Mom won't go out with Dunkle Sans yet.
I thought you were over that. Don't you want her to be happy?
Of course I do! Chara scowled. But it's still really freaking weird!
Mom had a knowing smile on her face as she looked at Sans, who was sweating buckets. Chara didn't have any hard feelings about the times Sans had killed them, but watching him squirm was still objectively hilarious.
...Okay, it is a little funny, Frisk said. What do you think happened between them? He's not just nervous because he's in Papyrus's body, is he?
I dunno, Chara replied. They wouldn't be embarrassed if they got stuck in Azzy's body. They'd just be really annoyed about not having legs.
You're in my body right now, Frisk pointed out. You should know how our uncles are feeling better than anyone.
That doesn't count. Being stuck inside Frisk felt normal. Sure, they missed being able to do a few things on their own. Frisk's eyesight sucked, which made throwing knives difficult. Frisk forced them to eat Uncle Papyrus's charred spaghetti too often, and didn't appreciate 90s pop music nearly enough.
And there was no privacy. Ever.
You don't have to pretend you're okay with the way things are. Aunt Alphys is going to get you your own body. I know she can do it.
If Frisk knew something, you could count on it. Chara swore the universe itself bent to their determination.
They shook off that thought. Alphys was finally coming down the escalator.
"H-hi, guys…" Her shoulders were scrunched so high, she looked more like a turtle than a lizard. "I, um, I'm sorry." She sighed. "I'm busy helping Papyrus and Sans today. It might be a little longer before I can help with, um…"
Her eyes darted to Mom.
"The children told me," Mom said calmly. She hadn't been thrilled about Alphys running tests on them, but she trusted their decision. Chara had been prepared for a lot more resistance.
She probably hoped that Alphys could bring back the Chara and Asriel she remembered. That wasn't going to happen. Azzy had his own plans for his new body, and Chara… well. They'd see if Alphys could even help before wasting their time on character design.
"O-oh!" Aunt Alphys smiled nervously. "Great!"
"So I stayed up all night drawing my body for nothing?" Azzy grumbled. "Stupid smiley trashbag, always ruining everything..."
"Papyrus's ears work as good as mine, y'know." Sans grinned.
"Neither of you have ears!"
"COME ON, FLOWEY! I KNOW YOU CAN USE KINDER WORDS THAN THAT!" Papyrus skidded over to them. It was weird to see Sans's body move so fast. The last time they'd seen that had been…
It's okay, Chara. Frisk's warmth glowed within them. It was the closest they could get to hugging each other.
One day… one day Chara would be able to hug Frisk for real. The thought filled them with determination.
"Hey, Chara." One of Azzy's vines tugged on their t-shirt. "Get out my drawing. I want to show Papyrus how awesome I'm gonna look."
"PLEASE," Papyrus added for him.
Chara rolled their eyes, but set Azzy on the floor and pulled his binder out of their backpack. He was very particular about keeping his artwork safe. Chara used to be the better artist, but Azzy had practiced more since becoming a flower. His old drawings had been lost with the resets, but since coming to the surface, he'd made a lot more. It wasn't like he had anything better to do.
"Thanks Chara," Azzy said as he snatched the paper from them. "Anyway, so one of my arms can turn into a gun, and I can summon lightning strikes from…"
Chara wandered away from the two of them. Through Frisk, they'd already experienced the "God of Hyperdeath" firsthand.
It doesn't bother me, Frisk said. It's kind of sweet.
Of course you would think so. Chara rolled their eyes.
It wasn't like Azzy's overpowered OC bothered them. They'd teased him about it all night. They'd just rather eavesdrop on something more interesting while they were here.
Aunt Alphys and Mom were discussing the tests Chara and Flowey would have to go through. Ugh. Somewhere in the back of their mind, Chara remembered another scientist's tests. Ivory hole-punched hands and a twisted grin.
But Aunt Alphys wasn't him. The reward for her tests would be worth enduring a few prodding needles.
Dunkle Sans was skulking in a corner of the lab. In Papyrus's body, he wasn't as hidden as he probably hoped he was.
"Hey, Dunkle Sans!" Chara grinned and skipped up to him. "How's the weather up there?"
He gave them a flat look.
"Cloudy with a chance of…" Suddenly, he picked them up and spun them around. "Tornadoes!"
Chara laughed loudly. They felt Frisk's joy bubbling inside them, too.
"What are you doing?" Chara asked when Sans finally set them down. "You're not just trying to look cool in front of Mom, are you?"
"Pfft, your Dunkle Sans is always cool." He puffed out his chest. The action looked much more impressive in Papyrus's body. "I just thought I'd cash in on this height thing while it lasts."
Ever since Frisk hit their growth spurt last fall, they had an inch on Dunkle Sans. They would probably have to endure short puns until Aunt Alphys fixed him.
"Do you like being tall?" They squinted up at him and finally realized what he was wearing. "I didn't know you liked Sailor Moon."
"Huh?" He blinked down at his shirt. "Oh, this is Al's. Believe it or not, I didn't want to wear shoulder pads to bed."
Chara smirked. "And the Mettaton pants?"
"I didn't want to wear booty shorts to bed, either." He ruffled their hair. "You got a problem with my style, buddy?"
Frisk asserted their presence, and Chara took that as their cue to step back into their headspace.
"We should go shopping for some new clothes!" Frisk signed. "Since yours won't fit now."
"Heh. Sorry, kiddo, but I think me and Paps will be busy with Al's tests today. 'Sides, hopefully this mix-up won't last long."
"What happened?" Frisk asked, then tucked the locket under their shirt. Guess they wanted a little more time in the driver's seat.
"Just a shortcut that cut my bro a little too short." Sans winked.
Frisk gave him a deadpan stare.
Come on, that was a good one, Chara chuckled inside them.
"Seriously. I botched a shortcut. Took Paps through by accident, and we came out like this on the other end." He looked away, but Frisk tugged on the end of his shirt.
"Can't you just shortcut back?" they signed. "Undo whatever you did?"
Sans blinked.
"I dunno. I can't shortcut at all. I've got my bro's magic now. But if he can figure it out… might be worth a shot, huh?"
Frisk smiled, and Sans ruffled their hair again.
"I'll ask Al about it. You mind distracting your mom in the meantime?"
"Why?" Frisk raised their eyebrows and put their whole arm into the sign. Even Sans couldn't sneak out of a direct question like that.
"Uh." He started to sweat again. Frisk had been right—something happened between him and Mom. "I'll pay you thirty G to forget about it."
Tell him to make it fifty, Chara prodded, but Frisk ignored them.
Frisk was still staring. If anyone could win a staring contest with a monster who didn't need to blink, it was them.
"You're, uh. Really determined to make me crack, huh?"
Frisk gave a sharp nod.
"Geez. Guess I'm just delaying the inevitable." Sans bent down on one knee and covered his mouth conspiratorially. "The truth is… I told her I like lemon meringue pie better than key lime. She got reeeeeal offended about it."
Frisk glared.
"I mean it. Would I lime to ya?"
"Yes," they signed.
Suddenly a shadow fell over them.
"What are you two troublemakers up to?" Mom bent down and kissed the top of their head.
Chara instinctively fronted again.
"Just telling Sans we ate all his key lime pie." Chara grinned and pulled the necklace back over their shirt. "He said he thinks key lime's gross anyway."
"Did he, now?" Mom gave Sans a smug smile.
Ugh. She wasn't buying it at all. She definitely knew something they didn't.
"Heh… uh…" Sans tried to shrink. If he wanted to act like a turtle, he should've kept Papyrus's shoulder pads.
"Perhaps he can bake me a pie of his choosing, then. How does that sound, Sans?"
"Egg-celent." His grin looked tighter than normal. "Uh. Because I'll make a meringue. With eggs."
"Real smooth, casabone-a." Chara smirked. "Do you need me and Frisk to give you some flirting tips?"
Frisk giggled within them. I thought you didn't want them to date?
Changed my mind. This is freaking hilarious.
Even Mom seemed amused, though she tried to hide it with a stern look.
"Chara, please stop 'flexing' the fact that you can flirt and Sans cannot."
Sans's jaw dropped. Literally. His mandible fell off and clattered to the tile. Chara joined it, rolling on the floor laughing.
"G-get dunked on!" They got out between cackles.
"SANS! YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF MY BODY TOO, YOU KNOW!" Uncle Papyrus rushed over and scooped his jawbone off of the floor. Sans couldn't even explain himself until Papyrus snapped it back in place.
"What? What's so funny?" Flowey called from across the room.
"Nothin', kiddo." Sans grimaced, working his jaw until it popped a few times. "Hey, Al, don't you have some more tests for us?"
He slipped past Chara and Papyrus and darted towards her.
"WAIT FOR ME! YOU'LL NEED MY BLUE ATTACK EXPERTISE TOO!" Papyrus chased after him.
Mom chuckled into her paw.
"I am glad you found that amusing, my child," she said while helping them to their feet. "But I am serious. Your mom has enough 'game' to make up for him."
Chara wasn't sure whether to giggle or groan. Papyrus never should have tried to teach her slang.
"So." Chara cleared their throat and looked away. "You actually like him? Like, like him?"
Chara and Frisk just flirted for fun. They'd realized most people weren't like that. If Mom wanted to flirt with Sans, it meant something.
Mom knelt down beside them.
"There are many ways to love someone, my child." She cupped their face in her soft hand. Her voice was just as gentle as her touch. "I love him differently than I love you, and differently than I loved your father. But there is something there. Does that upset you?"
"No." They frowned. "It's just weird. You and Dad were always so gross. But you and Dunkle Sans just like, roast each other and look at memes and stuff. Plus he's a skeleton."
"It is untraditional, but so is each member of our family. Including you, Chara." She tapped the locket over their chest. "I am not attempting to replace your father. I do not expect you to treat Sans or I any differently. But I… I have lived long enough to know how short life can be."
She gave a somber chuckle. "I suppose that does not make much sense."
"No. It does." They looked away.
The locket felt heavy around their neck. They didn't need to open it to picture the two photos inside—one of their old family, the Dreemurrs, and one of their new family, all of the friends they and Frisk had made in their travels through the Underground.
They knew how easily both families could disappear.
"I love you, Mom," they said quietly, throwing their arms around her.
"I love you too, my child." She squeezed back, warming Chara and Frisk both. Her hugs were the best feeling in the world. Better than the last bar of chocolate, better than dropping a pun at just the right moment.
"If Dunkle Sans makes you happy, then you go get 'im, hot mama." They winked.
Mom let out a bleating laugh. "You are putting ten G in the flirting jar when we get home."
Chara grinned. Worth it.
Of course it's worth it to you, Frisk grumbled. I'm the one who did the dishes for that money.
"You know, I always assumed that it was Frisk who had the... strange flirting tendencies," Mom commented. "Did they rub off on you?"
"A little." Chara grinned sheepishly. After a year of sharing a body, it was hard to tell where one of them ended and the other began. But Chara hadn't been this flirtatious before, had they? It was difficult to remember.
Sorry, Frisk said. You get the flirting from me. But the bad puns are all you.
"My puns are great," Chara grumbled.
Mom's ears twitched, but she didn't say anything. She could usually guess when Chara or Frisk was talking to the other.
"Frisk says it's them," Chara spoke up louder. "Which is fine, because it's their money going in the flirting jar."
After settling that, Mom decided they should rejoin the others, who had moved outside for the skeletons' next "test." Sans and Papyrus were sending tiny bone attacks back and forth across the lawn. Alphys watched from a safe distance while scribbling notes on a glittery pink clipboard. What was she hoping to learn? How badly the skeletons' attacks had been nerfed?
Chara almost tripped over Azzy's pot, which sat on the front step. His vines were crossed sulkily.
"This is so boring," he complained. "They can both fight harder than this! Why are they being such babies?"
"They are not putting on a show, my child." Mom chuckled and bent down to stroke his petals. "I am glad they are being careful."
That made sense. Uncle Papyrus wasn't used to Sans's body. If he hurt himself by accident…
It's okay. We'll take care of him, Frisk reassured them.
I didn't say anything, Chara grumbled back.
You didn't have to. They could feel Frisk grinning. It's okay to be worried. I am, too.
Frisk shouldn't be. There was nothing to worry about. The skeletons' attacks intersected in the middle of the lawn, where they couldn't inflict damage on anyone. Sans's translucent blue bones passed through Papyrus's solid white ones, then vice versa. Once enough bones littered the lawn, Alphys signaled them to stop and began stacking them on top of her clipboard.
Chara darted over to help. There was no way she was going to be able to carry those all by herself.
"Th-thanks, Chara." She smiled. "Sorry again that I couldn't help you today…"
"It's fine." They shrugged. They'd been inside Frisk for over a year now. A few more days, or even weeks, wouldn't make a difference. "You learn how to fix Sans and Papyrus yet? 'Cause if not, Frisk had an idea."
"W-well, I have to run some tests on the attacks before I'll know much." She sorted the bones into different pockets in her lab coat. "What was Frisk's idea?"
Chara noticed Dunkle Sans loitering close enough to eavesdrop. They pawned off their armful of bones on him.
"You've got long arms now. No excuses," Chara told him before turning back to Alphys.
"Aye aye, kiddo."
Now that their hands were free, they tucked the locket under their shirt and let Frisk sign.
"What if Papyrus takes Sans back through a shortcut?" they asked. "Sans said a shortcut was what switched them in the first place."
Sans shrugged. "Not a bad idea, right Al?"
"That's—that's less than a bad idea!" She grinned. "Wait, more than a bad idea? A-anyway, it's worth a try! But it could be dangerous, if Papyrus doesn't know how to use Sans's magic…"
"I'll teach 'im."
"TEACH ME WHAT?" Papyrus, despite being in Sans's body, managed to balance a tower of bone attacks in his stubby arms. "THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS EAGER TO LEARN!"
Frisk smiled, and Chara found themself relaxing. With all of them working together, everything would turn out fine. It always did eventually.
"I should still test the attacks, first," Alphys spoke up. "Let's go back inside."
Frisk shook their head. "Sans, help Alphys," they signed. "I want to talk to Papyrus."
Chara could feel their nervousness, but not their exact thoughts. What were they planning?
"O-okay? Um, take your time! The tests will take me a awhile, anyway."
"Pawning off all the work on me. I see how it is." Sans accepted Papyrus's load of bones.
"YOU COULD STAND TO WORK A LITTLE HARDER, NOW THAT YOU HAVE MY STUPENDOUS MUSCLES!"
Sans chuckled. "Can't argue with that."
Sans and Alphys left them alone on the lawn.
"WHAT IS UP, MY TINY FRIEND? THOUGH YOU DO NOT LOOK SO TINY ANYMORE..."
"I'm worried about you," Frisk signed. "You only have one HP now."
Right. Frisk did say that they would take care of him.
"I KNOW. IT IS A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR MY BROTHER'S BODY." Papyrus smiled, but it looked a little forced. "BUT I WILL BE ALRIGHT, AS LONG AS UNDYNE DOES NOT NOOGIE ME! NYEH HEH HEH!"
Frisk winced. That was what they were talking about. Even their fake hit against Undyne had done one damage. Just playing around with Papyrus would be dangerous unless he learned to dodge like Sans.
Frisk crossed their arms and gave him a serious look. He glanced away, grimacing.
"I HAVE CARED FOR MY BROTHER FOR A LONG TIME. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY THINGS HE CAN'T DO BECAUSE OF HIS HEALTH. NOW I WILL JUST KNOW THOSE THINGS AGAIN, ONLY MORE PERSONALLY."
"I know you'll be careful," Frisk signed. "But if anything happens…" Their hands froze halfway through the sign.
Determination.
Chara startled. You're really worried, huh?
I'm being prepared, Frisk replied. Papyrus is our friend. Our uncle. He's the one who…
Who stopped us, Chara finished. Yes, they remembered. When they'd been so afraid, when they'd thought their only choice was to destroy everyone and end the world again… he'd been there with his arms open wide.
He'd believed in them.
"FRISK?" Papyrus asked quietly. "ARE YOU TALKING TO CHARA?"
They nodded. "Chara wants you to be careful, too. They really care about you."
I can tell him that myself, they grumbled.
Actually, they could do better than that. They had an idea.
"I CARE ABOUT YOU TOO, CHARA!" Papyrus smiled wide. "I PROMISE, I WILL BE FINE. BETTER THAN FINE! I WILL BE GREAT, AS ALWAYS!"
"You are always great," Chara pushed forward to say. They pulled out the locket—but this time, instead of leaving it on top of their shirt, they undid the clasp behind their neck.
Are you sure? Frisk asked. They had already guessed what Chara would do.
It'll just be for a little while. The reassurance was more for themself than Frisk. I'll use something else when I'm fronting. Aunt Alphys got us those cool keyblade necklaces.
Chara felt Frisk's warmth. It gave them the strength to hold out the locket to Papyrus.
"CHARA…?"
"This locket will add ninety-nine to your defense," they explained. "I know some attacks don't factor in defense, but it should protect you from any accidents."
Papyrus stared at the golden necklace, his eyesockets wide.
"BUT… CHARA, THAT'S YOUR…"
"Yeah, yeah, it's my special best friends locket from before I died. So take good care of it, okay?"
The chain jingled when they shook it. Finally, Papyrus reached out his hands to take it.
"WOWIE! I AM BEING GIVEN SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES LATELY!" He started to sweat. "IT'S A GOOD THING I AM SO RESPONSIBLE!"
"We just want you to take care of yourself," Frisk signed while staring at him intently. "If anything goes wrong, we'll make it right again."
"But we'd really rather not have to," Chara chimed in. The surface didn't have as much ambient magic as the Underground. It made performing specific resets much trickier. They really didn't want to redo last week's English essay just because Papyrus got himself noogied.
"THANK YOU FOR THE FRIENDSHIP LECTURE. I KNOW IT IS ONLY BECAUSE YOU CARE!" He squeezed them in a tight hug. "I WILL NOT DO ANYTHING REMOTELY DANGEROUS. AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL ACROSS SPACE AND TIME! WHICH SOUNDS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS! SO PLEASE DON'T DO THAT!"
Chara laughed. "Deal."