Chapter Text
“so did this century guy do anything to ya? ya know, besides splitting your soul?” Sans asked.
“No, the last thing he did was send the Patience one home, the Determination one to kick Error’s butt and I think he took the Justice one with him.” I said.
“… you’re still you?” he asked again.
“I told you. I still have all of my memories, so yes.”
“what was the last card we used?” he growled.
“You were my personal slave. Error ruined it, but I wasn’t a very good master anyway.” I whispered.
He looked surprised at that admission, but continued with questioning about the cards we had basically discarded for the two weeks I had been in heat.
“the card before that?” he asked, less intimidating.
“You fucked me with tentacles. I really liked that and you spared me.” I whispered again.
He shivered. He knew now I wasn’t lying. At that time he didn’t spare just anybody. Then, he was corrupted. Now, the only monsters who weren’t corrupted down here were Gaster and him.
“alright, alright. you’re you. little clingy, but you.” he grumbled.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to be!” I unlatched from his side.
“no, no, pay, it’s fine. ya look drained. i wouldn’t be using magic if i were you. round here, once you reach your limit, you’re easy pickin’ and ya can’t go all out in case another monster goes after ya.” He was being gentler, as if I could fall apart at any moment.
“Results, Sans?” Gaster asked suspiciously. He wasn’t quite sure about me once we left the room made in the Void and he wasn’t allowed in that conversation.
“yeah, it’s her. or a piece of her anyway.”
They had already looked at my soul. It looked deformed and Gaster already wanted to monitor it, which Sans readily agreed to because he was curious too.
“i dunno how she’s being held together. her magic’s weak, but i think with time…”
“You mean bonding. Do not harm her Sans. I’m warning you.” Gaster growled.
I was surprised. Maybe Gaster liked me too? Maybe that was why he had gotten so angry I had bonded with Sans?
“relax doc. that’s the last thing i could do. i’m not corrupted anymore. if anything, i don’t wanna let her go anywhere, but that wouldn’t be the point of what we’re doin’ here. if anything, this is exactly what we need an’ she knows it.”
“I’m still here.” I said shyly. “It was agreed this world needed a healing hand and even though I was a product of an accident… I know I’m meant to be here.” I told them.
“wait what? this whole thing was an accident?” Sans questioned. I knew that look. That was the ‘I’m gonna kill this guy if I ever see him’ look.
“No, it wasn’t! I agreed to splitting my soul! The original plan was for the Determination one and the Justice one to take form, but I did too. I could feel all seven cores of me separate from the Patience one. I was the accident. Just me. I-I think it was because I have feelings for you, to help you like I know how it should be done. I want to teach you to be gentle when you need it and avoid fights from happening. You’re already doing it now.” I said softly, feeling him relax again.
“You won’t ever have to worry about me leaving for another universe or getting taken. No more running. No more tears. I did this for you, for what you need. You know and I want to help. You saw me. You knew I needed to go home and I did. I promised I wouldn’t leave you alone.”
“i-i know. your soul changes, looks weird and ya change clothes. if that ain’t alarmin’, i dunno what is, but it just sounds too good ta be true. you were talkin’ about taking me with you, then this happens.” He sighed.
“It was a take it or leave it deal.” I told him. “Kinda like when we first met. You were coming down, I was going up. You had some thought put into the deals and promises we’ve made to each other, but it started sudden. I want you to be happy.”
“heh, heh, heh. with you sweetheart, i’m pretty sure i am. a lot more. we just gotta be more careful now. yer fragile. i want ya ta stay home while i work. ‘fore we start tryin’ ta do anything. i need ya ta rest an’ eat an’ build up your magic, ya hear? don’t even bother with papyrus.” He turned to Gaster. “that means don’t bother her, gaster, unless it’s a question.” He growled.
Gaster had been watching our exchange quietly after Sans had told him he wasn’t corrupted, calculating his responses.
“I think that is wise, Sans. I am going through changes myself and they are not all cosmetic.” He frowned and touched his face where it had cracked. “I will see the both of you in my lab when we have all recovered from this. I may need healing. I can feel traces of corruption.” And with that, he disappeared around the corner.
I poked my head around to see if he was completely gone and if he could teleport out of curiosity.
“pay?” Sans looked confused.
“Just seeing if he was gone-gone.” I told him, finding no trace of Gaster.
“yeah. the guy taught me how to control my teleporting. never liked it much until now. it only got me out of jams there was no other way out of. last resort sorta thing.” he told me.
“I’m not suited much for cold weather. Can you-?” I said, looking at my short sleeves and skirt.
“already on it, sweetheart.” It only took a moment to make it back to his house.
“It’s weird seeing Gaster out of the Core. He seems like the kind of guy who has everything there and doesn’t need anything else.” I commented. Sans paused.
“ya know, now that i think about it, since everyone’s corrupted and obsessed with LV, and me being different about it, maybe i’ve been the nicest monster ta gaster and i sucked at it. i think i’m gonna try it your way, seein’ he was the nicest guy to me. might not have survived as long as i have if he didn’t teach me a few things. siddown… i’m gonna go try and… fight for some food.” Sans said nervously.
“You’re not really going to fight, are you?” I asked.
“nah, i usually just take it when no one’s lookin’. it’s safer that way.” Sans suddenly bristled and I saw a tail around his legs.
“What’s wrong? He just wants to say hi!” I laughed at the cat I had found for Papyrus. He mewed and continued purring and circling Sans’s legs. Suddenly he darted off.
“do i have to feed that thing?” Sans grumbled.
“Nope, he just caught his dinner.” I laughed.
Even though the house was warm and relatively ‘safe,’ it must have been insulated by some sort of magic, because small animals had found their way in on the lower level, more often than not.
“well good, ‘cause i’m not getting food for it.”
I rolled my eyes. Still had to put on the act. I guess he was used to it, but he would have at least tried if the cat needed food while no one was looking.
“hey, if pap comes home, then go upstairs. he’s kinda scared a you, so i dunno what he’ll do with you alone and, uh, i kinda made it clear you’re mine, but killing is not above him still.” he said nervously, sweat dripping down his skull.
“Don’t worry, the only killing here is going to be with Kindness.” I assured him crossing my arms.
He turned to leave, but I stopped him.
“Hey, one more thing you forgot.” I said.
“what’d i forget?”
I unfolded my arms and grabbed his neck pulling him down.
“Gimmie a kiss, big guy.” I laughed.
He chuckled deeply, then stopped, staring at me.
“you’re, uh, not gonna let go until i do, huh?” he asked.
“What, is there a problem?”
“still stubborn, huh? i wonder if you still have determination.”
He scooped me up with a surprised yelp and opened his mouth, feigning a bite, then giving me a tongue twisting kiss as he succeeded in over-running my mouth. He pulled away and sighed.
“I love you. Good luck.” I said softly
He set me down on the couch, muttered something I didn’t quite catch and disappeared fast, his face pouring off heat and red as a tomato.
“Ya think he’s warming up to me, buddy?” I asked the cat as he jumped on the couch and rubbed up against me. “I am a little different from what I was.” I giggled.
Sans was cute when he was flustered like that. It looked like he didn’t know what to do when I came onto him or flirted. I’d have to tease him later and see how long he could hold out against my advances. He had thrown up another wall to see if it was really me and I was already more than halfway up it. Killing with Kindness was going to be fun in some aspects and others… I just had to make sure I wasn’t dusted.
“Urroew?”
“Don’t worry, bud. I’m sure he’s warming up to you when no one’s around. It’s just what he’s used to.”
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damn it, why was she even more of a flirt? i really needed to learn how not to freeze. i knew plenty of comebacks… they just flew out of my thick headed skull the moment she said something back! well technically, she just said i love you, but the way she said it was full of meaning. shit! why was i thinking about this now? i needed to get some food.
i couldn’t go back to grillby’s. the guy would charcoal me if i didn’t have the gold to pay my tab… or worse. i shuttered at the thought. the trash bin was relatively clean from pickings by other monsters, but i didn’t feel like getting into a fight or explaining where i had gotten my food. gaster was the only monster who willingly gave me food because he had one of the food machines powered by the core. all the rest were scattered across the underground, taken over by businesses.
there was one more place i could go… the shop. while i knew i couldn’t rack up a tab there, the food they sold was in reach and i only took something if i really needed it. whether i was buying something, just looking or actually stealing, i made sure to always displace out of the store so they couldn’t tell the difference. i really didn’t want that shop lady to catch me. i’d already seen what she would do to thieves and even if i got away, she would catch up to me somehow. i tried to steal few and far between and always just a single cinnamon bun. usually it would hold me over if i needed it, when my stash of food was either discovered or low.
i flashed a nervous smile. nothing new here. i just had to wait for her sister to check up on her and a fight would break out. i was nothing threatening to her or really anyone, so she didn’t keep a watchful eye on her treats like with other monsters. i watched out of the corner of my eye, as i admired another jacket similar to the one i had, but shiny and new with red at the sleeves and bottom. i had my eye on it for a long time and she knew it, patiently waiting for me to have the drive to save up money to get it one day.
it turned out i didn’t need to wait for the innkeeper, because undyne came in and she was rowdy today.
“HEY! RETAIL SLAVE! Got any new tanks?” she burst in shouting and i ducked behind another clothing rack.
“No. Thanks for scaring one of my REAL customers off.” she sneered.
“Yeah, punk? Ya know what happens when we stop working, right?” undyne talked back, implying the shop could be raided. the shopkeeper should have kept her mouth shut, but she didn’t. she never could.
“I don’t carry anything you want! Now get the fuck out of my store or do have to get my family in here?” she threatened back.
undyne was just looking for a fight today. it wouldn’t be the first time she went here either and since she actually paid for most of the things she got, she was allowed back, but today she didn’t want anything they sold. the innkeeper came in arguing, evidently hearing the noise and i heard a few crashes while the women were occupied with fighting. they didn’t notice i hadn’t left. maybe, since the shelf with the buns was now leaning they would think one of them rolled into a crack in the building. that wouldn’t be the first time either. i quickly swiped one, waited for any immediate response and when i heard nothing towards me, i displaced.
i let out a sigh of relief. patience could eat tonight. tomorrow on my break, i would visit gaster to get more food to store away. hopefully, if papyrus was feeling generous again about using his food, she could make breakfast for him. he did seem to enjoy her cooking and i wasn’t sure how she convinced him she would cook if we got a share.
fuck! what was she going to do when i got back? i hoped she wouldn’t try flirting with me again. there was no way out unless i was hilt-deep in her and i wanted that, but her body and soul were not in the greatest shape. i could tell if she didn’t get some sort of magic she would be too weak for anything.
when i opened the door, she wasn’t on the couch. was papyrus home? one look up the stairs told me he wasn’t. not wanting to abandon any food with threat of him coming home and snapping it up, i took it with me into my room.
“pay? sweetheart, ya up?”
she sat up and blinked.
“Yeah…” she said. she was tired, but it looked like she couldn’t sleep.
“pap’ll be home soon. here, i gotcha somethin’. ya better eat it before he finds it.”
“Sweet. I’d say something about you having hot buns, but no butt.” she laughed and nibbled on the cinnamon bun.
nope. i couldn’t handle it. not only was she adorable, but i wanted her already. the flirting made me cringe, but i allowed it.
“Hey, do you want some?” she asked holding out the half she didn’t eat.
“nah. i’ll eat tomorrow when i get some food. i’m kinda used to it.” i told her nervously and she frowned.
“At least take a bite, you used a lot of magic today.” she said, pulling off a small piece and shoving it at my mouth. i grumbled. she was the one supposed to be recovering, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
when she was finished, she looked a lot better, even her soul was a little brighter and i climbed into bed with her, wrapping my arms around her. i could feel that steady heartbeat and i wondered with kind of magic it was pumping. it made my eyes droop since i wasn’t doing anything. she was breathing easy, so calming… i didn’t deserve a goodnight’s sleep. i should be worried about her. i should be trying to figure out if she was damaged.
“Sans?”
“yeah?” i asked sleepily.
“Thanks. I’m sorry if I’m a bit of a burden.”
“nah. you’re worth it. ya healed me, now i’m gonna heal you.” i told her. i had no idea how i was going to do this, but i had the determination to figure it out.
“Mmm… I love you.” she snuggled closer. “No matter what happens, ok?”
what was that supposed to mean? but i was too sleepy to question.
“ok. love ya too.” i said quietly.