#i promise toriel gets more space for her issues later i needed to set up a tinsy bit of helicoptering first. trust the process etc

[carlyraejepsans]

Halfway to the sofa, they stopped, making a small sound like a grumble of annoyance. For a second, the red glow in their eye grew faint. "Sleep," they rasped out in a low, halting whisper, "I saved you an ache in the neck." It took him a second to register that the kid wasn't talking to him. Mostly 'cause Frisk didn't speak. To him. Or ever.

Sans wakes up late into the night and sees something he shouldn't have.

[jamestrmtx]

Fairytale Complex - [Undertale | Sans x Reader]

[Gender Neutral, Frisk's Parent Reader | Slow Burn]

Chapter Twelve | Danger Mystery (Part 2 of 2)

[First] | [Previous] | [Next]

To those who read the previous chapter part before I fixed an issue with it:

I forgot to change the title from Chapter Eleven | Premonition to Chapter Twelve | Danger Mystery (Part 1 of 2) when copy-pasting the header format, and didn't notice until an hour of posting.

Apologies for any confusion I might've caused with that!

• • •

"Cool braids," Jerry says, smiling at Frisk. "Did you make them yourself?"

The one questioned seems less than enthused by him, though there's no denying how their face lights up at the compliment. "Toriel made them for me," they sign, going back to their bored expression afterwards. Their attitude is distant and shows how they aren’t ready to confront the past yet. They stand up and look away from him, a frown etched deep in their expression all the while. "I have to finish my homework now."

"Bring it here." Jerry tries to be cheerful, but fails horribly, smile and tone both coming off forced and awkward as he tries to hype up the situation as best as he can. "I can help you!"

Though they try to hide it from everyone else in the room, Sans can see how Frisk rolls their eyes, pouts, and then mutters something under their breath. "It's fine. I don't need any help with what's left."

They almost mimic (Y/N) in character and tone, acting just as stern and cold, if not more with how hard it is for them to pretend the opposite.

"I'd still like to know how you're doing in school." Jerry's tone changes, paired up with his expression: eyebrows creased, eyes glaring, and smile gone. "You're... You're the only one left who can tell me how things are going lately, now that (Y/N) won't answer my messages anymore."

"Why don't you ask that guy, then? You're friends, as far as I know."

Their angry gaze points at Sans as they sign the words: "Why are you friends with him?" with the most annoyed gestures possible, and quick enough for Jerry not to notice what they're doing or saying. Then, they look at their father again, seemingly running thin and out of patience with the way they look at him, a look so frigid it could put an ice skating rink to shame. "You haven't answered my question yet."

"Believe me, Frisk." Jerry huffs. "I've tried, but he refuses to tell me anything -- says it's not in his place to tell me about you and all that stuff."

"Cool," is Frisk's only reaction as they spare a look at their surroundings. "It's better that way."

The child sighs and walks away, not once looking back -- and not even as their father calls out for them by their full name.

"Come back here," he demands, standing up and glaring at the hallway Frisk passes through. "Or I'll have to ask why you've got such awful manners today. What's (Y/N) been teaching you these days, huh? You've never been like this before!"

"People change," they snap, stopping for a second to look at him. "So…" Their voice trembles as they take a second to ball their hands and direct their angry look at the floor. "So stop blaming (mom/dad) for everything, if you really want to talk to me."

They're gone for good after that, giving Jerry no chance to talk or ask questions any longer.

He's left fuming, and when he catches Sans's gaze, his anger augments.

"What the hell have you taught Frisk since I was gone? They- They were never like this with me before!”

"Never?" Sans asks, facing up at Jerry when he joins his side. "Hadn't you seen them since last Christmas before today? Ten months are enough for someone to grow and change."

"That's still too big of a change." He scoffs. "Now tell me what you did -- I deserve that much, at least."

"Nothin'." He pauses, shrugging to ignore the glare Jerry continues to direct at him. "We've been here for only two months -- three, at most. You've been gone ten."

Appearing caught in a dead-end, he sees Jerry's eyes wander from Toriel preparing some documents and Papyrus helping her out, to the hallway Frisk had walked through, and -- finally -- to the kitchen, where the clinking of cutlery’s heard as (Y/N) sets up the dinner table, while Undyne keeps an eye out for the stove and Alphys holds out a fire extinguisher near the scene. Sans has a hunch as to what Jerry's planning simply by the dour look on his face alone, so he holds the man back by the arm, saying, "Don't bring 'em into this." He's faced with a sharper glare, though he doesn't brush his hand away. "The kid's mad at you by default. Nobody else's told 'em to treat you that way."

"And how would you know?" Jerry shoves him off. "You're just some guy with a crush on someone else's spouse!"

"Ex-spouse." Sans sneers. "They aren't tied to you anymore."

"But they still have a kid to be responsible for."

"So do you."

Jerry tries to say something back, yet he falls short and stutters before giving up. "I- I'm gonna go help them out, then."

He sees the man look back to the kitchen again, longing visible in his eyes. 

"Knock yourself out, bud. Just don't go pressurin' 'em too much." The two spare a look at each other, a silent battle forming in Jerry's gaze while the monster remains stern but nonchalant. "You know what happened back at that bus. They need their time to rest."

A more empathic look softens up Jerry's visage as he nods, finally cracking a smile with it. "I know." He sighs. "But I have no clue how I didn't notice it was them you liked with how many damn comments there were about it on those videos."

"That's 'cuz we were barely gettin' to know each other back then." His confession's abrupt and appears to catch Jerry by surprise. "Wasn't until some time later that I realized what I was feelin' whenever they were around."

Jerry keeps quiet for what has to be a solid minute; it's a miracle based on how much he's wanted to communicate today, and in so short of a time. He sighs and his glare fades. A more serene look replaces his anger as he then relaxes his posture, completing a calmer self, much more refreshing to see in comparison to his previous attitude. "I promise I won't bother them too much today, but I still need to talk."

"Today only?" Sans remarks, quirking an eye socket. "So you're goin' back to zero after that?"

"Don't be stupid. I just mean I won't be as persistent today -- I know they need to rest."

The monster decides to let it go, aware he's going nowhere with how much more obstinate Jerry is. 

He sees him enter the kitchen and immediately seek after their ex, an attitude that makes him appear similar to that of a rambunctious puppy still looking for attention even after being told to back off. Sans chuckles at that thought and shakes his head, surprising even himself with how much he's becoming concerned with matters that weren't exactly his own. It’s knowing (Y/N) was tied to the situation along with Frisk what makes him want to try and intervene a bit more, though he knows better than that, taking into account how strained his relationship with the both of them still is. It's a miracle he even managed to befriend Jerry with how obnoxious and insistent he could be at certain times -- even more than Sans was himself.

...Was that why (Y/N) hadn't outright rejected him yet?

Did he resemble Jerry in attitude, somewhat?

Sans brushes that thought aside and proceeds to walk off to the hallway; the faint sounds of someone crying are heard nearby, prompting him to search for who it is.

He passes by a bedroom, a mini office, then a bathroom, until reaching the middle of the hallway. The person's crying sounds louder when he reaches Toriel's bedroom, though based on how young the voice is and that Toriel's still working with some documents back in the living room, he discards her as a possibility. He hears a few sniffles before the crying controls itself a bit more, making it seem as if the one behind that door heard his footsteps and chose not to be found out. Still, they carry on crying after some time, sniffles changing into sobs and sobs changing into loud and shuddering hiccups.

"...Frisk?" he calls out, knocking on the door twice.

The crying stops almost abruptly.

"Who's there?" they ask.

Weren't this such a pressing situation, he wouldn't hesitate so much in responding as he usually did to that type of question. He sighs and rests a hand against the door, drumming his fingers until he replies with, "Sans."

"...Sans who?"

"Sans ta permission, je ne peux pas passer."

He can't avoid the chuckle that follows when he hears them huff -- dramatically so. Soft footsteps and a click are the two sounds that lead before the door opens, revealing a tired Frisk with puffy, red eyes and an equally reddish, runny nose. Their hair's a messy bob, and the hair ties and ribbons Toriel used to keep the braids in place are no longer being worn.

"What do you want?"

"I wanna talk."

"No."

They almost shut the door right on his face, though he backs away on time, and -- as if seeming to trigger an unlisted superpower in (Y/N) -- they appear behind him, nearly giving him a soul attack.

"What's wrong?" they ask, peering over his shoulder. It's an evident, purposeful act on their part to tease him further and pay back at him, as they're already aware of how far his crush on them's gone. Still, they know their personal space and step back after that, leading him to turn his back on the door and face them instead. "...Was that Frisk? Wh- Why are they crying? And why are their braids gone? I swear if Jerry did something I-"

"He didn't say anything about that," Sans intervenes, calming them down by pulling them along with him next to the door and lowering his voice for only them to hear. "He, uh... tried to talk with Frisk, but they're still angry at him -- understandably. But they still don't wanna talk about it."

"Let me try, then," they say, sighing. "I think it's about time they told me at least something about what's bothering them -- Not just hide away like this every chance they get."

"So they always do that?"

They nod. "Whenever I try to talk about Jerry, mostly.” A subtle scowl accompanies the frustration in their tone. “But when it's about them telling me what happened to them at the Underground, they ignore my question by doing pretty much anything else that doesn't have to do with that." A tremble shows in their body as they take a second to breathe. "But today needs to be a different story -- They can’t keep running from this."

"No!"

Sans sees (Y/N)'s patience fade from their eyes at that sound, somewhat muffled by the door, but still an evident shout from Frisk.

"Sans is friends with Jerry, and- And now you're talking with him like that means nothing to you!"

The human narrows their eyes at the door as they stand in front of it. "Sans and Jerry being friends has nothing to do with any of this." They huff. "Did you really think they would be enemies right from the start?"

"Yes! Just like how Prince Charmin Ultra Strong gets defeated by Shrenk!"

Surprisingly, they don't get any angrier and -- on the contrary -- smile at that comparison. They bite their lip to hold it back, though they still fail when they reply with, "Does that suggest Jerry's mom is gonna be a bigger villain later?"

Some silence passes. "I mean, yeah. Don't you remember how sad and angry she was when Jerry tried proposing again, but then you rejected him?"

At that, the monster's grin shows up and he finds himself blurting out, "He tried it again?"

"Yes." The moment they spare to answer his question ends as they look back at the door and say, "Of course, I remember, but you still shouldn't have those expectations, dear. This isn't a good versus evil situation -- There's a lot more to it than that." They bump their forehead against the door, seemingly giving up their strong and stern facade as they press their lips tight and try to suck up some sadness by sniffling and looking at the floor. "You- You must've realized that, too, right? Some of your new friends hurt you at one point, didn't they? And then you still try to defend me despite all the bad choices I've made in the past. I… I know Jerry screwed up-"

"-a lot," they interrupt, making (Y/N) sigh.

"-but that still doesn't mean you should compare like that."

"But what if he's a villain in my eyes, (mom/dad)?" they ask, though it's more of a statement than the former. "The only good thing he's done today is compliment my hair -- That's it! And I'm pretty sure you haven't even used any of that support money he gives you, so it's not like we really owe him anything, either."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm not dumb. That's the reason why you worked so much in the past, isn't it? You... You just sent that child support money back to him, and kept some only for emergencies."

"That-"

"You tell me not to see him as a bad guy, but you still do that by refusing any help and doing everything by yourself."

"That still doesn't mean you'll owe him any of those funds, dear. In the end, we chose to (have/adopt) you, so you'll never owe us any of that money we provide for raising you."

"So why did you reject his part of the responsibility, then?"

The kid could be a lawyer with how quickly that question corners (Y/N) in place. Their once firm, narrowed eyes turn wide and a guilty look makes their forehead wrinkle and mouth form a grimace. They don't say anything as they reach out for the doorknob and try to turn it around. "Open the door. We can't keep talking like this."

"Answer my question first," Frisk says, voice faltering midway. "Please?"

(Y/N) gives in with an exhale, chest shuddering in the process. "I…” They clench their hand and hesitate. “I didn't want to owe him anything." They rest their forehead against the door again, looking more defeated than before when they close their eyes and fight their frown away. "That's why."

Quiet remains after their response.

The door doesn't click or budge, signaling for the one waiting outside to give up for now. They walk back to the monster's side and sit on the floor; their gaze looks left and right, observing the hallway with a distinctive boredom only sadness can bring upon someone. They're almost a mirror of Frisk back when he caught the two of them dancing: knees pressed right to their chest as they hug themselves tight.

Though it takes him a while to do anything, Sans soon settles on the thought that doing something is much better than nothing right now, so he tries to accompany them by the floor. He sits next to them and offers a literal shoulder for them to lay on, the softness of his jacket helping numb the hardness of his bones. They rest their head there and close their eyes, breaths steadying the longer they stay that way. "You kinda smell like Old Spicy," they comment, chuckling. "Like my aunt's new boyfriend’s cologne." They sniff a few times and scooch a bit closer to his side. "...Sorry. That was weird."

He laughs. "Guess I'll have to try a different kind next ti-"

Click.

Followed by the door being unlocked is Frisk opening it and leaving the room. They then look at him and (Y/N) with the most appalled expression possible, similar to a scrungy cat. "You two are mushier than a bag of marshmallows left under the sun.”

Saying that, they turn around and take their leave, adding, “I’m gonna go talk with Jerry now,” before their other parent can say anything as an objection.

“Still not gonna call him dad?” they ask, though it comes off more teasing than demanding.

“Not until he earns it.” Frisk looks at the skeleton with sharp, judging eyes. “Because right now, even Skeletor’s brother is a better candidate for that.”

They’re gone in a flash after that comment, leaving Sans to process the heavy weight of those words and for the human next to him to stand up, gape, and look to where their child ran off to.

“W- Watch your words Frisk (L/N),” they shout at the empty hallway, voice masking their embarrassment by being loud. "You're on thin ice!"

[First] | [Previous] | [Next]

• • •

Tag List (Comment or message me if you want to be added to [or removed from] it!)

@the-simp-express

@nektotersh

@disastrous-l0vebug

@therealchickenjoe

@mintyflakes025

@pandaquick

@timelock97

[stripestheboar]

Day 3 - Bratty/Catty (Undertale)

Well, I like this one. It went better than I thought it did. Originally, this was supposed to have dialogue, but with the more exposition I put in, the more I decided that it was better if no one really spoke. 

This is more of an aftermath of Undetale, focusing on the girls.

Pairing: Bratty/Catty

Word Count: 2,067

Bratty and Catty usually weren’t ones to admit defeat, and this wasn’t an exception. Despite any hardships, they were always able to surpass them through their determination and their support of each other. Being a part of Hotland and parked right outside the Core just by Mettaton’s resort, the girls were some of the first to see the rays of sunlight from aboveground. The two had been waiting their entire lives together for this moment, and they were more than prepared, mostly because the two didn’t exactly have any furniture or decorations that needed to be moved out. It took a while for all the commotion and hubbub to settle down between the humans and monster, but once everything seemed in the clear, the Hotland pair purchased a small apartment together with the G they had saved up from their Underground shop. And now, despite the fact that it had only been a short while since their emergence, one thing was already clear to the two: living aboveground is one of the hardest things ever.

Things had been fairly promising at first. The humans had been surprisingly welcoming at first, and the world above was such a wonder to see. Breathing in fresh air, taking in the warm sunlight, and having just having the never-ending space of the entire world to roam were all greater than they had ever dreamed. Just interacting with some of the humans made them rethink their whole “eradicate humanity” stance.  

However, things weren’t so cheery after a good month in.

After the first thirty days, they came to the realization that rent was still a thing, even up aboveground. Still, it didn’t bother them too much. They decided they needed to get a good source of income, and it was Bratty that came up with the brilliant idea to continue to run their little shop they once had in the Underground. It seemed like a pretty good idea at first, since everyone in the Underground had loved their very used wares. The humans had loads of good stuff they just threw away for no good reason; these things were even better than what they’d find scrounging in the dump. Of course, they got a few weird looks as they were dumpster diving, but they were sure they understood. So, with their wares ready, they set up a little stand in between Muffet’s new shop and the MTT-Brand Burger Emporium.  

As it turns out, humans weren’t exactly interested in objects they themselves threw out, calling it all things like “trash” or “garbage”. They were pretty steamed about it, but it did kind of make sense when they thought about it. Monsters were equally as unimpressed, to their great surprise, and after a good month of trying, they suffered from pretty much no sales at all, not to mention they smelled of garbage almost every day of their work. With the threat of being kicked out of their own apartment looming overhead, the two were kind of forced to get jobs. It was rough at first, but they soon got the hang of it and were able to earn a bit of money. Catty was a bit on the moaning and groaning side, but with Bratty there to support her, she knew she could bear through a simple nine to five.

And then came some of the rude humans.

As Catty learned the hard way, not all humans were nice and welcoming. Being the chattier of the two, it was more often that coworkers or just regular people nearby came up to her just to tell her to shut her trap. While it was just bizarre to her at first, after the next few times, it actually began to hurt a bit. And because she and Bratty worked separate jobs, it was weird for her bestest friend to not immediately come to her aid and rescue. There were also the name calling that had her a bit discouraged. Annoying, tubby, bratty, fat, bitchy, ratty, dumb ass, retard, plum; almost every negative word in the dictionary had been thrown at her, and it was a fairly new experience for the smaller cat monster. She was a bit of a cryer, but she tried not to let it it go that far. Bratty also received the same sort of attention, but Catty seemed to get the worst of it. Another month in, however, and it actually started to get to her.

Catty began to feel somewhat self-conscious of her looks. Without Bratty telling her how pretty she was 24/7, the negative comments had her squirming under staying gazes. She stopped liking what she saw in the mirror every day. She ate a bit less. She didn’t talk as much around others. She stopped complaining. It took about a fifth of a second for Bratty to realize something was wrong, and immediately asked to know what was wrong. Of course, being friends since forever, Catty had no problem voicing her concerns to her BFF. Bratty was quick to shut that situation down, storming into her friend’s workplace to tell off not just the workers, but the entire establishment, saying things such as they didn’t know something valuable if it was slapped across their faces. Sure, it got Catty fired faster than the speed of light itself, but she didn’t care; she was mega glad she had a friend as good as Bratty. Her friend even quit her own job to match. She promised her BFF that they were going to work together from now on, just like they always have. If people didn’t like one or the other, they could either take it or leave it, because they weren’t separating again.

It was soon a month later and the issue of a job was once again back on the table, and Catty was unsure of how to solve it. Bratty didn’t fret, though, and formed a laundry list of jobs they could pick up. They began going down the line, from working at a clothing boutique to servicing at one of Mettaton’s many catering businesses. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they couldn’t seem to land a job. They were either too unprofessional or the company refused to accept both at the same time.

Another month rolled around and they were struggling to pay rent. At this time, Alphys and Undyne were finally getting married, and because Alphys was almost like a sister to them, of course they went, even if they didn’t have anything impressive to wear. They still had to support their friends after all. Despite this, Catty happened to notice how much slower Bratty seemed to be at the reception. She made sure to grab her friend’s hand during this time, just to let her know she was there.

The next thirty days just seemed to fly by in an instant. Bills mounted and they had already received a notice and a deadline from their landlord. Some of the monsters had decided to hold a large picnic to celebrate their few months of freedom, and that young human, Frisk had personally invited the girls. They went because, hey, free food, and because of course they wanted to go to a picnic hosted by their friends. While this happened, Bratty was obviously a bit sleep deprived, despite her efforts to keep it hidden from everyone else. Three quarters into the banquet and she had already fallen asleep on Catty. The cat didn’t mind, though, and held her hand the entire way though as she held her weight to support her best friend for life.  

Another month passed, and as expected, they were forced out of their own home. While they were able to scrounge up a bit of money for some food, they still needed a place to live. Frisk ended up inviting them to bunk with their family until they got back on their feet. The two were eager to accept. And yet, despite their new home, it didn’t stop Bratty from breaking into tears that night. Apologies and the recounting of all their stresses spewed from her as sobs wracked her thin frame. Catty didn’t mind this, and encouraged that she let it all out to her, even crying with her in order to lighten the weight of the pain. Not much sleep was had that night, but the two had a lot to talk about. Catty promised her BFF that no matter the hardships, she was always going to be there for her, and nothing would ever deter her from that. Bratty couldn’t help but tear up once again, promising the same to her. They shared their first kiss that night.

A month had passed once again, and the two were closer than ever. Toriel and Frisk didn’t mind hosting them for so long, understanding their struggles and wanting to help in any way they could. Going about it another way, they decided to take tips from others. Toriel suggested to keep their morals in place and to not deter off the good path, and they would find success. Frisk told them to keep trying, no matter how difficult the task. Burgerpants just said to not stick with a dead-end job for the rest of their lives because they would so regret it. Sans advised that they invest in the fried snow business. Sans was ignored. Muffet, who now owned her own café, told them to focus on what they were good at, which was probably buying and selling material items. Grillby told them that they should start their own business, as then they could start fresh and by their own rules and standards.

Taking the advice of their friends, some of which was old and some new, they laid out their plan.

Three months passed this time and the girls were ready to move out. They finally found jobs working with friends and doing a bit of manual labor. It was tough work, but they definitely collected a pretty large sum of G. However, the biggest help was from Frisk, who donated more G than they had ever seen in one place before. They asked them where it all came from, but Frisk only shrugged, mentioning something about residue and Tems. So the girls went about renting an apartment once again and purchasing a small shop, fit snuggly in a nice plaza. They got to work on fixing the place up their way, and by the time it was done, the walls was a mix of colorful designs and fairly impressive paint work. From here, they went back to square one, going back to getting people’s used wares. Of course, they stopped digging in the garbage, but instead Bratty came up with the brilliant idea to start up a donation pool for people to just dump the things they no longer wanted and sell them to those who might actually want them. After all, with all the thing they found in the dump back in the Underground, it was obvious that humans tended to waste quite a lot of things. As the saying goes: one man’s trash is one monster’s treasure.

Two months had come and gone once again, and while thing had started out slow for them, they were soon earning a modest amount of money from their rather simple idea. They found themselves being able to pay off their bills and rent once again, with the threat of a deadline no longer worrying them anymore. Catty had felt her confidence swell after a time and was able to backtalk or force out any human or monster looking for trouble, and Bratty was finally starting to get a good night’s rest for the first time in months.  

Things seemed to be going well for them, and they had their friends to thank, as well as each other. They had stayed together for an entire year above ground, and yet not a single time did their faith in each other waver. They now spent their days together hand in hand, and their nights snuggled up against one another, always letting the other know they were there to support them or love them. They were BFFs. They were lovers. They could never be torn apart, no matter what the problem. They were looking forward to spending another year together, knowing their friendship and love wouldn’t change a single bit the whole way through.