Sans blushed a little as Frisk flicked the stray noodle away, chuckling,"Hey now, maybe I was savin' that for later. Never question a skeleton's motives."

He took another bite, watching as Frisk wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. Paps would shit bricks if he had seen that. And then he would have blamed Sans for encouraging such slobbish behavior. Honestly, it was relaxing to see someone else forgoing proper table etiquette, seeing as he didn't have an ounce of it in his bones.

As far back as he could remember, he'd always taught Papy to use his manners, showed him how to care for himself, and had one day been intending to leave his younger brother in search of.... Someone he could hardly remember. But be it Sans just being careless, or Paps intuition, the younger knew he would leave one day and had begged him not to. Of course Sans would never have said no to him, even without the begging, but seeing Papyrus so broken and disheveled at the mere thought of him leaving... Sans knew he could never leave Pap alone.

They needed each other too much.

While Sans was strong and fully capable of protecting them, Papyrus was his foundation. His little brother kept him sane, comforted him when he couldn't ask for it, and made life fun.

Paps was his comfort zone.

Speaking of which, Sans wondered when his brother would be back.

Surely before dark, right? For Mettaton's sake, the robot had better hope so. It wouldn't be pretty if Paps came home with a cold or "accidentally" spent the night there. Sans decided he'd call his brother later to check up on him.

In an effort to distract himself, Sans began to slurp his noodles loudly(how that was even possible without lips was a mystery in itself), slurping louder with each mouthful.

He glanced at Frisk playfully as he slurped a particularly loud noodle, grinning ear to ear at the silent challenge he'd issued. Hey, since it was just them in the house, why not have some fun with it?

He sat back in his chair, taking a few gulps of his ketchup as he waited for her to either accept or ignore the challenge.

Frisk snorted and leaned back in her chair with a grin. As Sans continued to eat, she grabbed her soda and took a couple gulps of it. In the middle of that, she heard Sans' loud slurping sounds and tilted the bottle down. She raised an eyebrow curiously. Was that supposed to be a challenge?

She smirked. Challenge accepted!

After setting her soda back down, Frisk picked her fork up and prepared another bite of spaghetti. She looked Sans in the eye as she slurped up the noodles, louder than he had before. Her inner, well-mannered adult told her to stop. She knew better than this!

But she couldn't keep herself from smiling and giggling. Who cared if anyone would find offense in their little challenge? It was fun!

Determined to win, especially since she was the only one with actual lips there, Frisk took another bite. She slurped the noodles up as loud as she could. While she achieved her desired effect, she ended up being cut off by a sudden cough. She laughed through it as she grabbed her napkin and covered her mouth.

"Okay...Okay, you win," she said, continuing to laugh.

Sans chuckled as she choked when trying to best him. He'd had a LOT of time to practice, but still, he'd figured she might win, considering the lips vs no lips argument. He took another chug of ketchup before sitting upright in his chair and winking at her,"Heh, my secret talent, having no lips."

He looked down at his plate, ready to take another bite, at least until he noticed it was empty. With a shrug to himself, the stout skeleton helped himself to a second round.

He ate in comfortable silence with Frisk, glad the awkwardness from before was gone. He could feel the subtle swell of his bones as he, once again, over ate. But it was a comforting sensation. Like how Frisk rubbed her hands together when she was nervous, it was a reassuring pressure in his bones. Heh, with that kind of thinking, it made him sound like old bones... But he was old. Just exactly how old, he couldn't recall(he'd lost a lot of time in those resets), but he was older than Papyrus, and much older than Frisk.

Not that Sans could remember his beginning. His entire life before Paps had stepped in as just a sweet little baby bones was a blur of blackness and pure, meaningless existence. Even when Paps had asked about his life before, Sans would just dismiss it and say his life began the day Papyrus was there.

So many years had passed since then.

Sans slowly looked back up at his human companion. Frisk... She was a human. And even with his lack of experience(even after all this time), he knew that human lifespans were limited and quite short.

Frisk was already twenty. She was entering her prime years. And after that.... After another few decades, she would die of old age, if no health problems occurred.

Could... Could he really live with that?

Sans' soul twisted and he took a large bite of spaghetti, his playful slurping gone as he was lost in thought. He needed a solution. Monsters, being composed of magic, weren't really all too susceptible to the wearing of time. That's not to say they didn't age, or even die from old age, but their lifespans were much longer, their prime extending over three times what a human's was.

But how could he find the cure to death?

Alphys' research. Her synthetic determination serum, it had to be the key. He would go to her and ask about it tomorrow.... No. She was already working so hard on destroying the barrier. She wouldn't have time to invest in both, not to mention, the clock was fast ticking for Frisk.

Noticing his plate was empty once more, Sans pulled the pie closest to him closer and began to slowly eat. He needed to calm down, if he was frantic, then Frisk would be on edge and worry.

He needed a distraction until Frisk was asleep. Then he could begin... Preparations.

About a fourth of the way through his pie, he sat back in his chair and took another swig of ketchup. Smiling softly to Frisk he stood,"How 'bout we move this party to the couch? I think some tv'll cap off such a nice night."

Shuffling over to the sofa, he lazily resumed his claimed end and pulled out the remote. He uninterestedly flipped through the channels, not caring what they watched, just hoping that it would be enough to help her fall asleep, and soon.

Frisk laughed and turned her attention back to eating her meal properly. She twirled her fork through the spaghetti for a moment, thinking of miniscule and unimportant things as she brought up the food to her mouth. The vibe in the room had loosened considerably, allowing her to relax. The monster in front of her was Sans, not some stranger. She had known him for so long, across bad and good timelines. There was no reason to be nervous. She just had to tell herself that.

She glanced up as she grabbed her soda. Sans sure was eating a lot. Sometimes, Frisk feared the skeleton used food as a way to swallow away his nervousness and fears. She had no way to prove this, however. And she wasn't going to pry by asking Sans himself.

Still, she worried.

Putting her soda down, Frisk pushed her empty plate away from her and wiped her mouth. She had only had one helping, but was already feeling full. There was no way she could eat another bite...

Oh, wait. There was pie! Smiling, Frisk reached for the other dessert and cut into it. The sweet, warm smell of butterscotch flooded her nostrils, and her mouth watered. She quickly set a slice on another plate and wasted no time in digging in.

While there was no way she'd be able to eat as much as Sans, Frisk ate until she really couldn't eat another bite. She set her pie plate atop her dinner plate and sighed in content. She nodded at Sans' suggestion. Settling down on the couch sounded nice. A nap sounded better. She gave a glance at the leftover food and dirtied dishes. She'd clean up after her nap, she mentally promised.

With that, Frisk joined Sans on the couch. Typically, she would take the middle cushion or the opposite end. But with a surge of confidence, she instead settled right next to Sans. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. It was not unlike what she would do as a child, but now it felt...Different. But it was a good different.

She didn't even bother to watch whatever was on TV. Rather, she cuddled closer against him, exhaled a soft breath, and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to doze off, and while she did, she murmured soft words...

"I love you, Sans..."

Sans was pleasantly surprised when Frisk curled up next to him on the couch. He tensed up for a few seconds as she laid her head on his shoulder, but relaxed into it. Again, he couldn't help but to notice how soft and plush her skin was against his bones. He would never get over how much more comforting she felt against him than eating ever was.

With her this close, the gentle scent of earth and flowers washed over him and made his soul glow in contentment.

And as her breathing evened out, Sans paused in his channel flipping and smiled down at her dosing face. He really could get used to this. She was so warm and soft, it made him just want to curl around her and protect her from everything evil in the world, including those rare moments when she herself was. He wished he could like this with Frisk forever.

"I love you, Sans..."

Sans' soul froze and then began to glow brighter than ever. He quickly zipped up his jacket so he wouldn't disturb Frisk as she slept. But she... Did she really mean that? Sure Frisk was an adult now and all, but... Did she mean like "Love" love? How did she even know what that was? .... Probably Alphys.

Man, was it hot in here or was it just him?

Placing a bony hand on his cheekbones, Sans could feel the embarrassing blue glow on his face. He'd never blushed this much. Alright, maybe one other time when Papyrus had asked him a very inappropriate question, but his soul was practically flying in his ribcage. What was he supposed to do? Should he do anything at all? Maybe... Just maybe....

Careful not to stir her too much, he leaned into her ear and whispered softly,"Me too, kiddo," and pressed a toothy kiss to her cheek.

He didn't know what he'd do without her.

He had to find the cure. Something to stop mortality from clawing away at Frisk's life. He needed to keep her here with him and Paps.

Maybe then he'd have the guts(heh) to tell her how he felt when she was awake.

And then there was always the possibility that her words didn't hold the same meaning as his. Frisk had always passed around her "i love you's" as a child, and he was no stranger to it. Regardless, even if her words were just something familial and nonromantic, he couldn't bear to watch her grow old and die without him. Without any of her monster friends and family. She may have human skin, but she had a monsters' soul, and she deserved to live her life like one.

He stayed with her a few moments more, making sure she was deep in sleep and completely unwilling to leave the comfort of her weight against him. Then, slowly, he stood and laid her down on the couch. He unzipped his jacket and laid it over her, stroking a gentle hand through her hair before heading up to his room.

He had a lot of work to do.

---

Papyrus returned home later that evening, just as the sun was starting to set. A light orange blush dusted his cheekbones, and as he entered the home, he was about to call out for Sans and Frisk to see how their carefully planned date had gone, but stopped short as he noticed the human laying on the couch under Sans coat. He smiled at her peaceful sleeping form, giving her head a few gentle pats before he noticed the mess still spread out on the table.

Why should he expect anything less.

Still, if the sight on the couch and mostly finished food were anything to go by, then it must have been great!

"ANOTHER PERFECT PLAN BY THE GREAT PAPYRUS," he whispered as he set to clearing the table and washing the dishes.

He could hear Sans moving around upstairs, more than likely in his room. He would ask his brother about it when he came out.

---

Sans worked into the wee hours of the night, studying formulas, reading books on alchemy and uses for magic, and even peeking through some of Alphys' notes he'd shortcutted to her lab to get.

Pages of quickly scribbled notes were everywhere. Strewn across his bed, scattered on the floor, piled on his desk where he sat. He even had one stuck in his slipper! But he couldn't worry with it now! He was so close. Yet the answer was just out of his grasp.

Sans gave a yawn and tiredly peeked out his window. The sun was just nearly creeping over the horizon. Had he really been at it all night?

Leaning his cheek into his palm, he felt his eyes begin to droop. Maybe if he just closed his eyes for a few minutes...

Before he knew it, Sans was fast asleep, snoring softly.

Again, Frisk found herself in a field of flowers. Their golden hue was all she could see in every direction. The stretch of darkness that existed beyond the pedals was hardly noticeable, and only if she looked up.

This was definitely a dream. Frisk could feel it deep within her soul from the very beginning. Strangely enough, she felt calm. Rather than feel anxious and scared, wondering when she'd pop into the judgement hall for Sans' final words, she instead felt at peace. Everything was quiet and tranquil.

Frisk smiled and reached her hand out, catching pollen and stray pedals in her palm. She exhaled softly and drew her fingers in, closing them around the pedals.

"Don't get too comfortable."

Frisk froze. Her fingers went numb, her palm burned. Her very being suddenly felt heavy, and all she could do was grunt in pain. She forced her head up.

The floating pollen and pedals froze, suspended in mid-air for a split second before slowly beginning to move again. As they started back on their perspective paths, the flowers wilted and turned black. Everything else went up like wisps of smoke. The golden glow was cut like a flame, leaving Frisk in total darkness.

Just as,l she found herself able to move again, a red glow faded in at a distance in front of her. It pulsed softly at first, but quickly became a harsh beacon of dark red light. Frisk grit her teeth, recognizing the light as coming from a soul.

A human soul.

She knew this soul well, but still couldn't tell if it was her own or hers.

"Don't you miss the fun?"

Frisk clenched her fists at her sides. The voice boomed overhead, yet it pounded in her very mind. The words surrounded her brain like fingers, reaching and prodding for a grasp on it.

"I miss you, partner."

---

Frisk jolted awake. Her eyes snapped open, wide and unfocused. She couldn't breathe. Her skin was pale and cold, her body shivering every so often. After an antagonizing moment, she finally sucked in a breath.

No. No, no, no. Not now. Never again!

In a flurry of motion, Frisk scampered off the couch and up the stairs. Sans' jacket was clutched in her hand, though she hardly noticed it at all. Rather than rush to Sans like one would expect, she instead dashed into the bathroom.

She just had to make sure.

Frisk threw herself against the counter, breathless despite her run being so short. With her chest heaving, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. To her relief, it was her own. Just her own.

Then it twisted to someone else. Something else. The face that stared back at her was but a mere child's, yet the red eyes bore into her very soul. The child smiled so sweetly and confidently, and seeing it made Frisk feel physically ill.

Frisk screamed. She cried so loudly, it startled even her. She stepped back with her hands over her mouth, and when her back hit the wall she slid down it. She sat in a crumpled heap on the floor, whimpering and hugging Sans' jacket to her chest like it could ward off that evil entity all on its own. She curled in on herself, blubbering softly to herself.

"No, no...Oh god, no."

Sans probably had his eyes shut for maybe all of ten peaceful minutes, and then peace was shattered by a piercing scream. He jolted awake so hard that he fell out of his chair, but being so tired and filled with the absolute need to get to Frisk, he didn't seem to not to notice. Instead he just scrambled to his feet and made a mad dash for the where the scream came from, left eye blazing.

At first he almost passed the bathroom, but he quickly skid to a halt and bolted inside, kneeling in front of the babbling Frisk. He didn't waste any time in pulling her into a hug and rocking her softly.

Adrenaline pumped through his soul as he leaned into her ear and whispered in a tired slur,"Shhh! Shhhh...., hey now, yer okay, 's all okay, Frisk... Jus' a bad dream, shhhhh...."

About that time, Sans noticed Paps nervously peeking his head in the doorway. Well, shit.

Carefully as he could, he scooped the frightened human into his arms and carried her into the hall, smiling up at Paps,"C'mon, Papy, let's help Frisk feel better, yeah?" Papyrus nodded, unsure of what to say in this situation.

Sure it wasn't the first time, and he knew it wouldn't be the last, but he never knew what to say. Every time Frisk had a nightmare like this, her screams would slice through everyone's sleep and Sans would of course be the first one there, cradling her and cooing softly in her ear.

Just looking at him, Papyrus could tell he hadn't gotten much sleep, if any. Did he have a nightmare too?

Sans made his way into Paps' room, standing in front of the bed.

Knowing what to do, Paps climbed back into his comfy bed, scooting all the way over to make room as Sans laid Frisk on the bed and shuffled on after her. The taller skeleton wrapped his long arms around the pair, pulling them close as Sans kept whispering to Frisk quietly. Sadly, he kept dozing off as he tried to comfort her, only to snap awake and repeat the process.

He was just so tired, and he was coming down from his adrenaline rush.

As Sans' eyes fluttered shut, Papyrus took over soothing Frisk. He coo'd and whispered encouragements into her hair, pulling both her and Sans as close as he could.

For a long while, Frisk was somewhere else. She was lost in a sea of terror and memories, swept further and further away by every horrible thing she had done in past timelines. Unlike her usual nightmares, Frisk recalled everything that had to do with that one entity in particular. The girl whose hate was so powerful, it easily corrupted Frisk's friendly nature time and time again.

She had been absent throughout this entire timeline. Of course, that wasn't too unusual. Sometimes she stayed away, leaving Frisk and the entirety of the Underground alone. Considering that, Frisk wasn't sure if everything had only been a hallucination put on by her guilty mind. Dear god, did she hope it was.

Either way, Frisk couldn't tell where she was at first. Her mind began to shift back to reality, where her heart was hammering and there were arms holding her. It was like she was finally waking up. There were tears on her face, and her throat was a little raw from screaming. But she was warm, and the soft whispers in her ears made her feel secure.

Was it Sans? No...No, it had been Sans. Now it was Papyrus comforting her. She eased her tense body, melting against the brothers. She was still a little lost, but at least she was safe. if she had truly returned, Chara couldn't get her.

But Chara could get anyone else.

At that thought, Frisk held on to Papyrus with one arm, while the other clutched at the jacket that was still in her hold. She wanted to say something to comfort the brothers, to say that she was all right, but couldn't find her voice.

There was no way she was going to be going back to sleep that night.

Feeling a hand take hold of him, Papyrus looked down at the human. He smiled something sad and worried as he noticed she was finally free of her nightmare. She still looked scared, as if whatever had been tormenting her dreams would suddenly sprout right in front of them and finish whatever it had started.

He couldn't fathom why she had such terrible night terrors. Sans had them too, but.... Neither one of them would talk about them. Could their dreams really be so traumatic? Or was it something he just wouldn't understand.

Great as he was, Papyrus knew there were a lot of things that he didn't truly understand. Like why Alphys liked her romantic anime so much, or why her nose bled during a few really intense scenes. Even before, when Sans had been wary of Frisk before she'd even met them. He just didn't understand. He knew he wasn't stupid, but sometimes he wondered why some things were obvious to others while he was just in the dark all the time.

He chanced a glance at his hopelessly sleeping brother. Paps hoped Frisk didn't think he was rude or didn't care, after all, he was the first one there whenever she had nights like this. Sans was just... Out of practice, so when something like this happened, he typically fell right back asleep when he was done stressing over it. It was just how he coped.

But back to the matter at hand!

It didn't appear that Frisk would be going back to sleep anytime soon, so perhaps he could offer an alternative? Bringing his hand from around Sans, Papyrus tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with an encouraging smile,"WOULD YOU LIKE SOME OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS' HOT CHOCOLATE? IT WILL MOST ASSUREDLY HELP YOU TO FEEL BETTER."

He wouldn't force her to get up, but it might be better for her to have a distraction than just to lie in bed thinking about her dream.

In the silence that stretched before them, Frisk had accepted that she wouldn't be getting any more sleep. After such a horrible nightmare, one so vivid with Chara's voice and face, perhaps it was for the best that Frisk didn't fall back unconscious. The brothers deserved their rest.

Her breathing had evened out considerably, interrupted from time to time by her soft sniffles. Everything would be okay. She just had to keep telling herself that.

She looked up at Papyrus as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Her blank expression broke into a soft smile at the suggestion of hot chocolate. She didn't hesitate to nod, though she did pause before getting up.

Silently, Frisk set her gaze on Sans. It was hard to see him in the dark room, but she could see his outline just fine. She didn't want to leave him alone, but he needed his sleep. Without a word, she tucked the blankets further over him, then looked back up at Papyrus with her same smile.

Frisk didn't let go of Sans' jacket. It grounded her like even the Great Papyrus couldn't. It left her with a feeling of protection. If she failed in keeping Chara away, Sans would handle her. He'd stop her, she knew he would. Even if it took a hundred reloads and resets.

Rather than carry it, Frisk wore the the jacket. She hugged herself to pull it closer as she headed down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry I woke you guys up," she said with a sigh as she sat at the table. She rubbed at her eyes, which had dark rings under them from lack of sleep.

Papyrus was careful to not wake Sans as they both left the bed and headed for the stairs. Although, he was pretty sure that even if they'd tried to wake him, Sans would still be perfectly, blissfully asleep, which was strange in itself.

Sure Sans slept a lot and at times was a heavy sleeper, but he rarely ever missed Papyrus' early bedtime schedule(one where he also fell asleep shortly after Paps). But it looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep at all last night. What on earth could Sans have been doing that was more important to him than sleep? He made a mental note to sneak into Sans' room later.

As Frisk settled down at the table, Papyrus carried on to the cabinet and began digging around inside for the hot chocolate mix. Hearing her apology, he paused a moment and looked to her.

Frisk looked so worn out and tired, like she hadn't slept in days.

Should he ask about the dreams?

No. If Frisk or Sans wanted to talk about them, they would. He would just keep making them smile and hope it was enough to at least comfort them. Resuming his search, he spoke gently,"DO NOT WORRY, FRISK! IF YOU ARE HAVING A BAD DREAM, THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS BE THERE FOR YOU.... YOU'RE PART OF OUR FAMILY AND WE LOVE YOU." Paps punctuated his words with a quiet "Nyeh heh heh" as he finally found the box he was searching for and pulled it down onto the counter.

He grabbed two mugs and poured a generous amount of the mix into each before hunting down a pot and filling it with water. " AND BESIDES THAT, SANS HAS NIGHTMARES TOO. SO DO NOT WORRY. WHEN I WAS LITTLE, HE WOULD ALWAYS COME TO MY ROOM, NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF NIGHT AND COMFORT ME. SOMETIMES... HE'D EVEN COME IF HE WAS THE ONE WHO NEEDED COMFORTING," he carried on as he set the pot on the stove and waited for the water to come to a boil.

Perhaps hearing about Sans' nightmares might help her a bit.

They used to be bad back before Frisk came to live with with them. Sans would wake up screaming with his room set ablaze in blue flames and his gasters at the ready, but even when he'd finally calm down, Sans would just stay in his room like everything was alright.

It disturbed Papyrus.

But he wouldn't say anything. Stars forbid he even hint at it. Sans would just smile tiredly and crack some lame pun, or leave to head to one of his many jobs. Speaking of which, Sans had been slacking on his work! And his puzzles!! But after a night like this, he supposed he could let it go. Just this once.

Paps left that thought as the water began to boil and set to carefully pouring the proper amount in each cup. Once finished, he left the pot on a low heat incase Sans decided to get up in a little while.

He stirred each cup and walked to the fridge, snagging a container of whipped cream and put a small dallop in Frisk's. He did a quick clean up before bringing both cups to the table and setting Frisk's down in front of her, taking the seat across from her.

He took a sip of his hot chocolate, smiling at the sweetness before looking down into his cup.

He... He knew what he was about to ask Frisk was a bit selfish, but.... She was the only one who could do it.

Looking to the human with a guilty smile, Papyrus wasn't sure how exactly to ask this. " FRISK... I KNOW THAT SANS HIDES THINGS FROM EVERYONE, I'M SURE YOU KNOW TOO. AND I KNOW HE THINKS THAT HE CAN CARRY EVERYTHING INSIDE LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG, BUT..... I THINK HE SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE. AT LEAST HAVE ONE PERSON HE CAN SHARE THE BURDEN WITH. I.... I KNOW THIS IS A SELFISH REQUEST, SO IF YOU REFUSE, THEN I UNDERSTAND, BUT.... WILL YOU LOOK AFTER HIM? THERE ARE THINGS THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK THAT YOU DO. AND... IF SOMEONE CAN RELATE TO HIM, THEN I AM SURE HE WILL BE OKAY."

He was tentative to hear her answer. After all, it wasn't her responsibility to look after Sans, it was his, but.... If she could understand what he was going through better than him...

Frisk's heart warmed at hearing Papyrus' response to her apology. She smiled and nodded, letting her hand drop from her eye and to the table. She folded her arms and sat quietly, watching Papyrus as he worked and listening to him.

She thanked him as he set her mug in front of her. The sweet, chocolatey aroma wafted into her nostrils, carrying the heat and moisture from the steam. She picked up the mug with both hands, careful to not burn herself, and sipped slowly. She smiled as she lowered the drink from her face.

What was it about hot chocolate that always made sleepless nights better? Considering that, Frisk quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn't just the sweet beverage. It was that it was made by a dear friend, out of an attempt to make her feel better. And it had certainly worked.

Frisk swiped a drip of whipped cream from the side of her mug, and as she licked it off her finger she looked up at Papyrus. While he spoke, she held on to her hot chocolate with both hands, keeping her attention solely on him. Gradually, her gaze drifted down to her mug. She hunched over it.

It was hard to imagine what Sans was like before Frisk fell into the Underground, before the resets. Had he been just as troubled? Frisk doubted it. If only she hadn't been so selfish in past timelines, so uncaring of the world she had fallen into. Sans would have never seen his own brother die - multiple times at that - as well as the rest of his family if she had never shown up. He would have never had to relive day after day, unsure when the next reset would happen.

Sans was the true victim in this. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was put through nightmare after nightmare. Frisk had sins to atone for; Sans did not, and it wasn't fair.

Sometimes she wished she could just...Pop out of existence. No more resets. No more unstable determination.

Frisk looked up at Papyrus and smiled softly, only for his sake. "That's not selfish at all, Papyrus. I understand. He doesn't talk to me about it, either, but maybe I can...Try harder to reach out to him." Sans and hers unspoken agreement came to mind. They wouldn't speak of past timelines to each other, but that was clearly not working as well as they hoped.

No more bottling it up. No more avoiding it. Sans needed her as much as she needed him, in ways that no one else could help them. As much as she didn't want to face it, Frisk was prepared to see and hear Sans' anger towards her, like in past timelines. At least it'd be out in the open, rather than poisoning them both from the inside.

"I'll do my best, Paps." She smiled again, but it held a sadness behind it.

Sans much needed sleep was a restless one. He tossed and turned, deliriously waking up, only to slip back into phantasamal dreams he couldn't seem to remember once his eyes opened. Eventually, he lost count of how many times he'd awoken, unable to tell dream and reality apart anymore. Everything was just one big blur of past timelines and forgotten nightmares.

Slowly he woke for the last time, staring blearily across Paps' bed.

Papyrus....

Sans quickly shuffled a hand around the bed, finding nothing but empty sheets. No. No, this couldn't be happening. He'd just brought Frisk to bed with them, and Paps....

This was just a dream, any moment now, he'd just wake up with Papyrus' long arms around him and Frisk snuggled in his chest, both sound asleep.

.....

......

.......

Sans' chest constricted around his soul.

No, no, NO!

This wasn't happening! Any minute Papyrus would wake him up with that sweet concerned look, dying to know what was wrong, but not nosy enough to ask. Just.... Just a few more seconds.

His breathing picked up, chest rising and falling rapidly, enough that he could almost feel dizzy. Was... Was everything up to this point just a dream? All of that time watching Frisk grow up, those feelings he felt for her, all the fun she'd had for everyone, all the love Tori had given her.

Was it just some twisted way of coping?

Sans hugged his arms tightly around himself. His breathing had stopped altogether, and he felt a violent shiver course through him. But he didn't make a sound.

Did he have the courage to go look around the house? What if it was empty? What if he was really losing it?

He didn't budge as the shuddering consumed him.

---

Paps smiled softly at Frisk's response, worry touching his features for a moment, but he quickly let them fall behind another sip of his drink. Setting his cup down, he looked up to his bedroom door with another smile, glad that now Sans wouldn't have to be so alone.

He opened his mouth, about to thank Frisk when his door suddenly slammed open.

Looking up, Papyrus saw a horrified Sans, clutched to the railing, chest heaving, and eye sockets pupiless.

Sans seemed to instantly deflate at the sight of them. He couldn't even voice his relief as tears instantly streamed down his cheekbones and he fell to his knees.

This... This was reality. Everything was fine.

He opened his mouth to say something, anything to get them to not worry, but all that came out was a hollow sob.

At that, Papyrus was on his feet, rushing up the stairs to kneel beside his brother. Sans had never cried. Ever. He was always the tough one, the one who just laughed everything off, even when it really bothered him.

And again, he was lost for words. What should he say? What should he do?

Paps looked to Frisk for some kind of help.

Frisk was in the middle of sipping at her hot chocolate, her biggest worry at that point being not burning her tongue, when Papyrus' door slammed open. She jumped and the table rattled, the mug nearly knocked out of her grasp. Hot chocolate splashed out of it as she quickly put it down.

"S-Sans?" She looked up to see his horrified expression, and for a moment she was scared. Was he locked in another nightmare? Was he confused and mixing up timelines? She wasn't who she had been before, and she desperately hoped that Sans knew that in that moment.

When Sans' horror deflated and he began to cry, Frisk's fear instantly vanished. Concern and heartbreak replaced it, and Frisk was just as quick as Papyrus in getting to the shorter skeleton's side.

For a moment, Frisk was just as helpless as Paps. She didn't want to accidentally upset Sans more than he already was, given her very image could have been what set him off in the first place. She looked up at Papyrus, considered his silent plea for help, then turned her attention back on Sans.

"Sans...Sans, it's okay," she softly said as she wrapped her arms around him. "It was just a dream. Just a really bad dream." She held him close, though was mindful of any move he made in case her presence made him uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, Frisk glanced at Papyrus, then bent her head to whisper softly in Sans' ear

"This isn't one of those timelines, I promise. Papyrus is safe. Everyone is safe. And it's going to stay like that." She hugged him a little tighter as her guilt washed over her again. She swallowed it as much as she could, however, knowing her full attention had to be on Sans.

Sans cried in silence sav for the occasional wavering inhaled, hardly reacting when both his brother and Frisk rushed up the stairs to him. He couldn't do this. He couldn't take the constant nightmares much longer. He was losing his grip on what was real and what wasn't. He needed something solid to hold onto. Something to ground him into reality.

And then Frisk's arms were around him. He froze at first, tension coursing through him. This was real.... Right? He wasn't dreaming? God he hoped not.

He... He couldn't handle it if he was.

And then Frisk leaned into his ear and whispered his salvation. Told him exactly what he needed to hear. He was grounded.

He placed both of his shaky hands on her shoulders, pulling away to look into her eyes, those sweet caring eyes. Eyes that had seen nearly as much as he had, and held the same pain, the same guilt. His voice was barely a whisper, so quiet and meek, something that wasn't truly him,"... Promise..?" Stars, he knew how hypocritical it was to ask for her word, seeing as he didn't ever give his own, but he needed this. Needed some kind of hope to cling to during times like this.

He wished he had her determination.

Frisk looked him in the eye, searching his face for a moment before meeting his gaze. She hesitated. She didn't know why, but she hesitated. She had made this exact promise before, the promise that there would be no more resets. No more saves. No more reloads. No more different timelines. And she always broke it.

Always.

Could she really promise it again? It didn't mean much before, so why would now be any different? She had done well to not reload any saves, but the resets...Sometimes she got so scared. Sometimes she made such big mistakes. Sometimes she just...got bored. She couldn't trust herself.

But sitting there, looking at Sans, Frisk knew she had to try harder. If he could continue on, despite being just a pawn in whatever game this was, then so could she.

Frisk smiled warmly and nodded. "Yes," she whispered. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Sans'. "I promise, Sans. I promise with all my heart and soul."

The moments spent waiting for her answer nearly killed him. He didn't know what he'd do, or even if he could do anything if she couldn't promise him that. Granted, he knew it was a long shot to expect something out of someone that he couldn't even give.

But he needed this. Needed it more than anything in this moment.

He'd never asked anything of Frisk before, never relied on her like he was now, or even anyone for that matter. Sans would rather set himself apart from everyone else than to let them catch him every once in a while. He didn't want to spoil they're blissful happiness. Their ignorance of all that had transpired and the ability to keep smiling was something he'd coveted, but he'd never voiced that selfish thought until now.

Now he was practically begging for a reprieve. For some kind of happiness.

And Frisk gave it to him.

As she smiled warmly and nodded, his white pupils returned to his otherwise empty eye sockets. She... Was letting him be selfish. He had never done this to her, or anyone he could remember, but he felt like this wasn't the first time he'd asked something of someone else.

He almost flinched when he heard her words, barely registering her forehead against him as he let the promise sink. She wasn't angry with him for asking so much of her. She.... She was happy to agree to it.

Slowly he closed his eyes and relaxed, dropping his hands around her waist to pull her into a tight hug. Gently he buried his face into the junction between her neck and shoulder, tears still streaming, but out of relief as he sagged against her. It took him a moment to find his voice, but when he did, it was scratchy and a little hoarse,"Thank you...... Just.... Gimme a sec. I'm sorry..." He didn't move, just sat there, face buried in her neck, taking in her calming scent, and slowly collecting his thoughts.

He didn't even remember Papyrus was there until he felt a gloved hand take his bony one. He felt guilt shoot through him as he tightly held onto that hand. Paps knew now. Knew that he was really messed up inside, but he still didn't ask about it. Paps and Frisk were so good to him. Accepting of his breakdown and selfishness. He couldn't ask for a better family.

After a few more minutes of sitting like that, Sans gently pulled away with a half smile. He'd put his trust in Frisk, and it terrified him, but... He was going to give relying on others a shot.

Papyrus squeezed his brothers' hand gently,"LET'S GO HAVE SOME MORE HOT CHOCOLATE! I'LL EVEN PUT MARSHMALLOWS IN YOURS, BROTHER!"

Sans chuckled softly, he smile widening a bit,"I think I'd like that.

Both skeletons stood, Sans a bit slower, and he offered a hand to help Frisk up as well.

Frisk half-expected Sans to reject her promise. If he did, she wouldn't blame him. She wouldn't take her word, either. She anxiously waited for his response, and when he relaxed so did Frisk. That was a good sign, right?

She returned his tight hug, waiting to hear him speak. Upon hearing his thank you, she simply smiled and held him a little closer. She didn't want to move, either. Then again, she never wanted to move away whenever she hugged Sans. He had a powerful, calming effect on her. Even now, when he was so broken, she found comfort in being in his arms.

When they finally broke away, Frisk watched as Sans stood. She remained on her knees for a moment, taking in the sight of the brothers standing together. She was just about to get up on her own, when Papyrus held out his hand for her.

Frisk let him pull her up, and once she was on her feet she put a hand on Sans' shoulder. "Yeah, hot chocolate fixes everything." She softly laughed, then turned to make her way back down the stairs.

Back in the kitchen, Frisk grabbed a paper towel and wiped up the small spill on the table. She cleaned off the drips from the sides of her mug, then tossed the paper towel and sat back down.

Sans follwed after Frisk, Papyrus right behind him as they all tromped down the stairs. Well, technically he did all the tromping. He was just so tired, but he couldn't fell back asleep. Not after this.

He was calmed by Frisk's promise, but deep down doubt still clutched at his soul, clawing at it with a desperation he knew all too well. He was conflicted in how he should feel. He truly loved Frisk, he did, but some tiny corner of his soul also feared her. She had the power to rest all of this. To destroy years worth of memories in seconds, but she promised she wouldn't. She promised.

Heh, he was such a sucker for her though.

Steadying himself, Sans took a seat next to Frisk and set his hands on the table. His face. He had to smile. He... He had to let them know it was all ok.

He forced his bones to relax, putting on the most convincing grin he could muster, though it mostly served to show off how worn out and desperately tired he was. And he was so lost in thought that he visibly flinched when Paps set a steaming cup of cocoa in from of him. Trying to convince himself, Sans let out a light chuckle and took his mug in both hands, sipping on it to save himself from explaining the small jump.

Papyrus took a seat, his expression worried, but he didn't say anything. He hadn't heard what had been exchanged upstairs, but he was going to leave it to Frisk now. After all, only they knew what was wrong, Papyrus was just their support.

The taller skeleton took a sip of his own drink, trying to think of something to break the tension. But.... He couldn't seem to come up with even one topic. Typically he was a talkative guy with some amazing topic on his metaphorical tongue, but in this situation, he was at a loss.

What if Sans and Frisk just needed some alone time? Then... Maybe they could talk.

He really didn't want to leave them home alone, not after the night they'd had. So maybe just leaving them in the same room alone would be enough? At least for them to initiate whatever needed to be said.

Standing up, Papyrus chugged the rest of his cocoa and smiled down at the pair,"WELL I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MUST GO SHOWER FOR THE DAY!" He didn't say anything more as he begrudgingly left his mug on the table in favor for a speedy getaway. He hoped Frisk would forgive him for that.

Sans was confused about his brothers' antics, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, he was focused on keeping cool. Up until now he'd done such a great job in feigning ignorance of the past timelines, but he'd messed up. Of course he was sure Frisk knew he remembered before any of this had gone down, but now he couldn't even fake it. Couldn't feign the innocence of the situation he wished he had.

He took a tense chug of cocoa.

Stars, he needed something to eat. Just something to distract him and calm his jittery nerves. Sadly, the heartwarming drink just wasn't cutting it.

Frisk was quiet, sipping at her hot chocolate only to busy herself. Her fingers gripped the glass tight, her gaze cast down as she thought. She didn't notice Sans' little jump, though she glanced up at him shortly after Papyrus gave him his mug of hot cocoa.

She had to say something. The things left hanging between them were heavy and choked the air right out of the room. She could feel all the words she needed to say build in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe. She couldn't take this...She needed to get the words out. She glanced at Papyrus, silently hoping that he'd find the need to do something else.

As much as she hated leaving Papyrus out of the loop, she knew it was for the best. He didn't need or deserve such a heavy burden, especially when said burden was nothing but a ghost of past heartbreak and hostility that no longer existed. There was no point in dragging someone through something that, essentially, had never happened. So, when the taller skeleton declared he was going to take a shower, Frisk let out a mental breath of relief.

Once he was gone, Frisk set her empty mug down. She didn't say a word and hardly moved, until she stood and gathered the two empty mugs. She placed them in the sink and sat back down.

She was quiet for another moment. She bit at her bottom lip, tapped the counter, played with her hands...Anything that could distract her from talking to Sans. Eventually, the heaviness in her very being pushed her to open her mouth and draw in a deep breath.

"I think we need to talk, Sans," she softly said, still unable to look at him. "I know we've both wanted to leave it all alone, but that's not helping either of us anymore." She rubbed at her forehead, trying to ease her own stress. "I know it's hard, but--"

Frisk cut herself off, unsure where she was going. She swallowed and looked up at him with her forehead resting on her palm, elbow on the table. With her frazzled hair and rings under her eyes, she looked terrible.

"I need you to promise me something. I-I know promises aren't your thing, but...This is important."