[OOC] Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Sans watched as Frisk scampered down the stairs, grining at how energetic she was. Sometimes he envied that about her and Paps, how they were just so full of life and energy, while he was lazy. The only thing lively about him were those aweful puns he told, but hey, can't win 'em all.

Without further adieu he opened the door and walked out, letting Frisk close it behind him. He may not be a perfect gentleman, but it never seemed to be an issue, so he didn't really care to change.

Walking out on the crisp snow, he kept a leisurely pace. He wouldn't be Sans if he didn't. Shoving his hands into his pockets, his posture slouched, and not a care in the world(at least on the outside) , he was the poster child for bad influence, but everyone in Snowdin loved him. As he passed by a few of his... Not quite friends, but too close to be called acquaintances, he waved and replied a quick hello.

A few of them tried to sucker him into going to Grillby's(their treat), but begrudgingly he refused for another time. He was sure Frisk was still full from breakfast, and Toriel would skin him(if he had any) for making such a ridiculous stop.

Once out of the busy little town, Sans couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Followed.

But by who, he wasn't sure.

He subtly walked closer to Frisk, though didn't say anything about it. He didn't want to worry her after all. He could do enough of that for the both of them. "So, you cold yet, Frisky? If ya need some extra warmth, my hugs are for free," he joked, bumping her shoulder playfully.

And the the most girly, earth shattering squeal echoed behind them.

Sans turned around to see none other than Alphys, fallen in the snow with a big sweet grin on her face and her cheeks flushed an embarrassing shade of red.

"O-oh my god! Sans! Y-y-you tease," she giggled. Quickly the yellow monster stood and waddled over to the pair, her eyes pretty much all over them. Sans could tell they would probably have to ditch her if they wanted to make it to the Ruins by noon.

Her flush only seemed to deepen as she giggled like a flustered little girl,"So, where are you two love birds headed? Off on some secret date? Oh no! Wait! Don't tell me! You're going to take her somewhere romantic and-"

"Actually, we're headed to see Tori," Sans interrupted, knowing he didn't want to hear the end of that, and Frisk more than likely didn't need to.

He was already iffy on her staying the night with the hentai-loving scientist, he didn't need another reason for Frisk to come back home asking strange questions. He'd made the mistake of letting Paps stay there one time and... Let's just say Undyne and Alphys didn't have a good time when Sans came to visit the next day.

Alphys seemed to catch his drift and gulped,"Oh, y-yeah, r-r-r-right! W-well, I ummm..... I-I'll see you l-later then!" And as quickly as she had appeared, she scuttled off at record speed.

Without another word, Sans turned back down the path to the Ruins and carried on, trying silently to calm the erratic throbbing of his soul.

[MurderVictim]

Frisk smiled and opened her mouth, wanting to say that her sweater was doing a decent job at keeping her warm, but was cut off by the sudden squeal. She jumped and inched closer to Sans, throwing her gaze over her shoulder. When she found that it was only Alphys, who seemed just as flustered as Frisk was startled, the human quickly relaxed. She exhaled the breath she had been holding.

When the scientist approached, Frisk offered a smile and a wave. Of course, both fell when the term "love birds" left Alphys' mouth. She tensed, a blush instantly blooming on her cheeks. She shook her head, more and more embarrassed as Alphys continued to speak.

Luckily for her, Sans put an end to it. She looked between the two, hoping the awkward encounter would be over soon. Her and Sans? Love birds? Her recent feelings were strange, sure. But certainly that wasn't it. Sans would never see her like that, anyway. Alphys was watching too much romantic anime, again!

Frisk could only give a nervous smile as Alphys hurried off. She looked at Sans, but by then he was already continuing down the path. She wiped the smile from her face and carried on just the same. Her heart pounded, and she secretly wished that her blush would fade soon.

They walked on in silence, and Frisk didn't seem too bothered by that. In fact, she preferred it after such an event. Her mind was still reeling from such a subject. Alphys didn't know what she was talking about. She just had to tell that to herself.

Fortunately, the door to the Ruins came into sight faster than she anticipated. Not only would it save her from being alone with Sans after what Alphys said, it would also be nice to get someplace warm. The cold was starting to bite through her sweater, and she didn't have the nerve to ask for Sans' jacket.

Walking up to the door, Frisk knocked and then stood back to patiently wait. Before, she would consider calling Toriel to tell her that they were there. But she had learned long ago that sounds carried well in the hall beyond that door. Toriel didn't need anything else to know of their arrival.

It also seemed that the queen had a sixth sense about her when it came to Frisk. Hardly a moment went by before the door creaked open. Frisk smiled brightly as Toriel came into view, and hugged the older woman before she could say her greeting.

Toriel chuckled warmly as she wrapped her arms around Frisk in a tight hug. "It is so good to see you, my child." She gave Frisk a squeeze, then looked up to see Sans. "And you too, Sans!" She lifted an arm from Frisk, put it around Sans' shoulders, and gently pulled him in to join the hug.

"You too, Mom!" Frisk let herself melt in the monster's arms. She stepped back and straightened out her sweater.

Once the hug was over, Toriel stood up straight and stepped aside. She gestured with her arm for the other two to continue towards her home, while she closed the doors behind them.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Sans was in a bit of a daze until Toriel opened the door. He chuckled when Frisk instantly rushed in to hug her, though he hadn't been expecting to join it. As the white goat monster pulled him in, he flushed a bit," Hey Tori."

It was rare that Sans got flustered or embarrassed, but for some reason, being hugged those close to Frisk.... It made his soul twist in knots. Luckily, with Toriel being there too, it didn't look like Frisk was the one causing it. Maybe neither of them would even notice, though he doubted it. Toriel, having been a mother once before, had a mother's eye, and more often than not used it for evil. That evil being to embarrass him or Frisk.

Once released, the short skeleton scratched the back of his neck and carried on inside. He knew the hallway well, having been there several times before to visit Frisk when she still lived here.

He made himself at home at Toriel's table, slouching in the chair with his hand propping up his cheekbone. He could smell that the old goat had been baking and silently prayed she would offer some to him. Man did he sounds like a pig, but he didn't care. He liked how food tasted, so he didn't see how it could be bad to eat all he wanted.

Although, knowing Tori, she would probably stuff the skeleton until he was content.

"So, how have you been , Tori? Gone to see Asgore lately," he asked nonchalantly. He knew it might be a touchy subject, bringing up Asgore and all, but he was genuinely curious about how things were going with them. The old king used to be so gloomy, but he seemed to have a bit more pep in his step recently, so maybe things were going ok with them.

He snuck a quick glance to Frisk, trying not to let his eyes linger too long. Maybe now would be a good time to go see Alphys...

Then it would Tori and Frisk some girl time. But man, he really wanted to eat.

In addition to tasting good, food was also , in a weird way, like a comfort. When Sans was nervous, he ate, if he was lonely, he ate, if he was stressed out, he would dig in. It was like a drug, if you would. A shot of anesthesia. Or the human equivalent of smoking cigarettes. It wasn't always a sign that something was wrong with him, but he just ate more when there was.

He should probably think about making better decisions. Or at least switching up his routine a bit so he wasn't so obvious.

[MurderVictim]

As the two continued into her home, Toriel watched them. She had noticed how flustered Sans had been during their hug, and could see how Frisk walked at a small distance from him. One could argue that she was only having a tough time keeping up, but the old queen knew better. She hummed to herself as she carried on behind them.

As soon as she was upstairs, Frisk inhaled the comforting, warm scent that surrounded the living area. It brought back memories, ones of her first time in there and of her childhood. The home never changed much, which didn't surprise Frisk. Her old crayon drawings were still stuck to the walls, and a couple old toys were still placed beside the chair.

The human settled down on the overstuffed sofa Toriel had acquired not long after Frisk had moved in with her. She stretched and made herself comfortable, soon looking to the stairs as Toriel came up.

The side of Toriel's warm smile twitched at the mention of Asgore. "We've been...talking," was all she said. But that answer was far better than what it could have been before.

Frisk sat up with a curious look on her face, yet didn't say anything about Asgore. Instead, she smiled and changed the subject. "Something smells really good, Mom! Is it ready yet?" As hard as she tried, Frisk could never refuse any of Toriel's cooking, even if she had just eaten.

Toriel smiled brightly and nodded. "It sure is, my child! It's your favorite, butterscotch pie." Her old soul nearly burst at how excited Frisk was at hearing that. No matter how old the human got, Toriel was delighted to know that she never lost her enthusiasm.

"I'll go get us some." Just as Toriel turned to head into the kitchen, she stopped and looked at Sans. "You do want a slice of pie, right Sans?" She gave a teasing smile, raising an eyebrow.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

As Toriel asked if he wanted some pie, the skeleton gave a mock look of apall and placed an exaggerated hand over his forehead(something he did quite often when Frisk was younger to make her laugh). "If ya insist, then who am I to deny your hospitality", he cooed in the most cheesy stab at elegance that his lazy bones could muster.

Secretive as he was, Sans would be lying if he said Toriel didn't know the way to his soul, and that was his stomach. As gluttonous of a creature as he was, it never seemed to bother anyone, not that he would care if it did. Yes Paps would get on his case about it every once in a while, but he knew his brother was just trying to look out for him as best he knew how.

It was sweet, and Sans never could muster up the energy to be upset with him about it(not that he ever would be).

Looking to Frisk again, this time Sans didn't advert his gaze. He'd calmed down enough that his cheeks were their normal bone white, and his soul had calmed to its normal lazy buzz. Maybe knowing that Tori was a mother hen over Frisk made him more nervous. After all, when the girl had talked about moving in with the skeletons, Toriel had been pretty against it at first, but after a nice, long, calm round of threats directed at Sans, the old queen seemed alright with the idea.

Man, those first few months had been busy. Papyrus had spent an entire day dedicated to cleaning every nook and cranny of their house, firstly because 'a young lady shouldn't live in such conditions', and secondly because Tori was over every single day.

It wasn't that she didn't trust them, she was just being a mother. Sans could appreciate that, seeing as he did pretty much the same for Papyrus. Anytime Paps wanted to go to someone's house for the night, the shorter skeleton always made sure to leave a list of do's and don'ts. And if what was on the don't listen was done, then there was hell to pay.

"She's still just as doting on you as ever, huh kid? Ya think she might let up on it a bit since you're older now, but...", he didn't continue, just left the statement open and alive with possibility. Something he was notorious for.

He was never one to judge, but sometimes he realized the way he worded things was a bit.. harsh. Unintentionally so, but still. Sans knew without thinking he could easily hurt someone's feelings and have no clue what he'd done wrong. However, he'd been working on it, and while he did have slip ups every now and then, he was doing much better with it now.

[MurderVictim]

Toriel chuckled as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Frisk sat up and leaned against the armrest. "Yeah, she is," she said in a light tone. There was no arguing or denying it. Toriel babied Frisk anytime she got the chance. Frisk couldn't bring herself to refuse Tori's motherly side, especially now that she wasn't living with her anymore. It was the equivalent of a young adult finally living on their own, who still wandered back to their parents for a chat and a place to do laundry.

In all honesty, they both needed it. Toriel got the chance to have a child to raise and love forever. And Frisk got a mother who actually gave a damn about her. It worked for everyone.

Frisk looked up at Sans. "But I don't mind. It's nice having a mom who cares." She stopped herself there, freezing as she stared at Sans. Those words had tumbled out of her mouth so fast, that she hadn't had time to stop them.

It wasn't often that Frisk alluded to her previous life. She didn't like talking about the world she left on the surface, or why she had climbed Mount Ebott in the first place. After all the resets and years, she hardly remembered it. But there were still flashes of...something. Memories? Childhood fears? She wasn't sure. But she did know that she was in a far better place, with people who loved her so much more. Still, it was a touchy subject.

Pausing for a moment, Frisk looked away from Sans. "I, um...I'm gonna go help Mom." Just as she always did when the subject came up, she ran away from it. She ran away from whatever reactions she recieved. Quickly, Frisk stood and headed straight into the kitchen.

Toriel's voice chimed soon after, but then lowered into a hushed tone.

"Frisk...Sweetheart, is something wrong?"

"N-No! Everything's fine. Here, let me take those."

Moments later, the two re-entered the living room with plates of freshly baked, warm pie in their hands. Frisk carried two, while Tori carried one and the forks. The queen handed a plate and fork to Sans, then made her way to the couch where Frisk handed her a plate as she sat down.

Frisk was quiet as she poked at her slice of pie, her mind on other things. Toriel, to take any attention off the human, smiled at Sans. "So, how is Papyrus?"

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Ah, so Frisk enjoyed Tori's mothering, that was understandable. It made sense in a way. Sans.... He didn't have a mother...... Not one that he could remember. Sometimes it felt like something had been there, when he really though hard about it, but as far back as he could remember, it'd just been him taking care of Paps.

And the taller skeleton reveled in the attention. Perhaps Sans playing both mom and dad was what sparked that childish trigger in him. In all honesty, Sans probably shouldn't have spoiled Papy as much as had, but how could he say no?

Papyrus had been there as far back as Sans could remember. All he could recall from before that... Was the feeling of loneliness. But Paps saved him from that loneliness, kept him loved by someone, and filled all the emptiness in his soul.

Or at least he did until Frisk decided to join in with them. Now it was like having two kids to watch over. Except there was something... More he felt for Frisk, he just couldn't place it.

"It's nice to have a mom who cares."

Sans' eye sockets widened a bit at the statement. He just stared for a moment before sitting back in his chair and scratched the back of his neck,"O-oh really?" It was probably the lamest response he'd ever given, but how was he supposed to respond to that?

Frisk never talked about her real parents, never spoke of her real family. After all, all of the Underground was her family now, what more could she want, right? But.... The way she said it, it seemed like her real mother hadn't been the best. Not that he was an expert on families and stuff, but he knew that mothers were by far an important role to fill.

And suddenly Frisk scurried off into the kitchen with Toriel.

She was running away. Just like he did.

Well, she did learn from the best.

He really should listen to Paps more and stop setting such a bad example for her.

Just as quickly as she'd disappeared, both Toriel and Frisk came out of the kitchen with plates of pie and forks. He gave a quiet thanks to Tori as she handed him a plate and fork. Unsure of what to say or do, Sans did what he did best. He took a huge bite out of hisbslice of pie, chewing it slowly as he let all of the flavors dance over his ethereal tongue.

And then Tori asked how Papyrus was doing. Sans quickly swallowed,"Ah, he's doin' good. Off training with Undyne right now, but he should be down in an hour or so."

Man, he felt so awkward now. He shouldn't have brought up the mother thing. Bad move Sans.

As silence seemed to creep up on them again, Sans quickly polished off the rest of his pie and stood. Now was a good time to go visit Alphys. He didn't really want to take Frisk to the lab with him, seeing as he was so jumpy in there already. He wiped the crumbs from his teeth and walked over to the pair, a small smile on his face,"Well, s'bout time for me to go check in with Alphys. Is it cool if Frisk waits around here for me?"

He didn't give the human time to argue as he ruffled her hair playfully and gave a quiet,"See ya in a few, kiddo." He wasted no time in sauntering down the stairs, waiting until he was in the hallway before he used his famous 'shortcut' to appear on Alphys' used sofa just in time for both the scientist and Undyne to place an unsuspecting kiss on both of his cheeks.

He sat there a moment, waiting to see when the two eager beavers would notice. But they didn't seem to, and he could feel drool slipping down his cheeks. "Sorry for cutting in, you guys, bu-" SANS didn't even get to finish as both women began screaming.

[MurderVictim]

"Of course!" Toriel smiled in a way that told, no matter what, Frisk was staying for at least a few hours. She wasn't going to let her human child pass through her paws that quickly. "We'll see you later, Sans." The queen gave a small wave to the skeleton before she stood and gathered their empty plates.

Frisk pouted for a moment, not pleased that Sans had ditched her so fast. But she wasn't surprised. As lazy as Sans was, he was a busy guy. He couldn't stick around an old goat and human for too long, she reasoned. Still, she wished she hadn't made things so awkward. Those kinds of moments had been happening far too often lately.

Thinking of which...

"Mom, um...Can I talk to you for a minute?" Frisk stood and trailed after Tori into the kitchen.

"What is on your mind, my child?" Toriel plopped the dishes in the sink to wash. "Does this have something to do with Sans?" She looked down at Frisk with a knowing eye, and laughed softly at the shocked expression she received as a response.

"Well...Yeah." Frisk looked down at the floor. "I think there's something wrong between us. With...With me."

Toriel paused. Her paws lingered on the plate she was currently rinsing off. She stared ahead, looking like her soul had just stopped. A hint of fear played over her eyes. Something wrong? Oh, how Toriel dreaded those words. They brought back horrible memories. She couldn't lose another one. Not now.

She couldn't lose Frisk.

"Mom?"

The kitchen had gone silent, save for the water running from the tap. Frisk looked up at Tori with a mixed expression of concern and confusion. She wasn't entirely sure what she had said that caused her mother such distress. "Are you okay?" She put a hand on the queen's arm, hoping the touch would offer some comfort.

"Y-Yes, my child!" Toriel snapped back into action. She pulled the plates from the sink and set about drying them. Her movements were tense, like she still wasn't fully there.

Frisk watched her for a moment. Maybe this wasn't the best time to bring this up.

"What were you saying, Frisk? About you and Sans?" Toriel glanced at Frisk, seeming to be recovering. She offered the human a small smile, though it was shaky and nervous.

"Um...I think something's wrong."

Toriel tensed again, but carried on with a nod. "How so, my child?"

"Well, I...I don't know!" Frisk clenched her fists at her sides, sudden irritated as she realized that she couldn't really explain her emotions. Every word that could help her evaded her tongue's grasp. "We've been okay for so long. More than okay! He's like a big brother to me!" Frisk's sighed. "Or he was."

"Oh? Did something happen?"

"I don't think so. Nothing that I can remember, anyway." Frisk shrugged, and let her shoulders slouch in defeat. "I don't even know when it started. All I know is, sometimes, when I see him, I feel weird."

Toriel paused again. This time, a sly smile spread on her face. All the tension left her body. "Mm-hmm," she hummed as she put the dishes away.

"It's like...Like I can't even look at him without feeling awkward! My heart races, I sweat, I shake. It's gross and embarrassing, and I don't know how to stop it!" Frisk swiped the recently cleaned forks from the counter, and placed them in the silverware drawer. She closed it a little more firmly than she meant to. Flinching, Frisk rubbed at her face with an exhausted sigh.

Toriel turned to look at Frisk. "And it's only when you're around Sans?" There was a knowing tone to the older woman's statement, but Frisk didn't pick up on it.

"Yeah! And it's putting a huge strain on our friendship. You should have seen what happened last night, Mom! It was so bad that Sans had to leave the house in the middle of dinner!" She rubbed at her face again. "I felt so bad. I mean, it's better now. But still!"

Toriel hummed in understanding, now standing in front of Frisk. She held her paws at her front, keeping a patient and regal posture.

"When he's around, sometimes he's all I think about. I can't think of anything else, even if I try. I could...I could be on fire! I could literally be on fire, and still wouldn't be able to think about anything but Sans standing right in front of me!" Frisk gave an exasperated sigh. "Am I sick, Mom?"

Toriel's only response was to laugh warmly.

Frisk looked up, confused and a little annoyed. This was serious!

"Oh, sweetheart," Toriel finally said. "You are not sick, my child. You are lovesick."

Frisk's heart skipped a beat. Alphys' words came rushing back to her. She was sure the scientist was just being a goofy romantic, but now she wasn't so certain. "But are you sure? I don't think..."

"I'm sure. Everyone in the Underground adores Sans. I foretold you feeling the same towards him, but I never imagined you actually falling for him." Toriel chuckled again.

"How do you know, Mom?"

"I was young once too, dear."

Frisk slouched. "What do I do? I can't just come out and tell him. What if he doesn't feel the same? Then our friendship really will be ruined." She felt paws grip her shoulders, and looked up at Tori.

"My child, your friendship with Sans is so much stronger than you give it credit for. Everything will be fine." Toriel brushed Frisk's cheek warmly, and the two smiled at each other. Once the human nodded at her words, Toriel straightened up and took her hand.

"Now, let's see if we can get lazy bone's attention." She began to pull Frisk towards the bathroom. "We're going to rattle his bones so bad, he won't ever be able to look away from you."

Frisk gave a sheepish smile as she allowed herself to be dragged into the bathroom. She had never seen this side of Toriel before. She wasn't sure whether to be terrified or excited. Maybe both.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

"S-S-Sans! W-w-w-what are y-you doing here?!"

"To hell with that! WHY are you here," Undyne screeched as she pulled a spear from beside the couch and pointe it at Sans, non threateningly of course.

Sans simply laid back against the couch, his ever present grin taking on something sinister. "Nah, I think the real question here is, 'why aren't you training with Paps?' After all... He was super excited about it this morning," he asked calmly, he left eye blazing.

Alphys leapt back, glaring at Undyne accusingly,"B-but I-I-I thought you s-s-said he never s-showed!? U-Undyne! W-what's going on?!!"

Immediately, Sans honed in on the fish warrior, ready to kill. If anything happened to Papyrus on her watch, he wouldn't even hesitate to unleash a load of gaster blasters on her. And as she adverted her eyes to the floor and slowly backed down, Sans could only take it as guilt.

"D-dont worry, he's fine. He went back home like ten minutes after he got to my place, alright?"

Sans wasn't buying it.

Without another word, Sans summoned a gaster and aimed it at her. Oh her face was priceless. Sans was never really an aggressive guy, but when it came to Paps, he would watch the world burn to keep his little bro safe. However, for now, Undyne was his only target. Alphys obviously had no idea where Paps was or she would've spilled by now.

Undyne backed away, holding her spear out defensively,"Wait! Wait! Wait!! I told you he went home! Just go and look!.... Wait! No don't! He's there though! I swear!"

The gaster opened its jaw and began to charge it's beam. "Why," he spoke dangerously.

".... I........ I can't tell you..."

"Undyne, my patience is wearing thin."

Alphys squealed and ducked behind the couch,"P-please, Undyne! J-j-just tell h-h-h-him!"

Undyne growled loudly, slamming her spear into the floor,"Fine! He's making a surprise for you and Frisk! Happy?!"

Suddenly the gaster dispersed and Sans eyes were back to normal. He relaxed back into the sofa with a carefree grin," See now, was that so hard? What's the surprise?"

Alphys peeked over the couch in surprise, still a bit too wary to actually sit on it. Undyne was exasperated and flabbergasted. One second she was fearing for her life, and the next she supposed to be calm and comfortable? Screw that! In the heat of the moment she snapped her spear over her knee with a growl,"You're insane! How can anyone stand you? How can Frisk like you?!"

Undyne slapped a hand over her mouth and Sans just stared at her for a long time.

" What?"

This time it was Alphys that spoke up,"Y-you really can't tell? It's pretty obvious to, like, everyone!" Sans turned his gaze to the scientist, staring at her in disbelief before suddenly bursting out into laughter. The other two just watched him with confused looks as he finally gained his composure and stood up.

"You two really know how to tell a joke. But come on now. I came over here to check on the status of the barrier," he said casually as he started walking around and looking through Alphys' piles of junk with no real interest.

Alphys looked to Undyne concerned, then back on to the wondering skeleton,"But, Sans, we're not joking! She really does-"

"Alphys, do you have any new information or not?"

The yellow monster shrunk back a bit, sensing the sudden change in his mood. She looked down at the floor and sighed softly. "No. I haven't found a way to cross through the barrier. Nothing is working. Even a synthetic human soul couldn't do it.... But, our synthetic determination serum has somewhat weakened it."

"Good, Asgore will be glad to hear that", he quipped, voice back to its normal lazy tone," I'll be back in two weeks to check your work again. Let me know if anything changes before then."

He didn't wait for them to respond, just shortcutted away with a wave goodbye, his mind and soul racing around their words. Frisk? Like him? Ha! She'd been around him long enough to discover what he was like, his personality wasn't exactly desirable. No, they must be confused.....

...Or playing some cruel joke on him.

Appearing back in the hallway he'd left in, Sans slowly walked upstairs. At first he really didn't think anything of the silence echoing in the home, at least until he made it into the main room to find neither Frisk nor Toriel.

It spooked him, especially since the home was never quiet.

"Tori? Frisk," he called out, looking around for the two.

[MurderVictim]

"Mom, are you sure this is going to work?"

"I don't think this is going to work..."

"This isn't going to work."

Frisk stared at herself in the mirror. Toriel beamed at the human's reflection, but all Frisk could do was sigh. "Sans is never gonna go for this."

"Hush." Toriel smiled and poked Frisk's nose. "You look lovely, dear. Have a little confidence in yourself." She ran her paws through Frisk's hair, gently fluffing it up. She had trimmed it a little, and shaped the bangs so they fell to the side rather than flat in front of the girl's face. Now, her hair framed her face nicely.

Toriel reached into a drawer and pulled out a bow with a barrette on the back. It was a mix of purple and blue in color, with a heart stitched around the center. She brushed part of Frisk's hair to the side and clipped the bow in. It sparkled in her hair, complimented nicely by the natural brown tones.

"How does that scarf fit, Frisk?"

"Really nicely." Frisk smiled as she felt the new accessory around her neck. As was expected, it was also purple and blue, the colors swirling together. It rested elegantly against her chest and shoulders, fitting perfectly. Like many of her other clothing, Toriel had knitted it for her. But it was clear that the queen had meant it as something nice for Frisk to have, something to make her feel dolled up without worrying about a fancy outfit.

Frisk had changed into another sweater that fit her a little more snugly. This one was a plain lightly blue color, with a beautifully stitched heart placed right over her actual one was. Tori's skills were very impressive, but Frisk had already known that.

Frisk had mentioned make-up before, if the queen had any. What a fur-covered goat would do with make-up, Frisk wasn't sure. But it didn't hurt to ask. Toriel had only shook her head with a tsk. Even if such luxuries were available, Frisk didn't need anything like it, she had said. The young woman was naturally gorgeous. Chemicals and unnatural colors would only hinder her appearance.

Frisk had tried to argue. Compared to other humans she had seen on television, she was rather plain. Of course, that only led to Toriel shushing her firmly.

Truthfully, Toriel's advice was as motherly as one could get. The changes she made were so subtle, not meant to transform or overpower anything Frisk already had. It was only to draw more attention the human's way, make the eye appreciate her like it should.

Now, Frisk was brushing her fingers through her bangs. She didn't want to mess them up, but couldn't help playing with them out of nervousness. She opened her mouth to say something, but was effectively cut off by Sans' sudden voice.

"Oh, he's here!" Toriel looked towards the hall, then quickly brought her attention back to Frisk. "Let's,not make him wait, my child!" She patted Frisk's shoulder reassuringly.

Meanwhile, Frisk felt like she was going to throw up. Her heart was racing so fast she thought it was going to burst. A cold chill ran through her body, freezing her to her seat before Toriel took her hand and guided her to stand. She could only imagine what sort of reaction Sans would have. Maybe he wouldn't have any...Maybe he wouldn't notice.

Toriel planted a soft kiss atop Frisk's head, then gently nudged her out the door.

"H-Hey, Sans! I didn't think you'd be back so soon." Frisk gave him a shaky smile as she appeared from the hall behind him. "Hear anything good from Alphys?"

She fidgeted with her hands, trying not to chew on her bottom lip as she waited for Sans to turn around and see her.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Sans was almost ready to start freaking out when he didn't get a response immediately. At least until he heard the awkward shuffle of feet accompanied by Frisk's voice. His grin fell back into its natural grin and his shoulders slumped a bit in relief.

He slowly turned around to face her as he spoke,"Eh, sort of, but don't worry about it. Oh, hey, Paps has a ....... S....surprise......," all of a sudden the skeleton couldn't find his words as he stared at the human.

His eye sockets were wide, the little white dots floating in them a bit bigger than normal. His jaw hung open just a bit, like some awestruck fool.

But he was an awestruck fool.

Carefully, he let his gaze travel over the small, but very noticeable changes since he'd left. The scarf just happened to be the first thing to catch his eyes, so he started there. It was cute on her, and absolutely screamed Frisk, and it matched her new sweater well. Her new sweater that sinfully fit her matured firgure.

God, he was almost scared to see anymore, afraid his soul might just burst out of his chest.

As slowly as he'd turned around to her, Sans' eyes trailed up to Frisk's face. Her skin was still it's lovely natural shade, no smears of unnatural colors sav for the lovely flush on her cheeks. Her hair was different, more flattering to her face shape, and, well, it was pretty.

He took a step closer, not noticing the blue tint on his own cheekbones. Slowly he raised a hand to sweep Frisk's bangs gently in their new direction.

"Wow...", Sans wanted to slap himself for that lame comment. Why the hell couldn't he form a single thought, or even a sentence for that matter? It was like his mind would start to work, and then just crash into a broken pile of smoke. Like Alphys' failed experiments.

The thought of the scientist brought back her words. D... Did Frisk really like him? Or, was she just in on the joke.

No, Frisk would never do something like that. She was too sweet and kind.

Noticing that he'd been staring for so long, Sans clamped his jaw shut, his blush growing a bit darker. He turned away from her and scratched the back of his neck in embarassment, his foot tapping. Man, at a time when he really needed something to chow down on, he just had to be out of ketchup packets.

"U-umm, P-Paps has a surprise for us at home. Wanna g-go check it out," damn he felt so lame when he stuttered.

He was normally so calm and collected, but now, now his soul was glowing through his shirt.

Tori was probably laughing her goaty ass off.

All of this had her name written all over it. She was absolutely evil. But whatever magic she'd worked, it really did make Frisk look beautiful. Like, it wasn't as if she was bad looking before or anything, she was just like a gem. Pretty when mined, and gorgeous when refined.

Wait. No. Frisk was his best friend. He couldn't do this to her. Not when it seemed like that awkwardness between them had finally disappeared.

I mean, as nice of a thought as it was, thinking that Frisk liked him and all, she was typically a direct kid. If... If she really did like him, she would say something, wouldn't she? He wondered if he could talk to Tori about it later.

After taking a few moments to compose himself, Sans turned back to face her, but looked everywhere except at Frisk, for fear of doing or saying something that might bring that awkwardness back.

"Hey, Tori, d'ya care if we head back?"

[MurderVictim]

Frisk stood before him, her hands fidgeting with each other as she watched his reaction. Her heart switched from its fast and pounding pace, to being so still that she was sure it had stopped. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Sans wasn't the type to get excited over anything, hardly having enthusiasm for anything. She tried to remember that when he didn't say much.

Was that bad? Was that good? She didn't know, and that's what made her feel even more nervous. Why was Sans always so hard to read?

Her thoughts stopped the moment his bony fingers brushed her bangs. She held her breath, listening to the single word that left his mouth. Wow? So...He liked it? Frisk began to smile, then Sans was turning away from her.

Wait, had she done something wrong? "O-Oh. Cool." Frisk tried to put a smile in her tone, but it was still too shaky. She looked down at her hands, no longer able to keep staring at the skeleton. Since he wasn't looking at her anymore, she was sure he had decided he didn't like her new appearance. Or just didn't care once he had gotten over his initial shock.

Again, this was Sans. Frisk had to remember that he really wasn't the type of guy to notice or like appearances. He seemed too laidback for that. Still, Frisk couldn't help but be a little disappointed.

"That's fine, Sans. Thank you for coming to visit." Toriel appeared behind Frisk with her usual smile. She put a paw on Frisk's shoulder, prompting her to look up at her.

When Frisk did, she saw a sly grin on Tori's face that screamed for her not to worry. The goat winked at her, then her expression was back to its normal, warm smile. The queen leaned down to place a final kiss on Frisk's head.

"See you later, Mom." Frisk matched Tori's smile, feeling a little more at ease. She'd just have to trust the old goat. "Love you!"

"Love you too, sweetheart." Toriel gently pet the human's hair, then continued on through the living room. Before she vanished into the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder at the two. Her soul couldn't contain how precious this all was! There'd be time for overprotective mama Toriel later. Right now, she was going to let kids be kids.

"So...Should we go?" Frisk gestured towards the stairs.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Even when Toriel walked in, Sans just couldn't look at her. He felt so guilty for feeling like this, even if it had been the old goat's intent, and he felt even worse that his flush was still dusting his face in front of her. God he was lame. Surely Frisk would think so too. He was acting like a flustered little kid with a crush, but that was exactly how he felt.

When Tori finally made her way into the kitchen, Sans dared to peek up at Frisk. Bad decision.

When she spoke, he just nodded and all but bolted for the stairs. He didn't want to leave her behind, but he just needed a second to cool down. He needed to get his thoughts together before he could talk to her, better yet even look at her. He needed to cool off his unstable soul.

But as he pushed through the doors to leave the ruins, not even the icy cold could calm him down. This wasn't like him. He shouldn't be acting like this. He was Sans, carefree, calm, never spooked or excited by anything except maybe being treated at Grillby's, or a large bottle of ketchup. And Frisk! God she must think he was a jerk. Leaving her behind like that.

Taking a deep breath, Sans finally managed to calm his erratic soul. He didn't move from the door, waiting for Frisk. He had to let her know everything was cool. He couldn't let that awkwardness creep back into their lives. God he needed a bite to eat.

He rummaged futilly in his jacket pockets, finding nothing but lint and a folded piece of paper with a few ketchup stains on it.

With a sigh, he put his hands in his pockets once more and stared at the snow. What if.... What if Frisk didn't want to be friends anymore after seeing him act like that? She was a patient and understanding kid, sure, but... People can only put up with so much of your bad side, right? And standing there, lost in his thoughts, Sans couldn't recall a single time he'd shown her his good side. Yeah he could make her laugh, take her places and show some really cool stuff, but... When had he ever really been good to her. He never expressed anything to her, never talked to her about the important thoughts weighing his mind down.

And yet, she was so good to him.

She was kind. She was patient. And... Sans really liked that about her. It was like everything he wasn't and couldn't express, she was and could. As cheesy as it sounded, it felt like she was what was missing in him.

But he'd run away. Wow, now he was really on a roll. He wished he could go back to just a few minutes earlier and make himself stay in that room with Frisk, but he didn't have control of the timeline.

What if Frisk decided to reset because of this?

His soul froze at the thought. All of those years she'd spent living with him and Papyrus would be nothing. And no one would remember any of it, no one except for him.

No, Frisk wouldn't do that. He had to stop thinking like that! She was a good kid, and she loved everyone in the Underground. She... She wouldn't end all of that just because of him. He was nothing special.

Finally calm and in his right mind, Sans turned to look back down the dark hallway. His cheekbones still held a blush, but he could just pass it off as a chill.

He watched carefully as Frisk came into view, giving her his usual smile before starting back home at the same lazy pace as they'd had on the trip here. Sans quietly took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Hey, sorry about back there. You really surprised me..... You look nice."

The last part was spoken softly, something just above a whisper, but he didn't wait for a response. In fact he'd be completely fine if she didn't give one, but it wouldn't be like her if she didn't.

[MurderVictim]

Frisk watched as Sans bolted, too stunned to say anything. She wanted to call out to him, shout for him to wait, but by the time she found her voice it was too late. Her arms fell to her sides, and her shoulders slumped. Did he really hate it that much? Had she somehow offended him? Frisk could see how that could be possible, but Sans was such a mystery to her that she wasn't sure what could set him off. Other than harming Papyrus, anyway.

Frisk rubbed one arm and stared at the floor. This was a bad idea. She should have just kept it all to herself. Pretending her emotions weren't there was so much easier than all...this. Whatever this was.

After a short moment, Frisk inhaled a deep breath and looked up. Toriel was so sure of everything, so wise even in this situation. Frisk would just have to trust her. She'd have to hope that this wouldn't shatter their friendship. Out of anything, that was the thing she absolutely couldn't lose. Not again.

Sighing, Frisk hurried to the stairs, hoping Sans hadn't completely left the ruins without her. She rushed down the stairs and down the hall, only stopping in her mad dash once she turned the corner and spotted the skeleton. She slowed to a nervous walk, happy to see that he hadn't gone too far, but unsure of how he would receive her presence.

She relaxed a bit when she saw his smile. Well, at least she didn't lose that. Walking with him, she didn't expect him to say anything. When he did, her first response was to look at the snow on the ground.

"Sorry, I didn't mean...I didn't think...Uh. Thanks." Frisk looked up at him with a small, shy smile. "Toriel said you might like it." Frisk brought her fingers up to her bangs, smoothing the strands down and readjusting them nervously.

"How's the uh," Frisk paused, trying to find something to inquire about just to change the subject. "How's the barrier doing?"

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Oh God, when she looked at him with that blush dusting her cheeks, Sans thought his soul was about to leave his chest. It wasn't like he hadn't thought of her like this before, but it had never been this intense. And as she mentioned Toriel, he silently both thanked and cursed the old goat. She really was a devil in monsters clothing.

At the question about the barrier, he debated on how much he should tell her. Obviously not too much, but she was trying to change the subject, so he had to say something.

"Well, we haven't gotten any closer to breaking it, but Alphys said she'd do a few more experiments on it and get back to me when she has something. We knew it wasn't gonna be easy, so we're all just kinda in it for the long haul, ya know," he said looking ahead. Of course part of his answer was a lie, but she didn't need to worry about it. He didn't want her to feel guilty over something she couldn't help. And he wouldn't even think of letting her volunteer for the one way they knew to break it. All they could do was be patient and hope for the best.

Thinking back though, she was such a sweet kid, she might think of that solution on her own.

Frisk was naive, but smart. She paid more attention to detail than most gave her credit for. Even Sans had been guilty of that a few times.... Especially when she'd managed to see through his attacks and killed him those few times. Granted, he'd done much worse to her.

He'd torn her to shreds the first time, angry that she'd murder his poor innocent brother, and when she kept coming back, he would just mercilessly destroy her over and over. The second time, it was more of an annoying game. He'd fake an opening, crack some dark, humorless joke, and killed her quickly. By the third time he'd noticed that something was off about her. Like it wasn't really her inside that body. But that had made it easier for him.

And from then on out, each time they fought, he'd drop hints of things he remembered from that first timeline. All of the fun Frisk had had with everyone, those silly moments when Undyne had tried so hard to be her friend, even how Tori had cared for her like her own child.

But it had taken time.

Shaking those depressing thoughts away, Sans looked at her again, just taking her in.

She was so much older now. She'd weaseled her way into everyone's hearts so that their lives were inconceivable without her. And if she ever took the path of genocide again, Sans didn't think he'd have the heart to fight her. Not after all of this.

The only way he could is if he truly forgot, if his memory reset like everyone else's. But he knew it wouldn't.

It was both a blessing and a curse.

"So, uh... Maybe I should start wearing tux around? I think I'd look pretty sharp," he joked lightly.

His attention was suddenly stolen as they finally approached the house. Uncharacteristic as it was, Sans opened the door and motioned for Frisk to head in first.

He was SO lame...

[MurderVictim]

Frisk nodded, trying to hide her disappointment in hearing about the barrier. It had been so long since the last she had thought of it. She had hoped there would have been some progress made. Of course, breaking that barrier wasn't going to be easy by any means. Frisk tried to tell herself that there wasn't anything she could do.

Except there was.

When she was still a child, Frisk would sometimes feel guilty. Her soul would be the final one needed. She was there, in plain view and easy grasp for everyone to catch. It was like she was dangling a key in front of a caged animal, then swiping it away the moment it reached out. It would have been so easy for everyone to overpower her together and take her straight to Asgore. Yet, once she befriended everyone, they didn't even attempt to touch her.

It wasn't fair. Even as an adult, Frisk would consider it from time to time. It would be so simple. All they needed was one more soul; her soul. If they got that, maybe everyone would be safe. Safe from her and her resets. After everything she put them through, they deserved at least that.

Especially Sans.

Frisk was jostled from her thoughts as Sans mentioned him wearing a tux. She looked at him and smirked. "Yeah, you definitely would. But you wouldn't really be Sans anymore." As they walked, she inched closer to him, enough to let their arms brush against each other.

Looking up as they came upon the house, Frisk wasn't expecting Sans to open the door for her. She stood there for a moment, surprised, but soon smiled and continued into the house. "Thanks," she said as she passed him. It wasn't really like Sans to be a gentleman of the traditional sense, but she wasn't gonna complain.

Once inside, her curiosity soared as she wondered what sort of surprise Papyrus had waiting for them.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

As she walked inside, Sans caught the scent of earth, and flowers from her. Had she always smelled like that? It was nice. A calming scent compared to the stench of blood and unbridled determination she'd smelled of in her genocide sprees. Sans didn't think he'd ever forget that smell.

It had haunted his dreams, tormented his every waking moment, and stained itself so deep inside his skull that if he really tried, he was sure he could smell it on her. But that was the past.

He quickly stepped inside after her, closing the door. Immediately a new scent assaulted him. Amidst the usual aroma of spaghetti cooking, there was something sweet in the air as well. Was that... Cinnamon? And butterscotch? Paps never made ANYTHING except spaghetti. What in the he'll was he cooking with butterscotch and cinnamon?

"We're home, Paps," he called out into the house, and instantly the tall skeleton came barreling out of the kitchen.

"SANS! HUMAN! YOU'RE HOME SO EARLY! AWW... NOW THE SURPRISE IS RUINED," Papyrus said, a bit disheartened.

Sans shifted lazily,"Want us to walk back outside and you can call me when it's done?"

Papyrus sent a determined look at his brother and shook his head furiously,"NO! SURPRISE OR NOT, I WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS, AND YOU TWO ARE GOING TO ENJOY IT!"

"Uhh.... Don't you mean us three?"

"OF COURSE NOT! I HAVE A DATE WITH METTATON TODAY, SO YOU TWO WILL ENJOY THE GREAT PAPYRUS' MOST DELICIOUS DISH YET!"

Sans felt his soul flip.

Oh God, was... Was Pap setting them up? On a date? Why? How did he even know what to do for-..... Undyne. That clever little-

" OH, HUMA- ER, FRISK! YOU CHANGED YOUR HAIR! IT LOOKS VERY NICE," the taller of the skelebros interrupted, leaning down to better inspect Frisk's new look. He nodded approvingly and babbled on about how he and Mettaton would take her shopping soon for more cute clothes.

Sans just flushed with embarrassment at the whole situation. But he smiled. It was nice to see Papyrus so excited about something again. Ever since Frisk had become.... Distant, he'd been a bit down. But now he was practically glowing with refound vigor.

He chuckled quietly to himself and cleared his throat. "Paps, might wanna go check on your delish dish, otherwise it'll be black dish."

Papyrus quickly sprinted into the kitchen to resume his cooking.

Sans chuckled and took a seat at the table. He could really use a nap, and the warm smell of good food was a tempting lull to close his eyes, but he barely managed to keep them open.

He hardly noticed as they slowly dropped shut.

[MurderVictim]

The wonderful armomas that greeted Frisk caught her off guard. Normally, she expected to be assaulted by different scents when Papyrus cooked. She loved his cooking, she really did, but even she couldn't stomach half of his favorite cooking techniques. Coming home to a dinner that smelled warm and delicious was a beautiful thing to Frisk.

She smiled up at the taller skeleton, remaining quiet as the brothers talked. She blushed when Papyrus caught sight of her new haircut. It wasn't that much of a change, was it? Toriel hardly took an inch off. Yet it seemed to have done wonders! It was also nice to not have her bangs blocking her eyes as much.

Wait...What was that about Papyrus not joining them? Frisk's heart raced a little at hearing that. Of course, this wasn't the first time Paps had left the two alone, either for late training sessions or quality time with Mettaton. But normally he left plenty of leftovers available for his brother and Frisk. He didn't usually go through so much trouble for a meal.

And...He was even making something besides spaghetti! Since when did that happen? Frisk silently, frantically searched for a possible reason for all of this.

Oh. Oh no. Was this the surprise Sans mentioned? If Paps was leaving the two alone together, then this could only be a date! He was trying to set them up!

Frisk's blush deepened, the heat spreading along her cheeks and down her neck. This wasn't happening...This wasn't happening! She was thrilled, yet at the same time hopelessly lost and scared.

She looked up in time to see Papyrus rush back into the kitchen, then stole a glance at Sans as he took a seat. She hesitated, and soon figured that there was no point in just standing there. Forcing herself forward, Frisk took the seat across from him. Her hands shook, which she tried to hide by putting them in her lap.

Almost instantly, she was reminded of her date with Papyrus all those years ago. Back then, it was just for fun. Frisk hardly had any idea what she was doing, but had enjoyed the time spent with one of her favorite skeletons. She couldn't even remember if it was a real date, or an in-battle joke gone too far. Either way, it was a nice memory. It was in every peaceful timeline.

At that train of thought, Frisk calmed down a little. She took in a deep breath, exhaled softly, and opened her mouth to say something. When she saw Sans' eyes closed, however, she stopped and smiled.

She wasn't going to disturb him. Rather, she sat back in her chair and relaxed. Everything was going to be fine.

[TopSpeedOfSound]

Sans dozed lightly, not in a deep enough sleep that he couldn't hear what was going on around him, but not awake enough to respond if someone tried to have a conversation with him. Luckily all he could hear was Frisk take a seat after him, and the comforting clatter of Paps banging around in the kitchen. It was a peaceful noise....

Until he started to drift a bit deeper into sleep.

He wasn't really dreaming, but the memories, all of them, came drifting through his mind. First were the ones of peace, his usual routine with Pap and Frisk suddenly showing up in their lives. Those were good times, they'd had a lot of fun. But then came the memories of massacre.

As Papyrus suddenly slammed a heavy pot of spaghetti on the table, Sans woke with a jolt. He could tell he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

He didn't brood over it though as the taller skeleton put down two plates, one in front of Frisk and one for Sans, and piled them high with delicious smelling spaghetti and meatballs. Wow, Paps really did go all out on this dish. But Sans didn't have time to compliment the chef as he laid out a fork for each of them and scurried off back into the kitchen.

Papyrus returned moments later with two heavenly smelling pies and set them on the table. Giving an "ok" with his hand, Paps proudly stood to his full height,"BONE APPETITE! NOW, YOU TWO ENJOY YOUR MEAL! FRISK, DONT LET SANS EAT ALL OF THE PIE PLEASE, IT IS MOST UNHEALTHY FOR HIM. I SHALL RETURN AFTER MY DATE!"

And with that, Papyrus was gone, dashing out the door with his cooking apron still one.

Sans let out a laugh and looked to Frisk,"You thirsty, kiddo? We're gonna need something to wash all this food down." He listened for a response as he stood and walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge to find a large, bow-wraped bottle of ketchup, and a soda of similar decor. Other than that, there really wasn't anything in the fridge.

With a shrug, he grabbed both and headed back to the table. "Whatcha feeling? Ketchup, or soda," he teased raising both bottles up for her to see. No one liked ketchup like he did. When she was younger, Frisk had asked to try some, so he let her. Man that was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. Her face scrunched up in adorable disgust and she'd stuck her tongue out.

He set the soda down in front of her before retaking his seat and popping the cap off his lovely red bottle and took a big swig, giving a satisfied 'ah' as he set it down by his plate.

He really needed that. Paps really was the greatest. Even though he didn't like Sans' eating habits, he still went out and got this for him. It was official, he had the best little bro ever.

Picking up his fork, Sans twirled some noodles onto it before, in the least elegant way possible, stuffing it into his mouth. He wasn't shy about pigging out, it was natural to him. While other monsters tried to imitate human eating habits, Sans was just... Sans. If he wanted food, then by God he was gonna get it in his mouth one way or another. Eating messy just didn't take as much energy.

Looking back to Frisk, he smiled, unaware of the noodle stuck to the corner of his grin,"I think this is the first time Paps hasn't burned something."

[MurderVictim]

Frisk wanted to thank Papyrus for all the trouble he went through, but he hurried out the door before she could open her mouth. That was okay. She'd just tell him her gratitude later, when he got home. Now, she wanted to focus on the delicious meal set before her and Sans.

Walking to and from Toriel's house had really awoken her appetite. She picked up her fork and looked up at Sans. She smiled and raised an eyebrow at his question. She fondly remembered the last time she wanted to give his ketchup-drinking habit a shot. It was definitely not for her. "Soda please!"

"Thanks," she said with that same smile as she reached for her soda. The bow on it was a sweet touch, and she felt her heart warm upon noticing that Sans' bottle of ketchup had the same treatment. Paps really hadn't missed a thing! This whole set up was so detailed, Frisk had a feeling he must have gotten help. But from who?

"Yeah, this is really good! Papyrus was really sweet to do this all for us." To keep herself from blushing again, Frisk took a bite of food. Unlike Sans, she tried to be polite. But the short skeleton must have been rubbing off on her, because she slurped up a good chunk of noodles. While she grabbed her napkin, she glanced up to see the noodle stuck to the side of Sans' mouth.

After quickly wiping a smudge of sauce from her face, Frisk giggled and gestured with her finger to her mouth. She quickly gave up, however, and instead leaned over with her arm outstretched. She swiftly peeled the noodle from Sans' face and flicked it away, still smiling widely. "The food's missing your mouth, dude," she said as she returned to her seat.

She giggled again and took several more bites. Rather than use her napkin again, Frisk opted to just use the back of her hand. Her mother would probably be appalled, but it was habit.