MurderVictim

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk wanted to be angry. She wanted Sans to listen and not tune her out. What she had to say was important, and talking to a brick wall was not going to cool her frustration. Of course, she shouldn't have expected anything else. She was about to raise her voice, when she caught the skeleton's flinch. It should have been a victory for her. She got through to him, she broke a piece of his barrier. She should have felt better. But it only made her feel worse.

She loosened her stance and unclenched her fists. She never really considered that Sans had attempted to tell the others. While she was playing her little games, he was repeatedly pleading to his family to listen and remember. Four hundred fifty two. How many of those times were hers? How many resets had the other humans done before losing their souls? She hoped they were more merciful, and better people than her. If they weren't, then...Poor Sans.

Frisk felt like such a jerk. "I...I never thought of that. I'm sorry, Sans." Her voice was much softer than it had been before. She never could hold on to her anger. Her shoulders slumped. "I just... Who's going to protect you? You look out for everyone else, but what about you?" Her gaze drifted down to the ground. It was starting to snow again.

"It was so much easier when it was me who was the biggest threat. If I'm not hurting anyone, the Underground seems safe. But this glitch is new...He doesn't play by the usual rules, like I did, and it scares me. There's nothing I can do. He's completely unpredictable and there's nothing I can do about it." She shivered a little more, and was finally forced to hug herself. Maybe going out in the cold with damp hair wasn't the best idea.

"What...What am I supposed to do if we lose? Resetting won't do much good, and we'll lose so much. I think this is the best timeline we've ever had." She smiled, but it quickly faltered and fell. "I don't want to live here without you, Sans.

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk was expecting him to firmly repeat his disagreement. She also expected him to just teleport away, to a spot where she wouldn't find him as easily. She wasn't expecting him to lose his cool. Standing there, she couldn't do anything but stare at him. Her plan wasn't perfect, she'd admit, but she never considered it would sound so terrible to her friend. Even as he yelled, she still couldn't bring herself to fully understand what was so bad. If she could help Sans in any way, then she would. She'd survived worse as a child. If it wasn't a Genocide route with Sans, then it was every other run with Undyne. What was the big deal?

But as he spoke, and as she saw how frustrated and furious he was, Frisk began to grow a little frustrated herself. When Sans tore himself out of her touch, she let her hand drop to her side. She watched him pace, watched his body movement and listened to his bones rattle. That was always how she knew he was really upset - when his bones rattled. It should have made her want to turn around and leave him alone. Instead, it only made her angrier.

"just go home, frisk."

"...No."

Frisk paused. She couldn't remember the last time she had so openly disobeyed Sans, in this timeline or any other peaceful run. Sans never asked her of anything. He didn't push her, didn't use her age against her. Growing up, she never saw any reason to go against him. She didn't want him to dance around the issues anymore, but this was...This was new. And she didn't like it. But she was angry and irritated and scared for her friend.

"No, you can't just tell me to go away!" She clenched her fists at her sides. "You think that you can handle everything by yourself, that you can hold it all in and keep everyone out! Is that how you see yourself? You have to protect everyone, because they're somehow better off being ignorant while you waste away in front of them? Is that how little you think of yourself...and everyone else?"

Frisk stepped towards him, though still kept a distance. It was starting to get colder, and she was trembling. She didn't notice, too swept away by her own words. "And this isn't just about the glitch! You always do this! Do you just not trust anyone else? I know you don't trust me, but you don't trust Alphys to help? Or Undyne? Or Toriel?" She took in a breath.

"Or...Or Papyrus?"

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk smiled when Sans looked up at her. She stopped a few steps away from him, her hands in her sweater pockets. For a moment, before she spoke, she could have sworn she saw nervousness cross Sans' features. He must have really wanted to be alone. But it was too late to turn back now. Rather, she continued to smile and hope he wouldn't push her away.

She really should have known better. His body language said it all, the way he kept his back to her. Her smile fell. As he spoke, she looked out over the landscape. She traced the patterns burned into the snow and trees, noting the broken branches and particularly large burns as she went. If she had never been on the receiving end of such attacks, she would have been amazed. She would have doubted that such power could come from a monster with only a single HP. Honestly, she wished she could have that naivety back.

When he turned to her, she set her attention back on him. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it. She watched him walk past her, and for a small moment it seemed that she was truly defeated. Then she reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sans, it's because of that other you that I want to train with you. I don't like just sitting and watching you fight." She sighed, searching for the right words. Everything had been so easy in her head. "I felt so...useless. You could have gotten dusted, and I wouldn't have been able to do anything." She winced at her own words. She'd have no choice but to reset. A timeline without Sans was a timeline she couldn't bear to live in.

"You can just show me how you dodge so well! If I could do that, then maybe I can be a distraction while you set off your attacks!" Her words tumbled out of her mouth so fast, she couldn't begin to second guess herself. It didn't appear that she understood the full weight of her suggestion, or how dangerous such a situation would be. Even the memory of being controlled by those strings couldn't deter her from putting herself up as bait.

"I don't want you to deal with this alone. This version of you is seriously unhinged, and we have no idea how far he's gonna go. And I'm not going to put our issues over the Underground potentially losing you, Sans. Just...One try? Please?"

Pine Trees and Doritos, anyone? (Gravity Falls)

Annnd bump!

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Finding the kitchen as empty as she expected, Frisk wandered back into the living room and was faintly surprised to not find Sans on the couch. Eating, napping, or just watching television, the skeleton wasn't there. After grabbing the remote and switching the television off, she stole a glance up towards the balcony to peer at his bedroom door. Spotting the note on the door, she headed up the stairs and plucked it off. She read it. Then read it again.

Were her eyes playing tricks on her..Or did Sans really write that he was going to be training? She had to read it again just to be sure. Honestly, she understood. With that glitchy version of Sans lurking just outside of their dimension, there was no time to waste. Preparations had to be made, even if it forced a lazy guy like Sans to train. While she was impressed and appreciative of the lengths Sans was going to go to keep everyone safe, it only cemented how dire the situation was in her mind. This was no playful joke.

With that in mind, Frisk put the note back and went to grab the day's outfit. She chose a sweater that was a bit thicker than the others, knowing the day was going to be cold even by Snowdin's standards. She quickly showered and dressed, finishing her morning routine as usual. As she headed back downstairs, she threaded her fingers through her damp hair and contemplated what to do. She could lounge around the house until the brothers got home...Or she could go find Sans. If he was out training, then so should she. He couldn't fight this new threat alone. She was out of practice, had very little strength and defense, and that made her vulnerable. She nodded to herself and looked up.

The house seemed so empty with just her there. Suddenly, Frisk understood why Sans always left the television on, why he always needed noise in the house. Because the silence was heavy and lonely, and it had taken the young woman that much time to realize that. She sighed and turned the TV back on.

Frisk didn't know where Sans was training. He had to be deep in the forest, far enough so no one could see or cross the line of fire. Part of her didn't want to disturb him, but if she didn't she feared he'd never consider letting her train with him. If she asked at home, he might just blow her off and teleport. No, she had learned several times over that the key to getting what she wanted from Sans was by giving him no other choice. This time, she was going to use that discovery for a far better reason.

So, she simply walked in the nearest direction. Her search would have been so blind and futile, she would have completely missed him...If she hadn't seen the wisps of blue magic in the distance. It bounced off the snow and shone bright, flickering before burning out. Sometimes, it amazed her how easily she could find Sans. Was it coincidence, or was there a sense left from their long history together? Either way, she had found his magic. She smiled and rushed towards it, remaining alert for any stray bone attack.

By the time she got to his position, he was already done. She saw him laying in the snow, appearing to be worn out. She wasn't sure how long it had been, but he must have worked incredibly hard. Again, she debated with herself on whether to disturb him or not. But her determination soared, and she started to make her way over to him. Her shoes crunched heavily in the snow, making her presence well known.

"You know, Sans...I was thinking. We should train together."

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk, at first, regretted sharing her dream. Seeing Sans' tears, she was sure she had ruined their perfect morning. The surface was a hard thing to think about for the monsters. As much as everyone was nice and friendly, they were still prisoners. Their population was squished together under the mountain, and no one should lie about times being difficult. Things had gotten easier in the many, many years they had to adjust, but still. They all deserved to see the sunshine.

But then she saw his smile. His real smile. The sight of it made her want to tear up as well. He was always faking his smiles, despite his face being constantly frozen into a big grin. She could see it in his eyes - his pain, his anger. Right now, all she saw was joy and warmth. She could even see the faint glow of his soul, though she kept from staring to avoid being rude. Still, he was happy. Papyrus was happy. She was happy.

Finishing her food, Frisk stood to gather Sans' plate and was pleasantly surprised when he took his plate to the sink himself. It must have been a good morning if the lazy skeleton was picking up after himself! Smiling to herself, she cleared the rest of the table and plopped everything in the sink. "Don't worry about the dishes, Paps, I got them!"

As she got to work cleaning up, Frisk softly hummed. It was a tune she had often heard Toriel hum, so often that it was burned into her memory. But it was a nice song, even if she never heard the words.

It didn't take her long to finish. Once the last dish was clean and put away, she dried her hands and turned around. At that point, she wasn't expecting either of her favorite skeletons to be in the kitchen. Papyrus had training with Undyne, and she was sure Sans would have wandered off to find a comfortable place to take a nap.

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk was finishing pouring three glasses of orange juice, when she saw Papyrus walk into the kitchen. She looked up and smiled, adoring the sight of the two brothers hugging. Compared to the absolute dread from last night, their warm interaction was incredibly welcome. She nodded when Paps noticed the food, a slight blush on her face. "Well, I thought you deserved someone cooking for you for a change," she said, a bit bashful as she turned to put the juice carton away. "Especially since I woke up so early."

Honestly, she couldn't remember a better morning. Their mornings were either full of blissful ignorance, or the quiet aftermath of a night full of nightmares. But this morning was calm and peaceful. It lacked any true heaviness, and for once Frisk felt honestly and truly happy. If only every morning could be like that.

After dropping the last pan into the sink to soak, Frisk plopped herself down at the table and grabbed the syrup. She ate quietly, enjoying every bite. She didn't burn anything, or mess up the pancake batter. She was normally such a klutz when she tried to take on adult responsibilities, so it was nice to know that she was figuring things out.

"So I uh...Had a pretty interesting dream last night." She stared down at what was left on her plate. Frisk didn't normally speak of her dreams, even if Papyrus was often curious as to what sort of images could cause her such fear at night. And she never wanted to force Sans to relive a genocide timeline. So she kept them to herself, but this dream was so unusual, she couldn't help but share it with both skeletons. "Everyone was in it. I don't know where we all were, but it was beautiful...Really bright and yellow." She paused, remembering the warmth on her face. Her mind must have snagged that from a moment from her childhood, before she fell - a time she could no longer remember at all.

"We were on the surface."

Finally, she looked up and glanced between the brothers. She didn't say anything else, but her gaze fell on Sans. She had such a hard time remembering every reset, so she couldn't tell if she had ever gotten them to the surface or not. She hoped she hadn't, if only for the fact that their perfect ending would have been stripped away. Now, to achieve such an ending would take more drastic measures. Her window of time to get them last the barrier had just about closed, and the only way would be for her to give up her soul.

She shut that thought down. No, she wasn't going to ruin their wonderful morning. Instead, she smiled lightly and looked back down at her breakfast. "I never really dreamed of the surface before...It was nice."

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk smiled up at him. She couldn't recall the last time Sans appeared so well rested. He had his better nights, sure, but she could have sworn he looked so much healthier. A massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders, a weight she hadn't known even existed. Apparently, she stressed about Sans and his health far more than she realized.

"Nah, nothing happened. You weren't out for too long. But you might want to reassure Papyrus when he gets up." And that's when it dawned on her. How early was it? She sat up a bit, loosening her grip on Sans as she peered up at the taller skeleton's bedroom. The door was still closed. For once, her and Sans were up before Paps! She didn't want to imagine just how early it was, but she wasn't going to waste such a perfect accomplishment!

Frisk gave Sans one more beaming smile before she completely pulled away from him. "I have an idea!" She stood, straightened her clothes a bit with the note to change out of her pajamas soon, and turned to head into the kitchen. She didn't say anything else, though the brisk way she walked gave off her excitement and happiness.

Despite her several years in that timeline helping Papyrus cook, Frisk hadn't made anything herself in a long while. Papyrus normally beat her to the punch when it came to making meals, which she didn't complain about at all. But it was time that she do the cooking, especially after all the turmoil and tears the small family had gone through the last few days. The skeleton brothers definitely deserved it.

Pancakes were simple enough for her to remember, along with bacon and hashbrowns. She moved pots and pans around she she went about cooking breakfast, trying to keep their heavy clanks quiet so as not to disturb Papyrus if he was still sleeping.

It wasn't long before she had the food ready and served on the table. She was no master chef like the Great Papyrus, but she certainly made a good meal.

Determination[TopSpeedOfSound & MurderVictim] HIATUS

Frisk stood at the center of a field. It stretched for as far as her eyes could see, fading off into the horizon. Tall blades of grass tickled at her clothes. They swayed with the breeze, soft and alive despite their yellow shades. The field was so bright, golden even, yet there wasn't a single flower petal in sight.

She had never had such a dream before. The air was so crisp and clean in her lungs, like there was nothing to get in the way. The unseen birds around her sang so beautifully, their songs clear and shrill. The sunlight was harsh on her face. The sun made everything so much brighter, almost blindingly so.

The sun.

Frisk lifted her head to spot the yellow orb glaring just off the horizon. The heat was stifling, yet it felt so nice, so unfamiliar after so many years. She looked down at her hands, seeing how the natural light bounced off her skin. She curled and stretched her fingers, admiring their golden glow. She sucked in another breath and realized why it felt so crisp. She wasn't in the Underground. There weren't miles of rock and dirt and glowing moss above her head. She was on the surface. She inhaled again, held her breath, and let it out slowly.

But where was she? She looked around, squinting in an effort to see past the sunshine. There were silhouettes, their darkness a steep contrast. She couldn't make out any color, but could name each one just from the shapes alone. Sans. Papyrus. Alphys. Undyne. Toriel. Asgore. Frisk smiled.

They were all there, all of her closest friends. Her family. The barrier was gone - the monsters were free. The sight brought tears to her eyes and a heaviness to her heart, though both were out of joy and relief. That was the greatest happiness she had felt in a long time. A very long time.

Something moved. The wind stopped.

Everything faded. Frisk watched as her friends' silhouettes disappeared, and turned to see the sun blink out of existence. Just as the field began to follow, she blinked her eyes open and found the fabric of the couch in her face. She blinked a couple more times and found a couple tears at the sides. She wiped them away and started to position herself to sit up, when she noticed her awkward entanglement with Sans.

"Oh, sorry!" She lifted herself so he could move his foot, and tried to sit up to put a line of space between them. Her movement wasn't as smooth as she wished it was, though. Sitting back against the armrest, Frisk rubbed at her eyes. Mid-motion, she finally noticed that her favorite short skeleton was awake. Sans was awake! She gasped and looked up at him.

"You're awake! Oh my god...Sans, I was so worried!" Without warning, Frisk scooted over to his side of the couch, practically flying as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Always looking for long-term partners!

@Aline

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