Soft Reset

[buttercup_eater]

As everything fades away when they die, coming back to life is like seeing everything fading into existence again.

The first thing they're aware of is light, and that they can see, rather than seeing anything in specific.

The second thing they're aware of is sensation, the weight of their limbs pressing into a smooth, stone surface.

Where are they, exactly?

Chara tries to focus, blinking a few times in the hopes of clearing their vision. An empty stone hallway, rather like the one they last died in, with high windows flooding the area with sunlight.

They take a deep breath and try and push themselves into an upright position, only to be hit with a wave of sudden dizziness and have to flop back onto the floor. Okay, that's not good. What happened?

They can remember their SOUL shattering, and laughing so hard their sides were aching. Sans. Bruises. Blood. Theirs? No, not at first. Chasing the other child down unfamiliar hallways. Messy. No EXP increase, no LV.

No partner.

Chara waits a moment, just in case any input is forthcoming, but even after several minutes they remain alone. Once again, they're going to have to do everything themselves.

They manage to sit up with only a minimal amount of dizziness, then lurch to their feet. Minus the dizziness, it's rather like the last time they died and woke up again.

The knife is nearby, again, and they pick it up, again. Their locket is also still hanging from their neck, and they can still feel it faintly beating. But there's also a strange weight in their pocket, and when they slip a hand inside to check- oh. Right. An... alternative version of their locket, they guess.

Gripping the locket tightly, they set out to find their purpose once again.

[As with Frisk's post, this is set three days after their death.]

Comments

[dustless]

Frisk visibly perks up at the lowering knife, at their words. "You do?"

That's a weird question. They rock on their heels a bit, tapping a single finger on their chin. Mimicking Grune without quite realizing. Someone else. Other than Chara?

"...don't think so. Who else would there be?"

have some cryptic infodumping

[buttercup_eater]

Chara is silent for a moment, glancing away from the other child as they try to think over the situation as quickly as possible.

The other child doesn't know about Chara's partner, even though Chara was still revived in their timeline. They also don't know how or why Chara was revived, and was able to progress through the Underground without killing anyone. The other child hadn't had much of a stomach for violence- Chara's fairly sure that was why they'd given up their control over their body to Chara.

It sounds as if Chara's partner was unable to direct the two of them in the other timeline, even after Chara's revival.

And now they have to try and somehow explain all this to someone who probably can't understand.

"Someone who awoke me in the first place," they say, "Who needed me to access our world, and who needed my guidance. I'm afraid I don't have a name to offer you, but I came to think of them as my partner. Perhaps in your timeline, our connection to them was severed early on.

"Our goal was to gain power. To become stronger. To eradicate our enemies and increase our EXP. I'd almost reached LV 20 when Sans came along, and- well, you know what happened next.

"Which reminds me. I made an interesting discovery when I killed you. I thought killing you might be enough to increase my LV. But as it turns out, you aren't worth any EXP."

have some attempted armor-piercing questions in return

[dustless]

Little stomach for violence, yes, but they can handle it if they think they need to.

Frisk turns this new information over in their head.

They felt out of their own control sometimes, but they'd always thought it was Chara. No--when they saw the tapes, the tapes that told the truth, Chara had tried to make them leave. Frisk had wanted to leave. But something else had made them stay. Their own curiosity outweighing their horror, they'd thought at the time, but maybe...maybe...there'd been more to it than they'd realized.

It makes more sense that way. Chara wouldn't kill monsters on their own, there was never anything prompting them like that.

Frisk looks at them for a long time.

Then, slowly, deliberately, they step forward.

"...Whoever it was isn't here anymore, are they? Don't need EXP, from me or from anybody, now. Monsters aren't enemies, Chara. You know that. You died for that." Might as well use the information they've got, even if they hadn't wanted it.

And that reminds them.

"Before...before Sans. In the end. Did you ever want to stop? Because...Papyrus. He said stuff to you, didn't he." Not really a question, and not from Sans telling them he had. He's just that kind of person. "Did you...did he make you think about it?"

[buttercup_eater]

The silence is palpable. One downside of not sharing a body, they realize, is that it's harder to pick up on what the other child is thinking.

Even through the other child's staring, even when they take that slow step forward, Chara holds their ground. They're not afraid of a little confrontation after all.

(Though they do tighten their grip on their knife.)

When the other child speaks, it takes a moment for their words and the implications to sink in- but then Chara recoils, their arms springing out in front of them as if to try and shove the other child away.

"What do you know about it!?" they snap, before they can even stop themselves. "If you know anything then you can see how well that worked out for everyone."

And then the other child asks another question.

Chara's brow furrows. Papyrus? That sounds familiar, but...

"...I killed a lot of people, you know. And I heard a lot of things. Who's Papyrus?"

Whelp. Hope this is okay!

[sansational]

Sans has been listening to all of this, of course. A lot of this information is new. Some of it, he simply refuses to believe, and it's easy to refuse because it's Chara the human saying it.

There have been several points where he's thought of speaking up, but hasn't. He's tired, and if he kills them they'll just come back (again and again and again) and he really did promise to let Frisk try and handle this. Even then, he's had to muffle a snort of bitter disbelief whenever Chara started talking about "someone else" calling the shot. Sure, human.

He doesn't technically need to breathe, but Sans still catches a breath and holds it when Frisk asks that question. He doesn't know what difference the answer will make, if he's brutally honest with himself. He doesn't even entirely know why he wants to know. Just that he does. Just that it's one thing among many to keep him up nights since the fight.

But of all the answers Sans had been expecting...somehow, that one still catches him entirely unprepared. Just like their killing blow had. Enough that his hand flies up to his ribcage, so sure for a moment that he's going to feel blood because that's the only thing that could bring this much pain.

(Papyrus was his brother and Papyrus was important and Papyrus was so sure that they could be better, so sure that even Sans hoped, and by the time he'd realized there was never any hope at all he'd been too late he was always too late and he's not supposed to have to go on without his brother, with a piece ripped out of his soul and bleeding, always bleeding...)

Everything goes...cold and sharp and strange. His mind is empty of anything but that question and the bad memories it brings. His soul is full of hate. His arm hurts so, so much and it's such a good pain and Sans almost hopes it keeps going.

Sans stares down at his hands, shaking hard enough to blur. Then he clenches them tight, and smiles, even as he feels the tears start to gather and fall. Chara will feel their soul turned blue as the first warning they get, just before Sans steps almost sedately out of his hiding place around the corner.

"'who's papyrus?'" He shrugs expansively, grinning widely at the human over Frisk's shoulder. "well, let me tell you..."

Then he swipes a hand forcibly through the air, trying to push and slam Chara bodily into the wall again. This time, he's hoping so, so much to hear that sickening crack of their skull.

ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

[dustless]

Their expression's rather muted. There's some anger there, some hurt, some disappointment, but that's not all they're there for. They aren't finished talking.

Frisk starts to answer, opening their mouth--

And then Sans is there.

They jerk around halfway so they can see him and keep an eye on Chara at the same time. "What--? Sans?" Surprise is the only thing in their voice, now, since they were supposed to be alone--it'd been like the entire world was only the two of them. Sans shouldn't be here.

...Sans very much shouldn't be here, they register, slowly. Too slowly.

Hopefully this works? w permission from frisk-mun for the auto grabs.

[buttercup_eater]

Whatever answer the other child was looking for, it's evident from their expression that the one Chara gave them wasn't it. Still, Chara regards them woodenly. Maybe their answer wasn't the nice one, but at least they were being honest-

And then there's the distinct clenching sensation of their soul turning blue. What-? The other child can't do that! It has to be-

Chara's head jerks up at the sound of Sans's voice, at about the same time the other child twists to face him. Chara doesn't really register his words, but their eyes narrow upon his face, noticing a distinct shine around his eyes. He's crying and that's weird, grown ups aren't allowed to do that, but they can't really think about it. They have to move quickly, before Sans kills them.

So even with their soul within his grip, they draw upon their determination enough to throw themselves forward and snatch up the other child's wrist within a bruising hold. And at the same moment Chara grabs the other child, Sans swipes his hand through the air and thrusts Chara backwards.

As a result, the other child is dragged along with Chara and the two of them fly down the hallway, although they at least don't smash into the far wall the way Chara does. (87/92)

Ignoring the burst of pain in their skull and the sparks that fly in front of their eyes, Chara throws their free arm over the other child's shoulder and wraps it around their neck. It's not as tight as the grip Chara has on their wrist, but the knife rests as a warning against the side of the other child's head.

"Nice try, you two," Chara says.

Works great! Good going, Sans.

[sansational]

Sans realizes a split-second too late that he's made a very big mistake. Unfortunately, a split-second is all it takes.

He still tries to salvage the situation, turning Frisk's soul blue instead to try and pull them free of Chara's grip. Unfortunately, even at his best, Sans can't keep a hold of two souls. As he is now, the best he manages is to further soften the impact against the wall for Frisk before he loses his grip on both of them and...

"no..." For all his bravado earlier, it's little more than a whimper now. Without thinking, Sans blinks himself forward, but he catches himself just in time to reappear just out of range of the knife.

For a long moment, he just stares at Chara over Frisk's head. His expression is entirely blank, entirely neutral. Then slowly, he raises his hands, fingers splayed. One arm moves a bit more stiffly than the other.

"yep. nice try, me. look, if you took one second to take a look at frisk's face, you'd see that i'm, uh...really not supposed to be here. kinda promised that i'd let them handle you. but hey." He winks conspiratorially at his old enemy. "you know me and promises, don't'cha, kid? so let's just put everything away, write this off as an innocent little mistake between two old friends, and we'll all just walk away."

His head throbs painfully. It feels like his skull is going to crack. Sans winces, wavers...and then draws himself up.

"because here's how it's going to go if frisk dies again." He takes a deep breath. "i will kill you. and then i will sit here with your dead body, and wait for the second you come back, and then I will put you right back in the ground. From now until the end of time. you think i need to sleep or eat with you in the castle? nuh-uh. I just need spite."

Treacherously, a thought enters his aching head. And it's a thought he's hoping Chara is sharing, because Sans really doesn't want to have to say it aloud.

Anything he does to Chara would hurt Frisk a lot less.

A second and perhaps even worse thought is that Chara probably wants to kill him way more than they want to kill Frisk again.

[dustless]

Chara will feel their breathing and pulse thundering against their arm. Sans will probably hear their breathing, in fact, since every exhale sounds ragged and growling.

This shouldn't be happening why is he here this needs to stop they can fix it fix it how can they fix it there has to be a way but Sans' words are distracting and the knife is distracting and their own head is filled with foggy rage and fear (the latter not for Frisk).

Their lips draw back, teeth bared. Their eyes aren't on Sans, more staring coldly in a middle point between him and where they can feel Chara's hand. "Stop..." It isn't clear who they're talking to, voice small and weak and not matching their expression or emotion in the least.

Determination.

Except their determination's just leaving them with their thoughts spinning out of control.

[buttercup_eater]

And what Chara does is... watch Sans.

They watch him, with a silent, flinty stare.

They watch as he blinks himself forward, as he winks at them and pleads in the other child's defense, as he threatens to kill them endlessly through power of spite alone. They watch Sans while the other child's voice, asking to stop, echoes weakly in their ears.

They wonder if Sans's plan would even work. Even leaving aside the issue that going without sleep and food forever is highly improbable, Chara isn't even sure if they'd revive in the same location as their body. After all, the other child had said they'd both been buried, but Chara hadn't needed to dig their way out of their grave when they were revived.

They don't let Sans in on their musings, however. There's another catch that they decide to address.

"Sans. Do you know what I think?

"I think it doesn't matter if I spare this kid or not. Because you want me dead regardless. You will kill me regardless. I think you'd love to kill me over and over. You want to live off of spite. You want revenge, and if they die-" Chara tilts their head, ever so slightly, towards the other kid, "-deep down, maybe you'll even be happy. Because then you'll have the perfect excuse.

"So. Bearing that in mind. Why should I accept your offer, when the outcome remains the same?"

And they continue to watch Sans. Steely. Expectant.

[sansational]

What Sans does in that moment of silence is watch Chara. It's not an easy thing, to meet their gaze. But he makes himself do it, searching that face intently of any sign of what's about to happen. He doens't succeed, before the words catch him like a circle of spears, enough to make Sans visibly flinch. His expression is briefly stricken, before it hardens again.

Oh, he liked things so, so much better when Chara didn't talk. Now that they are, they're proving to be distressingly eloquent. And even then, the sheer shock at having that voice addressed to him makes this even more distracting and difficult.

Sans grinds his teeth for a moment, considering his next words very carefully, before he answers.

"people showed up at your funeral. people i care about, even if they're way too nice." Even Sans had turned up for a little while, to think. But somehow, he doubts that will be seen as a kindness. It hadn't been meant as one. "i'll make them sad again, if i have to. but i'd like to not have to. and if you really thought it wouldn't make a difference if frisk was alive or dead, if you really thought there was no way i'd let you walk out of here, you'd have killed them already. but just because you 'can', that doesn't mean you 'have to'. if i have to keep going off of spite, that's only because it's all you left me with!" His voice rises, and then breaks on a sob. A few tears escape his eyesockets. There's no echo of power or menace behind the words, this time. Just the hopeless, helpless anger of a fragile and breaking spirit, a soul on its last few percentages of HP.

Sans' shoulders slump. The lights in his eyes are dim almost to the point of nonexistence, even if the tears are bright. It looks as though it's a genuine effort for him to even keep holding his hands up. "...i was just starting to forget that when you showed up here." Now he looks in those eyes, and he can't think of anything but dust and red. He looks in those eyes and sees all the people that should be here instead of him.

"and i have killed you over and over again. i lost count. and i hated every damn second of it, because i knew the minute you finally gave up would be the minute i lost all of them for good. so mostly? what killing you makes me is tired. but i'm just that little bit more tired of having to watch all my friends die just because i'm a coward, or i don't care hard enough."

With a sudden surge of energy, Sans spreads his arms wide, unguarded as he ever is. Maybe it's an offer of peace. Maybe it's an invitation. Maybe three days of death will be like three days of sleep. "but if you've got a better idea now that we're talking to each other, i'm all ears. metaphorically speaking."

[dustless]

Their ugly anger is building and building and building at how helpless they feel, at how badly this is going, and Sans is crying, and it isn't that surprising but isn't helping anything--

They are who they are, and so tears start burning in their eyes, too. They're trembling like a leaf in Chara's grip.

Sans shouldn't have done this, but he shouldn't be dealing with this, either. Not dying, not killing, not losing everything again even though he was stupid.

Frisk's cracked breathing turns into choking, barely-muffled sobs. Because that's what happens when they see people cry, that's what happens when they're frustrated to their limit.

Their eyes slip shut.

And they're so, so angry--they hold onto their last shreds of patience as tightly as they can, but it's a losing battle.

...The next time Chara says anything remotely insulting, slightly provoking...

Frisk doesn't care about the blade against their face; they'll throw themselves backwards, trying to get them off by shoving them against the wall.

[buttercup_eater]

Brief as Sans's stricken expression is, Chara's still watching him intently enough to catch it- and they're surprised to feel a strange thrill actually run through them. Even after eradicating all but the most powerful monsters in the underground they haven't quite felt this sort of power before. Knowing that Sans, an adult, an adult who hates them no less, is being forced to listen to Chara. Is affected by their words, no matter how much he hates it.

But as for the words Sans addresses to Chara, well... they don't have as much of an effect on them, even when he mentions their funeral, or that people bothered to show up for it. Chara supposes a normal person should feel something at that, but that's not a category they've ever fallen into, is it?

No, it's Sans who's reacting like a person should, him and the other child, who Chara can still feel trembling in their arms. And Sans is standing there, the picture of submission, eye sockets glistening with wet tears, his arms spread wide open. Unfortunately for him, Chara knows better than to put any faith in the gesture- a few tears don't change anything, and arms that open up only do so to trap you.

They hear a choked sob slip out of the other child's throat, and suddenly they feel such a wave of strong disgust that it's all Chara can do not to shove the other child away.

Instead, they speak up, their voice icy: "My first suggestion is that you two cease crying. It's pointless. And pathetic."

[sansational]

The sob gets Sans' attention, too. He hadn't even realized until that moment just how hyperfocused he'd been on one child, even to the exclusion of the one he's trying to save.

Even then, in the midst of everything, the thought occurs to him that this has perhaps been something of a theme these past few days. But he looks at Frisk then, and Sans realizes that he's never seen them look like this. He's never seen them look this sad and scared. They should never have to be. Not Frisk.

It's gonna be okay, Sans wishes he could say, but he's had enough of breaking promises. And besides, those are words that should stay between them.

He has to save them. Sans feels his resolve strengthen just a bit to do just that. He's not alone in this. He has someone to lose.

"too bad. so is fighting you. i did it anyway." He does wipe at his eyesockets with his sleeve, but mostly for the sake of keeping his vision clear. He doesn't look away while he does it, and looks back at Chara when he's done. "and trust me, you have not even begun to see how pathetic i can get. my brother? he was the cool one. never got the chance to finish learning from the best."

"but otherwise, looks like we're right back to my whole 'end of time' suggestion. and one that's way more boring than my plan. you won't let frisk go, i won't let you go with them. so from where i'm standing, we're...well, uh, we're basically stuck here, yeah? stuck standing and staring at each other. and if you really don't want to look at me bawling my eyelights out, well, that's your own fault.

you're not prepared to believe that i won't kill you. but the fact that you haven't gone ahead and killed frisk tells me that there's still something you want in exchange for them. not to mention the fact that this is both the most words i have ever heard you string together, and the longest i've ever seen you wait to try to kill someone. so. cards on the table, before your arm gets tired. what is it? if the fact that i'm still talking isn't a sign that i'm listening, then i don't know what is."

[dustless]

More wracking sobs tear from their throat instead of a spoken response. There was something they were trying to say--another attempt at 'stop' might be caught--but they can't keep their throat clear enough to be intelligible.

Frisk only sort of tries to muffle it. They do want to know what Chara might want, might want from Sans properly. But...they do have a flicker of spite in them when they're furious, and if they want Frisk to be quiet, they're not sure if they really want to be.

And. If they're sobbing and shaking and sounding terrible to their ears...maybe they won't feel Frisk slowly start bracing their feet.

Their eyes keep closed; it's easier to tell what's going on with Chara when they're not being distracted by the sight of Sans anymore.

suicide tw i guess?

[buttercup_eater]

Chara's eyes narrow as they listen to Sans talk. His brother? Chara briefly remembers a skeleton who shouted too much, and whose head fell off. Was that Papyrus?

And then Sans will see a visible flicker of hesitation on Chara's face. What do they want, really? They actually have to take a moment to think about it, wrapping their arm tighter around the other child's neck as Frisk starts sobbing louder.

They think... They think... They think they want Sans to go away. But how do they accomplish that? Chara's gaze flicks briefly towards their knife and all of a sudden, an idea comes to them.

"What I want," they say slowly, meeting Sans's eyes once again, "Is for you... to die. But. You are correct. As of right now, I have no reason to trust anything you say."

They let that sink in a little, then add: "Still. There is a way for you to get us both what we want.

"There is a common proverb that goes 'actions speak louder than words.' If you want to show me that you're in good faith, all you have to do is use your magic on yourself."

Chara smiles at Sans suddenly, wide and warm.

"You only have one HP, so it shouldn't take long. And in return, I swear..." they pause, wondering what a suitable thing would be in this situation, something that Sans would take seriously, before it occurs to them, "...I swear on the blade of this knife, that I'll never willingly harm Frisk again."

They even tilt the blade away from Frisk's face, as a demonstration of their own good faith.

[sansational]

Sans' eyesockets go dark for a moment with shock, ugly and raw enough to tear at his soul. It probably shouldn't, this should probably be the least surprising thing to hear Chara say to him. But it's one thing to guess as much about a person, and quite another to hear it. Especially accompanied by that smile.

There are so many things he could say in reply to that. He could point out that "using his magic on himself" doesn't have to involve killing himself. He uses it to fake flying all the time. He could point out that once he's dust, then Chara has absolutely no reason to keep their word - especially if they get it into their head that there's someone else in their head again. Once he's dust, he really has no way to keep Frisk safe.

...but what has he ever done to keep them safe while he's alive, either? Being alive is how he got them into this mess in the first place.

It's better this way.

So in the end, Sans just laughs. He tries not to. He presses his teeth together hard enough that they ache, presses a hand over his mouth. But his shoulders still shake with slightly hysterical amusement. "man. and here i was going to go ahead and offer to let you finish the job instead. but, hey. this'll probably hurt a lot less." It could even turn into quite a fascinating little experiment, if he remembers it later. And if he actually does come back in three days.

Well. Only one way to find out.

Sans holds up a hand, and a blaster flickers into existence over one shoulder. It doesn't happen quite as smoothly as Chara might be used to seeing - rather than spinning and twisting itself into being out of thin air, it seems to flicker and waver like a heat haze, growing slowly and painfully more solid. But in the end, it appears, and for a moment it stares at Chara and Frisk with blank, sightless eyes and gaping jaws.

Then it swivels in the air to point at Sans instead, and light starts to crackle and bloom between its teeth. It takes a second or two longer than it normally might, to charge up the blast. But given how visibly weak he is, that probably isn't too surprising. Indeed, if either of them think to *CHECK him, now that he's nearby and standing still, they might see that he does not, in fact, have one HP.

He has half a point.

Even so, Sans has blaster hold itself back for a second. He addresses what he says next to Chara. "hey, uh, you mind turning the kid around for this next bit? i mean, c'mon. even i can't kill you with one shot to the back." And he doesn't think he should have to point out that he's not going to run.

[dustless]

Raw shock keeps them still for almost too long but Chara won't get the chance to answer him before Frisk explodes.

Screaming coming from a ruined throat does not sound at all pleasant, nor does it feel it. As if that matters. They scream and scream and scream and they don't stop even as they fling their body back against Chara, cracking their heads together hard.

They are furious, but they don't want Sans to die. Nobody was supposed to die today. He shouldn't agreed to that, stupid stupid idiot they've died to so much worse they'll come back he might not idiot they won't let him they won't let him.

They can barely see the blaster between the stars and tears in their vision, but they do their best to launch themselves at it anyway. Their screaming resolves into a chant of "No no no no NO NO NO--!" If Chara's arm or hand gets anywhere near their face, they'll find it suddenly full of Frisk's teeth.

auto-grab/hit again approved by frisk-mun

[buttercup_eater]

It's ironic, really. For all the bad jokes he'd tried throwing at Chara when they'd first met, they've never actually heard Sans laugh before. And now here he is, despairing to the point of a hysterical breakdown. Chara knows more about that kind of mania than they care to admit, but this time they're the one who remains silent, even with the smile still on their face, regarding Sans with detached determination.

(They know fully well what he was planning on offering but right now they have choices, however limited.)

They almost don't believe it when the Gaster Blaster slowly blooms into existence, and then when it doesn't immediately aim for Chara. The smile fades from their face and their eyes narrow.

Go on, Sans. Prove yourself to me.

When Sans doesn't kill himself immediately, when he opens his mouth and speaks, Chara's so intent, waiting for a trick to come from him, that they aren't expecting what the other child does instead.

It's almost like when they started crying, except the screams are a thousand times louder and more irritating and Chara doesn't even have time to grit their teeth or tell them to shut up before the other kid's skull is ramming into Chara's face. The blow rattles all the way to the back of Chara's scalp, making their head ring- disoriented, Chara's knife hand drops, just before the other child throws themselves forward, towards the Gaster Blaster.

Seems like it's time to take their leave; the situation is rapidly spiraling out of Chara's control.

They not only let go of the other child's wrist, but awkwardly shove at the other child's back with their knife hand, ensuring that the other child smacks straight into the blaster. (19/20) And without a word of farewell, Chara hops to the side and makes a break down the hallway.

[sansational]

Fortunately for Frisk, the blasters aren't meant to take an impact. In a way, they're even more fragile than Sans is. So after a moment of resistance and a brief backlash of energy, Frisk will actually go straight through it as the blaster fizzles out in the air. As for Sans, it's as though a spell has been broken. Operating more on instinct than anything, he first moves to make sure Frisk is upright and alive before he rounds on Chara, throwing out an arm. He stares at their retreating back and Sans hates so, so intensely that it feels as though his bones will break from the force of it.

He throws out a hand, meaning to turn them to dust on the spot. Except...all that happens is a few flurries of static in the air. All Chara might feel is a momentary squeezing in their chest, before it passes without any other effect. Sans stares after the retreating child, eyesockets narrowed, seeming genuinely puzzled even as he sways on the spot. "what...?" He tries to take a step after them.

Except he's tired he's hungry he's scared he's scared because they're not going to stop, it's all going to happen all over again and he can't stop it, he was never strong enough to stop it, he's just made everything worse he only ever makes it worse and sans misses him so, so much and

what's

the

point...?

The step turns into a collapse, first to his knees and then into a motionless, senseless heap on the floor in a rattle of bones. It's a collapse that's days overdue, and all the heavier for it.

[dustless]

"CHARA!" Frisk screams after their retreating back, racing a few steps in their direction after Sans lets them go. The side of their face stings; the knife nicked them in their struggles, even if it wasn't the horrible gash that would've come to pass if it'd been right against their skin.

But even in their haze of rage and pain, they can't just leave a friend behind. They slide to a stop, shoes scraping over the stone floor, wildly looking from Sans to Chara to Sans again--

They whirl and race back to his side, hand patting over his skull. "Sans, SANS, Sans, Sans, Sans wake up, Sans you ass you can't give up now, Sans, Sans, Sans, Sans--!"

[sansational]

It's dark, and he likes it that way. It's dark and it's quiet and it's empty and he's tired, everyone's been yelling at him to sleep so why is someone trying to wake him up...?

It would be so easy to just sink and fall and not ever have to open his eyesockets again.

"hey. you're a dork. still love you a lot."
"Well, you--well, so are you, so there. And I love you a lot, too."

But no one ever said being determined was easy.

He's already made Frisk too sad.

Still, it takes several attempts for Sans to open his eyesockets so that they stay open. On reflex, he reaches up to try and bat Frisk's hand away, but somehow winds up holding on to them instead. The other hand, he braces against the ground to at least try to push himself back up onto his knees. That takes a few attempts, too.

He can taste blood, and as soon as Sans is reasonably confident that he's not about to fall on his face again, he runs a hand over his mouth to make sure that none of its oozing out between his teeth. "frisk...?" The events of the last few minutes are still a disorganized whirl in his head. But he knows that something happened that he should feel guilty about, and he does. He knows that Frisk was in trouble because of him. "you okay...?"

[dustless]

Frisk wails and drags him to their chest, trembling. He might get their blood on his shirt. They don't care right now, not after hovering over his body for what was probably only a few minutes but what felt like hours and hours, waiting for him to turn into dust.

They can barely talk, nothing coherent spills out of their mouth, but they try anyway, hard-- "Sans--Sans--th-th-thought--thought--thought--you, you jerk, you ass, fell, not allowed notallowed Sans why did you you shouldn't ever ever ever--"

Frisk's voice gives out into shaking, cracking sobs. They don't want to ever let go.

[sansational]

Sans lets out a sound that might best be described as a rather undignified "eep" as he suddenly finds himself pulled into one of the single most ferocious hugs he's ever been on the receiving end of.

And just like that, all the memories come slamming back as sure and as sharp as a blow to the head. He remembers teetering on the edge, remembers those eyes and how it had all seemed so simple and how it was all his fault and and and...

"because i'm scared!" The words are a sob, choked and painful but no less sharp than the child's wail. They're a truth he's been trying to outrun for days and days and a truth that's now all around him like dust. "they're not gonna stop, i can't make them stop, they're just gonna find someone else and i can't do it anymore, i can't go through that again, i can't i can't..."

He'd realized, on some marrow-deep level when Chara had made their offer, that he would truly rather die instead.

Then there's no more words for a while. Just a lot of clinging and a lot of choked, whimpering sobs, until Sans is exhausted all over again from the force of that outpouring of emotion.

[dustless]

Frisk can't make words happen, no matter how hard they try. Sans will feel their head against his, shaking.

They refuse, grip tightening on his hoodie. "No," they snap. They refuse to accept what could happen, they refuse to let Sans give up. "No, no, n-no, no."