Summary: Ink's parent privileges were revoked.

(Warning: This story contains swearing.)

Lively. That was one word to describe the atmosphere of the Star Sanses' base. A few others were: chaotic, noisy, and crowded. All of which factored into why the same did not hold true for a single corner of the building. The nigh forbidden space sent chills akin to sheets of ice down peoples' backs and overwhelmed them with an intense sense of dread, barring the group that frequented the spot.

Reaper churred and ruffled his wings, silently watching as monsters anxiously skirted around his space. I.e., the seating area assigned to him and his family to avoid unfortunate incidents (or make extra work for the death god).

Geno lounged in the seat beside him, a discomforted expression resting on his features while he passively tapped his phone. Taking pictures, no doubt.

Goth and Palette played on the floor in front of him, quietly giggling to themselves and battling with their toy animals.

Neither seemed to share the bloody glitch's disdain for the Star Sanses' base or the skeletons that ran it. Which Reaper supposed was a good thing; He did not want either child to be suffering like he and his dove were. Though, the death god suspected the children would much rather be back at the mansion or, better yet, on a lovely day trip out to peaceful AU.

Alas, he and Geno needed to be here.

Their presence was required at the location, according to Ink and Dream.

The two guardians were adamant that all Sanses not aligned with anyone nefarious - Nightmare - make an appearance and a weekly report at their base. Said report held things such as how their AU was doing, whether or not anything/anyone suspicious had been sighted, and current relations with nearby AUs.

Nothing too invasive, thankfully.

But it was still something Reaper, alongside many other monsters, could do without- if only because it wasted time and made for a general annoyance.

Being the God of Death hardly constituted an easy task, after all. He rarely had the opportunity to take time off from the job he'd long since been bound to in his AU and preferred the idea of spending any accrued free time relaxing with his family. Not filling out paperwork for a couple of Sanses that thought they were fit to govern the Multiverse. (Altogether, the three barely qualified to watch after a pile of dirt, let alone a potted plant.)

A shame most Sanses were too lazy to do anything about it.

Including himself.

Reaper sighed, wondering when Geno would finally be called up to Blue's office to receive their paperwork.

They requested it over an hour ago and had yet to hear anything about it. If it took any longer, the raven-winged skeleton may have no choice but to resign himself to the agonizing fate of waiting/completing the paperwork alone and send his family home. Something that was becoming more and more likely by the minute.

Between Geno's annoyed groan and Goth and Palette's steady decline in interest in their game, he knew they would only last ten to twenty minutes longer. And he doubted any of them would have against leaving sooner than later.

I should ask and save them from suffering any longer. I'm sure Blue won't notice if I fill out Geno's paperwork.

Just when Reaper's jaws parted, the question on the tip of his non-existent tongue, excited chatter echoed on the other side of the nearby corner.

The self-proclaimed Guardian of AUs, Ink himself, casually walked out from behind it and continued along- engrossed in conversation with the monsters surrounding him. A small black-boned skeleton child trailed after him like a duckling, whining and clutching at their stomach. A clear indication they wanted to be fed.

The death god glanced to the side and watched as his dove's expression changed from irritated to stormy.

Geno slipped his phone into his inventory and stood from his seat, cracking his knuckles. "Time to kick some ass and steal a baby."

"I'll watch the children while you're gone." Reaper chimed. "Have fun, dear."

"Oh, I will." The bloody glitch promised and began advancing toward his target.

Though Ink wasn't known for being the most aware (spatially, socially, or otherwise), the odd sixth sense he had developed regarding glitches clued him in on Geno's approach. A fact evident by the way his eye sockets widened, eyelights flickering through shapes and colors as his head snapped toward the other.

In a fleeting moment of clarity, he glanced down at his offspring and panicked.

"Oh, shit! Wait- Not again!" The artist pleaded, "Geno, at least let me keep one!"