Weeks later, Palette's POV

"Welcome back, Palette!"Some kids say

"Hey, Palette! Good to see that you're okay!"Jess says

"Looking good!"Others say

"T-Thanks..."I say

An older kid holds the door for me to get inside and I cautiously go through the halls. I carefully feel my neck, the doctors saying it's too fragile and sensitive to wear anything on it. So it takes some adjusting to not wear my scarf. I limp along, holding a crutch to support my leg in one hand and my backpack in the other. A group of kids come up to me nervously. I recognize them as my classmates and more specifically some of Goth's bullies. Yet instead of their arrogant smiles I see them tremble with anxious expressions and gazes at me.

"S-So good to see you back, Palette!"One stutters nervously

"Do you need help? Let's take that for you."Another says, reaching for my bag

The other three nod.

"Umm, I'm good."I say, taking my bag and getting away from them

That's especially weird. Just have to get to the classroom.

I keep going down the hallway. Then I hear running footsteps coming toward me.

"Palette!"I hear Goth shout

I glance over, seeing him run over to me. He slows down before hugging me, taking my bag from me. His Reaperlings catch up to him.

"I'm so happy that you're back! And that you're okay!"He exclaims

He hugs me close, smiling the biggest smile I've seen on his face. His voice was as soft  and silvery, making me smile with his warm embrace. He pulls away, slipping my bag over his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get you to class."He says, interlocking arms with me

He brings me into the classroom and we sit at our desks for class to begin. He sets his hand on mine as we go through the class work, running his thumb across my knuckles. I glance at him to see him gazing at me lovingly.

"Goth...? Is everything okay?"I ask, seeing that this is different

He nods. A lavender shade colors his cheeks.

"Okay...."I say, glancing back at my books

Then I hear something hit the window beside me. I glance over and freeze up in surprise.

"Slate....?"I mutter quietly

Outside the window is Slate. He stood on the ground, staring up at the classroom's second floor window and waving. He holds up a sign asking how much longer until lunch. The lunch bell rings and he smiles wider. He holds up a sign saying to meet him at the school picnic tables. I grab my lunch and get up, hearing the teachers announce another outdoor lunch. I hop out into the halls with my crutch, Goth quickly getting taken away by Raven and other kids. I go to the picnic tables to find Slate leaning against one with other kids gathered at the tables behind him.

"Slate! What are you doing here?"I ask with a smile

He glances up and smiles at me, hugging me.

"Hey Palette! I wanted to see how your first day back is going! How have you been feeling? Recovering alright?"He asks

I nod.

"Well that's good. Now I also brought my friends with me for you to meet them. Some are in our high school art club, which I thought you'd like when you get there."He says

"When I get there?"I respond

"8th graders get to choose which high school you want to go to. And my school welcomes your school to send students in to us. And being that you're an 8th grader, that choice is right around the corner."He says, leading me to the table

I sit down and he wraps his arm around me with a bright smile. I unpack my lunchbox as he introduces me to Zoe, Zing, Mongwell, Janice, Urson, and Alzir. They each were nice and show me their sketchbooks where they worked on their own mediums of art. Comics, sketches, cartoons, 3D, 2D, painting, or hyper-realistic and still art, they each had their own style and passionately described their ideas. I sink into deep conversations about styles or ideas regarding art, debating uses of them in medias and listening to Zing and Zoe recite poems they wrote relating to their sketches. I smile as the conversations expand from art to other interests and I learn about them better. I notice they keep glancing at Slate and smile, turning the subject back to their high school and advertising how great it is to me. Many art programs and clubs that could relate to our interests. Plenty of people to meet and great teachers. As they put it, everything a kid could want in a high school.

"So, do you think you'll join us next year?"They ask

"Umm, it's only February. I think it's a bit too soon to make a decision for the end of the year."I say

Now that I think about it, I have to get a gift for Goth. His birthday is tomorrow!

"Alright, that's fair."Zing says

"Well here's a question for something more recent then. Would you like to celebrate Valentines Day with me?"Slate asks

"What's that?"I ask curiously

"It's a holiday to celebrate love."He says

I smile, intrigued by that.

"It sounds like a nice holiday. Sure, I'd love to!"I say

The center of his eyes glow yellow to green and he smiles.

"Awesome! Well, we should head back before our lunch ends. Cya around, Valentine Palette!"He says, climbing onto his bike

The group giggles and ride their bikes after him, leaving the school property. I continue eating my lunch.

I hear two voices faintly, almost sounding like an argument, and glance over. I see Raven arguing with his brother, who crossed his arms and refused to look at him. I shrug it off and focus on my lunch again. It's none of my business to get in between siblings. Especially without context.

Then I start working on getting a gift put together for Goth. I roll some paint from my paint roller and snap my fingers, making the paint into clay for me to sculpt. I smile, quickly getting an idea. A kakapo, a rare bird that I saw before arriving in this AU, may be a good creature to sculpt. He may like it and something handcrafted always speaks more than something I could buy at a store. It's a stunning bird to see so it's not like I'm sculpting the average canary that he probably has seen a hundred times before. I sculpt the bird out of the clay and mold a branch for it to rest it's frozen legs on. I carve a message into it and within a few minutes it dries. I stuff it into my bag and zip it shut before getting up as the teachers blow their whistles. Goth falls into step beside me with a curious glint in his eye.

"Was that Slate you were sitting with?"He asks

"Yeah. He brought his friends from the art club to check on me."I say

"Is this going to be a regular thing?"He asks

"They're nice friends but I sure hope they don't keep coming to our school. I don't want them to get into trouble for trespassing."I say

"Alright..."He says

"Everything okay with you?"I ask

"Yea....Raven is just frustrating sometimes."He says

I nod and we keep moving. We go through class until dismissal. When I got outside, I find Slate standing among the crowd of parents. He waved to me with Pakeekee on his shoulder.

"Hey Palette! I'm here to take you home! I'm sure that your bag is heavy!"He says, then sees Goth come out beside me

"What's he doing here?"Goth asks me

This time I caught on the difference in his tone. Jealousy. Annoyance.

"This is the first time since my release that he has visited me. I guess he's being a good friend and checking in like he did in that dungeon."I say

"Friend?"He says

I nod.

"He's my good friend and he did save my life."I say

"Oh..."He says, looking down.

I grab his hand gently.

"Why are you upset, Goth? You're my best friend."I tell him

He perks up at that and smiles slightly.

"I am?"He asks

"Of course! I've known you longer than him! You've stuck by me even when you found out about my....family. He doesn't even know them...You don't have to worry about him, Goth. He can't take your place as my best friend."I say

He smiles widely at that.

"And before I forget, I wanted to give you this for your birthday!"I say, taking out the sculpted bird

His eye twinkles at the sight of it.

"Woah....It's lovely!"He says, picking it up

I smile, seeing him notice the sculpted message in the branch.

"Thanks, Palette! I love it!"He says

"Goth! Let's go home!"Mr. Geno calls out to him

He leaves with the gift and I go home with Slate carrying my bag.

Two weeks pass and the halls get decorated with hearts and diaper babies holding bows and arrows. Roses and stuffed animals were being exchanged among students. I go into the classroom, finding a bouquet of roses on my desk. I sit down and lift the attached card.

"To the best artist I know, never forget how lovable you are. You deserve the world, Palette!~Secret Admirer"

What...? That's a weird message to sign off on....Secret Admirer?

I tuck the bouquet away as other kids file in. Goth spots me and eagerly hops over to his desk beside mine, taking his seat.

"Happy Valentines Day, Palette!"He chirps

"Oh! Today is that holiday? Is that why there's hearts and diaper babies everywhere?"I ask

He nods with a giggle.

"What's funny?"I ask

"My parents had to fight other gods of love and desires or whatever to keep my family out of this year's tradition. They even stopped me outside thinking that since I'm the oldest I should be the first to take part in it."He says

I tilt my head at him as he continues to giggle.

"What tradition?"I ask

"It's a tradition for gods since they have a similar holiday around the same time. They basically take gods and put them in a box, abducting their matches or whatever to bring them to a loving setting. At least that's how they explained it to me. My dad says that it's since gods get into a sensitive state after centuries of life so it's almost like a break or a refill of happiness and love for the next while. Before he met my father, he wasn't allowed to take part in it and would rely on my uncle in that state. My father isn't exactly a fan of it and doesn't want me to be part of it, saying that I'm too young and may not even get that sensitive condition either."He explains

Then he grips his chest tightly, his body trembling and his face scrunching up in pain. I pull him close to me, hugging him and rubbing circles on his back.

"Are you okay, Goth?"I ask, glancing at his face again

He is more relaxed now, his cheeks turning purple. His eye was a fuzzy white blur.

Oh no! He is dizzy now! This must be that sensitive state!

I raise my hand to get the teacher's attention.

"Goth isn't feeling well so can I take him to the nurse?"I ask, getting a nod in response

I get up, leaning on my crutch and have Goth hold onto me as we go down the hallway to the nurse. I get him to sit down on the bed and the nurse glances over at us.

"What seems to be the issue?"She asks

"Umm, we were sitting in class when suddenly his chest started hurting and he started shaking. Now he looks dizzy and he is turning purple. I don't want him to be in pain...."I say, glancing at Goth as he sits there with his body still shaking

The nurse glances at him, then back at me and smirks.

"Guess demigods do have weaknesses."She chuckles

"Aren't you going to help him?"I ask

"Kid, there's nothing monster medicine can do for him. I'll call up someone who can."She says, dialing the phone

I sit down beside Goth and he leans on me.

"Don't worry, Goth. You'll be okay."I say, hugging him close

"Palette.....Why is everything spinning? I feel like I'm going to fall..."He mumbles

"I got you, Gothy. You're not going to fall."I say

"Hey, Aph? You still in charge of that god love tradition? Good, I have a new participant here for it. When can you come get him?"The nurse says on the phone

"Hey! You can't just hand him over to a stranger for their program! You can't offer him up! He's in no state to take part in anything! And you need parental per-!"I begin

"Shut up, I'm on the phone."She says, shutting the door on the Reaperlings

I hold Goth closer, then get an idea. Goth has his phone in his pocket and I have mine. I copy Raven's contact into my phone and quickly message him to alert him to what is happening. A strange vehicle pulls up outside. It looks like a Roman chariot pulled by pegasi with a hooded stranger at the reins. The chariot was pulling an enclosed space similar to a trailer for horses. The nurse grabs Goth and opens the emergency exit door, leading directly outside.

"Come along now, Goth."She says

"No! You're not taking him in there!"I snap, holding him close to me

He just said that his parents don't want him part of this! And he is in no state to be in it or even agree to it! He's too dizzy to understand what's going on and I don't trust anyone in this mysterious tradition to give him respectful boundaries instead of taking advantage of him.

"Kid, it's either he goes or you join him."She says

I look at Goth as he grips my sleeve and sigh, nodding. The nurse leads us outside and the trailer opens up. The nurse had seen Goth's phone sticking out so she left it at her office. But she didn't notice mine so I was able to keep it.

"Good luck with the recovery!"She says as we get pushed inside

The trailer closes and I glance around, seeing some kids or adults sitting down and huddled together. Each of them looked in pain or dizzy like Goth. I take out my phone, leaning against a wall with Goth holding onto me. I call Asgore and he picks up once the vehicle takes off.

"Hey, Palette. Aren't you supposed to be in class?"He asks

"Um, yes but there seems to be an issue. What usually happens during a god's um, sensitive period?"I ask, backing away from some weirdos reaching for Goth

I sit down and hold him closer so they can't touch him. He snuggles his face into my chest.

"Why would you need to know about that? That starts in three days for most gods! Today is only Valentines Day so you should be enjoying that!"He says

"Well then it's either Goth's sensitivity coming early or he is really sick!"I say, kicking one weirdo away from touching Goth's leg and giving him a dirty look

"What are his symptoms?"He asks

"Umm, he held his chest so I assume chest pain or maybe even with his soul. His body is shaking and his wings are twitching...He's really dizzy and unsteady. Everything is spinning for him, his face is turning purple, and his breathing is uneasy."I say

"Oh dear...Did you take him to the nurse?"He asks

"That brings up my second question, how exactly is this tradition by Aph done?"I ask

"Where are you right now?"He asks, sounding alarmed

"The nurse called someone named Aph who is in charge of a gods' love tradition? They came and took Goth and I went with him. He's in no state to be sent into this alone."I say

"Didn't his parents agree that he wasn't going to be part of it?"He says

"The nurse didn't exactly check with them."I say

I hear him groan.

"I'll go find his parents. Hang in there."He says, hanging up

The vehicle comes to a stop and pink lights start shining in the dark.

Boxes and pairs being picked. Get ready...

Suddenly, I see a red glow and a box forms around us, closing in around us. Goth hugs me close, opening his eyes and trying to see again. His eye is still a blur.

"Palette...? What's g-going on?"He asks

"Don't worry about it. I got you, Goth."I say

"Okay P-Palette...."He says, then grips me tighter as he trembles in pain

I push his hood down, kissing him on the head.

I have to comfort him....Protect him like he did with me.

TBC