Duska

Now that my magic is no longer trying to destroy me from the inside, Sans and I return to building the machine. He seems to be getting more and more tired, as if he's losing hope. As he drops a screwdriver he stares at it with black eye sockets, I finally snap.

"Sans! What the hell is wrong!?! Why won't you just tell someone why your giving up!?!"

He continues to blankly stare at the screwdriver below him as if it's the last thing in the world. I drop my pliers and walk over to him, stomping the entire way. I grab his shoulders and make sure that he looks at me before talking.

"Sans, tell me why your losing hope."

"i've done this so many times... why would it be different this time?"

"You said so yourself, I never was in any other timeline. If i'm new, why can't the machine being fixed be new?"

"what if it isn't? frisk can't reset, it'll be my last chance..."

"Then take the chance! Better to take what you have then to throw it away! Come on Sans, i'm here with you."

His eye glows blue for half a second but it dies down as he begins tearing up.

"why... why did he leave... papyrus was devastated... he cried for weeks..."

"Sometimes you can't control these things..."

The orphanage, my mother, the continued bullying... I couldn't have controlled any of these things.

"... but you just have to push through it. That there is my entire life story."

"heh... sorry kid."

"It's fine. Come on, we're still a day or two away from finishing."

He quickly returns into his usual mood after wiping away those few tears, wanting to be lazy but can't in fear that he'll never pick up his work again. More countless hours pass until the final piece is in place, now all we need is the snow for fuel.

"hey bro."

"AHH!"

We had teleported right behind Papyrus as he cooks speghetti in the Snowdin home. The sound of Sans' voice had frightened Papyrus so much that he threw the speghetti into the air and it landed on his head. Sans and I chuckled as he threw it all back into the bowl.

"SANS! HAVE YOU FINISHED?"

"nearly bro. we need the fuel now."

"ALRIGHT! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL UH... DO WHAT EXACTLY?"

"All you need to do is fill the two large barrels outside with snow. Oh and the one inside."

"OH. CAN I CALL UNDYNE TO ASSIST?"

"call anyone, i don't mind."

We watch as Papyrus runs into the loungeroom and begins calling everyone by the sound of it. Sans returns into his black eye sockets while he does so, his thoughts have been running rampart and I don't know if another speech could help him snap out of it. Not wanting him to stand in the middle of the kitchen I grab his hand and pull him outside and to the nearby river, hopefully a change of scenery could help. I release his hand and sit by the river, playfully splashing the cold water with a stick. Fish jump out and back into the water, it almost looks like a dance. A head suddenly appears from the water and it swims over to me.

"U-u-umm..."

"Don't be shy. What's your name?"

"U-uh... Shyren..."

"Heh heh... okay. Do you want something?"

"U-u-uhh... Aaron s-s-said... that y-you... sing..."

"I can yes. Can you?"

"U-u-umm... u-u-uhh... yes."

"Do you want to do a duet? It'll be fun!"

She nods shyly and jumps out of the water to sit next to me. She seems to be somewhat like a mermaid, she has a fish tale and a somewhat fish face. She begins to hum a tune and I hum along with her, waiting for a good time to start singing.

"You're not abandoned
There's always someone waiting
With open hands who'll
Reach out and stop you fading
Into the darkness,
I hope you know it's me."

"You've been hurt before and hurt again
And you're wondering will it ever end,
Cause no matter what you say or do
It's so hard to find the truth
One thing I can promise you."

"I promise you're safe with me,
You're not alone
You're safe with me,
Your heart is home.
Now and forever
I'll be your shelter,
I'm gonna help you to believe.
You'll always be safe with me,
Now that I found you
You will see,
My love surround you
Soft as a rainbow
I'll be your halo
You'll always be safe with me."

"Trust has it's dangers,
But faith is everlasting.
I'm not some stranger,
My lifeline's for the asking.
I'm looking through you
What a world to see."

"I know how it feels to be afraid
And to question every step you take.
But tonight we're standing face to face
Not a single breath to waste
Only one thing left to say."

"I promise you're safe with me.
You're not alone
Your safe with me.
You're heart is home
Now and forever
I'll be your shelter
I'm gonna help you to believe.
You'll always be safe with me
Now that I found you
You will see
My love surround you
Soft as a rainbow
I'll be your halo
You'll always be safe with me."

"Safe with me."

"Know that you're safe with me
You're not alone
You're safe with me.
Your heart is home
Now and forever
I'll be your shelter
You'll always be safe with me."

Shyren stops humming a few seconds after I stop singing, she's smiling wide at me.

"Thank you. That was fun."

"No problem Shyren, it was fun singing with you!"

I give her a smile and a wave as she jumps back into the icy water, splashing it all over me. I laugh as I stand shaking the water from my clothes, that certainly woke me up.

"your voice is too good."

Sans had appeared beside me, staring out into the river. I smile at his compliment as I rinse water from my hair, it's become extremely tangled.

"where'd the words come from?"

I smile as I know exactly where'd they came from, the last few days.

"You are you know."

"huh?"

"Safe with me. Heh... It sounds corny now that I say it aloud..."

Seconds pass without a reaction. The awkwardness of the situation climbs the more time that passes.

"thanks kid."

He begins walking back towards the house, stopping only to wave me to follow. I smile and run to catch up with him.

"you are corny."

"Am I cornier than corn?"

"almost."

We talk about corn until we get in sight of the house where the whole group is pouring the gathered snow into the barrels.

"That was quick."

"toriels good with time."

"I need to ask her to give me a-"

"-Tu-oriel!"

"-tu-toriel!"

Laughter erupts between the two of us, that was perfect timing! I see the group ahead of us look at the two weirdos manically laughing.

"HEY! CRAZIES! YOU COULD ALSO HELP WITH THIS!"

I stand up and wipe away a rogue tear, my sides hurt from the laughing.

"WE LITERALLY DID EVERYTHING ELSE UNDYNE!"

"WELL DO MORE!"

"LATER! WE'LL TURN IT ON!"

I watch as anger rises through her but Alphys talks to her before she hits the tipping point. I hear Sans giggle beside me as we walk up to everyone, we really did do everything else. Suddenly Sans face planted into the snow beside me and before i'm able to say my worries he releases a muffled snore. 

"PAPYRUS! Sans fell asleep!"

"THAT LAZY BONES! I WILL CARRY HIM INSIDE."

He sprints over to where his brother was sleeping peacefully and puts him under his arm before walking back into the house. 

"I guess i'll help with the snow..."

Undyne

She puts one barrel of snow in and then instantly falls asleep! How can she be so tired!?! She did nothing compared to everyone else! Frisk had put in his fair share of bottles and flower pots before falling asleep, why couldn't she!?! Papyrus had returned from putting Sans to bed just to go back inside to put her in bed! He's already done so much!

"U-uh... Undyne..."

"Huh? Alphys?"

"C-could you help please? The t-tree trunk cracked and i-if it falls it'll land o-on the barrels."

"Oh sure! I'll punch it the other way!"