savrou | IC Inbox

[skelepun]

ic inbox | savrou

a single whoopie cushion slowly releases itself into the phone receiver...beep

Comments

[Voice] March 2nd morning

[inruins]

[There are a lot of things Toriel wants to say. She finds herself falling into old habits. A safer start. She knocks her knuckles against a wall before speaking.] Knock knock.

[skelepun]

[Together, the voice and the words are a calming combination. There's already a genuine smile in his voice when he answers.]

Who's there?

[inruins]

[Some part of her is surprised he's answered this early, but she presses on. Sans talking is making her feel steady again.] Ketchup.

[skelepun]

[One of the downsides (or upsides) of living in space: naturally weird hours. Sans was always pretty lousy at sleeping when he's actually supposed to, anyway.

Toriel will hear the soft click of a door sliding shut. Sans might be a bit hard to live with, but he doesn't like keeping his roommates up if he can help it.]

Ketchup who?

[inruins]

[Toriel's made herself comfortable in the aft, just sitting on the floor not caring about anyone passing by.] Ketchup with me and I’ll tell you!

[skelepun]

Hehe, good one, T. [Sans settles on the floor outside his room, smiling absently at his MID.] Knock knock.

[inruins]

Who's there? [She questions back, leaning back against the railing of the aft trying to relax.]

[skelepun]

Mustard.

[There's a faint donk as he leans his skull against the wall.]

[inruins]

Mustard who? [Its a bit of a premature giggle, but she's enjoying the moment.]

[skelepun]

Mustard your courage and spill the beans, Tori.

[Sans' grinned, already practically glowing in anticipation of her laughter.]

Seriously, what's up?

[inruins]

[Even if it's a clear call out, she laughs. Rather loudly without realizing it. It makes her glad she's in the aft.]

You've caught me- I, I just wanted to talk to you. I suppose I should have opened with that.

[skelepun]

I like our way better.

[Sans chuckles, a familiar warmth in his chest to hear her voice like this. The anxiety from being face to face -- and all the extra considerations that came with it -- was completely stripped away. He may as well have been in Snowdin, leaning against his favorite door.]

What do you wanna talk about?

[inruins]

I'm glad. I suppose I'll have to send you more messages like this later.

[There is a pause before she speaks again, finding her gaze drawn to the planet outside. The warmth in her voice begins to fade off.] I wanted to just tell you. I... ran into a problem yesterday. Someone attacked me.

[She doesn't know where to even start beyond that.]

[skelepun]

[Any laughter and warmth in Sans' voice died a swift death.]

What? [He has a strong hunch, but the dangers of acting too rashly are all too familiar to him now. He keeps his voice quite calm, despite the race of his thoughts.] Who?

[inruins]

Chara. [She feels guilty now. Maybe she shouldn't have called. Would he hate Chara because of this? Would Chara hate her? Does Chara hate her?

Everything is now an emotional spiral she's having a hard time keeping in check. Her voice cracks a little against her will as she speaks.] I never thought I would see them again. I thought, I... thought Chara was dead.

[The word tastes like ashes in her mouth, making her eyes sting. All the emotions she buried are rising to the surface and she's realizing this might be a bad call to make. Her mouth is running and she can't cap it in the heat of the moment.] Why would my baby attack me?

[skelepun]

[Chara's name, Sans expects. There's hardly any surprise over the phone when she mentions it. Even as the emotion builds in her voice, he tries to rationalize it as being shaken up.

My baby, though, that... that surprises him.]

Your baby? [He kept his voice even.] You know them?

[inruins]

[She clenches her uninjured hand, trying to settle herself and failing entirely. Her voice is getting thicker, but she won't let herself cry.] They were my child. Are my child. [She struggles to settle on a tense, now, then... Toriel doesn't understand any of this.] Asriel and Chara were my children before... before Asgore declared war on humanity.

They both died, a very long time ago.

[skelepun]

[The legend was well known. A human child, adopted into the monster world -- best friend to the prince, beloved child of the king and queen. The hope for the future of monsters and humans, tragically struck down by an illness that would lead to the demise of the prince as well.

Never in Sans' wildest dreams would he imagine that Chara was that child. Their could, soulless eyes, the malice in their smile, the sin-soaked essence of their soul -- none of it added up to a child anyone could love.

Not even someone as amazing as Toriel.]

And they attacked you? Are you okay?

[So much for calm and collected. He manages to stay even keeled, but there's a rasp to his voice that wasn't there before.]

[inruins]

They did. I approached them, I just... [Others saw it as an old legend, it was simply her life. A part of her life she wondered if she would ever fix, ever mend. A hole that grew worse when she tried to pretend it wasn't there. Tried to patch it hastily only to have it come undone.

Did she deserve to be a mother? Was she the problem? Toriel didn't know, Toriel didn't want to think about any of this.

Her breath hitches somewhat, the boss monster on the verge of letting go. Tears start to spill over against her will. It's clear enough in her voice.] It... it isn't anything serious. Broken fingers at worst.

[skelepun]

Broken fingers... [Sans repeats, incredulous. It's everything he has not to let his voice slip lower, darker, making threats he shouldn't cash. He can't put Papyrus through that. Not a second time.] Tori, this is serious, we gotta get you to the medbay. Where are you, I'm gonna come find you.

[inruins]

I've survived worse, Sans. [She tries to joke but it just is flat and wobbly. This all feels more than surreal at this point.] I've gone to the medbay already. I've taken care of it. I'm- still reeling I suppose.

[skelepun]

[Slowly, Sans sinks back down. It's uncomfortable, chewing on what he knows. Chara struck again, saw another monster and went for the jugular, even their own mother.

That's another thing bothering him. Toriel, the kindest person he's ever met outside his brother, mother to that thing? How?]

What... I mean, what happened?

[inruins]

I saw them on the planet. I... had gone back to look around and I saw them. They called me mom. [She has to pause there for a moment, her voice is rough and tears seem intent on falling whether she likes it or not. Toriel forges on, refusing to completely crumble at that.] I knew it was Chara, I remembered their voice so clearly.

I just approached to be sure, I thought maybe I was mistaken. But it was them, they... were not happy to see me.

[skelepun]

Yeah, well, they're-- [Sans cuts himself off.] --a lot of things.

So they recognized you and still went for it, huh? Tch, I dunno what happened to them, T, but don't go wasting your energy on that one. That kid is just... not worth it.

[inruins]

[Toriel is just quiet for a long moment, beyond the sound of crying and her shaky breath she can't find the right words. Her words are limp, weak as she speaks.] I hope... I hope they don't let their anger hurt them.

If... you don't mind an old woman crying on you, would you still consider finding me?