[Whaddya know? There's a familiar clack clack of bony feet right behind her, even before she's finished her sentence. Weird.]
Hey, Tori. [His voice, however, is less familiar. There's a softness to it -- one that, by Sans' memory, she would only have cause to hear while he made that fateful promise so long ago.] Lemme help you with that.
[He plopped down beside her, filing in whatever small sliver of walkable space is left in the narrow hall.]
[She is only slightly surprised at his sudden entrance, she turns off the MID glancing back at the skeleton.
A slight smile rises to the surface as he just flops down next to her. His presence is a comfort enough to make her start to relax a little bit. She jokes softly back, more genuinely than before.] A blockade has been formed, none shall pass. Not without consulting with the counsel of monsters.
[Toriel for her part wipes at her face, trying to find traction in this opposed to her grief. Her fur is wet where tears have fallen, tear tracks leaving odd trails on her face.]
Riddle number two: Why does the goat bleat under a full golden moon?
I'll let my brother know we're establishing a new monster territory aboard. He'll be thrilled.
[But with Papyrus comes thoughts of family, and with thoughts of family...]
Oh, uh, hey. I brought you this. [Jamming a hand into his hoodie pocket, Sans pulls out a handkerchief. It's something he nicked from J's makeup bag and there are a few little lip-print kisses on it, but it would do in a pinch.] In case my hilarious jokes stop working.
I'm sure he'll have another riddle or puzzle to help. [The handkerchief softens her expression, she brushes her fingers across the fabric thoughtfully. ] I don't see how they could, but... thank you.
[She folds it over, careful not to smear makeup on her fur as she wipes at her fur.]
[Watching her dry her eyes, Sans can't help feeling a little lost. He remembers the sadness in her voice that one day behind the door, when the jokes didn't hit as hard and the misery took over. Sans could relate. Sometimes laughing was harder than he cared to admit.
Still, without the door between them, Sans found himself hopelessly out of his depth. Something about that one degree of separation made him a whole lot better at this than when it was face to face.]
[The offer is appreciated, Toriel wishes she could verbalize as much now. In the process she manages to smudge some makeup on her fur, not that she notices in the moment.]
[She folds the handkerchief carefully in her lap. Her gaze anywhere but on Sans.]
There are many things that are my fault, Sans. [She unfolds the handkerchief, starting the process a new. Lipstick smearing across the fur of her fingers.]
I couldn't save them. I couldn't help them when they withered away. I... I guess they have a right to hate me. I promised them a better life and I could not give it to them.
I don't know the whole story, T, but I like to think I know you a little bit.
[It's hard to keep himself from elaborating just how dark he believes the seed of Chara's hate to be, but that's not something Toriel should be burdened with. At least, not now.]
There's no way you didn't do as much as you could.
[Toriel finally looks at Sans, her hands still at work. His belief in her makes her give a thin smile. A smile fake enough it looks like it's something she stole from Sans himself.]
It will never feel like enough. Never. [She takes a slow breath.] I'm a fool, to think they would forgive me for being so... useless then.
[His tone is faintly argumentative, but there's a deep exhaustion there undercutting it. The death of the prince and the adopted fallen human is a classic tale he's plenty familiar with, but knowing his closest friend is the queen of that tragic tale brings a personal component to the old story.]
It's not your fault. Just because they don't get that doesn't mean they're right. And it doesn't justify trying to hurt you, either.
[His exhaustion is what makes her hands settle in her lap. Guilt is a familiar feeling. A sharp reminder she shouldn't share. All this grief brings everyone else down with her. Sans... Sans deserves better as far as Toriel is concerned.]
I just don't know what to think today or right now. I thought I had said goodbye to them.
[Out of his depth and making a mess of things, Sans looks unsure of how to proceed for a few moments.]
I thought I said goodbye to a few people too, until they showed up here. I'm not sure Chara's the hill to die on, but... well, that's a bad choice of words, but maybe it's a second chance, y'know?
[It's naive, he thinks, to assume that a mother's love could cure whatever in Chara made them so broken. Still, they were monsters. Love is more powerful than humans could ever understand.]
[His bone burns where she touches it, and Sans is quick to duck down deeper into his hoodie in response. His chuckle is uneven, but warm all the same. This is still... weird, having her here in the flesh.
But as far as weird went, Sans is pretty sure this counts as "good-weird."]
Something like that. [Without allowing himself to put too much thought into it, Sans tipped his body until his shoulder was pressed flush up against the meat of her arm. It was soft and comfortable.] M'glad you're here, Tori.
[The physical contact makes her relax, she shifts to properly hold Sans with one arm. It easily shifts into a hug. The chill of his bones against her is grounding, helps her feel solid.] I'm glad you're here too, Sans.
I'm not sure what I do if I did not have you here.
[Still, he can't help feeling a little lose to look at her. So tall, so very nostalgic just to listen to, and then there's him -- relatively powerless to help her.
It occurs to him that he could tell her, now, exactly what his experience with Chara was aboard this ship and beyond it, back home.
He could tell her.
He doesn't.]
Can I walk you back to your room? Y'never know what might jump out at night around here. [He winks.] I've heard there are skeletons on this ship.
[She laughs openly at his words and the wink, the sound louder than intended. That is a sure enough sign she's feeling better.] Skeletons you say? Goodness.
I would appreciate the company. I mean, who knows what else lurks on a ship such as this?
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I'm at the aft. Just look for the old woman blocking the walkway. [She tries to joke in turn and it doesn't get very far again.]
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Hey, Tori. [His voice, however, is less familiar. There's a softness to it -- one that, by Sans' memory, she would only have cause to hear while he made that fateful promise so long ago.] Lemme help you with that.
[He plopped down beside her, filing in whatever small sliver of walkable space is left in the narrow hall.]
There. Now nobody's getting through.
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A slight smile rises to the surface as he just flops down next to her. His presence is a comfort enough to make her start to relax a little bit. She jokes softly back, more genuinely than before.] A blockade has been formed, none shall pass. Not without consulting with the counsel of monsters.
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[Sans' grin stretches wider, trying to ignore the tug in his ribs when he sees the obvious signs of recent tears.]
Riddle number one: what road has the most skeletons haunting it?
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Riddle number two: Why does the goat bleat under a full golden moon?
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[Sans' grin widens ever slightly, elbowing Toriel in the side gently.]
There, we're all set. Now nobody's gonna get through to the, uh... [He peered down the hall.] Closet? Eh, it's something.
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[But with Papyrus comes thoughts of family, and with thoughts of family...]
Oh, uh, hey. I brought you this. [Jamming a hand into his hoodie pocket, Sans pulls out a handkerchief. It's something he nicked from J's makeup bag and there are a few little lip-print kisses on it, but it would do in a pinch.] In case my hilarious jokes stop working.
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[She folds it over, careful not to smear makeup on her fur as she wipes at her fur.]
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Still, without the door between them, Sans found himself hopelessly out of his depth. Something about that one degree of separation made him a whole lot better at this than when it was face to face.]
... You wanna talk about it?
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I... maybe. I'm not sure. What can I say?
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It's not your fault, y'know. That they're like this.
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There are many things that are my fault, Sans. [She unfolds the handkerchief, starting the process a new. Lipstick smearing across the fur of her fingers.]
I couldn't save them. I couldn't help them when they withered away. I... I guess they have a right to hate me. I promised them a better life and I could not give it to them.
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[It's hard to keep himself from elaborating just how dark he believes the seed of Chara's hate to be, but that's not something Toriel should be burdened with. At least, not now.]
There's no way you didn't do as much as you could.
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It will never feel like enough. Never. [She takes a slow breath.] I'm a fool, to think they would forgive me for being so... useless then.
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[His tone is faintly argumentative, but there's a deep exhaustion there undercutting it. The death of the prince and the adopted fallen human is a classic tale he's plenty familiar with, but knowing his closest friend is the queen of that tragic tale brings a personal component to the old story.]
It's not your fault. Just because they don't get that doesn't mean they're right. And it doesn't justify trying to hurt you, either.
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I just don't know what to think today or right now. I thought I had said goodbye to them.
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I thought I said goodbye to a few people too, until they showed up here. I'm not sure Chara's the hill to die on, but... well, that's a bad choice of words, but maybe it's a second chance, y'know?
[It's naive, he thinks, to assume that a mother's love could cure whatever in Chara made them so broken. Still, they were monsters. Love is more powerful than humans could ever understand.]
N' you've got me and Pap in the meantime, y'know?
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This is a place for second chances. A place to change things. [She will let herself hope, let the flame burn brightly.]
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But as far as weird went, Sans is pretty sure this counts as "good-weird."]
Something like that. [Without allowing himself to put too much thought into it, Sans tipped his body until his shoulder was pressed flush up against the meat of her arm. It was soft and comfortable.] M'glad you're here, Tori.
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I'm not sure what I do if I did not have you here.
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[Still, he can't help feeling a little lose to look at her. So tall, so very nostalgic just to listen to, and then there's him -- relatively powerless to help her.
It occurs to him that he could tell her, now, exactly what his experience with Chara was aboard this ship and beyond it, back home.
He could tell her.
He doesn't.]
Can I walk you back to your room? Y'never know what might jump out at night around here. [He winks.] I've heard there are skeletons on this ship.
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I would appreciate the company. I mean, who knows what else lurks on a ship such as this?
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[Sans winks, nodding for her to follow him along. Without really thinking about it, he turns left instead of right. The long way.
Something tells him the time was going to pass too quickly anyway.]