♥ text;

[souldeterminant]

[Sometime during the afternoon, a simple text makes its way onto the network, no picture or video attached.]

 

I'm back from vacation.

Don't worry. It was boring.

-Frisk

[None of which is, precisely, a lie. Thankfully, considering Frisk is just about the worst liar they know.]

[But it's good to be home.]

Comments

[justribbing]

[ Woah, that was either an extremely lucky guess or this guy's knows more about him than Sans knows about--

Well, whatever. ]

yeah, well, i'm hoping most wars aren't fought by little kids.

[glowygreendeath]

No. It is disgraceful to send children to war.

That honor and burden should always been given to adults.

[Action]

[souldeterminant]

[No reply comes, and Frisk waits. And waits. And eventually allows the phone to slide from their hand onto the covers, maneuvers themself over the side of the bed, drops carefully down to the floor. Sits on the bottom bunk and doesn't stare at the door.]

[Nobody came.]

[Until she did, the rap of knuckles on wood against the other side, and somehow Frisk knew she would, because now - somebody always comes. Then, they're shooting to their feet and making their way over, a flutter taking hold of their stomach. They're not sure why they're so nervous all of a sudden. Her text sounded... surprised?]

[Upset?]

[It doesn't matter, since Frisk pulls open the door and stares up at their visitor, their posture heavy with something that doesn't break through their guarded expression. Quiet, because like everyone else...]

[She must have gotten hurt by this, too.]

[souldeterminant]

[And that is exactly why Papyrus is so great. Frisk does little to hide how pleased they are by his presence; their eyes crinkle upwards into subtle half-moon crescents, and they briefly rock onto the tips of their toes, easily much more energized than they'd been before his arrival. It's hard to be tired when you've got the world's coolest skeleton calling you his friend.]

[Papyrus just has that effect on people.]

[Frisk shakes their head vigorously in response to his concern before throwing him a thumbs-up. No broken humans here.]

[justribbing]

yeah, history says war ain't so pretty itself.
anyway.
point is, they're a kid. so go easy, ok?

[glowygreendeath]

Experience agrees.

Why are you worried about the child? Are you their parent?

[justribbing]

[ ... ]

[justribbing]

look, at least two bottles deep is about where i'll play 20 questions.
no promises, though.
it's just a little friendly advice.

[glowygreendeath]

We will speak with you later.

But we were speaking with the child before you rudely interrupted.

[justribbing]

better get used to that, kid's gotta lot of friends who look out for them.
never heard of stranger danger, have ya?

[glowygreendeath]

And what danger do you believe we pose?

[justribbing]

that's the funny thing about strangers.
you just don't know yet.

[souldeterminant]

[...]
[It's rude to talk about someone who's listening, you know.]



I'm here.

I came back because I wasn't supposed to leave in the first place.

[glowygreendeath]

Ah. Obligation. We were wondering why you would choose to return to a war when you had the chance to leave.

Would it not have been safer for you to stay away?

[glowygreendeath]

And what makes you believe we wish to harm the child?

[justribbing]

[ He's a moment chuckling before he responds. ]

if you've got so much experience that you understand war, i'm pretty sure i don't have to explain to you the risks of an unknown variable, bud.

text;

[souldeterminant]

Is she a Gem too?

[Based on her name, Frisk is guessing 'yes'. Which is super neat. Frisk hasn't met a friend of Steven's yet that they haven't liked - which yes, granted, has only been one person so far, but still. From the sound of it, seems like she could use more friendly faces, and far be it from Frisk to turn down the opportunity of making a friend of a friend.]

[souldeterminant]

Yes. But my friends and mom are here.
I know it's not safe. I don't want to FIGHT

But I can.

[glowygreendeath]

We grow tired of this conversation. What would we have to gain by harming a child, anyway?

[glowygreendeath]

You will not need to.

[justribbing]

hey, look at that, we're starting to relate already.
to answer the same question worded a little differently: i dunno.
i dunno anything ABOUT you. and, frankly? i don't care.
but if i didn't at least take note of some creep getting to know this kid, i wouldn't be a very good pal, would i?

[Action]

[bubblywishes]

[The wait behind the door feels like far longer than it really is, and the swell of anxiety that fills Norma's stomach is nearly sickening, but it deflates upon laying her eyes on Frisk after so long. So, so long. They're just a kid - a kid she barely knows that much about, but when has that ever stopped her from getting attached? There's just something about Frisk that makes her feel so at ease. So natural, and...heh, normal.

It's just a minute spent staring, almost in disbelief, before Norma's face turns up into a big smile, and she folds just enough to scoop Frisk up into her arms and hug them tight. Her laugh is a little watery, because she did hurt when they wet on "vacation", but it's nothing to the joy she feels at having them back. Does it make sense? No, not really, dead don't come back - shouldn't come back, but does she care about all that?

Not one bit.]

That vacation better have stunk because I'm not ever letting you leave again, got it?! [She hiccups a little sob, and tightens her grip on their sweater.]

[souldeterminant]

[They don't need to. The new game, where nobody has to die. Where Frisk doesn't have to FIGHT. It sounds like a golden ending, but the part of Frisk that feels both lockets beating knows that they will. Not because they can; not for the EXP, or for LV.]

[Maybe, for love.]

I hope not.

[glowygreendeath]

You will not. We will. It is what we were made for.

[Action]

[souldeterminant]

[Frisk hadn't really noticed, until Norma pulls them in and their arms automatically navigate up to fold around her back, that they almost aren't surprised by this anymore. This... type of greeting. It unravels the ball of anxiety in their belly; lets them relax into her embrace, exhaling lowly into the cloth of her garment. If their breath is a little shaky too, well...]

[It's been a long couple days.]

[Yet not nearly as long as the last couple months have been, Frisk is sure. They pull away from the embrace, just enough to get a good look at her face. Mouth pulling into a smile, Frisk rests the side of their index over their lips in a quiet, shushing gesture.]

[... which then migrates upward to pull their lower eyelid down, making sure they look properly ridiculous for their very serious response.]

Got it.