Neon Tears

Chapter 6

-UnderSwap #0 Skeletons house-

Fresh 404 opened his sockets a bit when Cerulean and Stretch came in and smiled slightly as they moved to the kitchen in companionable silence.  Closing them again they let themselves drift off for a much needed nap.

A few hours later Frisk drifts in walking right through the door and startling Stretch into dropping his coffee mug.  Fresh 404's sockets snapped open and suddenly everyone in the house including Frisk was cocooned in rainbow strings.

"Wow buddy it's okay, everything is okay.  Didn't mean to startle ya."  Stretch watches them with wide sockets as Fresh 404 looks around sleepily.

The strings let go of everyone but Inky just as quickly as they had struck.  "We're up what happened?"

"Sorry Chara stopped for chocolate nice cream and I decided not to wait for him.  I didn't mean to startle anyone!" Frisk looked at them teary eyed.

Fresh 404 sighed and stands laying a still cocooned and sleeping Inky down and tucking him in.  "It is okay Frisk.  It is not your fault you can't knock.  It was time we woke up anyway."  He walked over and knelt hugging the ghost child.  "We are sorry if we started you some of our magic is still a little jumpy after our recent merger."

Cerulean who was now standing in the kitchen door gave them a disbelieving look but changed it to a friendly smile before Frisk could see.  "He is right Princess you can't help it that you can't knock."

Stretch just nods watching with wide sockets.  Seeing right through their bullcrap magic at that level was an extension of the SOUL just like the blasters.  For anyone to pull magic like that while coming out of sleep spoke of either heavy nightmares or being startled awake by danger before a lot.  "Hey bud do you want some tea?"

Cerulean laughs and gets a dish towel throwing it at Stretch. "Clean up your coffee I will make the tea."

Stretch catches it and starts to clean up with a faint smile.  "Sure Cerulean I am on it.  Tea kettle is on top of the fridge."

"See no one is upset." They let Frisk go smiling at her.  "Are you okay now cousin?  We truly did not mean to scare you."

Frisk sniffles wiping her eye.  "Ya I'm okay sorry to interrupt your nap." She smiles at him.

"It's okay we needed to wake up to do a little code surgery before Inky wakes anyway.  We know it makes him uncomfortable when we change things."  Fresh 404 stands and stretches with a yawn keeping a reassuring smile on.

Cerulean comes out of the kitchen and passes them a tea before trading Stretch a damp washcloth for his coffee soaked kitchen towel and coffee mug.  "Code surgery hmm time to change my AU link?"

Taking the hot tea Fresh 404 sipped it carefully. "We are afraid so, if you are still sure about this.  We could probably find someone else if you are not comfortable.  We won't push anyone into taking a role they truly don't want."

Cerulean actually laughs at that.  "No you won't force anyone into your design but you will tempt, persuade, and bribe, won't you.  It's alright kid I am okay with this.  It is probably the best outcome given the circumstances."

Stretch finishes cleaning up the spilled coffee while watching the relaxed easy way they talk, thinking about how the prospective swap Sans was so comfortable with the kiddos willingness to possibly do some shady stuff to get the job done.

"What can we say when protecting the balances there isn't a lot of moral high ground to go around, but we do have standards."  They frowned looking off at nothing.  "Letting that delusion of moral high ground stand brought the multiverse to its knees once we can't afford the same mistakes."