Golden Flowers [Undertale Fanfic]

7

The interior of the house did not age since Sans stepped foot on its carpet for the first time. Sans sat himself on a hard wooden chair. His body was thin enough such that if he were to disappear, the chair would look like it was pushed into the wooden table that accompanied it. He sat up straight, his arms folded. The undisturbed silence that clouded the atmosphere perpetuated for a long time since he sat, interrupted occasionally by his brother in the room upstairs. But now, even this sound had disappeared completely. His gaze followed a pattern. Left to right. Repeat. Left to right. Each repetition would teach him something new. The books that he read so often became the only beings to be a part of his social circle. They were always one-sided conversations, but they sufficed. His eyes narrowed and his body lethargic, he slowly recalled the information he had just learned from the chapter. It amazed him to think about how humans had skeletons as part of their being, though monster skeletons differed veritably. He pondered about the possibility that the monster he saw on his first day at school could actually be such a creature.

Sans' focus hardened over the years spent in this house. He learned to control his childish temptations, evident through his habits. He would always pick the chair that faced away from the television. It would distract him even though it was always turned off. He would move his brother's toys upstairs. However, such educational commitment was not created on his own accord. A familiar sound finally pierced the air. Gaster made his way in, leaving his jacket on the coat rack per usual. His outfit was uniform in color. He wore a plain black corduroy shirt, black khaki pants, and its accompanying black belt wrapped around his waist tightly. The door shut as he walked over to the dining table where Sans sat. He paused and said nothing, and Sans did not look, not daring to discern whether his gaze was burning the back of his skull or the words of text in front of him.

"Much left to do. You will not rest until this unit is completed. Understood?" His tone was condescending and disappointed. Sans replied apathetically.

"Yes."

Gaster still stood at his side.

"Yes, sir."

He said nothing as he continued up the flight of wooden stairs that adhered to the wall. The sounds of his footsteps on carpet traveled through and over the wooden railing that lined the edge of the second floor. Once they could no longer be heard after the shut of a door, Sans' eyes finally left the page. He looked out of the window located on the opposite wall, his attempts to tell the time useless. Suddenly remembering that a clock existed, his eyes shifted towards the one on that same wall, above a comfortable green couch that now looked tempting to him. Hour hand, minute hand, second hand... 11:32 PM. He flipped through several pages ahead, adding up the numbers. Forty-two. There was school tomorrow, but even worry could not find itself a spot in his desensitized mind. His eyes returned to the page, and the book embraced his attention once more.

---

Sans' head smashed his desk and everyone stared at him. The teacher spoke out to him repeatedly, his voice slowly escalating in volume until his concern could be heard. He walked over to his desk, lightly shaking the skeleton until he forced his eyes open, his body jolting upright.

Asriel looked over at Chara. Even she was interested at this point.

"What's up with him?"

Chara giggled to herself.

"He's totally out of it. It's like I'm watching some slapstick comedy."

The children could hear the teacher asking if he was okay, and whether or not he wanted to go to the nurse's office. Sans remained adamant, insisting he would stay in the classroom no matter what happened. Chara quietly mumbled to herself and stared at the chalked blackboard.