Unrequited LOVE

•Chapter 28•

WARNING: Not as bad as previous chapters, but still unsavory. Read cautiously. 

***

If this is death, then death is strange.

You wake up in a white room. The air is silent, though a slight breeze shifts your hair around.

Suddenly, you aren't alone anymore. "Well, well, well, look at what we have here."

Your head snaps back to the sound. Standing before you is a ginger-haired child wearing a yellow-and-green striped sweater and brown pants. "Who are you?" You croak.

"Me?" The child chuckles. "Call me 'Chara'."

Chara, huh? You feel like you've heard that name before. "Where is this place?"

Chara shrugs. "Beats me. I've been here ages."

How helpful.

You're just about to ask another question, but they cut you off. "You're (y/n), right?"

How did they-?

"Yeah. That's me."

"Heh. Good."

You scratch your wrists nervously. Something about Chara frightens you, though you can't comprehend what. "So... How long have you been here?"

They make a sour face. "Too long. What about you?"

"I just got here."

"Ah, alright."

The conversation dwindles. Chara sighs. "See you later, then."

You don't even get to ask why. "Wait-"

And then, everything goes black. The last thing you see is Chara's body looming over you.

***

You jolt awake with a scream.

What the-

"Ah, you're awake," Gaster is standing above you, a creepy grin on his face. You yelp and fearfully scurry away from him. "And where do you think you're going?"

Anywhere away from you.

You don't respond, proceeding to wedge yourself under the cot, modesty be damned. Anything to get away from him.

Gaster sighs, as if you're the nuisance here. "How childish."

"Stay away from me!" You hiss, curling into yourself. Your chest feels hot.

"Fine."

You're momentarily shocked. Did he just back down??

With a click, the door shuts and you're alone. It's a relief, honestly, though you don't crawl out until he's long gone. The blood and feathers are gone and the floor looks clean, which is a small kindness. The cot, however, is still soaked with fluid.

You gingerly touch the wet mattress. Ew.

The dream (you hope) worries you. Who is Chara and why were they in that room? There was something very, very wrong going on.

***

"This cannot be right," Gaster stared at the small red heart, blindsided.

Your SOUL was cracking. It shouldn't be cracking.

He made sure it wouldn't crack. But now... his fears were confirmed.

A cracking SOUL always meant death.

"Shit."

***

No less than an hour after leaving, Gaster bursts back into your cell, face taunt with panic. You immediately dive under the cot, shaking with fear. Instead of regarding you with annoyance, the tall skeleton levels the cot with his magic, leaving you exposed. "I don't have time for games. Come. Here. Now."

...Something told you not to disobey. It was right, because Gaster looked about ready to scream, break something, or both.

"Good," he says when you stand up and shuff forward. "Come on."

Gaster grabs your wrist, practically dragging you down the hall to the lab. Mind reeling, you ask: "W-What happened?"

"Be quiet and do as I say. Or else."

Someone's touchy, you think hotly.

When you reached the lab, Gaster motions for you to sit on the gurney. "Just sit. Restraints aren't necessary."

Huh, strange...

You hop on, watching him pull on a pair of gloves. He also retrieves an IV packet from the cupboard. "You must be wondering why I brought you here so suddenly?"

No shit, sherlock. "Uh, yeah..."

"Your SOUL is cracking."

...What...? Your breath catches sharply in your throat. "W-"

"Hold out your arm," he interrupts, already prepping the IV needle. "There will be no more experiments."

That statement makes you feel minimally better, at least. You do as instructed, and he attaches the included bag onto an IV pole, hooking it up to a connector tube. You feel a small prick as the needle slides in, followed by a sticky sensation when he tapes it in place. "This is a simple saline solution. It will not harm you."

You want to wrench the IV out and stab him with it, but refrain. "You did this, you know."

"I know," he says, almost regretful. "It would be... a setback to lose such a precious subject."

'Subject', huh? All the pity you may have felt for him vanished instantly, replaced by cold indifference. Only a fool would think this creature capable of acts of kindness.

"Which is why," he produces a small, fabric-covered jar. "It would be good to return this."

Gaster tears the fabric away, revealing your SOUL. You perk up, resisting the urge to squeal joyfully. My SOUL!

He uncaps the jar and your soul, although dim and frightened, soars towards you. The moment it touches your chest is one you will never forget.

Pure, unaltered feeling sweeps through your being. The empty, hole-y sensation vanishes, much to your relief, and a sigh of bliss leaves your lips.

You feel whole again.

And it's exactly what you need.

Thank you.

***

Maybe things are turning up for the reader? ;)