Unrequited LOVE

•Chapter 30•

Thump...

Where is this?

Thump, thump...

It's cold.

Thump, thump, thump...

Everything hurts.

The landscape is dusky red, bordering on white. The winged figure rises from their spot on the endless floor. They clutch their head.

Drip.

Crimson fluid hits the ground.

Drip. Drip.

The figure stills, as if remembering something. Their mouth quirks up.

I'm alive.

***

"i found him."

Ink, Dream, Red, and Blue turn, shocked. "YOU... FOUND HIM?" Blue echoes.

"yeah," Sans says, eyelights completely gone. "well... he found me."

"what are we waiting for?! let's go!" Ink exclaims, jumping up. Emotions are high and adrenaline is running as Sans opens a portal.

The rush to the portal is practically a stampede. Blue jumps in first, followed by the other Star Sanses. A blank, endless landscape greets them.

"WHERE IS HE-"

The portal closes behind Sans. "he's coming."

...They didn't doubt that. Sure enough, Gaster materializes before them with a raw, magical crackle. If not for the bags under his sockets and the defected expression on his face, Sans would have been terrified. "where is she?" He snarls.

Blue summons a bone, glaring at Gaster with uncharacteristic malice. Dream does the same, bow materializing his his hand.

Gaster doesn't respond, reaching toto the folds of his coat. He pulls out a bundle of pale green fabric and drops it in front of them.

It's a jacket. A sickeningly familiar jacket.

"IS THAT...."

Time stops.

The left side of the fabric is soaked with old, dried blood.

Ink sucks in a sharp breath. "you bastard."

"It was not my intention," Gaster remains emotionless as ever. Rage, bright and vengeful, courses through Sans' body, and by the noticeable shift in the air, the others feel it too.

She's dead.

A demented screech leaves Blue's mouth as he flings a bone as Gaster, who dodges with ease. "HOW DARE YOU!!!"

Ink, Dream, and Red aren't far behind, pouring insane amounts of magic at the former scientist. The air crackles powerfully when Sans summons a blaster. "you're gonna have a b a d t i m e."

Gaster, the bastard himself, avoids every attack. His palm glows with corrupted purple magic. "I believe I shall take my leave."

"like hell!" Red throws a bone attack at the skeleton, dispersing his magic. "i'm gonna fuckin' kill ya!"

For once, Sans agreed. "he's right. you aren't going anywhere."

But Gaster merely laughs. It's the kind of laugh that sent shivers down Sans' spine, heightening his anger. "what the hell-"

Ping.

He's gone.

***

Silence ensued. Blue was the first to speak. "DID HE JUST...?"

"he did," Sans realized aloud.

"that damn bastard!" Red swore. "fuckin' christ!"

While the others made their displeasure known, Dream walked forward and picked up your jacket. The fabric felt rough against his phalanges, like a long-unwashed piece of cloth. It still smelled like you.

...We failed.

Ink appeared by the golden skeleton's side. "we should hold a funeral."

That got everyone's attention. "THAT... WOULD BE BEST," Blue looked like he was about to cry. They all did.

"who's gonna tell nightmare and his crew? and error?" Red asked. "'cause i sure as hell ain't."

"i'll do it," Sans said. "no offense, dream, but nightmare'll dust you if you tell him."

"that bastard'll dust anyone," Red mumbled. "ya ain't special."

Sans fixed the edgy skeleton with a deadpan glare. "he doesn't have... as much against me as he does you, bonehead."

"call me bonehead one more time and i'll-"

"EVERYONE STOP!" Blue interjected. "MINDLESS BICKERING ISN'T GOING TO GET US ANYWHERE!"

He was right, unfortunately. Sans relented. "sorry, blue."

"IT'S ALRIGHT. LET'S GO."

And so, they did.

***

I can do this.

"hey, nightmare, do you have a second?"

Nightmare sighed in annoyance, eyeing the smaller Sans. His patrolling - of a rather empty AU - had been interrupted by said Sans, putting him in a particularly foul mood. He didn't have time for this, especially when he could be patrolling! "Fine. What is it?"

Sans seemed... nervous?

"well," there was a noticeable bulge in his blue coat. "we found her."

Bam, instant attention-getter. "What," Nightmare asked. Why hadn't he been informed?! "When?!"

"just now," the smaller sans said, "...she, uh... i think it'd be better to just show you."

Nightmare's nonexistent stomach dropped when the smaller skeleton produced a bloodied bundle of pale green fabric. "That is..."

"...yeah. the bastard himself confirmed it."

A wave of raw magic came bursting into the air, emanating from Nightmare's SOUL. Sans took a few steps back, expression fearful.

"hey, buddy, anger'll-"

Nightmare was positively fuming. His normally lax perm-smile had morphed into a maw of black-tinted, razor-sharp teeth and his uncovered eyelight contracted to the point of nonexistence.

"H e  w i l l  p a y."

Of that, Sans had no doubt.

***

Oh, Nightmare's pissed. Also, I wonder who that winged figure is... ;)