Ace in a Hole: Collaborative Shenenigans

Chapter 7

A horribly abnormal standstill was created between Sans and Alastor. The type of change that baffled him to no end, but the kind of change that could only make sense between them. Because Sans crossed an aspect into Alastor's life that he's never quite let people into before. Even Rosie, his closest friend in hell, didn't get that sort of privilege. No one has ever seen Alastor hurt and vulnerable like that, and frankly, he's not sure what to do with that.

Alastor had friends while alive, of course. Work associates and colleagues that would further his reputation. Had friends in hell that he enjoyed the company of, but kept firmly in a box.

Technically, Sans hadn't even been in that sealed box, and still somehow managed to cross. Alastor didn't really consider him a friend. Just a funny little toy to enjoy watching.

Now he doesn't know what to call Sans. Doesn't know what to feel about this living monster who happened to stumble into his life. Out of everyone on earth who could have chosen to approach that building, it was Sans. The one man in the entire universe who somehow seemed to understand Alastor. He's never met someone like that before, and might never do so again.

And oddly enough, it was comforting to know that. Because no one else can risk getting as close as this Sans person. Only him.

Alastor doesn't like to leave things open or unfinished. When he eats, he always makes sure to take care of leftovers. When he kills, he leaves nothing behind. So he doesn't like leaving this nebulous relationship in the air. It's not quite friends, enemies, lovers, haters, or anything that can be defined through a single word. And Alastor doesn't like that. Rosie is a friend. Carmilla is a colleague. Charlie is a stepping stone and Vaggie is in the way. Sans is Sans, and that helps define everything and nothing.

Alastor wants to rip off his flesh. He wants to throw him into the depths of an acid river and watch him flail. He wants to chain him to his side and tell him to keep talking. He wants to own his soul so Sans can't even think about looking to anyone but Alastor and explain. It's infuriating.

No one can just waltz into Alastor's life and pick him apart like this uninterrupted. Alastor wouldn't allow that. Even if he was the one who let himself become vulnerable. Every inch of his skin burned with the knowledge that he let Sans in to that degree. Alastor hadn't even realized such a thing was possible anymore. People were always so firmly interested in sex or romance, and easy to please with words. Everyone but Sans, who listened and let in the sweet lies to only tear them apart while joking the whole time.

Sans had to be dealt with. Somehow. It's like a switch had turned because Sans went from a silly little toy to Sans, Sans, fucking Sans. That damn man managed to somehow bypass Alastors defenses (by his own hands, no less!) and firmly planted himself into an inner circle no one but his Mother had stood in before. Sans.

Is this how Vox felt about him? No wonder that television was constantly running himself into power outages at the mere mention of Alastor's name. It's suffocating.

Unfortunately for Alastor, there's not much he can do in that regard. Sans is still very much alive, and the one little law about sinners was that they were unable to leave hell. At all. Even with those fancy crystals roaming about the undermarket, deceased souls just simply couldn't step through a portal and call it a day. They were bound to hell just like how Husk was bound to Alastor. Hell was a punishment one couldn't escape from by a sheer whim.

Sans, though, seemed pretty convinced that was his destination when he finally croaked. The monster was very upfront about not answering questions, so it wasn't like he was necessarily hiding something, he was more so leaving the response blank. He's not a good person and he knows it. Which, frankly, is refreshing. Living with Charlie has led to some... adjustments in his afterlife. No wonder he sought out contact with Sans more. Any good alternative he was bound to latch onto, he supposes.