UnderStory

Another Choice

  When the brightness cleared and her sight adjusted to it's surroundings, Jane gazed around. 

  She's back in Grillby's....only to find Matt sitting beside her. He looked confused. He blinked twice. "What the hell just happened?" 

  Grillby's wasn't as empty as before....it was filled with customers; people chatting and going on with their lives as if none of their murders happened. 

 "I have no idea..." She replied while going into a deep thought. She searched her hoodie's pockets and found Luke's scarf inside it. A picture fell out...it was a picture of her, Luke and Frisk. They're all smiling. 

 "I'm sorry...." Matt rubbed her on the back and comforted her. 

 "Don't be...it's not your fault." Jane picked up the photo and shove it in her pocket. "well...if I came here earlier...things would be different and....Luke won't be..." 

  The door slammed open and a tall skeleton wearing a 'Cool Dude' outfit stomped in.  He pointed a gloved finger at Jane "JANE, DID YOU TOOK MY SCARF AGAIN?!" even though he doesn't have lungs, he seem to yell all the time. 

  Matt's eyes widened. "What in the world...?" he blinked. 

  Jane ran to him and hugged him. "Luke!" She cried with joy, holding his bright blue scarf in her hand. 

 "Jane? Are you alright?" he stopped yelling. 

 "I'm fine....." She replied as happy tears streamed down her cheekbones. "I...I just missed you that's all." 

  Matt smiled softly as he see the two siblings reunited. 

 "I missed you too..." Luke kneel down and hugged her back. He smiled and said... "I really do....." The tall skeleton brother chuckled. 

  Matt sneaked up behind Jane and nibble on her ear. 

  Jane snapped into attention and pushed his face away. "I'm not your prey, wolf-boy. And I suggest you find a stick to chew on." 

  He chuckled and shook his head. "Just like old times eh?" 

 "What old times? We just met." 

 "I know....isn't that fur-ruffling?" 

  Luke face-palmed. "OH...MY...GOD!" he cringed at the puns before he glanced down at the two of them. His pupils widened as he asked; "Wait....is he your boyfriend?" The chattering stopped. The customers turned their attention to the three of them. 

  Jane blushed uncontrollably.....the female skeleton does get embarrassed after all. Matt's face was fully red as if the blood-drive went straight to his brain, his strong heart pounded wildly. 

 "oh look at the time, gotta go!" Matt winked at Jane, crashed through the restaurant's window and disappeared. The glass shattered and spilled all over the snow outside. Jane could feel her non-existent heart beating...She flushed with a deep purple across her cheekbones as she awkwardly run out of Grillby's and panted heavily.

 "What is this feeling...?"She leaned against the wall, thinking of the past 'timeline' where Matt defended her.... "No, what am I thinking?" She knocked her skull few times to shake that thought off. 

  A pair of hands covered her eye-sockets. "Eep!" she jolted up. Someone played "Put down a Feeling" on the jukebox.

 "Guess who~?" A gentle, soothing voice came from behind her. 

  Images of Matt flashed across her mind....even his scent is here...

 "Matt." She pulled the hands away and turned around. Sure enough, he was there....grinning smugly. "Correct." He said, brushing his dark blue hair out of his eyes. 

  "I-~ put down a feeling~ I'm high on the leaving....'cause you're in love with me........" The song echoed throughout the town. Silence crept between the two of them. 

 "Jane..." Matt gestured as he bowled dramatically. "May I have this dance?" 

  Jane blushed and stuttered "I-I don't dance...well." she saw the corners of his lips curled up. 

 "That's even better." He held up a hand to her. "You trust me?" it sounded more of a permission than a question. She smiled and took his hand as he swayed her around to the music. The time seemed to have slowed down as they danced....Jane's cheekbones flushed a brilliant purple color as Matt twirled her around. The music ends, Matt pulled her close and was about to k-

 "Hey look, it's snowing!" A kid exclaimed. 

  Small, fragile snowflakes rained down from above, melting as soon as it touched Matt's skin. He pulled Jane back into a standing position. Her non-existent heart skipped a beat. She felt as though, out out breath.....even if she doesn't have lungs. Matt lifted his face towards the sky--no, like gazing into eternal darkness from above, it doesn't end with a ceiling. Matt's device shows that he's under the surface of the earth but... 

 "How is it possible to snow underground?" He asked, turning to Jane. 

 "Maaaaagic." She waved her arms around as if she was doing some spell.

  Matt laughed, "Really?" 

 "Yes, really. The impossible becomes the possible in the laws of magic..." She replied and smiled. 

  Small, running footsteps can be heard. Jane was pushed backwards by a small but strong force. "I'm so sorry...!" Someone cried, digging their wet face into her hoodie. Jane opened an eye-socket to see Frisk sobbing while he hugged her tightly. 

 "I'm so....so....sorry...." Frisk said, shaking violently as he continues to sob. 

  Jane sighed and smiled. "There....there...." She pat the human child on the head and wrapped her arms around him. "I knew you would do the right thing, Frisk." 

  Matt smiled, seeing as the two friends had forgiven each other. The townspeople had come outdoors to see the falling snow, they stared in awe as the pale, semi-solid substance drifted in the air. A single snowflake landed on Jane's skeletal palm, it didn't melt....

  She took it out of her palm and held it in front of Frisk's eyes. "See this snowflake?" Frisk nodded. 

 "This will be a promise. A promise that I will keep believing in you..." She had an unreadable expression on her face. When she pressed the snowflake into Frisk's small hands, it instantly melted in seconds. 

 "Always?" Frisk asked. 

 "Always." She replied. 

 "I have a question to ask..." Matt interrupted. 

 "Yeah?" 

 "Is it Christmas?" 

 "What's a Christmas?" 

 "I figured you've been living under a rock." 

  Jane giggled. "We all have. But judging by your expression, it's an event...isn't it?" 

 "Yes! Very much so, more like it." He gestures to the polar bear who's putting presents under a festively decorated tree. 

 "Oh, so that's a ceremony similar to ours...from the surface." 

 "Yup. And on this particular season, humans greet each other with a 'Merry Christmas'." 

 "Interesting...." Jane smiled at him. 

  Frisk nodded subconsciously, agreeing to Matt's  explanation. 

 "Everyone deserves a second chance.....they deserve another choice."