The Fallen Human (Sans x Frisk)

Chapter 4 ~ A Reluctant Departure

The soft noise of footsteps outside my door wake me up. I don't have a clock in my room, but I know it's very late. What could Toriel be doing up? Usually she falls asleep quite early.

Hearing the footsteps recede, I slowly get up from my bed, making sure to not make it squeak. Quietly opening my door, I tiptoe to the end of the hall. Peeking around the corner, I see her walk down to the basement.

The first day I was here, I tried to go down there, but Toriel said that I wasn't allowed to go down there. I thought it was a bit odd, but I respected her rules, so I didn't.

Now, though, I break it. I pad down the stairs and through the winding hallway. As I get farther away from the stairs, I can here the faint sound of Toriel's voice. I turn a corner, and see her sitting in front of a large door. I suck in my breath, and hide just out of sight. I can barely make out what she whispers through the door.

"I know she misses her home, and she misses the outside world, but I can't lose another child. I've tried my hardest to protect them, but they always leave. I need to protect her from Asgore. I'm going to seal the door shut forever."

I continue listening. I can barely hear a deep voice answer her from the other side, but I don't pay attention to what it says. I'm too preoccupied thinking of how I could never explore the underground if she closes the door forever. I could never meet any new monsters. I could never find out who I really am, and where I came from. I could never get back home.

I unconsciously gasp at this realization. The voices suddenly stop, and I mentally kick myself for making noise.

"Frisk?" Toriel calls out. She walks around the corner to find me crouched and eavesdropping. "My child, what are you doing down here? Go back upstairs."

"But, but you can't seal the door!" I say.

"It is the only way to protect you," she tells me. "It is my only choice."

"N-no! You can't! I wanted to see the rest of the underground. I wanted to explore, and meet more monsters, and... and get back home," I say quietly.

"I can watch out for the kid for you, if it will make you feel better," says the voice on the other side of the door.

"Stay out of this," she says coldly. Toriel looks at me sadly and says, "I'm sorry Frisk, but here is the best place for you. You need to go back to bed."

"Mum, please, don't this! I can take care of myself, I promise I can! You can't seal the door!"

Looking away, she tells me, "But I must."

"Toriel, no! You can't! You can't baby me and keep me here forever. I like being here, but I miss my home. I miss the outside world. The human world." I start crying, the tears spilling down my cheeks. "Please, please let me go back," I beg.

I can see her resolve visibly start to crumble. She looks at me, then back at the door, and sighs.

"Please..." I say once again.

She looks defeated. "Okay. You may go. I understand that staying here wouldn't make you happy. You would just feel trapped. I know... I know that this isn't a good place for you to grow up. My loneliness, my expectations, my fear... I will put them aside for you. If you truly wish to leave, then I will not stop you."

She bends down and hugs me for a long time. Then she opens the door, and a blast of cold air blows into the room.

"You are free to leave the ruins," she says. She looks at me sadly. "Be good, alright?"

I look up at her, feeling scared, sad, and excited all at the same time. "I will. I promise. I love you, Mum," I say.

"I love you too, my child." She smiles. "Goodbye." She looks back at me one last time, and then walks away, leaving me to go.

Seeing the open door fills me with determination, and I walk through it, only snow greeting me, and telling me about the journey ahead.

A/N Oooh I wonder who the person on the other side of the door could be! Have fun with this little chap :-)