The Time Before (Undertale)

22 ~ Survival

The first time Sans' brother opened his eyes was late one night.

It was several months after Sans was given his brother, and the Soul fragment was almost three fourths the size of a normal Soul.

Sans should have been asleep. He knew he should have been. Tomorrow Gaster was giving him another of the physicality serum injections, and, once again, he had increased the dosage.

This always happened when Gaster told Sans he was increasing the dosage. Sans got nervous about it, got scared he wouldn't be able to handle it. This time especially, because he had promised his brother he would never let him be a part of the DTW experiment.

So now, what would happen if it was too much, and Sans died? Then his brother would be forced into his place.

So he was awake.

Sensing Sans' nervousness, the small skeleton was also awake and nervous.

Sans was trying to calm him down, get him to sleep at least. So Sans was playing with him.

He would tickle his brother's ribs, laughing as the little figure grinned and tried to squirm away from Sans' hand. He always ended up rolling into Sans' side, where Sans would hug him close. After a second, Sans would loosen his grip, letting him wiggle away, before beginning the game anew.

In reality, this probably calmed Sans down more than it did his brother. But, for the most part, they both enjoyed the game.

And then, the small skeleton caught Sans' hand.

Sans watched, a little surprised and confused, as his brother turned his hand over, small fingers trailing over Sans' broader ones, before he set his palm against Sans', splaying his fingers out to match.

Sans looked at his brother.

He was looking at their hands, eye sockets wide and curious.

For a moment, Sans just watched his brother, still fascinated by their hands. Then Sans leaned over a little, into his brother's range of vision.

"...hey, there."

For a moment, the small skeleton just stared, and Sans stared back.

Then his brother's face split in a wide smile, and he reached forward for Sans. Sans pulled his brother close, settling his forehead against his brother's, both of them just looking at each other, grinning like idiots.

Sans didn't need to be told that his brother recognized him, that his brother knew him and loved him.

Words, in that moment, were unnecessary. There was simply a connection between the two, finally, really able to see each other, something strong and deep, a bond between their Souls.

There was something in the knowledge that his brother was aware, and could finally see, that made things all the more real for Sans. Before, Sans had promised to protect his brother, but now, with his brother looking in his eyes, Sans knew that he accepted that promise, he would hold on to it, that he would cling to Sans as a lifeline.

And then, the small skeleton closed his eyes, tucked his head down against Sans' chest, and slept.

Sans held his brother to his chest, still reveling in in the closeness.

After a little while, he too fell asleep.

~o0o~

The next morning, Sans jolted awake when Gaster came into the room.

As he sat up, his brother began to wake as well, blinking as he tried to snuggle back against Sans' chest.

Gaster noticed. "S643 opened its eyes."