Blurry

Waiting

Go to sleep.

"No... not until I know."

Frisk go the hell to sleep.

"No."

Mom's gonna kill you.

"Only if you keep me distracted."

Frisk stopped replying to their mental companion, hiding in the darkness at the top of the stairs as they heard shuffling just outside the front door. There was a quiet knock, and Frisk watched as Toriel hurried to the front door, opening it, though her body blocked whoever it was from their view. "Oh you poor dear, you're soaking wet, come inside.."

"S-SO HE'S NOT HERE?" Frisk silenced a confused gasp as Papyrus walked inside. The poor skeleton was in his pjs, which were now completely soaked by the rain. His normally cheerful face was now full of concern. Frisk didn't turn away as Chara materialized next to them, watching in confusion. "What is he doing here? It's like, one in the morning."

Frisk shrugged, watching as Toriel went off, returning with a towel and wrapping it around the tall skeleton. "No... I should've asked him where he was going, he was acting so strange.. Oh, dear, I'm so sorry.."

"HE'S NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE..." Papyrus grimaced, holding the towel around him. "M-MAYBE I WAS TOO RUDE... I WAS JUST SCARED FOR HIM..!"

Toriel hugged Papyrus. "No no no, you did nothing wrong..." She smiled at him softly. "He talks about nothing but you, all the time. He loves you so much, I'm positive he knows you were only concerned." Before he could protest, Toriel wrapped an arm around his back. "Come on, let's get you warmed up. You can rest here for the night, and if he isn't home by then, we'll look for him together in the morning."

Frisk snuck down the stairs, following along behind them in silence as they went down the hall into the living room, where they hid behind the couch at which the two sat down. They frowned as Chara roamed freely, sitting on the coffee table and starring at Papyrus with intense curiosity.

"Have you tried reaching him at work?"

"HE DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP AT THE CAFE FOR WORK THIS MORNING.. I CALLED THE POST OFFICE BUT THEY TOLD ME HE HADN'T SHOWN UP THERE EITHER." Papyrus' eyes stared through Chara's form. "I'M REALLY WORRIED... THE ONE CALL HE DID ANSWER, HE.."

"I know, I know..." Toriel sighed.

"So the phones calls Mom was making earlier.. they were about him too." Chara frowned. "What did that damn comedian do this time?"

"I called Undyne and Alphys, they haven't heard from him. After that... certain phone call, I called Asgore as well. He's looking for him now but I haven't heard anything back yet..."

"I'M REALLY WORRIED..."

"As am I..."

Frisk sat in silence behind the couch. They stayed there until Toriel had kissed Papyrus goodnight, getting him tucked in on the couch and returning to her own bedroom upstairs. They let out a shaky sigh once they heard Papyrus snoring. Chara plopped in front of them silently. "....Frisk, I know that face."

"What face?" Frisk whispered back, frowning, envying at this moment Chara's ability to yell as loud as they want and still be unheard by the others.

"You're upset and gonna do something stupid."

"He's my friend, Chara..." They sighed. Chara frowned. "He has a PTSD panic attack anytime he sees your face."

"We both know that's neither your fault or mine... And Sans started realizing that too."

"You're still thinking about doing something stupid."

"Maybe..." Frisk sighed. "I'd like to say he's just.. late, but..."

"That phone call worries you too, yeah?"

Frisk didn't answer, but they were hugging their knees to their chest, looking down. They didn't really hear the call themself. But they saw the horror that filled Toriel's face when she heard it. There was loud static, and the phone call cut out. Something must've been really horrible in that message, for Toriel went in a mad panic searching for something, via phone call, email, driving around town. Frisk hadn't known until now that that something was the one who watched over a majority of their journey. "....what if he's not okay?"

"They're gonna look for him in the morning..." Chara frowned. "Frisk, this isn't the underground anymore. We're surrounded by the worlds most disgusting creatures, and they don't give Mercy as readily as you do." Chara sighed, looking down as well now. "We just have to wait, alright?"

Frisk watched their companion. It was rare for Chara to get so serious, let alone show such serious concern over Frisk's actions. They smiled softly. "Alright, Chara... I trust you."

Chara nodded, their essence disappearing from in front of Frisk, who sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. They were confused, scared, and more than anything couldn't shake the feeling that their friend was in danger.

"....where are you...?"