Soul Matter (Chara x Asriel)

Chapter Eight ; Living Nightmares

// Hiya! I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but the next one is better — but it might not be published for awhile! It was so long that I had to split it in half, and the second half still isn't finished!

The world was dark.
All Chara could hear was echoed banging ringing throughout their tiny room, and the shouting of their name.
Harsh, violent shouting.

In the faintest of light, Chara could see that the door was locked from the inside, and their chest was bear and scarred. They remember this memory,
The day they accidentally locked themselves inside their room.

Chara shuffled around, looking for something to grab in a newfound panic, managing to snag a grip on their knife under their thin blanket.

Low on time, low on time. This was confirmed by the rattling of keys on the outside and the sound of glass shattering.

Chara grabbed the handle of the knife as the door opened, a man who was a few inches taller than Chara felt like a giant, making Chara feel that much smaller.
Chara kept themselves low to the ground.
In the scene, it was almost as if he was constantly growing. It was so unrealistic, but yet Chara was engulfed in fear.

Whatever the man was saying sounded like gibberish, but Chara did recognize the name 'Chara' being said.

Chara, Chara, Chara.
Knife.

He was yelling at Chara about the knife.
Chara glanced to the knife, then back to the man, who looked prepared to strike Chara. Without second thought, Chara turned the blade around and thrusted it into their own bare stomach.
They felt numb, other than the feeling of metallic liquid dripping from their mouth.

Chara coughed and wheezed for breath, the man now out of view. The world felt black, and all they could hear was 'Chara' and their own quick breaths.

Their blood coated hands pressed against their quickly moving torso, their breathing quick.

Nothing,
Until they woke up, with a familiar goat's face staring them down, and a soft paw prodding them.
"Chara! Are you okay?" He asked.

Chara breathed, but their lungs still felt full of fluid.
Chara immediately pushed Asriel away and coughed, breathing heavily. It took a moment, but they were finally able to breathe again.

Asriel had kept his arm around Chara supportively, rubbing their back.
"Are you alright? Chara! Please talk to me! I'm going to get mom." He murmured, preparing to get up.

"No, Asriel. I-I'm fine." Chara breathed.

"Chara.. are you sure? Why were you crying?" He asked, concerned for his friend's wellbeing.

Chara frowned a moment, pressing their hand to their face, feeling the sticky tears rolling down.
"It was just a bad dream. I woke up a bit panicked. It's... nothing.."

That took a lot out them.
"Asriel, I don't feel that great.." Chara admitted, pressing their hand to their face.
The world around them felt fuzzy. Their vision was blacking out.

Asriel frowned,
"Do you want me to get mom? She said that you would need to go see Doctor Gaster, anyways.." He offered.

Chara didn't say anything, rubbing their eyes,
"Maybe.. what time is it?" They asked.

"I'd guess almost eleven in the morning." Asriel answered, noticing Chara stare forward, their eyes dull and empty.

"I'm getting mom." Asriel said, getting up,
"Asriel, wait, please —"
And he's gone.

Chara frowned. They were confident that they would be fine in a few minutes, but Asriel already ran out of bed and out the room.

They waited in silence, a spike of pain throbbing in their head.
Chara felt cold, and their skin was paling, more than it already was normally.
This didn't happen too often.

Soon, Asriel rushed in with Toriel, looking worried.
Toriel seemed quite calm, though worried nonetheless.

Chara wasn't too happy about the attention, but Toriel seemed a bit insistent to see if Chara is okay.
"Chara? Are you feeling alright?" Toriel asked.

Chara frowned and nodded.

Asriel frowned,
"I thought you said you didn't feel okay. Are you feeling better now?"

Chara nodded, despite it being a lie,
Toriel frowned,
"Are you sure? You don't look that great.. Here, why don't we head over to Doctor Gaster's lab. It opened an hour ago, and he is expecting us anyways." Toriel reassured.

Chara was silent for a moment, before nodding, standing up.
Toriel smiled,
"It shouldn't take too long, but you need to be honest, alright? We need to make sure you're healthy." She commented.

Chara nodded again. Toriel looked to Asriel,
"Do you want to join us?"

Of course; the enthusiastic boy nodded, and Toriel couldn't help but chuckle, before leading the two out of the room,
"Asriel, go get changed." Toriel requested,

Asriel nodded and rushed into his room, getting dressed as quickly as he could.

Toriel and Chara waited in silence, until Chara broke the silence with a cough.
Their mouth and throat were horribly dry. It hurt to swallow their own saliva, or at least it would if they had any at the moment,

Toriel spared a glance to Chara, and was about to say something, before Asriel rushed out of his room,
"Ready! I'm ready!" He smiled.

Toriel smiled,
"Alright, you two, follow close behind me, alright?" She asked, proceeding to walk down the hall and put the door.

Chara didn't move until Asriel did, following Toriel out of the house with Chara flanking him.

The world seemed to be going by quickly. Asriel was talking, Chara couldn't hear him.
They walked down a staircase, that seemed to lead into a city.
Chara felt the heat of the gaze of many monsters, and they heard Asriel say their name to them a few times.

'Are you okay, Chara'
That's what it sounded like.

Their headache turned to unbearable, the edges of their vision faded out.
Chara felt their control over their body disappear as they hit the stone floor, and their vision blacked out.