Who Says You're the One in Control?

The Conversation of the Dead

Flowey popped up a little while after Sans left the room with the bench. Sans figured it wouldn't be long. The flower had confronted him a few times on the way to training, the last few ending badly for it. Whatever it's plan was, Sans wasn't interested.

"Howdy!" Flowey chimed as soon as Sans acknowledged it. "You've been cheerful today, huh?" Sans glared at it. He wasn't in the mood for the whole song and dance. Flowey noticed and frowned. "Really, Sans. I've never seen anyone so stubborn to hold a grudge."

Flowey had made him reset more times than he cared to forgive. He was stronger than the flower, now. That's the only reason Flowey was trying to get on his good side. Sans refused to be fooled.

Flowey caught on to Sans' silence. "Fine. Don't expect me to help you out when things fall apart." It burrowed into the ground.

"what's up with the flower, anyways?" Sans asked Chara as he walked on.

"Who's Gaster?" As normal, information wasn't free.

That question, however, was off limits. Sans had told Chara that several weeks ago. They bugged him about it all the time, but he was sure he would need to save it for a bigger favor.

"not gonna happen, Chara." He shook his head. "learning about a shitty flower isn't worth Gaster, and you know it. stop trying to cheat me."

"Come on. I'm dying of curiosity." They whined.

"really?" Sans pretended excitement. "wowie!" He smiled at the word. It was so dorky, and he loved the memories of Papyrus it brought up.

"Ok, fine. Then what's up with the lab behind your house?"

Sans thought for a second. "what do you mean?" The question had a lot of different answers.

"What's with it? What's the machine? Is it your lab?"

"well duh it's mine. why would i have the key if it was Papyrus's?" Sans scoffed.

"Why does a sentry need a lab?"

Sans kicked a rock into the water. "i wasn't always a sentry. i was a scientist before i moved to the Underground."

"Wait, what?" Chara sounded more excited. "You switched jobs? Why? I didn't know you were a scientist! I mean, it makes sense in retrospect, but...." Sans waited while they paused for a good thirty seconds. "Wait. You moved to the Underground? Meaning you weren't born in the Underground? What?"

Sans hadn't meant to say anything about that. It had slipped. Listening to the desperate curiosity Chara's voice laced with was satisfying, though.

"i answered your question. answer mine." Sans knew this would pick at their mind forever. The thought brought a playful smile to his face.

"No fair! You can't just say something like that and not expect me to be curious!"

"oh, you can be curious. i'm just not gonna tell ya." Sans winked. This was messing with her so much, and he loved it.

"Sans! Come on!" Chara whined. Sans kept walking quietly. Chara was probably not gonna let this go for a while, so he decided he would remind them they owed him an answer later.

The entire way home Chara begged for an answer. They gave several hypothesis and asked him to tell them if they were right. He ignored all of it. He was enjoying this immensely.

Finally. Sans got home. He opened the door and looked around at the livingroom. Months after leaving, he stepped into the door.

His mood dropped. Everything was a wreak. He had expected a house that was warm, clean, and welcoming. He instead got a reminder of how things were now.

He stepped over the trash to the middle on the floor. The mattress from his room was leaning against the couch, and the table was on it's side. There was garbage, food, and clothing strewn across everything. The tv had fallen on its face, and was most likely broken.

Sans picked up a shirt. It was really dirty. Sans was glad he didn't have a nose, otherwise this might be deathly. He rounded up a few other clothing items and started the laundry. Only one sock was left, and it was covered in post-it notes.

Looking around the room, he decided he might as well pick up the trash. He picked up the tv, put his mattress back in his room, vacuumed, and set everything up how it had been when Papyrus was in charge of cleaning. He ended up cleaning his room, too.

Peeking his head in Papyrus's room, i was still immaculate. Sans smiled a little. He had made sure not to touch this room.

Walking in, he looked around at all the ordinary objects. Each was a treasure to him. He dusted the shelves and table of action figures, and vacuumed. He was about to leave when he saw a flashing light on the computer.

It had been left on this whole time? He moved the mouse, and Papyrus's undernet profile popped onto the screen. It was a message to Undyne.

StrongFish91- I heard a human came down!

CoolSkeleton95- Yes! Sans and I have been trying to capture them all day. They just don't seem to want to comply!

StrongFish91- Hmm. Don't worry too much. I'll take care of them