SoulFire ( sans x frisk AU)

Elevator malfunction

"You didn't need to come today, Sans." She mumbles, hiding her teary eyes beneath Sans' old hood.

She refused to look up do to the thought of him noticing the tears on her face, but she can't stop now. The conditions weren't ideal, but she had been wanting to see him for so long that it almost didn't matter. She wanted to feel his touch again and go back to feeling full of warmth inside when he was still around for her.

When he doesn't respond, Frisk presses further. Looking at the grounds of The Core, Sans led them to an elevator she had no memory of.

"I don't understand you. What made you want to suddenly show up out of the blue like this?"

"Uh, hate to break it to you Sweetheart, but it isn't like I was really wiped myself off the map. I didn't just 'show up', you know?"

When he's finished speaking, Sans pulls his other hand from his lab coat pocket and begins to push several buttons. While doing so, he doesn't forget to rub his thumb into Frisk's palm, still holding her small fingers between his.

Frisk looks up at him finally, her lips pursed and her eyebrows furrowed sadly in irritation. Sans hadn't noticed until the elevator doors had closed. But once he peered down at her, his eyes remained locked on hers.

Her soft brown hair, the way those orbs shone such a vibrant ruby red, the way she'd managed to captivate him in such a way was more than enough for him to drop dead. God, he was such an asshole for thinking these things.

"I'm serious, Sans. Was it because of what happened with Gerson?"

"Sort of." He shrugs, his answer quiet and unsure. "Also, Fish face was harassing me to come to visit everyone." He states this begrudgingly, rubbing his sore cheekbone, dried blood smeared and streaked all the way down to his jaw.

This is the first Frisk had noticed it, so naturally, she stared up at the gash in shock. The first thing she thought to do was to reach up and clean it up, maybe even heal it enough to prevent scarring. Then, there was something keeping her from doing so. What it may have been wasn't clear to her, but she didn't question the feeling and never touched him.

"Did it hurt at all?"

Sans felt her gaze on the wound, choosing to lie with hopes of not worrying her. "No. No Frisk, it didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?"

Sans sighs, nodding and looking away from her, watching the 'floors' count onward.

"Yes. I'm fine."

The elevator itself could only go two ways; to the Hotlands laboratory and back to The Core. Not many monsters knew about it, how would they? The few beings that use it are hardly ever seen entering or exiting the elevator's doors, so it's believed that the scientists simply walk to work early in the mornings or late at night when no one is out. Others believe that they all live in the workplace.

This is somewhat true. Sans did, after all, stay in the Lab for many days at a time. He hadn't been home in God knows how long, and pretty much made the best of what he had in the True Lab. He never needed to eat, even though he should have, and had all the caffeine he needed. It was no wonder why nobody had seen him in so long.

The elevator took to a jolt, knocking Sans and Frisk off their heels a bit, each of them making effort to keep the other from falling. Frisk nearly let herself slam into the titanium walls before Sans had to pull her back to him. He took her by the shoulder roughly, keeping her in place at his side.

"Are you okay?" He asked a little panicked, to which Frisk brushes off with the wave of her hand.

"Yes, I'm okay. Are you?"