SoulTale

Am I Your Light and Warmth Brother?

Present day:

The cold wind whooshed through the forest, ripping limbs and leaves from trees, the rain pelted the ground forcing it to give way into muddy streams. Every creature had a home to go to, burrows, dens, nests, except two.

Tied between three trees, placed over a dip in the ground, the blue tarp did nothing to protect those huddled under it. Soaked to the bone, shivering with cold, the siblings held each other close. The boy about sixteen, burrowed deeper into his older sister's side looking for warmth. Tightening her hold, she listened, not to the wind, not to the rain, but for anything that might be lurking out there, wolfs, coyotes, or heaven forbid those mad men they had run from.

"I...I am so cold, Poppy...can't you do something?" Poppy looked down at her brother, Frisk. Her eyes were slightly glazed and far off as if she was looking at something else.

"Cold? You say?"

"Yes," A shiver ran through Frisk as he tried to pull his legs closer.

The Underground some years earlier:

Two brothers sat in the dark and damp garbage dump of the Underground. It was not cold (like most places in the Underground) the dump was to close to Hotland, for that. It was dark, very dark, no bioluminescent plants grew in the dump.

The brothers curled up together, on one of the few dry spaces. The youngest was resting his head in his brother's lap while his brother leaned up against the wall.

"Sans, are you scared?" A high squeaky voice echoed in the cavern. Sans, the older of the two skeletons, peeked down at his brother, though he could not really see him.

"Why are you asking?"

"Ah...h...no reason."

Sans hummed nonchalantly and closed his eyesockets. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes when he was shaken awake.

"Sans, did you see that? I think there is something out there."

"Come on Pappy, there is nothing out there." As Sans reassured his brother, he strained to hear any other noise besides the waterfalls.

"Is there something bothering you Paps?"

"N...no, th...there's nothing wrong."

Sans hummed softly, as he looked out into the darkness. Umh, the dark, maybe, his brother had never been afraid of it before, but after everything that happened...

"Hey, are you scared of the dark?"

"What! Of course not!"

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Umh, ok then I am going back to sleep."

Present Day:

"Frisk, I don't know if I should...I mean well...I..." Poppy nervously studdered out.

"It's ok, I shouldn't have asked, I really am not that cold." A shiver ran through Frisk, as he turned to look up at his sister, her face was full of worry.

The Past:

"No, wait!" Papyrus exclaimed sitting up.

"Mmh, is there something you wanted?" Sans opened his eyes and looked down at his brother.

"I...well...I...yes, I am scared." Papyrus hung his head.

"Well, if you're really scared, then here this should help." Sans stretched his arm out in front of him, as the other dragged Papyrus into his side.

Present:

Poppy sighed heavily and stretched out her hand.

"Frisk, look." Frisk lifted his head, off her shoulder, and focused on her hand.

Present &  Past:

Warm, flames jumped into existence in Poppy's hand.

Soft, blue and green, flames flicked to life in Sans' palm.

Their makeshift tent filled with warmth.

The dump was illuminated with a gentle blue light.

"Thank you."

"Thank you, brother."

"Your welcome, after all, what are siblings for."  Words, spoken years apart, by two different people, hold the same love and warmth.

Through the night, Poppy and Sans stayed awake maintaining their flames, so their siblings could sleep peacefully.