Just One Night

Research

Twenty-six hours.

One hundred and seven books.

Only snippets here and there to guide her.

It was enough to make her scream. Even now as her eyes closed and head bobbed, Chara forced herself to awaken once more, her task more important than sleep. If she could pull this off, then it would mean the world to her adoptive family. She had to, she must pull this off!

If only she could stay awake for more than five goddamn seconds..

A weak groan passed her lips as she fell forward into the pile of books littering the floor around her. Her small frame curled in on itself as she collapsed on her work, the only reprieve from the descent being a growing bed of ivy that cushioned her fall. Her crimson gaze flickered to Flowey, his eyes that usually were cold and distant, held an ounce of worry in them, his face set with a deep scowl that bordered on anger rather than concern, but that was no big deal. She had come to find over the last few months that the little flower hid his emotions behind a stony facade, his worry masked by indifference or harsh words. Even now as the little plant began to berate her for the lack of care for her health, she managed to catch the tremble of his mouth and the slight glimmer in his beady eyes. She managed a small smile and held a hand out to him, a silent offering that he could not refuse.

He huffed, but reached out with a tiny leaf to hold her hand as she fell into an exhausted and reluctant sleep. His eyes shined with emotion, now that he was sure she was asleep. It was such a pain to hide himself from them all, but if he let his worry and fear show, it would do nothing to help his family. He had learned of the upcoming war a few days after the original group had, their father's reasoning being for them to protect Frisk if it came down to it, which he had no issue doing. He loved his sister dearly, she had been the one to give him happiness, love, and a second chance. He owed her more than he could ever repay, and if it came down to it he would lay down his life to ensure her survival.

He studied Chara's face intently, his beady eyes taking in the gentle curves of her cheeks, full and round, cherubic in nature; she could easily pass for an angel, and if he dared to dream, his angel. He noted the gentle fluttering of her lashes, long and curly, against the smooth curve of her cheek. His gaze drifted down to stare at her mouth as a weary sigh passed plumped lips, no doubt from sleep, but he found himself wondering just how soft they would feel against his own. The idea brought a fiery blush to his yellow cheeks, eyes wide with embarrassment as he quickly looked away from her sleeping face.

She hummed slightly in annoyance before rolling onto her back, no doubt to get more comfy, but simultaneously pulling the little plant with her. He rested against her chest as she brought her hand to rest above her breast, which he wouldn't complain about, but he found slightly uncomfortable nonetheless, the blush darkening to a deep scarlet against his flowery face.

This girl.. is far too careless..

He sighed in exasperation but curled into the soft fabric of her sweater nonetheless, closing his eyes while he listened to the gentle beat of her heart. It never ceased to amaze him how soothing her presence was, how at ease he felt by her side. It was strange and unfamiliar to rely so heavily on one's presence, and yet he found that he never wanted to part with the woman who had joined his little family. His tiny leaf brushed gently against the soft flesh of her palm, the warmth of her skin contrasting with the chill of his plant appendage.

He longed to have his old body back, to be able to caress her silky hair, to hold her warm body against his own, to be someone she could admire, and he reluctantly admitted, someone she could see herself with. It was nothing more than a hopeful delusion, a peaceful thought that was more tormenting than calming. How he longed to quell her fears, to hold her close and never let her go. It was all a bit terrifying if he were honest, to desire someone so much, but he couldn't ignore the feelings she stirred within his soul, the pull that he felt towards her. When his feelings had first surfaced he passed it off as nothing more than a slight attraction to the girl he spent every day and night with, but as days passed to months, he could no longer deny that he saw the human woman in a brand new light. At first, he only saw her as his new sister, her relation to Frisk being the only thing that mattered, and if truth be told he found her insufferable and noisy, always grating on his nerves unlike anyone else had before, which is saying a lot since Sans- the comedian, they called him- had been most annoying up until that point. He had forgotten exactly when he began to see her as the spunky, intelligent and vibrant woman that she truly was, but now that he had, he could no longer see her as anything less than his best friend, his angel.

It was natural, he supposed, to develop feelings towards her after all the time they spent together. Literally every day was spent in her company from sharing a bedroom, eating meals together, to watching over their sister together. That wasn't to say they were dependent on one another, the two would frequently get into squabbles over little things here and there and end up taking time apart to cool down or just be alone. After all, there was only so much of one another they could take, especially after long days of taking care of their sister's mood swings and pregnancy pains. Still, they always went to bed without any bad blood between them, one apologizing- typically him- to clear the air after a bad day. She would always grace him with a tender smile that never failed to make him blush after sorry's were exchanged and the two would go to sleep happily. Lately she had taken to cuddling with him, or at the very least holding onto one of his vines, much to his amusement. Part of him hoped that she was seeking out comfort from him specifically, that she felt safe and content having a part of him to hold onto. It never failed to bring about a warmth in his soul, and privately, it made him unbelievably happy and hopeful that maybe she found herself as drawn to him as he was her. Wishful thinking, he told himself, but the smile that stretched across his face belied his happiness.

The beat of her heart- strong and steady- underneath his body lulled him to sleep, his dreams filled with thoughts of life anew, with a certain crimson eyed woman by his side.

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Hey everybody. It's Storm here. Just wanted to say sorry for not updating in forever. I've been struggling with severe anxiety and depression. It's been a struggle to even want to write lately, but I'm trying to focus on writing more and coming out with new chapters. Thanks for being patient.

Also, I'm so happy you guys have brought up baby names! It made me so happy to hear your thoughts and opinions! I won't be picking a winner yet until I write that chapter, in case more people decide to vote/suggest names, but the ones I've seen so far were so unbelievably creative and adorable like you guys are so imaginative I swear!

Anyways sorry for rambling. I'm going to work on the next chapter now. Hope you guys enjoyed!