Sometimes kindness is enough

Chapter 22 : The calm before the storm

Red stood in front of the castle, Sans in his arms and Flowey on his shoulder. The three of them were quiet, as to not disturb the eerie silence around them, but it was for different reasons in fact : Red was trying to not think about what will happen once they would pass these doors, his unhelpful mind telling him that Sans would die, no matter what they do. Flowey didn't want to be here, didn't want to see his 'father' again, he didn't want to have to be confronted to his memories, his failures. He wanted to disappear,  to never be seen again. As for Sans, the hope he had had when some of his strength returned was crushed down as his body's weight seemed to drag him down with every step Red took. 'Pathetic. I can't even lift a finger... I can barely speak... How am I even supposed to help Red like this? How am I supposed to free the whole Underground like this?!' He felt so weak, and once again slept a lot, going in and out of naps. The the small group kept standing there for some minutes, before Red finally moved. With Flowey's help, he pushed the door open and stepped into the castle, warily waiting for any kind of surprise attack. But... "No guards? No Asgore? What the hell?!" Flowey looked just as surprised as Red was. There should have been plenty of soldiers ready to kill them, yet there was none of them in sight. They proceeded carefully through the different rooms of the castle, but it seemed like the castle was empty. 'We didn't check the throne room yet. Knowing that paranoid coward, that's where he would be hidding.'

"Red, I think we should rest. Sans doesn't look alright." "I know, but the sooner we got there, the sooner we could help Sans reach the surface and save him." "Red, please." The tone Flowey used was desperate, almost pleading. Red didn't need to turn his head to see the small tears in Flowey's eyes. He knew they were here, just like his owns. "...Okay, sure. Ya hear me,  Sweetheart? We're gonna stop a little, so ya can rest more." Sans opened faintly his valid eye, tried to nod but couldn't. The sight made Red's soul clench painfully. His arms shook a little as he sped up to the next room. 'Please Sans, just a little more. Hold on just a little more.' Red pushed another set of doors, and froze in place where he stood. In his haste to get Sans in a safeplace, he didn't pay attention to where his steps led him to. What looked like a Twilight sun casted his rays in the empty room. Broken tiles were paving it entirely. Cracks were running along the old walls, that was a miracle this room didn't collapsed yet. Stained glass diffused the light all around the pillars, that casted their growing shadows over the three monsters and towards the door at the opposite end of the room. The Judgement hall, in all it's splendor.

Red gulped loudly,  he hated this place so much. It brought back some unpleasant memories, when he had been forced to judge some of his fellow monsters for petty crimes, on Asgore's orders. Sometimes, he found that the monsters were not guilty at all, but Asgore's paranoid mind didn't give a damn about it. Red had a bitter taste in his mouth. Sure, he only judged monsters, he didn't kill them directly. Yet it was his judgement that brought them in front of Muffet. And only a handful of them survived. He was Muffet's partner in crime. He shook his head, trying to not think about it anymore and walked to a wall. He turned his back to it, before slowly slidding against it, Sans still in his arms. He let in head testing against the wall, closing his eyes a moment. 

"...R..Red?" "Hm?" He opened one eye, looking at Sans. He seemed so weak... "What is it, Sansy?" "...Once we... we reach the...Surface... What are you...going to...do?" "Sweetheart, don't try to talk and rest a little, okay? Ya'll feel better if-" "...Please...Red..." Red sighed heavily, before thinking for a moment. "What I'll do... I think I would go see the stars... And what you called 'windmill'... But first, I 'll find a way to buy a house. A nice house, not too big nor too small... Somewhat isolated from any neighbourhood." Red softly nuzzled Sans' skull, almost purring, "A house where we could live together." Sans eye lit up at that mention. "...R...Really? Do you...trully...mean it?" "Yeah. A house for you and me. Maybe for one babybone. Or two. Or even more if you want to." Flowey interrupted them, looking panicked over what he just heard. "Whoa whoa whoa guys! Don't you think you're going too fast?! I mean, you know each other for more or less two weeks!!" "More, don't forget the RESETS." "That's not the point!" "...Erm, yes it is..." "Anyway! You know each other for barely two weeks, and you're already planning to live together? To have children?" Red tightened his onld on Sans a little, kissing lovely his skull. "When ya're sure about it, there's no point in denying it. I love ya Sans, and I want to spend my life by yer side. It may sounds cheesy and all, but I don't care. The only thing I care about right now is you and only you." Sans smiled weakly at that. "...Not even...your brother?" "Boss is old enough to make his own choices... Even if the talking toaster is involved in it. And I'm old enough as well to make my choices all by myself. And if one of these choices is spending my life with my other half, then I'll gladly do it." Sans cheekbones slowly took some blue hues. Even though he felt weak, it seemed like his body still had enough resources to do that. "Would ya like that, Sansy?" "...Yes...All you...said...I want to...do it...with you..."

Sans                                                       LV1                                                                 268:43

Last Corridor

File saved

They stayed in the judgement hall in a little longer, the three of them fearing what would happen once they left that sanctuary. But it's not like they could stay forever in there. They had to keep moving forward. Red walked reluctantly to the the other doors, leaving behind them the last shred of calm and peace they had.

They passed the doors. Fate slowly worked it's way to the end of their journey. All destinies would depend from this enconter. The enconter that would happen beyond the throne's doors the three monsters were standing in front of.

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing alright! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Just to tell you, I'm not sure I'll post a chapter tomorrow. I'll write a bunch of chapters in advance and post one per day, so I don't know if you will have one tomorrow. Let's hope I'll be productive enough to do so! Anyway! Comments and questions are welcome, just like usual! I wish you a lovely day or night!!