An Underswap AU: A Tale of Seven Book 1

Entry # 38: Trust And Doubts And Buried Secrets

"You're going to tell me if something's wrong, right?" Chara had asked them before the splash wars began. "You're going to tell me if you're in pain or if you need help, right?"

Gerard and Saturn gave him a curious look, glancing at each other before answering.

"Of course." The orange head nodded with a sharp grin.

"Why wouldn't we?" The dark haired girl replied, tilting her head as if that were the most ridiculous questions she has ever heard.

Chara beamed in response, a tacit and sincere thank you. . . to words that, unbeknownst to him, don't reflect the truth. Gerard and Saturn's smiles became more strained.

When the brunette's attention swerved to Viorel, the pair's expressions darkened. One out of shame, and the other out of doubt.

✨ • ✨ • ✨

Although the physical injuries have long since healed, faded and mostly forgotten, mental scars continued to linger like a plague.

At the back of his mind, he can still hear their venomous voices, see their cruel sneers, smell the putrid scent of rust and blood, feel the cold and unforgiving manacles binding him to his cell, witness his handler hold him in place as he swung the machete downwards-

Pain erupted from his left arm. Gerard restrained himself from wincing and rubbed his aching limb absentmindedly. The last scene didn't get the chance to happen in this timeline, yet phantom pains still terrorized him regularly. Fortunately, he had gotten used to its occurrence before the twins fell into the Underground. He can't afford to have a screaming breakdown right in front of his siblings. And especially not another one in front of his father.

Throes of guilt struck Gerard like lightning when he remembered how worried sick Asgore was that day. And another wave of guilt washed over him when he downright lied to Chara earlier.

He gazed at the younger traipsing in front of him with cleverly concealed contriteness. No words can describe how much he despised keeping secrets from the people he cared about; Gerard has always preferred being a transparent person towards those he trusts. However, the red eyed boy has a lot on his plate recently. He doesn't need another problem to shoulder.

Gerard had considered telling Saturn, but taking the events of Timeline 172 into account, he decided not to. Henceforth, he opted to deal with FEAR and his issues on his own.

The orange head muttered some colorful words under his breath when he felt something familiar stirring within his soul as the phantom pains receded.

Speaking of the devil. . .

Not today, nor ever. He suppressed the ugly feeling and focused on the road ahead. If the summary in his head is correct, then this must be the time that-

"Yo! You guys are dripping wet! Did you have a splash fight or something?"

The kids spotted Monster Kid sheltered underneath a ledge poking out from the side of the cliffs.

"Sure did!" Saturn giggled.

"Oh, hello MK." Jaede greeted.

"Do any of you guys have an umbrella? I don't exactly have the hands to hold one." He asked rather sheepishly.

"Oh! I do!" Jaede said, fishing out a green one from her inventory. Unlike the others, she and Alice had insisted on keeping their umbrellas just in case they would need it again.

"Great! Thanks a million. . ." Monster Kid beamed, then he shifted awkwardly. "Er, I just realized I haven't gotten your names."

The children did their round of introductions. Afterwards, Monster Kid stepped beside Jaede, who opened and raised her umbrella over their heads.