From Darkness, Love Came Through

Part 3: Its Okay To Need

Asgore was in the room not five seconds after he'd heard Gaster scream. The sound was followed by Sans and Papyrus shouting in alarm, their voices fraught with fear. What met the old goat's eyes made his soul stop.

Gaster was trashing about as if seizing, but he was screaming as if being attacked. His magic swirled around his body in violet hues that almost made it seem like he was engulfed in purple fire. Asgore would've believed he was burning if it weren't for the lack of smoke.

"Dad! Dad, please snap out of it!" Sans pleaded as Papyrus shook Gaster, trying to get him out of the horrid delusion he was in.

"Papyrus, Sans," Asgore was getting a deep feeling of dread at how close they were, "You need to back up, now!"

"We can't just leave him like this!" Papyrus insisted. Neither brother seemed to realize their father's magic was growing steadily unstable, like a pipe about to burst from to much pressure.

"Get back, now!" Asgore rushes forward and grabbed them both, turning his back just in time.

Gaster's magic reached its peak and broke like a swelling river through a dam. He sat upright and let out a tortured yell as his magic lashed out, taking the form of bones with sharpened ends. A total of twelve went off in all directions, one piercing the shoulder of the king before impaling itself in the wall, but that didn't keep Asgore from shielding Sans and Papyrus from the volley of bones. Once Gaster's voice had fallen silent, Asgore let the brothers go before turning to the scientist.

"A-Asgore-" Gaster's voice came out weak and shaky, his shoulders trembling.

"Gaster-" Asgore noticed immediately how the skeleton's eyes fell on his injury, and immediately sent him reeling at the sight. His eyelights became small and unfocused has his breath turned shallow and rapid.

"Gaster!" Asgore rushed to his friend, taking the smaller monster's hands in his own, "Gaster, I'm fine! It's alright!"

"I-I-I hurt-"

"It's just a graze. Look, I'll be fine." Asgore raised a hand to his shoulder, a faint green light came to life for a moment. When he pulled his hand away, his shoulder was healed, the only signs of the wound being the tear in his shirt and some blood.

"Now please Gaster, just breathe." Asgore held Gaster's hands on his larger ones, speaking more soothingly now to help him calm down, "Breathe."

Although skeletons didn't require air to survive, the act of breathing was still something that was soothing when they were worked up. After a moment of Asgore steadying him, Gaster managed a shaky breath in, holding it for a moment before releasing it. Seeing the scientist do this helped ease the king's nerves a bit.

"Good, now again." Once he got Gaster breathing steadily, Asgore looked at the brothers, "What happened?"

"H-He just started screaming." Sans said rubbing his skull, a bit dazed by the events.

"We don't know why." Papyrus had pulled his brother into his lap to hug him.

"Gaster," Asgore turned to the shaking skeleton in front of him, "Please tell me what happened."

"N-No..." Gaster shook his head, "I don't want to talk about it..."

"Gaster, please-"

"No!" The skeleton put his arms over his head and brought his knees to his chest.

Asgore sighed, "Sans, Papyrus, can you give us a moment?"

"But-"

"C'mon Paps." Sans took his brother's hand, "Dad needs a second." Sans gave Asgore a look that the king couldn't quite read before he led his younger brother out of the room.

Once they were gone, Asgore sat beside his friend as placed a gentle hand on his back, "They're gone, Gaster. Now will you tell me what that was?"

Gaster peeked out at him, seeming to now consider. Asgore knew the scientist had always had trouble allowing himself to vent out what troubled him, and the goat was ashamed to admit before he would give up on getting Gaster to open up, but that wasn't going to slide this time. Things were going to be different this time, Asgore would make sure of it. He knew Gaster didn't want his sons seeing him vulnerable, but he'd just have to get used to the fact that Asgore wasn't going to let him keep everyone bottled up anymore.

"You can talk to me. I would never judge you."

"My king...isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"How about you stop trying to use my status as a reason for not talking to me? I am your friend, and as such I am not leaving until I know you're alright. Now please Gaster, Tell me what caused you to loose control of your magic like that?"

"..." Gaster sighed and looked away, arms ok his knees, "It was dark...I...I thought I was...back..."

"Back?"

"In the Void, where I was after I fell. It's a space outside of reality...where nothing exists...it's dark and empty...just blackness."

"Gaster..." Asgore felt his stomach drop when he heard the fear shaking the other's voice. He'd never heard Gaster so afraid of something.

"Forgive me for loosing control like that."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Asgore insisted, taking his hand, "It's perfectly normal for such an experience to leave its mark."

"But I hurt-"

"You were panicked, Gaster. I know you would never mean to attack me."

"That's no excuse for my actions. If you hadn't been here, my sons could've been hurt."

"It's not you're fault. Gaster, you're allowed to need time to recover." Asgore took placed a hand on the skeleton's face and gently turned his head so he was looking him in the eye, "You're allowed to look after yourself. Let go of that idea that you need to be the one in control of everything and just let yourself heal."

"That's easier said than done." Given the circumstances, Gaster didn't pull away from the touch, finding it comforting. He even leaned into it a bit.

Asgore gave him a reassuring smile, "Then it's a good thing you have friends and family who care about you and are willing to help you with that."

Gaster smiled, "Yeah...I guess I am pretty lucky."

Asgore chuckled, and was delighted when he heard Gaster laugh as well. It was small and quiet, but it was still a genuine laugh that made the king's soul flutter in his chest when he heard it. The two stayed as they were for a moment, as if they'd forgotten all about what had happened, lost in one brief moment away from troubles...until Asgore realized he was still touching Gaster and pulled his hands away, not wishing to make him uncomfortable. Little did he know the scientist felt the contact had ended much to soon for his liking.

"Would you like me to help you downstairs? I'm sure your sons don't mind staying up with you until you feel ready to sleep again. I...I should go home as well."

"That's most kind of you, Asgore." The use of his name got Asgore feeling incredibly light for reasons he could explain, "Are you sure it's not to much trouble?"

"Of course not, my friend."

———

When Asgore left, Gaster had been on the couch, Papyrus excitedly pulling out movies he thought his father would enjoy, and Sans getting some movie snacks. His sons' instant enthusiasm to stay awake with him until he fell asleep had brought a bright smile to Gaster's face, and as the king walked home despite Sans offering to show him a shortcut to his house, Asgore found his mind wondering to that smile, to that brief moment when Gaster had accepted and even leaned into his touch. No matter how much he tried to pull his thoughts away from it, they kept circling back.

He chalked it up to just being relieved to see the Doctor smiling again.