Frugal ( Male Chara x Female reader)--- UNDERTALE

Chapter 1

Chara didn't know what to think about Poppy. First of all, she was human. That should be enough to form an opinion. Yet, she didn't bother him as much as the others did. 'It's probably just because I don't know her well,' He thought. 'If I get to know her, she'll prove to be just like the rest.'

One thing had stayed stuck in his mind:

'We don't talk much anymore.' Poppy had said. She had seemed so dejected, it made him wonder if there was more to it. Determination often gave way to curiosity-- or perhaps it was the other way around.

'Why?' He wanted to ask. 'What happened between you and Frisk?'

The bushes rustled and Poppy stepped out. She looked over and hesitated, unsure whether she should speak. Chara smiled. She was so easy to read. She gave an awkward nod and sat down on her rock.

Chara felt a small twinge of guilt, or maybe frustration. They were back at square one: awkward, unsure. Poppy had been acting a lot more comfortable around him, right up until he spoke. He picked up a pebble off the floor of the cave and studied it. He threw it against the wall. He had been doing that a lot recently, testing out different rocks and seeing how they would bounce, what sounds they made hitting the wall and then the floor.

He heard Poppy shift on the rock, and looked up. She was staring at the trail leading in the the forest. Voices. Someone was coming up.

Chara shot up and retreated further in the cave.

The first person who emerged was an armless, yellow, biped monster with a striped shirt. When the second person appeared, Chara stepped back into the cave even further.

Frisk.

"Hey, Poppy. I didn't know you came here." Frisk ran up to where she was standing. They had a bag slung over their shoulder.

Chara grit their teeth, confused and agitated. Poppy had been visiting Mt. Ebott for almost two years, every day. How did they not know this?

"Yo, this place still gives me the chills." The monster next to Frisk said, peering at the cave entrance. M.K was his name, Chara remembered.

"We're here for the view." Frisk explained. They seemed oblivious to Poppy's closed off expression and the seething demon in the cave behind them.

Poppy nodded awkwardly. "That's nice."

M.K nudged Frisk. "Yo, the candy."

Frisk smiled. "That's right, I almost forgot." They unslung the bag from their shoulder and handed it to Poppy. "We brought a whole bunch of sweets for the hike, but we aren't hungry. You liked Sour Patch Kids, didn't you?"

"...Thanks." Poppy smiled, but she held the bag oddly, as if it were a bomb.

To Chara's dismay, Frisk and M.K hung around for most of the day. They talked with Poppy cheerfully, as if nothing was wrong. Chara had no idea what had happened, but seeing Poppy's uneasy and confused expression furthered his curiosity.

Finally, Frisk got a notification on their phone. They checked it and grimaced. "Mom wants me to come home." They looked at Poppy apologetically. "See you tomorrow."

He waited until he was sure Frisk was gone, then walked closer to the cave entrance.

He glanced at the bag in Poppy's hand. He didn't need to eat, but still..

"Is there.. uh, any chocolate in that bag?" He asked hesitantly.

She opened the bag and looked inside. She shook her head. "Just trail mix and Sour Patch Kids. Want some?"

Chara sighed. "No, it's fine. You should go home. It's late."

Poppy looked up at the sky. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."

"Bye." He mumbled.

He sat in the cave for a little longer. He was tired, but it was a long way to the MTT Hotel or anywhere where he could sleep. The judgement hall had a nice temperature, but there was no way he would be sleeping there. Eventually, he dozed off.

Chara woke up when the sun had dipped below the horizon, maybe an hour after Poppy left. Footsteps caught his attention and he sat straight up. The footsteps were receding, walking away from him. Reluctantly, Chara crept to the mouth of the cave. He walked out further, looking wildly around for the trespasser, when his foot hit against something that wasn't there before. He looked down, dumbfounded. A wooden basket was lying on the ground, tilted on its side. Rectangular objects wrapped in shiny paper spilled out of the edge. The moonlight caught on the paper, and he could make out one word: Lindt.

Chocolate.

Chara smiled, now knowing who the person was.

He would have to thank Poppy tomorrow.