Second Chance

3 - Looking Back

"You kind of suck at this.", Asriel laughed, beating his sibling once more in a game of Smash Bros.

"I can barely move, and I'm still giving you a hard time in a game I've never even played before."

"Meow meow meow meow meow. That's what you sound like."

"I'm going back to being dead." Chara put down the controllers, leaning back against the headboard of the bed.

"I'll play something else then."

Chara watched the TV screen as Asriel loaded up a singleplayer game. They weren't much of a videogame person themselves, but it made as lovely entertainment for the time being. The desk chair moved back, and the sound of a book being laid down on the desk.

"I must head to the flower shop. I figure the two of you will be alright?"

"We'll be fine, dad.", Asriel said, keeping his eyes glued to the tv.

"Your mother should be here shortly." Asgore rested his hand on Chara's head, gently scratching their scalp.

It was a reassuring touch, one Chara was all too familiar with. It was one of their favourite parts of their bedtime ritual back in the underground.

They leaned into the touch, humming quietly. A soft smile was plastered on their face.

"Take care of your sibling, Asriel."

"Ofcourse, when do I not?", he chuckled, leaning down on the bed he was sitting on. His head ended up next to Chara's hip. They grabbed his ear, flopping it around. "Stop that."

"... No, I don't think I will."

"How would you feel if I flopped your ears around?"

"You can't. They aren't as big."

"So that's why you don't listen when someone asks you anything?"

Chara stopped, a frown now plastering their features. "You're so mean."

"Now now, you two." Asgore laughed. "Play nice. It's like you didn't age at all." He made his way to the door. "I'll be off now. Have fun!"

Right. Age.

Chara wasn't 11 anymore. They were 19. Eight years of their life, gone just like that. Seven, if you wouldn't count that their birthday had already passed. They would never experience high school, or the absolute pain that is puberty. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise?

"You look a little dim out of the blue.", Asriel remarked.

Chara shrugged. "I missed all of my teenage years. It's not surprising I feel a little blue about that."

"But you experienced Frisk's, didn't you?" Asriel looked up at Chara, still in the same position he was in earlier. "You were there when they asked us to stop using she or her. You were there when they had their top surgery. You were there through their insane fits when they were fifteen."

Chara laughed. "God, I remember those. One time, mom had to get a new bedroom door for them."

"Exactly, you were there! Sure, you didn't experience it yourself, but... I don't think you want to experience a period."

"No thanks."

"So don't be too bummed about it. We're still at the start of life, after all. We've been given a second chance, let's not waste it brimming on the years you didn't have."

A comfortable silence loomed over them.

"Asriel."

"Chara."

"I need to use the bathroom."

He shot up. "Again?! That's the third time in two hours?!"

"I can't help it, hello?! You have to go when you have to go!"

He laughed, getting up from the bed. "I'll go get the wheelchair."

----

"i got it.", Sans said as he threw a box up and down in the air. The box contained an air mattress, which the skeletons had lying around in case Frisk decided they wanted to spend the night at their place. "catch." He threw the box at the human.

"Umpf-" The box came down heavy. "How did you throw that so easily?" Sans shrugged.

"Careful, Sans. We don't want to break them.", Toriel complained.

"the mattress can take it."

"I meant Frisk."

"oh. yeah."

"HUMAN!"

Papyrus jogged into the living room from the kitchen, placing a plastic box on top of the one they were already carrying. Steam came off of it.

"SPAGHETTI IS THE BEST REMEDY WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL WELL. THIS FOR HUMAN NUMBER TWO!"

"papyrus, i don't think the kid is allowed to eat yet."

"OH." Papyrus frowned. "THEN THE HUMAN CAN EAT IT!" He smiled again, patting Frisk's head.

"Thanks, Papyrus. I'd rather share it with you, though."

"OH NO, NO, NO! THAT SHALL NOT WORK THIS TIME, HUMAN! OTHERWISE, I WILL END UP EATING THE WHOLE THING WITHOUT LETTING YOU EVEN TASTE IT!"

Frisk sighed, smiling down at the air mattress they held. Was it over the top to inflate an air mattress in the room where Chara was? Maybe. But it seemed much more enjoyable to spend every second they could with them. Jesus, were they being too clingy?

"Anyhow, thank you for letting us borrow the air mattress, boys."

"any time, tori." Sans winked.

"Ready to go, Frisk?"

They nodded. Toriel and Frisk said their goodbyes to the skeleton brothers and made their way back into the car. Once settled, she noticed the conflicted look on their face.

"Something the matter, my child?"

"... Do you think I'm coming on to Chara too much?"

Toriel pouted in confusion. "No, I don't think so. If they feel that way, they will surely let you know, trust me. You've only spoken with them shortly last night."

"Still, I..." Frisk fidgeted with the case of their phone. They shook their head. "Anyhow. Were they doing better when you were with them this morning?"

She flinched. "Yes.", she managed to say through gritted teeth.

"You don't sound convinced."

"They... threw up a lot. And the wound isn't healing at the pace it should be healing." The monster rested her hand on the human's leg. "But it's nothing to be worried about, alright? Try not to let it get to you." They nodded.

The rest of the drive was quite silent. The golden colouring of the sunset created a painterly atmosphere throughout the neighbourhood they drove through. Frisk's phone pinged.

Hey. Asriel made the mistake of giving me his phone. He's never getting it back.

They smiled down at the device.

"Oh? Who's got you smiling like that?", Toriel smirked.

"It's Chara. They stole Asriel's phone." Realisation struck. "Wait, what?! It's not like that-!"

"Hmm, sure it isn't."

"... Stop it...", they muttered. Frisk felt their cheeks starting to heat up. They decided to turn their attention back to their phone.

Almost there!!! Am i able to hug you or would that like kill you :p

Another ping.

I'm sure it's fine. See you in a bit <3

Frisk blinked down at their phone. No way. Why did this... tug at them? There is no way Toriel was right. They had barely even spoken to Chara from the moment they left their mind. And yet, they felt the pace of their heart speed up.

A silly crush wouldn't hurt, right?