Undertale OneShots - They're longing for you

Echo!Sans x Neko!Reader - Merry go round

He opens his eyesockets and closes them again right away. The snow surrounding him shines brightly in the light of the streetlamp he's hunched up against. As his eyes adjust to his environment he slowly stands up, knocking snow of his black pants and jacket. Confused and wary he looks around. Snow covers all there is to see and hides tall trees under a thick blanket of cold while darkness swallows all that is not touched by the streetlamps dim light. A bit uncomfortable he takes a package of cigarettes out of his jacket, as well as a silver lighter with his name engraved in it. Echo. Well, it isn't his real name. His real name is long forgotten. Deeply inhaling the smoke he flicks his finger and a small, bony head appears behind him. The head has sharp, defining bones, sharp teeth and is shaped like a wolf's one. Dark orange light emits from it's mouth and eyes and lights the way for him to go. Slowly walking through the snow he looks around, sucking up all detail. In front of him stands a wooden booth, abandoned, left alone, covered in thick layers of snow with white flowers growing out of rotten wood. The trees stand tall, broken snow sculptures of a dog are hidden underneath all this white, his breath forms into white clouds that vanish in the cold air. Slowly breathing he closes his eyesockets for a second and calms himself until he hears the barking of an excited dog.

Startled he opens his eyesockets and takes a step back. In the snow there is the small, white guard dog building his snow sculptures, his head somewhere in the sky, his small paws moving with precision that no one would have expected. Quite confused Echo shakes his head and slowly walks past the small dog that doesn't even seem to notice his presence. Still quite confused, having walked past the dog that seemingly came out of nowhere, he takes out another cigarette, lights it and nearly slips on the ice under his feet. The Blaster following him around lights the way just enough for Echo to recognise the puzzle. It is Papyrus' puzzle but it ain't solved. The way to Snowdin is blocked once again, as if (y/n) had never come through here. What luck for him that the puzzle is quite easy to solve. After all x are turned to 0 a bridge like snow unfolds and gives him the freedom to return home which he quite gladly accepts, walking faster, the environment making him more than uneasy. Quietly another cigarette falls into the snow, melting a small hole into a snow poof. A snow poof, another snow poof, yet another snow poof, surprisingly a snow poof, all covered in little snow poofs, arranged in chaos but not chaotic. Walking past the snow poofs and the small doghouse the tall guard dog suspiciously sniffs him but lets him walk through. Only the large rope bridge now keeps him from snowdin. The old wood creaks but not breaks. It never will break and it never has broken. It feels a lot better for him to now see the small villages Snowdin banner. With another flick of his fingers the Blaster silently disappears, the lights of the village are more than enough for Echo to see. The small houses look magical covered in snow with warm light emitting from the inside.

The village looks cozy, sleepily lying there, covered in white blankets with little spots of light like sleepy eyes. Throwing the rest of his burnt out cigarette into the snow he starts walking through the white dreamland. Inside the shop he can see the lapine shopkeeper tidying up the shelves and sorting the few items she sells with a smile on her face, her almond-shaped eyes as clear as ever. In the next house he can see the shopkeeper's sister and her son standing behind the counter, ready for anyone who wishes for a good nights sleep. Two other lapins stand outside in the cold, both ignorant to his presence while a bear distributes presents under a large christmas tree. Going further he can see Grillby's and the town library and the skeleton brothers house. When their house is reached it wouldn't take long to get to Waterfall. This image of the happy village feels quite unreal to him as he steps through the snow, happy that his black boots keep his feet warm, as far as a skeleton can feel warmth and cold. Slowly walking past the skeleton brother's house he can see them inside, Papyrus sitting on the ground with a naive smile, unwrapping a present and Sans sitting on the sofa grinning at his brothers happiness. What a wonderful life, Echo thinks walking to Waterfall. Reaching the part where all is covered in fog he stays still for a bit, breathes in and out, a single orange glowing tear falling down his cheek. He is not aware he is crying.

As the fog lifts he can't believe what he sees. There is no Waterfall, no cave, no Echo flowers. Standing before him is the entrance to, what (y/n) called it, a theme park. Well, it maybe is a bit much to call it a theme park. All there is for him to see is a ferris wheel, three booths, one for hot dogs, one for sweets and one for a little shooting game, a small rollercoaster, a small horror house and a big merry go round. Confused he rubs his eyesockets. That all is too unreal and he starts trying to wake himself up as a clear voice reaches out to him.

„Echo!"

He looks up and starts to grin as he sees a young monster run up to him. The cat ears and tail of this monster start twitching in excitement and it digs it's handlike paws into his white pullover, rubbing it's face with the small whiskers against his body. Smiling he scratches it's cat ears and pushes it away softly.

„Calm down big kitty."

„How could I? I've waited for you really long! Come on already! Come on!"

It takes his hand and pulls him to the sweets booth.

„A big cotton candy please!"

The boothkeeper, a young monster quite resembling the nice cream guy, nods and takes out quite the big lump of that sugary, cloudlike sweet, giving it to her with a lively enjoy your meal.

It bites into it and grins, a purr coming from it. As it holds it up to him he takes a bite too. Such sugary stuff isn't quite his favourite but for (y/n) he would do anything. With a smile it licks all the cotton candy from the stick and throws it in a trash bin that is shaped like a dinosaur, then it pulls him up to the rollercoaster. They both step inside and once all safety measures are assured the ride starts. It is a ride into the stars. Through a tunnel it goes that is painted like the night sky and a looping is something too that is not missed. They start laughing as it is quite so much fun.

As they are back on the ground it starts shaking a little and meows a bit pained. Looking at its paws and nose he can see that it is quite cold in it's ripped, short clothes so blushing a faint orange he gives it his jacket.

„Just for right now, 'kay kitty?"

The monster smiles and nods quite vehement before abruptly running to the ferris wheel. He follows it and they both start watching the park grow smaller and smaller as the ferris wheel moves up to the top. It isn't as fun as (y/n) made it out to be but romantic it is nonetheless. Not that, he would really care for that but the monster liked it. As they get off the monster once again runs off, now to the merry go round. The ride is beautiful. Lights everywhere while horses quietly wait for visiters to sit up and hold their leashes. Black horses, white horses, brown horses, unicorns, with or without gear but one more beautiful than the other it seemed. The ride is painted in the light of hundreds of dim, orange light bulbs and it is painted with flowers, ornaments and on the outside even fairy tails grace the ride. The monster screeches in happiness and jumps up and down, it's tail wagging in excitement and it's ears perked up.

„Come on, come on! Ride with me! This will be exciting!"

It gets on the ride and jumps on a white horse with golden mane and tail, golden ornaments and golden gear. It is the fanciest horse on the whole ride and even more beautiful with sweet (y/n) sitting on it. Grinning he gets on it and stands next to the monster, helping it balance a little as the ride starts and it tries to keep standing on the horse, nearly falling. It's happy laughter echoes in his mind as the ride goes faster and faster, so fast that the outside world seems to melt together in one, blurry picture. It feels like an eternity until the ride stops. Smiling he wants to help it of the horse but no one is there.

No (y/n), no boothkeeper. Just an empty theme park.

He is left alone.

Uneasy he calls out for (y/n).

It responds.

As he feels hands tugging on his soul he opens his eyes and looks into beautiful (y/n) eyes.

His merry go round of life is over.

------------------------

Art by chiarasanchi on DeviantArt:

https://www.deviantart.com/chiarasanchi/art/Gaster-Sans-596128326