Papyrus set you down gently before gasping, "OH! MY BROTHER WOULD BE SO SURPRISED TO HEAR I FOUND A HUMAN! MUCH LESS, A HUMAN FRIEND!"
Your stomach dropped hearing this, and you interjected quickly.
"Papyrus wait! I really don't want anyone knowing I'm here. Toriel told me they hunt humans here and... well, you're kinder than she told me others are.." you admitted.
He nodded knowingly, "IT IS TRUE. IT'S MY DUTY AS A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD TO CAPTURE HUMANS-"
"WHAT?!", you exclaim in fear, "Please. Don't tell anyone about me, especially the fact I'm human. I just want to live peacefully here, it's a home to me."
"FEAR NOT! FRIENDSHIP COMES BEFORE MY ROYAL GUARD DUTIES! I WOULD NEVER TURN MY BACK TO A FRIEND IN NEED!" He poses dramatically, his scarf flowing in the cold breeze.
You take a deep breath before sighing, "Thank you Papyrus, I really appreciate that. What are you doing all the way over here? Are you the person who comes here to talk with Toriel?"
"I WASN'T AWARE SHE LIVES HERE, AT LEAST NOBODY KNEW UNTIL NOW," He stops, seeing your worried expression, "WHICH OF COURSE I WILL ALSO KEEP BETWEEN US!"
"Thanks again."
"OF COURSE! I'M ACTUALLY OVER HERE TO FIND MY LAZY BONES BROTHER. HE'S PART OF THE ROYAL GUARD TOO BUT HE CARES MORE ABOUT SLEEPING THAN HIS JOB."
"Sleeping is really nice, I can't lie. Are you worried about him? Should we look for him together? Are humans recognizable around here?"
"IF HE ISN'T HERE, HE PROBABLY FELL ASLEEP AT HIS POST IN WATERFALL. WHICH MEANS HE NEVER CAME HERE LIKE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO." He crosses his arms, sighing.
"Well I better let you go before it gets dark, where's Waterfall? I wonder how water flows in a place like this."
Papyrus laughs, "NO, WATERFALL IS OUTSIDE OF SNOWDIN, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE. THE UNDERGROUND IS MUCH BIGGER THAN YOU THINK!"
You eyes lit up at this, "Wow! If I can convince Toriel to let me go out further, would you show me around?"
"WHY YES! IT WOULD BE MY HONOR! UNFORTUNATELY, I BEST BE GOING! IT WILL BE DARK SOON!"
You nodded, "When will I see you again?"
"I CAN COME BY TOMORROW IF YOU WOULD LIKE!" He exclaims, "THIS IS NOT FAR FROM MY REGULAR ROUTE!"
You clasped your hands together in excitement, "Awesome! I'll see you tomorrow!"
You and Papyrus said your goodbyes before you made your way to the stone door, pulling it open again with what strength you had as a human. Toriel made this look easy.
Closing the door behind you and turning around to continue down the hall, you bump into Toriel.
"OH! T-Toriel haha! You got here fast!"
Toriel was silent, staring at you, arms crossed.
"You forgot to check in with me. And don't tell me you were talking to yourself out there."
You swallow nervously, taking off the layers of clothes Toriel put you in.
"I'm sorry. I didn't go far at all, but someone found me. His name is Papyrus, but he promised not to tell anyone about me - He's really nice, so I'm sure it'll be ok!"
She sighs, rubbing her eyes with her palms, "Papyrus, ok. He should be fine but.. just run in if it's not him, ok? From now on."
"Actually... I was going to ask.. I was hoping you'd let me go further out into the Underground. He told me there's more than the- Than Snowdin," you mentioned, "Oh wait. I get it now. Snowed-in." you laughed.
"...tomorrow?" She asked.
"Uh, well he said he'd come by again tomorrow but- I guess if you allow it?"
"...You may consider me your mom but... you ARE an adult. I can't stop you and like you said, you'll come back. So... let me think about this until tomorrow morning." she said, obviously stressed out about this ordeal.
"Yes! I mean, of course. I'm sorry to worry you on the first day I leave the ruins."
She laughs, turning to the stairway with you following behind her quickly.
"It's not like you got caught on purpose Buttercup. You need to be more careful from now on though, Papyrus is the nicest person in the Undergound. We are very lucky that it was him who found you, and not someone else."
That night passed fairly quickly, having some left-over pot pie that Toriel made a couple days ago and finishing it off.
You couldn't sleep after getting ready for bed that night. Around 2 in the morning and getting no shut-eye, you decide getting out of bed and walking around should help. Of course, walking around the Ruins, you wouldn't leave without telling Toriel - much less knowing how cold it is in Snowdin.
You run into a couple of your froggit friends, coming to where you fell down. This was pretty much the end of the ruins, the moonlight shining through the hole you fell through. It looks small from all the way down here - but you can tell it's a fairly large hole with how much light is coming through.
It's really peaceful here at night.
Turning around to return to bed, feeling tired enough, you spot something.
What's a buttercup doing so far from the patch?
You walk up behind it, crouching down to feel it's petals but as you barely graze one, it screams -turning to face you quickly.
"WOAH!" You fall backwards, sitting back up to face it.
It's a flower - but not? It's a living creature. Well, it has a face. A surprised one at least.
"What the hell are you doing here?" It asks rudely.
"...I'm sorry? I don't know you, also that's not very nice. I've been in the ruins for a while now. Who are you?" You ask.
"Flowey, the flower. Don't laugh - that's my actual name." He responds, squinting at you.
"Why would I laugh? Toriel calls me Buttercup. If anything, your name is more of a name than mine." You admit.
He pauses before continuing, "So you and Toriel are close huh?"
"Well, yeah. She's like a mother to me. I don't have any memories from my previous life and she took me in. That's pretty motherly right?"
You both stare at each other for a while before Flowey sighs, "Great. I thought you'd be gone by now."
"...I'm sorry? I only just went into Snowdin today. Why, do you want me gone?"
"You idiot, you're our only way out of the Underground. The barrier they trapped us here with only needs one more soul to shatter."
You huff, "It's not my fault we're stuck down here. Me apologizing won't help either... is that the only way out?"
It nodded, "Doesn't matter. You'll die out there sooner or later. Snowdin is only the beginning and with how gushy you are - you won't make it far."
You cross your arms, upset with his brash statement, "Not true! I have a strong friend now, Papyrus!"
Flowey laughs, "Him? You're kidding, he couldn't hurt a fly. You're lucky it was him who found you and not his funny bones brother," he paused, "then again, his brother won't do anything if you and Papyrus are friends. He cares about him too much to do something like that."
"His brother? I remember Papyrus mentioning him, but I heard he sleeps on the job."
"That's what he wants people to think. He's someone you should be worried about getting on the wrong side of. I've done it - hate his guts. If he had any!" Flowey laughs maniacally.
"...What are you doing here all alone? Is this where you stay all the time? I've seen you pop up every now and then but I've never gotten to say hi."
"That's because I'm AVOIDING you. Obviously. I can't even check in on Toriel anymore because of you."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way... would you like to have breakfast with us tomorrow? As an apology?"
He looks up at you before looking at the ground, "Probably not a good idea. She doesn't really like me."
Flowey sounded really upset saying that. Something in you hurt hearing that, and so you made your decision.
"I'd like you to be there. I'll change her mind, I'm sure of it."
"Yeah right," he responds - rolling his eyes responding sarcastically, "Let me guess, and she'll let you wander around the Underground? She's not THAT nice, you dork."
"She said she'd think about it actually."
His eyes widened and he paused, "Wait. Really? She's just gonna let you go out there? You'll get killed in a heart beat!"
"No. Papyrus is showing me around. Well, that's if she lets me."
"...Fine. I'll accept your breakfast invitation then. Only because you'd annoy the hell out of me if I didn't."
"Really? Thank you so much!" You say, leaning down and giving the flower a hug.
"EW! You're getting your human germs all over me!" He quickly popped under the soil, disappearing.
"...Huh?" You look around, standing up.
"Over here you idiot. I'll be here tomorrow morning. Don't touch me next time, your kindness soul makes me wanna vomit."
"Kindness what?"
"Just ask Toriel tomorrow, you're keeping me up. I'll see you tomorrow human."
Flowey quickly disappears again by going under the dirt. It's like he wasn't even here.
"...well. That's over then." You yawn, heading back for bed.
You get back in bed once you arrive. The bed feels more comfortable than before, so it should be easier to sleep now.
Closing your eyes you fall asleep, waking to the sound of pots and pans in the kitchen.
Getting dressed, you grab your winter coat before pausing. How is Flowey supposed to have breakfast with us, when he's connected to the ground?
You look around the house before finding an empty pot in one of the cupboards, perfect!
"Buttercup, what are you doing? Are you going to make breakfast with me?" Toriel asks, peeking out from the kitchen expectantly.
"Sorry Toriel! I told someone from the ruins I'd invite them to breakfast with us! Sorry for throwing this on you, is that ok?" You ask quickly.
"Well if it's from the ruins, sure! I'll make enough for us." She smiles, going back to cooking.
Quickly you leave the house, running to where Flowey said to meet.
There he was, turning to see you sprinting at him.
"Jeez slow down, I'm not running away this time." He said.
"Sorry! I was worried you wouldn't be here. Wait! Can you get in this? I thought it'd be easier for you to move around in this. Toriel would kill me if you rooted up the floor boards."
He looked at the pot then you, "Really? I'm not being tossed around like a pet, this is a stupid..."
"Nono I promise it's not like that! I wanted you to be able to sit with us.."
"...Fine. No funniness though. I'm putting a lot of trust in you getting in a pot and uprooting myself."
You nodded, setting down the pot on the ground for him.
Flowey pulls himself out of the ground, grabbing a load of dirt with him by the roots before heaving himself into the pot.
He sighed, "Ready?"
"Yeah!" You respond, picking him up carefully, heading back home.
Opening the door and closing it behind you, you enter the kitchen to see the table set already, Toriel sitting down with someone you recognize.
"Alphys?"
"H-Hi Human! Er, Buttercup! Sorry. Toriel told me you n-needed a cellular d-device. I heard you are h-headed into the Underground!" She said, excited.
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Thank you!" You said, seeing the device on the table.
"We didn't start without you, where's your-" Toriel pauses, "Seriously. What are you doing here Flowey. You're the last person I'd expect being nice to humans."
He rolls his eyes as you set him in his spot in front of a plate of pancakes, Alphys eating hers - nervous at the tension in the dining area.
"Buttercup said they're going off into the Underground, pretty stupid of you to let them do. So I'm going with them."
"What?!" You and Toriel ask in unision.
Toriel clears her throat, "Flowey, last I met you - no, everytime I meet you - you're terrorizing humans. Now you want to protect one?"
"Oh, that's why Toriel doesn't like you. Well, I understand - with you wanting out of the Underground and all." You admit.
Toriel looks at you shocked, "He told you about that? Flowey, you touch a hair on their head and you're DUST."
Alphys chokes, Toriel quickly patting her on the back, "Sorry Alphys."
Alphys waves that she's fine and Toriel continues, "Why should I trust you with Buttercup? After all you've done?"
Toriel looks really scary right now. You've never seen her this angry before.
"I'm the only one who can keep them safe. Papyrus is a weakling, royal guard or not. If I can terrorize humans like you say, I can terrorize anyone who tries to hurt them."
The table was silent as you finished the rest of your breakfast.
Flowey still hasn't touched his food yet.
"Are you not hungry Flowey?" You ask.
He looks at you, up and down.
"I don't have arms, you idio-" he stops himself and sighs, "I'm still attaching myself to the pot. I can't use my roots until I'm secured or I'll flop over."
You cut up his pancake quickly, stabbing a piece with his fork before holding it up for him.
"...this is embarrassing." He admits, before eating the pancake off the fork.
"Fine." You hear Toriel say.
"Huh?" You ask.
"You can go into the Underground today. With Flowey. What he says is true, Papyrus isn't exactly the fighting type, he won't be able to protect you like Flowey can."
You scoot your chair out quickly, "Really?!"
"Yes yes, now go before I change my mind! My number is in that phone that Alphys set on the table for you. If you need anything, just call. And don't go too far!" Toriel warns, waving her finger at you.
"Yes ma! Of course! Thank you so much!" You say excitedly, shoving the phone in your pocket and reaching to grab Flowey.
"WAIT! You need Gold in case you get hungry or something. Here." Toriel says, handing you a bundle of gold.
"Oh. Thanks!" You grab the gold, putting it in your coat pocket and sliding your coat on. Quickly throwing on your scarf and mittens - and changing from your house shoes to your boots.
Quickly grabbing Flowey, you head for the door out to Snowdin.
"HEY! MY PANCAKE!" Flowey screeches.
"I'll buy you something to eat when we get out! Promise!"