> ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪsʜ
"𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦? 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥."
The question stumped you for a second. Tilting your head as confusion weighed inside your mind. Anything you say next could determine how your father perceived you.
It was a strange question to ask a thirteen-year-old who was fresh into puberty and young adulthood. You weren't really sure if you grasped the concept of love, to begin with. You've watched shows about how two or more people come together to form romantic or platonic relationships. You saw your younger classmates in primary school explain that they liked one person more than the other. You saw how your father treated your mother. Kissing, hand holding, teasing. That was the love you had from your perspective. Yet you asked yourself if that was the kind of love you wanted from someone else.
You stole a glance at your father. His gaze was stuck on the mesmerising performance of Mother Nature. In his hand was a bottle of his favourite grape-flavoured soft drink while the other was behind you. You never understood why he liked that kind of sugar drink, it tasted too artificial for you. He had a stern look in his eyes. You tried searching for anything behind them but came back with nought.
You shook your head. "What kind of question is that?"
He snorted at the question, taking another sip.
"I know, I know. I was just curious since my baby is growing up so fast!" He slung an arm to your shoulder to hug you close. "Just yesterday I was changing your diapers and feeding you from the bottle. You'll be a full-fledged adult by the time I finish this drink!" You squirm under his grasp, stubbornly pulling away as he gives you silly kissy faces.
"DAD!"
After a few minutes of mindless teasing, he pulled away. His focus is back on the setting sun. You puffed out your cheeks, demanding his attention on you again. "You're so weird, you know? Are you scared that your little angel is gonna fly too close to the sun?" You both chuckled, but the smile he had didn't meet his eyes.
Silence washed over the two of you. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't an enjoyable one either. You chewed the inside of your cheek, anxiety bubbling at the pit of your stomach.
You took the time to let the breeze lightly gloss over your features. Your hair swayed in the wind as the air cleansed your lungs. You and your father were out by the park sitting by the bench. The pathways overflowed with people engaged in idle chatter, barking dogs, and running cars, yet it was still peaceful. Dusk kissed the horizon with its humble lips. A world full of purple and orange seeped into the blue sky together in a dance of pure bliss. Just like how your mind was intertwined around the question.
"I want you to be good, okay? Especially to your mother. You know how worried she gets over everything."
You pressed your lips firmly, following his gaze directed at the sun. You opened your mouth to speak but he beat you to it. His voice was low, barely above a whisper. A dash of sincerity was sprinkled behind his affirming words.
"And I want you to eat well. Not always that cup noodles you buy after school. And study hard. I'm not expecting you to always pass at everything but choose subjects you enjoy so you can get into a good university. I don't mind if you get a partner for experience while in school, but you need to focus on your studies. After that, you can then have a committed relationship. You're young and I want you to live your childhood to the fullest. But if anyone breaks your heart I'll-."
You cut him off with a playful punch to the shoulder. "Dad! Dad! Calm down!" A giggle escaped your lips. "I haven't even gotten my first crush yet! Let alone start high school. You can be so annoying sometimes!" Embarrassment heated the apples of your cheeks as your father cooed at you.
"Besides you and Mom always talk about this lovey-dovey stuff so you go ask her about this." The man paused for a second. Hesitating on the next words to spill out of his mouth. Slowly, yet surely, a hand grazed the top of your head to stroke your head. You felt his fingers massage your scalp, easing your nerves.
For some odd reason, you're stumped again. Not in confusion, but in tranquillity.
Your father always looked out for you. Every step of the way from birth, he stuck by your side. Guiding you. Disciplining you. Loving you. There was never a day he'd miss just to say "I love you." and there was never a moment to pat your head to ease your tensions. He'd spoil you, of course. He'd tease you. He'd annoy you. But they were always full of love. Full of hope and care behind every hug. Every kiss on the cheek, every affectionate stroke of the hairs on your head.
He was your Dad, and you loved him for that. There was no other person that could compare to him. If you never saw your Dad again, it was most likely some nightmare you'd force yourself to wake up from.
But for some reason, you couldn't wake up this time.
"I want you to promise me something, angel." He began, eyes now boring into yours. You felt your blood run cold. Something about his eye reflected the same colour as yours, but more intense. Whatever you were looking for before appeared to you in an icy fury. You held back a gulp, ushering him to continue. "Promise me you'll be good and enjoy your life to the fullest. Get friends. Fall in love. Pay taxes even. Just promise me you'll be good."
Every word he spoke grew desperate. His breath grew shaky, startling you. You were unsure whether to cry or laugh at him. Glass formed in the back of your throat as his hand never left your side. The world around you shifted into a blurry sight, and the taste of salt lingered on your tongue.
You nod your head. "If I say yes would you stop doting me like Mom?"
"I need to hear those words, angel." He was growing impatient which quickly shifted your stature.
"Okay- Okay fine!" You pulled your lips to the side. "I promise." A crack of a smile formed on his face.
The both of you went back to watching the last minutes of the light show. But you couldn't ignore how your father would turn his head away from you, as he drank the rest of his drink.
✧༺♥༻∞
"Thank you, have a nice day!"
The sound of the store's bell rang as the sliding doors opened to see the elderly lady out. You sighed to yourself, glancing at the clock.
5:15 PM.
You groaned. Fifteen more minutes before you're free from this prison. It's been a long eight hours of absolute mediocrity. It was just you behind the counter of this small corner store, attending to customers day in and day out.
Maybe that's why you took this low-hanging job of being a retail worker. Or maybe you were too lazy to be fully committed to working efficiently in this economy.
Nonetheless, this was reality. Moving to a quaint suburb from the countryside to enjoy the outskirts of the city. A quaint suburban town to balance out the lifestyle.
You got this job quite easily. If you didn't see the hiring ad on the sign the day after being rejected from every university or college out there then you'd end up homeless at the age of twenty. Fast forward to when you reached twenty-two, you figured that if you weren't going to study then working was your next option. Anything to keep your mind occupied from your losing streak in life.
Not that you were complaining or anything, you were grateful. Sure the pay wasn't like at a five-star hotel and the only thing you had to worry about was inventory space. And a few bad eggs of customers, but you already sold your SOUL off to hell, which was retail.
You were overall happy.
Satisfied even.
A twenty-four-year-old adult on their own, working at a small corner store and just sitting in the abyss of a normal, mundane life.
The store doors opened slid open, and the ringing of the electronic bell caught you off guard. Your eyes lit up, seeing one of your coworkers rushing through.
"Just in time." You playfully said to her while she just rolled her eyes. She hurried to the staff room to change leaving you to steal a glimpse at the clock again.
5:25 PM.
The woman who ran behind you was named Jessabell. She was a few years younger than you, yet still full of spunk and life that people mistake her as a teenager working a summer job. However, since this was a family business it was only logical for the boss to hire his children.
Jessabell was more lenient when working. Hence she usually comes a few minutes before or after her shift instead of the standard 10 minutes. You thought that could be the case since she's the boss's daughter. The first day you started working at the corner store you could instantly see the resemblance. Coily brown hair, deep rich bronze skin, strong facial features, and intense hazel eyes. But it was sweet of the boss to always be thinking about her since you knew Jessabell was thinking of moving to the city sometime soon.
A bittersweet smile grew on your lips.
The door opened to the brunette fixing her badge as she joined you behind the counter. She muttered small profanities as she fixed her hair and collar.
"How's the day shift been, (Y/N)?" You shrugged your shoulders replying with a small 'it's been the same.'
"How was your date?" you asked, resulting in her flushing and waving her hands in front of her face. You smirked as your question had been already answered. Jessabell bashfully looked away. "It was great! She's a good girl- I mean, you know what I mean!" She flushed again as you chuckled at her shy antics. "And we enjoyed the aquarium date. Thank you so much for that suggestion by the way." You waved it off, saying it was nothing.
Jessabell was a good kid. You didn't bear to see anything bad to her that you've gone slightly protective over her. You acted almost like an "older brother", her words not yours. But you didn't mind so hearing her ramble about the outing was a nice change of pace.
"I'm just glad that you enjoyed yourself. Plus you're welcome that I covered for you."
"I was getting there! And thank you again. My Dad would literally kill me if he found out I was skipping work again." Her whole body then jumped as she looked down at her watch. "Oh! Don't worry about last-minute restocks, I'll take it from here! You can go home now!"
You looked at the time.
5:30 PM.
With one last nod, you entered the staff-only door. You quickly changed into a baggy hoodie and lazily slung your bag over your shoulder. You emerged back out and made a beeline to the drinks section.
One thing you liked working at a corner store was the free drinks you could get after your shifts. Your eyes scanned the fridge, and an assortment of drinks reflected your (E/C) eyes. Usually, you'd go for your usual choice of beverage, but today you hand a mind of its own for tonight.
"Oh! I thought you didn't like grape-flavoured drinks," Jessabell piped behind you. You swirled the can in your hand, the cold surface numbed your grip. "Something new planned for tonight?"
You let out a breathy snort. "Nah, just wanted to give it another go." You pocketed the drink. "You can tell me all the details about your date after your shift. I'll see you next week." You teased as her face contorted to another stage of embarrassment.
You said your goodbyes. The sound of the bell rang in your ears as you descended down the path.
You looked to your right. The same deserted footpath you took almost every day left that led to the safety of your home. But for some reason, you didn't have the heart to go home just yet. Your apartment complex wasn't far from the store. It was only a ten-minute walk, five if you were being chased by a crazed maniac. Trust me, you had a fair share of wild encounters here but most of the time it was just someone trying to return your wallet as you flailed your arms in the air.
You glance to your left. A small park was seen in the distance, probably a hundred-metre walk.
Your hand clutched the fizzy drink in your pocket.
No harm in a small detour, right?
✧༺♥༻∞
You easily found a vacant bench on a hill. Close to the centre of the park but far away from your own space from the public. A small fountain was built in the centre as a handful of people walked by the footpath. Some couples walked hand in hand, giggling to themselves as they walked by you. Runners jogged by. Folks walking their pets. You even saw a cat on a leash.
Nostalgia washed over your body like running water. You pressed your lips firmly, looking at the same sky show over a decade ago.
You wondered what your Dad would think if he saw you like this.
Not in a bad way of course. You just couldn't help the empty hole in your heart, calling out to him in the wind.
Unfortunately, that was the day he and your mother were headed to Splitsville. Turns out you were unfortunately part of the fifty per cent with divorced parents. The once old house that homed the three of you turned into weekend at your fathers, then every other week.
A slow decline of seeing him , you rarely saw him by the time you were sixteen. Then only once at eighteen. Tragic, but it was out of your control. You appreciated your parents wanting you to have a somewhat normal childhood but you guess your mom hated living a life with your dad and saw him out. Looking back on that day made so much sense now. A heart-to-heart conversation covered the bittersweet goodbye.
His plea still lingers in the back of your mind.
"Promise me you'll be good and enjoy your life to the fullest. Get friends. Fall in love. Pay taxes even. Just promise me you'll be good."
You've been "good", as your Dad described. You barely argued with your mother. You stayed in school. You made a few friends, fell in love once, and paid those unfriendly taxes. It was a childish promise. Something you'd always tell your kids before they fell asleep, yet you still kept it.
Maybe it was because that was all you had left of him before he disappeared. It was the only way of connecting with him after all these years. Some sort of manifestation of him, telling you these words, motivating you. If you disobeyed him, then you would not only betray him but the little you who looked up to him so much. And you miss him dearly.
Yet life still managed to work out for you. Or rather, working out well enough. Yet you couldn't help but expect something new to happen. It was like your SOUL craved an ounce of adventure. A crumb of ecstasy out of this endless cycle.
It was never too late for change, so what was stopping you now?
You grasped the soda can in your hand. The silver and purple packaging hasn't changed much over the years. Still adorning the bright letters that read 'All new grape floured fizzy drink! With Natural Sugars and Flavours.' You chuckled to yourself as you popped open the tab. You held the drink to the sky, declaring a toast to the world.
"To change!" You proudly exclaimed, ignoring the weird looks you got from any bystanders.
You took a swig of the drink in one go.
!!
You spat it back out right after.
"Geez Dad, why did you even drink this crap?"
> ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪsʜ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sʜᴏᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀᴛ!
A/N: OH MY GOD! I AM BACK IN MY UNDERTALE PHASE AND IT'S NEVER LETTING ME GO OUT OF IT'S IRON GRIP (I never left lmao). But hey ya'll thanks for reading this half-baked fic. Erm Sorry it's like super boring and shit BUT I HAD THIS IDEA TO WRITE THIS FOR SO MANY YEARS NOW AND IM LIKE UHJSGDKW OKAY ILL DO IT. Originally I quit writing but now I'm like okay let's get back into this bitch.
OKAY! So just a little heads up. I know I said that the read is Gender Neutral/Non-Binary in this but I'm kinda hinted at them as AMAB since like there are BARELY any fics of male/AMAB readers. It won't really affect anything but how people compliment/see you. DON'T WORRY THO I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT UNIVERSALLY GN THO! Sorry to all if that's not your forte.
Love interest tho I only planned for six which was the Undertale, Underfell and Underswap bros! I know people want more but I've had my fair share of TOO MANY CANDIDATES and it was not pretty. All of their romances have been planned out and idk if I can add any at this time! IM SORRY!! So (as of now) there are six love interests!
On the topic of love interests, most of them are a little bit OOC but I'm trying to change the narrative of how the fandom sees certain characters. (US!Sans fr needs justice at this point with the rise of BloodBerry/Yandere!US!Sans bruh). So if you expect like fanon universally known headcanons of certain characters then this fic ain't for you (Plus it's been a while since I was in the Undertale fandom so I'm putting my own interpretations of the characters hope that's okay!)
Sorry for rambling! I just have a lot to say since IM SO FUCKING EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER AND THE FUTURE OF THIS FIC AAA!!! Anyways hope everyone enjoyed it and see you guys in the next chapter!!
(Edited!)