If you saw me describe Gaster's eyelights when using magic as blue and red before. No you didn't. Bribing you with another almost 4k chapter to say it was always purple.
2nd POV.
Things between you and Gaster changed after that day. He was a lot more pleasant to be around now, more relaxed when interacting with you. He even let you play with the kids without much of a fuss, the living room becoming the new place you spent most of your time in. It was certainly better than counting the books on the bookshelf in your bedroom again.
The wound was a not so distant memory now, healed over fully thanks to Gaster's care and now all that was left of it, was a scar. A reminder of your first meeting with the tall skeleton.
Today was no different from any other day, the only change being that you were freely left alone with the two kids, no babysitter in sight. You were playing tag with them, well, mainly Papyrus, as Sans loved to float up away from your grasp and sit there until his brother was caught and only then lower himself down for the younger skeleton to touch.
You didn't mind that at all, enjoying getting to play with the two kids freely, even if you ached sometimes to let your wings out and fly after the older skeleton. You didn't though, obviously, they were still hidden against your back, black lines melted into your skin until you called upon them. At least God didn't take that ability from you, if they did you would have been dead the day you met Gaster and his sons.
Speaking of the devil, you heard a voice call out from behind you just as Papyrus threw himself at you yelling tag, you tumbling to the ground with a laugh, the kid safely wrapped in your arms as you hit the, luckily quite soft and fluffy, carpet.
Both of you looked up, Papyrus getting off your lap to stand beside you while you stood up, your eyes meeting white eyelights of Gaster, who stood in the doorway. He was wearing his usual coat and sweater. Now that you think about it, you haven't really seen him wearing any different outfits than that. Perhaps his wardrobe is full of copies of it so he can have it on every day.
"(Y/n)?" His voice rang out again to catch your attention, a low bass you've grown to know over the last few months you've spent in the house recovering.
"Yes Gaster?" You asked with a head tilt, Papyrus and Sans running off to play by themselves now that you've stopped paying them any attention.
Gaster brought a fist up to his face and cleared his throat, his hands then falling down to rest behind his back as he answered you.
"I thought it would do you good to see more of the underground, so, may I show you around, if you'd be willing?" A grin spread on your face at his words, excited to not be cooped up in the house anymore. As much as you loved the kids, it would be nice to get some fresh air and see more places.
Your grin fell just as quickly as it appeared, your face breaking out into a frown instead as you glanced where Sans and Papyrus ran off to.
"Is it wise to leave them all alone? They could hurt themselves" You worriedly inquired, not wanting to go if it meant the kids would have the house to themselves.
You swear you notice Gaster smile softly, but maybe it was just your imagination. He did though, appreciating the fact you cared for his kids enough to worry about them being left alone.
"Don't worry about that, I've already called Indarra to watch over them" The name rang a bell in your head. That was the uncle that the kids spoke of when you asked who usually babysits them.
As if on cue, the sound of very insistent knocking stopped the conversation from continuing. You turned to the door, watching as Gaster walked over and opened it, the figure on the other side one of a fish monster.
Who you guessed was Indarra walked in once Gaster side stepped to let him in, then pulled the skeleton into a tight bear hug, one at which the scientist made a quiet groan, the fish monster squeezing him quite strongly. Enough so even you winced a bit. He certainly didn't look amused in the slightest.
"Ah-! Indarra- good to see you too-" Gaster gasped out and was finally put down and instead subjected to a few rough back pats, ones which he was able to take with much more dignity.
"Gaster! Long time no see pal! Haven't seen you since what, yesterday?" Indarra's voice was loud and booming, his high energy matching it perfectly.
"Yes. Since you babysit my kids every day, that would be correct." You have a feeling they had this exact same conversation many, many times before, the thought making you try and fail to stiffen a giggle.
The fish monster turned to you and you could finally have a good look at him. He was tall, not as tall as Gaster, but still bigger than an average human. He was much more bulky than the skeleton though, big muscles adorned with scars that messed up the otherwise smooth admiral blue fish scales flexing with every movement. Same slashes scattered across his face too, most notably one that rendered him blind in one eye. You could recognise the shape made by a sword anywhere and it was exactly that, your tell that he must have taken part in the war that trapped the monsters down below. He had quite long red hair that he brushed back, easy to put into a ponytail or a bun if need be, but currently let down since there's no fight to be had. A short beard adorned his chin, curling around his mouth that was open in a wide grin, sharp yellow-ish teeth flashing from behind curled back lips. His healthy eye was bright yellow and slited, narrowed slightly after meeting your gaze.
"Ah! And this must be the human you spoke so much of, isn't it Gaster? Why, it's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Indarra!" He offered his hand for a handshake, the side fins on his head, that probably served as protection of his hearing, flapping a few times for reasons you couldn't really figure out.
A bit intimidated, you clasped his hand in yours, praying that he wouldn't somehow figure out what you are. To have someone who is clearly a war veteran so close to you was dangerous. You didn't even want to imagine what he'd do to you if he found out.
"I'm (Y/n), pleasure is all mine-" Before you had a chance to fully finish your sentence, you were pulled forward by Indarra's strong grip, him pulling you in a hug quite like he did with Gaster.
You yelped at being pulled, then made a quiet groan too when you felt just how tight you were being squeezed right now. Still, you tried to hug back to the best of your ability, Indarra responding to it with a happy laugh, clearly used to Gaster not doing so.
Said skeleton monster grumbled quietly with an eye roll, tapping Indarra a few times on the shoulder impatiently to let you go.
"If you don't mind, I'll be taking her now" At Gaster's voice you were finally placed back down on the ground, turning to look at the skeleton, who seemed quite irritated.
Indarra merely shrugged at the look, clearly unbothered by it and walked over to the couch, sitting down on it and stretching. You now noticed that what he was wearing was clearly an undergarment for armour, you having to wear something similar once when still serving in their army.
"No need to be so huffy Gaster! I'm not going to steal your lady, I already have my daughter and she's the only one in life I need" The fish monster smirked while speaking, shooting both you and the skeleton a smug look.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. (Y/n) let's go." You chuckled quietly at the clearly huffy tone and walked over to him.
Gaster handed you a thick black coat, perhaps one of his own, along with a scarf and a fluffy hat, all of which you were very grateful for. You didn't do well with cold considering what happened last time. You put it on quickly, Gaster already dressed by the time you finished.
In the meantime Indarra had already settled in, Sans and Papyrus sitting on his knees as he, very loudly, started to tell them war stories, You ignored the pit in your stomach when you heard the description of a battle, closing your eyes tightly and simply following Gaster out of the house and drowning out the voice.
That was all soon forgotten though as you took in a deep breath, enjoying being outside for the first time in months, or, well, as outside as you could be when trapped beneath a mountain. Even the cold didn't dampen your excitement, the clothes handed to you kept you nice and warm, even with the snow that swirled in the air and covered everything in a fluffy white blanket. You gathered a bit of it into your hands, the gloves protecting your skin from feeling the chill. You crushed it in your hold, feeling it solidify in it and take a different shape.
Now that it wasn't nipping at your skin, it was quite fascinating, gorgeous even. Back then, you never had any time to enjoy the beauty of nature. An angel does not feel the heat or cold, cannot enjoy the sunrays warming the skin, the pleasure of sitting near a campfire and feeling the flames gently licking the air. It was a distraction from duty, an earthly pleasure you were not allowed to have, not after the choice to give up an afterlife to join their ranks and keep humanity safe.
Doing something as simple as playing in the snow before would have filled you with guilt, of wasting your time you could spend training, getting better, making sure you're ready the next time mortals need your aid. Now? Now you gladly threw the snow up, watching as it sparkled in the air and then settled on the ground and your clothes, thin and tiny, each snowflake unique in its own way. You brought your arm closer, eyes narrowing to focus on them, bouncing from one to the next, noticing all their differences and similarities.
You hated the cold, but loved the snow.
A chuckle brought you out of the small bubble you found yourself in. You turned around, seeing Gaster snorting quietly at you, amusement dancing in his eyelights at your antics. A few monsters were staring too, some laughing, some being more neutral, but, to your surprise, none of them looked at you with any hostility whatsoever, their faces holding no fear or anger.
You walked back up to Gaster, a bit embarrassed, but mostly just worried, your eyes glancing from one monster to the next, your instincts threatening to kick in and make you bolt away and to 'safety', whatever that would entail.
"The monsters are staring..." You mumbled out to him, pressed close as to not have any of them hear your words. You really wished you could let your wings out right now and just cover yourself up in them, a safe cocoon away from the world.
Gaster must have noticed your nervousness, a quiet sigh leaving him as he put a reassuring arm on your shoulder, squeezing lightly, giving you a tiny smile. You didn't know why, but it calmed you immediately.
"They won't attack, you've got nothing to worry about" He started walking down the snowed over road and you followed quickly, keeping to his side close enough you were almost touching.
"Why? I thought monsters hated... my kind" You avoided the word human, not wanting to lie outright. They all assumed you were one, you were simply not correcting them on your true nature. A white lie, a dangerous one still, but you'd rather take your chances with that than the rage of monsters when faced with a figure of their past, now weak and unable to fight back were they to want to enact revenge.
And, to your confusion, you swore some of those monsters were openly smiling at you!
"Most don't. We're angry, yes, but hate and bitterness is not in our nature. At least, not in the nature of most of us. That and the King and Queen already made an announcement to not worry about you hurting anyone." You were confused by the middle sentence -what did he mean by that?- but then that last part made your blood run cold. And, ironically, it was not because of the snow surrounding you both.
"They... they know about me?" Your voice cracked, your fear palpable as you gulped, your hands starting to shake.
Asgore and Toriel... One the best healer, the other, one of the strongest monsters you ever saw. You never fought him yourself, the chance slipping you by as the monsters got locked up. Something you were glad about. He was terrifying for humans, a beast of fire and death with a trident the size of a man. For angels, he was still a challenge, a seasoned warrior who could go toe to toe with many of your kind.
The knowledge they knew of your existence made you nauseous, the ground and sky almost switching places for a moment when your head spun.
A strong arm on your back steadied you and you glanced up to find Gaster making sure you didn't collapse on the snow. He rolled his eyes, but still his hand persisted in holding you, straightening you back up.
"Of course they know about you. When I almost... killed you, Papyrus begged me to help you. I was hesitant to do so and went to ask them for their opinion and to my horror and disappointment, they agreed with him. I wasn't about to argue with all three and so I just agreed, figuring out it would placate them." You were about to be a bit offended, even if you completely understood his point of view and unwillingness to help a 'human', when he added, albeit a lot more quietly, almost as if to himself and not for you to hear.
"Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to help you after all..." You couldn't help a smile that the words brought to your face and clearly he realised you heard it, as he huffed and let go of you, glancing away and crossing his arms behind his back, his posture straightening up. You just chuckled at that.
"That's good to know. I'm glad my presence here isn't going to scare anyone, I wouldn't want that" It would if they knew what you were. But you were not going to let that happen, no matter how much the guilt would eat at you.
"Monster souls are made out of kindness, compassion and love. They'd welcome you in even without the reassurement from the royal pair, as foolish as that would be" You nodded quietly, thinking that new information over.
Kindness, compassion and love huh.... And they are somehow the monsters, when humans are the ones up above. Funny, how life hurts the ones that deserve it least. Funny, how it's your fault.
You quietened down, biting your lip, the guilt that woke up in you those decades ago when you made your choice to help now coming back full force. Beings made out of kindness, of love and compassion and yet you still took so long to realise they should have never been attacked, let alone banished.
"Your people didn't deserve this." You broke the silence when you passed by the library with a misspelt sign above it, fidgeting with your hands and listening to the snow crunching under your feet.
Gaster glanced at you, eyelights the same as always, but yet they somehow felt colder, angrier maybe, though you couldn't be sure. His shoulders tensed more, him probably gripping his arms behind his back tightly.
"No. We did not." Was all he answered you with.
That was the wrong thing to say then and you knew how to take a hint. You went silent again, simply walking beside him, glancing around, trying not to meet his gaze and simply focus on memorising where everything is.
After a long moment you heard a long sigh, Gaster's shoulder relaxing as he turned to you, his expression no longer as cold.
"...Come. I want to show you somewhere you may like" You nodded at his words, curious where he's going to take you.
Gaster began to lead you towards a specific building, the big letters you could already spot forming a name. 'Grillby's'.
"He's an old friend, like a brother to me. I'd like you to meet him" A show of trust perhaps, a way for him to tell you he's trying. Or a wordless 'I'm sorry' for almost killing you.
You don't deserve it, neither the trust, nor the sorry. You will take them nonetheless.
You reached the building and Gaster opened the door, the warmth of it compared to outside the first thing that you noticed. The homely atmosphere was next as you walked in with the skeleton following right behind you.
The place was entirely wooden, the warm brown mixed in with orange lighting creating an atmosphere you couldn't help but immediately relax in. It was like warmth in the midst of a raging winter. A delicate flicker of a candle on a desk beside an old, worn book. It felt safe, like you could relax.
Clearly, it wasn't just you the place worked wonders on. There were quite a few monsters around, all just as relaxed, playing cards between one another, chatting or enjoying the food.
Though, your eyes immediately went to the farthest part of the long room full of tables and stools, as the brightest point in it was coming from there. A fire monster stood behind a bar, polishing a cup with a cloth, glasses somehow sitting on his face even though you couldn't distinguish anything remotely resembling a nose on him. He looked up when he heard the bell above the door ring, signalling you and Gaster walking in.
You swear he somehow smiled, the fire bending in a way that looked like a mouth curling upwards at the sight of you two. Before you could logically assume this must be Grillby, the fire monster spoke up, interrupting your thoughts.
"Gaster! Good to see you brother. Same as usual?" Grillby waved you two over to the stools and so you sat down at the bar, the fire elemental leaning forward towards you two a bit while talking.
"Not this time Grillby. Thought I'd finally bring you the human you wanted to meet ever since I slipped up about her. She's who Asgore and Toriel mentioned in the announcement, (Y/n)" Grillby grinned, you now being able to notice that you were right. The flames parted slightly, revealing a glowing brightly mouth and you could very very faintly make out the shape of eyes behind his glasses that must function exactly the same.
"Finally! I thought you almost forgot about me. Your favourite family member and you don't show off to me the person that managed to charm Sans?" You could hear the teasing lilt of Grillby's voice, the words spoken slower and more elongated on purpose.
Gaster rolled his eyes, elbowing the fire monster who snickered and elbowed back. Yeah, you could see why they call each other brothers despite clearly not being related.
"My favourite family member is Asgore... don't tell him I said that. He'll be insufferable" You couldn't help but join Grillby as he burst out laughing while the skeleton just sighed, mumbling out a 'you're both insufferable' under his breath.
The fire monster then turned to you, offering his hand to shake. You, a bit nervous in case it would burn you, took it, only to be pleasantly surprised. It was toasty to the touch but not hot, a pleasant feeling, as if holding a freshly baked loaf of bread that cooled off enough but still held some of that warmth from the fire.
"Pleasure to meet you (Y/n). As you've heard already, my name is Grillby" He chuckled at the quiet awe over something as simple as a handshake and pulled back, the flames on his head dancing in amusement. Gaster just rolled his eyes again.
You saw the skeleton open his mouth, about to say something, but then a ringtone interrupted everything. You jumped at the sound, watching as Gaster pulled out a small device from his pocket and pressed it to his ear. Curious... humans did not have anything of such at all last time you checked. So this must be the phone he mentioned to you during one of the talks when you were still bedridden in bandages.
He pressed the phone to his ear canal, his face morphing from a relaxed and almost playful look into concern, then seriousness in the span of a few seconds as a frantic voice talked on the other side. He pressed his fingers between the ridges of his eye sockets, closing them tightly for a moment with a loud sigh.
"Understood. I'll be there in an instant. Do not touch it and for the love of Asgore do not let anyone try to lick the fluids leaking under the pretext of 'having no stomach' again." He hung up afterwards, turning to you and Grillby with an apologetic look, the stool sliding against the floor as he stood up in one quick movement.
"There's a problem at the lab. A machine broke and is leaking some unknown substance on the floor. I need to go there before anyone gets hurt. Can you stay with Grillby for now? I'll come back as soon as I can." He explained quickly, his eyelights already a june iris purple as his magic flared to life from stress.
You gave him a reassuring smile, nodding quickly.
"I'll be fine, everyone here seems friendly. Go do your job, I won't move a muscle" You told him, Grillby further supporting said words with a nod and a head tilt towards the door, telling him to go.
"Thank you" He breathed out and, before anyone could say anything else, he vanished in a flash of the same purple as his eyelights.
You awkwardly spun back around to face Grillby, the fire monster staring you down with a look you couldn't read from behind his glasses. You felt judged, you didn't like it one bit. You opened your mouth to break the silence, but he beat you to it, placing the glass down loudly on the bar counter.
"So... how did you end up staying with Gaster?"
"In the dark-"
A/n
If you ship Grillster or Kingdings, kindly do not mention it here, or leave. As you noticed, I am hammering down the family love between Gaster and those characters much more than in the OG book. That is because while I always have thought of them that way, with Asgore being Gaster's father figure and Grillby being an annoying brother, some people STILL came into my comments to mention the ships. I dislike them. I do not want to see anything about them on my page. You want to talk about them, go find the fans literally anywhere else. I WILL delete the comments if you try to argue. It's bad enough it's hard to find any good Gaster content that isn't tainted by those ships, I don't need them in my own comment section ruining my day too.
Other than that, I hope the description of Indarra feeds the few people who for some reason liked him in the last book and makes up for the fact he wasn't described at all before! Procrastination works wonders on pushing out chapters when your other option is more studying. (I studied, don't yell at me)